Transcript Highlights:

• A liaison would facilitate the defendant's attendance at initial competency evaluation and at any treatment
• ... rate of restoration of competency in New rate of restoration of competency in New Hampshire<00:13
• competency evaluation and at any competency evaluation and at any treatment<00:14:11.000> appointments
• <00:19:28.440> evaluations,<00:19:29.440> supporting<00:19:29.840> them competency
• evaluations, supporting them competency evaluations, supporting them with<00:19:30.240> programming

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• At the same time, pathways for clinicians to become authorized 5150 evaluators vary significantly across
• By making clear what is required to be designated as a 5150 evaluator, SB 16 will help counties recruit
• I want to be very clear that our work was competent, gold standard care, and approved by the plan.
• California is uniquely positioned to compete for those funds.
• California is uniquely positioned to compete for those funds.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So an evaluation of that should also be included.
• Legislative Council, program evaluation—who's doing that for us?
• Our program evaluators are here today to provide an update on the Child Care Services Program evaluation
• regarding data collection and the status of the evaluation.
• We are advertising for another program evaluator position.

Summary: The committee first heard an update on North Dakota’s Interagency Council on Homelessness and Continuum of Care funding. Jennifer Henderson of the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency reported that homelessness remains driven by tight housing markets, low incomes, rising rents, and barriers to rental assistance, public benefits, and disability determinations. She said the state’s one-time North Dakota Homeless Grant is serving all regions but reaches far fewer households than the former Rent Help program, and that aging homelessness, shelter staffing shortages, and limited affordable units are growing concerns. Members discussed the need for more housing supply, better coordination with Health and Human Services, landlord engagement, reentry housing, and possible continued one-time funding for the $10 million Homeless Grant and $25 million Housing Incentive Fund. Henderson also warned that federal Continuum of Care funding is uncertain, with HUD expected to issue a new notice June 1 and possible shifts away from permanent supportive housing toward transitional housing and other models. The committee then took testimony on accessibility of government services for people who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, or hard of hearing. Paul Olson of North Dakota Vision Services School for the Blind described the school’s services for infants, children, and adults, including screenings, mobility training, assistive technology, and outreach across the state. He said the agency works closely with Vocational Rehabilitation and is also involved in improving website and document accessibility, especially for PDF materials. Public testimony highlighted barriers such as inaccessible CAPTCHA systems, online forms, driver’s license requirements on job applications, and limited transportation in rural areas. A deaf resident urged broader use of video remote interpreting and video relay services, along with training so people know how to use them effectively. Finally, Kay Larson presented the final report on the child care provider licensing study. The report recommended streamlining North Dakota’s child care licensing structure into three provider types plus a preschool designation, while preserving health and safety standards and maintaining eligibility for child care assistance. The committee discussed simplifying training and qualification rules, revising ratio and group-size requirements, and adjusting age bands for infants and toddlers. The report also noted that some changes would require statutory amendments and later administrative rule changes, with a transition period likely extending through 2029. No formal votes were taken in the transcript, but the committee accepted the updates and scheduled follow-up presentations for a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• a defendant's competency.
• It's very different from competency at execution or competency prior to.
• I do not do competency-to-be-executed evaluations.
• I didn't evaluate him.
• You said that you evaluate...

Bills: HB 1194, HB 1221, HB1738, HB1913, HB2177, HB2178, HB2180, HB2229, HB2282, HB2448, HB2492, HB2777, HB2984, HB3357, HB3553, HB3602

Keywords: emergency protection order, protective order, magistrate, criminal procedure, victim safety, family violence, domestic violence, stalking, assault, magistrate's order, temporary protection, court order duration, defendant restrictions, Article 17.292, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, emergency restraining order, victim protection, firearm restriction, pretrial intervention, reimbursement fee

Transcript Highlights:

• To compete in global markets. And you're beginning to see those retirements happen.
• And that development requires how to evaluate, how to remediate, and how to make sure... ...and that
• I think that's an evaluation we are carefully making, as Assembly Member Davies, not to not directly
• So as we evaluate the analysis, a lot of times we see the same data.
• And so you need bigger and bigger refineries to compete globally. So these trends are difficult.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy held its annual oversight hearing on the transportation fuels sector, focused on California’s fuel transition, the announced refinery closures by Phillips 66 and Valero, and the potential effects on supply, prices, and the broader fuel system. Committee leadership said the state needs a system-wide transition plan rather than a piecemeal approach, and state witnesses from CARB, the CEC, and DPMO described the fuel market as a complex, interconnected ecosystem involving crude production, refining, storage, imports, and delivery. They emphasized that declining gasoline demand from EV adoption is occurring alongside shrinking in-state refining capacity, which could increase volatility and price spikes if not managed carefully. CARB Chair Liane Randolph reviewed the state’s climate and air-quality programs, including AB 32, SB 32, the 2022 scoping plan, the low-carbon fuel standard, and vehicle emissions rules. She said these policies have reduced emissions substantially but that California still faces major ozone and PM2.5 problems, especially in disadvantaged communities. Randolph also said federal actions challenging California waivers could complicate the state’s clean-air efforts, and she noted that while liquid fuels will still be needed in some sectors, the state must continue reducing fossil fuel dependence while protecting public health. CEC Vice Chair Siva Gunda and DPMO Director Ty Milder presented data on gasoline demand, refinery throughput, crude imports, and price differentials. Gunda said the Legislature’s special-session laws gave the agencies transparency and planning tools, and that the CEC is developing a fuels transition plan while evaluating whether any regulatory tools should be used. Milder previewed DPMO findings that Californians have paid a long-running “mystery gasoline surcharge” averaging 41 cents per gallon since 2015, with higher margins concentrated in branded gasoline and among vertically integrated firms. He said the data show a concentrated market with some refiners doing well and others struggling, and that DPMO will continue investigating price behavior, competition, and supply risks. Members pressed the witnesses on whether state regulations contributed to refinery exits or higher prices, and on whether the agencies had adequately analyzed consumer costs. Witnesses said they had not yet implemented the new permissive tools from SB X1-2 and AB X2-1 because they were still assessing risks and benefits, and they stressed that refinery closures and capital decisions are driven by broader market conditions as well as regulation. No vote was taken; the hearing was informational, with the committee seeking updates and urging the agencies to develop a practical transition strategy that balances affordability, reliability, climate goals, and worker/community protections.

Transcript Highlights:

• It was a two-year grant to integrate very similar competencies in substance use disorder (SUD) into our
• We wanted our family nurse practitioners to be well-trained to evaluate and treat these individuals in
• However, for us, the cultural competency piece is equally as important.
• These competencies are perhaps less in the realm of skills and more in the realm of dispositions.
• So we are very pleased and fortunate to have her join our staff as a program evaluator at the LFC.

Transcript Highlights:

• presentation by the Minnesota competency presentation by the Minnesota competency attainment<00:
• Minnesota statutes creating competency Minnesota statutes creating competency proceedings<00:18:
• competency proceedings within those competency proceedings<00:18:35.159> it<00:18:35.360>
• You’re welcome. of the orders for a competency of the orders for a competency examination<00:24:33.760
• <00:35:00.359> exam won't show up for the competency exam won't show up for the competency

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Fourth, the state should enable districts to adopt multiple ways to assess graduation competency over
• We paid for a private neuropsych evaluation and ultimately he was diagnosed with a disability.
• DESE supports SMART goals for teacher evaluations—specific, measurable, attainable, and time-bound.
• We were concerned he might be depressed, and we pursued a neuropsych evaluation.
• The AASL standards provide a comprehensive, competency-based framework and provide tools for evaluating

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education heard testimony on several bills centered on school accountability, receivership, graduation requirements, charter school access, community schools, school libraries, and student voting rights. Much of the discussion focused on the Thrive Act, S. 374, which would end state receivership and change the state’s accountability approach. Supporters, including educators, parents, advocacy groups, and students, argued that receivership has not improved outcomes in districts such as Lawrence, Holyoke, Southbridge, Boston, and the Dever, and that local communities should have more control, with greater emphasis on community schools, wraparound services, and broader measures of school quality. They also supported related bills on community schools and school library standards, and several witnesses backed a bill to expand student representative voting rights on school committees. Opponents of S. 374, especially charter school leaders, parents, students, and some education advocates, focused on Section 4 of the bill, which would change the charter school net school spending cap in the lowest-performing districts. They argued that the provision would reduce access to charter seats in communities where families are seeking more options, and that schools such as Roxbury Prep, Excel Academy, Brook, Veritas Prep, and Libertas Academy have produced strong results for students, including students of color, low-income students, and students with special needs. Several witnesses said the section would force schools to shrink or close and would remove opportunities for families in districts with long waitlists. Committee members questioned witnesses on both the effectiveness of receivership and the charter school cap language. Chair Lewis and Chair Gordon emphasized the need for a better accountability system and noted concerns about whether current measures, including MCAS-based designations, accurately reflect school quality. Some witnesses said they had discussed the possibility of removing Section 4 from the Thrive Act and suggested it might be addressed in separate charter reform legislation. No votes were taken during the hearing; testimony was received and the committee later closed testimony on S. 374 and several related bills before moving on to the student voting rights bill, S. 367.

Transcript Highlights:

• The FAA has been evaluating key performance indicators, or KPIs, to... track Boeing's progress on key
• and out-competing our foreign competitors?
• We also have a much bigger competitor in Europe that we compete with on a regular basis in all areas.
• We're also adding competency evaluations for our employees before they get onto an airplane and start
• pass the competency, they go back through additional training to make sure that they are trained to

Keywords: Boeing, aviation safety, safety management system, military aviation, air traffic control, transparency, oversight, accountability

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on significant safety concerns surrounding Boeing and its compliance with federal aviation standards. Lawmakers expressed frustration over the Army's failure to provide requested operational transparency regarding helicopter operations near Washington, D.C., amid recent incidents indicating a strained air traffic control situation. Several members called for reform in Boeing's oversight, emphasizing the need for a robust safety culture and mandatory safety management systems to prevent future disasters like the 737 MAX crashes. The discussions were passionate, with survivors and families impacted by past accidents present, highlighting the urgency and seriousness of the issues at hand.

Transcript Highlights:

• am pleased to say that the agency is currently in the third RFP phase, and I can report that the Evaluation
• provisions, and evaluation processes at each licensure level.
• Moving into teacher competencies, the proposed rule would replace all teacher competencies and replace
• It would also expand teacher competencies to include translanguaging skills.
• Next month, I'll bring forward an opportunity for you to do an evaluation.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• a former applicant to LCCMR for my small nonprofit, there’s absolutely no way that we could have competed
• <00:09:15.519> with<00:09:16.160> the we could have competed with the we could have
• competed with the University<00:09:16.920> of<00:09:17.200> Minnesota<00:09:18.200>
• This needs to be evaluated by the Environment Committee.”
• <00:18:19.280> by<00:18:19.400> the<00:18:19.559> environment to be evaluated

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• But by allowing us to make drug manufacturers compete on the formulary allows us to get a better price
• But the truth is we want to start small and minority- and female-owned businesses still competing.
• They will be able to compete on their ability and capability to succeed and produce on contract.
• BUT BY ALLOWING US TO MAKE DRUG   500 MANUFACTURERS COMPETE ON THE FORMULARY  ALLOWS US
• . 524 THEY WILL BE ABLE TO COMPETE ON THEIR ABILITY AND CAPABILITY TO SUCCEED AND PRODUCE ON CONTRACT

Summary: The State Administration Budget Subcommittee met to consider four conforming committee bills tied to the proposed 2026-27 House General Appropriations Act. Rep. Maggard presented PCB SAB 26-04, the annual retirement bill, which updates Florida Retirement System contribution rates based on the annual actuarial study and was said to produce a $31.7 million state savings. He also presented PCB SAB 26-02, which addresses collective bargaining impasses for state employees by tying resolution to spending decisions in the appropriations act or implementing legislation. Both bills drew brief questions, mainly from Rep. Gantt, and both passed favorably on roll call. Rep. Miller presented PCB SAB 26-03, which reorganizes state audit functions and creates the Florida Accountability Office, consolidating legislative audit work into four divisions and adding whistleblower protections and reporting requirements. Rep. Gantt asked whether the bill changed the use of outside auditors and whether it had a fiscal impact; Miller said the work would be absorbed within existing resources and that the Legislature would retain responsibility. A taxpayer witness supported the bill and urged stronger local-government audit standards and broader whistleblower coverage. The bill passed favorably. Rep. Abbott presented PCB SAB 26-01, a broader appropriations conforming bill focused on the State Employee Health Insurance Trust Fund, prescription drug formulary changes, a health insurance assessment on agencies and vacant positions, the $3 traffic violation surcharge for the State Law Enforcement Radio System, Capitol complex space management, and changes to the Office of Supplier Diversity. Much of the discussion centered on whether a closed formulary would make medications harder to obtain, with Abbott saying prior authorization would still allow access and that the change was needed to control costs and protect the trust fund. Rep. Gantt and Rep. Robinson raised concerns about employee health benefits and the repeal of supplier diversity provisions, arguing the committee lacked data on the impact to minority- and women-owned businesses; Abbott said the changes would still allow small businesses to compete and that the bill was intended to save money and modernize procurement. PCB SAB 26-01 also passed favorably, and the meeting adjourned after all agenda items were reported out.

Transcript Highlights:

• , collect that data, and complete those evaluations.
• the reliability of the evaluation results.
• Our evaluation plans were finalized and approved by L.A.S.C.
• We look forward to seeing what the evaluations bring.
• I'm really interested in this evaluation.

Transcript Highlights:

• . ...evaluate that need once the courthouse was constructed in a single location in Lakeland.
• We evaluated all the critical needs, and we are really focusing on retention and recruitment.
• We can't compete with other agencies or with the private sector, and we are facing staff shortages.
• So we can't really compete with that. Thank you.
• It’s just there are a lot of competing priorities.

Summary: The committee met to hear fiscal year 2026-2027 legislative budget requests from several justice-related agencies. The Florida Commission on Offender Review requested funding for investigator and revocation staff salary increases to address turnover, plus nonrecurring funds for Wi-Fi, seven vehicles, technology support, and commissioner salary adjustments. The State Courts Administrator presented a broad judicial branch request focused on trial court case-management technology, additional case managers, trust fund authority for child support hearing officers, courthouse furnishings, district court flexibility in staffing, a future courthouse for the Sixth District Court of Appeal, Supreme Court elevator replacement, POM accounting implementation support, judicial security liaison positions tied to the Florida Fusion Center, expanded senior management service authority, and judicial salary adjustments. The Office of the Attorney General outlined pay and operating requests for consumer protection, citizen services, ethics, crime compensation, victim services, vehicle replacement, IT and cybersecurity, lease and operating costs, and PALM-related expenses, while several senators questioned the office about outside counsel contracts, contingency-fee arrangements, transparency, and the use of private law firms. The Department of Corrections made the largest presentation, describing severe staffing shortages, high turnover, rising inmate populations, increased assaults, and heavy overtime use. Secretary Ricky Dixon said the agency’s request was driven by constitutional and public safety needs and included funding for operations, security equipment, inflationary costs, vehicle replacement, offender information system modernization, technology restoration, inmate health services, drug and food cost increases, staffing pilots, maintenance, security infrastructure, Florida PALM, recruitment and retention, and $56 million for new correctional housing units. Members asked about inmate labor, prison safety, overtime, vehicle breakdowns, and whether more National Guard support was needed; Dixon said the agency needed more staffing and pay competitiveness rather than a long-term military presence. A correctional officers’ union representative also urged support for pay raises, citing low pay and staffing concerns. No votes were taken on the budget requests. The chair allowed extended questioning, especially for the Department of Corrections, but noted time constraints and asked agencies to return in a later committee meeting, including FDLE, which was deferred because of a House site visit.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're still competing with to recruit.
• services and we try to restore you to competency to stand trial.
• services and we try to restore you to competency to stand trial.
• <00:20:38.320> I you to competency to stand trial. I you to competency to stand trial.
• Um, we've had a 20% increase in evaluation orders, too.

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 210; 29 January, 2026: 8:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The Department of Mental Health presented its FY27 budget request and described its statewide responsibilities, including more than 600 grants totaling about $140 million, 11 community mental health centers, and state-operated programs for mental health, substance use, and intellectual/developmental disabilities. The request included $291.2 million in general funds, about $33.4 million above the current year, plus spending authority tied to ID regional programs and the IDD waiver. Major components included funding to enroll 250 additional people in the IDD home- and community-based waiver, a projected waiver rate increase, and added support for state-operated 24/7 programs facing staffing and operational shortfalls. The agency also asked to continue selected ARPA-funded services before those dollars expire, including 988 call center support, peer respite sites, court liaison positions, intensive community services for children and youth, and adolescent offender programs. Other requests covered salary adjustments and longevity increases for hard-to-fill positions, electronic health record support, IT security upgrades, a Jackson County crisis stabilization unit expansion from 8 to 16 beds, capital needs such as generator and boiler/chiller replacements, inflation-related increases for community mental health center grants, and restoration of general funds under a Joint Legislative Budget Committee recommendation. Officials emphasized that community-based care now accounts for 58% of funding and that the goal is to keep people out of institutions unless they need the highest level of care. Committee members asked about ARPA balances, forensic referrals, Jackson County’s request, and county support for community mental health centers. The department said about $25 million in ARPA funds remained and should be spent by September 30, with some delays due to reimbursement revisions. On forensic services, officials reported the new 81-bed maximum-security unit at State Hospital has cut the wait list roughly in half, but admission orders are up 51%, and some referrals may be unnecessary or used to delay proceedings. Members also discussed county contributions to community mental health centers, which the department said total about $9–10 million statewide, with most counties now meeting their obligations and only a few using small in-kind contributions.

Transcript Highlights:

• That they would not get to compete in that unless they did the work. themselves.
• And then We evaluate it on an excellence model, and we're upset that we aren't having the top things
• , licensure, and competencies.
• The adopted, rule now removes, those detailed competencies for each level and now specifies that competencies
• Also, we have with teacher competencies there's an updated definition of translanguaging.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um um as as good program evaluations.
• just done as a um a program evaluation just done as a um a program evaluation in<00:15:28.800>
• staff for broader evaluations.
• Um you for uh broader um evaluations.
• we want we don't want competing we want we don't want competing um<00:57:10.880> competing

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Legislative Audit Commission Evaluation Subcommittee met on October 6, 2025, to choose additional program evaluation topics for the Office of the Legislative Auditor. Deputy Legislative Auditor Jody Mson Rodriguez explained that the commission had previously selected seven topics from an initial list of 11, with background papers already prepared on five of those items, and that the subcommittee was now being asked to select five more topics for background papers before narrowing the full set to four recommendations later in the fall or early spring. Members discussed several possible topics, especially emergency medical services, non-emergency medical transportation, MinnesotaCare eligibility, child care assistance, medical assistance fraud prevention, and U.S. Bank Stadium. David Kersner of OLA said emergency medical services and non-emergency medical transportation are distinct programs, and noted the EMS topic was evaluated in 2022 while non-emergency medical transportation had not been reviewed since 2011. Auditor Judy Randall said MinnesotaCare eligibility, child care assistance, and medical assistance fraud prevention are better suited to OLA’s financial audit division or special review unit rather than program evaluation, and that financial audits and special reviews do not require Legislative Audit Commission nomination. On process, Mson Rodriguez said the subcommittee had already met its minimum required selections under the commission’s policy and was free to choose additional topics. The discussion also covered whether to broaden the stadium topic beyond U.S. Bank Stadium; staff said the U.S. Bank financing structure alone would be a major undertaking, but they could help craft a future topic focused on maintenance across multiple facilities. No final vote or motion was taken in the portion of the meeting provided, and the chair indicated the committee would continue nominations and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it can be a really brutal market out there competing for law students.
• But it's just very hard to compete with other schools.
• I would like to discuss how faculty is being evaluated in light of declining bar passage rates.
• We provided A 22-page self-assessment and an over 200-page self-evaluation questionnaire.
• , but many of them have moved to more of a competency-based evaluation system that really takes into

Bills: SB1, SB3

Keywords: interstate medical licensure compact, physician licensure, medical license reciprocity, expedited licensure, medical practice act, New Mexico medical board, compact commission, physician mobility, telemedicine, license portability, background check, disciplinary action, joint investigation, reproductive health care, gender-affirming care, scope of practice, medical board transparency, multistate compact, licensure renewal, health care workforce

Transcript Highlights:

• And if you're competing against someone that can do that quicker, you could have some issues with losing
• The remaining 12 positions are those that are under further review by the department evaluation.
• They evaluate utility infrastructure, all while ensuring that our decisions meets statutory deadlines
• And in some instances, as you would expect, we're competing with the private sector not to mention our
• So the evaluation of the need for the positions is ongoing.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is about non-compete clauses.
• That's why four states have outright banned non-competes.
• It limits the time frame of non-competes to one year.
• There has been an FTC evaluation indicating that if they were to completely strike down non-competes
• I don't like these non-competes at all.

Bills: SB397, SB481, SB596, SB760, SB855, SB1195, SB1196, SB1233, SB1257, SB1318, SB1368, SB1388, SB1398, SB1524, SB1558, SB1589, SB1677, SB1792, SB2034

Keywords: SB 397, telemedicine, telehealth, teledentistry, remote care, virtual care, consent documentation, patient consent, data collection, data sharing, audio-only telehealth, in-person examination, irreversible medical procedure, health professional regulation, Occupations Code, Texas Health and Human Services, medical records, provider compliance, data privacy, consumer rights