Transcript Highlights:

• Uh as as we as I talk<00:07:40.720> to<00:07:40.880> my<00:07:41.039> peers<00:07
• <00:07:42.720> Uh talk to my peers across the country.
• Uh talk to my peers across the country.
• I've talked to my peers who've been around for 40 years in other states and in D.C.
• That's more work, if you will, on our family support staff in order to confirm and work with recipients

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 FY 2025 Budget Close Out 00:02:55 Impressions of H.R. – 119th Congress 00:28:15 SNAP Payment Error Rates 00:37:05, 958, all

Summary: The committee first established a quorum, approved the July minutes, and recognized Jennifer Hayes of the Department of State Budget Director for her retirement and long service. Secretary Hicks then presented a review of fiscal year 2025 closeout for the general fund and road fund, explaining that the general fund ended with a $313 million surplus and the road fund with a $61 million surplus. He attributed the general fund result to strong corporate income and LLC tax receipts, investment income, and lower-than-budgeted spending, while noting that individual income tax and sales tax underperformed estimates. He also described how the general fund surplus was allocated, with $62 million used for necessary government expenses and $251 million deposited into the budget reserve trust fund, which remained at historically strong levels. For the road fund, he said the surplus would be deposited into the Department of Highways construction account, and he highlighted record motor vehicle usage tax receipts despite lower motor fuels tax revenue due to a rate decline. Members asked questions about the pass-through entity tax, delayed filing deadlines, THC beverage sales, and income tax collection from undocumented workers. Hicks said the pass-through entity tax remains difficult to model because of timing issues and the first year’s unusual filing pattern, and that staff are still working with the Department of Revenue and other states to improve forecasting. He said the delayed filing deadline likely would not require a major restatement and that any related receipts would still be counted in fiscal 2026. On THC beverages, he said the issue would be considered in the next forecasting cycle. On the undocumented-worker question, he said withholding may capture some of the revenue but referred broader collection efforts to the Department of Revenue. The committee then shifted to an overview of the federal reconciliation act’s potential impact on the next biennial budget, with Hicks and Commissioner Lisa Dennis focusing on Medicaid and SNAP. Hicks said the Congressional Budget Office estimated roughly $900 billion in federal savings over 10 years, driven in part by work or community engagement requirements for the Medicaid expansion population and limits on state-directed payments. He emphasized that CMS still must issue regulations to define how the state-directed payment reductions will be calculated, making the exact fiscal impact uncertain. He referred members to a prior Medicaid Oversight Advisory Board presentation for more detail, and the discussion remained informational with no votes or formal actions taken on the federal changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• On Wednesday, Personnel will meet at 8:00, JBC will meet at 9:00, and Peer Review will meet upon adjournment

Summary: The committee met briefly to organize a long agenda and stated that its main purpose was to refer letters and requests to the appropriate committees, while passing over items not needing referral until the following Tuesday. No substantive debate on policy issues occurred; the discussion was procedural and focused on routing agency and governor’s letters. Under agency communications, letters from the Auditor of State, Supreme Court, Secretary of State, and Lieutenant Governor were referred to the Personnel Committee because they contained positions. Under the governor’s letters, numerous items were referred either to Personnel or Special Language, including requests involving the Department of Education, Finance and Administration, Health, DHS divisions, Correction, Agriculture, Public Safety, Shared Administrative Services, Commerce/Workforce Services, Energy and Environment, and the Finance Disbursing Officer. Several items contained positions, several contained special language, and some contained both. The meeting concluded with notice of a busy schedule for the following week: Personnel at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, JBC at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, Claims after JBC on Tuesday, Peer Review after JBC on Wednesday, and Special Language at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday. No votes or substantive actions beyond referrals were recorded, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• On Wednesday, personnel will meet at 8 o'clock, JBC will meet at 9 o'clock, and peer review will meet

Summary: The committee met briefly to review a long list of agency and governor’s letters and determine which items should be referred to subcommittees. The chair explained that the main purpose of the meeting was referral only; any letters not acted on would be carried over to next Tuesday’s agenda. Under agency communications, letters from the Auditor of State, Supreme Court, Secretary of State, and Lieutenant Governor were referred to personnel because they contained positions. Under the governor’s letters, several items were referred to personnel or special language, including requests involving the Department of Education, Department of Health, multiple DHS divisions, the Department of Correction, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Public Safety, Shared Administrative Services, Workforce Services, Energy and Environment, and the Department of Finance and Administration. No substantive debate or votes were described beyond the referral decisions. The chair then announced a busy schedule for the following week, with personnel, JBC, claims, peer review, and special language meetings set across Tuesday through Thursday, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• On Wednesday, personnel will meet at 8 o'clock, JBC will meet at 9 o'clock, and peer review will meet

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Whereas, Coach O'Connell's efforts earned him the recognition of his peers, the respect of his players

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And so that looks like entire teams to support provider services, to support member services. pharmacy
• <00:39:25.160> provider entire teams to support provider entire teams to support provider
• And we have seen that particularly in some of the BH base around peer support, psychoed, which we've
• <01:15:48.400> support, some of the BH base around peer support, some of the BH base around
• peer support, psychoed,<01:15:50.200> which<01:15:50.440> we've<01:15:50.640> had

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board received a presentation from Dr. Stack and Commissioner Langfeld on Kentucky’s application for a federal Medicaid-related funding opportunity tied to House Resolution 1. They described a compressed six-week stakeholder process that produced more than 50 responses and letters of support, and said the application was organized around five broad priorities: maternal health, behavioral health and substance use disorder, oral health, EMS/trauma response, and chronic disease. They emphasized that the proposal was designed to align with CMS goals, use allowable funding categories, and focus on sustainability rather than a short-term grant. Commissioner Langfeld outlined five core initiatives: rural community hubs for chronic care innovation, beginning with obesity and diabetes; a maternal and infant health effort called POWER; a behavioral health and substance use model called IMPATH; an oral health initiative called Rooted in Health; and an integrated crisis-to-care EMS and trauma response effort. He said the chronic disease work would include prevention, food-as-medicine concepts, and technology tools, while the maternal health effort would expand team-based care around mothers and infants using community health workers and doulas. The behavioral health proposal would build on existing crisis intervention models, oral health would address workforce and access gaps through training, mobile vans, and telehealth, and the EMS proposal would better connect emergency response with home-based and community care. Several senators questioned whether the proposal would meaningfully address rural hospital closures or the broader rural health care crisis. Senator Meredith said the plan was not transformational and would not save rural hospitals, while Senator Berg asked how success would be measured. In response, the presenters said they would use both lagging and leading indicators, with an emphasis on rapid-cycle feedback and data use that is more actionable in real time. They also said the work could help existing models that already show promise, such as behavioral health units and dental workforce expansion, even if it would not solve the larger funding gap created by HR1. Senator Douglas asked how the proposals would motivate patients to participate in their own health care. The presenters responded that the chronic disease prevention work would focus on obesity, diabetes prevention, nutrition, and consumer-facing technology tools to help people engage in their own care, and that EMS-community health worker partnerships could identify unmet needs in the home and reduce preventable problems. The board then moved on to its next agenda item, Medicaid managed care delivery models, with Tom Stevens, Katherine North, and Dr. Patel scheduled to present.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:15:08.399> by athletic advantage are not supported by athletic advantage are not supported
• <00:19:07.520> is programs alongside their peers is programs alongside their peers is harmful
• <00:56:07.200> them<00:56:07.359> too we need to support them too we need to support
• <01:21:11.639> girls and truly wanting to um support girls and truly wanting to um support
• for the the conversation I'm supporting for the the conversation I'm supporting uh<01:34:23.960>

Bills: HF1233

Keywords: women's athletics, gender, sports competition, Human Rights Act, biological sex, participation limits, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I stand in support of the bill.
• We request your support.
• So I'm definitely in support of this.
• So I'm definitely in support of this.
• I encourage members to support this bill, to support Arizona taxpayers, putting their taxpayer dollars

Bills: SB1206, SB1254, SB1290, SB1421, SB1432, SB1515, SB1563, SB1641, SB1649, SB1670, SB1671, SB1747

Keywords: storm damage, catastrophic storm, hail damage, wind damage, roof repair, roof replacement, post-storm repairs, insurance claim, property and casualty insurance, adjuster, public adjuster, contractor licensing, homeowner protections, deductible waiver, insurance fraud prevention, storm chaser, residential construction contract, workers' compensation, joint check, claim solicitation

Transcript Highlights:

• I support. Joe Bray Dixon with changes in strong support. Thank you for your story.
• I support if amended.
• I strongly support.
• support.
• I'm in strong support. Santos Loyola here with Silicon Valley Debug, strong support.

Summary: The committee heard several public safety and criminal justice bills. AB 837 by Assemblymember Davies would add ketamine transportation to existing drug trafficking law; supporters, including district attorneys and peace officer groups, said it would address a growing and dangerous drug trend, while opponents argued increased penalties do not reduce drug supply and can worsen health harms. The bill was approved on a due-pass-as-amended vote and sent to Appropriations. AB 352 by Assemblymember Pacheco would make threats against judges and court commissioners an aggravating factor in sentencing; judicial and law enforcement groups supported it as a response to rising threats, while ACLU and criminal justice advocates said existing law already covers threats and the bill is unnecessary. It also passed to Appropriations. The committee then took up AB 938 by Assemblymember Bonta, which expands vacatur and affirmative-defense relief for survivors of human trafficking, intimate partner violence, and sexual violence, including for some violent offenses. Survivors and advocates testified that the bill would allow people coerced into crimes to tell their full stories and seek relief, while district attorneys and sheriffs warned it could sweep too broadly and affect public safety. The chair and several members strongly supported the measure, and it passed as amended to Appropriations. AB 475 by Assemblymember Wilson would make prison work assignments voluntary and is tied to a broader effort to remove involuntary servitude language from the state constitution; supporters framed it as a rehabilitation and dignity issue, while one member objected to the premise and cited the defeat of a related ballot measure. The bill was voted out to Appropriations but left on call pending additional votes. Assemblymember Lowenthal presented AB 704, which would allow people convicted of low-level offenses before age 26 to petition to seal and destroy records after a waiting period. Supporters said the bill addresses the limits of expungement in the digital age and recognizes young adult brain development; prosecutors and police groups raised Brady/disclosure concerns and objected to treating 18- to 25-year-olds like children. The committee debated those issues at length before sending the bill to Appropriations. Lowenthal also presented AB 812, which would expand resentencing opportunities for incarcerated firefighters who serve on conservation fire crews; supporters emphasized rehabilitation, wildfire response, and reduced recidivism, and the hearing continued with support testimony and the start of opposition testimony as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Supporting libraries means supporting the largest source of reading in the United States.
• ensure sustainable ebook access, support ensure sustainable ebook access, support schools<00:10:
• <00:10:34.240> Supporting reduces consumer welfare. Supporting reduces consumer welfare.
• Supporting libraries<00:10:35.600> means<00:10:35.920> supporting<00:10:36.240> the<
• support House File 3698. support House File 3698.

Bills: HF3698, HF4243, HF4239, HF4241, HF4242, HF4240

Keywords: libraries, electronic books, digital audiobooks, licensing agreements, public access, campaign finance, elections, political contributions, disclosure, reporting thresholds, economic interest statements, financial disclosure, ethics, public officials, local officials, metropolitan governmental unit, metropolitan area, candidate filings, principal campaign committee, political committee

Transcript Highlights:

• We wholeheartedly support it.
• support orders, collecting payments, and ensuring families receive the support they need.
• We support issue number one to work to move from mandated reporting to community supporting.
• want to support that ask.
• Support the people. They support you.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services held an informational hearing on child welfare, foster care, child support, and related prevention efforts. The chair opened by emphasizing mandated reporting reform, foster care system improvements, and community-based prevention, and noted that no votes would be taken. Public testimony focused first on mandated reporting, where a lived-experience advocate and several organizations argued that the current system overreports families, especially Black, Native, and Latino families, causes trauma, and should be reformed through standardized training, clearer thresholds, and stronger community supports rather than more hotline referrals. Casey Family Programs cited data showing nearly 90% of reports are unsubstantiated, while CDSS said it is already forming a Mandated Reporting Advisory Committee, updating training, and exploring community pathways and possible changes to the list of mandated reporters. CWDA and SEIU supported training and alternative response concepts but stressed child safety, county capacity, funding, and the need for careful implementation and accountability. The committee then discussed a proposal to create a foster care multi-agency office within the California Health and Human Services Agency, led by a chief foster youth advocate with authority to coordinate across departments. Advocates said foster youth often need services from education, health, housing, and behavioral health systems that do not coordinate well, and argued that a central office with real authority could improve placement stability and access to services. CDSS responded that existing structures already provide coordination, including AB 2083 interagency teams, the Child Welfare Council, complex care steering committees, and the foster care ombudsperson, but said it was open to technical assistance. Members raised concerns about whether the new office would have enough authority and funding to avoid becoming another layer of bureaucracy, and the chair emphasized the need for real “teeth” and better interagency action. The final major topic was the continuation and expansion of Promise Neighborhoods. A community leader described strong early results from the state-funded neighborhoods, including improved kindergarten readiness, reduced chronic absenteeism, higher graduation rates, food access, housing supports, and mental health services, but warned that current funding sunsets in June 2025 and that a fiscal cliff could jeopardize staff and services. CDSS said the four funded neighborhoods have reported positive outcomes and valuable flexibility, but also noted challenges with one-time funding, student mental health, and long-term planning. Assemblymember Mia Bonta urged continued investment, saying the place-based model is difficult to rebuild once lost, and the chair asked LAO to help identify the minimum funding needed to preserve the existing infrastructure while evaluation results are still pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• support and engagement services throughout the state, our SERB team, which supports justice-involved
• These programs are being reinvigorated to increase outreach, enhance peer support networks, and improve
• And thank you for supporting us.
• The other thing, it also supports the governor's budget also supports our retention efforts.
• support, support with behavioral health services.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing opened with remarks from Senate Chair Robyn Kennedy and House Chair Chynah Tyler, who emphasized that the fiscal year 2026 hearing was focused on the Health and Human Services budget, asked members to keep questions budget-related, and noted that no public testimony would be taken. They also highlighted the choice of Doherty Memorial High School as the venue to showcase Worcester’s investment in career and technical education. Committee members then introduced themselves before the first panel, the Executive Office of Veterans Services and the state veterans homes, began testimony. Secretary John Santiago said the governor’s FY26 proposal would support implementation of the HERO Act, which he said is now about 95% implemented, including higher disabled veteran annuities, expanded behavioral health benefits, and other service expansions. He described efforts to reduce veteran homelessness, including nearly $20 million in ARPA-funded housing and outreach initiatives, and said the agency has delivered more than 100,000 supportive services to nearly 8,500 veterans. Leaders from the Chelsea and Holyoke veterans homes reported on staffing, quality measures, electronic medical records, and major construction projects at both facilities, including a new Chelsea campus and the new Holyoke home. Members asked about funding transfers, geographic equity in access to the homes, outreach to women veterans and veterans of color, suicide prevention, Gold Star family support, and the impact of federal uncertainty; Santiago said the homes are now licensed and certified, that the current budget is sufficient, and that the agency is expanding engagement and data collection. The second panel, the Office of the Veteran Advocate, testified that its FY26 request is about $3.3 million, up from the current $2 million, to cover staffing, a larger office, and higher technology costs. Veteran Advocate Bob Notch said the office is a new independent oversight agency created in 2022 to examine systems, coordinate with local veteran service officers, and investigate fatalities or serious harm involving veterans in state care. He said the office’s work depends on research, data, and collaboration with other agencies, and that current funding is only enough for minimum operations. In response to questions, Notch and Deputy Commissioner David O’Callaghan discussed the difficulty of tracking veteran suicides, the need for better data across agencies, and the office’s role as an oversight body rather than a direct service provider. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're not here in support or against. any one industry or agency, we are here to find solutions to the
• I'm the manager for Pipeline Safety Support.
• The technology that manages 100,000 notifications. a day can easily support broader participation and
• We are supportive of efforts to not only prevent and reduce unauthorized excavation, but also.
• We're here to support. So I'm open to any questions.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Administrative office of the courts for a competency pilot program and behavioral health support for
• You may not have always agreed with her, but she had the deep respect of her peers on both sides of the
• We're not going to sit back and watch our health care system or food support system be devastated.

Transcript Highlights:

• are teacher salaries... ...embedded in that are teacher salaries, benefits, classroom instructional support
• continue to... ...haul that we can continue to modernize to make sure that we're keeping up with our peers
• district, you would receive additional funding if you had a higher number of students needing greater support

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Their off-campus behavior often reflects deeper challenges, poverty, trauma, or lack of adult support
• They often lack the resources and the supports needed.
• Turnip, but his peers were learning their ABCs.
• In addition, it also helps support students in earning industry-based certifications.
• Thank you for the opportunity to testify in support.

Bills: HB1022, HB2856, HB3114, HJR5, HB6, HB120, HB210, HB1458, HB1188, HB3126

Keywords: HB 1022, Sul Ross State University, Rio Grande College, Texas State University System, Education Code, higher education, course levels, upper-level college, lower-division courses, community college-style courses, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Uvalde, Board of Regents, academic programs, university expansion, HB 2856, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, clinical training placements, clinical rotations

Transcript Highlights:

• So I thank you for your ongoing support.
• I'm asking for your support.
• I requested a physician peer-to-peer review, and I spoke to the medical reviewer who said the reason
• I urge you to support Bill 1258. No patient's... I urge you to support Bill 1258.
• Please support H-1347 and S-788. It.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing opened with the Senate and House chairs of the Joint Committee on Financial Services explaining that the day’s agenda would focus on health insurance and other insurance matters, with a large number of witnesses and a request for brief testimony. Legislators were taken out of order to accommodate their schedules, and the committee heard testimony on several bills, including coverage for hair prostheses for alopecia (H. 1223/S. 832), medically necessary oral and dental care for head and neck cancer survivors (H. 1258), modernizing fertility and family-building coverage (H. 715/H. 1190 and related bills), coverage for prosthetic devices to support physical activity for people with limb loss (the “So Everybody Can Move” bill), remediation coverage for home heating oil releases (S. 813/H. 1302), and expanded access to physical therapy for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (H. 1170). A separate bill on sickle cell care and registry development (S. 788) was also discussed by Senator Liz Miranda. Witnesses largely offered personal stories and expert testimony in support of the bills. Advocates for alopecia coverage described the medical and emotional impact of hair loss, the high cost of quality wigs, and the argument that scalp and facial hair prostheses should be treated like other medically necessary prosthetics. Cancer survivors and supporters of H. 1258 said oral and dental care after head and neck cancer treatment is a quality-of-life issue and often not covered despite major out-of-pocket costs. Fertility specialists, LGBTQ+ advocates, and legislators supporting the modern family-building bills said the current infertility definition is outdated and discriminatory, excluding same-sex couples, people needing donors or gestational carriers, and others with medical barriers to conception. For the limb-loss bill, parents and adults with prosthetic needs stressed that activity-specific prostheses are essential for children and adults to run, swim, play sports, and stay healthy, but are often excluded from coverage. The home heating oil testimony focused on the financial devastation caused by residential oil spills and the need to make spill coverage automatic in homeowners policies. Environmental professionals and homeowners described cleanup costs ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, the strict liability homeowners face, and the fact that many policyholders do not know the rider exists. The insurance industry testified in opposition to the mandatory-coverage approach, arguing for clearer distinctions between first- and third-party coverage, risk-mitigation standards, a delayed effective date, and more emphasis on education and notification rather than mandates. Committee members pressed the industry witness on why agents do not routinely tell customers about the rider and suggested that the issue may require broader disclosure by insurers, agents, and fuel dealers. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee heard testimony and discussed possible compromise language and future action.

Transcript Highlights:

• It supports workforce retention and industries that are vital to Delaware's economy without growing government
• And what we know is that veterans volunteer about 35% more hours per year than their non-veteran peers
• The Veterans of Foreign Wars, all 4,700 of us, voted to support Senate Bill 219 and any Of us voted to
• support Senate Bill 219 and any future increases in the tax exemption for military pensions.

Summary: The House Revenue and Finance Committee met to consider two tax-related measures sponsored by Representative Holofsky. The first was House Substitute 1 for House Bill 386, the Tipped Worker Tax Relief Act of 2026, which would allow a temporary Delaware income tax deduction of up to $15,000 for qualified tips for tax years 2027 through 2029, with phaseouts at higher incomes and a refundable credit for lower-income workers. Committee discussion focused on whether the bill applied to residents and non-residents, whether credit-card tips were included, the need for an updated substitute, and the expected fiscal impact. The Office of the Comptroller General said the bill would likely reduce general revenue and that the fiscal note had not yet been fully reviewed, while Deputy Secretary Goldsmith said the Department of Finance could administer it and that implementation costs would be modest. After public comment, the committee voted on a motion to release the bill, but it did not receive enough votes, so the chair said she would walk it for additional signatures. The committee then heard Senate Bill 219, which would phase in an increase in the military pension income exemption from $12,500 to $25,000 by tax year 2029. Representative Holofsky argued the measure would help attract and retain military retirees, support the economy, and provide a strong return on investment through spending, taxes, and community participation. Members raised concerns about whether the benefit should be income-based, with one member arguing that higher-income retirees may not need the tax break, while supporters emphasized the multiplier effect and the value of veterans to the state. Public testimony from Veterans of Foreign Wars representatives strongly supported the bill and described how the exemption could influence retirement decisions and local economic activity. A motion to release the bill also failed to get enough votes, and the chair said she would walk it for signatures before adjourning the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• It supports workforce retention in industries that are vital to Delaware's economy.
• It supports workforce retention in industries that are vital to Delaware's economy without growing government
• And what we know is that veterans volunteer about 35% more hours per year than their non-veteran peers
• The Veterans of Foreign Wars, all 4,700 of us, voted to support Senate Bill 219 and any future increases

Summary: The House Revenue and Finance Committee met to consider House Substitute 1 for House Bill 386, which would create a temporary Delaware income tax deduction for qualified tip income from tax years 2027 through 2029. The sponsor described it as relief for service workers in restaurants, salons, and similar tipped occupations, with a deduction of up to $15,000, income-based phaseouts, a refundable credit for lower-income workers, and a sunset for later review. Committee members raised questions about the resident/non-resident language, the fiscal note, and whether the Department of Finance could implement the change; Finance said the department could administer it and expected only modest administrative costs, while the Comptroller’s office said the bill would reduce general revenue. After a brief recess to review updated language, the committee took public comment, but no one testified. A motion to release the bill failed to receive enough votes, and the chair said she would walk it to seek additional signatures. The committee then considered Senate Bill 219, which would phase in an increase in the military pension income exemption from $12,500 to $25,000 by tax year 2029. The sponsor argued the measure would help attract and retain military retirees, citing economic return estimates, workforce benefits, and support from all 21 Senate co-sponsors. Some members supported the bill as a way to reward service and bring in long-term residents, while others questioned whether the exemption should be income-based rather than available to all military retirees, including those with substantial second careers. The Department of Finance said it could operationalize the bill and that the non-resident language was unnecessary because the subtraction is already picked up in the non-resident code section. Public testimony from veterans’ organizations strongly supported the bill, emphasizing that the exemption can influence retirement decisions and help veterans and their families stay in Delaware. A motion to release the bill also failed to get enough votes, and the chair said she would walk it for signatures before adjourning the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> The governor came out and said she supported everybody that was on both sides of the aisle. >> I'm
• So that the governor probably... that's your question. aisle supported. elected. aisle supported. elected
• Uh, thank you for the opportunity to address this committee and my peers.

Keywords: 1136, house, all