Transcript Highlights:

• Durant, President, I just was, if you could tell us how many bills we're talking about and what the extension
• We're talking about how many bills and what the extension date is. Seven bills until May 4th.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and announced committee membership changes, including Senator Tarr’s resignation from the Committee on Bills in the Third Reading and Senator Durant’s appointment to fill the vacancy, followed later by the reverse reappointment. The chamber then took up and passed to be engrossed two local bills: H.4225, authorizing Marblehead to establish a means-tested senior citizen property tax exemption, and H.4584, further regulating the appointment of special police officers in Malden. The Senate also considered several Committee on Rules orders extending reporting deadlines for current Senate documents. An order for the Committee on Financial Services was adopted, extending its deadline to May 4, 2026 for seven bills. Orders for the Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs and the Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery were amended from April 30, 2026 to June 30, 2026 before adoption, also covering seven bills. On final passage, the Senate adopted an emergency preamble for H.4259, designating the Widen Park tennis courts as the Kim O’Connell Tennis Courts, by a standing vote of 2-0. The Senate then enacted H.4602, increasing the membership of the select board in Munson, and H.4259, sending both to the Governor. The Senate adopted an order to reconvene the following Thursday at 11:00 a.m. and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• President, I just was, if you could tell us how many bills we're talking about and what the extension
• We're talking about how many bills and what the extension date is. Seven bills until May 4th.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate took up several local and procedural matters. It passed to be engrossed H. 4225, authorizing Marblehead to establish a means-tested senior citizen property tax exemption, and H. 4584, further regulating the appointment of special police officers in Malden. The Chair also announced changes to the Committee on Bills in the Third Reading, with Senator Tarr and Senator Durant exchanging committee membership through resignation and reappointment. The chamber then considered multiple Senate orders extending reporting deadlines for committees under the Rules of the Two Branching Act. An extension for the Committee on Financial Services under S. 2796 was adopted, with members noting it covered seven bills through May 4, 2026. Another order for the Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs under S. 2775 was amended to extend the deadline from April 30, 2026 to June 30, 2026, and then adopted. A similar order for the Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery under S. 2776 was also amended from April 30, 2026 to June 30, 2026 and adopted, with members again confirming it covered seven bills. On final passage, the Senate adopted an emergency preamble for H. 4259, designating the Wider Park tennis courts as the Kim O'Connell Tennis Courts, by a standing vote of 2-0. It then enacted H. 4602, increasing the membership of the select board in the town of Munson, and H. 4259, sending both bills to the Governor. The Senate also adopted an order to reconvene the following Thursday at 11 a.m., and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Accept the AG's language on lease extensions prior to transfer, i.e., give the authority the requisite
• :19:33.120> language<00:19:33.560> on<00:19:34.159> lease<00:19:34.679> extensions
• <00:19:35.400> prior AG's language on lease extensions prior AG's language on lease extensions

Bills: HB1618

Keywords: cesspool conversion, cesspool replacement, wastewater, sewer connection, sewerage systems, septic system, pollution control, water pollution control revolving fund, Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, HGIA, low-interest loans, forgivable loans, homeowner financing, environmental infrastructure, public health, wastewater treatment, low- and moderate-income households, revolving loan fund, Department of Health, memorandum of agreement

Summary: The committees held a joint hearing on HB 1618 HD1, which would create and fund a cesspool conversion revolving loan fund administered by the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority to help homeowners upgrade, convert, or connect cesspools. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support from state agencies and advocacy groups, with witnesses emphasizing that cost is the main barrier to cesspool conversion and that recent Kona flooding underscored the public health and pollution risks of cesspools. One testifier suggested the fund should actively pursue outside funding sources, and another urged an effective date that would allow counties to contribute sooner. A member raised concerns about whether loans would be affordable and whether other financing tools, such as tax credits, should also be considered; another member opposed the bill as not adequately addressing district-level sewer and septic issues. The committees ultimately recommended passage with amendments, including changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, and the motion was adopted. The joint Judiciary and Ways and Means committees then considered HB 2592 on the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority. The chair outlined amendments to clarify that the authority would assume property and liability associated with transferred assets, preserve existing liability rules, transfer conditional use permits if not already transferred, allow lease extensions before transfer, and set reversion triggers if the authority fails to adopt a management plan by June 30, 2028, or administrative rules by December 31, 2029. Members asked about preserving the public trust and whether the amendments would keep the Board of Land and Natural Resources’ role intact; the chair confirmed the fee and board role would remain unchanged. The committees voted to pass the bill with amendments, and the recommendation was adopted. The committees also took up HB 2033, making further amendments to clarify the definition of state, delay certain effective dates, allow rental and U-Drive lessors to avoid liability by identifying renters, delete one section, and add administrative hearing language and bus-camera clarifications. HB 1888 was amended to expand protections for educational workers to include sports officials, define sports official, make intentional bodily harm a felony with enhanced penalties for repeat offenses, and authorize the attorney general to assist with restraining orders. Both measures were recommended for passage with amendments and adopted. Later, several bills were moved with little or no discussion: HB 1515, HB 1713, HB 1718, HB 2022, and HB 2385 were recommended for passage unamended; HB 2375 was deferred; and HB 1741 was amended to reflect Honolulu’s concerns, narrow study requirements, add exemptions and a delayed implementation date, and was recommended for passage with amendments. The committees adopted the recommendations on these measures, with some members noting reservations or prior opposition on certain bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, the Catman Association, Poultry and Egg Association, the Extension Veterinarian, the state veterinarian
• Egg uh Catman Association, Poultry and Egg Association,<00:07:22.639> the<00:07:22.880> Extension
• <00:07:23.440> Veterinarian, Association, the Extension Veterinarian, Association, the Extension

Bills: SB85, SB263, HB277, HB267, SB288, SB85, SB263, HB277, HB267, SB288

Keywords: vaccination exemption, religious exemption, medical exemption, vaccine mandate, testing requirement, public schools, K-12, students, parents, guardians, higher education, college enrollment, university attendance, public institutions of higher education, immunization, religious tenets, sincerely held belief, school health policy, Alabama, AHSAA physical form

Transcript Highlights:

• first is Section 2, which allows waiver of the interest when the department grants a tax deadline extension
• that how it is normally in the real world applied, or are there other instances also where a tax extension
• And so we'll issue a bulletin that gives about a two- or three-month extension.
• During that extension time, under current law, the taxes are now due—let's say instead of July 25th,

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Her daughter Susie actually works for the southwest region of the Mississippi State Extension Service
• southwest region of the Mississippi<00:28:33.200> State<00:28:33.600> um<00:28:33.760> extension
• <00:28:34.240> service Mississippi State um extension service Mississippi State um extension

Keywords: MS House Floor - 13 January, 2026; 2:00 PM, 925, all

Summary: The House opened with a prayer by Reverend David McDow of Fondren Presbyterian Church, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Members then handled routine business, including confirming a quorum, dispensing with the reading of the journal and bill introductions, and recognizing pages and several visiting groups in the galleries, including Oktibbeha County Young Leaders, Special Olympics champions, the doctor of the day, and members of the Women’s League of Voters. There were also remarks honoring Delta Sigma Theta Sorority’s Founders Day and a response from a member of Omega Sapphire Fraternity. The main legislative item was House Bill 580, a technical correction to judicial district maps. The bill was explained as fixing precinct placement errors in the Fourth Circuit Court District and correcting precincts affected by the creation of the CCID in Hinds County’s Seventh Circuit Court District. Members asked about how many judges would be on the ballot, whether the CCID judge would exercise regular civil and criminal jurisdiction, and when the changes would take effect. The sponsor said the bill was intended to preserve existing district boundaries, avoid changing qualifying deadlines, and keep the CCID judge as a regular circuit judge for an eight-year term. The House passed the bill 112-0 and then granted immediate release. Toward the end of the meeting, members made several announcements about committee schedules and upcoming events, including budget hearings, Military Affairs, Universities and Colleges, Rules, State Affairs, and a legislative prayer breakfast and welcome reception. The House also took multiple adjournment-in-memory requests for deceased Mississippians, including Larry Bryant, Cynthia Patterson Bond, Linda Stranger, Mary Lou Thompson, and Viva Hughes Williams. The House then adjourned until 2:00 p.m. the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• analytics and automation tools to significantly enhance accuracy and enable robust testing across extensive
• Through extensive input from parents and the information provided through our survey and focus group
• system of care, requiring case managers to redraft or draft duplicate copies of these particularly extensive
• It's called the Florida Academy, and it is quite extensive.

Summary: The subcommittee heard two Department of Children and Families implementation updates on measures passed in prior sessions. First, DCF reviewed House Bill 633, which increased oversight of behavioral health managing entities through biennial independent audits, standardized claims-based reporting, and new monthly outcome dashboards. The department said it had awarded the inaugural audit to Ernst & Young, found no significant waste, fraud, or abuse, but identified process risks involving financial controls, claims validation, data access, and system access controls. DCF also described its transition to standardized behavioral health coding and said the new public dashboard of 11 measures is posted on its website, though members asked for easier access and for hard copies of the audit report. Members asked about how the department distinguishes Medicaid-covered services from department-funded services, how duplicate payment risks are being addressed, and whether the new reporting and audit requirements would improve oversight without disrupting services. DCF said it is the payer of last resort for uninsured or underinsured individuals, that some overlap with Medicaid is expected because Medicaid does not cover all behavioral health services, and that new claims edits and cross-checks are being built into the system. The department also said it had not found significant negative feedback from providers and that the new requirements are intended to improve transparency and accountability. DCF then updated the committee on Senate Bill 7012, covering human trafficking data collection, domestic violence center certification, limited background-screening exemptions, expanded recruitment for child welfare staff, subcontractor liability protections, a four-year treatment foster care pilot, case management efficiency recommendations, and a statewide study of residential bed capacity for child victims of commercial sexual exploitation. The department said several items are already complete or underway, including limited exemptions in the screening clearinghouse, while others are in procurement or rulemaking. It identified Circuits 4 and 12 as the treatment foster care pilot sites and said the pilot will launch in January 2026. Members questioned recruitment metrics, pilot timing, and report deadlines; the department said final reports are expected by January and that some dates were flexible because of procurement and implementation timelines. The meeting ended after the presentations and questions, and the subcommittee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• WHAT IS YOUR PLAN SINCE YOU ARE AN EXTENSION OF US CAUSE I DON'T THINK OUR DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES WILL
• IDENTIFY, I KNOW YOU MADE REFERENCE TO THE EXPIRATION OF SUBSIDIES, ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE NON-EXTENSION
• CASSEL SPOKE ABOUT WHERE THERE'S AN EXTENSION AND NO ENROLLMENT DROP IN THESE RATES WE SEE ARE NO LONGER
• WITH THE EXPIRATION OR NOT EXTENSION OF THOSE, IN 2026 IT'S STILL COUNTING ONE TAX CREDIT FROM THE ACA

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving to section 41, this is the extension of the 48-hour rule change from two years ago, extending
• Indians moving to section 41 um this is Indians moving to section 41 um this is the<00:07:28.400> extension
• 29.560> the<00:07:29.720> 48<00:07:30.199> hour<00:07:30.440> rule the extension
• of the the 48 hour rule the extension of the the 48 hour rule change<00:07:31.680> from<00:07

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We did go through a recent very extensive contract reform to rewrite the contract and make it more consistent
• Along with extensive and exist story.
• Human trafficking, homicides, robberies, extensive fraud cases. It covers the gamut.
• And did Florida families to identify 27 sets of remains last year alone through extensive research and

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the reason we plugged that in. And that's the explanation of the amendment.
• Ladies and gentlemen, this committee sub comes to us after extensive work on the Main Street Investment
• This would be a three-year extension on that repealer. That's an explanation.
• <06:31:14.958> be<06:31:15.040> a<06:31:15.280> three-year<06:31:15.760> extension
• <06:31:16.080> on This would be a three-year extension on This would be a three-year extension

Keywords: MS House Floor - 4 February, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the pledge, established a quorum, dispensed with reading the journal and bill introductions, and then moved through announcements recognizing visitors in the galleries, including cancer advocacy groups, Mississippi Math and Science School students, a gospel choir, Leadership Greater Jackson, and other guests. Members also made several commendations, including recognition of Elena Johnson’s softball accomplishments and a student’s appointment to West Point. On the general calendar, the House passed House Bill 1076, the SAVE Act of 2026, by a vote of 122-0. The bill is described as a consumer protection measure for veterans that prohibits pay-to-refer arrangements, tightens standards for paid claims assistance, requires written agreements and limits upfront or nonrefundable fees, and adds privacy and disclosure safeguards. The House also passed House Bill 223, designating a segment of Highway 537 as the Sergeant John Howard Tanner Memorial Highway, by 122-0. The chamber then passed House Bill 1112, which revises state aid road division laws to expand purchasing authority, increase authorized vehicles, and allow unused county road funds to be reallocated after a period of time, by 120-1. House Bill 737, with an adopted amendment, allows Medicaid providers to repay certain non-fraud overpayments in installments when immediate repayment would cause hardship and aligns the repayment timeline with federal law; it passed 116-0. The House also passed House Bill 479 on marriage and family therapy and psychology licensure changes, adopting an amendment that extends the time to verify credentials for out-of-state applicants and provides a temporary license, by 121-0. Additional bills passed included House Bill 991 on third-party registration systems for used motor vehicle parts dealers and scrap metal processors (118-0), House Bill 1072 creating voluntary portable benefits accounts for independent contractors (119-0), House Bill 1137 revising CPA licensure education and experience requirements (118-1), House Bill 571 extending the foreign-national contribution ban to ballot measures (111-1), House Bill 630 allowing certain county electors to serve as municipal poll managers in small municipalities (113-4), House Bill 858 requiring election equipment internet connectivity to be disabled on election day (116-1), House Bill 788 changing how affidavit ballots can update voter registration information, with an amendment adopted, (115-3), and House Bill 908 tying Mississippi’s mail-ballot counting rule to the outcome of pending federal litigation so state and local races would be treated the same if the current federal-race rule is struck down (the bill was under discussion at the end of the excerpt).

Transcript Highlights:

• 5069 by Senator Griffo, an act to amend the real property tax law in relation to providing a filing extension
• This bill, which passed committee last year, will provide for a one-time filing extension for a senior

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Aging Committee met on March 10, 2026, with a quorum present and considered 10 bills focused on services and supports for older New Yorkers. The agenda included measures on dementia information access through New York Connects (S.118A), expanded informal caregiver training (S.903), elder abuse prevention training (S.3180), creation of an Office of Older Adult Workforce Development (S.3750), state handling of income verification for the senior citizen tax exemption (S.4805), a filing extension for the enhanced STAR exemption (S.5069), language access services for senior and disability-related tax abatement programs (S.5280), and sustainability planning for senior centers (S.7160). Committee members and sponsors described these bills as recurring priorities that had passed in prior years, with several aimed at improving access, administration, and outreach. The committee also advanced S.9091, which would establish a state master plan on aging dashboard to improve transparency, accountability, and public tracking of implementation; supporters cited backing from the Statewide Senior Action Council and Livable New York. The final bill, S.9165, would require the Office for the Aging to issue an annual report on budget expenditures for the senior population, with the sponsor saying it would help identify whether resources are adequately reaching older adults across agencies. Several bills were noted as having previously passed the committee and/or floor, and one was described as having been vetoed in prior years despite agreement on the policy goal. All 10 bills were approved by the committee, with most reported to the floor and S.3750 reported to the Finance Committee. No opposition or substantive amendments were recorded during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, a local sales tax extension, see, increasing the bondable amount, and then extending the sales tax
• to half a cent over 5 years for two projects: $240,000 for a new amphitheater and $45,000 for the extension
• 15.520> the amphitheater, and then $45,000 for the amphitheater, and then $45,000 for the extension
• 16.320> the<00:19:16.400> utilities<00:19:16.960> to<00:19:17.080> the extension
• of the utilities to the extension of the utilities to the amphitheater.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Many corporations will need to implement extensive new bookkeeping and tax administration activities.
• I suspect they didn't have extensive talks about the UK implementing Pillar 2, a diverted profits tax
• Furthermore, counties conduct extensive statutory research and noticing before and after a tax sale,
• Furthermore, counties conduct extensive statutory research and noticing before and after a tax sale,
• They require extensive title work. I have three full-time title examiners.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 47 is an extension of our interim sessions in our public protection VMAP committees where
• Senate Bill 47 is<00:08:14.479> an<00:08:14.800> extension<00:08:15.199> of<00:08
• :15.520> our<00:08:15.759> interim<00:08:16.240> sessions is an extension of our
• interim sessions is an extension of our interim sessions in<00:08:17.440> our<00:08:17.759>
• President. >> Senate Bill 159 is another extension of how we respond in emergency situations.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum, excused absent senators, and approved the journal from February 17, 2026. The House communicated passage of several bills and requested concurrence, and committee reports were received, including favorable reports on Senate Bills 70, 74, 80, 127, and 154. Senate Bill 191 was also reported and then recommitted to the Appropriations and Revenue Committee. Senate Bill 104 was passed over and retained its place on the calendar. The chamber then took up and passed Senate Bill 47, which provides line-of-duty death benefits for search and rescue volunteers, with supporters emphasizing the dangerous emergency work these teams perform and the need to treat them like other first responders. Senate Bill 159, concerning missing and unidentified persons and aligning Kentucky with federal “Billy’s Law” database requirements, also passed unanimously after testimony about its value in helping families and law enforcement. Senate Bill 85, allowing state retirement beneficiaries to establish special needs trusts, passed unanimously as well, with members describing it as a way to provide long-term security for dependents with special needs. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 78 honoring the CSX Santa Train and Senate Resolution 76 honoring Frank Ryard and the Ryard’s Scoreboard for its long-standing role in Kentucky high school athletics. Members spoke about the scoreboard’s importance to athletes, families, and sports coverage statewide. Later, new bills and a concurrent resolution were introduced, including measures on state government, duty-related disability benefits, arrest-related deaths, detainee fatality review, carbon dioxide sequestration, and a mental health alternative response task force. The Senate received notice that Senate Bill 172 had been delivered to the Governor, then recessed for committee meetings and adjourned until February 19, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• boundary of the structure may extend partially, including construction attached to and constituting an extension
• Attached to and constituting an extension of a dwelling.
• So what we're, when we're talking about the extension of the dwelling, we are, yes, I think you're right
• Subsection D adds that if there is a structure that is an extension of a dwelling, it still counts as
• defining a structure here, and you're including the concepts of attached to and constituting an extension

Bills: HB195, HB279, SB30, HB234, HB292, SB100, SB23, SB221, SB261, SB264

Keywords: medical malpractice, judgments, independent providers, insurance, personal assets, settlements, healthcare, healthcare privacy, electronic medical records, reproductive health, gender-affirming care, data protection, location tracking, confidentiality, SB30, induced abortion, abortion reporting, vital statistics, public health reporting, medical records

Transcript Highlights:

• Where it is talked about quite extensively is at the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians conventions
• at ATNI that meets three times a year, has three conventions a year, where the committee talks extensively
• And they have set up extensive... ...extensively about it, and they have set up extensive get-out-the-vote

Summary: The committee heard a work session on voting access on tribal lands, beginning with a presentation from Dr. Chelsea Jones of the Brennan Center. She described barriers affecting Native voters and voters on tribal lands, including long travel distances to polling places and drop boxes, nontraditional addresses, unreliable postal service, language access, and limited broadband. Citing research, she said turnout on tribal lands trails turnout off tribal lands by about 10 percentage points nationally and about 10% in Washington, with larger gaps in some convenience voting measures. Members asked about the meaning of “lost votes,” the role of tribal leadership and community trust, and whether outreach by election officials and candidates could help; Dr. Jones emphasized that the study measured missed voting opportunities, not missing ballots, and that partnerships with trusted community leaders are important. The University of Washington Elections Database then presented data on voter registration, turnout, signature challenges, curing, and ballot rejection for voters whose addresses fall within tribal reservation boundaries. The presenters said registration on reservations increased from about 107,000 in 2010 to 137,000 in 2024, turnout on reservations remained about 8 to 9 percentage points lower than outside reservations in recent general elections, and signature-challenge and rejection rates were generally low but somewhat higher in off-year elections. They reported that about 60% to two-thirds of signature-challenged ballots are cured, with cure rates similar inside and outside reservations, and that late return is the most common reason for primary ballot rejection while signature mismatch is the leading cause in general elections. A question was raised about USPS postmarking issues and how those might affect future data; the presenters said they plan to track return method and cure timing more closely. The committee also received an overview of the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs. Staff reviewed the office’s history, the Centennial Accord, the Millennium Agreement, and related state-tribal frameworks, and GOIA Director Tim Rainan described the office’s role as a bridge between the state and tribal governments, including consultation, policy coordination, training, and convening work groups. He said GOIA now has six positions, is part of the governor’s executive cabinet, and is working on a statewide tribal relations training module and consultation handbook. In response to a question, he said tribal voting is not a major topic at the Centennial Accord but is discussed more extensively through ATNI. The committee then shifted to contracting equity, hearing from WSDOT, DES, OMWBE, and the Office of Equity. WSDOT described its race-neutral small business and veteran goals, mentorship and support programs, and its response to the federal suspension of the DBE program; DES discussed statewide contracting spend, the EDGE pilot for small construction firms, and efforts to improve procurement access; OMWBE reported growth in certified firms and about $371 million in state spend with certified firms in the most recent year, while noting ongoing impacts from federal DBE changes; and the Office of Equity outlined its broader work on agency consultation, dashboards, and systems change. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Since its release, we have received extensive feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, and I want
• One is the extension of liquidation of $430,000 for the Early Psychosis Intervention Plus Program.
• This is just a one-year extension for one grantee who started one year later as a result of a previous
• The second re-appropriation proposal is to do a two-year extension for the liquidation of $7,768,000
• HCAI has extensive experience in collecting and reporting prescription drug data.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've written about it extensively in the past, and that would be my continuing commitment as a member
• So I have a hard time believing that, after extensive research on Mr.
• We are going to request an extension, so we have plenty of time to discuss things.
• We did not get an extension, unfortunately.
• We did not get an extension, unfortunately.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education heard and approved two bills before moving into confirmation hearings for several university and college board nominees. CS/SB 1458 on apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships was presented as a measure to improve consistency and transparency in local education agency partnerships, cap LEA administrative funding at 10% when applicable, and require public meetings and work papers for workforce funding model decisions. Support was noted from Associated Builders and Contractors, the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Foundations for Florida Futures, and Independent Electrical Contractors. The bill passed unanimously and was reported favorably. The committee then considered CS/CS/SB 1726 on higher education governance and presidential searches after adopting a delete-all amendment and a late-filed amendment defining the final group of presidential applicants as no fewer than three. The amended bill added provisions on trustee citizenship and residency/alumni eligibility, interim president succession planning, longer presidential contract renewals, limits on candidate polling by universities, syllabus posting, textbook/open-access material lists, and other governance and academic policy changes. Senators raised concerns about the minimum-three finalist requirement, interim president selection, trustee eligibility, and polling restrictions, while supporters said the bill would depoliticize leadership selection and improve transparency. The bill was reported favorably after the amendments were adopted. The committee then heard confirmation testimony from multiple appointees and reappointees, including nominees for FAMU, UNF, Pensacola State College, UWF, and UF. Most nominees emphasized ties to their institutions, student success, workforce development, military connections, and institutional growth. Several UWF nominees were questioned extensively about their votes for former chair Scott Yenner and his controversial comments about women and other groups; some said they were unaware of those remarks at the time of the vote and would not have supported him with that knowledge. Public testimony on UWF expressed concern about the nominees’ lack of higher education experience, their ties to the region, and the impact of Yenner’s views. The committee later voted to recommend a block of non-UWF nominees favorably, and it agreed to vote on the UWF nominees individually, with some remaining nominees deferred to a later hearing due to time.

Transcript Highlights:

• provided by DFPS, the accorded receivership lasts 90 days, with the potential for multiple 60-day extensions
• My office has worked extensively with stakeholders to ensure that facilities are able to implement this
• As you're probably aware, many health insurance companies provide extensive coverage for gender transition
• Many require extensive medical care to manage... or attempt to reverse the effects of previous treatment
• Health care benefit plans in Texas provide extensive coverage for initial gender transition treatments

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