Video & Transcript Research : 'interagency groups'
Page 138 of 500
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
HSG/TRN Joint Public Hearing - Thu Jan 30, 2025 @ 9:50 AM HST
Transcript Highlights:
- The Maritime Group in support. Thank you.
- The Attorney General working group convened in the fall of 2024.
- The Attorney General working group convened in the fall of 2024.
- working group convened its working<01:02:40.119>
group <01:02:40.400>during <01:02:40.640 - enforce the work in group enforce the work in group recommendations<01:02:54.400>
thank <01
Summary:
The joint hearing covered HB 1484 on transit-oriented development and HB 157 on transportation. For HB 1484, testimony included a request from the Hoi Community Development Authority to be removed from the measure while offering to assist if the transit-oriented development law is implemented, along with testimony in opposition and support from several individuals. The committees later recommended HB 1484 be passed with amendments, including an HD1, a defective date, deletion of a reference to section 225 on page 11, adoption of H-CDA’s proposed amendment, and related committee report changes. The vote was adopted in both committees, with Representatives Cochran and Lee excused and Representative Mora voting with reservations.
HB 157 concerned the transfer and acceptance of roads in the Villages of Kapolei. HHFDC supported the bill’s intent and explained that the roads were originally self-permitted, the city had not accepted dedication, and HHFDC has been maintaining and upgrading the roads under an MOA that requires improvements to city standards before transfer. Testimony from the Villages of Kapolei Association and others described ongoing problems with non-emergency police services, illegal parking, abandoned vehicles, and the need for city enforcement on roads that are open to the public. Committee members asked about the current holdup, the possibility of transferring roads in segments, and whether a cash settlement could resolve the issue; HHFDC said it was working in segments and that the city had mentioned a $60 million figure. The committees then recommended HB 157 pass with amendments, noting they were awaiting an Attorney General opinion on authority to compel the transfer and that the matter would continue to the Committee on Water and Land.
The Transportation Committee also heard several additional bills. HB 1083, concerning vessels in state commercial harbors, drew support from the Department of Transportation and some industry groups and opposition from charter operators; HB 1159, which would require compliance with harbor master evacuation orders and increase penalties, drew DOT support and opposition from multiple vessel operators, who argued the bill was too broad and should define emergencies more clearly and use tiered penalties. HB 58, limiting civil liability for firefighting at commercial harbors, received DOT and Maritime Group support. HB 1165, on county disposal of ocean-bordering property and state highway acquisition, received DOT support. HB 938, a broad motor vehicle franchise and EV-related bill, drew support from the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association and the Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board, but strong opposition from the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, Tesla, Rivian, Scout Motors, and others; opponents argued it would restrict direct-to-consumer EV sales and innovation, while dealers said the bill was too broad and needed further stakeholder work. No final votes were taken on the Transportation Committee’s remaining measures in the portion provided, and the joint hearing was adjourned after decision-making on HB 1484 and HB 157.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Environment and Agriculture (02/10/2026)
Environment and Agriculture
Transcript Highlights:
- solid waste working group and with some<03:48:31.600>
other <03:48:31.760>groups <03:48: - whereby the solid waste working group whereby the solid waste working group perhaps<03:48:57.439
- entity that becomes the agency or group entity that becomes the agency or group that<04:03:16.399
- ,<04:07:26.080>
but if it's through the working group, but if it's through the working group - They've been in Pub Chem for this group.
Summary:
The Environmental Policy Subcommittee took up HB 1621, which would require a baseline environmental impact study before development of certain manufacturing and storage facilities. Members said the concept had merit, but they could not resolve major drafting and implementation issues, including how to define covered facilities, what the study would require, and how enforcement would work at the municipal or county level. Several members expressed concern about unintended consequences and said the proposal was not ready; the subcommittee voted unanimously to recommend inexpedient to legislate (ITL), and the full committee later adopted that recommendation on a 16-0 roll call vote, placing the bill on consent.
The committee then discussed HB 1053, involving electronically submitted pesticide use reports. Representative Comtois presented an amendment creating a department database and protecting confidential information, but said she still needed to check whether it was germane and to review administrative issues with the Department of Agriculture. After hearing from David Russo of the Division of Pesticide Control, the committee agreed to continue work on the amendment and took no action that day.
The committee also reviewed HB 1186 on egg labeling and producer exemptions. Representative Comtois offered an amendment exempting small producers from most requirements except labeling, but Commissioner Sean Jasper asked for more time to review the impact and suggested the state might not need the existing egg law at all if federal USDA rules already cover the field. Members agreed to hold action until the following week. Finally, the committee began discussion of HB 1780 on penalties for violations involving seeds, plants, and nursery stock, focusing on labeling rules and germination-date requirements; testimony from industry and department representatives indicated they were working toward a compromise that would allow multiple relabelings, add production dates, and set a 36-month sale limit, but no final action was taken in the portion provided.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- Before he was in an FRS environment, he was in a group home that was not meeting his needs, and he was
- It feels like we are targeted, as we would not be able to fight because we are such a small group.
- <01:03:28.480>
Um to nonprofits and community groups. - Um to nonprofits and community groups. Um and<01:03:30.240>
um and um and um Yeah. Yeah. - And we had an assistance group before.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- district by every demographic group district by every demographic group including<00:36:12.880><
- citizens, every single demographic group citizens, every single demographic group was<00:36:17.680
- My suggestion is that we take the appointments as a group and vote on them as a group.
- My suggestion is that we take the appointments as a group and vote on them as a group.
- <01:36:06.480>
and we take the appointments as a group and we take the appointments as a group
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- These young people face the highest poverty rates of any age group in Minnesota.
- of people and it pays for it by reducing a tax expenditure for another group of people.
- We would want to move the benefits of the child tax credit out to a larger group of people.
- We would want to move the benefits of the child tax credit out to a larger group of people.
- <01:41:43.920>
of credit out to a larger group of credit out to a larger group of people<01
Keywords:
property tax, exemption, leased land, public use, commercial property, HF632, Minnesota property tax, conservation easement, conservation restriction, assessed value, property valuation, tax assessment, real property, land conservation, farmland preservation, natural areas, riparian buffer, water quality, water quantity, county assessor
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee 1/23/25
Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- in the district and made that groups in the district and made that esst<00:05:20.639>
so <00:05 - Some school districts will cap it at 184 hours, 200 hours for different groups.
- it has only led to disagreements groups it has only led to disagreements at<00:37:41.520>
the - They are a group that we get to still make that decision, and so unfortunately they're the ones that
- every district and every employee group every district and every employee group has<01:26:10.159
Summary:
The committee opened by approving the January 16 and January 21 minutes. Members then heard testimony focused on the impact of Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) and the proposed paid family and medical leave program on Minnesota school districts, with the chair framing the hearing as an opportunity to hear from major employers and school leaders about costs and operational effects.
Kimberly Lewis, speaking for the Minnesota School Boards Association and related school administrator groups, said districts generally already provide generous, locally negotiated sick leave and had initially adapted to ESST by separating vacation, sick time, and ESST into different buckets. She argued that a 2024 law effectively converted previously bargained sick leave into ESST, which she said undermines contracts, creates large unfunded costs, and may raise constitutional contract-clause concerns. Lewis cited large accumulated leave banks in some districts, increased sick leave use, and estimated significant costs from paid leave, including a reported $2.5 million impact for one large district. She urged flexibility such as prorating ESST for midyear hires and part-time staff and exempting coaches, short-term substitutes, and similar employees from ESST.
Superintendent Anarie Fuco of St. Michael-Albertville said her district expects about $400,000 in added fiscal 2026 costs from ESST and paid leave, plus indirect costs from substitute coverage and increased absenteeism. She said schools already have generous bargaining agreements, but the new laws reduce verification and require districts to track leave for temporary staff, creating what she described as a need for “substitutes for our substitutes.” Fuco said the district would face more than $211,000 in direct payroll costs from paid leave alone and asked for flexibility or exceptions for districts already offering comparable benefits. Members asked follow-up questions about how substitute teachers accrue leave and how many districts may be cutting budgets; Lewis and Fuco said many districts are making cuts and that substitute and staffing burdens are growing. A third testifier began by Zoom, but the transcript cuts off before her full testimony.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Chamber Meeting Feb 12th, 2026 at 04:58 pm
New Mexico House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- House Bill 96, as amended, creates a working group to study the ability for the state of New Mexico to
- And then number three, on page three, after line 25, insert: the space commission working group shall
- The working group shall be dissolved, effective December 31, 2026. Okay.
- of both our minority leaders in each chamber to ensure that there is representation on the working group
- for ...to ensure that there is representation on the working group for all points of view around the
Bills:
HB111, HB108, HB145, HB164, HB291, HJR6, HR1, HB63, HB64, HB165, HB184, HB200, HB4, HB7, HB20, HB65, HB66, HB80, HB88, HB96, HB166, HB285, HB295, HB306, SB29, SB37, HJM2, HJM3, HJM1, HM7, HM17, HM4, HM22, HM23, HM24, HM26, HM2, HM16, HM32, HM13, HM47, HM20, HM51, HM1, HM31, HM35, HM36, HM46, HM53, HM54, HM11, HM14, HM21, HM34, HM50
Keywords:
water law, state engineer, civil penalty, compliance order, water rights, overdiversion, illegal diversion, groundwater storage and recovery, well license, permit violation, water enforcement, New Mexico water code, irrigation district, conservancy district, water diversion, unauthorized water sales, measuring device, district court appeal, water resources, water compliance
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
October 7, 2025 - 01:30 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- licensing is a technically open to all professions in practice, it is driven almost entirely by these key groups
- The majority of applications received and worded were for the 2, 3, year old age groups.
- Some are joint with the different groups that I mentioned that we will go in with law enforcement or
- these different groups, either conduct an inspection or or site for unlicensed activity alongside law
- We have been meeting over the last year for the implementation of this bill with different groups.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Commerce and Consumer Affairs (05/21/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:21:07.440>
for based on a request from a group for based on a request from a group for - The health trust group is the only group here asking to be regulated under a different body.
- >
only <00:52:59.599>group <00:53:00.280>here trust group is the only group here - trust group is the only group here asking<00:53:01.839>
to <00:53:02.160>be <00:53:02.559 - >
as for July groups if it's passed as for July groups if it's passed as written<01:24:31.280>
Summary:
The subcommittee continued work on Senate Bill 297 and a new amendment dealing with pooled risk management programs and whether they should be regulated under the insurance department. Lisa Duket, executive director of SchoolCare, testified at length that the draft language could allow co-mingling of public entity risk funds, could trigger producer-licensing requirements for staff who are not actually brokers, and may not fit public entity risk pools because they are not insurance companies. She also raised concerns about the March 1 reporting deadline, the proposed uniform accounting language, aggregate excess insurance, examination costs being charged to the program, and confidentiality provisions that she argued may conflict with right-to-know principles for public entities. She urged the committee to slow down and consider a study committee or more time for review, saying the regulated entities were not adequately involved in drafting the proposal.
Chairman Hunt and the department responded that the bill is intended to create a licensure-based regulatory model, similar to other licensed industries, and that the pooled risk management program would be exempt from producer licensing while anyone else selling or negotiating such coverage would need a producer license. The department said failure to comply would be handled through an administrative licensing process, with denial or nonrenewal of a license and appeal through the department process. On the reporting deadline, the department said March 1 is a standard filing date used for financial analysis and that the filing can be the most recent annual report, regardless of fiscal year end. They also explained that the confidentiality language was taken from existing RSA 5B, that aggregate excess insurance was included as a solvency measure, and that the draft was intended to preserve familiar language while adapting it for pooled risk programs.
The discussion did not include a final vote or formal action on the bill in the portion provided. The committee appeared to be compiling follow-up questions for the insurance department and considering whether additional revisions or a slower process would be needed before moving the bill forward.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- It's a very active working group.
- We ask for two staff members to support the working group and the activities of the working group.
- <00:48:18.920>
and establishing a data working group and establishing a data working group - c><00:48:34.000>
and members to support the working group and members to support the working group - > make very large working group we want to make very large working group we want to make sure<00:
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Finance Division III (01/28/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:40:26.839>
so Independent Living skills groups so Independent Living skills groups so - <02:05:21.040>
our that's our Communications Group our that's our Communications Group our - The only correction I would say is that it's the Information Services Group.
- <02:58:03.479>
to program quality and integrity group to program quality and integrity group - To a particular group if they're the only ones that hear about it.
Summary:
Finance Division 3 met for a work session on House Bill 519, which concerns funding for Waypoint. The chair noted general support for the organization but said the bill would likely need to be suspended and folded into the budget process because the committee did not yet know available revenues or what amount, if any, could be committed. Kya Fox, director of the Division for Behavioral Health, testified that the department supports the bill and the program, explaining that it had been funded with other available funds, including $100,000 for 2024 and $400,000 for 2025, under a contract running through June 30 of this year. She said the shelter serves a unique population of young adults and is part of the department’s children’s system of care and Mission Zero efforts to reduce barriers to psychiatric discharge and emergency department use.
Members questioned Fox and Waypoint representatives about the budget placement of the request, the difference between the efficiency budget and prioritized needs, and whether state budget documents would show any internal Waypoint revenues. Fox said the request appears as a general fund item and that the state would not see Waypoint’s internal financial operations in the budget. A legislative member explained that prioritized needs are critical services already in place but not necessarily included in the efficiency budget, and another member said the distinction is not strictly applied. The committee also raised a separate question about how DHHS would handle any future state or federal restrictions on DEI practices; Fox said that was a question for department leadership and legal staff, but that the department follows state law and contract requirements.
Waypoint CEO Bor Alvare and Director Mandy Lancaster then described the shelter and related services. They said the shelter serves ages 18 to 24, is a 14-bed open-room facility with half walls, and is staffed overnight by two full-time workers. They said admission is first come, first served, with some vulnerability factors considered, and that they do not discriminate by race, gender, or sexual orientation. They reported no known incidents of sexual violence, though some youth are turned away each night because the shelter is full. They also explained that Waypoint provides broader services beyond the shelter, including outreach, drop-in centers, housing support, rental assistance, and family mediation, and said they serve about 400 youth and young adults in Manchester alone. The discussion ended with questions about whether lowering the upper age limit would affect the program; Waypoint said most residents are already in the 18-to-23 range, but that housing shortages make the current age span important for helping young adults avoid chronic homelessness.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Commerce and Consumer Affairs (04/23/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- My group has around 3,000ies as a buying group, not small.
- >
pharmacy <01:39:19.520>belongs buying groups that a pharmacy belongs buying groups that - Has nothing to do with buying group.
- :46:06.800>
independent <01:46:07.520>or groups that contract with independent or groups - >
are <05:18:27.440>meant the very member groups that we are meant the very member groups
Summary:
The committee first heard Senate Bill 47, sponsored by Senator Regina Birdsell at the request of the Insurance Department. The bill would clarify that a birth mother’s health insurance is the primary policy for a newborn’s care unless the mother has no coverage or no employer-sponsored coverage. Birdsell and Insurance Commissioner DJ Benton Court said the measure simply codifies the department’s long-standing interpretation of existing law. Representative Miles asked whether the coverage would extend to a grandchild if a young woman on her parents’ plan had a baby, and Birdsell said it would. The hearing on SB 47 was then closed.
The committee next heard Senate Bill 121, introduced by Grant Bosi for Senator Kevin Avard. The bill requires insurers to notify the Insurance Department when they stop writing an entire line of business or, in some cases, when they change Medicare Advantage offerings. Benton Court said the bill was prompted by disruption in the Medicare Advantage market, where consumers and the department were confused by carriers exiting, changing plans, or narrowing offerings. He said the department does not regulate Medicare Advantage itself, but does license the carriers, and the notice requirement would help the department advise consumers; he also said noncompliance could affect a carrier’s license and could lead to fines. Members discussed the notice period, and the department and AHIP indicated support for changing it from 120 days to 90 days to align with federal timing. The hearing was closed with plans to work on an amendment in subcommittee.
Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 247, introduced by Representative Brian Cole, which would prohibit network exclusion for pharmacies that refuse to dispense prescriptions when PBM reimbursement is below acquisition cost. Cole said the bill is meant to stop pharmacies from being forced to sell at a loss. Members questioned whether pharmacies voluntarily enter PBM contracts, whether the bill would raise consumer prices, and whether it would mainly affect independent pharmacies. Cole and others said the issue has changed over time because PBMs now control a much larger share of the market, and that the bill would let pharmacies refuse loss-making fills and direct patients to mail order instead. The discussion also noted that the bill excludes Medicare and Medicaid and that the current proposal does not create a middle-ground option for patients to pay a premium at the counter.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Executive Departments and Administration (04/15/2026)
Executive Departments and Administration
WY
Wyoming 2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Session-Day 20, March 5, 2026-PM
Wyoming Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- President, is how many of those groups can still be advocacy groups.
- They can't be full-time advocacy groups, but they can still be advocacy groups.
- President, is how many of those groups can still be advocacy groups.
- They can't be full-time advocacy groups, but they can still be advocacy groups.
- President, is how many of those groups can still be advocacy groups.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Senate Executive Departments and Administration (04/16/2025)
Executive Departments and Administration
Transcript Highlights:
- So should we have a veterans group, ESVAC, National Guard rep, or some other group?
- Which group? A office. Okay.
- So should we have a veterans group, ESVAC, National Guard rep, or some other group?
- So So which group? A office. Okay. area. So So which group? A office. Okay.
- And this is a big big<00:57:25.920>
group. big group. big group.
AL
Transcript Highlights:
- group.
- So once they have a group if there's someone they have a group if there's someone they have a group if
- And who makes up this study group? Um it's the group up this study group?
- Um it's the group up this study group? Um it's the group that represent education.
- So, there is a um a group that's um So, there is a um a group that's um So, there is a um a group that's
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Ways and Means Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Joint Committee on Ways and Means
Transcript Highlights:
- As a group, we'll... ...working together. DA Ryan has put together a computer program.
- Group therapy takes place six days per week and includes evening sessions.
- Group therapy takes place six days per week and includes evening sessions.
- I have your group been when I'm in prison, they're saying they need a lot of...
- And has your group had any focus on the Mattis defendants?
Summary:
The hearing was held in Clinton Town Hall as part of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means’ budget review, with local officials welcoming legislators and noting the long agenda of many panels. The main presentation was from Secretary Terrence Reedy of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, who outlined the Healey-Driscoll administration’s FY26 proposal for the secretariat, including a $1.7 billion budget and a 7% increase over FY25. He described investments in emergency preparedness, hate-crime prevention, reentry programming, technology modernization, internships, and public safety training, while also noting some reductions driven by resource constraints, including cuts to certain grant programs and administrative costs. Committee members also raised concerns about federal uncertainty and how it could affect state budgets and public safety planning.
A major portion of the questioning focused on the Department of Correction. Secretary Reedy and Commissioner Sean Jenkins said the biggest challenges are staffing, officer wellness, facility safety, and contraband—especially K2. They described steps taken at MCI Souza and other facilities, including reducing population at the maximum-security unit, changing management, removing metal products and free weights, improving screening and roll calls, adding a rapid response team, and increasing investigative and technological efforts to combat K2. They also discussed the closure of MCI Concord, saying it was driven by high maintenance costs and staffing needs, and explained that savings are being used to improve staffing patterns and address deferred maintenance over time rather than producing immediate large budget reductions.
Members also questioned the budget’s impact on police training and community policing. The administration defended the increase in police academy tuition from $3,200 to $6,000 as reflecting true training costs and said it would still be subsidized by the state, while acknowledging the burden on small municipalities. They said the MPTC is expanding regional training and considering proposals such as Greenfield Community College’s. On community policing, officials emphasized uniform statewide training, de-escalation, and communication skills. The State Police also announced an outside review of the academy by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and said the next class will be split into two smaller groups to improve oversight and allow quicker implementation of recommendations.
Other topics included ICE and federal immigration enforcement, with Reedy saying state law prohibits Massachusetts law enforcement from acting in a civil immigration capacity and that no state dollars were used in the Tufts-related ICE operation mentioned by a member. Senators and representatives also raised the upcoming FIFA World Cup, warning that it will require significant public safety resources and likely federal funding. Additional discussion covered restorative justice and juvenile diversion, health care costs in DOC, electronic health records, and the need for more diverse and culturally competent public safety staffing. No votes were taken during the hearing.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Finance Division III (04/20/2026)
Transcript Highlights:
- In our clinical suite, there's two group therapy rooms, and there's outdoor courtyard access.
- In our clinical suite, there's two group In our clinical suite, there's two group therapy<00:17:
- We have a work group.
- We have a work group. We're courts. We have a work group.
- working group working group this<01:44:01.680>
is <01:44:01.880>one <01:44:02.080><
Summary:
Division Three of the Finance Committee met in work session on April 20, 2026, to consider Senate Bills 481, 603, and 663, with the discussion focused primarily on SB 481, relative to the sale of the Sununu Youth Services Center property. The chair explained that the bill was advisory only and that the committee’s recommendations would go to full Finance on April 27. For SB 481, members reviewed conflicting provisions in the prior budget law about whether sale proceeds should go to the general fund or the Youth Development Center Claims and Administration Settlement Fund, and the bill was described as a compromise that would direct proceeds to the general fund before June 30, 2027, and to the settlement fund after that date. It was noted that the settlement fund had originally received about $20 million and had roughly $10 million remaining.
The committee also received an extensive update from DCYF Director Marie Noonan on the new Youth Development Center in Hampstead. She reported that construction remained on schedule, with major structural and interior work complete, substantial completion expected in late summer or early fall 2026, and occupancy anticipated in early 2027. The presentation highlighted the facility’s design features, including single-occupancy bedrooms, sensory rooms, an education wing, medical and clinical suites, visitation space, a gym, and multiple outdoor courtyards, all intended to support a trauma-informed setting. Members asked about the facility’s funding, square footage, fencing, and scanner; staff said the building is about 34,000 square feet, funded entirely with federal ARPA state recovery funds to date, and that the scanner is on site but not yet operational pending policy and staff training.
Committee members also raised concerns about the facility’s design and security. In response, DCYF said some concrete walls are required for structural and safety reasons, but they are being painted to maintain a brighter environment, and that the fencing will be about 15 feet high with privacy netting because the campus is shared with Hampstead. Officials said the new facility is legislatively limited to a maximum of 12 youth, while the current center can house 12 to 18, and emphasized that courts ultimately determine placements. No votes or final actions were taken during the work session.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee 4/8/26
Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:37:10.280>
and in several community groups and in several community groups and co-founder - saw<00:47:36.600>
significant Across our group, we saw significant Across our group, we saw - The current behalf of our group.
- <01:20:17.800>
of relief to a specific group of relief to a specific group of Minnesotans< - So, And I business groups to support?
Bills:
HF4477
Keywords:
Minnesota business recovery loan program, small business loan, zero-interest loan, forgivable loan, business recovery, economic development, small business emergency loan account, Minnesota Initiative Foundations, nonprofit lenders, greater Minnesota, Twin Cities metro, seven-county metropolitan area, immigration enforcement, business interruption, revenue loss, job preservation, business stabilization, state appropriation, forward fund, loan forgiveness
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Commission to Study Costs of Special Education (09/30/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- If it were a group service, it's a minimum of three students.
- beneficial to the group. beneficial to the group. >> Represent<01:16:56.480>
Freeman. - So when we contract with a speech pathologist, they pay a group rate, right?
- So they they pay a a group rate, right?
- is a group? Is it three? is a group? Is it three? >> Not<01:31:25.199>
necessarily.
Summary:
The commission held an organizational meeting under SB 57 to study the cost of special education, with the meeting streamed publicly at the chair’s request. Members introduced themselves, and the chair explained that the bill creates two separate pieces, one dealing with SAU structure and the other with a commission on special education costing. He outlined his background in education and special education and said the commission’s work would focus on understanding and controlling special education costs.
The commission reviewed its membership requirements and noted several vacancies or unfilled appointments, including the special education advocate, two governor-appointed parent advocates, and a Department of Health and Human Services representative. The members then elected Representative Rick Ladd as chair, Representative Dick Ames as vice chair, and Representative Megan Murray as clerk. Representative Ames briefly described his legal and policy background in disability and special education work in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
The chair then walked through the commission’s study topics, including referral rates by IDEA category, reasons for increases in categories such as autism and other health impairment, post-COVID referral trends, pre-referral interventions, Medicaid and 504-related costs, out-of-district placements, dispute resolution, billing practices, privacy, reimbursement, legal services, graduation rates, attendance, and adult learning. Members discussed how special education costs are distributed, noting that the state spends about $977 million annually on special education, with only part covered by state aid and the remainder largely borne by local districts. Testimony also noted that out-of-district placement costs have risen sharply since rate-setting changes around 2018, and that some categories may reflect changes in identification practices, medical factors, or broader population shifts. The commission agreed to continue reviewing the data and formulas in future meetings.