Video & Transcript : 'paternity leave' :

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MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee 3/13/25

Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • Trace because he's just back from paternity leave, so it was John Kelly initially working on the bill
  • , who is now on a leave of absence, so he jumped in to take over.
  • <00:07:33.000><c> leave</c><00:07:33.440><c> so</c><00:07:33.599><c> it</c><00:07:33.680><c> was</c><
  • 00:07:33.840><c> John</c><00:07:34.160><c> Kelly</c> paternity leave so it was John Kelly paternity leave
  • of absence so he jumped in to on a leave of absence so he jumped in to take<00:07:39.240><c> over</c
Bills: HF1662 , HF2115 , HF2159 , HF1095 , HF2160
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • SB 1207 helps address this issue by adding adoption-related information to the Parenting and Paternity
  • Senate Bill 1207 relating to instruction on adoption in the Parenting and Paternity Awareness Program
  • Senate Bill 1207 relating to instruction on adoption and the parenting and paternity awareness program
  • law, individuals convicted of stalking may still be eligible for community supervision, which can leave
  • And so it's ultimately we need to leave it for the courts to decide some of these matters. in terms of
Summary: The recent Senate meeting primarily covered two resolutions, HCR65 and HCR19, both of which were passed unanimously with little to no opposition. HCR65 was introduced in memory of Tracy Lee Vincent of Longview, while HCR19 was presented to honor the late Terrell Lynn Roberts of Angleton. The meeting included brief addresses from several senators, who shared personal reflections on the impacts of the individuals being honored and expressed gratitude for their contributions to the community. This collaborative atmosphere showcased the members' capacity for camaraderie and respect, emphasizing the importance of human connection in legislative proceedings.
AL
Transcript Highlights:
  • Our paternity establishment rate is extremely good and has been for more than 16 years.
  • not just that it brings in money through child support, but it also develops a whole other set of paternal
  • Outside of those dollars, we wouldn't have to leave people on that are no longer eligible for the program
  • You know I'll leave... I'm capable.
  • I'll leave you with this story because we did pretty good timing, y'all.
HI

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

HSH Public Hearing - Tue Feb 11, 2025 @ 9:45 AM HST

Human Services & Homelessness

Transcript Highlights:
  • I just want to leave you with one thing.
  • I</c><00:07:39.320><c> just</c><00:07:39.560><c> want</c><00:07:39.720><c> to</c><00:07:39.800><c> leave
  • </c><00:07:40.120><c> leave</c> very robust.
  • I just want to leave leave very robust.
  • I just want to leave leave you<00:07:40.400><c> with</c><00:07:40.560><c> one</c><00:07:40.800><c> thing
Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 963, which would make crimes against elders age 60 and over strict liability offenses by removing the requirement that the perpetrator knew or should have known the victim’s age. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing that removing the state-of-mind element would create unfair and subjective results and suggesting sentencing enhancements or broader vulnerability-based language instead. Supporters, including Sandy Wong and another testifier with elder-abuse experience, said the current knowledge requirement creates a loophole that lets offenders avoid the elder enhancement even when they target vulnerable older adults. No vote was taken on the measure in the portion provided. The committee also heard HB 384, which increases penalties for promoting minor-produced sexual images, extends probation terms for felony obscenity offenses, tolls the statute of limitations during a victim’s minority, and requires sex offender registration for certain felony obscenity offenses involving minors. The Public Defender opposed the bill as overly broad and warned of absurd results, while the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney supported it, saying the bill addresses sextortion and other exploitation cases where adults solicit images from minors and that the 3-year age-gap threshold preserves ordinary teen relationships. Committee members questioned whether the bill was aimed at adults only and whether the age-gap carveout was narrow enough; the prosecutor said it was intended to cover adult predators and not consensual peer conduct. No final action was reported. HB 1100, which renames the Neighbor Islands Blind and Visually Impaired Service Pilot Program to use “low vision” instead of “visually impaired,” was supported by the Department of Human Services and disability advocates, who said the current term is derogatory and that the change responds to the blind community. The department said it was beginning work on administrative rules and expected to seek an appropriation, with implementation hoped for in 2026. The committee then heard HB 1283, exempting paternity proceedings from mediation when domestic abuse is alleged; the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence and others supported it as consistent with divorce law and important for survivor safety. HB 689, creating safe harbor protections for survivors of sexual exploitation who seek medical or law enforcement help, drew support from HPD, Emua Alliance, the Judiciary, and others, who said it would prevent traffickers from using prostitution charges to silence victims. Finally, HB 383, reinstating mandatory minimum jail terms for successive violations of protective orders and removing the court’s ability to suspend those minimums, drew opposition from the Public Defender, who said some repeat violations stem from mental health or substance use issues, and support from the Prosecuting Attorney, who argued the bill treats protective orders like temporary restraining orders and preserves judicial discretion within a misdemeanor framework.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • Now, those cases do encompass the fact that the county attorney's office files approximately 75 paternity
  • Approximately 75 paternity actions each year.
  • But the goal is not to try to save every child and not leave a door open by being careless or lazy.
  • But the goal is not to try to save every child and not leave a door open by being careless or lazy.
  • So, we want to make it quick to leave time for questions if we can, please.
Summary: The Legislative Oversight and Investigation Committee met without a quorum, so no votes were taken. Staff presented a study of the Kentucky Fire Commission focused on firefighter minimum training standards and administrative spending. The presentation explained that Kentucky’s training standards are built from NFPA guidelines, that the commission currently requires 115 hours for volunteer firefighters and 300 hours for paid firefighters, and that those reduced hours were adopted by removing electives and other non-NFPA content. Staff also said the commission’s IFSAC certification testing for firefighter 1 and firefighter 2 aligns with NFPA standards, but the commission cannot require local departments to train or certify firefighters. Staff recommended that the commission formally promulgate regulations establishing the reduced training hours and work with KCTCS to better separate administrative costs for certain programs so compliance with the statute can be demonstrated. The finance portion of the report said the commission is funded by general fund appropriations for State Fire Rescue Training and by an insurance premium surcharge that supports the Firefighter Foundation Program Fund. Staff reported that the commission stayed within the 5% administrative cap tied to the overall surcharge allotment, but could not confirm compliance with a separate 5% cap for specific programs because KCTCS accounting does not break out those costs in enough detail. Staff suggested the General Assembly may want to clarify what counts as administrative cost in statute. Members asked about investment returns, local fire department funding, and whether training documentation is required; staff said some of those topics were outside the study scope and that IFSAC testing relies on chief certification that a candidate is ready to test. Representatives from the Fire Commission then responded, saying they agreed with the report’s recommendations and would work to clarify the 5% issue with legislators and KCTCS. They explained that the reduction in training hours was intended to remove electives, better align with NFPA standards, and address the difficulty volunteer departments have in getting members to complete lengthy training. Commission officials said training is documented through rosters and annual compliance reviews, and that IFSAC-certified firefighter testing is based on demonstrated skills rather than a required number of training hours. They also said the difficulty in tracking the second 5% cap stems from the way KCTCS’s PeopleSoft system records reimbursements as single transactions, making it hard to isolate administrative costs by program.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

02/09/2026 - Senate Floor Session

Arizona Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • SB 1661, paternity, genetic testing, support obligation. June elections.
  • They are leaving the House; they were just recognizing the House.
  • Before you guys leave, we'd like to present this to you.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Senate SessionReading and Referral of Bills Feb 28th, 2025

Texas Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Senate Bill 1171 by Perry, relating to compensation leave and physical fitness programs and standards
  • Senate Bill 1207 by King, relating to instruction on adoption and the parenting and paternity awareness
  • Senate Bill 1321 by Hagenbuch, relating to compensation and leave for certain peace officers, to Criminal
Bills: SJR36 , SJR3 , SB616 , SB565 , SB384 , SB5 , SJR52 , SJR53 , SJR54 , SJR55 , SCR18 , SCR19 , SCR22 , SB27 , SB29 , SB35 , SB1151 , SB1152 , SB1153 , SB1154 , SB1155 , SB1156 , SB1157 , SB1158 , SB1159 , SB1160 , SB1161 , SB1162 , SB1163 , SB1164 , SB1165 , SB1166 , SB1167 , SB1168 , SB1169 , SB1170 , SB1171 , SB1172 , SB1173 , SB1174 , SB1175 , SB1176 , SB1177 , SB1178 , SB1179 , SB1180 , SB1181 , SB1182 , SB1183 , SB1184 , SB1185 , SB1186 , SB1187 , SB1188 , SB1189 , SB1190 , SB1191 , SB1192 , SB1193 , SB1194 , SB1195 , SB1196 , SB1197 , SB1198 , SB1199 , SB1200 , SB1201 , SB1202 , SB1203 , SB1204 , SB1205 , SB1206 , SB1207 , SB1208 , SB1209 , SB1210 , SB1211 , SB1212 , SB1213 , SB1214 , SB1215 , SB1216 , SB1217 , SB1218 , SB1219 , SB1220 , SB1221 , SB1222 , SB1223 , SB1224 , SB1225 , SB1226 , SB1227 , SB1228 , SB1229 , SB1230 , SB1231 , SB1232 , SB1233 , SB1234 , SB1235 , SB1236 , SB1237 , SB1238 , SB1239 , SB1240 , SB1241 , SB1242 , SB1243 , SB1244 , SB1245 , SB1246 , SB1247 , SB1248 , SB1249 , SB1250 , SB1251 , SB1252 , SB1253 , SB1254 , SB1255 , SB1256 , SB1257 , SB1258 , SB1259 , SB1260 , SB1261 , SB1262 , SB1263 , SB1264 , SB1265 , SB1266 , SB1267 , SB1268 , SB1269 , SB1270 , SB1271 , SB1272 , SB1273 , SB1274 , SB1275 , SB1276 , SB1277 , SB1278 , SB1279 , SB1280 , SB1281 , SB1282 , SB1283 , SB1284 , SB1285 , SB1286 , SB1287 , SB1288 , SB1289 , SB1290 , SB1291 , SB1292 , SB1293 , SB1294 , SB1295 , SB1296 , SB1297 , SB1298 , SB1299 , SB1300 , SB1301 , SB1302 , SB1303 , SB1304 , SB1305 , SB1306 , SB1307 , SB1308 , SB1309 , SB1310 , SB1311 , SB1312 , SB1313 , SB1314 , SB1315 , SB1316 , SB1317 , SB1318 , SB1319 , SB1320 , SB1321 , SB1322 , SB1323 , SB1324 , SB1325 , SB1326 , SB1327 , SB1328 , SB1329 , SB1330 , SB1331 , SB1332 , SB1333 , SB1334 , SB1335 , SB1336 , SB1337 , SB1338 , SB1339 , SB1340 , SB1341 , SB1342 , SB1343 , SB1344 , SB1345 , SB1621 , SJR57
Summary: The Senate met briefly to receive first-reading referrals of a large number of bills, resolutions, and joint resolutions. The measures covered a wide range of topics, including public education, health care, criminal justice, business regulation, transportation, water and natural resources, local government, taxation, elections, and public information. Many of the filings were by Senators Hughes, Perry, Alvarado, Creighton, Hancock, Parker, Zaffirini, Blanco, and others, and included proposals on school safety, health records and billing, election procedures, water planning, housing and rent issues, energy and environmental regulation, and criminal penalties. The chamber also read several concurrent and joint resolutions, including measures designating state symbols and local honors, a proposed constitutional amendment related to gaming by the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, a proposal concerning special-session subjects, and resolutions on fiscal restraints and retirement obligations. No debate, testimony, or substantive action on the merits of the measures occurred in this portion of the transcript; the items were simply read and referred to committees. At the close of the proceedings, the Senate adjourned pursuant to a previously adopted motion and announced it would reconvene at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 4.
NE

Nebraska 2025-2026 Regular Session

Legislative Afternoon Session Apr 7th, 2026

Nebraska Unicameral Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Please leave the floor.
  • leave.
  • leave. ...and then he would need to have maternity leave or parental leave.
  • So when we talk about paternity leave, this is not, I mean, it is not limited to the circumstances where
  • And so having that capacity to have paternity leave is really, really... ...important.
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

House of Representatives Mar 18th, 2026

Louisiana House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Representative Chasson to authorize and direct the State Law Institute to study affiliation presumption of paternity
  • Presumption of paternity. Civil law.
Summary: The House convened with a quorum, opened with prayer by Father Josh Johnson, and heard several personal privileges recognizing guests and special observances, including Plaquemines Parish Day, TRIO Day visitors from Southern University, the creation of an Italian-American Legislative Caucus tied to St. Joseph’s Day, and a pro-life gala. Members also welcomed Colonel Joseph Masekia back to Louisiana after 30 years of military service. Senate messages reported concurrence in HCR 13, adoption and transmittal of SCR 13 on World Down Syndrome Day, and passage of numerous Senate bills, which were read by title and laid over. The chamber then handled a series of House resolutions and committee reports, including resolutions honoring individuals and events, and committee reports from Criminal Justice, Education, Health and Welfare, House and Governmental Affairs, Insurance, and Natural Resources. Several resolutions were adopted without objection, including measures for Plaquemines Parish Day, the Italian-American Legislative Caucus, and commendations for local honorees. The House also received and referred a number of new House bills, including the capital outlay budget, bond authorization, retirement, municipal, civil law, commerce, appropriations, transportation, and tax-related measures. The House took up and passed multiple bills on the floor, often after technical amendments. These included HB 207 on the Louisiana Auctioneers Licensing Board, HB 300 raising the appraisal threshold for state bank residential loans, HB 428 creating an LSU College World Series champions prestige plate, HB 464 on utility damage reporting, HB 587 creating a PANS/PANDAS specialty plate, HB 618 on Louisiana Economic Development fees, HB 629 for a Crew of Athena plate, HB 801 creating a classic black prestige plate, HB 853 on misleading solicitations by non-government entities, HB 891 consolidating conservation-related prestige plates, HB 112 clarifying child relocation distance measurement, HB 657 naming highways in honor of local figures, and HB 354 naming a bridge for Caleb Easterling. Most passed unanimously or near-unanimously, with HB 801 passing 93-1. The House also adopted amendments and recommitted several bills to Appropriations, and the day ended with announcements of upcoming committee meetings and adjournment until Monday at 2:00 p.m.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Education 2ND REVISED Apr 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am

Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • So, right now, without this law going into effect, the first step will be to put on administrative leave
  • And that is what this bill is actually doing instead of leaving those community standards to guesswork
  • It's requiring the current guesswork, which is forcing school boards into legal limbo and leaving children
  • And instead of leaving it as a vague you'll know it when you see it standard, we're now defining the
Committee: Senate Education
AL

Alabama 2026 Regular Session

Alabama House Ways and Means General Fund Committee Feb 25th, 2026

Ways and Means General Fund

Transcript Highlights:
  • "There had been some question, but this is leave only, right? This is no additional retirement.
  • Just leave on." "Any questions? We have a motion. Second. All in favor say I." "Oppose.
  • Just leave on." "Any questions? We have a motion. Second. All in favor say I." "Oppose.
  • Just leave on." "Any questions? We have a motion. Second. All in favor say I." "Oppose.
  • "Leave only, right? This is no additional retirement. Just leave on." "Any questions?
Bills: HB44 , HB400 , HB444 , HB487 , SB249 , SB252 , SB58 , HB44 , HB400 , HB444 , HB487 , SB249 , SB252 , SB58
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Labor & Commerce Jan 23rd, 2026 at 08:00 am

Labor & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:
  • You've heard a lot about the discussion of solvency issues and paid family leave, but there are similar
  • Madam Chair, that bill relates to paid family and medical leave rates, sponsored by Senator Conway.
  • The bill relates to paid family and medical leave rates. It's sponsored by Senator Conway.
  • in the new proposed second substitute modifies the title to modifying the paid family and medical leave
  • This can leave the necessary medical needs unaddressed during recovery, creating gaps in treatment at
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Public Health Apr 28th, 2025

Public Health

Transcript Highlights:
  • Pharmacy, the Texas Medical Association, and after many sessions of this issue, comment before you leave
  • said, this individual is experiencing. experiencing a mental health crisis and they're wanting to leave
  • We're going to leave House Bill 1656. pending, and we will lay it out as pending business when we come
Committee: House Public Health
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Public Health Apr 28th, 2025

Public Health

Transcript Highlights:
  • But realistically, should they leave that practice, they're effectively going to have to leave the community
  • They just kind of have to leave.
  • Today, I'm just gonna leave my piece of paper there in my hat.
  • They gave us another phone number for the patient to call, to leave a message, and leave their address
  • I will leave... ...it at that.
Committee: House Public Health
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • Patern, aye. Patern, aye. Petrie-Norris, Ward, Wilson, aye. Wilson, aye. Consent has 11.
  • It's out, but we'll leave it open for absent members.
  • It leaves these boundaries completely undefined.
  • We'll leave it open for absent members.
  • We'll leave it open for the absent member.
Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on artificial intelligence, child safety, mental health, and privacy. SB 574 by Senator Umberg would require transparency and human oversight when attorneys, judges, and court neutrals use AI; it drew support from privacy advocates and committee members, with no opposition. SB 1276, the End Child Exploitation Act, would update child sexual exploitation laws to cover live-streamed and AI-generated abuse material and clarify that viewing such content can be criminally punishable; prosecutors, child advocacy groups, and others supported it, while no one appeared in opposition despite opposition on file. SB 813 would create a California AI standards and safety commission and a voluntary two-tier certification framework for AI safety standards; supporters said it would create scalable, independent oversight, while TechNet and CalChamber opposed it as duplicative, under-defined, and likely to create a de facto mandate. The committee discussed market pressure, federal preemption concerns, and the role of voluntary standards, but no final vote was taken in the excerpt. Senator Padilla also presented SB 300, which would strengthen protections for minors from sexually explicit chatbot content by moving from a reasonableness standard to an affirmative duty to prevent such exposure and to prohibit facilitation. Supporters said new evidence showed greater risks and that companies can and should build stronger safeguards; opponents, including TechNet and CCIA, argued the bill was premature because SB 243 had only recently taken effect and warned it could create strict-liability-like exposure. Padilla then presented SB 903, which would bar AI chatbots from being advertised as therapists, require licensed clinician oversight and informed consent for AI use in psychotherapy, and protect patient confidentiality; it received broad support from mental health professionals and labor groups, while industry and health associations were opposed unless amended over triage and crisis-detection language. The committee members emphasized the need for human judgment in mental health care and noted ongoing negotiations on amendments. The committee also heard SB 1119, a companion to AB 2020, which would require annual risk assessments, crisis-response protocols, default child settings, parental controls, limits on data use, public incident reporting, and third-party audits for chatbots used by children. Supporters argued the bill would address documented harms and improve transparency, while industry groups objected to ambiguous standards, liability exposure, and the private right of action. A roll call vote was taken on SB 1119 after quorum was established; the motion to pass to Appropriations succeeded on a 5-1 vote, with one no vote and the measure left on call for absent members. Finally, SB 354, a privacy bill for insurance consumers, would modernize outdated insurance privacy rules, bar sale of personal information, and expand consumer rights to know, correct, and delete data. Supporters said it would implement Proposition 24’s privacy mandate, while a large coalition of insurers, agents, brokers, and related businesses opposed unless amended, mainly seeking a small-business exemption and narrower treatment of publicly available information; members and the author said negotiations were ongoing and the bill had already been substantially revised.
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children (7-20-26)

Families & Children

Transcript Highlights:
  • The child resided with mother and paternal relatives due to ongoing domestic violence issues with the
  • The child resided with mother and paternal relatives due to ongoing domestic violence issues with the
  • The child resided with mother and paternal relatives due to ongoing domestic violence issues with the
  • The child resided with mother and paternal relatives due to ongoing domestic violence issues with the
  • ,</c> for those women who are leaving, for those women who are leaving, right?
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Floor Session Jan 27th, 2025

California House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Despite this crisis, paternity wards are closing, even one in my community.
  • She and her husband Paul established an annual scholarship for high school students leaving a late a
  • To her family and loved ones, may you find comfort in the legacy she leaves behind. time and the countless
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • Patern. Aye. Patern. Aye. Pe-Norris. Ward. Aye. Wicks. Wilson. Same. Ward? Aye. Ward, aye.
  • Did he leave? I don't see him either.
  • We'll leave it open for absent members. Dr. Weber Pierson.
  • I'll leave it. I'll leave it.
  • I'll leave it. I'll leave it.
Summary: The committee heard several AI- and consumer-protection-related bills, with extensive testimony from authors, supporters, and industry opponents. SB 53 by Senator Wiener would create transparency requirements for large AI developers, including disclosure of safety and security protocols, reporting of critical safety incidents, whistleblower protections, and the CalCompute public cloud. Supporters said it is a narrower, transparency-based follow-up to last year’s vetoed AI safety bill, while opponents argued it still relies too much on company size, could expose trade secrets, and should be narrowed further. The committee approved SB 53 on a do-pass-as-amended vote to Appropriations, with the roll held open for absent members. SB 766 by Senator Allen would codify the FTC’s Cars Rule and create a three-day cooling-off period for certain used-car purchases, along with stronger disclosure rules on pricing, add-ons, and government affiliation claims. Supporters said it would save consumers money and time and help buyers avoid bad deals, while dealer and industry groups said amendments addressed many of their concerns. Several former opponents moved to neutral, and the committee passed SB 766 unanimously as amended to Appropriations. SB 7 by Senator McNerney would regulate automated decision-making systems in employment by requiring notice, human review for discipline and termination, and limits on predictive behavior analysis. Labor and consumer advocates supported the bill as a safeguard against biased or overly automated workplace decisions, while employer and industry groups raised concerns about scope, notice burdens, and the predictive-analysis ban. The committee passed SB 7 to Appropriations on a 4-2 vote, with the roll held open. SB 833, also by Senator McNerney, would require human oversight of AI used in critical infrastructure, along with training and system assessments; it drew limited opposition focused on scope, and the committee passed it as amended to Appropriations on a 5-0 vote, also holding the roll open. Later, the committee took up SB 11, which would address AI-generated voice, image, and video cloning and deepfakes by clarifying likeness protections, requiring consumer warnings, and addressing misuse and evidence tampering. Supporters framed it as a targeted response to nonconsensual deepfakes, while industry groups said recent amendments improved the bill but still had concerns about penalties and warning language. The committee also heard SB 720, the Safer Streets Act, which would let cities opt into a revised red-light camera system that shifts from driver to owner liability, removes facial identification, makes violations civil rather than criminal, and directs revenue toward transportation safety projects; the author presented the bill, but the transcript ends before any final action on SB 720.
VA

Virginia 2026 Regular Session

March 13, 2026 - Regular Session Part 2

Virginia House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Because every one of these tragedies leaves behind a family whose lives will never be the same.
  • Because every one of these tragedies leaves behind a family whose lives will never be the same.
  • Speaker, this paid family medical leave program isn't just the right thing to do.
  • Paid leave helps businesses attract and retain talent.
  • This conference report relates to employment, paid sick leave, civil penalties, and civil action.
NH

New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session

House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs (03/12/2025)

Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • And what happens when this worksheet leaves the hospital?
  • </c><01:40:17.800><c> the</c> anecdotally I asked if I could leave the anecdotally I asked if I could
  • leave the hospital<01:40:18.560><c> without</c><01:40:18.920><c> a</c><01:40:19.080><c> name</c><01:
  • status via the marriage and paternity status via the system<02:05:01.800><c> that</c><02:05:01.920><
  • </c><02:26:58.200><c> the</c> other source and she may leave the other source and she may leave the hospital
Summary: The House Committee on Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs heard testimony on House Bill 606, as amended, a bill aimed at preventing physicians from denying medically necessary sterilizing or fertility-affecting treatment based on a patient’s age, number of children, marital status, or a doctor’s speculation about future reproductive intentions. Representative Ellen Reed, the sponsor, described the bill as a response to her own long experience with PCOS, heavy bleeding, and repeated refusals by doctors to perform a hysterectomy despite her clear wishes. She said the amendment narrows the bill to medically necessary care, adds definitions for “medical condition” and “appropriate reproductive care,” and removes earlier provisions about voluntary sterilization referrals. She also said the bill does not target religious objections, and that doctors could still refuse for medical, payment, or existing religious reasons not addressed by the bill. Committee members asked about religious freedom, informed consent versus waivers, and the scope of the new definitions. Reed responded that religion was not added to the list of prohibited reasons for denial, and that the amendment is intended to protect doctors when patients sign informed consent or waivers. She explained that “appropriate reproductive care” includes procedures such as hysterectomy, oophorectomy, orchiectomy, salpingectomy, and endometrial ablation, and that the bill now focuses on medically necessary treatment rather than elective sterilization. She said the change was intended to make the proposal narrower and more tailored after earlier concerns. Several witnesses supported the bill with personal accounts of being denied hysterectomies or other procedures despite serious symptoms. Representative Lauren Selig described a decade-long effort to obtain a hysterectomy after years of cycle problems and migraines, saying doctors dismissed her concerns and treated her symptoms as normal. Jade Flad also testified in support, saying she had long been told to simply endure her cycle problems and noted that her husband was offered a vasectomy without similar barriers. The sponsor said online support was strong and that there was little or no written opposition testimony. No vote or final committee action was taken during the portion of the hearing provided.