Transcript Highlights:

• Psychosocial issues in students is a challenge.
• So it is a challenge to hire folks.
• So it is a challenge to hire folks.
• And I'll add an additional challenge: 30 seconds or less.
• So funding for simulation would be amazing.

Summary: The subcommittee met to examine Florida’s nursing education pipeline and the state’s persistently low NCLEX passage rates. Chair Tuck opened by noting the projected nurse shortage and Florida’s ranking near the bottom nationally for first-time NCLEX pass rates. The Department of Health explained the Board of Nursing’s approval process for nursing programs, including application requirements, probation standards, and termination for programs that repeatedly fail passage-rate benchmarks. The Florida Center for Nursing then presented statewide data showing Florida has more test takers than most states, but still trails the national average; the gap has narrowed in recent years, though Florida remains below average. Members focused heavily on why the state continues to underperform, with discussion of faculty shortages, clinical placement constraints, accreditation, student preparedness, and the large share of newer private for-profit programs among those placed on probation. Committee members asked about how probation works, what happens when programs improve, and whether the board requires corrective plans. They also questioned the relationship between program type and outcomes, the effect of Operation Nightingale, and how many students fail and retest. The Florida Center for Nursing said first-attempt pass rates are the standard measure and that students who fail are expected to remediate and retest, though costs vary. The center also said Florida’s data shows accredited programs outperform approved or probationary ones, and that the state’s nursing workforce challenges are tied to broader issues such as faculty vacancies, clinical site competition, and student demographics, including many students balancing work, family, and language barriers. A panel of nursing school leaders from public, private nonprofit, and private for-profit institutions then described strategies used to improve outcomes. These included transparent recruitment, early orientation, tutoring, success coaching, stronger faculty development, curriculum mapping to NCLEX standards, higher course benchmarks, mandatory remediation, simulation labs, and commercial NCLEX prep tools such as ATI, Kaplan, and HESI. Several panelists said their programs had improved after probation or had very high passage rates, and they emphasized that student success depends on academic preparation, clinical experience, and support services. Members also asked about tuition, program length, translation into other languages, and faculty recruitment; panelists said costs vary widely, faculty hiring is difficult because hospitals pay more, and some schools are considering medical Spanish and immersion options rather than full curriculum translation.

Transcript Highlights:

• THAT PROCESS AND FUNDING THE DIGITAL TRADING PROGRAMS THAT.
• HOW CAN WE USE THIS FUNDING?
• THE SECOND QUESTION AS FAR AS THE CHALLENGES THERE WILL BE MORE CHALLENGES TO COME.
• CAN YOU RUN ME THROUGH THE FUNDING SOURCE?
• WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM AND WHAT IS A FUNDING SOURCE?

Transcript Highlights:

• At special funds.
• There's no way that the general fund can backfill the loss of federal funds.
• $9.5 billion total funds.
• Specifically for groundwater funding, groundwater recharge funding. OK.
• And a real challenge for this legislature, where the rainy day fund, in my mind, was for smoothing out

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Denine, the vast majority of that funding goes the vast majority of that funding goes out<00:
• </c> to the budget reserve trust fund to the budget reserve trust fund account.<00:08:39.599><c> Uh</
• funded? funded? &gt;&gt; Was<00:29:35.840><c> it</c><00:29:36.320><c> 14?</c> &gt;&gt; Was it 14?
• </c> applaud you all for appropriating funds. applaud you all for appropriating funds.
• </c> appropriate funds. appropriate funds.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first heard brief presentations on Kentucky’s 2025 Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant and Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant. Department for Public Health staff explained that the preventive health block grant provides about $2.3 million annually and supports programs such as accreditation and performance improvement, local health department grants, community health workers, prescription assistance, asthma and COPD programs, workforce development, and a sexual assault programs set-aside. They said the Title V block grant provides about $11.7 million, with 35% directed to children and youth with special health care needs and 65% to maternal and child health populations, largely through local health departments and a five-year needs assessment process. After no questions, a motion was made and seconded to approve both block grants. The roll call vote passed 19-0, and the two block grants were approved. The committee then approved the minutes from the prior meeting. The next item was a discussion of the child waiver created in House Bill 6. Committee members raised concerns that the proposed 1915(c) waiver did not match the legislature’s intent, which they said was to move children from the Michelle P. waiver to free slots for adults. Cabinet officials from DCBS, behavioral health, and Medicaid described the proposed “Community Health for Improved Lives and Development” waiver as a targeted home- and community-based program for children under 21 with severe behavioral health or developmental needs, including those stepping down from inpatient or residential care or at risk of out-of-home placement. They said the waiver is designed for about 100 slots, uses a standardized needs-based assessment, and includes case management, community living supports, home modifications, respite, supervised residential care, and clinical therapeutic services. Officials said the public comment period ended July 15, responses are being compiled for August submission to CMS, and the waiver is part of the broader Families First initiative.

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the challenges is accountability.
• Importantly, this bill does not spend General Fund dollars.
• Fund monies are received.
• Fund monies are received.
• I also speak for the California Vet Fund as well.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard a series of bills focused on behavioral health, cancer screening, provider reimbursement, research funding, workforce licensing, and tobacco regulation. SB 16 would require counties to maintain procedures for designating and training professionals authorized to perform 5150 evaluations and initiate involuntary holds; supporters said it would expand the pool of qualified clinicians and reduce reliance on law enforcement, while opponents raised concerns about local control and implementation. SB 1124 would require CDPH to create and post lung cancer screening eligibility signage at tobacco point-of-sale locations; supporters emphasized low screening awareness and early detection, and the bill was advanced with amendments. SB 28, a CARE Court cleanup bill, proposed an ombudsperson, reporting, electronic petitions, remote participation, and other changes to improve accountability and access; it drew both strong support and significant opposition over concerns about coercion, scope, and whether the program is working as intended, but it passed the committee as amended to Judiciary. The committee also heard SB 874, which would strengthen oversight of Medi-Cal behavioral health treatment services, including background checks for providers and a stakeholder workgroup to develop standards; it passed to Public Safety. SB 1049 would let providers resubmit corrected claims within 90 days after a plan’s denial or recoupment action when the original claim had a correctable technical defect; supporters described delayed and withheld payments harming practices, while insurers argued the bill could duplicate existing dispute processes. The bill passed to Appropriations on call. SB 1224 would create a state framework to compete for federal ARPA-H funding for emerging therapies research, with testimony from a UC Davis psychiatrist and veterans’ advocates supporting expanded research into treatments for PTSD, depression, and other conditions; it passed to Military and Veterans Affairs. Later, SB 1057 would change how the Department of Public Health evaluates conviction history for certified nurse assistants and home health aides, shifting from automatic denial toward individualized assessment based on the offense, time elapsed, and rehabilitation; it passed to Appropriations with some no votes. Finally, SB 1314, a tobacco-related bill, sought to create a 600-foot buffer around schools and day care centers for certain tobacco retailers and address related issues such as cigar lounge definitions and nitrous oxide sales; several local government and public safety groups supported it, while health organizations and business groups opposed it unless amended. The chair announced that committee amendments were being set aside for now and the bill would move forward to Business and Professions with a commitment to continue working on the language; it passed out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• in General Fund, $2.2 billion in federal funds, and $199 million being published in 64 funds.
• in its general fund, $2.2 billion being federal funds, and $199 million being published in 64 funds.
• CCDF funds.
• And I will challenge anyone... where else that is a less of a priority than funding families with children
• The request is for $703,000 General Fund in 2026–27 and $733,000 General Fund in 2027–28 to fund four

Transcript Highlights:

• And there are at least two bills that I'm aware of that also seek to address the funding challenge through
• </c><03:53:59.680><c> challenge</c><03:54:00.319><c> through</c><03:54:00.880><c> a</c> address the funding
• challenge through a address the funding challenge through a process.<03:54:02.000><c> and</c><03:54:
• For myself, I've tried over the years to look at different ways of meeting funding challenges with particular
• <c> fund.

Committee: House Education Funding

Transcript Highlights:

• benefits fund bill that might be created.
• Access to clinical services is a real challenge in our state.
• funding for OSI to enhance its role.
• been one of the big challenges.
• Again, ongoing challenges.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• I can go into more detail, but obviously this is an issue that is going to require funding.
• I'm just concerned that funding being an issue with a little bit of budget uncertainty.
• find an alternate path or an alternate funding source, that would be even better.
• And the only thing preventing them from moving forward is having a revolving fund.
• Those funds would then be utilized for future real property purchases or development.

Bills: HB4329 , HB3016 , HB4118 , HB3066 , HB3649 , HB3650

Committee: House A&B Health Subcommittee

Keywords: dental insurance, claims, medical necessity, appeal procedures, dentist reimbursement, education, vision screening, binocular vision, kindergarten, elementary education, health, family caregiver, tax credit, activities of daily living, elderly care, Oklahoma tax law, HB3066, Health Care Workforce Training Commission, workforce recruitment, health care workforce

Transcript Highlights:

• This was a facial challenge of the law, meaning that the parties challenged the law overall, not a specific
• This was a facial challenge of the law, meaning that the primaries, the parties challenge the law overall
• Every voter should be able to participate in every taxpayer-funded election.
• "So, independents, for starters, currently have a challenging time as well.
• It is funded by taxpayers.

Bills: H5001

Committee: Joint Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions

Keywords: election day registration, voter registration, proof of residency, provisional ballot, party affiliation

Summary: The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a public hearing on Initiative Petition 25-12, H.503, an act to implement all-party state primaries. Committee leaders explained the Article 48 process and said the hearing was part of the Legislature’s review before any measure could advance toward the 2026 ballot. The hearing format included subject-matter experts, proponents, opponents, and public testimony, though this excerpt mainly covers the expert and proponent panels. The first expert, Northeastern University political scientist Costas Panagopoulos, described top-two primaries used in states such as California, Washington, Alaska, Louisiana, and Nebraska, and said the research shows only modest or mixed effects. He argued that top-two systems do not reliably reduce polarization, can weaken party gatekeeping, may increase campaign spending and incumbent advantages, and can lead to undervoting when voters do not see a preferred candidate on the ballot. In response to questions, he said turnout effects are mixed and not substantially higher overall. Katie King of the National Conference of State Legislatures then outlined different primary systems, including closed, open, top-two/top-four, nonpartisan, all-comers, and blanket primaries, and reviewed Supreme Court cases holding blanket primaries unconstitutional while upholding Washington’s top-two system. She also noted that changing primary systems would require significant voter education and administrative preparation. The proponent panel, led by Danielle Allen of the Coalition for Healthy Democracy, argued that Massachusetts has too many uncontested elections, low primary participation, and too little accountability, and that all-party primaries would give every voter a meaningful choice in a higher-turnout general election. Supporters said the proposal is tailored to Massachusetts, would keep party endorsements visible on the ballot, and could broaden competition, improve representation, and help independent and minor-party candidates. Jim Henderson, coalition counsel, said the bill is narrowly focused on state-level primaries and was drafted to fit Article 48 requirements. Other proponents, including Kevin Johnson, Kate Kavanaugh, and Spencer Reynolds, echoed that the current system overrepresents a small partisan electorate and that the reform would shift power to voters. Committee members pressed the proponents on turnout evidence, party endorsements, ballot access, the role of fusion-style cross-endorsements, the effect on polarization, and whether the change would actually improve representation or simply move party influence to an earlier stage. No votes or final committee action were taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• funds, ensuring education funding remains untouched.
• and other kinds of funds.
• It is an allocation of bond funds that is completely consistent with past funding levels for Cal Home
• You have to encumber the funds by the end of this year, and there's no funds.
• to encumber the funds by the end of this year, and there's no funds.

Committee: House Housing and Community Development

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> explored alternative funding systems. explored alternative funding systems.
• I think it's a good use of funds, finite funds, particularly this year.
• So, we created that fund.
• The general fund. question. The general fund. Senator<01:39:28.080><c> Funworth.
• </c> keep the school appropriately funded. keep the school appropriately funded.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• The rest is funded over in Ways and Means.
• Highway preservation funding was maintained at prior levels, with some additional funding in the out
• Okay, so while, you know, to Brian’s point about revenues, while there is enough funding to fund the
• For maintenance funding, we've had increases in material costs over time, and the funding that we have
• For maintenance funding, we've had increases in material costs over time, and the funding that we have

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met on January 13, 2026, for a work session on Governor Ferguson’s proposed 2026 supplemental transportation budget and a public hearing on Senate Bill 6005, which makes supplemental transportation appropriations for the 2025–27 biennium. Committee staff reviewed the transportation budget outlook, noting that the 2025 session had balanced the transportation budget over four years with significant new revenues, but that recent fuel-tax and Climate Commitment Act forecasts had softened the long-term outlook. Staff and the governor’s budget team said the proposal still leaves the budget in positive shape while addressing major needs such as preservation, ferry replacement, maintenance, and the state self-insurance account. The governor’s office described a $16.8 billion transportation budget proposal centered on preservation and maintenance, including $3.1 billion in bonding for eligible preservation projects, $1.1 billion for three new ferries, additional ferry preservation funding, pavement and bridge work, maintenance funding, County Road Administration Board startup money, State Patrol communications upgrades, DOL service access improvements, dredging for the Lower Columbia River, and restored regional mobility grant funding. Committee members asked about ferry capacity, DOL mobile offices, self-insurance costs, and whether additional preservation money could be used in 2026. Testifiers from cities, counties, labor, ports, construction, business, and environmental groups generally supported the emphasis on preservation, ferry reliability, local road funding, and freight projects, while some urged broader transit and rail investment and one witness criticized the budget’s spending approach. During public testimony on SB 6005, speakers from Bainbridge Island and ferry communities supported ferry investments and reliability improvements; local government and labor representatives backed preservation funding and better working conditions for transportation workers; business and construction groups endorsed maintenance, paving, bridge repair, and the Lower Columbia dredging item; and port and environmental advocates supported freight, port electrification, and rail funding. One witness raised concerns about the cost and long-term implications of hybrid-electric ferry maintenance, and another urged restraint in spending. The hearing ended after testimony, with the chair noting the sign-in tally and adjourning the committee without a vote on the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• at that time, to work more closely together to help projects get that funding.
• So our task was to look at, track federal funding, available federal funding, share it with colleagues
• And yet the scale of the challenge... ...five years is very impressive.
• And yet the scale of the challenge demands that we do a lot more.
• You know, we have refineries here that are facing challenges.

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> that you'll see that that challenges that you'll see that that challenges that<00:39:47.000><c>
• So MSA, in addition to seeking the funding, would further ask that those training funds be baked into
• > Castile training fund it is my Castile training fund it is my understanding<00:53:04.640><c> that</
• </c> to fund to fund it<00:53:35.839><c> in</c><00:53:36.359><c> historically</c><00:53:37.359><c> the
• </c><00:53:54.160><c> to</c> continued allocation of the funding to continued allocation of the funding

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:40:05.880><c> times</c><00:40:06.880><c> that</c><00:40:07.079><c> lie</c> challenging times that
• lie challenging times that lie ahead<00:40:10.079><c> we</c><00:40:10.280><c> thank</c><00:40:10.480
• </c><01:04:41.720><c> the</c> I saw firsthand the benefit of challenging the status quo and bringing
• We are in the top 10 in total education funding per pupil in the country.
• per pupil in the education funding per pupil in the country<01:09:46.000><c> I</c><01:09:46.120><c>

Transcript Highlights:

• We weren't given new funds; we were asked to shift funds.
• We weren't given new funds; we were asked to shift funds.
• None of that is funded currently.
• So that was a challenge.
• So that was a challenge.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• So the office does receive a general fund appropriation to fund most of its operations.
• um receive a general fund appropriation um to<00:03:31.519><c> fund</c><00:03:32.280><c> most</c><00:
• 03:32.480><c> of</c><00:03:32.640><c> its</c> to fund most of its to fund most of its operations<00:03
• for challenged voters.
• and looked at who was challenged, how many people were challenged, and the reasons why.

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Transcript Highlights:

• to fund this?
• And if they could challenge them without the fear of the reversal of legal fees against them for challenging
• And if they could challenge them without the fear of the reversal of legal fees against them for challenging
• We have bills to fund education, and it's funded by tobacco.
• And today, my vote is aye. and it's funded by tobacco.

Committee: House House Commerce Committee of Reference

Summary: The Commerce Committee heard and passed several bills dealing with insurance fraud funding, education scholarships, apprenticeships, workers’ compensation fraud, credit unions, manufactured home installation licensing, short-term rentals, homeowners associations, condo disclosures, and an advanced manufacturing infrastructure reimbursement program. HB 4020 would raise the annual insurer assessment cap for the Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions fraud unit from $1,050 to $1,350; it passed after testimony from Nationwide supporting the added resources. HB 2255 would extend Arizona Teachers Academy scholarship eligibility for community college students from two academic years to four, and HB 2591, as amended, would revise the definition and requirements for registered apprenticeships under DES standards; both passed unanimously. HB 2680, as amended, would narrow and clarify workers’ compensation fraud-related provisions and insurance disclosure requirements, and HB 2979, as amended, would modernize credit union bylaws, name changes, and operating powers; both also received due pass recommendations. HB 2868, which adds insurance and fingerprint-clearance requirements for manufactured home/mobile home installation licensees and gives the Department of Housing additional licensing authority, passed with some members present or voting no. The committee also took up HB 2429, a strike-everything amendment on short-term rentals that would let local governments set occupancy limits, extend the violation window for suspension actions from 12 to 24 months, and allow suspension after certain building code violations. The sponsor and city officials described it as a compromise giving communities more local control, while short-term rental owners and neighborhood advocates raised concerns about overbroad enforcement and the scale of the housing impacts; the bill passed 8-2 with one present. HB 4011, which would codify duties for condominium and planned community associations to act reasonably and provide access to information, was heard without the proposed Carter amendment and passed 11-0 after testimony from homeowners, attorneys, and HOA representatives about fairness and enforceability. HB 2397, another HOA-related bill, would expand disclosure requirements for condo and association purchases and escrow information; it passed unanimously after supporters said it would improve consumer transparency. Finally, the committee heard HB 4026, which would change the public infrastructure reimbursement program for advanced manufacturing projects by replacing the current statewide cap with a $75 million annual cap and requiring more transparency for related agreements. Supporters, including Queen Creek’s mayor, GPEC, and the Arizona Chamber, said the program helps fund roads, water, wastewater, and other infrastructure needed to attract large manufacturing investments and jobs, while some members questioned the budget impact and whether the program benefits rural areas. The discussion emphasized projects such as LG in Queen Creek and other major manufacturing investments, with supporters arguing the bill preserves Arizona’s competitiveness and generates long-term tax revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just for clarity, this replaces the challenge scholarship? It replaces the concurrent challenge.
• To pay back the funds.
• Educational funding dollars are stretched further, which then allows a greater use for these funds to
• We know they're state funds.
• We know they're state funds, but these are also state funds that should educate our children, and we

Committee: All ALC-ADMINISTRATIVE RULES