Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Alexis Hall, and I am a registered nurse.
• Network and the Florida Nurses Association.
• I love being a nurse.
• I'm a psychiatric nurse practitioner and a member of the Florida Nurses Association and the Florida Nurse
• But today I'm not here only as a nurse.

Committee: Senate Health Policy

Summary: The committee first received an update from the Department of Health on the Cancer Connect Collaborative, the Cancer Innovation Fund, and the new Cancer Connect Collaborative Research Incubator, created and expanded by recent legislation. The department reported that the Cancer Innovation Fund has awarded $80 million to 95 researchers to date, with $60 million available in the current cycle and 65 projects funded across 28 institutions in 16 cancer areas last year. The new pediatric cancer incubator received $30 million and awarded four Florida children’s hospitals $7.5 million each. Senators asked about outreach to oncologists statewide, peer review and accountability, funding for National Cancer Institute-affiliated institutions, and whether underserved and rural areas are being prioritized; the department said it uses website notices, listservs, collaborative outreach, and eligibility criteria favoring rural and high-cancer-care providers, and that it monitors projects through reports, expenditures, and contract provisions. The committee then heard Senate Bill 312 on patient-directed medical orders, which would create a voluntary, portable, physician-authorized electronic registry for patients to document end-of-life and serious-illness treatment preferences. Supporters, including nurses, hospice and emergency care advocates, and medical professionals, said the bill would help ensure patient wishes are accessible in emergencies, reduce unwanted interventions, and improve continuity of care. Opponents, including Florida Right to Life, argued the bill could broaden end-of-life decisions too far, raise privacy and coercion concerns, and allow withdrawal of care inappropriately. The sponsor said the measure is intended to support patient autonomy and is not anti-life, and noted she was open to amendments. After public testimony, the committee voted on SB 312 and reported it favorably. The roll call showed support from Senators Berman and Harrell, with the bill passing on the committee vote. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO INVEST IN THE NUMBER ONE STATE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION.
• FOR NURSING, MOST NURSING STUDENTS TO DO STAY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
• NURSES, ELEMENTARY TEACHERS, IT IS BY THAT LEVEL OF OCCUPATION.
• EDUCATION. WE’RE HERE TILL 12:30 P.M. OH OKAY. >> Chair: LAST QUESTION. >> Rep.
• Gantt: BASED ON EDUCATION AS A FORMER EDUCATOR THIS CAUGHT MY EYE.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:08:35.039><c> facility</c> weaning program meet nursing facility weaning program meet nursing
• </c><00:08:38.240><c> that</c> level of care and um the nurse that level of care and um the nurse that
• </c> talking about nursing facility uh care. talking about nursing facility uh care.
• </c> evaluated by a nursing facility per se. evaluated by a nursing facility per se.
• You battle for education rights. battle. You battle for education rights.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee opened by adopting its mission and priorities for reviewing Kentucky’s 1915(c) home- and community-based services waiver wait lists, including evaluating current capacity and bottlenecks, comparing other states’ practices, and considering a tiered priority system based on urgency of need. The chair also announced that, although public comment was not on the agenda, the committee would allow 30 minutes for comments and asked speakers to keep remarks brief. He noted that public comment would not continue in the smaller subcommittees after this meeting, but could still be made at the larger MOAB meetings or by email. Department for Medicaid Services officials Leslie Hoffman and Carmen Hancock then gave a detailed overview of Kentucky’s waiver programs: the acquired brain injury waiver, ABI long-term care waiver, home and community-based waiver, Model 2, Michelle P. waiver, Supports for Community Living waiver, and the newly approved child waiver. They explained each program’s eligibility and level-of-care requirements, described funded, filled, allocated, reserved, and available slots, and said the state had already added new slots from House Bill 500. They emphasized that available slots can coexist with a wait list because of reserved slots for money-follows-the-person transitions, emergency slots, annual slot churn, and waiver-year reconciliation. They also reported that the unduplicated wait list total was 18,948, and gave current wait-time figures by waiver, noting that the numbers change constantly. Members asked about how level-of-care determinations are made, whether all people on the wait list have been assessed, and whether undocumented individuals appear in the counts. The department said full level-of-care assessments are done only when a person is moving off the wait list into a reserved slot, and that only Medicaid-eligible individuals can reach the wait list. Senators and representatives also pressed on the meaning of “churn,” why slots cannot be reissued immediately when someone leaves, and whether people who receive even a small amount of service keep their slot for the rest of the waiver year under CMS rules. Officials said that once a participant receives service during the waiver year, the slot generally cannot be reassigned until the next waiver year, even if the person later disengages. The department also presented county distribution, annual member growth, average total cost per member, and total annual waiver expenditures, saying fiscal year 2025 closed at about $1.8 billion in waiver services. In response to questions, officials said they would provide additional churn data for other waivers, including Michelle P., and would look into the average wait-time calculations requested by members. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're providing education for providers, and so I very much appreciate the education of our general
• It's not an overwhelming number of nurses, and nurses can typically find jobs relatively easily without
• Deliveries without nurses are not feasible.
• a Certified Nursing Assistant.
• You have to work under a registered nurse.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• education and national specialty certification to provide advanced levels of nursing.
• Those are certified nurse practitioner, certified nurse midwife, certified registered nurse anesthetist
• So finally, we've worked closely with ARNP United and deans and directors of Washington nursing education
• Some are nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and clinical nurse specialists.
• Some are nurse anethesis, nurse midwives, and clinical nurse specialists.

Bills: HB2540 , HB2113

Committee: Senate Health & Long-Term Care

Keywords: emergency medical services, EMT recertification, healthcare, first responders, public health, radiologic technologists, diagnostic imaging, healthcare regulation, professional supervision, state licensing, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We provide medical, nursing, allied health, patient, and caregiver education.
• The center has hosted over 197 practical issues conferences, educating over 950 physicians and nurses
• ><c> alli</c> We provide medical, nursing, alli We provide medical, nursing, alli health,<00:20:38.480
• </c> health, patient and caregiver education. health, patient and caregiver education.
• </c> three nurse practitioners and one RN. three nurse practitioners and one RN.

Committee: House Mobile County Legislation

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Office of Education.
• Nurses are not anti-tech. I'm an OR nurse.
• Hi, Selina Howe, nurse practitioner, nurse for 13 years, strongly support.
• Hi, Selina Howe, nurse practitioner, a nurse for 13 years, strongly support. Thank you.
• I want my nurse or I want my nurse.

Committee: House Privacy and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:06:26.720><c> Anastasis</c> as Certified Registered Nurse Anastasis as Certified Registered Nurse
• </c> relating to the post-secary education relating to the post-secary education working<00:07:24.000
• state requirements to be licensed as a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse in Kentucky.
• To Postsecondary Education: House Bill 358. To Primary and Secondary Education: House Bill 359.
• </c> and secondary education, House Bill 359. and secondary education, House Bill 359.

Keywords: Convene 00:00 Senate Message 05:10 Calendar/2nd Readings 07:06 Report of Committees 07:47 Orders of the Day 08:52 HB 176 09:09 HB 178 12:19 HB 280 15:34 Motions, Petitions, and Communications 19:55 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 32:05 Recess for ConC and Rules Meeting 32:05 ConC and Rules Report 39:04 Adjournment 40:48, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:18:19.159><c> degree</c> Bachelor of Science and Nursing degree Bachelor of Science and Nursing
• Hawaii Nurses Association Healthcare Hawaii Nurses Association Healthcare Association<00:19:06.159><c
• </c><00:19:11.360><c> Association</c> American Nurses Association American Nurses Association and<00:
• </c> establish a permanent educational establish a permanent educational support<00:19:32.799><c> associate
• </c> new Bachelor of Science and nursing new Bachelor of Science and nursing program<00:32:18.880><c>

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education heard five bills and later took up one joint Housing/Higher Education measure. On SB 1146 SD1, relating to the Alaw Canal, testimony from DLNR and UH was in support of funding an action plan and pre-engineering concept plan to address debris management and water quality in the watershed; members discussed the cost burden on DLNR and the possibility of identifying upstream sources of debris. On SB 1232 SD2, relating to wastewater systems, the Department of Health, DHHL, and several advocacy groups supported a three-year pilot program at UH’s Water Resources Research Center to test new wastewater technologies, with witnesses saying it could help certify cheaper alternatives and reduce cesspool upgrade costs. On SB 119 SD1, relating to nursing, witnesses supported funding a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Maui College. On SB 865 SD1, relating to agriculture, UH CTAHR, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and many island agricultural groups supported funding for a Kona Cooperative Extension position, with testimony and committee discussion favoring an extension agent over an administrative support role. On SB 1487 SD1, relating to UH revenue bonds, UH supported authorizing revenue bonds for priority capital projects, and members asked for clarification that the measure was a preliminary authorization rather than a specific spending plan. In decision-making, the committee recommended passing SB 1146 SD1, SB 1232 SD2, SB 119 SD1, SB 865 SD1, and SB 1487 SD1 with House Draft 1 amendments, mainly to change defective dates to 7/1/3000 and, for SB 865, to upgrade the position to an extension agent. Votes were unanimous in favor on the measures, with one recusal noted on SB 865 and some members excused on other votes. The committee then recessed and later reconvened for a joint House Housing/Higher Education hearing on SB 1553 SD2, relating to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. DHHL asked that the bill be deferred because due diligence was incomplete and more discussion was needed with UH and other stakeholders; UH said it was coordinating access to the property and described its current and future use. Both committees agreed to defer the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• clinical nursing, registered nursing experience before admitting students to those programs?
• Nurse practitioners in the state of Utah in the brick-and-mortar schools are required to have nursing
• or becoming a nurse or nurse practitioner can count.
• and then went straight from nursing school to nurse...
• A student that just went straight into nursing school and then went straight from nursing school to nurse

Committee: Joint Business and Labor Interim Committee

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for the LINE program, Linking Industry to Nursing Education Fund.
• funds for the line program, linking industry to nursing education fund.
• of South Florida as the administrator of what we call the line fund linking industry to nursing education
• education or workforce.
• education or workforce.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several gallery introductions before taking up Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 168, the Tristan Murphy Act, on mental health. Senator Bradley explained that the bill is intended to divert clinically appropriate defendants with mental illness from jail to treatment, create pretrial mental health diversion programs, expand grant uses for mental health and substance abuse reinvestment, require evaluations and treatment follow-up in certain probation and prison settings, add Hillsborough County to a forensic hospital diversion pilot, and establish a Florida Behavioral Health Data Repository. Senators from both parties spoke in support, emphasizing treatment over incarceration, public safety, and the Murphy family’s role in the bill. The Senate passed the bill 37-0 and then recorded 37 co-sponsors. The chamber then moved into presentations on SB 2500, the 2025-26 General Appropriations Act. Chair Hooper said the Senate budget totals $117.4 billion, reduces overall spending from the prior year, maintains reserves, keeps employee health contributions level, and includes major investments in water quality, transportation, education infrastructure, and nearly $1 billion in education capital outlay. Committee chairs outlined their portions of the budget, including increased funding for K-12 schools and scholarships, higher education workforce programs, Medicaid and health services, corrections and courts, transportation and housing, and environmental restoration such as Everglades and water quality projects. Members then asked extensive questions, especially about education funding, school choice, AP/IB and accelerated programs, the Family Empowerment Scholarship, and the FEFP calculations. Senator Burgess repeatedly explained that scholarship funding is being moved “below the line” to improve tracking and that the Senate position is to preserve funding while giving districts more flexibility. Senators also questioned the APD wait list for disability services, opioid settlement spending, arts funding, the My Safe Florida Home condo pilot, and proposed IT and agency restructuring. Several chairs said some issues would be resolved in conference, and no final vote on the budget was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:17.879><c> funding</c> those of you on the education funding those of you on the education
• </c><00:05:28.840><c> funding</c> 2,000 you heard at the education funding 2,000 you heard at the education
• </c> out of conversations with the education out of conversations with the education funding<00:11:54.600
• Since we’re talking about nursing education, I never want to miss the opportunity to say that for six
• > want</c><01:35:53.119><c> to</c> about Nursing education I never want to about Nursing education I

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee received an orientation from University System of New Hampshire Chancellor Katherine Preventure and Senior Director of Government Relations Lauren Banker on the system’s enrollment, finances, workforce role, and academic programs. They described the system as consisting of UNH, Keene State, and Plymouth State, with about 23,000 students, $928 million in FY24 operating expenses, a $3.7 billion economic impact, and UNH’s R1 research status. They emphasized the system’s role in graduating students into the New Hampshire workforce, its statewide Cooperative Extension and regional campus presence, and its alignment of degree offerings with top occupations identified by New Hampshire Employment Security. The presentation also highlighted partnerships with businesses, internships, and collaboration with the community college system, including 100 transfer pathways and a direct-admit program. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on tuition, state support, and student costs. The chancellor said the state invested $95 million in FY25, with about $81 million used to reduce resident tuition and about $14 million for statutory programs such as Cooperative Extension and the Agricultural Experiment Station. She said the state subsidy is about $7,300 per New Hampshire student, and that resident net tuition averages about $7,000, while nonresident net tuition averages about $16,600. She provided published tuition figures for UNH, Plymouth State, and Keene State, and explained that resident tuition has been held flat for five years while financial aid has increased, reducing average net tuition and fees for New Hampshire students from about $10,500 in 2020 to $9,800. Members asked for clarification on how residency and workforce-retention percentages were calculated, and the chancellor said she would follow up. Members also asked about comparisons with peer institutions, housing and meal costs, research funding, and the reasons for declining enrollment and staffing reductions. The chancellor said peer comparisons were based on flagship universities for UNH and smaller regional publics for Plymouth and Keene, and noted that out-of-state tuition has risen about 2.5% annually. She said housing for a UNH double room is $8,536 and a meal plan is $5,100, and offered to provide a consolidated cost document. On research, she said the system’s direct research spending includes federal funding and that indirect costs were about $34 million last year, with a follow-up promised on the federal/state and direct/indirect split. She attributed enrollment declines largely to demographics and said the system is responding by reducing costs, selling buildings, exiting leases, moving the system office to NHTI, and implementing Workday. She also noted that Plymouth received approval for five three-year bachelor’s degree programs and that members praised the shorter, workforce-focused pathways, especially for manufacturing and other in-demand fields.

Transcript Highlights:

• Schools Board of Education.
• Unlike K-12 education, early childhood education in St.
• Education, like all education, is challenging. Yeah. Okay.
• There's a nursing shortage.
• There's a nursing shortage.

Committee: House General Laws

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Licensed physicians and nurses must complete a one-time board-approved continuing education course on
• SB 1246 amends the Linking Industry to Nursing Education Fund to expand the scope to address workforce
• shortages and health science education programs in addition to nursing education programs.
• shortages and health science education programs in addition to nursing education programs.
• SB 1246 also revises allowable uses of fund monies for nursing and health science education programs

Committee: Senate Fiscal Policy

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am a registered nurse in Worcester.
• I've been a childbirth educator. I've been a nurse. I've been a doula.
• They prevent them through education, support, and trust.
• I practice with two nurse practitioners and one physician assistant.
• that people face as they attempt to get educated and receive care.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Financial Services

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing with testimony on several health care bills, with most of the discussion focused on primary care access, community health center reimbursement, midwifery and birth centers, telehealth, hospital-at-home, direct primary care, and trans-inclusive health care access. Chair Feeney and Chair Murphy opened by noting the large number of signups and asking testifiers to keep remarks brief because of time constraints. Legislators and witnesses repeatedly emphasized that Massachusetts’ primary care system is under strain and that federal policy changes and reimbursement gaps are worsening financial pressure on providers. On community health centers, Representative Blay, Senator Lovely, Michael Curry, Bethany Keeley, Jag Deep Trevetti, Sean Cahill, and Christina Severin all supported H. 1096/S. 711, which would require commercial insurers to pay federally qualified health centers at least the MassHealth prospective payment system rate. They argued that commercial plans currently reimburse health centers below Medicaid rates, threatening sustainability, staffing, and access, especially as federal cuts and coverage losses could increase uncompensated care. Testifiers said the bill would stabilize health centers, protect primary care access, and not cost the state money. A second major topic was H. 1117/S. 784 on sustaining birth centers and the midwifery workforce. Senator Lovely, Senator Miranda, Emily Anesta, Rebecca Orden, Catherine Rushworth, Nishira Burrill, Joel Sutherland, Rachel Blessington, Joelle Ward, and others described the 2024 maternal health omnibus as an important first step, but said birth centers and midwives still face low reimbursement, workforce shortages, and financial instability. They urged reimbursement parity, a workforce development fund, and support for freestanding birth centers, citing improved outcomes, lower C-section rates, better patient experience, and racial equity in maternal health. Several speakers shared personal birth stories and said the bill would help preserve and expand birth options in communities like Roxbury, Worcester, and the North Shore. The committee also heard support for H. 1343 on direct primary care from Dr. Garofalo, Dr. Altman, Dr. Nair, Stephanie Cameron, Dr. Haley Moke-Blessed, and others, who said current insurance rules force patients to use a separate in-network primary care doctor for referrals and sometimes prevent physicians from dispensing medications. They argued the bill would reduce delays, administrative burden, and costs while improving continuity of care. In addition, Dr. Miklides and Sue Stempeck supported H. 1141 on hospital-at-home parity, saying the model has strong outcomes and should be reimbursed at the same rate as brick-and-mortar hospital care. Heather Myers and Katrina Cook testified on telehealth and digital health equity, urging broader coverage for asynchronous care, remote monitoring, interpreter services, and digital literacy supports. SEIU Local 509 supported H. 1188/S. 681 on trans-inclusive health care access, saying it would remove arbitrary insurance barriers to gender-affirming care. No votes or committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Rehab therapy and skilled nursing visit services, as well as the home care nursing services.
• </c> able to reach out to her home care nurse able to reach out to her home care nurse to<00:10:26.880
• Such as hospitals or nursing homes.
• </c><00:19:35.880><c> programs</c> then which colleges and nursing programs then which colleges and nursing
• </c> are we partnering with in nursing are we partnering with in nursing programs<00:19:48.919><c> representative

Bills: HF729 , HF728

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: human services, provider enrollment, medical assistance, healthcare, housing stabilization, substance use disorder, vulnerable adults, fraud prevention, respite care, children, licensed settings, home and community-based services, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't have a licensed nursing home administrator to operate a nursing home in the state.
• Amendment for the nursing homes.
• They use this nursing home.
• Nursing homes are a priority.
• I think the nursing home.

Transcript Highlights:

• practical nurse.
• In Washington, it is unlawful for an individual to use the title of nurse, registered nurse, licensed
• practical nurse, nurse practitioner, advanced registered nurse practitioner, or advanced practice registered
• He's a nurse legislator in Oregon. He also happens to work for WSNA as a nurse representative.
• I am an advanced registered nurse practitioner and certified nurse midwife.

Summary: The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee held a hearing on several bills. SB 5904 would prohibit non-human entities from using nursing titles; the sponsor and nursing groups said it is meant to increase transparency around AI and ensure patients know when they are interacting with a real nurse. SB 5915 would change Health Technology Assessment Program review criteria and timelines, with supporters arguing it would better account for Medicare coverage and national guidelines, especially for rare and life-threatening conditions. SB 6025 would update the definition of fetal death to allow gestational age to be determined by the best clinically accurate method rather than last menstrual period, and medical professionals and the sponsor said this would reduce emotional, financial, and legal burdens on grieving families. SB 5933 would require near real-time sharing of overdose data into ODMAP; public health, local government, and recovery advocates said it would improve overdose response, while one witness asked that poison center data be included and clarified separately. SB 5990 would allow APRNs and physician assistants to serve as local health officers in counties under 100,000 population; rural county officials supported the added flexibility, while public health groups and naturopathic physicians raised concerns about qualifications and asked that naturopathic doctors be included as well. SB 5981 would restrict drug manufacturers from limiting 340B drug access through contract pharmacies or requiring data as a condition of discounts; safety-net hospitals, community health centers, pharmacies, and patients said it protects access and reinvestment in care, while manufacturers, employer groups, and industry representatives argued it increases costs, lacks transparency, and may not ensure savings reach patients. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the transcript; each bill was heard and testimony was closed. Sign-in counts were reported for several bills, including strong pro support for SB 5904, SB 5915, SB 5933, and SB 5981, and mixed or substantial opposition on SB 6025 and SB 5990.

Transcript Highlights:

• about education, an experience.
• The cost for a general education degree is quite different from the cost to educate a nurse or an engineer
• a nurse versus general education?
• Chairman, my question was, how much has it cost to educate a nurse versus general education?
• But my guess, it's probably three or four times more expensive to educate a nurse than it is to educate

Committee: House Utilities

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• education, an experience.
• The cost for a general education degree is quite different from the cost to educate a nurse or an engineer
• a nurse versus general education?
• Chairman, my question was, how much does it cost to educate a nurse versus general education?
• But my guess, it's probably three or four times more expensive to educate a nurse than it is to educate

Committee: House Utilities

Summary: The committee spent most of the meeting discussing a proposed overhaul of Missouri’s higher education funding model, centered on shifting core funding toward an FTE-based formula. The chair and vice chair argued the current system is outdated and inequitable, saying the new approach would better align state dollars with student enrollment and workforce outcomes. Several members supported the need for change but raised concerns about the speed of implementation, the lack of advance consultation with universities, and the possibility that some institutions could face severe budget cuts, accreditation problems, or even closure. Community college representatives were noted as unanimously opposing the recommendation, and members repeatedly asked for clarification on whether graduate programs would be counted at 9, 12, or 15 credit hours, with no definitive answer provided during the meeting. Testimony and comments focused heavily on the consequences for specific institutions and programs. Some members warned that the proposal could hurt schools with expensive programs such as nursing, engineering, doctoral study, research, and specialized missions, while others argued that institutions should be rewarded for producing graduates who are in demand in the workforce. Truman State, Harris-Stowe, Missouri State, and several community colleges were discussed as examples of schools that could either gain or lose substantially under the model. The chair and vice chair said the proposal was not intended to force consolidation, but several members said the size of the cuts could indirectly lead to consolidation or closure and would require a phase-in to avoid harming students. After the higher education discussion, the committee moved through other budget items. The chair described cuts and restorations in several areas, including removing easement funding at the Department of Revenue, adding hearing officers for the State Tax Commission, restoring some MODOT requests, and shifting interest earnings from I-70 and I-44 project funds back to general revenue. Members also asked about Bartle Hall funding, a Bolivar road project, and new language restricting personal-service spending unless appropriations explicitly allow it. No formal votes were taken in the portion provided; the chair indicated the committee would continue moving through the budget items and follow up on unresolved questions with the department.