Transcript Highlights:

• These investments have spurred economic development and enhanced quality of life for countless. residents
• You heard the CEO of CapMetro indicate that if small municipalities like ours were to leave, it would

Bills: HB483, HB3345, HB3643, HB3821, HB3849, HB4472, HB4523, HB4524, HB5346, HB5347, HB5376

Keywords: high-speed rail, Texas Department of Transportation, TxDOT, public-private partnership, comprehensive development agreement, CDA, Interstate 35, I-35 corridor, Dallas, Waco, Austin, San Antonio, intercity passenger rail, rail infrastructure, private entity, transportation infrastructure, rail corridor, passenger rail, infrastructure finance, vehicle registration

Transcript Highlights:

• HUD's mission is to create strong and sustainable communities and support quality, affordable homes,
• Chair, I think you indicated openness to maybe being clear on the rules going forward, and that is something

Transcript Highlights:

• I do understand in your testimony that you indicated there is a review process in terms of finding out
• and Koh has already hosted nine landfills, which impacted public health, the environment, and the quality
• and Koh has already hosted nine landfills, which impacted public health, the environment, and the quality
• Thank you so much. ...which impacted public health, the environment, and the quality of life for our
• The income tax credit for amounts expended on renovations—my understanding of the historic qualities

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1233, relating to storm management systems, which would add safety and maintenance requirements for detention and retention ponds. Supporters, including Alison Schafers of the Ki Injury Prevention Coalition and Kristen Herstead of the Hawaii Lifeguard Association, said the measure is needed because poorly maintained ponds can become hidden drowning hazards, especially for children, and argued that fencing, signage, and life-saving equipment would have minimal cost. Schafers described the death of her daughter in a detention pond and said the bill reflects recommendations in the Hawaii Water Safety Plan. Members asked about whether the issue should be handled at the county level; testifiers responded that a statewide standard is needed, though counties would likely handle permitting. No vote was taken on the bill during the excerpted discussion. The committee then heard HB 867, relating to recreational facilities, which would require accessible playgrounds. The Department of Land and Natural Resources said it submitted comments and that state parks do not generally have recreational facilities affected by the bill, while most such facilities are under county jurisdiction. The Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Disability Communication Access Board, and the Disability Rights Center all supported the bill’s intent but recommended changes, including replacing the term “special needs” with “accessible,” focusing the requirement on new and renovated playgrounds, and specifying wheelchair-accessible swings. Testifiers emphasized that accessible play spaces promote inclusion for children with disabilities and benefit all children. No final action or vote was reported. The committee also took up HB 1358, relating to a public land trust working group. DLNR supported the measure and said it had provided written comments, while the Office of Hawaiian Affairs strongly supported the bill and described longstanding problems with incomplete land inventories, self-reported revenue data, and disputed public land trust payments. OHA said an audit it funded suggests the state owes more than current payments reflect, and other supporters said the bill is needed for transparency, accountability, and a complete inventory of public trust lands, including submerged lands. Committee questions focused on how the public land trust information system is maintained, who updates it, and how revenue reporting works; DLNR said the system is older, has limited dedicated IT staffing, and relies on agency self-reporting rather than independent verification. No vote or final committee action was announced in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• study on national quality best practices, due by December 1, 2025.
• Senator Burton has another bill that is CS for CS for SB 170, Quality of Care and Nursing Homes.
• have in place is actually investments that are showing improvements to quality of care.
• improvements to quality of care.
• It clarifies that water quality projects may be funded with ad valorem taxes.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee met for Budget Day and heard presentations on the Senate’s proposed 2025-2026 budget, SPB 25-200, totaling $117.4 billion. Chair Hooper said the plan reduces overall spending from the prior year, keeps strong reserves, includes a 4% pay raise for state employees, maintains employee health care contributions, and makes major investments in water quality, transportation, and education infrastructure. Committee chairs then summarized their budget silos, including K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/tourism/economic development, and agriculture/environment/general government. Members asked questions mainly about school funding, AP and dual enrollment support, voucher and scholarship impacts, and the My Safe Florida Home program. The committee adopted a large consent package of amendments and then approved three late-file amendments: funding virtual college tours for high school students, funding the FSU Sunshine Genetics program, and providing money for the Port of Fernandina customs facility. The committee then voted to report SPB 2500, the General Appropriations Bill, as a committee bill. It also favorably reported SPB 2502 (implementing bill), SPB 2504 (state employees placeholder), SB 7022 (Florida Retirement System contribution rates and DROP changes), CS/SB 1320 (recreating the Resilient Florida Trust Fund), SPB 2506 (gaming compact revenue distributions, including water projects and rural lands), SPB 2508 (29 new judgeships), SB 7014 (ending the court mediation and arbitration trust fund), SPB 2510 (K-12 conforming bill), SPB 2512 (higher education conforming bill), and SPB 2514 (health and human services conforming bill). The committee also took up several policy bills. It approved SB 7028 on cancer research, creating grant parameters, reporting requirements, a five-year pediatric cancer research incubator, and the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute VisionGen Initiative. It approved CS/CS/SB 170 on nursing home quality, adding resident satisfaction surveys, medical director standards, safety culture reviews, electronic health record requirements, financial reporting penalties, and a study of best practices. It approved CS/CS/SB 168, the Tristan Murphy Act, which expands mental health diversion options, adds Hillsborough County to a forensic hospital diversion pilot, expands grant uses, and creates a behavioral health data repository. It also approved SB 114 creating the Florida Center for Excellence in Insurance and Risk Management at FSU and moving the public hurricane loss model there. The committee then began considering SB 180 on emergency preparedness and response, including a late-file amendment, but the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, our district has funds that are restricted specifically for internal air quality projects.
• I am not surprised that it is requiring more resources to meet the needs of our students as indicated
• in their individual education indicated in their individual education plans<01:02:06.079> or<
• <01:13:36.560> options<01:13:36.880> for includes many quality options for includes
• many quality options for families.<01:13:38.320> One<01:13:38.640> concern<01:13:38.960

Bills: HF3790, HF3654, HF3371, HF3470, HF1099

Keywords: education finance, lease levy authority, graduation ceremonies, school districts, Minnesota Statutes, local revenue, funding increase, education, state appropriation, local control, HF3371, local optional revenue, school finance, general education aid, school district funding, referendum revenue, referendum market value, equalization aid, state aid, property tax levy

Transcript Highlights:

• This makes us one of the largest employers and service providers in the state, and the quality of our
• This is the clearest indication we have of where federal funds may be headed with the House draft of
• <00:17:10.600> we this is a clear clearest indication we this is a clear clearest indication
• quality quality Workforce<00:19:55.480> and<00:19:55.760> fifth<00:19:56.400> uh
• <00:25:33.000> education access to the high quality education access to the high quality education

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Finance received an informational briefing from the Department of Education on its budget request for the upcoming fiscal year. The Superintendent and staff described the department’s mission, enrollment and staffing scale, recent gains in NAEP reading and math, persistent attendance problems since the pandemic, and the need for resources to support student recovery, middle school math, and other strategic priorities. The department said its proposal is intended to be aligned with its 2023–2029 strategic plan, fiscally balanced, and reliable for schools, while also addressing inflation, workforce needs, and uncertainty in federal funding. Assistant Superintendent and CFO Brian Hallet reviewed federal grants, non-general funds, and the budget development process. He said federal funds make up about 11% of the department’s FY25 appropriation and warned that House budget proposals could threaten predictable funding for core programs. He also explained that the department began its biennial budget work in April 2024 and used an internal review group to identify possible reallocations. The department characterized its request as a “flat” budget proposal overall, with a large share devoted to continued funding for existing recurring needs, and noted challenges including a projected state funding decline, inflation, lingering pandemic impacts, recruitment and retention, and uncertainty about future federal support. A major topic was the department’s capital improvement program. DOE officials argued for a risk-based, proactive approach using lump-sum “buckets” to manage facilities and deferred maintenance across more than 21.5 million square feet at 268 sites. They said this would allow more efficient prioritization of projects and better coordination with complex area superintendents, principals, and legislators. Members asked about how legislative priorities would fit into the bucket system, county-versus-state property jurisdiction issues affecting school facilities, enrollment decline and staffing ratios, and how the department plans to adjust facilities and human resources to shifting enrollment patterns. DOE said it is studying enrollment trends, will brief the Board of Education next month, and is willing to provide further briefings to legislators. No votes or formal actions were taken during the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• DCYF's role is to keep children safe and healthy while ensuring their opportunities to access high-quality
• , we want to have much clearer guidance so that we can have more providers who are providing high-quality
• So, it has to pay them to do not be able to create new services of infantile, of high-quality, to care
• Facilities for families, as we all know, to be able to access that quality, affordable child care that
• To clarify our permitting readiness, the City of Spokane issued an initial letter indicating that at

Summary: The committee held a work session on form-based codes, child care facility siting, and street standards/frontage improvements. On form-based codes, Commerce’s Dave Anderson explained that these codes emphasize building form, orientation, and the public realm more than traditional use and density tables, and that they are typically applied in specific districts rather than citywide or statewide. Lacey’s Vanessa Dolby described the city’s Woodland District code, developed through community charrettes, fiscal and market analysis, and subdistrict-specific standards to create a walkable downtown. She said the approach has helped produce a more desirable built environment and more flexibility in permitted uses, but also noted it can be less user-friendly for applicants and still requires some use restrictions; both presenters said a hybrid approach is often best. The committee then heard from DCYF and multiple providers about barriers to opening child care facilities. DCYF officials said Washington has more than 6,500 licensed providers and that a new pre-licensing support team is helping applicants navigate licensing, but local zoning, building, fire, parking, utility, and occupancy requirements still create delays and confusion. Testifiers described long permitting timelines, inconsistent local interpretations, costly upgrades, and utility hookup delays; one Yakima provider said county requirements, a floodplain-related elevation certificate, and a private well issue stopped her in-home child care proposal, while others described traffic impact fees, parking mandates, and zoning barriers that made projects infeasible. Enterprise Community Partners highlighted examples of successful local reforms, including fee waivers, expedited permitting, and zoning changes in several cities, and DCYF said it is working toward a 2026 action plan and a resource guide for providers. In the final section, planners and developers discussed how street standards and frontage improvement requirements can undermine infill and middle housing. Poulsbo’s planning manager said current standards were designed for greenfield subdivisions and often force costly curb, gutter, sidewalk, stormwater, and utility upgrades on small infill sites, sometimes adding tens of thousands of dollars and causing projects to be abandoned. A Seattle-based developer made similar points about small middle-housing projects being burdened by frontage work, curb ramps, buried standards, and EV-ready parking requirements that can trigger expensive undergrounding. Committee members asked about possible state-level changes, including whether child care should be treated as an essential public facility and whether parking requirements had already been reduced; one senator noted that minimum parking requirements for child care facilities were eliminated in prior legislation, with implementation phased in over the next few years.

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires states to publicly report rate comparisons, and it launches a Medicaid and CHIP quality rating
• and community-based access rule, much like the managed care access rule, aims to improve access, quality
• now and 2030, we will build a stronger direct care workforce, greater access to care, and improved quality
• Zimmer indicated, there should be possession of a legitimate license to practice medicine in another
• In terms of HCA and next steps, we certainly have ongoing quality assurance and quality improvement.

Summary: The committee first received an update on the effects of HR1 and related federal Medicaid and marketplace changes from Governor’s Office and Health Care Authority staff. Presenters said the most immediate coverage losses are expected in the individual market beginning in January, with premium increases and an estimated 80,000 people potentially unable to afford coverage. They warned that larger Medicaid impacts will follow over the next year and beyond, including tighter eligibility checks, work requirements, reduced retroactive coverage, limits on state-directed payments and provider taxes, new cost-sharing, and changes affecting certain non-citizen adults. They also said the state plans to seek a waiver or extension for work requirements and will continue to analyze impacts, including on rural providers and Planned Parenthood-related services. Members asked about the effect on nursing homes, rural hospitals, and how the state can help providers and enrollees navigate the new requirements; staff said timelines and a state-specific implementation chart are being developed. The committee then heard a report on the International Medical Graduate Work Group and Washington’s efforts to create pathways for internationally trained physicians. Testimony described the clinical experience license, the clinical evaluation assessment tool, grant funding for IMG support organizations, and a new hardship waiver process enacted this year. National presenters said many states have adopted similar pathways because of physician shortages, but Washington and Tennessee are among the few states that have actually issued licenses so far. They recommended clear guardrails, an employment offer before application, ECFMG certification, supervised practice, and data collection to avoid exploitation and protect patients. Members asked about state-to-state variation, retention of IMGs, and whether Washington should pursue dedicated residency or preceptorship options; presenters said the key next step is moving successful participants from supervised experience to a durable long-term license. The final topic was implementation of Washington’s Apple Health doula benefit and the statewide doula hub and referral system. Senator T’wina Nobles highlighted the state’s $3,500 per-birth Medicaid reimbursement rate for doulas and the importance of the hub for referrals, training, and billing. Health Care Authority staff said the benefit launched January 1, 2025, and covers prenatal intake, labor and delivery, postpartum visits, and telehealth-supported services. They reported 336 state-certified doulas, 134 enrolled in Apple Health, 287 unique clients served, and 641 claims paid so far. Testimony emphasized doulas’ role in improving birth outcomes, reducing unnecessary interventions, and addressing racial disparities in maternal health, while noting that implementation is still early and ongoing.

Transcript Highlights:

• WITH A LACK OF QUALITY AND CARING PROVIDERS.
• IT IS IMPORTANT TO DEVELOP THE QUALITY PROVIDERS THAT THE PEOPLE NEED.
• THE ONBOARDING OF A QUALITY PROVIDERS AND IF WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE A TARGETED IN A PARTICULAR COUNTY WHERE
• QUALITY NURSING CARE BEGINS WITH SCREENING AND SELECTING INDIVIDUALS WITH THE POTENTIAL TO COMPLETE A
• NURSES MUST BE ABLE TO THINK ON THEIR FEET AND MAKE SPLIT-SECOND DECISIONS, QUALITY PROGRAMS TO STUDENTS

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• by Collier relating to who may request a public hearing of the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality
• HB 1995 by Hernandez relating to the notification of a peace officer through indication association with
• AB 2252 by Goodwin relating to the air quality permits used by the Texas Commission on Environmental
• Quality for certain oil and gas facilities or for the Committee on Environmental Relations.
• AB 22868 by Isaac Willington Authority, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to create certain

Transcript Highlights:

• Growing a home garden has numerous benefits such as providing secure access to high quality, fresh and
• of state programs that fall either into local soil and water conservation district support, water quality
• or runoff from agricultural sources that aren't required to operate in accordance with the water quality
• On a larger scale, the agency coordinates closely with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
• What happens to Texans if you can't hire the the quality and quantity of of employees that you need?

Bills: HB294

Keywords: energy efficiency, tax exemption, residential properties, sustainability, real estate

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think the other thing that would happen is that we would lose... ...we would lose really quality
• She's indicated no, but... ...sponsor of the bill, I'll show you for a question.
• She's indicated no, but I mean, Senator Roger, okay, thank you.
• An act amending sections 49-241 and 49-255.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to water quality.
• An act amending sections 49-241 and 49-255.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to water quality.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Senate convened, recorded attendance, dispensed with reading the journal, and recognized several guest groups, including landscape architects and FFA representatives who delivered plants to senators. The chamber then moved through multiple Committee of the Whole calendars, considering a large number of bills and resolutions, with most measures receiving do-pass recommendations, often after committee or floor amendments. Topics included public monies and cryptocurrency/stablecoin use by the state (SB 1042, SB 1043, SB 1044, SB 1045, SCR 1003, SCR 1033), attorney discipline and family court matters (SB 1039, SB 1139, SB 1147, SB 1148, SB 1328), public records, scholarship organizations, HOA flag rules, deed conveyances, environmental restrictions on solar radiation management, federal land acquisition consent, small modular reactors, water quality testing, and state revenue-related constitutional changes (SCR 1028). One notable procedural dispute occurred when an Epstein amendment to SB 1043 was ruled not germane; the chair’s ruling was upheld on a 14-10 division vote, and the bill later advanced without that amendment. The Senate also retained SB 1419 on the calendar. On later calendars, the Senate advanced health and human services measures focused on Arizona’s Access program and DCS, including SB 1052, SB 1115, SB 1149, SB 1193, SB 1233, SB 1345, SB 1346, and SB 1631. Testimony on SB 1115 centered on whether Access employees should be barred from remote work, with supporters arguing in-person work was needed and critics warning of staffing and service disruptions without a new facility or appropriation. SB 1233 drew discussion about a short cure period for administrative deficiencies; supporters said the bill addressed retaliatory enforcement practices, while opponents said the timeframe was too short. SB 1345 and SB 1346 also drew Access-related debate, including a floor amendment removing Access from SB 1345 and an objection that the bill could conflict with federal Medicaid law. The committee reports for these bills were adopted, and the measures were sent forward with do-pass recommendations. The Senate also advanced regulatory and utility-related bills on another calendar, including SB 1137, SB 1144, and SB 1205. SB 1137 dealt with underground facilities excavation notification and passed with a Kavanaugh floor amendment described as stakeholder-driven technical detail. SB 1144 addressed veterinary technician certification and education alternatives and passed with committee amendment. SB 1205, concerning motor vehicle booting fees regulation, was amended to require an appeals process for private parking lots using booting services after a senator described a personal experience of paying a boot fee and receiving no response to an appeal. The calendar was still in progress at the end of the transcript, with SB 1286 just beginning to be read.

Transcript Highlights:

• And at that time the assessment indicated that there was $7.3 billion of deferred maintenance on our
• And at that time the assessment indicated that there was $7.3 billion of deferred maintenance on our
• We've had structural assessments done and also health and safety assessments done on the air quality
• We've had structural assessments done and also health and safety assessments done on the air quality
• We've had structural assessments done and also health and safety assessments done on the air quality

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:11 Approval of Minutes 00:02:00 Information Items 00:02:25 CPE Special Report 00:03:26 Review of Executive Branch Agency Plans 00:31:48 A. Attorney General 00:32:10 B. Court of Justice 00:36:41 C. Cabinet for Economic Development 00:50:44 D. Kentucky Public Pensions Authority 00:56:06 E. Board Discussion of Planning Issues 01:05:12, 958, all

Summary: The Capital Planning Advisory Board opened its fourth meeting, confirmed a quorum, approved the prior meeting’s minutes by unanimous voice vote, and then heard information items and agency presentations. The main substantive presentation came from the Council on Postsecondary Education, which outlined its capital planning recommendations for the 2026–28 biennium. CPE staff described the role of Kentucky’s research and education network (Kron), including connectivity to cloud services, Internet2, identity services, and new local AI/inferencing capacity, and argued that the network is now essential to higher education, health care, and extension services. They said the network’s recent upgrades were driven by privacy, security, redundancy, and the need to support modern research and AI workloads at lower cost than commercial providers. CPE also presented its broader higher-education capital request: $700 million for asset preservation and $1.73 billion for new construction, for a total recommendation of about $2.4 billion. Staff said they do not plan to recommend IT projects or equipment in this cycle, despite reviewing 48 IT submissions totaling nearly $1.4 billion and equipment requests totaling $322.6 million. For asset preservation, they said the recommended allocation method would remain based on each institution’s share of Category 1 and 2 square footage, and they noted that the state’s prior facility assessment is now 12 years old, with deferred maintenance still estimated in the $7–9 billion range. For new construction, they said the requests are heavily focused on STEM and health-related facilities that are difficult to retrofit into older buildings. Board members asked about how asset-preservation amounts were determined, including why Northern Kentucky University’s request was much larger than its prior allocation. CPE staff responded that campus size, building age, and institutional prioritization affect the requests, and that schools are asked to submit more projects than are likely to be funded. The board then moved on to an Attorney General capital plan overview, where senior counsel Will Schroeder began describing the office’s technology needs and the office’s prior reliance on a 2020 appropriation to replace legacy systems and improve security.

Transcript Highlights:

• into the record, we have some evidence from a study called “Casino Crime and Community Costs” that indicate
• assist the homeowner with remediation and to prevent long-term impacts on groundwater or indoor air quality
• assist the homeowner with remediation and to prevent long-term impacts on groundwater or indoor air quality
• assist the homeowner with remediation and to prevent long-term impacts on groundwater or indoor air quality
• He asked whether Safety gave any indication of the lead time they needed.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first held a public hearing on HB 660, which would require historic horse racing facilities to pay 10% of HHR winnings to host communities as mitigation. Representative Om said the amendment was intended to leave charities and the state whole while funding local costs tied to large gaming facilities. Supporters argued the measure would address future municipal expenses, while opponents said host towns have not reported current problems and that the bill would single out one industry. Members questioned the 10% rate, whether the proposal was retroactive, and whether it would apply to existing facilities; the sponsor said it would apply to facilities already in place or later added. The hearing was then closed without any vote recorded in the transcript. The committee then opened a hearing on HB 658-FN, which raises reimbursement caps and adjusts fees for the Oil Discharge and Disposal Cleanup Fund and the Oil Pollution Control Fund. Representative Malloy introduced the bill, and Representative Aly explained the funds as a state-backed insurance mechanism for oil spill cleanup and prevention, including replacement of leaking home heating oil tanks for low-income homeowners. Bob Scully of the Energy Marketers Association supported the bill, saying the fee structure helps fund remediation and tank replacement, though costs are ultimately passed on to consumers. Department of Environmental Services officials Robert Bishop and Jennifer Marts described the bill as extending the fee collection for 10 years, changing reporting dates, increasing the cap for low-income tank replacement, and rebalancing fees based on an actuarial review. DES testified that the actuarial study found the fund needed to remain solvent and that home heating oil releases are the largest category of new releases, with the fuel oil fee otherwise needing to rise by more than 200% to cover projected costs. The board instead proposed a smaller increase and adjusted other fees accordingly, while maintaining a reserve to cover the first days of a major coastal spill before federal funds become available. Members asked about the basis for the fee changes, the role of the actuarial review, and the statutory language governing who pays the fees. The transcript ends during this hearing, with no final committee action or vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• care programs and was responsible for developing policies under the SMMC program, as well as our quality
• care programs and was responsible for developing policies under the SMMC program, as well as our quality
• From a quality perspective, I don't want to wait two years to know if we're moving the needle on key
• So we're requiring plans to participate in short-term quality sprints around maternal health, adolescent
• And from a quality perspective, we'll accelerate our efforts to ensure women are receiving more timely

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 1414 by Sen. Polsky on congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) education. The bill would require the Department of Health, working with medical experts, to create and distribute CMV educational materials to expectant and new parents or caregivers through hospitals, birth centers, and OB/GYN practices. An amendment removed a section that would have required instruction for medical professionals, and the amended bill was reported favorably as a committee substitute. The committee then took up a block of confirmations. Appointees on tabs 2 through 7 were recommended favorably in one vote, and Chavon Harris was separately confirmed as Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration after extensive questioning. Senators praised her leadership and experience, while others raised concerns about Medicaid redeterminations, the state’s CORE modernization project, Hope Florida, and a DCF anti-marijuana ad campaign; Harris said she would follow up on some issues and defended the agency’s work on transparency, managed care oversight, and access to care. Her confirmation was recommended favorably, with Sen. Berman noting opposition. Several health-related bills were then heard and advanced. SB 186 by Sen. Garcia expanded epilepsy training requirements for school personnel, including charter school bus drivers, and was reported favorably. SB 902 by Sen. Garcia, after amendments narrowing dental workforce provisions and allowing certain seizure rescue medication delegation to family home health aides, was reported favorably; testimony focused on medical marijuana regulation, practitioner accountability, and concerns about park and child-care proximity restrictions. SB 196 by Sen. Sharif created a uterine fibroid research database with privacy protections and was reported favorably after emotional testimony from a patient and supporters. SB 688 by Sen. Rodriguez would reestablish licensure of naturopathic doctors; it drew both support and skepticism about diagnosis and treatment boundaries, but was reported favorably. SB 1574, Maddie’s Law, would add biliary atresia screening to newborn screening and was strongly supported by parents describing a delayed diagnosis; it was reported favorably. SB 878 on clinical laboratory personnel, SB 1092 on podiatric medicine and certain cellular/tissue-based products, and SB 1032 on medical marijuana registry timelines and veteran fee waivers were also reported favorably, while SB 1032 drew debate over longer renewal/supply periods. The committee then began SB 1760 on Medicaid oversight and program transparency, with the sponsor describing the bill’s creation of a joint legislative oversight committee and a legislative actuary.

Transcript Highlights:

• care programs and was responsible for developing policies under the SMMC program, as well as our quality
• entity to help us revamp our compliance strategy with extra focus on monitoring health outcomes, quality
• From a quality perspective, I don't want to wait two years to know if we're moving the needle on key
• And from a quality perspective, we'll accelerate our efforts to ensure women are receiving more timely
• And the following cards are all indicating they wave in support: Christian Fadenhauer, Maggie Lehman,

Bills: S0688, S1414, S0186, S0902, S0196, S1574, S0878, S1092, S1032, S1684, S1686, S1760

Keywords: cytomegalovirus, education, maternal health, newborn care, infectious diseases, student health, epilepsy, seizure disorders, school safety, training requirements, medical marijuana, low-THC cannabis, neurofibromatosis, healthcare, state regulations, child care facilities, public safety, grant program, uterine fibroids, health database

Summary: The committee took up several health-related bills and confirmations. It first heard SB 1414 on congenital cytomegalovirus education, which would require the Department of Health to develop and distribute educational materials to expectant and new parents through maternity, prenatal, newborn, and OB-GYN settings; an amendment removed a section on required instruction for medical professionals, and the bill was reported favorably as a committee substitute. The committee then approved a block of appointees on tabs 2 through 7 and separately confirmed Chavon Harris as Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration after her testimony on Medicaid accountability, transparency, managed care oversight, rural health, behavioral health, and the state’s technology modernization efforts. Senators asked Harris about Hope Florida, Medicaid redeterminations, the CORE project, an anti-marijuana ad campaign at DCF, and compliance with a federal Medicaid-related court order; she said she would follow up on some issues. The confirmation was recommended favorably, with Senator Berman voting no. The committee next passed SB 186 on student health and safety, which expands epilepsy and seizure-disorder training requirements to more school personnel, including bus drivers and charter school staff, and requires seizure-first-aid posters and updated Department of Health education efforts. It also approved SB 902 on Department of Health issues after amendments narrowed the bill’s scope and added provisions on medical marijuana regulation, early childhood intervention, practitioner accountability, and autism workforce development; one speaker raised concerns about marijuana dispensary location restrictions and low-THC ratios. SB 196 creating a uterine fibroid research database was also reported favorably after an amendment protecting patient privacy; the bill drew emotional testimony from a patient describing severe symptoms and the need for more research. SB 688 on naturopathic medicine was approved after committee discussion about scope of practice, referral obligations, and whether naturopathic care should be adjunctive to conventional medicine; supporters described complementary care and access issues, while opponents worried about delayed treatment for serious disease. Later, the committee passed SB 1574, “Maddie’s Law,” to add biliary atresia screening to newborn screening using the same blood specimen already collected at birth and to launch an education campaign; parents of a child affected by the disease testified that earlier screening could have prevented severe harm. SB 878 on clinical laboratory personnel was reported favorably to address staffing shortages by allowing Florida to rely more directly on federal CLIA standards for qualified lab workers. SB 1092 on podiatric medicine was approved after an amendment narrowed it to cellular/tissue-based products and podiatrists’ use of certain therapies; the bill also addresses continuing education, informed consent, and advertising disclosures. SB 1032 on medical marijuana was amended and passed, aligning physician certification and card renewal timelines, setting 70-day and 35-day supply limits, and reducing the fee for honorably discharged veterans while preserving funding for FAMU; Senator Harrell opposed it, saying the longer timeframes were too much of an expansion. The committee also heard SB 1760 on Medicaid coverage transparency from Senator Brodeur, who said the bill focuses on accountability and fiscal responsibility, but the transcript cuts off before further discussion or action on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• This isn't an effort to pull products from shelves; instead, it's an effort to raise the quality of the
• This isn't an effort to pull products from shelves; instead, it's an effort to raise the quality of the
• This isn't an effort to pull products from shelves; instead, it's an effort to raise the quality of the
• So, you know, what are the effects of that fire on CO2 and air quality and all that? Really bad.
• And the water quality, on and on and on.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, February 27, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of the debate in the Senate and quality of the debate in the Senate and maybe<00:25:36.400> get
• their Medicaid quality incentive payment.
• NFQA um nursing facility quality NFQA um nursing facility quality assessment<01:03:29.920> tax
• <01:03:35.119> incentive their Medicaid quality incentive their Medicaid quality incentive
• , Melissa indicated, Melissa indicated, um<03:14:46.160> the<03:14:46.600> current<

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Division 3 work session focused largely on amendment 1176 to HB 2, which would have incorporated the substance of HB 548FN, a House-passed bill creating a direct-pay or membership-based model for health care facilities. Representative Mlan described the proposal as a way to increase competition in health care by extending the direct-care model used in primary care to facilities, arguing it could encourage innovation and that concerns about widespread harm to critical access hospitals were overstated. He pointed to Oklahoma’s long-standing Surgical Center model as evidence that the approach had not spread broadly or displaced hospitals there. Several members and witnesses raised concerns. Representative Stringham questioned whether the model would shift profitable services and patients away from existing hospitals, potentially worsening their finances and affecting Medicaid-related funding. David Ross, speaking for county nursing homes, opposed the language because it also removed moratoriums on nursing home, skilled nursing, inpatient rehabilitation, and self-pay beds, warning that it could increase pressure on Medicaid rates and undermine community-based care. Ben Bradley of the New Hampshire Hospital Association said the proposal appeared to create a separate regulatory framework for direct-pay facilities and raised concerns about patient safety, CMS participation rules, and a separate patient bill of rights. The chair concluded that, because HB 548 was already moving through the Senate, the HB 2 process was not the best vehicle for the policy and that the issue should be left to the Senate’s more deliberative committee process. Representative Ferski moved to not accept or remove amendment 1176 from the agenda, and the committee approved the motion by roll call, 9-0, withdrawing the item from HB 2.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, one of the other challenges is actually access to reliable, high-quality e-bikes.
• <00:10:44.040> There reliable, high-quality e-bikes.
• There reliable, high-quality e-bikes.
• bikes. provide access to higher quality bikes.
• <01:31:36.400> the designating the speed and indicating the designating the speed and indicating

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• projects and the or the quality projects and the or the transportation<00:36:20.160> alternative<
• I keep getting new people, new acronyms. >> CMAQ is the air quality.
• I forget what all of them. >> Congestion mitigation. >> Congestion mitigation air quality.
• I forget what >> CMAQ is the air quality.
• >> Congestion<00:50:40.400> mitigation<00:50:41.359> air<00:50:41.760> quality

Keywords: 1189, house, all