Video & Transcript Research : 'concurrent resolution'
Page 143 of 377
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
Regulated Industries Jan 27th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- team for really digging in on a way that we could make both great efforts kind of run jointly and concurrently
Summary:
The Committee on Regulated Industries met and reported several bills favorably. SB 530 on state lotteries was presented with two technical amendments and passed as amended. The bill revises Department of Lottery powers and duties, updates bid/proposal information requirements, adds definitions related to ball machines, and gives the department more flexibility to purchase rather than lease machines. SB 204 also passed favorably; it increases penalties for illegal slot machine operations to a third-degree felony and creates a process for veteran service organizations to seek binding declaratory statements from the Gaming Commission about whether a machine is lawful. Testimony on SB 204 included support from Florida Gaming and soft opposition from a veteran organization that wanted clearer language and more cooperation on electronic bingo-type games.
The committee then took up a combined proposed committee substitute merging SB 658 and SB 608 on water safety requirements for rental and residential properties. The merged bill requires certain rental properties near water bodies or with swimming pools to have specified safety devices, such as exit alarms, self-closing/self-latching locks, pool fences, pool covers, or pool alarms, and allows DBPR enforcement for vacation rentals. Supporters emphasized the bill’s goal of preventing child drownings, citing Florida’s high number of fatal drownings and the disproportionate impact on young children and children with autism. The combined bill was reported favorably.
SB 980 on nicotine dispensing devices was amended with a delete-all amendment creating the Florida Agegate Act. The substitute bill restricts advertising, promotion, and display of non-FDA-approved nicotine devices in retail settings accessible to those under 21, sets escalating penalties, directs fine revenue to enforcement and youth prevention, and authorizes inspections and warrantless searches tied to retail permits. Members discussed whether the bill would effectively curb illegal and counterfeit products and how enforcement would work; the sponsor said the measure is intended to reduce youth access in light of limited enforcement resources. The bill passed favorably. SB 1708 on veterinary licensure by endorsement also passed, removing a three-year out-of-state practice requirement for licensed veterinarians while keeping other qualifications intact to help address veterinary shortages. Finally, SB 680 on electric vehicle charging taxation passed with a strike-all amendment creating a sales tax exemption for electricity sold to EV charging station operators and transferred to consumers, provided it is separately metered and properly documented. The committee adjourned after noting additional support forms and inviting members to a later K-12 speech and debate bill presentation.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
House - Appropriations and Finance Mar 19th, 2025
House Appropriations & Finance
Transcript Highlights:
- Chair, Madam Representative, we are looking for concurrence.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary (6-3-26)
Transcript Highlights:
- also you know we were working on but it also you know we were working on that<00:37:15.920>
concurrently - >
but <00:37:16.800>you <00:37:16.960>know <00:37:17.040>that that concurrently - but you know that that concurrently but you know that added<00:37:17.680>
probably <00:37:17.920
Keywords:
0:00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call
0:01:19 NKU Capital Project Update
0:38:57 DJJ High Acuity Services Update
1:03:53 Adjournment, 958, all
Summary:
The interim Budget Review Subcommittee for Justice and Judiciary received an update on Northern Kentucky University’s capital project to house the Northern Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office and the Northern Kentucky Crime Lab in the former Highland Heights Civic Center building on NKU’s campus. NKU and Justice Cabinet staff described the project timeline: the building was identified in late 2022, lease terms were agreed to in early 2023, a pre-construction evaluation agreement was executed in May 2023, the General Assembly authorized $21 million in April 2024, and the lease and construction agreement were finalized in spring 2026. The project is now being prepared for bid, with construction expected to start in August and occupancy targeted for January 2028. About $1 million has been spent so far on design and related investigations.
Testimony emphasized that the vacant building was structurally sound but required major upgrades, including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roof, windows, a generator, specialized mechanical systems, security, and geothermal work to meet the needs of two separate operations sharing one facility. NKU said it is contributing $3.7 million to the project. Committee members asked about the condition of the building, the urgency of the project, and why the process took so long. Justice Cabinet and real properties officials said the medical examiner’s office had been shut down since roughly late 2017 or 2018, that the state had first sought funding in the 2022 budget for staffing, a lease, and equipment, and that it took time to find a suitable leased location because the facility has highly specialized requirements.
Members also asked about operating costs, annual lease costs, and the impact of the office’s absence on families and counties in Northern Kentucky. Officials said the lease cost is based on NKU’s expected maintenance-related expenses, while utilities and staffing are covered through the Office of the State Medical Examiner or Kentucky State Police, with seven medical examiner positions funded in House Bill 500 and two additional KSP positions requested for the crime lab. They explained that, until the new facility opens, bodies from Northern Kentucky are generally transported to Louisville for autopsy, with transportation costs borne by the coroner’s office. No votes were taken, but the committee requested follow-up information, including lease cost numbers and additional details on facility usage and timing.
ND
Transcript Highlights:
- trying to gauge whether the traffic tickets issued by cameras are having an effect, if there's a concurrent
- trying to gauge whether the traffic tickets issued by cameras are having an effect, if there's a concurrent
- If there's a concurrent educational campaign, it's really hard to know whether it's the educational campaign
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Criminal Justice and Public Safety (04/09/2025)
Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- We do have concurrent jurisdiction with state and local authorities.
- We do have concurrent jurisdiction with state and local authorities.
- As I mentioned, we do have concurrent jurisdiction.
- As I mentioned, we do have concurrent<04:07:05.960>
jurisdiction. - So, if we do concurrent jurisdiction.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
02/11/2026 - Senate Health and Human Services
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- utilization management activity increases like prepayment review, prior authorization activities, and concurrent
- utilization management activity increases like prepayment review, prior authorization activities, and concurrent
Bills:
SB1086, SB1193, SB1318, SB1345, SB1346, SB1451, SB1496, SB1611, SB1630, SB1631, SB1632, SB1672
Keywords:
reimbursement, healthcare, laboratory services, noncontracting providers, Arizona health care cost containment, personal identifying information, PII, privacy, confidential records, public records exemption, commercial disclosure, data privacy, licensure, certification, health professions, health care licensing, Arizona Department of Health Services, ADHS, emergency medical care technician, EMCT
Summary:
The committee first approved the February 4 minutes and then heard Senate Bill 1086, which would require AHCCCS contractors to reimburse non-contracting providers for certain laboratory services when a member was referred by a contracting provider, and would bar prior authorization for diagnostic services and retaliation tied to such referrals. AHCCCS testified neutral but warned the prior-authorization ban could increase utilization and create fiscal and federal compliance concerns. The committee adopted the Warner amendment limiting non-contracting reimbursement to no more than contracting-provider rates, then passed SB 1086 as amended on a 4-2 vote.
The committee next took up Senate Bill 1611, an emergency measure to require AHCCCS to contract with an administrative services organization for program integrity and case management functions for the American Indian Health Plan, while keeping AHCCCS ultimately responsible. The chair’s amendment expanded the ASO’s duties to include provider support, quality improvement, and data analytics, removed AHCCCS claims payment authority, added more tribal observers, and exempted IHS and tribal facilities. Testimony strongly supported reforming the system after fraud and overcorrection harmed Native members and providers, but AHCCCS raised concerns about the fast timeline, possible duplication of fraud-fighting functions, and the need for 45 days of tribal consultation. The committee adopted the amendment and passed SB 1611 as amended on a 5-2 vote.
Senate Bill 1630 would create a Medicaid-funded home and community-based services program for adults with serious mental illness, capped initially at 250 members under the Angius amendment, with semiannual reporting and a process for future expansion only if costs are reduced or neutral. Supporters said the bill would help the sickest SMI patients avoid repeated hospitalizations, jail, and homelessness, and could save the state general fund by shifting costs to federal Medicaid funding; AHCCCS was neutral and said it was finalizing the fiscal estimate. The committee adopted the amendment and passed SB 1630 unanimously. The committee also passed SB 1193, protecting emergency medical care technician personal information from disclosure; SB 1318, repealing an outdated state dense-breast notification requirement to align with FDA language; and SB 1345, restricting anonymous complaints against health care institutions, though AHCCCS warned that federal law may still require investigation of complaints from any source and that the bill could reduce reporting and invite litigation.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Children and Family Law (02/17/2026)
Children and Family Law
Transcript Highlights:
- some situations, such as when a parent has a drug problem, the bill might provide a satisfactory resolution
- They have concurrent jurisdiction over some matters.
- They have concurrent jurisdiction over some matters.
- Like I said, and you can watch my testimony on House Resolution 45, where my daughter came in.
- <05:17:14.878>
uh <05:17:15.120>45 my testimony on House Resolution uh 45 my testimony
DE
Transcript Highlights:
- dealing with DOC is the first day and the last day, and if you get your first day and your last day concurrent
Keywords:
HB372, Justice of the Peace Court, Delaware courts, Title 10, court administration, judicial staffing, county courts, Kent County, New Castle County, Sussex County, Wilmington, 24-hour hearings, court locations, court hours, magistrate court, access to justice, court consolidation, Delaware General Assembly, destructive weapon, possessing a destructive weapon
Summary:
The House Judiciary Committee met and heard three bills. HB 372 would reorganize Justice of the Peace Court resources by shifting the number of judges and court locations among counties, consolidating overnight operations into a single 24-hour court in Kent County, and adjusting staffing to address workload and efficiency concerns. Chief Judge Alan Davis said the change responds to increased civil filings, automated enforcement, and staffing shortages, and that a Sussex County pilot closing a 24-hour facility had worked without major issues. Some members raised concerns about impacts on Sussex and Kent County, bail processing, and local response times, while public comment included one supporter. The committee voted to release HB 372.
The committee then considered SB 324, which amends Delaware’s permit-to-purchase law to allow constable agencies, including those serving institutions like Delaware Tech, to purchase handguns for newly hired constables without duplicative background checks. Sponsor Representative Cook said the bill aligns constable procurement with existing law-enforcement exemptions while preserving gun-safety requirements. Public testimony included support from Delaware Tech and comments urging broader fixes to the permit-to-purchase law, including exemptions for retired officers with federal 218 credentials and clarification on firearms returned from manufacturers, gunsmiths, or police departments. The committee voted to release SB 324.
Finally, the committee heard HB 414, which clarifies that the Superior Court’s exclusive jurisdiction over certain destructive-weapon offenses applies only to adults, while juvenile cases would still begin in Family Court. Sponsor Representative Romer said the bill preserves the Family Court’s role in handling youth cases and allows referral to Superior Court when appropriate. The Department of Justice said it still believes Superior Court is the proper venue for these serious charges, while the Office of Defense Services supported keeping youth cases in Family Court first, arguing that rehabilitation and juvenile-specific dispositions are more appropriate. After public comment, the committee voted to release HB 414, and the meeting adjourned.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
Committee of Conference on HB 244 (05/20/2026)
Transcript Highlights:
- So with that, the House has receded from its position of non-concurrence with the Senate amendment and
Summary:
The Conference Committee on House Bill 244 met to resolve remaining drafting issues in the bill updating and recodifying municipal enforcement of building and fire codes. The chair explained that the measure is largely a technical recodification, moving statutory references and correcting broken cross-references after review by the subcommittee, the Senate, AI-assisted checking, and the Building Code Review Board. Members emphasized that Amendment 2026-1923H contains no policy changes, only reference updates and language cleanup to ensure the bill points to the correct current RSA sections.
The committee then discussed a few specific drafting questions, including a reference on page one and language on page two concerning the phrase “remove the prohibition on a building permit.” Some members questioned whether that wording should instead describe a variance or exception, but the chair and Representative Darji explained that the language is intended to allow an applicant to return to the zoning board to remove a prohibition attached to a specific building permit, not to broadly eliminate the underlying rule. The committee also noted a corrected reference to current statutory language because the underlying law had changed since the bill was introduced.
After the explanation, the House receded from its position of non-concurrence and concurred with the Senate amendment as further amended by 2026-1923H. Members agreed to place the measure on the House consent calendar, and the committee adjourned.
LA
WV
West Virginia 2026 Regular Session
Senate in Session Mar 14th, 2026 at 03:13 pm
West Virginia Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- The question for the Senate is the adoption of the amendment, or concurrence with the House amendment
Summary:
The Senate took up a series of House amendments to enrolled bills and, in each case, accepted the amendments and passed the bills, often with effective dates set by separate motions. Measures approved included pay increases for the judiciary (SB 29), regulation of homemade food sales (SB 44), protections against financial exploitation of eligible adults (SB 617), involuntary hospitalization changes (SB 742), transfer of the court security fund (SB 952), asbestos and silica statute-of-limitations changes (SB 1008), cooperation with bordering states by law enforcement agencies (SB 723), birth certificate access for homeless minors (SB 947), personal income tax reduction (SB 392), criminal penalties for abuse or neglect of incapacitated adults (SB 54), child abuse investigation technology and a caseworker aid pilot program (SB 228), value-based payment requirements (SB 231), workforce readiness and micro-credential provisions (SB 402), contractor license transfer rules for immediate family members (SB 553), refusal review hearings (SB 575), coal code modernization and minors protection (SB 686), lawful prescription of crystalline polymorph psilocybin under FDA recommendations (SB 906), penalties for disturbing religious worship (SB 1026), the Sustaining Opportunities for Academics and Rural Schools Act (SB 63), women’s collegiate sports protections (SB 502), and modernization funding for Workforce West Virginia (SB 153). Most of these bills passed with unanimous or near-unanimous votes; SB 392 passed 31-2 on the first vote and was later reconsidered and passed again 32-2. Several bills were made effective from passage or on July 1, 2026.
The Senate also considered Senate Executive Message No. 4 from the Committee on Confirmations. The chamber confirmed all nominees except number 54 in one vote, then separately confirmed nominee 54 by a 30-3 vote. After the confirmation business, the Senate briefly recessed and later returned to additional floor business.
During the session, the majority leader also delivered remarks on affordability, citing prior tax reductions, a personal property tax rebate, elimination of state income tax on Social Security for seniors, and efforts to increase homestead exemptions. He urged the governor to explore ways to address rising gasoline prices. The remarks were entered into the journal by unanimous consent.
WV
West Virginia 2026 Regular Session
Senate in Session Mar 14th, 2026 at 03:13 pm
West Virginia Senate Floor Meeting
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- Chair and members, Senate Concurrent Memorial 1004 urges the U.S.
Keywords:
electronic monitoring, nursing care, assisted living, resident rights, privacy, consent, surveillance, stormwater, water storage, replenishment credits, groundwater, aquifer, Arizona Revised Statutes, irrigation rights, water duty, water allocation, management areas, Arizona beef council, beef promotion, agricultural marketing
Summary:
The Senate Natural Resources Committee approved the January 13, 2026 minutes and held Senate Bills 1041 and 11676 by request for further review. The committee then heard Senate Bill 1197, which would allow irrigation grandfather rights and associated water duty in subsequent active management areas (AMAs) to be sold, leased, or transferred within the same AMA. The sponsor said the bill is intended to help wineries and other farmers in the Wilcox and Douglas areas adjust fields and expand while staying within existing water limits. Opposition testimony from Sierra Club and Rural Arizona Action argued the bill could increase groundwater pumping unless it includes stronger safeguards, such as a net reduction in water use and clearer ties to AMA management goals. The City of Wilcox and the Department of Water Resources were neutral but said the bill needs more work on consistency, oversight, and transparency. The committee passed SB 1197 on a 4-3 vote, with one member not voting.
The committee then unanimously passed Senate Bill 1198, which continues the Arizona Beef Council for eight years until July 1, 2034. Testimony from the council’s executive director was supportive, and members discussed the importance of the beef industry and the value of longer continuation periods for agency review. Senate Bill 1199, which continues the Arizona State Veterinary Examining Board for eight years until July 1, 2034, also passed unanimously. Members used the discussion to raise broader concerns about the shortage of rural and large-animal veterinarians and the need for future funding and workforce support.
Finally, the committee considered Senate Concurrent Memorial 1004, urging Congress to clarify the EPA’s powers and end what the sponsor described as regulatory overreach. Supporters framed it as a request for Congress to fix unclear federal law, while opponents said it would weaken science-based environmental protections and deny climate and public health realities. The memorial passed 4-3 with one not voting. The committee then adjourned.
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Appropriations - Education and Environment Division Apr 15th, 2025 at 10:15 am
Appropriations - Education and Environment Division
Transcript Highlights:
- And we believe this would do that if you guys would be concurrent to that.
Bills:
SB2003
Keywords:
higher education, student loans, scholarships, capital projects, workforce development, funding, North Dakota university system, 908, all
Summary:
The committee first reconsidered Senate Bill 2003 in the higher education budget and adopted several changes. It removed $3 million for enterprise resource planning, struck $2 million for a grant program for students who are pregnant or recently gave birth, and then added $3 million back into workforce education and innovative grants, restoring that line to $12 million. Members also discussed a possible purchase of the 19th Avenue building in Fargo for the State School of Science, but the motion was withdrawn for later consideration. Other higher ed items were briefly noted, including tribally controlled community colleges and a state magazine funding line, but no final action was taken on the building proposal during this segment.
The committee then moved to Senate Bill 2018, the Commerce budget, and reviewed a long list of funding items. It restored a vacant workforce FTE, increased tourism marketing to $10 million and Find the Good Life to $5 million, raised Operation Intern by $1 million, removed a $100,000 infrastructure study, increased autonomous agriculture grants to $15 million, and set the Regional Workforce Impact Program at $10 million. It also kept or adjusted several other items, including the uncrewed aerial vehicle replacement program, the global talent office, tribally controlled community colleges, Native American small business grants, and technical skills training grants.
A major new provision would transfer $50 million total, split between SIF and Bank of North Dakota profits, to the Theodore Roosevelt Library Museum Endowment Fund, matching a private fundraising challenge; members expressed both support and concern, and said they would revisit it later. The committee also discussed language to allow commercialization of Vantis and to permit the Turtle Mountain gaming compact proposal to move forward with required federal approvals, while clarifying that a previously discussed $100,000 study had been removed. Commerce officials said the workforce language was intended to centralize data and strategy, and they noted Operation Intern would need an emergency clause because applications begin in May. No final vote on the Commerce budget was taken in this segment, and the chair said the committee would return later to finish both budgets.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Trade, Workforce & Economic Development Apr 9th, 2025
Trade, Workforce & Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- county attorneys, who usually handle deceptive trade practice cases in our local communities. have concurrent
Bills:
HB74, HB175, HB460, HB576, HB2271, HB2294, HB2874, HB3016, HB3133, HB3191, HB3458, HB3929, HB4063, HB4115, HB4394, HB74, HB175
Keywords:
Puerto Verde, Port Authority, eminent domain, bonds, tax assessments, economic development, infrastructure, transportation, public welfare, child care, certifications, Texas Rising Star Program, grant program, disability inclusion, family income, affordability, economic impact, state study, cost analysis, government support
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- And members, if you will allow me, we have a resolution that's before you today.
- And members, if you will allow me, we have a resolution that's before you today.
- And members, if you will allow me, we have a resolution that's before you today.
- It's incredibly gracious, really, that we should recognize Senator Davis telling that story concurrent
Summary:
The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, doctor and guest introductions, and then took up Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 168, the Tristan Murphy Act, on mental health. Senator Bradley described the bill as a major criminal justice and behavioral health reform measure that would expand pretrial mental health diversion, strengthen treatment-based probation conditions, broaden grant uses for mental health and substance abuse programs, add Hillsborough County to a forensic hospital diversion pilot, require certain DOC mental health evaluations, and create a Florida Behavioral Health Data Repository. Senators from both parties spoke in strong support, emphasizing treatment over incarceration, public safety, data collection, and the Murphy family’s role in advancing the bill. The Senate passed the bill 37-0 and then approved 37 co-sponsors.
The chamber then received the Senate’s 2025-26 General Appropriations Bill, SB 2500, with Chair Hooper outlining a $117.4 billion budget that he said reduces spending, preserves reserves, and includes major investments in water quality, transportation, education infrastructure, and reporting requirements. Committee chairs summarized their portions: K-12 funding at $34.7 billion with increases for FEFP, scholarships, VPK, school hardening, and school safety; higher education at $11.5 billion with workforce, nursing, reading, autism, and student aid investments; health and human services with a $1.8 billion increase for Medicaid, mental health, opioid response, disability services, and veterans programs; criminal and civil justice at $7.6 billion for corrections, juvenile justice, law enforcement, courts, and judgeships; transportation/tourism/economic development at about $18 billion including roads, housing, Visit Florida, and cultural grants; and agriculture/environment/general government with major Everglades, water quality, citrus, food bank, and agency IT funding.
Members then questioned several budget items, especially education funding formulas, the shift of scholarship dollars below the line, the impact on public school districts, AP/IB and other accelerated program funding, the APD wait list, opioid settlement spending, arts grants, and the My Safe Florida Home and condo pilot programs. Chairs generally said scholarship and accelerated-program dollars were being restructured for transparency and flexibility rather than cut, that school districts would still receive funding based on enrollment, and that APD and other human services issues would continue to be worked out in conference. The budget discussion concluded with remarks praising staff and noting a 4% across-the-board pay raise for state employees and targeted increases for law enforcement and firefighters, followed by a recognition for FAMU Day at the Capitol.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- full oversight, documented descendant consultation, burial council authority, and zero assumed concurrence
- purposes because we believe such action introduces confusion and further delays responsibility and resolution
- purposes because we believe such action introduces confusion and further delays responsibility and resolution
Keywords:
historic preservation, burial sites, DHHL, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, DLNR, Department of Land and Natural Resources, section 6E-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, Hawaii Register of Historic Places, National Register of Historic Places, cultural resources, archaeology, land use review, environmental review, state historic preservation officer, Hawaiian home lands, project permits, consultation, concurrence, nonconcurrence
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on several measures affecting Hawaiian affairs, historic preservation, water access, and land governance. SB 1406 would let the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands assume historic preservation review for projects on lands under its jurisdiction, except for properties listed or nominated for the state or national historic registers. DHHL supported the bill, while a descendant testifier strongly opposed it, arguing that burial and preservation review protects ancestors and should not be streamlined or reduced. No questions were raised and the bill was moved on after testimony.
SB 521 would require DHHL to work with county water boards or water departments to provide potable and agricultural water on Hawaiian homelands, with agreements made public. DHHL said it already works with counties but objected to the bill’s mandatory language, saying it could undermine the department’s discretion and independence. A public testifier supported the measure, and committee discussion focused on how water requirements could affect subsistence lots and infrastructure decisions.
The committee then took up SB 3247, which would create a Royal Mausoleum Commission within DLNR to oversee preservation, operations, and outreach at Mauna Ala. State Parks said it valued existing collaboration with the aliʻi trusts but wanted clarity on roles, coordination, and funding if a new commission is created. The Royal Order of Kamehameha strongly supported the bill as a culturally grounded way to protect the site, while several other testifiers opposed it, saying the real issue is the curator selection process and warning that a commission could add bureaucracy and delay. The committee also heard SB 1654, authorizing transfer of certain state lands to DHHL, and SB 112, which would add the DHHL chair or designee to the Hawaii Community Development Authority; the Attorney General and HCDA offered technical and policy comments, with HCDA opposing the board change and DHHL supporting participation to protect beneficiary interests. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- It says very specifically that if you have a concurrent criminal investigation, you must follow these
- did what I had encouraged many parents to do before and called the ombudsman's office to get a resolution
Summary:
The committee met for a presentation-only hearing on the Arizona Department of Child Safety, with no bills on the agenda. Chair Blackman opened by emphasizing that the hearing was intended to be data-focused and respectful, and that personal attacks or false accusations would not be tolerated. Director Catherine Patak then presented DCS data on hotline volume, investigations, reunifications, adoptions, guardianships, foster care entries and exits, kinship placement, congregate care, missing youth, and extended foster care. She said the department investigated more than 43,000 cases in 2025, kept the out-of-home care population relatively steady, and had reunified about 3,000 children with parents, while also noting that older youth and behavioral-health-driven removals are creating a mismatch with available foster homes. She also described kinship supports, foster parent recruitment, and the impact of Family First on funding, saying DCS lost federal drawdown for congregate care while waiting on approval for prevention programs.
Members questioned the director about kinship caregivers, behavioral health access, reunification services, parental rights terminations, notice and documentation practices, and the effect of increased reimbursement rates. Patak said unlicensed kin can receive support through the kinship supports contract, that behavioral health assessments are done quickly at the welcome center or within 24 hours for kin placements, and that provider capacity remains a major constraint outside DCS control. She explained reunification conditions and services, said the department is working on documentation and notice issues flagged by the Auditor General, and noted that kinship reimbursement increases have helped some families step forward. She also said DCS procurement for group homes is handled internally through an RFP process and that about 10% of kinship caregivers become licensed.
Representative Gillette then delivered a lengthy presentation arguing that the child welfare, Medicaid, and disability systems are structurally intertwined and that procurement and funding rules create incentives for volume and congregate care use. He criticized DCS, DES, and AHCCCS/Access oversight structures, argued that the system diffuses accountability, and said the committee’s work and related materials would be referred to special counsel. He also raised concerns about documentation, placement decisions, and the cost of congregate care, while asserting that the system over-relies on large providers and that reforms should focus on structural and financial incentives. Vice Chair Fink followed with a brief slide noting that congregate care costs far more per child than foster or kinship care, reinforcing the committee’s concern about placement costs and the need to shift children toward family-based care when possible.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Legislative Health and Human Services Oct 9th, 2025
Legislative Health & Human Services Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- I am Reid Rydins, and I'm a crossover youth, meaning I was concurrently involved with foster care and
- The young people that we serve are pre-adjudicated and are awaiting trial or another resolution to their
TX