Transcript Highlights:

• verify, visit, and validate providers. verify, visit, and validate providers.
• He said the site visit is a key tool in program integrity work: staff lay eyes on the provider site,
• <01:30:17.360> themselves also if they cannot validate themselves also if they cannot validate
• receive that validation. receive that validation. family<01:42:38.159> was<01:42:38.400><
• We've gone through three-year validations because some of our services are high-risk.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you have the tools, or what kind of tools do you have, or do you need new tools in order to address
• With respect to the tools we have to address something, I've found that the tools in our TWDB toolbox
• , whether they're science tools, whether they're planning tools or financial assistance tools, I think
• There's a lot of tools we can use, but that's regulatory.
• What are the factors that we already have some tools there.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 1906, Aguiar-Curry, at-home cervical cancer screenings, the motion is due pass out on an A roll call
• AB 2756, Arreguín, Medi-Cal vision screen services, do pass on an A roll call.
• AB 1572, Alanis, officials' background screenings, do pass on an A roll call.
• AB 1883, Brian, workplace surveillance tools, due pass as amended to revise the facial recognition prohibition

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee held a suspense-file hearing on May 14, 2026, reviewing hundreds of Assembly bills and a few committee bills. The chair opened by explaining the committee’s budget constraints and the factors used in suspense decisions, including fiscal impact, return on investment, effects on constituents, and protection of the state’s social safety net. The agenda was organized alphabetically by author, and the committee noted that results would be posted later that day online. The committee then acted on a very large number of measures, sending many bills to the Assembly floor on do pass or do pass as amended motions, while holding many others in committee. Topics covered a broad range of policy areas, including housing, health care, education, labor, public safety, wildfire mitigation, water, energy, transportation, cannabis, immigration, and state governance. Many bills were amended to narrow scope, make implementation contingent on appropriations or existing resources, remove provisions, or clarify agency responsibilities; several bills were held without further action. Among the notable actions, the committee advanced bills on items such as Medi-Cal services, child care, wildfire-related programs, housing financing, school and college issues, public safety and criminal justice, environmental and energy policy, and various consumer and business regulations. Some measures were sent out on A or B roll calls, with Republicans often not voting on amended bills. The hearing concluded after the committee reported that a large number of bills had been moved to the Assembly floor, either as do pass or do pass with amendments, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• President, the orders are before us on the screen, so with that, I move that Senate Bill 19 be taken
• ,<00:11:45.120> so orders are before us on the screen, so orders are before us on the screen
• to work through the problem and figure out how do we fix it, I feel like we're sort of using this tool
• to work through the problem and figure out how do we fix it, I feel like we're sort of using this tool
• to work through the problem and figure out how do we fix it, I feel like we're sort of using this tool

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:34:49.440> for<00:34:50.159> tool and also the scientific tool for tool and also
• You're giving us the tools to respond. We do need some additional tools.
• identify these are the tools you need. identify these are the tools you need.
• But you've given us the tool.
• We have to utilize our tool.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint informational briefing from the House Committee on Agriculture and Food Systems and the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment focused on the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity’s update on Hawaii’s biosecurity framework, especially implementation of Act 231 (2024) and Act 236 (2025). Chairs Corey Chun and Mike Gabbard opened the meeting by framing the briefing as an update on investments to fight invasive species and improve statewide evaluation and coordination. Department leaders Sharon Her and Richard Kim described historic legislative and executive investments that have allowed the department to rebuild and modernize biosecurity infrastructure to better prevent, detect, control, and eradicate invasive species. The presentation emphasized the importance of biosecurity to Hawaii’s agriculture, economy, environment, and public well-being, citing threats such as rapid ohia death, little fire ant, coconut rhinoceros beetle, brown tree snake, and red imported fire ant. Staff explained the state’s layered approach—pre-border, border, and post-border—and compared it to New Zealand’s model, stressing that Hawaii must act as a “net, not a wall” and that prevention before entry is far more cost-effective than response after establishment. They also outlined agency roles across the system, including agriculture, natural resources, health, transportation, enforcement, and university partners, and noted that Act 231 strengthened authority over high-risk imports, offshore treatment, compliance agreements, and pest management plans, while Act 236 renamed the department and clarified statewide biosecurity coordination. Jonathan Ho then walked through specific program areas and progress. He said pre-border risk analysis is being supported by Act 231 funding and a university contract, while offshore compliance and treatment efforts have improved substantially, including Christmas tree inspections from Oregon and Washington and airline declaration systems that provide advance passenger information. For border work, he highlighted inspections, surveillance, detector dogs, and port monitoring. For post-border response and readiness, he discussed the invasive pest hotline and dashboard, trace-forward/trace-back and diagnostics, preparedness for future threats, and the need to build stronger internal capacity. He also described a developing transitional facilities program authorized by Act 236, modeled on New Zealand’s certified facilities system, and said the department has already begun outreach to industry groups such as the Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association. No votes or formal actions were taken; the meeting was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the reason for that is there's basically three tools to manage a sustained significant revenue decline
• Those are kind of the three tools available to you.
• But as we think about those tools in the context of where we're at now, we can think about where we're
• But as we think about those tools in the context of where we're at now, we can talk, you know, think
• And the second point I would just make is that secret fourth tool I mentioned during times of kind of

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a public hearing on two proposed ballot initiatives: one to reduce the state personal income tax rate from 5% to 4% over three years, and another to revise the state’s tax collection cap/62F process so it would be based on prior-year collections plus wage growth and include surtax revenue. The committee chair and House co-chair outlined the hearing process, and the first witness was Doug Howgate of the Massachusetts Taxpayer Foundation, who testified as the committee’s subject-matter expert on both measures. He said the income tax proposal would lower taxes broadly but would reduce state revenue by about $5.4 billion when fully implemented, with an estimated $800 million hit in FY27, and he discussed possible effects on competitiveness, taxpayer savings, and public finances. On the 62F proposal, he said the revised cap would make refunds more likely, could have produced several large refunds in recent years, and would reduce stabilization fund deposits and constrain recovery after recessions. Committee members questioned Howgate about competitiveness, outmigration, prior tax ballot measures, spending growth, MassHealth, and the interaction between the income tax and surtax. He emphasized that taxes are only one part of the state’s overall competitiveness and that housing, public services, and other factors also matter. He also noted that the surtax is constitutionally restricted but can still support ongoing spending choices. After his testimony, the committee moved to the proponents’ panel. Proponents of both initiatives, including representatives from Taxpayers for an Affordable Massachusetts, the National Federation of Independent Business, Pioneer Institute, and the Mass Opportunity Alliance, argued that the measures would improve affordability, help retain residents and businesses, and support job growth. They cited polling support, outmigration, small-business reinvestment, and comparisons to lower-tax states such as North Carolina. Their economist, Rebecca Paxton, said her model showed smaller revenue losses than critics claim and projected that the revised revenue cap would not create additional annual revenue losses while producing more regular taxpayer refunds. Committee members pressed the panel on competitiveness, prior ballot initiative implementation, and whether the measures would actually address broader affordability pressures; the hearing ended with the committee continuing to take questions from the proponents.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so there are advanced AI tools and models that can help to integrate both load and supply forecast
• Vega, does SB 6 and the tools that it gives ERCOT and the PUC in that legislation, is that sufficient
• Does ERCOT have the tools to ensure that these large load users are not going to be taking power that
• So there's all these innovative tools and technologies because as data centers have and the industry
• But we do think the legislature has passed the tools that the PUC needs to meet this increased demand

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think what we had hoped to accomplish was, uh, that real-time validation.
• attestation but there's no validation attestation but there's no validation what<00:28:21.799>
• <00:30:37.960> I gold standard if we could validate I gold standard if we could validate I
• <01:43:25.159> can<01:43:25.400> create these communication tools can create these
• misalignment with local economic growth makes billboards an inefficient and often harmful economic tool

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 1586 ensures that when that moment comes, the person standing there has the training and the tools
• Equipped with the right tools, coaches can make a tremendous impact.
• Research consistently shows that equipping young people with digital literacy tools and open lines of
• We view it as a tool to achieve equity and excellence in our schools.
• Students are targeted behind a screen, receiving invasive messages like, 'Send me more nudes,' or 'Do

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a real challenge in front of us here in Minnesota, and we're going to use our tools to the best
• We have a real challenge in front of us here in Minnesota, and we're going to use our tools to the best
• Like continuing the screenings, more staffing.
• attention to the deficiency at the Department of Public Safety because of the personnel and the screening
• I think it is an important addition to the tools that we already have.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If you buy one of their devices, parents have the ability to limit screen time, limit the time at which
• they can see certain things on screen.
• If they don't want any screen time during school, they can limit it all together.
• It's another tool that I have to try to protect my children and grandchildren. Thank you, Mr.
• It's another tool that I have to try to protect my children and grandchildren. Thank you, Mr.

Bills: HB161

Keywords: building codes, standardization, commercial construction, architectural services, energy conservation, federal compliance, local governance, 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Volunteerism is an absolutely valid option to earn these benefits for able-bodied adults who don't have
• I didn’t come up here on our screen, but it was down on the lower one. Yeah, technology thing.
• I didn’t come up here on our screen, but it was down on the lower one, so sorry about that.
• needs this cash for general operations right now, but that argument ignores the immense financial tools
• With this bill, we intend to restore protections and tools to voters that the Supreme Court has taken

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But you're the only one who's actually from that whole and valid organization. Thank you.
• only one who's actually from that whole only one who's actually from that whole and<00:16:55.440> valid
• and valid organization. and valid organization. Thank<00:16:57.520> you. Thank you.
• address the intent to protect our keiki and that we can use this measure to give the Attorney General a tool
• address the intent to protect our keiki and that we can use this measure to give the Attorney General a tool

Bills: SB2433, SB2047, SB2425, SB3045, SB2761, SB3001, SB2852, SB2471

Keywords: condominium governance, education trust fund, unit owners, real estate, dispute resolution, financial obligations, community representation, pharmacy benefit managers, maximum allowable cost, transparency, drug pricing, insurance commissioner, contracting pharmacies, healthcare, substance use disorder, SUD, addiction treatment, behavioral health, mental health, rehabilitation

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 2433 SD1 relating to condominiums, which would direct the condominium education trust fund toward educational resources for unit owners and require the Real Estate Commission to ensure owners’ interests are represented in funded activities and related rulemaking. Supporters, including the Hawaii Real Estate Commission and a condominium owner advocate, said owners need a seat at the table in condo governance and education efforts. Committee discussion focused on whether the bill was necessary, with the Real Estate Commission indicating it could already use the trust fund for owner education and that owners are already considered stakeholders, though not through a specific commission seat. No vote was taken during the excerpted discussion. The committee then took up SB 2047 SD2 HD1 on pharmacy benefit managers, which would set requirements for maximum allowable cost reimbursement, allow reverse-and-rebill claims after successful appeals, and authorize fines for violations. The Insurance Division offered comments, the Hawaii Pharmacists Association supported the measure with amendments and suggested future PBM reform funding, and Kaiser Permanente requested a technical amendment. A committee question raised whether the staffing and resource request for implementation was too large for a bill focused only on MAC pricing, and the witness said he would provide more data to the next committee. No final action was shown. Next was SB 2425 SD2 HD1 on health insurance and substance use disorder treatment, requiring insurers to honor written assignments of benefits to SUD providers and prohibiting anti-assignment clauses. Supporters described patients being unable to access treatment because of high out-of-pocket costs and said direct payment would reduce harm for people in recovery. HMSA opposed the bill but said it would begin direct payments to non-participating SUD facilities effective March 27, while continuing to object to the assignment-of-benefits portion because of fraud and balance-billing concerns; the Hawaii Association of Health Plans also opposed. Members questioned HMSA about reimbursement mechanics and why the bill was needed if coverage policies were already changing. Finally, the committee heard SB 3045 SD1 HD1, which would require coverage of continuous glucose monitors and related supplies, including for Medicaid managed care, under certain conditions. DHS and the Insurance Division offered comments, while SHPDA, Hilo Benioff Medical Center Foundation, and others supported the bill, citing inconsistent access and a case in which a woman allegedly died after being denied a CGM. HMSA said it already covers medically necessary CGMs and had updated its policy in 2025 for type 1 and insulin-dependent patients, but it raised concerns about expanding mandated coverage to type 2 and gestational diabetes and about supply impacts. The committee also discussed whether the bill duplicated existing coverage standards and why it had been introduced repeatedly. No votes or final dispositions were included in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe that there are some concerns raised by the payor community that are valid concerns.
• They want to be able to address issues that they... ...valid concerns.
• This is one more tool in the toolbox.

Summary: The Senate Labor Committee met on March 14 and adopted the prior minutes. It voluntarily deferred Senate Bill 358, which would have addressed workers’ compensation coverage for independent contractors and sole-proprietor subcontractors. Senator Abraham said the bill would instead be studied to determine whether such workers should be able to buy occupational accident coverage or be required to carry workers’ compensation coverage, particularly where no employees are involved. The committee then heard House Bill 456, which would expand and clarify workers’ compensation petition requirements and broaden employers’ and payers’ ability to file disputed claims beyond fraud and medical-director appeals to other disputes under the chapter. The bill drew strong support from business groups and strong opposition from injured-worker attorneys, who argued it would revive problems seen in 2012 when employers could sue injured workers without a ripe dispute, burden unrepresented claimants, and increase litigation and administrative costs. Supporters said it would improve access to the courts and help employers investigate questionable claims. After debate, the committee voted 5-1 to report HB 456 favorably, with Senator Barrow voting no. The committee also heard House Bill 549, which creates the Bayou Growth Opportunity Workforce Program, or Bayou Works, a proposed statewide workforce training grant program aimed at helping employers quickly train workers for specific skill needs. The sponsor and Louisiana Workforce Commission representatives said it would be privately funded, modeled on Michigan’s “Going Pro” program, and coordinated with technical colleges, apprenticeships, internships, and other workforce partners. Members asked about statewide reach, youth pipeline efforts, and timing; the department said implementation would likely begin later next year. The committee reported HB 549 favorably by unanimous consent and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• restitution for ethics violations to include authorization to utilize salary withholding as an additional tool
• The commission believes that the threat of adverse personnel actions may discourage the filing of valid
• protections, such as those found in the Whistleblower Act, would provide some protection to those who have a valid

Summary: The Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections convened, established a quorum, and members introduced themselves and the committee staff. Chair Gaetz outlined the committee’s jurisdiction over election law, ethics law, executive appointments, and related confirmations, and described the committee’s process for handling gubernatorial nominations and member concerns about nominees. The committee then received a briefing from the Florida Commission on Ethics on its 2025 legislative priorities and on implementation of Senate Bill 7014 from the prior year. The commission recommended three changes: expanding the definition of “relative” in the gift law to include current and former foster parents and foster children; authorizing salary withholding to help collect civil penalties and restitution; and adding whistleblower-like protections for people who file ethics complaints. Commission staff also explained how SB 7014 changed complaint processing by requiring allegations to be based on personal knowledge or non-hearsay information and by imposing new deadlines for legal sufficiency review, investigations, and advocates’ recommendations. They said the commission has adapted its intake and review process and is currently meeting the new timelines, though the tighter deadlines may create staffing and scheduling challenges. Commission counsel also provided an update on two active lawsuits. One challenges the constitutional in-office lobbying ban, and the other challenges the requirement that elected municipal officers and mayors file Form 6 financial disclosure forms. The committee discussed the impact of the new complaint standards, the possibility of litigation if deadlines are missed, and whether local ethics boards are implementing SB 7014 similarly. Members expressed support for the commission’s work and asked for written legislative recommendations and proposed statutory language. No votes were taken, and the meeting ended with a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• The League of Municipalities or the cities, they use this as a tool for development.
• The League of Municipalities or the cities, they use this as a tool for development.
• valid and deserving as families that have children in any other way.
• As I read the Act, it says that a written recommendation is valid for a period of two years.
• As I said before, the studies that were done, none of them have any validity.

Bills: LB815A, LB838A, LB912A, LB972A, LB1126A, LB962A, LB1114, LB921, LB937, LB803, LB803A, LB1032, LB1032A, LB1075, LB1075A, LB889, LB878, LB933, LB304, LB304A, LB1096, LB1096A, LB1165, LB1165A, LB958, LB958A, LB762, LB1187, LB966, LB929, LB962, LB753, LB788, LB913, LB1055, LB1195, LB429, LB721, LB722, LB727, LB743, LB745, LB749, LB778, LB787

Keywords: LB815A, LB815, appropriation, appropriations bill, Nebraska Department of Revenue, Motor Fuel Tax Enforcement and Collection Cash Fund, motor fuel tax, gas tax, fuel tax, tax enforcement, tax collection, cash fund, budget, state spending, per diem, salaries, fiscal year, enrollment and review, final reading, Nebraska

Transcript Highlights:

• You have 1 minute; you should see a clock on your screen. So, go ahead. Linda St. Clair, thank you.
• We won't be able to hear you, but we can see what you're saying on our screen.
• We think this gives another tool in our quest to improve our workforce and the professionalism of our

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You have 1 minute; you should see a clock on your screen. So, go ahead. Linda St. Clair, thank you.
• We won't be able to hear you, but we can see what you're saying on our screen.
• We think this gives another tool in our quest to improve our workforce and the professionalism of our

Transcript Highlights:

• Housing infrastructure bonds are one of the key tools to invest in for the long term that we hope that
• to invest in for one of the key tools to invest in for the<00:14:49.399> long<00:14:49.720>
• With the legislature's support, we've made significant progress in building a strong set of tools to
• Fast-acting capital remains the most critical tool we have to scale preservation of these communities
• And this is one of the tools that we have to do that. Supporting and strengthening home ownership.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:19:26.240> a a tail night that's out they have a a a tail night that's out they have a a valid
• Massachusetts driver's license and valid Massachusetts driver's license and you're<00:19:29.200>
• aliens are not valid if enacted s<00:37:19.160> sp13<00:37:19.760> will<00:37:20.000><
• driver's licenses given to validating driver's licenses given to illegal<00:39:56.800> aliens
• license are responsible for 20% of valid license are responsible for 20% of all<00:42:27.440> of<

Keywords: 1191, senate, all