Transcript Highlights:

• is November 15th, as it currently is for their federal tax filings.
• is November 15th, as it currently is for their federal tax filings.
• is November 15th, as it currently is for their federal tax filings.
• is November 15th, as it currently is for their federal tax filings.
• It was clear to me that when we met late last week, you all had a good feel for it already.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:10 HB 2 Discussion 00:01:00 HB 2 Vote 00:04:00 HB 544 Discussion 00:05:05 HB 544 Vote 00:06:15 HB 552 Discussion 00:07:00 HB 552 Vote 00:08:40 HB 605 Discussion 00:09:35 HB 605 Vote 00:11:35 HB 606 Discussion 00:12:10 HB 606 Vote 00:15:40 HB 695 Discussion 00:16:25 HB 695 Vote 00:34:05, 958, all

Summary: The Appropriations and Revenue Committee took up several House bills and committee substitutes. House Bill 2, as amended by Senate Committee Substitute 1, was described by Rep. T.J. Roberts as restoring a tax exemption enacted in 2024 by providing refunds with interest to those improperly taxed and creating a cause of action; the substitute also aligned state filing deadlines for certain flood-disaster counties with the federal November 15 deadline. The committee adopted the substitute and then passed the bill with favorable expression. The committee also adopted a title amendment for House Bill 544, which Rep. Jason Petrie said was part of the state’s flood-relief discussion and would allow the guard cap to be used over the biennium rather than annually, effectively increasing the cap from $50 million per year to $100 million over two years; the measure passed with favorable expression. House Bill 552, handled by Rep. Josh Bray after Rep. Kim King’s absence, was described as simplifying tourist commission appointments. The committee substitute added creation of the Kentucky-Ireland Trade Commission and changed marina licensing agreements by exempting private contractors from the model procurement code. The committee adopted the substitute, approved a title amendment, and passed the bill with favorable expression. House Bill 605, sponsored by Rep. Kim King, clarified which grants qualify for a grant program and allowed cities or counties to apply on behalf of water districts or other entities not directly affiliated with them; Rebecca Hearts of Grant Ready Kentucky said the program had matched $103 million of the $200 million allocation, generating about $469.98 million in total project value. The committee adopted the title amendment and passed the bill with favorable expression. House Bill 606, by Rep. Wade Williams, added a capital-oversight reporting requirement for school district general obligation bonds that had been omitted from prior legislation. The committee substitute also made several budget and program adjustments, including moving Regional Training Center funds, accelerating funding for the Grand Lyric Theater, correcting water funding language, removing Odyssey Inc. language from a treatment-related item, fixing a double appropriation to LifeWorks Transition Academy, clarifying carry-forward language, allowing SRO reimbursements for public and non-public schools, and authorizing an additional $10 million in agency bonds for Western Kentucky University athletic facilities. The committee adopted the substitute, approved a title amendment, and passed the bill with favorable expression. The committee then spent the most time on House Bill 695, a Medicaid-related bill. Rep. Adam Bowling said the bill was intended to stabilize Medicaid, create oversight and advisory mechanisms, and address growth in the program. Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Eric Friedlander and Medicaid CFO Steve Beckle said they were generally supportive of the transparency and reporting changes but flagged risks, including federal compliance concerns, budget growth from changing the drug rebate treatment, administrative costs tied to MCO rebidding and a managed long-term services study, and some data-collection challenges. Representatives from the Kentucky Association of Healthcare Facilities opposed the section calling for a managed long-term care reimbursement study, arguing it would be costly, duplicative, and likely ineffective, and they warned against managed care models for long-term care. Despite the concerns, the committee adopted the committee substitute by voice vote and moved the bill forward with favorable expression.

Transcript Highlights:

• At that time, if we have no committee amendments on file for today's hearing.
• Senate bill, which is a companion, was filed by me on Monday, August 4th.
• On that same map that you filed, SB4. This is the same map that was filed in the House.
• No one emailed me a thing and said, "File this."
• So I decided to adopt it as it were and filed it as a companion to HB 4.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now there is a legislation being filed. It hasn't been heard.
• also releasing in upon in the western, I'm sorry, the eastern side of Mexico where that most recent file
• He's trying to file a bill. There's been no hearing. It hasn't been passed. It's just talk.
• Waiting until it's here is too late.
• If you get some, some babies that are late, uh, in the, in the season and in the warmer weather, uh,

Transcript Highlights:

• to alleviate or prevent like um the late to alleviate or prevent like um the late payouts<01:08:
• You'd only have to build with just—you're going to file the report.
• So you can't file your report on a mobile phone. You can do entry, but you can't file.
• We have mandatory electronic filing and a mandatory electronic searchable database. They do too.
• What kind of training do you do for the filing? Do you have training? We do training.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Ways and Means and Government Operations committees received a biennium budget preview from Keith Regan, Comptroller and Director of the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS), who introduced department leadership and described DAGS’ broad responsibilities across accounting, public works, procurement, elections, archives, risk management, and other attached agencies. He emphasized that DAGS supports nearly every state department and cited ongoing workforce challenges, while noting progress in reducing the department-wide vacancy rate from 21% in 2023 to 17.7% in 2024. He also highlighted recruitment efforts, including new salary schedules for engineers and architects, job fairs, internships, and outreach to retiring federal employees. A major focus was modernization of the state’s aging financial systems, especially the 55-year-old FAMIS platform and the Enterprise Financial System (EFS) project. DAGS said it expects to release the RFP for the FAMIS replacement by the end of January and is seeking a second tranche of CIP funding, including $35 million, plus position augmentation and creation of a Business Transformation Office to manage EFS and future modernization work. The department also described major capital projects such as the Aloha Stadium Entertainment District, Wahiawā Civic Center, Kauaʻi Civic Center, and Ahuimanu Community Correctional Center, and reported that Public Works is managing 455 projects statewide valued at more than $2.5 billion. Other budget requests discussed included funding for cemetery operations, with DAGS asking for two positions and $1 million in operating funds to support maintenance of eight cemeteries; a $200 million ceiling increase tied to anticipated insurance proceeds for West Maui fire-related recovery and rebuilding; and several staffing and operating items for district offices and facilities. These included full-year funding for positions in West Hawaiʻi and East Hawaiʻi, support for a small business coordinator at the State Procurement Office, funding for cloud hosting and PeopleSoft licensing, six positions and staff augmentation for the EFS project, electricity costs, and security-related funding. DAGS also noted that two requested reductions totaled $7.9 million, including transferring the security contract to the Department of Law Enforcement and reducing nonrecurring expenses; members discussed whether some security funding should remain with or be moved to DLE, and DAGS said it would not object to that transfer. No votes were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Elkins moves House File 1697.
• currently not being taxed so house file currently not being taxed so house file 1698<00:08:24.800
• So we have House File 618.
• represent schinski moves house file represent schinski moves house file 618<00:52:02.359> I'm
• Please keep House File 2197 in your save file. And with that, good government all the time.

Bills: HF1698, HF632, HF1352, HF2197, HF618, HF1248, HF1697

Keywords: property tax, exemption, leased land, public use, commercial property, HF632, Minnesota property tax, conservation easement, conservation restriction, assessed value, property valuation, tax assessment, real property, land conservation, farmland preservation, natural areas, riparian buffer, water quality, water quantity, county assessor

Transcript Highlights:

• May this matter be received and filed. So ordered.
• matter<00:12:55.760> be<00:12:55.880> received<00:12:56.200> and<00:12:56.320> filed
• <00:12:56.880> So matter be received and filed. So matter be received and filed.
• Thank you for your hard work, the late evenings, the weekend work to keep the House's agenda and operations

Bills: HR206, SB3083, SB2377, SB2816, SB3248, SB2436, SB2259, SB2928, SB2577, SB2697, SB2399, SB2665, SB2851, SB3102, SB2521, SB3157, SB3255, SB3016, SB2765, SB1432, SB17, SB2401, SB2972, SB3014, SB3032, SB3137, SB847, SB2261, SB2271, SB2272, SB2804, SB3007, SB3019, SB3250, SB2603, SB3022, SB2256, SB2147, SB2014, SB2114, SB2115, SB2117, SB2246, SB2519, SB3055, SB3095, SB3144, SB3264, SB2325, SB2211, SB3245, SB2090, SB2803, SB2866, SB2250, SB2497, SB2032, SB2487, SB3136, SB2756, SB2615, SB3262, SB2024, SB2177, SB2552, SB2319, SB2407, SB2153, SB2321, SB2805, SB3010, SB2892, SB2781, SB2489, SB2174, SB2169, SB3123

Keywords: Robert Bob Toyofuku, Hawaii legal community, House Resolution, commendation, honorary resolution, legal education, continuing legal education, CLE, William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii law school, Pacific Law Institute, attorney training, legal ethics, professional responsibility, legal mentorship, legal profession, court-annexed arbitration, alternative dispute resolution, appellate decisions, Hawaii Supreme Court

Transcript Highlights:

• > they<00:11:19.680> aren't When agencies file rules, they aren't When agencies file rules
• <00:16:12.720> an say to you right now that filing an say to you right now that filing an
• in the following filing period. Right? in the following filing period. Right?
• <03:10:22.880> it<03:10:23.120> for filed when I was willing to file it for filed when
• Clocks that are an hour late.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <02:01:47.040> made Cutter concerning entity filings made Cutter concerning entity filings
• Take a in those filings and guess what?
• If they didn't pay, if their filings.
• <03:05:23.439> fee a portion of documentary filing fee a portion of documentary filing fee
• I will file an amendment for Great.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House opened with the pledge, roll call, and approval of the journal. Members then spent much of the morning on announcements recognizing visiting groups, including the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, Catholic Lobby Day participants, Vertical Skills Academy students, the Colorado Optometric Association, the Junior League of Denver, Jack and Jill of America, and advocates for HIV/AIDS harm reduction. Representative Gilchrist also highlighted HIV/AIDS and overdose statistics and urged members to meet with advocates. Representative Velasco announced an absence for Monday and Tuesday. The chamber adopted House Resolution 1002, honoring District Wildlife Manager Bob Holder for 50 years of service to Colorado wildlife. Supporters described his long career, conservation work, bear education efforts, landowner relationships, and awards, and members gave him a standing recognition. The resolution passed 62-0 with 3 excused. The House then received committee reports and moved to third reading on several bills. House Bill 1081, concerning electric transmission system optimization, passed 42-20 with 3 excused. House Bill 1228, increasing access to marriage and family therapist licensure, passed 62-0 with 3 excused. House Bill 1120, implementing mobile home taxation task force recommendations and extending redemption protections for mobile home owners, passed 40-2 with 3 excused after debate over its tax policy effects and fairness to seniors and disabled veterans. House Bill 1084, expanding voter transparency requirements for initiated statewide ballot measures, was debated at length with opponents arguing it would burden citizen initiatives and implicate First Amendment rights; the transcript cuts off before a final vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have barcode 925-054 by Senator Graal, which is late-filed.
• Is there objection to taking up the late-filed amendment? Seeing none.
• of this problems and be able to allow us to know which process to go down and not inappropriately file
• It's timely filed. Senator Burton, you're recognized to explain the strike-all. Thank you.
• This comes alongside that and provides them with an opportunity, if they wish to file an objection based

Summary: The committee heard several health-related bills. SB 1082 would let providers or insurers in state-regulated commercial plans opt into the federal independent dispute resolution process for emergency out-of-network claims, with a late-filed amendment clarifying access to the state program in certain circumstances. The bill sponsor and emergency physicians said the measure would reduce litigation and improve payment resolution; the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably as a committee substitute. SB 1168 would centralize background screening work for the care provider clearinghouse at the Agency for Health Care Administration and update related screening rules, including sealed and expunged records for qualified entities. The sponsor said the change would speed turnaround and reduce duplication; an amendment was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably as a committee substitute. SB 1156 would move ambulatory surgical center regulation out of Chapter 395 into a standalone section of law, and it was reported favorably without amendment. SB 1480, as amended by a strike-all, would grandfather certain temporary certificate holders practicing in areas of critical need if federal designations change, allowing them to continue seeing current patients and potentially new patients in their existing area subject to board oversight. The committee heard support from health system representatives and reported the bill favorably. The final and most debated measure, SB 1756 on medical freedom, would require vaccine education materials and alternative schedules, expand school immunization exemptions to conscience-based objections, clarify limits on emergency vaccination orders, and allow pharmacists to dispense ivermectin behind the counter with written information. The sponsor and supporters framed it as parental choice and access, while physicians, public health advocates, cancer advocates, and parents of immunocompromised children warned it would lower vaccination rates and increase disease risk. The committee adopted a liability-related amendment, rejected a substitute amendment that would have required consultation for exemptions, and continued hearing public testimony opposing the bill; the transcript ends before final action on SB 1756.

Transcript Highlights:

• you I think because some of us are I think all of us So we're excited about it, but looking at the late
• We could close. the file after the preliminary investigation if there's no misconduct detected, but if
• Files and I are happy to answer any questions that she might have.
• an allegation of misconduct, 45 days to do the preliminary. which could result in a closing of the file
• We like if if they need to file an order of protection, they have to do that out of. their own pocket

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Report of a committee: several late-file petitions.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and recognized guests John and Michael McGuire, including Michael McGuire’s service as a Marine. The chamber then took up several measures, including emergency preambles for two sick leave bank bills: one for James Caruso of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and one for Carlos Borges of the Department of Correction. In each case, the emergency preamble was adopted by standing vote. The Senate also considered late-file petitions, voting to suspend Senate Rule 36 and Joint Rule 12 so the matters could be referred to the appropriate committees. In addition, the Senate took up and passed to be engrossed a bill authorizing the Commissioner of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to grant certain easements to the town of Bourne, and a bill establishing a sick leave bank for Gregory Baker of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. Later, the Senate enacted several bills, including an act dissolving the Wellesley Housing Development Corporation and the sick leave bank bills for James Caruso and Carlos Borges. The enacted bills were ordered signed by the President and laid before the Governor. The Senate then adopted an order to adjourn until Tuesday at 11:00 a.m., with the clerk directed not to print a calendar, and adjourned accordingly.

Transcript Highlights:

• The recitals provide, in part, that the population has declined since the late 1990s and early 2000s,
• resolution requests the study to study the reasons for the decline, and for the joint committee to file

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate File 1121.
• House File 1702. Thank you.
• House File 1702. Thank you.
• House File 1702. Say that again, please. House File 1702.<01:40:51.280> 1702.
• Um, I appreciate the Senate File 1299. And this is uh a bill Senate File 1299.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the good news about that is 4,500 more small businesses won't have to file the BET tax.
• So, you can't go file complaints.
• So, you can't go file<04:22:03.279> complaints.
• file complaints.
• You can't you can file file complaints.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:08:29.160> 69 We are in opposition to House File 69 We are in opposition to House File
• enough to even have to, you know, file enough to even have to, you know, file and<00:19:50.240><
• House file 2372 will matters.
• House File 62 is placed on the general register. And the next bill will be House File 2067.
• And the next bill will be House<01:04:18.720> File House File House File 2067.<01:04:20.880>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a bill that keeps getting filed, and again, we basically feel that insurance should be sold based
• We are seeing this happening, and so we want to be able to, again, file this legislation to be able to
• This is filed by a member of your committee, Representative Perns.
• This is filed by a member of your committee, Representative Perns.
• So you would go to reference, you would get a value, and then you could file a suit.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services heard testimony on a wide range of insurance-related bills. Topics included public adjusters (H. 1100/S. 785), electronic cancellation notices (H. 1123/S. 701), insurance rebates and loss-mitigation devices (H. 1233), flood hazard determinations (H. 1087 and related flood bills), organ donor insurance protections (H. 1248/S. 727), mental health parity in disability policies (S. 780), motor vehicle service contracts (H. 1139/S. 812), modernization of business-to-business insurance transactions (H. 1105), and a bill changing the GIC withdrawal notice deadline (H. 1150). Committee chairs set a three-minute testimony limit and heard from legislators, industry representatives, advocates, and affected consumers. Testimony on public adjusters was sharply divided. Insurance agents and property-casualty industry representatives argued that bills barring insurers from prohibiting public adjusters would interfere with policy terms, while public adjusters and several consumers described cases where adjusters helped secure substantially higher settlements and said some surplus lines policies already contain anti-public-adjuster endorsements. On electronic notices, the insurance industry supported consumer opt-in email communications, while agents warned that email-only cancellation notices could cause consumers to miss cancellations. On rebates/loss mitigation, insurers supported allowing risk-mitigation devices outside the policy to encourage innovation, while agents opposed the bill as an improper inducement. Flood-related bills drew opposition from insurers who said flood determinations are complex and federally governed. The committee also heard strong support for organ donor protections from a kidney transplant recipient and the American Kidney Fund, who said the bill would prevent insurance discrimination against living donors and could encourage more donations. On disability parity, a disability insurance specialist opposed S. 780, arguing that mental health limitations are a consumer choice that helps keep coverage affordable, while the bill’s sponsor said it would prevent unequal limits on behavioral health claims. The committee also heard support for H. 1139/S. 812 from the service contract industry, and support for H. 1105 from APCIA as a modernization measure for specialty commercial lines. No votes were taken; after testimony concluded, the chairs closed the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• the news as of late. I'm wondering if the news as of late.
• <00:28:06.159> deep<00:28:06.480> into<00:28:06.799> it<00:28:07.039> lately
• I've been really deep into it lately. I've been really deep into it lately.
• <01:06:46.720> and in on the bills that have been filed and in on the bills that have been
• filed and particularly<01:06:47.280> when<01:06:47.440> there<01:06:47.599> are

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services Oversight Committee met on April 17 and approved the prior meeting minutes, then set its next meeting for May 29 at 9:30 a.m. Members also discussed a New Futures effort to collect questions about Medicaid changes and post answers as an FAQ, with a preference that the FAQ live on New Futures’ website rather than the state website. The commissioner’s office said it would coordinate responses and that the issue is still evolving. The main presentation was an HHS update focused on the state public health laboratory and its work during Public Health Lab Week. Officials reviewed the lab’s history, its biosafety functions, and its role in disease prevention, food safety, preparedness, and response. They highlighted mosquito surveillance for eastern equine encephalitis, West Nile virus, and Jamestown Canyon virus, noting that the lab tested more than a quarter million mosquitoes last year and that mosquito testing helps provide early warning for local public health decisions. They also discussed rabies testing, saying New Hampshire’s lab is the only one in the state that performs it, that rabies is fatal once symptoms begin, and that the work is preventable through early prophylaxis. Members asked about federal funding cuts, water testing, and whether CDC changes to rabies testing would affect New Hampshire. The department said it had been affected by an $80 million federal clawback but was managing through other funds and staff reassignments; for the water lab, temporary staff had been hired to continue swimming-area testing. Officials said the state remains able to handle rabies testing and that federal changes would mainly affect areas without similar services. They also answered questions on Jamestown Canyon virus, saying New Hampshire had one human case in 2025 and three in 2024, compared with zero West Nile cases in 2025 and one in 2024, and that weather and protective measures influence mosquito-borne disease levels. Additional questions covered biosafety levels, cyanobacteria coordination with the Department of Environmental Services, and the Brown Building flood mitigation, which was described as about halfway complete with a hoped-for reopening of the west side by June.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so some of those reasons are going to be that it's untimely, that it was received 45 days late, or
• That it was received 45 days late, somebody that wasn't entitled to. Family.
• When you file an appeal, there are timelines that happen.
• When you file an appeal, there are timelines that have to be met to the T from the public standpoint.
• be hiding out and not wanting to be part of this, which doesn't help the case of the person that's filing

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee was called to order, the roll was taken, and the March 18 minutes were approved. Members then received several project and program updates, beginning with CHI St. Alexius’s behavioral health buildouts in Bismarck, Williston, and Grand Forks. St. Alexius reported that the Bismarck project remains on track for June 2027 completion, with demolition underway and final design work nearing completion. Williston reported construction is progressing, staffing recruitment is underway for psychiatrists and other staff, and an air handler replacement is creating a roughly $750,000 unbudgeted barrier that will slightly delay the timeline. Grand Forks reported its expansion is about 30% complete, with no major barriers beyond weather, and leaders said the project should be substantially complete in the first quarter of 2027. The Department of Health and Human Services then presented a series of budget and program updates. Donna Ockland explained several recent line-item transfers as technical corrections that net to zero and do not require new spending, then reviewed salaries, wages, and FTE counts, noting the department remains within its authorized staffing levels. Pat Rainer followed with an update on the Rural Health Transformation Program, saying 12 opportunities have been posted, 422 applications received, and $8.4 million obligated so far, with a goal of obligating the full $199 million by September. He described grants for workforce retention, rural rotations and housing, community gardens, school wellness, behavioral health promotion, safety net services, equipment, technology, EMS, and other initiatives, emphasizing that the program is intended to be transformational and tied to metrics. Members asked extensive questions about how rural eligibility is defined, how grants will support both rural facilities and hub hospitals, and how future years of funding will build on current awards. The committee also heard an update on certified community behavioral health clinics from Elena Zeller, who said North Dakota has been accepted as a demonstration state, implementation is underway in Williston, North Central/Minot, Fargo, and Dickinson, and care coordination and service counts are increasing. Rebecca Askins then reviewed SNAP payment error rates, saying the 2025 rate was finalized at 9.89%, with the state aiming to get below 6% through policy updates, training, data tools, and a quality assurance team. Members pressed her on the causes of the error rate, the role of the SPACES software system, and the need for accountability and improvements. Finally, Dirk Wilkie reported the state laboratory project reached substantial completion on June 12 and is on budget at about $69.95 million, though a service elevator had to be redesigned because it was too small for equipment.

Transcript Highlights:

• We see some students who come in late at 10 a.m.
• chance to eat breakfast at home due to situations going on. to provide for those kids that come in late
• Secure file exchange, so these are, if you're not familiar with that, it's like Sharelink, OneDrive,
• People have done it for years and years, and they're like, I always bring my files.
• So, they use secure file sharing services that, they use.

Transcript Highlights:

• I got here a little bit late yesterday afternoon, but I did get to do some driving around and, and see
• Chairman and Representative, ah, Arrowhead is, um, helping the researchers at NMSU to file the patents
• All, all utilities have to file integrate resource planning documents or at least plans of what kind
• Our goal is to have this in service by mid to late 2028. Thank you.
• work and and everything and then, then my next question to wrap this up because I know we're running late