Transcript Highlights:

• Tyranny can come in many forms: a foreign ruler, an unjust government, or a monster coming through a
• Tyranny can come in many forms, a foreign ruler, an unjust government, or a monster coming through a
• must fill jobs quickly in geographically isolated areas, making them reliant on a high density of foreign-born

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and quorum established, then adopted the Rules and Ethics Committee’s special order report for the day. The chamber first took up HB 167 on former phosphate mining lands. Sponsor Rep. McClure said the bill would remove strict liability for previously mined phosphate lands if a Department of Health study is done at the owner’s request and the former mining status is recorded publicly. Opponents, including Reps. Cross, Nixon, and Eskamani, argued the bill did not provide enough notice to future buyers and renters and could create health and disclosure concerns. The bill passed 87-24. The House then passed HB 145 on suits against the government, which Rep. McFarland said updates Florida’s sovereign immunity caps for the first time since 2010, raising them to $500,000 per person and $1 million per incident with future automatic increases, aligning the statute of limitations with private claims, and allowing governments to settle above the caps if they choose. He said the bill would make redress more accessible without eliminating the liability shield. The bill passed 104-7. The chamber then considered CS/HB 289 on civil liability for the wrongful death of an unborn child, a bill by Rep. Greco that would amend the Wrongful Death Act to allow parents and other survivors to bring claims for the death of an unborn child, while exempting the mother and lawful medical care provided within the standard of care. Debate centered on whether the bill could affect abortion access, fertility treatment, miscarriage care, surrogacy, and liability for doctors, friends, family members, and others. Multiple amendments were offered to narrow the bill or add carve-outs for abortion, fertility care, surrogates, perinatal professionals, rape/incest/human trafficking situations, and to require the mother’s consent before suit; sponsors and opponents argued over whether these changes would prevent frivolous lawsuits or instead create loopholes and weaken the bill. None of the amendments were adopted during the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• also though uh it get just Town Aid also though uh it get just Town Aid We're<00:14:28.880> talk
• There's a revenue section asking about property taxes, state aid, federal aid, county and other local
• aid, and charges for services.
• There's a revenue section, and you know, kind of asking about property taxes, state aid, federal aid,
• know<00:24:44.440> County um state aid federal aid you know County um state aid federal aid

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , government aid, government aid, which<00:54:27.080> hadn't<00:54:27.600> been<00:
• that keep property um critical aids that keep property taxes<00:54:41.359> down.
• ,<00:54:46.280> and We increased county program aid, and We increased county program aid,
• I don't mean, I don't know if it was the single largest increase in county program aid in a year.
• I don't mean, I don't know if it was the single largest increase in county program aid in a year.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and approval of the previous day’s journal. The chamber received Senate messages announcing a joint convention for the governor’s message and transmitting Senate Files 1251, 3769, and 3868. The House also introduced House Files 4868 through 4933 and adopted committee reports and comparison report motions without objection. The Rules Committee placed several bills on the calendar and required pre-filing of amendments for specified measures. On the calendar, the House passed Senate File 3602, which enacts the Uniform Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act and expands electronic signing to estate planning documents beyond wills. Supporters said it would help people who are homebound, hospitalized, or in rural areas and reduce uncertainty for banks and hospitals about electronically signed powers of attorney and health care directives. The bill passed 134-0. The House also passed House File 3516, a Board of Dentistry policy bill that updates licensure language, allows retired dentists to serve low-income uninsured patients, and increases the number of dental hygienists a dentist may collaborate with from four to eight; it passed 134-0. The House then passed House File 3528, a technical barbering bill that reduces training and retesting burdens, gives the board more testing flexibility, repeals duplicative rules, clarifies that waxing is not barbering, and makes other fee and registration changes; it passed 134-0. House File 3718, updating veterinary medicine and veterinary technology statutes, was amended to restore board seal language and then passed 134-0 as amended. Supporters said it modernizes definitions and standards, recognizes licensed veterinary technicians, and may help address veterinary shortages, especially in greater Minnesota. Finally, the House passed Senate File 3402, which broadens who may serve as a medical consultant for Community Health Boards to include additional licensed professionals such as DOs, physician assistants, and advanced practice registered nurses; it passed 134-0. The chamber also considered several motions to move bills between committees, including referrals involving veterans, education, health, and psilocybin-related legislation. A motion to suspend the rules for House File 4487 was presented, and the bill was described as providing a one-time $1 billion property tax rebate or credit, but the transcript cuts off during extended debate on that motion before any final disposition is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:35:29.760> formula um homelessness prevention aid formula um homelessness prevention aid
• <01:06:08.640> for emergency rental assistance aid for emergency rental assistance aid for
• <01:14:43.440> relief unfamiliar with emergency aid relief unfamiliar with emergency aid relief
• A mutual aid years speaks for itself.
• aid, like we've<01:37:41.520> heard<01:37:41.760> today.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• zero and a negative 1500 student aid zero and a negative 1500 student aid index index index and<
• ,<01:19:49.760> makes state funded financial aid, makes state funded financial aid, makes
• aid or or even getting into a college. aid or or even getting into a college.
• out at a 2.5% higher rate than their peers who did not have their aid cut.
• will not have the financial aid will not have the financial aid resources<01:32:29.920> to

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 4252 and first heard a walkthrough of a DE2 amendment that largely incorporated Office of Higher Education technical and statutory cleanup items, including reporting consolidations, updates to postsecondary registration and licensing statutes, and an anti-fraud provision. New provisions in the DE2 would require public postsecondary institutions to explain developmental courses before enrollment and obtain a written acknowledgement, revise the state grant tuition cap, add a $1.5 million ongoing appropriation in FY 2027 for an identity verification system to combat enrollment fraud, and provide $5,000 one-time funding for reforestation at Bemidji State University. Fiscal staff also noted additional special revenue fund revenue and expenditures tied to licensing and registration litigation response. The main debate centered on the A8 amendment offered by Representative Rarick, which would require the governor to appoint University of Minnesota regents only from candidates recommended by the joint legislative committee if the legislature fails to elect regents. Rarick argued the amendment was needed to address what he described as conflicts of interest and pay-to-play concerns in recent gubernatorial appointments. Several members questioned whether the language was constitutional, whether it actually addressed conflicts of interest, and whether it should instead refer to ARCAC-screened or ARCAC-recommended candidates. Nonpartisan staff said the governor’s appointment power is addressed in the university charter, not directly in the constitution, but could not definitively assess constitutionality if challenged. Members were divided: some supported the goal of cleaner governance but said the amendment was not ready or did not match the problem being described; others argued the legislature had failed to complete its own regent appointments and that the amendment was a response to that failure. No vote on the A8 amendment or the bill was reached in the portion provided, though a roll call was requested on the amendment and the chair indicated the bill would continue through amendment consideration before final discussion and vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• item in the school aid formula, that pays for the unfunded liability.
• It fully funds all the public education school aid formula.
• The school aid formula, just that number right above it, is almost...
• Those are the major changes in the school aid formula.
• Even if it's a flat school-aid formula, you've got fewer students.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This may be the most significant change in higher education policy and federal financial aid in maybe
• We're also looking to support and increase more equitable access to financial aid.
• And at that signing ceremony, we actually got students to cheer about financial aid.
• Schools organized financial aid events with these microgrants.
• Approximately 23,500 financial aid application still must be completed by the end of this school year

Summary: The committee held a work session on the state of Washington’s community and technical college system with State Board executive director Nate Humphrey and Tacoma Community College president Ivan Harrell. They described the system’s open-access mission, 34 colleges serving more than 307,000 students, relatively low tuition, enrollment growth over 12 consecutive quarters, and strong outcomes such as more than 46,000 credentials awarded last year. They also highlighted system initiatives including guided pathways, I-BEST, dual enrollment, tribal partnerships, a new program search tool, and six colleges named Aspen Prize finalists. At the same time, they emphasized major challenges: high rates of student food, housing, and homelessness insecurity; sharply rising emergency aid requests; and federal funding disruptions affecting TANF, BFET, adult basic education, Carl Perkins, NOAA-related tribal work, and several federal grants. Members asked about SNAP impacts, declining high school graduates, and how BFET and TANF interact with other aid programs. The presenters also discussed system priorities such as AI, Workforce Pell, capital planning, nursing accreditation alignment, and the Washington College Grant. The committee then heard testimony from AFT Washington and the Washington Association of Higher Education on faculty and staff conditions in the community and technical college system. Jackie Kane and Suzanne Sutherland argued that classified staff, professional staff, and contingent faculty are essential to student success but face low pay, instability, and weak retention, and they urged lawmakers to protect existing funding and avoid further cuts. They said working conditions for faculty and staff are student learning conditions, and that underfunding leads to reduced services, shortened advising, and program instability. Marina Parr of the Workforce Board presented on federal H.R. 1’s new Workforce Pell provisions and the updated Career Bridge website. She explained that Workforce Pell would allow federal aid for short-term training programs of 8 to 15 weeks, with high completion, employment, and earnings thresholds and a requirement that credentials be stackable and portable. She said Washington is well positioned to implement the program because of its existing eligible training provider evaluation system and Career Bridge, which now has a redesigned public portal, digital portfolios, multilingual access, and performance data on programs. Members asked about rulemaking, possible gaps in state services, and how the wage and completion standards would be applied. The Washington Student Achievement Council then briefed the committee on the new Washington Completes FAFSA campaign created by executive order. Staff described an advisory board with statewide representation, a pilot that used microgrants and other supports at 25 priority schools, and a new goal of 46,000 FAFSA or WASFA completions this year. They reported that completion rates were tracking slightly ahead of last year, with 24% of high school seniors having completed a FAFSA by the end of November, and they showcased a public dashboard with subgroup data and a WIAA-based leaderboard. Members asked about outreach to rural and homeschool students, legislative communications, Pierce County representation, and barriers to FAFSA completion, and staff said they would provide toolkits and continue expanding outreach. The committee then began hearing from student presenters about affordability, access, equity, and student experience.

Transcript Highlights:

• We did have to slow the growth a little bit of the per-pupil aid.
• Aid.
• Paul, and it's on the compensatory aid.
• Speaker; I would also like to spend a minute on compensatory aid.
• aid.

Transcript Highlights:

• And uh this was not my of financial aid.
• Um, I rates and not state financial aid.
• So, is that where it had talked about applying to financial aid programs?
• aid programs? aid programs?
• And on state financial aid purposes.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• special education or to Q Comp, which is how some of our teachers are paid, their non-public pupil aid
• Can you talk about the aid you mentioned to the textbooks for private and charter schools?
• Can you talk about the aid you mentioned to the textbooks for private and charter schools?
• <00:11:48.079> you Can you talk about the um the aid you Can you talk about the um the aid
• Um,<00:12:18.079> the<00:12:18.320> non-pupil<00:12:19.120> aid<00:12:19.440>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The hearing aids, we had prevalence initially, so we divided it by the lifespan of the hearing aid.
• > went<00:40:18.480> we<00:40:18.800> had hearing aids um we went we had hearing aids
• Um by the lifespan of the hearing aid.
• Left requires the use of hearing aids.
• Under hearing aid costs for children.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:00:23 Kentucky Bankers Association 00:02:32 How to Read and Understand KRS 6.948 Health Mandate and Federal Cost Defrayal Impact Statements 00:25:40 Proposed Amendments to Kentucky's Essential Health Benefit-Benchmark Plan 00:50:18 Proposed Health Insurance Legislation for the 2026 Session 01:04:22 Reimbursement for Covered Benefits Delivered Through the Psychiatric Collaborative Care Model 01:01:46 Coverage of Eating or Feeding Disorders 01:18:47 Coverage of Hearing Loss 01:25:31, 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Committee on Banking and Insurance met for its first interim meeting, established a quorum, approved routine opening items, and welcomed a new committee assistant and a legislative intern. The committee first heard a Kentucky Bankers Association presentation from Tim Shank and John Cooper focused on the state’s housing shortage, which they described as affecting all 120 counties and especially low- and moderate-income and workforce housing. They urged support for a proposed $20 million banker-backed revolving fund, paired with tax credits, to finance new housing construction; they said the program would be flexible, could support alternatives such as manufactured housing, and would use below-market loans with tax credits vesting over five years only after units are completed. They also asked for extension of the historical tax credit carryforward from five to seven years and for continued support of new market tax credits, arguing that supply-chain delays make the longer period necessary for historic rehabilitation projects. The bankers also raised concerns about credit unions, arguing that because credit unions do not pay the same taxes as banks, they should not be allowed to acquire healthy state-chartered banks or hold state and local deposits. They cited the recent purchase of First State Bank of Middlesborough as an example, saying the transaction would reduce state, county, and city tax revenue and weaken local tax bases. In response to committee questions, the presenters said local regulations, zoning, parking, sidewalk, and utility easement issues can significantly delay housing projects, and they emphasized that state policy and infrastructure support are needed to help address affordability and development barriers. The committee then shifted to a Department of Insurance presentation by Commissioner Sharon Clark on how to read KRS 6.948 health mandate and federal cost defrayal impact statements. Clark explained that the mandate statements were created in 1998 so legislators would have actuarial estimates of how proposed health insurance mandates would affect administrative costs, premiums, and total costs, and she noted that later legislation added federal cost-defrayal analysis. She also reviewed the background of the Affordable Care Act’s essential health benefits framework and said the department’s statements are intended to help lawmakers make informed decisions on proposed health coverage mandates. No votes or formal actions were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• recreational tax-based replacement Aid recreational tax-based replacement Aid the<00:03:50.239><
• this adjustment would enhance state aid this adjustment would enhance state aid to<01:25:52.400>
• This is why the increased equalization aid in SF 2244 is critical for our future.
• <01:32:22.800> is<01:32:23.119> zero Equalization Aid is zero Equalization Aid is zero
• increasing Aid on currently approved uh increasing Aid on currently approved uh referendum referendum

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Medi-Cal is the primary funder for home and community-based services ranging from personal care aides
• I was diagnosed with terminal colorectal cancer and full-blown AIDS.
• Then I discovered CARES, the Center for AIDS Research and Educational Services.
• But I'll start with the Department of AIDS because there was a major loan from the AIDS Drug Assistance
• Program. of AIDS because there was a major loan from the AIDS Drug Assistance Program and ADAP, and

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• At that time, legal aid was there to help her get justice, and so legal aid filed the petition, filed
• finally was able to come to Legal Aid finally was able to come to Legal Aid now<01:19:03.639>
• ><01:19:48.920> the Justice and so legal aid filed the Justice and so legal aid filed the petition
• Thank you to civil legal aid for being here today.
• <01:37:22.440> for you thank you to civil legal aid for you thank you to civil legal aid for

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then you can see special education aid, formerly catastrophic aid.
• And then you can see special education aid, formerly catastrophic aid.
• And then you can see special education aid, formerly catastrophic aid.
• , which includes our building state aid, which includes our building aid<00:17:30.880> program,
• > aid.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• County disparity reduction aid County disparity reduction aid appropriation,<00:04:14.640> um
• is appropriation, um because that aid is appropriation, um because that aid is only<00:04:16.400
• ,<00:15:36.040> um, uh, aids, um, uh, aids, um, reimbursement<00:15:37.400> by<00:15
• :38.840> uh, reimbursement by way of, uh, aid, uh, reimbursement by way of, uh, aid, uh, for<00
• and amounts in local government aid and county<00:52:22.360> program<00:52:23.000> aid

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They're left out of safe school aid. Tribal contract schools are left out of safe school aid.
• They're left out of safe<00:01:39.119> school<00:01:39.360> aid.
• safe school aid. safe school aid. tribal<00:01:41.840> contract<00:01:42.320> schools<
• Given the conversation we've school aid.
• Well, what is covered in this safe school aid?

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• all, of the waivers that required students to fill out FAFSA or the alternative form for financial aid
• a last-dollar program, we want to make sure that students are seeking the other forms of financial aid
• I'm glad to answer any questions. financial aid on the front end. So that is the bill.
• , in some cases they may have a balance that... ...is available to them, any of their other state aid
• They will be required to complete the FAFSA, which can also give more potential aid, but it is still

Bills: AB328, AB397

Keywords: Juneteenth, education, economic commission, cultural affairs, racial healing, policy recommendations, African-American studies, higher education, fee waivers, Native American students, unaccompanied youth, academic progress, Nevada System of Higher Education, 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :46.760> the<00:09:46.840> Minnesota Aid, also representing the Minnesota Aid, also representing
• And moving those dedicated sources aid.
• . aid. aid.
• reduction in special education aid reduction in special education aid unless<01:08:12.520> the
• Recent aid increases have districts.

Bills: HF3493, HF4114

Keywords: safe schools, charter schools, nonpublic schools, Tribal education, funding increase, special education, funding, education finance, appropriations, budget, cross subsidy

Transcript Highlights:

• get safe schools funding like they do for non-public pupil aid.
• Have Annunciation parents requested getting non-public aid?
• get safe schools funding like they do for non-public pupil aid.
• Have Annunciation parents requested getting non-public aid?
• Have Annunciation parents requested getting non-public aid?

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House Education Finance and Policy leaders discussed House File 3493, a school safety package presented as a bipartisan, common-sense effort to protect students in public, non-public, tribal, and charter schools. Rep. Brian Lawrence said the bill would provide more school safety funding, more student mental health support, local anonymous threat reporting options, safe school plans, and student discipline reforms. Chair Peggy Bennett and Rep. Ben Bakeberg emphasized that the proposal was intended to be flexible, practical, and responsive to local needs rather than a one-size-fits-all mandate. Several questions focused on whether the package would include gun restrictions, but the authors said the committee was focused on education-related tools it could control and on areas of agreement. They repeatedly said they were not willing to advance a package that left any students out, including those in non-public or tribal schools. Bennett said schools should be able to opt into anonymous threat reporting systems rather than being mandated, arguing schools are already overmandated and that good ideas will be adopted voluntarily. Members also discussed funding, including a proposed $50 million shift from Northern Lights money and the overall size of the appropriation, which was described as still unsettled but roughly $52 million a year in the latest figures. The speakers said the package was being moved during committee deadlines and that they wanted to act quickly on the areas where there was agreement. They expressed frustration that no Democratic counterproposal had been brought forward and said they hoped to pass a school safety package that could keep all kids safe.