Video & Transcript : 'residential pools' :
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OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations and Budget Jan 27th, 2026 at 01:30 pm
Appropriations and Budget
Transcript Highlights:
- Understanding that the you speak to the talent pool because that's quite quite an opening list.
- consolidation of various agencies that we can do by cabinet level that should allow us to pull our labor pool
Committee:
House Appropriations and Budget
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
Special Committee on Property Tax Reform Feb 26th, 2026
Special Committee on Property Tax Reform
Transcript Highlights:
- Same year, Taney County, 80% residential, 64 commercial.
- Jasper County, 88% residential, 39% commercial.
- Worth County, 90% on residential, 44% commercial.
- It would have resulted in a rollback of the residential rate under that scenario.
- And you broke it out by residential and commercial.
Summary:
The Special Committee on Property Tax Reform heard public testimony on House Bills 3253 and 3254, presented by Representatives Steinhoff and Jobe. The bills would expand assessor training and continuing education requirements, require physical inspections for large assessment increases on commercial property as well as residential property, allow greater use of technology and remote imagery in assessments, create optional electronic notices and communications for taxpayers, and move toward setting property tax levies by subclass with a small-parcel exception. The bill also included provisions to raise the per-parcel reimbursement floor for assessors, reimburse local governments for revenue losses tied to SB 190 and SB 3, provide payment options during appeals, and require counties to offer installment payment options for property taxes.
The sponsors said the proposal was built from bipartisan committee discussions and statewide listening sessions, and they emphasized assessor professionalism, taxpayer flexibility, and fairness in the assessment process. Committee members asked about assessor training, the fiscal note, the parcel reimbursement formula, and how the subclass levy system would work in small jurisdictions. Witnesses from the Missouri Special Districts Association and school administrators generally supported the concepts of better assessor training, more resources, and taxpayer payment flexibility, while also warning about implementation burdens and the fiscal impact of state backfill for SB 190 and SB 3.
Testimony also focused on the accuracy of ratio studies and the fairness of moving to subclass-based levies. Some members argued the current system can shift tax burdens unfairly between residential, commercial, and agricultural property owners, while others cautioned that the new structure could create winners and losers depending on local assessment practices. A representative from the State Tax Commission clarified that commissioners do receive training, corrected the parcel reimbursement discussion to note the first 20,000 parcels are treated differently under current law, and said the commission already provides assessor training. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after public testimony.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- So if you think about 1,000 kids in detention, 1,500 kids in our residential commitment programs, that
- So 30 years of history, and with our residential commitment programs, which are programs that agency.
- And if we get to disposition, how do we get them into a residential program to really start addressing
- And so we'll be doing that through our residential programs and then working with our probation offices
- How many unauthorized alien children do you have in detainment or in residential facilities?
Committee:
Senate Criminal Justice
Summary:
The committee heard a presentation from Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Eric Hall on the Florida Scholars Academy, a new unified education model for youth in residential commitment programs. He explained that the academy replaced the prior decentralized district-run system with a contracted model through Florida Virtual School, allowing individualized blended learning, real-time progress monitoring, expanded special education services, and a broader course catalog including dual enrollment, CTE, GED testing, and postsecondary pathways through the Florida Youth College partnership with Tallahassee State College. Hall said the department is using data to focus on academic achievement, workforce credentials, and peer-group change as strategies to reduce recidivism, and reported early results including 60 diplomas or GEDs, a 5.5% teacher vacancy rate, and progress-monitoring gains for most students.
Hall also reviewed implementation of House Bill 1181 on swift accountability and juvenile justice reforms. He said the law strengthened pre-arrest delinquency citation use, raised the target for eligible citations to 70%, required written justification for releasing youth charged with certain felony firearm offenses, and directed the department to develop a firearm-offending curriculum focused on avoidance and consequences. He described a new statewide graduated sanctions matrix for probation technical violations, intended to provide quicker and more consistent responses without overburdening courts. He said early data showed reductions in weapons/firearm offenses and auto theft, and that the department had conducted circuit-level outreach to law enforcement, courts, and providers to support implementation.
Members asked about the number of unauthorized alien children in detention or residential care, teacher vacancies and whether instruction continues when staff are absent, screen-time and supervision concerns with laptops, and whether students are reentering local schools with improved academic performance. Hall said he did not have data on immigration status, that FLVS and classroom staff provide continuity when teachers are absent, that devices are checked in and out and security has been tightened, and that the department is still early in implementation but is hearing positive anecdotal feedback from parents. Vice Chair Smith asked for more detail on the firearm curriculum, and Hall offered to provide it. The committee took no formal votes and adjourned after no public testimony was offered.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- We can't require anything more than 1,500 square feet in residential areas.
- It limits us in residential areas from requiring anything more than 1,500.
- It limits us in residential areas from requiring anything more than 1,500.
- Not all cities want all of their residential areas to be tiny homes.
- And so all we have right now are residential areas. We have residential areas.
Committee:
House Business
Summary:
The committee first handled routine business, approving minutes from several February and March meetings, and thanked the page for her service. It then took up Senate Bill 1354, which would create a statewide framework for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), requiring cities over 10,000 population to allow one internal or attached ADU per lot while preserving existing HOA restrictions and historic district exemptions. Supporters argued the bill would expand housing options, protect property rights, and help families with aging parents, adult children, or rental income; opponents from the HOA and insurance community warned it could increase density, rentals, parking and utility strain, and insurance costs, especially if short-term rentals increase. After sponsor clarifications on county exclusion, HOA rules, and infrastructure limits, the committee passed SB 1354 on a 10-4 roll call vote and sent it to the floor with a do-pass recommendation.
The committee next heard Senate Bill 1297, the Conversational AI Safety Act, which would set transparency and safety standards for conversational AI services, especially for minors. The bill requires disclosures that users are interacting with AI, guardrails against sexually explicit content and romantic/sentient personas for minors, limits gamification techniques that encourage addictive use, and parental controls. Google testified in support, saying it already uses similar safety-by-design measures and that the bill would create consistent industry standards; members asked about how operators would identify minors and whether the bill would apply to out-of-state providers. The committee approved SB 1297 as amended and sent it to the floor with a do-pass recommendation.
Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 1352, which would require cities over 10,000 population to allow “starter home subdivisions” with smaller lots and modest setbacks, while preventing higher fees for those homes and allowing denials for infrastructure, safety, or environmental reasons. The sponsor framed it as a response to rising home prices and delayed first-time homeownership, while supporters from housing and building groups said smaller lots could lower costs and expand supply. City and resident testimony opposed the bill as a state override of local planning and zoning, arguing it would impose high-density development and weaken local control; city representatives also said the bill’s lot-size language was being misunderstood and that they had not had enough input in drafting. Despite those concerns, the committee passed SB 1352 as amended with a do-pass recommendation after discussion of its effect on local land-use authority and deed restrictions.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Consumer Protection & Business Jan 23rd, 2026 at 08:00 am
Consumer Protection & Business
Transcript Highlights:
- Sometimes insurance policies could go to an individual who may have dementia, who may be in a residential
- home, who may not be able to take care of themselves. ...who may be in a residential home, who may not
- On the other side, this map shows the distribution of the FEMA NFIP residential policies across the state
- And just on the federal side, the number of NFIP residential policies has tended to decrease year over
- So over this same time period from 2021 to 2024, there was an approximate 13% decrease in residential
Committee:
House Consumer Protection & Business
Keywords:
life insurance, policy lapse, policy cancellation, nonpayment of premium, premium grace period, lapse notice, termination notice, third-party notice, third-party designee, beneficiary protection, consumer protection, insurance regulation, insurer notice requirements, policyholder, beneficiary, Washington RCW, insurance code, unintentional lapse, coverage continuation, premium delinquency
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:13:36.320><c> value</c> inflation and residential value inflation and residential value increases
- </c> broadly benefits uh residential broadly benefits uh residential homesteads<00:13:48.720><c> and<
- "I mean, residential homesteads, right?
- </c> 60% is going to come out of residential 60% is going to come out of residential and<00:18:20.000
- </c> more focused on the just the residential more focused on the just the residential side,<01:20:49.440
Bills:
HF3396
Committee:
House Taxes
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Floor Session Apr 7th, 2025 at 01:00 pm
North Dakota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- that bill, we had a definition of dwelling that provided that a dwelling means real property or residential
- treatment, foster care with a non-relative, psychiatric residential treatment facilities, and qualified
- residential treatment programs.
- I understand that it has been challenging to serve these people in residential care. There...
- An office, in an apartment, in a hotel for extended periods of time when other residential treatments
Summary:
The North Dakota House convened with prayer, roll call, and recognition of guests and student visitors, then moved through a long calendar of resolutions and bills. Early in the session, members honored Mandan High School’s e-sports team for state championships and recognized House Minority Leader Zachary Ista’s birthday. The House then passed HCR 3037 unanimously, urging mandatory reporting requirements for public officials, after committee support and remarks emphasizing accountability in public office.
The chamber then considered numerous Senate amendments and final-passage votes on bills covering ambulance service grants (HB 1597), Public Service Commission records and open meetings (HB 1110 and HB 1063), squatter/trespass law (HB 1305), nonconforming structures in local governments (HB 1500), academic tenure policy (HB 1437), retirement eligibility for correctional officers and state radio dispatchers (HB 1274 and HB 1419), a Medicaid dental study (HB 1567), above-ground fuel storage tank regulation (HB 1058), gaming site authorization procedures (HB 1615), an oil extraction tax incentive outside the Bakken and Three Forks formations (HB 1483), and simple assault protections for hospital workers (HB 1341). Most of these measures passed, though HB 1231, which would have created a study on early discontinuation of sex offender registration, failed on final passage.
A major point of debate was Senate Bill 2354, which would restrict student use of personal electronic devices during the school day in public and nonpublic schools, with exceptions for medical and special education needs and annual reporting on impacts. Supporters argued it would improve focus, behavior, and mental health, while opponents raised concerns about private-school regulation, logistics, liability, and duplication with a similar bill. The House passed SB 2354, and also passed SB 2112, which temporarily authorizes the Life Skills and Transition Center to serve certain non-eligible youth in crisis, despite objections that the facility should remain focused on developmental disabilities and concerns about repeating past institutional problems. The House also debated and rejected HB 1300 on legislative term limits after extensive discussion about whether the Senate’s date change altered the effect of the voter-approved measure. The session ended with announcements, committee notices, and adjournment until April 8, 2025.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Human services panel hears HF2143 3/26/25
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Um, we also often use residential now.
- And so if someone's been in residential, we think they should also qualify for case management because
- Um, we also often use<00:04:57.919><c> residential</c><00:04:58.479><c> now.
- And so if someone's use residential now.
- </c><00:05:00.880><c> think</c><00:05:00.960><c> they</c> been in residential, we think they been in
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee 3/12/26
Human Services Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- :13.359><c> services</c> could afford her residential services could afford her residential services
- </c> placed back in a residential facility. placed back in a residential facility.
- </c> three and a half years in residential three and a half years in residential care,<00:45:33.520><
- </c><00:51:37.520><c> provider</c> he lived in a residential provider he lived in a residential provider
- And what residential their facility?
Committee:
House Human Services Finance and Policy
Keywords:
background study, disqualification, set-aside, permanent disqualification, Office of Administrative Hearings, chief judge, human services licensing, substance use disorder treatment, SUD treatment, chemical dependency, recovery, rehabilitation, abstinence, foster care, child foster care, vulnerable adults, caregiver background check, license holder, direct contact, risk of harm
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
FULL INTERVIEW: Taking a Hard Look at Soft Costs to Help Housing Affordability | Senator Bill Weber May 1st, 2026
Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- became the site of the Veterans Nursing Home, we bought extra land and actually developed some residential
- And so, as a result, you know, it's not unusual to find residential lots up here just a basic lot, nothing
- </c> actually developed some residential actually developed some residential lots.<00:04:30.760><c> Uh
- <00:05:00.120><c> lots</c><00:05:00.400><c> up</c><00:05:00.560><c> here</c> residential lots up here
- residential lots up here just<00:05:02.120><c> a</c><00:05:02.200><c> basic</c><00:05:02.680><c> lot
ID
Idaho 2026 Regular Session
Agenda Jan 22nd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- This is the What's allowed under the residential code.
- But right now, moving from two units to three means jumping from the residential code to the commercial
- In Idaho, localities would not have the authority to expand the residential code to cover more units
- The city of Dallas, for example, has expanded their residential code to cover up to eight units.
- In a residential context, I think that would lead most people not to choose to park on the street if
Summary:
The Local Government and Taxation Committee met on January 22, 2026, to hear presentations on housing affordability and supply. Emily Hamilton of the Mercatus Center discussed how zoning and building code reforms in places like Minneapolis, Buffalo, Houston, Montana, and other cities have increased housing supply and moderated rent growth. She emphasized that reducing parking requirements, legalizing accessory dwelling units, allowing smaller lots and more flexible density, and revisiting building code rules such as single-stair apartment limits and residential code thresholds can lower construction costs. She also said ADU reforms tend to have gradual, neighborhood-level impacts and that new housing can be fiscally neutral or beneficial when local costs are properly matched to development.
Committee members asked about local government concerns, including infrastructure, parking, neighborhood character, and the fiscal effects of density. Hamilton said permit fees should reflect actual service costs, that parking reform should be paired with street-parking management, and that infill development often shares existing infrastructure efficiently. She also said more housing supply would reduce scarcity that can attract large institutional investors. Members discussed Idaho’s housing shortage, with Hamilton citing a roughly six-to-one ratio of median home price to median income in Idaho, compared with about three-to-one in Houston.
Chris Cargill and Maddie Clark of Mountain States Policy Center presented Idaho poll results and housing supply data. They reported strong public concern about affordability, broad support for allowing smaller homes and ADUs, and substantial support for permit “shot clock” deadlines, while support for duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes was more mixed. Clark described housing as an “attainability” problem driven by both limited supply and incomes that have not kept pace, and argued for streamlining regulation, expanding land availability, avoiding policies that favor one housing type over another, and improving demand-side conditions through economic growth. No votes were taken, and the meeting ended after the chair noted that housing proposals would likely come before the committee later in the session.
AR
Arkansas 2026 Regular Session
ALC-OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING REVIEW SUBCOMMITTEE Jun 18th, 2026
ALC-OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING REVIEW SUBCOMMITTEE
Transcript Highlights:
- question: so the certifications, I would assume they pertain to people who are removing asbestos from residential
- It could, but one residential structure does not require all of the licensing.
- It could, but one residential structure does not require all of the licensing.
- Our Camden, which is our largest campus, it is residential, meaning they stay there.
- And then Northwest Academy is 55, and it's non-residential as well.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Energy Finance and Policy Committee 3/10/26
Energy Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- Residential electric rates and overall household energy bills in Minnesota remain below the national
- ><c> overall</c> Residential electric rates and overall Residential electric rates and overall household
- .<00:43:41.920><c> That's</c><00:43:42.160><c> actually</c><00:43:42.400><c> quite</c> residential.
- That's actually quite residential.
- </c><01:10:06.080><c> electric</c> average Minnesota residential electric average Minnesota residential
Committee:
House Energy Finance and Policy
Keywords:
electric utilities, service areas, Tribal lands, Minnesota statute, energy regulation, utility rates, public utilities, Public Utilities Commission, PUC, ratepayer, consumer protection, affordable energy, energy affordability, ability to pay, just and reasonable rates, rate regulation, electric rates, natural gas rates, energy conservation, renewable energy
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee 2/18/26
Human Services Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- setting that is meant to residential setting that is meant to provide<00:10:11.600><c> services</c><
- The next one is family residential services rate changes. This one passed into law the year prior.
- The next one is family residential services rate changes. This one passed into law the year prior.
- The next one is family residential services rate changes. This one passed into law the year prior.
- The next one is family residential services rate changes. This one passed into law the year prior.
Bills:
HF3379
Committee:
House Human Services Finance and Policy
OR
Oregon 2026 Regular Session
House Interim Committee On Behavioral Health 06/17/2026 1:00 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- What SRTF stands for is secure residential treatment facilities, and so you've got hospital-level care
- My first question is related to the secure residential treatment facilities.
- My question is, where are the secure residential treatment facilities across the state?
- I mean, ...the secure residential treatment facilities across the state. I know that's for Dr.
- Notice after the residential care ombudsman intervened, they had him arrested.
Summary:
The joint Senate and House Behavioral Health committee met for informational presentations on the Oregon State Hospital and civil commitment, followed by a planned tour of the hospital. Oregon Health Authority and Oregon State Hospital leaders reported that Sean Murphy will become the next permanent superintendent on July 13, with Sarah Castle to follow as permanent chief nursing officer on July 20. They described recent leadership turnover, a major organizational restructure, and efforts to build a culture of safety, transparency, and accountability. Officials said the hospital regained Joint Commission accreditation and CMS compliance, and they highlighted daily safety huddles, incident review processes, stronger escalation procedures, and improved management of seclusion and restraint. Committee members pressed hospital leaders on past prolonged seclusion practices, falls, staffing, and the need for better public reporting; OHA said it is building a public dashboard of key safety and workforce metrics.
The committee then heard a civil commitment overview from the Oregon Judicial Department. The presenter explained that civil commitment is a separate legal process from criminal cases, usually beginning with a hospital hold, investigation, court review, appointed counsel, and a hearing within five days. She summarized changes made in House Bill 2005, including revised standards for danger to self, danger to others, and basic-needs commitments, plus a second 14-day diversion option. She cautioned that the new law has only been in effect since January and that it is too early to draw firm conclusions from the data, though there has been a recent uptick in commitments and a decrease in diversions.
Testimony from NAMI Oregon and a forensic psychiatrist emphasized that Oregon still relies too heavily on jails and state hospitals because community services, housing, and outpatient supports are insufficient. They argued that the state needs more less-restrictive alternatives, including better use of assisted outpatient treatment or outpatient civil commitment, and more supported housing so people do not cycle between homelessness, incarceration, and hospitalization. A family member described a relative remaining psychotic in jail for more than 120 days before ending up back at the state hospital, urging faster intervention and better collaboration among courts, counties, hospitals, and state agencies. Committee members and witnesses also discussed workforce shortages, the expansion of secure residential treatment beds, and the need for broader system reforms beyond the hospital itself.
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
Conservation and Natural Resources Mar 30th, 2026
Conservation and Natural Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- And those costs, anything related to providing them service, could not be passed down to residential
- Charles County just for residential water. The city of St.
- Charles County just for residential water it is so the city of st.
- He said this PSC review provides an additional layer of protection for residential customers.
- He said this review provides an additional layer of protection for residential customers.
Committee:
House Conservation and Natural Resources
Summary:
The Conservation and Natural Resources Committee heard Senate Bill 953, sponsored by Sen. Jason Bean, which would address a projected shortfall in the Department of Natural Resources’ air pollution control program. Bean and supporters from Associated Industries of Missouri, quarry and sand producers, engineering firms, the Missouri Chamber, forest products, and municipal utilities said the bill would stop sweeping unused program funds into general revenue and dedicate a portion of existing sales and use tax revenue from utilities to keep the program solvent without raising permit fees on businesses that have reduced emissions. One informational witness from Armour Vine warned that moving funds out of general revenue could affect broader state revenue and tax triggers. DNR also testified that the fee fund is projected to become insolvent in fiscal year 2028 if current trends continue. No opposition testimony was presented, and the bill hearing was closed.
The committee then heard House Bills 3362 and 3364, sponsored by Reps. Colin Wellenkamp and Mike Koslow, which would create guardrails for AI/data center buildout around electricity and water use. The sponsors said the bills are intended to protect ratepayers and local water systems by requiring large-load customers to bear their own infrastructure costs, extending consumer protections to co-ops and municipal utilities, and requiring permits and review for major water withdrawals, with emergency shutoff provisions in water shortages. Support came from environmental groups, conservation organizations, rural advocates, Renew Missouri, the Sierra Club, Missouri Municipal League, Missouri Electric Cooperatives, Ameren Missouri, and Missouri American Water, though some witnesses urged tighter thresholds, more frequent reporting, stronger water-quality protections, and clearer definitions to avoid legal ambiguity. Several witnesses also raised concerns about transparency, local impacts, and whether current thresholds are high enough to protect aquifers, springs, and utility customers. The chair closed testimony after noting time limits and adjourned the committee.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- Also, higher-intensity or higher-level services, so hospitalizations, youth in residential services or
- residential treatment services, meaning out-of-home placements for psychiatric needs.
- know, I think we are seeing, maybe I would offer that, you know, we're seeing more youth needing residential
- And I jotted down that that's behavioral health, residential treatment, substance use, basically behavioral
- We have also been unable to identify an appropriate residential care provider in Idaho or nationally.
Committee:
House Health and Welfare
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Investment companies, involvement, or purchasing of residential property?
- homes... ...corporations that basically are buying all of these residential homes for cash do distort
- By appointment of Governor Abbott, at OPUC she led the agency's representation of residential and small
- That is something that is how, you know, consumers versus industrial versus residential divide up the
- That is something that is how, you know, consumers versus industrial versus residential divide up the
Committee:
Senate Nominations
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Nominations held its final nomination hearing of the session and considered three nominees: J.B. Goodwin for the Texas Real Estate Commission, Courtney Yaltman for the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and Thomas Gleason as PUC chairman. Goodwin described his long career in real estate and charitable work, and senators questioned him extensively about the Real Estate Commission’s self-directed, semi-independent status, housing affordability, institutional homebuyers, property insurance costs, disclosure issues, and the Burnett v. National Association of Realtors case. Yaltman and Gleason were questioned about PUC oversight of ERCOT, post-Winter Storm Uri reforms, utility resilience and vegetation management after Hurricane Beryl, water and telecommunications oversight, staffing and transparency, and rising infrastructure and utility costs.
Much of the discussion focused on housing and utility affordability, with several senators urging the nominees to keep consumer protection and public trust at the forefront. Goodwin said housing affordability and large-scale investment purchases were not within the Real Estate Commission’s direct purview, though he supported further study. Yaltman and Gleason said the PUC had increased oversight of ERCOT, improved communication and accountability with utilities, and was working on resiliency plans, rate-setting issues, and infrastructure planning while trying to avoid overburdening ratepayers.
The committee first voted to favorably report nominees left pending from the May 5 agenda by a 6-0 roll call vote. After public testimony was opened and closed, the committee then voted on the nominees heard that day and favorably recommended all three to the full Senate for confirmation by a 7-0 vote. The committee then recessed subject to the call of the chair.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> parks in a majority of residential parks in a majority of residential districts<00:31:53.519><c>
- </c> of residential zones. of residential zones.
- ,</c><00:32:14.720><c> but</c> majority of land-zoned residential, but majority of land-zoned residential
- . residential. residential.
- </c> new uh residential and commercial law. new uh residential and commercial law.
Committee:
House Housing
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
Professional Registration and Licensing -continued- Feb 25th, 2026 at 03:26 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- But you also said that you would be considered a residential facility.
- They are a residential facility. They're licensed.
- Some of our treatment centers are residential facilities. They are licensed.
- It's not the residential setting.
- It's not the residential setting. It's nothing like a gopice.
Summary:
The committee continued a public hearing on House Bill 2897, which would expand optometrists’ scope of practice. Supporters, including Dr. Kelly Deering, said optometrists are trained to perform the listed office-based procedures, that rural Missouri lacks access to ophthalmologists, and that the bill would reduce wait times, travel burdens, and costs while helping retain students and practitioners in the state. Opponents, including representatives of the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons, argued the bill does not guarantee rural access and said the procedures should remain within the medical/surgical training of physicians. Members also questioned training on live human eyes and how suspicious lesions would be handled. No vote was taken, and the hearing on HB 2897 was closed.
The committee then heard House Bill 2353, which would create a licensing and sign-and-seal framework for interior designers and move oversight to the board that includes architects, engineers, land surveyors, and landscape architects. Sponsor Rep. Sherri Gallick and supporters said the bill modernizes regulation, recognizes accredited education and NCIDQ testing, and would let licensed interior designers take responsibility for non-structural interior design work without hiring an architect to stamp plans. Opponents from the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers and others said they were still negotiating but remained concerned about scope-of-practice language, especially phrases like “all interior design of buildings” and “publicly occupied buildings,” which they said could create overlap with architecture and engineering or unintended obligations for public entities. Testimony also focused on whether unlicensed interior designers would still be allowed to work under carve-outs. No final action was taken.
Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2241, which would create a separate framework for certain faith-based residential child care facilities to operate without a state license while registering with the state and meeting background-check, reporting, and oversight requirements. Sponsor Rep. Jamie Gregg and MACA representatives said the bill is intended to expand foster placement capacity for children in need while preserving the religious mission of Christian homes, and they cited federal and state initiatives encouraging partnerships with faith-based providers. Opponents argued the bill would create a two-tier system, weaken state licensing protections, and risk placing vulnerable children in facilities without the same direct oversight, inspections, and reunification safeguards as licensed foster homes. Members raised concerns about abuse history at some faith-based homes, the role of the proposed board, and whether religious practices or other mission-based rules would conflict with child welfare standards. The hearing continued with additional testimony; no vote was reported.