Transcript Highlights:

• That will or the basic supplemental aid.
• often goes by its acronym L to basic often goes by its acronym L to basic supplemental<00:10:27.519
• <00:10:48.480> supplemental new first tier of basic supplemental new first tier of basic supplemental
• If you care about and the work we do.
• This funding basic supplemental revenue.

Bills: HF1388

Keywords: BARR Center, Building Assets, Reducing Risks, education finance, school funding, grant appropriation, evidence-based program, student achievement, social and emotional learning, school climate, teacher effectiveness, high school graduation, students in poverty, students of color, BIPOC, equity in education, Minnesota Department of Education, urban schools, suburban schools, rural schools, school coaching

Transcript Highlights:

• We care for all people regardless of their ability to pay.
• Can't provide health care services.
• As I sit on the Primary Care Council for New Mexico and the Health Care Authority.
• Care Authority to really look at this.
• Everyone wants to care for their family, but they don't care because they're from out of state.

Transcript Highlights:

• they're not working because of... ...a physical or mental health reason, if they're pregnant, taking care
• of a child younger than age six, or someone who needs help caring for themselves, if they're already
• There is job search training, supervised job search, volunteering, basic skills instruction, career or
• They also offer basic and foundational skills instruction, general studies, and GED.
• of your mom, you know, if you're taking care of your mom, you know, if you're taking care of your mom

Summary: The subcommittee received a brief DHS update on the Living Choices Assisted Living Waiver reimbursement rate process, with Secretary Janet Mann reporting that the new cost reporting period began in January and that DHS has begun provider and contractor conference calls as the process moves forward. The bulk of the meeting focused on DHS’s overview of TANF and, especially, SNAP changes under the federal One Big Beautiful Bill. Mary Franklin explained new SNAP work requirements for adults ages 18 to 64 who are not otherwise exempt, including the three-month time limit in a 36-month period unless they meet an 80-hour monthly work, volunteer, education, or training requirement. She also reviewed exemptions, noted that some prior exemptions were removed while new tribal-related exemptions were added, and described SNAP Employment and Training providers, budgets, service areas, participant characteristics, and outcomes. Members asked about how mandatory referrals will work, whether funding and vendors are sufficient, how cross-program participation is tracked, how verification and recertification will be handled, and how error rates and sanctions will be managed. DHS said mandatory participants will be referred directly to providers, verification will occur at application and recertification, interviews can be by phone, and the department will return with more information on error-rate mitigation and other requested data. DHS then outlined upcoming Medicaid community engagement requirements for the ARHOME population under the same federal law, which must be implemented by January 1, 2027. The department said it is preparing policy, system changes, data matching, communications, and an outbound customer-service verification process, with a soft launch planned for July to help identify who would meet the requirement or need to provide more information. Members raised concerns about notice, local versus centralized decision-making, and how clients will document work, school, caregiving, or medical exemptions. The meeting concluded with broader discussion of the Alliance for Opportunity audit and a shared emphasis on using SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, and workforce programs together to improve outcomes, expand training options, and better connect Arkansans to education and employment opportunities. The committee also discussed extending the audit contract at a future meeting and adjourned without taking any formal vote in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• In rural areas, there is a child care shortage. It's a child care desert.
• Not the typical child care, but the learning piece of the child care.
• The child care crisis. Mr.
• We must have regulated care. We must take care of our children.
• And access to quality child care, affordable child care.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They need and they deserve better care and better resources than that.
• I mean, that's basically 13,445 people.
• Basically, there were too many technicalities.
• Kind, caring, a great athlete. Loved his family.
• For three decades, MTC has remained committed to quality care and transparency.

Bills: HB153, HB1410, HB1461, HB1760, HB1762, HB3261, HB3773, HB153

Keywords: education, funding, student resources, technology access, equal opportunity, veterans treatment court, mental health, criminal justice, rehabilitation, eligibility criteria, veterans, treatment court, military service, legislation, private prisons, inmate confinement, criminal justice reform, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, government contracts, inmate housing

Transcript Highlights:

• for producing health care workforce degrees that fall under CIP Code 51.
• So let's seize this opportunity and invest in the future of Texas health care.
• That basically means. That we need a 42% increase to meet that demand.
• just to basically wrap this thing up.
• University, which are basically our six flagships plus, I believe, UT.

Bills: HB 1105, HB1527, HB1787, HB1972, HB2081, HB3296, HB3976, HB4071, HB4234, HB4438, HB4701, HB5092, HB5150, HB5180, HB5265, HB5333, HJR203

Keywords: tuition exemption, paramedics, higher education, laboratory fees, emergency medical services, peace officers, criminal justice, law enforcement, degree programs, public institutions, HB 1787, HPV, human papillomavirus, college health, university health, student health, public health education, prevention program, screening, early detection

Transcript Highlights:

• The state can't then go get that money back; it's basically signed over.
• So if members... it's basically signed over.
• So that's basically how it works in most industry.
• And we talk about access to care, and these are folks who give care or keep workplaces safe from chemical
• I mean, what we’re seeing is basically an erosion of the professionals who take care of workers and help

Summary: The committee heard a report on the Underground Economy Task Force in Washington’s construction industry. Labor and Industries said the task force, created by a 2024 budget proviso, met 11 times and developed consensus recommendations to improve enforcement against worker misclassification, unregistered contractors, and unpaid taxes and premiums. Consensus items included defining and regulating construction labor providers, improving interagency data sharing, increasing penalties for repeat offenders, expanding L&I authority over successor accountability, reviewing agency penalty rules, and exploring tracking of cash payments. Majority-but-not-consensus ideas included posting subcontractor notices at job sites, setting an independent-contractor threshold that would trigger L&I review, holding direct contractors liable for unpaid wages owed by subcontractors, and reviewing reporting requirements. Testifiers from labor, business, and the Attorney General’s Office generally supported stronger enforcement and transparency, while business representatives cautioned against overregulation and said any new rules should avoid burdening legitimate contractors or restricting lawful cash payments and independent contracting. L&I said the final report would be distributed by December 31 and the task force work group would be reconvened. The committee then reviewed the wage recovery work group report. L&I explained current wage complaint procedures and said the work group, made up of labor and business representatives, reached five consensus recommendations: allow L&I to prioritize wage complaints strategically, permit aggregation of related complaints, raise the minimum penalty under the Wage Payment Act from $1,000 to $1,500 and create a penalty matrix, improve employer awareness with materials for new hires, and establish a wage recovery fund. The fund would be seeded by penalties, would not require new employer assessments, and would allow limited early payments to eligible workers facing hardship, with a proposed cap of $2,500 and a later review of the program. Business and labor representatives both supported the overall framework, though business raised concerns about fraud safeguards and recovery of funds if a claim is later found invalid. Members also received an overview of Washington’s apprenticeship system. L&I described the state’s apprenticeship agency structure, the Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council, and the difference between Washington’s state apprenticeship standards and the federal Office of Apprenticeship system. The presentation highlighted current participation levels, program approval and objection processes, and strong post-completion outcomes, including median annual earnings above $100,000 and an estimated $7.80 return for every public dollar invested. Committee members asked about how apprentices apply, how sponsors work with L&I, and whether recurring objections could be addressed earlier in the process. Finally, the committee heard updates on wildland firefighter respiratory protection, federal cuts to NIOSH, and economic and federal policy impacts on unemployment insurance and workforce services. L&I said wildland firefighters face significant smoke exposure and cancer risk, but current rules do not require respiratory protection for that work because of technical and operational challenges; the agency is watching efforts in other jurisdictions and at the federal level. On NIOSH, L&I warned that federal staffing and grant cuts could weaken occupational safety research, training pipelines, and programs affecting Washington workers, including firefighter cancer tracking and Hanford exposure assessments. ESD reported rising UI claims, a stable unemployment rate, and pressure on the trust fund, while also describing technology and process changes that have improved claims handling. ESD also said HR1 will significantly increase demand on WorkSource services through new work-search requirements for SNAP and Medicaid recipients, creating an unfunded mandate that the agency is preparing to implement with partner agencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're bright young people who are just so they care so deeply about our state and our community.
• The reality is that when we are talking about care for our littlest Minnesotans, we are talking about
• Um, you know, I think for me that the top of the list is going to be child care again.
• I think there's there child care again.
• things, food, rent, mortgage, basic things, food, rent, mortgage, child<00:08:51.440> care,<00

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The discussion focused on several policy areas the legislator expects to work on in 2026, especially higher education, child care, and government trust issues. On higher education, she said the committee will likely remain budget-heavy but she hopes to expand the North Star Promise program to more middle-income Minnesotans, noting the current $80,000 income cutoff is below the state median and that the program has been a “game changer” for enrollment and access. She also revisited House File 2617, a child care licensing bill that did not advance in full but had some pieces included in the children and families budget. She described it as an effort to modernize licensing so providers are treated more like educators, with less focus on rigid rules and more on helping them focus on children’s care and development while still maintaining safety. She said child care remains her top issue for 2026, along with broader affordability concerns such as food, rent, mortgage payments, health insurance, and prescription drugs. The conversation also touched on a bill she has to impose a one-year waiting period before former legislators can register as lobbyists, which she framed as a perception and trust issue rather than a legal conflict of interest. She said the goal is to reassure the public that lawmakers are serving constituents rather than preparing for lobbying jobs after leaving office. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in this interview-style discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• So basically... ...disciplinary confinement in at least the last two years.
• You basically have to demonstrate that you're... ...transfers. And you can read on there.
• You basically have to demonstrate that you're not very cooperative.
• So we have basically re-engineered this and said every prison is going to be a re-entry center.
• You know, I have faith in this process that you’re going to take care of it.

Summary: The Senate Criminal Justice Committee met with Vice Chair Smith presiding in Chair Martin’s excused absence. After opening remarks from several senators, the committee heard a presentation from Department of Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon on the state’s incentivized prisons program and related population-management efforts. Dixon said the department now operates eight incentivized prisons, which use enhanced privileges and programming for well-behaved inmates, and reported major reductions in disciplinary reports, staff assaults, inmate-on-inmate assaults, and uses of force compared with average institutions. He also described administrative management units for more disruptive inmates, short-sentence correctional institutions for those with less than a year to serve, and a reentry strategy that places inmates closer to home within 18 months of release. Dixon said Florida’s recidivism rate has fallen to about 21 percent, among the lowest in the nation, and emphasized that staffing, programming, and facility repairs remain ongoing needs. Committee members asked about access to education and workforce training, staffing levels, contraband, technology upgrades, heating and air-conditioning maintenance, and whether incentivized prisons could be expanded. Dixon said educational access is improving but remains limited by eligibility and staffing, that the incentivized facilities are at capacity, and that expansion depends on adding more administrative management unit beds. He also said the department is increasing use of technology, improving maintenance oversight, and continuing efforts to reduce contraband and improve staff recruitment and retention. Several senators praised the department’s work and urged more funding for prison infrastructure and officer pay. Public testimony largely supported the incentivized prisons model while calling for more seats, better staffing, and broader reforms. Family members of incarcerated people said the facilities were safer, more stable, and better for rehabilitation, though they asked for more programming, better treatment by staff, and clearer access to education and release-related opportunities. A Florida PBA representative emphasized that programs can only succeed with safe staffing levels and better pay and retention for correctional officers. No formal committee vote or bill action was taken, and the meeting ended after public testimony and closing remarks.

Transcript Highlights:

• > state lack of mental health care in the state lack of mental health care in the state um<03:
• that requirement to mental health care that requirement to mental health care providers<03:29:27.359
• a dentist or any other health care a dentist or any other health care provider<03:41:55.199>
• doesn't fall under the Affordable Care doesn't fall under the Affordable Care Act<03:43:28.680><
• company to tell our healthc care company to tell our healthc care providers<03:49:10.080> that

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee first took up several bills and repeatedly chose to retain or table them rather than advance them. House 167, dealing with past wax, was voted ought to pass; House 312 was retained because members said NCAA-related advertising and uniform policy issues were still unresolved; House 434, requiring insurers to provide rental cars for at least seven days, was voted inexpedient to legislate; and House 454, on biodegradable packaging claims, was also voted inexpedient to legislate after members said the proposal lacked a workable enforcement mechanism and would likely be only a symbolic state-by-state measure. House 721, making gold legal tender, was retained, with members saying the bill needed more work and that the issue was less compelling in New Hampshire because the state has no sales tax. The committee then discussed House 310, which was amended to create a study commission on blockchain and related regulatory issues. The amendment expanded the commission’s charge to include legal, regulatory, financial, technological, and environmental considerations, added review of federal developments, included blockchain-based trust and stable token issues, broadened membership, and extended the repeal and report dates by a year. Members said the commission would help New Hampshire develop expertise and a report for future legislation, while also noting that federal action could affect the state’s role. The amendment was adopted 8-1, and the bill itself was then retained. Finally, the subcommittee heard a revised amendment to House 406 on business filings and registered agents. The Secretary of State’s office explained that the amendment, drafted with input from the Business and Industry Association, narrows the bill to address fraudulent or unauthorized entity filings after a written complaint and sworn statement, sets minimum requirements for registered agents, bars use of commercial mail-drop addresses as registered offices, and allows removal or cancellation of fraudulent filings with penalties for false filings. Members asked about which entities must maintain registered offices and how the rules would affect home-based businesses; the sponsor said most New Hampshire business entities must have a registered office, with some exceptions such as domestic nonprofits and trade names. The discussion emphasized concerns about synthetic entities, identity misuse, and the need for a physical in-state registered agent address.

Transcript Highlights:

• the holiday weekend, we worked and we came up with a set of amendments, and I believe we've taken care
• And it's basically considering the definitions.
• And it's basically considering the definitions.
• I feel like if these nonprofits, when it comes to that, are taking care of these adults and children
• Chair, are you opposed to all gender-affirming care for minors? No, no, Representative.

Summary: The House Committee on Health and Welfare met on May 26 for what was described as the last meeting of the legislative session. H.R. 318 was voluntarily deferred without discussion. The committee first took up H.R. 298, which would have directed the Louisiana Department of Health, with the legislative auditor, to study LDH’s relationships with certain nonprofits, foundations, professional associations, and other nongovernmental entities. The author presented amendments narrowing the definitions, but LDH testified the language was still too broad, would still require substantial review of contracts, memberships, conferences, and related interactions, and would still carry a significant fiscal note. Members raised concerns that hospitals, provider associations, nonprofit care facilities, and other stakeholders could be swept in. The author then voluntarily deferred the resolution, and the committee agreed without objection. The committee then heard Senate Bill 405, which establishes a statewide quality oversight initiative for nursing facilities, directs LDH to work with facilities on care standards and remediation for lower-rated homes, and requires reporting and transparency for families. The bill drew broad support from members and stakeholders, including nursing home and senior advocacy groups, and was reported favorably without objection. House Resolution 290, which asked LDH to study a possible correlation between gender-affirming hormone therapy medications and psychosis or related psychiatric conditions in people 26 and younger, prompted questions about the purpose of the study and concerns that it could affect broader policy debates. The author, a licensed clinical social worker, said the request was intended to examine whether medications were being used too quickly and what effects they might have on adolescent mental health; after discussion, the author voluntarily deferred the resolution, and the committee agreed. Finally, the committee considered Senate Concurrent Resolution 61, urging LDH and commercial insurers to increase reimbursement rates for behavioral health crisis centers operating under a crisis receiving center license. Testimony focused on the Bridge Center for Hope, described as the state’s only Level 3 crisis receiving center, and the need to revisit Medicaid reimbursement for the first 23 hours of crisis care. With no questions or objections, the resolution was adopted. The meeting ended with members thanking the chair and staff, and the committee adjourned for the year.

Transcript Highlights:

• WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL AND GO FOR THE GOALS.
• WE ARE GETTING THE OPTIMAL CLINICAL CARE.
• I ALSO WANT TO MENTION ABOUT IF WE CAN IMAGINE THE KIND OF CARE WHAT I CALL HIGH-TECH, HIGH TOUCH CARE
• I DO SAY WE ARE VERY CAREFUL TO PROTECT PATIENT INFORMATION.
• SHOULD HAVE MORE TIME TO DO PATIENT CARE.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then what level of care would you have to transport maybe to another facility for care?
• Um, overnight intensive care.
• for care? for care? >> Thank<00:09:56.880> you. >> Thank you.
• basically a green tax on top of that. basically a green tax on top of that.
• 36.080> infrastructure<01:47:36.880> work basic nuts and bolts infrastructure work basic

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c> is<00:15:56.480> stressful Planning for child care is stressful Planning for child care
• don't want to have to pay for child care don't want to have to pay for child care if<00:16:04.800
• basically after the continuing basically after the continuing resolutions<01:40:18.800> um
• Health and Human Services basically Health and Human Services basically starts<01:41:58.719>
• nurtured and cared for from day one. nurtured and cared for from day one.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• provide child care for free to families or low cost and will pay child care workers and child care programs
• provide child care for free to families or low cost and will pay child care workers and child care programs
• provide child care for free to families or low cost and will pay child care workers and child care programs
• provide child care for free to families or low cost and will pay child care workers and child care programs
• care in Alabama. care in Alabama.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee began with introductions of student guests, including an FCCLA national officer who spoke in support of career and technical education. She emphasized that CTE connects classroom learning to real careers, builds leadership and employability skills, and deserves continued state supplemental funding to keep programs current, expand offerings, and support student organizations. Members thanked her for her remarks and for representing FCCLA students. The committee then considered House Bill 67, a cleanup bill to address unintended consequences from last session’s Senate Bill 181 on traceable communication in schools. Rep. Josh Calloway explained that the substitute clarified definitions of family members, coaches, volunteers, certified/classified/contract employees, and virtual instruction; exempted group messaging, public social media posts, translation services, parent-provided phone numbers, emergency communications, and field trip/work-based learning contacts; and allowed teachers to disclose outside commercial or nonprofit involvement so they can communicate with students for those purposes. He said the bill was developed with input from school boards, administrators, KDE, school HR groups, Kentucky League of Cities, and Farm Bureau. The committee approved the substitute and passed HB 67 favorably. Next, the committee heard House Bill 759, which KDE described as a consistency bill for teacher certification pathways. The bill renames and standardizes alternative certification routes, clarifies content mastery requirements, allows teachers to add certifications more consistently, and lets educators extend certification into lower grade bands if they already hold higher-level certification and pedagogical knowledge. Members asked about chemistry majors, CTE occupational pathways, the veterans pathway, and grade-band “bandwidth”; KDE said the bill preserves the veterans route, does not create a new pathway but reorganizes existing ones, and will help make certification options easier to understand. HB 759 also passed favorably. Finally, Rep. Shane Baker presented House Bill 654, a follow-up to last year’s effort to reduce administrative burdens on schools. He said the bill would eliminate additional reporting requirements, bar KDE from requiring components of a comprehensive improvement plan not expressly required by statute or federal law, and allow EARS to temporarily authorize reports when the legislature is not in session while preserving necessary reporting tied to SEEK funding and school operations. The committee took up the substitute and began discussion of the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• and appropriate care.
• who improve access to care and enhanced care delivery.
• The PA profession continues to improve access to care, improve continuity of care, and health care delivery
• Giving people care that need care, right?
• Is giving people seen, giving people care that need care, right?

Summary: The joint sunset oversight hearing reviewed five regulatory entities: the Board of Behavioral Sciences, the Board of Psychology, the Physician Assistant Board, the Podiatric Medical Board, and the California Massage Therapy Council. Across the hearing, each entity described recent accomplishments, licensing and enforcement workload, workforce shortages, and efforts to modernize processes. Common themes included streamlining licensure, expanding access to care, addressing telehealth or emerging technology, and balancing consumer protection with workforce needs. For the Board of Behavioral Sciences, members discussed workforce shortages in mental health, supervision barriers, telehealth confidentiality, AI in therapy, interstate compacts, school-based services, and military spouse licensure. The board said it has expanded outreach, improved licensing processes, and created temporary practice authority tracking, while also expressing concern about counseling compacts and emphasizing California-specific law, ethics, and cultural competency. Public commenters supported the board’s work and the possible move to a national MFT exam, while also urging more resources. The Board of Psychology highlighted fee adjustments, streamlined licensure pathways, enforcement process improvements, new CPD requirements, and proposed changes including a psychotherapist-client privilege exception for investigations. Committee members and public witnesses focused heavily on that privilege proposal, with some members opposing it as too broad and privacy-invasive, while the board argued it is needed to obtain records in bias and sexual misconduct cases. The board also discussed workforce shortages, processing improvements, and the use of inactive status for psychological associates. The Physician Assistant Board reported growth in the PA workforce and education programs, SB 697 implementation, and financial pressure from rising enforcement costs. The main policy debate centered on physician-to-PA ratios and practice agreements, with board representatives and many public commenters arguing that current restrictions limit access to care, especially in rural areas, while the California Medical Association defended the need for explicit ratios and agreements. The board also discussed AI, fee increases, and tracking temporary practice authority. The Podiatric Medical Board described licensing and renewal reforms, residency expansion, enforcement support, and budget constraints, while public testimony raised concerns about a proposed fee increase and about reimbursement parity and practice recognition for podiatrists. Finally, the California Massage Therapy Council defended the certification model over licensure, citing lower costs, local government collaboration, anti-trafficking work, and its role in vetting applications and disciplining bad actors; no formal votes or final actions were taken during this portion of the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I guess even basic sustainable health care for our ESPs.
• I guess even basic sustainable health care for our ESPs.
• They just were able to keep their health care as health care costs were rising.
• They just were able to keep their health care as health care costs were rising.
• They just were able to keep their health care as health care costs were rising.

Bills: HF238, HF3381, HF3754, HF1049

Keywords: microenterprise home kitchen operation, cottage food, home-based food business, home kitchen license, homemade food, prepared food, food entrepreneur, small food business, cottage food law, food safety training, ServSafe, food handler license, agriculture department, Minnesota food law, residential kitchen, local zoning, consumer labeling, allergen labeling, unpasteurized juice, time/temperature control for safety food

Transcript Highlights:

• If you say that you really care<01:15:08.880> about care about care about um<01:15:11.760>
• c> talking<01:24:46.880> about So basically what we're talking about So basically what we're
• steadfast partner to fight for basic steadfast partner to fight for basic justice<01:26:04.320><
• important programming, which I care important programming, which I care about.<01:51:12.480>
• I care about Medicaid. I want about. I care about Medicaid.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And we show, of course, this is from basically We- And we show, of course, this is basically from 2025
• It's basically companionality.
• This chart basically shows the leads in each of these areas.
• You say, Mitchell, who really cares about this?
• So that's the last piece that you have to take care of.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Whether seniors, newborns, or everyone in between, rural Minnesotans deserve access to basic health care
• Whether seniors, newborns, or everyone in between, rural Minnesotans deserve access to basic health care
• Whether seniors, newborns, or everyone in between, rural Minnesotans deserve access to basic health care
• Whether seniors, newborns, or everyone in between, rural Minnesotans deserve access to basic health care
• Whether seniors, newborns, or everyone in between, rural Minnesotans deserve access to basic health care

Keywords: 1187, senate, all