Transcript Highlights:

• And I do agree that DOH should be able to recover fees for what the fee is supposed to go to.
• And I do agree that DOH should be able to recover fees for what the fee is supposed to go to.
• And I do agree that DOH should be able to recover fees for what the fee is supposed to go to.
• And I do agree that DOH should be able to recover fees for what the fee is supposed to go to.
• And I do agree that DOH should be able to recover fees for what the fee is supposed to go to.

Bills: SB5420 , SB5877 , SB5868 , SB5109 , SB5832 , SB5922 , SB5944 , SB5988 , SB6065 , SB6103 , SB6151

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: veterans, military spouses, service members, uniformed services, National Guard, reservists, active duty, qualifying discharge, veterans preference, hiring preference, public employment, state benefits, license renewal, professional licensing, retirement service credit, pension, public retirement system, Washington RCW, military leave, reemployment rights

Transcript Highlights:

• costs and attorney fees.
• It also has this ridiculous fee-switching provision that allows the plaintiff to collect attorney's fees
• That is not how fee switching works.
• Well, we have fee-shifting provisions all throughout...
• There was a recent note from the FDA; this is the FDA. They reviewed the data.

Bills: HB7 , SB 8 , HB7 , SB 8

Committee: House State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• You imagine FDA lining up to sue these people?
• Now, our bill does allow it to be behind... ...what's appropriate if it's done in accordance with FDA
• It also removes the filing application fee for insurance licensure for all veterans.
• It also removes the filing application fee for insurance licensure for all veterans.
• It also removes the filing application fee for insurance licensure for all veterans.

Transcript Highlights:

• For 95% of rare diseases, there's no FDA-approved treatment at all.
• What they cannot do is hold up the FDA approval of an FDA-approved rare disease treatment behind redundant
• We are not second-guessing the FDA scientific review or the physician's clinical judgment.
• We are not second-guessing the FDA scientific review or the physician's clinical judgment.
• This fee is contractually agreed by the primary plan and the subcontractor.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard a long agenda of health-related bills, with most items presented for later vote once quorum was reached. Early in the hearing, the committee adopted a consent calendar of multiple bills with motions for due pass to Appropriations, and it noted that AB 2029 had been pulled from the agenda. The committee also took up AB 1973, a bill by Aguiar-Curry to expand who may provide procedural abortion care. Supporters, including physicians and certified nurse midwives, argued the bill would align law with current training and improve access, while opponents said later-term abortion procedures require physician-level surgical training and raised safety concerns. The author emphasized hands-on training, consultation, and transfer protocols, and the bill was held pending quorum with a motion and second recorded. The committee then heard AB 1558 by Arambula, which would adopt the Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act to speed the use of out-of-state licensed volunteers during declared disasters. Supporters from the Uniform Law Commission and the Red Cross said the bill would reduce delays and clarify legal authority for volunteer health workers; there was no opposition testimony. AB 2282 by Alanis, a temporary rural emergency stabilization center for Patterson while a permanent hospital is built, drew support from local emergency responders and a late opposition from the California chapter of ACEP. The chair praised the bill as a creative local solution and agreed to coauthor it; a motion and second were recorded, with the vote to occur later. Several public health access bills followed. AB 1843 by El-Hawari would limit prior authorization and align hepatitis C treatment coverage with medical guidelines; supporters said it would remove barriers to a curable disease, while health plans opposed it as a mandate, citing premium impacts and the recent SB 306 prior-authorization process. AB 2247 by El-Hawari would create the THRIVE program for mental health services for youth affected by gun violence; Youth Alive and other supporters described trauma-informed, community-based care, and the chair and another member asked to be added as coauthors. AB 2138 by Krell would expand access to certified peer support specialists in enhanced care management and remove automatic disqualifications based solely on criminal history; supporters said peers are essential to engagement and recovery, and the bill was held with a motion and second. Later, AB 1682 by Hart would require coverage of scalp cooling for chemotherapy patients, with emotional testimony from cancer survivors and clinicians; insurers opposed it as another mandate, but the author stressed the modest per-member cost and the bill was moved with a motion and second. AB 1879 by Dixon would standardize data reporting for alcohol and drug treatment facilities, including private providers, to improve statewide information on outcomes and access; the bill drew broad support from recovery organizations and the prior opposition was withdrawn after amendments. AB 1906 by Aguiar-Curry would require coverage of at-home cervical cancer screening kits without cost sharing; supporters cited improved access for rural and working Californians, insurers opposed it on affordability grounds, and the bill passed on a recorded roll call after quorum was established. Finally, AB 1556 by Haney would clarify and support drug-free recovery housing and return-to-use policies; supporters said it would expand sober housing options, while opponents warned it could allow evictions after relapse and conflict with Housing First principles. The hearing ended with the bill still under discussion and opposition-unless-amended concerns noted.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's unfortunately the FDA has not weighed in.
• </c> digital therapeutics that are FDA digital therapeutics that are FDA related<01:06:44.880><c> or<
• It could be cost of license fees.
• paid for by the users of the program.
• paid for by the users of the program.

Committee: House Executive Departments and Administration

Bills: SB341 , SB340 , SB341 , SB354 , SB340

Committee: Senate Transportation and Energy

Keywords: SB341, Alabama, veteran license plate, veteran tag, distinctive license tag, specialty plate, radiation exposure, atomic bomb testing, ionizing radiation, World War II veterans, Vietnam veterans, Korean War veterans, Cold War veterans, Desert Storm, Desert Shield, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Inherent Resolve, Department of Veterans Affairs, probate judge

Bills: SSB3002 , SSB3033 , SSB3040 , SSB3038 , SSB3078 , SJR2007 , SF2022 , SSB3075

Committee: Joint State Government

Keywords: pari-mutuel wagering, dog racing, gaming commission, license fees, simulcast, administrative services, historical resources, Iowa City, regulatory change, state agency structure, Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, sports wagering, sports betting, advance deposit wagering, advance deposit sports wagering, illegal gambling, unlicensed gambling, cease and desist, injunctive relief, unlawful betting

Transcript Highlights:

• Achievement Council to establish rules to determine the time period and amount for which tuition and fees
• Achievement Council to establish rules to determine the time period and amount for which tuition and fees

Bills: HB2438 , HB2422 , HB2525 , HB2586 , HB2427 , HB2458 , HB2474 , HB2540 , HB2589

Committee: House Postsecondary Education & Workforce

Keywords: education, scholarship, early childhood, funding, higher education, early education, support, degree seekers, private security, security guard, armed security guard, security company, licensing fees, license renewal, endorsement fee, fingerprints, background check, workforce retention, low-wage workers, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• The fees are typically incurred when customers make just-in-time payments.
• We require clear disclosure to consumers before any fee is charged.
• To your point, these fees can already be charged, but then the accusation could be made that the fees
• There's that fee that they can charge, which we would say is reasonable.
• making money off of the fee believes is reasonable.

Bills: S0386 , S0528 , S0806 , S0696 , S0930 , S0874 , S0898 , S0826 , S0838

Committee: Senate Commerce and Tourism

Keywords: farm equipment, agricultural machinery, farm machinery, tractor, combine, harvester, implements, warranty, lemon law, defective equipment, repair rights, consumer protection, manufacturer liability, authorized service agent, replacement, refund, rural agriculture, urban agriculture, Florida Statutes, chapter 604

Transcript Highlights:

• allows a ship to register their ship under another country to avoid certain regulations, taxes, and fees
• regulations, country to avoid certain regulations, taxes,<02:11:49.199><c> and</c><02:11:49.440><c> fees
• c><02:11:50.239><c> associated</c><02:11:50.800><c> with</c><02:11:51.040><c> their</c> taxes, and fees
• associated with their taxes, and fees associated with their country.<02:11:52.159><c> Among</c><02:11

Bills: HB1804 , HB1642 , HB1621 , HB1634 , HR789 , HR787 , HB1816 , HB3490 , SB160

Keywords: 7(a) loan program, Small Business Administration, SBA, small business lending, loan brokers, loan consultants, referral agents, loan intermediaries, fraud oversight, transparency, reporting requirements, loan fees, referral fees, interest rates, business financing, small business loans, lender oversight, application assistance, Congressional reporting, small business

Transcript Highlights:

• Pursuant to the statute, the fees collected by the two permits were to be split equally: half of the
• During the last biennium fiscal year 22-23, $6.08 million was generated from these permit fees.
• And does your bill address these fees, because this goes on in Harris County too?
• There's a $1.25 toll, and then there's a $50 fee. Right, it does not address the...
• It's their fault anyway, but if I had my way, I would strip their fee-making authority.

Bills: HB1589 , HB2208 , HB2297 , HB2560 , HB2725 , HB3080 , HB4417 , HB4473 , HB4520 , HB4662 , HB4888 , HB4905 , HB4906

Committee: House S/C on Transportation Funding

Keywords: HB 1589, toll road, toll project, toll project entity, voter approval, local control, county election, commissioners court, Transportation Code, Chapter 372, road construction, highway funding, infrastructure, public referendum, ballot measure, transportation policy, Texas toll roads, regional mobility, toll collection, vehicle registration

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:01:33.399><c> effects</c><00:01:33.720><c> on</c><00:01:33.880><c> the</c><00:01:34.280><c> user
• </c> have adverse health effects on the user have adverse health effects on the user toxic<00:01:35.720
• Control agency and FDA and our organization<00:04:51.440><c> have</c><00:04:51.680><c> tested</c><00
• FDA did an investigation on larger retailers, and they found that many of these retailers were selling
• FDA did an investigation on larger retailers, and they found that many of these retailers were selling

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:20:33.600><c> u</c><00:20:33.679><c> might</c><00:20:33.919><c> want</c> think of a large load user
• u might want think of a large load user u might want 10<00:20:34.400><c> of</c><00:20:34.559><c> these
• So they are FDA approved for glioblastoma.
• They actually just made breaking news about a month or two ago, where they have now FDA approval for
• for where they have now FDA approval for their<01:09:52.319><c> tumor</c><01:09:52.640><c> treating<

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• We then collect a fee, and that fee is currently set and is placed into the insurance regulatory fund
• That fee is one of those things that has been set.
• We then collect a fee, and that fee is currently set and is placed into the insurance regulatory fund
• That fee is one of those things that has been set. refund.
• That fee is one of those things that has been set.

Summary: The committee first approved the previous meeting minutes and then heard a detailed annual report from Dr. Thomas Arnold, chair of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, on maternal mortality trends and policy issues. He explained the committee’s review process, confidentiality protections, and national and North Dakota data showing that most maternal deaths are preventable and that mental health conditions, substance use, cardiovascular issues, infection, hemorrhage, and embolism are the leading causes. Members asked about suicide, domestic violence, midwife training, home births, and whether pregnancy testing at death scenes should be expanded; Dr. Arnold said better coroner education, more investigation of unexplained deaths, and possible post-mortem pregnancy testing could improve case identification, especially in rural areas. He also noted that deaths often occur well after 42 days postpartum and that mental health-related deaths remain a major concern. The committee then heard from State Fire Marshal Dr. Matthew Clark on cigarette reduced-ignition-propensity standards and related fire prevention issues. He recommended updating the state’s cigarette propensity law to current national standards and also raised a separate recommendation to require fast-breakaway oxygen tubing for home oxygen users, citing fatal fires linked to smoking around oxygen. Members asked about implementation, cost, insurance coverage, and whether the standards apply in tribal communities; Dr. Clark said he would provide follow-up information and was willing to help with any legislation, but no agency bill had yet been planned. Next, Christine Greff of the Department of Health and Human Services reported on the North Dakota Stroke System of Care. She described the statewide network of stroke-ready hospitals, registry-based quality improvement, and performance data showing continued improvement in stroke recognition, imaging, thrombolytic treatment, transfers, and EMS pre-notification. She highlighted new quality measures for inter-facility transfers and intracerebral hemorrhage care, and said the system remains strong but depends on continued legislative and hospital support. Committee members asked about participation by the VA hospital and were encouraged to consider outreach to include it more fully in the stroke system. Finally, the committee began a presentation on prior authorization and non-opioid pain treatment from Taha Khan of Vertex Pharmaceuticals. He argued that prior authorization can delay access to non-opioid acute pain medications, especially in the 24- to 72-hour post-discharge window when pain is most severe, and said delays can push patients toward opioids. He emphasized that prior authorization has a role in utilization management but should not create barriers in acute pain care, and he noted that current use of the company’s non-opioid product remains very low. The discussion was still underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don’t know that all of the drugs that they’re pursuing are already FDA approved.
• So Missouri's, I mean, I know this because I'm also a consumer of the product, right, at the end user
• The real kicker is some of them charge a $300 installation fee, and some don't charge any.
• The real kicker is some of them charge a $300 installation fee, and some don't charge any.
• fee goes to fund this.

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• You imagine FDA lining up to sue these people?
• Now, our bill does allow it to be behind... ...what's appropriate if it's done in accordance with FDA
• It creates a provision for qualified entities to designate a user administrator to act as the primary
• It also removes the filing application fee for insurance licensure.
• It also removes the filing application fee for insurance licensure for all veterans.

Summary: The Senate began with opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognitions, including the doctor of the day and a lighthearted “Cannoli Day” introduction. The chamber then held an extended farewell celebration for Senator Joe Gruters, with numerous senators, colleagues, and family members praising his loyalty, political skill, family focus, and service in the Legislature and Republican Party. Gruters was presented with a commemorative gift recognizing his work on a 2019 public-safety and immigration bill that prohibited sanctuary cities and required local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The Senate adopted a motion to spread Gruters’s remarks upon the journal and then recessed briefly. After recess, the Senate returned to regular business and took up third-reading bills. Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 354, relating to blue ribbon projects, was temporarily postponed. The chamber then considered Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1758, relating to public assistance, with Senator Gates explaining that it contained five reforms to the public assistance system discussed earlier in session. During debate on SB 1758, Senator Berman opposed the bill, saying he could not support it in its current form because he believed the Medicaid-related provisions would create a coverage cliff after the one-year transition period and could leave people without care while increasing costs to hospitals and taxpayers. He also said SNAP error reduction should be a priority, but argued the state should focus on fixing administrative errors and fraud rather than imposing a work requirement whose costs and effects were uncertain.

Transcript Highlights:

• You imagine FDA lining up to sue these people?
• Now, our bill does allow it to be behind... ...what’s appropriate if it’s done in accordance with FDA
• It creates a provision for qualified entities to designate a user administrator to act as the primary
• It also removes the filing application fee for insurance licensure.
• It also removes the filing application fee for insurance licensure for all veterans.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions, then devoted most of the first part of the meeting to a farewell-style recognition of Senator Joe Gruters. Senators from both parties offered extended remarks praising his loyalty, political instincts, family involvement, and work as a legislator and as incoming Republican National Committee chair. Gruters responded with remarks about his background, including overcoming a childhood speech impediment, his service in the Legislature, and major policy efforts he highlighted such as alimony reform and the undergrounding of utilities. A ceremonial gift was presented to him recognizing his work on a 2019 public-safety/immigration bill, and the Senate adopted a motion to spread his remarks upon the journal before recessing briefly. After the recess, the Senate returned to regular business. No committee reports, governor’s messages, House messages, or reconsideration matters were reported. The chamber then moved to third reading and temporarily postponed CS/CS/CS/SB 354, relating to blue ribbon projects. The next bill, CS/CS/SB 1758, relating to public assistance, was taken up, and Senator Gaetz explained that it contained five reforms to the public assistance system previously discussed by the Senate. Debate was about to continue when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Under our current nonprofit structure, we can't do so except with saved funds after taxes and fees.
• </c> funds after taxes and fees. funds after taxes and fees.
• It still has to go through uh FDA order.
• And for the first time and its users.
• Good to see you. society and its user. And I just thought society and its user.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• Are they going to need to raise fees to hire more people to do this?
• Chairman and Representative Harris, yes, yes, and yes, not about the fees.
• There is a wholesaler's permit fee, but tobacco retailers don't pay for a permit at this point.
• So you have the Tobacco Project enforcing FDA rules? Ms. Bennett. Project enforcing FDA rules? Ms.
• in terms of products authorized by the FDA to be sold.

Committee: House Business

Transcript Highlights:

• And if you actually call that 800 number at the FDA about underage sales, it actually works, meaning
• I mean, we rarely fail FDA stings.
• You don't mess with the FDA.
• You have the FDA with science, right? Like, okay, so we have federal stuff based on science.
• We have the FDA with science, right? Like, okay, so we have a federal stuff based on science.

Summary: The Commerce Committee reconvened and continued its hearing on House Bill 2085, a measure to establish statewide preemption over the sale of tobacco, vape, and nicotine products. Supporters, including representatives of vape stores, grocers, convenience stores, and petroleum marketers, argued the bill would prevent a patchwork of local ordinances, protect small businesses, and create consistent statewide rules for retailers. Several supporters said federal Tobacco 21 rules already control underage sales, and that local bans or flavor restrictions would hurt businesses and push sales to neighboring jurisdictions. Opponents, including the Missouri Public Health Association and the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, said local tobacco regulation has helped prevent youth smoking and that the bill could invite litigation over existing ordinances and limit future public health regulation. Committee members repeatedly questioned whether the bill would affect zoning authority or local decisions about where vape shops can locate, especially near schools and child care facilities. The sponsor, Representative Keithley, said the bill was intended to preempt only state standards on the sale and retail regulation of tobacco products, not local zoning, and emphasized that local governments would remain free to regulate zoning. Much of the hearing focused on the bill’s language, especially whether it required a 21-and-over purchase age or merely allowed local jurisdictions that already use 21 to keep doing so. The sponsor explained that the bill was designed to preserve local 21 ordinances without forcing all localities to change from 18 to 21, while still setting statewide standards for sale-related rules. An informational witness from MOST Policy Initiative described health risks of vaping, including nicotine addiction and youth appeal from flavored products, and noted that Missouri does not currently impose a special tax on vapor products. The committee took no vote and adjourned after concluding testimony on HB 2085.