Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm in support of this.
• I am here to testify in support of House Bill 2110.
• to staff and provide these services with nurses.
• hospital, and his family has the answers.
• I'm in support of House Bill 2113.

Bills: HB2110, HB2113, HB2122, HB2152, HB2168

Keywords: ambulance, interfacility transport, specialty care transport, emergency medical services, EMS, registered nurse, nurse staffing, paramedic, emergency medical technician, EMT, patient transfer, hospital transfer, critical care transport, medical transport, workforce shortage, scope of practice, Department of Health, RCW 18.73, first responder, basic life support

Summary: The House Health Care and Wellness Committee heard public testimony on several bills. HB 2152 would require hospitals, nursing homes, and hospice facilities to allow qualifying terminally ill patients to use medical cannabis under facility policies that prohibit smoking/vaping, require patient self-administration and secure storage, and protect facilities from licensure consequences; the prime sponsor and supporters framed it as a compassionate end-of-life measure based on the experience of Ryan Bartel, while the Washington State Hospital Association asked for amendments to limit it to inpatient beds and to bar staff from retrieving cannabis. HB 2122 would require hospitals to offer flu vaccines to inpatients age 65 and older and to inpatients with chronic conditions during flu season; supporters cited rising flu deaths and benefits for high-risk patients, while opponents questioned the need and urged stronger informed-consent language, and hospitals raised cost and operational concerns. HB 2110 would relax staffing rules for inter-facility specialty care transports by allowing a registered nurse without EMT certification to serve when no paramedic or RN-EMT is available; rural hospitals and ambulance providers said the change would improve timely transfers, while nurses’ representatives raised concerns about training, medical oversight, and staffing impacts on hospital units. The committee also heard HB 2113, which would update supervision rules for radiologic technologists performing IV contrast procedures by allowing virtual direct supervision by a physician and direct supervision by an ARNP or PA for contrast administration, while keeping other parenteral procedures under physician supervision. Supporters said the bill would align state law with current practice and federal CMS rules and improve access in rural areas; radiology stakeholders supported the bill but asked for a proximity requirement for virtual physician supervision. Finally, HB 2168 would require the Department of Health to rapidly share overdose data from the EMS information system to ODMAP within 24 hours, with privacy protections and limits on law-enforcement use; supporters said it would improve near-real-time overdose response and save lives, while the Washington Poison Center asked to be added as a data source and to clarify the bill’s overdose terminology. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after public hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• providers and families.
• We want to improve the customer service, not only to our families, but to our providers who are calling
• You can see on the family side that we also audit approximately 23% of families.
• We want to improve the customer service not only to our families, but to our providers who are calling
• families, families of color, families experiencing language barriers, and families navigating disability

Bills: SB5952, SB5961, SB5969, SB5841, SB5943

Keywords: physical education, school districts, student requirements, education policy, high school, early literacy, childhood literacy, book distribution, Imagination Library, Dolly Parton Imagination Library, preschool, pre-K, reading readiness, school readiness, birth to age five, young children, nonprofit contract, OSPI, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, DCYF

Summary: The committee began with a work session on Washington’s child care oversight and subsidy system, with senators and DCYF officials describing Working Connections Child Care, Early Achievers, licensing, attendance tracking, annual unannounced inspections, and audit processes. DCYF said more than 63,000 families were determined eligible in 2025, about 37,000 were on the caseload, and licensed providers total about 6,600. Officials emphasized that payments go directly to providers after eligibility and authorization are confirmed, and that random and focused audits, along with referrals to the Office of Fraud and Accountability, are used to address overpayments and suspected fraud. Child Care Aware and a Vancouver provider also testified about quality coaching, tiered reimbursement, and the practical realities of inspections and family care settings. The committee then heard Senate Bill 5952, which would standardize the process for waiving high school physical education requirements. Student testifiers supported the bill as a fairness measure that would create a uniform waiver process across districts and help students fit in AP, career, or other coursework within limited six-period schedules. Opponents, including PE teachers and school health advocates, argued that athletics are not equivalent to physical education and warned that a statewide waiver template could weaken PE instruction and student health. The State Board of Education supported the bill as a way to reduce inequity in local waiver practices, while school principals opposed it and said the issue is better addressed through broader graduation-requirement work. Next, the committee took testimony on Senate Bill 5961, which would move the Imagination Library of Washington from DCYF to OSPI. The sponsor and supporters said the change would better align the program with early literacy and the birth-to-grade-three continuum, while preserving a program that currently serves about 120,000 children in all 39 counties. OSPI, the program director, and local partners testified in support, saying the transfer would improve accountability and fit the program’s education mission. The committee then began hearing Senate Bill 5969, which would allow a student’s IEP transition plan to satisfy the high school and beyond plan requirement if the IEP team determines that is appropriate; the sponsor said the bill is intended to reduce barriers for students with disabilities and free up time and resources, but the testimony was only beginning when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Up next is the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. It's Harp.
• </c> Family Services. Family Services. It's<00:56:16.160><c> Harp.
• for Health and Family Services.
• The IES supports benefits enrollment, eligibility and enrollment for a number of health and human services
• The IES supports benefits enrollment, eligibility and enrollment for a number of health and human services

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Commonwealth Office of Technology 00:01:00 Department of Education 00:21:00 Transportation Cabinet 00:35:30 Secretary of State 00:45:15 Cabinet for Health and Family Services 00:56:11 Discussion of the Kentucky Communications Network Authority and Related legislation 01:09:11, 958, all

Summary: The meeting began with approval of the prior minutes and then focused first on the Commonwealth Office of Technology’s legacy systems and two specific projects. COT officials said many agencies have made progress moving off legacy applications, with remaining mainframe systems slated to be retired through RFPs or other work orders. They also described a legacy funding pool of $10 million per biennium used to help agencies transition. The two projects discussed were the Kentucky aerial photography and elevation data program, which provides statewide aerial imagery and lidar data for GIS, E911, environmental, transportation, and other uses, and a citizen identity and access management system intended to give residents a single login for state services. Officials said the GIS program costs about $1.2 million annually to host and maintain, with data acquisition costing several million more per year, and that the citizen identity system would cost about $2.5 million per year after an initial three-year COT investment. Members asked about duplication of funding, licensing, local government use, and whether multi-factor authentication would be required; COT said the GIS data is being acquired as statewide unlicensed data and that MFA would be available but not yet mandated statewide. Committee members pressed COT on costs, overlap with cabinet-level IT spending, and the practical benefits of the GIS and identity projects. COT explained that GIS hosting is generally covered through enterprise assessments billed quarterly to agencies, while the new aerial data is intended to benefit the whole state and local partners. On the identity project, officials said it would centralize authentication for citizens who use state systems, improve compliance with zero-trust and NIST-related security expectations, and reduce help desk and maintenance burdens through self-service account tools. Members also discussed whether the system would extend to local governments; COT said it would be a Kentucky.gov-style state login for users inside the state identity infrastructure, not a local-government system. The Department of Education then testified that it does not operate mainframes or major legacy systems, having moved long ago to cloud-based, off-the-shelf products and vendor-supported services. KDE officials described a strong emphasis on staff cybersecurity awareness, standardized statewide systems, vendor risk-sharing, and reducing sensitive data exposure, including efforts to move away from student Social Security numbers. They also highlighted a transition from Microsoft Active Directory to Identity Automation, which they said will improve identity management and make multi-factor authentication universal across K-12. In response to questions about Kentucky Wired and internet service, KDE said all 171 school districts and KDE agencies have been moved to a new next-generation internet service through ENA by Zayo, with strong satisfaction, e-rate savings, and better reliability. Officials warned that any internet disruption would immediately affect attendance, grades, student records, payroll, security systems, and communications across the K-12 system.

Transcript Highlights:

• It’s really leaning into correct support and family preservation.
• It’s really leaning into correct support and family preservation.
• They have a loving, supportive, amazing family.
• They were doing all the right things to access services and supports, but the truth of the matter is
• there was not the right service and the right support in our community for that acute mental illness

Bills: HF2196, HF2586, HF2187, HF2037

Keywords: mental health, emotional disturbance, terminology update, statutory cleanup, conforming amendments, children's mental health, serious mental illness, severe emotional disturbance, case management, residential treatment, outpatient services, crisis services, health plan coverage, antipsychotic drugs, medical assistance, Medicaid, foster care, juvenile court, school discipline, county board

Transcript Highlights:

• When this bill was discussed in the Human Services Committee, there were multiple letters of support
• Just because a family is referred to child protection doesn't mean that services will become available
• We simply don't have enough services and supports for these children.
• I urge you to support this bill; let's not make it harder for these families. Thank you.
• My name is Trish Skull Pammer, and I serve as the Director of Child Support Services for the Ramsey County

Bills: HF2233, HF1999, HF1995, HF1614, HF2781, HF1775, HF1316, HF2127, HF2521, HF689, HF2380, HF1273

Keywords: Uniform Special Deposits Act, special deposit, banking law, financial institutions, escrow, escrow account, trust account, security deposit, beneficiary, depositor, creditor process, garnishment, attachment, levy, setoff, recoupment, financial market infrastructure, retirement benefits, compensation, earnest money

Transcript Highlights:

• When this bill occurred in the Human Services Committee, there were multiple letters of support from
• He said that just because a family is referred to child protection does not mean services will become
• She said that just because a family is referred to child protection does not mean services will become
• The system simply doesn’t have enough services and supports for these children.
• I urge you to support this bill. Let’s not make it harder for these families. Thank you.”

Bills: HF2233, HF1999, HF1995, HF1614, HF2781, HF1775, HF1316, HF2127, HF2521, HF689, HF2380, HF1273

Keywords: Uniform Special Deposits Act, special deposit, banking law, financial institutions, escrow, escrow account, trust account, security deposit, beneficiary, depositor, creditor process, garnishment, attachment, levy, setoff, recoupment, financial market infrastructure, retirement benefits, compensation, earnest money

Transcript Highlights:

• Home Visitation Act, including home visitation services and related case management for certain families
• The Family Home Visitation Act is amended to provide for home visitation services, case management, and
• related provisions for certain families, including families with children three years of age or younger
• Case management shall directly oversee case planning services and compliance for children and families
• The bill addresses home visitation and family services.

Bills: LB737, LB753, LB788, LB913, LB1055, LB1195, LB1216, LB1256, LB429, LB721, LB722, LB727, LB743, LB745, LB749, LB778, LB787, LB365A, LB823, LB900, LB903, LB940, LB954, LB1127, LB1127A, LB1205, LB1240, LR293, LR296, LR422, LR505, LR507

Keywords: LB737, Olmstead, developmental disabilities, disability services, community-based services, integrated settings, DHHS, Department of Health and Human Services, stakeholder advisory committee, independent consultant, public hearing, legislative oversight, disability rights, community integration, housing, employment, education, transportation, community supports, self-advocacy

Transcript Highlights:

• In addition, she's received scholarships through the Nebraska Academy of Family Physicians, UNMC Family
• The department shall appoint a service coordinator who shall work to serve families and individuals with
• The section lists emergency functions and services, including fire service, police service, medical and
• I do not support the recommit motion. I will support LB 834.
• I do support this recommit motion.

Bills: LB737, LB753, LB788, LB913, LB1055, LB1195, LB1216, LB1256, LB429, LB721, LB722, LB727, LB743, LB745, LB749, LB778, LB787, LB365A, LB823, LB900, LB903, LB940, LB954, LB1127, LB1127A, LB1205, LB1240, LR293, LR296, LR422, LR505, LR507

Keywords: LB737, Olmstead, developmental disabilities, disability services, community-based services, integrated settings, DHHS, Department of Health and Human Services, stakeholder advisory committee, independent consultant, public hearing, legislative oversight, disability rights, community integration, housing, employment, education, transportation, community supports, self-advocacy

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the Vice President of the Family Freedom Project here in support of the bill and a couple...
• One just last fall, the family named the Boatwright family in Tarrant County, and Senator Hancock, you
• During the course of their work, the Department of Family and Protective Services caseworkers...
• In 2021, the Department of Family and Protective Services noted over 40 acts of theft and more than 120
• Services, including medical care.

Bills: SB128, SB640, SB672, SB904, SB1141, SB1263, SB1525, SB1528, SB2041, SB2306, SB2308, SB2357, SB2446, SB2695, SB2857, SB2891, SB2583

Keywords: hospital reporting, child abuse, neglect, administrative penalty, medical ethics, child protection, SB 640, Texas Family Code, Department of Family and Protective Services, DFPS, child welfare, foster care, managing conservatorship, suicide attempt, youth suicide, mental health, child protective services, state custody, annual report, reporting requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• We are in support of the bill.
• The Department of Family Protective Services puts out an annual report every year on February 1st.
• Under current law, the Department of Family and Protective Services provides annual reports on a wide
• Commission to support...
• It requires the Department of Family Protective Services to consider certain criteria when determining

Bills: SB128, SB640, SB672, SB904, SB1141, SB1263, SB1525, SB1528, SB2041, SB2306, SB2308, SB2357, SB2446, SB2695, SB2857, SB2891, SB2583

Keywords: hospital reporting, child abuse, neglect, administrative penalty, medical ethics, child protection, SB 640, Texas Family Code, Department of Family and Protective Services, DFPS, child welfare, foster care, managing conservatorship, suicide attempt, youth suicide, mental health, child protective services, state custody, annual report, reporting requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• Luckily, Pat met our service partner, Touchstone Mental Health, and with their support, they worked together
• Our organization produces single-family and multifamily homes and provides housing services with a mission
• Our organization produces single-family and multifamily homes and provides housing services with a mission
• </c> debt service right now on HIVs? debt service right now on HIVs?
• I support this bill.

Bills: HF3806, HF2687, HF497

Keywords: housing, infrastructure bonds, funding, appropriation, Minnesota Statutes, HF2687, single-family homes, corporate landlords, corporate ownership, real estate investment trust, REIT, landlord registry, landlord database, tenant transparency, housing affordability, homeownership, deed tax, transfer tax, property tax, affordable housing

Transcript Highlights:

• Academy of Family Physicians.
• Irwin for 33 years of distinguished military service.
• His tireless efforts to promote service, sacrifice, and patriotism.
• He has given service to this country as well.
• How do we ensure that the family has proper notification if their family member were in a contract on

Bills: HJR1032, SB1314, SB1257, SB1326, SB1365, SB1932, SB169, SB1991, SB1992, SB1204, SB1339, SB182, SB1847, SB1360, SB1346

Keywords: HJR1032, House Joint Resolution 1032, Service Oklahoma, administrative rules, rule repeal, joint resolution, Oklahoma Administrative Code, OAC 670:15-1-10, OAC 670:15-1-14, agency regulation, legislative oversight, Secretary of State, Oklahoma Register, rulemaking, permanent rules, administrative code, groundwater, indemnity fund, well drilling, pollution prevention

Transcript Highlights:

• Academy of Family Physicians.
• Irwin for 34 years of distinguished military service.
• A good Lincoln County resident, the District 28, he is given service to this country as well.
• I would hope that the family members are checking.”
• “I would hope that the family members are checking the occupant’s mail.

Bills: HJR1032, SB1314, SB1257, SB1326, SB1365, SB1932, SB169, SB1991, SB1992, SB1204, SB1339, SB182, SB1847, SB1360, SB1346

Keywords: HJR1032, House Joint Resolution 1032, Service Oklahoma, administrative rules, rule repeal, joint resolution, Oklahoma Administrative Code, OAC 670:15-1-10, OAC 670:15-1-14, agency regulation, legislative oversight, Secretary of State, Oklahoma Register, rulemaking, permanent rules, administrative code, groundwater, indemnity fund, well drilling, pollution prevention

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer, and recognized the Doctor and Nurse of the Day, along with several guests and visiting groups, including a military honoree, a women’s rugby team from Southern Nazarene University, a homeschool co-op, gun-rights advocates, and other constituents. The chamber also heard a citation honoring Chief Master Sergeant Scott R. Irwin for 34 years of military service, and the SNU women’s rugby team was congratulated for winning the 2025 National Collegiate Rugby Division I championship. On the floor, members considered House Joint Resolution 1032, which would align Service Oklahoma rules with existing law and executive action regarding changes to birth certificate and license sex markers. The measure drew extended questioning and debate about gender identity, intersex individuals, and whether the repeal would change current practice. Minority Leader Kurt opposed it as political and harmful, while the author said it simply removed outdated administrative code. HJR 1032 passed 38-8. The Senate then passed Senate Bill 1314, increasing caps on the groundwater well drillers and pump installers indemnity fund, 46-0; Senate Bill 1257, classifying THC as a Schedule I drug, 43-3; Senate Bill 1326, modernizing the self-storage facilities lien act and changing notice provisions, 40-4; Senate Bill 1365, raising the threshold for Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department inventory purchases from local vendors and making it an emergency measure, 35-11; and Senate Bill 1932, allowing certain motor carriers to be represented by an officer or partner at administrative hearings, 46-0. The Senate also heard announcements about an Appropriations Committee meeting and an upcoming Bible Reading Marathon before adjourning until February 26, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• home or a family home.
• They put our employees and their families in harm's way.
• The bill authorizes an additional support.
• I am here in strong support of SJM 8006.
• I work in family law and domestic violence advocacy, supporting survivors who are navigating one of the

Bills: SB5536, SB5868, SJM8006, SB6011

Keywords: divorce, dissolution, marriage, domestic partnership, property division, real property, community property, separate property, liabilities, family law, equitable distribution, court order, personal jurisdiction, absent spouse, absent domestic partner, creditors, secured creditors, unsecured creditors, home equity, family home

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:12:44.160><c> Services,</c> &gt;&gt; Cabinet for Health and Family Services, &gt;&gt; Cabinet
• </c> Long-Term Services and Supports. Long-Term Services and Supports.
• can be, but respite and CLS services or community living support services for kids who will be on the
• can be, but respite and CLS services or community living support services for kids who will be on the
• can be, but respite and CLS services or community living support services for kids who will be on the

Keywords: • 0:00 - Roll Call • 0:19 - Approval of June 2026 meeting minutes • 0:36 - Fish & Wildlife (301 KAR 1:201 and 301 KAR 2:178) • 1:35 - Board of Veterinary Examiners (201 KAR 16:767) • 4:10 - State Board of Elections (31 KAR 4:240 Emergency) • 4:50 - Office of the Attorney General, Regulatory Relief (40 KAR 12:300, 12:610, 12:400, 12:420 and 12:600) • 7:03 - Department of Revenue (103 KAR 43:341 Emergency) • 8:05 - Kentucky Public Pensions Authority (105 KAR 1:001 and 1:440) • 9:19 - Finance and Administration Cabinet, Office of the Controller (200 KAR 38:080) • 10:10 - Board of Physical Therapy (201 KAR 22:010 and 22:070) • 11:06 - Kentucky Department of Education (702 KAR 3:220 and 6:110) • 12:43 - Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Department for Public Health (902 KAR 1:400) • 13:47 - Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Department for Medicaid Services (907 KAR 2:720 and 2:725) • 28:11 - Next meeting and adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met with a quorum present, approved the minutes without objection, and then reviewed a series of administrative regulations from multiple agencies. Most of the regulations received staff-suggested amendments and were approved without objection, including fish and wildlife rules on fishing limits and deer hunting on local government property, veterinary board changes to responsible party and veterinary manager requirements, election procedures for safe-at-home voters, attorney general regulatory relief rules, emergency gasoline tax pricing, public pensions updates, controller fraud-prevention policies, physical therapy licensure and English proficiency standards, school nutrition and fee-waiver rules, public health conference procedures, and Medicaid waiver regulations. Several agencies briefly identified themselves and answered procedural questions, but most items drew no substantive opposition. The Board of Veterinary Examiners regulation included an agency amendment that removed a proposed limit on the number of facilities a veterinary manager could oversee. The Department of Education regulations updated fee waiver and meal program procedures, while the Department of Public Health regulation clarified notification and conference-request procedures. The Department of Revenue and Kentucky Public Pensions Authority items were largely technical or conforming changes, including a special-needs trust definition added for consistency with Senate Bill 85. The most extensive discussion involved the Department for Medicaid Services’ 1915C child waiver regulations. Kentucky Protection and Advocacy testified in opposition to the waiver’s lack of participant-directed services, arguing that consumer-driven services such as respite and community living support are required and especially important in rural areas and for higher-acuity children. Cabinet representatives responded that the waiver is intended to provide wraparound services to keep children in homes and communities, that it has CMS approval, and that the program is limited to 100 slots with about 21 participants already enrolled. Members did not move a deficiency motion, and the chair indicated the regulations would continue through the process. The meeting adjourned after setting the next meeting for Tuesday, August 11 at 1:00 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• We lost 23 families to the system who were willing to adopt children.
• We are trying to support those families now as an adopt-only agency, which makes $4,000.
• Jamie Poe, representing Addie's Hope Social Services, is here in support of the bill, is that correct
• P CCRCs are adding services like memory care, hospice, and home-based services, but many are reducing
• nursing home or skilled nursing services at each location.

Bills: SB500, SB1522, SB1137, SB1266

Keywords: SB 500, Texas adoption law, Family Code, DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, child-placing agency, prospective adoptive parents, adoption records, confidential information, nondisclosure agreement, child history report, health history, social history, educational history, genetic history, termination of parental rights, permanency plan, single source continuum contractor, privacy, redaction

Transcript Highlights:

• It won't be a deduction on any child support; it just gives that judge knowledge that, hey, you work
• ... ...not working at a cost to afford a family insurance, what would happen from that?
• So I think a worst-case scenario reading of this bill is that it would not just impact child support;
• That could be a single parent with two kids under $30,000 a year for a family of two.
• And you know, this would not affect child support at all; the judge won't calculate this into...

Bills: HB37, HB187, HB177, SB63, HB82, SB48, HB33, HB37, HB33

Keywords: judicial compensation, salary increase, court system, Alabama legislation, judges, HB187, court fees, docket fee, sheriff's fund, sheriff's office, jail operations, law enforcement, county sheriff, court filing fees, Alabama Code 12-19-312, solicitor's fund, clerk's fund, forensic services trust fund, budget flexibility, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Physicians in support of House Bill 2232.
• I am thankful to this body for supporting that study.
• I urge the committee to support and advance House Bill 2232.
• Anesthesia care is not a flat or predictable service.
• While charity care is a core value we fully support, charity care is a core value we fully support, In

Bills: HB1812, HB2232, HB2250, HB2340, HB2577

Keywords: anesthesia services, healthcare access, reimbursement, patient care, equitable treatment, emergency services, healthcare outcomes, health infrastructure, system improvement, charity care, residency requirements, medical assistance, low-income, HB 2340, nursing assistants, nurse aide, substance use disorder monitoring program, monitoring program, credentialing, licensure

Summary: The House Health Care & Wellness Committee held public hearings on several bills. House Bill 2232 would create a time-sensitive emergency data repository for cardiac, stroke, and trauma care, with Department of Health oversight, quality improvement reporting, and support for rural facilities; emergency physicians, nurses, and DOH supported it as a way to improve outcomes and reduce rural-urban disparities, while the Washington State Hospital Association said hospitals support the goal but lack resources to absorb the added reporting burden. House Bill 1812, on the proposed substitute, would bar insurers, public employee plans, HCA, and Medicaid managed care from imposing anesthesia time limits or related reimbursement caps; the sponsor and anesthesia providers said it protects patient safety and prevents insurers from interfering with medical judgment, and the Washington State Society of Anesthesiologists asked for a clarifying amendment on physical status modifiers. House Bill 2340 would extend substance use disorder monitoring program protections and stipend eligibility to nursing assistants; the sponsor and Board of Nursing supported it as a way to reduce stigma and help participants afford treatment and monitoring, and the board said the stipend is currently funded through general funds. House Bill 2577 would require acute care hospital inspections at least every 18 months, clarify use of approved accrediting organizations, and adjust fire protection re-inspection rules; the sponsor and Department of Health said it responds to a JLARC audit and clarifies timelines after COVID-related delays, while the department said it is still working to catch up on inspections and continues complaint investigations. House Bill 2250 would limit hospital charity care eligibility to Washington residents, using residency standards similar to Medicaid and preserving emergency care coverage under EMTALA. Supporters, including border hospital officials, the Washington State Hospital Association, and Seattle Children’s, argued the current policy draws nonresident non-emergent patients and strains rural and border hospitals, especially Newport Hospital, while opponents from Columbia Legal Services, Dollar For, Northwest Health Law Advocates, and QLaw Foundation said the bill would chill access for immigrants, temporary visa holders, and people seeking reproductive or gender-affirming care, and that the real problem is hospitals failing to provide charity care to eligible patients. The sponsor said he is working with DOH on amendments to address unintended consequences, and several testifiers indicated willingness to continue stakeholder discussions. No votes were taken; the committee heard testimony and then closed public hearings on the bills before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• A certificate of need is required for new tertiary health services if those services were not offered
• We strongly support patient safety and accountability.
• I'm testifying in support of HB 2613.
• I fully support patient safety.
• I’m asking for the committee’s support of this bill.

Bills: HB2545, HB2613, HB1496, HB2155, HB2283, HB2340, HB2425, HB2437, HB2577

Keywords: healthcare, patients, cardiovascular procedures, outpatient services, surgical facilities, HB2613, compounded medications, compounded drugs, pharmacy compounding, bulk drug substances, active pharmaceutical ingredients, API, drug safety, patient safety, pharmacy license, Washington pharmacy law, RCW 18.64, Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, FDA, pharmaceutical compounding

Summary: The House Health Care and Wellness Committee held public hearings on House Bill 2545, which would direct the Department of Health to create rules allowing elective percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) at ambulatory surgical facilities, and House Bill 2613, which would add quality-assurance requirements for compounded drugs using bulk drug substances. On HB 2545, supporters including ambulatory surgery center representatives, cardiologists, and the prime sponsor argued the bill would improve access, reduce wait times, and lower costs while maintaining safety through patient selection and existing accreditation standards. Opponents from the hospital association argued that shifting PCI volume away from hospitals could undermine provider proficiency and the financial support hospitals use to maintain emergency cardiac services, and suggested the issue should be studied further. On HB 2613, the prime sponsor and several supporters said the bill was intended to address unsafe, large-scale compounding—especially weight-loss drugs—by requiring stronger sourcing, testing, and documentation of ingredients. Opponents from pharmacy, medical, hospital, clinic, and compounding groups argued the bill was overbroad, could restrict access to legitimate compounded medications, increase costs and delays, and in some cases conflict with existing federal and state compounding rules; some also urged narrowing the bill to focus on GLP-1 weight-loss products and exempt hospitals, nursing homes, and animal compounding. The sponsor of HB 2613 said amendments were being developed to narrow the scope and clarify the bill before executive session. In executive session, the committee considered six bills and then took final action on seven measures. It adopted amendments and advanced HB 1496, which limits fees for certain electronically stored health care information and changes attorney-fee provisions under the Uniform Health Care Information Act; HB 2283, which raises the medical loss ratio target for health plans to 90% with a delayed implementation date and added reporting authority for the insurance commissioner; HB 2425, which revises nurse delegation rules and delays implementation to 2028; and HB 2577, which clarifies hospital inspection timing and allows Department of Health flexibility in using CMS surveys as equivalent inspections. The committee also advanced HB 2155, addressing non-human entities using nursing titles; HB 2340, relating to substance use disorder monitoring program provisions for nursing assistants; and HB 2437, concerning Department of Health opioid treatment accreditation activities and associated fee authority. Votes were largely bipartisan, though several members voted no or without recommendation on some bills, especially HB 2283 and HB 2437. The meeting ended with all seven bills reported out of committee with due pass recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is the one service that all of us families have to have on the program.
• It is the one service that all of us families have to have on the program.
• Families should not have to get lucky with support coordination. Thank you.
• Families should not have to get lucky with support coordinators.
• When support coordination is strong, families thrive. When it is weak, children wait.

Bills: S0162, S0254, S0688, S0794, S1110, S1574

Keywords: surgical smoke, health standards, hospital safety, patient protection, medical regulations, nursing education, licensure, remedial courses, temporary license, graduate nursing preceptorship, Agency for Persons with Disabilities, background screening, support coordination services, developmental disabilities, Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome, public hearings, orthotics, prosthetics, healthcare, Medicaid

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services met with a quorum present and took up several health-related bills. CS/SB 1110 on Medicaid and insurance coverage for orthotics and prosthetics was heard first. The bill would require coverage for medically necessary orthotics and prosthetics without lifetime or continuous-use caps, direct AHCA to seek federal approval and update contracts, and require annual reporting. Testimony from a child using prosthetic “gymnastics blades,” his mother, and another young person with a prosthetic leg emphasized the high cost of activity-specific devices and the impact on children’s mobility, sports participation, and quality of life. Senators voiced strong support, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then approved SB 1574, “Maddie’s Law,” which adds newborn screening for biliary atresia using the existing blood specimen collected at birth. The sponsor and the child’s father described the condition as time-sensitive and potentially fatal without early detection, and argued the screening could prevent transplants and save money. The bill was reported favorably. The committee also considered CS/SB 794 on background screening for employees of residential facilities and day training programs for people with developmental disabilities, plus a review of waiver support coordination quality, training, and access issues. Parents and a support coordinator testified that strong support coordination is essential for families and that the bill would help standardize expectations and improve services. An amendment aligning the bill with the House companion was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably. Members next heard SB 162, which requires hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to adopt policies using smoke evacuation systems during procedures that generate surgical smoke. Supporters, including nurses and the Florida Nurses Association, described surgical smoke as a workplace hazard with toxic chemicals and potential cancer risks; hospital representatives said they support the intent but argued existing federal and state standards already regulate the issue and the bill is too prescriptive. A late-filed amendment clarifying the smoke must be “effectively captured and filtered” was adopted, and the bill passed favorably. The committee also approved CS/SB 254, a major nursing education bill that tightens oversight of low-performing nursing programs, creates a temporary provisional license and preceptorship pathway for graduates awaiting NCLEX results, requires remediation for delayed testing, and increases transparency by posting passage rates. Nursing groups supported stronger standards, while private nursing schools warned the bill could reduce capacity and discourage program directors; the amended bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee heard SB 688, which would reestablish licensure and regulation of naturopathic doctors in Florida, create a board of naturopathic medicine, set licensure and renewal requirements, and define the scope of practice while excluding most prescription authority. Supporters said it would expand health care choices and allow naturopathic doctors to practice openly, while opponents from the medical community warned the bill could authorize diagnosis and treatment without sufficient training and rely on unproven therapies. The bill was reported favorably. The committee then adjourned after members thanked staff for their work.