Transcript Highlights:

• It takes a really special type of person who can quickly learn that environment and use their skills
• through their positive attitudes, eagerness to help, and strong research, writing, and analytical skills
• through their positive attitudes, eagerness to help, and strong research, writing, and analytical skills
• However, is it accurate to say that the definition of exigent circumstance means that in your training
• elections, discussions, and collaborative decision-making, delegates strengthen their leadership skills

Transcript Highlights:

• It was a little bit more of the soft skills.
• I now plan to pursue graduate training in clinical neuropsychology with the goal of combining research
• see continuing to build ag technology, ensuring that we're equipping students with the tools and skills
• Who's got the skill set to help us really get this grant from NIH?
• Well, when you get the money from NIH, we build a variety of things: a training program, a mentoring

Summary: The committee met at NDSU and approved the April 9 minutes. The main purpose of the meeting was an informational presentation from NDSU President David Stewart and university leaders on the university’s priorities, including enrollment, student success, research, commercialization, and use of New Horizons funding. Stewart emphasized a “One NDSU” approach, thanked legislators for past support, and said the university will focus on recruitment and retention, a new strategic plan, and growing research and tech transfer while serving North Dakota’s workforce needs. University leaders said NDSU is using tuition waivers more strategically and will work to reduce them over time through scholarship optimization. Provost Sherry Vale described academic portfolio reviews, program closures or consolidations, strategic hiring, and workload policies aimed at aligning resources with demand. They also highlighted student outcomes, including high completion rates, strong employment placement, and NDSU’s role in producing a large share of the state’s engineers, nurses, and agriculture graduates. Several students testified about how NDSU’s mentoring, internships, research, and support services helped them succeed. The committee also heard from partners on New Horizons-related collaborations: Gateway to Science described K-12 STEM outreach in rural and tribal areas, and Sanford Research discussed joint research efforts, including COBRE-related work, obesity and GLP-1 studies, and a joint biostatistics hire. Later speakers highlighted Governor’s School and NDSU’s research and commercialization efforts, including growth in research expenditures and invention disclosures. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Persistence and adaptability are critical skills in order to get them through and overcome multiple funding
• In that role, so to give you a background about my training: I'm trained as a chemical engineer, grew
• Overall, I've trained about 45 people in high-tech jobs, and so we...
• Overall, I've trained about 45 people in high-tech jobs, and so we are able to pass on the help that
• That is their skill set. And so we hire them.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact held an informational hearing focused on the California Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network and its role in helping small businesses access capital, recover from disasters, and scale innovative companies. Chair Salas and Vice Chair Castillo opened by emphasizing the importance of small businesses to California’s economy and noting recent passage of AB 685, described as a small business resiliency and innovation measure. Witnesses from multiple SBDC regions and business owners testified about the network’s statewide reach, confidentiality, multilingual advising, and partnerships with universities and state agencies. Panelists described SBDC’s work in three main areas: disaster recovery, startup and innovation support, and capital access. Testimony highlighted SBDC assistance after major disasters such as the Camp Fire, Dixie Fire, San Diego floods, and the Los Angeles fires, including help with insurance claims, grant applications, debt restructuring, and reopening businesses. Business owners from Altadena and Sacramento shared personal stories of how SBDC guidance, grants, and connections helped restore operations, preserve jobs, and navigate crises. Another panel focused on technology startups and the “valley of death,” explaining how SBDC helps founders with customer discovery, grant strategy, intellectual property, and financing; examples included a mobility-tech company and a biodegradable plastics startup that secured major grants, investment, and jobs with SBDC support. A third panel focused on access to capital, with SBDC staff explaining lending options, state loan programs, and finance centers that package loans and match businesses with lenders. They said many small businesses need less than $100,000 and often turn to high-cost alternatives without guidance; SBDC helps them refinance and secure better terms. A beverage company founder described using SBDC to move from a failed public affairs firm to launching a tequila brand, raising capital, and building distribution. Members asked about barriers facing immigrant-owned businesses, disaster aid gaps, and regulatory burdens; SBDC representatives said their services are confidential, available to eligible businesses regardless of immigration status, and designed to connect clients to whatever public or private resources exist. No formal vote was taken at the hearing, and the meeting ended after public comment with the chair urging continued funding for SBDC and related small business support programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• want to thank our budget staff who work tirelessly, literally sometimes all night with grace and with skill
• We talked about dental care, behavioral health, emergency preparedness, physician training, services
• We talked about dental care, behavioral health, emergency preparedness, physician training, services
• Valley, but maybe bring in a public-private partnership, turning this over to Brightline or some other train
• Instead of having our skilled and trained Californians build infrastructure, let's have more private

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call and proceeded to floor business, with the main item being SB 101, the state budget bill. Before debate on the bill, Assembly Member Sanchez offered amendments to redirect funding toward Proposition 36 implementation, wildfire prevention, Medi-Cal provider reimbursement, developmental services, and other priorities; the majority moved to lay those amendments on the table, and the motion passed 43-18. The chamber then took up SB 101 as the budget bill for immediate effect. Debate on the budget was extensive and sharply divided. Supporters, including Assembly Member Gabriel and several committee chairs, described the budget as a difficult but responsible compromise that protects Medi-Cal, IHSS, child care, housing, wildfire prevention, and other safety-net programs while responding to a projected deficit and federal uncertainty. Opponents criticized the budget as fiscally unsound and argued it relied on accounting gimmicks, did not adequately fund Proposition 36 or wildfire prevention, and continued spending on high-speed rail and Medi-Cal coverage for undocumented immigrants. Several members also raised concerns about gas taxes, provider reimbursement, probation funding, and the impact on vulnerable Californians. After debate, the Assembly voted on SB 101 and passed it 57-19. The measure was sent immediately to the Senate. The body then announced upcoming session schedules, with no floor or check-in sessions on June 14 and 15, and a floor session set for June 16 at 1 p.m., before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• The network will strengthen the state's preparedness through training, planning, and coordination with
• The network will strengthen the state's preparedness through training, planning, and coordination with
• Preparedness and training, this bill will deliver training.
• Preparedness and training, this bill will deliver training and critical tabletop exercises for emergency
• And high-skilled jobs in next-generation energy, California should be right there with them.

Summary: The committee heard several bills and one resolution focused on recycling, housing affordability, air quality, coastal protection, wildfire resilience, and nuclear policy. AB 2559, by Assembly Member Ward, would require local governments to return refundable construction and demolition permit deposits if compliance documentation is submitted within three years of final inspection; supporters said it would prevent homeowners and developers from losing deposits due to mismatched local deadlines, and it passed unanimously as amended to Appropriations. AB 1704, by Assembly Member Gonzalez, would require CARB to assess the cost of lower-embodied-carbon building materials and pause the embodied-carbon program if cost parity is not reached; supporters framed it as a housing affordability safeguard, while environmental groups argued it would delay implementation of a key climate law. The bill passed on a party-line vote to Appropriations. AB 2349, by Assembly Member Solache, would create regional air quality incident response centers for emergency monitoring and coordination; it drew strong support from air district and local government representatives and passed unanimously to Appropriations. ACR 149, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the California Coastal Act and Coastal Conservancy, highlighted coastal access, habitat protection, and climate adaptation; it passed the committee, though some members voted no. AB 1960, by Assembly Member Bennett, would let Cal Fire fund community-level wildfire hardening projects through the Wildfire Prevention Grants Fund; members raised questions about funding and implementation, but it passed to Appropriations. AB 2254, the Coastal Monarchs Protection Act, would require coastal local governments to add monarch overwintering protections when updating local coastal plans; supporters cited steep monarch declines and economic benefits, while local government groups opposed the mandate as duplicative and burdensome, and it passed to Water, Parks and Wildlife. AB 2253 would restrict deceptive recycled-content claims and mass-balance accounting practices; supporters said it would protect consumers and real recyclers, while business groups argued it would conflict with recognized accounting systems and EPR programs. The transcript also included AB 1757, which would create a limited carve-out from California’s nuclear moratorium for microreactors; supporters said it could provide clean, local power and support data centers, while opponents warned of cost, waste, and safety risks. The committee ultimately rejected AB 1757 on a divided vote, then granted reconsideration, and the discussion continued without a final action shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Upon completion of his training, he practiced for two years in rural hospitals and clinics in eastern
• She is currently training to participate in the OKC Memorial Marathon.
• They're criminals for practicing what they've been taught, educated, trained.
• I am going to remark that, though the skills and degrees of librarians are valuable, things one does
• Defines education as proper moral, intellectual, and physical training.

Bills: HR1036 , HB2975 , HB3026 , HB3297 , HB2981 , HB2978 , HB4144 , HB1322 , HB1818 , HB3194 , HB3767 , HB3342 , HB3344 , HB4170 , HB3287 , HB3288 , HB4454 , HB3264 , HB3266 , HB3268 , HB4095 , HB4115 , HB4316 , HB3530 , HB3428 , HB4272 , HB4273 , HB4274 , HB3405 , HB3406 , HB3467 , HB3469 , HB3931

Keywords: Bob Wills, Western Swing, Cain's Ballroom, Oklahoma music history, country music, rock and roll, folk jazz blues, Oklahoma Arts Council, Oklahoma Film and Music Office, Oklahoma Historical Society, OKPOP Museum, commemorative resolution, day at the Capitol, musician recognition, heritage celebration, Tulsa, poultry waste, nutrient management, environmental regulations, agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• support the development of the new master's degree program to help address the critical need for skilled
• to be successful, for example, to aid in recruiting and hiring faculty, purchasing simulation and training
• SB 520 builds on the 2021 Midwifery Workforce Training Act, which previously funded active midwifery
• So to have people that are trained in this would be a godsend to my district.
• So to have people that are trained in this would be a godsend to my district.

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee heard several Senate measures focused on student access, workforce needs, and institutional stability. Senator Laird presented SJR 4, which urges the federal government to restore NIH funding cuts and protect California’s research universities; UC testified in support and there was no opposition. Senator Ashby presented SB 761, the CalFresh for Students Act, to connect Cal Grant applicants with potential CalFresh eligibility and expand qualifying programs; the bill drew broad support from higher education, student, anti-hunger, and county groups, with members sharing personal experiences with food insecurity and no opposition. Senator Cabaldon presented SB 520 to create a California Nurse Midwifery Education Fund for a new master’s-level nurse midwifery program, citing maternal health disparities and provider shortages, especially in rural and Central Valley communities. Supporters from the California Nurse Midwives Association and the Black Wellness and Prosperity Center emphasized workforce shortages and maternal mortality; one member raised concerns about the bill’s use of inclusive language, but the bill was otherwise well received. Cabaldon also presented SB 640, which would create a statewide direct admissions process to CSU for eligible high school seniors using existing data systems; supporters said it would reduce barriers, improve equity, and help declining-enrollment campuses, while members raised questions about special education students, rural access, dual enrollment, and measuring effectiveness. The committee voted SB 640 out on a 6-0 roll call. Cabaldon’s SB 744 would preserve California students’ access to enrollment and financial aid if a federally recognized accrediting agency loses approval, by treating affected institutions as accredited for state purposes; the bill drew no public testimony and advanced on a 4-2 roll call. Senator Cortese’s SB 494 would require classified school employees’ disciplinary appeals to be heard by an administrative law judge, matching protections already available to teachers and community college faculty; labor groups supported the bill, while school districts and administrators opposed it over cost, local control, and implementation concerns. The committee also heard SB 550, a revised pilot to allow San Jose State and a nonprofit, state-accredited law school to jointly develop a public law school pathway; supporters argued it would expand affordable legal education and public-interest careers, while UC and independent colleges opposed it as inconsistent with the Master Plan. Members debated access, jurisdiction, funding, and bar pass rates, and the bill advanced on a 4-2 roll call to the Judiciary Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Since science is a process and kids love experiencing the joy of discovering how the skills they learn
• It also models a life skill, which is the ability to sit still and be quiet, which I think all of us
• And I thought all the work that we do to come up with ways to get more graduates that are skilled and
• know, the purpose of our higher education institutions, or primary purpose of it, is to generate skilled
• think we start at a young age, but I believe anybody who comes here and plays with a high level of skill

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Union workers' skills and competency are irreplaceable.
• I passed crane training, the big ones you can see from I-5 that load the ships, in November of 2024.
• advancement of technology and AI, I have a very real fear that I may never get the chance to hone my skills
• They bring their skills and spending dollars to the communities where they work and back to the communities
• have made significant progress as far as modernizing and you as longshoremen have really changed your skill

Bills: SB5903 , SB6037 , SB5983 , SB5995 , SB6016 , SB6066

Committee: Senate Local Government

Keywords: cemetery districts, elections, local governance, public policy, administrative procedures, fire protection, districts, emergency services, funding, legislation, tax exemption, land transfer, governmental entity, property tax, current use classification, zero emission, cargo handling, port district, environmental impact, grant allocation

Transcript Highlights:

• They need someone trained to help them through big feelings and learn social stories or self-regulation
• </c> would allow us to bring in trained would allow us to bring in trained professionals<01:24:55.240
• :01.080><c> need</c><01:25:01.320><c> to</c><01:25:01.440><c> succeed</c><01:25:01.840><c> in</c> skills
• that they need to succeed in skills that they need to succeed in school. school. school.
• Our<01:36:13.240><c> counselors</c><01:36:13.760><c> provide</c><01:36:14.720><c> training</c><01:36:

Bills: HF3900

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: permanent school fund, school endowment fund, Minnesota constitutional amendment, school aid, public school funding, State Board of Investment, investment income, distributable amount, school districts, property taxes, income taxes, voter approval, ballot question, constitutional amendment 2026, education finance, fund perpetuity, purchasing power, trust lands, swamp lands, internal improvement land fund

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:48:46.080><c> form</c> teens build coping skills form teens build coping skills form supportive
• </c><02:08:21.119><c> skills</c> social interaction Life Training skills social interaction Life Training
• , cognitive skill building, physical wellness, mental health, and community.
• ><c> physical</c> skills cognitive skill building physical skills cognitive skill building physical wellness
• He came to one of our amputee training events, and he immediately found his joy again.

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on HB 530, a bill to increase funding for New Hampshire’s Affordable Housing Fund. Representative Jessica Lontine, the sponsor, described the state’s housing crisis, citing high rents, low vacancy, and the lack of affordable units. She said the bill would double the annual transfer-tax deposit into the fund from $5 million to $10 million, and she later presented an amendment to hold the Education Trust Fund harmless by directing the housing-fund deposit from remaining revenue after that trust fund is funded. She also explained a prospective appropriation idea tied to a possible future sale of the Laconia State School property, with the goal of supporting community housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Much of the testimony focused on the shortage of accessible and supportive housing for people with disabilities and aging family caregivers. Lontine, Ben Saul of Visions for Creative Housing Solutions, Lori McIntosh of Our Place NH, and Maddie Mandelbaum all described the difficulty families face in planning for adult children with disabilities as parents age or die. They emphasized that many people need not only affordable housing but accessible, supportive settings, and they argued that state investment would help nonprofit providers build such housing and prevent homelessness or inappropriate institutional placement. Several witnesses also noted that existing projects rely on capital funding and that operating revenues are limited because residents often depend on SSI and Medicaid. Committee members asked questions about the fiscal impact of the bill and amendment, including whether the proposal would shift money from the general fund or education trust fund and whether the Finance Committee should have final say over spending priorities. Lontine said she understood those concerns but argued that housing should be prioritized. Housing Action New Hampshire’s Tom Duroza also testified in support of the bill, saying the state’s housing shortage is driving record prices and vacancy rates below 1%, and that the Affordable Housing Fund has leveraged more than $500 million in private investment and helped build thousands of rental homes. He said his organization supported the underlying bill but had not yet reviewed the amendment. No vote or final action was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• When a provider trains in a community setting, many stay in those community settings.
• When physicians train in a community setting, many stay in those community settings.
• We have great evidence that that actually works in keeping people where they train.
• And this is their only exposure to pediatric neurology in their training.
• Your training at Boston Children's, couldn't you choose something more prestigious?

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Health Care Financing

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing on a large docket of bills focused on MassHealth benefits and reimbursement, health equity, behavioral health, public health, dental access, 340B drug pricing, tobacco cessation, and coverage for children. The chairs emphasized rising health care costs, provider shortages, administrative burdens, and persistent inequities by income, race, geography, and immigration status. Much of the testimony centered on H.1416/S.901, an act to advance health equity, with legislators and members of the Health Equity Compact arguing for statewide benchmarks, stronger health equity leadership, reimbursement for interpreter services, community health workers and patient navigation, Medicaid graduate medical education support, and a health equity zone trust fund. Witnesses described disparities in life expectancy, maternal mortality, access to primary care, and the impact of federal Medicaid and social service cuts, and urged the committee to report the bill favorably. The committee also heard strong support for H.1368/S.847 on rapid whole genome sequencing for critically ill MassHealth children. Testifiers from industry, academia, hospitals, and families said early sequencing can end long diagnostic odysseys, improve treatment decisions, shorten hospital stays, and save money, while also providing emotional relief and information for families. The hearing then moved to H.1407 on MassHealth rate parity for inpatient behavioral health providers, where Rep. Scanlan and the Massachusetts Association of Behavioral Health Systems said the bill would codify existing administrative parity so managed care plans cannot pay less than the MassHealth fee-for-service rate. On H.1392/S.853 to preserve and protect public health, witnesses supported higher vaccine administration fees to improve provider participation and immunization rates. The committee also heard testimony on H.770/845 to protect 340B providers in MassHealth, and on S.848 to require reporting and transparency around 340B revenues and outside administrative costs. Additional bills drew testimony on tobacco cessation coverage for MassHealth members, with advocates supporting broader access to counseling and medications through medical, behavioral health, and dental providers. On H.1409, a nursing home operator asked for more flexibility in a MassHealth staffing-related penalty tied to patient days per resident. On H.1401/S.888, supporters of the “Take 10” dental access proposal said adult MassHealth dental coverage is underused because too few dentists accept MassHealth, leading to long travel times and avoidable emergency room visits; they urged incentive payments for dentists serving new adult MassHealth patients. Finally, on H.1403/S.855, “Cover All Kids,” advocates and immigrant community members urged removal of immigration status as a barrier to full MassHealth coverage for children, while also backing a related bill to ensure 12 months of continuous coverage for children. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and asked questions on costs, reimbursement levels, and implementation details.

Transcript Highlights:

• So how much surgery training do optometrists have versus ophthalmologists' surgical training for working
• It's also skill.
• We have training in almost anything else we do. We have football training. We have basketball.
• training.
• Our standard employee training that we go through, it's a year-long, complex training based on our programs

Committee: House Professional Registration and Licensing

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and adopted a House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2300 by a unanimous roll call vote of 18-0. The substitute combined a number of previously approved professional registration items, including emergency suspension authority, chiropractic and massage therapy provisions, accountant regulations, the athletic trainer compact, social worker regulations, a speech-language pathologist fix, telehealth, nonprofit pharmacies, and the physician assistant compact. Members noted that work was still ongoing on bell bondsman language before the committee moved into public hearing. The main public hearing was on House Bill 2897, which would expand optometrists’ authority to perform certain laser and in-office procedures. Representative Farnan and optometry supporters argued the bill is about patient access, especially in rural areas, and said it would allow three laser procedures—YAG capsulotomy, laser trabeculoplasty, and laser iridotomy—plus clarify other already-performed office procedures, while still excluding major surgeries such as cataract surgery, LASIK, and corneal transplants. Supporters said optometrists already receive relevant training, that a 32-hour certification course would serve as a safeguard, and that patients often face long waits or long travel times for care. Opponents, including ophthalmologists, argued the bill would blur the line between optometry and surgery, create safety risks, and rely on insufficient training and ambiguous language. They cited complications from laser procedures, questioned emergency care claims, and said optometrists should not be regulated as surgeons unless placed under the State Board of Healing Arts. No vote was taken on HB 2897, and the chair recessed the hearing for later continuation. The Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education then took up House Bill 3239 and adopted Amendment 0.01H, which capped the program at $4 million to keep it from becoming an open-ended cost. The committee then adopted the House Committee Substitute and voted the bill do pass by 11-7. The committee also combined House Bills 2913 and 3228 into one substitute and voted that combined measure do pass by 19-0. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2195, which would create the Missouri Integrated Safe Driving Program and encourage school districts to incorporate driver-safety content into existing courses without adding a fiscal note or mandating a standalone driver’s ed class. Sponsor Representative Reedy and supporters from AAA Missouri and the Missouri Driver Education Coalition said the bill would address teen crash rates, improve access to driver education, and help schools use existing curriculum time more flexibly. The hearing remained in discussion with testimony continuing.

Transcript Highlights:

• visibility of the program, there's a real scarcity of resources, including technical capacity and skill
• Seventeen percent of the population reside in nursing facilities or skilled nursing facilities.
• So given that states license and regulate nursing homes, for example, and skilled nursing facilities,
• And then the Bureau moved into using trained enumerators.
• It has to do with the training that anybody who will be touching or using the data must take.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on the Census

Transcript Highlights:

• I have trained and given presentations and seminars to hundreds of people showing them how this can be
• Adult education and skills programs are uniquely positioned to address these gaps, but existing policies
• Adult education and skills programs are uniquely positioned to address these gaps.
• Adult education and skills programs are uniquely positioned to address these gaps.
• This framework enables programs to better align their services, education, job training, and community

Summary: The committee heard several higher education bills. It first approved the consent calendar, which included SB 67 and SB 619. The main discussion centered on SB 437, which would direct the CSU system to develop a fair, evidence-based process for verifying whether someone is a descendant of a person enslaved in the United States, as part of the state’s reparations work. Supporters said the bill fills a gap left by the Reparations Task Force and would create a transparent, credible lineage-verification process; opponents argued genealogy methods already exist, the bill would waste money and delay action, and some raised constitutional concerns. The committee took a vote on SB 437, but the roll was left open after the initial tally showed three ayes and three noes. The committee then heard SB 790, which would allow California to join the interstate reciprocity agreement for online postsecondary education. The author and supporters said the bill would improve consumer protections for California students taking out-of-state online courses and help California institutions compete more effectively by reducing the burden of seeking separate state approvals. Opponents, including University of Phoenix and other groups, argued the bill conflicted with the existing reciprocity framework, could exclude some institutions, and might not actually secure California’s entry into the agreement. The committee voted 3-1 to pass SB 790 as amended to the Business and Professions Committee, with the roll left open. The committee also heard SB 391, which would authorize the Community College Chancellor’s Office to charge fees for research partners seeking access to data. Supporters said the office is absorbing significant unfunded workload from data requests and that fees would help recover costs; opponents, including the California Teachers Association community college association, warned the fees could create barriers for faculty and smaller researchers. Members discussed possible exemptions and implementation details. The committee voted 5-1 to pass SB 391 as amended to the Appropriations Committee, with the roll left open. Finally, the committee heard SB 685, a pilot program to provide cost-of-attendance assistance at four CSU campuses for students who experienced homelessness in high school. Supporters said it would help students cover housing, food, and transportation costs and reduce dropout risk; members asked about eligibility and implementation, and the author explained the bill would use McKinney-Vento homelessness designations and target students at risk of “summer melt” and college homelessness.

Transcript Highlights:

• administration and DOJ specifically, cancel research grants to fund science agency and lay off highly skilled
• a leader who not only understands and believes in the mission, but also has the interdisciplinary skill
• Our job was to fly fighter jets as adversaries, executing enemy tactics, and training American war fighters
• In the house I was fortunate to lead bills on immersive technology and it really helped helping us train
• How will you use that skill set at a complex organization like NASA?

Committee: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

Keywords: state policy, governance, legislative processes, public concerns, policy improvement

Summary: During the committee meeting, various issues surrounding state policy and governance were deliberated. Although the specifics of bills under discussion were not highlighted, comments from several committee members indicated a focus on improving legislative processes and addressing public concerns. The chairman facilitated discussions that included several points of critique as well as suggestions for enhancement of existing laws. The atmosphere remained constructive despite the complexity of the topics at hand.

Transcript Highlights:

• representing seven cities, including Fort Lauderdale, which is the home of the Stanley Cup Panthers training
• We're also the largest provider of apprenticeship education and training.
• We're also the largest provider of apprenticeship education and training.
• We are ready to train you, and everybody's hiring.
• Do you have the skill set?

Summary: The Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee held its first meeting of the 2025 session and focused on an overview of county and municipal home rule powers and state preemption. After roll call and member introductions, Chair Alex Rizzo and Vice Chair Griff Griffiths explained the constitutional and statutory basis for local self-government, the distinction between charter and non-charter counties, and how express and implied preemption limit local authority. Griffiths emphasized that home rule gives local governments broad power to address community needs, but the Legislature can override that authority through clear preemption, with courts ultimately deciding disputes. Representatives Holcomb and LaMarca added that local issues should generally be addressed locally first, but statewide standards can be appropriate when uniformity is needed or local action is ineffective. The committee then heard from a panel representing counties, cities, business, and construction interests: Ginger Delegal of the Florida Association of Counties, Carolyn Johnson of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Rebecca O'Hara of the Florida League of Cities, and Carol Bowen of Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida. Delegal and O'Hara argued that home rule is rooted in local autonomy, policy experimentation, and accountability to voters, and warned against broad or “vacuum” preemptions that remove local authority without replacing it with state regulation. Johnson and Bowen supported preemption when local rules create a patchwork that hurts statewide competitiveness, raises costs, or complicates business operations, citing examples such as labor rules, heat safety, permitting, and procurement preferences. The panel also discussed the 2023 local ordinances law, which requires business impact estimates and provides attorney’s fees in certain challenges, as a mechanism to resolve disputes locally before resorting to preemption. Members questioned the panel about the 2024 heat-safety preemption and how to protect workers in the absence of local ordinances. Business representatives said existing OSHA duties and industry best practices already require employers to provide safe conditions, while local governments and the state should avoid inconsistent standards across jurisdictions. Another discussion centered on construction permitting, licensing, and local boards that may slow projects and increase costs; Bowen suggested eliminating redundant local fees and barriers while preserving statewide licensing and enforcement against bad actors. No votes were taken, and the meeting remained informational, with the chair inviting continued discussion on when preemption is appropriate versus when local governments should retain authority.

Transcript Highlights:

• , that they go and get an extra year of training.
• And then there's training in place.
• , that they go and get an extra year of training.
• And then there's training in place.
• So we need well-trained health care professionals. So I just wanted to hit that.

Summary: The committee first approved the December 10 minutes and then received a DEQ base budget summary and agency overview. DEQ staff explained that the agency is largely federally and special funded, with major ongoing costs in salaries, operating expenses, grants, and continuing appropriations. Director Dave Glatt and accounting director Beth Jacobson highlighted core programs, the move to a new chemistry laboratory, the new state fuel inspection program, wastewater-related funding from HB 1577, and implementation of SB 2267 for on-site wastewater rules. They also noted the agency’s spending patterns, possible federal EPA cuts, and the likelihood of some fee adjustments or program changes if federal support declines. Members asked about DEQ’s travel, field offices, future staffing, and how the agency would respond to reduced federal regulation. DEQ said most staff are based in Bismarck, with field offices in Fargo, Sawyer, and Gwinner, and that travel is driven by inspections and spill response. Glatt said the agency would continue to rely on science and law, and that any future federal retrenchment could mean more state responsibility but likely not a wholesale increase in FTEs. The committee also discussed a feedlot enforcement case in the Minot area, with DEQ explaining its role in ensuring compliance, permitting, and animal-waste management standards. The Department of Health and Human Services then presented on FTE block grant reporting, TANF balances, child care transfers, and the Rural Health Transformation Program. Donna Ockland explained that no line-item transfers had occurred yet for the new rural health work, but about 33 positions were planned and some current staff time could be reimbursed through approved cost allocation. HHS also reviewed TANF’s frozen eligibility and block grant structure, the transfer of up to 30% of TANF funds to child care, and recent program changes that increased benefits and raised the income limit. Staff said the department is using TANF more strategically to support child care and other allowable uses, while still carrying over unused funds as many states do. Finally, Pat and HHS staff gave an update on the Rural Health Transformation Program, saying the first funding opportunity was being posted and that the state is on track to obligate the federal funds within the required timeline. They described priorities such as workforce retention, preceptor development, technical assistance for critical access hospitals, community wellness projects, and ambulance upgrades. Members asked about rural versus urban eligibility, immigrant recruitment, evaluation of year-two funding, and how the program would address varied local workforce needs. The meeting then shifted to an Office of Management and Budget update on the new State Hospital project, where Lindsay Ashley reported continued construction progress, updated cost information, and selected alternates, with photos and details showing work underway in multiple building sections.

Transcript Highlights:

• They are required to currently be employed as dialysis techs, have completed or be enrolled in a training
• I also notice it says you don't really do any kind of training program or outreach.
• They can do nutrient management work, but obviously very skilled and very knowledgeable when it comes
• But there’s also some training opportunities that we can do with the association.

Committee: All ALC-OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING REVIEW SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The Occupational Licensing Review Subcommittee met to review two occupational licensing reports: the Arkansas State Board of Nursing and the State Board of Registration for Professional Soil Classifiers. For nursing, board officials described the board’s history, scope, and licensure categories, noting it regulates about 72,000 nurses and oversees RNs, LPNs, advanced practice nurses, medication assistants, and a new dialysis patient care technician registry. Members asked about workforce shortages, complaint types, and the board’s finances; the board said Arkansas has enough licensed nurses overall but has vacancy issues in some areas, complaints commonly involve criminal backgrounds, fraud, misrepresentation, drug abuse, and misappropriation, and the average case length is 191 days though some cases remain open much longer while awaiting criminal adjudication. Officials also said they are working on efficiency improvements and have added help positions with Department of Health support. The report was accepted without objection. The committee then reviewed the soil classifier program, now housed under the Natural Resources Commission after the former board was abolished in 2023. Agriculture Department officials explained that soil classifiers are a small, specialized profession requiring a four-year degree with coursework in biological, earth, and soil sciences, and that the state currently has 29 registered soil classifiers. Members asked whether that number is sufficient, what the work involves, and how the program’s finances are used. Officials said the profession is mainly used for septic system design, wetland determinations, nutrient management, and other soil-related work, and that current staffing appears adequate. They also noted the program has about $20,000 in reserves, above the statutory three-year balance, and discussed possible uses such as training, curriculum upgrades, and expanded administrative funding. The report was also accepted without objection, and the meeting adjourned with the next meeting scheduled for February 19 at 1:30 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• You see it talks about training, but now we are clarifying what kind of training to align with these
• The lack of training and support teachers receive in working with students with varying needs.
• That would include an additional training requirement.
• I train the residents that are at UNM.
• Training for these procedures must be held to a high standard to ensure patient safety.

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 120, which would revise New Mexico law on restraint and seclusion in public schools. The sponsor and supporters said the bill grew out of a year-long stakeholder working group and would clearly define terms such as chemical, mechanical, prone restraint, seclusion, timeout, de-escalation, and elopement; prohibit chemical, mechanical, and prone restraint; require continuous supervision during seclusion; update school safety plans and staff training; and improve reporting to parents and the state. Testimony from disability advocates, the Public Education Department, educators, and parents emphasized that students with disabilities are disproportionately affected, that clearer rules would help staff act safely, and that better reporting and de-escalation practices would reduce trauma. Committee members asked about the meaning of timeout, chemical restraint, data accuracy, and the juvenile detention facility exception, and the sponsor indicated an amendment on parent-notification timing would not be pursued to avoid delay. The committee then began House Bill 213, which would expand the Optometry Act to allow trained optometrists to perform certain laser procedures, including treatment for capsular clouding and glaucoma-related procedures. The sponsor said the bill adds training, certification, supervised live-procedure requirements, adverse-outcome reporting, and an Optometry Board member qualified to perform the procedures. Supporters argued the measure would improve access to care, especially in rural areas, and that the procedures are already performed safely in other states. Opponents, including ophthalmologists and the New Mexico Medical Board, argued the bill would move surgery outside the Medical Practice Act, lower the standard of care, and create regulatory and malpractice-accountability concerns because optometrists would not be subject to the same oversight and emergency-care authority as physicians. The committee did not reach a final vote on HB 213 before the transcript ended.