Video & Transcript : 'towing rates' :
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CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Banking and Finance Committee Jul 7th, 2025
Banking and Finance
Transcript Highlights:
- Here's what he said: 9% simple interest rate. What's the APR for that? That's a 45%, he explained.
- What does a 4% fee rate mean? He asked. That's also, it turns out, a 45% APR.
- is an APR or the annual percentage rate.
- It buys down the interest rate.
- The borrower sees, you know, a 2% interest rate, 3% interest rate, they think, "Wow, that's amazing!
Committee:
House Banking and Finance
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Information Technology Committee Jul 8th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Beyond the rate comparison, and maybe I will stop one more time at the rate comparison, when you click
- on that exploring the rate comparison link, there are some of our rates in here where it talks to comparisons
- So I am going to come off of the rate piece.
- We've certainly seen those participation rates drop.
- And we had about a 42% participation rate across all entities in North Dakota.
Summary:
The committee approved the March 26 minutes and then received a quarterly update on major IT projects from NDIT. Staff reported the portfolio included 116 major projects totaling about $546 million, with the overall portfolio under budget but slightly behind schedule. They reviewed projects over the 20% variance threshold, including an Industrial Commission grants management system and DOT’s roadway pre-construction replacement, and then heard startup and closeout reports from HHS, OMB, DPI, and DOT. Several previously troubled projects were closed, including HHS bed management, vital records modernization, and DOT roadway capital planning; some projects finished under budget and ahead of schedule, while others were significantly behind schedule or over budget but were now closed or being remediated.
The committee also reviewed NDIT’s annual report, including service-fund financials, peer-state rate comparisons, records management, and customer satisfaction efforts. Members asked about how service-fund revenue and grant administrative charges are accounted for, how chargebacks work, and whether NDIT tracks customer satisfaction scores. NDIT said it does track CSAT-type measures in some service areas and has survey data, but it is not planning another customer survey this summer. Members encouraged more regular reporting of customer satisfaction, service-level metrics, and performance data to help guide future improvements.
A major portion of the meeting focused on the state’s mainframe modernization effort. NDIT said the overall effort is still targeting about 2030, with multiple HHS and DOT projects underway and a $15 million tech-debt appropriation already removing some components. Staff described the main obstacles as data cleanup, complex integrations, limited staff capacity, retirements, and vendor constraints, and said they are seeking a vendor with modernization support in the next contract cycle. Members pressed for clearer accountability and faster progress, and NDIT and HHS emphasized that they are working jointly but need continued support and better tools.
The committee then heard a cybersecurity update on NDIT’s statewide services and maturity assessments. NDIT explained that it provides vulnerability scanning, endpoint protection, security awareness training, threat briefings, and penetration testing, and that these services are tied to a cybersecurity maturity assessment based on CIS controls. Members questioned the sharp drop in participation since 2020 and whether the self-assessment should be mandatory or tied more strongly to StageNet access or insurance incentives. NDIT said participation is voluntary, but Enderf is now requiring annual assessments to keep a 4% insurance discount, and members discussed whether stronger requirements or audit authority may be needed. The meeting ended as the committee began a follow-up discussion on BEAD broadband connection costs and why some locations are much more expensive to connect than others.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
06/10/2026 - Joint Appropriations
Transcript Highlights:
- What was the inflation rate? Mr.
- They're worried about their electricity rates going up.
- of growth in the budget at a sustainable rate.
- And it's going to save the state a lot in terms of our error rates.
- The 2.5% flat tax rate that we did a few years ago was a big deal.
Summary:
The joint House and Senate Appropriations committees met to hear the FY 2027 budget package, beginning with the General Appropriations Act (HB 4154/SB 1847). Staff outlined the overall budget, including one-time fund transfers, lump-sum reductions, funding for state employee health insurance, school facilities, corrections, flood and wildfire relief, education and child care, and other ongoing and supplemental items. Members briefly discussed the absence of a requested $1.5 million for the oversight office, but the chair said no amendments would be taken in committee and that only limited technical changes were likely later in the process.
Public testimony on the feed bill was largely supportive but focused on specific funding concerns. Testimony highlighted school safety funding, Alzheimer’s services, small business tax expensing provisions, disability oversight for group homes, county use of opioid settlement dollars, adult education/community college funding, victim notification funding, and ESA oversight. Several speakers praised the budget for funding DDD and other services, while others opposed or sought changes to items such as the COMIT group home monitoring program, Maricopa Community Colleges’ lack of operating aid, and a possible cut to the victim notification program. The chair repeatedly emphasized that changes to the negotiated budget would be difficult and should be routed through leadership.
The committee then moved quickly through the remaining budget reconciliation bills. Staff summarized bills covering amusement and wagering, capital outlay, commerce, criminal justice, environment, health care, higher education, human services, and K-12 education. Notable provisions included continued wagering assessments, highway and building renewal funding, defense innovation and economic development changes, corrections and wrongful conviction provisions, groundwater and water banking measures, health insurance oversight and opioid settlement provisions, higher education funding and ABOR operating caps, SNAP and housing trust fund changes, and a 2% inflation increase for K-12 formula components. The K-12 bill also included a biometric school safety pilot and a child sexual abuse prevention pilot. No votes were taken in the portion provided, and the chair indicated the committee would continue through the remaining bills.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
Senate Health and Human Services (04/16/2026)
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> comes at a time when vaccination rates comes at a time when vaccination rates are<00:16:24.480><
- </c> anytime you um try to uh exemption rates anytime you um try to uh exemption rates are<00:21:51.120
- </c> um our rates have dipped a bit since CO. um our rates have dipped a bit since CO.
- This isn't going to change vaccination rates or anything else.
- Uh, lower your heart rate here for a little bit, right?
Committee:
Senate Health and Human Services
WY
Transcript Highlights:
- Um the have raised their water rates.
- </c><01:24:42.400><c> uh</c> water rates uh water rates uh to<01:24:44.800><c> be</c><01:24:45.120><c
- ,</c> and the flexibility to adjust rates, and the flexibility to adjust rates, utility<03:24:41.359>
- a requirement for the election, which has never been applied to changing rates or user rates.
- </c> rates to prescribe and regulate rates rates to prescribe and regulate rates uh<03:27:05.680><c>
Committee:
Joint Select Water Committee
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am
Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure
Transcript Highlights:
- The unemployment rate currently sits at 21% for the military spouse demographic.
- The law mandates that it be compensated at the retail rate.
- Under current law, manufacturers pay the dealer that dealer's same hourly labor rate that it charges
- And that's how flat rates work in one sense: that it's an average.
- And that's how flat rates work in one sense, that it's an average.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure held a hearing on late-filed bills and home rule petitions, with both in-person and remote testimony. Committee chairs reviewed logistics for public testimony and then heard a series of bill presentations on topics including nitrous oxide sales, liquor license extensions and alcohol license density, cosmetology licensure compacts, electronic textbooks, HVAC supervisor licensing, and automotive warranty reimbursement rates. Several members asked questions about the public health, consumer protection, economic mobility, and regulatory impacts of the proposals.
Representative John Barrett testified in support of H. 4907, which would regulate the sale of nitrous oxide, arguing it is a public health measure aimed at reducing recreational misuse by young people while preserving legitimate culinary, medical, dental, and industrial uses. Southbridge officials Peg Dean and David Adams supported a local liquor license extension bill, saying delayed revitalization and staffing disruptions from the pandemic-era “Great Resignation” had slowed development and postponed demand for the licenses. MassPack supported H. 4597 to limit new alcohol retail licenses near existing stores after 2026, citing oversaturation and public health concerns, while the committee also heard testimony on a cosmetology compact bill from industry and state-government representatives who said it would improve workforce mobility, especially for military spouses, though members questioned its fee structure and interaction with existing reciprocity rules.
Representative Mindy Domb testified for H. 559, which would create a commission to study electronic textbooks and automatic textbook billing, arguing that digital course materials can limit consumer choice, raise costs, and reduce students’ ability to share or resell materials. Student testimony echoed those concerns. The committee also heard strong support for H. 4719, a bill to create HVAC construction supervisor licensing, from industry witnesses who said it would improve consumer protection, accountability, and clean-energy implementation; and opposition testimony on H. 4019, which would change how auto dealers are reimbursed for warranty work, with dealers supporting a fix to manufacturer reimbursement practices and manufacturers warning the bill would raise costs and allow overpayment. At the end of the hearing, the chairs read the agenda items and the committee adjourned by unanimous voice vote.
LA
Transcript Highlights:
- And then that would become part of the rate development of that insurer.
- That rate was put in law in 1961. The rate is 16 cents per mile.
- That rate was put in law in 1961, so we haven't updated in a lot of our areas since 1961.
- Right now, the rate increase on average will be around $4,000 a judicial district.
- We have among the lowest employer contribution rates in the state and statewide systems.
Committee:
Senate Finance
Summary:
The Senate Finance Committee met with eight members present and deferred HB 127. It then considered a series of bills, most of which were reported favorably without opposition. HB 22 revised COLA rules for the clerks of court retirement system, allowing more frequent COLAs when the system is better funded; HB 324 made judicial stipends permanent and added future COLAs subject to available funding; HB 233 increased jury mileage reimbursement; HB 47 reorganized assessor retirement COLA statutes; HB 533 allowed St. Tammany Parish to transfer unused witness-fee account balances to the 22nd Judicial District Court; HB 980 adjusted eligibility for the Firemen’s Supplemental Pay Board; HCR 45 urged Congress to clarify ARPA deadlines for water projects; HB 559 increased court costs in the 4th Judicial District; HB 290 recreated the Department of Treasury and related entities in statute; and HB 382 addressed Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget review authority over Group Benefits plans. The committee also reported HB 1157 favorably, creating a financing bank mechanism for infrastructure projects, and HB 575 favorably, giving youth aging out of foster care preferred access to surplus state vehicles through the Louisiana Property Assistance Agency.
Several measures drew more discussion. HB 1236, dealing with pharmacy benefit managers and professional dispensing fees, prompted extensive testimony from the sponsor, the Legislative Fiscal Office, the Department of Insurance, independent pharmacies, and PBM representatives. Supporters said it clarifies and strengthens enforcement of existing PBM law and protects independent pharmacies; opponents argued the bill’s requirement that PBMs bear dispensing-fee costs would be difficult to implement and could raise premiums. The sponsor said he would work on amendments, including clarifying language and a delayed effective date, and the bill was nevertheless moved favorably. SB 25, on registrar of voters compensation, was amended to a revised pay structure and then reported favorably. HB 47 and HB 533 were also presented as funding and administrative cleanups for retirement and court-related accounts, with local support noted.
The committee also heard HB 233 on jury duty mileage reimbursement, which the sponsor said updates a 1961 rate and would be funded locally at an estimated average increase of about $4,000 per judicial district. HB 324 on judicial salaries was described as self-funded by the judiciary and subject to available funding, with no budget impact. HB 575 on foster youth transportation was presented as a non-appropriation measure aimed at helping youth aging out of foster care by giving them preferred access to surplus vehicles. HB 382, which concerns the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget’s role in approving Group Benefits plans, was reported favorably with little discussion. The meeting ended after a motion to adjourn.
MS
Transcript Highlights:
- out in other states is that if you can test for dyslexia, you're able to then assist with recidivism rate
- Um, will have to what the Medicaid rate is.
- Well, it can't be what the Medicaid rate is.
- </c> Well, it can't be what the Medicaid rate Well, it can't be what the Medicaid rate is.
- </c> Medicaid reimbursement rate. Medicaid reimbursement rate.
Committee:
Joint Corrections
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Early Learning & Human Services Jan 13th, 2026 at 01:30 pm
Early Learning & Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- Additionally, the review must compare staff retention rates across each setting.
- We wouldn't drive housing policy without knowing eviction rates or capacity or other factors.
- Additionally, the review must compare staff retention rates across each setting.
- Additionally, the review must compare staff retention rates across each setting.
- We wouldn't drive housing policy without knowing eviction rates or capacity or other factors.
Committee:
House Early Learning & Human Services
Keywords:
homelessness, youth programs, advisory committee, prevention, protection, developmental disabilities, residential settings, data access, safety, stability, community oversight, residential services, regulation, service providers, monitoring, HB 2319, residential habilitation center, state school renaming, Rainier School, Firecrest School
AL
Transcript Highlights:
- And that have on Alabama's bond rating? And that have on Alabama's bond rating?
- What is the current what is our current bond rating? current bond rating? current bond rating?
- We would impact us on those ratings. We would impact us on those ratings.
- I know what the current bond rating is? I know what the current bond rating is?
- That's a good bond rating. But well. That's a good bond rating. But well.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Health and Human Services - 02/12/25
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- ><c> and</c> but the current indirect rate is 54 and but the current indirect rate is 54 and so<00:38
- low rate.
- That is a negotiated rate that's done—we negotiate that rate with the federal government about every
- </c> decades to negotiate that indirect rate decades to negotiate that indirect rate um<00:44:47.240>
- that rate with the federal negotiate that rate with the federal government<00:46:08.359><c> about</c
Committee:
Senate Health and Human Services
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Task Force Jun 24th, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Task Force
Transcript Highlights:
- And so our effective tax rate is 1.75%, right?
- It’s a higher prevalence rate in military and veterans.
- And so as you see the prevalence rate of gambling disorder go up, so will the rate of suicide along those
- The prevalence rate is double in sports betting.
- Charles County overdose death rate reflects that.
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice Feb 12th, 2026
Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice
Transcript Highlights:
- We keep emergency medical transport at reimbursement rates not to exceed the Medicaid allowable rates
- We have it currently at the Medicaid allowable rate.
- Our proposal in the amendment is that it may not exceed 110 percent of the Medicare allowable rate.
- We also keep the carve-outs with room for community health care providers to negotiate rates above 110
- percent of the Medicare allowable rate if they enter into an agreement to: one, provide health care
Summary:
The Criminal and Civil Justice Committee met with a quorum present and began with a notice that the committee would not present its budget that day, explaining that the budget rollout would be coordinated with House partners and Senate notice requirements, with the next opportunity expected the following week. The committee then moved to legislation, starting with CS for SB 760 by Senator McLean, the Victim Safety and Pre-Trial Release Act, which would address willful violations of court-ordered no-contact conditions for defendants on pretrial release for serious violent crimes. The bill had support from the Florida Sheriffs Association, received no debate, and was reported favorably by roll call vote.
The committee next considered SB 1536 by Senator Pizzo on digital voyeurism, described as expanding the reasonable expectation of privacy to include a privately fenced yard. The transcript shows the chair moved on before questions or a vote were taken on that bill. The committee then took up CS for SB 102 by Senator Yarbrough on inmate services, first adopting a leave-filed amendment that revised provisions on inmate welfare trust funds, Medicaid supplemental reimbursement participation, emergency transport reimbursement, and negotiated rates for certain community health care providers, including telehealth and secure-unit care. Justin Senior of the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida testified in information, saying the amendment was a major positive move, and the amended bill was then reported favorably.
At the end of the meeting, the chair noted that two agenda items were being temporarily postponed: CS for SB 1582 on statewide data sharing of secondhand dealer and pawnbroker transactions and SB 1792 on public records for pawnbroker transactions. No further business was raised, and the committee adjourned after a motion by Senator Simon.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Special Legislative Commission on Emerging Firearm Technology Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- Most algorithms gave significantly higher false match rates for women than for men.
- The highest false match rate was for American Indian women, with a rate 68 times that of white men.
- Black and Asian women also saw a higher-than-average false match rate.
- And finally, while false non-match rates were lower across the board than false match rates, the researchers
- ...finding that false non-match rates ranged from 0.1% to over 10%, depending on the algorithm.
Summary:
The commission met for its fourth hearing on emerging firearm technology, focused on personalized firearms and related privacy issues. Co-chairs noted the commission’s charge to study personalized firearm incentives, risks from digital manufacturing codes and AI, and the costs of requiring personalized firearm and microstamp technologies, and said the report deadline is being extended to July 31. They also announced the next public hearing for April 17 at 11:00 a.m., limited to Massachusetts residents.
The first witness, Kai Kloepfer of Biofire, described the company’s personalized 9mm smart gun and argued it is designed to prevent unauthorized use through biometric authentication, local encrypted data storage, no wireless connectivity, and automatic disarming when released. He said Biofire opposes any mandate requiring personalized firearms, calling such mandates a de facto gun ban that would stifle innovation, limit consumer choice, and burden a still-developing market. He said the company has a patent portfolio, has received thousands of pre-orders, is shipping in all 50 states, and is approved for sale in Massachusetts; he also said the gun costs about $1,500, is currently sold online, and is intended mainly for home defense. Members questioned him about sales, manufacturing, battery life, repairability, transfer of ownership, possible expansion to other firearms, and whether microstamping could be incorporated.
A Massachusetts firearms roster official, Michaela Dunn, explained the state’s testing and approval process for handguns and confirmed that the Biofire firearm is now on the Massachusetts roster and commercially available for retail sale in the state. Kate Crockford of the ACLU of Massachusetts testified only on facial recognition, warning that commercially available systems show significant demographic bias and that Massachusetts lacks comprehensive biometric privacy protections. She urged passage of pending data privacy and biometric privacy bills, including the Massachusetts Data Privacy Act and related measures, before any broader use of biometric verification in firearm laws. Commissioners discussed privacy concerns, and Biofire said its system is zero-knowledge and would likely comply with stronger biometric privacy laws. No votes were taken and no formal action was reported beyond the scheduling announcement and the extension effort.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee Jun 10th, 2026
Labor, Public Employment and Retirement
Transcript Highlights:
- This bill does not change the reimbursement rates or create new payment obligation.
- Contractors are required to perform that work at an outdated wage rate.
- Contractors are required to perform that work at an outdated wage rate.
- Contractors are required to perform that work at an outdated wage rate, even though higher rates have
- And for those reasons, we're accustomed to meeting those rates.
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
Special Committee on Property Tax Reform Feb 26th, 2026
Special Committee on Property Tax Reform
Transcript Highlights:
- It's all a single-rate deal.
- But everywhere else, everything is a single rate.
- But also, I just want to speak briefly on the idea of this four rate.
- Let's just realize what we're doing when we silo these rates out.
- Let's just realize what we're doing when we silo these rates out.
Summary:
The Special Committee on Property Tax Reform heard public testimony on House Bills 3253 and 3254, presented by Representatives Steinhoff and Jobe. The bills would expand assessor training and continuing education requirements, require physical inspections for large assessment increases on commercial property as well as residential property, allow greater use of technology and remote imagery in assessments, create optional electronic notices and communications for taxpayers, and move toward setting property tax levies by subclass with a small-parcel exception. The bill also included provisions to raise the per-parcel reimbursement floor for assessors, reimburse local governments for revenue losses tied to SB 190 and SB 3, provide payment options during appeals, and require counties to offer installment payment options for property taxes.
The sponsors said the proposal was built from bipartisan committee discussions and statewide listening sessions, and they emphasized assessor professionalism, taxpayer flexibility, and fairness in the assessment process. Committee members asked about assessor training, the fiscal note, the parcel reimbursement formula, and how the subclass levy system would work in small jurisdictions. Witnesses from the Missouri Special Districts Association and school administrators generally supported the concepts of better assessor training, more resources, and taxpayer payment flexibility, while also warning about implementation burdens and the fiscal impact of state backfill for SB 190 and SB 3.
Testimony also focused on the accuracy of ratio studies and the fairness of moving to subclass-based levies. Some members argued the current system can shift tax burdens unfairly between residential, commercial, and agricultural property owners, while others cautioned that the new structure could create winners and losers depending on local assessment practices. A representative from the State Tax Commission clarified that commissioners do receive training, corrected the parcel reimbursement discussion to note the first 20,000 parcels are treated differently under current law, and said the commission already provides assessor training. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after public testimony.
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Appropriations - Human Resources Division Apr 14th, 2025 at 02:00 pm
Appropriations - Human Resources Division
Transcript Highlights:
- The basic care $5 daily rate, we knew that that was in the base from last session and we moved it out
- The basic care $5 daily rate, we knew that that was in the base from last session and we moved it out
- the Medicaid expansion programs may not exceed 145% of Medicare reimbursement rates.
- Section 30, provider rate increase. We changed that.
- Section 37, basic care payment rates. That just extended what the House perceived to be a sunset.
Bills:
SB2015
Summary:
The Senate Appropriations Human Resources Division met with all members present and took up several bills, focusing most of the discussion on SB 1577 and SB 1619, along with a detailed review of the HHS budget bill draft. On SB 1577, Senator Magrum explained that the bill was being revised to focus on wastewater rather than raw water, possibly shifting the Washburn project to the Department of Water Resources so it could access matching funds, and potentially converting the bill into a line of credit if federal money is restored later. Members discussed whether to keep an emergency clause or instead use a date-based approach, and agreed the bill would likely be handled through the full committee and possibly reconsidered later. On SB 1619, Senator Davison said amendments were still being worked on, including changes requested by the Bank of North Dakota, and the committee planned to hold it for possible amendment before full committee consideration.
The bulk of the meeting was a section-by-section review of the HHS appropriations bill draft. Members discussed one-time funding items such as technology projects, child care programs, housing programs, behavioral health facility grants, infant and toddler care provider support, juvenile justice diversion, medical housing, and other public health and human services projects. Several adjustments were noted, including reductions or changes to IMD-related funding, incarcerated-person treatment funding, the child welfare technology project, and the provider rate increase. The committee also discussed the FTE block grant structure at length, with staff explaining that the apparent increase in positions reflected budgeting mechanics, zero-dollar “phantom” positions, and positions approved previously but not counted in the FTE total. Members raised concerns about transparency and whether the bill should list FTE numbers, but staff said the block grant was intended to give the department flexibility while quarterly reporting would provide oversight.
Other topics included Medicaid expansion funding and provider reimbursement rules, the move toward certifying human service centers as certified community behavioral health clinics, a moratorium on new ICF beds, and studies or reports on Medicaid, obesity, disability services, truancy, and behavioral health facility grants. The committee also discussed removing or revising broad intent language in Section 31 so the department would report findings rather than implement changes without further legislative action. No final votes were taken in the transcript; instead, members agreed to make a few technical adjustments, continue reviewing the bill, and likely revisit it the next day before moving it to conference committee.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- But local governments, depending upon the different taxing entities, can absolutely charge the rates
- Well, we could also rein it in by limiting the rate that they could charge.
- Ma'am, my bill does not address rates.
- It doesn't deal with the rates.
- Texas's competitive tax rating, y'all, we don't want Texas. us to be hurt in any way when it comes to
Bills:
HJR1 , HJR2 , HB9 , HB22 , HB908 , HB1392 , HB195 , HB 13 , HB143 , HB135 , HJR1 , HJR2 , HB9 , HB22 , HB908 , HB1392
Keywords:
constitutional amendment, property tax, ad valorem tax, tax exemption, tangible personal property, income-producing property, business personal property, equipment exemption, machinery, local government finance, school district revenue, county taxes, Texas Constitution, Article VIII, tax relief, commercial property, death tax, inheritance tax, estate tax, property transfer
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- a tier of accuracy within actuarially sound rates.
- So that has created a huge amount of delay in the rate filing process for decades.
- Rates are adequate or exposure is manageable. That combination is not workable.
- We didn't allow people to raise rates, and so they left, right?
- We didn't allow people to raise rates, and so they left, right?
Committee:
Senate Insurance
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
HHS, HHS DEFER, HHS DEFER, HHS DEFER, HHS-HRE Public Hearings 02-12-2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Great. 483 was where we ended up, relating to rate study for home health services, and the agenda begins
- Okay, next up we have SB 954, relating to a rate study for home health services.
- I think a rate study would be very beneficial, and with, of course, the appropriation of funds for the
- the committee had already done the rate study.
- Originally, it was SB 954 relating to a rate study, but we did great study, um, and hold on.
Summary:
The Health and Human Services Committee heard testimony on several measures related to child welfare, health care access, overdose response, disability services, and waste management. For SB 710 on child welfare, the Department of Human Services, the Office of Wellness and Resilience, the Attorney General’s office, and multiple advocacy groups testified in support, with the Governor’s office noting support but deferring to the Attorney General on implementation because of separation-of-powers concerns. For SB 952 on child welfare services, DHS, the Governor’s office, and child- and trauma-informed care advocates supported the bill, saying it would help families access services, provide basic material support, and reduce strain on the child welfare system. SB 954 on a home health services rate study also drew support, including from DHS, the Hawaii Healthcare Association, and a public testifier who said the study would help ensure funds reach low-income, disabled, and kupuna recipients. SB 957 on overdose prevention received support from the Department of Health and the Attorney General, who said overdose prevention centers are evidence-based but raised federal-law concerns and recommended amendments; the Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center and others also testified in support.
The committee then moved to the 1:00 regular calendar and heard SB 850 on disability health disparity, which was supported by the Executive Office on Aging, the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Hawaii Disability Rights Center, self-advocates, and others. Testimony emphasized that a disparity study could improve workforce development, training, and services for people with disabilities. SB 838 on continuous glucose monitoring drew support from health agencies and advocates, with testimony stressing that monitors can be critical for some diabetes patients. SB 829 on health care was supported by the Department of Health and health care stakeholders, who said it would help rotating physicians serve neighbor islands without local hospital privileges and align with CMS rules. SB 446 on waste management drew mixed testimony: the Department of Health and several public entities provided comments, the County of Maui opposed, and environmental advocates urged stronger aquifer protections and limits on ash reuse.
During decision making, the committee adopted recommendations to pass SB 298, SB 322, SB 299, SB 450, SB 451, SB 949, SB 710, SB 957, SB 69, and SD 952 with various amendments, including technical changes, blank appropriations, and defective dates. SB 323, SB 324, SB 712, SB 950, SB 954, and SB 959 were deferred, largely because companion House measures were moving or similar Senate measures had already passed. The chair also announced recesses to find quorum and noted that some bills from the earlier Monday calendar were being deferred to avoid duplication.