Transcript Highlights:

• > his<00:34:25.679> upstairs basically the foyer of his upstairs basically the foyer of
• are health savings on the health care are health savings on the health care side<00:48:27.839>
• health care system today.
• healthy fresh food, postpatient care healthy fresh food, postpatient care with<00:57:44.640>
• takes for that after care of a patient. takes for that after care of a patient.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:01:00 Approval of Minutes 00:02:31 Kentucky Farm Bureau 00:02:42 Kentucky Department of Agriculture 00:28:18 Kentucky Cattlemen's Association 01:48:13, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard first from Kentucky Farm Bureau leaders, who outlined the organization’s current priorities and recent work on farmland transition. Eddie Melton said Farm Bureau is working through 983 county and advisory committee resolutions and highlighted support for the updated selling farmer tax credit, now law through House Bill 775, as well as Senate Bill 28’s agriculture economic development provisions. He said Farm Bureau’s likely priorities include maintaining the 50% share of the tobacco settlement fund for agriculture, protecting funding for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, preserving sales tax exemptions on farm inputs, keeping property taxes controlled, and exploring additional tools to keep farmland in active farmers’ hands, including possible loan or inheritance-tax changes. He also raised concerns about eminent domain transparency, nuisance deer permits, and access to agricultural inputs and crop protection products. Alita Bots described the farmland transition initiative in more detail, saying the revised state tax credit is generating strong interest and that a new federal tax provision now allows eligible land sales to actively engaged farmers to spread capital gains taxes over time. She said the initiative has reached 22 counties and more than 1,300 people this year through outreach and meetings, and that Farm Bureau is pairing policy work with resources to help farm families plan transitions and prepare wills and other estate documents. Drew Graham added that the effort is also meant to bridge the rural-urban divide and support rural communities, and Farm Bureau invited members to its annual meeting in early December. Members asked about rising insurance costs and deer damage. Farm Bureau representatives said severe convective storms, inflation, and higher repair and material costs have driven insurance rate increases, citing five major storm events since 2021 and a recent Owensboro hailstorm that caused about $350 million in losses; they said the company is moving toward percentage deductibles to help moderate increases. On deer, they said crop-loss totals are hard to quantify but acknowledged the problem and discussed possible coordination with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and Hunters for the Hungry. Commissioner Jonathan Shell then began the Department of Agriculture presentation, reporting gains from the department’s school agriculture outreach program, including a 23% increase in county participation between March and September and improved teacher-reported student learning, before continuing into the department’s legislative priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Health Care Facilities and Systems Subcommittee will come to order.
• To take care of critically ill and injured children.
• Home care is vital care, ensuring that the child stays in the home in a loving family environment and
• She requires 24-7 care and supervision.
• Within that time, I began around-the-clock care and continued that same level of care to this day.

Summary: The Health Care Facilities and Systems Subcommittee met with a quorum present and took up five bills. The first, CS/HB 1119 on pediatric readiness in hospital emergency departments, would require hospitals with ERs to adopt evidence-based pediatric care policies, train staff, designate a pediatric emergency care coordinator, complete the National Pediatric Readiness Assessment, and meet minimum equipment and planning standards. Members discussed transport to the closest appropriate facility and implementation concerns, but the bill passed 16-0. The committee then approved HB 677, which would add standard fertility preservation services to the state group insurance program for employees undergoing chemotherapy, and CSHB 497, which would authorize nonprofit agricultural organization medical benefit plans for Florida Farm Bureau members, aimed at improving affordable coverage for farmers and ranchers. HB 677 passed 16-0, and CSHB 497 passed 18-0 after questions about membership, regulation, disclosures, and how the plan would compare with ACA coverage. The subcommittee also approved PCS/HB 791 on surrendered newborn infants, allowing infant safety devices at hospitals, EMS stations, and fire stations as an alternative safe-haven option. Members discussed alarms, unmanned stations, and whether churches should be included; the bill passed 18-0. Finally, HB 1529 on home health aides for medically fragile children was amended and passed 18-0. The bill seeks a federal waiver so compensation for parents serving as home health aides does not count against Medicaid eligibility, and the amendments added reporting of adverse incidents, set work-hour limits, and protected certain other benefits. The chair closed by emphasizing the committee’s role in implementation oversight and fixing problems after enactment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, basically, this is a fraud bill that we've worked on. We've got a committee sub.
• So, basically, this is a fraud bill that we've worked on. We've got a committee sub.
• We, you know, if we're not careful, we'll end up like Florida and these places where insurance costs
• We, you know, if we're not careful, we'll end up like Florida and these places where insurance costs
• We, you know, if we're not careful, we'll end up like Florida and these places where insurance costs

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Roll Call: 00:06 SB24 Discussion: 01:08 SB24 Vote: 13:22 SB18 Discussion: 14:40 SB18 Vote: 21:54, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first took up Senate Bill 24, a measure aimed at combating property and casualty insurance fraud. Senator Girdler and witnesses from the Insurance Institute of Kentucky and the National Insurance Crime Bureau said the bill would expand the definition of a fraudulent insurance act to cover statements that misrepresent the scope of property damage or repair costs, with the goal of addressing inflated storm-damage claims and out-of-state bad actors. Members discussed whether existing prosecutors were already handling these cases, the role of Commonwealth’s attorneys versus the Attorney General, and the need to keep the bill narrowly tailored to criminal intent rather than negligence or ordinary disputes over value. The committee substitute was adopted, the bill received favorable expression, and a title amendment was also adopted. The committee then heard Senate Bill 18, which would address a shortage of insurance options for automobile dealers by allowing nonadmitted carriers to provide garage liability coverage in Kentucky. Testimony from an insurance agent and a legislative agent for Big I Kentucky described a shrinking market in which some small dealers cannot find coverage at all, risking closure. Members asked about the meaning of garage liability, consumer protections, solvency concerns, and whether more competition could lower prices; witnesses said surplus lines carriers already operate in Kentucky, agents play an important vetting role, and errors-and-omissions coverage would apply to the agent. The bill was supported as a way to preserve dealer businesses and expand coverage options, and it passed the committee with favorable expression after roll call.

Transcript Highlights:

• When I had a medical event, I was off healing for four months without pay or health care benefits.
• Everything was taken care of. We do that, and I'm not the only one that does that.
• do not seek care or resources because there is no safe place for their service or companion animals
• The bill before you is basically a PERA cleanup bill, Public Employees Retirement Association.
• The bill before you is basically a PERA cleanup bill, Public Employees Retirement Association.

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The House Labor, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee met and first heard House Memorial 7, which asks Legislative Council Service, the State Personnel Office, DFA, and GSD to study the use of temporary, term, seasonal, casual, on-call, and other non-regular classifications in state government. The memorial was presented as a response to concerns that some workers are repeatedly terminated and rehired, sometimes after a one-day break, to avoid regular status and associated benefits. Testimony from CWA and AFSCME described long-term temporary workers at the National Hispanic Cultural Center and other agencies who allegedly do full-time work without health insurance, retirement, leave, or consistent pay progression, and who in some cases were denied union coverage. Committee members questioned the scope, definitions of temporary employment, and whether the issue should instead be referred to the state auditor; the sponsor said the study would gather data and recommendations first. The committee voted due pass, and House Memorial 7 passed unanimously. The committee then heard House Bill 177, which appropriates funds to the Veterans Services Department to contract for shelter and care of service and companion animals so veterans can access housing, medical care, and other services without fearing separation from their pets. Support came from the Veterans Services Department, Animal Protection New Mexico, and the Veterans and Military Families Caucus/Veterans Integration Center, all of whom said pets are often a barrier to veterans seeking care and that existing community-based animal boarding models could be used. The bill received no opposition, and the committee voted due pass with no opposition. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 43, a PERA cleanup bill intended to update and clarify the Public Employees Retirement Act and align it with administrative practice. Testimony focused on a provision allowing PERA to use licensed physicians, including out-of-state physicians who can be licensed in New Mexico, to serve on the disability review process when needed so disability cases are not delayed. Committee members raised concerns about ensuring medical expertise and avoiding abuse of the licensing flexibility, but PERA explained the change was meant to address recruitment difficulties and maintain timely review. The committee voted due pass on House Bill 43.

Transcript Highlights:

• So everyone To purchase long-term care insurance.
• So that's 83% who really can't afford long-term care as they age.
• The Health Care Authority manages ProviderOne, the payment system.
• The Health Care Authority manages ProviderOne, the payment system.
• The role is to basically give feedback to the State Investment Board.

Summary: The Pension Funding Council met on October 8 with introductions from council members and staff, then received a detailed presentation from the Office of the State Actuary on long-term economic assumptions and the state pension systems’ financial condition. OSA reported that the combined pension systems are currently 100% funded on a smoothed basis, with open plans above 95% funded, and that legacy Plan 1 systems remain on a path toward full funding under current policy. The actuaries recommended updating assumptions to 3% inflation, 3.5% general salary growth, and a 7.25% investment return, while keeping Plan 1 membership growth at 1%. They also explained asset smoothing, the role of recent strong investment returns, and the expected budget impacts of the recommended changes. Representatives from the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council and the State Investment Board offered supporting perspectives, generally describing the assumptions as reasonable and consistent with their own outlooks. The council also heard an overview of the Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Program (WACares) from DSHS and OSA. Program staff described the program’s social insurance structure, premium collection, benefit eligibility, and upcoming implementation milestones. OSA reported that the program’s first actuarial valuation showed a positive actuarial balance under the base scenario and recommended no change to the current 0.58% premium rate during the program’s early learning phase, noting that future changes would depend on experience and the program’s risk-management framework. OSA also said the recommendation would remain the same regardless of the outcome of the pending ballot measure affecting investment options. During public comment, a representative of the Washington State School Retirees Association urged continued work on Plan 1 funding and related legislation, while the Association of Washington Cities cautioned against increasing pension assumptions in a way that could raise future employer costs and reduce flexibility for current local government services. In action, the council adopted a motion to maintain the current long-term economic assumptions by a 4-2 vote, adopted the recommendation to keep the WACares premium rate at 0.58% by a 6-0 vote, and then elected Katie Chapman as council chair by unanimous vote. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't care if they're a supplier.
• I need to be careful here. 2919 I'm preaching. I need to be careful here. 2920 >> But no.
• 5170 Because at the end of the day, ratepayers care about the rate they're paying. 5171 They don't care
• It's basically, it's basically 6372 available to come online.
• 6603 To augment or take care of their, you know, the, the supply. 6604 To augment or take care of their

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce held its first interim hearing on securing critical infrastructure and supply chain integrity, with a focus on Texas’s electric grid and the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act. The chair also highlighted Texas’s relatively low electricity prices and welcomed new committee members. ERCOT, the Public Utility Commission (PUC), and the Attorney General’s office were invited to explain how the state screens market participants and grid equipment for ties to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, and how the agencies respond to noncompliance. ERCOT testified that it has implemented the requirements of three related Senate bills by requiring attestations on corporate affiliations and on critical grid equipment and services. ERCOT said it has processed thousands of attestations, used additional requests for information and third-party verification tools such as Dun & Bradstreet, and terminated nonresponsive market participants. ERCOT also said it has not seen a case requiring direct Attorney General involvement, but it does refer matters to the PUC when needed. The PUC said it can investigate suspected violations and impose penalties of up to $1 million per violation per day, and that most investigations into late or missing attestations have been resolved through compliance, market exit, or removal by ERCOT. The Attorney General’s office said its role is currently limited to audits and court involvement, and that it lacks broad independent investigatory authority under the act. Members pressed the panel on whether the current system is too reliant on self-reporting and whether it adequately addresses indirect foreign influence, especially through supply chains for batteries, inverters, transformers, and other equipment with routable connectivity. ERCOT acknowledged that the current attestation process has gaps and said it plans to refine definitions of critical grid equipment and grid services, improve information requests, and continue stakeholder rulemaking. The panel also discussed possible legislative changes, including tying prohibitions to the Department of Defense Section 1260H list and the Texas Prohibited Technologies list, clarifying warranty and service access, and expanding the statute to cover grid services more directly. Several senators raised concerns about cost, reliability, and the extent to which foreign-sourced components remain embedded in Texas infrastructure, while others suggested incentives for domestic manufacturing and stronger verification tools, including possible work with national labs such as Sandia.

Transcript Highlights:

• And within the COC, that's the Continuum of Care. There are a few buckets.
• So those are the three basic elements of the governor's initiative around the fair.
• It's because I care. This is my community. It's my home.
• It's because I care. This is my community. It's my Thank you. Why is that? It's because I care.
• That's a significant showing that New Mexicans care about this event.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We thank you and grateful for your watchful care. Amen.
• They not receive the mental health care they need.
• I say this and I'll probably get hit about this but I don't care.
• School board members to go through at least one training on the basics of school fiscal management.
• I want to be able to tell my constituents that Sacramento cares about them too.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:14:59.440> Careful constitutional friction. Careful constitutional friction.
• They do provide excellent care.
• support House Bill 3, the Care Act. support House Bill 3, the Care Act.
• to care to care really<00:46:40.880> don't<00:46:41.119> care<00:46:41.440> because
• pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care. pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care.

Bills: HB0003, HB0004

Keywords: pregnancy centers, abortion, pro-life, healthcare, women's rights, state regulation, civil rights, freedom of speech, medical assistance, birthing centers, Medicaid, Wyoming, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Joe is the chair of the continuum of care for Sacramento County.
• Supportive housing is not going to take care of that.
• They're asking for basic transparency and a shot at going home.
• A duty of care to the HOA board alone is not enough.
• That contract is where that duty of care lies.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The basic structure of it was going to be you had a basic allotment. that was going to represent the
• basic allotment.
• Would that be your experience, or is the basic... allotment, or a renewed focus on the basic allotment
• Let me just ask a basic question.
• The full basic allotment funds are needed for all students in a school to provide the basic platform

Bills: HB2, HB2

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace

Transcript Highlights:

• > providers, Burnout among health care providers, Burnout among health care providers, mental<
• The bill ensures access to care.
• dollars for taking care of the health care items for these patients.
• cared for in a long-term care setting. cared for in a long-term care setting.
• That's for long-term care patients. That's for long-term care patients.

Bills: SB3263, SB3261

Keywords: student-athletes, name image likeness, NIL, compensation, transparency, University of Hawaii, Title IX, funding, protections, athlete agents, student athletes, endorsement contracts, professional representation, registration requirements, sports law, 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Senate Committee on Education and Committee on Health and Human Services heard testimony on several bills related to student health and safety, University of Hawaii programs, and workforce development. For SB 2969, which would appropriate funds for the University of Hawaii to expand and sustain the Maui Wildfire Exposure Study and Maui Health Registry, testimony was overwhelmingly supportive. Witnesses described the ongoing physical and mental health impacts of the August 2023 Maui fires, said the study has identified serious untreated conditions and connected participants to care, and emphasized its role in serving survivors and training students. The committee also heard support from the Department of Health, the Alzheimer’s Association, the American Lung Association, Maui residents, and study staff. No vote was taken during the hearing. The committee then heard SB 2657, which would establish an Alzheimer disease and related dementia research center at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine. University of Hawaii and Alzheimer’s Association representatives supported the bill, saying a local center would improve coordination of existing research, build state capacity, and help Hawaii compete for future NIH designation and federal funding. A family member affected by Alzheimer’s also testified in support, citing the disease’s impact in Hawaii. In response to questions, the university said the proposal would follow a five-year phased plan, with the first year funding used to recruit a senior neuroscientist and staff person, at an estimated cost of about $375,000, and that the effort would still strengthen Hawaii’s research infrastructure even if federal funding is not secured. For SB 2612, which clarifies immunity for Department of Education employees and agents who assist students with medication administration under certain conditions, the Department of Education said the bill is intended to protect volunteers and help ensure students can participate in school activities even when staffing is limited. The committee discussed how volunteers would be selected and whether every school would have someone available, and DOE said schools currently rely on health attendants, nurses, and trained volunteers. The committee also briefly discussed liability language and gross negligence exceptions. The hearing then moved to SB 2412, which would fund a bachelor’s degree program in sign language and sign language interpretation at UH Mānoa with a future master’s pathway. Testimony from interpreters, educators, and university officials emphasized the shortage of interpreters, the need to retain local talent, and the program’s role in building a pipeline; university representatives said the initial request would fund a faculty/staff position as a first step, with additional funding needed later. No final committee action or votes were announced in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• They didn't care what it was. They said, okay, it's open, it's paid.
• complications, and higher health care costs.
• It's going to give access to incredible health care—health care that is second to none—and then we can
• Also, with health care, I lost my health care last month, but since I worked the amount of hours that
• Also, with health care, I lost my health care last month, but since it worked the amount of hours that

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development heard testimony on several workforce-related bills, with most of the hearing focused on ESOL and apprenticeship legislation, followed by testimony on a four-day workweek pilot and paid prenatal leave. On ESOL, witnesses including the Boston Foundation, Skillworks, MassINC, MIRA, JVS Boston, Eastern Bank, immigrant advocates, employers, and legislators supported H.2080/S.1326, arguing that Massachusetts has a large backlog of limited-English-proficiency residents waiting for classes, that ESOL is essential to economic mobility and immigrant integration, and that the state needs a coordinated, statewide strategy with more vocational and workplace-focused English instruction. Testifiers cited long waitlists, fragmented delivery across agencies, labor shortages, and examples of workplace English programs helping immigrants gain jobs, advance careers, and support businesses. Committee members asked questions about how vocational ESOL differs from standard classes, and witnesses explained that it focuses on job-specific language and workplace scenarios. The committee also heard strong support for H.2085/S.1303, which would require more use of registered apprentices on public construction projects over $1 million. Labor leaders from the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and Massachusetts Building Trades, along with electricians and apprentices, said the bill would help apprentices complete training by ensuring enough job-site hours, expand access to good union careers, and strengthen the construction workforce for housing, infrastructure, and clean energy work. Several witnesses defended existing apprenticeship ratios and electrical licensing standards, warning against deregulation and emphasizing safety. Committee members asked about project thresholds and apprenticeship ratios, and witnesses said the bill’s phased apprentice-hour requirement was intended to cover most public projects under current cost conditions. The committee then heard testimony on S.1330, a four-day workweek pilot program. Senator Dillon Fernandez and Representative Shirley Arriaga described the proposal as a response to burnout, affordability pressures, and changing workplace norms, arguing that a pilot would let Massachusetts study whether shorter workweeks improve productivity, retention, and worker well-being. Witnesses said the model could help families balance caregiving and commuting while maintaining or improving output. Finally, the committee took testimony on S.1361, establishing paid prenatal leave. Parents, health advocates, March of Dimes, and others said paid leave would help pregnant workers attend critical prenatal appointments, reduce missed care, and improve maternal and infant health outcomes. Several speakers shared personal stories about high-risk pregnancies, pregnancy loss, and the financial strain of taking unpaid time off. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and asked a limited number of questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• It basically just does two things.
• And that's basically all this bill does.
• And basically in the original bill that provision was struck, basically as she explained, because it
• I'm a retired health care safety.
• <01:59:16.639> lose conduct then they could basically lose conduct then they could basically

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and adult basic education.
• And the folks in the private sector, they have unlimited medical care costs.
• And UNM generally, based upon what I can see here, is that they basically take care of some of the state's
• You are perfectly capable of applying to provide child care now.
• You are eligible for infant and toddler care. You're eligible for New Mexico Pre-K care.

Bills: SB37, SB29

Keywords: high-quality literacy instruction, science of reading, structured literacy, reading instruction, literacy assessment, dyslexia screening, phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, biliteracy, English language learner, ELL, bilingual education, dual language program, reading intervention, reading difficulty, reading improvement plan, literacy coach

Transcript Highlights:

• and often other kinds of care, such as burn care, to that entity.
• However, there are conditions under which we feel like the emergency nature of health care is really
• It's not kind of a clinic that we have certain kinds of care that we want to put in there.
• Basically, this is circumventing our voters, and it's confusing our voters.
• A $40 charge to go to the urgent care center and she doesn't have the money to pay that or she...

Bills: HB1453, HB1718, HB2043, HB2207, HB2798

Keywords: local governments, anticipation notes, certificates of obligation, public works, flood control, financial management, local government, municipal financing, private activity bonds, closing definition, real estate finance, bond issuance, government regulation, bond election, general obligation bonds, GO bonds, political subdivision, city bonds, county bonds, school district bonds

Transcript Highlights:

• basically out of money. basically out of money.
• that impacts child care.
• Parents are desperately searching for care, in particular infant and toddler care.
• to pay for their child care directly. to pay for their child care directly.
• constituents ability to access care. constituents ability to access care.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• child care to get by.
• in our care. in our care.
• This is the most basic kind of thing. Are people actually getting the care that we are paying for?
• We do need Minnesota Care. next week. We do need Minnesota Care.
• care system in the state of Minnesota. care system in the state of Minnesota.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• what it's of this chapter basically what it's of this chapter basically what it's saying if you were
• in a nutshell um it's 199 so basically in a nutshell um it's 199 so basically in a nutshell um it's
• just keeping tabes on it's basically just keeping tabes on it's basically just keeping tabes on what
• monitoring services so basically monitoring services so basically electronic monitoring services for
• to explain the bill okay you care to explain the bill okay you care to explain the substitute for us

Keywords: sessions, 2025-R, 1, 219

Transcript Highlights:

• Line 364 for MA and Minnesota Care.
• coverage for traditional healthc care coverage for traditional healthc care practices. practices
• On page 16, line 716 is where we refinance basic sliding fee with federal child care development
• These are all basically the families.
• Um, and increases and delays in care.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all