Transcript Highlights:

• just hope that on the national level just hope that on the national level that<01:08:36.000>
• <01:20:26.880> so will take it up on a national level so will take it up on a national level
• employees you got it's about the level employees you got it's about the level of<02:02:03.840>
• sure that level is there. sure that level is there.
• <02:02:43.840> is know to make sure that that level is know to make sure that that level is

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:14.480> uh cabinet level position of state CIO. uh cabinet level position of state
• And unfortunately, it is not to the level that we need it.
• And unfortunately, it is not to the level that we need it.
• Person coming with, you know, into your yard to the levels that we're thinking.
• And unfortunately, it is not to the level that we need it.

Keywords: Government Structure - Room 216, 29 January, 2026; 4:30 PM, 925, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bills 2625 and 2636, both described as part of a broader effort to strengthen state cybersecurity. SB 2625 would create a state chief information officer at the governor’s office level to coordinate IT and cybersecurity policy across agencies. Members and the sponsor said it was a conceptual work in progress, and the committee added a reverse repealer before reporting the bill out as a committee substitute with a do pass recommendation. SB 2636 would create a Department of Cyber Security focused on law enforcement and post-attack response, including investigators and coordination with DPS, the auditor’s office, local jurisdictions, and federal partners. Supporters said the goal was to improve collaboration, protect taxpayer information, and separate network protection and recovery from criminal investigation. Some members questioned whether the new department would overlap with existing IT and law enforcement functions, but sponsors said it was intended to clarify responsibilities rather than duplicate them. The committee added a reverse repealer and reported the bill out as a committee substitute with a do pass recommendation. The committee also considered SB 2632, which would delay action on state disaster recovery funding while awaiting federal changes from FEMA/MEMA. The sponsor said the bill would give the state time to evaluate new federal disaster recovery rules and determine the best approach for Mississippi. The committee added a reverse repealer and reported the bill out as a committee substitute with a do pass recommendation. Finally, the committee heard SB 2817, a Department of Public Safety reorganization bill. It would move the Bureau of Investigation, narcotics, homeland security, and the forensic lab under the State Bureau of Investigation to streamline command and allow more flexible staffing. It would also preserve a telecommunications fee, raise autopsy and salvage inspection fees, and continue discussion of DPS police powers. After questions about the autopsy fee and whether the reorganization would save money, the committee adopted a do pass motion. The chair also noted that SB 2673 would be studied further over the next year before any final action.

Transcript Highlights:

• , but... level, but hasn't been formally evaluated at the secondary level.
• Of course, the outcomes... ...that we'll measure are largely at the student level, so we're going to
• They could use that information to make policy decisions at the local level.
• For our school leaders, are they supporting teachers and making sure that grade level content...
• Layer one instruction is taking place at the grade level.

Transcript Highlights:

• it creates uncertainty, um, is, I guess, a little uncertainty, and I think at a provider-specific level
• it creates uncertainty, um, is, I guess, a little uncertainty, and I think at a provider-specific level
• > a little uncertainty and I think at a provider<00:14:03.839> specific<00:14:04.399> level
• <00:14:04.800> depending<00:14:05.199> on<00:14:05.519> the provider specific level
• <00:31:18.080> Um to the right level of care. Um to the right level of care.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Committee to Study Long-Term Managed Care approved the prior meeting minutes as amended after correcting the first paragraph. The chair then outlined the committee’s plan to produce a preliminary report by October 1, with additional meetings to follow, since some questions remain about the federal One Big Beautiful Bill (OB3) and its effects on Medicaid financing and managed care. The main discussion focused on New Hampshire nursing home funding and how ProShare and MQUIP work. Members reviewed Medicaid rates, supplemental payments, intergovernmental transfers, and the role of federal matching funds. The chair and Mr. Litman concluded that OB3’s phase-down of payments above the Medicare rate likely would not directly eliminate ProShare or MQUIP in New Hampshire, but uncertainty remains about intergovernmental transfers and about how these payments would function if the state moved nursing facilities into managed care. Mr. Litman said managed care would likely require waivers for supplemental payments, and Texas was cited as an example of a state operating under such waivers. The committee also discussed dual eligibles, DNIP, PACE, and the possibility of carving out HCBS from nursing facility services. DHS said its managed care contract would allow the state to use MCOs for DNIP, with the goal of better coordination between Medicaid and Medicare, while PACE would likely require more study and might be more feasible in populated counties. Members also reviewed OB3’s new presumptive eligibility provisions and a state waiver request modeled on Washington’s approach, plus a separate grant for transitioning people from facilities back to the community. The rural health transformation fund was discussed as a possible source for workforce, telehealth, mobile integrated health, and other support investments, but not for direct construction or major building renovation. County representatives emphasized that any county role in PACE or DNIP would require significant vetting, infrastructure, capital investment, and a realistic timeline. The meeting ended with the chair saying the draft report would outline issues and possible alternatives, but not recommendations yet, and the committee adjourned without taking further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• You all have probably different levels of FAFSA completion at your systems.
• data, that student-level data, rather than just the top-line aggregates.
• Yes, and the hope is that there are no further processing issues at the federal level. level. Okay.
• They assessed CSAC's cybersecurity level risk as medium tier.
• But now you're asking for an IT chief executive level.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:35:19.440> of level of insurance the normal level of level of insurance the normal level
• The 7% is not our target level.
• The 7% is not our target level.
• The 7% is not our target level.
• The 7% is not our target level.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If parity is the THC beverage industry's goal, the next steps must be at the federal level.
• If parity is the THC beverage industry's goal, the next steps must be at the federal level.
• the federal level. the federal level.
• I share Senator Mays Bledsoe's concern about what might happen at the federal level.
• therapists, they've had the same level therapists, they've had the same level of<00:27:06.000>

Keywords: The livestream event for this meeting cut off shortly after the meeting began. This is the complete copy pulled from back ups., 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm not aware of that level of detail. Okay...
• I'm going to get back to a question that I asked the administrative-level panel before.
• We hope that they would by the time they reach university level. Agreed.
• Also, faculty have been involved at various levels at the campus and system level in terms of some of
• Also, faculty have been involved at various levels at the campus and system level in terms of some of

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Higher Education and the Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee held an oversight hearing on the California State University’s AI-empowered initiative, including the systemwide rollout of ChatGPT EDU and broader AI integration across CSU campuses. Opening remarks emphasized both the promise of AI for student success, workforce preparation, and access, and the need to address risks such as bias, privacy, misinformation, environmental impacts, and mental health harms. CSU representatives said the initiative grew out of Academic Senate recommendations and a systemwide generative AI committee, and that the goal was to provide equitable access, training, governance, and workforce alignment across the 23-campus system. CSU officials described systemwide contracts for AI tools, the AI Commons training hub, and faculty grant programs supporting AI-related curriculum innovation. They said more than 93,000 ChatGPT EDU accounts had been activated, over 4,300 faculty had taken voluntary training, and $3 million had been awarded to 63 faculty-led projects from more than 400 submissions. San Jose State University highlighted its own AI-focused programs, courses, orientation training, faculty fellows, student ambassadors, and interdisciplinary efforts to build AI literacy and responsible use into instruction and co-curricular programs. CSU also said it was tracking metrics on adoption, academic outcomes, workforce outcomes, and environmental impacts. Faculty, staff, and student representatives welcomed the educational potential of AI but raised concerns about the rollout, saying it had moved quickly and without enough consultation or consistent systemwide policy. They urged stronger protections for academic freedom, intellectual property, privacy, equity, and worker input, and warned about bias, surveillance, job displacement, and the environmental cost of AI. Legislators pressed CSU and OpenAI representatives on training requirements, data privacy, bias reporting, discipline for misuse, liability, sycophancy, and safeguards against harmful uses such as non-consensual imagery or self-harm-related interactions. CSU said interactions in the licensed tool are private, data are not used to train models, and campuses retain their own conduct processes; members also asked CSU to follow up on systemwide training, policy consistency, and additional safeguards.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're still reporting at the county level.
• This is ensuring that it's also reported at the local level.
• or a local level like reducing some of those programs?
• They were working from the county level. Okay. But they do now? You said that the agency's Level.
• Having it at a local level is even more assistance.

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the House Journal for the 64th day by a 125-0 roll call vote, and then spent much of the morning on personal privileges and introductions of guests, interns, students, and special recognitions. Members welcomed school groups, interns, a Savannah Bananas guest, and several family members, and also noted birthdays and Mother’s Day greetings. On legislation, the chamber first agreed to go to conference on Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 1421, appointing a House conference committee. The House then took up Senate Bill 1000, which reauthorizes the Missouri Tourism Supplemental Revenue Fund and updates outdated tourism funding language; members from both parties spoke in support of tourism as an economic driver, and the bill passed 136-6. The House also considered House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1020, an omnibus Department of Revenue bill addressing fee office contracting, vehicle registration and related penalties, Real ID document retention, five-year license plates, and emissions-related provisions. Members adopted amendments reducing late-registration penalties, making document retention opt-in, restoring a five-year plate option, and removing cosmetic damage as a basis for rejecting rebuilt vehicles; despite debate over emissions testing and air quality, the bill passed 130-10. The chamber then moved to House Committee Substitute for Senate Bills 835 and 1111, a combined judiciary/civil legislation package. Members described it as a vehicle for several vetted measures, including anti-assignment-of-benefits language for insurance claims, the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act, and court administration changes such as workers’ compensation procedures, judgeships, automation fees, law library surcharges, and expungement fund provisions. Amendments were offered and adopted to adjust attorney-fee language in the anti-SLAPP provisions and to add a St. Louis police legal-expense-fund provision, though the latter drew objections over procedure and whether it had received a hearing. The transcript cuts off while debate on that amendment is still underway, and no final vote on the bill is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• That we've constructed on campus that would be similar as far as the containment level.
• engineer level to the construction level.
• We make sure that the consumption levels are what they're expected to be for those.
• We know that level works for how it's being fed.
• billion level is very unlikely.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Action Organization partnered with several public and private organizations at the state and local level
• Action Organization partnered with several public and private organizations at the state and local level
• to create new permanent supportive housing for unhoused, at the state and local level to create new
• First, on funding, we are all more than aware funding levels remain a critical point in our political
• So at the state level, we have, So at the state level, we, in response to any emergency or natural disaster

Summary: The Senate and Assembly Human Services Committees held a special oversight hearing on California’s 2026-27 Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) state plan, a federal anti-poverty funding stream. Committee members opened by citing statewide poverty and homelessness data and said the hearing was meant to review how CSBG dollars are used, how local agencies respond to community needs, and how the state is preparing for possible federal funding cuts. Jason Wimbley of the Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) explained that California’s CSBG network works through 60 organizations in 58 counties, serving about 1.5 million low-income Californians in 2023, and that the state received $68.4 million in federal CSBG funds in fiscal year 2025. He described the program as flexible funding used for housing, employment, education, food, health, transportation, and emergency response, and noted that the federal administration had proposed eliminating CSBG, though the Senate Appropriations Committee had voted to fully fund it for the coming year. Representatives from the California Community Action Partnership Association and several CSBG-funded agencies described how the program supports local anti-poverty work and leverages other funding. CalCAPA emphasized local flexibility, workforce development, partnerships, and data systems such as ROMA, while also warning that agencies are preparing for possible reductions by tightening budgets, planning staffing contingencies, and seeking private foundation support. Agency witnesses from Contra Costa County, Northern California Indian Development Council, Proteus, and Sacred Heart Community Service described services including housing assistance, food distribution, utility help, employment training, youth programs, and culturally specific services for Native communities and migrant farmworkers. They repeatedly said CSBG is essential because it funds staffing and infrastructure that allow them to braid other grants and serve people who do not qualify for standard safety-net programs. Members also asked about the impact of federal staffing changes and the Los Angeles fires. Wimbley said federal layoffs had affected some CSD programs but not CSBG administration, and that the department coordinated disaster response with state agencies and used CSBG-funded supply distribution, food, water, clothing, and documentation support during the fires. Witnesses said they were preparing for possible future cuts by diversifying funding, reducing expenses, and considering service changes, while county officials warned that state and federal reductions could not be backfilled locally. During public comment, one speaker urged stronger oversight of community action agencies and raised concerns about transparency and compliance with state law. The chair then thanked the witnesses, emphasized the importance of CSBG for low-income seniors, youth, and people with disabilities, and adjourned the hearing without any votes or formal action taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Implementing these projects allows for a better level of protection.
• What we started doing there at the local level, with the local District Attorney, is...
• Sassin, it's very important at the local level to couple or partner.
• This also helps communities and individuals stay informed about local water levels.
• If they see our information that produces something showing a different level of risk, a higher level

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um so that's what at the federal level.
• It might be fairly state level.
• Um situation is going at the US level.
• And I think one thing that's level.
• clear that we know at the federal level clear that we know at the federal level that<00:10:22.000

Keywords: 00:02 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:55 FB 2026-2028 Executive Branch Budget 15:17 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee held its first meeting on budget instructions for the 2026-2028 state budget, as required by KRS Chapter 48. Staff from the Office of State Budget Director outlined three recommended changes: restructuring Form B4 for additional budget requests to emphasize the problem, solution, and quantitative data; adding page numbers to the Record P report so agencies’ additional budget requests can be located more easily; and updating the budget calendar to reflect the December 20 presentation of the consensus forecast to LRC under changes made by House Bill 360. Members asked follow-up questions about contribution rates, debt service template rates, and employee health rates. Staff said the fiscal 2026 KS non-hazardous contribution rate is 42.76%, but fiscal 2027 and 2028 rates have not yet been set; debt service rates would be posted later; and employee health rate assumptions are still being discussed with the Personnel Cabinet. Members also asked how program reductions or terminations would be handled, and staff explained that agencies base requests on statutory and federal requirements, while budget reductions are handled through the appropriations act. The committee discussed whether Form B4 should ask agencies to describe alternative options considered and how they were evaluated. Staff said the current instructions do not specifically require that, though some implications may appear in narrative responses, and members agreed to continue working on the instructions. The committee then adopted a motion directing the co-chairs to work with LRC staff to finalize the 2026-2028 budget instructions and present them for adoption, with the motion approved by roll call. Members also noted that federal budget developments, including possible SNAP cost shifts to states, are being monitored but are too early to incorporate into the instructions at this time.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, so this question is directed to the LAO on a very high level.
• of service at a lower cost, but some of them do affect service levels.
• The legislature may want to pay closer attention to the savings that affect service levels.
• On a very high level, what are the impediments to their resolution?
• We also need to match the security level.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• actors conducted an unprecedented level actors conducted an unprecedented level of<00:02:35.160>
• <00:08:32.839> about partners at the local level about partners at the local level about physical
• where we get these secret level where we get these secret level intelligence<00:10:45.279> briefing
• <00:30:39.559> of acceptable that maybe this level of acceptable that maybe this level of
• Evidently there's a, um, unless it's a higher level of crime, they can decide to not hear it.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and I oversee the mid-levels.
• So there's kind of a level. I was telling Dr.
• folks, and I oversee the mid-levels.
• So there's kind of a level. I was telling Dr. Silva earlier, I oversee the med levels.
• level.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We worked with advocates at the national level to continue that program.
• , in part due to a longstanding underfunding of affordable housing at the federal level.
• Long-standing underfunding of affordable housing at the federal level.
• Including highlighting the percentage of people at or below the federal poverty level, for example.
• There are high levels of missingness and concerns about the accuracy of the race and ethnicity data.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities’ Long-Term Services and Supports and Health Equity Subcommittee met to hear a presentation from the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University. Monica Mitra introduced the institute’s work on disability health equity and long-term services and supports, and staff described several research centers focused on community living policy, disability and pregnancy, and parents with disabilities. The presentation emphasized participatory research, accessible dissemination, and the connection between health equity and access to home- and community-based services. Joe Caldwell discussed the Community Living Policy Center’s work on Medicaid HCBS, the direct care workforce crisis, housing, and policy advocacy, including efforts related to the Money Follows the Person program and the Medicaid access rule’s interested parties advisory group. Sid Pickern highlighted a workforce study interviewing direct care workers, a forthcoming policy brief on the access rule, and housing research including Massachusetts’ Alternative Housing Voucher Program. Teresa Nguyen described the Community Living Equity Center’s focus on disparities in community living for people of color, especially a study on self-direction and community living outcomes, and asked for help recruiting participants. Lauren Bixby demonstrated the community living data dashboard, which compares adults who need LTSS with those receiving Medicaid LTSS using ACS and TMSIS data. She explained that the dashboard can be filtered by state and demographics, but noted major race and ethnicity data gaps for Massachusetts and other states. Commissioners praised the dashboard and the institute’s work, asked questions about data sources and the 1115 waiver, and discussed possible connections to the Health Equity Compact. No votes were taken; the meeting ended with an invitation for follow-up, including a forthcoming direct care workforce brief and the institute’s October 28 lecture.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:34:32.480> directions and he provide policy level directions and he provide policy level
• <00:35:25.520> once<00:35:25.760> they level highest pre-border but once they level
• <00:37:44.720> and the statutory man statutory level and the statutory man statutory level
• and [cough] county level. and [cough] county level.
• So that makes it the zip code level.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint informational briefing from the House Committee on Agriculture and Food Systems and the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment focused on the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity’s update on Hawaii’s biosecurity framework, especially implementation of Act 231 (2024) and Act 236 (2025). Chairs Corey Chun and Mike Gabbard opened the meeting by framing the briefing as an update on investments to fight invasive species and improve statewide evaluation and coordination. Department leaders Sharon Her and Richard Kim described historic legislative and executive investments that have allowed the department to rebuild and modernize biosecurity infrastructure to better prevent, detect, control, and eradicate invasive species. The presentation emphasized the importance of biosecurity to Hawaii’s agriculture, economy, environment, and public well-being, citing threats such as rapid ohia death, little fire ant, coconut rhinoceros beetle, brown tree snake, and red imported fire ant. Staff explained the state’s layered approach—pre-border, border, and post-border—and compared it to New Zealand’s model, stressing that Hawaii must act as a “net, not a wall” and that prevention before entry is far more cost-effective than response after establishment. They also outlined agency roles across the system, including agriculture, natural resources, health, transportation, enforcement, and university partners, and noted that Act 231 strengthened authority over high-risk imports, offshore treatment, compliance agreements, and pest management plans, while Act 236 renamed the department and clarified statewide biosecurity coordination. Jonathan Ho then walked through specific program areas and progress. He said pre-border risk analysis is being supported by Act 231 funding and a university contract, while offshore compliance and treatment efforts have improved substantially, including Christmas tree inspections from Oregon and Washington and airline declaration systems that provide advance passenger information. For border work, he highlighted inspections, surveillance, detector dogs, and port monitoring. For post-border response and readiness, he discussed the invasive pest hotline and dashboard, trace-forward/trace-back and diagnostics, preparedness for future threats, and the need to build stronger internal capacity. He also described a developing transitional facilities program authorized by Act 236, modeled on New Zealand’s certified facilities system, and said the department has already begun outreach to industry groups such as the Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association. No votes or formal actions were taken; the meeting was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, what I'm trying to do is like level So, what I'm trying to do is like level set<00:14:27.760
• at a real basic level.
• <00:48:08.000> set just again lay of the land level set just again lay of the land level set
• Um, so let's go up a level and talk about what is happening at the federal level.
• state level.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Hawaii State Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection held an informational briefing on digital assets, blockchain, and related regulatory developments. Chair Jarrett Keohoko said the committee was focusing on national and state policy issues around digital assets, while leaving the separate issue of Bitcoin kiosks and fraud to the House Consumer Protection Committee, which had already noticed a similar briefing. No public testimony was taken; the session was for informational updates and member questions. Representatives from the Aptos Foundation, including JC Yun and Michael Cheng, gave a detailed presentation on blockchain basics and Aptos’s technology. They described blockchain as a tamper-resistant digital ledger, explained proof-of-work and proof-of-stake systems, and argued that proof-of-stake networks are faster, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly. They also emphasized smart contracts and potential uses beyond speculation, such as car titles, college transcripts, collectibles, digital IDs, real estate, and other tokenized assets. The presenters highlighted Aptos’s Hawaii connections and said the technology could help local residents and businesses participate in the digital economy. They cited adoption statistics, including billions of transactions on Aptos, tokenized money market funds from major financial firms, micro-lending applications, decentralized cloud infrastructure, and the rapid growth of stablecoins. They acknowledged concerns about scams and consumer protection, but argued that the answer is stronger regulation and education rather than avoiding the technology altogether.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so those national levels as well.
• Fortunately, federal government, like I said, Tom had mentioned at the local level or at the lower level
• Fortunately, federal government, like I said, Tom had mentioned at the local level or at the lower level
• Fortunately, federal government, like I said, Tom had mentioned at the local level or at the lower level
• Fortunately, federal government, like I said, Tom had mentioned at the local level or at the lower level

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The subcommittee opened its first meeting of the session with member introductions and a statement from the chair that veterans issues would remain distinct and receive separate attention. The first item was an update on the Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum at Camp Ripley from Executive Director Randall Dietrich. He said the museum has operated for nearly 50 years, has outgrown its current space, and is building a new 40,000-square-foot facility with $32 million in state support plus several million more in private funding. He described construction progress, planned exhibits including restored military artifacts and the USS Ward gun, and said the museum is scheduled to open on September 12. In response to Senator Kunish, Dietrich said the museum is actively incorporating stories and flags representing women, tribal nations, and other underrepresented groups, including 11 tribal flags at the entrance, and is working to integrate those stories throughout the galleries rather than isolating them. The committee then received an update from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs on the veterans suicide prevention plan from Rachel Johnson, Veterans Committee Health Director, with John Kelly later answering questions on department impacts. Johnson said the plan is a coordinated statewide framework built with legislative support, expanding regional coordinators, veteran health navigators, data analytics, and community partnerships, including a suicide mortality review pilot in Hennepin County. She said Minnesota loses about 100 veterans a year to suicide, that firearms remain the primary mechanism, and that prevention must address community connection, economic stability, and access to care, not just clinical treatment. She also said the plan aligns with state and federal strategies and is intended as a living roadmap. In response to questions, Johnson said the department is exploring data-sharing policy issues, has not seen a direct financial impact from federal VA staffing changes, and is tracking federal proposals affecting VA advisory groups. She also said 988 data is available in general but more Minnesota-specific data on the veteran option is still being gathered. Members asked follow-up questions about trends in veteran suicide, the role of families in identifying warning signs, and the Hennepin County mortality review pilot. Johnson said the annual number has remained around 100 for about 15 years, with a dip in 2024 and a return to that level in 2025, and that the Hennepin County pilot was chosen because it offers a manageable geography and existing coalition work, with an initial review expected by May or June. The final item began a presentation from the Minnesota Association of County Veteran Service Officers. Legislative chair Larry Fonder said the group’s priorities are protecting veterans from fraud and modernizing the property tax benefit for disabled veterans, but the presentation would focus on educating the committee about the role, training, certification, and accountability of county veteran service officers. President Tom Anderson, the Winona County VSO and a Navy veteran, began describing his background and office staffing when the transcript ended.