Transcript Highlights:

• Is leave granted for Representative Brandon Acre? So granted.
• Is leave granted for Representative Brandon Acre? So granted.
• Is leave granted for Representative Mark Perry? So moved.
• Is leave granted for Representative Brandon Acre? So granted.
• Is leave granted for Representative Mark Perry? So moved.

Summary: The meeting was the opening of the Arkansas General Assembly’s 2026 fiscal session, beginning with quorum calls, prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of guests, including law enforcement officers, a doctor of the day, nurse of the day, constitutional officers, Supreme Court justices, and family and friends of legislators. The House adopted House Resolution 1001 to convene a joint session for Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’s address, appointed committees to notify the Senate and the Governor, and later received the Senate into the chamber before recessing for the joint session. In the joint session, members observed a moment of silence for former Representative Stan Berry, then heard Governor Sanders’s fiscal session address. Her remarks focused heavily on the proposed budget and her administration’s priorities: fully funding education and the LEARNS Act, supporting teachers and literacy efforts, funding public safety and corrections, expanding the 1033 initiative to move people from crisis to career, and holding down government growth while pursuing further income tax cuts. She also highlighted economic development, low cost of living, and support for veterans, while emphasizing conservative policy themes and thanking several Arkansans whose stories illustrated the administration’s agenda. No substantive legislation was debated or voted on beyond the adoption of House Resolution 1001 and the procedural motions to adjourn the joint session and then adjourn the House until the next day. The House announced that Joint Budget would meet later that afternoon and again the following morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, and we'll service grants program.
• They are similar to a grant or contract cut in another state, for example, using the same program code
• They are similar to a grant or contract cut in another state, for example, using the same program code
• They are similar to a grant or contract cut in another state, for example, using the same program code
• They are similar to a grant or contract cut in another state, for example, using the same program code

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Human Services held an informational briefing on the impacts of federal funding cuts, inflation, labor shortages, and chronic underfunding on Hawaii’s nonprofit social safety net. Hawaii Community Foundation opened with a story about a federal worker family relying on food pantry support, then described a “perfect storm” facing human services nonprofits: historically high demand, rising costs, staffing challenges, federal cuts, and state and county contracts that do not cover true service costs. The foundation said it has reactivated its Hawaii Resilience Fund, launched strengthened service grants, and is tracking policy changes and data to help nonprofits respond. Trey Gordner of UHERO presented research on the vulnerability of Hawaii’s nonprofit sector, explaining a framework that assessed political, financial, and structural risk. He said about 8,200 501(c)(3) nonprofits are active in Hawaii, but only about 200 receive direct federal funds; 74 grants to 59 organizations were flagged as politically at risk, totaling about $126 million in unpaid obligations. He said about 68 of the direct-funding recipients rely on federal funds for more than 20% of annual revenue, and that human services nonprofits are among the most exposed subsectors because they serve vulnerable populations and depend heavily on federal support. Catholic Charities Hawaii and the Hawaii True Cost Coalition said community-based organizations were already under strain before the current crisis, with most contracts not covering full costs and many groups depending on private philanthropy to fill gaps. They reported that half of surveyed organizations expect to reduce programs, more than a third may decline future contracts, and some are waiting months for reimbursements. Examples included reduced shelter admissions, fewer case management hours, and cutbacks in kūpuna services. The coalition urged higher contract rates, regular inflation and cost-of-living reviews, and timely reimbursement; no votes or formal actions were taken. Partners in Development Foundation described the loss of Native Hawaiian education funding as especially damaging, saying the federal Department of Education has zeroed out support that creates a roughly $46 million gap, including about $20 million for early childhood programs. The speaker shared a family story from the Nā Pono program to illustrate how early learning services support both children and parents, and warned that the organization’s federal funds make up 72% of its budget. The briefing ended with a call for continued emergency funding and longer-term structural changes to sustain nonprofits statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:37:32.120> program<00:37:32.560> for business relief grant program for business
• relief grant program for creative<00:37:33.120> businesses.
• for business struggling right now in an emergency grant program.
• <01:35:14.760> This<01:35:15.080> is emergency grant program.
• This is emergency grant program.

Transcript Highlights:

• Granted.
• Granted.
• Granted.
• Granted.
• Granted.

Summary: The House received a series of Senate communications and committee reports, then took up a long consent calendar and several individual measures. Early actions included passing consent calendar items, recognizing Freedom of Speech Week and Juneteenth, and hearing numerous introductions and tributes, including remarks honoring House fellows, Father’s Day, and Representative Mara Gorman. The chamber also adopted several procedural motions and recesses, with roll calls recorded throughout. Among the bills considered, the House passed House Bill 134 on animal cruelty, increasing penalties for repeat offenses; House Bill 131 with Senate Amendment 1 on pet stores and animal welfare; House Substitute 1 for House Bill 320 on technical corrections to the Delaware Constitution; House Substitute 1 for House Bill 407 on technical updates to the Hazardous Substance Control Act; House Substitute 1 for House Bill 425 on salary supplements for certain school employees; House Substitute 1 for House Bill 450, the Road Delaware Act, on land use and permitting reform; House Bill 459 on restricting energy drink sales in schools; House Substitute 1 for House Bill 439 on electric moped and motorcycle disclosures; and House Bill 444, the Delaware John Lewis Voting Rights Act, after amendment delaying its effective date to July 1, 2027. House Amendment 1 to House Bill 459 was adopted, and House Amendment 1 to House Bill 444 was adopted before final passage. The House also rejected House Amendment 1 to House Substitute 1 for House Bill 425 after debate over salary supplement policy for school-related certifications, then passed the substitute bill itself. House Bill 407 prompted questions about the increase in civil penalties, which DENREC said was intended to update outdated fines and align the penalty structure with other laws. House Bill 444 drew floor speeches emphasizing voting rights protections and concerns about voter suppression and dilution. The session ended with the House moving to recess after continuing consideration of House Bill 355, the Speaker Truth Act, which had just adopted an amendment changing damages language to attorney’s fees and costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• They adjust the work program every year, and I don't...
• One of my first questions is about private grants or federal grants.
• grant says net zero and saving the university costs and energy, for example.
• So, the grant would have to be narrowly tailored to avoid that.
• those programs?

Transcript Highlights:

• grants.
• grants.
• grants.
• grants.
• And so, we'd almost have to take this and turn it into a grant program in order to accomplish what Senator

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A summary of TEA's federally funded program. Programs can be found on page 29.
• This is the Strong Foundation's grant. program, and we have some estimates for you in the appendix.
• One would be the ESA program. What costs are associated with setting up an ESA program?
• We experienced increased health care costs in both of our programs. programs.
• about well was the virtual program as good as the in-person program that we operate so the Person program

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And, you know, again, any kind of grants, training grants, would also be appreciated.
• A geothermal grant and loan program administered by MNERD, a pool of $15 million now, that will provide
• and loan program.
• The geothermal grant alone... program that we passed with your help is open to all municipalities in
• And then our newest program is the Water Education Program.

Transcript Highlights:

• The institutional services assistant will provide support for housing operations, and project program
• The institutional services assistant will provide support for housing operations, and project program
• These are grants for the Department of Commerce.
• In this request, there were three Commerce program coordinators and a fiscal support supervisor.
• Economic Development Commission for an Economic Development Coordinator and a military program manager

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Third, our Transformative Grant Program helped organizations that demonstrated capacity for large-scale
• Disability Advocacy Program.
• reductions for that program.
• For HSP, the one... ...severe program reductions for that program.
• Program.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These are your program requests.
• those technology replacement programs. those technology replacement programs.
• We don't know what it's going to cost. technology program. technology program.
• The TRP program is closed.
• Um the good management program.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• program alongside the MDE grant team.
• This is the round two grant.
• <01:14:32.400> program um drafted ethnic studies grant program um drafted ethnic studies grant
• program alongside<01:14:34.080> the<01:14:34.320> MDE<01:14:34.880> grant<01:14
• This is the round two knowledge grant. This is the round two grant. grant. grant.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There are four separate grant programs established under the bill to support rural hospitals: a financial
• grant for hospitals facing sudden threats like disasters or payroll shortages, an innovation grant for
• Not sure they would be there without that program, and HB 18 extends that.
• We've had these grants, the $50 million, and the $50 million...
• But mostly the $50 million is a one-time grant.

Bills: HB18, HB37, HB 116, HB388, HB879, HB913, HB 1151, HB2216, HB2358, HB2809, SB577, SB1590, SB1782, SB1887, SB2744

Keywords: rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability, perinatal bereavement, healthcare, hospital training, bereavement support, maternal care, fetal demise, stillbirth, neonatal death, parent-child relationship, involuntary termination, family law, child welfare, child protection, HB 388, HB388

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services met with a quorum and took up several House and Senate bills, with public testimony limited to two minutes per witness. The committee first heard HB 2358, a cleanup bill requested by HHSC that would repeal outdated training and conference requirements for long-term care facility surveyors and certain providers; there were no witnesses, and the bill was left pending. The committee then heard HB 18, the rural hospital stabilization bill, which would create financial assessment tools, a rural hospital finance office at HHSC, an academy for rural hospital officers, multiple grant programs, enhanced Medicaid reimbursement tied to average cost, OB/GYN add-on payments, expanded pediatric telehealth connectivity, and a rural pediatric mental health program. Senator Perry and witnesses from TORCH, a rural hospital, AARP Texas, and ARCHI strongly supported the bill as a way to stabilize rural hospitals, improve OB access, and address workforce and financial pressures. Committee members discussed rural hospital closures, low-volume quality metrics, system affiliation, and the need for predictable monthly reimbursement; the bill was left pending after testimony and questions. The committee next heard HB 37, which would create a perinatal bereavement care initiative for families experiencing stillbirth, neonatal death, or intrauterine fetal demise, including counseling, staff training, and access to cooling devices, with possible grants and a recognition program for hospitals. Senator Huffman explained the bill, and several witnesses testified in support, sharing personal stories about infant loss and the importance of time with the baby, trained staff, and cuddle cots or similar devices. A neonatologist also supported the bill while suggesting clarification that hospitals should not be penalized if state funding is unavailable and recommending use of regional advisory councils to help implement training. Public testimony was then closed and the bill left pending. The committee also heard HB 879, which would create a streamlined licensing pathway for veterans with medical or nursing experience to practice in Texas, and HB 913, which would add new state hospitals to statute and split the North Texas State Hospital into two separate hospitals with their own superintendents; both bills had no opposition testimony and were left pending. Later, the committee heard SB 2744, a heart disease screening bill that would update the 2009 Texas Heart Attack Prevention Act to require insurance coverage for coronary CT angiography with plaque analysis, including soft plaque detection, as a preventive screening tool. The author and invited witnesses argued the technology is more effective than calcium scoring alone, can identify patients before symptoms appear, and could save lives at a cost comparable to or lower than colonoscopy. An insurance industry witness opposed the bill, arguing the technology has not been recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for universal screening and that the mandated coverage and payment level would raise costs; the bill was left pending after testimony. Finally, the committee heard HB 1151, a parental rights bill clarifying that refusing psychotropic medication or psychiatric treatment is not neglect unless the child is harmed. Supporters, including parent advocates and attorneys, said the bill would protect parents from CPS overreach and preserve medical decision-making authority, while one witness urged broader attention to physical causes of behavioral issues. Public testimony was closed and HB 1151 was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:56:34.000> program had a grant program had a grant program to<00:56:35.920> help
• Well this particular program went away and they were called consensus grants.
• Well this particular program went away and they were called consensus grants.
• Well this particular program went away and they were called consensus grants.
• Well this particular program went away and they were called consensus grants.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Witt, members, House Bill 2239 establishes the Child Care Grant Program under the Arizona Department
• Madam Witt, members, House Bill 2239 establishes the Child Care Grant Program under the Arizona Department
• program.
• program to provide grants to listening and spoken language providers that provide services to AZIP-eligible
• The Arizona Department of Economic Security will administer the grant program by contracting with eligible

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The meeting was a caucus-style review of two packets of bills, with staff reading summaries and members briefly explaining several measures. Topics included appropriations for pregnancy resource centers, home- and community-based services for the elderly and people with disabilities, veteran specialty courts, child care grants and infrastructure, language acquisition services for deaf or hard-of-hearing infants and toddlers, ambulance service regulation, short-term rental rules, tourism improvement areas, manufactured home installer licensure, CPR/AED training in schools, veterans’ park fee exemptions, and multiple child welfare and family-court bills. Several Senate bills were also reviewed, including optometry standards, behavior analyst licensure transfer, virtual mental health hearings, and assisted-living residency rules. Members speaking for bills emphasized themes such as supporting aging in place, improving rural ambulance access and reporting, protecting children in DCS cases, preventing poverty alone from being treated as neglect, and expanding access to health screenings and services. Other sponsors described measures to help veterans, strengthen school safety, and create local funding or improvement mechanisms for tourism and child care. Some bills were described as technical or administrative changes, such as post-nuptial agreement rules, tax lien procedures, and local government contract posting requirements. No formal votes were taken in the transcript excerpt, but many bills were noted as being on the consent calendar or third-read consent calendar, while a few had been removed from consent or were not yet on a calendar. The meeting concluded after the final bill on the second packet, HB 4025, was summarized as creating a study committee on gasoline and petroleum refinery feasibility.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the current program is set to sunset in June of 2026, and the grants did not start until 2023–24.
• The current program is set to sunset in June of 2026, and the grants did not start until 2023–24.
• I certainly support the program and support anything we do to streamline it and get these grants out
• like the crisis, can have several meaningful benefits for programs like the crisis grants that rely
• grants out faster.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• or immigration, also put these other programs in jeopardy.
• or immigration, also put these other programs in jeopardy.
• in 2024 alone domestic violence programs in 2024 alone domestic violence programs served<00:10:05.120
• We know that culturally specific and rural programs will be especially hard hit.
• Programs have already started to make changes.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But the grant staff were available. Do we know if you guys are eligible for any federal grants?
• grant.
• program as well.
• Restoring Our Communities is a program that's directed at infill, and so that program purchases homes
• We also provide and the Linkages Program, which is a state-funded voucher program for people with serious

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• funds come into the state, funding a lot of programs.
• Nick Cochran was awarded a five-year, $3.5 million grant.
• program for Alzheimer's and dementia-related diseases.
• Do you know how long their program has been in place?
• I just got so excited to talk about what Georgia was doing about the research grant program for the Action

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 9 is a grant program.
• Section 9 is a grant program.
• I was wondering if you could give us some insight as to how the grants would work for this program.
• Setting aside the provisions of the bill that relate to the grant program, so talking about the other
• SB 156 would establish a grant program for the Attorney General to hand out money in the form of, quote

Bills: SB156

Keywords: gun violence, firearm safety, special counsel, data collection, community initiatives, grants, Attorney General, public safety, suicide prevention, 909, all