Transcript Highlights:

• Um that's health benefit solution.
• ,</c><01:24:56.800><c> they've</c> bill is supposed to benefit, they've bill is supposed to benefit,
• </c><01:38:43.440><c> the</c> items has escalated which limits the items has escalated which limits the
• ><c> that</c><01:55:02.560><c> go</c> the state mandates benefits that go the state mandates benefits
• </c><01:55:05.360><c> for</c> defay the cost of those benefits for defay the cost of those benefits for

Bills: SB2936 , SB2850 , SB2851 , SB2521

Committee: House Health

Keywords: accessible parking, disability, kupuna, public accommodations, small business exemptions, Hawaii Revised Statutes, parking permit, blind, deaf, accessibility, deafness, traffic safety, law enforcement, vehicle registration, communication, emergency services, commercial driver's license, first responders, public safety, authorized emergency vehicle

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several health-related bills. HB 1871, establishing a maternal health monitoring pilot program, drew support from the Department of Health, the Hawaii State Commission on Status of Women, and the Hawaii affiliate of the American College of Nurse Midwives, with testimony urging provider-neutral language so midwives and other qualified providers would not be excluded. HB 1977, requiring a maternal and infant health information mobile app, received support from ACNM and Philips, which said similar apps in other states improved awareness of services and helped families navigate care; a member asked the Department of Health about implementation time. HB 1858, relating to certificates of fetal deaths, was supported by the Department of Health and clinicians, who said the current statute is outdated and inconsistent with CDC guidance; the department and a physician testified that the bill should shift documentation responsibilities to physicians and APRNs, and members discussed optional versus mandatory issuance language and whether the bill would improve data on home births and transfers. The committee also heard HB 1591, expanding definitions for preceptor and volunteer-based clinical training to improve income tax credits. The Department of Health supported the measure but preferred a similar, broader bill; Taxation suggested clarifying terms; the University of Hawaii and the State Center for Nursing supported it. ACNM asked that midwifery preceptors and Hawaii-based students enrolled in mainland programs be included, while the Hawaii Public Health Institute supported expansion of the program as a workforce solution. HB 1574, on the health care education loan repayment program, also drew broad support, including from the governor, SHPDA, OHA, and health organizations, but ACNM raised concerns that the bill’s 30% Medicaid-client threshold could exclude many providers and limit participation. For HB 1575, creating a feasibility committee on Parkinson’s patient air transport, the Department of Health supported the intent but said transportation is more likely an insurance or benefit issue and suggested redirecting funds to Parkinson’s research; the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the Hawaii Parkinson Association supported the bill, citing inter-island travel barriers and high costs for patients and caregivers. HB 1854, establishing certification of community behavioral health clinics, was supported by the Department of Health and DHS, which said certification would help clinics qualify for enhanced Medicaid reimbursement and expand access; the Attorney General’s office raised a legal concern about the special fund language and recommended a purpose section, and the committee discussed whether the fund would be self-sustaining and noted a possible amendment to change membership language and reduce the board size if the amendment moved forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> benefits and drug testing. benefits and drug testing.
• </c> these limited data sets? Mr. these limited data sets? Mr. Gildemeister.<00:23:52.240><c> Mr.
• subset of data for allowing them to administer federal benefit programs.
• </c> putting some limits? putting some limits?
• </c><00:40:44.360><c> So,</c> federal benefit programs. So, federal benefit programs.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 4466, the Health Finance and Policy bill, and first adopted the A8 amendment, described as a set of technical fixes. Members then considered a large A9 amendment that bundled a wide range of Children and Families provisions, including child care licensing modernization, crisis nursery licensing, SNAP/MFIT-related language, child care provider self-reporting, a physical abuse recognition poster, child protection and welfare provisions, funding for parent support outreach, and forensic interview training scholarships. Supporters described it as bipartisan work with relatively small fiscal impact, while opponents said it greatly expanded the bill and should be handled separately; after a roll call, the A9 amendment failed 7-14. Representative Scott then offered the A11 amendment, raising concerns about new all-payer claims database language and whether it should have been heard in the Judiciary and Civil Law Committee. Department of Health staff explained the data-sharing safeguards, de-identification process, fee structure, and enforcement provisions, but Scott remained concerned about privacy and the scope of the program and withdrew the amendment. The committee then moved to final bill discussion. Members and authors described HF 4466 as a lean health finance bill largely conforming Minnesota law to federal HR1 Medicaid-related changes, including work requirements, retroactive eligibility limits, cost-sharing, and home equity provisions. Supporters argued conformity was necessary to avoid major federal funding losses and noted a few additional member bills in the package; opponents criticized the federal changes as harmful, especially for vulnerable populations such as victims of trafficking and domestic violence. Fiscal staff said the bill would save just over $2 million in FY 2026-27 and almost $98 million in FY 2028-29. No final vote on the bill itself was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Proposal regarding pharmacy benefit manager licensure and data requirements.
• It would also be grouped by pharmacies owned and not owned by the pharmacy benefit manager.
• We have developed a list of target drugs given the limited funds available this year.
• No additional comments beyond the comments on the pharmacy benefit manager proposal.
• Benefit manager proposal. Thank you.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I for these practices benefit consumers.
• 01:37.119><c> the</c> anybody should benefit from the anybody should benefit from the u<01:01:38.960>
• should be the ones who benefit from it.
• </c> certain projects that serve and benefit certain projects that serve and benefit people<01:23:19.360
• </c> understand that, but given the limited understand that, but given the limited projects<01:25:35.840

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• . ...limiting the use of funds for sports that restrict or limit participation based on student ability
• And just because we have limitations, there's limitations with public school, there's limitations with
• There's limitations with homeschool too.
• And just because we have limitations, there's limitations with public school, there's limitations with
• There's limitations with homeschool too.

Committee: All ALC-ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

Summary: The Administrative Rules Subcommittee met to review a long agenda of agency rule changes, beginning with housekeeping on the order of business and then taking up rules from multiple state agencies. Early items included Department of Energy and Environment rules on landfill post-closure trust fund spending thresholds and liquefied petroleum gas standards, DFA’s odometer disclosure rule allowing electronic signatures and disclosures, and several Department of Health rules covering ionizing radiation, mobile home and recreational parks, lead-based paint, counseling licensure, hearing instrument dispensers, athletic training, dental specialties and compacts, nursing, pharmacy, physician assistants, medical compacts, speech-language pathology and audiology, radiologic technology, massage therapy, community health workers, doula certification, and cosmetology/body art. Most of these were described as technical updates, conformity with recent acts, federal standards, or compact participation, and nearly all were approved without objection after brief questions and, in many cases, no public comment. The committee also reviewed Department of Labor and Licensing rules on minimum wage/independent contractor standards, boiler rules, motor vehicle commission requirements for ATV/LSV dealers, professional wrestling regulation, appraiser qualifications, and military recruiting and retention programs. Testimony generally emphasized that the rules implemented recent legislation, updated fees or licensing standards, or streamlined existing processes. Members asked a few questions about fee structures, the rationale for regulating professional wrestling, and how the National Guard’s public-private partnership and incentive programs would work; the department said the recruiting incentives would be funded from existing appropriations and were intended to improve retention and force strength. These rules were also approved without objection. The most extensive discussion came on the Department of Education’s Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program rule. The department said the revisions, based on Act 920 of 2025, were intended to add guardrails, clarify allowable expenses, and speed approval of core educational purchases. Changes included defining core educational expenses, limiting certain sports-related spending, adding an intentional misuse standard, restricting phone purchases except for disability-related needs, setting a $1,000 threshold for additional review of technology purchases, capping carryover funds at $8,500, and creating a reconsideration process for denied expenses. Members raised concerns about safeguards, appeals, sports equipment, provider credentialing, rural vendor access, and whether the department would be flexible or overly restrictive. The department said it would review every request, provide written explanations for denials, allow appeals up to the State Board, and refer suspected fraud to prosecutors if necessary. After hearing from 13 members of the public, the committee continued to discuss the rule, but the transcript ends before any final vote on the EFA rule is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:24:41.720><c> Wyoming</c><00:24:42.080><c> residents,</c> benefiting Wyoming residents, benefiting
• </c> limit for safety standards, essentially. limit for safety standards, essentially.
• </c> greatly benefit members of both groups. greatly benefit members of both groups.
• </c><00:51:30.240><c> from</c> not just homeowners, can benefit from not just homeowners, can benefit
• </c> begin and begin realizing the benefits begin and begin realizing the benefits of<00:53:09.360><c

Bills: SF0095 , SF0107 , SF0112

Committee: House Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs

Keywords: driver's license, motor vehicle services, third-party providers, Wyoming, regulatory compliance, motor vehicle, registration, license plate, electronic system, State Department of Transportation, county treasurers, vehicle fees, public records, license plates, replacement cycle, vehicle registration, motor vehicles, state fees, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Also enacted by the 2024 Legislature, this program addresses the fiscal, or benefits, cliff.
• So on the workforce side, that's one place that we've seen a huge benefit of this program.
• So on the workforce side, that's one place that we've seen a huge benefit of this program.
• Growing in leadership in this field typically makes you also lose those benefits.
• You've lost a significant amount of benefit that you were getting.

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee met with a quorum and focused on School Readiness, specifically the new provider reimbursement rates and the School Readiness Plus program. The chair gave an overview of how School Readiness is funded and administered, noting that the Legislature now sets county-based reimbursement rates using market and cost data, and that School Readiness Plus was created to help families who would otherwise fall off the subsidy “cliff” at 85% of state median income by extending assistance up to 100% of state median income. Panelists from the Children’s Forum, the Association of Early Learning Coalitions, and the Division of Early Learning described the programs as major workforce and family-support tools that help parents stay employed and help providers recruit and retain qualified staff. Testimony emphasized that higher reimbursement rates increase parental choice, help providers cover rising child care costs, and support better staffing and lower turnover. The panel also said School Readiness Plus is easing the pressure on families to turn down raises or promotions for fear of losing child care assistance, though uptake is still early because the program only began in late 2024 and is only available to current School Readiness families at redetermination. The Division of Early Learning reported about 275 children enrolled in School Readiness Plus as of March 10, with expenditures of about $161,420 through January 2025, and said participation is increasing. Members asked about the federal-state funding split, wait lists, reverted funds, coalition accountability, county-based rate differences, and whether the entrance eligibility threshold should be raised or shifted to state median income. The panel said roughly 70% of School Readiness funding is federal, about 4% has typically reverted in recent years, and the wait list is around 12,000 children, with reasons including income ineligibility, lack of available seats, and funding limits. They argued that raising the entrance threshold would expand access but would require additional funding, and they also discussed the need to reduce workforce barriers such as in-person testing and training requirements. The meeting ended with no formal action beyond the presentation and member discussion, and the subcommittee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• To limit testimony to about two to three minutes. Let's make it two.
• I'm going to limit your questions to two, if I may. Thank you.
• Disclosing risks and benefits is not jumping through hoops.
• Disclosing risks and benefits is not jumping through hoops.
• It has always been for her benefit and the benefit of others.

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The proposed substitute limits the amount that a health care provider may charge to certain recipients
• Then what this bill would say is that they would kind of cap that, well, cap it with the $50 limit for
• Is the bill limited to corporate health care facilities? I'm going to ask staff to answer that.
• We'll limit testimony to about a minute and a half.
• Who benefits?

Summary: The committee heard testimony on three health care bills. HB 1496 would cap charges for electronically stored medical records at $50 for patients and certain authorized recipients, while removing a free-copy provision tied to SSI/SSDI appeals and changing attorney fee language to “prevailing patient.” Supporters, including patient advocates, attorneys, and injured workers, said current record fees can reach thousands of dollars and block access to justice; opponents, including hospitals, home care providers, and records vendors, argued the bill would not cover the labor and HIPAA compliance work involved in large third-party requests and could shift costs to providers and patients. The bill remained in hearing with testimony continuing after the committee moved through other bills. HB 2182 would change how the Department of Corrections distributes its stockpile of mifepristone and misoprostol, removing the requirement that the medications be sold at cost plus a $5 fee and instead allowing, but not requiring, payment while directing DOC and the Department of Health to coordinate distribution to providers and facilities. The prime sponsor and supporters said the bill is needed so the state’s stockpile does not go unused or expire and to remove barriers to access for abortion and miscarriage care; opponents argued the bill subsidizes abortion, raises legal and taxpayer concerns, and should be rejected. Public testimony on HB 2182 was closed after hearing from both supporters and opponents. HB 2196 would require certain fully insured health plans to cover IVIG for PANS and PANDAS, with initial and medically necessary follow-up courses, and would bar denials based on prior treatment, age, out-of-state care when unavailable in Washington, or treatment guidelines that only address psychiatric symptoms. The sponsor, families, and physicians described severe, sudden-onset symptoms in children and said IVIG can be life-changing after other treatments fail, while insurers warned the mandate could add to already rising premiums and noted the treatment can be very expensive. HB 2242 would shift vaccine and preventive-service recommendation authority from federal bodies to the Department of Health, while preserving no-cost coverage for preventive services and updating the reference date for protected services; the governor, insurance commissioner, public health officials, and many physicians supported it as a way to preserve access amid federal instability and rising vaccine-preventable disease, while questions focused on whether the bill would change school or daycare requirements, which staff said it would not.

Transcript Highlights:

• Second, adding more benefits to the original Medicare program, such as dental, vision, and hearing.
• The bill specifies that retrospective denials may not be considered adverse benefit determinations, and
• The insurer did not issue an adverse benefit decision, and there was no discussion about any clinical
• But it is not a covered benefit in Washington for public employees and people on Medicaid.
• But it is not a covered benefit in Washington for public employees and people on Medicaid.

Summary: The Health Care and Wellness Committee held a public hearing on several bills and a joint memorial. SB 5915 would update the health technology assessment program by adding technologies recommended for Medicare populations or in national guidelines to the review priority list, requiring broader evidence review for life-threatening or rare diseases, and setting timelines for posting and deciding review requests. Supporters, including rare disease advocates and providers, said the current process is outdated and too rigid; the bill was then held for later action. SJM 8002 urged Congress to strengthen original Medicare, oppose privatization, add benefits like dental, vision, and hearing, and reduce Medicare Advantage overpayments and fraud. Supporters from labor and senior groups argued it would protect beneficiaries and send a message to federal officials; the memorial was also held after testimony. The committee also heard SB 5395 on prior authorization. Staff explained it would tighten notice requirements, require a licensed clinician—not AI alone—to deny requests based on medical necessity, add transparency around policy changes, and change how retrospective denials are treated. The prime sponsor and provider groups said the bill was a negotiated compromise meant to reduce delays and inappropriate denials, while insurers were generally neutral but sought a narrow amendment. Testifiers described prior authorization as a major source of delay and administrative burden, and the bill was held after public testimony. SB 5845 would require carriers to pay or deny clean claims within 30 days, set timelines for non-clean claims and information requests, and allow penalties for repeated noncompliance. Hospitals, physicians, and health systems supported it as a way to improve predictable payment, while insurers were neutral and asked for a narrow amendment; the bill was also held. The committee heard SB 6025, which would change the definition of fetal death so gestational age is calculated using the best clinically accurate age rather than the last menstrual period. Obstetric and nursing witnesses said the current law can force inaccurate records and unnecessary burdens on grieving families, while opponents objected to the bill’s abortion-related definitions. The bill was held after testimony. Finally, SB 5988 would authorize the Department of Health to continue accrediting opioid treatment programs and charge fees to support that work. The department and the sponsor said the measure would preserve a patient-centered accreditation option amid budget pressure, and the committee closed testimony and held the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so although we can account for those emissions, we only have limited ability to regulate emissions
• It's more of a global benefit. Could you... ...significantly? It's more of a global benefit.
• To the extent that hydro is used, it will provide benefits.
• And so to the extent that that hydro is used, it's going to provide benefits.
• So to the extent that that hydro is used, it's going to provide benefits to everybody producing fuel

Bills: HB2436 , HB2322 , HB2343 , HB1420 , HB2426 , HB2271 , HB2215 , HB2421 , HB2301 , HB2296

Committee: House Environment & Energy

Keywords: oil tanker, tank vessel, restricted waters, Puget Sound, San Juan Islands, Rosario Strait, Admiralty Inlet, Discovery Island, New Dungeness, tug escort, pilotage, marine safety, spill prevention, oil transport, petroleum shipment, coast guard authorization, Board of Pilotage Commissioners, articulated tug barge, bunker vessel, refueling vessel

Transcript Highlights:

• Testimony on any such bill will be limited to a statement of name, organization, if any, and position
• As the costs are borne entirely by the customer. but the benefit accrued to the community by preventing
• AB 566 would significantly benefit consumers by granting them greater control over their personal data
• And I truly believe the cost savings portion by releasing these individuals outweighs the benefit to
• Please be sure to limit your comments to name, organization, if any, and your position on the bill.

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're up against our debt limit.
• You could talk about all these benefits. I don't deny that there's a benefit. bit.
• Los Angeles, but what benefits Los Angeles benefits California.
• Everything differs to the benefit of organized labor, not even to the benefit of our workers because
• This must be a benefit that is a benefit for Californians throughout the state in different regions.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In contrast, this bill only benefits homeowners and does not include any kind of income limits or measure
• </c> In contrast, this bill only benefits In contrast, this bill only benefits homeowners<00:19:04.200
• </c> of income limits or measure of need. of income limits or measure of need.
• </c> disproportionately benefit the wealthy. disproportionately benefit the wealthy.
• That was about our limit.

Bills: HF4906 , HF3971 , HF4777 , HF2109 , HF2988

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: property tax, tax refund, taxpayer relief, Minnesota taxation, one-time payment, taxation, property valuation, Tax Court, evidentiary standards, Minnesota Statutes, disparity reduction, aid payments, local government, funding, Fillmore County, education funding, managed forest land, classification, forest management plan, agricultural land

Transcript Highlights:

• We see a lot of benefit.
• Okay, and for the benefit of all the Senate...
• And so I think the benefit of one of the benefits of this proposal is that it brings An education commissioner
• resources and limited capacity.
• And so how, Yet dealing with limited resources and limited capacity.

Summary: The joint Senate Education and Budget Committee hearing focused on the Governor’s proposed education governance overhaul, which would shift day-to-day management of the California Department of Education from the elected Superintendent of Public Instruction to a new appointed education commissioner, while giving the Superintendent new voting roles on the State Board of Education and the Community College Board of Governors. Chair Perez opened by stressing that the proposal raises major policy questions beyond the budget process and should be evaluated for its effect on students, local control, and accountability. Brooks Allen of the State Board of Education argued the change would unify policymaking and implementation, reduce fragmented authority, and create clearer accountability, citing decades of reports criticizing California’s “crazy quilt” governance structure and noting the proposal is timed for the 2026 transition. Amber Alexander of the Department of Finance outlined the fiscal and staffing transfers, describing the plan as largely cost-neutral and explaining how positions would shift between the State Board, the Department, and the new Superintendent’s office over 2026-27 and 2027-28. Sarah Cortez of the Legislative Analyst’s Office said the LAO supports shifting management to an appointed commissioner but recommended several refinements: preserving legislative oversight, requiring Senate confirmation of the commissioner, clearly defining the Superintendent’s duties as a public representative/advisor/evaluator, and refining the State Board’s role to focus on major policies requiring public input. She also said the fiscal plan should be cost-neutral and more fully specified. Senators raised concerns about the timing during an election year, the constitutional status of the Superintendent, whether the proposal should instead be a constitutional amendment, and whether governance changes actually improve student outcomes or simply rearrange the org chart. Some members questioned whether the proposal would confuse voters and undermine democratic accountability, while others said the current structure is already confusing and that the reform could improve clarity for districts and local boards. The discussion also covered how curriculum is set, with LAO explaining that the Legislature has broad authority but has delegated much curriculum work to the State Board and the Instructional Quality Commission. Members asked how the new structure would affect local districts, who they would call for guidance, and whether the commissioner would have authority over policy; the presenters said policy authority would remain with the State Board, while the commissioner would handle administration and implementation. No votes were taken during the panel discussion, and the hearing was organized to continue with additional panels and public comment later in the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• So if I'm running as a candidate, that's when my term limits begin.
• and taxpayers could benefit.”
• Chairman, members, limit it to the county in which we have big counties.
• You tell me how that benefits those students and how it benefits the taxpayers.
• They're able to give this property tax benefit to those that build on their property.

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:14:08.399><c> for</c> utilities uh restructuring benefits for utilities uh restructuring benefits
• </c> sort of a principle of not benefiting sort of a principle of not benefiting one<00:56:42.799><c>
• </c> would open up a market for limited would open up a market for limited producers,<01:01:10.079><c
• </c> know that such projects would benefit know that such projects would benefit from<01:08:35.440><c
• </c><01:53:25.119><c> to</c> G2 and 4 and increase those limits to G2 and 4 and increase those limits

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• doesn't require any certain limits.
• doesn't require any certain limits.
• </c><00:41:55.079><c> I</c> we don't select the limits because I we don't select the limits because I
• c><00:42:30.520><c> think</c> require any certain limits do you think require any certain limits do you
• </c> they're going to reach at $85,000 limit they're going to reach at $85,000 limit and<00:59:06.319

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Across Massachusetts, there remain children and families who could benefit from the unique combination
• prevent children who could benefit from Pappas from being admitted.
• That could be a great benefit to many of these individuals... They know the local community.
• That could be a great benefit to many of these individuals who are aging in the system.
• Some of our respite patients could benefit from an extended stay.

Summary: The hearing focused on the future of the Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children and the work of the special legislative commission studying whether and how the facility should continue. Senators and representatives said the Legislature has continued funding Pappas, that the hospital cannot be closed before the commission reports, and that they are seeking to extend the commission’s deadline. Multiple commissioners and witnesses described Pappas as a unique setting combining inpatient medical care, residential programming, special education, therapy, and campus-based activities for children with complex medical needs. Union leaders, staff, parents, and local officials argued that Pappas is being quietly depopulated through blocked admissions and continued discharges despite the formal pause on closure. They said the hospital’s integrated model cannot be replicated elsewhere, that families and staff are being left in limbo, and that the state should invest in repairs, modernization, and possibly temporary modular space to reopen admissions. Several witnesses emphasized the impact on children who have benefited from Pappas and on workers who fear losing a specialized workforce built over decades. Department of Public Health Commissioner Robert Goldstein said the state is committed to keeping Pappas open and stable while the commission works, but that admissions must meet hospital-level-of-care standards and the current infrastructure limits who can safely be served. He said the administration has been expanding outreach, hiring staff, and exploring ways to broaden services, including outpatient and therapy programs over time. Commissioners pressed him on why admissions remain so limited and whether the facility is being effectively depopulated, while Goldstein maintained that the restrictions reflect legal and safety requirements rather than an effort to close the hospital.

Transcript Highlights:

• “And basically, the only real benefit would be for speculators and flippers.
• You’d have very congested backyards, even with a five-foot limit.
• They look at women, not as... ...rather than things to discourage and limit us.
• Her family, because of this incredible benefit program, was able to make that possible for her.
• And I think that's ultimately what will benefit Arizona kids and our education system.

Committee: House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee first took up a discussion-only strike-everything amendment to HB 2211, which would make it unprofessional conduct for certain health care providers to submit offers in independent dispute resolution above 300% of Medicare or the qualified payment amount. The chair said he was not ready to move the bill because more stakeholder meetings were needed. Testimony split between insurers, who said a small number of providers were abusing the No Surprises Act and driving up costs, and provider representatives, who argued the proposal would improperly cap rates, relied on opaque insurer-set QPAs, and could threaten licensure in a billing dispute. No vote was taken on HB 2211. The committee then considered HB 4028 on accessory dwelling units. The bill would remove the 1,000-square-foot cap, change setback rules, bar municipalities from requiring an administrative use permit and certain elevation criteria, and extend the deadline for cities to adopt ADU regulations. The sponsor argued it would give homeowners more flexibility and help address housing affordability, while cities, neighborhood groups, and residents warned it would allow oversized ADUs, reduce local control, create density and safety concerns, and invite investor-driven development. After extensive debate, the committee voted 8-9 with one present, and HB 4028 failed. Next, the committee heard HB 2620, as amended, which appropriates $300,000 annually for five years from the General Fund to the Department of Veterans’ Services for grants to emergency shelters. An amendment removed age and non-congregate-setting conditions for eligibility. The sponsor and a shelter provider said the funding would help shelters better serve homeless veterans and connect them to services. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed HB 2620 on a 17-0 vote with one member not voting. The committee then considered HB 2960, as amended, which creates a veterans specialty court grant program and a dedicated fund to support local veterans treatment courts. An amendment shifted administration of the fund to the Office of the Courts and allowed support for expansion of existing programs. The sponsor, a Lake Havasu judge, and a veteran graduate testified that veterans courts reduce recidivism and save lives by linking veterans to treatment and support. The bill was still being taken up when the transcript ended, with testimony continuing from supporters including a veterans shelter founder.