Transcript Highlights:

• they do not have a fail-first policy for severe mental health illnesses, and their hospitalization rate
• , their Baker Act rate, and whatever, is about 9%.
• illnesses, and their hospitalization for severe mental health illnesses, and their hospitalization rate
• , their Baker Act rate, and whatever, is about 9%.
• using antipsychotics were higher in Florida at $24,969 per enrollee per year than in Michigan at a rate

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health Policy met with a quorum and heard five bills. SB 126, on prescription hearing aids, would remove Florida’s prohibition on mailing hearing aids when required tele-audiology testing and procedures are completed before sale. The sponsor said the bill would improve access, especially for people with travel or geographic barriers. The Florida Academy of Audiologists expressed support in concept but said it was still working with the sponsor on an amendment for consumer safety. The committee voted the bill favorably. SB 152 would require hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to adopt policies using smoke evacuation systems during certain surgical procedures. Supporters, including the Florida Nurses Association and several nurses, described surgical smoke as a workplace and patient safety hazard containing harmful chemicals, viruses, bacteria, and other contaminants, and said evacuation technology is available and already required in some settings. The committee voted the bill favorably. SB 264 would expand step-therapy exemptions for severe mental illness, including certain postpartum and pregnancy-related mental health conditions, so physicians would not have to require patients to fail preferred drugs in specified circumstances. Support came from Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, NAMI Florida, and several medical and pharmacy groups, who argued that delays in effective treatment can worsen crises and increase hospital and crisis-care costs. The committee voted the bill favorably. SB 342 would create a public-records exemption for current and former AHCA employees and certain family information, citing threats and harassment directed at inspectors and regulators. President Gaetz said he generally opposes such exemptions but supported this one because the employees are not elected officials and face real safety risks. The committee voted the bill favorably. SB 294 would limit the Board of Pharmacy’s ability to add heart failure, coronary heart disease, and cardiac rhythm disorders to the list of chronic conditions eligible for collaborative pharmacy practice, keeping those conditions under direct physician management. The Florida Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons, Florida Medical Association, and the Florida chapter of the American College of Cardiology supported the bill, while the Florida Society of Health System Pharmacists opposed it. The committee voted the bill favorably. Senator Trumbull asked to be recorded in support of SB 126 and SB 152, and the meeting adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:11:41.360> are state of Minnesota's rates are state of Minnesota's rates are increasing
• We have uh increases a take rate.
• that's a significantly higher take rate that's a significantly higher take rate than<01:20:08.320
• The federal SCA rate, which is $5.55.
• The the federal sea rate which is $555. The the federal sea rate which is $555.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• However, you'll see a higher use rate However, you'll see a higher use rate amongst<00:14:51.839
• hopefully increase our retention rates hopefully increase our retention rates over<00:21:35.600>
• A remarkably high response rate for a survey.
• Pages 44 and 45 of rate for a survey.
• It's rated as most effective by schools.

Bills: HF3635, HF3638

Keywords: teacher mobility, interstate compact, licensure, military spouses, education, teacher regulation, teacher qualifications, state sovereignty, educator licensing, paraprofessional credentials, mental health, professional development, data sharing, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Our success rate of establishment was less than 20 percent.
• Our success rate of establishment was less than 20 percent.
• Our success rate of establishment was less than 20 percent.
• , so that we're putting the right amount at the right rate, the right time.
• Senator Kupec continued: Rates and their application and all that.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:01:22.559> of ever seen with the highest rate of ever seen with the highest rate of increase
• <01:06:59.680> reaches rate reaches rate reaches 2.5%<01:07:02.079> and<01:07:02.200>
• charging tenants illegally High rates charging tenants illegally High rates research<01:38:37.040
• <03:16:32.120> charged should reassess the rates charged should reassess the rates charged
• This is a dismal 4.5% unexplained non-compliance rate that this bill seeks to address.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The representative failed to identify that the base rate was not consistent across the community.
• that includes a reasonable net profit Paying the most recently adjusted monthly rate that includes a
• The law is clear: if residents receive the same amenities, they should pay the same rate.
• services to all the law is clear if residents receive the same amenities they should pay the same rate
• Same service, same rates. Thank you so much for your time. They very much appreciate it. Thank you.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing held a hearing on a wide range of housing bills focused on manufactured housing, condominiums, public housing, tiny homes, and protections for elderly and disabled residents. Chairs Haggerty and Cyr opened by emphasizing the importance of these housing types and the need to hear from many speakers. Testimony on manufactured housing was especially extensive and sharply divided. Supporters of bills such as H. 1475, S. 990, and H. 1513 argued that out-of-state corporate owners are buying communities, raising rents and fees, reducing services, and exploiting legal gray areas. Residents and lawmakers from affected communities like Taunton, Middleborough, Attleboro, and Oak Point described steep rent disparities, fear of displacement, and the need for stronger protections, while Representative Hawkins urged an omnibus approach and said the bill would create a local board to ensure compliance with existing law. Opponents, including the Massachusetts Manufactured Housing Association and Hometown America’s counsel, argued that current law already provides protections, that the bills would create uncertainty or unfairly restrict owners, and that H. 1475 was intended to clarify the post-Blake legal landscape. The committee also heard testimony on condominium reform through S. 980, with owners describing lack of transparency, surprise assessments, and limited accountability, and urging updates to Chapter 183A and more owner rights. Public housing bills also drew support from housing authority advocates. MassNAHRO backed S. 955, H. 1517, H. 1512, H. 1550, and H. 1551, saying housing authorities need more flexibility to preserve and expand affordable housing. Witnesses supported tax relief for replacement public housing units and streamlined procurement rules, arguing these changes would help projects move faster and make better use of capital funds. Committee members asked questions about PILOT agreements, tax treatment of new developments, and whether state and federal public housing would be treated similarly. The committee also heard from Senator Lovely and advocates for S. 1007/H. 1525, which would prevent and respond to bullying of elderly and disabled residents in housing. Supporters described the bills as a long-needed response to harassment in senior and public housing, calling for building-level plans, staff training, and AG oversight; Jerry Halberstadt said the measure should be strengthened with enforcement and tenant advocacy support. Pamela and other witnesses described severe personal impacts from bullying and management retaliation. Another major topic was S. 1474/H. 1474 on movable tiny houses as permanent dwellings and accessory dwelling units. Supporters, including Representative DeCoste, Vera Struck, Kaylee DeCrease, and Abundant Housing Massachusetts, said tiny homes are a safe, affordable, sustainable option for seniors, workers, and others facing the housing shortage, and urged the committee to legalize them and align state rules with emerging standards. They also discussed tax classification and the need for a clear building code and DMV category. Finally, H. 1476 on pet-friendly elderly housing drew support from animal welfare groups, who said the bill would restore and modernize a prior pet program, expand access across state-aided housing, limit pet deposits, and reduce pet surrender caused by housing barriers. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions on the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our graduation rates are abysmal. Our graduation rates are abysmal.
• That is unacceptable.<00:03:57.280> Our<00:03:57.599> graduation<00:03:58.159> rates
• Our graduation rates are unacceptable.
• Our graduation rates are abysmal.<00:04:00.400> So<00:04:00.640> parents<00:04:01.040><
• to increase childhood vaccination rates to increase childhood vaccination rates possibly<00:15:11.839

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House Republican leaders outlined their agenda for the tied legislative session, saying their priorities are to stop fraud, make Minnesota more affordable, safer, and more competitive, and reduce mandates while raising education standards. They highlighted several planned bills, including an independent inspector general (HF 1), a “Fraud Isn’t Free” measure to impose consequences on agencies and commissioners that allow fraud, and statutory guidelines for high-fraud-risk programs. They also said they want to lower health care costs through a permanent reinsurance program and cost defrayal for new mandates, study property tax increases, conform state tax law to federal changes on tips, overtime, and scholarship tax credits, and avoid any tax increases. On public safety, Republicans said they will pursue tougher penalties for repeat offenders and repeat gun crimes, judicial accountability, and a school safety package that would support public and nonpublic schools, school safety personnel, and facility improvements. In education, they emphasized school choice tax credits, reading proficiency, and curriculum focused on basic academic fundamentals. They also said they want to protect and expand mining, reform permitting, end the nuclear moratorium, and make the state more attractive to businesses. On housing, one member said they are working on a more targeted affordable housing package rather than a broad sweeping bill. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on immigration and cooperation with federal authorities. Republicans said they want a statewide framework for local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, referencing House File 16 and saying they are open to changes and bipartisan work. They argued that local and state cooperation would improve safety and prevent situations where criminal suspects are released into the community. They also said Democrats have blocked similar efforts in committee and on the House floor. In response to questions, leaders said there is no current appetite for sports betting, bonding will be discussed but there are no promises, and they do not support the 2024 omnibus bill model. They said they are not interested in vaccine mandates, but will consider Medicaid funding impacts and other health-related proposals if bills are introduced. They also said election integrity measures such as voter ID, provisional ballots, and voter-roll cleanup will remain priorities. Throughout, leaders said they expect a bipartisan process in the tied House and expressed hope that both parties can work together on some issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• It represents systematically not being able to access the polls at the same rate.
• But we'll talk a little bit about voter registration turnout rates on tribal reservations.
• And it's a slightly lower rate most years than what you see outside of tribal reservations.
• So what we want to also think about then is cure rates.
• I would note, however, that in 2024 we had much lower cure rates than in prior general elections.

Summary: The committee heard a work session on voting access on tribal lands, beginning with a presentation from Dr. Chelsea Jones of the Brennan Center. She described barriers affecting Native voters and voters on tribal lands, including long travel distances to polling places and drop boxes, nontraditional addresses, unreliable postal service, language access, and limited broadband. Citing research, she said turnout on tribal lands trails turnout off tribal lands by about 10 percentage points nationally and about 10% in Washington, with larger gaps in some convenience voting measures. Members asked about the meaning of “lost votes,” the role of tribal leadership and community trust, and whether outreach by election officials and candidates could help; Dr. Jones emphasized that the study measured missed voting opportunities, not missing ballots, and that partnerships with trusted community leaders are important. The University of Washington Elections Database then presented data on voter registration, turnout, signature challenges, curing, and ballot rejection for voters whose addresses fall within tribal reservation boundaries. The presenters said registration on reservations increased from about 107,000 in 2010 to 137,000 in 2024, turnout on reservations remained about 8 to 9 percentage points lower than outside reservations in recent general elections, and signature-challenge and rejection rates were generally low but somewhat higher in off-year elections. They reported that about 60% to two-thirds of signature-challenged ballots are cured, with cure rates similar inside and outside reservations, and that late return is the most common reason for primary ballot rejection while signature mismatch is the leading cause in general elections. A question was raised about USPS postmarking issues and how those might affect future data; the presenters said they plan to track return method and cure timing more closely. The committee also received an overview of the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs. Staff reviewed the office’s history, the Centennial Accord, the Millennium Agreement, and related state-tribal frameworks, and GOIA Director Tim Rainan described the office’s role as a bridge between the state and tribal governments, including consultation, policy coordination, training, and convening work groups. He said GOIA now has six positions, is part of the governor’s executive cabinet, and is working on a statewide tribal relations training module and consultation handbook. In response to a question, he said tribal voting is not a major topic at the Centennial Accord but is discussed more extensively through ATNI. The committee then shifted to contracting equity, hearing from WSDOT, DES, OMWBE, and the Office of Equity. WSDOT described its race-neutral small business and veteran goals, mentorship and support programs, and its response to the federal suspension of the DBE program; DES discussed statewide contracting spend, the EDGE pilot for small construction firms, and efforts to improve procurement access; OMWBE reported growth in certified firms and about $371 million in state spend with certified firms in the most recent year, while noting ongoing impacts from federal DBE changes; and the Office of Equity outlined its broader work on agency consultation, dashboards, and systems change. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• On the first page on the left, since 2013, the Department has seen an average annual revenue growth rate
• looking at the Department's revenue estimates for future fiscal years, we're seeing an average growth rate
• So you can see on the... table on page five average hourly rates for different DOT employees and some
• So currently, based on the data we are seeing, New Mexico has among the highest traffic fatality rates
• the department And that New Mexico, there are several sources that note New Mexico has the highest rate

Transcript Highlights:

• Though our unemployment rate rose to 3.1% in March, it's still lower than the national unemployment rate
• national rate of 62.5%.
• Though our unemployment rate rose to 3.1% in March, it's still lower than the national unemployment rate
• national rate of 62.5%.
• national rate of 62.5%.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Herd conception rates are higher, calf vigor is improved, breedback time is decreased, average daily
• Had they done their, uh, gone to the VA to update their, uh, disability rating, um, they.
• County appraisal districts must follow the strict statutory guidelines regarding VA disability ratings
• Under current law, the VA cannot retroactively assign a disability rating after death.
• They couldn't go back and say he had 100% disability rating, even though they called him permanently

Bills: HB249

Keywords: real property, ad valorem tax, tax appraisal, property value limitation, real estate taxation, property ownership

Transcript Highlights:

• It also provides $93.6 million in Medicaid rate increases and $13.3 million in additional resources to
• The budget includes $5.1 million to enhance fee rates for court-appointed attorneys, funding to cover
• It also updates the required employee contribution rates.
• With these rate changes, the FRS continues to be funded on a sound actuarial basis.
• Senators, the 3% employee contribution rate is not changed by this bill.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We offered up the FTE, but we had requested that the dollars and rate be provided back so we can augment
• When I look at the situation where we had a very high vacancy level, and at the same time we had a rate
• What tends to happen is that by the time you can actually reach an hourly rate and OPS wages that would
• actually get someone qualified in the door, then you've way exceeded the hourly rate of the salaries
• what these people get paid and what they do, and I wish I could hire those kind of people at that rate

Summary: The subcommittee met to review agency travel, budget reduction exercises, and member reports from agency meetings. Early discussion focused on the Department of Management Services (DMS), where members questioned the cost of travel for four out-of-state data/cyber staff and the secretary’s absence. DMS defended the hires as highly specialized enterprise cybersecurity and data personnel, said the positions were lawfully paid and posted, and explained that the staff work on statewide data cataloging and cyber risk reduction rather than agency-by-agency systems. Members also raised concerns about fleet inventory discrepancies and requested follow-up information on hiring, travel, and data inventory timelines. The chair said she would consider travel guardrails and possible reductions, and noted that DMS, the Lottery, and the Florida Commission on Human Relations did not meet the requested reduction target, while the Public Employee Relations Commission did not submit reductions. The committee then heard from the Florida Lottery about the secretary’s trip to Paris for the World Lottery Convention. Lottery staff said the trip was reimbursed through the multi-state lottery organization and was intended to share best practices and improve operations, though members questioned the value of the travel and requested reimbursement records and the trip agenda. The subcommittee also reviewed agency reduction exercises from several agencies. The Department of Revenue exceeded its target and was praised for frugality; DFS, the Florida Gaming Control Commission, the Office of Financial Regulation, the Office of Insurance Regulation, the Public Service Commission, the Division of Administrative Hearings, and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation each described how they met or approached their reduction goals, often through vacancies, reversions, or expense cuts. OIR warned that further reductions could hurt insurance regulation capacity, while OFR and PSC said their reductions were based on historical reversions and lower post-COVID travel or vacancy levels. Members then reported back on agency meetings. DMS members raised fleet tracking, real property audits, salary studies, and health plan savings ideas, and asked for follow-up on the Florida PALM project, cybersecurity grants, and state IT modernization. DFS members said the agency was efficient and that its Palm-related work and insurance consumer programs were important. Lottery members emphasized the agency’s revenue generation for education and its low administrative overhead. Gaming Control members highlighted storage costs for seized gaming equipment and suggested technology-based alternatives. PERC members said a union-related law had doubled their workload and asked for more staffing and possible AI assistance. OIR members stressed the need for a Tampa satellite office and more resources to recruit and retain specialized staff. The chair closed by saying the committee would continue reviewing travel, staffing, and reductions with an eye toward taxpayer value and transparency.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's kind of like insurance rates for a lot of constituents.
• The idea - effective this summer immediately - the in-state tuition rate will be reevaluated.
• Now you will see your tuition rate quadruple.
• Senator Martin did a uniform rate schedule for bonds. I set the bond at $10,000.
• We also have an incredibly low unemployment rate. They need people.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• rating, the daily premium rate is $144.10.
• has um less than a 70% disability rating has um less than a 70% disability rating the<00:12:28.320
• predium rate is the daily predium rate is $14410.<00:12:32.639> Uh<00:12:33.120> for<00
• Um that discount rate um is expenses.
• <01:01:44.160> is we project that the discount rate is we project that the discount rate is

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And what we saw is increased recidivism rates across the county, dramatic.
• I have their—well, I have their arrest rates.
• So what I have is I can tell you what the arrest rates are.
• The LBB already calculates juvenile recidivism rates.
• And what we’ve seen is a huge success rate because of that is an instant bond.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Demotech ratings are so slippery that almost 20% of Florida insurance companies it rated have already
• Remember 2008 and rating agencies?
• While the tax rates were cut, tax revenue was at a record level.
• The Biden administration and Democrats' reckless spending drove up inflation and interest rates. rates
• Capping indirect cost rates at 15% for NIH-funded grants.

Transcript Highlights:

• where there are increasing suicide rates where there are increasing suicide rates that<00:02:51.040
• Did you collect data on what's causing the burnout rates?
• <00:37:56.920> And great a rate for us to keep up with.
• And great a rate for us to keep up with.
• to its neighbors, we look at um ratings to its neighbors, we look at um ratings of<00:40:00.680>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• reimbursement up to the Medicare rate. reimbursement up to the Medicare rate.
• We have had HRIP, hospital rate improvement program.
• cut from the average commercial rate cut from the average commercial rate down<00:09:44.640>
• > the<00:09:46.560> next down to Medicare rates over the next down to Medicare rates over
• <00:12:21.440> is payment rate in Medicaid. is payment rate in Medicaid. is substantially<

Keywords: 00:00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 00:02:20 - Discussion of 26RS HB 689 00:13:13 - Discussion of 26RS SB 201 00:27:45 - Discussion of 26RS HB 583 00:46:37 - Discussion of 26RS HB 488 00:48:13 - Discussion of 26RS HB 2 01:14:34 - Discussion of Kentucky State Plan Amendment (SPA) 26:0001: School-based Medicaid Services Program 01:18:24 - Public Comment, 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight Board met on March 9 with a quorum present and no minutes to approve. The chair reordered the agenda to hear House Bill 689 first. Representative Amy Neighbors presented HB 689, which would authorize Kentucky to seek CMS approval for a Medicaid state-directed payment program for physician and non-physician professional services delivered through qualifying hospital-affiliated groups, beginning January 1, 2026, with retroactive payments for that year. She said the bill is intended to improve access to care in rural and underserved areas, support workforce retention, and generate about $29 million annually in federal Medicaid funds without using general fund dollars. Representatives from Owensboro Health and St. Elizabeth Healthcare testified in support, describing staffing and subsidy pressures, lower Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement, and the importance of the program for maintaining access and quality in rural and safety-net settings. Committee members noted the bill had already passed the House Health Services Committee unanimously and discussed broader concerns about Kentucky’s low reimbursement rates and the need to consider other systems not covered by the proposal. The board then heard Senate Bill 2011 from Senator Donald Douglas and Cody Hunt of the Kentucky Medical Association. The bill would address a Medicaid coding issue by ensuring that coverage limits do not reduce payment to fewer than two evaluation and management service units per provider, per patient, per day. Douglas argued the current one-visit, one-issue limitation forces multiple visits, increases no-shows, and prevents providers from treating the whole patient. Hunt explained that the bill is meant to correct a longstanding regulation that limited E&M services to one per physician per recipient per date of service, which can prevent providers from coding additional medically necessary work during the same visit. He said DMS has already filed a regulatory amendment to fix the problem, but a statutory change is still needed to prevent the issue from returning. He also said the bill is not intended to change reimbursement policy, only coding rules, and that MCO payment practices vary. Members generally supported the concept. Senator Berg asked about fiscal impact and private-payer billing; Hunt said there should be no fiscal impact because the bill does not change payment policy, only coding. Representative Moore said the proposal could reduce costs and improve convenience by avoiding extra visits. Chairman Meredith said the bill illustrated problems with fee-for-service care and supported moving toward a more holistic delivery model. Dr. Schuster raised a drafting concern about the bill summary language, and Hunt responded that the regulatory amendment should address the issue generally for providers. No votes were taken on either bill during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• cancer rate.
• cancer rate.
• cancer rate.
• <01:01:38.960> tax<01:01:39.119> rates<01:01:39.359> for tax rate of higher tax
• rates for tax rate of higher tax rates for non-owners<01:01:40.160> or<01:01:40.480> absentee

Bills: HF3718

Keywords: veterinary medicine, veterinary technology, animal care, licensing, client consent, continuing education, emergency services, teletriage, 1183, house

Summary: The Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee met with quorum present, approved the March 2 minutes, and then heard a presentation on economic consolidation in agriculture from Austin Ferk, who said he was not taking additional public testimony. Ferk argued that consolidation in meat, dairy, and grain markets has squeezed farmers on both input and output prices, raised consumer prices, and reduced product quality. He used charts and examples to claim that concentrated markets lead to price gouging, that farmers now receive a historically low share of each food dollar, and that industrial production has contributed to environmental problems, especially in Iowa. Ferk focused on several large agribusiness firms, especially JBS and Cargill. He described JBS as a dominant meatpacker with a history of bribery allegations and market power across beef, pork, poultry, and leather, and said its ownership of brands can obscure who is actually selling the product. He also criticized Cargill as an opaque, privately held company with enormous influence over grain and food markets, and said the farm bill and crop insurance system have been shaped to favor overproduction of corn and soy rather than diversified farming. He argued that these policies, along with ethanol demand and export-oriented livestock production, have harmed rural communities, increased manure and nitrate pollution, and contributed to health problems. In the latter part of the presentation, Ferk discussed antitrust and policy responses, including concentration studies, a proposed packer ban that would prevent meatpackers from owning the animals they slaughter, and restrictions on slotting fees and other pay-to-play practices in grocery retail. He also referenced the failed Kroger-Albertsons merger as an example of consolidation harming local communities. No committee vote or formal action was taken on the presentation beyond approving the minutes.