Video & Transcript Research : 'policy implementation'
Page 188 of 500
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- I do think the policy continues. And so I want to appreciate your commitment.
- Only now fully implementing it as intended.
- We always supported that as a policy.
- We did that and were able to do that and now we're implementing that.
- This bill does not mandate policy decisions.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Legislative Health and Human Services Aug 19th, 2025
Legislative Health & Human Services Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- The problem is the implementation.
- They have implemented child welfare reform in several states across the country.
- And we had to give them time to implement those.
- Using funding as an excuse to not implement necessary actions is very distressing.
- They created an implementation plan that included hiring for Out-of-state.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- My worry is that the bill allowed local control to decide how these policies get implemented, and I've
- Existing laws and policy have already addressed misconduct.
- Through the Freedom of Information Act, ...and not violate this policy.
- It's shameful that we need this policy in the first place.
- But I had no idea that this specific policy was in place.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- He said the bill’s implementation date is July 1 of this year and asked how it could be possible to implement
- <00:43:32.000>
and deadlines we'll have for policy and deadlines we'll have for policy and - I'm the senior policy director at EdAllies.
- I'm the senior policy director at EdAllies.
- I can't remember if it's in his policy or budget proposal.
Keywords:
Office of Inspector General, inspector general, legislative audit, fraud prevention, waste and abuse, public funds, grant oversight, state grants, grant management, whistleblower protection, retaliation, subpoena power, data practices, government transparency, accountability, law enforcement referrals, sanctions, debarment, payment withholding, public assistance fraud
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations Conference Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education/PreK-12 Jun 3rd, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- been provided the initial side-by-side spreadsheets comparing the budget proviso conforming and implementing
- The Senate is now prepared to make its first offer on budget proviso implementing bill, back of the bill
- On budget proviso implementing bill, back of the bill, and SB 2510, beginning with the budget, the shaded
- One organizing comment: these offer documents focus on issues where there were significant policy or
- These offer documents focus on issues where there were significant policy or language differences between
Summary:
The first Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Conference Committee meeting was called to order, and the committee organized by naming Senator Burgess as chair and Representative Persons-Mulicka as vice chair without objection. Both chairs gave brief opening remarks expressing optimism about working together to produce a strong education budget for Florida’s next fiscal year.
Senator Burgess then presented the Senate’s first offer on the budget, proviso, the back of the bill, and SB 2510. He explained that the offer was laid out in the far-right columns of the spreadsheets and that the Senate had tried to close out issues where possible and move closer to the House on remaining differences. He also noted that the Senate’s FEFP offer continues to align with SB 7030 while discussions on scholarship bills continue.
The committee was told that the offer documents focus on significant policy or language differences, while technical or budget-only items are grayed out for later update. After the offer was presented, there were no questions and no public testimony. The meeting then moved to a temporary adjournment on a one-hour notice.
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
FL House Floor Session - 2025-03-27 (9:00AM Session)
Florida House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Our school districts need to... ...our school districts will implement this program.
- For all insurance policies. Thank you so much for this bill. Additional debate.
- that we pass is good policy.
- period for districts to modify their transportation policies.
- period for districts to modify their transportation policies.
Summary:
The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and several member introductions recognizing visiting groups and resolutions, including Blood Clot Awareness Month and Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week. The chamber then moved to a special order calendar and considered a series of bills, with most measures passing overwhelmingly after brief explanations and debate. Among the early bills, SB 88 on utility terrain vehicles passed 32-5, allowing local governments to opt in to limited street use of UTVs under specified safety rules; SB 102 on exceptional student education passed 36-0 to create a workforce credential program for students with autism or modified curricula; SB 106 on exploitation of vulnerable adults passed 37-0; SB 130 on compensation for wrongful incarceration passed 38-0 after expanding filing timelines and easing restrictions on compensation claims; and SB 158 on diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations passed 38-0 to eliminate cost sharing for follow-up breast imaging under the state employee health plan.
The most extended debate centered on SB 234, which sought to strengthen penalties and clarify the law regarding violent resistance to law enforcement officers and offenses against officers. Supporters argued the bill was needed after the Jason Raynor case to prevent defendants from using claims about an officer’s legal duty to justify violence, while opponents raised concerns about removing “good faith” language, potential impacts on Fourth Amendment protections, racial profiling, and the bill’s mandatory life sentence for manslaughter of an officer. A Jones amendment to restore “good faith” failed, and after further debate the sponsor temporarily postponed the bill without a final vote. The Senate also passed SB 262 on trust code technical changes (36-0), SB 274 designating roadways for Harris Rosen and Geraldine Thompson (38-0) and opening the board for 37 co-sponsors, SB 280 creating an enforcement mechanism for candidate party-affiliation qualifications (38-0), and SB 296 repealing the statewide middle and high school start-time mandate in favor of local decision-making and reporting requirements (38-0).
Later, SB 356 designated January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Florida, with supporters emphasizing the need to confront antisemitism and preserve Holocaust memory; the bill was introduced and debated, with the transcript ending during remarks by President Gaetz about the recent Holocaust memorial unveiling. Throughout the meeting, senators also used debate to highlight broader policy themes such as autism workforce inclusion, breast cancer screening, wrongful incarceration reform, school district flexibility, and honoring community leaders through road designations. The chamber’s actions were largely affirmative, with several unanimous votes and one notable postponed bill after substantial disagreement."}】}]}}```
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Transportation committee approves HF5 1/22/25
Transcript Highlights:
- It is also important to note that the costs imposed by government policies are not experienced equally
- <00:10:03.000>
are costs imposed by government policies are costs imposed by government policies - One company reported $2,500 in trackable labor for implementing the fee, and that is only labor they
- that's just a implementing this fee and that's just a labor<00:20:26.679>
they <00:20:26.840>< - Um, dear members of the House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee, my name is John Feland.
Summary:
House File 5 was heard in the Transportation Committee and moved by the author, Representative Jim Joy, to be referred to the Tax Committee. Joy described the bill as a package to make Minnesota more affordable by fully eliminating the Social Security tax subtraction, ending the motor fuels tax indexing, repealing the retail delivery fee, and studying vehicle registration/license taxes compared with neighboring states. Committee fiscal staff explained the bill’s fiscal effects across the general fund, highway user tax distribution fund, transportation advancement account, and metro county sales tax allocations, including that the delivery fee repeal would reduce Transportation Advancement Account revenue and that the bill would shift some revenue sources to offset losses.
Several stakeholders testified. The Minnesota Grocers Association strongly supported repealing the retail delivery fee, arguing it is costly and complex for retailers to administer, especially small businesses, and that the costs are ultimately passed on to consumers. The Minnesota Propane Association also supported repeal, saying the fee is burdensome for propane businesses, that only a small share of deliveries are actually subject to it, and that compliance costs can exceed the fee revenue collected. Fiscal staff noted that delivery fee revenue forecasts have fallen below earlier projections, and explained that the fee is imposed on sellers with several exemptions, including a $100 transaction threshold and exemptions for some sales such as bars, restaurants, nonprofits, and certain small businesses.
Opposition came from local government groups. The League of Minnesota Cities said it supported the Transportation Advancement Account and its 2023 funding sources, including the delivery fee and motor vehicle parts sales tax, and warned that the bill would prematurely alter a funding structure that cities rely on for predictable transportation revenue. The Minnesota Association of Small Cities said small cities had long lacked dedicated transportation funding and wanted a stable, ongoing revenue stream, but were neutral on the exact source as long as it was reliable. Metro Cities echoed support for stable, predictable transportation funding for metro-area cities. The committee took testimony and discussion only; no final vote was recorded in the excerpt beyond the motion to refer the bill to the Tax Committee.
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
Regulated Industries Feb 3rd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- We do have some issues with the implementation of it due to the effective...
- We do have some issues with the implementation of it due to the effective date.
- So there will be time to procure a consultant to do the rate study, time to implement the rate study,
- Certainly, it's a policy for the legislature to dictate the terms and conditions for annexation, but
- It is, that is not the public policy behind an HOA statute. Thank you.
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Regulated Industries met with a quorum and considered four bills. First, the committee took up SB 1724 on municipal utility services. A late-filed strike-all amendment by Senator Martin was adopted after he explained it would require annual customer meetings for certain extraterritorial utility customers, cap the use of utility revenues for general government purposes, eliminate a 25% surcharge and reduce the rate differential cap, remove municipal natural gas utilities from the bill, and preserve certain surcharges only as needed to satisfy existing bond covenants. The Florida League of Cities raised implementation concerns about the July 1, 2026 effective date and the time needed for rate studies and budget adjustments, but the bill as amended was reported favorably.
The committee then heard SB 936 on temporary door locking devices by Senator McLean. The bill would define temporary door locking devices, authorize their installation at any height, require the Florida Building Commission to add standards to the Florida Building Code, and require their use to be incorporated into safety plans, drills, and training. With no opposition or debate, SB 936 was reported favorably.
Next, the committee considered SB 1014 by Senator Mayfield, which would prohibit municipalities from refusing water and wastewater service solely because a property owner declines annexation, if the property is near a municipal main line, not served by another utility, and the utility has capacity. An amendment narrowed the bill by defining “main line” and reducing the distance threshold from 2,000 meters to one-half mile. The Florida League of Cities opposed the bill as amended, citing concerns about large users, possible conflict with annexation law, potential enclave creation, and revenue impacts, but Senator Mayfield said he would continue working on the issues. The committee reported the bill favorably.
Finally, Chair Bradley presented SB 1498 on community associations. A strike-all amendment was adopted that made technical changes to video conference recording, turnover inspection reports, and electronic voting, and added provisions requiring associations to provide records to law enforcement and prosecutors, creating a second-degree misdemeanor for willful refusal. It also targeted mandatory club or amenity fee structures controlled by developers or third parties, declaring such provisions against public policy, limiting assessments to proportional expenses, and allowing suits and conveyance of common areas after turnover. Testimony from homeowners described alleged governance abuses and opaque, profit-driven mandatory fees in their communities, while the Community Associations Institute supported the amendment. The committee reported CS for SB 1498 favorably. Members then recorded additional votes for the record, and the meeting adjourned.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
IC - Legislative Finance Apr 27th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Outlay reform we may need to consider for the future, but also the implementation of reforms that you
- And reporting policies and traffic safety. That's an ongoing issue. That's of importance.
- Items one and two, both specials and implementation of the grow.
- Some of those recommendations haven't been implemented.
- You might want to change with policy. So that's kind of how we do it in this state.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Elections Committee Apr 30th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- This measure presents a range of implementation issues, including technology and security solutions,
- This measure presents a range of implementation issues, including technology and security solutions,
- Herrich Mack, policy director at the Nonprofit Housing Association of Northern California.
- Herrich Mack, policy director at the Nonprofit Housing Association of Northern California.
- And I am not inclined to debate policy questions that are in another committee's jurisdiction.
Summary:
The Assembly Elections Committee met on April 30, 2025, beginning as a subcommittee until a quorum was established. The committee first approved six bills on consent, including AB 950, AB 953, AB 1214, and three committee bills. It then heard several measures dealing with election administration, ballot transparency, and campaign finance, with most authors accepting committee amendments and several bills being held on call for absent members.
AB 930 by Assembly Member Ward would extend the deadline for counting timely postmarked vote-by-mail ballots from three to seven days after Election Day and update recount procedures, including online posting of recount results and clearer rules for recount requests. The bill was supported by county election officials and passed out of committee with a due-pass recommendation, though it was initially held on call. AB 459 by Assembly Member DeMaio proposed allowing electronic signatures for initiatives, referenda, and recalls; the Secretary of State and labor groups opposed it over security, implementation, and cost concerns, and the committee ultimately rejected the bill after reconsideration. AB 699 by Assembly Member Stephanie would change how local tiered tax and bond measures are described on ballots by allowing more detail to be placed in the voter guide; housing, school, and local government groups supported it, while taxpayer and realtor groups opposed it as reducing ballot transparency. AB 1188, presented on behalf of Assembly Member Ortega, would list the top three funders supporting and opposing statewide initiatives and referenda directly on the ballot; transparency advocates and labor supported it, while county election officials and business groups raised concerns about ballot length and processing costs. Both AB 699 and AB 1188 passed out of committee with amendments and were held on call.
The committee also heard AB 827 by Assembly Member Berman, which would standardize and extend the deadline for curing vote-by-mail signature problems, add a link to cure forms in ballot-tracking notifications, and make other changes to improve ballot curing. It drew no opposition in the hearing and passed with a due-pass recommendation. AB 351 by Assembly Member McKenna would raise the Levine Act contribution threshold for local officials to $1,500 and add CPI adjustments; supporters said it would reduce administrative burdens and reflect modern campaign finance realities, while good-government groups and the League of Women Voters opposed it as weakening anti-corruption protections. The committee initially failed AB 351, then granted reconsideration, but the transcript ends before a final disposition is clearly completed. Finally, AB 1079 by Assembly Member Farías would eliminate the automatic appellate stay in California Voting Rights Act and Fair Maps Act cases; it was supported as a way to prevent delayed remedies in voting rights cases, opposed by the City of Santa Monica over impacts on ongoing litigation, and passed with amendments. After taking up the held items, the committee recorded final votes on the bills, including passage of AB 930, AB 699, AB 1188, AB 827, and AB 1079, and rejection of AB 459.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on State Administration Apr 8th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- I will end on slide 10 and just note how are we implementing this moving forward?
- On the end implementation of this plan.
- Some of those are administrative policy.
- I hope that we are in an iterative process also implementing at the same time.
- Advisor. for Economic Policy at the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Artificial Intelligence Task Force 2025 (6-26-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- There's been some things on policy.
- So, this is our policy statement.
- approach for AI, and this is our policy approach for AI, and this is our policy statement<00:14:
- in that direction on AI policy, too. in that direction on AI policy, too.
- major challenges to the implementation major challenges to the implementation of<00:29:41.400>
Keywords:
Meeting Start - 00:00
Roll Call – 00:34
KY Chamber of Commerce KY Business Perspectives – 01:50
COT Update on SB4 – 27:16
Adjournment – 48:18, 958, all
Summary:
The 2025 Artificial Intelligence Task Force met for its first meeting of the year and heard updates on federal AI policy, state implementation of Senate Bill 4, and the business community’s perspective on AI regulation. Co-chairs noted that federal legislation could affect the task force’s work later in the year, but said Kentucky still has significant issues to study, including energy, land use, education, social media, and children’s engagement with AI. The task force had quorum and no votes were taken.
Kate Shanks of the Kentucky Chamber said the business community supports continued discussion but favors a federal approach over a patchwork of state laws. She described the Trump administration’s new AI executive order as emphasizing innovation over regulation, noted the pending federal AI action plan, and discussed congressional action including the Take It Down Act and industry-specific changes to existing laws. She warned that state-by-state AI rules could increase costs and burden businesses, and said the Chamber would prefer incremental, flexible policy that avoids conflict with existing law and limits private rights of action. Members asked about uniform model legislation, education uses of AI, and civil liability; Shanks said a model approach could help avoid fragmentation and that liability should generally be handled through consumer-protection-style enforcement rather than broad litigation.
The Commonwealth Office of Technology then reported on implementation of SB 4, saying it has worked with industry, agencies, other states, and vendors to build an AI policy framework now in final review. Officials said an AI Governance Committee has been established and will meet in July, and a draft RFP is being prepared to meet the bill’s tracking and documentation requirements. They said no major implementation challenges have been identified so far, but the impact of pending federal rules remains uncertain. Members also discussed the need to educate students and teachers about AI, with one member emphasizing that schools should teach both how to use AI and how to think critically about information online.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
February 2026 State Budget and Economic Forecast Presentation - 2/27/26
Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- the assumed path of monetary policy the assumed path of monetary policy depends<00:18:44.320>
- the monetary about monetary policy the monetary about monetary policy through<00:18:55.600>
the - With the addition of $244 policy.
- Minnesota's policies This is good news. Minnesota's policies are<01:03:41.359>
working. - policies are you referencing there? policies are you referencing there?
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Emergency Management Committee Jun 23rd, 2026
Emergency Management
Transcript Highlights:
- And we also have Divya Shiv, senior policy advocate for California Alliance of Child and Family Services
- My name is Divya Shiv, senior policy advocate of behavioral health at the California Alliance of Child
- Sarah Weber with the Drug Policy Alliance in support.
- Sarah Weber with the Drug Policy Alliance in support. Thank you.
- We've waited very long for this project to be implemented.
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
2026 Legislative Session - Day Fifty Two - Wednesday, April 15 - Morning Session
Missouri House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- They provide policy research, They provide policy research and analysis.
- We have the regional director, Lindsay Gray, the director of strategic partnerships and policy Lindsay
- Gray, the director of strategic partnerships and policy programs, Jill Clark, policy analyst, Aaron
- Attumi Parton, and policy analyst Judah Loboski.
- So this doesn't implement any changes at the state level.
Summary:
The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the House Journal for the 51st day by roll call vote, 117-1. Members then spent a long portion of the morning on personal privileges and introductions of guests, including students, local officials, university visitors, fraternity and sorority members, county officials, banking association representatives, and other constituents. The Speaker also suspended business several times so the Speaker could sign enrolled bills and a Senate substitute, including HB 2061, HB 2641, HB 2423, and HB 2934.
The main floor debate centered on House Concurrent Resolution 48, which urges Congress to pass the SAVE America Act requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote. Supporters argued it would protect election integrity and prevent non-citizen voting, while opponents said it would function as a poll tax, create burdens for women, seniors, students, military members, immigrants, and others who may need to re-register, and would be unnecessary given existing verification systems and the rarity of non-citizen voting. After extended debate and a motion for the previous question, HCR 48 passed third reading 92-43. The House then took up House Concurrent Resolution 23, a federalism resolution urging Congress to reaffirm state authority over elections; it passed unanimously, 137-0.
The House also perfected and printed House Bill 2855, which adjusts workers’ compensation and second injury fund tax rate changes from 0.5% increments to 0.1% increments to better match receipts and expenditures. An amendment dealing with permanent total cases and replacement of attorneys in long-running cases was adopted, and the bill was then perfected and printed. House Bill 1906 was also perfected and printed; it would allow township counties to offer annual, semi-annual, or quarterly payment options for real and personal property taxes, a change supporters said would help taxpayers and modernize outdated statutory language. The House ended the morning session by announcing committee and event notices and then recessed until 2 p.m.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Environmental Safety Committee and Toxic Materials Committee Jul 15th, 2025
Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials
Transcript Highlights:
- Let me just quickly cover the committee's policies for testimony in today's hearing.
- the facilities must meet certain operational and performance standards to do so, which include implementing
- In other words, the Sackett decision completely ignored the important role of science and policy and
- Let me start by saying I accept the committee amendments. which specifically delay implementation on
- Noah Melroy, on behalf of the Climate Equity Policy Center, the Sisters of St.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- by Dyson, commending the efforts to address breaches of the Wichita law through service in public policy
- committee on local consent calendars, HR1467 by Rose commends Joseph Restar for his service as a policy
- The amendments reformatted the bill and allowed the Comptroller more time to implement the program.
- The Senate amendments had to do with comptroller language to implement the grant. I move to concur.
- Ensure that the agency can implement the legislative intent with clear and effective guidance.
Bills:
HB149, HB2017, HB705, HB223, HB 1056, HB2854, HB4623, HB3000, HB46, HB 117, HB3619, HB4464, HB5646, HCR84, HB500, HB2963, HB5509, HB1973, HB3909, HB718, HB252, HB5666, HB 119, HB346, HB5624, HB5658, HB5677, HB1545, HB3073, HB4081, HB 121, HB4236, HB3848, HB4144, HB40, HB5682, HB3697, HB3333, HB3642, HB20, HB549, HB2731, HB4233, HB4690, HB 127, HB2525, SB1637, SB1, SB1198, SB509, SB13, SB15, SB30, SB268, SB331, SB441, SB447, SB457, SB568, SB650, SB763, SB1540, SB1610, SB1660, SB2018, SB2024, SB2217, SB2337, SB2753, SB2900, SB2972, SB3059, HB14
Keywords:
artificial intelligence, regulation, biometric data, ethical AI, consumer protection, AI governance, intoxication manslaughter, criminal penalties, community supervision, mandatory supervision, parole eligibility, Grayson's Law, cosmetology, licensure, interstate compact, state regulations, public safety, workforce mobility, municipality, procurement
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection - 03/18/25
Commerce and Consumer Protection
Transcript Highlights:
- to all consumers that they're made aware of the fees they're being charged, and it's good public policy
- to all consumers that they're made aware of the fees they're being charged, and it's good public policy
- This is the only one of the cannabis policy bills that needs to go to a different committee.
- bills that needs to go to a policy bills that needs to go to a different<00:17:05.400>
committee< - <00:23:15.240>
of <00:23:15.400>the for better implementation of the for better implementation
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
Hearings to examine the nomination of Kelly Loeffler, of Georgia, to be Administrator of the Small Business Administration. Jan 29th, 2025 at 02:30 pm
Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- As I said, we will have a zero-tolerance policy toward fraud, but also toward waste and abuse.
- Kind of a sister to that would be just federal policy in general, and we know we're going to be talking
- As the Administrator, should you be confirmed, would you commit to implementing SBA programs in a fair
- To the extent we can optimize our policies so that more people will start these small businesses and
- So, what are your thoughts on how we implement this SBA change, working with our colleagues, to get a
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee 1/23/25
Human Services Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- [Music] I will call the House Committee on Human Services Finance and Policy to order, and the committee
- My name is Johnny Tetes, and I'm a policy manager for ARM, a trade association representing disability
- /c><00:03:02.280>
manager <00:03:03.280>uh <00:03:03.360>for tetes and I'm a policy - manager uh for tetes and I'm a policy manager uh for arm<00:03:04.040>
a <00:03:04.159>trade - For the record, Sarah Grafstrom, senior director of state and federal policy with ARM.
Summary:
The House Committee on Human Services Finance and Policy met to approve prior minutes and then take public testimony on the governor’s budget recommendations for human services. The chair explained the hearing format and noted that DHS declined to testify. Much of the testimony focused on proposed reductions or caps affecting disability waiver services, nursing homes, and elderly waiver programs, as well as related fee and tax changes in the budget.
Representatives of ARM argued that the governor’s proposal would cap inflationary adjustments at 2%, limit rate exceptions, cap billable days, and restrict individualized home supports, which they said would worsen workforce shortages, reduce wages for direct support professionals, and destabilize disability services. They said the package would cut about $600 million over four years and could lead to group home closures, higher turnover, and families losing access to local homes and services. Committee members asked about real-world impacts and future rate adjustments, and ARM responded that providers have already planned around expected 2026 rates, so a cap would create immediate budget and staffing problems.
Long-Term Care Imperative testified against nursing home-related cuts, saying the budget would cap future rate increases, limit health insurance costs in rate setting, phase out closure-related agreements and incentives, and fail to fully fund the Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board. They estimated the nursing home provisions could amount to a $218 million cut over four years, or roughly $350 million when combined with other underfunding, and said every nursing home and bed in Minnesota would be affected. They also criticized the lack of an inflation factor in Elderly Waiver, a proposed 54% increase in assisted living fees, and possible changes to provider-assessed fine and penalty funds. Members asked about staffing and bed availability, and the testifiers said reduced funding would likely force more beds out of service.
A later testifier, Dan Andre of the Minnesota Council of Health Plans, raised concerns about the DHS budget’s proposed increase in the HMO surcharge and about carving pharmacy and non-emergency medical transportation benefits out of managed care. He argued the tax increase would raise premiums for fully insured and Medicare supplement enrollees and that managed care coordination helps members access care and medications. The hearing also included one unrelated, disruptive testimony about the Minnesota Sex Offender Program and other agencies, which the chair redirected back to the human services budget. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and receiving testimony.