Transcript Highlights:

• If you look at Chart 12, you can see examples from both Iowa and Tennessee.
• Iowa was able to reduce their high error rates by... implementing a case review team that reviews roughly
• Page 17: Iowa and Tennessee and other states have been able to significantly reduce their SNAP error

Transcript Highlights:

• Iowa is just a bit ahead of Missouri, but we're close on developing a list of programs that will be included
• And for Iowa, the programs that are excluded include certified nursing assistants, medical assistance

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 3221, sponsored by Rep. David Castile, which would restrict state funding for higher education programs identified as low-earning based on a forthcoming federal list. Castile said the goal was to align taxpayer support with programs that provide a stronger return on investment and asked the committee to consider the concept as the bill continues to evolve. Members from both parties raised concerns that the proposal could unfairly target valuable fields such as teaching, social work, early childhood education, liberal arts, and other programs whose graduates may earn less initially but still provide public value or later succeed in other careers. Several witnesses in opposition argued the bill was premature because the federal list is not final, the earnings test is uncertain, and the measure could reduce access to essential programs or discourage universities from offering them. A witness in support said the federal government has already begun limiting aid for certain low-earning programs and argued the state should mirror that approach. No vote was taken, and the hearing ended after testimony. The committee then heard House Bill 3416, sponsored by Rep. La Keysha Bosley, which would create a Strengthening HBCUs Fund for Lincoln University and Harris-Stowe State University. Bosley said the bill is intended to address long-standing underfunding of historically Black colleges and universities by dedicating 1% of certain gaming proceeds and related funds to capital improvements and other grant-related needs. She said the measure would support classrooms, residence halls, labs, student services, technology, and endowment growth, and noted that similar state programs exist elsewhere. Members asked about the expected revenue, the mechanics of the fund, and whether other funding streams or stakeholders had been consulted. Lincoln University President John Mosley testified in support, describing recent growth, new facilities, and the need for additional revenue to avoid debt and continue expansion. No opposition witnesses testified, and the committee concluded the hearing without taking action.

Transcript Highlights:

• After Iowa did a deposit bill on cans and bottles, they've had that for a long time.
• After Iowa did a deposit bill on cans and bottles, they've had that for a long time.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So Kansas, Iowa, yeah, I'm getting old, aren't I?
• Kansas, Iowa, Arkansas, Kentucky have all passed it. It's filed in Oklahoma as well as Missouri.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Iowa does not have it, but Iowa had legislation last year. It did not pass.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on House Bills 1839, 2921, and 3015, all aimed at requiring age verification for commercial pornographic websites operating in Missouri. The bill sponsors and supporters argued that online pornography harms children, contributes to addiction, exploitation, sextortion, trafficking, and unhealthy attitudes toward sex and relationships, and that Missouri should align with other states and recent court precedent. Committee members asked about privacy protections, enforcement, whether websites or third-party vendors would handle verification, how companies would be found in violation, and the penalties; the Attorney General’s office said the system is designed to verify only that a user is 18 or older, not to identify the site visited, and that violations would be pursued through court action. Support testimony came from child welfare and abuse-prevention advocates, medical professionals, and faith and family organizations; no one testified in opposition. The committee then moved to House Bill 2610, which would place liability coverage for foster care, case management, and residential service providers under the state legal expense fund instead of private insurance. The sponsor and supporters said insurance has become scarce and unaffordable, threatening nonprofit providers and the services they deliver to foster children and families; the Attorney General’s office explained how legal expense fund coverage would work and noted it has no cap in this proposal. No opposition was offered. Representative Terry then briefly presented House Bill 2044, a grandparents custody bill mirroring another member’s proposal, and the committee later took up executive session. In executive session, the committee adopted a substitute and voted House Committee Substitute for House Bill 1696, House Committee Substitute for House Bills 2505 and 2044, and House Bill 1772 do pass, each by 14-0 roll call votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Iowa, Canada, Japan... ...based practice models to pass this: Iowa, Canada, Japan, Tennessee, Delaware

Bills: SB6226, SB6305, SB5924, SB5990, SB5185, SB5845, SB6071, SB6258

Keywords: SB 6226, Washington, audiology, audiologist, hearing aid specialist, speech-language pathologist, telehealth, teleaudiology, clinical autonomy, clinical judgment, in-person care, remote care, Board of Hearing and Speech, hearing instruments, hearing aids, dispensing hearing aids, standards of care, professional licensure, health professions regulation, patient-centered care

Summary: The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee met on January 30 and first moved through executive session on five bills. The committee adopted proposed substitutes and advanced Senate Bills 5999, 5185, 5845, 6071, and 6258 to the Rules Committee, all by voice vote and subject to signatures. SB 5999 would let smaller rural counties appoint an APRN or PA as an acting local health officer; SB 5185 creates a pilot pathway for international medical graduates toward physician licensure; SB 5845 revises timely payment rules for health carriers; SB 6071 standardizes overpayment recovery timelines; and SB 6258 creates a non-disciplinary pathway for relinquishing certain medical licenses. Several sponsors noted that SBs 5845 and 6071 were still being worked on with stakeholders. The committee then held a hearing on SB 6226, which would protect the clinical autonomy of audiologists and require the Board of Hearing and Speech to apply hearing-instrument rules consistently across care modalities, including telehealth. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, with witnesses emphasizing teleaudiology’s role in expanding access, especially for rural residents, older adults, and people with mobility challenges. One association witness supported the bill’s goals but warned it could be read too broadly and affect other regulatory standards. The hearing closed with 54 people signed in pro, none opposed, and two other. Next, the committee heard SB 6305, the Truth in Mental Health Coverage Act, which would require carriers to submit standardized annual data to the Office of the Insurance Commissioner on behavioral health coverage, access, reimbursement, utilization, and network participation, with public posting in raw files and dashboards. Supporters said the bill would make parity and access problems visible and help consumers compare plans; the OIC said it supported the transparency approach and was already engaged in parity oversight. Opponents argued the bill was premature given implementation of recent parity legislation and could add burdens without addressing workforce or network adequacy. The hearing closed with 396 signed in pro, two con, and zero other. Finally, the committee heard SB 5924, a proposed substitute expanding pharmacists’ prescriptive authority and limited diagnostic authority for certain drugs and conditions, consistent with a Department of Health sunrise review. Supporters from pharmacy, health care, retail, and rural access perspectives said it would reduce administrative barriers, improve access in underserved areas, and better use pharmacists’ training; some cited examples such as immunizations, contraception, opioid use disorder treatment, and minor illnesses. The Washington State Medical Association opposed the bill, saying it moved away from collaborative practice and needed more time to resolve concerns about coordination, pediatrics, and complex patients. A few testifiers raised objections to psychiatric prescribing or specific drugs, while others asked about reporting back to primary care. The hearing closed with 279 signed in pro, six con, and four other, and the committee adjourned after concluding its business.

Transcript Highlights:

• He then began comparing Missouri with Iowa and Minnesota, saying that if you drive I-35 and want to come
• And I think we have seen, you know, Iowa, Minnesota.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Government Efficiency held its first hearing of the session and opened with instructions on amendment procedures, witness forms, and possible time limits. The committee then heard House Bill 1790 from Rep. Jim Murphy, which would require more neutral and transparent ballot language, address a Hancock Amendment loophole involving tax sunsets, require levy rollbacks after reassessment even when a ballot measure passes, and express tax levies in terms of cost per $100,000 of assessed value. Murphy said the bill is meant to prevent misleading ballot titles and make tax impacts clearer to voters. There was no opposition testimony; the Missouri Association of Counties and Election Authorities spoke in informational support, and the bill drew some questions about ballot-letter coordination across jurisdictions. The committee next heard House Bill 2189 from Rep. Bromley, which would eliminate the odd/even model-year registration rule and allow five-year vehicle registrations for qualifying vehicles. Bromley argued the current system is confusing and burdensome for citizens and businesses, and he described his own difficulty obtaining a two-year plate. Americans for Prosperity and the Missouri NAACP supported the bill, citing convenience and reduced traffic stops, while the Department of Revenue said the odd/even rule is confusing and that the agency would implement whatever policy the legislature adopts. DOR also noted a new uninsured motorist program and said county tax data is now being shared more regularly. The committee then took up a combined package of bills, including House Bills 1692, 1695, 1838, 1983, 2036, and 2662, all aimed at eliminating or sharply reducing vehicle safety inspections for personal vehicles, with exceptions discussed for prior salvage vehicles, certain accident-related inspections, and commercial vehicles. Sponsors and supporters argued inspections are outdated, costly, hard to access in rural areas, and create unnecessary burdens on drivers and repair shops; several members also raised concerns about inspection costs, shop shortages, and the role of law enforcement and modern vehicle technology. Opponents and skeptics pointed to safety data, including a study cited by Rep. Boyko suggesting states with inspections have fewer fatalities, and the Highway Patrol said it has a study on its website concluding inspections reduce fatal crashes. No votes were taken, and the chair explained that the various bills would be combined and amended to use the same language before further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Iowa is 300 feet. Idaho is 250 feet, Iowa is 300 feet, Kansas is 250 feet. Those are border states.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The Elections Committee met with a quorum and heard two bills. The chair reviewed committee procedures, welcomed new members, and noted the clerk change due to Sherry Anderson’s illness. The first bill, HB 1871 by Vice Chair McGaugh, would reinstate Missouri’s presidential preference primary on the first Tuesday in March of presidential years and have the state fund it. It also would allow election notices by email, adjust filing deadlines around holidays, expand the public testing window for voting equipment, extend in-person no-excuse absentee voting from two to four weeks, move military and overseas voters to election authority offices on Election Day, keep the permanently disabled absentee voter list confidential, allow provisional ballots in all elections, require write-in candidates to file declarations of intent, and increase the electioneering buffer from 25 to 50 feet. Testimony on HB 1871 was largely supportive from county clerks, the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, the League of Women Voters, and other advocates, who said the bill would improve administration, expand access, and better protect vulnerable voters. Some witnesses supported the presidential primary as more participatory than party caucuses, while others questioned the cost and whether the primary would be meaningful if parties still use caucuses. Opposition focused mainly on the larger electioneering buffer, with some witnesses arguing 50 feet would restrict speech and local volunteer activity, and one witness urged even larger changes to election law. Committee members also raised questions about the recurring debate over the presidential primary, the disabled voter list, and the practical effects of the buffer zone and longer absentee voting period. The committee then heard HB 1788 by Rep. Murphy, which would require clearer disclosure in campaign fundraising solicitations and prohibit deceptive recurring donation practices. Murphy described reports of issue-based fundraising appeals that used automatic checked boxes to enroll donors in recurring weekly contributions without clear consent, and said the bill would require solicitations to identify who actually benefits from the money and prevent automatic recurring donations. Members discussed whether the bill should allow opt-in recurring donations instead of a blanket ban, how it would apply to PACs and committees, and whether it should include stronger refund or recoupment provisions. Testimony in favor said the bill would improve transparency and protect donors from fraud or misleading solicitations. At the end of the hearing, the chair said the committee might meet again the following week to act on the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the past I've been a legislator like yourselves in the House and Senate in Iowa and served as as the
• CIO for the state of Iowa, as well as for the city of San Antonio.

Bills: HB3146, HB3719, HB3895, HB3923, HB4748, HB4751, HB4936, HB4952, HB4990, HB4991, HB5061, HB5196, HB5238, HB5246, HB5487

Keywords: State Office of Administrative Hearings, SOAH, administrative hearings, contested case, contested case hearing, administrative law judge, ALJ, final decision, proposed decision, agency hearing, hearing continuance, rescheduling, Texas administrative law, Government Code Chapter 2001, workers' compensation, Department of Human Resources, Texas Labor Code, Transportation Code, Agriculture Code, Insurance Code

Transcript Highlights:

• load has been carried by IOU customers and we would greatly appreciate any former relief for Florida, Iowa
• We're pointing out the fact that We're pointing out the fact that that the subset of Iowa new customers

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• President of the Iowa Farmers Union said, quote, USAID is important for farmers.
• it in an open forum, and look at the American public and say like, look, if you're from Des Moines, Iowa

Keywords: fiscal responsibility, government waste, foreign aid, funding resolution, legislative oversight

Summary: The committee meeting addressed government spending and foreign aid, with a particular emphasis on perceived wasteful expenditures. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing a funding resolution for the committee, which received unanimous support from the members present. The chair noted a quorum at the beginning of the meeting, signaling that the committee was ready to conduct its business. Discussions highlighted ongoing debates concerning fiscal responsibility and the necessity of legislative oversight, notably regarding foreign aid allocations and their implications for domestic fiscal health.

Transcript Highlights:

• about the cooperative movement writ large is that my father, who's a third-generation farmer in rural Iowa
• have been helping co-ops get off the ground and grow here in Minnesota as well as in Wisconsin and Iowa
• Minnesota as as well as in Wisconsin in Minnesota as as well as in Wisconsin and<00:40:09.160><c> Iowa
• 10.560><c> and</c><00:40:10.840><c> and</c><00:40:11.000><c> elsewhere</c><00:40:11.680><c> in</c> and Iowa
• in in this and and elsewhere in and Iowa in in this and and elsewhere in the<00:40:11.800><c> region

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• athlete running the 100 meter sprint in undergraduate at the University of Cairo, a D1 soccer player at Iowa
• athlete running the 100 meter sprint in undergraduate at the University of Cairo, a D1 soccer player at Iowa
• University of Cairo, a D1 soccer player University of Cairo, a D1 soccer player at<00:10:24.960><c> Iowa
• </c><00:10:26.680><c> He's</c><00:10:26.880><c> a</c><00:10:26.960><c> rated</c> at Iowa State University
• He's a rated at Iowa State University.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Four of these five counties are border counties with South Dakota, Iowa, and Canada.
• Canada</c><00:04:13.480><c> Rock</c><00:04:13.879><c> County</c><00:04:14.840><c> which</c> Dakota Iowa
• and Canada Rock County which Dakota Iowa and Canada Rock County which borders<00:04:15.760><c> both<
• ><00:04:15.959><c> South</c><00:04:16.239><c> Dakota</c><00:04:16.759><c> and</c><00:04:17.040><c> Iowa
• </c><00:04:17.759><c> so</c> borders both South Dakota and Iowa so borders both South Dakota and Iowa

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Association of Secretaries of State, Secure Democracy Now, the League of Women Voters, the Republican Iowa
• Association of Secretaries of State, Secure Democracy Now, the League of Women Voters, the Republican Iowa
• The League of Women Voters<01:20:32.679><c> the</c><01:20:32.800><c> Republican</c><01:20:33.360><c> Iowa
• the Republican Iowa secretary of state<01:20:34.719><c> of</c><01:20:34.840><c> Iowa</c><01:20:35.199
• state of Iowa Paul Pate Democratic Secretary<01:20:36.920><c> of</c><01:20:37.080><c> State</c><01:20

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And a person with a brain injury during the pandemic who had COVID in a hospital in Iowa and needed a
• And a person with the brain injury during the pandemic who had COVID in a hospital in Iowa who needed
• a pandemic who had COVID in a hospital in Iowa, who needed a ventilator, was told he can't have one

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing on 16 bills, with the chairs noting a busy legislative day and asking speakers to keep testimony brief. The committee first heard testimony on Senate 860/House 1405, the Medicare for All bill, with Sen. Jamie Eldridge and many advocates, clinicians, municipal officials, and patients arguing that a single-payer system would make care a right, reduce administrative waste, lower costs, and protect residents from rising premiums, medical debt, and hospital closures. Several speakers cited the Steward hospital crisis, affordability problems, and polling or ballot questions showing public support for single-payer coverage. No vote was taken during the hearing. The committee then took testimony on S. 863, a bill on non-opioid options for chronic pain. Pain specialists, patients, and advocates said the bill would improve care coordination for MassHealth members, expand access to non-opioid medications, require provider education, and collect data on chronic pain. Testifiers described long delays in diagnosis and treatment, stigma toward pain patients, and the need for multidisciplinary care and transportation support. Again, the committee heard testimony only and took no action. A large portion of the hearing focused on H. 1360/S. 869, which would prevent discrimination against people with disabilities in health care. Disability advocates, clinicians, and patients described being denied or delayed care, pressured into DNR orders, or treated based on assumptions about quality of life rather than medical facts. Speakers referenced COVID-era crisis standards of care, discriminatory metrics, and personal stories involving canceled procedures, inadequate accommodations, and poor treatment in hospitals. Committee members thanked speakers for their testimony and said they would review the bill and its implications, but no vote was announced. The committee also heard testimony on H. 1399, an individual Medicare marketplace option for municipal retirees, where supporters said it would give cities and towns a lower-cost alternative for retiree health benefits through HRAs and individual Medicare plans. The hearing then returned to Medicare for All testimony, with additional supporters repeating arguments about cost, access, municipal budget pressure, and the need for global budgeting and universal coverage. The transcript ends with continued testimony and no recorded committee vote or final action on any bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• The four states I can see that use this associate terminology are Oregon, Maine, New Hampshire, and Iowa
• The four states I can see that use this associate terminology are Oregon, Maine, New Hampshire, and Iowa
• The four states I can see that use this associate terminology are Oregon, Maine, New Hampshire, and Iowa

Bills: HB611, HB897, HB902, HB931, HB1030, HB1092, HB1100, HB1118, HB1138, HB1143, HB1160, HB1185, HB1216

Keywords: pregnancy help centers, healthcare services, licensure, Department of Health, medical services, counseling, regulatory compliance, public health, healthcare data, privacy, pregnancy services, confidentiality, client rights, Louisiana Pregnancy and Baby Care Initiative, trauma-informed, child education, mental health, training program, adverse childhood events, religious instruction

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, there is one state that introduced this compact last year, Iowa, and they'll continue to do
• So it was introduced in Iowa. I assume it didn't pass in Iowa for some reason last year.

Bills: HB2180, HB2184, HB2188, HB2194, HB2206, HB2321, HB2322, HB2438, HB2442, HB2448, HB2727, HB2797

Keywords: appropriation, funding, University of Arizona, education, state budget, fetal death, funeral homes, informed consent, abortion, women's rights, medical assistance, emotional support, language acquisition, early intervention, hearing impairment, grant program, deaf education, health care, insurance claims, prior authorization

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, there is one state that introduced this compact last year, Iowa, and they'll continue to do
• So it was introduced in Iowa. I assume it didn't pass in Iowa for some reason last year.

Summary: The committee heard a JLBC presentation on H.R. 1’s SNAP impacts, including expanded work requirements, higher state administrative costs, and a potential state share of benefits if Arizona’s payment error rate remains above 6%. JLBC estimated the administrative cost increase at about $33 million in FY 2027 and $44 million in FY 2028, and said a 2024 error rate of 8.8% could expose the state to about $139 million in benefit costs starting in FY 2028. The chair also opened the meeting by asking members and speakers to keep remarks shorter to improve efficiency. The committee then considered several SNAP-related bills. HB 2797, which requires DES to more frequently verify eligibility through data matching, post fraud/noncompliance data, and address out-of-state EBT purchases, passed 7-5. HB 2442, requiring certain able-bodied SNAP adults with school-age children to participate in employment and training unless exempt, also passed 7-5. HB 2448, which limits DES’s ability to seek work-requirement waivers or discretionary exemptions without legislative authorization, passed 7-5. HB 2206, which sets a goal of reducing the SNAP payment error rate to 3% by 2030 and adds reporting and corrective-action requirements, passed 7-5 after debate over staffing, technology, and whether the target was realistic. The committee also advanced HB 2180, appropriating $2.5 million to the University of Arizona for AZ REACH, a hospital transfer coordination program serving rural facilities. Supporters said it improves patient transfers and reduces burdens on rural hospitals; some health system representatives were neutral but asked for operational improvements. HB 2180 passed 11-1. HB 2184, as amended, passed 7-4-1; it would extend fetal death certificate filing and require patients to be informed of the option to transfer fetal remains to a funeral home, with supporters describing it as a matter of parental dignity and closure. HB 2188, as amended, creating a Language Acquisition Grant Program for deaf or hard-of-hearing infants and toddlers, passed unanimously after testimony about balancing spoken-language and ASL options. The committee then began hearing HB 2194, a bill requiring insurers to provide a contact for detailed explanations after claim or prior-authorization denials, but the transcript ends before action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm from SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa. We represent 55,000 healthcare workers here.
• I'm from SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa. We represent 55,000 healthcare workers here.
• I'm from SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa. We represent 55,000 healthcare workers here.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard House File 2591, the “Support Medicaid Not Millionaires Act,” laid over for possible inclusion in the 2025 taxes bill. Chair Gomez said the bill would create a fifth individual income tax tier on very high earners to offset any future federal Medicaid cuts, arguing that proposed federal budget changes would likely reduce Medicaid funding and create a large state budget hole. Gomez and other supporters framed Medicaid as essential for children, long-term care, mental health, substance use treatment, rural hospitals, and families across Minnesota, and criticized federal tax cuts for corporations and wealthy individuals. Several testifiers supported the bill. A SEIU Healthcare worker described how Medicaid supports her care for a disabled son and her own health needs, warning that cuts would threaten home care, hospitals, and nursing homes. A public health employee from the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees said recent state and federal layoffs had already weakened public health capacity and urged additional revenue to backfill losses. Other supporters, including community and faith leaders, said the wealthy and corporations should pay more to protect public services, youth programs, and Medicaid-funded care. A mental health provider testified that most of the people served by her clinic rely on Medicaid and that cuts would harm clinics, rural access, and the broader behavioral health system. Representative Anderson questioned whether the bill would affect Medicaid spending tied to undocumented immigrants and asked for data on MinnesotaCare and federal-state funding shares. Department of Human Services staff clarified that he was referring to MinnesotaCare, not Medicaid, and said Medicaid is generally matched by the federal government while MinnesotaCare does not have the same match. The exchange became contentious when Gomez objected to Anderson’s use of the term “illegal immigrants” and redirected the discussion back to the bill. Anderson also raised concerns about Medicaid fraud and whether the proposal would backfill any federal changes related to fraud enforcement. No vote was taken; the bill was simply laid over.