Transcript Highlights:

• AS AN ASIDE YOU KNOW AS WE CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM AGENCIES THIS BUDGET REPRESENTS HALF OF THE STATE'S
• WE HOPE TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AND THE STAKEHOLDERS AND MIGHT CONTINUE TO ESTABLISH OF CLEAR QUALITY
• WE DO UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN ABOUT REVERSION OF DOLLARS AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR PACE
• I JUST HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHY WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE LONG EXTENSIVE WAITLISTS AND IN
• THOSE PROVIDERS ARE HAVING TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND THEY ARE NOT GETTING PAID.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the slog continues. Now we restart with Senate files for the next couple of weeks.
• The slog continues. Now we restart with Senate files for the next couple of weeks.
• >> Okay,<00:32:03.840> please<00:32:04.159> continue.
• >> Okay, please continue. >> Okay, please continue.
• <01:33:50.239> So industry as it continues to grow. So industry as it continues to grow.

Bills: SF0045, SJ0001

Keywords: pari-mutuel wagering, simulcasting, historic horse racing, HHR terminals, horse racing, gaming commission, Wyoming Gaming Commission, local control, city approval, county approval, municipal approval, permit renewal, gaming permit, wagering regulation, racetrack, live pari-mutuel event, district court appeal, public notice, land use, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Since that time, we've continued to move forward.
• We've asked for the continuation of HAP.
• The impact continued beyond the project.
• The impact continued beyond the project.
• Cal Home works, and so we want to continue to rely on the programs that are working.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The street continues.
• We need to continue to maintain that emphasis.
• Continue to invest in education.
• You do have our support, and we're continuing.
• We're here, so we will continue through.

Transcript Highlights:

• So look forward to continuing the conversation. Thank you.
• Certainly, I'm happy to have continued conversation on that.
• Yes, and that continues.
• Second, we're always willing to continue dialogue about refining definitions carefully.
• This bill will need continued work and focus.

Summary: The committee heard several energy and water affordability bills, with extensive testimony on SB 254 by Senator Becker, SB 541 by Senator Becker, SB 453 by Senator Stern, SB 292 by Senator Caballero, and SB 473 by Senator Padilla. SB 254 was presented as a broad utility affordability package addressing short-term climate credits, a Power Fund, tighter scrutiny of rate increases and utility profits, wildfire spending, securitization of future utility costs, and streamlining. Supporters, including TURN and several environmental and public power groups, said it could lower bills and reduce long-term costs; opponents from investor-owned utilities, labor, business, and local government raised concerns about market impacts, insufficient analysis, and the breadth of the bill. The committee approved SB 254 on a 6-3 vote and placed it on call. SB 541 focused on load flexibility and using existing grid capacity more efficiently. Senator Becker described it as a transparency and planning measure to identify cost-effective load shifting and reduce peak demand, while supporters said it could improve resiliency and save money. Several CCAs and utilities opposed the bill in print or unless amended, arguing that some language implied a mandate and that the concept needed more cost-effectiveness analysis; the author said amendments would remove language dividing the state goal among retail suppliers and clarify that the bill is not a procurement mandate. The committee passed SB 541 as amended to Appropriations on a 9-1 vote and left it on call. SB 453 by Senator Stern would return unspent ratepayer-funded microgrid program dollars and was described as a way to keep the lights on and redirect unused funds. It drew support from local government and environmental groups, with PG&E expressing concern about how the bill would affect its ability to spend awarded funds. The committee passed SB 453 as amended to Appropriations on a 12-0 vote. SB 292 by Senator Caballero would require more granular outage and reliability reporting, including census-tract-level data, to better inform resilience planning after PSPS events; utilities opposed unless amended, citing duplicative reporting and regulatory overlap, but the bill passed 12-0 to Appropriations. SB 473 by Senator Padilla would require or expand water utility decoupling to promote conservation and affordability. Supporters, including water utilities, labor, business, and local government groups, argued decoupling stabilizes revenue, supports conservation, and can keep rates lower for low-use customers. The Public Advocates Office opposed, saying prior pilot data showed no conservation benefit and about $1 billion in added costs, and that the CPUC had already rejected similar requests. Committee members questioned the conservation and capital-investment effects of the different rate structures; the author and supporters argued decoupling helps utilities fund infrastructure while allowing lower fixed charges for low-use customers. The transcript ends during that discussion, before a final vote on SB 473 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• [Continuation of HB 2100 bill text and statutory citations omitted in the transcript source due to severe
• where she plans to pursue her goal of becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist and will continue
• in the interest of part of adulting is filing your taxes, I think that the simple $25 fine might continue
• Hopefully it will continue to not be enforced. I vote no. The vote is closed.
• I don't know why we continually want to undermine education experts in the legislature.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to have to continue this maintenance.
• So I absolutely support it, and so we'll continue to do that, Mr. Chair.
• statute that requires at least two hours be taught about DUI education, which is some of the only statutory
• I always put I-10 and I-25 on there because it's a continual challenge for the district. to maintain
• funding is greatly appreciated and the district couldn't have completed these projects without the continued

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Health to conduct on-site inspections or evaluation to determine programs are in compliance with statutory
• But at the same time, there's definitely a need for us to be able to continue to try to meet the demands
• And what I would tell you is that if you continue to allow our schools to do business, you continue to
• to allow our schools to do business, you continue to provide for a good regulatory environment, CIE
• So I think this continues to move us forward.

Summary: The Committee on Health Policy met with a quorum and considered three bills. Senate Bill 526 on nursing education programs, sponsored by Senator Harrell, would tighten oversight of nursing schools by requiring admission criteria, exit exams, remediation plans, annual reporting, on-site inspections, and stronger action against programs with poor NCLEX results or adverse actions in other jurisdictions. After testimony from the sponsor and several committee questions, a late-filed amendment restored a two-year probation period instead of one year, and the bill was reported favorably. Senate Bill 714, also by Senator Harrell, would create a voluntary non-opioid advance directive allowing patients to document a wish not to receive opioids, including when incapacitated, with the form developed by the Department of Health and potentially included in electronic medical records. The sponsor said it would not prevent treatment discussions and would provide liability protection for providers who lack actual knowledge of the directive in emergencies. The bill drew no opposition in the meeting and was reported favorably. Senate Bill 170, sponsored by Senator Burton, would add nursing home quality and transparency measures, including consumer satisfaction surveys, patient safety culture surveys, electronic health record requirements, reporting to the Florida Health Information Exchange, a $10,000 fine for failure to submit required financial data, and reporting on Medicaid quality payments. An amendment clarified the fine’s application to both facilities and home offices. Testimony from AARP and the Florida Health Care Association supported the bill, and it was reported favorably after discussion about implementation and costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's to make sure that for new charter schools, they continue to use the factors of the district in
• language is to make sure that in their first three years of existence, those new charter schools continue
• And there are requirements, and the state also has some statutory and regulatory language about how to
• They received an appropriation for Agency Data Governance last year and will continue working on that
• So it's really important that we continue to do that. Thank you. Thank you. Welcome. Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• There were also changes generally made to update some outdated websites and to update some statutory
• You continue to do work on this contract without approval.
• This is for training to continue parenting education services.
• Number 19 is DHS with UAMS and the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement to continue performing data
• This is for training for to continue parenting education services. Number 13, DHS with UA.

Summary: The committee met to review a supplemental agenda item, procurement rule revisions, methods of finance, discretionary grants, contracts, reports, and a member disclosure. The supplemental agenda was accepted, and the Office of State Procurement’s rule revisions were approved after Jessica Patterson explained they were driven by 2025 legislative changes, including Act 782, CASO Consulting recommendations, and updates to sole source, bid, protest, and debarment provisions. The methods of finance and discretionary grants were also approved, covering a range of university capital projects, health and human services grants, historic preservation awards, and tobacco prevention and cessation programs. The committee then reviewed RFQs and six ratifications. The ratifications included a Workforce Connections payment to ACT WorkKeys for services provided during a contract gap, a Department of Health ratification for water-leak repairs, a large Department of Public Safety ratification for Motorola’s Arkansas Wireless Information Network upgrade, a Veterans Affairs HVAC ratification, an ADFA medical services ratification, and a UA Little Rock painting contract ratification. Members questioned the Public Safety ratification at length about why the expired Motorola contract was not caught sooner and why it took months after discovery to come forward; agency officials said the work was tied to bond funding and was not tracked in ASIS, and the chair urged agencies to develop better monitoring procedures. The committee approved a large slate of construction, intergovernmental, out-of-state, and in-state contracts, including many recurring service agreements for DHS, higher education institutions, corrections, health agencies, and state support functions. Several members asked about specific contracts, including aerial application services for correctional farms and a Southern Arkansas University custodial contract, and staff or agency representatives provided brief explanations. The meeting concluded with review of reports and approval of a member disclosure involving Representative Andrew Collins’ investment interest in a company leasing property to Arkansas Rehabilitation Services.

Transcript Highlights:

• court determined that the state and the public education department remained out of compliance and continued
• The IEP template will support continuity of services when students transfer transparency for families
• We're actively continuing to work through that process building modules.
• I think we continue to do so. And yes, I would like to have consistent leadership at all levels.
• And that has been a continual problem because you know, we're not in charge of the school boards.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've got to continue research, basic research in the lab to continue to develop tools, whether it be
• They can't continue to to spread rating bacteria.
• It's primarily existing growers that are continuing to invest in their operations.
• We are continually bombarded with marketing messages every day.
• So with that, I'm going to talk first about the statutory requirements.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 2576 continues those efforts and allows us to continue pushing forward on housing while still honoring
• They're all participating—that we will continue to work on this.
• You continue to be a leader in this space, and we'll continue working on this issue because... ...we
• Thank you for your continued leadership on mobility and equity for our region.
• But sustained funding is needed to continue them.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill strengthens statutory precision, promotes administrative consistency, and reduces ambiguity
• sure Sarah will have more on that, but I'll just start on a different path and say this bill is a continuation
• Even so, Emper's has continued pursuing resolutions.
• Sherry Morris continued: “There are other suits that present bigger challenges.
• “And is a municipal association going to continue to provide a defense for these towns?”

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The cost continues. He misses school once a month.
• I continued washing my hands persistently until they cracked and bled.
• Continued sensory issues manifested by refusing... was just off.
• Continued sensory issues manifested by refusing Her disease became demonstrably worse.
• Allison's rages continued.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a lengthy public hearing with more than 70 people signed up to testify, focusing mainly on health insurance and health care access bills. Early testimony centered on H.1257/S.712, which would require insurance coverage for medically necessary treatment of genetic craniofacial conditions. Supporters included legislators, dentists, and medical experts who said these conditions are not cosmetic, can severely affect eating, speech, pain, and social functioning, and often create major financial hardship because insurers deny coverage. A related dental bill, H.1262/S.676, drew technical testimony from the Life Insurance Association of Massachusetts about implementation issues with the 2022 dental loss-ratio law, while the Massachusetts Dental Society supported H.1306/S.696 on transparency in dental network leasing and opposed H.1262. Representative Gentile also testified for H.4013, which would ban for-profit acute care hospitals and for-profit health insurers in Massachusetts, arguing that profit incentives undermine patient care. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to H.1261/S.799, a bill to protect patients from surprise ambulance bills. Municipal fire chiefs, Boston EMS, nonprofit ambulance providers, and the bill’s Senate sponsor said the measure would require insurers to pay ambulance providers directly and promptly, cap patient out-of-pocket costs, and reduce confusion caused by out-of-network billing. Witnesses described ambulance services as essential public health infrastructure and said current billing practices can discourage people from calling 911 or leave municipalities and nonprofits unable to recover costs. Committee members asked about unpaid debt, municipal billing burdens, and how the bill would affect rates and reimbursement. No votes were taken during the hearing. The committee also heard extensive testimony on H.1249/S.805, which would require screening for PANS/PANDAS in medical and clinical settings. Legislators, clinicians, parents, a teen with the condition, and educators described PANS/PANDAS as an infection-triggered inflammatory illness that can present as sudden psychiatric symptoms and is often misdiagnosed as a mental health disorder. Supporters said routine screening at well visits, emergency rooms, and other clinical settings would help identify children earlier, reduce unnecessary psychiatric treatment and hospitalizations, and improve outcomes. Testifiers repeatedly urged favorable action, emphasizing the personal and financial toll on families and the potential for early treatment to prevent long-term harm. The hearing concluded with continued testimony on these bills; no committee action or votes were announced.

Transcript Highlights:

• Otherwise, we'll complete our list and continue on. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• I'm tired of the continuation of a failed system.
• changes as we continue with the investigation that are being made.
• We're looking at that funding to determine how we continue that.
• Next fiscal year 26 it continues on through part of the year, yes.

Transcript Highlights:

• list of those that may be the statutory list of those that may be used<00:36:21.560> in<00:36
• And this bill doesn't change that. >> I think that we ought to continue to be better stewards of the
• , does is reflect this body's continued, does is reflect this body's continued, sustained,<01:25:
• > favor<01:25:59.600> mass processes that continually favor mass processes that continually
• Economic matters will continue bill hearings at 1:30. Environment and transportation.

Keywords: House streaming session for Thursday, March 12, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House met in Annapolis on February 27, 2026, with 128 members present. After a prayer, the chamber adopted the previous day’s journal and recognized a resolution honoring Brunswick High School’s first Tech Challenge team, Minerva’s Mechanics, for winning the FTC Regional Championships and qualifying for the World Championship in Houston. The resolution was read and adopted with applause. The main legislative item was House Bill 355, concerning the Education, Sexual Abuse and Assault Awareness and Prevention Program and human and sex trafficking; the House adopted the favorable committee report and ordered the bill printed for third reading. The next bill, House Bill 534 on nonpublic school transcripts and prohibiting punitive measures related to student debt, also received a favorable report. Debate then centered on an amendment offered to HB 534 that would have tied school funding to student choice for students in repeatedly one-star-rated schools and allowed parents of habitually violent or disruptive students to consider military boarding school options. The sponsor argued Maryland’s public schools, especially in Baltimore City, were failing students despite heavy spending, citing low literacy, violence, and the book Failure Factory; several members echoed concerns about school performance, bureaucracy, and the need for educational freedom. Opponents and procedural speakers said the amendment was not germane to HB 534, which they described as a narrow bill about transcript access for students leaving nonpublic schools with unpaid fees, often students with disabilities. The floor leader urged the body to resist the amendment and stick to the bill’s actual subject. Despite multiple members explaining their votes in support of school choice and criticizing the Blueprint and school outcomes, the House ultimately took a roll call on the amendment after a voice vote was challenged. The transcript cuts off during the roll call and does not show the final recorded result on the amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also want to emphasize that while this has been and continues to be an extremely critical time for
• to be inflicted on and continues to be inflicted on Minnesota's<00:07:06.479> immigrant<00:07
• to be an this has been and continues to be an extremely<00:07:27.599> critical<00:07:27.919><
• underlying 1983 around statutory underlying 1983 around statutory violations<01:10:49.600> so
• The discussion will definitely continue.

Bills: HF3477, HF3414, HF103, HF3661, HF3146

Keywords: civil rights, law enforcement, federal collaboration, accountability, state law, constitutional rights, color of law, 42 U.S.C. 1983, section 1983, civil action, damages, injunctive relief, attorney fees, law enforcement task force, federal-state cooperation, intergovernmental agreement, federal agency partnership, Minnesota Constitution, U.S. Constitution, police accountability

Transcript Highlights:

• planning of something so heinous, or even less heinous, could hold on to all of their credits and continue
• <00:03:46.159> to to all of their credits and continue to to all of their credits and continue
• We continue to have among the lowest incarceration rates and the highest community supervision rates
• We continue to have among the lowest incarceration rates and the highest community supervision rates
• We continue to have among the lowest incarceration rates and the highest community supervision rates

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Continue getting green cards. Senator Bujo, thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Look forward to continuing to work with you on the other thing today. Yep. All right.
• This will help us to have that continuity. We went back to square one.
• And we're going to continue to hear.
• But again, we have a tall task, and we continue to do the work.

Bills: SB237

Keywords: child welfare, Department of Children and Family Services, mandatory reporting, abuse prevention, investigative teams, child ombudsman, forensic interviews, confidentiality

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Welfare met on May 20, 2026, with eight members present and approved the May 13 minutes. The committee quickly reported several bills favorably, including SB 1224, which requires DCFS review when a pregnancy involves a child under 17 and makes children under 12 a child in need of care; SB 1100, which repeals an old statute on unenriched bread; HB 1220, a continuation of prior work to codify certain provisions related to the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners; HB 1231, clarifying that continuous glucose monitoring is covered through Medicaid for any insulin-dependent diabetic, including gestational diabetes; and HB 198, setting reimbursement rates for ambulatory surgery centers for certain Medicaid procedures. The committee also adopted a personal privilege welcome for physicians on White Coat Day and repeatedly noted that several bills were being advanced with the understanding that further work might continue before floor debate. A major portion of the meeting focused on HB 1160, which would create a streamlined restricted license pathway for qualified international medical school graduates, especially for rural and shortage areas. Committee members pressed the Board of Medical Examiners about delays in promulgating rules under an earlier 2024 law and objected to rule language they said went beyond the statute. Board representatives acknowledged a misunderstanding about the original bill’s intent and said the program had been operating, but members warned against agencies writing rules that contradict enacted law. Despite the criticism, HB 1160 was reported favorably. The committee also reported favorably HCR 67, which creates a task force to study gaps in acute care for special-needs adults and children, following emotional testimony from the sponsor about her son’s death and the lack of appropriate care options. The committee then approved HCR 27, calling for a coordinated statewide evaluation of autism services by the Department of Health and Department of Education, with testimony emphasizing rising diagnosis rates, rural provider shortages, and the need for better data and coordination between medical and school-based services. HCR 28, which would study school nurse orientation and training, was also reported favorably after school nurses described the lack of standardized onboarding for new graduates and the risks of placing them alone in schools without adequate supervision. HB 469, which would have allowed pharmacy license renewal fees to be directed to Xavier University’s pharmacy school as well as public schools, was deferred after concerns about diverting funds from public institutions and the absence of testimony from affected schools. The committee also took up HB 223, which recreates DCFS, and adopted an amendment shortening the sunset date and requiring law enforcement reports to be accepted through a secure web-based platform; the bill was then reported favorably as amended. Another major discussion centered on HB 457 and HB 616, both tied to homelessness. HB 457, establishing minimum standards for shelters and related facilities, was reported favorably as amended after sponsor testimony and support cards. HB 616, which would allow the legislative auditor and local officials access to records and databases for audits of homelessness initiatives, drew extensive debate over privacy, federal funding, and accountability. Supporters cited a 2025 audit showing more than $216 million in federal homelessness spending in New Orleans and argued that auditors need access to performance data to detect waste and abuse; opponents warned about client privacy and the impact of funding cutoffs. The committee adopted an amendment changing permissive language to mandatory language for enforcement and then continued hearing testimony, with the discussion still centered on balancing oversight with confidentiality.