Transcript Highlights:

• Then on the last page, uh, here is where we cover, um, the codes, so current codes and then codes to
• National Electric Code. National Electric Code.
• Worse, there are some existing code provisions that local authorities might enforce improperly. also
• code is part of the state building code. code is part of the state building code.
• > that<01:21:30.719> local existing code provisions that local existing code provisions

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Harrell, that is bar code 2, 4, 6, 9, 6, 0, correct. Correct.
• What's the response been from local governments on your legislation? You're recognized.
• Go back and thank you, Mister Chair. >> I've not heard from local governments at all yet.
• They don't want government looking into our car. And I completely agree.
• I don't want government looking into my details either.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We believe that local government plays a very important role and local communities should have a say
• That's a requirement by the local government.
• So in the report, a section was cited in the Government Code, and that Government Code section states
• So CMTC very regularly shares information with law enforcement and code enforcement and also local government
• These led to major problems for local governments and law enforcement.

Summary: The joint sunset oversight hearing reviewed five regulatory entities: the Board of Behavioral Sciences, the Board of Psychology, the Physician Assistant Board, the Podiatric Medical Board, and the California Massage Therapy Council. Across the hearing, each entity described recent accomplishments, licensing and enforcement workload, workforce shortages, and efforts to modernize processes. Common themes included streamlining licensure, expanding access to care, addressing telehealth or emerging technology, and balancing consumer protection with workforce needs. For the Board of Behavioral Sciences, members discussed workforce shortages in mental health, supervision barriers, telehealth confidentiality, AI in therapy, interstate compacts, school-based services, and military spouse licensure. The board said it has expanded outreach, improved licensing processes, and created temporary practice authority tracking, while also expressing concern about counseling compacts and emphasizing California-specific law, ethics, and cultural competency. Public commenters supported the board’s work and the possible move to a national MFT exam, while also urging more resources. The Board of Psychology highlighted fee adjustments, streamlined licensure pathways, enforcement process improvements, new CPD requirements, and proposed changes including a psychotherapist-client privilege exception for investigations. Committee members and public witnesses focused heavily on that privilege proposal, with some members opposing it as too broad and privacy-invasive, while the board argued it is needed to obtain records in bias and sexual misconduct cases. The board also discussed workforce shortages, processing improvements, and the use of inactive status for psychological associates. The Physician Assistant Board reported growth in the PA workforce and education programs, SB 697 implementation, and financial pressure from rising enforcement costs. The main policy debate centered on physician-to-PA ratios and practice agreements, with board representatives and many public commenters arguing that current restrictions limit access to care, especially in rural areas, while the California Medical Association defended the need for explicit ratios and agreements. The board also discussed AI, fee increases, and tracking temporary practice authority. The Podiatric Medical Board described licensing and renewal reforms, residency expansion, enforcement support, and budget constraints, while public testimony raised concerns about a proposed fee increase and about reimbursement parity and practice recognition for podiatrists. Finally, the California Massage Therapy Council defended the certification model over licensure, citing lower costs, local government collaboration, anti-trafficking work, and its role in vetting applications and disciplining bad actors; no formal votes or final actions were taken during this portion of the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• on their training, experience, and local on their training, experience, and local patient<00:19:
• with our code. with our code.
• Texas that say be a surrogate for 60 for Texas that say be a surrogate for 60 for $100,000.<00:35:17.800
• to stay there right in their local to stay there right in their local hospital. hospital. hospital
• They seem like getting some CPT codes.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee opened its sixth and final interim meeting with roll call, quorum confirmation, approval of the prior minutes, and a brief change in agenda order to preserve quorum and accommodate presenters’ schedules. Members then moved through several proposed health-related items with limited discussion, and the chair noted the committee would reconvene in January for further conversation. The first substantive item was a proposal relating to utilization controls for non-opioid analgesics in Medicaid. Senator Gerald Neal and Tara Hyde of People Advocating Recovery argued that pain parity is needed so patients can access non-opioid options without prior authorization or step therapy barriers, especially in acute pain situations and for people in recovery. Senator Berg supported the concept and suggested expanding the approach to other prescriptions by allowing physicians to explain why step therapy is inappropriate at the time of prescribing; another member cautioned against unintended cost increases if non-opioid drugs are used as add-ons to opioids. The committee then heard a proposal on physician assistants from Senator Scott and Andrew Rutherford of the Kentucky Academy of Physician Assistants. They described a shift from a supervisory to a collaborative practice model, with practice scope set at the practice level, limited Schedule II prescribing authority under guardrails, and permission for PAs to perform driver’s license vision testing. Supporters said the changes would improve rural access, reduce administrative burden, and align Kentucky with neighboring states; a question from Representative Bratcher focused on experience requirements and how the proposal compares with nurse practitioner rules. No vote was taken. Finally, Representative Nancy Tate, Adia Wuchner, and Representative Jason Nemes introduced a 2026 proposal aimed at “protecting vulnerable people.” They described a broad package focused on abortion pill trafficking, marketing to minors, commercial surrogacy, assisted suicide, and organ procurement safeguards, arguing that current law leaves gaps and that additional criminal and civil penalties are needed. The presentation was informational only, with no action taken before the meeting ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've been involved with code making a panel that's a committee that's involved in going over the code
• I've been involved with code making a panel that's a committee that's involved in going over the code
• <01:40:01.199> from<01:40:01.440> local increasing local procurement from local increasing
• Uh, Texas, of course, we all know Texas and the lone star.
• or a government governmental affiliate or a government governmental unit.<05:19:18.240> Yes.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So far, the more you add, the more it does cost to the local government, but it's zero to the state.
• the more it it does cost to the local the more it it does cost to the local government,<00:09:52.040
• This is a local issue. This is a local issue.
• , local government, county government, or state government, or utilities take and acquire some of his
• with a local tax issue. with a local tax issue.

Keywords: MS House Floor - 25 February, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, dispensed with the reading of the journal, and welcomed several student and FFA groups from around the state, including chapters from Tippah, Forrest, Newton, and Wheeler counties, as well as the Puckett High School student council and an AP government class from Madison-Ridgeland Academy. After announcements, the chamber moved to the Ways and Means calendar and took up a series of tax and finance measures. House Bill 327 would extend Mississippi’s existing film tax credit to television production businesses, with a $42 million aggregate cap and a requirement that qualifying production activity occur in-state. House Bill 343 would create a tax credit for employers offering private health insurance to employees, set at $400 per employee in the first year and $200 in the second, capped at $10 million. House Bill 420 would lower the age threshold for an existing full homestead exemption for honorably discharged veterans and spouses from 90 to 85; members discussed the local cost impact, but the sponsor said the state cost would be zero. House Bill 489 would exempt from income tax any capital gains from a forced sale through eminent domain, so the property owner would not owe tax on that transaction. The House also passed House Bill 715, clarifying that both perishable and non-perishable food sold to food pantries are exempt from sales tax. House Bill 1063 would adjust an alternative energy/local tax provision by allowing a fee-in-lieu rate down to 10% and adding energy storage, such as large-scale batteries, to qualifying projects. House Bill 1793, by committee substitute, would add gun safes to the state’s Second Amendment sales tax holiday. House Bill 1941 would raise the Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund’s administrative fee from 2% to 3% and authorize $5 million in bonds. House Bill 1942 would create a conduit bond mechanism under the TIF code for local development projects. House Bill 1944, by committee substitute, would expand the Children’s Promise Act tax credit program from $18 million to $40 million over three years and add a new $1 million credit for facilities serving adults with mental handicaps; members debated its effects on private schools, foster care entities, and public education funding. Most bills passed overwhelmingly, including several unanimous votes; House Bill 327 passed 115-1, House Bill 343 passed 118-0, House Bill 420 passed 120-0, House Bill 489 passed 120-0, House Bill 715 passed 120-0, House Bill 1063 passed 115-0, House Bill 1793 passed 109-3, House Bill 1941 passed 118-0, House Bill 1942 passed 116-0, and House Bill 1944 passed after extended debate. The discussion on House Bill 1944 featured questions about whether the credits favored private schools over public schools, whether schools could also receive ESA-related funds, and how much money individual institutions could receive; the sponsor said the credits are separate from tuition, are administered by DOR on a first-come, first-served basis, and do not reduce direct public school funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• of dates regarding the Texas Energy Fund.
• Lastly, item four, the Texas Advanced Nuclear Reactor, Texas Nuclear Energy Fund.
• So I have a high-level concern that the state of Texas... is just like the federal government, where
• Energy Fund, does it grow government or does it reduce government?
• The Texas Energy Fund is a program that's currently underway by the state of Texas.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• first came to work in state government first came to work in state government as<00:31:52.399>
• and our fire codes.
• This bill addresses the fire code.
• being done expeditiously at the local being done expeditiously at the local level<01:29:15.280><
• :16.480> need level when the local departments need level when the local departments need that

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's also to create a report for our local Department of Health (D-O-H). It's a new one: H-C-A.
• government employees and educators.
• Texas Taxation and Revenue Department.
• Hello, my name is Miranda Leon from South Texas Rio Grande.
• I would just like to say I work for the local nonprofit that makes organ donation happen.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sometimes there are matching dollars and the state will match what the federal government has provided
• Probably 10 miles from Texas.
• They're staying in Texas and buying it.
• And he says, you know, Texas recognizes the ag sales tax exemption from Oklahoma.
• I would think that if it's a valid tax-exempt card from the state of Texas or Kansas or a surrounding

Summary: The committee considered and advanced a series of bills, beginning with House Bill 3834, which creates a revolving fund at the Department of Health for ibogaine research. The author said the measure is limited to clinical trials, has support from several tribal nations, and would not have an immediate fiscal impact, though retirement-related costs were discussed as roughly $1 million based on prior estimates. HB 3834 passed 20-0. House Bill 3940, updating Oklahoma Military Department provisions, National Guard retirement benefits, and some Uniform Code of Military Justice language, also passed after questions about the same estimated retirement cost and the effect of changing the date for implementation; it passed 21-1. Members then approved House Bill 4346, with an amendment aimed at addressing fraud concerns in agricultural sales tax exemptions. The bill would extend reciprocity to holders of ag sales tax exemption cards from Texas and other surrounding states, allowing them to use those exemptions in Oklahoma border communities. Opponents argued the change would place too much burden on retailers to verify out-of-state cards and could increase liability, but supporters said it would help rural businesses. The bill passed 17-4. House Bill 2947, allowing clinical interns and accredited behavioral health graduate programs to bill Medicaid for supervised services, passed 21-0, and House Bill 3257, extending state benefits for 100% disabled veterans to those similarly disabled due to negligence at a VA hospital, also passed 21-0. The committee next passed House Bill 3264, which adds domestic abuse by strangulation to the list of 85% crimes. Supporters emphasized the seriousness of strangulation and its connection to later homicide risk, while questions focused on prison population growth and costs; the bill passed 21-0. House Bill 4326, dealing with Oklahoma Promise homeschool language and the definition of certified classroom personnel, was amended to remove unrelated T-SET restructuring language and then passed 19-2. House Bill 4421, “Leo’s Law,” which requires fentanyl testing in child welfare drug screens when fentanyl use is suspected, drew emotional testimony about a child’s death and had its fiscal estimate discussed as dropping from $125 million to about $16 million; it passed 22-0. Finally, the committee approved House Bill 3944, a State Finance Act cleanup and modernization measure, after questions about reporting dates and public finance oversight, and House Bill 3979, which raises financing caps under the Oklahoma Economic Development Finance Pool, after an amendment to add an effective date and emergency clause; both passed 21-0. House Bill 4118, updating the family caregiver tax credit and raising the maximum credit while keeping the annual cap unchanged, passed 20-1. The meeting ended with thanks to members and staff and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 437 by Representative Melarine is an act to amend the Code of Civil Procedure and Code of
• This bill allows Louisiana municipalities, its local governing authority...
• This bill allows Louisiana municipalities, its local governing authority. Thank you. Thank you, Mr.
• This bill allows Louisiana municipalities, their local governing authorities, and the state parks to
• It is an act to amend Title 18 relative to the Louisiana Election Code to make provisions to the code

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• An oil field service company based in Beaumont, Texas, is a foreign corporation.
• What governs? The code, the statute as written, or the Let me ask you this. What governs?
• It should be the code, but it depends upon the judge. Thank you.
• We fix something in the statute, in the code.
• Civil Code Article 2315 says a person is responsible for his or her fault.

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These hospitals are locally governed, publicly accountable, and often serve a higher share of Medi-Cal
• The aforementioned amendments would actually move the bill from the B&P Code to the Penal Code.
• Let me say that again: this is subject to local jurisdiction approval.
• And finally, on local control, the bill fully preserves it.
• Biana Roig, and I am a member of CDA's Government Affairs Council.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Between the hospital, the local governments, and the health insurance companies would be the people who
• The local governments provide paramedics and nurses from their existing EMS and visiting nurse systems
• so an E&M code.
• The biopsy of the concerning spot would get a procedure code, or a CPT code for short.
• and management, or E&M, code.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a lengthy public hearing with testimony on a wide range of health insurance and access-to-care bills. Early testimony focused on prescription drug pricing and pharmacy reimbursement, with supporters of H. 1326 arguing that pharmacy benefit managers and MassHealth managed care arrangements reimburse independent pharmacies too little, contributing to pharmacy closures and “pharmacy deserts.” The committee also heard repeated support for H. 1151/S. 742 on cognitive rehabilitation for acquired brain injury, H. 1288/S. 716 on telehealth parity for nutrition counseling, H. 1309/S. 761 on full-spectrum pregnancy care without cost-sharing, H. 1312 on insurance coverage for doula services, H. 309 on prompt access to health care by removing deductibles for certain services, H. 809/H. 1227 on biomarker testing, H. 1162/S. 810 on reducing inequities in access to medical procedures by limiting insurer cuts tied to Modifier 25, and S. 726 on insurance coverage for mobile integrated health. Testifiers included legislators, physicians, pharmacists, dietitians, emergency and rehabilitation clinicians, and patients and family members. Supporters of the brain injury bill said cognitive rehabilitation is medically necessary, improves long-term outcomes, and can reduce institutional care and public costs; they noted the bill has been heard repeatedly and has support from the Brain Injury Commission and prior favorable committee action. Supporters of the pregnancy care and doula bills described out-of-pocket costs as a barrier to maternal health and shared personal stories of high bills and unmet support needs. Biomarker testing advocates and cancer patients said coverage gaps deny patients access to precision treatment, can lead to avoidable suffering, and should be standardized across insurers; several speakers said insurers often deny claims despite clinical benefit. Dermatology witnesses said insurers’ use of Modifier 25 cuts reimbursement for same-day evaluation and procedure visits, forcing separate appointments and increasing patient burden. Mobile integrated health supporters described home-based care as a way to reduce emergency department use and hospital readmissions, especially for patients with transportation or mobility barriers. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• , or any community really, provide the grant writing expertise for a government agency.
• I am Government Relations for Rocky Mountain Farmers Union.
• I just don't feel comfortable changing the tax code across the board for farmers across the state.
• So, I work closely with the local DWI affiliates.
• But as far as I understand it, while the federal government and the state government receive information

Transcript Highlights:

• Midland, Texas, that are an hour and a half away.
• Of course, it supports local producers.
• beef, local cheese, and milk in school meals.
• million in the last school year on local beef.
• Of course, SB 1 is the funding bill, but SB 3 is working with our local government, particularly our

Transcript Highlights:

• governments. >> Thank you.
• This inverts federalism and limited government.
• As Ronald Reagan reminded us, government...
• That is not responsible governance. That is fiscal gamemanship.
• It grows government.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Adrianne, Texas County. Excellent.
• We were told that that was not in local budgets.
• Is that a government school or is that a private technical school?
• She’s from the state of Texas.
• We can't easily work with every local dispatch center in the state.

Summary: The Oklahoma 911 Management Authority met with a quorum and approved the April 2 minutes and the February, March, and April 2026 financial reports. Members then adopted the FY 2027 budget, which included a 5% staff increase, a reclassification for the 911-988 liaison/training coordinator role, a new GIS specialist position, increased funding for training, travel, cybersecurity training, recruitment, GIS repository work, and technology roadmap items. The budget also set aside funds for NG911 deployment, grant closeouts, and a $3 million reserve for a one-time PSAP distribution program. The authority approved the $3 million one-time distribution to the 123 primary PSAPs and separately approved the distribution guidelines and priority list. The program will use the statutory population-and-land-area formula, with eligible uses focused on GIS Version 3 work, technology and equipment, and grant matching; salaries, construction, radio systems, OLETS, and mobile apps were excluded. The board also denied a hardship request from Washington County 911 to waive a 20% match for a radio console grant, finding the county had sufficient carryover and other funding sources. Members approved an Oklahoma technical school in-person telecommunicator training curriculum and simulator that meets minimum training standards, and authorized a statewide 911 telecommunicator recruitment campaign with ICG Advertising for $249,820. The authority also approved a compliance action plan for PSAPs that had not completed GIS remediation and repository uploads, setting a June 19 deadline before notice and possible escrow proceedings. Several grant requests were approved, including projects for Adair, Grady, Harper, INCOG, McCurtain, Roger Mills, Pauls Valley, and Washington County, covering NG911 fiber, ADA furniture, equipment, feasibility work, recorder upgrades, and radio console improvements. In committee and staff reports, members heard updates on 911 Day at the Capitol, the POP grant timeline, legislative activity, NG911 and GIS tools, cybersecurity training, operations committee work, 988 integration outreach, and statewide project progress. The coordinator also noted work on standards, NASNA leadership, and the need for PSAPs to obtain EM Grants logins ahead of the upcoming grant cycle. The meeting adjourned after no public comments or new business were offered.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lastly, item 4, the Texas Advanced Nuclear Reactor, um, Texas Nuclear Energy Fund and Texas Nuclear Energy
• So I, I, I have a high-level concern that the state of Texas, just like the federal government, where
• So the Texas Energy Fund.
• it grow government or does it reduce government?
• it would grow government, right.

Transcript Highlights:

• Federal appellate courts have affirmed that this type of disentanglement by state and local governments
• Federal appellate courts have affirmed that this type of disentanglement by state and local governments
• The Immigrant Safety Act proposes that state and local governments do not use the money generated by
• Madam Chair, Representative, on the question of oversight, in New Mexico, state and local governments
• I don't want local governments to be complicit in that space.

Bills: SB100

Keywords: burglary, aggravated burglary, dwelling, criminal law, property rights, 996, all