Transcript Highlights:

• LIFELINE INCREASES ACCESS TO MEDICATION -ASSISTED TREATMENT AND INCREASED TRAINING FOR FORENSIC EVALUATORS
• REGARDING FORENSIC EVALUATORS ARE COURTS RELY ON FORENSICS EVALUATORS TO MAKE TERMINATION ON COMPETENCY
• THESE EVALUATORS MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COURT ABOUT PLACEMENT OPTIONS.
• CURRENTLY THESE EVALUATORS NEED TO MAKE A ONE-TIME INITIAL TRAINING TO BE LISTED AS AN EVALUATOR WITHOUT
• ANNUAL TRAINING THESE EVALUATORS ARE NOT TRAINED ON LESS RESTRICTIVE ALTERNATIVES.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• institutions this will allow<00:01:49.719> them<00:01:50.000> to<00:01:50.520> evaluate
• <00:01:51.520> each<00:01:52.159> person's allow them to evaluate each person's allow
• them to evaluate each person's curriculum<00:01:53.119> that's<00:01:53.280> coming<00
• So each individual will be evaluated on an individual basis. states that that can bridge over but for
• thank you thank you um former evaluated thank you thank you um former representative<00:04:11.879>

Keywords: Roll Call 00:20 Discussion on HB 303 00:45 Vote on HB 303 04:41 Discussion on HB 305 05:32 Vote on HB 305 08:34, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Health Services met with a quorum and heard House Bill 303 first. Representative Steve Bratcher explained that the bill would let U.S. military members with medical training transition that experience into Kentucky health-care credentials more quickly. Schools and colleges would evaluate military curricula on an individual basis, identify gaps, and allow those gaps to be filled with additional classes or clinical time before the person sits for the required exam. The bill was described as applying broadly across medical fields, not just nursing, and it would not waive testing or standards. Senators asked whether the process would compare credentials across states and whether the bill covered only U.S. military service; Bratcher said evaluations would be individualized and the bill was primarily for those who served in the U.S. military. HB 303 received an 11-0 favorable vote. The committee then took up House Bill 305, presented by Representative Ken Fleming. He said the committee substitute would expand an existing health-care workforce award program to include dietitians and physician assistants, clarify that certain EMS-related services may be owned or operated by a hospital rather than only owned by one, and provide more flexibility around licensing timelines after a certificate of need is issued by the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services. After a motion and second, the committee voted unanimously to amend and pass HB 305 with favorable expression. A title amendment was also adopted unanimously. Before adjournment, the chair noted that the next regular meeting was scheduled for March 12 and warned that a special-called meeting might be needed the following Monday because of bills arriving from the House. No further business was taken up, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our first one is going to be with the June Shelton School and Evaluation Center.
• This group is currently leading the research and evaluation for the Education Innovation and Research
• But no other independent research evaluator is embedded into the pathways program.
• . ...a rubric to evaluate applicants to apply for grants.
• We have one contract; this is a contract with the psychiatrist for evaluation services.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you have severe PTSD and you take medication for it, your benefits will be evaluated not based
• Benefits will be evaluated not based on your underlying PTSD, but based on your condition after taking
• the medication at the time you are being evaluated.
• The agency evaluated available satellite data, explored how it could advance scientific research and
• The agency evaluated available satellite data, explored how it could advance scientific research and

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, February 23, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Annual evaluations become voluntary.
• Annual evaluations become voluntary.
• Um, the second option is a portfolio evaluation by an evaluator.
• <01:51:23.760> And<01:51:24.000> the evaluation by an evaluator.
• And the evaluation by an evaluator.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um we further evaluation and testing.
• The heart is a further evaluation.
• HB 1595. comprehensive um eval evaluation metrics comprehensive um eval evaluation metrics to<01:36:11.360
• /c><01:36:12.880> and to evaluate both the superintendent and to evaluate both the superintendent
• <01:36:31.360> this exceeding expectations evaluation this exceeding expectations evaluation

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 2485, which would require cardiovascular screening for student athletes. The Department of Education and Department of Health said they support the bill’s intent but noted that many screenings are already part of existing school-entry and well-child exams. The Attorney General’s office asked for clarifying language on who performs the screenings, where results go, how “positive findings” are defined, how referrals would work, and whether funding would be appropriated if DOE must hire health professionals. The American Heart Association strongly supported the bill, citing the risk of sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes and arguing that sports physicals are an effective opportunity for early detection. No vote was taken, and the committee moved on after testimony. The committee then heard HB 89, concerning a school psychologist working group and possible licensing or credentialing of school psychologists. The Department of Education and Board of Psychology supported the measure. The Hawaii Psychological Association said it supports licensing school psychologists but asked to be included in the working group, arguing it is an important stakeholder. The Hawaii Association of School Psychologists opposed including HPA, saying the issue is between school psychologists and DCCA and that HPA is not part of their organization. Testimony and discussion focused on the long-running disagreement over whether school psychologists should be regulated under the Board of Psychology or another mechanism, and on title protection and scope of practice. No action was reported during this portion. The committee also took up HB 2445, relating to standardized emergency responses for immigration enforcement at or near schools. The Department of Education said it already issued internal law-enforcement guidance and questioned whether the bill was necessary, while also raising concerns about the bill’s 1,000-foot buffer language and the limits of school authority over activity off campus. The Board of Education echoed those concerns and suggested the bill may need clearer definitions. Supporters, including the White Coalition for Immigrant Rights, the Legal Clinic, and an attorney testifying on Know Your Rights training, argued that recent federal changes have increased ICE activity near schools and that a law is needed to ensure clear, public protocols, staff training, and family protections. A student testifier said the measure was a top priority of the state student council. The transcript ends during testimony, with no vote or final committee action shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• closeout evaluations. closeout evaluations.
• And for the remaining four evaluations, BHA could not find any documentation to support closeout evaluations
• were backdated in the evaluations were backdated in the system.
• > days<00:15:34.640> of evaluation evaluations within 60 days of evaluation evaluations within
• , And for the remaining four evaluations, And for the remaining four evaluations, BHA<00:15:50.400

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Furthermore, the data they do collect is often insufficient for curriculum evaluation due to the high
• Students and parents alike welcome a serious evaluation of whether the MCA is the right tool for high
• of whether the MCA is serious evaluation of whether the MCA is the<00:27:21.520> right<00:27:
• Let's begin the evaluation with the classic carrot-and-stick analogy for students and families.
• Julia Caesar, and I am the executive director of research, evaluation, and assessment at Bloomington

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , or they bring out a copy of an evaluation of a lab report that's a photocopy on a... ...lab report
• These products are unapproved; they have not been evaluated or approved for safe use, and many pose risks
• patients. 45% were pediatric patients, and of those that required health care facility evaluation, 8%
• The Alabama Department of Agriculture is very engaged; they evaluate the THC levels and...
• They evaluate the THC levels and they will literally burn your crops if it's too high.

Bills: HB194, SB87, SB237

Keywords: healthcare, advanced practice nursing, nurse collaboration, medical board, nursing board, committee structure, midwifery, licensed midwives, State Board of Midwifery, licensure fees, professional liability insurance, complaints investigation, emergency care plan, out-of-hospital care, hemp, hemp beverages, psychoactive cannabinoids, psychoactive hemp products, delta-8 THC, delta-9 THC

Transcript Highlights:

• A lot of folks, when they are waiting trial, the attorneys will ask for an evaluation to see if they're
• And now, when you talk about backlog, that's a backlog waiting for an evaluation.
• Waiting for an evaluation, yes, sir.
• So we do those forensic evaluations. There had been a backlog of forensic evaluations.
• So they provide a service... ...evaluation and provide some services.

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The House Health Services Subcommittee met to approve the October 7, 2024 minutes and then shifted to behavioral health as the main topic. Representatives Wooldridge and Vaught described the work of the behavioral health working group, saying Arkansas needs a more proactive system focused on access, workforce, reimbursement, and reducing red tape. Members raised concerns about provider shortages, licensure barriers, rural access, reimbursement rates, jail-based services, non-emergency transport, and the need for step-down options and crisis diversion before people end up in jail or the state hospital. DHS Director Paula Stone outlined the behavioral health system, emphasizing that Medicaid pays for most behavioral health services in Arkansas and that many services cannot be billed once a person is in jail or the state hospital. She described current efforts including family-centered treatment for children, community reintegration group homes, a new adolescent substance use disorder unit, forensic evaluation and restoration changes, and a planned IMD waiver to allow Medicaid payment for certain psychiatric and residential services. She also explained the backlog at the state hospital and in forensic restoration, the role of therapeutic communities, and the challenges of serving rural and difficult-to-serve populations. Members asked about crisis stabilization units, civil commitment, dashboards for bed availability, and whether Arkansas should expand step-down or long-term facilities. Stone said the state has supported crisis stabilization units in several cities, with mixed results, and noted that Fort Smith and Jonesboro have been more successful than Fayetteville and Little Rock. She said DHS does not yet have a statewide bed dashboard but sees it as a useful tool. The meeting ended with agreement that the discussion was a starting point and that the committee would continue the work, tentatively in August, to develop policy ideas for the 2027 session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Several showed interest, saying they wanted to be evaluated.
• Uh but I they wanted to be uh evaluated.
• These were ones that evaluated as well.
• FAA has, and then hold an on-site evaluation with the FAA.
• Um and so but that June uh evaluated.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The task force met on November 4, 2025, approved the prior minutes without objection, and then heard a presentation from Amazon on its Kentucky aviation and logistics operations. Amazon described its statewide footprint, including its Boone County air hub at KCVG, its investment of more than $60 billion in Kentucky since 2010, about 20,000 jobs in the state, and its use of Amazon Air as a middle-mile network supported by third-party carriers. The company also highlighted small-business support, community relief efforts, and workforce development through Career Choice, including partnerships with Kentucky schools and aviation maintenance training. Members asked about Amazon’s most in-demand workforce needs, future operational challenges, and whether autonomous vehicles are used on the KCVG ramp. Amazon said it would follow up on workforce-demand details, identified customer-driven innovation and culture as ongoing challenges, and said autonomous vehicles are in testing but are not part of regular KCVG operations. Amazon also emphasized sustainability efforts, including alternative aviation fuel, and said it wants to work with the legislature to expand AAF production and supply in Kentucky. The task force then heard from Secretary Jeff Noel of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and Matt Wingate on the state’s aviation economic development strategy. They said aviation and aerospace are central to Kentucky’s logistics and economic-development goals, with aerospace identified as the state’s top export and air cargo as a major strength. They discussed outreach to general aviation airports, support for local grant matching, airport funding projects, workforce and education partnerships, and efforts to market Kentucky at aviation trade shows such as Paris Air Show and MRO America. No formal votes or other actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the environmental evaluation. We would require financial assurance.
• And if these are countries now that will be, you know, re-evaluating if they trade with.
• As far as community impacts go, that would be a portion of the environmental evaluation.
• It's also a portion of the... ...our federal partners through the NEPA evaluation.
• I think it is difficult for me to evaluate on the federal level if that's what you're asking.

Transcript Highlights:

• , where we actually go out and evaluate other schools across the country.
• How are we evaluating students? Are we using effective assessment methods?
• , where we actually go out and evaluate other schools across the country.
• But it. and evaluate other schools across the country. And those two pieces are valuable.
• How are we evaluating students? Are we using effective assessment methods?

Summary: The subcommittee met to examine Florida’s nursing education pipeline and the state’s persistently low NCLEX passage rates. Chair Tuck opened by noting the projected nurse shortage and Florida’s ranking near the bottom nationally for first-time NCLEX pass rates. The Department of Health explained the Board of Nursing’s approval process for nursing programs, including application requirements, probation standards, and termination for programs that repeatedly fail passage-rate benchmarks. The Florida Center for Nursing then presented statewide data showing Florida has more test takers than most states, but still trails the national average; the gap has narrowed in recent years, though Florida remains below average. Members focused heavily on why the state continues to underperform, with discussion of faculty shortages, clinical placement constraints, accreditation, student preparedness, and the large share of newer private for-profit programs among those placed on probation. Committee members asked about how probation works, what happens when programs improve, and whether the board requires corrective plans. They also questioned the relationship between program type and outcomes, the effect of Operation Nightingale, and how many students fail and retest. The Florida Center for Nursing said first-attempt pass rates are the standard measure and that students who fail are expected to remediate and retest, though costs vary. The center also said Florida’s data shows accredited programs outperform approved or probationary ones, and that the state’s nursing workforce challenges are tied to broader issues such as faculty vacancies, clinical site competition, and student demographics, including many students balancing work, family, and language barriers. A panel of nursing school leaders from public, private nonprofit, and private for-profit institutions then described strategies used to improve outcomes. These included transparent recruitment, early orientation, tutoring, success coaching, stronger faculty development, curriculum mapping to NCLEX standards, higher course benchmarks, mandatory remediation, simulation labs, and commercial NCLEX prep tools such as ATI, Kaplan, and HESI. Several panelists said their programs had improved after probation or had very high passage rates, and they emphasized that student success depends on academic preparation, clinical experience, and support services. Members also asked about tuition, program length, translation into other languages, and faculty recruitment; panelists said costs vary widely, faculty hiring is difficult because hospitals pay more, and some schools are considering medical Spanish and immersion options rather than full curriculum translation.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we use all those types of other sort of criteria that are coming from others for how we're evaluating
• As I mentioned, we do have evaluation and prioritization policies for the two funds.
• We really evaluate projects on the merits.
• Representative Garrett, I just want to put a plug in LESC And LFC did a joint evaluation on virtual.
• And so that we can really evaluate that.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to evaluate them as a whole at the end of each phase.
• Pavement Evaluation Manual. Pavement Evaluation Manual.
• So,<00:25:40.680> when<00:25:40.840> the<00:25:40.960> evaluators<00:25:41.680><
• c> go<00:25:41.920> out,<00:25:42.520> they So, when the evaluators go out, they So
• > the Evaluation is calculated using the Evaluation is calculated using the following<00:26:11.040

Keywords: 00:05 Call to Order and Roll Call 01:55 Bridge Improvement Program 18:56 County Priority Projects Program 38:10 Transportation Alternative Program 51:47 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee met for the first interim meeting of the 2025 Budget Review Committee on Transportation and heard from Bobby Jo Lewis, commissioner of Rural and Municipal Aid at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. She reviewed the new County City Bridge Improvement Program, created in the 2024 regular session, reporting that phases one and two are complete, 45 bridges have been funded so far, and about $18.45 million has been authorized. She said roughly $6.549 million remains for phase three in the current fiscal year, with about $26.445 million in bridge applications still pending. For fiscal year 2026, the program will again have $25 million and will use four application phases. She also described a training resource, Local Bridges 101, and said a new executive advisor, Greg Meredith, has been brought in to help with the bridge program. Members asked how rollover applications would be handled, whether they would be re-evaluated with new applications, how the program would account for bridge longevity and load posting, and how isolated communities would be prioritized. Lewis said applicants not funded in FY25 would be contacted and could choose to roll their applications into FY26, and all applications would be evaluated together at the end of each phase. She said preservation projects are assessed for how much they extend a bridge’s life, and isolated community access bridges or closed bridges with no detour access receive priority. She also said the department aims for equitable distribution across regions and plans to produce a map showing where funds have been awarded. Lewis then turned to the County Priority Projects Program and the Local Assistance Road Program established in House Bill 546 and related resolutions. She said the application cycle opened June 1 and closes October 1, with 106 memoranda of agreement being prepared for awards in House Joint Resolution 46. She described updated application and reporting forms, a scoring matrix, and a County City Pavement Evaluation Manual used to rate projects based on preservation of assets, average daily traffic, recent improvements, safety, cost, and district priority. She said projects must be rehabilitation projects designed to restore the original condition of the road, cannot exceed $500,000, and must use local match percentages tied to the economic development grant program formula. She also reported on funding status for prior road projects, including completed, partially completed, pending, and underrun amounts that may be reauthorized. Committee members asked about photo documentation, online access to project materials, how to measure whether projects truly restore roads to original condition, and what happens when project costs exceed estimates. Lewis said the department is still working on how best to store and share the large volume of photos, and that projects are certified through district offices and local sign-off after completion. She said overages are the responsibility of the applicant because the state does not have additional money beyond the awarded amount. No formal votes were taken during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's beyond the psychiatric evaluation. The patient will have a comprehensive evaluation.
• That's beyond the psychiatric evaluation.
• Yeah, for all patients, as part of evaluation, we check PDMP.
• That comprehensive evaluation is critical.
• The PDMP should be consulted during the comprehensive evaluation.

Summary: The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules met to consider a Missouri Prescription Drug Monitoring Program rule proposal after the Department of Natural Resources withdrew its items. The hearing focused on 1 CSR 60-1.010, which would expand delegate-level PDMP access to additional licensed behavioral health professionals, including licensed clinical social workers, licensed master social workers, marital and family therapists, professional counselors, and psychologists, while also correcting prior rule language involving medical assistants and clinical nurse specialists. Testimony from the PDMP executive director and supporters from Compass Health and the Department of Mental Health argued the change would improve care coordination, medication reconciliation, and safety in multidisciplinary behavioral health settings, especially CCBHCs. They said access would remain limited to licensed professionals working under a prescriber/dispenser relationship, with individual logins and penalties for misuse. Opponents and some committee members raised concerns that the rule would expand access beyond the original statutory framework without legislative change, could be used beyond treatment purposes, and should instead be addressed through statute rather than rulemaking. After public testimony, the committee debated whether the proposal exceeded statutory authority and whether the expansion was too substantive for rulemaking alone. A motion was made to disapprove the rule on grounds including lack of statutory authority, conflict with state law, and arbitrariness. The motion passed by a roll call vote of 7-1, and the committee disapproved Rule 1 CSR 60-1.010 before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill requires county sheriffs, within 24 hours, to file a petition for evaluation for inmates who
• Evaluated by psychiatrist Dr.
• When Josh was transferred to prison, he was incorrectly evaluated and placed in general population in
• House Bill Bill 2673 simply creates a work group to evaluate and close those gaps.
• House Bill 2673 simply creates a work group to evaluate and close those gaps.

Bills: HB2134, HB2253, HB2270, HB2402, HB2404, HB2673, HB2941

Keywords: critical infrastructure, foreign adversaries, China, communications, security, law enforcement, disciplinary action, administrative appeals, investigative files, due process, retaliation, county seal, law enforcement authority, sheriff's posse, public safety, county governance, ambulance services, certificate of necessity, emergency medical services, state regulations

Summary: The Committee on Public Safety met, approved the March 11, 2026 minutes, and heard two presentations before moving to bills. The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry presented on its K-9 program, describing staffing, dog types, functions such as contraband interdiction, search and rescue, and offender apprehension, and noting aging vehicles and the need for replacement canines. Biometrica then presented a privacy-focused facial recognition/sensor system intended to help law enforcement identify missing persons and known offenders in real time without storing video or audio; members asked questions but took no action on the presentation. The committee then considered HB 2134, which would create the Arizona Critical Infrastructure Protection Act to restrict Chinese-owned or Chinese-produced equipment and software in critical infrastructure and require reporting and oversight by the Corporation Commission. The sponsor said the bill was revised to be prospective and more workable; supporters framed it as a national security measure, while some members raised cost and implementation concerns. The bill passed 4-3. HB 2404, which shifts inter-facility transport of behavioral health patients away from peace officers and toward authorized transporters except in limited circumstances, drew support from a Phoenix police crisis intervention officer and the Arizona Police Association and passed 7-0. HB 2402, dealing with ambulance certificates of necessity for small or underserved areas, was amended to require rather than allow certain certificates and to streamline reporting and application processes; the sponsor and firefighters said it would preserve access and modernize a decades-old system. It passed as amended 7-0. HB 2673, as amended, was reduced to creating a study committee on inmate mental health services after originally proposing broader jail and prison screening and treatment requirements; the sponsor and a victim’s family member described the bill as a response to failures in the mental health and jail systems. It passed 6-0 with one not voting. HB 2253, protecting employees from retaliation for testifying in law enforcement disciplinary appeals, passed 5-0 with two not voting, and HB 2270, expanding county control over use of county seals, logos, and sheriff’s posse names, passed 6-0 with one not voting. Finally, HB 2941, which would make certain motorcycle lane-splitting or passing behavior reckless driving except as allowed by existing lane-filtering rules, drew support from the sponsor and motorcycle advocates who said it targets dangerous high-speed lane splitting, but one speaker warned the language could unintentionally criminalize safe filtering. The bill passed 5-1 with one not voting. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, a lot from subject matter experts to agency procurement professionals to all of the evaluators
• If process is important to you then processes significant percentage in the evaluation.
• That's what Miss McGinley's talking about an evaluation. Got you.
• They know our vendors. talking about an evaluation. Got you. They know our vendors.
• The statutes require that we have an evaluation team or that we go through a process.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we'll have one evaluator contracted to look at the investment of both city and county government to
• Again, we want to build in evaluation from the beginning, and this type of work will drive the request
• The next step, after we award those contracts, will be monitoring and evaluating, and then continuing
• that loop with the needs assessment and evaluation.
• the local evaluation work, and our intent is that we will connect them to Vital Strategies and Johns

Transcript Highlights:

• The presentation is divided into two sections, a general performance evaluation and a focused review
• Staffing at the Veterans Centers was also evaluated.
• Overall, staffing levels also evaluated.
• <00:57:04.360> we're don't know what type of evaluation we're don't know what type of evaluation
• , the standards that you've evaluated, the standards that you've evaluated, maybe<01:02:36.440>

Keywords: 958, all