Transcript Highlights:

• When we did the site visit to the Lakes Region College a year ago, whatever, the culinary department
• When we<00:17:57.919><c> did</c><00:17:58.559><c> the</c><00:17:58.799><c> site</c><00:17:59.120><c> visit
• </c><00:17:59.440><c> to</c><00:17:59.600><c> the</c><00:17:59.760><c> Lakes</c> we did the site visit
• to the Lakes we did the site visit to the Lakes Region Region Region College<00:18:02.240><c> a</c><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met in executive session on HB 25, the capital improvements appropriations bill. Representative Jack moved ought to pass and also offered Amendment 1455H. Discussion focused largely on several capital items and, in particular, a disputed freight rail public-private partnership. Representative Kazinski opposed the rail subsidy, arguing it favored connected private interests and reflected excessive spending, while Representatives Clutier and others defended the rail funding as a public-private partnership that supports rail maintenance, reduces truck traffic, protects roads and bridges, improves safety, and benefits the environment. Representative Jack explained that the amendment was intended to appropriate enough money to cover bids rather than a fixed purchase price. The committee then voted on Amendment 1455H, which passed 17-1. After that, the committee voted on HB 25A, the bill as amended, and it also passed 17-1. Representative Kazinski indicated he would vote no and was asked whether he wanted to write a minority report; he agreed to do so. The chair noted the bill could not go on the consent calendar and would need further discussion. After completing the bill, the chair announced the committee had one Senate bill expected later, with a due date of May 29, and said the committee would take next Tuesday off and schedule the Senate bill when convenient. Members also discussed an upcoming community college system lunch at the Lakes Region campus, thanked staff for their work on the bill, and noted the committee had brought HB 25 in about $10.5 million under the governor’s request.

Transcript Highlights:

• “That I went to visit a couple Pine Street Inn facilities that were full, almost all members, all beds
• And so I had a question around—and I visited that place four years later, and all of those veterans,
• Senator, thank you for your question, and thank you for your recent visit to Lawrence.
• I visit all 21 of our offices pretty regularly and tell staff that the job is hard. It's difficult.
• You know, I do worry about visitation. Yeah.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing opened with remarks from Senate Chair Robyn Kennedy and House Chair Chynah Tyler, who emphasized that the fiscal year 2026 hearing was focused on the Health and Human Services budget, asked members to keep questions budget-related, and noted that no public testimony would be taken. They also highlighted the choice of Doherty Memorial High School as the venue to showcase Worcester’s investment in career and technical education. Committee members then introduced themselves before the first panel, the Executive Office of Veterans Services and the state veterans homes, began testimony. Secretary John Santiago said the governor’s FY26 proposal would support implementation of the HERO Act, which he said is now about 95% implemented, including higher disabled veteran annuities, expanded behavioral health benefits, and other service expansions. He described efforts to reduce veteran homelessness, including nearly $20 million in ARPA-funded housing and outreach initiatives, and said the agency has delivered more than 100,000 supportive services to nearly 8,500 veterans. Leaders from the Chelsea and Holyoke veterans homes reported on staffing, quality measures, electronic medical records, and major construction projects at both facilities, including a new Chelsea campus and the new Holyoke home. Members asked about funding transfers, geographic equity in access to the homes, outreach to women veterans and veterans of color, suicide prevention, Gold Star family support, and the impact of federal uncertainty; Santiago said the homes are now licensed and certified, that the current budget is sufficient, and that the agency is expanding engagement and data collection. The second panel, the Office of the Veteran Advocate, testified that its FY26 request is about $3.3 million, up from the current $2 million, to cover staffing, a larger office, and higher technology costs. Veteran Advocate Bob Notch said the office is a new independent oversight agency created in 2022 to examine systems, coordinate with local veteran service officers, and investigate fatalities or serious harm involving veterans in state care. He said the office’s work depends on research, data, and collaboration with other agencies, and that current funding is only enough for minimum operations. In response to questions, Notch and Deputy Commissioner David O’Callaghan discussed the difficulty of tracking veteran suicides, the need for better data across agencies, and the office’s role as an oversight body rather than a direct service provider. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 281, an act relating to grandparent visitation. Senator Girdler.
• relating to Senate Bill 281, an act relating to grand<00:06:27.520><c> apparent</c><00:06:27.919><c> visitation
• </c><00:06:29.199><c> Senator</c> grand apparent visitation. Senator grand apparent visitation.
• Uh, such a meaningful visit with him, and he acknowledged to us that he went through the ibogaine treatment
• A meaningful visit with him, and he acknowledged to us that he went through the ibogaine treatment, and

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I have some history about this and I go visit these facilities on a regular basis.
• I have recently done trauma verification site visits at the TJ Health System.
• Um, I have just recently come back from a verification visit at Baptist Corbin.
• But I've also visited recently with some of the ARH folks, and they are looking to grow their system
• or to come into the medicine visit or to come into the hospital<00:53:52.480><c> that</c><00:53:52.720

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first handled several referred administrative regulations, including a package from the Board of Respiratory Care described as a substantive housekeeping update to its regulations and incorporated materials. There were no questions from members, and the committee also heard from the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure, which was present in case questions arose but did not require action. Members then took up an amendment to the state health plan for facilities and services, specifically 900 KAR 5:02. Wesley Duke explained that a previously proposed criteria related to mega-voltage requirements, originally suggested by the Kentucky Hospital Association, was now being removed because the association no longer considered it necessary. The committee moved to accept the agency amendment, with a motion and second, and approved it without opposition. The committee next considered Senate Joint Resolution 23, a “food is medicine” resolution sponsored by Senator Shelley Funke Frommeyer. Supporters from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Hospital Association described the initiative as a voluntary, statewide effort already adopted by 52 hospitals, aimed at improving patient health while supporting Kentucky farmers and local food systems. Members discussed access to healthy food, grocery-store availability, school nutrition, and the need to reduce barriers to local procurement; the resolution was adopted unanimously after a roll call vote, with one senator briefly explaining a late vote due to weather. Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 12, which would allow mid-level practitioners to serve as the leader of a Level IV trauma center under physician direction. The sponsor and witnesses from Appalachian Regional Healthcare argued the change would help address rural trauma-care shortages, align with national standards, and improve access without changing scope of practice or other trauma-center requirements. Several members raised questions and comments about rural access, liability, costs, and the broader health impacts, but no vote on the bill was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Like, you can't go to the courts and ask for custody or ask for visitation because if you do, I will
• which I see this being a real issue: when people want to go to court to make sure that they have visitation
• Like, you can't go to the courts and ask for custody or ask for visitation because if you do, I will
• Like, you can't go to the courts and ask for custody or ask for visitation because if you do, I will
• </c> for custody or ask for visitation for custody or ask for visitation because<00:01:15.159><c> if<

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard extended debate on a bill requiring cooperation with ICE and reporting related to undocumented people in certain criminal contexts. Representative Rymer argued the measure was meant to align with federal priorities focused on violent offenders and to ensure local governments respond to federal inquiries, not proactively target immigrants. He also said the bill was intended to address serious crimes and protect victims, citing examples of violent offenders and trafficking-related cases. Several members raised concerns that the bill’s language was broader than described and could affect family court matters, health care, elder care, and routine interactions with government agencies. Testifiers and members warned it could be used as leverage against undocumented people in custody, child support, domestic violence, and labor exploitation situations, and could discourage people from reporting crimes or seeking help. The sheriff’s association and county attorneys’ association letters were cited as raising due process, equal protection, civil rights, and public safety concerns. The discussion also focused on the bill’s definitions and mechanics, especially whether section three would require reporting after arrests that do not lead to charges and how county attorneys would know when to report. Representative Pinto pressed on the bill’s reference to “violent crime” and whether drug possession could be swept in, while Rymer argued the bill was narrower than critics suggested. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided; the exchange remained at the discussion and questioning stage.

Transcript Highlights:

• those 2 million people, in one way or another, will touch the city of Boston, whether they come to visit
• those 2 million people, in one way or another, will touch the city of Boston, whether they come to visit
• I've visited, my staff and I visited, the State Police Fusion Center recently, just last month, to get
• She traveled extensively, visiting Russia, Cuba, Vietnam, Malaysia, and especially her beloved Ireland

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate considered a fiscal year 2025 close-out supplemental appropriations bill and a series of amendments, many of which were withdrawn, adopted, or rejected. Early debate focused heavily on funding for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Massachusetts, with Senators O’Connor and Feeney arguing for restoring money for transportation, safety, and event readiness, citing projected ridership surges, economic benefits, and the need for Boston and the Commonwealth to invest. Senator Driscoll also won adoption of an amendment directing the MBTA to study and report on its local assessment formula, using Milton and Quincy as examples of perceived inequities in how communities are charged relative to service received. The Senate then took up several other amendments, including measures on fire survivor support, vaccine liability, mental health and sidewalk projects, council on aging and public safety items, disaster relief, service dogs, and MBTA assessments. Senator Tarr offered amendments on driver record transparency and energy cost reporting, but those were not adopted. A major roll-call vote rejected Tarr’s amendment to restore a larger share of excess capital gains to the stabilization fund; supporters argued for stronger rainy day reserves, while the Ways and Means chair defended the bill’s use of a deficiency reserve fund and warned of revenue losses from federal tax changes. The Senate also adopted an amendment on shelter and Home Base spending transparency, requiring renewed reporting on emergency shelter and housing assistance programs. Later, the chamber adopted Senator Edwards’ amendment creating a Massachusetts Federal Employee and Service Member Civil Relief Act to protect federal workers and service members in the event of a shutdown, including relief from eviction and foreclosure-related harms. The Senate also adopted Senator Rodrigues’s Ways and Means amendment, then approved the underlying supplemental budget as amended and ordered it to third reading. After the final roll call, the bill was passed to be engrossed by a 39-0 vote. The Senate concluded by agreeing to adjourn and by honoring Mrs. Anne Lee in memory, with a brief communication from Senator Cyr noting a prior remote-vote error for the journal.

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 2434, Banta, inmate visitation, do pass with author amendments to clarify non-contact visits, if space
• AB 1646, Brian, juvenile facilities visitation, due pass as amended to clarify limitations on contact
• AB 1645, Mark González, CDCR visitation, do pass out on an A roll call.
• AB 2684, Nguyen, out-of-state placement visitation, do pass as amended to delete the working group.

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, we have wonderful students who are normally visiting us from across the state, but today we have
• So today I have four, three members of the James Campbell High School robotics team who has visited us
• Campbell High School robotics team<00:22:37.440><c> who</c><00:22:37.679><c> has</c><00:22:38.000><c> visited
• </c><00:22:38.559><c> in</c><00:22:38.799><c> this</c><00:22:38.960><c> building</c> team who has visited
• us in this building team who has visited us in this building because<00:22:39.520><c> today</c><00:22

Bills: HB2198 , HB2021 , HB1881 , HB1964 , HB1990 , HB2151 , HB2599 , HB2414

Keywords: gambling, prediction markets, Hawaii gambling laws, financial contracts, ethical concerns, electric bicycles, micro-mobility devices, safety regulations, traffic laws, insurance exemption, high-speed electric devices, land use, ropeway, transportation, state regulation, government exemption, building code, permitting process, training, state council

Transcript Highlights:

• I've spent the last year, I guess, a lot in prison, that is, going in, visiting, and touring a lot of
• I've spent the last year, I guess, a lot in prison that is going in visiting and touring a lot of prisons
• We also visited the Wang Labs at the UW, and the Wang Lab is doing research right now on solitary confinement
• Department of Corrections, as well as other committee and legislative staff, have been invited to visit
• Thank you, and I think during the pandemic we saw, I know I visited Emergency Food Network, and it was

Bills: SB5966

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: healthcare, nutrition, medically tailored meals, dietary support, food security, chronic illness, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our agent can visit us this month and 5 in the general population. So can a toy signs and symptoms.
• So if you're looking at any inpatient, Arjun Karen motion can visit definitely more.
• And the medical on a user's visits that I have something to do with, infection, elevated for medical
• But the but the other portion of these patients obviously don't think that it carries a great visit or
• Now, you know, visit medical on a program being prominent in the state?

Transcript Highlights:

• survey and we conducted and like online information sessions and we would also get on calls or go visit
• And so we are now better situated to be able to conduct site visits and walk and observed tutoring sessions
• I've also been so fortunate already on a site visit to hear this is really happening is to support the
• And one of my first site visits.
• So feedback is solicited anecdotally on visits. So you're walking around you to sit the walk.

Transcript Highlights:

• want to thank Senator Hurtado for your leadership on this bill and invite you all to come out and visit
• complications of inholdings and unlocking the final vision of the state park, which will increase visitation
• That includes site visits... ...with regional and state acquisition staff.
• That includes site visits, title work, environmental review, and other real estate functions.
• species that might be at risk of going extinct and also just natural open wild places for people to visit

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several natural resources and water-related bills. SB 224 by Senator Hurtado would require the Department of Water Resources to implement audit recommendations, improve climate-informed water supply forecasting, and provide annual updates to the Legislature; supporters emphasized the need for better transparency and more accurate water planning, and the bill passed as amended to Appropriations. SB 556, also by Senator Hurtado, would fund floodplain restoration in the Tulare Basin to reduce flooding, recharge groundwater, and provide habitat and other community benefits; local officials and conservation groups supported it, some initial concerns about Proposition 4 were resolved, and the bill passed as amended. SB 630 by Senator Allen would streamline State Parks and other state real property acquisitions by raising review thresholds and reducing duplicative approvals; conservation groups and park advocates supported the measure, while some members raised oversight and fiscal concerns, and it passed as amended. SB 718 by Senator Allen would reduce hunting and fishing license costs for low-income Californians, framed as helping subsistence users and disabled veterans and seniors, and it passed as amended. The committee also approved SB 427 by Senator Blakespear, which extends the sunset of the Habitat Conservation Fund from 2030 to 2035. Supporters said the fund has protected more than 1.2 million acres, leverages other funding, and supports habitat, recreation, and climate resilience; members highlighted its importance for areas like the Salton Sea and the need to protect the funding stream from future sweeps. SB 586 by Senator Jones, an e-moto off-highway vehicle bill, was taken up with little discussion and passed as amended. SB 639 by Senator Ashby would extend the deadline for Sacramento-area flood protection projects in the Natomas Basin and Beach Lake subareas from 2025 to 2030 to allow completion of remaining work and avoid delays to infill housing; city, county, and flood agency representatives supported it, and it passed as amended. Throughout the hearing, witnesses and members repeatedly emphasized water reliability, flood protection, conservation funding, and reducing bureaucratic delays. Several bills drew broad support from local governments, water agencies, tribes, and conservation organizations, and multiple members requested to be added as coauthors. All of the measures discussed were reported out of committee, generally with amendments and with some items left open for add-on votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 960, Garcia, patient visitation: do pass out on an A roll call.
• AB 926, Gibson, juvenile court visitation: holding committee.
• AB 1159, Quirk-Silva, incarcerated parent visitations: do pass out on an A roll call.
• suicide prevention: do pass out on an A roll call. 95 thank you Cork Silva incarcerated parent visitations
• AB 607, Celeste Rodriguez, CalWORKs Home Visiting Program: do pass out on an A roll call.

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee held its May 23, 2025 suspense hearing and opened by emphasizing the difficult budget environment, rising costs for constituents, and the need to make tough choices. The chair said many bills would be held, amended to reduce costs, or made two-year bills because the state could not afford broad program expansions this year. The committee also noted the agenda was organized alphabetically by author and that results would be posted later that day. The committee then acted on a large suspense file, taking up hundreds of Assembly bills across topics including housing, health care, education, labor, public safety, climate, water, transportation, elections, and technology. Many bills were held in committee, while many others were approved with cost-saving, clarifying, or author’s amendments. Examples included measures on CalABLE, Covered California enrollment, wildfire and insurance issues, reproductive health, school and college programs, prison and juvenile justice matters, AI and data privacy, and local government and utility regulation. Several bills were converted to two-year bills to continue discussion. Throughout the hearing, the committee repeatedly voted on bills by A roll call or B roll call, often with Republicans not voting on amended measures. Some bills were advanced with notable amendments, such as narrowing scope, removing appropriations, delaying implementation, or striking costly provisions. The committee also approved a number of committee bills and omnibus measures, including emergency management, judiciary, insurance, and water-related bills. At the end of the hearing, the chair stated that the committee had moved 435 bills to the Assembly floor, either as do pass or do pass as amended, and adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Even one of your predecessors, years ago, came to my hospital to visit with me on a water issue because
• Can't visit with you on something that is being directly permitted.
• While attending the UT School of Law as a visiting student, she served on the board of the American Journal
• Since I've been a commissioner, I have visited all. 16 regional offices and met with the employees of
• You offered to come visit my district in...

Committee: Senate Nominations

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to make certain that we visit other states to see exactly how they were able to put it in place
• Thank you to Senator Hagenbuch for visiting with us about our concerns so we could have a better understanding
• But the definitions there are determinative of employee status, and we also learned from the visit that
• Uh, thank you to Senator Hagenbuo for visiting with us about our concerns so we could have a better understanding
• but the definitions there are determinative of employee status, and, and we also learned from the visit

Committee: Senate Transportation

Summary: The Senate Committee on Transportation heard several bills, mostly local memorial highway designations and transportation-related regulatory measures. Senator Hinojosa presented SB 1351 to designate part of US 281 in Hidalgo County as the Jose Rodriguez Lua Memorial Highway in honor of a Border Patrol processing coordinator killed by a drunk driver; a family member testified emotionally in support, and the bill was left pending. The committee also heard and left pending SB 2245 on bonded titles for vehicles when a lienholder has gone out of business, SB 1568 on animal-friendly specialty license plates with a second “spay, neuter, adopt” plate, SB 2589 on handling closed county roads in Webb County, SB 1104 on allowing large retailers to use one fingerprinted employee of record across multiple Texas locations, SB 1423 naming the Bill Stout Parkway in Longview, and SB 1931 naming part of US 83 the Rodolfo Valdez Memorial Highway. Most of these bills drew supportive testimony or were presented as local measures with no opposition. The committee also took up broader policy bills. SB 215 would create a digital identification program for Texas driver’s licenses and certain other licenses, but the sponsor said he was mainly laying the bill out for discussion and study; testimony was limited and the bill was left pending. SB 2707 would clarify that government entities such as TxDOT and the military remain exempt from fees on oversized/overweight permit authority, though a county commissioner raised questions about road-use impacts and fee revenue. SB 2807 drew the most discussion: it would prevent a motor carrier’s use of safety technology, training, and related practices from being used as evidence that an independent contractor is actually an employee. Supporters said the bill would encourage adoption of safety tools like cameras and braking systems without increasing misclassification risk, while opponents from the trial lawyers’ side warned the wording could conflict with existing labor-code definitions and create litigation. The sponsor and committee members discussed possible clarifying floor amendments. After public testimony, the committee voted on the pending bills. All measures were reported favorably on 6-0 votes, with committee substitutes adopted where applicable. SB 1351, SB 1423, SB 1568, SB 1931, SB 2245, SB 2589, SB 2707, SB 2807, and SB 2841 were all sent to the full Senate, and several were recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. The committee recessed subject to the call of the chair after completing the votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• recovery-oriented and person-centered services, processes, and outcome measures to DHS, and conducts on-site visits
• recovery-oriented and person-centered services, processes, and outcome measures to DHS, and conducts on-site visits
• $4.6 million included in Section 1 of the bill. ...and outcome measures to DHS and conduct on-site visits
• Chair, that's what's confusing is it's not always the right stuff in here, even though you're visiting
• Even though you're visiting about it, I'm not sure what the numbers are, so that's why it's hard to follow

Bills: SB2015

Committee: Senate Appropriations - Human Resources Division

Keywords: corrections, rehabilitation, prison budget, department of corrections, adult services, youth services, correctional facilities, Heart River correctional center, Missouri River correctional center, James River correctional center, minimum security facility, county jails, regional jails, deferred maintenance, capital construction, strategic investment and improvements fund, Bank of North Dakota, line of credit, tasers, body cameras

Summary: The committee met to review revised long sheets and section-by-section language for a human services/health budget bill, with much of the discussion focused on how to present block grant funding and full-time equivalent (FTE) positions for behavioral health clinics and CCBHCs. Members debated whether to keep FTE counts in the budget at all, ultimately leaning toward removing or zeroing out the FTE references while keeping the dollar authority, and reducing the salaries-and-wages block grant by about $4.75 million. They also discussed public health federal authority, agreeing to remove about $60 million in unused federal spending authority tied to COVID-era funds, and clarified that if federal money later becomes available it could be requested through the Emergency Commission. A major topic was the provider inflation increase. The House version had 2% and 2%, while members debated alternatives and appeared to settle, at least for further work, on 2% in the first year and 1.5% in the second year, with staff asked to recalculate the fiscal impact. The committee also reviewed FMAP changes, noting a revised 2027 FMAP estimate and its effect on general fund and other funds, and discussed whether to adjust public health and other line items accordingly. Several members emphasized that many of these numbers are still tentative and will be refined before final action. The committee also touched on several policy items and capital-related provisions, including behavioral health services, Medicaid expansion, the moratorium on new ICF beds, and a proposed amendment for a medical homes/fourplex-related item that would show a $400,000 legislative investment with repayment from a developer. There was extended discussion of the All True hospital/facility proposal, with some members favoring leaving it in with a smaller initial commitment and others preferring to remove it and revisit later in conference committee. The meeting ended with staff asked to continue updating the bill language and members instructed to review remaining sections before the next meeting; no final votes were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've seen it, visited it.
• I will visit with him later. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Thank you. I will visit with him later.
• Something that came to my mind because Representative Garcia Hernandez and I visited a place.
• When our visit ended, all I wanted was to go home with her—somewhere I would never feel alone.
• During the visit, she shared that she had read my story.

Committee: House Intergovernmental Affairs

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I also appreciated the opportunity of visiting with you in person on campus last December.
• We also did a visit, thanks to Chair Garrett, to Hilo, and we had the opportunity to visit some of the
• To my knowledge, from that visit, it was like a one-of-a-kind, very unique program.
• We also did a visit, thanks to Chair Garrett, to Hilo, and we had the opportunity to visit some of the
• To my knowledge, from that visit, it was like a one-of-a-kind, very unique program.

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education met at the University of Hawaiʻi’s Bachman Hall and heard testimony on several UH-related bills. HB 542 would expand the Hawaiʻi Promise Program to provide unmet-need scholarships at four-year UH campuses. UH system officials, the UH Student Caucus, and a Honolulu Community College student testified in support, emphasizing college affordability, student retention, and workforce needs. Committee members asked about current program data, eligibility, transfer patterns, and cost; UH said it had data available, noted about 10% of current Hawaiʻi Promise students transfer to four-year campuses, and estimated the full expansion would cost about $12 million. UH also suggested a possible alternative of focusing on transfer opportunities from two-year to four-year campuses. The committee then heard HB 840, which concerns athletics appropriations for UH. UH Mānoa and UH Hilo supported the bill. UH officials said the funding would help cover recurring athletics operating costs, women’s sports travel and recruiting, Austin Awards, and a new nutrition fueling station, while Hilo said the money would help with travel, per diem, and conference-related costs. Members asked about the history of the athletics funding, the difference between Austin Awards and special talent waivers, NIL planning, and whether the appropriation should be restored to the base budget. UH explained that a $4 million athletics appropriation was originally made in 2018 or 2019, later removed from the base, and has been reappropriated annually since then. Finally, the committee heard HB 842, which would fund three additional permanent mental health practitioner positions at UH Mānoa’s Counseling and Student Development Center. UH supported the bill, and Academic Labor United and a high school student testified in favor, citing student stress, overwork, and the need for more counseling access. In questions, members discussed the current counselor-to-student ratio, recruitment challenges in a tight labor market, and strategies for hiring, including looking at candidates on soft-money grants who may be seeking stable employment. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And if you haven't visited, I'd love to host you and walk you through it personally.
• And if you haven't visited, I'd love to host you and walk you through it personally.
• And if you haven't visited, I'd love to host you and walk you through it personally.
• And if you haven't visited, I'd love to host you and walk you through it personally.
• We're always happy when you come visit.

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And depending on what happens during the first visit, there may be even more visits than that to a provider
• And we've done 100% of the visits in the last 12 months, or that's the target?
• I can follow up with that. ...of the visits in the last 12 months, or that's the target?
• I can follow up with you on the exact percentage, but there's a very clear science to when those visits
• You said that 10 of our existing circuits have our... visited one of the treatment courts, and it was

Committee: House Budget

Summary: The committee first heard the Office of the Governor’s FY 2027 budget request from Adam Gresham. He explained the office’s staffing and noted a $500,000 core reduction, along with a reallocation of three positions and about $168,000 from the governor’s office to the mansion operating fund to better reflect where those employees work. Members asked about the National Guard emergency line, which Gresham said had already spent about $63,457 in FY 2026 and could be used again for disaster activations, though he did not expect to use the full $4 million. He also said the agricultural resiliency transfer fund had not been used and had no current transfer plans. Several members commented on the size of the governor’s cut and whether the judiciary and other offices were also being asked to reduce budgets. No votes were taken. The committee then moved to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Childhood and early childhood-related budget items. DESE staff described funding for the Office of Childhood, MoQPK child care provider grants, LEA pre-K grants, early childhood special education, Parents as Teachers, First Steps, preschool coordination, after-school programs, and child care subsidy. Members asked extensively about the MoQPK grants, including why Head Start providers were eligible, how curriculum approval works, and what safeguards exist against fraud or improper payments. DESE said it conducts physical inspections, desk reviews, payment-system checks, and investigations as needed, and that it had not had findings in this area. Some members questioned whether DESE or DSS was the right home for early childhood programs, while others defended the partnership and the role of early educators in identifying child needs. A major portion of the discussion focused on early childhood special education and the child care subsidy program. DESE explained that First Steps serves children birth to age three, while early childhood special education covers ages three to five and is driven by IEP eligibility; members asked for more data on diagnoses, trends, and how many children come off IEPs. The committee also discussed the child care subsidy budget and the governor’s proposed shift to paying providers based on authorization and at the beginning of the month. DESE said the change is being piloted, that a wait list is expected to begin around March 1, and that a May rollout is being considered, but only if software testing and fiscal projections show the system is sustainable. Members expressed frustration that promised changes had been delayed and that providers had been told different timelines, while DESE said the delay was driven by software issues, fiscal caution, and the need to avoid repeating prior payment problems. The hearing ended with the committee in recess before later resuming discussion of the subsidy program; no final votes or actions were taken in the portion provided.