Video & Transcript Research : 'model subdivision rules'
Page 212 of 500
MD
Transcript Highlights:
- Alternatively, I have the right under Rule 53 to lay this bill over for 1 hour.
- And as there's no third reading calendar, I read the rule suggesting I have an absolute right to one
- And as there's no third reading calendar, I read the rule suggesting I have an absolute right to one
- And as there's no third reading calendar, I read the rule suggesting I have an absolute right to one
- Maryland, especially with a lot of the changes regarding the implementation of the head model.
Summary:
The Maryland Senate convened with 39 members present and a quorum. The session opened with an invocation by Bishop Antonio Palmer of Kingdom Celebration Center, whose remarks were journalized. The President and members also welcomed several guests to the chamber, including former Delegate Sean Terrence, students from Charles H. Flowers High School and Garrison Forest School, Dr. Lee Snyder as doctor of the day, and Dr. Barbara Ann Palmer in recognition of Women’s History Month. The President also noted that the next day would be pro forma and that some scheduled items would be moved to the following week.
The Senate considered Executive Nominations Report No. 6, covering gubernatorial nominees for boards and commissions including the State Board of Education, MEDCO, and the University System of Maryland Board of Regents. On motion of the committee chair, the report was special ordered to Tuesday, with members asked to review the list for recusals or related issues. The chamber then took up Senate Bill 890, which concerns an insurance premium receipts tax exemption for captive insurance procured by nonprofit hospitals and health care systems.
On SB 890, the Senate adopted the committee amendments and then adopted a floor amendment offered by the bill sponsor. The amendment was described as replacing the bill’s earlier approach with a two-year moratorium on collection of any related liabilities, followed by a Maryland Insurance Administration report back on ongoing investigations. One senator raised concern that the amendment’s language could require the state to refund taxes already paid by hospitals and others, potentially costing millions, and asked for more time to review it; the motion to special order the bill was defeated. After discussion, the amendment was adopted and the bill was ordered printed for third reading.
At the close of the floor session, committee and delegation announcements were made, including Finance, Triple E, Judicial Proceedings, Budget and Tax, Executive Nominations, and several county delegations. A senator from District 6 also spoke about the anniversary of the Key Bridge collapse and thanked colleagues for bipartisan work on related legislation and recovery efforts.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Courts, Corrections and Justice May 27th, 2025
Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- uh, there was a time when CYFD did hire licensed social workers and really was looked to, um, as a model
- So what that means is this unfunded rule coming from the New Mexico Supreme Court is going to result
- The rule has very few limited opportunities for extension of deadline.
- I know, um, New Mexico adopted years ago the Missouri, um, miracle model, but we haven't really fully
- Um, we'd like to, I think we'd like to lean more towards the Missouri model.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Transportation Infrastructure Revenue Subcommitee Jun 5th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- We can impact the cost of goods sold, the cost of construction, you know, by rules and regulations.
- So I'm wondering if you've done any cost analysis on the Environment Department's heat illness rule.
- Is that rule or regulation that says you must do the safest option without consideration of cost?
- Is that rule or is that statute? Uh, Mr.
- Um, but again, the rule of thumb would be if we have the money to make it as safe as possible, we'll
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- Rules Chair Passidomo, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. President.
- Senator from the 28th, yet again, Rules Chair Passidomo, you're recognized.
- Each agency will review 20% of all rules each year.
- Before I recognize the Rules Chair, are there any announcements?
- Rules Chair, Pasadema, you are recognized. Rules Chair Pasadema, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr.
Summary:
The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, presentation of the colors, and the national anthem. The chamber welcomed cabinet members, Supreme Court justices, former Senate presidents and colleagues, and other guests. Senators also observed moments of silence honoring former Senator Geraldine Thompson and former Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart, and the Senate dedicated its 2024-2026 handbook to Thompson in recognition of her work in education and civics.
The main action of the day was adoption of SCR 1294, which authorized the House and Senate to meet in joint session in the House chamber at 11 a.m. that day to receive a message from Governor Ron DeSantis. The resolution was adopted without objection, rules were waived, and it was immediately certified to the House. The Secretary was also directed to notify the House and Governor that the Senate was convened and ready to proceed with the 2025 regular session.
In a lengthy opening-day address, the President outlined the session’s priorities, emphasizing rural Florida, citrus and agriculture, government efficiency, IT and cybersecurity reform, administrative rule review, affordability, insurance and property tax relief, autism services, veterans’ support, mental health and child welfare legislation, Everglades restoration, public school administrative efficiency, and food insecurity. No substantive debate or roll-call votes were taken beyond the unanimous adoption of the concurrent resolution. The Senate then adjourned until March 12, 2025, or upon the call of the President.
MS
Mississippi 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations - Room 216, 28 January, 2026; 8:15 AM
Appropriations
Transcript Highlights:
- We're working on that model right now.
- Uh, so that is if that model is going to continue into '27 forward, we're going to need some plus-ups
- But it's just kind of been expedited now that the model of the $300,000 to implement a new HR system
- is going to continue if if that model is going to continue into<00:05:02.560>
27 <00:05:03.360 - And that's the model that we are proposing.
Summary:
The committee heard a budget presentation from the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA), including its consolidated tourism and agency request. MDA said it has had strong recent results, citing about $65 billion in capital investment since 2020, roughly 25,000 jobs, record tourism, clean audits, and oversubscribed incentive programs. For FY27, the agency requested $26.4 million in general funds, level special-fund operating support, restoration of eight pins reduced in the LBR process, and several general-fund increases for a career ladder, a new HR system, training, and operating costs. MDA also discussed a $1.25 million request for America 250 activities, including a Mississippi event and participation in the National Mall “Great America State Fair,” plus an energy accelerator program tied to the governor’s energy initiative and a broader three-tier energy preparedness strategy.
MDA also explained its incentive refill requests, saying it was not seeking additional funding for the ACE grant program this year and had shifted that support toward the governor’s port/rail/road investment fund and energy-ready sites. The agency highlighted a renewed request to restart funding for the small municipal and limited population counties grant program, which it said had previously helped smaller communities with water, sewer, downtown, and other projects. On tourism, MDA presented a breakout showing what the budget would look like if tourism were separated into its own department; officials said the current tourism budget within MDA is about $5.7 million in general funds and $7.9 million total, and estimated about $1.3 million in additional cost would be needed to stand up a separate tourism agency.
A significant portion of the discussion focused on criticism from Senator Wiggins that MDA has not delivered enough economic development for the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He argued that constituents believe MDA does little for the coast and objected to the agency’s role in the GCRF and coastal projects, saying the coast has not seen meaningful results in years. MDA officials responded that complaints about uneven distribution are common across the state, that MDA works with local economic development partners rather than dictating project locations, and that it has helped support major coastal projects such as Relativity Space, Lockheed Martin expansions, PCC Gulf Chem, BWC Terminals, and AWS. The exchange also touched on the Port of Pascagoula and local leadership disputes, with both sides disagreeing over whether the port and the coast have been adequately supported. No votes or formal actions were taken in the excerpt.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session May 23rd, 2025
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 45.
- I request unanimous consent to suspend Assembly Rule 118A, to allow Assembly Members Pellerin and Lee
- I move to suspend Assembly Rule 63 to allow all bills heard today, Friday, May 23, 2025, and reported
- order to the second reading file one legislative day prior to the day required under the Assembly rules
- The early college high school model allows students to earn both a high school diploma and college credit
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- This rule...
- Is that an internal rule? Is that the criminal code? Is that a federal rule? What is it?
- Is that an internal rule? Is that the criminal code? Is that a federal rule? What is it?
- Is that an internal rule? Is that the criminal code? Is that a federal rule? What is it?
- We're still under the current rules of engagement.
Bills:
SB1
Keywords:
campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards
Summary:
The committee heard a Legislative Budget Board presentation and then testimony from the Department of Public Safety on the Article 5 public safety budget. LBB said DPS’s 2026-27 recommendation totals $3.7 billion, down from the prior base, while FTEs rise by 856.7. Major items included increased funding for driver license services and customer support, new trooper funding and recruit schools, crime lab operations, border security, and reductions tied to one-time facility, vehicle, and aircraft spending. The committee also discussed new riders, including one to lapse unused trooper funds and require reporting after recruit schools.
Members focused heavily on driver license operations, questioning why prior staffing increases and a prior efficiency study had not solved long wait times, high call abandonment, and appointment delays. DPS and LBB said the agency receives about 22,000 calls per day, answers only about 9 percent, and is seeking more staff plus technology upgrades such as automation, kiosks, and better online processing. Senators also raised concerns about rural access, REAL ID document requirements, and whether the department should rethink its processes rather than simply add employees.
DPS leadership then described needs for the Williamson County training academy, additional troopers, Capitol and Alamo security, border operations, aircraft and vehicle replacement, and regional headquarters in El Paso and San Antonio. Members asked about Operation Lone Star costs, overtime, pursuit safety, border crime, oilfield theft, and sexual assault kit and toxicology backlogs. DPS said border deployments remain focused on criminal threats, that overtime is partly driven by deployments and staffing shortages, and that the sexual assault kit backlog is down to 118 cases with a goal of zero by April. The committee later recessed and began the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission budget presentation, where LBB outlined a $115.1 million recommendation and noted ongoing costs for the AIMS technology project.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Banking and Finance Committee Apr 20th, 2026
Banking and Finance
Transcript Highlights:
- AB 2123 builds on the proven model by creating a statewide medical debt relief program.
- AB 2123 builds on the proven model by creating a statewide medical debt relief program.
- CBA agrees with the author’s goal in seeking a statewide model of mortgage forbearance.
- I think that's not a good model. And so I know that's in this bill.
- This sort of turns that model on its head and makes it less effective.
MO
Transcript Highlights:
- No matter what we did with the fees, it's just tough to make the business model work.
- No matter what we did with the fees, it's just tough to make the business model work.
- I'm like, I just wonder, is it different because it's international, so the rules don't apply?
- We go through the rules, and the state ATC actually supervises that.
- There are people who are not following the rules.
Summary:
The committee first heard Senate Bill 1020, which would let the Department of Revenue contract for a Missouri license office without rebidding if no qualifying bids are received. Senator Sandy Crawford and Director of Revenue Trish Vincent said the change would help keep rural license offices open, reduce repeated bidding, and allow the department to work with local entities such as chambers, cities, counties, or other community organizations. Members asked about the current bidding process, why small offices struggle financially, and whether more services could move online. No opposition testified, and the hearing on SB 1020 was closed after no further questions.
The committee then took up House Bill 3093, which would extend Missouri’s direct-to-consumer shipping rules from wineries to local distillers and breweries. Rep. Nick Kimball and supporters argued the bill is about fairness and parity for Missouri craft producers, saying the same age-verification, labeling, and shipping restrictions already used for wine would apply, with no change to tax collection or the three-tier system. Supporters, including craft distillers and brewers, said the current law excludes Missouri businesses from a market already available to wineries and that direct shipping would help small producers reach customers and keep revenue in-state. They also said existing systems require adult signatures and ID checks, and some suggested the bill could be paired with a shipping license fee or other safeguards.
Opponents, including the Wine and Spirit Wholesalers of America, Missouri grocers, beer wholesalers, convenience stores, and Anheuser-Busch, warned that expanding direct shipping would weaken the three-tier system, increase competition from large out-of-state shippers, and create enforcement and underage-access concerns. They argued the current wine-shipping system already shows compliance problems and that allowing beer and spirits direct shipping could open Missouri consumers to broader interstate competition. Several members questioned whether the bill should instead focus on allowing Missouri producers to ship out of state or on strengthening existing controls. The committee heard extensive testimony from both sides, but no vote was taken in the transcript.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- But this is allowing more time than that initial rule.
- Yeah, it's put in place by rule for the agency. And this...
- Yeah, it's put in place by rule for the agency.
- It may be looked at by aquatic scientists, water quality modelers, permit reviewers, etc.
- Not my rules. All right. Members, are there any other questions? Okay.
Summary:
The committee first heard House Bill 1904, which would classify intentionally released helium balloons as litter and create criminal penalties for balloon releases. The author and supportive witnesses argued that balloon releases harm wildlife, livestock, waterways, and infrastructure, and that the bill would close a loophole in current litter law. Several members questioned whether criminal penalties were appropriate, and the author said he was willing to work toward civil penalties and fines instead. No vote was taken, and HB 1904 was left pending.
The committee then took up several pending bills and reported them favorably to the full House, including HB 3249, HB 3866, HB 4112, HB 1768, HB 1499, HB 573, and HB 464. These measures dealt with topics such as TCEQ contested-case procedures, outdoor storage containers, high-level radioactive waste, concrete plant permitting and grants, unannounced concrete batch plant inspections, and a scrap tire grant program. Most were adopted with substitutes and passed on recorded votes, generally with unanimous or near-unanimous support.
A major portion of the meeting focused on HB 3997, which would create expedited permitting timelines for LNG facilities and related wastewater permits. Industry witnesses said the bill would provide certainty for multibillion-dollar projects without eliminating public participation, while environmental groups opposed parts of the bill that they said could limit contested-case participation and be unrealistic for SOAH timelines. TCEQ staff described the current wastewater permitting process and said some of the bill’s timing provisions could be workable, especially with an expedited fee. The bill was left pending after the author said he would continue working on committee substitute language.
The committee also heard HB 1237 on extending the renewal window for expired TCEQ occupational water licenses, and HB 4519, a TERP consolidation bill that would combine several clean transportation grant programs into fewer programs. HB 1237 was left pending without testimony, while HB 4519 drew broad support from environmental and industry witnesses who favored simplifying the program, though some asked for stronger emphasis on particulate matter and hydrogen funding. The committee withdrew the substitute on HB 4519 and left it pending. Finally, HB 5033, which would eliminate the motor vehicle emissions inspection and maintenance program if federal authority changes, drew opposition from environmental and inspection-industry witnesses who warned it would weaken air-quality protections and could remove an important enforcement tool. The author said the bill was intended as a trigger mechanism and would be refined, and HB 5033 was left pending. The committee also heard HB 1227 on municipal solid-waste franchise fees and private-provider access; the author said he would bring a substitute after hearing concerns from cities, and the bill was left pending.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Judiciary Committee Jun 9th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- It has taken a few years for, again, this model legislation.
- You might end up with inconsistent rulings, too.
- You might end up with inconsistent rulings, too.
- The federal rulings on the Bane Act further exacerbate that.
- It's important to understand that that ruling has no impact on this bill.
Summary:
The committee heard several bills focused on domestic violence protections, pay equity enforcement, Jewish demographic data collection, court transparency, auto glass insurance practices, pet policy disclosure for renters, and civil rights accountability for federal officers. SB 99 would require courts and law enforcement to better recognize military protective orders in domestic violence cases; supporters from the Department of Defense and military organizations said it would close jurisdictional gaps for military families, and the bill passed to Public Safety. SB 1237 would increase penalties for repeat noncompliance with California pay data reporting laws; supporters said stronger enforcement is needed to address persistent wage gaps, and the bill passed to Appropriations. SB 1387 would allow Jewish identity to be reported as an ethnic category in state demographic data; supporters said better data would improve policy and anti-discrimination efforts, while opponents argued the bill was unnecessary or divisive, and it passed to Privacy. SB 932 would require assignees filing civil actions to identify the original party in the case caption; supporters framed it as a transparency measure, and it passed to Judiciary/Appropriations on call.
The committee also took up SB 98, which would regulate auto glass insurance claims by restricting assignment of benefits, requiring clearer estimates and invoices, and limiting inducements to consumers. The sponsor and NICB said the bill would curb fraud and unsafe repairs, while independent glass shops and industry groups argued it could reduce consumer choice and favor insurer-aligned networks; the bill passed to Appropriations. SB 1296 would require landlords to disclose pet policies before collecting application fees and provide refunds if nondisclosure materially affected an applicant’s decision; supporters said it would save renters time and money, while rental housing representatives objected to a provision limiting eviction based solely on failure to sign a pet addendum. The bill passed to Appropriations.
Finally, SB 747, the No Kings Act, would create a California cause of action allowing people to sue federal officers for constitutional violations using standards similar to Section 1983. Senator Wiener and a witness who said he was unlawfully detained by Border Patrol argued the bill is needed because federal officers currently lack comparable accountability after the Supreme Court narrowed Bivens remedies. Law enforcement groups opposed the bill, warning that the qualified immunity language is unclear, could create a separate California standard, and might expose officers and governments to retroactive litigation; members discussed possible amendments on qualified immunity and retroactivity, and the bill was moved forward with an urgency amendment while negotiations continued.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- It's laid out in Florida statutes and our State Board of Education rule.
- a... ...occupational demand and unmet need that has to be a part of the application by law and by rule
- commerce on occupational demand and unmet need that has to be a part of the application by law and by rule
- So we have a performance-based funding model, and we have several metrics that are tied to postgraduate
- And one innovative and one unique and nationally recognized model at FGCU is our microcredentials and
Summary:
The Committee on Education Postsecondary held an informational hearing focused on how Florida’s public colleges and universities are aligning bachelor’s degree programs with workforce needs and improving student outcomes. Chancellor Kathy Hebda described Florida College System enrollment growth, the state college system’s workforce-oriented bachelor’s degrees, approval and accountability processes for those programs, and outcomes data showing strong completion and wage results, especially in health care. Emily Sykes of the Board of Governors outlined the State University System’s program review practices, performance-based funding metrics, strategic emphasis programs, and the MyFloridaFuture tool that lets students compare earnings, debt, and employment outcomes by major and institution.
University and college leaders then described campus-level workforce initiatives. Florida Gulf Coast University highlighted employer-driven microcredentials, digital badges, internships, career fairs, service learning, and partnerships with regional employers. UCF discussed its career navigator requirements, major industry partnerships such as Lockheed Martin, nursing and faculty career-integration efforts, and a centralized career development center. Northwest Florida State College and the University of West Florida emphasized their bachelor’s programs, transfer pathways, teacher and nursing outcomes, military and defense-related workforce pipelines, cybersecurity training, and stackable credentials tied to regional labor needs.
During member questions, senators asked how microcredentials and military experience translate into college credit, whether credentials transfer across institutions, and what legislators can do to help. Witnesses said the state’s common course and articulation systems already support transfer, and they encouraged continued legislative support for innovation, faster curriculum alignment, internships, and specialized transfer degrees. No bills were voted on, and the meeting ended with no public comment and an adjournment motion adopted.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
- grandparent visitation statute ruling grandparent visitation statute ruling that<00:03:35.280>
- We can't put a hard and fast rule on that. Yeah, okay.
- We can't put a hard and fast rule on that. Yeah, okay.
- We can't put a hard and fast rule on that. Yeah, okay.
- have adopted this model legislation or some<00:42:36.240>
variation?
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs (01/28/2026)
Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- Use it as model legislation.
- You've done it in animal models.
- <01:34:56.880>
Animal <01:34:57.120>models <01:34:57.360>are in animal models - Animal models are in animal models.
- , went through the standard FDA model, went through the standard FDA model, they<02:10:08.159>
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- what we're doing is moving to a model what we're doing is moving to a model that<00:34:17.040>
- And it's really modeled child credit.
- And here are some business model.
- So, uh, you must have rules. There are rules. That's right.
- >> must have rules. >> must have rules.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- Services provide trainings to model Services provide trainings to professional<00:14:40.680>
and< - The new regulation called the HCBS access rule is very data intensive.
- regulation called the HCBS access rule regulation called the HCBS access rule um<00:31:53.039>
- And then the HCBS settings rule that I mentioned—the life course is our model for planning that involves
- <00:43:26.720>
that course is our model for planning that course is our model for planning
Summary:
The Committee on Health and Human Services held an informational briefing on the Developmental Disabilities Council and related agencies. The Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities outlined its 2025 legislative priorities, including a pilot project for guardian ad litem and capacity evaluations in guardianship/conservatorship cases, a supported decision-making bill, a health disparities study for people with disabilities, an ABLE savings outreach/staffing measure, a Medicaid buy-in proposal, an adult changing tables equity bill, and a resolution on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Council representatives emphasized that supported decision-making would complement tools like powers of attorney and medical releases, and that the health disparities study would help identify unmet needs by ZIP code and improve state data on the intellectual and developmental disability population.
The Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawaii described its role as the research and training arm within the DD system, working with the DD Council and the Hawaii Disability Rights Center. It reported activities such as interdisciplinary training, community education, technical assistance, research collaborations, the Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, publications, telehealth, ECHO Autism, and counseling for Maui fire survivors. The center said it leveraged about $16 million in outside funding last year and highlighted goals focused on workforce development, community capacity, research with direct participation from people with disabilities, and accessible dissemination of information.
The Hawaii Disability Rights Center, the state’s protection and advocacy agency, supported the Council’s priorities, especially supported decision-making, which it said could help some people avoid guardianship while preserving liberty and reducing state resource use. The center also raised concerns about the DD system budget and urged legislators to review whether the Developmental Disabilities Division is requesting enough funding, noting possible backsliding in services and eligibility. The Developmental Disabilities Division of the Department of Health then outlined its statewide waiver program serving just over 3,500 people, its service array, and its budget request for increased waiver funding, a federal initiatives coordinator, and IT upgrades to comply with the new HCBS access rule; no votes or formal actions were taken during the briefing.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Health Committee Jul 8th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Rules of conduct for members of the public include no engaging in conduct that disrupts, disturbs, or
- Please be aware that violations of these rules may subject you to removal or other enforcement processes
- What we have proposed is called the National Model Food Code.
- This model food code is what's used. Menu mandate in every circumstance.
- And again, it's a national model. That's what we're asking for.
Summary:
The committee heard several health-related measures. SB 27 by Senator Umberg would revise and expand California’s CARE Court by limiting the expansion to people with bipolar I disorder with psychotic features, clarifying the definition of “clinically stabilized,” and narrowing the role of nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Supporters, including behavioral health officials and family members, said the bill would reduce dismissals and better serve people with severe illness; opponents warned the expansion would strain county staffing and housing resources and could undermine voluntary engagement. The bill passed on a do pass motion to the Committee on Public Safety.
SB 503 by Senator Weber Pierson would require AI tools used in health care facilities to be identified, monitored, and mitigated for bias when used in clinical decision-making or resource allocation. The author and supporters from Kaiser Permanente and the California Medical Association said the bill would help prevent discriminatory outcomes and improve trust and safety. The committee discussed the need to clarify developer and deployer responsibilities, and the bill passed as amended to Privacy and Consumer Protection.
SB 68 by Senator Menjivar would require restaurants to provide written allergen information for the top nine food allergens, with tiered flexibility for smaller establishments. The bill was supported by patients, families, nurses, and allergy organizations, who described severe reactions and the difficulty of relying on verbal disclosures alone. The California Restaurant Association opposed unless amended, seeking broader use of the national model food code and additional liability language. The bill passed as amended to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 403 by Senator Blakespear, which would remove the sunset from the End of Life Option Act; supporters described the law as a compassionate, well-functioning option for terminally ill patients, while faith-based groups opposed it. The bill passed to Judiciary. Later, SB 41 by Senator Wiener was introduced to rein in pharmacy benefit manager practices that steer patients to mail-order pharmacies and reimburse community pharmacies below cost; community pharmacists and several health organizations testified in support, describing pharmacy closures and patient access problems.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- Please support both home-rule petitions. Thank you. Please support both home-rule petitions.
- I am here to speak in support of Arlington's home rule petition, 45711, the first home rule petition
- the Oronco rotisserie model, which is to set it and forget it.
- This is the simplest of a model, and it works quite effectively.
- This is, uh, this is the simplest of a model and it works quite effectively.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held a hybrid hearing on a large slate of bills focused on pesticides, pollinators, rodenticides, mosquito control, invasive species, and local authority over pesticide regulation. Chair Becca Rausch set strict two-minute testimony limits due to the very large number of speakers. Early testimony from Senator Moore and Representative Hawkins strongly supported a bill to restrict second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides, citing harms to wildlife, pets, and public health, and noting that California has already adopted a similar model. Testimony also supported a Lowell home rule petition to allow the city to prohibit or restrict these rodenticides, with local officials describing documented raptor poisonings and municipal efforts to phase out use on city property.
A major portion of the hearing focused on pollinator protection and neonicotinoid-treated seeds. Witnesses from environmental groups, conservation organizations, academics, and beekeepers argued that neonics harm bees and other beneficial insects, contaminate soil and water, and provide little or no economic benefit in most corn and soybean fields. Several speakers pointed to New York, Vermont, and Quebec as models for restricting treated seeds, and one panel cited research showing only a small percentage of fields benefit economically from the treatments. Support was also voiced for a bill establishing an ecologically based mosquito management program, with advocates criticizing aerial and truck spraying and urging non-chemical, locally tailored approaches.
Other testimony supported bills to reform the pesticide board and pesticide regulation process, to give vulnerable municipalities more local control over pesticide use, to protect schoolchildren from pesticides on school grounds, and to respond to invasive species through a centralized state office, coordinator, strategic plan, and trust fund. Many speakers, including representatives from Mass Audubon, MSPCA, the Xerces Society, the Sierra Club, watershed groups, and local wildlife rehabilitators, described impacts on hawks, owls, pets, fish, and broader ecosystems. No votes were taken during the hearing, and committee members generally asked few questions, with the hearing remaining in testimony mode throughout.
VT
Transcript Highlights:
- Can you please offer us a motion to suspend rules to take up Senate Bill 190 off the notice calendar
- And you have suspended rules to take it.
- reference-based pricing rule reference-based pricing rule establishing<00:14:40.000>
methodology - That is a long, well-established process in rule. I thank you, member.
- And you have suspended rules to take up House Bill 660 for immediate consideration.
Summary:
The House took up S. 190, a health care cost-containment bill relating to the Green Mountain Care Board, reference-based pricing, and a study of a public employee health benefit authority. The House first suspended rules to take the bill from the notice calendar, then heard committee reports from Health Care, Ways and Means, and Appropriations. The Health Care committee chair described the bill as a strike-all amendment intended to carry out Act 68’s hospital reference-based pricing timeline, saying it would let the Green Mountain Care Board begin implementation for fiscal year 2027, expand reference-based pricing to qualified health plans and the Vermont Education Health Insurance program, and address hospital pricing transparency, outsourcing, and critical access hospital Medicare outpatient cost-sharing issues.
Supporters argued the bill would lower insurance costs, help reduce property taxes, and improve hospital sustainability by reducing the need for hospitals to limit access as they approach revenue caps. The Ways and Means committee said the bill could reduce education spending by lowering health care costs for school employees and reported the bill favorably on a 7-4 vote. The Appropriations committee said it reviewed the bill and an amendment, and noted that much of the detailed language would be changed by the appropriations amendment; it also discussed a possible state innovation waiver under the Affordable Care Act. The Health Care committee reported its strike-all amendment favorably on a 10-0 vote.
The bill’s provisions were described in detail, including requiring hospitals and insurers to express rates as a percentage of Medicare, setting a path toward national median hospital prices by 2030, limiting certain reimbursements for QHP and VHI plans, requiring a report on hospital outsourcing and provider tax impacts, and creating a public health system performance tool if funding is available. The speaker also noted that the bill would not affect critical access hospitals or Vermont’s Medicare-dependent hospital in the reimbursement cap provisions, and that critical access hospitals were already working with the Green Mountain Care Board on solutions to Medicare outpatient cost-sharing concerns.
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- That we could do by rule if we don't want to do it.
- Not, you punched somebody or you broke a rule, a school rule.
- Rule 74 is a rule of civil procedure, which applies to appeals of administrative agencies.
- You will actually not find Rule 74 in this bill. Rule 74 is the administrative process.
- And these standards of review are spelled out in Rule 74, which is a very long and detailed rule that
Keywords:
constitutional amendment, legislative sessions, veto override, New Mexico legislature, session length, legislative session, even-numbered years, New Mexico Constitution, student behavior, physical restraint, seclusion, public schools, training, de-escalation, student safety, behavior interventions, criminal offenses, peace officer, Victims of Crime Act, law enforcement