Transcript Highlights:

• Holcomb: I LOVE THIS PROGRAM.
• YOUR PROGRAM, WHEN THE CHILDREN GET INTO THE PROGRAM IN A NEW SCHOOL, COMMUNITY, OR STATE YOUR PROGRAM
• WE ALSO OF THE JOBS ARE IN THE GRANT PROGRAM.
• WE ALSO HAVE THAT GRANT AND THEN WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH VETERANS FLORIDA ON THE RIDGE PROGRAMS.
• AS PART OF THE SKILL PROGRAM.

Transcript Highlights:

• > to program to program uh<00:31:58.720><c> it's</c><00:31:58.840><c> a</c><00:31:59.039><c> program<
• Taxpayers, our constituents, want to have confidence that we're making investments in grant programs
• Taxpayers, our constituents, want to have confidence that we're making investments in grant programs
• </c> in Grant in Grant programs<00:41:10.839><c> and</c><00:41:11.839><c> projects</c><00:41:12.480><
• And so if this is going to the board of directors of Minnesota Humanities Center as a grant program,

Bills: HF1679, HF1019, HF2321, HF1740, HF2278

Keywords: public television, funding, grants, arts and culture, Minnesota, Minnesota Public Radio, arts education, cultural heritage, community engagement, public radio, community radio, educational grants, community cable, public access, programming funding, civic engagement, ethnic media, public access television, Minnesota Humanities Center, funding appropriation

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> with our programs. with our programs.
• </c> quite a good program. quite a good program.
• .<00:30:49.040><c> Um</c> grants.
• Um grants.
• </c> they have great programs right now. they have great programs right now.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so as Dennis teed up, the CBED program is a program of loans, grants, and technical assistance that's
• So our High-Step program is made possible through a grant that we received from the Small Business Administration
• We've been successful in receiving a grant for the state over the last 13 years. development program
• If our goal for this agency is to keep an eye on what federal grants and federal programs are available
• </c> the program. the program.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 9 is a grant program.
• Section 9 is a grant program.
• I was wondering if you could give us some insight as to how the grants would work for this program.
• Setting aside the provisions of the bill that relate to the grant program, so talking about the other
• SB 156 would establish a grant program for the Attorney General to hand out money in the form of, quote

Bills: SB156

Keywords: gun violence, firearm safety, special counsel, data collection, community initiatives, grants, Attorney General, public safety, suicide prevention, 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So in the grant request, when we scored the grants, the town committed and attested in their application
• Three point eight million of that is a grant.
• And so we've tried to be a little bit flexible, but primarily this water sector program is a program
• grant.
• It's a phase one grant.

Summary: The Water Sector Commission met with a quorum and first approved the minutes from the prior meeting. Chairmen reminded members that no funding had yet been appropriated for future Water Sector awards, so any discussion of upcoming projects remained speculative until the legislature acts. The committee then moved through a series of deadline extension requests for phase two state-funded projects, including Delcambre, Faraday, Meyer Branch Water Corporation, and Waterworks District No. 1 of Pointe Coupee Parish. Each extension was approved after brief discussion, including testimony explaining local match timing, consolidation agreements, and project delays. The committee next considered several phase one ARPA-funded requests. St. Tammany Parish Project 845 received approval for a scope change to relocate an unmarked fiber optic line discovered during construction. Tallulah’s mayor gave an extended update on the city’s water rehabilitation project, explaining that the original project had been bid twice, that the state had already completed some emergency work, and that the city wanted to isolate the purchase of four permanent media filters and related electrical work from the original rehab plan. Members questioned whether the request was a scope change or a partial implementation of the original project, but ultimately approved it. The committee also approved additional funding for the City of Kaplan’s sewer project and for Ponchatoula’s sewer project, with Ponchatoula explaining that the increase covered emergency levee repair, miscellaneous equipment and safety items, and a force main reroute around unmarked fiber and other obstacles. St. Martin Parish Water Project 1001 was approved for additional funding after engineers explained that the final well site and related work cost more than originally estimated, though the project remained within the original consolidation plan. West Allen Water Works also received approval for additional funding after its new groundwater well encountered unexpected geologic problems; the contractor and engineers agreed to reduce their fees to preserve the project’s match structure, and members asked that the in-kind match be clearly documented for JLCB. By contrast, Tensaw Water Distribution Association’s large request for additional funding to complete a consolidation with Newelton drew significant concern over cost growth and timing. After discussion of the project’s scope, the need to serve Newelton, and the possibility of future reapplication or further value engineering, the committee voted to defer the Tensaw item to the next meeting for more review. At the end of the meeting, staff reported that 42.11% of ARPA funds remained and reviewed a list of high-risk projects, noting that the committee was trying to ensure ARPA dollars are drawn first and reconciled properly before deadlines. Members discussed the need to ground-truth self-reported project status and potentially adjust procedures to better track construction progress and final draws. The meeting concluded with no subfund or termination items and adjourned after a motion by Senator Bass.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> skills-based certificate programs, skills-based certificate programs, publicly<00:04:08.000><c>
• ,</c><00:04:27.919><c> or</c> events, public programming, or events, public programming, or educational
• Senate File 2581 is a grant, or actually an appropriation, for the purpose of taxpayer assistance programs
• </c> credit out outreach um grants as well. credit out outreach um grants as well.
• These grants have our rural areas.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There are four separate grant programs established under the bill to support rural hospitals: a financial
• grant for hospitals facing sudden threats like disasters or payroll shortages, an innovation grant for
• Not sure they would be there without that program, and HB 18 extends that.
• We've had these grants, the $50 million, and the $50 million...
• But mostly the $50 million is a one-time grant.

Bills: HB18, HB37, HB 116, HB388, HB879, HB913, HB 1151, HB2216, HB2358, HB2809, SB577, SB1590, SB1782, SB1887, SB2744

Keywords: rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability, perinatal bereavement, healthcare, hospital training, bereavement support, maternal care, fetal demise, stillbirth, neonatal death, parent-child relationship, involuntary termination, family law, child welfare, child protection, HB 388, HB388

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services met with a quorum and took up several House and Senate bills, with public testimony limited to two minutes per witness. The committee first heard HB 2358, a cleanup bill requested by HHSC that would repeal outdated training and conference requirements for long-term care facility surveyors and certain providers; there were no witnesses, and the bill was left pending. The committee then heard HB 18, the rural hospital stabilization bill, which would create financial assessment tools, a rural hospital finance office at HHSC, an academy for rural hospital officers, multiple grant programs, enhanced Medicaid reimbursement tied to average cost, OB/GYN add-on payments, expanded pediatric telehealth connectivity, and a rural pediatric mental health program. Senator Perry and witnesses from TORCH, a rural hospital, AARP Texas, and ARCHI strongly supported the bill as a way to stabilize rural hospitals, improve OB access, and address workforce and financial pressures. Committee members discussed rural hospital closures, low-volume quality metrics, system affiliation, and the need for predictable monthly reimbursement; the bill was left pending after testimony and questions. The committee next heard HB 37, which would create a perinatal bereavement care initiative for families experiencing stillbirth, neonatal death, or intrauterine fetal demise, including counseling, staff training, and access to cooling devices, with possible grants and a recognition program for hospitals. Senator Huffman explained the bill, and several witnesses testified in support, sharing personal stories about infant loss and the importance of time with the baby, trained staff, and cuddle cots or similar devices. A neonatologist also supported the bill while suggesting clarification that hospitals should not be penalized if state funding is unavailable and recommending use of regional advisory councils to help implement training. Public testimony was then closed and the bill left pending. The committee also heard HB 879, which would create a streamlined licensing pathway for veterans with medical or nursing experience to practice in Texas, and HB 913, which would add new state hospitals to statute and split the North Texas State Hospital into two separate hospitals with their own superintendents; both bills had no opposition testimony and were left pending. Later, the committee heard SB 2744, a heart disease screening bill that would update the 2009 Texas Heart Attack Prevention Act to require insurance coverage for coronary CT angiography with plaque analysis, including soft plaque detection, as a preventive screening tool. The author and invited witnesses argued the technology is more effective than calcium scoring alone, can identify patients before symptoms appear, and could save lives at a cost comparable to or lower than colonoscopy. An insurance industry witness opposed the bill, arguing the technology has not been recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for universal screening and that the mandated coverage and payment level would raise costs; the bill was left pending after testimony. Finally, the committee heard HB 1151, a parental rights bill clarifying that refusing psychotropic medication or psychiatric treatment is not neglect unless the child is harmed. Supporters, including parent advocates and attorneys, said the bill would protect parents from CPS overreach and preserve medical decision-making authority, while one witness urged broader attention to physical causes of behavioral issues. Public testimony was closed and HB 1151 was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are you aware of any 501(c)(4)s that have been getting state grants and thus this would apply to them
• Grants but also deductions credits any Grants but also deductions credits any expenditure<00:11:45.560
• </c> of any any state Appropriations grants of any any state Appropriations grants Etc<00:31:25.679><
• The PCR Modernization Act updates the program, as its name suggests.
• The PCR Modernization Act updates the program, as its name suggests.

Bills: HF72, HF66, HF69, HF73

Keywords: campaign finance, state funding, political activity, nonprofits, government transparency, HF66, Minnesota second-degree murder, unintentional murder, protective order, order for protection, harassment restraining order, domestic violence, victim protection, cross-jurisdictional orders, out-of-state restraining order, tribal court order, Canadian protective order, public safety, criminal law, homicide

Transcript Highlights:

• Oh, yeah, the grant program. One of the other things that it commissioned was a grant program.
• There was one set of grants to go to local governments...
• systems, and we provided a range of grants to local governments to do that.
• And we have a request into the Governor's Office for restarting that grant program.
• So it sounds like you’ve got this software, you’ve got these programs.

Summary: The Local Government Committee met in work session and heard a series of presentations on SEPA, permitting reforms, and building code implementation. Department of Ecology staff gave an overview of the State Environmental Policy Act, explaining its role in state and local decision-making, common exemptions, planned actions, and recent housing-related statutory changes such as transit-oriented development exemptions and SEPA appeals protections for certain local ordinances. Committee members asked about repeated SEPA reviews, cultural and historic resource review, and how SEPA relates to NEPA; Ecology responded that repeated reviews usually occur when proposals change and that programmatic EISs can help front-load analysis. Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections described how recent SEPA exemptions reduced residential review volume and supported more housing permits, and said the city is considering raising thresholds further. The State Building Code Council provided an update on code adoption timelines and legislative tasks tied to the 2024 codes, including single-stair housing, multiplex housing, dwelling unit size, and temporary emergency shelter standards. Council staff said the content of the codes is largely set, but administrative timelines have been delayed, prompting a motion to postpone final adoption while pursuing ways to preserve the planned implementation schedule. Members asked about the timing of code changes and the impact on housing costs, and staff said the legislative topics remain on track for inclusion in the 2024 code package. Committee staff then reviewed recent permitting legislation, including SB 5290’s permit decision deadlines and fee-refund provisions, later bills limiting pre-application meetings and clarifying that building permits are excluded from those timelines, and project-specific changes affecting middle housing, ADUs, lot splits, passive house projects, self-certification, transit-oriented development, and parking requirements. Commerce’s Dave Anderson reported on SB 5290 implementation, including guidance on permit fees, studies on staffing and statewide permitting systems, grants to local governments, and the first annual performance report, which showed mixed results and highlighted the importance of digital tools, clear checklists, staff training, and coordination across departments. Local officials from Issaquah and Kitsap County described their own process improvements, including code updates, optional pre-application meetings, new staffing, reporting systems, and a phased “Two by Six” review model in Kitsap, while also noting challenges from staffing shortages, agency coordination, and the burden of implementing multiple new mandates.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, if they're not compliant with the program, it will proceed in a disciplinary hearing. program with
• And so we program every single day.
• and</c> programs such as afterchool programs and programs such as afterchool programs and activities<
• </c> certificate program. certificate program.
• </c> of that's a requirement of the program. of that's a requirement of the program.

Keywords: Public Health and Welfare - Room 216, 21 January, 2026; 3:30 PM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Third, our Transformative Grant Program helped organizations that demonstrated capacity for large-scale
• Disability Advocacy Program.
• reductions for that program.
• For HSP, the one... ...severe program reductions for that program.
• Program.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A summary of TEA's federally funded program. Programs can be found on page 29.
• This is the Strong Foundation's grant. program, and we have some estimates for you in the appendix.
• One would be the ESA program. What costs are associated with setting up an ESA program?
• We experienced increased health care costs in both of our programs. programs.
• about well was the virtual program as good as the in-person program that we operate so the Person program

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> and interested in in the Page program and interested in in the Page program for<00:08:26.720><c>
• </c><00:28:50.000><c> to</c> a peer-to-p peer car sharing program to a peer-to-p peer car sharing program
• </c> has some of his first year program has some of his first year program evaluators<00:30:51.600><c
• ><c> program</c><00:59:04.240><c> for</c> appropriations for the program for appropriations for the program
• The program starts at 8:00.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation, journalized the prayer, and recognized Read Across America Day with a special resolution congratulating the Maryland State Education Association on the program’s 28th anniversary. Senators also welcomed several guests and student groups, including Eleanor Roosevelt High School students, Maryland Federation of Republican Women members for Red Scarf Day, medical shadows from Johns Hopkins, a student page prospect, and a group from Matthew Henson Elementary School. The chamber then took up multiple Finance Committee consent calendars and individual local alcohol-related bills, all of which were reported favorably, adopted without objection, and ordered printed for third reading. Measures included changes to alcohol license fee refunds for uniformed service members, Anne Arundel County license classifications and compensation for liquor board officials, a Baltimore City racetrack license extension, a Cecil County license quota change, and new or expanded licenses for golf courses, sports venues, and barber shop/beauty salon establishments. The Senate also advanced bills on social work licensing, a rural readiness economic development program, a Maryland-Ireland Trade Commission extension, peer-to-peer car sharing insurance rules, telematics-based auto insurance disclosures and appeals, and veteran status notation on public profiles. Several bills were amended before being advanced, generally with technical or clarifying changes and no recorded opposition. Senate Bill 18 would create a provisional social work license; Senate Bill 351 would regulate insurer use of vehicle telematics data; Senate Bill 395 would revise insurance and liability rules for peer-to-peer car sharing; and Senate Bill 197 would alter comprehensive plan elements in land use law. Senate Bill 439, protecting fire and rescue public safety employees from adverse action based on medical cannabis certification, also moved forward without amendment. One measure, Senate Bill 69, which would make permanent the nonprofit navigator position in the Department of Commerce, was discussed at length after a member raised concerns about oversight of nonprofit grant funding. On request, the bill was special ordered to the next day for further consideration. All other bills discussed in the transcript were advanced to third reading by unanimous or near-unanimous voice action, with no recorded roll-call votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to start by just talking a little bit about our victims' grants programs as a whole, and then
• programs and approximately 800 grant subawardees, assuring the delivery of essential trauma-informed
• The most recent grant cycle for this program demonstrates how essential this infrastructure has become
• assistance for survivors grant program.
• assistance for survivors grant program.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Program.
• are eligible for Pell Grants to include short-term workforce training programs lasting between eight
• To be eligible for workforce Pell Grant funds, H.R. 1 requires short-term programs to offer participant
• Expanding Pell Grants to these programs has real potential to meet workforce needs by training working
• Anything above that, any degree or any program above that, would not be eligible for the program.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:04:21.600><c> state</c> receive, and use federal grants, state receive, and use federal grants
• Study, evaluate, and grants, or both.
• Develop a CMRS implementation grant program to provide the state NG 911 fund and ECDs competitive grants
• You're going to have to come back to the legislature with a plan for us to adopt some type of grant program
• Some type of grant program for the use of those NG 911 funds based on many factors, but efficiencies

Keywords: Technology - Room 216, 18 March, 2026; 2:00 PM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The elderly parole program safely reduced... ...to SB 356.
• of any release program nationwide.
• likely to grant elder parole.
• This program is called the elderly parole program because that's what the science says these people are
• He was granted diversion.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These are the local program and the school bond guarantee program.
• You've all worked really hard to build grant programs, so cash programs for them, but they go for roof
• Traditional bonding and grant programs alone cannot meet today's infrastructure needs.
• We operate two revolving loan programs, the Public Works Assistance Fund, based on the state program,
• Traditional bonding and grant programs alone cannot meet today's infrastructure needs.

Bills: SB5754

Keywords: public bank, state bank, finance, banking regulations, economic development, state investment, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to include federal Pell Grants and the Washington College Grant to expand post-secondary opportunities
• That will be conducted for each program during the second year of a program.
• program.
• And I think the Acadia program in Spokane at one of the reentry centers is a really cool program.
• And I think the Acadia program in Spokane at one of the reentry centers is a really cool program.

Summary: The committee began with a Department of Corrections update focused on agency culture, staff safety, reentry, and health services. Secretary Tim Lang highlighted DOC’s “Washington Way” approach, expanded visitation reforms, safety summits, community-corrections sanction changes, education and transportation improvements, partial confinement expansion, and efforts to increase volunteer and peer-led programming. Assistant Secretaries Danielle Armbruster and David Flynn described progress on Pell Grant implementation, reentry transportation, partial confinement, behavioral health standards, HIPAA compliance, the 1115 Medicaid waiver, telehealth expansion, and budget requests for opioid use disorder treatment, close-custody capacity, and staffing relief. Members asked about veterans’ units, telehealth for substance use treatment, women’s placement on the east side, correctional industries, and firefighting training. The new Office of Correction Ombuds director, Jeremiah Bourgeois, then outlined the office’s mission and limited resources, saying he would focus on the most serious complaints and continue building accountability with DOC. He described recent OCO reports, including findings of excessive force at the women’s prison, and said DOC had agreed to implement all recommendations. He also noted a new process for referring possible criminal misconduct to DOC leadership and law enforcement. Committee members praised the DOC-OCO partnership and Bourgeois’s appointment. The committee then heard Senate Bill 5895, which would add a new basis for extraordinary medical placement when DOC cannot meet an incarcerated person’s basic medical care needs. Senator Saldana said the bill is intended to provide a compassionate, workable path for people with serious or end-of-life medical needs while maintaining public safety. Testifiers in support included family members, Disability Rights Washington, and the League of Women Voters, who said the current EMP process is too restrictive and rarely results in release. DOC testified that it supports the EMP framework but has concerns about the bill’s definition of “basic medical care.” A former DOC physician suggested extending the qualifying time period and adding “approximately” to the language. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5873, which would expand escorted leaves of absence to include reentry-focused outings and broaden the family definition for funeral or bedside visits. Senator Wilson said the bill is meant to support a “slow release” and better prepare people for community reentry. DOC supported the concept, and witnesses from public defense, DOC reentry, and Amend said escorted reentry outings are consistent with evidence-based and international correctional practices. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 5945, which would limit persistent offender sentencing to convictions occurring after age 18 and require resentencing for affected people. Supporters argued the bill aligns with youth brain-development research and would address racial disparities; opponents, including prosecutors, victim advocates, and sheriffs’ representatives, said it would reopen painful cases, undermine finality, and impose costs. The hearing on that bill was still underway when the transcript ended.