Transcript Highlights:

• President, I'm sure that you were discussing not only literacy, but its nexus to the Uniform Commercial Code
• that we did that, and it included many important components, like including special education transportation
• all of that, but suffice it to say special education costs have gone through the roof, school transportation
• continues to be out of control, we experienced the School transportation continues to be out of control

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate first handled a House petition from John H. Rawlers and others seeking eminent domain authority for a parcel in Norwood; Joint Rule 12 was suspended and the matter was referred to the Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. The chamber then resumed debate on the literacy bill, with Senator Tarr offering a series of amendments focused on school district funding, teacher competency, reporting, waivers, and curriculum implementation. Most of Tarr’s amendments were rejected, but one requiring written, appealable denials of district waivers was adopted by roll call, and another amendment on reporting from the Early Literacy Fund, including provisions for English language learners and special education educators, was also adopted. A separate amendment extending the timeline for DESE to publish high-quality curricula was adopted, while several other amendments were withdrawn or defeated. The Senate also considered and adopted an amendment from Senator Comerford addressing rural and regional equity in education funding. That amendment expanded eligible uses of the Early Literacy Fund to include screening assessments, required DESE to prioritize geographic and funding equity, mandated a public hearing in Western Massachusetts before final grant criteria were finalized, and directed technical assistance to rural districts. Senators from across the chamber spoke in support, emphasizing chronic underfunding, declining enrollment, minimum-aid pressures, and the need for a broader review of the Chapter 70 formula and a Foundation Budget Review Commission. The amendment passed unanimously. Later, the Senate took up an amendment from Senator Moore on children’s vision care, which would have created a registry for vision screening and expanded eye exam requirements, but it was withdrawn after supportive debate. The chamber then adopted the Ways and Means redraft, ordered the bill to third reading, and passed An Act relative to teacher preparation and student literacy to be engrossed by a unanimous roll call. Final passage was also achieved for a separate House land-taking bill allowing the town of Hingham to use municipal property for a center for active living, which passed by the required two-thirds vote and was enacted. The Senate then adopted an order to meet again the following Monday and adjourned in memory of Donna Goldstein.

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, the Children's Code requires that all children 12 or older have a right to be in court.
• parents that their foster child wants to be in court, but for whatever reason they're not being transported
• And apparently I wasn't the only one who did not know that that's how they were being transported.
• That's how they were being transported.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Welfare met on May 6, 2026, with five members present and adopted the April 28 minutes. The committee first heard a presentation on the new Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows Program, a leadership and networking initiative focused on Louisiana health care challenges such as workforce shortages, rural access, chronic disease, and the economic impact of health care. Speakers described it as a cross-sector program intended to build informed leaders and support collaboration with health systems, insurers, providers, LDH, and the Louisiana Hospital Association. The committee then moved through a series of bills, generally adopting amendments and reporting measures favorably. SB 57, a nutrition/labeling bill, was amended to delay the effective date for the labeling provision until December 31, 2028, and was reported as amended. HB 62 increased membership of the Louisiana Women’s Policy and Research Commission and was reported as amended, and HB 193 adjusted membership rules for the Sickle Cell Commission foundations and was also reported as amended. HB 815 would allow financial institutions to receive death certificates to help close accounts and avoid problems with automatic payments and federal benefit clawbacks; it was reported favorably. SB 405, which had been heard earlier, was reworked to codify LDH’s new Ascend nursing home quality initiative, including short- and long-term quality oversight goals, stakeholder involvement, internal expertise, and reporting requirements; after reconsidering prior amendments, the committee adopted the new amendment and reported the bill as amended. The committee also advanced several health and human services bills. HB 222 would allow Medicaid dental coverage when needed to clear a patient for another covered medical procedure, and it was reported as amended after LDH said the cost could be absorbed. HB 420 expanded DCFS background-check requirements to cover staff with access to sensitive records, and HB 475 required verbal consent before AI is used to record or transcribe a medical visit; both were reported favorably. HB 246 updated membership of the Children’s Cabinet Advisory Board and the council for grandparents raising grandchildren, including replacing an inactive coalition seat with the state police, and was reported as amended. HB 486 joined Louisiana to the psychology interjurisdictional compact to expand access to psychologists through telepsychology and temporary practice across state lines, and HB 574 updated outdated board names in the Mental Health Advisory Services Board statute; both were reported favorably. Later, the committee heard HB 949, which would create a licensure framework for radiologist assistants to help address radiologist shortages and improve imaging access, especially in rural areas. Testimony emphasized that RAs work under radiologist supervision and would extend capacity without replacing physicians; the bill was reported favorably. HB 584 required foster children to be provided luggage or similar items instead of trash bags when moving placements, and also corrected language in the Foster Youth Bill of Rights from “privileges” back to “rights” while extending the bill’s applicability to children from birth to age 18; it was reported as amended. The committee also reported HB 1214, which restructures certain LDH state facilities into a more unified system, and HB 1092, a technical renaming/terminology cleanup bill, both favorably. Finally, HB 203 added members from Christus Health System and Xavier University’s College of Medicine to the uterine fibroids commission and was reported favorably before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• To some of the Internal Revenue Code provisions, and I know that other state governors are thinking about
• Other ones—Department of Transportation—we rely Heavily on state and federal funding for roads.
• Other things we're looking at at the federal level: the Service Transportation Act will need to be redone
• These are transportation; these are housing them if they violate those conditions and end up back in

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, I would expect that we are going to see an outcome in transportation, where there were differences
• Dibble, who is a senior member of our caucus, a deeply, profoundly expert senator on the issue of transportation
• think, navigating and guiding newer members who don't have as much experience as he does to get a transportation
• I have a code of ethics by which I live. I'm licensed. I have a responsibility.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• capital available to small rural businesses in the agribusiness, manufacturing technology and transportation
• Senator Yarborough, you're recognized to explain Amendment bar code 8, 4, 0, 4, 5, 0, >> Thank you.
• They are with the DP Water Management District Transportation. So I'll leave it with that.
• They also help us with transportation to critical.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• expand access to higher education and health care. the workforce, increase funding for our ports, transporting
• mutual interest to improve our quality of life, especially through better education, health, transportation
• important legislation this session including workforce, housing, public education, infrastructure, transportation
• Lastly, for a secondary offense committed in a different county under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure

Bills: SJR 1, SB 9, SB 40, SJR 36, SJR 1, SJR 5, SB 9, SB 40

Keywords: bail denial, illegal aliens, felony offenses, constitutional amendment, law enforcement, bail reform, defendants, pretrial detention, public safety, criminal justice, charitable bail organizations, bail bonds, public funds, political subdivision, injunctive relief, taxpayer rights, bail, criminal justice reform

Transcript Highlights:

• I found him in his truck, drenched in sweat, crying, and incoherent. he was transported to a local hospital
• mental health care, the access standards contemplated by the VA Mission Act and memorialized in the Code
• Ranging from community-based suicide prevention efforts to rural veterans' telehealth access and transportation
• What happens to rural veterans who rely on VA transportation services to travel to their VA medical appointments

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment is coded.
• The amendment is coded A5.
• The amendment is coded A-16.
• As amended, the amendment is coded A-18.
• The amendment is coded A-7.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next up we have HB 511, public records code inspector body cameras.
• What it prohibits is employers enforcing specific speech codes and ideological viewpoints on employees
• Chair: Next Chair: Up next, HB 937 Transportation by Representative Yarkowski.
• provides for a five-year statute of limitations to prosecute a felony violation under the election code
• It provides that violations of the election code can be prosecuted as racketeering activity under the

Transcript Highlights:

• they also can't transport their daughter to<00:45:44.480> a<00:45:44.920> public<00:45
• In the low-income zip codes, you have one EFA student per 100 children in that district.
• In the higher-income zip codes, you have 28 students in the EFA programs.
• <01:34:23.280> you<01:34:23.480> have codes you have codes you have one<01:34:25.239>
• District in the higher income zip codes District in the higher income zip codes you<01:34:30.679

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• software to add billing codes. software to add billing codes.
• And I'll let Ben speak to the codes that we would need. >> Those would be the initial codes that the
• that list of codes.
• we codes and how many billing codes do we codes and how many billing codes do we think<01:12:28.560
• <01:13:17.920> If actually in that list of codes. If actually in that list of codes.

Keywords: 1. Call to Order and Roll Call – 00:00:00 2. Approval of Minutes – 00:01:32 3. Getting to Know the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky – 00:02:26 4. Healthy Kids Clinic – 00:26:58 5. Pharmacy Payment Parity – 00:56:36 6. Ibogaine – 01:17:37 7. Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations – 01:53:05 8. Adjournment – 01:53:19, 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the prior meeting minutes and recognized Eric Clark for his service, noting this may be his last meeting before he leaves state government. The main presentation was from Allison Adams, president and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, who described the organization’s history, nonpartisan mission, and focus on health equity, prevention, and upstream policy solutions. She said Kentucky’s poor rankings in chronic disease, preventable hospitalizations, and life expectancy show the need to shift resources toward prevention and community-driven strategies rather than relying mainly on treatment after people become sick. Adams emphasized leading health indicators, arguing that lawmakers should track actionable measures such as quit attempts and smoke-free policies instead of only lagging indicators like disease rates and mortality. In response to questions, she said accountability should be shared across communities and systems, with possible incentives and disincentives tied to outcomes, and she supported creating a public data utility or dashboard, ideally with university partners, to help legislators and communities monitor progress. She also cited examples of accountable health community models and said Kentucky could adapt similar approaches. The committee then heard from Meade County Schools Superintendent Mark Martin and district health coordinator Karen Kotche about the Healthy Kids Clinic partnership with Cumberland Health. They described a seven-year effort that led to full implementation in the district, which now has a nurse in every school and a nurse practitioner, allowing services such as sports physicals and other clinic functions to be provided on campus. They said the program has been a strong investment for students and the community and began explaining how the district built the partnership after earlier efforts and delays, including the pandemic.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 22, special plate fees revision; Transportation Infrastructure.
• HCR 2023, expenditure limitations, code jurisdiction; Appropriations.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They do something that breaks our civil code. It's also a deterrent, right.
• um it's also a our our civil code um it's also a deterrent<00:48:25.319> right<00:48:25.880><
• <00:49:12.520> to the meantime he would be transported to the meantime he would be transported
• There are also already, as I understand it, specific provisions in our criminal code.
• There are also already, as I understand it, specific provisions in our criminal code.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• However, the extent to which we can feasibly verify the exact nature of the code embedded within these
• But they are there by electric codes to turn the system off if there's a fire.
• We have new codes, new standards, new laws that are designed to ensure we have the safest technology.
• The battery project has to be compliant with the county fire code.
• Do they follow the county fire code? They will follow the state law.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce convened to discuss critical infrastructure and supply chain integrity, particularly focusing on Texas's power grid and associated vulnerabilities. The meeting highlighted Texas's recent ranking as 10th in electricity affordability, emphasizing the state's commitment to maintaining a reliable and resilient electric grid. New committee members introduced themselves, and the agenda included testimony from ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission regarding the implementation of the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act, which aims to mitigate risks posed by foreign entities to the power grid. Chad Sealy from ERCOT presented updates on the attestation process for market participants, revealing that over 1,500 entities had submitted attestations regarding their corporate structures and affiliations with designated foreign countries. Concerns were raised about the adequacy of the current vetting process, particularly regarding indirect relationships with foreign adversaries. Testimonies from the PUC and the Attorney General's office underscored the challenges of enforcing compliance and the need for improved legislative measures to enhance oversight and security. The committee also heard from experts, including Dr. Emma Stewart from Idaho National Laboratory, who discussed the evolving threats to the grid from foreign adversaries and the importance of securing communication systems. Recommendations included prioritizing inspections of critical components and enhancing collaboration with national laboratories to address vulnerabilities. The discussion concluded with an acknowledgment of the balance needed between ensuring grid security and maintaining affordability for consumers.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the misclassification is the cheat code. Contract. It is written, right?
• And the misclassification is the cheat code.
• And the misclassification is the cheat<00:15:42.960> code.
• So, if someone comes to cheat code.
• and what's happening with energy code and what's happening with the<01:46:57.680> repeat<01:46

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee met to discuss worker misclassification, beginning with approval of the March 4, 2026 minutes and a note that a late-posted bill would not be heard at this time. Chair Pinto opened the hearing by framing misclassification as timely and invited Lea Takapu of the Attorney General’s office to explain the issue. Takapu described misclassification as labeling workers as independent contractors when they are really employees, which can deprive workers of minimum wage, overtime, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, and other protections while also reducing tax revenue. She said the Attorney General’s office and the MEAP partnership have been working on the issue and cited estimates that Minnesota workers lose billions annually and the state loses hundreds of millions to over a billion dollars in revenue, while noting that legitimate independent contracting is not the target. Members questioned how the committee could rely on estimates when the exact number of misclassified workers is unknown. Takapu responded that the figures were based on studies and complaint data, and that underground or undocumented work makes exact counts difficult. Chair Pinto noted the numbers were estimates and referenced a 2024 Legislative Auditor finding that Minnesota lacked an adequate, coordinated approach to proper worker classification, while saying progress had been made since then. Several industry witnesses then testified in support of stronger enforcement. Kevin Pranis of LiUNA said misclassification remains rampant in parts of construction, especially drywall, stucco, thin stone, and broadband installation, and argued it is tax, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation fraud that harms law-abiding contractors and taxpayers. Matt Wollers of Braxton and Sons said his company loses bids to competitors that misclassify workers, creating a labor-cost advantage of 30% or more, and asked for meaningful enforcement rather than new legislation, including regular unannounced jobsite visits. Jesse Madison of Purple Tally Productions said misclassification is anti-competition and described examples from live events and entertainment, urging front-end checks on workers’ compensation, unemployment coverage, and W-2 versus 1099 status before work begins. The next testifier, Ben Ballou of the Minnesota Nurses Association, began his remarks as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no NAICS code, which is sort of the industry code. Uh, what industry do they represent?
• There's no knack<01:10:29.120> code,<01:10:29.360> which<01:10:29.520> is<01:10:
• knack code, which is sort of the industry<01:10:30.560> code.
• Uh what industry do they industry code. Uh what industry do they represent?
• We have critical transportation issues.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee met on March 4, 2026, and focused almost entirely on an update and oversight discussion of the Promise Act, including its grant and loan programs. The chair opened by explaining that the committee wanted to better understand how the 2023 law was implemented, how funds are still being deployed in greater Minnesota and the metro, and whether adjustments made in 2024 and 2025 were working as intended. The minutes from March 3 were approved at the start of the meeting. Deputy Commissioner Kevin McKinnon of DEED outlined the program’s legislative history, funding structure, eligibility rules, and oversight process. He said the grant side has about $94 million available, with $16 million going to the Minnesota Initiative Foundations and $86 million to the Neighborhood Development Center, plus administrative and technical assistance set-asides. He noted legislative changes over time, including shifting the revenue eligibility test to the prior year, adding a home-office deduction requirement for businesses using a home address, and maintaining a preference for applicants who had not received more than $10,000 in prior state assistance. McKinnon said about $22 million had been awarded to 35 businesses at the time of the update, and that the loan program has $30 million appropriated, with about $9.5 million lent so far. He also described the application, verification, audit, and payment process, emphasizing that partners handle intake and DEED conducts final review and random audits. Shahir Ahmmed of the Neighborhood Development Center described the round-one and round-two grant process in more detail. He said NDC spent about nine months building the application platform, launched round one in June 2024, received more than 3,000 applications, and later paused awards while DEED and legislators clarified the law. He reported that 651 applications were approved in the first round for just under $9 million, and that round two launched in September 2025 with a goal of distributing up to $50 million in remaining grant funds. Ahmmed also explained the step-by-step applicant process, including email confirmation, eligibility screening, document upload, identity verification through Plaid, and final DEED review. He said applicants commonly use funds for payroll, equipment or inventory, rent, and utilities. The chair indicated there would be further testimony from other program partners and then member questions, but no votes or formal actions were taken on the Promise Act itself during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• with our code. with our code.
• Spoke the other day about getting some CPT codes.
• They seem like getting some CPT codes.
• As I travel this state, transportation and housing are constantly brought up as obstacles.
• As I travel this state, transportation As I travel this state, transportation and<01:46:14.840><

Keywords: 958, all

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

Transcript Highlights:

• living<00:42:26.359> in<00:42:26.480> a<00:42:26.640> zip<00:42:26.800> code
• <00:42:26.960> without<00:42:27.280> a motans living in a zip code without a motans
• There's a map in your sheet showing ZIP codes without a single pharmacy.
• We have nine helicopters and provide over 3,500 air transports in the state.
• We have nine helicopters and provide over 3,500 air transports in the state.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• 19.720> fund state specials each has a separate fund state specials each has a separate fund code
• of procedures and specific chart of procedures and specific chart of accounts<01:26:37.080> coding
• order<01:26:37.960> to<01:26:38.199> ensure<01:26:38.600> that accounts coding
• in order to ensure that accounts coding in order to ensure that that<01:26:39.000> happens<01
• expenses so I'll just transportation expenses so I'll just give<01:42:24.639> you<01:42:24.760

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• For the first meeting of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation, I'd ask the secretary to please
• I'm the Deputy Secretary of Transportation of the Transportation Cabinet.
• Any gaps in trans in the transportation Any gaps in trans in the transportation budget<00:03:55.160
• <00:46:17.880> Tennessee dedicated to transportation.
• Tennessee dedicated to transportation. Tennessee does<00:46:18.680> that.

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 01:22 Overview/Impact of Executive Order 47:02 General Funds in Road Plan 50:37 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met for its first meeting and received an overview from Transportation Cabinet officials on the governor’s executive order responding to high gas prices. Deputy Secretary Mike Hancock and budget director Shawn McKiernan explained that the order declared a state of emergency, reduced the state motor fuels tax by 10 cents per gallon, froze the tax rate for FY27, and urged Congress to suspend the federal gas tax. They said the emergency regulation would remain in effect until the war in Iran ends or Kentucky gas prices fall below $3 per gallon, and that any transportation budget shortfalls could be covered by the state budget reserve trust fund if requested later by the governor. McKiernan estimated the 10-cent reduction would reduce the road fund by about $26.8 million per month, with roughly 44% flowing to county road aid, rural secondary, and municipal road aid. He said the immediate impact to counties and cities would be about $11.8 million for one month, while the cabinet would see about $15 million per month less available for its own use. He also said the freeze on the FY27 motor fuels tax rate would prevent a scheduled increase and, compared with the budget assumption, would produce about $42 million in net additional revenue, split between local governments and the cabinet. He added that if the reduction lasted through December, the major transportation programs could be down about 16.9% from budgeted levels. Members focused on the effect on local governments, the road fund, and the cabinet’s cash management process. Several senators and representatives criticized the executive order as short-sighted or political, while others emphasized the need for a long-term solution to transportation funding. Questions were raised about how make-whole payments to counties and cities would be handled, how the cabinet manages cash flow, and whether the state should continue relying on general fund transfers to support the road plan. Cabinet officials said they would work with lawmakers, explained that project authorizations are managed based on cash flow and seasonal spending patterns, and noted that construction and maintenance costs have risen sharply, making revenue adequacy a continuing concern.