Transcript Highlights:

• of Education certainly has an interesting concept or idea about civil rights in this country.
• of Education certainly has an interesting concept or idea about civil rights in this country.
• Families of children with disabilities already face numerous challenges, including financial strains,
• We urge you to consider the unintended consequences of this proposal and the financial strain it would
• It was in the public interest so that the health, welfare, and safety of the children while using the

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> program uh in terms of the update of the program uh in terms of the update of the application<00
• I'm sure the chair of ANR will be interested in how that works and so forth. >> The fees that Kentucky
• of ANR will be interested in the chair of ANR will be interested in how<00:24:25.039><c> that</c><00
• > basically has a bunch of of um of nine basically has a bunch of of um of nine uh<00:25:40.159><c> gets
• </c> know part of the thought in terms of know part of the thought in terms of going<00:25:54.640><c>

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight Advisory Board met for its third meeting and approved the July 30 minutes. The chair outlined a full agenda covering the state-based marketplace versus the federally facilitated marketplace, connectors and navigators, presumptive eligibility, eligibility/enrollment/redetermination, and a rural health transformation update. Commissioner Lisa Lee and Assistant Director David Barry presented first on Kentucky’s state-based exchange, Connect, explaining that it is an integrated eligibility and enrollment system for Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, TANF, child care, and qualified health plans. They reviewed Kentucky’s move from a state-based exchange to healthcare.gov in 2017 and back to a state-based marketplace in 2021, and said the system helps route applicants to the correct program and allows families to move more easily between Medicaid and exchange coverage as circumstances change. The presenters said the exchange is funded by carrier assessments on qualified health plans rather than general fund dollars, with costs allocated across programs based on use. They said Kentucky’s exchange fees are lower than the federal platform’s and that the state-based system provides local assistance through DCBS offices, connectors, and licensed agents in every county. Members asked about startup and operating costs, fee-setting, and whether any general fund dollars are used; the department said it would follow up with the CFO on fee details and said it was not aware of general fund support for exchange operations. Members also raised concerns about Medicaid eligibility verification and improper enrollment, while the department emphasized that the state system uses different questions than healthcare.gov and is designed to identify the correct coverage based on monthly Medicaid income and annual tax-credit income. The board also discussed enrollment trends, including a COVID-era spike during the public health emergency when disenrollments were largely paused, and current qualified health plan enrollment of more than 97,000 people on Connect. Commissioner Lee explained presumptive eligibility as temporary Medicaid coverage, noting it applies to pregnant women and hospital-based cases, with hospitals able to grant it and certain providers able to grant it to pregnant women. She said full eligibility is still determined within 30 days and that presumptive eligibility ends when full Medicaid eligibility is determined or at the end of the following month. The meeting then shifted to connectors, with representatives from Community Action Kentucky and the Kentucky Primary Care Association describing their statewide outreach network, local offices, and role helping residents apply for Medicaid, renew coverage, report changes, and navigate benefits; they said connectors do not determine eligibility but assist with applications, recertifications, and outreach events across the Commonwealth.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm very interested in trends regarding threats of violence, trends regarding what kind of speech is
• a lot of people, many of whom have a state interest.
• a lot of people, many of whom have a state interest.
• the aisle say, of course we value freedom of speech, but there is no— but the government has no interest
• the aisle say, of course we value freedom of speech, but there is no— but the government has no interest

Bills: HF414 , HF768 , HF359

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:

• of study.
• So there are a couple of things in your statement, right? You want to talk about...
• I talk to a lot of people, a lot of young people.
• expectation of the legislature of NRI.
• I represent millions of trees and pounds of rocks.

Bills: HF2634 , HF2241 , HF2649 , HF2520 , HF2610

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• So there were misstatements; financial statements were largely due...
• So there were misstatements; financial statements were largely due to lack of management oversight, et
• of the maintenance of effort requirement... ...because of the maintenance of effort requirements from
• And if you could remind us of the discussion about some of the financial implications, please.
• And if you remind us to discussion about some of the financial implications, please.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• it um statement of intent whoever said it yes<00:45:35.400><c> statement</c><00:45:35.720><c> of</c>
• If the Department of Justice did need the position they speak of, but they do qualify that statement
• If the Department of Justice did need the position they speak of, but they do qualify that statement
• If the Department of Justice did need the position they speak of, but they do qualify that statement
• </c><05:32:54.280><c> interest</c> you know the same amount of interest you know the same amount of interest

Summary: The committee took up House Bill 2 provisions affecting the New Hampshire Retirement System, focusing on Group 2/Tier B retirement changes in pages 25 through 39 of the bill. NHRS Executive Director Jan Goodwin and deputy chief counsel Mark Kavanaugh explained that the 2025 bill is largely similar to prior versions and to HB 727, with the main difference being that the 2025 version does not include the earlier increase in the maximum benefit. They also said the fiscal note for HB 2 is based on earlier actuarial work and that an updated valuation was expected later in the week. A major topic was whether the bill accidentally removed an anti-spiking or special-duty compensation limit. NHRS said the omission appears to be a scrivener’s error caused by moving language between Group 1 and Group 2 definitions, and they planned to flag it in the fiscal note. Members also reviewed the bill’s intent to restore Tier B members to pre-2011 benefit rules, including changes to earnable compensation, average final compensation, and the comp-over-base rule. Some members questioned whether restoring those older rules was appropriate, arguing the 2011 changes were meant to curb pension spiking and that undoing them could be problematic. The committee also discussed the bill’s cost and funding assumptions. NHRS said the 2025 bill would reduce unfunded actuarial liability by about $98.2 million and would have a more favorable effect than the 2023 version, while employer contribution impacts would remain relatively small. Members noted the bill assumes annual appropriations of $27.5 million for 10 years, but House Bill 1 currently provides only $5 million in the first year, and NHRS had not yet analyzed the effect of that shortfall. No votes were taken in the portion provided; the discussion was informational and focused on clarifying the bill’s language, intent, and fiscal impact.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this doesn't necessarily seem to me to be a specification of a policy change or a policy statement
• don't know what is it, six or seven votes, so it's something we need to be aware of. special interest
• I think is interesting about how different<04:51:07.360><c> segments</c><04:51:07.840><c> of</c><04:
• financially due to lack of programs that incentivize solar in New Hampshire.
• Businesses, our ski areas—some of them, not all of them—are interested in either building their own arrays

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• So is this going to be some type of time-of-use settlement? What is the result of that statement?"
• Also, I think probably of interest is number two.
• What I found interesting was that Connecticut found that one of the downsides of being part of ISO New
• 04:49:44.718><c> New</c><04:49:44.920><c> Hampshire</c> interest of the State of New Hampshire interest
• </c> in the best interest of of New Hampshire in the best interest of of New Hampshire to<04:50:56.160

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• Interested, Competent Defendants, Out-of-State Facilities, HB 2322, DCS investigations, interviews, recording
• The ruling of the chair stand as a judgment of the Senate.
• It adds a statement of legislative findings. Thank you, Mr. President.
• of minutiae.
• , that you see before you right now, that takes it back to the original statement of where we were.

Summary: The Senate met in multiple Committee of the Whole sessions and considered a large number of bills, many related to digital assets and cryptocurrency, including SB 1042, SB 1043, SB 1044, SB 1045, SB 1432, SCR 1003, SCR 1033, and SCR 1028. Members discussed whether the state should accept cryptocurrency for payments, tax or exempt virtual currency, ban central bank digital currency, and support digital assets in retirement systems. Senator Epstein repeatedly argued against the measures and tried to offer amendments targeting data center tax exemptions, but one such amendment was ruled not germane and the ruling was upheld on a division vote. The bills and resolutions in that group generally advanced with do-pass recommendations, with SB 1043 and SB 1044 amended before advancing. The Senate also advanced several bills on family law, public records, scholarship organizations, property conveyances, underground facilities, and environmental and energy issues, including SB 1039, SB 1139, SB 1147, SB 1148, SB 1328, SB 1078, SB 1142, SB 1184, SB 1254, SB 1278, SB 1281, SB 1418, SB 1445, and SB 1566. Some measures drew discussion and amendments: SB 1254 received a clarifying amendment for deeds handled by title and escrow professionals; SB 1278 had a floor amendment withdrawn; SB 1281 was amended by committee and floor changes; SB 1418 prompted questions about small modular reactors and concerns about uranium mining and health impacts; and SB 1566 was amended to address malicious delay enforcement and judicial review. Most of these bills received do-pass recommendations. In the health and human services calendar, the Senate advanced SB 1052, SB 1115, SB 1149, SB 1193, SB 1233, SB 1345, SB 1346, and SB 1631, with SB 1124 retained on the calendar. Debate centered on ACCESS and remote work, administrative deficiency cure periods, anonymous complaints, fee-for-service claims, and DCS-related hearings and investigations. Senator Gonzales opposed several ACCESS-related bills, arguing they lacked appropriations, could disrupt services, or conflicted with federal Medicaid law, while sponsors said the bills addressed agency performance and provider complaints. SB 1115, SB 1149, SB 1193, SB 1233, and SB 1345 were amended before receiving do-pass recommendations, and SB 1345’s sponsor said ACCESS was removed from the bill. The final calendar included regulatory and veterinary-related bills such as SB 1137, SB 1144, SB 1205, and SB 1286. SB 1205, dealing with motor vehicle booting fees, received a floor amendment requiring an appeals process for private parking lots. SB 1286, on veterinary telemedicine and prescriptions, drew the most extended debate, with a committee amendment and a Kavanagh floor amendment restoring a 14-day prescription extension and adding flea and tick treatment; Senator Leach opposed the floor amendment, describing prior stakeholder negotiations and changes in committee support. The transcript ends while that debate is still underway, after several bills have already been reported out with do-pass recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> speaking to some of the issues of care speaking to some of the issues of care coordination<00:04
• </c> of the savings from the removal of of the savings from the removal of Managed<00:04:36.840><c> Care
• > Minnesota</c> fifth of the population of Minnesota fifth of the population of Minnesota it's<00:05:
• </c> get a lot of obfuscation get a lot of get a lot of obfuscation get a lot of concerns<00:25:37.360
• of that sort of be the place where all of that sort of oversight<01:12:07.719><c> would</c><01:12:07.880

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• And obviously, all of us recognize there's a lot of interest around the state on different issues.
• I mean, we've had a very interesting couple of cycles in the last three where it hasn't been all that
• There was quite a bit of interest.
• So we had a lot of interest, and I think with it pretty much being a wide-open field in '28, we're going
• There was quite a bit of interest.

Committee: House Local Government, Elections and Pensions

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and voted to pass House Bill 2125, which drew some concern from Rep. Woods about subpoena power for the Secretary of State, and House Bill 1812, which passed unanimously. The committee then moved to public hearing on House Bills 2387 and 2480, both aimed at reinstating Missouri’s presidential preference primary and adjusting absentee voting rules. Sponsors Rep. Veit and Rep. Banderman argued the primary would increase participation, make Missouri more relevant in presidential politics, and better reflect voter preferences, while also proposing changes to the in-person absentee window to reduce overlap with April elections and encourage in-person voting. Testimony in support came from the Missouri Republican Party, the Missouri Democratic Party, the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, ACLU Missouri, Missouri Farm Bureau, and several individuals. Supporters emphasized broader voter participation, the value of a primary over caucuses, and the need to make Missouri’s presidential process more accessible and visible. Party representatives said they were willing to work on binding language so primary results would inform or bind delegate selection, and Democrats said their rules already bind delegates to primary results. Several members said they would be more comfortable supporting the bills if the primary were made binding by statute and if the primary were closed to party members only. Opposition focused on the fiscal cost, the nonbinding nature of the primary as written, and concerns that the bill could mislead voters into thinking they were directly electing a nominee when delegates are still chosen through caucus/convention processes. Witnesses and clerks also objected to shrinking the excused in-person absentee period from six weeks to three, warning it could create confusion and burden election offices. The committee heard no final vote on HB 2387 or HB 2480 before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, submitting a statement, estimate, invoice, or any other document that misrepresents the scope of
• a check casher or check seller licensee regulated by the Department of Financial Institutions has to
• interest or fees not to exceed 10% of that portion... ...of the principal in excess of $500.
• 58% of my community is people of color, who are potentially unbanked or are not relying on financial
• I’m Drew Bouten here from the Department of Financial Institutions.

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several bills. House Bill 2542 would require drug developers to use validated non-animal testing methods when available, unless federal regulators request animal testing. The sponsor said the bill builds on prior Washington action on cosmetics testing and is intended to move toward more humane and modern science. Supporters, including students, animal welfare advocates, and biotech-related witnesses, argued that animal tests often fail to predict human outcomes and that alternatives are more accurate. A biotech industry representative said animal testing is still necessary for some research and warned the bill could deter local innovation, but said the industry was open to amendments. The sponsor said she was open to discussing changes to the enforcement mechanism. No vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. House Bill 2629 would address theft and vandalism of critical communications infrastructure, including copper and fiber lines. The bill would ban cash payments for nonferrous metal transactions, require electronic or stored-value payment methods, impose civil penalties for stolen copper used in telecommunications cable, and create a new Class C felony for destruction of critical communications infrastructure. The sponsor and industry witnesses described repeated outages affecting 911, hospitals, schools, and first responders, and said Washington has a high rate of these incidents. Recycling industry representatives supported the bill after negotiations, but a prosecutor and some others said the bill should focus more on law enforcement tools such as searchable transaction databases and holding periods rather than new penalties. No final action was taken in the hearing. House Bill 2394 would expand the Insurance Commissioner’s insurance fraud program and create a Class B felony for insurance fraud, including fraudulent billing, misrepresentation of repair costs, and misuse of coding systems. The bill also broadens who can be considered a victim for restitution and gives the commissioner additional investigative tools, while the substitute removed a reporting duty for certified public accountants. The sponsor and the Insurance Commissioner’s office said the measure responds to more sophisticated, technology-driven fraud schemes that harm both insurers and consumers. Insurance industry and fraud bureau witnesses supported the bill as a consumer protection measure. No vote was taken. House Bill 2361 would raise the maximum principal amount for small loans from $700 to $1,200, with annual inflation adjustments, while keeping the existing 30% of monthly income cap and other safeguards. The sponsor said the change would better reflect emergency costs and help borrowers avoid illegal lenders. DFI raised implementation questions about inflation adjustments and publication requirements, and opponents from AARP, SEIU 775, poverty advocates, and consumer attorneys argued the bill would increase debt traps and fees for low-income borrowers and older adults. MoneyTree supported the bill, saying the current cap is outdated and that the product remains a flat-fee, regulated credit option with existing consumer protections. The hearing also included testimony on House Bill 2294, which would prohibit negative use restrictions on real property that block grocery stores or pharmacies; staff described a proposed amendment adding notice and changing enforcement, and the committee then moved the bill out with a due pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the blessings of serving here is learning...
• of $2.07537 per thousand of assessed value, and requires that tax statements identify the state property
• of the valuation, with the limit of $200,000.
• 45% of the valuation with the limit of $200,000.
• In the interest of time and to prevent tedious repetition, I won't provide background on this bill since

Committee: House Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• hours, which is with they say, is a standard time of an officer before they get a statement after one
• It goes into the crime of false reporting of crimes.
• someone's liberty is at interest some of the reputation life and livelihood.
• They all provide time of check-in or the commencement of of the occupancy, some sort of contract, whether
• going to be obvious in to share of of trauma, of, of, of beating of whatever the physical condition

Transcript Highlights:

• So the chances of a, of a single, of a single county having an entirely basic aid is, is not. of a single
• I am the interim chief financial officer for the Secretary of State.
• And on behalf of Secretary Weber, I'd like to thank you for the I'm the chief financial officer for the
• the policy and financial side of things.
• they come from and who they are, have various levels of interest or challenges or issues, and then of

Summary: The subcommittee first heard an item on the vehicle license fee backfill for counties, focused largely on San Mateo County and the related excess ERAF calculation. Department of Finance staff said the administration does not propose the requested $119 million backfill, arguing the payment is discretionary and that the existing statutory formula should continue to operate as written. Senators and public witnesses, including Senator Becker and former Senator Jackie Speier, argued the state has a longstanding obligation to local governments and that San Mateo County faces severe service cuts without the funds; they also discussed whether the issue could be solved through local school district boundary changes or other structural fixes. The chair held the item open after testimony. The committee then reviewed Secretary of State budget proposals. The department presented SB 851 implementation funding of $1.1 million General Fund in 2026-27 and $807,000 ongoing for four positions and software to track election-related litigation, update voting system standards, and expand vendor notice requirements. Members asked about election security, the impact of recent federal court decisions, the end of federal HAVA funds in 2027-28, and the staffing and timeline needed to implement the law. The committee also heard a $11.8 million General Fund request for the Cal Access Replacement System, intended to replace the outdated campaign finance and lobbying disclosure platform; staff said the project is on track for a November 2026 go-live with a stabilization period afterward. A separate item sought $9.795 million Business Fees Fund for the Notary Automation Program replacement, with the department explaining delays were due to more planning, a 2025 special election, and the need to secure a contractor, with go-live now projected for 2029. All three items were held open. The Department of Veterans Affairs presented its overall status and then its Yountville skilled nursing facility project. CalVet described progress on veterans homes, home loans, housing programs, and mental health initiatives, while noting higher-acuity needs among older veterans and continued support for underserved groups. For Yountville, the department said the new 240-bed skilled nursing facility is nearing completion and will replace the aging Holderman Hospital building, though some functions will remain in the old building and other campus projects, including roof and steam system work, are still underway. Members also raised concerns about retroactive tax liabilities for employees whose housing fringe benefits had not been reported, and CalVet said it has corrected the reporting, retrained staff, and is working with employees on repayment and lease adjustments. The committee also discussed a proposal to eliminate vacant positions under Control Section 4.12; CalVet said the positions were long vacant and could be given back without harming operations, while the LAO noted the Legislature had not concurred and keeping them would increase General Fund costs. The item was held open. Finally, the California Arts Council gave an informational update on its work and the cultural districts program. The director described the council’s grantmaking, technical assistance, and support for 24 cultural districts statewide, while members emphasized the economic and preservation value of arts funding and urged more investment, including a proposed $50 million General Fund augmentation and a $10 million carve-out for cultural districts. Staff explained that the original cultural district funding was reduced and that the program is currently unfunded and lacks dedicated staff, limiting its ability to expand beyond a small share of applications. Members from different regions noted that many parts of the state still lack cultural district designations and pressed the council to broaden access beyond major urban areas. The item was informational only, with no vote taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Treasury's Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, a critical component of our national security
• </c> the interest of funding our government the interest of funding our government for<03:03:47.040><
• </c><03:22:34.000><c> Now,</c> interest of the United States. Now, interest of the United States.
• ><c> the</c> instead of the public interest, the instead of the public interest, the result<04:49:44.718
• Health care should provide peace of mind, not financial anxiety.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I just want to make sure there's a clear statement that I'm not supportive of closing those courouses
• of the request of the judicial branches of the request of just<00:24:42.000><c> clean</c><00:24:42.240
• </c> back of the budget cut one of two ways. back of the budget cut one of two ways. they<00:31:12.320
• of of of it change and appreciative of of of it being<02:36:58.160><c> done.
• </c> of state but I think it's an invasion of of state but I think it's an invasion of their<03:04:30.200

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• interested in replacing jobs of people with AI.
• But we see a lot of interest now in these large reactors.
• You know, we certainly are also seeing a lot of interest in some of those small modular reactors that
• So one of the things is that when the anti-interested...
• So the whole rest of the world is interested.

Committee: Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• of content creation and protecting their financial interests.
• But the main focus is to protect the financial interests of the children who are engaged in that money-making
• But the main focus is to protect the financial interests of the children who are engaged in that money-making
• interest of the child.
• It's not just what's of the best interest of the child.

Committee: House Children and Families

Summary: The Committee on Children and Families met with a quorum and first took up several bills in executive session. House Bill 1818, dealing with protections for children involved in content creation and related financial arrangements, was amended and converted into a House Committee substitute. Members discussed that the bill is aimed at children creating content for financial gain and clarifies that platforms must comply with federal law without being drawn into disputes between children and parents. The substitute was then voted do pass by a 17-0 roll call. House Bill 1948 was also amended and substituted; the amendment changed references from the Family Support Division to the Department of Social Services, and members briefly joked about the wording of “fatherhood” versus “fathership.” The committee then voted the substitute do pass 17-0. The committee next debated House Bill 2688, which drew sharp disagreement. Opponents argued the bill’s due process language for unborn children was too vague, could create legal uncertainty, and might have consequences for IVF, miscarriage investigations, and criminal liability for women and medical providers. Supporters said the bill was about protecting pre-born life and that due process should apply. The bill was voted do pass by a 12-5 roll call. The committee then moved into public hearings. In public hearing, House Bill 1772 was presented as an adoption-fee bill intended to raise state-paid attorney fees for adoptions, increase fees for contested adoptions, and separate guardian fees so more children could be adopted from foster care. The sponsor said the goal was to reduce costs and speed adoptions; Foster Adopt Connect testified in support, while members raised questions about contested adoptions, subsidy timing, and whether the bill would affect access to attorneys. House Bill 1696 proposed clarifying who has the right of sepulcher for minors with court-appointed guardians, giving the guardian priority unless the guardian is under criminal investigation for the child’s death, and adding religious-belief protections regarding cremation. Testimony from family members described painful experiences where legal authority reverted to abusive parents after a child’s death, and committee members generally supported clarifying the law. Finally, House Bill 2505 was heard, a grandparent custody bill giving grandparents priority when both parents are found unfit, unsuitable, or unable to serve as custodians and the child’s welfare requires placement. Supporters, including Foster Adopt Connect and a grandmother who testified emotionally, said grandparents often provide the most stable care and should be recognized in statute. An opponent argued the current law already allows courts to place children with grandparents when appropriate and warned that statutory priority could override the child’s best interests in some cases. The committee adjourned after concluding public testimony on HB 2505.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you're interested, I'll keep reading. But there's a whole bunch of states.
• protection of personal financial and health information.
• It prohibits misleading advertising, guarantees of benefit outcomes, direct solicitation of veterans,
• use of overseas call centers, and the use of medical professionals to influence claims outcomes.
• . ...same, I guess in my head, it's kind of under the same umbrella-ish sort of.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Human Resources