Transcript Highlights:

• </c> for our nursing homes for our long-term for our nursing homes for our long-term care<01:18:51.280
• He said, 'If I did this with my budget at home, I wouldn't have a home budget at home because you guys
• It wouldn't let us invest in our nursing homes and our infrastructure.
• <01:48:09.880><c> homes</c><01:48:10.320><c> and</c><01:48:10.480><c> our</c> nursing homes and our nursing
• </c><02:03:35.520><c> home</c> long-term care and nursing home long-term care and nursing home facilities

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We face a persistent need for a skilled workforce in key sectors.
• These requirements cover employer participation criteria, minimum academic standards for students, and
• standards.
• And that's why manufacturing was always part of now two administrations' workforce labor blueprints.
• And we are pushing them into the workforce system, and I appreciate your time today.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a hybrid hearing on a large slate of bills related to advertising, economic development, tourism, digital advertising, delivery taxes, and alcohol taxation. The first panel supported H. 3249, which would create a high school trade partnership program linking public schools with private employers, especially in manufacturing, and would offer employers a tax credit for participation. Representative Soder, Uxbridge High School leaders, and others argued the bill would strengthen career pathways, build a skilled workforce, and keep students and jobs in Massachusetts. The committee then heard testimony on H. 3031 and S. 2003 to modernize the Massachusetts Tourism Trust Fund by dedicating an additional share of hotel occupancy tax revenue to tourism promotion. Tourism and hospitality representatives from Cape Cod, Southwick Zoo, and Indian Ranch said the proposal would not raise taxes but would reinvest existing visitor-generated revenue into marketing that supports jobs, local businesses, and municipal tax receipts. A tech-industry coalition opposed several digital advertising tax bills and a delivery tax bill, warning they would raise costs, create uncertainty, and burden consumers, small businesses, and delivery workers. The largest portion of the hearing focused on S. 2029, which would raise the alcohol excise tax by 10 cents per drink and dedicate the revenue to public health programs. Public health experts, advocates, a student prevention leader, and representatives from Jane Doe, Inc. argued the tax would reduce alcohol-related harms, address decades of inflation-driven erosion in the tax, and generate substantial new funding for prevention, treatment, domestic violence services, and community schools. Committee members asked questions about the current tax structure, inflation, and how the proposal compares with neighboring states. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair adjourned after public testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll start with the kind of the workforce piece and Workforce Solutions and the participation level..
• And we were looking at hiring a chief nursing officer to really help our facilities across the board
• Family First nurses, and also aging.
• Senate Bill 42 requires home visiting and...
• Chair and Secretary, the new part of the Veterans Home, the community homes, they're beautiful.

Summary: The committee first recognized Mark Roper of the Economic Development Department for his long service and retirement, with members and the secretary praising his work on economic development across the state. Secretary Rob Black then presented EDD’s budget and special appropriation requests, describing strong recent job and income growth and outlining the department’s strategy around science and technology, site readiness, workforce development, foreign direct investment, and rural/community programs. He highlighted wins in advanced energy, quantum, space and defense, and biosciences, and asked for funding for quantum/DARPA matching funds, additional site readiness work, LIDA closing funds, JTIP training support, New Mexico Partnership, and healthy foods and other community programs. Members asked detailed questions about the quantum proposal, site readiness, the new mapping tool for industrial sites, workforce participation, trade missions, foreign investment, tariffs, water and produced water, tribal site evaluation, and public engagement on major projects. Black said the quantum request was intended to match federal dollars and build a workforce pipeline, that the site-readiness software would be a set enterprise license, and that the department was working with tribes and local partners on future site evaluations. He also said tariffs have created uncertainty but New Mexico’s infrastructure and foreign trade zones could help attract manufacturing, and he acknowledged concerns about transparency and community input while noting that some projects, such as Pacific Fusion, had gone through extensive public processes. The committee also discussed specific projects and funding balances, including Mantis Space’s move to Albuquerque, the status of Virgin Galactic’s spaceport lease, and the current LIDA fund balance and encumbrances. Black and Deputy Secretary Isaac Romero said the department was trying to use State Investment Council-backed venture funds to attract companies and that the new investments were already producing deals and jobs. Members generally supported the department’s direction but pressed for more targeted expertise, faster deployment, and stronger community involvement in future economic development decisions. Later, Secretary de Blassie of the Department of Health presented the department’s budget request and progress report. He said DOH had improved revenue cycle management, reduced old Medicaid-pending cases, increased census at facilities, improved budget and contract timeliness, and responded effectively to the measles outbreak. The department requested additional base funding for epidemiology and response, the DOH helpline, the Vital Records Virtual Vault, state labs, and the veterans home, along with special requests for respiratory vaccinations and marketing and lab equipment replacement. He also noted progress on MOUD and the medical psilocybin program, and said the department was not seeking to launch new programs given the limited time left in the administration.

Transcript Highlights:

• Both are to carry out regional workforce grants that had unexpected carryover funds from fiscal year
• So our human development centers are calling us daily, talking to us about the need for nurses and the
• For the month of February, $90 million has been distributed from the fund for private nursing home care
• It was not just for the nursing homes.
• That’s a standard insurance policy.

Committee: All ALC-PEER

Summary: The committee considered a series of appropriation, transfer, and review items, approving most requests in Sections B through J. These included temporary appropriations for state technology upgrades, personnel management, court reporters and interpreters, crime victim claims, juvenile sex offender assessments, radiation lab testing, higher education workforce grants, an ARPA grant for the UAFS LPN program, an IIJA grant for geological/critical minerals work, a restricted reserve transfer for 102 State Police vehicles, a transfer to the Arkansas Heroes Program, several cash fund requests for the Real Estate Commission HVAC and AV needs, and overtime appropriations for Emergency Management and Military. One budget classification transfer request from the Commissioner of State Lands for $250,000 to cover operating expenses tied to a new building was discussed at length but failed on the vote after questions about the lease and operating costs. A major portion of the meeting focused on a $25.7 million pay plan appropriation request for 15 agencies. Members questioned why the Department of Human Services had not requested additional pay-plan dollars for human development centers, where DHS acknowledged staffing shortages, high turnover, and heavy overtime but said the issue was not lack of pay-plan funding. DHS was asked to provide a written plan to address staffing problems. The Department of Corrections testified that the pay plan had improved retention and hiring, and committee members asked for follow-up data on vacancies and staffing outcomes. Members also clarified that the pay-plan request was appropriation only, not new funding, and approved it. The committee then reviewed fund reports, including the restricted reserve, Budget Stabilization Trust Fund, Tobacco Settlement, State Central Services, Education Adequacy, Medicaid Trust Fund, IIJA, and Revenue Services transfer reports. DHS and DFA were questioned closely about the Medicaid Trust Fund, with members noting a $90 million February draw and asking about projected year-end balances; DFA and DHS said February was a high-expense, low-revenue month and projected the fund would remain solvent through the fiscal year, ending between $150 million and $200 million, while a second $100 million set-aside is planned for FY27. The committee also discussed a state hospital damage report, where DHS explained that insurance proceeds would not fully cover the repair costs because of depreciation and the age of the buildings; members expressed concern that the state would recover far less than originally expected, and DHS said any additional insurance recovery would be limited and returned to restricted reserve.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today's workforce demands that women actually be a part of it.
• JP Hennon, on behalf of the California Nurses Association, in support.
• JP Hennon, behalf of the California Nurses Association in support.
• the board and not have some sort of patchwork of local ordinances.
• JP Hanna on behalf of the California Nurses Association in support.

Committee: House Labor and Employment

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• boards and seven years in the community college. system.
• Development Board, and the Workforce Services Branch, which oversees the Workforce Innovation Opportunity
• Act. and Division of Apprenticeship Standards.
• So, within the K-12 Strong Workforce Program and Community College Strong Workforce Program, to the extent
• : teachers, nurses, green workforce, and emerging civic leaders.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:14:32.399><c> development</c> stabilization and workforce development stabilization and workforce
• </c> homes as well as some system reforms. homes as well as some system reforms.
• c><00:42:39.359><c> assistants,</c> nurses and um and nursing assistants, nurses and um and nursing assistants
• </c> exceed federal standards on that front. exceed federal standards on that front.
• So again, that's why the standard there is 10%. Minnesota comfortably exceeds that standard.

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• With me I have Deputy Director Jason Wolf and our administrator of workforce standards, Karen Bebensee
• And um I I feel that board.
• I'm sorry, which licensing board was this? This is the mental health professions licensing board.
• </c> everybody go home. everybody go home. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.
• </c> nursing program. nursing program.

Committee: Joint Labor, Health & Social Services

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A mother describes coming home, seeing her 14-year-old son standing outside their home crying hysterically
• The AG's office is now on board.
• But, I mean, they were on board and it was very helpful.
• I’m a pediatric sexual assault nurse examiner.
• I'm a pediatric sexual assault nurse examiner.

Committee: House Children and Families

Summary: The Committee on Children and Families heard public testimony on House Bills 1839, 2921, and 3015, all aimed at requiring age verification for access to online pornography. The sponsors argued the bills are needed to protect children from early exposure, exploitation, sextortion, and related harms, and said the measures mirror laws in other states and recent Texas litigation. Supporters, including the Missouri Children’s Trust Fund, pediatric sexual assault nurse examiners, child advocacy groups, the Missouri Catholic Conference, and the Attorney General’s office, testified that pornography contributes to child sexual abuse risk, addiction, and unhealthy sexual development. Committee members asked about privacy protections, enforcement, penalties, and whether third-party verification or website-based verification would be used; the Attorney General’s office said identifying information should not be retained and that enforcement would occur through court action. No one testified in opposition, and the hearing concluded with the bills remaining under consideration, with a committee substitute to follow for one portion of the legislation. The committee then heard House Bill 2610, which would use the state legal expense fund to cover claims and judgments involving foster care, case management, and residential service providers under contract with the state. Representative Murphy and supporters said the private insurance market for these providers has become unstable and unaffordable, with some agencies facing large premium increases, repeated denials, or inability to find coverage at all. Testimony from the Missouri Coalition for Children, Missouri Alliance for Children and Families, Family Forward, and the Attorney General’s office described the issue as a market failure that could force providers to close and disrupt services for foster children. The Attorney General’s office explained how legal expense fund coverage would work, noted that it can cover negligence and intentional acts for covered entities, and said the bill would shift risk to the state in the absence of adequate private insurance. No opposition was offered. Finally, Representative Terry briefly presented House Bill 24, describing it as the same as Representative Dolan’s grandparents’ bill and emphasizing that grandparents should have first consideration for custody if a child’s parents are unable to care for them. No testimony was offered on the bill. The committee then moved into executive session and voted do pass on House Committee Substitute for House Bill 1696, House Committee Substitute for House Bills 2505 and 24, and House Bill 1772, each by unanimous 14-0 votes. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And in a lot of cases, go back home, right?
• It used to be called, for nurses, it used to be called the Cadet Corps.
• The very next one we got was an older female at home.
• Take their children home.
• We will tell them they need to meet the standard.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• , knowing the nurse objected to assisting in abortions, told the nurse, "Don't hate me."
• If the nurse had not done so, the nurse reasonably feared that UVMMC would fire or report the nurse to
• </c><01:45:36.080><c> and</c> individuals living in these homes and individuals living in these homes
• I've heard from select board.
• </c> program that is supported by the home program that is supported by the home and<02:00:16.239><c>

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They come out with a second set of standards.
• The Massachusetts second set of standards...
• One being who was terminally ill, in part because of COVID, being sent home and dying at home without
• Crisis standards are condition-specific.
• home care, that home and community-based services for people with disabilities would be cut.

Keywords: 1212, all

Summary: The Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities’ Long-Term Services and Supports and Health Equity Subcommittee met and heard a presentation from Colin Killick of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network on disability discrimination in crisis standards of care during COVID-19. He described how Massachusetts and other states initially used rationing criteria that prioritized short-term or long-term survival in ways that disadvantaged disabled people, older adults, and people with certain chronic conditions, and he discussed related issues such as QALYs, DNR pressure, and inequities in vaccine prioritization. He also noted that disability rights advocates, legal groups, and allies used litigation, media outreach, and public pressure to force revisions to the standards, and that Massachusetts ultimately adopted more protective third-round standards that limited the use of life-expectancy judgments and banned QALYs in those decisions. Members asked why the disability health care discrimination bill has not passed despite being reintroduced over multiple sessions. Killick said the main obstacle now appears to be lack of legislative prioritization rather than active opposition, after earlier concerns about QALYs were resolved through compromise. He identified the bill as S. 869, an act relative to preventing discrimination against persons with disabilities in the provision of health care, and said it had been favorably reported out of the Health Care Financing Committee. Members thanked him for the presentation and for his work during the pandemic. The meeting then moved to roll call, approved the minutes by motion and second, and adjourned after noting the next meeting date as August 31st.

Transcript Highlights:

• District, home to Edwards Air Force District, home to Edwards Air Force Base,<01:03:20.799><c> the</c
• </c> civilian workforce by 200,000 positions. civilian workforce by 200,000 positions.
• Thank you. reduced the workforce by about 65,000. reduced the workforce by about 65,000.
• </c><02:20:06.560><c> homes,</c><02:20:07.040><c> and</c> hospitals, nursing homes, and hospitals, nursing
• </c> finish the job, be safe, come home. finish the job, be safe, come home.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Health Professionals Licensing Board; the Board of Nursing Home Administrators; the Board of Occupational
• Health Professionals Licensing Board; the Board of Nursing Home Administrators; the Board of Occupational
• Health Professionals Licensing Board; the Board of Nursing Home Administrators; the Board of Occupational
• Health Professionals Licensing Board; the Board of Nursing Home Administrators; the Board of Occupational
• Health Professionals Licensing Board; the Board of Nursing Home Administrators; the Board of Occupational

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So if they have been certified to need a nursing home level of care and are safely residing at home through
• As a pastor, you know, we have friends and everything across the board for people working in homes.
• to the standards.
• She also will end up in a nursing home. Let's consider these issues. Thank you very much.
• workforce.

Summary: The hearing began with opening remarks on the Governor’s May Revision for child care and human services, with committee members and advocates stressing that the budget should not be balanced on the backs of low-income families, children, and providers. Legislative members and public witnesses strongly opposed the proposed suspension of the child care COLA, reductions to the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program, and the lack of codified rate reform tied to the alternative methodology. Several speakers also urged more support for providers affected by the Eaton fire and other disasters, and called for child care to be funded at the true cost of care and for additional slots to be restored. Administration, LAO, and Department of Education staff described the child care proposal as maintaining existing funding levels while adding administrative resources to prepare for federally required prospective payment changes and single-rate reform. The administration said the May Revision would suspend the 2025–26 COLA and reduce Bridge Program funding to align with utilization, while the LAO raised questions about the size and purpose of the proposed rate-reform and prospective-payment funding and recommended rejecting a Department of Technology exemption. CDE supported continued early education investments but said it would need additional resources if prospective pay were extended to state preschool, and it objected to a proposed reallocation of preschool funds for inclusive education grants. The committee then moved to the IHSS portion of the May Revision. DSS outlined five major proposals: capping provider work hours at 50 per week, eliminating IHSS for undocumented adults age 19 and older, shifting certain Community First Choice reassessment penalties to counties, reinstating the Medi-Cal asset test as a conforming IHSS reduction, and automating the termination of IHSS when Medi-Cal eligibility ends. DSS also discussed funding to implement a federal HCBS access rule and a separate reassessment of IHSS administrative methodology that found counties would need additional administrative funding. Finance said the proposals were intended to slow program growth and improve sustainability, while the LAO said it was still analyzing the package and raised concerns about implementation, county workload, and the potential loss of services. Committee members and public commenters criticized the IHSS cuts, especially the overtime cap and the elimination of services for undocumented adults and people affected by the asset test. Advocates argued that IHSS workers and recipients depend on these services, that county administration is already underfunded, and that the proposals could destabilize vulnerable consumers. The chair closed by saying the committee would continue to fight for child care and would not pause on child care, and the meeting recessed before moving on to the remaining May Revision items.

Transcript Highlights:

• Every dollar that the legislature has allocated to actually roofs on homes.
• I was unable to work for almost a whole year while we attempted to get her set up with in-home nursing
• So if you just put policy number, that's not standardized.
• The company may have one number and the That's not standardized.
• So we passed the bill last year to provide more funds for fortified homes.

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It leads to an overburdened workforce.
• So even if the lawsuit isn't going, you have to inform the board of that.
• medical board.
• The medical board, any person can, any citizen can, for investigation.
• So would that, with the standard raised on evidence alone, So would that, with the standard raised on

Bills: HB99 , HB49 , HB164 , SB30 , SB43 , SB50 , SB136

Committee: House House Judiciary

Keywords: medical malpractice, malpractice reform, patient's compensation fund, PCF, health care liability, tort reform, damage caps, punitive damages, hospital liability, physician liability, nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, outpatient facility, ambulatory surgical center, urgent care, free-standing emergency room, insurance surcharge, superintendent of insurance, New Mexico hospitals, medical review process

Transcript Highlights:

• in cutting-edge research, being able to provide pathways for developing the state's health care workforce
• So your roles are crucial to the strength of our economy, workforce development, and the like.
• The board approved 22 new STEM degrees.
• The board is considering a new four-year bachelor in education program.
• Sixteen CSUs have agreements with 49 community colleges to offer concurrent nursing programs.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education held its first 2026 hearing on higher education, focusing on UC and CSU system updates, student housing, enrollment, and core operations. In opening remarks, the chair noted recent state fiscal stress, the prior rejection of proposed UC/CSU cuts, and the Governor’s proposed 5% ongoing compact increases. UC President James B. Milliken and CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia described the systems’ public value, research and workforce roles, and the impact of federal actions on grants, financial aid, and campus operations. Both also emphasized Title IX and civil rights efforts; CSU said it had implemented nearly all state auditor recommendations and was on track to finish the remaining one, while UC highlighted its systemwide civil rights and Title IX offices. Both leaders said federal investigations, grant cancellations, and litigation demands were consuming staff time and money, with UC reporting more than 200 grants lost or affected and CSU citing more than $161 million in lost grants and more than 1,600 grants affected overall. The committee then heard on student housing. Finance and LAO staff said the Governor’s budget made no major new housing proposal but continued support for the Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program. CSU reported 12 supported projects that will add about 5,047 beds, most below market rate, with four already open and seven more expected this year; it also said it has about 68,000 beds systemwide, a 92% occupancy rate, and ongoing emergency housing support. UC said the program has supported seven UC projects and two joint community college projects, adding more than 7,000 beds total, but nearly 10,000 UC students were on housing waitlists at the start of fall 2025. UC asked for additional state support, including possible bond funding and a statutory change to allow UC participation in public-private partnership housing projects. Members discussed rapid rehousing, student homelessness, faculty and staff housing, and community college housing partnerships, with both systems describing existing emergency beds and support services. On enrollment, LAO recommended maintaining UC’s 2026-27 resident undergraduate target, funding enrollment growth separately from base increases, pausing the nonresident reduction plan, and holding UC flat in 2027-28. For CSU, LAO recommended revising the 2026-27 target downward to reflect current projections, funding growth separately, and holding 2027-28 flat. CSU said it had rebounded from COVID declines, now exceeds its funded target by about 3,000 FTE, and is shifting about $89 million and 10,000 FTE spots from lower-demand campuses to higher-demand ones while developing turnaround plans for seven campuses with sustained enrollment declines, including Sonoma State. CSU also described direct admissions, transfer success pathways, and new degree programs aimed at workforce needs. UC said it had surpassed its compact enrollment goals, planned to add 2,721 California undergraduates in 2026-27, and was seeking $5.5 million for health professional programs. Members raised concerns about underprepared freshmen, K-12 alignment, nonresident caps at UC San Diego, deferred maintenance, ROTC access, and the need for stronger turnaround plans and teacher preparation pipelines. The final item on core operations addressed the Governor’s proposal to defer 3% base funding again, moving the one-time deferral to 2027-28 and allowing short-term zero-interest loans to cover it.

Transcript Highlights:

• GOING TO THE BOARD MEETINGS AND GOING BACK HOME SO I MADE A POINT AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY TO
• AND HAVE BEEN REAPPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS.
• I'VE ATTENDED EVERY BOARD MEETING IN PERSON, PARTICIPATED IN THE IN THE COUNCIL OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES
• TO AN AFFORDABLE NURSING PROGRAM, A SUPPORTIVE WORKFORCE AND I'M HAPPY OUR GRADUATES HAVE HIGH PLACEMENT
• I APPRECIATE FAU IS IN MY HOME DISTRICT SO I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO ON THE BOARD.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They come out with a second set of standards.
• The Massachusetts second set of standards... ...the Massachusetts second set of standards got repealed
• crisis standards for the next disease.
• Crisis standards are condition-specific.
• home care, that home and community-based services for people with disabilities would be cut.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities’ Long-Term Services and Supports and Health Equity Subcommittee met to hear a presentation from Colin Killick of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network on disability discrimination in crisis standards of care during COVID-19. He described how Massachusetts and other states initially used standards that prioritized longer life expectancy and, in some cases, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), which he argued devalued the lives of disabled people and older adults. He also discussed related issues such as denial of transplants, pressure on disabled patients to sign do-not-resuscitate orders, and inequities affecting communities of color. He said disability advocates, legal groups, and public officials pushed back through litigation, media, and organizing, leading to revisions of Massachusetts’ standards and the eventual inclusion of disability advocates in the drafting process. Killick also discussed vaccine rollout, saying disabled people were initially under-prioritized but later gained broader access and more accessible vaccination options such as ASL interpretation and in-home vaccination. He closed by urging support for S. 869, an act relative to preventing discrimination against persons with disabilities in the provision of health care, which he said would ban disability-based discrimination in crisis standards, prohibit QALYs in health care decision-making, and add protections against coerced DNRs. He noted the bill had been favorably reported out of the Health Care Financing Committee but still needed support. In questions, members asked why the bill had not advanced further; Killick said earlier opposition from QALY supporters had been resolved, and the main barrier now was lack of legislative prioritization. Members thanked him for the presentation and for the work on revising crisis standards. The subcommittee then completed roll call, approved the prior minutes, and adjourned, noting the next meeting would be August 31.