Transcript Highlights:

• Our latest audit noted that the four UC campuses we visited were not spending significant portions of
• Each of the four campuses we visited during the audit spent less than half of the funds they had set
• Point three is logistical support that includes lodging and meals for visiting tribal representatives
• And when I mean thousands, I was just there with my relatives visiting our relatives.
• The other thing is our visits to the Bancroft Library.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We are going to visit our constituents in jails, in prisons, and detention centers, and ask them what
• Holmes, that I think visits more incarcerated people across all of our, I think it's 13 facilities now
• , recently visited one of our facilities that has one of these unique agreements, the Plymouth County
• So when I think of the visit to Plymouth, I think of it as really the number one issue we heard is what
• And our visit to the caucus—that is the whole point for me.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on responding to federal immigration enforcement in Massachusetts, with opening remarks from Sen. Liz Miranda and Rep. Bud Williams emphasizing fear in immigrant communities, recent ICE operations, and the need to learn from advocates and affected residents rather than debate individual bills. The hearing was organized around three topics: detention, arrests, and surveillance, with members repeatedly asking what the legislature can do to improve transparency, legal access, and oversight. On detention, Leah Hastings of Prisoners’ Legal Services said most people end up in ICE custody through contact with the criminal legal system and argued that state carceral systems are deeply intertwined with immigration enforcement. She described conditions at Plymouth County House of Correction and Burlington ICE holding as concerning, citing limited medical care, disability accommodations, solitary confinement, retaliatory transfers, and poor attorney access. Hastings said Massachusetts should reduce funding for sheriffs and the Department of Corrections, ban intergovernmental service agreements and 287(g) agreements, and invest instead in housing, treatment, and other community supports. Members also discussed ICE reimbursement, the immigrant legal defense fund, and the need for more immigration attorneys. On arrests and enforcement tactics, David Albright of JALSA said federal immigration enforcement has been expanded by major new funding and incentives, including higher payments for 287(g) and bed contracts, and he noted that most ICE detainees nationally do not have criminal records. He said Massachusetts has one 287(g) agreement with the Department of Corrections and one IGSA with Plymouth County, and that ICE also uses Burlington, Hanscom, and informal local collaboration in places such as Milford and Auburn. Danny Tampona of Neighbor to Neighbor and the LUCE Rapid Response Network described more than 10,000 hotline calls from 46 cities and towns, with arrests often involving masked agents, surveillance of workers and families, traffic stops, broken windows, and arrests at check-ins or schools; he said the network is concentrated in places including Everett, Chelsea, Lynn, New Bedford, Milford, Marlboro, Framingham, and Springfield. He urged legislation requiring clear identification for law enforcement, limits on surveillance technologies, and stronger legal defense resources. On surveillance, Joshua Dancoff of Citizens for Juvenile Justice argued that current state policies allow broad sharing of fingerprints and surveillance data with ICE, including through BRIC, the Massachusetts Fusion Center, and municipal police policies. He cited cases in Chelsea and Everett where children were taken from police custody into ICE custody and said many departments automatically share arrest fingerprints and other information with federal authorities. He recommended limiting fingerprint sharing, restricting surveillance databases and task-force participation, and curbing police and sheriff collaboration with ICE even where no formal 287(g) exists. Members and witnesses also discussed the need for more immigration lawyers, possible bar advocate-style funding for immigration defense, and legislative action to prevent further collaboration and deportation infrastructure.

Transcript Highlights:

• like, Prison A has received a significant number of complaints regarding this condition, or, like, visiting
• having... ...we've received a significant number of complaints regarding this condition, or, like, visiting
• “And visitation and all of that.
• We actually have a visit scheduled at California Medical Facility on April 30th.
• Facility on April 30th, you are welcome to join, but we are also happy to help facilitate future visits

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee heard presentations from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS), the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) program, and the Coleman mental health receivership. The hearing focused on correctional health care, reentry, aging incarcerated populations, and the state’s progress toward compliance in the Plata and Coleman receiverships. Members also discussed the OIG’s intake complaint workload and medical inspection findings, as well as broader questions about staffing, vacancies, and the cost of court oversight. The OIG requested $275,000 General Fund for two permanent positions in its intake processing unit, citing a sharp rise in complaints from 3,200 in 2022 to 7,860 in 2025. OIG officials said complaints are categorized by issue and prison, prioritized by urgency, and generally responded to within 30 days, but they do not track complaint “validity” rates. The medical inspection unit reported that in cycle seven, case review performance was generally adequate while policy compliance was often inadequate; the lowest-scoring areas included emergency services, medication management, and health care environment. Members asked for more detailed reporting on complaint types, priority levels, and systemic issues. CCHCS described rising health care costs driven by an aging prison population, staffing vacancies, and contract medical expenses. Officials said more than 80% of the budget is personal services, and they are using hiring events, social media outreach, and expanded classifications to reduce vacancies. CalAIM officials reported early implementation success in pre-release and reentry services, including 89% Medi-Cal activation at release, 87% assigned managed care plans, 88% reentry care plans, and 59% warm handoffs, with about 169,000 claims submitted and $14.7 million reimbursed. The LAO noted that the Plata medical receivership has increased per-person costs and that the state should continue oversight while seeking ways to reduce vacancies and expand federal reimbursement opportunities. For the Coleman mental health receivership, the receiver’s office requested $33.9 million from the Mental Health Special Deposit Fund, including $8.2 million for receiver office staffing and $25.3 million to make court-ordered bonus payments permanent. The LAO supported continued oversight but recommended additional steps to address vacancies, including greater out-of-state recruitment, expanded telemental health, and possible consolidation of mental health services. The LAO also recommended reducing the telemental health staffing request and monitoring its effects. Members questioned the long-term cost of receiverships, the pace of compliance, and whether more detailed benchmarks and staffing data should be provided. No formal votes were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• number of—we've received a significant number of complaints regarding this condition, or, like, visiting
• Like, we keep getting Prison A is having—we've received multiple complaints about visiting.
• And visitation and all of that.
• We actually have a visit scheduled at California Medical Facility on April 30th.
• Facility on April 30th, you are welcome to join, but we are also happy to help facilitate future visits

Summary: The committee heard an overview from the Office of the Inspector General and California Correctional Health Care Services on prison oversight, medical care, reentry, and related budget requests. The OIG requested $275,000 General Fund for two additional intake analysts, citing a sharp rise in complaints from 3,200 in 2022 to 7,860 in 2025 and explaining that the unit reviews and routes complaints, including PREA and staff misconduct allegations, within 30 days. Its medical inspection unit reported on cycle seven prison health inspections, noting generally adequate case-review performance but weak policy-compliance results, especially in medication management and health care environment indicators, and said it was beginning cycle eight with revised inspection methods. Members questioned the OIG about what kinds of complaints were driving the increase, whether the office tracks validity or systemic patterns, and how it distinguishes duplicative complaints from those already handled by CDCR. OIG said the largest categories were prison conditions and staff misconduct, that it does not determine whether complaints are “valid” in a statistical sense, and that it forwards issues to CDCR or other entities as appropriate. Senators also asked about the medical inspection findings, the remaining prisons not yet delegated back from federal receivership, and whether more detail should be provided in future reports. LAO and Department of Finance staff said they had no concerns with the OIG proposal. The committee then reviewed the correctional health care budget, including staffing, pharmacy, contract medical costs, and the state’s progress toward ending the Plata medical receivership. CDCR said it is trying to reduce vacancies through hiring events, social media outreach, new classifications, and more on-site care, while also using CalAIM to improve reentry services; CalAIM officials reported 89% Medi-Cal activation at release, 87% managed care assignment, 88% reentry care plans, and 59% warm handoffs, with about $14.7 million in reimbursements to date. Members pressed staff on the cost of receivership, the pace of delegation, whether more care could be consolidated into fewer facilities, and whether the state should seek more federal reimbursement or alternative staffing models. Finally, the committee discussed the new mental health receivership and a telemental health staffing proposal. The receiver’s office requested $33.9 million from the Mental Health Special Deposit Fund, including $8.2 million for the receiver’s office and $25.3 million to make court-ordered bonus payments permanent; CDCR also sought about $8.9 million for telemental health staffing, growing to $13 million ongoing. LAO recommended approving the action plan and portions of the telehealth request, but urged the Legislature to monitor progress, consider out-of-state recruitment and expanded telehealth, and avoid across-the-board salary increases; Finance cautioned that out-of-state licensure would require major statutory changes and that staffing-ratio changes would need receiver approval. Senators raised concerns about the high cost of receiverships, vacancy-driven fines, the need for more detailed benchmarks, and whether the state should consolidate mental health populations and better target recruitment to fill hard-to-staff positions.

Transcript Highlights:

• The annex was very busy today with many constituents, many other groups and individuals visiting with
• session, Clerk of the House is here to communicate with our Senate. other groups and individuals visiting
• other groups and individuals visiting with<00:05:45.920><c> us,</c><00:05:46.400><c> but</c><00:05:46.520
• </c> So, during the interim, I visited So, during the interim, I visited several<00:12:34.440><c> of<
• So, during the interim, I visited several of my schools, and in Letcher County Central High School over

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, I had an opportunity to visit 82 counties this year.
• You know, I had an opportunity to visit 82 counties this year.
• </c><00:23:51.840><c> 82</c> know, I had an opportunity to visit 82 know, I had an opportunity to visit
• People can go through roadblocks and have a warrant out of a county that they don't visit a whole lot
• People can go through roadblocks and have a warrant out of a county that they don't visit a whole lot

Committee: Joint Judiciary, Division B

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 28 January, 2026; 9:00 A.M., 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I did spend some time a month or two ago up there visiting, and we visited since.
• A month or two ago up there visiting, and we visited since, and I think Carter's been involved, you know
• Really appreciated the Senator's visit and giving us an opportunity to propose some potential models
• heard what some of the complaints were, and you already had the start of giving this idea when we visited
• So we're really, so we are visiting all of the state schools.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Higher Education Funding Committee met to discuss possible changes to North Dakota’s higher education funding formula, with a particular focus on separating the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences MD program from the general formula. Dr. Jenkins outlined several options for the MD program, including a fixed-funding model, a hybrid model, or keeping it in the formula, and emphasized the need to preserve strong support for medical education while making future funding clearer. He also discussed efforts to increase the share of North Dakota students in the MD program through ND85, expanded recruiting, early acceptance pathways, MCAT prep, a four-plus-one program, and the Primary Care Accelerated Track, along with future cost pressures such as AI licensing and residency growth. The committee then reviewed a simplified funding model from the University System Office that would base funding more heavily on student FTE, credentials awarded, and a few incentive factors such as small institution and research adjustments. Members questioned the use of placeholder numbers, the lack of a clear methodology for the small institution and research factors, and whether the model would adequately account for differences among institutions, high-cost programs, and graduate education. Several members raised concerns that arbitrary factors would be hard to defend politically and could distort funding or create competition between schools, while others said the exercise was useful as a starting point for discussion. Alex presented a second alternative that kept the current SIP-code structure but increased CTE weighting, added a progressive economic size factor, and separated out the MD program. His model also added an on-campus face-to-face headcount component and a credentials component, with the intent of rewarding in-person enrollment and completions. Members questioned the use of headcount instead of FTE, how hybrid, online, dual-credit, and off-campus students would be treated, and why face-to-face enrollment was weighted more heavily than completion. No formal votes or final actions were taken; the committee instead continued discussion and asked members to provide direction on which elements, if any, should be developed further.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, I think all of you know how long it takes to get a doctor's visit. It's 30 days.
• If you've got something that you think Chairman Darby might benefit from, I would encourage you to visit
• been visiting with my chief and what I'm trying to figure out because...
• We have visited with TDI and several others like you have.
• So we're... going to continue to visit and talk about it.

Bills: HB712 , HB722 , HB946 , HB1687 , HB1809 , HB1899 , HB2528 , HB2583 , HB2741 , HB2750 , HB3021 , HB3150 , HB3265 , HB3658 , HB3812 , HB3960 , HB4392 , HB4432

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: prostate cancer, health benefit plans, insurance coverage, cost sharing, preventive health care, auto insurance, total loss evaluation, disclosure, insurance materials, vehicle appraisal, HB 946, Texas Insurance Code, automobile insurance claims, oral release, written release, settlement agreement, claim release, property damage, bodily injury, psychological injury

Transcript Highlights:

• access dental providers across Minnesota, and they deliver more than two-thirds of all the dental visits
• for</c><00:07:22.560><c> the</c><00:07:22.800><c> 1.5</c><00:07:23.520><c> million</c> the dental visits
• I could be that person and go to one visit and then have a mouthful of cavities and never go back, but
• I could be that person and go to one<00:15:00.480><c> visit</c><00:15:01.360><c> and</c><00:15:01.680
• and then have a mouthful of one visit and then have a mouthful of cavities<00:15:03.440><c> and</c><

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• in the quality of life of the residents, and data shows a reduction in overall cost by reducing ER visits
• compliance with annual Texas health steps requirements, decrease the use of unnecessary emergency room visits
• the quality of life of the residents, and data shows a reduction in overall costs by reducing ER visits
• Our coordinated approach reduces hospitalizations and ER visits, ultimately saving Texans millions in
• Our coordinated approach reduces hospitalizations and ER visits, ultimately saving Texans.

Bills: SB1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:06:35.039><c> I</c><00:06:35.280><c> visited</c> add a fifth. Confidence.
• I visited add a fifth. Confidence.
• I visited Quotama<00:06:36.319><c> Elementary,</c><00:06:36.880><c> an</c><00:06:37.120><c> arts</c><
• I encourage all those who have the opportunity to do so to visit one of these cemeteries.
• to do so to visit one of these<05:28:37.200><c> cemeteries.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, September 15, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And when we look at visits, we saw a little bit of a bump in our visits too, about 10%, so 2.1 million
• visits.
• </c><00:41:23.200><c> too</c> little bit of a bump in our visits too little bit of a bump in our visits
• we saw um the visits we saw 21,077<00:44:12.560><c> visits</c><00:44:13.839><c> um</c><00:44:14.640>
• </c><01:15:21.920><c> and</c> Um my daughter and I love to visit and Um my daughter and I love to visit

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The nature itself will visit upon people.
• A program where it’s visiting.
• So you can have your child, your cousin, your sister visit you on your Medicare or Medicaid.
• Caregiver salaries, just these people who are coming and visiting you are 50 grand.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, June 25, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The other exciting thing is the bill mandated the development of a universal postpartum visit by a nurse
• And in that visit, it's required for another universal screen for depression.
• If you have a visit weekly with someone postpartum who's not doing well, who doesn't have a therapist
• and doesn't have access to psychiatric care, is there a mechanism that allows those visits to be billed

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Ellen Story Commission for Postpartum Depression held its spring meeting with a large turnout, beginning with roll call and a review of the agenda. Co-chairs Representative Brandy Fluker-Reid and Senator Liz Miranda highlighted progress from the recently enacted maternal health omnibus law and the Moms Matter Act, including creation of a midwifery board, expansion of out-of-hospital birth options, doula services, lactation support, MassHealth coverage changes, and a trust fund for community-based behavioral health and substance use grants. Members also discussed implementation of the new law, the commission’s annual report, and the need to continue supporting birth centers and perinatal mental health services. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on commission membership and vacancies. Commissioners discussed whether to remain on the body, the need to fill several open seats, and whether the commission’s statutory composition should be updated to better reflect current practice and expertise. Members suggested adding more clinicians working directly with perinatal families, infant mental health experts, and a representative from PSI of Massachusetts, while also noting the value of having regulators and professional society representatives at the table. Several participants said any changes to membership would likely require legislation, and the co-chairs said they would explore options and possibly circulate a flyer or other invitation process for nominations. The commission also discussed meeting structure and future planning. Members generally supported moving to quarterly virtual meetings, with a preference for a 4 p.m. start time, and some suggested one annual in-person gathering. The group agreed to postpone the usual May Advocacy Day because the Great Hall was unavailable and instead aim for a fall event, with volunteers stepping forward to help plan it. Commissioners raised top-of-mind issues including postpartum depression screening reimbursement, care for people after miscarriage or abortion, access for undocumented pregnant people, and the impact of federal cuts. The meeting ended with agreement to crowdsource legislative priorities for the next quarter, consider future presentations from outside organizations, and send updates between meetings, followed by a motion to adjourn that passed unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• And a visit that would have been solved by a simple co-pay and seeing a doctor turns into a $3,000 visit
• A simple copay in seeing a doctor turns into a $3,000 visit in the ER. And that story isn't unique.
• cannot start or continue an effective medication, the consequences are relapse, an emergency department visit

Summary: The Senate first considered several amendments to a primary care/health care bill. Amendment 1, on artificial intelligence in health care and mental health services, was withdrawn by unanimous consent. Amendment 37, which would have required a rate band for outpatient primary care reimbursement, was debated and then defeated on a roll call, 5-33. Amendment 39, on direct primary care arrangements and deductible credits, was also defeated 5-33. The chamber then took up and passed the conference report for An Act Relative to Teachers Preparation and Student Literacy (H. 5511), with senators emphasizing the need for evidence-based literacy instruction, universal screening, dyslexia screening, teacher training, and implementation funding; the bill was enacted and sent to the Governor after a 39-0 roll call. The Senate then returned to Amendment 60 on the primary care bill, which would have created a “safety valve” allowing alternative payment systems to be proposed to the Health Policy Commission. After debate over whether the bill already allowed flexibility, the amendment was defeated 5-33. Amendment 50, requiring stronger health equity reporting, was adopted. Amendment 66, a technical fix setting commercial payment rates for community health centers at the MassHealth PPS rate, was adopted. Amendment 24, excluding pharmaceutical spending from the primary care spending baseline and target, was adopted. Amendment 45, a study on expanding the role of allied health professionals, was withdrawn. Amendment 48, a group purchasing cooperative pilot, and amendments 53, 61, and 63 were also withdrawn. The Senate adopted Amendment 64, which prohibits prior authorization from delaying FDA-approved medications for serious mental illness, and rejected Amendment 68 on reporting private equity investment in primary and specialty care, as well as Amendments 71 and 72 on scope of practice and ownership disclosure. Amendment 62, a technical change modernizing the definition of primary care and clarifying the care team, was adopted. Amendment 21, the Senate Ways and Means amendment, was then adopted, the bill was ordered to a third reading, and the Senate passed An Act relative to primary care for you (S. 3116) to be engrossed on a 35-4 roll call. The Senate then adjourned to a later date, with memorial references at adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• But when visited by despair, the words of one of humanity's great visionaries have always helped me to
• Generation Safety Act, or the HUGS Act, which establishes physical contact guidelines for state prison visitation
• Families of incarcerated folks are getting punished and losing their visitation rights simply over Families
• of incarcerated folks are getting punished and losing their visitation rights simply over hugs.

Summary: The Assembly convened, initially lacked a quorum, then completed the roll call and prayer, adopted routine procedural motions, and moved through the daily file with many bills passed and retained or passed outright. Early measures included AB 2417 on community college faculty retirement information, AB 1579 expanding the Children’s Crisis Pilot Program, AB 2041 on emergency medical services reporting, AB 1547 on a UC medical school feasibility study in Kern County, and AB 1552 directing higher education segments to report on civic engagement and democracy education. The body also took up SB 73, an urgency elections-security bill, where supporters argued it would protect ballots, voting systems, and election workers from interference, while opponents said it could be unconstitutional, partisan, and overly restrictive of local and federal investigations. SB 73 passed with urgency and immediate transmittal to the Senate. The Assembly then approved a long series of policy bills, many with unanimous or near-unanimous votes, including AB 1554 on California Earthquake Authority transparency, AB 1584 on civil rights duties at the Air Resources Board, AB 1592 on the California Indian Cultural Center, AB 1629 on direct payment to dentists, AB 1645 on prison visitation physical-contact rules, AB 1688 on foster care notice and accountability, AB 1699 on prescribed and cultural burns, AB 1738 on virtual final inspections for single-family homes, AB 1741 on charging sexual battery during a residential break-in as a wobbler, AB 1802 on mitigation lands endowments, AB 1813 on community renewable energy program changes, AB 1899 creating a youth homelessness prevention office, AB 1904 on a credentialing apprenticeship program, AB 1941 on organized metal theft, AB 2043 on drone-attack prevention for mass gatherings and critical infrastructure, AB 2054 on paid family leave for military relatives, AB 2081 on home-based Medi-Cal care, AB 2116 on predatory lending, AB 2122 limiting bench warrants for vehicle-code infractions, AB 2176 on student housing coordination, AB 2187 on tribal public-contract exemptions, AB 2221 on charitable fundraising processing deadlines, AB 2232 on advance parole hearing reporting, AB 2235 on confidentiality of judges’ home addresses, AB 2250 on cannabis/hemp enforcement cleanup, and AB 2266 on electricity. Most measures were described as support or bipartisan bills and passed with little or no opposition. A few bills drew notable debate or recorded opposition, including AB 1813, AB 2122, and SB 73, though all ultimately passed. After finishing 35 items, the Assembly announced it would return the following week with a much larger file, noted upcoming floor amendment deadlines, and adjourned until Tuesday, May 26 at 1 p.m. A post-adjournment vote change was also recorded, changing Assembly Member Dixon’s vote on AB 2041 from aye to no.

Transcript Highlights:

• But when visited by despair, the words of one of humanity's great visionaries have always helped me to
• Generation Safety Act, or the HUGS Act, which establishes physical contact guidelines for state prison visitation
• Families of incarcerated folks are getting punished and losing their visitation rights simply over...
• Families of incarcerated folks are getting punished and losing their visitation rights simply over hugs

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That web page now gets about 1,500 visits each month. The page contains...
• That web page now gets about 1,500 visits each month.
• They also have the ability to go in and visit any place where animals are kept for a fee.
• They also have the ability to go in and visit any place where animals are kept for a fee.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight

Summary: The joint Audit Committee hearing focused on implementation of Ollie’s Law, including MDAR’s progress on regulations for commercial boarding and training kennels and the new municipal reporting requirements. MDAR Director Mike Cahill said the department formed the required advisory committee, held two Zoom trainings for municipal officials, created a public information webpage, and completed draft regulations that are now under secretariat review. He reported that 269 of 351 municipalities had submitted kennel data, leaving 82 out of compliance, and said the department has been posting compliant and noncompliant municipalities online to increase transparency. Committee members pressed MDAR on the lack of a clear enforcement mechanism for municipalities that fail to report and on the delay in finalizing regulations. The chair urged the department to consider stronger sanctions and asked for a central reporting system for injury data, noting that injury reports currently go only to municipalities. Cahill said the statute does not give MDAR explicit authority to fine municipalities, though he supported a House bill that would grant that power. He also said the department could not easily add municipal penalties through regulation alone. Representatives from the Animal Rescue League of Boston and the MSPCA, including the advisory committee chair Jenny Mather, said the advisory process was thorough and aimed to balance animal safety, consumer transparency, and fairness to compliant businesses. They supported better municipal accountability, more standardized training and resources for animal control officers, and clearer reporting of injuries and kennel information to MDAR. They also raised concerns about third-party advertising platforms that may list unlicensed home-based kennels and argued that public education and enforcement should focus on bad actors rather than penalizing well-run facilities. The hearing ended without a vote or formal action, but with support expressed for the pending bill and for continued regulatory revisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• He was then moved to me, where I fostered him until his extended home visit and subsequent return home
• We've been admitted to the hospital over 17 times, not counting over 40 ER visits, multiple urgent care
• If someone would have gone out to even expedite a safety assessment, to go and visit him in the hospital
• , to collect an address, to go out and complete a home visit, offer essentials, food, clothing, to ensure

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from February 23 and February 24, 2026. It then heard Senate Bill 1410, a technical measure affecting federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics when they change their scope of services. The sponsor and a representative of the FQHCs said the bill would create a clearer state process for rate reviews tied to scope changes, with added parameters and timing limits to reduce confusion and unnecessary requests. A Department of Health and Welfare Medicaid administrator said the bill would provide budget predictability and clarity. The committee voted to send SB 1410 to the Senate floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then took up House Bill 776, “Benji’s Law,” which would require faster priority-one child safety responses for infants under one year old when certain high-risk factors are verified, including prior child protection registry history, convictions for injuring a child, prior termination of parental rights, or neonatal abstinence syndrome. The sponsor and supporters, including hospital social workers, foster parents, law enforcement, and child welfare professionals, argued the bill would close a gap exposed by the death of a Nampa infant and ensure quicker welfare checks without automatically removing children. They emphasized that the bill would only trigger a faster response after a report is already made and verified. Several committee members raised concerns about due process, the breadth of the registry-based trigger, and whether the bill could expand CPS authority or create unintended consequences for families. The sponsor said the measure only changes urgency, not custody standards, and that the department worked on the bill and considered it doable. After debate, the committee voted by roll call to send HB 776 to the floor with a due pass recommendation, with five yeas, four nays, and one absence.

Transcript Highlights:

• this is that our community colleges are all, as you know, if many of you've done the public property visits
• :10:27.519><c> the</c><00:10:27.680><c> public</c><00:10:28.000><c> property</c><00:10:28.320><c> visits
• </c> you've done the public property visits you've done the public property visits are<00:10:28.959><

Committee: Joint Universities and Colleges

Keywords: Universities and Colleges - Room 216, 3 March, 2026; 11:00 AM, 925, all