Transcript Highlights:

• All those in favor executive session. All those in favor say<00:13:52.400> I.
• We're<00:13:54.200> in<00:13:54.320> executive<00:13:54.920> session.
• <00:13:55.720> First<00:13:55.960> bill We're in executive session.
• First bill We're in executive session.
• Move to go out of executive session. A motion to come out of executive session.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Tony Jordan, executive director, Child and Family Services Division at the Stanislaus County Office of
• Counties stand ready with our state partners at CDSS and DHCS to execute on the vision of TRS.
• Jackie Gonzalez, co-executive director of Immigrant Defense Advocates, I'm Jackie Gonzalez, co-executive
• I'm Mario Gonzalez, Executive Director of the Education Leadership Foundation.
• I'm Mario Gonzalez, Executive Director of the Education Leadership Foundation.

Summary: The committee heard an extensive Department of Social Services presentation on child care budget issues, including the Governor’s proposed 2026-27 budget, federal CCDF changes, Prop. 64 revenue adjustments, and a one-time $11.5 million disaster-related infrastructure grant for licensed child care facilities affected by 2025 declared disasters. DSS said federal formula updates and lower Prop. 64 revenues would reduce funding and could result in about 4,176 CCTR slots being reduced, but the department said it was working to avoid impacts to currently enrolled children. The LAO supported aligning general child care funding with lower revenues and asked for more detail on the disaster grant. Members pressed DSS and Finance on why reductions were not being backfilled and why so many awarded slots remain uncontracted or unused; DSS said delays are largely due to providers building new infrastructure, licensing, staffing, and enrollment challenges, and that some unspent funds revert to the General Fund. The committee also discussed whether some contract dollars should be shifted to vouchers and whether more flexibility should be allowed for infrastructure and expansion costs. A second panel focused on the state’s commitment to expand child care and on rate reform. DSS reported that nearly 125,000 new slots have been awarded since 2021-22, but speakers from Stanislaus County Office of Education, Parent Voices California, and the California Budget and Policy Center argued that unmet need remains large and that the system still leaves many families without access. Stanislaus County described a large local shortage of infant and toddler care and said reimbursement disparities between child care programs and state preschool create disincentives for providers. Parent Voices gave testimony about the burdens and instability families face when trying to access care, especially for survivors and low-income parents, and called for a universal, publicly funded system. The Budget Center said only about 16% of eligible children were enrolled in 2024, urged expansion across the mixed delivery system rather than concentrating investment in TK, and called for faster rate reform and new revenue. LAO estimated that bringing certain CCTR adjustment factors up to CSPP levels would cost $88 million to $131 million ongoing. Members and witnesses discussed the single rate structure, automation needs, and the need for deadlines and a ramp-up plan; DSS said the goal is to eliminate disparities, but that policy decisions are still needed before automation can proceed. The committee then reviewed several trailer bill proposals. DSS outlined a 2026-27 COLA proposal that would apply a 2.41% increase through cost-of-care-plus payments, though the department said it had inadvertently excluded CalWORKs Child Care and the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program and would revise the proposal; LAO recommended making the COLA methodology uniform across programs. DSS also proposed replacing the market rate survey with the federally approved alternative methodology on a triennial schedule, limiting temporary absences in family child care homes to 20% of monthly hours, defining excessive unexplained absences as more than 30 days in a year, and aligning family fee deductions with new federal requirements so providers receive the full voucher value. Members generally supported the temporary absence change and asked about implementation timing for the family fee deduction, with DSS saying it was in contact with Riverside County. The committee also heard a brief update on the Early Childhood Policy Council reappropriation, which would extend unused funds through June 30, 2028 because prior costs came in higher than expected.

Transcript Highlights:

• We can execute. >> Oh, I do. >> Thank you. >> All set. >> All right, sir. >> We will open the hearing
• Uh, for the record, Durus, executive director, OPLC.
• Uh for the record, Durus, executive >> Yes.
• Uh for the record, Durus, executive director,<01:12:05.040> OPLC.
• Just for the record, Der is executive director of OPLC.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am the executive director of the Kentucky Quarter Horse Racing Association. >> And I'm Christina Sers
• All right, let's go to Mike Stone, executive director of the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling.
• I'm Michael Stone, executive director of the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling.
• You came in, you had a number in mind, you got the number, and then you executed the mission.
• You came in, you had a number in mind, you got the number, and then you executed the mission.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from its August 21 meeting and then received an update from Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation leadership on implementation of Senate Bill 299 and House Bill 566. Jamie Eids and staff described the agency’s new structure after charitable gaming was brought under the corporation, including new divisions, staffing, banking, payroll, insurance, procurement, and reporting systems. They also unveiled the corporation’s new logo and tagline, and said the transition had been designed to avoid interruption for charities, licensees, and racing operations. A major focus was the fee structure required by House Bill 566. Eids outlined current licensing fees across racing, sports wagering, and charitable gaming, compared Kentucky’s fees with other states, and recommended keeping the status quo for one more year because the agency has only recently brought all three components fully in-house. Members asked about whether charitable gaming had harmed veterans’ groups or other nonprofits, whether any revenue should be transferred back to the state, and whether the charitable gaming licenses cover one-off raffles as well as standing operations. Eids said she had not heard complaints, said the licenses include all such activity with some exemptions, and agreed to look at the question of future transfers. The committee then heard from Melissa Combs Wright on pari-mutuel wagering and Hannah Sims on sports wagering. They reported continued growth in historical horse racing, more than $11 billion in total pari-mutuel wagering in fiscal year 2025, over $10.5 billion in HHR wagers, and about $161 million in pari-mutuel tax revenue, with most of that supporting the general fund and horse-breeding development funds. They also said sports wagering has generated nearly $5 billion in wagers since launch, $73 million for the public pension fund, and more than $2 million for problem gambling services, while expanding to 13 retail locations and 92 additional sports events. Members raised concerns about players being cut off after winning, the lack of local government revenue sharing from gaming facilities, and the growth of computer-assisted wagering; the witnesses said they were reviewing CAWs and that Kentucky does not license poker rooms through the corporation.

Transcript Highlights:

• They came here in defense of the executives they represent.
• So I'll talk about the executives at TASB.
• The highest executive is paid just over half a million dollars.
• And yet they have no problem paying the top 13 executives at TASB just over $5 million in salaries and
• I reported the incident, and shortly afterward, the Executive Director of Human Resources contacted my

Bills: SB 13, SB 27, SB 57, HB1325, HB1655, HB3312, HB5526, SB13, SB57, SB207, HB441, HB591, HB5019, SB27, SB843

Keywords: lobbying, public funds, political subdivision, local government, county association, municipal lobbying, registered lobbyist, Texas Legislature, taxpayer lawsuit, injunctive relief, attorney's fees, government finance, county dues, state association of counties, sheriffs association, law enforcement officers, legislative advocacy, bill tracking, legislative alerts, Government Code Chapter 556

Transcript Highlights:

• As I learned from Jane Berson, the executive director of NHA, there are no children who are not receiving
• I'd like to go into executive session with the school nurse bill from last time.
• Motion to go into executive session. Second. All those in favor? All those in favor? I, I.
• Make a motion to re-refer. executive session second all those in executive session second all those in
• We're out of executive session. Thank you very much. Much.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Direct Care and Treatment or the executive board have been added so that once Direct Care and Treatment
• DHS commissioner need to be changed to Direct Care and Treatment or the Direct Care and Treatment executive
• Direct Care and Treatment or the executive board have been added so that once Direct Care and Treatment
• DHS commissioner need to be changed to Direct Care and Treatment or the Direct Care and Treatment executive
• DHS commissioner need to be changed to Direct Care and Treatment or the Direct Care and Treatment executive

Bills: HF1662, HF2115, HF2159, HF1095, HF2160

Keywords: veterans, veterans affairs, State Soldiers Assistance Program, Veterans Stable Housing Initiative, MAXIS, human services data, data sharing, eligibility verification, informed consent, private data, benefits coordination, veteran housing, veteran assistance, Department of Human Services, Children Youth and Families, state benefits, federal benefits, privacy, public assistance, human services

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'll show you registered as Kelly Roste, Associate Executive Director of Government Relations for
• I'm the Associate Executive Director of Government Relations.
• We do have an executive director for that association.
• I'll show you registered as Ben Mackey, Executive Director on behalf of your executive director, but
• My name is Ben Mackey I'm the executive director of the Texas Impact Network.

Bills: HB2, HB2

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace

Transcript Highlights:

• I know there was a lot of work to get this deal done, including hours of work, calling our executive
• Long-term exposure to the stressors of poverty affects the very executive function of adults and with
• For now, the federal courts have prohibited the executive branch from pausing or terminating payments
• Since the start of the new administration, there have been a number of executive orders that have been
• We implemented an executive order to allow childcare programs to be reimbursed when they were closed

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He said that what he has found is that the executive branch is not always cooperative, and he is sorry
• So he hopes that they could get the executive branch to be participating in that, because they're the
• <01:27:07.400> branch<01:27:08.360> is<01:27:08.639> not that the executive
• branch is not that the executive branch is not always cooperative<01:27:14.480> and<01:27:14.920
• could get the executive could get the executive branch<01:27:41.000> to branch to branch

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services Oversight Committee met on February 2 and first approved the draft minutes from the prior meeting, with minor corrections to the meeting date and attendance notation. DHHS Associate Commissioner Patricia Tilly then gave a department update, describing the current uncertainty around federal priorities and funding, and provided two substantive reports: progress on the new Hampstead Youth Development Center and an update on the department’s review of an ALS registry proposal. She said the YDC project is underway with tree clearing, fencing, stormwater and site-prep work, and remains on track for completion by June 30, 2026 and operation by August 30, 2026. The center currently has 12 youth, and the new design is intended to provide flexibility for fluctuating census levels. On ALS, Tilly explained that HB 576 had prompted the department to examine whether a registry could be built, but the estimated cost of a HIPAA-compliant system was about $750,000. She said DHHS is reviewing whether existing data sources, such as hospital discharge data and CHIS claims data, could provide useful information, but noted both are incomplete for registry purposes. Committee members discussed whether the Rare Disease Advisory Council, Dartmouth, or existing cancer registry infrastructure could help reduce costs. DHHS said it is neutral and willing to continue exploring alternatives, while members emphasized the value of a registry and the need to consider shared infrastructure and funding. The committee also heard from Jenny Horan of the Alzheimer’s Association, who presented the subcommittee’s report on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. She said the subcommittee spent the past year gathering information on dementia care, abuse and exploitation issues, caregiver strain, and available services, and is now moving into a second phase focused on identifying gaps and developing a state plan. Members asked about geriatric psychiatric capacity and long-term care availability; Horan said the state has limited capacity and that the plan will help clarify where needs are greatest. She offered to return for follow-up questions at a later meeting. Finally, Olivia May of DHHS presented the quarterly report on the 12-month postpartum Medicaid coverage extension. She said New Hampshire implemented the extension after federal and state action, and the first claims data are still emerging because of reporting lags. In the initial cohort studied, 95% received some medical services during the extended period, 52.4% received mental health or substance use disorder treatment, 26.7% received preventive visits, and 3.2% received heart or hypertension services. Members asked about return on investment and whether higher federal matching rates are being used appropriately; DHHS said it claims the highest possible match based on eligibility group and will return with more data over time. The committee then heard the annual therapeutic cannabis program report from Michael Holt, who said the program had 1,475 registered patients as of June 30, 2024 and that growth has slowed, with New Hampshire having the lowest per-capita medical cannabis enrollment nationally.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the executive director of Into Action in Columbia, Missouri.
• It's the efficiency in which it's actually executed.
• It's the efficiency in which it's actually executed. Have you filed complaints?
• So I talked with our executive director, Lynn Meyerkord, to make sure we are on the same page with what
• And it has messed up its executive functioning, which is the decision-making.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the executive director at the Elliott-Lewis Center. My name is Marissa Shackleton.
• I'm the executive director at the Elliott-Lewis Center, a multiple sclerosis care center in Wellesley
• I'm executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Behavioral Health Systems, and we represent
• I'm also the associate director of the Neighborhood Birth Center, and our executive director will be
• I'm the executive director of Neighborhood Birth Center.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a lengthy public hearing with testimony on a wide range of health insurance and access-to-care bills. Early testimony focused on prescription drug pricing and pharmacy reimbursement, with supporters of H. 1326 arguing that pharmacy benefit managers and MassHealth managed care arrangements reimburse independent pharmacies too little, contributing to pharmacy closures and “pharmacy deserts.” The committee also heard repeated support for H. 1151/S. 742 on cognitive rehabilitation for acquired brain injury, H. 1288/S. 716 on telehealth parity for nutrition counseling, H. 1309/S. 761 on full-spectrum pregnancy care without cost-sharing, H. 1312 on insurance coverage for doula services, H. 309 on prompt access to health care by removing deductibles for certain services, H. 809/H. 1227 on biomarker testing, H. 1162/S. 810 on reducing inequities in access to medical procedures by limiting insurer cuts tied to Modifier 25, and S. 726 on insurance coverage for mobile integrated health. Testifiers included legislators, physicians, pharmacists, dietitians, emergency and rehabilitation clinicians, and patients and family members. Supporters of the brain injury bill said cognitive rehabilitation is medically necessary, improves long-term outcomes, and can reduce institutional care and public costs; they noted the bill has been heard repeatedly and has support from the Brain Injury Commission and prior favorable committee action. Supporters of the pregnancy care and doula bills described out-of-pocket costs as a barrier to maternal health and shared personal stories of high bills and unmet support needs. Biomarker testing advocates and cancer patients said coverage gaps deny patients access to precision treatment, can lead to avoidable suffering, and should be standardized across insurers; several speakers said insurers often deny claims despite clinical benefit. Dermatology witnesses said insurers’ use of Modifier 25 cuts reimbursement for same-day evaluation and procedure visits, forcing separate appointments and increasing patient burden. Mobile integrated health supporters described home-based care as a way to reduce emergency department use and hospital readmissions, especially for patients with transportation or mobility barriers. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Have motion to go to executive session. >> All those in favor say I.
• We're in executive session. >> [laughter] >> And the first bill we're going to start with, and I know
• Uh, Scott Roach, executive director of Health Trust.
• There's a motion to come out of executive session and a second. All those in favor say aye. Aye.
• <01:14:30.880> All executive session and a second. All executive session and a second.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Carr Ingham, President, Texas Alliance of Energy Producers; and Peyton Schumann, Executive Director of
• My name is Peyton Schumann, and I serve as the Executive Director of Government Relations for the Texas
• The last phase will focus on execution and completion, where the task force and advisory members will
• I'm the Executive Director of the Texas Hydrogen Alliance.
• We don't need to out-subsidize others; we need to out-execute them.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the Executive Director with the Arizona Dental Association.
• They said they're a nonprofit, but you still have very high-paid executives that are taking money out
• I'm the executive director of the Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association.
• director of the Arizona Board of Osteopathic Examiners in Medicine and Surgery as the executive director
• I'm the Executive Director of the Grand Canyon River Outfitters Association, representing the 16 small

Bills: HB2072, HB2251, HB2279, HB2308, HB2323, HB2342, HB2400, HB2408, HB2456, HB2660, HB2697, HB2868, HB2873, HB2877, HB2910, HB2946, HB2955, HB2991, HB4001, HB4010

Keywords: Cesar Chavez, public holiday, state law, holiday repeal, Arizona Revised Statutes, midwifery, medication administration, healthcare, patient safety, advisory committee, licensed midwives, river trips, liability, outfitter, Grand Canyon, negligence, risk management, contractual waiver, dental practice, business registration

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm joined today by Katie Hill, executive director of Como Friends, the nonprofit partner that supports
• So this is Kevin Beardsley, Executive Director of Duluth Seaway Port Authority.
• So this is Kevin Beardsley, Executive<00:35:34.160> Director<00:35:34.560> of<00:35:34.680
• I'm the executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and a proud member of the Minnesota Ports
• I am the president of the Minnesota Public Transit Association and the executive director of transit

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a Carlton County resident, the executive director of a nonprofit child care center, and I'm here
• Last, we have Jordan May, executive director of the Red Lake Homeless Shelter, testifying virtually.
• I'm Jordan May, the executive director of the Red Lake Homeless Shelter.
• And I want to make a direct apology to Jordan May, executive director of Red Lake Homeless Shelter.
• director of Red Lake Homeless executive director of Red Lake Homeless Shelter.<00:52:23.200> If

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 3403, authored by Vice Chair Rep. Kazowski, and first adopted an A1 amendment. The amendment made technical and implementation changes recommended by the Department of Revenue, allowed a small portion of funds for county and tribal administrative costs, and clarified timing and reporting for spent and unspent funds. After the amendment was adopted, the bill was moved to Ways and Means. Rep. Kazowski described HF 3403 as a $50 million emergency rental assistance measure to help stabilize households facing eviction, with $44 million directed to counties and $6 million reserved for tribal nations, administered through the Department of Revenue using the existing local homeless prevention aid formula. Supporters said the bill would provide immediate, targeted help to renters and landlords, prevent evictions, and reduce downstream costs to shelters, schools, employers, and health systems. Several testifiers, including representatives from Greater Twin Cities United Way, St. Louis County, Hennepin County, Minneapolis, social workers, a resident, and tribal housing leaders, said local resources were insufficient to meet rising need and emphasized the impact of federal immigration enforcement and related economic disruption on families, workers, and communities. Testimony highlighted sharp increases in rental assistance requests, rising eviction filings, depleted county funds, and the strain on nonprofit and mutual aid efforts. County and city officials said emergency rental assistance and related legal services had already prevented thousands of evictions, but current funding was not enough. Tribal testimony stressed disproportionate homelessness among Native Americans and supported the bill’s tribal allocation. During member discussion, Rep. Amani Hiltsley said the bill was an economic stabilization tool and requested a roll call vote, noting safeguards against fraud and the broader costs of inaction.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the co-executive director of New Mexico CAN.
• We have our Executive Director here who will talk more about the work of La Placita.
• I'm the founder and Executive Director of La Placita Institute.
• Thanks to our DA and our governor who signed an executive order to disband JDAI.
• I'm Naomi Chavez-Lopez, the Executive Director of Swift Community Schools, and it is my pleasure to be

Transcript Highlights:

• Hearing none, this hearing is closed, and we’ll go into executive session.
• Okay, we’re going to go into executive session. There are two bills on the docket for today.
• Okay, we're going to go into executive Okay, we're going to go into executive session.<01:29:39.360
• Open the executive session in HB 224FN, relative to rebates to the ratepayers from the Renewable Energy
• The executive committee hearing is adjourned. Please, committee, take note of Tuesday, April 1.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused on House Bill 302, which would allow the state treasurer to invest public funds in precious metals and digital assets. The sponsor was not present, so Representative Urs introduced the bill briefly and said he did not know much about it. No one from the Treasury Department testified, and members repeatedly noted the treasurer’s absence. Susan Elme testified against the bill, arguing that these investments are highly volatile and contrary to the treasury’s duty to remain stable and liquid. She said the bill should be killed. In questioning, she estimated the 5% cap in the bill would amount to roughly $10 million, depending on available funds, and said such investing would be more appropriate for an individual day trader than for the state treasury. Members also discussed prior legislative experience with Bitcoin-related proposals and raised concerns about whether the treasury had the staff expertise to manage commodity or digital asset investing. The committee did not take a final vote; instead, it agreed to hold a work session and seek additional information from the treasurer, with a plan to revisit the bill on April 1.

Transcript Highlights:

• Danger Barto is executive director for the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities.
• Danger Barto is executive<00:07:46.479> director<00:07:46.720> for<00:07:46.880> the
• <00:07:46.960> Hawaii<00:07:47.280> State executive director for the Hawaii State executive
• I'm Angie Marcato, the executive director of the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
• We also had one written support from the Executive Office on Aging.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee met on March 20, 2025, to hear a series of Human Services and Health resolutions. HCR 146, which asks the Department of Human Services to apply for and implement the Elderly Simplified Application Project, drew strong support from disability, public health, and hunger advocates. Testifiers emphasized that the measure could create a more uniform benefits application, reduce repeated paperwork, extend certification periods from one year to three years, and ease burdens on both applicants and DHS staff. DHS said it stood on its written testimony and was available for questions. The committee also heard that a universal application could help people with disabilities avoid delays and denials caused by complex or duplicative forms. The committee then heard HR 170/HCR 174, which requests review of Aloha-based learning programs for youth in the juvenile legal system. Supporters from Opportunity for Youth Action Hawaii and DebtFree Justice Hawaii said the resolution would help advance restorative justice, community service, and culturally grounded rehabilitation, especially if youth fees and fines are reduced or eliminated. Testimony also supported HR 133/HCR 139, which asks the Office of Wellness and Resilience to report on the developmental needs of children born during the COVID-19 pandemic. Witnesses from the developmental disabilities council, the Office of Wellness and Resilience, the Hawaii Community Foundation, and others said the pandemic’s trauma and behavioral impacts justify a multidisciplinary, evidence-based report, and the office requested more time to complete its findings, suggesting a deadline at the end of 2026. The committee also heard HR 88/HCR 92, proposing a two-year homelessness sanctuary pilot program in Honolulu. One testifier described sleeping in a car and said the pilot could provide a safer option, while the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions said it supported the intent but stressed that a sanctuary is still an unsheltered situation and should lead people toward permanent housing. HCR 180, calling for collaboration among homelessness and law enforcement agencies, received comments that many of the issues are already being addressed locally. HR 103/HCR 107, which would convene a working group to strengthen Title 9 protections, received support from education, women’s, and LGBTQ advocates, who asked for student and queer representation on the working group and said federal Title 9 changes make state action important. No votes were taken during the portion of the meeting provided, and the committee moved from one resolution to the next after testimony and questions.