Transcript Highlights:

• We need to do it." Next point I'm Bill. We need to do it."
• they don't need mandates. they don't need mandates.
• needs to happen. needs to happen.
• You don't need a we don't need it.
• We need this bill. opposed to this bill. We need this bill.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We need explanations, and we need to the uniqueness of our county in that area.
• We need explanations, and we need to the uniqueness of our county in that area.
• <00:44:14.839> explanations need help all right we need explanations need help all right we
• No need to be nervous.
• and I needed polishing and I needed and I needed polishing and I needed growth<03:46:59.520>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, SCP-262 creates an additional pathway to CPA certification. to help address workforce needs.
• and that the agency might need.
• I feel like I need a tin serve of gavels. 2106 Thank you. Thank you.
• TEA and HHSC, or excuse me, yeah, HHSC need to get together, provide the information. to the schools,
• It also makes sure that the schools provide information only, need to provide. information only about

Bills: HB29, HB 125, HB145, HB171, HB255, HB50, HB796, HB363, HB 116, HB491, HB589, HB1495, HB368, HB 1285, HB1905, HB1360, HB2002, HB917, HB2723, HB2067, HB 1238, HB2337, HB745, HB 1188, HB1606, HB2003, HB2147, HB2391, HB2355, HB2546, HB2495, HB2818, HB2249, HB1749, HB3109, HB3228, HB3240, HB1507, HB658, HB1748, HB1851, HB1922, HB2001, HB2798, HB 107, HCR29, SB5, SB262, HB 11, HJR72, HB 106, HB18, HB48, HB27, HB37, HB1481, HB581, HB1696, HB2216, HB 1035, HB1633, HB742, HB754, HB1689, HB1690, HB2669, HB391, HB517, HB 1024, HB1607, HB252, HB1716, HB1562, HB4116, HB1866, HB1741, HB2103, HB2637, HB2884, HB503, HB 1089, HB2986, HB972, HB502, HB29, HB 125, HB145, HB171, HB255, HB50, HB796, HB363, HB 116, HB491, HB589, HB1495, HB368, HB 1285, HB1905, HB1360, HB2002, HB917, HB2723, HB2067, HB 1238, HB2337, HB745, HB 1188, HB1606, HB2003, HB2147, HB2391, HB2355, HB2546, HB2495, HB2818, HB2249, HB1749, HB3109, HB3228, HB3240, HB1507, HB658, HB1748, HB1851, HB1922, HB2001, HB2798, HB 107, HCR29

Keywords: water audit, water loss, water loss mitigation plan, municipally owned utility, municipal utility, water conservation, Texas Water Development Board, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, water leakage, leak detection, billing data accuracy, utility validation, water audit validation, water scarcity, water management, infrastructure, public utility, conservation plan, administrative penalty

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, how much time would it need for the department to create these new positions that would be needed
• They need more of us.
• They need more of us. became my patient. They need more of us.
• many needs for this type of facility. many needs for this type of facility.
• like that needs to be in a neighborhood? like that needs to be in a neighborhood?

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint hearing opened with House Bill 1969, which would provide state funding for colorectal cancer screenings for uninsured and underinsured residents. The Department of Human Services said it supports the goal of early screening but would need new administrative capacity, including a program manager and claim pre-screening, to run the program. The Department of Health supported the measure and cited low screening rates in Hawaii, noting an educational campaign to encourage screening. The Insurance Division raised concerns about reliance on federal FAQs, warning that guidance can change and may create state cost exposure. Supporters including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and the Hawaii Medical Association argued the bill would close a preventive-care gap, reduce late-stage diagnoses, and save long-term costs; the committee also discussed implementation costs, estimated by DHS at roughly $1.4 million to $2 million annually plus administrative expenses, and a 6-month to 1-year timeline to establish the program. The committee then took up House Bill 1965, which would require health carriers to spend at least 6% of total medical expenditures on primary care providers. The Insurance Division said several provisions raise technical and legal concerns, including the premium freeze, the medical loss ratio language, the lack of an existing external review process for downcoding claims, and a new mandate for medically necessary inter-island transportation that could trigger an ACA defrayal. The Department of Human Services supported the intent but suggested broader language to include primary care supports and services, and noted that QUEST integration plans already invested at least 9% of total medical expenditures in primary care in 2024, with additional spending on supports and low-value care reductions. State health planning officials strongly supported the bill as an investment in primary care, saying it could improve outcomes and lower long-term costs, though they acknowledged a possible temporary premium increase during the transition. Testimony in support emphasized Hawaii’s physician shortage, especially on Maui, the Big Island, and other neighbor islands, and warned that clinics are under financial strain and may close without higher primary care reimbursement. The Hawaii Healthcare Task Force, AARP Hawaii, and other supporters said the bill would help retain providers, improve access for Medicare and Medicaid patients, and prevent downstream costs from emergency room use and avoidable hospitalizations. No votes or final committee action were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• address now as immigration needs address now as immigration needs continue<00:50:28.960> to
• <01:16:57.920> the >> why we need the >> why we need the >> attorney >
• The High Hopes they need to thrive.
• and for the infrastructure needs.
• Those are critical needs that need ongoing funding.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 1768, which would prohibit state and county law enforcement agencies and officials from entering into federal immigration-enforcement agreements under 8 U.S.C. 1357(g) and from assisting in certain immigration enforcement actions except in limited circumstances. The Office of the Public Defender, Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, the Legal Clinic, and the ACLU of Hawaiʻi all testified in strong support, arguing the bill would protect due process, reduce fear in immigrant communities, preserve trust in local police, and keep local resources focused on public safety. Testifiers said cooperation with immigration enforcement can chill court attendance, crime reporting, and cooperation with police, and they emphasized that the bill would not stop federal enforcement or affect other deputization agreements for environmental or other criminal matters. Committee members asked whether any 287(g) agreements currently exist in Hawaiʻi; testifiers said they were unaware of any and believed the bill would maintain the status quo. No vote was taken in the portion provided. The committee then took up House Bill 1548, which would reduce the maximum sentence for misdemeanors from one year to 364 days and allow people previously sentenced to one year to seek sentence modification. The Office of the Public Defender, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Legal Clinic, the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, the ACLU of Hawaiʻi, and the William S. Richardson School of Law immigration clinic all supported the measure, saying the one-day change could prevent severe immigration consequences such as detention, removal, and bars to relief that can be triggered by a sentence of 365 days or more. Testifiers stressed that the bill would not change criminal liability or public safety, but would align Hawaiʻi law with similar reforms adopted in other states. Members questioned whether the change would affect citizens or create an automatic immigration process; witnesses responded that the issue is the federal immigration consequence tied to the maximum sentence, not actual time served, and that citizens would not face that consequence. The transcript ends during continued discussion of HB 1548, with no final vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• They need housing. They need child care. They need education. They need a workforce.
• > to where we need to be, things we need to where we need to be, things we need to do.<05:49:16.558
• needed service to the Senate. needed service to the Senate.
• She knows when I need to eat. She hand. She knows when I need to eat.
• going senator um you need to do this. going senator um you need to do this.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I need about two minutes to build up to my question, but it's important.
• in the classroom now a period of two years to just acquire the credentials, to go through what they need
• But that micro-credential, you need to have that micro-credential.
• We want to make sure every child gets the appropriate education that they need and that the teachers
• administrative burdens and cost to school districts by expanding the options available for special needs

Bills: S0206, S0420, S0556

Keywords: autism, autism spectrum disorder, ASD, special education, exceptional student education, ESE, teacher preparation, educator certification, micro-credential, loan forgiveness, student loan repayment, teacher stipend, salary supplement, professional development, inclusive education, developmental disabilities, Down syndrome, behavioral disabilities, school district compensation, collective bargaining

Summary: The committee first heard SB 420, which would require portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln to be prominently displayed in classrooms used for social studies and in all K-5 classrooms, with the Department of Education selecting the portraits. Senator Burgess framed the bill as a patriotic and educational measure tied to America’s 250th anniversary, while Senator Davis raised concerns about exclusivity, political precedent, and state intrusion into local classroom decisions. Senator Osgood and others asked about sensitivity to diverse student populations and whether additional figures such as Harriet Tubman could also be displayed. Burgess said the bill would not prevent other displays, emphasized the two presidents’ historical significance, and committed to funding support so the mandate would not burden districts. The committee voted the bill favorably. The committee then took up CS/SB 206 on autism education and teacher preparation. Senator Harrell’s strike-all amendment required teacher preparation programs to include autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities, required ESE-certified teachers to complete an autism microcredential, created an autism loan forgiveness program and salary supplement provisions, and directed district professional development to include autism-specific training with local CARD centers. A second amendment removed a proposed change to the legal definition of autism so that issue could be handled separately. Senators Davis and Osgood asked about implementation timelines, grandfathering current teachers, and how the bill would affect educators already working in autism classrooms; Harrell said he was open to further discussion and wanted to ensure flexibility while still requiring the credential. Public testimony included support from Orange County Public Schools, a parent of children with autism, and others. The committee adopted the amendments and reported the bill favorably. Finally, the committee heard CS/SB 556, which allows students with disabilities to satisfy the high school physical education requirement by participating in Special Olympics for one year if included in the student’s IEP. An amendment also clarified that two years of marching band satisfies both the PE credit and a fine or performing arts credit. Supporters said the bill expands inclusive options and reduces administrative burdens, and Senator Yarborough praised the change as giving students more flexibility. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. The committee also took up confirmation votes for appointments in tabs 4 through 7 and recommended all of them favorably by a single roll call vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I need about two minutes to build up to my question, but it's important.
• in the classroom now a period of two years to just acquire the credentials, to go through what they need
• But that micro-credential, you need to have that micro-credential.
• We want to make sure every child gets the appropriate education that they need and that the teachers
• administrative burdens and cost to school districts by expanding the options available for special needs

Summary: The Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee met with a quorum and took up several bills. SB 420, by Senator Burgess, would require George Washington and Abraham Lincoln portraits to be prominently displayed in social studies classrooms and K-5 classrooms, with the Department of Education selecting the portraits. Supporters framed the bill as a patriotic and educational measure tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary, while senators raised concerns about exclusivity, precedent, local control, and whether the measure could be expanded politically. Burgess said the bill was intended to be nonpartisan, historically rooted, and not to affect curriculum, and he committed to seeking funding so it would not be an unfunded mandate. The committee reported SB 420 favorably. The committee then considered CS for SB 206, by Senator Harrell, which revises teacher preparation and training related to autism spectrum disorder. The strike-all amendment requires teacher preparation programs to include autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities, requires ESE-certified teachers to complete an autism microcredential by August 1, 2027, creates an Autism Education Loan Forgiveness Program, authorizes salary supplements and stipends, and requires district professional development to include autism-specific training with local CARD centers. Senators asked about implementation timelines, grandfathering current teachers, and whether the endorsement requirement should include a grace period; Harrell said she was open to further discussion and wanted to make the bill workable. Public testimony was largely supportive, including from an Orange County Public Schools representative and a parent of a child with autism. The committee adopted the amendments and reported the bill favorably. Finally, the committee considered CS for SB 556, by Senator Berman, which allows students with disabilities to satisfy the high school physical education requirement by participating in Special Olympics for one year if included in the student’s IEP. An amendment also clarified that two years of marching band participation satisfies both PE and fine/performing arts credit requirements. Testimony supported the bill as an inclusive option that could reduce administrative burdens and give students more flexibility. The committee reported the bill favorably. The committee also voted to recommend confirmation of appointees in tabs 4 through 7, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And a constructed renovated container cannot meet their needs. I need to build it.
• We need your help. Thank you.
• :02.160> get needs I need to build it I need to get needs I need to build it I need to get structures
• The need for help is urgent.
• The need for help is urgent.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:19:41.120> For ability to function properly. For ability to function properly.
• So you would need to use differently. So you would need to use different<00:36:56.720> language.
• They may not need to purchase it.
• But now the particulars they need.
• particular needs. particular needs.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• need across the state? need across the state?
• ><01:16:11.200> stop We need to stop this and we need to stop We need to stop this and we need
• This needs to stop.
• We do need to keep moving. No, ma'am. We do need to keep moving.
• need these services. need these services.

Bills: HF3542

Keywords: data privacy, investigative data, welfare system, public funds, transparency, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• need to need a amendment and then we'll need to need a motion<00:01:11.960> uh<00:01:12.400><
• We need solutions to this.
• We need to be committed to doing this, but in the interim we need some structure in place.
• wants to do any finger pointing we need wants to do any finger pointing we need solutions<00:28:
• Uh, we need to build something.

Keywords: 00:00:00 Introductions 00:00:22 Roll Call 00:01:56 Discussion on SB 85 00:14:03 Vote on SB 85 00:16:15 Explanation of Agency Amendment 00:19:04 Voice Vote on Amendment 00:19:33 Discussion on Kentucky Foster Children Housing, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 85, sponsored by Senator Meredith, which would move the Office of the Ombudsman from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to the State Auditor’s office and make related cleanup changes. Meredith said the bill grew out of a prior task force and a two-year transition from Senate Bill 48, and he argued the move would create independence, improve access to the ITWIST database, ensure complaints are not lost in the handoff, and add confidentiality protections for whistleblowers. Auditor Allison Ball and her staff said the bill would codify access and procedures after earlier disputes and a court-mediated settlement, and they described the measure as necessary to make the new structure work effectively. Members asked how the Ombudsman would handle complaints and verify services in cases involving waiver recipients and other cabinet services. Ball and her staff said the Ombudsman would investigate complaints, make inquiries, and provide accountability outside the cabinet structure, with timelines and procedures similar to the Auditor’s office. The committee also discussed staffing and whether the office would need more personnel; Ball said the office already had about 100 people but could use more. The bill passed 10-0 with favorable expression. The committee then approved an agency amendment to administrative regulation 922 KAR 1:001490 concerning foster parent background checks. Cabinet staff explained the amendment corrected a drafting error by removing references to civil determinations in a second section of the regulation because the system cannot search those determinations, while still allowing the required checks under state and federal law. Senator Herron asked what a civil determination meant, and staff said it could involve a court finding in a custody or abuse case, though such findings are now typically handled through the child abuse and neglect registry. The amendment was adopted. Afterward, the committee began a discussion on Kentucky foster children housing and related issues. Ball and Ombudsman staff presented a preliminary assessment of children placed in office buildings, saying the review covered 49 children placed over a four-month period and showed a different picture than the public narrative of only older, high-acuity youth. They reported that some children had no documented behavioral or disability issues, many came directly from home, the average age was 13, the average stay was four nights, and placements were spread across several regions rather than centered only in Louisville. Members raised concerns about the lack of formal policies and procedures, staff safety, and how to ensure children are treated appropriately, and Ball said the Ombudsman was continuing a deeper review. No final action was taken on that discussion in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I need my percentage.
• Texas needs seawater desal.
• We need more flies, and we need them faster.
• We need more flies. We need more flies faster.
• We need more flies and we need it faster.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• bill adds a written functional bill adds a written functional assessment<00:12:28.959> to
• We thank needs of families.
• I knew I needed help.
• We will go to House File 2704. need. So, I do hope we will consider need.
• most in need at this level of care. most in need at this level of care.

Bills: HF2115, HF2276, HF1644, HF99, HF2068, HF2707, HF2704, HF2406, HF1674, HF1579

Keywords: human services, aging services, disability services, behavioral health, long-term care, nursing home, nursing facility, assisted living, waiver services, medical assistance, Medicaid, case mix reimbursement, PDPM, RUG, direct care and treatment, developmental disabilities, day services, positive support, guardian, conservator

Transcript Highlights:

• community needs ultimately, what our family needs.
• community needs ultimately, what our family needs.
• community needs ultimately, what our family needs.
• community needs ultimately, what our family needs.
• community needs ultimately, what our family needs.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We have the information we need.
• addressing the needs of these children. addressing the needs of these children.
• to—we all need to consider.
• There are needs and wants in the budget, and this is definitely not a need.
• need to treat them all equally. Equal. need to treat them all equally. Equal.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met in executive session on a bill concerning school meal access and reimbursement. The bill would address local school districts’ responsibility to provide meals during school hours, reimburse schools for meals served at no cost, and make an appropriation. The committee first moved to retain the bill, with supporters saying it was complex, had uncertain fiscal impacts, and should be considered alongside other related meals bills. Opponents argued the committee already had enough information, that the bill served a small number of students at relatively low cost, and that delaying action would harm children who need food to learn. The committee also heard from Tim Roar, a Keene school business administrator and co-designer of the bill, who explained that the proposal was intended to be an opt-in program for districts, with rulemaking to set participation requirements. He said the bill was meant to target aid to students between 175% and 200% of poverty, reduce bad meal debt, and avoid spending taxpayer money on families who could afford to pay. He estimated the state cost at about $250,000 in year one, with local taxpayer costs around $8,500 for Keene, and said some districts already have systems for online applications while others do not. Committee members questioned him about meal debt, online application software costs, and how districts handle students who reach debt limits. Roar said districts still feed students who are hungry, but use other resources and family outreach when meal debt is capped, and he argued that parents should be responsible for providing lunch when they can afford it. Other members pushed back, saying they had seen students go hungry and that teachers sometimes pay for lunches themselves. One member noted the bill would increase eligibility, make it easier to apply, strengthen personal responsibility, and was not a mandate. The discussion ended without a recorded final vote in the excerpt, though the retain motion remained the central action under debate.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need our state government to step up and address the current needs.
• Um, and this is truly a crisis, and that is the level of need that we need to respond with.
• Um, and this is truly a crisis, and that is the level of need that we need to respond with.
• If we need to address the housing crisis, we need to address that.
• > to up, the need uh the need continues to up, the need uh the need continues to outpace<01:38

Bills: HF3403, HF3410, HF3424

Keywords: HF3403, emergency rental assistance, rental aid, homelessness prevention, housing crisis, imminent risk of homelessness, eviction prevention, county aid, Tribal governments, local government aids, general fund appropriation, Minnesota revenue commissioner, poverty level, low-income housing, housing stability, family homeless prevention and assistance, emergency housing assistance, eviction, rent, redemption

Transcript Highlights:

• believe Michelle are able to go through and they use a checklist and they know the things that we need
• the<00:09:51.839> things<00:09:52.000> that<00:09:52.240> we<00:09:52.399> need
• ><00:09:52.480> to<00:09:52.640> include<00:09:52.880> for the things that we need
• to include for the things that we need to include for disclosures<00:09:53.680> and<00:09:53.920
• able to get an appropriation or as many appropriations for a year, they should still be able to function

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• needed.
• That gap is needed and what they needed.
• that they need.
• . needed. needed.
• Family need a job, I needed a career.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think that needs to be on the record that this was at least... move them into the regular cycle
• There have been so many abuses of this, and there does need to be a way to address it, and so I am very
• special legal protections, such as Section 230 immunities or government contracts. ...they cease to function
• We need to stop blaming the candidates for runoffs. We are responsible for that.
• The system may not put you on the wrong bill, so we need to know you, but make sure we get a card.

Bills: SB38, SB287, SB291, SB292, SB508, SB618, SB901, SB1436, SB1494, SB1626, SB1719, SB1999, SB1333, SB 38

Keywords: evictions, property law, tenant rights, landlord responsibilities, justice court, court rules, SB 287, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code, sexually oriented business, adult entertainment, strip club, nude entertainment, live nude performance, alcohol prohibition, alcohol consumption, possession of alcohol, criminal offense, Class A misdemeanor, state jail felony, third degree felony