Transcript Highlights:

• program.
• In addition to the technical training program We offer literacy programs, high school diploma programs
• area that they teach, high school equivalency programs, life-saving programs. skills programs, you heard
• There's a program, it's a multi-disciplinary program.
• Our program is a tiered program. We have five total tiers.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• equipment assistance, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's ag water quality certification program
• equipment assistance, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's ag water quality certification program
• equipment assistance, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's ag water quality certification program
• equipment assistance, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's ag water quality certification program
• program after school learning program. program after school learning program.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill authorizes the county commissioners to establish a relocation assistance program if they so
• I mean, is that really what we're talking about, or is it a bigger program?
• It's not a rideshare program or call up and just ask for a ride to go somewhere.
• If that's just a family member or if that's an alcohol assistance program or something along that line
• programs if they so choose.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to reimburse school districts for costs, ...food procurement reimbursement grant program to reimburse
• program.
• Citizen and disabled resident transportation assistance program.
• Mitigation Program projects. to make loans for the Community Hazard Assistance Mitigation Program projects
• Instead, they hand their prices to a shared computer program.

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:25:54.480> that development tax credits or programs that development tax credits or programs
• Uh, the angel tax credits or program that you spoke of are not being affected in this bill.
• Uh, the angel tax credits or program that you spoke of are not being affected in this bill.
• It would sunset assistance on TIFs.
• ,<00:33:30.160> maintains registered dental assistants, maintains registered dental assistants

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum with 95 members present, excused absent members, and adopted a legislative citation honoring Dave Buzz Baker for his long career with WKYT and the UK Sports Network. The Senate clerk then reported several Senate bills passed by the Senate and requested concurrence. The House approved the journal and received committee reports advancing a wide range of bills on agriculture, banking and insurance, judiciary, licensing and regulations, education, and information technology, covering topics such as agricultural procurement, pesticide labeling, vehicle financial protection products, proxy advisory services, financial exploitation, status offenses, firearms liability protections, school administrator salaries, sick leave, school safety, and data privacy. The chamber then considered House Bill 468 on civil rights. The bill would update the Kentucky Civil Rights Act to align the definition of disability with the federal ADA, and it would remove the Kentucky Human Rights Commission’s adjudicative powers over employment and public accommodations disputes while preserving investigative functions. House Floor Amendment 1 was adopted; it removed language barring attorney’s fees, preserved local commissions’ investigative powers, authorized local commissions and private plaintiffs to file civil actions in circuit court, and extended the probable-cause determination period from 30 to 180 days. The bill, as amended, passed 72-22. House Bill 757, the session’s revenue bill, was then debated. Its sponsor described provisions including moratoriums on certain local school district taxes, Internal Revenue Code conformity, new taxes on data brokering, fantasy contests, and predictive markets, EV charging station inspection fees, elimination of some tax expenditures, Department of Revenue cleanup provisions, and process changes for inheritance tax, property tax delinquencies, and other measures. Members raised concerns that the bill would limit local school boards’ taxing options and could affect bonding and school construction; the sponsor said TIF-related provisions would sunset future participation, not existing projects, and that the bill had been developed with agency input. House Bill 757 passed 69-18. The House also passed House Bill 727, creating the Kentucky Education Placement Service System for teacher applicants and district job postings, by a vote of 94-0. The chamber then took up House Bill 776, a modernization of the Dental Practice Act, with changes to board authority, licensure renewal, hygienist and assistant rules, and telehealth standards; the sponsor noted an ownership-related issue and presented House Floor Amendment 1 for consideration, but the transcript cuts off before final action on that amendment and the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• That previous budget slashed programs.
• Medicaid, nutrition assistance programs, Pell Grants, affordable health care coverage, cancer research
• We have seen program after program that the Democrats are crying foul about, saying Americans did not
• The nutrition assistance programs are the most effective and important tool to fight hunger, including
• or the School Breakfast Program.

Transcript Highlights:

• Cruz is here for technical assistance on questions and answers.
• I'm here to present SB 262, which expands the pro-housing program to include policies and programs that
• SB 262 builds on this anti-displacement expansion to include safe parking programs and safe camping programs
• And it also offers a lot of technical assistance and potentially even financial assistance.
• Money can be directed to great programs.

Summary: The committee first heard SB 753, which would modernize California’s shopping cart recovery rules by allowing cities and counties to return abandoned carts directly to retailers, recover documented retrieval costs, and avoid the current impound-and-wait process. The author and supporters, including San Jose officials and the League of California Cities, said the bill would help clear streets, sidewalks, and waterways and reduce local costs. Grocers and retailers opposed the measure unless amended, arguing it would turn cart retrieval into a new cost burden and could create incentives for cities to charge too much for stolen property. After extensive discussion about notice periods, cost caps, and local ordinances, the committee adopted amendments and passed the bill 6-0 as amended. The committee then took up SB 445, which would speed up permitting and approvals needed for high-speed rail by requiring early engagement, setting rules for third-party coordination, and creating a dispute-resolution process. The author said the bill was narrowed from an earlier, broader transit proposal and was intended to reduce delays caused by utilities, local governments, and other entities. Supporters said permitting bottlenecks add major costs and delays to infrastructure projects, while opponents from utilities, cities, counties, telecoms, and special districts raised concerns about safety, reliability, affordability, and the need to review the pending amendments. The bill passed 8-1 to the Utilities and Energy Committee. The committee also heard SB 9, a narrower housing bill focused on accessory dwelling units. The author explained that it would require local ADU ordinances to be submitted to HCD for review and would make state standards control if a local agency fails to submit a compliant ordinance or respond to HCD findings. Supporters from housing and YIMBY groups said the bill would improve enforcement of state ADU law and prevent local barriers from slowing housing production. There was no opposition, and the bill passed 6-0. The committee then began hearing SB 79, which would allow more housing near major transit stops; the author and supporters framed it as a response to the housing shortage and transit underuse, and the hearing continued with extensive support testimony as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, if we need to call them and seek their assistance. Services, LZ Ber.
• Rebecca, can you assist with this? I'm going to ask Rebecca Norton to assist with this portion.
• <00:14:57.920> I'm Rebecca, can you assist with this?
• I'm Rebecca, can you assist with this?
• <00:14:59.760> with gonna ask Rebecca Norton to assist with gonna ask Rebecca Norton to assist

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee heard from the Department of Corrections first about Wellpath’s medical services contract and the contractor’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy. DOC officials said Wellpath’s reorganization plan was confirmed in May 2025, the contract was automatically assumed, and services have continued without lapses. They said DOC has not seen any reduction in care, staffing problems, or known impact on Kentucky operations, and that DOC and health services staff meet with Wellpath almost weekly. Members asked whether “emergence” meant discharge from bankruptcy; staff clarified that Wellpath has not yet been discharged and is still in the process of paying debts. The discussion then shifted to the Department of Juvenile Justice’s proposed high-acuity juvenile mental health treatment facility. DJJ said the facility is still in the conceptual and preliminary programming stage, with no full design funding yet and no entry into the formal A/B process with DECA. The proposed facility would have 24 beds total, split into 16 clinical beds and 8 assessment/stabilization beds, and would need to separate males and females as well as high- and low-risk youth under Senate Bill 162. Officials said the concept was developed with DJJ and CHFS mental health staff and outside design experts, and that the project was submitted in the capital plan for consideration. Members questioned the need for the facility, the estimated construction and staffing costs, and whether the state has enough youth to justify it. DJJ said the number of youth needing this level of care changes frequently, that they currently have one youth in Pennsylvania and typically send one to five youth out of state each year, and that out-of-state placement is increasingly difficult. Officials argued that a dedicated facility would reduce delays, keep youth closer to home, and avoid the need to retrofit multiple detention centers. Some members expressed concern that the projected operating costs seemed high compared with the small number of current out-of-state placements, and asked for more information on annual out-of-state spending and the number of youth who would qualify for the facility.

Transcript Highlights:

• This would be an incentive for those counties to get with the program.
• We have what's called the personal care program, and we have the cash grant.
• That assistance for a resident is less than $30 a day.
• He's probably going to end up in assisted living at some point.
• I also represent the Missouri Assisted Living Association.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The program is therefore a program of true private choice."
• HB 15 fundamentally changes the program from one aimed at assisting families in need to one that prioritizes
• , TANF, and fuel assistance.
• um well I can't speak to assistance um well I can't speak to those<03:17:21.000> programs<03:
• <03:20:00.439> assistant legislative budget assistance assistant legislative budget assistance

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused on House Bill 115-FN, which would remove the income cap from New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Account eligibility rules. Representative Valerie McDonnell, the bill’s sponsor, said the measure is intended to fund students rather than systems and to expand educational choice regardless of income or zip code. She described the change as a small statutory edit but argued it would have significant benefits, including helping families afford alternative education settings and testing costs such as AP exams. She also cited testimony from families who said EFAs helped children with special needs or difficult circumstances, and she argued the program is popular and cost-effective. Committee members questioned McDonnell about the bill’s fiscal impact and administration. One member asked whether removing the income cap would extend vouchers to families above the statewide median income and whether the change could cost more than $100 million annually; McDonnell said she did not agree with that estimate and pointed to Arizona as a comparison. Representative Wendy Thomas asked whether the bill should require stronger data-sharing from the Children’s Scholarship Fund, which administers the program, so the Department of Education and taxpayers could better track spending; McDonnell said the program already uses ClassWallet and regulated expenditures, and that the question was better directed to the administrator. Several members testified in opposition. Representative Wendy Thomas said the bill would increase costs for public schools, raise local property taxes, and worsen oversight problems. Representative Heath Howard argued the proposal would function as a subsidy for wealthy families already paying private tuition and said public education and special education should be funded first. Representative Megan Murray also opposed the bill, emphasizing the lack of a legal reporting requirement for EFA spending and the need for transparency, accountability, and attention to special education needs. Representative Sam Farrington supported expansion, sharing a constituent story about a student who left public school after harassment and benefited from private school placement. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2024 we began winding down some of the CARES Act programs, with the exception of our CBG program;
• .2024 we began winding down some of the CARS Act programs with the exception of ourcBG program that cares
• We received increases to several of our pass-through programs for the Enna senior nutrition program,
• We are doing some work with the undergraduate program to try to really strengthen the feeder program.
• We are doing some work with the undergraduate program to try to really strengthen the feeder program.

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce on its FY26 priorities, recent performance, and budget requests. Commerce said it had helped announce about 8,000 direct jobs and nearly $14 billion in investment year-to-date, while noting challenges such as tariffs, workforce recruitment, staffing/FTE management, and the condition of its 100-year-old office building. The agency highlighted projects and initiatives including a new Taiwan trade office, Route 66 Centennial planning, the National Main Street conference in Tulsa, Olympic-related coordination, census outreach, and continued improvements to its grants and CRM systems. Requested funding included $8.3 million for building repairs or relocation planning, census support, $300,000 for EDGE, $135,000 for IT/cybersecurity upgrades, $250,000 for the Taiwan office, and additional support for Head Start, senior nutrition, and the Strategic Air and Space Commission. Members asked about the meaning of the investment totals, the building condition, delays in senior nutrition distributions, and staffing vacancies; Commerce said the investment figures reflected formal company capital announcements, the building had significant facade and roof damage, delays were due to multiple contracting layers, and several open positions were expected to be filled soon. The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department then presented its FY26 budget and goals. New director Amy Blackburn and special advisor Sterling Zearley said the department oversees 38 state parks, six lodges, seven golf courses, and nine travel information centers, and emphasized tourism’s economic importance. They reported savings from bringing marketing and tracking functions in-house and from shared services, but said the department faces more than $271 million in deferred maintenance needs, staffing shortages, and connectivity problems at parks. Their goals include increasing park visitation to 10.2 million, raising occupancy to 36%, and growing travel to Oklahoma, with major marketing tied to the Route 66 Centennial, America 250, the FIFA World Cup, the Olympics, and other events. The department also discussed a request to raise its purchasing exemption cap from $25,000 to $75,000, a possible TravelOK.com redesign, and efforts to improve restaurant operations at lodges through a new RFP structure. Members questioned the apportionment cap, the size and timing of deferred maintenance requests, park revenue, and the use of parking pass funds; tourism said annual park-related revenue is about $32 million to $34 million and parking pass revenue is about $2.5 million. Finally, the OSU Veterinary Medicine Authority presented its budget request and program updates. The authority said it supports the veterinary teaching hospital and related student training, and that its FY26 budget is entirely state-appropriated. It requested continued support for hospital operations, the large animal scholarship program, and a new $12.5 million annual payment tied to the $250 million Legacy Capital Fund authorization for the veterinary teaching hospital, along with additional funding to expand in-state enrollment. Officials said in-state enrollment had increased from 58 to 69 students after prior funding, with a goal of reaching 90 of 106 total seats, and that there were 195 in-state applicants this year. Members asked whether standards would be lowered; the authority said academic standards would not change and noted strong board-pass rates and retention outcomes. It also said accreditation concerns tied to faculty shortages and off-site teaching had been addressed by bringing students back to the main campus and improving staffing. The committee ended by thanking the presenters and announcing its next meeting date.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a great program.
• It's a great program.
• It's an intermediary pilot, I would say, program, or a program that we're really starting to enforce
• The program was originally intended to assist rural counties and municipalities in recruiting attorneys
• Well, the whole idea as regarding even the name of the program is a recruitment program.

Summary: The Judiciary Interim Committee met to begin its study of charitable gaming and the ownership of alcoholic beverage establishments by licensed charitable gaming organizations, a study directed by Senate Bill 2334. Legislative Council gave an overview of the constitutional and statutory framework for charitable gaming, site authorizations, rent limits, proceeds, and recent legislative changes. The Attorney General’s Gaming Division then clarified the financial flow of gaming, explaining that in fiscal year 2025 North Dakota had about $2.5 billion in gross gaming proceeds, with roughly 88-90% paid back in prizes and about $256 million available to organizations after taxes; most of that activity came from electronic pull tabs. Members asked for more detail on winnings, replays, rent, and the breakdown of manufacturer/distributor revenues, and the AG’s office agreed to provide supplemental information. The committee also heard from the League of Cities and the Association of Counties about local site authorization. Cities said they have a limited role in approving gaming sites, can adopt policies after public hearing, may charge up to $100, and can set certain conditions, including local nexus requirements, but cannot require donations or force a specific charity or site. The League said it had worked with stakeholders on a model policy to provide more consistency, though members raised concerns that local requirements could become too restrictive for charities serving broader areas. Counties said the issue is mostly a city matter, with little county involvement beyond minimal site fees and general site approval. The North Dakota Gaming Alliance testified in support of the study and provided IRS-related material suggesting charities may use asset diversification, while emphasizing it had not taken a position on whether charities should own bars. Members questioned whether bar ownership is being used for site stability or to channel charitable gaming dollars, and whether city policies might disadvantage charities with broader missions. The committee also discussed the relationship between gaming organizations, manufacturers, and distributors, including restrictions on incentives and interference, and asked for more information on those entities and their ownership. Later in the meeting, the Racing Commission gave its regular update on live racing, pari-mutuel wagering, ADW providers, purse and promotion funds, a new TRPB contract, and concerns about cease-and-desist actions from other states. Finally, the State Hospital superintendent briefly reported on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s support services, including the SORT team, training, and security assistance for the hospital campus.

Transcript Highlights:

• Program, and we run a variety of other family health programs related to genetically handicapped persons
• This includes **$199.3 billion** in local assistance to support program costs and **$1.4 billion** in
• But a program that has a really bad history of being— mildly off on your estimates on this program, and
• Medi-Cal program.
• Our office assists legal aid attorneys who assist families on public benefits, including Medi-Cal, and

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Assistant, please call the roll. Cervantes? Here. Seyarto? Here. Cabaldon? Daly? Here.
• Madam Assistant, please call the roll. Wahab. The motion is due pass to the Senate floor.
• Madam Assistant, please call the roll. Cervantes? Aye. Cervantes, aye. Seyarto? Aye. Cabaldon? Aye.
• Madam Assistant, if we could please open the roll for AB 1999 call route to allow members to add on.
• Madam Assistant, if we could please open the roll for AB1999 call route to allow members to add on.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Assistant Undersecretary Angela Davis. Representative Kate Assistant Undersecretary Angela Davis.
• Assistant. Millie Batya. Approve? Assistant Undersecretary Angela Davis.
• Assistant Undersecretary Angela Davis: [response not captured].
• to clean up the reading a little bit, clarifying different pieces related to existing treatment programs
• run by EOPs and other programs, and that takes us into the emergency response section.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on the Public Health Effects of Xylazine held its fifth and final public meeting to review and approve the final draft of its report before submission to the House and Senate clerks. Chair Mindy Domb opened the meeting, noted Senator John Keenan’s absence due to National Guard deployment, approved the prior meeting minutes, and explained the process for incorporating final edits and late votes into appendices. Commissioners then voted to allow staff to make agreed-upon language changes after the meeting, and later voted on the final report itself. Staff walked commissioners through the report’s redlines and substantive updates. Changes included clarifying that xylazine is an active adulterant rather than simply a bulking agent, replacing “non-clinician” with “non-clinical staff,” removing or revising references to “hotspots” in favor of more accurate language about local trends, and refining language on wound care to refer to medical consequences and financial costs. The report also added or strengthened discussion of harm reduction measures such as drug checking, mobile health services, overdose prevention centers, oxygenation and airway support during overdose response, and the importance of naloxone remaining available while recognizing its limits for xylazine exposure. Commissioners also discussed data collection, legal protections for drug checking, and the role of the Attorney General in guidance and coordination on emerging drug threats. The commission then took a final vote, with the members present voting to approve the report. A letter from Senator Velis, who was also absent due to active duty orders, was read into the record expressing support for the report and its recommendations. In closing comments, commissioners and staff thanked one another for the collaborative work and described the report as a useful public health resource. Chair Domb adjourned the meeting at 11:11 a.m., noting that the final report would be submitted and posted online for public access.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is medication-assisted treatment and referrals to the MAT provider.
• program.
• It requires practitioners and providers to be able to conduct that program, so they do that.
• Practitioners and providers to be able to conduct that program, so they do that.
• Medication-assisted treatment is one.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think we have had a number of new programs in recent years, right?
• There are many great programs, and no one's here to criticize the programs.
• Is it going to put too much pressure on programs?
• , utility payment assistance, health care coverage, food assistance, public transit and paratransit,
• Federal budget cuts already put our state programs at risk.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a public hearing on two proposed ballot initiatives: one to reduce the state personal income tax rate from 5% to 4% over three years, and another to revise the state’s tax collection cap/62F process so it would be based on prior-year collections plus wage growth and include surtax revenue. The committee chair and House co-chair outlined the hearing process, and the first witness was Doug Howgate of the Massachusetts Taxpayer Foundation, who testified as the committee’s subject-matter expert on both measures. He said the income tax proposal would lower taxes broadly but would reduce state revenue by about $5.4 billion when fully implemented, with an estimated $800 million hit in FY27, and he discussed possible effects on competitiveness, taxpayer savings, and public finances. On the 62F proposal, he said the revised cap would make refunds more likely, could have produced several large refunds in recent years, and would reduce stabilization fund deposits and constrain recovery after recessions. Committee members questioned Howgate about competitiveness, outmigration, prior tax ballot measures, spending growth, MassHealth, and the interaction between the income tax and surtax. He emphasized that taxes are only one part of the state’s overall competitiveness and that housing, public services, and other factors also matter. He also noted that the surtax is constitutionally restricted but can still support ongoing spending choices. After his testimony, the committee moved to the proponents’ panel. Proponents of both initiatives, including representatives from Taxpayers for an Affordable Massachusetts, the National Federation of Independent Business, Pioneer Institute, and the Mass Opportunity Alliance, argued that the measures would improve affordability, help retain residents and businesses, and support job growth. They cited polling support, outmigration, small-business reinvestment, and comparisons to lower-tax states such as North Carolina. Their economist, Rebecca Paxton, said her model showed smaller revenue losses than critics claim and projected that the revised revenue cap would not create additional annual revenue losses while producing more regular taxpayer refunds. Committee members pressed the panel on competitiveness, prior ballot initiative implementation, and whether the measures would actually address broader affordability pressures; the hearing ended with the committee continuing to take questions from the proponents.

Transcript Highlights:

• an in-depth knowledge of the fiscal minutiae of many topics, including LIHEAP and weatherization programs
• Section two permits the Windham County assistant judges, sheriff, and towns who choose to participate
• Section 10 allows the county assistant judges to continue with current budgetary practices while also
• Section 10 allows the county assistant Section 10 allows the county assistant judges<00:32:53.080
• Recommendations regarding continuation, modification, or expansion of the program; and 5.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House opened with devotional remarks and then handled several procedural items, including referring Senate Bill 223 on Vermont water quality, which carries an appropriation, to the Committee on Appropriations. The chamber also read and recognized three House Concurrent Resolutions: honoring Maria Blair for nearly four decades of service in the Joint Fiscal Office; designating April 11–17, 2026 as Black Maternal Health Week in Vermont; and congratulating the 2025 Green Mountain Council class of Eagle Scouts. Members offered brief tributes to Blair’s institutional knowledge and service, and to the importance of addressing racial disparities in maternal and infant health. Guests connected to the resolutions were recognized in the gallery, and the House also heard announcements introducing visitors and upcoming meetings. The main legislative action was on Senate Bill 255, which would establish a pilot law enforcement governance council in Windham County. Committee members described it as a limited, voluntary pilot intended to improve regional public safety governance and funding without imposing a statewide mandate or new tax. Testimony came from legislative staff, local officials, sheriffs, police, the Vermont State Police, and municipal representatives. The Government Operations and Military Affairs Committee reported the bill favorably with a 9-0-1 vote and a small amendment adding an additional report-back requirement; Ways and Means found no fiscal impact to state revenue and reported it favorably 10-0-1. The House then agreed to propose the amendment and ordered the bill to third reading. The final action item was House Bill 956, approving Burlington’s charter amendment to formally establish the Office of Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging as a permanent city office. The sponsor explained that Burlington voters had already approved the change and that the bill would codify existing duties, including equity strategy, policy advice, representation of underserved communities, and community engagement, with the director reporting to the mayor. The Government Operations and Military Affairs Committee reported the bill favorably 10-0-1, and the House ordered it to third reading. Later, Ways and Means reported favorably with amendment on Senate Bill 327, an economic development bill carrying an appropriation, and it was referred to Appropriations under House Rule 35A. The House then adjourned until April 28, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• . $40 million to the family homelessness prevention and assistance program to ensure that at a time when
• <00:03:00.440> program<00:03:01.160> to prevention and assistance program to prevention
• and assistance program to ensure<00:03:01.800> that<00:03:02.040> at<00:03:02.160>
• <00:05:10.880> policy Housing Infrastructure Program policy Housing Infrastructure Program
• the FHPHP program, which does just that. the FHPHP program, which does just that.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We've got a great little program set up.
• We're saying this is great for this program, but we're not always seeing the end results. of these programs
• They've gone up for programs. They've gone up for everything.
• There's lots of different programs available.
• Get for your letters program. I'm trying to really figure this out.