Transcript Highlights:

• . that long-standing structure by that long-standing structure by conditioning<00:43:27.680> implementation
• <00:48:03.920> is whether altering rulemaking structure is whether altering rulemaking structure
• This raises three structural concerns.
• This raises three structural concerns. This raises three structural concerns.
• But the challenge is structural.

Bills: HF962, HF3541, HF2936, HF3762, HF2879

Keywords: Capitol security, public safety, emergency management, state buildings, law enforcement, corrections, legislative approval, rule-making, financial impact, jail regulations, expungement, firearm eligibility, criminal records, organized retail crime, retail theft, supply chain theft, theft enterprise, organized theft, cargo theft, shoplifting

Transcript Highlights:

• It could very, very well bleed over into the adjacent structures.
• <00:18:18.720> what over into the adjacent structures what over into the adjacent structures
• c> for structures existing structures uh for structures existing structures uh for for<00:25:16.559
• some of the three story structure some of the three story structures<00:26:41.600> they<00:26
• <01:50:58.760> there's and women um less less structure there's and women um less less structure

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Municipal and County Government subcommittee met on February 19, 2025 to gather additional information on House Bill 432, which concerns recovery houses. The first witness, State Fire Marshal Sean Tumi, said his office had worked with stakeholders for more than a year on the bill’s definition changes and supported the revised definition. He explained that the bill removes vague language such as “safe, healthy, family” and instead relies on fire-code requirements and certification standards, including a primarily non-transient dwelling unit and living as a single household. He distinguished recovery houses from boarding or rooming houses and from other congregate settings such as group homes or transitional housing, saying those other uses do not currently have the same exemptions. Members questioned Tumi about fire safety, inspections, smoke alarms, egress, and whether sprinklers should be required. He said recovery houses are inspected by the fire marshal’s office and local fire departments, with annual inspections under state fire code provisions, and that operators must work with a certifying body. He described the inspection process as checking alarms, extinguishers, heating systems, cooking equipment, street numbers, and no-smoking rules, and said new houses are generally given time to obtain certification. He also said he would prefer sprinklers everywhere but believed mandating them for these existing structures would likely shut down many recovery houses and significantly harm the recovery community. Bill McKenny of the New Hampshire Building Officials Association then testified in support of HB 432. He said recovery housing is an important step after treatment and that the 2024 code changes and the bill help align state law with federal disability law. He emphasized that certification through a recognized organization gives code officials confidence that standards are being monitored, and warned that if a recovery home loses certification it would lose the waiver from sprinkler requirements and could be treated more like a boarding or rooming house. No vote or final action was taken at this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• So as a structure that can come together help us...
• We can keep going over the structure of this bill.
• We can keep going over the structure of this bill.
• <00:46:56.200> of we can keep going over the structure of we can keep going over the structure
• <01:09:14.920> then coming up with a funding structure then coming up with a funding structure

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Structured literacy, same thing that we're doing.
• So, Secretary, I'm wondering how many districts have implemented structured literacy.
• Is that I'm going to say structured literacy because that's on the tip of my tongue.
• Structured literacy as an example.
• Structured literacy, Secretary, I think the law was passed in 2019.

Transcript Highlights:

• or her structures than his structures or her structures than than<01:05:59.760> you<01:06:00.000
• arm structure. arm structure. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Okay.
• <01:21:34.960> is current taxation of farm structures is current taxation of farm structures
• <01:27:06.880> that specifically attached to structures that specifically attached to structures
• structurally limited dwellings. structurally limited dwellings.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It reduces the structural deficit by more than half, so we refuse to kick the can down the road.
• Additionally, the Legislature's budget reduces the out-year structural...
• Additionally, the Legislature's budget reduces the out-year structural deficits that were identified
• ACSA recommends many of the proposal shift to a more reimbursement-structured program. Thank you.
• ACSA recommends many of the proposal shift to a more reimbursement-structured program. Thank you.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee met to consider the 2026 Budget Act, which leaders described as the compromise budget expected to move to the floor later that evening. Opening remarks emphasized that the plan balances the budget over two years, reduces the structural deficit, and builds reserves, while also protecting core programs from federal cuts. Jason Sisney outlined the legislative budget plan, saying it uses higher-than-expected revenues and reserve balances to reject some proposed reductions and fund temporary restorations and new spending in areas such as education, child care, health care, housing, homelessness, and public safety. Department of Finance representatives said the administration appreciated the two-year balanced framework and the effort to address out-year deficits, while noting the plan includes additional spending and revenue changes. Sisney also previewed floor bills including AB 109, SB 110, SB 122, and SB 125, with SB 122 described as a modification to the tax credit proposal and SB 125 as the managed care organization tax proposal. Subcommittee chairs then described the major policy choices in their areas. Health chair Addis said the budget responds to federal health care rollbacks by protecting Medi-Cal, clinics, hospitals, dental care, and other safety-net services, while also supporting reproductive care, gender-affirming care, and county health systems. Education chair Alvarez highlighted increased school funding, expanded learning, special education, teacher support, community colleges, and a change to Cal Grant eligibility for older community college students. Other chairs emphasized child care expansions, homelessness and housing funding, prison closure and criminal justice savings, wildfire mitigation, county support for Medi-Cal and CalFresh administration, and accountability measures tied to homelessness and corrections spending. Several members also raised concerns or priorities, including the impact of the MCO tax on providers, the need for more support for local journalism, transit and climate funding, biotech and R&D incentives, and continued work on Prop 98 and long-term revenue solutions. No formal votes were taken in the portion provided, but members broadly expressed support for the budget framework and the need to continue negotiations with the administration before final passage. The committee discussion repeatedly framed the budget as a response to federal policy changes and a choice to protect vulnerable Californians while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The vice chair, citing LAO warnings about future volatility and limited reserves, pressed Finance on whether the budget represented a record-sized state budget and whether revenues were also at record levels, underscoring concerns about the state’s preparedness for a downturn.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, FEMA, for example, will, as I understand it, fund the rebuilding of existing structures or structures
• or structures that were lost.
• But in this case, rebuilding of existing structures or structures that were lost.
• How has it addressed the structural deficit in the Hazardous Waste Control Account?
• As a result, the department was operating with a structural imbalance.

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations on the administration’s Proposition 4 spending plans for extreme heat mitigation and outdoor access, then took up SB 54 implementation, SB 707 textile producer responsibility, and recovery needs related to the Los Angeles fires at state parks. For the extreme heat chapter, agencies described funding for the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program, urban greening, urban forestry, fairground upgrades, and technical assistance for community-based climate programs. Witnesses emphasized that these are existing programs with strong demand, that technical assistance is important for reaching disadvantaged and tribal communities, and that the proposed funding would expand outreach and implementation capacity. Members asked for more detail on where funds have gone geographically, examples of successful projects, tree-planting totals, and how fairgrounds could better support fire staging and emergency preparedness. The LAO said the timing of the administration’s proposed funding generally made sense because the programs are already established, and no votes were taken. For outdoor access, State Parks, Fish and Wildlife, and Natural Resources described funding for new parks in underserved communities, deferred maintenance, state lands access, and several new or pending programs. State Parks said the park development program would fund roughly 48 projects and that deferred maintenance funding would address high-priority health, safety, and access needs. Fish and Wildlife said its lands program would improve visitor amenities and access on properties that often lack basic facilities. The Natural Resources Agency also outlined three newer outdoor-access proposals: expanding recreation in disadvantaged communities, enhancing natural resource values and trail access, and a nature/climate/education facilities grant program. The LAO distinguished between existing programs, which are ready to move forward, and the newer proposals, where the Legislature may want more input before funds are allocated. Members also raised concerns about park police vacancies, the need to track outcomes for accessibility investments, and whether Prop. 4 could help with wildfire-related recovery at state parks. CalRecycle then presented on SB 54, the plastics and packaging producer responsibility law, and members pressed hard on the delay in regulations. CalRecycle said it has held workshops, formed an advisory committee, selected the producer responsibility organization, and completed required baseline and covered-material reports, but needs more time to address complex comments and novel features such as source reduction and eco-modulated fees. Members expressed frustration that a statutory deadline was missed and asked for a concrete timeline; CalRecycle said it expects regulations in place by 2026, ahead of the PRO’s January 1, 2027 plan deadline. Finance said the Beverage Container Recycling Fund is currently healthy enough to support short-term loans for implementation. The committee also reviewed SB 707, the textile EPR law, which would create the nation’s first textile producer responsibility program; staff said the proposal would add positions and loan authority, and members noted the statutory deadlines for PRO approval, needs assessment, and later regulations. The hearing ended with discussion of the January Los Angeles fires’ damage to Topanga State Park and Will Rogers State Historic Park, where State Parks described extensive losses, emergency response work, and ongoing damage assessment. Members asked about FEMA eligibility, state funding sources, and community engagement in rebuilding, and the department said it is still assessing costs and will work with the public on reimagining the parks.

Transcript Highlights:

• That is not part of the basic structure of this.
• That is not part of the basic structure of this.
• It takes time to learn structured literacy.
• If you use structured literacy, almost every child can learn to read.
• If you use structured literacy, almost every child can learn to read.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The statutory intent of the structure was really to create a regulatory process to require... ...was
• And I think those four areas as part of our review structure really speak to the pillars of the health
• So again, exploring ways to reduce our fiscal kind of liability within that legal structure.
• This was, again, within our statutory structure, looking to modernize how we're looking at access, how
• These slides here just speak to the current CN structure and then what the modernized approach for CN

Summary: The committee heard a JLARC presentation on the Department of Health’s oversight of hospital inspections, complaints, and reporting. JLARC said DOH was late on 72% of acute care hospital inspections as of December 2024, had not verified that third-party accrediting standards were substantially equivalent to state standards, did not consistently require proof of those inspections, did not review adverse health event corrective plans, and could make hospital data more accessible. JLARC also raised a possible language-access barrier in the complaint system. Members asked about complaint filing by staff, the meaning of adverse health events, inspection outcomes, and whether the audit compared DOH to other agencies. JLARC said it had not reviewed inspection results or cross-agency comparisons, but noted inspectors were dedicated and working long hours. DOH later said it concurred with the recommendations and outlined a strategic plan with target dates for improving timeliness, verifying accreditation standards, expanding language access, reviewing adverse event laws, and improving public data access, with annual reporting to the Legislature expected. The committee then heard a Department of Health presentation on certificate of need modernization. DOH described the current certificate of need process, which reviews need, financial feasibility, quality, and cost containment for certain facility changes and new services, and said the program has not been modernized since the 1980s. DOH proposed 10 statutory modernization recommendations, including clarifying the program’s purpose, creating a planning entity, adding flexibility, reducing legal costs, updating access-to-care standards, expanding oversight to freestanding emergency departments and urgent care, addressing equity, improving cost control coordination, strengthening long-term funding, and using better data systems. Members asked about oversight of freestanding urgent care and EDs, funding sources, and whether the process could be streamlined or made more responsive to complaints or other triggers. A third panel discussed artificial intelligence in health care. Lucy O’Rourke of the Coalition for Health AI described CHAI’s work on responsible AI principles, technical standards, model cards or “nutrition labels,” testing and governance tools, and educational resources for providers. She said the group is focused on trust, transparency, fairness, safety, security, and privacy, and noted Washington’s AI-related policy work as among the more progressive in the country. No questions were asked. The final portion focused on the financial impact of federal and state health care policy changes. The Washington State Hospital Association said hospitals are facing low or negative operating margins, service reductions, layoffs, and closures, and that state cuts and taxes enacted in 2025, combined with federal HR1 changes, will significantly worsen finances. Providence Swedish leaders described staffing reductions, service cuts, delayed capital investments, and pressure from denials, tariffs, and reimbursement changes, while emphasizing that frontline staffing cuts are tied to service reductions rather than nurse-to-patient ratio changes. The Washington Health Benefit Exchange then began a presentation on expiring federal ACA premium tax credits, state Cascade Care Savings assistance, and eligibility changes affecting lawfully present non-citizens, with examples showing large premium increases for customers if federal subsidies expire.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that, as under the current financing structure, how we finance long-term care, they would be
• I think that, as under the current financing structure, how we finance long-term care, they would be
• I think that, as under the current financing structure, how we finance long-term care, they would be
• I think that, as under the current financing structure, how we finance long-term care, they would be
• I think that, as under the current financing structure, how we finance long-term care, they would be

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Committee to Study Long-Term Managed Care approved the prior meeting minutes as amended after correcting the first paragraph. The chair then outlined the committee’s plan to produce a preliminary report by October 1, with additional meetings to follow, since some questions remain about the federal One Big Beautiful Bill (OB3) and its effects on Medicaid financing and managed care. The main discussion focused on New Hampshire nursing home funding and how ProShare and MQUIP work. Members reviewed Medicaid rates, supplemental payments, intergovernmental transfers, and the role of federal matching funds. The chair and Mr. Litman concluded that OB3’s phase-down of payments above the Medicare rate likely would not directly eliminate ProShare or MQUIP in New Hampshire, but uncertainty remains about intergovernmental transfers and about how these payments would function if the state moved nursing facilities into managed care. Mr. Litman said managed care would likely require waivers for supplemental payments, and Texas was cited as an example of a state operating under such waivers. The committee also discussed dual eligibles, DNIP, PACE, and the possibility of carving out HCBS from nursing facility services. DHS said its managed care contract would allow the state to use MCOs for DNIP, with the goal of better coordination between Medicaid and Medicare, while PACE would likely require more study and might be more feasible in populated counties. Members also reviewed OB3’s new presumptive eligibility provisions and a state waiver request modeled on Washington’s approach, plus a separate grant for transitioning people from facilities back to the community. The rural health transformation fund was discussed as a possible source for workforce, telehealth, mobile integrated health, and other support investments, but not for direct construction or major building renovation. County representatives emphasized that any county role in PACE or DNIP would require significant vetting, infrastructure, capital investment, and a realistic timeline. The meeting ended with the chair saying the draft report would outline issues and possible alternatives, but not recommendations yet, and the committee adjourned without taking further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• varied, but it is one of the most vital roles that we have in our schools as part of the systemic structure
• Um, the state has made very significant investments in structured literacy over the past few years.
• You know, so enough said about, about the balanced literacy versus structured literacy.
• For me, I thank you for having that structured literacy piece.
• They're 35th for the same reason. 40 states, 40 states are moving to structured literacy.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:10:53.760> to<00:10:54.000> objective structures may be subject to objective structures
• being able to live on the structure. being able to live on the structure. expands<00:36:11.200><
• community and using existing structures community and using existing structures that<00:36:37.440
• I mean, how does that work into this structure?
• the Met Dish deal is structured. the Met Dish deal is structured.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 291, which would update religious land-use and property tax exemption rules for church-owned parsonages, parish houses, and similar properties. Senator Tim Lang, speaking for the sponsor, said the bill was intended to address situations where former parsonages are no longer occupied by clergy and are instead used for church-related purposes such as housing staff, religious education, or congregate living tied to ministry, including addiction recovery. He emphasized that the bill was not meant to create commercial rental housing and that it also preserves reasonable zoning and environmental regulations. Committee members pressed the sponsor on how the bill would be applied, especially the meaning of “religious purposes,” the six-unit limit, the “same lot” language, and whether churches could use the exemption to rent units for revenue. The sponsor said the six-unit cap was added to prevent large-scale commercial rental use, that congregate housing would be limited and defined, and that the bill was meant to cover uses like substance abuse recovery, homes for unwed mothers, and religious education, but not apartments converted for ordinary rental. He also said churches would still file annual exemption paperwork and towns could challenge claims they believed were commercial. Questions also raised concerns about whether the bill treated religious and nonreligious housing trusts differently; the sponsor responded that the bill was aimed at church-owned property used in pursuit of a religious mission. Several witnesses testified in support. Representative Mark Pearson, an active clergyman, said the bill would not remove additional property from the tax rolls because clergy housing allowances typically lead clergy to buy taxable homes elsewhere, while the church-owned parsonage remains exempt. Nick Taylor of Housing Action New Hampshire supported the bill as a modest expansion that could help create more attainable housing by allowing better use of existing religious land and structures, though he noted his organization would support even broader use. The hearing ended without a vote or final action, and the chair closed questions after the testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill requires a licensed contractor to verify the structural integrity of the roof and its components
• It reduces the local codes a solar energy device installation must meet by removing wind, load, structural
• It reduces the local codes a solar energy device installation must meet by removing wind, load, structural
• A couple of changes under the applicable utilities section just to clarify their role in this structure
• Borrowers would still have to show debt authorization from their governing structures, and WIFA would

Bills: SB1137, SB1200, SB1419, SB1447, SB1560, SCM1004

Keywords: underground utilities, utility locating, dig safe, call before you dig, 811, excavation safety, damage prevention, one-call center, locate request, white lining, large project coordination, buried infrastructure, subsurface utilities, utility marking, locator wire, locator strip, interactive positive response system, landlord duties, apartment community, mobile home park

Summary: The committee heard several water and energy-related measures. SB 1200, as amended, addressed Arizona Department of Water Resources treatment of certain “conduit lakes” in active management areas, allowing some existing lake systems to continue using groundwater mixed with effluent for irrigation or landscaping purposes. ADWR testified in opposition to the amendment’s policy implications and enforcement concerns, while HOA, homebuilder, and resident witnesses argued the bill would grandfather existing communities, avoid costly system redesigns, and reflect prior agency practice. The committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and then passed SB 1200 on a 6-3 vote. SB 1419, dealing with residential rooftop solar installations, was amended to add consumer-protection and disclosure requirements, including roof inspection and installation standards, clearer contract disclosures, and contractor responsibilities. County and industry witnesses said the bill was the product of a lengthy stakeholder process aimed at addressing misleading sales practices and installation problems, though some technical issues were still to be resolved on the floor. The committee adopted the amendment and passed SB 1419 on a 6-1 vote with two members present and one absent. SB 1447, which extends Pinal AMA groundwater withdrawal fee provisions and related fund deadlines, was supported by irrigation and agricultural interests as a way to finance local infrastructure and conservation during Colorado River uncertainty; it passed 7-1 with one present and one absent. SB 1560 raised the maximum single loan amount from the Water Supply Development Revolving Fund from $3 million to $20 million. WIFA said the current cap was too low for larger rural water projects and that the change would better match demand without harming the fund’s revolving nature; the bill passed 8-1 with one absent. The committee also approved SCM 1004, urging Congress to clearly define EPA powers and duties, despite some members saying it was unnecessary or backward-looking; it passed 6-2 with one absent. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• budgeting that in fact the structural budgeting that in fact the structural imbalance,<00:04:54.080
• imbalance, the money going structural imbalance, the money going out<00:05:01.600> compared<00
• We're sitting at a structural deficit of 3.1 or 3.2 trillion or billion dollars here in the state of
• We're sitting at a structural up.
• We definitely have to look at the way that paid family medical leave is structured right now.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• But there GIS governance structure.
• It doesn't survive structure.
• <01:57:34.040> uh formalized GIS governance structure uh formalized GIS governance structure
• , vision of a a governance structure, vision of a a governance structure, uh<02:00:18.240> you
• depending on what what kind of structure depending on what what kind of structure as<02:00:56.880

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our current structure reinforces silos.
• , small adjustments to an aging structure, small adjustments to an aging structure, a<00:32:24.640
• is the structure that makes this<00:34:15.839> possible.
• field<00:34:29.520> leadership, formal structure for field leadership, formal structure for
• Part of that's the different structure Part of that's the different structure and<01:26:11.360><

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 33648 is good for the employees and will give them a structured voice in order to address the sheriff
• We are only asking for a structured mechanism for employees in the county to come together, and this
• Currently, Texas law provides two distinct structures for county procurement.
• Before adopting this new procurement structure, counties would be required to hold a public hearing,
• Uh, again, uh, counties such as Dallas and Denton have already adopted a similar structure.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are only asking for a structured mechanism for employees in the county to come together, and this
• Currently, Texas law provides two distinct structures for county. procurement.
• Under this structure, the Agent would be appointed by and directly accountable to the Commissioner's
• The counties with flexibility to choose the governance structure best suited to their needs.
• Again, counties such as Dallas and Denton have already adopted a similar structure.

Bills: HB1597, HB2364, HB2437, HB3205, HB3253, HB3310, HB3648, HB3906, HB4259, HB5645

Keywords: county jailer, jail training, veterans, Texas Veterans Commission, Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, TCOLE, criminal justice system, county jail, law enforcement training, mental health training, jail standards, correctional officers, veteran services, veteran interaction, occupations code, jailer licensing, parking, county courthouse, infrastructure, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• That<00:30:26.920> constitutional<00:30:27.640> structure That constitutional structure
• the the incentive structure the the incentive structure that<00:30:41.080> allowed<00:30:
• Um, we created a structural deficit. A structural imbalance." Well, we didn't create that.
• We have a structural imbalance.
• created a structural imbalance. created a structural imbalance.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House took up House File 4252, the higher education finance and policy bill, which the author described as a bipartisan agreement. Representative Wolgamott highlighted a $1.5 million appropriation to Minnesota State to create an identification verification system to combat “ghost students,” a one-time $5,000 appropriation for trees at Bemidji State University, and other noncontroversial recommendations from the Office of Higher Education. He urged support for the bill and noted that amendments would be considered. The main debate centered on an amendment by Representative Rarick to change how University of Minnesota regents are selected if the legislature fails to elect them. Rarick argued the amendment would keep the governor from appointing regents outside the legislative vetting process and prevent “pay-to-play” or donor influence, citing recent gubernatorial appointments and campaign contributions. Representative Kotter offered a secondary amendment to require that any fallback appointees meet RCAC eligibility criteria and to bar candidates who had recently contributed to legislative caucuses or leadership; supporters said it would reduce the appearance of pay-to-play while preserving the RCAC process. Opponents of the secondary amendment, including Representatives Robbins and others, argued it did not address the real concern because it did not restrict contributions to the governor and would weaken the legislature’s role in regent selection. Supporters of the secondary amendment said it was a more objective, statute-based approach and raised separation-of-powers concerns with the underlying amendment. After debate, the secondary amendment failed on a 67-67 tie and was not adopted. The House then continued discussion on the underlying Rarick amendment, with members divided over legislative authority, gubernatorial appointment power, and the influence of campaign donations.

Transcript Highlights:

• > asset Because of this structure, asset Because of this structure, asset preservation<00:05:13.280
• They are slightly different security structures.
• With revenue bonds, Madam structures.
• The core thresholds and MMB's expected practices around structuring are not changing.
• around structuring are not changing. changing. changing.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all