Transcript Highlights:

• CSU by the proposed 8% reduction, I've had to cut sections in seats while asked to grow due to the compact
• I've had to cut sections and seats while asked to grow due to the compact.
• On behalf of the communities I represent, I ask you to protect and interstized robust cow food funding

Summary: The committee’s first major discussion focused on higher education facilities across UC, CSU, and the community colleges, with Chair Alvarez framing the issue as a final budget hearing before the May Revise. The LAO presented findings that campuses have grown substantially in buildings and square footage, while classroom and lab utilization remains below legislative standards and deferred maintenance backlogs continue to rise. The LAO also emphasized that the state and segments lack comprehensive data on capital renewal spending and recommended better reporting, clearer funding targets, and long-term planning for renewal and maintenance. UC, CSU, and community college representatives each described large five-year capital plans, aging facilities, seismic and deferred maintenance needs, and the role of student housing, while noting that construction costs are rising faster than inflation. Members questioned the segments about debt service, utilization rates, and how projects are prioritized. UC said its debt service tied to state support is about $665 million annually and described a $30 billion five-year capital financial plan, including housing, medical centers, and building renewal. CSU said it has about $31 billion in five-year needs and more than $8 billion in deferred maintenance, with funding coming from a mix of state-related and one-time sources since the state shifted capital responsibility to CSU. Community colleges said their unmet facilities needs total about $33.5 billion and explained their use of a scoring matrix and FUSION system to rank projects. The chair and members pressed all three systems to better distinguish between projects that are truly shovel-ready and those that are long-term needs, and discussed whether facilities condition data, total cost of ownership, and more standardized metrics should guide future bond proposals. The committee then turned to Proposition 2 and the Governor’s proposed community college capital outlay projects. The Department of Finance said Prop. 2 provides $1.5 billion for community colleges and that the Governor’s budget proposes 29 projects, with two continuing Prop. 51 projects also included. The LAO supported the overall use of the funds but raised concerns about the current 65/35 split between modernization and growth, the unusually large share of gymnasium projects, and some scoring metrics that favor larger campuses and certain regions. Community college officials said the scoring system was developed through participatory governance and would take one to two years to revise, but they supported the funding and agreed to follow up on questions about project categories and the rationale for the weighting. Members also suggested giving more weight to modernization, regional access, and intersegmental or collaborative projects. A final item addressed the CalKids program. The Department of Finance proposed $56,000 ongoing General Fund for three positions, while the LAO recommended approving two positions but rejecting a manager position until the current $7.5 million marketing campaign is evaluated. ScholarShare’s executive director said CalKids has enrolled more than 5 million children, with nearly 600,000 claims and over $45 million distributed, and argued that additional staff and outreach are needed to reach a goal of 1 million claimed scholarships by the end of 2025 and to implement AB 2808. Members asked about marketing effectiveness, data sharing, and eligibility rules, and the program said it is expanding partnerships with Cradle to Career and CSAC. No final vote was taken in the hearing, and the chair indicated the facilities item would be held open.

Transcript Highlights:

• compact.
• <02:09:08.400> therapy year of the occupational therapy year of the occupational therapy Interstate
• <02:09:10.079> uh<02:09:10.320> compact<02:09:10.800> lure<02:09:11.679> statutory
• Interstate uh compact lure statutory Interstate uh compact lure statutory modifications<02:09:13.000
• So thank you for your attention to the details needed to make sure we implement the compacts well. bill

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• President, we had a little discussion on this concept of interstate absconding.
• because my understanding is the water rights have all been adjudicated, um, at least amongst the compacts
• adjudication of interstate water rights. adjudication of interstate water rights.
• <01:35:30.639> So<01:35:30.800> I'm um at least amongst the compacts.
• So I'm um at least amongst the compacts.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If enacted, New Jersey taxpayers may be funding years of constitutional challenges, interstate disputes
• Finally, A-2218 creates additional barriers to interstate cooperation at a time when states routinely
• Jersey taxpayers to finance legal uncertainty, expanded government authority, and years of costly interstate
• you know, significant square footage, versus an apartment, which is much more efficient, much more compact

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• expertise by any means, some licensing... barriers that exist in policy, particularly around the interstate
• compact issues and restrictions around telehealth credentialing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay. with the upcoming Colorado River Compact, the Rock Springs RMP still not being quite settled.
• Okay. with the upcoming Colorado River Compact, the Rock Springs RMP still not being quite settled.
• Okay. with the upcoming Colorado River Compact, the Rock Springs RMP still not being quite settled.
• <03:18:20.000> commerce, states doing for interstate commerce, states doing for interstate
• <03:18:21.520> laws<03:18:22.000> ought interstate things that were laws ought interstate

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the students parents and pre-parents and to take reasonable steps that are consistent with the interstate
• military compact to ensure prompt student record acquisition and ensure timely access to services for
• reiterate. and leverage existing policies including federal special education and disability laws, the interstate
• compact on educational opportunities for military children and state provisions to speed up the time
• out of state, to better enable them to provide the same timeline that is provided for those with interstate

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Of course, a compact is an interstate agreement which oftentimes doesn't necessarily have to involve
• Of<05:39:21.920> course,<05:39:22.080> a<05:39:22.240> compact<05:39:22.718>
• is<05:39:22.958> an<05:39:23.280> interstate<05:39:24.320> uh Of course, a compact
• is an interstate uh Of course, a compact is an interstate uh agreement<05:39:25.840> which<05
• institutional review issues and compact institutional review issues and compact issues<05:56:09.840

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Health, Human Services, and Elderly Affairs heard HB 1790-FN, which would address involuntary admissions for certain individuals with a substance use disorder. Representative Lucy Weber introduced the bill for Representative Long, and the committee heard extensive testimony both in support of and in opposition to the proposal. Opponents, including John Burns of SOS Recovery and Jake Barry of New Futures, argued that involuntary commitment is not well supported by research, can retraumatize people, may increase overdose risk after release, and could undermine New Hampshire’s existing recovery and harm-reduction efforts. They emphasized that treatment should be voluntary, trauma-informed, and paired with housing, recovery supports, and other community-based services. Representative Long said he was willing to accept DHHS’s request to amend the bill into a study commission, though he expressed concern that a prior state study had not led to action. He said the commission should focus on implementation details, including where people would be placed, staffing, withdrawal management, elopement prevention, length of commitment, and aftercare. He described involuntary commitment as one tool for people with severe dangerous addictions, distinct from drug court, and said it could help avoid criminal records. Committee members asked about capacity at New Hampshire Hospital and how the proposal would work in practice. DHHS officials Katya Fox and Cynthia Pabonis testified that the bill raises major policy and fiscal concerns. They said New Hampshire’s current system has benefited from investments in naloxone, medication-assisted treatment, recovery centers, and community-based services, and that those investments have helped reduce overdose deaths. They estimated the bill would require a new 70-bed facility costing about $40 million to build and about $33.3 million annually to operate, with only a small portion offset by insurance, plus more than $600,000 in annual legal costs and additional staffing and system changes. They also said New Hampshire Hospital has 185 beds, with about 100 patients typically ready for less restrictive settings, and that housing shortages are a major bottleneck. NAMI New Hampshire also testified in opposition, saying families often want any possible treatment for loved ones but still opposed the bill. No vote or final action was taken in the hearing.

Bills: HB18, HB742, HB754, HB1644, HB2187, HB1887, HB 1275, HB37, HB1503, HB1699, HB1700, HB2735, HB1741, HB1731, HB1675, HB18, HB37

Keywords: rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability, human trafficking, first responders, health care, training, reporting, protection, trafficking prevention, medical assistant training, health care facilities, hospital compliance, clinic compliance, anti-retaliation, whistleblower protection, employee reporting, good faith report

Transcript Highlights:

• Especially when we start talking about the Colorado River Compact, we need to be aware of how much water
• Especially when we start talking about the Colorado River Compact, we need to be aware of how much water
• interstate and out of state travel. interstate and out of state travel.
• Senate File 72, Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, eyes 26, nos five. indicated.
• Senate file<02:54:15.120> 72,<02:54:15.680> Interstate<02:54:16.319> Teacher<02:

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• HB237 by Guillen relating to an interstate compact for animal health initiatives for the Committee on

Bills: HB1, HB 2, HB 3, HB 5, HB20, HB 22, HB 1, HB 2, HB 3, HB 5, HB 20, HB 22

Keywords: youth camps, emergency preparedness, safety standards, health regulations, camp licensing, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace, medical examiner, county judge, sheriff, mayor, emergency coordinator, emergency manager license

Transcript Highlights:

• Line number eight is the Interstate Tuition Reciprocity Appropriation.
• Line 16 is the Midwest Higher Education Compact, which remains at the $230,000 biennial base.

Bills: HF2312

Keywords: higher education, college finance, student aid, financial aid, state grants, North Star Promise, scholarships, tuition relief, Minnesota State, University of Minnesota, Office of Higher Education, work-study, child care grants, Indian scholarships, tribal colleges, Hunger-Free Campus, student parents, pregnant students, parenting students, sexual misconduct

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, House Bill 932 is Representative Walle's bill, which would create an interstate compact for
• therapists, meaning OT practitioners would be granted the ability to practice in all states that join the compact
• which seeks to amend the Occupations Code to enact and enter into a physician assistant licensure compact
• committee substitute removes page six since the clause is already included, per the terms of the compact
• Members, House Bill 1803 is a bill that seeks Texas's entrance into a dental hygienist compact as set

Bills: HB35, HB4490, HB4454, HB2188, HB3078, HB4743, HB2556, HB46, HB5342, HB4783, HB3785, HB5278, HB1639, HB2581, HB4224, HB4070, HB4099, HB4882, HB3794, HB46

Keywords: peer support, first responders, mental health, confidentiality, emergency services, disclosure, next of kin, public information, deceased persons, privacy rights, patient solicitation, marketing practices, healthcare regulation, task force, deceptive advertising, nurse aide, certification, Texas Board of Nursing, healthcare workforce, nursing standards

Transcript Highlights:

• One is occupational licensing compacts.
• One is occupational licensing compacts.
• One is occupational licensing compacts.
• One is occupational licensing compacts.
• Compact for School Psychologists, and others.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the August minutes, and heard a brief announcement from Senator Richardson about the Missing in America Project interring unclaimed veterans’ remains at the Western Kentucky Veterans Cemetery in Hopkinsville. He read the names of several veterans being laid to rest with military honors, and the chair thanked the volunteers involved in the effort. The main presentation was an update on Kentucky’s urban search and rescue program from the Department of Military Affairs and Kentucky Emergency Management. Officials said the program is being built around two regional task force hubs, a helicopter aquatic rescue team, an incident support team, and a rescue aid fund for local search and rescue units. They reported that the $8.3 million appropriated for the program in the 2025 budget was fully executed, that $482,670 of the rescue aid fund went to 29 local teams, and that $493,592 has already been allocated in the current year to 36 teams. They also described warehouse and equipment purchases, staffing with full-time and part-time personnel, and a new training site on state property for collapsed-structure and multi-agency exercises. Officials said the program has already been used in recent disasters, including flood response and urban search and rescue operations in several parts of the state, and claimed the effort has impacted more than 1,500 citizens through rescues, evacuations, and related assistance. They said the helicopter aquatic rescue team is fully operational, the task force roster should be finalized by January, incident support should be online by April, and the full program should be deployable by June 30 or July 1, 2026. Members asked about statewide response times, K-9 search capabilities, and the long-term cost of the program, including concerns about reliance on federal matching funds. The presenters said K-9 assets will be part of the task force, that pre-positioning during forecasted storms can reduce response times significantly, and that they would provide more detailed budget information later.

Transcript Highlights:

• Y'all are familiar with TIFMAUS, the Texas Interstate Fire Mutual Aid System, which is where we borrow
• wouldn't say it's common, but it's, it's possible and it's, it can be done through state to state, uh, compacts
• agreements need to be in place and most states are through National Association of State Foresters have compacts
• cooperator, you know, states share across all the time, and that's most of the states are part of either compacts

Transcript Highlights:

• Y'all are familiar with TITMAS, the Texas Interstate Fire Mutual Aid System, which is where we borrow
• And it can be done through state-to-state compacts where You know, two states that have maybe a schedule
• Compacts and or agreements to share aircraft back and forth those agreements need to be maintained and
• co-operative. you know state share across all the time and that's most of states are part of either Compacts

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That was before he left their house and then stepped out onto the interstate where I took another phone
• It was something that could be... we've done what we could to facilitate it with the interstate physician
• compact.
• facilitate it with the interstate facilitate it with the interstate physician<02:58:02.400> compact
• Uh so it's it's now a physician compact.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Last year, the legislature adopted seven different interstate compacts for health care professionals,
• It was the nurse licensure compact. I also testified on that last year.
• The nurse licensure compact has now been passed in 39 states.
• <01:08:58.679> I<01:08:58.839> also list was the nurse lure compact I also list was
• States the importance of the compact States the importance of the compact lure<01:09:07.520>

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Health Finance and Policy Committee heard testimony from the Minnesota Hospital Association and several hospital leaders about the financial strain facing hospitals across Minnesota. The association’s CEO said hospitals are essential 24/7 safety-net providers, but rising labor, supply, technology, and drug costs are outpacing reimbursement from Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial payers. He warned that many not-for-profit hospitals are struggling, that workforce shortages remain significant, and that the committee should consider help on Medicaid rates, discharge/boarding problems, mental health services, workforce development, protecting the 340B drug discount program, and avoiding new mandates that add costs. Relle Schultz of Winona Health described a community hospital with a 49-bed facility and long-term care services that has faced years of losses, including a $17 million loss in 2023 and $12 million in losses the following year. She said government payers now make up about 65% of the hospital’s mix, and each 1% increase in that mix costs about $1 million. She highlighted the difficulty of sustaining services such as dialysis, which was nearly closed until a local donor provided $3 million to keep it open for three years, and she emphasized the importance of 340B savings and the need for higher Medicaid payments. Carrie Mulski of Riverview Health in Crookston said critical access hospitals are also under pressure despite their federal designation. She explained that federal support has eroded, that Medicaid and other public programs do not cover full costs, and that her hospital’s 340B savings help keep the doors open. She said Riverview opened a new hospital in 2020 but was hit by the pandemic and inflation, leading to annual losses of $5 million to $6 million and a negative operating margin of 9% to 10%. She also described bond covenant problems, low cash on hand, the prior closure of the nursing home, and the need for rapid state action to stabilize rural hospitals and preserve access to care.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to go ahead and try to compact quite a few introductions and a certificate all in one piece
• that raised families with ties to Route 66-related businesses and legacies, and whereas in 1972, Interstate
• President, Senator, have you talked to the Interstate Stream?

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Elephant Butte Irrigation District, by the state of New Mexico to, you know, comply with delivery compacts
• they have an annual conference, some of the regional group meetings of state Energy, uh, Western Interstate
• And then future meetings include the Western Interstate Energy Board High-level Radioactive Waste Committee