Transcript Highlights:

• But we do have concerns about the patient safety aspects of prior authorization.
• As noted in the committee sub, there are clinical... ...patient safety aspects of prior authorization
• me if there were very many circumstances where it wouldn't change as the prescriber manages that patient
• For a year of just working in New Mexico, with a preference for shortage counties.
• There is not a specific preference in the bill for New Mexico residents.

Bills: SB20 , SB111 , SB211 , SB218 , SB14

Committee: Senate Senate Health & Public Affairs

Keywords: prior authorization, pharmacy benefits manager, PBM, health insurer, prescription drugs, step therapy, formulary, auto-adjudication, electronic portal, appeals, medical necessity, serious mental illness, mental health, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, substance use disorder, addiction treatment, cancer, autoimmune disorder

Transcript Highlights:

• I would argue this is a special preference that is being sought out.
• This is not how we want to attract physicians to our state to protect patients.
• This is not how we want to attract physicians to our state to protect patients to protect patients.
• All we're trying to do is to provide these patients with additional options.
• They are already treating Florida patients every day.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, a moment of silence for former member Chester Clem, the Pledge of Allegiance, and quorum confirmation. Members then adopted the special order report for the day and approved a Rules and Ethics Committee report amending House Rule 15.3 to allow fundraising under certain circumstances during extended or special sessions. The chamber then took up several bills. HB 1405 on a statewide project for missing persons with special needs passed unanimously. CS/CS/CS/SB 290, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services bill, passed 94-10 after debate focused on conservation land surplus procedures and agricultural use of state lands. CS/CS/CS/HB 905, the “Fire Act” on foreign influence, foreign gifts, critical infrastructure, sister city agreements, and related restrictions, passed 80-20 after the House adopted an amendment adding a prohibition on certain surrogacy contracts involving citizens or residents of foreign countries of concern. CS/CS/HB 1197, dealing with information technology procurement and contracting, passed 109-0. HB 1103 on local administration of vessel restrictions passed unanimously. The House also debated CS/CS/CS/HB 399 on land use and development regulations. Supporters said it would limit development fees, standardize compatibility rules, allow manufactured homes in RV parks, and lower voting thresholds for comprehensive plan changes to address housing affordability; opponents argued it would preempt local control, weaken voter-approved urban boundary protections, and risk conservation lands. An amendment to preserve Orange County’s boundary rules failed, while a technical amendment on manufactured homes passed. The bill then passed 71-38. The House also passed several local bills, including measures for the Pace Fire Rescue District, Avalon Beach/Mulat Fire Protection District, East Point Water and Sewer District, Fellsmere Water Control District, and Headwaters Water Control District, with votes ranging from 83-27 to unanimous approval. The transcript also included farewell remarks from Representative Angie Nixon before the House returned to remaining business.

Transcript Highlights:

• All while that's happening behind the scenes, patients are waiting.
• Let's stand with Missouri patients.
• Let's stand with Missouri patients.
• Another opportunity today for us to stand for patients. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• It wasn't my preference, but what we did.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Because I thought critical access was limited to 25 patient beds.
• about 20 long-term care patients.
• It won't necessarily be a physician working with a patient.
• I do not want to be part of destroying the money coming in for our patients.
• I do not want to be part of destroying the money coming in for our patients.

Bills: HB1623

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: HB 1623, North Dakota, rural health, rural health transformation program, medical facility infrastructure loan fund, medical facility infrastructure loan program, rural health loan program, Bank of North Dakota, Department of Health and Human Services, HHS, federal grant, health care infrastructure, rural hospitals, critical access hospitals, nonprofit health care providers, gap financing, loan fund, public health funding, healthcare financing, Medicaid

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 1624, the “Universal Lunch Bill,” from Rep. Mike Nathie. He argued the proposal should be placed in Century Code rather than the Constitution so future legislatures can adjust it if state finances tighten, and said the bill would start the program a year earlier with a $65 million appropriation for one school year. DPI testified that the estimate did not include nonpublic schools that do not participate, and members questioned the impact on Title I, free-and-reduced applications, private-school accountability, breakfast mandates for schools that do not currently serve breakfast, and whether the funding could come from the DPI budget or other sources. Supporters, including North Dakota United, the North Dakota Catholic Conference, a pediatrician, and the American Heart Association, said universal meals improve student health and learning, reduce family costs, and are better handled in statute than by constitutional amendment. No opposition testimony was offered, and the chair closed the hearing for later work-session action. The committee then took up House Bill 1627, introduced by Rep. Tye Dressler, which would raise the income threshold for the state-funded school lunch program from 225% to 300% of poverty, with an estimated cost of about $7 million for 2026-27. Dressler said the bill is intended as a targeted, budget-friendly alternative to the ballot measure and emphasized that the state should maximize federal meal dollars while improving participation in the current program. Members questioned whether raising the threshold would actually increase utilization, whether a dollar amount would be clearer than a percentage, and how the change would affect federal reimbursements and application rates. DPI said it could quickly calculate additional percentage levels, and the chair closed the hearing, directing DPI to prepare more numbers for the work session. Finally, the committee opened Senate Bill 2403, presented by Sen. Schiable, to create a short-term bridge-loan program for financially distressed hospitals, centered on Jacobson Memorial Hospital in Elgin. The bill would authorize up to $5 million per loan, with a $10 million appropriation available on a first-come, first-served basis, and would run only through June 30, 2027. Schiable said the hospital’s debt and operating problems threaten local health care, ambulance service, and the community’s economy, and that the proposal was designed narrowly with Bank of North Dakota review to avoid creating a broad precedent. Committee members asked whether the appropriation could be reduced and whether the bank would still apply commercial feasibility and repayment standards; Schiable said yes, the bank would still evaluate the loan and could reject it if it was not sound.

Transcript Highlights:

• . ...seriously injured patients, so to reduce their injuries and care for them in a timely manner.
• </c><01:13:35.480><c> drug</c> what drugs are on our preferred drug what drugs are on our preferred drug
• </c> professional input about the preferred professional input about the preferred drug<01:13:44.520>
• If they can't move that patient off the floor, then they're backed up; the ER's backed up.
• </c> liabilities to make sure the patient liabilities to make sure the patient actually<01:25:52.600>

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• underinsured patients under federal law<00:37:40.800><c> patients</c><00:37:41.520><c> receiving</c>
• <00:37:41.880><c> these</c> law patients receiving these law patients receiving these 1781<00:37:43.880
• </c> savings received by these patients savings received by these patients assuming<00:38:19.280><c>
• </c> project so do you know if any patients project so do you know if any patients were<00:51:55.280>
• our patients.

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Commerce

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several measures, beginning with SB 1046 SD1 on condominiums. Testimony on that bill focused on reserve funding and enforcement of reserve study requirements. The Community Associations Institute opposed the bill, saying it would create hardship, confusion, and be difficult to administer, while also urging stronger penalties for boards that fail to comply with reserve study rules. The Real Estate Commission offered comments, and one testifier spoke in support. No vote was taken during the portion provided. The committee then heard SB 532 SD2 HD1 relating to the Department of Education, which would improve access to pre-approved medications for students with health conditions at school and during off-campus activities. The Department of Health, University of Hawaiʻi nursing and medical programs, and the Department of Education all supported the measure, with DOH suggesting amendments to better identify the correct student and improve medication safety. Members had no questions, and the bill moved on. Next was SB 1245 SD2 HD1 relating to pharmacists, a bill to allow reimbursement for clinical services pharmacists are already trained and licensed to provide. The University of Hawaiʻi, Board of Pharmacy, Walgreens, Mikai Drugs, and the Hawaiʻi Pharmacists Association supported the bill, emphasizing improved access to care, recruitment and retention of pharmacists, and better chronic disease management. The Hawaiʻi Pharmacists Association also discussed proposed amendments to prevent plans from denying coverage or network participation when pharmacists meet credentialing requirements. Members questioned whether insurers would actually use pharmacists and how the bill would affect pay and contracting; no vote was taken in the excerpt. The committee also heard SB 1279 SD2 HD1, another pharmacists bill focused on telepharmacy and 340B-related issues. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation supported it, saying telehealth could reduce costs and avoid travel for audits, while the Board of Pharmacy opposed it. Lānaʻi representatives opposed the bill and asked for an exemption, arguing the island already has close in-person access to a resident pharmacist and clinics. The Hawaiʻi Primary Care Association supported the measure, citing large patient savings from 340B pricing, while Mikai Drugs opposed it, arguing that mail-order and telepharmacy are not necessary on some islands and can create delivery and medication-safety problems. Members asked questions about insurer participation, scope of practice, and whether the bill would meaningfully change reimbursement; the transcript ends before any final action or vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Gladly, the Health Benefit Coverage of Hair Processes for Cancer Patients referred to the Committee on
• preferential voting of certain elections, HB 541 by Shaheen, relating to the provision of direct patient
• amendment requiring the state to expand eligibility for Medicaid. to certain individuals under the Patient
• and appealing the requirement that an officer against the Articles of Impeachment who have been preferred
• proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing a statewide referendum allowing voters to indicate a preference

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First, would you prefer the sections or the titles?
• Patients don't suffer.
• I think we can all agree on patient privacy, patient safety.
• We started by focusing on the patient protection piece, knowing that under law, Patients are protected
• fee if the patient canceled for the person.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Many carless people would prefer lower rent over a parking spot.
• I mean, but I would prefer, we're asking for a city, not town. I come from a town, Alda, Gregory.
• So Madam Chair, Senator, you would prefer a table? Opposed to pulling it back, yes.
• It's a crazy process coming from a metro area and how long we've got to take these patients.
• It's a crazy process coming from a metro area and how long we've got to take these patients.

Bills: SB211 , SB131 , SB183 , SB222 , SB246 , SB254

Committee: Senate Senate Health & Public Affairs

Keywords: appropriation, local government, Las Vegas, Rodriguez Park, public facilities, zoning reform, building regulations, residential apartments, commercial use, multigenerational housing, local government authority, healthcare, urgent care, emergency services, feasibility study, medical facilities, physician training, medical residency, New Mexico, massage therapy

Transcript Highlights:

• areas needing investigation include long COVID treatment, the implementation of the New Hampshire Patient
• Some doctor office who decided to use this document to inform their patients—what's the nature of this
• for me, it looks like it's a good example of what one chain medical provider communicates to the patients
• >> I would prefer to do it now, uh, basic discussions. All right.
• But I would prefer that at least be safe because it's an important part and it was...

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Special Committee on COVID Response Efficacy met to review its mission, approve prior minutes at a future meeting, and discuss materials related to COVID-19 vaccination guidance. Members examined a pediatric vaccination handout from a private pediatric practice and compared it with New Hampshire DHHS and AAP/AAFP immunization guidance, focusing on how COVID-19 vaccine recommendations are presented for children and adults. Committee members also discussed the scope and accuracy of the committee’s endnotes and supporting documents. The main business was a draft letter urging the governor to direct state agencies to stop recommending COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Members revised the letter paragraph by paragraph, including changing wording about age ranges for children, clarifying references to the American Academy of Pediatrics, and adding discussion of vaccine safety concerns, alleged suppression of safety data, and federal investigations. They also debated whether to reference specific reporting systems such as VAERS and V-safe, and whether to include examples from other states, including Tennessee, Arizona, Minnesota, and Florida, as evidence of broader concern about mRNA vaccines. After the edits were completed, Representative Villio moved to accept the letter as amended, Representative Leroy seconded, and the committee approved it by voice vote 4-0. The chair said the revised letter would be finalized and distributed later in the week. The meeting then adjourned at approximately 11:57 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• gap between the hospitals are paid by Medicaid and the actual cost of delivering care to Medicaid patients
• I prefer end the set for 3.6 prevent document pending approval with CMS to increase that to 7.8 billion
• Also to address the wait time for patients seeking care?
• Wait times as somebody receiving Medicaid, new patients. Can somebody get employment within ever?
• That limits for the non Medicaid. >> Patients. My other question, sir, is on Page 6 of your slides.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our agency strongly prefers the Senate budget and really appreciate the good work that you did.
• In this time of escalating federal attacks and increased demand from out-of-state patients, it's more
• And PPAA, thank you very much for investing in sexual and reproductive health so all patients who need
• My patients and your constituents deserve to have ready access to pharmacy services.
• Losing coverage could mean detrimental disruptions in care for patients currently in treatment or in

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on the Senate operating budget proposal, beginning with a staff briefing from James Kettle. He described the budget as built on relatively flat revenue after multiple forecast updates, with substantial mandatory cost growth, especially in Health Care Authority, DSHS, and DCYF. He highlighted major policy-level additions and savings, including large tort liability costs, continued support for long-term services, reductions tied to child care and K-12 items, several assumed revenue bills, and major transfers from reserves and other accounts. Kettle also noted the four-year outlook remained positive overall, with about $1 billion ending fund balance in the final year and roughly $3 billion in total reserves. A committee member asked about a diagram showing the loss of federal funds, and staff said they would follow up. Public testimony then focused first on K-12 education, where school leaders, teachers, OSPI, PTA, and rural district representatives largely opposed the proposed cuts to local effort assistance, transition to kindergarten, bus depreciation, and related school funding items. Many argued the reductions would disproportionately harm rural and property-poor districts and weaken early learning access, while several students and educators spoke in favor of career and technical education and IT Academy funding. The committee also heard support for wildfire prevention funding from the Commissioner of Public Lands, who thanked the Senate for restoring those dollars but raised concerns about recreation program reductions. Higher education testimony was mixed but generally supportive of the Senate proposal compared with the governor’s budget. Community and technical college leaders warned that the budget still shifts compensation costs to tuition and reduces Running Start funding, while university representatives from Western, Eastern, Central, WSU, and UW thanked the committee for avoiding deeper cuts. Private vocational college students and administrators urged extension of Washington College Grant eligibility for students already enrolled, and others asked to preserve IT Academy and related certification funding. In early learning, child care and advocacy groups praised the decision not to cap Working Connections Child Care but warned that child care and transition to kindergarten still bear a disproportionate share of cuts; they also requested continued support for Dolly Parton Imagination Library and Pierce County early childhood programs, including Family Connects. The hearing continued with testimony on employee compensation, mental health, and human services. State employee and retiree groups supported the budget’s COLA and wildfire funding but objected to cuts in retiree health benefits. Behavioral health and public safety advocates supported mentoring, Trueblood-related funding, crisis stabilization, and the Recovery Navigator Program, while others opposed reductions to those programs and to community-based recovery services. In human services, witnesses thanked the committee for funding victim services, child welfare supports, health homes, adult day care, community health centers, energy assistance, and disability services, while urging the committee to avoid further reductions to skilled nursing, case management, and recovery navigation. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a... ...pharmaceutical therapy for patients.
• It's essential to my ability to continue to provide care to my patients.
• Protecting provider safety protects patients' access to care.
• It's essential to my ability to continue to provide care to my patients.
• Protecting provider safety protects patients' access to care.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills, beginning with House Bill 2333, which would expand protections for elected officials, candidates, executive state officers, election officials, and criminal justice participants by allowing address confidentiality, redacting campaign and property records, increasing some penalties for threats, and authorizing security assessments and reimbursement for personal security measures. The prime sponsor and supporters described rising political violence and personal threats, while opponents and agency staff raised concerns about implementation, constitutional issues, public-records transparency, costs, and whether the bill would actually prevent determined actors from finding addresses through other sources. The Secretary of State’s office, county officials, and the Public Disclosure Commission said the bill would create major logistical and fiscal challenges, while prosecutors, judges, and advocacy groups testified that the protections were needed for safety and retention in public service. House Bill 2176 would make collaborative drug therapy agreements confidential under the Public Records Act except when the agreement is the basis for a disciplinary action, in which case only relevant information would be disclosed with personal information redacted. The sponsor and supporters, including pharmacists, physicians, and reproductive-health advocates, said the bill would protect clinicians from harassment and out-of-state targeting while preserving accountability for misconduct. News media representatives and open-government advocates said the underlying agreements should remain accessible only in limited circumstances and emphasized the balance between privacy and transparency. Committee members also discussed how the bill would affect access to the agreements and the scope of disclosure. House Bill 2120 would eliminate two JLARC reporting requirements: the biennial report on municipal lodging-tax revenues and the periodic evaluation of the training benefits program. The bill’s sponsor and JLARC leadership described it as a cost-saving measure that would free staff for other audits, while the hospitality industry supported tourism funding but warned that the lodging-tax report provides useful oversight and accountability. The committee also received staff briefings on House Bill 2244, which would implement multiple Public Records Exemptions Accountability Committee recommendations by changing confidentiality rules in 13 areas, including grand jury reports, accident reports, driver case records, certain health and social-service records, corporate interrogatories, family court files, and other records.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> consent is good, critical patient care. consent is good, critical patient care.
• in fully inform the patient regarding to in fully inform the patient regarding risks<02:25:24.160><c
• When you are treating a patient in the ER and that patient is unresponsive or not alert and oriented
• patient is uh unresponsive or not alert patient is uh unresponsive or not alert and<02:36:55.120><c>
• </c> additional protections to the patient additional protections to the patient despite<02:44:48.640

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee opened a hearing on House Bill 1067-FN, which would formalize and expand mental health courts in New Hampshire and create a grant-based funding structure for them. Representative Mark Pearson, the prime sponsor, described the bill as a bipartisan, compassionate, and cost-effective approach that would connect people with mental illness to treatment and supervision instead of incarceration, while still holding them accountable. He said the proposal was developed with input from the judicial branch, law enforcement, corrections, mental health organizations, and others, and emphasized that local courts could tailor programs to their needs. Committee members questioned the bill’s fiscal note, whether the legislature had previously studied the issue, how the program would be funded, and whether the bill should more explicitly address treatment, prevention, and data collection. Representative Buzz Sher, who helped develop the bill, explained how mental health courts work, including referral, clinical and public-safety assessments, case management, goal-setting, and graduation from the program. He said existing New Hampshire mental health courts are mostly partial and county-funded, and that the bill would formalize them, set standards, and allow grant funding. He also cited data from Georgia and New Hampshire suggesting significant savings from reduced incarceration and related costs. Members also raised concerns about due process, whether people not formally charged could be swept into the system, and whether individuals with violent offenses or domestic violence histories could be diverted inappropriately. Sher responded that only people already in the criminal justice process are eligible and that courts use safety assessments to screen out most violent cases. The committee requested that Sher file supporting financial data from other jurisdictions, and he agreed to do so. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• psychotherapy records must comply with existing confidentiality laws and protect the data privacy of patients
• This line, that line, really matters for patient safety.
• a licensed professional remains fully responsible, the bill would limit widely used tools such as patient
• a licensed professional remains fully responsible, the bill would limit widely used tools such as patient
• check-ins, journaling, and workflow support that improve continuity. widely used tools such as patient

Committee: Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, Chair, Ms. and members of the committee, my name is Jim Freeberg, here on behalf of the Patient
• The Patient Coalition of Washington represents 18 of the state's leading patient groups to have one voice
• Chair, Chair, Ms. and members of the committee, my name is Jim Freeberg, here on behalf of the Patient
• The Patient Coalition of Washington represents 18 of the state's leading patient groups to have one.
• The patient coalition of Washington represents 18 of the state's leading patient groups to have one voice

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on House Bill 2073, which would require nonprofit health carriers with surplus above 600% of risk-based capital to pay 3% of the excess to support the Cascade Care Savings premium assistance program. Committee staff said the bill could generate about $80 million in FY 2027 based on 2024 surplus data, while carriers and business groups argued their reserves are needed to pay claims, manage risk, and avoid premium increases. Supporters said the bill would redirect consumer-funded surplus to help Washingtonians afford coverage, especially as federal subsidies expire. No action was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee then heard House Bill 2132, which limits disclosure and retention of personally identifying and financial information in WASFA applications. Staff explained the bill would exempt WASFA records from public disclosure, restrict sharing to narrow purposes, and shorten retention periods, with significant fiscal impacts tied to purging records and updating data-sharing practices. Student and advocacy testimony strongly supported the bill as a privacy and safety measure for immigrant and mixed-status students. The committee also heard House Bill 2403, which lowers the penalty for failure to register as a sex offender and adds community custody and DOC supervision; public defense supported it as a cost-saving, consensus reform, and staff projected DOC savings. House Bill 2587 was also heard, creating a Commerce pilot to provide limited advance grant funding to eligible nonprofits; supporters said it would help smaller nonprofits manage reimbursement-based contracts, while staff estimated indeterminate but potentially significant administrative costs. The committee heard House Bill 2607, which would require DCYF to periodically rebase child care subsidy rate regions to better reflect local cost differences. Supporters from Benton and Franklin counties said current regional rates are outdated and unfairly low in fast-growing areas; staff said the fiscal impact was indeterminate. The committee then moved into possible executive session on several bills. Second Substitute House Bill 1170, dealing with generative AI disclosures and provenance tools, was amended and ultimately passed out of committee on an 18-9 vote after all proposed amendments were rejected. Substitute House Bill 1570 was amended to narrow its scope to Western Washington University and then passed out of committee on a 17-9 vote. The committee also began action on proposed Third Substitute House Bill 1710, which would create a state pre-clearance requirement under the Washington Voting Rights Act, but the transcript cuts off during consideration of amendments to that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• They do have significant value for patients with sickle cell... Medicaid.
• They do have significant value for patients with sickle cell.
• We already cover medication-assisted treatment, or MAT therapy, for Medicaid patients, which is a treatment
• We already cover medication-assisted treatment, or MAT therapy, for Medicaid patients, which is a treatment
• . ...by grammar, punctuation, and style to conform our rules with existing BLR preferences.

Committee: All ALC-ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Loser is the patient.
• A patient actually has higher out-of-pocket costs. Downcoding never hurts a patient.
• That's how complex this patient is, that's a high level.
• It's wrong for our patients.
• It's wrong for the patients of the state, and it's wrong for the patients of the employers of the state

Bills: SB 6 , SB6 , SB504 , SB765 , SB815 , SB929

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: hemp, consumable hemp, hemp-derived cannabinoids, CBD, cannabidiol, CBG, cannabigerol, delta-8, delta-9, intoxicating hemp, hemp gummies, hemp vape, edibles, cannabinoid regulation, hemp licensing, retailer registration, product registration, QR code labeling, child-resistant packaging, minor access

Transcript Highlights:

• It is about protecting patients.
• I think we all have our preferences, and I'm for everybody having their preferences.
• So when I see patients' rights, if I'm a patient, I and my other job work with people that have a lifelong
• I asked the question whether or not if a patient came in, if you refused to treat a patient because they
• I asked the question whether or not if a patient came in, if you refused to treat a patient because they

Committee: Senate Health Policy

Summary: The Health Policy Committee met with a quorum and took up a long agenda of health care, Medicaid, and patient-access measures, along with confirmation votes. The committee first reconsidered and amended SB 1606 on patient access to records, clarifying portal obligations, deleting a section affecting nursing home facility records, and setting a January 1, 2026 effective date; the bill then passed favorably as a committee substitute. The committee also recommended confirmation of a block of appointees and separately confirmed Chavon Harris as Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration after Harris testified about priorities including financial accountability, managed care oversight, transparency, and quality improvement. Senators asked about audit findings and Medicaid managed care performance, and several witnesses and committee members voiced support for her appointment. The committee then advanced a series of bills, most of them with amendments, including claims bills SB 28 and SB 22 for South Broward Hospital District settlements, SB 772 on undesignated glucagon in schools, SB 998 on death certification by physician assistants and APRNs, SB 1412 on home health administration flexibility, SB 1800 creating a Parkinson’s disease research consortium at USF, SB 306 on managed care network access during holidays and after hours, SB 1768 on stem cell therapies by physicians, SB 1602 on pediatric readiness in emergency departments, SB 1156 on the home health aide program for medically fragile children, SB 1490 on Children’s Medical Services and managed care administration, and SB 1182 on Medicaid coverage of continuous glucose monitors. Most of these bills received support from industry, advocacy, or provider groups and were reported favorably as committee substitutes. The most debated measure was SB 1270, a broad strike-all amendment combining provisions on mRNA vaccine documentation, vaccination-status protections in the Patient Bill of Rights, medical marijuana reporting and background-screening definitions, compact language, and volunteer immunity. The committee heard extensive testimony both for and against the vaccine-related provisions, including concerns about discrimination, patient safety, provider discretion, and medical liability. After additional technical amendments and a time-certain motion, the bill passed favorably as a committee substitute, with Senators Davis and Osgood voting no and Senator Harrell expressing a weak yes. At the end of the meeting, senators recorded their votes on selected tabs, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:36:47.079><c> care</c> patient care patient care plan<00:36:50.240><c> um</c><00:36:50.400><c> at
• </c><00:44:36.599><c> unpaid</c> as care for uninsured patients unpaid as care for uninsured patients
• 36% % of their of commercial patients 36% % of their patient<01:19:25.760><c> payer</c><01:19:26.159
• </c> com uncompensated care is from patients com uncompensated care is from patients who<01:47:27.880
• </c><02:05:59.199><c> to</c> of commercially insured patients to of commercially insured patients to

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1191, senate, all