Video & Transcript Research : 'morbidity'

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TX

Texas 89th Regular

Finance (Part II) Mar 12th, 2025

Finance

Transcript Highlights:
  • Turning to the top of page 21, item 4A, improved child mortality and morbidity due to congenital syphilis
  • In the middle of the page, item 8A, maternal mortality and morbidity.
  • Item B, maternal mortality and morbidity, information technology.
Bills: SB 1
FL

Florida 2025 Regular Session

October 14, 2025 - 03:30 PM

Transcript Highlights:
  • >> SO IT'S REALLY A QUESTION OF MARKET MORBIDITY. >> Chair Anderson: STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
  • IT'S WHAT WE WOULD CALL MARKET MORBIDITY WHICH IS THE AVERAGE HEALTH OF THE POPULATION.
  • Franklin: I AGREE TO THE EXTENT IT IMPACTS THE MORBIDITY POOL THE HEALTHY PEOPLE LEAVE THE NUMBERS ARE
  • MORE LIKELY TO FIND A WAY TO PAY TO THE MORBIDITY OF THE RISK POOL GETS WORSE SO IT'S CONSIDERED TO
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

89th Legislative Session Mar 14th, 2025

Texas House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • reporting requirements for healthcare providers reviewing certain information on maternal morality and morbidity
  • to the reimbursement of travel expense incurred by the Texas Maternal morality and Morbidity Review
  • Committee members and to a work group establishing a maternal morality and morbidity data registry for
  • Committee on Public Education HB 2117 by WE relating to the duties of the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity
  • HB 2140 by Simmons relates to the composition of the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Health and Human Services - 03/06/25

Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • Minnesota has a maternal health crisis causing high levels of maternal morbidity and mortality.
  • Maternal mortality and morbidity are also rising overall in the United States and increased sharply during
  • Maternal mortality and morbidity are also rising overall in the United States and increased sharply during
  • Maternal mortality and morbidity are also rising overall in the United States and increased sharply during
  • Maternal mortality and morbidity are also rising overall in the United States and increased sharply during
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Public Health Mar 17th, 2025

Public Health

Transcript Highlights:
  • John Hellerstedt sent a letter to the governor stating that the 2022 Maternal Mortality and Morbidity
  • The maternal mortality and Morbidity Review Committee was established in 2013 to review findings and
  • statewide rates, ratios, and trends, providing opportunities to address maternal mortality, morbidity
  • delays, HB 713 would allow nurses to review unredacted materials related to maternal mortality and morbidity
  • Outcomes of pregnancy that result in in morbidity and mortality.
Bills: HB163, HB 296
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Health Policy Jan 14th, 2025

Health Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • believe that ACA, somewhere along the line, has done tracking maternal mortality, infant mortality, morbidity
  • And my understanding is that in November of last year... ...infant mortality, morbidity.
  • Severe maternal morbidity is the presence of a complication during a woman's delivery at the hospital
  • Florida's severe maternal morbidity rate has remained stable from 2021 to 2023, as you can see here.
Summary: The Senate Health Policy Committee met to discuss maternal and infant health, beginning with a presentation from New Jersey’s Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority (MiHA). Pamela Taylor described New Jersey’s statewide effort to reduce maternal mortality and racial disparities through the Nurture New Jersey campaign, a strategic plan with more than 80 recommendations, universal home visiting, Medicaid-covered doula care, hospital report cards, limits on non-medically indicated early elective C-sections, and a new maternal and infant health innovation center. Senators asked about doula certification, funding, home visiting, and how New Jersey coordinates across agencies; Taylor said the authority uses quarterly stakeholder meetings, annual summits, and a tracker for recommendations, and that community input helped shape its programs. Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Deputy Secretary Brian Meyer then outlined Florida Medicaid’s maternal coverage and managed care structure. He reviewed eligibility and services for pregnant women, labor and delivery, postpartum coverage, newborn coverage, and family planning, noting 12 months of postpartum coverage, expanded benefits in managed care plans, and new contracts launching February 1 with more maternal-health-focused benefits, quality measures, and a new quality withhold incentive structure. Senators questioned doula certification and duplication with Healthy Start, provider access and network adequacy, kick payments, quality reporting, and whether Florida should consider broader eligibility standards; Meyer said many details are still plan-driven, that quality metrics are public, and that the agency is working on maternal-health work groups and incentives. Department of Health Division Director Shea Holloway followed with an overview of Florida’s maternal and child health programs and data. She cited Florida CHARTS data showing pregnancy-related deaths, severe maternal morbidity, and infant mortality trends, and described the Title V block grant, the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative, the electronic prenatal risk screen, Healthy Babies, BH Impact for perinatal mental health, Healthy Start, WIC, family planning, telehealth maternity care, and the Pregnancy Care Network. Senators asked about delays in mortality review reporting, preterm birth, substance use disorder in pregnancy, WIC participation, cesarean rates, and the impact of the abortion ban; Holloway said the department is continuing to monitor outcomes, expand screening and telehealth, and use data and hospital partnerships to improve care. The committee then adjourned without further business.
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

Committee on Health and Human Services - 03/25/25

Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • This will decrease morbidity. It will decrease mortality.
  • and mortality crisis maternal morbidity and mortality crisis we<00:27:10.720> have<00:27:10.880
  • This will decrease<00:28:00.480> morbidity.
  • <00:28:01.200> It<00:28:01.440> will<00:28:01.600> decrease decrease morbidity
  • It will decrease decrease morbidity.
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
NH
Transcript Highlights:
  • sort of in the yellowish section of the types of things when we're talking about severe maternal morbidity
  • on<01:13:12.400> the<01:13:12.560> left<01:13:12.800> hand maternal morbidity
  • . um on the left hand maternal morbidity. um on the left hand side<01:13:13.280> sort<01:13:13.440
  • <01:13:19.760> Um<01:13:20.159> some about severe maternal morbidity.
  • Um some about severe maternal morbidity.
Keywords: 1189, house, all
Summary: The committee met on January 23, 2026, to approve prior minutes and receive an update from the Department of Health and Human Services. The main presentation focused on “Project Compass,” an internal cross-department effort to prepare for changes to Medicaid and SNAP eligibility. Department staff said the goal is to maintain continuous coverage for eligible people, align policy, operations, communications, legal, finance, and eligibility work, and use the new integrated New HEIGHTS system to streamline implementation. They emphasized outreach to beneficiaries, providers, managed care organizations, and other partners, and said temporary manual workarounds had already been used to stay in compliance with fast-moving SNAP changes. Members questioned how the department would avoid repeating the costly outreach effort used in a prior Medicaid work-requirement rollout. Department officials said they are focusing on ex parte processes, sharing eligibility information across programs, and using community partners to reduce duplicate contacts and paperwork. They also said the department is monitoring the SNAP error rate closely, expects automation and a planned system contract amendment to help reduce it, and noted that current error rates are trending downward and remain below the national average. Questions were also raised about possible future SNAP restrictions on certain foods; the department said it can implement whatever the legislature directs, but that defining and administering such restrictions would be complex. The commissioner and CFO then outlined the department’s budget reduction plan. They said the department has begun implementing required “back of the budget” reductions for fiscal year 2026, using contract savings and not cutting existing services where possible. Examples included dental and home-visitation contracts, where spending was adjusted based on utilization and projected need. Officials said they had already written down a little over $15 million in prior-year encumbrances, but that this one-time source will not be available next year, making fiscal year 2027 more difficult. They also explained the difference between legally required back-of-budget cuts and lapse, and said staffing remains a major challenge because vacancies have increased and customer-facing service levels are strained. Dr. Jonathan Ballard then began an update on opioid overdose fatalities, presenting the latest medical examiner data and describing the long-term rise in deaths after fentanyl entered the illicit drug supply, with a peak in 2017 and a later increase in 2022. The transcript cuts off before his full presentation and any further committee action beyond discussion of the minutes and receipt of the department updates.
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Financial Services Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am

Joint Committee on Financial Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • add many people with epilepsy are on several medications for their seizures and accompanying co-morbidities
  • Black birthing people are more likely to experience preterm birth, severe maternal morbidity, and even
  • Privately insured Black birthing people face a 17% higher risk of severe morbidity and mortality compared
  • As you know, the U.S. faces alarming rates of maternal mortality and morbidity, rising C-section and
  • As you know, the U.S. faces alarming rates of maternal mortality and morbidity, rising C-section and
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a lengthy public hearing with testimony on a wide range of health insurance and access-to-care bills. Early testimony focused on prescription drug pricing and pharmacy reimbursement, with supporters of H. 1326 arguing that pharmacy benefit managers and MassHealth managed care arrangements reimburse independent pharmacies too little, contributing to pharmacy closures and “pharmacy deserts.” The committee also heard repeated support for H. 1151/S. 742 on cognitive rehabilitation for acquired brain injury, H. 1288/S. 716 on telehealth parity for nutrition counseling, H. 1309/S. 761 on full-spectrum pregnancy care without cost-sharing, H. 1312 on insurance coverage for doula services, H. 309 on prompt access to health care by removing deductibles for certain services, H. 809/H. 1227 on biomarker testing, H. 1162/S. 810 on reducing inequities in access to medical procedures by limiting insurer cuts tied to Modifier 25, and S. 726 on insurance coverage for mobile integrated health. Testifiers included legislators, physicians, pharmacists, dietitians, emergency and rehabilitation clinicians, and patients and family members. Supporters of the brain injury bill said cognitive rehabilitation is medically necessary, improves long-term outcomes, and can reduce institutional care and public costs; they noted the bill has been heard repeatedly and has support from the Brain Injury Commission and prior favorable committee action. Supporters of the pregnancy care and doula bills described out-of-pocket costs as a barrier to maternal health and shared personal stories of high bills and unmet support needs. Biomarker testing advocates and cancer patients said coverage gaps deny patients access to precision treatment, can lead to avoidable suffering, and should be standardized across insurers; several speakers said insurers often deny claims despite clinical benefit. Dermatology witnesses said insurers’ use of Modifier 25 cuts reimbursement for same-day evaluation and procedure visits, forcing separate appointments and increasing patient burden. Mobile integrated health supporters described home-based care as a way to reduce emergency department use and hospital readmissions, especially for patients with transportation or mobility barriers. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing itself.
FL

Florida 2025 Regular Session

Health Policy Jan 14th, 2025

Transcript Highlights:
  • back up that AHCA somewhere along the line has done tracking maternal mortality, infant mortality morbidity
  • ratio was 15.6 pregnancy related deaths per 100,000 live births in 2022 severe Mitt one or maternal morbidity
  • Florida severe maternal morbidity rate has remained stable from 2021 to 2023, as you can see here, we
Keywords: 999, senate, all
DE

Delaware 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Health & Social Services Committee Meeting Jun 17th, 2026

Health & Social Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • And then, where do the morbid question, I guess, but like, where are you typically getting these remains
  • The research is unambiguous: nursing shortages lead to errors, increased morbidity, and mortality, and
Bills: HB359, HB385, HB165
Summary: The Senate Health and Social Services Committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes from the prior two meetings, and briefly acknowledged the tragedy at Christiana Care before moving to legislation. The committee heard House Bill 385, which creates a statewide nurse preceptor grant program to expand clinical training placements for nursing students; testimony from nursing organizations, health care associations, and educators emphasized workforce shortages, the need for preceptor stipends and training, and the bill’s potential to help students complete programs and remain in Delaware. Members asked about eligibility and reporting, and several senators asked to be added as co-sponsors. Public comment was uniformly supportive, and the bill was advanced out of committee. The committee then considered House Bill 424, which repeals Delaware’s Autism Surveillance and Registration Program and requires DHSS to expunge protected health information collected through the registry. The sponsor and DHSS said the registry is no longer used for research or policy development and that repeal would reduce outdated reporting burdens; Autism Delaware, the Delaware Health Care Association, and the State Council for Persons with Disabilities support the change. A committee member raised the question of whether families would be notified before records are expunged, and DHSS said that process was not yet clear and would need further verification. Members discussed the issue, and the bill also moved forward. House Bill 419 was next, making children in foster care automatically eligible for the Purchase of Care child care subsidy and extending the same treatment to certain kinship and safety-plan placements through House Amendment 1. The Children’s Department and advocacy groups said the bill would provide immediate stability for children and caregivers, reduce delays from applications and income verification, and support working foster and kinship families. The committee also heard House Bill 359, which would allow cremation as an option for unclaimed and indigent remains when there is no family objection or next of kin cannot be found, addressing a shortage of burial plots and lowering costs; funeral industry testimony focused on preserving next-of-kin rights. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 475, creating a Delaware Nursing Advancement Fund financed by a $10 surcharge on nursing licenses and disciplinary fines to support workforce data collection and analysis through a nonprofit partner, and House Bill 165, authorizing physician associates, occupational therapists, and APRNs to perform dry needling under training and practice standards set by the Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline. All of the bills received supportive testimony, several members added their names as co-sponsors, and the committee adjourned after moving through the agenda.
CO

Colorado 2026 Regular Session

Colorado Senate 2026 Legislative Day 087 Apr 11th, 2026

Colorado Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • I it's a little morbid to talk about, but as I travel my district very sensitive to how many blood stains
  • I<00:46:52.320> it's<00:46:52.400> a<00:46:52.440> little<00:46:52.640> morbid
  • /c><00:46:53.480> to<00:46:53.640> talk<00:46:53.920> about, I it's a little morbid
  • to talk about, I it's a little morbid to talk about, but<00:46:54.400> as<00:46:54.560> I<
Keywords: 981, all
Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved the corrected journal, and then received committee reports advancing several bills, including House Bills 1262, 1183, 1184, 1331, 1332, and 1333, along with Senate Bills 2, 20, 80, 137, and 141. The chamber also removed House Bill 1331 and Senate Bill 80 from the consent calendar and later took up special orders for second reading. Senate Bills 20 and 137 were considered on the consent calendar, their committee reports were adopted, and both bills passed second reading and were placed on the calendar for third reading and final passage. The Committee of the Whole report was then adopted by a 32-0 vote with 3 excused. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on House Bill 1332, which concerns the legislative department cash fund. Sponsors and supporters described the bill as transferring $12 million to the general fund and capping the fund balance at $8 million to improve transparency and align spending with current needs. Senator Pelton offered amendment L4 to lower the cap to $5 million and remove automatic inflation adjustments, but the amendment failed on a voice vote. The bill itself was then adopted. House Bill 1333, dealing with payment of legislative department expenses, was also adopted after discussion of salary-related adjustments and cash fund transfers. Senate Bill 141, which creates an optional $5 motor vehicle registration fee to fund wildlife crossings and related transportation improvements, drew the most debate. Supporters emphasized reduced vehicle-animal collisions, lower insurance costs, and the ability to leverage federal matching funds; several senators described personal or constituent experiences with wildlife crashes. Opponents argued existing bridge enterprise and wildlife cash funds should be used instead of creating a new fee, even if optional. Despite that opposition, the bill passed. Senate Bill 143, renaming the Colorado Youth Advisory Council review committee in honor of the late Senator Faith Winter, also passed unanimously. House Bill 1019 was laid over until April 27, and House Bill 1331, which modifies legislative interim activities and reduces an appropriation, passed after amendment L2 clarified that per diem and travel payments would not be made for meetings not actually held.
CO

Colorado 2026 Regular Session

Colorado Senate 2026 Legislative Day 079 Apr 3rd, 2026

Colorado Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • c><00:53:20.680> maternal higher rates of severe maternal higher rates of severe maternal morbidity
  • morbidity morbidity and<00:53:23.080> maternal<00:53:23.480> death.
Keywords: 981, all
Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved the corrected journal, and received committee reports advancing several measures, including House Bills 1237, 1081, 1208, and Senate Bill 103. The chamber also adopted a motion to proceed out of order for moments of personal privilege, during which members welcomed students from Fort Lewis College, Colorado State University, and Adams State University, as well as Volunteers of America and Zonta International, and recognized Volunteers of America’s 130th anniversary. On third reading, the Senate passed House Bill 1120 on mobile home taxation and delinquent property tax collection after adopting a technical amendment, and passed House Bill 1007 on distributed energy resources after debate focused on safety, UL listing, utility coordination, and affordability. It also passed House Bill 1253 on disconnection of property from a statutory municipality and House Bill 1145 on water quality in mobile home parks, though the latter drew more opposition. House Bill 1044 on maternal health equity was amended to change language from a “statement of rights” to a required notice and to revise task force language, then passed after sponsors emphasized disparities in maternal mortality and provider training. The Senate then adopted the Committee of the Whole report, which placed House Bills 1186 and 1044 on the calendar for third reading and laid over Senate Bill 134 and House Bills 1071 and 1084 until April 6. The chamber also confirmed three governor’s appointments to the State Board of Parole: Katherine Rodriguez, Rodrigo Luévano, and Greg Size. The meeting ended with announcements, including committee meeting notices and a brief personal privilege about the Artemis 2 launch, followed by a recess until noon.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • what we know and what you've just talked to us about in terms of leading causes of mortality and morbidity
  • I really appreciated the information provided around morbidity and mortality as it relates to the incidents
  • evidence-based interventions, such as naloxone, to vulnerable communities who are at the highest risk of morbidity
Keywords: 988, house, all
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

FL House Floor Session - 2026-02-11 (4:00PM Session)

Florida House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • again, we take both of these together as a whole, predominantly appeals to prurient, shameful, or morbid
  • statutory definition of harmful to minors, including material that appeals to prurient, shameful, or even morbid
  • While the bill doesn't define morbid interest, I did. I looked it up.
  • Morbid interest is dark, disturbing, connected to death, violence, tragedy, or suffering.
  • Some might say it's morbid, but for me, it was transformational.
Summary: The House convened with prayer, moments of silence for former member Terry Fields and the Parkland victims, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of guests and visitors. The chamber then adopted the Rules and Ethics Committee’s special order report setting the day’s calendar and debate times. The main measure taken up was HB 1119, relating to materials harmful to minors in public schools and charter schools, which the sponsor described as a clarification of existing law to keep pornographic or sexually explicit material away from minors and to give districts clearer standards for review and objection processes. The bill drew extensive debate over constitutional concerns, local control, litigation risk, and the scope of the definition of “harmful to minors.” Members supporting the bill argued it was needed to close loopholes and protect children, while opponents warned it could lead to overbroad book removals, conflict with federal court rulings, and costly lawsuits. A series of amendments sought to narrow or redirect the bill: proposals by Gant, Aristide, Bartleman, Eskamani, Nixon, Rainer, Woodson, and Harris would have preserved literary value review, protected educational and abuse-prevention materials, exempted LGBTQ-inclusive books, limited objections, preserved funding for districts, or delayed enforcement during ongoing litigation. Supporters of the amendments framed them as protecting parental choice, academic value, student safety, and district finances; opponents said they would weaken the bill’s child-protection purpose. All of the amendments failed. After the amendment process, the House waived rules, read HB 1119 a third time by title, and entered structured debate on final passage. Debate continued along the same lines, with opponents emphasizing book removals, First Amendment concerns, and the impact on students and schools, and supporters reiterating that the bill was intended to prevent minors from accessing obscene material. The transcript provided ends during structured debate and does not include the final vote on HB 1119.
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Health Committee Apr 8th, 2025

Transcript Highlights:
  • affected by barriers to reproductive care and suffer staggering rates of maternal mortality and morbidity
  • affected by barriers to reproductive care and suffer staggering rates of maternal mortality and morbidity
  • the same time, not only do they experience significantly higher rates of maternal mortality and morbidity
Summary: The Assembly Health Committee met on April 8 and heard a long series of bills, beginning with AB 54 on medication abortion access. The author and supporters, including the Attorney General’s office and reproductive justice advocates, said the bill would protect California’s medication abortion supply chain and shield providers and manufacturers from civil, criminal, and professional liability. Opponents from the California Family Council argued the bill removes safeguards and increases risks. The bill was moved forward on a committee motion. The committee then heard several reproductive and public health measures, including AB 551 to create a pilot program supporting emergency departments in providing reproductive health services, AB 260 to protect medication abortion access and telehealth, AB 309 to remove sunset dates on laws allowing pharmacy syringe sales and lawful possession of sterile syringes, AB 536 to preserve colorectal cancer screening coverage if federal guidelines are challenged, AB 804 to make housing support services a Medi-Cal benefit, AB 594 to address student health insurance billing and transparency, AB 836 to study and expand the midwifery workforce, AB 1418 to collect data on health coverage for eligible employees, and AB 1500 to maintain and expand the abortion.ca.gov information site. Supporters emphasized access, preventive care, workforce shortages, and public health benefits, while opponents raised concerns about abortion, syringe distribution, and the focus of state resources. Most measures were advanced by committee vote, with roll calls showing broad support and a few no votes from members on some bills. The final bill discussed in the transcript was AB 1037, which would update substance use disorder laws to reflect evidence-based, harm-reduction approaches and remove barriers to treatment. The author and supporters described it as a compassionate response to overdose and treatment access problems, while law enforcement opposition argued it would encourage drug use and endanger communities. The transcript cuts off during testimony on AB 1037, so no final committee action on that bill is shown in the provided text.
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Fiscal Policy Feb 5th, 2026

Fiscal Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • Seniors are more likely to face morbidity challenges, chronic illness, caregiving duties, and limited
  • Seniors are more likely to face morbidity challenges, chronic illness, caregiving duties, and limited
Summary: The Committee on Fiscal Policy met and first postponed SB 524 and SB 1156. It then heard and favorably reported several bills, including SB 488 and SB 490 by Sen. Massullo, which update Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles procedures, raise the crash-reporting threshold, expand email use, and create a related public-records exemption. The committee also favorably reported SB 892 by Sen. Martin on enhanced sentencing for repeat offenders, SB 124 by Sen. Rodriguez updating Florida Virtual School statutes, and SB 584 by Sen. Yarbrough strengthening oversight of commercial driving schools and tax collector authority. SB 656 by Sen. Bradley, codifying the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and related grant program, and SB 816 by Sen. Bradley, formally establishing the University of Florida Diabetes Institute, also passed unanimously or near-unanimously. The most extensive debate centered on SB 216 by Sen. McLean, which would tighten unemployment assistance eligibility by adding job-search requirements, more frequent verification, and fraud-reporting measures. Supporters argued the bill would reduce fraud and improve program integrity, while opponents from labor groups and several senators warned it would burden claimants, especially rural residents, seniors, and workers facing layoffs, and could sharply reduce access to benefits. Despite those objections, the committee reported the bill favorably on a divided vote. The committee also considered CS/SB 382 by Sen. Truenow on electric bicycles, requiring riders to yield to pedestrians, sound an audible signal before passing, and limit speed near pedestrians, while creating a task force to study broader regulation of e-bikes and related devices. A mother whose son was killed on an electric scooter urged the committee to restore scooters to the bill, and several members expressed support for further work on that issue. The committee reported the bill favorably. At the end of the meeting, members recorded additional affirmative votes on selected tabs, and the committee adjourned.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

89th Legislative Session Mar 4th, 2025

Texas House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • requirements for health care providers reviewing scheduled cases for the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity
  • Committee on Public Health, HB 731 by Wally relating to certain duties. mortality, maternal mortality, morbidity
Keywords: 1184, house, all
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Ways and Means Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am

Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:
  • I think some on this committee are quite... ...familiar with the trends in maternal morbidity and maternal
  • We've seen over the past 10 years a steady increase in maternal morbidity and maternal mortality here
  • see that there is a widening gap between Black and white pregnant people when it comes to maternal morbidity
  • In your testimony, you spoke about the Center's research on severe maternal morbidity.
  • provide individualized reports to all of the state's birthing hospitals on their severe maternal morbidity
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held a Health and Human Services budget hearing in Clinton, with opening remarks from Chairs Meg Kilcoyne and Robin Kennedy, local officials, and many House and Senate members introducing themselves. The hearing focused on Governor Healey’s FY27 EOHHS and MassHealth budgets, with repeated themes of rising health care costs, federal funding uncertainty, workforce shortages, and access to care in underserved regions. Members also raised concerns about primary care shortages, rural and regional disparities, behavioral health access, maternal health, food insecurity, and the impact of federal policy changes on Massachusetts programs. EOHHS Secretary Kiame Mahaniah said the FY27 EOHHS budget totals $33.7 billion, reflecting mostly non-discretionary growth from health care costs, labor costs, caseload increases, and provider rate pressures. He highlighted targeted investments in foster care, family resource centers, maternal health, youth services, nutrition programs, immigrant legal services, and human service workforce rates, while warning that federal actions could strip roughly $3.5 billion annually from the state’s health care funding. In response to questions, he defended the administration’s cooperation with federal audits and program integrity efforts, discussed the primary care crisis, and said the state is trying to preserve core services while preparing for a more difficult FY28 budget cycle. MassHealth Undersecretary Mike Levine then described two major FY27 challenges: double-digit cost growth and the expected effects of the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act. He said MassHealth’s proposed $22.7 billion gross budget includes a 7.5% increase and relies on a moratorium on new expansions plus targeted reductions, including a $1,000 annual adult dental cap, ending GLP-1 coverage for weight loss only, reducing care management to peer-state levels, and work groups to slow growth in PCA, adult foster care, and adult day health spending. Members questioned the impact on Boston Health Care for the Homeless, preventive care, and regional access; Levine said the changes are meant to preserve sustainability, that children and certain disabled populations remain protected, and that the administration will continue working with providers, advocates, and the Legislature on implementation and longer-term reforms.
FL

Florida 2025 Regular Session

House in Session Apr 24th, 2025

Florida House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • WHEN WE SAY HARMFUL TO MINORS, I WANT TO LOOK AT LINE 34, PREDOMINANTLY IT APPEARS TO BE SHAMEFUL OR MORBID
  • CAN YOU DEFINE WHAT SHAMEFUL OR MORBID MEANS? YOU ARE DULY RECOGNIZED, REPRESENTATIVE BANKSON.
  • BESIDES THE DEFINITION IN THE BILL DRAFTED THAT YOU DID, ARE YOU BASING THE TERMS "SHAMEFUL" OR "MORBID
  • This goes on to say if this predominantly appeals to more morbid interest and is patently offensive to
  • When I asked questions about what is ...SHAMEFUL OR MORBID INTEREST, I COULD NOT GET A DEFINITION OR
Summary: The Florida House of Representatives conducted legislative business including prayer, pledge, and voting on multiple bills. Key legislation included HB 1105 expanding Florida Bright Futures Scholarship eligibility, HB 443 on charter school regulations (passed 83-23), and HB 1539 on materials harmful to minors (passed 81-29) after extensive debate about book challenges in schools. Other bills addressed education funding, law enforcement benefits, parole guidelines, and various local issues. The Speaker announced budget negotiations with the Senate have stalled, with disagreements over spending levels and tax cuts. The House will not meet this weekend as originally planned. Session adjourned until tomorrow at 10 AM.