Transcript Highlights:

• </c> through quick claim deeds. through quick claim deeds.
• </c> quick claim deed fraud in New Hampshire. quick claim deed fraud in New Hampshire.
• </c> take such action. uh quick claim deed take such action. uh quick claim deed required<03:47:32.000
• A quick claim deed research process.
• </c> the person did use a quick claim deed. the person did use a quick claim deed.

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The department had a total requests of $17,988 in wolf claims.
• </c><00:05:13.520><c> that</c> higher raising depredation claims that higher raising depredation claims
• I'm sorry, for elk, but the number of claims we get is greater for wolf.
• I'm sorry, for elk, but the number of claims we get is greater for wolf.
• I'm sorry, for elk, but the number of claims we get is greater for wolf.

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• NOW, WE HAVE ADJUSTED OUR OUTLOOK.
• IN TERMS OF REVENUE ADJUSTMENTS, WE'VE DONE A COUPLE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THIS YEAR OR TOOK ACCOUNT
• USUALLY WE FOCUS ON ONE-TIME TRUST FUND TRANSFERS AND MAKING A REVENUE ADJUSTMENT WITH THAT PIECE.
• SO A VERY SIGNIFICANT ADJUSTMENT BASED ON HOW THE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN LOOKING AT THIS.
• EVEN TAKING ACCOUNT OF THE REVENUE ADJUSTMENTS AND WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE A MANDATORY MINIMUM RESERVE

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• given 20, 30, or even 40 years of their lives to public service, haven't received a cost-of-living adjustment
• The last time Texas retirees received a cost-of-living adjustment, a gallon of gas cost $1.60.
• given 20, 30, or even 40 years of their lives to public service, haven't received a cost-of-living adjustment
• The last time Texas retirees received a cost-of-living adjustment, a gallon of gas cost $1.60.
• Representative John Busey: So, for the COLA, for the cost of living adjustment?

Keywords: Texas state employees, retirees, compensation, House Bill 343, House Bill 247, Senator Sarah Eckhardt, Representative John Busey, cost of living, workforce, legislative session

Summary: The committee meeting focused on critical issues facing Texas state employees and retirees, highlighting the need for increased compensation and improved benefits. Senator Sarah Eckhardt and Representative John Busey presented new legislation aimed at addressing these longstanding problems, including proposed House Bills 343 and 247, which seek a $10,000 across-the-board pay increase for state employees. Senator Eckhardt emphasized the growing wage gap between public sector jobs and private sector offerings, which has led to high turnover rates and the loss of institutional knowledge. Public testimonies underscored the urgency of the issue as retirees shared their struggles with stagnant pensions amidst rising living costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• We make adjustments for each plan.
• So we're adjusting for all of that. So, yeah, and then there's safety versus non-safety.
• We make no adjustments to that. I think that's likely conservative in a sense.
• Out of this report, we can offer a cost-of-living adjustment.
• Because we gave a cost-of-living adjustment.

Summary: The Public Retirement System Actuarial Committee met on February 23, 2026, approved the December 18, 2025 minutes, and heard actuarial valuation reports and experience studies for several retirement systems. Presenters repeatedly noted strong investment performance, payroll growth, and generally improving funded ratios across the systems, with most plans showing lower minimum recommended employer contribution rates for fiscal 2027. The committee also received explanations of funding deposit accounts, frozen unfunded liabilities in some plans, and how recent legislative changes, including the move to five-year DROP periods in some systems, affected costs and assumptions. For the Clerk of Court, District Attorney, Firefighters, Municipal Employees (Plans A and B), Municipal Police, Registrars of Voters, and Sheriffs systems, the committee reviewed 2025 actuarial evaluations and, where applicable, 2025 experience studies. The actuarial reviewers reported no significant deficiencies and said the valuations were completed in accordance with applicable actuarial standards, generally accepted actuarial practice, and state statutes. The experience studies generally led to modest assumption changes, with some cost decreases from salary, mortality, withdrawal, and asset experience, while some plans saw offsetting increases from retirement or post-DROP behavior. The committee asked a brief question about mortality assumptions and was told the studies use separate male/female and safety/non-safety tables adjusted for Louisiana experience. The committee adopted each valuation and experience study without objection. Key fiscal 2027 minimum recommended employer contribution rates included 14.75% for Clerk of Court, 3.0% for District Attorneys, 25.5% for Firefighters, 20.75% for MERS Plan A, 8.75% for MERS Plan B, 26.5% for Municipal Police, 0% for Registrars of Voters with a $207,683 allocation to the Member Supplemental Savings Fund, and 7.75% for Sheriffs. The committee also recognized DROP crediting rates where applicable and adjourned after completing all agenda items.

Transcript Highlights:

• You saw in some systems a heavy set of retirements coming out of COVID, so we've adjusted for that.
• We make adjustments for each plan.
• We make no adjustments to that. I think that's likely conservative in a sense.
• Out of this report, we can offer a cost-of-living adjustment.
• Because we gave a cost-of-living adjustment.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The Public Retirement System Actuarial Committee met on February 23, 2026, approved the December 18, 2025 minutes, and heard no public comment. The committee then reviewed actuarial valuation reports and, for most systems, accompanying experience studies. The actuaries reported generally favorable investment and demographic experience across the systems, with funded ratios improving and employer contribution rates declining in several plans. They also explained the role of funding deposit accounts, frozen unfunded liabilities in some plans, and how recent legislative changes, especially the move to five-year DROP periods in some systems, affected assumptions and costs. For the Louisiana Clerk of Court Retirement Relief Fund, the committee adopted the valuation and experience study, recognizing a fiscal 2027 minimum recommended employer rate of 14.75%. For the District Attorney’s Retirement System, it adopted the valuation and experience study and recognized a fiscal 2027 minimum rate of 3.00%. For the Firefighters’ Retirement System, the committee adopted the valuation and experience study, recognized a fiscal 2027 minimum rate of 25.5%, and noted that DROP balances left on deposit will earn the market rate of return of 11.7%. The committee also adopted the Municipal Employees’ Retirement System valuation for both Plan A and Plan B, recognizing fiscal 2027 minimum rates of 20.75% and 8.75%, respectively. It adopted the Municipal Police Employees’ Retirement System valuation and experience study, recognizing a fiscal 2027 minimum rate of 26.5%, a DROP crediting rate of 7.4%, and a policy range up to 29.35% for future contributions. For the Registrars of Voters Employees’ Retirement System, the committee adopted the valuation and experience study, recognized a fiscal 2027 minimum rate of 0%, and noted a $207,683 allocation to the Member Supplemental Savings Fund for fiscal 2026. Finally, it adopted the Sheriff’s Pension and Relief Fund valuation and experience study, recognizing a fiscal 2027 minimum rate of 7.75%. All motions passed without objection, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Projects relating to approval of contracts by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska and inflation adjustment
• Fuel Fund, relating to approval of contracts by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska and inflation adjustment
• projects, relating to approval of contracts by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, and inflation adjustment
• impacting foreign entity participation, cost overruns, effects of project failure, and inflation adjustments
• impacting foreign entity participation, cost overruns, effects of project failure, and inflation adjustments

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and approved the journal and the prayer for the record. The clerk read gubernatorial messages calling the legislature into a third special session and describing the call around House Bill 381, a major natural gas project bill addressing property taxes, municipal taxes, AGDC, reporting requirements, contract approval, an alternative volumetric tax, municipal impact grants, and related provisions. Messages from the Senate reported passage of a Senate-amended version of HB 381 and transmission of Senate Concurrent Resolution 203 to suspend certain rules related to the bill. The House introduced HCR 301 and HCR 302. HCR 301, which suspends rules on carryover of bills into a special session, passed 40-0. The House then took up the Senate amendments to HB 381. The Majority Leader outlined the Senate changes, including new school funding provisions, reorganization and oversight of AGDC funds, a public project dashboard, stricter bond approval requirements, a heating fuel assistance fund, changes to the alternative volumetric tax structure and distribution of revenues, a permanent rather than sunsetted tax break, new deadlines tied to final investment decision and construction, and a new graduated income tax on certain pass-through entities. He urged members to vote no on concurrence, and the House rejected concurrence 12-28. Because the House did not concur, the Speaker appointed a conference committee on HB 381 consisting of Representative Schrage, the Majority Leader, Representative Edgmon, and Representative Ruffridge. HCR 302, authorizing the House and Senate to recess for more than three days, passed 40-0 after members stated the recess was intended to allow conference negotiations to continue and that the body would return on a time certain. The House also received two governor-request bills, HB 3001 and HB 3002, both referred to the Finance Committee. The House then excused several members for specified absences and adjourned until July 1 at 10:30 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• And what it's doing is trying to adjust alcohol licensing fees that have not been adjusted.
• And what it's doing is trying to adjust alcohol licensing fees that have not been adjusted since, some
• So the R.S. is looking at two things: the fact that they haven't been adjusted for decades, and then
• If we adjusted those fees for inflation, just to give you a couple, a beer license that is $50 now would
• be $726 if it was adjusted for inflation, and wine that's $100 now would be $1,453.

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so the two child care credits that we did, those are new adjustments to it that the governor did
• In my view, simple conformity is everything that occurs before the calculation of federally adjusted
• Our starting point for our taxes is you take your federally adjusted gross income.
• and deductions that occur that get into your federally adjusted gross income, that becomes the line.
• Those don't exist unless you also say, in addition to the federally adjusted gross income, we are going

Summary: The caucus focused on HB 2153, a tax conformity bill that would align Arizona tax law with the Internal Revenue Code as of January 1, 2026, including retroactive provisions for tax year 2025. Staff explained that the bill excludes three federal provisions: the additional $6,000 senior deduction, the higher SALT deduction, and the deduction for interest on new car loans. It also adds several Arizona-specific changes, including a $6,000 deduction for certain retirement distributions for taxpayers 65 and older, a $6,000 deduction for Roth IRA contributions, an increase in the dependent tax credit from $100 to $125, and a deduction for child and dependent care expenses above the federal credit. JLBC estimated a negative fiscal impact of $441.3 million in the first year, declining over the next two years. Chairman Livingston argued the bill was needed immediately because the Department of Revenue had already issued tentative forms assuming full conformity, creating confusion for taxpayers and businesses. He said the governor’s earlier direction and the department’s forms were not coordinated with the legislature’s approach, and warned taxpayers and businesses not to file until the issue was resolved. He also said the bill would help small businesses by preventing mismatched state and federal rules, especially on deductions and vehicle expensing, and emphasized that many Arizona businesses would otherwise face two sets of books. Members asked about the practical impact on small businesses and the department’s forms. Livingston and staff said Arizona has about 700,000 small businesses, most with 19 or fewer employees, and that the department’s forms largely reflected full conformity except for a worksheet tied to the governor’s requested changes. Staff explained the difference between “simple conformity” and “full conformity,” noting that some federal provisions occur “below the line” and require explicit state law. The committee also discussed the child care provisions as a new Arizona deduction and a separate increase in the child care credit. No vote was taken, and the meeting adjourned before floor session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Adjustments are going to be made on preset periods. Is that correct, Mr. Chair? Mr.
• And as I mentioned to Representative Lujan, we have There's always a need for that adjustment.
• We don't usually make these big adjustments.
• Some states have actually adjusted their funding formulas. an online student.
• Some states have actually adjusted their funding formulas to address the fact that it costs less.

Bills: HB253 , HB153 , HB255 , HB287 , HB371 , SB151 , HB8 , SB177

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Keywords: distance learning, virtual instruction, public education, student enrollment, school funding, education standards, pandemic education response, low-carbon construction, construction materials, rebate, environmental product declaration, EPD, embodied carbon, carbon intensity, greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonization, industrial incentives, clean manufacturing, cement, concrete

Transcript Highlights:

• Anything that she claims is due from LRC, she could have obtained from LRC or her client.
• She has referred to a mandatory closeout letter for sexual harassment claims, but has not given you a
• The commission has not found that there were any false claims made.
• The commission has not found that there were any false claims made.
• The commission has not found that there were any false claims made.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission met on November 18, 2025, approved the October 14 minutes, and then took up five motions in ethics matters 24LEC3 and 24LEC6. Those motions included a renewed motion to dismiss and motion to quash by Representative Daniel Gberg, a renewed motion to compel/sanctions and continuance request by Mr. Jenkins, and competing motions in limine concerning evidence and redaction of deposition transcripts. Vice Chair Mike Schaw was appointed hearing officer for the motion practice, and the commission agreed to hear the motions one at a time in open session. Representative Chris Lily joined later by Zoom. Counsel for Representative Gberg argued the remaining allegations were minor, that the commission lacked key exculpatory materials such as an alleged LRC report, policies, procedures, and training materials, and that the record did not support the ethics charges. She also argued the case had been broadened by extraneous allegations and that the respondent had been unfairly prejudiced. Enforcement counsel responded that he had produced all materials in his possession, that any LRC materials were not in the commission’s custody, and that the commission’s probable-cause findings were based on sworn testimony and affidavits already in the record. He argued the motions to dismiss and for summary judgment should be denied because genuine issues of material fact remained and the commission had already found probable cause on three ethics violations. Commission members questioned both sides about the alleged LRC report and whether it was part of the commission’s record. The chair stated the commission had not relied on any LRC report and had not withheld anything, while another member emphasized that the proceeding concerned alleged violations of the ethics code, not LRC sexual-harassment policy. A commissioner also noted the unusual structure of the proceeding and questioned whether the complaints, taken as true, stated a basis for dismissal. The transcript ends during continued discussion of the standard for dismissal and summary judgment, with no final ruling on the motions captured in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• These are nominal rates, meaning they are not adjusted for inflation.
• These are nominal rates, meaning they are not adjusted for inflation.
• Here, this slide shows the California excise tax adjusted for inflation since 1923.
• For instance, when adjusted for inflation, even the 1927 excise tax of 3 cents would be about 57 cents
• This slide here basically shows the same revenue data but adjusted for inflation.

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the first item we have is an operating adjustment.
• Finally, we have an adjustment to the social equity criteria.
• that like the Department of adjustment that like the Department of Commerce<00:09:40.600><c> that</c
• operating adjustment is Commerce that operating adjustment is designed<00:09:41.920><c> to</c><00:09
• </c><00:10:49.600><c> to</c><00:10:49.839><c> the</c> finally we have an adjustment to the finally we

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They reviewed the latest Medicare claims data and determined if insurers to They reviewed the latest
• Medicare claims data and determined if insurers choose to raise their rates, premiums would increase
• It says, like, total number of claims denied, total number, as long as it's a single number.
• , address the issues of access to care that it claims it will.
• This is going to address the claims, address the issues of access to care that it claims it will.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 2433, which would require insurers offering Medicare supplement policies to people 65 and older to also offer them to Medicare beneficiaries under 65 with ALS or end-stage renal disease, with enrollment periods and premium protections tied to 65-year-old rates. Supporters, including dialysis and ALS advocates, said the bill would help a small population facing high out-of-pocket costs and could improve access to transplants and care; opponents argued it would shift costs onto older seniors and raise Medigap premiums. The committee recommended the bill do pass on a 12-0 vote. The committee also heard House Bill 2593, appropriating $1.5 million to the University of Arizona for the Arizona Perinatal Psychiatry Access Line. The sponsor and physicians testified that the line helps obstetric and pediatric providers quickly consult on perinatal depression, postpartum psychosis, suicidality, and other mental health crises, improving outcomes for mothers, children, and families and reducing costly emergency and crisis care. The bill received a do pass recommendation on a 10-1 vote. House Concurrent Resolution 2013, proclaiming June 2026 as Celebrate Life Month, drew emotional testimony from a young woman with spina bifida and another speaker supporting the sanctity of life. Some members objected that the state should focus on practical supports such as paid leave, child care, and health care access, while others supported the resolution as a statement of human dignity. The resolution passed the committee 7-5. The committee then approved House Bill 4010, creating a Board of Genetic Counselors and licensure standards, after testimony from genetic counselors and a patient advocate about the need for qualified counseling and better access; it passed 11-1. Later, the committee approved House Bill 2196, which would require pharmacy benefit managers to reimburse non-affiliated pharmacies at least their acquisition cost and pay a dispensing fee, and establish an appeals process. Independent pharmacists and their coalition said PBM practices are driving closures and unfairly favor affiliated pharmacies, while PBM and employer representatives warned of major cost increases and said the bill would interfere with private contracts; the bill passed 11-1. The committee also adopted a strike-everything amendment to House Bill 2182 requiring insurers and health plans to report claims denial and prior authorization data to DIFI, and then gave the amended bill a 12-0 do pass recommendation. Finally, the committee approved House Bill 2189, directing the Board of Nursing to update rules for licensed health aides and collect annual data, with the sponsor and board staff saying it would help implement routine ventilator care in the home; it passed 12-0. The committee then began hearing House Bill 2404, a strike-everything amendment on inter-facility transports for behavioral health patients, but the transcript cuts off before action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• They reviewed the latest Medicare claims data and determined that if insurers choose to raise their rates
• They reviewed the latest Medicare claims data and determined if insurers to They reviewed the latest
• Medicare claims data and determined if insurers choose to raise their rates, premiums would increase
• , address the issues of access to care that it claims it will.
• This is going to address the claims, address the issues of access to care that it claims it will.

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 2433, which would require insurers offering Medicare supplement policies to also offer them to people under 65 who qualify for Medicare because of ALS or end-stage renal disease, with enrollment periods and premium protections. Supporters, including patient advocates and an ALS patient, said the bill would improve access to needed coverage and transplant-related care and could have only a small premium impact. Opponents, including Blue Cross Blue Shield/AHIP, argued it would shift significant costs onto older seniors and shrink the Medigap risk pool. The bill was ultimately given a do-pass recommendation on a 12-0 vote. House Bill 2593 would appropriate $1.5 million to the University of Arizona for the Arizona Perinatal Psychiatry Access Line. The sponsor and physicians testified that the line helps providers quickly treat pregnant and postpartum patients with depression, psychosis, OCD, and suicide risk, and also supports pediatric mental health care. Supporters said it improves outcomes and reduces emergency and referral costs. The committee approved the bill with a do-pass recommendation by a 10-1 vote, with one member present. The committee also passed House Concurrent Resolution 2013, proclaiming June 2026 as Celebrate Life Month, after emotional testimony from a woman born with spina bifida and another supporter. Several members objected that the state should focus on concrete supports such as health care and family leave, but the resolution still received a 7-5 do-pass recommendation. House Bill 4010, creating a licensing and regulatory board for genetic counselors, also advanced 11-1 after testimony from genetic counselors and a cancer survivor who said licensure would protect patients and improve access. House Bill 2196, addressing pharmacy benefit manager reimbursement and dispensing fees, passed 11-1 despite opposition from PBMs and employers who warned of higher costs; independent pharmacies argued the bill would help them cover costs and stay open. The committee then adopted a strike-everything amendment to House Bill 2182 requiring insurers and health plans to report claims denial and prior authorization data to DIFI, which would publish aggregated information and hold a later stakeholder review. Supporters said Arizona needs state-specific transparency data, while opponents called it redundant to federal CMS reporting; the amended bill passed 12-0. House Bill 2189, directing the Board of Nursing to update rules for licensed health aides and collect annual data, also passed unanimously after the board said it was already working on curriculum and implementation. The committee held House Bill 2813 and 2725, and began discussion of House Bill 2404, as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:38:24.280><c> to</c><00:38:24.400><c> be</c> 23517 N that allows the claim to be 23517 N that
• allows the claim to be applied<00:38:24.839><c> to</c><00:38:25.040><c> subsequent</c><00:38:25.560>
• a credit under this section shall claim any other credit under this chapter for tax years... okay<01
• a credit under this section shall claim any other credit under this chapter for tax years...
• shall claim any other this section shall claim any other credit<01:13:36.040><c> under</c><01:13:36.400

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees considered a large number of Senate bills, with many measures advanced either unamended or with technical or substantive amendments. Early action included SB 88 and SB 11 SD1, both passed unamended, and SB 562 SD1 and SB 642 SD1, which were passed with amendments reflecting agency testimony. SB 1133 SD1 was amended to remove duplicative county requirements and clarify tax credit carry-forward eligibility, while SB 1569 SD1 on sports wagering was deferred. Later, SB 933 on nonprofit/federal funding support drew strong testimony from nonprofit and health advocates emphasizing the risk of federal funding freezes and the importance of protecting services such as early learning, domestic violence support, housing, and workforce supports; the committee recommended amendments to define eligible organizations, require reporting, and include the Judiciary. SB 934 and SB 935 were also amended, with SB 934 tying mass transit funding to Honolulu project milestones and SB 935 revising retirement-system language to change “fewer than five years” to “five or more years.” The committees then took up additional measures with targeted amendments. SB 1033 was amended to clarify that the bill applies to legal entities, not individuals, though members noted concerns about closely held family corporations and asked that the issue be reflected in the committee report. SB 1166, SB 1249, and SB 1256 were advanced with amendments or committee-report notes reflecting concerns from the Attorney General, Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, and Hawaii Farmers Union United, respectively. SB 1432 and SB 137, both relating to electric utilities, were amended to require retention of covered employees after mergers or acquisitions and to direct the PUC to consider whether proposed transactions further state policy goals. SB 157 on antitrust was narrowed to focus on coordinator conduct in rental housing markets, SB 252 on invasive species received a defective effective date, and SB 336 on defense of state employers and employees passed unamended. SB 536 on the Hawaii Community Development Authority was deferred to a later hearing, and SB 1064 on medical cannabis was heavily amended to authorize cultivator licenses with limits on canopy size, license counts, physician fees, and a special-fund appropriation for enforcement. In the Ways and Means portion, the committee passed several bills unamended, including SB 19, SB 124, SB 264, SB 345, SB 422, and SB 741 and SB 747 later in the agenda. SB 361 was amended to remove references to the attorney general and delete an appropriation section, SB 438 was amended to redefine buffer zones and landfill-unit language, and SB 441 and SB 494 were amended to blank appropriations and, in SB 494, assign charter-school audit responsibility to the state auditor. SB 659 was substantially amended to promote local procurement, including county-level geographic preferences and higher thresholds for locally sourced purchases, and SB 732 was amended to adjust film tax credit provisions, including the streaming-platform definition and sunset-related language. SB 819 was amended to replace references to “educators” with “teachers.” Throughout, most measures were adopted without recorded opposition, though several members noted reservations on particular bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, the readmissions, of course, and we're using our claims data to look at that readmission rate.
• Well, the readmissions, of course, and we're using our claims data to look at that readmission rate.
• data that's available uh and claims data that's available uh there's<00:53:35.720><c> been</c><00:53
• data to the report all payer claims data to the department<00:53:43.240><c> for</c><00:53:43.520><c>
• form is in this database and so claim form is in this database and so that's<00:54:03.119><c> your</

Keywords: 00:00 Call to Order/Roll Call 00:16 Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations 25:49 Discussion of Hospital Rate Improvement Plan 58:50 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee began by reviewing a large slate of administrative regulations and explaining that it does not approve regulations but can find them deficient and send them back for further work. Members then asked questions on several items, including EMS reciprocity, dental hygienist licensure, and interpreter licensure. The EMS board explained that reciprocity would extend to applicants from any state, not just contiguous states, because the underlying statute had been amended. On the dental regulation, staff said the changes mainly clarified licensure requirements, reinstatement fees, and that dental hygienists administering local anesthetic must do so under direct dentist supervision. The most extended discussion involved the Board of Interpreters for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The board chair said the main concern was that the EIPA is an educational specialty assessment, not a nationally recognized certification, yet the regulation would allow it to support full licensure. Members discussed whether that could let educational interpreters work outside their intended scope and whether a separate educational license or statutory change would be more appropriate. The board said it did not think the regulation could be fixed further at this point and suggested a statute could create a narrower educational interpreter license. After discussion, the committee voted to defer both related interpreter regulations, 201 KAR 39:030 and the companion regulation, for further work. The committee then took up two community mental health regulations, 907 KAR 1:044 and 907 KAR 5:005, which had been found deficient in Administrative Regulations. Department for Medicaid Services staff said the rules would expand and rename the mental health associate role as a behavioral health associate, making the role available in many more facilities, but would also require additional coursework or progress toward licensure. Some members and providers raised access-to-care concerns, especially for rural areas and unlicensed staff already working in the field. Staff said the proposal had been revised through work with CMHCs and licensing boards, but the committee ultimately voted to defer both regulations as well. After finishing the regulation review, the committee heard a presentation from the Kentucky Hospital Association on the ATRIP hospital rate improvement program. Hospital representatives said ATRIP is a Medicaid state-directed payment program funded through a provider tax and federal matching dollars, allowing hospitals to receive payments tied to quality measures. They reported improvements including lower Medicaid readmissions, high sepsis screening rates, reduced infections and opioid prescribing, expanded postpartum depression and suicide screening, and training for more than 1,000 people. They said the program has helped hospitals invest in staffing and quality improvement and warned that without it, many hospitals would face severe financial strain.

Transcript Highlights:

• Deer claims alone. And that's just the one insurance company. And so I think I've proven my point.
• </c> right at $60 million in deer claims right at $60 million in deer claims alone.<00:08:40.880><c>
• Deer</c><00:08:41.200><c> claims</c><00:08:41.440><c> alone.
• Deer claims alone. And that's alone. Deer claims alone.
• I think we'll have less automobile claims and I think we'll have less damage on the farm.

Committee: House Agriculture

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Attendance Roll Call: 00:15 HB 658 Discussion: 03:40 HB 658 Roll Call Vote: 04:50 HB 142 Discussion: 06:30 HB 142 Roll Call Vote: 22:45 HB 571 Discussion: 24:25 HB 571 Roll Call Vote: 29:10, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Anchía: I never made that assertion, never claimed that people have been sterilized.
• Representative Frank: Lady, you mentioned one anecdote or one story of one person that you claim died
• claims to continue in the circumstances where somebody is advertising ivermectin.
• And if the pharmacist decides that they're not gonna dispense it, who has a claim?
• Does the consumer have a claim? Because they wouldn't get... Representative Collier: ...the drug.

Bills: HB25 , HB48 , HB149 , HB254 , HB26 , HB192

Keywords: ivermectin, pharmacist authority, prescription-free, healthcare regulation, patient access, HB 48, Texas alert notification systems, emergency alerts, public warning systems, alert fatigue, notification fatigue, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Department of Public Safety, DPS alerts, emergency management, State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry, STEAR, disaster notifications, weather alerts, Amber Alert

Transcript Highlights:

• However, if there is a claim that a signature was improperly obtained or a card was not, in fact, signed
• And I would say that we, like, if there were a claim... Sure, sure.
• And I would say that we, like, if there were a claim, I mean, I think a signature would be presumed to
• We did file a claim in bankruptcy court.
• And we regularly receive claims from workers who are organizing themselves at their own workplaces or

Summary: The committee first approved several governor’s appointments not required to appear, including Arthur Krantz to the Public Employment Relations Board and Christopher Ferguson, Brian Haynes, Anna Marie de Mars, and Ronald Fiore to the Student Aid or Student Athletic commissions, all by unanimous 5-0 votes. It also approved references of bills to committees by a 5-0 vote. The committee then heard from Julia Montgomery, nominated for a third term as General Counsel of the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, who described her work on farmworker rights, outreach, and enforcement of labor protections. Members questioned Montgomery closely about card-check unionization procedures, signature authenticity, outreach to Spanish-speaking and indigenous-language farmworkers, make-whole enforcement delays, and a long-running Tri-Fanucchi farm case. Montgomery said objections and unfair labor practice charges can be investigated, that signature verification is handled by board staff rather than her office, and that delays often stem from appeals, difficulty locating workers, employer obstruction, and court backlogs. Vice Chair Grove voted no, while Senators Laird and Reyes supported the nomination; the committee advanced Montgomery to the full Senate on a 3-2 vote. The committee then considered three State Board of Education appointments: Cynthia Glover Woods, Brenda Lewis, and Gabriela Orozco Gonzalez. In opening statements, all three emphasized long careers in public education and support for students, teachers, and families. Questions focused on math achievement, the 2023 math framework and access to Algebra I in middle school, transitional kindergarten, community schools, and the effectiveness of education spending. The nominees said the framework still allows ready eighth graders to take Algebra I, pointed to new instructional materials, professional learning, TK expansion, and community schools as key improvements, and said they had not been involved in the governor’s proposed education governance changes. Public witnesses and education groups testified in strong support. The committee advanced Glover Woods 3-1, Lewis 4-1, and Gonzalez 3-1 to the full Senate.