Transcript Highlights:

• regarding the overview of state agency procurement and contracting practices, including information technology
• regarding the overview of state agency procurement and contracting practices, including information technology
• That means one in five dollars is spent in the area of information technology.
• note that under the current Florida law, there is very little difference between how information technology
• We have executed more contracts with pre-qualified information technology staff augmentation vendors,

Committee: Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability

Summary: The Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability met with a quorum present and first took up SB 268, a public records exemption bill for public officers. Senator Brodeur explained the bill on behalf of Senator Jones, saying it would protect partial home addresses, phone numbers, and certain family information for the governor, cabinet members, and other elected officials because of threats and harassment against public servants. An amendment narrowing and clarifying the definition of public officer and the process for claiming the exemption was adopted without objection. Chair Fine and Senator Brodeur both spoke in support of the bill, citing personal experiences with threats and the need to protect officials and their families. CS for SB 268 was then reported favorably by roll call vote. The committee then heard a presentation from Brandon Spencer, Director of State Purchasing and Chief Procurement Officer at the Department of Management Services, on state agency procurement and contracting practices, including IT procurements. He described the state’s procurement structure, including state term contracts, alternate contract sources, and agency procurements, and said the division now manages more than 960 enterprise-wide agreements, with that number continuing to grow. He also highlighted that roughly 21% of purchase order spend is on IT services, discussed statutory requirements for IT procurements, and said the division is working with Florida Digital Service to improve oversight, training, vendor accountability, and procurement options. No committee action followed the presentation, and the meeting adjourned after no further business was raised.

Transcript Highlights:

• As we have more AI technology coming into our workforces in Washington and the United States, we're seeing
• Nothing in this bill prohibits these companies from utilizing these technologies, which can have a very
• These technologies are advancing faster than our ability to full. Good morning.
• Many of us have engaged with chatbots, as just one example of this type of technology.
• Many of us have engaged with chatbots, as just one example of this type of technology.

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on several health-related bills. SB 5904 would restrict nursing titles such as RN, NP/ARNP, and LPN to licensed human people and prohibit non-human entities, including AI chatbots, from using those titles. The sponsor and nursing advocates said the bill is meant to prevent confusion and protect public trust, while preserving the use of AI as a support tool. SB 5877 would add a $70 surcharge for certified anesthesiologist assistants so they can participate in the Washington Physicians Health Program and access HealWA resources; supporters said it closes a technical gap and aligns CAAs with other medical professions. SB 5185 would create a pilot pathway for certain international medical graduates with clinical experience licenses to obtain full primary care licensure; supporters from the medical commission, physicians, and IMG advocates said the program has worked well, has shown no patient safety issues, and could help address workforce shortages. The committee also heard extensive testimony on ESSB 6210, which would let the Health Benefit Exchange adopt additional market-factor certification criteria for exchange plans, including standards aimed at preserving access and affordability in underserved counties. Supporters, including the exchange, OIC, consumer advocates, tribal representatives, and patient groups, said the bill is needed to respond to federal policy changes, rising premiums, and disappearing coverage in places like San Juan County. Opponents from carriers and employer groups argued the timeline is too fast, the criteria are too discretionary, and the bill could reduce competition and raise costs. The committee then heard SB 5981, which would strengthen protections and reporting requirements for the federal 340B drug pricing program and limit manufacturer restrictions on contract pharmacies and data requests. Hospitals, clinics, and patient advocates said the bill protects safety-net care and rural access, while manufacturers, employers, and business groups argued it would expand a program that already raises costs and lacks transparency. In executive session, the committee took action on SB 5917, related to Department of Corrections distribution of abortion medications, rejecting five proposed amendments and then advancing the bill on a 10-6 vote with three excused. The committee also advanced SB 5988, which concerns Department of Health opioid treatment program accrediting activities, on a do-pass recommendation after brief discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Assembly Bill 598 seeks to establish school mapping technology on K-12 campuses.
• School mapping technology would allow emergency responders to have access to a school's layout prior
• This technology would drastically decrease response times and would be a life-saving measure in case
• This technology would drastically decrease response times and would be a life-saving measure in case
• I think, as the lead witness said, this technology is incredibly important, and we want access to it.

Summary: The committee first took up a consent calendar of multiple bills, moving them forward mostly to Appropriations, with AB 1531 sent to Insurance. It then heard AB 645, requiring emergency medical dispatch training for public safety dispatchers who handle medical calls. Supporters said standardized dispatcher training would improve CPR and other pre-arrival instructions, especially in rural areas with long response times; there was no opposition, and the bill was moved to Appropriations. AB 716, on statewide hydrogen fire safety standards and a State Fire Marshal hydrogen expert, also drew support and was sent to Utilities and Energy. AB 783, aimed at lowering disaster rebuilding costs by allowing state contracting for construction materials in declared disaster areas, was supported by housing and building groups and moved to Appropriations. AB 591, creating a public works mutual aid plan for disasters, and AB 1200, expanding disaster preparedness through tabletop exercises, a State Lifelines Council, and CERT training, both received supportive testimony and were sent to Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 300, which would require regular updates to fire hazard severity zone maps; witnesses from fire agencies and cities supported moving the review schedule to every five years, and the bill was sent to Appropriations as amended. AB 986 would add landslides and climate-change-exacerbated conditions to the definition of state and local emergencies; supporters from Rancho Palos Verdes and the League of California Cities described severe land movement and major costs, while members raised concerns about overbroad emergency declarations. The bill nonetheless advanced to Appropriations. AB 478, requiring local emergency plans to include pet rescue procedures and longer holding periods for rescued animals, was supported by the author, a mayor, and animal advocacy groups; members suggested revisiting the 90-day reclamation period and transfer rules, but the bill moved to Appropriations. Later, AB 598 proposed school mapping technology for K-12 campuses so first responders can access accurate layouts during emergencies. The sponsor and dispatch representatives said the maps could reduce response times and improve coordination, while committee members asked about costs, vendor neutrality, rural school funding, and coordination with the 911 Advisory Board; the bill was moved to Appropriations with members noting possible follow-up amendments. Throughout the meeting, several votes were left open for later addition, and the committee eventually recorded additional aye votes and one no vote on AB 783 and a not-voting position on AB 986 before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• A technology center or expand New Brunswick, there's so many options, there's so many possibilities.
• What the technology does and what it does not do.
• If you all have questions or have heard things about what the technology does, I want to answer those
• Technology enables that.
• CCIA is a trade association representing communications and technology firms. CCIA.

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House File 3913 would provide $5 million to the Department of Revenue to bolster their technology and
• Uh, you know, beyond the basic good governance of updating technology and all throughout our state, um
• House File 3913 would provide $5 million to the Department of Revenue to bolster their technology and
• Uh, you know, beyond the basic good governance of updating technology and all throughout our state, um
• House File 3913 would provide $5 million to the Department of Revenue to bolster their technology and

Bills: HF4119 , HF3959 , HF3792 , HF3913 , HF3752

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: property tax, renter credits, co-pay, housing affordability, tax relief, homestead, tax refund, Minnesota, tax increase, financial relief, homeowners, AmeriCorps, taxation, individual income tax, living allowances, stipends, national service, tax compliance, revenue, analytics

Transcript Highlights:

• Labor and Technology agenda.
• So, right now there's technology that is coming out, right?
• So, right now there's technology that is coming out, right?
• So, right now there's technology that is coming out, right?
• </c><01:19:55.760><c> agenda</c> with our 3pm labor and technology agenda with our 3pm labor and technology

Committee: Senate Labor and Technology

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees heard testimony on several personnel and employment bills. SB 2119 would require the state or counties to reimburse public officers and employees for approved work-related travel costs within 30 days; testifiers from the State Procurement Office, UPW, HGA, the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, and others supported the measure, citing delayed reimbursements. SB 3131 would update state position titles by changing “private secretary” to “executive assistant” and “secretary” to “administrative assistant” where applicable, and it drew support from DEED and comments from the State Librarian. SB 3069 would permanently exempt a limited number of specialized positions in DAGS Public Works and the Comptroller’s office from civil service; DAGS, HCDA, and DEED supported it, while UPW opposed it. Committee members questioned whether the exemption should be narrower and whether the positions should be consultants or actual employees, and DAGS said the roles were narrowly tailored, highly specialized, and intended to help manage complex projects such as Aloha Stadium, the convention center, and other major redevelopment work. The committee then heard SB 3180, which would repeal the limit on temporary employment in a single position for two 89-day terms. Testimony included support from the Procurement Office, DOE, DHRD, the State Librarian in opposition, UPW written comments, HGA, the Grassroots Institute of Hawaii, and others. Discussion focused on whether the bill was needed to address abuse of repeated 89-day hires and whether it would affect recruitment and career pathways. Finally, SB 2137 would allow departments, divisions, and agencies to assume hiring and recruitment functions from DHRD under certain conditions. DHRD opposed the bill, saying existing law already allows delegation and that agency-level recruitment often lacks the expertise and staffing to do the work; UHPA supported it, and UPW submitted written support. In questioning, DHRD said it had reduced backlog and was now current on screening, while also offering programs like Operation Hire Hawaii for faster agency-led recruitment.

Transcript Highlights:

• state agencies, our food programs are getting pieces of this $200 million, so it's really a transformational
• So it's really a transformational opportunity.
• So it's really a transformational opportunity, and that can be anything from helping farmers modernize

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here on behalf of the Vapor Technology Association.
• This is about empowering parents because we can't even keep up with technology, folks.
• So that is not only just SMRs and new technology, that would also be geothermal technology, gas technology
• That would also be geothermal technology, gas technology. It's an all-of-the-above approach.
• There are a lot of SMR technologies right now—eight existing SMR technologies are currently vying for

Bills: HB2072 , HB2251 , HB2279 , HB2308 , HB2323 , HB2342 , HB2400 , HB2408 , HB2456 , HB2660 , HB2697 , HB2868 , HB2873 , HB2877 , HB2910 , HB2946 , HB2955 , HB2991 , HB4001 , HB4010

Committee: Senate Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency

Keywords: Cesar Chavez, public holiday, state law, holiday repeal, Arizona Revised Statutes, midwifery, medication administration, healthcare, patient safety, advisory committee, licensed midwives, river trips, liability, outfitter, Grand Canyon, negligence, risk management, contractual waiver, dental practice, business registration

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, we're all getting used to technology, and uh if this bill is perfect in the way it handles technology
• Because technology evolves, it changes. We have to monitor this.
• and uh if this bill is technology and uh if this bill is perfect<00:31:50.720><c> in</c><00:31:50.960
• </c> perfect in the way it handles technology perfect in the way it handles technology today,<00:31:52.880
• Because technology evolves, it okay?

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Observations number 10 through 13 are specific to information technology.
• </c> department of information technologies department of information technologies configuration<00:37
• Dennis Goule, the commissioner of the Department of Information Technology.
• So, I don't expect a ton of this particular technology to proliferate around the executive branch. >>
• </c><00:43:46.960><c> to</c> uh this particular technology to uh this particular technology to proliferate

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the June 20, 2025 minutes, with several members abstaining, and then adopted the consent calendar after removing items 223 and 224 under tab five, item 222 under tab six, and item 231 under tab seven. The committee also noted that an old business item related to YDC claims administration would be removed at a future meeting because the fiscal year had closed and no further committee action was needed. The main substantive discussion centered on Department of Health and Human Services requests. Item FIS-223 would fund a shared database between the Department of Education and HHS to identify children eligible for the summer EBT program; members asked whether it could also help with Medicaid or school reimbursement tracking, but the witness said the item was specifically for summer EBT and that broader integration questions would need follow-up with Education and Medicaid staff. The committee then adopted the item, with Representative Mooney voting no. Item FIS-224 concerned the phrase "high quality services" in child care-related funding; HHS said the standards come from the federal Office of Child Care, and the committee adopted the item. Item FIS-222 related to Money Follows the Person; HHS explained it is a 100% federally funded program that supports transitions from institutions to community living with services such as housing navigation, furnishings, and case management. Members questioned the scale and cost of the program, and HHS said the initial federal award was $5 million, with additional federal IT funding later approved; the committee adopted the item, again with Representative Mooney voting no. Under tab seven, the committee discussed item 231 involving ARPA funds and the YDC project. The Department of Administrative Services explained that recent Treasury guidance allows leftover ARPA dollars from approved projects to be repurposed only for additional work on already approved projects, not new projects. Members asked about whether the project was over budget and whether some items had been in the original plan; officials said the work reflected add alternates from the original bid and that the project was on track to meet the deadline. The committee adopted the item. The meeting then moved to the audit presentation on the New Hampshire Liquor Commission’s fiscal year 2024 management letter, which identified 13 internal control comments, including two material weaknesses, largely tied to the new NextG system. Recommendations included strengthening controls, formal risk assessment, reconciliations to New Hampshire First, cash receipt controls, subsidiary ledgers, SOC reports for vendors, internal audit functions, lease accounting, gift card breakage reporting, and IT security and access controls. The Liquor Commission said it concurred with most findings, described the system transition as successful overall, and said remediation would continue; committee members asked for estimated completion dates for audit findings and discussed the need for more regular follow-up on audit issues and budget monitoring.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have Ajit Jirin, deputy director of information technology at EDD.
• As the director mentioned, EDD Next is a wide-ranging, ambitious project to not only update technology
• And during that period, technology changes and new legislative bills come into play.
• And then we have oversight from the California Department of Technology.
• They bid on the same requirements, same technology, so that everybody has an equal chance.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor, and Transportation heard presentations on labor and public employment issues from the Employment Development Department (EDD), the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB), and the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). The committee first focused on EDD Next modernization, where EDD described progress on online claims, call center upgrades, language access, fraud prevention, and the Integrated Claims Management System (ICMS). The Legislative Analyst’s Office urged closer legislative oversight, especially as the project moves into the most difficult phase. Senators asked about the revised timeline, total cost, fraud reduction, stress testing, transparency around change orders, and the decision to phase in disability insurance and paid family leave before unemployment insurance. EDD said the overall project cost remained about $1.2 billion, that it had no major cost overruns, and that it had saved more than $20 million by shifting some shared customer portal work into ICMS. The subcommittee then considered CWDB’s request for additional operational resources and trailer bill language to streamline reporting. CWDB and the Department of Finance said staffing had been expanded during the pandemic-era surge in grant funding and should now be reduced as one-time grant programs wind down. Senators questioned the proposed staffing reduction, arguing that workforce development needs remain strong and that the board’s policy role still requires adequate capacity. The committee also discussed a proposal to consolidate multiple annual and interim reports into a single biennial report, with LAO supporting the streamlining. Members asked about reporting for specific programs and the cost savings from reducing duplicative evaluations. A major portion of the hearing addressed DIR’s proposed reforms to the Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund (SIBTF) and related workload funding. DIR and LAO described rapid growth in applications, a large and growing backlog, and sharply rising liabilities and employer assessments. The administration’s trailer bill would tighten eligibility, apply reforms to open cases, and use contemporaneous evidence and QME reports to document preexisting disabilities. LAO said the proposal largely matched its prior recommendations and would help return the program to its original intent. Senators raised concerns about fairness to pending claimants, the effect on workers with undocumented preexisting conditions, and whether the QME system could absorb the added workload. The committee also heard DIR’s request to eliminate vacant positions under a statewide vacancy sweep, with members objecting that some vacancies reflect unmet enforcement and safety needs rather than excess capacity. The hearing continued with DIR proposals for additional Cal/OSHA investigative staff, permanent changes to Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board petition deadlines, and apprenticeship-related funding increases. DIR sought 14 permanent positions for its Bureau of Investigation to handle serious workplace fatalities and injuries, and members emphasized the importance of timely investigations and family communication. The WCAB requested making permanent a 2024 change that starts the 60-day reconsideration clock when a case is transmitted rather than when the petition is filed; the board said this had reduced the number of cases awaiting decisions from 637 to 460. Finally, DIR proposed increasing apprenticeship training grants from $3 million to $20 million annually using the Apprenticeship Training Contribution Fund, citing an $80 million fund balance and workforce demand tied to rebuilding and infrastructure needs, and then began discussion of a separate request to expand pre-apprenticeship programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Appropriations, Transportation and Technology is called to order.
• I would much prefer to use a much lower cost, less intrusive technology than a wall, which is probably
• . ...vehicles before we spend billions of dollars and lock ourselves into one technology.
• I mean, it's just a matter of let's recognize new technology, and if it's appropriate.
• With the technology we have today, we should be able to see how many people are on the route, and if

Bills: SB1088 , SB1156 , SB1157 , SB1169 , SB1245 , SB1273 , SB1330 , SB1332 , SB1391 , SB1498 , SB1531 , SB1550 , SB1598 , SB1677 , SB1707 , SB1811 , SB1818

Committee: Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology

Keywords: cybersecurity, homeland security, artificial intelligence, state appropriation, VPN security, zero trust, appropriation, public safety, detention, unauthorized aliens, local government funding, border security, fencing, appropriations, southern border, local government, medical education, physician shortage, healthcare funding, Arizona health care

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1012 does not create a new regulatory scheme for every new technology.
• Senate Bill 1012 does not create a new regulatory scheme for every new technology.
• We can welcome new technology and still require honesty.
• that AFP’s position on this is while accountability should remain with the person using the AI technology
• and not necessarily with the technology itself, this goes a little too far.

Committee: House Emerging Issues and Professional Registration

Summary: The committee met without a quorum at first and held public hearings on two Senate bills. Senate Bill 944, sponsored by Sen. Carla May, would update the statutory salary range for the City of St. Louis sheriff’s attorney, which she said has been unchanged since 1990 and no longer reflects inflation, modern legal complexity, or comparable compensation in other jurisdictions. There was brief supportive comment from Rep. Fuchs, and no witnesses appeared in opposition or for information. The hearing on SB 944 then concluded without further action. The committee next heard Senate Bill 1012, sponsored by Sen. Nicola, which would clarify that existing law applies to artificial intelligence and that humans remain responsible for AI use. The bill also addressed AI in licensed professions, companion chatbots, and political ads using generative AI. Rep. Fuchs raised a question about liability for sharing an AI-generated image, and the sponsor said the bill excludes end users from liability and is intended to create basic guardrails while preserving innovation. Testimony in opposition came from Americans for Prosperity and the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Both argued the bill was overly broad and contained drafting problems, including unused definitions, cross-reference errors, and unclear metadata and liability provisions. The Chamber also said the bill would create regulatory uncertainty for industry and should be perfected before advancing. After public testimony, the committee moved into executive session on SB 1012 and voted the bill do pass, but the vote was 0 ayes and 11 noes after a member changed to the prevailing side, so the bill failed. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2592 has to do with artificial intelligence and the use of that technology by state agencies
• This has to do with artificial intelligence and the use of that technology by state agencies and rules
• that are needing And the use of that technology by state agencies, and rules that are needing to be
• promulgated about the use of that technology.
• 5th, this bill adds new requirements about the agencies and their use of artificial intelligence technologies

Summary: The Rules Committee considered several bills for constitutional and proper-form review. House Bill 2171, which would bar certain hostile governments and related persons from owning or possessing Arizona real property and create enforcement penalties, was flagged for possible conflict with federal foreign-relations law but was recommended 5-2. House Bill 2446, requiring commercial truckers to demonstrate English proficiency and allowing out-of-service orders, was also recommended 5-2, with staff noting a needed amendment to carve out the federal border commercial zone. House Bill 2331, as amended, would require electric utilities to obtain 85% of generation from “reliable” sources by 2030; staff raised concerns about the Arizona Corporation Commission’s exclusive constitutional authority over utility regulation, but the committee still recommended it 5-2 after discussion of Johnson Utilities and related case law. House Bill 2589, making it a felony to allow minors to see or be present at a drag show or to perform a drag show in a minor’s view, drew the strongest constitutional concerns. Staff said it implicated the First Amendment and parental rights and would likely face strict scrutiny, but noted the sponsor was working on an amendment; the committee nevertheless recommended it 5-2. House Bill 2592, dealing with artificial intelligence use by state agencies and legislative ratification of temporary rules, was said to be generally acceptable except for provisions that would require the legislature to act within 30 days and by simple majority, which staff described as an impermissible attempt to bind future legislatures; it was recommended 5-2. The committee then approved a large mass motion covering many additional bills, memorials, and resolutions, all deemed constitutional and in proper form. Staff highlighted House Bill 2976 as one measure that may need amendment because of possible tension with the Arizona Supreme Court’s authority over justice court administration, though it was still included in the mass motion. The mass motion passed 7-0 with one absent, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This has to do with artificial intelligence and the use of that technology by state agencies and rules
• This has to do with artificial intelligence and the use of that technology by state agencies and rules
• that are needing ...and the use of that technology by state agencies and rules that are needing to be
• promulgated about the use of that technology.
• 5th, this bill adds new requirements about the agencies and their use of artificial intelligence technologies

Committee: House Rules

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Research and new technologies are offering a new hope for the future of Florida citrus.
• Today technology continues to revolutionize nearly every facet of our economy and our lives at a pace
• Keeping up with the ever-changing technology landscape and the constantly increasing price tag of information
• technology is a real problem for government at every level, just like it challenges every sector of
• In my sector of the legislature, we have tried to manage IT from the Agency of State Technology to the

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for the joint hearing on the Committee on Tourism and the Committee on Economic Development and Technology
• morning's joint hearing on the Committee on Tourism and the Committee on Economic Development and Technology
• economic on tourism um committee on economic development<00:19:57.960><c> and</c><00:19:58.120><c> Technology
• </c> development and Technology development and Technology um<00:19:59.799><c> time</c><00:20:00.200>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint hearing of the Committee on Tourism and the Committee on Economic Development and Technology met on February 11, 2025, to hear House Bill 96 and House Bill 106. HB 96 would allow low-income housing tax credits to offset state transient accommodations taxes, limit the credit to taxes imposed in the same county as the qualified building, and make Act 129 permanent. The Department of Taxation opposed the bill, saying it would be difficult to administer, would complicate the tax system, and could be susceptible to abuse; it also noted the credit would benefit the hotel owner even though the tax is paid by the customer. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii raised consumer protection concerns. No other testimony was offered, and the chair later recommended deferring HB 96 for further work with the Department of Taxation and the committee. HB 106 would authorize the Agribusiness Development Corporation to financially support farming businesses engaged in agricultural tourism and expand the definition of enterprise accordingly. The Agribusiness Development Corporation testified in support, saying farmers requested the change, it would diversify income, and it would provide technical and financial support. The Hawaii Farm Bureau also supported the measure, and the chair noted eight pieces of testimony in support and one in opposition. No questions were raised, and the chair recommended passing the bill as is. The committee voted on HB 106, with the chair and vice chair voting aye, along with Representatives Holt, Hussey, Ilagan, and Todd; Representative Matsumoto was excused. The chair’s recommendation to pass HB 106 was adopted, and the hearing was adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:13:54.320><c> access,</c> school-aged care, technology access, school-aged care, technology access
• </c> business processes and their technology business processes and their technology systems<01:18:42.080
• So that means technology that can scale.
• </c><01:24:11.280><c> efforts</c> pandemic related uh technology efforts pandemic related uh technology
• officers. were part of a technology officers. were part of a single<01:24:51.040><c> audit.

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• the incentive if they do it in an existing space and can show to the Industrial Commission new technology
• punch another one and get the incentive, they're going to have to prove that they're using new technology
• concept is, well, why would you give them a little incentive up front, and if they figure out new technology
• , they're just going to keep— Incentive up front, and if they figure out new technology, they're just

Committee: House Finance and Taxation

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Finance and Tax Committee met to consider Senate Bill 2397, which concerned an incentive for exploratory wells and related certification language. Representative Dockter explained that the latest version incorporated additional language requested by Nathan Anderson, clarifying that an operator seeking certification of a well as a development incentive well must demonstrate to the Industrial Commission that the well meets the criteria. He and other members argued the proposal would encourage investment in exploratory drilling, support new technology, and ultimately benefit state revenues. The committee adopted Amendment 01-005 after discussion and a roll call vote. Members then moved a due pass recommendation for Senate Bill 2397 as amended, and the motion passed 14-0. Several members briefly commented on the need to incentivize investment and the value of the industry to the state. At the close of the meeting, members noted that this was the committee’s final bill of the legislative session. The chair thanked members for their work on tax policy and adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:01:10.760><c> that's</c><01:01:10.960><c> so</c> this technology that's so this technology that's
• technology.
• </c><01:12:11.880><c> available</c> honestly there is technology available honestly there is technology
• </c><01:19:45.480><c> it</c> prescription for cgms technology it prescription for cgms technology it
• Like any technology, it can be abused, right? There's no sure...

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on House Bill 552, which would remove the “full-time student” requirement for children ages 19 to 25 covered under the state retiree health insurance plan. The prime sponsor said the change would align retiree coverage with state employee and ACA plans, would not cost taxpayers because retirees pay the premiums, and could even reduce administrative burden and possibly state costs. The chair noted the bill simply removes the words “if full-time student” from statute and said the proposal affects very few retirees and has no cost to the state. No opposition was presented, and the chair closed the hearing on HB 552 after no further testimony. The committee then opened a public hearing on House Bill 648, which would require commercial insurance coverage for glucose monitoring devices and supplies for people with diabetes. The prime sponsor, a retired dietitian and diabetes educator, gave extensive testimony describing diabetes as common, costly, and serious, and argued that continuous glucose monitoring is important for managing type 2 and gestational diabetes, preventing hypoglycemia, and improving safety and decision-making. She said CGMs can alert users to dangerous blood sugar changes, help people understand how food, activity, and medication affect glucose, and save lives while offering a strong return on investment. During questions, a committee member asked whether the bill should specify that the monitoring be tied to prescribed treatment, and the sponsor agreed that adding “prescribed” would be appropriate. The member also asked about the proper threshold for coverage and whether the bill should be tied to fasting-test diagnosis; the sponsor responded that A1C is only one measure of control and does not show daily fluctuations, and said she was not prepared to recommend a specific threshold but could provide clinical guidelines later. No vote was taken during the hearing, and the sponsor indicated support for the bill’s general approach to broader CGM access.