Video & Transcript Research : 'developmental disabilities'
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KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
House Legislative Session Day 24 (2-10-26)
Kentucky House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- The work group appointed by the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities
- It also clarifies that the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities
Keywords:
Convene 00:00
Senate Message 04:29
Report of Committees 05:19
Orders of the Day/HB 470 06:54
HB 49 13:46
Motions, Petitions, and Communications 16:47
Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 28:04
Recess for ConC/Rules Meeting 29:37
ConC/Rules Report 33:49
Floor Amendments 35:16
Adjournment 37:07, 958, all
Summary:
The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, established a quorum, approved the prior journal, and received favorable committee reports on several bills, including measures on background checks, proactive post-secondary admission, public post-secondary employment, tuition waivers, vehicle wheels, choking prevention in schools, state parks, veterans’ benefits, and a resolution on a VA accreditation pathway for private veterans’ benefits assistance companies.
The chamber then considered and passed House Bill 470, relating to peer support specialists and declared an emergency. Members adopted a committee substitute and a floor amendment that extended the registration deadline for alcohol and drug peer support specialists to January 1, 2028, clarified employer and work group provisions, removed the temporary peer designation, and created a work group to modernize oversight of peer support specialists. The bill passed 97-0. House Bill 49, creating a scholarship program for professional engineering and land surveying students funded by board fees and fines in exchange for post-graduation service in Kentucky, also passed 97-0.
During announcements, members recognized visiting groups, upcoming committee meetings, and events, including a Kentucky Justice Association reception, a magistrates and commissioners breakfast, Jewish Advocacy Day, and a Lewis Ridge pump storage project meeting. The House also adopted a citation honoring the Hopkins County Central High School High Voltage Dance Team for winning two national titles. New bills and resolutions were introduced, the Committee on Committees and Rules referred bills to committees and posted several measures for the next day’s calendar, and the House adjourned until 2 p.m. Wednesday, February 11, 2026.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
HHS-AEN, HHS-HOU, HHS Public Hearings 03-12-2025
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- Next, we have Dainty Boles, Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, in support.
- And we also have Senator Fevella present, so next up we have Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities
- <01:37:42.719>
disabilities <01:37:43.520>and on developmental disabilities and on - developmental disabilities and support<01:37:46.199>
thank <01:37:46.400>you <01:37:46.800 - Disabilities.
Summary:
The joint hearing covered several bills focused on environmental protection and wastewater management. HB 26 HD 2, relating to environmental protection, drew support from the Department of Health, Reworld, and Energy Justice Network. Supporters said it would preserve existing standards for waste-to-energy facilities, including H-Power, even if federal EPA rules are weakened, while Energy Justice Network urged the state to go further and require stronger pollution controls on older burners at the plant.
HB 734 and HB 735, both relating to wastewater systems, received broad support from state agencies, county representatives, realtors, environmental groups, and others. Testimony emphasized reducing the cost of cesspool upgrades, updating rules, and improving coordination between the Department of Health, counties, and the University of Hawaiʻi. Members raised concerns about whether some areas, such as Ewa, should be treated differently if they are not near aquifers or the ocean, but the department said the existing prioritization process already considered statewide conditions and that cesspools generally still affect water resources. On HB 735, the committee discussed the current bedroom-based limits for individual wastewater systems and whether the bill would allow more flexibility for housing configurations, with the department explaining the limits are tied to density and system capacity.
HB 879, relating to cesspool conversions, was also supported by the Department of Health, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and several advocacy groups. Testimony said the bill would help low- and moderate-income homeowners in priority areas by increasing grant assistance for cesspool upgrades, but the Department of Health noted it would need three full-time positions to administer the program. Members asked for clarification on the grant amount and staffing costs, and the department indicated the grant cap should remain at $20,000 unless changed. HB 918, relating to labeling of non-flushable wipes, drew support from wastewater and industry groups, including the Association of Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, which said similar laws have passed in other states and that the bill reflects cooperation between manufacturers and wastewater officials. The Department of Health and county officials supported the concept but said enforcement and outreach would require additional staff, and senators questioned whether the state could effectively enforce the labeling requirement without a national standard.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Interim Joint Committee on Education (11-4-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- :03.920>
at developmentally appropriate programs at developmentally appropriate programs at no - Or they can have a disability or developmental delay.
- As you can see, we do have more students currently with disability or a diagnosed developmental delay
- more students currently with disability more students currently with disability or<00:41:15.520>
- > or a diagnosed developmental delay or a diagnosed developmental delay within<00:41:18.880>
our
Keywords:
Call to Order and Roll Call – 0:00:04
Approval of Minutes – 0:03:57
United Way of Southern Kentucky –0:04:30
Preschool Education – 0:36:46
School Safety Updates – 1:01:41
Kentucky Association of School Superintendents – 1:41:47
Educational Cooperatives – 1:55:18
Adjournment – 2:07:37, 958, all
Summary:
The committee opened its sixth meeting of the 2025 Interim Joint Committee on Education, confirmed a quorum, recorded attendance votes, and approved the minutes. Chair Lewis reminded presenters to keep remarks brief because of the full agenda and limited time. The first presentation was from United Way of Southern Kentucky, with Anne Puckett, Craig Browning, and Warren County Schools Superintendent Rob Clayton introducing a regional early childhood initiative.
The presenters argued that kindergarten readiness and early childhood support are critical to later academic and life outcomes. They cited research and statistics about brain development in the first five years, the effects of unprepared kindergarten entry, and links between low literacy, school discipline, dropout rates, and incarceration. They said their region’s readiness scores fell during COVID and after a tornado, and that the most effective response was in-home parent education to help families support children from birth to age five. They described the model as voluntary, community-based, and not requiring new buildings, and said similar programs have been successful in Missouri.
The group said it had already raised more than $1 million in private donations and committed three years of funding for four additional staff, expanding service in Allen, Logan, and Warren counties. They requested $600,000 per year for the next two-year budget cycle to add 12 more educators, serve about 360 families and 660 additional children, and build evidence for a possible statewide model. Members generally expressed support for the concept, with Representative Tipton and Representative Jackson discussing a prior home-based preschool pilot and the importance of starting early. Representative Calloway questioned whether increased family chaos and government involvement justified the approach; presenters responded that the program uses community educators, not a government-run organization, and is aimed at helping overwhelmed families. Representative Stalker asked about eligibility and early intervention, and presenters said the program serves children from birth to age five and can help identify needs early enough to connect families with services such as First Steps.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- Okay, for those on YouTube, your video will be disabled and audio will be disabled until it is your turn
- We're happy to collaborate with the Department of Health and the developmental disability division on
- Next, we have the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities in support. Thank you, D.
- Next, we have Louis Eruk of the Hawaii Disability Rights Center in support.
- in disability rights Center in support<00:09:16.000>
thank <00:09:16.120>you <00:09:16.240
Summary:
The Health and Human Services committee heard several resolutions focused on health care access, Medicaid services, and regulatory reform. SR 6 urged the Director of Health to create a working group on health insurance reform to reduce prior authorization delays; testimony was generally supportive, with DHS, SHIPA, the Hawaii Association of Health Plans, the Hawaii Primary Care Association, the Hawaii Medical Association, and HMSA all offering comments or support. SHIPA said House Bill 250 would provide a better mechanism for the same goal, but the committee still moved forward with the resolution.
SR 7 asked DHS Med-QUEST to cover behavioral health services for children in school-based settings, and SR 9 sought a program to incentivize community care foster family homes to accept people eligible under the Medicaid IDD waiver program. DHS supported the intent of both measures but raised concerns about regulatory limits. Testifiers on SR 9, including the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Hawaii Disability Rights Center, argued the state should be more creative in expanding residential capacity, especially on the neighbor islands, while the chair questioned whether the barriers were state administrative rules or federal requirements.
The committee also heard SC 14/SR 10 on a sunrise analysis for lactation consultant licensure. Supporters said lactation services can improve health outcomes and save costs, and that Medicaid coverage remains limited. After discussion, the committee adopted the chair’s recommendations: SR 6 and SC 14/SR 10 were passed with technical, non-substantive amendments; SR 7 was deferred; and SR 9 was deferred for further work. The meeting then adjourned.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Interim Joint Committee on Local Government (8-26-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- developmentally developmentally disabled<00:09:00.640>
or <00:09:01.040>serious <00:09: - <00:09:02.640>
Um, disabled or serious mental illness. - Um, disabled or serious mental illness.
- Act that were guaranteed to have those accessible areas that folks that might be handicapped or disabled
- Act that were guaranteed to have those accessible areas that folks that might be handicapped or disabled
Keywords:
Meeting Start: 00:00:03
Roll Call 00:00:10
Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations 00:02:21
Discussion of the Restoration of Voting Rights 00:06:34
Discussion of the Application of NTI Days for Schools Designated by County Clerks as Polling Locations for Elections 00:25:20
Approval of Minutes from July 29, 2025 Meeting 00:32:22
Adjournment 00:32:49, 958, all
Summary:
The committee first took up two fire commission regulatory amendments. Bruce Roberts, director of the Fire Commission, explained that one amendment updates financial disclosure reporting rules to align with changes to KRS 95A.55, including revised definitions, reporting requirements, and moving compliance reviews from every four years to an annual basis. The second amendment changes the deadline for fire departments to submit state aid documentation from July 31 to September and adds flexibility for departments affected by natural disasters by allowing a waiver process for missing, lost, or damaged documents. The committee approved the agency amendment by motion, second, and voice vote with no opposition.
The main policy discussion centered on a proposed constitutional amendment to restore voting rights for people convicted of felonies after they complete their sentence and probation/parole. Senators Hickden and Herren said the proposal would restore only voting rights, not citizenship or the right to run for office, and would still exclude certain offenses such as treason, bribery in an election, sex offenses, violent offenses, and offenses against a child. They argued that Kentucky is one of only three states without automatic restoration, that the current governor’s executive order is temporary, and that the issue should be settled by constitutional amendment. Members asked about the relationship to expungement, costs, and whether election-related crimes should be included among the exceptions; the sponsors said expungement is separate and that they were open to refining the language. Several members voiced support, and the sponsors said they hoped to continue working on the proposal before the next session.
The committee also discussed a practical issue involving schools used as polling places and conflicts with KDE testing days. The chair raised the possibility of adjusting testing schedules or using NI days at affected schools, while members noted that county clerks already have authority to use tax-funded buildings for elections and that schools have long been used because of ADA accessibility. Some members suggested a simpler fix would be to prevent KDE testing dates from overlapping with election dates, rather than changing NI-day rules or limiting clerks’ authority. The committee then approved the minutes and adjourned.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- Those requirements are largely federal, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, but
- Those requirements are largely federal, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, but
- Developmental and academic outcomes<00:30:19.440>
for <00:30:19.640>every <00:30:19.919 - Many of their students also have significant physical or cognitive disabilities.
- um it's really two schools disabilities um it's really two schools the<00:47:27.240>
Minnesota
Summary:
The Education Policy Committee met for its first hearing of 2025 and began with member and staff introductions, along with opening remarks from Chair Peggy Bennett about her first time chairing the committee. Members briefly described their districts and backgrounds, and the chair also reviewed committee rules and procedures, including deadlines for bill requests, amendments, testifiers, and handouts.
Nonpartisan House Research then provided an extensive overview of the committee’s jurisdiction and the education code. The presentation covered the Department of Education’s duties, including supervision of public schools, rulemaking under legislative authority, state and federal education funding and compliance, standards and assessments, accountability systems, student discipline, and model policies. It also discussed related entities such as PELSB, the Board of School Administrators, the Perpich Center, regional centers of excellence, Compass, MTSS, and the READ Act. The committee asked questions about zoning for school sites and about teacher licensure changes, including the tiered licensure system and recent adjustments affecting special education teachers and standards of effective practice.
No bills were heard and no votes were taken. The meeting was primarily organizational and informational, focused on orienting members to the committee’s work and the structure of Minnesota’s education policy system.
AR
Transcript Highlights:
- , behavioral health needs, physical disabilities, and the elderly.
- And number three under the RFQs is with Disability Determination for Social Security Administration,
- and this is for a professional medical consultant for disability case processing.
- Number three, DHS Division of Developmental Disability Services with U.A. Fayetteville.
- Number three, DHS Division of Developmental Disability Services with U.A. Fayetteville.
Summary:
The ALC-Review Subcommittee reviewed seven methods of finance, including university projects at ASU Jonesboro and Mountain Home, Black River Technical College deferred maintenance, UA Batesville’s Farm Project Gateway Center, UAMS PET cyclotron equipment, a new allied health building at UAPB funded by a federal grant, and UCA’s multi-purpose arena design work. The committee also approved an alternative delivery construction project for UAPB’s Allied Health and Sciences Building, with East Harding Construction selected and AMR Architects as designer.
Members then approved discretionary grants from the Department of Health and DHS, including support for a heart attack center designation, community health worker training, homeless services funding corrections, behavioral health transition support, and an enabling technology pilot. In the contracts section, the committee reviewed RFQs, construction-related contracts, intergovernmental contracts, and a large slate of out-of-state and in-state contracts covering topics such as seatbelt survey data collection, Medicaid and DHS systems, state hospital staffing and services, veterans’ services, education assessments, and state IT and procurement projects.
Several contracts drew extended questioning. Senators and representatives pressed DHS and the Department of Veterans Affairs about heavy reliance on contract nursing and staffing costs, and officials said they were using pay incentives and recruitment efforts to increase state employee staffing. Members also questioned AEDC’s lithium supply chain study and the Department of Education’s security contract, with concerns about projected costs and repeated amendments. The committee held three in-state contracts—Department of Education security services and two DHS staffing contracts—until Friday, then adopted the remaining contracts and received informational reports on contract amendments, executed contracts, and emergency procurements before adjourning.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- public institutions of higher education on the basis of a student's athlete's injury, illness, or disability
- disability who is best be related to the owner of the trustee of a property with a certain degree of
- that a taxing unit may impose on the residents' homestead of certain low income individuals who are disabled
- applicable appraise value of the preliminary decision of whether the property would qualify for the disabled
- disability.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight
Transcript Highlights:
- My husband and I and our 32-year-old daughter with lifelong disabilities moved to Everett.
- And we represent over 4,000 members who have loved ones with lifelong disabilities, including complex
- medical, autism, syndromes, and intellectual disabilities.
- medical, autism, syndromes, and intellectual disabilities.
- To make sure that we are here representing that within the developmental disability world, we were on
Summary:
The hearing covered a wide range of bills, with substantial testimony on commemorative days and several local development measures. Early testimony focused on competing proposals about Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Senator Comerford and others supported redesignating the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, while several Italian American legislators and advocates opposed changing Columbus Day and instead urged a separate Indigenous Peoples’ Day on August 9 or another date. Committee members noted the long-running debate, discussed the state flag and motto review process, and emphasized that any changes would require legislation. No votes were taken during the hearing.
The committee also heard strong support for a Fred Korematsu Day bill, with testimony from advocates, legal organizations, community leaders, and Korematsu’s daughter. Witnesses described Korematsu’s resistance to Japanese American incarceration during World War II, argued that his story remains relevant amid current immigration and civil liberties concerns, and said the designation would help educate students and the public. A separate bill to designate September as PCOS Awareness Month drew testimony from Senator Miranda and health advocates, who described the disorder’s prevalence, frequent misdiagnosis, fertility and pregnancy risks, and the value of public awareness and education.
Other bills discussed included a Domestic Workers’ Rights Day proposal, supported by Representative Garcia and Representative Sousa, who spoke about the invisibility and vulnerability of domestic workers and the importance of recognizing their labor. The committee also heard support for a veteran suicide awareness and remembrance day, a Boston branch library and affordable housing project in Dorchester, and a Fall River waterfront redevelopment bill transferring land to the local redevelopment authority for a major mixed-use project. In addition, Senator Miranda testified in favor of a memorial portrait for former Representative Doris Bunty, highlighting her pioneering role in the legislature and Boston public housing. The hearing was hybrid and lengthy, with the chair repeatedly asking witnesses to be concise and noting that testimony would be public record.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Harris County, and the city has just passed some disability... an ordinance where you cannot, you know
- disabilities.
- Across the U.S., people with disabilities, including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
- based on disability, many individuals are unaware of their rights.
- Would this apply to disabled and low-income indigent tenants?
Keywords:
municipality, local government, Type A, Type B, Type C, change authority, emergency medical services, civil service status, municipal government, public safety, local government code, school funding, education, state budget, local control, equity, tenant legal services, eviction, low-income tenants, disability rights
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Transcript Highlights:
- When we talk about children and teens, the research shows that, developmentally, young people are not
- Prisons are not equipped to serve people who are disabled or terminally ill or who have trouble with
- decision, who were 18, 19, or 20 when they committed the crimes, and then also to people with disabilities
- There's a way to handle those serious cases in a way which I think is developmentally appropriate.
- In a way which I think is developmentally appropriate. So, you know, I'll close with this.
Summary:
The commission on correctional consolidation and collaboration heard testimony focused on how Massachusetts uses custody levels, staffing, programming, and medical release tools, with Prisoners’ Legal Services arguing that the system is overusing expensive high-security settings and underusing step-down options. Dave Rainey said the incarcerated population has dropped substantially over the last several years, but spending and staffing have not fallen in proportion. He argued that DOC overclassifies people into medium and maximum security, relies too heavily on behavioral assessment units that function like segregation, and keeps people in restrictive settings such as Souza-Baranowski and Shattuck Hospital longer than necessary. He also said medical parole is underused and that many people with serious chronic illness or advanced age pose little public-safety risk and should be released through existing legal pathways.
Sheriffs and other commission members pushed back on some of those points, emphasizing that staffing needs are driven by the acuity of the current population, that corrections is not overstaffed, and that classification decisions involve serious public-safety judgments. They also stressed that some high-cost medical placements are necessary because people remain under sentence and require care, and that furloughs and other release tools can create security risks if contraband or substance use is involved. The discussion also covered the role of county sheriffs versus DOC in reentry, with several members saying county systems tend to do more day-to-day step-down and release planning, while DOC has more difficulty moving people through lower-security settings before release.
Ben Foreman of MassINC offered a more systemwide, data-focused perspective, praising the state’s transparency and arguing that Massachusetts has made major progress in reducing incarceration and increasing public safety. He said the state still has an opportunity to improve by right-sizing facilities, investing in community-based mental health treatment, and using the commission to better understand the capital and operating costs of the current system. In response to questions, he said he was aware of DOC studies on programs like furlough but had not reviewed recent ones, and he noted that total-control facilities like Souza-Baranowski have long been criticized in the research literature for poor outcomes.
Nora Wassel of the Women and Incarceration Project then testified that the commission should issue an interim report and scrutinize the planned new women’s prison, which she said is not justified by current population trends or available data. She argued that women are overclassified under DOC’s own tools, that reentry beds and minimum-security placements are underused, and that the system may be failing to account for women’s distinct medical and reentry needs. The meeting ended with continued discussion of reentry, furloughs, day reporting, and whether consolidation should mean fewer facilities, better step-down pathways, or both.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Health and Human Services - 03/03/26
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- People with disabilities was about 13.5%.
- disabilities was about 13.5%. 13.5%. 13.5%.
- disabilities was around 3% increase. disabilities was around 3% increase.
- <01:04:42.160>
but without kids who have a disability but without kids who have a disability - facilities for people with developmental facilities for people with developmental disabilities.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- disability targeted case management.
- considering a renewal of a disability considering a renewal of a disability rate<00:13:31.120>
nations who are receiving disability nations who are receiving disability services, Services, services- <00:16:19.480>
disability <00:16:20.200>targeted <00:16:20.760>case developmental- disability targeted case developmental disability targeted case management. management. management.
- <00:16:19.480>
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- The next trailer bill is SB 163, the Developmental Services omnibus trailer bill.
- So they have to take out private disability if they're able to.
- Then if you are fortunate enough to be able to pay into private disability, you may have private disability
- And I think we're also balancing the budget on the backs of the disabled and the elderly.
- Because at the end of the day, it affirms our commitment to those with intellectual developmental disabilities
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services Mar 26th, 2025
Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- statewide, we're ensuring that some of our most vulnerable residents, including individuals with disabilities
- in Medicaid provider rate increases, $13.3 million in additional resources and support for the developmentally
- disabled center facilities, $50 million for the development and implementation of recruitment and retention
- in Medicaid provider rate increases, $13.3 million in additional resources and support for the developmentally
- disabled center facilities, $50 million for the development and implementation of recruitment and retention
Summary:
The Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee met to review and advance the Senate’s fiscal year 2025-26 budget proposal for the committee’s portfolio. The presentation highlighted a $1.8 billion increase over the current base budget, including full funding for Medicaid and KidCare, investments in IT modernization, Medicaid provider rate increases, mental health and substance use services, opioid treatment, foster care and guardian assistance, elder care, veterans’ services, cancer research, school nurse staffing, and other public health initiatives. The committee adopted a motion allowing technical adjustments and then approved the budget proposal to be reported to the full Senate Appropriations Committee.
The committee then heard and voted on several bills. SB 152 on surgical smoke protection required hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to adopt smoke evacuation policies; nurses testified in support, citing workplace and patient safety risks, and the bill was reported favorably. CS/SB 958 on early detection of type 1 diabetes required the Department of Health to provide educational materials to schools and, by amendment, early learning coalitions; it was also reported favorably. CS/CS/SB 170 on nursing home oversight added consumer satisfaction surveys, reporting requirements, quality incentive changes, and financial reporting penalties, with an amendment exempting state-operated homes and directing a study of best practices; it passed after questions about dementia, language access, and retaliation protections. CS/SB 738 modernized child care regulation by streamlining DCF processes and reducing obsolete requirements, and was reported favorably without opposition.
The committee also approved CS/SB 1356 creating the Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases at FSU and a Sunshine Genetics pilot to expand rare-disease screening and research, with support from members emphasizing early detection and data collection. SB 1370 separated ambulatory surgical centers into their own statute, with testimony that the change would better reflect the industry and help avoid burdensome regulation; it passed favorably. Finally, CS/CS/SB 1626 made a range of child welfare changes, including codifying DCF coordination with military installations, adjusting shelter certification, refining criminal-background exemptions, extending licensing compliance time, addressing room-and-board rate methodology, and clarifying missing-child procedures; after adopting three amendments and hearing both support and concerns, the bill was reported favorably. The committee also recorded a member’s affirmative vote on SB 958 before adjournment.
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Joint Administrative Procedures Committee Feb 3rd, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- There is a rule regarding the intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled.
- There is another rule on Medicaid waiver programs, developmental disabilities, individual budgeting waiver
- services, and finally, the final rule up for objection is developmental disabilities individual budgeting
Summary:
The Joint Administrative Procedures Committee met on February 3, 2025, with a quorum present and took up three main items. First, the committee considered a large set of recommended objections to Agency for Health Care Administration rules, all centered on sunset provisions stating the rules would expire after five years. AHCA asked for another deferral while it reviewed the rules, arguing the sunset language was a form of self-restraint rather than an invalid exercise of rulemaking authority. Committee leadership disagreed that further delay would resolve the issue and moved to a single vote covering all objections. The motion passed by roll call, and the committee informed AHCA that an objection would be filed unless the agency amended the rules within 30 days.
The committee then heard an informational briefing from the Department of Environmental Protection on its Outstanding Florida Springs rule and stormwater rule. DEP explained that it did not prepare a statement of estimated regulatory cost for the springs rule because the proposed standards largely mirror existing water management district rules and the Central Florida Water Initiative framework, so DEP said there was no new regulatory burden. Members asked about permit authority, costs, and whether the rules were functionally different from prior rules. DEP maintained the rules set minimum standards and did not add costs beyond what regulated parties were already doing.
DEP also described implementation of the stormwater rule adopted under the 2020 Clean Waterways Act and later ratified by the Legislature in 2024. DEP said the rule was the product of years of workshops and technical advisory committee meetings, and that the final version included lower-cost alternatives, grandfathering, and phased implementation. DEP estimated the rule’s cost at about $2,600 per acre in the revised CERC, while industry witnesses said the real cost could be much higher, especially if land costs are included. A home builders representative argued the estimate understated impacts, while a stormwater engineer said the rule gives more flexible, performance-based tools and could become more cost-effective over time.
Finally, Senator Graal presented proposed Chapter 120 changes in SB 108, aimed at tightening and modernizing rulemaking. The proposal would require five-year rule reviews, annual agency reporting, faster notice of proposed rulemaking after authorizing legislation, electronic filing, public access to incorporated materials, clearer tracking of technical changes, and limits on how long rules can remain pending ratification. Members discussed whether the Legislature should be more specific in statutes about rulemaking deadlines and whether agencies should be more accountable when rules stall. No formal action was taken on the Chapter 120 proposals, and the committee adjourned after discussion.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
State Committee Meeting - 2025-04-03
State Government Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- Most older adults do experience change. ...and mobility and abilities, and some of us become disabled
- Founded by parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities in 1946, the ARC Minnesota
- disabilities.
- A Minnesota Equal Rights Amendment that explicitly prohibits discrimination based on disability would
- greatly benefit the disability community.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:10:00.519>
and 372.00 early intensive developmental and 372.00 early intensive developmental - disabilities targeted case management.
- disability disability waivers<00:52:32.760>
is <00:52:33.319>that <00:52:33.680>it's - under uh the section reduced disability under uh the section reduced disability uh<01:01:55.119>
- <01:10:32.640>
determination 22 um Medicaid disability determination 22 um Medicaid disability
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
HSH Public Hearing - Thu Mar 13, 2025 @ 10:00 AM HST
Human Services & Homelessness
Transcript Highlights:
- We have in-person testimony from the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities. D.
- <00:45:47.720>
and thank you um disability and thank you um disability and communication<00 - First up, we have the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, which is not here.
- Not here, but the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities. Oh, okay.
- <01:12:57.600>
and have of in support disability and have of in support disability and Communications
Summary:
The Committee on Human Services and Homelessness heard two SNAP-related bills on March 13, 2025. SB 960 SD1 would appropriate funds to DHS to improve SNAP administration, including additional positions. Testimony from Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Hawaii Food Industry Association, AARP Hawaii, Hawaii Appleseed, and many others strongly supported the measure, emphasizing high food insecurity, the importance of SNAP federal dollars, and the need to reduce delays and improve access. DHS said vacancies and retention are the main barriers, with staffing shortages statewide across processing centers. The department described efforts such as wikiwiki hiring, bringing back retired workers, using interns, and improving call center efficiency, and said it had requested a 5% performance incentive package estimated at about $1.1 million per year, though that request did not make the governor’s budget. Members asked about vacancy counts, staffing distribution, and how the bill would interact with other SNAP funding; DHS said some funding was tied to the new eligibility system and that staffing requests would need to be separate. The committee did not take final action on the bill in the portion heard.
The committee then heard SB 961 SD1, which would require DHS to adjust minimum certification periods and participate in the Elderly Simplified Application Project. Supporters, including AARP Hawaii, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Hawaii Appleseed, Hawaii Food Industry Association, and additional organizations and individuals, said the bill would reduce red tape, help kūpuna, and ease administrative burden. DHS supported the concept but said the current legacy system cannot automate these changes and that any implementation would require manual processing until the new system is in place. DHS and committee members discussed the risk of higher error rates and timeliness problems with manual processing, noting the department had recently been assessed a $1 million penalty for high payment error rates and was already in corrective action for timeliness. Members also discussed the anticipated fall 2026 rollout of the new system and whether the bill should be delayed until then; DHS said it preferred to assess the new system first before pursuing waivers and related changes. The committee then moved on to the next measure after the discussion.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
Education Postsecondary Feb 11th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- THE 24TH FLORIDA HOUSE AND SENATE FOR DESIGNATING AND SUPPORTING A NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR FLORIDA'S DEVELOPMENTAL
- AS DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH SCHOOLS WE PARTNER WITH OUR COLLEGES OF EDUCATION TO PREPARE FUTURE EDUCATORS
- TODAY FLORIDA'S DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH SCHOOLS ARE IMPLEMENTING FLUID AND NEW STANDARDS.
- RESEARCH TO PROVIDE READING DEVELOPMENT AND WORKING AT WAYS TO STUDENTS TO HELP WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES
- Calatayud: NEXT WE WILL HEAR FROM MICHAEL JOHNSON AND DOCTOR PATRICIA WEST AT FAMILY DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH