Transcript Highlights:

• Next up, we'll have CS for HB 27, Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact by Representative Hunschowski
• the committee, thank you for allowing me to present House Bill 27, Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact
• This bill would allow Florida to become a compact state, which would allow licensed social workers to
• join the compact and then be able to practice in member states.
• could please explain CS for HB 29, the public records and meetings, social work licensure interstate compact

Summary: The committee took up a large health and human services agenda and first approved HB 711, the Spectrum Alert bill, which would create a statewide alert system for missing autistic children and require FDLE to coordinate training with state and local agencies. The measure drew a supportive waiver from the Florida Smart Justice Alliance and passed unanimously, 24-0, reported favorably. Members then considered CS for HB 229 on health facilities, which modernizes the Health Facilities Authority Act to allow additional nonprofit health system structures to use tax-exempt financing. Two amendments were adopted: one requiring advance notice, public hearings, and stakeholder notifications before a nonprofit hospital closure, and another removing a property tax exemption for a nonprofit hospital that closes and fails to maintain emergency services for 120 days, applied retroactively to January 1, 2025. The Florida Hospital Association opposed the amendments, citing workforce and nonprofit-status concerns, but the bill as amended passed 24-0. The committee also approved CS for HB 1405 on juvenile justice status offenders, expanding early truancy intervention, parent involvement, and shelter placement review timelines; it passed 24-0. CS for HB 27, joining the Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact, and its linked public records bill CS for HB 29 both passed unanimously after supportive testimony from several advocacy and business groups. The committee then debated HB 111 on out-of-network referrals and HB 1083 on patient access to records. HB 111 would require referring practitioners to inform patients in writing when a referral is out of network and to apply out-of-network payments to deductibles; it drew opposition from medical groups over administrative burden and patient-care concerns, but passed 17-8. HB 1083 would shorten the time for producing medical records to 14 working days and standardize access rules, with amendments clarifying portal access and delaying the effective date to January 1, 2026; despite opposition from some health information and provider groups over HIPAA and access concerns, it passed 19-7 as amended. Later, the committee approved HB 883, allowing autonomous practice for psychiatric nurse practitioners with the required credentials, after strong support from nurse practitioner groups and opposition from psychiatric and medical associations; it passed 23-3. HB 1297, which aligns Florida’s electronic prescribing exceptions with federal law and removes several state exemptions, passed 19-7 despite opposition from hospice, emergency physician, rheumatology, and medical groups concerned about paper prescriptions in emergencies and hard-to-find medications. HB 1353 on home health care services and CS for HB 989 on foster home licensure transfers both passed unanimously after supportive amendments. The committee also heard HB 1505 on parental rights, which would require written parental consent for many health care services, surveys, and biofeedback devices for minors and expand parental access to records; the bill drew extensive support testimony but also questions and concerns about confidentiality, abuse reporting, and existing exceptions, and the transcript ended before a final vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• members of the committee, for allowing me to present House Bill 27, Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact
• This bill creates a social worker compact.
• This bill creates a social worker licensure interstate compact.
• Florida would become another member state of the compact, and social workers in Florida who join the
• compact can also practice in the other states that are part of the compact.

Summary: The Health Care Budget Subcommittee took up two bills and then continued oversight discussions with APD and AHCA. CS/HB 27, the Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact, was presented as a way to let Florida social workers practice in other compact states and vice versa; AARP, the Florida Chamber, and NASW Florida supported it, and the bill passed favorably. HB 1127, a child welfare bill, would create a treatment foster care pilot for children with high behavioral needs, improve DCF data collection on commercially sexually exploited children, and expand recruitment for protective investigators and case managers; the bill also passed favorably after brief supportive testimony. The committee then questioned APD at length about the iBudget waiver waitlist, enrollment pace, spending projections, and provider capacity. APD said it had sent more than 1,100 interest letters in categories 3, 4, and 5, enrolled 1,124 people so far this year, and expects to spend about 96.4% of its waiver appropriation, leaving roughly $82 million unspent. Members pressed APD on why prior discussions suggested more reserve was needed, how long the SANS process takes, whether category 6 could be expanded, and whether the agency has enough waiver support coordinators and direct support providers. APD said it has about 1,061 waiver support coordinators statewide, adequate capacity for current enrollees, but would need further analysis if the legislature directed a much larger enrollment increase. Members also asked about outreach, annual maintenance of the waitlist, portability for military families, and whether communication efforts should be privatized. Finally, AHCA walked the committee through the 2023 Achieved Savings Rebate (ASR) report for Aetna and explained how the report is used for financial monitoring, rebate calculations, and transparency. AHCA said the ASR is separate from the medical loss ratio (MLR) calculation, though both are reviewed, and that Florida uses the ASR mechanism rather than an MLR remittance requirement to recover funds from plans. Members asked about related-party disclosures, CVS/Caremark relationships, expanded benefits, encounter data, network adequacy penalties, denials and appeals reporting, interest earned on capitation payments, and whether rate increases were reaching providers. AHCA and the outside auditors said they review the plans’ reported data, reconcile it to underlying records, and can assess liquidated damages for network adequacy violations; several members requested follow-up data on rebates, interest, provider capacity, and related-party reporting.

Transcript Highlights:

• My bill, HB 53, Rapid Rail Transit Compact. You heard it last year; it was unanimous.
• That is why I have brought HB 53 forward again, titled Rapid Rail Transit. at Compact.
• HB 53 authorizes our Governor of Florida to enter into a compact with Alabama and Louisiana. Mr.
• Once we enter the compact, the next move is to build it out, and I join FDOT with my concerns, particularly

Transcript Highlights:

• premises of a tribal gaming facility of a federally recognized tribe that amends its Class 3 gaming compact
• Class 3 gaming compacts are governed by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, known as IGRA.
• But we do negotiate compacts with the tribes, and those do include a...
• We do negotiate compacts with the tribes, and those do include a significant amount of money that is

Bills: HB2205 , HB2309 , HB2206 , HB2123 , HB2120 , HB2411

Committee: House State Government & Tribal Relations

Keywords: sports wagering, gambling regulation, state control, licensing, consumer protection, state employment, classified service, civil service, job qualifications, degree requirements, postgraduate degree, master's degree, doctorate, higher education, Office of Financial Management, OFM, classification plan, salary survey, market rate pay, compensation

Transcript Highlights:

• premises of a tribal gaming facility of a federally recognized tribe that amends its Class 3 gaming compact
• Class 3 gaming compacts are governed by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, known as IGRA.
• But we do negotiate compacts with the tribes, and those do include a...
• We do negotiate compacts with the tribes, and those do include a significant amount of money that is

Summary: The committee began in executive session with staff briefing several bills and proposed amendments. House Bill 2206, concerning uniformed and overseas civilian voting standards, was discussed but ultimately pulled from consideration for the day. House Bill 2123, dealing with foreign national donor reporting, was amended to raise the certification threshold to $6,000 and then advanced from committee on a 5-2 vote. House Bill 2120, which would remove two JLARC reporting requirements, also passed unanimously. House Bill 2411, authorizing shared leave for state employees involved in immigration enforcement actions or who are victims of hate crimes, was amended and then reported out on a 5-2 vote after debate over eligibility and privacy-related language. The committee then held hearings on House Bill 2309 and House Bill 2205. HB 2309 would bar state civil service classifications from requiring a postgraduate degree unless required by law, with the sponsor and OFM saying it would reduce barriers to state employment and expand the applicant pool. Testimony in support emphasized workforce access, equity, and skill-based hiring. HB 2205 would expand tribal sports wagering to allow bets placed at any tribal gaming facility and permit wagering on Washington college teams, while continuing to prohibit bets on individual Washington student-athlete performance. Tribal leaders and casino operators supported the bill as a way to bring existing illegal betting into a regulated tribal system and improve integrity monitoring, while the University of Washington and Washington State University opposed it, warning of harassment, student-athlete safety concerns, and broader gambling harms. A taxpayer advocacy witness urged broader online sports betting options, arguing that limiting access drives bettors to offshore markets. The hearing on HB 2205 was left open and HB 2309 testimony concluded without further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• tribes have contributed more than $2.4 billion to the state and local governments under tribal-state compacts
• tribes have contributed more than $2.4 billion to the state and local governments under tribal-state compacts
• generations of tribal and state leaders have accomplished together, crafting and maintaining a delicate compact

Summary: The joint protocol session for the 31st Annual Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day opened with a blessing, presentation of the colors, the national anthem, and the Pledge of Allegiance. House Speaker Steve Montenegro and Senate President Warren Petersen welcomed tribal leaders and emphasized the importance of government-to-government collaboration, tribal sovereignty, and continued partnership on issues affecting Arizona. The main address was delivered by Fort Mojave Indian Tribe Chairman Timothy Williams, who focused on water, sovereignty, economic development, and border issues. He warned that Colorado River negotiations and the expiration of interim guidelines require tribes to be included in any future water-management framework, noting that Arizona tribes hold senior federally recognized water rights. He also highlighted tribal economic enterprises, schools, jobs, and public services funded by tribal revenue, and urged the Legislature to consult tribes on any water agreement. Tohono O'odham Nation Chairman Verlin Jose spoke about the Nation’s size, its role as a major employer, and the need for unity in the face of federal policy changes and cuts. He stressed border security on tribal lands, saying the Nation has spent millions annually on border-related efforts and has seen success through cooperative agreements without a fixed wall. He also emphasized water conservation, the importance of the Colorado River and CAP, and the economic benefits of tribal gaming, which he said has contributed billions to Arizona’s state and local governments while supporting tribal infrastructure and services. The session concluded with an introduction for a poetry reading by Dr. Laura Tohi of the Navajo Nation; no votes or legislative actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• expectations in the Budget Act each of the last three years and remain committed to meeting the state's compact
• goals with continued compact funding.
• And so as part of the multi-year compact, it includes affordability.
• a part of consideration for the last several years, which is why we are in the final year of the compact
• Along those lines, I urge you to support Assemblymember Fong's budget request for full compact funding

Transcript Highlights:

• expectations in the Budget Act each of the last three years and remain committed to meeting the state's compact
• goals with continued compact funding.
• And so as part of the multi-year compact, it includes affordability.
• a part of consideration for the last several years, which is why we are in the final year of the compact
• Along those lines, I urge you to support Assembly Member Fong's budget request for full compact funding

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard updates on higher education issues, beginning with California State University’s turnaround plans for seven campuses with enrollment declines. CSU said overall enrollment is growing systemwide, but some campuses, especially in Northern California, face structural declines tied to demographics and community college pipelines. The plans focus on reengaging stopped-out and adult learners, expanding partnerships and guaranteed admissions, improving retention and student support, and reducing costs through program suspensions, hiring freezes, shared services, and procurement consolidation. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the strategies were reasonable but urged regular legislative updates, and the Department of Finance had no additional comments. Committee members emphasized the need for implementation oversight, written updates, and attention to student outreach, financial aid, and privacy concerns around AI tools used in recruitment. The committee then reviewed the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education’s request for a $10 million General Fund appropriation to repay litigation-related borrowing. Department of Consumer Affairs and bureau staff said the bureau has a long-standing structural deficit, has already cut positions and shifted some costs, and that the General Fund backfill would reduce future fee increases on institutions. The LAO opposed the request, arguing the bureau can cover near-term costs with its existing loan and that litigation costs should remain the responsibility of the regulated entities through fees. Finance supported the one-time backfill as a unique situation that would lower fee increases and avoid passing litigation costs on to schools and students. Members asked about preventing a repeat of the problem, and bureau staff said they are pursuing fee increases through the sunset review and have strengthened internal policies and disability accommodation practices. The subcommittee also heard a broad update on Cal Grant funding and student aid. The California Student Aid Commission, UC, CSU, and the community colleges described Cal Grant as essential to affordability, but the LAO noted spending has grown faster than historical averages and said the state likely lacks capacity for major expansion in the near term. The segments highlighted the importance of state aid in covering tuition and living costs, and raised concerns about federal changes to student loans and Pell Grants, especially the elimination of Grad PLUS for some graduate students and limits on part-time borrowing. Committee members pressed for data on students who are eligible but not served by current Cal Grant rules, including adult learners and students affected by age and merit restrictions, and asked for analysis of phased-in implementation of the Cal Grant Equity Framework. Finance said full implementation would cost hundreds of millions of dollars and that affordability remains part of the state’s multi-year compact with the segments. Finally, the committee began discussion of the Middle Class Scholarship Program. CSAC and the UC and CSU said the program is a key part of affordability and debt reduction, especially after the 2022 reforms that expanded awards to total cost of attendance and improved administration. They warned that cutting funding by more than half would reduce award coverage from 35% to 17.5% of cost of attendance and could affect enrollment and persistence, particularly for middle-income students who do not qualify for other need-based aid. The segments also noted that recent administrative changes have reduced award revisions and campus workload, but that data exchange and award volatility remain challenges.

Transcript Highlights:

• discussing need to be addressed. were under today, from 2021, that some of those districts were not compact
• lot of testimony suggesting that they were unnecessarily irregularly shaped and that they weren't compact
• , but compactness is. a traditional redistricting criterion.
• Congress, and also now that it be more compact.
• So, in summary, I'll just say that SB4, as I just said, is more compact than the current plan.

Bills: SB8 , SB4 , SB43 , SB1 , SB2 , SB13 , SB6 , SB10 , SB16 , SB14 , SB3 , SB8 , SB4 , SB43 , SB1 , SB2 , SB13 , SB6 , SB10 , SB16 , SB14 , SB3

Transcript Highlights:

• If a car strikes a lamp post and knocks out power to a quarter of the town, we'll know that because the

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills related to open meeting law, municipal meetings, town meetings, and remote participation. Senator Rausch supported S. 2205 and S. 2206, and House companion H. 3382, saying they would make remote participation in public bodies permanent and streamline open meeting law and public records complaint processes to reduce burdens on local officials. Committee members and the senator discussed concerns about complaints being weaponized, the role of the Attorney General, and whether public testimony should be presumed allowed unless a chair limits it with justification. The senator said the bills do not change public records fees and are meant to improve process and transparency. A large portion of the hearing focused on H. 3342 and S. 2197, which would modernize municipal meetings, town meetings, and local elections by allowing permanent remote or hybrid participation. Supporters included Wayland officials, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, MAPC, MACC, and others, who argued that hybrid and remote options increase participation, help parents, caregivers, people with disabilities, and residents with travel or work constraints, and have worked well during the pandemic-era extensions. Municipal officials emphasized that a mandate would be costly and difficult for smaller communities because of staffing, technology, room design, cybersecurity, and uneven internet access, especially in western Massachusetts. Committee members asked about equal access, funding, and whether local discretion should remain; the chair said the committee wants a permanent solution beyond emergency rules but must balance access with local capacity. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3328, which would allow remote participation to count toward quorum for statewide appointed bodies such as commissions on women and LGBTQ issues. Supporters argued this would improve regional equity and make it easier for people outside Greater Boston to serve, while committee members noted it is a separate issue from municipal meetings and may be easier to address than broader local-government changes. Another bill, H. 4351, was supported by Rep. Brandy Fluker Reed, who described it as creating an Office of Freedmen Affairs to address longstanding racial wealth disparities affecting descendants of enslaved Americans. The hearing also included testimony on H. 3299 from Common Cause and MASSPIRG in favor of guaranteed hybrid access for public meetings with public participation components, with advocates saying it would improve transparency, accessibility, and civic engagement.

Transcript Highlights:

• produced water that's currently going to Texas free without credit to the New Mexico-Texas water compact
• When New Mexico could be treating this water and using it in our own state and to meet this compact,
• in time, and I really hope we could do this, where we take produced water and use it to meet our compact
• The Compact is a big issue where we are. Right now we have a credit.
• But the compact issue again, we have a credit, but that has not always been the case, and so there have

Committee: House House Agriculture, Acequias And Water Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• This regulation has staff suggested amendments. 2011 KR28240E amends the occupational therapy compact
• to add four new compact rules adopted on April 16, 2025, that include the FBI criminal background check
• rule, member state implementation rule, occupational therapy compact fee rule, and the national exam
• c><00:09:07.680><c> rules</c><00:09:08.000><c> include</c><00:09:08.240><c> the</c> on um the new compact
• therapy compact fee rule, and<00:09:15.600><c> the</c><00:09:15.760><c> national</c><00:09:16.080><c

Summary: The Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee met in August with a quorum present and approved the prior meeting minutes without objection. The committee then reviewed several regulations, generally adopting staff-suggested amendments without objection, and heard brief explanations from agency representatives on each item. The Board of Pharmacy regulations would clarify what registered and certified pharmacy technicians may do under supervision and what certified technicians may not do, while updating registration applications. The Board of Cosmetology package included changes to executive director authority, licensure and reciprocity rules, school requirements, training hours, instructor ratios, sanitation and disease-related rules, complaint procedures, and permit terms; members asked about straight razor language and the increase in student-to-instructor ratios, and the board explained that cosmetologists are not permitted to use straight razors and that the higher ratio was intended to give schools flexibility, especially for part-time students and schools with wait lists. The Occupational Therapy emergency compact regulation added four compact rules adopted in April 2025, and Senator West raised a technical question about certification requirements under House Bill 6; the agency said it had been instructed to file the regulation as submitted. The Department for Fish and Wildlife Resources presented a package covering wildlife management area rules, a northern pintail bag limit increase, reportable disease reporting, and a repeal tied to boat registration fees. After a brief explanation of the new wildlife disease reporting rule, the agency requested and received a deferral of 301 KAR 2:031 to avoid a gap while replacement language is finalized. The Economic Development Finance Authority explained an emergency regulation for the Kentucky Entertainment Incentive Program, saying it was needed because the program had become oversubscribed and because administration was shifting to a new film office and council; members also asked about certification issues under House Bill 6, and the agency said it had filed the regulation as directed. The Department of Workplace Standards emergency PPE regulation was also discussed, with members asking about HB 6 certification language, and the agency gave the same response. The Department of Insurance regulation would create a $10,000 registration fee and a $1,000 annual licensing fee for pharmacy benefit manager licenses, with an agency amendment exempting PBMs that solely serve workers’ compensation plans. Members asked how many PBMs would be affected and why workers’ compensation PBMs were carved out; the agency said there were 70 registered PBMs total, four solely workers’ comp, and that workers’ comp rates are set by statute and could not absorb the fee. Finally, the Public Service Commission’s pole attachment regulation was summarized as a broadband-expansion measure that speeds application review, increases the number of poles allowed in a single application, and shortens dispute timelines; the commission explained it grew out of earlier legislative direction and subsequent emergency amendments, and the committee adopted the staff amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• licensure barriers include promoting licensure reciprocity across states, such as with health care compacts
• And you mentioned the compacts, the interstate compacts, and here in Florida, as you, I know, are aware
• Mobile Act, whereby the state has its own controls the licensure of individuals very different than a compact

Summary: The Senate Health Policy Committee met with a quorum and considered several health-related bills, most of them focused on drowning prevention and public safety. SB 428, by Senator Yarborough, would expand Florida’s swim lesson voucher program from children ages 0-4 to ages 1-7. The sponsor and supporting testimony from a pediatric emergency physician and YMCA representatives emphasized Florida’s high drowning rates, especially among very young children, and argued that swim lessons can significantly reduce risk. Senator Harrell noted the need to revisit the funding allocation as eligibility expands. The bill was reported favorably. The committee also heard SB 606, by Senator Smith, which adds drowning prevention and safe bathing practices to postpartum education provided by hospitals, birthing centers, and, after amendment, no longer requires home birth providers to maintain proof of compliance. A parent who lost a child to drowning and Senator Berman spoke in strong support, stressing that the bill would educate new parents at a critical time. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably as a committee substitute. SB 162, by Senator Davis, would require hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to adopt policies using smoke evacuation systems during procedures that generate surgical smoke. The sponsor said the equipment is relatively low-cost and already used in many facilities, while several witnesses supported the bill as a worker-safety measure. Other senators raised concerns about the lack of data, possible rural hospital impacts, and whether the mandate could add costs without clear evidence of harm. Despite those concerns, the bill was reported favorably. The committee also passed SB 340, by Senator Harrell, requiring nursing students to complete a two-hour human trafficking course before licensure, after amending the bill to shift the requirement from nursing programs to the students themselves. Testimony from a trafficking survivor and nursing advocates supported the measure, and it was reported favorably as a committee substitute. Finally, SB 192, presented by Senator Trumbull on behalf of Senator Martin, removed the $1,500 cap on advances chiropractic physicians may collect for examinations or treatment; chiropractic industry representatives supported the change, and the bill was reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• So authorizing it's probably there is a question about exclusivity in the compacts.
• But there was a period of 4 or 5 years where we did have compacts.
• The way the certified sales works is they have to generate a certain threshold, which the compact licenses
• And on a personal note, I look forward, my family and I, to seeing the compacts restored with the tribes

Committee: House A&B Select Agencies Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• One is occupational licensing compacts.
• One is occupational licensing compacts.
• One is occupational licensing compacts.
• One is occupational licensing compacts.
• And we're poised this session to do the dietitian licensure compact at the bottom.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the August minutes, and heard a brief announcement from Senator Richardson about the Missing in America Project interring unclaimed veterans’ remains at the Western Kentucky Veterans Cemetery in Hopkinsville. He read the names of several veterans being laid to rest with military honors, and the chair thanked the volunteers involved in the effort. The main presentation was an update on Kentucky’s urban search and rescue program from the Department of Military Affairs and Kentucky Emergency Management. Officials said the program is being built around two regional task force hubs, a helicopter aquatic rescue team, an incident support team, and a rescue aid fund for local search and rescue units. They reported that the $8.3 million appropriated for the program in the 2025 budget was fully executed, that $482,670 of the rescue aid fund went to 29 local teams, and that $493,592 has already been allocated in the current year to 36 teams. They also described warehouse and equipment purchases, staffing with full-time and part-time personnel, and a new training site on state property for collapsed-structure and multi-agency exercises. Officials said the program has already been used in recent disasters, including flood response and urban search and rescue operations in several parts of the state, and claimed the effort has impacted more than 1,500 citizens through rescues, evacuations, and related assistance. They said the helicopter aquatic rescue team is fully operational, the task force roster should be finalized by January, incident support should be online by April, and the full program should be deployable by June 30 or July 1, 2026. Members asked about statewide response times, K-9 search capabilities, and the long-term cost of the program, including concerns about reliance on federal matching funds. The presenters said K-9 assets will be part of the task force, that pre-positioning during forecasted storms can reduce response times significantly, and that they would provide more detailed budget information later.

Transcript Highlights:

• hesitation, it seems like, in this legislature, to move forward with anything in the neighborhood of compacts
• And I think that's where they've kind of come from so far in terms of compacts.
• I know there's a lot of... ...concern around, you know, you've got small states that join the compact
• And compacts in particular, you can't really negotiate that language.
• And so outside of compacts, there are other routes to expanding cross-state providers access.

Committee: House Health

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, we follow the military interstate compact, which provides additional opportunity.
• Superintendent, so if I'm being transferred from, let's say, Pensacola to Mountain Home, I'm a member of the Compact
• I'm a member of the Compact and I put both of my, I'm hypothetically assuming that we've amended 33,
• Perrault can get into that in more detail in what the compact is, but at the end of the day, that section's
• Perrault can get into that and more detail in what the compact is, but at the end of the day, that section's

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• review this budget, I urge you to reconsider the proposed cuts and analyze whether a deferral of the compact
• general fund support, which This represents the 5% base increase in the fourth year of the multiyear compact
• I want to also note that we remain committed to the tenets of the compact, but it will be very difficult
• However, given the retreat from the compact, that plan has been amended, lessening the individual impact
• And our longstanding partnerships, such as the Compact for Success with SDSU, which now transfers over

Transcript Highlights:

• Can this fall under the Interstate Corrections Compact, or would Arizona need to enter into an interstate
• compact on mental health?
• compact on mental health?
• They have an interstate corrections compact for—excuse me—they have an interstate compact on the placement
• And then, as well as the interstate corrections compact within our jails that do the same.

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2307, as amended, which would require the Department of Health Services to contract with out-of-state secure mental health facilities when Arizona beds are unavailable for certain involuntary commitment cases involving defendants found dangerous and incompetent. The sponsor and supporters framed it as an emergency stopgap to prevent individuals who are deemed non-restorable from being released because Arizona lacks secure behavioral health beds, while opponents argued it would raise due process, disability rights, family access, and cost concerns, and questioned whether the state could even implement such interstate placements. After debate, the committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and advanced HB 2307 on a 6-5 due pass vote. The committee then heard House Bill 2083, which updates diabetes-related coverage language in health plans to include newer devices and supplies such as continuous glucose monitors, insulin pumps, and smart insulin pens. Supporters said the bill modernizes outdated statutes and improves access and outcomes for people with diabetes, while an insurer representative offered soft opposition, warning that writing these items into statute could create a state mandate and potential cost exposure, especially if the language is read to include GLP-1 medications. The committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and moved HB 2083 forward on an 11-1 due pass vote. Next, House Bill 2673 was heard, addressing mental health screening and treatment for incarcerated people. The sponsor said the bill was being reworked into a study committee concept after stakeholder feedback, but the underlying proposal would require prompt evaluation of prisoners showing mental disorder symptoms and faster referral for treatment. A family member testified about her son’s severe deterioration in jail and death, while an attorney opposed the bill as overbroad and legally problematic. Despite the sponsor’s indication that the bill would become a study committee, the committee voted 12-0 to give HB 2673 a due pass recommendation. The committee also advanced House Bill 2923, which revises timelines, procedures, and notice requirements for judicial review of court-ordered mental health treatment; supporters said it clarifies outdated language and improves communication with families, while opponents argued it shifts burdens onto patients and could prolong confinement. HB 2923 also received a 12-0 due pass vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 233 by Senator Mizell provides for a Louisiana statewide data exchange compact, including
• fees for psychologists utilizing the compact, provides relative to home state licensure, compact privilege
• to practice telepsychology, temporary compact authority, duties of the commission.
• HB 486 is relative to the psychology interjurisdictional compact, which will provide increased access
• The compact is intended to ensure continuity, along with accountability and regulatory authority, in

Bills: HR133 , HR134 , HR135 , HR136 , HR137 , HR138 , HR139 , HR140 , HR141 , HR142 , HR143 , HR144 , HR145 , HR146 , HR147 , HR148 , HR149 , HR150 , HR151 , HR152 , HR119 , HR120 , HR121 , HR122 , HR123 , HR125 , HR126 , HR127 , HR128 , HR129 , HR130 , HR131 , HR132 , HCR53 , HCR54 , HCR55 , HCR56 , SCR3 , SCR22 , SB4 , SB18 , SB66 , SB106 , SB201 , SB256 , SB274 , SB292 , SB326 , SB386 , SB406 , SB422 , SB423 , SB456 , SB475 , HCR3 , HB1 , HB3 , HB27 , HB71 , HB214 , HB225 , HB241 , HB244 , HB306 , HB312 , HB313 , HB314 , HB345 , HB366 , HB383 , HB446 , HB473 , HB511 , HB514 , HB655 , HB730 , HB743 , HB836 , HB983 , HB1027 , HB1037 , HB1043 , HB1082 , HB1091 , HB1096 , HB1103 , HB1126 , HB1167 , HB1174 , HB1175 , HB1230 , HB1237 , HB1238 , SB162 , SB349 , SB350 , SB382 , SB383 , HB76 , HB132 , HB181 , HB210 , HB250 , HB265 , HB275 , HB291 , HB322 , HB342 , HB475 , HB486 , HB616 , HB635 , HB639 , HB690 , HB740 , HB757 , HB761 , HB774 , HB808 , HB855 , HB872 , HB883 , HB886 , HB903 , HB949 , HB962 , HB996 , HB1003 , HB1036 , HB1054 , HB1071 , HB1076 , HB1078 , HB1113 , HB1132 , HB1146 , HB1232 , HB1233 , HB21 , HB24 , HB29 , HB31 , HB39 , HB45 , HB77 , HB136 , HB150 , HB263 , HB273 , HB299 , HB315 , HB376 , HB377 , HB431 , HB444 , HB450 , HB519 , HB533 , HB538 , HB559 , HB562 , HB663 , HB664 , HB715 , HB717 , HB805 , HB822 , HB823 , HB834 , HB864 , HB867 , HB1017 , HB1018 , HB1068 , HB1134 , HB1137 , HB1234 , HB1235 , HB1236 , HB961 , HB399 , HB868 , HB905 , HB180 , HB192 , HB284 , HB476 , HB915 , HB952 , HB1006 , HB401 , HB51 , HB58 , HB140 , HB982 , HB1010 , HB750 , HB911 , HB977 , HB901 , HR20 , HR74 , HB9 , HB151 , HB193 , HB310 , HB393 , HB459 , HB577 , HB582 , HB605 , HB614 , HB615 , HB682 , HB733 , HB773

Summary: The House met with a quorum and spent much of the day on personal privileges, recognizing visiting groups and designating several commemorative days, including Sigma Gamma Rho Day, Alpha Kappa Alpha Day, Italian Festival royalty, Acadiana’s Red and White Day, and Louisiana Automobile Dealer Day. Members also welcomed students, civic leaders, former legislators, a state pageant titleholder, and a visiting African law enforcement delegation focused on combating human trafficking. The chamber received Senate bills and committee reports, and several resolutions were adopted without objection, including condolences resolutions and commendations for schools, festivals, and public service organizations. The House then took up a long series of bills, with many passing on final passage after brief debate or technical amendments. Measures addressed topics such as notification of inmate releases from parish jails and DOC facilities (HB 76), ethics and financial disclosure, video voyeurism involving deceased persons (HB 265, renamed the Jacob Carter Dignity and Death Act), health insurance claim practices (HB 291), victim access to parole testimony without fees (HB 32), special education due process burden of proof (HB 342), AI disclosure in medical settings (HB 475), the psychology interjurisdictional compact (HB 486), homelessness provider oversight (HB 616), AI disclosure in campaign calls (HB 639), Medicaid managed care claim review (HB 740), menhaden fishing restrictions (HB 757 and HB 855), HIV exposure law modernization (HB 808), and rare cancer treatment advisory board changes (HB 761). Most of these bills passed with strong support; HB 342 passed 98-3, HB 639 passed 86-9, HB 808 passed 99-0, and HB 855 drew the most extended debate, with supporters citing science-based conservation and opponents warning about harm to the menhaden industry and coastal jobs. The House also adopted committee amendments and set several major fiscal measures as special orders for April 16, including HB 1, HB 2, HB 3, HB 313, HB 383, HB 983, and HB 1126. Additional bills were advanced to third reading from committee reports, and the chamber returned some measures to the calendar for later consideration. Overall, the meeting was marked by ceremonial recognitions, a heavy legislative agenda, and multiple substantive policy votes across education, health, criminal justice, transportation, ethics, and natural resources.