Transcript Highlights:

• TRICARE has refused to pay it, even though they granted prior authorization.
• We were prepared to pay out of pocket, and we did.
• It didn't matter that we could pay for it.
• Going to be paying that out-of-network service? We hope so.
• Thriving trans people earn more and pay more taxes, so this funding is a good investment.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Really needs to pay attention to. You can see why I ask the question. Oh, absolutely.
• not yours, does the woman have to pay it back?
• If he's not the father, does the woman have to pay him back? Mr.
• And if she does, all this simply does is require that he pay half.
• When junk theories override evidence of abuse, children pay the price.

Bills: HB2041 , HB2144 , HB2239 , HB2321 , HB2371 , HB2594 , HB2661 , HB2662 , HB2793 , HB2968 , HB2995

Committee: Senate Federalism and Family Law

Keywords: child neglect, financial resources, behavioral health, Christian Science treatment, parental rights, child support, preborn children, retroactive support, medical expenses, child welfare, child care, grant program, low-income, early learning, infrastructure, economic growth, security freeze, credit reporting, dependent children, parental notification

Transcript Highlights:

• The Friends of OTTA pays for the PBS dues, so OETA does not pay anything for that.
• Pay that person's salary.
• But that way, you can go in and pay your fee and that kind of thing.
• A big part of the problem in Oklahoma, the shortage is the pay.
• The pay rate is not anywhere near the regional amounts of other states.

Committee: House Administrative Rules

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And if they don't, they have to pay back the state portion.
• That's what we pay for each of those when we add.
• That's what we pay for each of those when we add.
• Again, it's about what are we willing to pay for.
• They've all decided to go private pay.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The meeting focused first on a legislative working group report created under House Bill 368 from the prior session on medical education in Idaho. The presenter described Idaho’s physician shortage, noting the state ranks 50th per capita in physicians and would need roughly 1,400 additional physicians to reach the national average. The group’s unanimous recommendations included maintaining current state-supported medical school seats, adding 10 new non-WAMI seats this year, expanding graduate medical education by 15 seats, prioritizing in-state training, and creating a dedicated health education coordination role to manage undergraduate and graduate placements, clinical sites, and data. Members discussed whether WAMI should also expand, the quality of WAMI graduates, the need for more clinical preceptors and residency sites, rural recruitment incentives, and whether the plan should include other health professions such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants. The presenter said the plan includes benchmarks and timelines, and estimated costs of about $350,000 for coordination, $350,000 to $485,000 for 10 new UME seats depending on placement, and $900,000 for the GME request. The committee then heard from Legislative Audit Division Manager April Renfro on the state’s 2024 single audit and related accountability work. She reported $5.4 billion in federal assistance audited, 21 major federal programs across 15 agencies, 45 findings, seven repeat findings, $2.4 million in known questioned costs, and $2 million in projected questioned costs. Major issues were concentrated at the Department of Health and Welfare, including Medicaid findings involving delayed health and safety surveys, managed care provider eligibility and roster controls, and capitation payments tied to ineligible members; Child Care and Development Fund reporting and cost-allocation errors; and repeat issues in vocational rehabilitation and low-income home energy programs. She also noted Department of Environmental Quality problems with indirect cost proposals and a duplicate grant draw, while Transportation had no findings. Members asked about accountability for repeat findings, the role of Luma in reporting errors, fraud detection, and how to prioritize corrective action; Renfro said agencies, federal management decisions, and legislative oversight all play a role, and she planned to send a prioritized list of key findings to the co-chairs. A later presentation by budget analyst Brooke Dupree introduced front-end reports in the legislative budget book, explaining state government structure, the constitutional limit of 20 executive departments, and how the Legislature uses decision units to build appropriations. She walked through the original appropriation, reappropriations, supplemental appropriations, and how those pieces roll into the current-year total appropriation, with members asking brief questions about departmental divisions and the budget model.

Transcript Highlights:

• Businesses don't pay taxes; they pass those costs onto every single one of us in increased costs and
• But this budget, this budget found tens of millions of dollars to pay for legal help for people here
• Congratulations on your next endeavor and go make that money so you can pay your loans.
• Next endeavor and go make that money so you can pay your loans. Thank you, Senator Ruiz.
• S. 3947 by Senator Gopal extends certain pay parity requirements for telemedicine and telehealth.

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• more for, that they're going to probably favor selling to the person that's going to pay the higher
• That's not tied to this... ...favor selling to the person that's going to pay the higher price.
• They pay through higher taxes, reduced services, and deferred investment in essential programs.
• They pay through higher taxes, reduced services, and deferred investment in essential programs.
• And sometimes the ability to pay for a new fire engine means that money may get moved out of keeping

Committee: House Emergency Management

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't want to acknowledge you, but you going to pay for this.
• We are tax-paying citizens, and we are going to pay for it.
• </c> but you going to pay for this. but you going to pay for this.
• and we are We are tax paying citizens and we are going<00:24:37.080><c> to</c><00:24:37.160><c> pay<
• I thought we were a going to pay for it.

Bills: HB1

Committee: Senate County and Municipal Government

Keywords: HB1, Alabama, elections, primary election, special primary, runoff, congressional districts, redistricting, reapportionment, district boundaries, federal court, injunction, judgment, Governor proclamation, nominee certification, party nominee, general election 2026, election calendar, voting rights, congressional race

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman and members, this bill is a dental association bill, and simply if an insurer wants to pay the
• You know, the board may come back with a report that says drug prices that our constituents are paying
• And if you do this bill at the same time, understand what Louisianians are actually paying and why.
• And so they pay, often, the list price.
• And so what the state is doing here is saying you have to pay your PBM, you have to pay them up front

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that's why we pay them with.
• I think that's why we pay them though.<00:44:50.080><c> I'm</c><00:44:50.240><c> not</c><00:44:50.440
• No, it isn't why we<00:44:51.960><c> pay</c><00:44:52.120><c> them.
• </c><00:44:52.320><c> We</c><00:44:52.440><c> pay</c><00:44:52.600><c> them</c><00:44:52.800><c> to</
• </c> we pay them. We pay them to do justice. we pay them. We pay them to do justice.

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 409 in executive session, with the chair noting a caucus break to explain amendments to several substitute members. Members discussed a proposed amendment to narrow the bill’s felony provisions by limiting them to specific, knowingly dangerous conduct rather than making the offense too broad. The committee also noted a planned floor amendment to add missing “or” language to clarify that the listed acts were alternatives, not cumulative requirements. The amendment was adopted 13-0, and the bill as amended was then reported OTPA by a 13-0 vote. It was initially said to be headed to consent, but members later agreed it would not go on consent because a floor amendment was anticipated. The committee then opened House Bill 667, which would extend protections for medical personnel into emergency room settings. Supporters said the bill was needed because emergency room staff face increasing assaults and existing protections did not fully cover ER circumstances. Several members described firsthand or secondhand incidents involving nurses, EMTs, and other staff being threatened or injured, and argued that stronger penalties would help deter violence and improve prosecution. Others supported the bill but raised concerns about how it might affect people experiencing mental health crises, dementia, or intellectual and developmental disabilities. A proposed amendment from Representative Sher would exempt people experiencing a mental health crisis who have a mental health diagnosis, and also address dementia and certain developmental disabilities. Supporters said the amendment was narrowly tailored and had backing from the Disability Rights Center, NAMI New Hampshire, and the New Hampshire Nurses Association. Opponents argued that the criminal justice system already has safeguards such as prosecutorial discretion, insanity defenses, and competency rules, and warned against creating special exceptions that could weaken equal application of the law. After debate, the committee voted 10-3 to report HB 667 ought to pass, with members noting that minority and majority reports would be prepared.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many of us have been working on making sure that we have good-paying jobs.
• But there are also opportunities to pay attention to as the state continues to roll out its California
• That government is held to a standard about not just creating any kind of job, but creating jobs that pay
• Big industries like agriculture and oil too often pay workers a small share of the massive annual revenues
• We like to say that there's no better resume than a pay stub.

Summary: The hearing focused on inclusive economic development in California’s Central Valley, with the chair describing prior state and federal investments in Fresno and the region, including Transformative Climate Communities funding, the Southwest Fresno Community College campus, affordable housing and infrastructure projects, medical education pathways, F3 Farm Food Future, and high-speed rail-related jobs. The chair emphasized that rural and historically disinvested communities often face complex application processes and limited technical capacity, and said the committee’s goal was to learn from successful local models and identify ways to better direct resources to communities that need them most. The first panel featured representatives from the Sierra Health Foundation, the James Irvine Foundation, and UC Merced. Chet Hewitt argued that health and economic opportunity are inseparable and described Sierra Health’s economic development portfolio, including the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund, the Impact Investment Fund, and the Community Economic Mobilization Initiative (CEMI), which together support healthier workplaces, microbusiness financing, and nonprofit capacity. Jessica Kaksmarik said Irvine’s place-based grantmaking in inland regions aims to strengthen worker and community power, support community-led development, and expand equitable pathways to mobility, while stressing that philanthropy must partner with government because it cannot meet the scale of need alone. Dr. Manuel Pastor and Dr. Ed Flores both argued that inequality and extractive development weaken long-term growth, and that community organizations need both power-building and technical expertise to influence regional planning; Flores also described the Valley Seed project and high-road economic development models that link labor, climate, and community benefits. The second panel highlighted community-based programs and the effects of unstable funding. Yolanda Randalls described the Sweet Potato Project at West Fresno Family Resource Center, a youth agriculture and entrepreneurship program that combines hands-on farming, business training, and mental health support; she said participants improved from a 1.9 GPA to a 3.3 GPA and that the program is seeking long-term support as its funding nears expiration. Addie Carr of Neighborhood Industries described a second-chance employment model that provides job training, case management, literacy and life coaching, and small no-interest loans, and said CEMI helped the organization open a second store and create more jobs. Maria Redoubt Orozco of Community Alliance with Family Farmers said small farmers are central to the Valley’s economy but face land, water, climate, and market barriers, and warned that federal cuts to programs like Local Food Purchasing Assistance threaten local food systems. Daniela Rodriguez of Immigrants Rising described entrepreneurship and technical assistance for undocumented and mixed-status entrepreneurs, including the SEED initiative, and said policy uncertainty and access-to-capital barriers continue to constrain immigrant economic mobility. In closing discussion, panelists repeatedly called for longer-term, braided, and flexible funding rather than one-time grants, and the chair noted the need to continue supporting community-defined practices and public-private partnerships.

Transcript Highlights:

• , it turns out that oftentimes when they come into the job, the reason they leave is not always the pay
• , it turns out that oftentimes when they come into the job, the reason they leave is not always the pay
• , it turns out that oftentimes when they come into the job, the reason they leave is not always the pay
• , it turns out that oftentimes when they come into the job, the reason they leave is not always the pay
• being sub par or the bureaucracy pay being sub par or the bureaucracy that<00:20:10.600><c> you</c><

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So I guess one could agree or disagree if these affiliates should be paying the tax or not.
• At that time, these affiliates were not required to pay the tax that we're talking about.
• institution surcharge, which you only pay that surcharge, Mr.
• She didn't think it was true that he would ever pay attention to her.
• And you could not ask for a better colleague to pay attention to complex public policy.

Bills: SCR8410

Keywords: returning bills to house of origin, sine die, end of session, legislative procedure, Rules Committee, third reading, unfinished business, pending bills, joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions, joint memorials, special session, bill numbering, legislative records, House of Representatives, Senate, Washington Legislature, session adjournment, procedural resolution, 904

Summary: The Senate took up several bills on final passage, beginning with Substitute House Bill 2689 on the Working Connections Child Care program. The chamber adopted a Ways and Means striking amendment, then passed the bill 33-16. Supporters said it would change provider payment to attendance-based reimbursement, require subsidy rates to reach at least the 75th percentile of market rates, update use of market rate surveys, and remove previously scheduled income-eligibility expansions. Opponents argued it would not treat all child care providers equally and could create unfair workarounds. The bill was immediately transmitted to the House. The Senate then passed Engrossed House Bill 2487, which clarifies how insurance companies and their affiliates are taxed, and Substitute House Bill 2089, which narrows a tax preference for certain financial institutions and dedicates the revenue to the Wildfire Mitigation Fund. HB 2487 drew criticism for applying the tax retroactively to 2019 despite prior court rulings, while HB 2089 was opposed on affordability grounds because it affects mortgage-related taxation. The chamber also passed Engrossed House Bill 2681, raising annual license fees for cannabis producers, processors, and retailers; opponents said the increase reflected broader budget pressures. A major portion of the meeting was devoted to Senate Resolution 8704 honoring Senator Rebecca Saldaña. Numerous senators from both parties praised her work on labor, environmental justice, child welfare, immigrant and worker rights, and her habit of centering marginalized communities and checking on colleagues personally. Saldaña responded with remarks about organizing, democracy, and the importance of collective action, saying she was grateful for the chamber and looking forward to the next chapter. The Senate adopted the resolution unanimously, and members agreed to add all senators’ names as co-sponsors. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 8702 honoring Senator Judy Warnick, with speakers from both parties highlighting her long service, agricultural background, calm leadership, bipartisan approach, and work on rural economic development, children and families, and capital projects. Warnick thanked colleagues and said she looked forward to spending more time with her family, farm, and horses. The meeting also included routine motions to move between orders of business and a message from the House concurring in Senate amendments to several bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• notices for termination of services, or provide severance pay.
• This bill highlights that people don't like paying income tax.
• The department doesn't want to pay income tax.
• Employers don't want to pay income tax, and employees don't want to pay income tax.
• Employers don't want to pay income tax, and employees don't want to pay income tax, and this bill makes

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 1347, which would streamline cannabis testing lab accreditation by requiring the Liquor and Cannabis Board to accept Department of Agriculture accreditation as the basis for initial certification under certain conditions and to reduce duplication between agencies. The prime sponsor and several industry witnesses said the bill is intended to clarify authority, improve efficiency, and preserve consumer safety, while LCB said it had no policy objection but wanted implementation concerns addressed. Several witnesses supported the concept but said an amendment was needed to clearly assign accreditation authority to WSDA and avoid overlapping requirements. The committee also heard and later took action on several bills. House Bill 2229 would update the Professional Engineers Registration Act by changing board membership rules, increasing pro tem members, and revising registration and exam provisions; the sponsor and board director said it modernizes qualifications without changing licensure standards. House Bill 2091 would require more complete employee contact information to be shared with exclusive bargaining representatives under the Personnel System Reform Act; union witnesses supported it and a policy witness opposed it as a privacy intrusion. Second Substitute House Bill 1128 would create a Child Care Workforce Standards Board to make recommendations on child care worker standards; supporters said it addresses workforce shortages and retention, while providers and associations argued it duplicates existing work and could lead to unfunded mandates. In executive action, the committee voted do pass on Substitute House Bills 2492, 2107, 2151, 2355, and Gross Substitute House Bill 2471, and sent them to Rules. It also voted do pass on Second Substitute House Bill 2105 and referred it to Ways and Means. Other bills heard included House Bill 1701 on shared liquor license premises, where a small business owner supported more flexible shared-space arrangements and LCB suggested amendments to prevent undue influence; House Bill 2264 on unemployment benefits for employer-initiated layoffs, which was supported as a clarification to protect workers who opt into reduction-in-force programs; Substitute House Bill 2472 on fire sprinkler work enforcement, supported by labor and industry witnesses; and Second Substitute House Bill 2345, which would adjust paid family and medical leave premium allocations to address IRS tax guidance, with broad support from labor, business, and the agency.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill provides important provisions to ensure that these large energy loads pay their full costs and
• Data centers should pay for their energy-related costs, including infrastructure, and make sure those
• The bill helps protect consumers from cost shifts, ensures that growth pays for growth, and provides
• As someone who will soon be working to pay my own bills in Washington, I care about a stable system of
• I don't want to face the burden of paying more in replacement of a data center's dues.

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2515, which addresses emerging large energy use facilities, especially data centers. Staff explained that the bill requires utilities to adopt tariffs or policies for data centers, adds reporting and sustainability requirements, sets renewable energy targets, and creates a sales tax exemption for certain eligible data center equipment in eastern Washington. The House sponsor said the bill is intended to protect ratepayers, grid reliability, water resources, and Washington’s climate goals as data center growth accelerates. Tribal representatives and several environmental and labor witnesses urged restoring provisions removed from the House version, especially authority to curtail data center load during energy emergencies and to refuse service if reliability or affordability would be harmed; they also asked for stronger water reporting and protections for salmon. Utility, business, and data center industry witnesses supported the bill’s general framework but raised concerns about implementation, costs, and some of the added requirements, while some opposed the tax exemption and the loss of earlier protections. No final action on 2515 was taken during the hearing portion shown. The committee then heard and acted on several bills in executive session. It passed Substitute House Bill 1302, which allows municipal utilities to waive connection charges for industrial symbiosis projects. It also passed House Bill 2338 on community-scaled weatherization projects after rejecting an amendment, and House Bill 2367 on eliminating preferential treatment for a coal-fired plant after rejecting an amendment. Substitute House Bill 2496 on tribal consultation by the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council was amended and then passed, while amendments to change public meeting and tribal summary provisions were rejected. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2225 on AI companion chatbots, House Bill 2426 on PCHB efficiency and appeals, House Bill 2606 on the Office of Privacy and Data Protection, Engrossed House Bill 2575 on reducing reporting obligations, and Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2215 on Climate Commitment Act compliance for fuels were also advanced, with some amendments adopted and others rejected. The committee then reopened public hearing on House Bill 2416, which would treat a Spokane waste-to-energy facility differently under the Climate Commitment Act by allocating no-cost allowances in the second compliance period and requiring a decarbonization and waste-reduction plan. Spokane city officials, labor, environmental groups, and Ecology generally supported the bill as a balanced approach that protects ratepayers while allowing the facility to decarbonize, though Avista raised a concern about language implying a utility compliance obligation. After that, the committee resumed testimony on House Bill 1170, which requires large AI providers to offer provenance tools and disclosures for AI-generated or altered images, video, and audio. Supporters said the bill would help workers and consumers identify synthetic media and prevent impersonation and misinformation, while industry and civil liberties witnesses argued the bill is technically difficult, uses new definitions, and may be unworkable or premature compared with California’s evolving approach.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because some are going to pay more, some will pay less.
• We pay for everything, and they generate all the income off of it.
• If you run a power line, they provide a service, but they're paying to run the line.
• They're paying to provide the service. There's operating costs. We subsidize this.
• They're spending this money to pay down payments on building purchases or something.

Bills: SB152 , SB145 , SB190 , HB247

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Keywords: telecommunications, low-income assistance, lifeline, broadband, rural broadband, universal service fund, public regulation commission, PRC, 911 surcharge, telecommunications relay service, VoIP, mobile service, internet affordability, digital equity, digital inclusion, rural internet, broadband infrastructure, eligible telecommunications carrier, ETC, tribal consent

Transcript Highlights:

• So everybody's going to pay for this type of coverage.
• You can charge $1,000—just putting numbers out there because clearly I don't have any idea what I pay
• You can charge $1,000—just put numbers out there because clearly I don't have any idea what I pay for
• Basically, they're paying where taxpayers pay; the people who are their customers pay.
• People need to understand that we're going to pay for this one way or the other.

Bills: SB154 , SB187 , SB193 , SM3

Committee: Senate Senate Conservation

Keywords: insurance, wildfire, flood damage, natural disasters, property coverage, water projects, appropriation, New Mexico, finance authority, infrastructure, New Mexico Finance Authority, funding, SB193, acequia, community ditch, irrigation works construction fund, water infrastructure, ditch infrastructure, irrigation, New Mexico water law

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently in Arizona, individuals can be arrested and potentially incarcerated for failure to pay these
• Individuals are still required to pay their debts.
• looking at trying to borrow money to repay ourselves, to put money back in the account to be able to pay
• We have to pay for that money.
• It's just spread out over, what is it, 26 pay periods, without the per diem. Representative, Mr.

Committee: House Government

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then they pay at the pump. They pay on property tax... Income tax.
• And then they pay at the pump. They pay property tax if they own their home. You get the point.
• in the state of New Mexico, and it gives them a... ...10% down payment, and then they don't have to pay
• But after five years sitting there, then they have to pay $9,000, almost close to $10,000 more after
• You're using the funds that you have to pay for everyday essentials.

Bills: HB70 , HB93 , HB95 , HB139 , HB140 , HJR4

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Keywords: Public Regulation Commission, PRC, utility oversight fund, public utilities, utility regulation, commissioners, commission staff, chief of staff, ethics, Gift Act, revolving door, post-employment restrictions, consumer complaints, telecommunications, pipeline safety, natural gas pipelines, oil pipelines, license fees, regulatory oversight, administrative cleanup

Transcript Highlights:

• notification for life insurance policies to provide another opportunity for a resident to be able to pay
• And so what this allows the contractor to do is get leverage against the insurance company to pay for
• And when I asked, how much did you pay?”
• “They’re paying way less than I have ever paid, and they have way better coverage.
• It could—it was more likely it would not pay rather than that it was going to pay. Yes.

Bills: HB2428 , HB2399 , HB2087

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Business

Keywords: life insurance, policy lapse, policy cancellation, nonpayment of premium, premium grace period, lapse notice, termination notice, third-party notice, third-party designee, beneficiary protection, consumer protection, insurance regulation, insurer notice requirements, policyholder, beneficiary, Washington RCW, insurance code, unintentional lapse, coverage continuation, premium delinquency

Transcript Highlights:

• So if we think about the taxes we have to pay, our mortgage, I have to pay my vet for our dogs.
• We can pay... ...off our expenses that way. And then I just want to end on sharing Mr.
• So it's not that they're paying for it.
• So it's not that they're paying for it.
• So it's not that they're paying for it.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: JFAC began with a presentation from Legislative Services on the general fund and the “green sheet,” explaining how the committee tracks starting cash, revenue forecasts, transfers, appropriations, and ending balances. The analyst walked through general fund revenue sources, the difference between transfers and expenditures, structural balance, and how the green sheet is used to compare current-year collections against forecasts. Members asked about continuously appropriated funds, federal dollars, sales tax exemptions, and cash reconciliation issues tied to the state’s new Luma finance system and interest allocations. The discussion also covered the revenue monitor and how the committee can use it to track collections against forecasted amounts. The committee then moved into the Department of Health and Welfare’s overall budget overview. Legislative Services reviewed the department’s size, organizational structure, vacancy rate, five-year spending trends, and the role of continuously appropriated funds such as the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund and Rural Physician Fund. Members asked about personnel vacancy rates, reverted funds, and whether the department could provide a list of subgrants and trustee-and-benefit payments. Department officials explained that some vacancies reflected a department-wide review, hiring freeze, and FTP realignment, including moving positions to State Hospital South and reverting some federal spending authority. They also said the department was actively filling funded positions and would provide additional information on grants and other payments. The committee then heard the first division-level budget presentation for Indirect Support Services. The analyst described the division’s role in centralized administration, IT, legal, communications, and management support, along with its staffing, historical expenditures, and base budget changes. The division’s budget request included a one-time irrigation system project at State Hospital West, a fund adjustment for the background check unit, the transfer of 58 FTP and related costs to the Office of Information Technology as part of modernization, and a request to remove restrictive budget language on personnel and trustee-and-benefit transfers. The governor’s recommendation also included support for some replacement items and a major new item tied to Idaho’s Rural Health Transformation Program, including 12 limited-service FTP in 2026, ongoing FTP in 2027, and $294 million in one-time operating funds. Members questioned the need for the new FTP, the use of AI, the definition of “rural,” and the mechanics of the IT transfer; department and ITS officials explained the transfer was a budget shift of personnel and operating costs, not a net increase in staffing. The committee adjourned after members also raised broader concerns about public input on Health and Welfare budgets and suggested a joint public meeting with the Health and Welfare committees.