Transcript Highlights:

• Those who were previously exempt from time limits include veterans. Okay.
• That's double the length of the time limit.
• This is a very limited... ...youth or current foster youth.
• This is a very limited pool.
• It was limited to 10 campuses, and we blew the limit off and allowed it to go to many more.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on AB 262, which would direct the new California Housing and Homelessness Agency to study the needs of pregnant people experiencing homelessness and evaluate a voluntary “Pink Alert” notification system. Supporters, including the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls and a mutual-aid volunteer, said the bill would help identify gaps in housing and prenatal services for a highly vulnerable population. Members generally supported the study concept, though one senator cautioned that the “Pink Alert” name could imply a missing-person alert. The bill was moved to Appropriations on a 3-0 vote and placed on call. Members then heard AB 673, creating the Unaccompanied Youth Support Grant Program for 16- and 17-year-old homeless students not in a parent or guardian’s custody. The Superintendent of Public Instruction and advocates said the bill would help connect youth to housing, basic needs, tutoring, employment readiness, and mental health services, while opponents raised concerns about duplication with existing school and county services and staffing shortages. The author and supporters argued the program would fill gaps for youth who often fall through existing systems. The bill passed to Appropriations on a 3-0 vote and was held on call. The committee also approved AB 1575, which updates the Lanterman Act to replace the term “consumer” with person-first language for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and AB 2510, which would expand CalWORKs family reunification aid so families do not lose support when only some children are removed from the home. AB 1688, requiring broader notice when abuse or neglect is alleged in foster placements so attorneys for other children in the placement can check on their safety, also passed to Appropriations. AB 2304, “Gabriel’s Law,” requiring a child in immediate medical need to be seen by a medical professional and clarifying penalties for falsifying child welfare records, passed to Public Safety after testimony from the author, Gabriel Fernandez’s aunt, prosecutors, and a dependency lawyer who opposed parts of the penalty language. The committee then heard AB 1746 on faster county processing of CalWORKs child care requests, with support from the author, advocates, and county welfare directors who said they were still working on amendments; it was moved to Appropriations and held on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, thank you all for staying within the time limitations.
• And the majority of those are because of statute of limitation issues, because they were old.
• The rule has very few limited opportunities for extension of deadline.
• Um, in the magenta is statute of limitations issues.
• You're talking about losing cases because the statute of limitations cases being dismissed.

Committee: House Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• cost of the actual tariffs and the drag on the economy, but also the uncertainty of policies tends to limit
• ,</c> Um asset market meltdown, stocks, bonds, Um asset market meltdown, stocks, bonds, real<00:13:06.480
• &gt;&gt; not just that limiting the number of &gt;&gt; not just that limiting the number of ships<00:
• We've asked all of our departments to limit new requests and work within existing budgets.
• , and Attachment 3 of the debt limit explains all of that as well.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• teaching and discovered a deep connection to his Afro-Latino cultures, which helped forge meaningful bonds

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate took up House No. 801, an act relative to the town of Cheshire’s special election, and advanced it through third reading and passage to be engrossed. The chamber also adopted resolutions congratulating George K. Halley on his retirement from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The Committee on Rules reported that joint rules should be suspended for several Senate petitions, and the Senate agreed to suspend Senate Rule 36 and Joint Rule 12 so the matters could be considered forthwith and referred to the appropriate committees. One House petition, filed by Mark J. Cusack, seeking authorization for automated curb enforcement and improved parking violation procedures, was referred to the Committee on Transportation. The Senate also welcomed Councillor Karen Brogan, Mayor of the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District in Donegal County, Ireland, and recognized the ongoing Massachusetts-Ireland partnership in tourism, investment, culture, and sport. Later, the Senate agreed to adjourn in memory of Dr. Rashad Hardaway, with a moment of silence observed, and then adjourned to meet again on Thursday at 11 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• A question: we passed through a bonding issue that increased these taxes, these same taxes.

Committee: Senate Senate Committees' Committee

Summary: The committee met to consider germane-status recommendations for several bills, including Senate Bills 213 and 215. Staff explained that SB 213 would index the gas tax, weight distance tax, and special fuel excise tax to the consumer price index, which they viewed as policy rather than germane. Members discussed whether the bill would generate revenue and whether it related to prior legislation on the same subject. The committee then voted without objection to deem SB 213 germane. Discussion of SB 215 focused on a proposal affecting disaster-related loans and interest earned on those funds. Staff said the bill would require any interest or other revenue generated from loans to governmental entities for wildfire or other disaster recovery to be returned to the fund. Members raised concerns about how the measure would affect existing projects and funds already being used in places such as Mora, Ruidoso, and Las Vegas, and noted it could be a significant policy change. There was also discussion that any message on the bill could allow further review and possible guardrails, including making the change prospective rather than retroactive. At the end of the meeting, the committee approved germane status for SBs 210, 211, 212, 214, 216, and 217 without objection, while SB 213 had already been separately approved as germane. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Based on limited time, I'm going to just highlight one or two points from our written testimony.
• It builds bonds, and it's important. Um, I just want to be really brief.
• It builds bonds, and it's important. Um, I just want to be really brief.
• It builds bonds, and it's important. Um, I just want to be really brief.
• It builds bonds, and it's important. Um, I just want to be really brief.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard SB 2694 SD2, which would authorize the Public Utilities Commission to create automatic adjustment mechanisms for water carriers, including a water carrier inflationary cost index, and to waive certain requirements under the Hawaii Water Carrier Act. Testimony was sharply divided. The Department of Transportation, Young Brothers, and several shipping, harbor, labor, and business-related supporters argued the bill would modernize regulation, reduce the need for large catch-up rate cases, and help keep rates aligned with rising costs. Young Brothers said its current rate-setting process is expensive and delayed, and that annual adjustments with guardrails such as a 5% cap and periodic full reviews would support sustainable operations and the state’s supply chain. Some supporters also said the company’s less-than-container-load service and required inter-island routes create costs that are not fully covered by current rates. Opponents, including the Consumer Advocate, the Maui Chamber of Commerce, Hawaii Food Industry Association, restaurant and chamber groups, and other businesses, argued the bill would lead to higher costs for consumers and businesses and should not move forward. Several testified that shipping costs already significantly affect pricing and that automatic increases would worsen the cost of living. The Consumer Advocate said Young Brothers should focus on cost control and implementing its business plan rather than automatic rate increases. The Maui Chamber and others pointed to a recent PUC decision that imposed a two-year stay on rate increases and said the bill would undermine that protection. Some opponents urged the committee to defer to the PUC’s regulatory authority. The PUC explained that it regulates water carriers as public utilities under existing statute and said it had recently approved a temporary rate increase while imposing a two-year stayout period on further increases, with emergency relief still possible. PUC members said they were still examining whether they have authority to adopt the proposed WICI mechanism by rule and wanted legislative clarity. In response to questions, the PUC said it prefers the current two-year stayout as reflected in its order. Young Brothers also clarified that it serves less-than-container-load cargo, that some routes and services are cross-subsidized because they are not profitable, and that an independent observer is being put in place to monitor implementation of its updated business plan. The transcript ended with the committee still taking questions; no final vote or disposition on the bill was shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our state has too often relied on inconsistent application, claims of limited capacity, and at times
• capacity, and at times luck to limited capacity, and at times luck to meet<00:43:20.720><c> its</c><
• This broadens the scope of the definition, which is currently instead limited to an exhaustive list of
• to an exhaustive list of data limited to an exhaustive list of data elements. elements. elements.
• A data broker will also have to maintain a bond in the amount of $20,000 that runs to the state for any

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> So, good reading, but you know, this committee knows well that the TIFIA bonding, that $200 million
• ><c> Hampshire</c><00:49:41.040><c> RSA</c><00:49:41.960><c> 237:9</c> New Hampshire RSA 237:9 and bond
• So, we're not limiting it to just... >> Right, and that's actually...
• So, we're not limiting it to discount.
• So, we're not limiting it to just just just &gt;&gt; Right,<01:30:57.280><c> and</c><01:30:57.360><c>

Committee: House Public Works and Highways

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To the leadership team in my senior class, truly there is no bond like the one.
• The sky's the limit. You're so talented. Thank you for everything. Matthew. Mr. Ball.
• Debate will be limited to 10 minutes per side and 10-minute increments.
• Debate will be limited to 10 minutes and 10-minute increments.
• In Dade County, a thousand feet off limits.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of a quorum, then adopted the special order calendar for the day. The first major item was CS/SB 156, the Officer Jason Rayner Act, which revises laws on resisting officers and adds manslaughter of a law enforcement officer to offenses eligible for a life sentence reclassification. The sponsor said the bill was intended to honor Officer Jason Rayner and clarify that questions of fault belong in court; opponents argued it removed judicial discretion, could sweep in unintended cases, and was a broad response to a case-specific prosecutorial failure. After debate, the bill passed 108-8. The House then passed CS/SB 688 on naturopathic medicine, which creates a regulatory structure and licensure framework for naturopathic physicians, defines scope and limits of practice, and establishes a board under the Department of Health with medical doctor oversight. Supporters described it as a consumer protection and medical freedom measure; opponents called it an expansion of scope and criticized the low penalty for impersonating a naturopathic physician. The bill passed 85-22. The chamber also passed CS/CS/SB 1062 on speech and debate education, creating a Florida Speech and Debate Hall of Fame, a Florida Speech and Debate Week, and a statewide debate initiative, by a vote of 112-0. Additional measures approved included CS/CS/SB 1220 on transportation, which covers a wide range of issues including FDOT authority, airports and seaports, drone delivery, autonomous vehicles, toll revenues, and related regulatory changes; it passed 87-23. SB 962 on affordable housing, which clarifies that Live Local Act zoning preemption does not unintentionally capture working farms and farm operations, passed 109-2. CS/CS/SB 1580 on illegal gaming was introduced and explained as a crackdown on illegal slot machines and unregulated gaming arcades, with questions focused on VFWs, sweepstakes, fantasy sports, and the Seminole gaming compact, but the transcript ends before a final vote on that bill. The session also included several recognitions and lengthy farewell remarks from departing members, including Leader Driscoll and Majority Leader Sirois.

Transcript Highlights:

• Under the consent judgment, DCF has paid the statutory sovereign immunity limits, and the remaining $3.8
• The House bill is very, very limited.
• There is no time limit on the conduct that's contemplated for the designation.
• So specifically around the time limit, where in the bill is there a time limit specifically on the conduct
• I don't like public records exemptions and use them in a very limited way.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:26:11.440><c> Um,</c><00:26:11.840><c> bonding</c> about a variety of issues.
• Um, bonding about a variety of issues.
• Um, bonding issues,<00:26:12.799><c> environmental</c><00:26:13.279><c> issues,</c><00:26:13.840><c>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One is the capital projects and bonds oversight will meet upon adjournment of both the House and the
• One is the capital projects and bonds oversight will meet upon adjournment of both the House and the

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, in some cases different types of easements require an assurance bond to make sure that they
• Do you think that would be helpful in some way to do a surety bond or something like that and to make

Committee: Senate Agriculture

Summary: The Senate Committee on Agriculture met with a quorum present and heard three presentations focused on Florida aquaculture, agricultural nutrient reduction, and land preservation. First, clam farmer Tim Solano of Cedar Key described the economic and environmental importance of the state’s clam industry, noting Florida’s strong national production, the industry’s recovery role after the net ban, and the severe damage caused by recent hurricanes and red tide. He said the Dislocated Workers program helped farmers return to work and asked that existing state programs be written more broadly to include aquaculture. Oyster producer Canaan Greg of Pelican Oyster Company then discussed the growth of off-bottom oyster farming, the losses his industry suffered from Hurricane Michael and the pandemic, and the need for better access to recovery loans, student internships, local seed production, and waterfront protection. Members asked questions about leases, production, predators, and storm resilience, and the presenters emphasized that aquaculture is a sustainable, year-round industry that filters water and supports local economies. The committee next heard from UF/IFAS regional extension agent Dr. Bob Hockmouth on education, research, and extension efforts to reduce nitrogen in the Suwannee Valley Basin Management Action Plan area. He explained that the region’s agricultural load reduction target has increased from about 4.2 million to 5.8 million pounds of nitrogen, and that extension programs are helping farmers adopt practices such as precision fertilizer placement, soil moisture sensors, controlled-release fertilizer, petiole sap testing, and irrigation automation. He highlighted corn and watermelon as major examples, saying on-farm demonstrations and cost-share programs are essential because the equipment and technology are expensive. He reported substantial reductions from participating farms and said growers are generally cooperative when funding is available. Finally, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services presented an update on the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. The program acquires development rights through voluntary conservation easements to keep working agricultural lands in production, protect water resources and wildlife habitat, and preserve taxable land without transferring ownership. The presenter said the program has expanded rapidly in the last two years, with more acreage acquired, faster application review, and more properties in the Florida wildlife corridor. He noted new online application and monitoring tools, a shortened review timeline, and stronger partnerships with federal and defense-related programs. Committee members asked about long-term maintenance responsibilities and the Board of Trustees approval process, and the presentation closed with support for continued funding and efficiency improvements before the committee adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I think, to answer the representative's question directly, this does not limit the reviews needed
• So it doesn't limit the reviews that we do for shoreland.
• </c><00:17:45.760><c> the</c> the the um this does not limit the the the um this does not limit the reviews
• </c><00:18:02.640><c> the</c><00:18:02.960><c> reviews</c> it's not this doesn't limit the reviews it's
• not this doesn't limit the reviews that<00:18:03.360><c> we</c><00:18:03.520><c> do</c><00:18:03.600

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 110, as amended by the Senate, which would establish fees for alteration-of-terrain applications and direct the Department of Environmental Services to adopt rules for a permit-by-notification process for certain projects. Trisha Milo introduced the bill for Senator Lang and noted that the department had worked on the amended language. Matt Mayberry of the New Hampshire Homebuilders Association said the industry strongly supported the bill, describing it as a public-private partnership that would speed review for developers without affecting local control, with builders paying the costs rather than taxpayers. Members focused heavily on how the bill’s fee structure and permit thresholds would work, especially for projects near shoreland, wetlands, and protected water bodies. Representative Opel raised concerns about whether the bill reduced review of habitat and shoreland impacts or shifted costs unfairly; Philip Trobridge of DES explained that the bill does not eliminate those reviews and that shoreland projects still receive greater scrutiny. He said the bill creates different tiers, with the permit-by-notification process applying to certain projects between 100,000 and 150,000 square feet that are not in protected shoreland, while larger or shoreland-affected projects remain under the standard review process. He also said the proposed fees were based on sustaining the program, covering added habitat and species review responsibilities, and keeping reviews efficient. Trobridge said the new fee structure would generate about $1.2 million in additional revenue and help fund additional staff and related program costs. He stated that the department had worked with the regulated community and believed the fees were fair and reasonable, though he acknowledged the bill’s wording was confusing and that the threshold could be revisited later if the new process works well. Members also discussed how the state process interacts with local approvals, and Trobridge said both state and local approvals are required before a project can begin. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Number 1446 by Bonnen, suspending limitations on the conference committee jurisdiction for SB 1.
• It's below the pay-as-you-go limit, addressing the critical needs of our state.
• Representative Buckley, are there limitations in your bill about who can challenge books?
• The Chair lays out the following previous resolution suspending limitations on the conference.
• H.R. 1491, by the suit suspending limitations on conference jurisdiction for HB 3556.

Bills: SB1637 , SB1 , HB300 , SB2601 , SB37 , HB2011 , HB3595 , HB3071 , SB12 , HB3372 , SB457 , HB2067 , SB2337 , SB447 , SB1506 , SB1566 , SB763 , HB3556 , SB13 , SB2018 , SB331 , SB379 , HB145 , SB441 , SB2878 , HB2885 , HB2017 , HB5246 , SB8 , SB2308 , SB1540 , HB 119 , SB1405 , SB3059 , SB15 , SB568

Keywords: SB 1637, deadly conduct, Texas Penal Code, Section 22.05, firearm, gun, pointing a gun, recklessness presumption, peace officer, law enforcement, police, officer-involved shooting, use of force, justification, self-defense, defense of others, Chapter 9, criminal prosecution, Penal Code amendment, appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• AS PRESIDING OFFICERS, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, OUR WORD IS OUR BOND.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It allows Housing Finance Corporations (HFCs) to issue bonds supporting a residential development only

Committee: Senate Local Government

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Many live in rural communities with limited transportation.
• There's very limited transportation services in our area.
• </c> limited transportation. limited transportation.
• very limited transportation There's very limited transportation services<00:52:35.440><c> in</c><00:
• </c><01:08:01.359><c> your</c> order to hire it does uh limit your order to hire it does uh limit your

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The subcommittee opened its first meeting of the session with member introductions and a statement from the chair that veterans issues would remain distinct and receive separate attention. The first item was an update on the Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum at Camp Ripley from Executive Director Randall Dietrich. He said the museum has operated for nearly 50 years, has outgrown its current space, and is building a new 40,000-square-foot facility with $32 million in state support plus several million more in private funding. He described construction progress, planned exhibits including restored military artifacts and the USS Ward gun, and said the museum is scheduled to open on September 12. In response to Senator Kunish, Dietrich said the museum is actively incorporating stories and flags representing women, tribal nations, and other underrepresented groups, including 11 tribal flags at the entrance, and is working to integrate those stories throughout the galleries rather than isolating them. The committee then received an update from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs on the veterans suicide prevention plan from Rachel Johnson, Veterans Committee Health Director, with John Kelly later answering questions on department impacts. Johnson said the plan is a coordinated statewide framework built with legislative support, expanding regional coordinators, veteran health navigators, data analytics, and community partnerships, including a suicide mortality review pilot in Hennepin County. She said Minnesota loses about 100 veterans a year to suicide, that firearms remain the primary mechanism, and that prevention must address community connection, economic stability, and access to care, not just clinical treatment. She also said the plan aligns with state and federal strategies and is intended as a living roadmap. In response to questions, Johnson said the department is exploring data-sharing policy issues, has not seen a direct financial impact from federal VA staffing changes, and is tracking federal proposals affecting VA advisory groups. She also said 988 data is available in general but more Minnesota-specific data on the veteran option is still being gathered. Members asked follow-up questions about trends in veteran suicide, the role of families in identifying warning signs, and the Hennepin County mortality review pilot. Johnson said the annual number has remained around 100 for about 15 years, with a dip in 2024 and a return to that level in 2025, and that the Hennepin County pilot was chosen because it offers a manageable geography and existing coalition work, with an initial review expected by May or June. The final item began a presentation from the Minnesota Association of County Veteran Service Officers. Legislative chair Larry Fonder said the group’s priorities are protecting veterans from fraud and modernizing the property tax benefit for disabled veterans, but the presentation would focus on educating the committee about the role, training, certification, and accountability of county veteran service officers. President Tom Anderson, the Winona County VSO and a Navy veteran, began describing his background and office staffing when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are several limitations of this particular analysis, of course.
• There are several limitations of this particular analysis, of course.
• There are several limitations of this particular analysis, of course.
• </c><00:59:13.200><c> of</c> away uh there are several limitations of away uh there are several limitations
• I believe that's limited to North Central in those cases.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: This joint informational briefing of Senate and House committees focused on restricted use pesticides in Hawaiʻi, with opening remarks framing the issue as one of health, environmental impact, and state-level regulation. The briefing reviewed the history of pesticide disclosure efforts, including prior county actions, a 2016 court ruling that shifted responsibility to the state, and Act 45, which enabled disclosure of restricted use pesticide data. Speakers highlighted 2019 reporting data showing concentrated use in parts of Oʻahu and Kauaʻi, especially near schools and communities, and identified fumigants such as 1,3-dichloropropene and metam sodium as among the heaviest-used products. Concerns were raised about potential links to cancer, respiratory illness, reproductive harms, Parkinson’s disease, and developmental effects, as well as the lack of long-term mixture studies and the need for better buffer zones, reporting, and farmer transition support. The Department of Agriculture’s pesticides program manager described the state’s regulatory framework, explaining the distinction between general use and restricted use pesticides and the department’s role under FIFRA and Hawaiʻi law. He outlined the branch’s enforcement, education/certification, registration, and laboratory functions, including inspections, complaint response, market surveillance, applicator certification, product review, groundwater protection modeling, and special registrations. He also noted staffing and resource limitations, including the absence of an in-house toxicologist and long-term monitoring capacity, and compared Hawaiʻi’s resources to California’s much larger pesticide regulatory program. He said the department supports Act 231, which was passed the previous year and is moving forward this session. A pediatrician speaking for the Hawaiʻi chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasized concerns about chronic low-level pesticide exposure in children, citing AAP policy statements and technical reports that associate exposure with cancer, leukemia, birth defects, neurobehavioral issues, and asthma. Drawing on work with the Kauaʻi Joint Fact Finding Task Force, the speaker said the group found the west side of the island to be an unhealthy community but could not prove causation because of missing drift, geospatial, and biomarker data. The testimony pointed to elevated cancer mortality, pneumonia admissions, obesity, dialysis, and developmental delay indicators, and described concerns about pesticide drift near schools and homes, including reports of children becoming ill after nearby spraying and low levels of chlorpyrifos detected in dust samples. An environmental health scientist from the University of Hawaiʻi described a pilot project using restricted use pesticide data in a public health context. She said the project began after seeing maps of Central Oʻahu pesticide use and aimed to pair GIS data with health and ethnicity data, while also conducting community focus groups. Preliminary focus group themes included calls to action, voting and policymaker awareness, concern about pesticide use near homes and fields, lack of community consent, and a desire to stay engaged. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I don't think this is limited to NHCC.
• The human-animal bond is critical to mental and emotional health and healing.

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The House Labor, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee met and first heard House Memorial 7, which asks Legislative Council Service, the State Personnel Office, DFA, and GSD to study the use of temporary, term, seasonal, casual, on-call, and other non-regular classifications in state government. The memorial was presented as a response to concerns that some workers are repeatedly terminated and rehired, sometimes after a one-day break, to avoid regular status and associated benefits. Testimony from CWA and AFSCME described long-term temporary workers at the National Hispanic Cultural Center and other agencies who allegedly do full-time work without health insurance, retirement, leave, or consistent pay progression, and who in some cases were denied union coverage. Committee members questioned the scope, definitions of temporary employment, and whether the issue should instead be referred to the state auditor; the sponsor said the study would gather data and recommendations first. The committee voted due pass, and House Memorial 7 passed unanimously. The committee then heard House Bill 177, which appropriates funds to the Veterans Services Department to contract for shelter and care of service and companion animals so veterans can access housing, medical care, and other services without fearing separation from their pets. Support came from the Veterans Services Department, Animal Protection New Mexico, and the Veterans and Military Families Caucus/Veterans Integration Center, all of whom said pets are often a barrier to veterans seeking care and that existing community-based animal boarding models could be used. The bill received no opposition, and the committee voted due pass with no opposition. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 43, a PERA cleanup bill intended to update and clarify the Public Employees Retirement Act and align it with administrative practice. Testimony focused on a provision allowing PERA to use licensed physicians, including out-of-state physicians who can be licensed in New Mexico, to serve on the disability review process when needed so disability cases are not delayed. Committee members raised concerns about ensuring medical expertise and avoiding abuse of the licensing flexibility, but PERA explained the change was meant to address recruitment difficulties and maintain timely review. The committee voted due pass on House Bill 43.