Transcript Highlights:

• c> my</c><00:03:53.840><c> name</c><00:03:54.000><c> is</c> and committee members, my name is and committee
• 07.680><c> thank</c> Chair Putin, committee members, thank Chair Putin, committee members, thank you<
• </c><01:05:43.200><c> Thank</c> for a such committee like you. Thank for a such committee like you.
• </c> director at Natural Resource Services director at Natural Resource Services and<01:15:29.840><c>
• My name is Jen committee.

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> service and somebody who's an employee? service and somebody who's an employee?
• Now House Bill 1909, the U Human Services Department. The LBR was $1,066,835,262.
• Now, finally, House Bill 1921, Rehab Services. Rehab Services. Now, this is a final action bill.
• Questions on rehab services? Questions on rehab services?
• </c> handling and uh and other services. handling and uh and other services.

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 12 March, 2026; 10:30 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , such as interpreting services, CART services, which is where, like you have up there, those who don't
• Also, it would help a lot of individuals receiving case management services to get services that will
• Also, it would help a lot of the individuals receiving case management services to get services that
• The essential services that the Commission has been providing are really good services.
• We are urging the committee, the Ways and Means committees, to add $22 million to the governor's $278

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• HR 208 would direct the Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study the services provided
• HR 208 would direct the Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study the services provided
• for vision impairment and blindness in the legislative budget and finance committee to study the services
• Services instead of the Department of Human Resources.
• Services instead of the Department of Human Resources.

Keywords: Scheduler, 973, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and hospitality, and health and human services.
• and Hospitality Health and food service and Hospitality Health and Human<00:31:25.559><c> Services</
• I will graduate from MICC in May with a certificate in Health and Human Services.
• classroom</c><00:34:51.159><c> work</c> Human Services through my classroom work Human Services through
• I chose a Health and Human Services certificate at MICC.

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Every bill that gets reported to this committee, or any committee for that matter, has to have a public
• This honorable committee can...
• Her Secretary of Health and Human Services... She's well aware of what's going on.
• Her Secretary of Health and Human Services is waiting and wants to expedite the D.O.N. process at the
• And we spent a lot of time addressing officials in health and human services, DPH.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee first heard testimony on H. 3599, a bill concerning access to historic Indian lands and easements for landlocked tribal parcels in Massachusetts. Witnesses, including members of the Mashpee Wampanoag and Herring Pond communities, said the bill would restore access to family lands that have long been treated as landlocked and had been denied easements by necessity in prior court rulings. They described heavy tax burdens, prior litigation, and support from the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, with conditional support from the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe pending language changes. Committee members asked about the tax assessments and the status of tribal support, and the chair said the committee would follow up on possible amendments. The committee then took up S. 2922, which would authorize an underground easement at Magazine Beach in Cambridge for the Greater Cambridge Energy Project. Eversource representatives said the easement is needed for a transmission line connecting the Brighton and Kendall Square substations, supporting grid reliability and the Commonwealth’s clean energy transition. They said DCR would receive fair market value and replacement land in Wendell to satisfy Article 97 requirements. No objections were raised, and the panel’s testimony concluded without a vote recorded in the transcript. Most of the hearing focused on H. 5047, which would authorize the Commonwealth to take the Norwood Hospital site by eminent domain so the hospital can be restored. Sponsors, local officials, hospital task force members, EMS and fire representatives, a chamber of commerce leader, and a former hospital administrator all argued that the 2020 flood and Steward’s bankruptcy left the region without adequate care, causing longer ambulance transports, emergency room boarding, staffing strain, and economic losses. They said the site remains a partially completed shell, that the state should be able to acquire it and bring in a nonprofit operator, and that the taking would not require state funding because an operator would pay the acquisition costs. Committee members from both chambers expressed support and asked about costs, timing, infrastructure, and whether a nonprofit operator is being pursued. The chair took the bill under advisement after extensive testimony; no vote was taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• the fear and stigma that many healthcare professionals experience when in need of mental health services
• 00:01:24.640><c> of</c><00:01:24.799><c> mental</c><00:01:25.079><c> health</c><00:01:25.360><c> services
• </c> when in need of mental health services when in need of mental health services and and and support
• Health Services encourage healthcare workers<00:03:44.519><c> who</c><00:03:44.640><c> are</c><00:03
• Hoping to soon get a hearing in committee.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our work gets bundled with the work of the Human Services and the Health Committee on an annual basis
• Chair, this is a policy bill which covers the Department of Human Services, the Department of Direct
• We had a separate bill that was presented in the Human Services that contained all the elements of direct
• We had a separate bill that was presented in the Human Services that contained all the elements of direct
• We had a separate bill that was presented in the Human Services that contained all the elements of direct

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> committee sub. committee sub.
• </c> the committee substitute. the committee substitute.
• </c> inadequate service. inadequate service.
• It has the makeup of the study committee.<02:44:53.600><c> Um</c> committee. Um committee.
• </c> the human cost. the human cost.

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 10 February, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving on to page 13, which starts the Department of Health and Human Services.
• I'm associate commissioner here at the Department of Health and Human Services.
• </c><00:51:24.720><c> Services</c> Department of Health and Human Services Department of Health and Human
• </c><05:14:47.760><c> Services</c> Department of Health and Human Services Department of Health and Human
• Um, the Health and Human Services.

Keywords: 10am HB 1 & HB 2, 928, house, all

Summary: The committee of conference for HB 1 and HB 2 reviewed the side-by-side budget comparison and began working through agreed and disputed items. Members first confirmed that grayed-out items were already settled and discussed a process for making later technical and intent changes, especially to true up abolished positions after additional decisions were made. They then moved through several budget sections, including judicial branch reductions, retirement systems, the Department of Justice, the Human Rights Commission, liquor enforcement, corrections, and the Department of Information Technology. Several items were agreed to or treated as settled package items, including the judicial branch position, the Department of Justice reduction, the Human Rights Commission item being held until related HB 2 language is finalized, the Housing Appeals Board being moved into the Board of Tax and Land Appeals, and the Office of Child Advocate. The committee also agreed to update the House bill language as needed based on HB 2 decisions, and to keep certain IT support rows in place unless related boards and commissions are eliminated. The effective date remained July 1, 2025, with no change. The main unresolved discussion centered on the retirement systems budget, where the Senate defended a large increase for deferred IT security and investment-function improvements, while the House argued the increase was too large and favored a back-of-the-budget cut. The Senate said the funds would support strategic IT and investment changes and would remain in the trust if cut, while the House emphasized the size of the increase and suggested a compromise. The committee ultimately retained the Senate position on retirement systems for the moment and said it would return to the issue later. On corrections and liquor enforcement, the committee described a negotiated back-of-the-budget cut structure, including a $10 million cut for corrections with some restoration of POS offices and administrative aides, and a liquor enforcement cut that was treated as part of a broader package. The Department of Safety item related to commercial enforcement and motor vehicle inspections was held for later discussion. The meeting ended with several items agreed, several held for coordination with HB 2, and some major budget questions still open.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, Committee on Labor and Technology. We have a 3:10 p.m. agenda.
• It clarifies that the civil service exemption for personal service contracts for building custodial and
• </c><00:30:53.880><c> Statewide</c> violence Survivor Services Statewide violence Survivor Services Statewide
• </c><00:31:20.559><c> uh</c> sexual assault Survivor Service uh sexual assault Survivor Service uh providers
• </c><00:32:12.320><c> Resources</c> the Department of uh Human Resources the Department of uh Human Resources

Committee: Senate Labor and Technology

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Labor and Technology heard several labor-related measures. SB 183 would allow arbitration to resolve disputes over state and county contributions to the EUTF benefits trust fund; labor groups supported it, and the committee advanced it with amendments. SB 185, concerning indebtedness to the state, drew support from unions and discussion with DAGS about tiered repayment options for lower-paid employees; DAGS said the system could be programmed to accommodate the bill, and the measure was also advanced with amendments. SB 458 would expand the definition of employer for wage-payment laws to include the state and counties when no comparable public-employee provision exists; HSTA testified in support, citing repeated delayed pay for teachers, while DAGS and county representatives raised operational concerns. The committee deferred SB 458 for further administrative work. SB 425, on qualified community rehabilitation programs and the aggregate contract cap, was advanced with technical amendments after UPW said employers were splitting contracts to exceed the statutory threshold. The committee also considered SB 1287, which would apply unfair and deceptive practices law to tipped food and beverage establishments and require tip-pool signage with wage-division contact information. The Attorney General’s office recommended a savings clause to avoid retroactive application issues, and the committee passed the bill with amendments. SB 1660 would require hospitality employers to adopt anti-harassment measures, training, panic buttons, and anti-retaliation protections; the Commission on the Status of Women and worker advocates supported it, while DLIR noted existing complaint systems and the need for rulemaking. The committee adopted amendments incorporating sexual assault hotline information, panic-button guidance, and employer flexibility on translation languages, then passed the bill with amendments. SB 631, relating to the Department of Human Resources Development, was deferred, with the chair noting a prior law already allows departments to screen and select applicants from initial pools.

Transcript Highlights:

• employment services to the Division of Medicaid.
• The Division of Public Health is located under Health and Human Services.
• It's comprised of four programs: physical health services, laboratory services, suicide prevention and
• Additionally, you can see the removal of emergency medical services, the emergency medical services program
• There are absolutely potential uses in health and human services across our programs.

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations for several Department of Health and Welfare divisions, including Early Learning and Development, Public Health Services, and Family and Community Partnerships. The analyst and director explained recent reorganizations, such as moving the Idaho Child Care Program into Early Learning and Development, shifting Emergency Medical Services out of Public Health, and proposing to move the Idaho Home Visiting Program from Public Health to Early Learning and Development for efficiency. The presentations also covered ongoing and one-time funding requests for child care capacity, immunizations, HIV and hepatitis prevention, lab testing, disaster preparedness, and kinship navigation services. A major focus was the Idaho Child Care Program capacity funding. Committee members asked about the source of the money, how much was already set aside, whether the funds would create new slots rather than subsidize existing ones, and how the department would verify proper use. The director said the money comes from the federal Child Care Development Block Grant, is intended to expand provider capacity in underserved and rural areas, and can support both licensed and unlicensed providers as long as federal health and safety requirements are met. Members also questioned the proposed five new program integrity positions, including a fraud investigator, and the director said they are needed for a full annual review of providers and beneficiaries; she later corrected that the positions are ongoing, not one-time, funding. Public health questions centered on the effectiveness of HIV and hepatitis prevention spending, the immunization assessment fund, and the role of public health more broadly. The director said HIV and hepatitis funds support education, screening, and surveillance rather than treatment, that the state continues to see a need despite rising case counts, and that the department is revamping outcome reporting. On immunizations, she said the assessment fund is financed by insurer assessments and supports vaccine purchases at lower cost, with the governor recommending an increase based on the assessment board’s decision. Members also asked about the home visiting program’s funding history, the proposed transfer of funds between Youth Safety and Permanency and Switzie for rare complex cases, and the use of ARPA funds for one-time data modernization projects. No formal votes were taken in the transcript, and the committee adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's an honor to work for this committee.
• You see the unbilled services rate going down.
• A big fund shift for health and human services, again, from federal to dedicated funds, and then some
• And just to remind this committee, or talk to our new committee members, the way that PISF works is it
• Members of the committee, my name is Morgan Poloni.

Summary: The committee met as JFAC for a statewide budget overview and related process presentations. Keith Bybee of LSO walked members through the general fund outlook, emphasizing that projected revenues for FY 2026 and FY 2027 are below current budgeted spending, creating a structural imbalance that will require either budget reductions or use of one-time cash and reserve balances. He highlighted major statutory cost drivers over the last several years, including public defense, IT services, Medicaid expansion, public schools, and water resources, and reviewed cash reconciliation items, transfers, supplementals, rescissions, and the governor’s proposed use of various fund balances and interest earnings to help balance the budget. Members asked about the deficit, corrections costs, tax conformity timing, fire suppression deficiency funds, and whether stabilization funds should be used; Bybee stressed that the Legislature has options but must decide whether to rely on short-term money or make longer-term structural changes. Janet Jessup then explained the budget hearing process and the Legislative Budget Book, including historical summaries, fund analyses, organizational charts, five-year snapshots, performance measures, and enhancement/outcome reporting. Morgan Poloni followed with an overview of deficiency warrants and supplemental appropriations, explaining that deficiency warrants cover certain authorized expenses after they occur and are typically used for items like fire suppression or pest control, while supplementals adjust the current year appropriation and can apply to general, dedicated, or federal funds. She noted that deficiency warrant requests have grown in recent years, largely due to pest control, and that supplemental and rescission bills may require emergency clauses to take effect immediately. Francis Lippett presented on state health insurance costs, saying FY 2024 spending on health and dental insurance was $646.2 million and that costs are rising faster than in prior years. She explained how the state uses employee premiums, a sweep account, and reserve balances to stabilize the plan, and said the FY 2027 appropriation is expected to rise about 14 percent, with employee premiums projected to increase 7.3 percent to maintain the current 80/20 cost split. Members asked about why premiums are charged for benefit-eligible employees who decline coverage, how reserve targets are set, how school district employees fit into the state plan, and how the state selects its insurance carrier; the Division of Insurance administrator said the plan is administered by Regence under a multi-year contract and that the state will rebid the plan within the contract term.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'd appreciate your sharing with the committee some... ...to address the committee.
• Where I currently serve on FAU's Governance Committee as chair and the Committee for Strategic Planning
• Bid contracts under a master services agreement for various services, including what I do, which is health
• One is the service and community. So, Ms.
• We fund them to basically provide a service to the state, which is to create a service to— We fund them

Summary: The Committee on Ethics and Elections met to consider several executive appointments, beginning with Matthew Walsh, Secretary of the Department of Juvenile Justice, for confirmation. Walsh outlined his long law-enforcement career, social work background, and priorities at DJJ, including staff wellness, reclassifying juvenile detention and probation officers as officers under statute, adding beds to move youth from detention into residential programs, and increasing per diem funding. Members asked about detention “dead time” and the need to get adjudicated youth into programming sooner. Public testimony included support from Barney Bishop and Christian Minor, and the committee voted unanimously to approve Walsh’s nomination and forward it to the full Senate. The committee then heard from Tina Vidal-Duarte, nominee for the Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees. She described her business background as CEO of CDR Health, her education, and extensive nonprofit and board service, including leadership roles with the Florida Grand Opera, the Homeless Trust of Miami-Dade County, FAU, and the Hope Florida Foundation. Senators questioned her about free speech issues involving FAU faculty, her relationship with the new FAU president, student diversity, AI and workforce planning, and her prior role on Hope Florida. She also answered questions about her company’s work at the Everglades detention center and the bidding process for state contracts. Public testimony opposed her nomination, citing concerns about her business ties, Hope Florida, and detention-center contracts. Debate split largely along partisan lines, and the committee approved her nomination on a recorded vote. Afterward, the committee took up the remaining nominations in Tabs 2 through 15, excluding Tab 10, and approved them as a group by voice/recorded vote for forwarding to the full Senate. The meeting then concluded with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Services.
• House Bill No. 518 by the Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee: an act relating to human trafficking
• Jordan Redman, chairman of the House Business Committee.
• House Commerce and Human Resources Committee will not meet Friday, January 23rd, Holtzclaw Chairman.
• House Commerce and Human Resources Committee will not meet Friday, January 23rd, Holtz-Claude Chairman

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In the House of Representatives, House Bill 544, by the Commerce and Human Resources Committee...
• In the House of Representatives, House Bill 544, by the Commerce and Human Resources Committee, an act
• In the House of Representatives House Bill 544 by Commerce and Human Resources Committee, an act relating
• In the House of Representatives, House Bill 642, by the Commerce and Human Resources Committee, an act
• service.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and if student services have been affected.
• I'm the chair of the Military and Veterans Committee here in the state.
• Including financial aid, bond debt service, and retirement fund contributions.
• And so basic needs services are incredibly critical.
• So, Frank Retarte, Vice Chancellor for Human Resources.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education held its first 2026 hearing on higher education, focusing on UC and CSU system updates, student housing, enrollment, and core operations. In opening remarks, the chair noted recent state fiscal stress, the prior rejection of proposed UC/CSU cuts, and the Governor’s proposed 5% ongoing compact increases. UC President James B. Milliken and CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia described the systems’ public value, research and workforce roles, and the impact of federal actions on grants, financial aid, and campus operations. Both also emphasized Title IX and civil rights efforts; CSU said it had implemented nearly all state auditor recommendations and was on track to finish the remaining one, while UC highlighted its systemwide civil rights and Title IX offices. Both leaders said federal investigations, grant cancellations, and litigation demands were consuming staff time and money, with UC reporting more than 200 grants lost or affected and CSU citing more than $161 million in lost grants and more than 1,600 grants affected overall. The committee then heard on student housing. Finance and LAO staff said the Governor’s budget made no major new housing proposal but continued support for the Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program. CSU reported 12 supported projects that will add about 5,047 beds, most below market rate, with four already open and seven more expected this year; it also said it has about 68,000 beds systemwide, a 92% occupancy rate, and ongoing emergency housing support. UC said the program has supported seven UC projects and two joint community college projects, adding more than 7,000 beds total, but nearly 10,000 UC students were on housing waitlists at the start of fall 2025. UC asked for additional state support, including possible bond funding and a statutory change to allow UC participation in public-private partnership housing projects. Members discussed rapid rehousing, student homelessness, faculty and staff housing, and community college housing partnerships, with both systems describing existing emergency beds and support services. On enrollment, LAO recommended maintaining UC’s 2026-27 resident undergraduate target, funding enrollment growth separately from base increases, pausing the nonresident reduction plan, and holding UC flat in 2027-28. For CSU, LAO recommended revising the 2026-27 target downward to reflect current projections, funding growth separately, and holding 2027-28 flat. CSU said it had rebounded from COVID declines, now exceeds its funded target by about 3,000 FTE, and is shifting about $89 million and 10,000 FTE spots from lower-demand campuses to higher-demand ones while developing turnaround plans for seven campuses with sustained enrollment declines, including Sonoma State. CSU also described direct admissions, transfer success pathways, and new degree programs aimed at workforce needs. UC said it had surpassed its compact enrollment goals, planned to add 2,721 California undergraduates in 2026-27, and was seeking $5.5 million for health professional programs. Members raised concerns about underprepared freshmen, K-12 alignment, nonresident caps at UC San Diego, deferred maintenance, ROTC access, and the need for stronger turnaround plans and teacher preparation pipelines. The final item on core operations addressed the Governor’s proposal to defer 3% base funding again, moving the one-time deferral to 2027-28 and allowing short-term zero-interest loans to cover it.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh scope of this and the committee.
• :12:44.399><c> and</c><00:12:44.639><c> cadaavver</c> year of human anatomy and cadaavver year of human
• ,</c> to be made in the conference committee, to be made in the conference committee, I'm<00:15:04.240
• </c><00:15:25.440><c> members</c> us, staff, and um, our committee members us, staff, and um, our committee
• So, debate and discussion and committee.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• meet human needs.
• The 11-hour service time is critical for drivers.
• The service network, because I'm sure, Mr.
• It varies upon the service that's being provided.
• Good afternoon, Chair and members of the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, committee, just for your information...
• We're so glad to have you in the committee.
• Okay, committee, we have House Bill 587. Okay, committee.
• This is information that the committee has.
• Thank you for being with our committee today.

Summary: The committee began with a brief introduction of a new Senate page, Antoine Taylor, who spoke about his interest in the legislative process, his plans to serve a mission in Paris, and his future goal of studying business at BYU-Idaho. Members then took up several routine items, including confirmation of gubernatorial appointee James Keating to the Parks and Recreation Board and approval of multiple sets of committee minutes, all of which passed without opposition. The committee heard a presentation from the Department of Environmental Quality on the groundwater quality rule under zero-based regulation. Jerry Henry explained that the rule updates and streamlines groundwater standards, including adopting current drinking water standards by reference and adding or revising standards for arsenic, uranium, lead, and PFAS. Because of ongoing federal litigation over PFAS standards, the committee approved the rule docket with exceptions, rejecting the sections that incorporated the unresolved federal standards. The committee also heard from gubernatorial appointee Michael Leiden, whose confirmation was held for a later meeting after members asked about his extensive oil and gas background in Alaska. House Bill 587, which would provide continuous spending authority for revenues in the Idaho Rangeland Improvement Act account, was then debated. The sponsor said the bill was needed so funds from grants and federal partners could be spent without delay, citing lost funding in the past. Several senators expressed concern about giving up legislative appropriation control, but the bill passed the committee on a 6-2 vote. The meeting concluded with the Idaho Department of Lands annual update from Director Dustin Miller, who reviewed timber, fire, and stewardship operations, described record revenue and aggressive fire suppression efforts, and warned that proposed budget holdbacks could reduce staffing, slow treatment projects, and increase fire risk and costs. He also discussed House Bill 511, which would raise the cap on the structure surcharge for improved private forest parcels to support wildfire preparedness and suppression.