Transcript Highlights:

• Same request, same Senator McKelvey.
• Senator McKelvey: Uh, same request, Mr. President.
• President, same request, please. Thank you. So noted. Senator Favella.
• </c><00:13:55.720><c> Thank</c> President, I same request, please.
• Same request to Senate Senator Favella.

Bills: SB1432 , SB2024 , SB2043 , SB2060 , SB2069 , SB2153 , SB2259 , SB2319 , SB2321 , SB2338 , SB2360 , SB2396 , SB2405 , SB2407 , SB2544 , SB2550 , SB2552 , SB2578 , SB2580 , SB2607 , SB2614 , SB2671 , SB2800 , SB2805 , SB2816 , SB2835 , SB2877 , SB2892 , SB2928 , SB2934 , SB3063 , SB3199 , SB3233 , SB3325 , HCR8 , HCR10 , HCR11 , HCR13 , HCR14 , HCR18 , HCR19 , HCR22 , HCR24 , HCR31 , HCR32 , HCR33 , HCR35 , HCR54 , HCR62 , HCR63 , HCR66 , HCR67 , HCR82 , HCR83 , HCR85 , HCR91 , HCR93 , HCR94 , HCR96 , HCR98 , HCR102 , HCR104 , HCR105 , HCR106 , HCR110 , HCR111 , HCR116 , HCR117 , HCR118 , HCR121 , HCR122 , HCR123 , HCR124 , HCR125 , HCR127 , HCR128 , HCR137 , HCR139 , HCR140 , HCR141 , HCR144 , HCR146 , HCR162 , HCR165 , HCR166 , HCR173 , HCR178 , HCR179 , HCR180 , HCR181 , HCR182 , HCR185 , HCR189 , HCR191 , HCR192 , HCR193 , HCR194 , HCR200 , HCR202 , HCR6 , HCR36 , HCR42 , HCR43 , HCR44 , HCR53 , HCR57 , HCR61 , HCR64 , HCR69 , HCR84 , HCR101 , HCR103 , HCR107 , HCR112 , HCR126 , HCR136 , HCR154 , HCR161 , HCR175 , HCR186 , HCR187 , HCR188 , HCR197 , HCR203 , HCR204 , HCR206 , HB1870 , HB1588 , HB2429 , HB2386 , HB2583 , HB2361 , HB2270 , HB2137 , HB1643 , HB1682 , HB1692 , HB2078 , HB1553 , HB1667 , HB1700 , HB1728 , HB2293 , HB2096 , HB1959 , HB1511 , HB1961 , HB1858 , HB1897 , HB2088 , HB2093 , HB2279 , HB2314 , HB2505 , HB2433 , HB963 , HB1705 , HB1550 , HB469 , HB1334 , HB1710 , HB1737 , HB1753 , HB1881 , HB2309 , HB1713 , HB1741 , HB2062 , HB463 , HB1839 , HB1664 , HB2455 , HB2417 , HB1898 , HB1573 , HB1768 , HB1962 , HB2101 , HB1782 , HB2033 , HB1518 , HB1642 , HB1752 , HB2097 , HB2282 , HB1696 , HB1823 , HB1886 , HB2152 , HB2413 , HB2503 , HB1875 , HB1519 , HB1509 , HB1628 , HB1810 , HB1990 , HB2023 , HB2540 , HB1679 , HB1888 , HB2576 , HB2592

Keywords: Kalaupapa, Kalawao, Molokai, Maui County, county consolidation, Hansen's disease, leprosy, Department of Health, DOH, patient residents, former patients, public health, transition planning, jurisdiction transfer, county governance, historical preservation, cultural preservation, environmental remediation, community input, Kalaupapa Settlement

Transcript Highlights:

• Can Senator Kim, you relay the prayer request to Pastor Chinan?
• Can Senator Kim, you relay the prayer request to Pastor Chinan?
• ><c> prayer</c> Can uh Senator Kim, you relay the prayer Can uh Senator Kim, you relay the prayer request
• </c><00:18:11.040><c> So,</c><00:18:11.280><c> we'll</c><00:18:11.480><c> have</c> request to Pastor
• So, we'll have request to Pastor Chinan?

Bills: SB1432 , SB2024 , SB2043 , SB2060 , SB2069 , SB2153 , SB2259 , SB2319 , SB2321 , SB2338 , SB2360 , SB2396 , SB2405 , SB2407 , SB2544 , SB2550 , SB2552 , SB2578 , SB2580 , SB2607 , SB2614 , SB2671 , SB2800 , SB2805 , SB2816 , SB2835 , SB2877 , SB2892 , SB2928 , SB2934 , SB3063 , SB3199 , SB3233 , SB3325 , HCR8 , HCR10 , HCR11 , HCR13 , HCR14 , HCR18 , HCR19 , HCR22 , HCR24 , HCR31 , HCR32 , HCR33 , HCR35 , HCR54 , HCR62 , HCR63 , HCR66 , HCR67 , HCR82 , HCR83 , HCR85 , HCR91 , HCR93 , HCR94 , HCR96 , HCR98 , HCR102 , HCR104 , HCR105 , HCR106 , HCR110 , HCR111 , HCR116 , HCR117 , HCR118 , HCR121 , HCR122 , HCR123 , HCR124 , HCR125 , HCR127 , HCR128 , HCR137 , HCR139 , HCR140 , HCR141 , HCR144 , HCR146 , HCR162 , HCR165 , HCR166 , HCR173 , HCR178 , HCR179 , HCR180 , HCR181 , HCR182 , HCR185 , HCR189 , HCR191 , HCR192 , HCR193 , HCR194 , HCR200 , HCR202 , HCR6 , HCR36 , HCR42 , HCR43 , HCR44 , HCR53 , HCR57 , HCR61 , HCR64 , HCR69 , HCR84 , HCR101 , HCR103 , HCR107 , HCR112 , HCR126 , HCR136 , HCR154 , HCR161 , HCR175 , HCR186 , HCR187 , HCR188 , HCR197 , HCR203 , HCR204 , HCR206 , HB1870 , HB1588 , HB2429 , HB2386 , HB2583 , HB2361 , HB2270 , HB2137 , HB1643 , HB1682 , HB1692 , HB2078 , HB1553 , HB1667 , HB1700 , HB1728 , HB2293 , HB2096 , HB1959 , HB1511 , HB1961 , HB1858 , HB1897 , HB2088 , HB2093 , HB2279 , HB2314 , HB2505 , HB2433 , HB963 , HB1705 , HB1550 , HB469 , HB1334 , HB1710 , HB1737 , HB1753 , HB1881 , HB2309 , HB1713 , HB1741 , HB2062 , HB463 , HB1839 , HB1664 , HB2455 , HB2417 , HB1898 , HB1573 , HB1768 , HB1962 , HB2101 , HB1782 , HB2033 , HB1518 , HB1642 , HB1752 , HB2097 , HB2282 , HB1696 , HB1823 , HB1886 , HB2152 , HB2413 , HB2503 , HB1875 , HB1519 , HB1509 , HB1628 , HB1810 , HB1990 , HB2023 , HB2540 , HB1679 , HB1888 , HB2576 , HB2592

Keywords: Kalaupapa, Kalawao, Molokai, Maui County, county consolidation, Hansen's disease, leprosy, Department of Health, DOH, patient residents, former patients, public health, transition planning, jurisdiction transfer, county governance, historical preservation, cultural preservation, environmental remediation, community input, Kalaupapa Settlement

Transcript Highlights:

• In this one, I believe we have an agreement to defer as it's in the budget.
• Is that correct with it's in the budget. Is that correct with you?<02:08:58.239><c> Yes.
• </c><02:09:35.520><c> Is</c> be deferred as it's in the budget.
• Is be deferred as it's in the budget.
• My request is we roll it to the end of the calendar. You guys make phone calls. Okay.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:52:18.760><c> Non-compliance</c> bother requesting it. Non-compliance bother requesting it.
• Under this bill, those losses would have fallen on the state budget.
• chips, which are all run through managed care and account for billions in the state budget.
• . fallen on the state budget.
• </c> billions in the state budget. billions in the state budget.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House File 3939, a bill to support a Helping Paws service-dog litter named in honor of Gilbert and the Hortman family. Testimony from Helping Paws and service-dog graduate Angie Foley described the organization’s work, the significance of the “Guided by Gilbert” litter, and how the funding would help train dogs that provide independence and support to people with disabilities, veterans, and others. Members from both parties spoke warmly about Speaker Hortman’s connection to the organization and Gilbert, and the bill was laid over for possible inclusion. The committee then considered House File 3769, the Department of Corrections’ technical omnibus bill, with an A1 amendment adopted to clarify tuberculosis testing language. The bill updates TB screening procedures in correctional facilities, including how refusals are handled, and adds Quantiferon Gold Plus testing as an option alongside existing methods. Members discussed whether the bill would create costs for counties and jails, with some noting added testing and segregation costs and others arguing the changes would improve accuracy and reduce time in restrictive housing. The bill, as amended, was recommended to the general register. House File 3978 was next, a technical cleanup bill for a provider wellness program created last year. The bill expands eligibility and confidentiality protections from physicians to all health care providers, while supporters said the program is meant to address burnout and mental health strain in the workforce and does not require new money. Some members questioned whether the change was redundant or would broaden the program without additional funding, but the Minnesota Medical Association testified that the program is separate from insurance and was intended to serve all providers. The bill was recommended to the general register. Finally, the committee began House File 3476, which Rep. Liebling described as a cleanup bill related to Minnesota’s Medicaid managed care system and public program oversight. She argued that the state spends billions through managed care organizations and that the system has never been proven better than direct payment, setting up a broader discussion of the bill’s purpose and the state’s oversight of public health care spending.

Transcript Highlights:

• We did cover the scope that the request for qualifications and the request for proposals is expected
• We did cover the scope that the request for qualifications and the request for proposals is expected
• My question for you, Carly, is what happens if we go over budget?
• The first step is releasing a request for qualifications.
• Those are part of the request for proposals.

Committee: Joint Joint Oregon-Washington Legislative Action Committee

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And first, I respectfully request a roll call on this. A roll call has been requested.
• And, Madam, I would like to request a roll call as well. Roll call has been requested.
• Seeing 15 has requested a roll call.
• So, able to get it into the base budget.
• </c> impact, we're passing a two-year budget impact, we're passing a two-year budget right<01:59:11.679

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> through request. through request.
• Um this comes at the request of Senator Hill, this comes at the request of Janette and Judge Touchstone
• Um this comes at the request of Senator Hill, this comes at the request of Janette and Judge Touchstone
• Chairman, that would be my amendment. >> Um, do we know where this bill was requested?
• </c><00:39:35.040><c> this</c> where this bill's who's requested this where this bill's who's requested

Committee: Joint Judiciary, Division B

Keywords: Judiciary, Division B - Room 409, 25 February, 2026; 9:00 A.M., 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Out of that came an order book strategy and a request for information, or RFI, that was released last
• , and schedule overruns from different nuclear We've seen cost overruns, budget overruns, and schedule
• This obviously can create some concerns about overruns and, you know, mismanaged budgets.
• This obviously can create some concerns about overruns and, you know, mismanaged budgets.
• In Tennessee, the governor's budget, which was approved by the legislature, included some funding for

Committee: Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This was at the request of Representative Stark, the suggestion of Representative Stark.
• This was at the request of Representative Stark, the suggestion of Representative Stark.
• It was not on my request list.
• This was at the request of the FDLE. Questions of the sponsor? Questions of the sponsor?
• By Commerce Committee, Budget Committee, Please. Show the motion adopted.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for two service members killed in the Middle East, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum present. Members adopted the special order report and then began taking up the special order calendar. The first major measure was HB 7031, the annual tax package, which included a hunting, fishing, and camping sales tax holiday, a back-to-school holiday moved earlier in the summer, property tax changes for mobile home parks and other exemptions, reductions in pari-mutuel taxes and fees, extensions and expansions of several tax credit programs, vacation-rental tax collection changes, and a full decoupling from federal tax changes in the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” The bill drew questions about the fiscal impact of decoupling and the firearm-accessories holiday; supporters emphasized fiscal caution, housing and home-hardening provisions, and family tax relief, while opponents objected to the firearm-related tax break. HB 7031 passed 105-2. The House then passed CS/CS/CS HB 1177 on Space Florida and spaceport operations, which updates business development rules, board membership, and creates a strategic spaceport hub designation. CS/CS HB 639/CS SB 246 on specialty license plates also passed after a strike-all amendment that added several new plates, revised the Fraternal Order of Police plate, and tightened financial and nonprofit requirements for plate sponsors. CS HB 697 on drug prices and coverage passed after debate on pharmacy benefit manager reforms requiring equal reimbursement, prohibiting forced losses on drugs, and allowing consolidated appeals. CS/CS HB 1263 on the Office of Insurance Regulation passed with an amendment clarifying fingerprinting provisions, and CS/CS HB 527 passed with a human-review requirement for insurance claim denials so AI cannot be the sole basis for denying or reducing claims. Additional bills approved included CS HB 1449, which limits use of the statewide provider and health plan claim dispute resolution program when a claim is already in the federal process and, by amendment, narrows the bill to out-of-network emergency services and claims of $50,000 or less; CS HB 93, requiring surgical smoke evacuation systems in hospitals and surgical centers, which passed overwhelmingly after emotional bipartisan praise for the sponsor’s multi-session effort; and CS HB 1217, which prohibits governmental entities from adopting net-zero greenhouse gas policies, after Democrats argued it would preempt local climate and resilience efforts and Republicans argued it protects energy reliability and affordability. The House also passed CS/CS HB 1461 establishing a framework for licensing and regulating advanced nuclear reactors, with supporters framing it as a step toward reliable, affordable, cleaner energy. Later, CS HB 1229 on residential homes for medically or technologically dependent children was explained as creating a licensure program for medically complex children’s homes and was rolled over for final passage as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• and a $75 billion surplus budget.
• </c> &gt;&gt; morning roll call being requested? &gt;&gt; morning roll call being requested?
• </c> &gt;&gt; Morning roll call's been requested. &gt;&gt; Morning roll call's been requested.
• </c> requested. Anyone object? requested. Anyone object?
• </c> requested. Anyone object that procedure? requested. Anyone object that procedure?

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 12 February, 2026; 9:30 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The FTEs are in that budget. Mr.
• Chairman, you're on that work group, and those eight FTEs are in the current budget right now.
• The FTEs are in that budget. Mr.
• Chairman, you're on that work group, and those eight FTEs are in the current budget right now.
• As far as CCN requests, I worked for a municipality before I worked where I'm at now.

Bills: SB863 , SB1190 , SB1261 , SB1413 , SB1624 , SB1662 , SB1663 , SB1855 , SB1967 , SB2124 , SB2204 , SB1623

Committee: Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Keywords: Edwards Aquifer, water conservation, reclaimed water, aquifer storage, environmental protection, water loss, municipally owned utilities, Texas Water Development Board, administrative penalties, water audit, water infrastructure, water supply, state water plan, water management strategies, water financing, municipal bonds, revenue bonds, public debt, obligations, TWDB

Summary: The Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs heard several water-related bills, with testimony focused on drinking water quality, groundwater contamination notice, flood infrastructure funding, water rights conservation, and utility service areas. SB 1662 would limit TCEQ’s advance notice to public water systems to no more than 24 hours before testing after a consumer complaint, to reduce the chance of temporary treatment affecting results. SB 1663 would allow TCEQ to notify private well owners, groundwater conservation districts, and nearby residents by direct means about known groundwater contamination, rather than relying mainly on first-class mail and annual reporting. SB 2124 would move the deadline for publishing the Texas Groundwater Protection Committee’s annual report from April 1 to June 1. Witnesses on the first two bills described long-running water quality problems and delayed notice in their communities and supported the measures. No opposition was recorded, and each bill was left pending for a later vote. The committee also heard SB 1967, which would expand eligibility for Flood Infrastructure Fund financing to multipurpose projects that both reduce flooding and create water supply. Senator Hinojosa and Hidalgo County representatives described the Delta Reclamation Project as a shovel-ready example that would capture flood and drainage water, treat it, and produce new potable supply while also providing detention and flood mitigation. A Sierra Club witness also supported the bill, saying such projects could help manage floodwaters and reduce polluted discharges to bays and estuaries. The bill was left pending. A lengthy and divided discussion followed on SB 1413, which would expand the streamlined expedited release process for landowners seeking removal from a water or sewer CCN in additional counties. Senator Nichols said the bill was a property-rights measure aimed at legacy monopolies and bad actors who use CCNs to hold landowners hostage, while supporters described cases where developers could not get timely service, including fire flow, or were asked to fund infrastructure without reasonable recoupment. Opponents from rural water corporations and utility associations argued the bill would undermine investment in water infrastructure, strand debt, and weaken the return on planned expansion. PUC and TCEQ resource witnesses explained that compensation is handled case by case through appraisal and can include stranded costs, planning, design, construction, and some legal fees, but members noted the statute is unclear and discussed possible committee substitute language. Public testimony was closed with the bill left pending. Later, SB 1624 would allow the Texas Water Trust within the Texas Water Bank to hold donated water rights for conservation purposes and protect them from use-it-or-lose-it cancellation, and SB 863 would address Edwards Aquifer utilities that straddle the aquifer boundary by allowing them to continue using Edwards water within their certificated areas under specified conditions. Both bills were laid out, received no public opposition in the hearing, and were left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's funded through the Sheriff's Office budget.
• What is your budget?
• Okay, and that comes out of the sheriff's budget?
• This is not a request for a new authority.
• This is not a request for a new authority.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held its fourth public hearing of the 2025-2026 session on bills dealing with involuntary commitment and access to addiction treatment, especially proposals to move Section 35 civil commitments away from jails and prisons and into facilities licensed or approved by DPH or DMH. Chairs Velis and Domb framed the hearing as a discussion of how to support people in crisis with compassion, while also warning against using involuntary commitment as a way to remove unhoused people from public view. The hearing also touched on related concerns about discharge practices, treatment capacity, and the need for a broader continuum of care. Testimony split largely along two themes. Addiction researcher Keith Humphreys argued that many people enter treatment under pressure, that involuntary treatment can be ethically justified in the face of overdose risk, but that it should not be mandated unless high-quality services exist first; he emphasized the need for inpatient care when someone is a grave danger, followed by case management and outpatient support. MAMH’s Kate Alicante supported the bill, saying Massachusetts is the only state that commits people with substance use conditions to jails or prisons and that carceral settings add trauma and stigma; she pointed to prior legislative steps, including the Section 35 commission and the planned closure of DOC’s MESAC facility, as evidence that the Commonwealth is moving toward health-based settings. A major portion of the hearing focused on Stony Brook, a sheriff-run stabilization and treatment center in Hampden County. Boston City Councilor John Fitzgerald, several committee members, and multiple people in recovery described the facility as humane, well-run, and effective, with longer stays, medical monitoring, medication-assisted treatment, counseling, and warm handoffs to aftercare. Several witnesses said Stony Brook saved their lives or helped family members recover, and they argued that the sheriff’s office model should be expanded rather than eliminated. Others, including family members and advocates, countered that even a well-run correctional setting remains stigmatizing and that people should not be treated in facilities run by sheriffs or corrections when they have committed no crime. No vote was taken. The hearing concluded with continued testimony, including Senator Friedman’s support for Section 35 as a civil commitment tool but not in a criminal justice setting, and her separate support for a bill to speed inpatient mental health treatment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those were compromise numbers between the governor's budget, the House's budget, and the Senate's budget
• to pass the budget.
• Those were compromise numbers between the governor's budget, the House's budget, and the Senate's budget
• to pass the budget.
• budget<04:46:33.040><c> any</c><04:46:33.240><c> further</c> budget any further budget any further questions

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee took up HB 651, a school-funding bill that would raise the base cost of an adequate education and increase differentiated aid for students in poverty, English language learners, and special education. The chair opened with housekeeping notices about parking and eating in committee spaces, and noted a revised fiscal note would be distributed. Representative David Luneau presented the bill as part of a broader package of public school funding measures, explaining that HB 651 builds on HB 550 and is intended to respond to court rulings and the ongoing school-funding litigation by adjusting both the base adequacy amount and equity-based funding factors. Luneau said the bill would raise the state’s adequacy grant from about $4,100 to $7,351 per student and increase differentiated aid, while also updating statutory language so future recalculations include the court-identified resource elements. He argued the measure is about fairness and shifting more of the burden from local property taxpayers to the state, not about increasing overall education spending. He reviewed fiscal-note figures indicating the bill would add roughly $576 million to the state share of school funding, bringing the total state share to about $1.65 billion, and said the note also mentions possible effects on charter schools and vouchers. Committee members asked about the evidence supporting higher costs for low-income and English learner students, how long ESL funding should continue, why free-and-reduced-lunch aid remains higher than special education aid, whether the formula is based on enrollment or average daily membership, and whether the bill is truly equitable across districts of different sizes and needs. Luneau and later witness Zach Shen of the New Hampshire School Funding Fairness Project said the bill is supported by research and court findings, that the current formula relies heavily on local property taxes, and that shifting more funding to the state would reduce property-tax pressure and help address disparities among districts. Shen also cited broad public support for the related HB 550 testimony and said HB 651 is intended as a step toward a more equitable funding system. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> respect the request the Senate. respect the request the Senate.
• Should the request the House recede.
• </c> claim asserted and the relief requested claim asserted and the relief requested do<02:18:57.359>
• </c><03:38:04.160><c> A</c><03:38:04.319><c> budget</c><03:38:04.560><c> and</c> budget and tax calendar
• A budget and budget and tax calendar. A budget and tax<03:38:04.960><c> calendar.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Monday, April 13, 2026, 960, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're trying to plan a budget.
• city operating budget.
• Essentially, what happens is once we know the number, then we can budget and reduce our budget to that
• city operating budget.
• And this is a budget that is tied to the rest of our city's budget.

Committee: House Crime and Public Safety

Summary: The committee on Crime and Public Safety held public hearings on House Bill 3175 and House Bill 3066. HB 3175, called Mason’s Law, was presented by Rep. Chris Brown as a system to let the Department of Revenue, Missouri Highway Patrol, and MULES alert officers during traffic stops if a driver may have a disability or health condition affecting communication. Brown described a traffic stop involving a young man with autism and said the bill would allow a physician-verified designation tied to license plates and driver records. Testimony in support came from Mason and his mother, who said the bill could prevent dangerous misunderstandings, along with a friend, a speech-hearing association representative, and Kansas City police, who said officers already receive crisis-intervention training. No opposition testimony was offered. HB 3066, by Rep. Brad Christ, would clarify parts of the new St. Louis City police governance structure, including responsibility for civil liabilities, budgeting, and extending the transition director’s term. Christ said the bill is meant to clean up language from last year’s police governance changes and address disputes over who pays for lawsuits arising from different time periods, while also allowing the Board of Police Commissioners more flexibility to move money within its budget. Several witnesses and members raised concerns that the bill would weaken the city’s Board of Estimate and Apportionment, reduce transparency and checks and balances, and shift financial burdens onto city taxpayers and vital city services. City representatives opposed the bill and urged waiting for a memorandum of understanding to resolve the issues locally, while supporters from the police board, the police officers association, and the Attorney General’s office said the bill would provide needed clarity and efficiency and help resolve lingering liability questions. No votes were taken on either bill during the hearing. At the end of the meeting, the chair announced that several other House bills and a House resolution would not be executed that day and might be heard later.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, I'm just saying you have to budget wiser and be frugal in how you approach your budget cuts.
• This year, we're going to have to cut budget. I just came from over the Senate.
• But we can manage and plan that budget over the next few years to play catch-up.
• and everybody's trying to budget themselves... ...you have an operating budget, and you have signed
• And we have budget starting too, so tomorrow. So a few of us are tied up with that.

Committee: House Special Committee on Property Tax Reform

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• not been included in the fiscal budget, and again in FY 27, the most recent budget debate, we continue
• The governor's budget fully funded continued operations of Pappas.
• But the decision going into the fiscal year 2025 budget was...
• We had to make difficult decisions in a difficult budget year.
• Pappas is in all the budgets, including Governor Healey's.

Summary: The hearing focused on the future of the Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children and the work of the special legislative commission studying whether and how the facility should continue. Senators and representatives said the Legislature has continued funding Pappas, that the hospital cannot be closed before the commission reports, and that they are seeking to extend the commission’s deadline. Multiple commissioners and witnesses described Pappas as a unique setting combining inpatient medical care, residential programming, special education, therapy, and campus-based activities for children with complex medical needs. Union leaders, staff, parents, and local officials argued that Pappas is being quietly depopulated through blocked admissions and continued discharges despite the formal pause on closure. They said the hospital’s integrated model cannot be replicated elsewhere, that families and staff are being left in limbo, and that the state should invest in repairs, modernization, and possibly temporary modular space to reopen admissions. Several witnesses emphasized the impact on children who have benefited from Pappas and on workers who fear losing a specialized workforce built over decades. Department of Public Health Commissioner Robert Goldstein said the state is committed to keeping Pappas open and stable while the commission works, but that admissions must meet hospital-level-of-care standards and the current infrastructure limits who can safely be served. He said the administration has been expanding outreach, hiring staff, and exploring ways to broaden services, including outpatient and therapy programs over time. Commissioners pressed him on why admissions remain so limited and whether the facility is being effectively depopulated, while Goldstein maintained that the restrictions reflect legal and safety requirements rather than an effort to close the hospital.

Transcript Highlights:

• In this case, the judiciary seems to be a microcosm of the budget process.
• Uh, the current draft of the budget is a 7% cut to the court's operating budget.
• The current draft of the budget is a 7% cut to the court's operating budget.
• is a 7% cut to the court's operating budget.
• And we are less than 1% of the state government's budget.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Family Court Subcommittee of the Children and Family Law Committee convened under Chairman Mark Pearson to continue work begun by the prior special committee on the family division of circuit court. Pearson emphasized a collaborative, consensus-based approach with the judiciary and said the subcommittee would build on earlier “low-hanging fruit” reforms while tracking how prior changes are actually working. He also explained that the subcommittee would likely form smaller working groups, with informal meetings allowed so long as they stayed within open-meeting limits. The main policy focus was House Bill 652, which was retained by the committee, along with broader questions about what additional changes family court should make. Members divided the work into two broad areas: pre-trial and trial issues. Pre-trial topics included alternative dispute resolution, mediation training and supervision, counseling/therapy for litigants with issues such as PTSD, and improving materials for pro se litigants, including New Hampshire Bar forms and instructions. The committee also discussed whether to use input from prior testimony, former litigants, other states, and legislative researchers, and whether some of the work should be assigned to two-person subgroups to allow flexible research and outreach. For trial-related issues, members identified additional training for family court judges, whether judges should be dedicated solely to family court, and how to handle the overlap between civil and criminal matters, especially domestic violence and divorce cases. Representative Raymond raised concerns about courtroom recordings and whether judges’ behavior and record preservation were adequate; Aaron Kan of the court system responded that circuit court recording practices and staffing had not changed, that circuit court lacks the court monitors used in superior court, and that resource limits prevent similar staffing. Raymond also raised the cost of obtaining trial transcripts for pro se litigants; Kan explained that transcripts are produced by private vendors because the court system no longer employs court reporters, and that the fees reflect that outsourced service rather than a court-imposed markup. No votes were taken, and the meeting ended with plans to continue gathering information and assigning subtopics for further study.

Transcript Highlights:

• For these reasons, we respectfully request your aye vote. Thank you. Thank you very much.
• So for that reason, we respectfully request a no vote at the appropriate time. Thank you very much.
• Respectfully request a no vote at the appropriate time. Thank you very much.
• An industry that once gone will create even greater budget and economic issues.
• We request a no vote. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation met as a subcommittee and announced that all bills on the agenda had revenue impacts placing them on the suspense file, so none were eligible for immediate vote. The chair also reviewed procedural rules, including the deadline for position letters and the suspense-file threshold, and later established a quorum before proceeding through the agenda. Most measures were presented, heard, and then referred to suspense without committee votes. Several bills focused on tax credits or exclusions tied to housing and property. AB 1606 proposed a five-year tax credit for small businesses facing cleanup costs from illegal dumping and encampments; AB 1971 would clarify that home-hardening retrofits are not assessable for property tax purposes; AB 2394 would create a capital gains exclusion to encourage long-term homeowners to sell and downsize; AB 1714 would offer a credit for sellers who complete required repairs for CalHFA-assisted first-time buyers; and AB 2389 would extend the property tax exclusion for newly installed solar systems. Supporters generally framed these bills as targeted relief or affordability measures, while opponents raised concerns about revenue loss, policy effectiveness, or implementation. The committee also heard a series of agriculture-related bills. AB 2427 proposed a tax credit for qualified agricultural producers to offset labor, equipment, infrastructure, and production costs, and AB 2192 would extend the state’s farm equipment sales tax exemption to local sales taxes with a General Fund backfill for local governments. Supporters argued both measures would help preserve California agriculture, jobs, and food security amid rising costs and regulatory burdens; opponents questioned the need for the subsidies and the size of the fiscal impact. Both bills were referred to suspense. Other measures included AB 1611, which would end a tax break on capital gains from single-family home sales for large corporate investors to discourage investor competition with homebuyers; AB 2522, which would exempt over-the-counter medications from sales tax; AB 2444, which would add a state deduction for ScholarShare 529 contributions and align California law with federal Roth IRA rollover rules; and AB 1550, which would allow deductions for tips and overtime. Each drew support from sponsors and allied groups, while tax reform and local government representatives opposed several bills over revenue and policy concerns. All of these measures were also sent to the suspense file, and the committee adjourned after completing its agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• For these reasons, we respectfully request your aye vote. Thank you. Thank you very much.
• So for that reason, we respectfully request a no vote at the appropriate time.
• Thank you very much. ...respectfully request a no vote at the appropriate time.
• An industry that once gone will create even greater budget and economic issues.
• We request a no vote. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Committee: House Revenue and Taxation

Keywords: 988, house, all