Transcript Highlights:

• Without the 24/7 support of direct support providers like me, our supported living clients would not
• also would love to hear about those changes in Working Connections Child Care that are coming in October
• I think it starts probably October 1st if something like that comes out through the budget.
• able to get around to a family home care provider in your community or a center, or both, prior to October

Bills: HB1873 , HB2600 , SB5957

Committee: House Early Learning & Human Services

Keywords: child care, Working Connections Child Care, WCCC, graduate students, professional students, higher education, full-time student, affordable child care, subsidized child care, child care subsidy, Department of Children, Youth, and Families, DCYF, income eligibility, state median income, copayment, copay waiver, family support, workforce participation, working families, special needs child care

Transcript Highlights:

• THE COMPLAINT PORTAL IS AVAILABLE 24/7 THE MEDICAID COMPLAINT MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE COMPLAINT PROCESS
• RECEIVED FOR EACH HEALTH PLAN BETWEEN THE BEER FIRST 2025, WHICH IS WHEN I 3.0 CONTRACTS ROLLED OUT ON OCTOBER
• THIS LINE SHOWS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ISSUES RECEIVED BY THE AGENCY BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND OCTOBER 31 BY
• IT WAS IMPLEMENTED FEBRUARY 1 OR WHEN THE CONTRACTS WENT LIVE IN THE CONTRACTS ARE EXECUTED LAST OCTOBER

Transcript Highlights:

• for school districts to submit the request for revisions to previously awarded square footage is October
• I think the October 1 kind of deadline for saying, like, you were previously awarded, we're cutting it
• So for high schools, it was about 5%, for middle schools 7%, and elementary schools 10%. So, Mr.
• Get out, and all of them would be eligible by October 1st.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our overall goal is to have everything up and running by October 1st.
• Our overall goal is to have everything up and running by October 1st.
• Those companies have leveraged that into an additional almost $7 million of follow-on investment.
• Before we adjourn, our next meeting is October 16th at 9:00. No further business for the committee.
• October 16th at 9:00. No further October 16th at 9:00.

Summary: The committee met and approved the August 21, 2025 minutes. The main presentation came from Brandon Reid of the Kentucky Office of Agriculture Policy, who reported that implementation of the Kentucky Agriculture Economic Development Board created by Senate Bill 28 and House Joint Resolution 31 is ahead of schedule. He said the board has been appointed and has met several times, has adopted guidelines and an application process, and has launched its application on the KDA website. He also noted new staffing, including a project manager, and said the office is already working on projects, though some are confidential because of coordination with the Economic Development Cabinet and nondisclosure agreements. Members praised the effort and emphasized the importance of having agriculture represented in economic development work. Reid also described ongoing outreach by Commissioner Jonathan Shell, including farmer appreciation and classroom visits across the state. The committee then heard from Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton and Bluegrass Ag Tech Development Corp. executive director Jacob Ball about the Bluegrass Ag Tech Development Corp., a public-private partnership involving Lexington-Fayette, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the University of Kentucky, and Altech. They said the organization aims to make Kentucky a national and international hub for ag tech, and that it has already awarded challenge grants to startups. Ball explained that the program focuses on animal protein, nutrition, sustainability, mid-size farm solutions, and Kentucky traditions such as distilling and equine. He reported that two rounds of grants have totaled $925,000, with the first round’s seven companies leveraging that into nearly $7 million in follow-on investment, supporting 56.5 Kentucky jobs and creating more than a dozen new jobs. The presentation also highlighted statewide outreach, including applications and engagement from counties across Kentucky, and the goal of expanding participation in eastern Kentucky. Members expressed support for both initiatives and discussed the value of agriculture-specific expertise in economic development. Reid said the Department of Agriculture and the Economic Development Cabinet maintain regular communication and that the new board gives agriculture a seat at the table for future site and industry recruitment efforts. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota Statute section 256.045, subdivision 7, allows for judicial review by a district court of Department
• In October 2021, the Court of Appeals reversed the decision and remanded the case.
• Claimant got out on November 25, but staff had already disposed of his property on October 22.
• On the first transfer on October 28, staff noted on the property report that claimant's state-issued
• On the second transfer on December 7, staff noted on the property report that claimant's beard trimmer

Summary: The Joint House and Senate Subcommittee on Claims convened on April 30, first without quorum and then with quorum, at which point the committee corrected and approved the prior minutes. Members then reviewed several claims held over for informational purposes, including injury claims for Fraser, Larson, Schmidt, Stuart, and Washington, and property claims for Lidberg, Robecky, and Young, with no action taken on those items. The committee dismissed a claim by Ms. Prevally seeking reimbursement for funds liquidated from irrevocable trusts after hearing that the matter had already been litigated in court and that subcommittee rules bar claims for public assistance compensation. The panel then approved two exoneration claims: James Jovan Davis, whose murder conviction was vacated after postconviction proceedings and who settled for $250,000, and Clayton Douglas Groves, whose sexual-conduct convictions were vacated after evidence of prior false accusations was admitted and who settled for $350,000. Testimony from counsel for both claimants emphasized wrongful conviction, the length of incarceration, and negotiated settlement amounts, with members asking about the basis for the compensation and attorney-fee allocations. The final exoneration claim, Marvin Haynes, was also approved. The committee heard that Haynes was convicted as a teenager, later exonerated after new evidence showed false evidence and suggestive eyewitness identification, and that the state and claimant had reached a $4.5 million settlement. The committee then turned to Department of Corrections injury claims, denying Arnold Baker’s claim for lack of evidence of a compensable permanent injury, and approving Mark Carroll’s claim for a $4,570.40 award after he suffered a compensable ankle fracture while working. In property claims, the committee discussed Anthony Edwards’s claim for food, a JPay tablet, and shoes. After testimony from Department of Corrections counsel about property inventory procedures and the lack of a current replacement tablet program, members agreed to compensate Edwards $70 for the missing shoes, deny the food claim, and deny the tablet claim because the tablet had been returned and any malfunction was reported outside the department’s reporting window.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's coming out in October of this year, for a total construction cost of 126 million.
• They're letting this fall in October. The next one is Downtown Clovis Phase 2 project.
• It is fully funded, and I will go out next October 2026.
• The anticipated letting date for that is next October. And I spoke about Allison Road previously.
• Page 7, we move on to our contract maintenance. Our maintenance program is state-funded money.

Transcript Highlights:

• requesting the governor to issue a proclamation designating Hawaii as a Purple Heart state on August 7,
• requesting the governor to issue a proclamation designating Hawaii as a Purple Heart state on August 7,
• requesting the governor to issue a proclamation designating Hawaii as a Purple Heart state on August 7,
• Uh, sometime between August and October, we should be done with all of this year. Yes.
• Uh sometime between August and<00:27:38.159><c> October,</c><00:27:38.720><c> we</c><00:27:38.880><c>

Committee: Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs

Summary: The joint committees heard three resolutions first. STR 32/SR 18 asked the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to work with the Department of Transportation to use inmate work furlough programs for state roadway and highway maintenance. Testimony was generally supportive of the intent, but the Correctional System Oversight Commission raised concerns about using work furlough for maintenance and emphasized that participants should be paid at least minimum wage, be able to meet restitution and support obligations, and not have their release timing affected. The measures were later recommended and adopted by both committees with no amendments in the joint portion. STR 199/SR 179 concerned increased caution regarding foreign infrastructure. There was no public testimony. In decision-making, the committees split the measures: STR 199 was deferred because of a similar measure, while SR 179 was passed with amendments. The amendments were described as clarifying Hawaii’s goals of self-sufficiency, local self-reliance, and self-determination, and encouraging scrutiny by departments and agencies to reduce dependence on imports. STR 231/SR 207, which would direct DOT to install electronic equipment at state airports and harbors to scan for illegal fireworks, drew mixed testimony, including support from the Oahu Filipino Community Council and comments from Matson Navigation. DOT said it supported the intent. The committees adopted amendments to address Matson’s concerns by moving inspections to a place outside the immediate loading and unloading area, and both committees passed the measures as amended. The Public Safety and Military Affairs committee then took up additional resolutions. STR 113/SR 94, designating Hawaii as a Purple Heart state on August 7, 2025, received no testimony and was not discussed further. STR 204/SR 164, asking the Department of Law Enforcement for information on disposal, detonation, and destruction of explosive fireworks and similar hazardous materials, also drew no testimony in the excerpt. STR 107/SR 88, urging military branches in Hawaii to provide hurricane-resistant shelters for active and retired personnel and families, likewise received no testimony. STR 148/SR 119, supporting construction of a floating dry dock at Pearl Harbor, drew broad support from industry, military, and state economic development representatives. STR 149/SR 120, creating a vegetation management working group to address wildfire risk, received extensive testimony in support and comments, with speakers from DCCA, PUC, Hawaiian Electric, IBW 1260, Hawaiʻi Telecom, and Kamehameha Schools discussing wildfire hazards, responsibility for vegetation near utility infrastructure, and the need to include workers and landowners in the process. STR 126/SR 105, calling for an incremental reduction in the number of inmates housed in private out-of-state facilities, prompted a lengthy discussion with DCR. The director said Hawaii’s out-of-state incarceration is driven by overcrowding and security needs, not a quota, described the per-person-per-day cost of CoreCivic housing, noted that Hawaii pays about $96 per inmate per day out of state versus about $37 in-state, and said the department is working on a master plan and future facility needs. The committee also discussed the need for a new prison and possibly a new jail. The excerpt ends with the committee still in discussion, without showing a final vote on STR 126/SR 105.

Transcript Highlights:

• The pretrial services aspect of 1425 is covered in Sections 5 and 7.
• Sections 5 and 7.
• Section 7 appropriates $55,000 for a third party to conduct the study.
• Could you explain Section 7 a little bit? I'll pick the bill. Okay, Section 7. Okay, Section 7.
• Okay, Section 7.

Committee: Senate Appropriations - Education and Environment Division

Summary: The committee met to review fiscal aspects of House Bills 1417 and 1425, both part of a broader criminal justice reentry package. HB 1417 would eliminate the $35 public defender application fee and end court-ordered reimbursement of indigent defense costs, while also removing the $55 monthly community supervision fee. Testimony from the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents and the Department of Corrections said the bill would replace lost revenue with general fund appropriations of about $310,000 for indigent defense and $1.5 million for supervision fees, and that the fees are rarely collected and can hinder reentry. Representative Clemene said the bill is intended to reduce barriers to successful community reintegration and improve data and supervision practices. HB 1425 would create and fund front-end diversion, deflection, and pretrial services programs. Supporters described it as allowing prosecutors and local jurisdictions to divert appropriate low-level offenders from prosecution, establish deflection programs for people with behavioral health needs, and expand pretrial services. The bill includes a pilot program in three counties, a $1 million appropriation to DOCR for one FTE and contracts with local providers, $750,000 to DHS for treatment services, and $55,000 for a study of pretrial services cost savings. Committee members asked several questions about how the pilot counties would be chosen, how the consultant study would be procured, and what services the DHS funds would cover. The committee also heard House Bill 1603, which would provide a $500,000 matching grant for Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act compliance, with $100,000 available to each of North Dakota’s five tribes if matched. Sponsor testimony said the funds would support a Historical Society NAGPRA compliance committee and help catalog and repatriate human remains and cultural items in coordination with tribes. After questions about the federal mandate and the difficulty of identifying artifacts, the committee voted 4-0 to give HB 1603 a do-pass recommendation, with Senator Meyer assigned to carry it forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our buildings, as you likely know, run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round.
• /c> you likely know run 24 hours a day 7 you likely know run 24 hours a day 7 days<00:02:02.840><c> a
• At Rush City, 55% of the incarcerated men are Black and 7% are Native American.
• It covers 80% of eligible project costs, up to $7 million each.
• /c> of eligible project costs up to 7 of eligible project costs up to 7 million<00:50:26.200><c> each

Committee: House Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• Vote is 42 ayes, 7 nays, Mr. President. Vote is 42 ayes, 7 nays, Mr. President. LB 764 passes.
• Section 7-7-1, revised section 7-5-7-0-3 to 58-703, section 7-0-1-6 to 58-7016, section 0-20701 6 and
• 70-10-15, 70-506, 70-206, 202, 7, 7, 6, 204, advice, price, such, 7,000, 5, developed, large, low, customer
• Bill for amending law and sections 283-22-02, 283-203-202-208, 28-703-102, 29-0-4-209-8, 2870-7-7-9-403
• The vote is 42 ayes, 7 nays. As McKinney and Raybould. The vote is 42 ayes, 7 nays. Mr.

Bills: LB764 , LB815A , LB839 , LB888 , LB955 , LB972A , LB1029 , LB1087 , LB1091 , LB1126A , LB1181A , LB1237A , LB1261A , LB304A , LB762 , LB889 , LB929 , LB966 , LB1022 , LB1187 , LR508

Transcript Highlights:

• That is almost 7% of St. Paul's population is relying on us for affordable, safe housing.
• Paul<00:21:12.679><c> that</c><00:21:12.880><c> is</c><00:21:13.120><c> almost</c><00:21:13.559><c> 7%
• /c><00:21:14.320><c> of</c><00:21:14.559><c> St</c><00:21:14.760><c> Paul's</c> Paul that is almost 7%
• of St Paul's Paul that is almost 7% of St Paul's population<00:21:15.640><c> is</c><00:21:15.840><c>
• And I want to leave you with one other figure here from this slide, which is back in October we opened

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Transcript Highlights:

• However, later that year, in October of 2011, the Obama administration However, later that year, in October
• As of October 2021, about 2.26 million seniors and persons with disabilities were enrolled in Medi-Cal
• Looking back in October 2024, we have 2.48 million members who are seniors and persons with disabilities
• In our research, we did find that there was a system error, and we communicated that back in October.
• And finally, on Item Number 7, we want to thank the committee for continuing to showcase the stories

Summary: The joint Assembly Budget Subcommittee hearing focused first on long-term services and supports for older adults, especially the “forgotten/overlooked middle” who earn too much for Medi-Cal but cannot afford private long-term care. Administration witnesses from DHCS, the Department of Aging, and Social Services described Medicare’s limited long-term care coverage, Medi-Cal’s role, the elimination of the Medi-Cal asset test, and ongoing state studies and listening sessions on financing options. Testimony from advocates and researchers emphasized rising homelessness among older adults, the need for better navigation and coordination across health, aging, housing, and social service systems, and short-term policy steps such as share-of-cost reform, housing stability supports, and protecting home- and community-based services. Members highlighted the need for a coordinated, no-wrong-door approach and asked for the most impactful budget investments to address affordability and homelessness risk. The second major topic was the Community-Based Adult Services (CBAS) program. CDA reported that CBAS helps participants remain in the community, that 304 centers operate statewide serving about 42,000 people, and that demand is stable but access gaps remain in some regions. DHCS explained that a 2024 rate increase authorized by SB 159 became inoperative after Proposition 35, and that a separate 10% rate change on the fee schedule was the result of a DHCS system error; the department said it would not require recoupment, though managed care plans may act under their contracts. CBAS providers and advocates warned that reimbursement rates have not kept pace with costs, that several centers have closed, and that clawbacks could trigger more closures. They requested $74.8 million ongoing General Fund to close part of the rate gap and preserve the program, while members expressed concern about closures and the cost savings of keeping people out of more expensive institutional care. The hearing then moved to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) and statewide collective bargaining. CDSS reviewed provider recruitment and retention efforts, including electronic timesheets, direct deposit, and the now-completed IHSS Career Pathways program, which trained more than 59,000 providers. CDSS also summarized its AB 102 workgroup report on statewide versus regional bargaining, saying the final report would be sent to the Legislature soon and that statewide bargaining appeared more viable than regional bargaining, though it would require clear statutory scope and major fiscal changes. The department estimated that each $1 per hour statewide wage increase would cost at least $1.3 billion to $1.5 billion annually. Labor advocates argued that IHSS wages, benefits, and training are too inconsistent across counties and called for statewide bargaining, consumer participation, and ongoing state funding. County representatives supported stronger wages but cautioned that counties need protection from new costs and administrative burdens, and consumer advocates warned that moving bargaining to the state could weaken local consumer control and the program’s consumer-driven structure.

Transcript Highlights:

• For the House, 7 ayes, 2 nays, one absent and excused.
• The department did reduce their request for patrol vehicles from 42 down to 27 back in October when there
• ISP did reduce their request for patrol vehicles down to 27 from 42 back in October.
• With that, we will adjourn until we'll have our early morning meeting, 7:15 Monday morning, and then

Summary: The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee met to consider several Department of Health and Welfare Medicaid items, Idaho State Police budgets, the Department of Juvenile Corrections, and the Department of Administration and Military Division. The committee first approved a FY 2026 Medicaid forecast supplemental, then approved a budget-neutral FY 2026 hospital assessment fund shift and creation of a separate hospital assessment budgeted program. For FY 2027 Medicaid, members heard extensive discussion of MMIS procurement, estate recovery, program integrity, purchasing staff, hospital assessment alignment, population forecast adjustments, and proposed reductions tied to provider rates and RESHAB. After debate among three competing motions, the committee rejected two alternatives and passed the original motion, which included the governor’s recommended Medicaid adjustments and the $22 million reduction concept, sending it with a do pass recommendation. The committee then approved Idaho State Police Brand Inspection replacement items for trucks and equipment, as well as Idaho State Police division requests for a commercial vehicle safety grant increase, a mobile live scan pilot, and replacement patrol vehicles and equipment. POST Academy replacement items were also approved. For the Department of Juvenile Corrections, members approved clinician service transfer funding from Health and Welfare, replacement items, IT hardware, and restoration of six FTPs and related funding for direct care staff and substance use disorder mentoring services. In the Department of Administration budget, the committee debated Medicaid procurement staffing and related transfers. A substitute motion to fund three FTPs failed, and the committee ultimately approved a compromise motion funding two FTPs, utilities alignment, program transfers, inflationary utilities, IT hardware, and a prior rescission adjustment. The Military Division enhancement request for indirect cost recovery for emergency management and state education assistance funding was also approved. The committee adjourned after announcing its Monday agenda, which included DEQ, public school support and financing, services for the deaf and blind, Idaho Digital Learning Academy, the State Board of Education, and the Department of Education.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's a $300 assessed thing, which, you know, typically five to $7 levies, you're talking about $15,
• And I take it to an assessed value of $100, which means their tax bill is about $7.
• The current statute reads that the assessor must use the NADA October edition of the NADA used car guide
• So we're currently using the October edition of J.D. Power.

Committee: House Special Committee on Tax Reform

Summary: The Special Committee on Tax Reform heard House Bill 2945, sponsored by Rep. Hardwick, which would make technical cleanup changes to Missouri’s capital gains tax repeal so that family trusts are treated the same as individuals for capital gains purposes. Hardwick said the bill is intended to avoid disadvantaging families that place assets in trust and to keep the tax treatment consistent with federal capital gains concepts. Committee members asked about Internal Revenue Code sections 1245 and 1250 and the bill’s fiscal note, which was described as potentially significant, but no opposition or formal action was taken at the hearing. The committee then heard House Bill 3035, sponsored by Rep. Reedy, which would change how motor vehicles are assessed for personal property tax purposes by using MSRP as the starting point and applying a statutory 12-year depreciation schedule. Reedy and supporting witnesses, including the Boone County Assessor and the Missouri Association of Counties, argued the bill would create more consistency and predictability for taxpayers and assessors, especially after COVID-era vehicle price spikes made assessments difficult. They noted the bill could reduce the need for annual market-guide adjustments, though assessors said they would prefer a longer depreciation period and acknowledged software and revenue impacts. Opposition came from the Missouri Council of School Administrators, which argued the bill would reduce local tax revenue and could affect future school funding discussions, especially as the state prepares to revisit the school finance formula. Committee members questioned whether using MSRP rather than actual sale price was fair to consumers and whether the Tax Commission could standardize valuations statewide. The hearing ended after testimony from supporters and opponents, with no vote or final action reported on either bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving on to page 7, payroll taxes were not always paid to the IRS by the due date.
• Well, if you look at it, it goes back from the report from January of 2022 through October 2025.
• From the report from January of 2022 through October 2025.
• We purchased the CDs in October of 2022, and we were audited on those CDs in November of 2023.
• But let's say it was in July, and then it would be October and January.

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES

Transcript Highlights:

• Consent 7 to 0. With that, if anybody has questions, I would be happy to answer. Website.
• Consent 7 to 0. With that, if anybody has questions, I would be happy to answer. Thank you, Mr.
• It designates October as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month to ensure Missourians understand the dangers
• It acknowledges October as a month of awareness and provides Narcan in every public building.
• On October 22, 2022, life changed for the Wonkham family and the extended family.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the House Journal by roll call vote, 135-1. Members then observed a moment of silence for a constituent killed in a roadway tragedy, and several members introduced guests, including family members, veterans, students, and a child celebrating his birthday on the dais. The chamber then considered a series of bills. HB 2944, dealing with automatic continuation of a senior property tax freeze without annual reapplication, passed 145-0. HB 2230/2978, addressing school instructional methods by limiting excessive screen-based instruction and promoting cursive writing, passed 143-10 after extended debate over technology use in elementary schools. HB 1825, removing sheriffs and prosecutors from county salary commissions with a Boone County carve-out, passed 152-0. HB 1840, creating a Purple Alert system for missing individuals with developmental disabilities, passed 153-0, and its emergency clause was adopted 143-8. HB 1623, allowing emergency suspension or restriction of licenses for massage therapists and chiropractors, passed 103-48. HB 3279, moving the Community Service Commission to the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development, passed 151-0. HB 2508, clarifying certificates of good standing for series LLCs and making them searchable, passed 152-0. HB 1963, allowing social workers to supervise after three years of practice, passed 151-0. HB 2408, removing the appropriation cap for grants serving the deaf-blind community, was perfected and printed. HB 3113, requiring Narcan in public buildings, designating October as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month, and expanding school-law enforcement prevention efforts, was perfected and printed after discussion about funding and Narcan shelf life. HB 3000, fixing signature requirements for local audits based on population at the start of petitioning and adding a fire district surplus-sale amendment, was perfected and printed as amended. HB 2898, reviving and refining land bank authority and Chapter 141 judicial foreclosure tools, was perfected and printed after debate about neighborhood cleanup and title clearing. HB 1740, renamed Melanie’s Law, increasing penalties for intoxicated driving and strengthening ignition interlock requirements, was perfected and printed following emotional testimony from members and the sponsor’s explanation of the bill’s origins. At the end of the session, the House moved to announcements, including committee meetings and a fish fry notice. A member also issued a correction and apology regarding an earlier false report about Willie McGee. The House then adjourned until 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• In October, the Department of Revenue came out with their estimates of what they thought the fiscal impact
• changes in OB3. we think that's a good policy what but they made significant tax changes in OB3 and in October
• Whereas when it happened back in October, none of them had gotten done, right?
• So I think at municipal levels it says, you know, you should use, you keep 7% or, you know, or at least
• So I think at municipal levels it says, you know, you should use, you keep 7% or, you know, or at least

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 7 is the appointment of the special counsel that I previously alluded to.
• affiliated associations, and other persons for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of Sections 7
• I had the privilege last October to present with three others from the American Federation of Teachers
• I had the privilege last October to present with three others from the American Federation of Teachers
• My name is Martha Duran, and I'm a survivor of the tiroteo, the mass shooting of October 1, 2017.

Bills: SB156

Committee: Assembly Government Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• In October 2024, near Tampa, as power line crews partially blocked the road while they restored power
• All right, we're going to take up tab 7.
• All right, we're going to take up tab 7.
• I came up with this idea after October 7th.
• I thought about it for many years, but it was after October 7th.

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Summary: The committee took up a full agenda of criminal justice and related bills, beginning with SB 1180 on AI-generated sexual images. Senator Gates explained the bill was prompted by an Escambia County case involving deepfake pornography created from images of teenage girls, and a student victim testified in support. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. Members then approved SB 500, creating a Spectrum Alert system and related training for missing children with autism; SB 726, making swatting offenders liable for prosecution, investigation, and restitution costs; and SB 494, which would create a statewide animal abuse database, after extensive support testimony from shelters, law enforcement, and animal welfare advocates. SB 964, revising objective parole guidelines to account for rehabilitation and program participation, also passed after testimony from supporters of parole reform and compassionate release. The committee next approved SB 1344, a juvenile justice cleanup bill with a delete-all amendment that updated truancy, CINS, detention risk assessment, and other juvenile justice provisions. SB 468, increasing penalties for fleeing or eluding and allowing impoundment of involved vehicles, was reported favorably after limited opposition and support from law enforcement-related groups. SB 1136, increasing penalties for offenses involving minors and clarifying that ignorance of a victim’s age is not a defense, also passed after testimony from law enforcement supporters and two speakers opposed. SB 1660, on prostitution, drew the most extensive public comment: the sponsor said it was intended to distinguish trafficking victims from willing participants and shift penalties toward buyers and facilitators, while survivors, prosecutors, and advocates debated whether the substitute amendment would improperly criminalize prostituted persons; the committee ultimately adopted the substitute and reported the bill favorably. The committee then approved SB 1828, making trespass at large ticketed events and certain secured locations a felony, with discussion focused on crowd control and public safety at major events. SB 1386, increasing penalties for assault and battery on utility workers and adding propane workers through an amendment, passed with broad support. SB 612, closing a loophole so minors who distribute deadly drugs like fentanyl can be charged with murder in certain cases, was reported favorably after testimony from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and opposition from civil liberties groups. SB 814, which would allow firearms on college campuses and at school-sponsored events, drew strong opposition from students and faculty and was reported unfavorably. Finally, the committee began SB 1604 on corrections with a delete-all amendment that addressed filing deadlines for DOC-related claims, execution-method language, tracking devices, involuntary treatment, and parole-related statutory cleanup; the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• This new pilot program started rolling out in October, and I've invited AHCA, APD, and Florida Community
• The contract was executed in August of 2024 after it was awarded to FCC, with a go-live date of October
• A variety of services so that it's not just one human trying to answer the phone 24-7.
• At this time, given the recent rollout of the pilot program in October, we've been monitoring claims
• Like they've told me $12,000 a year will be enough for me to live in the community with 24-7 care.

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee received an overview of Florida’s intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) managed care pilot, created by legislation in 2023 to test whether a managed care model could integrate Medicaid medical services with iBudget waiver home- and community-based services for adults in pre-enrollment categories. AHCA explained the existing system, the pilot’s scope in Regions D and I, and the rollout timeline, including federal approval, contract execution with Florida Community Care, and the October 2024 go-live. Officials reported that, as of early February, 370 individuals had been sent for onboarding and 168 more were in queue, with about $35.8 million of the appropriation remaining. APD also clarified the difference between the pre-enrollment categories and the waiver waitlist, and noted that crisis cases can be enrolled more quickly depending on eligibility and funding. Florida Community Care described the pilot as a comprehensive managed care model offering medical, long-term care, and iBudget services, plus enhanced benefits such as bed-hold days, caregiver transportation, and help with legal guardianship costs. The plan said it uses one care coordinator, a 1:18 coordinator ratio, a face-to-face assessment within five days of enrollment, and 180 days of continuity of care for existing providers. The company emphasized that it is recruiting providers by offering higher rates than some iBudget rates, lower administrative burden, and network adequacy incentives, while APD said it continues to monitor provider supply and demand and recruit across service types and regions. Members repeatedly questioned whether the pilot’s costs, provider rates, and service levels were truly comparable to the iBudget system, and AHCA and APD said it was too early to draw firm conclusions because claims data are still lagging. Committee members also raised concerns about communication, enrollment delays, provider shortages, and whether the pilot could scale statewide. APD said it has used letters, phone calls, texts, emails, and community meetings to reach eligible individuals, and that some delays stem from required assessments, Medicaid eligibility checks, and level-of-care determinations. Several members asked for more detailed comparisons of costs and provider reimbursement between the pilot and iBudget, and APD said it would provide additional data. Public testimony at the end was strongly critical of managed care, with a participant and his mother describing poor service, transportation failures, and loss of control under prior managed care arrangements, and urging the committee not to expand such a model without safeguards. No votes or formal committee action were taken before adjournment.