Video & Transcript : 'pharmacy compounding' :
Page 39 of 218
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- The State Board of Pharmacy provides that as long as they act in a reasonable and prudent manner.
- And now you want it to be an over-the-counter drug where someone could just go into a pharmacy and get
- Okay, so you want consumers in your community to be able to go to a pharmacy and take a very dangerous
- Through false promises and ivermectin schemes, online pharmacies mark up ivermectin by 2,400 percent
- Whether it's in a shop or in a pharmacy, people need care, and we aren't meeting it.
Bills:
SB 3, SB 16, SB 2, SB 5, SB 10, HB17, SB 54, SB 9, SB 7, SB 17, SB 4, HB8, HB25, HB26, HB192, HB8, HB25, HB26, HB48, HB149, HB192, HB254, HB17, SB54, SB9, SB7, SB17, SB4, SB3, SB16, SB2, SB5, SB10
Keywords:
flash flood, flood warning, outdoor warning siren, emergency alert, disaster preparedness, flood mitigation, Hill Country floods, Texas Water Development Board, municipalities, counties, local government mandate, public safety, grant program, backup power, weather siren, emergency management, flood-prone area, warning system, real property theft, real property fraud
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Fiscal Committee (11/21/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- Compounding that issue is the fact that Massachusetts is on a rather large hiring spree for public defenders
- Compounding that issue is the fact that Massachusetts is on a rather large hiring spree for public defenders
- Compounding that issue is the fact that Massachusetts is on a rather large hiring spree for public defenders
- Compounding that issue is the fact that Massachusetts is on a rather large hiring spree for public defenders
- And compounding that issue is the fact that Massachusetts is on a rather large hiring spree for public
Summary:
The Fiscal Committee met on Friday, November 21st and first approved the October 17th minutes, with one member abstaining because she was not present. The committee then adopted the remainder of the consent calendar after removing two items for separate consideration. On tab four, members discussed item 25282 with the Commissioner of Administrative Services and Public Works staff; the project had been delayed after testing revealed design errors and flaws, and the committee was told the work would restart with test piles the following week and was projected for completion in fall 2027. The item was approved.
On tab five, item 25279 concerned a Health and Human Services facility project and a federally required element added late in the process. Commissioners explained that the project had originally been funded at $21 million, later required additional financing, and that the legislature had recently lifted a restriction so non-ARPA funds could be used. They also said the sale of the existing Manchester property would not be needed to complete the build, that a broker RFP was about to be issued, and that any sale would require further approvals. The committee approved the item.
The committee then approved item 25280 after a brief exchange about rainy day fund estimates and prior budget assumptions, and approved item 25278 without discussion. Item 25272 drew questions about the consumer advocate’s RFP for outside utility-rate-case assistance; the office said it eliminated proposals focused only on return on equity work after the Eversource decision, selected a Michigan firm for spreadsheet and operating-cost analysis, and noted there were no in-state firms doing this specialized work. The committee approved the item, with one member recorded in opposition.
On tab nine, item 25261 concerned a new judicial council budget obligation tied to legislation and public defense staffing needs. The presenter said the request reflected a late-added obligation from the judicial branch, that more requests may still be needed, and that public defense staffing was strained by vacancies and competition from Massachusetts. The committee approved the item. Under informational items, members received an update on 529 plan distributions and on interest and dividends tax refunds, with Revenue Administration saying roughly $21 million more in refunds remained and that the repeal-related refunds were nearly finished. The committee also noted an environmental services item for which questions would be submitted separately. The next meeting was set for December 19th at 11:00 a.m., and the committee adjourned.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> HD2 relating to pharmacy. HD2 relating to pharmacy.
- </c> >> Thank you. uh DCCA board of pharmacy >> Thank you. uh DCCA board of pharmacy with
- </c> the DCCA that relate to pharmacy the DCCA that relate to pharmacy lensure.<01:27:33.600><c> So,<
- </c> between pharmacists, um, pharmacy between pharmacists, um, pharmacy wholesalers,<01:27:39.760><c
- for pharmacy will help pharmacies<01:28:44.159><c> like</c><01:28:44.400><c> us</c><01:28:45.199><c>
Bills:
HB1183, HB1656, HB1658, HB1661, HB1663, HB1664, HB1859, HB2116, HB2271, HB2276, HB2335, HB2360, HB2387, HB2472, HB1805, HB2469, HB1815, HB1860, HB2117, HB2118, HB2437, HB2438, HB2604, HB1590, HB2156, HB2268
Keywords:
retirement, pension, law enforcement, public safety, Hawaii Revised Statutes, indebtedness, salary recovery, employee compensation, deductions, financial management, collective bargaining, employee relations, impasse procedures, arbitration, public employment, HB1661, cafeteria plan, Section 125, Internal Revenue Code, flexible spending account
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee 3/11/25
Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> that $30 million because of compounding that $30 million because of compounding turns<00:12:07.240
- Vandelin's testimony, but it is an investment that will compound over time and result in much higher
- </c><00:38:10.800><c> interest</c> like something like compounding interest like something like compounding
- There are other reasons to choose a crossbow over a more traditional recurve or a compound vertical bow
- vertical bow as well or a compound vertical bow as well including<01:24:31.960><c> personal</c><01:24
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Legislative Health and Human Services Nov 6th, 2025
Legislative Health & Human Services Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Drug and Pharmacy Benefit Managers Compliance.
- There are large areas of the state that simply don't have pharmacies present.
- of Pharmacy website.
- This is every retail pharmacy in the state. Now, Can I put this?
- When you say the word 'retail pharmacy,' generally people know what that means.
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Task Force Jun 24th, 2026
Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Task Force
Transcript Highlights:
- And this enables folks to get it at any pharmacy.
- One of those actually is one of the main pharmacies in downtown St. Louis.
- And so my patients were having to take multiple buses to go to a pharmacy.
- So Connecticut recently licensed the first mobile retail pharmacy.
- But we were turned down by the Board of Pharmacy, who said that we couldn't license any mobile pharmacies
Summary:
The task force meeting opened with a brief organizational update, including new leadership, roll call, and an explanation of the task force’s statutory duties: to study current and future drug and substance use in Missouri, explore solutions, draft or modify legislation, and report recommendations on prevention and treatment. The chair outlined the summer hearing plan, which would feature field experts, with future sessions expected to cover alternative therapies such as psilocybin and ibogaine and testimony from the Department of Mental Health. Members were encouraged to think about legislative ideas and policy recommendations for the upcoming session.
The first major testimony came from Dr. Rachel Winograd, who described Missouri’s overdose crisis as evolving into a “fourth wave” marked by fentanyl mixed with animal tranquilizers such as xylazine and medetomidine, along with methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs. She said overdose deaths have declined for a third straight year, with preliminary 2025 data around 1,200 deaths, but emphasized that the crisis remains severe. Her main recommendations were to focus on demand reduction rather than repeated supply crackdowns, expand evidence-based treatment—especially methadone and buprenorphine—broaden naloxone access, and improve practical supports like housing, transportation, and case management. She also said peer services are valuable but should not be used as a substitute for clinical care, and noted that Missouri Medicaid generally covers evidence-based treatment but reimbursement for peer recovery services remains a gap.
Dr. Heidi Miller, the state medical director at the Department of Health and Senior Services, reinforced the call for integrating substance use disorder care into whole-person health care. She highlighted the state naloxone standing order, which supports more than 11,000 Medicaid naloxone prescriptions annually, and urged five best practices: integrating SUD treatment into primary care, maternal health, general medical training, EMS initiation of buprenorphine after overdose, and expanded methadone access. She also argued for team-based reimbursement, stronger parity enforcement between behavioral health/SUD and physical health, and caution in regulating emerging substances so policy does not outrun the science.
Dr. Doug Burgess of University Health in Kansas City echoed the integration theme, arguing that Missouri’s system is too fragmented and that patients are often stabilized and then left to coordinate their own next steps. He compared ideal SUD care to the coordinated response used for heart attacks, with seamless transitions from emergency care to inpatient treatment, rehab, and outpatient follow-up. He said treatment courts can be effective when they are well coordinated and informed by addiction science, and he stressed the importance of discharge planning, peer recovery coaches, information-sharing, and maintaining Medicaid coverage during justice involvement. No formal votes or committee actions were taken during this portion of the meeting.
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Health Care Committee Feb 12th, 2026 at 09:30 am
Transcript Highlights:
- But what I will say is we do have an any willing pharmacy law.
- So just to clarify for me, if I wanted XYZ pharmacy to do that, if XYZ pharmacy will meet your criteria
- I want to say that that has to be someone in the pharmacy chain of command, maybe FDA.
- to a pharmacy, full disclosure, if you... ...pharmacy and consumer being able to go to a pharmacy.
- consumer from going to any pharmacy they want.
Summary:
The committee met to review the history and current treatment of North Dakota health insurance mandates, with presentations from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota, Sanford Health Plan, the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), and the Insurance Department. The discussion focused on how mandates apply differently to fully insured, self-funded, ACA, Medicaid, and PERS plans; how the state’s benchmark plan and federal essential health benefits affect coverage; and how the existing process requires cost-benefit analysis and, for certain measures, a PERS pilot period before broader application. Presenters also reviewed the long list of existing state mandates, including provider, beneficiary, and coverage requirements, and noted that many were enacted decades ago and have not been revisited despite changes in medical evidence and treatment options.
Witnesses from the carriers argued that mandates should be reviewed periodically because some are outdated, can create unintended costs, and may not align with current medical guidance. Examples cited included PSA screening, off-label drug coverage, prior authorization rules, step therapy, and cost-sharing provisions for mental health and substance use treatment. They emphasized that carriers often cover services without a mandate when supported by clinical evidence, and that mandates can shift costs to employers and employees, especially in the fully insured small-group market. They also suggested possible policy improvements such as clearer mandate definitions, better transparency around cost-benefit analyses, a regular 10-year review of mandates, and more timely submission of proposals through the interim process.
PERS and the Insurance Department highlighted a recurring tension over what counts as a mandate and when a measure triggers the state’s defrayal obligation under federal law. PERS described its interim committee process, the April 1 deadline for fiscal-impact proposals, and the limited pilot program used for certain measures, noting that only a few bills have gone through the full pilot process. The Insurance Department explained that it views new benefit mandates through the lens of the ACA benchmark plan and essential health benefits, distinguishing true new benefits, such as infertility coverage, from changes to existing benefits, such as telehealth or insulin cost-sharing caps. No votes were taken on policy changes; the meeting was informational, with members asking questions about costs, applicability, transparency, and whether a periodic mandate review should be established.
VT
Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Session - 2026-02-20 - 11:30AM
Vermont Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> nursing and the board of um of pharmacy nursing and the board of um of pharmacy members<00:26:11.279
- :27:24.240><c> pharmacy</c><00:27:24.720><c> technicians.
- Section seven is retained for the pharmacy technicians.
- Section seven is retained<00:30:23.840><c> for</c><00:30:24.320><c> the</c><00:30:24.559><c> pharmacy
- </c> retained for the pharmacy technicians. retained for the pharmacy technicians.
AR
Arkansas 2026 Regular Session
ALC-STATE INSURANCE PROGRAMS OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE Mar 18th, 2026
ALC-STATE INSURANCE PROGRAMS OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE
Transcript Highlights:
- And again, decoupling is the notion that we would split the medical and pharmacy benefits for our post
- In addition, for the PSC group, they didn't have a pharmacy plan before.
- In addition to those savings, the teachers got the pharmacy benefit as well.
- Got the pharmacy benefit as well. Since then, we know there's been some challenging renewals.
- They also give a preliminary look at what the Part D, the pharmacy-side benefits, will be.
Summary:
The committee received an update from Grant Wallace on the rebid and possible decoupling of the state’s Medicare Advantage retiree coverage. He said the state is exploring splitting medical and pharmacy benefits for post-65 retirees, with UnitedHealthcare as the incumbent vendor, and that preliminary estimates suggested savings of about $100 to $200 per participant per month. He outlined the expected timeline for final CMS rate announcements in April 2026, with contract amendments likely to come before the committee in May or June after review by the EBD Advisory Commission and State Board of Finance.
Representatives from Segal Consulting then reviewed the history and current structure of the Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan, explaining that the plan was adopted after a 2021 recommendation and launched in 2023 alongside the existing Med-Sup option. They said the Medicare Advantage option has produced substantial savings, including a lower monthly rate than the Med-Sup plan and about $40 million in savings from initial enrollment, while also restoring pharmacy benefits for some retirees. The presenters then explained recent federal changes under the Inflation Reduction Act, including major changes to Part D funding, the direct subsidy, and risk-score methodology, which they said have made risk adjustment much more important and are driving interest in separating medical and pharmacy contracts.
In response to questions from senators, the presenters said the Medicare Advantage plan covers post-65 teacher and state employee retirees, including retirees from state agencies and K-12 public schools. They also explained that the new Part D structure has reduced out-of-pocket costs for members, with a $2,000 annual cap and lower average member spending to reach it, while shifting more cost to the plan. No votes were taken and no formal action was reported; the committee simply received the update and was told to expect further information after the April rate notice. The meeting adjourned with the committee scheduled to return on May 13.
AR
Arkansas 2026 Regular Session
ALC-STATE INSURANCE PROGRAMS OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE Mar 18th, 2026
ALC-STATE INSURANCE PROGRAMS OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE
Transcript Highlights:
- And again, decoupling is the notion that we would split the medical and pharmacy benefits for our post
- In addition, for the PSC group, they didn't have a pharmacy plan before.
- And so the Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan allowed them to reinstate that pharmacy benefit.
- So in addition to those savings, the teachers got the pharmacy benefit as well.
- Got the pharmacy benefit as well. And since then, we know there's been some challenging renewals.
AL
Alabama 2025 Regular Session
Alabama Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee Mar 5th, 2025
Finance and Taxation Education
Transcript Highlights:
- PIP board meeting yesterday, and the PIP director reported that our per member per month for our Pharmacy
- , just for the active non-Medicare Pharmacy, is... just the active non-Medicare Pharmacy is $96.
- If we spend $160, you're almost doubling the spend on Pharmacy.
- And so we very closely manage the pharmacy.
- Medicare side, but we have with the Pharmacy. Chair SM, I had two questions.
MO
Transcript Highlights:
- So even short gaps in use, often caused by delays in refills or barriers to accessing a pharmacy, can
- transportation challenges, and child care responsibilities can all make it difficult to return to a pharmacy
- states that HealthNet covers up to one year supply of birth control and one prescription fill at a pharmacy
- HealthNet covers up to a one-year supply of birth control in one prescription fill at a pharmacy.
- Pharmacies can convert one-month prescriptions with refills into three-month supplies in compliance with
Summary:
The House Committee on Health and Mental Health met in executive session and first adopted a substitute for House Bill 3401, Representative Phelps’s workplace violence bill, then voted the House Committee Substitute do pass. The substitute broadened language by removing a specific reference to bodily fluids, based on testimony from hospital security personnel that broader wording would be easier to prosecute. The roll call showed the substitute adopted and the bill passed out of committee.
The committee then heard House Bill 2370, sponsored by Representative Peters, which would require private insurance to cover a one-year supply of self-administered hormonal contraceptives at one time, similar to Missouri HealthNet. Supporters included ACOG, the Missouri State Medical Association, Beacon Reproductive Health Network, and the Missouri Nurses Association, who argued the bill would improve access, reduce missed doses and unintended pregnancies, and save costs by reducing barriers such as transportation, work schedules, and pharmacy refill gaps. The Missouri Insurance Coalition opposed the bill, arguing it would impose a mandate on private plans, increase costs—especially for brand-name products—and raised questions about whether the bill would require bulk dispensing and how it would interact with existing refill rules. The committee also heard informational testimony from MoSPI noting rural access barriers, higher adherence with 12-month supplies, and that Missouri HealthNet already covers an annual supply.
Finally, the committee heard House Bill 3278, sponsored by Representative Lobbinger, which would create a multidisciplinary adult protection team framework for adults 60 and older and adults 18 and older with cognitive impairments or disabilities. The bill is intended to improve coordination among agencies handling abuse, neglect, and exploitation cases by allowing limited information sharing and reducing duplicated investigations while preserving confidentiality and guardianship protections. DHSS testified in support, saying the bill would provide a clearer framework for existing multidisciplinary teams, streamline coordination, and help protect vulnerable adults without creating new positions or infrastructure. Committee members asked about membership, meeting frequency, conflicts of interest, and how the bill differs from the ombudsman system; the sponsor and DHSS explained that the teams would be case-specific, generally meet as needed or quarterly, and apply to community cases rather than facility residents. The sponsor also submitted letters of support from existing multidisciplinary teams and related organizations.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
January 14, 2025 - 01:00 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- It also requires participating pharmacies to submit an annual Access to Care Plan to the Department and
- the Board of Pharmacy to ensure that patients have access to primary care services.
- Board of Pharmacy to ensure that patients have access to primary care services.
- The Board of Pharmacy is required to collaborate with the boards of medicine and osteopathic medicine
- The Board of Pharmacy received the first of three certification course applications in September.
Summary:
The Health Professions and Program Subcommittee met for an introductory and oversight briefing from the Florida Department of Health on implementation of several 2024 laws. The committee heard first from Jennifer Winhold on practitioner-regulation measures, including SB 1716 and SB 1600, which expanded workforce pathways through foreign-trained physician licensure, area-of-critical-need temporary certificates for APRNs and physician assistants, graduate assistant physician licenses, interstate compacts, and a new universal licensure-by-endorsement process. She also reviewed HB 197 on massage therapy enforcement, HB 975 on broader background screening, HB 1561 on office-surgery and liposuction safeguards, HB 159 on pharmacist HIV post-exposure prophylaxis certification, and HB 1063 on chiropractic dry needling and foreign degree licensure. Members asked about compact scope, foreign graduate requirements, massage enforcement overlap with DBPR, and registration thresholds for liposuction procedures.
Dr. Emma Spencer then outlined implementation of SB 76 and related programs, including changes to the FRAME and dental loan repayment programs, the volunteer health care provider program, the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program, the Health Care Innovation Council and revolving loan program, and the Andrew John Anderson Pediatric Rare Disease Grant Program. She said the department had updated portals, posted forms, launched or was developing public search tools, and submitted required reports and contracts. Members questioned whether loan repayment funds were reaching rural and underserved areas, how nonprofit applicants were being informed about the Alphonse screening grant program, the short application window for that grant, and how the department would evaluate whether the programs were improving recruitment and retention.
A third presentation, delivered by Mike Mason standing in for Shea Holloway, covered maternal and child health and other public health initiatives. He reported on the telehealth maternity care program’s expansion from a pilot in Duval and Orange counties to 23 counties, the pregnancy-and-parenting resources website required by HB 415, CMV newborn screening requirements under SB 168, sickle cell registry and research grants under HB 7085, and the swim lessons voucher program under SB 544, which received nearly 10,000 requests for 3,500 vouchers and enrolled 86 facilities. Members asked about utilization, marketing, website launch timing, and how the department was promoting these services. No bills were voted on; the meeting concluded with the chair noting that more committee presentations and bills would follow and that briefing materials would be distributed to members.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Health Finance and Policy Committee 5/7/25
Health Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- all pharmacy claims for um process all pharmacy claims for um medical<00:27:10.240><c> assistance</c>
- We agreed on pharmacy.
- We agreed on pharmacy.
- We help pharmacies, and that was also great because we have too many pharmacy deserts.
- We help pharmacies, and that was also great because we have too many pharmacy deserts.
Bills:
HF2435
AL
Transcript Highlights:
- On page eight, Senate Bill 100 by Senator Kelly regarding the State Board of Pharmacy.
- On page 13, Senate Bill of pharmacy.
- President, this bill is a sunset bill extending pharmacy for one year with modification on the board
- </c> regarding the state board of pharmacy. regarding the state board of pharmacy.
- </c> regarding the state board of pharmacy. regarding the state board of pharmacy.
Summary:
The Senate convened with a quorum, approved excusing absent members, dispensed with the previous day’s journal, and allowed bill introductions and committee reports throughout the day. Members also recognized guests in the gallery, including Judge Smitherman and later Karen Butler, wife of Senator Tom Butler. The chamber adopted Senate Joint Resolution 11, honoring Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated on its Founders Day and 118 years of service, after reading the resolution at length and hearing brief remarks from Senator Figures.
The Senate then adopted the Rules Committee’s special order calendar and took up several bills. Senate Bill 12 by Senator Gudger, repealing a prior community development districts law tied to a Coleman County project, passed. Senate Bill 19 by Senator Livingston, dealing with health insurance/prostate cancer screening, also passed. Senate Bill 89 by Senator Sessions, repealing the 1931 State Pilotage Commission statute, passed; Senate Bill 134 by Senator Beasley, concerning taxation and interstate warehousing of tobacco products, passed after a committee amendment was adopted; Senate Bill 100 by Senator Kelly, extending the State Board of Pharmacy sunset for one year with appointment changes, passed; Senate Bill 114 by Senator Bell, expanding Alabama’s handling of out-of-state warrants to additional felonies, passed; Senate Bill 122 by Senator Stewart, regarding the State Board of Registration for Foresters, passed; Senate Bill 35 by Senator Kitchens, updating vessel registration language for Coast Guard compliance, passed; and Senate Bill 127 by Senators Coleman-Madison and Stewart, continuing the Board of Examiners in Counseling for four years, passed.
Senate Bill 28 by Senator Elliott, which would raise the earnings cap for retired law enforcement officers and district attorneys returning to work and address school bus driver staffing, was discussed at length but carried over at the sponsor’s request. Senators raised concerns about the bill’s impact on RSA/retirement system funding and the possibility of broader pressure for similar retiree reemployment arrangements, while supporters emphasized staffing shortages, training savings, and benefits for schools and public safety. The session concluded with the calendar completed and a new resolution introduced by Senator Orr recognizing the 250th anniversary of the United States Postal Service, which was taken up for immediate consideration and adopted.
WY
Wyoming 2026 Regular Session
House Floor Session-Day 19, March 4, 2026-AM
Wyoming House Floor Meeting
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Health and Human Services - 01/21/25
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- We know that pharmacy-related topics are of interest to this committee.
- We've had discussions the past two sessions about ways to impact and assist community pharmacies and
- related um topics know that um Pharmacy related um topics are<01:15:24.639><c> of</c><01:15:25.360><
- Common ailments than what hospital-based pharmacies or providers prescribe.
- And so we didn't move forward with the policy change in how we run our Medicaid pharmacy program.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- You'd see if you could identify new compounds in there.
- These are a number of the compounds that have been identified through this process.
- One of the things that is done nowadays is, rather than try to find compounds, you sequence the genes
- So rather than trying to find the compound, you sequence the gene and cells. Create new compounds.
- So rather than trying to find the compound, you sequence the gene and say, oh, does this species produce
Summary:
The Education Postsecondary Committee held its first meeting and focused on state university centers and institutes, with an overview from the Board of Governors on how the more than 500 centers and institutes across Florida’s public universities are categorized, overseen, and reported. The Board described three categories: state-level centers, legislatively established centers, and university-established centers. Members were told universities must maintain policies, notify the Board of changes, publish public inventories, and submit annual reports and compliance certifications. Senator Harrell asked about funding sources and whether underperforming centers are reviewed for elimination; the response was that funding varies by center and that universities decide whether to maintain or disband centers under their own policies, with annual reporting and audit findings shared with the Board.
Four university presentations followed. Florida Atlantic University highlighted its Center of Excellence in Biomedical and Marine Biotechnology, describing research in marine-derived drug discovery, genomics, imaging, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and ocean sustainability, along with spin-off institutes and partnerships that have generated significant grant and contract support. FIU presented its Center of Excellence for Hurricane Damage Mitigation and Product Development, emphasizing the Wall of Wind facility, hurricane and water intrusion testing, code and product innovation, insurance modeling, and future expansion toward higher wind speeds and flood simulation. Florida State University’s High-Performance Materials Institute described work in advanced materials, aerospace composites, sensors, nanocomposites, and AI-enabled materials development, along with patents, industry partnerships, and new facilities tied to economic development. The University of Florida’s Lastinger Center for Learning outlined its work on teacher professional learning, literacy, New Worlds Reading, tutoring, and mathematics supports, including microcredentials, statewide book distribution, and early results showing improved reading confidence and growth.
Members generally praised the centers for their research, commercialization, workforce development, and education impacts. Senator Jones and Senator Harrell commended the Lastinger Center’s literacy work and the broader return on investment from these programs, while Senator Berman noted the value of the synergies across institutions. The chair emphasized that future funding requests should clearly show measurable success, commercialization, and statewide impact. The committee then adjourned without any formal votes on legislation.
WA
Transcript Highlights:
- It can be with us or any pharmacy that they choose in the community, whether that pharmacy is or is not
- I'm Andy Nelson, the pharmacy director of Jefferson Healthcare in Port Townsend.
- , before accounting for what expanded contract pharmacy access would do.
- I'm Andy Nelson, the pharmacy director of Jefferson Healthcare in Port Townsend.
- Contract pharmacies do not set prices or increase reimbursements because of 340B.
Keywords:
veterans, military spouses, service members, uniformed services, National Guard, reservists, active duty, qualifying discharge, veterans preference, hiring preference, public employment, state benefits, license renewal, professional licensing, retirement service credit, pension, public retirement system, Washington RCW, military leave, reemployment rights
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
02/18/2026 - Senate Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency
Transcript Highlights:
- Most people prefer to just go to their regular pharmacy to get their meds.
- And that was about things like routing clients to specific pharmacies, causing, in one case, a delay
- Some of the allegations in there about routing to certain pharmacies happen on the human side as well
- Not only do they regulate the practice of pharmacies, so pharmacists and their pharmacies, they also
- Not only do they regulate the practice of pharmacies, so pharmacists and their pharmacies, they also
Summary:
The Committee on Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency approved the February 11, 2026 minutes and then heard several bills. SB 1668, dealing with funeral and disposition timelines and related requirements for unborn children and minors, drew emotional testimony from funeral industry representatives and a parent about burdensome deadlines and problems obtaining signatures from an ex-partner; it also drew opposition over language referencing abortion clinics and reproductive freedom. The committee adopted a due-pass recommendation on a 4-3 vote. SB 1286, on veterinary telemedicine prescription limits, was amended to shorten non-antimicrobial prescriptions to 30 days and allow antimicrobial prescriptions for up to 14 days without an in-person exam; veterinarians and industry representatives were neutral with caution or supportive, while opponents warned about overprescribing and inadequate diagnosis. The amended bill passed 4-3.
The committee then passed SB 1235, joining the emergency services personnel licensure interstate compact, on a 7-0 vote, with the sponsor describing it as a reciprocity measure for EMTs and paramedics. SB 1446, which changes dialysis social worker documentation from monthly to quarterly to match federal and most state practice, also passed unanimously after support from DaVita. SB 1515, an Industrial Commission cleanup bill that renames positions, removes obsolete private employment office oversight language, and shifts publication of fee schedules online, was amended and passed 7-0.
SB 1678, concerning documentation and oversight in health care institutions and group homes for vulnerable adults, was amended to remove a patient-form requirement and instead require DHS investigation when EMS personnel complain that a DNR was not provided; providers moved to neutral or support after the amendment, and the bill passed 6-0 with one not voting. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1747, which would require social media platforms to terminate accounts for minors under 14 and certain 14- and 15-year-olds without parental consent and impose age-verification and harmful-content restrictions. Opponents from NetChoice, TechNet, and Meta raised privacy, security, and constitutional concerns and argued for app-store-based parental controls instead, while a parents’ advocate supported the bill as a starting point for child safety. The transcript ends during that hearing without a final committee action on SB 1747.