Transcript Highlights:

• He chairs the Budget Committee and now will serve as the 77th Student Senate President pro tempore.
• We're putting together a framework for a budget, and I'm optimistic that we'll have more news to share
• Framework for a budget. And I'm optimistic that we'll have more news to share very soon.
• Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1070 with one amendment and request the
• In House Amendment barcode 063937, and request that the House recede from the amendment.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of introductions recognizing interns, pages, a retiring sergeant-at-arms employee, and advocates visiting for a Prader-Willi Syndrome awareness resolution. Leaders also noted ongoing budget talks with the House and said senators should not plan to be in next week while negotiations continue. The main floor debate centered on Committee Substitute for House Bill 12.5, a citizen-initiative elections bill. Sponsors said it was intended to address petition fraud and protect the integrity of the constitutional amendment process, citing investigations, arrests, and fraudulent petition activity tied to recent initiatives. Opponents argued the bill would make it much harder and more expensive for citizens to place amendments on the ballot, chill volunteer participation, and effectively favor wealthy or corporate interests. After extensive debate, the bill passed 28-10. The Senate then moved through a series of education bills, including measures on Bright Futures, Gold Seal, Florida ABLE, dual enrollment, educator preparation, and broader education policy, all of which passed unanimously. After a recess, the chamber took up House messages and concurred in amendments to bills on stem cell therapy, student athlete ECGs, cardiac emergency response plans, and school safety. Those measures also passed with broad support, with the school safety bill drawing some questions about the Guardian program and child care facilities.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next we have Department of Budget and Finance offering comments.
• Next we have Department of Budget and Finance offering comments.
• Next, we have budget and finance offering comments from the director.
• Because in the DOE testimony and budget and finance, it is the CIP data is housed within the department
• </c><01:08:35.839><c> and</c> by decision makers on budget and by decision makers on budget and spending

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Education met on February 6 at 2:00 p.m. and heard testimony on a series of education-related bills. HB 1200, which would codify teacher ratios in statute, drew support from the Department of Education, the Democratic Party of the Education Caucus, and 11 individuals; no opposition was noted and the committee moved on without questions. HB 1344, concerning mandatory FAFSA completion, received testimony from the Department of Education, Hawaii P20, and a University of Hawaiʻi student who cited unclaimed Pell Grant funds and low FAFSA completion rates as reasons to support the bill. Committee members asked about current outreach efforts, and DOE and P20 described FAFSA tracking data, hotlines, email support, school-based FAFSA nights, and coordination with counselors; members also raised concerns about federal education funding and Pell Grants. The committee then heard HB 1499, which would authorize staff and volunteers to administer certain medications. The Department of Education, Department of Health, University of Hawaiʻi nursing leadership, and the Hawaii State Center for Nursing all testified in support, along with several individuals and the Democratic Party Environmental Caucus. The next measure, HB 902 on the Public Safety Power Shutoff program, was supported by DOE, the Public Utilities Commission, and Hawaiian Electric, but it prompted extensive questioning from the Vice Chair about whether taxpayers should fund a study to help schools remain open during shutoffs. Hawaiian Electric said the bill would help DOE assess impacts in wildfire-risk areas and noted its wildfire safety strategy, outreach efforts, and potential community resource centers, while the Vice Chair argued the utility should bear more of the cost. The committee also heard HB 961, a bill on school libraries and a CASS pilot program, with DOE offering comments and HSTA and the Hawaii Library Association strongly supporting it. HSTA argued certified librarians are important for literacy, research, and digital literacy, and said many schools lack them because of cost; the association and 14 individuals testified in support. HB 962, a related bill on DOE libraries and the system, also drew support from DOE, HSTA, and the Hawaii Library Association, with 15 individuals in support. Finally, HB 730, concerning the Civil Rights Compliance Branch, received support from DOE, White Children’s Action Network, AAW of Hawaiʻi, and many individuals. Testifiers said the branch needs more resources and training and handles more than Title IX, including Title VI, Title VII, and ADA matters. A student plaintiff in a Title IX lawsuit described unequal treatment in athletics and facilities, and another supporter said the bill would help ensure compliance with federal civil rights laws. No votes were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a waiver request by the City of Donaldsonville for a project in their area.
• As the chair mentioned, the next item on your agenda is a request to approve a match waiver.
• Baker, can you confirm the amount that the city is requesting as far as state funds?
• It came in under what was budgeted.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Committee on Capital Outlay met on April 22 and first approved the January 15, 2026 minutes. The committee then elected Representative Bacala as vice chair by acclamation after Senator Womack nominated him and no other nominations were offered. The main item of business was a request from the City of Donaldsonville for a waiver of the local match requirement for a capital outlay project, Project 50-M68-25-01, the Stormwater Resilience Project (planning and construction). Committee staff explained that under a 2025 law, municipalities under 9,500 population may receive a full or partial match waiver if they can show an inability to provide the match without mismanagement or misconduct. Staff said Donaldsonville, with a 2020 census population of 6,695, met the eligibility threshold and recommended approval. Mayor Leroy Sullivan testified that the city has a high poverty rate, has previously managed state-funded projects responsibly, and needs the waiver to address drainage and flooding issues in an area expected to see new development. Senator Lambert moved to approve the waiver, and the committee approved it without objection. With no further business, Representative McFarland moved to adjourn, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I respectfully request your aye vote on AB 1633. I respectfully request your aye vote on AB 1633.
• Some requests span years of records.
• Public records requests should not overwhelm a city's ability to serve residents, especially when requests
• I respectfully request your aye vote. is made a top priority. I respectfully request your aye vote.
• I respectfully request your aye vote.

Summary: The Assembly met in session, established a quorum, approved dispensing with the previous day’s journal, and then took up a long third-reading file. Early procedural actions included moving AB 1589 to the inactive file and continuing reconsideration items. The chamber then considered a series of bills largely focused on immigration enforcement, detention, worker protections, child care, voting access, and related public services. Several immigration-related measures passed, including AB 2393 on damages for false imprisonment/arrest, AB 1994 on an immigrant victims’ rights and resources card, AB 1929 on health plan investment disclosures, AB 1633 imposing a tax on for-profit detention facilities, AB 1650 requiring decals on rental vehicles used for enforcement, AB 1655 protecting CalWORKs benefits when a child is detained, and AB 1896 disqualifying people who participated in immigration enforcement from certain public employment. AB 2230, which would bar immigration enforcement near polling places and child care facilities, also passed after extensive debate. Supporters framed these bills as accountability and protection for vulnerable communities; opponents argued they targeted federal law enforcement, were unnecessary, or raised constitutional concerns. AB 1851 on statewide school mental-health guidance also passed unanimously. After the midday recess, the Assembly returned and continued with more bills tied to immigration impacts and child welfare. AB 2379 passed with urgency, requiring child care providers to be informed of constitutional rights and trained on protections when confronted by immigration enforcement. AB 2460 passed to update school behavioral-health referral protocols for students affected by immigration enforcement trauma. AB 2495 passed to expand prohibitions on employer immigration-related threats, and AB 2662 was presented as a way for California to monitor and document federal enforcement actions and report on their community impacts. Throughout the day, the floor featured repeated exchanges over whether the bills addressed real problems or were political messaging, but the measures that came to a vote generally advanced with majority support.

Transcript Highlights:

• As we saw this past winter, funding programs using charges based on energy use can break a budget when
• It would then either approve or modify that program, and then you would have a budget.
• It would then either approve or modify that program, and then you would have a budget.
• We respectfully request that the committee maintain these strong provisions for consumer protections
• Basically, I would like to request that you remove Section 45 from the bill that would repeal Chapter

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on H. 4144, the Governor’s Energy Affordability, Independence, and Innovation Act, with the administration arguing the bill would lower bills in the short and long term while expanding clean energy supply and innovation. The Governor and Secretary said the bill would reduce or restructure charges on customer bills, reform Mass Save, expand securitization as a financing tool, speed interconnection, create energy-ready zones, strengthen consumer protections in competitive supply, and allow broader state procurement of energy resources. They said the package could save consumers billions over time and would help address high energy costs, especially during extreme heat and winter spikes. Committee members pressed the administration on several provisions, especially securitization, asking whether the bill requires an apples-to-apples comparison of total costs over time, including interest and lost tax revenue, versus paying through rates. Administration witnesses said DPU review and public comment would be required and said they would work to clarify the language if needed. Members also questioned the bill’s solar and procurement provisions, including reduced net metering compensation for some large facilities, the scope of all-resource procurements, and whether hydro, solar, and nuclear would be included; the administration said those resources were contemplated and that procurement would still be reviewed by DPU. Other questions focused on the short-term relief from bill changes, the treatment of low- and moderate-income discounts, and whether the bill’s heat pump and Mass Save reforms would help customers who cannot afford upfront costs. Several witnesses and committee members discussed Mass Save reforms, including securitization of program costs, on-bill financing, pre-approval of rebates, and shifting program administration away from gas utilities. Administration witnesses said the changes were intended to reduce volatility, lower administrative costs, and better align costs with long-term savings. Questions also touched on geothermal permitting, municipal participation in offshore wind procurement, and the proposed repeal of the ballot requirement for nuclear power, which the administration defended as preserving future options under heavy review. No votes were taken during the hearing portion described. Supportive testimony came from labor, environmental, business, planning, and development groups. The AFL-CIO, NECA, and the Environmental League of Massachusetts backed the bill, emphasizing lower bills, job creation, labor standards, just transition protections, and cleaner energy. NAIOP, the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, and MAPC supported provisions on energy-ready zones, interconnection reform, microgrids, extreme-heat shutoff protections, and Mass Save improvements. A HEET representative praised the bill’s use of securitization, geothermal, and utility financing tools but urged guardrails and workforce protections. Overall, testimony was broadly favorable, with most witnesses calling for refinements rather than opposing the bill outright.

Transcript Highlights:

• that that the to um you know uh request that that the other<00:33:34.080><c> municipality</c><00:33:
• </c><00:33:38.320><c> a</c> management or they have to request a management or they have to request a
• </c> that we added uh sort of at the request that we added uh sort of at the request of<00:34:03.039>
• In my town, Bradford, our total budget is $4 million.
• Bradford, our total budget is $4 Bradford, our total budget is $4 million.<00:59:32.799><c> There</c>

Committee: Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, uh the governor's budget recommendations.
• ,</c><00:03:11.920><c> namely</c><00:03:12.319><c> for</c> budgetary requests, namely for budgetary requests
• Uh so governor's budget recommendations.
• </c><00:08:21.919><c> for</c> applicant back with further requests for applicant back with further requests
• Uh, would I be able to request an EAW? Senator Hauschild, Mr.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , but before that I kind of a request, but before that I want<00:32:02.480><c> to</c><00:32:02.559><c
• </c><00:32:18.960><c> is</c> to guess one of the requests is to guess one of the requests is expanding
• </c><00:53:08.160><c> to</c> your all's jurisdiction and request to your all's jurisdiction and request
• session, could we budget more for extension, but less for some other less effective space?
• </c><01:17:35.360><c> session,</c> a budget session, a budget session, &gt;&gt; could<01:17:36.560><c

Keywords: This meeting was pulled from back ups and uploaded in it's entirety due to technical issues., 958, all

Summary: The Make America Healthy Kentucky Task Force met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and then heard a presentation on the state’s “food is medicine” work from Kentucky Hospital Association and Kentucky Department of Agriculture leaders, including Jim Muser, Holly Harris, and Commissioner Jonathan Shell. The chair framed the discussion around personal wellness, injury prevention, and the broader goal of improving health through better sleep, nutrition, and activity, then asked the presenters to describe current initiatives and any policy changes needed. The witnesses described a partnership linking hospitals and Kentucky farmers to improve health outcomes while supporting rural agriculture. They said the effort has moved beyond the pilot stage and now includes more than 40 hospitals statewide, with programs such as healthier hospital cafeterias, grab-and-go options, farmers markets at hospital sites, subsidized CSA boxes for employees, and medically tailored meals or groceries for patients with chronic conditions. ARH was highlighted as a leading model, with local food procurement, employee wellness efforts, and measurable outcome pilots, including a Russell County Hospital project focused on diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. They also emphasized barriers to scaling the model, including fragmented short-term funding, lack of reimbursement for food-as-medicine programs, and burdensome procurement and testing requirements that can make it difficult for small farmers to participate. The presenters said hospitals are using their own funds or temporary grants to sustain programs and argued that policy changes are needed to simplify sourcing, expand reimbursement pathways, and support clinical measurement of outcomes. No votes or formal actions beyond approving the minutes were taken during the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:40:13.520><c> of</c> students it's Rel um their request of students it's Rel um their request
• What did districts provide the department in order to put in their requests for sure?
• In the current FY 2025 budget, the appropriated amount came up $17 million short.
• </c> 24 fy2 budget 24 fy2 budget appropriation<01:13:00.120><c> I</c><01:13:00.239><c> did</c><01:13:
• Well, for budget purposes, we're certainly in the ballpark, right?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The work session focused on special education, especially the differentiated aid component and special education aid, which members noted is still often called “catastrophic aid.” The chair said the committee was trying to better understand how special education costs are growing, how districts are delivering services through SAUs or internally, and how reimbursement formulas affect local costs. Members also discussed the need for better data before making decisions on several education funding bills, and Representative Brown was tasked with capturing questions for follow-up information from the department or elsewhere. Testimony from the state special education director, Becky Fad, centered on why student counts in various disability categories have shifted over time. She said the categories themselves have not changed much, but autism has increased because of greater understanding and identification, developmental delay has grown because it applies to children under age 10 who may not yet have a clear diagnosis, and some students previously classified under speech/language or other health impairment are now identified in more specific categories such as autism. She emphasized that the IEP is based on a child’s individual needs, so a change in category would not necessarily change services, though it may help educators support the student differently. Members asked about whether the shifts reflect better diagnostic capability, whether the department should gather more data on the reasons for the changes, and whether autism-spectrum data could be broken down further. Fad said the department does not currently have data on the causes of the shifts or on where students fall within the autism spectrum, but that collecting and analyzing such data is on its list of priorities and a new data manager had recently been hired. She also explained that each child is counted only once on the chart by primary disability, that the IEP or eligibility team determines the primary category based on evaluations, and that any child can be referred for special education by a parent, teacher, or doctor, after which the district must meet within 15 days to decide whether to evaluate. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• a roll call on the table and I request a roll call vote.
• But we have underfunded our schools yet again according to this budget.
• And in again according to this budget.
• It's a budget session.
• It's a budget session. We really reason. It's a budget session.

Keywords: This version of the House chambers was retrieved from back up and uploaded. The original live stream contained issues where audio and video got out of sync., 958, all

Summary: The House convened with an invocation and pledge, established a quorum, approved the prior journal, and received committee reports on several bills. Reported measures included House Bills 1 and 2 from Appropriations and Revenue, along with bills on animal control officers, emergency services revenue, postsecondary education, proactive postsecondary admission, vehicle lights, motor vehicle operation, motor vehicle dealers, and machine gun conversion devices. The chamber also took up Senate Bills 52 and 124 for concurrence, and House Bill 1 was moved from rules to the orders of the day for immediate action. The House then considered House Bill 568, which would regulate public adjusters by prohibiting new licenses, allowing renewals for current licensees, imposing conflict-of-interest and contract requirements, capping fees at 5%, and barring adjusters from negotiating claims. Supporters described it as a consumer-protection measure responding to complaints and investigations, especially after recent storm-related exploitation. The bill passed overwhelmingly, 95-1. The House next debated House Bill 1, which would opt Kentucky into the federal education freedom tax credit program and authorize the Secretary of State to administer the state’s participation without using state general funds. Supporters argued it would bring federal scholarship dollars into Kentucky for K-12 students, including public school students, and could generate significant private donations for scholarship-granting organizations. Opponents raised concerns about shifting resources away from public education, the speed of the process, and a proposed waiver of Eleventh Amendment immunity. A motion to table the bill failed by a wide margin, and members continued debating the bill and its implications for public schools and state sovereignty.

Transcript Highlights:

• They request for more representation, and that will become effective immediately.
• The board, when they do their annual budget, they will look at that each year and they will decide how
• request for more representation<00:02:55.040><c> and</c><00:02:55.239><c> that</c><00:02:55.440><c>
• Yes, it does create that third license as they had requested. Thank you.
• Okay, yes, it does create that third license as they had requested. Thank you.

Keywords: Call to Order 00:00 Roll Call 00:05 HB 566 Discussion 01:34 HB 566 Vote 16:42 HB 39 Discussion 19:15 HB 39 Vote 23:10 HB 70 Discussion 24:48 HB 70 Vote 27:36 HB 72 Discussion 28:58 HB 72 Vote 39:45 HB 79 Discussion 41:45 HB 79 Vote 42:58 HB 223 Discussion 45:34 HB 223 Vote 46:24 Adjournment 47:38, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 566, which would implement the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation created last year. Chairman Cook described major provisions affecting charitable gaming, horse racing, sports wagering, and quarter horse racing, including locking charitable gaming fees in statute at a slightly lower rate, expanding charitable gaming board representation, preserving existing gaming technology, allowing school districts to hold charitable gaming licenses, and setting up self-funding for the new corporation through administrative set-asides from gaming-related funds. The bill also addresses uncashed vouchers, cross-training of investigators, ethics and employment provisions, and a three-year quarter horse breeding incentive intended to grow the industry. A committee substitute made two technical changes: clarifying voucher money stays with the track facility and making the school district itself the license holder. The substitute and then the bill both passed favorably, with several members noting concerns from last year but supporting the revised structure. The committee then heard House Bill 70, an interstate compact for dietitians. Sponsor Representative Vanessa Grossl and witnesses said the measure would allow reciprocity with other compact states, improve workforce mobility, help military families, expand patient access and telehealth, and reduce administrative burden on the licensing board. The committee substitute created a third license category for educational interpreters, but that language actually belonged to the next bill; for HB 70, the committee voted the bill favorably without reported amendments. The bill passed unanimously or near-unanimously and was sent to the House floor. Next, House Bill 72 was presented by Representative DJ Johnson to amend the law governing limited x-ray machine operators. The sponsor explained that current law effectively prevents limited x-ray operators from working in the same facility as other imaging equipment, which he said creates compliance problems, disrupts training, and can force practices to move equipment or lose employees. The bill would allow limited x-ray technicians to operate in the same facility as other imaging equipment. During discussion, some members noted opposition from students and others in the field, and the sponsor invited industry witnesses to explain their concerns. The transcript cuts off before final action on HB 72 is completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> fiscal year 26 budget. fiscal year 26 budget.
• </c> What was your budget? What was your budget?
• So please have the admin committee meeting, same request as please have the budget committee meeting
• </c> same request as please have the budget same request as please have the budget committee<04:03:25.199
• , our proposed budget is going to budget, our proposed budget is going to specifically<04:22:30.720><

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint House and Senate tourism briefing focused on the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s interim action plans, current projects, contract oversight, destination management action plans (DMAPs), and the impact of recent legislation and audit findings. Interim CEO Caroline Anderson said she accepted the temporary role to help address agency challenges, emphasized rebuilding trust, and said HTA is reviewing the state auditor’s concerns and posting its response publicly. She also described HTA’s mission and organizational structure under SB 1571, including reporting lines to the governor, the director, and the board, and outlined staff additions in finance, brand marketing, destination stewardship, and planning. A major topic was the permanent CEO search. HTA board chair Tata Po said the goal is to select a CEO within about four months, with the search firm still engaged, the position description being revised to reflect the new law and compensation changes, and approvals still needed before the job can be reposted. Members expressed frustration that the recruitment had been paused and questioned whether HTA has sufficient qualified leadership and staff during the interim period. Board leadership said the current staff is limited by vacancies but that they have confidence in the team and will add resources if needed. Members also pressed HTA on the role of the destination stewardship team and the CNHA/Kilohana contract, asking how staff oversight works and whether staff members were effectively wearing multiple hats. HTA explained that the stewardship team provides direction to contractors and that the work is divided among specialists overseeing projects such as tour guide certification, technical assistance, community tourism collaboratives, and a destination app. The committee also discussed whether the board can still vote on budgets under the new structure; the Attorney General’s office was cited as confirming that the board may advise, but the department director retains budget authority. HTA said it is working with CNHA and HVCB on contract and budget timing, with a goal of shifting to a calendar-year process so recipients know funding earlier.

Transcript Highlights:

• ed budget?
• within our higher ed your entire budget within our higher ed budget?
• So, our entire budget, yes, is budget?
• the higher budget, uh, higher ed within the higher budget, uh, higher ed budget<01:51:56.239><c> as</
• </c> fact that consequences of this budget fact that consequences of this budget will<02:08:15.920><c

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Higher Education Finance and Policy Conference Committee met publicly to compare House and Senate positions on the higher education budget, with the chairs emphasizing transparency and alternating gavel control. Nonpartisan fiscal staff walked through a spreadsheet of differences across the Office of Higher Education and Minnesota State, including major items such as state grants, childcare grants, work study, tribal college grants, emergency assistance grants, hunger-free campus grants, student parent support, direct admissions, paramedic scholarships, and several medical residency and fellowship programs. The House and Senate also differed on administrative funding, campus sexual assault reporting, and a House FY25 cancellation that would be carried forward. Members discussed several of the larger policy and funding choices. The Senate explained its increase for Minitex as support for operating costs and statewide access to information. The House explained its cuts to student parent support and other items as necessary to work within a zero target and to prioritize direct aid to students, while the Senate said it focused on direct appropriations and access-related programs. On hunger-free campus grants and emergency assistance grants, the Senate said it was changing the distribution method and direct appropriations rather than reducing the overall money, while the House noted differences in whether nonprofit institutions remained included. The committee also reviewed Senate-only additions and reductions in Minnesota State, including free course materials, Lake Superior College remediation, and changes to the Kids on Campus appropriation. A representative from Lake Superior College testified that the PAS remediation funding would help address contamination issues at an emergency training site near Lake Superior and that the money was shifted from the Kids on Campus initiative. No final conference agreement or vote was taken in the portion of the meeting provided; the committee continued discussing differences and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Before we get started, I do want to inform you that the sponsor for House Bill 132 has requested that
• And because we're rolling House Bill 132 per the request of the sponsor, we will move forward to the
• What are we looking at that are not going to be included in that first request?
• what the full fiscal impact will be, and we need to be able to quantify that for not only county budgets
• will mean a less invasive treatment and a better prognosis for the patient and for their financial budget

Summary: The House Labor, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee met and first announced that House Bill 132 would be rolled at the sponsor’s request because amendment language was still being worked on. The committee then proceeded without full quorum for part of the meeting and moved to House Bill 285, which concerns New Mexico’s disabled veterans property tax exemption. The sponsor and administration explained that the amended bill is a technical cleanup intended to clarify that the exemption applies to a veteran’s primary residence, address multiple-owner situations, and remove duplicative statutory language. Support came from New Mexico counties, the Tax and Revenue Department, and the Department of Veterans Services, all saying the bill would improve uniform administration without changing the substance of the exemption. Members also discussed broader concerns about veteran housing and homelessness, though the sponsor noted those issues were outside the bill’s scope. After quorum was established, the committee formally adopted the amendment to HB 285 and then passed the bill as amended on a do pass motion. Members asked about protest timelines and how the clarification would help veterans who are waiting on certification; the sponsor explained that the bill preserves the ability to protest within existing timeframes and gives veterans additional time to secure certification. The committee then took up House Bill 128, which updates New Mexico’s occupational disease and disablement law for firefighters by expanding presumptive cancer coverage and aligning the state list with newer research and federal changes. Testimony in support came from firefighters, labor groups, workers’ compensation officials, and medical experts, who described occupational cancer as a major cause of firefighter deaths and said the bill would reduce the burden on sick firefighters by presuming coverage rather than forcing them to prove causation. Members also raised questions about women firefighters, the five-year employment baseline, and fiscal impact, and the bill sponsor and Dr. Wu explained that the five-year standard reflects federal compromise and current data limitations. The committee then approved HB 128 on a do pass motion and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because it seems like we have to deal with two of them in the budget."
• That's the reason why it's not all in one bucket in the budget. We have several, right?
• authorized by the department via the contractor may be different than the number of hours the provider requested
• authorized by the department via the contractor may be different than the number of hours the provider requested
• authorized by the department via the contractor may be different than the number of hours the provider requested

Summary: The House Health Care and Wellness Committee met at policy cutoff and first took up executive session on four bills. It considered a proposed substitute for HB 1589 on health carrier contracting practices, which would require carriers to provide providers advance notice and clean copies of contract changes and payment methodologies, and would also add notice requirements for significant payer contract modifications. The committee also considered HB 2402 on phthalates in IV solution containers and tubing, with a substitute delaying implementation dates and creating shortage and FDA-related exemptions. HB 2555, concerning Medicaid coverage of traditional health care practices, and HB 2685, concerning tribal data and disease reporting to tribal health jurisdictions, were also before the committee. HB 2599 was deferred. The committee reported HB 1589, HB 2402, HB 2555, and HB 2685 out of committee with do pass recommendations, with recorded votes showing some members voting no or no without recommendation on the more contested bills. The committee then held a work session on private duty nursing in the Medically Intensive Children’s Program. Health Care Authority and DSHS staff described how the program serves children with complex medical needs through managed care and fee-for-service pathways, the role of prior authorization and medical necessity review, and the ongoing shortage of nursing staff. They said many approved hours are not filled, especially in rural areas, and that family members often provide unpaid care to fill gaps. Committee members asked about the structure of the children’s and adult PDN programs and about how many authorized hours are actually being served. The committee also heard testimony from a home care agency representative and a parent caregiver, both of whom described severe staffing shortages and the burden on families when nursing shifts go unfilled. They supported models that would allow trusted family caregivers to be paid for some of the skilled care they already provide. The committee then heard examples from Montana and Massachusetts of similar family caregiver or complex care assistant programs. Montana described its pediatric complex care assistant model as a gap-filling service with prior authorization and a set hourly rate, while Massachusetts outlined its complex care assistant program, including training, supervision, wage pass-through requirements, and early growth in participation. The meeting concluded after the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• returned as amended by the Senate, in which amendments the concurrence of the House is respectfully requested
• conference committee on Senate File Number 1959, an act relating to state government, establishing a budget
• single license is issued, the tax rate is going to go up 50% because Governor Walz wouldn't sign a budget
• The Senate respectfully requests that a conference committee be appointed.
• Jordan moves that the House succeed to the request of the Senate and that the Speaker appoint a conference

Transcript Highlights:

• President, at the appropriate time, I request that the names of our visitors from Kauai be entered into
• that the names of our visitors I request that the names of our visitors from<00:18:24.600><c> Kauai<
• The uncertainty brought by the federal budget cuts and the shutdown in 2025, stagnating tax revenues,
• cuts and the shutdown in 2025, budget cuts and the shutdown in 2025, stagnating<00:32:21.080><c> tax
• wants further discussion and requests the waiver to meet the first crossover deadline.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><03:48:37.439><c> a</c> signitories of this memorandum request a signitories of this memorandum request
• The appropriation is no longer required since it's already in the approved budget. Yes. Okay.
• We did remove<03:49:38.479><c> section</c><03:49:38.880><c> three</c><03:49:39.600><c> requesting</c>
• <03:49:40.160><c> the</c> remove section three requesting the remove section three requesting the appropriation
• </c> it's already in the approved budget. it's already in the approved budget.

Keywords: Conference Notices: AGR 2:30 PM:, 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These individuals then would need to just go and, um, request the governor's messaging if they wanted
• just wanted the public to understand. ...understands that those tax bills we consider impacting the budget
• you should not be sending things out that are not germane because they do more than just revenue or budget

Committee: Senate Senate Committees' Committee

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The request. Requirements of higher ed is line 23, page 2.
• You are trusting us to budget for the state. That's one thing.
• budget.
• Get a grasp of this: we can't budget this. We can't.
• We can never budget for it. It's my problem.

Committee: Senate Senate Judiciary