Transcript Highlights:

• Manager; Charlotte Thomas, General Manager; and Sadiq Young, General Manager.
• With 25 facilities serving 16 municipalities statewide, their impact is felt across Arizona.
• Manager, Charlotte Thomas, General Manager, and Sadiq Young, General Manager.
• SB 1173: very health facilities fingerprinting. Health and human services.
• SB 1137: underground facilities evacuations modifications.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then established attendance, approved the prior journal, and welcomed several guests, including the Doctor of the Day, a student shadowing a senator, representatives from Republic Services, and visitors from Copper Valley Energy. Senators also announced administrative deadlines, including extensions for opening Senate folders and for Senate bill introduction preparation, with the bill introduction deadline set for February 2. The main floor business was the reading and reference of a large number of Senate bills and resolutions across many subject areas, including education, government, appropriations, natural resources, health and human services, finance, judiciary and elections, and military affairs and border security. The calendar also included second-reading placement for another large group of bills covering topics such as firearms, behavioral health, family courts, insurance, water, taxation, public safety, and elections. No substantive debate or votes on the merits of the measures occurred during this portion beyond the procedural reading and referral of the bills. Standing committee reports were accepted without being read, and committee announcements were made for upcoming meetings of Government, Health and Human Services, Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency, Education, Judiciary and Elections, and Public Safety. The Senate then adjourned on motion until Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at 1:15 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm not here today to ask for more from the general fund or for structural expansion.
• Counties provide court staff and the facilities in which justice is administered.
• Require precautions that can disrupt court operations and generally result in a delay of justice.
• As John Adams observed, liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people.
• That principle continues to guide our Without a general knowledge among the people.

Summary: The Senate convened with 34 members present and one excused absence, then approved the prior day’s journal. After moving to motions and resolutions, the chamber welcomed the Chief Justice and members of the Idaho judiciary for the annual State of the Judiciary address. The Chief Justice described the courts’ workload, including rising civil caseloads, ongoing criminal and juvenile matters, and the continued use of treatment courts, mediation, remote hearings, self-help services, and online case access tools to improve access and efficiency. The Chief Justice also highlighted courthouse facility upgrades in several counties, concerns about courthouse security and threats to judges and court staff, and cybersecurity efforts that blocked large numbers of phishing and malicious access attempts. He emphasized civic education efforts, the judiciary’s five governing principles, and the need for continued collaboration with the legislature and counties. The Senate ordered the address spread upon the journal and then returned the Chief Justice to the chamber exit. In later business, the Senate received Senate Joint Resolution 102, proposing a constitutional amendment related to state trust lands, and referred it to the Judiciary and Rules Committee for printing. The chamber also received two gubernatorial appointments: Estella Zamora to the Idaho Commission on Human Rights and Janet Lawler to the Commission of Pardons and Parole, referring them to the appropriate committees. Two bills were introduced on first reading—Senate Bill 1224 on slow-moving vehicles and Senate Bill 1225 on presidential searches for state higher education institutions—and both were referred to Judiciary and Rules for printing. The Senate then announced a schedule change for America 250-related activities the next day and adjourned until 11 a.m. Thursday, January 22, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is again an exemption from the general sales and use tax.
• This is again an exemption from the general sales and use tax.
• It has an general sales and use tax.
• Uh development of of these facilities.
• </c> in generating in generating income<01:15:39.840><c> or</c><01:15:39.960><c> wealth</c><01:15:40.520

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> facilities as obligated under the law. facilities as obligated under the law.
• </c> the state facility at all? the state facility at all? &gt;&gt; Correct. &gt;&gt; Correct.
• and other facilities.
• </c><00:36:39.920><c> and</c> our state and um school facilities and our state and um school facilities
• So with that, chair other facilities.

Bills: HB1577 , HB1870

Committee: Senate Government Operations

Keywords: Smart911, 911, 911 Board, emergency response, public safety answering point, PSAP, next-generation 911, NG911, dispatch, dispatcher, emergency profile, safety profile, medical information, disability access, access needs, functional needs, kupuna, aging, developmental disabilities, communication access

Summary: The committee reconvened on March 19, 2026, for decision-making on measures heard earlier in the week. It first took up HB 812 on agriculture, agreeing to move it forward with amendments and a Senate draft, and then HB 2388 on public notice, which was also passed with amendments after concerns about transparency and the need for local newspaper notice on Maui were discussed. HB 1414 on procurement and HB 2469 on a regular session review working group were both deferred to March 24 for further work with the author, while HB 322 on voter registration was deferred indefinitely in favor of a Senate vehicle. The committee then heard HB 1577, which would create a statewide emergency safety profile system pilot program and working group for 911. Testimony from disability advocates, emergency medical services, and others strongly supported the bill, emphasizing benefits for people without smartphones, better sharing of medical and emergency information, and improved response in the field. Committee members and witnesses discussed whether the 911 Board already had the authority to implement the system without legislation, and the bill was not immediately acted on in the portion of the transcript provided. The final major item was HB 1870 on protected community locations. Testimony in support came from the University of Hawaii, the Legal Clinic, immigrant-rights groups, public health advocates, and many individuals, while the Department of Education supported the measure but requested clarity on federal compliance and raised concerns about a 1,000-foot perimeter beyond campus. Supporters said the bill would protect sensitive locations and help immigrant families feel safe accessing schools, health care, and other services. No final vote on HB 1870 is shown in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• James Hardie Building Products decided to spend $400 million on a manufacturing facility.
• Jefferson County was elated for a once-in-a-generation decision and announcement in 2022.
• Just want to make a couple of general comments about territorial protection under 1926(b).
• We’ve developed a facility plan for the city to meet their demands on what they need.
• Just a general question, because we sometimes hear this in utilities or eco-devo committees.

Committee: House Utilities

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• hubs and maintenance facilities.
• The deadline for filing main amendments to the General Appropriations Bill and Implementing Bill will
• The deadline for filing and hearing amendments to the General Appropriations Bill and Implementation
• Leader Pizzo: Who is this General Revenue person?
• General today.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members before you is Senate Bill 2,500, the General Appropriations Bill for the 2026-2027 fiscal year
• It's actually the largest general revenue swath in the budget, for a fun fact.
• We also provide $10 million for the continued upgrade of Camp Landing to a level two facility, and we
• million from the General Revenue Fund that reverts back to the EASE program.
• The library construction grants, $5 million, and then the cultural facility is $5.1 million.

Summary: The Senate took up the 2026-2027 budget package, beginning with an overview of the $115 billion General Appropriations Bill (SB 2500). Appropriations Chair Hooper said the budget reduces overall spending from the prior year, preserves reserves, and includes a 3% pay raise for state employees and 5% raises for law enforcement, firefighters, correctional officers, and park rangers. Committee chairs then highlighted major spending in their areas, including K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/economic development, and environmental/agricultural programs. Major items discussed included school funding increases, workforce and university investments, Medicaid and child welfare funding, corrections operating deficits, housing and hurricane recovery, Everglades and water quality projects, and state employee compensation. Members asked detailed questions about several budget items. In education, senators discussed teacher salaries, declining enrollment supplements, scholarship funding growth, and charter school capital outlay. In higher education, they asked about Bright Futures, New College funding, and the EASE grant program. In health and human services, senators focused on the iBudget waiver, Medicaid hospital rate reductions, the ADAP HIV drug program, and the use of opioid settlement funds. In criminal justice, questions centered on DOC deficits, inmate health care and food service costs, public defender and state attorney funding, and whether the budget would prevent the need for National Guard support. In environmental and state agency budgets, senators discussed Florida Forever land acquisition, conservation easements, cultural grants, the Emergency Management Trust Fund, and election security funding. After the budget presentations and questions, the Senate substituted House bills for the Senate budget bills and adopted amendments to place Senate language onto the House vehicles for conference. The chamber passed HB 5001, the appropriations bill, by a 36-0 vote and agreed to conference. It also passed the implementing bill, collective bargaining and state employee bills, retirement legislation, fuel tax and SLERS bills, the court trust fund bill, judicial certification bill, K-12 and higher education conforming bills, and other related measures, generally by unanimous votes. Several motions were adopted to request the House to pass the Senate versions or include them in budget conference.

Transcript Highlights:

• facility to be deposited<00:36:35.839><c> into</c><00:36:36.000><c> the</c><00:36:36.160><c> general
• </c> HHS of general funds. HHS of general funds.
• </c> a year um of general funds of support. a year um of general funds of support.
• No general fund cost.
• </c> proposal. no general fund cost. proposal. no general fund cost.

Keywords: LBA Briefing on Budget, 928, house, all

Summary: The presentation was an LBA overview of Senate changes to the House-passed state budget, with Michael Kane explaining how Senate Finance updated revenue and spending estimates after April revenue figures and agency discussions. He said the Senate’s revenue outlook was higher than the House’s in some areas, but lower in others, especially video lottery terminal revenue, and that the biggest differences also came from changes to revenue splits between the general fund and education trust fund, lapse estimates, and several policy changes in House Bill 1 and House Bill 2. Kane highlighted several major revenue and policy differences: the Senate changed the business tax, tobacco tax, and real estate transfer tax splits; adjusted liquor revenue dedication; removed the House’s meals-and-rooms distribution cap; delayed the Lakes Region facility proceeds plan; altered the PECARD fund treatment; added a granite patron of the arts tax credit; and changed the treatment of unique funds and video lottery terminal revenue. On spending, he noted Senate changes to judicial, corrections, HHS, human rights commission, and other budgets, including additional settlement costs, higher lapse assumptions, and a different approach to Medicaid premium revenue and retirement savings. He also described Senate additions such as a nursing home bed fee, Hampstead Hospital transition funding, and changes to the YDC claims settlement fund. The presentation focused on comparing House and Senate surplus statements across fiscal years 2025 through 2027, including projected ending balances and rainy day fund transfers. Kane repeatedly emphasized that the numbers were still dependent on final revenues and lapse amounts, and that some balances would be carried forward and trued up later in the biennium. No committee vote or final action was described in the excerpt; it was an informational budget briefing and comparison of the two chambers’ proposals.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> jail um or just consider it in general jail um or just consider it in general that<01:04:30.000>
• </c> generally know what's happening. Okay. generally know what's happening. Okay.
• </c> extend to state correctional facilities. extend to state correctional facilities.
• </c><02:22:01.439><c> uh</c> illegal contraband into facilities uh illegal contraband into facilities
• </c><02:22:23.520><c> Um</c> and security of our facilities. Um and security of our facilities.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The first page of my handout includes the summary of the general fund status.
• We're calling them generations, and we're basically using a process by We're calling them generations
• We surveyed health care facilities.
• I'm Mitch Johnson, the Adjutant General for North Dakota.
• I'm Mitch Johnson, the Adjutant General for North Dakota.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Budget Section met with a quorum, approved the December 10, 2025 minutes, and received a general fund and revenue update from the Office of Management and Budget. OMB reported the state was about $2 million ahead of forecast biennium-to-date, with an estimated ending general fund balance of about $397.5 million. Joe Morset also reviewed balances in major funds, oil tax revenues, interest income, federal grant reporting, fiscal irregularities, the voluntary separation incentive program, vacancy savings, and the FTE pool. Members asked about the higher-than-forecast interest income, the effective oil tax rate and stripper-well production, the impact of temporary pay adjustments and vacancy savings, and whether the voluntary separation program could reduce institutional knowledge or shift duties to remaining staff. The committee then approved four Emergency Commission requests: $5.26 million for DPI to support an AI-enabled tutoring platform, $105,000 from the general fund contingency for Corrections GPS monitoring, about $1.963 million for HHS SPACES eligibility system upgrades tied to Medicaid work requirements, and about $1.2 million for SNAP eligibility IT improvements. Legislative Council reported remaining interim spending authority after those approvals, and NDIT gave an update on digital accessibility compliance efforts, saying the state has made substantial progress on websites and PDFs but that applications will take longer to remediate. NDIT also reported on the Infinite Campus student information system rollout, noting data migration remains the biggest challenge and that a supplemental vendor is being brought in to help get districts ready for summer go-live. Greg Hoffman then gave a brief update on NDIT’s operational fund, saying cash remains negative in PeopleSoft but accounts receivable keeps the fund functioning within federal limits. The Supreme Court reported on its new and vacant FTE funding pool, saying it has filled 7 of 10 new positions and has realized some vacancy savings, and Legislative Council provided a similar report for the legislative branch along with a reminder that budget action reports are available online. The Department of Transportation presented its Flexible Transportation Fund, explaining the fund’s allocation formulas and ranking process, and sought Budget Section approval for two projects over the $10 million threshold: a Medora city streets and sidewalk project and a Cass County bridge replacement. Members questioned whether funding Medora streets could set a precedent for city street reconstruction and whether the bridge application process fully reflects statewide needs. DOT said the projects were scored competitively and that the bridge list does not capture all deficiencies statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• General governance and constitutional<00:03:10.319><c> rights</c><00:03:11.239><c> environmental</c>
• general general positions<00:07:56.240><c> for</c><00:07:56.520><c> debed</c><00:07:56.960><c> we're
• </c><00:13:21.199><c> sustainable</c> the nursing facility sustainable the nursing facility sustainable
• fund totals amount to amendments general fund totals amount to 198<00:20:33.520><c> mill.
• General funds amount to $3 million in both fiscal years.

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee met in decision-making only and first took up HB 300, the Senate majority budget package. The chair described the bill as a response to economic uncertainty and reduced revenue forecasts, and outlined a wide range of appropriations and staffing changes across state agencies, including agriculture, education, health, public safety, housing, labor, natural resources, and corrections. The package emphasized one-year funding for many new programs, vacancy reductions, and investments in services such as preschool, mental health, wildfire mitigation, cybersecurity, public access, and workforce development. HB 300 was recommended to pass with amendments and was adopted unanimously, with members voting yes and no reservations noted only as procedural responses. The committee then acted on HB 794 and HB 795, both recommended to pass with amendments by changing the defective date to 2050; both measures were adopted without discussion. On the 101 agenda, HB 400, the Judiciary budget bill, was recommended to pass with amendments. The bill included vacancy reductions, security funding, permanent staffing for several court and justice programs, and support for civil legal services, immigration-related services, and technology licenses. HB 400 was adopted. HB 410 was also adopted with amendments and a defective date change to 2050. On the 102 agenda, the committee passed several bills either unamended or with targeted amendments. HB 3, HB 134, HB 177, HB 237, HB 648, HB 713, HB 735, HB 1391, and HB 1462 were passed unamended. HB 214 passed with amendments expanding eligibility for retired employees to fill labor-shortage or succession-planning positions, including certain management positions excluded from collective bargaining; one member raised concerns about school resource officers and community fit, which the chair said could be addressed in the committee report. HB 441 passed with amendments to direct cigarette tax funds to the Hawaii Cancer Research Special Fund, with a discussion about whether e-cigarettes should be included. Other measures passed with amendments included HB 448, HB 667, HB 727, HB 740, HB 806, HB 1020, HB 1345, and HB 1365, generally involving date changes, blank appropriations, or technical language. HB 1391 was adopted with a reservation from Senator Kim. The meeting concluded with HB 1462 adopted unamended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the general counsel for the court system.
• I am also an associate attorney general.
• </c> um outside of that um we generally um outside of that um we generally because<00:35:01.480><c> we're
• Out of our facilities means they are out of state in another facility being supervised, just so you understand
• <c> as</c> in our Southern tiered facilities as in our Southern tiered facilities as well<00:56:50.799

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> families in Minnesota were generally families in Minnesota were generally able<00:20:39.320><c>
• </c> don't use it then it goes to the general don't use it then it goes to the general fund<00:31:56.159
• serving six or fewer residents. facilities The Proposal requires that facilities The Proposal requires
• </c> existing assisted living facility existing assisted living facility serving<00:46:02.680><c> six
• that is below the cost of that facility, it could create financial hardship for those facilities and

Committees: Senate Health and Human Services , Senate Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Will the Auditor General please come to the podium?
• It controls pharmacies, but you have pharmacies within assisted living facilities or nursing facilities
• or nursing facilities that are controlled by a separate entity.
• Facilities or nursing facilities that are controlled by a separate entity.
• I'm with the Arizona Auditor General.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee met as a Joint Health and Human Services Committee of Reference to hear sunset reviews and performance audit findings for several health-related boards. The first action taken was on the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy. The Auditor General reported that while the board met some licensing deadlines, it had significant problems enforcing controlled substances prescription monitoring program (CSPMP) requirements, timely investigating complaints, and documenting fee analyses and other compliance items. The board director said the agency had implemented some recommendations, was seeking legislative help on CSPMP enforcement and data issues, and described staffing and vendor challenges. A public member testified that the board was generally efficient but that statutory gaps limited its effectiveness. The committee then voted 13-0, with six not voting, to continue the Board of Pharmacy for six years until July 1, 2032, with statutory changes to improve its operations. The committee next reviewed the Arizona State Board of Nursing. The Auditor General found the board timely processed licenses but continued to resolve too many complaints late, with a large and growing backlog of open cases, and identified additional issues in oversight, accounting, public records, and conflict-of-interest practices. The executive director said the board had been under-resourced as nursing volume and complaints increased, requested 28 additional investigative positions, and described efforts to triage cases and improve tracking. The Arizona Nurses Association supported the board’s role and said it was working on a bill, House Bill 2408, to improve accountability, prioritization, and fairness in the disciplinary process. A nurse attorney testified that changes to complaint notice, the scope of investigations, and triage could shorten delays. The committee approved continuation of the Board of Nursing for four years until July 1, 2030, by a 14-0 vote with five not voting. The committee then heard the sunset review for the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners. The Auditor General reported that the board generally met licensing timelines but had documentation problems verifying fingerprint clearance cards or criminal history checks, and it failed to act promptly on a renewal application involving serious sex-trafficking-related charges. The board said it had accepted all recommendations, had implemented most of them, had moved to a new licensing platform, and had hired help to address rulemaking delays. Members asked about fingerprint verification and the handling of the serious criminal charges. The committee voted 16-0 to continue the board for four years until July 1, 2030, with statutory changes to improve its performance. Finally, the committee began the review of the Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants. The Auditor General found the board had met some licensing and enforcement requirements but lacked adequate executive oversight, accountability, and tracking systems, and it had very high complaint-resolution delays. The report also criticized the board’s incentive pay structure, which paid all staff based on measures unrelated to complaint timeliness. The new executive director said the board had created formal investigative timelines, improved reporting, sought additional support staff, and was updating IT and incentive metrics; she also explained that the board is a shared agency with the Medical Board. The transcript ends during this presentation, before any vote on the physician assistant board is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the assistant vice president for facilities with KCTCS.
• That facility right now is outdated.
• </c><01:15:56.400><c> fund</c> second biggest use of general fund second biggest use of general fund
• General Assembly.
• Non-licensed paraprofessional providers and facilities.

Keywords: Meeting start 00:06:05 Roll Call 00:06:33 HB 152 Discussion 00:07:55 HB 152 PHS 2 Vote 00:10:12 HB 545 Discussion HB 545 PHS 1 Vote 00:13:47 HB 606 Discussion 00:15:15 HB 606 Vote 00:16:32 HJR 30 Discussion HJR Vote 00:19:07 HJR 32 Discussion 00:20:25 HJR 32 PHS 1 Vote 00:23:11 HJR 34 Discussion 00:25:04 HJR 34 PHS 1 Vote 00:28:50 HJR 46 Discussion 00:30:09 HJR 46 Vote 00:34:15 HJR 53 Discussion 00:35:40 HJR 53 Vote 00:38:55 HJR 54 Discussion 00:40:15 HJR 54 Vote 00:40:50 HB 546 Discussion 00:42:15 HB 546 PHS 1 Vote 00:46:15 HB 605 Discussion 00:47:38 HB 605 PHS 1 Vote 00:52:10 HB 694 Discussion 00:53:46 HB 694 Vote 01:07:47 HB 695 Discussion Only 01:10:20, 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Appropriations and Revenue met on February 25 and considered a series of bills and joint resolutions, mostly involving appropriations, capital projects, and local infrastructure funding. The committee first adopted PHS 2 and passed House Bill 152, which creates a Medicaid supplemental payment program for public ground ambulance providers; the sponsor said the substitute ensures no state general fund dollars will be used and that local agencies must identify a funding source for any required match. HB 152 was reported favorably on a 20-0 vote. The committee also passed House Bill 545, the annual claims bill, after members confirmed all executive-branch claims were included; it was reported favorably on a 21-0 vote. House Bill 606, requiring reporting for general obligation bonds, also passed unanimously and was reported favorably. The committee then took up several joint resolutions tied to capital and infrastructure spending. House Joint Resolution 30, concerning water projects, was described as implementing ranked projects under the Waters program administered by KIA and was reported favorably on a 21-0 vote. House Joint Resolution 32, concerning school facilities construction, was amended by PHS 1 and advanced after discussion referencing the Auditor’s report and questions about a Johnson County Schools expenditure; it also passed 21-0. House Joint Resolution 34, relating to contingent appropriations for KCTCS, was amended by PHS 1 and advanced after testimony outlining three projects in Somerset, Jefferson Community and Technical College, and Glasgow; it passed 21-0. House Joint Resolution 46, for local road projects, was described as funding the highest-scoring local road requests from a larger pool of applications and passed 21-0. The committee also advanced House Joint Resolution 53, authorizing release of funds for KSU’s Health Sciences Center project, after KSU officials said the building is needed for nursing and allied health programs and promised a business plan report by November 1, 2025; it passed 21-0. House Joint Resolution 54, authorizing funds related to the State Fair Board, also passed unanimously. Later, the committee considered House Bill 546, which revises the local roads and streets program by adding a DOT-developed scoring system, monthly reporting, a match requirement, and a $500,000 project cap; members asked about the cap and were told larger projects should be handled through other mechanisms. HB 546 was reported favorably on a 21-0 vote. Finally, House Bill 605, a technical corrections and update bill for the local economic relief grant program, was amended by PHS 1 and discussed as expanding eligibility, including to the Delta Regional Authority and certain local-affiliated applicants; the transcript cuts off before the final vote on HB 605.

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you permit smoking anywhere in the facility?
• That certification provides a level of protection, speaking generally.
• </c><01:05:30.440><c> public</c> to speak to you know the general public to speak to you know the general
• welfare, especially general welfare.
• </c><02:02:32.560><c> local</c> these are in line with generally local these are in line with generally

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Ford, the prior director, Air Force General as well.
• I'm a first-generation Texas Tech grad.
• By way of background, I'm a fifth-generation Texan.
• We have facilities, and I'll get to answer, but we're having facilities that have to be vacated.
• We have to vacate those facilities.

Committee: Senate Nominations

Summary: The Senate Committee on Nominations met to consider several gubernatorial nominees and first approved a slate of nominees left pending from the March 31 agenda. The committee voted 5-0 to favorably report those nominees to the full Senate for confirmation. Public testimony was then opened and later closed, with some listed witnesses not appearing. The committee heard testimony on Jerry K. Weldon II for the Brazos River Authority Board of Directors. Senators focused on stewardship of the Brazos River, the authority’s relationship to the legislature and the public, Sunset review, water quality and nutrient runoff, impaired waterways, and possible uses of constructed wetlands for aggregate mine reclamation. Weldon emphasized collaboration, transparency, and keeping the citizens of Texas as the authority’s primary customer. Commissioner Robert Vaughn was considered for reappointment to the Texas Transportation Commission. Discussion centered on TxDOT’s management, rural funding, population growth, project delivery, and the commissioner’s role on the audit committee. Doug McCreakin was considered for the Texas Tech University Board of Regents, with questions about legislative priorities, compliance with DEI-related state law, workforce development, rural medical education, and university partnerships. Jody Giles was considered for reappointment to the University of Texas Board of Regents, and Bernadette Carrasco Coleman for reappointment to the Texas Woman’s University Board of Regents; both discussed higher education priorities, PUF funding, compliance with state law, and student support programs. John Rutherford was considered for reappointment to the Teachers Retirement System Board of Trustees, with questions about fiduciary oversight, investment understanding, and keeping the retirement system solvent. Brigadier General Michael Boyd was also considered for appointment to the Texas Military Preparedness Commission, where discussion focused on military retention, child care, spouse licensing, base infrastructure, and grant funding for Texas installations. The committee did not take final votes on these later nominees during the hearing and left them pending subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• , adult companion home, post-adjudication treatment facility, or any facility holding youth operated
• by the Office of Juvenile Affairs from entering into an agreement to staff such detention facility by
• The employee at the center, at the facility, has to be employed by the center, by the facility.
• They go to a residential care facility, and those facilities are staffed.
• At these residential care facilities, they are staffed, and it would be up to that staff.

Bills: SB1328 , SB1380 , SB1436 , SB1558 , SB1572 , SB1651 , SB1805 , SB1831 , SB1836 , SB2014 , SB2023 , SB2044 , SB2179 , SB933

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: parents' rights, healthcare consent, minors, medical records, protection, legal guardianship, Medicaid, Oklahoma Health Care Authority, eligibility verification, death records, Death Master File, vital statistics, disenrollment, recoupment, improper payments, benefits integrity, public assistance, income verification, residency verification, incarceration status

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee met to consider a series of Senate bills, beginning with SB 2014, which would allow ivermectin to be sold over the counter with FDA approval. After questions about whether a prescription would still be required and how FDA guidance would affect the law, the bill passed 9-3. SB 1805, as amended, barred detention and youth facilities from using temporary agencies or contracting organizations for staffing; the author said the change was intended to address transparency and records issues in a related lawsuit. That bill passed 12-0. SB 2044, also amended, clarified chiropractic-related language regarding serum and multiple vitamins; members discussed whether the bill changed scope of practice, and it passed 10-2. The committee then approved SB 1836, which requires a board-approved mental health screener during routine annual primary care visits. The author said it was meant to normalize mental health screening and noted an updated fiscal impact estimate of $284,000 to $560,000; some members raised concerns about mandates and cost, but the bill passed 8-4. SB 1380 would require the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to verify Medicaid eligibility against death records and conduct monthly death-record checks for enrollees; after questions about current practice, costs, and recoupment from deceased enrollees, the author requested title be stricken, and the bill passed 10-2. SB 2179, dealing with not-guilty-by-reason-of-mental-illness cases, adds staff accompaniment for therapeutic visits, requires structured violence-risk assessments before discharge or conditional release, and adds drug screening when substance-use monitoring is ordered; Department of Mental Health staff testified about treatment planning and monitoring, and the bill passed 11-1. Later, the committee passed SB 1436, which requires families to be informed of their right to certification after fetal death or miscarriage, and SB 1558, which clarifies that older youth in OJA custody may be placed in Level E group homes. SB 933, the “Right to Try for Individualized Treatment Act,” passed 11-0 and would allow certain terminally ill patients to seek individualized investigational treatments after informed consent. SB 1651, an Oklahoma Medical Board cleanup bill covering several licensed professions, also passed 11-0. Finally, SB 1328 modernizes parental access to minor medical records with safeguards for abuse situations, and SB 1572 removes the DHS and OJA directors from the OCCY board; both passed 11-0. The committee adjourned after noting a possible interim meeting for a Tier 1 nomination.

Transcript Highlights:

• Attorney General?
• But it's not coming from general revenue. But it's a reduction of general revenue.
• But it's not coming from a general revenue.
• But it's a reduction of, it is a reduction of general revenue.
• But I think the general lady from the Collins district— Gentleman from St.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And or you could even have an owner in a shared facility which is covered by 540B that has a roommate
• The example that I always use when talking about shared facilities is um grandma has an extra room in
• </c> &gt;&gt; If I may, so as uh the shared facility &gt;&gt; If I may, so as uh the shared facility
• </c> &gt;&gt; Um 540B defines what a shared facility &gt;&gt; Um 540B defines what a shared facility
• Because I am familiar with the shared facilities being a closer, shorter timeline.

Committee: House Housing

Keywords: 1189, house, all