Transcript Highlights:

• Dale Armstrong, Board Vice President, who I believe will be joining us remotely, so hopefully the tech
• Armstrong coming in remotely? Or is that maybe just going to be via phone call?
• Thank you for the opportunity to appear today as...
• Thank you for the opportunity to appear today as part of our 26th Sunset Review oversight hearing to
• As a result, the only language addressing animal chiropractic appears in the veterinary code.

Summary: The joint Assembly and Senate Business and Professions sunset oversight hearing focused first on the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN), with committee chairs emphasizing oversight, consumer protection, workforce access, and economic mobility. BRN leaders reported improvements since the last review, including faster licensing timelines, streamlined enforcement, higher consumer satisfaction, growth in pre-licensure enrollment, and expanded data collection. Members questioned the board about nurse practitioner scope and supervision, international and military pathways to licensure, online nursing education and clinical requirements, rural workforce shortages, and the 30-unit LVN-to-RN option. BRN staff explained California’s tiered advanced practice system, the NCLEX and certification requirements, English proficiency rules, clinical hour standards, and the board’s role in approving programs and supporting schools through nursing education consultants. Several members and the board president also discussed the need to retain new graduates, improve diversity in the workforce, and better support nontraditional students and rural placements. Public comment on the BRN sunset review was extensive and largely supportive of the board, while also urging policy changes. Nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, and nursing education groups generally supported the BRN report and especially backed clarification of APRN-to-RN delegation authority under issue 13. Other commenters asked for clearer implementation of AB 890, more flexibility for clinical nurse specialists, streamlined renewals for nurse midwives, and changes to federal loan limits affecting graduate nursing education. Higher education representatives and private nursing schools raised concerns about duplicative BRN documentation, clinical placement bottlenecks, and barriers faced by out-of-state and online programs seeking to serve California students. The California Medical Association and some physician groups opposed easing transition-to-practice requirements for out-of-state nurse practitioners and cautioned against changes to specialty and delegation rules, while the California Nurses Association and others stressed the importance of community college pathways, new graduate support, and workforce retention. The hearing then moved to the Physical Therapy Board of California. Board leadership reported that the board oversees more than 41,000 active licensees, has seen about 15% growth since 2021, and continues to maintain high exam pass rates among California physical therapy and physical therapist assistant programs. The board described its mission as consumer protection through licensing, enforcement, continuing competency oversight, and stakeholder engagement. The vice president’s remote testimony encountered technical problems, so the executive officer continued with a brief overview of the board’s work and its commitment to efficient service and public protection. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Somewhat remotely on time, I'm going to ask members to hold themselves to not more than four minutes
• So I have Ashley Sepulveda, Benjamin Albright, and Isabelle DePetona, who will be appearing via Zoom
• It's very remote. They were raped. There's no cell phone service. There's nothing.
• instrument determines if a youth poses enough of a risk, either to themselves or to others, or of not appearing
• So, Madam Chair, I just—my concern is that this appears to show that there's less juvenile crime.

Transcript Highlights:

• together, we do have one of our presenters stepped out, it looks like, but we do have someone on Zoom, a remote
• When it appeared she had a clot, the heparin was pushed, and she had a massive hemorrhage.
• It appears to be difficult for juries to define the term wanton or reckless and when punitive damages
• Certainly, when physicians open the newspaper and they see heavy, heavy punitive damages in what appear
• terminology that you don't necessarily understand, but I suggest that it's a team teaching people in remote

Transcript Highlights:

• As you know, Texas is full of pretty remote areas, and those areas are, you know, you can't really We
• It certainly appears that way, Chairman.

Bills: HB2838, HB2964, HB3213, SB924

Keywords: broadband, internet access, digital equity, tax reduction, government funding, rural counties, fiber-optic, state funding, infrastructure, digital divide, economic development, fiber-optic cable, excavation, utilities, civil penalties, municipal regulations, video services, regulation, public right-of-way, franchise authority

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm an attorney appearing on behalf of the Florida Justice Reform Institute.
• No public appearance on the amendment.
• No public appearance. Members, any debate on the bill?
• No public appearance. Members. Oh, God. Questions? Okay. No public appearance.
• Public appearance on the bill as amended.

Summary: The subcommittee considered a long agenda of civil justice and claims measures. HB 1173, relating to the Florida Trust Code, was presented as a clarification of standing in trust litigation after recent case law; after questions about who may sue, an amendment was adopted clarifying that an expressly named charity retains standing, and the bill passed 14-2. HB 1437, on attorney’s fees in motor vehicle PIP disputes, drew testimony from insurers and reform groups opposing a return to fee-driven litigation and from medical groups supporting fee recovery for prevailing parties; it passed 17-0. CS/HB 147, addressing prohibited debt-collection communications during nighttime and early morning hours, was described as a clarification of an outdated statute in light of modern communications, with support from business groups and no opposition in the vote; it passed 18-0. The committee then heard several claims bills against the Department of Children and Families. HB 6511, for relief of L.P., described severe injuries to a child after DCF allegedly failed to act on warning signs; a technical amendment was adopted and the bill passed 18-0. HB 6515, for relief of Michael Barnett, involved DCF’s alleged failure to investigate domestic violence that preceded the killing of three children and injury of a fourth; members asked about the settlement amount and the case’s circumstances, and the bill also passed 18-0. HB 1517, expanding wrongful death law to allow parents of an unborn child to recover for the child’s death, generated the most extensive debate. The sponsor said it aligns civil law with existing criminal definitions and excludes claims against mothers and providers of lawful medical care, including IVF; opponents warned it could be used to target reproductive care, support networks, and domestic violence survivors, while supporters framed it as a justice measure for families. An amendment clarifying damages rules for minors and unborn children was adopted, and the bill passed 13-4. Finally, HB 947, on evidence of medical damages in personal injury and wrongful death cases, sought to allow broader evidence at trial and to change “shall” to “may”; supporters said it would improve fairness and transparency, while opponents argued it would weaken post-2023 tort reforms and reintroduce inflated medical damages. The amendment was adopted and the bill was then taken up with additional opposition testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• vote, and we will work as we did last time to ensure that anybody who cannot physically be here or remotely
• be here—so remote is not an issue if you're virtual, you can just vote virtually—but if you're not present
• If you keep clicking, then the whole picture will appear. It's a whole, yeah.
• If you keep clicking, then the whole picture will appear. It's a whole, yeah.
• So Rafael Lemkin himself appeared nowhere in the UN.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on Combating Anti-Semitism opened by approving the minutes from its November 5, 2025 meeting and outlining plans for its next meeting on November 20, when it expects to vote on the draft master report and recommendations. The chair explained that revised drafts would be circulated, changes would be handled by motion, and the final vote would be by roll call. The meeting then moved through several public panels focused on prevention, education, workplace support, and community safety. Parents for Peace testified that anti-Semitism and extremism should be treated as a public health crisis and urged state funding for training in K-12 schools, healthcare, and law enforcement. The panel described its intervention work with radicalized youth and families, argued for early-warning training for educators, and recommended diversion resources for courts and prosecutors so cases can be addressed before they escalate. Commissioners asked about the origins of radicalization, the need for school-based training, and how to connect courts and police to available resources. Project Shema’s Orrin Jacobson argued that effective anti-Semitism education must be nuanced, pluralistic, and grounded in a better understanding of Jewish identity and contemporary anti-Semitism, especially in conversations about Israel and Palestine. He said the group has run dozens of workshops in Massachusetts and emphasized that institutions should adopt content-neutral norms, train staff and administrators, and measure whether trainings lower tensions and increase willingness to intervene. Commissioners asked about handling activists who reject nuance, the role of faculty versus students, and whether classroom norms should limit teachers from advancing personal agendas. A workplace panel from Klaal and Combined Jewish Philanthropies presented survey data showing many Jewish employees feel unsafe being openly Jewish at work and that antisemitism training is the top requested support. They described rapid growth in Jewish employee resource groups, existing programming and stipends for ERG leaders, and recommended mandatory anti-Semitism training, support for Jewish affinity groups in public and private sectors, and broader convenings of major employers. The commission also heard from Truah rabbis and educators, who urged stronger interfaith solidarity, a state office of faith-based and neighborhood partnerships, and explicit attention to democracy and civil rights as part of anti-Semitism strategy. After a recess, the commission heard from Israeli-American, Russian Jewish, and Persian Jewish witnesses who described antisemitism as a lived, personal, and civic issue affecting immigrants and their families. They called for inclusion of diverse Jewish voices in state initiatives, stronger protections for Israeli-American businesses, and recognition that anti-Zionist rhetoric often becomes direct harassment of Jews. The chair said the testimony and suggested edits would be incorporated into the draft report, and the meeting ended with plans for further revisions before the final vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's so hard that you've got a mother advocating for a two-year-old not to believe what appears to be
• When I got on the case, my first appearance in court, because of CPS's removal, the child was down to
• And in some cases, IBCLCs are not staffed at all and are only available remotely.
• We appreciate... ...staffed at all and are only available remotely. Thank you so much.
• That appears to be what's happening.

Bills: HB136, HB451, SB425, SB466, SB905, SB1986, SB2311, SB2450, SB2805, SB2826, SB2919, SB3001

Keywords: Medicaid, lactation, healthcare, consultation, reimbursement, maternal health, infant care, commercial sexual exploitation, child sex trafficking, human trafficking, child welfare, foster care, DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, juvenile probation, risk assessment, needs assessment, trauma screening, child abuse prevention, exploitation screening

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and announced it would vote on pending bills at 10:30, with public testimony limited to two minutes. It first took up Senate Bill 905, a TDLR cleanup bill on licensing regulation of speech-language pathologists and audiologists. Senator Zafferini said the committee substitute would streamline advisory board consultation, remove obsolete provisional licenses, and allow any licensed physician to authorize hearing instruments for minors; the substitute was adopted and the bill left pending. The committee then heard House Bill 451, which would require universal screening for commercial sexual exploitation risk for children in DFPS conservatorship and youth under TJJD jurisdiction. The author and witnesses from Children at Risk, the Fort Bend Anti-Trafficking Collective, and Texas CASA supported the bill as a prevention tool with existing infrastructure and training; the committee adopted the substitute and left the bill pending. The committee next considered Senate Bill 466, which would clarify that families may request a fetal death certificate at any gestational age, while keeping existing filing requirements for physicians. A constituent father testified about losing his 11-week-old daughter and being told he could not obtain a certificate, which he said prevented funeral arrangements; the substitute was adopted and the bill left pending. Senate Bill 2311 followed, requiring residential treatment centers to have a written agreement with the school that will educate resident children before becoming operational. The author cited a local dispute where an RTC and school district lacked communication, and witnesses from Texas CASA and Disability Rights Texas supported clearer educational planning while suggesting the Education Code may need conforming changes; the bill was left pending. The committee then heard Senate Bill 2826, known as Alyssa’s Law, which would create a statewide education program on medical child abuse for medical students, health care professionals, and CPS caseworkers. The author and Sheriff Bill Weyburn described Alyssa’s case as involving repeated unnecessary surgeries and argued the bill would improve awareness and early identification, while several witnesses and members raised concerns about false accusations, impacts on medically fragile children, and the need for scientific, peer-reviewed training and safeguards. After extensive discussion, the chair left the bill pending. The committee also heard House Bill 136, which would add certified lactation consultants as Medicaid providers to expand breastfeeding support; witnesses from lactation and nutrition fields said the bill would improve access, maternal and infant health, and long-term savings, and the bill was left pending. Finally, the committee took up Senate Bill 2805, a surprise-billing/arbitration measure that would clarify provider identifiers and shift arbitration costs to the losing party. The author said the substitute was a legislative counsel draft with no substantive difference, and witnesses from the Texas Medical Association, Texas Society of Anesthesiologists, and U.S. Anesthesia Partners supported the bill as a modest improvement that would reduce administrative confusion and make arbitration fairer without weakening patient protections. Members discussed how arbitration costs affect settlement behavior and how to define the “winner” in close cases. The bill was heard but not voted out during this segment.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:18:25.159> vision it by by a you know by a remote vision it by by a you know by a remote
• The statute appears to not address instances where, typically, it comes down to identifying a dog as
• The statute appears to not address instances where, typically, it comes down to identifying a dog as
• The statute appears to not address instances where, typically, it comes down to identifying a dog as
• He asked for comments on the definitions and how overlapping they appear to be.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a work session on a bill arising from the Lee case involving animal seizures and humane society involvement. Members and the commissioner discussed concerns about due process, lack of clear notice to animal owners, the need for owners to understand when they are surrendering ownership, and whether humane agents should have additional training or certification. Several members also questioned the role of the NH SPCA and humane societies, the absence of oversight, and whether there was any financial or policy conflict in their involvement. The commissioner said the Department of Agriculture does not have a direct relationship with humane societies, but does coordinate with police on seizures, and noted that problems tend to arise when agencies do not consult the department first. Testimony and discussion focused on possible fixes to the bill, including clearer written notice of rights, requiring a third-party qualified veterinarian or other neutral evaluator, establishing the condition of animals at the time of seizure for later court proceedings, and possibly using teleconferencing with a veterinarian in limited circumstances. Some members suggested the bill may need a broader study committee, while others said it should be amended now rather than delayed. The chair said the bill would be worked on further and sent to the subcommittee for more detailed review. The committee then opened a hearing on HB 250, which would allow local governing bodies to regulate dog muzzling. Representative Jodi Newell testified that the bill was intended to let municipalities respond to dangerous dogs, citing Keene’s attempt to require muzzling after a serious incident but lack of clear authority under current law. Deborah LeBlanc also testified about a dog attack that seriously injured her dog and said a muzzle requirement could have prevented the attack. Committee members asked about the incident, existing dog-control laws, and whether the dog had been leashed; the discussion suggested the bill was meant to clarify local authority over muzzling as a public safety measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• in prior to or by the 2028 expiration period, based on how it is written under 195H-6F, it would appear
• 27:45.520> the<01:27:45.679> transition<01:27:46.080> period<01:27:46.320> appears
• period appears to be 2028<01:27:47.920> and<01:27:48.159> so<01:27:48.400> at<01
• To the best of my knowledge, we're the only nonprofit that does remote monitoring, real-time population
• <01:52:29.040> monitoring nonprofit that does remote monitoring nonprofit that does remote

Bills: HB1527, HB1823, HB2490, HB2223, HB2325, HB2104, HB2593, HB2592, HB1927, HB1553, HB1964, HB1918, HB1990

Keywords: gambling prohibition, Aloha Stadium, University of Hawaii, amateur athletics, state lands, coastal resilience, Maui, Mantokuji Bay, coastal erosion, environmental protection, Native Hawaiian, spiritual sites, historic preservation, economic development, burial sites, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, cultural history, archaeology, Hawaii Revised Statutes, civil service

Summary: The committee first heard HB 1527 relating to gambling. The chair outlined hearing rules, including a two-minute limit and a warning that bills not heard would die. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support from a prosecutor, Honolulu Police Department, and Stop Predatory Gambling, all arguing that casinos and sports betting increase crime, sex trafficking, harassment of athletes, and broader social harm. No opposition testimony was presented, and the committee moved on without questions or action taken on the bill. The committee then heard HB 1823 relating to coastal zone management and HB 2490 relating to coastal resilience. For HB 1823, DLNR, the Office of Planning, and Maui County testified, with Maui County supporting the measure and its proposed amendments. For HB 2490, DLNR expressed concern about exempting a proposed Mokuji Bay pilot project from permits and regulation before a long-term plan is finalized, while the County of Maui, the Mokuji Soto Zen Mission, and the Office of Planning supported the bill as a coastal resilience pilot. The mission described severe erosion, sea-level rise impacts, and years of unsuccessful efforts to stabilize the shoreline; its consultant said the study is leaning toward nature-based and hybrid solutions. In questioning, members and DLNR discussed whether the bill should say the project “shall” or “may” be exempt, and the chair indicated the language would be adjusted to preserve DLNR discretion and to change the lead agency reference to OPSD. No vote was taken in the transcript. Finally, the committee took up HB 2223 relating to historic preservation reviews. SHPD said it stood on its written comments, while OPSD and DHHL supported the bill. DHHL argued the measure would streamline reviews, improve transparency, and help address long wait times for its projects, saying it could alleviate burden on SHPD and better serve beneficiaries. Representative Shimizu questioned whether the bill would create redundancy and expand government rather than strengthen SHPD, noting a separate staffing bill already exists. SHPD responded that DHHL is uniquely subject to 6E review and that the bill would not waive federal or state historic review requirements; the discussion also touched on possible federal-style grant support and the existing memorandum of agreement between SHPD and DHHL. The transcript ends during questioning, with no final committee action shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:26:35.760> to<00:26:35.919> solve<00:26:36.320> the to 5.12 that appear
• to solve the to 5.12 that appear to solve the uncertainty<00:26:37.120> around<00:26:37.440>
• If we're to be even remotely serious about meeting our climate goals, we have to move this forward.
• If we're to be even remotely<00:31:09.520> serious<00:31:09.919> about<00:31:10.240>
• meeting<00:31:10.480> our remotely serious about meeting our remotely serious about meeting

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:31:34.320> work<00:31:34.880> and<00:31:35.120> Senator required pay for remote
• work and Senator required pay for remote work and Senator rard<00:31:35.919> if<00:31:36.039>
• It appears this was an oversight when a similar provision was passed for nurses at one point and failed
• I believe a prior speaker mentioned that this is very similar language to what appeared in Senate Bill
• in Senate Bill 231 what um appeared in Senate Bill 231 which<01:35:32.280> the<01:35:32.600><

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Due to the hybrid nature of this hearing, those wishing to provide remote testimony were required to
• This problem has been exacerbated as a result of COVID, as many people continue to work remotely and
• Lefebvre, it appears we're still having some technical difficulties, so I will come back to you in a

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a long hybrid hearing on a wide range of tax bills, with testimony covering cigarette and tobacco taxes, nicotine pouches, contractor rental equipment exemptions, aircraft sales tax exemptions, rolling stock, advanced sales tax payments, a gun and ammunition excise tax, a digital services tax, and a psilocybin cultivation/tax proposal. Committee chairs outlined the hearing process and noted that 39 House-filed sales and excise tax bills were being heard for required reporting by November 28. No votes were taken during the hearing. On tobacco-related bills, supporters including Senator Keenan, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, and Tobacco Free Mass backed higher cigarette taxes and closing the synthetic nicotine loophole, arguing the measures would reduce youth initiation, encourage cessation, and offset health care costs. Retailers, wholesalers, and convenience-store groups opposed the increases, warning of smuggling, out-of-state purchasing, and harm to small businesses; premium cigar representatives argued cigars should be treated separately from cigarettes. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3067 and related bills concerning nicotine pouches, with public health advocates supporting taxation and industry witnesses urging a lower, more competitive rate. Several other bills drew sharply divided testimony. United Rentals supported H. 3065 to simplify contractor rental equipment exemption paperwork, while airport and aviation groups opposed bills to repeal the aircraft sales tax exemption, saying it would hurt airport competitiveness and jobs. The Transportation Association of Massachusetts backed rolling stock tax exemptions, saying the current tax discourages fleet investment and interstate commerce. Restaurant industry representatives supported repealing advanced sales tax payments and changing penalty rules, saying businesses were hit with retroactive penalties after unclear pandemic-era changes. On H. 3082, an excise tax on guns and ammunition, gun violence prevention advocates, Roca, and Giffords supported the bill as a dedicated funding source for prevention and survivor services, while sportsmen’s groups opposed it as unfair to lawful gun owners and harmful to conservation funding. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3208, a digital advertising services tax, with Representative Paulino supporting it as a way to capture revenue from online advertising and fund public needs, while the Chamber of Progress opposed it as costly and burdensome for small businesses and campaigns. Finally, multiple witnesses testified on H. 4050 regarding psilocybin cultivation and taxation: advocates from Mass Healing, Roca, the Reason Foundation, and individuals describing personal medical benefits urged a regulated, permit-based system, while the hearing ended after all signed-up speakers were heard and the chair adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And now you're back here at—you just never know where you're going to appear, huh?
• There was a lot of remote work. We're having a lot more in-the-office work.
• There was a lot of remote work. We're having a lot more in-the-office work.
• was<00:26:10.720> a<00:26:10.799> lot<00:26:10.880> of<00:26:11.039> remote
• services. there was a lot of remote services. there was a lot of remote work.<00:26:11.919> We're

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:30 Personnel Cabinet 00:03:25 Department of Veterans Affairs 00:12:40 Auditor of Public Accounts 00:22:39 State Treasurer 00:42:24, 958, all

Summary: The committee first heard from Personnel Cabinet officials on House Bill 6, which required the Kentucky Employees Health Plan to offer a qualified high-deductible health plan by the 2026 plan year. Officials said the plan was already added for 2025, described it as the lowest-premium option with higher deductibles, and explained that federal rules prevent first-dollar coverage except for limited preventive services. They said 264 members had selected the plan out of about 142,000, and noted it also allows health savings accounts. Members asked about the plan’s benefits, what “catastrophic” meant, the deductible amounts, and whether employees were aware of the option; the cabinet said it would continue to highlight the plan in communications and that the deductible is above $8,000 for individuals and above $16,000 for families. The committee then received an update from the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs on the Bowling Green veterans center. Officials said the current target is to move into the building on October 28, with first admissions about two months later, pending final fixes and certification steps for Medicare, Medicaid, and the VA. They explained that about $7 million in FY25 appropriations lapsed because of construction delays, staffing ramp-up was postponed to avoid unnecessary spending, and the unspent funds should be considered in the next budget request. Members praised the project and asked about annual operating costs; officials said the current operating budget is about $15 million, though they do not expect to spend all of it this year. The commissioner also announced the fifth annual state commanders conference in Lexington, focused on veterans issues and featuring state, federal, and advocacy leaders. State Auditor Allison Ball then outlined her office’s budget priorities. She said the office is primarily a billing agency that charges audited entities for its work, and warned that some agencies are now signaling they may refuse to pay for audits related to kinship care and the medical cannabis application process. She said the office plans to continue requesting outlier credits for unusually burdensome county audit fees, funding for the ombudsman office’s transition and expanded in-office operations, and revenue replacement for local government audits and possibly state audits and special examinations. Ball also said the office conducts about 500 audits, reviews, and examinations a year and wants to restore performance audits with seed funding, as well as add investigators to the ombudsman office to focus more on child abuse and neglect cases. Members discussed the value of performance audits, the possibility of raising certain board thresholds to account for inflation, and the need for additional capacity to handle more audits.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we also had appearance card for you, also in opposition. Same bill.
• And that was from a remote location from the water plant.
• Vice Chair: Brian Lee, Rethink Energy Action Fund wishes to appear in person.
• Our next up is Walter Liberec from Hardworking Citizens wishes to appear in person.
• Matthew Recalski is an opponent who wishes to appear in person.

Transcript Highlights:

• Banks that left the NZBA still appear to be using emissions to discriminate in lending, which will harm
• Chairman, members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear.
• We hope they'll appear. We hope they'll answer our questions.
• It's tracking employees' commutes, even if they're home office or remote-based employees.
• My presumption is that we're doing that to eliminate the appearance of undignified behavior.

Bills: SB312, SB945, SB946, SB1367, SB1861, SB2044, SB2337, SB2403, SB2819, SJR54

Keywords: public school funding, education, budget allocation, financial transparency, state law, local control, fiduciary responsibility, public retirement systems, investment management, proxy voting, financial factors, insurance, political shareholder proposals, fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, environmental regulation, discrimination, credit extension, social credit, value-based standards

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, it appears twice on line seven. Yes, yes, yes. Okay, I like that suggestion.
• It appears, looking at the fund, that it doesn't lapse because there's a beginning balance.
• Others appeared to agree.
• "You can request remotely, and the town had...
• <05:37:06.280> you have to come in you can ask remote you have to come in you can ask remote

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House Bill 2 retirement provisions, focusing on Group Two/Tier B changes in pages 25-39. Jan Goodwin of the New Hampshire Retirement System and deputy chief counsel Mark Kavanaugh explained that the 2025 bill is largely similar to prior versions, but it restores certain pre-2011 benefit rules for Tier B members, including changes to average final compensation and earnable compensation, and it also addresses the annuity multiplier for years of service. Members discussed the tier structure, with Tier A referring to vested members, Tier B to those hired before 11/1/12 who were not vested, and Tier C to later hires. Several members expressed concern that the bill’s purpose was to restore Tier B benefits, not to change Tier A rules or create broader changes affecting newer hires. The retirement system flagged two likely drafting problems. First, it said a provision appears to omit a special-duty/earnable-compensation limitation in the Group Two section, which they believed was a scrivener’s error caused by moving language out of the Group One definition without adding it back for Group Two. Second, they noted the bill’s multiplier language overlaps with changes already enacted in HB 1647, which increased the multiplier for service beyond 15 years for Group Two and carried an estimated $26 million cost. The committee discussed that HB 1647 was originally broader in the House, but the Senate narrowed it to Tier B only. The actuary’s comparison of the 2023 and 2025 HB 2 versions showed the bills are close, but the 2025 version differs in funding and timing. Staff said the 2025 bill appropriates $2.5 million more per year for 10 years, and that, together with updated actuarial assumptions and a larger share of the affected tier having already retired or otherwise left service, results in a larger reduction in unfunded liability than the 2023 bill: about $98.2 million versus $68.5 million. Employer contribution impacts were described as small overall, though the 2025 bill was said to be somewhat more favorable than the 2023 version. Members also questioned why House Bill 1 only funds $5 million in the first year, and staff said that was tied to the governor’s revenue estimate and that the full funding does not begin immediately. No votes were taken in the portion provided; the committee mainly received testimony, asked clarifying questions, and noted that some issues would be addressed in the fiscal note worksheet.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:00:35.520> They're >> Well, the that's how it appears.
• They're >> Well, the that's how it appears.
• <01:45:05.280> public Arizona, and Alabama, all remote public Arizona, and Alabama, all remote
• hearings, and via the state's remote hearings, and via the state's remote sign-in<01:45:35.840><
• Fortunately, New Hampshire provides an alternative remote method.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It does not appear to be so. Well, thank you so much.
• Oregon Parks and Recreation Information System is dependent on web access, which can be a challenge in remote
• sure just that things don't, you don't lose track of assets over time, or that the system doesn't appear

Keywords: 907, all

Summary: The Joint Interim Committee on Legislative Audits met on June 17 for informational presentations. The Department of Administrative Services, through Chief Audit Executive Eli Ritchie, gave an overview of statewide internal audit requirements and the fiscal year 2025 report. He explained the difference between internal and external audit, described Oregon’s statutory and rule-based internal audit structure, and reported that 30 agencies had internal audit functions, with most meeting required standards. He said 73 audits and 49 advisory/consulting engagements were completed statewide, with strong compliance overall, though a few agencies were rebuilding audit committees after vacancies. No committee questions were raised after the presentation. The Secretary of State’s Audits Division then presented its Government Waste Hotline annual report. Director Steve Bergman and audit manager Olivia Rekhed described changes made to align the hotline with statute, including renaming it the Government Waste Hotline, creating a review panel, improving anonymity protections, removing fraud reporting from the hotline’s scope, and adjusting reporting timelines. They said hotline volume increased modestly in 2025, most reports were referred elsewhere or closed for insufficient evidence, and two reports were substantiated, including questioned costs of about $856 for personal use of a state vehicle and about $2.9 million tied to the Preschool Promise program. Committee members asked about hotline staffing, cost, anonymity, and follow-up on findings; staff said the hotline is lightly resourced, uses a contracted intake service, and referrals or recommendations are followed up through management letters and later reviews. The committee also heard an audit of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department’s safety inspections and asset tracking. The Secretary of State’s office reported that OPRD had not consistently conducted or documented quarterly OSHA safety inspections and had incomplete asset records, including missing acquisition dates and costs for many assets. The audit made eight recommendations covering safety inspection policies, asset management guidance, tagging, reconciliations, disposition controls, training, and a new asset management system; OPRD agreed to all recommendations. OPRD officials said they had already begun training staff, improving inspection procedures, and working toward a replacement asset system, while noting operational challenges from a large, dispersed park system and manual processes. Committee members asked about what kinds of assets are tracked, how tagging works, whether items were actually being lost, and how much tracking is necessary for low-value tools; OPRD said the main issue was inconsistent classification and documentation rather than widespread loss. The meeting ended with no votes or formal actions taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• You went through, and it appears that you'd actually... Approval.
• You went through, and it appears that you'd actually discovered this in November 2025, and we're six
• RightTrack, where Division of Youth Services and its service providers around the state connect remotely

Summary: The committee met to review a supplemental agenda, procurement rule revisions, methods of finance, discretionary grants, contracts, and a member disclosure. The Office of State Procurement presented rule changes tied to 2025 legislative changes, including Act 782, with updates to sole-source definitions, unrealistic bids, protest requirements, debarment procedures, and recodification references; the committee voted to accept the supplemental agenda and approve the rules. Members also approved eight methods of finance covering university repairs, equipment replacement, property purchase, and capital projects, along with a large slate of discretionary grants for courts, health, DHS, historic preservation, and tobacco prevention programs. The committee then reviewed RFQs and six ratifications. The ratifications included a Workforce Connections payment to ACT WorkKeys, Department of Health costs from an ice-storm-related water leak, a large Department of Public Safety ratification for Motorola’s Arkansas Wireless Information Network upgrade, Veterans Affairs HVAC and medical-service payments, and a UA Little Rock painting contract. The Department of Public Safety ratification drew extended questioning about why the expired Motorola contract had not been renewed sooner and why the issue took months to reach the committee; agency officials said the project was bond-funded, had not been tracked in ASIS, and involved ongoing negotiations and system updates. Despite concerns, the committee approved the ratifications. Members also reviewed a long list of construction, intergovernmental, out-of-state, and in-state contracts, including numerous university, DHS, health, corrections, and state agency agreements. Several contracts were discussed in more detail, including an SAU custodial contract question about sales tax and transparency reporting, and Department of Corrections aerial application contracts for Tucker and Cummins farms, which officials said served separate facilities in different parts of the state. The committee approved the contract lists, reviewed reports, and accepted a disclosure from Representative Andrew Collins regarding his investment interest in a company leasing property to Arkansas Rehabilitation Services before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Information about how to register for in-person or remote public testimony is on the Legislature's website
• school funding formula, which is a bizarre system, and then has all these individual add-ons that appear
• school funding formula, which is a bizarre system, and then has all these individual add-ons that appear

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The committee heard a State Auditor’s Office performance audit on OSPI’s school apportionment system, which distributes K-12 funding to districts. Auditors said the system and its underlying 2008-era infrastructure are outdated, unstable, inefficient, and at high risk of errors or failure. They also found weak controls over data input, documentation, oversight, and monitoring, with heavy reliance on a small number of staff and vendor knowledge. In limited testing of three districts, the system calculated 2023–24 funding correctly, but auditors identified small discrepancies between state budget inputs and underlying statutory language and said broader system risks remain unresolved. JLARC members asked about the scope of the district testing, whether smaller districts face greater risk, the meaning of the funding discrepancies, and whether the system could support a future change to a simpler per-student funding formula. Auditors said the discrepancies were small but could compound into millions statewide, and that the audit did not evaluate broader policy questions or alternative system owners. They recommended OSPI modernize or replace the system and address current control weaknesses while the new platform is developed. OSPI officials largely agreed that the current platform needs replacement and said a feasibility study completed in 2024 found the system at catastrophic risk of failure. They clarified that the Legislature had approved up to $16 million in the state IT pool for the project, but that funding is released through gated oversight and not all of it had yet been appropriated for the current biennium. OSPI disputed the auditor’s characterization of some rounding and budget-law issues, saying the calculations were consistent with agency rules and legislative inputs, and explained that some manual workarounds are used to handle newer statutory requirements. One member of the public testified in support of modernizing the system and strengthening controls. The committee then adjourned.