Transcript Highlights:

• This is more of a technical bill, but members, I hope I have this kind of report for you when we get
• <00:11:58.839> annual 1.18 the language changes annual 1.18 the language changes annual provided
• This bill makes two simple changes.
• fix the underlying bill just technical fix the underlying bill just changes<00:32:18.120> the
• uh this is a as I said a technical uh this is a as I said a technical correction<00:33:40.159>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• and there were some education changes. and there were some education changes.
• There's no change. Is that is that cut. There's no change.
• career and technical education course. career and technical education course.
• Um, this is changing mindsets. work. Um, this is changing mindsets.
• of this is a change in philosophy. of this is a change in philosophy.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call: 0:00:00 Approval of Minutes: 0:01:45 Federal Education Updates 0:02:12 Dual Credit Updates: 0:43:38 Kentucky State University's Doctoral Program Request: 01:27:08 Postsecondary Accreditation: 1:49:05 Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations: 2:14:48 Adjournment 2:16:31, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the previous meeting minutes, and heard a presentation from Austin Reid of the National Conference of State Legislatures on education-related provisions in the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1). Reid said the law is projected to increase the federal deficit over 10 years, with major savings coming from Medicaid, student loan changes, and SNAP. He focused on how those changes could affect schools, including possible effects on free and reduced-price meal certification, state funding formulas that use SNAP as a proxy for low-income status, and Medicaid-funded school services for students with disabilities. Reid also outlined the new federal scholarship tax credit, which gives a dollar-for-dollar credit for donations to qualifying scholarship-granting organizations. He said families up to 300% of area median income may benefit, the program begins in 2027, and states must opt in and designate eligible organizations. He noted unresolved questions about whether states can add their own criteria and said Treasury regulations will be important. He also described the expansion of 529 plans to cover more K-12 and postsecondary expenses. On higher education, Reid explained a new workforce Pell grant option for short-term programs, with states and governors playing a role in determining eligible programs. He said the programs must meet placement, completion, and earnings measures and that implementation is expected to be tight before the July 1, 2026 effective date. He also reviewed student loan changes, including lower institutional loan limits, prorated borrowing for part-time enrollment, new caps on graduate and Parent PLUS loans, and a new earnings-based accountability standard that could make some programs ineligible for student loans if graduates earn too little. No votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• It has technical changes that were requested by the reviser.
• The A1 amendment has technical changes that were requested by the reviser.
• It has technical changes that were requested by the reviser. And so let's move that.
• The A1 amendment has technical changes that were requested by the reviser.
• changes that technical conforming changes that uh<00:56:04.440> for<00:56:04.640> the<

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• hands. not necessarily when the cash changes hands.
• This is a change from previous years.
• Just a couple of technical questions really quick.
• Are there legislative changes that need to be made?
• We needed to receive the technical support prior to that, but we have started receiving that technical

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This makes technical changes in the six.
• This makes a technical change to eligibility requirements for out-of-state colleges and universities
• technical change to eligibility technical change to eligibility requirements<00:40:36.240> for
• Section 26 makes technical changes to the law governing grants to tribally controlled colleges.
• changes and to um to make technical changes and to adjust<00:41:51.040> the<00:41:51.200>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 10 appeared in both bills and makes a technical change.
• Section 10 appeared in both bills and makes a technical change.
• bills and makes a technical change. bills and makes a technical change.
• I will also move nonpartisan staff to be authorized to make technical changes to reflect the will of
• <00:40:01.839> changes<00:40:02.160> to authorized to make technical changes to authorized

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :13:46.240> to<00:13:46.560> these changes would be effective to these changes would be
• One is a change-only spreadsheet showing incremental changes over the forecasted base, and the second
• No change for state services of Minnesota trade office. The next change Minnesota trade office.
• So it was a technical correction to add this line. That's why there was a change.
• So it was a technical correction to add this line. That's why there was a change.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• article or there was just some change article or there was just some change back<00:04:20.959>
• <01:18:48.120> Center winnisquam Career and Technical Center winnisquam Career and Technical
• Thank you. does change so in other words if you had does change so in other words if you had CTE<01:39
• And changing the state law is not going to change the federal law. Thank you.
• is not going to change the federal is not going to change the federal law<02:21:13.200> thank

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard HB 295, which would make school building aid funds non-lapsing/non-APS. Representative Cahill said the bill was intended to keep any unused building aid money available for future projects, potentially helping move projects up the priority list or provide a little more funding for school construction. Members asked about how much money has lapsed in past years, whether the education trust fund and building aid are separate, and whether any lapsing dollars could be used to pay down debt. Department of Education official Jim Carney said about $29.1 million would be available if building aid is funded to the $50 million maximum in FY26, confirmed that the fund currently lapses, and said the department would gather historical lapse data. Committee members also discussed whether a dedicated fund structure could achieve the same goal, and the chair noted that the education trust fund statute includes school building aid as one of its uses. No vote was taken; the hearing was closed and the committee said it would later hold a work session after receiving more information. The committee then took up HB 237, introduced by Representative Dan McGuire, which would prohibit the use of special education state funds and differentiated aid for students not receiving special education services. The New Hampshire School Boards Association, through Becky Wilson, opposed the bill as written, saying it was unclear, potentially unnecessary, and difficult to implement because adequacy and differentiated aid are distributed as part of a districtwide lump sum rather than as student-specific dollars. She explained that special education costs are embedded across district budgets, including staffing, training, transportation, and instruction, and that some staff and services benefit both special education and general education students. Wilson also said differentiated aid is not tied to a specific pupil and is used at the district’s discretion, though it is intended to support students with greater needs. Committee members pressed on whether the bill would require districts to track money by individual student, whether it could conflict with federal special education law, and whether it would affect least restrictive environment requirements. Wilson said making the funds student-specific could create privacy and accounting problems and could make it difficult to staff inclusive classrooms, though she did not give a definitive legal opinion on federal compliance. She agreed that students who are not eligible for special education would not be included in the separate catastrophic/special education aid reimbursement program. The discussion continued into the second section of the bill, with members exploring how adequacy aid and differentiated aid are used in practice, but no action was taken during the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The second change, which is in the change page titled technical and administrative changes from the Department
• The third change is just a technical change for the funding mechanism in the child care assistance program
• The first piece includes technical<01:11:14.880> changes<01:11:15.199> and<01:11:15.440
• > housekeeping technical changes and housekeeping technical changes and housekeeping across<01
• child care centers, just a technical child care centers, just a technical change.<01:57:04.080><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:48.160> Amendment number one is technical. Amendment number one is technical.
• Amendment one is technical.
• Amendment number one is technical. Amendment number one is technical.
• First amendment is technical.
• First amendment is technical.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation by Rabbi Ari Goldstein, whose remarks were journalized at the request of the senator from District 33. The chamber then recognized the doctor of the day, Dr. Maryann Lamont, for her 50 years in medicine and her work in neurology and stroke care, and also thanked a legislative aide, Samantha Briggs, who is leaving for law school. The presiding officer noted a quorum was present and moved into the day’s floor work. The Senate handled several messages and committee reports, including a conference committee appointment on Senate Bill 18, which concerns provisional social work licensure. In Finance, the chamber advanced Senate Bill 246 on Health Services Cost Review Commission member terms, Senate Bill 370 on acupuncture board revisions, Senate Bill 564 creating a Division of Data Protection in the Attorney General’s office and a related work group, Senate Bill 782 on telecommunications infrastructure protections, Senate Bill 808 on health insurance provider panel requirements, Senate Bill 849 on agricultural equipment warranties, Senate Bill 867 on the Maryland Aerospace and Technology Commission, and Senate Bill 982 on mutual insurance holding companies converting back to mutual insurers. Most of these bills were reported favorably with technical or conforming amendments, which were adopted without objection, and each was ordered printed for third reading. The committee also considered several House bills with Senate cross-files or identical measures. These included House Bill 118 on money transmitter licensing, House Bills 339 and 512 on Anne Arundel County Board of License Commissioners compensation, House Bill 1100 on telecommunications infrastructure protections, House Bill 1395 on agricultural equipment warranties, House Bill 1473 creating Maryland’s Future Board, House Bill 226 on Department of Disabilities housing programs, House Bill 278 codifying the Longevity Ready Maryland plan, and House Bill 746 on collaborative care model coverage and cost-sharing limits. In each case, the committee reports were adopted, amendments were approved where offered, and the bills were advanced to third reading or passed for third reading, with no recorded opposition on the floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• The biggest change, and probably the change that has had the most impact on the number of autism
• /c> Bluegrass Community and Technical Bluegrass Community and Technical College,<00:18:11.400> Owensboro
• access to high-quality life-changing access to high-quality life-changing interventions<00:21:05.360
• > assistance Part of that technical assistance Part of that technical assistance network<00:45
• > like<00:59:42.560> us technical assistance partners like us technical assistance partners

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Technical in nature. All right. Amendment's at 32. Technical in nature? All right.
• It's technical. All right.
• It's technical. All right.
• The question is more technical.
• And so we're changing the verbiage from youth to children just to reflect that change in the expanded

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Welfare met on May 6, 2026, with five members present and adopted the April 28 minutes. The committee first heard a presentation on the new Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows Program, a leadership and networking initiative focused on Louisiana health care challenges such as workforce shortages, rural access, chronic disease, and the economic impact of health care. Speakers described it as a cross-sector program intended to build informed leaders and support collaboration with health systems, insurers, providers, LDH, and the Louisiana Hospital Association. The committee then moved through a series of bills, generally adopting amendments and reporting measures favorably. SB 57, a nutrition/labeling bill, was amended to delay the effective date for the labeling provision until December 31, 2028, and was reported as amended. HB 62 increased membership of the Louisiana Women’s Policy and Research Commission and was reported as amended, and HB 193 adjusted membership rules for the Sickle Cell Commission foundations and was also reported as amended. HB 815 would allow financial institutions to receive death certificates to help close accounts and avoid problems with automatic payments and federal benefit clawbacks; it was reported favorably. SB 405, which had been heard earlier, was reworked to codify LDH’s new Ascend nursing home quality initiative, including short- and long-term quality oversight goals, stakeholder involvement, internal expertise, and reporting requirements; after reconsidering prior amendments, the committee adopted the new amendment and reported the bill as amended. The committee also advanced several health and human services bills. HB 222 would allow Medicaid dental coverage when needed to clear a patient for another covered medical procedure, and it was reported as amended after LDH said the cost could be absorbed. HB 420 expanded DCFS background-check requirements to cover staff with access to sensitive records, and HB 475 required verbal consent before AI is used to record or transcribe a medical visit; both were reported favorably. HB 246 updated membership of the Children’s Cabinet Advisory Board and the council for grandparents raising grandchildren, including replacing an inactive coalition seat with the state police, and was reported as amended. HB 486 joined Louisiana to the psychology interjurisdictional compact to expand access to psychologists through telepsychology and temporary practice across state lines, and HB 574 updated outdated board names in the Mental Health Advisory Services Board statute; both were reported favorably. Later, the committee heard HB 949, which would create a licensure framework for radiologist assistants to help address radiologist shortages and improve imaging access, especially in rural areas. Testimony emphasized that RAs work under radiologist supervision and would extend capacity without replacing physicians; the bill was reported favorably. HB 584 required foster children to be provided luggage or similar items instead of trash bags when moving placements, and also corrected language in the Foster Youth Bill of Rights from “privileges” back to “rights” while extending the bill’s applicability to children from birth to age 18; it was reported as amended. The committee also reported HB 1214, which restructures certain LDH state facilities into a more unified system, and HB 1092, a technical renaming/terminology cleanup bill, both favorably. Finally, HB 203 added members from Christus Health System and Xavier University’s College of Medicine to the uterine fibroids commission and was reported favorably before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:19:37.080> amendments also include any technical amendments also include any technical
• via YouTube um there's any technical via YouTube um there's any technical difficulties<00:20:48.240
• This is not changing the game.
• We'll be taking SMA's technical amendments for the purpose of clarity and consistency.
• okay we'll be taking sma's uh technical okay we'll be taking sma's uh technical amendments<00:53

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint hearing covered Senate Bills 470, 828, 730, and 1383. SB 470 would create a deferred retirement option program for police officers. The Employees Retirement System warned it could worsen the system’s $14.1 billion unfunded liability by stopping employer and employee contributions during the DROP period, and the Attorney General raised possible tax-qualified status, Internal Revenue Code, and age-discrimination concerns. Police and other supporters testified in favor, but the committees ultimately recommended deferring the bill indefinitely. SB 828 would expand workers’ compensation medical benefits for firefighters to cover an additional respiratory condition. The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and the Hawaii Firefighters Association supported the measure, citing occupational exposure and health risks. The committees recommended passage with amendments, and the motion was adopted by both committees. SB 730, which concerns allowance on service retirements, drew support from the Department of Human Resources Development and the Department of Law Enforcement, but also comments from the Attorney General and ERS. DHRD said the bill could help recruitment and retention but requested more time to work on language with ERS, Budget and Finance, and the AG’s office. The committees postponed decision-making until Friday, February 7, at 3:15 p.m. in Conference Room 225. SB 1383, relating to fire protection, received broad support from the Governor’s office, Department of Defense, DLNR, Hawaiian Electric, and others. The committees agreed to pass it with amendments, including language suggested by the Hawaii Insurance Council on wildfire-related insurance issues and a committee report link to the Lina fire forward-looking report, phase three. The amended recommendation was adopted by both committees. Later in the meeting, the committees also heard SB 1360 and SB 1361 on ERS administrative and reporting matters, SB 340 on HLRB enforcement authority, and SB 997 on energy; SB 1360 and SB 1361 were presented as housekeeping measures, SB 340 drew disagreement between the Attorney General and HLRB over enforcement authority, and SB 997 was amended to incorporate prevailing-wage renewable energy rate language from SB 743 and then passed with amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• The data has changed and the different collection methods have changed.
• However, a lot of these filings are very technical. They're also voluminous, technical.
• There are any number of technical committees. I mentioned the technical committees.
• I think we have to join as a county. >> Well, technically, yeah, they're disbanded, but technically they
• So, but technically they are a member.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If you have technical issues on Zoom, you can use the chat function to chat with our excellent technical
• If you have hit technical complete.
• to chat with our excellent technical to chat with our excellent technical staff<00:08:38.320>
• that very technical term. that very technical term.
• 1st, 3000 and making technical 1st, 3000 and making technical amendments. amendments. amendments

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 83, which would require hotel keepers to give adequate notice of service disruptions to guests and third-party vendors. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Office of Consumer Protection supported the bill but asked for amendments to restore remedies and add a nonwaiver provision, arguing that without penalties the measure would lack consequences and that consumers should not be able to waive the notice rights. Supporters, including Unite Here Local 5 and individual testifiers, said guests deserve transparency and meaningful recourse when disruptions occur, especially for labor disputes, construction, or other service interruptions that affect the experience they paid for. Hotel industry representatives, including the American Hotel and Lodging Association, the Hawaii Hotel Alliance, and hotel workers/testifiers, opposed the bill in its current form while offering amendments. They said the measure was too broad, difficult to implement, and could interfere with collective bargaining, third-party booking systems, and existing contracts. They also argued that some disruptions are not easily known in advance and that the bill unfairly singles out hotels compared with other industries. One testifier emphasized that notice should be required only for actual, known disruptions rather than potential events, and another raised concerns about applying the bill to properties not directly involved in a labor dispute. After the SB 83 testimony, the committee moved on to SB 2798, which would make permanent and expand statewide the agricultural enforcement pilot program created in 2025 and rename it the agricultural enforcement program. The chair introduced the measure and called on the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity as the first testifier, but the transcript excerpt ends before testimony or any vote on SB 2798.

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:00:45.840> time<00:00:46.079> to technical glitch during your time to technical
• form changes reprogramming and so forth. form changes reprogramming and so forth.
• We're going to change the defective date to December 31, 2050, and add technical non-substantive amendments
• Um technical<00:52:00.319> and<00:52:00.559> add<00:52:00.880> technical technical
• and add technical technical and add technical non-substantive<00:52:02.240> amendments<00:52:

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee opened its Health and Human Services calendar, noted quorum, and first took up HB 194. The chair explained amendments to add an exemption for a person invited by a patient to attend a birth outside an accredited birth facility when no compensation is involved, remove a date reference in section 9, and accept Department of Health amendments. Members raised no objections, and the committee voted to pass HB 194 with amendments. The committee then heard HB 139 on insurance, with the Attorney General flagging possible unlawful delegation issues and suggesting clarifying language, while the Insurance Division stood on written testimony. A number of health organizations and advocates, including HMSA, Hawaii Association of Health Plans, oncology and fertility groups, testified in support. HB 613 on homeless youth drew broad support from state agencies, counties, youth advocates, and community groups; testimony emphasized the need for permanent safe spaces and more attention to unaccompanied minors, with one witness asking for clarity on funding and shelter capacity. HB 71 on a tax credit for family caregivers drew support from AARP, Alzheimer’s and children’s advocates, and several individuals, while the Tax Foundation raised concerns about blank provisions and the cost-effectiveness of administering a small credit. The Department of Taxation said a prior version with a $5,000 nonrefundable credit would have cost the general fund about $397.4 million. HB 716 on health care technology support received strong support from SHPDA, OHIN, and many provider groups, who described it as a one-time investment of roughly $20–25 million to connect rural and neighbor island providers to electronic health records; members questioned how the grant program would be allocated. HB 799 on physician hospital privileges also drew mixed testimony: supporters said it would align Hawaii with updated CMS rules and improve access, especially on Maui, while Maui Health and some members worried it could reduce on-call coverage and hospital safety, leading to discussion of a possible report and sunset date.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then we also learned that there were not a lot of technical experts.
• And I would just say that technical, I would like to see that technical expertise... ...just say that
• technical, I would like to see that technical expertise drive the evaluation process.
• Right now regarding the technical evaluation.
• That experience changed my life.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• license revocation changes, um, technical cross-reference changes, um, stuff about unmanned aircraft
• license revocation changes, um, technical cross-reference changes, um, stuff about unmanned aircraft
• license revocation changes, um, technical cross-reference changes, um, stuff about unmanned aircraft
• license revocation changes, um, technical cross-reference changes, um, stuff about unmanned aircraft
• license revocation changes, um, technical cross-reference changes, um, stuff about unmanned aircraft

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, not too sure I'm comfortable with changing that status.
• There will be technical amendments needed for clarity, consistency, and style.
• We will amend page 2, line 17, by changing the date to July 1, 2026.
• We'll be making technical amendments needed for clarity, consistency, and style.
• We'll be making technical amendments needed for clarity, consistency, and style.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The first is technical. The second The first is technical.
• technical and clarifying. technical and clarifying.
• changes.
• This bill makes technical and clarifying changes to the renaming of the office and the council.
• One is technical. One also amendments. One is technical.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened on March 10, 2026, established a quorum, and began with an invocation by Reverend Damien Flowers, which was journalized without objection. The chamber then recognized several guests and honorees, including Dr. Courtney Glickman for being named 2025 Play Therapist of the Year, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Dr. Sonja B. Santelises for her leadership of Baltimore City Public Schools, students shadowing legislators, Navy Alliance representatives, the Maryland Alliance for Advocacy for Sickle Cell, and Ms. Kimberly Body for her lupus advocacy. The Senate also journalized prior remarks about the 6888 regiment. The Finance Committee report then moved several bills forward. Senate Bill 348 would allow hospitals and freestanding birthing centers to contact, rather than only call, patients after high-risk pregnancies; its amendments were adopted and the bill was ordered to third reading. Senate Bill 390 on Wicomico County liquor licenses was laid over under the rule. Senate Bill 492, addressing massage therapy advertising and prohibiting misleading sexual-service advertising, was amended and sent to third reading. Senate Bill 562, concerning pharmacist-prescriber agreements for opioid use disorder treatment, was amended and advanced. Senate Bill 773 would let pharmacists order certain vaccines, including intranasal flu vaccines, for self-administration and was advanced without amendment. Senate Bill 53, on Maryland Port Administration land acquisition notice in Anne Arundel County, was amended and advanced. Senate Bill 428 would bar cost-sharing for collaborative care model services under Medicaid and private coverage and was advanced without amendment. Senate Bill 473 would require human trafficking awareness training for for-hire and transportation network drivers; its amendments were adopted and it was sent to third reading. Senate Bill 585 would shift administration of the human relevant research fund from Health to Agriculture and was advanced. Senate Bill 606, the Easy Pass Commuter Fairness and Transparency Act, would require an MDTA report on commuter plans and unused trips; its amendment was moved as the transcript ended. During debate on Senate Bill 917, which would expand the definition of audiology practice to include certain screenings and non-radiographic imaging, a senator questioned whether the bill would make Maryland the only state restricting a health occupation from performing Medicare-required screenings. The floor leader said the committee had heard that claim in testimony but had not verified it, and the senator moved to special order the bill for amendment, which was granted without objection. Most other bills were reported favorably, with committee amendments adopted without objection and several bills ordered printed for third reading.