Transcript Highlights:

• For example, in this one, we don't know from year to year how many kids are going to go to school.
• funds, so that as those costs fluctuate, we know that we'll have the money there to send the kids to school
• This is a core for food purchases.
• offender clothing, vehicle replacement, staff clothing, maintenance and repair, institutional community purchases

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The first four services are purchased if not entirely, mostly by businesses.
• businesses, government, or nonprofits, leaving 9% purchased by consumers.
• businesses, government, or nonprofits, leaving 9% purchased by consumers.
• businesses, government, or nonprofits, leaving 9% purchased by consumers.
• businesses, government, or nonprofits, leaving 9% purchased by consumers.

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> causes a significant loss in purchasing causes a significant loss in purchasing power<00:19:25.440
• ,</c><01:12:36.560><c> sober</c> offices, at their work, schools, sober offices, at their work, schools
• </c><01:14:14.800><c> or</c> family, graduated high school or family, graduated high school or college
• ,</c> out of college, they're out of school, out of college, they're out of school, they<01:29:14.159
• 15.040><c> and</c> they have some school debts and they have some school debts and different<01:29:15.440

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• She's from Lemberg High School in St.
• I'd like the body to welcome. school. Craig Carson is visiting us this morning.
• You've graduated from high school. Perhaps you already have a degree.
• Battle was the first Black principal in the Columbia Public School District.
• Elliott Battle has the Elliott Battle Elementary School.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior day’s journal by a 117-0 vote, and a long series of guest introductions, including 911 officials, school groups, students shadowing legislators, international visitors from Quebec, family members, and various community advocates. The chamber then moved into floor debate on several measures, beginning with House Joint Resolution 115, which would extend personal property tax and homestead tax exemptions to 100% service-connected disabled veterans and surviving spouses. Members from both parties praised the sponsor’s eight-year effort, emphasized the financial burden on disabled veterans living on fixed incomes, and noted the measure’s broad support; the House adopted the committee substitute and ordered it perfected and printed. The House next took up House Bill 2151, a Fast Track workforce training program fix that raises household income eligibility thresholds from $40,000 to $50,000 for single filers and from $80,000 to $100,000 for joint filers without increasing the program’s overall funding cap. Supporters said the change reflects inflation and will help more adults and families access training for career changes and upskilling. The chamber then approved House Substitute for House Bill 2576, a naming bill that included several commemorative designations. Members adopted amendments designating January as Blood Donor Awareness Month, June 28 as Elliott and Muriel Battle Day, and March 26 as PANS Awareness Day; a proposed Josephine Baker Day amendment was withdrawn after concerns it could complicate the broader bill. The bill also included other memorial and honorary designations, including a highway naming for a Vietnam veteran and recognition of a former Pagedale mayor. The House also approved an amendment designating April 22 as Missouri Black Bear Awareness Day, with supporters saying it would promote public safety and education as bear populations increase. Another amendment added infertility awareness language, with members describing the issue as a disease that affects families in silence. The chamber then approved House Committee Substitute for House Bill 3175, known as Mason’s Law, which creates a system to flag certain driver records for law enforcement when a person has a condition affecting communication; an amendment expanded the notice to include driver’s licenses. Members said the bill would help officers safely interact with people who may have difficulty communicating during traffic stops. Finally, the House took up House Bill 1736, which allows local governments to use certain park-related sales tax revenues for natural disaster mitigation, including stormwater management and the purchase of repetitive-loss properties. Supporters said it would help communities address flooding without turning parks into hard infrastructure sites. The chamber then began debate on House Bill 1887 and related AI and digital-image protection provisions, including measures aimed at preventing nonconsensual deepfakes, protecting minors, and giving victims civil remedies and takedown processes. Members from both parties supported the goal of curbing AI abuse, though some raised technical drafting questions and one member suggested the legislature may eventually need a broader AI task force or sunset review. No final vote on HB 1887 was reached in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• of access to job classifications that match the skill set required of my office, and a lack of purchasing
• to job classifications already used by other oversight agencies and would provide my office with purchasing
• to job classifications already used by other oversight agencies and would provide my office with purchasing
• Absent AB 1608, my office can develop its own classifications through SBB and can seek a purchasing delegation

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the definition that allows the bill to interstate warehousers to produce tobacco products or to purchase
• > d</c><00:08:08.720><c> or</c><00:08:08.960><c> to</c><00:08:09.599><c> to</c><00:08:10.000><c> purchase
• </c> tobacco products d or to to purchase tobacco products d or to to purchase tobacco<00:08:11.039><

Bills: HB66 , HB79 , HB95 , HB145 , HB66 , HB79 , HB95 , HB145

Committee: House Ways and Means General Fund

Keywords: elder abuse, financial exploitation, inheritance, joint tenancy, conviction effects, off-label, pharmacists, medical treatment, state board of pharmacy, employment protection, HVAC, air conditioning, heating, ventilation, warranty transfer, manufacturer warranty, consumer protection, home sale, residential real property, real estate

Transcript Highlights:

• Maybe we can make the argument that most of these purchases are being done by people that don't live
• Maybe we can make the argument that most of these purchases are being done by people that don't live
• We're going to incentivize the purchase of electric vehicles, and, Our error, we're going to incentivize
• the purchase of electric vehicles and make a great difference in our environment.

Summary: The Senate opened with a moment of silence for Senator Chris Gildon and his family after the death of his wife, Autumn. It then took up several bills on final passage, beginning with Substitute House Bill 2020, which establishes a 3.1% B&O tax rate for payment card processing activities and allows a deduction for certain related fees. Supporters said it resolves a long-running dispute with the Department of Revenue; it passed 47-0. The chamber also passed House Bill 2039, delaying the child support pass-through expansion from 2026 to 2029, and House Bill 2040, delaying the elimination of recoveries from the Aged, Blind, and Disabled Assistance Program from October 2025 to October 2028. Supporters framed both as timing changes, while opponents argued they would postpone benefits for families and vulnerable people. Both bills passed 25-22. Substitute House Bill 2051, dealing with payment to acute care hospitals for difficult-to-discharge patients, passed 27-20 after several proposed amendments were withdrawn. Supporters said the bill helps hospitals care for patients who have nowhere else to go, while opponents argued the state should not delay payment support for these patients. The Senate also passed In Gross Substitute House Bill 2061, imposing a 10% concession fee on duty-free sales to fund tourism promotion and sustainable aviation fuel, over objections that it was a tax increase passed on to consumers. Finally, Substitute House Bill 2077, which taxes certain business activities related to zero-emission vehicle credits, passed 28-19 after an amendment to remove or narrow parts of the tax was rejected. Supporters said the measure would encourage spending of credits and support clean transportation goals, while opponents called it a targeted tax on Tesla and warned it could raise EV prices. The Senate then concurred in amended Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1293, a litter and plastic bag measure that increases litter penalties and keeps the planned bag-thickness increase from taking effect, and passed it 27-20. The Senate adjourned until April 27, 2025.

Transcript Highlights:

• through a program under the Veterans Land Board to help eligible Texas veterans and military families purchase
• Oftentimes, even the purchase of a manufactured home requires a bank loan.
• this bill, as the agency that would have to carry it out, we did discuss the differences between purchasing
• I'm completely in favor of a grant program that assists in the purchase of a mobile home on the dirt

Bills: SB2007 , SB2104 , SB2543 , SB2545 , SB2926 , SB2938

Committee: Senate Veteran Affairs

Keywords: military status, vehicle registration, veterans, Texas transportation, state records, discrimination, employment rights, spouses of service members, labor code, SB 2543, Texas veterans cemeteries, state veterans cemetery, Texas Veterans Commission, Veterans Land Board, Natural Resources Code, veterans land fund, veterans housing assistance fund, veterans burial, burial eligibility, cemetery location

Transcript Highlights:

• school.
• Missy likes school.
• So far, this school year, Missy's had a few absences from school.
• kid might be missing school, or a middle school child might be missing school.
• So that’s our school counselors, our mental health, our school psychs, our health clinicians, our school

Committee: Senate Education Pre-K - 12

Summary: The committee met to discuss student attendance and chronic absenteeism in Florida K-12 schools, with Chair Simon outlining the state’s attendance requirements and intervention process, including school contact after unexcused absences, child study team review, district superintendent referral, DJJ family services referral, truancy petitions, and possible parental prosecution and driver’s license consequences. Dr. Chris Curran of the University of Florida presented statewide data showing chronic absenteeism has risen sharply since the pandemic, with Florida at about 31.4% in 2023–24, and noted that absenteeism varies by district, school level, demographics, and urbanicity. He emphasized that causes are multifaceted—ranging from transportation, mental health, housing instability, safety concerns, and family circumstances—and said effective responses include early warning systems, text or phone outreach, multi-tiered interventions, mentoring programs like Check & Connect, and community partnerships. He also cautioned that punitive responses alone are often less effective than addressing root causes and keeping students engaged academically even when they miss school. Collier County Superintendent Leslie Ricciardelli described her district’s attendance efforts as a priority supported by attendance specialists, social workers, mental health staff, home visits, attendance contracts, and extensive parent communication. She said Collier’s chronic absenteeism rate was about 9% in 2023–24 and attributed success to consistent monitoring, family outreach, and community support, while stressing that students must be physically present to learn. She also argued that many absences are tied to barriers such as clothing, transportation, childcare, or family mental health, and that districts need resources to address those issues. Dr. Rachel Dawes added that Collier uses multilingual brochures, attendance awareness campaigns, vacation-planning guidance, door tags, automated calls and letters, and a truancy flow chart, with truancy court used as a last resort. Volusia County Executive Director Mike McAuliffe described a districtwide overhaul that included an attendance matters campaign, automated notices sent early and often, same-day and period-by-period notifications, a data dashboard, and tiered supports through MTSS. He said Volusia reduced chronic absenteeism from 34% in 2023–24 to a projected 29% and reported a first-quarter rate of about 20% in the current year. He highlighted community partnerships, including AdventHealth support for washers and dryers, bikes for students with transportation barriers, and monetary recognition for schools that reduce absenteeism. In response to questions, both district leaders emphasized that funding, staffing, and consistent follow-through are essential, and that attendance work is most effective when paired with family engagement, data monitoring, and practical supports rather than punishment alone.

Transcript Highlights:

• school.
• Missy likes school.
• So far this school year, Missy's had a few absences from school.
• If that’s the reason a high school kid might be missing school, or a middle school child might be missing
• “Yes, ma’am, of Volusia County Schools.” “No, Volusia County Schools?

Summary: The committee on Pre-K through 12 Education met to discuss chronic absenteeism, district attendance interventions, and related truancy procedures. Chair Simon reviewed Florida’s attendance laws and escalation process, including school-based interventions, child study team meetings, referrals to the Department of Juvenile Justice, truancy petitions, and possible sanctions for parents and driving privileges. The committee heard first from University of Florida professor Dr. Chris Curran, who presented state and national absenteeism data showing chronic absenteeism has risen sharply since the pandemic, with Florida at about 31.4% in 2023-24. He emphasized that absenteeism has multiple causes, including transportation, mental health, housing instability, safety concerns, and family barriers, and said effective responses include early warning systems, multi-tiered supports, mentoring, and community partnerships rather than relying only on punitive measures. Members questioned Dr. Curran about whether absenteeism is a behavior or barrier issue, whether exclusionary discipline is counted, the need for a uniform definition across districts, and whether more punitive truancy enforcement is effective. He said the issue is usually a mix of barriers and choices, that excused and unexcused absences both matter for chronic absenteeism data, and that root-cause analysis and supportive interventions are generally more productive than punishment alone, though consequences can still play a role. The committee then heard from Collier County Superintendent Leslie Ricciardelli and district staff, who described a highly structured attendance system built around attendance specialists, social workers, mental health staff, home visits, attendance contracts, multilingual outreach, and frequent parent notifications. They said Collier’s chronic absenteeism rate was about 9% in 2023-24 and credited their success to early contact, community partnerships, and a strong district culture around attendance. Volusia County Schools Executive Director Mike McAuliffe described a newer districtwide attendance initiative that uses automated letters, same-day notifications, data dashboards, MTSS tiers, incentives, and community supports such as bikes, washers and dryers, and faith-based partnerships. He reported Volusia reduced chronic absenteeism from 34% in 2023-24 to a projected 29% and said the district is now seeing about 20% in the first quarter of the current year. No formal votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• With antibiotics and IVIG infusions, he made a full recovery, missing just 10 days of school.
• When our son relapsed in 2022, he could no longer play hockey or attend school.
• He lost a year of school, a year of his childhood.
• of Law and Boston University School of Law, commercial law.
• Well, uh, you know, I'm sorry to backflash to law school. That's okay.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on the Judiciary

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on a wide range of state, probate, and family bills, with chairs Edwards and Day outlining strict testimony limits and accepting written testimony. Early testimony focused on H. 1911/S. 1138, which would clarify that a durable power of attorney may create a trust if that authority is expressly granted; sponsors and elder law advocates said the bill would resolve uncertainty created by the Barbetti decision and align Massachusetts with other states. A major portion of the hearing centered on S. 1102, a proposal to establish medical panels in Probate and Family Court. Supporters, including attorneys, parents, physicians, and advocates, said neutral three-doctor panels would help judges resolve disputed medical issues in guardianship and custody cases involving children, elders, and people with disabilities. Testifiers described cases where medical treatment was blocked or contested by one parent or guardian, arguing the panels would provide impartial expertise and protect vulnerable people. The committee also heard support for bills addressing disability discrimination in family court, military parents’ custody rights, and a shared parenting bill, H. 1710, which drew strong opposition from domestic violence advocates and others who said a 50-50 presumption could harm survivors and children. The committee also took testimony on several probate and court-administration measures. Senator Lovely supported a bill on nominee trust partition, and Senator Comerford and probate officials backed legislation to codify additional registry staff positions and modernize registry operations. Other bills discussed included foster care liability insurance, with providers warning that rising premiums and loss of coverage could force program closures; health care proxy storage and activation; access to decedents’ email accounts; uniform trust decanting; the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act; heirs’ property partition protections; a constitutional right to health care; alimony-related reforms; child-centered family law; and a right of disposition for funeral arrangements. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the committee repeatedly invited written testimony and follow-up questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• No NDAs, but according to the internet, the area that has been purchased for the purposes of aerospace
• And the community is not aware of what these school teachers go through.
• I have to hear it every day because I have friends that teach and I have school personnel that teach.
• When I returned back to school, When I returned back to school, I was afraid to enforce the discipline
• , ...that help get kids on the right path rather than taking kids out of school for six months, which

Committee: Senate Judiciary C

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then heard House Bill 1033, which expands the definition of critical infrastructure to include airports, heliports, spaceports, aerospace facilities, certain government and military sites, and oil and gas platforms. Supporters said the bill is part of a broader effort to position Louisiana for aerospace and defense investment, while opponents from the Sierra Club warned that repeatedly broadening critical infrastructure could chill protest and free-speech activity. The bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard House Bill 1034, which authorizes local officials to declare temporary protection zones for public safety for up to 72 hours, with one extension. The sponsor and the Department of Economic Development said it would be a tool for aerospace and defense projects and other public-safety needs; ACLU testimony raised concerns about notice, property rights, and possible impacts on public waterways. The bill was also reported favorably. The committee next considered several criminal justice bills. House Bill 51, barring post-conviction bail for defendants convicted of aggravated offenses against children, and House Bill 55, limiting public disclosure of juror information to protect juror privacy, both received broad support and were reported favorably. House Bill 635, aimed at protecting Louisianians from transnational repression by foreign governments through penalty enhancements for underlying crimes, was supported by a national security advocate and reported favorably. House Bill 133, increasing penalties for students who commit attacks on teachers or other students, was amended to address juvenile procedure and exceptionalities; teachers testified about serious injuries they suffered, while the ACLU and criminal defense lawyers raised concerns about mandatory minimums and individualized sentencing. The bill was reported with amendments. The committee also heard House Bill 676, which creates the crime of fraudulent patient referrals, or “body brokering,” in the substance-use treatment industry. The sponsor and Blue Cross Blue Shield representatives described schemes that steer vulnerable patients into fraudulent treatment arrangements for profit; the bill was reported favorably. House Bill 159 created a Caddo Parish pilot program for pretrial home incarceration with electronic monitoring to reduce jail overcrowding. The sheriff said the jail is far over capacity and that the program would be limited to nonviolent, non-sex-offense defendants with risk assessments, court approval, and behavioral-health check-ins. Witnesses supported the concept but urged tighter liability language; the committee adopted an amendment and reported the bill with amendments. House Bill 106, dealing with unauthorized administration of melatonin to children in child care settings, was reported favorably. Later, the committee amended and reported House Bill 108, which changes juror qualifications to exclude people convicted of crimes of violence or sex offenses from criminal juries, after opponents argued it would unnecessarily bar citizens from jury service. House Bill 784, a cleanup bill on sex offender registration and notification, was amended and reported with technical changes. Senate Bill 388, which removes a trigger clause tied to a border compact and authorizes review of state contracts for foreign-adversary benefit, was amended and reported. Finally, House Bill 772, a bail-procedure reform requiring accurate mailing and electronic notice information and consolidating notice rules, was presented as a fairness and efficiency measure and had support from the bail industry and prosecutors; the transcript ends before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I have to hear it every day because I have friends that teach and I have school personnel that teach.
• I called the school secretary, and she indicated that she did not have time to speak with that student
• When I returned back to school, ...they did.
• When I returned back to school, I was afraid to enforce the discipline that I previously had before the
• , ...that help get kids on the right path rather than taking kids out of school for six months, which

Committee: Senate Judiciary C

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• student enrollment and increase in tuition at the UC and CSU systems, and the requirement for all high school
• The Pell Grant program has, over time, fallen behind and lost some purchasing power.
• In the 2021-22 budget year, California took a bold step to require high schools, including charter schools
• In the 2021-22 budget year, California took a bold step to require high schools, including charter schools
• The high school FAFSA completion... The governor's budget reflects this reality.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And this really has been a focus on trades programs, as well as listening to the school districts and
• Chairman, my question is in regards to homeschool and private school students.
• Chair, Representative Dow, we engage them just the same as we do a school.
• here, a Christian school, that we also engage with for dual credit.
• CTE courses in high school, fewer than... or it's less than 20% actually go on in that career field.

Transcript Highlights:

• our economy and about the impact federal funding cuts will have on their health care, their kids' schools
• But all the people in Massachusetts, all the school districts, they need the money. So am I right?
• In Fall River, our schools received more than $10 million annually in federal funding.
• Offshore tax avoidance robs our schools, our students, and our communities of critical funding.
• We're also facing catastrophic funding deficits right now for so many of our school districts.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue, chaired by Senator James Eldridge and Representative Adrian Madaro, opened its hearing with a moment of silence for the late Lowell State Senator Ed Kennedy and reviewed hearing procedures and deadlines. The committee then took testimony on several corporate tax bills, including S. 2033/H. 3110 on offshore tax avoidance, H. 3248 on a manufacturing tax exemption, H. 3057 on a tiered corporate minimum tax, and S. 2041 on a corporate tax haven blacklist, along with a separate business interest deduction bill. No votes were taken during the hearing. Supporters of S. 2033/H. 3110, including labor unions, health care workers, educators, public health advocates, seniors, and several legislators, argued that Massachusetts needs new revenue to offset federal cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, health care, education, and other services. They said the bill would raise roughly $400 million annually by increasing the share of offshore profits included in the state tax base from 5% to 50%, and they framed it as a fairness measure that would require large multinational corporations to pay more while leaving most local businesses and workers unaffected. Testimony emphasized risks to MassHealth, PCA services, adult dental care, hospitals, schools, and public health programs if new revenue is not raised. Opponents, including the Mass Taxpayers Foundation and the Council on State Taxation, argued the proposal is poor tax policy and likely unconstitutional because it would tax foreign-source income without allowing foreign tax credits or a comparable apportionment method. They said Massachusetts should take a broader, coordinated approach to federal tax changes rather than a standalone bill, and warned of litigation risk and possible double taxation. Supporters such as MassBudget and former tax counsel Don Griswold countered that the bill is a reasonable rough-justice approach, consistent with federal and neighboring-state treatment, and that it would primarily affect a small number of very large multinationals. On S. 2041, the Global Business Alliance opposed the proposed tax haven blacklist, while supporting a separate bill allowing business interest deductibility.

Transcript Highlights:

• Having been a school board member during COVID, in one school district and working very closely with
• the schools. schools where you have 75% are higher levels of kids in free and reduced price lunch.
• our kids back to school.
• you bring a child back to school.
• Yeah, so right now, ELOP has to be spent either before school, after school, or on the weekends.

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• high school principal.
• I can speak to this on a high school level. So we are a unique school.
• , home school, back to public school, and hybrids of all of them, you know ...school, back to public
• Into our school system, what schools are best for them, and school choice has been very positive and
• school.

Summary: The Student Academic Success Subcommittee met to review Florida’s cell phone and social media literacy law, with Representative Brad Yeager describing the 2023 policy as aimed at removing classroom distractions and teaching students how to use social media responsibly. He said the law was intended to keep phones out of classrooms unless used for instruction, require social media literacy education, and limit access to certain sites on school Wi-Fi and government devices. Yeager said feedback since passage has been mixed: many teachers support it and some have adopted inexpensive shoe-organizer or pouch systems, but implementation varies by school and administrator enforcement. He said he is not currently pursuing a broader statewide mandate. Superintendent Dr. Maria Vazquez and Timber Creek High School Principal Mr. Wasco described Orange County’s approach as bell-to-bell phone restrictions, while Pasco County’s Dr. Zetchy described a similar policy with some flexibility during lunch or passing periods at the high school level. Both districts said the policy was implemented with parent communication, town halls, surveys, and transition periods, and that concerns about emergencies were addressed by allowing phones to be returned at the end of the day and by establishing procedures for parent contact. They reported few theft problems and said discipline issues related to phones have generally been manageable, though some teachers still struggle with enforcement or with students trying to evade the rules. A major portion of the discussion focused on social media literacy instruction. Orange County said it uses counselor-led programs, Canvas courses, resiliency days, and curriculum materials to teach students about cyberbullying, human trafficking, privacy, and the permanence of online posts, with progress tracked through the learning platform. Pasco said it has some resiliency modules but lacks a fully built-out, pre-made social media curriculum and would welcome more guidance from DOE, especially for high school classrooms where instructional time is limited. Members also asked about student anxiety, 504/IEP accommodations, caregiver students, and parent education; the districts said exceptions are handled through school committees and that parent academies and district resources are being used to help families set boundaries and understand the risks and benefits of phones and social media. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• you're going to meet on the 22nd because I've been asked not to do the 29th, because apparently that's school
• the state most needs money, is when the economy is in a downturn and yet you're stretching out the purchase
• these</c><01:18:48.040><c> over</c><01:18:48.280><c> that</c><01:18:48.440><c> extended</c> the purchase
• of these over that extended the purchase of these over that extended period<01:18:49.200><c> of</c><
• If you want houses, if you want schools, if you want commercial businesses, you need water.

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, at some point, it's got to be the responsibility of the person purchasing it. >> Yeah.
• </c> responsibility of the person purchasing responsibility of the person purchasing it. it. it.
• Last session, when we added language to account for the school tastings, because we passed the language
• </c><03:54:30.880><c> tastings</c><03:54:31.520><c> because</c> account for the school tastings because
• account for the school tastings because we<03:54:31.920><c> pass</c><03:54:32.239><c> the</c><03:54:

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up an insurance-related chronic pain bill and an amendment modeled on language from Massachusetts and Maine. The sponsor explained the amendment was developed after stakeholder meetings because the original bill would have created an unaffordable insurance mandate in New Hampshire. The amendment was intended to improve access to non-opioid therapies by limiting prior authorization and step-therapy barriers so they are not more restrictive than for other treatments, including opioid therapies. After questions, the committee took a straw vote and advanced the amendment. The next item was a department-sponsored bill involving the state’s all-payer claims database. Insurance Department officials explained that the bill would encourage self-funded employer plans to opt in voluntarily by giving them aggregated, deidentified claims information in return. They said self-funded plans cannot be required to report data because of federal law, but the bill would provide an incentive while protecting employee privacy. Members asked detailed questions about who would see the data, whether individual employees could be identified, and how privacy would be enforced; the department said access would be aggregated and deidentified, and employer privacy issues would be governed by ERISA and the U.S. Department of Labor. The committee also discussed a glucose-monitoring bill. Members debated whether the bill was aimed at type 1 diabetes coverage or broader access to continuous glucose monitors, and whether it would amount to an unnecessary insurance mandate that could raise premiums. Department testimony estimated the equipment cost and said the annual impact per member would be modest, but also noted that non-insulin therapies have not consistently shown clinically significant A1C reductions. The chair and some members emphasized that the bill should be considered on its own terms as a CGM coverage issue, not as a general diabetes mandate. The committee discussed the bill’s cost implications and asked the department for any prior cost analysis.