Transcript Highlights:

• variety of injuries, a large portion of our practice has to do with sexual assault victims and bringing claims
• current practice unfortunately takes sometimes months to three to four years to investigate these claims

Committee: House Professional Registration and Licensing

Summary: The Committee on Professional Registration and Licensing met with a quorum present and first took up House Bill 1797, a public accounting bill. The committee adopted a substitute that was described as clarification language to mirror the Senate version, then voted the House Committee Substitute do pass by unanimous roll call. The committee also considered House Bill 2974, adopted Amendment 0.01H adding clarifying scope-of-practice language, rolled the amendment into a committee substitute, and then voted the House Committee Substitute do pass unanimously. The committee then heard testimony on House Bill 1623, which would add massage therapists and chiropractors to the list of health care professionals subject to emergency disciplinary action through the Administrative Hearing Commission. The sponsor said the bill is intended to protect patients and give licensing boards faster authority to act against bad actors in vulnerable settings. Supporters included a trial lawyer who described sexual assault cases involving massage parlors and a lobbyist for the Missouri Chiropractic Physicians Association, who said quicker action would improve public safety and professional integrity. No opposition was presented. Next, the committee heard House Bill 309, which would provide clarity for nonprofit pharmacies serving low-income and underserved patients in emergency situations, inspired by access problems after the St. Louis tornadoes. The sponsor and an RX Outreach representative said the bill would help pharmacies transfer or dispense needed medications during emergencies without reducing oversight, and they discussed limits on quantities and controlled substances. Members asked why the bill was limited to nonprofit pharmacies and whether it applied outside Missouri; the witnesses said they were open to amendments and clarified the bill was aimed at Missouri emergencies. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 3129, the Physician Assistant Compact. The sponsor said the compact would improve access to care, especially in rural areas, by allowing reciprocal practice across participating states without changing Missouri scope-of-practice law. A PA testified in support, saying it would help retain and recruit PAs and improve flexibility near state borders. The Missouri State Medical Association opposed the bill, arguing it could affect scope of practice, give compact commission rules too much authority, and weaken Missouri’s regulatory control; the Division of Professional Registration supported it, saying it fits rural health transformation goals and that compact participants would still have to follow Missouri scope laws. A nonprofit workforce group also testified in support. No votes were taken on the hearing bills before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• history here, and it deals with the Idaho Department of Lands and floating timber and also town site claims
• Transporting logs by floating them down the river is no longer common practice, and town site claim framework

Summary: The Conservation and Resources Committee approved the January 27, 2026 minutes and then considered several RSs tied to the Idaho Code Cleanup Act. Representative Dustin Manwaring explained that the RSs were recommended by the DOGE task force to repeal outdated or unused code: RS 32887 (Fish and Game, wolf-management transition and hunting fine provisions), RS 32890 (Parks and Recreation, an unused outdoor recreation enhancement/Park and Recreation Fund program), RS 32902 (Water Resources, obsolete compact and trust-account provisions), and RS 32903 (Lands, provisions on floating timber and townsite claims). Each RS was introduced by committee vote. Representative Mark Sauter presented RS 33049, which would expand and update rules for water-skiing activities on public waters, including allowing driver-and-skier-only skiing in limited circumstances with added equipment, age, and time restrictions. A committee member asked whether other user groups such as paddlers or kayakers had been consulted; Sauter said he had not reached out broadly but would be prepared to answer more if the measure received a hearing. The committee voted to introduce RS 33049. The committee then heard House Joint Memorial 9 from Representative Judy Boyle and J.R. Simplot Company representative Elizabeth Kreiner. The memorial asks Congress to reaffirm FLPMA as the governing law for federal land exchanges after a Ninth Circuit decision raised questions about older land-disposal statutes. Kreiner described a decades-long Simplot-BLM exchange that was later challenged in court and said the ruling could affect completed and future exchanges across the West. The committee voted to send H.J.M. 9 to the floor with a do-pass recommendation. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 511, also from Representative Boyle, to raise the cap on the wildland-urban interface fire-protection surcharge from $40 to $100. Boyle and Idaho Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller said the current cap has not changed since 2009 and no longer covers rising firefighting costs amid growth in the WUI; logging and forest-industry witnesses supported the bill as a modest way to fund fire protection. After testimony, the committee voted to send H.B. 511 to the floor with a do-pass recommendation and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• history here, and it deals with the Idaho Department of Lands and floating timber and also town site claims
• Transporting logs by floating them down the river is no longer common practice, and the town site claim

Committee: House Resources and Conservation

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• device and ability to administer life-saving measures were available, a wrongful death lawsuit later claimed
• A wrongful death lawsuit later claimed that a failure to act approximately caused or substantially contributed

Bills: SB1009

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: cardiopulmonary resuscitation, AED training, high school curriculum, public school, safety training, emergency response, 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Republican leadership is claiming that Democrats aren't focused on affordability.
• What's your response to that claim? Well, that's not true. Well, that's not true.

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: Legislative leaders from the Washington Senate and House discussed the start of session, emphasizing efforts to respond to Trump administration policies while advancing state priorities. They said floor action had begun with bipartisan bills and identified several measures moving through committees, including a law enforcement masking bill, a bill regulating flock cameras, a bill on preserving access to preventive health services, land banking for housing, regulation of large energy-use facilities, and bills related to survivor protections and blood alcohol standards. They also said the Senate’s masking bill would likely be the mover and expected committee action on the camera bill within the next week or two. A major topic was tax and budget policy. Leaders said there was not yet a complete draft of the proposed income tax on high earners, but technical work was underway to ensure the tax mechanics were correct and to avoid double taxation of pass-through business owners. They said offsets were still being negotiated, with ideas including the working families tax credit, small business tax credit, sales tax changes, and property tax reductions. They also discussed other revenue ideas, including tobacco tax increases and ending certain tax exemptions, while saying broad-based increases to major taxes were unlikely. Other issues included affordability, child welfare, and public accountability. Leaders argued Democrats were focused on affordability through housing, health care, and child care measures, and cited bills on medical debt interest rates and public hospital support. On the Keeping Families Together Act, they said they shared concerns about child safety and were reviewing related proposals and DCYF data showing a decline in critical incidents. They also said they were open to bills improving accountability for public funds and fraud prevention, and noted that Washington’s systems had generally identified fraud early. No formal votes were taken in the exchange, but leaders said several bills were expected to move out of committee or come to floor votes soon.

Transcript Highlights:

• the majority of the cases we see are still within that kind of sex-based, sexual harassment-type claims
• throughout my time on the commission, those have been and continue to be some of the most common types of claims

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Summary: The Senate State Affairs Committee opened its first meeting of the 2020 session with member introductions, including the new committee secretary, Abby Rowe, and the pages. The pages also introduced themselves and answered questions from senators about their interests and experiences. The committee then moved to gubernatorial reappointments and appointments for several state boards and commissions. The first confirmation hearing was for Megan Ronk’s reappointment to the Commission on Human Rights. Ronk described her background in state government and Idaho Power, her long service on the commission since 2008, and the commission’s role in investigating discrimination complaints and often resolving cases through education or training when appropriate. Senators asked about due process, statutory authority, and the kinds of complaints the commission sees most often; Ronk said sex-based and sexual harassment claims remain common. Senator Harris praised her public service and dedication. The committee also heard from Salvador Cruz, nominated to the Treasurer’s Investment Advisory Committee. Cruz outlined his background in banking, federal financial regulation, and the Idaho Department of Finance, and said he would apply the prudent investor rule to any investment decisions, including possible precious metals investments if authorized. In response to questions, he expressed concern about the national debt and its long-term economic effects. No votes were taken on the appointments; the chair said confirmations would be voted on at a later meeting. At the end of the meeting, Senator Den Hartog gave brief remarks about joining the committee and the importance of the issues it will handle this session. Senator Burns then reviewed the committee’s assigned administrative rules and asked members to contact the relevant agencies and begin scheduling meetings to work through those rules. The meeting adjourned without further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some examples include licensing and regulating dietitians, having a mechanism to investigate claims against
• Some examples include licensing and regulating dietitians, having a mechanism to investigate claims against

Bills: HB2088

Committee: House Postsecondary Education & Workforce

Keywords: nutritional health, dietetic professionals, licensure compact, interstate practice, healthcare regulation, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• was an incredible, proud, fierce, and adoring mother to her four daughters, who all, by the way, claimed
• escalated and spread wildfires that ultimately destroyed over 16,000 buildings across 80 square miles and claimed

Summary: The Assembly met in session after a quorum call, with the clerk calling the roll and a quorum eventually declared present. The day began with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by routine procedural actions: the previous day’s journal was dispensed with, committee reports were deemed read, and several motions were approved, including unanimous consent to allow specified members to speak on adjournments in memory and to let Assemblymember Ortega have guests in the rear of the chamber. The body also gave one-day notice to remove SB 25 from the inactive file. On the daily file, Assembly Bill 673 was read with amendments and the amendments were deemed adopted. Concurrent items 2 and 3, Governor’s vetoes in items 4 through 77, reconsideration items 79 through 81, and third-reading items 82 through 84 were passed and retained or continued as noted. No substantive floor debate occurred on legislation during the session, which was described as a very short session. Most of the meeting was devoted to adjournment-in-memory tributes. Members honored Monica Lynn Martinez Hayes, a Capitol scheduler and artist; Edwin Silva Brazil, a dairyman and community leader; Grand Master Deng Huiduk, a martial arts instructor and mentor; victims of a Stockton shooting, including four young people; and the victims of the Eaton and Palisades fires. Several members spoke about the fire victims by name and emphasized recovery, resilience, and the need to support affected communities. A moment of silence was observed, the names were ordered printed in the journal, and the House adjourned until Friday, January 16 at 9 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• was an incredible, proud, fierce, and adoring mother to her four daughters, who all, by the way, claimed
• escalated and spread wildfires that ultimately destroyed over 16,000 buildings across 80 square miles and claimed

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> a different methodology for claiming a different methodology for claiming funds<01:13:59.920><c>
• for coverable services under claim for coverable services under Medicaid<01:14:11.360><c> to</c><01:
• </c><01:14:54.320><c> methodology</c> implement this new claiming methodology implement this new claiming
• You have to claim FMAP. You have to have a person who’s involved, enrolled in Medicaid.
• </c> be fulfilled you have to be to claim be fulfilled you have to be to claim fmap<01:42:18.480><c>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Division III held an informational hearing on Medicaid, Medicare, Choices for Independence, and related financing, while postponing nursing facility financing and the county cap discussion to a later date. DHHS officials Ann Landry, Jonathan Ballard, and Medicaid Director Henry Litman provided an overview of Medicaid’s role, noting it is a federal-state partnership with state-specific eligibility and benefits, and emphasizing that Medicaid is a major funding and programmatic support for other DHHS initiatives. They also distinguished Medicaid from Medicare and explained that Medicaid funding is not the same as grant funding, though some providers may also receive federal grants through other channels. The presentation focused on New Hampshire’s relatively small Medicaid program and why it differs from national averages. Officials said about 184,000 residents are covered, roughly one in seven Granite Staters compared with one in five nationally, and attributed the difference largely to the state’s higher per-capita income and older population. They highlighted that about 65% of Medicaid-enrolled adults in New Hampshire are working, that only 22% of births are covered by Medicaid versus 42% nationally, and that the state’s uninsured rate is lower than the national rate. Members asked about covered services, income limits, federal matching rates, and the names of optional eligibility groups; staff explained that New Hampshire offers the optional groups discussed, with matching rates varying by category, including 90% for Granite Advantage and certain other groups, and 65% for children above the required level. A substantial portion of the hearing covered eligibility rules and recent policy changes. Officials reviewed the history of Medicaid, including HCBS waivers, the CFI program, Katie Beckett, the Olmstead decision, the ACA, and the end of continuous enrollment after the public health emergency. They also discussed the 2023 legislative expansion of postpartum coverage from 60 days to 12 months and child eligibility changes. In response to questions, DHHS said it is tracking utilization and costs for the postpartum expansion and reported that many maternal deaths occur after the prior 60-day coverage period, often involving substance use disorder or suicide; they said the longer coverage is intended to improve access to treatment and prevention. The committee also walked through household-income examples, clarified that Medicaid eligibility is based on household income and categorical rules, and confirmed that Granite Advantage ends at 138% of the federal poverty level unless another categorical basis applies. No votes were taken, and the hearing remained informational.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because of the delays in getting the house clean safely, that still has not happened.
• They might need to sell the house or they may need it cleaned quickly so their life can move forward.
• Because of the delays in getting the house clean safely, that still has not happened.
• They might need to sell the house or they may need it cleaned quickly so their life can move forward.
• </c><00:14:17.360><c> cleaned</c> or they may need it clean cleaned or they may need it clean cleaned

Bills: HF3465 , HF3782 , HF4075 , HF391 , HF3946 , HF2976 , HF3350

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Keywords: theft, vulnerable adults, public safety, penalties, Minnesota statutes, chemical irritants, law enforcement, transparency, building owners, tenant rights, notification, remediation, firearm restrictions, domestic violence, court orders, criminal convictions, firearms prohibition, gun surrender, order for protection, protective order

Transcript Highlights:

• Always happy to help clean up here. Yeah.
• So, if you came into the dental office and you were going to get a deep cleaning, you're going to get
• Or getting a deep cleaning by the dental hygienist. So dental hygienist versus what you said.
• And also um be cleaned up a little bit.
• Or getting a deep cleaning filling. Yep.

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I won't use the HW, but it is a bill to clean up some language. is in effect that band's child marriage
• won't use the HW but it is a bill to<00:08:26.479><c> um</c><00:08:26.759><c> to</c><00:08:27.159><c> clean
• It's not a policy change, just some language clean-up. Happy to take questions.
• This is, as she was saying, just to clean up some language on our statutes after the passage of last
• </c><01:24:02.920><c> and</c> laws that require a clean and laws that require a clean and well-regulated

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There is simply no data whatsoever to support this claim.
• scapegoating rent stabilization for a drop-off in new permits, but a look at the full picture shows this claim
• Secondly, the timing of these claims does not line up.
• In the following panel, you will also hear stakeholders claim that if rents drop, they will stop building
• They have promoted individuals who own properties that would be exempt from this law and claim that they

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a public hearing on Initiative Petition 25-21, House Bill 508, an act to protect tenants by limiting rent increases. Committee leaders explained the Article 48 initiative process and said the hearing was intended to gather testimony for a report to the legislature. The measure would replace current state law that prohibits rent control, cap annual rent increases at the lower of CPI or 5%, exempt certain properties including owner-occupied buildings of four or fewer units, subsidized, university, nonprofit, and short-term rental housing, and exempt new construction for 10 years. It would also eliminate vacancy decontrol, so limits would continue when units turn over, and enforcement would rely largely on tenants and the Attorney General through the courts. The hearing began with expert testimony from Whitney Airgood-Obrien of Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, who described Massachusetts’ severe rental affordability problems and reviewed research on rent regulation, noting mixed evidence on supply and quality effects but clearer evidence that rent regulation can slow rent growth and improve tenant stability. Supporters of the petition, led by Carolyn Chow of Homes for All Massachusetts, argued that rent stabilization is needed now to curb displacement and runaway rent increases, especially for low- and moderate-income renters. Laura Frost described her Arlington building being bought by a large firm that sought steep rent hikes, and said rent control would help prevent “tenant flipping” and community displacement. Dave Foley of SEIU Local 509 said the issue affects workers’ ability to live near their jobs, while Dr. Mark Paul and Tram Huang argued that the evidence supports well-designed rent stabilization, that vacancy decontrol encourages displacement, and that the policy should be seen as a complement to new housing production rather than a substitute. Committee members questioned supporters about the 10-year new construction exemption, the lack of vacancy decontrol, and whether rent stabilization could discourage development; supporters responded that the measure targets corporate rent gouging, that small landlords are protected by exemptions, and that production and rent stabilization can coexist. Opponents, including representatives of small property owners, chambers of commerce, and labor/building trades, argued the proposal would hurt small landlords, reduce investment, and slow housing production. They said operating costs such as taxes, insurance, and maintenance are rising faster than the proposed cap, and warned that the measure would reduce property values and tax revenue and could push investment to other states. Several opponents emphasized that many Massachusetts housing providers are mom-and-pop owners rather than large corporations, and said the policy would make it harder to maintain and improve housing. Committee members pressed both sides on the need for a middle ground between affordability and preserving development incentives, but no vote was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• These claims can mislead consumers who, like us, are trying to make environmentally responsible choices
• products sold in California cannot be labeled or advertised as reef safe, reef-friendly, or similar claims
• How long is the California Legislature going to play this game where you claim to be protecting women's
• , and institution in this trap, unable to protect a woman's rights because they must honor a man's claim
• A female asserts a sex-based right, a male who identifies as female can assert an identical claim under

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• get an environmental hygienist on board in order for the insurance company to continue processing my claim
• If the borrower is currently occupying the property, have they started an insurance claim, and have they
• total loss, specialists are trained to escalate additional support as needed to assist with insurance claim
• We also encourage all of you, and everyone, to really interrogate the claim that the small number of
• We also encourage all of you, and everyone, to really interrogate the claim that the small number of

Summary: The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee held an outcomes review of AB 238, the wildfire mortgage forbearance law, focused on how the law has worked for survivors of the Eaton and Palisades fires. Chair Valencia and Assemblymember Harabedian said the hearing was intended to hear directly from survivors, assess whether the law is being implemented as intended, and identify fixes. Several survivors described losing homes, facing long rebuild timelines, and struggling with insurers, housing costs, and mortgage servicers. Many said they encountered confusion, inconsistent information, requests for financial documentation, lump-sum repayment demands, credit reporting problems, or loan modifications that they viewed as undermining the law’s purpose. Some urged clearer consumer education, a consumer bill of rights, and an extension of forbearance relief; one witness specifically advocated for AB 1847 to extend forbearance to 36 months. DFPI Chief Deputy Commissioner Suzanne Martindale said the department had received about 300 wildfire-related consumer complaints, mostly about mortgage forbearance, and that more than 91% had been resolved in the consumer’s favor. She said the department works with both state-licensed and federally regulated institutions, but its authority is limited when national banks are involved, so it often uses outreach and direct contact with lenders and federal partners to resolve complaints. She also described recurring complaint themes such as difficulty obtaining forbearance, customer-service breakdowns, withholding of insurance funds, and non-interest-bearing impound accounts. Committee members pressed DFPI on which institutions were noncompliant, what enforcement tools were available, and how much data the state could collect and make public. Representatives of the California Bankers Association and California Mortgage Bankers Association said lenders had provided early disaster relief and were working to comply with AB 238, but emphasized that mortgage servicing is constrained by federal law, investor requirements, and secondary-market guidelines. They argued that forbearance is temporary relief, not forgiveness, and warned that extending it without a clear repayment path can create future payment shock or larger debt burdens. They also said many servicers use disaster protocols tied to federal declarations and that clearer communication is needed. In response to committee concerns, the mortgage bankers said they would continue working with the Legislature and federal agencies, but could not promise changes beyond investor and agency rules. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've seen cases where false or exaggerated claims linger in files, affect promotions, hurt morale, even
• job, something that could cost your livelihood, wouldn't you want to know exactly who was making the claim
• Wouldn't you want to know exactly who was making the claim and that they're willing to swear it was true
• additional information if the courts determine it wasn't necessary or maybe that threat that when it was claimed
• may just quickly, two cents: test results that do not match official records, language proficiency claims

Summary: The committee heard and advanced a large slate of bills, beginning with HB 1405, which would reestablish a pilot program at four state universities to screen people with special needs who are at risk of elopement and provide families with tracking devices. Members spoke in support, citing real-life incidents involving missing children and adults, and the bill passed 18-0. HB 4037, a Pasco County mosquito control cleanup bill, also passed unanimously, as did PCS for HB 639, which expands eligibility for an existing Fraternal Order of Police specialty license plate to all Floridians and adds nonprofit and financial reporting requirements for specialty plate organizations. HB 667, brought by Rep. Valdés with Freedom High School students through the Ought to Be a Law program, would raise the helmet requirement for electric personal assisted mobility devices from under 16 to under 18; the students testified about e-bike and e-scooter injuries and fatalities, and the bill passed 18-0. The committee also approved PCS for HB 975, which clarifies management and security authority for the Capitol Center and Complex, and HB 695, a public records exemption tied to a health care interstate compact, by a 17-1 vote. HB 181, expanding a pawnbroker transaction records exemption to FDLE, and HB 1087, making Florida Retirement System pension-plan member and payee information confidential, both passed unanimously. HB 1515, a public records exemption tied to a uterine fibroid research database, also passed unanimously after the sponsor explained the Department of Health had been unable to implement the database because of data-identification problems. A major portion of the meeting focused on HB 1283, which would allow anonymous complaints against law enforcement officers only when accompanied by corroborating evidence and would bar non-disciplinary investigative outcomes from being used in promotions and other personnel decisions. Police chiefs and sheriffs opposed the bill as amended, arguing the corroboration standard should include evidence developed by agencies and warning about personnel-management consequences, while law enforcement supporters said the bill protects officers from malicious complaints. Civil rights and advocacy groups opposed it, warning it would chill reporting and harm victims, especially in sexual misconduct cases. After extensive debate, the committee adopted an amendment to align the bill with the Senate companion and then passed HB 1283 18-0. The committee also passed HB 139, expanding whistleblower protections to adverse actions by individuals and placing investigations with the Florida Commission on Human Relations, and HB 953, which gives county tax collectors authority to partner with DHSMV in overseeing commercial driving schools and combating fraud; both passed unanimously. The meeting also included HB 627, which directs officers in the field to refer public records requesters to the proper custodian rather than processing requests during active incidents; despite opposition from protest and civil liberties advocates, it passed 18-0. Finally, the committee heard HB 1473, a public records exemption for portions of domestic-terrorism designation materials. Supporters said it was needed to protect sensitive security information, while opponents argued it was vague and could be used to hide executive decision-making and target protesters or Muslim communities. After an amendment and lengthy debate, the bill passed 13-4.

Transcript Highlights:

• And there were, you know, nurses who had doctor’s degrees, and they didn’t try to claim something they
• The intent of this amendment is that if an ALF is claiming or advertising that it is a specialized memory
• In our state, we have many, many ALF facilities that currently provide or claim to provide memory Many
• ALF facilities currently provide or claim to provide memory care services.
• There's a reason insurance companies often pay out instead of investigating every tiny claim.

Bills: S0036 , S0864 , S0268 , S0844 , S0514 , S1404 , S0914 , S1758

Committee: Senate Health Policy

Keywords: nursing title, advanced practice registered nurse, advertising, professional standards, disciplinary action, uterine fibroids, public records, health privacy, epidemiology, medical information, emergency department, physicians, privacy, personal information, sickle cell disease, sickle cell anemia, pain management, controlled substances, prescribing education, continuing medical education

Summary: The committee first considered SB 268, a public records exemption for emergency physicians. Senator Rodriguez’s strike-all amendment narrowed and clarified the exemption, and testimony from an emergency physician described threats, harassment, and safety concerns tied to mandatory reporting and patient encounters. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably as a committee substitute. Members then heard SB 514, creating the Dula Support for Healthy Births Pilot Program in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties for pregnant and postpartum women affected by substance use disorder. Senator Osgood explained the pilot would provide non-medical doula support and data collection, and an amendment changed the funding source to specific appropriations in the General Appropriations Act. Supporters said doula care can improve maternal and infant outcomes and complement medical providers. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably as a committee substitute. The committee also approved SB 36 on use of professional nursing titles after extensive debate over whether nurses with doctoral degrees should be allowed to use “doctor” in clinical settings, with concerns raised about patient confusion and the need for clearer identification. The bill was amended to align with the House version and then reported favorably as a committee substitute. The committee next approved SB 864, a public records exemption for uterine fibroid research data, after a technical amendment setting a July 1, 2026 effective date; Senator Sharif said the exemption is needed so the Department of Health can collect sensitive data for the related research bill. SB 844, requiring continuing education on sickle cell disease care management for certain licensed physicians and nurses, was also reported favorably after emotional testimony from patients and advocates describing delayed care and bias. Later, the committee approved SB 1404 on memory care, after a strike-all amendment creating a new memory care specialty license for assisted living facilities that advertise or provide specialized memory care services, while allowing optional supportive services without the new license. Supporters from the senior living industry backed the clarification. The committee then passed SB 914, which clarifies that licensed occupational therapists may perform dry needling, after an amendment adjusting supervision and continuing education language. Finally, the committee took up SB 1758, a broad Medicaid and SNAP reform bill that would strengthen fraud enforcement, impose Medicaid work requirements for certain able-bodied adults, expand behavioral health services, modernize drug purchasing and prior authorization, and require SNAP fraud-reduction measures. Several amendments were adopted, and members questioned the work requirement, implementation costs, EBT card photo identification, and due process concerns; debate continued as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• We cannot claim to lead the nation while singling out a certain group of taxpayers for second-class care
• establish satisfactory immigration status, including those under the five-year bar, individuals claiming
• Claims, and we go through Q&A with them on the information that we share with them.
• work hard every day to ensure that we are following state and federal rules with regard to how to claim
• We looked at utilization and the significant growth in both the members and and claims, recognizing that

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I do want to say one of the testifiers, I think from CCHF, made some pretty alarming claims about some
• I do want to say one of the testifiers, I think from CCHF, made some pretty alarming claims about some
• from cchf made some pretty<00:25:46.279><c> uh</c><00:25:46.760><c> alarming</c><00:25:47.360><c> claims
• </c><00:25:48.360><c> about</c><00:25:48.640><c> some</c> pretty uh alarming claims about some pretty
• uh alarming claims about some things<00:25:49.279><c> and</c><00:25:49.480><c> and</c><00:25:49.600>

Keywords: 1183, house