Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:12:47.040><c> that</c> people that uh service providers that people that uh service providers
• So essentially the provider in those cases. Senator Wickland, it could be individuals or providers.
• It would just be the provider would continue providing their services, presumably.
• It would just be the provider would continue providing their services, presumably.
• </c> providing their services presumably. providing their services presumably.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• regulatory</c> provides a comprehensive regulatory provides a comprehensive regulatory framework<02:
• Speaker, this rule provides for Mr.
• critical</c><02:41:08.640><c> funding</c> HR 4016 provides the critical funding HR 4016 provides the
• provides for This legislation provides for appropriations<03:02:03.040><c> for</c><03:02:03.279><c>
• In total, HR 4016 provides nation.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have to provide greater training. And that just reminds us that we have to do more.
• We have to provide greater training.
• SB 1261 provides a simple, practical fix.
• It is concerning to know that you can simply walk away from providing service.
• But hoping you could provide some updates on that. Yeah, I think I can help with that.

Committee: House Aging and Long-Term Care

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </span> <span marker="10" data-time="250">It does not prevent providers from delivering care.
• It provides for independent oversight through unannounced inspections.
• We can reject the notion that providing students with mental health education somehow undermines local
• Abortions cannot be provided in...</span> <span marker="114" data-time="2850">...of law.
• Abortions cannot be provided in an unlicensed facility, if you will; they have to be provided in a licensed

Keywords: 905, all

Summary: The Alaska Legislature met in joint session to consider gubernatorial vetoes of five bills. Members first took up House Bill 52 on minors and psychiatric hospitals, with supporters arguing it would improve transparency, family communication, oversight, and reporting around seclusion and restraint in psychiatric facilities. Opponents of the veto cited DOJ findings and media reports about abuses at a North Star facility. The override failed, 36-24, falling short of the 40 votes needed. The joint session then considered Senate Bill 41 on mental health education. Supporters said it would help develop age-appropriate mental health curriculum and could aid suicide prevention, while critics argued it was mischaracterized and did not impose a state takeover of local schools. The veto override failed, 38-22. Members next considered House Bill 314 on architects, engineers, surveyors, and interior designers, focusing on the AELS Board’s continuation and the need for professional oversight during major infrastructure work. That override passed, 45-15. The legislature then voted on Senate Bill 21, the Alaska Work and Save Program, which supporters said would expand retirement savings access for workers and small businesses, including an option to direct PFD funds into retirement accounts. The override failed, 39-21. Finally, House Bill 195 on pharmacists and physician assistants was debated as a health care access measure that would let pharmacists provide more services under a standard-of-care model; supporters said it would reduce costs and improve access, while some members raised concerns about scope and abortion-related issues. The veto override passed, 43-17. The joint session then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We can provide more complete care at much less cost if we are well equipped to do so.
• At the far end of the spectrum, we have the psychiatric residential treatment facilities, which provide
• And then three instances where a six-month license was provided and one provisional license.
• The idea behind the matrix is that it provides more structure to licensing staff so they know when an
• And for years, they've provided us a roadmap. And this is not... this is the same example here.

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 639 from Senator Ben Taves, which would modernize Idaho’s licensed midwifery laws by replacing a fixed statutory medication list with a board-defined formulary and protocol for maternal and neonatal care. Supporters, including licensed midwives Charity Catlin and Valerie Hall, said the bill would reduce unnecessary hospital transfers, especially for stable postpartum hemorrhage cases and other rural maternity situations, while lowering costs and preserving recovery and bonding. Senator Taves said he worked with the Idaho Midwifery Council and that the bill aligns Idaho with neighboring states. The committee voted to send HB 639 to the Senate floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then received a presentation from the Office of Performance Evaluations on state oversight of children’s residential care. OPE reported concerns about limited licensing authority, unclear children’s rights information, lack of required reporting on restraint and seclusion, weak enforcement, and inconsistent monitoring practices. The report also found that foster youth placements in residential care had increased, including out-of-state placements, and that the state lacked a clear way to track whether children were in the most appropriate setting. OPE recommended more unannounced surveys, standardized contract monitoring, better communication across divisions, and clearer abuse-investigation procedures. Department of Health and Welfare officials responded that they had already reduced congregate care use, created a Continuity Care Bureau, and implemented or were implementing several recommendations. They said licensing had adopted priority response timelines similar to child protection cases and was working on resident-rights improvements, but acknowledged a remaining gap in placing substantiated perpetrators on a registry and said legislative action would be needed. The committee discussed the need for stronger oversight for both foster and privately placed children, and the chair announced the committee would meet again the next day for a Medicaid and managed care presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• We can provide more complete care at much less cost if we are well equipped to do so.
• We plan to follow up on this report in June with the Oversight Committee, so we will continue to provide
• We will continue to provide updates that will be published on our website.
• And then three instances where a six-month license was provided and one provisional license.
• And the idea behind the matrix is that it provides more structure to licensing staff to know when an

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Miller was one person who participated to provide his insight.
• Representative Miller was one person that participated to provide his insight.
• We provided that for folks to respond to a survey to tell us if there's anything we missed.
• And so the survey, I think, was important to me, that anyone who wanted to provide input could provide
• But you could provide a survey.

Committee: House Agricultural Affairs

Summary: The House Agricultural Affairs Committee approved the February 10, 2026 minutes and then introduced RS 331-92, a proposal by Rep. VanderWater to allow additional milk-testing quality categories to be set by rule between producers and buyers. VanderWater said the measure would give the Department of Agriculture flexibility to address testing issues beyond butterfat, protein, and somatic cell counts, including possible bacteria-related standards. Members asked whether organic dairy would be included, and he said it would apply to dairy sold to processors. The motion to introduce the RS passed unanimously. The committee then heard a detailed presentation from Matt Weaver of the Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission and Brian Keekley of the Langdon Group on a proposed merger of the Soil and Water Conservation Commission into the Idaho Department of Water Resources. They described a months-long evaluation process that included stakeholder interviews, a survey, a workshop, and a final report. The presenters said the recommended structure would keep the commission’s board and mission intact while moving support functions into IDWR, preserving local conservation district autonomy, maintaining the commission’s branding and non-regulatory identity, protecting funding, and creating a formal partnership framework to guard against enforcement or policy conflicts. Members generally expressed support for the proposal’s sideboards and the involvement of local districts. Questions focused on how the merger framework would be implemented and when. Weaver said Senate Concurrent Resolution 115 and House Bill 503 were the main legislative vehicles, with additional statutory cleanup and a combined budget expected for the 2027 session, along with a memorandum of understanding between the agencies. Committee members indicated they were comfortable with the legislation coming before them as early as Monday. The meeting concluded with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• The administrative supports that OSPI provides the State Board, the PESB, the FEP, and the Charter School
• OSPI is directed to continue providing administrative services at a level commensurate with the business
• Currently, OSPI provides administrative services based on its own...
• Yeah, could you please provide the committee with the 23 districts that would be out of...
• So could you provide that to us again, at a later date? Perhaps your staff could bring that to...

Bills: HB1662 , HB1683

Committee: House Education

Keywords: education agencies, administrative independence, superintendent, education reform, agency authority, education, school boards, district adjustments, administrative boundaries, educational governance, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Exception for threats of harm were provider may alert law enforcement, for instance, if someone who's
• It's just harder to get the records of most health care providers are subject to HIPPA because part 2
• Some providers are subject to both HIPPA and part 2 to the extent that a provider is covered by both
• Furthermore, given that many providers are subject to both HIPPA, in part to a large part of the 2024
• So that sums up ultimately this information that provided to you.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> District that are capable of providing District that are capable of providing for<00:05:44.919><
• </c> school like often happens to provide school like often happens to provide services<00:24:35.279>
• at once they're done providing leave at once they're done providing services<00:24:41.720><c> to</c>
• Services of providing uh services for Services of providing uh services for students<01:42:39.440><c>
• </c><01:58:18.560><c> um</c> funds provided uh direct to provider um funds provided uh direct to provider

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Policy Committee opened a hearing on HB 748, which would establish a local education freedom account (EFA) program. The prime sponsor, Rep. Kevin Verville, described the bill as enabling legislation that would let local voters decide whether to create a local EFA program by petition and ballot vote, with a 60% threshold to approve or repeal it. He argued that public education is about funding rather than a specific school building, said the proposal would expand parental choice, and cited Deerfield’s move from a single high school option to multiple tuitioned options as an example of local flexibility. Verville said the local EFA would be funded at twice the state adequacy amount, with the district matching the state portion, while other aid categories such as free and reduced meals, English language learner, and special education aid would not be doubled. He said students using a local EFA would still count in average daily membership, that unspent EFA funds would revert to the district, and that the bill would prohibit double-dipping with other scholarship or EFA programs. He also said special education services would remain under district discretion and that local EFA participants would still take statewide assessments for accountability. Committee members pressed him on several issues, especially special education, transportation, and fairness. Rep. Woodcock and Rep. Murray asked whether districts would still have to provide special education and transportation services if a student used a local EFA; Verville responded that special education would remain in the local district at district discretion, while transportation would generally become the family’s responsibility unless already required in an IEP. Rep. Cornell raised an equity concern about no income eligibility cap, asking whether higher-income families should receive the same public support; Verville replied that New Hampshire does not means-test public education and that the local EFA is a public funding mechanism, not a tuition subsidy that would cover full private-school costs. No vote or committee action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are providing you an offer on proviso.
• We provided you offers on proviso, back of the bill, implementing bill, and HB 5301E, HB 2518E.
• We have provided you offers on proviso in the implementing bill earlier today.
• We have also provided you an offer on HB 7031E as our tax package offer.
• We are also providing you supplemental funding lists for House issues.

Summary: The Budget Conference Committee met to exchange final offers between the House and Senate on the state budget. The discussion covered multiple budget areas, including Agriculture and Natural Resources, Health Care, Justice, Pre-K through 12 Education, Higher Education, State Administration and General Government, Transportation and Economic Development, Administered Funds, and PICO, along with related implementing bills, proviso language, supplemental funding lists, and the tax package (HB 7031E). Each chamber indicated acceptance of many of the other side’s bump offers and related items, including several bills tied to petroleum, retirement, prisons, collective bargaining, and higher education. No public testimony was taken; the chairs noted the offers had already been noticed to the public and declined to call individuals to explain them. After the exchange of offers, Senator Hooper moved to allow staff to make technical and conforming adjustments to the budget, conforming language, and tax package, and the motion was adopted without objection. The committee then closed with brief remarks from the chairs and adjourned, concluding the 2026 budget conference.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're providing guidance. We're providing support.
• Or they're providing it themselves as well.
• And having local providers there, they know exactly where to go.
• So anybody, whether it's a service provider, foster care, law enforcement, a medical provider, they can
• So anybody, whether it's a service provider, foster care, law enforcement, a medical provider, they can

Committee: Joint Protection and Victim Services Committee

Summary: The committee first approved the December 16 minutes and then heard a presentation from Dr. Ramona Danielson on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their economic and public-system impacts. She explained that ACEs are population-level risk indicators, not individual diagnostic tools, and said higher ACE exposure is associated with more chronic illness, mental health challenges, child welfare and justice involvement, and lower workforce participation. She cautioned that precise dollar estimates are difficult because of the many interacting factors across the life course, but said the direction of the impact is clear and that evidence-based interventions and protective factors can reduce harm. Members asked about definitions of a “healthy family,” same-sex couples, divorce, substance abuse, trends in ACEs, and home visiting; she emphasized supportive relationships, protective factors, and the importance of positive childhood experiences. The committee then heard from Allison Mahoney and Missy Barranco, along with a recorded family story from Abby, about evidence-based home visiting programs in North Dakota. Abby described how Healthy Families North Dakota supported her family after a premature birth and NICU stay by providing weekly in-home coaching, developmental screenings, postpartum mental health check-ins, referrals, and parenting support. The presenters explained that home visiting is voluntary, relationship-based, and usually begins prenatally or shortly after birth, with referrals coming from hospitals, WIC, pregnancy navigators, human service zones, self-referrals, and other community partners. They said North Dakota currently has four main evidence-based models operating through 12 organizations, with Healthy Families available in all 53 counties, though only a fraction of eligible families are served. Funding was described as a patchwork of federal MIECHV/Title IV-E, Medicaid, state and tribal funds, philanthropy, charitable gaming, and other grants; members discussed whether the Legislature or agencies should expand support and how to improve outreach and sustainability. Finally, the committee received a memorandum on artificial intelligence and sexual exploitation, focusing on AI-generated child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, sextortion, and chatbot-related risks. The report summarized federal and state law, including North Dakota’s existing computer-generated image provisions, the federal PROTECT Act, the Take It Down Act, and recent federal executive orders on AI policy. Members discussed the need for child-safety protections, the limits of executive orders, and broader concerns about AI’s effect on critical thinking and misinformation. The committee then heard from BCI Special Agent Cassidy Halsef, who said AI is already driving a sharp rise in child exploitation cases in North Dakota, including AI-generated explicit images of real minors and school-based incidents involving mass-shared manipulated images. She said investigators are seeing more cyber tips, more difficult forensic work, and lasting harm to victims and families, and urged stronger legal penalties, specialized training, victim services, and prevention education in schools and communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• That gets to the really provides.
• </c> cycle, is that that doesn't uh provide cycle, is that that doesn't uh provide sort<00:18:48.480>
• </c> that and the secretary of state provides that and the secretary of state provides a<00:29:33.360
• And then if you look at line provide.
• </c><01:16:27.199><c> Um,</c> been providing. I see heads nodding. Um, been providing.

Bills: SF0028 , SF0030 , SF0031 , SF0032

Committee: House Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions

Keywords: voting, elections, electronic voting systems, transparency, public testing, voter registration, qualified elector, residency requirements, voting rights, mortgage modification, priority, electronic signatures, real property, financial covenants, 911 services, emergency response, grant funding, next generation technology, government accountability, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> support of its mission to provide support of its mission to provide important<00:03:24.879><c> Commerce
• How do other insurance providers, I guess, regulated—do we have a system that we use for the providers
• </c><01:09:44.040><c> them</c> reaches out to us we try to provide them reaches out to us we try to provide
• </c> Surplus lines insurers and providing Surplus lines insurers and providing some<01:13:23.760><c>
• Not only that, they're—I mean, these guys... done that's provide some additional done that's provide

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means and Commerce and Consumer Protection heard the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs present its biennium budget request for fiscal years 2025 to 2027. Director Nainoa Ando said the department’s requests were primarily special-fund ceiling increases to meet operational needs. Major items included an additional $12 million to complete the King Kamehameha V Post Office building roof project after hidden deterioration and water intrusion were discovered, plus funding related to fringe benefits and central services assessments. The department also outlined requests for a new medical compact implementation cost, an auditor position, an engineer position, and a captive insurance IT modernization project. A significant portion of the discussion focused on the Office of Consumer Protection’s landlord-tenant call line and public service access. Senators raised concerns that callers often reach voicemail, are told to leave a message, and sometimes are referred to look up the law themselves. DCCA said the Oʻahu line is staffed by one full-time employee backed by two to three investigators, with one investigator each on Maui and Hawaiʻi Island, and that calls are tracked in a case management system. The department said it plans to add one more Oʻahu staff position through a transfer from another division and that a new call-center/web system with time tracking is expected to go live in the summer. Members also discussed a possible bill related to Pearson VUE nursing certification testing, with one senator describing the burden on neighbor-island nursing graduates who must travel to Honolulu for a one-hour test. The senator said she intended to introduce legislation after receiving no response to repeated outreach. DCCA did not take action on that proposal during the hearing. For the PUC-related requests, the department explained a one-time $1 million request for outside consulting tied to Maui wildfire-related filings, including wildfire safety mitigation and hazard mitigation plans, and a separate $900,000 request through the Consumer Advocacy Division to hire consultants for review and analysis. The committee also discussed a captive insurance IT modernization request, which DCCA said would replace manual and spreadsheet-based processes with a cloud-based system to better handle filings, payments, and workflow; no vote or final action was taken on the budget items during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Affordable housing providers, multifamily providers, back into the admitted market I think is maybe another
• Affordable housing providers, multifamily providers, back into the admitted market I think is maybe another
• ><c> providers</c><00:13:50.240><c> in</c> providers, multif family providers in providers, multif family
• </c> to provide coverage. to provide coverage. &gt;&gt; Okay.
• </c><01:34:54.560><c> some</c> um it would, you know, providing some um it would, you know, providing

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We value your expertise on this committee and all you do behind the scenes to come prepared, provide
• Our role as an advisory committee is to provide advice and recommendations to the legislature and the
• And ACAS provided several recommendations in our most recent annual report for bonding, a policy, and
• /c><00:02:55.520><c> in</c> ACAS provided several recommendations in ACAS provided several recommendations
• And we can provide any relevant updates.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Advisory Committee on Capitol Area Security met on April 20, 2026, with a quorum present and adopted the January 13, 2026 minutes. The chair thanked the State Patrol, sergeants-at-arms, and capital security officers for their work during the session, and noted that the committee’s earlier recommendations were reflected in Governor’s Executive Order 2602, including weapon screening at the State Capitol. The chair also said the committee’s annual report included recommendations for bonding, policy, and budget changes, and expressed hope the legislature would act on them. Department of Public Safety and State Patrol officials reported that implementation of weapon screening had gone well overall and said they were continuing to gather feedback for improvements. Colonel Bogayevich said that since the start of session, 121,598 people had been screened at the Capitol’s entrances, 548 permits were verified, and 52 prohibited items were turned away. Examples of prohibited items included knives, a camping/marshmallow skewer, and a screwdriver; no firearms were found in the Capitol building. She also said the busiest day produced a wait of about 15 to 17 minutes, and that staffing was adjusted to handle larger groups such as school tours. The Senate Sergeant-at-Arms reported that 49,277 people had come through Senate screening as of the previous Friday, including 196 concealed carry permits, and that 2,359 people had entered the West Gallery to observe Senate proceedings. He also said some Senate building access doors had been reduced to direct traffic and that an audit of key card access had begun. The House Deputy Chief Sergeant-at-Arms reported about 1,400 people had been screened for the House gallery, and noted that an NCSL visitor from Oregon would shadow House security staff to learn from Minnesota’s approach. Members from both bodies praised the professionalism of security staff and said the added trooper presence made members and the public feel safer. No members of the public signed up to testify, so the public comment period closed without testimony. The meeting adjourned after the chair reiterated that the goal of the security measures was to allow visitors, members, and public servants to participate safely.

Transcript Highlights:

• For today's hearing, all testifiers are called upon to provide testimony.
• When the vice chair calls upon you to provide testimony, When the vice chair calls upon you to provide
• Alliance Place is an innovative partnership between Housing Hope and Sound Transit that will provide
• It's a partnership that will provide for a new food bank.
• We have been providing these services since 1966.

Bills: HB2295

Committee: House Capital Budget

Keywords: Washington capital budget, supplemental capital budget, capital appropriations, state building construction account, taxable building construction account, climate commitment account, natural climate solutions, housing trust fund, affordable housing, supportive housing, homelessness, manufactured home communities, mobile home parks, school construction, school modernization, school seismic safety, healthy schools, school electrification, SCAP, behavioral health facilities

Transcript Highlights:

• For today's hearing, all testifiers are called upon to provide testimony.
• will call the names of the persons also on deck to testify when the vice chair calls upon you to provide
• When the vice chair calls upon you to provide testimony, remote testifiers will be prompted to join as
• It's a partnership that will provide for a new food bank.
• We have been providing these services since 1966.

Summary: The Capital Budget Committee held a hearing on Proposed Substitute House Bill 2295, the supplemental capital budget. Staff said the proposal totals nearly $911 million, including about $400 million in bonds and $511 million from other state and federal sources, with much of the increase over the governor’s proposal coming from Climate Commitment Act (CCA) funding. Major spending areas include housing and homelessness, K-12 construction, human services facilities, and CCA-funded clean energy, decarbonization, and habitat restoration projects. The chair said the committee would not take amendments at the hearing and planned to vote out the budget on Thursday, with a technical fix striker expected. Testimony was largely supportive of the House proposal, with many witnesses asking the committee to preserve or increase specific items in final negotiations. Housing advocates urged support for the Housing Trust Fund, manufactured housing preservation, and projects such as Alliance Place, Cloverdale Cottages, Cherry Street Village, Somos, and the Thrive Center. Education and public facility witnesses backed investments in school seismic safety, small district modernization, Healthy Kids Healthy Schools, community college and university maintenance, and projects at Cascadia College, WSU, CWU, and UW. Health and human services testimony supported behavioral health, Tubman Center, HealthPoint, pregnant parenting treatment, and the Yakima Behavioral Health Hub. Natural resources, climate, and infrastructure witnesses praised funding for Flood Plains by Design, community forests, trust land transfer, salmon recovery, the Skokomish land purchase, and the Lower Columbia River dredging project. Several local governments and organizations requested additional support or Senate-level funding for specific projects, while Climate Solutions cautioned against using CCA dollars to backfill existing obligations. The committee heard no votes during the hearing, and the chair closed by saying the budget would be executed on Thursday.

Transcript Highlights:

• we had been a very successful provider for many decades and it helped so many men and women who stood
• The density bonus and incentives in current law are extended to provide housing that is affordable to
• SB 296 directs the Division of Telecommunications to work with Enhanced 911 and NextGen 911 providers
• such protections provided to their colleagues who serve as clerks in Florida's trial courts.
• SB 296 directs the Division of Telecommunications to work with Enhanced 911 and NextGen 911 providers

Committee: Senate Rules

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules met with a quorum present and heard a long agenda of bills, beginning with CS/SB 62 on candidate qualification, which would create an enforcement mechanism for party-affiliation qualification requirements and allow challenges by qualified candidates or political parties. The bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard CS/SB 156, the Officer Jason Raynor Act, which would clarify resistance-to-officer language and impose a mandatory life sentence for manslaughter committed against a law enforcement officer; the sponsor and local law enforcement supporters emphasized the Raynor case, while criminal defense lawyers objected to deleting existing force-limit language and to the mandatory life penalty. Despite the opposition, the bill was reported favorably. The committee also approved several open-government sunset review bills extending or preserving public records exemptions, including CS/SB 7014 on social media platform investigations, SB 7016 on small business loan program records, CS/SB 7012 on Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles investigations, CS/SB 7000 on emergency shelter recipient information, CS/SB 7002 on Department of Military Affairs records, SB 7004 on conviction integrity unit reinvestigation materials, SB 7006 on Florida Public Service Commission records and meetings, and SB 7008 on Florida Gaming Control Commission records and meetings. Other measures reported favorably included SB 624 allowing optional faith-based activities in batterers’ intervention programs, HB 167 protecting former phosphate mining lands from certain strict-liability claims, CS/SB 48 on accessory dwelling units and housing supply, SB 288 on rural electric cooperatives, CS/SB 364 modernizing CPA licensure, SB 292 creating a records exemption for appellate court clerks and families, CS/SB 296 expanding domestic violence safety tools and address confidentiality protections, CS/SB 298 as the public-records companion, SB 386 on farm equipment lemon-law style protections, and SB 168 expanding public nuisance law to include gambling houses. Several bills drew supportive testimony from local governments, advocacy groups, industry groups, and affected families, with some opposition on SB 156 and SB 290. For CS/SB 48, the committee adopted two amendments before reporting the bill favorably. SB 290 on the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services was temporarily postponed after the chair allowed public testimony but no final action was taken. At the end of the meeting, senators recorded their votes on selected bills, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• , and to provide an effective date.
• So these are all reflecting estimates, which are all based upon provider readiness.
• So these are all reflecting estimates, which are all based upon provider readiness.
• Provider and vendor readiness to start implementation is one of the biggest.
• and grants for providers who are going to fill a gap in the current service delivery system.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Joint Policy Committee met to hear an overview of North Dakota’s Rural Health Transformation Program before taking up the related policy bills. Department of Health and Human Services staff explained that the state received a $198.9 million CMS award, with funding focused on four pillars: strengthening rural workforce, bringing care closer to home, connecting technology and data, and improving population health through prevention. They emphasized that the program is intended to benefit rural and frontier residents statewide, including areas near urban centers when the project serves rural patients, and that CMS approval, provider readiness, and sustainability will drive what can be funded. Committee members asked about how the program would treat border communities, frontier counties, urban providers serving rural patients, multilingual outreach, tribal consultation, and whether there would be information sessions for applicants. HHS said the website will include sign-up and translation features, more listening sessions and training will be offered, and a rural health tribal liaison will work alongside the existing Medicaid tribal liaison. Members also raised concerns about reimbursement timing, cash flow for providers, and whether projects in urban areas could qualify; HHS responded that urban projects may be eligible if they clearly benefit rural residents. The department then outlined the four policy bills tied to the grant scoring: nutrition continuing medical education for physicians, the presidential fitness test, the physician assistant compact, and pharmacist scope of practice. HHS said these policy actions were incentivized in the federal funding opportunity and that failure to pass them could reduce future funding. The committee did not take final action on the bills in this portion of the transcript and recessed for lunch before moving on.