Transcript Highlights:

• , particularly elementary schools and middle schools, and most of those schools have homes within a thousand
• ><c> of</c><01:23:12.159><c> those</c><01:23:12.400><c> schools</c> schools, uh, and most of those schools
• schools, uh, and most of those schools have<01:23:13.280><c> homes</c><01:23:14.080><c> within</c><01
• </c> least 1,000 ft away from our schools. least 1,000 ft away from our schools.
• </c> or schools or hospitals. or schools or hospitals.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• attention to the bill summary, it basically says this bill exempts sales and use tax of all sales and purchases
• the property has to be deeded to federal, state, or local governments, and they could arrange the purchases
• There's also another provision. ...governments, and they could arrange the purchases so that they buy
• The contractor then purchases the materials that they're using in the project exempt.

Committee: House Commerce

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Department of Administration, Division of Purchasing, is in litigation with a contractor over that
• So we've had Department of Administration, Division of Purchasing, kind of on us to get these done.
• This request is for purchasing staff.
• for three fully dedicated procurement staff, procurement and contract staff at the Division of Purchasing

Summary: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved the January 26 and January 27, 2026 minutes, then took up the gubernatorial appointment of Juliet Sharon as director of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Sharon described her background in public health and Medicaid administration in Arizona, Texas, and Idaho, and outlined her priorities if confirmed: program integrity, efficient operations, clearer outcome measures, child welfare, disability services, and resolving long-running class action lawsuits. Senators asked about measurable goals, balancing compassion with fiscal responsibility, audit findings, and collaboration with the disability community. Sharon said she expects to more than double program integrity recoveries, that audit findings are being addressed through corrective action plans rather than firings, and that disability collaboration should be embedded in daily operations. Committee members also discussed Idaho’s influence on federal policy and Medicaid administration. No vote on the appointment was taken in the portion provided. The committee then heard a lengthy Medicaid budget presentation focused on the Department’s supplemental request for state fiscal year 2026 and line-item requests for 2027. Sharon and Deputy Director/State Medicaid Director Sasha O’Connell explained that the supplemental request was driven by caseload growth, especially in traditional Medicaid, adult disability services, and youth/adult behavioral health, along with federally required rate and system changes. They also reviewed the impact of the governor-directed 4% provider rate reduction and the ending of some adult behavioral health services, saying the department had already been tracking budget sustainability before the executive order. O’Connell said the rate cuts drew the most public comment the agency has ever received, especially from home- and community-based providers, and that access monitoring is being developed to track whether services remain available. For 2027, the department requested funding for MMIS procurement, estate recovery, additional procurement staff, Medicaid admin reductions, and population forecast adjustments. Sharon said the MMIS modernization is on pause because of litigation over a major contract award, but other modules are moving forward. She also said estate recovery is underperforming and could bring in more general funds with contractor support. The committee discussed pharmacy costs and a possible Medicaid copay under House Bill 345, with Sharon saying implementation is underway and O’Connell noting savings estimates are still being developed. Senators also asked about expansion Medicaid growth and whether it affects other eligibility groups; Sharon said expansion growth is leveling off and that recovery rules apply to any Medicaid member receiving long-term care services. The meeting ended without any budget votes in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Department of Administration, Division of Purchasing, is in litigation with a contractor over that
• So we've had the Department of Administration, Division of Purchasing, kind of on us to get these done
• This request is for purchasing staff.
• for three fully dedicated procurement staff, procurement and contract staff at the Division of Purchasing

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As we look at value-based purchasing in our budget for PRTFs, really looking at the rate methodology
• Since I estimated having the man camp, we still have to purchase the buildings and...
• Having the man camp, we still have to purchase the buildings and things, so I subtracted $8 million off
• And do you believe that we are in the process of purchasing the quality of software that can provide

Committee: House Appropriations - Human Resources Division

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 2399, concerning therapeutic leave days for psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs). Sarah Aker from the Department of Health and Human Services explained the current Medicaid rate-setting methodology, how occupancy affects rates, and why paying the full rate for leave days would create additional fiscal impact. Members debated whether the bill should pay the full Medicaid rate, a flat reduced rate, or a tiered rate, and discussed whether a cap or department authorization should be used to control use of leave days. The department said it was not supporting the change as it was not in the governor’s budget, though it supported family engagement in care. After discussion, the committee settled on a compromise motion to set therapeutic leave days at a $500 daily rate and require department authorization of the number of leave days. The motion passed 6-2, with Representative Anderson voting no and the rest of the recorded members voting yes. The committee then moved on to Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation budget materials, where Michelle Zander walked through detailed population and rate calculations for women’s and men’s facilities, county holds, deferred admissions, transitional facilities, work release, and proposed reentry, man camp, and Grand Forks-related costs. Members asked about the county jail reimbursement rates and the overall pool of funds, and Zander explained the calculations and noted the proposal was roughly break-even depending on assumptions. The committee also heard an overview of DOCR IT requests from Amy and NDIT staff, including data processing, medical modules, a new client management system, body scanners, data management tools, facility management software, medical software upgrades, college solutions, and body cameras/tasers. Staff explained that the new client management system would likely be a multi-phase project with a wide cost range based on vendor selection and scope, and that the current request was for phase one. Members emphasized the importance of better data tracking, staff safety tools, and information that could help explain programming and release outcomes to the public. The committee planned to continue with Veterans Affairs the next day and then return to Senate Bill 2015.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've looked at school accountability.
• We do work hard with our school districts.
• to school, they've been out of school.
• So I would say this: like any school in the state, we deal with it like any other school would.
• It happens in schools, it happens in our school, and we've addressed it.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice

Summary: The committee met to hear an overview of the Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice budget area and then received performance-measure presentations from the Department of Corrections, the Commission on Offender Review, and the Department of Juvenile Justice. Staff reviewed the roughly $7.4 billion criminal justice and judiciary budget, noting major funding areas such as corrections, law enforcement, victim services, courts, and due process, along with recent investments in prison health care, security equipment, fentanyl enforcement, court staffing, and juvenile justice salaries and education programs. Secretary Dixon of the Department of Corrections described staffing and population pressures, including growth in inmate population, overtime-driven deficits, and the opening of additional housing units. He emphasized the department’s use of performance measures and highlighted reforms such as incentivized prisons, administrative management units, reentry planning, faith-based programs, and expanded education and vocational training. Members asked about teacher hiring, public defender pay parity, fentanyl funding, staffing capacity, and the role of the National Guard; Dixon said teacher vacancies had improved, public defenders had received comparable pay increases, fentanyl funding would be addressed further by FDLE, and the Guard had helped stabilize staffing. The Commission on Offender Review reported on parole, conditional release, addiction recovery supervision, and revocations, saying its recidivism/success rates had improved over a three-year measurement period. Senator Rouson pressed the commission on clemency and pardons, saying that work was omitted from the presentation and asking for backlog and case data; the commission said it did not have those figures on hand and would follow up. The committee also discussed a conditional medical release pilot study, and members questioned the report’s conclusion that no suitable elderly inmate population could be identified, asking what criteria were used and whether stakeholders were consulted. Secretary Hall of the Department of Juvenile Justice outlined the agency’s prevention-to-residential continuum and its emphasis on education, data-driven decision-making, and evidence-based programming. He said salary increases had reduced vacancies, juvenile arrests and residential commitments had fallen sharply over time, and tools such as civil citations, risk assessments, and quality-improvement reviews were being used to guide placements and services. Hall also described the department’s use of dashboards, monthly data check-ins, and the dispositional matrix to improve outcomes and reduce recidivism.

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:03:38.440><c> then</c><00:03:38.640><c> when</c><00:03:38.880><c> someone</c><00:03:39.239><c> purchases
• </c><00:03:39.720><c> them</c><00:03:39.880><c> and</c> and then when someone purchases them and and
• then when someone purchases them and puts<00:03:40.600><c> money</c><00:03:40.959><c> on</c><00:03:41.080

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• brought forth as this went into place and or went into place with the state agencies and how they're purchasing
• There's latitude granted to the state purchasing director, which, by the way, OMES and the state purchasing

Bills: HB1245 , HB2588 , HB3024 , HB3172 , HB3279 , HB3919 , HB3306 , HB3383 , HB3431 , HB3435 , HB4352 , HB3883 , HB3942 , HB4193 , HB4203 , HB4303 , HB4311 , HB4484

Committee: House Government Oversight

Keywords: retirement, pension, public employees, Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System, benefits, survivorship, contribution rates, disability retirement, owners associations, membership requirements, property ownership, board governance, residency requirements, salary increase, state employees, public finance, bonus limits, job performance, Fair Banking Act, financial institutions

Transcript Highlights:

• And it allows a PUD to use an alternative purchase contract process and waive competitive bid requirements
• And it allows a PUD to use an alternative purchase contract process and waive competitive bid requirements
• And it allows a PUD to use an alternative purchase contract process and waive competitive bid requirements

Bills: SB6132

Committee: House Local Government

Keywords: indebtedness limits, inland port districts, federal funding, infrastructure improvements, economic development, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They are gift cards, but they've been purchased as a reward card to get around the gift card statute.
• these are not fees on the normal ACH-style payment that most customers set up when they originally purchase
• Customers set up when they originally purchase a vehicle, for example.

Summary: The Commerce and Tourism Committee heard and reported favorably several bills. SB 386, by Sen. Trumbull, would create consumer rights and manufacturer obligations for defective farm equipment, modeled on lemon-law concepts, and passed without opposition. SB 528, also by Sen. Trumbull, would strengthen Florida’s manufacturing sector through Department of Commerce responsibilities, a chief manufacturing officer role, workforce grants, and reporting requirements; it drew questions about whether it differed from last year’s bill and was supported by several appearance forms before passing favorably. SB 806, a right-to-repair bill for portable wireless devices and agricultural equipment, drew the most testimony: supporters said it would expand consumer choice and repair access, while dealers and industry representatives argued existing manufacturer agreements already provide access and warned the bill could disrupt dealer/manufacturer relationships and future technology; it nevertheless passed favorably. The committee also approved SB 696 on trademark registration, which would modernize the trademark classification system, allow online applications, and clarify document verification procedures, and SB 930, which creates a 15-member Florida Retirement Savings Task Force to study retirement coverage gaps and recommend policy options without imposing employer mandates. SB 826, by Sen. Leak, would address reward cards that function like gift cards but expire, while excluding loyalty programs; the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association raised concerns about unintended consequences and the need for tighter definitions, but the bill was reported favorably after the sponsor said the language would be refined. SB 874 would expand professional licensure reciprocity for experienced out-of-state surveyors and mappers to address workforce shortages, and it also passed favorably. After a pause, the committee took up CS/SB 838 on electronic payments of retail installment contracts. Sen. Yarbrough said the bill clarifies that reasonable convenience fees for optional electronic payments are permissible, provided they are disclosed and a fee-free option remains available, to reduce ambiguity and litigation. Members questioned whether the bill could authorize or expand fees and whether the “reasonable” standard was sufficiently clear; the sponsor said the fees are tied to processor costs and are not intended as revenue. An amendment adding the word “retail” was adopted, and the committee substitute was reported favorably. Several members later asked to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on bills they had missed, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• They are gift cards, but they've been purchased as a reward card to get a... ...intents and purposes,
• they are gift cards, but they've been purchased as a reward card to get around the gift card statute
• these are not fees on the normal ACH-style payment that most customers set up when they originally purchase

Committee: Senate Commerce and Tourism

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, you know, I just want to make a statement that I purchased many German Shepherds with hip dysplasia
• Yes, you know, I just want to make a statement that I purchased many German Shepherds with hip dysplasia
• question, we are currently already transparent with Releasing the breeder information at the time of purchase

Bills: HF2543 , HF2566 , HF2627

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: garnishment, wage garnishment, earnings levy, bank levy, execution, judgment debtor, judgment creditor, exemption notice, exempt property, bank account freeze, financial institution levy, employer disclosure, garnishee, writ of execution, debt collection, consumer debt, collections, bankruptcy exemptions, public benefits, means-tested benefits

Transcript Highlights:

• get back to the first part of your question about the proposed use, yes, a million dollars would purchase
• So a million dollars would go to purchase 24 additional sites.
• It resides in a tenant... ...out in the cloud that we purchase and pay for.

Committee: House House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• This is particularly detrimental to schools that are close to, I guess, either private schools or near
• We fund our medical schools.
• We're tracking their progress through medical school.
• Colleges in our high school programs now?
• Are we really leveraging purchasing power?

Bills: SB1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am curious a little bit – SRO school resource officers – how does their status change in a school setting
• I'm just thinking about when my daughter is in school, having her interrogated by a teacher or a school
• This amendment will simply direct our local law enforcement to not enter schools during school hours
• Imagine students that come to school.
• and thrive in school.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're sending Oklahoma citizens across state lines to buy some, to purchase. Oklahoma.
• So we're sending Oklahoma citizens across state lines to buy some, to purchase fireworks.

Bills: SB1873 , SB1948 , SB540 , SB1653 , SB1061 , SB1534

Committee: House Business

Keywords: roofing, contractor registration, continuing education, endorsement, construction industry, fireworks, consumer safety, local governance, emergency declaration, public safety, dentist, dental hygienist, dentistry, dental hygiene, licensure compact, interstate compact, professional licensing, license portability, health workforce, workforce shortage

Summary: The committee heard several Senate bills, most of them described as cleanup or compact-related measures. Senate Bill 1061 was presented as a cleanup bill adding defining language, supported by the Department of Consumer Credit and correcting a typo, and it passed 11-0. Senate Bill 1534, a charity enforcement act worked on with the Attorney General’s office, was described as strengthening protections for donor intent, preventing misuse of charitable funds, and closing enforcement loopholes; after a brief question about examples of bad actors, it also passed 11-0. Senate Bill 1873 was another cleanup bill requested by roofers and passed 11-0. The committee also considered interstate licensure compacts. Senate Bill 540 would create Oklahoma’s participation in a dentist and dental hygienist compact; one question focused on why the Oklahoma Dental Association opposed it while the American Dental Association supported it, and the bill passed 9-2. Senate Bill 1653 would join a compact for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants, with the sponsor noting 31 states already participate; it passed 11-0. Finally, Senate Bill 1948 would allow year-round fireworks sales in Oklahoma. Members questioned how the bill would interact with city and county authority, whether it would affect dense neighborhoods, and concerns about veterans with PTSD. The sponsor said the bill would not override city ordinances and argued counties should not restrict private property owners, while also saying current law already allows fireworks use year-round but limits in-state purchasing windows, sending consumers to other states. The bill passed 10-1. The chair then announced this was the last bill for the day and that about 12 bills remained for the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• And rather than allowing you to take your pictures, you must purchase the package, which...
• And rather than allowing you to take your pictures, you must purchase the package, which increases just

Committee: Senate Consumer Protection

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Consumer Protection met for its second meeting of 2026, with Chair Rachel May noting National Consumer Protection Week and mentioning upcoming consumer fraud outreach and new online fraud-reporting tools from the Attorney General. The committee considered eight bills focused on consumer issues, including junk fees, arbitration transparency, gas stove labeling, retailer biometric tracking notices, credit monitoring services, and youth sports recording rights. Several bills were advanced with little or no opposition. S.363A on clear and conspicuous pricing for mandatory junk fees was reported to first reading. S.926 on arbitration organizations drew support for its transparency goals, but Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick raised concerns about confidentiality and a private right of action; it was still moved forward. S.1280B on gas stove health-risk labeling also advanced despite opposition from Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick and Weber. S.2539A, requiring retailers to warn customers about electronic tracking and biometric data collection, was supported by Senator Myrie, who described it as a notice-only measure. The committee also advanced S.3078 on credit monitoring services and S.2517, though the transcript of the discussion on S.2517 was largely garbled. Chair May’s S.8666, which would prevent youth sports operators from barring parents from taking in-person photos or recordings of their children, prompted concerns from Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick about privacy, liability, and recordings by other parents; the chair responded that the bill includes limits for safety, court orders, privacy protections, and restricted areas. The meeting concluded after the bills were moved and voted on, with several reported to first reading or to another committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• plainly state that these memberships are not insurance and that Medicaid recipients do not need to purchase
• And finally, it gives MoHealthNet participants who already purchased a membership the ability to cancel

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• plainly state that these memberships are not insurance and that Medicaid recipients do not need to purchase
• Finally, it gives MoHealthNet participants who already purchased a membership the ability to cancel.

Committee: House Insurance and Banking

Summary: The House Committee on Insurance met with 12 members present and opened with remarks honoring longtime committee clerk Sherry Anderson, who recently passed away. The committee then took up House Bill 2874, sponsored by Representative Phelps, a consumer protection measure concerning air ambulance membership programs. Representative Phelps explained that the bill would prohibit air ambulance companies from selling memberships to MoHealthNet enrollees, require clear disclosures that the memberships are not insurance and are unnecessary for Medicaid recipients, and allow current members who enroll in MoHealthNet to cancel within 30 days for a prorated refund or transfer to a household member. Committee members asked about the 30-day window, the bill’s unchanged language from last session, and whether future changes to MoHealthNet coverage could require revisiting the bill. Phelps and the chair emphasized that the measure is intended to prevent consumers from buying a product they do not need and to clarify that membership does not guarantee service in all circumstances. Doug Flanders of Air Methods testified in support, saying the bill uses negotiated language from last session and would protect MoHealthNet enrollees from unnecessary purchases. He noted Air Methods’ Missouri operations and said Medicaid patients are already fully covered for emergency air medical transport with no out-of-pocket cost. No one testified in opposition or for informational purposes, and the chair closed the public hearing on HB 2874 with no further business before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the way I've run my entire time in school.
• I have a school district, Liberty School District, that I represent. ...that I've talked to you about
• We've—I have a school district, Liberty School District, that I represent, that's been using this.
• Adult high school is Senate. Skill up is House. SNAP, adult high school is House. Page 56.
• Spending taxpayer dollars in private schools.

Committee: House Conference Committee on Budget

Summary: The conference committee spent most of the meeting working through House Bill 2, the education budget, with repeated debate over how to close the remaining gap in the foundation formula. Members discussed fund swaps involving the blind pension fund, capital commission fund, lottery proceeds, state school money, and classroom trust funds, with several senators arguing the committee should fully fund the formula if possible and warning against leaving schools with a shortfall. The committee also reviewed child care subsidies, Parents as Teachers language, school safety and assessment-related items, Title I reallocation language, and a compromise on flexibility percentages for certain education lines. Several members raised concerns about language restricting virtual Parents as Teachers visits and about child care subsidy language tied to enrollment-based payment and prospective payment, while others defended the compromise as a way to balance provider concerns and budget limits. House Bill 3, covering higher education, was also reviewed. The committee largely accepted Senate positions on appropriations, with a compromise on the St. Louis Community College nursing program and a new proposal directing the Department of Higher Education to develop a new funding model by December 1, 2026. That language drew concern from some members, who said the timeline was too aggressive and asked for more flexibility, but supporters said prior work on performance funding justified the deadline. The committee then moved through House Bill 2004, transportation, agreeing to a mix of Senate positions and compromises on items such as safety operations, low-volume roads, port funding, and road improvements, including a larger-than-expected appropriation for Clarendon Road tied to a State Fair relocation plan. House Bill 5, general administration and IT, generated the most controversy over new language directing a plan for state IT modernization and cloud migration; several members objected that it was too prescriptive, resembled a resolution, and could favor a specific vendor, but the chair said the goal was accountability and oversight. The committee left some House Bill 5 items open for further negotiation, then later returned to finalize several dollar amounts and a shorter conference proposal on the IT language. The committee also worked through House Bills 7, 8, and 9, mostly adopting Senate positions with a few compromises. House Bill 7 covered economic development and tourism items, including Main Street, Missouri One Start, broadband, Juneteenth, and the Great American State Fair, with some items set aside for later or moved to other bills. House Bill 8 focused on public safety and veterans’ funding, including school safety apps, fentanyl testing, crime lab workload, DNA testing, veterans’ programs, and Highway Patrol fleet and fuel items; members debated whether to keep fleet and fuel funding separated or rolled together, and several items were set at compromise levels. House Bill 9, covering mental health and corrections, was handled more briefly, with most items following Senate positions and a few compromises, including probation and parole funding and a reduction on one appropriation. The committee then recessed and later resumed with House Bill 2010, beginning work on another budget bill with a mix of Senate, House, and compromise positions on early line items, but the transcript cuts off before that bill is completed.