Transcript Highlights:

• Engrossed Committee Substitute for House Bill 4012, relating to reducing the regulatory burden on utility
• House Bill 4483 concerns the West Virginia Board of Funeral Examiners. Thank you, Mr. President.
• House Bill 4483 concerns the West Virginia Board of Funeral Examiners.
• House Bill 4483 concerns the West Virginia Board of Funeral Examiners. Thank you, Mr. President.
• House Bill 4483 concerns the West Virginia Board of Funeral Examiners.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate met on March 11, 2026, with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, journal approval, and numerous guest and page introductions, including school groups, prayer caucus visitors, and advocates for Home Family Education Day and Women in Blue Day. The chamber then took up committee reports and a large number of House bills, most of them on third reading, along with several resolutions and referrals. Senate Resolution 62, designating March 12, 2026, as West Virginia Athletic Trainers Day, was adopted after remarks emphasizing the value of athletic trainers in preventing injuries and tragedies in school sports. Several other resolutions and concurrent resolutions were referred to the Committee on Rules or laid over under the rules. The Senate passed a wide range of bills addressing economic development, public safety, health, licensing, and state administration. Measures approved included bills on the West Virginia Collaboratory at Marshall University, the Business Ready Sites program, volunteer fire company spending authority, the Load Forecast Accountability Act, funeral service licensure, work zone fines, biennial business reporting, correctional officer retirement law, the Right to Try Act, quick claim deed tax exemptions, an ibogaine drug-development grant program, aggravated vehicular homicide sentencing, 529 savings plan definitions, opportunity zones, barber apprenticeship, municipal and county hotel occupancy fund uses, criminal-record licensing standards, intimate image disclosure remedies, executor training materials, contempt penalties, PEIA treatment flexibility, PANS/PANDAS information, the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact, capitation rate review expansions, convention and visitors bureau board membership, peer support services, cosmetology licensure compacts, natural resource police retirement, DNR fee indexing, ALS care services, the Neighborhood Investment Program, oil and gas well plugging and carbon capture-related provisions, DUI technical changes, abuse intervention program terminology, and a youth summer employment and career readiness program. Most bills passed overwhelmingly, with a few closer votes, including the Load Forecast Accountability Act and the DNR fee-indexing bill. Several bills were amended on the floor, including title amendments and strike-and-insert changes. The Senate also debated the work zone penalty bill, with supporters citing worker safety and fatalities and opponents arguing the bill increased fines too much without requiring removal of outdated work-zone signs. On the energy-related load forecast bill, senators discussed the inclusion of provisions from Senate Bill 420 and concerns about coal plant utilization and utility impacts. After debate, the Senate adopted amendments and passed the bill. In most cases, after passage the Senate ordered the bills communicated to the House, and for a few measures it also adopted title amendments or made bills effective from passage or on a specified date.

Transcript Highlights:

• focuses on restricting the sale and distribution of high-risk products, using civil penalties and regulatory
• We're going to continue working with them to make sure that we're aligning the regulatory framework so
• Participation is voluntary, non-punitive, and without expansion of scope or regulatory burdens.
• In doing so, the bill breaks from a century-old regulatory framework that has been proven effective,
• SB 1203 examines wages in the face of the low cost-of-living crisis.

Committee: Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development

Summary: The committee heard several bills, beginning with SB 936 on nitrous oxide sales. Senator Blakespear and supporters, including Orange and Humboldt County supervisors and public safety, medical, waste, and local government groups, argued the bill would curb youth misuse, impaired driving, and hazardous waste by prohibiting retail sale of nitrous oxide canisters larger than eight grams while preserving legitimate uses. There was no lead opposition testimony, though members raised questions about enforcement and existing regulatory agencies. The committee ultimately moved the bill on a due pass basis to Senate Appropriations, with broad support and no recorded opposition at the time of the vote. Members also heard SB 1312 on abandoned cemeteries and SB 1340 on small business contracting transparency. SB 1312 would use the existing cemetery workgroup process to develop recommendations for addressing abandoned cemeteries, with the author and the Cemetery and Mortuary Association describing vandalism, theft, and inadequate endowment funds as ongoing problems. SB 1340 would require state agencies to report more detailed small business contracting information, including actual payments, to the Office of the Small Business Advocate; the Controller’s office supported the measure as a way to improve accountability and help small businesses compete for state work. Both bills were moved forward on due pass motions to Senate Appropriations. The committee also considered SB 903 on artificial intelligence in mental health care, SB 1271 on midwifery preceptor data, and SB 1327 on EV charger accuracy oversight. SB 903 drew strong support from mental health and professional groups that said AI should not replace licensed clinicians, while medical and technology groups opposed it unless amended, warning the definitions were too broad and could hinder beneficial tools and research; the author said the bill was meant to keep a human clinician in the loop and allow administrative uses with consent. SB 1271 was supported by midwives and birth workers who said California needs better data on preceptor capacity to expand training and address maternity care deserts; it advanced to Senate Health. SB 1327 would shift EV charger accuracy oversight from CDFA’s weights and measures division to the California Energy Commission; supporters said this would modernize and standardize enforcement, while county sealers and others opposed the shift as unnecessary, costly, and potentially weakening consumer protections. SB 1327 passed on a divided vote to Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications. Several bills were held on call after votes, and the committee established quorum before taking formal actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill was informed by findings from a series of forensic examinations conducted in fiscal year 2023
• So I think we referenced in the presentation the forensic examinations that took place, and those examinations
• So those examinations were conducted reviewing information from the timeframe of 2019 through 2021.
• Is it difficulty in organization, meaning regulatory compliance?
• Is it difficulty in organization, meaning regulatory compliance?

Summary: The Human Services Subcommittee held its first meeting of the term and heard introductory remarks from the chair, vice chair, ranking member, and members, who broadly described their interest in child welfare, mental health, aging services, homelessness, and agency accountability. The chair then outlined the subcommittee’s jurisdiction, including child welfare, mental health and substance abuse safety net services, domestic violence, developmental disabilities, elder services, and child support, and introduced the Department of Children and Families (DCF) as the first agency panel for the term. DCF presented an implementation update on HB 7089, a 2024 law aimed at increasing accountability and transparency for community-based care (CBC) lead agencies that deliver most child welfare services under contract. The department said the bill was prompted by forensic examinations that found problems such as noncompetitive procurement, related-party transactions, excessive executive compensation, and weak financial oversight. DCF described new contract requirements and monitoring tools covering board governance and annual training, conflict-of-interest disclosures, financial penalties for noncompliance, fidelity bond requirements, limits on direct service provision by lead agencies, related-party procurement rules, procurement thresholds, real-property approvals, compensation caps, expanded public reporting, and a new Future of Child Protection and Funding Work Group. DCF reported that some lead agencies had completed required board training, others were still on schedule, and two agencies exceeding the direct-service threshold had been referred to the Auditor General. Members asked DCF about the reasons for the bill, the impact on children, the work group’s regional representation, aging-out youth, the Embrace Families transition, board training requirements, and whether enforcement actions had been taken. DCF said the bill was intended to protect funds for children and families and improve oversight, and clarified that the Central Florida lead agency contract was awarded through competitive procurement rather than an absorption. DCF also said the board training was designed to be meaningful but not overly burdensome, with timing left partly to lead agencies as they implement the new requirements. The committee then heard from two CBC leaders, who generally supported the accountability goals of HB 7089 and said their agencies had already addressed most of the new governance and disclosure requirements. They reported that board training had been completed or was being scheduled, but both agencies said the fidelity bond requirement has been difficult or impossible to obtain in the market as written, though they were able to secure the separate performance bond. The CBC witnesses also warned that recruiting providers is increasingly difficult, especially for higher-acuity children and group-home placements, due to limited provider supply, regulatory burden, insurance costs, and rising risk. They said these pressures are contributing to budget deficits in some areas and urged lawmakers to consider the funding model, insurance and indemnification issues, and the risk of overregulation reducing provider participation.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 1228 updates Louisiana’s regulatory framework for hearing aid dealers by tightening consumer
• entities engaged in architecture, to provide for composition of the State Board of Architectural Examiners
• entities engaged in architecture, to provide for composition of the State Board of Architectural Examiners
• Again, this bill clarifies law rather than creating new regulatory burdens.
• authority for the State Board of Architectural Examiners, and reduces confusion about which services

Committee: House Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs

Summary: The committee first deferred House Bill 1102 without hearing it. It then took up House Concurrent Resolution 66, which urges Louisiana Economic Development and other state agencies to continue studying rural parishes’ economic assets, infrastructure, workforce, and development opportunities. Representative Weible and Secretary Bougoir described the resolution as part of a broader effort to align state rural programs and create a strategic framework for rural development. Members emphasized infrastructure, workforce training, local coordination, and retaining young people in rural communities. An amendment requiring LED to report to the legislature by January 1, 2027 was adopted, and HCR 66 was reported favorably as amended. The committee next considered Senate Bill 102, which would allow qualified trade associations for motor vehicle dealers to bring declaratory and injunctive actions against manufacturers on behalf of dealers. Senator Presley and the Louisiana Automobile Dealers Association said the bill would consolidate similar disputes into one action, reduce costs, and help smaller dealers avoid retaliation or uneven litigation. Questions focused on standing, the limited remedies, and whether the bill would affect nontraditional sales models. Technical amendments were adopted, and SB 102 was reported favorably as amended. Senate Bill 521, concerning banks’ continued use of a non-surviving bank’s name after mergers or consolidations, drew the most debate. Senator Boudreau and former Senator Fred Mills said the bill would preserve community-bank identity while following FDIC guidance on clear disclosure and consumer notice. Several members raised concerns about codifying federal guidance, future changes to federal rules, and whether the bill should instead set a fixed transition period; an amendment to limit use of the old name to 24 months was adopted after discussion. Another proposed amendment tying the bill to 1998 FDIC branch-name guidance failed on a roll call vote. The bill, as amended, was then reported favorably. The committee also advanced House Bill 387, which narrows the scope of incidental engineering work by architects and clarifies the state fire marshal’s authority to review plans under both architecture and engineering laws, and House Bill 1228, which updates hearing-aid dealer licensing and consumer-protection rules, including testing periods, cooling-off rights, and refund/cancellation procedures. Both bills were reported favorably with technical amendments. The transcript then shifted to additional measures, including House Bill 975 on Public Service Commission reconstitution and several Senate bills by Senator Abraham on self-storage facilities and contractor licensing, but the provided text cuts off before those items are fully concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Examiners. Examiners.
• </c> examiner, and professional firms. examiner, and professional firms.
• For independent examiners, which are doctors of chiropractic who complete patient examinations for insurance
• :27.880><c> are</c> For independent examiners, which are For independent examiners, which are doctors
• Um this is dense regulatory bills here.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the original bill was asking the ag commissioner to create a regulatory framework.
• The testimony that we heard in committee requesting the bill that provided some regulatory authority
• So the industry is saying we believe that we need this regulatory framework to protect the public. ..
• ... ...one group very much indicated they wanted this regulatory oversight because they considered the
• We had some discussion about setting up the regulatory framework and adding...

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum call showing 46 members present. It then took up multiple House messages and amendments, appointing conference committees on several measures, including SB 2007, SCR 4007, SB 2374, SB 233, and House bills 1029, 1218, and 1022. The chamber also considered a series of House bills on the sixth and 14th orders, often adopting committee amendments before final passage or, in some cases, rejecting the bill outright. Among the major policy items, the Senate passed HB 1524 on regional planning council grants, HB 1143 increasing a food bank appropriation to $10 million, HB 1126 modernizing cosmetology licensing and inspections, HB 1542 making student applications for admission exempt records, HB 1613 regulating law enforcement use of robots, HB 1582 directing a study on false reports and accusations, HB 1214 revising school transportation funding, HB 1448 creating a study on advanced technologies, HB 1280 on drainage project voting rules, HB 1499 protecting records related to federal judges, and several Senate bills returned from the House, including SB 2221, SB 2117, SB 2198, SB 2120, and SB 2214. The Senate also adopted amendments to HB 1541 on septic systems before rejecting it on final passage. Several high-profile bills failed after debate. HB 1566, dealing with kratom regulation, saw an amendment to convert it to a study fail on a 21-25 vote, after which the chamber laid the bill over for one legislative day rather than take final action. HB 1283, which would have eliminated cost-sharing for diagnostic and supplemental breast exams in the state employee plan, was defeated 22-24 after extensive debate over cost, precedent, and insurance impacts. HB 1527, requiring Holocaust education in statute, also failed 22-24, with supporters emphasizing the importance of the subject and opponents arguing curriculum belongs in standards rather than statute. The Senate adjourned after announcements, scheduling its next meeting for Monday, April 14, 2025.

Transcript Highlights:

• approved medical school in the United States or Canada, passage of the United States Medical Licensing Examination
• in specific clinical settings if they hold a limited physician and surgeon clinical... licensing examination
• supervised practice under the pilot program, and they pass Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination
• I will just say from a regulatory perspective in the other states, that hasn't worked out so well.
• The executive branch needs some flexibility as we continue to see shifting regulatory demands and shifts

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on several health-related bills. SB 5904 would restrict nursing titles such as RN, NP/ARNP, and LPN to licensed human people and prohibit non-human entities, including AI chatbots, from using those titles. The sponsor and nursing advocates said the bill is meant to prevent confusion and protect public trust, while preserving the use of AI as a support tool. SB 5877 would add a $70 surcharge for certified anesthesiologist assistants so they can participate in the Washington Physicians Health Program and access HealWA resources; supporters said it closes a technical gap and aligns CAAs with other medical professions. SB 5185 would create a pilot pathway for certain international medical graduates with clinical experience licenses to obtain full primary care licensure; supporters from the medical commission, physicians, and IMG advocates said the program has worked well, has shown no patient safety issues, and could help address workforce shortages. The committee also heard extensive testimony on ESSB 6210, which would let the Health Benefit Exchange adopt additional market-factor certification criteria for exchange plans, including standards aimed at preserving access and affordability in underserved counties. Supporters, including the exchange, OIC, consumer advocates, tribal representatives, and patient groups, said the bill is needed to respond to federal policy changes, rising premiums, and disappearing coverage in places like San Juan County. Opponents from carriers and employer groups argued the timeline is too fast, the criteria are too discretionary, and the bill could reduce competition and raise costs. The committee then heard SB 5981, which would strengthen protections and reporting requirements for the federal 340B drug pricing program and limit manufacturer restrictions on contract pharmacies and data requests. Hospitals, clinics, and patient advocates said the bill protects safety-net care and rural access, while manufacturers, employers, and business groups argued it would expand a program that already raises costs and lacks transparency. In executive session, the committee took action on SB 5917, related to Department of Corrections distribution of abortion medications, rejecting five proposed amendments and then advancing the bill on a 10-6 vote with three excused. The committee also advanced SB 5988, which concerns Department of Health opioid treatment program accrediting activities, on a do-pass recommendation after brief discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our market conduct examination of State Farm, the largest homeowners insurer in the state, is nearing
• Our market conduct examination of State Farm, the largest homeowners insurer in the state is nearing
• AB 1680, authored by Chairwoman Calderon, the Make-It Fair Act, says CDI's comprehensive examination
• has been to leave the next insurance commissioner with the tools, the data, and the modernized regulatory
• So visible consumer relief, we're thinking, according to the experts who examine markets that are in

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• has a regulatory home or a state that they are kind of domiciled in, and that regulator is the point
• And so we have about 147 companies that have selected Arizona as their regulatory home.
• That means the amount of regulatory work has increased exponentially and the base fees haven't caught
• There are seven people right now that do all the regulatory work for $180 billion, so it's not a big
• For the record, Eric Emmert with Dorm Policy Group, representing the National Council of Examiners for

Committee: House House Commerce Committee of Reference

Summary: The Commerce Committee heard three bills after announcing that House Bill 2118 would be held. House Bill 2091 would raise the maximum asset-based assessment DIFI can charge domestic insurers to fund financial surveillance staff, with future increases tied to inflation and capped. The sponsor and industry witnesses said the fees had not been updated in 25 years, that Arizona’s insurance regulatory workload has grown substantially, and that the change should help DIFI hire staff, reduce reliance on more expensive contracted work, and not increase premiums. The committee voted 11-0 to give HB 2091 a due pass recommendation. House Bill 2138 would clarify workers’ compensation coverage for professional firefighters injured while traveling to or from work, defining firefighter for that purpose. The sponsor and witnesses from Queen Creek and the fire community said the bill was intended as cleanup language to restore the original legislative intent after a claim was denied because of a statutory loophole, and that the change would protect firefighters and support recruitment and response readiness. The County Supervisors Association said it was neutral but requested counties be removed from the definition because counties do not employ firefighters; a floor amendment was expected to address that. The committee approved HB 2138 11-0. House Bill 2122 made clarifying changes to last year’s reciprocity/endorsement law for registration of BTR-related professions, including reciprocity with the United Kingdom. The sponsor described it as a cleanup bill to fix an omission and support workforce development and commerce, and the only witness offered no additional testimony. The committee passed HB 2122 on an 11-0 vote, and the meeting adjourned after all three bills received due pass recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• has a regulatory home or a state that they are kind of domiciled in, and that regulator is the point
• And so we have about 147 companies that have selected Arizona as their regulatory home.
• That means the amount of regulatory work has increased exponentially, and the base fees haven't caught
• There are seven people right now that do all the regulatory work for $180 billion, so it's not a big
• For the record, I'm Eric Emmert with Dorn Policy Group, representing the National Council of Examiners

Bills: HB2091 , HB2118 , HB2122 , HB2138

Committee: House Commerce

Keywords: insurance, financial surveillance, regulations, assessments, Arizona Revised Statutes, mobile food vendors, licensure, food safety, statewide regulations, health standards, zoning, temporary vendors, technical registration, engineering, architect, land surveyor, reciprocity, endorsement, qualification standards, firefighter

Transcript Highlights:

• The first agenda item is for the regulatory fee authority trailer bill.
• You go through the multi-step regulatory process.
• And speaking of starving a regulatory agency, thank you for having me.
• Regulatory process. What does **CARB** believe?
• It is not easy to be a regulatory agency, right?

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 12:24.240><c> determine</c> clinical examination to determine clinical examination to determine whether
• </c><00:34:31.280><c> and</c> that the critical role of examining and that the critical role of examining
• And that pharmacy lensure examination.
• </c> of step with the modern regulatory of step with the modern regulatory environment<01:29:54.239><
• </c><01:42:05.040><c> what's</c> that we're doing to examine what's that we're doing to examine what's

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:03:48.040><c> area</c><00:03:48.640><c> we</c><00:03:48.840><c> register</c><00:03:49.319><c> examine
• </c><00:03:49.680><c> and</c> Investments area we register examine and Investments area we register examine
• For insurers, we have oversight authority, so we work on examining, analyzing, and licensing carriers
• and two registration analysts examiners and two registration analysts can't<00:21:25.320><c> support
• So there are 2,276 charging ports, and there's no regulatory oversight over those.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• we are a fee-funded agency, so the Board of Dentistry, along with my other health licensing and regulatory
• </c><00:03:14.159><c> boards</c> health professional regulatory boards health professional regulatory
• Next we have the Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Good morning. Good morning. Um, Dr.
• I'm the executive director for the Minnesota Board of Chiropractic Examiners.
• Next we have the Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Good morning. Good morning. Um, Dr.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We explored opportunities to create efficiencies, reallocate funds, and examine the interactions across
• We explored opportunities to create efficiencies, reallocate funds, and examine the interactions across
• We explored opportunities to create efficiencies, reallocate funds, and examine the interactions across
• the interactions across state examine the interactions across state and<00:05:05.919><c> federal</c>
• As you are aware, in 2024 the Legislature directed DNR to build a temporary regulatory framework for

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and to reduce duplication that is already in the statute, and also reduce filing requirements and regulatory
• and clarify and reduce duplication with the statute, as well as reduce filing requirements and regulatory
• and clarify and reduce duplication with the statute, as well as reduce filing requirements and regulatory
• and clarify and reduce duplication with the statute, as well as reduce filing requirements and regulatory
• It's 54-208, examination education, which is lines 30 and 31, subsection C that's being struck.

Committee: House Business

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for Florida to join the interstate occupational therapist licensure compact while preserving the regulatory
• And I'll close with one last thing, and that is Florida has had a very good regulatory model.
• There's some language in here about a thing called an exit examination. Sponsor mentioned it.
• What it says is if all the schools that are lower, below 10%, have to give an exit examination at the
• And if they don't pass that exit examination, I mean, they have to take that exit examination, but it

Summary: The Health Professions and Programs Subcommittee heard and advanced several health care bills. HB 909, joining the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact, was presented with a strike-all amendment and reported favorably as amended by a 13-0 vote. HB 911, the related public records exemption protecting certain biological information, was also adopted and reported favorably as amended by a 14-0 vote. CS for HB 597, allowing schools to procure and administer glucagon for students with diabetes under trained personnel, passed unanimously 14-0 after a technical amendment. HB 519, aligning state law with federal language on controlled substances administered by paramedics, passed as amended 14-0. The committee then took up HB 919 on nursing education programs. Sponsor Rep. Overdorf argued the bill would create accountability for underperforming nursing schools by requiring remediation, tuition refunds in the lowest-performing programs, and public reporting of passage rates. Supporters said it would improve quality and protect students from debt without licensure success, while opponents from private nursing schools warned it could close programs and reduce nurse supply. After extensive debate, the bill was reported favorably 15-0. HB 1553, which would require health care providers to submit identified uterine fibroid data so the Department of Health can implement the research database previously authorized by law, passed unanimously 15-0. The final bill, HB 883, would allow psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners to practice autonomously; supporters said it would expand access to mental health care, especially in rural and underserved areas, while opponents raised concerns about quality and physician oversight. After lengthy testimony and debate, the bill was reported favorably 14-3.

Transcript Highlights:

• And as a public school, they fall under the exact same regulatory structure, reporting, all that, that
• information like their name or phone number or address. a public school, they fall under the exact same regulatory
• This measure removes unnecessary examination barriers while maintaining rigor and high standards.
• This measure removes unnecessary examination barriers while maintaining This measure removes unnecessary
• examination barriers while maintaining rigor and high standards.

Committee: House Education & Employment Committee

Summary: The Education and Employment Committee heard and voted on several education-related bills. HB 129 on Florida Virtual School was presented as a cleanup bill responding to audit-related statutory updates; it would remove priority language, allow all Florida students and eligible overseas military dependents access, clarify teacher employment/retirement status, permit local schools to administer required exams, and authorize direct support organizations. The bill drew support from Seminole State College and Florida Virtual School and was reported favorably 15-0. HB 423 on student elopement, sponsored by Reps. Eskamani and Tramont, would require schools to establish safety teams and procedures to prevent and respond to elopement by students with autism or similar needs. Testimony from the Autism Society of Greater Orlando and a student advocate emphasized safety risks and the need for clear school protocols. Members spoke strongly in support, and the bill passed unanimously 16-0. CS for CS for HB 753 on school counselors removed two certification barriers, kept the master’s degree requirement, and aligned evaluations with Florida school counseling standards; school counselor groups and several members argued it would help address counselor shortages and workload issues. It also passed unanimously 16-0. The committee also approved CS for CS for HB 1253, which would let school-employed coaches use up to $15,000 per team per year of personal funds to support student-athletes with items like food, transportation, therapy, and rehabilitation, with an amendment requiring written parental consent. Several members raised concerns about liability, fairness, and guardrails, but the bill passed 17-0. PCS for CS for HB 833 on private school facilities would allow small private schools of 150 students or fewer to locate in commercial or mixed-use zoning without rezoning and to use certain existing buildings if fire and life-safety standards are met; members discussed traffic, school zones, and proximity to dispensaries, and it passed 15-0. PCS for CS for HB 1325 on the Linking Industry to Nursing Education Fund clarified matching contributions, allowed use of funds for expansion or modernization of existing space, and permitted two-year awards; it passed 16-0. Finally, CS for HB 1437 on conversion charter schools created dispute-resolution options over facility maintenance and, via amendment, allowed capital outlay funding if the charter assumes full maintenance responsibility; despite some opposition, it passed 13-3. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• to identify opportunities to help improve the board's operation and its ability to fulfill its regulatory
• The legislature gave OSPI some additional monitoring and regulatory oversight of those entities and then
• So I couldn't really tell from the report if it examined at all or just used other criteria for the proper
• We really appreciate the auditor's examination of four of our state's charter public schools and their
• The auditor's examination of four of our state's charter public schools and their insights into how these

Summary: The committee meeting began with a brief explanation of the renamed Joint Legislative Audit Review Committee subcommittee, now called the Committee to Hear SAO Performance Audits, and a presentation from the State Auditor’s Office on its current biennium performance audit work plan. The auditor described how topics are selected from a large pool of potential audits and highlighted several ongoing or planned audits, including the Liquor and Cannabis Board, oversight of authorized entities serving students with disabilities, the Quality Home Care Initiative, Medicaid managed care versus fee-for-service costs, the Housing Commission tenant ownership follow-up, DSHS vendor payment patterns, implementation of the Since Time Memorial curriculum, and the Washington State ferry system. Members asked about coordination with JLARC to avoid duplication, and the auditor said the offices exchange work plans, monthly updates, and quarterly coordination meetings. The committee then heard the State Auditor’s performance audit on how charter schools identify and support at-risk students. Auditors reviewed four charter schools—Catalyst Public Schools, Innovation High School, Pinnacles Prep, and Rainier Prep—and focused on English language learners, homeless students, and special education students. The audit found the schools met nearly all legal requirements reviewed, with only one area where two schools partially met a language-access requirement. The schools also used several promising practices, including small-group instruction, culturally responsive environments, and multi-tiered systems of support, though the auditors recommended better documentation of procedures to improve consistency. Families interviewed generally reported positive experiences, while noting resource constraints. Committee members asked about how the four schools were selected, whether the audit compared charter populations to home districts, and how MTSS requirements applied to the schools reviewed. The State Auditor’s Office said the sample was chosen for geographic diversity, student population characteristics, and representation from both authorizers, and that K-2 MTSS requirements were not evaluated because they applied to only one school. Representatives from the Charter School Commission and charter school advocates responded positively, emphasizing technical assistance, collaboration, and sharing best practices across schools. Two public testifiers also supported the report and said it highlighted effective practices that could be expanded across charter and traditional public schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• Talk a little bit organizationally with the regulatory environment, things like that.
• Talk a little bit organizationally with the regulatory environment, things like that.
• <c> cases,</c><01:07:36.160><c> fentanyl</c> When examining the fatal cases, fentanyl When examining
• When examining suicide cases, 80% of those children had an educational issue.
• When examining suicide cases, 80% of those children had an educational issue.

Keywords: 1. Call to Order and Roll Call – 00:00:24 2. Discussion of The Center for Courageous Kids – 00:02:46 3. Discussion of Adult Protective Services and State Guardianship Programs – 00:25:22 4. Discussion of Annual Report of the External Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Panel – 01:00:34 5. Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations – 01:33:41 6. Adjournment – 01:42:07, 958, all

Summary: The committee’s first interim meeting opened with roll call and a reminder that Kentucky had 8,641 children in out-of-home care with active placements as of June 1, 2025. The first presentation was from the Center for Courageous Kids (CCK), a donor-funded camp in Scottsville that serves children with lifelong illnesses and disabilities at no charge. Representatives described the camp’s history, its year-round family retreats and summer sessions, its medical and accessibility supports, and its impact on campers’ confidence and independence. They said CCK has served more than 43,000 campers from 46 states and 13 countries, including 22,000 from Kentucky, and noted plans to reach all 120 Kentucky counties. CCK also outlined future capital needs: a new art barn and a medical lodge. The organization said the art barn project would cost $2.5 million, with a legislative request of $1.5 million, and the medical lodge would cost $2.875 million, with a legislative request of $1.75 million. Members responded very positively, with several praising the camp’s work and one member asking about operational challenges. CCK said its main challenges are awareness, staff and volunteer recruitment, and expanding medical and housing capacity; it also said it is accredited by the American Camp Association and receives health and safety visits and audits. The committee then moved to a presentation on adult protective services and state guardianship programs from Jessica Wayne and Cliff Bryant of DCBS. They explained the legal framework for guardianship, the difference between full and limited guardianship/conservatorship, emergency appointments, and the state’s role as a last-resort guardian when no family member or private entity is available. They reported 4,464 individuals under state guardianship as of June 1, with most cases involving dementia, developmental disability, intellectual disability, nursing home or long-term care placement, severe mental illness, or brain injury. They also said the division has 89 field workers across 14 regional offices, with an average caseload of 52 and a goal of reducing that into the mid-40s through additional hiring.