Transcript Highlights:

• You also have three draft bills, which I'm just going to summarize in one sentence.
• This cost is currently split in the bill between employees and employers, with employees paying 2.71%
• This cost is currently split in the bill between employees and employers, with employees paying 2.71%
• This cost is split between three agencies: the Department of Corrections, with the largest share; the
• Um<01:11:28.520> this<01:11:29.080> cost<01:11:29.440> is<01:11:29.560> split

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The commission approved the March 17 minutes and then heard testimony on Senate File 4419 / House File 4069, as amended, which would exempt J-1 visa-holding teachers and their school districts from Teachers Retirement Association contribution requirements during the teachers’ exchange term. Senator Pappas and Representative Feist said the bill is intended to help districts fill hard-to-staff special education and other positions by letting J-1 teachers keep more of their pay for immediate relocation costs, while also redirecting employer savings toward onboarding, mentorship, and cultural orientation. They argued the teachers are temporary by design, often cannot stay long enough to benefit from TRA, and that the bill would be roughly neutral for TRA because contributions and matching liability would both be removed. Supportive testimony came from Matthew Connelly of Lattice Global Teachers and Melissa Schaller of Intermediate School District 917. Connelly said J-1 teachers arrive with significant upfront expenses and only a short window to establish themselves, and that the exemption could save them about $4,000 to $5,000 while helping schools afford recruitment and support costs. Schaller said her district has relied on international special education teachers to fill vacancies, that the H-1B option is no longer workable because of a large fee increase, and that J-1 hiring is needed to remain competitive; she noted 17 open special education positions for 2026-27 and no other applicants. Caitlin Snyder of Education Minnesota opposed the bill, arguing it lowers compensation and removes a retirement option without enough input from teachers themselves. She said the bill does not ensure the employer savings would be used for housing or other supports, and urged more direct consultation with J-1 teachers. Several members raised concerns about fairness, pension protection, and whether the bill could create unintended consequences for teachers who later remain in Minnesota. Senator Pappas responded that the circumstances are unusual because J-1 teachers are temporary and often cannot return, and said TRA had indicated the proposal would be neutral or supportive, unlike a separate St. Paul teachers issue. Representative O’Driscoll asked about J-1 teachers in higher education and private schools, and Mr. Connelly said the visa is mainly used in K-12 settings but can also appear in charter and private schools; he also noted many J-1 holders face a two-year home-residence requirement. The chair indicated the bill was slated for inclusion in the omnibus pension bill, but no final vote on the bill itself was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• English form that is separate from the Spanish form so it's not one of those things where you can split
• It's already split.
• And it actually this bill is taking out a very important sentence in there that says if it's an action

Bills: HB304

Keywords: franchise tax credit, food desert, grocery store, healthy corner store, nutrition assistance, economic development, public health

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's not one of those things where you can split the languages. It's already split.
• It's 30 days before the election, and actually, this bill... ...it's taking out a very important sentence

Bills: HB304, HB401, HB556, HB1475, HB1489, HB2259, HB2424, HB2773, HB2811, HB3323, HB304

Keywords: voter ID, citizenship proof, provisional ballot, election security, Texas, voting rights, deep fakes, misleading videos, election integrity, criminal offense, digital misinformation, deep fake, political manipulation, misinformation, artificial media, political influence, artificially generated media, election influence, Texas Election Code, healthcare reform

Transcript Highlights:

• This was a split motion. So the first one is just simply on the fee. Okay. Yeah, we can. Mike here.
• what has been established law, and then it looks like you're looking to fix it with just two simple sentences

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We got a couple of days' notice in one sentence in the River Bend News that this was going to happen.
• When the lady said that no town should have all Black elected officials, my head almost split.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met on April 8, 2025, and first took up several local bills that were presented briefly and then approved without public opposition. HB 4035 would merge the Fort Myers Beach Mosquito Control District and the Lee County Mosquito Control District, contingent on approval by voters in both districts at the 2026 election; it passed 15-0. HB 307 would extend to county property appraisers the same authority tax collectors already have to use salary savings for employee bonuses or incentives, and it passed 17-0 after testimony from property appraisers and their associations in support. HB 4047 and HB 4049 would adjust assessment caps for the Fort Pierce Farms Water Control District and the North St. Lucie River Water Control District, respectively, with inflation indexing, annual increase limits, and referendum approval requirements; both passed unanimously. The committee also adopted an amendment to the committee substitute for HB 1169, a broader water management district bill covering quorum and meeting rules, lobbying restrictions, ad valorem taxing authority for certain capital projects by referendum, budget reporting, bidding preferences, and additional oversight and funding information; the amended bill passed 16-0 and was reported favorably with committee substitute. The final and most heavily debated item was HB 4079, which would dissolve the Town of White Springs and return it to unincorporated Hamilton County. The sponsor argued the town had a pattern of mismanagement, including financial problems, audit findings, canceled elections, and public safety concerns, and said dissolution would lower taxes and preserve services through the county. Committee members asked about the town’s finances, audits, law enforcement, fire protection, debt, and whether the county could absorb services and liabilities. Public testimony was sharply divided. Supporters of dissolution cited audit findings, alleged illegal gambling operations, double taxation for law enforcement, high administrative costs, and intimidation at meetings. Opponents, including current and former town officials and residents, said the town had made progress, had corrected audit issues, maintained reserves, and was working to restore services and governance; they asked for more time and pointed to an upcoming election. No vote was taken on HB 4079 in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Together, we advanced the first-ever split-delivery public-private partnership project undertaken by
• I have one more sentence.
• I have a few more sentences. ceaseless and dangerous truck traffic started right away and hasn't stopped
• testimony we have we are definitely we're reading all of a written testimony as well I have a few more sentences
• I have a few more sentences.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing covered a broad set of environmental and water-related bills, with much of the testimony focused on blue economy and circular economy proposals, drought management, drinking water safety, flood resilience, and water infrastructure funding. Supporters of bills such as H. 987 and H. 988 described grant programs for blue economy workforce development, research, small businesses, and public education about a circular economy. Other speakers backed measures on coastal erosion research, recreational boating dredging, cranberry water-right transfers, sand mining oversight, and a voucher program for home water filtration in PFAS-impacted communities. Several elected officials and advocates also urged passage of bills to require private well testing, improve school drinking water safety, and address sand mining pollution and PFAS contamination. Water supply and drought issues drew extensive testimony. Senator Eldridge and others supported legislation to let the state, through DEP and the drought management task force, impose regional water-use restrictions during droughts and make the task force permanent in statute. Advocates from watershed groups, farms, and environmental organizations said the current town-by-town approach is inconsistent and ineffective, and they described drought impacts on rivers, farms, private wells, and wildfire risk. A related bill on private wells was supported as a way to help homeowners test and remediate contaminated wells, especially in rural areas without public water. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to allow the Lynnfield Water District to join the MWRA, with local officials saying the move would help address PFAS and other contamination and improve supply reliability. Another major panel supported a water infrastructure funding bill, arguing that aging drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems need major new investment, including support for PFAS treatment, sewer rate relief, biosolids research, and regional interconnections. Members asked about costs, funding sources, and the relationship to existing revolving loan funds; witnesses said the bill would need to be paired with future bond funding and new revenue ideas. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chairs repeatedly invited written testimony and noted the large number of speakers.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next is Senate Bill 181, which is an act relating to eliminating the requirement for a pre-sentence investigation
• for imposition of a deferred sentence, introduced by Senator Hashim.
• S. 181, an act relating to eliminating the requirement for a pre-sentence investigation for imposition
• of a deferred sentence.
• Because responsibilities are split, no single office is obligated to monitor overall compliance.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House opened with a devotional and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved through first readings and referrals of several bills. House Bill 950, the pay act for certain state employees, was read and referred to Appropriations, and House Bill 951, the government appropriations bill, was read and referred to Ways and Means. Senate bills referred included S. 138 on commercial property assessed clean energy projects, S. 181 on eliminating a pre-sentence investigation requirement for deferred sentences, S. 206 on licensure of early childhood educators, S. 219 on an energy navigator program report, S. 239 on the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Working Group, and S. 291 on travel disclosures for legislators and certain executive officers, each sent to the appropriate committee. The chamber also read several House concurrent resolutions adopted on the consent calendar. These included resolutions congratulating Rice Memorial High School’s Division Two girls soccer team and Division One field hockey team, designating March 2026 as Athletic Trainers Month in Vermont, and remembering the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disasters in Japan. The Japan remembrance resolution included a message from the Japanese consul general expressing gratitude for Vermont’s solidarity and friendship after the disaster. Later, members offered announcements recognizing guests in the gallery, including Rice Memorial athletes and coaches, representatives of the Vermont Association of Athletic Trainers, and students and teachers from Pondbrook and Sterling College. The House also heard a detailed floor speech in support of House Bill 861, which would establish a statewide Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator. The sponsor described accessibility barriers faced by disabled Vermonters, argued that ADA responsibilities are currently uneven across state government, and said a coordinator would improve coordination, compliance, and access across agencies. The House then announced the order of upcoming bills, starting with H. 861 and H. 931, but no final vote on H. 861 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We had struck that very sentence out because what we want to do is allow individuals who are in Medicaid
• 00:03:55.840> struck<00:03:56.239> that<00:03:56.879> very<00:03:57.280> sentence
• <00:03:57.680> out had struck that very sentence out had struck that very sentence out because
• pharmacies have chosen not to stock these medications, forcing patients to transfer prescriptions or split

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board met on February 23, 2026, approved the January 12 minutes, and then focused primarily on Kentucky Medicaid’s coverage and potential expansion of GLP-1 drugs, especially for weight loss. Department for Medicaid Services Commissioner Lisa Lee explained that Medicaid currently does not cover drugs for weight loss, anorexia, or weight gain, but the department had filed a regulation to remove that blanket exclusion so GLP-1s could be covered when used for an underlying health condition. She said the administrative regulation review subcommittee found the regulation deficient, and the co-chairs wanted the board to discuss the policy and financing implications before any change. DMS also said it would be open to adding caveats to ensure coverage would not extend to cosmetic weight loss alone. The department provided several data points on current utilization and spending. In 2025, Kentucky Medicaid paid for appetite-stimulating drugs such as Megestrol, Dronabinol, and Marinol, but did not pay for weight-loss drugs. For GLP-1s, DMS said coverage began in 2025 and is limited to FDA-approved medical conditions, with prior authorization requiring a type 2 diabetes diagnosis code and A1C documentation. DMS reported $234.6 million in GLP-1 spending in 2025 before rebates, about 240,931 prescriptions, and said GLP-1s accounted for 7.3% of pharmacy spend in 2024 and 8.3% in 2025. It also said there were 24,844 expansion members and 13,638 non-expansion members using GLP-1s, with spending of about $156 million and $78.5 million respectively, and that 10 pediatric weight-loss prescriptions were covered under EPSDT. The department said outcome analyses, including whether GLP-1 use reduces insulin or other diabetes treatment, are underway and should be completed in a couple of months. Members asked about cost, rebates, and whether the state should wait for more outcomes data before expanding coverage. DMS said average reimbursement to pharmacies was $975 per prescription and the average dispensing fee was $109; it also said 2025 rebate invoices totaled $90.8 million, with $7.6 million collected so far. Several members expressed concern about the high cost and the need to evaluate whether the drugs improve health outcomes before expanding access, while others noted the potential benefits for obesity and diabetes treatment. Some members also discussed whether GLP-1s are effectively being used for weight loss in diabetic patients and whether broader data collection should be used to assess long-term value. After the Medicaid discussion, Eli Lilly executive Tracy Sims presented on obesity as a chronic disease and the economic burden it creates in Kentucky. She said Kentucky’s adult obesity rate is a little over 37%, that obesity is linked to about 200 diseases, and that untreated obesity costs the state billions in GDP and hundreds of millions in state budget impact. She highlighted recent federal access programs for GLP-1s, including a Medicaid-related program that she said could lower the state share of a Zepbound prescription to about $71 per month after federal matching. No votes were taken on the GLP-1 policy question during the meeting, and the main action was the receipt of testimony and discussion of the department’s proposed regulatory change.

Transcript Highlights:

• A teacher at New Leadership Charter School in Springfield was sentenced to 8 to 10 years in prison for
• My four-year-old granddaughter can communicate by writing sentences with emojis, and the one-year-old
• My four-year-old granddaughter can communicate by writing sentences with emojis, and the one-year-old
• When students are on their phones, they are distracted and unable to make split-second decisions.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee opened a public hearing on 41 bills related to school climate and safety, with chairs Jason Lewis and Ken Gordon outlining procedures and noting more than 125 witnesses. The first major topic was the “Study Act” on cell phones in schools and related social media restrictions (House 666/Senate 335). Secretary of Education Pat Tutwiler and Attorney General Andrea Campbell testified in strong support, arguing that bell-to-bell phone-free policies would improve student focus, reduce anxiety and distraction, and support mental health. Several legislators also supported the approach, though Representative Jeff Turco and Senator John Keenan emphasized narrower bills focused only on school-day phone restrictions rather than broader social media regulation. Senator John Velis likewise backed a comprehensive school-hours restriction, citing student distraction and mental health concerns. Representative Tarsky described successful implementation of a Yondr pouch system in a school where he served as principal, saying it improved engagement and reduced bullying and discipline issues. The committee then heard testimony on a bill to prohibit Native American mascots in public schools (Senate 312/House 575). Senator Joe Comerford, Brittany Wally, and Rhonda Anderson all urged passage, saying Native mascots are dehumanizing, harmful to Native youth, and inconsistent with civil rights and educational values. They described support from tribal nations and noted that many Massachusetts schools have already changed mascots, but some still resist. The hearing also included testimony on school start times (House 647/Senate 360), where middle school students Caroline Duffy and Emery Jarvis described exhaustion and survey data showing widespread sleep deprivation. Former educator Telia Jacobs, former principal Rep. Tarsky, and others argued that later start times would improve health, learning, and student well-being, while acknowledging transportation and scheduling challenges. Zoriana Petrosian, who helped write one of the bills as a student, said the state already has enough research to act now. Additional bills drew testimony on related school issues. Dr. Raul Fernandez supported a bill promoting racially integrated schools (Senate 324), citing a recent advisory council report showing large disparities in segregated schools and urging DESE to develop a statewide integration strategy. On safe firearm storage education (House 548/Senate 397), multiple witnesses from Grassroots for Gun Violence Prevention and school communities supported annual school-based education about secure storage, saying it would help prevent child access to unsecured firearms and build on local resolutions already adopted in some districts. The committee also heard testimony on bills to expand career and academic plans (House 533/Senate 438), with speakers saying more structured planning would help students make informed college and career choices. Later, testimony on child sexual abuse prevention and survivor support bills described the prevalence of abuse, the need for training in schools and youth-serving organizations, and the importance of extending compensation and prevention measures. Throughout the hearing, chairs repeatedly closed bills with no witnesses and moved the agenda forward, but no votes were taken in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I maintain that the closer you get to that split, to that time when you have learned to read and now
• think the idea of teaching our children to read and an unfunded mandate should never be in the same sentence
• think the idea of teaching our children to read and an unfunded mandate should never be in the same sentence
• But putting that line in the sand—and here's what one of the sentences from this article, perhaps—the

Bills: LB878, LB958, LB958A, LB762, LB1187, LB966, LB929, LB962, LB1209, LB937A, LB962A, LB1050, LB1050A, LB965, LB1022, LB753, LB788, LB913, LB1055, LB1195, LB429, LB721, LB722, LB727, LB745, LB749, LB778, LR293, LR296, LR422, LR495, LR496, LR497, LR498, LR499, LR500, LR501, LR502, LR503, LR504

Keywords: paid parental leave, state employees, workplace benefits, family support, economic impact, Medicaid, Medical Assistance Act, home and community-based services waiver, HCBS waiver, waiver participant, assessment tool, clinical interviewing, service tier, retroactive coverage, doula, doula reimbursement, maternal health, prenatal care, pregnancy, birth outcomes

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:29:57.039> on<00:29:58.159> page<00:29:58.640> four, couple of sentences
• on page four, couple of sentences on page four, they<00:30:00.480> have<00:30:00.640> to
• And it all goes back to that one sentence in current state statute that I mentioned.
• And it all goes back to<00:32:22.960> that<00:32:24.000> one<00:32:24.320> sentence<
• Um, I will tell you, the operators are split on which of these options they're agreeable to.

Bills: SF0045, SJ0001

Keywords: pari-mutuel wagering, simulcasting, historic horse racing, HHR terminals, horse racing, gaming commission, Wyoming Gaming Commission, local control, city approval, county approval, municipal approval, permit renewal, gaming permit, wagering regulation, racetrack, live pari-mutuel event, district court appeal, public notice, land use, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• By any chance, could I do two or three sentences on the suicide?
• Yeah, I think sentences on the suicide?
• step forward, uh, but uh there are people who suffer terribly who are not told that it's a death sentence
• step forward, uh, but uh there are people who suffer terribly who are not told that it's a death sentence
• and I should and it's a death sentence and I should and when<01:56:21.679> there's<01:56:21.920

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• She said 224 people participated in those forums, and the speakers were split evenly between workers
• oddly<00:58:43.359> they<00:58:43.480> ended<00:58:43.799> up<00:58:44.039> splitting
• <00:58:44.839> uh<00:58:45.000> evenly oddly they ended up splitting uh evenly oddly
• they ended up splitting uh evenly between<00:58:45.960> workers<00:58:46.400> and<00:58
• happy to get more information on that if the committee needs it, but I know that's the kind of two-sentence

Bills: HF23, HF1355

Keywords: whistleblower, whistleblower protections, public employees, state employees, retaliation, reporting fraud, misuse of authority, personal gain, state government, state services, state programs, legislative auditor, constitutional officer, public corruption, fraud reporting, government accountability, employee rights, labor law, Minnesota Statutes 181.931, Minnesota Statutes 181.932

Transcript Highlights:

• That was the reason for the clear split. Thank you, Representative Gedman.
• I don't understand how those two can be in the same sentence, Madam Chair.
• I don't understand how those two can be in the same sentence, Madam Chair.
• I don't understand how those two can be in the same sentence, Madam Chair.
• I don't understand how those two can be in the same sentence, Madam Chair.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• They split it between them without the employer doing anything.
• They split it between them without the employer doing anything.
• They<02:02:53.119> split<02:02:53.360> it<02:02:53.520> between<02:02:53.760>
• They split it between them without the employer<02:02:54.800> doing<02:02:55.360> anything
• >> We have like 20 more people testifying. >> All right, I got one more sentence. >> Okay, there

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We've included the minimum sentence structure by sentence length and maximum sentence structure by sentence
• sentence as well.
• sentence as well.
• <03:58:04.319> of can then be uh rendered a sentence of can then be uh rendered a sentence
• incarcerated sentence sentence new incarcerated sentence bookings<03:59:07.760> that<03:59:07.920

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard an overview from the Agriculture Commissioner on the department’s major divisions and staffing. He described the Office of the Commissioner, Agricultural Development, Pesticides, Regulatory Services, Weights and Measures, Animal Industry, Plant Industry, and Soil Conservation, noting that many programs are federally funded or supported by dedicated fees and fines. He said the department has 44 full-time positions plus one DoIT employee shared with other agencies, and that HR services are now contracted through Administrative Services. He also explained that Soil Conservation is administratively attached to the department and funded through Moose Plate grants and county contributions, not direct state funding. Members asked about specific program functions and issues, including weights and measures inspections, animal health, bird flu response, internships, invasive species, and the Big E/New Hampshire building. The commissioner said weights and measures covers nearly all commercial measuring devices and products sold by weight, and that inspectors are currently part-time police officers, though the department is discussing removing that requirement. He said the department is actively involved in bird flu monitoring, including regular calls with USDA and the state veterinarian and collecting milk samples from dairy farms. On invasive species, he focused on Japanese knotweed and bittersweet, saying the department has only one staff person working on the issue, mainly as a coordinator with DOT and towns, and that eradication is extremely difficult. He also said the department does not run student internships and refers inquiries to UNH Cooperative Extension. The committee discussed budget and revenue issues, including three new general fund positions, one of which is the assistant commissioner and another a biological scientist for invasive species. The commissioner said the department had been in “triage mode,” that an assistant commissioner was needed because of workload, and that the department is a net positive to the General Fund each year. He said some fees and fines have not been updated in decades and would require legislation to change, including a proposed $5 fee for each animal database certificate to help fund a system that costs about $250,000 annually to maintain. In response to questions about budget reductions, he said the department protected personnel, reduced the cost-of-care fund, fair grants, and land preservation funding to about $25,000 each, and did not plan to buy new vehicles or computers. He also said he could not support including the $50,000 Conservation District resilience grant program in his budget under the current reduction targets, though he remained hopeful it might be funded another way.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:11:45.920> in what I'm referring to is the sentence in what I'm referring to is the sentence
• was harm to human health of the sentence was harm to human health and<04:43:13.958> safety<04
• with regard to class 2 sentence with regard to class 2 output<05:06:12.040> so<05:06:12.680><
• On line three, a sentence starts that says, “For the purpose of estimation, the Department of Energy
• On line three, a sentence starts that says, “For the purpose of estimation, the Department of Energy

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• She said she currently works at Beaver Meadow School and is split between a kindergarten class with 16
• We do have a cost split between the federal Vaccines for Children program and the Vaccine Association
• We are monitoring how much vaccine is going out to each of the providers, and we actually apply a split
• funding per provider so we apply a split funding per provider so we collect<02:44:14.800> data
• We apply different splits based on their patient populations.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That sentence is one that I happened to actually draft way back in 1994.
• That sentence is one that I happened to actually draft way back in 1994.
• Uh, so what this does is it attempts a Solomonic kind of approach, and we split the baby in half and
• ><01:33:46.000> approach,<01:33:46.440> and<01:33:46.520> we<01:33:46.600> split
• Solomonic kind of approach, and we split Solomonic kind of approach, and we split the<01:33:46.920

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Just last month, a man was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for interstate communication of a
• Just last month, a man was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for interstate communication of a
• Just last month, a man was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for interstate communication of a
• Just last month, a man was<01:58:06.480> sentenced<01:58:06.800> to<01:58:07.119> 42
• <01:58:07.520> months<01:58:07.760> in<01:58:08.000> federal was sentenced to

Keywords: 958, all