Transcript Highlights:

• Hawaii rightly declared a climate emergency.
• Hawaii is in a climate emergency.
• You folks have committed to this climate emergency and to doing something.
• You folks have committed to this climate emergency and to doing something.
• You folks have committed to this climate emergency and to doing something.

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:17:32.880><c> Again,</c> ended up in emergency rooms. Again, ended up in emergency rooms.
• </c><00:17:35.840><c> or</c> emergency rooms, homeless shelters, or emergency rooms, homeless shelters
• </c> communication, and address operational communication, and address operational challenges<00:31:20.240
• Senator Abeler. but 30 years in operation in Duth but 30 years in operation in Duth although<00:40:31.760
• </c><00:52:22.880><c> despite</c> Services to remain operational despite Services to remain operational

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :40.000><c> inpatient</c> emergency room visits and inpatient emergency room visits and inpatient visits
• </c> emergency rooms and and other settings. emergency rooms and and other settings.
• </c> non-emergency medical transportation. non-emergency medical transportation.
• Um and of course it supports<01:42:43.760><c> emergency</c> supports emergency supports emergency preparedness
• /c><02:11:05.679><c> with</c> pipeline programs are operating with pipeline programs are operating with

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first handled roll call and approved the prior meeting minutes. Members discussed attendance and substitutions, then moved to the DHS commissioner’s update, which focused on New Hampshire’s Medicaid 1115 waiver and the new community re-entry initiative for people leaving correctional facilities. The presenter explained that the waiver lets the state cover certain services not normally covered under Medicaid, including substance use disorder treatment, serious mental illness services, adult dental benefits, and the new community re-entry component. She also noted that a separate youth re-entry component is federally required, with youth defined up to age 21 and foster-care-related coverage extending to age 26. The update described how the adult re-entry program works for incarcerated individuals with behavioral health needs, providing up to 45 days of pre-release services, care coordination with managed care organizations and DOC staff, telemedicine assessments, discharge prescriptions, insurance cards, and connections to community mental health, primary care, and substance use providers. For youth, the program includes more intensive case management, 30 days of pre-release services, and 30 days of post-release care coordination, with a stronger emphasis on screening, diagnosis, and holistic assessment. The presenter said New Hampshire received the adult waiver in July 2024, has implemented the program in state correctional facilities, and is beginning work at the youth center. Members and the presenter discussed why the program is structured as a waiver rather than a standard Medicaid benefit, with the explanation that CMS is allowing this as a newer policy area and that states generally pursue waivers for certain services. The chair and others emphasized the need for real cost and outcome data, and the presenter said an independent evaluator and evaluation plan are required under the 1115 waiver. Early results cited included 30 adults enrolled so far, 10 released, five youth enrolled with one released, and anecdotal early successes such as housing, employment, and better continuity of medication and treatment. The committee did not take any additional votes or formal actions beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're like an emergency room: you show up at the emergency room, you get treated whether you have insurance
• We also have What we call multi-mission aircraft, which are DNR-owned and operated, have infrared and
• It's some direction to staff, operational direction.
• The language I view is there's a runway of operational and budgetary stability here for certainly our
• Yeah, I didn't get into that level, like operational detail, you mean?

Summary: The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held a work session with an update from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Commissioner Dave Upthe Grove outlined DNR’s size and scope, previewed agency-request legislation, and emphasized budget priorities. He said DNR will seek authority to sell ecosystem service credits, better use underutilized water rights with tribal consultation, add a tribal representative to the State Board of Natural Resources, make minor timber-sales efficiencies, and include wildland firefighters in the LEOFF pension system. He also urged restoration of wildfire prevention and preparedness funding, warning that reduced funding would mean fewer firefighters, less forest health work, and less support for rural fire districts. He noted DNR’s wildfire suppression costs are rising and argued prevention spending can reduce larger, more expensive fires. State Forester George Geisler followed with a detailed wildfire season review. He said Washington now responds to fires year-round and also assists other states, including Texas. He described DNR’s use of 31 aircraft, 691 firefighters, and corrections-based crews, and said the agency’s success rate for keeping fires under 10 acres improved slightly from 93.7% to 94.1%. He highlighted increased arson activity, especially around Spokane, and described the Crescent Road Fire as an example of early detection, rapid response, and the use of bulldozers, aircraft, and hand crews to contain a fire to 182 acres with no structure losses. Senator Saldan praised the emphasis on prevention and the use of bulldozers as cost-effective tools. Assistant deputy supervisor Dwayne Emmons then reviewed the trust land transfer program, which was codified in statute in 2023 after being funded through the capital budget for decades. He said more than 130,000 acres of underperforming trust land have been transferred since the 1990s to other public or tribal entities for more appropriate use, while DNR acquires replacement lands to keep the trust whole. He described the current application and ranking process, including tribal input, and said DNR is requesting funding for remaining parcels from the last round, including portions of Tract C, Babcock Bench, and Middle Fork Snoqualmie. In questions, Senator Wagoner raised concerns about DNR’s decision to remove some acres from timber harvest rotation and its impact on local revenue and mills; the commissioner responded that current five-year harvest plans provide short-term stability and that any changes would be explored through the Board of Natural Resources process, not through immediate reductions in supply. The committee then received a history briefing from staff member Jeff Olson on the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission and agency structure. He traced the evolution from early fish and game commissioners to the current commission-appointed director model adopted by voter-approved Referendum 45 in 1995. Olson explained the commission’s statutory duties, membership requirements, and how Washington compares with other states. Chair Chapman said he had no plans to hear a bill this session changing the commission’s makeup, but he expressed personal interest in exploring reforms, accountability, and possibly a future broader coalition or referendum process. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational only, and the chair adjourned the session with holiday and New Year’s wishes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then we will go into some information around committee and committee operations, and hopefully we'll
• We've expanded upon that now with a partnership with Emergency Food Network in Pierce County and South
• I'm the director of programs at Emergency Food Network.
• Thank you, and I think during the pandemic we saw—I know I visited Emergency Food Network—and it was
• And I believe we have one bill that we're hearing on emergency medical placement, I do believe, or two

Summary: The Senate Human Services Committee met on the first day of the 2026 session and heard a briefing and public testimony on Senate Bill 5966 concerning medically tailored meals. Committee staff explained that the bill would define medically tailored meals and set statewide standards for meals provided through state programs, emphasizing medical guidance, dietary and cultural accommodations, and prioritizing Washington-based nonprofit providers when possible. Senator T’wina Nobles, the sponsor, said the bill is intended to create a clear baseline for quality and accountability without expanding benefits or creating a new program, but rather to streamline and standardize existing efforts. Testifiers in support described existing medically tailored meal and food box programs already operating in Washington. Representatives from Meals on Wheels, Chicken Soup Brigade, Cascadia Produce, Emergency Food Network, and Meals on Wheels Spokane said these programs improve health outcomes for people with chronic conditions, support recovery, and help keep people stable in their communities. They also emphasized that local providers, volunteers, farmers, and food businesses benefit when state dollars stay in Washington. Several members asked whether the bill would create a new system; supporters said it would instead coordinate and standardize current waiver-based and contract-based services. Questions also touched on funding sources, delivery costs, and the role of Medicaid and other programs. The committee temporarily set aside the bill to hear from newly appointed DSHS Secretary Angela Ramirez, who outlined the department’s reorganization into new administrations and said the goal is to reduce silos, improve customer experience, and make services easier to navigate. She also briefed members on federal HR1-related changes affecting SNAP and Medicaid, including work requirements, immigrant eligibility changes, and tribal consultation, and said DSHS is developing a verification hub to reduce administrative burden. Members raised concerns about implementation, data collection, and how to avoid benefit loss due to paperwork issues. After the secretary’s presentation, the committee resumed testimony on SB 5966 and then adjourned without taking a vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> budget for the operating budget for the operating cost<00:23:15.120><c> of</c><00:23:15.360><c>
• They operate and maintain those 58 towers and continually monitors emergency alerts, including all 23
• They operate and maintain those 58 towers and continually monitors emergency alerts, including all 23
• </c><00:31:24.000><c> and</c> component of the operation and component of the operation and day-to-day
• </c> that commander up and the operations that commander up and the operations chief<00:55:50.799><c>

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The administrative operating part is what we use to serve our members.
• The administrative operating part is what we use to serve our members.
• Our total proposed operating budget is...” “...budget for fiscal year 2027.
• Our operating budget rises by about 2%.
• an emergency.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget met on February 19, 2026, and first received unchanged fiscal status and five-year baseline budget reports from the Office of Planning and Budget; the fiscal status statement was approved without objection, and the baseline budget required no action. The committee then approved a request from Facility Planning and Control to add five higher education deferred maintenance projects to the eligible list under Act 751, and reviewed four change orders over $50,000 for informational purposes only. Members approved the Louisiana Lottery Corporation’s fiscal year 2026-2027 operating budget after testimony highlighted projected gross revenue of $610 million, 29 years without legislative auditor findings, and continued support for the MFP. The committee also approved, en bloc, the operating budgets for LASERS, the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana, the School Employees’ Retirement System, and the State Police Retirement System. Retirement officials described modest budget increases or decreases, strong investment performance, and ongoing efforts to reduce unfunded liabilities; members discussed the impact of surplus payments toward UAL debt and the possibility of future COLAs, including a 2% COLA if the legislature reaches the required two-thirds vote. The committee approved payment of $20,262.32 in prior-year deputy sheriff supplemental pay expenditures from the current-year budget. It also approved several legislative intent clarifications for prior appropriations, including changes involving Tangipahoa Parish, Harahan, Allen Parish, Morgan City, and DeSoto Parish School System-related funding. In addition, the Water Sector Commission’s recommendation for $2.8 million in additional funding for four ongoing water and sewer projects was approved. The remaining items were reviewed without action: an RTI International contract extension for DEQ air-quality filter weighing, amendments to four Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism marketing contracts to extend and supplement funding, and the fifth-year amendment to the Office of Risk Management’s Sedgwick claims administration contract, valued at $21.1 million. The meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• TNC supports placing the emergency proclamation process into law so it can continue to advance important
• wildfire mitigation projects that justify codifying and expanding the timeline of the governor's emergency
• Riparian logging and heavy equipment operations on steep slopes must be avoided, and this is not feasible
• to do so, leaving little protection from the risks these operations can create.
• This backfires on disadvantaged communities by making continued operations and new investments in those

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In Washington State, emergency medical services use the Washington Emergency Medical Services Information
• The Washington Poison Center operates 24/7.
• And the program has operated very effectively for the past 34 years.
• I'm the Chief of Operations for AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
• The 340B program is essential in our operations.

Summary: The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee held a hearing on several bills. SB 5904 would prohibit non-human entities from using nursing titles; the sponsor and nursing groups said it is meant to increase transparency around AI and ensure patients know when they are interacting with a real nurse. SB 5915 would change Health Technology Assessment Program review criteria and timelines, with supporters arguing it would better account for Medicare coverage and national guidelines, especially for rare and life-threatening conditions. SB 6025 would update the definition of fetal death to allow gestational age to be determined by the best clinically accurate method rather than last menstrual period, and medical professionals and the sponsor said this would reduce emotional, financial, and legal burdens on grieving families. SB 5933 would require near real-time sharing of overdose data into ODMAP; public health, local government, and recovery advocates said it would improve overdose response, while one witness asked that poison center data be included and clarified separately. SB 5990 would allow APRNs and physician assistants to serve as local health officers in counties under 100,000 population; rural county officials supported the added flexibility, while public health groups and naturopathic physicians raised concerns about qualifications and asked that naturopathic doctors be included as well. SB 5981 would restrict drug manufacturers from limiting 340B drug access through contract pharmacies or requiring data as a condition of discounts; safety-net hospitals, community health centers, pharmacies, and patients said it protects access and reinvestment in care, while manufacturers, employer groups, and industry representatives argued it increases costs, lacks transparency, and may not ensure savings reach patients. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the transcript; each bill was heard and testimony was closed. Sign-in counts were reported for several bills, including strong pro support for SB 5904, SB 5915, SB 5933, and SB 5981, and mixed or substantial opposition on SB 6025 and SB 5990.

Transcript Highlights:

• To support foundation operations. I'm sorry, a minute.
• About NMSU, some of the, again, foundation operations.
• In looking for that data, the FTE data in financial reports of actuals and in operating budgets, the
• The emergency ones are called the CAT, which is an emergency evaluation when a child first comes into
• They propose it as a way of taking excess or emergency cases. And I'm sure that's probably true.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Buchanan, Florida College of Emergency Physicians. Good afternoon. Dr. Buchanan, you're recognized.
• I'm the vice president of the Florida College of Emergency Physicians and here with my colleagues today
• McKenna Davis, Alliance for Health Information Operations and Standards, is against.
• And also from the Alliance for Health Information Operations and Standards comes through their hands
• Nor are there any protections for the emergency personnel where the boxes are located.

Committee: Senate Health Policy

Summary: The committee took up a large health policy agenda. SB 1568 on electronic prescribing was explained as a federal conformity measure, but members raised concerns about preserving patients’ ability to obtain paper prescriptions and about exemptions for emergency, hospice, and other situations. Emergency physicians testified in support of e-prescribing but asked for flexibility, and the bill was reported favorably despite Senator Harrell’s opposition. SB 1606 on patient access to records sought to standardize record-production timelines and require electronic delivery when available; after an amendment correcting a drafting error, the bill drew concerns about HIPAA, behavioral health confidentiality, and the distinction between personal and legal representatives, and it was reported unfavorably as a committee substitute. The committee then approved SB 1346 on fentanyl testing, with a technical amendment, to require hospitals and campus emergency departments to test for fentanyl in urine testing for suspected overdose or poisoning. SB 1224 on administration of controlled substances by paramedics was amended to clarify language and reported favorably. SB 656 on health care billing and collection activities was substantially revised by strike-all amendment to allow sale of medical debt to third parties under new limits, including no interest or fees and return of debt if charity care applies; it was reported favorably as a committee substitute. SB 68 expanded health facilities authority financing to include not-for-profit LLCs and parent companies, and SB 524 added Duchenne muscular dystrophy to the newborn screening panel; both were reported favorably. Later, the committee approved SB 1842 on out-of-network referrals after multiple amendments, requiring providers to verify network participation at the point of service and notify patients in writing, though several members and physicians warned it could burden providers and increase workload. The committee also advanced proposed committee bill SB 7028, which revises the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program, adds oversight and reporting requirements, creates a pediatric cancer research incubator, and establishes the Bascom-Palmer VisionGen initiative; cancer center representatives testified in strong support, and the bill was reported favorably as a committee bill. SB 172 on specialty titles and designations was amended to clarify enforcement and was reported favorably after supporters said it would prevent misleading use of specialist titles, while opponents argued it could confuse practitioners’ titles. Finally, SB 1690 on surrendered infants was reported favorably after supporters said it would codify and expand safe-haven baby box procedures and opponents raised safety concerns about the devices. The committee also noted SB 1606 remained pending for reconsideration next week before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• the provisions of Ali's Law, which include both developing and promulgating regulations for the operation
• how the municipality operates.
• Well, then you can't operate on Friday.
• It was to make sure that bad actors were shut down and weren't able to operate.
• The owner-operator of the facility where Ollie died, when she moved, moved to an in-home place.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs

Summary: The joint Audit Committee meeting focused on implementation of Ali’s Law, including MDAR’s progress on kennel regulations and municipal reporting. MDOT/MDAR officials said the department formed the required advisory committee, held trainings for animal control officers and municipal clerks, created a public information webpage, and completed draft regulations that are now under secretarial review. They reported that 269 of 351 municipalities had filed kennel counts, leaving 82 out of compliance, and said the reported statewide total was 1,408 licensed kennels, with an estimated 1,800 to 1,850 statewide. Committee members pressed the department on the pace of rulemaking, the lack of a clear enforcement mechanism for municipalities that fail to report, and the need for stronger accountability. The chair said he wanted to avoid a formal investigation if answers could be obtained, but urged MDAR to move quickly and to consider stronger public reporting and possible sanctions. He also asked about injury reporting and suggested that injury data should be sent to the state and tracked in a way that provides context, such as the number of animals in a facility. Representatives from animal welfare organizations and the advisory committee supported the law’s goals but emphasized that rollout should be fair to compliant businesses and that municipalities and ACOs need better training, resources, and standardized guidance. They backed a filed bill, House Bill 4849, which would give MDAR authority to fine municipalities that do not comply and would add more detailed reporting, including last inspection dates and injury reports. They also raised concerns about third-party advertising platforms that may list unlicensed kennels and argued that public education, consumer transparency, and stronger oversight are needed to prevent bad actors from operating.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senators, probably the scariest thing a parent has to do is take their child to the emergency room.
• We want to make sure that when they go to that emergency room, the emergency room is ready and able to
• And we want to make sure that when they go to that emergency room, the emergency room is ready and able
• It requires emergency departments to conduct the National Pediatric Readiness Assessment, created by
• services during declared emergencies or lead agency failures.

Summary: The Florida Senate convened with a quorum, opened with a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance, and heard several member introductions recognizing guests, interns, public servants, and a resolution honoring Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza for winning the Heisman Trophy. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar and took up a series of bills, with some measures temporarily postponed and others advanced after brief debate and, in several cases, substitution of House companions for Senate bills. The first major bill passed was CS/CS/HB 355 on health care patient protection, which requires hospitals with emergency departments to have pediatric emergency care policies, training, equipment, and a designated pediatric coordinator; it passed 36-0. The Senate also passed CS/HB 1113 on public records, expanding confidentiality protections for victims and temporarily protecting the name of a law enforcement officer who becomes a victim in the line of duty; it passed 33-4. CS/CS/HB 1085 on local government cybersecurity was amended to place the program under the Florida Digital Service and to adjust grant timing, then passed 37-0. CS/CS/HB 925 on clerks of court passed 38-0 after amendments affecting revenue retention, legal notices, traffic citation distributions, and municipal fee sharing. CS/CS/HB 679 on trademark registration modernization and CS/CS/HB 589 on septic permit timing also passed unanimously. The most extensive debate centered on CS/CS/HB 991 / SB 1334, an elections bill that would use Real ID data to verify citizenship, change voter ID rules, alter candidate qualifying requirements, and revise election administration procedures. Senators offered and debated numerous amendments on documentation fees, senior exemptions, human review versus automated systems, student and retirement-center IDs, and effective dates; most were defeated, though one amendment adding stock-trading disclosure language for candidates was adopted. The bill’s sponsor cited election-crimes reports and specific prosecutions involving non-citizens as justification for the measure, while opponents argued it could disenfranchise eligible voters, especially students and seniors. The transcript ends during continued questioning and debate on that elections bill, before final disposition is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yet when news stories emerge about members being harmed, often after being misled by insurance brokers
• They handle insurance operations among insurance carriers.
• They handle insurance operations among insurance carriers.
• They handle insurance operations among insurance carriers. public.
• They handle insurance operations among insurance carriers.

Summary: The Committee on Banking and Insurance met with a quorum present and took up several bills, beginning with SB 834 on health care sharing ministries and insurance agents. Senator Yarbrough presented the bill to repeal a recent restriction on licensed insurance agents marketing or selling faith-based health care sharing programs. Supporters argued the change restores free speech and consumer education while preserving existing consumer protections; opponents said the bill was unnecessary and could increase confusion or misuse of agents and brokers. The committee adopted a title amendment and then reported the bill favorably after debate, with Senator Pizzo raising concerns about consumer reliance and lack of guaranteed coverage. The committee then approved SB 642 on foreign and alien bail bond insurers, SB 394 on reinsurance intermediary managers, and SB 266 on public adjuster contracts. SB 266 would let vulnerable adults rescind public adjuster contracts at any time without penalty; it drew support from consumer and industry groups, with some discussion about estimates and claim work product. The committee also passed SB 832 on residential property insurance transparency, which requires rate transparency reports and a consumer resource center at OIR, and adds a provision excluding land value from homeowners coverage calculations in most cases. Testimony on SB 832 was generally supportive of the transparency goal, though insurers said some of the required cost breakdowns may be difficult to produce as written. The committee next considered SB 1028 on Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, which would create a commercial lines clearinghouse to move eligible policyholders into the private market and reduce Citizens’ commercial exposure. Supporters said it would lower taxpayer risk and improve competition; a speaker suggested additional changes to deductibles, water-damage caps, and repair practices. The bill was reported favorably after a delete-all amendment and supportive debate from Senator Boyd. Finally, the committee passed SB 540 on the Office of Financial Regulation, which adds cybersecurity requirements for certain licensees, updates oversight of investment advisers and money service businesses, adjusts some charter and meeting rules for financial institutions and credit unions, and includes amendments clarifying repossession/deficiency claims, family office exemptions, and virtual credit union meetings. The meeting ended with all of the considered bills reported favorably and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The second item, the emergency state.
• Some of the operators, you problems?
• </c><01:43:57.560><c> emerge.
• </c><01:43:58.560><c> Importantly,</c><01:43:59.199><c> this</c> trends emerge emerge.
• Importantly, this trends emerge emerge.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we want to make sure that when they go to that emergency room, the emergency room is ready and able
• It requires emergency departments to conduct the National Pediatric Readiness Assessment, created by
• And it requires emergency departments to conduct the National Pediatric Readiness Assessment, created
• We don't want a parent to have to question whether that emergency room is ready to take care of their
• services during declared emergencies or lead agency failures.

Summary: The Florida Senate convened with a quorum, heard an opening prayer and pledge, and included a series of member introductions recognizing guests, interns, firefighters, a doctor of the day, and a resolution honoring Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza for winning the Heisman Trophy. The chamber then moved to special order business, with several bills temporarily postponed before taking up a series of measures on health care, public records, cybersecurity, court clerks, trademarks, septic permits, and elections. The first major bill, CS/HB 355 on health care patient protection, would require hospitals with emergency departments to adopt evidence-based pediatric emergency care policies, train staff, designate a pediatric emergency care coordinator, complete the National Pediatric Readiness Assessment, and have AHCA publish scores and adopt minimum standards. Senator Harrell said the bill was intended to ensure emergency rooms are prepared for children, and it passed 36-0. The Senate also passed CS/HB 1113 on public records, which protects victim identities and temporarily exempts the name of a law enforcement officer who is a victim from disclosure, after questions about access for victims of police misconduct; it passed 33-4. The chamber then approved CS/HB 1085 on local government cybersecurity, after adopting an amendment and an amendment to the amendment that kept the program within Florida Digital Service and extended the grant-award timeline; Harrell said it would help local governments defend against ransomware and hacking, and it passed 37-0. CS/HB 925 on clerks of court passed 38-0 after amendments that let clerks retain more excess revenue and adjusted related fee distributions, though Leader Berman warned it would shift revenue away from municipalities and law enforcement. CS/HB 679 on trademark registration and CS/HB 589 on septic system permits also passed unanimously after technical amendments, with the septic bill intended to reduce permit delays and clarify liability if construction begins before a permit is issued. The most extensive debate came on the elections bill, CS/HB 991, which incorporated citizenship verification using Real ID data, changed candidate-qualifying rules, altered acceptable voter IDs, and added other election-related provisions. Multiple amendments were offered and rejected, including proposals to preserve student and senior IDs for voting, exempt some seniors from citizenship-document requirements, rely on human review rather than automated systems, and delay implementation. Supporters argued the bill would improve election integrity and address non-citizen registration and voting, citing state reports and examples of prosecutions; opponents argued it would disenfranchise eligible voters, especially students and seniors, and create barriers based on access to documents. The amendment package was adopted, and debate on the underlying bill continued with questions about federal law, documentation, and whether voters could still participate if state verification failed.

Transcript Highlights:

• So their salaries and wages, operating grants, and some of their other special line items, and you can
• So for Commerce, it's related to professional fees, operating fees, travel, and various IT costs.
• It's largely from grants and a lot of federal grants, as well as, of course, the salaries and operating
• We also factor in emerging occupations.
• So the council will go on and say, okay, this is an emerging occupation.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Budget Section’s Commerce and Legal Services Division met to review the Department of Commerce base budget for the 2027-29 biennium and to receive an update on Commerce programs. Legislative Council staff first walked the committee through the “blue sheet” base budget summary, explaining the major line items, the large share of federal grant authority in Commerce’s budget, and the continuing appropriations that support several Commerce funds. Members asked how grant funding is coordinated across agencies, and staff said collaboration varies by program but is strong in areas like UAS and LIHEAP. Commerce Commissioner Chris Schilken then presented on current activities, focusing heavily on grant administration, transparency, and economic development programs. Members questioned how grant applicants are selected, whether Commerce tracks applications and return on investment, and how long grant awards take to reach recipients. The commissioner said Commerce uses scoring criteria, outside reviewers, a minimum 30-day application window, and typically completes awards within two to three months. A lengthy exchange followed over whether Commerce should open some grants only to intended recipients versus running competitive application processes; Commerce said it follows best-practice grantmaking and that its attorney in the Attorney General’s office approved that approach. Commerce also highlighted the North Dakota Development Fund, citing long-term investment and job creation results, examples such as Red Trail Energy, Packet Digital, Valiance, Corvent Medical, child care loans, and the Automate ND program. Members asked about acceptable failures, lessons learned, regional economic development coordination, and the expansion of the fund into non-primary sectors. Workforce Director Katie Ralston Howell then outlined a statewide workforce ecosystem review, a new governor’s workforce sub-cabinet, and three task forces focused on simplifying entry, warm handoffs, and data integration. She discussed the in-demand occupations list, Workforce Pell, apprenticeships, and efforts to better connect students with employers and higher education. Commerce also briefly reviewed housing programs and a new housing sub-cabinet. No votes were taken; the committee simply received testimony, asked questions, and adjourned after setting up the next meeting to hear the Attorney General budget in June.

Transcript Highlights:

• Strangers poked and prodded his body like a live game of Operation.
• Two years ago when NATOs were permitted to come into the state to operate, and I can probably attest
• He's just some dude operating a channel on YouTube. To get views, because it was sensationalism.
• If any, are these body harvesters operating under?
• The words 'dignity' and 'respect' were themes that emerged today, and I think they are lasting.

Bills: SB1406 , SB1681 , SB2480 , SB2721

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Keywords: body donation, medical science, forensic science, willed body program, informed consent, boarding home, boarding home facility, adult care home, group home, assisted living, county reporting, municipal reporting, annual report, reasonable accommodation, fair housing, disability accommodation, local ordinance, permit requirement, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, HHSC

Transcript Highlights:

• They say, no, this has to go back to the operator of the kiosk.
• But then you're stuck, or the victim... ...operator of the kiosk.
• And Detective, that's interesting because you said the operator, so the kiosk operator had some sort
• Finally, policymakers should keep the door open for responsible operators.
• Bitcoin Depot is the largest operator of cryptocurrency kiosks in the world.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Financial Services

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several financial services bills, with the main focus on cryptocurrency kiosk regulation, financial literacy, and earned wage access. Legislators and witnesses described widespread crypto-related scams targeting older adults, often involving impersonation, urgency, spoofed phone numbers, and rapid transfers through kiosks that are difficult to trace or recover. Supporters of the kiosk bills said Massachusetts needs licensing, registration, transaction limits, warning notices, receipts, refund protections, and other safeguards; some also urged a “pause” or hold on transactions to give victims time to reconsider and allow law enforcement to intervene. The Attorney General’s office, AARP, local law enforcement, and several prosecutors and sheriffs backed the consumer-protection approach, while Bitcoin Depot supported a narrower regulatory framework but opposed low fee caps and strict daily limits, arguing they would function like a ban and reduce legitimate use. Witnesses from Waltham police, Middlesex and Essex County law enforcement, and the AG’s office said crypto scams are growing quickly, losses are often unrecoverable once funds move, and current tools are limited. They described cases involving elderly victims losing thousands of dollars, and said warnings alone are not enough because scammers keep victims on the phone and guide them through the process. Some witnesses said a temporary hold or refund mechanism has worked in at least one case, while others emphasized that transaction limits and visible disclosures could reduce harm even if they do not stop fraud entirely. The AG’s office also said it would submit written opposition to separate earned wage advance legislation, while DailyPay testified in support of that bill, saying earned wage access helps workers bridge short-term gaps without debt or credit reporting. The committee also heard support for mandatory financial literacy education from Representative Jim Hawkins, who said high school students need instruction on credit, debt, and inflation before they enter adulthood. In addition, the committee took testimony on litigation financing bills from insurance industry representatives, who argued for disclosure and regulation of predatory litigation lending and warned about foreign interference and reduced plaintiff recoveries. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing; members asked questions throughout, and the chair noted the need to move testimony along because of time constraints.

Transcript Highlights:

• operator? operator? &gt;&gt; Human<01:51:53.599><c> operator.
• operations of a 911 system.
• </c> station for emergencies. station for emergencies. &gt;&gt; Yes,<02:16:34.880><c> sir.
• </c> operation housed in the same location. operation housed in the same location. Right. Right.
• </c> judicial colleg's operations. judicial colleg's operations.

Keywords: 1136, house, all