Transcript Highlights:

• Members, a reminder that our country experiences fatalities and injuries from guns at a rate that is
• They don't have the same rate that we do rate of gun death.
• Members, a reminder that our country experiences fatalities and injuries from guns at a rate that is
• They don't have the same rate that we do rate of gun death.
• They don't have the same rate that we do rate of gun death. Tally social media.

Transcript Highlights:

• When we got to the children's hospital, they said Emerson's survival rate was 10%.
• Um if it survived survival rate was 10%.
• I've seen success rates and I have seen non-success rates, and those are terrible.
• I</c><01:04:36.400><c> have</c><01:04:36.559><c> seen</c> success rates and I have seen success rates
• If an AED can be used within the first 3 minutes of a cardiac event, they have a 75% survival rate.

Bills: HB0076 , HB0102 , HB0115

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• development and give an estimated cost for the infrastructure and, most importantly, the proposed rate
• </c><00:05:03.440><c> of</c><00:05:03.680><c> the</c> importantly the proposed rate of the importantly
• the proposed rate of the special<00:05:04.479><c> assessment</c><00:05:05.280><c> to</c><00:05:05.600
• </c><00:47:16.319><c> of</c> occupied in an age of higher rates of occupied in an age of higher rates
• You don't control interest rates.

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from its June 4, 2025 meeting and then heard a series of presentations focused largely on housing and land-use policy. Senator Robbie Mills and Representative Josh Bray discussed two 2025 housing measures: Senate Bill 50, which would create residential infrastructure development districts to help local governments finance infrastructure for new housing developments through special assessments and local debt, and House Bill 7, which would let local governments identify development areas and rebate new property tax revenue to developers as an incentive for housing growth. They said Kentucky faces a statewide housing shortage of roughly 210,000 units, projected to grow if building patterns do not change, and argued that regulatory relief and financing tools are needed to increase supply. Representative Rebecca Rymer presented House Bill 371, which would require local permitting when an industry’s residual waste landfill is located in a different county from the industry itself. She said current law lets such landfills bypass local review, leaving host counties with no say despite road impacts and other local burdens. She said the bill would preserve the existing exemption when the landfill and industry are co-located, and noted support from KLC and KO. Representative Steve Doan also described House Bill 806, a statewide backyard chicken bill that would allow domesticated hens, prohibit roosters, set a minimum of six hens that local governments could not go below, and preserve local authority over setbacks, sanitation, maintenance standards, and egg sales. He said it would override outright local bans but not HOA restrictions, and cited a current Northern Kentucky dispute and ADA litigation as reasons for the proposal. The committee then heard a broader discussion on housing and land use from Charlie Gardner of the Mercatus Center and Nolan Gray of California YIMBY and the Bluegrass Institute. They outlined categories of land-use regulation, described the recent growth of state-level housing reforms nationwide, and cited examples such as ADU legalization, smaller lot sizes, reduced parking minimums, streamlined permitting, and single-stair or other building-code reforms. They argued that housing shortages are a statewide concern, that localities often have incentives to block growth, and that state intervention can reduce costs and uncertainty without compromising health and safety. Members asked about the housing shortage estimate, the effect of red tape on safety and local authority, and how state reforms could be phased in; the presenters said reforms often include lead time, can be targeted to larger jurisdictions, and should focus on reducing time and cost while maintaining basic standards.

Transcript Highlights:

• Medicaid provider rate reduction.
• Medicaid provider rate reduction.
• A rate increase provided to those facilities.
• A rate increase provided to those facilities.
• A rate increase provided to facility. A rate increase provided to those<00:48:29.200><c> facilities.

Summary: The Legislative Budget Assistant staff presented an overview of the Senate changes to the House-passed budget, focusing on revenue estimates, appropriations, and ending balances across the general fund and education trust fund. The presentation emphasized that the Senate’s budget reflected higher revenue assumptions than the House, driven in part by updated April revenue figures, changes to business, tobacco, and real estate transfer tax splits, and different assumptions about video lottery terminal revenue. The Senate also adjusted lapse estimates upward, especially for HHS, after receiving updated information that lapses could be much larger than originally assumed. The presenter walked through the major differences in the surplus statements for fiscal years 2025 through 2027. Compared with the House, the Senate budget generally showed higher revenues, lower or different appropriations in some areas, and larger balances carried forward, including a larger education trust fund balance and a different rainy day fund transfer. The Senate’s approach also changed several policy assumptions, such as maintaining liquor revenue dedication, removing the House’s meals-and-rooms distribution cap, changing the treatment of unique revenue, and altering the process for meeting a targeted revenue amount by giving the governor more flexibility. On the appropriations side, the Senate removed or modified several House reductions and added funding or adjustments in areas including the judicial branch, corrections, HHS, the Human Rights Commission, and certain settlement costs. The presenter also highlighted Senate changes in House Bill 2 and related budget provisions, including a new arts tax credit, a nursing home bed fee, changes to Medicaid premium assumptions, and differences in how motor vehicle inspection repeal and BLT-related revenue are handled. No votes were taken in the portion shown; the discussion was informational and comparative, aimed at explaining the Senate budget changes before conference committee negotiations.

Transcript Highlights:

• And officers who rate an 80 to 90% successful hit rate when they are tested on a regular basis, when
• The hit rate is generally 10 to 20%. And The hit rate is generally 10 to 20%.
• And the that's a pretty low rate. such. And the that's a pretty low rate.
• ,</c><02:08:05.280><c> which</c> quote accidental shooting rate, which quote accidental shooting rate
• </c> rate we have. rate we have.

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Something is way off because nationally that rate should be 30% found unfit.
• </c> way off because nationally that rate way off because nationally that rate should<00:52:45.960><c
• The illegal dispensaries continue to negatively impact the participation rate. As Mr.
• reimbursement rate floor directly increases premiums for healthcare companies.
• </c> no data that this reimbursement rate no data that this reimbursement rate floor<01:38:13.800><c>

Committee: House Health

Summary: The committee first took up SB 1494 on hearing aids. Testimony was generally supportive of expanding hearing-aid coverage, with the Insurance Division raising concern about possible federal defrayment issues, SHPDA supporting the goal of hearing augmentation, DCAB strongly supporting the bill as an important access issue, and health plans and insurers asking for amendments. Kaiser Permanente and the Hawaii Association of Health Plans requested changes to add a medical-necessity standard and clarify annual notice language, while HMSA suggested the proposal should be studied by the auditor. The chair noted concerns about federal preemption and the lack of an audit, and deferred the bill in favor of a related resolution calling for a study. The committee then heard SB 1448, an emergency appropriation for the Hawaii State Hospital. DAGS and the Department of Health supported the measure, with the hospital administrator saying the funding would improve the environment of care, support cleaning, and allow a third-party review of the building. Committee members questioned the size of the request and the status of litigation against the design-builder. Administration witnesses said they were pursuing a comprehensive study involving destructive testing, had made a demand on the design-builder to fund the study, and were using different processes than before. They also said the roof work would be handled through a separate CIP request. No final action was taken in the portion provided. The committee next heard SB 1432, relating to the future responsibilities of the Department of Health and land issues at Kalaupapa after the last patient dies. DOH supported the bill in part but said its long-term role would be limited mainly to environmental cleanup, with operations expected to continue under the National Park Service and land-use decisions left to DHHL and beneficiary consultation. DHHL asked that the measure reflect that any land-use or zoning changes on homeland lands require commission approval and beneficiary consultation. Testifiers from Kalaupapa and Maui County, including Degra Vanderbilt-Papa and Council Member Keani Rollins-Fernandez, supported deferring the bill, saying there had been no meaningful community discussion about provisions affecting Kalaupapa’s future management and possible transfer of responsibilities to Maui County. The committee also read into the record written testimony from Gloria Marks emphasizing that Kalaupapa stakeholders must be included in future discussions. Finally, the committee heard SB 955 on fitness-to-proceed examinations. The Judiciary and the Public Defender’s Office both supported raising pay and standardizing expectations for private examiners, but opposed reducing felony fitness evaluations from three examiners to one and opposed expanding use of expedited reports. They argued that a single examiner would reduce reliability, create a more adversarial process, and likely increase costs and contested hearings, while expedited reports do not contain enough information for a proper fitness determination. The Department of Health also supported the bill’s intent but asked to preserve a three-examiner framework and said the goal was to reduce the number of people sent to the State Hospital, where admissions have reportedly risen about 20% year over year since Act 26. The bill remained under discussion in the excerpt, with no final vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I had to rate myself one to five as far as my performance and how I thought I was going.
• I rated myself a four. I was very competent in my job and very capable of my job.
• And when I sat down with him, he had rated me a five as excellent. ...of my job, and when I sat down
• with him, he had rated me a five as excellent, and he was a little perplexed as to why I didn't give

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Transportation

Summary: The Joint Committee on Transportation heard testimony on a range of bills focused on transportation funding, governance, and equity. Supporters backed proposals to create a North Central Massachusetts intercity passenger rail fund tied to a possible new gaming license (H. 3680/S. 2363), local parking assessments (H. 3756), third-party delivery fees (S. 2356/H. 3774), broader roadway pricing and congestion management measures (S. 2353/S. 2354), tolling equity and regional transit authority advisory boards (S. 2400/S. 2401), and Steamship Authority oversight reforms including board term limits (S. 2395). Testimony in favor emphasized new dedicated revenue sources, commuter rail expansion, regional equity, improved oversight, and better transit access for riders and communities that rely on public transportation. There was also testimony in opposition to the third-party delivery fee bills from Chamber of Progress, which argued the fee would raise costs for consumers, small businesses, and delivery workers, could reduce demand and jobs, and might not achieve the intended environmental benefits. Associated Builders and Contractors of Massachusetts opposed H. 3633, a transit expansion, electrification, and resiliency bill, specifically objecting to its mandatory project labor agreement requirement and saying it would limit competition and disadvantage non-union contractors and workers. Several witnesses spoke in favor of the Steamship Authority bill, saying term limits would improve transparency, accountability, and board turnover. The committee also heard detailed support for the North Central rail proposal from a legislator, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, and a transportation advocate, who described the bill as a way to generate long-term bonded revenue for rail infrastructure. After testimony concluded and no questions remained, the chairs entertained and received a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• When seniors choose to defer their taxes, the community can set an interest rate on the repayment of
• However, after they pass, the interest rate immediately shoots up to 16%.
• It just asks for a deferral on that 16% interest rate so that things can be settled.
• the program because they don't want to saddle their kids or their spouses with these large interest rates

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Summary: The committee heard testimony on H. 3256, a bill stemming from the Massachusetts Cranberry Revitalization Task Force that would remove Chapter 61A barriers for certain renewable energy projects on non-producing agricultural land. Supporters said the bill would let farmers separate adjacent land from Chapter 61A without a municipal right of first refusal, avoid rollback and advance tax penalties, and use small solar or other renewable projects to generate supplemental income while keeping the farm in operation. Testimony emphasized that the proposal is intended to be “farm-first,” limited to marginal or accessory land, and could also produce local tax revenue for municipalities. Some members raised concerns about whether the bill should be limited to solar, the appropriate project size, impacts on other agricultural sectors, and whether future sales or conversion back to other uses should trigger local rights of first refusal. Witnesses said the bill had been reported favorably in a prior session and noted that similar projects typically involve 20-year leases with extensions. The committee also took testimony on S. 2009, which would authorize regional transportation ballot initiatives. MAPC and Transportation for Mass argued that the bill would give municipalities and groups of municipalities a flexible tool to raise local revenue for transportation projects such as transit, roads, bridges, bikeways, and pedestrian infrastructure, with sunset provisions so the revenue ends when the project ends. They said the measure would not raise taxes on its own, but would allow local voters to decide whether to adopt a revenue source, and pointed to examples from other states where similar initiatives funded major transit and infrastructure projects. No votes were taken during the hearing. Testimony was also heard on S. 1922, which would create a Massachusetts fund allowing voluntary taxpayer donations to the UN Least Developed Countries Fund or related 501(c)(3) nonprofits supporting climate-vulnerable communities. Climate Reality Project representatives said the bill would let Massachusetts residents support climate resilience projects in the world’s poorest countries at no cost to the Commonwealth, and could serve as a model for other states. Senators questioned how recipient countries and nonprofits would be selected, what safeguards would exist regarding countries such as Yemen, and how taxpayers would know where donations would go; witnesses said the fund would be administered through the UN system and that they would provide more clarification. Rep. Michelle Ciccolo also testified on H. 3051, seeking a one-year deferral of the higher interest rate that applies when deferred property taxes become due after the death of a senior or veteran, saying the current jump to 16% can burden heirs and discourage use of the deferral program. The hearing concluded without any votes or committee actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, graduation rates are up. Our schools are in a state of emergency.
• Yes, graduation rates are up, but our students' reading and math proficiency rates are among the lowest
• Right now, our attendance and chronic absenteeism rates remain alarmingly high.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, graduation rates are up. ...in a state of emergency. Yes, graduation rates are up.
• But our students' reading and math proficiency rates are among the lowest in the nation, and in some
• Right now, our attendance and chronic absenteeism rates remain alarmingly high.

Summary: The Senate convened with the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation by Senator Starr, followed by several courtesies recognizing Pride Month, a staff birthday, and later a retirement and a community celebration. Senator Robinson then used remonstrances to warn against expanding surveillance through school bus camera systems, arguing that leaked plans from a vendor could create commercial databases of drivers’ movements and erode privacy. The main business was confirmation of numerous gubernatorial appointments and reappointments to boards and commissions. Senators debated the process at length, with several minority members objecting that the volume of nominees, limited hearing time, and lack of transparency made meaningful advice-and-consent review difficult. Supporters responded that the nominees were qualified public servants and that the Senate should work with the Governor’s office on reforms. The Senate first confirmed a large block of appointments, then confirmed two Sustainability Board appointees, and later confirmed three Quality Education Commission appointees after extended debate. The Quality Education Commission nominations drew the most substantive policy discussion. Opponents argued the commission needs more technical research expertise and broader representation, while supporters emphasized the nominees’ education experience and direct knowledge of Oregon schools. Several senators described Oregon’s education system as in crisis, citing low reading and math proficiency, chronic absenteeism, and the need for urgent reform of the Quality Education Model and school funding. The Senate also received a proposed rule amendment creating an official Senate seal, which was distributed and held on the table, and the chamber adjourned without further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we also are able to raise the MA rates up to what HCMC has already gotten.
• to</c><00:02:24.320><c> raise</c><00:02:24.680><c> the</c><00:02:25.040><c> MA</c><00:02:25.400><c> rates
• /c><00:02:26.400><c> up</c><00:02:26.640><c> to</c><00:02:26.760><c> what</c> able to raise the MA rates
• um up to what able to raise the MA rates um up to what HCMC<00:02:27.760><c> has</c><00:02:27.959><c

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill establishes contribution rates by employers for each class of employee who participates in the
• It does not change the employee's contribution rate, which remains 3%.
• The bill establishes contribution rates by employers for each class of employee who participates in the
• It does not change the employee's contribution to the rate, which remains 3%.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are very concerned that if, in the current mortgage interest rate environment, a homeowner adds a
• may need to bring cash to the table to satisfy the PACE lien to secure a better mortgage interest rate
• We continue to encourage the author and the committee to make PACE liens Mortgage interest rate.
• Lastly, the bill will ensure that inspection ratings are transparent and understandable for the homeowner

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• According to the CDC, our LGBTQ youth attempt suicide at almost triple the rate compared to their peers
• With suicide attempt rates for trans youth over three times those of their peers, we cannot afford this
• and emergency response systems depend on reliable connectivity, including those with our recent ICE rates
• It is concerning that both the CPUC and the state report only a 30 to 40 percent participation rate in

Summary: The Communications and Conveyance Committee heard several bills focused on telecommunications, emergency response, and digital access. AB 1540 by Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez would restore the 988 “press 3” option for LGBTQ+ youth crisis support, with strong support from suicide prevention advocates, mental health organizations, local governments, and family groups, and opposition from groups arguing it politicizes crisis services and raises safety concerns. Members emphasized the bill’s life-saving purpose and noted it would depend on federal approval. The committee voted AB 1540 out on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations. The committee also approved the consent calendar, including AB 2093 and AB 2193, both sent to Appropriations. AB 1832 by Assemblymember Ransom, as amended, would expand and stabilize statewide 211 services through a state fund, a community needs dashboard, and integration into emergency planning; supporters described 211’s role during disasters and service gaps in many counties, and the bill passed unanimously as amended to Appropriations. AB 2289, the chair’s bill, would create an Office of Broadband and Digital Equity, consolidate broadband programs, and narrow CPUC jurisdiction to voice communications; TURN and CWA District 9 opposed the regulatory changes but acknowledged shared goals, and the bill passed to Appropriations. AB 2424 by Assemblymember Carrillo would create a new low-income telecommunications advisory board to oversee California Lifeline and address fraud and oversight concerns. Supporters said the board would add needed telecommunications expertise and improve access for low-income and immigrant communities, while opponents argued an existing advisory structure already serves that role and warned of added costs and surcharges. After discussion, the committee voted AB 2424 out on a 7-2 vote to Appropriations. The meeting concluded after all listed bills were reported out.

Transcript Highlights:

• And literacy coaches are now working in every D- and F-rated school in the state of Arkansas.
• But because of LEARNS, in just three years, this school has gone from an F-rated school to a B, and I
• From an F-rated school to a B, and I know that they are headed for an A.
• from 18 months down to six months, helping Arkansans continue to enjoy some of the lowest utility rates

Summary: The meeting was the opening of the Arkansas General Assembly’s 2026 fiscal session, beginning with quorum calls, prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of guests, including law enforcement officers, a doctor of the day, nurse of the day, constitutional officers, Supreme Court justices, and family and friends of legislators. The House adopted House Resolution 1001 to convene a joint session for Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’s address, appointed committees to notify the Senate and the Governor, and later received the Senate into the chamber before recessing for the joint session. In the joint session, members observed a moment of silence for former Representative Stan Berry, then heard Governor Sanders’s fiscal session address. Her remarks focused heavily on the proposed budget and her administration’s priorities: fully funding education and the LEARNS Act, supporting teachers and literacy efforts, funding public safety and corrections, expanding the 1033 initiative to move people from crisis to career, and holding down government growth while pursuing further income tax cuts. She also highlighted economic development, low cost of living, and support for veterans, while emphasizing conservative policy themes and thanking several Arkansans whose stories illustrated the administration’s agenda. No substantive legislation was debated or voted on beyond the adoption of House Resolution 1001 and the procedural motions to adjourn the joint session and then adjourn the House until the next day. The House announced that Joint Budget would meet later that afternoon and again the following morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• every single grade level but one have gone up, and literacy coaches are now working in every D- and F-rated
• But because of LEARNS, in just three years, this school has gone from an F-rated school to a B, and I
• From an F-rated school to a B, and I know that they are headed for an A.
• from 18 months down to six months, helping Arkansans continue to enjoy some of the lowest utility rates

Transcript Highlights:

• just highlight some of the things that we've done that I believe have helped us reduce the vacancy rate
• Well, I'm not sure you mentioned the actual stats, because before it was a 20% vacancy rate.
• I'm not sure you mentioned the actual stats, because before it was a 20% vacancy rate and you've gone
• Another thing is that with such a large vacancy rate in many departments, why would you remove a recruitment-retention

Committee: Senate Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• Since taking on this role, the school has seen a notable drop in ninth-grade retention rates, and the
• 19.000><c> retention</c> notable drop in ninth-grade retention notable drop in ninth-grade retention rates
• 20.960><c> the</c><00:07:21.080><c> Freshman</c><00:07:21.600><c> Academy</c><00:07:22.480><c> has</c> rates
• , and the Freshman Academy has rates, and the Freshman Academy has earned<00:07:23.200><c> certification

Bills: HB1166 , HB389 , HB644 , HB1509 , HB1692 , HB1842 , HB1878 , HB1926 , HB1949 , HB2116 , HB2581

Transcript Highlights:

• geothermal, and solar would be distributed among taxing districts, and we chose to do that through levy rates
• unintended consequence that in many cases schools who don't have a levy don't therefore have a levy rate
• Schools don't therefore have a levy rate, and so they don't get to participate in the distribution of
• conversations as a school board as to whether or not they should run a levy simply so that they have a levy rate

Committee: House Revenue and Taxation

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not happening on your campus, and they're not paying tuition to do that, or it's a much-reduced rate
• Right, we can get you the persistence rate.
• + students persist from first year to second year at double, almost; it's a little over double the rate
• had also the highest amount that were persisting from year to year and had the highest graduation rate

Committee: House Joint Committee on Education

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education met to hear an informational presentation from the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development on Missouri’s higher education funding model and related workforce trends. Commissioner Bennett Boggs described the department’s mission, its data and workforce partnerships, and the need to better align postsecondary education with Missouri’s labor market, noting projections that 65% of jobs in the 2030s will require education beyond high school. He emphasized that the current “base-plus” funding approach dates to 1992 and no longer reflects demographic, technological, or economic changes, and said the department wants every institution to remain healthy and serve its region. Deputy Commissioner Leroye Wade outlined a proposed cost-based, performance-informed funding framework with four main parts: fixed costs, variable program costs, performance measures, and a mechanism for targeted legislative investment. He said the model is intended to be data-driven, transparent, and more responsive to enrollment changes, program mix, completion outcomes, workforce needs, and collaboration among institutions. He also reviewed the history of the effort, including a 2022 legislative appropriation for a study, a 2023 report, and subsequent interim and bill activity. Committee members asked about educational attainment goals, the P20W longitudinal data system, persistence and completion rates, and how the model would account for mission differences and student outcomes. Representative John Black, sponsor of the bill discussed, said the legislation is meant to move Missouri toward a 21st-century higher education funding system by tying appropriations more closely to state goals and institutional performance rather than continuing automatic across-the-board increases. He said the department’s work and the bill are intended to prompt continued refinement of the model, and he warned that declining enrollments and tight state finances make reform urgent. No votes were taken; the committee heard the presentation, allowed brief public comment, and then adjourned.