Transcript Highlights:

• Are we doing speeches or PIs?
• So, in considering the length of your speeches, think about that ugly math.
• </c><04:46:12.560><c> Those</c> worker or therapist. Period. Those worker or therapist. Period.
• Not only does this bill's language stifle speech, it has an immediate chilling effect.
• Not only does this bill's language stifle speech, it has an immediate chilling effect.

Transcript Highlights:

• And there's a dentist who's involved also because dentists have to supervise dental therapists.
• So there's a limited number of procedures at the beginning of a practice that dental therapists learn
• Therapists are doing some of the more modest things as well.
• There are three states right now that have dental therapists, and I have not been made aware in any way
• If I didn't think that was a good deal, I would not have flown the flag about dental therapists in the

Committee: Joint Health Care Committee

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then heard a detailed annual presentation from Dr. Thomas Arnold, chair of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, on maternal mortality trends and review findings. He explained the committee’s structure, the de-identified review process, and the distinction between pregnancy-associated and pregnancy-related deaths. He said national maternal mortality has declined from its 2021 peak, but mental health conditions, substance use, overdose, suicide, cardiovascular disease, hemorrhage, infection, and embolism remain major causes. He emphasized that many deaths are preventable, with especially high rates among non-Hispanic Black women and in the American Indian/Alaska Native population, and noted that a large share of deaths occur after 42 days postpartum. Committee members asked about suicide, domestic abuse, pregnancy testing in unexplained deaths, and the role of home births and midwife training. Dr. Arnold said the committee is adding a caseworker, exploring post-mortem pregnancy testing in suspicious cases, and working with coroners and forensic officials; he also said home births and untrained midwifery pose safety concerns and that better public education and facility-based care are important. The committee then heard from State Fire Marshal Dr. Matt Clark on cigarette ignition propensity standards and fire prevention. He recommended updating North Dakota’s cigarette ignition legislation to the current national standard and also considering legislation requiring fast-breakaway oxygen tubing, citing fatal fires involving smoking around home oxygen. He explained that his office verifies manufacturer testing and maintains certification for cigarettes sold in the state, but does not itself conduct the testing. Members asked about implementation, cost, and whether the standards apply in tribal communities; Clark said he would follow up with cost information and additional details, and that he had not seen evidence of a major issue on tribal lands but would look further. Christine Greff of the Department of Health and Human Services presented the North Dakota Stroke System of Care report. She described the statewide network of two comprehensive stroke centers, four primary stroke centers, and 30 acute stroke-ready hospitals, along with the stroke registry and quality-improvement efforts. She reported that most strokes are ischemic, that the median stroke patient age is 71.5, and that common risk factors include hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, and diabetes. She highlighted improvements in door-to-CT, thrombolytic treatment times, dysphagia screening, EMS pre-notification, and interfacility transfer performance, and said new priorities include hemorrhagic stroke quality measures and standardized EMS stroke screening tools. Members asked about the VA hospital’s participation, and Greff said she would pursue outreach. After a break, the committee heard testimony from Taha Khan of Vertex Pharmaceuticals as part of the prior authorization study, focused on non-opioid pain treatment. He argued that prior authorization can delay access to acute pain treatment and may push patients toward opioids, especially in the critical 24- to 72-hour post-discharge window. He cited data showing that even short opioid exposure can increase the risk of long-term use and said prior authorization is often a barrier for physicians and patients. Khan recommended open access with a quantity limit rather than prior authorization, suggesting a 14-day limit supported by the product’s data and an episode-of-care approach. Members asked about dental use, payer discussions, and cost; he said the product’s wholesale acquisition cost is about $16.10 per tablet, with patient assistance available, and that he would follow up on payer and comparison-cost questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• In addition, in 2005, Kentucky reimbured associate level therapists $78 an hour.
• In addition, in 2005, Kentucky reimbured associate level therapists $78 an hour.
• In addition, in 2005, Kentucky reimbured associate level therapists $78 an hour.
• <01:32:32.800><c> $78</c> therapists $78 therapists $78 um<01:32:34.880><c> and</c> um and um and 40<
• </c> therapist than we paid 20 years ago. therapist than we paid 20 years ago.

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board met on July 30, 2025, approved the June 25 minutes, and received a presentation from Katherine Castanza of the National Conference of State Legislatures on Medicaid provisions in H.R. 1. The presentation outlined more than 20 Medicaid-related provisions, emphasizing that the largest federal savings come from work/community engagement requirements, changes to provider taxes, limits on state-directed payments, more frequent eligibility redeterminations for expansion populations, and related eligibility/enrollment changes. She said the fiscal effects are backloaded, with most reductions occurring in the later years of the 10-year window, and noted potential significant impacts on hospital payments and state financing. She also described new funding opportunities, including a $50 billion rural health transformation fund and a new home and community-based services waiver with associated grants. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on Kentucky’s pending community engagement 1115 waiver and how it would interact with the new federal requirements. Board members asked whether the waiver had been approved, what the cabinet’s contingency plan would be if CMS does not approve it, and what the timeline is for compliance. Cabinet representatives said the waiver has not yet been approved by CMS, remains under public comment, and that the state will wait for CMS guidance before moving forward; if needed, the state would amend the waiver or submit a new one. They said the work requirement must be in place by January 1, 2027, with a possible extension to 2028. Castanza also explained that expansion adults with incomes between 100% and 138% of the federal poverty level would face new cost-sharing requirements beginning October 1, 2028, and that eligibility redeterminations would move from annual to every six months starting January 1, 2027. She then walked through provider tax changes, including a moratorium on new provider taxes beginning October 1, 2026, and a phased reduction in the hold-harmless threshold for existing taxes beginning January 1, 2028, with exemptions for nursing facilities and ICF/IID providers. Board members questioned the timing and likely impact on Kentucky, and Castanza responded that the effect would depend on each tax’s current rate and would phase in over time.

Transcript Highlights:

• So as a therapist, long-term couples therapist, I'm here to support the bill that is co-sponsored by
• That's free speech.
• are there other laws like this on the books, but are there any other laws that protect that kind of speech

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 25, which would prohibit a juvenile who committed a firearm-related delinquent act that would be a felony if committed by an adult from legally owning or possessing a firearm for 10 years after disposition. The sponsor and supporters said the bill is intended to address serious youth gun violence without lengthening juvenile sentences or unsealing records, and they emphasized that the substitute language was meant to clarify, not change, the bill’s intent. Support came from law enforcement, the district attorney’s office, CYFD, and business interests, while opponents including the Public Defender, ACLU, and criminal defense advocates argued it conflicts with juvenile-code principles, creates civil disabilities based on juvenile conduct, and could raise Second Amendment and sealing-record concerns. Members raised extensive questions about how the NICS background-check process would work, what offenses would qualify, whether the measure would apply retroactively, and how sealed juvenile records and pardons would be handled. After discussion, the committee adopted the committee substitute, but no final vote on the bill was taken in the portion provided; members discussed possibly working on the language further in Judiciary or tabling it. The committee then took up House Bill 15, the Medical Injury and Collaborative Resolution Act, described by the sponsor as New Mexico’s version of a candor law. The bill would create a protected adverse outcome conference process allowing patients and providers to discuss medical injuries or undesirable outcomes outside of court, with the goal of improving communication, giving patients answers, and reducing litigation. A family medicine doctor and a trial lawyer testified in support, saying patients often want explanations more than money and that open conversations can sometimes resolve disputes early. Public commenters also supported the concept, though one noted concerns about how pro se litigants would fit into the process. Committee questions focused on how the bill would define injury, how confidentiality would be enforced, whether statements could be used in court, who would pay for the process, and how it would interact with existing malpractice procedures. The sponsors said the conference would be voluntary, not require an apology, and would be protected by evidentiary rules; if protected statements were introduced at trial, they said remedies such as mistrial could apply. The discussion continued into procedural details, but no final action on HB 15 appears in the provided portion.

Transcript Highlights:

• He therefore could not receive inpatient or outpatient speech therapy to learn to talk again or to learn
• My name is Sherlyn Fenton, and I am a doctor of occupational therapy, a licensed occupational therapist
• With this, occupational therapists and other rehab providers spend significant time on non-billable tasks

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Health Care Financing

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing on a large docket of bills focused on MassHealth benefits and reimbursement, health equity, behavioral health, public health, dental access, 340B drug pricing, tobacco cessation, and coverage for children. The chairs emphasized rising health care costs, provider shortages, administrative burdens, and persistent inequities by income, race, geography, and immigration status. Much of the testimony centered on H.1416/S.901, an act to advance health equity, with legislators and members of the Health Equity Compact arguing for statewide benchmarks, stronger health equity leadership, reimbursement for interpreter services, community health workers and patient navigation, Medicaid graduate medical education support, and a health equity zone trust fund. Witnesses described disparities in life expectancy, maternal mortality, access to primary care, and the impact of federal Medicaid and social service cuts, and urged the committee to report the bill favorably. The committee also heard strong support for H.1368/S.847 on rapid whole genome sequencing for critically ill MassHealth children. Testifiers from industry, academia, hospitals, and families said early sequencing can end long diagnostic odysseys, improve treatment decisions, shorten hospital stays, and save money, while also providing emotional relief and information for families. The hearing then moved to H.1407 on MassHealth rate parity for inpatient behavioral health providers, where Rep. Scanlan and the Massachusetts Association of Behavioral Health Systems said the bill would codify existing administrative parity so managed care plans cannot pay less than the MassHealth fee-for-service rate. On H.1392/S.853 to preserve and protect public health, witnesses supported higher vaccine administration fees to improve provider participation and immunization rates. The committee also heard testimony on H.770/845 to protect 340B providers in MassHealth, and on S.848 to require reporting and transparency around 340B revenues and outside administrative costs. Additional bills drew testimony on tobacco cessation coverage for MassHealth members, with advocates supporting broader access to counseling and medications through medical, behavioral health, and dental providers. On H.1409, a nursing home operator asked for more flexibility in a MassHealth staffing-related penalty tied to patient days per resident. On H.1401/S.888, supporters of the “Take 10” dental access proposal said adult MassHealth dental coverage is underused because too few dentists accept MassHealth, leading to long travel times and avoidable emergency room visits; they urged incentive payments for dentists serving new adult MassHealth patients. Finally, on H.1403/S.855, “Cover All Kids,” advocates and immigrant community members urged removal of immigration status as a barrier to full MassHealth coverage for children, while also backing a related bill to ensure 12 months of continuous coverage for children. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and asked questions on costs, reimbursement levels, and implementation details.

Transcript Highlights:

• This will be my last speech in this chamber.
• As an occupational therapist, I know exactly who these cuts will hurt.
• I've heard— Occupational therapist, I know exactly how these cuts will hurt. Hurt.

Bills: HR874 , HB5371 , HR873

Keywords: Richard B. Cheney, Congress, House of Representatives, respect, resolution, continuing resolution, appropriations, fiscal year 2026, omnibus, government funding, federal budget, USDA, Department of Agriculture, FDA, Food and Drug Administration, Veterans Affairs, VA health care, military construction, legislative branch, Congress funding

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, music therapists are here today visiting with us, and they are in room 602 all day from 8:30 this
• Thank you so much for attending, gentlemen, and we're glad to have you. music therapies are music therapists
• are music therapies are music therapists are here<00:14:59.519><c> today</c><00:14:59.839><c> visiting

Bills: SB183 , SB160 , SB183 , SB160

Committee: House Boards, Agencies and Commissions

Keywords: tribal police, law enforcement, reservation safety, Ma-Chis Lower Creek Indian Tribe, indigenous rights, sales tax, use tax, sales and use tax, local tax exemption, county tax, municipal tax, county commission, municipal ordinance, resolution, Alabama Department of Revenue, tax administration, fiscal year, September 1 effective date, local government, tax exemption

Transcript Highlights:

• And so sometimes that's adherence to, like, taking your medication, seeing your therapist, going to school
• , which... ...has adherence to, like, taking your medication, seeing your therapist, going to school,
• child-requiring assistance issues, which, like, I need an IEP, my MassHealth has been discontinued, my therapist
• So, for example, go to your therapist appointments.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on Juvenile and Emerging Adult Justice

Summary: The Senate Committee on Juvenile and Emerging Adult Justice held an informational hearing focused on the 2025 Juvenile Justice Policy and Data Board annual report, with testimony from Child Advocate Marisol Garcia and Melissa Threadgill of the Office of the Child Advocate. The presenters described the office’s role in analyzing juvenile justice data and highlighted several trends: overall juvenile court volume has stabilized, but a growing share of youth are entering by arrest rather than summons; racial and ethnic disparities remain stark at the front door of the system; and more than two-thirds of cases are dismissed before disposition, raising questions about unnecessary court involvement. They also noted increased use of pretrial conditions of release, including more intensive monitoring, and a rise in weapons-related charges, especially firearm possession cases, while emphasizing the need for stronger community-based prevention and support services. Committee members asked about whether the weapons trend is unique to Massachusetts, the role of public safety in pretrial decisions, the impact of mental health and substance use needs, and whether current conditions of release amount to an unfunded mandate for families. Garcia and Threadgill said many pretrial conditions are tied more to court appearance and compliance than dangerousness, and that families often struggle to meet conditions without adequate services, transportation, or coordination. They also discussed barriers to data access, including confidentiality rules that prevent the office from obtaining raw court data needed for recidivism analysis, though they said county briefs and additional disparity reports will be released soon. The hearing ended with committee leaders expressing interest in continued collaboration and the committee voted to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so sometimes that's adherence to, like, taking your medication, seeing your therapist, going to school
• , which... ...has adherence to, like, taking your medication, seeing your therapist, going to school,
• requiring assistance issues, which, like, I need an IEP, my MassHealth has been discontinued, my therapist
• But otherwise, it's essentially an unfunded mandate toward achieving, so, for example, go to your therapist

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on Juvenile and Emerging Adult Justice

Transcript Highlights:

• this is very individualized, but provides holistic services to families and has a team of folks—a therapist
• The other piece too, Amy, is that finding a therapist that you find a good fit with is also challenging
• Finding a therapist that you find a good fit with, too, is also challenging.
• pathways already built into their electronic health record, and so they kind of have contracts with therapists

Summary: The meeting focused on maternal health and behavioral health services for pregnant and postpartum people in Connecticut. Dr. Fatmata Williams of DSS gave an update on the Husky maternity payment bundle, explaining that it was created in response to worsening maternal and neonatal outcomes and racial disparities. She said the bundle, launched in 2025, shifts payment away from fee-for-service toward prospective case rates, quality measures, and shared savings, while covering services such as doulas and maintaining access to behavioral health and other non-pregnancy-related care outside the bundle. She noted 26 maternity practices are participating, quarterly quality reports have been distributed, reconciliation is planned for 2026, and DSS is considering refinements such as adding newborns, revisiting shared losses, and possibly expanding to FQHCs after further stakeholder review. Shelly Nolan of DMHAS then described the state’s women’s services and recovery continuum, including pregnant and parenting treatment programs, women’s recovery support programs, community transition support with rent subsidies, the Proud program, REACH navigation, recovery houses, and outpatient services. She emphasized that many programs are under capacity and that DMHAS uses a no-wrong-door approach, real-time bed availability, technical assistance, and training to improve access. She also reviewed initiatives tied to substance-exposed pregnancies and safe sleep, secure storage, naloxone distribution, reproductive health integration, breastfeeding support, and upcoming conferences and trainings. She said the department works closely with DCF and community partners to reduce stigma and improve family-centered care. Beth Garrigan presented on the Access Mental Health and Substance Use for Moms program, a statewide consultation service for providers serving pregnant and postpartum individuals up to 12 months after delivery. She said the program offers real-time psychiatric consultation, referral support, and one-time face-to-face assessments, and has provided more than 4,300 consultations and resource/referral support to over 700 individuals since 2022. Members and legislators praised the service and discussed how it helps providers connect patients to care, follow up on referrals, and address barriers such as fit, stigma, and workflow. No votes were taken; the meeting ended with plans for the next meeting on June 8 and a request for Dr. Williams’ slides to be posted online.

Transcript Highlights:

• I trained new therapists. This is a beautiful, thorough piece of work, and I'm just dazzled.
• I'm going to need therapists in the next years, dealing with all sorts of and this means I can get help
• from wonderful therapists in many parts of the country.
• experienced in Arizona is when you create that kind of competition between really well-trained therapists

Bills: HB9 , HB50

Committee: House House Judiciary

Keywords: Immigrant Safety Act, immigration detention, civil immigration violations, ICE, federal immigration enforcement, sanctuary policy, public bodies, local government, sheriff's department, school district, higher education, deputization, 287(g), 8 U.S.C. 1357(g), 8 C.F.R. 287.7, intergovernmental services agreement, detainer, immigration cooperation, public property, attorney general enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• The laws that we want to codify today compel speech, compel conscience, and they restrict it.
• We need consent before revenue, speech before compulsion, the constitution before convenience.
• The laws that we want to codify today compel speech, compel conscience, and they restrict it.
• We need consent before revenue, speech before compulsion, the constitution before convenience.
• </c> We need consent before revenue, speech We need consent before revenue, speech before<01:48:05.520

Transcript Highlights:

• , on our adequacy survey this year, we asked superintendents if their district had mental health therapist
• Approximately 85% of those districts had mental health therapists employed through an agency or other
• Forty percent had a therapist employed directly through the district.
• And then there were 54 districts that had a mix—they had therapists on campus that were employed by the
• And the most common expenditure type went toward dyslexia therapist or dyslexia interventionist.

Summary: The House/Joint Education committee continued its adequacy study with a Bureau of Legislative Research presentation on resource allocation, focusing first on matrix spending and then non-matrix spending. Staff explained the methodology for mapping APSCN expenditure data to matrix lines, reviewed district and school categories used in the analysis, and highlighted key findings: foundation funding covered a large share of matrix costs but total spending on matrix items exceeded foundation funding, with classroom teachers making up the largest share. Members asked for additional breakdowns on waivers, superintendent survey responses, trend data, and spending by district type, size, and rural/urban status. Staff also noted limitations in tracking two matrix lines—salary enhancement for other employees and all personnel health insurance—because of coding and definition issues. The committee then reviewed non-matrix expenditures, including instructional aides, facilities, school safety, mental health, dyslexia services, gifted and talented, and career and technical education. Staff reported that non-matrix spending remained above $2 billion over the last three years, with most of it coming from other funds rather than foundation funding. Members raised concerns about dyslexia identification and funding, mental health needs, school safety, food service, athletic transportation, and whether some items should be added to the matrix. The Department of Education clarified that the building fund reflects district-held funds for construction and maintenance projects, while the facilities partnership program is a separate state process for approved projects. In the final discussion, staff summarized total spending as more than $15,800 per student in 2025, with about 69% going to matrix resources and 31% to non-matrix resources. The chair explained the adequacy process and the committee’s role in setting future funding recommendations, and members discussed the recommendations worksheet included in the binder. The chair then proposed postponing the remainder of Part Two of the presentation until a May meeting after the fiscal session, along with inviting the Department of Education back for more detailed questions; with no objections, the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The second way is that of a therapist.
• The second way is that of a of<00:24:20.799><c> a</c><00:24:21.039><c> therapist.
• It has been said that I of a therapist.
• So they encourage you to meet with an Ibagane therapist who walked you through the process of putting
• who walked you through Iain therapist who walked you through the<00:36:28.960><c> process</c><00:36:

Summary: The committee first reviewed preferred administrative regulations and, hearing no concerns, considered them reviewed. It then took up House Bill 388, described as a Casper cleanup bill. The sponsor said it would exempt charitable health care providers from e-prescribing requirements, allow Casper data sharing with certain federal entities, update references to hydrocodone’s schedule status, clean up drafting errors, and clarify practitioner registration with Casper. The bill passed 9-0 and was then approved for consent. Next, House Bill 134 was presented as a follow-up to a prior study on shortages of sexual assault nurse examiners and SANE-ready hospitals. The sponsor and a representative from the Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs said the bill would create a statewide SANE coordinator. The committee adopted a substitute, then passed the bill unanimously and sent it to consent. Senate Bill 147 was then heard as an administrative update to vital records, modernizing certified-copy requests, adjusting fees, and requiring the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to send the annual death report to the State Board of Elections by July 1 each year. It passed unanimously and was also moved to consent. House Bill 280, a Kentucky Board of Nursing cleanup bill, would let the board investigate out-of-state nurses applying for Kentucky licenses, clarify licensing language, and update school rescue medication provisions, including inhalers, nebulizers, glucagon, Solu-Cortef, and nasal epinephrine. A committee substitute narrowed the bill to glucagon updates, and one senator asked whether the bill also covered child care centers; the sponsor said it addressed school medications only but was open to further discussion. The bill passed 10-0 and was reported favorably. Finally, Senate Bill 77 drew extended testimony. The sponsor and supporters argued that ibogaine research and treatment could help address addiction, PTSD, and depression, citing studies, personal recovery stories, and a proposed public-private partnership funded through opioid settlement money. The committee substitute removed the bill’s appropriation request and emergency clause, and members asked questions about whether PTSD is an addiction, whether smoking was included, whether the bill was authorizing research rather than funding, and how the treatment works. The sponsor said the substitute was only creating a structure for research, not appropriating money, and supporters described ibogaine as a one-time, medically supervised treatment. The transcript cuts off before a final vote on Senate Bill 77 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• [No audible speech; transcript contains a single character: “e”.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains a single character: “e”.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains a single character: “e”.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains a single character: “e”.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains a single character: “e”.]

Summary: The Environment and Agriculture Committee held an introductory orientation for members, many of whom were new or newly assigned to the committee. Leadership emphasized that the committee is intended to operate in a nonpartisan, collaborative way, and members introduced themselves and described their backgrounds in farming, gardening, food service, environmental work, water and waste issues, veterinary work, and related fields. Several members noted personal ties to homesteading, livestock, orcharding, food security, landfill concerns, and animal welfare, while others said they were eager to learn the committee’s work. The chair then reviewed committee procedures and expectations. Members were told the committee would generally meet on Tuesdays, with hearings starting around 10 a.m. and often running until about 4:30 p.m., and that absences, substitutes for executive sessions, and email communications would be handled through House rules and the committee’s email system. The chair also covered decorum rules for live-streamed meetings, including professional dress, limiting food and drink at the table, and giving full attention to witnesses. Members were reminded that legislative emails are subject to public records laws and that the committee may soon transition to a new email domain. The chair also explained logistics such as bill folders, committee room storage, and emergency procedures for evacuation or shelter-in-place. No bills were debated or voted on in this meeting, but the chair noted that the committee already had roughly two dozen bills pending, including animal welfare, landfill, policy, and cat-and-dog related measures. Members were told to expect a broad mix of topics beyond agriculture, including solid waste and animal-related legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> licensure for music therapists. licensure for music therapists.
• When they walk into my clinic, they might see social workers, therapists, care coordinators, medical
• When they walk into my clinic, they might see social workers, therapists, care coordinators, medical
• ,</c><01:33:19.480><c> care</c> um social workers, therapists, care um social workers, therapists, care
• state, and a nationally board-certified massage therapist.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe the next one also was submitted by you for massage therapist state licensing. Yes.
• are folks here operating under the name of massage therapist and they're not.
• So we had licensed<00:32:20.200><c> massage</c><00:32:20.640><c> therapists</c><00:32:21.840><c> come
• </c><00:32:32.840><c> They</c><00:32:32.920><c> don't</c> therapist and they're not.
• They don't therapist and they're not.

Summary: The committee opened by explaining it would work through a long list of interim topics one at a time and asked members to complete a selection form at the end. The first topic, long-term care, drew testimony from AARP Wyoming and the Wyoming Long-Term Care Association. AARP emphasized Wyoming’s aging population, the state’s roughly $200 million annual Medicaid spending on long-term care, and the need to examine whether more support for home-based care could reduce nursing home use and costs. The association agreed with supporting people at home as long as possible, but asked that any study also consider increased support for nursing homes and assisted living when home care is no longer feasible. Committee discussion also touched on adult day care and PACE-like services, with Mr. Laycock noting prior Department of Health discussion and limited adult day availability due to reimbursement concerns. The committee then heard proposals for neonatal intensive care unit family leave, expanded midwifery scope, and a modification to workers’ compensation law. The NICU leave idea, presented by the Wyoming Women’s Foundation, would explore leave options for families with premature infants in intensive care, potentially paid or unpaid, while considering business size and the burden on families who may need out-of-state care. The midwifery topic was framed as a way to address rural maternity and women’s health gaps by allowing midwives to practice to the full extent of their training. On workers’ compensation, the Wyoming Association of Municipalities sought to classify dispatch personnel as first responders so they could receive mental health coverage under workers’ compensation; the Department of Workforce Services explained that current law covers dispatchers under workers’ compensation generally, but the first responder mental health provision added in 2018 applies to law enforcement and firefighters and does not currently include dispatchers. Other topics included problematic gaming and program funding, breast cancer diagnostic and supplemental exams, prescription drug coverage for advanced metastatic cancer, SNAP education, behavioral health workforce clinical training site shortages, CPR in schools, and broader midwifery oversight. The behavioral health workforce proposal, brought by a WICHE commissioner, focused on increasing psychology internship slots in Wyoming, noting that the state currently has only three and that expanding placements could improve recruitment and retention. The CPR in schools topic drew strong support from the American Heart Association, which argued that CPR training in high school could improve bystander response in a rural state with long EMS response times; committee members asked about cost and curriculum fit, and the witnesses said hands-only CPR could be taught by school staff rather than requiring expensive certification. The midwifery discussion later broadened into concerns about oversight and standards after a representative described a constituent’s pregnancy loss and said complaints involving midwifery practice and staffing delays in investigations warranted a deeper review. No votes were taken during the portion provided, and most topics were simply introduced, discussed, and left open for further testimony or later committee selection.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do not have enough trained staff. ...enough trained dyslexia therapists to support all the students
• over 40 staff positions vacant. ...have been cut, including directors, supervisors, trainers, and therapists
• As a currently practicing licensed dyslexia therapist, I am grateful. ...for the long history of support

Keywords: special education, funding gap, dyslexia, House Bill 2, Senate Bill 568, House Bill 3928, disability penalty

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on special education funding, with significant discussions around House Bill 2 (HB2), Senate Bill 568 (SB568), and House Bill 3928 (HB3928). Key speakers advocated for increased funding to close the estimated $1.7 billion annual gap that affects special education in Texas public schools. Several witnesses, including educators and students affected by dyslexia, provided personal testimonies about the impact of insufficient funding and the disability penalty, which penalizes schools financially for identifying students needing special education services. The committee demonstrated a strong commitment to advocate for changes that would improve special education resources and training for teachers, thereby ensuring that all Texas children receive the educational support they need to thrive.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, we are very honored to welcome over 250 Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants
• Occupational therapists play a crucial role. in supporting individuals recovering from life-changing
• I would ask you all to stand, everyone that's an occupational therapist or a student, and members let's

Bills: SB2 , SJR36 , SB2 , SR19 , SR27 , SR30 , SR32 , SCR11

Transcript Highlights:

• lie</c><00:07:07.800><c> to</c><00:07:07.960><c> us</c><00:07:08.120><c> as</c><00:07:08.360><c> therapists
• </c><00:07:08.919><c> but</c><00:07:09.039><c> you</c> always lie to us as therapists but you always
• lie to us as therapists but you can<00:07:09.240><c> never</c><00:07:09.440><c> lie</c><00:07:09.599>
• </p> <p>Often, the therapists and the folks that our folks go to are not trained to deal with the issues
• </p> <p>...peer support team or any other therapists that are already involved in that department.

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy