Transcript Highlights:

• Intercity Rail Capital Program for projects. $590 million from the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital
• of program guidelines and selection criteria necessary to effectuate or implement programs funded by
• and things like that, and thinking that somehow...
• and things like that, and thinking that somehow...
• And just work on those nuances to make sure that the funding gets out the door to the correct programs

Committee: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c> food service program and uh and the food service program and uh and the child<00:02:43.000><c> and
• Until early 2022, Feeding Our Future was a sponsor in two federal nutrition programs: the Child and Adult
• detects and prevents fraud, waste, and abuse.
• <00:45:42.960><c> oversight</c><00:45:43.880><c> and</c> program oversight and program oversight and
• CACFP and SFSP programs.

Committee: House Education Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• help with cooling needs and prevent shutoffs.
• help with cooling needs and prevent shutoffs.
• help with cooling needs and prevent shutoffs.
• help with cooling needs and prevent shutoffs.
• </c><01:37:08.040><c> is</c> question and the way that the program is question and the way that the program

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I developed breast cancer at an early age, and I wonder if those two things are connected.
• and co-coordinating a family program.
• I've run programs where I've had... partnerships with Highland and CNM and others so that we could develop
• Prevent last-minute emergencies and gaps in care.
• Madam Chair, Representatives, and experts, I worked as an executive at a teen pregnancy prevention program

Committee: House House Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• , Fellowship program, a 10-week paid fellowship that places participants in legislative offices and provides
• The program recognizes women ages 60 and older who volunteer, lead, and commit to having helped honor
• Carter was born and raised in Utah in the Mormon faith and earned the learning, the early tension between
• My honorary from Senate District 20 is Elizabeth Padilla, a dedicated community advocate and program
• She leads outreach, education, and program implementation efforts for the sidewalk vending program, helping

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance, then spent much of the session on floor recognitions and Pride Month observances. Members welcomed guests and honorees including APICA fellowship participants, the El Dorado Roses, retiring Loma Linda University Health president Dr. Richard Hart and incoming leader Dr. Anthony Hilliard, and Scripps National Spelling Bee champion Shrey Parique. The chamber also heard several personal and community tributes tied to LGBTQ+ Pride Month, including a long series of introductions of Pride honorees from across the state. The main legislative item was SR 116 recognizing June 2026 as LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Senators Cervantes, Weber Pierson, Becker, Menjivar, Arreguín, Wahab, Ochoa Bogh, Wiener, and Laird, among others, spoke in support, emphasizing the history of Stonewall and other LGBTQ+ resistance movements, the contributions of Black, Latino, Jewish, women, and Asian American LGBTQ communities, and the need to oppose ongoing discrimination, violence, and attacks on transgender people. The resolution was adopted after a roll call vote of 28-0, and the Senate then proceeded to honor a large slate of Pride honorees from multiple districts and organizations. The Senate also adopted SCR 166 designating Soju Day, with support highlighting Korean American culture and soju as a symbol of hospitality and cross-cultural exchange. SCR 155, naming the State Route 52/Interstate 805 interchange in San Diego County the Officer Kirk Leeland Johnson Memorial Interchange, also passed unanimously after remarks honoring Johnson’s military and police service and the long effort by his partner to secure the memorial. In addition, the Senate confirmed Laura Capps to the Board of State and Community Corrections by a 27-9 vote and confirmed Danielle Munoz to the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology by a 28-0 vote. The body also approved several Joint Rule 62(a) suspensions to allow committee hearings on short notice, moved AB 2294 to the inactive file, and sent SB 1189 back to the Assembly for further action. The session concluded with adjournment in memory motions for Judith Helene Ware, Huntley Gordon, and Adolfo Franceschi Colon, followed by announcements that the Senate would reconvene on June 25, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• and intelligence that they pick up, and then DPS is able to kind of put all that together and prevent
• Some degrees and certification programs lack workforce relevance and have low enrollment.
• I was the first one who started this in 2016 and got the first application in and started this program
• And so the best time to teach them a language is at that early age.
• 11.185 and 11.186, which are early childhood literacy and mathematics proficiency plans.

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, heard an invocation and pledges, and approved several routine motions, including excuses for absent members, permission for committees to meet while the House was in session, and postponements of some bills. The chamber also received a Senate message listing measures passed by the Senate and adopted a memorial resolution honoring the 21 victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, with remarks entered into the House Journal after a moment of silence. The House then took up a long third-reading calendar and passed a series of Senate bills on topics including criminal justice and corrections sunset provisions (SB 2405, 2406, 2407), election equipment testing (SB 2166), electric grid reliability and attack-preparedness exercises (SB 2148), firefighter collective bargaining (SB 777), DFPS and foster care procedures (SB 1141 and SB 1398), Medicare durable medical equipment billing (SB 1330), property tax administration (SB 1453), probate cleanup and record transfers (SB 1448 and SB 1839), mental health filing procedures (SB 53), school residency for children in safety placements (SB 226), diabetes-related amputation study (SB 1677), rapid DNA analysis (SB 1723), utility rate transparency and capacity cost recovery (SB 1664 and SB 1856), community supervision eligibility (SB 552 postponed), and other measures. Several bills passed with broad support, while others drew notable opposition and narrower margins, including SB 777, SB 2137, SB 2111, SB 1677, SB 1936, SB 1453, and SB 38. Two bills drew especially extensive debate. SB 2148, dealing with electricity supply chain reliability and tabletop exercises for critical facilities, was discussed as a grid-security measure aimed at coordinating utilities, law enforcement, ERCOT, and the PUC in the event of physical attacks; it passed unanimously. SB 1936, changing how LSD is measured for criminal prosecution from dosage-based to weight-based calculations, prompted extended discussion about lab consistency, carrier mediums, and fairness in charging, with supporters saying it would help crime labs and law enforcement and opponents warning it could distort penalties depending on the medium used; it passed 108-26. The House also passed SB 36, creating a Homeland Security Division within DPS, after questions about overlap with TDEM and the cost of adding personnel. Late in the day, the House debated SB 38 on eviction procedures, with supporters saying it targeted squatters and streamlined removal of unauthorized occupants, and opponents arguing it would make evictions too easy and worsen homelessness; it passed 85-44. The chamber also began debate on SB 37, a major higher-education governance bill that would expand governing-board oversight of curriculum, hiring, and faculty senates; members raised concerns about academic freedom, faculty governance, and the impact on humanities programs, and debate was still underway at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• We must expand this program so that more people are eligible and increase it.
• learning programs that help kids and hardworking families.
• support your effort to expand eligibility for free early learning programs to military families.
• Eligibility for free early learning programs to military families.
• My team will be following up with information about the program and ways you can help.

Summary: The joint session of the Washington Legislature convened to receive Governor Bob Ferguson’s State of the State address, with the House and Senate, Supreme Court justices, statewide elected officials, tribal leaders, consular representatives, and other guests formally introduced. The meeting also included the Pledge of Allegiance, a performance by the Wapato High School Choir, a prayer by Reverend Indiana Driver Gimmer, and a poem by State Poet Laureate Derek Sheffield. In his address, Governor Ferguson said the state remains strong economically but faces major challenges from recent historic flooding, aging transportation infrastructure, ferry reliability problems, the housing shortage, and affordability concerns. He proposed major budget priorities including more than a billion dollars for bridge and road maintenance without raising taxes, another billion dollars for ferries, and a record housing investment. He also called for a millionaire’s tax to fund expanded Working Families Tax Credit benefits, tax relief for small businesses, and more support for K-12 education, along with utility assistance and early learning expansion funded in part by a large private gift. The governor also criticized federal immigration enforcement practices and changes at the CDC, urged action on a bill to prohibit masked law enforcement and require identifying information, and backed shifting vaccine recommendations to the state health department. He highlighted several bipartisan proposals he said he would sign, including expanded early learning for military families, modular housing standards, reckless driving changes, crash review access to medical information, wildfire air resources for local fire departments, and fee refunds for missed agency deadlines. After the governor’s remarks, the joint session was dissolved by motion and the House adjourned until the next legislative day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 608 FN, relative to family caregiver support in certain programs and child care support for
• Leases help municipalities safeguard taxpayer funds and prevent large upfront payments on which taxpayers
• Leases help municipalities safeguard taxpayer funds and prevent large upfront payments on which taxpayers
• Leases help municipalities safeguard taxpayer funds and prevent large upfront payments on which taxpayers
• </c> here and they are a public servant and here and they are a public servant and have<00:59:29.520>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And thank you for the opportunity. Jonathan Bordelon, Deer Program Manager, Louisiana.
• Jonathan Bordelon, Deer Program Manager, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
• And that's yet to determine. Yeah, and it might, the need might not be prior to that early.
• The time tool allows us to attack the disease early in its cycle and allows for a better chance to prevent
• To keep the incidence of disease contained to the smallest footprint possible and to prevent transmission

Summary: The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission met on April 17, 2026, with a quorum present, adopted the agenda and prior minutes, and then focused primarily on chronic wasting disease (CWD) management in light of a new positive deer detection in Washington Parish. Staff explained that the March 11 declaration of emergency expanded the CWD control area into portions of Washington and surrounding parishes, including parts of Morehouse, Union, Lincoln, and Jackson, and that the emergency rule remains in effect for 180 days unless rescinded earlier. The commission also discussed the task force’s report and recommendations, but the chair indicated those recommendations would be tabled pending legislative action on Senate Concurrent Resolution 24 (SCR 24)."} 0}

Transcript Highlights:

• > programs are being run in and funded in programs are being run in and funded in in<00:43:10.000><c>
• </c><01:20:15.199><c> toxic</c> prevent a really important and toxic prevent a really important and toxic
• And of that, 149.7 million is being borne by the Medicaid program. ...by the Medicaid program.
• </c><04:43:12.160><c> program</c> the tobacco control prevention program the tobacco control prevention
• ><c> we</c> my early days as a patrolman and we my early days as a patrolman and we would<05:08:29.920

Committee: House Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused on House Bill 1281, which would establish standards and voluntary certification for agency-owned “facility comfort dogs” used by police and other public safety agencies. Representative Morton, the prime sponsor, said the bill is intended to create a consistent statewide framework because different departments currently use different policies. He emphasized that the bill is meant to distinguish comfort dogs from service animals, emotional support animals, and therapy dogs, and noted that a small amendment may be needed to make that distinction clearer. He also said the bill is timely under the ADA because comfort dogs fall outside service-animal protections, but still need training standards for public safety and consistency. Committee members questioned whether the bill was too detailed and whether the legislature should be setting rules on matters like training methods, diet, and breeding. Laura Barker of Hero Pups, who helped train New Hampshire’s first police comfort dog, supported the idea of a minimum standard but said the bill should be less prescriptive and should not interfere with therapy dogs or private handlers. She explained that comfort dogs vary in temperament and deployment needs, that raw diets raise zoonotic disease concerns, and that the program should remain voluntary and not cost the state money. Detective Michelle Jones of Portsmouth Police opposed the bill as written, saying the term “facility comfort dog” is confusing, the bill is overly restrictive, and some provisions go beyond what should be mandated by statute; she suggested a more flexible, guideline-based approach and noted that departments already have their own SOPs and can enforce them internally. Justin Brassen of the Manchester Police Department also testified, describing the history of comfort dog programs in New Hampshire and the work of a prior subcommittee formed through the governor’s commission on PTSD among first responders. He said there are currently no statewide standards and that the earlier study involved police, fire, EMS, dispatch, corrections, and NAMI New Hampshire, with the goal of creating a thoughtful work product. He agreed the bill needs work and answered questions about how departments handle training and public access. By the end of the hearing, members and witnesses discussed possible amendments, and one committee member suggested the bill may be better handled through interim study because of the amount of work still needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Delta levees were constructed in the late 1800s, early 1900s, and have not been upgraded in over
• restoring the Delta as a place and ensuring reliability. program manager for Restorated Delta.
• Golden West as early as 1875, and was the University of California's mascot... ...and was the University
• Development, and adds two new programs: the Innovation Outreach and Coordination Program, which works
• and no liens will result on the properties as a result of the program.

Committee: Senate Natural Resources and Water

Summary: The committee heard SB 872, which would direct $300 million annually for 20 years to repair Central Valley subsidence damage and Delta levees to protect State Water Project deliveries. The author and supporters said the bill is needed to safeguard water for 27 million Californians, prevent threats to life and billions in infrastructure, and address long-standing levee and canal vulnerabilities. Testimony in support came from Restore the Delta, the Central Coast Water Authority, and a broad coalition of water agencies, environmental groups, local governments, and business interests; one organization, the California Chamber of Commerce, supported if amended to include federal conveyance infrastructure. No opposition witnesses appeared. Members from both parties praised the bipartisan coalition and discussed funding, beneficiary-pays concerns, and the need to prioritize water infrastructure. The committee voted 5-0 to pass SB 872 as amended to Appropriations, with the bill placed on call. The committee then heard SB 1305, a study bill on the feasibility of reintroducing the California grizzly bear. The author and tribal co-sponsors framed the measure as a science-based, consultation-driven roadmap that would not authorize reintroduction but would evaluate habitat, impacts, and implementation. Supporters, including tribal representatives, conservation groups, and animal welfare organizations, emphasized the grizzly’s cultural significance, ecological role, and the value of planning for coexistence. Opposition came from retired and current law enforcement, county officials, ranching and hunting groups, and rural representatives, who raised public safety, staffing, livestock, and wildlife-management concerns, arguing the Department of Fish and Wildlife lacks resources for another apex predator. Committee members debated whether risk, public safety, local control, and potential reintroduction areas should be addressed earlier in the process. The author agreed to consider amendments on those points and on funding and local authority. The committee voted 4-1 to pass SB 1305 as amended to Appropriations, with the bill held on call. The committee also heard SB 1079, which would create a Cal Fire Fire Innovation Unit to identify firefighter needs, test new technologies, and speed deployment of successful wildfire tools. The author said the bill would formalize a pipeline from pilot projects to statewide use and build on existing Cal Fire technology efforts. Support came from Megafire Action, Fireworks, Aurora Tech, and the Orange County Fire Authority; the California Association of Realtors supported if amended to allow nonprofits to administer grants directly to homeowners. With no opposition testimony, the bill was moved on a 2-0 vote and held on call pending additional members. The committee later took up SB 997, a district bill for the North Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency that would grant lien authority so it can enforce groundwater fees and sustainability plan requirements without relying on civil litigation. Support came from water contractors, rural counties, and county associations; members discussed whether similar authority should be extended to other GSAs. The bill was moved on a 2-0 vote to Judiciary and held on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so if we had issues within the federal program..."
• , and then the Home Investment Partnership Program."
• And so it is somewhat dependent on the condition and the degree to which it is preventable.
• And over time, these adjustments prevent overproduction and reduce waste. All right.
• And again, just listing out the projects from 23-25 and some updates on early returns of ROI and where

Committee: Joint Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee

Summary: The Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee met to receive a series of audit presentations, beginning with approval of the prior meeting minutes and a review of the state’s annual comprehensive financial report (ACFR) for fiscal year 2025. The State Auditor’s Office and the Office of Management and Budget reported a clean opinion on the state’s financial statements and described continued growth in net position, strong general fund balance, and significant Legacy Fund investment income. Committee members asked about how the report reflects long-term finances and how North Dakota compares with other states, and OMB noted that the ACFR is based on audited actual results rather than budget forecasts. The committee then heard the North Dakota University System audit, which also received a clean opinion but included four findings: misreporting of Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund construction money, insufficient monitoring of service organizations, improper bank reconciliations at several campuses, and investment/cash recording issues at Bismarck State College. University System officials agreed with the findings and said corrective actions were underway, including internal review of bank reconciliations and greater use of shared services. Members also questioned practices such as campus use of certificates of deposit and whether repeated findings were being adequately addressed. Additional audits were presented for the State Fair Association, State Auditor’s Office, Workforce Safety and Insurance, Housing Finance Agency, Housing Incentive Fund, Job Service North Dakota, the Retirement and Investment Office, PERS, the Center for Distance Education, the Securities Department, the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents, the Ethics Commission, and the Office of Administrative Hearings. Most received clean opinions with no findings; exceptions included a repeat component-unit issue at the State Fair Foundation, a securities personnel-evaluation finding, and a Housing Finance Agency finding involving a late return of escrow surplus. The committee also discussed broader oversight issues, including the need for independent auditing of the Ethics Commission, possible legislative changes to give the State Auditor more subpoena power and independent legal counsel, and future work on data analytics, cybersecurity reviews, and audit capacity. The meeting recessed for lunch after these discussions.

Transcript Highlights:

• These programs have a demonstrated record of success across the Commonwealth and are an important part
• UMass Amherst's food science and tech program, for example, is ranked number one in the nation.
• And unless we can prevent that from happening, we shouldn't... ...fraudulent activity.
• And unless we can prevent that from happening, we shouldn't allow the kiosks to exist. Thank you.
• program, your bachelor's of social work program, it's our position and the NASW's position that an exam

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets

Summary: The House Bonding Committee met to hear testimony on H. 5527, the Mass Wins Act, with Secretary of Economic Development Eric Paley opening by describing the bill as a follow-on to Mass Leads. He said the proposal includes $305 million in bond authorizations, with $180 million for new programs and $125 million to expand existing ones, plus $140 million in deauthorizations of unused or redundant authorizations. He highlighted investments in applied AI and quantum, robotics, business expansion capital, defense innovation, global business attraction, ag tech and food science, downtowns, and the creative economy, and said the bill is intended to support geographic equity and small business growth across the Commonwealth. Committee members questioned the administration on several policy sections, including the MassCEC climate-tech certification language, housing-related provisions tied to 40B compliance and site plan review, the removal of the LCSW exam, AI transparency and federal preemption concerns, and the effect of lower LLC filing fees. Paley generally said some contested sections were added by the Economic Development Committee rather than the administration, defended the MassCEC discretion language as necessary for climate certification, and said the administration would follow up on committee-added provisions. He also said the bill’s housing provisions were meant to help address the state’s need for more homes and that the deauthorizations were housekeeping measures that did not affect current capital plan projects. Public testimony covered a wide range of topics. AARP and local advocates urged a statewide ban on cryptocurrency ATMs, arguing they are heavily used in scams, impose high fees, and drain money from seniors and local economies. Housing groups supported codifying site plan review and adding parking reform and YIGBY-style housing on faith-owned land. Building trades asked to include off-site fabrication in prevailing wage law. The Massachusetts Public Banking Campaign backed the bill and urged inclusion of a public bank concept. Several witnesses supported Section 106, the Transparency and Frontier AI Act, as a way to require safety plans, audits, incident reporting, and whistleblower protections for the largest AI companies, while an AI startup group argued the section would overregulate smaller firms and should be separated from the bond bill. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Her boyfriend locked the doors to prevent escape, poured gasoline on her and set her on fire.
• And Gottlieb and Rep.
• This gives our stories power and it is the power to protect, prevent, and build policy that will save
• PROGRAMS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS AND ESSENTIAL REPAIRS TO CONTRACT OPERATED FACILITIES AND
• And nurses and our care teams and prevents us investing in meaningful technologies and driving new innovations

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, and they're exposed to the criminal element early on.
• And we continue working as a team, and the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs works with
• Which mean more and more and more in the educational aspect of our work and the prevention aspect of
• and it's very exciting, um, and it takes a lot of, a lot of time and effort to go through that program
• for a gardening program and many, many others.

Committee: House Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• So these are all things that my Floor Leader April and I and others are working on and addressing.
• And our philosophy, Representative Stokesbary and I, in our caucus, is: if you want to come down and
• And frankly, the economic impact and the very pointed choosing of winners and losers the Democrats have
• And frankly, the economic impact and the very, very pointed, choose, economic impact and the very pointed
• choosing of winners and losers the Democrats have done with this bill and putting our small and medium

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: House and Senate Republican leaders held a press event to preview the final weeks of the legislative session and criticize several Democratic proposals. Their main focus was a proposed income tax on high earners, which they said is really an income tax that could later be expanded, and which drew what they described as record opposition in public sign-ins and testimony. They also objected to other fiscal bills they said would raise costs for food, agriculture, health care, energy, labor, and consumer goods, and they argued these measures would worsen affordability and encourage people and businesses to leave Washington. The caucus also highlighted bills they opposed on policy grounds, including measures affecting local authority over camping bans and housing permitting, an anti-initiative bill they called anti-voter, and a bill on sheriff background checks. They said they supported or were pleased to see movement on some Republican-backed measures, including tax exemptions for diapers, prepared foods, and certain licensing and continuing-education costs, as well as a repeal of last year’s services tax. They also said the Senate’s move to roll back the estate tax was a partial step in the right direction, though not enough to offset the proposed income tax. A major portion of the event centered on child welfare and the Keeping Families Together Act. Republicans criticized a House bill they said only partially addresses the “imminent harm” standard and does not adequately protect children in drug-affected homes, citing recent fatalities and critical incidents. They said they will keep pushing for changes and also mentioned support for adding fentanyl to the child endangerment statute. In closing, they said they would continue floor fights over the next week, and House Republicans announced they will issue their own media credentials to promote press access in Olympia.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that is just one of the programs that so far that they've that they've known.
• then they didn't have any type of programs like Idaho does when it comes to fraud prevention or any
• then they didn't have any type of programs like Idaho does when it comes to fraud prevention or any
• The next one was housing... ...and fraud prevention in place. Otherwise, that does not go through.
• But that one person that pleaded guilty was for $14 million in fraud just for that program, and that

Committee: House State Affairs

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes for Wednesday, March 4, and Thursday, March 5, by voice vote. It then took up House Bill 793, which Speaker Moyle said would redirect a share of alcohol tax revenue away from the permanent building fund and instead split it between the Alcohol Beverage Control account and an Idaho State Police salary account. He said the bill was intended to help fund alcohol enforcement and ISP salaries without raising taxes, and a member noted that related license-fee revenue had been declining. Representative Church moved to send the bill to the floor with a due pass recommendation, and the committee approved the motion by voice vote. The committee next considered RS 33447, a joint memorial introduced by Representative Tanner criticizing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and describing fraud in Minnesota state programs, including nutrition, child care, Medicaid, housing stabilization, and pandemic relief funds. Tanner argued the memorial was meant to highlight government accountability and taxpayer protection. Representative Diger moved to return the RS to the sponsor, saying the memorial would pull the committee into negative political rhetoric. The committee agreed and returned RS 33447 to the sponsor by voice vote, ending the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's keeping families together and it's preventing them from being out on the street.
• And we're modifying that program right now, and it's tentatively called Operation Follow-Up, and this
• Lower<00:20:39.760><c> and</c><00:20:40.080><c> prevent</c><00:20:41.280><c> things</c><00:20:41.600>
• <c> that</c><00:20:41.840><c> lead</c><00:20:42.960><c> to</c> Lower and prevent things that lead to
• This program is having a huge positive impact, and that's a legacy worth celebrating."

Committee: Senate Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• An act to amend the Social Services Law in relation to reimbursement for early and periodic screening
• An act to amend the Social Services Law in relation to reimbursement for early and periodic screening
• and termination.
• to establishing the Maternal Infant Care Centers pilot program and providing for the repeal of such provisions
• Many moons ago, we appropriated $350,000 for the establishment of this pilot program, and that is still

Committee: Senate Health

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Health considered a series of health-related bills, many of which were reported favorably. Among the measures approved were SB 999, which would restructure Medicaid reimbursement for early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment services for children with IEPs or disabilities; SB 1816, lowering the state definition of elevated blood lead levels to 3.5 micrograms per deciliter; SB 1911A, extending due process protections for health care professionals when insurers terminate or fail to renew them; and SB 3105, allowing reciprocity for out-of-state medical cannabis patients. The committee also advanced SB 4589 on federally qualified health center rate adequacy, SB 4955B on Medicaid Inspector General audit procedures, SB 9196 to ban new for-profit hospices, SB 9237 expanding the definition of family for certain foster care health facility services, and SB 9275 requiring Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care and prohibiting related discrimination. Several of these bills were sent to Finance, while others were sent to First Reading or Higher Education as noted. The committee also discussed SB 2625, which would expand pharmacists’ authority to prescribe, administer, and dispense medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder. One member raised concerns about expanding scope of practice without coordination with primary care or a holistic review of patient conditions, and indicated opposition; the bill was nevertheless referred to Higher Education. SB 5056B, requiring the Department of Health to examine heat vulnerability and heat-related deaths, prompted discussion about whether the bill should explicitly require recommendations for prevention; the sponsor said the idea was to gather data and that recommendations could be added, and the bill advanced with some reservations. Other measures included SB 7460, reauthorizing a maternal infant care centers pilot program using an existing $350,000 appropriation, and SB 9388, requiring public notice and engagement when a general hospital closes or shuts down a psychiatric, mental health, or substance use unit. The hospital closure bill drew discussion about relocations and whether moves that shift services to a new site would trigger the community engagement process; the sponsor said they would. Most bills were approved by voice vote, with some members voting no or without recommendation on certain measures, and the committee adjourned after reporting the bills onward.

Transcript Highlights:

• bright and early, but I would a.m. comes bright and early, but I would like<00:02:34.000><c> to</c><
• quality, and provides resources and supports for the programs.
• And um micro center would be a a program And um micro center would be a a program that that that is<00
• </c><00:13:02.360><c> and</c> who already was running a program and who already was running a program
• </c><00:47:50.800><c> and</c> about this program and about this program and you<00:47:52.040><c> know

Committee: Senate Families & Children

Keywords: 958, all