Transcript Highlights:

• Current law also does not limit, but gives the Department of General Services the ability to evaluate
• Currently, as the bill stands, SB 1398 skips this process of evaluation and determines with the DGS and
• Current law also does not limit but gives the Department of General Services the ability to evaluate
• and add additional certification the Department of General Services the ability to evaluate and add additional
• Currently as the stands, SB 1398 skips this process of evaluation and determines with the DGS and fast-tracks

Summary: The Governmental Organization Committee met as a subcommittee for much of the hearing because a quorum was initially absent, and it heard several bills focused on nonprofit support, alcohol regulation, immigration-related funding restrictions, outdoor advertising, and green building standards. SB 1240 by Senator McNerney would create an Office of Nonprofit Empowerment to help nonprofits navigate state procurement, grants, and reimbursement processes; supporters, including the Child Care Resource Center and the Little Hoover Commission, said nonprofits provide essential services but face delayed payments and burdensome bureaucracy. Committee members raised accountability concerns, but the author emphasized the bill does not dispense grants and would cost about $1.7 million in the first year. The bill was later approved and sent to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 917 by Senator Laird, which would remove the estate-grown grape requirement for wineries selling at farmers markets, allowing more family wineries to participate; winery and grape grower representatives said the change would help direct-to-consumer sales and local growers. SB 1171 by Senator Caballero would make private entities that contract with ICE ineligible for state-funded loans or grants; supporters from immigrant-rights groups described ICE detention and raids as harmful and inhumane, while some members spoke in favor of using state funds to avoid indirectly supporting ICE-related activity. Both bills advanced on party-line or near-party-line votes and were sent to Appropriations or Local Government as noted in the roll calls. Senator Rubio presented SB 1195, which would expand tied-house exemptions for certain entertainment, convention, and sports venues in specified counties, and SB 1228, which would allow a small number of existing outdoor advertising displays to continue operating despite a statutory sunset. Supporters said SB 1195 would create economic opportunity and clarify current law, while SB 1228 was described as a narrow fix to preserve legally permitted signs and local revenue; both bills passed the committee and were sent to Appropriations. The committee also considered SB 1398, which would recognize Green Globes as an alternative green building certification for state projects alongside LEED; supporters argued it would add flexibility and competition, while the U.S. Green Building Council opposed bypassing the Department of General Services’ equivalency review. The bill was approved and sent to Appropriations. The committee also took up a consent calendar and adjourned at 2:55 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• True protection lies in not dismantling what works but continuous evaluation, open communication, and
• regulations for medication administration in rest homes that include enhanced standards for training, evaluation
• We have many members who are already going above and beyond... ...evaluation and oversight.
• committee accept suggested substitute language for the bill, which would establish a task force to evaluate
• best practices relative to... ...language for the bill, which would establish a task force to evaluate

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Aging and Independence held a hearing on two assisted living bills, Senate 3057 and House 5376, which would create an Assisted Living Residence Trust Fund to support certification staffing, compliance reviews, complaint investigations, ombudsman services, public reporting, appeals, and oversight. Testimony from MassALA, AARP, and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman generally supported the bills and the dedicated funding stream, but MassALA urged amendments to expand career pathways for staff through certified medication aides and to add guardrails on the use of fines as a funding source. The Ombudsman supported the fund and emphasized the need for additional staffing to better serve the state’s assisted living residents. Committee members asked for draft amendment language, and the chairs indicated they were open to further discussion, especially on fines and CMA language. The committee then heard testimony on Senate 3056 and House 5243 regarding medication administration in rest homes. Providers, including the Massachusetts Association of Residential Care Homes, LeadingAge Massachusetts, and several rest home operators, opposed proposed Department of Public Health changes that would eliminate the long-standing “responsible person” model and move rest homes toward the Medication Administration Program (MAP). Witnesses said the current model has been used for decades, is tailored to rest homes, and is essential to affordability, staffing stability, and resident continuity of care; they warned that replacing it with MAP or nurse-only administration would raise costs, worsen workforce shortages, and could force closures or resident displacement. They asked the committee to support legislation preserving responsible persons’ authority to administer medications while improving training and oversight. Committee members asked questions about the history of the responsible person model, how medication administration works day to day, whether other states use similar systems, and whether data exist comparing medication error rates under MAP and the current model. The chairs said they were still reviewing building-code-related recommendations raised in the assisted living discussion and noted that some issues might be better addressed through a task force. The hearing concluded after testimony and questions, and the committee voted to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• As you know, S-Farhana is going live in July, and the current performance evaluation system will not
• This will help us evaluate all our employees on an electronic basis.
• This will help us evaluate all our employees on an electronic basis.
• we need to have this in place in January of '27 so that we can use it for the 2027 performance evaluation
• Well, the first evaluation will take place probably in May of '27, so we can see what those results are

Summary: The subcommittee reviewed multiple methods of finance and construction items, including projects for Arkansas State University, Black River Technical College, UAMS, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and UCA. The UAPB Allied Health and Sciences Building appeared both as a method of finance and as an alternative delivery construction project, with East Harding Construction selected and AMR Architects as designer. Members approved the methods of finance, the alternative delivery project, and several discretionary grants, including Department of Health grants for a heart attack center designation and community health worker training, and DHS grants related to homeless services, behavioral health transition support, and an enabling technology pilot. The committee then reviewed service contracts, including RFQs, construction-related contracts, intergovernmental agreements, and a large number of out-of-state and in-state contracts. Testimony focused heavily on DHS staffing and state hospital contracts, the Arkansas State Police seatbelt survey, AEDC’s lithium supply chain analysis, and Shared Administrative Services’ new SuccessFactors performance-management contract. Members asked detailed questions about contract nursing costs, turnover, hiring timelines, and whether some contracts were being renewed or amended beyond their original projected costs. DHS and Veterans Affairs officials explained staffing shortages, retention incentives, and the use of contract labor as a supplement to state employees. Several contracts drew scrutiny and were held for further review. Representative Wardlaw raised concerns about projected costs and repeated amendments on the Department of Education security contract and on DHS staffing contracts, arguing that some had exceeded their original projected totals. The committee voted to hold contracts 5, 7, and 8 until Friday, while adopting the remaining contracts. The meeting ended after informational reports on service contract amendments without material change, executed contracts, and emergency procurements were presented, with no further business before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• As you know, S-Farhanna is going live in July, and the current performance evaluation system will not
• This will help us to evaluate all..." "This is kind of the final act of the pay plan.
• This will help us to evaluate all our employees on an electronic basis.
• "We need to have this in place in January of '27 so that we can use it for the 2027 performance evaluation
• "Well, the first evaluation will take place probably in May of '27, so we can see what those results

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, this bill is simply allows pension professionals to evaluate a limited federally regulated investment
• This comes from a recommendation from the Incentive Evaluation Commission and lowers the tax on the insurance
• So we're trying to not, I shouldn't say we, the Incentive Evaluation Commission, the way I'm reading
• I Know that there's evaluations that we need to be doing on any kind of incentive, but I don't see a
• I don't discount the efforts that have been put in by the incident evaluation commission as well as our

Bills: SB1302, SB1389, SB1401, SB1776, SB1809, SB1858, SB1985, SB2053, SB2148

Keywords: income tax, tax rates, revenue certification, Oklahoma Tax Commission, state budget, education, tax credit, school choice, private school, tuition assistance, income limits, parental choice, accreditation, insurance, taxation, premium, home office credit, healthcare, teacher tax credit, income tax credit

Transcript Highlights:

• Under this bill, the criteria would evaluate potential customer savings using methods like discount rates
• with these types of bills in the past has been that the further out in the future you're trying to evaluate
• supplemental multi-decade transmission planning criteria, essentially, that would be utilized in the evaluation
• This will just be an additional evaluation that would be... ...additional information.
• There will be a contested case at the PUC to evaluate need, and so if people have concerns about the

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Part of my evaluation, I'll just give you an overview of the evaluation.
• So that was basically just an overview of what I accomplished with this evaluation.
• So, for the Kings River, there's nine structures that we evaluated within this Kings River.
• So for the Kings River, there's nine structures that we evaluated within this King's River.

Summary: The committee heard several water, parks, and wildlife bills. AB 764 would expand the list of exotic non-game birds that can be managed in California to better control mute swan populations; the author and California Waterfowl said swans are invasive, aggressive, and rapidly increasing, while no opposition testified. The bill passed to Appropriations. AB 616 would make the State Library Parks Pass program permanent by allowing state parks to transfer annual day-use passes to the State Library free of charge; supporters said it improves equitable access to parks, especially for low-income families, and the bill passed unanimously to Appropriations. AB 293 would require groundwater sustainability agencies to post board membership and a link to Form 700 filings online. Supporters, including the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, argued it would improve transparency and public trust, while opponents said the requirement was redundant and could discourage service on GSA boards. The bill passed, but with some no votes. AB 639 would narrow the definition of dams so certain weirs used for irrigation would not be subject to dam regulations; the author and technical witnesses said the structures pose no safety risk and are already closely managed, while members urged the bill be narrowed further to the Kings River area. It passed as amended to Appropriations. AB 679 would streamline land transfers for Big Basin Redwoods, Año Nuevo, and Butano State Parks by exempting those acquisitions from the Public Works Board process. Supporters said it would speed conservation and park rebuilding after the CZU fire, while one member opposed it over cost and broader state land-management concerns; it passed as amended. AB 454 would remove the sunset on the California Migratory Bird Protection Act, making state protections for migratory birds permanent after federal rollback concerns; it passed as amended to Appropriations. The committee also adopted its 2025-26 rules and approved the consent calendar, and the meeting adjourned after add-on votes were taken for absent members.

Transcript Highlights:

• THIS AND IF THEY'RE TURNING THE PROPERTY OVER QUICKLY PERHAPS THERE IS ANOTHER ASPECT WE NEED TO EVALUATE
• OPPAGA HAS CONDUCTED TWO OF THREE AFFORDABLE HOUSING EVALUATIONS DIRECTED BY FLORIDA LAW AS PART OF THAT
• THIS YEAR WE WILL BE EVALUATING FLORIDA'S HOUSING PROGRAMS TO DETERMINE THEIR CONSISTENCY WITH THE STATE
• THESE THREE EVALUATIONS WILL OCCUR ON A FIVE-YEAR CYCLE.
• THE ACT ALSO REQUIRED OPPAGA TO CONDUCT THREE EVALUATIONS EVERY FIVE YEARS.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If we move to slide 15, FNS does require evaluation of this waiver's effectiveness.
• If we move to slide 15, FNS does require evaluation of this waiver's effectiveness.
• We want to evaluate the utilization and ensure that services are being delivered correctly.
• We want to evaluate the utilization in managed care, ensuring that people are being assessed correctly
• They have submitted a variety of proposals that we are currently evaluating.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh we conduct research<00:05:17.759> and<00:05:18.000> evaluation<00:05:18.479> of
• of the evaluation work which I've<00:05:37.120> referenced<00:05:37.440> already.
• for is reports and analyses evaluations for is reports and analyses evaluations um<00:14:08.560>
• Reports are also submitted each year, with a formal evaluation every five years.
• <00:47:40.000> every each year with a formal evaluation every each year with a formal evaluation

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Committee on State Government met for its first meeting and heard a presentation from the Kentucky Center for Statistics (KY Stats) by Executive Director Matt Barry and Legislative Director Calli Arnold. The presentation reviewed KY Stats’ statutory background, its evolution from KESUS, its board membership, and its role in housing Kentucky’s longitudinal data system and labor market information office. Barry explained that KY Stats links data from multiple state sources, validates and cleans it, deidentifies it, and uses it to produce reports, evaluations, and responses to data requests for policymakers, practitioners, and the public. Barry described the scale of the system, noting more than 6,000 active data elements, 178 unique file types, and data from 48 sources across 26 agencies. He highlighted the agency’s privacy and security practices, including separate servers for source data and deidentified reporting data, and said KY Stats does not use real-time data. He also outlined the types of reports produced, including the annual high school feedback report and a recent life outcomes report tracking the 2017 public high school cohort’s postsecondary education, completion, wages, and employment outcomes. Members asked about the timeliness and availability of data, especially SNAP and Medicaid information, and Barry said most data arrive annually or quarterly and that Medicaid data had been used in a limited one-time project rather than as an ongoing feed. Questions also focused on artificial intelligence; Barry said KY Stats has not integrated AI but is exploring it cautiously because of privacy and security concerns. Several members encouraged further work with AI tools, while Barry emphasized that any use would need to protect confidentiality. The committee also discussed staffing and funding, with Barry saying KY Stats has about 49 total staff and annual funding of roughly $3.1 million in state general funds, plus federal labor-related funding. Committee members praised the agency’s work and suggested legislators may not fully understand its capabilities. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• We staff evaluate it, my staff and I, and then we have the executive director evaluate it, and we take
• We staff evaluate it, my staff and I, and then we have the executive director evaluate it, and we take
• So we would evaluate that to make sure it's feasible, it's reasonable, and that they can do that.
• Yeah, so you have evaluation of what occurred so far. Yes, so we had four awards.
• <00:50:53.000> for so we always we always evaluate for so we always we always evaluate for

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and Human Services Committee, Senate Bill 1113 allows the court, in proceedings for court-ordered evaluation
• or court-ordered treatment, to authorize an employee of a screening or evaluation agency to personally
• petitions, notices, and related documents on a proposed patient who is admitted to a screening or evaluation
• agency at the time the petition for evaluation or treatment is filed.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Republican caucus reviewed a long list of Senate bills and one House concurrent memorial, most of them described as third-read consent items. Topics included claims against the state, CPA licensing, creditor assignments, insurance adjuster licensing, school equivalency instruction, extending a credit enhancement board, firearm safety instruction in schools, student eligibility restrictions for school activities, Celebrate Freedom Week, release-time courses, voter registration roll access, campaign and disclosure mailing addresses, federal land designation tracking, public records review standards, workers’ compensation burial and death benefits, condominium flag displays, restrictions on sexually explicit material in schools and libraries, agency guidance posting, standardized state hiring, mental health court-ordered treatment procedures, autopsy supervision, tribal MOUs, controlled substance scheduling, emergency medical technician data privacy, dense breast tissue notice repeal, assisted living referral agency requirements, attorney disciplinary claims, fentanyl penalties, campus firearms rules, suppressors, defamation standards, mandatory reporting, attorney licensing, emergency service fee limits, forcible detainer changes, utility worker assault penalties, water basin reporting, small modular nuclear reactors, water recovery assumptions, ICE notification after arrests, military police certification pathways, and scholarship organization tax credits. Most bills were presented without debate and were noted as available for questions, with no votes taken in the caucus itself. A few items drew discussion. On SB 1040, members asked what information would be redacted from voter registration rolls; staff said existing statutory redactions such as voter registration numbers, ID numbers, Social Security numbers, and other personal identifying information would remain. SB 1193 prompted comments that EMT data being open source was surprising and that the issue might be expanded to paramedics. SB 1243 was described as strengthening guardian notification rights in court-ordered treatment, and SB 1318 was characterized as a cleanup measure to remove redundant state notice requirements for dense breast tissue. The most extended exchange came on SB 1148, which would require the Arizona Supreme Court to directly license attorneys rather than delegate that function to another organization; members asked whether the bill was shifting responsibility away from the State Bar, and staff explained that the court already has the duty but currently staffs part of the process out. SB 1418, which limits county regulation of certain small modular nuclear reactor projects, drew criticism from one member who argued it would reduce local control. The caucus also heard a sponsor presentation on H.C.M. 2009 urging Congress and the President to amend the Antiquities Act, compensate states for subsurface minerals, and streamline mining permits, with the sponsor emphasizing Arizona’s mining history and the need to access mineral resources more easily.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is not about re-evaluated.
• Uh I will note that while the evaluation Uh I will note that while the evaluation period<02:14:54.320
• Once that evaluation process ends, we have an independent evaluator.
• after passing the evaluations? after passing the evaluations?
• evaluated before commitments are made. evaluated before commitments are made.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• schoolers Johnson um I'm sure our middle schoolers will<00:14:39.040> be<00:14:39.240> evaluating
• us well so um you will be evaluating us well so um you know<00:14:42.800> I<00:14:43.000>
• <00:48:09.200> to we do not use anymore which is to we do not use anymore which is to evaluate
• > the<00:48:10.720> district's<00:48:11.520> um<00:48:11.760> operating evaluate
• the district's um operating evaluate the district's um operating Capital<00:48:12.800> Revenue

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• They're not in an evaluative mode here.
• The evaluation, it seems to me, stays back in the district and put squarely in the lap of the school
• They're not in an evaluative been met. They're not in an evaluative mode<00:38:17.920> here.
• <00:38:18.800> The<00:38:19.040> evaluation,<00:38:19.839> it<00:38:20.079><
• The evaluation, it seems to mode here.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met in executive session and reviewed several previously heard bills, but focused its discussion on SB 586 and SB 580. The chair explained that SB 586 would require school districts and school administrative units to publish audit reports after the fiscal year, and that an amendment, 1472H, had been prepared to replace the relevant audit/reporting section. The amendment would add SAUs to the reporting entities, expand the contents of audits to include items such as employee lists, pay, benefits, and pension liabilities, and change the timing so audits are submitted nine months after the fiscal year end, followed by a three-month Department of Education review and then a further correction period before any grant funding could be withheld. The amendment would also require the reports to be posted in searchable electronic form on the web. Committee members discussed whether the bill’s “non-compliance” language referred only to incomplete submissions or also to audit findings, and several members raised concerns about whether the Department of Education had the staff and authority to take on this role, whether the existing DOE25 process would be displaced, and whether the bill should instead remain with the Department of Revenue Administration. One member noted that the fiscal note anticipated the need for additional auditors and significant staffing costs. The committee also reviewed SB 580, described as a school cooperative purchasing program bill that also contains policy provisions for charter school trustees, school board members, and receivership-related language tied to Claremont. The chair said the committee had previously heard comments from Charlie Arlinghouse on the cooperative purchasing portion and would use a side-by-side comparison prepared by staff when it reached that bill. Other bills on the docket were briefly described but not taken up that day: SB 491, which has committee-requested amendments and a separate non-germane amendment related to curriculum frameworks and academic standards; SB 513, an owner’s project manager bill held as a possible vehicle for future non-germane language; and SB 531, concerning a cosmetology program in Coös County and a possible task force. The chair said the committee would not address 491, 513, or 531 that day and would return to 580 and 586.

Transcript Highlights:

• To evaluate the loss of inpatient rural health care access in this state, Texas ranks first by a long
• Have any advanced practice nurses been evaluated in this investigation by the Board of Nursing?
• Have you been able to evaluate? I'm sorry, I'm trying to catch up here.
• Program evaluation hours were truly formative years with many different vetted...
• Skilled evaluators provide constant feedback, and I had a different evaluator every month.

Bills: SB1888, SB3003, SB2417, SB2459, SB3055, HB1393, HB2884, SB2943

Keywords: grand jury, jury qualifications, jury wheel, small counties, Texas legislation, age verification, obscene devices, online sales, juvenile protection, penalties, antitrust, attorney general, Texas Free Enterprise, business regulations, legal confidentiality, personal identifying information, data brokers, judicial safety, civil rights, data privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• The potential patient would then fill out a health screener and risk evaluation to make sure that it
• We also ask the department to re-evaluate the entire program at the end of three years to see how it
• , to 7.2 0 where that program evaluation is talked about.
• , to 7.2 0 where that program evaluation is talked about.
• I don't have an exact number for you, but I would certainly want that to be part of the evaluation of

Bills: HF3454, HF3917, HF2906, HF3832, HF3769

Keywords: social work, licensure, employment titles, health occupations, professional standards, medication repository, drug donation, healthcare, Minnesota Statutes, pharmacy, public health, controlled substances, psilocybin, psilocin, psychedelic, psychedelic medicine, hallucinogen, mushrooms, magic mushrooms, therapeutic use

Transcript Highlights:

• We also found that the department has not developed a process to regularly evaluate the appropriateness
• We also found that the department has not developed a process to regularly evaluate the appropriateness
• Additionally, the Boxing and MMA Commission has not developed a process to regularly evaluate its licensing
• All right, in addition to the performance audit findings, the sunset review also evaluated the department
• Recommendations three and five regarding the settlement reviews, which are CFO evaluates Legends event

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The House Commerce Committee of Reference heard sunset reviews and a performance audit presentation for the Arizona Department of Gaming, the Racing Commission, the Boxing and MMA Commission, and later the Arizona Barbering and Cosmetology Board. The Auditor General reported that the Department of Gaming and the commissions generally met some statutory duties, but identified several problems: the department did not consistently obtain and review independent audits for event wagering and fantasy sports operators; the department and commissions had gaps in conflict-of-interest disclosures; the department and Boxing and MMA Commission lacked comprehensive complaint-handling processes; the department was late distributing some compact trust fund payments; and there were additional issues involving IT security, horse-racing license checks, fee reviews, public records practices, and licensing compliance. The Auditor General said the department agreed to implement all 36 recommendations, the Racing Commission agreed to six recommendations, and the Boxing and MMA Commission agreed to 13 recommendations. The department director said many fixes were already underway, including updated guidance, complaint tracking improvements, and a historical look-back on operator reporting, and she also discussed efforts to combat illegal gambling and educate minors and families about gambling risks. Committee members questioned the department about third-party audits, penalties for underpayments, public records handling, conflict-of-interest screening, and the department’s position on prediction markets and suitability standards for licensees. The director said the department would review past reports, could assess fines if violations were found, and would generally wait for final adjudication or final action in other jurisdictions before taking Arizona licensing action. After discussion, the committee voted to recommend the Department of Gaming be continued for two years until July 1, 2028, the Racing Commission for six years until July 1, 2032, and the Boxing and MMA Commission for six years until July 1, 2032. The Department of Gaming motion passed 7-4, the Racing Commission motion passed 10-1, and the Boxing and MMA Commission motion passed unanimously. The committee then heard the Auditor General’s report on the Arizona Barbering and Cosmetology Board. The audit found the board timely processed many licenses and complaints and had adopted curriculum rules, but it inconsistently applied its disciplinary guidelines, sometimes issuing different sanctions for similar violations without documenting the reasons for deviation. The report also found problems with reciprocity education requirements, application review controls, inspections, and compliance with open meeting, public records, and conflict-of-interest requirements, and it suggested possible statutory changes on aesthetics scope of practice, cease-and-desist authority, and training standards for I-LEST technicians. The board agreed with the findings and said it had already updated disciplinary parameters and documentation policies, with more recommendations in progress; committee members asked about discretion in discipline, audit funding, and service efficiency, and the board highlighted its licensing volume, call response, inspections, and complaint handling performance.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2016, A little more vetting went into it, but not with that clear evaluation criteria.
• And Madam Chair, Senator, what we realized is we did a program evaluation on water.
• It would be combined with the evaluation process.
• So right now we evaluate them in two different applications.
• We could evaluate them as we do with the Colonias. In one application.

Transcript Highlights:

• When you mention negotiation, how is the outcome of that negotiation evaluated?
• Is there a measurement and evaluation?
• You guys want to go back and re-evaluate.
• LFC is going to start looking at the evaluation of these things.
• Gaps in funding and disrupted services can also lead to delays in evaluation.