Transcript Highlights:

• You're bill requires new requirements for nurses, nursing assistants.
• And so my question is, how will the nursing homes ensure that these certified nursing assistants risk
• So it's not locked in yet that it would be the facility.
• The facility would have to make sure that that it happened.
• , our nursing homes, have the ability to correctly handle it.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And of course, we've dedicated recently a LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) or Nurse Practitioner who is
• This results in us becoming a peer support facility for other facilities around the state and around
• of the detention facility.
• And I see that you're looking at or you mentioned detox facilities, expansion of detox facilities.
• That's going to help school nurses recruit school nurses.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so one care and treatment facility.
• Um uh we had long-term care facilities.
• are in assisted living facilities. are in assisted living facilities.
• <00:19:38.320> homes, settings as we do for nursing homes, settings as we do for nursing homes
• > the<00:19:40.559> benefit skilled nursing that enjoy the benefit skilled nursing that

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, advanced practice registered nurse can participate in a, an insurance plan without her physician,
• She's representing Texas Nurse Nurse Partners. And herself.
• Uh, I'm testifying in support of House Bill 1942 on behalf of Texas nurse practitioners and myself.
• I'm a board certified family nurse practitioner as well as psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner
• , which is a foster care facility where we have hundreds of kids.

Bills: HB139

Keywords: ad valorem tax, tax rates, voter-approval, taxing unit, property tax, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• This is going to be mainly a school of nursing facility, but we have a lot of addressed needs that we
• <00:35:56.800> facility.
• be mainly a school of nursing facility. be mainly a school of nursing facility. uh<00:35:57.920>
• or university cash for that uh facility. or university cash for that uh facility.
• <02:02:35.040> Um, facility. It's 104,000 square ft. Um, facility.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:55 Approval of Minutes 00:02:01 Information Items 00:02:10 Review of Executive Branch Agency Plans 00:02:20 A. A. Eastern Kentucky University 00:02:48 B. B. Kentucky Community and Technical College System 00:15:21 C. C. Kentucky State University 00:31:43 D. D. Morehead State University 00:41:44 E. E. Murray State University 01:01:56 F. F. Northern Kentucky University 01:16:09 G. G. University of Kentucky and Hospital 01:25:00 H. H. University of Louisville 01:42:52 I. I. Western Kentucky University 01:56:17, 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a roll call establishing a quorum. The committee then approved the prior meeting’s minutes. Members were reminded to silence cell phones, and the chair noted an informational item on capital plan amendments made by state agencies during the latest revision period before moving to university capital plan presentations. Eastern Kentucky University President David McFaden outlined EKU’s enrollment growth, strong Kentucky student retention, and signature programs in nursing, occupational therapy, criminal justice, education, manufacturing engineering, and aviation. EKU’s main capital priorities were a new health innovation project to support a proposed osteopathic medical program, including a $50 million escrow requirement until accreditation; a collaborative center for health innovation to address outdated health sciences facilities; a $5 million startup request for an air traffic control program; aircraft upgrades for the aviation fleet; and continued asset preservation funding. In response to questions, EKU said roughly 40% of the new health facility would be dedicated to the medical school, with shared simulation space for multiple health programs, and that aviation maintenance needs are currently being met through KCTCS partners but could be expanded if demand grows. KCTCS representatives then described the system’s scale and capital needs, noting service to 107,000 students, extensive dual credit and workforce training, and a network of 342 buildings across 70 campuses. They said prior legislative support, including $277 million in asset preservation and $90 million released for approved projects, had helped with safety, roofs, energy efficiency, and campus security. Their current priorities include about $30 million for systemwide safety and security upgrades, renovations tied to consolidation and footprint reduction under Senate Joint Resolution 179, and broader asset preservation needs estimated at roughly $300 million to $325 million. Members discussed the need to preserve and expand skilled trades training, and KCTCS said its plan includes construction trades and flexible, multiuse facilities that can adapt to changing workforce needs. No votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes, and the presentations concluded with questions and discussion only.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill before the committee is House Bill 1095, relative to alternative power sources in nursing facilities
• , to require nursing facilities to have fuel or an alternative power generation source to power nursing
• Amendment 2 excludes certain facilities.
• Amendment 2 excludes certain facilities.
• You mentioned nurses.

Summary: The House Committee on Health and Welfare met on April 23 and first disposed of several items without hearing them, including HB 1093 and HB 1145, and voluntarily deferring HB 946. The committee then quickly reported HB 1095 favorably without objection. That bill would require nursing facilities to have fuel or another alternative power generation source to maintain power, and supporters said it preserves existing backup-power safety requirements while giving facilities more flexibility as technology changes. The committee then took up HB 926, which concerns vaccination status and admission to public buildings and seeks to prohibit medical mandates. After adopting an amendment set and additional changes clarifying exclusions for licensed health care providers and facilities, medical masks, and child welfare/school-related provisions, the committee heard testimony both for and against the bill. Supporters framed it as a civil-liberties measure limiting vaccine-card requirements for public buildings, while opponents warned it could interfere with public health measures, school immunization rules, and the ability of health care facilities to protect patients. The bill was reported favorably on an 8-4 vote. HB 1220, a cleanup bill for the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, was then reported favorably after a technical amendment set. HB 1227, which would require complaints involving medical judgment to be reviewed by a three-physician panel before formal disciplinary action, drew extensive testimony from a physician sponsor, a doctor describing his disciplinary experience, and the board’s executive director, who said the board already uses practicing physicians, nurses, and experts in its process and warned the proposed panel system could be impractical because physicians are difficult to recruit for such reviews. At the sponsor’s request, the committee voluntarily deferred HB 1227 for further work. Finally, the committee reported HB 1217 favorably with amendments to a pharmacy benefit manager transparency bill, after supporters said it would expose hidden pricing and rebate practices and opponents argued some provisions were duplicative or unnecessary. HB 1028, setting minimum Medicaid reimbursement rates for non-emergency medical transportation, was reported favorably and referred to Appropriations after supporters described the need for higher rates and members discussed funding. The committee also reported HB 1185 favorably, with amendments preserving the existing Rural Hospital Preservation Act while extending similar protections to additional rural-lookalike hospitals, and adopted HCR 76 to continue the Health Inequities and Disparities in Rural Areas Task Force for another year.

Transcript Highlights:

• intent to then remove skilled nursing intent to then remove skilled nursing facilities<00:46:29.680
• <00:46:47.839> facility<00:46:48.240> or and leaving skilled nursing facility or and
• leaving skilled nursing facility or hospice<00:46:48.880> facility?
• > it skilled nursing facilities and remove it skilled nursing facilities and remove it from<00
• <00:48:03.520> are<00:48:03.760> at nursing home facilities as they are at nursing

Keywords: Public Health and Welfare - Room 216, 25 February, 2026; 3:00 PM, 925, all

Summary: The committee first handled House Bill 612, which had been laid on the table because of questions about section one. Senator Tate explained that section one would allow the state, counties, and municipalities to enter interlocal agreements to provide installation support services on military installations, mainly road and infrastructure work such as paving and dirt work, and that section two would add Coast Guard medics to an existing provision allowing trained military medics to sit for LPN certification. After questions about the breadth of “installation support services,” the committee adopted the motion for title sufficient, due pass, with opposition noted, and the bill was reported to the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee. House Bill 942 was then passed over at Senator McMahon’s request until Tuesday. The committee then took up House Bill 1034, which would allow terminally ill hospital patients to use medical cannabis gummies. The sponsor said the bill is intended to help terminally ill patients who already qualify for medical cannabis but are denied access in hospitals, and that it prohibits smoking or inhalation. Members raised concerns about whether the bill was too broad, whether it would interfere with hospital and physician judgment, possible drug interactions, federal law issues, liability for hospitals and doctors, storage and disposal requirements, and whether hospitals would incur costs or be forced to handle cannabis on their premises. The sponsor responded that the patient’s use would be logged in the chart, that the caregiver is generally responsible for the lockbox and disposal, and that the bill includes language allowing a facility to opt out if compliance would jeopardize federal funding or licensing. The bill’s author also described the measure as arising from a Coast Guard family’s experience in which a terminally ill patient was denied access to medical cannabis at one hospital but allowed at another, and said the goal is to prevent similar denials for terminally ill patients. He said he was not aware of other drugs treated this way in hospitals, but argued that terminally ill patients should have access to most anything they want. The discussion ended with Senator England asking whether changing the bill’s requirement that a facility “shall” allow medical cannabis to “may” allow it would better protect hospitals and preserve discretion, but no final action on House Bill 1034 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota's Physicians nurse Minnesota's Physicians nurse practitioners<01:49:07.960> nurses<
• For example, in nursing, we are the state's largest producer of doctorally prepared nurses, nurse practitioners
• of nurses we face.
• For example, in nursing, we are the state's largest producer of doctorally prepared nurses, nurse practitioners
• <01:51:41.040> Nurse doctorally prepared nurses Nurse doctorally prepared nurses Nurse Practitioners

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• is school nurses in heard um from nurses is school nurses in particular<00:21:22.720> that<00
• <00:39:43.520> does granted to healthc care facilities does granted to healthc care facilities
• nurse this immunity would expose<00:40:17.920> county<00:40:18.240> nursing<00:40:18.640
• > as<00:40:32.320> a Counties operate nursing homes as a Counties operate nursing homes
• <00:40:44.480> that financial stability of facilities that financial stability of facilities

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I urge you to imagine these young men sitting before you being forced back into skilled nursing facilities
• And this will mean that people like this will have to go back to skilled nursing facilities, where the
• , skilled nursing facilities that are two hours away from my home.
• nursing that we need at the congregate living facilities.
• This is to implement program integrity for two skilled nursing facility programs authorized by AB 186

Summary: The committee heard a budget oversight hearing on the Department of Health Care Services, focusing first on the overall Medi-Cal budget and a March General Fund loan to cover a current-year shortfall. DHCS said the 2025-26 budget proposal totals $193.4 billion, with Medi-Cal projected at $188.1 billion total funds and $42.1 billion General Fund, driven by higher enrollment, pharmacy costs, managed care growth, and costs tied to eligibility expansions and the COVID-era redetermination unwinding. The department said the $3.44 billion loan was needed to manage cash flow and ensure timely payments to providers and plans, while the LAO noted Medi-Cal’s cash-basis budgeting creates volatility and that more detailed estimates would come with the May Revision. Members discussed federal Medicaid threats, the need for transparency on cost drivers, and the impact of pharmacy spending, long-term care, and immigration-related coverage expansions. The second major topic was family health programs, including California Children’s Services, the continuous coverage unwinding, and opioid settlement fund spending. DHCS described CCS funding methodology changes, ongoing county stakeholder work, and a delayed rollout of CCS monitoring and oversight until July 1, 2025, while county representatives and advocates argued the program is underfunded and asked for more technical assistance and a delay in implementation. On the unwinding, the department explained that federal redetermination flexibilities helped maintain coverage after the pandemic, but the Governor’s budget proposes ending them at the end of June 2025; advocates urged making the flexibilities permanent to avoid coverage losses. For opioid settlement funds, DHCS and Finance said the budget increases funding for naloxone distribution while reducing other harm-reduction spending based on updated settlement revenues, prompting criticism from members and public commenters who argued the change would weaken effective harm-reduction programs. The hearing also included an update on Proposition 35 implementation. DHCS said the voter-approved measure continuously appropriates MCO tax revenues beginning in 2025, with up to $4.6 billion annually available for specified Medi-Cal and provider investments in 2025 and 2026, but implementation depends on consultation with the required stakeholder advisory committee. The department and LAO noted uncertainty about future federal rules affecting the MCO tax after 2026. Public testimony largely supported maintaining Medi-Cal expansions, protecting immigrant coverage, preserving harm-reduction funding, and increasing support for community health workers, pediatric dental care, and CCS county administration. No votes were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yet instead, right now, they will be forced back into large, overcrowded skilled nursing facilities,
• I urge you to imagine these young men sitting before you, being forced back into skilled nursing facilities
• skilled nursing facilities where the quality of life will be different.
• Definitions and the criteria for four community supports, including nursing facility diversion, community
• This is to implement program integrity for two skilled nursing facility programs.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I will say, Madam Chair, that I love this facility.
• This facility, with the latest expansion with your support, the 50,000 square foot facility that's going
• These providers are then supported by clinical services of APPs, nurses, nurse navigators, and MAs.
• We hear this regularly, and we get emails constantly from our local nurses and nursing staff about this
• Nursing and some of the other professions.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so if you value nursing facilities that take more Medicaid patients or higher acuity patients, there's
• <01:44:45.760> Um, nursing home facilities. Um, nursing home facilities.
• more nursing facilities that take more nursing facilities that take more Medicaid<01:45:44.520><
• If you look at the budget and you look at the actuals within the accounting unit that the nursing facility
• accounting unit that the nursing accounting unit that the nursing facility<01:47:18.720> rates

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: Division Three of the Finance Committee met in work session on April 20, 2026, to consider Senate Bills 481, 603, and 663, with the discussion focused primarily on SB 481, relative to the sale of the Sununu Youth Services Center property. The chair explained that the bill was advisory only and that the committee’s recommendations would go to full Finance on April 27. For SB 481, members reviewed conflicting provisions in the prior budget law about whether sale proceeds should go to the general fund or the Youth Development Center Claims and Administration Settlement Fund, and the bill was described as a compromise that would direct proceeds to the general fund before June 30, 2027, and to the settlement fund after that date. It was noted that the settlement fund had originally received about $20 million and had roughly $10 million remaining. The committee also received an extensive update from DCYF Director Marie Noonan on the new Youth Development Center in Hampstead. She reported that construction remained on schedule, with major structural and interior work complete, substantial completion expected in late summer or early fall 2026, and occupancy anticipated in early 2027. The presentation highlighted the facility’s design features, including single-occupancy bedrooms, sensory rooms, an education wing, medical and clinical suites, visitation space, a gym, and multiple outdoor courtyards, all intended to support a trauma-informed setting. Members asked about the facility’s funding, square footage, fencing, and scanner; staff said the building is about 34,000 square feet, funded entirely with federal ARPA state recovery funds to date, and that the scanner is on site but not yet operational pending policy and staff training. Committee members also raised concerns about the facility’s design and security. In response, DCYF said some concrete walls are required for structural and safety reasons, but they are being painted to maintain a brighter environment, and that the fencing will be about 15 feet high with privacy netting because the campus is shared with Hampstead. Officials said the new facility is legislatively limited to a maximum of 12 youth, while the current center can house 12 to 18, and emphasized that courts ultimately determine placements. No votes or final actions were taken during the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm also joined with our director of nursing facilities, and Chair Backer, thank you.
• <00:21:43.559> facilities<00:21:44.440> and our director of nursing facilities and
• I'm also joined with our director of nursing facilities, and Chair Backer, thank you.
• Other hospitals and nursing facilities are miles and miles away, so it's pretty isolated, and I guess
• home and what rates we're paying in the nursing home aspect of the facility.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, you know, I have a perspective on this from a nurse, as a nurse and as a nurse who's not working
• as a nurse, as a matter of fact.
• Would you consider this successful if you got 50 more nurses or 100 more nurses?
• behalf of the Nursing Association and the Nurse Practitioner Council.
• behalf of the Nursing Association and the Nurse Practitioner Council.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• New nurses, new graduate nurses are leaving the profession at unprecedented rates.
• You will be able to recruit more nurses. There are plenty of nurses in our state.
• We don't have nurses.
• Doctors and nurses, okay?
• Keep our nurses here and attract our nurses through other means.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our nursing facility settings continue to have elevated vacancy rates for workforce positions.
• Our nursing facility settings continue to have elevated vacancy rates for workforce positions.
• Thank you so much. approximately 315 to 320 nursing homes approximately 315 to 320 nursing homes across
• could safely assume that every nursing could safely assume that every nursing home<00:19:01.799>
• then uh the ability to sta a nursing then uh the ability to sta a nursing home<00:22:09.960>

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Committee on Human Services Finance and Policy met to approve prior minutes and then take public testimony on the governor’s budget recommendations for human services. The chair explained the hearing format and noted that DHS declined to testify. Much of the testimony focused on proposed reductions or caps affecting disability waiver services, nursing homes, and elderly waiver programs, as well as related fee and tax changes in the budget. Representatives of ARM argued that the governor’s proposal would cap inflationary adjustments at 2%, limit rate exceptions, cap billable days, and restrict individualized home supports, which they said would worsen workforce shortages, reduce wages for direct support professionals, and destabilize disability services. They said the package would cut about $600 million over four years and could lead to group home closures, higher turnover, and families losing access to local homes and services. Committee members asked about real-world impacts and future rate adjustments, and ARM responded that providers have already planned around expected 2026 rates, so a cap would create immediate budget and staffing problems. Long-Term Care Imperative testified against nursing home-related cuts, saying the budget would cap future rate increases, limit health insurance costs in rate setting, phase out closure-related agreements and incentives, and fail to fully fund the Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board. They estimated the nursing home provisions could amount to a $218 million cut over four years, or roughly $350 million when combined with other underfunding, and said every nursing home and bed in Minnesota would be affected. They also criticized the lack of an inflation factor in Elderly Waiver, a proposed 54% increase in assisted living fees, and possible changes to provider-assessed fine and penalty funds. Members asked about staffing and bed availability, and the testifiers said reduced funding would likely force more beds out of service. A later testifier, Dan Andre of the Minnesota Council of Health Plans, raised concerns about the DHS budget’s proposed increase in the HMO surcharge and about carving pharmacy and non-emergency medical transportation benefits out of managed care. He argued the tax increase would raise premiums for fully insured and Medicare supplement enrollees and that managed care coordination helps members access care and medications. The hearing also included one unrelated, disruptive testimony about the Minnesota Sex Offender Program and other agencies, which the chair redirected back to the human services budget. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and receiving testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're not a medical facility.
• I have 28 years of nursing experience. I hold a doctorate degree in nursing.
• Also, I'm a nurse practitioner and a nationally certified school nurse as well.
• But school nursing? Nothing.
• There's no nurses. At that time, there were no nurses.

Summary: The committee heard a personal privilege update on HB 1227, which Representative DeWitt said would return next week as a proposed HCR for a two-year study of the three-doctor panel after discussions with Dr. Nia Colotta. Better Louisiana also presented its new Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows Program, describing it as a data-driven leadership initiative focused on health care workforce, rural access, chronic disease, and other system issues; members discussed whether the program could also help generate policy research, including on managed care organizations. The committee then considered SB 427 on anatomical gifts. After adopting technical amendments, Senator Presley and Dr. Jeff White explained that the bill would strengthen organ donation law by creating a decision registry that records both yes and no choices, clarifying the legal effect of refusal, and codifying ethical principles such as the dead donor rule. Questions focused on organ viability, registry procedures, minors, and a Monroe case involving a disputed donor designation. Supporters included LOPA and the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the bill was reported favorably. HB 946, dealing with hospital price transparency and compliance with federal pricing rules, drew extensive testimony. Representative Landry and a witness from Patient Rights Advocate described it as a consumer transparency measure, but the Louisiana Hospital Association opposed the bill’s state-level enforcement and debt-collection provisions. Landry offered an amendment removing the debt-collection and affirmative-defense language, but after debate the substitute failed on a 5-6 vote and the bill was voluntarily deferred. The committee also reported favorably on SB 109, which revises membership qualifications for the Louisiana Emergency Medical Services Commission; SCR 20, urging federal flexibility on Medicaid redetermination for elderly and disabled beneficiaries; SB 216, allowing coroners to rely on licensed practical nurses for medical pronouncements of death; and SB 45, exempting certain gratuitous hospice houses from licensure, with testimony from hospice house operators and supporters. Finally, HCR 71 by Representative Chasson sought an LDH study of how Louisiana’s law and guidance on pregnancy-related emergency medications is working in hospitals, urgent care, and retail settings. Supporters said providers are hesitant to use medications such as misoprostol because of stigma and uncertainty, while opponents from Louisiana Right to Life argued the resolution was unnecessary and could create controversy. The discussion centered on whether the study should be narrowed or made more objective, but no final action on the resolution was reached in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• open and operating because of their aging facilities.
• These reductions in readmissions and discharges to skilled nursing facilities reduce 30-day costs for
• I am a registered nurse in Worcester.
• Often parts are rolled in both by the provider and the facility.
• birth for people that don't need that level of a facility.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing with testimony on several health care bills, with most of the discussion focused on primary care access, community health center reimbursement, midwifery and birth centers, telehealth, hospital-at-home, direct primary care, and trans-inclusive health care access. Chair Feeney and Chair Murphy opened by noting the large number of signups and asking testifiers to keep remarks brief because of time constraints. Legislators and witnesses repeatedly emphasized that Massachusetts’ primary care system is under strain and that federal policy changes and reimbursement gaps are worsening financial pressure on providers. On community health centers, Representative Blay, Senator Lovely, Michael Curry, Bethany Keeley, Jag Deep Trevetti, Sean Cahill, and Christina Severin all supported H. 1096/S. 711, which would require commercial insurers to pay federally qualified health centers at least the MassHealth prospective payment system rate. They argued that commercial plans currently reimburse health centers below Medicaid rates, threatening sustainability, staffing, and access, especially as federal cuts and coverage losses could increase uncompensated care. Testifiers said the bill would stabilize health centers, protect primary care access, and not cost the state money. A second major topic was H. 1117/S. 784 on sustaining birth centers and the midwifery workforce. Senator Lovely, Senator Miranda, Emily Anesta, Rebecca Orden, Catherine Rushworth, Nishira Burrill, Joel Sutherland, Rachel Blessington, Joelle Ward, and others described the 2024 maternal health omnibus as an important first step, but said birth centers and midwives still face low reimbursement, workforce shortages, and financial instability. They urged reimbursement parity, a workforce development fund, and support for freestanding birth centers, citing improved outcomes, lower C-section rates, better patient experience, and racial equity in maternal health. Several speakers shared personal birth stories and said the bill would help preserve and expand birth options in communities like Roxbury, Worcester, and the North Shore. The committee also heard support for H. 1343 on direct primary care from Dr. Garofalo, Dr. Altman, Dr. Nair, Stephanie Cameron, Dr. Haley Moke-Blessed, and others, who said current insurance rules force patients to use a separate in-network primary care doctor for referrals and sometimes prevent physicians from dispensing medications. They argued the bill would reduce delays, administrative burden, and costs while improving continuity of care. In addition, Dr. Miklides and Sue Stempeck supported H. 1141 on hospital-at-home parity, saying the model has strong outcomes and should be reimbursed at the same rate as brick-and-mortar hospital care. Heather Myers and Katrina Cook testified on telehealth and digital health equity, urging broader coverage for asynchronous care, remote monitoring, interpreter services, and digital literacy supports. SEIU Local 509 supported H. 1188/S. 681 on trans-inclusive health care access, saying it would remove arbitrary insurance barriers to gender-affirming care. No votes or committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• SERVICES CAN BE PROVIDED IN THE HOME, IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THE NURSING FACILITY OR AT THE PACE CENTER
• IT CONDITIONS TO QUALIFY THEM FOR NURSING HOME CARE.
• HOMELESSNESS CONSTRUCTION FACILITIES, NURSING HOMES, IT ADDS UP TO ALMOST $28 BILLION.
• WE HAVE A NURSING HOME IN OUR AREA AND I'M SO DELIGHTED.
• AND AT A FACILITY OR LOCATION CLOSE TO THE NURSING HOME. BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO DO IT.

Keywords: 999, senate, all