Transcript Highlights:

• It includes outpatient treatment.
• It includes outpatient treatment.
• It includes outpatient treatment.
• Outpatient treatment.
• <01:44:51.080> privileges Services facilities privileges Services facilities privileges advantages

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs heard Senate Bill 1322, SD2, HD1, a comprehensive measure revising Hawaii’s mental health code. The bill would clarify emergency transportation, examination, and hospitalization procedures for people who may be mentally ill or suffering from substance abuse and deemed imminently dangerous, expand notice requirements, allow certain information-sharing for assisted community treatment petitions, and add liability protections for emergency responders and providers. The Department of the Attorney General supported the bill as a collaborative update to the law, while the Department of Health asked for a copy of provider-generated emergency transport documentation within five days for data and planning purposes. Testimony was sharply divided. Queen’s Health System, Hawaiʻi Pacific Health, HHSC, and the Institute for Human Services supported the measure or parts of it but requested amendments, including clarifying whether a second psychiatric exam is required, restoring a 72-hour rather than 48-hour stabilization window, and adjusting where patients are taken when an MEO cannot be reached. The ACLU of Hawaiʻi strongly opposed the bill, arguing it weakens due process and civil liberties, especially around involuntary commitment, assisted community treatment, emergency transport by police, and reduced procedural safeguards; it urged the committee to hold the bill and consider an interim working group. Louie E.K. of the Hawaiʻi Disability Rights Center also opposed the bill, focusing on immunity from negligence, the use of police for transport, and the reduction of a three-provider review to one in state-hospital treatment orders. Other testimony included support from an individual who said the bill could improve mental health care delivery amid provider shortages, and a comment from Hawaiʻi Health and Harm Reduction Center warning that the substance use portion of the bill lacks evidence of effectiveness and could be misused. In response to committee questions, the Attorney General’s office said the measure was developed with input from multiple stakeholders, including state agencies, hospitals, the ACLU, HHSC, and IHS, and that it aims to make assisted community treatment more accessible and effective by streamlining the legal process and improving consequences for noncompliance. No vote or final action was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• On line 515, House File 702, Nursing Facility Property Rate Increase.
• Section 4 establishes emergency shelter facility grants to improve or expand emergency shelter facilities
• Changing the nursing facility care eligibility cannot be done lightly.
• Facilities throughout the Twin Cities and the state need these dollars.
• I represent a boarding and lodging facility that offers specialty services.

Bills: HF2434

Keywords: healthcare, personal care assistance, worker retention, disability services, state funding

Transcript Highlights:

• the International Association of Firefighters, but we also have programs nearby where we can do outpatient
• the International Association of Firefighters, but we also have programs nearby where we can do outpatient
• the International Association of Firefighters, but we also have programs nearby where we can do outpatient
• the International Association of Firefighters, but we also have programs nearby where we can do outpatient
• or inpatient programs where outpatient or inpatient programs where we<01:27:15.760> can<01:27

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Under current law, health care facilities must limit immigration enforcement access to non-public areas
• SB 1323 ensures communication is timely and consistent across all hospitals and facilities, and ensures
• turn it over to them. 1323 ensures communication is timely, consistent across all hospitals and facilities
• thank you to CHIRLA and IC4IJ for the work that you particularly do in the Adelanto ICE Detention Facility
• I know that you've done a lot of good work over there in the city of Adelanto with the detention facility

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard several bills on June 9. SB 1023 by Senator Laird would require insurers that cover injectable HIV PrEP under the medical benefit to also cover it through the pharmacy benefit, with supporters saying the change would reduce reimbursement delays and expand access, while health plans opposed it as an unnecessary mandate that interferes with benefit design. SB 964 by Senator Smallwood-Quivas would limit prior authorization for certain dose or frequency adjustments to covered medications, especially for chronic complex conditions; medical supporters said it would prevent harmful delays in care, while insurers argued it weakens safety and utilization controls. SB 1323 by Senator Rubio, as amended, would strengthen protections for people in immigration custody receiving medical care by requiring hospitals and facilities to inform staff how to respond to requests and allowing patients to notify family members of their location; it passed with one no vote. SB 1099 by Senator Reyes would clarify local governments’ authority to provide state and local public benefits to all residents under federal PRWORA rules, with supporters saying it would reduce legal uncertainty for safety-net services; it passed, though one member later changed a vote to no on the add-on roll call. The committee also took up SB 895 by Senator Wiener, a proposed $12 billion science research bond for the November ballot that would create a California scientific research funding institute. Supporters from UC, UAW, hospitals, and advocacy groups said the measure would help offset federal cuts, protect research jobs, and sustain California’s leadership in biomedical and other research; there was no opposition, and the bill passed on a party-line style vote with two no votes. SB 944, also by Senator Wiener, would stabilize Medi-Cal coverage for acupuncture, which supporters described as a cost-effective, non-pharmacological treatment for pain and other conditions that has repeatedly been threatened in the budget process; it passed unanimously. The committee also approved consent items SB 918 and SB 1202, and later cleared the remaining measures on call after roll votes and add-on votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• program, for the program for all-inclusive care, and on line 8, we did, um, assisted, assisted living facility
• got, you might remember from the session that there was a lot of discussion about, uh, nursing facilities
• Um, on line eight, you'll see that we did $28 million for transitional behavioral health facilities and
• Um, or a 24 hour crisis response facility.
• , and nursing facilities.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have plenty of facilities. And I have nothing good to say.
• procedures to prevent the jailing of those in mental health crises and helped create the assisted outpatient
• His contributions were honored when Travis County named its short-term residential psychiatric facility
• And today their facility brings in about 300,000 visitors a year, supports local jobs, and is a major
• of THC operations, transfers the responsibility for historical marker maintenance from the Texas Facility

Bills: HCR6

Keywords: Meals on Wheels, senior services, nutrition, community support, volunteerism

Transcript Highlights:

• It'll have outpatient therapy and other services.
• So we're very proud of this facility.
• But this particular facility, we opened it on August 1, 2025.
• Into one 421,600-square-foot facility.
• We had the ability to put about 130 people in that facility over time if we want to.

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from Major General James Hartzell of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs on the agency’s mission, outreach efforts, state veterans nursing homes, and support programs. He highlighted Florida’s large and growing veteran population, the state’s existing nursing homes and the planned 10th home in Collier County, and the department’s dental assistance program, which served 245 veterans in the first quarter of the fiscal year and completed 1,631 procedures while saving more than $525,000. He also discussed veteran service officers, the benefits guide, the department newsletter, efforts to reduce veteran homelessness, and mental health outreach through the Overwatch/Firewatch program. Senators asked about future nursing home locations, adult day health care, homelessness, and the dental program; Hartzell also announced that retired Colonel D.J. Reyes will become deputy executive director on November 7. The committee then heard from Kevin Guthrie, Executive Director of the Division of Emergency Management, on disaster response, recovery, and agency modernization. He described the State Emergency Response Team, the new Florida Central Operations and Coordination Office warehouse in Auburndale, and the new state emergency operations center in Tallahassee, which is ahead of schedule and designed to hold about 220 people and withstand 200-mph winds. Guthrie reviewed recovery efforts for recent storms, including debris removal, volunteer villages, sheltering, and FEMA reimbursement totals for Hurricanes Milton, Helene, Debbie, Idalia, Ian, and earlier storms. He also discussed the Elevate Florida home-elevation program, the Florida Recovery Obligation Calculation training initiative, the DEMES platform, and WebEOC, noting that 60 counties and 22 colleges and universities are using the system. Members asked Guthrie about flood-response resources for cities, training for local officials, and lessons from inland flooding after recent storms. He explained how local governments can request pumps and other assistance through county and state channels, described upcoming elected-official training, and emphasized mutual aid and EMAC as key future disaster-response tools. The committee took no formal votes or other legislative action and adjourned at the end of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• The difference between the 550-bed and mental health treatment facility.
• The difference between the 550 bed and mental health treatment facility.
• So if I can back up, The 550-bed mental health treatment facility.
• this facility that's a continuum of care?
• My understanding is that once this facility would have been built, that we had to Mental health facility

Summary: The committee first heard an update from the Florida Department of Corrections on the proposed Lake Correctional Institution mental health project in Clermont. Tim Fitzgerald explained the project’s history, including the 2016 Disability Rights Florida litigation, the 2018 consent decree, and the original plan for a 550-bed inpatient mental health facility. He said inflation and design changes pushed the project above the bond amount, leading the department to shift to a “continuum of care” alternative with 572 beds total: 92 inpatient beds and 480 residential treatment beds in three special housing units. Fitzgerald said the project is currently paused pending House concurrence, while the Senate has already agreed to the alternate plan, and noted the bond balance, prior expenditures, and the need to spend down the tax-exempt bond by August 2026. Members questioned how the new plan differs from the original facility, whether it satisfies the consent decree, and what caused the cost increases. Fitzgerald said the department believes it has already met the consent decree through systemwide improvements to housing, staffing, programming, and out-of-cell time, though he said he would confirm the court documentation. He also said the original scope grew from 275,000 to 350,000 square feet as treatment, nursing, security, and programming needs were refined, and that inflation, fees, permitting, and contingencies contributed to the higher cost. Several members asked for follow-up information on Senate approval, consent decree documentation, and the project’s impact on crisis-stabilization capacity. The committee then received a joint court-system presentation from State Courts Administrator Eric McClure and Clerks Corporation Executive Director Jason Welty on caseload trends, case tracking, and staffing. McClure described statewide filing trends, the use of weighted caseload studies to certify judicial need, and recent Supreme Court rule changes aimed at active civil case management, including differentiated case tracks, stricter deadlines, and proportional discovery. He said the latest workload study led the Supreme Court to certify a need for 23 circuit judges and 25 county judges. Welty reviewed clerk workload trends, the statewide case maintenance and CCIS systems, and declining clerk FTE despite rising case volumes, and said clerks are seeking additional funding for injunctions, Baker Act/Marchman Act/sexually violent predator work, and juror management. In questions, members pressed both presenters on data quality, case-weight calculations, filing fees, and whether current resources are enough to reduce delays. McClure clarified that the workload weights are based on judge time studies and that a capital murder case averaged 3,177 minutes, while other examples such as auto negligence and dissolution cases were much lower. Welty said the Legislature could help by increasing funding or potentially revisiting filing fees, and noted that many clerk services are unfunded or underfunded, especially indigent and protective filings. The chair and members also raised concerns about backlog, inconsistent case reporting across circuits, and enforcement of judicial time standards; McClure said there is no direct sanction in the rules, and compliance is largely managed through chief judges and the Supreme Court. The meeting ended with no votes taken and adjournment by motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• But this is the number of beds that we provide, skilled nursing and assisted living facility beds all
• It'll have outpatient therapy and other services.
• So we're very proud of this facility.
• But this particular facility, we opened it on August 1, 2025.
• We had the ability to put about 130 people in that facility over time if we want to.

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from Major General James Hartzell of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs on the agency’s outreach, benefits assistance, and state veterans nursing homes. He highlighted Florida’s large and growing veteran population, the decline in World War II and Vietnam-era veterans, and the increase in post-9/11 veterans moving to the state. Hartzell discussed the state veterans nursing home system, including a new Collier County facility that will include skilled nursing, assisted living, adult day health care, and outpatient therapy, and he said the department is also studying future adult day health care expansion and possible additional homes in underserved areas. He also reported on the dental program funded by the Legislature, saying 245 veterans were served in the first quarter of the fiscal year, with 1,631 procedures completed and more than $525,000 in savings, and he credited the added state veterans service officer positions with helping connect more veterans to benefits. Hartzell also noted a 13% year-over-year reduction in homeless veterans, emphasized mental health outreach through SaveFLVets.org and the Overwatch program, and announced a new deputy executive director, retired Colonel D.J. Reyes. Members asked about the need for additional veterans homes in South Florida, the criteria used to site new homes, the homeless veteran reduction, and whether adult day health care could be added at existing facilities. Hartzell explained that federal criteria focus on the availability of private skilled nursing beds for veterans 65 and older, and that adult day health care is state-funded and being studied for broader deployment. He also said the department tracks where homeless veterans are concentrated and works with local partners and organizations like Tunnels to Towers to provide housing and services that reduce recidivism. The committee also discussed Florida’s national reputation for veteran support, including Veterans Month and the state’s culture of veteran awareness. The committee then received a presentation from Kevin Guthrie, Executive Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, on disaster response, recovery, and technology systems. Guthrie described the State Emergency Response Team, the new Florida Central Operations and Coordination Office in Auburndale, and the new State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, which is expected to be fully operational by spring 2026 and will significantly expand capacity and hardening. He reviewed recovery efforts for Hurricanes Helene, Milton, Debbie, Idalia, Ian, Irma, Michael, Dorian, Sally, Nicole, and others, including sheltering, travel trailers, debris removal, and FEMA reimbursement totals. Guthrie said Florida removed more than 31.6 million cubic yards of debris from Helene and Milton in 90 days on a 24/7 basis, and he described Elevate Florida, the Florida Recovery Obligation Calculation (FROC), the DEMES platform, and WebEOC as tools to streamline recovery, mitigation, and intergovernmental coordination. Members asked about flood-response resources for cities, the state’s use of pumps and mutual aid, and lessons learned from inland flooding after Milton. Guthrie said local governments should first use county and city mutual aid, then request state assistance when needed, and he encouraged more partnerships for staging and maintaining flood equipment. He also said future flood mitigation must address outdated development patterns, watershed flow, and the need for better drainage planning, while continuing temporary fixes and homeowner assistance programs. The committee ended with no votes or formal actions beyond adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Particularly in rural counties with limited facilities.
• In particular, the bill expands the use of outpatient restoration where all parties and medical professionals
• agree, which will hopefully ease some of the burdens on our limited inpatient facilities.

Bills: HB 115, HB507, HB1765, HB1847, HB2046, HB2239, HB2328, HB2309, HB2417, HB2728, HB2794, HB3206, HB3566, HB3694, HB3744, HB4254, HB4697, HB4733, HB4915, HB5465, HB2813, HB115

Keywords: habeas corpus, postconviction, criminal procedure, indigent defense, scientific evidence, legal representation, judicial power, capital felony, criminal law, death penalty, attorney qualification, training standards, law enforcement, no-knock warrant, search warrant, peace officer, attorney workload, criminal justice, caseload limits, fair representation

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd be curious to see if there's a facility that wouldn't treat just because they couldn't afford it.
• I don't know that there's a facility, you know, I'm just...
• diabetes or even mental health diagnoses that can most effectively and efficiently be addressed in the outpatient

Bills: HB321, HB 1027, HB 1295, HB1782, HB2295, HCR29, HCR56

Keywords: Medicaid, child health, express lane option, income verification, supplemental nutrition assistance, telepharmacy, healthcare access, remote dispensing, rural clinics, pharmacy regulations, health literacy, state health plan, health care, patient outcomes, public health, economic impact, healthcare, breast cancer, cervical cancer, insurance eligibility

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I think from the outpatient or retail pharmacy perspective, to comply with this law would require
• Um I think<00:20:01.840> from<00:20:02.080> the<00:20:02.640> outpatient<00:20:03.440
• > or<00:20:03.840> retail think from the outpatient or retail think from the outpatient

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The HHS committee met in Room 224 and announced the hearing was being streamed live, with a one-minute limit on testimony. The chair explained that written testimony had already been reviewed and that speakers should either add new comments or stand on their written testimony. The committee first heard SB 2211, an emergency appropriation to the Department of Human Services. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support, including DHS, Aloha United Way, the Hawaii Food Industry Association, the Hawaii Public Health Institute, Catholic Charities, and many individuals. Supporters emphasized the importance of maintaining SNAP-related food assistance and emergency food delivery, while Catholic Charities raised a question about whether the bill’s language would also reach food banks serving food-insecure households that are not on SNAP. No opposition was heard and the bill was moved on without questions from members. The committee then heard SB 2025, which would exempt actively practicing advanced practice registered nurses from jury duty. Testimony was broadly supportive from nursing and health organizations, including the Hawaii American Nurses Association, the Hawaii affiliate of the College of Nurse Midwives, the Hawaii State Board of Nursing, and others. One witness from Kaiser Permanente requested an amendment to include physician assistants, and a committee member asked the Board of Nursing to review that request. The bill otherwise drew no opposition and no further member questions. SB 2038, relating to medication labeling, drew the most extended discussion. The measure would change labeling requirements for certain abortion medications, and testimony was split between supporters who framed it as a privacy and access issue and opponents who raised patient safety, ethics, and transparency concerns. The Department of Health supported the intent but requested an amendment to allow quicker access to private information during investigations without a subpoena. The Board of Pharmacy said it supported the written comments but noted operational challenges and possible cost impacts, while Kaiser said compliance would likely require manual workarounds and could slow pharmacy processes. The chair and members questioned whether patients could simply remove labels themselves, but witnesses said there could still be safety and access issues if the patient is not the one receiving the prescription. The committee then moved on to SB 2050, relating to chiropractic, which received support from the Hawaii Board of Chiropractic and the Hawaii State Chiropractic Association, with no substantive opposition noted. The hearing later turned to SB 201, relating to insurance, which appeared to be a new mandated-benefit measure tied to infertility/IVF coverage. The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission provided comments, while Hawaii Family Forum opposed the bill, arguing it went beyond medical infertility and raised ethical and public policy concerns. Kaiser and the Hawaii Association of Health Plans both asked for a study or audit, saying the measure could create new insurance mandates and increase costs for residents and employers. Private Work Hawaii strongly supported the bill as an equity issue. The committee noted there was no quorum for decision-making and deferred action on the measure to a later hearing, then recessed.

Transcript Highlights:

• to meet specific quality metrics in order to receive enhanced quarterly payments for inpatient, outpatient
• payments for enhanced quarterly payments for inpatient,<00:41:19.520> outpat<00:41:20.319> outpatient
• ,<00:41:21.280> and inpatient, outpat outpatient, and inpatient, outpat outpatient, and professional

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and then took up several administrative regulations. The first was an Office of the Attorney General regulation creating an online submission process for an annual certification report to replace prior quarterly notarized certification forms; there were no amendments or questions. The main discussion centered on Personnel Cabinet regulations 101 KAR 2:034, 2:102, 3:015, and 3:045, which include staff-suggested technical amendments and address state employee compensation and leave. The compensation provisions clarify salary and rehiring/demotion rules, increase critical position premiums from one to three, and update weekend premium and ACE award practices. The leave provisions would provide up to six weeks of paid leave per 10-year interval for birth, adoption, foster placement, or a serious health condition, and allow one paid adverse-weather day per year with supervisor approval. Staff explained that annual and sick leave already accrue and roll over, and that the new six-week benefit was intended as an additional enhancement tied to the 10-year and 20-year sick-leave milestones.

Transcript Highlights:

• doctors and outpatient doctors and outpatient services<00:36:22.319> out<00:36:22.520>
• <01:13:20.600> um receiving care in a nursing facility um receiving care in a nursing facility
• We've seen facilities that have turned away prospective residents.
• We've seen facilities that have turned away prospective residents.
• We are the backbone of the state's public mental health outpatient services.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And part of it is that our mental health, our outpatient clinics are so booked with people that it's
• But again, a court can inquire as to a person that they have sentenced to a secure facility.
• And then finally, just on facilities, I really appreciate the identification of the gaps and where it
• What lockdown kind of facility can we have?" We don't have a group home here.
• Also, bringing forward proposals for treatment facilities: what is the cost? Where are they?

Transcript Highlights:

• George Bush, Waco was home to the White House Press Center, which provided briefing and office facilities
• PE Area Engineer and Maintenance Facility. I've heard of the Committee on Transportation.
• Including licensure, community-based care, contractors, family homes, and child care facilities for the
• Enhancing investment zones for the acquisition, construction, and reconstruction of educational facility
• AB 2928 by compass relating to the regulation of referral agency for assisted living facilities or for

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Bills: HB3312, HB3700, HB2981, HB2961, HB3016, HB4478, HB4326, HB3025, HB3710, HB4125, HB2951, HB3082, HB4142, HB4106, HB1752, HB3268, HB4440, HJR1067, SB1144, SB1145, SB1146, SB1147, SB1148, SB1156, SB1157, SB1158, SB1159, SB1161, SB1162, SB1163, SB1164, SB1165, SB1166, SB1149, SB1167, HJR1024, SB1174, SB1175, SB1176, HB3419, HB3748, HB4335, HB3057, HB3279, HB4428, HB3420, HB3040, HB4140, HB1638, HB3298, HB4113, HB1082, HB4301, HB3269, HB3587, HB4226, HB4324, HB4339, HB4342, HB3278, HB3996, HB4236, HB4352

Keywords: firearm safety, public schools, education policy, student safety, gun control, opt-out option, grading system, student assessment, academic integrity, state funding, opinion conduct, open meetings, school boards, transparency, public access, education governance, HB2961, TSgt Marshal Dakota Roberts Gold Star Survivor Act, Gold Star family, Gold Star recipient

Bills: HB3312, HB3700, HB2981, HB2961, HB3016, HB4478, HB4326, HB3025, HB3710, HB4125, HB2951, HB3082, HB4142, HB4106, HB1752, HB3268, HB4440, HJR1067, SB1144, SB1145, SB1146, SB1147, SB1148, SB1156, SB1157, SB1158, SB1159, SB1161, SB1162, SB1163, SB1164, SB1165, SB1166, SB1149, SB1167, HJR1024, SB1174, SB1175, SB1176, HB3419, HB3748, HB4335, HB3057, HB3279, HB4428, HB3420, HB3040, HB4140, HB1638, HB3298, HB4113, HB1082, HB4301, HB3269, HB3587, HB4226, HB4324, HB4339, HB4342, HB3278, HB3996, HB4236, HB4352

Keywords: firearm safety, public schools, education policy, student safety, gun control, opt-out option, grading system, student assessment, academic integrity, state funding, opinion conduct, open meetings, school boards, transparency, public access, education governance, HB2961, TSgt Marshal Dakota Roberts Gold Star Survivor Act, Gold Star family, Gold Star recipient

Transcript Highlights:

• that can't get rebuilt facilities that can't get rebuilt um<00:52:02.000> because<00:52:02.280
• on the coast and lot of facilities on the coast and elsewhere<00:58:01.360> in<00:58:01.480><
• It may also be keeping them out of a mental health facility, which is got to be... >> I absolutely agree
• <04:08:10.240> which<04:08:10.440> is out of a mental health facility which is out
• of a mental health facility which is got<04:08:10.880> to<04:08:10.960> be got to be got

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 562, which would create a home damage mitigation and resilience grant program aimed at helping homeowners make property improvements that could reduce insurance costs and non-renewals. Commissioner DJ Bettencourt of the New Hampshire Insurance Department explained that the program is modeled in part on Alabama’s safer homes program, but tailored for New Hampshire hazards such as floods, microbursts, heavy snow, ice, and falling trees. He said the grants would be limited to primary residences, subject to a means test, capped at $10,000, and intended to help homeowners make targeted improvements such as roof fortification or tree removal that could improve underwriting outcomes and lead to premium discounts. Bettencourt said the program would not use state taxpayer funds and would instead rely on philanthropic donations, possible federal or regional housing-bank funding, and other outside sources. He said the department would not need new staff, and that a current position could be reconfigured to help administer the program part-time. Committee members asked about the funding language, the meaning of “loans” in the bill, whether there were any other states using a similar no-state-funds model, and how many homeowners could be helped. Bettencourt said Rhode Island and Connecticut were moving forward in a similar way, and that the number of beneficiaries would depend on how much money is raised. Members also questioned how the grant program would actually lower premiums, whether savings would apply only to participants or more broadly, and how the IBHS evaluation process would work. Bettencourt and department staff said the direct benefit would be to the homeowner whose property is improved, though neighbors could also benefit in some cases. They explained that IBHS is a building-safety organization that certifies contractors and inspectors and that its standards can qualify homes for insurer discounts. Questions were also raised about confidentiality provisions, first-come-first-served grant awards, rollover of unused applications, and possible tax treatment of donations. The sponsor said those details would be addressed through rulemaking or existing tax rules, and no vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• This would combine our current family group in a home and our residentially based group in a facility
• Facilities described the increasing severity and need for residential services, which the caregivers
• Our intermediate care facilities are not categorized by children or adults.
• Do you use the CIS with children in DD facilities? I'm sorry, what?
• I would assume that probably the drugs we're talking about here are outpatient drugs.

Summary: The committee first heard an update on North Dakota’s Interagency Council on Homelessness and Continuum of Care funding. Jennifer Henderson of the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency reported that homelessness remains driven by tight housing markets, low incomes, rising rents, and barriers to rental assistance, public benefits, and disability determinations. She said the state’s one-time North Dakota Homeless Grant is serving all regions but reaches far fewer households than the former Rent Help program, and that aging homelessness, shelter staffing shortages, and limited affordable units are growing concerns. Members discussed the need for more housing supply, better coordination with Health and Human Services, landlord engagement, reentry housing, and possible continued one-time funding for the $10 million Homeless Grant and $25 million Housing Incentive Fund. Henderson also warned that federal Continuum of Care funding is uncertain, with HUD expected to issue a new notice June 1 and possible shifts away from permanent supportive housing toward transitional housing and other models. The committee then took testimony on accessibility of government services for people who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, or hard of hearing. Paul Olson of North Dakota Vision Services School for the Blind described the school’s services for infants, children, and adults, including screenings, mobility training, assistive technology, and outreach across the state. He said the agency works closely with Vocational Rehabilitation and is also involved in improving website and document accessibility, especially for PDF materials. Public testimony highlighted barriers such as inaccessible CAPTCHA systems, online forms, driver’s license requirements on job applications, and limited transportation in rural areas. A deaf resident urged broader use of video remote interpreting and video relay services, along with training so people know how to use them effectively. Finally, Kay Larson presented the final report on the child care provider licensing study. The report recommended streamlining North Dakota’s child care licensing structure into three provider types plus a preschool designation, while preserving health and safety standards and maintaining eligibility for child care assistance. The committee discussed simplifying training and qualification rules, revising ratio and group-size requirements, and adjusting age bands for infants and toddlers. The report also noted that some changes would require statutory amendments and later administrative rule changes, with a transition period likely extending through 2029. No formal votes were taken in the transcript, but the committee accepted the updates and scheduled follow-up presentations for a later meeting.