Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Math. Yeah, thank you, Mr. President.
• You made that change in the conference screening report, didn't you? Or am I reading that wrong?

Bills: SCR12, HB221, HB509, HCR58, SB78, SB25, SB80, SB132, SB155, SB157, SB202, SB228, SB250, SB414, SB433, SB479, SB513, SCR9, SCR58, SB65, SB215, SB249, SB269, SB282, SB296, SB323, SB363, SB369, SB474, SB490, SB492, SB500, SB514, HCR32, HB17, HB41, HB73, HB223, HB244, HB759, HB906, HB966, HB1006, HB1009, HB1086, HB1107, HB1112, HB1215, HB1242, SB217, SB283, SB469, HB36, HB42, HB74, HB119, HB159, HB259, HB302, HB414, HB459, HB776, HB848, HB956, HB1017, HB1028, HB1095, SB208, SB312, SB382, SB389, HB210, HB258, HB359, HB368, HB468, HB552, HB732, HB784, HB870, HB953, HB1117, HB1236

Keywords: logging, recognition, John Keith, environment, safety, Mississippi River bridge, Trump Expressway, transportation, federal funding, Louisiana highways, injection wells, public hearing, geologic sequestration, environmental impact, public comment, Ascension Parish, state capitol, economic development, community partnership, celebration day

Transcript Highlights:

• Or is it just my screen? She's on the board? No? Come on. No, we're good. She got a button.
• will teach all the teachers how to incorporate the garden into their science lesson plans, into their math

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and guest introductions for Pastor Caden Metcalf and later Doctor of the Day Jane Peterson. Members then approved the journal and took up a motion to reconsider Senate Bill 1827, which passed by division vote 13-12, bringing the bill back for further action. The chamber then resolved into Committee of the Whole to consider several bills on the calendar. In Committee of the Whole, members adopted committee amendments and recommended do pass on SB 1041 (Arizona Trail Fund appropriation), SB 1131 (education-related appropriation and cardiac emergency response plan funding, with a floor amendment adding a placeholder amount), SB 1140 (misdemeanor record expungement/civil rights restoration), SB 1249 (Alzheimer’s disease/state brain appropriation and DHS reporting), SB 1275 (sentencing and imprisonment, with a floor amendment that drew criticism from Sen. Ortiz for limiting judicial discretion and expanding prosecutor control), SB 1517 (Barbering and Cosmetology Board appropriation), and SB 1673 (Crime Victim Notification Fund appropriation). Most committee and floor amendments were adopted on voice vote; SB 1275’s floor amendment was adopted by division, 15-13. The Senate then adopted the Committee of the Whole report and moved to third-reading votes on a series of bills. SB 1161, SB 1209, SB 1598, SB 1118, SB 1399, SB 1563, SB 1564, SB 1629, SB 1754, SB 1041, SB 1131, SB 1140, SB 1249, SB 1517, and SB 1673 all passed, with recorded votes ranging from unanimous to divided; several members explained votes, especially on SB 1598 (community gardens in schools) and SB 1754 (special education parent support and FERPA concerns). The Senate then recessed, accepted a large batch of House bills for first reading and committee reference, heard committee meeting announcements, and adjourned until Monday, March 9, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Seat time at school, screen time at home. Have your kids had a blood test recently?
• not happen if all the public contracts were public, and people could find out and be able to do the math

Bills: HB2008, HB2075, HB2203, HB2395, HB2409

Keywords: school libraries, public school libraries, library funding, professional associations, library associations, librarians, information services, dues, membership fees, public monies, school governing body, county free library district, municipal library, library contracts, library services, books and programs, Arizona education, Title 15, Library Freedom Act, school district transparency

Summary: The committee took up several education bills. HB 2395 would create a voluntary Arizona School Fitness Program in ADE to recognize schools that participate in nationally recognized fitness testing or events and allow the designation on school report cards. Supporters, including the sponsor and outside witnesses, argued it would encourage student activity and support the whole child; the bill passed with a 6-0 do pass recommendation. HB 2409, the Getting Arizona Ready for AI Act, would create a voluntary summer AI course program through ADE with curriculum on digital hygiene, civic integrity, and AI for small business/entrepreneurship, with optional facility use and academic credit. The sponsor said it was meant to prepare students for AI-driven job disruption without requiring new appropriations; it passed 4-2. HB 2203 would direct ADE to review public school and agency reporting requirements for duplicative, expired, or obsolete reports and recommend consolidation or repeal, and an amendment making a technical correction was adopted before the bill passed 6-0. HB 2008 would bar school libraries from using public money to pay dues to certain professional library associations; opponents from Secular AZ and the ACLU argued it was viewpoint discrimination and a threat to professional association rights, but the bill still received a do pass recommendation on a 6-0 vote, with one member explaining a no vote because the problem did not exist. The committee also heard HB 2075, which would require school districts to submit superintendent and CFO employment contracts to ADE, post them online, keep them available for five years after termination, and create a searchable database with compensation details. The Goldwater Institute supported the bill, citing difficulty obtaining contracts through public records requests and examples of very high superintendent compensation and opaque contract terms; the Arizona School Administrators opposed the bill as singling out districts while not applying to charters or other public-dollar schools, though they said they could support it if expanded to all schools receiving public funds. Members debated whether charters are political subdivisions and whether the bill should extend to charters and ESAs, and some discussion also focused on transparency and public records access. The bill ultimately received a 4-2 do pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sometimes my math doesn't add up, but yeah... We'll check to see if it was nine weeks.
• This is done through random digit dials, calling random numbers across New Mexico and screening them

Transcript Highlights:

• So my constituents shouldn't have to face budget cuts for things like breast cancer screenings. and pollution
• So members, you may not realize this, but I kind of did some math today, and it's a very sad occasion

Bills: SB 3, SB 16, SB 2, SB 5, SB 10, HB17, SB 54, SB 9, SB 7, SB 17, SB 4, HB8, HB25, HB26, HB192, HB8, HB25, HB26, HB48, HB149, HB192, HB254, HB17, SB54, SB9, SB7, SB17, SB4, SB3, SB16, SB2, SB5, SB10

Keywords: flash flood, flood warning, outdoor warning siren, emergency alert, disaster preparedness, flood mitigation, Hill Country floods, Texas Water Development Board, municipalities, counties, local government mandate, public safety, grant program, backup power, weather siren, emergency management, flood-prone area, warning system, real property theft, real property fraud

Transcript Highlights:

• When we look at it, we've got a lot of things on the table that, if we change in mid-screen now, could
• You can't change math. So, I don't understand a lot of what was said today.

Bills: SB330

Keywords: water management, regional boards, municipal governance, ethics compliance, public utility, 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• People don't go looking for medical debt; it's not like buying a flat-screen television or any sort of
• this investment... is almost mind-boggling, and, you know, just a little bit of back-of-the-napkin math

Bills: HF1646, HF2443

Keywords: medical debt, debt relief, healthcare financing, consumer protection, financial hardship, commerce, cannabis, insurance, housing, ombudsperson, affordability, property, task force, financial institutions

Transcript Highlights:

• You're doing this on a screen like this, but then print it out, right? That's correct. Yes, sir.
• You vote on the screen, you vote on a computer screen, a computer screen. but then it prints out the
• we started in September of 2020 and And from what I can gather on here, and I am not that good with math

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in kindergarten now, and he's in one of the highest-level phonics classes and recently received a math
• Research shows that if babies are receiving their hearing screening by one month, identified with their
• if babies are receiving<00:11:50.399> their<00:11:50.560> hearing<00:11:50.920> screening
• <00:11:51.440> by<00:11:51.639> one receiving their hearing screening by one receiving
• their hearing screening by one month<00:11:52.480> identified<00:11:53.079> with<00:11

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 27, as amended by committee substitute, which would create a Kentucky Parkinson’s disease research registry. The sponsor said the substitute was developed with UK, U of L, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and Parkinson’s in Motion to better define a movement disorder center, add Parkinson’s experts from both universities to the advisory committee, require automated reporting, and delay implementation until 2027. Testimony emphasized the need to track diagnoses and testing while protecting confidentiality and allowing people to opt out. The committee adopted the substitute and then voted unanimously to pass SB 27 with a favorable expression. The committee then heard Senate Bill 93, dealing with hearing aid coverage for children. A parent described the high cost of hearing aids for her son and the financial burden created by insurance limits, while a pediatric audiologist explained that early identification and treatment improve language outcomes and that families can spend about $30,000 on hearing aids from birth to age 18. The committee substitute removed adults from the bill and added an in-network requirement for pediatric audiologists, along with a replacement interval consistent with Medicaid guidelines and repair/loss coverage provisions. After questions about costs, replacement timing, and insurer practices, the committee voted unanimously to pass SB 93 with a favorable expression. Finally, the committee considered Senate Bill 153, a transparency and due-process bill concerning Medicaid prepayment review. The sponsor and witnesses from Addiction Recovery Care and Frontier Behavioral Health said prepayment reviews can be imposed with little notice or explanation, disrupt cash flow, and burden rural and smaller providers; they argued the bill would require clearer notice, reasons, and timelines without stopping legitimate reviews. Members asked about managed care organizations, contract issues, and whether the bill would conflict with existing agreements, and the sponsor said it would not. After discussion and an explanation of vote from Senator Douglas, the committee voted to pass SB 153 with a favorable expression.

Transcript Highlights:

• infrastructure, expanded weapon screening capacity, including staffing and overtime, and operational
• infrastructure, expanded weapon screening capacity, including staffing and overtime, and operational
• infrastructure, expanded weapon screening capacity, including staffing and overtime, and operational
• infrastructure, expanded weapon screening capacity, including staffing and overtime, and operational
• The calm has to the math after that, and did it with a the math after that, and did it with a police<

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I will attempt to share my presentation, and we'll see how well this works on the screen.
• I will attempt to share my presentation, and we'll see how well this works on the screen.
• Chairman, members of the committee, I have the presentation slides up on the screen there as well as
• I will attempt to share my presentation, and we'll see how well this works on the screen.
• Chairman, members of the committee, I have the presentation slides up on the screen there as well as

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the rates would be significantly higher had we not invested in mass save and um can you explain how math
• save lowers costs even for can you explain how math save lowest costs even for customers who don't participate
• And can folks see my screen? We’re trying to move along here, so... yeah, I’ll be brief.”

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held a hearing on the value of Mass Save, with opening remarks emphasizing that despite past criticisms the program has delivered major energy, cost, climate, and equity benefits. The chair cited large avoided system costs, strong benefit-cost ratios, and recent legislative changes that set emissions goals, restricted fossil-fuel equipment incentives, and increased focus on low- and moderate-income households. Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth Mahoney testified that Mass Save has weatherized hundreds of thousands of homes, reduced bills, avoided emissions, and that the current plan includes budget controls after the DPU ordered $500 million removed from the approved budget. She said the governor’s proposal to have only electric utilities administer the program was intended to reduce administrative costs and align with current implementation trends. Members questioned Mahoney about what counts as marketing and administration, and she said the category includes traditional advertising as well as community-based outreach, customer resource centers, and other customer engagement work, much of it in low- and moderate-income communities. She said administrative and marketing costs are under 5% of the budget, while more than 80% goes to incentives and direct program delivery. Several witnesses then focused on workforce and contractor impacts. Dave Betcher of Abode Energy Management and Rick Taglienti of Rogers Insulation said Mass Save sustains small businesses, creates careers, and supports thousands of jobs; both warned that budget cuts would reduce hiring, training, and work in homes and businesses. They also described a broad ecosystem of suppliers, trainers, and service providers that depends on stable program funding. Other witnesses addressed cost-effectiveness, affordability, and emissions. Anna Johnson of ACEEE said Massachusetts remains a national leader, with Mass Save returning about $2.80 per dollar invested, reducing peak demand, and lowering bills for participants, especially through weatherization and heat pumps. Kyle Murray of Acadia Center said the program is statutorily required to be cost-effective and has avoided billions in supply and infrastructure costs for all ratepayers, including nonparticipants, by lowering overall demand and peak prices. Amy Boyd-Rabin of the Environmental League of Massachusetts argued that efficiency is the cheapest way to meet climate targets and that cutting the budget would force more expensive power generation. The hearing also featured testimony on equity and housing: Mary Wampo described historic under-service to renter-heavy and lower-income communities and said recent reforms, including designated equity communities and performance incentives tied to equity, are helping correct that imbalance; Brian Biot and James Collins of LEAN/ABCD described low-income delivery systems and wraparound services; Barney Heath and John Nannari said Mass Save incentives are essential to affordable housing, passive house construction, and keeping projects on time and on budget. The final witnesses highlighted Connected Solutions and electrification: Sunrun’s Bronte Payne said the virtual power plant program saved more than it cost and helps avoid peaker plants and grid upgrades, and Highland Electric Fleets’ Ben Sondaga said electric school buses can provide similar grid benefits while lowering transportation costs for districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• As you see on your screen, we do have a few upcoming work group meetings.
• it might be helpful to understand sort of where they fell in standardized testing for reading and math
• at, like, Where they fell in standardized testing for reading and math at, like, grade three, right?

Keywords: 962, all

Summary: The Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee (JJPOC) met for administrative updates, approved the April meeting minutes, and discussed a proposed shift from monthly full committee meetings to a quarterly schedule beginning later this year. Members generally supported the change, saying it would reduce strain on agency and committee resources and allow more time for work groups to complete implementation tasks. Several members also asked for more flexible agendas and a clearer way to add issues between meetings, with staff suggesting a standardized form for submitting topics in advance. Work group updates covered cross-agency data sharing, diversion, education, incarceration, and community expertise. The data-sharing group reported continued work on the Equity Dashboard 2.0, a statewide expulsions analysis, municipal-level data collaboration with UConn’s IMRP, and a cross-system analysis of crossover youth. The diversion group described work on POST curriculum revisions for juvenile law, a youth-focused law enforcement interaction training, a community-police relationship toolkit, expansion of youth diversion teams, and pre-arrest diversion policy. The education group is reviewing implementation of the law creating educational oversight in juvenile facilities, along with a free public transportation pilot for high school students and truancy cleanup legislation. The incarceration group is tracking conditions of confinement, DOC restraint and chemical agent reports, the DOJ settlement monitoring process, the reentry success plan, and gender-responsive programming. The community expertise group emphasized elevating lived experience, youth voice, prevention, and conditions of confinement, with members urging the committee to focus on stability, infrastructure, and meaningful use of lived-experience perspectives. A major presentation from OPM outlined Connecticut’s effort to re-enter the federal Title II juvenile justice formula grant program. OPM explained the program’s core compliance requirements, including deinstitutionalization of status offenders, adult jail and lockup removal, sight-and-sound separation, and addressing racial and ethnic disparities. Staff said Connecticut is currently not fully compliant because of issues including youth being held in adult facilities and the state’s six-hour detention rule, and that Title II funding is on hold while OPM works toward compliance. OPM is developing a monitoring manual, identifying facilities to be monitored, and forming a state advisory group (SAG) to support the application and compliance process. Members questioned why a separate SAG is needed, whether JJPOC or the community expertise group could serve that role, and how lived-experience members would be selected; OPM said federal rules require the SAG to include youth or parents with lived experience and that the group cannot be composed of state or government employees in the key leadership roles. The committee agreed to circulate the federal parameters and ask members to suggest candidates for the SAG and to help move compliance work forward over the summer.

Transcript Highlights:

• about, for example, no child left behind and sort of how there was a federal funding tied to scores on math
• that was certainly well intended but of course some of the unintended consequences was that you know math
• What you're looking at right here on the screen is a completely free and accessible to all teachers.

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Summary: The Louisiana Commission on Civic Education met with quorum, approved the minutes from its previous meeting, and took several action items related to the Legislative Youth Advisory Council (LIAC). The commission unanimously approved the 2026-27 LIAC membership slate after reviewing recommendations from the selection committee, and it also approved the council’s budget and mileage reimbursement guidelines, noting the only change was an updated IRS mileage rate. Members thanked the legislature for continuing to fund LIAC after earlier years when it relied on outside donations. The meeting featured presentations on civic education resources and America 250 programming. Brandon Burris, representing the Lieutenant Governor’s office, highlighted Louisiana state parks, the Checkout Louisiana library backpack programs for parks and museums, Keep Louisiana Beautiful’s anti-litter campaign, and Homework Louisiana. Liam Julian of the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute discussed national civics education trends, teacher discomfort with controversial topics, and the institute’s teacher training, student camps, debate programs, and civics app. Louisiana Public Broadcasting’s Katie Stark and Nancy Torren presented America 250-related materials, including a PBS Kids feature on a Louisiana child and LPB’s “Louisiana’s Hidden History” videos and teacher resources on Bernardo de Galvez and Spanish Louisiana. LIAC members then reported on their work, including school safety efforts, digital service-hour tracking, AP self-study access, minor work permits, AI-generated harassment concerns, and local civic engagement projects. Peggy Cotonia of the Louisiana Center for Law and Civic Education reported 87 Law Day presentations and 287 total Law Day and Constitution Day presentations reaching about 9,400 students, along with updates on awards and a shortened but still free summer institute for teachers. Barry Irwin reported that legislation to clean up outdated commission membership and quorum language had passed the House and been heard in Senate Education, moving toward final passage. The commission adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• curriculum and readiness tools which includes starting in pilots with Gateway courses in chemistry and math
• The first certificate that you see on the screen up for University of Florida people.
• dishing to to I we putting any prerequisite and have to reinvent everything that we're doing even the math

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, we can do the math. But he has an out of the end. Mr.
• This is a complete smoke screen, in my opinion, that that's taken place, that when they said that they
• Well, I think, you know, with what we got from the Senate, that addition would be $59,000, as I—my math

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee took up Senate Bill 2025, the Veterans Home/Veterans Affairs budget, and worked through the long sheet line by line. Members discussed base payroll, salary and health insurance increases, FTE pool adjustments, IT rate increases, operating expenses, transportation grants, the PTSD service dog program, salary equity requests, temporary help/intern funding, a Veterans Benefit Specialist FTE, accrued leave, and several one-time or carryover items including the Fisher House, document scanning, and veterans medical transportation. The committee also reviewed proposed policy language that would shift governance authority for the Veterans Home and Department of Veterans Affairs from the Administrative Committee on Veterans Affairs to the governor, and would remove board authority over salary-setting and related hiring powers. A major portion of the meeting focused on clarifying the commissioner salary equity line and how the agency had shifted operating dollars to fund the commissioner’s current salary increase. After discussion with agency staff and Lonnie, the committee voted to remove the separate commissioner salary equity increase line and instead restore operating funding, ultimately setting the operating line at $50,000 above the prior amount rather than fully funding the executive request. The committee also approved funding for the Veterans Benefit Specialist FTE, approved a carryforward/exemption for accrued leave, approved authority to accept $200,000 in federal transportation grant funds, approved the $500,000 transfers related to veterans homelessness, and approved the exemption language for certain federal/state fiscal recovery funds after discussing whether the funds were properly obligated. On the governance amendment, members expressed concern about making a major policy change in an appropriations bill, but also frustration over the board’s salary actions. After debate, the committee adopted the amendment transferring governance authority to the governor by a 7-1 vote. The committee also approved a smaller amount for veteran service officer salary equity than requested, and rejected funding for temporary salaries and an intern. The chair then directed staff to prepare the amended bill for further action, with the committee planning to revisit it once the revised version was ready.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hang on, I had it up on my screen, and now it disappeared. I don't know where it went.
• Dever and Senator Cleary, because the governor's $9.8 million was added on, I would have to do the math
• Doing the math in my head, it would look on the long sheet like a negative $2 million approximately.

Bills: SB2399

Keywords: mental health, psychiatric treatment, reimbursement, medical assistance, legislative report, 908, all

Summary: The Senate Appropriations HR Division met to work through amendments and budget items in House Bill 2012/HB 1004, focusing first on long-term care, disability services, and behavioral health. Members discussed competing approaches to a four-plex for medically complex individuals, a value-based care payment withhold for nursing facilities, accreditation requirements for providers, a study of developmental disability services, and funding for Family Voices and Ann Carlson-related services. Several amendments were accepted or set aside after discussion, including a study amendment for disability services and a Family Voices grant amendment that was adjusted to remove “one-time” language so it could continue as an ongoing grant. The committee also agreed to keep or defer some items for conference committee, including the youth crisis stabilization pilot and other long-term care proposals. A major discussion centered on the state hospital project. Members debated whether the $330 million project should remain in the DHS budget or be moved to the OMB budget for construction management. After discussion of costs, alternates, and the role of a steering committee and BND loan language, the committee agreed to remove the state hospital funding and related loan language from the DHS budget while leaving the steering committee language in place. The committee also considered a proposed Altru grant for additional beds and settled on a smaller planning-focused approach, with a $1 million grant and a line of credit concept to be refined later. The committee then turned to behavioral health items, including QRTP funding, nursing home behavioral health training, and a youth crisis stabilization pilot. Members generally supported keeping the QRTP funding level, but were divided on the nursing home behavioral health training and the crisis stabilization pilot, with some preferring to leave those issues for conference committee. The division also reviewed the HHS block grant and underfunding structure, with Donna Ackland explaining salary, vacancy, and flexibility calculations; the committee discussed adjusting the underfund and revenue assumptions but did not finalize every number before moving on. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 1577 on wastewater treatment grants. Senator Davison moved to hoghouse the bill into a study-focused version using the proposed amendment language, and the motion passed. The committee then moved HB 1577 as amended with a do pass recommendation; the roll call passed with Senators Cleary, Davison, Dever, and Mathern voting yes, and Senator Magrum not recorded as voting. The meeting adjourned with plans to return later in the day to continue budget work.

Transcript Highlights:

• results of that, according to the two nations report card, Nebraska scored highest in fourth grade math
• and test scores in eighth grade math was second overall.
• There were people who skipped their cancer screening, who have late-stage cancer now that should have

Keywords: NIH funding, healthcare research, chronic diseases, scientific integrity, public trust, pandemic response

Summary: The meeting of the committee focused on various healthcare and scientific issues, with significant discussions surrounding the impact of recent administrative actions on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and its research agenda. Senators expressed concerns over funding cuts and personnel reductions, particularly the reported termination of over 1,200 NIH staff members, which could jeopardize ongoing and future research projects. The session included testimonies on the importance of supporting early-stage researchers and restoring public trust in scientific institutions following pandemic-related controversies. Additionally, the potential for future healthcare management based on diverse scientific ideas was emphasized as crucial to tackle chronic diseases effectively.

Transcript Highlights:

• So let's go back and do the math.
• For some of these services, the law requires it, and that's newborn screening.
• So all 52,000 or so live births in the state are required to have newborn screening provided for inborn
• So all 52,000 or so live screening.
• provided for inborn newborn screening provided for inborn errors<00:42:02.160> and<00:42:02.240

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Health and Human Services met to review budget items carved out in the prior session budget, including long-term care surveyor contracts, funding for local health departments, and expansion of the central laboratory. The committee approved the June 4 minutes and then heard an update from the Office of Inspector General’s Division of Health Care on long-term care certification surveys and complaint investigations. Officials said the $1 million annual appropriation for contracted survey work, along with salary increases and other resources, helped the state reduce its backlog. They reported that Kentucky completed 101 long-term care certification surveys in fiscal year 2024, up from 28 in fiscal year 2023, and had completed 186 surveys by July 7, 2025, with a goal of 40 to 50 more before the end of fiscal year 2025. Outstanding complaints fell from 1,565 at the end of fiscal year 2024 to 695 by July 7, 2025, and outstanding priority-one or immediate-jeopardy complaints were reduced to zero. Members asked about the definition of priority-one cases, survey timing, the number of facilities still overdue, vacancy rates, federal funding reliance, and the use of contract surveyors. Officials said priority-one cases involve serious harm or high risk of harm, that surveys are required within a 12- to 15.7-month window, and that the agency now has 40 contract surveyors and an outside team option. Several members praised the progress but warned that delays in surveys can endanger residents and urged continued funding and monitoring. The committee then began hearing from Mike Tuggle of the Department of Public Health on the Public Health Transformation Initiative, with Tuggle noting the legislation’s importance to public health financing. The transcript cuts off as he began his remarks.

Transcript Highlights:

• But a reviewer would be able to kind of pop this up on their screen.
• But a reviewer would be able to kind of pop this up on their screen.
• I think you can unshare your screen if you want, Susan.
• I think you can unshare your screen if you want, Susan.
• They just needed some work in the math.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on the Census held a hearing on September 22, 2025 focused on preparations for the 2030 census, with an emphasis on Massachusetts’ role in building a complete address list and improving local participation in census-related address review programs. Chair Brownsberger and witnesses from the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office, the UMass Donahue Institute, Watertown, and MassGIS described the importance of accurate address data for congressional apportionment, federal funding, and state and local planning. They also discussed the first major upcoming step, the Block Boundary Suggestion Project, and the later Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) process, both of which rely on municipalities reviewing and correcting census geography and address files. John Rosenberry of the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office said outreach to cities and towns is beginning now, with a likely December start for the block boundary process based on the 2020 cycle. He stressed that local officials, clerks, building inspectors, housing authorities, and GIS staff should be engaged early, especially to capture new development and conversions created under the state’s housing policies. Susan Strait of UMass Donahue explained that LUCA allows local governments to compare their address lists with the Census Bureau’s master address file, and that Massachusetts had very high participation in 2020; she cited examples where local review added hidden or newly built housing units and noted that Boston later corrected a group-quarters undercount of about 6,000 students through a post-census review program. In response to questions, she clarified that those corrections affected annual estimates and funding formulas, but not the 2020 apportionment count. Watertown City Manager George Proakis described how local address review is complicated by accessory dwelling units, single-family to two-family conversions, and large multifamily projects, and urged continued state support for local governments doing this work. Dan Marrier of MassGIS then outlined the Massachusetts Master Address Database, explaining that it combines multiple sources, including E911, assessor, voter, and municipal data, to create a standardized residential address repository used for census preparation and other state functions. He said the database has helped improve census accuracy, including by updating more than one million Census Bureau address-point locations before 2020, and noted that local municipalities remain the final authority on addresses even as MassGIS standardizes and reconciles variants across the Commonwealth.