Transcript Highlights:

• We also work very closely with ten tribal government agencies that are within the district and 17 local
• So how will the agency ensure that rural and border communities are given their fair share of these funds
• That brings our upcoming funded projects to $98.6 million versus the $110 million challenge.
• Chair and gentlemen, so the reason I raise that is you have a lot of challenges that some maybe districts

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The committee heard a District 5 New Mexico Department of Transportation presentation from Rhonda Lopez, who reviewed the district’s FY26 budget, staffing vacancies, and the status of special appropriations from 2020 through 2025. She described numerous completed and ongoing projects across the district, including roadway overlays, bridge work, intersection improvements, ADA upgrades, and maintenance projects, and also summarized STIP, TPF, LGRF, and equipment needs. Members asked about a guardrail issue near U.S. 64 in Hogback, the 5% local match for TPF projects, and the status of the New Mexico 371/U.S. 36 intersection funding agreement with the Navajo Nation; DOT said the match is secured or waived where applicable and that the Navajo agreement is nearly finalized. The committee then heard House Bill 270, which would amend the Public Works Apprentice Training Act to require contributions to apprenticeship and training programs for certain public works contracts, including highway-related work, while creating an exception where no approved apprenticeship program exists for a trade classification. The sponsor said the bill was intended to strengthen workforce development and support apprenticeship training. Contractors and asphalt industry representatives opposed the bill, arguing it would raise road project costs and duplicate existing training contributions. A motion to table failed on a tie, and a later motion to pass also failed on a tie, leaving the bill in committee. Next, the committee heard House Bill 322, which would create a transportation trust fund and transportation program fund, dedicate additional revenue sources including a portion of electricity GRT and motor vehicle excise tax, and begin annual distributions for federal matching funds in 2029. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would help address a multi-billion-dollar road funding gap, improve maintenance, and provide a stable source for matching federal dollars. Some members raised concerns about the electricity tax component, its effect on utility bills, and overlap with recently enacted transportation financing measures; others supported the concept but questioned timing and funding priorities. A motion on the bill resulted in a tie and failed, leaving the bill in committee. The meeting concluded with a District 4 NMDOT legislative presentation. The district outlined its geography, budget, staffing vacancy rate, completed special appropriations, active construction and maintenance projects, wildfire-related recovery work, local government funding allocations, and equipment replacement needs. Members asked about school district uses of local funding and the impact of aging equipment and weather on maintenance costs. The presentation ended without any formal action on District 4 items, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• particularly when the parent has... has not been involved in, not conceded or succeeded in doing what the agency
• prescribed for them to do, the CPS agency.
• Parents struggling with things like addiction or mental health challenges need time and support and resources
• I want to give you a couple of examples along with what Amanda offered for how This would pose challenges

Bills: HB809 , HB 1193 , HB1916 , HB2558 , HB1973 , HB2350 , HB2399 , HB2340 , HB 116 , HB330 , HB2496 , HB116

Committee: House S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships

Keywords: digitized signature, waiver of citation, marriage dissolution, electronic notarization, family law, HB 1193, informal marriage, common-law marriage, declaration of informal marriage, confidentiality, privacy, county clerk, vital statistics unit, Family Code, Health and Safety Code, marriage records, public records, personally identifying information, PII, legal representative

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:08:58.719><c> that's</c> bureaucracy and the agency that's bureaucracy and the agency that's
• Article 7 is our state agency bill.
• Article 7 is our state agency bill.
• Um, Article 7 is our state agency bill.
• Use challenge our districts to do it.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We all know that there's social and economic challenges to that.
• Challenges, where those are not present? Are we seeing housing getting built?
• The mobility challenges faced by our low-income families.
• Also want to hit on the homeownership challenge.
• We have a lot of relationships in Los Angeles and the Bay Area. ...challenges.

Committee: House Housing and Community Development

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But one of the bigger challenges in addition to cost is cost uncertainty.
• There's always a challenge as to where we are going to get the fuels for it.
• But what is stopping the challenge here is the economics.
• Is waste management a challenge and disposal of that? No.
• Is waste management a challenge and disposable of that?

Committee: Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee

Summary: The meeting was a presentation and Q&A at Idaho National Laboratory focused on the state of nuclear energy, advanced reactors, and the lab’s role in testing, regulation, and commercialization. Speakers described INL’s broader mission beyond nuclear, including cybersecurity and critical infrastructure, but emphasized its major nuclear capabilities: the Advanced Test Reactor, TREAT, the Materials and Fuels Complex, and other test beds used to accelerate fuel and materials testing. They also highlighted the lab’s size, workforce, internship pipeline, and partnerships with DOE, DHS, DOD, and private companies. A major topic was the federal push to speed up nuclear deployment through executive orders and regulatory reform. Speakers said DOE and the NRC are reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, streamlining environmental reviews, and working toward a goal of having three new nuclear systems achieve criticality by July 4, 2026. They discussed the difference between microreactors, small modular reactors, and traditional gigawatt-scale plants, arguing that advanced reactors can be factory-built, safer, and better suited for data centers, military bases, remote communities, industrial heat, and other nontraditional uses. They also said the U.S. is rebuilding its nuclear supply chain, including enrichment and fuel fabrication, and that states willing to host parts of the fuel cycle could see major economic benefits. The speakers addressed questions about cost, safety, waste, and international competition. They said advanced reactors rely on passive safety features, TRISO fuel, and natural circulation, and that the industry’s challenge is often cost uncertainty rather than a precise fuel or materials limit. They argued used nuclear fuel should be viewed as a resource rather than waste if recycling becomes policy, and said microreactors should produce relatively small amounts of spent fuel. They also noted that China and Russia continue to build aggressively, with China on pace to surpass the U.S. in total nuclear generation, while U.S. projects such as Palisades, Crane Clean Energy Center, Duane Arnold, Oklo, Aalo, MARVEL, and Project Pele are moving forward under DOE and private-sector partnerships.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Memorial 15 is raising awareness of the challenges experienced by people exposed to radiation.
• One of the biggest challenges is not having funding to pay our interns.
• What this bill tries to address is that challenge by ensuring that retail pharmacies that distribute
• Facilities and mental health treatment, as well as our detox, certainly sympathize with the challenges
• Health insurance costs have remained a top challenge for small businesses since 1986.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> changes should the agency go that route. changes should the agency go that route.
• Modifies dispatch agency license.
• So, I'm hoping agency license.
• Are there any agency amendment.
• </c> questions or discussion on the agency questions or discussion on the agency amendment?

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then recognized a staff member’s birthday and a guest shadowing Senator Adams. It then moved into informational review of Education and Labor Cabinet, Department of Education regulation 702 KAR 3:30, which sets insurance coverage requirements for school district buildings and structures. Department of Education officials explained that districts are expected to carry coverage at replacement cost and said they understand some districts participate in self-insurance pools with backup policies, but they deferred detailed insurance questions to the Department of Insurance. Senators raised concerns that pooled coverage could leave districts exposed if claims exceed pool limits, and the chair asked KDE to follow up with DOI to confirm districts are adequately covered, especially for bondholders. No vote was taken on the informational review. The committee then reviewed emergency ABC regulations 804 KAR 130:01 through 130:04 implementing Senate Bill 100’s new licensing requirements for tobacco, nicotine, and vapor product businesses. ABC and Public Protection Cabinet representatives outlined the emergency rules governing enforcement, license applications, denial criteria, and transitional licenses. Retail industry witnesses Shannon Stiglet and Brian Clark said they support licensure in principle but argued the rules add duplicative requirements borrowed from alcohol licensing, create confusion about transitional licenses, and may be too burdensome for the roughly 7,000 affected businesses to meet by the January 1 deadline. They also said guidance has been inconsistent and requested the agency revise the regulations, remove requirements not grounded in law, and provide clearer, separate processes for new and existing businesses. Committee members asked whether the industry had worked directly with ABC and noted the public comment period was still open. Witnesses said they had communicated with ABC and the Public Protection Cabinet, but responses had been uneven and they wanted written guidance. Members expressed concern about the short timeline and the need to avoid disruption so businesses can operate legally on January 1. Representative Marzian asked for clarification that the discussion concerned emergency regulations already in effect while ordinary regulations remain in process. No formal action was taken beyond receiving the informational testimony and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• We, along with those nonprofit organizations and over 45 child welfare agencies, including Minnesota's
• </c><00:37:41.839><c> including</c> child welfare agencies including child welfare agencies including
• They are not meant to be lesser in any way; they just align to the strengths and challenges of kinship
• </c><00:43:15.480><c> to</c><00:43:15.640><c> check</c> they're also being challenged to check they're
• also being challenged to check all<00:43:16.280><c> of</c><00:43:16.400><c> the</c><00:43:16.559><c>

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Schmick, to maybe attempt to answer your question on a high level, several agencies...
• Several agencies have roles in various aspects of salmon recovery.
• Washington has strong agencies, dedicated staff, and proven tools, but recovery efforts are still too
• I can speak a little bit that the Forest Practices Board is its own separate state agency.
• HEAL Act responsibilities are when they're acting in their capacity at another state agency.

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee heard public testimony on House Bill 2598, which would create a Salmon Advisory Commission made up of tribal leaders, state agencies, legislators, and local governments to develop recommendations on salmon and steelhead recovery. Prime sponsor Rep. Lekanoff described the bill as a way to bring executive, legislative, and tribal leaders together on salmon recovery and treaty obligations. Staff noted a fiscal note of roughly $35,000 in out years. Supporters emphasized salmon’s cultural and treaty importance and the need for coordinated leadership, while the lone public testifier, Todd Myers of Washington Policy Center, opposed the bill as another statewide layer of bureaucracy and argued that recovery efforts should focus more on local, watershed-level action. The committee noted 10 signed in pro, 886 con, and one other, but no vote was taken on the bill in the hearing. The committee then heard House Bill 2620, which would repeal the recently adopted Forest Practices Board rule expanding riparian buffers on non-fish-bearing streams and impose new standards for future riparian buffer rulemaking, including an economic viability standard for the timber industry and additional consensus and alternative-analysis requirements. Rep. Dent said the bill was intended to restore communication and collaboration in the forest practices process. Testimony was sharply divided. Tribal representatives and environmental advocates said the rule was the product of a long, science-based adaptive management process under the Forest and Fish framework and was needed to protect water quality, salmon habitat, and treaty rights; they argued the bill would undermine that process and conflict with Clean Water Act compliance. Forest industry and small forest landowner witnesses supported the bill, saying the process had lost trust, ignored alternatives, and imposed significant economic harm on rural communities and family tree farms. DNR and Ecology testified in opposition, saying the rule was based on science and that the bill would weaken water-quality protections and jeopardize HCP compliance. The committee recorded 592 signed in pro, 489 con, and one other, with no vote taken during the hearing. After the public hearings, the committee moved into executive session on five bills. Staff briefly described House Bill 2104, which would make permanent the Aviation Assurance Funding Program for wildfire response; House Bill 2348, a DNR request bill on land and material sales advertising; House Bill 2544, which would require an adjudication process for the Upper Columbia River with a proposed substitute; House Bill 2554, which would repeal Initiative 456 concerning state declarations on tribal natural resource management; and House Joint Memorial 4009, urging federal action on wildland firefighting consolidation. The committee then recessed briefly for caucus and began executive action, starting with a motion to report House Bill 2104 out of committee with a do pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• property as an ag person, the assessor is under a moratorium for three years from coming back and challenging
• restricts the use of photo enforcement systems to enforce traffic law unless a local authority or an agency

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Over 60% of businesses say price inflation for goods and services is the biggest challenge to operation
• Over 60% of businesses say price inflation for goods and services is the biggest challenge to operation
• Over 60% of businesses say price inflation for goods and services is the biggest challenge to operation
• Over 60% of businesses say price inflation for goods and services is the biggest challenge to operation
• to prepare um uh report the challenging to prepare um uh report the annual<00:52:16.440><c> report</

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It covers our state share transfers that we cover on the state share on some sister agencies for services
• agencies uh for services<00:09:40.320><c> that</c><00:09:40.560><c> they</c><00:09:40.720><c> do</c>
• Uh, we work with our sister agency who oversees the eligibility and enrollment system contract, but it
• </c><00:42:50.319><c> who</c> uh we work with our sister agency who uh we work with our sister agency
• that we really need to look challenges that we really need to look at<00:46:10.720><c> in</c><00:46:

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:36 Department for Medicaid Services 00:01:44, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Health and Family Services met for an overview of the Department for Medicaid Services budget. Commissioner Lisa Lee and CFO Steve Beal described Kentucky Medicaid enrollment at about 1.4 million members, including more than 600,000 children, and said the agency’s 2025 total budget was $20.6 billion. They reviewed enrollment trends before, during, and after the COVID-19 public health emergency, noting that redeterminations begun in 2023 reduced enrollment from its peak but that total membership remains above pre-COVID levels. They also explained the difference between the fee-for-service population, which includes long-term care and waiver members, and managed care members, and gave examples of the kinds of services and diagnoses seen in each group. A major focus was the governor’s recommended Medicaid budget and the department’s forecast process. Lee said the budget is split into benefits and administration, with benefits covering fee-for-service services, managed care capitation, transportation, and Medicare premiums, while administration covers contracts, personnel, operating costs, and IT-related advanced planning documents. She said the department uses a consensus forecasting group and actuary input, and that its forecasts have been within 1% of actual spending in recent years. The department also said the governor’s budget includes new waiver slots to address waiting lists, a 2% staff COLA, and a 10% phase-down on state-directed payments beginning in January 2028. Much of the discussion centered on House Resolution 1 and the funding needed to implement its Medicaid-related provisions, including community engagement requirements, six-month redeterminations, and future cost sharing. Lee said the department requested about $35 million in total funds for fiscal 2027, including about $8.2 million in general funds for system changes to the integrated eligibility system, claims processing, notices, and monitoring; and about $11 million in fiscal 2028 for ongoing maintenance, with about $1.6 million in general funds. She said the department expects to seek federal APD matching funds for the IT work. In response to questions, she explained that community engagement would apply to Medicaid expansion members, with qualifying activities including work, school, volunteering, or equivalent income, and that certain groups such as pregnant women, children, caretaker relatives, and some people with chronic disease or substance use disorder would be excluded. She said the department identified roughly 70,000 expansion members who could be subject to the requirement. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that depends on the temporary agency and what they do for training.
• So that depends on the temporary agency and what they do for training.
• Instead of relying on those temporary agencies. You’re recognized for another follow-up.
• And if we want to talk about cost as well, temporary agencies sometimes cost more.
• If this is just extending that same tort coverage to state agency employees.

Bills: HB3552 , HB2984 , HB4124 , HB3934 , HB3448 , HB3131 , HB4200 , HB4201 , HB3011 , HB1912 , HB3380 , HB3881 , HB3538 , HB3851 , HB3907 , HB4430 , HB4431 , HB4457

Committee: House Health and Human Services Oversight

Keywords: childcare, differential pricing, Department of Human Services, child care subsidy, licensed providers, emergency legislation, child care, subsidy program, annual report, program integrity, overpayments, ivermectin, over-the-counter medication, pharmacy immunity, healthcare access, FDA approval, prescription, public health, dentistry, licensing

Summary: The committee took up a series of health, human services, and related bills. House Bill 3552, allowing child care providers to bridge the gap between subsidy reimbursement rates and standard tuition rates, was adopted and reported out 11-2. House Bill 2984, as a substitute, would direct DHS to compile a report on the child care system, including subsidy payment error rates, the number of facilities, closures, and voluntary closure feedback; it was reported out 14-0. House Bill 4201, changing master teacher requirements in child care from licensed capacity to actual enrollment, also passed unanimously. House Bill 3380, creating the Fostering the Future for Oklahoma Children and Families Act to modernize foster care data systems and improve outcomes, passed 12-0. House Bill 4430 and House Bill 4431, both cleanup measures tied to prior nurse practitioner/PA scope and pharmacy-related provisions, each passed 13-0. Several bills focused on health care access, regulation, and public safety. House Bill 4124 would allow over-the-counter ivermectin sales for human use with labeling and dosing information; after extensive questioning about safety, labeling, children, and liability, it passed 9-5. House Bill 3934, a large amended measure affecting dental practice and supervision rules, passed 14-0 after discussion about x-rays, telemedicine, and dental assistants. House Bill 3448, requiring insurance coverage related to group home provider liability for property damage, passed 14-0. House Bill 3131, setting baseline standards and oversight for homeless shelters with roles split between Commerce and Health, drew concerns about local control, temporary shelters, and fiscal impact, but passed 8-6. House Bill 4200, creating a revolving fund for forensic assertive community treatment teams to address the jail-to-homelessness cycle for people with severe mental illness, passed 11-3. The committee also advanced several public health, consumer, and industry bills. House Bill 1912, the Corn Masa Nutrition Enhancement Act, generated extensive debate over folic acid fortification, parental choice, MTHFR genetics, and potential health effects; with a PCS allowing a non-fortified option, it passed 9-5. House Bill 3011 repealed the home brewing license while keeping home-brewing limits and sales restrictions, and passed 11-3. House Bill 3881, the Alternative Nicotine Products Regulatory Act, increased application costs and removed a registry deemed inconsistent with federal law, passing 13-0. House Bill 3538, targeting pharmacy benefit manager vertical integration and its effects on access and pricing, passed 13-0 after discussion of mail-order restrictions and pharmacy closures. House Bill 3851, defining private label/control label alcoholic beverages under the three-tier system, also passed 13-0. House Bill 3907, requiring direct-hire staffing for facilities serving vulnerable adults and children with a short temporary staffing grace period, passed 13-0. The committee then moved on to House Bill 4457, a specialty-drug/PBM measure, with discussion beginning about PBM practices and specialty pharmacy access.

Transcript Highlights:

• I have frankly been inundated by concerns from the area agencies on aging that are lacking. concerns
• from the area agencies on aging that are lacking adequate funding for ombudsman right now.
• So are you familiar with Area Agency on Aging? Yes.
• So do you know if Area Agency on Aging has a state director?
• And so when a constituent reaches out to me, I give them the hotline for Area Agency on Aging.

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As you know, as a legislature, we've been seeing what happens when certain state agencies or departments
• Senators, we've been working with various agencies, and as you've probably noticed, there are kind of
• Senator Trumbull has a bill that addresses doing a study about sidewalks and bike paths and challenges
• And first, let me say that these type bills are designed to make the agency more efficient.
• I assume because they have a big responsibility as a public health agency that DOH has done modeling

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Guttmacher Institute is collecting that data, which is not a state agency, but it is collecting the
• discretion to disseminate that information to federal, state, local, and other public or private agencies
• So what you're saying is that I think you said this earlier, that counties can apply, agencies can apply
• act relating to public utilities, distinguishing between the Public Regulation Commission and the agency
• that supports the commission, clarifying agency statutory duties, requiring compliance with the Gift

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So you can respond to that if you like, but given that we don't have those agencies present, I think
• Well, unfortunately, with both agencies not being here to address the questions, it's unfortunate.
• But looking at some of our bigger agencies, your intent would still be to protect our state workers who
• But looking at some of our bigger agencies, your intent would be still, though, to protect our state
• The division would grant the funds to agencies who provide child welfare services pursuant to NRS 432B

Bills: SB6 , SB62 , SB74 , SB90 , SB104 , SB119 , SB132 , SB133 , SB135 , SB182 , SB185 , SB193 , SB207 , SB217 , SB229 , SB233 , SB260 , SB262 , SB280 , SB281 , SB300 , SB306 , SB378 , SB382 , SB393 , SB403 , SB422 , SB427 , SB431 , SB434 , SB442 , SB452 , SB456 , SB468 , SB472 , SB487 , SB503 , SB6

Committee: Assembly Ways and Means

Keywords: cloud seeding, Nevada, water conservation, agriculture, Desert Research Institute, victim compensation, hate crimes, property remediation, criminal justice, vulnerable persons, elections, voter registration, mail ballots, candidate eligibility, cybersecurity, education funding, teacher grants, classroom supplies, instructional support, specialized personnel

Transcript Highlights:

• Then the state agency in the language says may confirm if they are a designated caregiver.
• and if law enforcement has any agency and if law enforcement has any concerns<01:29:08.719><c> about
• HB 25 is a challenging bill to talk about.
• And just to close, you know, the issue with regard to veterans: they do face a particular challenge,
• It's a nationwide issue, but the challenge is not unique to veterans.

Committee: House Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The response in Butler County was assured by the honor and response from multiple agencies.
• But, uh, ...execute a challenge all the way through on a tight timeline.
• And we know if it gets passed and it gets challenged, it's going to be struck down.
• I filed this legislation to make life a little easier for Missourians with mobility challenges.
• I filed this legislation to make life a little easier for Missourians with mobility challenges.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• leaders, representatives for high school counselors, principals, superintendents, a couple of state agencies
• So this brings us to a critical challenge.
• It's at the gateway of the Olympic Peninsula, and it faces severe economic challenges.
• It's at the gateway of the Olympic Peninsula, and it faces severe economic challenges.
• We're not just looking at finances or academics; we're looking at all of the challenges that students

Bills: SB6325 , SGA9302 , SGA9286 , SGA9289 , SGA9290 , SGA9292 , SGA9293 , SGA9309 , SGA9310 , SGA9311 , SGA9312

Committee: Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development

Keywords: higher education, student procedures, academic policies, enrollment processes, educational standards, 904, all