Transcript Highlights:

• It's not interchangeable, thank you. Yes.
• These are not interchangeable. Remove one and the system fractures. The stool falls.

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations from the Department of State Hospitals (DSH), the Commission for Behavioral Health, and the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) on budget proposals and implementation updates. DSH outlined its proposed 2026-27 budget, including funding for patient operating expenses, IST solutions savings, conditional release program costs, LPS bed allocation changes, electrical infrastructure projects at Napa and Patton, SB 380 transitional housing feasibility work, and expanded dental services at Metropolitan and Patton. DSH also reported that it has met court-ordered IST treatment benchmarks in the Stiavedi v. Clinton case, with average time to initiate treatment down to about five days and pending placements reduced to roughly 250, while noting that Proposition 36 could increase referrals and SB 1323 may divert some individuals earlier into community-based treatment. Members asked about rising outside hospitalization costs, Medicare enrollment, the timing and structure of capital projects, and whether IST solution funds are being fully used; DSH said the savings reflect slower-than-expected ramp-up of community programs and that the Central California FACT replacement program is still on track for January 2027 activation. The Commission for Behavioral Health described its role under the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), including data, evaluation, grantmaking, technical assistance, and transparency work. It highlighted the new statewide Innovation Partnership Fund, a five-year, $20 million-per-year program with small and large grant categories; the first RFA drew strong interest, with more than 400 questions and over 1,000 bidders’ conference participants. The Commission also discussed a proposed extension to spend down about $4.1 million remaining for the Alcove Youth Drop-in Center grants so sites can finish implementation and Stanford can complete the final evaluation. Members asked about grant duration, whether projects can be renewed, what qualifies as innovation, and whether the fund could support service delivery rather than awareness campaigns or training; the Commission said awards are expected to be three-year contracts and that proposals must be new or meaningfully expanded approaches that support BHSA priority populations. DHCS reviewed major behavioral health changes under CalAIM and BH Connect, including peer support, mobile crisis, contingency management, traditional health care practices for tribal members, updated specialty mental health access criteria, and new substance use treatment standards based on ASAM’s fourth edition. DHCS reported strong contingency management results, with more than 13,000 members served and 95% testing negative for stimulant use during treatment, and said 21 Indian health care providers have been approved to offer traditional health care practices. It also described BH Connect initiatives such as the $1.9 billion access reform and outcomes incentive program, workforce investments, evidence-based practice expansion, IMD participation by four counties, and transitional rent services. On BHSA implementation, DHCS said it is not tracking individual county contract cuts but is monitoring county plans and statewide outcomes, while stakeholders raised concerns about local prevention and service gaps. DHCS also outlined its H.R. 1 implementation strategy, including outreach, streamlined renewals, exemptions for disabled, substance use, and medically frail individuals, and proposed clinic navigator and outreach funding; it said it has not yet produced a focused estimate of H.R. 1 impacts on behavioral health populations. The discussion ended with DHCS noting that B-CHIP bond funding has supported 437 infrastructure projects, creating 546 new or expanded facilities and more than 9,500 residential beds across the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not interchangeable, thank you. Yes.
• These are not interchangeable. Remove one and the system fractures. The stool falls.

Transcript Highlights:

• It’s not interchangeable, thank you. Yes.
• These are not interchangeable. Remove one and the system fractures. The stool falls.

Summary: The subcommittee heard budget and policy updates from the Department of State Hospitals, the Commission for Behavioral Health, and the Department of Health Care Services. DSH described its proposed 2026-27 budget of $3.2 billion, including savings tied to IST solutions, higher patient-driven operating costs, and a small increase in caseload projections. Officials said the department has met court-ordered IST treatment benchmarks, with wait times reduced from a pandemic peak of 1,953 pending placements to about 250, and average treatment initiation now around five days. Members asked about the effects of Proposition 36 and SB 1323, rising outside hospitalization costs, Medicare enrollment, and whether IST solution funding was being overbudgeted; DSH said referrals are slightly down overall, aging and medically complex patients are driving outside care costs, and the IST solution savings reflect slower-than-expected program activation rather than a service gap. The department also outlined proposed funding for CONREP cost increases, a new county-by-county LPS bed allocation model, electrical infrastructure upgrades at Napa and Patton, SB 380 transitional housing feasibility work, and additional dental staffing and space at Metropolitan and Patton. The Commission for Behavioral Health reviewed its role in the Behavioral Health Services Act transition and its new Innovation Partnership Fund. Staff said the commission is shifting from county-level innovation oversight to a statewide grant strategy, with the first $20 million RFA drawing strong interest and awards expected in mid-June. Members asked how “innovation” would be defined, whether grants could be renewed after the initial three-year contracts, and how the state would ensure the money supports real service delivery rather than general outreach or training. The commission also sought a liquidation deadline extension for the Alcove youth drop-in center grants so remaining funds can be spent before they revert, allowing sites to finish implementation and support the final evaluation. DHCS provided an overview of CalAIM and BH Connect implementation, including updated specialty mental health access criteria, new ASAM-based substance use treatment standards, contingency management, traditional health care practices for tribal members, workforce investments, evidence-based practice expansion, IMD participation, and transitional rent services. The department also addressed BHSA implementation, saying it does not track specific local program cuts but will monitor county three-year plans, performance measures, and outcomes as counties shift to the new funding structure. On H.R. 1, DHCS said it is preparing outreach, eligibility simplification, and exemption strategies to reduce Medi-Cal coverage losses, including clinic navigators, a statewide outreach campaign, and possible employment supports through a future waiver. The department also reported that BH-CHIP bond funds have supported 437 infrastructure projects, creating 546 facilities and more than 9,500 residential beds, with additional outpatient capacity and tribal investments. Finally, DHCS outlined a proposed 988 trailer bill to create a statewide designation process for 988 centers and mobile crisis teams, with implementation no earlier than October 1, 2027.

Transcript Highlights:

• going to award the bigger project that surrounds Springfield and does some things at the I-49/I-44 interchange
• Okay, so we included the Fidelity Interchange as part of this first design-build project.

Committee: House Budget

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 4 testimony on the Missouri Department of Transportation’s FY 2027 budget request. Director Ed Hassinger said MoDOT’s priorities are delivering projects on time and under budget, restoring maintenance capability, improving roadway safety, and being more customer responsive. He highlighted progress on legislatively designated projects, declining fatalities over the last three years, and the need to continue the pay plan and add 100 maintenance employees to address “windshield issues” such as litter, potholes, signs, deer removal, and mowing. He also warned that eliminating general revenue transit funding would severely hurt rural transit agencies that rely on it to match federal dollars. Members raised concerns about MoDOT’s customer service, staffing, overtime, turnover, and the agency’s relationship with local governments and constituents. Several representatives described frustrating interactions with MoDOT and pressed the director to change the agency’s culture and improve responsiveness. Hassinger said the department is trying to do that, that it has made progress, and that it is hiring more workers; he reported about 15-16% turnover, about 119 maintenance vacancies, and roughly 80 new hires in January. He also said MoDOT inspects county bridges every two years, has increased funding for off-system bridge programs, and reduced the local match requirement for those programs. The committee then moved through the budget book line by line. MoDOT staff explained that some appropriations were being restored because prior reductions were made in anticipation of a federal road fund proposal that did not pass, and that the supplemental and FY 2027 budget would restore core administration, program delivery, and safety/operations authority. Members questioned large lapses and unspent balances, and staff said those reflected reserves, vacancies, multi-year contractor payments, and local reimbursements that had not yet been submitted. The committee also discussed debt service for the I-70, I-44, and Focus on Bridges programs, the status of I-44 improvements and environmental work, the I-44/I-49 design-build project near Springfield, the remaining balance in cost-share funding, and a Springfield pedestrian bridge project that several members criticized as low priority but said would be completed because it had already been funded. No final vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Christina Scrant, for the Center for Biological Diversity, in support.
• Christina Scringe with the Center for Biological Diversity, in support.
• Sorry, Christina Scouringe with the Center for Biological...
• Christina Scorange with the Center for Biological Diversity, opposing AB 1849. Three quick points.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard several bills focused on clean energy, electrification, and grid planning. AB 1813 (Ward) would revise California’s community renewable energy program to better support community solar and storage, especially for renters and low-income customers, by tying credits to avoided costs and requiring at least 51% low-income participation. Supporters said the current CPUC program is unworkable and has stalled development; utilities raised concerns about cost shifts, CCA impacts, and the bill’s late substantive amendments. The bill was discussed but no vote was recorded in the excerpt. AB 2313 (Berman) would create a gas service line replacement alternative program allowing customers facing planned gas line replacement to instead choose electrification and receive an incentive. Supporters argued it would reduce long-term gas infrastructure costs and give customers more choice, while opponents warned it could divert money from safety-related gas replacement work, create affordability issues, and conflict with the recently approved SB 1221 pilot. Committee members pressed the author on safety, funding sources, and renter impacts; the author said the bill includes emergency replacement exemptions and is intended to lower costs for remaining ratepayers. AB 1975 (Schultz) would require the CPUC to develop a grid utilization metric and consider expanded grid management programs to better use existing distribution infrastructure and reduce the need for costly upgrades. Supporters said better utilization could save ratepayers billions and help integrate batteries and flexible load; utilities generally opposed rigid utilization targets but were open to further discussion. The committee passed AB 1975 on a 7-0 vote to Appropriations. AB 2612, on plug-in photovoltaic systems, passed 9-0 to Appropriations after supporters said it would expand access to low-cost solar and utilities requested clarification that they would participate in the standards process. AB 1849 (Pappin) would direct CARB to study the need for decarbonized gaseous fuels in hard-to-electrify sectors and for grid reliability. Supporters framed it as a technology-neutral assessment for sectors like industrial heat and backup power; opponents argued it was biased toward a preferred fuel pathway and duplicated existing state studies. After a lengthy exchange over the lack of a statutory definition for “decarbonized gaseous fuels,” the bill passed 10-0 to Appropriations. AB 2088 (Pappin) would authorize investor-owned utilities to own and operate thermal energy networks, with safeguards for safety, workforce, and ratepayers. Supporters described TENs as efficient, low-emission heating and cooling systems that can use geothermal energy or waste heat; the bill passed 9-0 to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• As an adoptive parent, we should not have to fight a broken system while watching the biological parents
• As an adoptive parent, we should not have to fight a broken system while watching the biological parents
• In our case, the biological mother has faced no consequences despite now bearing four children, all suffering
• and the court still granted 50-50 shared custody, insisting that it would not predict harm to his biological

Summary: The committee approved the minutes and then heard a long series of bills, mostly from Senators Hoffman, Fernandez, and Bolick. Early action included SB 1436 on school bond/override ballot language, which passed 4-3 after brief debate over ballot length and transparency. SB 1568, requiring election systems to keep clocks within 60 seconds of official time and making violations a misdemeanor, was amended and passed 4-3 despite concerns about machine failures and the breadth of the penalty. SB 1569, limiting special election board members from collecting voter registrations while assisting confined voters, also passed 4-3 after testimony from county officials and a deputy registrar describing alleged misuse of SEBs. SB 1746, requiring schools to serve as polling places and closing schools on regular primary/general election days for staff training, passed 4-3 over objections about school autonomy and safety. SB 1295, allowing certain incarcerated people needing long-term care or treatment to be transferred to contracted medical institutions, passed unanimously after an amendment narrowing the medical eligibility language. The committee then took up SB 1067, a county blight/abatement bill allowing property tax bills to include assessments for removing rubbish, debris, and dilapidated structures; county officials from Gila and Pima Counties strongly supported it, and it passed 7-0. SB 1285, which would have repealed kratom protections and added kratom and its alkaloids to the narcotic-drug list, drew strong opposition from industry and a pharmacist and failed 3-4 after debate over safety, regulation, and criminal penalties. SB 1413, removing the $100,000 restitution cap for serious injury or death caused by a moving violation, passed after a short explanation that it was intended to conform statutes to a prior Arizona Supreme Court ruling. SB 1476, making prenatal exposure to dangerous or narcotic drugs and fetal alcohol syndrome a class six felony child neglect offense with an affirmative defense for mothers who completed treatment, drew emotional testimony from a foster/adoptive parent and opposition from reproductive justice and criminal defense advocates; it passed 4-2. Later, SB 1585, creating standards and funding mechanisms for sex offender-specific evaluations, treatment, and polygraphs, passed 4-2 after supporters argued it would improve oversight and opponents questioned the added surcharge and appropriation. SB 1662, requiring probation conditions to be the least restrictive necessary and tailored to risk and needs, passed 5-0 with support from justice reform advocates and defense attorneys. SB 1664, adjusting constable nomination signature requirements in Maricopa and Pima Counties, passed unanimously after county association support. The committee then began SB 1666 on in-state custodial interference, with the sponsor and a supporter describing repeated violations of custody orders and arguing for a tiered civil-penalty-to-felony structure; the transcript ends during questioning on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires establishment of a biological aquatic risk-based framework for assessment and approval of
• It requires establishment<00:49:17.520><c> of</c><00:49:17.760><c> a</c><00:49:18.079><c> biological<
• /c><00:49:18.960><c> aquatic</c> establishment of a biological aquatic establishment of a biological

Bills: HB1602 , HB2246 , HB1707 , HB2216 , HB2594 , HB2595 , HB2155 , HB2113 , HB2207 , HB1832 , HB2015 , HB2152 , HB2548

Committees: House Agriculture & Food Systems , House Agriculture and Environment

Keywords: agriculture, grant specialist, financial support, farmers, Hawaii, federal grants, grant administration, revolving fund, department of agriculture and biosecurity, grant compliance, transportation, reimbursement, food security, local production, sustainability, agricultural loans, financing, Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Hawaii agriculture, loan portfolio

Transcript Highlights:

• It's one of the most biologically diverse counties in the nation, with extensive regional corridors.
• I'm the Senior Wolf Advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit organization with
• I'm the Senior Wolf Advocate with the Center for Biological Diversal. Committee.
• I'm the Senior Wolf Advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit organization with

Summary: The hearing focused on human-wildlife conflict in California, especially predator management involving bears, mountain lions, coyotes, and wolves. The chair and Assemblymember Hadwick framed the issue as a balance between protecting people, livestock, and property while preserving wildlife and biodiversity, citing habitat loss, development, drought, wildfire, and climate change as drivers of conflict. Department of Fish and Wildlife officials described their conflict-response work, including public education, depredation permits, wildlife incident reporting, and coordination with sheriffs, counties, and other agencies. They also noted that wildlife sightings and conflicts are increasingly common in both rural and urban areas, including recent mountain lion activity in San Francisco and ongoing bear conflicts in places like Tahoe and Sierra Madre. CDFW staff outlined the department’s human-wildlife conflict program, including the WEIR reporting system, a public toolkit, limited-term staff, and regional response efforts. They said the program grew out of drought-related incidents and later state funding, but that one-time money has expired, creating service gaps. Officials also discussed specific management approaches such as Tahoe’s trap-tag-haze bear program, DNA-based incident tracking, and the use of nonlethal deterrents before lethal action. For wolves, they explained that the species is protected and managed differently from bears and lions, that there is no general depredation-kill process for wolves, and that the department is working on data-sharing agreements, county liaisons, compensation programs, and improved coordination with ranchers and local law enforcement. Members pressed the department on underreporting, trust in state agencies, the need for sheriffs to participate in investigations, and whether more authority should be given for public-safety removals or hazing. Assemblymember Gonzalez also raised wildlife trafficking and border enforcement issues in Southern California. The panel repeatedly emphasized that more resources, technology, and local partnerships are needed. Officials gave budget context, saying roughly $17 million in one-time funding over several years supported conflict response and wolf compensation efforts, but that staffing and program capacity remain limited. The chair concluded by noting interest in further work on technology, funding, and institutionalizing collaboration, and the hearing then moved to a second panel of university researchers who presented on wolf and mountain lion conflict, habitat planning, trust, and the need for flexible, science-based, locally tailored mitigation strategies.

Transcript Highlights:

• She found her biological parents and her brother and two of her sisters just five years ago, and she's
• living proof that it is valuable information to be able to go back and look at records to find your biological
• My biological father—after doing much research and finally being able to obtain the information through
• And my biological father had an MI and heart surgery at 47.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Hawaii Biological Survey is something that was established in 1992 by the state under Bishop Museum
• Um<00:48:51.200><c> the</c><00:48:51.599><c> Hawaii</c><00:48:52.000><c> Biological</c><00:48:52.800>
• <c> Survey</c><00:48:53.760><c> is</c> Um the Hawaii Biological Survey is Um the Hawaii Biological Survey

Summary: The Committee on Culture and the Arts held an informational briefing with representatives from ʻIolani Palace and Bishop Museum to discuss how the Legislature can better support state-funded cultural institutions during the interim and into the next session. Chair Capella said the goal was to understand current needs, preserve Hawaiian culture and history, and expand educational access. No votes or formal actions were taken during the briefing. ʻIolani Palace’s representative described the Friends of ʻIolani Palace’s role as the nonprofit supporting repair, restoration, maintenance, and public education for the state monument. She said state operational funding and ARPA funds were critical to keeping the palace open, maintaining HVAC and other systems, and funding repairs that would otherwise fall to DLNR. She highlighted ongoing and planned projects including a fire suppression system, HVAC improvements, basement exhibit work, plumbing repairs, elevator replacement, etched glass restoration, and school-tour access. She also noted that a prior $150,000 CIP for windows and doors had not yet been released, and said the organization is exploring ways to bring more neighbor island students to the palace through transportation support, airline partnerships, and digital outreach. Bishop Museum’s representatives outlined the museum’s history, its role as the state museum of natural and cultural history, and its extensive collections in archives, archaeology, botany, entomology, zoology, and cryopreservation. They emphasized the museum’s work in preservation, research, environmental stewardship, and public education, including free access through Museums for All, daily programming, and cultural festivals and community events. They said state funding has been essential for staffing, IT security, fire suppression, and infrastructure needs, and that digitization of the museum’s 25 million objects is a major ongoing initiative to preserve and share Hawaiʻi’s history and knowledge.

Transcript Highlights:

• David Derek, with the Center for Biological Diversity, in opposition. Thank you so much.
• Conservation Board and partnered with the Department of Fish and Game, and is intended to elevate the biological
• Business Alliance for Protecting the Pacific Coast, and David Derek, representing the Center for Biological
• I'm David Derek with the Center for Biological Diversity in strong support of AB 1448, with sincere thanks

Committee: House Natural Resources

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on environmental protection, climate policy, public health, and housing. AB 1425 would prohibit pit dewatering near the San Joaquin River Parkway where groundwater is shallow, with the author and supporters arguing it is needed to protect the river, groundwater, flood safety, tribal and cultural resources, and a nearby restoration area. Supporters included environmental groups, local residents, and Indigenous speakers, while CEMEX, labor representatives, and industry groups opposed the bill as an improper circumvention of the CEQA process that could threaten an existing mine and about 100 jobs. After extensive questioning about hydrology, blasting, and the CEQA record, the committee voted the bill out on a due pass as amended recommendation, with some members not voting and the roll left open for absent members. AB 881 would lift California’s moratorium on carbon dioxide pipeline regulation and direct the State Fire Marshal to develop safety standards for carbon capture and sequestration pipelines. The author and supporters, including SMUD, Calpine, utilities, labor, and industry groups, said the bill is needed to advance carbon removal goals, preserve federal funding, and support clean energy and jobs. Environmental justice and conservation groups opposed or opposed unless amended, warning that CO2 pipelines pose serious safety risks and that state authority and standards need to be stronger. The bill received a due pass as amended recommendation to Appropriations. AB 1207 would tie California’s cap-and-trade price ceiling to the federal social cost of carbon. The author and EDF said the measure would keep the program science-based and protect it from federal political interference, while no opposition was heard in the room. The committee approved the bill on a due pass recommendation. AB 1106, sponsored by air quality agencies, would create a network of regional air quality incident response centers to improve monitoring and public health response during wildfires and other disasters; it also received a due pass recommendation after testimony on mobile monitoring, VOCs, metals, PM, and asbestos sampling. The committee also heard AB 28, the Landfill Fire Safety Act, prompted by the long-running Chiquita Canyon landfill subsurface fire. The author and residents described serious health impacts and argued the bill would require monitoring, reporting, corrective action, and stronger enforcement when landfill temperatures rise. Waste and county representatives opposed the bill as drafted, saying the cause of the event is still unclear and the proposal could impose broad costs on landfills statewide, though they said amendments improved the framework. Members discussed the scale of the fire, possible medical impacts, and whether the bill would punish compliant operators; the bill was sent out on a due pass as amended recommendation. The committee also heard AB 357, which would require the Coastal Commission to act within 90 days on student and faculty housing projects in the coastal zone; supporters said it would help address student homelessness and housing costs, while coastal and planning advocates raised concerns about the amendment and the role of coastal review.

Transcript Highlights:

• right-to-try law to add that no health care provider providing access to investigational drug, biological
• The amendment would add that no health care provider providing access to an investigational drug, biological

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, that brings us to SB 3073 relating to biological evidence.
• standard period of retention, which includes a procedure for defendants to oppose the disposal of biological

Bills: SCR96 , SCR164 , SCR172 , SCR166 , SCR182 , SCR7 , SCR59 , SCR58 , SCR60 , SCR89 , SCR184 , SCR11 , HB2296 , HB2315 , HB2343

Transcript Highlights:

• I have been a biological researcher for the U.S.
• Yet fungi, an entire biological kingdom, and integral to our ecosystems, remain unrecognized.

Committee: House Special Committee on Tourism

Transcript Highlights:

• This biological mother was there with a child, and this is someone...
• And this biological mother was there with a child, and this is someone that I actually knew personally

Committee: House House Government Committee of Reference

Summary: The Committee on Government convened, took roll, introduced members and staff, and heard an Auditor General presentation on a special audit of the Arizona Department of Child Safety’s handling of non-criminal child abuse and neglect reports. The audit found that while DCS generally met initial contact timeframes in most cases, 123 of 125 sampled cases had at least one policy noncompliance issue, including failures to properly notify alleged perpetrators of rights and allegations, incomplete or undocumented investigative steps and safety plans, and investigations that exceeded required timeframes. The Auditor General said DCS agreed with the findings and would implement the recommendations; members asked about sample size, staffing, turnover, and whether the problems were systemic and documentation-related. The chair also gave an opening statement emphasizing oversight of DCS and the committee’s intent to focus on systemic issues and child safety. The committee then considered House Bill 262, which authorizes a memorial for the Buffalo Soldiers at Wesley Boland Plaza. Several supporters testified about the historical significance of the Buffalo Soldiers and the importance of recognizing their contributions in Arizona. Members from both parties spoke in support, and HB 262 passed unanimously with a due pass recommendation. The committee next heard House Bill 2018, which would prohibit DCS from entering into agreements with health care institutions that allow or require payment in exchange for reports of child abuse or neglect. The sponsor and supporters argued the bill was needed to prevent financial incentives from influencing reporting and to protect parents’ rights, while some testimony described alleged overreporting and harmful removals tied to hospital reporting arrangements. Members debated whether there was a sufficient paper trail for such payments and whether the issue was limited to one hospital or broader; the sponsor said DCS had not provided requested data and that subpoena power might be needed. After a recess and further discussion, HB 2018 passed on a 4-3 vote and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• An example is that we had a sister of a biological family mom. who was killed in a tragic situation,
• Most importantly, it's vital for those families; children need to remain home and with their biological

Bills: SB596 , SB961 , SB1398 , SB1183 , SB1952

Committee: House Human Services

Keywords: DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, child protective services, foster care, child welfare, Family Code, conservatorship, managing conservator, parental child safety placement, authorization agreement, temporary authorization order, child abuse, child neglect, placement reporting, court-ordered removal, investigation, family preservation, transparency, public reporting, data reporting

Transcript Highlights:

• Our staff are not interchangeable commodities.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities

Summary: The Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities held a hearing focused on accessibility-related legislation, with the chairs emphasizing ASL and CART accessibility and asking testifiers to speak slowly and clearly. The committee heard testimony first on H.223/S.130, a bill to establish a livable wage for community-based human service workers by reducing the pay gap with state employees. Providers’ Council, Communities for People, the Key Program, and BAMSI all supported the bill, describing persistent wage disparities, high vacancy and turnover rates, and the impact on continuity of care for children, youth, and families. Witnesses said the bill would help recruitment and retention and stabilize services across the Commonwealth. The committee then heard extensive testimony on H.224/S.160, the ACE Act, which would create a dedicated funding source to improve accessibility in the creative economy. Arts organizations and advocates, including Community Access to the Arts, Abilities Dance Boston, Jacob’s Pillow, the Multicultural Arts Center, Northampton Community Music Center, Mass Creative, Open Door Arts, and Monkey House, described barriers such as inaccessible buildings, lack of ASL interpretation and captioning, inadequate lifts and backstage access, and the high cost of renovations. Testifiers said the bill would help smaller and historic institutions make physical and programmatic improvements and allow people with disabilities to participate as artists, workers, and audiences. The committee also heard testimony on H.4180, which would require DDS to consider neuropsychological evaluations when determining eligibility for intellectual disability services. Parents and advocates argued that IQ cutoffs alone can miss significant functional needs, especially for autistic adults and others with complex developmental profiles, and urged broader access to DDS supports. Additional testimony supported S.101 on closed captioning and telecommunications in public areas, and S.158 on requiring restaurants to have some chairs with arms to better accommodate physically disabled and older patrons. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair adjourned after hearing from the scheduled witnesses and noting a few signups that were not present.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those medical systems have interchanging information from one hospital system to another.

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Transcript Highlights:

• Those medical systems have interchanging information from one hospital system to another.

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and adopted a substitute for House Bill 1962, then voted House Committee Substitute for HB 1962 do pass by 16-0. The substitute was described as making changes related to an epinephrine-related database and pricing. The committee then adopted a substitute for House Bill 2371 and voted House Committee Substitute for HB 2371 do pass by 16-0; the sponsor said the bill would codify existing Medicaid/state-plan coverage for a blood pressure-related issue and make the private insurance language consistent. House Concurrent Resolution 28 was also voted do pass by 16-0. The committee then heard House Bill 3457, “Maddie’s Law,” which would create an electronic medical-record alert for medically complex children so hospitals can quickly access individualized emergency care plans. Representative Burns presented the bill as a response to the death of a child named Maddie, and multiple family members and advocates testified in support, describing repeated emergency-room delays, the burden of carrying binders of records, and the need for one-click access to care plans. Questions focused on how the alert would work with existing systems, whether QR codes or bracelets might help, whether the bill should also apply to adults, and how the voluntary language fits with the goal of ensuring the information is available. An SSM Health lobbyist testified for information purposes, explaining that the STARS program is a voluntary EMS care-plan system started in 2014 and now includes about 1,800 children in Missouri and Illinois; he said the sponsor was willing to work on the language. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 3401, which would require hospitals to develop workplace violence prevention plans, multidisciplinary committees, risk assessments, training, reporting, and incident review processes, while keeping the bill flexible for different facilities. The sponsor and several health care groups cited high rates of threats and assaults against emergency and hospital staff and argued that violence is a preventable workplace risk that contributes to burnout and staffing shortages. Witnesses from emergency physicians, nurses, the Missouri Hospital Association, and other medical groups supported the bill, with some suggesting the signage language be broadened or simplified. No votes were taken on HB 3457 or HB 3401 before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• page 3 of the report, I believe you say that the NPRR 1180 and PGRR 107 were posted on the PUC interchange

Bills: SB438 , SB512 , SB647 , SB648 , SB1495 , SB2121 , SB2145 , SB2154 , SB2167 , SB2184 , SB2211 , SB2268 , SB2349 , SB2443 , SB2629 , SB2702 , SB2902

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce met with a quorum and took up several pending bills, voting favorably on SB 1612, SB 2717, SB 1468, SB 1642, and SB 1789. SB 1612 was reported favorably with objections to the local and contested calendar, while SB 2717, SB 1468, SB 1642, and SB 1789 were reported favorably, with SB 1642 and SB 1789 sent to the floor. SB 2717 would create the Texas Energy Efficiency Council; SB 1642 would add an executive director to the Texas Department of Insurance structure; and SB 1789 would establish pole standards and clarify PUC authority and remedies. The committee also heard an ERCOT update from CEO Pablo Vegas on the updated long-term load forecast, which showed a much higher unadjusted growth projection driven largely by data centers. ERCOT described an adjusted forecast using historical delays and lower realized build rates, and members discussed reliability, generation timelines, and the importance of SB 6 for demand response and flexibility. The committee then heard and left pending SB 2629, which would allow condominium and property owners’ association meetings and voting by electronic means; SB 2702, which would let nationally certified professionals test backflow prevention assemblies without a separate TCEQ license; SB 2167, which would let TDLR pause new license applications tied to human trafficking emergency orders or pending SOAH cases; SB 2349, which would exempt short-term leases and certain leasebacks from flood disclosure requirements; SB 2121, which would tighten the data broker registry law; and SB 2443, which would authorize TDLR electronic delivery of notices and other documents. Testimony generally supported these bills as cleanup, modernization, or workforce-streamlining measures, with some members expressing caution about electronic meetings and emphasizing in-person accountability. The committee also heard SB 2902 on coerced debt and identity theft, with testimony from a law professor and family violence advocates supporting stronger protections for survivors and suggesting a police report as an additional proof option. SB 512, a refiled bill restricting money transmission license holders from fining users for terms-of-service violations, also received supportive testimony and was left pending. Later, the committee heard SB 2145 on allowing certain TIF boards to meet virtually in narrow circumstances, SB 2268 on extending Texas Energy Fund loan deadlines in some cases, SB 1495 creating an EV supply equipment advisory board, SB 2154 regulating delivery network companies under a statewide framework, SB 2184 lowering the age for pyrotechnic operator and fireworks display permits from 21 to 18, SB 2211 on combining data centers, power generation, and produced-water desalination projects, and SB 647 on title theft protections and clerk authority to refuse fraudulent filings. Most of these bills were left pending after brief testimony and questions, with members focusing on reliability, regulation, and safeguards against fraud.