Transcript Highlights:

• And we've seen threats already for federal cuts to substance use disorder and behavioral health services
• Our first bill is S. 489, sponsored by Senator Fernandez, an act to amend the Public Health Law in relation
• all anymore, is that you would have various organizations, whether nonprofits or state services, operating
• We need to have integrated services for those dealing with addiction and those with mental health concerns
• We talk about health care and schooling.

Committee: Senate Alcoholism And Substance Use Disorders

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Use Disorders held its first meeting of 2026, chaired by Senator Nathalia Fernandez, who opened with remarks about the committee’s recent work, declining overdose deaths in New York overall, continuing disparities in some communities, and the need to protect state funding amid possible federal cuts. She also emphasized alcohol-related harm, the importance of maintaining treatment and recovery supports, and the need to prepare for expanded gambling with downstate casino development. Senator Rob Rawlinson and Ranking Member Senator Oberacker participated, with Oberacker later praising the committee’s bipartisan approach and Fernandez’s leadership. The committee considered eight bills, all of which were advanced. The measures included S. 489 on referrals to appropriate substance use disorder service providers; a scholarship program bill for addiction professionals; S. 1812 on certifying innovative statewide substance use disorder treatment services; S. 3632 establishing a problem gambling advisory council; S. 4950 concerning payment of substances at addiction treatment centers operated by OASAS; S. 4953 creating an intensive addiction and medical services integrated services pilot program; S. 5105 directing OASAS to issue rules for providers in rural locations; and S. 5382 related to privacy protections for chemical dependency services. Several of the bills were sponsored by Senator Fernandez, while others were sponsored by Senator Peter Harckham and Senator Harkham. Discussion focused heavily on integrated care, co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, the value of dual licensing and collaboration among providers, and the practical barriers faced in rural areas, including long travel distances, weather, transportation shortages, and limited broadband for telehealth. Members also noted the importance of privacy in treatment settings and the need for accessible, centralized services so people are less likely to fall through the cracks. Each bill was moved and reported either to the calendar or to finance, with no negative votes recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill clarifies that the towing and storage operators may charge a daily administrative fee, but
• It stands because the towing operators are not repair companies, not an EV specialist.
• So it really limits my capacity as a storage operator to store vehicles.
• Christina Pickens, representing professional record operators of Florida, waves and support.
• So whereas here, tow yard operators are paying, I don't know, six times.

Summary: The Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee heard four bills. HB 37 by Rep. Nix addressed the removal, storage, and cleanup of damaged electric vehicles, allowing towing and storage operators to charge an administrative fee when EVs are stored under enhanced safety standards such as a 50-foot separation or protective barrier. The sponsor and towing industry witnesses described post-crash battery fire risks, while Tesla and Enterprise Mobility raised concerns that the bill was too broad and could lead to triple storage charges even when battery damage is not present. Members largely supported the concept, though some urged further narrowing; the bill was reported favorably after debate. HB 401 by Rep. Tant would cap inmate health care compensation at 110% of the Medicare reimbursement rate for Jefferson County, with the sponsor and Sheriff Matt McNeil saying the measure would help a fiscally constrained county control rising outside medical costs and encourage providers to contract in advance. With no opposition or debate, the bill was reported favorably. The committee also considered HB 4003 by Rep. Benaroch, a local bill for Marco Island that creates a special-election process for council vacancies when the council fails to act; an amendment extended the election window to 130 days and required the governor to call the election if the council does not do so within 30 days. The amendment was adopted and the bill was then reported favorably. Finally, HB 407 by Rep. Snyder would modernize the Martin County Health Care Fund and define indigency criteria for county-funded indigent care, including residency, income, asset, and Medicaid eligibility limits. County and hospital representatives supported the measure, and one member suggested comparing the bill’s indigency definition with existing criminal indigency standards for consistency. The bill also was reported favorably, and the meeting adjourned after all agenda items were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are three divisions in this budget, which include court operations, guardian ad litem programs,
• There are seven budgeted programs within the court operations division, which provide funding for Idaho's
• Court Operations Division provides funding for Idaho's unified court system.
• Under the Court Operations Division, for your consideration is a request for an additional $800,700 in
• This would include an increased appropriation of $700,000 in the Drug Court, Mental Health Court, Family

Summary: The Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committee met to consider several budget items and related language. For the Idaho Judicial Branch, the committee approved a motion adding $3.9 million from dedicated funds for court operations, including money for the Senior Magistrate Judge Fund, treatment court and family court services funds, the Substance Abuse Treatment Fund, and the Court Technology Fund. Members noted the court technology funding was being shifted to dedicated funds to replace general fund support, and the motion passed with a do-pass recommendation. The committee then approved a Guardian ad Litem Division budget increase of $165,300 from the general fund, including support for the Second Judicial District CASA program and restoration of part of a prior rescission. Testimony emphasized the role of CASA volunteers and guardian ad litems in child welfare cases. The motion passed despite some dissent, and the committee also adopted related language. For the Millennium Income Fund, the committee approved a motion totaling $9,872,200, including funding for the Kamiah recovery center, the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund, youth assessment centers, children’s advocacy centers, a statewide drug awareness media campaign, and an added $30,000 for statewide training and coordination of school resource officers. The added SRO funding drew questions about committee consultation, but the substitute motion passed. The committee also adopted maintenance and new appropriation language for the Millennium Fund items, including reporting and oversight provisions. Finally, the committee approved $486,300 in dedicated funds for the Idaho State Historical Society for archival moving and IT hardware, along with reappropriation language for unspent archive-move funds. It also adopted statewide language making conditions, limitations, and restrictions in appropriation bills binding law. The meeting concluded with notice of the next day’s agenda and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, little bit about how the board operates. Uh, we do elect leadership.
• . operating. operating.
• </c><01:03:43.200><c> safety</c> regulations protect the health safety regulations protect the health
• ,</c> regulations protecting the health, regulations protecting the health, safety,<01:09:29.080><c>
• </c> uh, disability status, your health uh, disability status, your health status,<01:18:57.400><c> your

Committee: Senate Labor

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Paula Stone, Arkansas Department of Human Services, Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.
• Moving on to E9, DHS Division of County Operations. E9, DHS Division of County Operations.
• I'm Mary Franklin, Director of the Division of County Operations. The first rule does two things.
• I know that there's a lot of things y'all can do through rules because of mental behavioral health.
• They essentially take what was in the law, as far as the operational aspects of the insurance program

Committee: All ALC-ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> operational impact. operational impact.
• </c> Mental health and wellness concerns. Mental health and wellness concerns.
• You know, as it relates to health, all of that. Health benefits and things like that.
• You know, as it relates to health, all of that. Health benefits and things like that.
• </c> Health Service members. Health Service members.

Bills: HB339

Committee: Joint Local Government

Keywords: Civil Air Patrol, CAP, emergency leave, job protection, employment discrimination, leave of absence, volunteer service, emergency response, Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, state employee leave, military leave, public employees, local government employers, reinstatement rights, seniority protection, unpaid leave, Meeting Start 00:00:03 Roll Call 00:00:14 Discussion of Local Law Enforcement Issues 00:03:08 Discussion of Civil Air Patrol Employment Protections 00:50:46 Adjournment 01:06:07, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First, governments should not operate grocery stores.
• Private businesses compete to First, governments should not operate grocery stores.
• We're also concerned about the government's ability to run and operate a grocery store.
• care and governed health care within our communities around the state.
• I'm the director of the Finance and Business Operations Division for King County.

Summary: The committee first heard HB 2517, which would give regional transit authorities, especially Sound Transit, more flexible permitting tools for high-capacity transit projects. Staff and the bill sponsor said the goal is to let permit applications and technical reviews proceed concurrently with property acquisition and land use decisions, reducing delay and uncertainty for large transit projects. Sound Transit testified that the bill could save as much as nine months, while a city representative from Bothell asked for an amendment requiring notice to property owners before permits are advanced on land not yet owned or controlled by the agency. The committee then took testimony on HB 2313, concerning publicly owned grocery stores in underserved areas. The bill would let cities acquire land, build or rehabilitate stores, seek capital grants, and create tax increment financing areas for grocery access projects, with annual reporting requirements. Supporters, including the sponsor, Food Lifeline, and Northwest Harvest, argued that grocery closures and food deserts are real problems and that local governments need tools to fill gaps when private grocers leave. Opponents, including grocery industry groups and several students, warned that public stores could undercut private grocers, burden taxpayers, and create operational and property-rights concerns; some testimony also questioned the need for government ownership and the use of tax increment financing. A proposed substitute removed eminent domain and tax increment financing provisions and narrowed the bill to grant-funded stores in underserved areas. Next, the committee heard HB 2451, a major rewrite of local tax increment financing rules. The bill would tighten notice, consultation, reporting, and mitigation requirements for TIF areas, strengthen the “but-for” test, limit where increment areas can be located, and protect existing taxing districts by excluding certain levies and requiring negotiation, mediation, or arbitration when impacts are significant. Cities, ports, counties, libraries, fire chiefs, and hospital districts largely described the bill as a negotiated compromise that improves transparency and addresses unintended impacts, though some local governments said they still wanted more flexibility or protections for existing projects. One city testified against the bill, arguing the new restrictions would make TIF much less useful for large redevelopment efforts. The committee then heard HB 2298, which would authorize county auditors to create voluntary property title protection programs to help prevent land-record fraud by allowing owners to record a protection instrument that delays recording of a title transfer for up to five business days unless identity verification is provided. Auditors, treasurers, and county officials strongly supported the bill as a practical response to rising deed fraud, while title and foreclosure industry representatives said the proposal was too limited, could interfere with foreclosures or other transfers, and would only delay—not prevent—fraud. The final bill heard was HB 2566 on local government procurement, which would raise certain small-purchase and small-public-works thresholds for counties, remove some differences between larger and smaller counties, and give counties more options when no bids are received. County representatives supported the bill as a needed update to procurement rules and a way to reduce bureaucracy and keep pace with inflation.

Transcript Highlights:

• 1987 will help fund our state wildlife areas by making sure the fees they generate support their operation
• 1987 will help fund our state wildlife areas by making sure the fees they generate support their operation
• Bay is a coastal city whose economy, identity, and quality of life are inextricably linked to the health
• Rather, it ensures that water deliveries operating under an approved state control plan can continue.
• Rather, it ensures that water deliveries operating under an approved state control plan can continue.

Summary: The Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee heard several measures focused on conservation, coastal protection, water supply, and invasive species. AB 1987 by Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry would direct fees and lease revenues generated by state wildlife areas back to those areas for operation and maintenance; the author accepted committee amendments, and Audubon California testified in support with no opposition. AB 1448 by Assemblymember Hart would strengthen California’s restrictions on offshore oil and gas development by limiting the use of existing infrastructure for new offshore drilling and adding review requirements for lease transfers and related actions; it drew broad support from coastal governments and environmental groups and no opposition, and was sent to Appropriations. AB 1894 by Assemblymember Rubio addressed imported water deliveries for groundwater recharge in the context of golden mussel control plans, aiming to prevent local restrictions from blocking deliveries that comply with state-approved invasive species plans; supporters said it protects groundwater reliability, while opposition argued it could weaken local authority and liability protections. After discussion, the committee approved the bill 6-0 and sent it to Appropriations. The committee also considered ACR 107 by Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan, a resolution recognizing the Diablo Range as a major conservation priority and highlighting its habitat, watershed, and 30 by 30 value. Support came from Save Mount Diablo, and members emphasized the range’s ecological importance and regional reach; the resolution was adopted on a 7-0 vote. Finally, AB 1946 by Assemblymember Bryan sought to elevate investment in urban conservation and park creation in historically underserved communities as part of California’s 30 by 30 goals. Testimony from Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation and park/recreation organizations stressed the need to reduce “nature poverty,” improve access, and remediate degraded urban lands; members discussed equity, biodiversity, and park maintenance, and the bill passed 7-0 to Appropriations. Several items, including AB 1987 and the consent calendar, were also approved on unanimous or near-unanimous votes, with some measures held on call before final roll calls were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you know, older teens with different maybe behavioral health or mental health factors do cost more
• Tier 1 is the operational and admin expenses.
• CBCs understand what their operational and admin caps are, you know, funding is.
• I'm just on Tier 1 about operations, I'm assuming staff is under operations, or is that partly also Tier
• They're reported to us historically through operational charge object, OCA's.

Summary: The Human Services Subcommittee met with a quorum present and took up a presentation from the Department of Children and Families on HB 7089, which revises how Florida’s community-based care (CBC) lead agencies for child welfare are funded. Representative McFarland described the bill’s background, arguing that the prior formula relied too heavily on outdated, static factors and produced inequities among CBCs. She emphasized that the new approach is intended to provide a more stable, transparent, and statute-based funding method that better supports prevention, case management, and family services while reducing year-to-year political uncertainty. DCF Chief of Staff Casey Penn explained that HB 7089 required an actuarially sound, reimbursement-based formula developed with CBC and provider input. The new model uses a cost-based structure with three tiers: Tier 1 for operational and administrative costs, Tier 2 for per-child/per-month service costs, and a possible Tier 3 incentive component for performance measures if the Legislature chooses to fund it. The model includes regional growth factors, inflation adjustments, a 2% risk corridor for Tier 2, a hold-harmless provision for agencies that would otherwise receive less than prior funding, and the ability for CBCs to retain some state general revenue savings. DCF said the model produced a total budget need of about $1.392 billion, roughly $28.6 million above the prior year after offsets, and that the department is also updating its child welfare case management system to improve data quality and future modeling. Members asked about whether prevention spending is captured, how Tier 3 incentives would work and how much they might cost, how the formula accounts for insurance, hurricanes, child acuity, and staffing costs, and whether CBC executives’ compensation is capped. DCF said prevention is included in the model but is not yet separately broken out due to data limitations, Tier 3 is optional and not yet costed, and the formula can incorporate additional growth factors if needed. On executive pay, DCF explained that compensation is limited by statute for CBC contracts, but multiple contracts and non-state funding sources can affect total compensation; staff later clarified that CBC CEOs with multiple contracts had been reviewed for compliance. The meeting ended after questions, and Representative Miller moved to adjourn; the subcommittee adjourned without any vote on the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the health care system saves $13. the health care system saves $13.
• are without health health Vermonters are without health health insurance.<00:35:17.240><c> But</c><00
• </c><00:37:07.480><c> to</c> for Health to require a health to for Health to require a health to require
• Chief Operating Officer,<00:41:53.120><c> Community</c><00:41:53.520><c> Health</c><00:41:53.760><c>
• </c> for Health Agency of Human Services. for Health Agency of Human Services.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you all for putting cats' health forward and continuing to think about the health and safety of
• Provider contracts are written contracts between health carriers and health care professionals or facilities
• for any health care services rendered to a health plan enrollee.
• As mentioned prior, current health insurance regulations allow health insurance companies to make any
• We operate a critical access hospital, a rural health clinic, and an ALS and ambulance service.

Summary: The committee heard public hearings on several health-related bills. House Bill 1904 would prohibit cat declawing except for therapeutic purposes, with staff explaining definitions, fines, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements. The prime sponsor and animal welfare advocates described declawing as cruel and linked it to pain and behavior problems, while the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association supported the substance of the bill but asked to remove the added reporting and disciplinary provisions as redundant and burdensome. House Bill 2211 would provide guidance for medically tailored meals under existing Medicaid-related nutrition supports, including standards for Washington-based nonprofit providers where possible, menu review, and nutrition requirements. The sponsor said it would clarify implementation without expanding the program, and supporters from meal providers, food distributors, and local farms said it would improve health outcomes, keep dollars local, and support Washington jobs and agriculture. House Bill 2329 would allow licensed midwives to delegate certain tasks to medical assistants and to supervise medical assistants, with the sponsor and birth center operators saying it would fix an omission in current law and help rural and under-resourced birth centers operate more efficiently. Supporters said it would improve staffing and financial stability, while the sponsor indicated the lactation consultant language would likely be removed because those consultants are not regulated by the Department of Health. The committee then returned to House Bill 1904 for additional testimony from humane organizations, veterinarians, shelter leaders, and local officials, all supporting a ban on declawing and emphasizing animal pain, shelter impacts, and available alternatives. House Bill 2247 would expand and clarify veterinary telehealth and veterinarian-client-patient relationship rules, allowing a VCPR to be established in certain telehealth circumstances and setting guardrails for consent, practice standards, and when in-person exams are still required. Supporters from shelters, animal welfare groups, mobile clinics, and veterinarians said telehealth would improve access in rural and underserved areas, reduce shelter intake, and help animals receive care sooner; the veterinary association supported the bill with amendments to clarify recordkeeping and access-to-care findings. House Bill 2339 would update nursing license terminology and processes for advanced registered nurse practitioners, including title changes, controlled substance rules for CRNAs, transcript submission, and interim permits. Nursing board and ARNP representatives supported the technical updates, while the hospital association and medical association raised concerns about title language for clinical nurse specialists and the deletion of a reference to the medical profession. Finally, House Bill 2106 would require health carriers to give 90 days’ notice of significant mid-contract payer modifications and provide the actual modification language, with the sponsor and hospital and provider representatives saying insurers are increasingly making unilateral changes that affect payment, services, and patient access. UW Medicine and a rural hospital district described examples where insurers changed imaging or preventive service coverage mid-contract, causing financial losses and forcing difficult choices about network participation. Carriers were noted as opposing the bill, while providers and facilities argued it would improve transparency and prevent one-sided contract changes that disrupt care.

Transcript Highlights:

• making sure we're doing everything we can on the fundamentals of Washingtonians: food, shelter, and health
• One of my favorite bills, which is the bill that allows us to set up the West Coast Health Collaborative
• Senator Dhingra is likely to lead the facilities and operations committee in the Senate to take a look
• The activity of working at a job or operating a rental property or, you know, fill in the blank.
• some like smaller technical, mechanical and operational amendments to the bill.

Summary: House and Senate Democratic leaders held a media availability focused on the late-session agenda, including the House policy cutoff, a supplemental budget, and the House Finance Committee hearing on the proposed “millionaire’s tax”/income tax measure. They said several Senate bills had moved or were moving quickly, including a face mask bill, an abortion medication access bill, a mobile devices in schools bill, a driver privacy/personal safety data protections bill, and a West Coast Health Collaborative bill. They also said the supplemental budget would emphasize food, shelter, health care, continuity of government, and other core services. A major topic was allegations of fraudulent or bot-generated remote sign-ins on the millionaire’s tax hearings. Leaders said remote testimony and sign-ins have broadened public participation, but misuse of the system is a problem that will be reviewed over the interim. They said the goal is to preserve easy public access while improving accuracy, and that the sign-in numbers should be treated cautiously because the system is informational rather than equivalent to voting. They also said there had been no direct contact with state Supreme Court justices about the tax bill. The leaders defended the need for the income tax proposal by arguing that state spending growth reflects inflation, population growth, the McCleary school-funding changes, and major investments in child care, higher education, Medicaid dental care, IT systems, and special education. They said the Legislature is trying to balance the tax code and that they do not support taxing incomes below $1 million, though they would not rule out future legislative changes decades from now. On tort claims against the state, they said Senator Dhingra’s arbitration bill has advanced the discussion but is unlikely to move further this session, and that broader liability reductions may require constitutional changes or prevention-focused investments. They also discussed long-term care workforce pressures, saying Washington is better positioned than many states but still faces an aging-population challenge. On the millionaire’s tax process, they said the House Finance Committee is expected to increase tax reductions in the bill, with leaders aiming to resolve differences with the Senate without going to conference if possible.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um regarding the business operations.
• But you need to operate in the red.
• </c><02:26:10.080><c> at</c> clinical operation at clinical operation at Kakaako<02:26:11.880><c> for
• </c><02:28:50.399><c> Um</c> Hawaii Pacific Health and Queens. Um Hawaii Pacific Health and Queens.
• </c> with the two major health care systems. with the two major health care systems.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• President, have never had access to a health care professional.
• He's the field operations manager.
• Your health needs may change.
• , especially because of all of the increases in health care.
• health care; or two...

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 1129 allows local health jurisdictions to make health conditions that occur in a child's first year
• In every industry, sadly, there are bad operators.
• And overall threatens the model of how charter schools operate.
• It says that the THPs are non-timber operations, but then they'll fall under timber operations regulations
• It says that the THPs are non-timber operations, but then they'll fall under timber operations regulations

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance, then moved through a long floor file of bills. Early measures passed with little or no debate, including AB 698 on local transfer taxes and affordable housing analysis, AB 456 on mobile home sales, AB 1129 on reportable infant health conditions, AB 69 on Fair Plan insurance notices and voluntary market searches, AB 357 on expedited student and faculty housing permits, AB 383 on firearms code cleanups, AB 426 on drones interfering with emergency response, AB 825 on energy affordability and transmission financing, and AB 699 on ballot transparency for local tax and bond measures. Most of these bills passed unanimously or with strong bipartisan margins, while AB 825 drew the most extended debate over whether it would lower costs or expand state control of energy infrastructure; it ultimately passed 45-5. The most contentious item was AB 84, which would strengthen oversight of non-classroom-based charter schools and tighten accountability for charter spending and operations. Supporters argued it was needed to stop fraud and misuse of public education dollars, citing major scandals and audit findings, while opponents warned it would harm legitimate charter schools, reduce educational options, and disproportionately affect rural and special-needs students. Several members said they supported the bill only to keep negotiations going, and others urged more targeted or delayed action. After extensive debate and multiple amendments, the Assembly passed AB 84 on a 41-22 vote. The chamber also took up AB 610, a housing bill that would require cities and counties to disclose planned housing restrictions and limit new constraints for three years after housing element approval. The author framed it as a certainty and transparency measure to help address the state’s housing shortage, while noting continued discussions with local governments and housing advocates. The transcript ends with the bill’s presentation and request for an aye vote, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> structure it, how they're operating it? structure it, how they're operating it?
• by the track operators, Revolutionary Racing. you see fit, Mr.
• </c> can go to sandyidge.com that's operated can go to sandyidge.com that's operated by<00:40:10.400>
• </c><00:42:36.880><c> Um</c> operator. Um likely to be in August. Um operator.
• </c><00:54:05.920><c> where</c> at River Valley Behavioral Health where at River Valley Behavioral Health

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from its August 21 meeting and then received an update from Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation leadership on implementation of Senate Bill 299 and House Bill 566. Jamie Eids and staff described the agency’s new structure after charitable gaming was brought under the corporation, including new divisions, staffing, banking, payroll, insurance, procurement, and reporting systems. They also unveiled the corporation’s new logo and tagline, and said the transition had been designed to avoid interruption for charities, licensees, and racing operations. A major focus was the fee structure required by House Bill 566. Eids outlined current licensing fees across racing, sports wagering, and charitable gaming, compared Kentucky’s fees with other states, and recommended keeping the status quo for one more year because the agency has only recently brought all three components fully in-house. Members asked about whether charitable gaming had harmed veterans’ groups or other nonprofits, whether any revenue should be transferred back to the state, and whether the charitable gaming licenses cover one-off raffles as well as standing operations. Eids said she had not heard complaints, said the licenses include all such activity with some exemptions, and agreed to look at the question of future transfers. The committee then heard from Melissa Combs Wright on pari-mutuel wagering and Hannah Sims on sports wagering. They reported continued growth in historical horse racing, more than $11 billion in total pari-mutuel wagering in fiscal year 2025, over $10.5 billion in HHR wagers, and about $161 million in pari-mutuel tax revenue, with most of that supporting the general fund and horse-breeding development funds. They also said sports wagering has generated nearly $5 billion in wagers since launch, $73 million for the public pension fund, and more than $2 million for problem gambling services, while expanding to 13 retail locations and 92 additional sports events. Members raised concerns about players being cut off after winning, the lack of local government revenue sharing from gaming facilities, and the growth of computer-assisted wagering; the witnesses said they were reviewing CAWs and that Kentucky does not license poker rooms through the corporation.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so the impact to human health, today I still mourn the passing...
• President, your Committee on Health and Human Services, having had...
• Currently, they share a facility with the Department of Health Services.
• One billing code that covers mental health, behavioral health, dental services, emergency care services
• Health and Human Services. Was that 2584? That would be Natural Resources.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This inconsistency creates confusion and may allow operators to avoid appropriate licensing requirements
• Driving under the influence on the road and operating a vessel under the influence on the water both
• Driving under the influence on the road and operating a vessel under the influence on the water, both
• Cathy Mossberg, on behalf of Essential Access Health, in support. Hello again, Chair and Members.
• AB 1929 requires health plans to disclose all the investments they make with the subsidies and patient

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like to call us in at Health and Welfare Committee to order at this time. Welcome, committee.
• Welcome to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, and welcome, committee.
• I am a program director in the Health Professions Bureau.
• The division is anticipating that the cost to operate will continue.
• So that’s the plan we’ve been operating under, that’s the legislative direction we’ve been operating

Summary: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved the January 20, 2026 minutes and then took up several DOPL administrative fee and rule dockets. The first major item was the Physical Therapy Licensure Board fee rule, where DOPL said the board’s cash balance had fallen below statutory targets because of higher overhead, the move to the Chinden campus, and the transition to the OASIS licensing system, while licensee numbers were also declining. The Idaho Physical Therapy Association supported the increase to preserve an independent board. Some senators argued the committee needed a fuller cost-benefit analysis and objected to raising fees instead of using cross-subsidization or broader restructuring, but the committee ultimately approved the rule on a roll call vote. The committee then reconsidered the Occupational Therapy Licensure Board fee rule after a prior tie vote. DOPL said the board’s reserves were down to about 20% of expenditures and would be exhausted by fiscal year 2027, even after personnel and travel cuts, and proposed doubling several fees. Committee counsel explained that a rejection requires findings of fact under Idaho Code, which prompted discussion about the proper procedure for rule rejection. After debate, the committee voted to reject the fee increase and then approved the rest of the rule package. Next, the committee reviewed the Drinking Water and Wastewater Professionals rules, which included several technical licensing changes and a fee increase intended to restore the board’s cash balance to at least 30%. A senator raised concerns about federal versus state control in water regulation, but the committee approved the docket with the fee section excluded. Finally, the committee revisited the Acupuncture Board fee rule, where DOPL proposed a 100% to 150% fee increase to address financial shortfalls. Testimony included a board official’s explanation that the board needed the increase to remain solvent and a senator’s anecdotal support from South Dakota practitioners, but other senators argued the increase was excessive and unsupported. A motion to reject the acupuncture fee increase failed, and the committee then approved the docket, with the meeting adjourned afterward.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a disconnect between many businesses that operate in our state.
• GLP-1s are demonstrating more and more the capacity to improve health.
• And no answer, basically the answer was a health insurance plan. No answer.
• move us toward true health equity.
• Katie Van Dyens with Health Access California, in support. Thank you.

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Keywords: 987, senate, all