Transcript Highlights:

• It now shows this week that ADBS out was routine.
• I mean, one of the largest construction infrastructure projects in the nation.
• Yes, as I mentioned to you yesterday, I definitely view that as a national, a project of national importance
• This is a serious national problem. We have older and older.
• And four weeks is not enough time to figure that out, no matter how smart you are.

Committee: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

Keywords: transportation, air traffic control, safety regulations, Boeing 737 MAX, Department of Transportation, infrastructure funding, public safety, legislative oversight

Summary: The committee meeting addressed several pressing issues concerning transportation, particularly focusing on the need for improved safety standards and efficient management at the Department of Transportation. Specific discussions revolved around air traffic control, with members highlighting the urgency for a significant upgrade in systems and personnel. Notably, concerns were raised regarding past practices, especially the handling of safety regulations during the Boeing 737 MAX incidents. The committee expressed a clear intent to ensure rigorous safety oversight moving forward, emphasizing that the health and safety of the public must remain the top priority in all legislative and funding decisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• His sacrifice is a are as a nation.
• Despite their of a nation at war.
• to serve our nation.
• </c> Green County, our state, and our nation. Green County, our state, and our nation.
• Last week, I spread of disease.

Bills: HB1522 , HB1917 , HB3937 , HR600

Keywords: Federal Retirement Fairness Act, FERS, federal retirement, creditable service, temporary employees, temporary federal service, Postal Service, USPS, Office of Personnel Management, OPM, retirement buyback, annuity, pension, civil service retirement, federal workforce, government employees, Members of Congress, retirement benefits, Great Lakes, fishery management

Transcript Highlights:

• You'll recall the speaker designated this last interim committee week as artificial intelligence a week
• We are being touted by Nvidia as the national model to emulate.
• But we we also expect that to be a national model when it's produced.
• with funding from the National Science Foundation we develop or we created the National Pie Day.
• This is nationally of the 75% have a positive I or a Y on average.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:46.000><c> The</c><00:04:46.160><c> National</c> National Weather Service.
• The National National Weather Service.
• </c><00:25:05.039><c> Headquarters</c> a branch of the National Headquarters a branch of the National
• </c> disasters and we want to lead the nation disasters and we want to lead the nation in<00:36:39.119
• </c><00:51:23.920><c> that</c> found a week later a week later that found a week later a week later that

Summary: The task force met with a quorum, approved the August meeting minutes, and heard a presentation from Dr. Jerry Brosky of the Kentucky Mesonet and Kentucky Climate Center. He described the Mesonet’s statewide weather network, now with 84 stations in 78 counties, real-time data used by the National Weather Service, mobile apps, and more than a billion observations. He said recent legislative funding has allowed upgrades such as soil temperature and moisture sensors, cameras at every site, and improved communications and power systems, and has enabled expansion into new counties. He also highlighted products used for flooding, drought, and heat safety, including a wet bulb globe temperature tool being developed with the Department of Public Health. In response to questions, he said counties interested in a station should contact his center, that a station typically costs about $50,000, and that the program is already considering a second Pike County site. The committee then heard from Ryan Drain of Blue Skies and Chris McGee of the American Red Cross on long-term disaster recovery and a software platform called Darcy, short for Disaster Aware and Ready Communities Initiative. McGee explained the Red Cross’s long-term recovery work, including support for recovery groups, direct financial assistance, grantmaking, and coordination with local and federal partners. He emphasized that disasters are occurring more frequently and with repeated impacts, and shared examples from Kentucky and other states showing the need for organized recovery and storm shelter support. Drain said Darcy was developed after the 2021 Mayfield-Graves tornado recovery to replace fragmented spreadsheets and PDFs with a centralized, survivor-led system for preparedness, response, and recovery, designed to improve coordination, reduce duplication, and shorten recovery time. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond adoption of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The National Endowment for the Humanities grants...
• from nation and century from century.'
• This is on a national level, and air travel is down 16.9%.
• I'm a big fan of the National Park Service.
• I just saw you a few weeks ago, or a couple weeks ago, at the opening of a new exhibit that is just so

Committee: House House Committee on Federal Funding, Policy and Accountability

Summary: The hearing focused on the impact of recent federal policy and budget actions on Massachusetts libraries, humanities organizations, arts institutions, and tourism. Testimony from library leaders described the loss or jeopardy of Institute of Museum and Library Services funding, including statewide databases, local grants, staff positions, E-rate/hotspot support, and digital equity programs. Witnesses said the cuts have already forced reductions in services, canceled grants and workshops, and in some cases left schools, students, job seekers, and low-income patrons without access to key resources. Members of the committee asked for lists of affected communities and databases, and several witnesses said they would provide additional written detail. Arts and humanities witnesses said federal terminations from the NEA, NEH, and IMLS have hit organizations across the Commonwealth, including Mass Cultural Council, Mass Humanities, Mass MoCA, and local museums and historical societies. They described canceled or rescinded grants, layoffs, reduced programming, and a chilling effect on future applications and on artistic and scholarly work, especially where federal awards had already been matched with local or private funds. Several speakers also raised concerns about executive-branch DEI conditions attached to funding and about book challenges and book banning, saying these trends threaten intellectual freedom and public access to culture and history. Committee members emphasized the economic importance of the sector and the need to publicize the impacts. Tourism officials from Meet Boston and the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism testified that federal cuts and broader geopolitical and tariff issues are hurting international visitation, especially from Canada and Western Europe, and could affect major upcoming events such as the 2026 World Cup and Sail Boston. They said reduced funding for Brand USA and Discover New England will weaken long-term marketing efforts and international partnerships, with downstream effects on hotel tax revenue, jobs, and workforce recruitment. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with members mainly asking questions and requesting follow-up written testimony and data.

Transcript Highlights:

• Practice program across the nation, drop-off centers.
• The week before that, I talked at Waste Mesa, and I reached over two to three hundred kids. a week just
• We went from being a national leader, a national model site to having facilities that are full and at
• For zero dollars for the past 15 years, every week, multiple times a week, there has been no cost to
• I don't know if I said worst in the nation.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• National Employment Law... ...Association. Further questions?
• We get Floridians who contact our offices all the time and can't get through—three weeks, four weeks,
• Weeks, six weeks.
• for up to 12 weeks because the number of...
• So when the unemployment rate is low, the weeks are low.

Bills: SB 2 , HB 2 , HB 2000 , HB 2196 , HB 213 , HB 222 , HB 645 , HB 1458 , HB 1022 , HB 141 , HB 502 , HB 643 , HB 3093 , HB 1700 , HB 117 , SB 503 , SB 2 , HB 120 , HB 20 , HB 150 , HB 6 , HB 100 , HB 210 , HB 215 , HB 1393 , HB 1151 , HB 1268 , HB 142 , HB 451 , HB 124 , HB 2 , HB 2000 , HB 2196 , HB 213 , HB 222 , HB 645 , HB 1458 , HB 1022 , HB 141 , HB 502 , HB 643 , HB 3093 , HB 1700 , HB 117

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:10:31.839><c> One</c><00:10:32.079><c> nation</c> republic for which it stands.
• One nation republic for which it stands.
• </c> and attention directed my way last week. and attention directed my way last week.
• And so I just wanted to that last week.
• Goodwin Dafi of District 72, a community member who passed a few weeks ago. Thank you.

Transcript Highlights:

• clinic, those are the best three weeks of my...
• The national average is $2, and many states with some of the best health outcomes... ...the national
• During the fifth week, they had what is called a family week, where they During the fifth week, they
• And so over the course of several weeks, he keeps going back every single week on the clock, even arriving
• And so he comes back a week later.

Committee: House Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Task Force

Summary: The task force meeting opened with a brief organizational update, including new leadership, roll call, and an explanation of the task force’s statutory duties: to study current and future drug and substance use in Missouri, explore solutions, draft or modify legislation, and report recommendations on prevention and treatment. The chair outlined the summer hearing plan, which would feature field experts, with future sessions expected to cover alternative therapies such as psilocybin and ibogaine and testimony from the Department of Mental Health. Members were encouraged to think about legislative ideas and policy recommendations for the upcoming session. The first major testimony came from Dr. Rachel Winograd, who described Missouri’s overdose crisis as evolving into a “fourth wave” marked by fentanyl mixed with animal tranquilizers such as xylazine and medetomidine, along with methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs. She said overdose deaths have declined for a third straight year, with preliminary 2025 data around 1,200 deaths, but emphasized that the crisis remains severe. Her main recommendations were to focus on demand reduction rather than repeated supply crackdowns, expand evidence-based treatment—especially methadone and buprenorphine—broaden naloxone access, and improve practical supports like housing, transportation, and case management. She also said peer services are valuable but should not be used as a substitute for clinical care, and noted that Missouri Medicaid generally covers evidence-based treatment but reimbursement for peer recovery services remains a gap. Dr. Heidi Miller, the state medical director at the Department of Health and Senior Services, reinforced the call for integrating substance use disorder care into whole-person health care. She highlighted the state naloxone standing order, which supports more than 11,000 Medicaid naloxone prescriptions annually, and urged five best practices: integrating SUD treatment into primary care, maternal health, general medical training, EMS initiation of buprenorphine after overdose, and expanded methadone access. She also argued for team-based reimbursement, stronger parity enforcement between behavioral health/SUD and physical health, and caution in regulating emerging substances so policy does not outrun the science. Dr. Doug Burgess of University Health in Kansas City echoed the integration theme, arguing that Missouri’s system is too fragmented and that patients are often stabilized and then left to coordinate their own next steps. He compared ideal SUD care to the coordinated response used for heart attacks, with seamless transitions from emergency care to inpatient treatment, rehab, and outpatient follow-up. He said treatment courts can be effective when they are well coordinated and informed by addiction science, and he stressed the importance of discharge planning, peer recovery coaches, information-sharing, and maintaining Medicaid coverage during justice involvement. No formal votes or committee actions were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:56:24.440><c> Emergency</c> office I declared a National Emergency office I declared a National
• entire nation greatly Alexis I promised entire nation greatly Alexis I promised that<01:44:18.760><c>
• </c> magnificent National magnificent National Wildlife<01:44:43.880><c> Refuge</c><01:44:44.880><c>
• They have total control over a whole nation, posing a grave threat to our national security.
• posing a grave threat to our nation posing a grave threat to our national<01:49:00.800><c> security<

Bills: HR919 , HR579 , HR177

Keywords: HIV, AIDS, public health, World AIDS Day, bipartisan support, uterine fibroids, fibroids, leiomyoma, women's health, reproductive health, pelvic pain, abnormal uterine bleeding, infertility, miscarriage, hysterectomy, Black women, Hispanic women, health disparities, awareness month, screening

Transcript Highlights:

• But this week and next week, or this meeting and next meeting, we're kind of going to be drinking from
• ><c> week</c><00:10:43.120><c> or</c><00:10:43.440><c> next</c><00:10:43.680><c> this</c> this week and
• next week or next this this week and next week or next this meeting<00:10:44.160><c> and</c><00:10:44.399
• </c> we went to the database at the National we went to the database at the National Insurance<00:42:
• </c><01:19:47.600><c> flood</c> government shutdown, the national flood government shutdown, the national

Transcript Highlights:

• But the cost of occupational injuries and fatalities for the nation is estimated by the National Safety
• benefits may trigger to allow weeks beyond those 26.
• The rest of the week, the hours are the same.
• We have them all around the nation.
• So the 26 weeks is generally the amount.

Committee: House Labor & Workplace Standards

Summary: The committee heard a report from Labor and Industries on the Underground Economy Task Force in the construction industry. L&I said the task force, created by a 2024 budget proviso, studied underreporting, worker misclassification, unpaid taxes and premiums, and other underground-economy activity. L&I described consensus recommendations including defining and regulating construction labor providers, improving interagency information sharing, increasing penalties for repeat offenders, giving L&I more authority over successor accountability, reviewing agency penalties and policies, and exploring ways to track cash payments. Majority-but-not-consensus recommendations included posting subcontractor notices at job sites, setting a threshold for independent contractor use that would trigger review, holding direct contractors liable for unpaid wages owed by subcontractors, and reviewing reporting requirements. Testifiers from labor, business, and the Attorney General’s Office generally supported stronger enforcement and transparency, while business representatives cautioned against overregulation, preserving lawful cash payments, and protecting legitimate independent contractors and small businesses. L&I said the final report would be issued by December 31 and that the underground economy committee would be reconvened. The committee then heard the wage recovery work group report. L&I explained current wage-complaint law and the work group’s consensus recommendations to let the department prioritize wage complaints strategically, aggregate related complaints, raise the minimum penalty for willful violations from $1,000 to $1,500 and use a penalty matrix, improve employer awareness, and create a wage recovery fund. Under the proposal, penalties would be deposited into a new fund account, and after the fund is sufficiently built up, limited early payments could be made to eligible low-income workers facing immediate hardship, with a five-year review built in. Business and labor representatives both supported the general framework, though business raised concern about safeguards to recover funds if a claim later proved invalid or fraudulent. The committee also received an overview of Washington’s apprenticeship system and the Washington State Apprenticeship and Training Council. L&I described Washington as a state apprenticeship agency with higher standards than the federal system, and said registered apprenticeship combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. L&I reported more than 15,500 active apprentices, 4,800 new registrations, 2,500 completions, and 206 active sponsors. Members asked about the difference between state and federal apprenticeship pathways, the role of program sponsors and training agents, and the objection process for new programs. L&I said objections do not stop approval but can delay recognition, and noted ongoing internal work to improve the process. The presentation also highlighted strong post-apprenticeship earnings and return on investment. Finally, the committee heard updates on wildland firefighter respiratory protection, the impacts of federal cuts to NIOSH, and ESD’s unemployment insurance and workforce systems. L&I and SHARP said wildland firefighters face significant smoke exposure and cancer risk, but current respirator options are limited by remote conditions, communication needs, fit, and heat; no NIOSH-approved commercial respirator currently meets the relevant NFPA standard. L&I said Washington’s firefighter rules do not currently require respiratory protection for wildland firefighting. On NIOSH, the presenter warned that federal cuts and grant disruptions could reduce training, surveillance, firefighter cancer research, agricultural safety work, and exposure-assessment programs, including work relevant to Hanford and mining safety. ESD reported rising UI claims, a stable unemployment rate, federal funding uncertainty, and pressure on the trust fund, but also described technology and process changes that have reduced call-center bottlenecks and improved claim processing. ESD said a 90-day pilot that compresses phone hours has increased calls answered and work completed while improving timeliness of first payments.

Transcript Highlights:

• All other courses meet five days a week, not three days a week.
• So ACT named Barr and that first school, the National College Career High School of the Nation, the National
• The National College Career High School of the Nation, the National School of the Year.
• Weber and I would love to have you at our session in California in a couple of weeks at the national
• Weber and I would love to have you at our session in California in a couple weeks at the national conference

Summary: The committee met to hear presentations on dual credit programs from North Dakota higher education leaders, a school superintendent, and teachers. Valley City State University described its dual credit model, emphasizing quality control through annual teacher training, syllabus and outcomes alignment, faculty qualification review, school visits, and pathways aimed at the College Studies Certificate. Members asked about teacher employment, course scheduling, revenue, scholarships, and whether a centralized model might improve efficiency; VCSU said most instructors are K-12 employees, online offerings are still small, and centralization could weaken local relationships and choice. Lake Region State College similarly stressed access and partnerships, noting about half of its headcount is still in high school, with both online and face-to-face dual credit options, district reimbursement arrangements, and support for rural schools. Lake Region also said dual credit helps students who might not otherwise see themselves as college-bound, but reduced tuition can still be a barrier for some families. Fargo Public Schools reported continued growth in dual credit, with 50 courses offered in partnership with several NDUS institutions and a 12.61% increase in participation. The superintendent highlighted a growing education pathway, including students completing Introduction to Education and field experience, and said the district is exploring a grow-your-own teacher pipeline. He also raised concerns about inconsistent institutional processes, teacher credentialing requirements, and transfer clarity, arguing for more aligned statewide systems. In response to questions, he said AP and dual credit can coexist, with AP often better for highly selective out-of-state colleges and dual credit better for students targeting North Dakota institutions, and he described some use of Arizona State online courses in earlier rural partnerships but said Fargo is focused on local institutions. Two teachers then testified on the classroom perspective. A West Fargo anatomy and physiology teacher said dual credit has expanded access, lowered costs, and prepared students well, but agreed that foundational science courses may be more effective when taken later in high school to reduce knowledge loss before college. A Drake-Anamoose English teacher, who has taught dual credit for more than 20 years, said the program has supported many students who went on to a wide range of careers and emphasized that small rural schools rely on dual credit to provide opportunities they otherwise could not offer. No formal votes or actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we have a series of important milestones that we're hitting in this week, next week, the week after
• So we have a series of important milestones that we're hitting in this week, next week, the week after
• So we have a series of important milestones that we're hitting in this week, next week, the week after
• So we have a series of important milestones that we're hitting in this week, next week, the week after
• So we have a series of important milestones that we're hitting in this week, next week, the week after

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• There was a national suit that the National Association of Realtors agreed to a settlement that said
• Management Association, which is the national organization that represents PBMs, estimated this week
• The three largest PBMs in the nation are CVS Caremark, UnitedHealth... the nation are CVS Caremark, UnitedHealth
• SB99 uses the national average. 1064. SB99 uses the national average plus the 1064 plus 2% or $25.
• You got the national cost on SB99.

Committee: Senate Banking and Insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• National Alliance for Mental Illness.
• You know, week-long, two-week-long IOP programs that are outdoors at a beach or in the mountains are
• The National Council knows this.
• We have Stress Less Week and Red Ribbon Week events, and we organize many other types of events to promote
• Aaron Lang's last week, or three weeks—we had the course.

Summary: The hearing focused on youth mental health and treatment access in California, with the chair opening by citing elevated distress, self-harm-related emergency visits, access barriers, and a statewide behavioral health workforce shortage. The chair and Assembly Member Lori Davies emphasized that historic state investments, including the California Youth Behavioral Health Initiative and school-based mental health funding, still face implementation and sustainability challenges, especially because many programs rely on one-time dollars. The committee framed the hearing as a way to hear from county systems, providers, schools, and students to inform future policy and budget action. Panel One described San Diego County’s behavioral health system, including Medi-Cal specialty care, payment reform, new crisis and residential facilities, workforce pipeline efforts, and the Behavioral Health Services Act transition. County and school representatives said CYBHI and the school-linked fee schedule could help make school-based services more sustainable, but they stressed that districts need technical assistance, clearer guidance, and time to build billing systems. San Marcos Unified and Poway Unified representatives said schools are now first responders for mental health, described rising acuity and the importance of counselors, peer programs, and on-campus therapy, and warned that insurance-data collection, reimbursement delays, and grant-dependent staffing threaten program stability. In the provider panel, a child psychiatrist described the emergency-room crisis model as inadequate because youth often leave with either a short inpatient stay or a discharge plan that lacks a warm handoff, outpatient follow-up, or school coordination. He urged more school wellness time, parent education, peer support, mobile crisis response, and intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization options. Rady Children’s Hospital described major growth in behavioral health services, including depression screening, urgent care, psych emergency services, primary care integration, and a new institute combining programs, while also highlighting low reimbursement rates, long payment delays, high denial rates, and administrative burden as major barriers to sustaining care and staffing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I talked about the first three weeks. I was here for a week.
• Doing those for a week.
• I talked about the first three weeks. I was here for a week.
• Doing those for a week.
• And now I'm back here for a week. And then I'm gonna be on vacation for a week.

Summary: The committee met at NDSU and approved the April 9 minutes. The main purpose of the meeting was an informational presentation from NDSU President David Stewart and university leaders on the university’s priorities, including enrollment, student success, research, commercialization, and use of New Horizons funding. Stewart emphasized a “One NDSU” approach, thanked legislators for past support, and said the university will focus on recruitment and retention, a new strategic plan, and growing research and tech transfer while serving North Dakota’s workforce needs. University leaders said NDSU is using tuition waivers more strategically and will work to reduce them over time through scholarship optimization. Provost Sherry Vale described academic portfolio reviews, program closures or consolidations, strategic hiring, and workload policies aimed at aligning resources with demand. They also highlighted student outcomes, including high completion rates, strong employment placement, and NDSU’s role in producing a large share of the state’s engineers, nurses, and agriculture graduates. Several students testified about how NDSU’s mentoring, internships, research, and support services helped them succeed. The committee also heard from partners on New Horizons-related collaborations: Gateway to Science described K-12 STEM outreach in rural and tribal areas, and Sanford Research discussed joint research efforts, including COBRE-related work, obesity and GLP-1 studies, and a joint biostatistics hire. Later speakers highlighted Governor’s School and NDSU’s research and commercialization efforts, including growth in research expenditures and invention disclosures. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• So March, the first week of March, is National Consumer Protection Week.
• So March, the first week of March, is National Consumer Protection Week.
• And I was just mentioning that we're coming up on National Consumer Protection Week, so...
• And I was just mentioning that we're coming up on National Consumer Protection Week, so we'll be putting
• online for reporting fraud, so we want to make sure we lift up consumers and consumer safety next week

Committee: Senate Consumer Protection

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Consumer Protection met for its second meeting of 2026, with Chair Rachel May noting National Consumer Protection Week and mentioning upcoming consumer fraud outreach and new online fraud-reporting tools from the Attorney General. The committee considered eight bills focused on consumer issues, including junk fees, arbitration transparency, gas stove labeling, retailer biometric tracking notices, credit monitoring services, and youth sports recording rights. Several bills were advanced with little or no opposition. S.363A on clear and conspicuous pricing for mandatory junk fees was reported to first reading. S.926 on arbitration organizations drew support for its transparency goals, but Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick raised concerns about confidentiality and a private right of action; it was still moved forward. S.1280B on gas stove health-risk labeling also advanced despite opposition from Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick and Weber. S.2539A, requiring retailers to warn customers about electronic tracking and biometric data collection, was supported by Senator Myrie, who described it as a notice-only measure. The committee also advanced S.3078 on credit monitoring services and S.2517, though the transcript of the discussion on S.2517 was largely garbled. Chair May’s S.8666, which would prevent youth sports operators from barring parents from taking in-person photos or recordings of their children, prompted concerns from Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick about privacy, liability, and recordings by other parents; the chair responded that the bill includes limits for safety, court orders, privacy protections, and restricted areas. The meeting concluded after the bills were moved and voted on, with several reported to first reading or to another committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• We did our bills last week, and today is just a presentation.
• It's not just us; it's happening nationally. Trend. It's not just us; it's happening nationally.
• It shouldn't be more than a two-week stay by this law.
• When you look at that national rate of Here's the good news in Arizona.
• It would take me a week to draft that.

Committees: House Government , House House Government Committee of Reference

Transcript Highlights:

• >> There is a sub... participating in organized national participating in organized national signing<
• Um, I listened all last week, all the week before, all of the weekend, and this week.
• Um, I listened all last week, all the week before, all of the weekend, and this week.
• Our our national our nationally &gt;&gt; Okay.
• Our our national our nationally recognized<01:23:15.600><c> school</c><01:23:16.159><c> superintendent

Committee: House Education Policy