Transcript Highlights:

• Texas continues to face a serious nursing shortage.
• This information will be easy to find on the board of. nursing website.
• As using an example, when a nursing program submits to the board of nursing for final approval, the board
• in the nursing program survey, but in a very general form and not annually.
• partners for all areas of concentration for nursing students.

Bills: SB2972, SB1909, SB2815, SB735, SB2233, SB800, SB1069, SB2683, SB2986, SB2058, SB2310, SB2055, SB1032

Keywords: expressive activities, freedom of speech, public forum, higher education, protests, student rights, antisemitism, public institutions, disciplinary policy, student organizations, compliance, institutional policy, disciplinary sanctions, diploma designation, institution merger, academic records, student options, Holocaust education, Holocaust Remembrance Week, genocide education

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's why I decided to carry it and advance it. I move for adoption and yield for questions.

Bills: HB4336, HB1818, HB3194, HB3538, HB3682, HB3762, HB3793, HB3930, HB3931, HB3934, HB4124, HB4200, HB4410, HB4457, HB4473, HB3884, HB1912

Keywords: interventional pain management, pain management clinic, chronic pain, acute pain, spinal injections, epidural steroid injection, peripheral nerve block, nerve ablation, spinal cord stimulator, intrathecal infusion pump, endoscopic diskectomy, fluoroscopy, physician supervision, allopathic physician, osteopathic physician, CRNA, certified registered nurse anesthetist, nurse anesthetist, freestanding pain management facility, medical licensure

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, we're trying to maintain their scope of practice, not open up their scope of practice.
• open practices that there are.
• If they already have a defined scope of practice, already have a defined scope of practice that says
• We have a nursing shortage. I'm surrounded by medical people and nurses in my family.
• So I'm the son of a nurse. I'm the son and grandson of a nurse.

Bills: HB4336, HB1818, HB3194, HB3538, HB3682, HB3762, HB3793, HB3930, HB3931, HB3934, HB4124, HB4200, HB4410, HB4457, HB4473, HB3884, HB1912

Keywords: interventional pain management, pain management clinic, chronic pain, acute pain, spinal injections, epidural steroid injection, peripheral nerve block, nerve ablation, spinal cord stimulator, intrathecal infusion pump, endoscopic diskectomy, fluoroscopy, physician supervision, allopathic physician, osteopathic physician, CRNA, certified registered nurse anesthetist, nurse anesthetist, freestanding pain management facility, medical licensure

Transcript Highlights:

• They free up nursing staff to focus on higher-acuity care coordination while maintaining safe, consistent
• Massachusetts currently relies on licensed practical nurses, LPNs, to administer medication in assisted
• I arrived at the rest home sector in 2005 as a nursing home for elderly persons nurse manager, right
• from skilled nursing, and I became the administrator in 2018.
• Fortunately, my family, we haven't had to deal with nursing homes very much.

Bills: H5243, H5376, S3056, S3057

Keywords: rest home, rest homes, medication administration, medication management, assisted living, long-term care, elder care, older adults, senior care, nursing home, resident care, self-administration, licensed facility, Chapter 111, section 71, Responsible Person, caregiver, direct care staff, care facilities, funding

Summary: The Joint Committee on Aging and Independence heard testimony on two sets of bills: Senate 3057/House 5376, concerning assisted living residences, and Senate 3056/House 5243, concerning medication administration in rest homes. On the assisted living bills, MassALA supported the proposal but urged amendments to clarify and limit fines and to specifically authorize certified medication aides for limited medication administration in assisted living. AARP and the state long-term care ombudsman supported the bills and the new trust fund, with AARP backing the use of certification fees and fines to fund oversight, and the ombudsman emphasizing the need for more staffing and resources to address complaints, evictions, billing issues, and resident advocacy. MassNAELA also supported the bills but asked for additional provisions on executive director licensure, building code and emergency preparedness standards, and broader task force membership; committee members said they would review draft language and noted that building code changes would require further study. The rest home bills drew testimony from providers and industry groups who opposed the Department of Public Health’s proposed shift away from the long-standing “responsible person” medication model toward a MAP-based framework. Witnesses from rest homes, MARCH, and LeadingAge Massachusetts said the responsible person system has been used for decades, is safe and affordable, and is tailored to rest homes’ resident population and staffing realities. They warned that requiring certified medication aides or nurses would sharply increase costs, worsen workforce shortages, and could force closures or resident displacement. Several witnesses said they were open to strengthening training and oversight, but wanted a task force or collaborative process rather than immediate regulatory replacement of the current model. Committee members asked questions about the history of the responsible person model, how medication administration works day to day, whether other states use similar systems, and whether data exist comparing medication error rates. The chairs indicated interest in moving the rest home bill sooner rather than waiting for additional fire marshal or building-code work on the assisted living side, and asked witnesses to submit proposed language and any supporting data in writing. The hearing concluded with thanks to the chairs and a motion to adjourn, which was approved.

Transcript Highlights:

• must take, both registered nurses and licensed practical nurses take, in order to practice nationally
• The same thing essentially has happened with our practical nursing program.
• of a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse, depending on their program and depending on the role
• And the supervising nurse must have been a registered nurse.
• The Florida Nurses Association supports the Board of Nursing in its critical role in ensuring that nursing

Bills: S0162, S0254, S0688, S0794, S1110, S1574

Keywords: surgical smoke, health standards, hospital safety, patient protection, medical regulations, nursing education, licensure, remedial courses, temporary license, graduate nursing preceptorship, Agency for Persons with Disabilities, background screening, support coordination services, developmental disabilities, Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome, public hearings, orthotics, prosthetics, healthcare, Medicaid

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services met with a quorum present and took up several health-related bills. CS/SB 1110 on Medicaid and insurance coverage for orthotics and prosthetics was heard first. The bill would require coverage for medically necessary orthotics and prosthetics without lifetime or continuous-use caps, direct AHCA to seek federal approval and update contracts, and require annual reporting. Testimony from a child using prosthetic “gymnastics blades,” his mother, and another young person with a prosthetic leg emphasized the high cost of activity-specific devices and the impact on children’s mobility, sports participation, and quality of life. Senators voiced strong support, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then approved SB 1574, “Maddie’s Law,” which adds newborn screening for biliary atresia using the existing blood specimen collected at birth. The sponsor and the child’s father described the condition as time-sensitive and potentially fatal without early detection, and argued the screening could prevent transplants and save money. The bill was reported favorably. The committee also considered CS/SB 794 on background screening for employees of residential facilities and day training programs for people with developmental disabilities, plus a review of waiver support coordination quality, training, and access issues. Parents and a support coordinator testified that strong support coordination is essential for families and that the bill would help standardize expectations and improve services. An amendment aligning the bill with the House companion was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably. Members next heard SB 162, which requires hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to adopt policies using smoke evacuation systems during procedures that generate surgical smoke. Supporters, including nurses and the Florida Nurses Association, described surgical smoke as a workplace hazard with toxic chemicals and potential cancer risks; hospital representatives said they support the intent but argued existing federal and state standards already regulate the issue and the bill is too prescriptive. A late-filed amendment clarifying the smoke must be “effectively captured and filtered” was adopted, and the bill passed favorably. The committee also approved CS/SB 254, a major nursing education bill that tightens oversight of low-performing nursing programs, creates a temporary provisional license and preceptorship pathway for graduates awaiting NCLEX results, requires remediation for delayed testing, and increases transparency by posting passage rates. Nursing groups supported stronger standards, while private nursing schools warned the bill could reduce capacity and discourage program directors; the amended bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee heard SB 688, which would reestablish licensure and regulation of naturopathic doctors in Florida, create a board of naturopathic medicine, set licensure and renewal requirements, and define the scope of practice while excluding most prescription authority. Supporters said it would expand health care choices and allow naturopathic doctors to practice openly, while opponents from the medical community warned the bill could authorize diagnosis and treatment without sufficient training and rely on unproven therapies. The bill was reported favorably. The committee then adjourned after members thanked staff for their work.

Bills: SB49, SB60, SB365, SB685, SB895, SB1191, SB1400, SB1401, SB1786

Keywords: junior college funding, performance tier, credentials, education, workforce development, Texas education law, performance tier funding, junior college, Texas education, student success, performance funding, education policy, state finance program, public junior colleges, educational outcomes, SB 60, public junior college library, community college, library materials, book donation

Transcript Highlights:

• So, this this would the nursing home.
• ,</c><00:44:35.160><c> safe</c> communities like ours a practical, safe communities like ours a practical
• And dental industry practices anymore.
• ><01:42:21.120><c> already</c> practice where anesthesiologists already practice where anesthesiologists
• Thank you. nursing work, followed by a national nursing work, followed by a national board<01:46:14.440

Bills: HF4712, HF4801, HF3756, HF4860, HF4931, HF4289, HF4460

Keywords: residential pools, swimming classes, certification, private business, health safety, health care, prior authorization, managed care, medical assistance, mental health, substance use treatment, chronic conditions, health insurance, insulin, healthcare access, pharmacy regulations, patient assistance, affordable medication, healthcare, pharmacy

Summary: The committee met at 1:00 p.m., confirmed a quorum, and approved the April 8, 2026 minutes. The first bill heard was House File 4712, which was laid over after the committee adopted a DE2 amendment. Representative Schultz said the bill would create a narrow additional exception to public pool limitations so highly certified swimming instructors could use certain pools for specialized infant, youth, and developmental-disability swim instruction. The only testifier, Tessa Seppelt, described ISR instruction as water-safety and drowning-prevention training for very young children and children with developmental delays, and said access to appropriate facilities is the main barrier. Members raised questions about emergency egress, public safety, and insurance coverage, and the author said he would follow up on those concerns. The committee then took up House File 4801, a bill by Representative Nadeau aimed at health care program integrity. He said it would align commercial and Medicaid partners to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse by changing prior authorization and retrospective review processes, improving data sharing on suspected fraud, addressing conflicting or duplicative services, allowing managed care organizations to verify provider credentials, and making risk corridors in MCO contracts permanent. The Minnesota Council of Health Plans supported the bill, saying it would help detect fraud and improve coordination, while the Minnesota chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics opposed it, arguing that expanded prior authorization would delay care, increase physician burden, and harm children with chronic conditions. Members debated patient safety, fraud detection, and whether the bill would undermine recent prior-authorization reforms. The bill was laid over. House File 3756, a technical update to the insulin safety net program, was also laid over. Representative Backer said the bill clarifies that a hospital-use intravenous insulin product is not part of the program because it is sold only to health care institutions and infused by practitioners, not dispensed to patients for self-use. The Board of Pharmacy testified that the language was drafted to avoid affecting future legitimate uses, and members asked whether the definition could limit new uses if treatments change. The committee then began House File 4860, but the transcript cuts off before the bill’s presentation is completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• practitioners to practice independently. ...nursing to practice medicine, that’s the ask.
• The practice of medicine is measured and remeasured by academic standards that exceed the nurse practitioner
• Senator Campbell, I know you're very passionate about this, which was the mega advanced practice registered
• He has a practice in College Station and another practice in Belleville, Texas.
• Because we don't have nurses. Molly knows. You know, we've got to have bedside nurses.

Bills: SB128, SB640, SB672, SB904, SB1141, SB1263, SB1525, SB1528, SB2041, SB2306, SB2308, SB2357, SB2446, SB2695, SB2857, SB2891, SB2583

Keywords: hospital reporting, child abuse, neglect, administrative penalty, medical ethics, child protection, SB 640, Texas Family Code, Department of Family and Protective Services, DFPS, child welfare, foster care, managing conservatorship, suicide attempt, youth suicide, mental health, child protective services, state custody, annual report, reporting requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• DISH's ability to collect data from health care facilities and transfers excuse me, not abolishes the Nursing
• you're with your position on the bill and you may begin My name is Jack Frazee, I represent the Texas Nurses
• addressing all of the spending that the legislature has appropriated for dealing with things like the nursing
• And so I will be working with nursing facilities.
• Finally, it repeals the Nursing Facility Direct Care Staff Rate Enhancement Program which we have talked

Bills: SB128, SB640, SB672, SB904, SB1141, SB1263, SB1525, SB1528, SB2041, SB2306, SB2308, SB2357, SB2446, SB2695, SB2857, SB2891, SB2583

Keywords: hospital reporting, child abuse, neglect, administrative penalty, medical ethics, child protection, SB 640, Texas Family Code, Department of Family and Protective Services, DFPS, child welfare, foster care, managing conservatorship, suicide attempt, youth suicide, mental health, child protective services, state custody, annual report, reporting requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• I am a resident of Volcano Village and also a retired public health nurse.
• </c> and also a retired public health nurse. and also a retired public health nurse.
• </c> exposure, but there are few practical exposure, but there are few practical tools<00:26:59.240><
• And all these wonderful evidence-based practices are not being applied to this population.
• We have doctors and nurses; we have great expertise.

Bills: HCR18, HCR32, HCR35, HCR105, HCR173

Keywords: hospice, health care, aging population, regulations, Medicare, working group, fraud prevention, quality of care, mental health, recidivism, civil commitment, Hawaii State Hospital, justice system, shelter, treatment pathways, biomarker testing, health insurance, precision medicine, healthcare access, medical necessity

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SCR 21 SD1, which asks Hawaii Health Systems Corporation’s East Hawaii Regional Health Care System to study the feasibility of a rural health clinic or similar access point for the Volcano community. Testimony in strong support came from HHSC representatives, Volcano residents, the Volcano Health Collaborative, the Rotary Club of Volcano, and others, who said the area has a clear need and that local primary and urgent care would align with regional plans. HHSC said it had already looked at the area, found no suitable temporary buildings, and would need a longer-term, capital-intensive solution, but that the study could help accelerate next steps. The committee then took up SCR 50 SD1, proposing a Hawaii Health Plan Working Group to design a basic affordable health plan for residents. Dr. Jack Lewin of SHIPTA said the state faces a growing uninsured population and argued for a short-term, lower-cost plan focused on preventive and primary care, drawing on the old State Health Insurance Plan as a possible model. Members asked about whether that prior program still exists and whether the working group should include the Hawaii Medical Association and Hawaii Primary Care Association; Dr. Lewin said the statute still exists but is unfunded, and that the group should be inclusive. The Department of Labor and other organizations also provided comments. For SCR 75 SD1, which urges a coordinated interdepartmental effort to reduce fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, Dr. Lewin and others said prevention, prenatal screening, and early intervention are needed because FASD is often hidden until later problems appear. Amanda from Hawaii FASD Action Group said current implementation under Act 192 is still largely a landscape analysis and that Hawaii lacks the infrastructure and specialists for a full system. Darlene Chance Govor urged adding the judiciary as a partner so juvenile justice and probation staff can be trained and referral pathways improved, while the Department of Health said it supports prevention but prefers a broader, systems-based approach focused on child needs and upstream care. The Disability Rights Center supported the resolution and asked for an earlier reporting date. The committee also heard SCR 149 SD1, which seeks an informal working group to address complex patients with multiple diagnoses involving substance use, mental health, or chronic physical illness. The Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition and Ke Nui Malo strongly supported the measure, saying current siloed systems leave people bouncing between medical, mental health, and substance use providers without coordinated care, often ending up in crisis, emergency rooms, or the justice system. They said integrated residential care and a coordinated working group could improve outcomes and align with federal funding opportunities. The transcript ended before any final vote or action on the measures was announced, and SCR 109 was noted as withdrawn from the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• The other provider must be a registered nurse, respiratory therapist, EMT, advanced EMT, paramedic, or
• The other provider must be a registered nurse, respiratory therapist, EMT, advanced EMT, paramedic, or
• by the state port of nursing.
• , advanced registered nurse practitioner, or licensed practical nurse, including posting any supporting
• , advanced nurse practitioner, or licensed practical nurse, submit an application, be actively participating

Bills: HB2340, HB2155, HB2531

Keywords: HB 2340, nursing assistants, nurse aide, substance use disorder monitoring program, monitoring program, credentialing, licensure, disciplinary records, enforcement action, public disclosure, privacy, third-party website, stipend program, financial assistance, treatment costs, drug testing, peer support, recovery, rehabilitation, board-approved program

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on six House bills related to health care, cannabis, licensing, emergency transport, veterinary practice, and nursing workforce support. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2242 would preserve access to preventive services and vaccines by allowing the Department of Health to issue immunization guidance, tying insurance coverage to federal preventive-service recommendations as of June 30, 2025, and directing JLARC review in 2032. Supporters, including the Governor’s office and the Insurance Commissioner, said it would prevent gaps in coverage and maintain affordable vaccine purchasing; opponents argued it politicizes vaccine policy and expands state influence. The committee also heard Substitute House Bill 2152, which would allow terminally ill patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and hospice to use medical cannabis under facility policies that prohibit smoking/vaping and require secure storage and documentation. The sponsor and several advocates described it as a dignity-and-compassion measure, while testimony noted the need for safeguards and caregiver flexibility. The committee then heard Substitute House Bill 2088 on the dietitian licensure compact, which would let Washington join an interstate compact for dietitians. The sponsor and multiple witnesses, including military spouses, health professionals, and veterans groups, said it would reduce licensure barriers, help workforce mobility, and improve access to nutrition care, especially for military families and rural patients. House Bill 2110 would allow a registered nurse without EMT certification to staff certain inter-facility specialty care transports when no paramedic is available, provided an EMT is also on board and the nurse has appropriate competencies. Rural hospitals supported the bill as a way to reduce dangerous transfer delays, while nursing and EMS opponents raised concerns about training, accountability, and patient safety; the committee also heard a request to change “should” to “shall” for ambulance orientation. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2247 would update Washington’s veterinary-client-patient relationship and telemedicine rules, allowing ongoing telemedicine care after an in-person exam and setting conditions for prescriptions and commercial-animal oversight. The state veterinarian testified that the bill could conflict with federal FDA/USDA requirements that rely on an in-person exam for prescribing certain drugs and for regulatory work, while supporters said it would expand access to veterinary care and reduce delays for low-income and rural pet owners. House Bill 2340 would add nursing assistants to the substance use disorder monitoring and stipend programs; the sponsor, a nurse in recovery, said the bill would help low-paid nursing assistants afford treatment and monitoring costs. In executive session, the committee waived the five-day notice rule for HB 2247, then voted do-pass on House Bills 2155 and 2531 and sent them to the Rules Committee.

Bills: SB330, SB2069, SB2095

Keywords: elk population, wildlife management, Oklahoma State University, veterinary medicine, ecosystem health, habitat assessment, advanced nuclear energy, nuclear power, small modular reactor, SMR, microreactor, generation III+, generation IV, nuclear reactor, nuclear permitting, nuclear licensing, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, OCC, Oklahoma Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, Oklahoma Advanced Nuclear Development Revolving Fund

Bills: SB330, SB2069, SB2095

Keywords: elk population, wildlife management, Oklahoma State University, veterinary medicine, ecosystem health, habitat assessment, advanced nuclear energy, nuclear power, small modular reactor, SMR, microreactor, generation III+, generation IV, nuclear reactor, nuclear permitting, nuclear licensing, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, OCC, Oklahoma Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, Oklahoma Advanced Nuclear Development Revolving Fund

Summary: The Wildlife Committee considered and advanced two Senate bills. Pro Tem Moore presented SB 330, described as an elk population study bill related to the Northwest Zone and a mirror of a House measure. After brief discussion, the committee voted 7-0 to do pass the bill. Representative Townley then presented SB 269, which would prohibit taking migratory birds through baiting and align Oklahoma law with federal law. The committee asked no substantive questions and voted 6-0 to do pass. Townley also presented SB 2095, which sets fees and fines for hunting guides, with higher fees for nonresidents and a licensing exemption for certain helpers. He said the bill was intended to protect landowners and hunters and support Oklahoma’s reputation as a hunting destination. Members asked about the scope and fee amounts, and were told the fees would be $1,000 for residents and $2,000 for nonresidents. The committee voted 6-0 to do pass. The chair then noted this would likely be the final meeting of the year.

Bills: SB159, SB159

Keywords: sales tax exemption, use tax exemption, diapers, baby supplies, baby formula, baby bottles, baby wipes, breast pump, breast milk pumping equipment, lactation, nursing bra, nursing pads, maternity wear, pregnancy clothing, postpartum clothing, menstrual products, tampons, sanitary napkins, panty liners, menstrual cups

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill also revises allowable uses of line fund monies for nurses.
• is our nursing program.
• our nursing program.
• And we also have some wonderful community partners in that nursing program.
• programs and to grow our nursing programs.

Bills: S0720, S1246

Keywords: tuition, resident status, incarceration, education, equal access, nursing shortage, health care, education funding, workforce development, LINE Fund, monetary contributions, nonmonetary contributions

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education met to consider one bill, a postponed bill, and a slate of trustee confirmations. The committee first took up CS/SB 1246, which expands the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) fund to support health science workforce shortages beyond nursing, including allied health programs. The bill also broadens eligible uses of funds, revises matching requirements and grant criteria, and updates reporting requirements. A strike-all amendment was adopted without objection, and the committee then reported the bill favorably after supportive testimony from Florida State College at Jacksonville, the Florida Hospital Association, the College of Central Florida, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce. Senator Davis also noted a favorable vote on the bill for the record. The committee then temporarily postponed SB 720 at the sponsor’s request. Chair Harrell explained that the bill had been incorporated into a larger committee measure and would likely be heard later in another form. Public witnesses who had come to speak on the bill were not heard because of the postponement. The remainder of the meeting focused on confirmations for trustees at several state colleges, including Chipola College, Tallahassee State College, Pensacola State College, Palm Beach State College, Pasco-Hernando State College, and St. Petersburg College. The appointees emphasized themes of affordability, workforce training, nursing and allied health success, dual enrollment, community partnerships, and local economic development. After hearing from the appointees, the committee approved a block motion to recommend confirmation of all appointees on tabs 2 through 25. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• this is all new language, new creation, and we have some definitions: current good manufacturing practices
• /c><00:44:00.800><c> that's</c><00:44:01.040><c> just</c><00:44:01.280><c> the</c> manufacturing practices
• that's just the manufacturing practices that's just the safety<00:44:02.720><c> standards</c><00:44:
• There are currently, um, health care practices that would be, some people are calling, or are called,
• I will tell you that currently there's no prohibition in the Medical Practice Act for doing this, but

Bills: HB0028, HB0080

Keywords: sexual exploitation, child protection, law amendment, explicit conduct, sex crimes, identification cards, nursing facilities, assisted living, renewal process, resident rights, 916, all

Bills: HB0028, HB0080

Keywords: sexual exploitation, child protection, law amendment, explicit conduct, sex crimes, identification cards, nursing facilities, assisted living, renewal process, resident rights, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's called the Line Fund, and the line is Linking Industry to Nursing Education.
• This fund was created to incentivize collaboration between nursing education programs and health care
• partners to combat the nursing shortage in the state.
• This is, as it stands now, strictly limited to nursing.
• Thank you very much, and I absolutely would support the expansion of this program from not just nursing

Bills: S0194, S1246

Keywords: Charlie Kirk, remembrance, free speech, civic engagement, youth leadership, nursing shortage, health care, education funding, workforce development, LINE Fund, monetary contributions, nonmonetary contributions

Summary: The Committee on Education Postsecondary met with a quorum and first considered SB 1246, which would expand Florida’s Line Fund for health service workforce shortages. Senator Davis explained that the bill would broaden eligibility beyond nursing to include health science education programs and students, allow matching funds from private contributions, and permit use of funds for scholarships, faculty recruitment, equipment, simulation centers, and facility renovations. Senator Harrell asked for more specificity about which professions would qualify, and Davis said the bill was intended to add flexibility but could be made more concrete. Several witnesses supported the bill, and the committee reported SB 1246 favorably without additional funding being requested. The committee then took up SB 194, which would designate October 14 as Charlie Kirk Day of Remembrance. Senator Martin said the bill would recognize Kirk’s influence on civic engagement, youth leadership, and constitutional education without creating a state holiday. The bill drew both support and opposition from public speakers, with supporters emphasizing Kirk’s advocacy for free speech and unborn children, and opponents arguing that his public statements on race, civil rights, and Black leaders made him an inappropriate figure for state honor. Members also debated whether statute was the right vehicle for such recognition and whether the bill could encourage future requests for similar commemorations. A late-filed amendment by Senator Jones would have added George Floyd to the remembrance language, framing the issue as selective remembrance and pointing to Floyd’s death as another national reckoning. Senator Martin opposed the amendment as unfriendly, and it failed on a roll call vote. The committee then debated SB 194 at length, with supporters describing Kirk as a defender of open debate and opponents saying the bill would legitimize divisive rhetoric. The committee ultimately reported SB 194 favorably, with Senators Berman, Harrell, and Jones voting no, Senator Rodriguez and Chair Simon voting yes, and Chair Calatayud casting the deciding favorable vote. The committee then adjourned after a motion to record Tab 2 in the affirmative was adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I asked a couple of appropriators that had projects for nursing homes.
• But why not standardize it to 1% like the hospitals have had versus having the nursing homes 2% and moving
• there's a whole process because they have to meet a lot of federal requirements in order to build a nursing
• So as long as we've done it for the hospitals, I think we should do it for the nursing home and basic

Bills: SB2225, HB1619

Keywords: housing, affordable housing, community development, infrastructure improvement, funding grants, long-term care, infrastructure loan, nursing facilities, financial assistance, North Dakota Century Code, 908, all

Summary: The Appropriations Committee met to clear several remaining bills and discussed scheduling around upcoming conference committees. The chair noted that full committee meetings would likely be held after floor session, while Thursday and Friday mornings were being reserved for conference committees. Members also discussed how conference committees would be scheduled and where they would appear on their dashboards. The committee first took up House Bill 1577, relating to wastewater facility grants. Amendments were adopted to create a loan/line-of-credit mechanism through the Bank of North Dakota and the Department of Environmental Quality to keep two canceled federal BRIC-funded projects moving: a lagoon project in Fezenden and a wastewater treatment project in Lincoln. Members emphasized the language was intended to apply only to those projects and to preserve the possibility of federal reimbursement later. The amendment passed 16-0, and the bill as amended received a 15-1 do pass recommendation. The committee then reconsidered House Bill 1009 and adopted an additional amendment transferring the remaining balance in the bioscience innovation grant fund to the general fund, rather than issuing another round of grants. That amendment passed 16-0, and the bill as amended also received a 16-0 do pass recommendation. Finally, the committee considered House Bill 1619, creating a long-term care facility loan fund and adjusting an existing medical facility loan program. After discussion, members amended the bill to reduce the long-term care fund cap to $10 million per project, set the interest rate at 2%, extend repayment to 30 years, and align the medical facility loan program to 2% with a 30-year term. The amendment passed 14-2, and the bill as amended received a 16-0 do pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, we're advancing it down toward socialism. That's where we're advancing it toward.
• areas who are very glad to have them, as well as advanced practice registered nurses who practice independently
• The nurses are licensed by the nursing board.
• We have participated in almost all of them so far, but the advanced practice...
• We have participated in almost all of them so far, but the advanced practice registered nurse compact

Bills: SB2401, SB2402, SB2403, SB2404

Keywords: SB 2401, North Dakota, Century Code, occupational therapy, occupational therapy board, criminal history record check, background check, licensee investigation, physician continuing education, medical license renewal, nutrition education, metabolic health, chronic disease prevention, health occupation boards, medical board, licensure fee, audit response, disciplinary action, Title 43, board of medicine

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, roll call, and a quorum present, then took up second reading and final passage of several House bills related to the Rural Health Transformation Program and other matters. House Bill 1621, requiring the presidential fitness test in school physical education with exceptions and a delayed effective date, passed 43-3. House Bill 1623, appropriating federal rural health transformation grant funds and creating a related loan program and reporting structure, passed 46-0 after extensive debate about using the federal money for community health, infrastructure, and sustainability. House Bill 1622, joining the physician assistant licensure compact, also passed unanimously 46-0. House Bill 1625, authorizing the Ray Richards Golf Course land sale to support a Grand Forks transportation project and golf course improvements, passed 46-0. House Bill 1626, clarifying that the primary residence credit is applied after the early payment discount so taxpayers receive the full $1,600 benefit, passed 40-6.