Transcript Highlights:

• But as this would be graded if more money was allocated, which we'd all determine as a legislature, you're
• So I guess my question is, if those private providers need to scale up because you're pulling people
• So how do those companies know when they need to prepare to scale up for the people coming on that wait
• How do you all communicate with those providers so they know to scale up and have those people to be

Summary: The Health Care Budget Subcommittee took up two bills and then continued oversight discussions with APD and AHCA. CS/HB 27, the Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact, was presented as a way to let Florida social workers practice in other compact states and vice versa; AARP, the Florida Chamber, and NASW Florida supported it, and the bill passed favorably. HB 1127, a child welfare bill, would create a treatment foster care pilot for children with high behavioral needs, improve DCF data collection on commercially sexually exploited children, and expand recruitment for protective investigators and case managers; the bill also passed favorably after brief supportive testimony. The committee then questioned APD at length about the iBudget waiver waitlist, enrollment pace, spending projections, and provider capacity. APD said it had sent more than 1,100 interest letters in categories 3, 4, and 5, enrolled 1,124 people so far this year, and expects to spend about 96.4% of its waiver appropriation, leaving roughly $82 million unspent. Members pressed APD on why prior discussions suggested more reserve was needed, how long the SANS process takes, whether category 6 could be expanded, and whether the agency has enough waiver support coordinators and direct support providers. APD said it has about 1,061 waiver support coordinators statewide, adequate capacity for current enrollees, but would need further analysis if the legislature directed a much larger enrollment increase. Members also asked about outreach, annual maintenance of the waitlist, portability for military families, and whether communication efforts should be privatized. Finally, AHCA walked the committee through the 2023 Achieved Savings Rebate (ASR) report for Aetna and explained how the report is used for financial monitoring, rebate calculations, and transparency. AHCA said the ASR is separate from the medical loss ratio (MLR) calculation, though both are reviewed, and that Florida uses the ASR mechanism rather than an MLR remittance requirement to recover funds from plans. Members asked about related-party disclosures, CVS/Caremark relationships, expanded benefits, encounter data, network adequacy penalties, denials and appeals reporting, interest earned on capitation payments, and whether rate increases were reaching providers. AHCA and the outside auditors said they review the plans’ reported data, reconcile it to underlying records, and can assess liquidated damages for network adequacy violations; several members requested follow-up data on rebates, interest, provider capacity, and related-party reporting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Survey by students, PPIC analyzed responses to the California Healthy Kids Survey by students in grades
• I was missing a ton of school, my grades plummeted, and I stopped all my social connections.
• We stand ready to partner as state policymakers work to scale and replicate this work thoughtfully and
• , you know, you have a high school doing something that has 2,000 kids compared to maybe a smaller grade

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused on youth mental health and treatment access, with the chair framing the issue around California’s Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), school-based supports, and the need to coordinate education, health, and community systems. The first panel featured PPIC researcher Shalini Mostala, who said teen mental health remains a serious concern but recent California Healthy Kids Survey data show improvement in chronic sadness and suicidal thoughts since the pandemic peak. Youth advocate Ella Cruz described her own struggles, emphasized stigma reduction, peer support, and the importance of youth voices in shaping policy and outreach. Members asked about phone use, cultural stigma, and how to encourage young people to seek help and connect with trusted adults and peers. The second panel, led by CYBHI director Dr. Sohill Sood and DHCS Deputy Director Autumn Boylan, provided implementation updates. Dr. Sood said recent data show more students receiving counseling, lower stigma, and a drop in reported suicidal ideation, while also highlighting growth in certified wellness coaches and the CYBHI fee schedule. He said the program has generated more than 230,000 claims and over $11 million in new revenue for participating entities, though implementation is still early and technical assistance remains important. Fresno County’s Trina Frazier described a multi-tiered system of care with wellness centers, mobile therapy units, and strong outcomes in attendance, suspensions, and academic performance, while Rachel Kroberniski of the James Morehouse Project described a long-running school wellness center and a peer-to-peer model that helps students feel connected and supported. Members pressed witnesses on rural staffing, billing coordination, higher education participation, and how to sustain services after one-time grants expire. In the final panel, WestEd’s Lisa Eisenberg discussed what makes the fee schedule work best, saying schools are most successful when they build on existing staff, relationships with health plans, and data-sharing agreements rather than creating entirely new systems. Across the hearing, witnesses and members repeatedly returned to themes of flexibility, sustainability, youth-led and peer-based supports, and the need to reduce stigma while improving coordination across schools, counties, providers, and colleges. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, House Joint Resolution 25 recognizes and scales a proven Kentucky partnership, the Kentucky
• establishment of a robotics program trust fund in the state treasury to award grants to programs in grades
• establishment of a robotics program trust fund in the state treasury to award grants to programs in grades
• establishment of a robotics program trust fund in the state treasury to award grants to programs in grades

Keywords: Convene 00:00 Senate Message 05:09 Calendar/2nd Readings 05:59 Report of Committees 07:10 Orders of the Day 08:11 HJR 25 08:26 HB 66 11:58 HB 305 16:20 HB 432 22:44 HB 313 27:29 HB 44 30:26 Motions, Petitions, and Communications 34:30 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 42:07 Recess for ConC/Rules Meeting 43:38 ConC/Rules Report 47:26 Floor Amendments 48:25 Adjournment 48:54, 958, all

Summary: The House convened with an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance, then established a quorum with 94 members present. The chamber excused absent members, suspended rules to allow co-sponsorship and vote modifications, and received notice that the Senate had passed Senate Bills 136 and 183 and requested concurrence. The journal was approved, and several bills were reported for second reading, including measures on vehicle wheels, proactive post-secondary admission, choking prevention in schools, state parks, background checks, public post-secondary employment, tuition waivers, veterans benefits, and a resolution urging a federal accreditation pathway for veterans-benefits assistance companies. Committee reports advanced a number of bills, including measures on privacy protection, theft by deception, social work, licensed occupations, members of the bar, and alternative high school diplomas. The House then adopted House Joint Resolution 25, which declares Kentucky a “food is medicine” state and directs agencies to coordinate pilot studies and partnerships around nutrition, public health, and Kentucky-grown products; the resolution passed 95-0. The chamber also passed House Bill 66, as amended, on video teleconference meetings for agencies and boards. The bill requires posting board member contact information, permits video-only meetings for informational or routine matters, requires a physical quorum for final actions on law, regulation, taxation, and large grants, and allows agencies to set their own video-meeting procedures; it passed 95-0 after adoption of a committee substitute, floor amendment, and title amendment. House Bill 305, the grand jury service bill renamed the Crystal Rogers Act, was amended by committee substitute and floor amendment after a successful motion to suspend the rules for a technical correction. The bill strengthens grand jury confidentiality rules, prohibits knowing recording or disclosure by those present, and extends the statute of limitations for violations; supporters cited the Crystal Rogers case as the reason for closing a gap in the law. It passed 93-0. House Bill 432 on local purchasing also passed, 82-7, after committee substitute changes clarified the 75% threshold for used vehicles and equipment and updated rules for noncompetitive purchasing and local government flexibility. The House then passed House Bill 313, reducing the notice period for city utility franchise agreements from 18 months to 6 months, by a vote of 93-0, and House Bill 44, which creates a robotics program trust fund and grant program for grades 7-12 to support STEM and workforce training, by a vote of 91-0. The session concluded with motions and announcements, including the bringing up of House Resolution 60 from committee and a resolution recognizing February 11, 2026 as Recovery Advocacy Day in Kentucky, with remarks on overdose deaths, recovery efforts, and the importance of prevention and services. Members also announced upcoming receptions and meetings, and one bill, House Bill 372, was withdrawn.

Transcript Highlights:

• you that fear often creeps in and the armor of this world feels too heavy and useless against the scale
• Senate Bill 1856: relating to kindergarten through grade 12 education.
• 1307, meaning section 41812-75, and vice statute, before being managed vying to kindergarten through grade
• We expanded it to cover more grades. Obviously, AI is much... ...be conducted.
• We expanded it to cover more grades.

Summary: The meeting began with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, attendance, and a guest introduction for Deputy Frank Sloop. The Senate then moved through multiple Committee of the Whole calendars, with most measures receiving do-pass recommendations after brief explanations and, in several cases, floor amendments. Topics included public records, capital outlay review, local government, taxation, state budget implementation, higher education appropriations, utility regulation, towing regulation, homeowners association disclosures, nursing board regulation, veteran services, criminal justice, human services, K-12 education, state property management, and the continuation of the Arizona State Board of Nursing. Several bills were amended on the floor before receiving favorable recommendations. House Bill 2114 on motorcycle-related provisions was amended to require that at least one registered owner be legally licensed to operate a motorcycle in Arizona. House Bill 2397 on HOA/condominium disclosures was amended to change disclosure timing and fee rules and make other conforming changes. House Bill 2408 on nursing board regulatory action was amended to remove a clear-and-convincing-evidence burden in disciplinary matters and clarify complaint-sharing procedures. House Bill 2957 on driver’s license/handheld provisions, House Bill 2305 on towing regulation, and House Bill 2321 on DCS-related reporting also received amendments before do-pass recommendations. The largest item was Senate Bill 1847, the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act. Senators offered extensive floor amendments affecting agriculture, corrections, criminal justice, school safety, law enforcement equipment, vehicle theft task force funding, liquor licensing, and other budget items. During third reading and debate on the budget, Democratic senators praised negotiated gains such as funding for aging services, food assistance, civil legal aid, school meals, heat relief, and a three-year moratorium on new data center tax incentives, while criticizing border-related funding, ESA/voucher policy, and cuts to higher education and adult education. One member’s remarks were ruled dilatory after repeated off-topic comments, and the ruling of the chair was sustained by a 16-12 vote. The transcript ends with additional budget-related explanation of votes continuing after the budget’s third reading.

Transcript Highlights:

• and looking to see how particular student academic achievement is moving between cohorts, between grades
• that take the data and ask specific questions like how are students from third to fourth to fifth grade
• What are we doing for early grades.
• ,<02:12:28.159> um, particularly in the primary grades, um, particularly in the primary grades
• <02:15:40.639> 6 now um kindergarten through grade 6 now um kindergarten through grade 6 there

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• personal favorite, APS earned an F from the Sierra Club in their 2025 Dirty Truth Report — the lowest grade
• personal favorite, APS earned an F from the Sierra Club in their 2025 Dirty Truth Report — the lowest grade
• We understand the enormity of the tasks the utilities have before them, scaling upwards quickly to meet
• Communities and energy developers coordinate on large-scale energy infrastructure.

Bills: HB2014, HB2113, HB2145, HB2331, HB2340, HB2389, HB2400, HB2401, HB2428, HB2494, HB2696, HB2756, HB2795, HB2955, HCM2008

Keywords: air emissions, fuel blends, environmental quality, feasibility study, Arizona Department of Agriculture, utility consumer, rate intervention, public service corporation, Arizona Revised Statutes, residential rates, consumer protection, fuel reformulation, gasoline standards, environmental regulations, ethanol supply, Air Quality, energy reliability, electric service providers, reliable resources, public power entity

Summary: The committee heard several energy and transportation bills, with testimony largely split between sponsors, industry groups, local governments, and environmental advocates. HB 2428, dealing with county and ADEQ authority to issue voluntary permits certifying emission reduction credits for mobile and non-road sources, drew neutral support from ADEQ and support from Maricopa County; it was amended and passed 10-0 with a due pass recommendation. HB 2145, which expands who may petition on gasoline supplier alternative standards, also passed, 5-4, with no amendment. A lengthy debate followed on HB 2331, as amended, which would require electric utilities to ensure 85% of generating capacity serving retail load comes from “reliable resources” by 2030. The sponsor and supporters argued the bill was needed to preserve affordable, dependable power and prevent overreliance on intermittent renewables, while opponents from the Sierra Club and Rural Arizona Action said it would effectively favor fossil fuels, raise costs, and limit cleaner energy options. The committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and the sponsor’s amendment, then passed the bill 6-4. HB 2795, which limits county zoning authority over small modular reactors once federal permitting and certification steps are met, drew strong support from nuclear and business advocates and opposition from county, city, and environmental representatives concerned about local control, safety, waste, and preemption; it passed 6-4 after amendment-related discussion. The committee also passed HB 2340, which allows the power plant and transmission line siting committee to evaluate the plant itself when reviewing transmission line applications, by a 5-4 vote. Finally, HB 2400, an emergency measure to suspend the motor vehicle fuel tax in Areas A and C during summer months and replace the lost revenue with state highway funds, prompted testimony about gas prices, boutique fuel requirements, and transportation funding needs; cities and counties opposed the diversion of highway funds, while the sponsor argued it would help consumers facing higher fuel costs. The Griffin amendment was adopted, and the bill passed with a due pass recommendation after debate on affordability versus road funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• sure that everyone had to first register every year to get a vote-by-mail ballot, and then that was scaled
• sure that everyone had to first register every year to get a vote by mail ballot, and then that was scaled
• opposed to the 2028 school year, each student participating or planning to participate in athletics in grades
• opposed to 28 school year, each student participating or planning to participate in athletics in grades

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of introductions recognizing interns, pages, a retiring sergeant-at-arms employee, and advocates visiting for a Prader-Willi Syndrome awareness resolution. Leaders also noted ongoing budget talks with the House and said senators should not plan to be in next week while negotiations continue. The main floor debate centered on Committee Substitute for House Bill 12.5, a citizen-initiative elections bill. Sponsors said it was intended to address petition fraud and protect the integrity of the constitutional amendment process, citing investigations, arrests, and fraudulent petition activity tied to recent initiatives. Opponents argued the bill would make it much harder and more expensive for citizens to place amendments on the ballot, chill volunteer participation, and effectively favor wealthy or corporate interests. After extensive debate, the bill passed 28-10. The Senate then moved through a series of education bills, including measures on Bright Futures, Gold Seal, Florida ABLE, dual enrollment, educator preparation, and broader education policy, all of which passed unanimously. After a recess, the chamber took up House messages and concurred in amendments to bills on stem cell therapy, student athlete ECGs, cardiac emergency response plans, and school safety. Those measures also passed with broad support, with the school safety bill drawing some questions about the Guardian program and child care facilities.

Transcript Highlights:

• targeting the role of the board and the role of the superintendent in districts of significant scope and scale
• In the southeastern United States, many southeastern states check out the fourth grade reading scores
• check<01:02:57.920> out<01:02:58.079> the<01:02:58.319> fourth<01:02:58.640> grade
• <01:02:58.880> reading check out the fourth grade reading check out the fourth grade reading

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and a quorum established. The journal was approved, absent senators were excused, and new bills and resolutions were introduced, including measures on housing districts, calorie information, alcohol beverage control, county clerk filings, vital records, and a resolution honoring Dr. Samantha Shaver. The chamber also received notice that the House had passed House Bills 384, 144, and 290 and requested concurrence. The Senate then recessed briefly for party caucuses before reconvening. The main floor action centered on Senate Bill 3, relating to school district finances. The bill, as amended by Senate Committee Amendment 1 and Senate Floor Amendment 2, was described as strengthening financial transparency for school districts by requiring public access to budgeting information, monthly credit card statements, superintendent contracts and compensation, audits, and final working budgets. Supporters argued it would improve fiscal responsibility and accountability in response to concerns about spending practices in large districts. The Senate adopted both amendments and passed SB 3 by a vote of 35-1, with one senator explaining a no vote while acknowledging the need for transparency. The Senate then took up Senate Bill 1, relating to education and the governance structure of a large school district. Supporters said the bill responds to a recent court ruling by adding detailed findings to justify treating the district differently and by clarifying that the superintendent handles day-to-day operations while the board focuses on strategic planning, budget approval, audits, and hiring or firing the superintendent. Proponents cited the district’s size, share of state education funding, number of students, and concentration of low-performing schools as reasons for the change. Opponents argued the bill would reduce elected board accountability, questioned whether the structure would improve outcomes, and emphasized broader funding and achievement challenges. After extended debate, the Senate proceeded to a vote on SB 1; the transcript shows a brief proponent statement and a lengthy opposing explanation, but the final vote result is not included in the provided text.

Transcript Highlights:

• In closing, changes to the EHR sex field, while well-intentioned, have introduced and scaled potential
• When I was in 6th grade, my best friend showed me a book she had found in her father's room.
• I have found a book that glamorizes and trivializes 1/6 grade teacher who grooms and molests her 12-year-old
• I retired five years ago from 27 years of teaching, required 8th grade and 12th grade theology, um, classes

Bills: HB 45, HB 755, HB 1232, HB 1555, HB 2460, HB 2702, HB 2973, HB 3120, HB 3225, HB 3314, HB 3356, HB 3371, HB 3634, HB 3638, HB 4247, HB 4283, HB 4290, HB 4302, HB 4503, HB 4511, HB 4565, HB 4581, HB 4627, HB 4632, HB 4660, HB 4668, HB 4960, HB 5042

Keywords: housing, affordable housing, rent control, landlord-tenant laws, housing rights, lobbying, public entities, expenditures, government code, transparency, Texas Ethics Commission, government regulation, lobbying restrictions, government accountability, taxpayer money, HB 1232, whistleblower, whistleblower protection, public employee, retaliation

Transcript Highlights:

• In closing, changes to the EHR sex field, while well-intentioned, have introduced and scaled potential
• When I was in sixth grade, my best friend showed me a book she'd found in her father's room.
• I have found a book that glamorizes and trivializes a sixth-grade teacher who grooms and molests her
• Eighth-grade and twelfth-grade theology classes at my high school, my alma mater, St.

Bills: HB45, HB45, HB755, HB 1232, HB1555, HB2460, HB2702, HB2973, HB3120, HB3225, HB3314, HB3356, HB3371, HB3634, HB3638, HB4247, HB4283, HB4290, HB4302, HB4503, HB4511, HB4565, HB4581, HB4627, HB4632, HB4660, HB4668, HB4960, HB5042

Keywords: flooding, disaster response, emergency preparedness, state guidance, public safety, housing, affordable housing, rent control, landlord-tenant laws, housing rights, lobbying, public entities, expenditures, government code, transparency, Texas Ethics Commission, government regulation, lobbying restrictions, government accountability, taxpayer money

Transcript Highlights:

• They're sui generis in some way, but they have a lot of broad-scale harm.
• They're sui-generous in some way, but they have a lot of broad-scale harm.
• These big-scale cases—opioids, tobacco, Juul vaping, sort of public epidemics like that.
• So there's not, at least in our office, this broad-scale use of this; it's targeted.
• I teach 7th and 8th grade at Texas Career and College Prep Academy. I’m really nervous.

Bills: HB2242, HB2446, HB2799, HB4502, HB2920, HB2790, HB5620, HB5060, HB5076, HB5080, HB5081, HB5128, HB5130, HB3847, HB5116, HB2969, HB4546, HB4202, HB5624, HB3964, HB4803, HB872, HB4775, HB4777, HB4961, HB5570, HB2988, HB4260, HB1375, HB5009, HB5411, HB5134, HB4388, HB3095, HB1387

Keywords: constables, civil rights, local government, law enforcement, policy-making authority, affidavit, medical bills, civil actions, reasonable charges, healthcare services, judicial statistics, court performance, family law, civil cases, efficiency reporting, court security, emergency management, harassment penalties, judicial safety, court committee

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 4961, which would bar uninsured motorists from recovering non-economic damages after a collision. The author said the bill is intended to create incentives to maintain insurance and to address what he described as an unfair system for insured drivers. Texans for Lawsuit Reform and Texas Eagle Forum testified in support, while the Texas Trial Lawyers Association opposed it, warning the bill could also affect pedestrians, passengers, children, and others who did not choose whether a vehicle was insured. The bill author clarified that passengers would be included in the bill’s coverage. No vote was taken and the bill was left pending. House Bill 5570 would extend a legislative attorney CLE exemption to attorneys appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate to boards or commissions. The author said the measure is meant to ease time burdens and encourage service, and a witness supported it as a modest incentive for public service. A committee member noted a discrepancy in the number of affected attorneys, and the author agreed to verify the correct figure. The bill was left pending. The committee also heard House Bill 2969, which would restrict the State Bar from adopting rules or penalties that unreasonably burden attorneys’ religious exercise or free speech based on sincerely held beliefs. The author and several witnesses from Texas Values, Alliance Defending Freedom, and Cecilia Wood argued the bill protects lawyers of faith from an ABA model rule they described as a speech code. No one testified against the bill, and it was left pending. House Bill 4260, which would prohibit county judges and county commissioners from practicing law in courts over which they have jurisdiction, drew opposition from the County Judges and Commissioners Association, which argued existing ethics rules already address conflicts and that the bill would burden rural officials. The author said the bill was prompted by concerns about judges using their office to pressure others. The bill was left pending. House Bill 5134 would limit Rule 202 pre-suit depositions to people who have suffered or reasonably expect actual damages and would allow attorney’s fees against abusive petitioners. The author said the bill is aimed at preventing harassment and fishing expeditions, especially in family-law disputes. Questions focused on how the standard would work and how it differs from current law; the author said the main change is fee-shifting and a clearer legislative directive. The bill was left pending. House Bill 3095, a committee substitute version of a similar uninsured-motorist bill, would bar uninsured motorists from recovering non-economic damages and limit economic recovery, with several exceptions. Trial lawyers argued it was unconstitutional because it capped economic damages and could unfairly affect innocent drivers, pedestrians, and older people who no longer drive. The author acknowledged constitutional concerns and said the bill would need further work; the committee withdrew the substitute and left the bill pending. Finally, House Bill 4388 would require all judges, including county judges who perform administrative duties, to remain subject to the Code of Judicial Conduct. Supporters said some elected judges avoid accountability by relinquishing judicial functions, while opponents argued the bill is too rigid and unnecessary because existing remedies already exist. House Bill 3964 would limit public nuisance claims to their historical role and bar such claims against lawful conduct, conduct already covered by other remedies, and products. The author and supporters said the bill is meant to prevent courts from using public nuisance to make policy, while opponents argued it would eliminate useful remedies and could affect local actions against environmental or product-related harms. The author said the bill would not affect statutory nuisance claims, private nuisance claims, or other causes of action, and would be amended to clarify some provisions. The bill was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• The report card is ASCE's tool to examine current infrastructure conditions and needs, assign grades,
• So the cumulative grade for the 2022 report card for Minnesota's infrastructure is a C.
• I want to note that this is the same grade given to Minnesota in the 2018 report card.
• The highest grade is for aviation, with a B, and our lowest is roads, with a D+.
• as 2022 if we same or a better grade as 2022 if we don't<01:43:36.719> think<01:43:37.080>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Capital Investment held its first meeting of the 2025 session with members and staff introducing themselves and describing their priorities. Senators from both parties repeatedly emphasized the goal of passing a strong bipartisan bonding bill this year, with several members noting that local projects were delayed after no bonding bill passed the previous year. Chair Housley also said the committee would not meet later that week and previewed an upcoming presentation from MMB on federal funds. The committee then heard a presentation from MMB’s Leah Corey and Anna Ming on Minnesota’s federal funding efforts. Corey explained that MMB’s federal funds team coordinates state efforts to maximize funding from IIJA, IRA, CHIPS, and related federal programs. She said Minnesota has secured about $12.3 billion in federal funding so far, including roughly $3 billion more since the last presentation, supporting about 1,800 projects statewide. Most of the funding is going to transportation, roads, and bridges, with other major areas including clean energy and weatherization. She also highlighted an interactive public dashboard showing projects by region and noted that much of the data reflects funds flowing through the state enterprise. Corey also discussed state match programs that helped unlock federal dollars, including the IIJA discretionary match fund, the State Competitiveness Fund, and the Forward Fund. She said $180 million in state match has unlocked about $1 billion in federal investment through the IIJA discretionary match fund, nearly $17 million in state investment has unlocked nearly $90 million in federal funding through the State Competitiveness Fund, and $124 million for the Forward Fund has unlocked nearly $1 billion in federal and private investment. Members asked whether more state dollars could have brought in more federal funds; Corey said she was not sure, but noted the IIJA match fund is expected to run out in the coming months. The presentation also focused on direct pay tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act, which allow tax-exempt entities such as governments, nonprofits, school districts, and tribal nations to receive payments for eligible clean energy projects after they are completed. Corey said the state is building awareness and technical assistance around direct pay, including educational sessions and a tax expert resource. She also described Minnesota’s Green Bank, the Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority, which is beginning to issue loans for projects such as community energy, nonprofit geothermal systems, and solar-plus-battery installations.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this wage scale and career lattice gives us that framework.
• The salary scales used in the cost models are embedded in our wage scale and career lattice.
• And it’s a sliding fee scale, and the sliding fee is based on your income.
• I don’t agree with that characterization or the sliding fee scale.
• It's okay to have a sliding fee scale or co-pay, whatever you want to call it.

Summary: The committee heard first from LFC staff on a brief about New Mexico’s universal child care expansion. Staff said child care assistance has clear benefits for parents and families, but LFC has not found evidence in New Mexico that it improves children’s educational outcomes; they argued pre-K is the better tool for that goal. The brief highlighted four concerns with universal access: an estimated annual cost of about $849.7 million, a sharp decline in registered homes, possible crowding out of lower-income families, and reduced access for children under age two. Staff also suggested possible mitigations such as prioritizing slots for low-income and at-risk families, reinstating sliding-scale co-pays, and tying quality improvements to workforce wages. Members raised questions about the cost estimate, funding sources, provider quality, and whether the data showed actual crowding out. Several lawmakers expressed support for child care generally but concern about the fiscal impact and whether universal access would divert resources from the families most in need. Others emphasized the importance of child care for workforce participation, rural communities, and family stability, and questioned how registered homes are counted and regulated. LFC staff clarified that the cost estimate was for child care assistance only, not the entire ECECD budget, and that the data showed declines in the share of lowest-income children and infants/toddlers served, though not causation. The ECECD secretary then presented the department’s response, saying universal child care is intended to complete a cradle-to-career system and that the department has already seen strong uptake, increased capacity, and rising workforce participation. She said 6,206 families were found eligible in the first month, the share of infants and toddlers served rose, and new provider applications and licensed slots increased after the November rollout. The department also emphasized wage increases, quality improvements, and a new wage scale/career lattice, while projecting a lower near-term cost than LFC’s estimate and requesting additional funding for child care, early pre-K, home visiting, workforce systems, and capacity-building. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided; the discussion was informational and focused on questions and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• They had two non-legal-for-trade precision scales.
• We had another precision scale that was legal for trade, but it was currently not being used.
• They had two non-legal-for-trade precision scales.
• They had two non-legal for trade precision<02:37:43.120> scales.
• We had they had precision scales.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing began with SB 12, which would let certain veterans who already qualify for a disabled veteran license plate use that VA disability determination to obtain a walking disability placard without having to undergo a second physical or submit additional proof. Senator Waters, the prime sponsor, said the bill was prompted by a constituent and would reduce redundant paperwork. Melinda Sims of United Spinal and Leo Pacquin of the State Veterans Advisory Committee both supported the bill, saying veterans already go through an extensive VA certification process and should not have to repeat it for the state. A DMV representative said the department had no known objection and explained that the change would let the placard travel with the veteran in another vehicle. The hearing on SB 12 was then closed. The committee then took up SB 40, which would allow safe boater education certificates to be completed and tested online, rather than requiring an in-person final exam. Representative Coker and Senator Tim Lang described the bill as a cleanup measure to make a COVID-era online process permanent and said it would improve convenience and keep more revenue in New Hampshire. Tom Praol, representing the vendor, said the state lost significant revenue when the online option ended and argued that online proctoring can verify identity and prevent cheating. The New Hampshire Marine Trades Association supported the bill, saying it would help boaters learn New Hampshire-specific laws and keep dollars in-state. The Department of Safety Marine Patrol was neutral: Captain Tim Dunlvy said the current system includes classroom and online coursework followed by an in-person proctored final exam, and he raised concerns about safety, exam integrity, and lower scores in computer-only testing, while noting New Hampshire’s strong boating safety record. Committee members asked about reciprocity, proctoring methods, costs, and crash data, but no vote was taken in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• my<01:01:30.000> think back memories of my my think back memories of my my think fourth-grade
• <01:01:30.880> teacher<01:01:31.160> Miss<01:01:31.360> Phoenix fourth-grade teacher
• Miss Phoenix fourth-grade teacher Miss Phoenix saying,<01:01:32.200> "Show<01:01:32.440> your
• I have a question about how this impacts innovation, and especially the scaling of technology.
• never see the scaling never see the scaling and<01:24:04.360> so<01:24:04.520> we<

Bills: SF856, HF4482, HF3672, HF1234, HF4591, HF3554, HF936

Keywords: Inspector General, fraud prevention, state audit, public funds, misuse, transparency, government accountability, HF4482, Minnesota Historical Society, state historic sites, historic site management, historic preservation, county historical society, local historical society, municipality, county government, admission fees, grants-in-aid, site operations, site maintenance

Transcript Highlights:

• is something that will be important into the future so that we can take this proof of concept and scale
• take this proof of concept and<00:34:37.280> and<00:34:37.359> and<00:34:37.760> scale
• it to a meaningful and and and scale it to a meaningful fashion.<00:34:39.599> Uh<00:34:39.839
• And then when we looked at the older kids, third to fifth grade, we really saw some impressive gains,
• And then finally you see our Teen Cuisine, which is for our grades 6 through 12.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Make America Healthy Kentucky Task Force met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and then heard a presentation on the state’s “food is medicine” efforts. Chair Funky Fromm opened by describing a recent foot injury from a road hazard and used it to emphasize the importance of infrastructure, nutrition, sleep, and activity as part of a broader wellness culture. The main witnesses were Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell, Holly Harris of Appalachian Regional Health Care (ARH), and Jim Muser of the Kentucky Hospital Association. Shell and Harris described a partnership between the Department of Agriculture, the Kentucky Hospital Association, and hospitals such as ARH to connect local farmers with hospital cafeterias, farmers markets, CSA-style subscription food boxes, and medically tailored meals. Harris said ARH serves a large region with 14 hospitals, more than 95 clinics, about 6,700 employees, and 1,300 medical staff, and that the system began by improving employee food options because hospital workers often have limited access to healthy meals during shifts. They reported examples such as a local-protein burger, parking-lot farmers markets, subsidized CSA boxes for employees, and plans for container gardens at some hospitals. The witnesses said the program is intended to improve health outcomes, reduce readmissions, support chronic disease management, and also increase rural prosperity by expanding demand for Kentucky farm products. Shell said more than 40 hospitals had already been onboarded into the food-is-medicine program, with measurable outcomes being studied through pilots such as one at Russell County Hospital. He also noted that some systems, including CHI St. Joseph Health, Taylor Regional, and UK King’s Daughters, have formally embedded food-as-medicine goals into strategic plans. Members and witnesses also discussed barriers, especially the lack of reimbursement, fragmented short-term funding, and regulatory or purchasing hurdles that make it difficult for small farmers to participate. Shell said the goal is to make the model scalable and easier for hospitals and farmers to navigate, while Harris emphasized that ARH has been funding its efforts without reimbursement because of its mission. No votes or formal policy actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's, we're doing about 14,000 connections per year of large-scale type single-family homes and up
• And that transmission connectivity allows us to move power around on a very large scale.
• I've been encouraged by the level of engagement from folks in the hyper-scaling community, because I
• I've been encouraged by the level of engagement from folks in the hyper-scaling community, because I
• You know, a lot of this stuff's way above my pay grade, so I just leave it to the experts to make a lot

Summary: The committee first heard AB 1026 by Assembly Member Wilson, which would require investor-owned utilities to provide clearer front-end information and follow more consistent timelines for post-entitlement energization applications tied to housing projects. The author and supporters from the Housing Action Coalition and Mission Housing said utility delays can hold up approved housing, add costs, and create uncertainty, and they argued the bill would align utility processes with recent state efforts to streamline local permitting. PG&E and Southern California Edison opposed the bill, saying existing CPUC timelines and the ongoing energization rulemaking already address the issue, that the bill could be duplicative or premature, and that some proposed timelines were too short. The committee discussed the bill’s relationship to the CPUC’s September 2024 decision, and AB 1026 was ultimately approved on a 15-0 vote, with the consent calendar also passing. The second half of the hearing was the committee’s annual oversight hearing on electric reliability. Representatives from the CPUC, CEC, CAISO, and DWR reviewed lessons from the 2020 and 2022 heat emergencies, emphasizing that California has since added significant resources, improved planning, and created backstop programs such as the strategic reliability reserve. They said the summer 2025 outlook is cautiously optimistic, with no expected shortfalls under traditional planning conditions and a projected surplus, though wildfire and extreme heat remain risks. The agencies also described major changes in planning and operations, including more battery storage, updated resource adequacy rules, expanded transmission planning, and reforms to the interconnection queue. Members asked about data center load, Diablo Canyon’s future, the strategic reliability reserve, demand response, wildfire mitigation costs, affordability, and regional market expansion. Witnesses said data center demand is a major variable but can be managed through better forecasting, flexible service arrangements, and siting in areas with existing capacity; they also said firm clean resources remain valuable while planning continues around Diablo Canyon’s scheduled retirement. On affordability, they said the agencies try to balance reliability with least-cost procurement, and that new resources can lower market prices even as they require upfront investment. CAISO also highlighted the value of the Western Energy Imbalance Market and the planned day-ahead market, saying regional coordination improves both reliability and cost savings.

Transcript Highlights:

• They couldn't pass the bond last year, so now they're offering a scaled-back plan where they're going
• They couldn't pass the bond last year, so now they're offering a scaled-back plan where they're going
• Last year, so now they're offering a scaled-back plan where they're going to use modulars, which they
• I was one like that when I was in grade school. I was dreadfully afraid of mathematics.
• assessments for their High School grades assessments for their High School grades specific<02:00

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a hearing on HB 366, which would increase school building aid for eligible projects. Representative Cahill, the prime sponsor, said the bill would raise the annual minimum from $50 million to $60 million and help address a long backlog of school construction and renovation needs after years of a moratorium on applications. He argued that districts forced to build during the moratorium were left to shoulder costs through local property taxes, and he cited examples such as Londonderry, Claremont, and other communities with aging or inadequate facilities. He also said the current aid structure, including paying 80% upfront and 20% at completion, concentrates too much spending at once and limits how many projects can be funded. Several committee members asked about the fairness and structure of the program. Representative Maguire questioned whether aid should be distributed more broadly to all districts rather than only a few selected projects, and Representative Luneau noted that the committee would also be considering related bills on catastrophic aid, special education aid, and the school foundation formula. Cahill responded that building aid has historically been targeted to property-poor communities and that the state should be a reliable partner in school construction. He also said the bill includes a small retroactive component for communities that built during the moratorium, which he described as a compromise. Testimony in support came from Representative Cluder, who described Claremont’s Stevens High School project as a case where a bond issue narrowly failed and the city later had to fund renovations without state aid, contributing to high property taxes. He said the bill would help property-poor communities and urged passage. Tony Weinstein of New Market also supported the bill, saying his community had serious facility and safety needs, had moved forward with scaled-back renovations during the moratorium, and still faced debt-service burdens without state participation. Robert Thompson, superintendent in Hampstead, testified that his district needs an addition for overcrowding, safety, and special education space, and said building aid would help reduce out-of-district placements and transportation costs. No vote was taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• <02:13:41.040> epic wasting taxpayer dollars on an epic wasting taxpayer dollars on an epic scale
• on a project that will go down as scale on a project that will go down as the<02:13:44.560> single
• He and his fellow Rangers would scale 100-foot cliffs on ropes and find and destroy German artillery
• Lamel continued onward and successfully scaled the wall.
• continued onward and successfully scaled continued onward and successfully scaled the<03:35:21.040

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, July 21, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Regulatory Services deals with a variety of things: the maple rules and grading maple and apples and
• Regulatory Services deals with a variety of things: the maple rules and grading maple and apples and
• <00:06:27.280> Maple the maple rules and and Grading Maple the maple rules and and Grading
• ounces of meat and they're using a scale ounces of meat and they're using a scale there<00:23:12.400
• He said they can do any scale that anyone wants to have checked.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard an overview from the Agriculture Commissioner on the department’s major divisions and staffing. He described the Office of the Commissioner, Agricultural Development, Pesticides, Regulatory Services, Weights and Measures, Animal Industry, Plant Industry, and Soil Conservation, noting that many programs are federally funded or supported by dedicated fees and fines. He said the department has 44 full-time positions plus one DoIT employee shared with other agencies, and that HR services are now contracted through Administrative Services. He also explained that Soil Conservation is administratively attached to the department and funded through Moose Plate grants and county contributions, not direct state funding. Members asked about specific program functions and issues, including weights and measures inspections, animal health, bird flu response, internships, invasive species, and the Big E/New Hampshire building. The commissioner said weights and measures covers nearly all commercial measuring devices and products sold by weight, and that inspectors are currently part-time police officers, though the department is discussing removing that requirement. He said the department is actively involved in bird flu monitoring, including regular calls with USDA and the state veterinarian and collecting milk samples from dairy farms. On invasive species, he focused on Japanese knotweed and bittersweet, saying the department has only one staff person working on the issue, mainly as a coordinator with DOT and towns, and that eradication is extremely difficult. He also said the department does not run student internships and refers inquiries to UNH Cooperative Extension. The committee discussed budget and revenue issues, including three new general fund positions, one of which is the assistant commissioner and another a biological scientist for invasive species. The commissioner said the department had been in “triage mode,” that an assistant commissioner was needed because of workload, and that the department is a net positive to the General Fund each year. He said some fees and fines have not been updated in decades and would require legislation to change, including a proposed $5 fee for each animal database certificate to help fund a system that costs about $250,000 annually to maintain. In response to questions about budget reductions, he said the department protected personnel, reduced the cost-of-care fund, fair grants, and land preservation funding to about $25,000 each, and did not plan to buy new vehicles or computers. He also said he could not support including the $50,000 Conservation District resilience grant program in his budget under the current reduction targets, though he remained hopeful it might be funded another way.