Transcript Highlights:

• counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and school nurses.
• school psychologists, and school nurses. school psychologists, and school nurses.
• <00:04:39.080> counselor schools had no school counselor schools had no school counselor whatsoever
• our home and school. our home and school.
• high school counselor, middle school counselor, grade school counselor.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This should have been a budget priority three years ago.
• So from the high school level, uh, that Mr.
• from the high school level uh that Mr. from the high school level uh that Mr.
• district schools, the Houston school district schools, the Houston school district would<00:33:49.600
• ,<01:05:31.280> but when you're setting your priorities, but when you're setting your priorities

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It has the school there on campus. The homes surround the school.
• The school does not only serve school.
• in school. He was nonverbal. in school. He was nonverbal.
• needs to be a priority for us. needs to be a priority for us.
• be at school, they send them to us. be at school, they send them to us.

Keywords: Roll Call - 00:10 Discussion on SCR 61 – 01:46 Vote on SCR 61 – 11:33 Discussion on SR 18 – 12:30 Vote on SR 18 - 30:01 Discussion on Ky Residential Autism Services – 32:34 Questions & Comments – 56:56, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first considered Senate Concurrent Resolution 61, sponsored by Senator Shelley Funke Frommeyer and Representative Matt Lockett. The resolution, as amended by committee substitute, would create a legislative task force tied to the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) framework to study Kentucky health policy, including Medicaid drug approvals, preventive and alternative therapies, holistic health education, oversight and transparency in health care, and research into integrative approaches. Supporters said the goal was to address chronic disease and reduce over-medication, while emphasizing the effort was not intended as an attack on agriculture or the pharmaceutical industry. The resolution received favorable expression and passed the committee 9-0. The committee then heard Senate Resolution 18 from Senator Neal, urging Kentucky to maximize participation in the federal SNAP Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) program. Testimony from Jessica Klein of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy and Secretary Eric Friedlander explained that SNAP E&T provides job training, education, and support services for SNAP participants, and that the program is federally matched and does not require additional General Assembly funding in the normal course. Members discussed how the program works, whether it could create new state costs, and how it fits with efforts to connect food assistance, workforce development, and local agriculture. Questions also focused on whether SNAP spending can be steered toward healthier foods and farmers markets, including Kentucky’s Double Dollars program, which was described as helping participants buy produce, meat, and dairy at participating markets and some retailers. Several members expressed support for the workforce goals but asked for more information on fiscal impacts and purchasing data. Secretary Friedlander said the SNAP E&T funds are separate from nutrition benefits, and that the state match generally comes from employer, university, or workforce partner contributions rather than new state appropriations. Senator Herron explained her vote in favor by saying the program could help people gain education and employment and reduce reliance on SNAP over time. Senate Resolution 18 was then adopted by the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• schools and school funding and the FEPP is that we provide $30 billion for public schools and K-12 scholarships
• for public schools.
• Public Schools as a case study because we have seen... ...seven of our schools in Orange County have
• the school year.
• millage collections right now, there are, I believe, six, there may be six school counties or school

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• locations of the or one of the schools locations of the or one of the schools that<01:25:22.480>
• And we're no different than the schools. The same thing is happening to the schools.
• And we're no different than the schools. The same thing is happening to the schools.
• And we're no different than the schools. The same thing is happening to the schools.
• Nursing homes are a priority.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Joining me now is Senator Lindsey Port, who says housing is a key priority for her this session.
• <00:25:36.960> some bonding bill is a top priority some bonding bill is a top priority some
• The issues ranged from summer unemployment insurance to school suspension laws, to funding and where
• to set their priorities.
• The bill, known as Senate File 334, allows school districts to reduce teachers' instructional time in

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and coordinates with school districts.
• But I am talking about triage, responsibility, and priorities.
• me where you put your money, and I will show you your priority.
• Show me where you put your money, and I will show you your priorities.
• Show me where you put your money, and I will show you your priorities.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is not just big schools.
• Doesn't the Supreme Court decision say that the schools, the NCAA, and schools were originally barred
• <00:48:25.119> and<00:48:25.319> schools school the schools the NCAA and schools school
• What's the priority there? Well, the priority is that secured creditors have the priority.
• What's the priority there? Well, the priority is that secured creditors have the priority.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard testimony on House Bill 167, which would add ski, snowboard, and boat wax containing PFAS to the state’s consumer-product restrictions. The sponsor argued the product is already banned in many places, has PFAS-free alternatives, and is used in ways that can directly contaminate water rather than landfills. She cited high PFAS levels in several New Hampshire lakes and said the bill was a simple extension of prior PFAS legislation. A witness also described a personal experience where a liquid ski wax disappeared from the market and later returned, likely because of PFAS concerns. The chair then closed the hearing on HB 167 without a vote. The committee then opened a hearing on House Bill 312, dealing with college athletes’ name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights. Representative Moffett said the bill was modeled on New Jersey law and intended to let student-athletes earn compensation from NIL without losing institutional scholarships, while also requiring licensed representation and setting limits on certain endorsements. He described the measure as proactive because NIL rules are evolving and could create conflicts among schools and future lawsuits. Members questioned whether the bill should apply to two-year institutions, whether it should exclude firearms and weapons, and whether the scholarship protections would cover need-based or academic aid as well as athletic scholarships. Moffett said the scholarship language was intended to protect scholarships generally, but not need-based aid specifically, and he acknowledged discomfort with some of the endorsement restrictions. Public testimony on HB 312 was mixed. One supporter, a former Division III athlete and coach, backed the bill but urged removal of a section allowing institutions or athletic bodies to use an athlete’s NIL without compensation, arguing most New Hampshire athletes do not receive NIL money and should not have to work extra jobs to cover basic expenses. The chair also raised concerns about the bill’s contractual and identity-rights implications, referencing prior committee work on a J.D. Salinger-related identity case and noting the committee had previously declined to get involved in similar contractual disputes. No vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• School is focused on school and so the supports there.
• A lot of from school-based therapy.
• think, "Oh, kids get therapy in school." think, "Oh, kids get therapy in school."
• School is It's a different model.
• School is focused<00:42:09.680> on<00:42:10.000> school<00:42:10.240> and<00:42:

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Health Services heard Senate Bill 18, a bill described by the sponsor and podiatry witnesses as a modernization of Kentucky’s podiatry laws. The bill would recognize and regulate podiatric assistants, podiatric residents, and supervising podiatrists; allow podiatrists to supervise physician assistants in podiatry practices with approval from the relevant licensing boards; require new podiatrists licensed after January 1, 2027 to complete at least two years of residency; and extend disciplinary authority to the new categories. Witnesses said the measure would improve access to foot and ankle care, especially in rural areas, without expanding scope of practice. The Kentucky Medical Association was said to be neutral after working on the language with the sponsors. Committee members raised concerns about the meaning of “supervision,” whether it required direct or indirect oversight, and whether the bill could broaden billing or coding privileges. Dr. Roberts said supervision could mean direct supervision or indirect supervision, including being available by telephone, and noted the bill mirrors language used in allopathic PA supervision. He also said the bill would not change office staff billing roles and that podiatric assistants would not bill separately. Several senators said they supported moving the bill forward but remained concerned about workforce, cost, and scope creep. The committee adopted a committee substitute, then voted on the bill. The motion passed unanimously with favorable expression. After the vote, the committee moved on to a presentation on outpatient pediatric therapies, where providers described Medicaid reimbursement pressures, workforce turnover, and long waiting lists for children’s therapy services, but no action was taken on that presentation in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I just want to go over some of the legislative priorities.
• I'm happy to be here this morning, but I just want to go over some of the legislative priorities for
• This year, for our legislative priorities, we've got a few things that are going through.
• They can't live within a certain distance from playgrounds or schools or different things like that.
• They're not really concerned about who holds what position or what priority.

Summary: The committee heard presentations on domestic security and public safety priorities from Gulf County Sheriff Mike Harrison and Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Rebel. Sheriff Harrison outlined Florida Sheriffs Association priorities, including reclassifying xylazine as a Schedule I controlled substance with a veterinary-use exemption, expanding enforcement of pretrial release violations beyond domestic violence cases, providing tuition-waiver benefits for sheriff’s office personnel, advancing the Jason Rainer Act to increase penalties for violent offenses against law enforcement, extending sex-offender residency restrictions, improving access to mental-health-related databases, and continuing support for fusion centers and Florida model jail standards. Members asked questions about xylazine’s veterinary use, canine detection, and public records burdens on small agencies; no votes were taken on these items. Chief Rebel focused on the Florida Police Chiefs Association’s role in disaster response, officer training, and wellness. He described the association’s coordination through the state EOC and regional deployments during hurricanes, then emphasized officer suicide and the need for statewide wellness resources, peer support, and accessible behavioral health care for first responders. He also referenced prior PTSD benefits legislation and urged continued support for the PCIS program and other wellness initiatives. Committee members discussed related resources such as dispatcher support, the Restore program at UCF, hyperbaric chamber treatment for PTSD, and canine support organizations. On domestic security funding, Rebel said FPCA does not have a specific bill package but wants to preserve the Domestic Security Oversight Council and regional task forces, protect limited SHISGAP funding for new projects, and shift ongoing successful programs to state funding. He also supported fixing the long-gun carry loophole, continuing the Jason Rainer Act effort, allowing ethical law-enforcement use of AI with human review, addressing monetization of public records and body-camera footage, and maintaining the ability to investigate anonymous complaints. The committee adjourned after discussion; no formal action or votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Another a priority down there priority.
• school principal, a school through as a school principal, a school teacher,<01:37:23.199> um<01
• I've seen schools seen good schools.
• them to private school. them to private school.
• school route, to go the private school school route, to go the private school route,<02:03:54.239

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met in executive session on a bill concerning school meal access and reimbursement. The bill would address local school districts’ responsibility to provide meals during school hours, reimburse schools for meals served at no cost, and make an appropriation. The committee first moved to retain the bill, with supporters saying it was complex, had uncertain fiscal impacts, and should be considered alongside other related meals bills. Opponents argued the committee already had enough information, that the bill served a small number of students at relatively low cost, and that delaying action would harm children who need food to learn. The committee also heard from Tim Roar, a Keene school business administrator and co-designer of the bill, who explained that the proposal was intended to be an opt-in program for districts, with rulemaking to set participation requirements. He said the bill was meant to target aid to students between 175% and 200% of poverty, reduce bad meal debt, and avoid spending taxpayer money on families who could afford to pay. He estimated the state cost at about $250,000 in year one, with local taxpayer costs around $8,500 for Keene, and said some districts already have systems for online applications while others do not. Committee members questioned him about meal debt, online application software costs, and how districts handle students who reach debt limits. Roar said districts still feed students who are hungry, but use other resources and family outreach when meal debt is capped, and he argued that parents should be responsible for providing lunch when they can afford it. Other members pushed back, saying they had seen students go hungry and that teachers sometimes pay for lunches themselves. One member noted the bill would increase eligibility, make it easier to apply, strengthen personal responsibility, and was not a mandate. The discussion ended without a recorded final vote in the excerpt, though the retain motion remained the central action under debate.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill also establishes a permanent and ongoing aid to school districts, 36 of the 330 school districts
• to school districts to 36 of the school to school districts to 36 of the school districts<00:44:
• <01:11:10.560> systems public and and charter school systems public and and charter school
• > ch priority. protecting nature-based ch priority. protecting nature-based ch child<01:21:23.840
• This is a priority of our caucus, is to help people's health care.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House took up House File 719, the capital investment/bonding bill, and members spent much of the debate praising committee staff and describing the bill as a bipartisan product shaped by statewide bonding tours and negotiations. Supporters highlighted major infrastructure and public facility projects, including water and sewer work, transportation projects, housing, natural resources, and specific local needs such as Grand Marais, the Manomomen County hospital/nursing home, and airport tower funding. Several members emphasized that the bill was a “Team House” effort and argued that infrastructure funding should not be treated as partisan. During debate, members also focused on the bill’s water infrastructure investments and the need for broader, dedicated funding to address lead pipes, PFAS contamination, and rising wastewater costs. Representative Lee noted that more than $400 million in the package went to water infrastructure, while other speakers pointed to transportation funding and a one-time reduction in tab fees as important elements of the bill. Representative Franson and others urged support, saying the package reflected statewide needs and was a down payment on larger asset-preservation needs. The House adopted three technical amendments to House File 719, then gave the bill its third reading. After floor discussion, Representative Niska moved to lay House File 719 on the table, and the motion prevailed, tabling the bill. The chamber then moved on to House File 2484, the cash portion of the infrastructure package, where members again described the measure as a small but important funding bill and discussed a Lower Sioux Indian Community Dakota language item and the limited size of each caucus’s cash allocation.

Transcript Highlights:

• middle school teacher. middle school teacher.
• Schools. Schools.
• School Building Maintenance Funds. School Building Maintenance Funds.
• of school maintenance.
• schools and communities. schools and communities.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Can you speak about the relationship that you have with the school district regarding school security
• So having those relationships with the school district and the school board is crucial, so that we're
• schools.
• Chairman, they go to school at Santa Teresa High School? They do. What size high school is that?
• And then we also have two high school interns from the Santa Teresa High School.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've taught in a variety of school districts, from well-resourced level one schools to alternative public
• schools that serve so-called... ...of school districts, from well-resourced level one schools to alternative
• This legislation is a priority of the MDDC, and it's also an important priority to my family because
• And we want schools—and this bill would do a wonderful job of making sure that schools are providing
• That meant that he did not have to change school. He had historically done very well in school.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities held a hybrid hearing focused largely on DDS-related bills, with chairs Kennedy and Livingstone outlining strict time limits, accessibility procedures, and a 5 p.m. stop to preserve ASL and CART services. The committee heard testimony on several measures, including a bill from Sen. Mike Moore to create a centralized electronic education records system for students in out-of-home placements, which supporters said would improve communication, preserve IEP continuity, and reduce missed services. Paul DePaulo also testified in support, describing the educational and justice-system harms that can follow when foster youth do not receive coordinated records and supports. A major portion of the hearing centered on H. 242/S. 149, a bill to enhance standards of care for people with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Rep. Garballey and many advocates, parents, clinicians, and disability leaders supported the bill, saying it would require provider training, statewide standards, and better emergency department practices to reduce misdiagnosis, trauma, and unnecessary ER boarding. Testimony described sensory and communication barriers in medical settings, lack of provider training, and the need for continuing education and license-related requirements. Related testimony also supported H. 213/S. 111, which would improve access to behavioral health services for children involved with state agencies by requiring better discharge planning, coordination with hospitals and agencies, and more appropriate post-hospital placements. The committee also heard strong support for H. 256/S. 102, requiring universal changing stations in public buildings, from parents, advocates, and the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council. Witnesses said current restroom accommodations often force unsafe or undignified changes on floors, in cars, or in inaccessible spaces, and argued the cost of adding changing stations to new or renovated buildings would be modest compared with the benefits to dignity, safety, and community access. Another major topic was H. 261/S. 155 on supported decision-making agreements for certain adults, which supporters described as a less restrictive alternative to guardianship that preserves autonomy while providing trusted support. Finally, testimony on Tommy’s bill (S. 168/H. 282) described a preventable death after a hospital discharge and urged clearer communication and training requirements for residential staff handling life-sustaining equipment; the bill was presented as a safeguard for people with disabilities relying on such equipment.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:08:56.680> of these ideas reflect the priorities of these ideas reflect the priorities
• of I'm I'm a junior at yolani school of I'm I'm a junior at yolani school with<00:10:48.560>
• Yeah, quick question on your map, where you have the high, medium, and low priority priority.
• We hope to show because the ones on Upcountry Maui also show they went from Priority 1 to Priority 3,
• High School.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The first is the highway priority program. And prioritization.
• You also mentioned the Highway Priority Program with the new tour starting. Yes.
• We are still going to deliver an extra year’s worth of our highway priority program.
• And I get the priority issue. I get it.
• This is separate to go over the highway priority program. And so as Mr.

Summary: The committee met for an information-only hearing with no votes or other action items. DOTD Secretary Glenn LaD and Deputy Secretary Beau Black gave an update on the department’s transformation efforts, focusing on faster project delivery, improved construction administration, and new technology. They said monthly contractor payment approvals have been reduced from roughly 35 days to 15 days or less, change orders from about 40-45 days to around five days, and that DOTD delivered 86% of its advertised projects in the last fiscal year. They also described new tools such as Headlight for field inspections, Smart PM for schedule tracking, Hall Hub for e-ticketing and work-zone mapping, and a pilot using advanced sensors on district vehicles to identify potholes, guardrail damage, and other asset issues. The department also outlined a district reorganization that replaces the area engineer model with dedicated district points of contact for construction, maintenance, and operations, with no increase in total staff. Members raised concerns about local maintenance issues, especially mowing, drainage, culverts, potholes, and communication with district offices. Several members asked for clearer coordination on jurisdictional questions, more frequent meetings with district administrators, and better public updates on long-running projects. LaD said DOTD would schedule follow-up meetings, use the coming customer service portal to track complaints, and improve public communication through project information officers, social media, and other outreach. Questions also covered contractor accountability, utility relocations, road transfer maps on the DOTD website, and whether maintenance work adjacent to capital projects should be handled by district crews or through new IDIQ contracts. The secretary also reviewed the Highway Priority Program process, saying DOTD will work between June and September to review projects not included in the prior program, explain why, and refine a five-year fiscally constrained plan before the fall road show. He said the department is using IDIQ authority to award bridge maintenance and other task-order work, and that this should help address a two-year bridge repair backlog. Members discussed whether current funding levels are enough to reduce the statewide backlog, and DOTD said the current program likely maintains rather than eliminates it absent new revenue. The hearing ended with a project-specific update that a barge struck the Black Bayou Pontoon Bridge that morning, causing significant damage; DOTD said divers and staff would inspect it and determine emergency repairs. After DOTD’s presentation, Archie Chesson of the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction gave a brief update on that office’s first year, describing its use of consultant pools, master service agreements, a public GIS map, and a data tool to prioritize rural road and bridge projects, with several early projects already completed or under construction.

Transcript Highlights:

• and the communication of the priorities.
• and so a priority is priorities and so a priority is identified<00:42:12.160> by<00:42:12.319
• <00:53:57.799> boards Minnesota school boards Minnesota school boards Association<00:53:59.720
• Paul Public Schools.
• benefits um our first set of priorities benefits um our first set of priorities are<01:15:27.360

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One of those, the USDA walked back its financial support of our farm-to-school program.
• No one could get mad at farm to school. It's the best thing in the whole world.
• You're getting fresh produce to kids in schools, and you're paying farmers for doing that.
• But farm to school is an incredible program. We've been investing in it for a while.
• ,<00:14:54.560> between between farmers and schools, between between farmers and schools,

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, this is a special moment because we have a reunion of Rogers High School in Newport, Rhode Island
• Policies, priorities, and a focus on small business.
• So this is a major priority for the department and for me.
• To train and retain that critical workforce will be a priority of mine.
• If confirmed, certainly it will be a priority to look across the enterprise movement plan.

Keywords: defense industrial base, small business, workforce development, acquisition processes, national security, cybersecurity, critical minerals

Summary: The meeting of the committee revolved around critical discussions on enhancing the defense industrial base, focusing on small business engagement and the importance of streamlined processes in defense contracting. There was a significant emphasis on the need for more investment in the defense manufacturing sector, particularly in the face of competition from countries like China. Some members expressed frustration over the treatment of small businesses, citing barriers that prevent these innovative companies from effectively participating in defense contracts. The need for a workforce capable of meeting the common challenges posed by evolving technologies and geopolitical threats was also highlighted throughout the meeting.