Transcript Highlights:

• So, you're saying that the superintendent would have to negotiate between the... program or dilute their
• </c><00:35:26.560><c> between</c><00:35:27.120><c> the</c> Would have to negotiate between the schools
• Are they negotiating that?
• Are they<00:36:39.200><c> negotiating</c><00:36:40.040><c> that?
• Um and I I did they negotiating that?

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Under oath, he told me that on every single case it is part of his job at the end to negotiate the bill
• But what's left out of that is that there is a negotiated rate, which would be much less.
• We're not asking what we're going to negotiate from, and we're not asking that you should start with
• To the opposite, it's not to the... you shouldn't be negotiating down to what you can get paid.
• Negotiations are sometimes permitted, but quite often they're not. It's a lien. Number one.

Bills: SB30 , SB517 , SB1313 , SB1314 , SB1316 , SB1541 , SB1698 , SB1845 , SB1860 , SB2420 , SB2429

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: gambling, criminal offenses, penalties, defense, electronic devices, tobacco advertising, youth protection, public health, criminal offense, retailer regulation, e-cigarettes, nicotine products, health, public safety, regulation, advertising restrictions, health and safety, elections, election audit, county elections

Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs convened to discuss several critical pieces of legislation including SB30 and SB38. Senator Betancourt introduced a committee substitute for SB38 which underwent a smooth adoption process, moving it favorably toward the Senate. The meeting featured a mix of invited testimonies where both proponents and opponents took the floor. One notable highlight included a testimony from Melissa Casey, who criticized the current legal state as prone to fraud and detrimental to both insurers and the public at large, contending that it inflated insurance costs across the board. The discussions delved deeply into the implications of the bills on judicial processes and potential insurance ramifications, with spirited debates surrounding issues of non-economic damages and jury rights. The atmosphere remained engaged as committee members heard varied perspectives on the bills, showcasing a robust democratic process. The meeting underscored the importance of public testimony in shaping legislation, ensuring that multiple voices were considered as the committee pressed on towards making decisions that affect the legal landscape of Texas.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have spent numerous hours negotiating with our local bargaining units and employee groups to meet
• </c><00:42:02.680><c> with</c><00:42:02.800><c> our</c> numerous hours negotiating with our numerous
• hours negotiating with our local<00:42:03.280><c> bargaining</c><00:42:03.760><c> units</c><00:42:04.040
• have the benefit discussions at the have the benefit discussions at the local<00:42:20.960><c> negotiations
• table I would also local negotiations table I would also like<00:42:23.319><c> to</c><00:42:23.480><

Summary: The committee took up House File 1325 and adopted the author’s A2 amendment before hearing testimony. Representative Schultz presented the bill as a set of bipartisan changes to make Minnesota’s earned sick and safe time law more workable for small businesses, public employers, and taxpayers, arguing the current law is an unfunded mandate that increases costs and property taxes. The bill’s supporters said it would add flexibility, including changes affecting coverage for certain workers, employer size thresholds, front-loading, weather-related exceptions, and a delay on penalties. Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach of the Department of Labor and Industry opposed the bill, saying it would exclude about 800,000 workers, or roughly 30% of the workforce, from earned sick and safe time protections and create confusion and enforcement problems. She also objected to the proposed penalty delay, saying the department already uses compliance assistance and needs penalty authority for serious violations. The Minnesota Chamber supported modifications to the mandate, saying businesses—especially small ones—have struggled with compliance and that the law has had unintended effects on PTO policies and leave use. The League of Minnesota Cities supported parts of the bill, especially changes affecting more generous city leave policies and weather-event exemptions, saying current language creates confusion and can interfere with emergency staffing. Opponents from Education Minnesota, SEIU Minnesota, TakeAction Minnesota, and a nurse from Unity Hospital argued the bill would strip protections from part-time workers, minors, and workers with family caregiving needs, and would weaken a law they said has helped workers avoid discipline or lost wages when sick. Supporters from counties and an HR consultant emphasized administrative burdens, emergency staffing needs during weather events, and the difficulty of applying ESS rules to existing leave policies. No final vote on the bill was taken in the portion of the meeting provided; the bill was laid over for further consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• the surplus existing in the program right now in the film office, would you agree that this was a negotiated
• and agreed-upon solution to use some of those funds negotiated and agreed-upon solution to use some
• I will agree with you that there was negotiation, a lot of conversation about this, and I will also agree
• They were part of the negotiations on the budget, but it's my understanding that we're just trying to
• They were part of the negotiations on the budget, but it's my understanding that we're just trying to

Summary: The House considered and advanced a large package of bills, many on joint committee reports, with most measures passing by wide margins and several emergency clauses approved. Early debate centered on HB 4036, which moved $5 million from an existing filmed-in-Oklahoma account to a new revolving fund for the “Bringing Sitcoms Home from Hollywood” pilot program. Supporters said the money was surplus, still controlled by the film office, and intended to create jobs and a strong return on investment; opponents questioned whether the funds should instead go to other state needs and whether the program had enough workforce and infrastructure. The bill passed 53-42, but its emergency failed. The House also passed HB 471, which creates state support for federal “Trump accounts” for children under 18, after debate over federal control, investment risk, and whether the $12.5 million could be better spent on child care, schools, or other services; it passed 61-30 and the emergency failed 62-27. Several education, transportation, and public safety measures then moved through with little or no opposition. HB 4030, described as the education limits bill, passed 93-1 with its emergency. HB 4065 and HB 467 each appropriated $93,000 for security at the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics and the Schools for the Blind and Deaf, respectively, and both passed unanimously or near-unanimously with emergencies. HB 4038 directed $5 billion for the eight-year transportation plan and $266,000 for safer school zones; HB 4048 transferred PREP funds to three road projects; and HB 4031 moved up to $41 million into the long-term aerospace and aeronautic stability fund. HB 4047, which used PREP funds for a rural economic development project, fairgrounds upgrades, and university energy improvements, drew the most discussion over whether the spending was truly rural-focused, but passed 81-11 with the emergency approved. The House also approved a series of capital, justice, health, and workforce-related bills. These included HB 452 to buy the Service Oklahoma building it currently occupies; HB 4041 for a two-year trafficking victim pilot program and public safety technology; HB 4056 and HB 4057 for OSBI and narcotics headquarters/warehouse facilities; HB 4044 for current National Board Certified Teachers; HB 4032 on mining fees and agreement language; HB 4034 to raise court reporter compensation; HB 4050 reducing employer contributions while keeping retirement funds growing; HB 4053 and HB 4054 for flagship university capital projects; HB 4072, a public finance/accounting measure involving the Invest in Oklahoma Board and Revenue Stabilization Fund mechanics; HB 4045 and HB 4046 creating military-related funds to support bases and BRAC-proof installations; HB 4040 establishing oversight and a revolving fund for rural health transformation federal money; and HB 4051 clarifying legislative control over the FMAP rate preservation fund. Most of these passed with strong bipartisan support and emergency clauses, and the chamber ended with announcements of committee meetings before adjourning until April 15, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• That I was in those negotiations. I was trying to find a progressive way to do EV funds.
• That I was in<00:15:57.680><c> those</c><00:15:57.880><c> negotiations.
• c> I</c><00:15:59.400><c> was</c><00:15:59.600><c> trying</c><00:15:59.840><c> to</c> in those negotiations
• I was trying to in those negotiations.
• Down the road when we negotiate future budgets. There's that much fraud. Okay.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Wilson is tied up in budget negotiations, so we're going to get him back to work as quick as
• ><00:02:26.720><c> up</c><00:02:26.920><c> in</c><00:02:27.040><c> budget</c><00:02:27.440><c> negotiations
• </c><00:02:28.240><c> so</c> uh tied up in budget negotiations so uh tied up in budget negotiations so
• yes today to move this bill along in the process, but I do hope that if there's a consensus or negotiations

Committee: House Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're trying to get at something that federal conversations during negotiated rulemaking already got
• Conversations during negotiated rulemaking already got at that we want to keep the cost low.
• These employees would be prohibited from receiving raises, even if represented employees receive negotiated
• positions and claiming that certain people are not going to get salary increases, when in fact, you're negotiating
• presently. ...going to get salary increases when, in fact, you're negotiating presently increases, and

Committee: House Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• So please note, any aspect of this bill is negotiable, including ruling satellites and fixed wireless
• out of bounds. ...is negotiable, including ruling satellites and fixed wireless out of bounds.
• Oh, it's negotiable. They call that a fetcher bill.
• But again, it sounds like the representative is willing to work with us and negotiate on that.
• And so, again, It sounds like the representative is willing to work with us and negotiate on that.

Committees: House Economic Development , House Joint Committee on Rural Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• whatever comes through, whatever is given to agencies and the people they serve probably needs to be negotiated
• They serve probably needs to be negotiated at an agency level, just to make sure that all those things
• I think with just adding to Natalie's information, I think the most important part is when we negotiate
• The most important part is when we negotiate something with any particular vendor.
• So I think we'd kind of not really negotiate all of that just yet.

Committee: House Oklahoma Education Commission

Summary: The meeting focused primarily on planning for an upcoming AI symposium and related commission work. Members reviewed nomination and registration timelines, attendance categories, site logistics, and microcredential requirements for participants. They discussed the symposium’s structure, including slots for K-12, higher education, career tech, libraries, tribal groups, and innovation grant recipients, and noted that the event would likely be held in early June with a follow-up planning meeting on April 2. The group also discussed launching a newsletter via Substack and publishing a monthly podcast to share updates and build public awareness. A major portion of the discussion centered on School AI and a proposed $45 million AI initiative. Members described School AI pilot activity at OCCC and broader plans to work with K-12, career tech, higher education, and libraries, while emphasizing privacy, data governance, and the need for local training and agency-level negotiation. The $45 million proposal, referenced as House Bill 1782, would create a revolving fund, an advisory council, and broad allowable uses including tools, professional development, curriculum, research, student programs, infrastructure, and public outreach. Representative Williams said the bill was moving through the House appropriations process and that the goal was to keep the funding intact. The group also raised concerns about other AI-related proposals and initiatives, including three bills by Representative Cody Maynard and the Oklahoma AI Roundtable, which some members viewed skeptically because of its paid membership model. A podcast episode on ethics and legal issues in AI was previewed, including a controversial example about using AI to survey students for safety risks; members agreed the example was hypothetical but potentially sensitive. The meeting ended with broader discussion of workforce needs, especially nursing and corrections education, including efforts to expand LPN/RN pathways, address certification costs, and connect training to rural health and reentry programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• amending it with the Senate languages, the language that the House and Senate had agreed to as we were negotiating
• amending it with the Senate languages, the language that the House and Senate had agreed to as we were negotiating
• and Senate had agreed to as<00:08:22.560><c> we</c><00:08:22.800><c> were</c><00:08:22.960><c> negotiating
• > and</c><00:08:24.319><c> then</c><00:08:24.479><c> it</c><00:08:24.639><c> got</c> as we were negotiating
• , and then it got as we were negotiating, and then it got stuck<00:08:25.120><c> in</c><00:08:25.360>

Summary: The House considered a motion by Representative Nash to recall Senate File 856 from the Committee on State Government, Finance, and Policy and re-refer it to Judiciary, Finance, and Civil Law. Nash argued the bill, which concerns creating or empowering an inspector general to address fraud, had already received two hearings and should move quickly because time was limited. Supporters of the motion said the bill needed further work on constitutional and data-practices issues in Judiciary, and that holding it in State Government would delay or effectively kill it. Opponents of the motion, led by Representative Cleorne, argued the bill should remain in State Government because that committee was the proper place to address constitutional concerns and other substantive changes. Cleorne said the committee had already considered a delete-everything amendment and nine amendments, with only two adopted, and maintained the bill as amended raised separation-of-powers concerns. Other members said the bill had bipartisan support in the Senate, passed 60-7, and that further negotiations should happen in a working group rather than through floor maneuvering. The debate focused heavily on whether the bill’s structure for selecting an inspector general was constitutional and whether the motion was an attempt to speed the bill along or to block it. Representative Norris said nonpartisan staff, the legislative auditor, and Senate and House authors had all indicated the bill needed fixes to be constitutional. After a roll call vote, the motion failed 67-66, so Senate File 856 remained in the Committee on State Government, Finance, and Policy.

Transcript Highlights:

• That was the second negotiated deal. The first negotiated deal was both to be shut down by 2025.
• that agreement was made, shortly thereafter, there's some pressure in the legislature to open the negotiations
• There was some pressure in the legislature to open the negotiations again and force one of them to be
• And while they did negotiate that agreement, I thought a deal should be a deal, and the original one

Bills: HB1160 , HB1289 , HB1339 , HB1798 , HB1065 , HB1795 , HB2107 , HB2113 , HB2124 , HB2125 , HB2133 , HB2134 , HB2140 , HB2185 , HB2191 , HB2205 , HB2211 , HB2219 , HB2245 , HB2253 , HB2283 , HB2343 , HB2406 , HB2501 , HB2531 , HB2574 , HB1170 , HB1544 , HB1834 , HB2156 , HB2188 , HB2206 , HB2360 , HB2471 , HB2478 , HB2525 , HB2605 , HJM4012 , HB1104 , HB1152 , HB1254 , HB1443 , HB1710 , HB1750 , HB1903 , HB1941 , HB1974 , HB1982 , HB1983 , HB2006 , HB2034 , HB2105 , HB2179 , HB2203 , HB2215 , HB2223 , HB2239 , HB2247 , HB2297 , HB2303 , HB2322 , HB2329 , HB2334 , HB2338 , HB2345 , HB2348 , HB2350 , HB2353 , HB2355 , HB2363 , HB2367 , HB2379 , HB2388 , HB2399 , HB2418 , HB2420 , HB2428 , HB2441 , HB2462 , HB2464 , HB2467 , HB2495 , HB2505 , HB2534 , HB2539 , HB2544 , HB2551 , HB2554 , HB2557 , HB2575 , HB2577 , HB2588 , HB2594 , HB2604 , HB2636 , HB2714

Keywords: design review, local government, land use, zoning, project permits, housing density, middle housing, affordable housing, parking minimums, single-family zoning, infill development, growth management, comprehensive plan, permit streamlining, objective development regulations, architectural review, administrative review, transit-oriented development, accessory dwelling units, ADU

Summary: The House took up several bills on second and third reading, beginning with House Bill 2360 on expanding access to albuterol in public and private schools. A motion to recommit the bill to the House Health Care and Wellness Committee failed on a roll call vote, 38 yeas to 56 nays. Supporters said the bill would help school nurses respond to students in respiratory distress and reflected input from nurses, OSPI, and the Department of Health. Opponents raised concerns about training, drug interactions, follow-up care, costs to districts, and schools making medical decisions without a diagnosis. The bill then passed 60-34. House Bill 2467, clarifying measurement rules for fifth-wheel travel trailers, passed 94-0 after sponsors said it would help Washington dealers and consumers. House Bill 1983, relating to timberland tax treatment when land is sold to DNR, passed 68-26 amid debate over whether it would help forest management or make it easier for DNR to acquire timberland. House Bill 2531, updating ambulance transport fund quality assurance rules to align with federal regulations and preserve matching funds, passed unanimously 94-0. The House also passed Substitute House Bill 1390, which phases out the Community Protection Program for certain developmentally disabled individuals with high-risk histories and transfers participants to other waiver programs. Supporters said the program was overly restrictive, out of compliance with federal law, and had trapped people in long-term confinement-like conditions; opponents argued it would weaken public safety and move dangerous individuals into community settings without adequate safeguards. The bill passed 52-44. House Bill 2367, eliminating a preferential treatment related to the former TransAlta coal plant in Centralia, passed 63-33 after supporters framed it as closing the book on coal and opponents warned about energy reliability, jobs, and an emergency clause. Substitute House Bill 2133, making a property tax exemption for certain senior centers permanent, passed 96-0. Substitute House Bill 2355, establishing labor protections for domestic workers, passed 57-39 after supporters emphasized dignity and long-standing worker abuse concerns, while opponents cited fiscal impacts. The House then passed Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2534, with a technical amendment, to improve educational stability for children in military families; it passed 96-0. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1974, creating a land banking framework to support affordable housing, passed 59-37 after an amendment reduced fiscal impact by striking some tax preference sections. House Bill 2223, allowing certain irrigation district board service by farmers with spouses employed by the district, passed 93-3. Substitute House Bill 2239, allowing family burial grounds on private property, passed 96-0 after supporters cited rural needs, cultural traditions, and personal family stories. The session also included a brief congratulatory recognition for Representative David Stuebe after his first bill passed the House.

Transcript Highlights:

• Obviously, we're always looking at ways we can cut costs on IT by negotiating with things.
• got in as the director, I saw the original invoice and thought This seems really high and like negotiated
• are statewide contracts and things like that, but when you have an instance where you can sit and negotiate
• You can't always negotiate. We're always looking at our current land sale auction process.
• But negotiated rulemaking is going on right now in DC.

Committee: House A&B Education Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• When paid leave was first negotiated back in 2017, Senator Conway, myself, and many others tightly negotiated
• For certain uniform personnel, PECPA requires interest arbitration when contract negotiations reach impasse
• For certain uniform personnel, PECPA requires interest arbitration when contract negotiations reach impasse
• corrections officer with the Yakima County Department of Corrections, and I spent the last 11 years negotiating

Bills: SB6014 , SB5972 , SB5869 , SB5874

Committee: Senate Labor & Commerce

Keywords: pregnancy accommodations, pregnant workers, workplace accommodations, reasonable accommodation, undue hardship, lactation, breastfeeding, express milk, maternity leave, childbirth, pregnancy discrimination, employment law, labor and industries, L&I, confidential records, public records exemption, health care certification, workplace standards, employee rights, employer obligations

Transcript Highlights:

• When paid leave was first negotiated back in 2017, Senator Conway, myself, and many others tightly negotiated
• For certain uniform personnel, PECPA requires interest arbitration when contract negotiations reach impasse
• For certain uniform personnel, PECPA requires interest arbitration when contract negotiations reach impasse
• corrections officer with the Yakima County Department of Corrections, and I spent the last 11 years negotiating

Summary: The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee opened its 2026 session with member introductions and a work session on the Employment Security Department’s structure and programs. ESD officials described their roles and reviewed paid family and medical leave, WA Cares, unemployment insurance, workforce services, and agricultural worker outreach. Senators raised concerns about call volume, program solvency, fraud detection, employer access to information, and whether workers can receive leave benefits while working other jobs. ESD said WA Cares is in a limited pilot, PFML has seen rapid growth, UI trust fund solvency is projected to be near the statutory trigger level, and they would follow up with more detailed information on eligibility, fraud referrals, and employer scenarios. The committee then heard Senate Bill 5292, which would replace the current PFML rate-setting formula with a forward-looking actuarial model and require a four-month reserve beginning in 2030. Supporters, including the sponsor, JLARC staff, labor advocates, and employer groups, said the change would improve stability and follow JLARC recommendations; opponents warned it could lead to higher payroll taxes and argued the program is already too costly. The chair said she intended to keep the bill narrow as it moved forward. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6014, a technical bill on pregnancy-related accommodations that would preserve the ability of pregnant workers to request certain accommodations without a doctor’s note and create a public records exemption for sensitive complaint and investigation records; the sponsor and supporters said it corrects a drafting error and protects privacy. Next, the committee heard Senate Bill 5972, which would remove the population threshold limiting interest arbitration for correctional officers in jails, and Senate Bill 5869, which would make permanent and expand from residential to all building construction sites a requirement that L&I notify employers or owners within 10 working days when a hazard is identified. Correctional officers’ representatives and labor groups supported SB 5972 as a fairness and safety measure, while the sponsor said it would create consistency across jurisdictions. Construction industry groups supported SB 5869, and L&I said it had no concerns but wanted the bill kept narrow; the chair noted the bill’s purpose was to speed hazard communication. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 5874, which would allow ESD to waive penalties for minor errors in quarterly unemployment reports, especially missing SOC/job-title information. The sponsor said small businesses were being hit with unnecessary fines, and ESD said it had identified a sharp rise in penalties and was working with the sponsor on possible fixes. The committee adjourned after the hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• insurance companies are selected, whether the state is in a contract with them, and how rates are negotiated
• carrier is Regence, and that the state switched plans two years ago through a multi-year invitation to negotiate
• state contracts with the carrier, whether it could cap increases, or whether it could walk away and negotiate
• The state negotiated a three-year rate guarantee, so the administrative fee cannot be raised during that
• Representative Bruce asked whether there is a management fee that was negotiated and whether the increase

Summary: The committee received a broad budget overview from Legislative Services staff on the state’s fiscal position, focusing on the general fund, structural balance, cash reconciliation, and the governor’s budget recommendations for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Staff explained that projected revenues are below the current budgeted level, creating a need for either budget reductions or the use of cash balances and reserve funds to maintain balance. They reviewed major drivers of spending growth over recent years, including Medicaid expansion, public schools, the State Public Defender, IT services, and water resources, and noted that these statutory and ongoing obligations are crowding out other spending. Members also discussed the governor’s proposed use of interest earnings and reserve balances from several funds, the Budget Stabilization Fund cap, and the policy question of whether changes to fund interest allocations would require legislation or could be handled through appropriation language. The committee also reviewed current-year adjustments, including supplementals, rescissions, deficiency warrants, and the governor’s proposed holdbacks. Specific items discussed included public school enrollment adjustments, the proposed rescission of Empowering Parents funding, Medicaid growth and provider rate changes, Department of Corrections costs tied to inmate placement and medical services, invasive species treatment funding, and a possible tax conformity impact tied to federal law changes. Members asked about fire suppression deficiency funding, the use of reserve balances, and the difference between current-law and governor-recommended spending levels. Staff emphasized that the governor’s budget relies on short-term money and reserve transfers to smooth the current deficit, while the legislature must decide whether to follow that approach or make deeper structural changes. Later, staff provided an overview of the budget hearing process and the Legislative Budget Book, explaining the standard reports, agency organization charts, fund analyses, performance measures, and five-year snapshots that committees will use during hearings. Another presentation clarified the difference between deficiency warrants and supplemental appropriations, noting that deficiency warrants cover certain last-year expenses authorized by statute, while supplementals adjust the current-year appropriation and can apply to general, dedicated, or federal funds. The committee then heard a detailed presentation on state health insurance costs, including rising medical claims, reserve balances, the 80/20 employee-employer cost split, and projected FY 2027 premium increases. Members asked about school district participation in the state plan, the role of the insurance carrier contract, and whether broader participation could lower costs. No votes were taken during the meeting, and the committee adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• As we came forward with the budget this last year, it wasn't walking into the end of negotiations with
• As we came forward with the budget this last year, it wasn't walking into the end of negotiations with
• As we came forward with the budget this last year, it wasn't walking into the end of negotiations with
• As we came forward with the budget this last year, it wasn't walking into the end of negotiations with
• As we came forward with the budget this last year, it wasn't walking into the end of negotiations with

Summary: Republican legislative leaders in Minnesota held a budget-focused press availability after the November forecast, thanking Minnesota Management and Budget staff while arguing the updated numbers show a much worse deficit outlook than expected. They said the state faces a structural spending problem, cited projected gaps in the 2028-29 biennium and over the four-year outlook, and blamed recent deficits on higher spending, tax increases, mandates, and what they described as fraud in state programs. They also criticized Governor Walz for focusing on federal issues and for not doing enough to control spending or address fraud. Speaker Lisa Demuth, House Republican Leader Harry Niska, and Senate Finance lead Eric Pratt all said the forecast underscores the need for spending restraint, pro-growth policies, and stronger fraud prevention. They pointed to health care, long-term care, Medicaid-related programs, and local government mandates as major cost drivers, and said the legislature should examine those areas in the upcoming session. Demuth said the state should not ignore fraud and noted that the legislature had added staff to the Office of the Legislative Auditor and whistleblower protections, but had not passed an independent inspector general office. A substantial portion of the exchange centered on fraud investigations and comments by President Trump about Somali Minnesotans. The Republican leaders said they disagreed with condemning any community as a whole, but also said they shared frustration over fraud and corruption and wanted accountability for those responsible. They said the state’s fraud problem is not about any one community, but about failures in administration and oversight. The lawmakers said they would return to session on February 17 and continue working on budget and fraud-related issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also had two projects that we won last fall, and they were in negotiation.
• Because they were in negotiation, we did not receive termination letters for these.
• They can simply just not finish the negotiation.
• and a leading Democrat member of the Judiciary, Senator Joseph Cervantes (member_10754), to the negotiating
• I read once that Steve Reynolds, a long-time state engineer in New Mexico, When he negotiated the interstate

Committee: House Water & Natural Resources Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• The federal government concluded that our waiver submission was complete, and then we can begin negotiations
• the federal authority, we did demonstrate to them that our intent was to move forward and work on negotiating
• approval for what they're asking for in a similar case like this, that we have precedents to lean on to negotiate
• health aide that already gets services, that's the contracted rate that indicates what would be negotiated
• Managed plans have the ability to negotiate their own rate with the home health agency—does that answer

Summary: The Health Facilities Subcommittee met to receive implementation updates from the Agency for Health Care Administration on three bills passed in prior sessions. First, Deputy Secretary Brian Meyer reported on the transfer of the Children’s Medical Services managed care plan from the Department of Health to AHCA under HB 1085. He said the move was administrative only, with no change to enrollment, providers, services, or clinical eligibility functions, and that it was intended to create efficiencies by aligning procurement and shifting staff resources between agencies. Members then questioned AHCA about reports of reductions in private duty nursing and therapy services for medically fragile children, including concerns about appeals, provider credentialing, and whether families were losing services or being transitioned appropriately. AHCA said it was reviewing denials, monitoring the plan, and using contractual remedies while focusing on maintaining access for members. The committee also reviewed implementation of a bill creating permanent Medicaid eligibility for individuals with permanent disabilities. AHCA staff explained that the agency had submitted a federal 1115 waiver request after public comment and stakeholder meetings, but CMS had indicated it did not anticipate approving the requested authority. Members pressed AHCA on why the waiver was submitted later than the bill’s directive date and on whether the delay was avoidable. AHCA said the waiver was complex and required review, drafting, and public input, and noted that DCF already has a specialized unit to help with redeterminations while the agencies work on operational changes. The committee discussed the practical impact on families who struggle with annual eligibility renewals and the need for clearer communication and faster follow-up from the agency. Finally, AHCA presented on the home health aide program for medically fragile children and related Medicaid eligibility changes. The agency described the 2023 law that created a family caregiver provider type and the 2025 changes that increased the hourly rate, expanded hours, reduced training requirements, and removed caregiver earnings from Medicaid eligibility calculations, subject to federal approval. AHCA said it had completed state public comment, submitted the waiver amendment to CMS, and was awaiting federal action. Members raised concerns that some families may have enrolled or begun work before the eligibility fix was in place and may have lost benefits, especially in Broward County. AHCA said it would work with affected families and plans, review outreach through DCF and the health plans, and continue rulemaking, system updates, and provider training. The meeting ended with the chair noting that the committee had received the updates and adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• There have been a lot of talks, a lot of negotiations on this.
• All right, well, I hope it is the administration's priority to continue negotiating about the Bay Area
• It's a very present, I think, violation of trust coming after the June negotiation, that it's not here
• Completed our negotiations with the state, and this MOU is very similar to what has already been passed
• We don't have a return-to-work policy or a work-from-home policy that we could have negotiated, so we

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, the House came, we negotiated this.
• You know, the House came, we negotiated this.
• came</c><00:15:13.199><c> we</c> know the this the house came we know the this the house came we negotiated
• :14.560><c> was</c><00:15:14.639><c> a</c><00:15:14.800><c> good</c><00:15:14.959><c> faith</c> negotiated
• It was a good faith negotiated this.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services