Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, the net impact of all revenue adjustments as well as all um adjustments to the model because
• as well as all um uh adjustments as well as all um adjustments<00:03:42.640><c> to</c><00:03:42.879>
• And of course some of that will have to be adjusted now because of the adjustments to the ...
• </c> adjusted now because of the adjustments adjusted now because of the adjustments to<01:39:28.400>
• </c> to carry salary and expenses to date. to carry salary and expenses to date.

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:23:56.960><c> of</c> the 2026 minimum inseason salary of the 2026 minimum inseason salary of
• But the salary is an in-season salary; it's a championship season salary. >> Thanks. >> Representative
• But the salary is an in-season salary; it's a championship season salary. >> Thanks. >> Representative
• But the salary is an in-season salary; it's a championship season salary. >> Thanks. >> Representative
• </c><00:41:09.280><c> and</c> like upstate New York on a salary and like upstate New York on a salary

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Summary: The committee opened its labor hearing on SB 655 and outlined the day’s schedule, including a later working session on SB 416 and an executive session planned for 2:30 p.m. Senator Dan Innis introduced SB 655, describing it as a technical bill affecting employee leasing companies/professional employer organizations (PEOs), workers’ compensation coverage, and a Senate-added minimum wage exemption for minor league baseball players covered by a collective bargaining agreement. He said the PEO change would let either the PEO or the client business hold workers’ comp coverage, while still requiring coverage, and argued it would align New Hampshire with most other states and reduce barriers for small businesses and multi-state employers. He also said the baseball provision would clarify wage treatment for minor league players and support the Manchester team. Justin Warell of Insperity testified in support of the PEO portion, explaining that PEOs provide HR, payroll, benefits administration, and workers’ compensation administration through a co-employment model. He said the bill would preserve mandatory coverage while allowing flexibility for the client or PEO to maintain the policy, which could help clients who already have preferred coverage or who face cost or administrative issues in multiple states. He noted that most clients would still remain under the PEO’s policy and said Insperity would submit written comments. Committee members asked about how the arrangement would work, whether the client or PEO would pay, and whether the bill would affect liability insurance packaging; Warell said the employer still bears the cost and that the bill mainly gives larger clients an option. One member asked him to remain available for possible follow-up after hearing from the labor department. Stephen Gonzalez of Major League Baseball testified in support of the minor league baseball exemption. He said MLB and the MLB Players Association negotiated a collective bargaining agreement that already provides players with salary, housing, meals, per diems, health and retirement benefits, disability continuation, tuition assistance, and signing bonuses. He argued that treating players as hourly workers creates impractical time-tracking problems because players do work-related activities on their own time, and said the bill would recognize them as salaried workers and avoid litigation over what counts as hours worked. Committee members questioned why the exemption was needed if players are already salaried and whether MLB could simply amend its CBA; Gonzalez said the bill would help prevent wage-and-hour lawsuits and noted that similar exemptions have been enacted in other states. No vote was taken during the hearing, and the chair indicated the bill would be considered for executive action later that afternoon.

Transcript Highlights:

• For over 40 years, the Senegalese have offered a taste of home for immigrants adjusting to their new
• FOR OVER 40 YEARS, THE SENEGALESE HAVE OFFERED A TASTE OF HOME FOR IMMIGRANTS ADJUSTING TO THEIR NEW
• Sometimes you don't find the right person or at an affordable salary.
• There is no threshold where you go after a professional person that is making a six-figure salary.
• >> There is no salary threshold in the legislation. It would apply across the board.

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the prior journal, and adopted a resolution calendar with several exceptions before taking up a series of ceremonial resolutions and bills. Members welcomed student visitors from the YWCA of White Plains’ Voices Unfiltered Policy Program, then adopted resolutions honoring Senegalese independence and the Senegalese community, MWBE Advocacy Day, John Coltrane’s 100th birthday, the Sing Sing Prison Museum, I Love My Park Day, Animal Advocacy Day, Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder Awareness Month, and Denim Day. Speakers emphasized cultural recognition, public service, environmental stewardship, animal welfare, rare disease awareness, and support for survivors of sexual violence; each resolution was adopted. The chamber then moved through the regular calendar, passing a number of bills on broad roll-call votes. Among the measures approved were bills amending the Penal Law, Executive Law, Public Housing Law, Retirement and Social Security Law, Social Services Law, Environmental Conservation Law, General Municipal Law, Railroad Law, Election Law, Labor Law, and Public Service Law. Several bills passed unanimously or nearly so, while a few drew notable opposition, including a public health measure that passed 39-19 and the labor-related bill on ghost job postings that passed 39-19 after extended debate. The most detailed floor debate centered on the Labor Law bill addressing “ghost jobs,” requiring employers with 100 or more employees to disclose whether postings are for current vacancies, expected future openings, or general resume collection, with Department of Labor enforcement and civil penalties. Supporters argued it would protect job seekers from deceptive postings; opponents said it was unnecessary, burdensome, and could invite litigation or penalties disproportionate to the problem. The Senate also debated and passed a bill expanding election-language assistance under the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act to Haitian Creole and Middle Eastern and North African communities, with supporters citing growing language-access needs and opponents raising concerns about scope and local costs. The Senate then adjourned until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• You cannot deduct this against your normal salary, your normal income.
• You cannot deduct this against your normal salary, your normal income.
• numeracy that we're going to put resources into this next year, yet again increasing our teachers' salaries
• one looks at that bar chart, and then one looks at the comparative real numbers, that's inflation-adjusted
• This is making a slight adjustment to the timelines for evaluating and determining eligibility for students

Bills: HB1675 , HB3242 , HB1739 , HB3320 , HB3047 , HB4434 , HJR1089 , HB4432 , HB3718 , HB3705

Committee: Senate Rules

Summary: The Rules Committee met to consider a long slate of executive nominations and several bills. All of the nominations received broad support and were advanced to the floor, including Lori Burns to the Redlands Community College Board of Regents, Lisa Daly to the Oklahoma State Credit Union, Juana Ellison to the Forensic Review Board, Haley Frick to the Regional University System of Oklahoma, Michael Hillary to the Wildlife Conservation Commission, Dustin Hillary to the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents, John Holt to the Used Motor Vehicle Dismantler and Manufactured Housing Commission, Brian Sweeney to the Capital Medical Center Improvement and Zoning Commission, and Cale Walker to the USAO Board of Regents. Most nominations passed unanimously; Brian Sweeney’s nomination passed 15-2. The committee then heard and passed several policy bills. HB 1675 created a severe-weather preparedness framework for youth camps and passed 16-1. HB 3242, the Women’s Safety and Protection Act covering shelters, schools, and higher education, passed 15-2 after questions about enforcement and legal remedies. HB 1739 increased state police pension benefits and employer contributions to help retain officers, passing 16-1. HB 3320 overhauled the sunset review process for boards and commissions and passed 15-2. HB 3047 designated LOFT as the central recipient for legislative reports and passed unanimously, and HB 4434 required the governor or acting governor to notify the next successor before leaving the state, also passing unanimously. The committee also advanced HB 4432, which would restore the ability to deduct gambling losses against gambling winnings for state income tax purposes; supporters said it would help ordinary taxpayers, while opponents raised fiscal concerns, and it passed 16-1. HB 3705 raised the parental choice tax credit cap from $250 million to $275 million and passed 13-3 after extended debate over school choice, public funding, and reporting. HB 3718 set timelines for school districts to process evaluations tied to the Lindsay Nicole Henry Scholarship program and passed 12-2, with critics arguing it could create a separate track and strain school psychology resources. HJR 1089, which would have sent voters a constitutional convention referendum, was laid over and not voted on. The meeting ended with adjournment after the final vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:48:08.720><c> because</c> received the additional salary because received the additional salary
• because of their leadership salary because of their leadership position. position. position.
• flexibility to adjust living allowances or<00:57:06.000><c> calculations</c><00:57:07.119><c> when</
• </c> Education to make upward adjustments Education to make upward adjustments later<00:57:52.160><c>
• Thank you. adjusted gross incomes under $100,000. adjusted gross incomes under $100,000.

Summary: The committee took up House File 4252 and first heard a walkthrough of a DE2 amendment that largely incorporated Office of Higher Education technical and statutory cleanup items, including reporting consolidations, updates to postsecondary registration and licensing statutes, and an anti-fraud provision. New provisions in the DE2 would require public postsecondary institutions to explain developmental courses before enrollment and obtain a written acknowledgement, revise the state grant tuition cap, add a $1.5 million ongoing appropriation in FY 2027 for an identity verification system to combat enrollment fraud, and provide $5,000 one-time funding for reforestation at Bemidji State University. Fiscal staff also noted additional special revenue fund revenue and expenditures tied to licensing and registration litigation response. The main debate centered on the A8 amendment offered by Representative Rarick, which would require the governor to appoint University of Minnesota regents only from candidates recommended by the joint legislative committee if the legislature fails to elect regents. Rarick argued the amendment was needed to address what he described as conflicts of interest and pay-to-play concerns in recent gubernatorial appointments. Several members questioned whether the language was constitutional, whether it actually addressed conflicts of interest, and whether it should instead refer to ARCAC-screened or ARCAC-recommended candidates. Nonpartisan staff said the governor’s appointment power is addressed in the university charter, not directly in the constitution, but could not definitively assess constitutionality if challenged. Members were divided: some supported the goal of cleaner governance but said the amendment was not ready or did not match the problem being described; others argued the legislature had failed to complete its own regent appointments and that the amendment was a response to that failure. No vote on the A8 amendment or the bill was reached in the portion provided, though a roll call was requested on the amendment and the chair indicated the bill would continue through amendment consideration before final discussion and vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• The request is to remove $26,500 from conference and travel to salaries and extra help.
• Twelve agencies are requesting $442,000 in pay plan appropriation to pay salaries and match.
• All but one cite salary adjustments that came from implementation of the pay plan within the Class and

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Summary: The committee heard a series of appropriation requests and contract reviews across multiple sections. In Section B, members approved temporary appropriations for the Court of Appeals, Commerce/Aeronautics, and Insurance-related payments and refunds. Section C ARPA requests from DHS were approved to return unused federal funds. Section D infrastructure-related appropriations, including wildfire preparedness, broadband BEAD funding, forestry support, recycling, and oil and gas sample preservation, were approved after questions about broadband audit controls and performance safeguards. Section E DHS reallocations were approved, including large transfers within Medical Services from hospital medical to private and public nursing home lines, along with smaller transfers for children and family services, developmental disabilities, and youth services; members asked about the source and purpose of the medical services transfer. Sections F and G were reviewed, covering cash fund requests, federal grants, and miscellaneous grants, including community college storm repairs, corrections commissary and maintenance, 911 enhancements, maternal health, disability determinations, state police equipment, digital newspaper archiving, and CDL data improvements. In Section H, the committee reviewed pay plan appropriations and performance fund transfers tied to the new Class and Comp pay plan. Section I reviewed three methods of finance for UA Little Rock, UAMS, and the University of Arkansas system. In Section J, the committee reviewed discretionary grants, including a $1.4 million HIV services grant and nine tobacco prevention subgrants through UAPB. Members questioned the effectiveness, metrics, and addresses of some tobacco-cessation arts-based grantees, especially Arts Absolutely Inc.; after discussion, Representative Kavanaugh moved to expunge the vote on J2 and refer it back for review at a later ALC meeting, and that motion passed. J3, a Department of Energy and Environment grant for propane safety training and e-waste recycling services, was then reviewed. The committee also reviewed contracts in Section K. K-1 ratified emergency management nuclear planning work performed during a transition between agencies. K-2 construction contracts included architectural and engineering services for corrections, National Park College signage, a Razorback Road parking facility, and UAMS cyclotron installation. K-3 intergovernmental contracts covered health, education, autism waiver, stroke, newborn screening, Medicaid evidence review, and radiation testing services. K-4 out-of-state contracts included staffing, IT, tobacco prevention, audit, marketing, planetarium, recruitment, and janitorial services; Senator Irvin noted one contract appeared to belong in the out-of-state list rather than intergovernmental. K-5 in-state contracts covered staffing, cleaning, re-entry and treatment services, foster care and disability services, hearing officers, asbestos abatement, campus IT support, and janitorial work. The meeting ended after a brief personal update from Senator Irvin about tornado damage in Stone County and thanks to members for their concern, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• categories within the Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund, transferring $2.2 million from the salaries
• Today I'm proud to announce, thanks to efforts on your part with salary increases to nurses and bonuses
• Today we're managing over 140,000 cases, and without this adjustment, we risk a deficit that would limit
• And so what we're doing is moving authority from the salaries and benefits category to the contracted

Transcript Highlights:

• categories within the Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund, transferring $2.2 million from the salaries
• Today, I'm proud to announce, thanks to efforts on your part with salary increases to nurses and bonuses
• Today we're managing over 140,000 cases, and without this adjustment, we risk a deficit that would limit
• And so what we're doing is moving authority from salaries and benefits category to the contracted services

Summary: The Legislative Budget Commission met to consider 21 budget amendments, beginning with the Department of Education’s request for $14.751 million in federal grant authority for the Preschool Development Grant. Members asked whether any funds would support VPK or provider payments; the department said the money is for birth-to-kindergarten early learning work, including IT modernization, workforce credentialing, training, and streamlining director certification. The amendment was adopted without objection. The commission then approved amendments for the Department of Veterans Affairs to shift $2.2 million within its trust fund to cover higher nursing home occupancy and reduce staffing agency use, and for the Department of Health to realign about $9.1 million for disability determinations amid a backlog of roughly 140,000 cases. The Agency for Health Care Administration presented multiple Medicaid-related amendments, including $766 million for indirect medical education, $1.9 million for managed care network adequacy audits, $209 million for the Rural Health Transformation Program, and several large supplemental payment programs for KidCare, hospitals, physicians, cancer hospitals, nursing IME, and public hospital payments. Members questioned network adequacy, rural access, and the KidCare surplus and expansion; the KidCare realignment drew debate, with some members objecting because the 2023 eligibility expansion has not been implemented, but the amendment passed on a roll call vote. Other amendments adopted included FDLE’s $16.3 million for counter-UAS detection and mitigation equipment, DJJ’s $1.6 million for Florida Scholars Academy and a Social Services Block Grant realignment, and emergency management pass-throughs for FIFA World Cup security and counter-drone funding to the Miami host committee. The Department of Commerce received $148.4 million for disaster recovery under the CDBG-DR program, with questions about the split between housing, infrastructure, and administrative costs. The Department of State also received $408,377 for arts and culture grant authority. Most amendments were adopted without objection, and the commission adjourned after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• 811 will ensure thousands of employment opportunities for individuals and union shops with good salaries
• 811 will ensure thousands of employment opportunities for individuals and union shops with good salaries
• significant. ...thousands of employment opportunities for individuals and union shops, with good salaries
• They also adjust the minimum collection site requirements for medium-format batteries.

Committee: Senate Environmental Quality

Summary: The Senate Committee on Environmental Quality heard four bills. SB 299 by Senator Cabaldon would extend a CEQA exemption for child care facilities to those located in residential zones, with committee amendments adding guardrails excluding sites on protected lands and within 3,200 feet of oil wells or refineries. Support came from child care, local government, planning, county, and rural county groups; one environmental opposition witness raised concerns about broader CEQA issues. Members generally praised the bill as a needed correction to last year’s CEQA changes and noted its importance for child care access and community-serving facilities. SB 58 by Senator Padilla would update the state’s approach to hydrogen sulfide by strengthening monitoring and response standards based on current science and public health impacts, especially in the Tijuana River Valley and Salton Sea areas. Testimony in support emphasized serious undercounting of exposures and health harms in low-income, Latino, Indigenous, and immigrant communities; air district representatives said they would review amendments, while business and industry witnesses expressed concern about late amendments and possible implications for geothermal operations. The committee discussed the bill as a statewide framework rather than a district-specific response, and the author accepted committee amendments. SB 811 by Senator Caballero would create a statutory framework for regulating metal shredding facilities, clarifying DTSC enforcement authority and incorporating prior negotiated environmental justice and fire-safety amendments. Supporters from the recycling industry and labor said the bill would reduce legal uncertainty, protect jobs, and preserve an important circular-economy sector; opponents from community, environmental, school, and local government groups argued it weakened hazardous waste protections and did not adequately address pollution and fire risks, especially in West Oakland. SB 501 by Senator Allen would expand California’s battery extended producer responsibility program to include medium-format batteries such as e-bike and outdoor equipment batteries; local governments and recycling groups supported it as a common-sense response to fire and disposal problems, while one battery recycler sought further discussion on implementation. All four bills were voted out of committee and sent to Appropriations, with SB 58, SB 299, and SB 811 passing unanimously and SB 501 passing on a 5-2 vote after additional members joined the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• California should be focused on making existing programs work better, not adjusting government structure
• Among other adjustments, this bill allows the DIR to take payment by electronic funds transfer, makes
• This bill gives them more subsidies, a salary increase for bureaucrats, and less accountability.
• This bill has an automatic salary increase... ...and less accountability.
• This bill has an automatic salary increase for the Vice Chair of the Energy Commission.

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you know when the last time was that that was adjusted? No, I do not.
• Do you know if there's ever been an adjustment? I do not think there has. Okay.
• </c><00:47:08.160><c> it's</c> population, and it's adjust it's population, and it's adjust it's reviewed
• </c> So, it's determined upon county population, and it's adjusted every 2 years, and the match can be
• </c> meet a minimum salary that they're providing?

Summary: The committee first approved the April 27 minutes and then received several informational reports, including University of Kentucky medical equipment purchases, UK’s use of $200 million in Ever funds for a public-private partnership, school district debt issuances, UK’s planned use of construction manager-at-risk delivery on five projects, Kentucky Communications Network Authority capital projects under House Bill 6, and 14 UK lease improvements. Members were told the House Bill 6 item was also being discussed in the Information Technology Oversight Committee and could return later if needed. The main action item was University of Kentucky’s request to approve a $600 million public-private partnership for central plants and utility infrastructure tied to the Chandler expansion. UK said it would shift $200 million from previously authorized restricted funds into the P3, leaving the project financed through private equity and nonprofit debt with no UK or Commonwealth debt. UK representatives said the project is necessary to support 24/7 hospital operations, expand and modernize utility systems, improve redundancy and efficiency, and reduce long-term operating risk. Members asked about the source of the availability payments, which UK said would come from UK Healthcare revenues, and the committee approved the P3 agreement unanimously. The committee also approved a UK lease renewal for a 20,000-square-foot College of Medicine annex near the Bowling Green Medical Center. UK said the lease costs $38 per square foot, or $912,000 annually, and supports medical education expansion in the region, including growth from 120 to 160 students over four years. Members voiced support for the local impact, and the lease passed unanimously. Later, the committee approved a Transportation Cabinet aviation project for two medium box hangars at Capital City Airport, funded by $1,153,000 in federal money and $950,000 from the Aviation Economic Development Fund, which is supported by a 6% jet fuel tax with a $1 million annual cap per company. Members asked about the fund balance, the cap, and airport revenue sources, and staff said the airport also receives entitlement and federal infrastructure funds and earns revenue from hangar rent and fuel sales. The committee then approved two Finance and Administration Cabinet pool projects: a roof and skylight replacement at the Libraries and Archives building and exterior repairs at several state buildings. Finally, the committee approved six Kentucky Infrastructure Authority action items after hearing about one loan increase for the Springfield Wastewater Treatment Plant and five grant reallocations tied to Cleaner Water Program and county allocation pool funds. Members asked why one project approved in 2024 was only now increasing, and KIA explained that design, water division review, environmental review, and bidding can take one to two years. KIA also reported additional no-action items, including a Brandenburg water grant split among two projects and 17 Kentucky Waters projects provided for information. The meeting ended with approval of the action items and no further action on the informational grants.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we did take the adjustment.
• We've adjusted the withholding tables.
• </c> large uh tax cut law all we've adjusted large uh tax cut law all we've adjusted the<00:48:33.960
• adjusting adjusting for<00:51:54.920><c> so</c><00:51:55.920><c> the</c><00:51:56.319><c> big</c><00
• It's all seasonally adjusted data.

Transcript Highlights:

• The published ed reports show that they've received roughly $7 million right now to cover salaries along
• This is effectively the federal government directly funding the salaries of people that are already being
• with a particular organization, the Okla Pregnancy Caretwork, that seemed to not have, they didn't adjust

Bills: SB1177 , SB1177

Committee: House Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget

Keywords: education funding, mental health services, public safety, housing, state budget

Transcript Highlights:

• And the whole... ...that $4,000 is going to roll back into employer salary and employee salaries or something
• So HSAs are available to ERS, but it's capped by salary.
• It's capped by salary. I'm not sure. So the salary that the ERS employee has.
• And the reason I said Myra Crownover was It's capped by salary.
• It's capped by salary. I'm not sure. So the salary that the ERS employee has.

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Annual budgets, as well as all their adjustments and quarterly reports.
• In fact, we're going to be hiring a student this year, half-time, paying half of the salary for a student
• I made adjustments seeing that printing, scanning, and signing a TIER certification is really hard for
• And you all are generously providing half of his salary for those two years.
• As you can imagine, the salaries go up every year. The cost of education goes up.

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• I did codify the legislative intent on page 14 as well that has been in the bill related to salary adjustments
• , prohibition on using the direct distribution for salary adjustments, personnel and increased personal
• , prohibition on using the direct distribution for salary adjustments, personnel and increased personal
• , prohibition on using the direct distribution for salary adjustments, personnel and increased personal
• , prohibition on using the direct distribution for salary adjustments, personnel and increased personal

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• CHW salaries are about less than $40,000 a year for half of them.
• Salaries are also almost entirely grant dependent.
• CHW salaries are about less than $40,000 a year for half of them.
• Salaries are also almost entirely grant dependent.
• That is approaching the full salary of a minimum wage worker.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Health

Summary: The committee hearing covered a wide range of public health bills, with much of the testimony focused on two major themes: expanding access to care and stabilizing health-related workforces and services. On House 2364, an act relative to medical health and fitness facilities, representatives from Dedham Health and Athletic Club argued for a pilot program recognizing supervised exercise as medicine, saying it could improve outcomes for chronic disease, fall prevention, and mental health while reducing costs. On House/Senate bills concerning community health workers (H. 359/S. 251), multiple witnesses from MACHW, Health Care for All, MHA, Cambridge Health Alliance, Mass General Brigham, Boston Children’s Hospital, Asian Women for Health, and the City of Somerville described CHWs as essential for navigation, trust-building, language access, and addressing social needs, and urged reimbursement by MassHealth, the GIC, and private insurers, along with workforce development measures. One pediatric neurologist also told the committee that losing grant-funded CHW support led to more avoidable ER visits and threatened clinic operations. The committee also heard extensive testimony on hospital closures and essential services. Witnesses including Dr. Alan Sager, MNA President Katie Murphy, nurses from Brockton Hospital and Providence Behavioral Health, and local officials and legislators from Norwood described the loss of hospitals and service lines, especially maternity, pediatric, and behavioral health care, and argued current closure processes are too weak to protect communities. They supported bills such as H. 2460/S. 1503 and H. 2534/S. 1574, which would require earlier notice, community input, stronger state oversight, possible receivership, and limits on reopening or expanding after closures. Testimony emphasized the impact of Steward’s bankruptcy, the closures of Carney and Neshoba Valley, and the need to preserve access to essential services in underserved areas. Several end-of-life and professional regulation bills were also discussed. On H. 2436, Representative Omar Gomez and funeral industry witnesses supported eliminating Office of the Chief Medical Examiner fees for the removal of a child’s body in cases involving children five and under, describing the bill as a small but important relief for grieving families. On H. 2444 and related Senate bills, cemetery and consumer advocates supported legalizing alkaline hydrolysis and natural organic reduction as environmentally friendly after-death options, while cemetery representatives opposed H. 2360, which would allow funeral establishments to operate crematories, arguing cemeteries should retain that role. The committee also heard support for H. 2382, which would exempt dentists and oral surgeons from a new office-based surgical center framework, and for H. 2461, which would create hospital efficiency standards; employers and retailers backed that bill as a way to address rising health care costs. Finally, the committee heard testimony on autism services and hospital governance. On S. 1414, behavior analysts and school representatives said Massachusetts already licenses assistant-level ABA providers but MassHealth does not reimburse them, causing long waitlists and limiting school and family access; an actuary testified that a three-tier ABA reimbursement model could reduce MassHealth costs by up to 6% per child served. Senator Lovely also testified in support of S. 1572, which would require at least one registered nurse on each acute care hospital governing board, arguing nurses’ frontline perspective would improve quality and retention. No votes were taken in the hearing excerpt, but many witnesses urged favorable reports on their respective bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program adjustments at...
• The Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program adjustments at $381,000, or excuse me, $200,000 net
• It doesn't provide them any of their enrollment adjustment. And in fact, you'll see...
• Enrollment adjustment, and in fact you'll see that some of this was restored one time with some funds
• Second, the bill adjusts procedures around non-judicial punishment so that minor disciplinary matters

Transcript Highlights:

• There's also issues about prosecutorial salaries. Yeah. So I think the drone piece is good.
• On the prosecutorial salaries, we had a little discussion with Senator May on that.
• That was a concern that we're raising prosecutorial salaries, but already raising the salaries of public
• And why are we neglecting the salaries of public defenders who arguably are really overworked?
• and good-faith loan modifications, such as lowering the interest rate, extending a loan term, or adjusting

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the House Journal for the prior day by a 126-0 vote, and then heard several points of personal privilege, including recognition of National Fentanyl Awareness Day and a moment of silence for journalist Ray Hartman. Members also introduced numerous student groups, interns, and special guests visiting the chamber. The chamber then took up conference committee business on House Bills 2637 and 3155, a large public safety/criminal justice package. Members discussed the bill’s juvenile justice provisions, including narrowing prosecutorial certification of juveniles to certain serious offenses, changes to age language, juvenile detention facility funding, outpatient mental health treatment, cyberstalking provisions, drone restrictions, prosecutorial salaries, and sex offender registry language. The House approved the motion to exceed the conference differences, adopted the conference committee report by 124-13, passed the bill 119-18, and adopted the emergency clause for the drone-related sections by 125-15. The House also passed Senate Bill 834, a consumer protection measure dealing with mortgage modifications and sale-leaseback transactions, by 139-1 after discussion of its protections for homeowners. Senate Bill 937, a land transfer bill authorizing the governor to dispose of certain state properties, was amended and passed 137-2-1. Senate Bill 938, which raises recording fees from $4 to $6 to support the state land survey program and recorder of deeds offices, passed 121-21-2 after supporters said the increase was overdue and necessary to sustain the program. Finally, House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 973, concerning wholesaler disclosures and land banks, was amended to remove a school property provision and add land bank authority, then passed 110-36. The House adjourned after announcements and was set to return the next day with several bills on the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's also issues about prosecutorial salaries. Yeah. So I think the drone piece is good.
• On the prosecutorial salaries, we had a little discussion with Senator May on that.
• That was a concern that we're raising prosecutorial salaries, but already raising the salaries of public
• And why are we neglecting the salaries of public defenders who arguably are really overworked?
• and good-faith loan modifications, such as lowering the interest rate, extending a loan term, or adjusting

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the previous day’s journal by a 126-0 roll call, and then heard several points of personal privilege, including recognition of National Fentanyl Awareness Day and a moment of silence for journalist Ray Hartman. Members also introduced numerous student groups, interns, and other guests in the gallery. The chamber then took up conference committee action on House Bills 2637 and 3155, a large public safety/criminal justice package. Debate focused on juvenile justice changes, including narrowing prosecutorial authority to seek juvenile certification, provisions for juvenile detention facilities, assisted outpatient mental health treatment, cyberstalking, drone restrictions, and related sentencing and sex-offender registry provisions. The House adopted the conference committee report 124-13, passed the bill 119-18, and then adopted an emergency clause for the drone-related sections by 125-15. Members also passed Senate Bill 834, a consumer protection and mortgage-related bill covering mortgage modifications and sale-leaseback disclosures, by 139-1, and Senate Bill 937, a land transfer measure authorizing the governor to dispose of certain state properties, by 137-2-1. Senate Bill 938, which raises recording fees to support the Missouri land survey program and recorder of deeds offices, passed 121-21-2. Senate Bill 973, dealing with wholesaler disclosures and adding land bank provisions while removing a school property right-of-first-refusal section, passed 110-36. The House then moved to announcements, noted upcoming committee meetings and Kentucky Derby Hat Day, and adjourned until April 30, 2026.