Transcript Highlights:

• We hold the training for that.
• So when we talk about training and TA, we talk about different levels of training and TA.
• The TA and training is very different. Our TA and training is very much... ...those things change.
• When was the training disseminated?
• Incorporate LAP training into basic recruit and continuing training standards, which I believe FDLE has

Summary: The committee held a panel discussion on Florida’s domestic violence system, focusing on the roles of the state, the federally designated coalition, direct-service providers, and law enforcement. Members reviewed the history of the system after the dissolution of the former coalition in 2020, the creation of the Florida Partnership to End Domestic Violence, DCF’s Office of Domestic Violence, and the current contract structure involving Women in Distress and its subcontractors for hotline and legal services. Panelists also discussed the 2024 lethality assessment law, the workgroup’s conclusion that the evidence-based Maryland tool could not be used because of copyright and cost issues, and the state’s current use of statutory questions instead. DCF and FDLE described the statewide certification and funding framework, including more than $60 million in domestic violence funding for fiscal year 2025-26 and the requirement that law enforcement complete lethality-assessment training by October 1, 2026. Testimony highlighted both collaboration and conflict. Florida Partnership to End Domestic Violence and Women in Distress described overlapping training and technical-assistance roles, but disagreed sharply about the quality of their relationship with DCF and whether the current structure is duplicative. DCF said it maintains communication with both the coalition and the centers and emphasized that the coalition is federally required, while the coalition argued that the department has obstructed its work. Women in Distress and Hope Villages stressed direct services, prevention, and the need for more housing, staffing, and funding, especially in rural areas. They also described programs in schools, hospitals, and child welfare settings, and noted that children exposed to domestic violence often need specialized services. Members asked about funding flows, certification, rural coverage, the number of centers, and the lethality assessment rollout. DCF said the 41 certified centers serve all 67 counties and that no new applications have been received in about 15 years. FDLE reported that 46 of roughly 400 law enforcement agencies had completed the lethality-assessment training and attestation, with the statutory deadline still ahead. Panelists said domestic violence appears to be increasing, citing higher hotline demand, shelter occupancy, and local case numbers, while also noting that statewide crime data remains outdated. The discussion ended with calls for better coordination, clearer implementation of statutes, more funding, and possible legislative fixes to improve data collection, training, and service delivery.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:19:03.960> Personnel researches such as training Personnel researches such as training
• We have in-person training as well as online training.
• We have in-person training as well as online training.
• We have in-person training as well as online training.
• We have in-person training as well as online training.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• and Training.
• Is there a separate training for those folks? Yes, ma'am.
• Do you guys have any interaction as far as training and training standards, or can you do anything with
• than a standard law enforcement training?
• We have a standalone training for student resource officers.

Summary: The committee first reviewed the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality’s asbestos abatement program. DEQ explained that it licenses asbestos-related workers and businesses under federal and state law, including contractors, workers, inspectors, planners, designers, consultants, air monitors, and training providers. Members asked about the continued presence of asbestos in modern products, the status of the program’s grant fund, and why program expenses were expected to rise; DEQ said grants have not been issued in more than six years because revenues have not left a surplus, and the higher expenses reflect a reallocation of inspector salaries to the fund that supports the program. DEQ also described complaint-driven inspections, enforcement tools such as civil penalties and notices of violation, and the health risks of exposure, including asbestosis and mesothelioma. The report was accepted without objection. The committee then heard from the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training. The commission outlined its standards, compliance, decertification, basic academy, advanced training, and jail standards functions, and said it operates three basic academies in Camden, Benton-Bryant, and Springdale. Members asked about recruitment and retention, academy capacity, training hours, and costs to local agencies; the commission said attendance costs counties nothing because the state funds the academies, and that basic training is being expanded to 705 hours with a greater emphasis on practical instruction. The commission also described separate training for detention officers and school resource officers, and said law enforcement divisions in other agencies, such as the Department of Agriculture, are held to the same standards. It noted that most academy attendance requires agency hiring first, though a veterans-to-law-enforcement program allows some veterans to attend on their own and later seek employment. This report also was accepted without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• So they'll go to the regional training center for training.
• 45.919> training.
• <00:25:47.120> Uh<00:25:47.679> is training center for training.
• Uh is training center for training.
• They will go onsite to provide training. They will go onsite to provide training.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call: 00:22 Office of Education Accountability Report: Early Childhood Regional Training Centers (RTCs): 01:22 Approval of July 14, 2025 Minutes 31:21 Office of Education Accountability: 2025 Study Agenda 32:35 Adjournment: 39:12, 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard an Office of Education Accountability report on Kentucky’s early childhood regional training centers (RTCs). OEA said the centers provide valuable training, consultation, technical assistance, and materials for preschool personnel, especially for children with disabilities and at-risk students, and that the services align with state and federal requirements. However, the report found uneven student and teacher populations across regions, wide variation in per-student funding, some staffing data inaccuracies, and several fiscal oversight concerns, including inconsistent indirect cost rates, a building rental charge that may have been duplicative, and host districts recording RTC expenditures in a way that could blur them with district finances. OEA also said some documentation of progress toward goals was incomplete and that the technology lending library appeared underused. The report recommended stronger KDE oversight, uniform coding and accounting practices, review of budgets and expenditures, and an evaluation of whether the current five-center model remains the most efficient structure; OEA also suggested the General Assembly may wish to revisit KRS 157.318. Members asked about KDE’s response, whether the centers are required by federal law, how the centers operate, and whether changing the model would affect federal funding. OEA said KDE had only discussed the findings informally and had not issued a formal response, the centers are required by state law but not federal law, and changing the model would not jeopardize IDEA preschool funds. The committee accepted the report by motion. The subcommittee then approved the minutes from its July 14, 2025 meeting after initially delaying action because quorum was not yet present. After that, members turned to the Office of Education Accountability’s proposed 2026 study agenda. OEA said the three proposed topics are the annual district data profiles, facilities funding, and implementation of early literacy statutes. The district profiles would add an appendix showing the number and percentage of students moving to private school or homeschool by district and another appendix noting data-quality issues that affect comparability. OEA explained that district staffing data can undercount contract staff because those employees are not always entered into the system, and members expressed interest in tracking whether prior recommendations were implemented. One senator also raised a separate interest in reviewing whether KDE created and implemented regulations related to KFIX. The discussion remained informational, with no final vote on the study agenda shown in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• So when we had the training where they were learning the hands-on training, well, if you speak Creole
• And at the end, they all finished their training.
• The training itself is funded through a grant from the Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund Program.
• office once their training is complete.
• ; it's on-the-job training.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development heard testimony on several workforce-related bills, with most of the hearing focused on ESOL and apprenticeship legislation, followed by testimony on a four-day workweek pilot and paid prenatal leave. On ESOL, witnesses including the Boston Foundation, Skillworks, MassINC, MIRA, JVS Boston, Eastern Bank, immigrant advocates, employers, and legislators supported H.2080/S.1326, arguing that Massachusetts has a large backlog of limited-English-proficiency residents waiting for classes, that ESOL is essential to economic mobility and immigrant integration, and that the state needs a coordinated, statewide strategy with more vocational and workplace-focused English instruction. Testifiers cited long waitlists, fragmented delivery across agencies, labor shortages, and examples of workplace English programs helping immigrants gain jobs, advance careers, and support businesses. Committee members asked questions about how vocational ESOL differs from standard classes, and witnesses explained that it focuses on job-specific language and workplace scenarios. The committee also heard strong support for H.2085/S.1303, which would require more use of registered apprentices on public construction projects over $1 million. Labor leaders from the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and Massachusetts Building Trades, along with electricians and apprentices, said the bill would help apprentices complete training by ensuring enough job-site hours, expand access to good union careers, and strengthen the construction workforce for housing, infrastructure, and clean energy work. Several witnesses defended existing apprenticeship ratios and electrical licensing standards, warning against deregulation and emphasizing safety. Committee members asked about project thresholds and apprenticeship ratios, and witnesses said the bill’s phased apprentice-hour requirement was intended to cover most public projects under current cost conditions. The committee then heard testimony on S.1330, a four-day workweek pilot program. Senator Dillon Fernandez and Representative Shirley Arriaga described the proposal as a response to burnout, affordability pressures, and changing workplace norms, arguing that a pilot would let Massachusetts study whether shorter workweeks improve productivity, retention, and worker well-being. Witnesses said the model could help families balance caregiving and commuting while maintaining or improving output. Finally, the committee took testimony on S.1361, establishing paid prenatal leave. Parents, health advocates, March of Dimes, and others said paid leave would help pregnant workers attend critical prenatal appointments, reduce missed care, and improve maternal and infant health outcomes. Several speakers shared personal stories about high-risk pregnancies, pregnancy loss, and the financial strain of taking unpaid time off. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and asked a limited number of questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• They are trained practitioners.
• I've been trained to do in PA school. I've been trained to do in PA school.
• then I have to actually do the training. then I have to actually do the training.
• Then I have to get the training.
• things about PA education and training. things about PA education and training.

Bills: HB31, HB31

Keywords: absentee voting, disabled, blind, voter assistance, voting rights, SNAP, public assistance, nutritional standards, waiver, food regulation, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In addition to AI training courses created by our own CSU faculty, we also host training programs provided
• So most of our training that we're providing currently includes ethical and responsible use training
• Just to echo a number of the comments around uniform training, system-wide training, I think those are
• Just to echo a number of the comments around uniform training, system-wide training, I think those are
• In the training aspect?

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Higher Education and the Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee held an oversight hearing on the California State University’s AI-empowered initiative, including the systemwide rollout of ChatGPT EDU and broader AI integration across CSU campuses. Opening remarks emphasized both the promise of AI for student success, workforce preparation, and access, and the need to address risks such as bias, privacy, misinformation, environmental impacts, and mental health harms. CSU representatives said the initiative grew out of Academic Senate recommendations and a systemwide generative AI committee, and that the goal was to provide equitable access, training, governance, and workforce alignment across the 23-campus system. CSU officials described systemwide contracts for AI tools, the AI Commons training hub, and faculty grant programs supporting AI-related curriculum innovation. They said more than 93,000 ChatGPT EDU accounts had been activated, over 4,300 faculty had taken voluntary training, and $3 million had been awarded to 63 faculty-led projects from more than 400 submissions. San Jose State University highlighted its own AI-focused programs, courses, orientation training, faculty fellows, student ambassadors, and interdisciplinary efforts to build AI literacy and responsible use into instruction and co-curricular programs. CSU also said it was tracking metrics on adoption, academic outcomes, workforce outcomes, and environmental impacts. Faculty, staff, and student representatives welcomed the educational potential of AI but raised concerns about the rollout, saying it had moved quickly and without enough consultation or consistent systemwide policy. They urged stronger protections for academic freedom, intellectual property, privacy, equity, and worker input, and warned about bias, surveillance, job displacement, and the environmental cost of AI. Legislators pressed CSU and OpenAI representatives on training requirements, data privacy, bias reporting, discipline for misuse, liability, sycophancy, and safeguards against harmful uses such as non-consensual imagery or self-harm-related interactions. CSU said interactions in the licensed tool are private, data are not used to train models, and campuses retain their own conduct processes; members also asked CSU to follow up on systemwide training, policy consistency, and additional safeguards.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's also CPI training, there's mat training, okay? Mr.
• , or where will the training be?
• Is there going to be somebody who will be approving the training, or where will the training be provided
• I've been trained in CPI. I've been trained in de-escalation.
• I'm all for the training.

Bills: HB111, HB103, HB60, HB108, HB120, HB145, HB154, HB164, HB291, HJR6, HR1, HJM2, HJM3, HJM1, HM7, HM17, HM4, HM22, HM23, HM24, HM26, HM2, HM16, HM32, HM13, HM47, HM11, HM14, HM21, HM34, HM50, HB38, HB47, HB63, HB64, HB127, HB165, HB184, HB200, HM20, HM51

Keywords: water law, state engineer, civil penalty, compliance order, water rights, overdiversion, illegal diversion, groundwater storage and recovery, well license, permit violation, water enforcement, New Mexico water code, irrigation district, conservancy district, water diversion, unauthorized water sales, measuring device, district court appeal, water resources, water compliance

Transcript Highlights:

• And phase two educators, 35% are either being trained or in the progress of being trained, and that phase
• training is over 4,800. training is over 4,800.
• /c><00:09:34.640> the have trained 624 to be train the have trained 624 to be train the trainers
• provide this training as well. provide this training as well.
• this area or to have taken the training. this area or to have taken the training.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Not trained. They were not. They were trained not to put people in that type of restraint.
• So they were specifically—they went against what we trained them to do in the CPI training.
• But talking about the training, it cost $2,000 to train one CNA at an HDC.
• They're not being trained.
• Where's the training?

Summary: The Joint State Agencies committee met to approve the October 8, 2025 minutes and then held an extended hearing on the death of Zachary Moore at the Southeast Arkansas Human Development Center. DHS officials Lori McDonald, Jennifer Brise, and Melissa Weatherton described the HDC system, staffing and resident needs, and said Moore died after being held in a prone restraint for about 13 minutes, followed by a delayed chemical restraint and delayed CPR. They said the family settled a wrongful death claim for $725,000, 13 staff were terminated, the facility leadership was changed, and at least five staff had been criminally charged, with the death certificate later described as homicide and the cause of death as physiologic stress associated with struggle and prone restraint. Members pressed DHS on why the family was not kept informed, whether there was a written restraint protocol, how staff are trained, and why the agency did not have more complete information ready for the hearing. DHS said staff receive CPI restraint training, annual restraint training is mandatory, and a consultant is reviewing policies, retraining staff, and conducting a root cause analysis under a directed plan of correction from the Office of Long-Term Care. Legislators also raised broader concerns about low pay, staffing shortages, use of float and contract staff, and a waiting list of about 2,000 people for home- and community-based care. DHS said it is working on a retention and recruitment plan and a rate report for certain PASS services, but that the PASS rate study does not cover CNA pay. Several members said the incident reflected both a failure of restraint practice and a broader staffing and oversight problem. DHS acknowledged that prone restraint should not have been used, that the chemical restraint was given at the wrong time, and that multiple breakdowns occurred in supervision, communication, and equipment use. The committee also discussed whether there should be more regular independent audits of HDC policies, and DHS said it does not currently have a separate annual policy audit beyond existing oversight. At the end of the meeting, the committee asked DHS to keep it updated on recruitment, consultant reports, and to contact Moore’s mother about the communication she had been promised. The meeting adjourned without any additional formal action beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• in and say I'm going to be training in and say I'm going to be training service<00:26:35.399>
• the dog not only training lifetime of the dog not only training but<00:29:51.480> if<00:29:51.600
• We only currently train and place assistance dogs that have gone through extensive task training.
• We only currently train and place assistance dogs that have gone through extensive task training.
• We only currently train and place assistance dogs that have gone through extensive task training.

Bills: HF958, HF688, HF702

Keywords: mental health, behavioral health, psychiatric care, collaborative care model, healthcare funding, service dog, service animal, service dog in training, assistance dog, guide dog, disability rights, housing accommodations, fair housing, landlord, rental housing, homeowners association, HOA, Minnesota human services, accessible housing, reasonable accommodation

Transcript Highlights:

• In the current sheriff training or police training that is required by other RSAs, do you receive training
• Do you get that kind of training in your normal training?
• Training is great, right? So our people training, that’s fine.
• <00:46:06.160> so<00:46:06.440> so training training is great right so so training
• Training is good.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 153, which would require two or more law enforcement officers in each county to receive animal cruelty training through the police standards system. Representative Barbara Coma, the sponsor, said the bill was prompted by problems in animal cruelty cases, especially in rural areas without animal control officers, and she described it as a limited training measure. She said an amendment was forthcoming that would add an eight-hour approved course and a two-hour refresher every three years, and she emphasized that the trained officers would serve as resources rather than being required to take action themselves. Members asked about cost, due process, overlap with animal control officers, how trained officers would be identified and notified, and whether veterinarians could fill the role. Coma responded that the bill would not be a heavy financial lift, would not interfere with animal control officers, would apply to livestock as well as companion animals, and would still require law enforcement involvement because veterinarians cannot lawfully remove animals from property. She also said the training could improve due process by helping officers better understand when animal removal is appropriate and how cases should proceed. Sheriff William Wright, speaking for the New Hampshire Sheriffs Association, testified in opposition. He said training itself was acceptable, but the bill went beyond training by creating an obligation for sheriffs and state police to respond to and potentially investigate animal cruelty cases, which he argued would be ambiguous, unfunded, and burdensome for staffing and resources. He said some sheriff’s offices do not have investigative deputies and that the bill could create liability and uncertainty about who would lead investigations. In response to questions, he said the association would likely have no objection if the bill were limited to training, but it opposed the assistance/investigation mandate as written.

Transcript Highlights:

• Oftentimes, this training is performed on the job.
• card does not include meaningful de-escalation training.
• , de-escalation training, is critically important.
• And ensuring that our security officers have the best training possible.
• , de-escalation training is critically important.

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard several bills focused on labor standards, worker safety, and public transparency. SB 954 by Senator Blakespear would revise last year’s CEQA exemption for advanced manufacturing by adding worker protections such as prevailing wage, a skilled and trained workforce, high-road employment standards, and environmental guardrails. Supporters from labor, environmental justice, and conservation groups said the bill restores promised safeguards after SB 131, while business groups argued the added requirements would undermine the exemption and discourage investment. The committee voted 5-0 to do pass and re-refer SB 954 to Appropriations, leaving the roll open for absent members. The committee then considered SB 966 by Senator Gonzalez, which would codify refinery worker participation and safety protections adopted in 2017 after the 2012 Chevron Richmond fire. Supporters, including United Steelworkers and a former refinery worker, said the bill would preserve workers’ ability to report hazards, select representatives, and stop unsafe work, preventing future disasters. The Western States Petroleum Association opposed the bill, arguing it could be preempted by federal labor law and would add regulatory uncertainty. The committee passed SB 966 3-0 and re-referred it to Appropriations, with the roll left open. Next, SB 1203 by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas sought to modernize private security guard training, expand de-escalation instruction, strengthen accountability, and create a clearer professional pathway for the industry. The author and many security workers testified that guards are often first responders in volatile situations and need more practical training and better standards; opponents from industry and business groups warned the bill would raise costs, worsen staffing shortages, and create implementation problems, especially around third-party training and a new wage order. The committee voted 4-1 to do pass and re-refer SB 1203 to Public Safety, with one no vote and the roll left open. The committee also heard SB 1284 by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas, a transparency bill requiring DHCS to publish the names of large employers with workers enrolled in Medi-Cal and the estimated taxpayer cost. Supporters said the measure would show how low wages and unaffordable coverage shift health costs to the public, while opponents argued Medi-Cal enrollment depends on many factors and that naming employers would be misleading and amount to public shaming. After discussion, the committee voted 4-2 to do pass and re-refer SB 1284 to Appropriations, leaving the roll open. The transcript then began discussion of SB 1054 by Senator Cabaldon, which would improve workforce data collection and sharing to better evaluate job-training pathways, but the excerpt cuts off before testimony or action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• > law enforcement uh training program and law enforcement uh training program and then<00:13:14.440><
• reality of their training.
• be<00:14:39.279> offered training training that could be offered training training that could
• <00:16:07.160> could statute and additional training could statute and additional training
• these training requirements.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and Training.
• Is there a separate training for those folks? Yes, ma'am.
• Do you guys have any interaction as far as training and training standards, or can you do anything with
• than standard law enforcement training?
• We have a standalone training for student resource officers.

Summary: The committee first reviewed the Division of Environmental Quality’s asbestos abatement program. DEQ officials explained that the program licenses asbestos-related workers and businesses, including contractors, workers, inspectors, planners/designers, consultants, air monitors, and training providers, under federal and state requirements. Members asked about asbestos use today, grant funding for removal, inspections funded by fees and fines, complaint handling, enforcement authority, and health risks. DEQ said some asbestos-containing products are still manufactured, grants have not been issued in over six years due to funding constraints, inspectors investigate complaints and can issue civil penalties or other enforcement actions, and exposure can cause asbestosis and mesothelioma. The report was accepted without objection. The committee then heard from the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training. Officials described the agency’s standards and training divisions, three basic academies, advanced training, and jail standards training. Members asked about recruitment, academy capacity, training costs, and curriculum changes. The commission said recruitment and retention are improving, basic academy enrollment is around 700 per year with capacity for about 725 to 750, training costs counties nothing because the state funds it, and basic training is being expanded from 528 hours to 705 hours with more practical instruction based on input from chiefs and sheriffs. Questions also covered detention officer training, school resource officer training, and whether other agencies are subject to the same standards. Officials said detention officers receive separate training, school resource officers have standalone training approved by the commission, and other law enforcement divisions such as the Department of Agriculture are held to the same standards. They also noted a Veterans to Law Enforcement program that allows eligible veterans to attend the academy without first being hired by an agency, with GI Bill support. The report was accepted without objection, and the meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• , with the pharmacist's training, with the pharmacist's training, education,<00:20:28.000> and
• training, education, and experience. training, education, and experience.
• <00:32:45.919> to are trained to are trained to some<00:32:48.399> pharmacists<00:32
• pharmacists are trained to do some pharmacists are trained to do testing<00:32:50.799> to<00:
• Are trained.

Bills: HB0143, HB0129

Keywords: health care providers, free speech, discrimination, governmental agencies, civil remedies, physician access, internationally trained physicians, medical licensing, provisional license, healthcare workforce, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We also urge PED to expand training, ensuring trainings are culturally and linguistically relevant to
• Do I want to see everybody trained in de-escalation? Yes. Do I want to see folks trained in CPI?
• What kind of training are they going to be receiving, and who's going to be doing the training for them
• We're just saying training, training... but I don't see anywhere stating that the training...
• So, Meredith, if you would, so the training outlines PED is going to... Have the training.

Bills: SB106, SB171, SB179

Keywords: graduate scholarship, higher education funding, New Mexico, appropriation, financial aid, education, documentary, historical figure, Padre Antonio Jose Martinez, Northern New Mexico State School, SB179, Senate Bill 179, UNM, University of New Mexico, medical Spanish, Spanish-language curriculum, health sciences, health professions education, language access, bilingual healthcare

Transcript Highlights:

• This kind of training is necessary.
• They're in this training.
• Training ensures that officers adhere to the mandatory training in their two-year training cycle, along
• Experience in the training environment.
• So the training happens in a couple of ways.

Bills: SB 36, HB 1065, HB2929, HB2956, HB3009, HB3420, HB3626, HB3649, HB4956, HB4993, HB5293, HB5308, HB5528, HCR118, SB36, HB4023

Keywords: transportation, regional authorities, mobility, infrastructure, sales tax, employee classification, private security, misclassification, workforce regulations, Texas Workforce Commission, autism, peace officers, training program, law enforcement, intervention, communication, developmental disability, family violence, central database, criminal offense

Transcript Highlights:

• approval by DLI then we have to train approval by DLI then we have to train trainers<00:16:04.800
• > workers<00:16:06.440> that trainers to train this the workers that trainers to train
• folks that are seeking this uh training folks that are seeking this uh training uh<00:30:22.240>
• And then also, on the training, the amount of training required, it drops it down by 75%.
• <00:56:11.960> the time to set up the trainings the time to set up the trainings the trainings

Bills: HF47, HF434, HF1503, HF1702

Keywords: telecommunications, installation, certification, safety, underground utilities, HF434, cervidae, deer, elk, moose, chronic wasting disease, CWD, wildlife importation, animal health, biosecurity, zoo, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, AZA, USDA exhibitor, species survival plan

Transcript Highlights:

• trained because they've been doing it for years, but nevertheless go through official training so they
• The training program had to train... ...family caregivers as home health aides for medically fragile
• But it seems to me counterproductive to train and require home health agencies to issue training and
• There is also a component of the training that requires 16 hours of in-home training with these families
• concern about the training...

Summary: The subcommittee held its first meeting of the 2025-2026 term, took attendance, confirmed a quorum, and heard introductory remarks from members and staff. Chair Anderson outlined the subcommittee’s jurisdiction over access and affordability issues, including health facility regulation, insurance, Medicaid, CHIP, and state employee health coverage. The main agenda item was an update on implementation of HB 391, which created a family home health aide program for medically fragile children. Representative Tramont, the bill sponsor, explained that the law was intended to let trained family caregivers be paid through Medicaid to care for their children, reduce reliance on private duty nursing, and relieve families. He and several members expressed frustration that implementation had taken nearly two years and that families still faced barriers. Deputy Secretary Brian Meyer of AHCA and Bridget Royce of DCF said the program was implemented October 1, 2024, with billing available, but no home health agencies had yet launched the required 80-hour training program and no claims had been paid. They described the program’s requirements, including agency employment, background screening, training, a $25-per-hour Medicaid rate paid to the agency, and an annual assessment report. A major issue discussed was that income earned by family caregivers counts toward Medicaid eligibility and could cause families to lose coverage. AHCA and DCF outlined two possible fixes that would require CMS approval: disregarding the income for eligibility purposes or treating the child as a family of one. Members and public witnesses strongly urged changes to avoid forcing families to choose between income and coverage. Several providers said they had begun preparing training programs, but asked for clearer approval processes and more patient-specific training requirements. The committee then heard extensive public testimony from parents and caregivers of medically fragile children, who described the financial, emotional, and logistical strain of caring for children with severe disabilities and argued that the bill should be expanded to include Florida KidCare families and others in the coverage gap. They also raised concerns about the eight-hour-per-day limit, low pay, and the need for simpler rules and direct support. Home health providers and associations supported the concept but asked for modifications, including more targeted training and clearer implementation guidance. The meeting then shifted to a second agenda item on the Andrew John Anderson Rapid Whole Genome Sequencing Program, which was funded in the 2023 budget. Deputy Secretary Meyer said the program has been implemented since January 1, 2024, but utilization has been lower than expected, with only about 60 claims paid and many denials occurring through managed care. Public testimony from a lab, a hospital, and a pediatric rare disease expert said the program is clinically valuable and cost-saving, but managed care billing barriers, prior authorization issues, and DRG-related denials are limiting access; they urged direct billing to Medicaid and possible expansion to all newborns.