Transcript Highlights:

• Kanya Martin to the Board of Examiners of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.
• I have been a speech-language pathologist for 21 years.
• Boyd, M.D., Muskogee, to the Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology to serve
• And so very thankful that he's willing to serve on the Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology
• Chairman and members of the committee, for considering my nomination to the Speech-Language Pathology

Summary: The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met to consider a series of gubernatorial nominations, first for several boards and commissions and then for key health-related executive positions. Early confirmations included Michael Vaughn to the Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors, Tina Frazier to the State Board of Licensed Social Workers, Dr. Kanya Martin and Dr. Edgar Boyd to the Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Dr. Christopher Thurman to the Health Care Workforce Training Commission, Samuel Haubrick and Robert Wipp Jr. to the Committee of Home Inspector Examiners, and Dr. Gabriel Pittman to the State Board of Health. Each nominee briefly described their background and qualifications, and committee members generally emphasized professional experience, public service, and rural health needs. All of these nominations advanced on unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The committee then considered Clayton Bullard for two roles: Cabinet Secretary of Health and Mental Health and Administrator of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. Senators focused heavily on Medicaid managed care, provider payment delays, MCO oversight, and the short timeline before a new administration. Bullard said his priority would be stabilizing the agency, building a balanced budget, monitoring contractors and managed care organizations, and ensuring claims are paid promptly; he reported high rates of clean-claim payment within 14 days and said the agency would continue fining MCOs for noncompliance. Members also pressed him on legislative oversight and the need to keep lawmakers informed about policy changes. Both nominations were approved and sent to the full Senate. Sharon Schell Millington was then nominated to lead the Office of Juvenile Affairs. Senators asked about security concerns, staff safety, de-escalation training, pay for direct care staff, and coordination with local law enforcement. Millington said the agency had increased staff pay, adopted nationally recognized restraint/de-escalation training, and was working to improve communication with law enforcement. Her nomination also passed and moved to the Senate floor. At the end of the meeting, the chair answered a question about board membership requirements, clarified that the statute limits how many members may reside in one congressional district but does not require every district to be represented, and thanked committee staff for their work as the committee’s final HHS meeting of the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Dakota State Board of Examiners for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology."
• You'll see throughout, we added speech-language pathology assistants to the language.
• We do license speech-language pathology assistants.
• Dakota State Board of Examiners for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology."
• We do license speech-language pathology assistants.

Summary: The committee approved the March 12, 2026 minutes and granted the Board of Medicine an extension of time to implement rule changes tied to House Bill 1620/1622, which concern North Dakota’s entry into the physician assistant licensure compact. The Board said it is waiting on compact rules, especially fee structures, before finalizing its own rules. The committee then took up extensive Office of Management and Budget personnel rule revisions, covering salary administration, recruitment, leave policies, funeral leave, service awards, appeals, and shared leave. OMB said the changes modernize HR practices and implement recent legislation, including new hire leave and enhanced annual leave for hard-to-fill positions; the committee raised concerns about the subjectivity and fairness of the hard-to-fill leave provisions, but no action was taken against the rules. The North Dakota Lottery presented emergency and regular rule changes, including updates tied to the Millionaire for Life game and miscellaneous clarifications. The Board of Examiners for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology described rule updates that add speech-language pathology assistants to the rules, ease continuing education requirements for out-of-state applicants, expand temporary licensure, and clarify supervision standards. The State Electrical Board reviewed numerous code updates, including changes to electrical and fire alarm standards, receptacle labeling, countertop receptacles, and a major new conveyance/elevator inspection program added by the Legislature; the board said it is preparing to begin inspections by August 1. The Industrial Commission’s Geological Survey Division presented new rules implementing House Bill 1459 on critical minerals in coal-bearing formations, including permit, reporting, confidentiality, and royalty-related provisions. The committee asked about confidentiality of exploration data and drilling depth. The Public Employees Retirement System outlined rule changes implementing several bills affecting defined benefit, public safety, defined contribution, insurance, deferred compensation, and retiree health credit programs, and noted possible future proposals to add state EMS or create a LOSAP-style plan. The Department of Health and Human Services presented substance use disorder voucher rules implementing House Bill 1012, including allowing individuals to apply directly and setting reimbursement procedures; the rules were expected to have a $250,000 general fund impact already included in the budget. The longest discussion involved the Gaming Commission rules. Members questioned whether the commission had authority to raise poker tournament buy-ins from $300 to $1,500, viewing it as an expansion of gaming rather than a mere clarification. After debate, the committee voted to void that specific rule section for lack of statutory authority. The rest of the gaming rules covered higher raffle limits from House Bill 1192, the change from “bar” to “alcoholic beverage establishment,” veterans’ organization proceeds, credit ticket voucher kiosks, online raffles, and advertising restrictions; the presenter said several public comments led to revisions or withdrawals of proposed language. The meeting ended with discussion of upcoming Ethics Commission travel-reporting rules and scheduling the next committee meeting in September.

Transcript Highlights:

• Jennifer, chair of the board, Speech Pathology and Audiology. SOS James I.
• Counsel for the board of speech and audiology.
• Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, 201 KAR 17:120, emergency.
• <00:04:08.200> language regulation Board of speech language regulation Board of speech language
• <00:05:01.080> Pathology<00:05:01.440> and Speech Pathology and Speech Pathology and Audiology

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee met on February 10 with a quorum present, approved the minutes, and then reviewed a long agenda of agency regulations, most of which were accompanied by staff-suggested amendments for drafting conformity under KRS Chapter 13A. The Department of Financial Institutions’ 808 KAR 9:10, the Secretary of State’s 030 KAR 2:11, the Office of the Attorney General’s 04 KAR 5:10, the Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology’s emergency 201 KAR 17:120, the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ 301 KAR 2:41, the Department for Environmental Protection’s 401 KAR 47:110 and 48:320, the State Police regulations 502 KAR 1:012 and 1:121, the Department for Public Health’s 902 KAR 4:15, the Department for Medicaid Services’ 907 KAR 1:15, and the Department for Community Based Services’ 921 KAR 1:400 were all discussed and, where applicable, staff amendments were approved without objection. The Workplace Standards emergency regulation 803 KAR 2:320E was also presented without amendment, and the Department of Insurance’s 806 KAR 9:360 was taken up but ultimately deferred at the agency’s request. Several regulations drew brief substantive discussion. The Fish and Wildlife rule on foxhound training enclosures was explained as expanding both commercial and non-commercial provisions for training with dogs involving red fox and coyotes, with enclosure standards intended to protect wildlife inside and outside the facilities. The environmental protection rules were tied to House Bill 478 and addressed permit-by-rule timelines, reporting, and operating standards for certain construction and demolition debris landfills, including sites up to two acres; members asked whether these facilities were private or municipal, and staff said they were a mix, often tied to private demolition contractors or single projects. The State Police fee increase for hazardous materials endorsements was described as reflecting a federal TSA fee change, and the witness estimated the new fee at about $23. The most extended debate concerned the Board of Education’s 704 KAR 3:535 on full-time virtual and remote learning programs. The agency amendment would cap enrollment in such programs at 10% above a district’s prior-year in-person enrollment, while also clarifying accountability, staffing, and monitoring requirements. Education officials said the cap was intended to address concerns about district capacity and student performance, and they cited Cloverport as an example of a district with high virtual participation and participation-rate issues. Members expressed concern that the amendment was too open-ended for regulation and suggested the issue might be better addressed in statute; no motion was made to adopt the agency amendment, so the regulation was left to proceed to the committee of jurisdiction. The Department of Insurance also discussed implementation of Senate Bill 188, saying it had received more than 3,000 complaints since the law took effect and was still working through enforcement and complaint processing before asking to defer its PBM licensing regulation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, these are a professional association of speech-language pathologists and audiologists who specialize
• pathologists, normally I would be doing this with Senator Buckner, who was a speech pathologist, but
• how to express himself and communicate, and it is because of the work of the speech pathologists in
• have continued on but because of speech have continued on but because of speech pathologist<00:50
• pathologists in his work of the speech pathologists in his life<00:50:41.520> and<00:50:41.760

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved the corrected February 25, 2026 journal, and received a series of committee reports. Those reports advanced several bills, including SB 110, SB 20, SB 115, SB 61, SB 35, SB 26, and SB 3, while SB 24 was postponed indefinitely. The chamber also confirmed or placed on the consent calendar several appointments, including reappointments to the boards of Fort Lewis College and the University of Northern Colorado, and later confirmed appointments to the Clean Fleet Enterprise. The Senate elected Senator Kathy Kip as President Pro Tem by a vote of 21-12. It then took up SJR 013, recognizing Youth Mental Health Action Day, which was adopted 33-0 after remarks emphasizing youth suicide, rural behavioral health needs, and the importance of expanding access to mental health care. The Senate also passed SB 37, allowing local elected judicial officers to set weekend bonds, and SB 84, concerning privileges for certain state entities in connection with the state auditor’s fraud hotline. In the Committee of the Whole, the Senate passed HB 1035 on second reading and HB 1064, concerning modifications to the youthful offender system, after adopting amendment L004. The House bill on youthful offenders was described as clarifying Department of Corrections contracting and helping youth with disabilities participate in YOS programming. The Senate also confirmed appointments to the Institute of Cannabis Research Governing Board. Several items were laid over, including SB 53, SB 43, and SB 21, and the chamber recessed until 11:30 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then why the ban on speech?
• Any other statutes that restrict speech by other lobbyists that would restrict any speech that you would
• Any other statutes that restrict speech by other lobbyists that would restrict any speech that you would
• Any other statutes that restrict speech by other lobbyists that would restrict any speech that you would
• Any other statutes that restrict speech by other lobbyists that would restrict any speech that you would

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 118 in executive session and adopted Amendment 0882H, which would remove the House and Senate members from the Child Care Commission while leaving the commission in place. Members said the amendment was a continuation of earlier committee discussion and supported it as a needed change. The committee then voted 12-0 to recommend ought to pass as amended, and HB 118 was placed on consent. The committee next considered House Bill 142, dealing with Gold Star Mother’s Day. The sponsor explained that the bill was unnecessary because existing statute already directs the governor to issue a proclamation for Gold Star Mother’s Day and to urge appropriate observance, including flag-related ceremonies. Several members discussed how to ensure the proclamation and flag observance would happen and whether the committee report should note the existing statute. Other members said they would oppose killing the bill because the recognition was important. The committee voted 9-3 to table/ITL the bill, and HB 142 was declared inexpedient to legislate. The final major item was a public hearing on a non-germane amendment to House Bill 456, with a related draft amendment also discussed. The sponsor said the amendment would raise the annual membership allowance from $20 to $75, rename fees as dues, prohibit dues from being used to pay lobbyists, require NHMA dues to be brought before voters as a separate warrant article for transparency, and require separate accounting so lobbying funds are not co-mingled with other funds. Supporters said the goal was to keep taxpayer-derived money from funding lobbying while preserving non-lobbying services such as legal advice and training. Opponents argued the proposal was an overreach and would micromanage local towns. No vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sears' name, dated January 20, 2026 at 2:38 p.m., renames the Charlie Kirk Highway as the Freedom of Speech
• Anchored in the principles of free speech and civic responsibility, on September 10, 2025, Charlie was
• speaking at an event in Utah when he was fatally shot, assassinated for exercising free speech.
• Loop 202 ensures that this contribution to civic engagement, free speech, and the public square will
• This could lead to felony charges for speech that never actually results in a criminal act.

Bills: SB1010, SB1035, SB1058, SB1077, SB1093

Keywords: Charlie Kirk, Loop 202, Arizona highways, transportation, renaming, Arizona Department of Corrections, ADC, corrections, prison, jail, correctional officers, prison guards, staffing, retention, salary increase, pay raise, wage increase, general fund, appropriation, state budget

Summary: The Public Safety Committee met to introduce staff and pages, then heard several bills. SB 1010 would designate Loop 202 as the Charlie Kirk Highway and require signage; an amendment to rename it the Freedom of Speech Highway failed, and the bill received a do-pass recommendation on a 4-3 vote after testimony both supporting the honor and objecting that it could affect existing freeway names, including the Ed Pastor Freeway. SB 1077 would impose felony penalties for using an interactive computer service to facilitate prostitution, pandering, or child sex trafficking, and to require age verification for harmful sexual material; it passed 5-2 after a brief clarification about the law-enforcement defense. SB 1093 would expand the definition of riot to include acts or threats causing property damage and add riot to racketeering and conspiracy provisions; one public commenter opposed it as overbroad and anti-protest, but the bill still passed 4-3. The committee also heard SB 1058, the Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act, which would bar government firearm registries and restrict merchant category codes tied to firearm purchases. A firearms industry representative said the bill protects financial privacy, and it passed 4-3. SB 1035 would appropriate funds for a 5% salary increase for correctional officers and department civilians; the sponsor and correctional employee representatives said raises are needed for retention, while others argued the increase should also cover private prison employees to preserve parity. The committee adopted a Payne amendment extending the raise to private prison workers under contract with the department, and the amended bill passed 4-3. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Recess. e e e e e e e [No audible speech captured.] [No audible speech captured.]
• [No audible speech captured.] [No audible speech captured.] [No audible speech captured.]
• [No audible speech captured.] [No audible speech captured.] [No audible speech captured.]
• [No audible speech captured.] [No audible speech captured.] Will the House come to order.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That was a really good speech." And I was like, "Thank you so much."
• And I was was a really good speech."
• I started late in your speech. Well, I just want to rise to say a few words.
• Her speech lifted people up and brought them together.
• Uh, my favorite Mary Murphy speech was one I think she did in favor of a bonding bill.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, the First Amendment is about free speech and so there's a... ...is about free speech, and so
• Is that a kind of speech or is it appropriate to disfavor it, given a harm?
• The state is not making any content choices or speech choices, and so it's designed to... ...speech choices
• Is the state putting its finger on some kind of free speech over another?
• And so there’s... ...free speech over another, and so there's an issue.

Bills: HB285, HB317

Keywords: HB285, TJ's Law, traffic infraction, traffic ticket, uniform traffic ticket and complaint, minor driver, juvenile driver, parent notification, guardian notification, emergency contact, law enforcement, citing agency, traffic citation, driver safety, youth safety, Alabama traffic law, Section 12-12-56, Children and Senior Advocacy, House Judiciary, reasonable effort

Transcript Highlights:

• We've seen in other cases that the government cannot restrict speech based on content, and the... restrict
• speech based on content, and the Supreme Court has consistently ruled that minors, just like adults,
• because it infringed on minors... down because it infringed on minors' rights to access protected speech
• Basically, she is right—children do have First Amendment rights to speech, but their rights are limited
• material, but your parent has the right to shut it down at any time, and we will limit what that speech

Bills: HB235, HB276, HB285

Keywords: social media, age verification, minors, under 16, children online safety, online privacy, platform regulation, deceptive trade practice, Attorney General, civil penalties, punitive damages, consumer protection, account creation, algorithmic feeds, internet safety, youth social media, minor safety, child online safety, teen accounts, parental controls

Transcript Highlights:

• Although the government is free to regulate its own speech under the government speech doctrine, as we
• A ban on referrals then could be an unconstitutional infringement on that speech.
• A ban on referrals then could be an unconstitutional infringement on that speech.
• So I think the circuit split is there is whether the referral is speech, which is the giving of that
• it's actually part of treatment, and so it's a regulation of conduct that incidentally touches on speech

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Rules Committee considered a series of bills, with the Rules attorney flagging constitutional or preemption concerns on several measures. HB 2060 would prohibit public educational institutions and universities from encouraging or facilitating abortions; the attorney noted Prop. 139’s new abortion-rights language could create a state constitutional issue, but the committee still recommended the bill 5-3. HB 2085 would ban gender transition procedures and also restrict referrals; the attorney said the procedure ban is supported by recent U.S. Supreme Court precedent, but the referral restriction raises possible First Amendment issues in light of a Ninth Circuit case, and the bill was recommended 5-3. HB 2133 would impose age and consent verification requirements on commercial entities publishing sexual material online; the attorney warned it may be preempted by federal Section 230 law, but the committee recommended it 5-3. HB 2086, which would bar governmental entities from requiring masks or vaccinations, was flagged for Supremacy Clause and intergovernmental immunity concerns because it included the federal government, but was recommended 5-3 after the sponsor indicated an amendment was coming. HB 2279, dealing with liability limits for Grand Canyon river outfitters, raised anti-abrogation concerns because it would eliminate ordinary negligence claims; the sponsor said he would offer a floor amendment, and the bill was recommended 5-3. HB 2364 would add criminal penalties for mailing or delivering abortion-inducing drugs; the attorney said it likely conflicts with the new abortion-rights protections in Prop. 139, though the legal landscape is unsettled, and the committee recommended it 5-3. The committee then took a mass motion covering many additional bills, resolutions, and memorials. The Rules attorney said the listed measures were generally constitutional and in proper form, with one update on HCR 2003, which would place a measure before voters affecting school sports participation and facilities use based on biological sex. The attorney said the issue is actively being litigated nationally and that a pending U.S. Supreme Court decision in similar Idaho and West Virginia cases could affect the measure’s legal status. The mass motion was approved unanimously, 8-0. Throughout the meeting, members from the majority voted aye and minority members generally voted nay on the individual abortion-, gender-, and speech-related bills, often citing constitutional objections tied to Prop. 139, the First Amendment, or federal preemption. The meeting adjourned after the unanimous approval of the mass motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:37:30.000> speech<00:37:30.320> pathology, therapeutic in nature. speech pathology
• submitted for two speech services to submitted for two speech services to Medicaid<01:30:03.600>
• Like if you don't have your own speech staff and you're going to contract out for speech and language
• Like if you don't have your own speech staff and you're going to contract out for speech and language
• <01:48:32.159> therapy who's only receiving speech therapy who's only receiving speech therapy

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The commission to study the cost of special education met, confirmed a quorum, introduced members and guests, and approved the minutes from the October 29 meeting. Members noted the commission’s mandate under Senate Bill 57 and emphasized the need to focus on recommendations and findings by July 1, 2026. The chair also distributed additional handouts, including materials related to the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program and administrative rules tied to differentiated aid and disability determinations. The main discussion centered on how students qualify for differentiated aid under the EFA program. Matt Sutherton of the Children’s Scholarship Fund explained that the organization, which contracts with the state to administer EFAs, accepts either school-district/IEP documentation or a medical certification of disability (MCD) from a licensed medical professional. Members questioned how this process relates to the state’s special education rules and whether the school-district examiner standards in ED 107/1107.04 apply to EFAs. Sutherton said the MCD form, created with the department, requires the medical professional to sign that they are qualified to make the determination and to identify the disability. Several members expressed concern that the EFA process is less rigorous than the school-district IEP process and may be inflating disability counts. One member argued that the administrative rules cited are primarily for school districts, not EFAs, and said the Department of Education may not know how many of the roughly 890 EFA students receiving differentiated aid came through school-district documentation versus the MCD pathway. Another member said the EFA system appears more generous than the school system and raised concerns about oversight, auditing, and whether the program’s data are accurate. Sutherton said the organization reviews signed documentation, credentials, and diagnosis information, and may request additional records to help adjudicate expenses. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the prior minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.]
• [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.]
• [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.]
• [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.]
• [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.] [No audible speech.]

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 216, which Representative Carol Maguire described as a fix to a workers’ compensation/retirement “glitch.” The bill would remove the current limit that only one year of workers’ compensation time can be credited as retirement service time. Maguire argued the limit is arbitrary and affects only a very small number of grievously injured workers, while committee members asked about the fiscal impact, available data, and whether the change could affect workers’ compensation rates or incentives. Mark Kavar of the New Hampshire Retirement System said Labor could not provide data on how many people exceed a year on weekly indemnity benefits, so the fiscal note used a conservative estimate that could be scaled down; he also explained that workers’ comp is not earnable compensation, which is why service credit stops after a year, and noted that many long-term cases move into disability retirement or lump-sum settlements. The committee closed the hearing, entered executive session, and voted ought to pass on HB 216 by a 13-0 roll call, sending it to consent and noting it would also go to Finance. The committee then acted on House Bill 85, adopting Amendment 0037 and then voting ought to pass as amended by another 13-0 roll call. The bill was described as allowing second-year respiratory therapy students to work under supervision using the skills they have already learned, with support from the Hospital Association and no opposition noted. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 267, the animal chiropractors bill. Members said the bill had been approved previously but was vetoed because of a defect; the problem has now been corrected, and the bill is intended to reduce delays caused by requiring veterinary referrals before chiropractors can treat animals. The committee voted ought to pass 13-0 and placed the bill on consent.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, and if I might lead off the announcements, senators no doubt know that today is the budget speech
• So, I'll ask that everyone come back to the chamber at 12:55, five minutes before the speech.
• We'll assemble here and then when they're ready, we'll head on over for that speech. Thank you, Mr.
• Senator Appropriations will meet at some point after the governor's speech, but I'm not sure exactly
• , but I'm not after the governor's speech, but I'm not sure<00:08:43.440> exactly<00:08:43.760

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• [No discernible speech; transcript contains only a repeated filler sound.]
• [No discernible speech; transcript contains only a repeated filler sound.]
• [No discernible speech; transcript contains only a repeated filler sound.]
• [No discernible speech; transcript contains only a repeated filler sound.]
• [No discernible speech; transcript contains only a repeated filler sound.]

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 332, a bill to add protection and remediation of surface waters as a new authorized purpose for New Hampshire village districts. Prime sponsor Rep. Rosemary Rung said the bill is intended to give local voters in lake communities a voluntary tool to address cyanobacteria blooms and other water-quality problems through village districts, including the ability to raise revenue, adopt ordinances, and pursue treatments or watershed management measures. She emphasized that the proposal is meant to complement, not replace, state law and that any district action would still need to comply with existing permitting and environmental requirements. Supporters, including Andrea Laro of New Hampshire Lakes and Elizabeth Harper of the Lake Sunapee Protective Association, said the bill would help municipalities collaborate on lake protection when state resources are limited. They argued that local districts could bring subject-matter expertise, access grants and technical assistance, and respond more quickly to problems such as septic impacts, runoff, culvert repairs, and in-lake treatments. They also suggested clarifying the bill’s wording around “protection and remediation” to better define the scope of authorized activities. Opponents, including Steve Wolf and Chris Norwood of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors, argued that village districts can already be overly broad and sometimes expand beyond their original purposes. Wolf said existing town and state agencies already handle shoreline protection and warned that village districts can impose ongoing taxes and create governance problems. Norwood urged a study bill instead, citing concerns about the scope of village districts and examples where some districts have taken on planning and zoning powers beyond their original mission. No vote or final action on HB 332 was taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I thought it was a very strong speech and very clearly laid out the challenges that we're facing
• So, I thought it was a very strong speech and very clearly laid out the challenges that we're facing
• So, I thought it was a very strong speech and very clearly laid out the challenges that we're facing
• So, I thought it was a very strong speech and very clearly laid out the challenges that we're facing
• So, I thought it was a very strong speech and very clearly laid out the challenges that we're facing

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• [No audible speech; transcript contains only an isolated sound.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains only an isolated sound.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains only an isolated sound.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains only an isolated sound.]
• [No audible speech; transcript contains only an isolated sound.]

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There are some services, for example, the physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy,
• There are some services, for example, the physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy,
• There are some services, for example, the physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy,
• There are some services, for example, the physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy,
• <00:36:37.440> therapy<00:36:37.760> and therapy um speech therapy and therapy um speech

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Health and Family Services met with a quorum still coming together and first handled roll call and minutes. The main presentation came from the Department for Medicaid Services, with Commissioner Lisa Lee and CFO Steve Beckle giving an overview of Kentucky Medicaid, its federal-state financing structure, and the department’s 1915(c) home- and community-based waiver programs. They explained FMAP funding levels for traditional Medicaid, administration, IT, expansion adults, and CHIP, and noted the size of the program, including more than 600,000 Kentucky children eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, about 485,000 expansion adults, over 69,000 enrolled providers, and $18.5 billion in 2024 expenditures. A major focus was the waiver system, including the acquired brain injury waivers, model waiver, independence waiver, Michelle P. waiver, and Supports for Community Living waiver. The department said these waivers are intended to keep people with physical or developmental disabilities in home and community settings rather than facilities, and that many services are not covered by Medicare or commercial insurance. Officials described participant-directed services, interagency administration, and eligibility rules, including that some waiver programs use the child’s income only rather than family income. They also reported an unduplicated waiver wait list of 13,930 people and said the General Assembly had added waiver slots in the last budget, including 650 ABI slots and 1,275 more to be allocated July 1, 2025. The department also discussed a waiver rate study conducted by Guidehouse, explaining that CMS requires a defensible rate methodology because there is no Medicare or commercial benchmark for many waiver services. They said the study used cost and wage surveys, provider and stakeholder input, and aimed to improve transparency, provider stability, and rate parity. Officials reviewed prior COVID-era Appendix K rate increases and budget-driven increases, and said the budget ultimately funded rates at about 70% of the benchmark study, while preserving higher existing rates where needed so no provider would be cut. They highlighted larger differences in behavioral support and case management rates, and said a public report is available. Members asked several questions about the potential impact of federal FMAP changes, especially possible reductions in the enhanced match for expansion adults and Medicaid IT/admin activities. DMS said any FMAP reduction would require more state general fund dollars, estimating about $75 million for each 1% drop in the expansion match, while impacts on administrative IT funding would depend on the systems being built or implemented in a given year. Members also pressed for clarification on waiver wait-list procedures, funded versus filled slots, and what happens when someone on the wait list is later found ineligible. DMS said people on the wait list may not yet have been assessed, can be reevaluated if conditions change, and are still eligible for regular Medicaid state-plan services if they qualify, even if they are waiting for waiver services.

Transcript Highlights:

• I came all the way here to Tallahassee to make sure that our speech was not inhibited.
• We've gone a long way in free speech. ...my concerns about food.
• We've gone a long way in free speech in this country, in the state, and I'm glad to see that you guys
• are in support of not hindering my speech when it comes to issues with food.
• As we sit here this year and celebrate this nation's 250th birthday, free speech and our Constitution

Bills: S0050, S0054, S0176, S0178, S0198, S0290, S0420, S0502, S0538, S0706, S0834, S0936, S0962, S1004, S1080, S7022

Keywords: veterans, treatment court, nonviolent felony, probation, mental health, cognitive function, psychotropic drugs, violent offenders, autopsy procedures, medical records, school safety, campus safety, higher education, university safety, college safety, student safety, threat assessment, violence prevention, credible threat, campus security

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several bills, beginning with CS for CS for SB 54, which requires district medical examiners to perform toxicology screenings for psychotropic drugs and intoxicating substances in autopsies of violent offenders and report findings to state agencies. It was reported favorably after brief discussion about how the data would be used. CS for SB 176 also passed, requiring public postsecondary institutions to make campus safety reporting and response procedures clearer and more accessible for students, faculty, and staff who receive threats. Both bills were approved without opposition in the meeting. The committee then took up the large Florida Farm Bill, CS for CS for CS for SB 290, which drew extensive testimony and multiple amendments. The bill includes changes to fair associations, a preemption on local restrictions affecting gas- and diesel-powered farm equipment, surplus of certain state-owned lands for agricultural use, a food animal veterinary loan repayment program, permanent authorization for Farmers Feeding Florida, expanded Florida Forest Service training, a ban on signal jamming devices, tougher CDL English-proficiency penalties, protections for food safety inspectors, biosolids provisions, and contractor payment enforcement. Amendments expanded veterinary loan eligibility to equine veterinarians, merged citrus research entities, made technical corrections, and revised contractor payment language; a late-filed amendment removed the bill’s disparagement clause after significant First Amendment concerns and public testimony. A separate amendment delayed biosolids compliance deadlines. The bill was reported favorably as amended. Also approved were CS for CS for SB 834, which repeals a restriction on health care sharing ministries partnering with licensed insurance agents, while adding a disclaimer requirement; SB 936, allowing temporary door locking devices at any height above the floor and directing the Building Commission to add standards to the code; and CS for SB 50, expanding veterans’ courts statewide. Later, CS for CS for SB 1004 advanced with a strike-all regulating dog and cat sales, requiring disclosure of medical records and financing terms, a three-day waiting period for financed purchases, and consumer protections against deceptive pet sales; an amendment removed an appropriation section. The committee also approved CS for CS for SB 178, which directs the FHSAA to adopt rules allowing coaches to provide limited good-faith support to student-athletes, and CS for CS for SB 198, regulating virtual currency kiosks with registration, warnings, transaction limits, receipts, and refund protections. Each of these bills was reported favorably by recorded vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• The department said that it's rather for access to deaf, hearing loss, vision, speech, and other impairments
• This<05:16:39.680> isn't<05:16:39.920> about<05:16:40.160> hate.
• This isn't about hate. This isn't about hate.
• <05:16:51.280> our<05:16:51.600> posterity<05:16:52.560> and This isn't about hate

Keywords: 1189, house, all