Transcript Highlights:

• This is a workforce that's licensed, trained, credentialed, and already benefited.
• Our profession is comprised of caring, skilled, highly trained, and educated professionals, yet we are
• But we got more training and knowledge to support them virtually and got through it.
• It guarantees that birthing people can access trained... ...environments.
• It improves outcomes, reduces trauma, is training maternal mental health, and saves money.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a lengthy public hearing with testimony on a wide range of health insurance and access-to-care bills. Early testimony focused on prescription drug pricing and pharmacy reimbursement, with supporters of H. 1326 arguing that pharmacy benefit managers and MassHealth managed care arrangements reimburse independent pharmacies too little, contributing to pharmacy closures and “pharmacy deserts.” The committee also heard repeated support for H. 1151/S. 742 on cognitive rehabilitation for acquired brain injury, H. 1288/S. 716 on telehealth parity for nutrition counseling, H. 1309/S. 761 on full-spectrum pregnancy care without cost-sharing, H. 1312 on insurance coverage for doula services, H. 309 on prompt access to health care by removing deductibles for certain services, H. 809/H. 1227 on biomarker testing, H. 1162/S. 810 on reducing inequities in access to medical procedures by limiting insurer cuts tied to Modifier 25, and S. 726 on insurance coverage for mobile integrated health. Testifiers included legislators, physicians, pharmacists, dietitians, emergency and rehabilitation clinicians, and patients and family members. Supporters of the brain injury bill said cognitive rehabilitation is medically necessary, improves long-term outcomes, and can reduce institutional care and public costs; they noted the bill has been heard repeatedly and has support from the Brain Injury Commission and prior favorable committee action. Supporters of the pregnancy care and doula bills described out-of-pocket costs as a barrier to maternal health and shared personal stories of high bills and unmet support needs. Biomarker testing advocates and cancer patients said coverage gaps deny patients access to precision treatment, can lead to avoidable suffering, and should be standardized across insurers; several speakers said insurers often deny claims despite clinical benefit. Dermatology witnesses said insurers’ use of Modifier 25 cuts reimbursement for same-day evaluation and procedure visits, forcing separate appointments and increasing patient burden. Mobile integrated health supporters described home-based care as a way to reduce emergency department use and hospital readmissions, especially for patients with transportation or mobility barriers. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• They evaluate military training to see which college classes those are transferable to.
• They evaluate military training to see which college classes those are transferable to.
• We have one called Essential Skills.
• and trained workers.
• And so, again, any opportunity to improve workforce development, skills training, upskilling opportunities

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Because they're surrounded by highly skilled, highly trained, deeply committed, and caring professionals
• Because they're surrounded by highly skilled, highly trained, deeply committed. because they're surrounded
• by highly skilled, highly trained, deeply committed, and caring professionals every day. physical therapists
• research-based social skills program.
• She said their kids require highly trained teachers and highly trained individuals to care for them,

Summary: The committee first met in executive session on House Bill 3070, a firearms-related bill. Representative Koslow argued the bill was not truly Second Amendment friendly, saying it could block return of stolen firearms, expose taxpayers to large payouts, and harm firearm dealers. Representative Greg said local law enforcement did not support it. The committee then voted 3 ayes and 9 noes, and HB 3070 failed to be reported do pass. The committee then held a public hearing on House Bill 2904, which would expand animal mistreatment law to include starvation and add a House committee substitute addressing false reports of animal abuse. Representative Don Mayhew said the bill responds to cases of animals left chained and neglected, and supporters from the Animal Legal Defense Fund, Humane World for Animals, and the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation backed the measure. No opposition testimony was offered. The bulk of the meeting focused on House Bill 2933, which would allow school districts in St. Louis County to withdraw from the Special School District of St. Louis County through board action and a local vote. The sponsor and supporters, including Lindbergh officials, parents, and an attorney, said the current SSD structure is too rigid, lacks accountability, and can fail to meet students’ individualized needs; they cited service delays, litigation, and concerns raised by families. Opponents, including SSD administrators, superintendents, parents, and advocates, said SSD provides specialized services that many districts could not replicate, warned the bill could fragment services and create instability, and pointed to the countywide history and existing review mechanisms for SSD. The hearing ended without a vote on HB 2933.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> participated in those trainings will participated in those trainings will intervene<01:03:23.119
• That train-the-trainer.
• But recognizing that there's some basic conflict resolution skills that is part of your Green Dot training
• That train the trainer. That's &gt;&gt; Right. That train the trainer.
• And as they're building those skills, no one can take those skills away from them.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee first heard from the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet’s Grants Management Division on federal victim-services funding. Staff described the main grant programs they administer, including STOP VAWA, VOCA victim assistance, sexual assault services, Byrne state crisis intervention, and Project Safe Neighborhoods. They emphasized that VOCA is especially volatile because it is funded by the federal Crime Victims Fund, which has declined sharply in recent years, reducing Kentucky’s available awards and forcing cuts to state, local, and nonprofit subgrants. They also outlined steps the cabinet has taken to stabilize funding, including changing the subaward formula, aligning the grant period with the state fiscal year, subawarding one year behind the federal cycle, and retaining a reserve. Members asked about how funds reach victims, how subgrantee amounts are determined, and requested a breakdown of grant recipients and amounts; staff said they would provide that information later. The committee then received a detailed presentation from the Department of Juvenile Justice on alternatives to detention. Commissioner Randy White and staff explained that ATDs are short-term, less restrictive placements for low-risk youth, including electronic monitoring, home supervision, group homes, foster care, private child care, community programs, mentoring, evening reporting centers, and in-home wraparound services. They described the referral and approval process involving court-designated workers, detention alternative coordinators, courts, and county attorneys, and said DJJ currently has 16 ATD-related contracts, with placements, programs, and electronic monitoring among them. They also reported that between July 1, 2024, and July 30, 2025, 1,652 juveniles were involved in the process, including 168 diversion cases. Members questioned the cost of juvenile detention versus adult incarceration, whether families pay for electronic monitoring, whether there is a national model for juvenile detention, and what alternatives exist for truancy and contempt cases. DJJ said families do not generally reimburse for electronic monitoring, there is no single national model, and day treatment centers are an important alternative for some youth. The department also said it builds daily routines and wellness education into its facilities, and that more than two-thirds of its programs are evidence-based. Officials said they currently monitor vendor performance through quarterly reviews and can end contracts for poor performance, but that data tracking is still largely manual. They said the new JCOM system, now in pilot in the eastern region, should improve reporting and help identify outcomes and recidivism more effectively.

Transcript Highlights:

• It builds a Missouri-based workforce pipeline, from skilled trades to engineering.
• What specifically is the training pipeline for critical material development?
• What is the training pipeline? What is the outlook?
• sectors that have an end-demand of employees and trained employees.
• It targets programs leading in high-skill, high-wage, and in high-demand jobs. jobs.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We do training and recruitment for all kinds of positions.
• work skills and social skills for inmate populations in all of our facilities.
• The tool that they need is a skill. They need a skill to be able to make a living.
• We do have lots of peers trained throughout our facilities.
• So I would just, Madam Chair, applaud you, Madam Secretary, for the job skills training that you're providing

Transcript Highlights:

• We have thousands of trained lifeguards.
• They're also trained to trim and its stainless steel crowns.
• the training is limited, it's ultimately it's up to the dentist.
• Dental therapist will be trained in 30 to 40 procedures.
• Dennis are trained in 400 to 500 procedures.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, I know about this outward migration that we have people, local people getting trained.
• They collect that data daily, and we want to align the training with the jobs that are in high demand
• And we do have a training that already exists that’s on DCFS.
• Actually required the training online.
• being trained.

Summary: The House Education Committee met on March 24, 2026, with a quorum present and announced that HB 690 would not be heard. The committee first advanced HB 350, which would extend the grades served by Ecole Ponashan in Terrebonne Parish from pre-K through 4th grade to 8th grade; members spoke in support of the school’s role in French immersion, Cajun heritage, and local educational access, and the bill was reported favorably without objection. HB 434, which shifts certain probationary employment authority over school bus operators from school boards to superintendents, also received favorable passage without objection, with support from the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents. The committee then considered HB 445 on the Louisiana STEM Advisory Council. The bill would move the STEM Commission from the Board of Regents to Louisiana Works, reduce and reorganize membership, and cut the number of meetings from four to two while keeping funding in place. Supporters said the change would better align the council with workforce needs and economic development, while members asked about the loss of some education representatives and the continued role of employers and K-12 stakeholders. After discussion, the bill was reported favorably. HB 386, which would allow local school districts to let locally authorized charter schools operate as their own local education agency under district rules, was also reported favorably after extensive discussion of charter types, LEA status, federal funding, special education liability, and the difference between local and state authorization. HB 363, which would let students enrolled in virtual schools participate in extracurricular activities and athletics at their zoned public school, drew strong support from members and testimony from students and families. Witnesses described the bill as a fairness measure that would give online students the same opportunity to try out for sports and activities as home study students, subject to the same eligibility rules, and the bill was reported favorably. HB 256, clarifying that school employees are mandatory reporters and subject to existing DCFS training requirements, was also reported favorably, with members emphasizing child protection and the need to simplify reporting obligations. Finally, HB 272, which expands eligibility for the READ literacy program to students in D- and F-rated schools, was supported by the sponsor, Scholastic, and literacy advocates who cited Florida data showing improved reading outcomes and stronger family engagement; members raised questions about the fiscal note, parent literacy, and program overlap, but the bill was reported favorably. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• and job skills for our kiddos.
• We want to incentivize our employees. to be trained in AI.
• Can we explain and attribute who trained the system? What were they thinking?
• Is it training in the area? Are you focused in, or what does 'train on AI' mean?
• Who is the one that's training?

Transcript Highlights:

• You need to attend this training thing.
• You need to attend this training thing.
• We need trained people to do that.
• lot of that career and technical training and development.
• the skills training.

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from its October 27 meeting and then heard testimony on the economic and regulatory effects of Arkansas’s raw milk law, Act 698. Clinton Ballard of Milk and Honey Hill Farm said the law helped his family farm expand from 8 to 12 cows and from serving about 75 families to about 150, increasing sales by roughly $50,000 and allowing about $10,000 in raw cheese sales through retail outlets. He argued the law supports small-farm income, food security, and local processing, but said state health agencies still do not inspect raw milk producers unless they sell to a commercial buyer, which he said limits access to USDA grants and other opportunities. He and members discussed safety practices, including rapid chilling, sick-animal removal, sanitation, customer education, and whether any optional state certification or inspection program should be created without adding burdensome regulation. Members asked about herd management, bee production, market channels, and whether raw milk producers should receive training or certification. Ballard said his farm uses Jerseys, removes sick cows from production, sells on-farm and through retail locations, and relies on best-practice guidance from groups such as the Weston A. Price Foundation and the Raw Milk Institute. Several members expressed support for consumer choice but also raised concerns about food safety, especially for children and pregnant women, and about possible “mission creep” if the state creates a voluntary inspection or training system. The discussion ended without any vote or formal action on the raw milk issue. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Terrence Bolden of TLB Enterprises on hydroponic and container-based farming as a response to food insecurity, food deserts, and workforce needs. Bolden described a three-year career and technical education model using retrofitted shipping containers to grow food year-round with low water and energy use, paired with training in drones, robotics, agribusiness, and entrepreneurship. He said pilot projects are underway or planned with UAPB, the Little Rock School District, and other partners, and projected that five regional hubs could create significant economic impact and multiple jobs per container. Members asked about costs, target communities, school partnerships, food desert locations, and whether the model could include aquaponics or protein production; Bolden said the program is intended as a public-private partnership and that the committee could tour a container site once it is operational. The meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• The technicians that you mentioned, this bill would actually help a lot in identifying where our skill
• The technicians that you mentioned, this bill would actually help a lot in identifying where our skill
• gaps are, where our credential skills gaps are, what schools and institutions are not offering some
• for medication dosages, and writing skills for detailed reporting.
• This legislation simply extends that consideration to another group of highly trained public servants

Summary: The Senate Education K-16 Committee heard Senate Bill 1961, which would expand reporting on post-secondary outcomes and workforce data, including employment, earnings, regional labor demand, and credentials of value. Senator Bettencourt said the bill is intended to close data gaps and improve alignment between education programs and workforce needs. Witnesses from Opportunity Austin, Texas 2036, Samsung Austin Semiconductor, and the Fort Worth workforce community testified in support, saying better data would help students, parents, schools, employers, and regional economic development efforts. After questions from members about regional workforce pipelines and semiconductor talent needs, public testimony closed and SB 1961 was left pending. The committee then took up several pending bills and reported them favorably, including SB 1325, SB 604, SB 1832, SB 747, SB 2185, and SB 2395, with committee substitutes adopted where needed. SB 1325 was amended to remove the DSHS commissioner’s authority to issue standing orders for respiratory distress medication in schools. SB 1832, relating to school transfer or private-school funding options for students victimized by a public school employee, and SB 747, relating to intimate visual material policies, were both advanced on recorded votes. SB 2185, on the bilingual education allotment, was initially moved to a local calendar but was later backed up and reported to the full Senate after a fiscal note was noted. SB 2395, on school district general obligation bonds, was also reported favorably and then moved to the local and uncontested calendar. The committee also heard SB 646, which would expand the Mental Health Professional Loan Repayment Program to additional professions, increase award amounts, and add stipends for rural and bilingual service. Senator West said the bill responds to mental health workforce shortages and inflation. The Texas Counseling Association supported the measure, and a Hogg Foundation representative said participation has grown sharply since prior changes. SB 646 was left pending. The committee also heard SB 2647, which would create a Texas state accrediting agency and interim oversight system for higher education accreditors; supporters from the Texas Public Policy Foundation and a massage school owner argued it would improve accountability and reduce accreditor overreach, while Senator Menendez raised concerns about effects on law and medical school accreditation and student opportunities. SB 2647 was left pending. Finally, the committee heard SB 2786, which would exempt first responders from the Texas Success Initiative entrance exam, and SB 2615, which would standardize remote-work policies across public higher education institutions. The Texas State Association of Firefighters supported SB 2786, saying it would remove an extra step for career advancement; the bill was left pending because the committee substitute had not yet been adopted. SB 2615 was presented as a way to ensure more consistent in-person staffing expectations while preserving exceptions for illness, disability, and some non-teaching roles; it too was left pending. The committee then recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, our midwives are highly trained, skilled, and safe in what they do.
• Um, our midwives are highly trained, skilled, and safe in what they do.
• </c><01:25:53.760><c> skilled</c> midl wives are highly trained skilled midl wives are highly trained
• </c><02:14:51.559><c> thank</c> the full extent of our training thank the full extent of our training
• For renewals, require that each licensee have CPR training and neonatal resuscitation training.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint House Committee on Health and Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce heard two midwifery bills, with testimony focused primarily on HB 1194. Committee chairs opened the hearing with rules for Zoom testimony and noted the bills relate to midwives. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs said it supported the intent of HB 1194 and offered comments. Supporters of the bill, including the Midwives Alliance of Hawaii, argued that midwifery should remain subject to mandatory licensure to protect consumer safety, citing the state’s regulatory licensing standards and a 2025 state auditor sunset analysis. They said the bill would strengthen educational standards and public protection, and some offered clarifying amendments. Opponents argued HB 1194 would restrict access to care and fail to protect traditional, cultural, and community-based birth practices. Testifiers from the Hawaii Home Birth Task Force, the Hawaii Home Birth Collective, the Libertarian Party of Hawaii, the Center for Reproductive Rights, Pacific Birth Collective, and Papa Ola Lōkahi said the bill would limit licensure pathways, reduce access in rural and underserved areas, and burden Native Hawaiian and traditional practitioners. Several speakers said the measure could worsen Hawaii’s maternal health shortages, especially on Maui, and urged lawmakers to defer HB 1194 or instead advance HB 1328, which they said better protects practitioner access and cultural practices. The Hawaii affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives said it opposed HB 1194 because it did not align with national or state standards for certified midwives and could create conflicts with Medicaid reimbursement and prescriptive authority. The ACLU also opposed the measure, emphasizing reproductive rights, privacy, and the need to preserve apprenticeship pathways to licensure. No vote or final committee action was taken during the portion of the hearing reflected in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm just asking for the cost to train and to keep training current.
• </c> prepare trained prepare trained counselors<00:20:23.760><c> we</c><00:20:23.880><c> could</c><00
• uh for us we have our first the training uh for us we have our first training<00:23:36.480><c> on</c
• Fundamental training, Prepare training, some kind of psychological first aid training — that's the foundational
• ><c> psychological</c> training some kind of psychological training some kind of psychological first<

Keywords: Meeting Start: 01:24 Attendance Roll Call: 01:44 KY Association for Career & Technical Education: 03:40 Senate Concurrent Resolution 43 (Sen. West): 10:42 Senate Bill 77 (Sen. Deneen ): 31:26 Senate Bill 120 (Sen. Chambers Armstrong): 35:04 Adjournment: 51:44, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Education Committee met with a quorum and heard a presentation from Parker Keys, Northern Kentucky State Vice President for Kentucky FFA, on the value of career and technical education (CTE). He highlighted enrollment of more than 143,000 secondary students in CTE, work-based learning, dual credit, industry certifications, and the role of student organizations such as DECA, FBLA, FCCLA, FFA, Educators Rising, TSA, and SkillsUSA. Senators praised CTE as important for workforce readiness and resume building, and encouraged continued engagement with the committee. The committee then considered Senate Concurrent Resolution 43, sponsored by Senator Steve West, supporting a Southern Regional Education Board initiative to expand crisis counseling and recovery support for schools and colleges after tragedies and disasters. Dr. Steven Puit and Linda Tyrie described a regional network of trained counselors modeled on Kentucky’s response after Marshall County, emphasizing long-term recovery, psychological first aid, and deployment support for up to a year after an event. Members spoke in strong support, citing the lasting impact of Marshall County and Heath, and the resolution passed 13-0 and was reported favorably. Finally, the committee took up Senate Bill 77, a cleanup bill relating to the Education Professional Standards Board. Senator Matt Deneen and Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities representative Mr. Dyer explained that the bill clarifies that small independent colleges and universities may designate a qualified education department representative, not only a chief academic officer, to serve on the board. The committee adopted a committee substitute by voice vote, and the substitute was approved.

Transcript Highlights:

• The districts provide more concentrated, formalized training on that.
• It actually requires skills as well.
• These are real-world skills I can actively use when thinking about my future.
• These skills are essential in order to maximize financial success.
• , and financial health and requires school directors to complete the training.

Bills: SB5849, SB6278, SB6130, SB6222, SB6206, SB6260, SB5346, SB6263, SB6268, SB6247

Keywords: financial education, graduation requirement, student curriculum, financial literacy, education reform, teacher preparation, principal preparation, educator preparation, alternative route certification, teacher certification, principal certification, Washington Professional Educator Standards Board, PESB, field placement, student teacher, residency, mentoring, school district partnerships, K-12 education, preK-12

Transcript Highlights:

• The 7,412-square-mile operational training range spanning southern Idaho and northern Nevada is known
• We train hard because we know air superiority is not a guarantee. It must be earned every day.
• sharpened their technical skills and warrior ethos while training alongside joint service and international
• The exercise strengthened allied cooperation and interoperability through high-intensity training in
• in the world. ...since Idaho has, in my opinion, the best airspace for training in the world.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's again a great skill set for them to bring back.
• </c> where you still have the same training where you still have the same training to<00:41:40.360><c
• our employees for future training our employees for future skills,<00:55:06.120><c> and</c><00:55:06.240
• </c> global division specific training global division specific training programs<00:55:50.720><c> such
• Ensuring that they have the necessary training and skills to work on highly complex aircraft will be

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The task force met on October 14, confirmed a quorum, and adopted the September 16, 2025 minutes. Members then received a Kentucky Air National Guard 101 briefing from Brigadier General Bruce Bancroft, commander of the Kentucky Air National Guard, who described the Guard’s structure, missions, and statewide role. He emphasized that Kentucky is a single-wing state centered at Louisville’s 123rd Airlift Wing and highlighted several unique capabilities, including the Contingency Response Group, critical care air transport teams, medical detachment for chemical environments, explosive ordnance disposal, fatality search and recovery, and special tactics personnel. General Bancroft also discussed staffing and readiness, saying the Guard has 1,273 authorized positions, with a mix of AGR, Title 32, and Title 5 personnel. He noted that AGR positions are funded at about 96 percent, while technician positions are funded at about 53 percent, leaving the organization to operate at roughly 75 percent of authorized manpower overall. He said the wing converted from the C-130H to the C-130J in 2021 and completed the transition in about 2.5 years, ahead of the original three-year timeline. The briefing further covered the Guard’s operational tempo and community role. Bancroft said the unit has earned 21 Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, has deployed about 500,000 days since 9/11 across 45 countries, and routinely supports federal and domestic missions. He described the C-130J’s tactical airlift, airdrop, and blacked-out operations as directly useful for disaster response in Kentucky, and he pointed to strong ties with UPS and other aviation employers. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approval of the prior minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Students can attend and gain the skills needed through Coastal Alabama.
• And that's a lot of the jobs that we're seeing; that's your skilled trade jobs.
• And that's a lot of these jobs that we're seeing; that's your skilled trade jobs.
• That's a lot of these jobs that we're seeing; that's your skilled trade jobs.
• So, across the projected hiring demand, you're looking at your skilled trades.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ...and training for the workforce we need.
• Have you all had any challenges with recruiting folks to undergo training or educational skills?
• What TSTC does is it doesn't just focus on the hard skills; it also focuses on the soft skills.
• PC curricula with regard to safety training.
• Presentation to LLB, and part of my training was to want to see the presentation that it made.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• training and development, and associated programs, for a total increase of $34,652,000. $34,652,000.
• The skills training and development program is another one that's intertwined.
• I lost my train of thought. Sorry about that. My fault. Maybe I wasn't thinking.
• Where we passed the motion to, and I see in here that's got a lot about the skill training and development
• But in this language, it shows skill training and development and associated programs.

Summary: The committee first considered trailer appropriations for House Bill 684 and Senate Bill 1226. HB 684 would allow sheriffs to seek reimbursement for costs of collecting absconded prisoners, probationers, or parolees from out of state, with a fiscal impact estimated at up to $200,000; the committee approved a FY 2027 addition of $200,000 ongoing to the Department of Correction and recommended a due-pass. SB 1226 would add sexual battery and domestic violence misdemeanors to crimes requiring DNA samples and thumbprints, with an estimated annual cost of $63,000; the committee approved a FY 2027 addition of $63,000 ongoing to the Idaho State Police and also recommended due-pass. The committee then revisited the Secretary of State budget after House Bill 909 failed on the floor. The analyst reviewed the requested voter pamphlet funding, overtime transfer, and ITS replacement items. The committee adopted a revised FY 2027 motion adding $235,800 from the General Fund, including a one-time $350,000 voter pamphlet appropriation, a $20,000 transfer to personnel, and a 2% base reduction, and sent the budget forward with a due-pass recommendation. A major portion of the meeting focused on restoring behavioral health programs using a mix of Millennium Income Fund, opioid settlement funds, and federal matching dollars. Members debated options to restore ACT, peer support, skills training, transportation, partial hospitalization, and early serious mental illness programs. A broader restoration motion failed in the House committee, but a narrower FY 2027 motion for ACT and peer support services passed, as did a separate $250,000 opioid-settlement appropriation for peer support services in mental health courts. The committee also adopted language directing the Department of Health and Welfare to identify savings for future continuation of the restored programs and approved a FY 2026 supplemental of $200,000 for a legislative consultant to support oversight of the Medicaid managed care transition under HCR 30, despite objections that it duplicated department efforts. The committee adjourned after noting it would likely meet again Wednesday to handle remaining trailers, transfers, and supplemental items.

Transcript Highlights:

• training and development, and associated programs, for a total increase of $34,652,000. $34,652,000.
• The Skills Training and Development Program is another one that's intertwined.
• I lost my train of thought. Sorry about that. My fault. Maybe I wasn't thinking.
• Where we passed the motion to, and I see in here that’s got a lot about the skill training and development
• But in this language, it shows skill training and development and associated programs.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The joint Senate Finance and House Appropriations committee considered several trailer appropriations and related language items. It approved $200,000 ongoing for the Idaho Department of Correction tied to House Bill 684, which allows sheriffs to seek reimbursement for costs of collecting absconders from out of state, and approved $63,000 ongoing for the Idaho State Police under Senate Bill 1226 to cover DNA sample and thumbprint collection for certain misdemeanor offenses. The committee also reconsidered the Secretary of State budget after House Bill 909 failed on the floor, and passed an amended FY 2027 budget with a $235,800 general fund increase, including a one-time $350,000 voter pamphlet appropriation, a $20,000 transfer from operating to personnel, and a 2% base reduction. A major portion of the meeting focused on restoring behavioral health programs in the Department of Health and Welfare using one-time Millennium Income Fund and opioid settlement dollars. Analysts outlined options to restore ACT, peer support, skills training, transportation, partial hospital, and early serious mental illness programs. The committee first rejected a broader restoration package, then approved a narrower FY 2027 package restoring only assertive community treatment and peer support services with $4.619 million from the Millennium Fund, $5.555 million from the opioid settlement fund, and $20.525 million in federal funds. It also approved $250,000 from the opioid settlement fund for peer support services in mental health courts and adopted language directing the department to identify savings for future funding needs, though a broader language motion failed. The committee then approved a FY 2026 supplemental of $200,000 for the Legislature to hire a consultant for the Medicaid Legislative Review Panel under HCR 30, despite objections that it duplicated work already being done by the Department of Health and Welfare’s consultant. Members also discussed that the one-time behavioral health funding would only carry programs through FY 2027 and may require general fund support later. The committee adjourned after announcing it would likely meet again Wednesday to handle year-end transfers, remaining trailer bills, and other pending budget items.