Transcript Highlights:

• aside again by you all as appropriators and set aside non-recurring dollars to be used to offset temporary
• for, uh, the Public Employees Retirement Association, there's, uh, there's a mixed method for appointments
• There aren't elections, but there are appointed members by different, uh, by different groups.
• , and there are other appointees that I'm not immediately remembering how those, those folks are appointed

Transcript Highlights:

• And as the temporary chairman, I'm going to tell myself I'm out of time and I have to move on.
• A veterans affairs manager responsible for scheduling veterans appointments posted on social media that
• veteran gave up on getting mental health care. from the VA because after years of trying to get an appointment
• , he met with a therapist who quote, spent the appointment singing the praises of remote work. with a

Keywords: nominations, Scott Cooper, Eric Ulan, federal workforce, Office of Personnel Management, Office of Management and Budget, accountability, collective bargaining

Summary: The committee convened to discuss the nominations of Scott Cooper for Director of the Office of Personnel Management and Eric Ulan for Deputy Director at the Office of Management and Budget. This meeting highlighted the critical roles both positions play in managing the federal workforce, which comprises over two million civilian employees. Concerns were raised regarding the current administration's approach to federal employment, citing issues like mass firings and the undermining of collective bargaining rights. Members expressed the need for better accountability and transparency within the federal system, emphasizing the importance of attracting talented public servants.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's a 9-member board appointed by the governor for staggered 6-year terms, and our current chairman
• The board consists of 7 board members appointed by the governor and 15 parole commissioners that are
• Excuse me, the facility initially had a capacity of 346, it's been expanded to 504 permanent beds, 50 temporary
• client does approved activities such as going to Walmart to get groceries or going to a doctor's appointment

Transcript Highlights:

• And as amended by the A1, it adds sections that allow for administrative review of temporary withholding
• > withholding<00:11:56.600> or<00:11:56.680> reduction<00:11:57.080> of temporary
• withholding or reduction of temporary withholding or reduction of payment<00:11:57.480> actions.
• to their medical um appointments. to their medical um appointments.
• As Ed mentioned, people were appointed to the work group as voting members, and they represent people

Bills: HF4207, HF4338

Keywords: housing aid, local housing trust, funding projects, income provisions, technical changes, human services, medical assistance, Medicaid, provider enrollment, provider revalidation, fraud prevention, program integrity, background study, background check, fingerprinting, licensing, license revocation, payment withholding, payment suspension, prepayment review

Transcript Highlights:

• I have recently been appointed to the Uniform Law Commission.
• include overt signs like previous abductions or threats, as well as behaviors such as abandoning appointments
• ,<01:38:02.480> liquidating abandoning appointment, liquidating abandoning appointment, liquidating
• So the court would order that the State Department withhold their passports on a temporary basis. you
• passports on a temporary basis. passports on a temporary basis.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Council gets an appointment.
• Council gets an appointment.
• Council gets an appointment.
• Council gets an appointment.
• Council gets an appointment.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, May 21, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > The House appoints Representatives The House appoints Representatives Noble,<01:22:41.720> Peternell
• House appoints Representatives The House appoints Representatives Berry,<01:23:24.040> Qualey,
• The House appoints Representatives Vos, Doug Thomas, Cambriel, and McGee.
• The House appoints Representatives Janigian, O'Leary, Almy, and Ford.
• House appoints Representatives The House appoints Representatives Janigian,<04:10:22.920> O'Leary

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We also have about 20 temporary staff that we've brought on to deal with sort of high-volume issues at
• <00:20:38.640> uh<00:20:38.799> staff also have about 20 uh temporary uh staff also
• have about 20 uh temporary uh staff that<00:20:39.240> we'<00:20:39.400> brought<00:20
• as inter director reflects appointment as inter director reflects the<00:40:43.359> work<00:40
• I think it's an excellent appointment I think it's an excellent choice<01:16:33.880> uh<01:16

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Minnesota House Commerce Committee held its inaugural meeting with Chair Tim O’Driscoll and co-chair Representative Greg Davids opening the session and inviting members to introduce themselves. Members briefly described their districts, business backgrounds, and priorities, with recurring themes including small business competitiveness, insurance and health care access, property and real estate issues, agriculture, and making Minnesota easier to do business in. Committee staff also introduced themselves and reminded members and testifiers about sign-in procedures and microphone use. The committee then heard an overview from Eric Toell, interim director of the Office of Cannabis Management, on the agency’s work and budget priorities. He said the office now oversees adult-use cannabis, medical cannabis, and hemp-derived cannabinoid products, has grown from about nine employees to 90 full-time staff plus temporary workers, and has been working with a Cannabis Advisory Council on testing, warning labels, and implementation issues. He also described outreach efforts, including webinars, newsletters, guidebooks for local governments, and office hours for applicants, along with enforcement of hemp-derived product rules through more than 3,000 inspections and an increase in compliance rates from about 35% to 75%. Toell also reported that the medical cannabis program has surpassed 51,000 patients and nearly 2,500 registered health care providers, and that a chronic pain report found more than a third of patients reported decreased pain. On the adult-use side, he said the office has posted proposed rules for public comment, plans to adopt them after review, and will open a licensing window from February 18 to March 14. He explained that the office is also managing community reinvestment grants and a technical assistance grant, with an emphasis on safeguards to ensure funds reach intended recipients. No votes were taken during this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• While the CCC is an independent agency, the appointing authorities are supposed to exercise a level of
• This lack of oversight by appointing authorities over their appointees has further allowed issues at
• This lack of oversight by appointing authorities over their appointees has further allowed issues at
• This lack of oversight by appointing authorities over their appointees has further allowed issues at
• This lack of oversight by appointing authorities over their appointees has further allowed issues at

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy held its first hearing of the 194th session to take public testimony on 21 cannabis-related bills. Chairs Donahue and Gómez outlined hearing procedures and noted that written testimony would also be accepted. Much of the hearing focused on the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), with Senator Mike Moore urging support for S. 90 to create an inspector general unit within the CCC. He argued the commission has suffered from dysfunction, workplace harassment allegations, delayed governance reforms, missed fee collections, and high legal costs, and said stronger legislative oversight is needed. Committee members largely agreed the CCC needs reform, though some expressed hope that new leadership would improve operations. A major theme was market structure and business viability. Representative Tyler testified for H. 183 to raise adult-use purchase limits from one ounce to two ounces, saying the change would reduce confusion and help retailers compete with neighboring states. Senator Payano supported S. 100, which would require a study of cannabis supply and demand to guide cultivation licensing, warning that oversupply is driving down prices and threatening cultivators. The Massachusetts Cannabis Coalition, represented by Ryan Dominguez, backed a package of bills aimed at increasing revenue, reducing regulatory burdens, attracting investment, and stabilizing the market, including higher purchase limits, simpler badge and testing rules, and a phased increase in the retail license cap. Attorneys Kevin Conroy and Mike Ross also supported raising the cap, arguing that the industry lacks capital and that more investment and exit opportunities are needed for provisional and distressed licensees. The most contentious issue was whether to raise the retail license cap from three to six. Supporters, including several business owners and industry advocates such as Peyton Shubrick, Tito Jackson, Armani White, Sean Burt, and others, said the current cap traps owners in declining businesses, prevents exits, and limits access to capital. They argued that many social equity and economic empowerment operators are struggling, that oversupply has pushed prices down, and that allowing more ownership could help businesses scale or sell. Opponents, including Senator Liz Miranda and several social equity operators, warned that lifting the cap now would let larger operators and multi-state companies dominate the market and harm equity-owned businesses. Miranda’s S. 88 would instead strengthen enforcement of ownership limits through audits, whistleblower protections, an anonymous tip line, and greater transparency. Another major topic was worker and consumer safety: Laura Bruno, Danny Carson, Al Vega, and others supported H. 194 after the death of Lorna McMurray, arguing for a CCC workplace and consumer safety department, better ventilation and PPE standards, stronger testing oversight, and retaliation protections for workers. The hearing ended without votes, with members thanking testifiers and indicating the committee would continue reviewing the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• >> For another question. >> Yes. >> The sponsor yields. >> You said the Governor unilaterally appoints
• Through you, Madam President, the Governor makes the appointments, and they most certainly come through
• You can't keep appointing Public Service Commissioners, faceless bureaucrats.
• YOU CAN'T KEEP APPOINTING PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER, FACELESS BUREAUCRATS.
• The Governor appoints them, and you confirm the Public Service Commission commissioners.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the prior journal, and then took up a series of utility and public service bills and resolutions. A resolution sponsored by Senator Scarcella-Spanton designating April 9, 2026, as Yellow Ribbon Day was adopted after remarks honoring veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. The chamber then moved through several Public Service Law measures focused on utility affordability, consumer protections, and PSC procedures, with some bills laid aside and others advanced. Among the bills passed were measures by Senators Mayer, Cleare, Hinchey, Comrie, and Parker. Debate on the Mayer bill centered on limiting utility expenses and fees recoverable in rate cases; supporters said it was part of a broader package to reform PSC practices, while opponents argued it would not lower current bills and had been softened from earlier versions. The Webb bill creating a residential utility usage monitoring program drew extended debate over whether it would meaningfully reduce costs, who would pay for the program, and whether it could lead to government monitoring of household usage; supporters said it would give consumers more control and transparency, while critics said it would not lower rates. The Gonzalez bill, which would add consumer protections during PSC investigations and delay shutoffs in certain circumstances, also passed after questions about whether it applied to rate cases, with the sponsor saying rate cases were explicitly excluded. Several members explained their votes, with supporters emphasizing affordability, transparency, and consumer protection, and opponents arguing the package would not address immediate rate relief and could burden ratepayers or encourage nonpayment. Senator Tedisco and others criticized PSC appointments and state energy policy, while Democratic sponsors argued the bills were part of a longer-term effort to reform utility regulation and address climate and affordability concerns. The chamber restored multiple bills to the non-controversial calendar before final votes, and the recorded results showed passage of the major utility bills by substantial margins, along with one amendment appeal being ruled nongermane and rejected.

Transcript Highlights:

• You just have to appoint somebody that is in that role after that.
• Dick Eastland was appointed to the UGRA.
• Yes, those investigations can lead us down the road of a temporary injunction.
• Congratulations on your new appointment.
• Congratulations on your new appointment.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:07:27.599> to His son John was recently appointed to His son John was recently appointed
• There's no tr there's no temporary There's no tr there's no temporary protective<01:19:58.080>
• One appointed by President Bush, one appointed by President Reagan, who said that in his four decades
• temporary restraining orders right now. temporary restraining orders right now.
• :41.680> one appointed by President Bush, one appointed by President Bush, one appointed<03:55

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, May 15, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thanks to Comfort ISD, we opened a temporary shelter on campus.
• It is appointed by the governor.”
• “So, do you report to the governor, what you’re appointed by the governor?”
• “You’re appointed by the governor.
• The temporary bridge right now connects the two. The temporary bridge is the big Sandy side.

Summary: The joint Senate and House disaster preparedness hearing convened in Kerrville with quorum, public testimony limited to three minutes and invited testimony to 10 minutes. Leaders from both chambers, along with the lieutenant governor and speaker, framed the hearing as an unprecedented joint effort focused on learning from the July 4 flood, honoring victims, and identifying actions to reduce future loss of life. The committee also heard opening remarks about decorum, logistics, and the intent to continue work in future sessions. The first panel included Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, Sheriff Larry Leitha, Emergency Management Coordinator William B. Thomas IV, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr., Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice, Upper Guadalupe River Authority representative William Rector, Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk, and Real County Judge Bella Rubio. They described the flood as sudden and catastrophic, with Kerr County reporting 108 deaths and two missing. Local officials emphasized that they received no timely warning of the scale of the event, that responders and volunteers acted heroically under extreme conditions, and that communications, cell coverage, and rural emergency resources were strained. Several witnesses said the county’s existing alert systems were limited by geography, sparse broadband, and the speed of the flood. Testimony focused on possible improvements, including real-time flood gauges and predictive monitoring, stronger rural emergency management staffing and training, better interoperability and alerting tools such as IPAWS, CodeRED, WENS, and sirens, and expanded broadband and radio coverage. Kerrville asked for a flood warning system before next summer and state help for stormwater, floodplain, and disaster recovery funding. UGRA described its past and current flood-warning and mitigation efforts, including gauge funding, a new software-based flood prediction project, and consideration of additional retention dams. Kendall and Real counties highlighted successful or needed alerting and evacuation practices, while also stressing the difficulty of funding and maintaining such systems in small rural counties. Members asked detailed questions about the timeline of the flood response, low-water crossings, communications failures, sirens, bridges, and whether regional consolidation or additional infrastructure could improve future preparedness.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just as a reminder, there are six members appointed by the governor.
• Just as a reminder, there are six members appointed by the governor.
• Just as a reminder, there are six members appointed by the governor.
• ad uh Advisory Board um that temporary ad uh Advisory Board um that will<00:47:41.720> expire
• pressure to you know an appointed pressure to you know an appointed commissioner<00:51:35.440>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Human Services Committee received an informational overview from Direct Care and Treatment (DCT) staff on the agency’s role and current operations as it transitions from DHS. DCT described itself as Minnesota’s unique state behavioral health system, serving about 12,000 people annually through treatment facilities, residential group homes, and vocational sites, with about 5,000 staff and five major service lines including forensic services and the Minnesota Sex Offender Program. The presentation also reviewed the new executive board required by statute and the 47 work groups created to support DCT’s move to separate-agency status, with staff saying the board is in place, has met, and the work groups are on track for the July 1 deadline. Committee discussion focused heavily on system capacity, staffing shortages, and discharge bottlenecks. DCT said recruiting and retaining staff remains its top pressure, with many vacancies and overtime contributing to burnout. Members also raised concerns about long waits for admission, lack of step-down and community-based placements, and the effect on county jails and hospitals. DCT said it has expanded some capacity, including increasing beds in Willmar, reopening the Ironwood unit in St. Peter, and repurposing the CARE program site to add 16 forensic beds, but emphasized that the broader problem is the lack of community-based options rather than just DCT beds. Members also discussed priority admissions and a prior task force process for handling jail referrals. DCT said the priority admissions framework began July 1 of the previous year, uses factors such as medical acuity and impact on referring facilities, and is intended to help with backflow, though it does not solve the underlying bed shortage. Staff said the priority admissions review panel’s report is due February 15. In response to questions about a high-cost one-to-one care placement, DCT said it had found a less costly alternative and that each case has unique needs. DCT also reported progress on an electronic health record rollout and said a substance use disorder report requested by the Legislature is nearing completion.

Transcript Highlights:

• This short-term hardship exception would be a temporary exception from the Medicaid work requirement
• exception<00:28:53.919> would<00:28:54.159> be<00:28:54.720> a<00:28:54.880> temporary
• <00:28:55.120> temporary exception would be a temporary temporary exception would be a temporary
• temporary exception<00:28:56.000> from<00:28:56.240> the<00:28:56.399> Medicaid
• <01:26:50.800> availability have different appointment availability have different appointment

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the draft minutes from its May 29 meeting and then received an informational update from the Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing about the state’s ASL interpreter pipeline. Representative Woods and Associate Commissioner Ann Landry explained that the American Sign Language program at UNH Manchester, the nation’s first fully accredited program, is facing viability concerns because high tuition has left only two of a potential 20 students committed so far. They warned that if enrollment does not recover, the program could face a teachout and eventually be lost, which they said would be detrimental because many state services and legal proceedings require qualified interpreters. Members discussed possible alternatives, including whether community colleges could help, and asked for follow-up research and contact information for UNH officials. The committee also heard that interpreter demand across DHHS continues to rise and that the department must ensure compliance with civil rights and service-access requirements. The committee then turned to Medicaid policy changes tied to Senate Bill 134 and a new federal interim final rule on Medicaid community engagement, or work, requirements. DHHS officials Olivia May and Ann Landry explained that the state law and federal rule align in many areas, but the committee still needed to decide how to implement several remaining policy choices. The department recommended adopting all four short-term hardship exceptions because the federal rule requires states to take them all or none: inpatient or institutional care, federally declared emergencies, high-unemployment areas, and extensive out-of-state travel for serious medical care. Members generally supported the exceptions but raised concerns about how they would be defined and applied, especially the emergency and medical-travel categories. Several legislators asked for more clarity on terms like “extensively” and “serious or complex medical care,” and DHHS said the federal rule does not rigidly define them, though the state could refine implementation through rulemaking if authorized. The department also said the emergency exception would apply only to federally declared emergencies, not state declarations, and would be tied to the emergency event itself. No final vote on the Medicaid policy was recorded in the portion provided, but the discussion indicated the committee was reviewing the remaining decisions needed to implement Senate Bill 134 under the new federal framework.

Transcript Highlights:

• He's on the mainland for his son's wedding, so he appointed me today.
• Uh, from an FTE perspective, we do a lot of conversions from temporary to permanent.
• So those are temporary positions, so funding for those positions.
• Given, I guess, temporary funding, so we do need those six positions.
• from uh temporary to permanent from for from uh temporary to permanent from for to<02:27:46.680> support

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Ways and Means and Health and Human Services committees heard Hawaii Health Systems Corporation’s biennium budget request, with testimony from HHSC leadership on the Hilo/Big Island region (HTH 212) and the Oahu region (HTH 215), plus discussion of capital improvement projects and systemwide partnerships. HHSC described its role as the rural healthcare safety net, serving a high share of Medicare, Medicaid/Quest, and uninsured patients, and said its costs are elevated by state employee fringe benefits, which it said are about 64% compared with roughly 30% in the private sector. HHSC also said pandemic-era federal aid, including relief funds and PPP loans totaling about $100 million, reduced the need for general fund support in prior years. For HTH 212, HHSC said its general fund request for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 was higher than the governor’s recommendation because of rising insurance, pharmaceutical, and contractor labor costs, and because it includes $13.2 million in FY 2026 and $2.3 million in FY 2027 for Epic electronic medical record implementation in East Hawaii. For HTH 215, HHSC said the requested general funds were aligned with the governor’s recommendation, in part because of increased Medicaid reimbursement rates for long-term care facilities under prior legislation. HHSC also said it was restoring a special fund ceiling so the region could spend its cash collections on operations. Members asked about the 64% fringe rate, and HHSC explained the difference was mainly due to defined-benefit pension and retiree health insurance costs, which private hospitals generally do not bear at the same level. Members also asked about the Daniel K. Akaka State Veterans Home, and HHSC said operations would be funded through the general fund corporation for the home when it opens, with management by Ohana Pacific, but no additional legislative operating funds were being requested at that time. Other questions focused on staffing and vacancies, including an abolished procurement position and an ongoing IT help desk recruitment need. HHSC highlighted several capital and partnership projects, including a $25 million state CIP request matched by $25 million from the Benioff family for the Benioff Health Center, an ER expansion and reconfiguration at Corner Community Hospital, and $7.5 million in each fiscal year for Kauai EMR capital funds to join the Epic platform. Testimony also described collaborations with Queen’s, the University of California San Francisco, Hawaii Pacific Health, the Hawaii Cancer Consortium, the Department of Health, and the state hospital to improve specialty access, clinical trials, behavioral health, and patient placement across the system.

Transcript Highlights:

• With regard to emergency authority and continuity of care, it authorizes DOEA to provide temporary direct
• Simon: The department is proposing changes to the duties of the Medical Examiner Commission and the appointment
• It transfers the authority to appoint District Medical Examiners from the Governor to the Medical Examiner's

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• GCD has failed to perform its legal duties by clarifying that the members of the review panel, a temporary
• This bill simply allows the county judge to fill a vacancy of which they appointed to the Lost Pines
• In this case, this particular district is appointed by the two county judges and the bill would have

Bills: HB 937, HB 2078, HB 2080, HB 3322, HB 3350, HB 4212, HB 4630, HB 4896, HB 4951, HB 5348, HB 5675, SB 565, SB 971, SB 1662, SB 2124

Keywords: special districts, notice requirements, Water Code, government transparency, public meetings, meeting notice, transparency, public engagement, notice, elections, groundwater management, water conservation, joint planning, environmental impact, desired future conditions, groundwater, conservation district, environmental quality, regulatory review, water utility

Transcript Highlights:

• petitions that claim a GCD has failed to perform its legal duty. that the members of the review panel, a temporary
• They appointed to the Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District. Thank you, members.
• In this case, this particular district is appointed by the two county judges, and the bill will have

Bills: HB937, HB2078, HB2080, HB3322, HB3350, HB4212, HB4630, HB4896, HB4951, HB5348, HB5675, SB565, SB971, SB1662, SB2124

Keywords: special districts, notice requirements, Water Code, government transparency, public meetings, meeting notice, transparency, public engagement, notice, elections, groundwater management, water conservation, joint planning, environmental impact, desired future conditions, groundwater, conservation district, environmental quality, regulatory review, water utility

Transcript Highlights:

• In August, she missed a day for her annual doctor's appointment.
• The threat of losing those cash resources and the temporary cash assistance, the threat of a high school
• kid losing their... ...the cash resources and the temporary cash assistance, the threat of a high school
• all these days, when you’re taking away a student’s driver’s license, when you’re impacting their temporary

Summary: The committee on Pre-K through 12 Education met to discuss chronic absenteeism, district attendance interventions, and related truancy procedures. Chair Simon reviewed Florida’s attendance laws and escalation process, including school-based interventions, child study team meetings, referrals to the Department of Juvenile Justice, truancy petitions, and possible sanctions for parents and driving privileges. The committee heard first from University of Florida professor Dr. Chris Curran, who presented state and national absenteeism data showing chronic absenteeism has risen sharply since the pandemic, with Florida at about 31.4% in 2023-24. He emphasized that absenteeism has multiple causes, including transportation, mental health, housing instability, safety concerns, and family barriers, and said effective responses include early warning systems, multi-tiered supports, mentoring, and community partnerships rather than relying only on punitive measures. Members questioned Dr. Curran about whether absenteeism is a behavior or barrier issue, whether exclusionary discipline is counted, the need for a uniform definition across districts, and whether more punitive truancy enforcement is effective. He said the issue is usually a mix of barriers and choices, that excused and unexcused absences both matter for chronic absenteeism data, and that root-cause analysis and supportive interventions are generally more productive than punishment alone, though consequences can still play a role. The committee then heard from Collier County Superintendent Leslie Ricciardelli and district staff, who described a highly structured attendance system built around attendance specialists, social workers, mental health staff, home visits, attendance contracts, multilingual outreach, and frequent parent notifications. They said Collier’s chronic absenteeism rate was about 9% in 2023-24 and credited their success to early contact, community partnerships, and a strong district culture around attendance. Volusia County Schools Executive Director Mike McAuliffe described a newer districtwide attendance initiative that uses automated letters, same-day notifications, data dashboards, MTSS tiers, incentives, and community supports such as bikes, washers and dryers, and faith-based partnerships. He reported Volusia reduced chronic absenteeism from 34% in 2023-24 to a projected 29% and said the district is now seeing about 20% in the first quarter of the current year. No formal votes were taken.