Transcript Highlights:

• They also excluded managers, but they didn't adopt the common everyday usage of manager that we all use
• They also excluded managers, but they didn't adopt the common everyday usage of manager that we all use
• They defined manager very, very narrowly. They defined manager very, very narrowly.
• it out — one manager for every 40 employees.
• the staff or managing policy?

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development

Summary: The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development held a hybrid hearing on a large group of bills carried over from the previous session, with Chair Jake Oliveira and House Co-Chair Paul McMurtry outlining the process and limiting testimony to three minutes. The committee heard testimony on several labor and workplace proposals, including bills to harmonize employee definitions to address misclassification (SB 1338/HB 2141), expand bereavement leave (including H. 2189/S. 1354 and related bills), protect collective bargaining rights for certain administrative employees (HB 268/SB 1306), expand commuter transit benefits (HB 2153/SB 1345), regulate employer use of credit reports (S. 1286), and require apprenticeship participation or OSHA-related workplace safety measures on public projects. At the end of the hearing, the chairs read into the record additional bills that did not receive testimony that day. Supporters of the misclassification bill, including Greater Boston Legal Services and the AFL-CIO, said aligning the employee-status tests across wage, unemployment, and PFML laws would reduce confusion, improve enforcement, and help workers wrongly treated as independent contractors or managers recover benefits and bargaining rights. NAGE and its representative argued that public-sector employees have been improperly reclassified into management titles to weaken unions, and that the bill would force the Division of Labor Relations to review those titles. On bereavement leave, advocates including the Louis E. Brown Peace Institute, a state representative, the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance, and individual survivors described the impact of sudden loss and homicide on families, saying guaranteed leave would help workers grieve, make arrangements, and avoid losing jobs or custody-related stability. The committee also heard support for commuter benefits as a low-cost way to reduce emissions and increase transit use, and for restricting employer credit checks because of inaccuracies and discriminatory effects. There was opposition to some construction-related bills. The Associated Builders and Contractors and the Building Trades Employers Association supported apprenticeship training in principle but said current apprentice-to-journeyworker ratios are outdated or misunderstood, and that the bills should be amended or clarified before advancing. The Massachusetts landscape and snow-removal industry strongly supported a snow-liability limitation bill, arguing that hold-harmless clauses and broad indemnification requirements force contractors to assume liability for conditions they cannot control, drive up insurance costs, and threaten business viability. The committee did not take any votes during the hearing, and the session ended with the chairs thanking members, staff, and the public before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:01:03.280><c> and</c> commissioner of Minnesota management and commissioner of Minnesota management
• </c><00:01:39.520><c> and</c> commissioner at Minnesota Management and commissioner at Minnesota Management
• </c> Minnesota management and budget. Got it. Minnesota management and budget. Got it.
• </c> teams of finance financial management. teams of finance financial management.
• ,</c><01:44:36.880><c> but</c> human nature is human nature, but human nature is human nature, but um

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> of a board member or property manager of a board member or property manager any<00:35:24.560><c>
• And then the the manager or employee.
• </c> and dignity and human care. Mr. and dignity and human care.
• </c><02:05:13.199><c> The</c> balanced and humane approach. The balanced and humane approach.
• </c> about the Department of Human Services. about the Department of Human Services.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> establish the best management practices. establish the best management practices.
• . ne near managed applications occur. ne near managed pollinated<00:13:53.839><c> habitats,</c><00:13
• </c> detrimental to to human health. detrimental to to human health.
• So that's how that's<00:39:47.200><c> managed.</c> that's managed. that's managed.
• </c> human health and, you know, over time. human health and, you know, over time.

Committee: House Environment and Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> member manager. member manager.
• Thank you very much. as managers. as managers.
• Manager.
• . managers. managers.
• . manager. manager.

Bills: SB2053 , SB2494 , SB2851 , SB3073 , HB1678 , HB1721 , HB2475 , HB2246 , HB1667 , HB1516 , SB2532 , SB3131 , SB3154 , HB2297 , HB1737 , SB2143 , SB2398 , SB2623 , HB1740 , HB1920 , HB1682 , SB2153 , SB3140 , HB1515 , SB2835 , HB2282 , SB3083 , SB2031 , SB2519 , SB2667 , SB3096 , SB99 , SB2138 , HB2289 , HB2319 , HB1711 , HB2270 , SB3138 , SB3076 , HB1642 , HB2338 , HB2171 , HB1785 , SB2881 , HB2505 , SB2552 , HB1518 , HB1815 , SB3125 , SB3234 , HB2158 , HB1718 , HB2207 , HB1801 , SB3229 , SB2338 , SB3069 , SB2600 , HB2300 , HB1800 , HB1960 , SB2999 , SB2060 , SB2866 , SB2239 , HB1741 , HB1713 , HB2023 , HB2417 , SB2877 , SB2598 , SB2921 , SB2645 , HB2547 , HB2275 , HB2452 , HB2329 , HB2339 , HB1838 , HB1509 , HB1661 , HB2271 , HB2272 , HB2344 , HB1888 , HB1707 , SB2340 , HB2474 , HB1576 , HB1853 , HB1804 , HB1854 , HB2095 , HB2050 , HB472 , SB3215 , SB2247 , SB2400 , HB1618 , HB1802 , HB1969 , HB1541 , HB2310 , HB2498 , HB2443 , HB2218 , HB649 , HB2104 , HB1710 , SB2802 , HB1973 , HB1974 , HB1894 , HB1891 , HB1890 , SB177 , SB2101 , SB3320 , SB2487 , HB2429 , HB1870 , HB1839 , HB2583 , HB1391 , HB2094 , SB2671 , SB2673 , SB2892 , SB2057 , SB3245 , HB306 , HB2592 , SB3157 , SB2861 , SB3204 , SB3324 , SB2580 , SB2074 , SB411 , SB3025 , SB2934 , SB2567 , SB2125 , SB3238 , SB2367 , SB2599 , SB3007 , SB2001 , SB2756 , SB3029

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:18:30.000><c> of</c> only for collection and management of only for collection and management
• are, Health and Human Services.
• </c><01:29:55.040><c> by</c> to be managed by to be managed by chances<01:29:57.360><c> are</c><01:29
• </c> chances are health and human services. chances are health and human services.
• And as a member of the Human state.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill regulates pharmacy benefits managers, PBMs.
• The bill regulates pharmacy benefits managers, PBMs.
• Senate Bill 827, supplemental appropriation to the Department of Human Services.
• Senate Bill 830, supplemental appropriation to the Department of Human Services.
• Engrossed House Bill 5459, relating to a tax on managed care organizations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 5904 relates to the use of nursing titles by non-human entities.
• A non-human entity may not use these titles.
• Nurses are human beings caring for other human beings.
• AI should support but never replace human nurses.
• We wanted to pay higher managed care costs for our Medicaid population.

Bills: SB5877 , SB5904 , SB5988

Committee: House Health Care & Wellness

Keywords: anesthesiology, medical personnel, surcharges, licensing, healthcare regulations, nursing titles, licensure, healthcare professionals, patient safety, professional standards, opioid treatment, accreditation, health department, fee authority, substance abuse

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> collaborate with the Department of Human collaborate with the Department of Human Resources<00:07
• </c><00:10:30.519><c> and</c> team to dedicate to to manage and team to dedicate to to manage and administer
• Up first, we have the City and County of Honolulu Human Resources Department director. bargaining<00:
• I'm here on behalf of No Mia Saki, the Director of Human Resources Development at the City and County
• La, Government Affairs Manager for United Public Workers.

Committee: Senate Labor and Technology

Summary: The Committee on Labor and Technology heard testimony on several measures. Senate Bill 327, relating to internships, drew broad support from the Department of Education, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, University of Hawaiʻi, DBEDT, P20, HFIA, Hawaiʻi Electric, the Hawaii Primary Care Association, and the Chamber of Commerce, with suggested amendments to clarify the internship purpose, limit some responsibilities to the state executive branch, and address staffing and reporting details. The committee later recommended passing SB 327 with amendments, including changes to the internship language, private-sector references, work-hour limits, reporting requirements, and a deferred effective date for further discussion. Senate Bill 716, relating to the Hawaii Employment Security Law, received support from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations as a step toward modernizing unemployment insurance, and the committee recommended passage with housekeeping and technical amendments. Senate Bill 717, relating to collective bargaining, would allow certain exempt employees to grieve suspensions or discharges. The City and County of Honolulu and the Department of Human Resources Development said the issue should remain a collective bargaining matter, while HGEA and United Public Workers supported the bill. DHRD opposed changing the statute and pointed to existing internal complaint procedures. The committee nevertheless recommended passing SB 717 with amendments and deferred the date for further discussion. Senate Bill 742, relating to data sharing, would create a data sharing and governance working group within the Office of Enterprise Technology Services and include appropriations. OETS, the Executive Office on Early Learning, the University of Hawaiʻi, DOE, Hawaiʻi Kids Can, Hawaiʻi P-20, and others supported the measure, with OETS estimating a total cost of about $2.64 million, including software, consulting, and six FTE. The committee recommended passage with amendments and a deferred effective date, and noted the budget request in the committee report. The final measure, Senate Bill 855, relating to the Hawaii Retirement Savings Act, would shift the program from opt-in to opt-out and appropriate startup funds; former Senator Brian Taniguchi and AARP supported it, while Retail Merchants of Hawaiʻi and the Tax Foundation of Hawaiʻi opposed it over costs and burdens on small businesses and concerns about adding mandates before the program is implemented. The committee recessed briefly on a proposed AARP amendment, then returned and indicated support for the opt-out language before taking the bill up for decision-making.

Transcript Highlights:

• The human services policy bill details the changes made to all of those subject areas this session.
• So talk to me a little bit more about how the bill manages to do that.
• </c><00:08:13.280><c> And</c><00:08:13.520><c> so</c> do we, how can we manage this?
• And so do we, how can we manage this?
• </c> known for your work in the human known for your work in the human services<00:14:04.320><c> arena

Transcript Highlights:

• Benjamin Silva, Field Services Manager, Animal Care. Tia Bland, Communications Manager.
• We're also excited for our new county manager. Welcome home, I should say.
• Speaker, your Health and Human Services Committee...
• The Health and Human Services Committee has been referred House Bill 81.
• Speaker, your Health and Human Services Committee has been referred...

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm actually the village manager.
• The guiding star is human dignity.
• The guiding star is human dignity. The guiding star is human dignity.
• the town, the village manager, they were promised a lot of things.
• Maybe not everything, but they're human just like I am.

Bills: SB100

Committee: House House Judiciary

Keywords: burglary, aggravated burglary, dwelling, criminal law, property rights

Transcript Highlights:

• The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services will come to order.
• I'm hearing from case managers.
• Miami-Dade leads the nation in human trafficking incidences.
• Oftentimes, it's difficult to identify victims of human trafficking.
• Oftentimes, it's difficult to identify victims of human trafficking.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services heard public comment on several health and human services funding concerns before moving through a series of bills. Testimony at the start focused on the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, with a client warning that proposed changes to eligibility and drug access could disrupt care for thousands of people living with HIV/AIDS, and urging the Legislature to intervene. Another speaker asked for support for the iBudget waiver, saying provider costs have risen and requesting about a 7% increase for direct support professionals to help stabilize the developmental disabilities workforce. The committee then unanimously reported favorably several bills. SB 428 expanded Florida’s swim lesson voucher program from children ages 0-4 to ages 1-7, based on drowning-prevention recommendations. SB 68 required hospitals with emergency departments to adopt pediatric emergency care policies, training, equipment standards, and readiness assessments; an amendment aligned reporting dates with the House version. SB 1718 changed the definition of when an adult visitor in an out-of-home placement becomes a non-visitor, reducing repeated background checks, made the Step Into Success pilot permanent, adjusted foster youth stipends, and created a best-practices program within the Florida Institute for Child Welfare. The committee also approved SB 606, which adds drowning-prevention and safe-bathing education to postpartum materials provided to new parents and requires hospitals and birthing centers to document compliance; members highlighted bathtub drownings as a key concern. SB 96 expanded eligibility for the Veterans Dental Care Grant Program to veterans up to 400% of the federal poverty level, while an amendment removed the bill’s specific appropriation so funding can be handled in the budget process. SB 340 required nursing students to complete a two-hour human trafficking course before taking the NCLEX. SB 1480 created a grandfathering process for certain health care providers in federally designated areas of critical need if an area is de-designated, to avoid disrupting patient-provider relationships. All bills were reported favorably, and the committee adjourned at the end of the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services will come to order.
• The health department continues to not communicate to case managers, to even their own program staff,
• I'm hearing from I'm hearing from case managers.
• As you know, Florida ranks third in cases of human trafficking in the entire country.
• Oftentimes, it’s difficult to identify victims of human trafficking.

Bills: S0068 , S0096 , S0340 , S0428 , S0606 , S1480 , S7018

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services heard public comment first on the AIDS Drug Assistance Program and the iBudget waiver. Testimony on the HIV program warned that proposed Department of Health changes could disrupt care for thousands of clients, create confusion, and force people off life-saving medications; a senator suggested affected clients explore medically needy and FQHC/340B options. Testimony on iBudget urged support for a roughly 7% rate adjustment for direct support professionals, citing rising costs and the need to sustain the developmental disabilities workforce. The committee then considered several bills. SB 428 expanded Florida’s swim lesson voucher program from children ages 0-4 to ages 1-7 and was reported favorably. SB 68 required hospitals with emergency departments to adopt pediatric emergency care policies, training, equipment standards, and readiness assessments; an amendment aligning reporting dates with the House was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 1718 lengthened the time an adult may stay in an out-of-home placement before being treated as a visitor, reduced background screening burdens for foster families, made the Step Into Success program permanent, and created a best-practices program; it was also reported favorably. The committee next approved SB 606, which adds drowning-prevention and safe-bathing education to postpartum materials and requires related compliance records, and SB 96, which expands the Veterans Dental Care Grant Program to veterans up to 400% of the federal poverty level; an amendment removed the bill’s specific $500,000 appropriation so funding can be handled in the budget process. SB 340 required nursing education to include a two-hour human trafficking course before licensure, and SB 1480 created a grandfathering process for certain area-of-critical-need health care providers if federal designations change, both of which were reported favorably. The committee adjourned after all bills passed their roll calls.

Transcript Highlights:

• They need a on cesspool management.
• First up, Department of Human Services.
• </c> Department of Human Services in support. Department of Human Services in support.
• </c> Ching for Department of Human Services. Ching for Department of Human Services.
• </c> HIFI, we mahalo Department of Human HIFI, we mahalo Department of Human Services,<00:32:53.200><

Bills: HB1730 , HB1985 , HB1749 , HB1921

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Environment

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several cesspool-related measures. HB 1730 HD2 would create a cesspool conversion implementation working group to help the Department of Health review rules and practices and develop changes to make conversions more affordable. DOH and DLNR stood on written testimony, while environmental and wastewater advocates strongly supported the bill, emphasizing the need for dedicated staffing, technical expertise, and smaller, more focused advisory groups. Members discussed the high cost of upgrades and the need for new technologies that reduce excavation and leach field costs. The bill was passed with amendments, including clarifying the DOH director’s discretion over the size of the working group, and the committee noted DOH’s appropriation request for consideration. HB 1985 HD1 would extend certain cesspool conversion deadlines and authorize funding for consultants, while also advancing outreach and education. Testimony split sharply: advocates supported the education component but opposed deadline extensions as premature, arguing the state still has many years before the 2050 mandate and should not weaken the conversion timeline. The committee agreed to amend the bill to delete the deadline-extension portion, keep technical changes, and note DOH’s position request. HB 1749 HD2 would require sellers to disclose cesspools to buyers before a real estate purchase contract is executed and direct DOH and the Real Estate Commission to create a standardized form. Realtors supported the intent but asked to avoid duplicative statutory form requirements, and advocates stressed that disclosure should be prominent and not buried in paperwork. The committee adopted amendments removing the standardized-form mandate and passed the bill. HB 1921 HD2 would allow certain existing cesspools in priority level three areas to continue serving dwellings with additional bedrooms under conditions. DOH brought the measure, and supporters from the real estate and environmental sectors discussed innovative wastewater technologies, retrofits, and composting toilets as ways to reduce costs while improving treatment. The committee amended the bill to require DOH director-approved wastewater technology using solid waste separation for bedroom-count increases and to clarify priority-level determinations using block-level data from the Hawaii cesspool prioritization tool, then passed it. The committee also heard HB 2310, an emergency appropriation for the Department of Human Services to restore funding used to keep SNAP benefits flowing during the federal shutdown; DHS, public health, children’s advocates, and others supported it, and members questioned why it was not handled through the budget. The discussion clarified that the bill sought new money to move quickly for ACA-related premium support. No final vote on HB 2310 was shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:14:25.920><c> the</c> $3 it's difficult to manage the $3 it's difficult to manage the regulations
• </c> have all grown up in in the the Human have all grown up in in the the Human Services<00:36:31.319
• </c><00:51:15.359><c> the</c> Nations which they have to manage the Nations which they have to manage
• </c><00:59:03.599><c> and</c> really reliant on the case manager and really reliant on the case manager
• </c> and a focus on the strengths and human and a focus on the strengths and human dignity<01:36:20.520

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:06:31.920><c> seasonal</c> co-infected with a human seasonal co-infected with a human seasonal
• One idea was to carve it out and let the Department of Human Services manage it, but medical systems
• One idea was to carve it out and let the Department of Human Services manage it, but medical systems
• </c><01:21:06.040><c> but</c><01:21:06.239><c> Medical</c> Human Service manage it um but Medical Human
• </c><01:25:50.239><c> their</c> um uh manage their um uh manage their operations<01:25:52.320><c> and

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• . of the Arts Foundation from Tucson and her communications manager, Gia del Pino, also from the Arts
• I move that the amendment of the Health and Human Services Committee be adopted. Any comments?
• I move that the amendment of the Health and Human Services Committee be adopted. Any discussion?
• Human Services Committee be adopted. Any discussion?
• We encourage everyone to recognize the worth and humanity of transgender persons.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services will come to order.
• The health department continues not to communicate with case managers, even their own program staff,
• I'm hearing from— I'm hearing from case managers.
• As you know, Florida ranks third in cases of human trafficking in the entire country.
• Oftentimes, it’s difficult to identify victims of human trafficking.

Bills: S0068 , S0096 , S0340 , S0428 , S0606 , S1480 , S7018

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services

Keywords: pediatric care, emergency departments, hospital regulations, patient safety, health care standards, veterans, dental care, healthcare, grant program, income assistance, human trafficking, nurse licensure, registered nurse, RN, licensed practical nurse, LPN, Florida Board of Nursing, Department of Health, licensure by examination, nursing education

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services heard public testimony on concerns about changes to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program and the iBudget waiver, including warnings that HIV patients could lose access to medications and that direct support providers need a rate increase. Senators discussed possible alternatives such as medically needy coverage and FQHC/340B access, and a witness urged the legislature to delay implementation of the HIV-related changes and restore funding. Another witness asked for support for a modest increase for iBudget direct care providers. The committee then considered and reported favorably several bills. SB 428, by Sen. Yarborough, expands the state swimming voucher program from ages 0-4 to ages 1-7 to align with drowning-prevention guidance; it passed without opposition. CS/SB 68, by Sen. Harrell, requires hospitals with emergency departments to adopt pediatric emergency care policies, training, equipment standards, and readiness assessments; an amendment aligning reporting dates with the House version was adopted, and the bill passed favorably. CS/SB 1718, by Sen. Grall, makes the Step Into Success foster youth pilot permanent, adjusts visitor/background screening rules for out-of-home placements, and modifies stipend provisions; it also passed favorably. The committee also approved CS/SB 606, by Sen. Smith, which adds drowning-prevention and safe-bathing education to postpartum materials and requires hospitals and birthing centers to keep compliance records. CS/CS/SB 96, by Sen. Sharief, expands eligibility for the Veterans Dental Care Grant Program up to 400% of the federal poverty level; an amendment removed the $500,000 appropriation so funding can be handled in the budget process, and the bill passed. CS/SB 340, by Sen. Harrell, requires nursing education to include a human trafficking course before licensure, and CS/SB 1480, by Sen. Burton, creates a grandfathering process for certain health care providers in areas of critical need if federal designations change; both were reported favorably. The committee adjourned at the end of the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• The next bill is AB 152, the Human Services Omnibus.
• This bill implements the following: The Human Services Omnibus.
• So 79% of managed care providers are also fee-for-service providers.
• And that's because we're switching them from managed care to fee for service?
• Monica Madrid, with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, CHIRLA.

Committee: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review