Transcript Highlights:

• Is it going to be rural or non-rural? We're going to be looking at all of those.
• It says rural and non-rural. Shouldn't it just be for rural communities?
• I just want to make sure that when we're talking rural, we're really talking rural.
• We're not Talking, you know, there was a rural caucus, and Las Cruces wanted to be included in our rural
• To me, Las Cruces is not rural; that's huge.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now there's really no impact of Florida.
• So there's really no impact of Florida here.
• Certainly the rural Health transformation program are analyzing potential the impact of setting that
• its reach out and into are these rural areas.
• reach into those urban or rural areas.

Transcript Highlights:

• Can you share with us what the impact would be on these schools to increase enrollment?
• Residency expansion, and then the starting and opening of a rural health research program.
• Rural Health Academic Affiliation Finance Subcommittee.
• What impact would that have on this $10 million appropriation? Would it enable you to do more?
• area, they're more likely to stay in that rural area.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also supports rural communities with flexible resources.
• across ag lands in rural Florida.
• Rural counties. Follow up.
• rural county.
• These are big impacts for local counties to absorb.

Summary: The Committee on Regulated Industries met with a quorum and heard several bills, with SB 1742 on condos temporarily postponed. SB 1298 on building construction was reported favorably after sponsor testimony about continuing education for building professionals, rural sharing of building officials, residential inspector limits, a planning examiner internship, permitting modernization, and contractor transition liability. SB 638 on home inspectors was also reported favorably after discussion of increasing required education from 120 to 200 hours, adding subject-specific exam and course requirements, and requiring $300,000 in errors and omissions insurance. SB 960 on elevator accessibility requirements was reported favorably, allowing additional shorter support rails in elevators while keeping the existing 42-inch rail requirement. The committee also unanimously recommended confirmation of a block of board and commission appointees. The committee adopted amendments and reported favorably CS/SB 940 on third-party restaurant reservation platforms, aimed at stopping bots and unauthorized resale of restaurant reservations; the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and Booking Holdings supported the bill, and members discussed how the measure would preserve direct restaurant-platform relationships like OpenTable and Resy while targeting third-party marketplaces that resell reservations. CS/SB 196 on foods containing vaccines or vaccine materials was reported favorably after amendments that defined mRNA vaccine use and added a cosmetics-related amendment addressing harmful chemicals such as PFAS, phthalates, formaldehyde-releasing agents, and mercury compounds; the Florida Retail Federation raised concerns but said it was working with the sponsor. CS/SB 1418 on heated tobacco products was reported favorably after an amendment clarifying the definition of heated tobacco products and excluding hookah, with support from the Florida Retail Federation and comments that the bill would distinguish these products from cigarettes for tax purposes. The committee also adopted a strike-all amendment and reported favorably CS/SB 1262 on construction contracting, which adds consumer protection and financial literacy topics to contractor continuing education, increases penalties for unlicensed contracting, creates a standardized disciplinary reporting system, and requires timely refunds and project completion standards; the Florida Home Builders Association supported the measure. Finally, CS/SB 1304 on solar facilities was reported favorably after extensive testimony from county commissioners and local officials supporting greater local oversight and decommissioning requirements for utility-scale solar on agricultural land; the bill would remove the current statewide by-right treatment for solar on agricultural land and authorize counties to adopt decommissioning ordinances. The meeting ended with members recording additional affirmative votes on selected bills and adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that experience impacted me personally. Um, it... And that experience impacted me personally.
• The issues impacting hospitals, a number of hospitals and rural hospitals in particular, predated HR
• It's not permanent, but I think in light of some of those changes in the law that impact rural hospitals
• also have rural limitations, right?
• “Who think about more of the impacts, who think about the feasibility of the impacts.

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee met to consider several governor’s appointees and routine committee actions. Members approved, by unanimous 5-0 votes, three not-required-to-appear appointments: Hampus Eitsiter to the Boating and Waterways Commission, Peter Stern to the California Horse Racing Board, and Dean White to the State Mining and Geology Board. The committee also approved references of bills to committees and floor acknowledgements, each by 5-0 vote. The committee then heard testimony on Tyler Sadwith’s appointment as Chief Deputy Director of Healthcare Programs at the Department of Health Care Services. Sadwith emphasized protecting Medi-Cal access for 14 million Californians, navigating federal changes, and continuing CalAIM and behavioral health reforms. Senators focused heavily on hospital financial distress, rural access, Medi-Cal redeterminations, work requirements, provider reimbursement, fraud oversight, dental access, labor and delivery closures, and the effectiveness of CalAIM and community supports. Public commenters from county, hospital, and provider groups largely supported the nomination, citing his experience and collaborative approach. The committee voted 5-0 to send his appointment to the full Senate. The committee also considered Chris Thayer’s appointment as director of the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Thayer described OEHHA’s role as providing transparent, science-based health assessments, improving risk communication, and supporting tools such as CalEnviroScreen and Prop 65 guidance. Senators raised concerns about reliance on models versus real-world data, PFAS, environmental justice, wildfire and battery-fire impacts, and whether CalEnviroScreen and Prop 65 are working as intended. Public testimony from environmental and health organizations supported the nomination and highlighted OEHHA’s scientific role. The committee approved Thayer’s appointment 3-1, with one senator not voting, and forwarded it to the Senate floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• grow up rural to be able to do that training in rural communities.
• grow up rural to be able to do that training in rural communities.
• grow up rural to be able to do that training in rural communities.
• grow up rural to be able to do that training in rural communities.
• rural and rural hospitals make sure that rural and rural hospitals and<00:42:03.839><c> clinics</c><

Bills: HF1925

Keywords: nurse licensure, multistate license, healthcare, public safety, interstate compact, nursing regulation, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We believe that if we recruit students from rural Texas, train them in rural Texas, they'll stay in rural
• So the first thing, as you've heard, is recruiting. students from rural Texas, educating them in rural
• Tarleton State University is in a rural county, is a rural university, and sits west of I-35.
• If rural Texas were its own state, there is such a need in rural areas for healthcare and for doctors
• They come from a rural place. They want to stay in a rural place.

Bills: HB42, HB 125, HB 1233, HB2853, HB3148, HB3326, HB3701, HB4066, HB4361, HB4762, HB4909, HB4912, HB42, HB125

Keywords: higher education, funding, financial allocation, state budget, Texas A&M University, University of Houston, education funding, medical education, osteopathic medicine, healthcare workforce, Tarleton State University, industry-recognized credentials, workforce development, career opportunities, feasibility study, student fees, university funding, student union, education, UT El Paso

Transcript Highlights:

• to be declared rural.
• So, you've probably heard a lot about these huge needs in rural Texas. rural areas, but it is absolutely
• So think of what a similar endowment could do. impact health care.
• Great concern for rural areas and those gaps that are left there.
• Urban and rural dwelling is obviously different.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so the impacts will be significant.
• Rural health funding, it does allocate $10 billion annually to states to support rural health transformation
• on those rural hospitals, correct?
• We have a lot of rural areas in our state.
• Two quick questions, particularly worried as well around our impacts to rural areas, our rural hospitals

Summary: The committee first received an update on the effects of HR1 and related federal Medicaid and marketplace changes from Governor’s Office and Health Care Authority staff. Presenters said the most immediate coverage losses are expected in the individual market beginning in January, with premium increases and an estimated 80,000 people potentially unable to afford coverage. They warned that larger Medicaid impacts will follow over the next year and beyond, including tighter eligibility checks, work requirements, reduced retroactive coverage, limits on state-directed payments and provider taxes, new cost-sharing, and changes affecting certain non-citizen adults. They also said the state plans to seek a waiver or extension for work requirements and will continue to analyze impacts, including on rural providers and Planned Parenthood-related services. Members asked about the effect on nursing homes, rural hospitals, and how the state can help providers and enrollees navigate the new requirements; staff said timelines and a state-specific implementation chart are being developed. The committee then heard a report on the International Medical Graduate Work Group and Washington’s efforts to create pathways for internationally trained physicians. Testimony described the clinical experience license, the clinical evaluation assessment tool, grant funding for IMG support organizations, and a new hardship waiver process enacted this year. National presenters said many states have adopted similar pathways because of physician shortages, but Washington and Tennessee are among the few states that have actually issued licenses so far. They recommended clear guardrails, an employment offer before application, ECFMG certification, supervised practice, and data collection to avoid exploitation and protect patients. Members asked about state-to-state variation, retention of IMGs, and whether Washington should pursue dedicated residency or preceptorship options; presenters said the key next step is moving successful participants from supervised experience to a durable long-term license. The final topic was implementation of Washington’s Apple Health doula benefit and the statewide doula hub and referral system. Senator T’wina Nobles highlighted the state’s $3,500 per-birth Medicaid reimbursement rate for doulas and the importance of the hub for referrals, training, and billing. Health Care Authority staff said the benefit launched January 1, 2025, and covers prenatal intake, labor and delivery, postpartum visits, and telehealth-supported services. They reported 336 state-certified doulas, 134 enrolled in Apple Health, 287 unique clients served, and 641 claims paid so far. Testimony emphasized doulas’ role in improving birth outcomes, reducing unnecessary interventions, and addressing racial disparities in maternal health, while noting that implementation is still early and ongoing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I want to say a word about rural California.
• We heard a lot about rural health care.
• If you want to fund rural health care, if you want to help people in rural communities that are lacking
• We heard a lot about rural health care.
• If you want to fund rural health care, if you want to help people in rural communities that are lacking

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, completed the roll, and opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several guest introductions recognizing visitors, students, and a long-serving committee secretary, Tabitha Volga-Sang, who was honored for 32 years of service. Members also took up a procedural motion by Assembly Member DeMaio to immediately consider ACA 14, the Taxpayer Protection Act, without reference to file; that motion failed on a 14-44 vote. The main policy debate centered on SB 106 by Senator Laird, a budget appropriation to provide $90 million in one-time funding for Planned Parenthood and related women’s health and family planning services after federal cuts. Assembly Member Tangipa offered amendments arguing the money should be directed more broadly to women’s health and hospitals, but the Assembly voted 41-13 to lay the amendments on the table. Supporters, including Gabriel, Sharp-Collins, Gibson, Krell, Bonta, and others, said the bill was needed to preserve access to cancer screenings, contraception, STI testing, and reproductive care, especially in rural and underserved communities, and to offset the effects of federal defunding. Opponents, including Johnson, DeMaio, Patterson, and Tangipa, criticized the bill as lacking transparency, favoring a politically connected organization, and diverting attention from hospital funding and other health needs. After extended floor debate, SB 106 passed the Assembly 55-10 and was transmitted immediately to the Senate. The chamber then took up H.R. 84, a resolution condemning racism after President Trump circulated racist imagery depicting former President Obama and Michelle Obama. Members from the Black, LGBTQ, Latino, AAPI, Jewish, Native American, and other caucuses spoke in support, saying the post normalized dehumanization and had real-world consequences; Assembly Member Tangipa also stated the post was wrong and apologized on the record. The transcript ends during continued debate on H.R. 84, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• the growing economic development needs of rural areas in Texas.
• assistance under the Rural Economic Development and Investment Program.
• This bill expands the rural economic development and investment program to serve rural counties with
• For rural counties, supporting infrastructure needs for rural economic development.
• The ripple effect of economic development in rural areas ensures the program will have an impactful ROI

Transcript Highlights:

• Over the past five years, I have been deeply honored to vote on legislation that has positively impacted
• Because this is a federal deduction, its impact cannot be directly addressed at the state level.
• Importantly, while the biggest impact by far to Massachusetts... Committee heard in mid-February.
• Throughout his long and impactful career, Mr.
• I do come from a rural area that's hurting, especially after that snowstorm.

Summary: The House convened with the Pledge of Allegiance, received and placed on file the resignation letter of Rep. Vanna Howard of Lowell, and adopted several routine committee reports. These included extensions of reporting deadlines for the Healthcare Financing and Public Health committees, concurrence with Senate petitions sent to Housing and Public Safety and Homeland Security, and suspension of Joint Rule 12 for a petition concerning children involved with DCF. The chamber also adopted a resolution commending the Admetek Foundation on Prostate Cancer Awareness Day. The main business was House No. 5264, a fiscal year 2026 supplemental appropriations bill totaling about $1.8 billion. House leaders described the bill as using Fair Share surtax surplus funds for transportation and education, addressing MBTA reserves, safety and infrastructure, special education circuit breaker costs, early education and childcare, and other deficiencies such as GIC costs, sheriff deficiencies, heating assistance, and World Cup-related expenses. Members also discussed the bill’s tax conformity provisions responding to federal tax changes, with supporters arguing the bill would reduce a projected revenue shortfall and preserve competitiveness while delaying some conformity changes. The House considered several amendments to the supplemental bill. Amendment 43, which would have redirected $100 million of Fair Share funds to a per-capita municipal distribution for roads and schools, drew debate over equity and rural road needs but was rejected on a roll call, 25-128. A consolidated amendment was then adopted on a roll call, 148-0, and the bill itself was passed to be engrossed on a roll call, 150-3. The House also adopted an amendment setting the next day’s meeting time and then adjourned to meet the following day at 11 a.m. in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, some information about the economics of rural practice: rural practices are facing kind
• to rural health.
• It's called the Rural Health Transformation Program.
• Can New Mexico use to reduce the impact?
• Rural health transformation program.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> It supports care then for rural, It supports care then for rural, low-income,<00:14:00.440><c>
• </c> especially in rural communities. especially in rural communities.
• HR1 made deep cuts in programs like Medicaid, which has a bigger impact in rural communities and areas
• On one side you have rural hospitals, local pharmacies, and patients in rural communities.
• ><c> and</c> bigger impact in rural communities and bigger impact in rural communities and areas<01:12

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• rural families.
• At its core, this is an issue of rural equity.
• Rural communities matter. Rural students matter.
• This is an issue of rural equity, especially in rural areas like where we live.
• small rural districts in a completely different way than it impacts larger communities.

Bills: H4867, H4927

Keywords: school choice, education policy, educational funding, public schools, student enrollment, applied behavior analysis, autism, education, special needs, school access, therapeutic interventions, 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our rural districts are able to participate in these programs.
• Thank you for all you do for the students throughout Florida and our rural districts.
• The consortiums act as a force multiplier for the small and rural districts.
• Calhoun County is a small rural district.
• It poses serious impacts through rural counties, as well as urban counties as well.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met with a quorum and first heard a Department of Education program review on three district support programs: assistance to low-performing schools, the Florida Partnership program, and regional literacy teams (RAISE). Dr. Paul Burns described how the Bureau of School Improvement supports schools with D/F grades through regional teams, classroom observations, professional learning, and targeted funding, noting that 104 of 168 low-performing schools improved after 2022-23 and that the share of failing schools fell from 6% to 4%. He also outlined the Florida Partnership’s $4 million annual appropriation for advanced-course teacher training and student access, and the RAISE literacy program’s $5 million funding, universal/targeted/intensive supports, and progress monitoring results. Senators asked about rural participation, post-COVID reading data, parent support, and how long schools remain under monitoring after improving; Burns said rural districts can participate statewide, parents can access school and department support, and schools continue to receive monitoring after exiting low-performing status to prevent recidivism. The committee then received a presentation on the school district education foundation matching grants program from Suzanne Pridgen, who explained that the Consortium of the Florida Education Foundations administers the grants, which require private matching funds and support tutoring, literacy, STEM, career education, professional learning, books, and supplies. She said the program leverages about $1.44 in private support for every state dollar. The committee then moved to the regional education consortia, where representatives from PAEC, NEFEC, and Heartland, along with several rural superintendents, described the consortia as member-led organizations that provide economies of scale, professional learning, HR, risk management, purchasing, legal and operational support, crisis assistance, and leadership development for small and fiscally constrained districts. Superintendents from Lafayette, Holmes, Calhoun, Union, DeSoto, and Hendry counties testified that the consortia are essential because rural districts often have very small staffs, multiple-duty administrators, and limited in-house expertise. They cited support with insurance and hurricane recovery, training for new finance and HR staff, instructional coaching, CTE and leadership programs, and help with turnaround schools. Members emphasized that these districts can be high-performing despite limited resources, and several senators praised the consortia’s value. Senator Gaetz asked about additional back-office collaboration, possible regulatory relief, and FEFP issues tied to scholarship-related enrollment swings; rural superintendents responded that more local control would help. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, which was adopted without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we don't want to have any impact in any regard on.
• It's about the impact that it's having on the profession and students.
• Mackey, you're the Executive Director of Texas Impact Network. Yes, sir.
• What exactly is the Texas Impact Network?
• We've seen this is particularly important for rural schools.

Bills: SB26, SB 26

Keywords: teacher compensation, education funding, public school educators, teacher retention, teacher designation, SB 26, Texas Property Code, colonia, colonias, Spanish translation, bilingual contract, real estate contract, executory contract, residential property, border county, international border, economically distressed area, consumer protection, language access, translator certified in Spanish

Transcript Highlights:

• OUR RURAL DISTRICTS ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAMS.
• DISTRICT IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE RURAL.
• >> I THINK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE CONSORTIUM AND THE SMALL RURAL DISTRICTS.
• I'M ACUTELY AWARE OF SOME OF WHAT OUR RURAL COUNTIES HAVE.
• IT POSES SERIOUS IMPACTS THROUGH RURAL COUNTIES AS WELL AS URBAN COUNTIES AS WELL.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They're especially rural, but it can impact Houston and Harris County to say, "Wow.
• The chronic physician shortage is having a major impact on rural Texas.
• The graphic on slide two illustrates our statewide impact, including partnerships with 96 rural counties
• through the Texas Rural Engagement Program, our rural health initiative. which I will highlight shortly
• To date, we have partnered with 96 rural counties to do four things to help them stabilize rural health

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, this will impact rural Minnesota to a greater extent than the metro area, primarily for two reasons
• Um this will impact rural Washington.
• I think a few folks brought this up earlier, to understand that this is impacting both rural areas much
• I think a few folks brought this up earlier to understand that this is impacting both rural areas much
• </c><01:39:53.280><c> worse</c> impacting both rural areas much worse impacting both rural areas much

Keywords: 1187, senate, all