Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Price: Thank you, Madam Chair. Do you not do, like, ground spray?
• Chairman, Representative Price, no.
• Representative Price. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• Thank you, Representative Price. Representative Alfieri. Thank you, Madam Chair.
• Representative Price? No. Representative Kaler? No. Representative Wheeler? Yes.

Committee: House Local Government

Summary: The House Local Government Committee approved the minutes from February 2, 4, and 18, then held a follow-up hearing on HB 747, a bill dealing with mosquito abatement districts, opt-outs from spraying, public notification, aerial applications, and enforcement. The sponsor, Representative Byswinger, said the revised bill was intended to make opt-outs explicit, improve transparency about chemicals used, clarify that drone spraying would not count as aerial abatement, and add accountability for districts he said were not honoring existing law. Supporters argued the bill protects property rights, informed consent, and residents who want to avoid chemical exposure, while several testified that some districts have confusing opt-out procedures or have not respected opt-outs. Opponents, including Canyon County Mosquito Abatement Director Jim Lunders, Madison County Mosquito Director Jared Arnold, Bannock County Commissioner Jeff Huff, and technical advisor Daniel Markowski, said the bill would create major administrative and financial burdens, shift responsibilities to county commissioners without funding, require publication of an impractically large list of possible products, and restrict effective mosquito control. They also warned that requiring a public health emergency before aerial applications would delay response to outbreaks and that limiting access to public lands or making opt-outs permanent through property sales could hinder operations. Supporters from Gem County and elsewhere described health concerns, chemical exposure, and alleged failures by districts to honor opt-outs. After testimony and questions, Representative Hostetler moved to send HB 747 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Representative Weber offered a substitute motion to hold the bill in committee, citing local control and unintended consequences. The committee rejected the motion to hold the bill on a 9-6 roll call vote, then approved the original motion to send HB 747 to the floor with a due pass recommendation on a 9-6 roll call vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• appropriate economic principle that tries to accurately match the cost of producing a product with the price
• How much do you think gas prices have increased since 2019?
• How much do you think gas prices have increased since 2019? I'll help you out: 47%, almost double.
• The Governor's budget estimates budget-year 2025-26 auction revenues of approximately $4.2 billion.
• So, based on our estimates, we think that the current year we're probably okay.

Summary: The committee hearing focused heavily on CARB’s broad trailer bill request for regulatory fee authority. Finance and CARB argued the proposal would let CARB develop fees to recover reasonable costs for implementing and enforcing regulations, while the LAO recommended rejection because the authority was too broad, could apply to an entire division of code, and would delegate core legislative taxing/fee-setting power without enough guardrails. Members from both parties raised concerns about the breadth of the authority, accountability, affordability impacts, and whether the Legislature would be put in an up-or-down position after CARB had already developed regulations. CARB responded that fees would still go through a budget change proposal and legislative approval before collection, and cited existing examples such as transport refrigeration units and commercial harborcraft fees. The committee then reviewed CARB’s request for permanent resources to implement SB 905 on carbon capture, utilization, storage, and carbon dioxide removal. CARB said the Legislature had previously authorized limited-term positions and funding, but it had struggled to recruit and retain staff with specialized regulatory and technical expertise, and that the work had included pre-rulemaking contracts, technology review, and permit-related preparation. Members questioned the pace of work, the use of limited-term positions, and whether additional permitting authority would be needed. CARB said it hoped to begin rulemaking later in the year if permanent resources were approved. Members also discussed the cap-and-trade spending plan, noting lower-than-expected auction revenues but higher interest earnings, and the need to monitor the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and possible May Revision changes. The committee then heard overviews of the zero-emission vehicle package, the Community Air Protection Program, demand-side grid support, and e-bike incentives. CARB described ongoing investments in community-based transportation equity, drayage trucks, harbor craft, and other clean technology demonstrations, while members pressed on affordability, program duplication, and whether enough funding was being directed to incentive programs. No formal votes were taken during the portion provided, and the chair repeatedly indicated that the hearing was intended to surface concerns for later budget negotiations.

Transcript Highlights:

• . $8,900 is the estimated average annual cost of child care for one infant in Arkansas. $8,900 is the
• estimated average annual cost of child care for one infant in Arkansas.
• When we look at multiple kids in child care, the estimated average annual cost is $17,500 for one infant
• And across the board, a 10% price reduction was the most frequently identified first choice among urban
• The most common first choice was a 10% price reduction.

Summary: The committee first approved the prior meeting minutes, then heard a presentation from Maddie San Juan of the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas on the report “Holding It All Together: Working Moms and Child Care in Arkansas.” She said the report found that Arkansas moms want to work, but child care costs, inflexible schedules, inadequate paid leave, and the mental load of caregiving are major barriers. She cited survey and focus group findings showing most mothers want full-time work, 69% identified child care costs as a barrier, and many said flexible hours were the most important workplace support. She also described county-level dashboard data, the high cost of infant and toddler care, and examples from working mothers about spending most or all of their paychecks on child care. Members asked questions about labor force participation trends, the meaning of the child care cost figures, and how flexibility could be implemented across industries. The presenter and members also discussed the broader economic-development impact of child care shortages and the need for public-private partnerships. The Department of Education then gave an update on early childhood programs. Officials said they are building internal dashboards to improve transparency and data access for school readiness assistance, including enrollment, application, and provider participation monitoring. They reported that the state is still moving forward with the CLASS transition and expects to release transition funding to providers in the coming weeks using Preschool Development Grant funds. They also clarified that OEP awards based on CLASS scores are separate from OEC’s work and that the data is FOIA-able. Officials warned providers about a temporary payment delay during the transition to a new system, saying payments will stop June 30 and resume around July 14, with any owed funds processed then. Members raised additional concerns about early childhood special education funding, overpayment recovery from a child care center, audit requirements for Head Start and SRA funds, the market rate survey, and the status of local leads after a recompete. Department staff said they would follow up on special education funding levels and audit rules, noted that the overpayment case is under appeal, and said the market rate survey is still in procurement. They also reported that 23 local leads will cover all counties starting July 1, with no major job-description changes, and described a new PDG Partners stakeholder group and an upcoming June 23 QRIS webinar to gather provider and parent input. The meeting ended with no further business and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• That brings us to RS 33580, sales tax sales price.
• Sales Price.
• He said that greater capital access allows for larger developments and helps address Idaho's estimated
• of 434 full-time equivalent construction jobs created at an average salary of about $44,000, an estimated
• $2.5 million, and estimated $4.5 million in... ...average salary of about $44,000, an estimated $2.5

Summary: The House Revenue and Taxation Committee met on March 5, 2026, and first reordered its agenda to move RS 33471 to the end. The committee then introduced RS 33580, a proposal from Rep. Charlie Shepard concerning sales tax “sales price,” which he described as a fix for a recent Tax Commission practice of going back several years to tax and penalize businesses that had followed longstanding practice. The motion to introduce the RS passed without opposition. The committee next heard House Bill 760 from Rep. John Weber, which would create an optional county property tax exemption for workforce and affordable housing projects. Testimony from Dominium’s Austin Vanderhaden explained that the bill would allow Idaho-based nonprofit and for-profit partnerships, require rents at or below 60% of area median income, require annual county certification, and leave the exemption entirely to county discretion. Supporters from the Boise Metro Chamber, Idaho Realtors, and the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry said the bill would help address housing shortages, support employers and workers, and provide a local tool for communities. The committee voted to send HB 760 to the floor with a due pass recommendation; Representatives Monks, Ehlers, and Razor requested to be recorded as voting no. Finally, the committee considered RS 33471 from Rep. Jeff Ehlers, a DOGE Task Force recommendation to phase out general state funding for the Commission on Hispanic Affairs beginning July 1, 2028, while leaving the commission intact and shifting it toward private funding. Members debated whether the proposal would undermine the commission’s mission and whether it was appropriate to remove the commission from a list of charitable contribution options in the tax code. A substitute motion to return the RS to the sponsor failed, and the original motion to introduce the RS passed, with Representatives Birch and Gannon recorded as no votes. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• businesses, especially restaurants, struggling with rising costs and limited ability to raise menu prices
• struggling because their costs are increasing and they cannot, especially restaurants, raise menu prices
• My guess is that that would be an indeterminate estimate.
• This amendment prohibits an operator from using sensitive personal data to infer or estimate a user's
• Right now, the underlying bill contemplates that there's some way for the complying companies to estimate

Bills: SB5420

Committee: House Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans

Keywords: veterans, military spouses, service members, uniformed services, National Guard, reservists, active duty, qualifying discharge, veterans preference, hiring preference, public employment, state benefits, license renewal, professional licensing, retirement service credit, pension, public retirement system, Washington RCW, military leave, reemployment rights

Transcript Highlights:

• So you can price people out in multiple ways, but we do work hard to bring in other money.
• If we start putting these heavy levies and price tags on that, we know how far it will go.
• That was our good-faith estimate of where we would be in terms of potential licensees.
• The spending plan was built on the larger estimate of licensees.
• of licensees, The spending plan was built on the larger estimate of licensees.

Summary: The subcommittee heard budget proposals for Exposition Park, the California Science Center, the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI), the Debt Collection Licensing Act program, and the Board of Registered Nursing. For Exposition Park, the administration requested $96.5 million for utility replacement, site improvements, code compliance, accessibility, and safety upgrades, plus $1.698 million for operational sustainability funded from the park’s improvement fund. The LAO said the proposals had merit but noted the first item could be downscaled if needed because of the state’s budget condition. Members emphasized the park’s deferred maintenance, major upcoming events, and the need to protect a statewide asset; both Exposition Park items were held open. The Science Center requested funding to open and operate the new Air and Space Center, including staffing for the facility that will display the Space Shuttle Endeavour and expand exhibit space. The LAO supported the proposal but suggested the Legislature consider alternative funding sources such as admission fees, parking fees, or private funds. Members discussed the Science Center’s public-private funding model, the importance of keeping access affordable for disadvantaged communities, and the tradeoff between free admission and long-term operating support. The item was also held open. DFPI sought continuation of expenditure authority for the California Consumer Financial Protection Law, debt collection licensing, and broker-dealer/investment adviser workloads, and the LAO recommended limited-term funding with more cumulative reporting before permanent funding is considered. Members pressed the department on whether its workload and spending are tied to measurable outcomes rather than just activity counts, and DFPI cited complaint resolution, enforcement actions, and restitution recovered as examples of impact. The Debt Collection Licensing Act item drew similar LAO comments, but members raised stronger concerns about the financing model, the gap between projected and actual licensee counts, and whether spending levels are justified; that item was held open. The Board of Registered Nursing requested $1.4 million for eight special investigators to address rising complaints, and the board said most complaints are resolved through investigation, referral, probation, or rehabilitation rather than discipline. Members asked about complaint backlogs, viral and potentially automated complaints, bias in care, and the lack of broader inspection authority; the item was also held open.

Transcript Highlights:

• At current gold prices, we can see the margins are looking really, really fantastic.
• We've got about 18 months of construction, as our current estimates.
• I certainly won't go through... ...of construction is our current estimates.
• We're silver prices now. Obviously, that's pretty significant, and we think we can do that again.
• We're silver prices now. Obviously, that's pretty significant, and we think we can do that again.

Committee: Senate Resources and Environment

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> to be built into the wholesale price to be built into the wholesale price before<01:07:29.880><c
• But in this case, we don't even want to estimate.
• But in this case, we don't even want to estimate.
• It's commonly known as price collusion.
• It's commonly known as price collusion.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on House Bill 451, which would create a postconsumer paint stewardship program in New Hampshire. Prime sponsor Representative Karen Ebel described the bill as a bipartisan, broadly supported model based on PaintCare programs used in other states. She said consumers and businesses could drop off leftover paint at participating retailers or municipal household hazardous waste sites, with the paint then collected and recycled by the stewardship organization. She emphasized that the program is intended to reduce landfill disposal, improper dumping, and contamination of groundwater and soil, while also helping municipalities save on hazardous waste handling costs. Members asked several questions about how the program would work and how it would be funded. Ebel explained that the program would be financed by a small fee charged at the point of sale on paint products, not a general sales tax, and that retailers could either list it separately or roll it into the price. She said the fee would cover the Department of Environmental Services’ administrative costs, which were described as minimal, and that the program’s structure was developed with DES and industry input. Questions also addressed whether cans would be recycled and how collected paint would be processed; Ebel said the ACA and PaintCare representatives could provide more detail, but that the paint and containers would be handled through recycling or other approved disposal methods rather than landfilled. Representative Judy Aron, a co-sponsor and chair of the House Environment and Agriculture Committee, testified in support, saying the bill had been developed over several years with stakeholders and would keep toxic paint out of landfills while saving municipalities and taxpayers money. Representative Peter Bixby, the ranking member of Environment and Agriculture, also supported the bill, saying his committee had heard it many times and that it had strong bipartisan enthusiasm. No vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The original estimate was about $29 million, and we are over $60 million now.
• It's going to have a nice price tag with it.
• And radiation oncology, I think the latest estimate I have for that is about 4 million.
• In FY25, it is estimated that we've reached 1.36% of all adult nicotine users. That ranks us 15.
• So I just wanted to clarify that this is where that 120,000 estimate comes from.

Committee: House Tobacco Settlement Revenue Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, pricing changes such as pharmaceuticals.
• So we would expect in the millions of recovery, but this is an estimated amount.
• This is based on cost-based pricing adjustments. We see most of this growth here tied to pharmacy.
• The next one is on mandatory pricing maintenance.
• So this reflects estimated utilization of services across all Medicaid populations.

Summary: The House Health and Welfare Committee approved the February 5, 2026 minutes and then heard a lengthy budget presentation from Department of Health and Welfare Director Juliet Sharon and Medicaid Director Sasha O’Connell. The department outlined numerous supplemental and line-item requests across Medicaid, child and family services, welfare/self-reliance, and support functions, including funding for state hospital billing authority, Medicaid caseload and cost growth, rural health transformation staffing and program funds, child care capacity and program integrity work, kinship navigation, home visiting, and IT and procurement modernization. The committee also discussed the department’s reorganization and the need for additional procurement support for large Medicaid contracts. Much of the discussion focused on Medicaid spending growth, especially in disability services and behavioral health. Sharon said higher utilization and more intensive services, including residential habilitation, youth residential treatment, and substance use services, were driving costs. Members asked about safeguards against provider overuse or steerage; the director said the department uses annual assessments, internal reviews, data mining, and referrals to program integrity, and that some provider behavior had already prompted a proposed rate reduction for residential habilitation. She also explained that the department is seeking to maintain contractor support for disability assessments rather than absorb the work in-house. The committee also reviewed the department’s response to budget reductions and federal changes. Sharon explained the 4% provider rate reduction, the resulting savings, and the need for an additional $22 million in general funds to balance Medicaid, with options for further cuts still before the legislature. Other topics included the state’s Medicaid estate recovery and program integrity contractors, the impact of new SNAP administrative cost-sharing rules, Medicaid work requirements and more frequent eligibility reviews under state and federal law, and a request for three dedicated procurement staff in the Department of Administration to speed Medicaid contracting. No further votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes, and the committee adjourned to attend the floor session.

Transcript Highlights:

• A partial fiscal note is available, and the Department of Revenue estimates a cost of about $117,000
• It's owned as a public asset forever, and it's designed for people who are priced out of market-rate
• A partial fiscal note is available and Department of Revenue estimates a cost of about $117,000 in 2025
• A fiscal note is available, and the Department of Commerce estimates a cost of $537,000 in 2025-27.
• A fiscal note is available and Department of Commerce estimates a cost of $537,000 in 2025-27.

Summary: The Senate Housing Committee heard several housing-related bills and gubernatorial appointments. SB 6201 would create property tax and REET exemptions for property used as affordable housing by social housing agencies, with testimony from the sponsor and supporters from Seattle Social Housing and House Our Neighbors emphasizing lower development costs and deeper affordability. Senator Gildon questioned how the 50% occupancy requirement would work at purchase, and staff explained the covenant and compliance requirements. The committee also heard SB 6205, which would add conflict-of-interest restrictions and reporting requirements for the Community Reinvestment Account, Affordable Housing Program, and Covenant Homeownership Program; Senator Braun said the bill responds to reports of misuse and is intended to improve transparency and trust. The committee heard gubernatorial appointments Pedro Espinoza and Diana H. Perez to the Housing Finance Commission, both of whom described their construction, local government, and housing experience and were supported by committee members. In executive session, the committee adopted a substitute and passed SB 6001 on scissors stairs, SB 6026 on allowing residential uses in commercial and mixed-use zones, and SB 6054 on fire-hardened building materials. SB 6026 drew the most debate, with amendments added and others rejected; supporters said it would expand housing supply, while opponents and local governments raised concerns about historic districts, main street areas, and limits on local planning authority. SB 6054 was amended to remove the 10% cap on fire-hardened materials, with members saying it would help homeowners protect against wildfire risk. The committee then moved to public hearings on SB 6069, which would require cities and counties to allow emergency shelters, transitional housing, indoor emergency housing, and permanent supportive housing in more zones and limit local restrictions to objective standards and administrative review. Supporters, including housing providers, the Attorney General’s Office, King County, and Disability Rights Washington, said local barriers are delaying needed housing, while cities and the Association of Washington Cities argued the bill is too broad and would limit operational agreements and local flexibility. The committee also heard SB 6167, which would bar homebuyers from receiving multiple state-funded down payment assistance loans or grants. The sponsor said the bill is meant to maximize limited assistance dollars for more households, but opponents from housing nonprofits, advocates, and a homeless veteran said it would reduce access to homeownership, especially for Black households and families needing layered assistance in high-cost markets. Finally, the committee returned to SB 6205 testimony, where supporters said the bill would prevent self-dealing and misuse of grant funds, while one testifier urged more investigation and oversight resources. No final action was taken on the public hearing bills during the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Tens of billions of tax dollars wasted in gas prices through the roof.
• Because since Donald Trump's election, gasoline Prices have skyrocketed.
• But our best estimate, government fraud, is almost 7% of the spending. Think of that.
• Speaker, our best estimates of fraud in the federal government, if you do...
• After that, crashed the price. And now those liver transplant centers are not needed.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, June 25, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, in high-priced cattle prices, that's nothing.
• It is estimated to be completed in July of 2026, and that production facility should...
• I mean, it would have very negative consequences, I would think, to the price.
• How many do you estimate we would need across Texas?
• Even in the 90s, that's something that is, you know, every country has the price of protein and the price

Committee: House Agriculture & Livestock

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Amounts to about $70 on<00:32:02.640><c> a</c><00:32:02.799><c> home</c><00:32:03.120><c> priced</c><
• 00:32:03.600><c> at</c><00:32:04.000><c> $350,000</c> on a home priced at $350,000 on a home priced at
• Um, I would direct members' attention to the revenue estimate that will show that it has no impact on
• But nevertheless, it does generate enough revenue. estimate that will show that it has no estimate that
• do revenue estimates department doesn't do revenue estimates on<00:44:12.160><c> um</c><00:44:13.040

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You mentioned an estimated cost of $7 million. if you're required to implement the 8-1-1 process.
• The estimates I've been given are several several thousand, anywhere between...
• Those are the estimates I've been given. Thank you. Members, any other questions?
• We have not estimated the cost.
• I'm sorry. lines in this case, then they just keep increasing prices.

Bills: HB206 , HB 1285 , HB1335 , HJR107 , HB206

Committee: House Energy Resources

Keywords: pipeline, construction, cash bond, county authority, local government, HB 1285, Railroad Commission of Texas, RRC, drones, unmanned aircraft, UAS, drone inspections, oil and gas, pipeline inspection, surface mining, well sites, tank batteries, disposal wells, injection sites, natural resources

Transcript Highlights:

• So here's the ROI on that price tag... Fiscal year 2027. So here's the ROI on that price tag.
• If you have insurance, you don't get to find out what the cash price is.
• So what this bill does is it allows Idahoans to negotiate a cash price.
• And so if you find that the cash price is less, after paying that negotiated cash price, the individual
• And he tells you, well, cash price is $500.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• these adjustments in December, an estimated cost savings of $13.2 million.
• The first drug grew because of the price increases to that drug.
• That's a heavy estimate, but I want to be generous.
• Now they are paying full price for their meals.
• I estimated about $3 million that they'll be out.

Committee: Joint Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We made changes with the quality rating and improvement system bonuses, and that estimate... ...estimated
• The first drug grew because of price increases to that drug.
• That's a heavy estimate, but I want to be generous.
• Now they are paying full price for their meals.
• I estimated about $3 million that they'll be out.

Committee: Joint Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee

Summary: The Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee met to receive a series of audit presentations, beginning with approval of the prior meeting minutes and a review of the state’s annual comprehensive financial report (ACFR) for fiscal year 2025. The State Auditor’s Office and the Office of Management and Budget reported a clean opinion on the state’s financial statements and described continued growth in net position, strong general fund balance, and significant Legacy Fund investment income. Committee members asked about how the report reflects long-term finances and how North Dakota compares with other states, and OMB noted that the ACFR is based on audited actual results rather than budget forecasts. The committee then heard the North Dakota University System audit, which also received a clean opinion but included four findings: misreporting of Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund construction money, insufficient monitoring of service organizations, improper bank reconciliations at several campuses, and investment/cash recording issues at Bismarck State College. University System officials agreed with the findings and said corrective actions were underway, including internal review of bank reconciliations and greater use of shared services. Members also questioned practices such as campus use of certificates of deposit and whether repeated findings were being adequately addressed. Additional audits were presented for the State Fair Association, State Auditor’s Office, Workforce Safety and Insurance, Housing Finance Agency, Housing Incentive Fund, Job Service North Dakota, the Retirement and Investment Office, PERS, the Center for Distance Education, the Securities Department, the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents, the Ethics Commission, and the Office of Administrative Hearings. Most received clean opinions with no findings; exceptions included a repeat component-unit issue at the State Fair Foundation, a securities personnel-evaluation finding, and a Housing Finance Agency finding involving a late return of escrow surplus. The committee also discussed broader oversight issues, including the need for independent auditing of the Ethics Commission, possible legislative changes to give the State Auditor more subpoena power and independent legal counsel, and future work on data analytics, cybersecurity reviews, and audit capacity. The meeting recessed for lunch after these discussions.

Transcript Highlights:

• today on behalf of 10,000 or so community health workers in Massachusetts, a number that is hard to estimate
• But allowing hospitals to keep raising prices without consequence comes at a pretty steep price.
• struggling, that are still open, are looking to close within five years. hospitals to keep raising prices
• without consequence comes at a pretty steep price.
• Actual results may vary significantly from these estimates, and these remarks should be considered in

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Health

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee hearing covered a wide range of public health bills, with much of the testimony focused on two major themes: expanding access to care and stabilizing health-related workforces and services. On House 2364, an act relative to medical health and fitness facilities, representatives from Dedham Health and Athletic Club argued for a pilot program recognizing supervised exercise as medicine, saying it could improve outcomes for chronic disease, fall prevention, and mental health while reducing costs. On House/Senate bills concerning community health workers (H. 359/S. 251), multiple witnesses from MACHW, Health Care for All, MHA, Cambridge Health Alliance, Mass General Brigham, Boston Children’s Hospital, Asian Women for Health, and the City of Somerville described CHWs as essential for navigation, trust-building, language access, and addressing social needs, and urged reimbursement by MassHealth, the GIC, and private insurers, along with workforce development measures. One pediatric neurologist also told the committee that losing grant-funded CHW support led to more avoidable ER visits and threatened clinic operations. The committee also heard extensive testimony on hospital closures and essential services. Witnesses including Dr. Alan Sager, MNA President Katie Murphy, nurses from Brockton Hospital and Providence Behavioral Health, and local officials and legislators from Norwood described the loss of hospitals and service lines, especially maternity, pediatric, and behavioral health care, and argued current closure processes are too weak to protect communities. They supported bills such as H. 2460/S. 1503 and H. 2534/S. 1574, which would require earlier notice, community input, stronger state oversight, possible receivership, and limits on reopening or expanding after closures. Testimony emphasized the impact of Steward’s bankruptcy, the closures of Carney and Neshoba Valley, and the need to preserve access to essential services in underserved areas. Several end-of-life and professional regulation bills were also discussed. On H. 2436, Representative Omar Gomez and funeral industry witnesses supported eliminating Office of the Chief Medical Examiner fees for the removal of a child’s body in cases involving children five and under, describing the bill as a small but important relief for grieving families. On H. 2444 and related Senate bills, cemetery and consumer advocates supported legalizing alkaline hydrolysis and natural organic reduction as environmentally friendly after-death options, while cemetery representatives opposed H. 2360, which would allow funeral establishments to operate crematories, arguing cemeteries should retain that role. The committee also heard support for H. 2382, which would exempt dentists and oral surgeons from a new office-based surgical center framework, and for H. 2461, which would create hospital efficiency standards; employers and retailers backed that bill as a way to address rising health care costs. Finally, the committee heard testimony on autism services and hospital governance. On S. 1414, behavior analysts and school representatives said Massachusetts already licenses assistant-level ABA providers but MassHealth does not reimburse them, causing long waitlists and limiting school and family access; an actuary testified that a three-tier ABA reimbursement model could reduce MassHealth costs by up to 6% per child served. Senator Lovely also testified in support of S. 1572, which would require at least one registered nurse on each acute care hospital governing board, arguing nurses’ frontline perspective would improve quality and retention. No votes were taken in the hearing excerpt, but many witnesses urged favorable reports on their respective bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• The price of construction has really gone up for a lot of other reasons.
• I mean, it's just a lot of the reasons why the price of construction has gone up, but it's much cheaper
• Has that been an offer price, or is that an estimate based upon other sales that that company is looking
• And I would estimate it's going to be between $12.6 million and $13 million.
• But just overall price.

Summary: The Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and Judiciary heard presentations from several agencies. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner reported full National Association of Medical Examiners accreditation, major improvements in turnaround times, staffing growth to 18 forensic pathologists, and expanded rural coverage, but warned that a flat budget would leave it short of funds by August. The agency requested $4.5 million in recurring funding for professional staff and operations, citing rising supply, transport, IT, and facility costs, and said failure to fund the request would cause a catastrophic collapse. Members asked about cremation fees, other revenue sources, and the consequences of not funding the request; the chair said the recommendation would be forwarded but not necessarily adopted. The Council on Judicial Complaints said complaints against judges have roughly doubled since 2018, with most complaints involving dissatisfaction with judicial rulings rather than misconduct. The council emphasized its goal of responding within 90 days, its new judges college to prevent ethics problems, and the cost of removal proceedings. It requested an additional $125,000 on top of its current $300,000 appropriation to cover rising operating costs, a lease increase, judicial college expenses, and salary adjustments. Senators asked about case prioritization, turnover, staffing, and whether a specific courtroom incident could be investigated; the director said it would be an appropriate complaint to review. The Oklahoma Indigent Defense System described heavy caseloads in rural counties, a mix of satellite offices and county contracts, and a need to reduce attorney workloads, especially in Norman and Lawton. It requested funding for six resource navigators, a project manager, direct-care support, eight additional attorneys, internal training, and continued county contract funding, while also discussing possible diversion programs and grant opportunities. The Department of Corrections requested increases for county jail backup per diem and ICON maintenance, highlighted contraband interdiction, centralized visitation, mobile check-ins, and tablet-based efficiencies, and discussed an ICE detention contract at Watonga that brings in monthly revenue and jobs but is not counted in the budget request. The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs presented a revised legacy-fund request tied to purchasing and remodeling a building shared with OSBI, saying the new plan would cost about $25 million total and save money compared with new construction; it also noted declining wire-transfer revenue tied to fewer grow operations and other enforcement changes.