Video & Transcript Research : 'provider flexibility'

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MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session 5/16/26 - Part 4

Minnesota House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Therefore, I'm glad to see that we have a school safety plan that does provide flexibility.
  • Therefore, I'm glad to see that we have a school safety plan that does provide flexibility.
  • safety plan that does provide safety plan that does provide flexibility.<01:54:29.599> It
  • <01:54:29.840> provides<01:54:30.159> multi- flexibility.
  • It provides multi- flexibility. It provides multi- multi-layered<01:54:31.520> approach.
Keywords: 919, house, all
Summary: The House began with a resolution recognizing May 15, 2026, as Peace Officer Memorial Day and the week of May 10-16 as Police Week in Minnesota. Members read a series of “whereas” clauses honoring fallen peace officers, including three names added to the memorial this year, and thanking the thousands of officers serving across the state. The resolution was adopted without objection, and the chamber also received a Rules and Legislative Administration report placing several bills on the calendar for the day. The main floor action was on House File 4252, the higher education finance and policy conference committee report. Supporters said the bill includes funding for identification verification systems in the MNSCU system to combat enrollment fraud, money to cover a shortfall in Fostering Independence grants for foster youth, and a small appropriation for trees at Bemidji State University. Several members praised the public conference committee process and the bipartisan work behind the bill. Others criticized the bill for not addressing the larger state grant shortfall and raised concerns about how grant dollars are allocated. The House adopted the conference report and repassed the bill 101-33. The House then concurred in Senate amendments to House File 3825, a public safety vehicle bill that also carried a package of scope-of-practice and licensing changes. Members described provisions affecting acupuncture, athletic trainers, massage therapy, mortuary science, music therapy, social work title protection, pharmacist prescribing, physical therapy, and advanced practice nursing. Supporters argued the changes improve access, affordability, workforce flexibility, and patient care, while one member warned that some scope expansions were insufficiently scrutinized and could harm the health care system. After debate, the House agreed to the Senate amendments and moved the bill forward.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee 4/8/25

Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:
  • <00:13:49.680> to conservator reports to be provided to conservator reports to be provided
  • These provide that personal contact information regarding parents of students cannot be designated as
  • Together we provide essential legal support that upholds the dignity of Minnesotans by meeting basic
  • <00:34:39.599> Um<00:34:40.079> I ability to be flexible on that.
  • Um I ability to be flexible on that.
Bills: HF2300
Keywords: 1183, house
WA
Transcript Highlights:
  • Number one, we wanted to provide for a significant increase in funding for public schools, and we wanted
  • had done during the recession, where the state would actually take that money to pay itself for providing
  • The other thing that we passed was Deborah Entenman's bill 2015, which provides local communities with
  • the flexibility to adopt funding and then really the flexibility to fund.
  • To adopt funding and then really the flexibility to fund community safety in the way that works best
Summary: House and Senate Democratic leaders held a post-sine-die press availability to describe a difficult 2025 session and the major budget and policy outcomes. They said the state faced a $16 billion operating shortfall and an $8 billion transportation gap, along with inflation, slowing revenue, federal uncertainty, and a new governor. Despite that, they said the chambers reached balanced operating and transportation budgets while trying to avoid harming vulnerable residents or overburdening working families. The leaders highlighted several priorities they said were advanced: increased school funding, including about $1.4 billion more for special education; housing measures such as rent stabilization, parking minimum reforms, lot-splitting, and middle-housing enforcement; and public safety funding, including a $100 million one-time law-enforcement appropriation requested by Governor Ferguson. They also discussed a community reinvestment approach and said local governments would have more flexibility to fund community safety. They acknowledged that balancing the budget required painful cuts and tradeoffs, including delays to child support pass-through payments and TANF benefits, reduced support for higher education and student aid, higher child-care copays and fewer child-care slots, closure of one prison and four reentry centers, and reductions in managed care payments. They also said the tax package included modest business tax increases, including a surcharge on some large businesses and sales tax changes for certain services, and that a wealth tax remained alive for future sessions even though it was not part of this year’s budget. Much of the discussion focused on the new governor’s role and whether there was tension over his review of the budget and bills. Leaders said communication with the governor and his staff had improved over the session, that they expected him to carefully review the legislation, and that they were not reading anything into his absence from the press conference. They repeatedly emphasized bipartisan and bicameral collaboration, and several speakers described the session as one of the most challenging they had experienced, citing the budget gap, federal uncertainty, and recent personal losses in the Legislature.
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee 3/5/25

Elections Finance and Government Operations

Transcript Highlights:
  • I'm here today to provide feedback on House File 1800.
  • I'm here today to provide feedback on House File 1800.
  • So the school districts in my area contract with the county to provide election services.
  • area contract with the county to provide area contract with the county to provide election election
  • On 9.22, there's a requirement that a map and a notice be provided.
Keywords: 1183, house
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Floor Session Feb 24th, 2025

Minnesota House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • That doesn't provide the citizens of Minnesota a good option.
  • In Minnesota, this is important because we are providing transit services in this corridor.
  • Well, it's flexible.
  • We need bus rapid transit in this corridor because it's more flexible.
  • So we do not need to spend this when bus rapid transit is so much more flexible and affordable.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Public Education Feb 25th, 2025

Public Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • They look to us to provide leadership, guidance, and support.
  • I think we've also provided you a copy of our annual report.
  • And so we do provide that kind of technical assistance to districts, but we provide that with. or something
  • That y'all provide funding, other than the school safety allotment, which is a per campus You all provide
  • Could y'all provide a similar chart that shows the force. Oh yeah.
Keywords: 1184, house, all
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • As stated, your two lead witnesses will each have two minutes to provide testimony.
  • It provides flexibility and, again, holds these children and dependents harmless from the military service
  • This bill provides local school districts and community colleges with the flexibility to create the dual-enrollment
  • Noncredit colleges and centers provide critical workforce education, as was provided by our amazing testimony
  • Non-credit colleges and centers provide critical workforce education as this is provided by our amazing
Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee met with a quorum and first approved a consent calendar containing AB 341, AB 1098, and AB 1316, sending those measures to the Human Services, Judiciary, and Appropriations Committees respectively. The committee then heard AB 977, which would require CSU to audit surplus land and work with California tribes to identify three regional burial sites for Native American remains that cannot yet be repatriated. Supporters, including tribal leaders and archaeology groups, said the bill is needed to honor ancestors and address the large number of remains still held by CSU; CSU said it is committed to repatriation but had no formal position. The bill passed to Appropriations on a 5-0 vote. Members also heard AB 1093, creating a California-Mexico higher education exchange program, and AB 1035, expanding the California College Promise to cover tuition for students pursuing community college bachelor’s degrees. AB 1093 drew support for strengthening cross-border educational and economic ties, but some members raised concerns about border-region sewage problems and the bill’s budget implications; it was held for later consideration. AB 1035 received strong support from community college leaders and faculty who said it would help low-income and first-generation students complete workforce-focused bachelor’s degrees, but several members questioned whether it would stretch Prop. 98 funding and whether the state should prioritize broader affordability concerns. AB 1035 passed to Appropriations on a 3-2 vote. The committee next approved AB 922, which would let the University of California keep access to federal criminal-history information for hiring background checks, avoiding delays and added costs if statutory authority is required. UC said the bill is needed to maintain safety and hiring operations, and it passed to Public Safety on a 5-0 vote. AB 1346, protecting military dependents from losing in-state residency status because of family travel, also passed unanimously to Military and Veterans Affairs. AB 1212, allowing UC to use low-income housing tax credits to build affordable housing for faculty and staff on UC land, drew support from UC and labor groups but opposition from members concerned about preferential access to public resources; it was held for later action. Finally, the committee approved AB 500 and AB 684, both aimed at increasing transparency around UC admissions policy changes and UC BOARS decision-making, sending AB 500 to Education and AB 684 to Governmental Organization, each on 5-0 votes. The hearing then moved on to AB 1122 on dual enrollment, with the author and witnesses presenting the bill as a way to expand college access for high school students.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
  • providers um who have 100 medical providers um who have certified<00:59:29.400> at<00:59:29.480
  • <00:59:51.680> is in New Hampshire any provider is in New Hampshire any provider is authorized
  • through their regular medical providers through their regular medical providers that's<01:00:31.039
  • <01:02:12.240> that providing that providing that information<01:02:13.960> uh<01:02:14.079
  • And, as I mentioned earlier, they did support the bill that provided medical providers discretion in
Keywords: 928, house, all
Summary: The Health and Human Services Oversight Committee met on February 2 and first approved the draft minutes from the prior meeting, with minor corrections to the meeting date and attendance notation. DHHS Associate Commissioner Patricia Tilly then gave a department update, describing the current uncertainty around federal priorities and funding, and provided two substantive reports: progress on the new Hampstead Youth Development Center and an update on the department’s review of an ALS registry proposal. She said the YDC project is underway with tree clearing, fencing, stormwater and site-prep work, and remains on track for completion by June 30, 2026 and operation by August 30, 2026. The center currently has 12 youth, and the new design is intended to provide flexibility for fluctuating census levels. On ALS, Tilly explained that HB 576 had prompted the department to examine whether a registry could be built, but the estimated cost of a HIPAA-compliant system was about $750,000. She said DHHS is reviewing whether existing data sources, such as hospital discharge data and CHIS claims data, could provide useful information, but noted both are incomplete for registry purposes. Committee members discussed whether the Rare Disease Advisory Council, Dartmouth, or existing cancer registry infrastructure could help reduce costs. DHHS said it is neutral and willing to continue exploring alternatives, while members emphasized the value of a registry and the need to consider shared infrastructure and funding. The committee also heard from Jenny Horan of the Alzheimer’s Association, who presented the subcommittee’s report on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. She said the subcommittee spent the past year gathering information on dementia care, abuse and exploitation issues, caregiver strain, and available services, and is now moving into a second phase focused on identifying gaps and developing a state plan. Members asked about geriatric psychiatric capacity and long-term care availability; Horan said the state has limited capacity and that the plan will help clarify where needs are greatest. She offered to return for follow-up questions at a later meeting. Finally, Olivia May of DHHS presented the quarterly report on the 12-month postpartum Medicaid coverage extension. She said New Hampshire implemented the extension after federal and state action, and the first claims data are still emerging because of reporting lags. In the initial cohort studied, 95% received some medical services during the extended period, 52.4% received mental health or substance use disorder treatment, 26.7% received preventive visits, and 3.2% received heart or hypertension services. Members asked about return on investment and whether higher federal matching rates are being used appropriately; DHHS said it claims the highest possible match based on eligibility group and will return with more data over time. The committee then heard the annual therapeutic cannabis program report from Michael Holt, who said the program had 1,475 registered patients as of June 30, 2024 and that growth has slowed, with New Hampshire having the lowest per-capita medical cannabis enrollment nationally.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
  • <00:15:38.800> that written out here and I can provide that written out here and I can provide
  • flexibility in white and that's it. flexibility in white and that's it.
  • Um, and the statute<00:58:26.960> provides statute provides statute provides um,<00:58:30.480>
  • And so when we say we can't provide a quote, we mean we can't provide a quote that is anywhere close
  • than the current law and SB297 provides. than the current law and SB297 provides.
Keywords: 1189, house, all
Summary: The subcommittee took up the pooled risk management program bill and reviewed a new amendment drafted with input from the Insurance Department and Legislative Services. Department witnesses explained that the proposal would move oversight of pooled risk management programs from the Secretary of State’s office to the Insurance Department, add a licensure requirement, preserve the programs’ non-insurer status, and exempt them from third-party administrator licensure. They also described a series of solvency tools in the draft, including financial reporting, risk-based capital standards, minimum capitalization, investment limits, commissioner examination and enforcement authority, rulemaking authority, merger and affiliate-transaction review, confidentiality protections, and a separability clause. A major theme of the discussion was that pooled risk management programs differ from commercial insurers because the risk remains with the member local governments rather than being backed by a state guarantee fund. Witnesses said the bill is designed to emphasize solvency over return of premium and to give the Insurance Department a regulatory “toolbox” to prevent insolvency, including a proposed $5 million excess or stop-loss coverage benchmark, optional accessible policies, and a requirement that boards vote on dividends or premium returns when capital exceeds 600% of risk-based capital. Members questioned how this approach differed from the original Secretary of State bill and whether assessments on towns would still be possible; the department responded that the new framework would allow more flexible oversight and alternatives to immediate court action. The committee also discussed why the statute should continue to say the programs are not insurers, with the department explaining that this preserves their autonomy and avoids applying unrelated insurance laws and premium taxes. Members asked about the department’s workload and were told the department believed it could absorb the new duties without additional funding. No vote or final committee action was taken in the portion provided.
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Economic Development & Workforce Investment (2-12-26)

Economic Development & Workforce Investment

Transcript Highlights:
  • This is very important because clear definitions provide certainty for businesses and improve the program's
  • 17.199> they because clear definitions kind of they because clear definitions kind of they provide
  • that<00:04:17.919> certainty<00:04:18.320> for<00:04:18.560> businesses provide
  • that certainty for businesses provide that certainty for businesses and<00:04:19.680> improve
  • in contributing funds uh and flexibility in contributing funds uh and how<00:04:33.600> they<
Summary: The House Standing Committee on Economic Development and Workforce Investment met for its first meeting, reviewed housekeeping procedures, and established a quorum. The committee first considered House Bill 577, relating to economic development. The bill sponsor and a representative from Blue North said it would modernize Kentucky’s economic development statutes to better support startups and high-growth companies, rename the innovation center program as the Kentucky Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub program, clarify statutory definitions, expand the Kentucky Enterprise Fund, allow certain out-of-state companies to qualify if they commit to becoming Kentucky-based within 180 days, and broaden the angel investment program to include pass-through entities. The committee approved HB 577 with a favorable expression. The committee then took up House Bill 392, relating to local public agency transactions, and adopted a committee substitute negotiated with stakeholders including the Kentucky Press Association and the Kentucky Association of General Contractors. The sponsor said the substitute removed the original bill’s best value and reciprocal bidder provisions, lowered the small purchase threshold from $60,000 to $50,000, and would increase that threshold by $10,000 every five years to account for inflation. It would also allow local governments to use certain state contracts with price ranges, permit independent evaluation of some small non-evaluative equipment, and exempt law enforcement vehicles and related equipment from procurement code requirements. HB 392, as amended by committee substitute, passed with a favorable expression. House Concurrent Resolution 16 was then heard. The sponsor, who had co-chaired the Air Mobility and Aviation Economic Development Task Force, said the task force held six meetings and heard from airports, aviation and education stakeholders, logistics companies, and others. She said the group found there was no real strategic plan for advanced air mobility and recommended that state agencies study infrastructure needs and that the General Assembly develop a strategic plan and legislation for AAM vehicles. Members discussed airport and drone-related issues, and the resolution passed with a favorable expression. Finally, House Bill 593, relating to data centers, was announced but passed over for a later hearing, and the committee adjourned.
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

Senate Standing Committee on State and Local Government. (2-11-26)

State & Local Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • Provides objective rules when one or when more than one newspaper serves the same area and addresses
  • And section 5 through 8 update ad size requirements and provide more practical timelines for required
  • Provides objective rules when one or when more than one newspaper serves the same area and addresses
  • And section 5 through 8 update ad size requirements and provide more practical timelines for required
  • > to<00:14:32.959> negotiate governments the flexibility to negotiate governments the flexibility
Summary: The Senate State and Local Government Committee first took up Senate Bill 141, sponsored by Senator Given, which revises Kentucky’s public notice laws. Senator Given said the bill was the product of negotiations among the Kentucky Press Association, the Kentucky League of Cities, and the Kentucky Association of Counties, aiming to balance transparency with the cost of publication. Testimony described changes to clarify which newspapers may publish legal notices, address publication errors, ensure fair and reasonable rates, update ad size requirements, and provide more practical hearing timelines. Committee members praised the compromise and the bill’s modernization, including expanded online access to public notices. SB 141 passed 10-0 with favorable expression. The committee then considered Senate Bill 9, sponsored by Senator Mills, and first adopted a substitute that addressed concerns from Farm Bureau and the Kentucky Bankers Association. Senator Mills said Kentucky faces a significant housing shortage and that the bill would give local governments two tools to encourage development without direct state cost: a residential infrastructure development district and a housing development district. He explained that the first tool would help finance infrastructure within a district through bonds repaid by special assessments, while the second would allow local governments to negotiate incentives and streamlined review for larger housing projects. Members asked about public participation, local control, infrastructure financing, and whether the bill required affordable housing set-asides; Mills said the bill leaves those decisions to local governments. SB 9 passed 9-0 with one pass and favorable expression.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Higher Education - 01/28/25

Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • <00:41:11.960> and efficiency flexibility and efficiency flexibility and responsiveness<00
  • Starting a new campus provided a blank canvas.
  • <01:31:17.960> final options that leverage the flexible final options that leverage the flexible
  • /c><01:31:56.440> practices provided we chose to provide practices provided we chose to provide
  • So thank you very much for the opportunity. again providing new ways to create more again providing new
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
ND
Transcript Highlights:
  • , monitoring provider compliance, providing all necessary monthly operating and financial reports, distributing
  • Flag-down systems provide flexibility for passengers, allowing them to board and exit closer to their
  • The city of Bismarck provides three mills annually and Mandan provides two.
  • I guess you could provide that.
  • I guess you could provide that.
Keywords: 908, all
Summary: The Government Finance Transportation Study Subcommittee met to review fixed-route transit systems and related funding needs. After approving the prior meeting minutes, the committee heard presentations from Cities Area Transit in Grand Forks/East Grand Forks, Bisman Transit in Bismarck-Mandan, and MATBUS/Fargo, along with comments from North Dakota Protection & Advocacy. The transit agencies described their routes, paratransit services, ridership trends, fare structures, fleet replacement needs, and rising operating costs, emphasizing that transit supports access to work, school, medical care, and other essential services. Testimony also noted that ridership fell during the pandemic and has been recovering, while vehicle and maintenance costs have risen sharply. Grand Forks transit reported 17 routes, a recent fare increase, and operating costs that exceed fare revenue, with paratransit service extending beyond the federal minimum service area. Bisman Transit outlined its fixed-route and paratransit operations, recent service expansions, local mill levies, sales tax support, and federal grant structure, and said it is seeking more stable funding and flexibility beyond paratransit-only support. Minot’s transit superintendent explained the state’s existing transit aid formula, the use of refurbished buses, and the challenges of driver recruitment and electric bus infrastructure. Fargo asked for additional state support for fixed-route urban transit. Committee members discussed whether ride-share services could replace transit, the cost per trip, local match requirements, and whether a separate state funding source should be recommended for the four urban fixed-route systems. The subcommittee ultimately approved a motion to have Legislative Council prepare a summary of its activities for inclusion in the full Government Finance Committee report, and members indicated they would seek more detailed funding figures from the transit agencies before making any specific recommendation.
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Public Service Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm

Joint Committee on Public Service

Transcript Highlights:
  • all of the services we currently provide.
  • H. 2960 would provide relief in two ways.
  • they provide to the member communities.
  • We provide in answer to our municipal leaders and our citizens.
  • They provided that critical layer of deeply rooted legacy knowledge.
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service heard testimony on a wide range of retirement, municipal workforce, and public employee labor bills. Early testimony focused on H. 2749, a Plymouth home rule petition to classify Plymouth harbormaster employees as Group 4 for retirement purposes. Supporters, including local officials and retirement board representatives, argued the employees perform law-enforcement and rescue duties comparable to police and fire personnel, that the change would be fair, and that it would have little or no fiscal impact on the town. A separate harbormaster-related bill, H. 2743, was also introduced later in the hearing. The committee also heard testimony on provisions of the Municipal Empowerment Act (H. 56), including a temporary critical-shortage exemption allowing retired state or municipal employees to return to work in hard-to-fill positions, and a renewed OPEB commission to study retiree health care costs. Administration and municipal officials said the measures were needed to address staffing shortages and rising benefit liabilities, while emphasizing the shortage exemption would be time-limited and require proof of recruitment efforts. Related retirement bills drew support and caution: advocates for higher COLA bases and enhanced COLA benefits urged relief for retirees, but some asked the committee to wait for recommendations from the special COLA commission before acting. A major portion of the hearing concerned labor rights at the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and the Committee for Public Counsel Services. Union representatives and employees backed bills to extend just-cause protections, promotional rights, and collective bargaining rights to MWRA and CPCS workers, arguing they currently lack protections available to most other public employees. Testimony described unfair discipline, delayed promotions, and high turnover, and committee members indicated prior favorable action on similar MWRA bills and expressed support for addressing CPCS labor rights. The committee also heard from representatives of the Massachusetts Municipal Association and public higher education employees in support of H. 2820, which would require timely funding of ratified state employee contracts, with witnesses describing long delays in receiving negotiated raises and back pay. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair repeatedly invited written testimony and closed each panel after questions.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • vital records, and providing environmental health guidance.
  • communicate with a human healthcare provider.
  • We are a state-authorized syringe service provider along with 501(c)(3).
  • Last November, we provided a point-in-time survey.
  • If you're on, please provide your name, organization, and position.
Keywords: 988, house, all
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Land & Resource Management Apr 10th, 2025

Land & Resource Management

Transcript Highlights:
  • Members, this bill provides for the dissolution of the Rose City Municipal Utility District.
  • The original allowed flexibility in using certain private spaces for meetings if they were open to the
  • OK, you just have to provide adequate notice if you have it outside the district. That's correct.
  • I provide communications, outreach, and transparency measures when I'm not sitting as a MUD director
  • I think there is already a remedy in law in the water code that TCEQ provides, and if the board is not
Bills: HB1835, HB2561, HB3630
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

S/C on Defense & Veterans' Affairs May 5th, 2025

S/C on Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • Which would provide services to help veterans adapt to life after separating from the military.
  • Veterans Commission would be charged with working with veterans service organizations or VSOs to provide
  • concern that without a DD-214, grant recipients would be unable to be reimbursed for services they provide
  • Uh, service providers in the state of Texas.
  • Uh, as a common sense stakeholder informed solution that enhances local flexibility and continues our
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Housing Committee Meeting - 2025-04-09

Housing Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • The amendment provides some reward to localities that commit to redesigning their land use and zoning
  • There is tremendous flexibility in choosing one of the six different options.
  • The amendment also grants Minnesota Housing flexibility in designing the scoring system.
  • So again, the amendment before you gives cities a tremendous amount of flexibility.
  • But just generally, what these two amendments seek to do is provide an incentive, or a carrot, if you
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Housing Finance and Policy Committee 3/25/25

Housing Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • , flexibility, and local leadership.
  • guidelines the program can provide guidelines the program can provide emergency<00:04:22.160>
  • <00:08:20.120> and initiating contact with providers and initiating contact with providers
  • <00:08:54.399> to requirements placed upon providers to requirements placed upon providers
  • <00:09:05.720> are serve this is a reality providers are serve this is a reality providers
Keywords: 1183, house
NH
Transcript Highlights:
  • Um, we will provide answers.
  • We'll do a little will provide answers.
  • Is it flexibility or is it health benefits?
  • Will provide you free training.
  • Is it providing daycare? Is it providing housing?
Keywords: 928, house, all
Summary: The committee first handled routine business, approving the prior meeting minutes with one abstention from a member who had been absent. It then received an update from DHHS Commissioner Lori Weaver on the department’s rural health transformation grant submission. Weaver said the grant was submitted ahead of the deadline, reflected input from communities and providers statewide, and would now enter a CMS review and negotiation phase. She explained that the governor’s office will oversee the grant with DHHS, that some proposals may be limited by federal parameters, and that the department may need to hire some staff to administer the grant, within the grant’s administrative cap. Members also discussed DHHS budget pressures and staffing. The department’s CFO, Nathan White, reviewed the agency’s budget mix, noting that DHHS accounts for a large share of the state’s operating and general fund budgets, and explained projected general fund lapse estimates, which he said are currently just under $20 million for the department. He also described why lapse projections are difficult to predict in DHHS because many costs are driven by utilization and because some funds are statutorily non-lapsing. White reported that vacancy rates have risen, citing about 400 unfunded positions in the current biennium and the department’s hiring freeze, while emphasizing that direct-care positions are being prioritized. Committee members raised concerns that back-of-the-budget cuts and weak revenue collections could affect the department’s ability to manage lapse projections. The committee then heard from Division of Public Health Director Ian Watt on vaccine policy and federal changes. Watt said New Hampshire continues to support access to safe and effective vaccines, including through the universal purchase program and seasonal respiratory virus guidance. He explained a recent CDC change regarding the MMRV vaccine, which now discourages the combined shot for the first dose in children under four because of febrile seizure risk, while still allowing it for the second dose. Watt said New Hampshire’s school and child care vaccine mandates remain stable, with nine vaccines required for schoolchildren and 10 for child care, and that the state continues to review federal recommendations cautiously. He also said there have been no supply or funding disruptions affecting vaccine access, and that childhood vaccine funding through commercial insurers remains intact. Finally, the Permanent Subcommittee on Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Related Dementias presented its annual report. The subcommittee said it met about six times, heard presentations on state services, silver alerts, brain health awareness, and palliative/hospice care, and began work on updating the state’s Alzheimer’s plan, which had last been updated in 2015-2016. To gather more direct input, the subcommittee formed a needs-assessment work group to develop a survey for people living with dementia, caregivers, and service providers. It recommended integrating Alzheimer’s and dementia materials into chronic disease, aging, and public health outreach; embedding cognitive health into systems of care and the state health improvement plan; adding cognitive health measures to BRFSS; and continuing partnerships with aging and advocacy organizations. Members praised the report and suggested it should clearly identify the subcommittee and include page numbers in future versions.