Transcript Highlights:

• Retail and service ag businesses practices of aging vets wanting to sell their practices have been unsuccessful
• I'm working with the Minnesota Veterinary Association to ensure that best practices are kept to protect
• For instance, in our town, Minnesota, the vet clinic closed because she preferred practicing medicine
• In my immediate area, we've lost five veterinarians who would have loved to sell their practices.
• And so it allows him to practice his craft without all the added weight of owning a business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Approximately 75% still practice in this state.
• Approximately 75% still practice in this state.
• Approximately 75% still practice in this state.
• Approximately 75% still practice in this state.
• Approximately 75% still practice in this state.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So I think we need to talk about the practice act.
• But a person engages in the unlawful practice of law.
• The unlicensed practice of medicine. Thank you.
• If if you if I'm trying to look or if you already on your unlawfully practicing the practice advertising
• that we can look at the practice act compact.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The scope of practice in New Mexico, just to let you know.
• So the current practice model now, in New Mexico, dental hygienists can only practice under the supervision
• A collaborative practice dental hygienist is certified to practice without supervision in a cooperative
• As an example, with the advanced practice dental hygiene, some of the expanded scope of practice could
• Hygienists only have so much scope of practice.

Transcript Highlights:

• place that follows best practices place that follows best practices defined<01:25:54.960> by<
• It requires practitioners to practice only within the scope of their practice that's authorized by the
• state in which they're practicing.
• of practice and The Practice<01:49:17.239> Act<01:49:17.480> will<01:49:17.599> be<
• practice within the scope of practice practice within the scope of practice authorized<01:56:05.159

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• subjected to long discredited practices subjected to long discredited practices of<00:29:24.240>
• who know what those practices entail. who know what those practices entail.
• There is no evidence-based practice.
• organizations and allowing practices organizations and allowing practices like<00:38:02.079>
• <00:42:59.040> termed standards that uh practices termed standards that uh practices termed

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up administrative regulations, found no concerns, and then passed House Bill 389 with a favorable expression by a 9-0 vote. HB 389 was described as a cleanup bill for the CASPER prescription monitoring program: it clarifies that practitioners must have active CASPER accounts, exempts charitable health care providers from e-prescribing requirements, allows sharing CASPER data with certain federal entities such as military-base providers, and updates references to hydrocodone’s Schedule II status. The sponsor said there was no expected fiscal impact. The committee then passed House Bill 392, also by a 9-0 favorable expression. HB 392 would streamline payment for non-elective medical care for patients in state mental facilities when the facility cannot provide the needed treatment, allowing care in community-based settings and payment to those providers. The sponsor said the bill was intended to improve efficiency and would not have a fiscal impact on the cabinet. House Bill 501 was next and likewise passed 9-0 with favorable expression. The bill would allow pharmacists, in their professional judgment, to refill certain prescriptions for up to 180 days when a physician has died, while excluding controlled substances and preserving pharmacist discretion to require follow-up care. Senators raised concerns that the bill does not require patients to seek a new provider during that period, but supporters said the longer window addresses rural provider shortages and access delays. The committee then heard House Bill 495, as amended by a committee substitute. The substitute would prohibit Medicaid services and managed care organizations from covering cross-sex hormones above normal levels and gender reassignment surgery. Testimony on the bill was overwhelmingly opposed, with speakers including a former senator, psychologists, advocates, and legal and social work representatives arguing that conversion therapy is harmful, that the substitute would deny medically necessary gender-affirming care, and that the measure could increase suicide risk and litigation. One witness from the Family Foundation of Kentucky spoke in favor, arguing the executive order on counseling limits free speech and that counseling should not be restricted by government. The transcript ends during testimony, with no final committee vote on HB 495 shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:03:46.159> of the guidelines of and best practices of the guidelines of and best practices
• <00:10:25.760> handles setting because each practice handles setting because each practice
• program is implemented in a practical program is implemented in a practical way<00:58:20.799>
• practice adoption um across the islands. practice adoption um across the islands.
• and practices.

Bills: SB874, SB2097, SB2098, SB2126, SB2154, SB2153, SB2160, SB2123, SB2110

Keywords: veterinary medicine, prescription, consumer rights, transparency, pet medication, sustainable agriculture, climate adaptation, food system resilience, grant program, Hawaii agriculture, agriculture, clean plant program, disease-free plants, plant propagation, small farms, midsize farms, sustainable farming, Hawaii, data analysis, market study

Summary: The committee heard several agriculture-related bills. SB 874 on veterinary medicine would require veterinarians, upon a client’s request, to provide a written prescription for an animal patient in an existing veterinary client-patient relationship, allow Hawaii-licensed pharmacies to dispense those prescriptions, and authorize the Veterinary Medicine Board to set penalties. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, with supporters citing lower costs and consumer choice; the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association said veterinarians already should be doing this and supported the bill if amended. One testifier in opposition argued the bill needed a conspicuous notice requirement so pet owners know they can request prescriptions. Committee members and the Department of Agriculture said they were not aware of widespread problems, and discussion focused on whether the measure was already consistent with current practice and whether amendments would address remaining concerns. The committee also heard SB 2097, which would create a climate-resilient food systems grant program in the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and appropriate funds. The department, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Farmers Union, Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, and others supported the bill, saying it could help farmers and ranchers invest in resilience, infrastructure, and technology. Several testifiers asked for clearer definitions, especially for terms like “food hubs” and “resilience hubs,” and suggested adding technical assistance and clearer eligibility criteria. The department explained the program was intended for shovel-ready projects in the middle of the supply chain, with a focus on farmers in a certain revenue range, and said it was modeled on a USDA program. SB 2098 would establish a clean plant program to produce and distribute disease-free plant material to growers, nurseries, and other producers. Testimony was supportive, emphasizing biosecurity, nursery industry needs, and preventing invasive species and crop disease. The department described the program as using tested clean stock, tissue culture facilities, and data collection to support future planting decisions, and estimated a two-year ramp-up. Members questioned whether the program duplicated existing work at CTR/other partners and whether data collection should be centralized, but the department said the effort would build on existing varieties and partnerships rather than overlap them. Finally, SB 2126 would create a conventional farming grant program for small and midsize conventional farmers. Supporters from the department, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council said conventional agriculture deserves support and that the bill would help increase food production. Opposition and comments focused on the bill’s exclusion of organic farmers; one farmer said the measure was unfair unless amended to include organic producers, while a Farmers Union witness said the bill was too vague about the grant’s purpose and should be clearer about its goals. In response to questions, the department said the exclusion of organic farming was not intentional and that the bill was meant to support all agriculture, though no vote or final action was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Illegal marketing product practice. Practice. Okay. Not much better. Okay. Yeah.
• practice as opposed to a service? practice as opposed to a service?
• Illegal marketing product practice. Illegal marketing product practice.
• Practice.<01:28:05.600> Okay. Practice. Okay. Practice. Okay.
• practices by having 40-year agreements. practices by having 40-year agreements.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first held a public hearing on Senate Bill 25, which would allow state-chartered credit unions to compensate board members if the membership approves it. Prime sponsor Senator Dan Innis said the bill is enabling only, intended to help credit unions recruit and retain qualified directors and align New Hampshire with other states that already allow such compensation. Credit union representatives from the Cooperative Credit Union Association and St. Mary’s Bank supported the bill, saying board service has become more complex because of cybersecurity, asset-liability management, and other regulatory demands, and that compensation could be modest and take forms such as meeting fees or educational reimbursement. In response to committee questions, they said compensation would be set by the membership, disclosed in advance, and subject to bylaws and internal policies; they also noted that board members must be credit union members and that voting procedures vary by institution, with some using mailed ballots rather than proxy voting. Members raised questions about why credit union boards were historically excluded, what kinds of compensation were contemplated, whether there would be a cap, and how voting and confidentiality would work. Testimony explained that the historical rationale was the nonprofit, volunteer mission of credit unions, but witnesses argued that the modern environment and competition for talent justify a change. They also said the bill would not mandate compensation and would not create a salary structure comparable to banks, but would allow members to approve modest compensation or reimbursements. After no further testimony, the chair closed the public hearing on Senate Bill 25. The committee then opened a public hearing on Senate Bill 26, sponsored by Senator Howard Pearl, concerning the definition of deposits in land sales and escrowed accounts. Pearl said the bill would clarify that buyer funds for upgrades and luxury items in new-home construction are not treated as refundable deposits that must be held in escrow, arguing that the current Attorney General interpretation raises builder costs, increases home prices, and can limit buyer choices. He said the proposal would allow those upgrade funds to be paid directly to builders for construction, with signed disclosures making clear that the buyer requested the items and bears the risk if financing falls through. The hearing on Senate Bill 26 had just begun when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• in focus on the data practices in focus on the data practices provision.<00:45:28.319> Senator
• Um I will say we practice to be good.
• that's not a data practices question. that's not a data practices question.
• ,<01:06:02.240> and<01:06:02.480> and principles, practices, and and principles, practices
• And then uh I think the final practices.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• OK, practice violations. OK.
• Um, the, the, the most, uh, the larger percentage involve practice issues or, um, fitness to practice
• Of those, 4,899 are active and practicing in Texas.
• I practice in San Antonio.
• It's still a very favorable place to practice medicine.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, practice violations, okay. And then the rest, the remaining are?
• Are accommodated. of different types of violation of the Practice Act.
• Of those, 4,000. 899 are active and practicing in Texas.
• So roughly what percentage of your employees are practicing telework?
• It's still a very favorable place to practice medicine.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:10:55.200> for has been fairly standard practice for has been fairly standard practice
• , is pretty standard practice in any business, not even just the legislature.
• , is pretty standard practice in any business, not even just the legislature.
• actually<00:27:04.240> two practice.
• There were actually two practice.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We also found leading practices and other states' practices that provide examples of planning and performance
• Next, my colleague Nancy Patino will cover the practices we identified.
• practices that we found.
• In the following slides, I will go into further detail on all of these practices.
• For practice one, establish an economic development strategic plan, including goals and objectives.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee’s Initiative 900 subcommittee held a hybrid public hearing on two State Auditor performance audits. The first audit examined efforts to reduce non-emergency use of emergency systems through CARES programs. Auditors reported that Washington has 52 fire-agency-led CARES programs in 26 counties, but many communities without programs said they need one. Major barriers included unstable funding, difficulty hiring qualified staff, volunteer-based rural departments, and lack of statewide guidance. The audit also found that only about half of programs tracked both required performance measures, and it recommended that the legislature consider private insurance reimbursement options and convene a statewide work group to develop guidance, standards, and possible changes to the role of the Department of Health. Agency representatives and fire officials largely supported the findings and emphasized that short-term grants and one-year contracts make programs hard to sustain. Committee discussion focused heavily on financing, especially Medicaid reimbursement and accountable communities of health (ACHs). Auditors clarified that the 10% figure cited in the report referred to direct Medicaid reimbursement for treat-and-refer services, which some agencies do not pursue because the $115 rate is too low relative to the administrative effort. Several fire officials testified that their programs rely on grants and ACH support, but that funding is often year-to-year and uncertain. They also described the value of CARES programs in reducing emergency room use, jail detentions, and long ambulance wait times, while noting barriers to sharing patient records across systems. Members asked whether the new public safety sales tax authority could help, but fire district representatives said it is not a direct funding option for them. The second audit reviewed performance management in the Department of Commerce’s Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness. Auditors found that the division does not yet have a statewide economic development strategic plan and that performance management is inconsistent across its 16 programs. In a limited review, all six sampled programs had goals, but only half clearly identified performance measures and targets, and only three tracked outcomes and published results. The audit highlighted leading practices from other states, including strategic planning, regular progress reporting, aligning program goals with agency goals, and using performance-based contracts and grant monitoring. Recommendations urged Commerce to seek stakeholder input, assess internal and external conditions, set goals and measures, align programs with the strategy, and strengthen monitoring and evaluation. Commerce officials agreed with the audit and said the division is already working toward a strategic plan, with a new assistant director to be hired and a target of completing the work by mid-next year. Members pressed the department on how the plan would connect to workforce, higher education, housing, and other economic development systems, and asked Commerce to return to JLARC next year with progress updates. The meeting ended with instructions for submitting written public comments and notice of the next JLARC meeting schedule.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, this is a practical modernization measure rooted in good government.
• existing laws and data practices. existing laws and data practices.
• Members, this is a practical Members, this is a practical modernization<00:03:22.959> measure
• So data practice requests about these requirements would go through that database rather than through
• So data practice requests requirements.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Practices Act as data on individuals needs to be data on individuals.
• When that is not done, that disrupts the balanced approach of the Data Practices Act.
• The Attorney General's office has plenty of money to deal with data practices requests.
• The Attorney General's Office is today subject to the Data Practices Act. Act.
• The same data practices tools that they get to use. The tools that you get to use.

Transcript Highlights:

• I have a medium-sized family medicine practice in Arlington.
• My practice is going and not just mine.
• Consider a few cases from my practice.
• I've been practicing in Massachusetts for the past four years.
• Since 2024, my practice has served over 200 MassHealth members.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a lengthy public hearing with testimony on a wide range of health insurance and access-to-care bills. Early testimony focused on prescription drug pricing and pharmacy reimbursement, with supporters of H. 1326 arguing that pharmacy benefit managers and MassHealth managed care arrangements reimburse independent pharmacies too little, contributing to pharmacy closures and “pharmacy deserts.” The committee also heard repeated support for H. 1151/S. 742 on cognitive rehabilitation for acquired brain injury, H. 1288/S. 716 on telehealth parity for nutrition counseling, H. 1309/S. 761 on full-spectrum pregnancy care without cost-sharing, H. 1312 on insurance coverage for doula services, H. 309 on prompt access to health care by removing deductibles for certain services, H. 809/H. 1227 on biomarker testing, H. 1162/S. 810 on reducing inequities in access to medical procedures by limiting insurer cuts tied to Modifier 25, and S. 726 on insurance coverage for mobile integrated health. Testifiers included legislators, physicians, pharmacists, dietitians, emergency and rehabilitation clinicians, and patients and family members. Supporters of the brain injury bill said cognitive rehabilitation is medically necessary, improves long-term outcomes, and can reduce institutional care and public costs; they noted the bill has been heard repeatedly and has support from the Brain Injury Commission and prior favorable committee action. Supporters of the pregnancy care and doula bills described out-of-pocket costs as a barrier to maternal health and shared personal stories of high bills and unmet support needs. Biomarker testing advocates and cancer patients said coverage gaps deny patients access to precision treatment, can lead to avoidable suffering, and should be standardized across insurers; several speakers said insurers often deny claims despite clinical benefit. Dermatology witnesses said insurers’ use of Modifier 25 cuts reimbursement for same-day evaluation and procedure visits, forcing separate appointments and increasing patient burden. Mobile integrated health supporters described home-based care as a way to reduce emergency department use and hospital readmissions, especially for patients with transportation or mobility barriers. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• This that supervision practices.
• scope of practice. scope of practice.
• part of our practice part of our practice as<00:04:51.199> well<00:04:51.360> as as
• one of the focuses of uh of my practice one of the focuses of uh of my practice uh<00:05:03.600>
• therapy outpatient practice as an adult. therapy outpatient practice as an adult.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Health Services heard Senate Bill 18, a bill described by the sponsor and podiatry witnesses as a modernization of Kentucky’s podiatry laws. The bill would recognize and regulate podiatric assistants, podiatric residents, and supervising podiatrists; allow podiatrists to supervise physician assistants in podiatry practices with approval from the relevant licensing boards; require new podiatrists licensed after January 1, 2027 to complete at least two years of residency; and extend disciplinary authority to the new categories. Witnesses said the measure would improve access to foot and ankle care, especially in rural areas, without expanding scope of practice. The Kentucky Medical Association was said to be neutral after working on the language with the sponsors. Committee members raised concerns about the meaning of “supervision,” whether it required direct or indirect oversight, and whether the bill could broaden billing or coding privileges. Dr. Roberts said supervision could mean direct supervision or indirect supervision, including being available by telephone, and noted the bill mirrors language used in allopathic PA supervision. He also said the bill would not change office staff billing roles and that podiatric assistants would not bill separately. Several senators said they supported moving the bill forward but remained concerned about workforce, cost, and scope creep. The committee adopted a committee substitute, then voted on the bill. The motion passed unanimously with favorable expression. After the vote, the committee moved on to a presentation on outpatient pediatric therapies, where providers described Medicaid reimbursement pressures, workforce turnover, and long waiting lists for children’s therapy services, but no action was taken on that presentation in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• had an exercise where we practice had an exercise where we practice everything<00:03:22.720>
• Um, that practice uh aircraft incident.
• Again, we had just practiced this.
• Again, we had just practiced<00:06:58.720> this.
• That was set up by 6:15 practiced this.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The task force met, called the roll, and approved the November 4, 2025 meeting minutes. The main presentation came from Dan Mann, executive director of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority, who gave a recovery update on the November 4 aircraft incident at UPS Worldport/Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. He described the airport layout, FAA safety requirements, staffing, and the extensive emergency training and mutual-aid coordination that had taken place before the incident, including a full exercise two weeks earlier. Mann then walked through the response timeline, saying the tower reported the incident at 5:13 p.m. Airport firefighters responded within a minute, with Air National Guard support and mutual aid arriving quickly; by about 6:15 p.m. the airport emergency operations center was activated and agencies including Metro, Red Cross, FBI, UPS, and airline partners were coordinating. He said more than 50 companies and over 200 firefighters were on scene within two hours, and credited the prior training and close working relationships among responders for the effectiveness of the response. He also explained the operational impact on the airport: all runways were closed, five departures were canceled, 16 arrivals were unable to land, and officials were working with TSA, UPS, and the NTSB on messaging and next steps. Mann said debris and fire damage on multiple runways meant the airfield had to remain closed while investigators determined what was evidence and what was debris from the fire. No votes or other formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm very unfamiliar with the rules, but ...that I do not practice in family law.
• I've been practicing in the state of Florida for 17 years.
• Obviously, it's no secret I practice in this space, and this is much-needed clarification.
• I practice in this space, and this is much-needed clarification.
• We also prosecute non-lawyers who are engaged in the practice of law.

Summary: The Civil Justice and Claims Subcommittee met with a quorum and took up House Bill 413, relating to attorney’s fees, suit money, and costs in family law cases. Representative Gottlieb explained that the bill and strike-all amendment were intended to promote fairness, create more uniformity across circuits, expand judicial discretion in awarding fees, and strengthen enforcement language. Members discussed how the amendment’s reference to good-faith settlement offers would apply only after trial in fee determinations, not during the trial itself. Jamie Epstein of the Florida Bar’s Family Law Section supported the measure overall, saying it would improve consistency and deter bad-faith litigation, but noted concern about one paragraph creating a presumption of entitlement to fees in contempt actions. The committee adopted the strike-all amendment and then passed HB 413 favorably as amended by a 13-0 vote. Chair Koster said the bill would provide needed clarification in family law practice and help parties litigate more professionally and amicably. After the vote, the committee heard a presentation from Florida Bar President Sayah Baker Barnes on the Florida Bar’s role and the impact of artificial intelligence on the legal profession. Baker Barnes described the Florida Bar as an arm of the Florida Supreme Court responsible for regulating lawyers, protecting the public, handling discipline, reimbursing some victims of lawyer theft through the client security fund, and providing continuing legal education. She said AI use among lawyers has grown rapidly and that the Bar has created committees, guidance, and an ethics opinion to help lawyers use AI responsibly. She emphasized that lawyers remain responsible for the accuracy of AI-generated citations and work product, noted that Florida courts have already disciplined lawyers and a pro se litigant for fake AI-generated citations, and discussed confidentiality, privilege, and deepfake concerns. Members asked about protecting client information and finding best-practice resources, and she directed them to the Bar’s LegalFuel site and AI guidance materials. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• settings, aligning Florida's practice standards with those... ...in private practice settings, aligning
• You still cannot practice psychotherapy on your own.
• I currently practice in the Tampa area.
• I currently practice in the Tampa area.
• Noticeably absent is the practice of optometry.

Summary: The Health Professions and Programs Subcommittee met with a quorum present and considered two bills. HB 361, by Rep. Nix, would reclassify registered interns as registered associates for clinical social work, marriage and family therapy, and mental health counseling, and would streamline supervision rules by removing the requirement that licensed supervisors be physically present in private practice settings. Supporters said the bill would modernize terminology, reduce barriers to practice, and expand access to mental health care while maintaining supervision and public safety. Several members raised concerns about possible unintended effects on community health centers and Medicaid workforce issues, but the bill drew broad support and passed 17-0, reported favorably. The committee then heard HB 1341, by Rep. Gonzales Pittman, which is aimed at preventing misuse of physician specialty titles and limiting those titles to practitioners who are actually board-certified in the specialty they claim. The sponsor emphasized that the bill does not address the general use of “doctor” or “physician,” only specialty designations such as dermatologist, gynecologist, neurologist, or plastic surgeon. Testimony in support came from medical and professional groups, including anesthesiologists and plastic surgeons, who said clearer titles help patients know who is treating them and improve safety. The Florida Optometric Association opposed the bill, arguing it could create confusion or omit optometric titles and other designations. Two amendments were adopted without objection. One removed a hospital name-tag requirement from the bill. The other changed a claims-denial provision so that denial letters need only disclose that a Florida-licensed physician in good standing made the decision, while the insurer must retain the physician’s identifying information for potential litigation or discovery. Some members supported the privacy protections, while others questioned whether the amendment was germane to the bill. As amended, HB 1341 passed 13-4 and was reported favorably.