Transcript Highlights:

• if the opt-out providers feel like they need the additional funds to continue on the microtransit pilot
• <01:10:52.560> program<01:10:52.880> for delivery system pilot program for delivery
• This relates to establishing a single administrative structure and delivery system pilot program.
• structure and delivery uh system pilot structure and delivery uh system pilot program.<02:04:23.599
• This amendment deals with direct support professional certification pilot program.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, we propose extending the Care Connector pilot, which expands eligibility for subsidized
• The other thing we're looking at is, comprehensively, we have a commission looking at PILOT.
• We know PILOT is very important for those rural communities, and we have a commission now that is setting
• up to look at the PILOT, the payment in lieu of taxes formula.
• I'm also really excited to hear about the pilot commission forthcoming.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The joint budget hearing opened the FY27 budget process with remarks from the Senate and House Ways and Means chairs, who described the fiscal outlook as challenging because of slow revenue growth, rising health care and other costs, and uncertainty from federal policy changes. Governor Healey and Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew Gorzkowicz then presented House 2, a $62.8 billion budget that they said grows by about 1% and does not raise taxes or fees. They emphasized affordability, fiscal discipline, protection of core services, and continued investment in education, transportation, housing, child care, health care, and public safety. The administration also discussed a separate bill to delay and phase in certain federal tax-code changes from the so-called OB3 law, especially research and experimental expense provisions, to reduce immediate budget impacts and preserve competitiveness. A major portion of the hearing focused on education and municipal aid. The administration said House 2 provides about $7.6 billion for Chapter 70 aid, fully funds the final year of the Student Opportunity Act, increases special education circuit breaker funding, and raises rural school aid. Senators and representatives from both parties raised concerns that Chapter 70 and other aid formulas are not equitable for small, rural, and low-wealth communities and are not keeping pace with inflation, and several called for broader review of the formula and related funding streams. The governor and secretary said they are open to further discussion, pointed to additional support through rural aid, special education, transportation reimbursements, and minimum aid, and said total Student Opportunity Act investment would reach about $2.1 billion over the life of the law. Transportation, housing, and fair share spending were also central topics. The administration said fair share revenues are being used holistically, with education-heavy spending in the operating budget and transportation-heavy spending in the supplemental budget, and estimated the overall split to date at roughly 57% education and 43% transportation. They highlighted MBTA stabilization, regional transit authority support, microtransit, fare-free regional transit, and bridge and commuter rail investments, while noting the MBTA remains a major fiscal concern. On housing, the governor stressed production, permitting reform, ADUs, down-payment assistance, and support for public housing authorities, while lawmakers pressed for more funding for local housing authorities and for ways to address out-migration, energy costs, and affordability. The governor also said the administration will not withhold fire safety grants from communities over MBTA Communities Act noncompliance and will handle such issues case by case. No votes were taken at the hearing; it was an informational presentation and question-and-answer session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 14 is from House File 403, the rural cancer institute pilot program appropriation.
• Section 14 is from House File 403, the rural cancer institute pilot program appropriation.
• Section 14 is from House File 403, the rural cancer institute pilot program appropriation.
• Section 14 is from House File 403, the rural cancer institute pilot program appropriation.
• Section 14 is from House File 403, the rural cancer institute pilot program appropriation.

Bills: HF3732

Keywords: workforce development, unemployment benefits, youth training, economic development, grants, job creation

Transcript Highlights:

• Cass Clay had partnered with a lot of our different organizations to form a design team to create a pilot
• And so, as you know, there have been pilots in the state of North Dakota that have been identified to
• Unfortunately, Bismarck's West Central was not chosen for this first pilot, but we have been told that
• And communities that are piloting this approach would be a community like Bismarck could inform some
• Hospitals piloted screening programs and expanded nationwide. In 1999, the U.S.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Human Services Committee met in interim session and first approved the previous meeting minutes before receiving a series of presentations on homelessness and housing stability. Jennifer Henderson of the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency updated members on the new Interagency Council on Homelessness, describing its executive-order mandate to review resources, gather input from stakeholders, identify gaps, and develop recommendations. She said the council’s first work is building a statewide program matrix of existing homeless services and funding sources, with attention to youth, tribal communities, and other vulnerable populations. Members raised concerns about youth homelessness, homeless veterans, and how the council will stay focused on a practical framework rather than getting lost in details. The committee also discussed possible connections to the rural health transformation grant and agreed to continue the topic later in the spring. Beth Olson of Presentation Partners in Housing described the organization’s housing-first model in Cass County and Clay County, including homeless prevention/diversion, housing navigation, and Cooper House, a 42-unit permanent supportive housing building in Fargo. She said the organization focuses on people with long-term and chronic homelessness, many with mental health, addiction, health, domestic violence, and Indigenous identity-related barriers, and reported strong outcomes: 85 of 86 people housed in 2025, 91% still housed after one year, and major reductions in emergency room use, ambulance rides, jail stays, detox days, and shelter use. She also explained that state funding has grown from a small share of the budget to about $1.1 million in state-connected funding for fiscal 2026, largely through contracts tied to supportive services. Members asked about vouchers, rent contributions at Cooper House, length of stay, and whether similar projects could be expanded elsewhere. Andrea Olson of the Community Action Partnership of North Dakota outlined statewide homeless and housing-related services delivered through six community action agencies in all 53 counties. She explained the Community Services Block Grant structure, said housing was identified as the top need in the most recent statewide needs assessment, and described programs including Supportive Services for Veteran Families, North Dakota Homeless Grant services, and Home ARP supportive services. She emphasized that the end of North Dakota Rent Help has increased pressure on the system, that the current $2 million annual homeless grant is far smaller than prior rent-help assistance, and that community action is using case management and financial assistance to move households toward self-sufficiency. Members asked about funding formulas, rural service delivery, and coordination with Presentation Partners to avoid duplication. YouthWorks then began a presentation on youth homelessness, describing services for ages 12 to 24, the special needs of youth and former foster youth, and the organization’s use of federal and state funds to support transitional housing, emergency shelter, maternity housing, and diversion services.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today I rise to present AB 31, which would create a three year pilot program with the Department of Justice
• Proud to present AB 1140, which will create a single occupancy cell pilot program at four correctional
• AB 1307 establishes a pilot program allowing 30 qualified dentists from Mexico to practice in areas with
• Guaranteed income pilots in our state help participants become more financially stable.
• AB 1344 would create a pilot program adding DAs to the list of authorized petitioners for orders in the

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for interstate transfer unit, updates to reporting requirements, extension of the mental health unit pilot
• <01:15:33.520> unit extension of the mental health unit extension of the mental health unit pilot
• program, and the DOC's technical pilot program, and the DOC's technical policy Anyone have any questions
• Chair, I just wanted to get on the record that there's no cost to extending the pilot program.
• Motion prevails. to extending the pilot program. It's a to extending the pilot program.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• measure is to measure is to to<00:59:51.440> fulfill<00:59:52.280> a<00:59:52.320> pilot
• c><00:59:52.640> project<00:59:53.040> which<00:59:53.240> D-BED to fulfill a pilot
• project which D-BED to fulfill a pilot project which D-BED and<00:59:53.720> OP<00:59:53.960>
• It appropriates funds for the Department of Ag for a non-potable water wells pilot program, prepare an
• HB 1365, relating to the Department of Ag, appropriates funds for a non-potable water wells pilot program

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees met on March 19, 2025, to hear HB 966 HD2, which would create statewide standards for agricultural tourism in counties that adopt ag-tourism ordinances. The bill would require registration with county planning departments, require ag-tourism to remain tied to an active farming operation, and end the activity when the agricultural use stops except in limited circumstances. Testimony from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, the Agribusiness Development Corporation, the Department of Agriculture, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, Kualoa Ranch, and the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council was generally supportive of the bill’s intent, with several witnesses emphasizing that agritourism can help farm viability, food security, and public education about agriculture. The Hawaii Farm Bureau and several other testifiers supported agritourism but urged strong guardrails, minimal statewide standards, and deference to county home rule. They said agriculture should remain the primary activity, warned against adding burdens to farmers and ranchers, and suggested better enforcement and agricultural expertise within county planning departments. Phil Weber and others argued for objective standards, such as minimum revenue or work-performed thresholds, annual reporting, and clearer compliance tools, and cautioned that the bill’s termination exemption could be too broad if not tightened. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on whether the bill should apply to Department of Agriculture lands, especially ag park lands, and to DLNR lands. Department of Agriculture staff explained that ag park lands currently do not allow agritourism, while non-ag park lands under Act 90 allow limited related activity tied to farm production, with revenue limits and other conditions. Members and witnesses debated how to define and measure agritourism, how to enforce county rules, and whether to exempt ag park parcels or otherwise clarify that existing DOA rules would control. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing, and the chair requested follow-up language from DOA to address possible exemptions and clarify the bill’s application.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill requires UHCTAR to establish an endemic plant seed bank pilot program to preserve and promote
• This is the one that requires UH to establish an endemic plant seed bank pilot program.
• requires or establishes and appropriates funds for a three-year new wastewater system and technology pilot
• ><01:14:27.120> program<01:14:27.360> within<01:14:27.600> uh's uh technology pilot
• program within uh's uh technology pilot program within uh's West<01:14:28.560> I'm<01:14:28.679

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education heard several measures focused on health, environment, and research. HB 970 would allow chiropractic students to participate in clinical practice under direct supervision; the Hawaii Board of Chiropractic offered comments and asked for a delayed implementation date until July 2027 to allow time to adopt rules, while the Hawaii State Chiropractic Association supported the bill. Members also discussed that there are currently no chiropractic schools in the state. The committee then heard HB 1185, which creates a plant-based building materials working group, and HB 1337, which establishes an endemic plant seed bank pilot program. Supporters of HB 1185 said the bill could help create green jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by developing materials such as bamboo, hempcrete, and bio-cements, with questions raised about in-state processing. For HB 1337, witnesses supported the goal of preserving endemic species but said a large-scale refrigerated storage and seed-production facility would be needed; one witness estimated startup costs of about $6 million for one island and noted existing seed banks are small-scale and not designed for reforestation. HB 1300 would fund a University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center multi-ethnic cohort study on cancer disparities among Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, Filipinos, and Asians, including environmental and social factors such as proximity to landfills. The Cancer Center, ACS CAN, and labor representatives supported the bill, emphasizing health disparities and concerns about landfill exposure; committee members asked about federal funding, and the Cancer Center said it would pursue NIH, private, and foundation support, with the state share described as $500,000 per year for two years. HB 736 would create a wastewater technology testing pilot program at the Water Resources Research Center; supporters said it could help certify cheaper alternatives to costly cesspool and septic upgrades, and the Department of Health supported the measure. The committee also heard HB 531, which authorizes special license plates for the Cancer Center; supporters said it would raise visibility and funds, and the Cancer Center estimated revenue would likely be under $100,000. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, this pilot project is what's known as a demonstration, meaning that the agency has been granted a
• As a bit of background, this is a pilot<00:31:37.919> program<00:31:38.640> that<00:31:
• 38.880> the<00:31:39.120> legislature pilot program that the legislature pilot program
• So, this pilot from the 2024 session.
• So, this pilot project<00:31:49.120> is<00:31:49.360> what's<00:31:49.679> known

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and consent calendar, then took up several rule items. For Department of Safety rule 2611, DMV leadership explained the rule had been under development since January but needed to be updated to reflect a new statutory change and to align the rule with RSA 266. Members discussed narrowing the rule to road-safety items rather than automobile inspection provisions, and the department said it would issue a new public notice and hold another hearing. The committee voted to grant a waiver and postpone the item until the October 15, 2026 meeting. The Board of Active Puncture Licensing item 26-47 was postponed one month at the agency’s request so it could incorporate OS feedback, with no waiver needed. The Insurance Department’s claim settlement rule 25-234 and related item 26-78 drew more extensive discussion over waiver language. Committee members objected that the proposed language gave the commissioner broad discretion to set waiver periods without clear criteria, while agency counsel argued the rule already contained standards and that the language allowed temporary waivers. After discussion about consistency, permanency, and the need for clearer documentation, the committee voted to postpone 25-234 with a waiver and to postpone 26-78. Finally, the committee considered Health and Human Services rule 2690, which sets SNAP certification periods for a pilot demonstration authorized by SB 499. Staff explained that federal changes now require the age threshold for the 36-month certification period to be 65 instead of 60, and that the agency had been directed to make the change by August 12. Agency staff said the rule needed to be updated to match federal direction, and members generally agreed. The committee discussed whether the federal citation was sufficient and whether the rule should reference the law change directly, but no final objection was raised in the portion shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• same-day issue in the pilot. same-day issue in the pilot.
• Five former pilots of that airline reportedly quit over safety concerns.
• Five former pilots of that airline reportedly quit over safety concerns.
• Five former pilots of that airline reportedly quit over safety concerns.
• Five<01:36:26.360> former<01:36:27.080> uh<01:36:27.280> pilots<01:36:27.720>

Bills: HF3373, HF4449, HF3486, HF4180, HF4227, HF2505

Keywords: transportation, interchange, funding, bonds, St. Paul Park, transit, Metropolitan Council, Twin Cities, metro area, high-frequency transit, bus rapid transit, busway, guideway, transportation policy plan, transit performance measures, regional transit benchmarks, transit-oriented development, TOD, zoning, land use

Summary: The committee approved the April 8, 2026 minutes and then heard House File 3373, which was laid over. The bill sought trunk highway bond funding for preliminary and final design work at the 70th Street interchange in St. Paul Park. Representative Hansen, Mayor Keith Frankie, and Washington County Commissioner Karla Bigham described the interchange as undersized and increasingly unsafe because of refinery truck traffic, aggregate hauling, nearby growth, and changing traffic patterns. Members asked about prior study, cost, and greenhouse gas requirements, and the bill author said the request was about $500,000. Chair Cosgrove noted the bill would be laid over and suggested the issue could involve future statutory exemptions. The committee then took up House File 4449, also laid over, after adopting the A4 author’s amendment. Representative Jones presented the bill as a transit planning and accountability measure for the Twin Cities metro. It would set numeric transit goals, require better coordination between road projects and future transit projects, and give the Met Council more tools to support transit-oriented development, including property acquisition and development around transit corridors. Jones argued the bill would help avoid rebuilding roads twice and improve transit ridership, frequency, speed, and reliability. Representative Olson offered an amendment to exempt highway projects primarily addressing documented safety issues, arguing that safety projects should not be burdened by added transit requirements or costs. Jones said she supported the safety concern but opposed the amendment as written because the bill was aimed at major construction projects. After a roll call, the amendment failed on an 8-8 tie. The bill itself remained laid over for further work, with the chair noting there was still time to refine the proposal.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um basically what this pilot program.
• develop and one directs Itasca County to develop and run<00:10:29.080> this<00:10:29.240> pilot
• program<00:10:30.000> to<00:10:30.120> identify<00:10:30.800> and run this pilot
• resident meetings to get feedback from some of our county residents relative to this concept of the pilot
• It's a pilot we're trying out, a way for us to get tax-exempt properties that went into tax forfeiture

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, all this amendment does is move back the report date for the pediatric hospital to home pilot
• As a reminder, this pilot was a one-time appropriation of $1 million to move more quickly transition
• As a reminder, this pilot<00:01:13.840> was<00:01:14.000> a<00:01:14.320> one-time
• c><00:01:14.880> appropriation<00:01:15.520> of<00:01:15.840> $1 pilot was a one-time
• Um we had fully intended that piloted.

Bills: HF3738, HF2295, HF3520, HF3666

Keywords: pediatric care, hospital discharge, home care, healthcare accessibility, nursing services, family support, mental health, crisis services, Dakota County, mobile crisis response, public safety, treatment services, rehabilitation, behavioral health fund, client eligibility, home and community-based services, case management, waiver services, county services, disability advocacy

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like to share SEAM's support for Senate File 21106, authored by Senator Mchuan, to establish a pilot
• This proposed pilot program presents Minnesota with the opportunity to maximize its energy efficiency
• /c><00:29:02.320> to<00:29:02.480> establish<00:29:02.799> a<00:29:03.039> pilot
• by Senator Mchuan to establish a pilot by Senator Mchuan to establish a pilot program<00:29:03.679
• This proposed pilot program systems.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• seamless system, the development of a user-friendly website, coordinated research projects, and the new pilot
• research projects and the new pilot research projects and the new pilot program<00:05:20.319>
• We piloted this and used Legacy funds to allow us to take this exciting step, and we're partnering with
• ><01:03:45.039> we um a number of several years ago we um a number of several years ago we piloted
• a program with that and started piloted a program with that and started with<01:03:48.160> about<

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This pilot is a critical first step to build this capability across the executive branch programs.
• This pilot is a critical first step to build this capability across the executive branch programs.
• <01:35:53.280> program<01:35:54.080> to The Proposal is for a pilot program to The
• Proposal is for a pilot program to use<01:35:54.560> AI<01:35:54.920> to<01:35:55.119><
• is a critical Human Services this pilot is a critical first<01:36:01.280> step<01:36:01.719><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The work group can conduct pilot audits, and no later than the summer of 2027 will make recommendations
• The work group can conduct pilot audits, and no later than the summer of 2027 will make recommendations

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Committee on Election Laws held a hearing on election security bills, focusing first on S. 517 and H. 876, which would strengthen Massachusetts’ post-election audit process. Testimony from the Brennan Center, Common Cause Massachusetts, Verified Voting, and the League of Women Voters supported expanding audits to include all ballot types, increasing audit frequency from every four years to every two years, requiring statewide audit reports to be posted within 30 days and kept online for six years, and allowing municipalities to conduct audits under state standards. Witnesses also praised the bill’s creation of a work group to study risk-limiting audits and other improvements, emphasizing public confidence, transparency, and the ability of audits to detect errors or deter fraud. Committee members asked detailed questions about how Massachusetts compares with other states, how risk-limiting audits differ from current tabulation audits, how audits are selected and expanded if discrepancies appear, and what the costs and mechanics of different audit methods would be. Witnesses explained that current audits are typically random, hand-count-based checks of selected contests and batches of ballots, that risk-limiting audits use statistical sampling and can escalate to a full recount if needed, and that Massachusetts’ local-control structure makes a collaborative work group useful. They also noted that audits generally confirm results but can uncover errors that do not change outcomes, and occasionally more serious problems. The committee then heard testimony on H. 832, which would authorize the Secretary of the Commonwealth to take emergency actions affecting elections during declared emergencies. Supporters said the bill would create a clear statutory process for rescheduling or adjusting elections during severe weather or other crises, including allowing emergency absentee ballot accommodations for civilian responders, and would reduce the need for court intervention. No votes were taken on the bills during the hearing, and the meeting ended with adjournment after no additional testimony was offered.

Transcript Highlights:

• This year, we invested $10 million in facilitating pilot programs across the state, helping families
• We have to be investing in our youth, and that we want to do the pilots for a year-round youth employment

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Human Services and Labor budget hearing opened with Senate and Assembly co-chairs introducing members and naming secretaries for the record. The agencies covered included Human Services, Labor, Temporary and Disability Assistance, Children and Family Services, Veterans Services, Human Rights, Workers’ Compensation, the Welfare Inspector General, and the Public Employment Relations Board. Members then gave brief statements on their priorities for the upcoming budget negotiations. A major theme was affordability, with repeated discussion of child care, SNAP, housing, and worker supports. Senators and Assembly members highlighted the Senate and Assembly one-house proposals for a $500 million child care worker retention grant program, additional child care slots and subsidies, cost-of-living adjustments for human services workers, and expanded support for supportive housing, youth employment, HEAP, and energy affordability. Several members also emphasized food insecurity and SNAP-related issues, including funding to address payment errors, prevent penalties, expand SNAP education, and respond to expected federal changes. Labor-related issues included workers’ compensation fraud, wage theft enforcement, workplace violence, temporary disability insurance reform, and the creation of dedicated enforcement funding for the Department of Labor. Some members supported using workers’ compensation assessments or insurance-company-related funding to pay for anti-fraud efforts, while others preferred grants to district attorneys or broader DOL enforcement. There was also discussion of occupational health clinics, labor standards in any SEQRA changes, and expanding access to doctors in the workers’ compensation system. Veterans, child care, and public assistance fraud prevention were also discussed, including funding for veterans legal defense and mental health services, microchip/secure EBT cards to reduce skimming, and restoring or protecting various programs. No formal votes were taken; the hearing concluded with the chairs stating that the Senate, Assembly, and Executive would continue negotiations toward a final budget.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, piloted with us in the legislature.
• And there's also another bill that's kind of a companion bill going through that'll be a five-year pilot

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Schools; Denise Hensley, who's representing Putnam City Schools; and Charles de Bellevue, who is an ace pilot
• Denise Hensley that's representing Puttonham City Schools, and Charles de Bellevue, who is an ace pilot

Bills: HB1411, HB3143, HB3144, HB3901, HCR1019, HB3981, HB4248, HB3194, HB3849, HB4095, HB4302, HB3342, HB3344, HB3287, HB3645, HB3647, HB3930, HB3931, HB1818, HB4454, HB4336

Keywords: True Grit Trail, Oklahoma, tourism, signage, Department of Transportation, state parks, historical sites, economic development, medical marijuana, license transfer, Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, moratorium, business regulation, commercial grower licenses, licensing restrictions, agriculture, psychological autopsy, mental health, suicide prevention, state health department

Transcript Highlights:

• The legislature created the Step Into Success Pilot Program in 2023 to support eligible foster youth
• The legislature created the Step Into Success Pilot Program in 2023 to support eligible foster youth

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

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

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