Transcript Highlights:

• Eventually, I started therapy, and I created Chasing Red Flags, a mental wellness movement to help give
• Eighteen veterans die by suicide daily in the U.S., despite psychiatric drugs and therapy.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a wide range of public health and emergency services bills, with many speakers focusing on EMS system failures, hospital service closures, trauma preparedness, epilepsy awareness, drink-spiking response, sudden cardiac arrest, and survivor financial assistance. Several legislators and advocates described the EMS system as underfunded and overstretched, citing long ambulance waits, staffing shortages, and the need for statewide oversight, a special commission, and clearer recognition of EMS as an essential service. A number of speakers also supported bills to preserve essential hospital services after closures such as Nashoba Valley Medical Center and birthing services in Leominster, arguing that current closure rules lack enforcement and leave communities without critical care. Multiple panels testified in support of bills requiring trauma kits in public buildings, public education on SUDEP and epilepsy mortality, and improved cardiac arrest response. Supporters of the trauma-kit bill said public buildings should have bleeding-control kits and trained staff, comparing them to AEDs and first aid supplies. Epilepsy advocates, clinicians, and grieving parents urged a public health campaign on SUDEP, saying families are often not warned about the risk and that awareness could improve medication adherence, reduce guilt, and save lives. On cardiac arrest, EMS professionals and the American Heart Association backed measures to improve telecommunicator CPR, create an AED registry, and strengthen dispatch and training standards. The committee also heard extensive testimony on a bill addressing illicit drink spiking. Senators, city officials, victims, physicians, and an international anti-spiking advocate described cases in which hospitals refused toxicology testing unless a sexual assault was reported, and argued for standardized testing protocols, better data collection, and coordination with law enforcement and licensed venues. Another bill drew a sharp exchange over local public health control and the SAFE 2.0 law, with one senator arguing for more local approval and voluntary participation, while committee members defended the earlier law as a response to inequities in local public health capacity. Finally, advocates from Jane Doe, Inc. supported legislation to provide flexible financial assistance to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, saying unrestricted cash helps survivors meet basic needs, escape abuse, and rebuild stability.

Transcript Highlights:

• They provide some cognitive behavioral therapy, some life skills.
• on their plate, they can't provide the intense time that they need with students who really need therapy

Summary: The Senate and House Joint Committee on Children and Youth approved the December 10 minutes and confirmed Representative Mary Bentley to the Child Maltreatment Investigations Oversight Committee. The committee then heard the annual Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review report, which said the state reviewed 148 of 170 non-natural child deaths in 2023; the reviewed deaths included 69 accidents, 14 suicides, 18 homicides, and 47 undetermined causes. Members asked about how the report’s recommendations could be used, grant opportunities tied to prevention work, and whether the data could be broken down by age; presenters said the report is intended as a prevention tool for agencies and nonprofits and that some age detail is available in later pages of the report. The committee next took up HCR 1010 and then a broader discussion of juvenile justice reform. Senator Missy Irvin, judges, and Administrative Office of the Courts staff described Arkansas’s use of validated risk assessments, including SAVRY, the Ohio Youth Assessment Tool, MAYSI, and substance-abuse screening, as part of a long-running effort to reduce juvenile incarceration and tailor services to individual youth and families. They said the reforms have contributed to fewer delinquency filings, fewer DYS commitments, and more diversions, while also emphasizing that mental health, substance abuse, school issues, and trauma often drive juvenile court involvement. Several members raised concerns about data gaps, school collaboration, and whether community-based services are sufficient, and presenters said more shared data and stronger school use of safety dashboards could help intervene earlier. Division of Youth Services Director Michael Crump then presented custody, education, recidivism, and cost data. He said DYS commitments rose after the pandemic, secure residential populations remain high, and detention-center use increased when intake beds filled; he also noted that DYS pays about $320 per day for secure custody and that detention beds cost roughly $90 to $100 per day. Crump said most youth in custody are older teens, about 80 percent are male, and many have behavioral-health needs or educational deficits; he reported 222 GEDs and 102 high school diplomas over six years. He also said about 15 to 19 percent of youth return to DYS within three years and that a larger share later enter the Department of Corrections, while members pressed him on how assessments relate to commitments, how low-risk cases are handled, and how to improve mental health and substance-abuse services statewide.

Transcript Highlights:

• adherence to that aftercare plan, assisting where they can. ...providing some cognitive behavioral therapy
• on their plate, they can't provide the intense time that they need with students who really need therapy

Summary: The Senate and House Joint Committee on Children and Youth met to approve prior minutes, confirm Representative Mary Bentley to the Child Maltreatment Investigations Oversight Committee, and receive several presentations. The Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review team reported on unexpected child deaths in Arkansas, saying its 2023 review covered 148 of 170 non-natural deaths, with the remainder unavailable due to criminal investigations or missing records. Of the reviewed deaths, 69 were accidents, 14 suicides, 18 homicides, and 47 undetermined, and members discussed how the report’s recommendations could be used by agencies and nonprofits for prevention work and grant applications. Committee members also asked about age breakdowns and how the data could be shared without identifying individual cases. The committee then took up HCR 1010 and a broader discussion of juvenile justice reform. Representative Shepard said the resolution was intended to confront data on juvenile incarceration and system outcomes. Senator Missy Irvin, judges Troy Braswell and Kathy Hess, and AOC Juvenile Division Director Burke Steen described the state’s long-running reform efforts, including the SAVRY risk assessment, diversion programs, and efforts to keep more youth in their communities. They said the reforms have reduced delinquency filings, DYS commitments, and revocations, while increasing diversions, but also emphasized ongoing gaps in mental health, substance abuse, and school-based supports. Members raised concerns about school data sharing, behavioral health access, and how to better identify youth with disabilities or trauma earlier. Judge Braswell and others stressed that many youth in the system have significant trauma, family instability, or unmet treatment needs, and that judges need individualized information to make decisions. Several members discussed the role of schools, the school safety dashboard, and the need for stronger community providers, especially in rural areas. The committee then heard from DYS Director Michael Crump, who provided data on commitments, facility use, demographics, offense levels, length of stay, education outcomes, recidivism, dual DCFS/DYS custody, and costs. He said commitments rose after the pandemic and then began to decline, while secure and detention costs increased with the need for more beds; he also noted that most youth in custody have behavioral health needs and that DYS works closely with DCFS, courts, and providers. No final action was taken on HCR 1010 during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've been taking my son to therapy for many years to process the reasons why a trusted adult was putting
• I've been taking my son to therapy for many years to process the reasons why a trusted adult was putting

Bills: HJR6, HJR7, HB120, HB60, HB151, HR1, HM13, SB40, SB104

Keywords: constitutional amendment, legislative sessions, veto override, New Mexico legislature, session length, legislative session, even-numbered years, New Mexico Constitution, student behavior, physical restraint, seclusion, public schools, training, de-escalation, student safety, behavior interventions, criminal offenses, peace officer, Victims of Crime Act, law enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• and "What is therapy?" This supports people in obtaining that information. We also have.
• We also ensure that they're connected with therapy counseling.

Transcript Highlights:

• largest complement of chronic pain patients, and she didn't have a clue what she was doing with opioid therapy
• Part of that is allowing them to have perhaps an adverse outcome, perhaps just a therapy that didn't

Transcript Highlights:

• But if the person did physical therapy for a living, now the dental board actually has its hands tied
• action, the only action that they can actually take is that they have to call the Board of Physical Therapy

Bills: HCR158, HCR159, HCR160, HCR161, HCR162, HCR163, HCR164, HR174, HR427, HR790, HR810, HR857, HR866, HR882, HR883, HR962, HR966, HR1001, HR1045, HR1085, HR1097, HR1127, HR1138, HR1141, HR1150, HR1152, HR1292, HR1296, HR1304, HR1305, HR1306, HR1308, HR1309, HR1310, HR1311, HR1312, HR1313, HR1315, HR1317, HR1318, HR1320, HR1321, HR1322, HR1323, HR1324, HR1325, HR1327, HR1328, HR1329, HR1330, HR1331, HR1332, HR1333, HR1334, HR1335, HR1338, HR1340, HR1341, HR1342, HR1343, HR1344, HR1345, HR1346, HR1347, HR1348, HR1349, HR1352, HR1353, HR1354, HR1355, HR1358, HR1359, HR1360, HR1361, HR1362, HR1363, HR1364, HR1365, HR1366, HR1368, HR1369, HR1370, HR1380, HR1383, HR1384, HR1385, HR1386, HR1387, HR1388, HR1389, HR1390, HR1392, HR1393, HR1396, HR1397, HR1398, HR1399, HR1400, HR1402, HR1403, HR1404, HR1405, HR1406, HR1407, HR1408, HR1409, HR1410, HR1411, HR1412, HR1413, HR1414, HR1415, HR1417, HR1418, HR1419, HR1420, HR1421, HR1422, HR1424, HR1425, HR1426, HR1427, HR1428, HR1429, HR1430, HR1431, HR1432, HR1433, HR1434, HR1435, HR1436, HR1437, HR1438, HR1440, HR1441, HR1442, HR1443, HR1444, HR1445, HR1447, HR1448, HR1449, HR1450, HR1452, HR1453, HR1454, HR1455, HR1456, HR1458, HR1459, HR1460, HR1461, HR1462, HR1463, HR1464, HR1465, HR1466, HR1467, HR1469, HR1470, HR1471, HR1472, HR1473, HR1475, HR1477, HCR132, HCR154, HR17, HR49, HR170, HR275, HR355, HR356, HR364, HR369, HR672, HR690, HR755, HR756, HR759, HR762, HR763, HR781, HR785, HR848, HR1240, HR1265, HR1303, HR1307, HR1314, HR1316, HR1319, HR1326, HR1336, HR1337, HR1350, HR1351, HR1367, HR1371, HR1372, HR1373, HR1374, HR1375, HR1376, HR1377, HR1378, HR1379, HR1382, HR1391, HR1395, HR1451, HR1457, HR1468, HR1474, HR1476, SB1637, SB2878, HB2885, HB2017, HB5246, SB8, SB2308, SB1405, HB 119, SB3059, SB15, SB568, SB2900, HB3642, HB3909, SB268, HB493, SB2217, HB2516, SB650, HB2963, SB1610, HB705, SB2972, SB1540, HB40, SB2753, SB1660, SB2024, HB1545, HB46

Keywords: World War II, V-J Day, Victory over Japan Day, Japan surrender, atomic bomb, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, USS Missouri, Douglas MacArthur, Harry S. Truman, Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, Potsdam Conference, Pacific Theater, Greatest Generation, veterans, military history, commemoration, concurrent resolution, Texas Legislature

Transcript Highlights:

• important thing for my medical consulting is recognizing that alternative care and treatment and therapy
• Thank you. therapy.

Bills: HB18, HB37, HB 116, HB388, HB879, HB913, HB 1151, HB2216, HB2358, HB2809, SB577, SB1590, SB1782, SB1887, SB2744

Keywords: rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability, perinatal bereavement, healthcare, hospital training, bereavement support, maternal care, fetal demise, stillbirth, neonatal death, parent-child relationship, involuntary termination, family law, child welfare, child protection, HB 388, HB388

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services met with a quorum and took up several House and Senate bills, with public testimony limited to two minutes per witness. The committee first heard HB 2358, a cleanup bill requested by HHSC that would repeal outdated training and conference requirements for long-term care facility surveyors and certain providers; there were no witnesses, and the bill was left pending. The committee then heard HB 18, the rural hospital stabilization bill, which would create financial assessment tools, a rural hospital finance office at HHSC, an academy for rural hospital officers, multiple grant programs, enhanced Medicaid reimbursement tied to average cost, OB/GYN add-on payments, expanded pediatric telehealth connectivity, and a rural pediatric mental health program. Senator Perry and witnesses from TORCH, a rural hospital, AARP Texas, and ARCHI strongly supported the bill as a way to stabilize rural hospitals, improve OB access, and address workforce and financial pressures. Committee members discussed rural hospital closures, low-volume quality metrics, system affiliation, and the need for predictable monthly reimbursement; the bill was left pending after testimony and questions. The committee next heard HB 37, which would create a perinatal bereavement care initiative for families experiencing stillbirth, neonatal death, or intrauterine fetal demise, including counseling, staff training, and access to cooling devices, with possible grants and a recognition program for hospitals. Senator Huffman explained the bill, and several witnesses testified in support, sharing personal stories about infant loss and the importance of time with the baby, trained staff, and cuddle cots or similar devices. A neonatologist also supported the bill while suggesting clarification that hospitals should not be penalized if state funding is unavailable and recommending use of regional advisory councils to help implement training. Public testimony was then closed and the bill left pending. The committee also heard HB 879, which would create a streamlined licensing pathway for veterans with medical or nursing experience to practice in Texas, and HB 913, which would add new state hospitals to statute and split the North Texas State Hospital into two separate hospitals with their own superintendents; both bills had no opposition testimony and were left pending. Later, the committee heard SB 2744, a heart disease screening bill that would update the 2009 Texas Heart Attack Prevention Act to require insurance coverage for coronary CT angiography with plaque analysis, including soft plaque detection, as a preventive screening tool. The author and invited witnesses argued the technology is more effective than calcium scoring alone, can identify patients before symptoms appear, and could save lives at a cost comparable to or lower than colonoscopy. An insurance industry witness opposed the bill, arguing the technology has not been recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for universal screening and that the mandated coverage and payment level would raise costs; the bill was left pending after testimony. Finally, the committee heard HB 1151, a parental rights bill clarifying that refusing psychotropic medication or psychiatric treatment is not neglect unless the child is harmed. Supporters, including parent advocates and attorneys, said the bill would protect parents from CPS overreach and preserve medical decision-making authority, while one witness urged broader attention to physical causes of behavioral issues. Public testimony was closed and HB 1151 was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Joshua Hedgeson, an occupational therapy assistant at UC Davis, and I'm also in support of ACA 3.
• I'm a UCLA physical therapy aide. I'm here in support of ACA 3 with my coworkers. Thank you.

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee heard a series of bills focused on expanding access to higher education, addressing workforce shortages, student housing, and labor standards on campus projects. AB 662 would create a South County Higher Education Task Force to explore a mixed-use, intersegmental institution in Chula Vista; supporters said South San Diego County is a “college desert,” while the bill passed on a due pass as amended motion to Appropriations. AB 885 would establish a College Access for All Fund to help make CSU and UC attendance more affordable; supporters cited student debt and affordability concerns, and it also passed to Appropriations. AB 730 would provide $15 million to help establish a medical school in the Central Valley to address physician shortages, and it advanced on a due pass motion. AB 1400 would let up to 15 community college districts pilot bachelor’s degrees in nursing; supporters argued it would expand affordable BSN access and keep students local, while CSU, UC, and other higher education groups opposed it as unnecessary and inconsistent with the master plan. The bill passed to Appropriations, with members raising questions about clinical placements, faculty shortages, and possible effects on associate-degree programs. The committee also considered AB 1235, which would require CSU design-build projects to use a skilled and trained workforce, aligning CSU with other public higher education construction standards. Supporters said it would improve safety, training, and local job opportunities, and the bill passed to Appropriations. AB 1247 would restrict contracting out of classified school and community college jobs unless workers meet training and qualification standards and would address pension and training concerns; supporters said it would protect students and classified employees, while school and college groups warned it would disrupt services and add unfunded mandates. The bill passed to Appropriations with one no vote. AB 1470, presented on behalf of Assemblymember Haney, would allow a portion of student housing revolving loan funds to be used for affordable student, faculty, and staff housing in downtown and commercial districts; it was discussed as a housing and downtown revitalization measure, but the committee held off on a motion pending more members. ACA 3, also on behalf of Haney, would require UC to offer limited down payment loans to eligible long-term support staff first-time homebuyers; it drew extensive support from UC workers and unions, while UC and business groups opposed it as costly and outside UC’s mission, and the measure was still under discussion at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many of whom were trained in an era of fear and misinformation surrounding hormone therapy due in part
• a business that would be hurt here, a reputable small business in California that matches trained therapy

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of bills, with most measures drawing support from industry, professional, local government, and advocacy witnesses, and several receiving committee amendments before moving forward. AB 8 on hemp and cannabis drew the most extensive debate: supporters said it would close loopholes around intoxicating hemp products, strengthen enforcement, and bring THC products into the regulated cannabis supply chain; opponents, including small cannabis farmers and environmental groups, warned it could undermine Proposition 64’s closed-loop system, harm California cultivators, and reduce tax revenues for youth, environmental, and law enforcement programs. The author said the bill was intended to protect consumers and children and to work further with stakeholders. AB 476 on copper theft was presented as a public safety and infrastructure bill to tighten reporting, documentation, and penalties for scrap metal theft; supporters from cities, utilities, broadband, and recycling-related groups described major losses and outages from copper theft, and the remaining opposition moved to neutral after amendments, with the bill advancing with committee support. The committee also heard AB 985, which would allow nationally certified anesthesiologist assistants to practice under direct supervision of licensed anesthesiologists to address anesthesia workforce shortages. Supporters, including the California Society of Anesthesiologists, medical groups, students, and patients, said it would expand access and bring California in line with other states; nurse anesthesiology groups expressed concerns and sought further clarification, but there was no formal opposition at the hearing. AB 506, aimed at online pet sales, would void contracts that fail to disclose an animal’s origin or veterinary records or that require non-refundable deposits; animal welfare groups said it would curb puppy mill pipelines and deceptive online sales, and there was no opposition. AB 876, on certified registered nurse anesthetists, generated the sharpest health care policy dispute: supporters said it would codify existing practice and clarify CRNA duties, while physicians and medical associations argued it would expand scope too far and reduce patient safety. After a roll call, AB 876 passed the committee 9-0, as amended, to Appropriations. Other bills advanced with broad support after amendments. AB 432, the Menopause Equity Act, would require continuing medical education on menopause-related care for certain physicians; the author and medical experts said the bill addresses widespread gaps in menopause treatment and research, while CMA and ACOG opposed the mandate as an inappropriate CME requirement, though they agreed the underlying problem is real. The bill passed on call, as amended, to Health. AB 759 would allow eligible architectural candidates to use the title “architect in training” to encourage completion of licensure and improve diversity in the profession; it passed unanimously, as amended, to Appropriations. AB 967 would create an optional expedited licensure fee for out-of-state physicians to reduce delays in bringing doctors into California’s workforce; supporters said it would help address shortages and improve patient access, and the bill was presented with support from medical stakeholders.

Transcript Highlights:

• Survivors depend on a range of services, including acute rehabilitation. rehabilitation, cognitive therapy
• then going to the state, and it was Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services that were paying for the therapy

Bills: HB139, HB1818, HB1942, HB1959, HB2221, HB2254, HB2563, HB2067, HB2275, HB3211, HB139

Keywords: HB 1818, Texas Insurance Code, Texas Department of Insurance, commissioner of insurance, health maintenance organization, HMO, insurer, utilization review, preauthorization, prior authorization, medical necessity review, health care services, medical care, insurance regulation, insurance examination, regulatory oversight, confidential records, public information exception, Chapter 843, Chapter 1301

Transcript Highlights:

• bills to increase the funding for, home health services are more geared towards helping people with therapies
• bills to increase the funding for, home health services are more geared towards helping people with therapies

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several health-related bills. HB 72 on pharmacy drew only support, with testimony from the University of Hawaiʻi system, the Board of Pharmacy, pharmacists, and others; no questions were raised. HB 237 on peer support programs also received broad support from the Department of Health, DHS, early learning officials, families, and advocates, with testimony emphasizing the value of peer-to-peer mentoring and support for parents, youth, and people with disabilities; no opposition or questions were noted. HB 250, the prior authorization bill, generated the most discussion. SHPDA supported a revised version focused on reporting prior authorization practices and creating a nonbinding working group to develop automation standards, while PCMA, HMSA, Kaiser Permanente, and others raised concerns about duplicative pharmacy requirements, unintended consequences, and alignment with federal timelines and reporting. Several medical groups and individual patients supported the measure, describing delays and burdens caused by prior authorization. A committee member asked whether the bill’s working group differed from a similar group in Senate Bill 1449, and the witness said it was intended to be the same. HB 303 on health care preceptors was supported by the Department of Health, University of Hawaiʻi, nursing and health care organizations, and the Hawaii Pharmacists Association, which asked that pharmacists’ residency programs be specifically tied to national accreditation standards. HB 341, relating to issuance of SPURS to assist the Hawaii Island Community Health Association, drew support from the health center and related groups. HB 692 on Preschool Open Doors received extensive support from early learning, education, family, labor, and community organizations; testimony stressed the shortage of child care and preschool slots, especially on Kauai, and the need to expand access for families. Committee members asked about adding family child care providers and about licensing/certification barriers, and DHS said the bill was focused on current licensed child care facilities and that certification issues were a separate, broader problem. HB 700 on cognitive assessments also drew strong support, with the Department of Health, the Executive Office on Aging, disability advocates, the Alzheimer’s Association, caregivers, and others urging use of a validated cognitive assessment tool during annual wellness visits and asking that the age 65 threshold be removed; some witnesses supported keeping the data-collection portion as a pilot and emphasized early detection and reporting.

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:41:16.400> spent Some of what happened to me, I've spent thousands of hours in physical therapy
• and occupational therapy learning how to sit up more than 30°, how to use the restroom, how to navigate

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met on February 11, 2025, and heard a series of bills focused on transportation funding and roadway safety. HB 1154 would cap Central Services assessments from the state highway, airport, and harbor funds, with a CPI-based process for additional deductions; the Department of Transportation supported it and the Department of Budget and Finance offered comments. HB 1164 would restore highway revenue bond authorization for DOT capital projects, and HB 1286 would prohibit pedestrians from walking along interstate and certain state highways except for authorized duties; both drew DOT support, with Ulupono Initiative and an individual offering comments or support on HB 1286. HB 1162 would require motorcycle instruction permit applicants, beginning July 1, 2026, to complete an approved basic rider course before becoming eligible, and HB 537 would require helmets and chin straps for all operators and passengers of two-wheel motorized vehicles; both had DOT support, with HB 537 also drawing support from AAA Hawaii and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, and opposition from one individual. The committee then took up HB 387, which would expand negligent injury in the first degree to include injuries negligently inflicted by intoxicated drivers. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing current law already covers drunk driving and that the proposal would turn alcohol-caused negligence causing injury into a felony; prosecutors from Honolulu and Hawaiʻi counties and DOT supported it, saying serious injuries short of “substantial bodily injury” are not adequately punished and that circuit court would better handle restitution and related proceedings. Members asked about data on cases that might fit the new felony category, and prosecutors said they did not have exact numbers but could try to provide more information. The committee also heard HB 1084 and the related HB 1387, both of which would lower Hawaiʻi’s per se DUI blood alcohol limit from 0.08 to 0.05. Support came from DOT, police departments, the Department of Health, prosecutors, the Governor’s office, MADD Hawaii, the Hawaii Public Health Institute, the Hawaii Alcohol Policy Alliance, AAA Hawaii, and the National Transportation Safety Board, all citing research that lower BAC limits reduce impaired driving and fatalities. The Public Defender opposed the change, and some testimony raised concerns about enforcement and the need for an amendment in HB 1084. Several individuals and advocates gave emotional testimony about crashes and losses tied to impaired driving, while supporters emphasized that a 0.05 standard would save lives and would not harm alcohol sales or the tourism economy. No votes were taken during the portion of the hearing reflected in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• After nearly a hundred years, no therapies have been discovered or developed that require aborted fetal
• 06:28:06.320> hundred<06:28:06.638> years,<06:28:06.958> no<06:28:07.200> therapy
• After nearly a hundred years, no therapy After nearly a hundred years, no therapy therapies<06:28
• 09.120> have<06:28:09.360> been<06:28:09.600> discovered<06:28:10.000> or therapies
• have been discovered or therapies have been discovered or developed<06:28:10.718> that<06:28:

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That means patients waiting for these new life-saving therapies will get them faster.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, received committee reports, and approved the prior day’s journal by a 50-0 vote. Several members were granted leaves of absence, and the chamber also took up a number of procedural motions, including re-referring Senate Bill 1212 to Appropriations and moving Senate Bill 911 from the table to the calendar. The Senate later recessed for committee meetings and party caucuses, then reconvened to continue floor action. On the calendar, Senate Bill 1206 passed 50-0 after supporters said it would help Pennsylvania’s life sciences industry by allowing manufacturers to pursue state licensure while federal FDA approval is pending, without weakening safety standards. Senate Bill 1273 passed 48-2; its sponsor said it would clarify that turnpike automated plate-reading data may be shared with investigators in missing or endangered persons cases, including Amber Alerts. Several other bills were either agreed to and re-referred to Appropriations or ordered over in their place, including House Bill 681, Senate Bills 1061, 1303, and 1355, and House Bill 1505 and 1667. The Senate also considered Senate Resolution 326, where an amendment by Senator Mastriano was adopted and the resolution was then held over as amended. In executive session, the chamber returned several nominations to the governor, then confirmed a slate of gubernatorial nominations, including appointments to the Pennsylvania Drug, Device, and Cosmetic Board, the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine, and several Pennsylvania Army National Guard promotions, by a 50-0 vote. The Senate additionally approved committee-reported bills from Appropriations and Health and Human Services, and signed House Bill 1344 in the presence of the Senate. During petitions and remonstrances, Senator Tartaglione urged action on minimum wage legislation, noting Pennsylvania has not raised the wage since 2006 and pointing to House Bill 2189. Senator Dush delivered extended remarks on the nation’s founding and the religious views of Benjamin Franklin. The Senate then adopted a motion to recess until June 25, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., unless recalled sooner.

Transcript Highlights:

• Oregon Board of Physical Therapy: Suzanne Larson and Reynolds.

Keywords: 907, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There are private providers who currently bill in schools for behavioral health services, more therapy

Keywords: 962, all

Summary: The meeting began with approval of the May minutes and then moved into administrative updates on several 2025 legislative workstreams. Staff reported progress on two marketing efforts tied to the youth mental health crisis: one focused on increasing awareness and use of urgent crisis centers, and another broader crisis-continuum campaign led by United Way. Both projects are refining materials based on working-group feedback and aim to have materials ready before the start of the school year. Updates were also given on the UCC private insurance review and the crisis continuum review, both of which are gathering data and reconvening working groups over the summer. The main discussion centered on a Civic Solutions Group update on Medicaid school billing. The contractor explained that the project is examining why Connecticut schools are not billing for behavioral health and related services, with the goal of maximizing federal reimbursement. Members clarified that the study is about schools billing for services, not private providers billing in schools. Questions focused on whether Medicaid has caps or authorization issues when students receive services both in school and in the community, and whether recent federal or state changes affect billing. The contractor said the work is still in data collection and analysis, and that some issues, such as reauthorization procedures, were outside his scope. Participants also raised concerns about perceived barriers, fee-for-service limitations, and the need to distinguish school-based billing from provider billing. A second major presentation came from Disability Rights Connecticut on a separate legislative study concerning behavioral health issues affecting students receiving special education. The subgroup is examining the feasibility and impact of requiring evidence-based interventions, especially for challenging behaviors that can lead to restraint and seclusion, and is also looking at monitoring and random audits of restraint and seclusion practices. The team described its project plan, including literature reviews, interviews, focus groups, surveys, and data requests from the State Department of Education and other stakeholders. Members emphasized that the work is aimed primarily at private providers under the statute, but may have broader relevance. Questions from the group focused on whether the study would include public schools, how evidence-based practices apply to students with intellectual disabilities and autism, and whether caregivers or parents would be interviewed; the presenters said caregiver input is not currently part of the charge. The meeting ended with reminders about the July 15 meeting, which will include a Solnit briefing, and a note that August TCB meetings will not be held, though a workshop on the Connecticut Children’s Behavioral Health Provider Survey is being planned for late July or early August.

Transcript Highlights:

• Directors, Holly Carwell, Kathy Haft, State Board of Pharmacy, Thomas Maslow, Oregon Board of Physical Therapy

Summary: The Senate convened with the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation by Senator Starr, followed by several courtesies recognizing Pride Month, a staff birthday, and later a retirement and a community celebration. Senator Robinson then used remonstrances to warn against expanding surveillance through school bus camera systems, arguing that leaked plans from a vendor could create commercial databases of drivers’ movements and erode privacy. The main business was confirmation of numerous gubernatorial appointments and reappointments to boards and commissions. Senators debated the process at length, with several minority members objecting that the volume of nominees, limited hearing time, and lack of transparency made meaningful advice-and-consent review difficult. Supporters responded that the nominees were qualified public servants and that the Senate should work with the Governor’s office on reforms. The Senate first confirmed a large block of appointments, then confirmed two Sustainability Board appointees, and later confirmed three Quality Education Commission appointees after extended debate. The Quality Education Commission nominations drew the most substantive policy discussion. Opponents argued the commission needs more technical research expertise and broader representation, while supporters emphasized the nominees’ education experience and direct knowledge of Oregon schools. Several senators described Oregon’s education system as in crisis, citing low reading and math proficiency, chronic absenteeism, and the need for urgent reform of the Quality Education Model and school funding. The Senate also received a proposed rule amendment creating an official Senate seal, which was distributed and held on the table, and the chamber adjourned without further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• While there are accepted medical uses for ketamine and there are increasing uses of ketamine for therapy

Keywords: Cannabis Retail Market, Joint Commission to Oversee the Transition of the Commonwealth into a, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 1970 prohibits health plans and insurers from requiring step therapy or fail-first protocols for medications

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on May 13, 2026, with a large agenda of 196 bills. After establishing quorum, the committee first approved two consent calendars covering numerous bills, then heard a series of author presentations and public testimony. Most measures discussed were housing, public safety, health care, and local government bills, with many authors and sponsors emphasizing that the proposals had minor, absorbable, or no state costs. Among the bills heard were AB 2641 on a sales tax exemption for pawnbroker redemptions; AB 2525 to create a narrow Surplus Lands Act exemption for Mission Bay Park in San Diego; AB 1732 and AB 2433 on student housing and the density bonus law; AB 2055 updating boating safety and enforcement laws; AB 1579 expanding children’s crisis residential options; AB 2139 for an Inland Empire sports-related Surplus Lands Act exemption; AB 2041 on EMS reporting compliance; AB 1973 expanding advanced practice clinicians’ authority for reproductive care; AB 1929 requiring health plan investment disclosures; AB 2700 on utility rates and wildfire victim compensation; AB 1809 removing the sunset on school job order contracting; SB 73 strengthening election security; AB 2418 streamlining commercial building permits; AB 1970 limiting step therapy for serious mental illness and substance use treatment; AB 2361 on peer-to-peer vehicle-sharing liability; AB 1976 streamlining bike and pedestrian project approvals; AB 2110 authorizing local tax increment financing for workforce housing; and AB 2146 easing documentation for supportive housing placements. Testimony was largely in support, often from sponsoring organizations, local governments, housing advocates, health groups, law enforcement, and wildfire survivors. AB 2700 drew especially extensive public support from Camp Fire and Tubbs Fire survivors and local officials, who urged stronger compensation for wildfire victims and relief from utility costs. AB 2034 and AB 1790 were mentioned during public comment as bills with opposition from industry groups, while AB 1903 and SB 417 also drew comment. Several bills were amended or noted as being subject to future amendments, including AB 1732, AB 2041, and AB 2418. The committee took action on the bills as they were heard, generally voting them out on due pass motions, many by roll call and several with members not voting on particular measures. The suspense calendar was then read and deemed approved, and the hearing concluded after public comment on bills not heard that day.