Transcript Highlights:

• So, I didn't want to make it too prescriptive, but I could understand if it makes more sense to have
• So, I didn't want to make it too prescriptive, but I could understand if it makes more sense to have
• So, I didn't want to make it too prescriptive, but I could understand if it makes more sense to have
• So, I didn't want to make it too prescriptive, but I could understand if it makes more sense to have
• So, I didn't want to make it too prescriptive, but I could understand if it makes more sense to have

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard HB 1334, which would remove the Education Freedom Account scholarship organization’s authority to approve “any other educational expense” under the EFA statute. The prime sponsor, Representative Porchelli, said the bill would narrow the law to the specifically listed qualifying expenses, avoid broad interpretation, and shift any questions to the Department of Education or the legislative oversight committee. In response to questions, she said she did not think the open-ended category had been needed and that the statute already clearly lists allowable expenses. A representative of the Children’s Scholarship Fund testified in opposition, saying the category is used rarely but is important for unusual cases, especially students with special needs, and that removing it could create unintended consequences. After testimony, the chair closed the hearing on HB 1334. The committee then heard HB 1513, which would move several EFA reporting and oversight requirements from administrative rules and the contract with the Children’s Scholarship Fund into statute. Representative Porchelli said the bill would consolidate existing requirements on timely responses to oversight requests, publication of expense reports by category and provider, and transmission of eligibility and enrollment data to the Department of Education. She described the bill as mostly a clarification and transparency measure rather than a substantive policy change. Members asked about the meaning of “timely access,” the 45-day deadline, whether the contract already covered these duties, and whether the scholarship organization had ever failed to comply. The Children’s Scholarship Fund said it had generally met the 45-day deadline, had not knowingly refused information requests, and that the quarterly reporting requirement could add cost; the sponsor said the DOE had provided guidance and was neutral. The hearing on HB 1513 was then closed. Finally, the committee heard HB 1256, which would repeal the state librarian’s authority to award scholarships for graduate library school attendance at American Library Association-accredited schools. Representative Drago said the law was unnecessary because the state does not currently have a state librarian, scholarships are not typically granted by statute, and he objected to the ALA accreditation requirement and what he described as the association’s political advocacy. In questions, he clarified that the bill targets the accreditation requirement rather than a specific school and said he did not think the state should direct taxpayer-funded scholarships toward ALA-accredited programs. A member raised First Amendment concerns, but the sponsor said the issue was not speech itself, only the use of taxpayer dollars and state law to support that direction. The transcript cuts off before any vote or final action on HB 1256.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not prescriptive.
• choice<00:04:26.240> not represented Ray R's choice not represented Ray R's choice not prescriptive
• what<00:04:27.919> we've<00:04:28.120> learned<00:04:28.440> from prescriptive
• and what we've learned from prescriptive and what we've learned from a<00:04:28.720> study<00
• like the idea of a brick exterior, then you can do that, and it becomes voluntary as opposed to prescriptive

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So a health service is provided, or a prescription is filled, a claim is generated, the insurance pays
• Chair, on whether or not to take up coverage, is the rising cost of health care for things like prescription
• care for the rising cost of health care for things<00:52:04.160> like<00:52:04.799> prescription
• <00:52:05.359> drugs<00:52:06.359> including things like prescription drugs including
• things like prescription drugs including life-saving<00:52:08.040> therapies<00:52:08.799>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, Senate Bill 271, our Senator Deeds bill, is identical to Delegate Delaney's bill on prescription

Keywords: House Committee Room 1200, General Assembly Building, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AFFORDABILITY AND INSURANCE, TAXES AND THE ECONOMY, PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES AND RISING COSTS OF BENEFITS

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• PATIENT GOES TO THE PHARMACY TO GET A PRESCRIPTION, PHARMACY TELLS THE PATIENT THAT IF HE'S TAKING AN

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> But what it means is prescription food boxes. Okay. Or subscription food box boxes. Okay.
• c><00:24:55.600> it<00:24:55.760> means<00:24:55.919> is<00:24:56.159> prescription
• <00:24:57.039> food >> But what it means is prescription food >> But what it means
• is prescription food boxes.<00:24:57.840> Okay.
• for a year's time, and they showed that each month they were seeing $125 in savings from fewer prescriptions

Keywords: This meeting was pulled from back ups and uploaded in it's entirety due to technical issues., 958, all

Summary: The Make America Healthy Kentucky Task Force met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and then heard a presentation on the state’s “food is medicine” work from Kentucky Hospital Association and Kentucky Department of Agriculture leaders, including Jim Muser, Holly Harris, and Commissioner Jonathan Shell. The chair framed the discussion around personal wellness, injury prevention, and the broader goal of improving health through better sleep, nutrition, and activity, then asked the presenters to describe current initiatives and any policy changes needed. The witnesses described a partnership linking hospitals and Kentucky farmers to improve health outcomes while supporting rural agriculture. They said the effort has moved beyond the pilot stage and now includes more than 40 hospitals statewide, with programs such as healthier hospital cafeterias, grab-and-go options, farmers markets at hospital sites, subsidized CSA boxes for employees, and medically tailored meals or groceries for patients with chronic conditions. ARH was highlighted as a leading model, with local food procurement, employee wellness efforts, and measurable outcome pilots, including a Russell County Hospital project focused on diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. They also emphasized barriers to scaling the model, including fragmented short-term funding, lack of reimbursement for food-as-medicine programs, and burdensome procurement and testing requirements that can make it difficult for small farmers to participate. The presenters said hospitals are using their own funds or temporary grants to sustain programs and argued that policy changes are needed to simplify sourcing, expand reimbursement pathways, and support clinical measurement of outcomes. No votes or formal actions beyond approving the minutes were taken during the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, if you think about the incentives to fill more prescriptions right now, if a pharmacist sits down
• <01:14:15.760> more about the incentives to fill more about the incentives to fill more prescriptions
• right now if a pharmacist prescriptions right now if a pharmacist sits<01:14:17.840> down<01:
• There is no prescription to take.
• combined with support — meaning counseling, social services, and group sessions, with or without prescription

Keywords: 1. Call to Order and Roll Call – 00:00:00 2. Approval of Minutes – 00:01:32 3. Getting to Know the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky – 00:02:26 4. Healthy Kids Clinic – 00:26:58 5. Pharmacy Payment Parity – 00:56:36 6. Ibogaine – 01:17:37 7. Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations – 01:53:05 8. Adjournment – 01:53:19, 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the prior meeting minutes and recognized Eric Clark for his service, noting this may be his last meeting before he leaves state government. The main presentation was from Allison Adams, president and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, who described the organization’s history, nonpartisan mission, and focus on health equity, prevention, and upstream policy solutions. She said Kentucky’s poor rankings in chronic disease, preventable hospitalizations, and life expectancy show the need to shift resources toward prevention and community-driven strategies rather than relying mainly on treatment after people become sick. Adams emphasized leading health indicators, arguing that lawmakers should track actionable measures such as quit attempts and smoke-free policies instead of only lagging indicators like disease rates and mortality. In response to questions, she said accountability should be shared across communities and systems, with possible incentives and disincentives tied to outcomes, and she supported creating a public data utility or dashboard, ideally with university partners, to help legislators and communities monitor progress. She also cited examples of accountable health community models and said Kentucky could adapt similar approaches. The committee then heard from Meade County Schools Superintendent Mark Martin and district health coordinator Karen Kotche about the Healthy Kids Clinic partnership with Cumberland Health. They described a seven-year effort that led to full implementation in the district, which now has a nurse in every school and a nurse practitioner, allowing services such as sports physicals and other clinic functions to be provided on campus. They said the program has been a strong investment for students and the community and began explaining how the district built the partnership after earlier efforts and delays, including the pandemic.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of them, uh, they can’t get a prescription, so they fall back to the black market and they buy these
• Some of them, uh, they can’t get a prescription, so they fall back to the black market and they buy these
• Some of them, uh, they can’t get a prescription, so they fall back to the black market and they buy these
• 00:59:10.319> they<00:59:10.720> can't<00:59:11.040> get<00:59:11.440> prescription
• <00:59:12.160> so them uh they can't get prescription so them uh they can't get prescription

Bills: HF2779, HF1645, HF1885, HF1289, HF1534, HF2707, HF1675, HF3046

Keywords: health care transparency, ownership disclosure, control reporting, health care consolidation, private equity, management services organization, MSO, provider organization, health insurer, pharmacy benefit manager, hospital system, affiliate reporting, financial disclosure, public reporting, market concentration, horizontal consolidation, vertical consolidation, health care ownership, corporate practice, health care regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• allow more people to buy into affordable, high-quality coverage, including vision, dental, and prescription
• allow more people to buy into affordable, high-quality coverage, including vision, dental, and prescription
• <01:31:17.159> medications<01:31:18.000> with<01:31:18.119> a and prescription
• medications with a and prescription medications with a lower<01:31:18.520> outof<01:31:18.920
• This payment, together with our other medical bills, premiums, and prescriptions, is by far our biggest

Bills: HF10, HF27

Keywords: undocumented immigrants, state funding, MinnesotaCare, scholarship ineligibility, state assistance, permit to carry, concealed carry, handgun permit, firearm permit, pistol training, sheriff, application process, electronic filing, mail application, fax submission, certified mail, certified delivery, gun rights, Second Amendment, firearms regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• landowners have in state government when it comes to these land protection practices like conservation easements
• landowners have in state government when it comes to these land protection practices like conservation easements

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It's about whether our elders can afford their prescriptions and whether a parent can get their child
• It's about whether our elders can afford their prescriptions and whether a parent can get their child
• It's about whether our elders can afford their prescriptions and whether a parent can get their child
• It's about whether our elders can afford their prescriptions and whether a parent can get their child
• uh coverage has a higher prescription uh coverage has a higher co-pay<01:56:43.760> compared<

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The Select Subcommittee first took up adoption of three previously prepared nonpartisan committee summary reports dated October 15, November 13, and November 21. Senator Rasmusson objected to the lack of advance notice about the day’s testifiers and criticized the practice of having nonpartisan staff summarize what he described as a partisan agenda. The chair responded that the committee’s purpose is to gather information, not hear bills, and that the summaries were intended as neutral resources for the Senate. Senator Coopek moved adoption, the motion was opposed by Rasmusson and another member, and the motion passed. The committee then turned to the day’s hearing on federal impacts on Minnesota, with the chair focusing on federal funding threats and the effect of congressional budget actions on health care, especially in greater Minnesota. The first presentation came from the Minnesota Department of Health on the state’s rural health transformation work. Assistant Commissioner Carol Broom introduced the team and described the rural hospital transformation program as a major opportunity to invest in rural health, while acknowledging longstanding challenges such as demographics, transportation barriers, and the financing of care. Nitha Moibi outlined the state’s rural health chart book and data showing an aging population, workforce shortages, and many health professional shortage areas, and described proposed strategies including workforce pipelines, bridge payments for low-volume birth hospitals, telehealth access points, mental health urgent care, and chronic disease prevention. Acting Assistant Commissioner Anna Ashby of the Minnesota Management and Budget office explained the state’s application to CMS for the Rural Health Transformation Program, which was created in federal law and awarded Minnesota just over $193 million for federal fiscal year 2026. She said the application was shaped by public comments, stakeholder meetings, and legislative outreach, and included initiatives on preventive care, workforce, care access, behavioral health, and provider financial stability. She also reviewed implementation constraints, including a January 30 revised budget deadline, limits on administrative spending, restrictions on using funds to offset Medicaid losses, and the need to show measurable progress to remain eligible for future funding. The presentation noted that most year-one funding would go to rural hospitals, with additional support for federally qualified health centers, community mental health centers, tribal partners, and technical assistance.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><01:32:23.159> more before uh here in a much uh more before uh here in a much uh more prescriptive
• :27.679> uh<01:32:28.119> I<01:32:28.239> don't<01:32:28.360> want prescriptive
• form uh the uh I don't want prescriptive form uh the uh I don't want to<01:32:28.600> speak<01
• I mean, it's very clear the lack of prescription in the bill gives you that latitude.
• and the bill gives you um prescription and the bill gives you that<01:58:22.560> Latitude<01:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That leads us to House Bill 570, and that is an act repealing the prescription drug affordability board
• 22:38.320> act<00:22:38.640> repealing<00:22:39.200> the<00:22:39.440> prescription
• <00:22:40.080> drug an act repealing the prescription drug an act repealing the prescription
• Um, and while we hope that there could be further work done on reducing the cost for prescription drugs
• Um, and while we hope that there could be further work done on reducing the cost for prescription drugs

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Finance Division 3 work session opened with routine announcements, including new and absent members, a tribute to former chair Rep. Jess Edwards, and an explanation that Division 3 is advisory and will make recommendations to full Finance. Chair Mooney also distributed a self-created index to the budget binder and reviewed the committee’s options under House Rule 45. Members discussed scheduling a future visit to the Veterans Home in Tilton, with several October dates unavailable, and the chair said she would circulate possible dates. The committee also reviewed the second-year budget context and sources of funding, including surplus monies, existing and new revenue streams, grants, reappropriations, and the rainy day fund. The committee then took up several retained bills and repeatedly heard that their substance had already been addressed in the budget. House Bill 519, funding the Waypoint Youth and Young Adult Shelter, was moved ITL and passed 10-0. House Bill 547, county reimbursement funds, was also moved ITL and passed 10-0 after members noted the reimbursement had been included in HB 2. House Bill 570, repealing the prescription drug affordability board, was moved ITL and passed 10-0, with minority members saying they still believed the board had value but acknowledging the repeal had already occurred in HB 2. House Bill 704, concerning caregiver respite and senior volunteer programs, received the most discussion. Mr. Ripple explained that most items were already funded or suspended in the budget, leaving only the senior volunteer grant program unfunded. Chair Mooney offered amendment 2963H to fund the RSVP program at $180,000 for one year, contingent on surplus funds, and DHHS witnesses explained that RSVP is a federally funded AmeriCorps program that would be added to existing state licensing structures. The amendment was adopted unanimously, and the bill was reported ought to pass as amended on a 10-0 vote. The committee then heard House Bill 751, which would require licensure of outpatient substance use disorder treatment facilities and create an ombudsman-related complaint process. DHHS witnesses said the bill had been narrowed substantially from an earlier certification model with multiple positions and IT costs to a licensing model using existing department infrastructure, reducing the fiscal note to $211,000 for one position. They also said the ombudsman section was no longer needed because licensed facilities would fall under existing oversight. Members questioned how many facilities exist and whether licensing fees would cover costs; DHHS said it did not know the full provider landscape and that licensing revenue across the board does not cover the department’s costs. Rep. Daniels then proposed amendment 2964H to form a study committee because of the remaining questions and lack of a clear revenue stream, and the committee was still discussing that amendment when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• So there's a lot of Flexibility, employers do that right now when it comes to prescription drugs.

Bills: HB3081, HB3127, HB3128, HB3498, HB2035

Keywords: fire extinguisher, licensing, public safety, age qualification, State Fire Marshal, medical marijuana, employment rights, safety-sensitive positions, workplace policies, public assistance, workforce development, economic competitiveness, task force, apprenticeships, training programs, training barriers, business growth, industry coordination, business entities, corporation law

Transcript Highlights:

• on television of prescription drugs. on television of prescription drugs.
• 36.360> allow that allow that allow advertising<01:23:39.040> of<01:23:39.160> prescription
• <01:23:39.800> drugs advertising of prescription drugs advertising of prescription drugs on
• On line eight, we just insert: except the prescription drug only includes drugs covered by the medical
• This bill would prohibit drug manufacturers from advertising prescription drugs on TV and streaming services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They can see patients, and they can prescribe if they have prescriptive authority.
• They are allowed to sell a prescription to you is about it.
• prescriptions and get out of there. prescriptions and get out of there.
• sell a prescription to you is about it. sell a prescription to you is about it.
• The states that have the models where they are our of care prescriptive authority states, they have not

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill deals with prescription drug delivery restrictions under 340B, which is a federal statute.
• <00:08:20.240> Um, prescription drugs more affordable.
• Um, prescription drugs more affordable.
• So, if the overall goal is to make<00:08:47.200> prescription<00:08:47.920> prescription
• ><00:08:48.480> drugs make prescription prescription drugs make prescription prescription drugs

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, the top 10 prescription drugs for Medicaid are cancer drugs.
• the prescription drugs for for<02:00:58.239> Medicaid<02:00:58.719> the<02:00:58.880><
• So we go to our physician, we get a prescription, we go to our prosthetist, we wait weeks and weeks to
• <04:28:40.960> that physician to get a prescription. that physician to get a prescription.
• , we go to our we get a prescription, we go to our prostatist,<04:29:28.479> we<04:29:28.720><

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• their prescriptions. by doubling their<01:25:34.760> co-pays.
• It wouldn't be a prescription.
• <04:39:21.840> it<04:39:22.240> wouldn't their prescription filled. it wouldn't their
• prescription filled. it wouldn't be<04:39:22.561> a<04:39:22.719> prescription.
• It would be a be a prescription.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met in Division 3 work session on HB 2 and began by noting a delayed start to allow the Legislative Budget Assistant to finish a large packet of updated amendments and revisions. The chair said the goal for the day was to move as many items as possible, with any cleanup deferred to a Friday follow-up. Members also discussed the process for handling public and department testimony on selected items before votes. Several early amendments were taken up and voted on. The committee unanimously recommended items dealing with repealing the liquor transfer to the alcohol fund and redirecting liquor-related revenue to the general fund, and it also approved an amendment revising Granite Advantage funding so there would be no automatic transfer from the liquor fund, instead using a general fund appropriation. Members then approved repealing the foster grandparent program by a 5-4 vote, and later approved an amendment requiring DHS contractors to comply with the patients’ bill of rights by a 9-0 vote. The committee also approved incorporating House Bill 94 on Medicaid coverage of circumcision by a 5-4 vote, while deferring the Wick Farmers Market Nutrition Program repeal for more discussion. The committee spent substantial time on the youth risk behavior survey amendment. Supporters said the change was intended to clarify opt-out procedures and ensure parents, guardians, and students are clearly notified that they may opt out without negative consequences. Some members raised privacy concerns and said the language could add administrative burden, but the amendment was ultimately recommended to Finance by a recorded vote of 8-1. Another amendment on civil rights and contractor standards for DHHS was discussed but not voted on after concerns were raised about vague enforcement language and possible penalties. The committee also struck amendment 1026 as redundant, with members noting related work in existing law and Senate Bill 134, and then moved on to other items, including a revised equity/access-related amendment that was postponed for later discussion.