Transcript Highlights:

• We do stand in opposition to the increase in the transient accommodations tax.
• Mahalo for your time, Chair. transit accommodation tax full stop transit accommodation tax full stop
• <00:52:02.920> tax uncollected transit accommodation tax uncollected transit accommodation
• increase to the transit accommodation increase to the transit accommodation tax<00:52:34.280>
• the largest or highest Accommodations the largest or highest Accommodations Tax<00:53:19.640>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee on Energy and Environmental Protection heard several measures focused on water quality, waste management, aquifer protection, wastewater, and climate-related funding. SB 984 on water pollution drew opposition from DLNR and the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, with the latter arguing the bill could unfairly blame landowners for runoff caused by terrain and storm events; the chair noted there were also supporters and commenters submitted in writing. SB 639 on underground storage tanks received support from the Department of Health, the Board of Water Supply, and the Sierra Club, with testimony emphasizing environmental restoration standards after jet fuel releases; no opposition was noted in the live testimony. SB 946 on wastewater management was presented as clarifying that the ban on discharging wastewater or raw sewage into state waters applies to treatment plants, and it drew support from the County of Maui, DOH, and Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, with no questions or opposition raised in the hearing. The committee also heard SB 438 on waste disposal facilities near significant aquifers. DOH and the Water Commission offered comments, while the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services opposed the bill because of a provision affecting ash recycling; the Board of Water Supply and Sierra Club supported the measure, and the Makakilo-Kapolei-Honokai Hale Neighborhood Board and Energy Justice Network raised concerns about fly ash and bottom ash recycling, landfill capacity, and potential contamination of aquifers. Testimony reflected a split between environmental protection concerns and arguments that the bill could block beneficial reuse of ash. The committee then took up HB 1395 on state funds, which would direct interest from the Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund to the general fund when the reserve exceeds the state’s target. The Governor’s office, emergency management, the State Energy Office, the Hawaiʻi Green Infrastructure Authority, the Nature Conservancy, and several other groups supported the bill’s climate-resilience intent, while the Tax Foundation and committee discussion raised concerns that the measure functioned mainly as a revenue transfer without a dedicated spending mechanism. Members discussed whether a special fund or legislative appropriation process would better ensure the money was used for climate mitigation and related projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:17:58.160> the uh enrollment, accommodating the uh enrollment, accommodating the interest
• I'm doing our best to accommodate every family we can to the extent possible.
• I'm doing our best to accommodate every family we can to the extent possible. Thank you, Chair.
• <00:31:16.440> more Middle has space to accommodate more Middle has space to accommodate more
• Um, and I believe that these children deserve accommodations to have the same chances for success as

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several education resolutions, beginning with HCR 11 and HR 14, which ask the Board of Education and the State Public Charter School Commission to report on improving access to stable, suitable, and affordable facilities for public charter schools. The Charter School Commission supported the measure, and OHA also supported it while noting long-standing facility challenges, the lack of a dedicated facilities appropriation, and the strain on charter schools that have had to use operating funds for buildings and temporary structures. Kealakehe Academy, Hawaii Technology Academy, and several individuals also testified in support. The committee then took up HCR 181 and HR 171, which seek a shared decision-making committee to develop an action plan for a K-12 Ka Waihona School in Kapolei. The Department of Education said it has already developed a strategic plan for Kaipuni education, has expanded immersion programs over the past decade, and is addressing growth through interim guidance and a new priority placement process. Community witnesses, including representatives of Ke Alo Ever, strongly supported the resolutions, emphasizing the need for a K-12 pathway, the importance of Hawaiian language and culture, and the role of community voice in planning. They argued that teacher shortages, especially for licensed Hawaiian immersion teachers, remain a major barrier and proposed a kumu recruitment and retention program tied to community, UH, and DOE partnerships. The committee also heard HCR 187 and HR 177, which urge the Department of Education to begin initiatives to address teacher retention statewide. DOE and the University of Hawaiʻi College of Education said teacher retention is already being addressed through the Teacher Education Coordinating Committee, a five-year plan focused on building capacity, improving satisfaction, and compensation, and a new DOE human resources plan. In response to questions, DOE said it is seeking better school-level data on why teachers leave, is preparing for contract negotiations, and is working with the standards board and DLIR on an apprenticeship-related grant. TECC representatives said the group has been working since the pandemic era, may narrow its focus to retention as the most actionable area, and expects to provide more concrete recommendations in its annual report. The transcript ends as the committee moves on to the next item, HCR 47 and HR 43, without showing any votes or final actions on the measures heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• The clerk's plan to accommodate the party representatives as best they can, and want to assure you that
• The clerk's plan to accommodate results.
• The clerk's plan to accommodate the<00:08:30.160> party<00:08:30.479> representatives<00
• a crowd of larger space to accommodate a crowd of representatives. representatives. representatives.
• to accommodate more pe you<00:09:34.240> know<00:09:34.480> that<00:09:34.720> we

Bills: HB0085, HB0086

Keywords: elections, audit procedures, ballot integrity, political party observation, transparency, county officials, election code, misconduct, removal, government accountability, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now it does not remove accommodations.
• ,<00:31:54.960> and<00:31:55.200> claims<00:31:55.519> of accommodations, and claims
• of accommodations, and claims of discrimination<00:31:56.240> in<00:31:56.480> housing.
• <00:38:07.680> Or<00:38:07.920> perhaps public accommodations cases.
• Or perhaps public accommodations cases.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee met for its sixth regular-session meeting and first took up House Bill 5, as substituted by committee amendment, which would authorize KCTCS to partner with the Department of Corrections to create a vocational training campus at North Point Training Center. The sponsor and witnesses described the bill as a prison education and re-entry initiative aimed at reducing recidivism, saving taxpayer money, and meeting workforce needs, citing Michigan’s vocational village model as evidence that prison-based training can lower reoffending. Testimony emphasized that the program would include high-demand vocational fields, credentials, eligibility and security safeguards, data collection, annual reporting, and re-entry documentation such as certificates of employability and employment protections. Several members voiced support, including comments that the bill builds on existing second-chance and employability efforts. One member asked whether post-release employment outcomes could also be tracked, and the sponsor said that would be encouraged and discussed as a possible friendly amendment. After discussion, the committee voted 19-1 to adopt the committee substitute and pass House Bill 5. The committee then began consideration of House Bill 468, which would update the Kentucky Civil Rights Act to conform the state definition of disability to the 2008 federal ADA amendments and clarify the meaning of “qualified individual with a disability.” The bill sponsor said it would remove the Kentucky Human Rights Commission’s adjudicative authority over employment and public accommodations cases, while leaving investigative powers intact and preserving housing-related adjudication, with the goal of placing those disputes in court and preserving jury-trial rights. In response to questions, the sponsor said a local mandate analysis found the court impact would be minimal to moderate, and cited commission data showing relatively few hearings. The transcript cuts off during continued discussion of HB 468.

Transcript Highlights:

• Third, and most concerning, is the bill's attempt to disregard the availability of lower-cost accommodations
• So when you're deciding whether to cut off access to overnight accommodations as this bill does...
• framed, the Coastal Act feels that they have to almost exclusively prioritize visitor-serving accommodations
• I think it's much more accommodating. You've moved.
• I think it's much more accommodating and maybe, you know, a little less heavy-handed maybe than when

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Next up, HP 1950 HD1, relating to the transient accommodation tax.
• relating to the transient accommodation relating to the transient accommodation tax.<00:20:46.960
• <00:43:11.599> And yen per night per uh accommodation.
• And yen per night per uh accommodation.
• Next up, HB1950 HD1 relating to the transient accommodation tax.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a series of economic development, tourism, and tax measures. SB 2411 drew broad support from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, the University of Hawaiʻi, the Chamber of Commerce, and Retail Merchants, with one technical amendment suggested to change a partnership term from six to seven years. Members asked about implementation and annual costs, and the department said it would follow up with cost information. HB 2583 HD1, relating to economic development and a loan loss program, also received support, but DBED noted the state already has the CBED loan program and suggested the proposal could be placed under that existing framework rather than creating a new program. HB 1612, based on business revitalization task force recommendations, was supported by DBED and several business and advocacy groups, including the Small Business Regulatory Review Board and Grassroot Institute. Testimony emphasized improving Hawaii’s business climate and using a ranking/reporting tool to measure progress, while one senator questioned whether the bill would simply fund another study instead of direct improvements. HB 1613, relating to HTDC, was supported by HTDC, the Chamber of Commerce, and startup and industry representatives who said a permanent marketing/branding specialist would help attract tech talent, founders, and investors; a member asked why the position was not in the budget, and HTDC said federal NIST funding uncertainty affected the request. HB 1614, also on economic development, was supported by HTDC and business groups, and members discussed whether the state was missing federal funds due to lack of matching dollars; HTDC said it was difficult to know, but matching funds could help leverage more federal grants. The committee then took up HB 2590 on taxation for creative industries. The Motion Picture Association and Hawaii Film Alliance strongly supported the bill, saying it would correct GET treatment for payroll service companies, restore motion picture and TV production as manufacturing, and repeal a 2022 provision affecting qualified expenses; the Department of Taxation said it would provide revenue-impact information later. Finally, HB 1950 HD1 on the transient accommodations tax drew strong support from DBED, HTA, the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, hotel and resort groups, and others, who argued for a dedicated tourism marketing fund and said the state needs more stable, long-term marketing investment. The Tax Foundation opposed the special fund approach, arguing it would reduce legislative flexibility. Members pressed witnesses on the appropriate percentage for the fund, with HTA suggesting 10% to 12% of TAT collections, and the discussion focused on how marketing spending relates to visitor spending, tax revenue, and long-term tourism competitiveness.

Transcript Highlights:

• disabilities, and the Minnesota judicial branch has had a longstanding commitment to providing accommodations
• disabilities, and the Minnesota judicial branch has had a longstanding commitment to providing accommodations
• disabilities, and the Minnesota judicial branch has had a longstanding commitment to providing accommodations
• <00:14:08.800> that<00:14:09.040> ensure to providing accommodations that ensure to
• providing accommodations that ensure access<00:14:10.079> to<00:14:10.240> our access

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee heard a presentation from State Court Administrator Jeff Shorba on the Minnesota judicial branch’s 2026-27 budget request. He outlined the courts’ structure and workload, noting 322 judges, about 2,800 staff, roughly 1 million district court cases annually, and a current budget of about $479 million. Shorba emphasized the courts’ constitutional role, the fact that court fines and fees are deposited into the general fund rather than retained by the branch, and recent legislative investments that helped reduce pandemic-era backlogs, improve technology, sustain treatment courts, and raise interpreter and examiner pay. The budget request focused on several areas: a 6% judicial salary increase to address recruitment and retention problems, including a 15% rise in turnover and a 27% drop in applicants since 2020; funding for health care and office lease cost increases; digital accessibility compliance work required by new federal ADA rules; a modernized justice partner access system for court records; higher pay for forensic psychological examiners, whose workload has risen sharply; increased juror compensation from $20 to $100 per day and mileage adjustments; and ongoing funding for interpreters, jury services, and cybersecurity. Shorba said the total request would be a 12% increase over the FY 2026-27 base budget. Members asked follow-up questions about funding for newly launched treatment courts and how those courts are financed after federal grants expire. Shorba said he would provide more detail later and noted the branch generally starts treatment courts with federal funding before seeking state support. Representative Ric also asked about labor negotiations, and Shorba explained that the judicial branch negotiates its own contracts rather than using the executive branch, with three unions involved and many unrepresented employees. No votes or formal actions were taken during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• our issues, we will be limiting today's public testimony to 30 seconds per person so that we may accommodate
• How are people going to be accommodated in workspaces?
• So do you expect that there's going to be any need to increase space or lease new spaces to accommodate
• What I can share with you is that we currently have policies in place such as reasonable accommodation
• My agency makes a new seating chart every week to accommodate two-day RTO because DGS said there was

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 heard updates from the Secretary of State, EDD, the State Controller’s Office, CalHR, and DGS on a range of budget proposals and federal policy impacts. Secretary of State Shirley Weber opened with remarks about California’s election system, emphasizing its safety, transparency, high voter registration and vote-by-mail participation, and the office’s response to bomb threats and other election threats. Her staff then presented funding requests for the Cal-Access Replacement System (CARS) and Help America Vote Act/VoteCal activities, describing them as needed to modernize campaign finance and lobbying disclosure systems and maintain election security and voter services. A major portion of the hearing focused on federal election policy, especially the potential effects of a presidential executive order and the SAVE Act. Secretary of State staff said California would face significant, potentially unquantifiable costs if forced to comply, including new burdens on county recorders, county election offices, and the Secretary of State’s office, and warned of voter disenfranchisement, especially for students, seniors, disabled voters, military and overseas voters, rural residents, and people with limited transportation. Members and public commenters strongly opposed the federal proposals and argued California’s current system is functioning well. The committee also heard that federal HAVA funds were not expected to be at risk because the state draws them down into an interest-bearing account. EDD reported on paid family leave, explaining that recent delays were tied to a system transition and increased claim volume, and said it was simplifying applications and adding staff and automation. Public testimony supported expanding paid family leave to chosen family. EDD also said it is prepared for possible unemployment spikes, citing a recession plan, a command center, and recent hiring. The State Controller’s Office requested funding to continue the Fiscal migration project, which would move the state’s accounting book of record to the new system by July 1, 2026; Finance and LAO had no objections, and the committee expressed support for the project’s progress. CalHR presented a proposal for a statewide recruitment, outreach, and education paid media campaign under AB 1511, saying its current advertising budget is too small to reach diverse communities effectively. The final item addressed Governor Newsom’s executive order requiring a return to office on a four-day schedule. CalHR and DGS said they were working department-by-department to assess space, parking, transit, and other logistics, but had not completed a statewide cost analysis. Members and many public commenters criticized the order, arguing it was rushed, costly, harmful to telework benefits, and potentially disruptive to workers, especially those with disabilities, caregiving responsibilities, or long commutes. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• think with rational guard rails to protect the agency, to protect the resource, and to provide accommodation
• think with rational guard rails to protect the agency, to protect the resource, and to provide accommodation
• think with rational guard rails to protect the agency, to protect the resource, and to provide accommodation
• think with rational guard rails to protect the agency, to protect the resource, and to provide accommodation
• think with rational guard rails to protect the agency, to protect the resource, and to provide accommodation

Keywords: Meeting start: 00:00 Roll Call: 00:37 SB 39 discussion: 04:10 SB 39 vote: 26:35, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor met with a quorum and first heard a brief presentation from Vice Chair Frommeyer on a resolution recognizing January as Kentucky Mentoring Month. She highlighted mentoring as important for personal, academic, and professional development and cited partnerships such as Northern Kentucky University’s Norse Network Hub and local community mentoring efforts. The committee then took up Senate Bill 39, sponsored by Senator Gary Boswell, which would treat fish in private lakes and ponds as the property of the landowner and allow landowners to extend fishing rights by written or electronic permission. Boswell and supporter Jason Kenner argued the bill would strengthen property rights, reduce burdensome regulation, support selective harvest and stocking decisions, and could boost tourism, local economies, and aquaculture. Kenner also described bass fishing’s economic impact, youth fishing growth, and examples of tournaments and habitat projects in Kentucky. Boswell said the bill does not change fishing license requirements and does not alter invasive species rules except to clarify that largemouth bass, including F1 Florida bass, are not invasive. Commissioner Rich Storm and other members raised concerns that the bill’s language could affect the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s fee-based funding, federal grant eligibility, enforcement authority, and creel-limit cases, especially if written permission on private waters were interpreted broadly. Senator Webb said she supported the idea of bass stocking but wanted more guardrails and a pilot approach. Senator Howell asked whether Boswell would consider further work on the language, but Boswell declined to accept a committee substitute or amendment at that time. The committee then voted 8-1 with one pass to report the bill favorably, and the chair announced the bill would be reported with favorable expression that it should pass.

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't really have ways to accommodate that. We don't have a slush fund, as I like to say.
• Chair, Representative, I think you know if somebody were to ask what are the range of accommodations
• And that's really why accommodations are provided.
• Why didn't we provide a host of accommodations across the DOC, everything from single bunking units to
• We provide that, and we would be happy to provide a list of the range of accommodations that people have

Bills: HF2432

Keywords: HF2432, judiciary finance bill, public safety finance bill, corrections policy, crime victims, victim services, Minnesota victims of crime account, court fees, marriage license fee, financial crimes, fraud investigations, insurance fraud, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, BCA, Commerce Fraud Bureau, wage theft, automobile theft prevention, nonprofit security grants, 911 funding, POST Board

Transcript Highlights:

• They may need changes and accommodations to remain safe, going to and while at work.
• not discriminated against because of the violence that they've experienced, and also have the accommodations
• , reasonable accommodations for medical needs or bereavement leaves, because you believe and you follow
• It's easier now for employers to accommodate employees with medical issues because of remote work.
• You want to discuss an accommodation? You want to sign a waiver then? Go right ahead.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development held a hybrid hearing on a large group of bills carried over from the previous session, with Chair Jake Oliveira and House Co-Chair Paul McMurtry outlining the process and limiting testimony to three minutes. The committee heard testimony on several labor and workplace proposals, including bills to harmonize employee definitions to address misclassification (SB 1338/HB 2141), expand bereavement leave (including H. 2189/S. 1354 and related bills), protect collective bargaining rights for certain administrative employees (HB 268/SB 1306), expand commuter transit benefits (HB 2153/SB 1345), regulate employer use of credit reports (S. 1286), and require apprenticeship participation or OSHA-related workplace safety measures on public projects. At the end of the hearing, the chairs read into the record additional bills that did not receive testimony that day. Supporters of the misclassification bill, including Greater Boston Legal Services and the AFL-CIO, said aligning the employee-status tests across wage, unemployment, and PFML laws would reduce confusion, improve enforcement, and help workers wrongly treated as independent contractors or managers recover benefits and bargaining rights. NAGE and its representative argued that public-sector employees have been improperly reclassified into management titles to weaken unions, and that the bill would force the Division of Labor Relations to review those titles. On bereavement leave, advocates including the Louis E. Brown Peace Institute, a state representative, the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance, and individual survivors described the impact of sudden loss and homicide on families, saying guaranteed leave would help workers grieve, make arrangements, and avoid losing jobs or custody-related stability. The committee also heard support for commuter benefits as a low-cost way to reduce emissions and increase transit use, and for restricting employer credit checks because of inaccuracies and discriminatory effects. There was opposition to some construction-related bills. The Associated Builders and Contractors and the Building Trades Employers Association supported apprenticeship training in principle but said current apprentice-to-journeyworker ratios are outdated or misunderstood, and that the bills should be amended or clarified before advancing. The Massachusetts landscape and snow-removal industry strongly supported a snow-liability limitation bill, arguing that hold-harmless clauses and broad indemnification requirements force contractors to assume liability for conditions they cannot control, drive up insurance costs, and threaten business viability. The committee did not take any votes during the hearing, and the session ended with the chairs thanking members, staff, and the public before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Do they have a reasonable accommodations process? Do they have an ADA coordinator?
• Do they have a reasonable accommodations process? Do they have an ADA coordinator?
• , you know, if we have a business that has like 200 employees and they don't have a reasonable accommodation
• Reasonable accommodation and disability rights, public health initiatives impacting people with disabilities
• and pre-apprenticeship pathways for people with disabilities, including programs that provide accommodations

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Massachusetts Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities met virtually and in person for its June meeting. Members approved the March meeting minutes and heard a chair’s report on recent “Meeting the Moment” community conversations, including the successful Lowell event and plans for a July 14 Northampton event and an October National Disability Employment Awareness Month celebration at the State House. The October event will include a panel with MassAbility on artificial intelligence and its impacts on people with disabilities, with discussion of both accessibility benefits and risks such as bias and discrimination. A major presentation came from the Supplier Diversity Office on its Empowering Abilities in Contracting and Employment (EAC) program. Staff described the program’s evolution from a pilot launched after 2016 legislation to a statewide policy now included in new state contracts. The program aims to increase certification of disability-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, expand workforce participation by people with disabilities, and use vendor reporting to track progress toward a 3% workforce goal. The office reported about 292 active certified businesses, roughly 40 vendors currently on EAC contracts, and expectations that the number of participating vendors will grow to about 130 by November. Commissioners praised the program and asked about its reach, data, and potential replication in other states or institutions. The advisory council update highlighted broad engagement across topics including accessibility, employment, youth transition, housing, health equity, transportation, technology, AI, and supported decision-making. Members were asked to share fact sheets and resources for posting on the commission website, and two council members will help plan the October employment event. Subcommittee reports followed: the employment subcommittee reviewed transition-to-employment barriers, the disability employment tax credit, veteran services, and a SEED policy brief; the workforce supports subcommittee discussed apprenticeships and a May webinar on addressing workforce barriers through apprenticeships; and the long-term services and supports/health equity subcommittee heard about care coordination training resources and a presentation on post-COVID health care inequities for people with disabilities. The executive director also reported on ongoing work with state agencies, MassHealth-related conversations, caregiver and aging issues, and AI planning. The meeting ended with commissioner announcements on the Paul Spooner Generational Leadership Summit and a Medicaid summit, followed by adjournment by vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• There were some East Baton Rouge precinct changes to accommodate some members.
• I think they accommodated some people. I don't know exactly, but they... Who did they accommodate?
• think it's my opinion, rather than specifically looking at race and trying to gerrymander things to accommodate
• , it's my opinion, rather than specifically looking at race and trying to gerrymander things to accommodate
• “Very gerrymandered” things to accommodate a racial result.

Bills: SCR12, HB221, HB509, HCR58, HB75, HB1222, SB121, SB312, SB348, SB485, SCR9, SCR58, SB65, SB215, SB249, SB269, SB282, SB296, SB323, SB363, SB369, SB474, SB490, SB492, SB500, SB514, HCR54, HCR79, HCR87, HCR94, HCR104, HCR32, HB944, HB17, HB41, HB73, HB223, HB244, HB410, HB750, HB759, HB906, HB966, HB1006, HB1009, HB1086, HB1107, HB1112, HB1215, HB1242, SB208, SB217, SB283, SB387, SB389, SB401, SB408, SB469, HB74, HB119, HB368, HB414, HB552, HB732, HB776, HB848, HB870, HB953, HB956, HB1236, SB29, SB42, SB43, SB78, SB149, SB274, SB300, SB341, SB382, SB441, SB449, HB134, HB210, HB258, HB359, HB468, HB784, HB1117

Keywords: logging, recognition, John Keith, environment, safety, Mississippi River bridge, Trump Expressway, transportation, federal funding, Louisiana highways, injection wells, public hearing, geologic sequestration, environmental impact, public comment, Ascension Parish, state capitol, economic development, community partnership, celebration day

Transcript Highlights:

• clarifies that this law does not require any upgrades to the state or local transportation network to accommodate
• state or local transportation<00:14:24.079> network<00:14:24.800> to<00:14:25.040> accommodate
• transportation network to accommodate transportation network to accommodate the<00:14:26.000>

Bills: SB205, SB222, SB205, SB222

Keywords: appropriation, education funding, priority schools, Alabama education, State Department of Education, medical clinic board, clinic board, hospital bankruptcy, Chapter 11, bankruptcy, debt restructuring, municipal indebtedness, municipal bankruptcy, health care provider, acute care hospital, lease property, board immunity, director liability, civil liability, healthcare finance

Transcript Highlights:

• We had a young man who was raised in a very tight-knit religious family.
• very had a young man who was raised in a very very<03:12:38.479> tight-knit<03:12:39.120> religious
• very tight-knit religious very tight-knit religious family.<03:12:41.279> He<03:12:41.600
• They may not have a priest or a religious leader, people that they talk to.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 34, which would require parental consent for each new service provided to a student through the Medicaid to Schools program and require reports to legislative policy committees. Senator Ruth Ward said the bill was intended to increase transparency, protect parental involvement, and ensure continuity of care, especially for students with disabilities. She also noted a proposed amendment she received shortly before the hearing that would change the bill’s focus from a “new service” to a “new care plan.” Representatives from the New Hampshire Primary Care Association and Amoscake Health testified that they opposed the bill as written but would support it with the amendment. They explained that tying consent to individual diagnosis codes or services could be burdensome, could delay care, and could create compliance problems if a diagnosis changes during a visit. They said the amendment would better align consent with the overall care plan and avoid interrupting treatment mid-appointment. Committee members raised questions about how the bill would interact with IEPs, individualized health plans, homebound services, telehealth, billing, and whether the amendment would still require parental involvement after a care plan changes. The deputy Medicaid director from the Department of Health and Human Services testified that the amendment was more operationally feasible because Medicaid billing involves many ICD-10 codes that can change or overlap, and consent should be tied to the care plan rather than to each code. He said the current law already requires parental consent for participation in the Medicaid to Schools program and annual consent for billing, but the bill would make explicit consent for care-plan changes. No vote was taken during the portion of the hearing provided, and the committee appeared to continue discussion with DHHS after the testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 177, Senator West, Criminal Law, Interference with Access to or Egress from a Religious Facility
• injure another while the other is lawfully exercising or attempting to lawfully exercise the right of religious
• Constitution at a place of religious worship. There are two amendments.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation, journalized the prayer, and recognized Read Across America Day with a special resolution congratulating the Maryland State Education Association on the program’s 28th anniversary. Senators also welcomed several guests and student groups, including Eleanor Roosevelt High School students, Maryland Federation of Republican Women members for Red Scarf Day, medical shadows from Johns Hopkins, a student page prospect, and a group from Matthew Henson Elementary School. The chamber then took up multiple Finance Committee consent calendars and individual local alcohol-related bills, all of which were reported favorably, adopted without objection, and ordered printed for third reading. Measures included changes to alcohol license fee refunds for uniformed service members, Anne Arundel County license classifications and compensation for liquor board officials, a Baltimore City racetrack license extension, a Cecil County license quota change, and new or expanded licenses for golf courses, sports venues, and barber shop/beauty salon establishments. The Senate also advanced bills on social work licensing, a rural readiness economic development program, a Maryland-Ireland Trade Commission extension, peer-to-peer car sharing insurance rules, telematics-based auto insurance disclosures and appeals, and veteran status notation on public profiles. Several bills were amended before being advanced, generally with technical or clarifying changes and no recorded opposition. Senate Bill 18 would create a provisional social work license; Senate Bill 351 would regulate insurer use of vehicle telematics data; Senate Bill 395 would revise insurance and liability rules for peer-to-peer car sharing; and Senate Bill 197 would alter comprehensive plan elements in land use law. Senate Bill 439, protecting fire and rescue public safety employees from adverse action based on medical cannabis certification, also moved forward without amendment. One measure, Senate Bill 69, which would make permanent the nonprofit navigator position in the Department of Commerce, was discussed at length after a member raised concerns about oversight of nonprofit grant funding. On request, the bill was special ordered to the next day for further consideration. All other bills discussed in the transcript were advanced to third reading by unanimous or near-unanimous voice action, with no recorded roll-call votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• That means families that choose private, religious, charter, or homeschool options will continue to receive
• That means families that choose private, religious, charter, or homeschool options will continue to receive
• That means families that choose private, religious, charter, or homeschool options will continue to receive

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I think what we ought to do is look at all of that reporting that we're already religiously doing, think
• I think what we ought to do is look at all of that reporting that we're already religiously doing, think

Summary: The committee met for an informational hearing focused largely on the state capital outlay process and House Bill 2. Roger Husser and Matt Baker of the Division of Administration/Facility Planning and Control described how the office prepares and administers the capital outlay bill, said the bill has grown substantially over five years, and argued that recent changes in culture, staffing, project management, cash-flow analysis, and use of third-party support have more than doubled project expenditures and improved delivery. Members asked about the use and cost of third-party project managers, delegation of smaller projects to agencies, hiring difficulties, and whether the changes represented better interpretation of existing law versus statutory changes. Husser said some statutes were amended, some internal customs were removed, and the office would provide a list of those changes. He also explained that the office is trying to move away from overly rigid practices and toward faster project completion while still following public-bid and oversight rules. A major portion of the discussion centered on the size and structure of the capital outlay bill, especially the gap between Priority 1 cash capacity and the much larger Priority 5 backlog. Husser said the current annual Priority 1 limit is tied to construction inflation and is about $574 million, with additional surplus funds also available, but that the bill contains far more Priority 5 funding than can realistically move in a five-year plan. He and members discussed dormant projects, scope creep, legacy projects that have sat in the bill for years, and the problem of false expectations for non-state entities. Proposed solutions included limiting Priority 5 to five times Priority 1, requiring annual re-endorsement by members, setting district or project caps for non-state projects, requiring time limits and reporting for grant-like non-state projects, placing matches in escrow, requiring design readiness before submission, and consolidating the many existing reporting requirements into one clearer report. Members also discussed bundling multiple projects under one agency project, which the House had begun piloting for LSU, UL Lafayette, Southern, and DOTD, and which Husser said could improve flexibility, reduce overappropriation, and better reflect actual spending. Baker then explained cash-flow management and the commitment process, saying FPC now analyzes projects annually to estimate what can actually be spent in the next fiscal year and uses commitments to allow projects to proceed when future-year funding is expected. He said overappropriations can result from poor cash-flow estimates, delays, dormant projects, or projects coming in under budget, and that the office is already reworking cash-flow assumptions and reappropriating savings where possible. Members also raised concerns about change orders and low bids; staff said project managers review change orders closely, require concurrence on non-state projects, and sometimes reduce scope to keep projects within budget. After FPC’s presentation, the committee heard the beginning of Louisiana Economic Development’s capital outlay discussion, where LED explained that its projects generally fall into three categories, including the Economic Development Awards Program and Site Readiness Program, both used to support targeted economic development and job creation.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think what we ought to do is look at all of that reporting that we're already religiously doing, think
• I think what we ought to do is look at all of that reporting that we're already religiously doing, think

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held an informational hearing on the state capital outlay process, with Roger Husser and Matt Baker of the Division of Administration’s Office of Facilities Planning and Control (FPNC) presenting a detailed review of House Bill 2 and proposed improvements. They said FPNC administers about 54% of the bill, while other agencies administer the rest, and emphasized that the capital outlay program has improved significantly over the last few years, with project expenditures more than doubling due to better cash-flow management, staffing changes, and more efficient project administration. They also explained how the bill is structured by priorities, how the priority-one cash line of credit is capped and adjusted for construction inflation, and how the bill has grown into a much larger, longer-range plan than a true five-year program, especially on the non-state side. A major theme was that the bill contains too many dormant, legacy, and low-priority projects, which creates false expectations and ties up funding. Committee members pressed the presenters on culture change, third-party project management, staffing shortages, and the use of technology and statutory interpretation to speed projects without sacrificing compliance. Husser and Baker said they had reduced internal bureaucracy, used staff augmentation because of hiring difficulties, delegated smaller projects to agencies when appropriate, and improved cash-flow analysis so projects can move forward with less money up front. They also discussed overappropriations, dormant projects, and the need to reappropriate unused funds to projects that can actually spend them. The presenters offered several recommendations and considerations: limit the number and size of new projects, reduce scope creep, require more regular endorsement of long-running projects, consider caps on priority-five funding, impose time limits and reporting requirements on non-state grant projects, and possibly require non-state entities to escrow or otherwise demonstrate their match earlier. They also suggested bundling related projects together, expanding that approach beyond the current pilot, and improving transparency by showing full project funding history and the first year each project appeared in the bill. No votes were taken, and the meeting remained informational, with members generally supportive of the efficiency reforms while also raising concerns about false hope, dormant projects, and the need for clearer expectations and accountability.

Transcript Highlights:

• intentional amnesty for those individuals seeking to become closer to God, seeking to practice their religious
• A carve-out for any individual, rather, I should say, who has a deeply held religious belief, spiritual

Summary: The House convened with prayer, pledge, quorum call, approval of the journal, and adoption of the Rules and Ethics Committee’s special order report for the day. The chamber then took up House Bill 1B, the immigration bill, and members were told they would have one opportunity to question the sponsor on both the House version and the anticipated Senate changes. Representative McClure described the bill as a major immigration-enforcement package creating a chief immigration officer housed in the Department of Agriculture, an Office of State Immigration Enforcement, a local law enforcement grant program, a state immigration council, and new penalties and enforcement tools. He also outlined anticipated Senate language, including stronger 287(g) participation requirements, enhanced penalties for unauthorized aliens, a mandatory death penalty provision for certain capital offenses, and additional coordination with federal agencies. The bill drew extensive questioning from Democrats about due process, constitutional issues, school and workplace impacts, and the treatment of people whose immigration status changes over time. Members asked about birthright citizenship, TPS, asylum seekers, pretrial detention standards, the lawful basis for detaining someone based on suspected status, and whether teachers, social workers, school resource officers, and even children could be required to cooperate with immigration enforcement. McClure and Representative Garrison repeatedly said the bill would require cooperation with federal authorities, that status determinations would be handled under existing court procedures, and that the Senate death-penalty language was intended to fit within Hurst by requiring a jury finding beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was an unauthorized alien. They also said the bill did not provide DMV funding, did not address teacher shortages, and included appropriations such as $25 million for the local law enforcement participation incentive program and broader funding for enforcement and training. Several amendments were considered. Representative Chambliss offered an amendment to protect schools, churches, and places of worship from enforcement activity; supporters argued it would preserve trust in sacred and educational spaces, but the amendment failed. Representative Escamani offered an amendment to preserve in-state tuition for Dreamers; supporters emphasized the educational and economic contributions of Dreamers and the hardship of higher tuition, but that amendment also failed. The debate ended with no bill vote in the excerpt, but the House completed the amendment votes and continued consideration of the immigration measure.