Transcript Highlights:

• communications out, we have our plans out, like let's start getting boots on the ground and sort of test
• the existing, I think, complete census count program and the census data technical assistance line items
• And those were really innovative, and they continue to be, for example, the DPH line item includes the
• Let’s make sure that we appropriate funding that is going to be used for all the items that we need to
• So my testing made a huge difference in making sure that for those people who could use their assistive

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on the Census held an early planning hearing on how Massachusetts can maximize participation in the 2030 census, with Chair Will Brownsberger and Vice Chair Rebecca Rausch emphasizing the need to start well in advance. The first panel, made up of leaders from the Massachusetts Voter Table, MassVOTE, MIRA, and MESA, stressed that grassroots community organizations are trusted messengers and should be funded early to do multilingual outreach, training, and direct assistance in hard-to-count communities. They described lessons from 2020, including the shift to internet response, reduced federal census infrastructure, the importance of coordinated statewide networks, and the need to begin messaging several years before Census Day because building trust and staffing outreach takes time. Panelists repeatedly warned that immigrant communities are facing heightened fear because of federal immigration enforcement and the possibility of a citizenship question or other federal changes, making census participation more difficult. They said 2020 funding arrived too late to fully staff and train outreach teams before the pandemic, and argued that future resources should be deployed earlier and more flexibly. In response to committee questions, they estimated Massachusetts should invest roughly $8 million to $10 million or more in state census outreach, with one proposed model of about $3 million to $5 million at the start, additional funding in the middle years, and a larger final push closer to 2030. They also suggested that funding should support communications infrastructure, translation, social media and ethnic media outreach, and possibly a permanent complete count structure or trust fund to preserve institutional knowledge. A second panel from Common Cause Massachusetts and the ACLU of Massachusetts echoed the call for stronger, earlier investment and stronger privacy protections. They urged the legislature to expand existing census line items, consider a trust fund or other dedicated funding stream, and coordinate census outreach with other state programs that already work through trusted community messengers. The ACLU testimony focused on racial inequities in census counts and warned that federal efforts to exclude non-citizens or add a citizenship question would deepen distrust and undercount immigrant communities. Committee members asked about the 2020 overcount/undercount results, funding levels, timing of grant distribution, and whether census outreach should be routed through the Secretary of the Commonwealth or other state mechanisms; no votes were taken, and the hearing moved on to a later panel on immigrant-community outreach.

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't have any tests.
• So we need the test kits, we need the bait, we need peace officers.
• tubes, about half the size of a test tube.
• I need to use that money for tests. There are no test kits out there.
• They train for that, they test for that.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Her test scores are now up.
• Her test scores are now up.
• There is no testing for admissions.
• Louisiana can compare apples to apples without forcing one test on every school.
• Without forcing one test on every school. And it's been fascinating.

Summary: The committee met for public testimony on the Finance budget, with the main discussion focused first on funding for disability services and then on the LA GATOR scholarship program. Several individuals testified in support of fully funding Families Helping Families and Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS), describing how advocacy, transition services, and direct support workers help people with disabilities access education, employment, and independent living. Witnesses urged the committee to preserve or increase state general funds to draw down federal matching dollars, and provider groups said current reimbursement rates and staffing shortages are leaving agencies in deficit, creating waitlists, overtime costs, and difficulty retaining workers. Committee members thanked the speakers and noted that the testimony would be used to compare the governor’s, House, and remaining budget requests. The committee then heard extensive testimony in support of increasing funding for the LA GATOR scholarship program. Supporters included policy groups, school leaders, parents, and students who argued that the program expands educational choice, helps low-income and special-needs students find schools that fit their needs, and should be fully funded at the level of demonstrated demand. Speakers from Catholic and Christian schools said GATOR funding had helped students thrive academically and spiritually, but that shortfalls left many eligible students without awards, hurt kindergarten enrollment, and forced schools to raise private donations to cover gaps. Several witnesses emphasized that the program is not a zero-sum attack on public schools, but a way to let education dollars follow students. A few committee questions focused on the fiscal impact and on whether choice programs improve outcomes without harming public schools. Testimony cited enrollment growth, parent demand, and data from other states to argue that school choice can improve student and parent outcomes and may also strengthen traditional public schools through competition. No votes or formal actions were taken during the public testimony portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, we do have one more item on the agenda.
• Any other items to ask Director Salih or Chair Munoz?
• Can you review what was cut in that line item, Mr. Chair? Mr.
• Representative Dixon, are you referring to item 145? Yes, Mr. Chair. Mr.
• There are two separate line items, but they're very similar.

Bills: HB2, SB152

Keywords: general appropriation, budget, Medicaid, education funding, public safety, telecommunications, low-income assistance, lifeline, broadband, rural broadband, universal service fund, public regulation commission, PRC, 911 surcharge, telecommunications relay service, VoIP, mobile service, internet affordability, digital equity, digital inclusion

Transcript Highlights:

• There's also a bunch of miscellaneous cleanup items that, as we've continued to go through the bill with
• Items that, as we've continued to go through the bill with a fine-tooth comb, we've identified, and so
• that uh other agencies been doing items that uh other agencies have<00:37:57.839> been<00:37:
• section of the in the conforming items section of the bill,<01:16:54.880> so<01:16:55.040>
• Representative Yuing said that was their concern about the sanctions MDE has and the preemptive items

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• :38.800> line those needs and having a a line a line those needs and having a a line a line item
• <00:04:40.000> be<00:04:40.160> able<00:04:40.360> to<00:04:40.520> do item
• in the service to be able to do item in the service to be able to do that<00:04:41.440> cfss<
• She explained that these children urgently require diagnostic testing and treatment.
• They have added more and more tests, and he thinks people pay on their own at this point.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And one part of that test cannot be satisfied by the very nature of the conduct that results in a second-degree
• Under current law, the definition of awaiting testing includes language allowing a local law enforcement
• School supplies, art materials, instructional items under $50 would be tax-free.
• art materials, clay, glazes, paints, paint brushes, and drawing pads and watercolors; instruction items
• The average elementary school student's back-to-school list in Pennsylvania contains 16 to 17 items.

Keywords: Scheduler, 972, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, there's not technology to separate a particular item on a particular item on a... >> Correct, please
• <01:30:36.560> on<01:30:36.800> a particular item on a particular item on a >>
• <02:15:28.320> Um, performing risky diagnostic tests.
• Um, performing risky diagnostic tests.
• physician to perform diagnostic tests physician to perform diagnostic tests surgical<02:16:56.000

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to ask one question on the item, and forgive me, where is this item on the delaying of resources
• We'll go to item number six, Assembly Bill 152. We'll go to item number six, Assembly Bill 152.
• Item 17, Assembly Bill 179. Which bill number? Item 17, Assembly Bill 179.
• Let's go to item 14, AB 171. Please call the absent members. Let's go to item 14, AB 171.
• Let's go to item 14, AB 171. Please call the absent members. Let's go to item 14, AB 171.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the user testing bugs, basically, they sent back to the vendor.
• And the user testing, the bugs, basically, they sent back to the vendor.
• I will take the next two items. Good morning.
• So we coordinate some of those items across higher education...
• We worked on some of those items.

Summary: The committee received several informational reports from NDIT and DPI. Justin Data reviewed the quarterly major IT project portfolio, noting the portfolio was slightly under budget and behind schedule overall, with three red schedule items: Bed Management System and Vital Records were essentially complete and being closed out, and the Roadway Capital Planning Project was delayed by vendor bug fixes after testing. He also summarized recent project startups and closeouts, including the Victim Notification System, Medicaid data exchange, Highway Patrol’s motor carrier permit system, and several completed HHS and RIMS projects. Members asked for follow-up on ADA compliance work, the public-facing RIO website, and the state’s mainframe retirement timeline, and staff agreed to provide updates later. Craig Falkley reported on coordination of services with political subdivisions and higher education, including StageNet, cybersecurity, radio/911 services, and PeopleSoft coordination. He also explained distributed ledger technology as a tool for transparency and fraud prevention, but said it is not widely used in state government and suggested the report be modernized to focus more broadly on emerging technologies such as AI and cybersecurity. The committee generally agreed that the topic should be updated. Chris Gurgan presented the mandatory cybersecurity incident reporting program created by HB 1314, explaining how agencies and political subdivisions report incidents through NDIT’s website or service desk. He said 77 incidents had been reported since 2021, 47 met the statutory definition, and most were phishing-related; most reported incidents were resolved, with one recent ransomware matter still open. He also reviewed notable incidents since the last report, including the PowerSchool compromise, a SimpleHelp intrusion at a school district, a court intrusion, a WSUS vulnerability, a business email compromise, and a recent ransomware incident involving a non-state critical infrastructure entity. Members asked about recovery of stolen funds, early warning signs, smishing, training, MFA, conditional access, and cybersecurity maturity assessments; Gurgan said the state uses MFA and conditional access, provides awareness training to state employees, and would return with more information on maturity assessments. Tony Ambrose then updated the committee on the K-12 student information system bridge project. He said district implementation of Infinite Campus had begun statewide, but the data migration vendor originally selected was terminated for poor performance and replaced by Aurora Educational Technology, which had experience with similar statewide migrations. He also said DPI is migrating special education data from Tynet into Infinite Campus, and that some SLDS-based tools such as e-transcripts and Choice Ready may not function exactly as they do now at July 1, requiring interim or alternative solutions. Members raised concerns about summer school disruptions, the timing of the cutover, and whether the new system would support existing reporting and transcript functions; DPI said it was working on identity, authentication, data-sharing agreements, and post-go-live integrations, and would continue to refine the plan beyond June 30.

Transcript Highlights:

• more about what sort of animal testing more about what sort of animal testing is<00:57:35.680>
• I just have two items. One, for, uh, thank you for being here, Commissioner.
• I just have two items. One, for, uh, thank you for being here, Commissioner.
• for hb401 relative to animal testing for hb401 relative to animal testing funded<02:53:32.359>
• <02:56:22.160> funded hb401 relative to animal testing funded hb401 relative to animal testing

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting covered two main items. First, the solid waste subcommittee reviewed draft language for HB 707, focusing on landfill siting and permitting standards. Members and the Department of Environmental Services discussed replacing repeated references to “aquifer” with “drinking water well,” clarifying that aquifer is a broad term, and considering whether a statutory definition was needed. They also debated the bill’s setback and time-of-travel provisions, including the 10^-5 standard, a 1,500-foot distance, and whether the bill should rely more on performance-based criteria than prescriptive distances. Another major topic was permit denial language tied to applicants with significant histories of repeated serious violations or landfill-related litigation; the department said it already has related authority in current rules, but noted some wording was still too vague and could be tightened. No vote was taken, and the chair closed the hearing with plans to continue work later. The second item was a work session on HB 424, which would direct the Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food to create forms for businesses to request information about service animals and establish a study committee on fraudulent or untrained service animals. Several members said the problem raised by the bill was real but expressed concern that the legislature may be limited by the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. Others argued that a study committee would likely not produce a workable solution and might conflict with leadership’s direction to avoid unnecessary study committees. Members discussed whether the bill should be retained, amended, or instead replaced with a letter or resolution to the federal delegation. The committee appeared to lean toward ITL and possibly pursuing a letter to federal officials, but no final vote is reflected in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• on two nationally normed achievement tests.
• NAEP tests carry a maximum 500-point score.
• 280 uh according to the 2024 test 280 uh according to the 2024 test results<04:07:06.560> which
• Improvement via the metrics of test Improvement via the metrics of test scores<04:13:13.840>
• getting into all that lot the test getting into all that lot the test scores<04:18:54.239> that

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee met in executive session and first took up HB 193, which limits the maximum credits per course eligible for the Dual and Concurrent Enrollment Program. Representative Ladd said the bill clarifies that eligible courses may not exceed four credits and was requested by the community college system. Representative Earth offered an amendment to make the bill effective on passage, which the committee adopted 18-0. The committee then approved HB 193 as amended by an 18-0 OTPA vote and placed it on the consent calendar. The committee next retained HB 295, concerning School Building Aid program funds, after Representative Spillsbury said the building aid bills were complex and needed more work. The motion to retain passed 18-0, with the chair explaining that retained bills can be revisited later and that related language could be moved among building aid bills. HB 354 was not acted on because the chair said the Department of Education and others had suggested possible changes that should be worked out first. HB 366, another school building aid bill, was also retained 18-0 for the same reasons as HB 295. The committee then considered HB 494, which funds the math learning communities program. Representative Earth offered an amendment to flat-fund the program, reducing the proposed increase by a net $50,000 and keeping funding at current levels for the biennium. After discussion about budget pressures and the program’s role in supporting math instruction and professional development, the amendment passed 18-0, and the bill as amended was approved 18-0 and placed on consent. Finally, the committee took up HB 515, which would repeal charter public school eligibility for state school building aid. Representative Popovici-Muller moved inexpedient to legislate, arguing charter schools should not be treated differently from other public schools, while Representatives Luno and Damon opposed the motion, saying charter schools differ in governance and financial risk and should not receive limited state building aid. The motion failed 10-8, so HB 515 was sent to the regular calendar. The committee assigned Representative Damon to the minority report and Representative Popovici-Muller to the majority report, with a noon deadline the next day. The committee then began HB 716, an appropriation for the dual and concurrent enrollment program. Representative Ladd described the program as a successful affordability measure that saves families money and supports college access. Representative Earth offered an amendment to flat-fund the program at current levels, reducing the proposed increase by $500,000 in each year of the biennium. Shannon Reed of the Community College System said the change could limit enrollment or the number of funded courses, though students could still take additional courses at their own expense. Representative Ladd explained the program’s tuition structure and said the funding would help meet demand; the transcript cuts off before the final vote on HB 716.

Transcript Highlights:

• With that, we'll go with our first item on our agenda: Senate Bill 27.
• We need to track whether or not the testing is appropriate, the diagnoses appropriate, and this just
• is is appropriate the diagnoses testing is is appropriate the diagnoses appropriate<00:04:09.920>
• Next item on the agenda is hearing on Senate Bill 93. Certainly welcome you to the table.
• <00:34:50.480> of Senator we have one other item of Senator we have one other item of business

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 27, as amended by committee substitute, which would create a Kentucky Parkinson’s disease research registry. The sponsor said the substitute was developed with UK, U of L, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and Parkinson’s in Motion to better define a movement disorder center, add Parkinson’s experts from both universities to the advisory committee, require automated reporting, and delay implementation until 2027. Testimony emphasized the need to track diagnoses and testing while protecting confidentiality and allowing people to opt out. The committee adopted the substitute and then voted unanimously to pass SB 27 with a favorable expression. The committee then heard Senate Bill 93, dealing with hearing aid coverage for children. A parent described the high cost of hearing aids for her son and the financial burden created by insurance limits, while a pediatric audiologist explained that early identification and treatment improve language outcomes and that families can spend about $30,000 on hearing aids from birth to age 18. The committee substitute removed adults from the bill and added an in-network requirement for pediatric audiologists, along with a replacement interval consistent with Medicaid guidelines and repair/loss coverage provisions. After questions about costs, replacement timing, and insurer practices, the committee voted unanimously to pass SB 93 with a favorable expression. Finally, the committee considered Senate Bill 153, a transparency and due-process bill concerning Medicaid prepayment review. The sponsor and witnesses from Addiction Recovery Care and Frontier Behavioral Health said prepayment reviews can be imposed with little notice or explanation, disrupt cash flow, and burden rural and smaller providers; they argued the bill would require clearer notice, reasons, and timelines without stopping legitimate reviews. Members asked about managed care organizations, contract issues, and whether the bill would conflict with existing agreements, and the sponsor said it would not. After discussion and an explanation of vote from Senator Douglas, the committee voted to pass SB 153 with a favorable expression.

Transcript Highlights:

• assessment called the Minnesota um test assessment called the Minnesota um test of<00:09:09.600>
• That's a federal requirement that test.
• And um identified as taking that test.
• <00:58:20.880> Uh nuanced and specific items here. Uh nuanced and specific items here.
• Um, and you number or item number five.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Seclusion Working Group approved the minutes from its previous meeting by motion and vote. Members then began discussing a set of proposed recommendations submitted by Woodward, Havman, and Hull aimed at addressing concerns about the use of seclusion in special education settings. The recommendations focused on several areas: requiring a mental health professional on the IEP team before seclusion is added to a student’s plan; replacing passive parental consent with explicit written consent in the parent’s native language; limiting seclusion to students receiving setting 3 or setting 4 services; requiring annual review of seclusion frequency and duration data by the IEP team; and creating stronger monitoring and accountability through a reporting system modeled on Minnesota’s existing disproportionality process. The group also proposed mandatory annual staff training, more preventive crisis-intervention supports such as CPI and Ukeru, direct funding and technical assistance for districts, and incorporating restraint/seclusion data into disproportionality calculations. Members discussed how the proposed accountability system might work in practice, including whether a third party or parent reporting mechanism should be added. Woodward explained Minnesota’s current disproportionality framework, including year 1, year 2, and year 3 notifications and the possibility of required coordinated early intervening services if problems persist. Participants also raised concerns about whether schools should track law-enforcement involvement as an alternative or related response to student behavior; some noted that such data is already collected in certain district reporting systems and could be useful to monitor alongside seclusion data. The discussion remained ongoing, with no final action taken on the recommendations during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to go on to item number 33.
• We'll go on to the next item, that's item number 36, and you got it as well, Senator Padilla.
• Members of the Senate, we're going to go on to the next item, that's going to be item number I'll move
• We're going to go on to the next item.
• three, Item number three.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to break after the IHSS items.
• Since there's three items on it, we're going to go item by item.
• Since I haven't said this, we're holding all items open.
• We're going to hold the item open.
• Last item, I will be quick.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard an overview of the governor’s IHSS budget proposals and then took public testimony from the administration, LAO, county representatives, labor, consumer advocates, and an aging/disability advocacy group. The administration described IHSS as a large Medi-Cal long-term services program serving more than 900,000 recipients and proposed three changes: shifting some growth costs tied to authorized hours per case to counties, eliminating the statewide backup provider system, and aligning IHSS terminations with Medi-Cal terminations. The administration also discussed the earlier CFCO reassessment penalty change for counties and said overdue reassessments had dropped significantly. LAO said the governor’s overall IHSS cost estimates appeared reasonable, but raised concerns about the hours-per-case cost shift, including unclear root causes for growth, limited county control over statewide averages, and uncertainty about the eventual savings. County Welfare Directors Association, SEIU, and consumer/advocacy witnesses opposed the hours cost shift, arguing counties use state tools, the proposal would pressure counties to cut services, and it could harm older adults and people with disabilities by increasing institutionalization and shifting costs elsewhere. The chair and members repeatedly questioned the rationale for the proposal, the lack of a defined baseline, and whether the current assessment tools or MOE structure should instead be revisited. On the backup provider system, the administration said the program is underused and costly to administer relative to service spending, while LAO suggested the Legislature consider whether administrative costs could be reduced instead of eliminating it. County, labor, and consumer witnesses opposed the cut, saying the system is a critical emergency safety net even if utilization is low, especially for rural areas and people with complex needs. Members also asked about data quality, county backup systems, and whether consumers know the program exists. On the Medi-Cal/IHSS alignment proposal, the administration said automation would stop General Fund-only spending when recipients lose Medi-Cal and restore IHSS automatically when Medi-Cal is regained; LAO and others noted the proposal had been rejected before and urged better notices and safeguards. Witnesses warned that automatic termination could create gaps in care and unpaid work for providers, while the department said counties already manually terminate in some cases and that automation is ready if approved. No votes were taken in the excerpt, and the chair indicated the committee would continue with public comment and later items before a hard adjournment time.

Transcript Highlights:

• Which creates about a little over $600,000 line item for the general fund.
• allows for the department to do what they kind of already do actually, but go around and randomly test
• That's for technology and the testing of fentanyl.
• That's for technology and the testing of fentanyl.
• <00:21:23.840> of That's for technology and the testing of That's for technology and the testing

Bills: HB44, HB400, HB444, HB487, SB249, SB252, SB58, HB44, HB400, HB444, HB487, SB249, SB252, SB58

Keywords: teachers retirement, credit purchase, St. Clair County, DAY Program, pension reform, dental insurance, benefit rollover, healthcare, insurance policy, annual maximum, HB444, vaccines, vaccine exemption, religious exemption, religious liberty, private school, church school, faith-based school, parochial school, school immunization

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, we encourage people to take the test. I think in the...
• We encourage people to take the test.
• I think in the last 10 years, we only have one person who has applied and taken the test.
• Have you taken the test? The process costs $75.
• Particularly now, we're testing mammals particularly now we're testing mammals for a variety of diseases

Bills: HB448, HB448

Keywords: wildlife rehabilitation, conservation, good samaritan, injured animals, orphaned animals, debilitated wildlife, wild birds, wild animals, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, DCNR, permit exemption, animal rescue, animal welfare, veterinary medicine, veterinary licensing, animal cruelty, wildlife care, rehabilitation act, non-federally protected species, endangered species

Transcript Highlights:

• The technology is new and would have to be tested.
• for it, because we do robust drug testing every month.
• Just a couple of clarifying items for me.
• Just a couple of clarifying items for me.
• I guess just broadly, this whole charge here around monitoring these items.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and they get tested through lawsuits.
• And they want to test. They want to get in trouble and then they're going to file suit.
• We also need the line-item budget so we know what we're spending.
• And we don't really need a law to say that you can't look at these certain items?
• The balancing test. Florida to give them a break in litigation.

Summary: The committee first considered CS/SB 1434 on infill redevelopment. A late-filed strike-all amendment narrowed eligibility to certain contaminated or brownfield properties in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, added adjacency and density/intensity limits, and excluded agricultural land, park land, land outside the urban growth boundary, and land near military installations. The amendment was adopted without opposition, and the bill was reported favorably on an 8-0 vote, with limited support and opposition noted in waived appearance forms. Members then took up CS/CS/SB 212 on sexual offenders and sexual predators. The strike-all added public swimming pools and related child-centered locations to residency and presence restrictions. Testimony was sharply divided: proponents argued the bill would help protect children and law enforcement, while opponents, including treatment experts and homelessness advocates, said there was no empirical evidence the restrictions reduce abuse and warned of retroactive punishment and increased homelessness. The amendment was adopted, and the bill passed 8-1. The committee also approved CS/CS/SB 686 on agricultural enclaves after an amendment allowing certain enclaves adjacent to interstates to be developed for commercial, industrial, or single-family residential uses and clarifying exclusions for protected areas. Opponents argued it would weaken zoning and comprehensive plans, while supporters framed it as a property-rights measure; the bill was reported favorably 10-0. SB 554 on nonprofit corporations, a technical update to nonprofit law modeled on prior for-profit corporate revisions, also passed unanimously after supportive waived testimony. Later, the committee approved SB 1338 on charitable giving, which creates a donor remedy for endowment restrictions and limits state reporting burdens on certain regulated or exempt organizations; members discussed cy pres and the sponsor said further changes would be worked out later. CS/SB 532 on court fees was amended to let clerks retain all collections above revenue projections rather than half, with supporters saying clerks have been underfunded for years; it passed 10-0. The committee also favorably reported SB 218 on land use regulations, which restores normal land-use authority to counties not affected by recent hurricanes, and CS/SB 692 on cybersecurity standards and liability, which creates a presumption against liability for entities that comply with cybersecurity frameworks and reporting requirements; the cybersecurity bill drew concerns about retroactivity and the adequacy of compliance incentives but passed 9-2.