Transcript Highlights:

• I'll call up each member of the panel, and I'll ask the first member of the panel to verify their names
• the entire panel.
• Uh, I'll be glad to answer any questions that the panel might have. Thank you, Commissioner.
• We'll, uh, we're gonna go through the panel and then have questions at the end. Thank you, Mr.
• We got one more panel turnout calls Charlie Leal. Curtis Smith and Dr. Don Farrell. OK. Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• For this panel, we're going to... Welcome Dr. Dina Shin-McRae from the University of California.
• As pointed out on the panel, California has the highest rate of retention.
• For this panel, we have Dr.
• The background for this issue is on page 21 of your agenda, and for this panel, we welcome...
• For a background on this issue, you can turn to page 20. for this panel.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• retention issues that we heard about during our focus groups, and DCYF doesn't conduct its own exit interviews
• landfill gas collected, the cost of maintaining the equipment, and information gathered during interviews
• We did interview stakeholders and the Department of Social and Health Services as part of this review

Summary: The committee met on July 15, 2026, but initially lacked a quorum, so it could not adopt prior minutes. Chair Jerry Pollett welcomed new member Senator Victoria Hunt and new JLARC staff, and noted national recognition for recent JLARC reports. The meeting then moved into a series of preliminary audit presentations and an agency strategic management update, with committee members asking questions after each item. JLARC presented a preliminary audit of DCYF’s Juvenile Rehabilitation programs. Staff concluded that crowding, staffing shortages, weak risk assessments, and inconsistent programming combine to create unsafe conditions. The report found that most youth are housed in two large secure facilities operating near or above capacity, incidents rise as population rises, 47% of frontline staff leave within a year, current assessment tools are not valid for the population, and program access depends more on facility than individual need. JLARC made one recommendation to the legislature to address crowding and seven to DCYF, including improving retention, training, incident response procedures, validated assessments, program alignment, and data quality. DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter said the agency agreed overcrowding is a serious problem, described ongoing efforts to improve staffing and safety, and said a detailed response would be provided later. Committee members raised concerns about education access, retaliation against staff or youth who participated in the audit, and whether JR-25 has helped or worsened conditions. JLARC then presented a preliminary audit of Labor and Industries’ enforcement of farm worker labor laws. The audit found that L&I generally meets inspection timelines for health and safety complaints, but not for wage and hour or retaliation complaints, where delays are driven largely by time before assignment to an investigator. Staff said complaint volume exceeds capacity, though the agency has added staff, created screening processes, and reorganized workloads, and 2026 legislation now allows prioritization of complaints and broader investigations. JLARC recommended that L&I report back in December 2026 and December 2027 on backlog reduction and implementation of the new law. An L&I representative said the agency is hiring additional staff and will provide a formal response later. The committee also received a JLARC overview and Department of Health strategic management plan update on hospital data reporting, inspections, complaints, and adverse event reporting. DOH reported measurable progress on inspection compliance, new staffing and licensing systems, translated complaint forms, and plans for future work on language access, adverse event reporting, and financial data dashboards. After lunch, JLARC began its 2026 tax preference performance reviews. The first review covered the Main Street tax credit, which JLARC said has helped increase the number of Main Street communities and businesses, with positive growth near designated districts; JLARC recommended continuing the preference and improving business-count data. The second review covered the equitable access to credit program, which JLARC said appears to support underserved communities by funding loans through CDFIs; JLARC recommended continuing the preference beyond its 2027 expiration. The committee began questions on the program mechanics and the role of the Community Reinvestment Act, and the presentation was still underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our research team, through that project, interviewed 700 young people starting when they were 17. ...
• interviewed 700 young people starting when they were 17 and interviewed them five times, between age

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• even greater— ...and we made sure that we refreshed our memory as to the even greater number of interviews
• did at that time, because at that point, as you may recall, some of you may recall, we actually interviewed
• While a few of the folks that we interviewed at the various parts of North Dakota government said there

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Daniel Pearl, who's at the Uniformed Services at Bethesda Medical Hospital, did two 60-minute interviews
• On those interviews, they gave conclusive evidence that veterans exposed to blast waves is causing PTSD
• I've interviewed every one of them and their spouses.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 369, which would add post-traumatic stress disorder to an existing 2018 hyperbaric oxygen therapy-related law for veterans. Representative Scott Sharp and HBOT for KY Vets representatives testified that PTSD and traumatic brain injury often overlap, that veterans are frequently misdiagnosed, and that hyperbaric oxygen therapy has shown benefits in clinical trials and in Kentucky’s own funded program. Members asked whether the bill would require insurance coverage; the sponsors said it would not, and noted they are seeking broader approval through medical and congressional channels. The committee voted favorably on HB 369, with members expressing support based on personal experience and the needs of veterans and their families. The committee then considered House Bill 419, for which a committee substitute was adopted before testimony. Representative Suzanne Miles and Kentucky Fire Commission/KCTCS representatives explained that the bill would expand the fire commission board from 14 to 18 members, clarify that KCTCS’s 5% administrative fee applies collectively to all funds rather than separately to each fund, and allow excess funds to help cover out-of-pocket cancer screening costs for volunteer and paid firefighters. A question about board staggering was answered by explaining that staggered terms were originally used to avoid all terms ending at once and were expected to continue. The committee passed HB 419 with favorable expression. Later, USA Cares presented an update on how it has used prior state funding. The organization described its grant-based assistance for veterans and military families facing housing, vehicle, and utility crises, as well as career transition and housing-related support programs. Testimony emphasized that the aid helps prevent homelessness and reduce suicide risk, and the group reported it had used nearly all of the $2 million awarded in the last budget cycle to assist 364 families and more than 500 dependents. No vote was taken on the USA Cares presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're conducting interviews, performing risk assessments, and working on the audit plan.
• They're conducting interviews, performing risk assessments, and working on the audit plan.
• They're conducting interviews, performing risk assessments, and working on the audit plan.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee organized itself by electing Representative Griffin as chair and a senator as vice chair, then approved the prior meeting minutes. Director Young then gave status updates on several ongoing performance audits. The New Hampshire Commission for Human Rights audit was reported complete, with presentations already made to the fiscal committee and House Judiciary. The special education oversight audit is still in progress, with 17 observations already sent to the department, responses received on 14, partial concurrence on 12, and a full draft report expected in late summer or early fall. The education freedom accounts audit is also underway, with fieldwork focused on eligibility controls and expenses; staffing shortages at the department have slowed the work, and a draft report is hoped for in the fall. The Doorway program audit is in the planning phase, with a report targeted for the end of the year. Members then discussed whether the committee should do more follow-up on completed audits. Several members said audits often identify issues that remain unresolved for years, and suggested a more active review process, similar to the Health and Human Services Oversight Committee, where agencies would return to report on what audit findings have been fixed and what remains outstanding. Staff noted that any such follow-up would take time away from new audit work, but said they were willing to consider the committee’s direction. Members also discussed using Transparency New Hampshire updates and agency self-reporting to help track progress, and there was general agreement to move toward a system of periodic follow-up on recent audits. The committee also reviewed suspended and potential audit topics. Two Department of Health and Human Services audits, involving the Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services and out-of-date placements, remain suspended because of ongoing litigation. Two other DHS topics, contract management and the Bureau of Developmental Services, remain on the potential audit list. A member raised a possible Fish and Game topic based on constituent concerns, but agreed to wait after speaking with the new director. The committee concluded by agreeing that the audit division should compile a list of audits completed in the last 10 years, with members to identify which ones they want to revisit first.

Transcript Highlights:

• font color="aaaaaa">was a candidate for Congress and showed up to an interview
• font color="aaaaaa">was a candidate for Congress and showed up to an interview
• You know and showed up to an interview and