Transcript Highlights:

• We don't want to give a false sense of security to parents as well.
• emergency department, I see firsthand what it looks like when a child is carried into the ED by a parent
• This gives parents vital time to get to their children and prevent a potential tragedy.
• I feel that this piece of legislation is part two, or part B, that will help educate parents at a very
• I feel that this piece of legislation is part two or part B that will help educate parents at a very

Bills: S0428 , S0606 , S0192 , S0162 , S0340

Committee: Senate Health Policy

Keywords: drowning prevention, water safety, swimming lessons, swim vouchers, child drowning, infant safety, toddler safety, pool safety, bath safety, safe bathing practices, postpartum education, newborn care, childbirth education, birth centers, home birth providers, Department of Health, public health, water competency, swim instruction, infant supervision

Summary: The Senate Health Policy Committee met with a quorum and took up several health-related bills, with a strong focus on drowning prevention and patient safety. SB 428 by Senator Yarborough would expand Florida’s swim lesson voucher program from children ages 0-4 to ages 1-7. Supporters, including a pediatric emergency physician and YMCA leadership, cited Florida’s high child drowning rates and argued that swim lessons reduce risk and should be available to more children. Senator Harrell noted the need to consider increasing the program’s funding as eligibility expands. The bill was reported favorably. The committee also heard SB 606 by Senator Smith, which adds drowning prevention and safe bathing education to postpartum materials provided by hospitals, birthing centers, and, after amendment, no longer home birth providers. A parent who lost a child to drowning testified in support, and senators emphasized the preventability of such deaths. The bill, as amended, was reported favorably as a committee substitute. SB 340 by Senator Harrell would require nursing students to complete a two-hour human trafficking course before licensure; after a strike-all amendment shifted the requirement from nursing programs to the students themselves, the bill received support from advocates and was reported favorably as a committee substitute. The committee also considered SB 162 by Senator Davis, which would require hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to adopt policies for using smoke evacuation systems during procedures that generate surgical smoke. The sponsor said the equipment is relatively inexpensive and already common in many facilities, while opponents and some senators questioned the medical evidence, enforcement, and possible impacts on rural and smaller facilities. Despite those concerns, the bill was reported favorably, with some members voting no. SB 192, presented by Senator Trumbull on behalf of Senator Martin, would remove the $1,500 cap on advances chiropractic physicians may collect for examinations or treatment; the Florida Chiropractic Society supported the change as pro-small-business, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee also received an OPAGA presentation comparing Florida’s health care practitioner regulation system with other states, focusing on board autonomy, rulemaking oversight, board composition, appointments, term limits, and funding mechanisms.

Transcript Highlights:

• AS A PARENT MY HEART BREAKS FOR THE MURPHY FAMILY, THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD TO SHARE YOUR STORY.
• WE KNOW PARENTS THAT ARE NOT GOOD PARENTS THAT MY KIDS ARE FRIENDS WITH AND THEY TAKE SHELTER IN OUR
• TO MAKE THE PARENTS AWARE OF THEY ARE STAYING AT YOUR HOUSE SO WE CHANGED IT TO 24 HOURS AT THAT POINT
• YOU SHOULD ASK THE PARENTS OR GUARDIANS IF THAT IS ALL RIGHT IF THEY ARE UNDERAGE. >> Chair Martin:
• NOT ONLY AS GRIEVING PARENTS THAT LOST THEIR 17-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER THE WAY SHE STARTED HER SENIOR YEAR

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the parents don't understand what they need to do.
• And we have served as foster parents and respite providers.
• You want to respect biological parents' rights, as they say. It's a fine line.
• You want to respect biological parents' rights, as they still have.
• It gives foster parents, caseworkers, and providers the information they need.

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:01:40.720><c> because</c><00:01:40.960><c> we're</c><00:01:41.200><c> not</c> failing parents
• because we're not failing parents because we're not adopting<00:01:41.680><c> the</c><00:01:41.920><
• Parents have to be part of the solution, but parents need to be made aware of these harms, and that's
• Parents need to be made aware of these harms, and that's the purpose behind a warning label.
• </c><00:13:23.200><c> and</c> literacy while connecting parents and literacy while connecting parents

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, I think we've all heard horror stories back in our districts of, um, parents, uh, younger individuals
• Representative Green: I think what we are trying to do here is deal with the issues that parents have
• Representative Green: I think what we are trying to do here is deal with the issues that parents have
• Representative Green: I think what we are trying to do here is deal with the issues that parents have
• But that takes a lot of resources for parents and students to be there.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> stronger partnership with parents, stronger partnership with parents, educators,<00:39:45.760><
• Any parents here who has any testimony on this issue? >> Anyone online? >> That is a parent. Yes.
• Any parents here one here?
• </c> parent. Yes. Do we have one? All right. parent. Yes. Do we have one? All right.
• </c> Two parents in front of us. Thank you. Two parents in front of us. Thank you.

Committee: Joint Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Supporting parents and their child's diagnosis of hearing loss is supporting them after that diagnosis
• Our children's social workers work very diligently with our parents to support the child, and many of
• Our children's social workers work very diligently with our parents to support the child, and many of
• It's for first-time parents that are ages 24 and under, and Massachusetts Home Visiting Program.
• maternal mental health, and increased educational and employment outcomes for parents.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing was an informational and oversight session of the Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities, with chairs and members hearing agency updates from several commissioners. The Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition described its maternal and child health work, including home visiting, early intervention, WIC, newborn hearing screening, and cross-agency efforts on prenatal substance exposure, respite care, children’s vision, and maternal health initiatives. DPH emphasized that federal grant cuts, layoffs, and the loss of data systems such as PRAMS would weaken services and planning, and members asked about Title V funding and the impact of federal uncertainty. The Massachusetts Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing highlighted communication access services, interpreter and CART referrals, emergency after-hours support, family navigation, and independent living services. Commissioners and members discussed the shortage of ASL interpreters and the need to expand training pipelines, including partnerships with colleges and possible ASL programming for younger students. The Department of Developmental Services reported serving nearly 50,000 people and focused on youth and adult services, transition-age supports, autism services, self-direction, respite, and new high-acuity residential models. Members asked about respite availability, self-direction outcomes, and workforce shortages; DDS said it was expanding clinical capacity and provider rates while monitoring possible federal Medicaid, SNAP, and immigration-related impacts. The Commission for the Blind described services for about 28,000 legally blind residents, most of whom are older adults, including social rehabilitation, orientation and mobility training, children’s services, assistive technology, vocational rehabilitation, and Turning 22 supports. The commissioner discussed a UMass-based effort to build the workforce pipeline for blindness services and said the agency was watching federal restructuring but had not yet seen direct cuts. MassAbility’s leadership then warned about major federal changes affecting Social Security disability determinations, including staff restructuring, office closures, and a new overpayment repayment policy, and said the agency was preparing for possible increases in claims and uncertainty around reallotment dollars that help fund services. The Disabled Persons Protection Commission closed the hearing with an update on its abuse investigations and protective services for adults with disabilities. DPPC reported rising hotline calls and investigations, a growing caseload, its sexual assault response team, the abuser registry, and a new interagency protective services integration system funded by ARPA dollars through 2027. The agency also flagged new federal rules that could affect funding eligibility and said it may need statutory changes to comply. Members asked about funding, reporting pathways, and how complaints reach DPPC, and the commissioner said the agency uses both mandated reporting and proactive outreach to identify and respond to abuse.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, um I think that, you for parents.
• </c> every single kindergarten tour parents every single kindergarten tour parents are<00:19:14.560><
• </c> colleagues who talk a lot about parental colleagues who talk a lot about parental rights,<00:20:
• have just a know, do you as a parent have just a parental<00:20:11.560><c> right</c><00:20:11.880><c
• </c><00:20:32.640><c> are</c> certainly something that parents are certainly something that parents are

Bills: HF3776 , HF3557 , HF3585

Committee: House Education Policy

Keywords: screen time, preschool, kindergarten, early childhood education, digital media, tablets, smartphones, educational technology, EdTech, classroom devices, publicly funded preschool, school policy, child development, special education, IEP, 504 plan, IFSP, Minnesota education law, climate literacy, education

Transcript Highlights:

• It's part of the parents, the board, and the administrators to do this.
• It's part of the parents, the board, and the administrators to do this.
• Uh does that may be parents of students?
• parent-teacher conference several weeks before the attack.
• parent-teacher conference several weeks before the attack.

Bills: HF3409 , HF3487 , HF3401

Committee: House Education Policy

Keywords: immigration status, undocumented students, immigrant rights, K-12 education, public school enrollment, Plyler v. Doe, school district, charter school, cooperative unit, law enforcement access, ICE, immigration enforcement, civil lawsuit, private right of action, injunctive relief, mandamus, student records, directory information, parental engagement, equal access to education

Transcript Highlights:

• But to take the parents' right and the parents' voice away is absolutely horrific.
• :03.599><c> and</c><00:45:03.839><c> the</c><00:45:04.000><c> parents</c> the uh parents right and the
• parents the uh parents right and the parents voice<00:45:04.800><c> away</c><00:45:05.680><c> is</c>
• <01:08:48.880><c> who</c> of fetal death to a birthing parent who of fetal death to a birthing parent
• Although the parent is Instagram.

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs heard testimony on HB 1875, which would expand Hawaii’s existing protections to include gender-affirming health care, clarify permitted disclosures of protected health information, and bar certain adverse actions by malpractice insurers and health carriers against providers of lawful reproductive or gender-affirming care. The Insurance Division of DCCA supported the bill with a technical amendment, suggesting language tied to actuarial analysis rather than the phrase “actuarially sound.” The Office of Information Practices also provided comments. Most testimony was strongly in support. State agencies and advocacy groups, including the Hawaii State Youth Commission, State Health Planning and Development Agency, Commission on the Status of Women, Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Stonewall Caucus, ACLU of Hawaii, PFLAG Oahu, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said the bill would protect patient privacy, reduce chilling effects from out-of-state litigation, and help retain providers in a state already facing shortages. Several testifiers said gender-affirming care is medically necessary, evidence-based, and life-saving, and emphasized that Hawaii should protect its own health care decisions from outside political pressure. A few individuals testified in opposition, arguing the bill was unnecessary or that it protected providers more than opponents of the bill, but these views were not echoed by most of the testimony. The chair repeatedly reminded testifiers to keep comments brief and maintain decorum. The transcript provided does not include a final committee vote or disposition on the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• that disability alone cannot be used as a basis for terminating adoption petitions, terminating parental
• terminating parental rights or uh<00:02:45.519><c> involving</c><00:02:46.360><c> placement</c><00:02
• rights she actually had reached parental rights she actually had reached out<00:04:57.960><c> for</c
• The report indicated that national removal rates where parents have a psychiatric disability were as
• </c> prior I talked to other foster parents prior I talked to other foster parents who've<00:17:16.039

Keywords: 00:11 Call to Order/Roll Call 01:02 Discussion of 25RS SB 26 07:48 Roll Call Vote on 25RS SB 26 08:43 Discussion of 25RS SB 85 28:04 Roll Call Vote on 25RS SB 85 29:37 Discussion of 25RS HB 805 40:30 Roll Call Vote on 25RS HB 805 41:32 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 26, presented by Senator Brandon Storm, Family Court Judge Marcus Vanover, and Crystal Adams on behalf of the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health. The bill would ensure Kentucky complies with the ADA by prohibiting disability alone from being used to terminate adoption petitions, parental rights, or child-placement petitions. Testimony cited Kentucky Supreme Court and Court of Appeals cases involving parents with intellectual or developmental disabilities and national data showing high removal rates for parents with psychiatric, intellectual, or physical disabilities. The committee approved the bill 15-0 with favorable expression. The committee then heard Senate Bill 85 from Senator Steve Meredith and State Auditor Allison Ball, which continues the transition of the Office of the Ombudsman from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to the Auditor’s office. Testimony focused on completing the transfer by clarifying access to the ITWIST database, ensuring complaints go directly to the Ombudsman, adding whistleblower protections, and making the office a separate office within the Auditor’s office for efficiency. Members asked about the prior conflict of interest when the Ombudsman was housed within CHFS, the database access dispute and lawsuit, and whether the office still remained independent. The bill passed with favorable expression after some members voted pass. Finally, the committee considered House Bill 805, with Representative Nick Wilson and Representative Sarah Stalker explaining a committee substitute and amendment. The bill would set timelines for the Cabinet to physically locate children reported at immediate safety risk and require annual kinship-care reporting to be automatically provided to the legislature and posted publicly. Wilson said the bill also cleans up language from last year’s House Bill 271, including changing “threats” to “risks” in the safety-plan definition and other terminology fixes. The committee adopted the substitute and amendment and advanced the bill with favorable expression.

Transcript Highlights:

• The last time school districts registered homeschool students, it led to the arrest of multiple parents
• Usually that is facilitated and organized by the local school boards or parents in cooperation with their
• Some homeschool parents... ...streamlined for everyone involved, parents and schools alike.
• Some homeschool parents may be concerned about blurring the lines between homeschool and public school
• Homeschool parents, and moms in particular, are some of the hardest-working people you'll meet.

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It often includes programming for the family, for the parents and the kids around parenting or job coaching
• It's because I, as a parent, have said no; I'm not allowing my kids online or on social media.
• up, if parents aren't willing to say no...
• But that is a choice of me as a parent to say that we don't want to participate in those things.
• So I hate to shame parents for how they parent their children.

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• It does not protect children or parents.
• The silence raises questions about whether non-biological parents—adoptive, foster, step, or LGBTQ parents—will
• Father means a parent of the male sex.
• Mother means a parent of the female.
• Her parents have been totally supportive.

Bills: HB229 , HB229 , HB3990 , HB5082 , HB5510

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: HB 229, Texas, political subdivision, local government, county dues, county association, state association of counties, lobbying, lobbyist, public funds, taxpayer lawsuit, injunctive relief, attorney's fees, Government Code Chapter 556, Local Government Code Section 89.002, legislative advocacy, municipal government, county government, city government, special district

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:54:14.280><c> came</c><00:54:14.640><c> from</c> with the parent came from with the parent came
• for not parenting their kids.
• for not parenting their kids.
• for not parenting their kids.
• for not parenting their kids.

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What about a parent?
• Also, another real-world example is I was a single parent for 11 years.
• We're talking about both parents working.
• Also, another real-world example is I was a single parent for 11 years.
• We're talking about both parents working.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The parent has to agree to what that is. And so if a parent is.
• Yes or no, the parent has to agree to what that is.
• Or would determine for parents to be able to receive those funds.
• interest in defining those parameters around how and where parents receive... ...their dollars.
• ' parents and diagnosis and exploration of treatment and education options.

Summary: The committee received a detailed JFAC presentation on the K-12 public school support budget from Legislative Services analyst Kellan McGurkin, followed by testimony from Superintendent Debbie Critchfield. McGurkin reviewed how Idaho’s school funding formula works, including support units, staff allowance, career ladder salary funding, discretionary funding, health insurance, transportation, facilities, and the Public Education Stabilization Fund. He explained the FY 2026 revised budget, including a reduction in projected support units and an ongoing $22.3 million general fund rescission, and then walked through the FY 2027 request and the Governor’s recommendation. Major FY 2027 items included health insurance adjustments, transportation growth, federal fund authority, and proposed one-time special education initiatives: a $5 million high-needs fund and a $1 million regional service model, both tied to interest or transfers from other funds. The Governor also recommended eliminating or reducing some items, including virtual school-related payments and a reduction to Idaho Digital Learning Academy funding, which would lower the general fund request compared with the agency proposal. Critchfield framed the budget around enrollment trends, shifting student populations, and the need for flexibility in how districts use existing dollars. She highlighted gains in literacy, graduation rates, dual credit and career technical participation, and said the department wants more categorical flexibility for professional development, technology, and digital content funds so districts can redirect unused money to higher priorities such as literacy or special education. She also described the Idaho Career Ready Students grant as having created 170 new programs and said remaining funds are obligated. On special education, she said costs are growing faster than current funding and argued for a bridge solution while broader funding issues are addressed; she also said the department is pursuing a regional service-center model to help rural districts share hard-to-fill specialists. Critchfield additionally outlined planned federal waivers on assessments and flexibility, and said the state is seeking more control over education decisions. Committee members focused heavily on funding mechanics, especially whether career ladder and health insurance money is distributed per teacher or through support units, how discretionary funds are used, why insurance amounts in the budget book differed from current projections, and whether districts can use leftover health insurance dollars for other purposes. Members also questioned the proposed special education funding, the use of interest earnings from dedicated funds to support the general fund, the size and use of school contingency balances, and whether the state should revisit the funding formula itself. No votes were taken during this portion of the meeting; the discussion remained in presentation and questioning, with several follow-up requests for data and clarification.

Transcript Highlights:

• They would like to offer a driver's ed course, and they also wanted to be able to let parents teach kids
• So there are four different options that parents can use, however they choose.
• And I think it's safe to say that parent driver's ed has proven itself.
• It's been doing good in the rural districts, and I think it's time that we open it up to all parents
• And I think it's time that we open it up to all parents in the state.

Committee: House Transportation and Defense

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> yeah absolutely but I know as a parent yeah absolutely but I know as a parent of<01:14:05.719><c
• Do I understand you to say that parents don't have a choice? Is that... no, parents...
• Do I understand you to say that parents don't have a choice? Is that... no, parents...
• Do I understand you to say that parents don't have a choice? Is that... no, parents...
• Do I understand you to say that parents don't have a choice? Is that... no, parents...

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division III work session focused on the Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Public Health Services budget. Department staff said Public Health has a relatively small budget compared with other DHHS divisions, is supported mostly by federal and other non-General funds, and contains nearly 100 accounting units and more than 50 federal grants. They emphasized that the governor’s budget did not include significant cuts, but that federal funding uncertainty and the winding down of pandemic-era resources were major factors affecting the division. The division also explained that some apparent budget growth reflects reorganizations, including moving the Bureau of Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery and some programs from other DHHS divisions into Public Health. The presentation described Public Health’s mission as serving the entire state through food and water safety, disease surveillance, emergency response, maternal and child health, chronic disease prevention, WIC, community health center support, and public health data collection. Members asked about bird flu, and staff explained that human-health response would involve Public Health’s lab, infectious disease, and emergency preparedness units, while animal-health issues are handled with the Department of Agriculture; they also noted ongoing milk testing requested by FDA and USDA. The division said its organizational structure includes bureaus for Family Health and Nutrition, Infectious Disease Control, Public Health Protection, Emergency Preparedness, Prevention and Wellness, Statistics and Informatics, and Public Health Laboratories, with about a 15% vacancy rate. Committee members questioned whether the division’s budget and staffing had really grown since pre-COVID, and staff responded that full-time authorized staffing is about the same as in 2018, with the increase largely due to federal pandemic funding that has since receded and to program transfers between divisions. They said Public Health’s General Fund share is about $24 million out of roughly $1.1 billion in DHHS General Fund spending, or about 2.2% of the department total. Members also asked about the 3,000-position cap and unfunded positions; staff explained that the cap remains in chapter law through June 30, 2025, that 394 positions were unfunded in the governor’s budget, and that the division expects flexibility to move money from personnel lines and fill unfunded positions to manage changing needs. No votes or formal actions were taken in this portion of the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• It empowers parents by taking a family-centered approach.
• The foster parents were very happy and grateful.
• I'm the Advocacy and Policy Director at Texas Parent to Parent.
• So I wear both hats, parent and provider.
• I know Chair Frank, on the House side, we've worked really hard to help parents. ...parents, grandparents

Bills: SB1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all