Transcript Highlights:

• towards caring capacity be allocated towards caring capacity studies<00:30:00.159> okay<00:30
• <00:43:14.640> dialed there you have a maintenance fee dialed there you have a maintenance
• fee dialed in<00:43:15.520> right<00:43:16.520> uh<00:43:17.400> whatever<00:43
• So that's what we're trying to put into the actual moving fees, but not a separate charge.
• into what the moving fee is that they would pay in our facilities.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Water and Land met on March 13, 2025, and first announced that SB 1456 would be deferred to the end of the agenda and ultimately worked on later, with the chair indicating the bill would be deferred and revisited in a future measure. The committee then heard SB 841 on marine life conservation districts. DLNR supported the bill, saying it would fund carrying capacity studies to inform rules and policies. Testimony noted a pilot study already underway at the Puka Marine Life Conservation District and another nearing completion at the old Kona Airport MLCD. Members discussed costs, with DLNR estimating about $300,000 per year for one user-experience study, potentially more for ecological analysis, and also discussed possible funding from the Mālama Kai special fund. DLNR said it had no objection to consulting current operators and other users, and explained the program would be a new, ongoing adaptive-management tool. The committee next heard SB 411 on capital improvement projects at small boat harbors. DLNR supported the intent, saying the bill would help expedite use of special funds for CIP work, while the Department of Budget and Finance opposed it, arguing the draft could conflict with constitutional limits on appropriations. Public testimony from an industry representative supported the bill and urged more collaboration with commercial operators, while committee discussion focused on whether DLNR could already use special funds for repairs, how much engineering and bidding work is required before projects go out to bid, and whether the current process creates bottlenecks when bids exceed initial estimates. DLNR said it can do some repairs and maintenance within existing authority and funding ceilings, but that the bill as drafted could be too broad. The committee also heard SB 5 on historic preservation, where DLNR supported the measure and NAOP Hawaii opposed it, saying the bill’s broader definition could expand the scope beyond the stated goal of narrowing reviews and reducing backlog. The committee then took up SB 1462 on the state historic preservation income tax credit. The Department of Taxation said the revenue estimate assumes the cap would be reached each year the credit is available, and DLNR supported the bill. SHPD said the prior credit had sunset, outreach had previously been done in targeted communities such as Chinatown, and owners of eligible historic properties are notified during review. Finally, the committee heard SB 268 on island burial councils. DLNR supported the bill, and OHA strongly supported it, saying the councils have struggled with quorum and expertise and that the measure would restore the original intent of having lineal descendants and cultural practitioners as decision makers, while still allowing landowners and developers to testify and participate. OHA also said it would help provide technical support and urged continued involvement from SHPD and the Attorney General’s office.

Transcript Highlights:

• money we would like to take if allocated money we would like to take if allocated to<00:49:04.960
• :49.680> money<00:53:50.000> out part of why allocating money out part of why allocating
• models there are mostly a flat fee models there are mostly a flat fee that's<01:14:19.120> charged
• What about the disclosure of how state funding is being allocated to this to NIL students?
• to this to funding is being allocated to this to NIL<01:38:11.440> students?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: A joint informational briefing of the House and Senate higher education committees focused on how the University of Hawaiʻi athletics department plans to remain competitive in the new NIL era, including the effects of the House v. NCAA settlement, direct institutional payments, and the need to balance competitiveness with the university’s educational mission. Senators and committee members introduced themselves, and the briefing featured remarks from women’s basketball coach Laura Beeman, football coach Timmy Chang, and Athletic Director Matt Elliott. Coach Beeman said NIL has already affected recruiting and retention in women’s basketball, estimating the program has lost six to 10 student-athletes because it lacks the funding to keep comparable talent. She emphasized that the issue is not greed but retention, culture, and keeping student-athletes who value the university and community, while also using NIL as a way to teach financial literacy, privacy, and adult responsibilities. Coach Chang described similar pressures in football, including transfer portal volatility and competing offers from other programs, and gave examples of players whose personal and family circumstances made NIL support important for staying at Hawaiʻi. Athletic Director Elliott said the department’s vision is to create an outstanding student-athlete experience, recruit and retain elite athletes, compete at the top of the Mountain West, and strengthen community ties. He said the department wants to preserve the educational focus while adapting to a system in which student-athletes can share in revenue. Elliott explained that UH is seeking a $5 million annual NIL fund, is fundraising through the community and the “Boost the Bose” account, and is also pursuing individual NIL deals, corporate sponsorship-related deals, and licensing opportunities. In response to Senator Kim’s question, he said NIL compensation can come through two tracks: institutional payments within the department’s discretion and outside deals that must be reviewed for market value under the new reporting system. No votes or formal actions were taken; the meeting was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this particular position and the allocation, uh, is that contract only the allocation?
• uh is that contract only the allocation uh is that contract only we're<00:56:52.640> talking<
• our from our BJ table when we allocated our from our BJ table when we allocated our<01:42:56.080
• <01:43:01.280> So allocation of each budget line items.
• So allocation of each budget line items.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ,<01:04:47.280> property to focus on franchise fees, property to focus on franchise fees,
• fees tax, restaurant tax, and franchise fees from<01:14:59.440> utilities.
• Other sources at almost 12% include things like 911 fees, landline fees, bank franchise deposit taxes
• <01:20:53.040> franchise, fees, landline fees, uh bank franchise, fees, landline fees, uh
• total tax revenue comes from the fee. total tax revenue comes from the fee. for<01:22:09.600>

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:11 Discussion of County Clerks’ Land Records Update 00:02:42 Discussion of Area Development Districts 00:22:48 Discussion of Legislative Measures 00:50:09 Discussion of Local Taxing Sources 01:02:33 Adjournment 01:29:16, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up an update from the Kentucky County Clerks Association on the transition to electronic recording and land records modernization. Testimony explained that legislation from the 2021 task force created funding and deadlines for counties to provide online search portals and complete a 30-year property record search, with a later move to a 60-year standard. Speakers said the money has been awarded to counties, but much of the work is still in progress because records must be scanned, indexed, and manually verified. They said only a handful of counties are fully compliant with electronic recording so far, while many are still working through staffing and vendor issues. They also noted that the 60-year standard may ultimately be easier and more efficient to complete than the 30-year standard, and that compliance is expected to improve by next summer. The clerks’ representatives also raised related issues, including deed fraud, the county document storage fee, and KDLA digitization grants. They said online recording can make deed fraud easier to attempt, so they expect to seek legislation next session to address it. They described an existing notification service available in many counties that alerts property owners when a document is recorded, which can help detect suspicious activity quickly. They also said the storage fee and separate county account structure has generally worked well, but that two recent KDLA grant cycles have not released money for clerks, limiting support for digitization work. Another topic was whether, once records are fully digitized and verified, some permanent records should remain publicly accessible or be moved to a safer archive under KDLA control. Members asked about the balance in the KDLA fund, what the General Assembly could do to help lagging counties, and how much of the $25 million modernization funding had been spent. Witnesses said they did not have the current fund balance but would try to get it, that the main obstacle now appears to be staffing rather than additional money, and that the funds have been awarded but not fully expended because work is still ongoing. They emphasized that counties are helping one another and asked members to alert association leadership if any county is struggling. The committee then heard a presentation from Dan London, executive director of the Lincoln Trail Area Development District, who described area development districts as regional staff extensions and technical resources for cities and counties, and highlighted their role in coordinating regional services and partnerships across county lines.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those you pay fees on.
• <01:08:08.720> President, little bit about fees. Mr. President, little bit about fees.
• Th those you pay fees on. Other sewage. Th those you pay fees on.
• Facilities Use Fees. Senate File 95, Facilities Use Fees.
• registration fees tribal governments. registration fees tribal governments.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• While campuses fund some repairs each year, the state general fund allocation cannot meet the needs of
• In a five-year span, we have allocated $5.6 billion, which is just slightly more than the need in the
• It's hard for us to allocate our share, but it's certainly an exciting prospect. we can come up with
• Into this, the allocation you're seeking versus what your plan has identified as needs.
• Funding beyond the $8 million allocated by the Governor's budget proposal.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There May be some additional fees on those programs that the high school may pick up.
• You know, raising all of those fees on top of seeing such an influx of public money is not the right
• The allocation will be dedicated to planning, designing, constructing, and equipping the early childhood
• The funding allocation is for Planning, Designing, Constructing, and Equipment Phase 2 of the Shiprock
• There's monies. that we've allocated to the economic development department that work in that space.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So it would go into a statewide allocation system instead of being retained locally.
• Statewide uh allocation Statewide uh allocation system<05:24:26.520> um<05:24:26.920>
• I did propose that in the previous bill: it was a 3% collection fee that could be put back in.
• I did propose that in the previous bill: it was a 3% collection fee that could be put back in.
• <05:33:59.400> for allocate afforded a a processing fee for allocate afforded a a processing

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused on HB 563, which would revise the education funding formula for pupils receiving special education services by replacing the current single special education amount with three differentiated categories. Representative Rick Ladd, the prime sponsor, said the bill largely tracks a House-passed version from the prior session with minor figure adjustments, and explained that the proposal uses projected FY26 amounts for three categories based on time in general education versus more intensive placements. He also noted that the bill does not address catastrophic aid directly, but that special education aid, CAT aid, and proration all remain issues for later work sessions. Ladd and supporters argued that weighted categories better reflect actual costs and are more sustainable than treating all IEPs the same. Representative Margaret Drye said the approach was one of the best ideas from the education funding subcommittee and urged the committee to support differentiated aid. Representative Ames asked how the category amounts were derived, and Ladd said Category A follows the FY26 base, Category B is a higher weight, and Category C is a still higher weight for more intensive services, though he acknowledged the exact multipliers were developed earlier and could be revisited. He also said the committee would continue discussing whether the weights are appropriate and how they interact with CAT aid. Testimony from Bonnie Dunham strongly opposed the bill. She argued that funding based on placement rather than actual service need would create incentives to move students into more restrictive settings, could stigmatize children with labels such as "Category C," and would undermine the least restrictive environment requirements under federal special education law. She described her son’s experience in inclusive settings as beneficial and said the bill would have penalized the district for serving him there. In response to questions, she said schools and parents should base funding on the child’s actual needs and costs, not on placement, and urged the committee to recommend the bill inexpedient to legislate.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then we also have a fee-for-service for a certain population, which is quite a bit smaller than Medicaid
• And then again, as I had said earlier, there's the fee-for-service category.
• If it's fee-for-service, which Indian Health Service is fee-for-service... service, then we pay whatever
• It's a special rate for them, so we pay them on a fee-for-service rate for whatever they're coming in
• It might have been 6% or 7% for our administrative fees.

Transcript Highlights:

• retroactivity date so the residential subcommittee may stagger renewal and collection of licensing fees
• Amendments 12 and 13 provide that fees for the inspections on behalf of the subcommittee shall be set
• would come from the Manufactured Housing Commission currently for their licensing and enforcement fees
• Those fees would go up.
• And you would have, to the commissioner's point, some allocation...

Summary: The House Committee on Commerce met on May 11, 2026, with a quorum present and took up a series of Senate bills, a resolution, and one House bill. The committee reported favorably Senate Bill 79 to recreate Louisiana Economic Development, Senate Concurrent Resolution 5 to establish the Louisiana-Ireland Trade Commission, Senate Bill 375 on firefighting foam with amendments clarifying use in declared emergencies, Senate Bill 398 moving manufactured and modular housing oversight under the Contractors Licensing Board with technical and substantive amendments, Senate Bill 163 on virtual currency business licensing with an amendment providing for federal preemption if Congress enacts a national licensing regime, and Senate Bill 287 on virtual currency kiosks with consumer-protection provisions and technical amendments. The committee also reported favorably House Resolution 197, as amended, urging the Public Service Commission to study distributed energy generation and storage resources with LSU involvement, and Senate Bill 54, which would allow estheticians to blow-dry hair after certain services; that bill drew extensive testimony from supporters and opponents in the cosmetology and aesthetics industries before being reported favorably. Several bills prompted detailed discussion and testimony. On Senate Bill 398, the sponsor and Contractors Licensing Board representatives said the change would improve enforcement and consumer safety for manufactured-home installation, especially tie-downs, leveling, and foundation blocking, while not affecting HUD-regulated construction. On the virtual currency bills, OFI said it currently licenses 37 virtual currency businesses with 33 pending applications, and supporters described the kiosk bill as a response to fraud complaints by requiring clearer disclosures, refund procedures, live customer support, and reporting to OFI. For House Resolution 197, the sponsor, PSC officials, and energy stakeholders said the study would examine the value of distributed energy resources, including rooftop solar and battery storage, in light of rising demand and grid reliability concerns; PSC staff and LSU energy experts described the study as focused on market value and avoided-cost benefits. House Bill 744, which would have shifted regulation of certain New Orleans utilities from the city council to the PSC, generated discussion about constitutional history, rate impacts, and utility consolidation. PSC officials and the sponsor said the current city-council regulation is a constitutional exception dating back to 1921, and they argued that PSC regulation could reduce costs and simplify oversight, but the sponsor ultimately moved to defer the bill rather than force a floor fight, and the committee agreed. The committee then began consideration of Senate Bill 386, the Louisiana Data Privacy Act, adopting technical amendments and then a larger amendment package that revised definitions and compliance provisions; the transcript ends while that bill’s amendment process is still underway, with no final action shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• These are the districts and charters that received a Hold Harmless allocation.
• In the middle of that list is what they received out of the $1 million allocation.
• The calculation that was used actually gave them a much larger Hold Harmless allocation.
• PED fully allocate their methodology, which would require up to about $7.7 million.
• It's then up to the local level to decide on how to allocate funding throughout the district.

Transcript Highlights:

• When the government can pressure a property owner through fees, conditions, or concessions to surrender
• When the government can pressure a property owner through fees, conditions, or concessions to surrender
• It's for the capital city stormwater program with the fees assessed there, but our city has repealed
• those fees, so we just saved $18,000.
• in both the budget and Senate allocated in both the budget and Senate File<01:20:00.920> 123<

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• had mistakenly implemented a system change on June 24, 2024 that erroneously increased the Medi-Cal fee
• And the system change resulted in the CBAS rates posted to the fee schedule on our Medi-Cal website.
• California has allocated $10 million annually for ADRCs since their inception, which I was a part of
• This allocation includes operational costs and $5 million for tribal entities.
• We simply can't meet the rising need under the same funding allocations.

Summary: The joint Assembly Budget Subcommittee hearing focused first on long-term services and supports for older adults, especially the “forgotten/overlooked middle” who earn too much for Medi-Cal but cannot afford private long-term care. Administration witnesses from DHCS, the Department of Aging, and Social Services described Medicare’s limited long-term care coverage, Medi-Cal’s role, the elimination of the Medi-Cal asset test, and ongoing state studies and listening sessions on financing options. Testimony from advocates and researchers emphasized rising homelessness among older adults, the need for better navigation and coordination across health, aging, housing, and social service systems, and short-term policy steps such as share-of-cost reform, housing stability supports, and protecting home- and community-based services. Members highlighted the need for a coordinated, no-wrong-door approach and asked for the most impactful budget investments to address affordability and homelessness risk. The second major topic was the Community-Based Adult Services (CBAS) program. CDA reported that CBAS helps participants remain in the community, that 304 centers operate statewide serving about 42,000 people, and that demand is stable but access gaps remain in some regions. DHCS explained that a 2024 rate increase authorized by SB 159 became inoperative after Proposition 35, and that a separate 10% rate change on the fee schedule was the result of a DHCS system error; the department said it would not require recoupment, though managed care plans may act under their contracts. CBAS providers and advocates warned that reimbursement rates have not kept pace with costs, that several centers have closed, and that clawbacks could trigger more closures. They requested $74.8 million ongoing General Fund to close part of the rate gap and preserve the program, while members expressed concern about closures and the cost savings of keeping people out of more expensive institutional care. The hearing then moved to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) and statewide collective bargaining. CDSS reviewed provider recruitment and retention efforts, including electronic timesheets, direct deposit, and the now-completed IHSS Career Pathways program, which trained more than 59,000 providers. CDSS also summarized its AB 102 workgroup report on statewide versus regional bargaining, saying the final report would be sent to the Legislature soon and that statewide bargaining appeared more viable than regional bargaining, though it would require clear statutory scope and major fiscal changes. The department estimated that each $1 per hour statewide wage increase would cost at least $1.3 billion to $1.5 billion annually. Labor advocates argued that IHSS wages, benefits, and training are too inconsistent across counties and called for statewide bargaining, consumer participation, and ongoing state funding. County representatives supported stronger wages but cautioned that counties need protection from new costs and administrative burdens, and consumer advocates warned that moving bargaining to the state could weaken local consumer control and the program’s consumer-driven structure.

Transcript Highlights:

• That is still Minnesota's allocation.
• That is still Minnesota's allocation.
• So what the bill does is to a to a fee.
• It wasn't uh farmer fees. It money. It wasn't uh farmer fees.
• It was wasn't fees on any producers.

Bills: HF3508, HF3548, HF3549

Keywords: dairy assistance, agriculture, investment, relief initiative, farm support, farm assistance, down payment, state funding, loan modification, grain indemnity, financial security, crop insurance, Minnesota agriculture, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It also authorizes the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs to establish a fee schedule to help offset the
• It also authorizes the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs to establish a fee schedule to help offset the
• <00:21:49.400> for to ensure grant dollars allocated for to ensure grant dollars allocated
• Emergency funds are allocated for each emergency under Minnesota Statute 192.52.
• <00:25:34.520> under allocated for each emergency under allocated for each emergency under

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard an introductory presentation from Sam Daily of Believe It Canine Service Partners, a nonprofit that trains service dogs free of charge for disabled veterans. Daily described the organization’s work with veterans, including placements with MACV and a service dog at Veteran Village in Eagan, and said the group has placed 80 teams so far. Senator Howe asked whether the organization had pursued Support Our Troops grants, and Daily said it had received two SOS grants. The first bill taken up was Senate File 4172, as amended, which would expand eligibility for burial in Minnesota state veterans cemeteries to honorably discharged reservists, National Guard members, and Air National Guard members, and would allow some honor guard use for eligible people. Senator Howe said the bill corrects an inequity for Guard and reserve members who served honorably but are not currently eligible. Glenn Pence testified in support, saying the bill recognizes National Guard service and should allow those veterans to be buried with others they served alongside. MDVA’s David Swantek supported the concept but warned that expanded eligibility would increase demand, especially at Little Falls, and could shorten its projected capacity timeline from about 48 years to about 30 years. The committee adopted the A1 amendment and then laid the bill over for inclusion in the Veterans and Military Affairs Finance Omnibus Bill. The committee then heard Senate File 4026, which sets standards for MDVA competitive grants and adds accountability and residency requirements. Senator Koran said the bill would help the department review grants and ensure funds serve Minnesota veterans and families. MDVA chief of staff Dave Belfi supported the bill, saying it reflects agency feedback, aligns with existing residency rules, and does not affect CVSO, VSO, or Support Our Troops grants. The A1 amendment was adopted, and the bill was laid over for inclusion in the omnibus bill. Next, Senate File 4807 was heard, a bill to update pay for National Guard soldiers and airmen called to state active duty. MDVA and National Guard officials said the bill would simplify statute language and raise the minimum base pay for lower ranks to the E5 level, with future adjustments tied to federal pay tables. Senator Kunesh asked about funding, and staff explained the cost would come through an open general-fund emergency appropriation, estimated at about $30,000 annually but varying with activations. The committee adopted amendments to incorporate SF 4172 and SF 4026 into SF 4807, made technical corrections, and then recommended SF 4807, as amended, to pass and be referred to the full committee. Finally, the committee heard Senate File 3603, which would create a program allowing school districts to issue high school diplomas to Minnesota veterans who left school to serve during the Korean conflict or Vietnam War. Senator Rasmussen said the bill recognizes veterans who interrupted their education for service. MDVA’s John Kelly supported the bill, noting it reflects input from MDVA and the Department of Education and that similar programs exist in other states. The committee voted to recommend the bill to pass and refer it to the full committee. The meeting also began discussion of Senate File 4560, which would formalize the Commander's Task Force, but the transcript cuts off before that bill was acted on.

Transcript Highlights:

• This slide shows the allocation of the inflation adjustment request among institutions.
• Institutions can raise tuition and fee rates to generate additional resources.
• lobby for higher tuition and fee lobby for higher tuition and fee increases.<00:14:53.600> Uh
• under undergraduate tuition and fees under undergraduate tuition and fees between<00:15:22.079><
• <00:15:53.600> grew<00:15:53.920> at<00:15:54.240> 4.1% fees grew at 4.1% fees grew

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met for its fifth and final Interim Joint Budget Review Subcommittee on Education meeting, but did not initially have a quorum and approved the minutes later when enough members were present. The Council on Postsecondary Education, represented by President Aaron Thompson and Vice President Bill Payne, opened with condolences for the UPS crash victims and then presented higher education budget recommendations for the 2026-2028 biennium. Thompson emphasized the return on investment from state support for higher education, citing gains in retention, enrollment, persistence, graduation, reduced time to degree, lower student debt, and expanded dual credit participation, while noting that affordability and access remain priorities. Payne outlined CPE’s operating funds request, including $43.3 million in the first year and $86.6 million in the second year for inflation adjustments, plus $30 million and $45 million for performance funding. He said the inflation request would apply across the board to institutions to offset rising costs, and that the KSU land grant match would not need additional funding because the state has already met the matching requirement. He also explained that state support for educating students has not kept pace with inflation over time, creating pressure on institutional budgets and tuition, though tuition increases have been held to historic lows in recent years. A major portion of the discussion focused on the performance funding model and how it affects smaller institutions. CPE proposed two approaches to address institutions that have received little or no performance funding, especially Kentucky State University and Morehead State University. The first approach would create a $20 million minimum distribution pool, providing $1.95 million to each university and $4.4 million to KCTCS, with the goal of giving smaller and rural institutions a base level of support. The second approach would provide direct appropriations totaling a little over $5.6 million to Kentucky State, Morehead State, and five community colleges that have not been receiving performance funding. Members, especially Representative Tipton and Senator West, questioned how the model had treated small schools over time, and CPE officials explained that the original small school adjustment was not large enough to prevent KSU and Morehead from effectively being left out of the distribution. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• The table here illustrates how we spent the state's allocation.
• Almost a spent the state's allocation.
• , and the remaining 10% was allocated in state grants.
• weight list for the basic sliding fee weight list for the basic sliding fee program.<00:15:05.040
• So those are our two big allocation.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• allocation or entitlement is going down. allocation or entitlement is going down.
• The funding was only allocated for two years.
• Currently we have.3% of the allocation Currently we have.3% of the allocation which<00:31:32.880>
• <00:33:51.360> The<00:33:51.760> best allocated for two years.
• The best allocated for two years.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Starting on line 139, this is a new fee increase to the broker dealer agent transfer fee, from $25 to
• language contained a tiered fee system. language contained a tiered fee system.
• The broker dealer fee, uh, is at 16.8 in the delete everything, and that's a fee increase requested by
• Are you talking about line 16.15 or increasing the fee from 25 to 60? The fee from 25 to 60?
• the fee from 25 to 60? Correct. Okay. the fee from 25 to 60? Correct. Okay.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, there are ways that in a program the state can do what we call a form of a fee schedule.
• We can have a fee schedule that they have to follow in certain instances.
• We can um have a a of a a fee schedule.
• We can um have a a fee<00:52:04.800> schedule<00:52:05.040> that<00:52:05.280> they<
• schedule that they have to follow in fee schedule that they have to follow in certain<00:52:06.960><

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee to study long-term managed care met to approve the prior meeting minutes, with a clarification that “OB3” referred to the “one big beautiful bill.” The minutes were then approved. Chair Jim Kofalt outlined the day’s agenda, which included testimony from the Granite State Home Health and Hospice Association, the New Hampshire Association of Counties, and later DHHS. He also noted that future meetings were expected soon and that the meetings were being livestreamed on YouTube. Granite State Home Health and Hospice Association, represented by Kellyanne Totten and Amy Moore, urged inclusive planning and a cautious, phased approach if managed care is considered. They emphasized that home care providers are not uniform, with different licensing and service models, and said any pilot should include varied provider types, rural and southern regions, and agencies of different sizes. They warned that workforce shortages, inflation, and a possible 9% CMS cut to Medicare home health payments could force agencies to reduce service areas or service types. They also said the 2023 Medicaid CFI rate increase has begun to lose its effect. In response to questions, they said the rural health transformation fund may help with planning and telehealth but likely cannot be used directly for rates or recruitment/retention. They also described the New England Home Care Nurse Residency Program, a Department of Labor grant, as a way to bring new registered nurses into home care with added training and school partnerships. The New Hampshire Association of Counties, through county nursing home administrators Craig Labore and David Ross, revisited the earlier Step Two managed care discussions from 2016-2018. They said prior consultants found the long-term services and supports system was underfunded and needed investment to stabilize providers and expand community-based care. They argued the same concerns remain today and said a managed model would jeopardize the Medicaid quality incentive payment program and, for county nursing homes, the proportionate share payment program. Their testimony was generally opposed to moving forward with managed long-term services and supports without significant additional funding and safeguards.