Transcript Highlights:

• <00:20:15.919> for public owners we perform the work for public owners we perform the work
• It's not any work for anyone.
• We continue working.
• We continue working.
• <00:46:27.000> work completion for each scope of work work completion for each scope of work

Bills: HF1234, HF1956, HF1025, HF1172, HF791

Keywords: payment transparency, public contracts, contractor rights, government accountability, construction payments, municipal finance, liquor store, audit requirements, state auditor, local government, historic flag, state flag, display standards, ceremonial, Minnesota Statutes, Ursa Minor, state symbol, Minnesota state laws, constellation, official state designation

Transcript Highlights:

• We've got to get to work. Let's get to work.
• I look forward to working with you on important issues.
• So this bill is not mandating that every landowner has to meet these conditions.
• It's not mandated.
• There's no mandate to go do surveys today.

Summary: The State Affairs Committee opened with a tribute to the late Representative Joe Casello, with remarks from the chair and Ranking Member Eskamani honoring his service, especially his advocacy for first responders, veterans, and working people. The committee then turned to its only bill, HB 167, which would remove strict liability for certain previously mined phosphate lands if the landowner notifies the county and requests a Department of Health radiation survey. The sponsor said the bill is intended to create a voluntary process, add data about the land, and provide notice through the public record and title process. Members asked extensive questions about who pays for the surveys, how notice would reach future buyers, whether the bill affects renters or construction workers, and whether it would impact pending lawsuits. The sponsor said the landowner would pay for the survey needed to remove strict liability, plaintiffs would pay for surveys in litigation, the bill does not address OSHA or rental disclosures, and it would not apply retroactively to current cases because the complaint must include a survey. Supporters argued the bill simply replaces automatic liability with recorded notice and due diligence, while opponents said it could leave families and renters without adequate warning and should include stronger disclosure protections. Public testimony was in support from the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Associated Industries of Florida, and one individual. After debate, the committee voted 18-8 to report HB 167 favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• This strong performance was achieved without CRA mandates.
• worked to increase home lending to low- and moderate-income borrowers.
• Work, so I'm trying to understand what a regulation is going to do.
• So the member and her staff have been wonderful to work with. work with, and they've been very open going
• I appreciate you working on this bill and taking the committee amendments.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• all in social work. all in social work.
• do not hold a social work degree. do not hold a social work degree.
• Worked with at the county was licensed and may have had no social work education at all.
• the people who are doing the work. the people who are doing the work.
• There isn't any mandate on Sorry, line. There isn't any mandate on them. them. them.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is just our constitutional mandate<00:14:44.880> that<00:14:45.120> we<00:14:45.440
• that we put do one of three mandate that we put do one of three things.<00:14:47.279> So,<00:
• I think we are still working on this.
• <00:19:18.880> Um think we are still working on this.
• Um think we are still working on this.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We are working with DPH on getting feedback from them for their concerns.
• So hopefully we can work with Senate leadership. Thank you.
• So hopefully we can work with Senate leadership and the chair of Health Care Finance and work on another
• A working mother or working father in my district juggling two jobs, no time, no regular doctor, not
• And the bill works to address this reality in important ways.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate considered a series of amendments to a primary care health care bill and also took up a separate literacy bill. Several amendments were withdrawn, including one on artificial intelligence in health care and others related to cost controls, direct primary care, and provider studies. The Senate adopted amendments on preserving access to treatment for serious mental illness, modernizing the definition of primary care, clarifying payment rates for community health centers, excluding pharmaceutical spending from primary care expenditure calculations, and strengthening health equity reporting. Other amendments on rate bands, alternative payment systems, private equity reporting, scope of practice, and ownership disclosure were rejected. The Senate then approved the Ways and Means amendment and ordered the primary care bill to a third reading. The chamber also took up final passage of An Act Relative to Teachers Preparation and Student Literacy, with senators describing it as a long-awaited compromise focused on improving early reading outcomes. Supporters said the bill requires evidence-based K-3 literacy curricula, regular student screening and family notification, dyslexia screening protocols, professional development for teachers, and a free state-developed curriculum option. Senators emphasized the need to address declining third-grade reading proficiency and equity gaps. The bill passed to be enacted by a unanimous roll call and was sent to the Governor. After the literacy bill, the Senate returned to the primary care bill, where senators again debated cost containment, innovation, and access. The final version included the adopted amendments and was passed to be engrossed by a roll call vote of 35-4. The Senate then adopted an adjournment order and recessed, adjourning in memory of Henry Thomas III, former Representative Ben Swan, and Mr. Dennis Frane.

Transcript Highlights:

• we are currently working on them.
• worked on this bill at all?
• It did not work out.
• They've worked their tails off.
• That work is not finished.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, quorum established, and several recognitions, including a legislative intern, a guest in the gallery, and Representative Bruce Antone’s upcoming induction into the Tuskegee Athletic Hall of Fame. The Speaker also gave brief remarks about the end of session and the freshman class. The chamber then took up a series of Senate-returned messages and concurred or insisted on several amendments while moving bills toward final passage. The House unanimously approved CS/CS/HB 1299 on Department of Health matters, CS/HB 1549 on financial institutions after adopting a House amendment to remove the IOTA-related provision, and CS/CS/SB 768 on foreign ties and business interests after a House concurrence motion. It also insisted on its amendment to CS/CS/CS/SB 184 on housing. CS/CS/HB 875 on educator preparation was amended to restore House provisions on teacher-prep courses, the Florida Center for Teaching Excellence at Miami-Dade College, and related testing and mentor-qualification changes; it passed 91-22 after debate over teacher certification, testing, and “identity politics” language. HB 1101 on out-of-network providers was amended to keep the House’s original notice and referral framework with a good-cause exemption; it passed 87-27 despite objections that it placed too much responsibility on doctors. After recess, the House took up CS/CS/SB 180 on emergency preparedness and response. Members described changes including removal of some homestead-assessment and debris-removal provisions, a study requirement for a post-hurricane county restriction concept, and a Florida Keys evacuation-time change paired with a 10-year cap of 900 permit allocations; the bill passed 116-0. The House also refused to concur in a Senate amendment to HB 1609 on waste incineration and requested the Senate recede. Later, the House returned to HB 1101 and insisted on its amendment after the Senate refused to concur. The longest debate came on CS/CS/HB 1115 on education, where the House amendment replaced the Senate version with the substance of HB 1267, including Schools of Hope, higher education governance, and course transparency. Members questioned provisions expanding Schools of Hope co-location and sponsorship authority beyond traditional opportunity zones, the role of the Department of Education versus school districts, transportation and facility-cost issues, and performance-based agreements. Supporters said the changes would expand options for students and use vacant or underutilized facilities; opponents argued the language was added late, lacked transportation funding, and could allow charter operators to enter high-performing schools. The bill remained under debate at the end of the transcript, with no final vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're still reviewing it and look forward to working with the author.
• So looking forward to continue working with the Chair on this. Thank you.
• We're going to continue to work with the author on that.
• We don’t know if they’re working. Is it an efficient use of funding?
• , be working on it.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard two bills focused on electricity affordability and utility costs. AB 745, by Assembly Member Irwin, would restructure the California Climate Credit by shifting it from lump-sum payments to direct reductions in volumetric electricity rates and moving the credit to the summer months when bills are highest. The author and UC Santa Barbara economist Dr. Kyle Meng argued this could significantly lower summer rates and better help households during extreme heat. Supporters, including UCS, NRDC, and some labor representatives, favored the concept, with some urging that the gas climate credit also be redirected. No opposition testimony was presented, and the bill passed 18-0 to the floor. The committee then considered AB 825, also presented as an affordability package aimed at reducing electric bills by addressing wildfire mitigation costs, transmission financing, permitting delays, and a review of ratepayer-funded programs. The bill would authorize securitization for undergrounding expenses, remove the first $15 billion in undergrounding capital investments from the rate base for return purposes, create a public transmission financing program using Proposition 4 funds and IBank support, revive the California Power Authority as a public sponsor, and establish a task force to review energy efficiency and demand response programs. The author and witness Matt Friedman of The Utility Reform Network said the bill could save ratepayers billions over time through lower-cost public financing and securitization. Testimony on AB 825 was mixed. Support came from several consumer and clean-energy groups, while utilities and labor raised concerns about the bill’s impact on utility financial stability, wildfire fund participation, liability, and whether the $15 billion securitization cap could discourage undergrounding. Some witnesses also objected to the task force’s potential effect on energy efficiency and demand response programs. Committee members discussed the need to balance affordability with utility creditworthiness and wildfire safety, and several asked for more analysis of market impacts and liability issues. Despite those concerns, AB 825 passed the committee 13-0 and was sent to the floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• A one-size-fits-all mandate does not make sense where state employees perform vastly different work with
• While some scientists require in-person work, like lab work, my work and that of many of my colleagues
• I have half my staff working at home, half coming to work. I drove two hours this morning.
• But it's been working.
• mandate that is burdensome, duplicative, and likely to reduce competition for local public works projects

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's Silas here is his mother works right over here.
• So I encourage the body, please allow this to work.
• How does that work? Mr.
• Can we work with that just as a hypothetical? Can we work with that just as a hypothetical, Mr.
• But I'm not going to say we have to mandate that.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• before my current work, and so for good or bad, 40 years working in the health insurance industry before
• They were working Americans.
• Okay, so it's a no-cost mandate for the employer or for the group plan. It is a required mandate.
• But that's what I have to work with.
• There are state-mandated benefits, and if a state has a mandated benefit, then that is added to the list

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of our physicians do emergency room work of our physicians do emergency room work and<00:13:51.120
• <00:13:52.480> in and there are PAs that are working in and there are PAs that are working
• as a PA have a Kentucky license to work as a PA uh<00:15:53.600> to<00:15:53.920> work
• I I I've seen person working on them.
• worked really hard on my speech myself. worked really hard on my speech myself.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Health Services heard Senate Bill 18, a bill described by the sponsor and podiatry witnesses as a modernization of Kentucky’s podiatry laws. The bill would recognize and regulate podiatric assistants, podiatric residents, and supervising podiatrists; allow podiatrists to supervise physician assistants in podiatry practices with approval from the relevant licensing boards; require new podiatrists licensed after January 1, 2027 to complete at least two years of residency; and extend disciplinary authority to the new categories. Witnesses said the measure would improve access to foot and ankle care, especially in rural areas, without expanding scope of practice. The Kentucky Medical Association was said to be neutral after working on the language with the sponsors. Committee members raised concerns about the meaning of “supervision,” whether it required direct or indirect oversight, and whether the bill could broaden billing or coding privileges. Dr. Roberts said supervision could mean direct supervision or indirect supervision, including being available by telephone, and noted the bill mirrors language used in allopathic PA supervision. He also said the bill would not change office staff billing roles and that podiatric assistants would not bill separately. Several senators said they supported moving the bill forward but remained concerned about workforce, cost, and scope creep. The committee adopted a committee substitute, then voted on the bill. The motion passed unanimously with favorable expression. After the vote, the committee moved on to a presentation on outpatient pediatric therapies, where providers described Medicaid reimbursement pressures, workforce turnover, and long waiting lists for children’s therapy services, but no action was taken on that presentation in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Phonics work, and most of all it works for poor readers especially.
• work and bring it back. work and bring it back.
• Do you want to work on it? >> Sure, I'll work on that.
• Do you want to work on it? >> Sure, I'll work on that.
• This is mandating. So background check. This is mandating.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• anyway, we're that's being worked on. anyway, we're that's being worked on.
• work with our land-grant universities. work with our land-grant universities.
• , we work with We also work with KCTC, we work with some<00:21:11.200> Again,<00:21:11.520>
• It takes a lot of work from the parents, a lot of hard work, a lot of late nights.
• c><01:22:54.040> through working on as we've worked through working on as we've worked through

Keywords: Roll Call - 00:10 Discussion on SCR 61 – 01:46 Vote on SCR 61 – 11:33 Discussion on SR 18 – 12:30 Vote on SR 18 - 30:01 Discussion on Ky Residential Autism Services – 32:34 Questions & Comments – 56:56, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first considered Senate Concurrent Resolution 61, sponsored by Senator Shelley Funke Frommeyer and Representative Matt Lockett. The resolution, as amended by committee substitute, would create a legislative task force tied to the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) framework to study Kentucky health policy, including Medicaid drug approvals, preventive and alternative therapies, holistic health education, oversight and transparency in health care, and research into integrative approaches. Supporters said the goal was to address chronic disease and reduce over-medication, while emphasizing the effort was not intended as an attack on agriculture or the pharmaceutical industry. The resolution received favorable expression and passed the committee 9-0. The committee then heard Senate Resolution 18 from Senator Neal, urging Kentucky to maximize participation in the federal SNAP Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) program. Testimony from Jessica Klein of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy and Secretary Eric Friedlander explained that SNAP E&T provides job training, education, and support services for SNAP participants, and that the program is federally matched and does not require additional General Assembly funding in the normal course. Members discussed how the program works, whether it could create new state costs, and how it fits with efforts to connect food assistance, workforce development, and local agriculture. Questions also focused on whether SNAP spending can be steered toward healthier foods and farmers markets, including Kentucky’s Double Dollars program, which was described as helping participants buy produce, meat, and dairy at participating markets and some retailers. Several members expressed support for the workforce goals but asked for more information on fiscal impacts and purchasing data. Secretary Friedlander said the SNAP E&T funds are separate from nutrition benefits, and that the state match generally comes from employer, university, or workforce partner contributions rather than new state appropriations. Senator Herron explained her vote in favor by saying the program could help people gain education and employment and reduce reliance on SNAP over time. Senate Resolution 18 was then adopted by the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Armstrong, the way it works—and a lot of states, and the way it works in Texas—is that
• But I can't vote for a mandate, even to do a study.
• I guarantee you this will be a mandate—more regulation and cost the taxpayers and the citizens of New
• I worked at an auto body shop when I was in college as a summer job, busting tires.
• I just had to take it in and have some work done on it.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've asked also if we could have it at the State Library, and that didn't work.
• I've asked also if we could have it at the State Library, and that didn't work.
• I've asked also if we could have it at the State Library, and that didn't work.
• committee is aware that the way it works committee is aware that the way it works is<01:11:18.560
• It just would not work.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 118 in executive session and adopted Amendment 0882H, which would remove the House and Senate members from the Child Care Commission while leaving the commission in place. Members said the amendment was a continuation of earlier committee discussion and supported it as a needed change. The committee then voted 12-0 to recommend ought to pass as amended, and HB 118 was placed on consent. The committee next considered House Bill 142, dealing with Gold Star Mother’s Day. The sponsor explained that the bill was unnecessary because existing statute already directs the governor to issue a proclamation for Gold Star Mother’s Day and to urge appropriate observance, including flag-related ceremonies. Several members discussed how to ensure the proclamation and flag observance would happen and whether the committee report should note the existing statute. Other members said they would oppose killing the bill because the recognition was important. The committee voted 9-3 to table/ITL the bill, and HB 142 was declared inexpedient to legislate. The final major item was a public hearing on a non-germane amendment to House Bill 456, with a related draft amendment also discussed. The sponsor said the amendment would raise the annual membership allowance from $20 to $75, rename fees as dues, prohibit dues from being used to pay lobbyists, require NHMA dues to be brought before voters as a separate warrant article for transparency, and require separate accounting so lobbying funds are not co-mingled with other funds. Supporters said the goal was to keep taxpayer-derived money from funding lobbying while preserving non-lobbying services such as legal advice and training. Opponents argued the proposal was an overreach and would micromanage local towns. No vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So for today, if you're willing to work with me, I'll work with you, and for today, I'll vote yes on
• We'd love to sit down and work.
• We're working on that at the federal level, and we're happy to work with any partners that want to do
• I will work with him closely.
• That work requires meaningful support.

Bills: HB2076, HB2135, HB2175, HB2186, HB2223, HB2345, HB2364, HB2417, HB2440, HB2666, HB2763, HCR2043

Keywords: school safety, employee training, firearm certification, crisis response, school policies, reimbursement fund, local law enforcement, HB2135, Arizona, civil liability, private right of action, DEI, diversity equity and inclusion, critical race theory, anti-racism, race stereotyping, sex stereotyping, race scapegoating, sex scapegoating, gender identity

Transcript Highlights:

• The local end is how we can work on some of the permitting process and then work with the state as well
• I think we ought to work on them.
• Specifically, the work requirement expansion.
• That's the new work play and work requirement. Deduction.
• So with the work requirement, if they don't find work, do they lose the benefit?

Transcript Highlights:

• What causes a five-year-old child to need ten teeth worked on?
• The committee substitute amends the bill to mandate.
• I worked on this bill when my son was six, so he's 20 now.
• We work... I work really closely with Senator Johnson on this and with Representative Spiller.
• I've worked with individuals who have a great background and experience, and I've worked with people

Bills: HB813, HB1680, HB3569, HB4074, HB4635, HB5178, SB527, SB1307, SB1822

Keywords: autism, health insurance, coverage, medical treatment, health benefit plan, HIV prevention, prescription drug, prior authorization, health benefits, insurance coverage, insurance, contract termination, property and casualty, insurance agents, discrimination, appraiser, umpire, licensing requirements, continuing education, admin penalties

Transcript Highlights:

• That doesn't lessen their dedication to our work here today.
• It's demise over there, but, uh, we're, we're still trying to work with the language, work with folks
• So always willing to work with members to accommodate them as well.
• Uh, to work outside their jurisdictional boundaries. We have some concern about that.
• for the sheriff's office a higher rate than people that work for the constable's office.