Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Miller-Meeks's bill will make adaptive prosthetics a necessary medical service.
• /c><05:27:14.000><c> will</c><05:27:14.560><c> make</c><05:27:15.120><c> uh</c><05:27:15.360><c> adaptive
• </c> Miller Meek's bill will make uh adaptive Miller Meek's bill will make uh adaptive uh<05:27:16.638
• It also includes my Veterans Sport Act, which ensures veterans can access adaptive prosthetics for sports
• </c> ensures veterans can access adaptive ensures veterans can access adaptive prosthetics<05:40:46.718

Bills: SJR13 , HB1969 , HR1223 , HR426 , HR430

Keywords: SJR13, S.J.Res. 13, joint resolution, Congressional Review Act, CRA, OCC, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Department of the Treasury, bank merger, bank mergers, Bank Merger Act, business combinations, merger review, financial regulation, banking regulation, bank consolidation, regulatory disapproval, federal banking rule, rule repeal, Public Law 119-19

Bills: HB1969 , HB1701 , HR1 , HR435 , SJR31 , HR436

Keywords: veterans, VA, Department of Veterans Affairs, suicide prevention, mental health, emergent suicide care, Columbia Protocol, Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale, Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, No Wrong Door for Veterans Act, title 38, adaptive prostheses, prosthetic devices, recreational activities, sports prosthetics, pension payments, veterans benefits, Veterans Affairs Committee, suicide screening, crisis care

Bills: HB1969 , HB1701 , HR1 , HR435 , SJR31 , HR436

Keywords: veterans, VA, Department of Veterans Affairs, suicide prevention, mental health, emergent suicide care, Columbia Protocol, Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale, Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, No Wrong Door for Veterans Act, title 38, adaptive prostheses, prosthetic devices, recreational activities, sports prosthetics, pension payments, veterans benefits, Veterans Affairs Committee, suicide screening, crisis care

Transcript Highlights:

• SMART stands for Spectrum Management with Adaptive and Reconfigurable Technologies.
• As the developer of adaptive and reconfigurable technology, the United States will Ice interaction can
• And we cannot expect rigid wireless technologies to coexist adaptively.
• has tremendous power and we need to marshal it for being able to use the spectrum efficiently and to adapt
• That is a big part of bringing in the new adaptive and reconfigurable paradigm. Thank you.

Committee: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

Keywords: spectrum policy, FCC auction authority, national security, innovation, technology development, 9-1-1 modernization, adaptive technologies, China competition

Summary: The meeting centered on the critical examination of spectrum policy and its implications for innovation and national security. The committee discussed the lapse of the FCC's spectrum auction authority, which has been in effect since March 2023, emphasizing the urgency of restoring this authority to maintain U.S. technological leadership against competitors like China. Witnesses provided testimony regarding the need for adaptive and reconfigurable spectrum technologies to enhance communication capabilities for both civilian and military applications. Senator Klobuchar highlighted the importance of modernizing 9-1-1 systems and ensuring robust emergency communication frameworks leveraging new spectrum innovations.

Bills: S0556 , S0794 , S1600

Committee: Senate Children, Families, and Elder Affairs

Keywords: high school diploma, graduation requirements, physical education credit, performing arts credit, marching band, Special Olympics, students with disabilities, IEP, individual education plan, 504 plan, Florida education, school credits, diploma substitution, ROTC, dance class, State Board of Education, public schools, graduation pathways, adaptive physical education, Agency for Persons with Disabilities

Transcript Highlights:

• Paul and the state of Minnesota are at a key turning point as we plan for adaptation of our downtown
• Paul and the state of Minnesota are at a key turning point as we plan for adaptation of our downtown
• and activation we've been adaptation and activation we've been serving<01:01:58.200><c> as</c><01:01
• </c><01:10:07.440><c> reuse</c><01:10:07.760><c> of</c> incentivizing the Adaptive reuse of incentivizing
• the Adaptive reuse of underutilized<01:10:08.520><c> and</c><01:10:08.640><c> vacant</c><01:10:09.120

Bills: HF1277 , HF812 , HF457 , HF633

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: data centers, tax exemption, Minnesota statutes, economic development, employment growth, income tax, tax brackets, tax adjustments, Minnesota, tax policy, underutilized buildings, adaptive reuse, building conversion, historic preservation, downtown revitalization, vacant property, vacancy reduction, refundable tax credit, income tax credit, grant in lieu of credit

Transcript Highlights:

• Prostheses for people living with the medical condition alopecia areata.
• And I started participating in adaptive sports with various adaptive sports centers.
• And I've been skiing adaptive sports on one leg for those 13 years.
• Although the treatment at NIH saved my life, my prostheses allowed me to thrive.
• Who makes the prostheses? Is there one large company? There's a lot of small companies.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Financial Services

Summary: The hearing opened with the Senate and House chairs of the Joint Committee on Financial Services explaining that the day’s agenda would focus on health insurance and other insurance matters, with a large number of witnesses and a request for brief testimony. Legislators were taken out of order to accommodate their schedules, and the committee heard testimony on several bills, including coverage for hair prostheses for alopecia (H. 1223/S. 832), medically necessary oral and dental care for head and neck cancer survivors (H. 1258), modernizing fertility and family-building coverage (H. 715/H. 1190 and related bills), coverage for prosthetic devices to support physical activity for people with limb loss (the “So Everybody Can Move” bill), remediation coverage for home heating oil releases (S. 813/H. 1302), and expanded access to physical therapy for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (H. 1170). A separate bill on sickle cell care and registry development (S. 788) was also discussed by Senator Liz Miranda. Witnesses largely offered personal stories and expert testimony in support of the bills. Advocates for alopecia coverage described the medical and emotional impact of hair loss, the high cost of quality wigs, and the argument that scalp and facial hair prostheses should be treated like other medically necessary prosthetics. Cancer survivors and supporters of H. 1258 said oral and dental care after head and neck cancer treatment is a quality-of-life issue and often not covered despite major out-of-pocket costs. Fertility specialists, LGBTQ+ advocates, and legislators supporting the modern family-building bills said the current infertility definition is outdated and discriminatory, excluding same-sex couples, people needing donors or gestational carriers, and others with medical barriers to conception. For the limb-loss bill, parents and adults with prosthetic needs stressed that activity-specific prostheses are essential for children and adults to run, swim, play sports, and stay healthy, but are often excluded from coverage. The home heating oil testimony focused on the financial devastation caused by residential oil spills and the need to make spill coverage automatic in homeowners policies. Environmental professionals and homeowners described cleanup costs ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, the strict liability homeowners face, and the fact that many policyholders do not know the rider exists. The insurance industry testified in opposition to the mandatory-coverage approach, arguing for clearer distinctions between first- and third-party coverage, risk-mitigation standards, a delayed effective date, and more emphasis on education and notification rather than mandates. Committee members pressed the industry witness on why agents do not routinely tell customers about the rider and suggested that the issue may require broader disclosure by insurers, agents, and fuel dealers. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee heard testimony and discussed possible compromise language and future action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Boston Harbor Now ensures that the waterfront and islands are accessible, inclusive, and adapted to the
• It's smart to adapt now instead of paying billions. in coming decades.
• It's smart to adapt now instead of paying billions and damages later.
• We applaud the administration's push to fund climate adaptation and resilience.
• The Climate Superfund will fund adaptation, The Ahead Act, which is affordable housing and environmental

Bills: S2542

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets

Keywords: climate resilience, resilience bond bill, environmental bond, infrastructure spending, flood control, coastal resilience, PFAS, clean water, wetlands, nature-based solutions, housing permitting, flood disclosure, land conservation, biodiversity, forest reserves, municipal vulnerability preparedness, MVP grant program, food security, agricultural resilience, solid waste

Transcript Highlights:

• Disabled veterans who receive an adaptive housing grant from the United States Department of Veterans
• The refund applies to sales and use taxes paid for labor and materials for an adapted housing project
• JLARC is required to, at a minimum, evaluate the total number of qualifying adaptive housing projects
• and the total amount of adapted housing grants awarded to veterans.
• Veterans with disabilities who live in homes not properly adapted to their needs can experience their

Bills: HB2559 , HB2135 , HB2133 , HB2442

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: affordable housing, local government funding, housing programs, community development, financial assistance, adaptive housing, disabled veterans, tax preferences, housing affordability, retail sales tax, property tax, senior citizens, tax exemption, permanent legislation, local government, tax authority, sales tax, use tax, real estate excise tax, REET

Bills: S0206 , S0420 , S0556

Committee: Senate Education Pre-K - 12

Keywords: autism, autism spectrum disorder, ASD, special education, exceptional student education, ESE, teacher preparation, educator certification, micro-credential, loan forgiveness, student loan repayment, teacher stipend, salary supplement, professional development, inclusive education, developmental disabilities, Down syndrome, behavioral disabilities, school district compensation, collective bargaining

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2135 modifies and extends the adaptive housing, retail sales, and use tax preference for disabled
• Houseful 2135 modifies and extends the adaptive housing, retail, sales, and use tax preference for disabled

Bills: HB1717 , HB2133 , HB2135 , HB2140 , HB2442 , HB2559

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: affordable housing, sales tax, housing programs, tax incentives, economic development, property tax, senior citizens, tax exemption, local government funding, permanent legislation, adaptive housing, disabled veterans, tax preferences, housing affordability, retail sales tax, governmental transfer, agriculture, land use, local government, tax authority

Bills: HF276 , HF413 , HF411

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Keywords: human services, Medical Assistance, Medicaid, long-term services and supports, LTSS, public assistance, application process, eligibility determination, customer service survey, wait times, form complexity, lead agencies, Department of Human Services, Department of Children Youth and Families, streamlining, administrative reform, case management, reassessment, intake system, adaptive eligibility form

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 2034 recognizes that activity-based prostheses, orthoses, and high-performance or mobility-supportive
• It aims to pass laws in all states ensuring coverage of orthoses and prostheses designed for physical
• step in 2009 with the insurance fairness or parity law to ensure adequate coverage for daily use prostheses
• step in 2009 with the insurance fairness or purity law to ensure adequate coverage for daily use prostheses
• But this is a story from over three decades ago, a time when exercise or activity prostheses really didn't

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 2034 is about ensuring activity-based prostheses, orthotics, and high-performance or mobility-supportive
• HB 2034 is about ensuring activity-based prostheses, orthotics, and high-performance or mobility-supportive
• HB 2034 recognizes that activity-based prostheses, orthotics, and high-performance or mobility-supportive
• It aims to pass laws in all states ensuring coverage of orthoses and prostheses designed for physical
• But this is a story from over three decades ago, a time when exercise or activity prostheses really didn't

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Summary: The House Committee on Health and Mental Health met in executive session and advanced several bills. HB 1881 was voted do pass without discussion. HB 3010 was amended with a committee substitute that removed a subsection allowing payers to remove “gold carding” based on procedure volume changes, then passed 10-0. HB 2355, the “Food is Medicine” bill, received a committee amendment to align terminology with other partnerships and then passed 11-0. HB 1855, dealing with alpha-gal reporting, was substantially revised: the substitute narrowed the bill to alpha-gal, removed Lyme disease, changed a department duty from mandatory to discretionary in one section, and delayed reporting implementation; it then passed 14-0 after members discussed the need for better disease tracking and the department’s workload. The committee then heard testimony on HB 2034, which would require insurance coverage for activity-based prostheses, orthotics, and high-performance or mobility-supportive wheelchairs. Sponsor Representative Carolyn Caton said the bill is intended to cover devices that help people live, exercise, and avoid secondary health problems, while preserving prior authorization and medical-necessity review. Supporters included clinicians, parents, amputees, and athletes who described being denied running blades, water-safe prostheses, or durable wheelchairs and said the devices are essential for health, independence, mental well-being, and participation in school, work, and sports. Several witnesses said the bill would reduce long-term costs and reliance on charity. Opponents, including the Missouri Insurance Coalition and America’s Health Insurance Plans, argued the bill is an expansion of coverage with unclear definitions and potentially significant costs, especially for Medicaid and other state-regulated plans. They cited the fiscal note, warned about possible federal ACA rule changes that could shift costs to states, and questioned whether the bill’s language on Medicare supplemental coverage and “perceived disability” was workable or preempted. Committee members pressed both sides on cost savings, definitions of “normal” activity, and whether the bill could be narrowed or otherwise revised, and several said they were willing to keep working on the issue. The hearing on HB 2034 was left open and then recessed after testimony, with no vote taken in the portion provided.

Bills: HF2148 , HF2693 , HF2542 , HF1141 , HF1770 , HF1489 , HF1709 , HF244 , HF1266 , HF807 , HF2619 , HF1340

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Keywords: affordable housing, local control, revolving loan fund, community partnerships, Minnesota housing policy, housing, locally controlled housing, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, housing infrastructure bonds, state bonds, bonding bill, supportive housing, permanent supportive housing, homelessness, veterans housing, senior housing, manufactured home parks, community land trust, single-family housing, multifamily housing

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill will be to expand the use of housing infrastructure bonds for adaptive reuse for the development

Bills: HF1143 , HF1548 , HF1340 , HF2549 , HF2559 , HF1673 , HF2740 , HF2507 , HF2461 , HF2381 , HF2695

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Keywords: education funding, unemployment aid, special education, Minnesota statutes, appropriations, housing, redevelopment, local government, trust funds, community development, HF1340, housing infrastructure bonds, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, MHFA, affordable housing, supportive housing, permanent housing, adaptive reuse, area median income, AMI

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:59:55.240><c> thing</c><00:59:55.440><c> for</c><00:59:55.640><c> biking</c> want an Adaptive
• He explained that both samples were below-the-knee prostheses used for everyday walking.
• I've gotten to play soccer and softball for my school, and they've really helped me to adapt.
• I also have attachments for those and different adaptations.
• I've been lucky enough to be able to experiment and figure out what I like and how I can adapt.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Bills: SB1280 , SB1392 , SB1393 , SB1395 , SB1400 , SB1405 , SB1832 , SB1839 , SB1989 , SB2001 , SB2143

Committee: Senate Revenue and Taxation

Keywords: excise tax, oil tax, natural gas tax, state revenue, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, income tax, tax credit, aerospace sector, employment, economic development, adaptive reuse, affordable housing, urban renewal, economic impact, program, housing, revitalization, urban development, income tax credit, manufacturing

Transcript Highlights:

• And as you can see, I have two different prostheses here.
• This is my different prostheses here.
• are not those super high-tech types of prostheses, especially for the upper-extremity folks.
• ><c> for</c> uh types of prostheses, especially for uh types of prostheses, especially for the<04:32:
• They're adaptable, responsive, and resilient. No single prosthesis can replace all of that.

Committee: House Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• So I asked Jason prior how many prostheses do you think someone would go through in an athletic prosthesis
• more significant than the numbers that I believe that we’re talking about with activity-specific prostheses
• Specific prostheses, even myself when we were kind of just trying to find people to come and speak, you
• There are foundations that provide activity-specific prostheses for certain individuals, but a lot of
• </c><00:27:20.640><c> for</c> provide activity specific prostheses for provide activity specific prostheses

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services