Video & Transcript Research : 'birth rates'

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OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Health and Human Services REVISED Apr 20th, 2026 at 02:00 pm

Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • intended to do is make it clear that we were not going to allow these types of amendments on any of our birth
  • Like, for example, on page 8 and 9, we've always allowed for you Know within a year after the birth and
  • The birth certificate should reflect facts at birth.
  • House Bill 3650 extends to managed care rate floor for one more year to July 1 of 2028.
  • The committee substitute carved out the multistate contracts from the rate floor and value-based care
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Energy Finance and Policy Committee 3/10/26

Energy Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • great job of controlling rate increases. great job of controlling rate increases.
  • to adjust and reasonable rate of return. to adjust and reasonable rate of return.
  • Our rates are fair and reasonable.
  • how the PUC is to consider a utility's request for a rate of return in that rate case.
  • How would that help with rate like? How would that help with rate cases?
Summary: The committee approved the March 5, 2026 minutes and then took up House File 3458, as amended, which would exempt tribes from utility exclusive rights and assigned service areas. The bill’s author and the Upper Sioux community chairman said the measure was prompted by a dispute over a solar project at the tribal casino and argued the issue is really about tribal sovereignty, not solar, citing tribal civil regulatory authority and prior court cases. The amendment A1 was adopted before testimony. Testimony was split. Chairman Kevin Jensel of the Upper Sioux community strongly supported the bill, saying the tribe should not be forced to follow utility service territories and that the state should correct a long-standing omission in law. Derek Mo of the Minnesota Rural Electric Association opposed the bill, warning it would undermine the regulatory compact, reliability, long-term planning, and financing for electric service, especially in tribal areas. Justin Johns of East Central Energy also opposed the bill, but emphasized that many cooperatives have productive tribal partnerships and said his co-op has worked successfully with the Mille Lacs Band on solar, resilience, and workforce efforts; he cautioned that removing service obligations could leave difficult-to-serve areas underinvested. Members discussed whether the Public Utilities Commission process already underway should be allowed to resolve the dispute and whether the bill’s scope could extend beyond the current solar issue. The chair responded that the bill was a legislative approach to a problem that had not been resolved and said the amendment addressed concerns about removing the obligation to serve. A roll call was requested, and the committee voted to re-refer House File 3458, as amended, to the General Register.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs May 12th, 2025

Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • However, in some cities, municipally owned utilities adopt increased rates charged to tax-exempt entities
  • House Bill 685 keeps a municipality from adopting an increased rate for water or sewer utility service
  • since 2021, have complained about ongoing secondary drinking water contaminants and repeated excessive rate
  • There have been two rate increases, and we received letters saying that there would be maintenance and
  • There's been two rate increases. We're willing to pay for good water.
Bills: HB630, HB685, HB1318, HB2692
Summary: The Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs met with no quorum at the start, but later reached quorum and took up several bills. House Bill 2692, codifying the San Antonio River Authority’s enabling legislation and making non-substantive modernization changes, received brief supportive testimony from the River Authority and was left pending before later being voted out favorably. House Bill 685, which would prevent municipalities from charging higher water or sewer rates to tax-exempt entities than comparable customers, also drew support and was reported favorably. House Bill 1318, clarifying compensation issues when a municipality decertifies part of a retail water utility’s service area, was heard without opposition and passed out of committee. House Bill 630, exempting certain older outboard motors from title requirements, likewise passed and was placed on the local and uncontested calendar. The committee spent the most time on Senate Bill 2497, relating to filtration systems for certain public drinking water systems. Senator Zaffirini described the bill as a response to ongoing secondary water quality complaints, while TCEQ testified that such contaminants are aesthetic rather than health-based and that the water remains safe to drink if primary standards are met. The Texas Rural Water Association opposed the bill as written, arguing filtration may not solve most water quality problems and could be costly for small systems, while a consumer witness from Floresville supported it and described repeated rate increases and brown water after a filtration system was removed. Members discussed narrowing the bill through a committee substitute and emphasized the need for flexibility and technical expertise; the committee substitute was adopted and the bill was reported favorably, with Senator Kolkhorst later asking to be recorded as voting no. The committee also heard Senate Bill 2850, which would create a pollinator task force to study habitat loss, public education, and best practices for protecting bees and other pollinators. Senator Menendez and invited witness Erica Thompson of Texas BeeWorks highlighted major colony losses and the economic importance of pollinators to Texas agriculture, and Environment Texas and the Texas Beekeepers Association supported the measure. Members discussed monarch butterflies, native grasses, milkweed, and conservation efforts, and the bill was reported favorably and sent to the local and uncontested calendar. After testimony, the committee also voted out several pending items, including House Bill 5560 with a committee substitute addressing water-loss penalties and infrastructure improvements, and then recessed subject to the call of the chair.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs May 12th, 2025

Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • However, in some cities, municipally owned utilities adopt increased rates charged to tax-exempt entities
  • House Bill 685 prevents a municipality from increasing the rate for water or sewer utility service on
  • That qualify for a sales tax or ad valorem tax exemption that is higher than the rate established for
  • Water contaminants and repeated excessive rate increases.
  • There's been two rate increases. We're willing to pay for good water. We have tailored this down.
Bills: HB630, HB685, HB1318, HB2692
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Health Committee Meeting - 2026-04-13

Health Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • need, a certified birth certificate. need, a certified birth certificate.
  • The costs associated with issuing birth records has increased, and the costs of birth records has increased
  • ><01:34:07.520> increased the costs of birth records has increased the costs of birth records
  • birth certificate. birth certificate.
  • one birth certificate um and so forth. one birth certificate um and so forth.
Summary: The committee met at 1:00 p.m., confirmed a quorum, and approved the April 8, 2026 minutes. The first bill heard was House File 4712, which was laid over after the committee adopted a DE2 amendment. Representative Schultz said the bill would create a narrow additional exception to public pool limitations so highly certified swimming instructors could use certain pools for specialized infant, youth, and developmental-disability swim instruction. The only testifier, Tessa Seppelt, described ISR instruction as water-safety and drowning-prevention training for very young children and children with developmental delays, and said access to appropriate facilities is the main barrier. Members raised questions about emergency egress, public safety, and insurance coverage, and the author said he would follow up on those concerns. The committee then took up House File 4801, a bill by Representative Nadeau aimed at health care program integrity. He said it would align commercial and Medicaid partners to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse by changing prior authorization and retrospective review processes, improving data sharing on suspected fraud, addressing conflicting or duplicative services, allowing managed care organizations to verify provider credentials, and making risk corridors in MCO contracts permanent. The Minnesota Council of Health Plans supported the bill, saying it would help detect fraud and improve coordination, while the Minnesota chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics opposed it, arguing that expanded prior authorization would delay care, increase physician burden, and harm children with chronic conditions. Members debated patient safety, fraud detection, and whether the bill would undermine recent prior-authorization reforms. The bill was laid over. House File 3756, a technical update to the insulin safety net program, was also laid over. Representative Backer said the bill clarifies that a hospital-use intravenous insulin product is not part of the program because it is sold only to health care institutions and infused by practitioners, not dispensed to patients for self-use. The Board of Pharmacy testified that the language was drafted to avoid affecting future legitimate uses, and members asked whether the definition could limit new uses if treatments change. The committee then began House File 4860, but the transcript cuts off before the bill’s presentation is completed.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Insurance Mar 26th, 2025

Insurance

Transcript Highlights:
  • Well, yeah, I can only speak in, in a very general term to, to our physician, you know, payment rates
  • The facility is, is a different billing system, different contracting, different payment rates, but to
Bills: HB139
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

CPC Public Hearing - Thu Apr 9, 2026 @ 2:00 PM HST

Consumer Protection & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:
  • /c><01:14:09.640> case<01:14:10.000> was rates outside of the rate case was rates outside
  • a rate case.
  • More contentious rate cases means more expensive rate cases.
  • rate increases.
  • rate case. rate case.
Summary: The committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce met on April 9, 2026, and heard testimony on several measures. SB 3302 SD1 HD1, dealing with homemade food products, would require the Department of Health to adopt rules for farm kitchens producing homemade food products that are no more stringent than rules for home kitchens. The Department of Health said it supported the bill with technical amendments, and the Hawaii Food Industry Association and Grassroot Institute of Hawaii also supported it. No opposition was heard. A lengthy discussion focused on SB 2061 SD2 HD1, which concerns a 99-year leasehold residential condominium project and HCDA’s rules for sales, income restrictions, and buyback pricing. HCDA supported the bill and said the House draft clarified unclear provisions and would help move the project to pre-sales. Testimony and committee questions centered on whether the project should remain owner-occupied in perpetuity or allow investor purchases after an initial sales period. HCDA explained that the bill was revised to make the project feasible in the market, that 60% of units would be income-restricted for buyers at or below 140% of area median income, and that the remaining units could be sold without owner-occupancy restrictions. Some members and testifiers expressed concern that the bill had shifted away from the original owner-occupancy vision and could become an investment property model, while others argued the changes were necessary for the project to pencil out and compete with fee-simple developments. No vote was taken during the discussion shown. The committee also heard SB 2050 SD1 HD1, which would allow chiropractic students in accredited programs to engage in clinical practice beginning July 1, 2028. The Hawaii Board of Chiropractic and the Hawaii State Chiropractic Association supported the measure, and one testifier described personal experience with student chiropractic care in California. Members questioned why the board requested delaying implementation until 2030, and the board said it needed more time to develop rules because it meets only a few times a year and rulemaking is lengthy. Finally, SB 2102 SD2 HD1, on industrial hemp in commercial feed, was introduced; the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity offered comments, the Department of Health raised concerns about regulating pet food and possible jurisdictional conflict, and a farmer testifying in support suggested narrowing the bill to federally approved livestock feed rather than pet food.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee 3/4/25

Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • rate add-ons and rate cutbacks different rate add-ons and rate cutbacks which<00:07:01.599> again
  • So these are rates that are not currently cost-based rates.
  • were but um these rates these sud rates were but um these rates these sud rates were mostly<00:19
  • rate?
  • <00:40:11.040> and mental health rates and sud rates um and mental health rates and sud rates
Bills: HF1005
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee 3/12/26

Higher Education Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • student tuition resident tuition rate. student tuition resident tuition rate.
  • So, I can tell you what this was, but if we go to 2008 and we look at the birth rates um, to discuss
  • So, I can tell you what this was, but if we go to 2008 and we look at the birth rates for 2008 and um
  • And I suspect that'll be my last question. and we look at the birth the birth rates and we look at the
  • birth the birth rates for<00:25:16.000> 2008<00:25:17.360> and<00:25:18.240> um
Bills: HF3432, HF3411
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

S/C on State-Federal Relations Mar 13th, 2025

S/C on State-Federal Relations

Transcript Highlights:
  • Death rate. We are now the number one nation of human trafficking in the entire world.
Bills: HB176, HB180
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee 2/27/25

Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • My understanding is that because it fell below what is already assumed to increase in rates, then it
  • Nursing homes are paid via the VBR rate methodology, which increases over time, and that rate methodology
  • any direction to DHS to update the rates any direction to DHS to update the rates or<00:49:04.520
  • I'm also pleased to see that House File 1419 provides an annual update to elderly waiver rates.
  • update to the elderly waiver rates update to the elderly waiver rates ensuring<01:04:21.279>
Bills: HF1419, HF500
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Human Services Finance and Policy Committee hears HF500 2/27/25

Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • As a nursing home provider operating under Minnesota's rate equalization policy, we have no mechanisms
  • As a nursing home provider operating under Minnesota's rate equalization policy, we have no mechanisms
  • As a nursing home provider operating under Minnesota's rate equalization policy, we have no mechanisms
  • As a nursing home provider operating under Minnesota's rate equalization policy, we have no mechanisms
  • As a nursing home provider operating under Minnesota's rate equalization policy, we have no mechanisms
Bills: HF1419, HF500
Summary: The committee took up House File 500, which would require the legislature to fund the Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board’s standards before they could take effect. An author’s DE2 amendment was adopted first; the amendment was described as pausing the board’s standards unless the legislature estimates and fully pays the cost for each nursing home. The bill author argued that mandates without money create serious consequences for seniors and providers, and said the measure would keep budget authority with the legislature rather than an appointed board. Supporters, including nursing home operators and the Long-Term Care Imperative, said the board’s holiday pay and minimum wage standards would create large unfunded costs, citing estimates ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars for individual facilities and more than $200 million statewide. They argued that some facilities could face debt, reserve depletion, or reduced access to care if the standards are not funded. Opponents, including SEIU workers and union leaders, said the board has improved staffing, recruitment, morale, and worker safety, and that caregivers deserve higher wages and holiday pay. They argued the bill would weaken the board’s ability to address chronic understaffing and would shift focus away from worker protections. Members also debated whether nursing home reimbursement rates have already risen enough to cover wages and whether the problem lies with how funds are used by providers. After public testimony closed, several members spoke in opposition and support. A roll call was requested, and the committee voted 9-7 to re-refer House File 500, as amended, to the Committee on Labor and Workforce and Economic Development Finance and Policy.
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services Feb 4th, 2026

Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • And the last rate increase for the iBudget Waiver direct support professionals was about three years
  • And the last rate increase for the I-Budget Waiver direct support professionals was about three years
  • Comparably, children between the ages of 1 and 7 drowned at a rate of approximately 5 per 100,000 and
  • Florida also has the highest fatal drowning rate.
  • centers, and at-home birth providers.
Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services heard public comment first on the AIDS Drug Assistance Program and the iBudget waiver. Testimony on the HIV program warned that proposed Department of Health changes could disrupt care for thousands of clients, create confusion, and force people off life-saving medications; a senator suggested affected clients explore medically needy and FQHC/340B options. Testimony on iBudget urged support for a roughly 7% rate adjustment for direct support professionals, citing rising costs and the need to sustain the developmental disabilities workforce. The committee then considered several bills. SB 428 expanded Florida’s swim lesson voucher program from children ages 0-4 to ages 1-7 and was reported favorably. SB 68 required hospitals with emergency departments to adopt pediatric emergency care policies, training, equipment standards, and readiness assessments; an amendment aligning reporting dates with the House was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 1718 lengthened the time an adult may stay in an out-of-home placement before being treated as a visitor, reduced background screening burdens for foster families, made the Step Into Success program permanent, and created a best-practices program; it was also reported favorably. The committee next approved SB 606, which adds drowning-prevention and safe-bathing education to postpartum materials and requires related compliance records, and SB 96, which expands the Veterans Dental Care Grant Program to veterans up to 400% of the federal poverty level; an amendment removed the bill’s specific $500,000 appropriation so funding can be handled in the budget process. SB 340 required nursing education to include a two-hour human trafficking course before licensure, and SB 1480 created a grandfathering process for certain area-of-critical-need health care providers if federal designations change, both of which were reported favorably. The committee adjourned after all bills passed their roll calls.
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Health Policy Jan 20th, 2026

Health Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • From 2005 to the present, drowning deaths in Florida have ranged between 350 and 500 per year, a rate
  • However, children age 4 and under drowned at nearly three times the rate, at approximately 6 per 100,000
  • Comparably, children between the ages of 1 and 7 drowned at a rate of approximately 5 per 100,000 and
  • centers, and home birth providers.
  • entities or persons providing unregulated services during a home birth.
Bills: S0428, S0606, S0192, S0162, S0340
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.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • Upon a payment error rate.
  • Higher rate of 10% of error rate share.
  • the state error rates. the state error rates.
  • do to make sure the air rates lower? do to make sure the air rates lower?
  • <01:04:19.039> It affect error rates? It affect error rates?
Summary: The committee first established a quorum, approved the July minutes, and recognized Jennifer Hayes of the Department of State Budget Director for her retirement and long service. Secretary Hicks then presented a review of fiscal year 2025 closeout for the general fund and road fund, explaining that the general fund ended with a $313 million surplus and the road fund with a $61 million surplus. He attributed the general fund result to strong corporate income and LLC tax receipts, investment income, and lower-than-budgeted spending, while noting that individual income tax and sales tax underperformed estimates. He also described how the general fund surplus was allocated, with $62 million used for necessary government expenses and $251 million deposited into the budget reserve trust fund, which remained at historically strong levels. For the road fund, he said the surplus would be deposited into the Department of Highways construction account, and he highlighted record motor vehicle usage tax receipts despite lower motor fuels tax revenue due to a rate decline. Members asked questions about the pass-through entity tax, delayed filing deadlines, THC beverage sales, and income tax collection from undocumented workers. Hicks said the pass-through entity tax remains difficult to model because of timing issues and the first year’s unusual filing pattern, and that staff are still working with the Department of Revenue and other states to improve forecasting. He said the delayed filing deadline likely would not require a major restatement and that any related receipts would still be counted in fiscal 2026. On THC beverages, he said the issue would be considered in the next forecasting cycle. On the undocumented-worker question, he said withholding may capture some of the revenue but referred broader collection efforts to the Department of Revenue. The committee then shifted to an overview of the federal reconciliation act’s potential impact on the next biennial budget, with Hicks and Commissioner Lisa Dennis focusing on Medicaid and SNAP. Hicks said the Congressional Budget Office estimated roughly $900 billion in federal savings over 10 years, driven in part by work or community engagement requirements for the Medicaid expansion population and limits on state-directed payments. He emphasized that CMS still must issue regulations to define how the state-directed payment reductions will be calculated, making the exact fiscal impact uncertain. He referred members to a prior Medicaid Oversight Advisory Board presentation for more detail, and the discussion remained informational with no votes or formal actions taken on the federal changes.