Video & Transcript Research : 'cistern program'

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MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Financial Services Jan 13th, 2026

Joint Committee on Financial Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • to install fire cisterns.
  • Hopkinton utilizes firefighting cisterns.
  • These cisterns range from 5,000 to 30,000 gallons, with over 90% of our cisterns holding 30,000 gallons
  • cisterns.
  • Some key features of cisterns were provided.
Bills: S2732, S2738, S2739
Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a public hearing on late-filed matters, with testimony focused mainly on two Senate bills: S. 2738, which would create a special commission to study rising insurance costs for manufactured and mobile home residents, and S. 2739, which would establish a program or fund to help communities install and maintain fire cisterns. Senator Kelly Duner and Representative Lisa Field, along with Taunton officials and residents, described sharp premium increases, limited insurer participation, confusing coverage practices, and the impact on seniors, veterans, and low-income homeowners in manufactured housing communities. Several speakers urged the commission to include residents directly and to produce recommendations for more affordable, transparent, and adequate coverage. Local officials from Taunton, Carver, and other communities echoed those concerns, saying many residents face few options, actual cash value policies, and premiums that can exceed $4,000 annually. On the fire cistern bill, fire chiefs from Hopkinton and East Hampton testified that many communities lack municipal water or hydrants and need year-round dedicated water sources to fight structure fires, brush fires, and newer hazards such as lithium-ion battery fires. They said cisterns improve response times, reduce damage, and can help with insurance ratings, but maintenance and funding are often inadequate. A representative of the Massachusetts Insurance Federation supported the concept of helping fire services but objected to funding the program through insurance policy assessments, arguing that such surcharges drive up premiums and should instead be paid from the general fund. The committee also heard strong support for S. 2732, a direct primary care bill filed by Senator Michael Moore. Physicians and medical association representatives said the bill would let direct primary care doctors make referrals for HMO patients and dispense medications directly from their offices. They argued this would reduce delays, improve continuity of care, lower prescription costs, and help patients with transportation or access barriers. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair adjourned after public testimony concluded.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • </c> program up, we uh came up with a program program up, we uh came up with a program called<00:07:44.840
  • Road Program.
  • </c> The Transportation Alternative Program is a federally funded program.
  • And it is a good program.
  • It It's a great program.<00:48:32.680><c> It</c><00:48:32.880><c> It</c> program. It It program.
Summary: The committee met for the first interim meeting of the 2025 Budget Review Committee on Transportation and heard from Bobby Jo Lewis, commissioner of Rural and Municipal Aid at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. She reviewed the new County City Bridge Improvement Program, created in the 2024 regular session, reporting that phases one and two are complete, 45 bridges have been funded so far, and about $18.45 million has been authorized. She said roughly $6.549 million remains for phase three in the current fiscal year, with about $26.445 million in bridge applications still pending. For fiscal year 2026, the program will again have $25 million and will use four application phases. She also described a training resource, Local Bridges 101, and said a new executive advisor, Greg Meredith, has been brought in to help with the bridge program. Members asked how rollover applications would be handled, whether they would be re-evaluated with new applications, how the program would account for bridge longevity and load posting, and how isolated communities would be prioritized. Lewis said applicants not funded in FY25 would be contacted and could choose to roll their applications into FY26, and all applications would be evaluated together at the end of each phase. She said preservation projects are assessed for how much they extend a bridge’s life, and isolated community access bridges or closed bridges with no detour access receive priority. She also said the department aims for equitable distribution across regions and plans to produce a map showing where funds have been awarded. Lewis then turned to the County Priority Projects Program and the Local Assistance Road Program established in House Bill 546 and related resolutions. She said the application cycle opened June 1 and closes October 1, with 106 memoranda of agreement being prepared for awards in House Joint Resolution 46. She described updated application and reporting forms, a scoring matrix, and a County City Pavement Evaluation Manual used to rate projects based on preservation of assets, average daily traffic, recent improvements, safety, cost, and district priority. She said projects must be rehabilitation projects designed to restore the original condition of the road, cannot exceed $500,000, and must use local match percentages tied to the economic development grant program formula. She also reported on funding status for prior road projects, including completed, partially completed, pending, and underrun amounts that may be reauthorized. Committee members asked about photo documentation, online access to project materials, how to measure whether projects truly restore roads to original condition, and what happens when project costs exceed estimates. Lewis said the department is still working on how best to store and share the large volume of photos, and that projects are certified through district offices and local sign-off after completion. She said overages are the responsibility of the applicant because the state does not have additional money beyond the awarded amount. No formal votes were taken during the discussion.
US
Transcript Highlights:
  • This program was.
  • For 70 years, the small business administration's flagship lending program, the 7A program, has provided
  • Your story is just one example of why SBA programs like the Community Advantage Program is so important
  • in the 7A program.
  • Community Advantage Program? The Advantage Program gave us $250,000.
Summary: The committee meeting focused on discussions regarding the SBA's 7A loan program and its implementation challenges. Members raised significant concerns about recent changes to the underwriting standards, which have been criticized for leading to an increase in loan defaults. Ranking members expressed a desire for a return to stronger guidelines to protect taxpayers and ensure the program remains a viable source for small businesses struggling to secure funding. Testimonies from community lenders highlighted their efforts to support underserved communities and stressed the importance of the Community Advantage Program.
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Financial Services Jan 13th, 2026

Joint Committee on Financial Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • to install fire cisterns.
  • Hopkinton utilizes firefighting cisterns.
  • These cisterns range from 5,000 to 30,000 gallons, with over 90% of our cisterns holding 30,000 gallons
  • cisterns.
  • Some key features of cisterns were provided.
Summary: The Senate Committee on Financial Services held a public hearing on late-filed matters, chaired by Senator Paul Feeney and Representative Jamie Murphy. The committee heard testimony on several bills, including S. 2738 on rising insurance costs for manufactured home residents, S. 2739 on creating a fire cistern program, and S. 2732 on direct primary care. Members were reminded to keep testimony brief, and several legislators and local officials testified out of turn as they arrived. The hearing ended with a motion to adjourn, which passed unanimously. On S. 2738, Senator Kelly Dooner, Representative Lisa Field, Taunton Mayor Sean O’Connell, Taunton City Council President Barry Sanders, and several residents and local officials described sharp premium increases, limited carrier options, and confusion over coverage for manufactured home communities. Testifiers said many residents are seniors, veterans, or low-income households on fixed incomes, and urged creation of a special commission to study the market and recommend solutions. Some asked that residents themselves be included on the commission and suggested more immediate relief if possible. On S. 2739, fire chiefs from Hopkinton and East Hampton supported a state fund for fire cisterns, saying many communities lack municipal water or hydrants and need reliable year-round water sources for structure fires, wildfires, and newer hazards such as lithium-ion battery fires. They said cisterns improve response and can affect insurance ratings, but maintenance and installation costs are difficult for local departments to cover. The Massachusetts Insurance Federation opposed the funding mechanism, arguing that insurance assessments are being used as revenue generators and warning that the proposal would add to policy costs and trigger retaliatory taxes. The committee also heard strong support for S. 2732 from physicians and specialty groups, including Dr. Jenny Labonte, Dr. Wendy Cohen, Dr. Rica Nair, and the Massachusetts GI Association. They said the bill would allow direct primary care physicians to make referrals for HMO patients and permit in-office dispensing of medications, which they argued would improve access, continuity of care, medication adherence, and affordability. No votes were taken on the bills during the hearing.
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Health & Long-Term Care Feb 19th, 2026 at 08:00 am

Health & Long-Term Care

Transcript Highlights:
  • approved SUD monitoring program.
  • in the stipend program.
  • in the stipend program.
  • and, if recommended by the program, contracts with and participates in the program.
  • , for the grant program.
Bills: HB2340, HB2155, HB2531
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Health & Long-Term Care Feb 24th, 2026 at 10:30 am

Health & Long-Term Care

Transcript Highlights:
  • The next bill is House Bill 2340, which applies substance use disorder monitoring program provisions
  • We have House Bill 2340 before us, applying substance use disorder monitoring program provisions to nursing
Bills: HB2340, HB2540, HB2113
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Agriculture Apr 22nd, 2026

Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development

Transcript Highlights:
  • industry as agricultural labor services for the purposes of the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program
  • industry as agricultural labor services for the purposes of the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program
  • in several meetings before, I brought up the fact that it's a shame that we have to rely on this program
  • But society has gotten so bad and we have so many free programs that we have to rely on out-of-the-country
Bills: HCR77
Summary: The House Committee on Agriculture met with a quorum and considered only one item, House Concurrent Resolution 77. The resolution urges Congress, the President, and federal agencies to take action to allow crawfish industry job duties to be treated as agricultural labor for H-2A purposes and to support an H-2B-certified seasonal employer designation. Chairwoman Butler explained that the measure was prompted by problems with H-2A/H-2B worker availability and denials that have affected crawfish processors and other agricultural businesses in Louisiana. Several members spoke in support. Representative Coates said he wanted to co-author the resolution, Representative Henry described similar problems in his district and thanked the chair for advancing the issue, and Representative Schamerhorn also supported the resolution while noting concerns about reliance on foreign labor and stating that employers cover travel, background checks, housing, and wages averaging about $18 per hour. Representative Omaday moved to report HCR 77 favorably, and the committee approved the motion without objection. After the favorable report, the committee adjourned.
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Agriculture Apr 22nd, 2026

Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development

Transcript Highlights:
  • industry as agricultural labor services for the purposes of the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program
  • industry as agricultural labor services for the purposes of the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program
  • in several meetings before, I brought up the fact that it's a shame that we have to rely on this program
  • But society has gotten so bad, and we have so many free programs that we have to rely on out-of-country
Bills: HCR77
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Human Services Feb 2nd, 2026 at 01:30 pm

Human Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • DSHS, which administers this program, is to request a waiver...
  • I mean, is it changing the program, or why would there be a cost?
  • Currently, I'm asking you to support programs like the Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Program, more specifically
  • I am a current student in Seattle University's Master of Social Work Program.
  • As a pilot program, the outcomes of the bill will be studied for further review.
Bills: SB6007, SB6186, SB6212
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Financial Services Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:30 am

Joint Committee on Financial Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • This would put another $2 surcharge on home insurance policies for fire cistern programs..."
  • programs.
  • to expand these programs to benefit as many people in the Commonwealth as possible.
  • program.
  • in strategic places I've placed the cisterns in strategic places.
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a public hearing with about 43 witnesses and a 1:00 p.m. hard stop, and the chair repeatedly asked speakers to keep testimony to three minutes. Much of the hearing focused on S. 747/H. 1336, which would extend paid family and medical leave and unemployment insurance to graduate student workers. Supporters included legislators, union leaders, graduate workers from MIT, Harvard, BU, WPI, UMass Lowell, and others, and legal advocates. They argued graduate workers perform full-time teaching and research work, pay taxes, and should not be excluded from basic safety-net benefits; several witnesses described personal hardships involving childbirth, serious illness, mental health crises, funding cuts, or fear of losing income. Testifiers also said the change would be revenue-neutral or revenue-generating and would not create major administrative burdens for universities, which already provide similar benefits to other employees. The committee also heard testimony on insurance-related bills. Christopher Stock of the Massachusetts Insurance Federation supported H. 1113 on public adjusters and H. 1345/S. 753 on flood-zone notifications for homebuyers, but opposed H. 4112, which would add a $2 surcharge on home insurance policies to fund fire cistern programs. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council strongly supported H. 1345, saying flood disclosure is needed because Massachusetts lacks statewide flood-notification requirements and flooding risks are increasing. Karen Alvarado supported H. 4352 on travel insurance, and John Fielding supported H. 1186 on pet insurance; both said the bills would create uniform regulatory frameworks and consumer protections. Rep. LeBoeuf testified for H. 4061 on workers’ compensation premium fraud, describing the bill as a transparency measure to combat fraud in construction by creating a public certificate-of-insurance database and QR-code verification system. Joe Bright of the carpenters’ union also supported H. 4061, citing fraud, misclassification, and the harm to injured workers. The hearing also included testimony on H. 4112, a bill to create a statewide fire suppression water resource fund and cistern program. Rep. Hogan and a Stowe fire chief described drought, brush fires, and the need for dedicated cisterns in communities without municipal water systems, saying the tanks provide reliable water for firefighting and are relatively low-tech once installed. Committee members asked questions about tank capacity, siting, maintenance, and funding. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • House Bill 2217 establishes a grant program to equip law enforcement vehicles with bullet resistance
  • HB 2217 establishes a grant program to equip local law enforcement vehicles with bullet-resistant components
  • The grant program would be administered by the Governor's Office of Public Safety Criminal Justice Division
Bills: HB2217
Summary: The Senate Committee on Criminal Justice met and considered two House bills. HB 2217 would create a grant program to help local law enforcement agencies equip patrol vehicles with bullet-resistant components such as windshields, side doors, and windows. Senator Hagenbuch explained that the measure is intended to improve officer safety in light of shootings through patrol car glass, and no invited or public testimony was offered. The committee voted 6-0 to report HB 2217 favorably to the full Senate and also recommended it for the open uncontested calendar. The committee then took up HB 2594, with Senator Creighton explaining that it updates venue rules for cybercrime and related theft cases involving intangible property such as cryptocurrency, online fraud, and intellectual property theft. The bill would allow prosecution in the county where the victim resides, where the defendant is apprehended, or where the defendant is extradited to, giving prosecutors more flexibility when crimes cross county lines. No questions or testimony were offered. The committee voted 6-0 to report HB 2594 favorably to the full Senate. It was also recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. After completing its business, the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Agriculture & Livestock Mar 18th, 2025

Agriculture & Livestock

Transcript Highlights:
  • And with this type of bill, all it does is give us the authorization to expand that type of program and
  • Permits cover the costs of the program, or do they exceed them, or do we not know?
  • research permit to be the same price, equal to the application fee, which is designed to help fund the program
  • It creates an agricultural plant disease and pest prevention grant program.
  • So are there any state programs that are helping with the beekeeping industry? Not that I know of.
Bills: HB147
Summary: The House Committee on Agriculture and Livestock met with a quorum present and heard several bills, all of which were left pending. HB 1113, by Rep. Cain, would update Texas hemp law to keep state rules aligned with federal changes, require timely rule amendments by the Department of Agriculture, and create hemp research permits for universities and nonprofits. Supporters from the Texas Hemp Coalition said it would improve research, licensing, testing, and enforcement while helping the industry stay compliant and competitive; the author said the bill was intended to reward good actors and deter bad ones. HB 1203, by Rep. Gonzalez, would create an Office of Food System Security and Resiliency within the Department of Agriculture to address food insecurity and coordinate local food access efforts. Gonzalez said the office would build on a prior Department of Agriculture study and help connect farmers, agencies, schools, and local governments; members asked about the fiscal note, consumer costs, and whether the office would overlap with existing programs. HB 1269, HB 1276, and HB 1277 focused on plant disease and pest prevention, including a grant program and studies to identify gaps and track outbreaks. Gonzalez emphasized the need for a more intentional state response, citing crop losses from pests and a recent cotton disease outbreak in his district. HB 1437 would create a pollinator task force to address threats to Texas honeybees and related pollination industries. A Texas Beekeepers Association witness described major recent colony losses, emerging threats such as mites and hornets, and the need to bring agencies and researchers together; Gonzalez noted prior work adding a bee specialist at AgriLife Extension. Finally, HB 147, by Chairman Guillen, would modernize cattle brand registration by moving it to an electronic system at the Texas Animal Health Commission while keeping county clerks involved. Supporters said it would improve efficiency, accuracy, and access for ranchers and law enforcement, while an opponent warned about possible electronic tracking implications and costs for small producers. The committee took no final votes and adjourned after leaving HB 147 pending as well.
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

Education Mar 24th, 2026

Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • Do you get input from them when you're formulating the programs for the STEM programs?
  • This program was modeled after a program in Florida called the New World’s Reading Initiative, which
  • the program that shows the kids in the program, receiving books at home similar to what we’re doing
  • So our program does two things here in Louisiana.
  • Our program picks up once they get to school. Okay.
ND

North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session

Joint Appropriations Jan 21st, 2026 at 12:30 pm

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • What do you think is the issue between students not using that program and students using that program
  • It isn't an operating loan program.
  • There's no reason to switch to a whole new program now where this would continue on that program.
  • We have a program in place.
  • We have a program in place.
Bills: HB1623
Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 1624, the “Universal Lunch Bill,” from Rep. Mike Nathie. He argued the proposal should be placed in Century Code rather than the Constitution so future legislatures can adjust it if state finances tighten, and said the bill would start the program a year earlier with a $65 million appropriation for one school year. DPI testified that the estimate did not include nonpublic schools that do not participate, and members questioned the impact on Title I, free-and-reduced applications, private-school accountability, breakfast mandates for schools that do not currently serve breakfast, and whether the funding could come from the DPI budget or other sources. Supporters, including North Dakota United, the North Dakota Catholic Conference, a pediatrician, and the American Heart Association, said universal meals improve student health and learning, reduce family costs, and are better handled in statute than by constitutional amendment. No opposition testimony was offered, and the chair closed the hearing for later work-session action. The committee then took up House Bill 1627, introduced by Rep. Tye Dressler, which would raise the income threshold for the state-funded school lunch program from 225% to 300% of poverty, with an estimated cost of about $7 million for 2026-27. Dressler said the bill is intended as a targeted, budget-friendly alternative to the ballot measure and emphasized that the state should maximize federal meal dollars while improving participation in the current program. Members questioned whether raising the threshold would actually increase utilization, whether a dollar amount would be clearer than a percentage, and how the change would affect federal reimbursements and application rates. DPI said it could quickly calculate additional percentage levels, and the chair closed the hearing, directing DPI to prepare more numbers for the work session. Finally, the committee opened Senate Bill 2403, presented by Sen. Schiable, to create a short-term bridge-loan program for financially distressed hospitals, centered on Jacobson Memorial Hospital in Elgin. The bill would authorize up to $5 million per loan, with a $10 million appropriation available on a first-come, first-served basis, and would run only through June 30, 2027. Schiable said the hospital’s debt and operating problems threaten local health care, ambulance service, and the community’s economy, and that the proposal was designed narrowly with Bank of North Dakota review to avoid creating a broad precedent. Committee members asked whether the appropriation could be reduced and whether the bank would still apply commercial feasibility and repayment standards; Schiable said yes, the bank would still evaluate the loan and could reject it if it was not sound.
ND

North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session

Joint Appropriations Jan 21st, 2026 at 10:30 am

Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:
  • year of that program.
  • year of that program.
  • And this is the first year of that program. So with that, Mr.
  • And if we need to step up programs that are more specific, we can.
  • And to have programs then that takes me to Make North Dakota Healthy Again, to have actual programs in
Bills: HB1623
Summary: The committee heard House Bill 1623, the appropriations bill tied to North Dakota’s Rural Health Transformation Program, which is funded through a new federal rural health care grant. Senator Bekkedahl explained the bill’s background, the interim committee process that developed it, and the federal conditions attached to the award, including spending deadlines, administrative cost limits, and restrictions on uses such as new construction, supplanting existing funding, and certain other costs. Legislative staff then walked through the seven sections of the bill, including appropriation authority, transfer authority, contingent appropriations for pass-through grants, procurement and public improvement exemptions, recipient reporting, legislative reporting, and immediate effective date. Commissioner Traynor and HHS staff described how the department plans to implement the program, emphasizing that the funding is intended to improve rural access, workforce recruitment and retention, technology and data connectivity, and community health initiatives. They said the department will rely on local applications, technical assistance, templates, listening sessions, and partnerships with providers, schools, public health units, tribal entities, and other community groups. Members asked about reimbursement timing, upfront costs, administrative expenses, sustainability after the five-year grant period, and whether CTE centers, public health units, gyms, grocery stores, and other community partners could participate; the department said yes, within program rules and with a focus on measurable outcomes and sustainability. Several supporters testified in favor. Mental Health America of North Dakota and the Mental Health Advocacy Network supported the bill and urged investment in community-based mental health, crisis response, children’s services, peer support, and mobile crisis teams. HIA Health described the grant as a chance to expand home-based and hospice care, noting that rural providers already have workable models but need funding to scale them. A cybersecurity representative also supported the bill, warning that the large amount of health data and AI-related tools will require strong data protection and professional support. The hearing was closed with no opposition testimony, and the committee announced it would return later in the day for further work on the bill and other measures.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

S/C on Workforce Apr 8th, 2025

S/C on Workforce

Transcript Highlights:
  • . program, a hands-on training program in that lab to prepare entry-level manufacturing workers for the
  • And the program is very successful. It's modeled after a program in North Carolina.
  • This is one option for TEAS to find funding for this program.
  • They may or may not use the funding from this program; they may or may not qualify, but including the
  • HB 2652 seeks to help fill that gap by creating the Certified Caregiver Pilot Program.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Child Committee Meeting - 2025-04-09

Children and Families Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • To your amendment, this is in regards to the Supplemental Nutrition Outreach Program.
  • There is base funding for the SNAP outreach program, even though there is no increase in this bill.
  • So this program would take $1 million and fund free or partially subsidized child care for individuals
  • It's kind of in the same vein as the Great Start Compensation Program.
  • That is why there is a grant program within the bill.
Bills: HF2436