Transcript Highlights:

• rate of a little over 5%.
• The national error rate was about 10.29%, while Texas had an error rate.
• And so, yes, that error rate includes the client errors, and about a third of the overall error rate
• That's too high of a rate."
• The uptake rate, so to serve that 30,516 people, I can't do the math this easily, but your uptake rate

Committee: House Human Services

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> a lot of credit for, but the rating a lot of credit for, but the rating agencies<00:04:53.520><c
• </c> do with the rating agencies. do with the rating agencies.
• , or are we using a different rate?
• </c> reductions in the retirement rates reductions in the retirement rates &gt;&gt; but<00:08:21.280>
• </c> got an assumption of 4 and a.5% rate got an assumption of 4 and a.5% rate change<00:20:53.440><c

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:11 Executive Budget 00:00:50, 958, all

Summary: The committee met to hear a presentation from Dr. Hicks on the governor’s recommended budget for the next biennium. He reviewed the revenue outlook, noting modest general fund growth, a large rainy day fund balance, and the impact of recent income tax reductions. He said the budget was built around recurring reductions, lower debt service and retirement contribution rates, and the use of excess restricted funds, while protecting K-12 education, Medicaid, postsecondary education, public safety, and pension obligations. Dr. Hicks outlined several major spending and reserve proposals, including $350 million from the Department of Insurance’s excess restricted funds to support Medicaid in the first year, $150 million for the affordable housing trust fund, $125 million for rural hospitals, $100 million to offset lost federal ACA premium tax credits, $75 million for utility assistance, and $50 million for food assistance. In education, the proposal included a phased pre-K for all plan funded by sports wagering tax revenue, a 3% annual salary increase for full-time school personnel, continued full funding of teacher pensions, a 2.5% annual increase in SEEK base funding, and additional support for career and technical education and school facilities. He also discussed Medicaid cost pressures, including higher managed care, pharmacy, behavioral health, and nursing facility costs, and explained the expected effects of federal HR1 changes on Kentucky’s Medicaid program. Those changes include work and community engagement requirements and more frequent eligibility redeterminations for expansion members, which the administration estimated would reduce enrollment by about 4,300 in the first year and 28,000 in the second year. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the meeting, which was limited to the budget presentation and member questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a fully comprehensive, risk-rated monitoring system that we're going to apply equally across
• , but it'll be recovered through rates just like everything else.
• So there's no increase to the rates just because of this loan.
• For rate increases, and they cannot supplant anything that's currently in place.
• , solid rate, whatever.

Committee: All ALC-PEER

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, opened with a prayer recognizing the death of Reverend Jesse Jackson, and then worked through a series of appropriation and transfer requests. In Section B, it approved a $273,000 temporary appropriation for the Department of Labor and Licensing. In Section C, it approved two Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act requests: $280 million for the Department of Transportation and $195 million for the State Broadband Office to support Arkansas BEAD broadband grants, including an extra help position. Members questioned the broadband awards, provider amendments, buildout timelines, accountability, and the status of unawarded locations; the broadband director said no provider had requested speed changes, awards would be monitored with milestone-based payments, and remaining locations would be addressed later as federal guidance is received. The committee also approved transfers in Section D, including $458,000 for the Department of Correction, $25 million for Department of Education programs such as declining enrollment and teacher incentive funding, and $229,000 for Shared Administrative Services project management support. In Section E, the committee considered a $4.7 million budget stabilization trust fund loan for the Office of State Technology to implement ServiceNow and related IT modernization, cybersecurity, and governance tools. Members pressed agency officials on repayment, cost savings, and whether the loan would simply roll over existing costs; officials said repayment would come through agency rates over a five-year period and that the new payment would be lower than the current loan being retired. The committee voted to give favorable advice to the Governor on the loan request. In Section F, the committee reviewed cash fund requests for wage and hour claims, unclaimed property, and a heritage grant; in Section G, it reviewed a $1.1 million federal grant to expand college and career coaching in rural districts; in Section H, it reviewed pay plan and performance fund requests totaling millions across multiple agencies; and in Section I, it reviewed budget manual formatting changes. The latter part of the meeting focused on reports, especially the Medicaid trust fund. DHS and DFA officials reported the fund balance had declined from prior years and was down to about $394 million after seven months, with further decline expected by year-end. Senators and representatives asked about the appropriate reserve level, the impact of pending Medicaid rules and legislation, FMAP changes, and whether additional funding would be needed in the upcoming budget. Officials said projections are updated regularly, more than 10 rule packages remain pending with CMS, and the governor and legislative leaders will discuss additional capital needs during budget development. Members also discussed the importance of balancing Medicaid spending with new federal funding and maintaining flexibility for critical areas such as labor and delivery. The committee then adjourned without further action on the reports.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, the provider rates, you know, 4% maybe reducing those to 3% or 2%.
• And he doesn't want our triple-A bond rating to be affected.
• And the reserves that we have is a big impact on why our bond rating is so high.
• The provider rate is $7.56 per 15 minutes, which is about $29 an hour.
• rate that we're returning.

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's reflected in the clearance rates.
• The case types most impacted by the surge in March of 2023 show a clearance rate.
• Additionally, small claims statewide clearance rates are significantly higher.
• rate after the enactment of this law.
• rates that they were showing ahead of time.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our customers pay that rate, and the warranty pays that rate.
• Our labor rate, we pay him the same $50 an hour for every job he does, which is a competitive rate.
• They need to pay a competitive rate. $50 an hour for every job he does, which is a competitive rate.
• Our customers pay that rate, and the warranty pays that rate.
• need to pay a competitive rate. $50 an hour for every job he does, which is a competitive rate, they

Committee: House Emerging Issues

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• On our water rates.
• Keep the rates affordable, but do all those things.
• payer's rate time over time.
• sell for the average rate rate payer?
• The programs at the board are helping systems in areas such as asset management, rates, their rates,

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our rates are down 11%. Yes, affordability. Our rates are down 11% in the last two years.
• Yes, time of use rates. Yes, shift loads. Section one of the bill is not about time of use rates.
• Things like VPPs, demand response, dynamic rates. Things like VPPs, demand response, dynamic rates.
• What are dynamic rates? Time-of-use, real-time pricing.
• or rate proceedings are impacted by this bill.

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• chat, answer rates remain dramatically lower, around 42%.
• There’s a human impact when we talk about that answer rate.
• goals of a 90% in state answer rate.
• , and rollover rates to the backup network.
• We're still losing our people at an alarming rate.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our rates are down 11%. Yes, affordability. Our rates are down 11% in the last two years.
• Yes, time-of-use rates. Yes, shift loads. Section one of the bill is not about time-of-use rates.
• Things like VPPs, demand response, Things like VPPs, demand response, dynamic rates.
• What are dynamic rates? Time-of-use, real-time pricing.
• or rate proceedings are impacted by this bill.

Summary: The committee first heard AB 710, which would expand dynamic pricing and time-of-use electricity rates and require utilities to develop plans for advanced metering infrastructure so more customers can participate. The author and supporters said the bill would encourage load shifting to times when electricity is cheaper and cleaner, reduce curtailment of renewable energy, and help address affordability. PG&E and SDG&E opposed the bill as drafted, arguing the deadlines were premature, could disrupt ongoing CPUC rate proceedings and pilot programs, and might force costly changes before results are known; Golden State Power Cooperative was neutral and flagged a technical issue. After questions and discussion about timing and scope, the committee passed AB 710 on an 11-0 vote and also approved the consent calendar 15-0. The committee then held its first 2026 oversight hearing on implementation of the California Transmission Accelerator created by SB 254. GoBiz, IBank, CAISO, and the Department of Finance outlined the new program’s structure: GoBiz’s energy unit will coordinate the accelerator, IBank will evaluate and finance eligible projects, CAISO’s transmission planning and competitive solicitation process will identify projects, and the tax credit will provide an additional incentive for developers. Administration witnesses said trailer bill language and about 10 limited-term positions are being proposed to clarify roles, protect confidential information, and support the revolving fund, with roughly $26 million in administrative costs over five years. Committee members focused on coordination among agencies, supply-chain risks, regional market planning, and whether the accelerator has enough authority to move projects quickly. CAISO said its planning and competitive procurement processes already align closely with the accelerator and that no tariff changes are expected, while GoBiz and IBank said they are still developing financing strategies and learning from other states. Public commenters supported faster transmission but urged the committee to preserve the role of competitive developers, clarify ownership and risk allocation, and ensure wildfire safety and accountability. The hearing ended with no formal action beyond receiving testimony and committing to continued oversight.

Transcript Highlights:

• it's the rate for the building itself, the rate for the back office support, on average the indirect
• are</c><00:37:26.800><c> negotiated</c> um indirect cost rates are negotiated um indirect cost rates
• are correct, so it's passage rates, completion rates, success rates, review by members of the team that
• are correct, so it's passage rates, completion rates, success rates, review by members of the team that
• rates success passage rates completion rates success review<01:03:53.680><c> by</c><01:03:54.240><c>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard updates from the chancellors of the state university system and the community college system on ongoing restructuring, collaboration, and enrollment trends. The university system said its office move to the NHTI campus is ahead of schedule and should save students about $250,000 a year while creating revenue for the community college system. Both systems described continued work on transfer pathways, direct-admit outreach, shared advising, and broader efforts to shrink footprints, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiency in response to declining enrollment and demographic pressure. A major topic was a possible federal change to Pell Grant eligibility that would require students to enroll in at least 7.5 credits. The chancellors said most community college students are part-time because of work and family responsibilities, and that the change could affect roughly 2,000 current Pell recipients and make it harder for students to afford or sustain enrollment. Members also discussed how the state’s governor’s scholarship statute largely benefits full-time students, suggesting possible future statutory changes. The chancellors explained how credits typically work, noting most courses are three or four credits and that students would likely need to add an entire course to meet the proposed threshold. The committee also discussed the broader higher education landscape, including declining high school cohorts, competition among New England institutions, and the need to right-size capacity. One member raised concerns about the health of regional campuses such as Plymouth and Keene; the chancellors said incoming enrollment is down at UNH and Plymouth and holding at Keene, attributing the trend to demographics rather than one campus drawing students away from another. They emphasized the importance of community colleges, adult learners, and short-term workforce programs as part of the state’s future education mix. Finally, the committee touched on the value of the university system’s research enterprise. The chancellor said about $250 million a year flows into the university system in federal research grants, with about $9.5 million currently under stop-work orders from federal agencies. She said the immediate concern is not DEI-related but federal cuts and possible caps on indirect cost recovery. Members noted that the R1 research designation supports business partnerships, student opportunities, and economic development projects such as West Edge in Durham.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill aims to add health insurance rate reviews and an affordability focus.
• It's looking at proposed rates, whereas...” “The rate regulation is looking forward.
• Yeah, I mean, that would be a part of the rate review process.
• It'll be part of the overall development of the rates.
• So I want to thank the Senator for making sure, which talked about rate reviews.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard several measures, beginning with SB 331 by Sen. Menjivar, which would require large-group health plans to cover hearing aids for children. The author and supporters described the bill as a long-running effort to address a developmental emergency and reduce out-of-pocket costs for families, while opponents were absent. Testimony from parents, advocates, medical experts, and organizations emphasized the importance of early access to hearing aids; committee members voiced strong support, and the bill was moved on a do-pass basis to Appropriations, with several members requesting to be added as coauthors. The committee then heard SB 608, also by Sen. Menjivar, to expand access to condoms in school-based health centers and related settings and to prevent barriers such as ID checks. Supporters, including students and school health advocates, argued the bill would improve sexual health and reduce stigma, while opponents from family and faith groups argued it would undermine parental authority and normalize early sexual activity. The bill was supported by committee members and moved forward on a do-pass basis to Appropriations. Next, SB 971 by Sen. Choi proposed community-based healthy aging partnerships for older adults, with testimony from the California Senior Legislature and supporters from aging and dementia organizations. The measure was described as voluntary and focused on connection, independence, and local collaboration; there was no opposition, and the committee moved it on a do-pass basis to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 869 by Sen. Weber Pierson, which would require warning icons and statements on chain restaurant menus for beverages with very high added sugar content. Supporters framed it as a transparency and public health measure, while restaurant and beverage industry representatives opposed it unless amended, citing cost and menu-space concerns; the bill was nevertheless moved on a do-pass basis to Appropriations after a roll call vote, with some members voting no and the measure placed on call. The committee also considered SB 950 by Sen. Weber Pierson, aimed at ensuring timely coverage of FDA-approved, medically necessary treatments for early-onset Alzheimer’s disease on commercial plans. Supporters, including the Alzheimer’s Association and a patient advocate, said the bill would reduce delays and barriers to care, while health plan representatives opposed it over step therapy and utilization-management concerns. Members discussed the limited treatment window and the need for early access, and the bill was moved on a do-pass basis to Appropriations. In addition, SB 490 by Sen. Umberg would set timelines for DHCS investigations of unlicensed sober living homes and allow counties to assist if the department cannot act in time; supporters from Anaheim and a patient-brokering survivor described serious abuse and oversight gaps, while county behavioral health representatives opposed the county role as an unfunded and potentially liability-creating burden. After discussion, the bill was also moved on a do-pass basis to Appropriations. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1037 by Sen. Weber Pierson on health insurance affordability and rate review, with supporters arguing it would tie premium increases more closely to affordability targets and public reporting; the transcript cuts off before the committee completed action on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay. >> So what is the error rate right now and what are you proposing that the error rate is going
• And if you're based on the error rate.
• It's most likely they go the error rate?
• </c><01:08:05.760><c> is</c> uh can tell you what the error rate is uh can tell you what the error rate
• </c> &gt;&gt; Our error rate is currently at 7.57%. &gt;&gt; Our error rate is currently at 7.57%.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The meeting covered two committee of conference items. On HB 1260, the House and Senate debated a Senate amendment dealing with sealing certain divorce-related financial records. House members argued the amendment conflicted with the Keane Sentinel decision and would improperly flip the burden of proof on public access to court records, raising constitutional concerns under the state constitution’s open government and privacy provisions. Senate members responded that the privacy amendment and modern conditions support more protection for sensitive financial information, especially in limited uncontested divorces, but several members agreed the issue should be studied in a separate bill with a full hearing next year rather than resolved in conference. The committee ultimately voted unanimously to have the Senate recede and pass HB 1260 in the form originally passed by the House, preserving the underlying bill without the Senate amendment. The committee then took up HB 1574, which extends free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch programs and provides funding for SNAP administrative costs. The main dispute was the Senate’s addition of $4.4 million for SNAP administration. Senator Gray and DHHS officials said federal changes will shift more administrative costs to the state and that underfunding administration could raise the SNAP error rate, which could trigger future federal penalties and larger state costs; DHHS reported a current error rate of 7.57%, below the national average, and said a higher error rate could cost the state roughly $12 million in a partial fiscal year and nearly $16 million in a full year. Representative Papovich said he understood the department’s needs but was reluctant to support the bill as amended, noting the Senate language resembled a prior bill that had already failed in the House. The discussion ended with the committee still considering the Senate amendment, with members weighing the immediate appropriation against possible future costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• and remediation rate, alongside SAT proficiency rates in reading and math.
• The graph on the left shows graduation rates alongside SAT proficiency rates.
• We are seeing increasing graduation rates. We are seeing slowly increasing proficiency rates.
• Now those two graduation rates and proficiency rates shouldn't be independent of one another.
• If we said increase graduation rates, they did their job. Graduation rates are up.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's called a camel's rating, and the best rating is a one. The worst rating is a 5.
• It's rated 3, 4, or 5.
• Now, obviously, a 3-rated bank is not as bad as a 5-rated bank. operated back, but we still consider
• So it's tough to find deposits, interest rates.
• same level as the state. rate.

Committee: House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, line 5, continue half year rate adjustments from the uh.
• line 8, we did, um, assisted, assisted living facility rates.
• Provider rate adjustments, uh, we did about $26.2 million for those provider rate adjustments.
• differing rates for children, income levels, adult expansion, and other groups.
• Um, Uh, other agencies such as DOH bring in money at various matching rates.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> services system through um through rate services system through um through rate through<00:10:41.120
• :42.399><c> you</c> through rate setting, which is, you through rate setting, which is, you know,<00:
• There is a permanent out-of-network minimum rate schedule.
• </c> ambul of the rates ambul of the rates as<00:12:34.320><c> they</c><00:12:34.560><c> interact</c>
• 15:46.160><c> the</c><00:15:46.399><c> insurance</c> network rate schedule, the insurance network rate

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This would be, you know, rates to managed care plans.
• Question: Why do we have such a high error rate?
• The current error rate at this point is about 11%.
• So the sort of penalty rate will ultimately be dependent on our error rate in the federal fiscal year
• to know that the average error rate in the United States is 10.9, very similar to our error rate.

Committee: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review

Summary: The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee held an oversight hearing on the impacts of H.R. 1 on California’s safety net, focusing on Medi-Cal and CalFresh. The chair and vice chair framed the discussion around major federal changes to work requirements, eligibility redeterminations, immigrant eligibility, and financing rules, while noting the state’s own structural budget deficit and the need for a second hearing later in March on county and safety-net impacts. The first panel included the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the Department of Finance, the UC Berkeley Labor Center, and the Food Research and Action Center. LAO and Finance described H.R. 1 as driving major enrollment losses and cost shifts. LAO estimated that Medi-Cal work requirements and six-month redeterminations could affect 3.5 million people, with 1 to 2 million potentially disenrolled, while CalFresh changes could subject more than 800,000 people to work requirements and cause over 600,000 to lose food assistance. They also highlighted new ineligibility for certain non-citizens, reduced federal matching for emergency Medi-Cal services, tighter provider tax rules, and higher state and county administrative costs for CalFresh. Finance said the governor’s budget reflects about $1.4 billion in new General Fund costs in 2026-27 and a $2.4 billion reduction in federal funds, with larger out-year impacts and up to 2 million Medi-Cal disenrollments by 2029-30. The UC Berkeley Labor Center projected up to 3 million Californians could lose full-scope Medi-Cal by 2028 when H.R. 1 is combined with state budget changes, though it said the state could limit losses by choosing not to apply some new requirements to state-funded populations and by keeping some immigrants in full-scope state-funded coverage. The Food Research and Action Center argued that CalFresh cuts and time limits would increase hunger, homelessness risk, and health costs, while also hurting local economies and increasing administrative burden. Committee members from both parties questioned the fiscal sustainability of Medi-Cal growth, the 11% CalFresh error rate and possible $2 billion penalty, county indigent care costs, and the effect of work requirements; several Democratic members argued the federal changes and state cuts would disproportionately harm low-income Californians, immigrants, and communities of color, while Republican members emphasized program growth, work incentives, and the need for budget restraint. No votes were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I know what those rates are.
• are. our rates would what those rates are. our rates would not<01:20:12.560><c> compete</c><01:20:12.880
• rates the market rates of the market rates the market rates of insurance<01:33:05.120><c> fluctuate<
• HBIA has lowered rates.
• Yes. rates? Get stop having a lot of those. rates? Get stop having a lot of those.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:24:29.760><c> a</c><00:24:29.919><c> bit</c> rate that generally a higher rate a bit rate that
• No, they get a monthly rate.
• be the rate to cover costs, assuming that all payers paid that rate.
• to do commercial rate setting.
• to do commercial rate setting.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1191, senate, all