Transcript Highlights:

• The House Health and Human Services Finance Policy Committee is called to order.
• Programs and services and analyzing gaps.
• Examples would include funding for therapeutic services and juvenile.
• It would be detrimental for them to lose services.
• It increases the current emergency services program.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:59:25.920> services changing the covered service services changing the covered service
• or we provide services now, now services or we provide services now, now we<02:23:12.880> don't
• services.
• service, services, level of services. service, services, level of services.
• Functional support services are community-based services.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a service that we provide through Medicaid, but it's also a service that's paid for by the PASS
• This is a service that we provide through Medicaid, but it's also a service that's paid for by the passes
• We want to make sure that there's a quality service.
• Things that qualify you for personal care services.
• to evaluate whether someone qualifies for their service.

Summary: The committee approved the December 8 minutes and referred items C1 and C2 to the labor and environment subcommittees, adopting the chair’s recommendations. The main substantive item was a DHS rule package revising the State Plan Personal Care Manual and the Arkansas Independent Assessment (ARIA) Manual. DHS said the revisions would repeal and replace the current manuals with streamlined versions, remove overlapping language, implement Act 853 by shifting licensure/certification for personal care agencies to the Department of Health, lengthen personal care prior authorizations from six months to one year, and keep the 64-hour monthly cap. For ARIA, DHS said it would remove references to state plan personal care, clarify telehealth and in-person assessments, and add/update sections for PASS, AR Choices, Living Choices, and PACE. DHS argued the current independent assessment process is costly and not controlling utilization, citing a 95% approval rate, annual spending of more than $212 million on personal care for about 17,000 people, and an estimated $6.173 million in savings from eliminating the Optum assessment and reducing prior-authorization frequency. Agency witnesses said the new process would reinsert primary care practitioner involvement, use standardized evaluation and prescription forms, and rely on personal care provider nurses for the assessment step, with training already available through an AFMC contract. Several members questioned whether PCPs should be used as gatekeepers, whether the change would delay services, and whether the savings estimate accounted for training or provider burden. Some members also raised concerns about conflicts of interest, the workload on physicians, and whether the agency had adequately worked with the existing vendor to improve the current system. The discussion became contentious, with Senator Irvin and others strongly opposing the proposal as inconsistent with the earlier independent-assessment approach and urging DHS to slow down and work with legislators. Other members asked for clarification on how the new process would work for new applicants and whether it would affect waiver or PASS participants; DHS said the rule would not apply to PASS and should not delay services. At the end of the hearing, the chair offered DHS the option to pull the rule down and work off-record with legislators on a revised proposal, and DHS agreed. The meeting then adjourned without further business or a final vote on the rule.

Transcript Highlights:

• I have an app that's provided through our health service.
• I think we can all agree that it is a basic service.
• Legislative and judiciary entities have declined our services.
• So this is the portfolio of services: 534.
• Similarly, you can see vulnerability management as a service.

Transcript Highlights:

• provided by these services. provided by these services.
• local base services. local base services.
• Importantly, these services services.
• health<03:12:32.399> services Services and behavioral health services, and that are, say
• service is ridiculous. service is ridiculous.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In our student services, we employ five positions: we have a dean of student services, a registrar, an
• This slide shows Medicaid payments for residential services and outpatient services over the past five
• We've increased payments for residential services by over 1,700% and payments for outpatient services
• We've increased payments for residential services by over 1,700% and payments for outpatient services
• To coverage of IMD services.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't do services for the crime lab.
• So unless it's talking about crime lab does toxicology services for us, but we do not do services for
• Does toxicology services for us, but we do not do services for the crime. Okay.
• Dementia care services program.
• Service denials and appeals process. Service denials and appeals process.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee was called to order, the roll was taken, and the March 18 minutes were approved. Members then received several project and program updates, beginning with CHI St. Alexius’s behavioral health buildouts in Bismarck, Williston, and Grand Forks. St. Alexius reported that the Bismarck project remains on track for June 2027 completion, with demolition underway and final design work nearing completion. Williston reported construction is progressing, staffing recruitment is underway for psychiatrists and other staff, and an air handler replacement is creating a roughly $750,000 unbudgeted barrier that will slightly delay the timeline. Grand Forks reported its expansion is about 30% complete, with no major barriers beyond weather, and leaders said the project should be substantially complete in the first quarter of 2027. The Department of Health and Human Services then presented a series of budget and program updates. Donna Ockland explained several recent line-item transfers as technical corrections that net to zero and do not require new spending, then reviewed salaries, wages, and FTE counts, noting the department remains within its authorized staffing levels. Pat Rainer followed with an update on the Rural Health Transformation Program, saying 12 opportunities have been posted, 422 applications received, and $8.4 million obligated so far, with a goal of obligating the full $199 million by September. He described grants for workforce retention, rural rotations and housing, community gardens, school wellness, behavioral health promotion, safety net services, equipment, technology, EMS, and other initiatives, emphasizing that the program is intended to be transformational and tied to metrics. Members asked extensive questions about how rural eligibility is defined, how grants will support both rural facilities and hub hospitals, and how future years of funding will build on current awards. The committee also heard an update on certified community behavioral health clinics from Elena Zeller, who said North Dakota has been accepted as a demonstration state, implementation is underway in Williston, North Central/Minot, Fargo, and Dickinson, and care coordination and service counts are increasing. Rebecca Askins then reviewed SNAP payment error rates, saying the 2025 rate was finalized at 9.89%, with the state aiming to get below 6% through policy updates, training, data tools, and a quality assurance team. Members pressed her on the causes of the error rate, the role of the SPACES software system, and the need for accountability and improvements. Finally, Dirk Wilkie reported the state laboratory project reached substantial completion on June 12 and is on budget at about $69.95 million, though a service elevator had to be redesigned because it was too small for equipment.

Transcript Highlights:

• I call this hearing of the Assembly Committee on Human Services to order.
• , and Peter Redue, the manager of neighborhood services for the City of Berkeley.
• I am the director of housing community services at Berkeley.
• And so there were no services between L.A. and San Jose and no services in the Central Valley almost
• When service members leave military service, we step into a civilian job market that often does not recognize

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Services. Services.
• Medicaid Services. Medicaid Services.
• we believe it's a medical service. we believe it's a medical service.
• eligible for services. eligible for services.
• . services. services.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee first handled routine business, approving the minutes and consent calendar, then moved to the regular calendar of administrative rules. Department of Energy rule 25-220 was postponed until June at the sponsor’s request so stakeholders would have more time to review revised language. Several Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid-related rules were then considered, including 25-240, 25-265, and 26-33, each of which drew staff comments mainly about expired rule provisions and the agencies’ reliance on federal law, the Medicaid state plan, or other manuals. The committee approved those rules after brief questions, with the agencies stating they were already operating under the relevant federal or state-plan authority and, in one case, that rulemaking was underway to update an expired citation. The most extended discussion was on HHS Bureau of Aging rule 25-304, which had an amended conditional approval request. Staff explained the amendments clarified how case management agencies accept or deny cases, how telehealth participation is evaluated, and that the department sets the timing for accepting or denying cases under its existing authority. Staff also noted a separate issue about whether reimbursement rates must be in rule, but said the agency had long interpreted the statute to allow its approach and that any change would likely require legislation rather than committee objection. A provider representative testified against parts of the rule, arguing the case management agencies should not be required to accept referrals before contacting the participant, that telehealth decisions for other providers should remain with those providers, and that the quality-management section was duplicative and burdensome. Committee members questioned whether the telehealth language merely allowed case managers to say a service fit the client’s plan or instead gave them authority over another provider’s delivery method. The agency responded that case managers may determine what services an individual needs, but should not control how another licensed provider delivers those services. The discussion continued with no final action shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• the failed Northstar commo rail service the failed Northstar commo rail service I<00:46:39.119><
• The response was that terminating the service and providing bus service is the best alternative, and
• > service<01:04:52.720> and<01:04:53.000> providing terminating the service and
• providing terminating the service and providing bus<01:04:53.720> service<01:04:54.079> is<
• <01:05:12.200> Mr favor of terminating the service Mr favor of terminating the service Mr

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• support services.
• support services.
• support services.
• support services.
• support services.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee met for an introductory overview of its jurisdiction and budget, with the chair emphasizing the committee’s role over a large portfolio of children, youth, and family programs and the new Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). House Research and House Fiscal staff explained their roles and described the 2023-24 reorganization that transferred many programs from DHS, DPS, MDH, and MDE to DCYF, along with a statute recodification and a crosswalk resource for members. Doug Berg then walked through the committee’s budget structure, explaining the difference between all-funds and general fund views, the major funding sources, and how forecasted programs and grant bases roll forward. He highlighted that the committee’s general fund base is a little over $2.1 billion for the biennium, with large federal components such as SNAP and TANF, and noted smaller accounts including child protection-related opioid funds and federal reimbursement offsets (FFP) for administrative costs. Members asked several questions about federal financial participation, TANF, and the effect of the repeal of the Diversionary Work Program (DWP). Staff explained that FFP generally applies to administrative costs for federally related programs and usually does not change much unless program activity changes, while TANF is a block grant that has been stable for years. On DWP, staff said the program was sunsetted effective March 1, 2026, and that the associated funding and administrative costs were being reworked rather than simply removed. A member also asked about federal funding fluctuations; staff said no changes were currently factored in, though SNAP or other federal policy changes could alter future numbers. Danielle Penelli then presented on economic assistance and employment supports transferred to DCYF, focusing first on MFIP, Minnesota’s state-supervised, county-administered welfare program jointly funded by state and federal dollars. She explained that MFIP provides cash and food assistance, employment and training services, and related supports, with a 60-month time limit and certain exemptions for illness, incapacity, or other barriers to employment. She also described the program’s income and asset standards, including a $10,000 asset limit with exclusions for homesteads and one vehicle per assistance unit member age 16 or older. Members asked clarifying questions about how the time limit applies and what assets count, and staff responded that the limit applies to the caregiver and does not restart with additional children. Penelli also introduced support services grants, which fund employment services for MFIP, DWP, and SNAP participants through workforce centers, counties, tribes, and community agencies, and help cover some county and tribal administrative costs. She began outlining nutrition programs under DCYF, including SNAP, the Minnesota Food Assistance Program, the Minnesota Food Shelf Program, the Emergency Food Assistance Program, and the American Indian Food Sovereignty Program. No formal votes or bill actions were taken during this meeting; it was primarily an informational staff briefing and question-and-answer session.

Transcript Highlights:

• public for these services. Thank you. public for these services. Thank you.
• , EIDBI, or autism services.
• service contract.
• service contract.
• service contract.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The crossover items are between the Human Services Committee and the Health and Human Services Committee
• items between the um human services items between the um human services committee<00:01:17.840><
• kinship services.
• <00:15:46.720> On services to include kinship services.
• On services to include kinship services.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We provide a wide range of services that include comprehensive reproductive health services for families
• We also provide telehealth services to people throughout our large rural region.
• It is telling us that as of today, we may no longer use these funds for services.
• It's beyond me to not know that this much funding had been cut to vital services.
• These changes and cuts at the federal level won't slow our services; they will eliminate our services

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We want really depend on your services.
• , prioritized healthcare, human services, prioritized healthcare, human services, education,<00:03
• Child and Family Service, 1 million. Child and Family Service, 1 million.
• 100,000 malama pono health services 100,000 malama pono health services 200,000<00:07:39.440>
• 500,000 Maui family support services 500,000 Maui family support services 800,000<00:07:45.280><

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The hearing was an informational briefing on Act 310, which set aside $50 million for nonprofit and community organizations facing uncertainty, especially amid federal funding disruptions. Speakers thanked Aloha United Way for handling applications, as well as the governor, lieutenant governor, House and Senate leadership, and legislative staff for helping craft the measure and review more than 200 applications totaling over $150 million in requests. They noted the funding was intended as a safety net for organizations serving at-risk populations and those that had lost federal support, with priority given to healthcare, human services, education, the arts, and food distribution. The co-chair then presented the recommended award list, describing it as aimed at programs with broad reach and high impact. The list included a large number of nonprofits and community providers across the state, such as food banks, health centers, youth and family services, domestic violence and legal aid organizations, cultural and educational groups, and hospitals. Several of the larger awards mentioned included Hui Food Bank, Boys and Girls Club of the Big Island, West Hawaii Community Health Center, The Food Basket, and multiple Maui and Oahu service organizations. After the full list was read, the chair asked for discussion or objections. Hearing none, the committee adopted the list of nonprofit awards as read. The briefing then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We handle, so kind of your stereotypical DMV services.
• center that provides driver and motor vehicle services.
• We really want to be sure that we're designing our services and offering our services in ways of how
• We aim to simplify this by offering services where any customer can access any of our services... over
• for six months in motor vehicle services and eight months of driver's license services.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Most of these components are new additions to the pre-service curriculum.
• So our pre-service curriculum right now lasts approximately 10 weeks.
• Post-pre-service, they have two weeks of core training.
• And thank you for your 18 years of service.
• Services that are offered there.

Summary: The committee heard three presentations focused on child welfare workforce development and the needs of children in Florida’s dependency system. First, the Florida Institute for Child Welfare described its Grow Center and related initiatives, including academic curriculum enhancements, simulations, virtual reality training, coaching, on-demand learning, advanced certifications, and the planned Tallahassee learning lab opening in January 2026. Members asked about conflict resolution, domestic violence, addiction, and microcredentials; the presenter said the institute is expanding training in those areas and is working with DCF to align advanced certifications with the department’s career ladder. The Department of Children and Families then presented on the Continue the Mission initiative, which recruits veterans, military spouses, and former law enforcement officers into CPI, API, and case management roles. DCF said it has held more than 240 hiring events and hired 372 such workers since launch, while also improving recruitment and retention through higher starting pay, streamlined hiring, rebranding, wellness supports, and enhanced pre-service training. Senators asked about PTSD concerns, staffing levels, caseloads, hotline vacancies, and salaries; DCF said it had not seen direct PTSD issues from the hiring effort and provided figures including a $50,000 starting salary for CPIs, $37,000 for APIs, and average caseloads of 12 to 15 investigations for CPIs and about 10 for APIs. Finally, DCF discussed the increased acuity of children in the dependency system, explaining that fewer children are entering care overall but those who do often have more complex behavioral, mental health, developmental, or medical needs. The department highlighted a new Behavioral Qualified Residential Treatment Program (BQRTP) designed for youth who need more intensive support than traditional foster or group home settings but do not require inpatient psychiatric treatment; one facility is licensed with 12 of 14 beds filled, and DCF said it is seeking funding for placement for 230 youth total. Members pressed for details on licensure timelines, standards, funding, and the handling of crossover youth and lockouts, and DCF said it uses braided funding and works with DJJ, APD, and lead agencies through local and state review teams. A representative of the Florida Coalition for Children also testified, saying the issue is complex and multi-year, and that the coalition is working on possible legislative and programmatic solutions. The committee took no formal votes and adjourned after the presentations and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• of the service.
• just the delivery of the new service just the delivery of the service<00:26:16.039> Senator<00
• Pronton, looks at expanding services for chiropractic services.
• additional services that they haven't additional services that they haven't done<00:43:11.920>
• <00:47:33.040> I by providing a little more services I by providing a little more services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a thing to continue to be net services.
• You get legal protection services.
• of crime, and also for rehabilitative services.
• of crime, and also for rehabilitative services.
• This way it maximizes the connection to Medi-Cal and health services. Emergency Medi-Cal services.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee met to consider the 2026 Budget Act, which leaders said was the negotiated compromise with the Senate and was expected to move to the floor that evening. Opening remarks emphasized that the plan balances the budget over two years, reduces the structural deficit, and builds reserves, while also protecting core services in the face of federal cuts. Jason Sisney outlined the legislative budget framework and the likely floor bills, including AB 109, SB 110, SB 122, and SB 125. Department of Finance representative Eric Khali said the administration appreciated the two-year balanced approach and supported the modification in SB 122, while noting the package uses additional revenues and new spending to soften or reject some proposed cuts. Most of the discussion focused on major spending areas. Members and subcommittee chairs highlighted protections and additions for health care and human services, including rejecting the proposed Medi-Cal asset limit change, delaying premium increases, restoring clinic and dental funding, supporting distressed hospitals and county indigent care, and expanding county eligibility staffing to handle H.R. 1-related workload. Education members described record or expanded support for TK-12 schools, child care, special education, community colleges, teacher recruitment, and higher education, including a change to extend Cal Grant eligibility to age 30 for some community college students. Housing and homelessness funding was increased for HAP, multifamily housing, and the low-income housing tax credit, while public safety members pointed to investments in victims’ services, restorative justice, and prison closure savings. Several members also raised concerns or priorities tied to the budget deal. Some praised the package as a moral document that protects vulnerable Californians, immigrant communities, LGBTQ residents, seniors, and people with disabilities. Others noted unresolved issues, including the MCO tax’s impact on districts, the need for more support for local journalism, arts, biotech R&D incentives, transit and GGRF-related concerns, and the need for continued work on Prop. 98 and long-term fiscal resilience. The vice chair cautioned that despite the current progress, the state remains vulnerable to revenue volatility and warned that the budget should build more resilience against a possible downturn. No formal vote was taken in the portion provided, but the committee was preparing the budget package for floor action and final negotiations.

Transcript Highlights:

• What this bill would do is require such people to purchase the service in the same fashion as others
• who purchase prior non-membership service, where an amount equal to what would have been contributed
• This upended years of practice, as the decision rested on regular compensation requiring a service to
• service purchases.
• Good afternoon, Chair Ryan, Chair Brady, members of the Public Service Committee.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several public service and retirement-related bills. Senator Kelly Dooner and Rep. O’Rourke supported a Taunton home rule petition to extend Chief Walsh’s service during the city’s transition to a new public safety facility, citing the need to manage new equipment, cameras, and 911 systems smoothly. Senator Lovely testified in favor of bills expanding retirement savings access through the SMART Plan and the CORE Plan, arguing that automatic enrollment and broader eligibility would help state, municipal, and nonprofit workers save for retirement. No questions were raised on the Taunton petition, and the hearing later moved through the remaining testimony without any votes taken during the transcript. Mary Waldron of the Old Colony Planning Council and Jeffrey Walker of the Southeast Regional Planning and Economic Development District urged support for legislation protecting regional planning agencies from being required to make retroactive payments to the State Retirement Board for past employer contributions. They warned that the costs would be unsustainable, could force layoffs or closures, and would jeopardize their ability to provide transportation, housing, economic development, and planning services. Bill Keith and Patrick Charles of PEREC testified on several retirement administration bills, including measures to ease statement-of-financial-interest filing rules, require payment for certain creditable service purchases, and clarify the definition of wages to include sick, vacation, and personal time; committee members asked questions about regional transit authorities joining retirement systems and about adding local retirement board representation to a proposed commission. Jonathan Osimo and Rob Fabino of the Massachusetts Teachers Retirement System supported bills to penalize delinquent pension reporting by employers and to create a special commission to study retirement credit purchases, saying better reporting would improve retirement processing and that a broader review could improve fairness and sustainability. Eddie Boynton of the Braintree Education Association backed the SMART Plan bill, describing how automatic enrollment and low-fee fiduciary oversight could protect educators from high-cost supplemental retirement products. Matthew Nugent testified for a bill to divest public pension funds from firearms and ammunition. After the final witnesses, the chairs asked if anyone else wished to testify, heard none, and then adjourned the hearing.