Transcript Highlights:

• And we would also want to run it by the California Gambling Control Commission.
• This would allow the department to fully utilize the federal grant awards, which support the department's
• To allow the department to fully utilize the federal grant awards, which supports the department's work
• So right now, if we have four regions, each that has a data center that controls the traffic, we're not
• So we have proposed some budget control language and submitted a letter earlier today distributed that

Summary: Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 6 heard the Governor’s May Revision proposals for the judicial branch, the Board of State and Community Corrections, the Department of Justice, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The Legislative Analyst’s Office opened with a warning that the state budget remains structurally imbalanced and urged the Legislature to avoid new ongoing spending unless offset by reductions elsewhere. In the judicial branch discussion, the Judicial Council highlighted language access funding, appellate court security, a backfill for the state court facilities construction fund, and an extension of the lactation room mandate; Finance supported most items but suggested reporting language on interpreter costs and reducing the General Fund backfill. Members raised concerns about judicial vacancies, long-term salary freezes, remote hearings, and the lack of progress on court staffing in some counties. For the Board of State and Community Corrections, the administration proposed $10 million one-time each for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People grant program and a human trafficking vertical prosecution grant program. The LAO said both should be weighed against other priorities and suggested the Legislature consider whether the Tribal Nations Grant Fund could support MMIP work, while Finance said it preferred General Fund support and wanted more review before any fund swap. Members strongly supported MMIP funding and asked whether ongoing support would be considered. On the human trafficking grant, Finance said BSC was a good fit because of its grant administration experience and prior vertical prosecution work, while legislators asked why the program was not placed with the Office of Emergency Services as originally contemplated in prior legislation. The Department of Justice presented antitrust litigation funding, Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse staffing, completion of organized retail criminal enterprise cases, and trailer bill language for a continuous appropriation from the Victims of Consumer Fraud Restitution Fund. The LAO supported the antitrust account use but questioned the Unfair Competition Law Fund’s ability to cover the full request without General Fund repayment, and recommended against a continuous appropriation for the restitution fund in favor of a more limited mechanism with legislative oversight. Finance said the fund would remain solvent and defended the continuous appropriation as necessary to pay victims promptly. In the CDCR portion, the largest discussion centered on the Boston Consulting Group efficiency review and sharply reduced savings estimates; LAO said the department had not fully explained the proposed position eliminations or future $100 million savings target, while Finance said the work reflected deeper analysis and ongoing efforts to find savings. Members repeatedly pressed CDCR and Finance on the gap between earlier promised savings and the revised figures. CDCR also outlined population projections showing continued declines in prison and parole populations, while LAO again urged the state to close an additional prison to save ongoing costs. The department then walked through several May Revision items, including workers’ compensation funding, a Corcoran honor housing dorm, incarcerated firefighter pay implementation, an incarcerated menopause program, mental health receiver staffing, mental health resource teams and crisis intervention teams, medical classification staffing changes, and AI note-taking for the electronic health record. LAO generally recommended limiting-term funding and more reporting for many of these proposals, while Finance defended them as necessary ongoing investments or court-ordered obligations. Members questioned the cost of workers’ compensation, the need for more prison closures, the lack of funding for women’s facility violence prevention, and the timing and transparency of the BCG savings process. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• priorities beyond their control. priorities beyond their control.
• to each according to their utility. to each according to their utility.
• <01:44:38.160> and simply expanding government control and simply expanding government control
• places to not have controlled places to not have controlled medications medications medications
• <04:46:55.000> So, controls over that. So, controls over that.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, approved the journal, and heard several announcements and recognitions. Members marked World Ovarian Cancer Day, promoted Cinco de Mayo and a related potluck, welcomed DeMolay International guests, and recognized correctional officers and employees during Corrections Officers and Employees Week. Several committees also announced upcoming meetings and bill hearings, including Health and Human Services, Judiciary, Transportation, Housing, and Local Government, Capital Development, and Appropriations. Committee reports were read, including favorable recommendations on several bills and a postponement indefinitely of House Joint Resolution 1029. The Majority Leader then moved a slate of bills to special orders, and the House agreed without objection. The chamber then proceeded to floor consideration of Senate Bill 134, concerning payment card network fees. Senate Bill 134 drew debate over whether merchants should continue paying swipe fees on the tax portion of credit card transactions. Supporters said the bill would provide meaningful relief to small businesses and restaurants, with estimated savings of $8,000 to $10,000 per business and about $217 million statewide. Opponents argued the bill shifted costs to banks and could have unintended consequences, suggesting the state should instead directly pay or reimburse the fees. After debate, the House passed Senate Bill 134 by voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• > and hospitals, schools, utilities, and hospitals, schools, utilities, and businesses.<01:09:
• I clearly lost control of the >> Sorry.
• You have no control over somebody doing that.
• You have no control over somebody doing that.
• You have no control over somebody.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have not assumed any reductions in utilization of the hours associated with this proposal.
• Again, the reduction is intended to align to the current utilization rates and not expected to result
• So, stakeholders have noted that FERS utilize, you know, people using the program have grown steadily
• Overall the new standard utility allowance is expected to increase benefits. Thank you. 21? 21.
• This is to properly score state operations reductions related to control section 4.05 and 4.12.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• On social housing, for those unfamiliar with social housing, this utilizes public financing options at
• This utilizes public financing options at the state or local level to create sustainable long-term mixed-income
• housing developments that are permanently affordable and resident-controlled.
• Again, specifically, really looking at race and ethnicity intersections with how folks utilize and access
• To learn about their experiences, specifically as a person of color who utilizes self-direction to maybe

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities’ Long-Term Services and Supports and Health Equity Subcommittee met to hear a presentation from the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University. Monica Mitra introduced the institute’s work on disability health equity and long-term services and supports, and staff described several research centers focused on community living policy, disability and pregnancy, and parents with disabilities. The presentation emphasized participatory research, accessible dissemination, and the connection between health equity and access to home- and community-based services. Joe Caldwell discussed the Community Living Policy Center’s work on Medicaid HCBS, the direct care workforce crisis, housing, and policy advocacy, including efforts related to the Money Follows the Person program and the Medicaid access rule’s interested parties advisory group. Sid Pickern highlighted a workforce study interviewing direct care workers, a forthcoming policy brief on the access rule, and housing research including Massachusetts’ Alternative Housing Voucher Program. Teresa Nguyen described the Community Living Equity Center’s focus on disparities in community living for people of color, especially a study on self-direction and community living outcomes, and asked for help recruiting participants. Lauren Bixby demonstrated the community living data dashboard, which compares adults who need LTSS with those receiving Medicaid LTSS using ACS and TMSIS data. She explained that the dashboard can be filtered by state and demographics, but noted major race and ethnicity data gaps for Massachusetts and other states. Commissioners praised the dashboard and the institute’s work, asked questions about data sources and the 1115 waiver, and discussed possible connections to the Health Equity Compact. No votes were taken; the meeting ended with an invitation for follow-up, including a forthcoming direct care workforce brief and the institute’s October 28 lecture.

Transcript Highlights:

• So everything is still in your hand and under your control.
• Everything is still in your hand and under your control.
• by Senator Pressly is a joint resolution to amend Article 7 of the Constitution relative to water utility
• service lines, to provide for the use of public funds to remove or replace drinking water utility service

Bills: SCR12, HB221, HB509, HCR58, SB78, SB25, SB80, SB132, SB155, SB157, SB202, SB228, SB250, SB414, SB433, SB479, SB513, SCR9, SCR58, SB65, SB215, SB249, SB269, SB282, SB296, SB323, SB363, SB369, SB474, SB490, SB492, SB500, SB514, HCR32, HB17, HB41, HB73, HB223, HB244, HB759, HB906, HB966, HB1006, HB1009, HB1086, HB1107, HB1112, HB1215, HB1242, SB217, SB283, SB469, HB36, HB42, HB74, HB119, HB159, HB259, HB302, HB414, HB459, HB776, HB848, HB956, HB1017, HB1028, HB1095, SB208, SB312, SB382, SB389, HB210, HB258, HB359, HB368, HB468, HB552, HB732, HB784, HB870, HB953, HB1117, HB1236

Keywords: logging, recognition, John Keith, environment, safety, Mississippi River bridge, Trump Expressway, transportation, federal funding, Louisiana highways, injection wells, public hearing, geologic sequestration, environmental impact, public comment, Ascension Parish, state capitol, economic development, community partnership, celebration day

Summary: The Senate met with 29 members present, heard a prayer and national anthem presentation, and approved the journal without objection. The chamber then received multiple messages from the House on conference committee reports and concurrence actions, and took up a long calendar of Senate resolutions and House/Senate bills returned from the House with amendments. Several resolutions were adopted without objection, including commendations and requests for reports or studies, while others were left over or returned to the calendar. The Senate concurred in or adopted amendments on a series of bills covering registrar compensation (SB 25), broadband administration and reimbursement (SB 80), school safety master key boxes (SB 132), dental coverage for cancer treatment (SB 155), paid parental leave for educators (SB 157), election supervisor compensation days (SB 202), water utility service line replacement funding (SB 228), weight management services through the Office of Group Benefits (SB 250), medical debt protection (SB 414), Medicaid coverage of weight-loss medication (SB 443), and design-build authority for vertiport facilities (SB 513). It also adopted a House concurrent resolution urging backup motors for the St. Claude Avenue Bridge (HCR 32). One bill, SB 479 on removal of certain judges, had its amendments rejected and was sent to conference. The chamber then considered conference committee reports on several measures. Reports were adopted on SB 312 (labor organization dues and fees), SB 208 (veterans services and VA-related restrictions), SB 382 (workers’ compensation advisory council and reimbursement schedule timing), SB 389 (agent and athlete registration and fee review), and multiple House bills including HB 359 (party primary qualifying rules), HB 368 (New Orleans historic preservation lien procedures), HB 468 (wholesale residential real estate definitions), HB 552 (DWI-related responsive verdict language), HB 732 (motor vehicle fines/fees and hybrids), HB 870 and HB 1236 (pharmacy benefit manager and insurance provisions), and HB 1117 (prescription period issues). HB 210 on retroactivity was also adopted after debate. Several conference reports were temporarily passed over or returned to the calendar, including HB 953, and the Senate adjourned to reconvene the next morning for final work.

Transcript Highlights:

• And, of course, the individuals in his care, custody, and control sought diversion.
• A two-year-old little girl was brutally beaten, held under... ...and control sought diversion.
• Seeing no mics up, any objection to utilizing unanimous roll call? Ayes 39, noes 0.
• because, frankly, given the very limited information we have on these spaces, it is not appropriate to utilize

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate met with a quorum present, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then proceeded through motions, third reading, confirmations, and a consent calendar. Senator McNerney moved SB 1011 to the inactive file. The chamber also confirmed Preston Prince to the California Housing Finance Agency Board of Directors by a 30-9 vote and reappointed Stephanie Landrigan to the State Mining and Geology Board by a 30-9 vote. Several policy bills were debated and passed. SB 1050 by Senator Ashby, requiring disclosure for advertisements using synthetic performers, passed 38-0. SB 1373 by Senator Grove, narrowing mental health diversion eligibility for certain serious offenses and restoring judicial discretion, passed 32-0 after extensive debate focused on public safety and victims. SB 1393 by Senator McGuire, a fisheries omnibus bill, passed 39-0. SB 995 by Senator Pérez, the Masuma Khan Justice Act addressing conditions and oversight in detention facilities, passed 39-0. SB 1025 by Senator Hurtado, creating an Office of Food Security and Affordability, passed 37-0. The Senate also passed SB 1266 by Senator Stern, changing how copper wire theft damages are valued for public and telecommunications infrastructure, and SB 1211 by Senator González, clarifying conviction integrity units’ authority to investigate factual innocence claims as open cases, both by unanimous roll call. SB 1302 by Senator Wahab, the sunset bill for the Board of Registered Nursing, passed 38-0 after one objection to unanimous roll call. SB 1181 by Senator Hurtado, a school safety bill focused on coordination to protect youth and amended to remove fusion centers, passed 33-0 after members discussed privacy, trust, and local implementation concerns. The special consent calendar, containing multiple bills and a resolution, was adopted 39-0. The Senate then announced budget subcommittee meetings, noted completion of House of Origin work on 341 bills for the month, and recessed with the next floor session scheduled for June 1 at 2 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• The next step after review is for it to go to the Pollution Control and Ecology Commission and then this
• This is a new contract, and it is for the appraisal of utility, communication, and transportation property
• This is for expert witness testimony with issues related to the utility industry.
• This is on-call skilled trade labor, including electrical, plumbing, HVAC, boiler, valve controls, welding

Summary: The committee first considered an $88,000 used tire program contract for District 4 with LTR Intermediate Holdings. Senators raised concerns that the tire district’s revised business plan had not yet been approved and that the contract could worsen cash flow before funding was confirmed. Questions were also raised about procurement language in the RFP that excluded bidders under corrective action plans. After discussion, a motion was made and approved to hold the contract until next month so the tire board could appear and answer questions. Members then reviewed a large slate of methods of finance, alternative delivery projects, and discretionary grants. These included capital projects at ASU Mid-South, Arkansas Tech, Ozarka, UA Fayetteville, UA Little Rock, UAMS, and UCA; a new UCA multi-purpose arena project estimated at $75.5 million; and DHS and Department of Health grants for aging services, substance abuse prevention, mental health, nutrition, hearing-loss follow-up, HIV services, and rural hospital quality improvement. All of these items were reviewed without objection. The committee also heard a ratification request from UAMS for a Family and Medical Leave Act outsourcing contract with FMLA Source. UAMS said an amendment had been prepared but never submitted for review, and payments continued after expiration; members expressed frustration and asked UAMS to review whether other contracts had similarly lapsed. The committee then reviewed numerous construction-related, intergovernmental, out-of-state, and in-state contracts, including airport economic impact study work, parking guidance technology at the University of Arkansas, veteran nursing services, and multiple DHS service contracts. Most items were reviewed without objection, and the meeting adjourned after reports of routine contract amendments and minor contracts were presented for information.

Transcript Highlights:

• Enforcement Telecommunications System, is the system that every law enforcement agency in Oklahoma utilizes
• We actually, the ranges will be being utilized next week.
• We've kept that well under control.
• We have controlled access into the building, but we don't have a secure vestibule.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I USED TO WORK FOR THE FAA AS AN ATTORNEY FOR THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER SPACE AND PROCEDURES OFFICE
• VICE CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PROVIDING A RESPONSE FOR THE LITIGATION STYLE GAMING CONTROL
• MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT HAS BEEN USED BY BUSINESSES SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION THAT HAS BEEN UTILIZED WHEN
• ACCORDINGLY, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING A LINK TO THIS ONLINE TO THE WEBSITE AND IT WILL NOT BE UTILIZED

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• RESERVE REQUIREMENTS A VARIETY OF OFFICE DO YOU USE CONDITIONAL OVERSIGHT OVER CCRC AND EXISTING CONTROLS
• IT IS CONTROLLING PUBLIC RECORDS.
• THEY ARE WIDELY ADOPTED, THEY ARE UTILIZED BY OUR DEPARTMENTS, THEIR EMBRACE BY LABOR, MANAGEMENT AND
• EXCESS AND SURPLUS LINE POLICY FORMS, RATES AND DEDUCTIBLES CANNOT BE MORE FAVORABLE THAN THOSE UTILIZED

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• By the way, it used to say person in control, vague, undefined; now it's parent or guardian.
• vague undefined now um person in control vague undefined now it's<01:25:03.360> parent<01:25:
• What they have been able to do is map the utilities, which took a lot of effort, and then DEEC worked
• What they have been able to do is map the utilities, which took a lot of effort, and then DEEC worked
• which took a a lot of effort utilities which took a a lot of effort to<01:43:52.320> get<01:43

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• states is you often see personal care support provided only through waivers, and that is how states control
• We have increased in utilization. We have an older population.
• Plus, you know, I think we continue to see utilization.
• We continue to see utilization, you know, we continue to see that the people that we are supporting are
• The utilization in our AFC program has grown 40% in the past two years. Wow. Which is wild.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The subcommittee opened with roll call and approved the November 2025 minutes. Commissioner Charlie Carr then introduced Leslie Darcy, chief of LTSS at MassHealth, who provided an update on the PCA working group and on federal and state budget pressures affecting MassHealth and long-term services and supports. Darcy said the PCA working group had completed its work and submitted recommendations, including reinstating the 66-hour overtime cap, strengthening program integrity, and ending paid paperwork time for EVV users; she said those changes were implemented on 11/26 and were expected to save $7.4 million. She also described additional consensus recommendations to lower the overtime cap from 66 to 60 hours, create a seven-hour weekly meal-prep support limit, and continue exploring benchmarks, though the group could not reach consensus on a benchmark standard. Darcy warned that a federal bill enacted about six months earlier would significantly affect MassHealth, with an estimated $3.5 billion loss to the Commonwealth by 2028. She outlined upcoming changes including revised immigrant eligibility rules in October 2026, work requirements for certain non-disabled adults beginning in January 2027, six-month redeterminations for some adults, and shorter retroactive coverage periods. In response to questions, she said people with disabilities and Medicare beneficiaries would be exempt from the work and six-month redetermination requirements. She also explained that reduced federal ACA subsidies were being offset in Massachusetts by state spending, including $250 million in additional state support to keep premiums lower for middle-income families. Members raised concerns about community hospitals, the health safety net, and the impact of federal funding changes on provider rates and uncompensated care. Darcy said restrictions on provider taxes would limit MassHealth’s ability to use those revenues to support rates, and she noted a current $300 million shortfall in the health safety net. She said FY27 would likely include a rate freeze, targeted reductions, one-time budget measures, and further work groups to examine programs such as adult foster care, which she said had grown 40% in two years. Carr emphasized that the situation was serious but potentially fluid, and the meeting ended with no further business; the subcommittee agreed to adjourn before the next meeting and noted an upcoming February presentation from the Department of Public Health.

Transcript Highlights:

• I have much control over them. I don't control inflation.
• I wish I could control the price of a gallon of gas, but I really don't.
• Many of the upside and downside risks are out of our control.
• Those are all things within our control, Mr. Chairman.
• Of course, in those OPEC countries, there might be a greater share of state control over supply.

Transcript Highlights:

• Reinsurance will be utilized to extend the HHF's financial claim-paying ability.
• I think that the most efficient way that we can create pricing efficiencies for the HHF to best utilize
• its funds is to create a best utilize its funds is to create a balanced<00:41:37.560> portfolio
• transparent and providing proper internal control.
• the current program internal control the current program administrator<01:30:02.080> does<01:

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm assistant commissioner with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
• I'm assistant commissioner with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
• <01:18:00.000> and responsibility of water utilities and responsibility of water utilities
• <01:19:19.159> agency the Minnesota Pollution Control agency the Minnesota Pollution Control
• <01:19:31.400> agency Minnesota Pollution Control agency Minnesota Pollution Control agency

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• To put it as simply as possible, the absence and utilization factor is meant to balance the resources
• To put it as simply as possible, the absence and utilization factor is meant to balance the resources
• The utilization factor is meant to account for that and help us have services available when needed.
• [00:29:17] The proposal would roll back that absence and utilization factor from 99.4% to 3.9%.
• Uh, the proposal would roll back that absence and utilization factor from 99.4% to 3.9%.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Article 2 ensures that when entities invest in health care practices, they don't control or interfere
• or<00:04:30.960> interfere<00:04:31.840> with<00:04:32.240> actual don't control
• or interfere with actual don't control or interfere with actual clinical<00:04:33.199> decisions<
• We urgently need this bill, as spoken to, to understand who owns and controls our health care system,
• And so we want to control uh centers.

Bills: HF2779, HF1645, HF1885, HF1289, HF1534, HF2707, HF1675, HF3046

Keywords: health care transparency, ownership disclosure, control reporting, health care consolidation, private equity, management services organization, MSO, provider organization, health insurer, pharmacy benefit manager, hospital system, affiliate reporting, financial disclosure, public reporting, market concentration, horizontal consolidation, vertical consolidation, health care ownership, corporate practice, health care regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a little bit difficult, but we utilize the TALAYO programs as well and through the reintegration
• But the county does not have meaningful controls over its own subcontractor.
• The county is not able to meaningfully control for waste, fraud, and abuse on the contract and is not
• ICE officials, border control, and customs folks can essentially allow them to expedite detention.
• This is entirely about what is within the control of the state government.

Transcript Highlights:

• So to understand not only the power generation in New Hampshire, how it's being utilized and yet how
• Thank you for your testimony. utilized and yet how we're being um utilized and yet how we're being um
• <00:45:13.599> Um<00:45:14.079> our producing, utilities, all of it.
• Um our producing, utilities, all of it.
• I testify today in utility customers.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all