Transcript Highlights:

• Because I’m very familiar with ASBA, but I also am from an urban district, and so want to be mindful
• Because I’m very familiar with ASBA, but I also am from an urban district, and so want to be mindful
• Can you tell us about that, and how does that interface with the National School Board Association?
• We have seen a growing effort in urban areas to lease school land for a long period of time for housing
• But this is kind of getting at the problem with our urban districts holding on to the land and then creating

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those local government specialties include urban search-and-rescue teams, TIFMAS teams that operate under
• But in some of the more rural areas—I'm sorry, in more urban areas—you may have a county that has three
• For PUC, as with TxDOT, we interface with the military through the State Operations Center.
• Some key features include: The Texas Flood Viewer includes an intuitive public interface designed for
• Now, of course, the roads, we have a current urban gutter system for drainage.

Keywords: flooding, emergency response, communication systems, first responders, disaster management, Texas Water Development Board, regional planning, public safety

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on discussions around the recent floods in Texas, specifically addressing emergency preparedness, response coordination, and recovery efforts. Officials from various agencies provided testimonies on the challenges faced during the emergency, including issues with communication systems among first responders. Notably, the need for improved inter-agency communication and technology integration was emphasized, with recommendations for establishing regional communications units for better coordination during disasters. The audience included local government representatives and emergency management partners, who shared insights and experiences from the recent flooding events.

Transcript Highlights:

• SO, THE EDGE DATA CENTERS I THINK ARE GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND YOU WILL SEE THAT MORE IN THE URBAN CORRIDOR
• OR THE NEARBY URBAN CORRIDORS AND THEY ARE A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT THE PLACE BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGES
• AROUND BEING IN THE URBAN CENTERS BUT I THINK THE BENEFITS ARE ALL OBVIOUSLY SO SCALED APPROPRIATELY
• AND, WITH REGARD TO THOSE DECISIONS BEING MADE IS THERE STILL A HUMAN INTERFACE AND IT MAY BE TELL US

Transcript Highlights:

• aviation airports and then we also have a very important role in supporting and maintaining our rural and urban
• testified, the UTP, uh, distributes funds across the state, to all the regions, including the rural, urban
• We've developed, uh, this new, uh, inventory management system, uh, so that it interfaces with our other
• We have 8 urban offices around the state of Texas, the newest one being in Laredo.

Transcript Highlights:

• As we watch our communities continue to build out into the wildland-urban interface area, moving out
• each of you, if I could, about this fundamental question of how much should we make proximity to the urban
• there's no question that in terms of priority, The question is: how much should we make proximity to the urban
• The wildland-urban interface. Got it. Okay.
• of term-limited funds in 2024, and the absence of that program is being felt acutely by suburban, urban

Summary: The subcommittee began by announcing a change in the agenda order, moving item 6 ahead of item 1 and then item 7, and noting there would be no votes taken on any items that day. Item 6 covered a proposed operational efficiencies control section for the Natural Resources Agency that would let multiple departments jointly fund landscape-scale or multi-jurisdictional projects and allow Finance to transfer climate bond funds to a lead state entity. The LAO said the proposal was reasonable but suggested the Legislature consider requiring summary notification on how it is used; Finance said it would consider that request. Item 7 focused on the 2026-27 biodiversity and nature-based solutions spending plan. Finance and the Wildlife Conservation Board described the climate bond funding for habitat restoration, wildlife crossings, public access, tribal nature-based solutions, and related work, including $111 million proposed for WCB and $30 million for Salton Sea habitat and public access projects. The LAO supported the overall approach but flagged the San Andreas Corridor Program as an area where the Legislature may want to specify geographic priorities. Members discussed the pace of Salton Sea work and whether the proposed projects would count toward disadvantaged community goals. Item 8 addressed Cal Fire’s aviation contract and staffing needs for wildfire response. Cal Fire said year-round fire activity, a larger and more complex aircraft fleet, and labor market pressures justified the proposed contract increase, including more mechanics, pilots, and maintenance support. The LAO recommended approval, saying the proposal addressed health and safety concerns. Members asked about contractor staffing, competition in the bidding process, and future technology for early fire detection and suppression. The committee then took up item 1 on golden mussel containment. Fish and Wildlife described the invasive species’ spread in the Delta, the task force and response framework, and a request for eight new positions funded by Prop. 4 to support control plans, outreach, monitoring, research, and coordination with partners and law enforcement. Members pressed the department on whether the state should fund more direct decontamination infrastructure and grants to local water managers, and on the realistic goal of containing the mussel. The chair and several members emphasized the urgency of the threat and requested an itemized breakdown of the $20 million request. The hearing then moved to a broader LAO overview of wildfire prevention and response funding, where the LAO summarized the state’s funding mix and warned that ongoing wildfire resilience funding will likely decline as one-time bond and GGRF funds are exhausted, prompting discussion of long-term funding options and the balance between prevention, suppression, and community hardening.

Transcript Highlights:

• After finishing his undergraduate degree, Jonas plans to earn a master's in urban and regional planning
• This is an interface.
• Now you're talking about security of this interface.
• You're talking about building that interface. You're talking about maintaining the interface.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of introductions recognizing interns, pages, and retiring Senate staff, including Pastor Gary Austin. Leaders also noted ongoing budget talks with the House and said senators would not need to plan on being in Tallahassee the following week. The chamber then moved to third reading and returned messages from the House later in the day. The main floor debate centered on Committee Substitute for House Bill 12.5, the citizen initiative/constitutional amendment bill. Sponsors said the measure was intended to address fraud in the petition process, citing investigations, arrests, pleas, and open cases involving paid circulators and invalid petitions. Opponents argued the bill would make citizen-led amendments far more difficult, expensive, and risky, warning it would chill grassroots participation, burden supervisors of elections, and effectively favor wealthy or corporate-backed efforts. Supporters responded that the bill preserved grassroots petitioning, placed reasonable guardrails on paid circulators and sponsors, and included a provision barring public funds from being used to advocate for or against ballot initiatives. The bill passed 28-10. The Senate also passed several education measures unanimously, including bills tied to Bright Futures, dual enrollment, educator preparation, and broader education policy. Later, the chamber concurred in House amendments on several bills: stem cell therapy legislation clarifying permitted therapies and penalties for improper use of fetal or embryonic tissue; an EKG requirement bill for student athletes with exemptions and partnership options for districts; and a cardiac emergency response bill that renamed the school emergency plan and removed a bill title honoring Rafe McCrone. These measures passed by wide margins, generally 37-0 or 38-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• areas. ...aspects of conservation: forests, coastal areas, farms, and urban areas.
• So I’m going to change my—not change—my comments are focused on urban forests.
• This is especially true for urban trees.
• and grow robust urban tree canopy in strategic locations.
• Yet over 80% of our population lives in urban areas.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held a hearing on natural and working lands, carbon sequestration, and related provisions in Governor Healey’s $3 billion Mass Ready Act. EEA officials described the bill’s investments in flooding, land protection, tree planting, wetlands restoration, biodiversity, dams, seawalls, and coastal resilience, along with permitting reforms intended to speed ecological restoration projects. They also outlined current programs on resilient lands, healthy soils, forest climate solutions, forest reserves, and urban tree planting, and said the administration expects natural and working lands to offset up to 7 million metric tons of residual emissions by 2050, while acknowledging that additional strategies will be needed to close the gap to the state’s 10-million-ton offset target. Committee members pressed EEA on the cost of reaching the 30% conservation-by-2030 goal, the loss of a federal USDA grant of about $22 million, the adequacy of current sequestration estimates, and whether the state should consider regional approaches or statutory changes. EEA said current state conservation spending has been about $35 million to $40 million annually, that the Mass Ready Act is intended to help double the pace of conservation, and that federal funding remains uncertain. Senators also raised concerns about PILOT payments for state-owned land, the management of state forests, and the proposed Chapter 91 general license for restoration projects. EEA said the bill’s forest reserve language is meant to create a more durable designation process while still allowing limited active management. Advocates from The Nature Conservancy and Mass Audubon supported stronger investment in land conservation and restoration, saying natural and working lands are a cost-effective climate strategy that also provides biodiversity, water quality, and public health benefits. They urged passage of legislation to increase funding, improve PILOT equity, and strengthen land-use planning and mitigation requirements. They also backed removing Chapter 91 licensing requirements for ecological restoration, arguing that the current process adds cost and delay. In a later panel, a forest scientist and an urban forestry advocate emphasized the carbon and cooling benefits of mature trees, called for greater protection of older forests, and supported bills to expand municipal reforestation and modernize public shade tree law. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that planner had gone to work for an urban area not too far away from them.
• Part of this is for us to learn what the challenges are between rural counties, urban areas, and small
• And we will include information on new optional elements like the urban design element, historic preservation
• element, water element... ...elements like the urban design element, historic preservation element,
• In addition, in 2023, we also finalized our wildland-urban interface, or WUI, planning document.

Summary: The committee first heard AB 253, by Assembly Member Ward and presented by Assembly Member Quirk-Silva, which would allow licensed third-party professionals to review certain post-entitlement permits if a local building department would take more than 30 days. Supporters, including California YIMBY, the California Chamber of Commerce, the Housing Action Coalition, the Bay Area Council, SPUR, and Abundant Housing LA, said the bill would reduce permitting delays and help housing production. League of Cities and the California State Association of Counties expressed concerns but were not formally opposed. Members voiced strong support, and the bill passed the committee 10-0 to Appropriations. The committee then held an informational hearing on California’s general plan. The first panel, led by UC Davis professor Catherine Brinkley, gave an overview of the general plan structure, required elements, update cycles, and the new PlanSearch database that makes adopted plans searchable statewide. She emphasized that general plans are long-term, locally tailored documents that integrate housing, transportation, safety, environmental justice, and other policy areas, and noted that many plans and elements are outdated. Members asked about update timelines, public participation, and whether AI tools could help with drafting and analysis. A second panel of local government representatives described the practical challenges of preparing and updating general plans, especially in rural and small jurisdictions. Speakers from Calaveras County, Sacramento, San Joaquin County, and Fountain Valley cited staffing shortages, consultant availability, funding constraints, CEQA and outreach costs, changing state mandates, and the difficulty of keeping plans aligned with local conditions and board turnover. They asked for more funding, more time, clearer prioritization, and more flexibility. A third panel from the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation explained its role in issuing general plan guidelines, technical advisories, and annual planning surveys, and said it is updating its guidance through 2027 to reflect recent housing, climate, safety, environmental justice, and open space laws. No public comment was offered, and the informational hearing was adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• They are serving rural, tribal, and urban communities across the state. The state.
• Act, providing definitions, and making projects to create or maintain buffers in and around wildland-urban
• interfaces.

Transcript Highlights:

• So basically, the idea is that we can do urban...
• So basically, the idea is that we can do urban better, and we should try to do urban better when we're
• designing our urban spaces.
• That includes humans in our urban environments.
• And we have a BS in urban design and planning.

Summary: The committee first waived the five-day notice rule for several House bills, then took up public hearings on HB 2426, HB 1742, HB 2215, HB 2575, HB 1903, and HB 2606. HB 2426 would allow the Pollution Control Hearings Board, with party consent and board approval, to hear permit appeals in alternative smaller compositions to improve efficiency; the sponsor and supporters from Greater Grays Harbor and FutureWise said it would speed up reviews without harming environmental protections, while the bill was described as cost-neutral. HB 1742 would create a Center for Environmentally Sustainable Urban Design at Ecology to promote sustainable building and design competitions; the sponsor emphasized regenerative, biophilic design and a proposed showcase project, and the bill was presented as budget-neutral through outside funding, though the fiscal note was still pending. HB 2215 would tighten Climate Commitment Act compliance for certain newer fuel suppliers by lowering the emissions threshold for post-2023 suppliers, exempt lubricants, and add procurement and transparency requirements. The sponsor said the bill targets “paper distributors” and loopholes used to avoid coverage; Ecology supported closing the loophole but raised concerns about reporting thresholds, implementation, staffing, and rulemaking. Testimony was mixed: the propane association and Washington Oil Marketers Association were concerned about the two-tier threshold and urged stronger upstream enforcement instead, while Climate Solutions and Washington Conservation Action supported the bill as a way to prevent gaming and strengthen climate policy. HB 2575 would reduce several environmental and energy reporting obligations, including less frequent utility reporting under the Energy Independence Act and state energy strategy updates; Commerce and the sponsor said the changes would reduce duplicative reporting and save money, while preserving core protections and oversight. HB 1903 would establish a statewide low-income energy assistance program in the Department of Commerce, phased in by 2027, to supplement existing utility programs and target households with the greatest energy burden. The sponsor and many advocates described the bill as an affordability measure to address a large unmet need, while community action agencies, utilities, and rural representatives supported the goal but asked for clearer language on voluntary utility participation, funding sources, allocation formulas, and how the program would interact with existing utility and weatherization efforts. Several speakers stressed that the program should not replace local assistance and should be designed to avoid shifting costs onto ratepayers. HB 2606 would update the Office of Privacy and Data Protection’s duties and reporting requirements, including adding review of agency AI projects and aligning the office’s work with JLARC recommendations; the chief privacy officer testified in support, explaining that the bill would formalize AI risk review, human oversight, and existing privacy/security review processes, with no fiscal impact. No votes were taken on the bills during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• together to discuss, across the state of California from Northern California to Southern California, in urban
• areas like mine where we don't have economies of scale, affordability looks different than in more urban
• areas like mine where we don't have economies of scale, affordability looks different than in more urban
• As providers who interface directly with patients and families, our members want to be helpful partners
• As providers who interface directly with patients and families, our members want to be helpful partners

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee held an informational hearing on the impact of federal H.R. 1 and related state budget actions on California’s health care system. Opening remarks framed the federal changes as a major threat to Medi-Cal, Covered California, hospitals, clinics, and the broader safety net, with warnings that millions could lose coverage and that costs would shift to providers, counties, and consumers. Testimony from the California Health Care Foundation and the Legislative Analyst’s Office focused on implementation challenges, the administrative burden of work requirements and more frequent renewals, the loss of federal funding, and the need for California to consider long-term structural changes to Medi-Cal, county safety-net programs, and cost containment. A Covered California enrollee, Chas Franklin, described sharply rising premiums for his family after losing subsidies, illustrating the personal impact of federal policy changes. Committee members raised concerns about whether premium increases were driven by H.R. 1 or insurer pricing, the cost of rebuilding county-based indigent care systems, and the need to account for the cost of inaction. Dr. Hernandez pointed to pre-ACA models such as Healthy San Francisco as examples of coordinated local safety-net care, while also emphasizing the importance of primary care, data interoperability, and the Office of Health Care Affordability in reducing waste and improving access. Department of Health Care Services officials then outlined the state’s implementation plan for H.R. 1, including work requirements, six-month redeterminations, reduced retroactive coverage, cost-sharing, and immigration-related eligibility changes. They said the department would try to automate eligibility checks, expand outreach, and train counties and partners, but estimated up to 2 million Californians could lose coverage over time. Covered California reported that the expiration of enhanced federal premium tax credits and new federal marketplace rules are already raising costs and reducing enrollment, with an estimated 400,000 enrollees at risk of dropping coverage. County, hospital, and safety-net representatives warned that coverage losses will increase uncompensated care and strain local systems, while one coalition proposed a temporary state-funded coverage option as a bridge if full-scope Medi-Cal cannot be maintained. The hearing concluded with a policy analyst urging stakeholder engagement, immigrant protections, and new state revenue options to preserve coverage and offset federal cuts.

Transcript Highlights:

• , if you will, so you Needed on the business side of, you know, the user interface, if you will.
• They're highly urban and don't have the rural factor.
• They're highly urban and don't have the rural factor. Got it.
• , and the counties of Santa Clara, Ventura, Riverside, Santa Cruz, and Santa Barbara. ...of the Urban
• I think, though, you still have those in need in those urban areas.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I’m very familiar with ASBA, but I also am from an urban district, so I want to be mindful of the rural
• Can you tell us about that, and how does that interface with the National School Board Association?
• committees and caucuses that you've established at work can you tell us about that and how does that interface
• We have seen a growing effort in urban areas to lease school land for a long period of time for housing
• But this is kind of getting at the problem with our urban districts holding on the land and then creating

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several school-related bills, with much of the discussion focused on governance, transparency, and accountability in school districts. House Bill 2318 would impose term limits on school district governing board members in districts with at least 250 students, while allowing county superintendents to appoint a term-limited member to fill a vacancy. Supporters argued it would bring fresh ideas and prevent entrenched leadership; opponents said voters should decide. The bill received a due pass recommendation after a divided roll call. House Bill 2312 would allow certain patriotic youth groups to address students during school hours and require equal access for those groups in school forums. The sponsor said it was intended to promote programs such as FFA, Scouts, and similar organizations. Some members objected that it would take instructional time and was not truly permissive if access was granted to one group, and the bill nonetheless received a due pass recommendation. House Bill 2320 would require school districts to hire a registered independent municipal advisor before calling a bond election and for each successful bond issue. The sponsor and supporters said this could reduce underwriting fees and save taxpayers money, while some members raised questions about costs if a bond failed and whether the bill should be narrowed; it passed with a due pass recommendation after several members voted present or no. The committee also approved House Bill 2376, which would bar districts from buying or leasing school property while a charter or private school is still operating there, and House Bill 2378, which tightens conflict-of-interest rules for the School Facilities Oversight Board by barring the architect and engineer members from having school-construction business. Both were framed by the sponsor as responses to concerns raised in Tolleson Union-related testimony and reporting. House Bill 2379, as amended, requires school board members to complete biennial training approved by the Auditor General, to be offered by county superintendents or ADE, with counties able to contract with others; supporters called it needed training, while opponents raised concerns about unfunded mandates, inclusion of ASBA, and charter schools. It received a due pass recommendation. Finally, House Bill 2380 would require board and subcommittee meetings to be held in-district, preserve online access to materials, and require public approval of out-of-state travel, with reimbursement if retroactive approval is denied. Rural districts and others raised concerns about flexibility, executive-session confidentiality, and administrative burden, but the bill was discussed with amendments and public access concerns rather than a final recorded action in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• of people at risk in the state with the population increasing, with the amount of WUE, the wild and urban
• interface in the state.
• With hundreds of homes in that area or in the wildland urban interface area, and so this is not just
• Uh, just when you do provide those maps, if you could, uh, provide detailed maps of the major urban areas
• And I, and I realize most of this program is focused not on the urban areas, but just for, just so we're

Transcript Highlights:

• at risk. at risk in the state with the population increasing, with the amount of WUI, the wild and urban
• interface in the state, it's a growing problem.
• They're the west part of Travis County with hundreds of homes. in that area are in the wildland urban
• interface area and so this is not just a West Texas problem.
• Not on the urban areas, but just so we know what the data shows, that would be helpful. be very helpful

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• membership includes a range of the largest and smallest local and regional providers throughout the urban
• It is true, however, that whether the rates are urban or rural, Californians do pay higher rates than
• I represent Silicon Valley, quite an urban-suburban community in Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and
• In our recent competitive broadband pricing report, we study four major urban markets: San Mateo, Los
• In our recent competitive broadband pricing report, we study four major urban markets: San Mateo, Los

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee held an informational hearing on broadband affordability in California. Chair Tasha Boerner said the hearing was intended to examine rising broadband costs, the end of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program, and possible state policy responses. She also referenced her prior AB 353, which would have required affordable home internet as a condition of doing business in California, and said it had been held because of federal policy concerns. The committee heard two panels: industry representatives from U.S. Telecom and CTIA, and consumer/public-interest witnesses from the California Emerging Technology Fund and the CPUC Public Advocates Office. Industry witnesses argued that broadband and wireless prices have fallen in real terms over time, citing competition and capital investment as the main drivers of lower prices and faster speeds. They said California’s higher costs are tied to permitting, taxes, copper-theft, and rules such as collocation obligations that require providers to maintain older networks. They also warned against new surcharges or fees on wireless consumers, saying those charges disproportionately affect low-income households, and urged policies that preserve competition and reduce regulatory burdens. Committee members questioned them about small-cell siting, infrastructure costs, BEAD funding, and whether more capital would actually be reinvested if certain obligations were relaxed. Consumer advocates presented a different picture, saying affordability remains a major barrier even as adoption has increased. CETF said California’s online household rate has risen to 93%, but that many low-income households still pay more than the affordability benchmark and that outreach is difficult without direct assistance. The CPUC Public Advocates Office said California’s market is losing its competitive edge, with prices higher than in other states and meaningful price reductions coming mainly when fiber competition enters gigabit markets. They recommended more transparency in pricing, stronger competition policy, continued low-income subsidies, and extending the CPUC broadband Lifeline pilot. Public commenters, including nonprofit and community broadband groups, largely supported SB 716 and urged a permanent broadband affordability solution, expanded Lifeline support, and removal of a cap on the program. No formal vote or committee action was taken; the hearing was informational and adjourned after public comment.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a growing urban-rural divide.
• are actually linked to agriculture, and I believe over 83% of residents in Washington are considered urban
• Beyond the growing urban-rural divide, which is really, really connected to this, is developmental pressures
• On top of all this consolidation and also the urban-rural divide is the On top of all of this consolidation
• and also urban-rural divide is the challenge to research.

Summary: The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee met for a work session focused on Washington agriculture’s condition, food security, behavioral health, and animal disease surveillance. WSDA Director Derek Sandison and economist Maddie Roy presented an update on agricultural viability, describing Washington agriculture as highly diverse and valuable but increasingly strained by rising production and labor costs, aging producers, consolidation, trade barriers, land pressures, stagnant research funding, infrastructure concerns, and climate impacts. They cited declining farm numbers, falling net farm income, and negative take-home pay for farmers, while also noting strengths such as climate, soils, ports, irrigation, universities, and other infrastructure. Committee members asked about commodity-specific impacts, comparisons with other states, and the role of regulation in worsening costs. Kelly McLean followed with a discussion of opportunities to support agriculture, including trade, domestic food systems development, climate mitigation, clean energy, ag tech, workforce and education, and mental health. She highlighted investments in port and transportation infrastructure, local food processing and distribution, land access and incubator opportunities, climate resilience projects, and programs supporting farmworker and farmer mental health. Katie Raines then updated the committee on food systems and food security, explaining WSDA’s reorganization into a Farm and Food Systems Development Division and describing trends in household food insecurity, the state’s hunger safety net, and the importance of food system infrastructure. She noted that food insecurity is rising again and that even higher-income households are reporting need, while legislators asked about eligibility thresholds and the impact on lower-income residents. The committee also heard from WSU Skagit County Extension’s Don McMoran and Maddie Van der Koi on agricultural stress and suicide prevention. They described the Western Region Agricultural Stress Assistance Partnership, crisis and referral resources, peer-to-peer outreach, trainings, and free counseling vouchers for farmers and farmworkers. They emphasized that farmers face chronic stress from financial volatility, weather, labor shortages, isolation, and stigma, and cited elevated suicide rates in agricultural populations. Members asked about reluctance to seek help and whether flooding had increased demand for services. Finally, Dr. Kevin Snekovic of the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory described WADDL’s role in disease testing, food safety, wildlife surveillance, and rapid response to outbreaks such as avian influenza and chronic wasting disease. He said the lab supports trade and quarantine decisions, and members asked about elk hoof rot research, workforce needs, and how to connect constituents to the lab. No votes were taken; the session ended with a preview of upcoming Thursday work sessions on marine resources, Columbia River Basin supply, Ecology’s report back, and agricultural natural resources issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• So if we have to make a change for Medicaid work requirement, how does that interface with our other
• So if we have to make a change for Medicaid work requirement, how does that interface with our other
• So if we have to make a change for Medicaid work requirement, how does that interface with our other
• So if we have to make a change for Medicaid work requirement, how does that interface with our other
• So each month we try to review a couple of cases, one from an urban setting, one from a rural setting

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee met on January 23, 2026, to approve prior minutes and receive an update from the Department of Health and Human Services. The main presentation focused on “Project Compass,” an internal cross-department effort to prepare for changes to Medicaid and SNAP eligibility. Department staff said the goal is to maintain continuous coverage for eligible people, align policy, operations, communications, legal, finance, and eligibility work, and use the new integrated New HEIGHTS system to streamline implementation. They emphasized outreach to beneficiaries, providers, managed care organizations, and other partners, and said temporary manual workarounds had already been used to stay in compliance with fast-moving SNAP changes. Members questioned how the department would avoid repeating the costly outreach effort used in a prior Medicaid work-requirement rollout. Department officials said they are focusing on ex parte processes, sharing eligibility information across programs, and using community partners to reduce duplicate contacts and paperwork. They also said the department is monitoring the SNAP error rate closely, expects automation and a planned system contract amendment to help reduce it, and noted that current error rates are trending downward and remain below the national average. Questions were also raised about possible future SNAP restrictions on certain foods; the department said it can implement whatever the legislature directs, but that defining and administering such restrictions would be complex. The commissioner and CFO then outlined the department’s budget reduction plan. They said the department has begun implementing required “back of the budget” reductions for fiscal year 2026, using contract savings and not cutting existing services where possible. Examples included dental and home-visitation contracts, where spending was adjusted based on utilization and projected need. Officials said they had already written down a little over $15 million in prior-year encumbrances, but that this one-time source will not be available next year, making fiscal year 2027 more difficult. They also explained the difference between legally required back-of-budget cuts and lapse, and said staffing remains a major challenge because vacancies have increased and customer-facing service levels are strained. Dr. Jonathan Ballard then began an update on opioid overdose fatalities, presenting the latest medical examiner data and describing the long-term rise in deaths after fentanyl entered the illicit drug supply, with a peak in 2017 and a later increase in 2022. The transcript cuts off before his full presentation and any further committee action beyond discussion of the minutes and receipt of the department updates.

Transcript Highlights:

• care district hospitals are a critical lifeline, serving some of our most diverse and underserved urban
• opportunity to do that, especially in hospitals that have very limited opportunity to recruit for rural or urban
• designers that this bill is meant to address are those that work in a code-impacted environment and interface
• designers that this bill is meant to address are those that work in a code-impacted environment and interface
• interior designers this bill is meant to address are those that work in a code-impacted environment and interface

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One of those was partnering with the Urban Institute. So, we developed an online.
• It includes the development and testing of the remaining system functionality and interfaces, two large
• To complete this large body of work for the remaining system functionality and interfaces, the project
• The functionality will be included in the testing along with the interface we will have for our foster
• Unsurprisingly, a study by the Urban Institute found that more than 95 percent of this government...

Keywords: 988, house, all