Transcript Highlights:

• Part of Rural Texas Strong.
• We actually started as part of a health system based in South Dakota, We started as part of a health
• That's the key part.
• This initiative had two parts.
• Part of that solution.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If one can't, if there's a failure in one part, the other part picks up instantaneously.
• So each part of the system itself, it'll be a single system, but each part will have backups. ...of the
• I understand that's not a part of that piece, right?
• This bill focuses on a small part of California's fleet.
• This bill focuses on a small part of California's fleet.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The 287G program is a key part... All 287Gs nationwide.
• The 287G program is a key part, all 287Gs nationwide.
• I think the chaos is part of the plan.
• Immigrants are immigrants, are big part of a neighborhood.
• People feel proud to be part of Massachusetts.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on the Safe Communities Act, House 2580 and Senate 1681, along with related proposals to limit local and state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, prohibit 287(g) agreements, and expand legal defense for immigrants. Most testimony came from advocates, attorneys, labor leaders, health care professionals, educators, and community members who argued that fear of ICE discourages immigrants from reporting crimes, seeking medical care, attending school, or cooperating with courts, and that a clear statewide policy would improve public safety, due process, and trust in institutions. Several speakers described personal or client experiences involving domestic violence, trafficking, workplace abuse, or children affected by deportation, and many emphasized economic harms to workers, families, and small businesses. Health care witnesses said immigration enforcement is causing patients to miss appointments, avoid emergency rooms, and delay preventive care, with resulting public health consequences. Labor and education representatives said immigrant workers and students are increasingly fearful, and that the state should not allow local police to act as ICE agents or enter 287(g) agreements. ACLU and coalition witnesses cited examples they said showed existing or recent collaboration between local agencies and ICE, including courthouse alerts, vehicle stops, and use of municipal spaces, while also arguing that the bill would still allow cooperation on criminal matters and public safety emergencies. One witness opposed the bill, arguing that serious criminal offenders should be deported and defending ICE’s role. Committee members asked several questions about whether the harms described were widespread or anecdotal, and about the distinction between assisting ICE in civil immigration arrests versus responding to violent or public safety emergencies. Witnesses said the bill was aimed at civil immigration enforcement, not criminal investigations or emergency situations. At the end of the hearing, a committee member requested a study on immigration enforcement’s effect on emergency room wait times, and the committee then adjourned without taking a vote on the legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• "They are in completely different parts of the state.
• And I think that's part of the problem that we're hearing in the discussion.
• Is that part of the problem that hospitals are facing?
• Is that part of your process? Are you guys even discussing that?
• So it's part of an ongoing conversation.

Summary: The committee heard AB 108, a budget bill junior that would amend the 2025 Budget Act to create a one-time $25 million General Fund grant program at HCAI for hospitals in immediate and significant financial distress, along with a technical change related to property tax deferments for eligible low-income seniors. Finance explained that eligible hospitals would need to show less than 10 days cash on hand, best efforts to exhaust other financing options, a payer mix of more than 50% government payers and uninsured patients, and nonprofit status, with expedited contracting and rulemaking exemptions so funds could be distributed quickly. Members repeatedly questioned whether $25 million was enough, how many hospitals would qualify, and whether the 10-day threshold was too narrow, while also raising broader concerns about hospital reimbursement rates, seismic compliance costs, federal policy changes, and the need for more up-to-date data and a longer-term solution. Several members and the LAO noted that the bill was intended as a short-term bridge to keep a very small number of hospitals open until July 1, while the larger distressed-hospital discussion would continue in the May Revision and next year’s budget. Some members argued the state should consider grants rather than loans more broadly, and others emphasized that hospitals serving Medi-Cal and uninsured patients, including safety-net facilities like MLK Community Hospital and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, face structural pressures. Public comment was uniformly supportive of the bill, with the California Hospital Association, district hospital representatives, counties, and CHLA all backing the proposal and urging additional funding for distressed hospitals in the coming budget. The committee approved AB 108 on a roll call vote of 18-0 and held the roll open briefly to secure remaining votes before formally reporting the bill out.

Transcript Highlights:

• part.
• We'll start with the power part first. All right. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• I think the need part of it.
• They have a similar karst topography to this part of Missouri.
• He said the only part of the bill that directly affects Ameren is the part on load shedding.

Summary: The Conservation and Natural Resources Committee heard Senate Bill 953, sponsored by Sen. Jason Bean, which would address a projected shortfall in the Department of Natural Resources’ air pollution control program. Bean and supporters from Associated Industries of Missouri, quarry and sand producers, engineering firms, the Missouri Chamber, forest products, and municipal utilities said the bill would stop sweeping unused program funds into general revenue and dedicate a portion of existing sales and use tax revenue from utilities to keep the program solvent without raising permit fees on businesses that have reduced emissions. One informational witness from Armour Vine warned that moving funds out of general revenue could affect broader state revenue and tax triggers. DNR also testified that the fee fund is projected to become insolvent in fiscal year 2028 if current trends continue. No opposition testimony was presented, and the bill hearing was closed. The committee then heard House Bills 3362 and 3364, sponsored by Reps. Colin Wellenkamp and Mike Koslow, which would create guardrails for AI/data center buildout around electricity and water use. The sponsors said the bills are intended to protect ratepayers and local water systems by requiring large-load customers to bear their own infrastructure costs, extending consumer protections to co-ops and municipal utilities, and requiring permits and review for major water withdrawals, with emergency shutoff provisions in water shortages. Support came from environmental groups, conservation organizations, rural advocates, Renew Missouri, the Sierra Club, Missouri Municipal League, Missouri Electric Cooperatives, Ameren Missouri, and Missouri American Water, though some witnesses urged tighter thresholds, more frequent reporting, stronger water-quality protections, and clearer definitions to avoid legal ambiguity. Several witnesses also raised concerns about transparency, local impacts, and whether current thresholds are high enough to protect aquifers, springs, and utility customers. The chair closed testimony after noting time limits and adjourned the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this part I'm going to slow down a bit for.
• Last part is, how do we become an economic engine?
• And that's the beauty of being part of Oklahoma.
• The last part is important.
• Again, I think part of the important part here is that school districts are a shared enterprise.

Bills: HB3329, HR1039, HR1040, HB3413, HB3414, HB3415, HB3416, HB3417, HB3418, HB3419, HB3420, HB3706, HB3711, HB4139, HB1268, HB3660, HJR1023, HB3298, HB3056, HJR1084, HB3934, HB3919, HB4118, HB4119, HB3791, HB4260, HB4178, HB4215, HB4324, HB3270, HB4352, HB4305, HB2955, HB3315, HB3066, HB1245, HB4125, HB3075, HB3129, HB3239, HB4153, HB3265, HB4491, SB680, HB4263, HB4268, HB1675, HB3885, HB2984, HB3697, HB2959, HB3671, HB3852, HB2933, HB3057, HB3802, HB4294, HB4285, HB3708, HB3979, HB3977, HB3986, HB3985, HB3588, HB3742, HB3845, HJR1070, HB3590, HB3595, HB3391, HB3183, HB3764, HB3765, HB1002, HB4434, HJR1086, HB4060, HB3881, HB3500, HB4408, HB3648, HB3127, HB3606

Keywords: long-term care, advisory board, sunset legislation, mental health, psychologists, University of Oklahoma, gymnastics, NCAA, congratulations, sports excellence, recognition, honor, athletics, Joseph Castiglione, leadership, education, sports management, HB3413, public finance, state budget

Summary: The House met in session, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then held an extended OU Day presentation recognizing the University of Oklahoma women’s gymnastics team for its 2025 national championship and honoring athletic director Joseph Castiglione. OU President Joseph Harris and Castiglione both spoke about the university’s growth, affordability efforts, health care expansion, and research progress, and the championship team was introduced and thanked the Legislature for its support. The chamber also received several gallery introductions, including visitors from Stigler, North Rock Creek, and Charles Page High School, along with the Doctor and Nurse of the Day. The floor then took up a package of public finance and procurement bills sponsored by Representative Strom. House Bills 3413 through 3420 focused on transparency, contract reporting, subcontractor disclosure, post-contract assessments, central purchasing rules, restrictions on bid information sharing, and limits on pilot programs and CIO contract justifications. Each bill was advanced and passed, with vote totals ranging from 87-95 in favor and only a few nays on some measures. Strom described the package as a response to audit findings and concerns about fraud, waste, and abuse in state and local spending. The House also passed several other measures. House Bill 3706, as amended, requires more elementary school math instruction time and drew questions about balance with reading and other subjects; it passed 74-19, and its emergency was approved. House Bill 3711 requires school districts to post instructional spending percentages and include them in bond materials, passing 79-16 with the emergency clause approved. House Bill 4139 created the Oklahoma Home Service Transparency Act and passed 89-5. House Bill 1268 created a deferred option retirement plan for certain emergency responders and law enforcement personnel and passed 92-1 after a title strike request. House Bill 3660, concerning natural organic reduction/cremation, passed 59-37 after debate over licensing and public health concerns. House Joint Resolution 1023 updating the workers’ compensation fee schedule passed unanimously, and House Bill 3298 standardizing judicial interviews of children in family proceedings passed 95-0. House Bill 3056, allowing sales of unpasteurized milk at farms, feed stores, and farmers markets, prompted extensive debate over safety, labeling, liability, and market access, but ultimately passed 43-11. The House then recessed until 1 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll be speaking to Parts 6 and 7 of the bill.
• I just want to highlight my two favorite parts of this bill.
• I just want to highlight my two favorite parts of this bill.
• We have some of those members, but not for the most part.
• I'm calling to testify on behalf of part two of this for transit grants.

Bills: SB6352

Keywords: transportation, infrastructure, resources, funding, state law, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of Boise, part of Kuna, and part of Meridian.
• of Boise, part of CUNA, and part of Meridian.
• part of Meridian.
• Representative John Van derrata from District 22, which is part of Boise, part of Kuna, and part of Meridian
• There might be parts of the...

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from February 12 and 13, then recognized page Ethan Cowell for his service and thanked him for his work before moving back to business. House Bill 599, which would change how funding for content and digital curriculum grants is awarded, was explained by Representative Raymond as a shift from first-come, first-served distribution to a process requiring school districts to demonstrate need using a rubric from the State Department of Education. The committee voted to send HB 599 to the floor with a do pass recommendation. The committee then heard RS 33436 from Representative VanNuwatra, a proposal to send state endowment fund money directly to schools as a separate distribution rather than blending it into the general school funding formula. He said the measure would not change the amount of money distributed, only how it is shown and delivered, and the committee voted to introduce the RS. The committee next took up House Bill 710, which would require public schools to start the Tuesday after Labor Day. The sponsor argued for a uniform statewide start date for predictability, while superintendents, the Idaho PTA, the Idaho School Boards Association, and a local parent testified against it, citing local control, harvest schedules, four-day weeks, and impacts on calendars and instruction; the Idaho Lodging and Restaurant Association supported it on tourism and workforce grounds. After extensive debate, the committee rejected a motion to send HB 710 to the floor without recommendation and then voted 9-5 to hold the bill in committee. Finally, the committee considered RS 33230C1, a charter school flexibility proposal that would allow qualifying charter schools with strong performance and financial practices to receive funding with more flexibility. Members discussed whether similar flexibility should also be extended to traditional public school districts, but the sponsor opposed broadening the RS, and legal concerns were raised that the proposed changes would not fit the charter-school authorizer structure. The committee defeated the amended version and then voted to introduce the original RS 33230C1.

Transcript Highlights:

• or the city parts or the county parts.
• or the city parts or the county parts.
• We're from different parts of the state.
• We're from different parts of the state.
• We're from different parts of the state.

Bills: SB6253, SB6311, SB6262, SB6335

Keywords: public transportation, governing bodies, transit authorities, local government, community planning, pedestrian safety, construction, accessibility, public safety, urban planning, vehicle weight, transportation, fees, public infrastructure, funding, state commission, infrastructure, traffic safety, responsibilities, 904

Transcript Highlights:

• It's an essential part of how children learn and grow.
• Being a part of robotics was the first time I felt like I was part of something bigger.
• Athletics has been a part of my life, all of it.
• Does it mean something to be part of a team?
• She wants no part of My daughter is not an athlete. She wants no part of athletics.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held a very full public hearing on the first Education Committee hearing of the session, with testimony taken on a large slate of bills, especially H. 650/S. 436 and related measures. The chairs explained the hearing rules, including two-minute testimony limits, live streaming, written testimony, and accommodations for interpreters and disabilities. The committee first heard extensive testimony on H. 460/S. 436 and later H. 650/S. 436, bills to affirm and maintain equal access to public education for all children, including immigrant students, English learners, and students with disabilities. Witnesses included parents, advocates, educators, attorneys, and state officials, many of whom described fears caused by federal policy changes and argued that Massachusetts should codify protections for school enrollment, special education, interpreter services, and due process in discipline cases. The Attorney General’s office, Mass Advocates for Children, Lawyers for Civil Rights, MIRA, the Children’s Law Center, the Disability Law/advocacy community, and others all urged favorable action, while committee members asked questions about Plyler v. Doe, manifestation determinations, interpreter qualifications, and how the bill would mirror or preserve existing federal protections at the state level. The committee also heard testimony on H. 702/S. 460, establishing an elementary and secondary school robotics grant program, which was supported as a way to expand STEM opportunities and help schools fund robotics programs. Representative Sweeney also testified on H. 713, a bill to support student participation in 4-H programming by allowing excused absences similar to those for athletics and other sanctioned activities; members noted bipartisan support and the bill’s long history. The hearing then moved to H. 543/S. 417, a recess bill requiring at least 30 minutes of free-play recess for K-8 students. Supporters included the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the League of Women Voters, educators, and parents, who emphasized recess as important for physical health, social-emotional development, attention, and academic performance, and noted that unequal local policies create disparities across districts. Several witnesses also tied recess to broader concerns about student well-being and screen time. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee simply received testimony and closed testimony on the bills as it moved through the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• I was good for the most part.
• So that part was kind of rough.
• You're not part of the electoral. You're not part of the body. But when you leave, you become that.
• I love every group that I was a part of; that's why I was a part of it.
• I was a part of it. That's why I was a part of it. And I know what they contribute.

Summary: The Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration met to approve prior minutes and then heard extensive testimony from people incarcerated or formerly incarcerated in county and state facilities, along with a few family/community perspectives. Much of the testimony focused on how county sheriff programs, reentry services, and step-down placements helped people obtain education, treatment, work experience, housing, IDs, and support for sobriety and family reunification. Witnesses from Hampshire, Barnstable, Hampden, and Franklin counties repeatedly described these programs as life-changing and credited staff with treating them with dignity, helping them prepare for release, and connecting them to community resources. Several witnesses contrasted county programming favorably with their experiences in DOC custody, saying DOC facilities often had overcrowding, limited access to programs, long waits, and little individualized reentry planning. Some said their sentence length or classification status made them ineligible for needed programs, while others described county facilities as more responsive and rehabilitative. A few witnesses also highlighted the value of culturally specific programming, educational blocks, restorative justice, and employment training. One witness from Hampden County described All-Exclusive Support Services as pivotal to her recovery and later employment with the sheriff’s office; another from Franklin County said the reentry center’s outside location made it easier to access help after release. Not all testimony was uniformly positive. A witness from Framingham described serious mental health needs that were not adequately addressed, saying she was offered superficial coping tools instead of counseling and that visitation restrictions for family members worsened her mental health. Another witness, a juvenile lifer, said long sentences and classification barriers limited access to meaningful programming and delayed preparation for release. Commissioners asked follow-up questions about DOC programming access, reentry preparation, visitation policies, and whether people were ready to benefit from services. No formal votes or policy actions were taken beyond approving the prior meeting minutes and moving through the testimony agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I know there are other parts of the bill.
• And would change, I think, are there two parts?
• So it's not part of the bill yet.
• So it is not currently part of the bill in the House, but the Cuba language is part of the bill.
• So it is not currently part of the bill in the House, but the Cuba language is part of the bill.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee considered a large agenda of bills and reported several measures favorably. Early action included SB 6, a settled claim bill involving the Department of Children and Families and a trust for Leila Estrada and Sapphire Williams, and CS/CS/SB 1266, which creates a cybersecurity experiential learning and clearance-readiness program through the Department of Commerce and Cyber Florida. The committee also approved SB 532 on clerks of court funding, allowing clerks to retain all excess Article V revenue rather than returning half to the state and clarifying foreclosure sale procedures. In addition, the committee passed CS/CS/SB 1602 and CS/CS/SB 1604 to create and fund a pilot housing program for veterans through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, and CS/SB 1110 to expand Medicaid and private insurance coverage for medically necessary orthotics and prosthetics, including testimony from affected families and advocates. The committee also adopted an amendment and then favorably reported CS/CS/SB 1012 on inmate services, removing the bill’s medical-services compensation provisions while retaining changes to the inmate welfare trust fund and related facility uses. It also adopted a delete-all amendment and then favorably reported CS/CS/CS/SB 1614, which was narrowed to remove a provision allowing local governments to use excess fees to construct new buildings. The committee spent substantial time on CS/SB 17, a Medicaid oversight and transparency bill. The sponsor said the measure would create a joint legislative Medicaid oversight committee, authorize the Legislature to retain its own actuary, modernize Medicaid statutes, strengthen managed-care performance standards, and increase accountability for pharmacy benefit managers and related entities. After amendment, the committee adopted changes removing several PBM-related provisions while retaining the broader oversight framework. Testimony from supporters emphasized transparency, fraud prevention, and cost control, while a PBM trade association asked to continue working on affiliate-manufacturer, network, and payment issues. The bill was reported favorably. The most extensive discussion centered on CS/SB 1758, which proposes major changes to Medicaid and SNAP. The sponsor described five reforms: stronger fraud and overpayment recovery authority, a Medicaid work requirement for certain able-bodied adults, expanded behavioral-health services through Medicaid waivers, pharmacy-program changes to obtain rebates and reduce institutional costs, and SNAP/EBT reforms including photo IDs and work requirements. The committee adopted two amendments: one adding a transitional “glide path” for people who gain employment but risk losing Medicaid, and another exempting hospice patients with six months or less to live. Supporters argued the bill would reduce fraud, improve accountability, and encourage work, while opponents warned it would increase administrative burdens, push eligible people off coverage, and conflict with federal law or guidance. The bill remained under debate with extensive public testimony from advocates, providers, and affected families, and the transcript ends before final disposition on the measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, and as part of that, we of Kentucky.
• The sad part is I fully understand it, but I don't know why.
• </c> health design parts of the uh program. health design parts of the uh program.
• </c> not part of their scope of work with us. not part of their scope of work with us.
• So, part of me wonders kind of where that comes from.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the April 13 minutes and then turned to a large agenda of contracts. Chairman Douglas said there were 52 contracts totaling about $369.3 million, and noted that most vendors were registered with the Secretary of State except for item 118 on the routine personal services green list and item 19 involving Morehead State University and Kentucky State University. The committee voted to defer item 118 to the June 26 meeting and later also deferred the Kentucky State University contract on the deferred list to the June 26 meeting. The main discussion centered on a deferred personal services contract for the Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners, involving outside legal counsel. Senator Meredith raised concerns about KRS 320 and whether the board had authority to hire outside counsel when the statute says the Attorney General shall provide legal services to the board. Dr. Mary Beth Morris, the board president, and Christopher Thacker of the Attorney General’s office testified after being sworn in. Thacker explained that the statute and related law allow both Attorney General assistance and independent counsel, and argued that outside counsel is appropriate for day-to-day legal work because it avoids conflicts, especially on open records issues, regulatory advice, and disciplinary hearings. Senator Meredith said he agreed with approving the contract but questioned how the board had reached this point and whether the current statutes reflect modern practice. He raised concerns about transparency and accountability, referencing a prior advisory opinion involving the board’s handling of exam requirements during COVID and saying the board should have consulted the Attorney General before acting. Thacker responded that the Attorney General’s office serves the Commonwealth as a whole, not as counsel to one board, and that the board’s use of outside counsel is a reasonable and economical arrangement. The exchange ended with Meredith suggesting that broader legislative action may be needed to clarify reporting relationships and oversight for the board.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're part of state Minnesota. They're part of state government. government. government.
• </c> They're part of the state of Minnesota. They're part of the state of Minnesota.
• That's part of not the Attorney General. That's part of the<00:17:44.960><c> problem.
• What you just said, that only the 30-day What you just said, that only the 30-day part. part. part.
• </c><01:20:44.240><c> of</c> other individuals who are not part of other individuals who are not part

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> part of the language spectrum of FTD. part of the language spectrum of FTD.
• But this is part and parcel.
• But this is part and parcel.
• But this is part and parcel.
• </c> You weren't part of this before. You weren't part of this before.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This becomes part of that ecosystem right now.
• This becomes part of that ecosystem right now.
• We're partners, co-partners with them, so they're part of...
• We sell the crops and so on as part of that.
• We sell the crops and so on as part of that.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, if I might add, the intent in providing CAHPS is in part to.
• part of the case.
• And the judge will usually Then hear the defense part of the case.
• How could they not be part of a hospital system in New Mexico?
• It's part of it.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So some parents will prefer part-day TK in a school setting.
• I took part in being a preschool teacher, and then I took part in actually working with third graders
• Part of fair salary means that I get paid for all the hours that I work.
• We really need you guys to put your part.
• And this is an essential part of the mixed delivery system.

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Child Care Costs held its third hearing, focused on how transitional kindergarten (TK) fits into California’s mixed-delivery early learning system, with an emphasis on the Central Valley. Opening remarks stressed that TK and child care should complement each other, not compete, and that families need both part-day school-based options and full-day, year-round care. Committee members outlined hearing goals around aligning TK with existing programs, understanding family needs, and examining the economic impact of early learning on workforce participation and local economies. Panelists from the Legislative Analyst’s Office, Every Child California, Early Edge, Children Now, and others described TK’s rapid expansion to all four-year-olds, the growth in enrollment, and related changes to state preschool and after-school programs. Witnesses generally supported TK but warned that its expansion has shifted enrollment away from community-based providers, especially centers and family child care homes, creating financial strain, vacant classrooms, and staffing challenges. They urged stronger partnerships between school districts and community providers, more flexible licensing and facilities support, higher and more uniform reimbursement rates, permanent authority for state preschool to serve two-year-olds, and better compensation and training for educators across settings. Parents and providers testified about the importance of trusted, culturally and linguistically responsive care, the need for infant-toddler and home-based options, and the difficulty of affording child care when TK is not full-day or does not fit family schedules. Several speakers emphasized that many families still face long waits for subsidies and that reimbursement and payment delays threaten provider stability. Public comment echoed these concerns, with providers calling for true cost-of-care rates, more vouchers, support for transportation and nontraditional hours, and protection from insurance and facility costs that can force programs to close. State education officials said California’s UPK system works best when TK, state preschool, Head Start, and community-based providers are treated as a shared system, and noted that planning and implementation grants and local coordination efforts have helped build mixed-delivery partnerships. The hearing ended without formal votes or actions, but committee members indicated they would continue gathering input to inform future policy and budget decisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that is part of the universal income eligibility piece, right?
• This is a key part of this initiative.
• Head Start is a very critical part of building that supply.
• Part of continuing with Arrowhead and UNM is...
• to be a part of the solution for healthcare here and in our state.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that remains as well as part of our Help Center activity. That's very helpful. Thank you.
• And, you know, to answer your last part, it's a violation.
• And, you know, to answer your last part, it's a violation.
• of its budget process or as part of its ongoing work with the department.
• Part of that is mental care, mental health care services.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee held an informational hearing on Kaiser Permanente’s behavioral health care system, focusing on Department of Managed Health Care enforcement actions, Kaiser’s corrective action work plan, and testimony from patients, advocates, and union representatives. DMHC officials reviewed a long history of complaints, surveys, fines, and settlements involving Kaiser’s access to behavioral health services, including deficiencies found in 2012 and 2016, a 2022 non-routine survey, and a 2023 settlement that imposed a $50 million penalty and required $150 million in community investments over five years. DMHC said it continues to monitor Kaiser through quarterly meetings, complaint review, follow-up surveys, and a reimbursement process for members who could not obtain timely in-network care. Committee members pressed DMHC on what “timely access” and continuity of care mean in practice, how virtual care and group therapy fit into the standards, and what triggers a non-routine survey. DMHC said initial behavioral health appointments generally should not take more than two weeks, urgent care should be within days, and follow-up care within 10 days, with out-of-network care required when plans cannot meet standards. Officials also said Kaiser’s initial corrective action work plan lacked detail, but the revised plan was accepted and will be tracked through quarterly reporting and possible additional enforcement if Kaiser fails to comply. The second panel featured testimony from a Kaiser enrollee, a behavioral health policy expert, a Kaiser therapist, and the NUHW president. The enrollee described serious delays and inadequate treatment for his daughter after a suicide attempt, while the therapist and union leader said Kaiser’s behavioral health system is understaffed, relies too heavily on short appointments, group therapy, and webinars, and treats behavioral health as less important than medical-surgical care. They argued Kaiser’s one-appointment-at-a-time scheduling rule and limited treatment time violate parity requirements and harm continuity of care. Several members criticized Kaiser for not appearing at the hearing and said the testimony underscored the need for stronger oversight, clearer metrics, and faster remedies for patients.