Transcript Highlights:

• We've been hard at work on this topic in the ensuing two years.
• We love this work.
• And it's been a great, great pleasure working with him. I wouldn't...
• And it's been a great, great pleasure working with him.
• I think that we would work through those mechanics with our partners at OFM.

Summary: The committee opened its first hearing of the 2006 session with member and staff introductions, then took up five bills. Senate Concurrent Resolution 8406 would reestablish and expand the Joint Select Committee on Civic Health through the start of the 2029 session. Lieutenant Governor Heck, Senator Lovick, and Senator Muzzall testified in support, emphasizing respectful civic discourse and bipartisan cooperation. The bill drew 20 pro and 53 con sign-ins, but no questions or vote were taken at the hearing. Senate Bill 5825 would authorize the Washington State Leadership Board to solicit gifts, grants, and endowments. Senator Claire Wilson and board representatives said the change would help sustain youth leadership, mentorship, and civic engagement programs, with an initial fundraising goal of under $50,000 and policies to be developed with OFM and legal counsel to manage donor expectations. Testimony from board members and volunteers was strongly supportive, and the sign-in sheet showed four in favor and one opposed. Senate Bill 5842 would exempt display of previous campaign memorabilia in legislative offices from the prohibition on using public resources for campaigns. Senator Wagoner said the bill was meant to clarify ethics rules and allow harmless historical or decorative items, but members and staff raised concerns about what counts as “previous” campaign material and suggested tightening the language. The hearing on Senate Bill 5863 focused on preserving Lakeland Village historical records until at least fiscal year 2030 and allowing archival access after 75 years; Senator Kauffman and disability advocates described the bill as an act of respect and historical accountability, and testimony from family members and advocates was unanimously supportive. Finally, Senate Bill 5840 would change campaign finance reporting schedules to fixed monthly dates and require more regular C-4 filings; the PDC said the goal was greater transparency and easier compliance, while several treasurers supported simplification but warned about burdens from zero-activity filings and some timing provisions. The committee noted the bills were scheduled for executive action on Friday and adjourned after the final hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• help up-level people in work.
• And I think we've seen that apprenticeship is one of those tools that can work and that has worked.
• So how does that model work in apprenticeship?
• So how does that model work in apprenticeship?
• That's why I love Work Without Limits.

Summary: The subcommittee opened with roll call and approved the January minutes. Members then heard from Undersecretary of Labor and Workforce Development Josh Cutler, who gave an update on the Healey-Driscoll administration’s apprenticeship efforts and emphasized apprenticeship as an earn-while-you-learn model that can help address workforce shortages while including people with disabilities. He described growth in apprenticeships across sectors such as banking, bio, early education, health care, and human services, and noted recent milestones including the state’s 10,000th registered apprenticeship, expanded tax credits, reduced program fees, added apprenticeship liaisons, and Grow grants to support program development. Committee members focused on how apprenticeship could be adapted for human services and disability-related jobs, including early education, direct care, PCA work, sterile processing, and related health occupations. They asked about funding structures, employer participation, community college involvement, and how to make programs accessible to people with disabilities. Cutler explained that apprenticeship programs are employer-designed but must meet core requirements such as paid employment, at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job learning, related technical instruction, mentorship, and progressive wages. He said the state can support programs through the registered apprenticeship tax credit, which he said is $4,800 per apprentice and can be stacked with the disability employment tax credit, and through Grow grants, which were most recently awarded at about $2.1 million statewide. Members and Cutler discussed using intermediaries such as trade associations, nonprofits, and disability organizations to help employers set up programs and navigate incentives. He said the commission could be useful as a convener and suggested a targeted panel or information session with apprenticeship liaisons, employers, and existing sponsors to identify a few specific occupations and build a proof of concept. The meeting ended with agreement to follow up offline on potential partner employers, including Eastern Bank, and on possible next steps for a focused panel or pilot opportunities.

Transcript Highlights:

• help up-level people in work.
• And I think we've seen that apprenticeship is one of those tools that can work and that has worked.
• So how does that model work in apprenticeship?
• The way we work, there isn't a formula per se.
• That's why I love Work Without Limits.

Summary: The subcommittee met to approve the January minutes and then heard an update from Undersecretary of Labor and Workforce Development Josh Cutler on apprenticeship expansion in Massachusetts. Cutler described the Healey-Driscoll administration’s efforts to grow apprenticeships beyond the building trades into sectors such as banking, bio, early education, health care, and human services, emphasizing that apprenticeship is an earn-while-you-learn model with strong retention and career advancement. He noted recent milestones and supports, including the 10,000th registered apprenticeship, expanded tax credits, reduced program fees, added apprenticeship liaisons, and Grow grants to help employers launch programs. He also said the administration is open to using grants, incentives, and convening power to encourage more human services and disability-focused apprenticeships. Members focused on how these models could work for disability and human services providers, especially in lower-wage fields like early education and direct care. They raised examples such as sterile processing, PCA services, mental health, brain injury, independent living centers, and programs involving community colleges, Bridgewater State, and vocational schools. Cutler explained that apprentices are W-2 employees, programs must include at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job learning, 150 hours of related instruction, a mentor relationship, and progressive wages, but employers largely design the program themselves. He said intermediaries such as the Massachusetts Bankers Association or disability organizations can help employers navigate the process and that the state can support these efforts through grants and tax credits. The discussion also covered employer outreach, the role of community colleges, and how to make careers in disability services more visible and valued. Cutler said the registered apprenticeship tax credit is $4,800 per apprentice, can be claimed twice for longer apprenticeships, and is stackable with the disability employment tax credit. Members suggested hosting a targeted virtual panel with apprenticeship liaisons, employers, and intermediaries to identify a few priority occupations and develop concrete next steps. The meeting ended with agreement to follow up offline on specific opportunities and potential partners, including Eastern Bank and existing apprenticeship programs in health care and related fields.

Transcript Highlights:

• Would it work for you if we took the word 'crazed' out?
• But this kind of stuff really doesn't work well for me.
• Let's talk shop, let's work on policy stuff, but also let's build those working relationships and working
• But, you know, I realize that to make the thing work, I'm willing to drive wherever to make that work
• that work.

Summary: The Joint Select Committee on Civic Health met to revisit its work and discuss next steps before the committee’s resolution expires unless reenacted. The chair updated members on related efforts, including the Project for Civic Health’s three principles—engage with respect, seek common ground, and disagree constructively—and a successful WASLE training program for newly elected city council members. Members also reviewed a draft committee statement condemning political violence and supporting nonviolent, non-abusive, productive dialogue. The group made several edits, including removing the word “crazed,” adding “non-abusive,” and changing the closing language to be more inclusive of nonreligious members by using “hope and pray.” The committee then discussed a proposed Evans School research project to survey legislators about civility, collaboration, and legislative working relationships. Members generally supported the idea, while one member asked how the project would measure progress and achieve its goals. The chair said the survey would help gather broad input and that the committee would encourage participation, with results expected by December. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on how to improve civility and relationship-building in the legislature. Members described the value of informal dinners, breakfasts, and one-on-one conversations across party lines, and several said there are now fewer opportunities for such interaction than in the past. Suggestions included in-person committee meetings, a retreat, mentoring newer legislators, and bringing back outside facilitators such as Tom Little from the National Institute for Civil Discourse. No formal votes were taken, but the committee agreed to proceed with the violence statement and to move forward with the Evans School survey, pending remaining digital signatures from several members.

Transcript Highlights:

• They want to work.
• They want to work. for direly right now. They want to work.
• They are working.
• </c> for working families. for working families.
• The working working man. Who gets tips?

Bills: HR1156 , HB6398 , HB6409 , HR965 , HR1174 , HR1176 , HCR40

Keywords: tax cuts, working families, tax relief, income tax, healthcare, education, overtime pay, child tax credit, environmental regulations, EPA, clean air, reducing duplication, federal projects, Clean Air Act, emissions, air quality, international pollutants, economic impact, temporary protected status, Haiti

Transcript Highlights:

• social work.
• It doesn't work. It's been proven over and over again. It doesn't work.
• We all serve working families and from all income levels of working families.
• We all serve working families and from all income levels of working families.
• It paid everybody whether you worked or didn't work.

Summary: The House convened, approved the journal, and spent much of the opening portion recognizing guests and interns from both parties, along with former lawmakers and a newly seated member, Representative Sylvia Allen. The chamber then took up House Concurrent Resolution 2065 honoring the late Alfredo Gutierrez. Members from both parties gave extended remarks about his life as a civil rights advocate, student activist, legislator, and mentor, and the resolution was unanimously adopted and transmitted to the Senate. Family members of Gutierrez were recognized in the gallery during the memorial tribute. The House then moved into Committee of the Whole on the first budget-related measures. On House Bill 4138, the “feed bill”/budget operations measure, Democrats argued the budget favored corporations and data centers over seniors, health care, housing, universities, and vulnerable families, while Republicans defended it as a continuation of prior policy and said it preserved tax conformity and modest agency cuts. After debate and questions, the committee recommended the bill do pass and the House adopted that report, sending HB 4138 to engrossing. The chamber next considered House Bill 4139, the amusement/gaming-related budget bill. Members debated whether it was essentially unchanged from last year’s budget language, with Republicans saying it was a continuation bill and that gaming-related provisions would support rural economies and tourism, while Democrats questioned the broader budget context and its effects on working families. The committee recommended HB 4139 do pass, and the House adopted that recommendation. The House then began debate on House Bill 4140, the state budget implementation bill, focusing on the budget stabilization fund and a proposed government efficiency initiative; discussion was still underway at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• <c> process</c><00:01:57.040><c> and</c> We've worked through the process and We've worked through the
• Um, this is a work in progress.
• Um, this is a work in progress.
• Um, this is a work in progress.
• Um, this is a work in progress.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• They'll be work group appointees.
• committees do less work in public.
• committees do less work in public.
• committees do less work in conference committees do less work in public.<00:04:06.480><c> Uh</c><00:
• that's going to work.

Transcript Highlights:

• So he's well-rounded and ready, we're ready to go to work.
• And so we work very closely with Border Patrol.
• We started working with landowners.
• There was a lot of work.
• Thank you all for your work and your service.

Committee: Senate Border Security

Summary: The Senate Committee on Border Security held its first hearing of the 89th legislative session, established a quorum, welcomed new and returning members, and adopted the committee rules without objection. The chair said the hearing would be limited to invited state agency witnesses and was intended as a status update for new members on current border operations, especially in light of the change in federal administration. Testimony came from the Office of the Attorney General, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Texas Military Department. The Attorney General’s representative said border-related litigation is largely in a holding pattern while the new U.S. Department of Justice awaits additional leadership, and noted prior cases involving concertina wire, buoys, and the CBP One app. DPS described Operation Lone Star’s evolution from filling gaps when Border Patrol was overwhelmed to current operations focused on interdiction, criminal arrests, fentanyl and meth seizures, and national security concerns, while also noting improved morale and more voluntary deployments as border pressure has eased. The Texas Military Department reported more than 5,000 personnel on state active duty, extensive use of barriers, drones, boats, and rapid-response forces, and said Operation Lone Star has resulted in more than 531,000 apprehensions and a 90% reduction in illegal crossings. Members and witnesses discussed whether the state should maintain its current border-security footprint while federal policy settles, with the chair emphasizing preserving institutional knowledge and leaving tactical decisions to the governor. Questions also covered trooper fatigue, Border Patrol training under SB 602, and concerns about cartel-driven commercial trucking and fuel depots near the border. The committee heard that Border Patrol training with DPS has resumed, and the chair asked agencies to keep the Legislature informed as legal and operational circumstances change. No bills were heard and no votes were taken beyond adopting the committee rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• I will say I work with this process intimately every day in my work at the hospital.
• work of healthcare diagnostic work work of healthcare providers. providers. providers.
• to effectively work in the United to effectively work in the United States?
• </c> cannot work as an employee. cannot work as an employee.
• </c><01:45:32.200><c> So,</c> that works for me. So, that works for me.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• That’s why I did put a little more work into it.” what work session's for.
• In terms of full committee work session, Full committee work session.
• This is a work session. Um, anybody else on the work session part of this?
• </c> work session part of this? work session part of this?
• So I'll go to ITL, but I will work with you. Ad hoc works every time.

Summary: The committee met in a transportation work session and executive session, with the chair explaining the format change to allow fuller discussion and possible expert input before votes. The committee first took up House Bill 209, which would have allowed a new vehicle purchased in the model year or before to be inspected in the second year after purchase. Members said the bill was rendered unnecessary by the broader repeal of vehicle inspections, and the committee voted 16-0 to deem it inexpedient to legislate (ITL), with consent. The same outcome followed for House Bill 212, which would have allowed a 180-day operation waiver when a motor vehicle failed an emissions control test, and House Bill 533, which concerned civilian employees and commercial truck inspections. In both cases, members said the inspection repeal made the bills unnecessary, and in the commercial truck bill there were also concerns that the language did not fit federal requirements and referenced state inspection laws rather than federal ones. Both bills were voted ITL 16-0 and adopted by consent. House Bill 298, dealing with vehicle identification number-related issues and antique vehicle authenticity, also received an ITL recommendation 16-0. Members said the proposal raised fraud concerns and could affect the value and authenticity of antique vehicles, and several said the bill needed more work before any future consideration. The committee then moved to Senate Bill 150, which would define electric vehicle charging stations and establish annual testing fees for the Division of Weights and Measures. That bill drew the most discussion: Representative Sykes described a personal experience with a malfunctioning charging station and a large, unclear bill, arguing that consumer protection regulation is needed. Representative Miller said the fee structure seemed high compared with other inspections and that third-party inspectors were not allowed, though he acknowledged some need for consumer protection. Senator David Watters, the sponsor, said the bill should be improved and suggested a lower annual fee and a fund-based approach to build an inspection program over time. Cheryl, the director of Weights and Measures, testified that the division needs authority, staffing, licensing categories, and expensive test equipment to oversee EV chargers, and that current rules do not adequately cover this emerging technology.

Transcript Highlights:

• down here working for the people I've down here working for the people I've down here working for the
• still got more work to do today though well we got more work to do today though well we got more work
• great work good job good job by the work great work good job good job by the work great work good job
• that way will work well now I have not seen way will work well now I have not seen way will work well
• and I know how much work why it works and I know how much work why it works and I know how much work

Bills: HB 9 , HB 22 , HB 908 , HB 1392

Transcript Highlights:

• We work with... Hello, I'm Kylie Kepler.
• I work in law... Hi, Chris Persian.
• What worked 20 years ago doesn’t work today for Turtle Mountain.
• We worked with Tracy Miller, the state epidemiologist, Dirk Wilkie, I believe. We worked with him.
• And we work as a liaison, to be perfectly honest. We work as a liaison, to be perfectly honest.

Committee: Joint Tribal and State Relations Committee

Summary: The meeting focused on Turtle Mountain’s public health and behavioral health priorities, especially access to rural health transformation funding and a long-running data use agreement with the state. Tribal public health leaders described how, during COVID, a temporary data-sharing arrangement allowed them to do their own contact tracing and case management, and they argued that a similar agreement is now needed to respond more quickly to very high syphilis rates and other infectious disease concerns. Committee members generally expressed support and said they would follow up with state officials, while tribal representatives emphasized that they already have the staff and infrastructure to use timely data effectively. A major portion of the meeting was devoted to the Turtle Mountain Recovery Center and the broader issue of the IMD exclusion and residential treatment capacity. Tribal leaders described the center’s opening, its five levels of care, its 16-bed limit, and its efforts to become financially sustainable through billing, grants, and partnerships. They shared success stories and argued for an IMD waiver or similar flexibility so the center could expand to 32 beds and better meet local need. Committee members discussed the policy barriers to expanding residential treatment, including federal approval timelines, state funding choices, and the need to preserve a continuum of care that includes outpatient and community-based services. The committee then heard a detailed presentation from Hector Hernandez-Dogato of the National Health Law Program on the history and mechanics of the IMD exclusion and Section 1115 waivers. He explained that the exclusion limits Medicaid payment for services in facilities with more than 16 beds, but noted existing exceptions and alternatives such as state plan options, managed care arrangements, telehealth, and community-based services. He also reviewed mixed results from states that have used IMD waivers, warning that they do not automatically improve overdose deaths, emergency room use, or access to community care, and may risk reinforcing institutionalization if not paired with strong upstream services. The committee discussed a draft bill to appropriate $49,000 and one FTE for HHS to pursue an IMD waiver, with members suggesting the bill may need to explicitly include serious mental illness as well as substance use disorder and asking for department input at a future meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• But what is currently working?
• So we know that works.
• Appreciate your work, and we’ll continue to hopefully work with you on this.”
• And then we'll work with the work groups so that if it's the Health and Welfare work group, et cetera
• They work with agencies.

Summary: The meeting focused first on a legislative working group report created under House Bill 368 from the prior session on medical education in Idaho. The presenter described Idaho’s physician shortage, noting the state ranks 50th per capita in physicians and would need roughly 1,400 additional physicians to reach the national average. The group’s unanimous recommendations included maintaining current state-supported medical school seats, adding 10 new non-WAMI seats this year, expanding graduate medical education by 15 seats, prioritizing in-state training, and creating a dedicated health education coordination role to manage undergraduate and graduate placements, clinical sites, and data. Members discussed whether WAMI should also expand, the quality of WAMI graduates, the need for more clinical preceptors and residency sites, rural recruitment incentives, and whether the plan should include other health professions such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants. The presenter said the plan includes benchmarks and timelines, and estimated costs of about $350,000 for coordination, $350,000 to $485,000 for 10 new UME seats depending on placement, and $900,000 for the GME request. The committee then heard from Legislative Audit Division Manager April Renfro on the state’s 2024 single audit and related accountability work. She reported $5.4 billion in federal assistance audited, 21 major federal programs across 15 agencies, 45 findings, seven repeat findings, $2.4 million in known questioned costs, and $2 million in projected questioned costs. Major issues were concentrated at the Department of Health and Welfare, including Medicaid findings involving delayed health and safety surveys, managed care provider eligibility and roster controls, and capitation payments tied to ineligible members; Child Care and Development Fund reporting and cost-allocation errors; and repeat issues in vocational rehabilitation and low-income home energy programs. She also noted Department of Environmental Quality problems with indirect cost proposals and a duplicate grant draw, while Transportation had no findings. Members asked about accountability for repeat findings, the role of Luma in reporting errors, fraud detection, and how to prioritize corrective action; Renfro said agencies, federal management decisions, and legislative oversight all play a role, and she planned to send a prioritized list of key findings to the co-chairs. A later presentation by budget analyst Brooke Dupree introduced front-end reports in the legislative budget book, explaining state government structure, the constitutional limit of 20 executive departments, and how the Legislature uses decision units to build appropriations. She walked through the original appropriation, reappropriations, supplemental appropriations, and how those pieces roll into the current-year total appropriation, with members asking brief questions about departmental divisions and the budget model.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's not how it works. No, thank you. That's not how it works. No, thank you. And actually, Mr.
• He said the same people who work on transmission lines for the CAISO TPP projects also work on generation
• They're not going to wait around for the work.
• It’s getting people, the work group, together and continuing—just have them continue to work.
• So we're working towards that. All right.

Summary: The committee first heard AB 13, which would restructure the CPUC to increase legislative oversight, add legislative liaisons, require more detailed and timely reporting on rate-setting decisions, and add a public advocate member. The author and supporters argued the bill would improve transparency, accountability, and geographic diversity in CPUC decision-making amid rising utility rates. Witnesses from TURN, San Joaquin County, SDG&E, and former CPUC Commissioner Loretta Lynch offered support or support-in-principle, while no opposition testimony was presented. Members generally praised the bill’s transparency goals, and AB 13 passed 10-0 to Appropriations, with the roll left open for absent members. The committee then adopted the 2025-2026 committee rules and approved three consent items: AB 61, AB 365, and AB 406. The next bill, AB 99, would cap investor-owned utility rate increases above inflation except for specified costs such as safety, modernization, and fuel/commodity costs. The author and supporters, including a representative of the California Senior Legislature, said the bill was needed to protect ratepayers, especially seniors and low-income customers, from repeated rate hikes. Opposition came from utility labor, utilities, the Chamber of Commerce, and others, who argued the bill was too simplistic, could suppress labor costs, and did not account for major cost drivers such as wildfire mitigation, mandates, and net metering. Several members supported moving the bill forward as a starting point on affordability, while others criticized it as overly blunt. AB 99 passed 11-0 to Appropriations, with the roll left open. The hearing then shifted to an informational panel on strategies to reduce California transmission costs. A Public Advocates Office staffer described a growing backlog of approved-but-unbuilt transmission projects, rising transmission access charges, and long project timelines driven largely by utility pre-application and construction periods. Panelists from Net Zero California and consulting firms presented research suggesting that public financing or public-private partnership lease models could reduce transmission costs by lowering financing, tax, and capital costs, with estimated savings of up to 57% and as much as $123 billion over 40 years. PG&E’s representative said the utility is already pursuing federal loan guarantees, grants, and a public-private partnership with Citizens Energy, but warned that state ownership could create tax, wildfire-liability, and governance risks. Members asked about the CPUC’s role, the causes of delays, and whether public financing could complement existing competitive solicitation processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The speakers said they have been working with both offices to come up with a master document to work
• works for both our chambers.
• Staff can work on just one word on all of the Bs. The staff will work on it.
• ..is working on this bill, has been working diligently with your office, Representative Millian.
• Okay, I think you can work that. Yeah, yeah, okay. I think you can work that. Okay, yeah, okay.

Summary: The Joint Committee on Data Privacy convened its first conference committee meeting to reconcile House Bill 5479 and Senate Bill 2619. Representative Michael Moran and Senator Cindy Creem opened by stressing that the bills are broadly similar and that the goal is to work through differences and produce a strong consumer privacy law. Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier and Senator Barry Finegold, along with Senator Pat O’Connor remotely, echoed support for meaningful safeguards, consumer protection, and stronger rules governing how companies use residents’ personal data. The committee then began reviewing the bill’s definitions section item by item. Members quickly identified a number of provisions that appeared identical or close enough for staff to finalize, including affiliate, consumer rights, controller, collection, covered entity, gender-affirming health care services, targeted advertising, and several website-related definitions. Other items were flagged for further work because of substantive differences, especially affirmative consent, biometric data, dark patterns and deceptive design, de-identified data, consumer versus individual terminology, minors versus younger than 18, precise geolocation, publicly available information, sale/transfer of personal data, sensitive data, and trade secret-related language. Several recurring drafting issues were noted as likely to require staff follow-up, including whether to use “consumer” or “individual” throughout the bill and how to handle HIPAA and COPPA citations. The committee also grouped a number of related definitions together for later discussion, including the sale and transfer provisions and the sensitive data sections. No votes were taken; the meeting ended with agreement to have staff work through the remaining differences and schedule the next conference committee session.

Transcript Highlights:

• work for a very ... ...company, but they work for a very reputable company and are provided insurance
• What if there's not a father involved, and there's a mother who's working, but not working at a cost
• Work with her.
• I'll work with anybody, so yeah, I'll be happy to work with them. Right? Any other questions?
• That's who I've worked with so far. But I'm happy to work with Alabama Rise.

Bills: HB37 , HB187 , HB177 , SB63 , HB82 , SB48 , HB33 , HB37 , HB33

Committee: House Ways and Means General Fund

Keywords: judicial compensation, salary increase, court system, Alabama legislation, judges, HB187, court fees, docket fee, sheriff's fund, sheriff's office, jail operations, law enforcement, county sheriff, court filing fees, Alabama Code 12-19-312, solicitor's fund, clerk's fund, forensic services trust fund, budget flexibility, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Davis for all of her hard work. of Ms. Davis for all of her hard work.
• I I know her work ethic. I this bill. I I know her work ethic.
• I stopped going to work in person. Every mundane work event felt suspicious.
• They don't work without the control box. They don't work without the control box.
• </c> I'd like to know how that works. I'd like to know how that works.

Bills: SF1750 , HF2700 , HF1606 , HF3356 , HF3946 , HF3970 , HF3658 , HF3875 , HF2627 , SF856 , HF1268 , HF1338

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:

• Today's hearing builds on that work.
• Accountability should mean that we work hard to sustain what works. that we work hard to sustain what
• works and Riverside County has proof that this model that we have in place is working.
• And as much as I respect the people who work in this space, because this is not an easy space to work
• HAP is working. Mr.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Accountability and Oversight held a hearing on the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HAP) program, focusing on how state homelessness dollars are spent, what accountability measures are in place, and whether those measures are helping or hindering results. The chair framed the discussion around the state’s large homelessness population, the roughly $5 billion invested in HAP since 2018, and the need to balance transparency, performance, and administrative burden as the Legislature considers future funding and possible trailer bill changes for Round 7. Testimony from the Legislative Analyst’s Office and the Department of Housing and Community Development described HAP’s evolving accountability structure, including regional planning, system performance measures, housing element and pro-housing requirements, encampment policies, and public dashboards. LAO noted that added requirements have lengthened the application and award timeline, while HCD emphasized that the program is increasingly directing funds toward evidence-based housing solutions and that public reporting has improved transparency. HCD also said HAP has helped move more than 90,000 people into permanent housing statewide and that the department is working to reduce duplicative reporting and improve speed. Local officials from Oakland, Alameda County, and Riverside County largely supported HAP but urged the Legislature not to overcorrect with punitive or overly burdensome accountability rules. They argued that homelessness is driven by broader housing shortages and outside factors, that one-time funding should be stable and predictable, and that metrics should focus on program-level outcomes rather than system-wide homelessness counts alone. Several witnesses described HAP as essential to keeping shelter, interim housing, and permanent housing programs operating, with Riverside citing a 19% reduction in unsheltered homelessness and Alameda citing over 6,000 people moved into permanent housing through HAP-funded programs. Members asked about point-in-time count reporting, fraud safeguards, federal funding threats, and whether accountability requirements should be streamlined. Some members emphasized the need for faster disbursement and stable metrics, while others raised concerns about data consistency across counties and the impact of federal cuts to vouchers and supportive housing. No formal vote was taken; the hearing was informational, with members indicating follow-up discussions and future budget negotiations on HAP accountability and funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, that $183 million will go to continue to augment the work of the board to ensure that work continues
• How does that work? It varies.
• Is it necessary to finish that work? As we have currently requested, yes, and as we see the work.
• work.
• Type work, riverine work, that we see as really the big projects that try to move the needle for fish