Transcript Highlights:

• In addition to our extensive health care services, UC operates one of the largest health care professional
• HR1 reduces federal share of Medi-Cal spending, also known as FMAP, for emergency health care services
• SOCR leadership regularly attends meetings with campus CARE directors and respondent support service
• We meet with the CARE directors and the respondent support service coordinators, their directors, and
• Direct partnerships between county offices of health and social services and campuses have ensured regular

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, chaired by Assemblymember Alvarez, held a hearing focused on University of California budget issues. The committee reviewed UC core operations funding, enrollment trends, federal funding threats, Title IX implementation, and basic needs support. Major themes included the end of the Governor’s multi-year UC compact, the state’s fiscal outlook, UC’s enrollment growth, and the potential impacts of federal policy changes on research, health care, and student aid. On core funding, the Department of Finance described the Governor’s proposal to continue compact-related support, defer some payments, and authorize a cash-flow loan. The LAO recommended a smaller or no base increase, earmarking some funds for capital renewal, retiring deferrals when possible, avoiding new compact commitments, and funding UC annually rather than through compacts. UC argued that the compact has supported enrollment growth, student services, and operating costs, but said campuses face rising expenses, structural deficits, and limited reserves. Members questioned the effects of deferrals on students and discussed the need to prioritize less harmful reductions if cuts become necessary. The enrollment panel focused on UC’s growth in California resident enrollment and the nonresident replacement plan at Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego. The LAO recommended maintaining the current enrollment target, funding enrollment separately from base increases, pausing the nonresident replacement plan, and holding enrollment flat in 2027-28. UC said it has already met compact enrollment goals, grown California undergraduate enrollment by about 18,800 students, and that further growth depends on ongoing state support. The committee also discussed the cost of enrollment growth, possible differential nonresident tuition, and a reporting request for UC to analyze the nonresident replacement approach; the motion to adopt supplemental reporting language passed. The hearing also covered federal funding risks, with the LAO and UC warning that federal changes could affect research grants, medical center reimbursement, and student financial aid. UC said research cancellations and suspensions are disrupting labs and graduate student support, while federal health policy changes could increase uncompensated care at UC hospitals. In the Title IX update, UC described its systemwide civil rights structure, annual student training, and campus support offices, and members praised the work while asking about ongoing concerns and intersegmental collaboration. The final basic-needs item began with Finance stating the Governor’s budget does not change ongoing support, but the transcript cuts off before further discussion or action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Implementing multiple service pathways simultaneously will take careful planning and support.
• As amended, AB 1970 would prohibit health care service plans and insurers from requiring step therapy
• As amended, AB 1970 would prohibit health care service plans and insurers from requiring step therapy
• Current law directs the Department of Health Care Services to simplify and streamline access to lactation
• As a hospice provider, I want to be clear: hospice is not just another health care service.

Committee: Senate Health

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The program funds three core services: direct services, including mental health and wellness support,
• A total of 180 organizations across California have provided direct services and support to victims of
• We don't do direct service with the STH grant, so our grant money is minimal — $50,000 per year.
• We provide medical, dental, and behavioral health care services to 50,000 patients throughout Alameda
• Stop the Hate also provided much more than just direct services.

Committee: House Human Services

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First, the bill directs each educational service district to select six high-performing teachers each
• Senate Bill 6206 relates to incentivizing child care providers to care for children of first responders
• So this would be a different agency dealing with child care subsidies or child care.
• So this would be a different agency dealing with child care subsidies or child care.
• Work is a lack of child care.

Summary: The committee heard Senate Bill 6192, which would expand structured literacy and numeracy requirements, add a third-grade math intervention process similar to the existing reading “gate,” create annual STAR teacher bonuses for selected math and ELA teachers, and require updated teacher endorsement standards. The sponsor, Sen. Braun, said the bill is meant to refocus districts on core academics and use research-based instruction while still allowing local flexibility, especially in math. OSPI said it supports the bill’s goals but raised concerns about the teacher award structure and access to student-level data. ESD representatives also flagged implementation issues with the award program. Testimony was split: some parents, students, and reading advocates opposed the bill as too prescriptive or too reliant on phonics and standardized testing, while others supported stronger academic intervention and accountability. No vote was taken. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6206, a pilot program to incentivize child care providers to serve children of first responders through grants administered by the Department of Commerce, with local matching funds and a report on recruitment and retention outcomes. Sen. Dhingra said the bill addresses a major barrier for police, firefighters, EMTs, and crisis workers, especially women leaving the field because of child care challenges. Testimony from law enforcement officers, union representatives, and a national law enforcement child care foundation strongly supported the bill, describing unpredictable schedules, last-minute overtime, and the need for nontraditional and sick-child care. Senator Wilson asked about existing non-standard-hours child care bonuses and whether the proposal should instead be housed at DCYF; staff explained the current subsidy program and that this bill would create a separate Commerce pilot. No vote was taken. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 5346 on student mobile device use in public schools. The bill would add mobile devices to digital citizenship instruction, direct OSPI to compile research and best practices, and require reports on school policies limiting phone use during instructional hours, with final recommendations due in 2028. Sen. Leas argued that phones are distracting, harm learning and mental health, and should be restricted in schools while still teaching responsible use. Testimony was largely supportive from students, parents, educators, and researchers who described improved engagement, fewer disruptions, and better school climate under phone restrictions; several urged a stronger bell-to-bell statewide policy. Opponents raised concerns about emergency communication, student safety, and local control. The hearing on the bill was closed without a vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• for benefits a direct referral to county veterans service officers who are the best prepared to serve
• So the right thing to do is take care of our service members and their families.
• In 2018, the electronic transmission service was narrowed into the DOD FAC service, which allowed military
• Indeed, just in the last several months, the Postal Service announced that it would terminate mail service
• This service for counties was the simplest, cleanest, and most direct route for military and overseas

Summary: The Assembly Military and Veterans Affairs Committee met and considered several measures, with most of the discussion focused on veterans’ access to food assistance, overseas voting, and veteran mental health research. SB 1201, the “No Hungry Heroes Act,” would seek federal waivers to protect certain veterans from CalFresh time limits and require referrals to county veteran service officers; supporters said federal SNAP cuts are leaving vulnerable veterans at risk of hunger, while no opposition testified. Members spoke strongly in favor, emphasizing the need to support service members and their families. SB 970 addressed ballot access for military and overseas voters after the federal DOD fax service was discontinued. The bill would direct the Secretary of State to develop regulations for a secure ballot return method. County election officials and veterans groups supported the measure, while the Secretary of State’s office and Verified Voting raised concerns about cybersecurity and urged a more deliberate process, including a possible task force. After discussion, the committee voted to pass SB 970 and send it to Appropriations. SB 1224 proposed a California Emerging Therapies Research Partnership to help the state compete for federal research funding for alternative therapies, including treatments relevant to PTSD, depression, and substance use among veterans. Veterans advocates described the bill as a way to expand options for those not helped by traditional treatment, and the author noted amendments to address conflicts of interest and administrative issues. The committee approved the bill and referred it to Appropriations. The committee also approved the consent calendar, including HR 120, SB 892, SB 1188, SJR 14, and SJR 17, and later voted SB 1201 and SB 970 out of committee as well. Overall, the meeting reflected broad bipartisan support for veteran-focused measures, with the main policy debate centered on how to balance access and security in overseas voting.

Transcript Highlights:

• service types and provides for data collection to ensure quality service delivery.
• I rise today to offer amendments for SB 164 that actually spend more money on health care services, and
• Services for prenatal care and related services.
• It funds abortion care and reproductive care and LGBT care and menopause care, which, by the way, isn't
• And for Californians in need of reproductive health care, this budget ensures abortion services and gender-affirming

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, and pledge, then moved through a largely procedural session with several unanimous-consent motions, guest introductions, and budget-related trailer bills. Members also adopted resolutions recognizing June as Dairy Month and June 2026 as Electronic Dance Music Month, and later approved H.R. 88 commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Guest introductions highlighted the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Kappa League, Assembly staff member Mukhtar Ali, and Jennifer Levy, who is advocating against drunk driving after the death of her son. On the floor, the Assembly considered a series of Senate budget trailer bills presented by Assembly Member Gabriel. SB 170 reorganizes housing and homelessness agencies; SB 171 makes labor-related cleanup changes; SB 172 addresses general government, broadband, and NextGen 9-1-1; SB 174 extends remote court hearings and related court provisions; SB 177 advances options related to Medi-Cal and employer contributions; SB 180 extends the California Competes tax credit and conforms tax treatment for certain savings accounts; SB 169 covers transportation and DMV-related provisions; SB 168 creates a zero-emission vehicle incentive program and other clean-energy changes; SB 166 implements natural resources and environmental protection budget items; SB 165 extends the skilled nursing facility financing framework; SB 163 updates developmental services; and SB 135 funds higher education initiatives, including community college enrollment and Cal Grant changes. Most of these measures passed with bipartisan support, though several drew opposition over concerns about bureaucracy, fees, oversight, or policy direction. The Assembly also passed SB 719, which updates vehicle-related protections for domestic violence survivors, SB 97, an urgency bill making clarifying changes to digital financial asset law, SB 1350, which supports hydrogen and clean energy development, and SB 1344, which aims to reduce meritless lawsuits delaying affordable and supportive housing projects. AB 182, which sets the order for proposition numbers on the November ballot, was approved despite criticism that it manipulates the ballot numbering process. Votes on the measures were recorded, with many passing on strong margins and several transmitted immediately to the Senate or Governor as noted in the proceedings.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:36.080><c> was</c> materials and this directive was materials and this directive was effective
• <00:20:10.600><c> from</c> services from services from MMB<00:20:12.360><c> um</c><00:20:12.520><c> we
• </c> kind of direct service to our agency kind of direct service to our agency customers<00:21:19.480
• But the issue that this bill addresses is should health care services be paid for by taxpaying dollars
• Health care services be paid for by taxpaying dollars to those that are in this country illegally?

Bills: HF10

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: undocumented immigrants, state funding, MinnesotaCare, scholarship ineligibility, state assistance, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We've also seen the rapid deployment of AI in health care, impending upheaval in our health care system
• And health care is obviously not an exception.
• , quote unquote, in health care, unlike many other domains, are highly motivated to care about the outcomes
• AI makes them trust health care less. ...already say that AI makes them trust health care less.
• Even more, 46% of women and 39% of men have considered leaving public service as a direct result of the

Summary: The committee heard AB 1979, which would limit the use of AI in health care by requiring licensed professionals to retain final clinical judgment, prohibiting automated systems from directing unlicensed individuals to perform licensed clinical functions, and clarifying medical-record privacy rules for direct-to-consumer health chatbots. Supporters, including nurses and labor groups, said the bill preserves patient safety and keeps care decisions in human hands. Hospital and industry groups opposed unless amended, arguing the bill could create compliance burdens and interfere with training and legitimate AI-assisted care. The bill was approved 6-1 and placed on call. Members then considered AB 2624, which would expand California’s Safe at Home confidentiality program to immigrant service providers, employees, and volunteers facing harassment or doxing. The author and supporters described threats, stalking, and online targeting of immigrant advocates and said the bill would let them use substitute addresses to protect their safety. Opposition focused mainly on concerns about the bill’s legal enforcement language, though the author said it mirrors existing Safe at Home provisions and does not create a new private right of action. The measure passed 4-1 and was placed on call. AB 2103 would make Engaged California a permanent statewide public engagement program. The author and the Office of Data and Innovation said it is meant to broaden civic participation through structured deliberation and transparent publication of results. Some members raised concerns about partisan balance and topic selection, while supporters emphasized the need to reach Californians who do not typically participate in hearings. The bill passed 6-0 and was placed on call. The committee also heard AB 2, a social media accountability bill for harms to children and teens, and AB 883, which would expand privacy protections and shorten data-broker deletion timelines for elected officials and judges; both drew support and opposition, were approved on committee votes, and placed on call. Later, the committee began AB 2023, a chatbot safety bill for children that would require age verification, safety audits, default protections, and limits on ads and data sharing; testimony was strongly supportive from child-safety advocates, while industry groups raised concerns about vague standards, audits, and liability.

Transcript Highlights:

• They do direct services. Why do three do direct services and one does contracting?
• care.
• This is the transfer of foster care services and case management from the state to entities known as
• This is a rider that provides funding to provide community crisis. pregnancy services, foster care services
• This is a detailed list of who the community-based care contractors are and what's stage of service they're

Bills: SB1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We also establish a directed services.
• They are accessing care, and it is a fee-for-service program.
• Uh and I uh request a care services.
• We know what happens in states that deny access to abortion care services.
• We know what happens in states that deny access to abortion care services.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Fifty percent of what you're looking at here, roughly, is what we call direct care, so client-facing
• It's in direct services provided to citizens.
• </c><00:13:31.279><c> or</c> call Direct Care so client facing or call Direct Care so client facing or
• </c><00:14:08.440><c> care</c> we do have some car outs for direct care we do have some car outs for
• </c> our budget is in Medicaid it's in Direct our budget is in Medicaid it's in Direct Services<00:16

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee convened an informational Division 3 Finance hearing focused on DHHS programmatic issues rather than budget line items. The chair emphasized that members should avoid questions requiring dollar figures and noted that the coming budget cycle would likely be difficult because revenues are expected to be tighter. Commissioner Lori Weaver said the department wanted to use the session to explain its functions at a high level, with more detailed presentations to follow, and to collect questions for later responses. Weaver outlined DHHS’s mission of supporting optimal health for state residents and described the department’s three main responsibilities: protection and prevention, client service delivery, and regulatory oversight. She said DHHS has eight divisions, a $3.6 billion total budget, about $1.217 billion in general funds, roughly a quarter of state positions, and personnel costs that are less than 11% of the budget. She also noted a recent hiring freeze, explained that the department did not request new positions except where required by law, and said vacancy rates had improved from 22% to 14% over the last two years but could rise again because of attrition and the hiring freeze. Weaver and CFO Nathan White then discussed why the DHHS budget is complex, explaining that it is built from multiple funding sources and is shaped by assumptions made months before the fiscal year begins, actual service demand, and cost allocation rules used to draw down federal funds. White highlighted maintenance-of-effort requirements, including TANF, where state spending is needed to secure federal matching funds and shortfalls can trigger penalties. At the committee’s request, DHHS agreed to provide a simplified historical accounting of TANF contributions to show how the match is assembled across positions, contracts, and other factors. The department also reviewed its roadmap, which Weaver described as a framework developed with staff and stakeholders around three themes: culture, community, and customer service. She highlighted priorities such as Mission Zero to end emergency department boarding, expanding access to community-based and residential behavioral health services, reducing reliance on institutional care, improving contract management with nonprofit and provider partners, using data dashboards to guide decisions, and investing in workforce stability and culture. No votes were taken; the main action was DHHS’s commitment to provide additional follow-up materials, including the TANF contribution breakdown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Rural Texans are suffering from a lack of access to necessary health care services. of preventable health
• Lifting this regulatory barrier will help expand our practices and provide more direct services to patients
• Residency is direct care with a supervising doctor. We work day and night. We take call.
• Our system includes inpatient and swing bed services, five primary care clinics, three outpatient physical
• of care... ...that would be directed because you all are independent in the authority of the licensure

Bills: SB1888 , SB3003 , SB2417 , SB2459 , SB3055 , HB1393 , HB2884 , SB2943

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: grand jury, jury qualifications, jury wheel, small counties, Texas legislation, age verification, obscene devices, online sales, juvenile protection, penalties, antitrust, attorney general, Texas Free Enterprise, business regulations, legal confidentiality, personal identifying information, data brokers, judicial safety, civil rights, data privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• for their services.
• So I'm very direct. And so I want... So I'm very direct. And so I want...
• I mean, health care sharing is different. Health care sharing is different.
• Pay less for care.
• cost drivers, you know, as it's been said, health care is a function of the cost of the service and

Committee: House Health Care Affordability, Select

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I want the doctors focused on care. We should all want the doctors focused on care.
• facility from denying admission care services to a patient based solely on the patient's vaccination
• Obstetric response and education program, rural access to primary care and preventative care programs
• facility from denying admission care services to a patient based solely on the patient's vaccination
• facility from denying admission care services to a patient based solely on the patient's vaccination

Summary: The House took up a series of Senate messages and concurred in several amendments before passing multiple bills. Early actions included unanimous passage of CS/CS/HB 1299 on Department of Health matters, CS/HB 1549 on financial institutions after removing a Senate-added trust-account provision, and CS/CS/SB 768 on foreign ties in business ownership after trimming registration requirements. The chamber also insisted on its housing amendment to CS/CS/CS/SB 184 after the Senate refused to concur. A major portion of the meeting focused on CS/CS/HB 875 on educator preparation. The House adopted an amendment restoring two teacher-prep courses, preserving the Florida Center for Teaching Excellence at Miami-Dade College in partnership with USF, and modifying the teacher candidate testing framework and mentor qualifications. Supporters said it reduced barriers while keeping standards; opponents raised concerns about the remaining “identity politics” language and other provisions. The bill then passed 91-22. The House also passed HB 1101 on out-of-network providers after adopting a House amendment that kept the original bill’s notice and referral provisions with a good-cause exemption, despite objections that it placed too much responsibility on doctors. Later, the chamber approved CS/CS/SB 180 on emergency preparedness and response, with members highlighting debris management, emergency planning, crane safety, and hurricane recovery provisions; it passed unanimously. The House then rejected concurrence in a Senate amendment to HB 1609 on waste incineration, and later spent substantial time debating CS/CS/HB 1115 on education, especially Schools of Hope, expanded co-location authority, funding, transportation, and school-district agreement terms. Critics argued the language was added late and could disadvantage traditional public schools, while supporters said it would expand options for students; the debate continued with the bill still under consideration at the end of the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• And therefore, under this directive, the Department of Health and Human Services, which is already beleaguered
• Health care providers will experience financial whiplash between the state directives and the implementation
• Health care providers will experience financial whiplash between the state directives and the implementation
• Health care providers will experience financial whiplash between the state directives and the implementation
• Health care providers will experience financial whiplash between the state directives and the implementation

Committee: House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of personal service requirements in Care Court.
• It codifies Governor Newsom's Care Court ICU and Care Court champions list.
• as other Medi-Cal services.
• This bill would increase access to direct care worker jobs for people with past records by aligning the
• care workforce shortage.

Committee: House Health

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So did the Human Services Committee, and we'll talk about hospitals later, but we didn't take care of
• care, and other things that bring critical services close to people in their communities because we know
• </c> So our third initiative to sustain access to services, to keep care closer to home, is looking at
• </c><01:04:00.799><c> services</c> So we know that health care services need to address the whole person
• , especially in those communities where the number and the type of health care services may be more limited

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In addition to our extensive health care services, UC operates one of the largest health care professional
• HR1 reduces federal share of Medi-Cal spending, also known as FMAP, for emergency health care services
• SOCCOR leadership regularly attends meetings with campus CARE directors and respondent support service
• Soccer leadership regularly attends meetings with campus care directors and respondent support service
• We meet with the CARE directors and the respondent support service coordinators, their directors, and

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 1562 would make it possible for the direct pay model to be used in these other types of care and services
• pay</c> category of care which is direct pay category of care which is direct pay healthcare<04:46:03.360
• We've heard direct primary care or DPC.
• We could types of care and services.
• 47:14.320><c> care</c><04:47:14.638><c> clinics</c> have direct pay specialty care clinics have direct

Committee: House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And those are related to specialty, non-specialty mental health, primary care, and maternity care services
• Do we still get federal dollars for those pregnant emergency care services?
• They need more services, and that increases the cost of our health care.
• I think we have with us here Director Boss from the Department of Health Care Services.
• I work at the Department of Health Care Services, and I'm a member of SEIU Local 1000.

Summary: The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review subcommittee heard four budget trailer bills: AB 110, AB 122, AB 125, and AB 177. AB 110 was described as a budget bill junior identifying budget-related legislation. AB 122 would extend sales tax to electronically delivered or remotely accessed prewritten software, extend and later limit business tax credits, reduce the annual LLC/LLP/LP tax for first-year businesses for three years, and impose a 100% tax on certain federal anti-weaponization fund settlements. AB 125 would renew the managed care organization (MCO) tax for three years beginning in 2027 to support Medi-Cal and targeted provider rate increases. AB 177 would require the Department of Finance to return by March 1, 2027 with options for assessing large employers for the Medi-Cal costs of employees enrolled in the program, including at least one employer-paid premium option for firms with 250 or more employees, and would appropriate $1,000 General Fund for implementation. Administration witnesses said AB 122 modernizes the tax system and helps create general fund revenue, while AB 125 is needed to preserve Medi-Cal financing and targeted rate increases under new federal constraints from H.R. 1 and to avoid a budget hole if the MCO tax expires. On AB 177, Finance said the bill is only a study and does not itself impose a tax, but would direct the administration to develop options for future consideration. Supportive members argued the package is part of a balanced approach to address the structural deficit, protect health care and other safety-net programs, and ensure large corporations pay more of their share. They also said AB 177 is a necessary step toward asking large employers to help cover public health care costs for workers who rely on Medi-Cal. Opponents, led by Vice Chair Niello and several other Republicans, argued the state does not have a revenue shortage but a spending problem, warning that the proposals would raise costs on consumers and businesses, discourage innovation, and expand taxes beyond their intended scope. They criticized AB 122 as potentially taxing labor-like services and limiting research and development credits, and said AB 125 would increase premiums for commercial enrollees and employers. On AB 177, they questioned the lack of definitions and specifics, saying the bill is too vague and could eventually burden employers, including hospitals and part-time workers, without clear standards. No votes were taken in the portion of the hearing provided; the committee heard testimony and questions before public comment and later action.