Transcript Highlights:

• Lieutenant Colonel Walt Goodson is over law enforcement support services.
• and support services.
• and support services.
• behavioral health services, including counseling and psychological support.
• I'm here to register support for the. service providers for the Texas Council on Family Violence.

Bills: SB1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The committee heard a Legislative Budget Board presentation and then testimony from the Department of Public Safety on the Article 5 public safety budget. LBB said DPS’s 2026-27 recommendation totals $3.7 billion, down from the prior base, while FTEs rise by 856.7. Major items included increased funding for driver license services and customer support, new trooper funding and recruit schools, crime lab operations, border security, and reductions tied to one-time facility, vehicle, and aircraft spending. The committee also discussed new riders, including one to lapse unused trooper funds and require reporting after recruit schools. Members focused heavily on driver license operations, questioning why prior staffing increases and a prior efficiency study had not solved long wait times, high call abandonment, and appointment delays. DPS and LBB said the agency receives about 22,000 calls per day, answers only about 9 percent, and is seeking more staff plus technology upgrades such as automation, kiosks, and better online processing. Senators also raised concerns about rural access, REAL ID document requirements, and whether the department should rethink its processes rather than simply add employees. DPS leadership then described needs for the Williamson County training academy, additional troopers, Capitol and Alamo security, border operations, aircraft and vehicle replacement, and regional headquarters in El Paso and San Antonio. Members asked about Operation Lone Star costs, overtime, pursuit safety, border crime, oilfield theft, and sexual assault kit and toxicology backlogs. DPS said border deployments remain focused on criminal threats, that overtime is partly driven by deployments and staffing shortages, and that the sexual assault kit backlog is down to 118 cases with a goal of zero by April. The committee later recessed and began the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission budget presentation, where LBB outlined a $115.1 million recommendation and noted ongoing costs for the AIMS technology project.

Transcript Highlights:

• I have to support a family of six. Can't just treat for free.
• I have to support a family of six. Can't just treat for free.
• I have to support a family of six. Can't just treat for free.
• These cuts will put undue stress on families that need the highest support.
• </c> families that need the highest support. families that need the highest support.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We know what services work.
• Proud support of SB 1194.
• So, strong support, and let's make sure more legal services come to the community. Thank you.
• They provide a service.
• I think I have supported many of these bills and I want to support your bill.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, members, we have one green card from Gene Mills, Louisiana Family Forum, present in support
• Services, removes provisions relative to the duties of the Department of Children and Family Services
• We met with the Department of Children and Family Services, and they shared with me their concerns.
• This is an assessment to see if we can help provide services to this family. Okay, thank you.
• for family services, making the visits for foster care for our foster children and families.

Summary: The committee first heard SB 145, which would require adult residential care providers, especially assisted living centers, to have generators or other backup power arrangements and to submit preparedness plans to LDH. After technical amendments and testimony from the sponsor, LDH, and the assisted living industry clarifying the bill’s scope and cost concerns, the committee adopted the amendments and reported the bill favorably. It then took up SB 433, which would require Medicaid coverage of medically necessary FDA-approved weight loss drugs, including GLP-1 medications, subject to appropriations and fiscally sustainable coverage criteria; the bill was reported favorably after discussion of current Medicaid coverage and costs. The committee also approved SB 52, which requires better coordination between DCFS and LDH so SNAP and Medicaid benefits can follow children more quickly when they are removed from or returned to a home. Technical amendments changed reporting deadlines and required written notice, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 4 on public water fluoridation was amended to allow local governments or voters to opt out through a petition and election process, with support from the Louisiana Dental Association and others after compromise language was adopted; it was reported favorably with amendments. SB 152, which would prohibit the sale of cultured or lab-grown food products for human consumption, was also reported favorably with amendments after brief testimony in support and opposition. The committee next approved SCR 37, which asks the Surgeon General to review Louisiana’s informed consent laws and report back on any gaps, after discussion that the existing medical disclosure panel had not met since 2018. It then considered SB 194, a public assistance bill aligning Louisiana Medicaid and SNAP rules with recent federal changes on non-citizen eligibility and tightening Medicaid’s reasonable opportunity period for citizenship verification. After extensive debate over immigration, emergency care, and whether the bill could harm eligible applicants or rural hospitals, the committee adopted an amendment allowing LDH discretion for emergency health care services and reported the bill favorably by an 8-3 vote. Finally, HCR 113 created a task force to study gestational carrier agreements and assisted reproductive regulation; after debate over surrogacy, ethics, and referral to Civil Law, the committee rejected the referral motion and then reported the resolution favorably, and the meeting moved on to SB 333 on child-in-need-of-care proceedings and legal representation funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• These students are preparing for careers dedicated to serving others, strengthening families, and supporting
• Will this go to a service-fee kind of payment system for services for our citizens?
• Now we have the feds that are cutting services to essential services.
• The reality is that government services cost. Government services cost.
• On to working families who are going to see a higher sales tax or cuts to essential services.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Misty Cook, and I'm representing a family, a current foster family who's not here today.
• So I would support the original motion, but I will not be supporting the substitute motion.
• And I will not support the substitute, but will support the motion.
• Obviously, you were supporting... I guess I made the motion. So I will support.
• We support the intent.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The House Health and Welfare Committee heard House Bill 754, which would add physical therapists to Idaho’s direct primary care law so they could enter direct payment agreements with patients without being treated as insurance contracts. The sponsor and supporters said it would improve access, especially in rural areas, and would not expand physical therapists’ scope of practice. Some members objected that the bill’s wording could blur the meaning of “primary care” and create scope confusion. The committee passed HB 754 to the floor with a do pass recommendation after debate and a recorded no vote from several members. The committee then took up House Bill 724, which would codify safety-related rights for children in foster care, including safe placement, freedom from abuse, timely medical or forensic evaluation after abuse disclosures, basic necessities, and consideration of safety in visitation and placement decisions. The sponsor and multiple foster parents, foster youth, and advocates testified in support, describing serious abuse, unsafe visitation, and placement concerns and arguing the bill would help judges and agencies better protect children already in state custody. Some members raised constitutional and drafting concerns about enumerating rights in statute and proposed amending the bill, but a substitute motion to send it to amending order failed 4-12. The committee then passed HB 724 to the floor with a do pass recommendation. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 759, a Medicaid budget bill that would reduce funding for residential habilitation services, paired with a proposed audit and rate-study process for home- and community-based services. The sponsor said the bill would remove funding tied to prior enhancements that were not implemented and would help balance the budget, while providers and family members testified that the bill was vague, could create administrative burdens, and might cut services for vulnerable people with disabilities without clear assurance that rate studies would be followed. After debate, a motion to hold the bill in committee until March 11 failed, and a substitute motion to send it to the floor with a do pass recommendation also failed 9-7. The committee then voted to hold HB 759 in committee until March 11, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• In fiscal year 2024, $98 billion in revenue was collected, which supports public services across the
• Which supports public services across the state.
• It's going to keep blue-collar family-supporting jobs with health care and pension benefits in California
• After serving my country for over two decades, I now work to support my family and the community through
• After serving my country for over two decades, I now work to support my family and the community through

Summary: The subcommittee first heard an informational overview from the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement (GoServe), including California Volunteers, the Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications, and the Youth Empowerment Commission. GoServe reported strong participation in programs such as California Service Corps, College Corps, Youth Service Corps, Climate Action Corps, and the new men’s service challenge. Testimony emphasized enrollment, retention, and completion outcomes, outreach results, and efforts to reduce administrative costs. The Department of Finance said the administration supports the programs but has already made reductions to help address the budget deficit, while the LAO said it had no new recommendations on the informational item. Committee members raised questions about program scale, demographics, and effectiveness, especially for Climate Action Corps and whether the programs are duplicative of existing volunteer opportunities. One member criticized the programs as too fragmented and costly, while others asked for more data on who is being served and whether the programs increase actual participation in state services. GoServe said it would follow up with demographic and regional impact information. The committee also discussed the men’s service challenge, which GoServe said has formed partnerships with organizations such as YMCAs and Big Brothers Big Sisters and has already attracted more than 2,000 participants. The item was informational only. The committee then heard a BOE overview and a budget request to implement SB 293, which gives wildfire-affected families additional time to claim intergenerational Prop. 13 property tax transfers. BOE requested $154,000 for guidance, public materials, and inquiry response, explaining that the work is urgent and tied to disaster relief in Los Angeles County, especially Altadena. The LAO had no concerns, and Finance had no comment. Members asked how many cases might be affected and whether more funding would be needed later; BOE said the full number is not yet known and that future requests are possible. The committee also heard BOE’s IT modernization proposal for the state-assessed property tax system, a 30-year-old mainframe replacement costing $3.2 million in 2026-27 and $3.1 million in 2027-28. BOE and Finance supported the project as necessary, while the LAO said it had no concerns but urged a high bar for new IT spending. Members generally supported modernization but cautioned about implementation risk. Finally, CDTFA presented an overview and two policy proposals. The department described administering 42 tax and fee programs, collecting $98 billion in FY 2024, and improving administrative efficiency. Members then discussed local sales tax tools and revenue-sharing agreements, with concerns raised about transparency, consultant-driven tax allocation disputes, and the impact on local communities. CDTFA and the LAO explained that local jurisdictions control how district sales tax revenues are spent and noted the Legislature could revisit the statutory cap on local add-on sales taxes. The committee then heard CDTFA’s proposal to treat all delivery network companies as marketplace facilitators so they must collect and remit sales tax on delivery-app orders. CDTFA said the change would resolve confusion, shift compliance from thousands of small restaurants to a few large platforms, and raise about $44 million annually. Several members questioned whether the proposal would effectively raise consumer costs and whether it would create a competitive advantage or disadvantage among delivery platforms. The item remained under discussion, with no vote taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• General Services Department.
• I am joined here today with my family.
• Anyone online in support? Anyone in opposition in the committee room? Anyone online in support?
• But I want to thank you for your service and having your beautiful family here and your sister telling
• And I want to congratulate you and your family, and thank your family for being here, especially your

Summary: The committee first heard the nomination of Anna Silva to lead the General Services Department. Supporters, including the sponsor, former GSD officials, family members, the lieutenant governor, and other senators, praised her long career in GSD, her procurement and facilities management experience, and her work on e-procurement, veteran home construction, and other projects. Silva said her priorities would include stabilizing risk management positions for the transition to the next administration, ensuring continuity on construction projects, and protecting the department’s budget and operations. After questions and comments, the committee voted 7-0 to advance her nomination to full Senate confirmation. The committee then took up House Bill 96, which would create a working group to study establishing a New Mexico Space Commission to support the commercial space industry. The sponsor and witnesses argued the state already has strong space infrastructure and should remain competitive with other states. Senators expressed support, and a friendly amendment was adopted to add a Senate pro tem appointee to the working group. The amended bill received a due-pass recommendation. Next, the committee considered House Joint Resolution 5A, which would ask voters whether legislators should be paid based on median household income. The resolution received a due-pass recommendation. The committee also heard House Joint Memorial 3, which asks the Environment Department and Environmental Improvement Board to review the PFAS law passed the previous year in light of changing federal rules. The American Chemistry Council opposed the memorial, arguing it misstated aspects of the law and could complicate rulemaking, while the sponsor and Environment Department said the memorial was intended to help assess whether changes are needed. The memorial received a subcommittee due-pass recommendation, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• service' in effect.
• businesses and family farms.
• family farm history where family worked the farm together and everybody did that work.
• So if I own and run one of these family farms, a small family farm, how would I have found out?
• I grew up on a family farm.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The CARE Act promotes family-centered care and community-based services for people with serious mental
• Unfortunately, not all families or family members are supportive.
• And until that occurs, we're bringing in family support, providing that information.
• And overwhelmingly, it was because of the emotional support that the pets provide to the family.
• Because of the emotional support that the pets provide to the family.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so the disability and paid family leave programs in California provide this critical support for
• I'm speaking today in support of a funding request for PFL for children. chosen family.
• The next request is requesting $1.5 million for the continuation of consulting services to support the
• Activity helps recruit and retain talent, supports families, cuts emissions.
• It saves taxpayer money, improves retention, and supports continuity and longevity in public service.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, I'm here to support this legislation and to talk about the impact that it can have on families
• I mean, there is some support services; the military has some support services for things like this.
• I mean, there are some support services; the military has some support services for things like this.
• I just want to make sure that I'm— One thing I can say is there are some support services.
• The military has some support services for things like this.

Summary: The House Commerce Committee heard House Bill 2181, which would extend the deadline for funeral establishments or responsible individuals to complete and submit death certificates. The committee adopted an amendment reducing the maximum extension to 14 days and clarifying that the medical certification deadline for health care providers excludes weekends and holidays. Testimony from a mortuary owner and the sponsor described delays caused by doctors’ schedules, county processing, holidays, and families needing more time; some members argued the bill did not address the underlying accountability problems for doctors and counties, while others supported the added flexibility. HB 2181 was approved 6-4-1 with a due pass recommendation. The committee then heard House Bill 2682, which creates a DES rental assistance program providing up to two months or $5,000 in aid and appropriates $5 million from the general fund for administration. Supporters said the bill would help families facing short-term crises stay housed, reduce evictions, and serve as a preventive measure that could save money downstream; a constituent testified in Spanish about receiving emergency rental help after falling behind. Some members raised concerns about the program’s cost, the limited target population, and whether seniors should be included, while others supported it as a pilot and asked for possible amendments. HB 2682 passed 7-4. House Bill 2698, which creates a rental assistance study committee to evaluate the effectiveness of such programs and repeals the committee in 2028, was heard next and passed on a 7-4 vote. The committee then considered House Bill 2476, revising CPA certification and reciprocity requirements by creating multiple pathways to licensure and updating related rules and fees. Supporters said the bill would help address a CPA workforce shortage and align Arizona with other states; after questions about whether the bill made licensure harder or easier, the committee unanimously approved HB 2476, 11-0. Finally, the committee began House Bill 2308, which would bar dental insurers and certain holding companies from owning dental practices. The sponsor and Arizona Dental Association argued the bill would prevent conflicts of interest and preserve separation between payers and providers, while Delta Dental opposed the measure as overbroad and potentially burdensome for nonprofit insurers and investors. After discussion about private equity, nonprofit charity care, and vertical integration, the bill was approved 8-0 with three members present. The committee then started House Bill 2118 on mobile food vendors, with the sponsor and food truck operators arguing it would streamline duplicate local permitting, while cities and some vendors opposed it as a loss of local oversight and control; testimony continued, but no final action on HB 2118 appears in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We want our public resources to be used in our communities, not to separate families, but to support
• We want our public resources to be used to care for our communities, not to separate families or support
• We urge the committee to take a stand against this family separation by supporting HB 9. Thank you.
• services that they would need.
• I have law enforcement people in my family. I have law enforcement people in my family.

Bills: SB100

Keywords: burglary, aggravated burglary, dwelling, criminal law, property rights, 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Across California, county veterans service officers work on the front lines with veterans and their families
• 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
• Armed Services and their families in these countries are literally unable to mail their ballots back.

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:

• </c><02:11:42.000><c> Thank</c> of service, support, and success.
• actually support families, they turn their backs.
• actually support families, they turn their backs.
• actually support families, they turn their backs.
• actually support families, they turn their backs.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This may result in her allocating fewer resources for free support services for new mothers, babies,
• </c><01:08:34.480><c> and</c> service we could use the paid family and service we could use the paid
• Paid Family and Medical Leave is one of the most meaningful ways we can support working families.
• </c> support of policies that families support of policies that families desperately<01:29:31.440><c>
• c> needed</c> can support Working Families I needed can support Working Families I needed this<01:29:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So that continuity of service service.
• We've braided the funding across our department to ensure that we can provide services and support our
• We've braided the funding across our department to ensure that we can provide services and support our
• Melissa Hardy, I'm the division director for long-term supports and services at the department.
• Sometimes the date of service needs to change for families, so that might withdraw their request for

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The meeting opened without a quorum, so approval of the prior draft minutes was deferred until later. The committee then heard a DHS update from Commissioner Lori Weaver and COO David Weers, who described the recent flood at the Brown building and the relocation of nearly 400 DHS staff while operations are restored. They also outlined New Hampshire Care Connections, a privacy- and consent-focused closed-loop referral platform intended to improve referrals among providers, reduce duplication, and support continuity of care, with an Upper Valley implementation partnered with Dartmouth Health and an Epic integration already underway. Members asked whether the system would merge medical records or simply track referrals. DHS said it is not intended to store or transmit full medical records, but to integrate with providers’ electronic health record systems so referrals can be sent, received, and tracked, with consent controls limiting what information can be shared. Officials said the project will be tested over the coming months, with metrics, governance, and advisory committee oversight, and that it is tied to broader rural health transformation efforts and statewide implementation after the regional pilot. The committee also received the annual report from the Child Care Advisory Council. Maryanne Barter and Jessica Carver said the council worked with licensing to streamline the child care licensing rules, reducing the handbook by about 30%, and is now helping develop an informal dispute resolution process, revising the Granite Steps for Quality system, and creating a clearer handbook for providers handling state scholarship audits. They reported ongoing concern about child care closures and workforce shortages, said there is currently no wait list for child care assistance, and discussed questions about federal CCDF immunization requirements, which DHS said it would follow up on with federal technical assistance partners. After quorum was established, the committee moved to approve the minutes from the prior meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have in here our comprehensive family support services, our home visiting, some newborn navigation
• Child and Family Services support home visitors who help identify goals for themselves, including planning
• Services support.
• Services child and the Child and Family Services child and Family<01:48:53.679><c> Support</c><01:48
• So we do support the Family Resource Centers, the comprehensive family child supports, also childhood

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division III work session focused on the Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Public Health Services budget. Department staff said Public Health has a relatively small budget compared with other DHHS divisions, is supported mostly by federal and other non-General funds, and contains nearly 100 accounting units and more than 50 federal grants. They emphasized that the governor’s budget did not include significant cuts, but that federal funding uncertainty and the winding down of pandemic-era resources were major factors affecting the division. The division also explained that some apparent budget growth reflects reorganizations, including moving the Bureau of Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery and some programs from other DHHS divisions into Public Health. The presentation described Public Health’s mission as serving the entire state through food and water safety, disease surveillance, emergency response, maternal and child health, chronic disease prevention, WIC, community health center support, and public health data collection. Members asked about bird flu, and staff explained that human-health response would involve Public Health’s lab, infectious disease, and emergency preparedness units, while animal-health issues are handled with the Department of Agriculture; they also noted ongoing milk testing requested by FDA and USDA. The division said its organizational structure includes bureaus for Family Health and Nutrition, Infectious Disease Control, Public Health Protection, Emergency Preparedness, Prevention and Wellness, Statistics and Informatics, and Public Health Laboratories, with about a 15% vacancy rate. Committee members questioned whether the division’s budget and staffing had really grown since pre-COVID, and staff responded that full-time authorized staffing is about the same as in 2018, with the increase largely due to federal pandemic funding that has since receded and to program transfers between divisions. They said Public Health’s General Fund share is about $24 million out of roughly $1.1 billion in DHHS General Fund spending, or about 2.2% of the department total. Members also asked about the 3,000-position cap and unfunded positions; staff explained that the cap remains in chapter law through June 30, 2025, that 394 positions were unfunded in the governor’s budget, and that the division expects flexibility to move money from personnel lines and fill unfunded positions to manage changing needs. No votes or formal actions were taken in this portion of the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Maybe question and a half on the on the background provision fully support and also support the bill.
• Speaking on that with a question from some of our home school families and we home school to and my family
• What services will it will not be provided.
• and services.
• Even the private school either provide the services that the county they don't provide, that that service

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Unfortunately, the ability of the state and service providers to support the existing licensed capacity
• Some are similarly with integrated community supports, with the support of service and a provider-controlled
• services to support them and maintain their housing, stability, relationships, and trust.
• When legitimate providers close or cut back on their service offerings, people lose services to support
• Our home service provider, Living Well, and others have worked with families to respect the rights of

Keywords: 1183, house