Transcript Highlights:

• in high school.
• Project Search is a program we've used for the last 15 years that allows students, so high school age
• The intent, right, is the outcome that we're hoping for, and they would not be considering any longer
• And that we hope that through our process we can also build political will for interests in programs
• It is stuff to look at, and I hope we're all writing that down, but For what you were bringing up, please

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So people apply for programs. They don't apply for services.
• for programs right now.
• and the Hope Hub.
• and the Hope Hub.
• I have a vision for, I feel like now, how AI is going to work for people.”

Committee: All ALC-HOSPITAL, MEDICAID, & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES STUDY SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The committee met to hear an update from consultants Mason Bishop and Cameron Christie on Arkansas’s “one door” or “no wrong door” workforce and social services modernization effort. The discussion focused on moving the state toward a work-first system that better connects job seekers, employers, education, and public assistance programs, with goals of increasing upward mobility, improving labor force attachment, reducing inefficiencies, and adapting to changes such as AI and other economic disruptions. The consultants argued that Arkansas’s current system is fragmented across multiple offices, portals, agencies, and funding streams, and that people often have to navigate separate doors for workforce services, TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, and related supports. Bishop repeatedly pointed to Utah as the model, describing how that state integrated workforce and human services into a single department, used cost allocation to blend funding behind the scenes, and saw improved customer service and outcomes after reform. He said TANF should be treated as a workforce program, not just a benefits program, and suggested that Arkansas could use TANF and other tools to cross-train DHS staff, co-locate services, and create a more unified service delivery model. Members asked about federal flexibility, waivers, and whether the state could use one large waiver or a broader restructuring to simplify the system. Bishop explained that a federal pilot authority proposal failed in Congress, so the current approach relies on waivers, cost allocation plans, and possible state-level changes. The committee also discussed the relationship between DHS and workforce offices, the role of local workforce boards, how disability and vocational rehabilitation cases would be handled, and how the governor’s Restore Hope/Hope Hub and faith- and community-based initiatives might fit into the broader plan. Bishop said Arkansas already has rehabilitation services within the workforce department and emphasized that case managers should focus on people rather than programs. No votes were taken. The chair said the committee would revisit case management at its August meeting and adjourned the meeting after thanking the consultants.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm grateful for you the legislature for supporting additional funds for my office to ensure our
• We have aggressively implemented the priorities that this body has set for us, and I hope that you will
• The salaries for staff attorneys, the starting range is 90,000. High 80s, low 90s.
• I'm really excited about this building and I hope when it's done we would love for anyone that wants
• Million for the chiller itself, about $100,000 for like a contingency, $200 for the engineer and the

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• hope in life that we go down that rabbit hole of blaming the federal government is responsible for that
• mental health for high schoolers.
• for our<00:48:32.400><c> homeowners,</c><00:48:33.360><c> I'm</c><00:48:33.560><c> hoping</c><00:48:
• We are the home facility for the Proctor Hermantown and Proctor Esko co-op Minnesota State High School
• Dover-Eyota High School. >> Thank you for that explanation.

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We advocate for sickle cell disease. And last year, we seriously pushed for PBM reform.
• We advocate for sickle cell disease. And last year, we seriously pushed for BBM reform.
• Kyan Wellness is requesting $15 million for funding for wraparound services for sickle cell patients.
• He was in the hospital for most of a year, in and out for most of a year.
• He was in the hospital for most of a year, in and out for most of a year.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health heard updates on five health-related budget items. First, members reviewed state support for distressed hospitals and health facilities. The California Health Facilities Financing Authority and HCAI described the Distressed Hospital Loan Program as a lifeline for 16 hospitals, many of which remain financially strained and are expected to seek loan forgiveness rather than repayment. Speakers cited reduced contract labor, new service lines, strategic partnerships, and the reopening of Madera Hospital as signs of progress, but also warned that federal policy changes under H.R. 1 will likely increase uncompensated care and pressure emergency departments. Public commenters from hospital, dental, and consumer groups supported additional funding, including a request to refresh the program with another $300 million. The committee then heard HCAI’s update on the California Rural Health Transformation Program, a five-year federal initiative funded at $233.6 million for California. HCAI said the program will focus on rural care models, workforce development, and health technology, with grants to be rolled out on a fast timeline and all funds obligated by October 30, 2026. Members raised concerns about rural provider capacity to apply for grants, and HCAI said it will use a third-party administrator, a technical assistance center, webinars, and other supports to help applicants. HCAI also presented its budget request for the health care payments database, seeking ongoing non-General Fund support to continue operations and expand data, including pharmacy benefit manager data. The Emergency Medical Services Authority presented three budget change proposals: funding to replace disaster medical services fleet vehicles, funding for IT security work, and additional positions for HR, enforcement, and legal workload. A member also raised concern that EMSA has not yet completed the annual ambulance rate reporting required by AB 716, and EMSA said it remains committed to the requirement but lost prior funding through later budget reductions. Covered California reported that it is still finalizing its own budget, but expects a lower operating budget due to efforts to reduce baseline costs and align spending with actual expenditures; it also projected enrollment declines tied to the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits, H.R. 1, and federal rule changes, while noting that revenues may still rise because premiums are expected to increase. Finally, the Department of Managed Health Care outlined budget proposals tied to menopause coverage and education, PBM licensure and enforcement under AB 116 and SB 41, credentialing reforms under AB 1041, and prior authorization reporting under SB 306. Public testimony generally supported the menopause and PBM proposals, while also urging clearer language and attention to Medi-Cal parity. The hearing concluded after public comment, including additional advocacy for sickle cell services and rural health workforce funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• We hope...
• Our hope would be that we would get to, as a state, define that for ourselves and have CMS check it against
• For folks who are unhoused, for veterans, for those who are 24 and younger, and who aged out of the foster
• , is exempt for Medicaid, but not for SNAP.
• For example, ...impactful for the state to be intentional about new solutions, for example, like work

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a work session to review how H.R. 1 (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) could affect Washington’s Medicaid, long-term care, developmental disabilities, and food assistance programs, with a focus on implementation challenges, fiscal impacts, and likely coverage losses. Staff and agency officials explained Washington’s Medicaid financing structure, eligibility categories, caseload trends, and the role of the Health Care Authority and DSHS in administering Apple Health and related services. They also described how Medicaid expansion increased access to behavioral health services and how H.R. 1’s provisions are expected to affect the expansion population most directly. Health Care Authority and DSHS officials outlined several major H.R. 1 changes: new work and community engagement requirements for the Medicaid expansion population, six-month redeterminations instead of annual renewals, changes to immigrant eligibility, limits on provider taxes and state-directed payments, new cost-sharing requirements, reduced retroactive coverage, and changes affecting long-term care eligibility. They said Washington is still awaiting federal guidance on many details, but estimated that about 620,000 Apple Health expansion enrollees could be subject to work requirements, that roughly 30,000 immigrants could lose Medicaid eligibility under the new definition of qualified alien, and that some long-term care and developmental disability clients could be indirectly affected. Officials also said the state is working with other agencies to build shared verification systems and may seek a delay waiver, though they do not expect broad federal flexibility. The committee also heard that H.R. 1 immediately blocks Medicaid reimbursement for Planned Parenthood services for one year, with the state planning to backfill about $11 million to preserve access. In addition, officials warned that the law could reduce federal Medicaid revenue by billions over time and strain hospitals and emergency rooms as more people become uninsured. They noted that Washington’s rural health transformation grant application is due November 5 and could bring some funding, but not to offset coverage losses. No votes were taken; the session was informational only. The committee then heard a separate presentation on food assistance, where staff and DSHS described H.R. 1’s SNAP changes, including expanded work requirements, immigrant eligibility restrictions, higher state administrative costs, and a possible future state share of benefit costs tied to payment error rates. DSHS estimated a four-year fiscal impact of about $750 million for food assistance changes and said the state is working on system and policy changes across agencies before the new requirements take effect.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, really, it has allowed for, and again, thank you for your time in talking to me with that, Mr.
• </c> to ask for help if you need it. to ask for help if you need it.
• </c> for our services anytime soon. for our services anytime soon.
• </c> federal funding reduction for 2027. federal funding reduction for 2027.
• for Senate File 3805.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I, um, so the 2023-2024 funding, I just wanted to kind of give a high-level overview, especially for
• I, um, so the 2023-2024 funding, I just wanted to kind of give a high-level overview, especially for
• I, um, so the 2023-2024 funding, I just wanted to kind of give a high-level overview, especially for
• level overview especially give a high level overview especially for<00:21:21.480><c> those</c><00:21
• for for a number landlords hoarding it for for a number of<00:47:00.319><c> months</c><00:47:00.760>

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Students to revise high school core curricula requirements for mathematics with respect to initial eligibility
• information posted in public middle and high schools, to provide for the requirements of the Louisiana
• They're not alone, that there is hope, and there's available assistance that's readily available for
• In Amendment 1, if you take a look at it, high school principals are responsible for what happens on
• for sick leave for certain teachers, and to provide for related matters.

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Questions for the staff report for the staff regarding the report?
• Thank you for your time. Thank you for your testimony.
• ALJs decide cases with high emotional impact for parties.
• Thank you all for your testimony and for your patience today.
• Asking for a yes vote on final passage for this.

Bills: HB2198 , HB2401 , HB2462 , HB2419 , HB2210 , HB2205 , HB2249

Committee: House State Government & Tribal Relations

Keywords: regulatory efficiency, permitting, licensing, executive order, state government, commission, gender equity, boys, men, advocacy, state policy, unpiloted aircraft, drones, regulation, airspace safety, privacy, address confidentiality, administrative law judges, privacy protection, staff employment

Transcript Highlights:

• for testing for responsibility for for testing for animals<00:15:34.720><c> at</c><00:15:34.959><c>
• But for them for confirmatory testing.
• </c> the legislature for for that change. the legislature for for that change. Certainly.
• And for some people it doesn't do the things that they're hoping it to do.
• And for some people it doesn't do the things that they're hoping it to do.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services Oversight Committee met on April 17 and approved the prior meeting minutes, then set its next meeting for May 29 at 9:30 a.m. Members also discussed a New Futures effort to collect questions about Medicaid changes and post answers as an FAQ, with a preference that the FAQ live on New Futures’ website rather than the state website. The commissioner’s office said it would coordinate responses and that the issue is still evolving. The main presentation was an HHS update focused on the state public health laboratory and its work during Public Health Lab Week. Officials reviewed the lab’s history, its biosafety functions, and its role in disease prevention, food safety, preparedness, and response. They highlighted mosquito surveillance for eastern equine encephalitis, West Nile virus, and Jamestown Canyon virus, noting that the lab tested more than a quarter million mosquitoes last year and that mosquito testing helps provide early warning for local public health decisions. They also discussed rabies testing, saying New Hampshire’s lab is the only one in the state that performs it, that rabies is fatal once symptoms begin, and that the work is preventable through early prophylaxis. Members asked about federal funding cuts, water testing, and whether CDC changes to rabies testing would affect New Hampshire. The department said it had been affected by an $80 million federal clawback but was managing through other funds and staff reassignments; for the water lab, temporary staff had been hired to continue swimming-area testing. Officials said the state remains able to handle rabies testing and that federal changes would mainly affect areas without similar services. They also answered questions on Jamestown Canyon virus, saying New Hampshire had one human case in 2025 and three in 2024, compared with zero West Nile cases in 2025 and one in 2024, and that weather and protective measures influence mosquito-borne disease levels. Additional questions covered biosafety levels, cyanobacteria coordination with the Department of Environmental Services, and the Brown Building flood mitigation, which was described as about halfway complete with a hoped-for reopening of the west side by June.

Transcript Highlights:

• Notably, we will issue updated standards for coverage of high-fidelity wraparound for children and youth
• Those federal requirements did establish a very high bar for states to offer statewide coverage that
• So we hope that these won't be sustained long-term. Thank you for your time today.
• For calls, the answer rate is somewhere between in the high 80s, 80% for California.
• And the speed to answer alone is an extremely high bar for us. It's very similar to 911.

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations from the Department of State Hospitals (DSH), the Commission for Behavioral Health, and the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) on budget proposals and implementation updates. DSH outlined its proposed 2026-27 budget, including funding for patient operating expenses, IST solutions savings, conditional release program costs, LPS bed allocation changes, electrical infrastructure projects at Napa and Patton, SB 380 transitional housing feasibility work, and expanded dental services at Metropolitan and Patton. DSH also reported that it has met court-ordered IST treatment benchmarks in the Stiavedi v. Clinton case, with average time to initiate treatment down to about five days and pending placements reduced to roughly 250, while noting that Proposition 36 could increase referrals and SB 1323 may divert some individuals earlier into community-based treatment. Members asked about rising outside hospitalization costs, Medicare enrollment, the timing and structure of capital projects, and whether IST solution funds are being fully used; DSH said the savings reflect slower-than-expected ramp-up of community programs and that the Central California FACT replacement program is still on track for January 2027 activation. The Commission for Behavioral Health described its role under the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), including data, evaluation, grantmaking, technical assistance, and transparency work. It highlighted the new statewide Innovation Partnership Fund, a five-year, $20 million-per-year program with small and large grant categories; the first RFA drew strong interest, with more than 400 questions and over 1,000 bidders’ conference participants. The Commission also discussed a proposed extension to spend down about $4.1 million remaining for the Alcove Youth Drop-in Center grants so sites can finish implementation and Stanford can complete the final evaluation. Members asked about grant duration, whether projects can be renewed, what qualifies as innovation, and whether the fund could support service delivery rather than awareness campaigns or training; the Commission said awards are expected to be three-year contracts and that proposals must be new or meaningfully expanded approaches that support BHSA priority populations. DHCS reviewed major behavioral health changes under CalAIM and BH Connect, including peer support, mobile crisis, contingency management, traditional health care practices for tribal members, updated specialty mental health access criteria, and new substance use treatment standards based on ASAM’s fourth edition. DHCS reported strong contingency management results, with more than 13,000 members served and 95% testing negative for stimulant use during treatment, and said 21 Indian health care providers have been approved to offer traditional health care practices. It also described BH Connect initiatives such as the $1.9 billion access reform and outcomes incentive program, workforce investments, evidence-based practice expansion, IMD participation by four counties, and transitional rent services. On BHSA implementation, DHCS said it is not tracking individual county contract cuts but is monitoring county plans and statewide outcomes, while stakeholders raised concerns about local prevention and service gaps. DHCS also outlined its H.R. 1 implementation strategy, including outreach, streamlined renewals, exemptions for disabled, substance use, and medically frail individuals, and proposed clinic navigator and outreach funding; it said it has not yet produced a focused estimate of H.R. 1 impacts on behavioral health populations. The discussion ended with DHCS noting that B-CHIP bond funding has supported 437 infrastructure projects, creating 546 new or expanded facilities and more than 9,500 residential beds across the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• Notably, we will issue updated standards for coverage of high-fidelity wraparound for children and youth
• Those federal requirements did establish a very high bar for states to offer statewide coverage that
• So we hope that these won't be sustained long-term. Thank you for your time today.
• For calls, the answer rate is somewhere in the high 80s, 80% for California. For text, it is 40%.
• And the speed to answer alone is an extremely high bar for us. It's very similar to 911.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• High-quality voice and broadband service is increasingly essential for Californians today to access education
• Part of those requirements are for facilities located in high fire risk areas.
• And we are thankful for them for that.
• For BEAT, for example, a number of women have already been started.
• Action Plan, and that includes three long-term goals for all Californians, that they have high-speed

Committee: House Communications and Conveyance

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> think I can speak for think I can speak for &gt;&gt; I<00:46:29.280><c> hope</c><00:46:29.359><c
• a student for year-long high school credit courses.
• It's a workforce development strategy that prepares students for high-wage, high-demand jobs, many of
• So I jumped ahead for high demand jobs.
• </c><00:59:56.079><c> high</c><00:59:56.400><c> wage,</c> that prepares students for high wage, that

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met without a quorum, so the minutes were not approved. The main presentation was from retired economics professors John Garren and Dr. Kums, who discussed their Bluegrass Institute research on teacher compensation in Kentucky since the Kentucky Education Reform Act era. They said teacher base salaries, adjusted for inflation, have declined over the last decade, while state-paid “on-behalf” benefits such as pension and health insurance contributions have risen sharply; they argued total teacher compensation has increased modestly overall, but less than per-pupil funding. They also presented broader context on staffing growth, declining average daily attendance, Kentucky’s low share of teachers among total school staff, and flat or weak NAEP and ACT performance trends, including widening white-Black score gaps on NAEP. Members questioned the methodology and interpretation of the compensation figures. Representative Bojanowski argued the on-behalf calculations may overstate teacher compensation because they include insurance and pension costs that also benefit classified employees and retirees, and he asked for clarification on the denominator used to derive the per-teacher amount. Representative Truit said the presentation could be misleading if it implies teachers earn $94,000 in salary, and he objected to framing pension stabilization payments as teacher pay. The presenters responded that they were using total compensation, not salary alone, said they had divided total personnel-related on-behalf payments by the relevant staff count, and promised to review and send a technical explanation. Representative Truit and Chairman Typton both emphasized that compensation should be viewed as salary plus benefits, not salary alone, and noted that pension contributions are part of the cost of employing teachers. The presenters said their intent was to show the full compensation package and its relevance to labor supply and teacher shortages, not to claim that individual teachers earn the total compensation figure as salary. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond the decision to revisit the minutes at a later meeting due to the lack of quorum.

Transcript Highlights:

• high school.
• I am paging for Senator Guthrie and I'm a junior at Oaga High School, and my future plans are to go to
• I am in 12th grade at John Marshall High School, and I'm paging for Senator Hicks.
• After high school, I planned on going to OSU for political science. Good morning, senators.
• Thank you for your service. Thank you for all you're doing.

Bills: SB1627 , SB227 , SB366 , SB1193 , SB1433 , SB1450 , SB1481 , SB1749 , SB1810 , SB1812 , SB1921 , SB1948 , SB2044 , SB2178 , SB169 , SB1877 , HB1409 , SB1266 , SB1432

Keywords: criminal code cleanup, duplicate statutes, statutory consolidation, repealer bill, emergency clause, Title 21 crimes, Title 47 DUI, child abuse reporting, child neglect, child sexual abuse material, child pornography, sex offenses, rape, stalking, domestic abuse, domestic violence, human trafficking, sex trafficking, gang-related offense, eluding police

Transcript Highlights:

• for this morning.
• In your opinion, are we having the right amount of time on task to achieve the results we hope for?
• Projects for 2027 are pretty much the same for numbers 1 through 4 that I mentioned for 2026.
• Thank you for you and your team for what you do for our kids all throughout Oklahoma.
• I think we are advocates for systems and systems that are competent and provide really high-quality care

Committee: House A&B Human Services Subcommittee

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 96.6 for UC, yes. And 375 million to CSU. For CSU, correct.
• Our hope is that this would automatically count for college credit, but recognizing that a significant
• Thank you for that. When students are dual enrolled with the high school programs, how...
• That leaves a very high task for you and for us, truly.
• Again, I just want to thank you for being here, answering all the questions, and I hope that some folks

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the explanation. Question for AD Gan with Hilo.
• For us, it's asking for the phase three funding for the Mānoa-West Oʻahu collaboration, and thank you
• for funding the phase two and that's for four instructors and also one instructor for our online RNBS
• for the Manoa so for us it's asking for the phase<00:58:00.559><c> three</c><00:58:00.880><c> funding
• </c> for funding the phase two and that's for for funding the phase two and that's for four<00:58:10.480

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education met at the University of Hawaiʻi’s Bachman Hall and heard testimony on several UH-related bills. HB 542 would expand the Hawaiʻi Promise Program to provide unmet-need scholarships at four-year UH campuses. UH system officials, the UH Student Caucus, and a Honolulu Community College student testified in support, emphasizing college affordability, student retention, and workforce needs. Committee members asked about current program data, eligibility, transfer patterns, and cost; UH said it had data available, noted about 10% of current Hawaiʻi Promise students transfer to four-year campuses, and estimated the full expansion would cost about $12 million. UH also suggested a possible alternative of focusing on transfer opportunities from two-year to four-year campuses. The committee then heard HB 840, which concerns athletics appropriations for UH. UH Mānoa and UH Hilo supported the bill. UH officials said the funding would help cover recurring athletics operating costs, women’s sports travel and recruiting, Austin Awards, and a new nutrition fueling station, while Hilo said the money would help with travel, per diem, and conference-related costs. Members asked about the history of the athletics funding, the difference between Austin Awards and special talent waivers, NIL planning, and whether the appropriation should be restored to the base budget. UH explained that a $4 million athletics appropriation was originally made in 2018 or 2019, later removed from the base, and has been reappropriated annually since then. Finally, the committee heard HB 842, which would fund three additional permanent mental health practitioner positions at UH Mānoa’s Counseling and Student Development Center. UH supported the bill, and Academic Labor United and a high school student testified in favor, citing student stress, overwork, and the need for more counseling access. In questions, members discussed the current counselor-to-student ratio, recruitment challenges in a tight labor market, and strategies for hiring, including looking at candidates on soft-money grants who may be seeking stable employment. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let me say this: federal support is essential for ensuring that our colleges can provide high-quality
• These potential cuts directly affect students' readiness for the workforce, especially in high-demand
• a personal hope for thousands of California students.
• California has been a strong leader in making a connection to high-wage jobs, high-road jobs, and for
• I hope that this overview is helpful to understand the campus climate for students.

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee held an oversight hearing on how federal actions are affecting California higher education, with opening remarks from the chair and members emphasizing the importance of state-federal shared governance and the need to protect access, affordability, and campus diversity. The first panel included leaders from the CSU, University of the Pacific, California Community Colleges, and UC, who described broad impacts from federal grant terminations, changes to student aid, loan limits, visa and immigration policy, and proposed reductions to research support. Testimony focused on the elimination of Grad PLUS loans, caps on Parent PLUS and Pell-related changes, the loss or suspension of hundreds of grants, and the resulting harm to student support services, research, workforce pipelines, food assistance, and health care training. UC and CSU representatives warned of major losses in research funding, indirect cost reimbursement, and student opportunities, while community college leaders highlighted uncertainty around federal grants and the need to maintain services for low-income, first-generation, undocumented, and other vulnerable students. Committee members asked how the state could respond, including through intersegmental partnerships, dual enrollment, transfer pathways, and support for basic needs and nutrition programs. Witnesses said California could help by sustaining financial aid, protecting minority-serving institution programs, and investing in research, housing, and workforce development. Several speakers stressed that federal changes were creating instability for students and campuses, and that the effects would likely be long-lasting, especially in health care, teaching, STEM, and social work pipelines. A second panel then focused on equitable access. The California Student Aid Commission described state efforts such as the $3.9 billion investment in aid programs, the Cal Grant system, the Dream Act, and possible reforms to better serve adult learners, foster youth, undocumented students, and students with dependents. The Los Angeles Community College District reported that federal cuts and policy shifts are discouraging students from applying for aid, threatening TRIO and MSI/HSI-funded services, and reducing support for basic needs, counseling, and workforce programs. The Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities and the CSU Academic Senate echoed concerns about FAFSA confusion, international student restrictions, grant losses, and the erosion of equity-focused programs. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and discussed possible state responses.