Transcript Highlights:

• As you all know, having partners in public service to help you do what you need to do to be here to serve
• not only grow in my career, but to grow in service to the state of Arizona.
• career, but to grow in service to the state of Arizona.
• I believe it was to be paid to the vendor who's providing the services.
• It's poor service to the taxpayers. It's poor service to the county and the district.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The intent behind universal pre-K is to offer universal access to early childhood education.
• I just want to mention that we would like the Texas Health and Human Services, or DHS, to lead this bill
• We ensure that children have access to education.
• Parents often face barriers to workforce participation due to access to childcare.
• It is actually much more cost-efficient for families to go to a childcare center and receive services

Bills: HB 117, HB2196, HB2689, HCR64, HB117

Keywords: early childhood education, task force, governance, Texas Education Agency, child care, education policy, virtual education, hybrid learning, school funding, average daily attendance, education technology, remote learning, education legislation, workforce development, adult education, high school diploma, industry certification, pilot program, gifted education, education support

Transcript Highlights:

• the speed of delivery of services to further enable economic self-sufficiency.
• Some of the main features that we sought to gain with that deployment was to increase accessibility for
• ACCESS, to FX, to FASMS, to CWIS?
• So is there going to be funding for the CBCs to have access to that CWA system?
• We're really trying to wrap up CWIS and get ACCESS in a good place, and then we plan to work with our

Summary: The Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs received a Department of Children and Families update from CIO Cole Sousa on three major technology modernization efforts: ACCESS, CWIS, and FASMS. For ACCESS, he described the six-year, $205 million project to replace the aging eligibility system used for SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid applications, noting completed releases such as the MyACCESS portal, document management, partner portal, workload management, and client registration modules. He said the system now supports mobile applications, multi-factor authentication, and bot detection, and that the next budget request is $36.625 million to continue moving workers off the mainframe, modernize notices, and complete more worker-portal functions. Members asked about performance data, interoperability with other systems, and the relationship to the FX project and APD; Sousa said API-based real-time exchanges are the goal and that current average case processing time is about 30 days, though he would provide a more exact figure later. The committee then heard about CWIS, a four-year, $75 million child welfare modernization project. Sousa said phase one is complete, including hotline intake, investigations, mandatory reporter, youth, parent, and mobile portals, along with mobile field tools, e-signatures, and customizable dashboards. Current work is focused on case management, assessment and safety planning, licensure, and placement modules, with collaboration from community-based care providers through advisory sessions. For the next fiscal year, DCF is requesting $28 million and expects to finish development by summer and launch in September, while continuing change management and training. Senators pressed on interoperability with ACCESS, FX, and FASMS, the use of a single unique identifier, and whether CBCs would be required to use the statewide system; Sousa said the department’s goal is one statewide system, with licensing costs absorbed by the state and no plan for dual systems after go-live. Finally, Sousa gave a brief update on FASMS, the financial and services accountability system used by managing entities. He said it remains in maintenance mode while DCF prioritizes ACCESS and CWIS, and that modernization of FASMS is still being planned with partner agencies. He estimated current maintenance costs at about $1.3 million and suggested a future modernization could cost roughly $5 million to $7 million, though no firm timeline has been set. The committee expressed support for using data and interoperable systems to improve decision-making, and the meeting adjourned without any votes or formal actions beyond adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• regulations and policies allow Californians to access the highest quality mental health services.
• ongoing workforce shortages to ensure that Californians have access to high-quality mental health services
• Compacts can offer portability for licensure, which is great for continuity of care and access to services
• that has to be spent to be able to access that.
• They work with local agencies to increase access to services for potential victims and hold exploiters

Summary: The joint sunset oversight hearing reviewed five regulatory entities: the Board of Behavioral Sciences, the Board of Psychology, the Physician Assistant Board, the Podiatric Medical Board, and the California Massage Therapy Council. Across the hearing, each entity described recent accomplishments, licensing and enforcement workload, workforce shortages, and efforts to modernize processes. Common themes included streamlining licensure, expanding access to care, addressing telehealth or emerging technology, and balancing consumer protection with workforce needs. For the Board of Behavioral Sciences, members discussed workforce shortages in mental health, supervision barriers, telehealth confidentiality, AI in therapy, interstate compacts, school-based services, and military spouse licensure. The board said it has expanded outreach, improved licensing processes, and created temporary practice authority tracking, while also expressing concern about counseling compacts and emphasizing California-specific law, ethics, and cultural competency. Public commenters supported the board’s work and the possible move to a national MFT exam, while also urging more resources. The Board of Psychology highlighted fee adjustments, streamlined licensure pathways, enforcement process improvements, new CPD requirements, and proposed changes including a psychotherapist-client privilege exception for investigations. Committee members and public witnesses focused heavily on that privilege proposal, with some members opposing it as too broad and privacy-invasive, while the board argued it is needed to obtain records in bias and sexual misconduct cases. The board also discussed workforce shortages, processing improvements, and the use of inactive status for psychological associates. The Physician Assistant Board reported growth in the PA workforce and education programs, SB 697 implementation, and financial pressure from rising enforcement costs. The main policy debate centered on physician-to-PA ratios and practice agreements, with board representatives and many public commenters arguing that current restrictions limit access to care, especially in rural areas, while the California Medical Association defended the need for explicit ratios and agreements. The board also discussed AI, fee increases, and tracking temporary practice authority. The Podiatric Medical Board described licensing and renewal reforms, residency expansion, enforcement support, and budget constraints, while public testimony raised concerns about a proposed fee increase and about reimbursement parity and practice recognition for podiatrists. Finally, the California Massage Therapy Council defended the certification model over licensure, citing lower costs, local government collaboration, anti-trafficking work, and its role in vetting applications and disciplining bad actors; no formal votes or final actions were taken during this portion of the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• That card gives me access to represent that veteran.
• come and be able to use a service like ours.
• But to the gentleman's point, we don't have access to VBMS. We are not accredited.
• But to the gentleman's point, we don't have access to VBMS. We are not accredited.
• Harmily Disability Advocates chose to step into this space to provide service to one of the most deserving

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• cat overpopulation statewide by expanding access to affordable spay and neuter services.
• cat overpopulation statewide by expanding access to affordable spay and neuter services.
• To date, approximately $1 million has been awarded to 28 organizations across New Mexico, expanding access
• to spay and neuter services in communities with the greatest need.
• Our focus is responsible stewardship of these funds and expanding access to affordable spay and neuter

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 38, which would continue New Mexico’s affordable spay and neuter grant program. Supporters, including animal shelter officials, veterinarians, county advocates, and nonprofit representatives, said the program is needed because shelters are overwhelmed by dog and cat overpopulation, and they cited high intake and euthanasia rates, especially in rural and low-income areas. Several speakers said the grants have already funded spay/neuter and trap-neuter-release work and should not sunset. One public comment raised concerns that some money was going to private parties and could create anti-donation issues, while another witness responded that the legal challenge is still pending and no court has ruled on the law’s constitutionality. Dr. Lawrence Young of the Veterinary Medicine Board said about $1 million has been awarded to 28 organizations, with additional funds in escrow, and described the program as transparent and accountable. The chair said the bill would be taken up for a vote later, not at that meeting. The committee also heard SB 101, the Health Care Delivery and Access Act, which would repeal the program’s July 1, 2030 sunset and make it permanent. The sponsor and the Health Care Authority said the act has already helped optimize nearly $1.5 billion in federal hospital funding, which hospitals must reinvest in care, workforce, and quality improvements. Support came from the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce, New Mexico Safety Over Profit, the New Mexico Hospital Association, and the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, all of whom said the program provides stability for hospitals, especially rural and safety-net facilities, and helps avoid service disruptions. No opposition was voiced, and the chair said the committee would return to the bill for a vote on Thursday.

Transcript Highlights:

• The access to education is available everywhere.
• improve patient care outcomes, to improve access to health care data and records to improve efficiencies
• , and they are undergoing Rigorous training on how to manage access to the data to observe those protections
• the portal, not just access to records but many more.
• As far as wraparound services, I'd have to go back to my office and get you a number, but I'm happy to

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They had attempted to use that tool to install a backdoor to give them continued access into the school
• They no longer have access to our state data.
• networking, advertising services, just to name a few.
• And DCN provides services to our anchor institutions, the state of North Dakota, to the schools, Services
• This is all about making our services essentially more accessible to our constituents.

Summary: The committee received several informational reports from NDIT and DPI. Justin Data reviewed the quarterly major IT project portfolio, noting the portfolio was slightly under budget and behind schedule overall, with three red schedule items: Bed Management System and Vital Records were essentially complete and being closed out, and the Roadway Capital Planning Project was delayed by vendor bug fixes after testing. He also summarized recent project startups and closeouts, including the Victim Notification System, Medicaid data exchange, Highway Patrol’s motor carrier permit system, and several completed HHS and RIMS projects. Members asked for follow-up on ADA compliance work, the public-facing RIO website, and the state’s mainframe retirement timeline, and staff agreed to provide updates later. Craig Falkley reported on coordination of services with political subdivisions and higher education, including StageNet, cybersecurity, radio/911 services, and PeopleSoft coordination. He also explained distributed ledger technology as a tool for transparency and fraud prevention, but said it is not widely used in state government and suggested the report be modernized to focus more broadly on emerging technologies such as AI and cybersecurity. The committee generally agreed that the topic should be updated. Chris Gurgan presented the mandatory cybersecurity incident reporting program created by HB 1314, explaining how agencies and political subdivisions report incidents through NDIT’s website or service desk. He said 77 incidents had been reported since 2021, 47 met the statutory definition, and most were phishing-related; most reported incidents were resolved, with one recent ransomware matter still open. He also reviewed notable incidents since the last report, including the PowerSchool compromise, a SimpleHelp intrusion at a school district, a court intrusion, a WSUS vulnerability, a business email compromise, and a recent ransomware incident involving a non-state critical infrastructure entity. Members asked about recovery of stolen funds, early warning signs, smishing, training, MFA, conditional access, and cybersecurity maturity assessments; Gurgan said the state uses MFA and conditional access, provides awareness training to state employees, and would return with more information on maturity assessments. Tony Ambrose then updated the committee on the K-12 student information system bridge project. He said district implementation of Infinite Campus had begun statewide, but the data migration vendor originally selected was terminated for poor performance and replaced by Aurora Educational Technology, which had experience with similar statewide migrations. He also said DPI is migrating special education data from Tynet into Infinite Campus, and that some SLDS-based tools such as e-transcripts and Choice Ready may not function exactly as they do now at July 1, requiring interim or alternative solutions. Members raised concerns about summer school disruptions, the timing of the cutover, and whether the new system would support existing reporting and transcript functions; DPI said it was working on identity, authentication, data-sharing agreements, and post-go-live integrations, and would continue to refine the plan beyond June 30.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:14:32.399><c> housing</c> to the task force on accessible housing to the task force on accessible
• c> and</c> access to generational wealth and access to generational wealth and highlighting<00:19:36.000
• To fully realize the program's potential and to make it accessible to low-income buyers, it's essential
• ><c> buyers,</c><00:25:28.960><c> it's</c> accessible to low-income buyers, it's accessible to low-income
• <00:28:32.559><c> to</c><00:28:32.960><c> legal</c> access renters have access to legal access renters

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <c> care</c> share to get to work access medical care share to get to work access medical care and<00
• accessibility to school work and other accessibility to school work and other resources<01:13:11.280>
• </c> to ensure that all patients have access to ensure that all patients have access to<01:32:06.560>
• It is about access to facilities that serve patients and provide services.
• It is about access to facilities that serve patients and provide services.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committees heard testimony on several transportation and consumer-related bills. HB 496, relating to mamaki tea labeling, drew support from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Weights and Measures, and the Hawaii Farm Bureau, which said the bill would help protect a culturally important crop and the Hawaii brand. Members questioned Agriculture about staffing and whether the bill was being used to reopen a package-labeling inspection branch; the department said it currently has no Oahu inspectors for that function but has a place for an additional inspector. No opposition was registered on the measure. HB 978, relating to electric utilities, and HB 1316, relating to DLNR/park reservations, were also heard. HB 1316 received support from State Parks, and members discussed where reservation fees would go and whether the statewide reservation system for three parks would cover its costs; the committee indicated a change would be made so fees go to the special fund. HB 914, relating to water carriers, drew support or comments from the PUC, Department of Agriculture, Department of Transportation, Young Brothers, and the Hawaii Harbor Users Group. The main discussion focused on the proposed automatic rate-adjustment mechanism tied to the GDP price index, with members asking for alternative index ideas and questioning whether the PUC already had authority to adopt such a mechanism. Young Brothers said the measure would provide clarity and help recover inflationary costs, while the chair raised concerns about repeated rate increases and asked for further testimony on possible alternative indices. HB 1161, relating to transportation and road usage charges, received support from the Insurance Division, DOT, and the State Energy Office, with comments from the Tax Foundation of Hawaii and the Hawaii Food Industry Association. Members asked whether counties need state authorization to adopt mileage-based charges and why the bill included funding for implementation; DOT said it is helping counties build the data collection and billing system and that Honolulu is handling much of the collection work. A question was also raised about whether plug-in hybrids would be covered, and DOT said vehicles under the federal electric-vehicle definition would be included. HB 1301, relating to transportation network companies, drew opposition from the Hawaii Association for Justice, Lyft, and Uber, all arguing that classifying TNCs as common carriers and changing liability rules would raise costs, reduce access, and disrupt the current statewide framework. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Families should not lose access to care due to circumstances outside their control, and our system works
• Family should not lose access to care due to circumstances outside their control, and our system works
• who have to go into a domestic violence shelter, which interrupts the child's day-to-day services.
• A rigid cap removes the little flexibility that they do have to access these services in entirety.
• Thank you. ...that access to coverage is incredibly important.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• access to the Internet now.
• provide access to those in the communities that don't have access to broadband Internet. $86 million
• be able to provide that access to those that are still in need.
• , reliable, sustainable access to the internet.
• be able to provide that access to those that are still in need.

Summary: The Committee on Commerce and Tourism met briefly and first announced that Senate Bill 232 by Senator Rodriguez was temporarily postponed at the sponsor’s request. The main item was a presentation from Leo Garcia of the Office of Broadband on Florida’s broadband programs, current deployment progress, and upcoming funding opportunities. Garcia said the office is administering multiple grant programs that have awarded hundreds of millions of dollars for broadband infrastructure, community facilities, and digital device access, with a focus on rural areas, workforce development, and digital literacy. He also described the state’s strategic plan and partnerships with local governments, ISPs, workforce boards, community colleges, and community action agencies. Garcia explained that Florida has already deployed over 1,100 miles of fiber and enabled about 4,300 connections, and said the remaining unserved and underserved locations should drop significantly by the end of 2026 before the BEAD program addresses the rest. He said BEAD is a fully federal program for Florida, providing $1.16 billion from NTIA, with most of it reserved for infrastructure and additional amounts for workforce training and cybersecurity/digital literacy. He noted that Florida is prioritizing fiber but will also use fixed wireless or satellite where fiber is not cost-effective or feasible. He also said the office is seeking additional spending authority for the Digital Capacity Grant Program. Members asked about county coverage, especially Duval County, and Garcia said Duval and Monroe had not yet received funds because they currently have limited unserved or underserved areas, but they are expected to be addressed through BEAD and related workforce and literacy efforts. Senator Davis raised permitting delays as a major challenge, and Garcia said the office is exploring ways to help local communities process permits more quickly. Senator Wright asked about competition with satellite-based broadband providers, and Garcia said the state is technology-agnostic but prioritizes fiber for reliability. There were no public comments, no votes or formal actions taken, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm sure there is an ACCESS facility or office to service our constituents.
• to ACCESS fee-for-service claims, submits the following report.
• to access fee-for-service claims submits the following report.
• And we all came to the determination that it's time for Access employees to come back to work.
• It's not; Access was removed from the bill, but it pertains to the Department of Health Services.

Summary: The Senate met in multiple Committee of the Whole sessions and considered a large number of bills, many related to digital assets and cryptocurrency, including SB 1042, SB 1043, SB 1044, SB 1045, SB 1432, SCR 1003, SCR 1033, and SCR 1028. Members discussed whether the state should accept cryptocurrency for payments, tax or exempt virtual currency, ban central bank digital currency, and support digital assets in retirement systems. Senator Epstein repeatedly argued against the measures and tried to offer amendments targeting data center tax exemptions, but one such amendment was ruled not germane and the ruling was upheld on a division vote. The bills and resolutions in that group generally advanced with do-pass recommendations, with SB 1043 and SB 1044 amended before advancing. The Senate also advanced several bills on family law, public records, scholarship organizations, property conveyances, underground facilities, and environmental and energy issues, including SB 1039, SB 1139, SB 1147, SB 1148, SB 1328, SB 1078, SB 1142, SB 1184, SB 1254, SB 1278, SB 1281, SB 1418, SB 1445, and SB 1566. Some measures drew discussion and amendments: SB 1254 received a clarifying amendment for deeds handled by title and escrow professionals; SB 1278 had a floor amendment withdrawn; SB 1281 was amended by committee and floor changes; SB 1418 prompted questions about small modular reactors and concerns about uranium mining and health impacts; and SB 1566 was amended to address malicious delay enforcement and judicial review. Most of these bills received do-pass recommendations. In the health and human services calendar, the Senate advanced SB 1052, SB 1115, SB 1149, SB 1193, SB 1233, SB 1345, SB 1346, and SB 1631, with SB 1124 retained on the calendar. Debate centered on ACCESS and remote work, administrative deficiency cure periods, anonymous complaints, fee-for-service claims, and DCS-related hearings and investigations. Senator Gonzales opposed several ACCESS-related bills, arguing they lacked appropriations, could disrupt services, or conflicted with federal Medicaid law, while sponsors said the bills addressed agency performance and provider complaints. SB 1115, SB 1149, SB 1193, SB 1233, and SB 1345 were amended before receiving do-pass recommendations, and SB 1345’s sponsor said ACCESS was removed from the bill. The final calendar included regulatory and veterinary-related bills such as SB 1137, SB 1144, SB 1205, and SB 1286. SB 1205, dealing with motor vehicle booting fees, received a floor amendment requiring an appeals process for private parking lots. SB 1286, on veterinary telemedicine and prescriptions, drew the most extended debate, with a committee amendment and a Kavanagh floor amendment restoring a 14-day prescription extension and adding flea and tick treatment; Senator Leach opposed the floor amendment, describing prior stakeholder negotiations and changes in committee support. The transcript ends while that debate is still underway, after several bills have already been reported out with do-pass recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• service-type services, available to our disabilities community with wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
• services, lift and Uber service uh type<00:02:13.360><c> available</c><00:02:14.040><c> to</c><00:02
• And it's really to deliver TNC-type services to people with mobility impairments in ways that they just
• um to people deliver TNC type services um to people with<00:04:47.680><c> mobility</c><00:04:48.160>
• So the folks who rely on those sources to provide those services or access and benefit from those services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> I was fortunate to have access to one. I was fortunate to have access to one.
• Thanks to Medicaid, my loved one has access to critical services such as medical care, mental health
• As a result, not only will less people have access to these services, but less services will be available
• As a result, not only will less people have access to these services, but less services will be available
• As a result, not only will less people have access to these services, but less services will be available

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But actually, the point is to make sure that the students have access to the highest quality food that
• points of access to complete their work efficiently.
• points of access to complete their work efficiently.
• No unauthorized people should be able to access that point.
• Just to clarify, this bill specifically goes to the access award amount under the Cal Grant B portion

Summary: The Senate Education Committee heard several bills focused on school nutrition, campus safety, college affordability, and UC contracting ethics. SB 1058 by Senator McNerney would remove price as the primary factor in school nutrition procurement, allowing districts more flexibility to prioritize meal quality, cultural appropriateness, local sourcing, and sustainability. Support came from school nutrition officials, education agencies, and school business groups; there was no opposition. Members raised questions about vendor selection and safeguards against favoritism, and the bill was ultimately moved forward on a due pass motion. SB 1140 by Senator Ashby, sponsored by the California Federation of Teachers, would require school safety plans to address access control during construction, maintenance, and repair projects by limiting unattended entry points such as open doors and gates. Supporters included Brady Campaign, Moms Demand Action, school employees, labor groups, and Prism. Members discussed how the bill would apply to both new construction and ongoing maintenance, and the measure advanced on a due pass motion. SB 959 was taken up on consent and also moved forward. SB 1006 by Senator Padilla would raise the Cal Grant B Access Award to a new minimum and tie future increases to inflation, with related supplemental awards for student parents and former foster youth also indexed. Support came from higher education advocates, CSU, student groups, and public advocacy organizations, with testimony from a Sac State student describing housing, transportation, and food insecurity. Members generally supported the bill, though questions were raised about fiscal impact; the author estimated about $21 million in first-year costs. The bill passed the committee on a due pass motion. SB 1141 by Senator Wahab would bar businesses from contracting with the University of California if a UC executive is paid by, or has been paid by, that business within the prior year, aiming to address conflicts of interest in UC contracting. AFSCME and UC workers supported the bill, citing examples of executives serving on corporate boards while their institutions contract with those companies. UC and business groups opposed it, arguing it was overly broad, could capture ordinary dividends or unpaid advisory roles, and could disrupt essential contracts and operations. After extensive debate over existing conflict-of-interest laws and whether the bill would create practical problems, the committee approved SB 1141 on a 4-3 vote and then reported the remaining bills out 7-0 as calls were lifted, concluding the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• , but they also have access to the benefits and services.
• Before they actually exit service, is there a way to link them to CalVet?
• , we stand committed to, to ensuring access.
• has to go into the County Veterans Service Office to get their veteran status verified.
• We just keep doubling down and ensuring access to County Veterans Service Officers.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So uh this to expand in needed services.
• 05:56.880><c> 5</c> burden of expanded services for up to 5 burden of expanded services for up to 5 years
• </c><00:07:30.000><c> and</c> access to primary health services and access to primary health services
• </c><00:09:08.560><c> to</c> years as we wait for these services to years as we wait for these services
• more accessible to motans over the and more accessible to motans over the long<01:30:05.440><c> term

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm happy to take questions. Thank you very much, Dr. Garzon, for your service.
• Garzon, for your service. Members, we're going to open it up for questions. Any questions?
• And it's really important, really important that our communities have access to those services.
• And it's really important, really important that our communities have access to those services.
• I live in Delnark County. have access to those services.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• service. local ambulance service is able to abate local ambulance service is able to abate fees<00:01
• </c> to food access. to food access.
• This bill also increases access to service across Minnesota.
• barrier to health care services. services. services.
• :26.120><c> and</c> access to our health care services and access to our health care services and is<

Keywords: 1187, senate, all