Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Chair Ramos and committee.
• I'm the Director of Facility Services.
• of human trafficking survivors.
• That is what human trafficking victim services offers under H.T. VAP.
• We built it on the most modern cloud services available, Amazon Web Services.

Summary: The subcommittee met to hear budget-related updates from the Judicial Branch and the Office of Emergency Services, with no votes taken. The Judicial Council supported the Governor’s proposed budget, highlighting $70 million for increased trial court operating costs, additional funding for court-appointed counsel, Court of Appeal case processing, and courthouse construction and facilities. Trial court representatives emphasized staffing retention problems, especially in counties like San Bernardino, and said stable funding is needed to avoid delays and maintain access to justice. Members also discussed the branch’s remote proceedings program, which has been used in more than 6 million hearings statewide since 2022 and was described as especially important in rural areas and for vulnerable litigants; several members urged making the authority permanent rather than extending it temporarily. A major portion of the hearing focused on Proposition 36 implementation. Finance said the Governor’s budget maintains the $130 million provided in the 2025 Budget Act for court workload and pretrial services, but adds no new Prop. 36 court funding. Judicial Council staff reported nearly 35,000 felony Prop. 36 filings in 2025, with most cases still pending and only a small share of treatment-mandated cases already dismissed after treatment. Witnesses said courts are using the funds for staffing, coordinators, clerks, and treatment-court operations, but that workload varies widely by county and that data collection is limited because courts report aggregate information rather than case-level outcomes. The LAO raised a technical concern about the Department of Finance’s Prop. 47 savings estimate and recommended revising the methodology at May Revision. The committee also reviewed the Orange Central Justice Center facility modification project, where the Judicial Council explained that hidden construction deficiencies and fire-life-safety issues caused costs to rise substantially after demolition began. The LAO said the project itself was supportable but recommended that the Legislature set an ongoing funding level for court facilities, require a long-term facilities plan, and consider more oversight of facility modification projects. Finance said it continues to fund courthouse projects individually and through the State Public Works Board, while acknowledging project delays and cost increases. Finally, Cal OES and advocates discussed victim services funding. Cal OES said it administers about $315 million annually for victim service programs, including VOCA-funded services, but federal VOCA allocations have fluctuated sharply and the state has used one-time General Fund backfills to maintain services. Trauma recovery center advocates warned that an 85% reduction in funding would sharply reduce services for survivors of violent crime, while human trafficking advocates urged reauthorization of the Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Program before funding reverts to pre-pandemic levels in July 2026. Members asked about federal and state funding stability, referral pathways, and the long-term value of these programs in preventing worse outcomes and reducing public costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• That fear is real; that fear cuts at the heart of our humanity.
• But denying humanity is not how we change policy.
• My faith teaches compassion, acceptance, and humanity.
• Announcements: Monday afternoon committees.
• Representative Bliss: Health and Human Services Committee is meeting in HHR 4 in 10 minutes, and I understand

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior journal, and recognition of Dr. Pamela Murphy as Doctor of the Day. Members also introduced a number of guests, including Deacon Ernie Gonzalez, local Prescott officials, Arizona Game and Fish commissioners, and advocates from the Alzheimer’s Association. A proclamation was read designating January 26, 2026, as Arizona Aviation Day, with remarks highlighting the aviation industry’s economic impact and the presence of airport and aviation representatives in the gallery. The clerk then read a long list of bills that had been first read or referred for printing, and a second-reading calendar covering measures on water and energy, education, elections, taxes, housing, veterans, public safety, and other topics. No floor votes on those bills were taken during this segment. Representative Gress also read a resolution recognizing National School Choice Week and praising Arizona’s school choice programs, including charters and ESAs. Much of the remainder of the session consisted of members’ personal privilege remarks responding to violence and immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota and elsewhere. Speakers from both parties and several senators and representatives condemned ICE tactics, described constituent fear and family separations, and called for constitutional rights, due process, and accountability. Representative Sandoval requested and the House observed a moment of respectful silence in memory of Alex Pretty and Renee Good. The House then received committee and caucus announcements and adjourned until 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, January 27, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will call the Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Human Services to order.
• This cross-sector functionality typically appeals to state health and human services agencies for its
• It is good language, but in all fairness, in service to the committee, we took another critical, candid
• First, I’d like to thank the committee, the Department of Developmental Services, and Disability Rights
• We already see gaps between services authorized and services actually utilized. ...gaps between services

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Good morning, Madam Chair and committee members.
• , National Park Service, and all of those entities.
• Yes, Madam Chair, members of the committee.
• Thank you, Madam Chair and members of the committee.
• Services, now the Health Care Authority, etc.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Uh that's the Senate Committee Uh that's the Senate Committee Resolution,<00:01:01.520><c> a</c>
• </c><00:02:23.720><c> is</c> the management advisory committee is the management advisory committee is
• </c> of a merit plan by the director of human of a merit plan by the director of human resources<00:02
• ,</c> further approval by the rules committee, further approval by the rules committee, is<00:03:06.360
• The director of human is correct.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, committee.
• And with that, committee, that is the gist of this RS.
• Welcome to committee. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning, committee members.
• Chairman, members of the committee.
• Is there anything else, committee? Not seeing anything.

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• : AB 317, Jackson, from the Revenue and Taxation Committee to the Appropriations Committee, and AB 1331
• , Elhawary, from the Judiciary Committee to the Appropriations Committee.
• AB 1331, Elhawary, from the Judiciary Committee to the Appropriations Committee.
• Earlier this week, as a member of the Public Safety Committee, survivors of human trafficking stood before
• Human Services, Capitol Room 444; Judiciary, Capitol Room 447; Natural Resources, Capitol Room 126; Privacy

Summary: The Assembly met with a quorum after a roll call and prayer, then moved through routine business and a lengthy floor debate centered on AB 379, a bill dealing with protections for minors and human trafficking victims. Assembly Member DeMaio first sought to bring the bill up without Public Safety Committee amendments, arguing the committee had gutted the bill and removed felony language for purchasing 16- and 17-year-olds for sex. The body instead adopted a substitute motion to take up Assembly Member Schultz’s floor amendments to AB 379, and the bill became the focus of intense debate over whether the amended language would still adequately protect minors or instead weaken penalties and create a lower standard for 16- and 17-year-olds. Supporters of the amendments, including Schultz, Petri-Norris, Mark Gonzalez, Krell, Wynn, and others, said the changes were intended to strengthen and clarify the law, protect trafficking survivors, and preserve prosecutorial effectiveness while avoiding misinformation about existing law. Opponents, including DeMaio, Gallagher, Dixon, Macedo, Castillo, and others, argued the amendments watered down the bill, failed to restore the original felony treatment for buyers of 16- and 17-year-olds, and amounted to political maneuvering rather than real protection. The chamber also briefly considered a motion to table the amendments, which failed, and an appeal of a ruling on decorum, which was rejected. After debate, the Assembly adopted Schultz’s amendments to AB 379 by a 55-21 vote and then rereferred the bill to the Appropriations Committee. The chamber also handled several procedural items, including re-referrals of other bills, consent calendar actions, and a series of unanimous consent votes on numerous bills and resolutions. The session ended with announcements of committee meetings and the next floor session, followed by adjournment until Monday, May 5 at 1 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's some projects at the Human Service Centers and Life Skills Transition Centers for $1.6 billion
• Section 16, the funding from the Human Service Finance Fund, $242 million, is what funds the human service
• Section 22 applies to special assessments for the state hospital, Southeast Human Service Center, Life
• Section 30 is the provider rate increase, so all the various providers in the Department of Human Services
• You know, it's interesting, our Department of Health and Human Services, in great part, is really contracts

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 1012, the Department of Health and Human Services budget. Senator Dever walked through the amended budget, highlighting a roughly $5.85 billion all-funds total, major one-time items for IT, child care, housing, behavioral health, juvenile justice, rural EMS, and supportive housing, along with funding for Medicaid expansion, CCBHCs, opioid settlement uses, and several studies and reporting requirements. Members discussed the provider inflation increase, with Senator Mathern urging a 2%/2% rate instead of 2%/1.5%, but the committee adopted the subcommittee amendment and then passed the amended bill 15-0 with a do-pass recommendation. Senator Dever was named as carrier. The committee then considered House Bill 1540, a school choice/education savings account-style bill. Senator Shibley explained the subcommittee amendments, including clarifying the Bank of North Dakota as administrator, adding a means test at 400% of the federal poverty guideline, and adjusting the fiscal note to about $21.7 million for the second year. In debate, members raised concerns about the bank being assigned duties outside its normal role, the lack of DPI involvement, and whether the means test should be tiered rather than a hard cutoff. The committee rejected a do-not-pass motion 5-10-1, then approved a do-pass motion on the amended bill 9-6-1, with Senator Wobama noted as the likely carrier. The meeting ended with the chair announcing the committee would adjourn and reconvene the next morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the chairman had asked us to work with the Department of Health and Human Services to develop this
• I will defer to the Department of Health and Human Services for a few of the areas of the bill that they
• It doesn't specify any committee, so it could be budget section, it could be the Human Services Committee
• Now, most of this stuff is going to be done by non-Department of Health and Human Service people, and
• ... ...non-Department of Health and Human Services people.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Appropriations Division met in a work session on the draft Rural Health Transformation appropriations bill, 25.1392.01000, with no public testimony taken. Legislative Council and the Department of Health and Human Services walked through the bill, which would appropriate about $397.8 million in federal grant funds over two federal fiscal years, provide transfer authority, allow certain federal funds to be used for salaries and wages without counting against existing transfer limits, and authorize OMB to adjust other agencies’ spending authority if they receive grant awards through HHS. The bill also includes several temporary statutory exemptions to help implement the program, plus recipient acknowledgement/reporting requirements, periodic reports to Legislative Management, and an immediate effective date upon filing. Committee discussion focused heavily on how the federal rural health transformation money can be used and administered. Department officials explained that CMS will review projects for allowability and sustainability, that the state has flexibility to move funds among categories, and that the grant is limited to 10% administrative costs. Members asked about whether the funding could support renovations, equipment, ambulances, bulk purchasing, food distribution, and other rural health ideas, and were told many details will depend on CMS approval and the eventual applications. Questions also addressed cash flow, timing of obligations and reimbursements, FTE funding, and whether grant recipients should be told the program will not continue beyond the federal period; officials said the language is meant to prevent expectations of automatic continuation, not to bar future legislative action. The committee also discussed the bill’s use of a two-year appropriation amount, with staff explaining that the state must appropriate enough authority to cover the federal grant cycle and that unused authority would lapse if the full amount is not received or spent. Members raised concerns about whether the bill’s language could limit creativity or future program design, but department officials and several members emphasized the need for flexibility because CMS may reject overly specific directives. After discussion, the committee voted to recommend the bill draft to the full committee; the motion carried on a roll call vote, and the chair said the full Joint Appropriations Committee would take up the bill at the special session next week.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:10:39.920><c> Services</c><00:10:40.360><c> will</c> the Department of Human Services will the
• services conference committee.
• </c><00:13:02.480><c> services</c> being discussed in the human services being discussed in the human
• services conference<00:13:03.480><c> committee.
• <c> and</c> in human services are strong and in human services are strong and fraud-proof.<00:13:18.680

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: A Minnesota Senate leader discussed the end-of-session budget deal and said the Senate had passed a comprehensive budget that addresses several recent crises and federal policy changes. He highlighted funding to respond to gun violence, Metro Surge, and the effects of a federal Republican budget bill, saying the package includes retroactive medical assistance coverage, support to keep SNAP functioning, $10 million for food banks and shelves, rental assistance, and aid for counties and property taxpayers. He also said the Senate secured $205 million for HCMC, a $30 million uncompensated care pool for other distressed hospitals, and a $500 million health care stabilization reserve, along with a one-year license tab fee reduction and a $1.2 billion bonding bill. He said some priorities were left out or rejected in negotiations, including small business relief, low-income rent, energy assistance, rural EMS stabilization, a manufactured home bill of rights, a social media platform data collection tax, and proposals to block private equity from nursing homes and single-family homes. He also said the House Speaker had promised but not brought a gun vote to the floor, and he expressed disappointment that immigration-related action and some gun control measures did not advance further. He defended the rental assistance as available to Minnesotans regardless of documentation status and said it was not tied only to Operation Metro Surge. The leader also addressed concerns about payment withholding and program integrity in human services, saying the goal was to fight fraud without cutting services. He said hospitals seeking access to the stabilization reserve would need to show distress and financial need, and that both the governor and a legislative advisory committee would have to approve. He closed by saying the process had been difficult and too much negotiation had moved into backroom settings, but that the chambers were working toward an orderly conclusion and that he expected the remaining bills to be finalized and sent to the governor.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review The Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review will
• The next bill is AB 152, the Human Services Omnibus. This bill implements the following.
• The Human Services Omnibus. This bill implements the following proposals.
• It also includes $1.5 million one-time General Fund to the California Health and Human Services Agency
• services programs.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review heard the 2026-27 budget package, including AB 111 and AB 112 plus 16 trailer bills and two policy bills. Chair Laird described the budget as balanced over two fiscal years, with about $351.7 billion in total spending, $251.5 billion General Fund, and record reserves, while emphasizing investments in child care, homelessness, housing, Medi-Cal, education, courts, and other core programs. The Department of Finance presented each bill, outlining major items such as Medi-Cal adjustments tied to federal H.R. 1, child care and early learning funding, education and higher education investments, human services, developmental services, health, skilled nursing, resources, energy, transportation, housing, labor, state government, courts, taxation, and two policy bills on education governance and ballot measure placement. The LAO said it had no additional comments but was available for questions. The committee later achieved quorum and moved to member questions and comments, with no votes taken in the portion provided. Members largely focused on the budget’s fiscal structure and policy implications. Several senators praised staff and noted the compressed timeline, while Vice Chair Niello criticized the process as overly complex and burdensome. Senator Smallwood-Cuevas supported the budget but raised concerns about Medi-Cal changes for people with unsatisfactory immigration status, asking about access to care, the number affected, and county eligibility support; Finance said about two million people would transition to fee-for-service and that $39 million was included for care coordination, along with additional county eligibility funding. Senator Durazo said the agreement delayed, but did not resolve, cuts to immigrant health coverage, dental, and clinic payments, and argued that the budget did not create a true restoration mechanism. Senator Richardson highlighted hospital funding, public hospital definitions, DMV data protections, and court construction and maintenance needs, while Senator Grove questioned the sustainability of spending, the Medi-Cal savings assumptions, distressed hospital funding, Planned Parenthood transparency, developmental services changes, high-speed rail costs, and the property tax postponement program. Other members emphasized different priorities. Senator Blake Spear praised climate and parks investments, support for HAP homelessness funding with accountability, transit stabilization, and Care Court referral funding, while expressing concern about the lack of wildlife coexistence funding and long-term transit operating support. Senator Weber Pearson raised a technical concern in the health trailer bill regarding menopause language, arguing that the bill should refer to perimenopausal symptoms and should not narrow provider participation through contracting language. Throughout the hearing, Finance repeatedly explained that many of the budget’s savings came from reduced caseloads or delayed implementation of prior proposals, while some new spending was added to mitigate impacts and support administration of the changes. No final committee action or vote was shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1002, a bill to be entitled: An act relating to utility service
• Committee Substitute for House Bill 1137, a bill to be entitled: An act relating to utility service restrictions
• Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 444, a bill to be entitled: An act relating to human trafficking
• Committee Substitute for House Bill 1237, a bill to be entitled: An act relating to human trafficking
• Committee substitute for Senate Bill 1804, a bill to be entitled, an act related to capital human trafficking

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including remarks from the new Democratic caucus leader, Senator Berman, who emphasized affordability, education, health care, public safety, and opposition to measures he said would roll back child labor protections, book access, and gun safety laws. The chamber also recognized military leaders from U.S. Army Special Operations Command and an intern from Senator Polsky’s office. No committee reports or executive messages were on the desk at the start. The Senate then took up and passed several bills, often after substituting House companions and adopting technical amendments. Among the measures approved were the dangerous dogs bill (the Pam Rock Act), local government land regulation, vessel-related voter freedom/boating provisions, blood clot screening and treatment, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, concealed carry licensing for certain officers and service members, timeshare management firms, disability history and awareness instruction, manufacturing and manufacturing fees, public education on background screening requirements, utility service restrictions, educational opportunities for military children, Medicaid oversight, health facilities authorities, and veterans’ nursing home beds. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on human trafficking, waste management, Bright Futures, Medicaid oversight earlier in the day, mammogram coverage, and others. Debate on the disability history bill was especially extensive, with senators discussing the use of the word “disability,” the role of bias, and whether the bill fit with broader DEI-related policy debates. The bill’s sponsor and supporters framed it as a first step toward helping students understand and respect people with disabilities, and the chamber opened co-sponsorship before substituting the House version. Other bills drew focused questions about local government costs, impact fees, staffing burdens, grant criteria for small manufacturers, and the scope of utility preemption. Most measures passed on strong votes, including several unanimous votes, with the concealed carry/firearms bill passing 33-3 and the local government land regulation bill passing 26-8.

Transcript Highlights:

• Additional key partners include the Department of Human Services, which manages Safe Harbor shelter housing
• A map of services and an overview of our state's human trafficking responses were included with your
• </c><00:04:22.560><c> Services</c><00:04:23.120><c> which</c> Department of Human Services which Department
• of Human Services which manages<00:04:23.759><c> Safe</c><00:04:24.040><c> Harbor</c><00:04:24.320><
• with</c><01:04:30.079><c> how</c><01:04:30.240><c> to</c> human services and dealing with how to human

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, members of the committee.
• It is for customer service and also... work.
• Services and CMS. ...Human Services and CMS.
• Can we get you to do a web design for the Department of Human Services?
• All right, Human... All right, Human Resources.

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee.
• Services Committee, an act relating to pharmaceutical benefits, amending the Pharmacy Benefits Manager
• Committee.
• service providers and disseminate that information to internet service and wireless service providers
• Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• contact, that human relationship.
• As long as we're human beings, we're going to need that human relationship.
• connection that our children need to be taught by human beings, that they need to interact with human
• contact, that human relationship.
• As long as we're human beings, we're going to need that human relationship. as long as we're human beings

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And may our devotion to service be an expression of our faith in the goodness of humanity and in the
• And then sounds like he was saved from the Rules Committee.
• But thank you, thank you for your service.
• Members, we’re moving to committee announcements.
• Budget Subcommittee 3 on Health and Human Services will meet in the swing space, Room 1200, immediately

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• referred to the State Affairs Committee.
• to the State Affairs Committee.
• You're human beings just like us. We're just like us. You're human beings just like us.
• vertebrae for $75 each, human toes in jars for $13.95 per jar, and human ribs for $24.95.
• vertebrae for $75 each, human toes in jars for $13.95 per jar, and human ribs for $24.95.

Summary: The Senate opened with roll call, prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the prior day’s journal. It then moved through routine committee reports and bill referrals, including printing and committee assignments for several Senate bills and House messages. Early action also included referral of Senate Concurrent Resolution 128 and multiple House and Senate bills to the appropriate committees or later orders of business. The chamber then took up several appropriations and policy bills on third reading. Senate Bill 1401, an appropriation to the Department of Health and Welfare for Public Health Services, was debated as a mix of federal pass-through funding, vaccine purchasing, laboratory testing, ARPA grants, HIV/hepatitis prevention, suicide prevention, and a transfer of the Idaho Home Visiting Program; it passed 21-14. Senate Bill 1423, dealing with the FAST Act and a framework for stablecoin payments, drew debate over efficiency, banking costs, state control, and privacy/risk concerns; it passed 22-13. Senate Bill 1429, a behavioral health appropriation and supplemental, was presented as a series of restorations and fund shifts tied to prior budget cuts and settlement obligations, and it passed 21-14. Senate Bill 1431, an appropriation and transfer for the Department of Water Resources, including aquifer monitoring and stream gauging/adjudication staffing, passed 26-7. The Senate also passed House Bill 855, revising lifetime fish and game license residency requirements from six months to five years, by a vote of 23-11. Later, House Bill 752, which would prohibit knowingly entering opposite-sex restrooms or changing rooms in government buildings and public accommodations except under specified exceptions, prompted extensive debate. Supporters argued it protected privacy, children, and women’s safety; opponents argued it criminalized transgender people, was discriminatory, and could harm Idaho’s reputation and economy. The debate continued at the end of the transcript, with the bill still under consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:02:23.640><c> I</c> house file 1 180 before the committee I house file 1 180 before the committee
• My apologies, Chair, if nonpartisan staff wanted to note... committee and uh to to clean it up and committee
• the committee.
• I respect your service, and I respect that you did your service. I did not mean that at all.
• With that, our committee next committee meeting will be Tuesday, March 25th at 3 p.m.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It was in the Department of Human Services. It's still in there.
• For reference, 19-02.1 was actually the Board of Pharmacy and Health and Human Services Code.
• Senator Lee, Chairman of the Human Services Committee, moves that the Senate do concur in the House amendments
• The bill was a large technical corrections bill for the Department of Health and Human Services.
• The bill was a large technical corrections bill for the Department of Health and Human Services.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge, a quorum call, and approval of journal corrections. It then handled several House messages, appointing conference committees on Senate Bills 2004 and 2006 and House Bills 1018, 1019, and 1363, and re-referring House Bill 1216 to Appropriations. The chamber also adopted amendments to House Bill 1601, which would have expanded special assistant attorney general authority for certain offices, but the bill failed on final passage after strong opposition centered on preserving the Attorney General’s control and avoiding a solution in search of a problem. A major portion of the day focused on education funding. House Bill 1369 was amended to raise per-pupil aid from 2% and 2% to 3% and 3% and to increase the school construction loan transfer from $75 million to $100 million; supporters said this would help local schools and military base projects, while opponents raised questions about special education placement language and state coordination. The bill passed 44-3. House Bill 1013, the DPI budget, was also amended extensively to adjust staffing, funding sources, grants, meal assistance, teacher training, and other education programs; it passed 45-2. House Bill 2234, dealing with Choice Ready grants, was amended to shift funding away from general funds and toward federal or other sources, but then failed on final passage after the sponsor urged a red vote. The Senate also approved House Bill 1482, restricting bond and indebtedness elections for counties, cities, school districts, and park districts to primary or general election days, and House Bill 1332, creating a value-added agriculture facility incentive program with an emergency clause. House Bill 1010, the Insurance Department budget, passed unanimously after amendments reflecting the merger of the Securities Department into Insurance and adding staff and fee changes, while House Bill 1011, the separate Securities Department budget, failed because its funding was already included in HB 1010. House Bill 1584, a major pharmacy benefit manager reform bill, passed with an enforcement fund and new licensing/enforcement structure despite debate over ERISA and market transparency. In other action, the Senate concurred in House amendments and passed Senate Bills 2226, 2230, 2069, 2082, 2387, 2385, and 2186, with SB 2186 on parenting time interference and a child custody task force passing 27-20 after debate over whether the issue should be left to the courts. Senate Bill 2234, on Choice Ready grants, and Senate Bill 2243, on driver’s license points and traffic penalties, both failed after concurrence motions were adopted but final passage votes were overwhelmingly negative. The chamber also advanced Senate Bill 2291 to conference committee consideration near the end of the transcript.