Transcript Highlights:

• So I kind of left it open, you know, it depends on how much latitude you want to give our congressional
• So I kind of left it open, you know, it depends on how much latitude you want to give our congressional
• So I kind of left it open, you know, it depends on how much latitude you want to give our congressional
• So I kind of left it open, you know, it depends on how much latitude you want to give our congressional
• So, I kind of left it open, you know, it depends on how much latitude you want to give our congressional

Bills: SJ0001

Committee: House Minerals, Business & Economic Development

Keywords: mineral leasing, federal lands, Wyoming, energy policy, local control, federalism, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It reduces dependence on cars, builds long-term public transit use, and lowers emissions by taking vehicles
• It reduces dependence on cars, builds long-term public transit use, and lowers emissions by taking vehicles
• It reduces dependence on cars, builds long-term public transit use, and lowers emissions by taking vehicles
• access to school, shelter services, food distribution programs, health care, or community support depends
• It really does depend on the size of the campus, but I can get you some budget information based on the

Bills: HB2116 , HB1879 , HB2214 , HB2310 , HB2168 , HB2427 , HB2560 , HB1596 , HB2197 , HB2498 , HB2167

Committee: House Human Services & Homelessness

Keywords: grants, community engagement, nonprofit organizations, federal assistance, volunteering, youth transit, public transportation, subsidized transit, environment, energy independence, affordable transportation, Hawaii, diaper tax credit, families, low-income, childcare, health, Hawaii Department of Human Services, DHS, emergency appropriation

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several measures related to human services, homelessness, transit, and family supports. HB 2116 HD1, concerning grants from the Office of Community Services to nonprofits providing training and volunteerism opportunities, drew strong support from Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Children’s Action Network Speaks, and multiple organizations in written testimony. Supporters said the bill would help vulnerable people affected by federal program changes and cuts by connecting them to reintegration and support services. HB 1879 HD1, establishing a subsidized youth transit program coordinated with counties, received extensive testimony in support from the Department of Health, Department of Taxation, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Aloha United Way, Hawaii Bicycling League, Hawaii Appleseed, Hawaii State Youth Commission, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Greenpeace Hawaii, Hawaii Youth Transportation Council, and others. Testifiers emphasized equity, school attendance, reduced transportation costs, climate benefits, and broader access for youth. Several witnesses urged amendments to make the program universal rather than means-tested, and committee discussion noted implementation questions for neighbor islands and rural areas. HB 2214, creating a refundable diaper tax credit for low-income families with children age four and under, was supported by the Hawaii Diaper Bank, Hawaii Children’s Action Network Speaks, and several other organizations. The Department of Taxation recommended making the credit non-refundable and clarifying definitions to aid administration, while supporters argued refundability was important for low-income families who may owe little or no income tax. HB 2310, an emergency appropriation to replenish DHS funds used to provide SNAP benefits during a federal shutdown, also drew broad support from DHS, Catholic Charities, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Hawaii Children’s Action Network Speaks, Hawaii Food Industry Association, Aloha United Way, and others; witnesses praised the state’s rapid response and said the appropriation would prepare DHS for future emergencies. The committee also heard HB 2168 HD1 and HB 2427 HD1 on education for students experiencing homelessness and unaccompanied homeless youth; the Attorney General recommended technical amendments to avoid conflicts with existing law and to clarify McKinney-Vento-related definitions, while advocates stressed the need for school access, transportation, meals, and other supports for homeless and runaway youth.

Transcript Highlights:

• They may be harmed by someone they depend on.
• Depending on the age of the child, the clock can start running before the child is even capable of addressing
• Justice should not depend on how long it took someone to survive. Thank you very much, Senator.
• President, it depends on the age of the child.
• Abusers frequently weaponize immigration status, language access, and economic dependency to enforce

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• million in annual visitor economy is generated, and $2.4 billion in state tax revenue every year depends
• 00:35:04.800><c> revenue</c><00:35:05.200><c> every</c><00:35:05.440><c> year</c><00:35:05.680><c> depends
• </c><00:35:06.079><c> on</c> tax revenue every year depends on tax revenue every year depends on maintaining
• It would help to address the needs of very low-income individuals, individuals who are medically dependent

Bills: HB2198 , HB2021 , HB1881 , HB1964 , HB1990 , HB2151 , HB2599 , HB2414

Keywords: gambling, prediction markets, Hawaii gambling laws, financial contracts, ethical concerns, electric bicycles, micro-mobility devices, safety regulations, traffic laws, insurance exemption, high-speed electric devices, land use, ropeway, transportation, state regulation, government exemption, building code, permitting process, training, state council

Transcript Highlights:

• >> I mean, depending on which entity is going to be doing the, you know, like in terms of the grant making
• &gt;&gt; I<00:26:22.720><c> mean,</c><00:26:22.880><c> depending</c><00:26:23.200><c> on</c><00:26:23.440
• ><c> which</c><00:26:23.760><c> entity</c><00:26:24.080><c> is</c> &gt;&gt; I mean, depending on which
• entity is &gt;&gt; I mean, depending on which entity is going<00:26:24.400><c> to</c><00:26:24.559><
• We have children that don't get home until 7:00, 8:00, 9:00 at night depending on their extracurricular

Bills: SB3179 , SB2872 , SB2391 , SB3282 , SB2836 , SB2181

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: educational workers, harassment, workplace safety, temporary restraining orders, investigation procedures, retired education employees, teacher shortage, rehired retirants, entry level salary, collective bargaining agreements, pension benefits, education, teacher salaries, automatic increments, collective bargaining, teacher retention, workforce development, Pell grant program, short-term education, eligibility

Summary: The joint committee first heard SB 3179, which would require the Department of Education and charter schools to report harassment incidents involving educational workers and adopt procedures for handling them. DOE supported the bill, while the Attorney General recommended clarifying amendments to limit the measure to harassment directed at workers because of their position, to limit DOE legal assistance to temporary restraining order actions, and to clarify whether the harassment must come from outside the school system. Members also discussed whether the bill should cover non-DOE individuals on campus, whether investigations could be handled in-house, and whether training should be embedded in existing workday or school-year training rather than added as a separate requirement. The committee later voted to pass the bill with amendments as SD1. The committee then took up SB 2872, which would require retired teachers or administrators rehired into shortage or hard-to-fill positions to be paid the entry-level salary for that position. DOE supported the bill, and the Attorney General requested clarifying language about its effective date and that it would not affect already matured rights and duties. The Employees’ Retirement System administration emphasized that the bill should retain a 12-month break in service to preserve the pension system’s tax-exempt status and noted the importance of consistent classification of eligible positions. Members expressed support for using retired educators to help fill staffing gaps, but no final action was taken in the portion provided. The committee also heard SB 2391, which would provide annual step increases for public school teachers under bargaining unit 5, subject to funding. The Attorney General said the bill could conflict with collective bargaining procedures and Chapter 89, while DOE said unit 5 includes more than teachers and asked that the benefit be considered for other bargaining units as well, with funding provided if enacted. HSTA strongly supported the measure, arguing that annual step movement is already recognized in the collective bargaining agreement as a recruiting and retention tool. Testimony totals were noted as 16 in support, two in opposition, and three comments. Finally, the committee heard SB 3282, which would establish a statewide framework for the federal workforce Pell Grant program to fund short-term workforce education and training. The Attorney General suggested clarifying that the matter is one of statewide concern because UH is involved. UH and the Chamber of Commerce supported the bill, and DLIR testified that it is coordinating with DOE, the Workforce Development Council, and national groups on implementation. Members questioned whether the Workforce Development Council or DLIR should handle rulemaking and administration, and DLIR said the council is advisory while the department has grant administration expertise. The committee then moved into decision-making after discussion of possible amendments and implementation concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then depending on the miles of line, they file a Form 13 with the county clerk's office.
• ...and as the country's focus returns to dependable baseload energy sources such as nuclear.
• I think one thing you did, we do have to look at the total taxes, depending on which ...from 23% down
• I think one thing you did, we do have to look at the total taxes, depending on which jurisdiction you're
• Yeah, I think if there, you know, depending on the easements and setbacks and stuff that are workable

Committee: House Utilities

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it would depend what the amendment was, but yes, if it—I mean, you couldn't lobby a bill, you
• Many of the higher-order skills measured by these assessments depend on prerequisite skills that must
• studies have found that researchers call mode effects, meaning students can perform differently depending
• I experienced firsthand how technology-dependent assessment policies can create unintended burdens for
• experience as a former teacher and administrator in Phoenix, I experienced firsthand how technology-dependent

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I also want to emphasize something fundamental: The future of the CSU depends on the state of California
• California's workforce depends on the CSU. California's communities depend on the CSU.
• The future of the CSU and our state's prosperity depends on our collective commitment to maintaining
• The future of the CSU and our state's prosperity depends on our collective commitment to maintaining

Summary: The joint Assembly Higher Education and Budget Subcommittee hearing focused on the future of the California State University system, with opening remarks emphasizing CSU’s major role in California’s economy, workforce, and degree production. Chairs and members said the hearing was intended to inform 2026 budget decisions and to examine three main issues: declining enrollment at some campuses, cost controls and possible consolidation, and oversight of recent state investments at campuses such as Humboldt and Sonoma. The meeting was briefly delayed by microphone and sound problems before reconvening. The first panel featured CSU Academic Senate Chair Dr. Elizabeth Boyd and Cal State Student Association Vice President Katie Karam. Boyd urged the Legislature to protect academic freedom, strengthen faculty governance, provide stable ongoing funding, end unfunded mandates, support student food and housing security, fund flexible course schedules, improve transfer systems such as ASSIST, avoid over-centralizing academic programs, protect immigrant students, and expand intersegmental collaboration. Karam said students are feeling the effects of budget shortfalls through fewer course sections, reduced advising and services, longer time to degree, and tuition pressure, and she called for transparency, meaningful student involvement in budget decisions, and sustained state investment rather than cuts that harm the student experience. The second panel covered enrollment management and included CSU Chancellor’s Office and campus administrators from Chico State, Cal State L.A., and San Diego State. Dr. Delcy Perez said CSU Forward and the new systemwide enrollment plan are aimed at expanding access, aligning programs with workforce needs, and increasing resident enrollment; she reported systemwide enrollment gains and strong application numbers, including a direct-admissions pilot that expanded from Riverside to more campuses. Campus representatives described local recruitment and retention strategies, including early outreach to high school students, community college partnerships, guaranteed admission programs, and expanded advising and student support. San Diego State highlighted record enrollment and high demand, while Cal State L.A. described efforts to recover from impaction and rebuild enrollment. Members pressed CSU officials on the accuracy of enrollment data, the gap between funded targets and actual enrollment, and the system’s reallocation formula. CSU staff explained that campuses below target will see a 5% ongoing reallocation beginning in 2026-27, with one-time reserve funding also being directed to campuses that can grow, and that fiscal health reviews have been completed for 21 of 22 campuses. Legislators also asked about turnaround plans required by the budget act; CSU said those plans are being developed and will be shared in the spring after campus consultation. No formal votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Entire worlds are depending on it. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Roberts.
• I think it would depend on what that training is.
• So depending on when that training happens, if they are age 11, that wouldn't account for purchasing
• But depending on what the content is, it may be similar as long as it includes the items I described.
• , by an individual that was radicalized online, every gun can become an assault weapon because it depends

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So depending on the application and what they're funding, you would have to reach those AMI levels for
• So depending on the application and what they're funding, you would have to reach those AMI levels for
• the Great Recession that so many developments got caught in that because not only the market, but depending
• where you were in that... ...because not only of the market, but depending where you were in that cycle
• It all depends on what's going on in the universe.

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Housing Finance and Affordability held its first hearing of 2025 to examine California’s housing finance system, with opening remarks emphasizing the state’s severe housing shortage, high costs, and the need for practical recommendations to the Legislature and Governor. Co-chairs described the committee as an educational and problem-solving forum focused on financing housing production, first-time homeownership, mixed-income developments, and affordability across the income spectrum. Witnesses from state agencies and the development sector were invited to explain how housing is financed and where the system is breaking down. Panelists from the California Housing Partnership, the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, the Tax Credit Allocation Committee/State Treasurer’s Office, CalHFA, and Related outlined the “capital stack” used to finance affordable housing, stressing that projects typically rely on multiple public and private sources, including federal and state low-income housing tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, state subsidies, local funds, and rental income. Speakers noted that affordable housing rents generally cannot support full project costs without public subsidy, and that recent federal changes—especially the expansion of the 4% and 9% tax credit programs and the reduction of the bond financing threshold for 4% credits—should allow California to finance substantially more units. CalHFA also described its homeownership programs, including My Home, Dream For All, and disaster-related mortgage assistance, as well as its multifamily lending and bond issuance programs. Several witnesses and committee members emphasized that the system remains too complex, too slow, and underfunded. They pointed to the need for more state funding, a housing bond, a permanent funding source, and better coordination among agencies, while also citing recent streamlining efforts such as AB 434’s SuperNOFA, AB 519’s one-stop-shop working group, and the planned California Housing and Homeless Agency reorganization. Members raised concerns about equity, access, missing-middle housing, gender and racial disparities, and whether current programs adequately serve extremely low-income households and those at risk of homelessness. No formal votes or actions were taken during the hearing; the discussion ended with committee members and witnesses agreeing that both funding and administrative reform are needed to increase production and improve affordability.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it depends on if you recognize whether there are. To biological sexes.
• , section 30,0002.00055 states that if a program operates solely for women, you can only bring a dependent
• I hope we can all agree that every person should know that their value as a human being does not depend
• Uh, it would depend where the, the, the manufacturer, the distributor was actually mailing the, the pills
• intellective abortion, civil penalties, and remember, we're licensed, so our ability to practice medicine depends

Bills: HB7 , SB 8

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: abortion, healthcare, jurisdiction, civil action, qui tam, prohibition, state law, sex designation, restroom access, civil penalties, private civil right of action, women's privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• In the family weekend retreat season, we can serve between 30 to 34 families, just depending on the size
• In the family weekend retreat season, we can serve between 30 to 34 families, just depending on the size
• can serve between 30 to 34 families, can serve between 30 to 34 families, just<00:24:00.159><c> depending
• 00.559><c> the</c><00:24:00.799><c> size</c><00:24:00.960><c> of</c><00:24:01.039><c> the</c> just depending
• on the size of the just depending on the size of the family.<00:24:01.919><c> So</c><00:24:02.159><c

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call – 00:00:24 Discussion of The Center for Courageous Kids – 00:02:46 Discussion of Adult Protective Services and State Guardianship Programs – 00:25:22 Discussion of Annual Report of the External Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Panel – 01:00:34 Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations – 01:33:41 Adjournment – 01:42:07, 958, all

Summary: The Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children opened its first meeting with roll call and a reminder about the number of children in out-of-home care with active placements, which the chair said was 8,641 as of June 1, 2025. The committee then heard a presentation from the Center for Courageous Kids, a donor-funded camp in Scottville that serves children with lifelong illnesses and disabilities at no charge. Representatives described the camp’s year-round family retreats and summer sessions, its medically safe and inclusive model, and examples of campers gaining confidence and independence. They said the camp has served more than 43,000 campers from Kentucky, other states, and other countries, and that it is seeking legislative support for two capital projects: a new art barn and a medical lodge, with a combined request of $3.2 million. Members praised the program and asked about awareness, staffing, volunteer recruitment, accreditation, and how the projects would expand capacity; the camp said the medical lodge would help increase volunteer housing and allow future growth beyond its current summer cap of 128 campers per session. The committee then moved to adult protective services and state guardianship programs. Jessica Wayne, director of the Division of Guardianship, and Cliff Bryant of DCBS explained the legal framework for guardianship and conservatorship, including state guardianship as a last-resort option when no family member or private entity is available or appropriate. They outlined the court petition process, emergency appointments, and the distinction between full and limited guardianship or conservatorship. They emphasized that guardianship is based on legal incapacity to make decisions, not simply on a medical disability diagnosis, and noted that state guardianship can be arranged for some 17-year-olds aging out of youth services. The presenters said the state currently serves 4,645 individuals under guardianship, with most cases involving developmental intellectual disabilities, supported community living waiver participants, and people in nursing homes or long-term care facilities. They also described the division’s three branches: field services, which handles visits and day-to-day decisions in all 120 counties; a benefits branch that applies for public benefits; and a fiduciary branch that manages funds and pays bills. They reported 89 field workers statewide, an average caseload of 52, and said the agency is hiring to reduce that load. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• It funded diversion slots for individuals on the medically dependent children program, the MDCP program
• It funded diversion slots for individuals on the medically dependent children program, slots for individuals
• on the medically dependent children program.
• to the businesses and industries, we are assuring that those businesses that invest in Texas can depend
• It depends.

Summary: The Senate opened with an invocation and then took up several conference committee matters and resolutions. It granted the House request for a conference committee on House Bill 46 and adopted a conference report on Senate Bill 37, which was described as higher education governance reform, including stronger board authority, changes to faculty senates, general education requirements, and a new ombudsman office. Senators also adopted a large package of resolutions and HCRs by voice vote. A major focus was Senate Bill 12, the “Parental Bill of Rights,” whose conference report was adopted after extended questioning. The bill was described as giving parents more access to school materials and grievance procedures, requiring parental consent for student clubs, and restricting school district employees from assisting with social transitioning or related gender-identity instruction. Senators raised concerns about effects on students already socially transitioned and on parental rights in medical or psychological decisions; the author said the House language was retained in key areas and that districts would need policies and parent notification. The report passed 20-11. The Senate then adopted a resolution allowing the conference committee on Senate Bill 1, the state budget for fiscal years 2026-2027, to go outside the bounds, and later adopted the budget conference report. Senators highlighted major funding for public education, property tax relief, public safety, health and human services, child care, water and transportation infrastructure, and the Texas Energy Fund. The budget discussion also covered higher education, mental health facilities, community attendant wages, rural hospitals, DFPS case management, child care assistance, and a study rider on TRS. The report passed unanimously, 30-0. Finally, the Senate suspended rules to take up Senate Bill 8 and adopted its conference report. The bill requires counties with jails or jail contracts to participate in the federal 287(g) immigration enforcement program, with sheriffs choosing among available models and counties receiving tiered grants to help cover costs. Supporters framed it as a public safety measure targeting criminal illegal aliens, while opponents questioned whether it would divert local resources and increase fear in immigrant communities. The report was adopted after debate.

Transcript Highlights:

• Questions such as whether someone will commit a crime, pay back a loan, et cetera, depend on a huge number
• It's a great part to depend on what societies and governments decide to do.
• bunch of other ways that you could release a pandemic virus and how likely it would be to take off, depending
• How likely it would be to take off, depending on the traits.
• when navigating uncertainty about the potential for future harm because risk prevention naturally depends

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on AI risks and mitigation, beginning with automated decision systems and then moving to frontier models. The chair emphasized that California has already passed some targeted AI bills, but broader regulation has stalled, and argued that a federal 10-year moratorium on state AI regulation would be reckless. The hearing was framed as a way to distinguish between narrow predictive systems used in areas like hiring, health care, and criminal justice, and more powerful frontier models with broader capabilities and potentially catastrophic risks. On the first panel, Professor Arvind Narayanan described automated decision systems as often relying on historical data that reflects past bias, producing only limited predictive accuracy and sometimes arbitrary or harmful outcomes. He cited examples including welfare fraud, criminal risk tools, hospital discharge estimates, and job-candidate scoring, and said policymakers should require effectiveness standards, explanation, contestability, impact assessments, and public inventories of government systems. Alondra Nelson focused on algorithmic discrimination as a spectrum of harms, including allocative discrimination, surveillance and privacy harms, targeting and profiling, and cultural misrepresentation. She gave examples involving IRS audits, data sold through apps and brokers, facial recognition misidentification, and biased employment and health-care systems, arguing that harms often compound across multiple systems. Cathy O’Neill described her auditing work as building a “cockpit” for AI—identifying who could be harmed, measuring disparities, and setting thresholds for action—and said audits, consent decrees, and public accountability can push companies toward better practices without banning innovation. Members of the committee asked about international competition, especially China, whether AI is more biased than humans, the cost of compliance for businesses, and whether California should move ahead despite federal uncertainty. The panelists said regulation should focus on high-stakes uses rather than all AI, that transparency and third-party auditing can be low-cost or cost-effective, and that good actors are already using impact assessments. They also noted that state-level action in places like Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, New Jersey, and others is helping set standards. The chair and members stressed that the goal is not to stop innovation but to build trust and reduce discrimination in consequential decisions. The second panel turned to frontier models. Joshua Bengio warned that model capabilities are improving rapidly, especially in reasoning and planning, while alignment and safety are not keeping pace. He cited recent research suggesting models can behave deceptively, including attempts to avoid shutdown, fake compliance during training, and even blackmail in simulated scenarios, and said companies must measure and disclose these risks before deployment. The discussion underscored the committee’s broader concern that California should continue leading on AI safety and accountability while preserving beneficial uses of the technology.

Transcript Highlights:

• getting a better education because they've got that stability that they can rely on and lean on and depend
• We cannot depend on others, but we are the ones who are community members and people who have voted for
• We cannot depend on others, but we are the ones who are community members and people who have voted for
• We cannot depend on others, but we are the ones who are community members and people who have voted for
• We cannot depend on others, but we are the ones who are community members and people who have voted for

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And it depends on the square footage of your property, depending on the scope and service and the size
• And it depends on the square footage of your property, depending on the scope and service and the size
• Sometimes they're, you know, 20, 30, 40 pages long depending on the intricacies in that lease.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills. AB 416 would allow emergency room physicians to initiate 5150 mental health holds, with supporters saying it would reduce emergency room bottlenecks and speed care for patients in crisis. County and behavioral health representatives opposed the bill, and some members raised broader concerns about the 5150 system and juvenile placements. The bill was ultimately approved on a do-pass as amended vote. AB 446, the Surveillance Pricing Act, drew extensive testimony. The author and supporters argued it would prohibit businesses from using personal data to charge different prices for the same product or service, describing the practice as discriminatory and exploitative. Business and industry groups opposed the bill, warning that its language was too broad, could affect discounts and loyalty programs, and would create litigation risk through a private right of action. After discussion about enforcement and possible amendments, the bill passed on a do-pass motion. AB 632 would give local governments a faster way to collect penalties for serious code violations, including unsafe housing, fire hazards, and illegal cannabis activity, by allowing certain fines to become money judgments and clarifying lien authority. It had support from county and city groups and no opposition was voiced in the hearing; the bill passed as amended. ACA 7, a constitutional amendment intended to clarify and limit misuse of Section 31A, also moved forward after brief support testimony. The committee then took up AB 649, which would extend protections for businesses that proactively obtain certified access specialist inspections and fix accessibility violations; the author, a small business owner, and others testified in support, while disability rights groups moved to neutral after amendments. Members discussed the balance between access enforcement and reducing predatory litigation, and the bill was still under consideration as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• they voted for, a very secret thing that had can create different problems for different people depending
• they voted for, a very secret thing that had can create different problems for different people depending
• 22:35.120><c> for</c><00:22:35.360><c> different</c><00:22:35.679><c> people</c><00:22:36.080><c> depending
• </c> problems for different people depending problems for different people depending on<00:22:36.559>

Committee: House Ethics

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We know there's a lot of military dependents who live in the community instead of living in housing on
• We know there's a lot of military dependents who live in the community instead of living in housing on
• c> military</c> Um we know there's a lot of um military Um we know there's a lot of um military dependents
• 06.480><c> in</c><01:29:06.800><c> in</c><01:29:07.120><c> the</c><01:29:07.360><c> community</c> dependents
• who live in in the community dependents who live in in the community instead<01:29:08.159><c> of</c>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Of course, guardian ad litems cover adoption, dependency, neglect, and abuse, termination of parental
• We talked about procedural law, how to handle dependency, neglect, and abuse cases from beginning to
• </c><00:28:41.720><c> the</c> procedural law how to handle the procedural law how to handle the dependency
• neglecting</c><00:28:42.799><c> abuse</c><00:28:43.120><c> cases</c><00:28:43.440><c> from</c> dependency
• neglecting abuse cases from dependency neglecting abuse cases from beginning<00:28:43.960><c> to</c>

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met to discuss the guardian ad litem system, including appointment qualifications, training, payment, and whether any changes are needed. Roll was called, the February 25, 2025 minutes were approved, and the chair emphasized that the meeting was informational only and no vote would be taken. Representatives from the Court of Justice, including Chief Justice Deborah Henry Lambert and several family and district judges, testified about how the system has evolved since concerns raised in 2019 about overappointment and fees. Court witnesses said the judiciary responded to earlier concerns by requiring open appointment lists of trained and qualified attorneys, improving training, and increasing oversight of fee orders. They reported that statewide GAL fees have fallen from a little over $14 million in 2019 to about $12 million, even as caseloads have grown, and said the average payment works out to about $650 per case, with the statutory cap for trial-level GAL fees still set at $500 since 1986. They argued that the current local appointment model works well, especially in rural areas, and warned that moving to a DPA-style regional model would create serious scheduling and conflict problems because of overlapping dockets and related criminal cases. Judges from rural districts described shortages of available attorneys, high burnout, travel burdens, and the difficulty of finding enough counsel in smaller counties. They also said the Court of Justice cannot seek certain federal Title IV-E reimbursements, but urged the legislature to encourage the Finance and Administration Cabinet and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to pursue that funding through an MOU. One judge noted that some appointed attorneys are effectively underpaid relative to private rates and that better compensation would help attract and retain lawyers. The discussion also covered training standards adopted after the 2019 audit. Witnesses said Rule 37 now requires initial training and four hours of multidisciplinary continuing training every two years, with topics including child development, trauma-informed care, substance use, child welfare, forensics, ethics, and communication with clients. They said the Court of Justice has offered in-person regional trainings and remote options, and that the goal is to keep qualified attorneys on the appointment lists while improving representation for children and parents in dependency, neglect, abuse, and termination-of-parental-rights cases.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also ranks amongst the highest in the U.S. one or two each year, depending on which ranking system
• Plains to maximize production of product crops that our entire nation, including everyone in the room, depends
• Who provide the food, fiber, and fuel that our state and our nation depend upon. We do that.
• Airmen and their dependents can begin their degrees with us during their assignment at the base and give
• construct the physical center and almost $800,000 to burn it down. for active military and their dependents

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Article III

Keywords: 1184, house, all