Transcript Highlights:

• So it's very clear that they're trying to dismantle our public health care system, especially for sexual
• Care will still happen; it will just take longer. People will have to wait longer for care.
• It doesn't provide abortion care; however, who it hurts does provide abortion care.
• It also helped foster partnerships with schools, shelters, and long-term care facilities to help them
• That system is being reborn.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Expanding access not only saves lives, but it also reduces long-term health care costs by preventing
• Expanding access not only saves lives, but it also reduces long-term health care costs by preventing
• Jason Sullivan Halper, California Long-Term Care Ombudsman Association, in strong support.
• I'm the director of the California Long-Term Care Ombudsman Association, or CALCOA, a proud co-sponsor
• unsafe evictions are the most common and urgent issues long-term care ombudsman encounter in nursing

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health heard a series of bills focused on access to care, insurance coverage, and public health. AB 387 on youth sports AED access drew support from the author and safety advocates, but opposition from school, park, city, and county groups over liability, cost, and access concerns. The author said he would continue working on amendments to shift the bill toward requiring access to existing AEDs rather than mandating facility procurement. Committee members emphasized the life-saving purpose of the bill while also raising affordability and access concerns for youth sports programs. The committee also heard AB 1682, which would require health plans and insurers to cover FDA-cleared scalp cooling devices for chemotherapy patients. Supporters, including breast cancer survivors and health groups, described the emotional and quality-of-life benefits of preventing hair loss and said cost is the main barrier to access. There was no formal opposition, though one senator raised concerns about whether the mandate could exceed essential health benefits. The chair and members expressed support for the bill’s goals and said it would be taken up when quorum was established. AB 2093, a follow-up to the 988 crisis line law, sought to clarify statewide leadership, improve coordination among 988, 911, and mobile crisis teams, and create a more sustainable funding structure. Behavioral health organizations and crisis center representatives supported the bill, saying implementation challenges and demand growth require statutory fixes. Committee members generally supported the concept but noted the bill was a gut-and-amend and that additional work was needed with county and behavioral health stakeholders. The committee then heard AB 1843 on hepatitis C treatment, AB 1629 on dental assignment of benefits, AB 2540 on community college access to medication abortion services, and AB 1929 on disclosure of health plan investments. AB 1843 had broad support from medical and public health groups but opposition from health plans, which argued it conflicted with the prior-authorization framework in SB 306 and could raise drug costs. AB 1629 was supported by dental and patient advocates but opposed by dental plans and insurers over concerns about network participation and out-of-pocket costs. AB 2540 drew strong support from reproductive health advocates and student representatives, while community college health services and some others opposed or were neutral pending amendments; the author said the bill was about equity and accepted amendments to reduce burdens. AB 1929 was backed by labor and immigrant rights groups as a transparency measure, but opposed by health plans and insurers who said Covered California was not the right entity to administer the disclosures and that the information was already publicly available. Throughout the hearing, members repeatedly weighed public access and transparency against cost, administrative burden, and implementation concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's been a long nationwide push to rebalance health care spending in favor of community living as
• And so, while the system was intended to meet urgent short-term Second, the proposal proposes to align
• It's the second largest health care system in California in Santa Clara County.
• What's not working is our long-held 4731 system, which has been in place for decades.
• But knowing those things are important too; knowing the systemic issues help us with long-term planning

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services heard testimony on Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and related budget and trailer bill proposals, with a major focus on the impacts of H.R. 1 on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). DDS and the Department of Social Services (DSS) said H.R. 1 could affect Medi-Cal and CalFresh access, but that people with disabilities and caregivers are exempt from the work requirements; the administration is working on data matching and automation through the statewide eligibility system to identify exemptions, with June 1, 2026 as the implementation date for CalFresh changes. Witnesses and advocates warned that any loss of Medi-Cal could create fiscal pressure on regional centers and households, while public commenters described the real-life consequences of losing services. Committee members repeatedly expressed concern about cost shifts to counties and asked for harm-mitigation strategies before the May Revision. The committee also reviewed the governor’s IHSS-related proposals. DSS said the budget would set a baseline for authorized hours, align IHSS disenrollment/reinstatement with Medi-Cal eligibility processes, and eliminate the IHSS backup provider system, while emphasizing that individual service hours would still be based on assessed need. DDS said if a person loses IHSS or Medi-Cal, regional centers may have to step in as payer of last resort for some services, potentially at higher state cost. Members and the Legislative Analyst’s Office questioned whether counties could absorb the proposed shifts without reducing services, and asked for more detail on implementation, data quality controls, and how regional centers could help families navigate disruptions. A separate trailer bill on DDS rate reform and the Quality Incentive Program drew mixed reactions. DDS proposed extending a contract exemption and delaying final rate reform regulations to 2030, saying the changes are budget-neutral and needed for implementation. DDS reported that about 81% of providers had completed the current Quality Incentive Program requirements, but providers and advocates argued the 90-10 structure can function like a penalty and may destabilize services if providers lose 10% of funding. Committee members asked for clearer assistance to providers, possible flexibility for good-faith efforts, and a redlined version of the language before the May Revision. The committee also heard DDS’s proposed trailer bill on regional center governance and provider capacity. DDS said the language would consolidate regional center contracts and performance measures, strengthen board training and oversight, require consumer advisory committees, expand independent legal support, raise the threshold for board approval of contracts, and remove barriers such as physical-office requirements and duplicate vendorization. DDS said the goal is to improve accountability and efficiency while preserving person-centered services, and members indicated they wanted further refinement and stakeholder input before moving forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• The federal threats have the potential to impact the health care system in the future.
• This proposal is related to Senate Bill 1354, long-term healthcare facilities, where we're requesting
• Public health care systems and counties utilize the centralized system daily to manage vaccine supplies
• **Jason Sullivan Halpern, California Long-Term Care Ombudsman Association:** Hi. Good afternoon.
• So, I turn it over to you in terms of long-term projections around staffing and how you feel we are situated

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Under our civil statutes, the state will take more long-term custody of the child.
• And I think my fear is that what we're seeing is that the long-term damage is that they then end up in
• Those are the kids that end up, unfortunately, in long-term foster care, which is the least ideal situation
• However, commissions are typically long-term bodies, though some are temporary.
• foster care system practices in the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, a system of care.
• A true system of care coordinates across different programs in areas of the care continuum.
• A true system of care coordinates across different programs and areas of the care continuum, offers help
• And I come from a system of second-generation foster care.
• The bill's approach creates a temporary infrastructure that doesn't address long-term systemic gaps,

Summary: The committee began with a work session on recommendations from the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Work Group. Tisha Kirshbaum of the Health Care Authority described the Washington Thriving Strategic Plan, a prenatal-to-25 system-of-care framework meant to reduce fragmentation, improve coordination across multiple state agencies, and expand early, community-based behavioral health supports. Members asked about duplication among agencies, simplification of the system, and upstream services such as community health workers, school-based supports, and crisis access. The committee then heard House Bill 2429, which would direct the governor and state agencies to align with the Washington Thriving plan, create an executive coordination officer and leadership council, extend the work group, and require broader alignment by state, tribal, local, and nonprofit entities. The bill received strong support from the governor’s office, the Health Care Authority, parents, youth, providers, and advocates, while a few testifiers raised concerns about government overreach, cost, or the need to address non-psychiatric causes of distress. No vote was taken during the hearing. The committee then heard House Bill 2364, which renames and expands the Legislative Executive Work First Poverty Reduction Oversight Task Force into the Legislative Executive Economic Justice and Well-Being Task Force and updates the related advisory council to align with the state’s 10-year plan to dismantle poverty. Staff and the prime sponsor said the bill reflects the evolution of the poverty-reduction effort and adds agencies such as the Department of Revenue, Health Care Authority, and Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board. Testimony from DSHS and advocates was uniformly supportive, emphasizing bipartisan collaboration and the need to update statute to match current work. Next, the committee heard House Bill 2171 on supporting foster youth. The bill would create an endangered foster youth alert system, require county rapid-response protocols, establish a foster youth empowerment account, create an oversight board through the Ombuds office, and expand training for foster parents and child welfare workers. The prime sponsor and several advocates described the bill as a response to lived experience and a way to improve accountability and long-term support. DCYF said it supports the intent but raised legal and cost concerns, and some youth advocates warned that public alerts could increase risk or trauma for youth who run away from unsafe placements. The hearing then moved to House Bill 2314, which would create a pilot allowing certain community-based clients with developmental disabilities to receive dental care at residential habilitation centers. Supporters said the bill would use existing dental capacity to address severe access gaps and long waits in the community, while opponents from disability advocacy groups argued it would pull people back into institutional settings instead of building community-based dental capacity. Testimony on the bill was mixed, and no final committee action was taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• , but for the long term.
• or who have children in the education system want to make sure that we take care of those who take care
• And to have to try to balance long-term issues with short-term, are we closing an emergency room?
• revenue generation with sound long-term economic policy.
• Providing long-term care in institutions like nursing homes yields poor quality of life, high health

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• More than half of Californians are worried about out-of-pocket expenses, long-term care, and monthly
• But even more concerning than that is But even more concerning than that is the long-term impact of systemic
• instability for our health care systems.
• and how primary care pays off over the long run.
• The research bears that out when it comes to health care systems.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><01:37:39.199><c> then</c><01:37:39.440><c> the</c> long-term care and then the then the long-term care
• </c><01:37:50.800><c> window</c> long-term care centers for that window long-term care centers for that
• </c> then this particular area for long-term then this particular area for long-term care,<01:43:36.320
• I think in terms of there's also a long lead time to train people up to do long-term care.
• And so, I think what do long-term care.

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in terms of access and care.
• in our health care system.
• Primary care is the foundation for any well-functioning health care system, and yet here in this state
• Harm events also happen in long-term care facilities, outpatient care, even home care.
• Is to get actual projections, long-term projections.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard budget testimony from Department of Mental Health Commissioner Brooke Doyle, who said DMH serves about 29,000 people and is facing rising demand, higher operating costs, and uncertainty about federal funding. She explained that the FY26 budget prioritizes fully funding the state-operated inpatient system, which is at 100% occupancy and often serves people transferred from Bridgewater State Hospital, while making reductions in other areas to balance the budget. Those reductions include a 50% cut to case managers, a pause on closing the Pocasset unit pending a working group on Cape access, and changes to youth and contracted services such as right-sizing IRTP and CIRT, reducing Youth PACT from seven teams to three, scaling back flex and jail diversion grants as ARPA funds wind down, and preserving the behavioral health helpline and community-based crisis services. Members from Western Massachusetts and the Cape raised concerns about access, staffing, and the impact of cuts, and Doyle said the department would continue operating IRTP services, improve the referral process, and work with stakeholders on the Pocasset review and other access issues. The committee also discussed school-based mental health, 988, loan forgiveness for workforce recruitment, and the role of co-response programs for law enforcement. Secretary Robin Lipson then testified for the Executive Office of Aging and Independence, describing a proposed FY26 budget increase of about 21% to support councils on aging, home care, elder abuse investigations, caregiver support, care transitions, and nutrition programs. She said the agency is managing rising demand, especially from the growing 80-plus population, and noted uncertainty around federal Older Americans Act funding after the federal disbursement agency was disbanded. To control costs, the office will manage intake and caseload growth in a fully state-funded home care program, but current clients will not lose services. Lipson also highlighted a new $1 million line item for local mini-grants to support age-friendly initiatives. In questions, members focused on elder scams, and Lipson said scams are increasing and the agency is working with banks, district attorneys, and public awareness campaigns. The Health Policy Commission’s Executive Director David Seltz presented the agency’s FY26 request and said the biggest challenge is health care affordability, with family premiums near $29,000 annually and many residents delaying care because of cost. He emphasized that recent legislation significantly expands HPC’s role through a new Office of Pharmaceutical Policy and Analysis, which will examine the drug supply chain and pricing, and a new Office of Health Resource Planning, which will support statewide planning around closures and access gaps. The new law also creates task forces on maternal health access and primary care, and adds transparency and oversight for private equity in health care. Members asked about pharmaceutical costs, GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, 340B, and maternal health closures; Seltz said the data show rapid growth in GLP-1 spending and that the new offices will help the state better understand cost drivers and access problems. The Center for Health Information and Analysis then began its testimony, describing its role as the state’s data hub for health care spending, utilization, quality, and affordability analysis.

Transcript Highlights:

• care facilities here in Washington State, in addition to regulating our emergency care system, which
• The next area is being a line of defense in the health care system.
• For the long term.
• In terms of large health systems, only one of them has a slightly positive margin in 2024.
• A large pandemic, even a natural disaster, would really impact our ability to care for patients long-term

Summary: The committee heard a JLARC presentation on the Department of Health’s oversight of hospital inspections, complaints, and reporting. JLARC said DOH was late on 72% of acute care hospital inspections as of December 2024, had not verified that third-party accrediting standards were substantially equivalent to state standards, did not consistently require proof of those inspections, did not review adverse health event corrective plans, and could make hospital data more accessible. JLARC also raised a possible language-access barrier in the complaint system. Members asked about complaint filing by staff, the meaning of adverse health events, inspection outcomes, and whether the audit compared DOH to other agencies. JLARC said it had not reviewed inspection results or cross-agency comparisons, but noted inspectors were dedicated and working long hours. DOH later said it concurred with the recommendations and outlined a strategic plan with target dates for improving timeliness, verifying accreditation standards, expanding language access, reviewing adverse event laws, and improving public data access, with annual reporting to the Legislature expected. The committee then heard a Department of Health presentation on certificate of need modernization. DOH described the current certificate of need process, which reviews need, financial feasibility, quality, and cost containment for certain facility changes and new services, and said the program has not been modernized since the 1980s. DOH proposed 10 statutory modernization recommendations, including clarifying the program’s purpose, creating a planning entity, adding flexibility, reducing legal costs, updating access-to-care standards, expanding oversight to freestanding emergency departments and urgent care, addressing equity, improving cost control coordination, strengthening long-term funding, and using better data systems. Members asked about oversight of freestanding urgent care and EDs, funding sources, and whether the process could be streamlined or made more responsive to complaints or other triggers. A third panel discussed artificial intelligence in health care. Lucy O’Rourke of the Coalition for Health AI described CHAI’s work on responsible AI principles, technical standards, model cards or “nutrition labels,” testing and governance tools, and educational resources for providers. She said the group is focused on trust, transparency, fairness, safety, security, and privacy, and noted Washington’s AI-related policy work as among the more progressive in the country. No questions were asked. The final portion focused on the financial impact of federal and state health care policy changes. The Washington State Hospital Association said hospitals are facing low or negative operating margins, service reductions, layoffs, and closures, and that state cuts and taxes enacted in 2025, combined with federal HR1 changes, will significantly worsen finances. Providence Swedish leaders described staffing reductions, service cuts, delayed capital investments, and pressure from denials, tariffs, and reimbursement changes, while emphasizing that frontline staffing cuts are tied to service reductions rather than nurse-to-patient ratio changes. The Washington Health Benefit Exchange then began a presentation on expiring federal ACA premium tax credits, state Cascade Care Savings assistance, and eligibility changes affecting lawfully present non-citizens, with examples showing large premium increases for customers if federal subsidies expire.

Transcript Highlights:

• c> so</c><00:52:06.599><c> um</c> that Long-Term Care community and so um that Long-Term Care community
• care setting, or they’re in the long-term care setting in particular.
• 25.280><c> is</c><00:55:25.920><c> uh</c> long-term care industry the need is uh long-term care industry
• </c><00:57:58.480><c> and</c> long-term care Aaron huppert and and long-term care Aaron huppert and and
• :13.319><c> pretty</c> long-term care statutes with some pretty long-term care statutes with some pretty

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I had one of our long-term team members come up to me and said, you know, how grateful they were
• Again, intended for short-term care, it's not really the treatment side of our system.
• And some of that depends on how long that youth might be in the care and custody of it... ...individual
• and group sessions, and some of that depends on how long that youth might be in the care and custody
• And then we will look long term at what we do to maybe support some of those kids that are going to be

Summary: The Justice Budget Committee heard detailed presentations from the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Corrections on staffing, services, and budget needs. DJJ Secretary Hall emphasized that the agency’s main public safety strategy is education, along with prevention and recidivism reduction. He described major staffing improvements after pay increases for probation, detention, residential care, and prevention workers, and outlined DJJ’s mental health, aftercare, and education continuum, including the Florida Scholars Academy and Florida Youth College. He said the new statewide education model is showing early gains in progress monitoring, high school graduation, and postsecondary enrollment, while also noting ongoing operational issues such as IT connectivity, rural staffing gaps, and the need for geographic pay adjustments for teachers. He also discussed detention center replacement plans in Hillsborough, Broward, and Palm Beach, and said DJJ would transition the Broward JAC to a security contractor after the sheriff’s office pulls sworn officers from the site. Members asked about campus performance differences, teacher pay, detention education quality, and concerns about the rollout and leadership of the Scholars Academy. Hall said some campuses face rural access and infrastructure problems, but the blended learning model provides continuity when internet or staffing issues arise. He defended the superintendent’s qualifications and said early problems with inappropriate online content were addressed. Representative Porras raised concerns about educational quality and the superintendent’s past disciplinary history, while Representative Barrera urged more mentorship and fatherhood-focused programming in juvenile facilities. DOC Secretary Dixon said the prison system is under pressure from rising inmate populations, staffing shortages, and overtime costs. He argued that the system needs funded posts for every functioning housing unit, noting that the department has added housing units without enough staff and now relies heavily on overtime, mobile officer deployments, and shift conversions to keep facilities operating safely. He highlighted that many officers are new, that outside-hospital transports have risen sharply, and that mental health units require additional staffing. DOC’s mental health chief described a large and growing treatment system with outpatient, inpatient, intensive outpatient, and court-ordered services, saying about a quarter of the prison population has a diagnosed mental illness. Community corrections staff described treatment programs, employment specialists, mobile probation and reentry units, and a new mental health first aid training initiative. Reentry staff reported expanded substance abuse, education, CTE, chaplaincy, and digital learning programs, including Edovo and a forthcoming Work Bay platform. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the cities do pay an awful lot for long-term care if they don't have insurance policies, due to the
• fact that the applicant wasn't eligible to be covered by a long-term care policy.
• Members of the committee, for the record, Jacob Ewing staffed the Health and Long-Term Care Committee
• Members of the committee for the record Jacob Ewing staffed the health and long-term care committee.
• Members of the committee, for the record, Jacob Ewing staffed the Health and Long-Term Care Committee

Summary: The committee took up executive action on the capital budget, Proposed Substitute Senate Bill 6003, and several policy bills. Staff described amendments to the capital budget that shifted funding among behavioral health, local/community projects, irrigation projects, and juvenile rehabilitation capacity, plus a technical fix to the water pollution control revolving program. The committee adopted Senator Dozier’s budget-neutral amendment and a technical amendment, then advanced the amended capital budget to the Rules Committee. It also moved House Bills 2441, 2124, 2471, 2133, 2610, and 2338 forward with due-pass recommendations, and advanced Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2251 on Climate Commitment Act accounts to the Transportation Committee after adopting two amendments and withdrawing three others. A major public hearing focused on Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2034, which would terminate and restate LEOFF Plan 1 in 2029, transfer surplus assets, and direct portions to the Climate Commitment Account and the pension funding stabilization account. Staff said the plan is currently about 160% funded and explained the bill’s IRS-review process, statute of limitations, and estimated implementation costs. Testimony was sharply divided: some retirees, firefighters, counties, and cities opposed the bill as an improper use of pension assets and urged benefit enhancements or protection of local medical obligations, while others supported using the surplus for broader public purposes. No vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee also heard House Bill 2179 on PERS coverage for certain port workers, with ports and the Washington Public Ports Association supporting clarification for railroad employees covered by the federal railroad retirement system. House Bill 1069, allowing Department of Corrections employees to bargain over supplemental retirement benefits, drew support from Teamsters and corrections workers, while House Bill 2091, expanding employee-information sharing with bargaining representatives, drew union support and privacy objections from Washington Policy Center. Finally, Second Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1210 on targeted urban area tax preferences drew support from labor, local governments, and project proponents, and opposition from contractor groups and environmental advocates over project labor agreement requirements and nuclear-related concerns; Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1408 on community preservation and development authorities and Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1974 on land bank authorities for affordable housing were also heard, with both receiving supportive testimony from community and housing advocates.

Transcript Highlights:

• In other words, this is a major structural change we are making to a long-existing child care system.
• who profit off of them, and choose a serious long-term revenue plan.
• for a healthy child care system.
• At a time of tough choices, child care stands apart, and it delivers immediate relief and long-term results
• There's the level of care system, right?

Summary: The committee heard an extensive Department of Social Services presentation on child care budget issues, including the Governor’s proposed 2026-27 budget, federal CCDF changes, Prop. 64 revenue adjustments, and a one-time $11.5 million disaster-related infrastructure grant for licensed child care facilities affected by 2025 declared disasters. DSS said federal formula updates and lower Prop. 64 revenues would reduce funding and could result in about 4,176 CCTR slots being reduced, but the department said it was working to avoid impacts to currently enrolled children. The LAO supported aligning general child care funding with lower revenues and asked for more detail on the disaster grant. Members pressed DSS and Finance on why reductions were not being backfilled and why so many awarded slots remain uncontracted or unused; DSS said delays are largely due to providers building new infrastructure, licensing, staffing, and enrollment challenges, and that some unspent funds revert to the General Fund. The committee also discussed whether some contract dollars should be shifted to vouchers and whether more flexibility should be allowed for infrastructure and expansion costs. A second panel focused on the state’s commitment to expand child care and on rate reform. DSS reported that nearly 125,000 new slots have been awarded since 2021-22, but speakers from Stanislaus County Office of Education, Parent Voices California, and the California Budget and Policy Center argued that unmet need remains large and that the system still leaves many families without access. Stanislaus County described a large local shortage of infant and toddler care and said reimbursement disparities between child care programs and state preschool create disincentives for providers. Parent Voices gave testimony about the burdens and instability families face when trying to access care, especially for survivors and low-income parents, and called for a universal, publicly funded system. The Budget Center said only about 16% of eligible children were enrolled in 2024, urged expansion across the mixed delivery system rather than concentrating investment in TK, and called for faster rate reform and new revenue. LAO estimated that bringing certain CCTR adjustment factors up to CSPP levels would cost $88 million to $131 million ongoing. Members and witnesses discussed the single rate structure, automation needs, and the need for deadlines and a ramp-up plan; DSS said the goal is to eliminate disparities, but that policy decisions are still needed before automation can proceed. The committee then reviewed several trailer bill proposals. DSS outlined a 2026-27 COLA proposal that would apply a 2.41% increase through cost-of-care-plus payments, though the department said it had inadvertently excluded CalWORKs Child Care and the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program and would revise the proposal; LAO recommended making the COLA methodology uniform across programs. DSS also proposed replacing the market rate survey with the federally approved alternative methodology on a triennial schedule, limiting temporary absences in family child care homes to 20% of monthly hours, defining excessive unexplained absences as more than 30 days in a year, and aligning family fee deductions with new federal requirements so providers receive the full voucher value. Members generally supported the temporary absence change and asked about implementation timing for the family fee deduction, with DSS saying it was in contact with Riverside County. The committee also heard a brief update on the Early Childhood Policy Council reappropriation, which would extend unused funds through June 30, 2028 because prior costs came in higher than expected.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's the second largest health care system in California. ...that they need.
• It's the second largest health care system in California in Santa Clara County.
• It's the second largest health care system in California in Santa Clara County.
• It's the second largest health care system in California. to support our health care.
• It's the second largest health care system in California in Santa Clara County.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The other more significant, I think long-term potential fiscal impact for the state is the SNAP error
• The other more significant, I think long-term potential fiscal impact for the state is the SNAP error
• So those three groups of individuals were veterans, children previously in the foster care system, and
• These are folks who maybe haven't had health care for a very long time.
• We don't have any of that for rural health care when you're injecting $400 million into the system.

Summary: The subcommittee heard budget presentations and questions from several health and human services agencies, with members repeatedly emphasizing that agency numbers had been posted since October and that questioning should stay focused and brief. The Office of Juvenile Affairs said its $5.45 million request would support 162 employees receiving a pay adjustment, and members asked about juvenile care conditions and staffing. The Department of Human Services discussed major changes to child care subsidy funding, including a reduced subsidy request, a $11.5 million child care teacher recruitment/retention request, and planned eligibility and reimbursement changes; it also reviewed SNAP administrative cost shifts under federal law, the state’s SNAP error rate, and the risk of large future state costs if the error rate is not reduced. DHS also addressed TANF reserves, the DDS waiver wait list, the Greer Center buildout, the Advantage waiver supplemental, and meal service options for waiver members. OCCY described a largely personnel-driven budget, requests for more oversight staff, and workload pressures in juvenile competency evaluations. The Office of Disability Concerns reported a flat budget and said it relies mainly on mediation and informal resolution rather than enforcement. OSU Medical Authority said its Tulsa expansion, VA skybridge, and c-section suites remain on schedule, that psychiatric residency funding is being phased in over several years, and that it is working to reduce contract labor and evaluate service lines. J.D. McCarty Center reported its new ABA outpatient clinic is on time and on budget and is nearing full capacity. OMMA said its lab is following required standards, its FTE count is below budgeted levels because hiring depends on lab accreditation and other unknowns, and dispensary numbers continue to decline as the market matures. Oklahoma Rehabilitation Services said it needs about $1.4 million to avoid a maintenance-of-effort penalty and discussed aging campus capital needs and staffing vacancies. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority then outlined a very large budget requirement driven by utilization growth and the shift to value-based care, saying FY26 is currently stable but FY27 would likely require additional appropriations if the request is not fully funded.

Transcript Highlights:

• , who do you hand that child off to for long-term services?
• Parents, aunts and uncles being able to take care of children in the system.
• Medicaid is a jointly funded state and federal health care program that provides long-term care services
• Long-term care services and supports support someone with ongoing activities of daily living for an.
• as well as an update on the foster care system.

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: budget, House Bill 1, public education, healthcare, border security, federal funding, spending limits

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on reviewing the proposed budget for the upcoming biennium, with substantial discussions around House Bill 1 and its implications for public education, healthcare, and border security. The Comptroller presented a revenue overview indicating a total of $194.6 billion available for general purpose spending, which reflects a slight decrease compared to previous years due to fluctuating economic conditions. Members raised questions regarding spending limits and the impact of federal funding on state programs, highlighting concerns about the sustainability of funding in light of potential changes at the federal level.

Transcript Highlights:

• Or how they can be more collaborative long-term in helping the system be more efficient and more effective
• A high percentage of those folks are in long-term care, so they're not oftentimes seeking services to
• licensing system, early childhood workforce registry... ...history from the child care licensing system
• coordination across systems and levels of care.
• Strengthening care coordination across systems and levels of care.

Committees: Joint Human Services , Joint Human Services Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• kind of long-term impact.
• Long-term services and supports will continue to be accessed through the fee-for-service system, including
• That was sort of the long-term plan under Prop 35.
• And that was sort of a long-term plan under Prop 35.
• Finally, there is no investment in county indigent care systems.

Keywords: 988, house, all