Transcript Highlights:

• So it is correct that for some reason, Title IV-E is considered income that offsets the SSI benefits
• If the state takes the IV-E benefit, the SSI is not coming in because they're not allowed to take both
• Martinez's questions, but so the children in CYFD who receive the SSI or the RSDI, There are a number
• She could just clarify: so if they have SSI and they don't have SSI, what's covered, Madam Chair?
• together because SSI would count that maintenance payment as part of their total resources?

Transcript Highlights:

• Under current law, RCFEs may not charge Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, recipients more than a
• However, low-income Medi-Cal recipients without SSI are not protected by an income-based rate cap and
• It creates parity between SSI and non-SSI Medi-Cal beneficiaries by allowing all program participants
• Because she is not SSI eligible, the facility... ...or new clothing on only $20 a month.
• Because she is not SSI eligible, the facility is allowed to charge her whatever they want and has the

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Human Services heard several homelessness, public benefits, and aging-related bills. SB 748 would expand Encampment Resolution Funding to support safe parking sites for people living in cars or RVs, require quarterly reporting from HCD on outcomes, and direct LAO evaluation; supporters said it would help local governments reduce RV encampments while connecting people to housing and services. SB 290 would repeal the CalWORKs immunization sanction that reduces aid when parents cannot provide acceptable proof of a child’s vaccination; supporters argued the penalty unfairly harms families already in poverty and can worsen instability, while no opposition testified. SB 606 would define “functional zero” for overall and unsheltered homelessness and require local jurisdictions to plan for and report on the housing and interim shelter needed to reach that goal; supporters said it would add accountability and focus on reducing unsheltered homelessness, and one group moved from opposition to neutral after amendments. SB 433 would create an income-based room-and-board cap and personal needs allowance for all Medi-Cal assisted living participants in residential care facilities for the elderly, not just SSI recipients; supporters said it would prevent eviction and homelessness among low-income seniors and people with disabilities, and facility groups withdrew opposition or moved to neutral after amendments. SB 761 would require students applying for Cal Grants to be notified that they may be eligible for CalFresh and given information on how to apply; supporters said it would address widespread student food insecurity and low enrollment among eligible students. The committee accepted amendments on the bills, and all of the measures discussed were reported out on 7-0 or similar unanimous votes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, with the consent calendar also approved unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Department of Human Services recently conducted an in-depth review of SSIS, holding 12 listening
• <01:25:51.440> is ssis with over 6,000 daily users ssis is ssis with over 6,000 daily users
• ssis is a<01:25:51.760> vital<01:25:52.119> tool<01:25:52.800> for<01:25:53.040
• And $40 million in fiscal year 26 to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families to upgrade SSIS,
• <01:32:45.960> and to request demonstrations of ssis and to request demonstrations of ssis

Bills: HF1380, HF1166, HF487, HF1553, HF1472, HF258, HF1911

Keywords: psychiatric treatment, human services, mental health funding, per diem rate, Clay County, disability services, assistive technology, remote support, advocacy, training programs, HF487, Wellness in the Woods, Minnesota human services, grant funding, general fund appropriation, peer support, substance use recovery, addiction recovery, reentry services, reentry after incarceration

Transcript Highlights:

• But thank you, Chair Torkelson, for the conversation that we started last year around SSIS and kind of
• <00:13:03.760> and<00:13:04.000> kind started last year around SSIS and kind started
• last year around SSIS and kind of<00:13:04.240> the<00:13:04.399> the<00:13:04.959>
• And so we started our efforts last year with the SSIS work.
• Uh but that was really just a SSIS work.

Transcript Highlights:

• foster children um was eligible for SSI foster children um was eligible for SSI benefits<00:54:59.119
• So that might be something that the SSI So that might be something that the SSI benefits<00:55:45.359
• But researching, like reaching out with SSI and asking currently today, SSI prefers that we be the rep
• researching like reaching out with SSI researching like reaching out with SSI and<01:18:43.440><
• <01:49:43.119> funds monitoring especially for SSI funds monitoring especially for SSI funds

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: House Finance Division 3 met in work session and opened with procedural remarks from the chair about the committee’s schedule, deadlines, and recommendation options, noting the meeting was advisory and no votes were expected. The first bill discussed, House Bill 1569, concerned repealing the directive to sell the Anna Philbrook Center for Children property in Concord. Testimony from DHHS and New Hampshire Hospital focused on whether the property could be subdivided, the relationship to Senate Bill 572, the status of the city of Concord’s first right of refusal, and the practical effects of a sale. Witnesses said the $5 million sale estimate was a budget assumption, that moving staff and equipment would create some relocation costs, and that the center had required significant recent maintenance and renovation spending. Members also discussed the number of transitional housing beds at the site, the temporary nature of those beds, and whether the property should remain available given hospital workforce and service needs. The committee then turned to House Bill 661, which had been recommitted for further review after new information emerged. The chair summarized federal developments, including a December 2025 ACF letter and a related executive order, as well as a federal HHS press release about states diverting foster youths’ Social Security survivor benefits. Representative Walner explained that amendment 3055H had been drafted to move the bill forward in smaller steps, with a fiscal note requested on the amendment because the original bill was viewed as too large and expensive. Members discussed whether the committee had received copies of the amendment and whether federal guidance or funding had changed the policy landscape. The discussion also included broader questions about foster youth benefits and whether federal action would support state implementation. One member cited ACF language stating that only 11 states had enacted policies to stop interception of survivor benefits and that technical assistance would be available to the remaining states. The meeting remained in work-session mode throughout, with no votes taken and no final recommendations made during the portion provided. The chair indicated the committee could return to the bills later in the month.

Transcript Highlights:

• cancellation from the Mille Lacs Band, and I appreciate that we're spending, you know, $40 million on SSIS
• And so while I'm thrilled with the SSIS, I've been waiting for that. They had the same.
• The additional funding for SSIS obviously I think is a priority for everyone on this committee.
• I am most excited about SSIS. I've been working on this for many, many years, and I think...
• We're going to pass SSI as funding in a deficit situation when it's been needed for years.

Bills: HF2436, HF2929

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras, HF2929, SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, food assistance, nutrition assistance, public benefits, eligibility determination, income eligibility, federal poverty guidelines, poverty level, county agency, Tribal agency, human services, children and families, benefits administration

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the SSIS project.
• notice at this point, 5.059 million of the IT appropriation and appropriates 40 million dollars to the SSIS
• Modernization of SSIS will allow caseworkers to focus their time on children and families rather than
• The investments that you're making in improving SSIS systems will go a long way.
• This will help us fully fund SSIS and get the correct kind of systems in place so that we can really

Bills: HF2436

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras

Transcript Highlights:

• We do use SSIS.
• So we've got MAXIS, PISM, MMIS, SSIS, MEC, and Square.
• So we've got MAXIS, PISM, MMIS, SSIS, MEC, and Square.
• So we've got MAXIS, PISM, MMIS, SSIS, MEC, and Square.
• I want to thank Representative Keeler for bringing up SSIS.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This is the SSIS modernization project.
• <00:15:37.839> and for the DCYF modernization of SSIS and for the DCYF modernization of SSIS
• funding the child welfare SSIS funding the child welfare SSIS modernization. modernization. modernization
• > allow<00:31:08.080> case Modernization of SSIS will allow case Modernization of SSIS
• you more for the investments in SSIS. you more for the investments in SSIS.

Bills: HF2436

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So, the SSIS—and when is it predicted that that would be up and functioning, the new system?
• <00:21:22.880> system counties until we have an SSIS system counties until we have an SSIS
• that we should be fully funding the state portion of SSIS.
• that we should be fully funding the state portion of SSIS.
• We should be fully funding the state portion of SSIS.

Bills: HF2436

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• people that have long-term disabilities, they financially qualify for Medicaid because they receive SSI
• We believe that for someone who has a long-term disability, has been on SSI for years and years, they
• So we would ask just to consider looking at this and making it specifically clear in the bill that SSI
• I do want to clarify that if individuals are on SSI, or Supplemental Security Income, their eligibility
• What would cause them to lose their SSI? I cannot speak to that. Okay.

Bills: HB1531, HB2667, HB2809, HB2865, HB3589, HB3151, HB3748, HB3750, HB4419, HB4643, HB3597, HB4129, HB4130, HB4131

Keywords: workplace violence prevention, health and safety code, Chapter 331, facility definition, home and community support services agency, home health agency, home health care, nursing staff, registered nurses, health care workplace safety, hospital, nursing facility, ambulatory surgical center, freestanding emergency medical care facility, mental hospital, Texas health care regulation, provider compliance, occupational safety, senior living, referral agencies

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you have the percentage of children that qualify for SSI?
• Any child that comes into care is automatically SSI?
• No, that's not right; anybody who is eligible for SSI.
• So it's just they get the full SSI amount. It goes straight to them.
• We offset that amount with this. they get the full SSI amount.

Bills: HB18, HB37, HB 116, HB388, HB879, HB913, HB 1151, HB2216, HB2358, HB2809, SB577, SB1590, SB1782, SB1887, SB2744

Keywords: rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability, perinatal bereavement, healthcare, hospital training, bereavement support, maternal care, fetal demise, stillbirth, neonatal death, parent-child relationship, involuntary termination, family law, child welfare, child protection, HB 388, HB388

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services met with a quorum and took up several House and Senate bills, with public testimony limited to two minutes per witness. The committee first heard HB 2358, a cleanup bill requested by HHSC that would repeal outdated training and conference requirements for long-term care facility surveyors and certain providers; there were no witnesses, and the bill was left pending. The committee then heard HB 18, the rural hospital stabilization bill, which would create financial assessment tools, a rural hospital finance office at HHSC, an academy for rural hospital officers, multiple grant programs, enhanced Medicaid reimbursement tied to average cost, OB/GYN add-on payments, expanded pediatric telehealth connectivity, and a rural pediatric mental health program. Senator Perry and witnesses from TORCH, a rural hospital, AARP Texas, and ARCHI strongly supported the bill as a way to stabilize rural hospitals, improve OB access, and address workforce and financial pressures. Committee members discussed rural hospital closures, low-volume quality metrics, system affiliation, and the need for predictable monthly reimbursement; the bill was left pending after testimony and questions. The committee next heard HB 37, which would create a perinatal bereavement care initiative for families experiencing stillbirth, neonatal death, or intrauterine fetal demise, including counseling, staff training, and access to cooling devices, with possible grants and a recognition program for hospitals. Senator Huffman explained the bill, and several witnesses testified in support, sharing personal stories about infant loss and the importance of time with the baby, trained staff, and cuddle cots or similar devices. A neonatologist also supported the bill while suggesting clarification that hospitals should not be penalized if state funding is unavailable and recommending use of regional advisory councils to help implement training. Public testimony was then closed and the bill left pending. The committee also heard HB 879, which would create a streamlined licensing pathway for veterans with medical or nursing experience to practice in Texas, and HB 913, which would add new state hospitals to statute and split the North Texas State Hospital into two separate hospitals with their own superintendents; both bills had no opposition testimony and were left pending. Later, the committee heard SB 2744, a heart disease screening bill that would update the 2009 Texas Heart Attack Prevention Act to require insurance coverage for coronary CT angiography with plaque analysis, including soft plaque detection, as a preventive screening tool. The author and invited witnesses argued the technology is more effective than calcium scoring alone, can identify patients before symptoms appear, and could save lives at a cost comparable to or lower than colonoscopy. An insurance industry witness opposed the bill, arguing the technology has not been recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for universal screening and that the mandated coverage and payment level would raise costs; the bill was left pending after testimony. Finally, the committee heard HB 1151, a parental rights bill clarifying that refusing psychotropic medication or psychiatric treatment is not neglect unless the child is harmed. Supporters, including parent advocates and attorneys, said the bill would protect parents from CPS overreach and preserve medical decision-making authority, while one witness urged broader attention to physical causes of behavioral issues. Public testimony was closed and HB 1151 was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• SSI benefits are given because the federal government understands that even with Medicaid, there are
• During my time in foster care, DCF took $44,000 in SSI payments, which prohibited me from getting the
• During my time in foster care, DCF took $44,000 in SSI payments, which prohibited me from getting the
• Other youth will receive SSI disability benefits. These are needs-based benefits.
• The asset limit is $2,000, so youth can never save more than $2,000 and remain SSI eligible.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities heard testimony on a wide range of bills affecting foster youth, child welfare oversight, homelessness services, juvenile justice, social work licensure, and human services workforce supports. Committee co-chairs Senator Robyn Kennedy and Representative Jay Livingstone opened the hybrid hearing by outlining testimony procedures and accessibility measures. Several members and legislators participated throughout the day, and many witnesses were invited to submit additional written testimony after speaking. A major portion of the hearing focused on House 227/Senate 105, which would protect federal benefits owed to children in foster care. Supporters, including advocates from Hopewell, the Disability Law Center, CPCS, the Children’s Law Center, More Than Words, Friends of Children, and youth witness Onyx Rosario, said DCF had already ended the practice of taking most Social Security and SSI benefits and now conserves them in accounts for youth, but argued the policy should be codified to prevent future reversals. Witnesses described how conserved benefits help with basic needs, housing, education, transportation, and transition to adulthood, and several noted the bill also adds financial literacy and transparency requirements. Senator Joan Comerford and others said the change would protect vulnerable youth, especially children of color, LGBTQ youth, and youth with disabilities. The committee also heard testimony on House 225, which would expand the grandparents-raising-grandchildren commission by adding appointments and helping with quorum and representation. The committee also took testimony on Senate 136, which would improve emergency housing assistance for families experiencing homelessness by easing documentation requirements, allowing use of existing state data to verify eligibility, requiring notice before benefit reductions, and creating an ombudsperson. Senator Adam Gomez and other supporters said the bill would reduce barriers for families in crisis. On House 262/Senate 148, an omnibus child welfare bill, witnesses supported provisions on data reporting, education coordination, and Office of the Child Advocate reforms, while CPCS raised concerns about expanded access to sensitive records and the OCA’s role in certain proceedings. The Office of the Child Advocate supported codifying current practices and also backed child fatality review changes in House 234/Senate 133. The committee additionally heard support for Senate 108, which would require attorneys and audio/video recording during juvenile custodial interrogations, and for House 247/Senate 116, which would update the Juvenile Justice Policy and Data Board to add supported lived-experience seats. Finally, the committee heard competing testimony on Senate 135, a bill to ensure parity in social work licensure. SEIU Local 509 and supporters argued the current exam requirement disproportionately harms Black, Latino, multilingual, and multicultural applicants and worsens workforce shortages, while the Association of Social Work Boards opposed the bill, saying the exam is a necessary public-protection measure and that removing it would conflict with interstate compact efforts. The hearing also included testimony in support of a loan repayment program for human service workers, with providers and workers describing low wages, high student debt, and the need to retain staff in essential services. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the hearing itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• So SSI is the main source of income or the only source of income for hundreds of thousands of people
• The problem is that SSI has a very, very strict limit.
• So if you have more than $2,000 at a time, you can lose your SSI benefits. your paycheck didn't come
• So someone with a CalLABLE account who's receiving SSI can save up to $100,000. instead of $2,000, and
• still keep their SSI benefits coming in.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But thank you, Chair Torkelson, for the conversation that we started last year around SSIS and kind of
• 00:14:27.680> the areas and with our investment in the areas and with our investment in the SSIS
• system last year, I mean, we SSIS system last year, I mean, we they're<00:14:30.320> on<00:14
• And so, we started our efforts last year with the SSIS work.
• And so, we started our efforts last year with the SSIS work.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 4808, as amended by a DE3, a human services technology modernization bill. The author described the measure as a multi-year effort to modernize outdated county systems, improve data integration, and strengthen program integrity and fraud detection. The bill would create a Human Services Modernization Fund with a $50 million cap, establish an advisory council with strong county and tribal representation, and create a legislative commission to oversee the work and receive annual reports. It also includes a $10 million county-focused grant fund and a $15 million appropriation for the Office of Inspector General’s technology needs. Testimony from the Association of Minnesota Counties and related county groups strongly supported the bill, emphasizing the need for immediate modernization, the importance of county and tribal involvement, and the value of legislative oversight. Members from both parties echoed support, saying the bill would help county workers spend less time on outdated systems and more time serving clients, and that better system integration could reduce errors and fraud issues. One member suggested that audits should be considered in the future in addition to reporting requirements. The committee adopted the DE3 amendment without opposition. After discussion, the chair renewed the motion to refer House File 4808, as amended, to the general register, and the motion passed on a voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• He then said he had one more thing: this deals with efficiencies and with child protection and SSIS.
• uh fund the backer um regarding the ssis uh fund the funding<00:36:56.079> appropriated<00:36
• :56.560> to<00:36:56.680> ssis<00:36:57.319> was<00:36:57.640> for<00:36:
• 57.960> or funding appropriated to ssis was for or funding appropriated to ssis was for or for
• um to DHS for ssis it was appropriated um to DHS but<00:37:01.400> it's<00:37:01.599> for<

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Modernization of SSIS will possible.
• Fully funding SSIS is a critical step to ensuring successful implementation of the act.
• Fully funding SSIS is a critical step to ensuring successful implementation of the act.
• Fully funding SSIS is a critical step to ensuring successful implementation of the act.
• Fully funding SSIS is a critical step to ensuring successful implementation of the act.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• RCFE's may not charge Supplemental Security Income, SSI, recipients more than a standardized monthly
• However, low income Medi-Cal recipients with without SSI are not protected by an income-based rate cap
• We have been working closely with the author's office and sponsors to ensure that the SSI SSP room and

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• comes into care is automatically considered for SSI.
• On unverified kinship, if a child is receiving SSI, then those payments go to the family that is caring
• So, it’s just that they get the full SSI amount, and it goes passed through straight to them.
• They're eligible for the relative and other caregiver, but that's in addition to the SSI payment.
• Y'all wouldn't know this, but I think in nursing home facilities, we keep SSI as a part of the payment

Bills: HB18, HB37, HB116, HB388, HB879, HB913, HB1151, HB2216, HB2358, HB2809, SB577, SB1590, SB1782, SB1887, SB2744, HB18, HB37, HB116

Keywords: rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability, perinatal bereavement, healthcare, hospital training, bereavement support, maternal care, fetal demise, stillbirth, neonatal death, parent-child relationship, involuntary termination, family law, child welfare, child protection, HB 388, HB388

Transcript Highlights:

• example, last year we finally were able to put together enough funding for the system that's called SSIS
• enough funding for the system<00:10:36.280> that's<00:10:36.480> called<00:10:36.920> SSIS
• c><00:10:37.960> It's<00:10:38.240> has<00:10:38.520> to system that's called SSIS
• It's has to system that's called SSIS.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The discussion focused on the need to modernize Minnesota’s human services software systems, especially MAXIS and related county-administered eligibility tools used for programs like SNAP and Medical Assistance. The senator described seeing a Ramsey County demonstration of the MAXIS system, saying the process was tedious, repetitive, and based on outdated green-screen technology that is difficult for workers to learn and use. The outdated systems were said to create long wait times for residents seeking basic needs assistance and to make it harder for counties to keep up with application volume. The senator said the old, siloed systems also create program integrity problems because they do not communicate well with one another, making it harder to detect fraud and more likely that errors will go unnoticed. Counties reportedly need to hire more staff just to process basic applications, and those added costs can ultimately affect county budgets and property taxpayers. The senator also said modernization is important to maintain federal funding and avoid penalties tied to error rates and compliance requirements in programs such as SNAP and Medicaid. Senate File 4719 was presented as a short-term bill to create a Human Services System Steering Committee made up of county representatives, state agencies, DHS, DCYF, and MNIT to develop recommendations and prioritize improvements collaboratively. The senator said the committee could begin meeting within a couple of months after enactment, with the goal of getting work started quickly this biennium. A longer-term proposal, Senate File 5020, would establish an IT funding account and require MNIT to develop a modernization plan for larger system investments. No vote or formal committee action was taken in the exchange.