Transcript Highlights:

• The rural states are the ones that are the bedrock of this movement and of the country.
• The rural<00:08:58.080><c> states</c><00:08:58.959><c> are</c><00:08:59.360><c> the</c><00:08:59.600>
• <c> ones</c><00:08:59.839><c> that</c><00:09:00.000><c> are</c><00:09:00.160><c> the</c> rural states
• are the ones that are the rural states are the ones that are the bedrock<00:09:01.040><c> of</c><00:
• </c> was extremely impactful and productive. was extremely impactful and productive.

Bills: HB0108 , HB0039 , HB0091 , HB0070

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: audit, transparency, government reporting, accountability, public access, firearm rights, restoration of rights, criminal justice, felony convictions, Wyoming law, artificial intelligence, social scoring, biometric data, privacy rights, government regulation, foreign censorship, digital innovation, constitutional rights, Wyoming GRANITE Act, extraterritorial laws

Transcript Highlights:

• And if you're a student from rural New Mexico without the means, UNM is as good as it might get.
• We have had some programming from more rural areas.
• It still doesn't seem to be working to get them there, but I appreciate that you're letting these rural
• area.' these rural areas come in and make presentations and try to attract them.
• But I have seen the impact of UNM School of Law.

Bills: SB1 , SB3

Committee: House House Judiciary

Keywords: interstate medical licensure compact, physician licensure, medical license reciprocity, expedited licensure, medical practice act, New Mexico medical board, compact commission, physician mobility, telemedicine, license portability, background check, disciplinary action, joint investigation, reproductive health care, gender-affirming care, scope of practice, medical board transparency, multistate compact, licensure renewal, health care workforce

Transcript Highlights:

• The impact in Massachusetts is going to be profound.
• </c> development uh other concerns for rural development uh other concerns for rural areas<07:44:16.600
• rural rural economies<07:44:24.318><c> Montana</c><07:44:25.240><c> dramatic</c><07:44:25.760><c> limits
• </c><07:44:51.398><c> on</c> for ranching and Timber impact on for ranching and Timber impact on Wildfire
• </c><07:59:03.520><c> the</c> exemplify the negative impact the exemplify the negative impact the radical

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• our customers, for example, making claim applications easier to complete. ...impacting our customers
• So our primary purpose has not been impacted by these moves.
• Laborers across the rural area rely on us to connect them with workers' rights resources.
• The impact is real and the need is urgent. Thank you. Hi, good afternoon.
• Catalina Sanchez with the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor, and Transportation heard presentations on labor and public employment issues from the Employment Development Department (EDD), the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB), and the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). The committee first focused on EDD Next modernization, where EDD described progress on online claims, call center upgrades, language access, fraud prevention, and the Integrated Claims Management System (ICMS). The Legislative Analyst’s Office urged closer legislative oversight, especially as the project moves into the most difficult phase. Senators asked about the revised timeline, total cost, fraud reduction, stress testing, transparency around change orders, and the decision to phase in disability insurance and paid family leave before unemployment insurance. EDD said the overall project cost remained about $1.2 billion, that it had no major cost overruns, and that it had saved more than $20 million by shifting some shared customer portal work into ICMS. The subcommittee then considered CWDB’s request for additional operational resources and trailer bill language to streamline reporting. CWDB and the Department of Finance said staffing had been expanded during the pandemic-era surge in grant funding and should now be reduced as one-time grant programs wind down. Senators questioned the proposed staffing reduction, arguing that workforce development needs remain strong and that the board’s policy role still requires adequate capacity. The committee also discussed a proposal to consolidate multiple annual and interim reports into a single biennial report, with LAO supporting the streamlining. Members asked about reporting for specific programs and the cost savings from reducing duplicative evaluations. A major portion of the hearing addressed DIR’s proposed reforms to the Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund (SIBTF) and related workload funding. DIR and LAO described rapid growth in applications, a large and growing backlog, and sharply rising liabilities and employer assessments. The administration’s trailer bill would tighten eligibility, apply reforms to open cases, and use contemporaneous evidence and QME reports to document preexisting disabilities. LAO said the proposal largely matched its prior recommendations and would help return the program to its original intent. Senators raised concerns about fairness to pending claimants, the effect on workers with undocumented preexisting conditions, and whether the QME system could absorb the added workload. The committee also heard DIR’s request to eliminate vacant positions under a statewide vacancy sweep, with members objecting that some vacancies reflect unmet enforcement and safety needs rather than excess capacity. The hearing continued with DIR proposals for additional Cal/OSHA investigative staff, permanent changes to Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board petition deadlines, and apprenticeship-related funding increases. DIR sought 14 permanent positions for its Bureau of Investigation to handle serious workplace fatalities and injuries, and members emphasized the importance of timely investigations and family communication. The WCAB requested making permanent a 2024 change that starts the 60-day reconsideration clock when a case is transmitted rather than when the petition is filed; the board said this had reduced the number of cases awaiting decisions from 637 to 460. Finally, DIR proposed increasing apprenticeship training grants from $3 million to $20 million annually using the Apprenticeship Training Contribution Fund, citing an $80 million fund balance and workforce demand tied to rebuilding and infrastructure needs, and then began discussion of a separate request to expand pre-apprenticeship programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• school districts um the FY 2425 in rural school districts um the FY 2425 biannual<00:47:42.319><c> um
• We have a rural vet loan repayment program that supports veterinarians who either are in their first
• We have a rural vet loan repayment program that supports veterinarians who either are in their first
• We have a rural vet loan repayment program that supports veterinarians who either are in their first
• </c> of terms but they really do impact of terms but they really do impact policy<01:00:01.280><c> as

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• PTSD is estimated to impact 5% of the population, with women and veterans particularly impacted, and
• PTSD is estimated to impact 5% of the population, with women and veterans particularly impacted, and
• PTSD is estimated to impact 5% of the population, with women and veterans particularly impacted, and
• </c><00:55:12.400><c> that</c> firsthand the profound impact that firsthand the profound impact that
• Because it impacts the quality of our community's health.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee heard testimony on several measures related to child welfare, health care access, overdose response, disability services, and waste management. For SB 710 on child welfare, the Department of Human Services, the Office of Wellness and Resilience, the Attorney General’s office, and multiple advocacy groups testified in support, with the Governor’s office noting support but deferring to the Attorney General on implementation because of separation-of-powers concerns. For SB 952 on child welfare services, DHS, the Governor’s office, and child- and trauma-informed care advocates supported the bill, saying it would help families access services, provide basic material support, and reduce strain on the child welfare system. SB 954 on a home health services rate study also drew support, including from DHS, the Hawaii Healthcare Association, and a public testifier who said the study would help ensure funds reach low-income, disabled, and kupuna recipients. SB 957 on overdose prevention received support from the Department of Health and the Attorney General, who said overdose prevention centers are evidence-based but raised federal-law concerns and recommended amendments; the Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center and others also testified in support. The committee then moved to the 1:00 regular calendar and heard SB 850 on disability health disparity, which was supported by the Executive Office on Aging, the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Hawaii Disability Rights Center, self-advocates, and others. Testimony emphasized that a disparity study could improve workforce development, training, and services for people with disabilities. SB 838 on continuous glucose monitoring drew support from health agencies and advocates, with testimony stressing that monitors can be critical for some diabetes patients. SB 829 on health care was supported by the Department of Health and health care stakeholders, who said it would help rotating physicians serve neighbor islands without local hospital privileges and align with CMS rules. SB 446 on waste management drew mixed testimony: the Department of Health and several public entities provided comments, the County of Maui opposed, and environmental advocates urged stronger aquifer protections and limits on ash reuse. During decision making, the committee adopted recommendations to pass SB 298, SB 322, SB 299, SB 450, SB 451, SB 949, SB 710, SB 957, SB 69, and SD 952 with various amendments, including technical changes, blank appropriations, and defective dates. SB 323, SB 324, SB 712, SB 950, SB 954, and SB 959 were deferred, largely because companion House measures were moving or similar Senate measures had already passed. The chair also announced recesses to find quorum and noted that some bills from the earlier Monday calendar were being deferred to avoid duplication.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we got to see how we first afford that to make sure that we minimize the impact, our cost impacts
• impact our cost impacts we minimize the impact our cost impacts to<00:30:50.799><c> our</c><00:30:51.120
• </c><00:31:44.399><c> for</c> measure measures our GHG impacts for measure measures our GHG impacts for
• </c><01:12:38.239><c> we</c> the analysis to see what impacts we the analysis to see what impacts we
• Not just west side versus town, but neighbor islands versus all rural. All rural.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committees received an informational briefing from Hawaii DOT and related partners on the Navahine settlement and the department’s plan to meet its climate and transportation commitments. Speakers described the settlement as a first-of-its-kind agreement rooted in the state constitution, the public trust doctrine, and prior legislative findings and laws, including Act 131. They said the settlement is intended to formalize DOT’s work, establish milestones, and keep climate and transportation policy less dependent on changes in administration. The presentation emphasized that transportation is Hawaii’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and that the plan is aimed at meeting 2030 and 2045 clean energy goals. DOT outlined several major implementation pieces: creation of a new Office of Energy Security and Community Outreach, formation of a youth council, and development of an emissions reduction plan that will be updated over time. The youth council reported on its membership, statewide representation, meetings, and work on charter, bylaws, and committees focused on policy and legislation, events and advocacy, and ground transportation. Youth members said they provided feedback on the energy security plan and discussed walk audits and safe routes to school. The department also described a new project-scoring tool to measure greenhouse gas impacts of every DOT project, which it said is intended to make Hawaii a national leader in evaluating transportation emissions. A major topic was the settlement’s transportation network requirement, which speakers said compresses roughly 15 years of pedestrian, bicycle, and transit network work into five years and will require about $40 million to $50 million per year over the next five years. They said a GIS map is being developed to identify gaps and that the work will involve counties and other partners, with benefits for safety, connectivity, and emissions reduction. Other topics included clean fuel standards, electrification of ground transportation, sustainable aviation fuel, marine fuel transitions, cold ironing at ports, and the costs and availability challenges associated with those transitions. DOT also reported progress on EV charging infrastructure, including two completed sites and more planned, and said it is using a sustainability partner contract to maintain chargers and recover only electricity costs. The briefing also highlighted carbon sequestration and fire mitigation work, including native tree planting. DOT said it has exceeded its minimum annual tree-planting commitment, with 3,000 trees planted in 2024 and 4,200 by mid-2025, and noted that the Legislature provided $15 million for fire mitigation that is being used for this work. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Really, at the crux of how we're able to impact the state today and moving forward was Senate Bill 26
• It does have a local impact intent and focus, which differs from ours.
• So, we have found a way to achieve significant economic impact in the state while doing...
• How is the median price of homes impacted by what they're doing in the area?
• There was also concern about the environmental impact, and I'll talk a little bit about that.

Committee: House Investments & Pensions Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Everybody is impacted by health care. We're all invested in it.
• Everybody is impacted by health care. We're all invested in it.
• I represent District 83, which is Highlands, Glades, Okeechobee, and Hardee, a very rural part of the
• Florida is such a large state, with densely populated and yet vast rural areas.
• This has been very largely impacted by First Lady Casey DeSantis and her willingness to really use her

Summary: The Health Care Budget Subcommittee met to organize the new term, take roll, and hear introductory presentations from the six agencies under its jurisdiction: the Agency for Health Care Administration, Agency for Persons with Disabilities, Department of Children and Families, Department of Elder Affairs, Department of Health, and Department of Veterans’ Affairs. The chair outlined the committee process, including assigning members to review agencies and make budget recommendations. Each agency head gave a high-level overview of their budget, staffing, major programs, and priorities, with recurring themes including Medicaid, long-term care, disability services, child welfare, mental health, aging services, public health, and veterans’ health care. Several agency leaders highlighted recent initiatives and funding priorities. AHCA emphasized Medicaid managed care, provider regulation, Hope Florida, hospital-at-home, and cancer-related efforts; APD discussed iBudget services, Hope Florida, a managed-care pilot, online applications, and forensic care costs; DCF focused on child protection, foster care, adult protective services, food/cash/medical assistance, mental health, and opioid treatment; Elder Affairs highlighted Alzheimer’s services, community-based senior care, guardianship, ombudsman services, and disaster outreach; DOH covered cancer innovation, maternal telehealth, cybersecurity, HIV/hepatitis/syphilis screening, and school nursing; and Veterans Affairs described benefits and health care access for veterans, long-term care, and federal reimbursement. Several speakers also raised concerns about rising costs, provider rates, disaster response, and access to services. The committee heard two public comments from disability advocates about Medicaid redeterminations affecting iBudget waiver recipients and provider payment delays. In response, AHCA and APD said they were coordinating on data sharing, early outreach, escalation processes, and efforts to reduce disenrollments and make recertification smoother. Members then asked questions about provider rates, opioid settlement spending, managed care quality measures, pediatric rare disease grants, group home transparency, senior outreach, ABA services moving into managed care, annual Medicaid recertification, veterans’ service utilization, waiting lists for elder services, and prevention spending. No formal votes were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• I’m proud to present SB 1117, which will help reduce impact fees on homeowners by clarifying existing
• These two universal programs are essential in ensuring that residents in rural California have access
• SB 1349 directs the LAO to analyze these major expenditures, determining their impact on employment in
• This makes it easier for rural and agricultural communities to comply while maintaining California's
• can continue for You invest in a young person's future, the impact can continue for generations.

Summary: The Assembly convened, established a quorum after a roll call, and opened with a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance. Members then handled a series of procedural motions, including suspending rules for guest seating and adjournment speeches, re-referring and returning several bills, and approving a motion to waive the floor-amendment deadline. The chamber also welcomed Los Angeles City Council Member Katie Yaroslavsky and staff as guests. The bulk of the session was devoted to third-reading votes on Senate bills and concurrence votes on Assembly bills. Measures discussed included child custody protections for sexual assault survivors (SB 1364), tribal access to short-term rental tax information (SB 594), ADU impact fee clarification (SB 1117), protections against threats to local and election officials (SB 239), escrow consumer protections (SB 946), environmental and local government measures such as SB 949 and SB 226, tax and budget-related bills including SB 1073, SB 1349, and SB 661, health and education bills such as SB 1150, SB 1191, SB 1328, SB 874, SB 1049, and SB 1186, and labor/employment and housing-related measures including SB 1059, SB 1166, and SB 1093. Most measures passed with strong bipartisan support; SB 1191 required an urgency vote and passed, and SB 1418 also passed as an urgency measure after the call was lifted. The Assembly also concurred in numerous Senate amendments to Assembly bills, including AB 1894, AB 871, AB 1201, AB 1359, AB 1579, AB 1684, AB 1711, AB 1722, AB 1784, AB 1809, AB 1837, AB 1860, AB 1864, AB 1999, AB 2116, AB 2143, AB 2186, AB 2233, AB 2249, AB 2255, AB 2418, AB 2576, AB 2634, AB 2660, AB 2766, and AB 2780. The chamber also adopted House Resolution 137 recognizing Diwali, with several members speaking in support of the holiday and its cultural significance. The session concluded with adjournment in memory speeches honoring Jeremiah Jerry Francis Hollisey, Maisie Jean Hastings, and Clint Riley, followed by announcements about the Rules Committee meeting, the floor-amendment deadline, and the next floor session on Monday, August 24.

Transcript Highlights:

• You can see processing plants across our region, and then the direct economic impact and direct jobs
• So what we're investing in, and they want transparent, measurable impact.
• talk about, provide ag education, ag literacy, and help kind of bridge that gap between urban and rural
• But, you know, just talking a little bit about the impact measures.
• It's about driving demand and sales impact and innovation and industry advancement.

Committee: House Agricultural Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is about building a government where equity is for all and works for every Washingtonian—rural and
• Over the past three years, I am proud of several accomplishments that demonstrate the practical impact
• team capable of supporting agencies and communities in meaningful ways. demonstrate the practical impact
• I grew up in rural America below the poverty line. I experienced homelessness at 16.
• And there's a worry among the auditors that it might actually have the impact of keeping dead voters

Bills: HB2309 , HB2249 , HB2417 , SGA9066 , SGA9246 , SGA9268

Committee: Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections

Keywords: state employment, classified service, civil service, job qualifications, degree requirements, postgraduate degree, master's degree, doctorate, higher education, Office of Financial Management, OFM, classification plan, salary survey, market rate pay, compensation, workforce diversity, hiring reform, employment eligibility, work authorization, DACA

Transcript Highlights:

• Impact Committee to the Natural Resource Committee, AB 905, Pacheco from the Local Government Committee
• Hope's mission is to empower students to impact the world.
• As a former mayor of Westminster, I understand the profound impact of this case.
• Their impact is quite quiet but powerful.
• Many of them, especially in rural areas, underserved areas, are on the verge of closing down.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Your time under the golden dome has made a lasting impact, and each and every one of you have brought
• It got my friend and retired rural mail carrier, the member of House Health Care from Enosburg Falls.
• rural mail carrier, the<00:32:00.360><c> member</c><00:32:00.840><c> of</c><00:32:01.000><c> House</
• Section 15 continues funding for the Vermont Rural Fire Protection Program, including the dry hydrant
• </c> purchase agreement to mitigate impacts purchase agreement to mitigate impacts on<01:21:22.160><c

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's going to be impacting people's lives in employment and other ways.
• The report also indicated that of those employers that use AI to impact the livelihood of a worker, 20%
• For us, a lot of it is in the details of exactly when and how, and how does that impact our ability to
• you, that something's going to impact you in your livelihood?
• These guidelines will be developed in conjunction with the community and those impacted.

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Summary: The committee heard several labor-related bills focused on workplace technology, data centers, staffing agencies, and environmental health. SB 947, the “No Robo Bosses Act,” would require human review before automated systems can be used in discipline, termination, or deactivation decisions and would ban predictive behavior analysis; labor groups and worker advocates supported it, while business and industry groups opposed it as overbroad and litigation-prone. After extended discussion about due process, human oversight, and private rights of action, the bill passed 3-1 and was sent to the Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection Committee. SB 978, the Data Center Community Accountability Act, would require data centers to pay for new infrastructure costs, create a separate rate structure to protect other ratepayers, and impose skilled-and-trained labor standards for construction. Supporters said it would prevent cost shifts to households and ensure good jobs, while opponents argued the CPUC already has ongoing proceedings and that the bill unfairly singles out one industry. The committee discussed balancing economic growth with labor and ratepayer protections, and the bill passed 3-1 to Senate Appropriations. SB 951, the California Worker Technological Displacement Act, would expand WARN-style notice requirements for AI-related layoffs and require reporting on displaced jobs and first consideration for openings; supporters said it would improve transparency and help policymakers respond to AI-driven job loss, while opponents warned it was too broad and conflicted with existing WARN law. It passed 3-1 to Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection. The committee also considered SB 1032, which would create a licensing and registration framework for temporary staffing agencies. Supporters said it would curb fraud and protect workers from illicit staffing operators, while opponents—many from the staffing industry—said the bill was vague, burdensome, and could hinder small and minority-owned businesses. The bill passed 3-1 to Senate Judiciary. Finally, SB 1046, dealing with protections for lifeguards and park rangers exposed to transboundary pollution in the Tijuana River Valley, would direct Cal/OSHA to develop standards for exposure, PPE, training, and incident reporting. With support from park workers and community groups and no opposition, it passed unanimously 4-0 to Senate Appropriations. The committee also approved a consent calendar item and adjourned after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• The fiscal note shows no fiscal impact for L&I, and it determined impacts for local government, and there
• The fiscal note shows no fiscal impact, and there are no amendments.
• The impact to the state as an employer for workers' comp are not expected to be a significant impact
• The real-world impact has been significant.
• We're small and rural. If one thing affects us, it affects us all.

Bills: HB1347 , HB2091 , HB2264

Committee: Senate Labor & Commerce

Keywords: education, funding, student loans, affordability, higher education, public employers, employee information, bargaining representatives, labor relations, union representation, unemployment insurance, benefits, employment, layoffs, workforce reduction, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are the platforms that are going to be more impacted, and it could actually impact access to care
• Those would be impacted, and we would be very concerned about actually limiting or impacting the assets
• SB 53 would also have a divesting impact on New Mexico's small businesses.
• My name is Cindy Kuhn, and I live in Los Ojos, New Mexico, a very small town in rural Rio Riba County
• I make my living studying risk. disruption and human-centric impacts as an applied futurist.

Bills: SB20 , SB53 , SB86 , SB96 , SB129

Committee: Senate Senate Health & Public Affairs

Keywords: prior authorization, pharmacy benefits manager, PBM, health insurer, prescription drugs, step therapy, formulary, auto-adjudication, electronic portal, appeals, medical necessity, serious mental illness, mental health, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, substance use disorder, addiction treatment, cancer, autoimmune disorder

Transcript Highlights:

• rights to reproductive freedom and LGBTQIA+ equality, while amplifying the voices of those most impacted
• But her impact goes far beyond the fields.
• energy bills by switching to a heat pump, and this is a technology that benefits everyone in cities, in rural
• Everyone in cities, in rural areas, and suburban areas can benefit and lower their energy bills.

Summary: The Senate met with a quorum present and began with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several routine announcements. Senator Weber Pierson removed SB 977 from the consent calendar. The chamber then took up a series of gubernatorial appointments, including Irena Ortega to the Public Employment Relations Board, Monica Erickson as director of the Department of Human Services, Armin Mayor as senior deputy commissioner at the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, and Uca Dunkay to the California State Lottery Commission; all were confirmed by unanimous or near-unanimous roll calls after brief presentations by Senator Grove. The Senate also considered several commemorative resolutions. SCR 152, by Senator Reyes, designated April 10, 2026 as Dolores Huerta Day. Senators from both parties spoke in support, praising Huerta’s lifelong labor, civil rights, and nonviolent organizing work, and noting her role in the farmworker movement and the contributions of Filipino farmworkers. The resolution passed unanimously. SR 91, by Senator González, recognized Cambodian Genocide Memorial Week; SCR 149, by Senator Valadares, marked World Autism Awareness Day and emphasized early intervention and adult services; and SCR 150, by Senator Choi, recognized National Librarian Day and the public value of librarians. Each of these resolutions was adopted with broad support. The Senate also passed SB 1078 by Senator Laird, an urgency measure giving Santa Cruz County voters the opportunity to consider a local tax increase above the combined local tax rate cap to help fund services, including medical services; the bill passed 29-9 on both urgency and final passage. SR 98 by Senator Wiener, designating Heat Pump Week in California, also passed with strong support, highlighting energy savings, emissions reductions, and the state’s electrification goals. After lifting the call, the chamber confirmed the earlier appointments and adopted the remaining consent calendar items without objection. The session ended with committee announcements and an adjournment in memory of Deanna Mooney, a nurse and community leader, with the Senate scheduled to reconvene on April 20, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• In Maricopa County and Santa Cruz counties, Native American communities in rural Arizona have borne the
• In fact, we don't have an incentive to deny claims; it will impact our federal error rate.
• I’d like the agency to do a thorough review of each claims clue that was published in 2023 that impacted
• What has Access done particularly in rural counties to address the ghost network issues?

Committee: Senate Senate Health and Human Services COR

Summary: The Committee on Health and Human Services held another oversight hearing on Access, focusing on fee-for-service behavioral health management, prior authorization and claims processing, the Targeted Investment Program (TIP), and network adequacy. The chair criticized Access for implementing a covered behavioral health services guide without public comment and for failing to produce records such as decision-making documentation, work group minutes, and public/tribal feedback. Members also raised concerns about ARPA compliance, the reduction of intensive outpatient reimbursement to a $157 per diem, and the impact of these actions on providers and Native American communities. Interim Director Roberta Harrison said Access had improved fraud controls and operations after the sober living fraud crisis, including tripling prior authorization speed, reducing denial codes by 64%, cutting claims processing to under 30 days, and adding dashboards and staffing. She said the agency is modernizing outdated systems and invited fraud referrals. On questions about claims and prior authorizations, Access reported average processing times of six days overall and 17 days for behavioral health prior authorizations, and said it had hired Constellation under a direct procurement to help with claims backlog. Harrison acknowledged that a proposal language suggesting higher ROI from denying more claims was not part of the contract scope. The committee also pressed Access on TIP delays. Staff explained that TIP payments depend on provider documentation, programmatic review, and allocation across many sites, and said year one of TIP 2.0 had been paid while years two and three had not yet been distributed. The chair requested a formal plan within 30 days to pay the delayed year two and year three TIP funds, estimated at about $122 million, along with all CMS-related TIP 2.0 documentation. On network adequacy, Access described its standards and annual MCO reporting process, but acknowledged gaps in tracking and said it would follow up on whether a fiscal year 2025 report was submitted to CMS. Members cited a federal ghost network report finding 28% of providers in Santa Cruz County inactive or unavailable, and requested unredacted network adequacy reports and further information on CMS engagement. The hearing ended with the chair noting some improvements but saying more oversight may follow, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I, all people from rural districts, share your concern. You know, how are we gonna get that?
• We work very hard to put money in the cogs of government, and that money is to help rural communities
• So, it's work we can do higher in the watershed that reduces flooding impacts downstream, right?
• Representative Zamora, this legislation has the potential to impact any agricultural community where

Committee: House House Agriculture, Acequias And Water Resources