Transcript Highlights:

• My second question is, is there a program cap currently?
• Madam Chair, Senator, there's currently not a program cap.
• Vice Chair, the program cap would still be, or the project cap.
• Add that this is a program that is administered by our Energy Minerals and Natural Resources program,
• to give them a proof of concepts, so that they can see if that tax program works or that grant program

Committee: Revenue Stabilization & Tax Policy Committee

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Along with that, we have the expedited propagation program that's run through the Florida Department
• state of Florida to get this program off the ground and it has been phenomenally successful.
• and under their regional regional advertising and promotion program to market abroad.
• Earlier system are smaller, but we're seeing new new new invest grant was coming.
• Another area that we're able to do was to was to utilize create revenue grant funding.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We take nothing for granted.
• and our Upward Bound program.
• , our upward-bound program.
• science programs, including our geology program, where new programs would include internship elements
• That was a religious studies program and an international studies program.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Housing Program. Housing Program.
• </c> card program. card program.
• And any monies that are received by the program from transfers, gifts, grants, donations, or other sources
• ,</c> program from transfers, gifts, grants, program from transfers, gifts, grants, donations,<01:37:
• </c> word program. word program.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's creating the Rural Access to Primary and Preventative Care Grant Program to provide startup grants
• It creates the Stroke, Cardiac, and Obstetrics Response and Education Grant Program to improve patient
• It amends the Rural Hospital Capital Improvement Grant Program, which already provides funding for rural
• In this amendment, we also establish innovative grant programs designed to foster economic growth, We
• also establish innovative grant programs designed to foster economic growth in fiscally constrained

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including interns, Denim Day awareness, a resolution honoring Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange, and a remembrance of former Senator Karen Johnson Gendron. The chamber then moved to special order bills. CS/HB 687 on transportation offenses involving death was substituted for SB 138, amended to add warnings and penalties for refusal of breath or urine tests, and passed 37-0. CS/SB 306 on Medicaid providers, requiring broader after-hours access and network availability for Medicaid enrollees, also passed 37-0. The Senate then took up CS/CS/HB 913 on condominium associations, a major post-Surfside reform bill. Senator Bradley explained that the measure was intended to provide financial relief and flexibility while preserving safety and accountability. The bill was substituted for SB 1742, amended several times to limit milestone inspections and structural integrity reserve studies to buildings three habitable stories or more, and then passed 37-0 after extensive debate. Senators from both parties praised Bradley, Pizzo, Garcia, and staff for years of work on condo safety and affordability, with several members describing the bill as a balance between protecting residents and avoiding financial hardship. The final major item was CS/HB 1205, the bill on amendments to the state constitution and citizen petition drives. Sponsors Gates and Grohl argued the bill was needed to combat fraud, identity theft, and misuse in the petition process, citing a lengthy Office of Election Crimes and Security report. The House bill was substituted for SB 7016, and the chamber considered a long series of amendments and substitute amendments addressing petition circulator registration, volunteer participation, submission deadlines, invalid-signature thresholds, voter notification, and fiscal impact statements. Several amendments were adopted, while others were debated over whether they would protect access to the citizen initiative process or strengthen election integrity. The transcript ends during debate on the main substitute amendment, before final disposition on the bill is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• They currently already operate off of a grant, and they work... Workforce Solutions.
• They currently already operate off of a grant, and they work at the intersection of immigration and work
• They fill skilled labor needs as well at the national labs and in school districts from Grants to Hobbs
• But it also allows our educator prep programs to train on one standard. ...allows our educator prep programs
• And so this monitoring program, the evaluation program, is what that is referencing.

Committee: House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll be asking that you reauthorize our tax credit program. It is working.
• It's a point of pride, and that program is working and producing real results.
• And that's to bolster after-school and summer school programs.
• Through all of these programs, through all of these targeted tax credits, these rebates and program expansions
• Through all of these programs, through all of these targeted tax credits, these rebates and program expanses

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• "Now this term to balance the budget, some government programs and initiatives have been scaled back.
• "Now this term to balance the budget, some government programs and initiatives have been scaled back.
• , but it's a reimbursement grant.
• but it's a they'll get a grant, but it's a reimbursement<00:04:25.199><c> grant.
• So, after they reimbursement grant.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I should mention at this point that the H.R. 1 program did create this program in H.R. 1, but it is trying
• We are in year one of that program, or really year half, since the program started in...
• some investments in their rural training program.
• There is a federally funded program, the Alien Emergency Medical Program, that individuals could qualify
• So that program is continuing in its current state.

Summary: The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee met on July 30, 2026, to hear two main briefings. The first, from the Health Care Authority, focused on implementation of federal H.R. 1 Medicaid changes and Washington’s rural health transformation funding. HCA said the state is preparing for major eligibility changes, including the October 1 loss of Medicaid coverage for about 14,000 lawfully present non-citizens and January 1, 2027 work requirements, six-month renewals, and reduced retroactive coverage for roughly 600,000 Medicaid expansion adults. Officials described outreach efforts, new automated verification systems, a verification hub, and plans to use available data sources to reduce manual paperwork, while noting that about one-third of the affected population may still need manual processing. They also said H.R. 1 will limit state-directed payments over time, with an estimated long-term impact of up to $1.5 billion in hospital reimbursements. On rural health transformation, HCA said it is moving quickly to obligate its $181 million federal award through contracts and competitive grants for rural hospitals, workforce, behavioral health, technology, and tribal and community partners. Committee members asked about the impact on rural providers, community service as a work-requirement pathway, emergency Medicaid, tribal and federal reimbursement issues, and whether the state would submit comments on the federal work-requirement rule. HCA said it would file comments, that emergency Medicaid coverage for certain services remains available, and that it is working with tribes and other agencies to avoid erroneous terminations and to move eligible people into other coverage where possible. Members also raised concerns about the administrative burden on families and providers and the need for congressional attention on issues such as TRICARE reimbursement. The second briefing addressed maternal health and the Department of Health’s Maternal Mortality Review Panel report. DOH said maternal mortality in Washington increased for the first time in the report series, but most pregnancy-related deaths remain preventable. Nearly half were linked to behavioral health conditions, especially overdose deaths, with suicide, cardiovascular disease, and COVID-19 also significant causes; most deaths occurred postpartum rather than during delivery. The report found higher mortality rates among American Indian and Alaska Native, Black, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, multiracial, rural, and Medicaid-covered populations, and identified lack of access to care, financial hardship, housing instability, discrimination, bias, and systemic inequities as major contributors. DOH highlighted existing state actions such as one-year postpartum coverage, doula reimbursement, inpatient substance use treatment coverage for birthing people, and vaccine coverage requirements, and offered 12 legislative recommendations focused on affordable and high-quality care, basic needs and community supports, and equitable, culturally responsive services. Presenters from the Suquamish Tribe and Kitsap OBGYN described how the tribe acquired and stabilized a threatened OB-GYN practice to preserve regional access amid provider shortages and hospital service losses. They said rural obstetric care is difficult to sustain because of thin margins, workforce shortages, long travel distances, and higher-risk patients, and emphasized that tribal health systems can offer stronger reimbursement and integrated family-centered care. The Foundation for Healthcare Quality and the Bree Collaborative then outlined statewide maternity-care quality efforts, including work on perinatal behavioral health, care coordination, postpartum screening, doula support, and better-aligned payment models. They said Washington has strengths in innovation but still needs more OB-GYN capacity, better transitions of care, and more culturally responsive, trauma-informed maternal and Native health services.

Transcript Highlights:

• Holy Presence, grant those gathered here your holy wild grace.
• A key part of the legacy of the YMCA's Youth and Government program empowers young people to learn how
• The bill strengthens the teacher workforce by expanding access to teacher apprenticeship programs to
• It clarifies Title I spending flexibility and ensures charter schools access to the available programs
• learning coalitions to school districts and allowing public school VPK programs to verify attendance

Summary: The Senate opened with a prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and introductions recognizing the YMCA’s 175th anniversary, Youth and Government participants, and Dr. Thomas Clem as Doctor of the Day. Senators also noted the presence of guests from the YMCA and Lakeland Regional, and the chamber received a birthday acknowledgment for President Gates. The chamber then took up several bills on the special order calendar. Senate Bill 100 adopted the 2026 Florida Statutes and the 2025 session’s enacted statute materials; Senate Bill 102 removed statutory provisions that had already been repealed or expired; and Senate Bill 104, the general reviser’s bill, deleted obsolete language and corrected cross-references and errors. Each of these bills passed 36-0. Senate Bill 320, relating to administrative efficiency in public schools, was explained as reducing district-level requirements, expanding teacher apprenticeship and certification flexibility, adjusting assessment and budgeting rules, and increasing district flexibility in VPK and facility planning; it also passed 36-0. The Senate also passed Senate Bill 7010, which authorizes Roth post-tax contributions in state and local deferred compensation plans, by a 36-0 vote. Senate Bill 1720 on public school personnel compensation was withdrawn from further consideration. At the end of the session, the Senate waived rules to immediately certify the passed bills to the House and then adjourned until the next scheduled meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• relating to creating a youth development fund account to increase access to positive youth development programs
• creating a non-appropriated youth development fund account, it also authorizes OSPI to distribute grant
• funding from the account to entities to support youth development programs, and it defines youth development
• programs and specifies prioritization requirements for the grant funding.
• workers, and this bill is asking that we add behavioral health training to the apprenticeship training programs

Summary: The committee first approved several package motions: gubernatorial appointments were advanced to the confirmation calendar, a consent calendar package was advanced to the consent calendar, and a regular calendar package was advanced to the floor calendar. Members noted that many of the packaged measures had been worked in advance and included bills from the Minority Caucus. The committee then advanced a series of individual bills to the floor calendar. These included SB 6086, allowing the Administrative Office of the Courts to use consultants for threat assessments when judicial officers are threatened; SB 5574, requiring instruction in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Latino American, and Black American history in social studies curricula; SB 5873, expanding escorted leave and compassionate leave provisions for incarcerated people; SB 5992, creating a youth development fund account for grants to youth programs; SB 5924, expanding pharmacy practice to include limited diagnosing and prescribing; SB 6134, requiring notice to striking workers about possible overpayment issues after retroactive pay; SB 6263, raising school district public bid thresholds; SB 5395, adding guardrails on AI use in prior authorization and requiring medical necessity decisions by licensed professionals; SB 6282, adding behavioral health training to apprenticeship programs; SB 5905, addressing pension enrollment rules for port district employees; SB 5950, adding certain Jewish, Sikh, and Hindu holidays to the list of non-legal state holidays; SB 6074, directing a work group to study reestablishing parole; SB 6226, protecting audiologists’ clinical autonomy in choosing telehealth or in-person care; SB 6096, requiring deferred collection systems for utility connection fees in residential construction; SB 5970, making the property tax exemption for multipurpose senior citizens’ centers permanent; and SB 6269, updating fuel definitions so hydrogen fueling stations can be overseen under weights and measures rules. One bill drew a brief objection: SB 6302, which would limit the number of independent contractors used for the same type of finishing work on public works projects to address misclassification, was supported by its sponsor but opposed by Senator King, who said it would unduly restrict independent contractors. Despite that concern, the motion to advance the bill carried. All other measures discussed were advanced by voice vote, and the meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• It will assist the programs to be able to have more time to establish their programs.
• To provide grant funding to eligible medical education programs.
• So I'll just start by saying typically a lot of the community programs, school programs, they're going
• participation in a private school program or someone that wanted to play in a public school program.
• So we want to make sure, again, that the program is fair, that the program doesn't create an advantage

Committee: ALC-ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

Summary: The Administrative Rules Subcommittee reviewed a long agenda of agency rules, with most items approved without objection after brief presentations and no public comment. Early items included Department of Energy and Environment rules on landfill post-closure trust fund spending thresholds and liquefied petroleum gas standards, DFA’s electronic odometer disclosure rule, and several Department of Health rules covering ionizing radiation, mobile home and RV parks, lead-based paint, counseling board revisions, hearing instrument dispensers, athletic training, dental examiners, nursing, pharmacy, medical board, speech-language pathology and audiology, radiologic technology, massage therapy, community health workers, doula certification, and cosmetology/body art. Most of these changes were described as updates to match recent acts, federal standards, compact participation, fee adjustments, or cleanup/clarification, and the committee repeatedly approved them without objection. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the Arkansas State Board of Nursing’s broad set of rule changes implementing multiple 2025 acts. Those changes included creating a dialysis patient care technician registry, updating contact information requirements, expanding APRN authority to delegate certain tasks, clarifying death certificate and pronouncement authority, allowing substitution of therapeutically equivalent medications, permitting purchase of compounded products, and updating certified medication assistant rules and training standards. Members asked detailed questions about the meaning of therapeutically equivalent substitutions, delegation limits, compounded products, and how often medication lists would be updated; the board said it would review rules annually and use future rulemaking as needed. The committee also approved new nursing rules for declaratory orders and the new dialysis registry. The Department of Education’s rules drew the most discussion, especially the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program. The department said the revisions, based on Act 920 of 2025, were intended to add guardrails, clarify eligible expenses, and streamline approvals. Changes included defining core educational expenses, limiting sports-related spending, adding an intentional misuse standard, restricting certain technology purchases and requiring extra justification over $1,000, capping carryover funds at $8,500, and creating a reconsideration process for denied expenses. Members raised concerns about oversight, appeal timelines, sports equipment, provider credentialing, and whether the rules were too restrictive; department officials said the rules were meant to protect taxpayer funds while preserving flexibility, and they noted the program had received extensive public comment. The committee also approved Education rules for scholarships, residency classification, teacher programs, accelerated learning, and graduate medical education, as well as Labor and Licensing rules on wage and hour standards, boiler rules, motor vehicle commission requirements, professional wrestling regulation, appraiser qualifications, and military recruiting incentives.

Transcript Highlights:

• It prevents divest from the beginning of the pilot program. prevents divest from getting the pilot program
• Updates provisions of the community development block grant.
• This program includes a statewide cap of $5 million dollars annually.
• Implementation of this pilot program is subject to annual legislative appropriation where there is no
• The entire program contemplated in this bill is subject to appropriation.

Committee: Commerce Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• : the high school page program and the internship program.
• The high school page program has a maximum number of 100 students.
• And then under the internship program, we have a maximum page program um is Max number of 100 page program
• If I have a child who's participating in the high school page program, should I take action?
• If I have a child who's participating in the high school page program, should I take action?

Committee: Rules and Legislative Administration

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• That program was already out there.
• Most of this water under this program would be put into the program and would be available for those
• </c> business innovation research program. business innovation research program.
• </c> program that it could be applied for. program that it could be applied for.
• </c><02:59:44.720><c> 87,</c> Grant Program, and House Bill 87, Grant Program, and House Bill 87, Omnibus

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> 1001 HDA branding and marketing program 1001 HDA branding and marketing program adjustments<01:02
• Defense, page 172, sequence 1001: ceiling for the state and local cybersecurity grant program.
• </c> for state and local cyber security grant for state and local cyber security grant program<01:07:
• </c><01:13:07.840><c> house</c> 101001 stamp smart food program house 101001 stamp smart food program
• </c> million in FY 26 for Fireworks program million in FY 26 for Fireworks program modified<01:22:29.560

Committee: Finance

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Roll call granted. &gt;&gt; Roll call requested. Roll call granted.
• Roll call granted. &gt;&gt; Roll call requested. Roll call granted.
• </c> programs from fraud. Um however, Mr. programs from fraud. Um however, Mr.
• . programs. programs.
• </c> are concerns around program integrity. are concerns around program integrity.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Upper Colorado River Recovery Program Upper Colorado River Recovery Program overview.<00:31:04.400
• </c> Recovery Program, please attend. Recovery Program, please attend. Thank<00:31:21.640><c> you.
• by the Department of Regulatory Agencies to repeal the Biomass Utilization Grant Program.
• </c><01:09:03.480><c> Slums,</c> involved in these programs. Slums, involved in these programs.
• ><c> program.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> within the existing state loan and grant within the existing state loan and grant programs,<00:30
• programs initially.
• </c><00:46:39.040><c> programs</c> through state or federal grant programs through state or federal grant
• Um, another question. >> Uh, I believe previous testimony stated that the grant programs would not cover
• </c> the staff that are running the program. the staff that are running the program.

Committee: Municipal and County Government

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Today is AB 673, which establishes the Unaccompanied Youth Support Grant Program.
• So how do we not duplicate programs?
• programs are completely taxed.
• , alternative payment programs, child care centers, family resource centers, food assistance programs
• be fed back into those programs.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on AB 262, which would direct the new California Housing and Homelessness Agency to study the needs of pregnant people experiencing homelessness and evaluate a voluntary “Pink Alert” notification system. Supporters, including the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls and a mutual-aid volunteer, said the bill would help identify gaps in housing and prenatal services for a highly vulnerable population. Members generally supported the study concept, though one senator cautioned that the “Pink Alert” name could imply a missing-person alert. The bill was moved to Appropriations on a 3-0 vote and placed on call. Members then heard AB 673, creating the Unaccompanied Youth Support Grant Program for 16- and 17-year-old homeless students not in a parent or guardian’s custody. The Superintendent of Public Instruction and advocates said the bill would help connect youth to housing, basic needs, tutoring, employment readiness, and mental health services, while opponents raised concerns about duplication with existing school and county services and staffing shortages. The author and supporters argued the program would fill gaps for youth who often fall through existing systems. The bill passed to Appropriations on a 3-0 vote and was held on call. The committee also approved AB 1575, which updates the Lanterman Act to replace the term “consumer” with person-first language for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and AB 2510, which would expand CalWORKs family reunification aid so families do not lose support when only some children are removed from the home. AB 1688, requiring broader notice when abuse or neglect is alleged in foster placements so attorneys for other children in the placement can check on their safety, also passed to Appropriations. AB 2304, “Gabriel’s Law,” requiring a child in immediate medical need to be seen by a medical professional and clarifying penalties for falsifying child welfare records, passed to Public Safety after testimony from the author, Gabriel Fernandez’s aunt, prosecutors, and a dependency lawyer who opposed parts of the penalty language. The committee then heard AB 1746 on faster county processing of CalWORKs child care requests, with support from the author, advocates, and county welfare directors who said they were still working on amendments; it was moved to Appropriations and held on call.