Transcript Highlights:

• </c> portion that there's an operating portion that there's an operating adjustment<00:20:41.039><c>
• </c><00:30:50.960><c> uh</c> legislative security and operations uh legislative security and operations
• </c><00:42:30.000><c> vehicle</c> meaning as authorized emergency vehicle meaning as authorized emergency
• </c> time comes, but that we're operating time comes, but that we're operating safely,<01:09:07.839><
• </c> capital are operating safely. Uh, Mr. capital are operating safely. Uh, Mr.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A lot of the campuses keep a few beds open in their residence halls for emergencies.
• About $500,000 in emergency housing grants were provided to students in 2024.
• Core operations and Governor's budget proposals.
• And we actually do have a little bit of emerging data on basic needs.
• And we actually do have a little bit of emerging data on basic needs.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education held its first 2026 hearing on higher education, focusing on UC and CSU system updates, student housing, enrollment, and core operations. In opening remarks, the chair noted recent state fiscal stress, the prior rejection of proposed UC/CSU cuts, and the Governor’s proposed 5% ongoing compact increases. UC President James B. Milliken and CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia described the systems’ public value, research and workforce roles, and the impact of federal actions on grants, financial aid, and campus operations. Both also emphasized Title IX and civil rights efforts; CSU said it had implemented nearly all state auditor recommendations and was on track to finish the remaining one, while UC highlighted its systemwide civil rights and Title IX offices. Both leaders said federal investigations, grant cancellations, and litigation demands were consuming staff time and money, with UC reporting more than 200 grants lost or affected and CSU citing more than $161 million in lost grants and more than 1,600 grants affected overall. The committee then heard on student housing. Finance and LAO staff said the Governor’s budget made no major new housing proposal but continued support for the Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program. CSU reported 12 supported projects that will add about 5,047 beds, most below market rate, with four already open and seven more expected this year; it also said it has about 68,000 beds systemwide, a 92% occupancy rate, and ongoing emergency housing support. UC said the program has supported seven UC projects and two joint community college projects, adding more than 7,000 beds total, but nearly 10,000 UC students were on housing waitlists at the start of fall 2025. UC asked for additional state support, including possible bond funding and a statutory change to allow UC participation in public-private partnership housing projects. Members discussed rapid rehousing, student homelessness, faculty and staff housing, and community college housing partnerships, with both systems describing existing emergency beds and support services. On enrollment, LAO recommended maintaining UC’s 2026-27 resident undergraduate target, funding enrollment growth separately from base increases, pausing the nonresident reduction plan, and holding UC flat in 2027-28. For CSU, LAO recommended revising the 2026-27 target downward to reflect current projections, funding growth separately, and holding 2027-28 flat. CSU said it had rebounded from COVID declines, now exceeds its funded target by about 3,000 FTE, and is shifting about $89 million and 10,000 FTE spots from lower-demand campuses to higher-demand ones while developing turnaround plans for seven campuses with sustained enrollment declines, including Sonoma State. CSU also described direct admissions, transfer success pathways, and new degree programs aimed at workforce needs. UC said it had surpassed its compact enrollment goals, planned to add 2,721 California undergraduates in 2026-27, and was seeking $5.5 million for health professional programs. Members raised concerns about underprepared freshmen, K-12 alignment, nonresident caps at UC San Diego, deferred maintenance, ROTC access, and the need for stronger turnaround plans and teacher preparation pipelines. The final item on core operations addressed the Governor’s proposal to defer 3% base funding again, moving the one-time deferral to 2027-28 and allowing short-term zero-interest loans to cover it.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill Emergency. Senator Rocky Adams.
• , school emergencies, uh, God forbid emergencies regarding school shootings.
• There's no limitation on emergency meetings. They can have emergency meetings.
• They have no emergency meetings.
• Regardless of what that emergency might be, we want to limit how often they can get in contracts.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation requires rates to reflect all operating costs incurred by home health and home care
• , among others... ...and I'm a licensed physical therapist and chief operating officer, leading, among
• others, the clinical operations at Vitra Health.
• Participants stay out of the emergency room and the hospital at better rates.
• Participants stay at the emergency room and the hospital at better rates.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Health Care Financing

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing focused on two broad sets of issues: home- and community-based care, and school-based Medicaid reimbursement. In the morning session, legislators and advocates testified on bills affecting children and disabled enrollees, including proposals to clarify rate-setting for home health and home care services (H. 767/S. 870), allow family members and spouses to be paid caregivers under MassHealth (H. 1394/S. 886 and related bills), extend MassHealth coverage for applied behavior analysis and other therapies beyond age 21 for adults with autism and developmental disabilities (H. 1351/S. 871), and protect medically fragile children by improving access to continuous skilled nursing. In the later portion of the hearing, testimony shifted to a bill to improve MassHealth reimbursement for schools (S. 862), with speakers describing the school mental health crisis and the need to reinvest Medicaid funds directly into school health services. Witnesses on the home care rate-setting bill said current reimbursement methods are opaque and outdated, contributing to workforce shortages, unfilled shifts, long waitlists, and patients remaining in hospitals longer than necessary. Home care providers and trade groups argued the bill would not set rates directly but would require more transparent methodology and fuller consideration of real costs such as wages, benefits, taxes, training, and technology. On caregiver bills, many family members and provider organizations described the financial and emotional strain of caring for disabled or medically fragile relatives, especially when parents, spouses, or guardians are barred from being paid caregivers. They argued the bills would recognize existing unpaid care, help families remain at home, and reduce reliance on more expensive institutional care. Advocates for adult ABA coverage said services remain medically necessary after age 21 and that ending coverage at that age creates an inequitable “cliff” for MassHealth members compared with those with private insurance. For the PACE/community care bill, elder law attorneys and PACE advocates said current MassHealth income rules force some older adults with modestly higher incomes to spend down to $542 per month, making community living unrealistic and pushing people toward nursing homes. They supported changing the eligibility structure to a premium-based approach that would allow more people to remain in the community. On the school Medicaid bill, advocates said schools are providing effective, preventive mental health care, but reimbursement currently flows to municipalities rather than directly back to school health budgets, limiting districts’ ability to hire and retain staff. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee heard testimony and several witnesses requested favorable reports on the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> hard-to-reach areas and emergencies hard-to-reach areas and emergencies because<00:46:48.480><c>
• </c> what it is, a public health emergency. what it is, a public health emergency.
• Section 202D of the National Emergency<08:21:08.160><c> Act</c><08:21:08.600><c> 50USC</c> Emergency
• </c> termination of a national emergency termination of a national emergency unless<08:21:15.440><c>
• , farming operations, supporting operations, 99% of our businesses are small businesses.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If there's no emergency that program.
• </c> line 52 and this is the operating line 52 and this is the operating adjustment<00:04:58.880><c>
• 05:06.000><c> increase</c> $500,000 per year operating increase $500,000 per year operating increase
• The first one is operating 91.
• ><c> are</c><00:05:30.000><c> operating</c> Operating adjustments are contained in numerous agencies

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Hospital operations and harmful for patients.
• I have many years of experience in the emergency room. In, uh, in addressing these issues.
• We're able to feel safer about potential obstetrical emergencies.
• She scheduled an emergency D&C abortion care the next day on July 3rd.
• And 30 minutes later she ended up in the emergency room.

Bills: HB7 , SB 8

Committee: House State Affairs

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

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:08:32.599><c> hospitals</c> emergency hospitals emergency hospitals payment<00:08:34.479><c> methodology
• This is the Office of Emergency Medical Services.
• Madam Chair, that is it. the Office of Emergency Medical the Office of Emergency Medical Services.
• </c><01:29:40.840><c> we</c> focus on addressing the emergencies we focus on addressing the emergencies
• So, emergency medical services folks.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, committee, we're going to move on to the Emergency Commission action.
• We're going to move on to the Emergency Commission actions on these requests.
• Chairman, this is the final request from the Emergency Commission.
• Slide 5 is a well count by operator. It's a simple bar chart that shows that.
• And we run through all of those wells with each of those operators.

Committee: Joint Budget Section

Summary: The Budget Section met to approve prior minutes and receive a series of budget, revenue, and program updates from OMB, the Tax Department, DOT, DMR, and DPI. OMB reported that general fund revenues through May were about $76 million below the legislative forecast, driven mainly by individual income tax and sales tax shortfalls, though the biennium is still projected to end with a positive balance. OMB also reviewed oil price and production assumptions, the budget stabilization fund transfer above its cap, Legacy Fund performance, federal grant applications, fiscal irregularities, tobacco settlement proceeds, budget guidelines for agencies, vacancy savings, and the DAPL settlement, noting that most of the settlement funds had been deposited but a small amount of accrued interest would require a future deficiency request. The committee then considered Emergency Commission requests. It approved requests for Public Service Commission abandoned mine lands federal authority, an Attorney General FTE and related funding for criminal investigator work tied to the Office of Guardianship and Conservatorship, and a DPI transfer for bridge software costs. After discussion, the committee also approved DPI’s request for a $500,000 transfer for the food vendor program, despite questions about the program’s savings and cash-flow structure. Later, the Tax Commissioner presented the primary residence credit program, reporting that current biennium costs are expected to exceed the appropriation by about $22 million and explaining how the credit interacts with homestead and disabled veteran credits and the 3% property tax levy cap. The Legacy and Budget Stabilization Fund Advisory Board reported strong returns for both funds, and DOT sought and received approval for two flexible fund highway projects on ND 49 and ND 31. DOT also updated members on Highway 85 construction and said remaining flex fund dollars were essentially fully allocated. DMR reported on the abandoned well plugging and site reclamation fund, noting North Dakota’s relatively small orphan well inventory, current and projected fund balances, rising remediation costs, and a possible need to adjust the fund cap in future sessions. Finally, DPI outlined the new integrated formula gap funding program, explaining that it compensates school districts that cannot reach the assumed 60-mill local contribution because of the 3% levy cap; the first year’s gap funding totaled about $1.8 million, with future costs expected to grow.

Transcript Highlights:

• We own and operate over 1 million acres and over 750 properties throughout the state.
• the emergency recovery efforts immediately after.
• We could share pictures with you, but it's a very clean operation.
• So, thanks to our teams, we did implement this emergency rulemaking.
• As a result, the department was operating with a structural imbalance.

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations on the administration’s Proposition 4 spending plans for extreme heat mitigation and outdoor access, then took up SB 54 implementation, SB 707 textile producer responsibility, and recovery needs related to the Los Angeles fires at state parks. For the extreme heat chapter, agencies described funding for the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program, urban greening, urban forestry, fairground upgrades, and technical assistance for community-based climate programs. Witnesses emphasized that these are existing programs with strong demand, that technical assistance is important for reaching disadvantaged and tribal communities, and that the proposed funding would expand outreach and implementation capacity. Members asked for more detail on where funds have gone geographically, examples of successful projects, tree-planting totals, and how fairgrounds could better support fire staging and emergency preparedness. The LAO said the timing of the administration’s proposed funding generally made sense because the programs are already established, and no votes were taken. For outdoor access, State Parks, Fish and Wildlife, and Natural Resources described funding for new parks in underserved communities, deferred maintenance, state lands access, and several new or pending programs. State Parks said the park development program would fund roughly 48 projects and that deferred maintenance funding would address high-priority health, safety, and access needs. Fish and Wildlife said its lands program would improve visitor amenities and access on properties that often lack basic facilities. The Natural Resources Agency also outlined three newer outdoor-access proposals: expanding recreation in disadvantaged communities, enhancing natural resource values and trail access, and a nature/climate/education facilities grant program. The LAO distinguished between existing programs, which are ready to move forward, and the newer proposals, where the Legislature may want more input before funds are allocated. Members also raised concerns about park police vacancies, the need to track outcomes for accessibility investments, and whether Prop. 4 could help with wildfire-related recovery at state parks. CalRecycle then presented on SB 54, the plastics and packaging producer responsibility law, and members pressed hard on the delay in regulations. CalRecycle said it has held workshops, formed an advisory committee, selected the producer responsibility organization, and completed required baseline and covered-material reports, but needs more time to address complex comments and novel features such as source reduction and eco-modulated fees. Members expressed frustration that a statutory deadline was missed and asked for a concrete timeline; CalRecycle said it expects regulations in place by 2026, ahead of the PRO’s January 1, 2027 plan deadline. Finance said the Beverage Container Recycling Fund is currently healthy enough to support short-term loans for implementation. The committee also reviewed SB 707, the textile EPR law, which would create the nation’s first textile producer responsibility program; staff said the proposal would add positions and loan authority, and members noted the statutory deadlines for PRO approval, needs assessment, and later regulations. The hearing ended with discussion of the January Los Angeles fires’ damage to Topanga State Park and Will Rogers State Historic Park, where State Parks described extensive losses, emergency response work, and ongoing damage assessment. Members asked about FEMA eligibility, state funding sources, and community engagement in rebuilding, and the department said it is still assessing costs and will work with the public on reimagining the parks.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> core government operations, core government operations, modernizing<00:29:01.120><c> outdated</
• </c> county paid operating expenses. county paid operating expenses.
• House Bill 761, emergency.
• House Bill 762, an emergency.
• House Bill 768, emergency.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved into committee and floor reports. Several measures received favorable committee reports and were ordered to first reading and placed on the calendar, including Current Resolution 9, Senate Joint Resolution 23, House Bill 145, House Bill 567, and House Bill 506 with House Committee Substitute 1. The chamber also noted that House Bills 500 and 504 had already received two readings and were sent to the Rules Committee before House Bill 500 was brought up for final consideration. Most of the discussion focused on House Bill 500, the executive branch budget bill. Members described it as a “good first draft” and emphasized a budget process they said was more transparent than in prior years. The bill was presented as a restrained two-year operating budget with spending growth kept at a little under 2% annually, while setting aside about 2% of projected revenues, or roughly $614 million, in the Budget Reserve Trust Fund for future needs. The budget also used base reductions in some areas while exempting others such as Medicaid benefits, SEEK, corrections, behavioral health, and veterans programs. Subcommittee chairs then outlined major spending areas. Education provisions included a 2% annual increase in base SEEK funding, transportation funding held flat, equalization for recallable nickel funding, continued retirement contributions, and major support for postsecondary access, dual credit, asset preservation, and workforce training. Health and family services provisions held Medicaid steady while adding waiver slots, behavioral health and substance use support, public health investments, and funding for rural health and laboratory capacity. Other sections covered personnel and pensions, veterans services, infrastructure, public safety, economic development, tourism, and environmental projects. The only recorded action on the floor was adoption of House Committee Substitute 1 to House Bill 500, followed by a motion for final passage of the bill as amended. The transcript ends as discussion on final passage begins, before any final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:05:04.120><c> adequately</c> state agency operations adequately state agency operations adequately
• Funding is a critical operational need.
• </c> Statewide these are owned and operated Statewide these are owned and operated by<00:30:25.880><c
• We're currently operating an RFP.
• <00:58:40.480><c> within</c><00:58:40.760><c> a</c> emergency within a emergency within a municipality

Bills: HF919 , HF1192 , HF212 , HF214

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: wastewater, infrastructure, funding, Litchfield, economic development, environmental compliance, Hastings, water treatment, PFAS, nitrates, bonds, capital investment, public health, HF212, Round Lake-Brewster, Independent School District No. 2907, school construction, school building, sales tax exemption, use tax exemption

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 2448 would ensure that vendors of electronic health records are implementing operational safeguards
• Additionally, this bill introduces legal and operational uncertainty for physicians.
• The concept of professional judgment Introduces legal and operational uncertainty for physicians.
• emergency department or emergency room when the services do not result in treatment of an emergency
• At the time, he had employer-sponsored insurance, Who had a medical emergency in October 2025.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard a long agenda of health-related bills, beginning with AB 2651 by Bonta, which would require schools to notify parents when school vaccination rates fall below herd immunity thresholds. Supporters, including family physicians, PTA representatives, and medical groups, said the bill would improve transparency and help parents protect children and vulnerable family members. Opponents argued the data could be misleading, could identify medically exempt or conditional students, and might lead to stigma or discrimination. The bill was later moved out of committee on a due-pass-as-amended motion, with one no vote recorded on the roll call. The committee also heard AB 2123 by Aguirre-Curry on medical debt relief, AB 1570 by Wilson to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for medically necessary breast diagnostic and supplemental imaging, AB 2201 by Berner to restore Medi-Cal eligibility and renewal flexibilities, AB 2448 by Berman to strengthen privacy protections for reproductive and gender-affirming care records, AB 2034 by Addis on food additive safety and transparency, and AB 2598 by Krell to require better notification of next of kin when a patient dies in a hospital. Each bill drew strong support from authors, advocates, and affected individuals, while some drew opposition from insurers, industry groups, or transparency critics who raised concerns about cost, duplication, implementation, or unintended harm. Several bills were moved forward on due-pass-as-amended motions, including AB 2123, AB 2201, AB 2448, AB 2034, and AB 2598. The committee also heard AB 2551 by Elhawary, which would require health plans to collect and publish data on how often enrollees must go out of network for behavioral health care and why. Supporters said the measure would expose access barriers and high out-of-pocket costs, especially for communities of color and people with language access needs; opponents said it would add another reporting mandate and might not solve provider shortage problems. Members generally expressed support for the bill’s goals and several described personal or district-level experiences with behavioral health access problems. The bill was then moved out of committee on a due-pass motion. The committee also took up consent items and other procedural motions, with multiple bills reported out and some placed on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• She's had a little family emergency. And so, let me little family emergency.
• These facilities are critical during hurricanes and emergencies and are necessary for disaster relief
• to help create more for companies to help create more environmentally friendly and sustainable operations
• Or is this bill focusing on larger filling operations like 4,001 aggregate gallons or more?
• Senator Weaver had an emergency back home.

Bills: HB407 , SB306 , SB320 , SB321

Committee: Senate County and Municipal Government

Keywords: local redevelopment, tax payments, transient occupancy, state revenue, authority powers, transparency, discretionary accounts, government accountability, public access, online publication, liquefied petroleum gas, safety regulations, public gathering places, cylinder storage, proximity regulations, drycleaning, environmental remediation, pollution, hazardous waste, trust fund

Transcript Highlights:

• Seek care, and that care will likely be at a neighborhood emergency room. Correct.
• I also support suspending farebox penalty requirements for transit operators.
• I think there are some emergency services that are available.
• costs on transit operators.
• costs on transit operators.

Committee: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That only leaves him emergency room coverage.
• That only leaves him emergency room coverage.
• I have a whole stack of these kinds of emergency room coverage.
• We also do not operate primary care clinics.
• We also do not operate primary care clinics. program. We also do not operate primary care clinics.

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on the cost of uncertainty in California health care, especially the effects of federal policy changes on coverage, access, and affordability. Opening remarks from committee leaders and members emphasized that California’s uninsured rate had fallen to historic lows under the Affordable Care Act and state policies, but that the expiration of enhanced federal subsidies, H.R. 1, and other federal regulatory changes could reverse those gains. Members repeatedly cited rising premiums, skipped care, medical debt, and the strain on low-wage workers, families, clinics, hospitals, and public programs. The first panel reviewed the federal landscape and state response. A federal policy analyst described the ACA’s coverage gains and consumer protections, then outlined current threats: H.R. 1’s Medicaid and marketplace cuts, the end of enhanced premium tax credits, shorter open enrollment, more verification requirements, and changes affecting preventive services and vaccines. Covered California reported that the loss of subsidies is expected to nearly double average monthly premiums, reduce enrollment, and push more consumers into bronze plans with higher deductibles; it also noted that California’s $190 million affordability fund is helping the lowest-income enrollees. HCAI’s Office of Health Care Affordability explained its work on spending targets, market consolidation review, and primary care investment, saying the goal is to slow spending growth rather than impose price caps. Committee members pressed witnesses on the practical effects of bronze plans, administrative burdens, immigration-related disenrollment, provider taxes, uncompensated care, and whether California can sustain current coverage levels without new revenue. Witnesses said bronze plans preserve essential benefits but shift more costs to consumers, and that H.R. 1’s verification and auto-renewal changes will likely reduce enrollment. They also said provider tax reductions could significantly weaken state financing over time, and that higher uninsured rates may increase uncompensated care and pressure premiums elsewhere in the system. The second panel, featuring UC Berkeley Labor Center and California Health Care Foundation experts, highlighted broader affordability problems across job-based coverage and Medi-Cal, citing medical debt, skipped care, and the role of underlying system costs, administrative waste, and lack of competition. They pointed to medical debt relief efforts such as Los Angeles County’s program as a short-term mitigation strategy while the Legislature considers longer-term policy and budget responses.

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 741, Blakespear, low carbon transit operation program, do pass out on an A roll call.
• with author amendments to exclude campus transportation departments from the definition of ALPR operator
• SB 1224, Jones, Emerging Therapies Research, holding committee.
• the requirement to evaluate federal or out-of-state agency conduct during a joint law enforcement operation
• SB 837, Reyes, emergency preparedness, due pass as amended to clarify the training goals.

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• With the mass adoption of social media, numerous serious social media-related dangers have emerged.
• With the mass adoption of social media, numerous serious social media-related dangers have emerged.
• Marcia Okunovic, a pediatric emergency physician at a children's hospital in Los Angeles. Great.
• In our emergency department, we see real-world consequences of social media-related harms, and we've
• With all due respect, I have owned and operated small businesses that buy advertising on social media

Committee: House Revenue and Taxation

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Emergency only. Mr. Chair, yes. Yes, go ahead. Mr.
• Emergency only. Mr. Chair. Yes. Yes. Go ahead. Mr.
• ... ...emergency only.
• open and operating.
• open and operating.

Bills: HB2056 , HB2202 , HB2207 , HB2224 , HB2303 , HB2344 , HB2532 , HB2759 , HB2798

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: brackish water, groundwater, desalination, water resources, feasibility study, environmental impact, dementia care, telementoring, healthcare education, rural communities, grant funding, braille, disability access, education funding, state corrections, inclusion, produce incentive, agriculture, economic support, funding

Transcript Highlights:

• To be an emergency item for the state.
• And when I say that, I view it as a an emergency item, I mean it.
• We're getting more investigative order cases, we're getting more emergency cases, and there's suggestion
• For example, when they framed the APA, there was no idea that there were going to be emergency orders
• Emergency and investigative procedures to the APA because basically what happens now is I can't just

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Keywords: 1184, house, all