Transcript Highlights:

• AB 29, Arambula, adverse childhood experiences screening: hold in committee.
• AB 319, Jackson, trauma-informed services plans: holding committee.
• AB 319, Jackson, trauma-informed services plans: holding committee.

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee held its May 23, 2025 suspense hearing and opened by emphasizing the difficult budget environment, rising costs for constituents, and the need to make tough choices. The chair said many bills would be held, amended to reduce costs, or made two-year bills because the state could not afford broad program expansions this year. The committee also noted the agenda was organized alphabetically by author and that results would be posted later that day. The committee then acted on a large suspense file, taking up hundreds of Assembly bills across topics including housing, health care, education, labor, public safety, climate, water, transportation, elections, and technology. Many bills were held in committee, while many others were approved with cost-saving, clarifying, or author’s amendments. Examples included measures on CalABLE, Covered California enrollment, wildfire and insurance issues, reproductive health, school and college programs, prison and juvenile justice matters, AI and data privacy, and local government and utility regulation. Several bills were converted to two-year bills to continue discussion. Throughout the hearing, the committee repeatedly voted on bills by A roll call or B roll call, often with Republicans not voting on amended measures. Some bills were advanced with notable amendments, such as narrowing scope, removing appropriations, delaying implementation, or striking costly provisions. The committee also approved a number of committee bills and omnibus measures, including emergency management, judiciary, insurance, and water-related bills. At the end of the hearing, the chair stated that the committee had moved 435 bills to the Assembly floor, either as do pass or do pass as amended, and adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• That would be great on the screen if it is possible. Perfect.
• Although I've read that Matthew McConaughey now is doing a big push about having a special part of the Screen
• That project also included a series of trauma-informed creative workshops led by my collaborator, as
• That project also included a series of trauma-informed creative workshops led by my collaborator, as

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Arts held an informational hearing on California’s first sector-specific creative economy strategic plan, “California’s Future: Creative Strategies for Cultural Resilience, Economic Growth, and Global Leadership.” Chair Allen opened by framing the creative economy as a major state asset and urged support for arts funding in the May Revision, including California Humanities, museums, public media, cultural districts, LA28 arts programming, and AB 2319, which would create a $100 million post-production incentive. He also emphasized the need for next-step funding to implement the strategic plan and noted concerns about federal headwinds and declining creative-sector jobs. California Arts Council Director Danielle Brazel, Institute for the Future’s Rachel Hatch, CDE’s Allison Frenzel, and Workforce Development Board representative Michael Weoff described how the plan was developed through AB 127 and related legislation, a 30-plus-member work group, and an interagency process. They outlined the plan’s phased approach and six priority areas, including preparing the workforce, stabilizing businesses, increasing revenue through cultural tourism, leveraging state incentives, defining and tracking ROI, and building state capacity. Testimony highlighted workforce pipelines, apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, digital badging, and cross-agency coordination, with speakers stressing that the sector is shaped by AI, climate change, affordability, capital access, and social cohesion. A second panel of artists and advocates described on-the-ground implementation and the need for better data and support. Ricarlo Handy discussed the Handy Foundation’s apprenticeship pipeline into film and TV jobs and the difficulty of capturing freelance and 1099 creative work in state data. Joanna Reynolds described Arts for LA’s Creative Jobs Collective, which aims to create 10,000 living-wage creative jobs in Los Angeles County by 2030. Alejandro Gutierrez Chavez urged the state to embed artists in health, aging, behavioral health, and climate resilience systems, and Roxanne Messina Kaptur spoke about the need to treat arts careers as viable professions and expand residency and school-based artist programs. Senator Rubio, who joined the hearing later, shared her own background in teaching and the arts, supported arts education and small theaters, and raised concerns about AI, asking how schools and educators can adapt. In the final panel, Rebecca Ratzkin reported on 26 town halls across eight regions, where more than 1,100 people attended and generally affirmed the plan while asking for better access to information, new financial models, clearer definitions and data, and stronger networks. Julie Baker of California for the Arts and California Arts Advocates argued the plan is an urgent blueprint for a sector that generates $288 billion and more than 820,000 jobs, but remains below pre-pandemic employment levels and is losing market share. She and others called for funding, statewide definitions, better data collection, and cross-agency implementation, while committee members and witnesses repeatedly emphasized that the plan will require political will and resources to move from strategy to action.

Transcript Highlights:

• UDC should also consider standardizing its processes for screening and monitoring items in the psychiatric
• and they range all the way through crises and prevention, as well-being partnerships and health screening
• They’re in a state of trauma already, and then we just heap trauma on top of it.

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• legislation, but I just don't want us to duplicate. state services if we're getting this kind of screening
• was to come into fruition, are you, would Would it be possible for you to include anger management, trauma
• test, so it can quickly reunify. family units if there is a suspicion, which that's, you know, less trauma
• It's the most humane way to do that, to put less trauma on. our children and so I also have the comment

Bills: HB256, HB1308, HB1554, HB1743, HB2308, HB2351, HB2858, HB3676, HB3784, HB4312, HB4552, HB4823, HB4852, HB5007, HB5010, HB5520, HB5524, HCR19, HB256, HCR19

Keywords: E-verify, employment verification, illegal employment, state contracts, government entities, license suspension, immigration compliance, state grant funding, E-Verify, compliance, penalties, immigration, government contracts, employee status, state contractors, E-verify program, legally present, employment practices, legal services, public money

Transcript Highlights:

• It's trauma-informed and victim-centered in a way courtrooms are never intended to be.
• <00:26:47.120> It's<00:26:47.360> trauma<00:26:47.760> informed<00:26:48.240
• It's trauma informed and that sincerely.
• I note a couple: the newborn screening funding, RSA 132-A:10, specifically notes that newborn screening
• 50:30.560> program finally, our newborn screening program finally, our newborn screening program

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1044 by Parker relates to newborn screening tests for Duchenne's muscular dystrophy.

Bills: SJR36, SB26, SJR3, SJR48, SJR50, SJR51, SCR15, SCR17, SB3, SB5, SB12, SB18, SB1001, SB1002, SB1003, SB1004, SB1005, SB1006, SB1007, SB1008, SB1009, SB1010, SB1011, SB1012, SB1013, SB1014, SB1015, SB1016, SB1017, SB1018, SB1019, SB1020, SB1021, SB1022, SB1023, SB1024, SB1025, SB1026, SB1027, SB1028, SB1029, SB1030, SB1031, SB1032, SB1033, SB1034, SB1035, SB1036, SB1037, SB1038, SB1039, SB1040, SB1041, SB1042, SB1043, SB1044, SB1045, SB1046, SB1049, SB1050, SB1051, SB1052, SB1053, SB1054, SB1055, SB1056, SB1057, SB1058, SB1059, SB1060, SB1061, SB1062, SB1063, SB1064, SB1065, SB1066, SB1067, SB1068, SB1069, SB1070, SB1071, SB1072, SB1073, SB1074, SB1075, SB1076, SB1077, SB1078, SB1079, SB1080, SB1081, SB1082, SB1083, SB1084, SB1085, SB1086, SB1087, SB1088, SB1089, SB1090, SB1091, SB1092, SB1093, SB1094, SB1095, SB1096, SB1097, SB1098, SB1099, SB1100, SB1101, SB1102, SB1103, SB1104, SB1105, SB1106, SB1107, SB1108, SB1109, SB1110, SB1111, SB1112, SB1113, SB1114, SB1115, SB1116, SB1117, SB1118, SB1119, SB1120, SB1121, SB1122, SB1123, SB1124, SB1125, SB1126, SB1127, SB1128, SB1129, SB1130, SB1131, SB1132, SB1133, SB1134, SB1135, SB1136, SB1137, SB1138, SB1139, SB1140, SB1141, SB1142, SB1143, SB1144, SB1145, SB1146, SB1147, SB1148, SB1149, SB1150, SB1565

Keywords: teacher compensation, education funding, public school educators, teacher retention, teacher designation, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, research funding, state budget, prevention, healthcare, medical research, Dementia Prevention and Research Institute, severance tax, oil and gas, Texas STRONG fund, economic stabilization, public health, property tax relief

Transcript Highlights:

• Patients have trauma from Western medicine, birthing in the hospitals, medical physiological trauma,
• I hold all the families who have been through trauma and the midwives who have been through trauma, but
• I hold all the families who have been through trauma and the midwives who have been through trauma, but
• <01:55:47.840> is of numbers and we know that trauma is of numbers and we know that trauma
• Mahalo so much for your time. hold their own traumas what if we were hold their own traumas what if we

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The joint House Committee on Health and Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce heard two midwifery bills, with testimony focused primarily on HB 1194. Committee chairs opened the hearing with rules for Zoom testimony and noted the bills relate to midwives. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs said it supported the intent of HB 1194 and offered comments. Supporters of the bill, including the Midwives Alliance of Hawaii, argued that midwifery should remain subject to mandatory licensure to protect consumer safety, citing the state’s regulatory licensing standards and a 2025 state auditor sunset analysis. They said the bill would strengthen educational standards and public protection, and some offered clarifying amendments. Opponents argued HB 1194 would restrict access to care and fail to protect traditional, cultural, and community-based birth practices. Testifiers from the Hawaii Home Birth Task Force, the Hawaii Home Birth Collective, the Libertarian Party of Hawaii, the Center for Reproductive Rights, Pacific Birth Collective, and Papa Ola Lōkahi said the bill would limit licensure pathways, reduce access in rural and underserved areas, and burden Native Hawaiian and traditional practitioners. Several speakers said the measure could worsen Hawaii’s maternal health shortages, especially on Maui, and urged lawmakers to defer HB 1194 or instead advance HB 1328, which they said better protects practitioner access and cultural practices. The Hawaii affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives said it opposed HB 1194 because it did not align with national or state standards for certified midwives and could create conflicts with Medicaid reimbursement and prescriptive authority. The ACLU also opposed the measure, emphasizing reproductive rights, privacy, and the need to preserve apprenticeship pathways to licensure. No vote or final committee action was taken during the portion of the hearing reflected in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• The screening standards for enforcement.
• The screening standards vary<00:16:35.240> differently,<00:16:36.240> and<00:16:36.360>
• We are home to two level one trauma centers, the only burn unit and hyperbaric chamber in the region,
• We are home to two level one trauma We are home to two level one trauma centers,<01:03:02.080>
• <01:03:09.360> victims, translates to more trauma victims, translates to more trauma victims

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Ensuring that our stories, our voices, our rich cultural heritage are represented in the big screen,
• elementary and secondary schools or for the Committee on Public Education HB 3853 by Allen relating to trauma
• HB 3917 by Rose relating to the coverage of maternal depression screenings under Medicaid and child health
• HB 4147 by Jones of Dallas relating to informed consent for certain screening testing tests referred

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:07:03.520> and centers develop a screening and centers develop a screening and treatment
• and ICU screening for VTE.
• and ICU screening for VTE.
• Inpatient screening and ICU screening for VTE, and those two measures are applied to the quality metrics
• for VTE screening or recommendations. for VTE screening or recommendations.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:45:35.520> crisis<00:45:35.839> counseling<00:45:36.240> that's trauma-informed
• crisis counseling that's trauma-informed crisis counseling that's a<00:45:36.800> available<00
• We want to expedite screening and that transition to long-term recovery.
• We want<00:50:49.119> to<00:50:49.359> expedite<00:50:49.920> screening<00:50:50.400
• > and<00:50:50.640> that want to expedite screening and that want to expedite screening

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force met with a quorum, adopted the minutes from the previous meeting, and heard a presentation from Western Kentucky University’s Disaster Science Operations Center. WKU described its multidisciplinary disaster science effort, including meteorology, emergency management, the Kentucky State Climate Center, the Kentucky Mesonet, and the Disaster Science Operations Center, which was created in 2021 and serves as an operational hub for forecasting, emergency planning, crisis management, training, and decision support. Speakers emphasized applied learning, student field work, partnerships with industry and event venues, and a five-year NSF/UK-led research project focused on weather hazards, disaster preparedness, and building a statewide disaster database to improve mitigation and resilience. Members asked about flooding, the relationship to EKU’s program, Tennessee’s capabilities, and the timeline and goals for the research project; WKU said the data collection is underway and that the evidence suggests tornado risk is shifting east and occurring more at night. A WKU graduate student also described the value of hands-on storm-chasing and operational forecasting experience, saying it helped prepare her for work in forecasting and emergency management. Members asked about her motivation for joining the program and about the practical realities of storm chasing. The discussion also touched on whether Kentucky’s tornado risk is shifting east; WKU said the evidence from tornado observations and other studies points in that direction, with added concern about nighttime events and communicating warnings to vulnerable communities. The task force then heard from Amy Shaquinn of the Mayfield Graves County Long-Term Recovery Group, who outlined the county-level recovery process after the 2021 tornadoes. She said Kentucky ranks among the top states for federally declared disasters, has seen a high number of tornadoes in recent years, and also faces major flood risk and earthquake concerns along the New Madrid fault. Shaquinn stressed the distinction between immediate response and long-term recovery, explaining that response covers rescue, cleanup, temporary housing, and short-term assistance, while recovery is the longer effort to restore survivors to safe, sanitary, and secure housing through local long-term recovery groups. She said community-led recovery is essential and that preparedness and mitigation follow once immediate recovery needs are addressed.

Transcript Highlights:

• We get on a screen and tap a few things in a couple of clicks, and you can order anything.
• But with the trauma of the birth, the physical exhaustion, and coming down off morphine, I wasn't in
• Many report profound grief and trauma from relinquishing the baby they carried.
• We have the director of the surrogacy screening. We have...
• We have the director of surrogacy screening.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But if I may, I just want to share my screen quickly and show you what the tool looks like so you can
• But if I may, I just want to share my screen quickly and show you what the tool looks like so you can
• So as you move the screen size, the functionality is preserved, even as you adjust the screen size.
• So as you move the screen size, the functionality is preserved, even as you adjust the screen size.
• In 2007, we initiated a trauma care study, and we had a trauma care surgeon at the podium, and I asked

Bills: HB1623

Keywords: HB 1623, North Dakota, rural health, rural health transformation program, medical facility infrastructure loan fund, medical facility infrastructure loan program, rural health loan program, Bank of North Dakota, Department of Health and Human Services, HHS, federal grant, health care infrastructure, rural hospitals, critical access hospitals, nonprofit health care providers, gap financing, loan fund, public health funding, healthcare financing, Medicaid

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 1624, the “Universal Lunch Bill,” from Rep. Mike Nathie. He argued the proposal should be placed in Century Code rather than the Constitution so future legislatures can adjust it if state finances tighten, and said the bill would start the program a year earlier with a $65 million appropriation for one school year. DPI testified that the estimate did not include nonpublic schools that do not participate, and members questioned the impact on Title I, free-and-reduced applications, private-school accountability, breakfast mandates for schools that do not currently serve breakfast, and whether the funding could come from the DPI budget or other sources. Supporters, including North Dakota United, the North Dakota Catholic Conference, a pediatrician, and the American Heart Association, said universal meals improve student health and learning, reduce family costs, and are better handled in statute than by constitutional amendment. No opposition testimony was offered, and the chair closed the hearing for later work-session action. The committee then took up House Bill 1627, introduced by Rep. Tye Dressler, which would raise the income threshold for the state-funded school lunch program from 225% to 300% of poverty, with an estimated cost of about $7 million for 2026-27. Dressler said the bill is intended as a targeted, budget-friendly alternative to the ballot measure and emphasized that the state should maximize federal meal dollars while improving participation in the current program. Members questioned whether raising the threshold would actually increase utilization, whether a dollar amount would be clearer than a percentage, and how the change would affect federal reimbursements and application rates. DPI said it could quickly calculate additional percentage levels, and the chair closed the hearing, directing DPI to prepare more numbers for the work session. Finally, the committee opened Senate Bill 2403, presented by Sen. Schiable, to create a short-term bridge-loan program for financially distressed hospitals, centered on Jacobson Memorial Hospital in Elgin. The bill would authorize up to $5 million per loan, with a $10 million appropriation available on a first-come, first-served basis, and would run only through June 30, 2027. Schiable said the hospital’s debt and operating problems threaten local health care, ambulance service, and the community’s economy, and that the proposal was designed narrowly with Bank of North Dakota review to avoid creating a broad precedent. Committee members asked whether the appropriation could be reduced and whether the bank would still apply commercial feasibility and repayment standards; Schiable said yes, the bank would still evaluate the loan and could reject it if it was not sound.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we can put it on the screen. Do we have a computer? here. We'll get it up.
• out, meaning they didn't meet the justification or legal obligation of a screened-in report.
• meet the justification or legal obligation of a screened-in report.
• They are just screened out at SCI.
• And there's a lot of things that Cause that kind of family instability, family trauma.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• or SROs, school nutrition food services, technology specifically with reference to issues around screen
• Pykus will go this one. >> Before I start, Ashley, um, this screen... >> Before I start, Ashley, um,
• this screen here is showing us, and is there a way for it to show our slides?
• thing of all, so you can follow and understand when things happen and then you just deal with the trauma
• We need a dual screen thing here that we could do that. Hm? Yeah. More staff, yeah.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:07:43.599> that commitment against the the trauma that commitment against the the trauma
• And I think we are just adding complex trauma to complex trauma when we try an involuntary commitment
• And I think we are just adding complex trauma to complex trauma when we try an involuntary commitment
• And I think we are just adding complex trauma to complex trauma when we try an involuntary commitment
• And I think we are just adding complex trauma to complex trauma when we try an involuntary commitment

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• thousands of passengers and screening thousands of passengers and bags<00:52:20.360> over<00:
• This is a generational trauma for the people who were affected by the occupation, by the Good family
• <01:23:02.240> for<01:23:02.480> the This is a generational trauma for the This is
• a generational trauma for the people<01:23:02.960> who<01:23:03.160> were<01:23:03.840>
• because of the deep wounds and trauma because of the deep wounds and trauma that<01:23:28.160>

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House File 3732, the Department of Employment and Economic Development appropriations bill, was presented as a package of budget and policy changes from the Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Committee. The author described it as a set of practical fixes, including changes to reporting requirements, repealing unused programs, recommendations from a Governor’s Workforce Development Board subcommittee on direct appropriations, and creation of an Office of Community Investment within DEED. Members also noted the bill had been revised after earlier floor debate and included a modified version of a previously contentious proposal. The first major floor debate centered on Amendment A12, offered by Representative Zeleznikar, which would create an exemption from meal and break requirements for certain 24-hour care settings such as disability group homes and home care. Supporters argued the current break law does not fit the realities of one-on-one or overnight care and could force providers into unsafe or impractical staffing models. Opponents, including Representatives Johnson and Pinto, said the amendment would weaken or repeal worker break protections and remove clear standards and remedies. After debate, the House took a roll call and the amendment failed on a 67-67 tie. A second amendment, A13 by Representative Tabke, proposed a $150,000 state aviation fund-backed loan fund to help TSA and other airport workers who had gone without pay during a federal shutdown, by backstopping bank loans for affected families. Tabke framed it as worker relief tied to the aviation system, while Representative Niska argued it was not a serious proposal, had not been vetted, and unfairly used state money to address a federal dispute. Debate on the amendment became highly partisan and included a point of order over personalities in debate before the Speaker ruled the point well taken and returned discussion to the amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, here's a parent that says, "In an effort to be sensitive to one child's trauma, trauma is now being
• ,<01:09:50.560> trauma<01:09:51.040> is<01:09:51.279> now<01:09:51.600> being
• <01:09:51.839> formed<01:09:52.400> for trauma, trauma is now being formed for trauma
• , trauma is now being formed for another<01:09:53.120> child<01:09:54.000> as<01:09:54.320
• <01:11:17.840> We computer screens. It's not right. We computer screens. It's not right.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• the aid payment schedule by stating that the school readiness program, health and developmental screening
• screening, and early childhood<01:00:00.640> family<01:00:00.960> education<01:00:01.520
• Section 6 clarifies the developmental screening aid program.
• They need to learn to be resilient against the trauma of social media and Jewish stereotypes.
• They need to learn to be resilient against the trauma of social media and Jewish stereotypes.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So they screen and make sure that they’re stabilized.
• >> What do you mean by screen and >> What do you mean by screen and stabilized?
• They they must um screened and stabiliz.
• >> Covers trauma for everyone. >> Sure.
• >> covers trauma for everyone. >> covers trauma for everyone.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint informational briefing by the Health and Human Services and Commerce and Consumer Protection committees focused on projected impacts to Hawaii consumers from federal changes affecting Med-QUEST and the ACA marketplace, including the loss of ACA premium tax credits, OBVA/HR1-related Medicaid changes, immigrant eligibility restrictions, and new Medicaid work/community engagement requirements. Committee members noted the meeting was being streamed live and emphasized the need to explain potential coverage losses affecting a significant share of the state population. Med-QUEST administrators reported current enrollment at 390,766, about 27% of Hawaii’s population, and broke that down into major groups including roughly 128,000 ACA expansion adults and about 52,000 parent/caretaker relatives. They said the expansion adult population would be most affected by the new federal requirements, which will shorten renewal periods from 12 months to 6 months and impose community engagement rules beginning in late 2026 and 2027. They described the work requirement as 80 hours per month of work, community service, work program participation, or half-time education, with an income-based pathway tied to $580 per month at the federal minimum wage; they also noted a long list of exemptions, but said many details are still awaiting federal guidance and rulemaking. The administrators said federal changes to immigrant eligibility would eliminate Medicaid coverage for certain noncitizen categories, with an estimated 1,200 to 2,400 people affected, though about 200 may remain covered through a state-funded program for otherwise eligible individuals. They also said marketplace subsidies would no longer be available for some immigrants under 100% of the federal poverty level starting January 1, 2026, with further restrictions expected in 2027. For Hawaii overall, they estimated the new Medicaid work and renewal rules could push an additional 19,000 to 38,000 people into uninsured status, with another estimated 6,000 at risk from the six-month renewal process alone. Members asked about how exemptions would be determined, especially for medically frail and seriously mentally ill individuals, and administrators said they were still awaiting detailed federal rules and were working on data-matching and verification processes to reduce coverage losses.