Transcript Highlights:

• And that is just such a tremendous foundation to build on. Thank you.
• So two things come up for me in this conversation.
• To me, it is most important that we just have that conversation.
• Wherever we land in that conversation, fine.
• To me, it is most important that we just have that conversation.

Summary: The Joint Select Committee on Civic Health met to discuss next steps for its work on civic health, including related efforts by the Project for Civic Health and a proposed Evans School research survey of legislators. The chair reviewed the committee’s mandate and described ongoing partner initiatives, including shared principles of engaging with respect, seeking common ground, and disagreeing constructively. Members generally supported the Evans School proposal, though one member asked how the project would measure success, and the chair said the goal was to gather broad input from legislators on strengths, weaknesses, and future directions. A major portion of the meeting focused on a draft committee statement condemning political violence. Members agreed to remove the word “crazed” from the description of a recent assassination, with concerns raised that the term implied irrationality and could stigmatize disability. Members also suggested broadening the language to include non-abusive and productive dialogue, and replacing or supplementing “pray” with more inclusive wording; the final phrasing settled on “hope and pray.” The committee also briefly debated whether to describe the United States as a democracy or a representative republic, ultimately agreeing on “representative democratic republic” and approving the statement for posting and distribution, with several members still needing to provide digital signatures. The rest of the meeting was an open discussion about how to improve civility and relationship-building in the Legislature. Members emphasized the value of in-person meetings, shared meals, mentoring newer legislators, and more intentional cross-party conversations. Several said there are fewer informal opportunities now than in the past, especially after the pandemic, and suggested ideas such as retreats, regular gatherings, and bringing in outside experts like the National Institute for Civil Discourse. The chair said he would relay the committee’s support for the Evans School survey and adjourned the meeting after noting the discussion had produced several constructive ideas for future work.

Transcript Highlights:

• Building for the future, building for climate resilience going forward, but also ensuring that our kids
• I appreciate the conversation we had before, and I'm looking forward to more conversations throughout
• We can help with leasing of buildings. We can help build.
• It's been a wonderful conversation.
• Opportunity while building wildfire resilience, building opportunities in those rural communities as

Transcript Highlights:

• everybody else is going to be building everybody else is going to be building these<00:15:37.480
• They're not going to build Costco on 51 acres.
• > agencies conversations with all agencies conversations with all agencies regarding<00:20:14.560
• not going to build not going to build just<00:21:11.360> for<00:21:11.480> them.
• not going to build Costco on 51 acres. not going to build Costco on 51 acres.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees on Housing, Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs, and later Water, Land, Culture and the Arts and Housing, heard several resolutions related to affordable housing and the East Kapolei transit-oriented development area. SCR 48 and SR 47 proposed declaring that affordable housing credits are perpetual until redeemed, and testimony from DHHL, OPSD, and NAIOP Hawaii supported clarifying that intent. The committees voted to pass SCR 48 and SR 47 unamended. The committees then considered SCR 107 and SR 101, which were amended to make clear the resolution applies only to the City and County of Honolulu and will be carried out in collaboration with the Department of Housing and Land Management and the Department of Planning and Permitting. Those measures were recommended for passage with amendments and adopted by the committees. In the later joint hearing, SCR 68 and SR 63 addressed the East Kapolei TOD project, urging DLNR to transfer certain parcels to HHFDC and urging HHFDC to work with HCDA on the non-housing portions of the project. Testimony from DLNR, HHFDC, HCDA, and DHHL focused on the balance between housing and revenue-generating or light industrial uses, the need for an EIS and market study, and the possibility of MOAs to memorialize agreements. After discussion, the committees amended the resolutions to prioritize rental housing as well as for-sale housing and to require MOAs before the board, then passed SCR 68 and SR 63 with amendments by unanimous votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• buildings.
• Have you had any conversations with North Carolina? of building occupants and the public.
• insure these buildings?
• buildings.”
• state buildings.

Summary: The committee began with roll call, introductions of a new fiscal analyst and a new member, and approval of the March 19 minutes. The first major presentation was from the Office of Management and Budget on the state’s general fund and special fund status through May. OMB reported general fund revenues were running below the legislative forecast by about $76 million, driven largely by weaker individual income tax and sales tax collections, though the projected ending balance remained positive and above the budgeted level. The budget stabilization fund was above its cap and would transfer excess earnings to the general fund, and the legacy fund balance continued to grow. Members also asked about federal funding uncertainty and mineral leasing revenue variability. The committee then reviewed compliance reports and trust fund analyses, followed by discussion of a bill draft for the fixed-route city transportation network study. The draft would create a $15 million general fund grant program with a formula-based distribution to eligible fixed-route transit cities, intended to support operating and capital needs and help match federal transit funds. Transit officials from Minot and Fargo testified in support, explaining local fare and match structures and the difficulty of replacing aging buses and securing federal matching dollars. Several members questioned whether the program should be limited to the current four cities or broadened to future eligible urban areas, and whether local funding sources should be explored further. The committee did not finalize the bill draft at that point and planned to continue discussion at a later meeting. The committee also approved a bill draft repealing obsolete language related to approval of a bi-state authority with South Dakota, after staff explained that no agreements had ever been implemented and the provision appeared outdated. A roll call vote was taken and the motion carried. Later, the Department of Commerce and the Northern Plains UAS Test Site presented updates on uncrewed aircraft systems initiatives, including the Vantis radar data enclave, the drone replacement program, and efforts to build a revenue model for Vantis. Test site officials said FAA approval had been secured for the radar data program, replacement of noncompliant drones was underway, and future revenue could come from state and external users once pricing and intellectual property arrangements are finalized. Members asked about Chinese-made drones, supply chain issues, automation, and how the system would manage beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation then presented on the design of a new minimum-security prison and a reentry housing study. Officials said the proposed facility would relocate the minimum-security prison to the penitentiary campus, reduce costs from an earlier estimate, and provide more beds and programming space, with construction potentially beginning in 2027 and opening around 2031. They also described staffing needs, the planned move of women to the New England facility, and possible expansion of men’s housing there. The parole and probation chief described a reentry housing task force studying housing needs for people leaving incarceration, with a goal of developing data-driven recommendations for subsidies and support services; a representative from Protection and Advocacy closed by expressing general support for fixed-route and paratransit funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• And to the point of the conversation around return on equity, that is certainly a topic that has ...conversation
• You build the Walmart parking lot for, you don't build it for January 7th at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, you
• build it for You don't build it for January 7th at 10 a.m. on Tuesday.
• So it's kind of a chicken-and-egg situation of like we're building it for everybody, including EVs, building
• But you can’t have the conversation about who pays without also having the conversation about who benefits

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, you know, anybody who's had those conversations...
• We've had other conversations.
• We are very interested in building homes.
• Due to changes in moving around buildings, we had some new buildings coming up.
• As Representative Vincent pointed out, the silting had just continued to build up and build up, and we

Transcript Highlights:

• Peer-to-peer relationships and personable conversations are what help.
• I just want to make sure that that's part of this conversation.
• This was not, you know, a conversation.
• I mean, I was having a conversation with our founder recently.
• This was not, you know, a conversation.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused on youth mental health and treatment access, with the chair framing the issue around California’s Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), school-based supports, and the need to coordinate education, health, and community systems. The first panel featured PPIC researcher Shalini Mostala, who said teen mental health remains a serious concern but recent California Healthy Kids Survey data show improvement in chronic sadness and suicidal thoughts since the pandemic peak. Youth advocate Ella Cruz described her own struggles, emphasized stigma reduction, peer support, and the importance of youth voices in shaping policy and outreach. Members asked about phone use, cultural stigma, and how to encourage young people to seek help and connect with trusted adults and peers. The second panel, led by CYBHI director Dr. Sohill Sood and DHCS Deputy Director Autumn Boylan, provided implementation updates. Dr. Sood said recent data show more students receiving counseling, lower stigma, and a drop in reported suicidal ideation, while also highlighting growth in certified wellness coaches and the CYBHI fee schedule. He said the program has generated more than 230,000 claims and over $11 million in new revenue for participating entities, though implementation is still early and technical assistance remains important. Fresno County’s Trina Frazier described a multi-tiered system of care with wellness centers, mobile therapy units, and strong outcomes in attendance, suspensions, and academic performance, while Rachel Kroberniski of the James Morehouse Project described a long-running school wellness center and a peer-to-peer model that helps students feel connected and supported. Members pressed witnesses on rural staffing, billing coordination, higher education participation, and how to sustain services after one-time grants expire. In the final panel, WestEd’s Lisa Eisenberg discussed what makes the fee schedule work best, saying schools are most successful when they build on existing staff, relationships with health plans, and data-sharing agreements rather than creating entirely new systems. Across the hearing, witnesses and members repeatedly returned to themes of flexibility, sustainability, youth-led and peer-based supports, and the need to reduce stigma while improving coordination across schools, counties, providers, and colleges. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:06:54.960> operating conversation with your chief operating conversation with your chief
• <00:50:15.599> Uh, um I'm open to conversation. Uh, um I'm open to conversation.
• I see no other conversation.
• of this building. of this building.
• flux while we go to the other building. flux while we go to the other building.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Legislative Administration Committee opened with Senate Bill 197, which would remove the Department of Health and Human Services commissioner’s supervisory role over the legislative facilities committee nurse and instead place the nurse under the Board of Nursing’s scope of practice. The sponsor’s aide and DHHS legislative director explained that the change updates outdated language last amended in 1995, aligns the statute with current practice, and was reviewed with legislative staff and nursing regulators, who were said to be comfortable with the proposal. Members asked why the change was needed and whether the commissioner had actually been supervising; the response was that the language no longer reflected how the position functioned. The chair said the bill might still be a simple consent item, but additional modifications were being discussed, so the hearing was closed with no vote taken at that time. The committee then heard Senate Bill 186, authorizing the Joint Legislative Historical Committee to accept and display a portrait of former Senator Jeb Bradley in the State House. The sponsor’s aide described Bradley’s legislative and congressional service and urged the committee to move the bill ought to pass. Members asked practical questions about whether the portrait was completed, its size, and where it would be hung. The witness said the portrait was not yet completed and that size and placement had not been determined, though the committee was told the historical committee would decide placement. A committee member noted that portrait sizes and locations are already being reviewed because of space concerns, and the hearing ended without a vote. A work session followed on the portrait bills, with the chair using them as a vehicle to discuss broader problems in the statutes governing portraits and the historical committee. He said the committee had gathered information from other states and suggested possible policy ideas such as portrait moratoriums, waiting periods after death, size limits, and clearer placement rules. Members discussed the need to update the RSAs and better define the historical committee’s authority. The committee did not take final action during the work session, but the discussion indicated that the portrait bills may be held while broader statutory revisions are considered.

Transcript Highlights:

• conversation that you're thinking about. conversation that you're thinking about.
• of state buildings is in this bill. of state buildings is in this bill.
• I understand four mill conversation.
• And have a conversation real quick.
• And have a conversation real Sure. And have a conversation real quick. All right.

Keywords: 916, all

Summary: The committee reconvened on House Bill 11, the capital construction bill, with a quorum present and focused on several remaining amendments. Members discussed projects including a building completion in Jackson, the NC Center at Gillette College, and a University of Wyoming parking lot green space item that had already been resolved. A major point of discussion was the Gillette College proposal, which was tied to a requirement that the college move to a four-mill levy and provide a one-to-one local match; supporters argued this would bring Gillette into the state system on equal footing and was a fair incentive, while opponents raised concerns about the mechanism and the impact on their own institutions. There was also clarification that major maintenance funding for state buildings remained in the bill, while the LCCC exterior renewal project and a separate inflation-related request were distinct items. The committee first considered a motion to cut the NZ stem research facility funding from $16 million to $8 million, but that motion failed. After a brief recess, members reached a compromise on the two contested projects: a motion passed to set the Gillette NC Center at $6 million and the Jackson project at $750,000, by a vote of 5-1. The committee then unanimously reinstated the stricken University of Wyoming language in section 3. The meeting concluded with expressions of appreciation for the compromise and the bill was adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• you had a conversation with my mom. you had a conversation with my mom.
• , And because of that conversation, And because of that conversation, I<00:03:39.880> want
• <00:04:04.120> equipment, building equipment, building equipment, we<00:04:06.120> could
• To build a better marriage is to build a better state.
• is to build a better state. is to build a better state.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Representative Swedzinski delivered a farewell-style floor speech as he finished his eighth term, thanking his family, parents, children, spouse, colleagues, staff, and lobbyists for their support and service. He shared personal stories about his mother’s work with Birthright, his late father, farm life, and raising five children while serving in the House, using those memories to reflect on the importance of family, faith, and public service. A major theme of the speech was bipartisanship and relationship-building. Swedzinski urged members not to focus on winning arguments over the other side, but on working together to build a better Minnesota, protect constitutional rights, life, liberty, and individual freedom, and strengthen families and communities. He emphasized that friendships across the aisle and shared commonalities can help overcome division. He also reflected on the passage of time and the significance of “firsts and lasts” in legislative life, noting the first speech on the House floor and the last time members bring children into the chamber. The remarks were not tied to a specific bill or vote; they were a closing tribute to service, institutional memory, and the opportunity to serve Minnesota.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a senior policy and field building I'm a senior policy and field building adviser<00:31:17.360
• housing our home ownership members build housing our home ownership members build and<00:32:26.399
• <00:38:20.480> I just continuing that conversation I just continuing that conversation I think
• <00:45:10.160> a significant progress in building a significant progress in building a strong
• We are losing those properties faster than we are building.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Any conversation Okay, anyone else?
• <00:48:19.359> over We've had a lot of conversations over We've had a lot of conversations
• We build power plants as part of the math of electrifying the West: you build power plants where the
• build that type of power going to build build that type of power plants<00:57:17.680> here<00
• circumstance to build that partnership. circumstance to build that partnership.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a lot of entities coming together, making this actual building the most secure building.
• Yes, it's a new building. It's a brand new building.
• Yes, a retrofit of this building, so we're going to build another building.
• another building?
• I mean, really, federal buildings are secure, federal, NSA-type, or NSA buildings, right?

Bills: HB146, HB150, HB1500, HB1545, HB1562, HB2067, HB2520, HB2818, HB3214, HB3250, HB3466, HB3512, HB3623, HB4063, HB4395, HB4464, HB4668, HB4690, HB5331, HB3833, HB146, HB150

Keywords: HB 146, Texas Capitol, State Capitol, State Preservation Board, Congress Avenue, Travis County, traffic lanes, lane closure, road closure, municipal authority, local control, Capitol area, downtown Austin, special events, construction traffic plan, pedestrian safety, public works, transportation policy, government code chapter 443, cybersecurity

Transcript Highlights:

• I think Barry Taven will build answer questions.
• I think Barry Taven will build answer questions.
• This also goes to the conversation on preemption.
• So I know we're going through the digital accessibility conversation, the ADA conversation right now
• Those are the conversations we want to have.

Summary: The committee held its first meeting on artificial intelligence and data centers, establishing its purpose as a study and policy-development body rather than one aimed at producing many bills. Majority Leader Hogue urged members to move quickly, focus on federal and other states’ AI laws, consider possible federal preemption, child protections, and the siting and economic impacts of data centers. Committee leadership echoed that the goal is practical, balanced governance that protects North Dakota while allowing innovation to continue. Legislative Council staff provided a background memo and NCSL presented a detailed overview of AI concepts and the current state legislative landscape. The presentations distinguished narrow AI, generative AI, agentic AI, and theoretical AGI/ASI, and summarized major state policy themes: comprehensive AI laws in states such as Utah, Colorado, Texas, California, and Illinois; targeted laws on deepfakes, chatbots, health, education, notifications, and digital likeness; and growing use of appropriations and agency inventories. Members asked about Colorado’s repeal and reenactment, Texas’s sandbox and training provisions, oversight structures, and whether AI regulation is bipartisan; presenters said most issues cut across party lines, with broad agreement on child safety and deepfakes but more division on broader regulatory approaches. The federal update focused on executive orders, preemption, and congressional activity. NCSL described a White House framework favoring a single federal standard, a DOJ litigation task force, Commerce Department review of state laws, and possible funding conditions tied to state AI policy, though no formal state-law challenge had yet occurred. The presentation also covered a recent executive order creating a voluntary federal vetting process for advanced frontier models after safety concerns, and congressional proposals including a failed 10-year state moratorium, Senator Blackburn’s child-safety bills, the Kids Online Safety Act, a House-passed children’s digital safety package, a Senate data center moratorium proposal, and a House ratepayer/data-center bill. The committee took no formal action beyond receiving testimony and asking questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:15:28.519> and is some really good conversations and is some really good conversations
• We haven't had those conversations as of yet this year.
• I mean, what kind of conversations do you plan on having with some of your Republican colleagues?
• uh I have had some brief conversations uh I have had some brief conversations around<00:18:41.840
• the entire national uh conversation the entire national uh conversation start<00:20:19.200> to

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• After the Senate hearing, it spurred a phone conversation, so we did have an initial phone conversation
• We're happy to have conversations.
• Well, I hope that y'all can continue those conversations.
• And so when you go to build them, how many-story building is it, and how big is that facility if it's
• How do you build, how do you create cement without flash?

Summary: The committee first took up SB 2203, relating to certification of discovery issues in TCEQ contested cases referred to SOAH. The chair noted the House had already passed the companion HB 3249, then moved SB 2203 without amendments. The motion prevailed on a 5-0 vote, and the bill was reported favorably to the full House. The committee then heard SB 1898, which would prohibit the use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam for testing and training, while still allowing it in emergency firefighting. The sponsor described PFAS as “forever chemicals” and said the bill would protect firefighters, water supplies, and public health. Testimony in support came from Environment Texas, which cited contamination concerns and noted other states and federal actions restricting PFAS foams. No one testified against the bill, and after closing testimony the committee left SB 1898 pending. The remainder of the hearing focused on SB 1758, a Grayson County pilot program aimed at addressing potential conflicts between Global Wafers’ semiconductor wafer facility and a proposed Black Mountain Cement/aggregate operation. Supporters, including Global Wafers, Grayson County officials, and manufacturing groups, argued that vibration from mining or blasting could threaten a major national-security semiconductor investment and that an independent BEG study was needed to set safe parameters. Opponents from Black Mountain Cement and related industry groups argued the bill would improperly interfere with a lawful permitting process, pick winners and losers, and harm Texas’ pro-business climate; they also said they had already revised operations and removed blast mining. The discussion included extensive questioning about geology, vibration, the permitting timeline, and whether the issue was really about mining rather than the air permit. No vote was taken on SB 1758 in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It isn't enough to build.
• It isn't enough to build.
• For example, in Los Angeles, it can cost twice as much to build a low-income project as compared to building
• We'd like to be able to do these, build these projects, but we'd like to be able to build them for a
• Have you had that conversation? Mr.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Committee on Director Nominations met to consider Ruby Dylan Williams for Director of the Arizona Department of Housing. Chair Jay Kaufman opened with remarks about the committee’s role in scrutinizing nominees’ commitment to faithfully executing state law. Williams, who has served in housing roles since 2020 and as interim director since March 2025, described her background in both public service and the private sector and said her priorities would be expanding housing supply, preserving housing stability, and improving technology-driven operations and transparency. Members questioned Williams extensively about department oversight, fraud prevention, auditor general findings, homelessness policy, budget priorities, and the cost of affordable housing programs. She said the department had strengthened internal controls, added verbal verification steps for wire transfers, increased site inspections and grantee monitoring, and was tracking 68 performance metrics. She also defended the use of LIHTC and other federal housing programs as key public-private tools, said the department was working on a real-time homelessness data system, and explained that if state funding were cut, staffing would likely be reduced before core programs. Several members pressed her on past fraud and audit findings and on whether the department had been sufficiently proactive in preventing them. Public testimony was overwhelmingly supportive. Developers and industry representatives praised Williams’ experience, her knowledge of housing finance, and her role in streamlining the qualified allocation plan and improving the department’s responsiveness. They argued that her leadership has helped attract investment and increase housing production in Arizona. After debate, the committee voted 3-2 to recommend Williams’ confirmation to the full Senate, with Senators Kavanagh and Shope voting no and Senators Bravo and Ortiz voting yes.

Transcript Highlights:

• which is why today's conversation is so important.
• And this is something that I just had a conversation with a young woman.
• I mean, they were about surviving, and I want to build wealth.
• It dictates who can build income and wealth over a lifetime, and It dictates who can build income and
• We are really at the crosshairs of a lot of political conversations.

Summary: The Select Committee on Latina Inequities met at Los Angeles Mission College in Sylmar, hosted by Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez and joined by Assemblymember Mia Bonta. Rodriguez opened by framing the committee’s work around the economic status of Latinas and the effects of federal policies on the economy and social safety net, while the college president welcomed the committee and described campus services for undocumented and housing-insecure students. Rodriguez also emphasized the local impact of immigration enforcement in the San Fernando Valley and said the hearing would focus on Latinas’ economic conditions, immigration enforcement impacts on the workforce and safety, and H.R. 1’s effects on the safety net. The first panel featured HOPE’s Maria Morales and Dr. Elsa Macias, who presented findings from HOPE’s National Economic Status of Latinas report. They said Latinas are a major and growing part of California’s population and workforce, but face persistent inequities, including a large wage gap, higher unemployment, high uninsured rates, student debt, and affordability pressures around child care, housing, and education. They also discussed entrepreneurship, noting both the growth of Latina-owned businesses and barriers such as limited access to capital, technical assistance, and retirement and health coverage. In response to committee questions, they said higher education can still offer a strong return on investment, but only if students can complete degrees without being overwhelmed by debt and care costs; they also pointed to policy solutions such as SB 642, mentorship, financial literacy, CalSavers access, and support for community development financial institutions. The second panel focused on immigration enforcement and Latina safety in the workforce. Luis Nolasco of the ACLU described arrests tied to apparent ethnicity and Spanish-speaking, the chilling effect on families, and the loss of wages, school attendance, and mobility. Dr. Amada Armenta said immigration enforcement harms California’s economy, public health, and mixed-status families, and noted that undocumented workers are concentrated in agriculture, construction, and child care. SEIU’s Jen Baca Beltran said raids and school-based enforcement traumatize children and families and highlighted the need for Know Your Rights trainings. Megan Ortiz of IDEPSCA described repeated Border Patrol raids on day labor centers, injuries to staff, and the need to protect worker centers, domestic workers, and street vendors. Inclusive Action’s Shannon Camacho said raids have forced many informal workers to stop working, prompted emergency cash assistance and rent relief efforts, and strengthened advocacy for vendor protections and CDFI support. CHIRLA’s Jeanette Zanipatine said the rapid response network has expanded, documented widespread arrests and detention conditions, and is providing direct support and legal referrals; committee members asked about detention, maternal health, and what the state can do, and panelists urged stronger oversight, more legal representation, and protections for pregnant and detained people.

Transcript Highlights:

• The five-year plan’s first goal is to build public trust and awareness.
• They're just, they're just building the systems. Great need.
• So I sure wasn't part of any conversations.
• So I think we're having those exploratory conversations.
• By building trust, these messengers increase the likelihood that health information is heard, By building

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The joint oversight hearing focused on AB 988 implementation and suicide prevention in California Indian communities. Members and the chairs emphasized that 988 was intended to create a behavioral health crisis system with “someone to call, someone to come, and somewhere to go,” and then turned to the disproportionate suicide burden facing Native youth and the need for culturally responsive outreach and services. Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan, the bill’s author, said the law has already saved lives but argued that key parts of the system—especially interoperability between 911 and 988, mobile crisis dispatch, and adequate funding—are not yet working as intended. The first panel of stakeholders and call center leaders largely said California’s 988 network is underfunded and not fully integrated. Speakers from the Steinberg Institute and 988 California said call, text, and chat demand has grown sharply, but staffing and funding have not kept pace, leaving text/chat answer rates far below the state’s goals and sending many contacts to out-of-state backup centers. They also said mobile crisis teams are not being dispatched through 988 statewide, and that the state’s current governance and funding structure is too fragmented. WellSpace Health and other providers described 988 as the “front door” to crisis care, urged more stable funding, and recommended broader use of the CCBHC model to support mobile crisis and behavioral health infrastructure. San Joaquin County offered a local success story, describing a countywide crisis continuum that links 988, mobile crisis, behavioral health access lines, and follow-up services through warm handoffs and coordinated outreach. County officials said the model has reduced reliance on emergency departments and involuntary holds, and they noted that local partnerships and repeated community meetings were key to implementation. Members asked about staffing, tribal outreach, and how to make the system more measurable and interoperable; panelists said staffing projections should be based on actual call volume and contact length, and that tribal-specific outreach has often depended on temporary grant funding. State officials from CalHHS and DHCS then described the five-year implementation plan, the roles of multiple agencies, and current performance data. They said California’s 988 system has handled more than 74,000 contacts in a recent month, with in-state answer rates of 87% for calls and lower rates for chats and texts, and that unanswered contacts are routed to backup centers. They highlighted training efforts, LGBTQ+ competency work after the end of the federal “Press 3” option, and efforts to improve reimbursement for mobile crisis services. No formal votes or committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• But right now there is still a conversational side of that.
• That typically drives a lot of the incentive conversation.
• I think that builds confidence.
• I think continuing these conversations, of course, is one.
• And this is part of the conversation.