Transcript Highlights:

• and a system that connects to other systems, so that care is really transferable and we can do better
• And again, no surprise, I think we heard a lot from providers and healthcare systems around the need
• A tiered system that will be based on workforce priorities and geographic need in those rural communities
• Then you went to the prospective payment system and a number of rural hospitals started to close.
• In Columbus, one of the large health systems acquired a hospital in the immediately adjacent county.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Rural Health Transformation Committee met to receive an overview from Department of Health and Welfare Director Juliet Sharon on Idaho’s Rural Health Transformation Program, created under the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Sharon explained the $50 billion federal program, Idaho’s application timeline, the state’s ranking and award amount, and the five broad initiative areas in the approved plan: technology and access, innovative care models, workforce development, chronic disease and behavioral health, and rural infrastructure/partnerships. She emphasized that the funding is tightly overseen by CMS, with required reporting, compliance checks, sustainability plans, and the risk of losing funds if Idaho does not obligate money or meet milestones on time. She also outlined the state’s plan to hire a 12-person temporary team and to use a mix of RFPs and competitive subgrants, with monthly reporting to the committee and a shared information space to track solicitations, rubrics, and awards. Committee members questioned several parts of the plan, especially scope-of-practice issues tied to the application, the use of telehealth funding, workforce retention, and the survey process used to shape the application. Representative Tanner asked whether the state could continue pursuing scope changes for dental hygienists and physician assistants and whether legislative action could affect funding outcomes; Sharon said the state would continue to evaluate those policies, but that compliance, timely spending, and performance would be the main factors affecting funding. Representative Healy raised concerns about the survey’s heavy use of “other” responses and about telehealth spending, arguing some telehealth uses may not be practical for specialty care. Representative Manwaring requested a shared drive for real-time data and asked for raw survey results and dollar-based funding caps. Sharon agreed to provide follow-up information, including survey data and additional details on funding limits. Chris Jones of Catalyst Policy Group then presented broader policy observations and examples from other states. He praised Idaho’s application, urged the committee to keep the focus on patient-centered rural access, and highlighted ideas such as community health workers, remote patient monitoring, rural training pipelines, value-based care networks, and telehealth models that reduce staffing needs and improve sustainability. He also cautioned against relying on social determinants of health funding, noted the importance of rural training and partnerships, and praised Idaho’s 3.5% tribal set-aside. The committee ended by agreeing to set up a shared information hub with LSO, to expect follow-up materials and possible solicitation drafts soon, and to tentatively plan its next meeting around CMS’s Idaho visit on May 28.

Transcript Highlights:

• in this than like the everyday small business owner that's just trying to like do it outside the system
• Part of my role is to help remove barriers, navigate complex systems, and ensure that our teams have
• The system they're using has been outdated and has required a lot of customization.
• I strive to do my best to make both systems available to all employees who are vulnerable in that way
• But I know, too, that there’s been a lot of, you know, not having a great data system has kind of kept

Committee: Senate Rules

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee approved several non-appearing gubernatorial appointments and routine agenda items by 4-0 votes, including Frank Damrow Jr. to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board, Michelle Eddger to the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, and David Galavis to the State Park and Recreation Commission. The committee also approved bill referrals, a rule waiver to allow SB 1447 to be heard after the policy deadline, and floor acknowledgments. The committee then heard the appointment of Clint Kellam as Director of the Department of Cannabis Control. Members focused heavily on cannabis regulation, especially illicit market activity, consumer education, labeling, and youth protection. Kellam said the department’s goal is to shift consumption from illicit to legal sources, not increase use, and described efforts such as the Real California Cannabis website, the required educational pamphlet for new users, inspections, and package review. Senators raised concerns about attractive-to-children packaging, high-dose beverages, and the need for tighter labeling rules; Kellam said the department is open to legislative changes, is working on an AI tool to help licensees review packaging, and uses recalls, citations, and administrative actions when products violate rules. He also described enforcement efforts against illegal cultivation and retail, including the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force and cooperation with local, state, and federal agencies. The committee voted 4-0 to advance the appointment. The committee next heard Jennifer Osborne’s appointment as Director of the Department of Industrial Relations. Osborne described her background in state administration and said she aims to remove barriers, improve systems, and support workplace safety, wage enforcement, workers’ compensation, and apprenticeship programs. Senators asked about PAGA enforcement, Cal/OSHA audit findings, backlogs, staffing shortages, and complaint handling. Osborne said DIR’s role in PAGA is limited, but the department is working on Cal/OSHA policy revisions, training, additional investigation staff, centralized intake, IT modernization, and possible use of outside administrative law judges to reduce delays. She also said the department is addressing vacancy and backlog issues through classification changes and new hiring strategies. Public commenters from employer groups and labor organizations spoke in support, and the committee approved the appointment 4-0 for full Senate confirmation.

Transcript Highlights:

• CASS, our largest homeless shelter, does not allow sex offenders into their system.
• have 8,000 GPSs, and we want to watch them live, that's going to take 8,000 manpower to each GPS system
• And now I will use my voice to make sure we do not continue expanding a system that harms both women
• We do not continue expanding a system that harms both women and newborns, and I will close with this.
• This bill will create a chilling effect across the entire health care system and invites costly legal

Summary: The Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee heard a full slate of bills, beginning with HB 2749, which would allow certain nonviolent class 4, 5, or 6 felonies to be redesignated as misdemeanors after completion of sentence and a waiting period. The committee adopted a chair’s amendment narrowing eligibility and excluding some offenses, then passed the bill 6-0 with one not voting. Supporters described it as a redemption and reintegration measure for people who have completed their obligations. The committee then considered HB 2870, a constituent-driven bill restricting level 2 and level 3 sex offenders from living together in the same single-family dwelling unless they are related or in certain supervised facilities. The sponsor and neighborhood witnesses described a Chandler/Ocotillo situation involving multiple offenders in one house and argued the bill would protect families; opponents warned it could push offenders into homelessness and make supervision harder. After debate and testimony from both sides, the bill passed 3-2 with two not voting. HB 2862, which enhances penalties for offenses committed while wearing a mask to conceal identity, also passed 3-2 with two not voting after the Scottsdale city attorney testified in support and the ACLU argued it would chill protected protest and anonymity. HB 2364, which creates criminal penalties for mailing or delivering abortion-inducing drugs and for ordering them by mail, drew strong support from anti-abortion witnesses and strong opposition from lawmakers who said it conflicts with Proposition 139 and constitutional protections for abortion access. The bill passed 4-3. HB 2244, supported by Phoenix Vice Mayor Keisha Hodge Washington, would require landlords to respond to motions to satisfy eviction judgments and allow sealing of eviction records when tenants have paid; it passed unanimously 7-0. HB 2573, which removes a 45-day waiting period before some DUI offenders can apply for an ignition interlock restricted license, passed 7-0. The committee also advanced HB 4117, a strike-everything amendment creating penalties for interfering with religious services by obstructing access or engaging in disorderly conduct intended to disrupt worship. The ADL and Jewish community advocates supported it as a protection for worshippers, while the ACLU argued it could criminalize protected protest and speech; it passed 4-3. Finally, HCR 2004, a mirror resolution on photo enforcement systems that would require voter approval for continued operation and periodic reauthorization, passed 4-3 after testimony from the League of Cities and Towns and a discussion of traffic safety versus civil-liberties concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• Highway Patrol, and the Missouri Uniform Law Enforcement System, commonly known as MULES, that will
• Highway Patrol, and the Missouri Uniform Law Enforcement System, commonly known as MULES, that will
• They would somehow interface and coordinate that with the MULES system and the Highway Patrol.
• They run those plates, and then that MULES system or the Department of Revenue would kick back to that
• When they run their driver's license, though, in that MULES system, it will pop up, right?

Committee: House Crime and Public Safety

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When those systems are aligned, families recover faster.
• This system is already reducing incomplete filings and avoiding downstream delays.
• We are building a system that can withstand the climate pressures of the future, not just the crisis
• So we've now modernized our systems.
• The last thing we wanted to do was build this new system and not have insurers respond.

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee held an oversight hearing on the Department of Insurance’s Sustainable Insurance Strategy (SIS), with Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara providing a detailed update on implementation after the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. Lara said the strategy has helped stabilize the market, speed claims payments, and keep insurers in California, citing $22.4 billion paid to wildfire survivors, 94% of 4,121 claims paid fully or partially, $210 million returned through department investigations, and a 27% reduction in claim closure time. He said major insurers, including Mercury, CSAA, USAA companies, Pacific Specialty, and California Casualty, have filed under SIS, with several more filings pending, and that approvals have generally been completed within 100 days of public notice. He also discussed modernization of rate review, a new data reconciliation tool, a planned regulation to require rate reviews within 60 days plus a possible 30-day extension, and ongoing work on Fair Plan oversight, wildfire risk modeling, and mitigation standards such as Zone Zero. Committee members focused on wildfire survivor non-renewals, Fair Plan growth, claim handling timelines, and whether new legislative proposals could help or hinder market stability. Lara said visible consumer relief should begin in 12 to 24 months, with broader market stabilization expected over three to five years, and emphasized that mitigation, faster rate review, and insurer participation are key to reducing reliance on the Fair Plan. He also highlighted his 22-bill package, including SB 876 on disaster claims handling, AB 1795 on smoke damage standards, AB 1680 on Fair Plan accountability, and reforms to the intervener process. Members raised concerns about balancing consumer protections with insurer participation, and Lara said the Legislature should weigh those tradeoffs through the committee process. Public commenters were divided but generally acknowledged the importance of the issue. Consumer and survivor advocates argued that insurers still delay or underpay claims and that more protections are needed, while industry representatives praised the department’s work and urged caution so the new system is not undermined. Several speakers stressed the need for mitigation, Zone Zero rules, and adequate rates, while others warned that wildfire and liability insurance problems are affecting foster care providers, commercial coverage, and utility wildfire costs. The hearing concluded with the committee adjourned after public comment.

Transcript Highlights:

• When those systems are aligned, families recover faster.
• This system is already reducing incomplete filings and avoiding downstream delays.
• We are building a system that can withstand the climate pressures of the future, not just the crisis
• So we've now modernized our systems.
• And the last thing we wanted to do is build this new system and not have insurers respond.

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think this current system... ...has a lot of financial constraints, and I think this current system
• system related to the legislators moving from being non-salary PERA members to members who receive a
• And maybe there needs to be a tracking system in that enabling legislation.
• I have now a sixth grader in our Santa Fe Public School system.
• And Madam Chair, Basically inched out of our system.

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair and Senator Scott, MVD's Tapestry system—that's MVD's system of record—takes a scan of an
• We have those things scanned in our system.
• We have those things scanned in our system.
• Those kind of documents end up in our system, not because we specifically asked for them, but because
• How does the system work? Madam Chair and Senator, thank you for that question.

Bills: SB20 , SB111 , SB211 , SB218 , SB14

Committee: Senate Senate Health & Public Affairs

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

Transcript Highlights:

• First, the community reinvestment program has strengthened coordination across the workforce system and
• What it does is strengthen the system behind it by employing Works for families.
• What it does is strengthen the system behind it by placing Imagination Library of Washington within the
• This bill directs This bill directs the statewide online system for individualized education programs
• And we're building a dangerous backlog, with over 2,800 cases now waiting in our system for more than

Bills: SB6256 , SB6275 , SB5868 , SB5954

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: tax exemptions, affordable housing, nonprofit, unoccupied property, housing policy, community reinvestment, economic development, local investment, financial assistance, SB 5868, superior court, judge, judgeship, judicial vacancy, court administration, Skagit County, Yakima County, RCW 2.08.061, Washington courts, county judges

Transcript Highlights:

• transformation of Medi-Cal through CalAIM and the transformation of California's behavioral health system
• He has a keen understanding of the vital role that counties play in the behavioral health system and
• We represent the 17 public hospitals and health systems.
• We represent the 17 public hospitals and health systems.
• And it's in the same zip code as me where there are not the same hazards in the water system where I

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee established quorum and first approved several non-appearing gubernatorial appointees and procedural items on unanimous 5-0 votes, including Hampus Eitsiter to the Boating and Waterways Commission, Peter Stern to the California Horse Racing Board, Dean White to the State Mining and Geology Board, references of bills to committees, and floor acknowledgements. The committee then heard testimony on Tyler Sadwith’s appointment as Chief Deputy Director of Healthcare Programs at the Department of Health Care Services. Sadwith emphasized protecting Medi-Cal access and equity, continuing CalAIM and behavioral health transformation, and drawing on personal experience with family members needing care. Senators focused heavily on hospital financial distress, rural access, eligibility redeterminations, fraud oversight, provider reimbursement, dental access, labor and delivery closures, and the impact of federal changes; Sadwith said the department is working on expedited payments, monitoring distressed hospitals, county technical assistance, and strategies to reduce disenrollments and improve program integrity. Public commenters from county, hospital, and care organizations supported his confirmation, and the committee advanced his nomination to the full Senate on a 5-0 vote. The committee next considered Chris Thayer, PhD, for Director of the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Thayer described OEHHA’s role as providing transparent, scientifically rigorous health assessments and supporting tools such as Prop 65, CalEnviroScreen, and risk communication. Senators pressed him on the use of models versus real-world data, fenceline monitoring, PFAS, wildfire health impacts, and whether OEHHA’s work adequately reflects lived experience and local conditions. Thayer responded that the office often must rely on the best available evidence, including animal, human, and alternative methods, while continuing to improve communication and community engagement; he also discussed EnviroScreen updates, Prop 65 warning reforms, and research gaps. Public testimony in support highlighted OEHHA’s scientific role and the importance of biomonitoring and PFAS work. The committee approved Thayer’s nomination to the full Senate on a 3-1 vote, with Senator Grove voting no and Senator Jones not voting.

Transcript Highlights:

• transformation of Medi-Cal through CalAIM and the transformation of California's behavioral health system
• Medi-Cal and the overall health care system, his leadership and expertise will be more important than
• We represent the 17 public hospitals and health systems.
• We represent the 17 public hospitals and health systems.
• And it's in the same zip code as me where there are not the same hazards in the water system where I

Committee: Senate Rules

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee met to consider several governor’s appointees and routine committee actions. Members approved, by unanimous 5-0 votes, three not-required-to-appear appointments: Hampus Eitsiter to the Boating and Waterways Commission, Peter Stern to the California Horse Racing Board, and Dean White to the State Mining and Geology Board. The committee also approved references of bills to committees and floor acknowledgements, each by 5-0 vote. The committee then heard testimony on Tyler Sadwith’s appointment as Chief Deputy Director of Healthcare Programs at the Department of Health Care Services. Sadwith emphasized protecting Medi-Cal access for 14 million Californians, navigating federal changes, and continuing CalAIM and behavioral health reforms. Senators focused heavily on hospital financial distress, rural access, Medi-Cal redeterminations, work requirements, provider reimbursement, fraud oversight, dental access, labor and delivery closures, and the effectiveness of CalAIM and community supports. Public commenters from county, hospital, and provider groups largely supported the nomination, citing his experience and collaborative approach. The committee voted 5-0 to send his appointment to the full Senate. The committee also considered Chris Thayer’s appointment as director of the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Thayer described OEHHA’s role as providing transparent, science-based health assessments, improving risk communication, and supporting tools such as CalEnviroScreen and Prop 65 guidance. Senators raised concerns about reliance on models versus real-world data, PFAS, environmental justice, wildfire and battery-fire impacts, and whether CalEnviroScreen and Prop 65 are working as intended. Public testimony from environmental and health organizations supported the nomination and highlighted OEHHA’s scientific role. The committee approved Thayer’s appointment 3-1, with one senator not voting, and forwarded it to the Senate floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think in some ways, the 30-year lookback kind of perpetuated that belief system against us.
• But you know, there's computer systems to test it.
• Going forward, we will continue dedicating one full-time equivalent to ensure data accuracy, systems
• These measures reflect real system activity and outcomes.
• So, with the current system, it.

Committee: House A&B Education Subcommittee

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not, to me, the most critical element in the whole educational system.
• Missouri school leaders through the Missouri Leadership Development System, which we call the MLDS, for
• Leaders through the Missouri Leadership Development System, which we call the MLDS, provides support
• We have had a checks and balances system across time, and we have had a struggle at times where there
• So this is a constant system that, across even as recent as four years, we've had to refine, thinking

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• LESC staff recommends continued study of the 520 system, including assessing recruitment and retention
• Traditional speakers and community organizations can anchor long-term support systems for curriculum
• So this would replace the existing associate, professional, Three-tiered system.
• And thirdly, the statutory changes allow for a shift to a tiered system.
• So this establishes a system for school nurses more similar to that of teachers in New Mexico.

Summary: The committee began with a presentation on the 520 Native American Language and Culture certificate, created to let proficient tribal language and culture speakers teach in K-12 schools without a bachelor’s degree. LESC staff, PED, and HED described the certificate’s statutory basis, the role of tribes and pueblos in setting proficiency standards, and ongoing challenges such as uneven MOAs, limited professional development, rural access barriers, data gaps, and retention concerns. PED said oversight of 520 is moving from the licensure bureau to the Indian Education Division, and HED reported that the tribal education technical assistance centers authorized in 2023 are still in procurement but are expected to be awarded in early 2026. A student, Alonzo Hughes, testified about how learning Tewa from 520-certified teachers helped him understand his culture and speak with elders, and members praised the program’s role in language revitalization and asked about funding, teacher pathways, and whether similar models exist in other states. Committee members then discussed several PED rule updates. Staff reviewed an adopted rule implementing HB 54 on AEDs and cardiac emergency response plans, including staff training requirements and staggered compliance dates, and a proposed rule for school nurse licensure under HB 195 that would create a three-tier system and align nurse pay with teacher pay. They also reviewed proposed changes to the Community Schools Act rule, including a full-time community school coordinator requirement, updated grant language, and broader coalition membership criteria; PED said the broader language would not conflict with the Martinez-Yazzie work. A proposed bilingual teacher rule would standardize coursework requirements, add trans-languaging and culturally relevant curriculum competencies, and allow Native American language certification applicants to demonstrate proficiency using tribal standards. In questions, members raised concerns about AEDs being present at athletic events, the need for the amended school nurse bill to move experienced nurses directly into higher levels, and whether the community schools rule’s broader coalition language could affect current education litigation. Members also asked about funding for 520 programs, teacher residency or cohort models, and how to support advanced language instruction and sustainability. PED said the Indian Education Fund and school budgets can support some of the work, but additional strategic funding and cross-training are needed. The committee also heard that New Mexico’s 520 system is unusually robust compared with other states, and members encouraged staff to present the model at national conferences. The meeting ended with the director’s report, which noted a flat budget request of $2,024,300, staff turnover including Natasha Davalos’s departure, and appreciation for the committee’s work before adjournment for the holidays.

Transcript Highlights:

• I also want to talk candidly about the system as a whole, where it's working well and where there's room
• We support a very balanced and transparent, accountable system without I'm Alton Lister, President-elect
• We support a very balanced and transparent, accountable system without We support a very balanced and
• transparent, accountable system without pricing Floridians out of housing.
• Mobility fee, mobility plan system.

Summary: The Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee met for its first meeting of the 2026 session and took up impact fees, with an opening overview from Eric Poole of the Florida Association of Counties. Poole explained that impact fees are one-time charges on new development used only for new infrastructure capacity, not existing deficiencies or maintenance, and must satisfy the dual rational nexus test. He traced their history in Florida and described how comprehensive plans, concurrency, and later mobility fees relate to local infrastructure funding. He argued that impact fees are restricted, tied to capital improvements, and are one tool for paying for growth. Panelists representing counties, cities, builders, and community developers largely agreed that growth creates real infrastructure costs but differed on how those costs should be allocated. County and city representatives said impact fees are a necessary, targeted way to fund roads, water, sewer, fire, schools, and parks without spreading costs across all taxpayers. They pointed to long periods without fee updates, rising construction costs, and examples of large increases justified by studies. Builder and developer representatives argued that fees are often unpredictable, can be doubled or tripled, and contribute to housing affordability problems; they also said the system can be inconsistent across jurisdictions and may encourage sprawl. Several witnesses emphasized that fees must be transparent, proportional, and tied to actual benefits, and some suggested a statewide framework or mobility-fee model with more consistency and peer review. Members asked about how long local governments can hold fee revenue, whether fees can generate profit, what they can be spent on, and whether they can pay for police stations, fire stations, or other public safety facilities. Witnesses said the funds must be used for capital projects and cannot be used for salaries or unrelated purchases, and that refunds may be required if money is not spent within the local ordinance’s timeframe. The discussion also covered examples of local fee increases, the use of impact fees versus direct construction or “pipelining” of infrastructure, and concerns about level-of-service changes and extraordinary-circumstance increases. No votes were taken; the meeting ended after the panel discussion and member questions, with the chair noting the conversation would continue.

Transcript Highlights:

• introduced by Health and Human Services, makes appropriations to certain institutions of the Nevada System
• Senate Bill 472, introduced by the Committee on Finance, makes appropriations to the Nevada System of
• Senate Bill 472, introduced by the Committee on Finance, makes appropriations to the Nevada System of
• Senate Bill 472, introduced by the Committee on Finance, makes appropriations to the Nevada System of
• For these reasons, Long-term risk to both public and private insurance systems.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in the first place, A George Soros-type governor that doesn't believe in the criminal justice system
• And I believe that's true in the criminal justice system as well.
• Some say we shouldn't second-guess prosecutors or judges, but we know our system is not perfect.
• It is a predominant, like, business that also funds our educational system in certain aspects.
• There are other ways to fix our criminal justice system.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Clifford Hall, a father, was jailed for 13 days due to a clerical error in his employer's payroll system
• or in the criminal system.
• I, I believe that's sacred, especially while they're in the foster system.
• This is supposed to be a rehabilitative system. You're supposed to be getting help.
• Traditional foster care, you know, type court system.

Committee: House S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships

Transcript Highlights:

• They have to be a megawatt or larger, so substantial systems, not small ones.
• They've got all the batteries in place, dozens and dozens of chargers installed, and a control system
• is similar to agreements that we already have with our grid operator, the California Independent System
• system are available, to ensure that those resources can be shared and serve Californians where they
• It's one of the reasons why the Energy Commission partnered with the independent system operator and

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, you've got to have a system where state employees feel comfortable reporting that it's going to go
• So it's like a secure payment process system.
• We need to have systems talking to each other.
• We need to have systems talking to each other so it came up in the committee.
• getting CCAP, if they're getting daycare, they should be checked in and out by their parents on a system

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee Chair Kristen Robbins opened by criticizing the governor’s fraud package as too focused on new spending and staffing, and not enough on culture change, accountability, eligibility rules, and an enterprise-wide IT/data strategy. She said the committee had heard a good overview from multiple commissioners, but she remained concerned that piecemeal technology investments and added staff would not address the root causes of fraud. Robbins also said she would introduce a bill based on issues raised in committee, including requiring grants management staff to complete Office of Grants Management training and certification. A major action announced was the launch of a new whistleblower portal at mnfraud.com, which legislators said will let people submit basic fraud allegations, after which staff will follow up and forward matters to the Office of the Legislative Auditor, BCA, law enforcement, or the attorney general as appropriate. Members noted that the Office of the Legislative Auditor already has a separate reporting portal, and there was a question about why the new site does not allow anonymous reporting; Robbins said contact information is needed so staff can follow up. She also said the portal is intended to centralize and triage reports from agency workers, service recipients, and providers. Republican members said the governor’s proposal still misses key pieces. Vice Chair Anderson argued the package mostly adds staff to agencies that failed to catch or act on fraud, and said Minnesota needs a statewide independent inspector general with authority outside agencies and a stronger whistleblower system. Representative Marion Rarick said the proposed criminal penalty increases are too small compared with federal penalties and criticized the package for adding only one forensic auditor at the BCA while DHS receives many more positions. She also argued that agency managers should face sanctions when fraud occurs under their watch and said the state needs a culture where employees can be rewarded for good work but also held accountable for failures. Members discussed several other ideas, including creating new crimes for kickbacks and theft of public funds, requiring fraud fiscal notes, improving data sharing and eligibility verification, and using better IT so systems can talk to each other. There was also discussion of whether government services should rely less on nonprofits and private contractors; one member said fraud often follows a particular business model rather than the sector itself, while another suggested capping salaries of top nonprofit executives receiving government funds. The committee also noted that the governor’s fraud package is being presented as a package but will likely move as separate provisions through different omnibus bills.