Transcript Highlights:

• hospitals with the platforms needed for reporting and support pre-hospital agencies to obtain equipment
• The QI process will help improve systems of care from the pre-hospital through the hospital setting,
• , Newport Hospital.
• Our hospital operates on very thin margins, as many rural hospitals do.
• Our hospital operates on very thin margins, as many rural hospitals do.

Summary: The House Health Care & Wellness Committee held public hearings on several bills. House Bill 2232 would create a Department of Health-operated time-sensitive emergency data repository covering trauma, cardiac, and stroke events, with quality improvement reporting and support for rural facilities; it drew strong support from emergency physicians, nurses, and the Department of Health, while the Washington State Hospital Association said hospitals support the goal but lack the resources to absorb the added requirements. House Bill 1812, as a proposed substitute, would bar insurers and public plans from imposing anesthesia time limits or related reimbursement caps; the sponsor and anesthesia providers said it protects patient safety and fair payment, and the Washington State Society of Anesthesiologists asked for a clarifying amendment on physical status modifiers. House Bill 2250 would limit hospital charity care to Washington residents, while preserving emergency care access; supporters from rural hospitals and the Washington State Hospital Association said the change would help border hospitals facing rising nonresident charity care, and opponents from legal aid, patient advocacy, and LGBTQ groups warned it would create barriers, chill access for immigrants and other vulnerable patients, and conflict with Washington’s safety-net values. The committee also heard House Bill 2340, which would extend existing substance-use monitoring program protections and stipend eligibility to nursing assistants under the Board of Nursing’s CARES program. The sponsor described it as a simple equity measure, and the Board of Nursing supported it, saying it would improve access and reduce stigma; members asked where the stipend funding comes from, and staff and the board said it is currently general-fund supported at about $25,000 annually. House Bill 2577 would change hospital inspection law by requiring acute care hospital inspections every 18 months rather than on average, allowing some accredited inspections to satisfy the requirement every 36 months, and clarifying fire-protection reinspection standards; the sponsor and Department of Health said it responds to a JLARC audit and provides needed clarity, while DOH said it is still working to catch up from inspection delays caused by the public health emergency. The meeting ended after public testimony on the bills was closed and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so here are some protocols that we're going to follow.
• So who's creating the protocols?
• The protocols are lined out in... And registered to be put on the road.
• The protocols are lined out and they're presented to the Department of Public Safety in advance.
• These would be statewide safety protocols.

Committees: House Emerging Issues , House Emerging Issues and Professional Registration

Transcript Highlights:

• There are hospitals that actually arrange for something called medical-legal partnerships, where they
• While my partner and I were still grieving at the hospital, a DCF worker arrived.
• My partner and I were still grieving at the hospital.
• She did not follow protocol.
• She did not follow protocol.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a package of Department of Children and Families bills focused on care and protection proceedings, sibling placement, parenting time, foster parent eligibility, adoption timelines, and a proposed Harmony Montgomery Commission. Rep. Marjorie Decker framed her bills as a set intended to reduce trauma for children removed from home by promoting sibling placement, visitation, cultural continuity, and limits on barriers to foster/adoptive placement. Witnesses from CASA, the Massachusetts Child Welfare Coalition, CPCS, and others generally supported the sibling-placement and parenting-time bills and the Harmony Commission, while several urged that the commission include a birth parent with lived experience and that its scope remain focused on child safety and family rights. A former juvenile court judge also supported the Harmony Commission, citing failures in the Harmony Montgomery case and broader concerns about DCF power and child representation. No votes were taken during the hearing. A large portion of the hearing focused on Senate 114, the “Family Protection and Transparency Act,” which would require DCF to provide families with written and verbal notice of their rights during investigations, including the right to remain silent, consult counsel, and refuse entry absent legal authority except in emergencies. Supporters included parents, former foster youth, attorneys, advocates, and a peer mentor, many of whom described personal experiences of confusion, coercion, retaliation, and family separation when DCF became involved. They argued the bill would improve due process, language access, transparency, and accountability without limiting DCF’s emergency powers. Several witnesses also described intergenerational DCF involvement and said families often need resources and legal guidance rather than punitive intervention. Testimony on House 268 emphasized the importance of keeping siblings together in foster care whenever possible. Advocates cited research showing better mental health, educational, and reunification outcomes when siblings remain together, and several young people testified about being separated from brothers and sisters and the lasting impact of that separation. CPCS supported the bill and said regular sibling visitation should be required when joint placement is not possible. House 269, 270, 271, 288, and 293 were also on the notice, but the transcript reflects little or no testimony on some of those measures. The hearing concluded after the committee heard from all scheduled witnesses and invited written testimony for additional details.

Transcript Highlights:

• program because of cases in my district, because of an audit that we've done of the California State Hospitals
• I'm stuck on every sexually violent predator that's been released from the state hospital program, plus
• I'm stuck on every sexually violent predator that's been released from the state hospital program, plus
• So to hear that, you know, we don't have as much, we're following protocol, we're following process,
• Protocol, we're following process, then why have any of you been appointed and just not have a system

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee established quorum and first approved several governor’s appointments to the California Housing Finance Agency Board of Directors and the State Mining and Geology Board, with one mining board appointment passing 3-2 and the others passing 5-0. The committee also approved a rule waiver request from the Budget and Fiscal Review Committee to allow budget subcommittees to meet during the blackout period, and it referred ACA 7 (Jackson) to the committees listed on the agenda after rejecting a motion to add Labor, Public Employment and Retirement as an additional referral. The committee then heard testimony from five appointees to the Board of Parole Hearings: William Munis, Michael Ruff, Rosalind Sergeant Burns, Mary Thornton, and Jack Weiss. In opening remarks, the appointees emphasized their corrections, legal, and public safety backgrounds and described parole work as evidence-based, collaborative, and focused on current risk rather than the original offense alone. Senators, especially Senator Jones, pressed them on recent high-profile parole grants involving child sex offenders, the extent of commissioner discretion, the use of coping mechanisms and risk assessments, transparency in en banc review votes, and whether the board’s decisions adequately protect public safety. The appointees said they must follow the law, rely on structured risk tools and expert assessments, and treat each case individually; several said they would defer to the Legislature on whether en banc votes should be made public. Members also questioned the board about use of MAT/drug-treatment records, commutation review, institutional behavior and write-ups, victim participation, elderly parole, and the role of community support and rehabilitation. The commissioners said treatment records are considered only in context with other reliable evidence, that reconsideration hearings and recidivism data help evaluate whether tools are working, and that victim and family members are given respectful accommodations and opportunities to participate. Senator Jones said he was not satisfied with the answers on discretion and accountability and stated he would not support Jack Weiss’s reappointment, citing ongoing concerns about professionalism. Public testimony at the end was overwhelmingly supportive of the five commissioners, with several advocates, formerly incarcerated people, and anti-recidivism coalition members praising the board’s rigor and the role of rehabilitation.

Transcript Highlights:

• To your right and to my left under the Pillars of Truth, I am proud to announce that our rural hospital
• Our rural hospital in Rolla, Missouri, which is in my district, is in great hands with the leadership
• They're doing a great job keeping our rural hospital alive and well, and I'd like everyone to welcome
• that the gentleman talked about inside of a juvenile treatment facility is a part of that treatment protocol
• that the gentleman talked about inside of a juvenile treatment facility is a part of that treatment protocol

Transcript Highlights:

• To your right and to my left under the Pillars of Truth, I am proud to announce that our rural hospital
• Our rural hospital in Rolla, Missouri, which is in my district, is in great hands with the leadership
• They're doing a great job keeping our rural hospital alive and well, and I'd like everyone to welcome
• that the gentleman talked about inside of a juvenile treatment facility is a part of that treatment protocol
• that the gentleman talked about inside of a juvenile treatment facility is a part of that treatment protocol

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the prior day’s journal by roll call vote, and established a quorum. Members then offered personal privilege remarks recognizing Dr. Penelope Martin Knox for Black History Month and introducing guests, including Adeline Overcast, who was made a page for the day, and visitors connected to a rural hospital in Rolla. Several bills were read for the first time, including measures on blind pension tax levies, penalties for impeding first responders, and flag display in the state capitol, and committee reports recommended passage of multiple deferred measures. The chamber then took up several bills on third reading. House Committee Substitute for HB 2596, concerning multiple employee self-insured health plans for small businesses, passed 145-0. HB 1644, dealing with franchise employment liability and joint-employer issues, passed 103-45 after debate over worker rights and franchisor liability. HB 2423, which would increase funding for the Division of Finance through higher licensing fees, passed 146-0 despite concerns about costs being passed on indirectly. House Committee Substitute for HB 2641, which aligns state law with federal restrictions on intoxicating hemp-derived products, drew extensive debate over hemp, beverages, and the impact on small businesses and consumers; it passed 109-34 with six present. Members also debated HB 2498 on juvenile justice reform, including changes to certification procedures and information sharing. Supporters argued it would improve accountability and public safety, while opponents warned it would politicize juvenile decisions, burden treatment facilities, and push more youth into the adult system. After a successful previous-question motion, the bill passed 100-44 with three present. House Committee Substitute for HB 2637 and 3155, described as a truth-in-sentencing measure that would make parole eligibility and time-served credit clearer, passed 102-45 with two present after debate over whether it effectively increased mandatory minimums. Finally, the House took up House Committee Substitute for HJR 154, a proposed constitutional amendment tied to Medicaid expansion and work requirements. Supporters framed it as encouraging work and reducing dependency, while opponents called it an attack on Medicaid expansion that would increase administrative costs and risk coverage losses for vulnerable residents. The transcript ends during the motion for the previous question on that resolution, before the final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I applied the protocols applied to restricted use applicators to all my pesticide applicators, including
• And I applied the protocols applied to restricted use applicators to all my pesticide applicators, including
• And I applied the protocols applied to restricted use applicators to all my pesticide applicators, including
• </c> And I applied the protocols And I applied the protocols uh<00:05:03.919><c> applied</c><00:05:04.360
• Ellison, but, you know, really the support of the community looking for an alternative to hospitality

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Environment

Summary: The committee heard gubernatorial nominations for the Advisory Committee on Pesticides and the Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity. For GM 615, Matthew Liam was nominated to the Advisory Committee on Pesticides. The Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, CGAPS, and the Hawaii Farm Bureau testified in strong support, citing his landscape industry leadership, pesticide training background, and prior service. Members asked about his experience in Australia and his approach to restricted-use pesticides; he said he avoided using restricted-use pesticides in his landscaping business but applied related safety and recordkeeping practices. Testimony was unanimous in support, with no opposition or comments. For GM 616, N. Young was nominated to the Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity. Support testimony from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Cattlemen's Council highlighted his experience with Lanai agriculture, Sensei, the Food Basket, Pacific Gateway Center, Kamehameha Schools, and institutional purchasing. In response to questions, he discussed balancing public and private funding, the need for adequate capitalization of agricultural projects, and using financial tools to help farmers and accelerate agricultural income streams. He also said the board should focus on making agricultural land productive and strengthening food security. The nomination drew strong support, with no opposition or comments. For GM 617, Jason Moniz was nominated to the Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity. The Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Cattlemen's Council supported him, emphasizing his decades of veterinary and animal disease control experience, ranching background, and knowledge of biosecurity, leases, and livestock issues. Moniz said his priorities would be preserving agricultural land and water resources, improving biosecurity, supporting farmers and ranchers, and increasing food production in Hawaii. He also said he would be willing to speak up for agriculture and not let the department be sidelined. The nomination received 29 written and oral supports, with no opposition or comments.

Transcript Highlights:

• accident or an illness in a third, in a different country, and they need the money to pay off the hospital
• to have them released, or that they are incarcerated... ...the money to pay off the hospital to have
• The kiosk operator had some sort of KYC, some sort of know-your-customer protocols that, you know, whether
• issue for Massachusetts, a national leader in technology, life sciences, academia, and research hospitals
• Um, and you have your own KYC protocols that you would be able to identify that type of customer, somebody

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Financial Services

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several financial services bills, with the main focus on cryptocurrency kiosk regulation, financial literacy, and earned wage access. Legislators and witnesses described widespread crypto-related scams targeting older adults, often involving impersonation, urgency, spoofed phone numbers, and rapid transfers through kiosks that are difficult to trace or recover. Supporters of the kiosk bills said Massachusetts needs licensing, registration, transaction limits, warning notices, receipts, refund protections, and other safeguards; some also urged a “pause” or hold on transactions to give victims time to reconsider and allow law enforcement to intervene. The Attorney General’s office, AARP, local law enforcement, and several prosecutors and sheriffs backed the consumer-protection approach, while Bitcoin Depot supported a narrower regulatory framework but opposed low fee caps and strict daily limits, arguing they would function like a ban and reduce legitimate use. Witnesses from Waltham police, Middlesex and Essex County law enforcement, and the AG’s office said crypto scams are growing quickly, losses are often unrecoverable once funds move, and current tools are limited. They described cases involving elderly victims losing thousands of dollars, and said warnings alone are not enough because scammers keep victims on the phone and guide them through the process. Some witnesses said a temporary hold or refund mechanism has worked in at least one case, while others emphasized that transaction limits and visible disclosures could reduce harm even if they do not stop fraud entirely. The AG’s office also said it would submit written opposition to separate earned wage advance legislation, while DailyPay testified in support of that bill, saying earned wage access helps workers bridge short-term gaps without debt or credit reporting. The committee also heard support for mandatory financial literacy education from Representative Jim Hawkins, who said high school students need instruction on credit, debt, and inflation before they enter adulthood. In addition, the committee took testimony on litigation financing bills from insurance industry representatives, who argued for disclosure and regulation of predatory litigation lending and warned about foreign interference and reduced plaintiff recoveries. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing; members asked questions throughout, and the chair noted the need to move testimony along because of time constraints.

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically, in 1988, while peacefully protesting, she was brutally beaten by law enforcement and hospitalized
• And hospitalized for a period of time.
• In 1961, she moved to San Francisco and worked as a nurse at San Francisco General Hospital until her
• advocacy did not stop there, as she was also part of the movement that developed the first treatment protocols
• Alongside her husband, Deanna supported the hospitality at his iconic San Francisco establishments, Monroe's

Summary: The Senate met with a quorum present and began with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several routine announcements. Senator Weber Pierson removed SB 977 from the consent calendar. The chamber then took up a series of gubernatorial appointments, including Irena Ortega to the Public Employment Relations Board, Monica Erickson as director of the Department of Human Services, Armin Mayor as senior deputy commissioner at the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, and Uca Dunkay to the California State Lottery Commission; all were confirmed by unanimous or near-unanimous roll calls after brief presentations by Senator Grove. The Senate also considered several commemorative resolutions. SCR 152, by Senator Reyes, designated April 10, 2026 as Dolores Huerta Day. Senators from both parties spoke in support, praising Huerta’s lifelong labor, civil rights, and nonviolent organizing work, and noting her role in the farmworker movement and the contributions of Filipino farmworkers. The resolution passed unanimously. SR 91, by Senator González, recognized Cambodian Genocide Memorial Week; SCR 149, by Senator Valadares, marked World Autism Awareness Day and emphasized early intervention and adult services; and SCR 150, by Senator Choi, recognized National Librarian Day and the public value of librarians. Each of these resolutions was adopted with broad support. The Senate also passed SB 1078 by Senator Laird, an urgency measure giving Santa Cruz County voters the opportunity to consider a local tax increase above the combined local tax rate cap to help fund services, including medical services; the bill passed 29-9 on both urgency and final passage. SR 98 by Senator Wiener, designating Heat Pump Week in California, also passed with strong support, highlighting energy savings, emissions reductions, and the state’s electrification goals. After lifting the call, the chamber confirmed the earlier appointments and adopted the remaining consent calendar items without objection. The session ended with committee announcements and an adjournment in memory of Deanna Mooney, a nurse and community leader, with the Senate scheduled to reconvene on April 20, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• properly trained to do this work, to make sure that the workers are safe, that they know all of the protocols
• Madam Chair, we'll be hearing from Andrea Ray from the Washington Hospitality Association, Mike Ennis
• Vice Chair, we'll be hearing from Andrea Ray from the Washington Hospitality Association, Mike Ennis
• My name is Andrea Ray, and I'm here today on behalf of the Washington Hospitality Association, representing
• For many hospitality employers, especially small, independently owned businesses, workers' compensation

Summary: The Labor and Workplace Standards Committee held public hearings on several Department of Labor and Industries request bills and related workplace measures. Senate Bill 6039 would allow L&I to send notices electronically with an opt-out option; Senator Curtis King and L&I supported it as a simple modernization and the committee heard no opposition. Senate Bill 6136 would require L&I to publish actuarially indicated workers’ compensation rates and explain when rates are capped below those levels; Senator King and employer groups described it as a transparency bill, while L&I said it would disclose how reserve funds and rate caps affect different classes. Senate Bill 6188 would expand L&I’s authority over asbestos certification rulemaking beyond rules specifically required to match federal standards; Senator Victoria Hunt and L&I argued this would strengthen worker safety and training, while the Building Industry Association raised concern about diverging from federal rules and asked for narrower authority. Senate Bill 6014 would create a Public Records Act exemption for people involved in pregnancy-accommodation complaints or investigations and fix a cross-reference in last year’s pregnancy accommodation law; Senator T’wina Nobles and Moms Rising said it would restore intended protections and privacy for pregnant and postpartum workers. The committee also heard testimony on Senate Bill 6058, which would give L&I discretion to investigate wage complaints under the Wage Payment Act and assess penalties for willful violations when it initiates an investigation; L&I supported the bill and noted a House amendment to reduce costs and avoid conflict with another wage-recovery measure. For Senate Bill 6136, hospitality, construction, and self-insured employer representatives all supported the measure as a transparency step, with the self-insurers noting the impact of PTSD presumptive claims on rate classes. For Senate Bill 6188, L&I said the bill would let the department set stronger certification standards for asbestos workers and supervisors, while BIAW argued the bill should be limited to specific EPA model standards rather than removing the current statutory limitation. In executive session, the committee took action on five bills. On Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5061, which requires annual prevailing-wage adjustments in public works contracts, an amendment allowing change orders for wage increases over 5% failed, a one-year effective-date delay was adopted, and the bill passed 7-2 as amended. Substitute Senate Bill 5874, allowing ESD to waive penalties for minor unemployment-insurance reporting errors, passed 9-0. Senate Bill 5944, making missed-appointment payments part of bargained compensation for language access providers, passed 9-0. Substitute Senate Bill 5972, expanding binding interest arbitration for correctional officers in city and county jails, rejected two amendments that would have limited the binding effect and required consideration of local fiscal ability, then passed 8-1. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6302, addressing misclassification of independent contractors on public works projects, passed 9-0. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• adopted one or more policies that substantially comply with certain industry-standard cybersecurity protocols
• in line with best practices and national best practices, whether they are a local government, a hospital
• He said hospitals get sued the most, and the bill incentivizes everyone to come in line with the best
• National best practices, whether you're a local government, a hospital who, by the way, gets sued the
• If you're a local government or a hospital or a business, you have now been incentivized to come in line

Bills: S7020 , S0308 , S0692 , S0474 , S0572 , S1106 , S1650 , S0350 , S1442 , S7032

Committee: Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability

Summary: The committee heard and voted on several measures. SB 308 on the Florida Museum of Black History was explained as implementing a prior task force recommendation by designating St. Johns County as the museum site, creating a board, and coordinating with a supporting nonprofit; it passed favorably. SB 692 on cybersecurity standards and liability was amended to bar local governments from imposing cybersecurity requirements on vendors beyond generally accepted best practices, and after testimony both for and against, it was reported favorably as a committee substitute. SB 572 updated ethics law to include legally recognized foster parents and foster children in the definition of relative; after a technical amendment and support from the Ethics Commission, it passed unanimously. SB 1442 revised the long-range program plan to require more specific performance metrics and agency-specific measures; it also passed favorably. The committee also approved SB 1106, as amended by a strike-all, to require state agencies and certain educational materials to use “Judea and Samaria” instead of “West Bank,” despite opposition arguing it would impose political language and conflict with federal and international terminology. SB 7020 reenacted a public records exemption for certain aquaculture and shellfish production records and passed with support from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. SB 474 expanded military leave and related benefits for public employees and officials, including members of the Coast Guard and Florida State Guard, and added three amendments before being reported favorably. SB 350, dealing with public records protections for crime victims and certain law enforcement victims, was heavily amended to add time-limited confidentiality for an officer’s name in some cases and then passed favorably after discussion about balancing transparency and safety. Finally, the committee approved SPB 7032 as a committee bill to shift more fleet management responsibilities from DMS to individual agencies, while still requiring data reporting to DMS for legislative oversight. SB 1650 by Senator Gates was temporarily postponed. At the end of the meeting, members recorded votes on selected bills, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• , but it will be a new secured Hospital, but it will be a new secured detention<00:44:06.560><c> and<
• And again, there's very robust protocols for children and youth in court prior to any changes to 169-
• And that's in protocols for children and youth in court.
• that's in protocols for children and that's in protocols for children and youth<01:29:05.760><c> in</
• </c><01:55:58.800><c> around</c> project CIP developed protocols around project CIP developed protocols

Committee: House Children and Family Law

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically, in 1988, while peacefully protesting, she was brutally beaten by law enforcement and hospitalized
• In 1961, she moved to San Francisco and worked as a nurse at San Francisco General Hospital until her
• advocacy did not stop there, as she was also part of the movement that developed the first treatment protocols
• Alongside her husband, Deanna supported the hospitality at his iconic San Francisco establishments, Monroe's

Transcript Highlights:

• The course must cover, but is not limited to, evidence-based treatment protocols for patients of all
• measures and safe bathing practices to postpartum education currently being provided to new parents by hospitals
• note that while the requirements on drowning prevention and safe bathing in this amendment are new, hospitals
• Hospitals, birthing centers, and home birth providers are already required to provide postpartum education

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and a doctor of the day announcement. Members also observed a moment of silence for former Senator Charlie Dean, with tributes offered to his service and family. Several introductions were made, including guests in the gallery and visiting students. On the special order calendar, the Senate temporarily postponed bills on Citizens Property Insurance, artificial intelligence, public records, and data centers, then took up and passed several measures. SB 198/HB 505 on virtual currency kiosks was substituted to the House bill, amended to adopt the Senate language, and passed 37-0 to address fraud, registration, transaction limits, warnings, receipts, and refunds for scam victims. SB 382 on electric bicycles passed 37-0 after amendment to broaden the task force to micro-mobility devices and collect crash data. SB 844 on sickle cell disease continuing education passed 37-0, requiring one-time board-approved training for certain licensed health professionals. SB 1014 on municipal utility service outside city limits passed 37-0, prohibiting cities from denying water or wastewater service solely because an owner refuses annexation, subject to service and funding conditions. The Senate also passed SB 428 on the swimming lesson voucher program by 36-0 after amendments expanding eligibility to ages 1 through 7 and adding postpartum drowning-prevention education and safe bathing guidance. SB 540 on the Office of Financial Regulation passed 36-0, creating cybersecurity program and oversight requirements for certain financial licensees and clarifying anti-money-laundering enforcement. SB 1440 on public records passed 35-1 after technical amendments, extending cybersecurity-related public records exemptions and reporting provisions. SB 1594 on veteran benefit payments to minor clients passed 36-0, directing benefits received on behalf of foster youth toward post-secondary education or aftercare rather than agency reimbursement. At the end of the session, the Rules Chair moved to waive rules so all bills passed that day would be immediately certified to the House and the postponed bills would remain on the special order calendar; both motions were adopted. The Senate then adjourned until the next morning for committee meetings and other business.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> databases, responder safety protocols, databases, responder safety protocols, and<01:32:43.080>
• ,</c><01:36:08.960><c> and</c> medical dispatch protocols, and medical dispatch protocols, and increasingly
• And that was shortages in that area of them not being able to admit people to hospitals.
• That they must be under a physician in order to deal with their patients in the hospitals.
• That they must be under a physician in order to deal with their patients in the hospitals.

Committee: Joint Labor, Health & Social Services

Transcript Highlights:

• A.B. 858 ensures that hospitality workers will have rehiring... All right. All right.
• A.B.858 ensures that hospitality workers will have rehiring Mr.
• In the aftermath, many hospitality workers found themselves unemployed.
• This is a modest and important bill to protect hospitality workers.
• One of my sons, who helped support us, was laid off from his hospitality job too.

Committee: House Labor and Employment

Summary: The committee heard several labor and employment bills, with most of the discussion focused on worker protections, collective bargaining, and reentry programs. AB 1424, by Assemblymember Rodriguez, would require climate resiliency measures in CDCR facilities and direct Cal/OSHA to propose extreme-temperature rules for correctional workplaces. Supporters, including NELP, WorkSafe, and formerly incarcerated workers, described dangerous heat conditions in prisons and argued incarcerated workers deserve the same health and safety protections as other workers. There was no opposition, and the bill passed on a due-pass motion to Appropriations with one no vote. AB 1340, by Assemblymembers Wix and Berman, would give rideshare drivers the choice to unionize and collectively bargain. Supporters, including many drivers and labor organizations, said drivers face low pay, deactivations without due process, and lack basic protections; a UC Berkeley researcher cited data showing very low net earnings. Opponents from TechNet, Uber, Lyft, and business groups argued the bill conflicts with Proposition 22 and could raise costs and reduce service. After committee debate over legal authority and state-action immunity, the bill passed to Appropriations with bipartisan support. AB 288 would authorize PERB to act when the NLRB cannot timely resolve labor claims, in response to federal labor board dysfunction. Supporters said California must protect workers’ organizing rights if federal remedies are unavailable, while the Chamber of Commerce raised preemption and enforcement concerns. The bill passed to Appropriations. AB 746, a prison cooperative program bill, would let incarcerated people form worker cooperatives and direct a share of earnings to a Green Reentry Cooperative Reserve; it passed to Public Safety with no opposition. AB 1104, on commercial solar projects, drew mixed testimony: supporters said it would clarify that private solar customers are not “awarding bodies” and would help reverse a steep drop in commercial solar applications, while opponents warned about over-the-fence power sales and unclear scope. The bill was held after committee members requested further clarification. AB 858, extending hospitality worker recall rights after declared emergencies, drew strong labor support and business opposition; the committee voted it out to Appropriations, but it remained on call after a no vote from one member.

Transcript Highlights:

• He responded, "No, I'm removing a three-day-old infant from the hospital because both of the parents
• of the CAC, which detail how the CAC operates, how they're structured, and their protocols.
• She wanted to leave the hospital and relinquish today, not 48 hours. We said, "We can't do that."
• Relinquishment time there is after 24 hours or upon discharge from a hospital.
• The department then, the hospital could release the child to me. Okay.

Bills: HB2510 , HB3589 , HB4611 , HB4655 , HB4665 , HB4666 , HB4670 , HB4700 , HB4730 , HB4798 , HB4838 , HB5136 , HB5243 , HB5302 , HB5539

Committee: House Human Services

Keywords: assisted living, healthcare, licensing, criminal offense, personal assistance, group home, regulation, health and safety, inspections, resident care, criminal background checks, adoption, parental rights, registry, vital statistics, disclosure, counseling, foster care, independent living, financial literacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Therapy ensures patients can go home from the hospital.
• Not only that, occupational therapy is proven to reduce readmissions to hospitals.
• What's cheaper, an OT session or a hospital admission?
• At a level one trauma hospital, I worked with a 23-year-old young father.
• It reallocates costs to emergency, hospital, and criminal justice systems.

Bills: HB2289

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: appropriations, budget, fiscal matters, state spending, general fund, supplemental budget, biennial budget, substitute bill, public defense, civil legal aid, courts, judicial branch, homelessness, supportive housing, affordable housing, behavioral health, juvenile rehabilitation, youth services, child welfare, foster care

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> birth, C-sections, postpartum hospital birth, C-sections, postpartum hospital readmissions. readmissions
• So there is a way to track hospital.
• . into an ambulance dist hospital.
• emergency room or hospital. emergency room or hospital.
• . hospitalization. hospitalization.

Bills: SB2936 , SB2850 , SB2851 , SB2521

Committee: House Health

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several health-related bills. HB 1871, establishing a maternal health monitoring pilot program, drew support from the Department of Health, the Hawaii State Commission on Status of Women, and the Hawaii affiliate of the American College of Nurse Midwives, with testimony urging provider-neutral language so midwives and other qualified providers would not be excluded. HB 1977, requiring a maternal and infant health information mobile app, received support from ACNM and Philips, which said similar apps in other states improved awareness of services and helped families navigate care; a member asked the Department of Health about implementation time. HB 1858, relating to certificates of fetal deaths, was supported by the Department of Health and clinicians, who said the current statute is outdated and inconsistent with CDC guidance; the department and a physician testified that the bill should shift documentation responsibilities to physicians and APRNs, and members discussed optional versus mandatory issuance language and whether the bill would improve data on home births and transfers. The committee also heard HB 1591, expanding definitions for preceptor and volunteer-based clinical training to improve income tax credits. The Department of Health supported the measure but preferred a similar, broader bill; Taxation suggested clarifying terms; the University of Hawaii and the State Center for Nursing supported it. ACNM asked that midwifery preceptors and Hawaii-based students enrolled in mainland programs be included, while the Hawaii Public Health Institute supported expansion of the program as a workforce solution. HB 1574, on the health care education loan repayment program, also drew broad support, including from the governor, SHPDA, OHA, and health organizations, but ACNM raised concerns that the bill’s 30% Medicaid-client threshold could exclude many providers and limit participation. For HB 1575, creating a feasibility committee on Parkinson’s patient air transport, the Department of Health supported the intent but said transportation is more likely an insurance or benefit issue and suggested redirecting funds to Parkinson’s research; the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the Hawaii Parkinson Association supported the bill, citing inter-island travel barriers and high costs for patients and caregivers. HB 1854, establishing certification of community behavioral health clinics, was supported by the Department of Health and DHS, which said certification would help clinics qualify for enhanced Medicaid reimbursement and expand access; the Attorney General’s office raised a legal concern about the special fund language and recommended a purpose section, and the committee discussed whether the fund would be self-sustaining and noted a possible amendment to change membership language and reduce the board size if the amendment moved forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• One recommendation is to create pathways, protocols, and checklists within tribes. This is really.
• Now I don't know the protocol. Should I wait for Madam Chair to return? Continue, okay.
• Each visit is also rooted in community voice and protocol.
• It leaves out the federal health facilities when we look at hospitalization.
• He was in the hospital for about one week and then sent to a rehab hospital for a few more weeks.

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs