Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, DCF has difficulty retaining social workers.
• And I tell them human service workers are.
• The key benefit to us all is access, increasing access to social workers and expanding social workers
• Increasing access to social workers and expanding social workers' access to broader communities.
• We represent 20,000 private sector and public sector human service workers, among them social workers

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

Summary: The Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities heard testimony on a wide range of bills affecting foster youth, child welfare oversight, homelessness services, juvenile justice, social work licensure, and human services workforce supports. Committee co-chairs Senator Robyn Kennedy and Representative Jay Livingstone opened the hybrid hearing by outlining testimony procedures and accessibility measures. Several members and legislators participated throughout the day, and many witnesses were invited to submit additional written testimony after speaking. A major portion of the hearing focused on House 227/Senate 105, which would protect federal benefits owed to children in foster care. Supporters, including advocates from Hopewell, the Disability Law Center, CPCS, the Children’s Law Center, More Than Words, Friends of Children, and youth witness Onyx Rosario, said DCF had already ended the practice of taking most Social Security and SSI benefits and now conserves them in accounts for youth, but argued the policy should be codified to prevent future reversals. Witnesses described how conserved benefits help with basic needs, housing, education, transportation, and transition to adulthood, and several noted the bill also adds financial literacy and transparency requirements. Senator Joan Comerford and others said the change would protect vulnerable youth, especially children of color, LGBTQ youth, and youth with disabilities. The committee also heard testimony on House 225, which would expand the grandparents-raising-grandchildren commission by adding appointments and helping with quorum and representation. The committee also took testimony on Senate 136, which would improve emergency housing assistance for families experiencing homelessness by easing documentation requirements, allowing use of existing state data to verify eligibility, requiring notice before benefit reductions, and creating an ombudsperson. Senator Adam Gomez and other supporters said the bill would reduce barriers for families in crisis. On House 262/Senate 148, an omnibus child welfare bill, witnesses supported provisions on data reporting, education coordination, and Office of the Child Advocate reforms, while CPCS raised concerns about expanded access to sensitive records and the OCA’s role in certain proceedings. The Office of the Child Advocate supported codifying current practices and also backed child fatality review changes in House 234/Senate 133. The committee additionally heard support for Senate 108, which would require attorneys and audio/video recording during juvenile custodial interrogations, and for House 247/Senate 116, which would update the Juvenile Justice Policy and Data Board to add supported lived-experience seats. Finally, the committee heard competing testimony on Senate 135, a bill to ensure parity in social work licensure. SEIU Local 509 and supporters argued the current exam requirement disproportionately harms Black, Latino, multilingual, and multicultural applicants and worsens workforce shortages, while the Association of Social Work Boards opposed the bill, saying the exam is a necessary public-protection measure and that removing it would conflict with interstate compact efforts. The hearing also included testimony in support of a loan repayment program for human service workers, with providers and workers describing low wages, high student debt, and the need to retain staff in essential services. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the hearing itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• What was supposed to be temporary has now effectively become permanent.
• has now effectively become temporary has now effectively become permanent<00:50:39.400><c> we</c><00
• </c> prescriptions for 164 million workers prescriptions for 164 million workers and<04:11:22.880><c>
• nothing for to today nothing for workers nothing for to lower<04:40:07.480><c> food</c><04:40:07.798
• </c> by Statute in case of my temporary by Statute in case of my temporary absence<05:34:22.320><c> or

Bills: SCR3 , SCR2 , SCR1 , HCR1 , HR6 , HR5 , HR4 , HR3 , HR2 , HR1

Keywords: SCR3, resolution, state law, legislative approval, concurrent resolution, honoring, lying in state, Capitol, James Earl Carter, United States President, electoral votes, 2025 election, presidential election, Congress, inauguration, committee, ceremonies, joint committee, ceremony, authorization

Transcript Highlights:

• So temporary licensure laws and practice.
• So temporary lensure laws and practice.
• The social worker compact has that... where are we on that?
• The social worker compact has that... where are we on that?
• The social worker compact has that... where are we on that?

Summary: The meeting focused on the Legislative Budget Assistant audit of the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification’s response to 12 findings, especially those tied to mental health workforce licensure. The executive director said 10 findings were substantially resolved, one fully resolved, and one partially resolved, with most issues tied to ongoing rulemaking. He explained that the office regulates 61 professions, has limited rules-drafting staff, and is working through a long rulemaking process while also adapting to frequent statutory changes. The committee discussed the first finding on license portability/endorsement, which the director said was the office’s highest priority and had been implemented through universal recognition rules adopted in 2023. Members asked detailed questions about how the office reviews other states’ licensing standards, whether it evaluates jurisdictions case-by-case or maintains a database, and how many jurisdictions qualify for endorsement in various professions. The director said the office initially reviewed all states and professions at once, now maintains and updates a list of substantially similar jurisdictions, and sometimes evaluates narrower jurisdictions such as counties, cities, or foreign countries. He noted that some professions, like nursing, have broad reciprocity, while others, including some mental health-related fields, vary widely and may have only a limited number of qualifying jurisdictions. He also said the office is exploring whether AI could help with research and tracking, though not with final verification. The committee then turned to expedited licensure processing. The director said the office now handles examination, review, and issuance or denial based on board-set criteria, rather than requiring every board to review every application, which has sped up processing. He said delays still occur with criminal background checks and FBI fingerprint processing because of paper forms, federal involvement, and back-and-forth with the Department of Safety when releases are incomplete or incorrect. Members raised concerns about broader state process bottlenecks and asked whether legislation could help streamline the system. A legislator said he was already working on related background-check language for another agency and believed the current draft may satisfy FBI requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• Each day, as many as 1,700 workers report to the 119 miles of construction in the Central Valley.
• These workers have already helped come... high-speed rail, 2026 business plan.
• Each day, as many as 1,700 workers report to the 119 miles of construction in the Central Valley.
• These workers have already helped come. 19 miles of construction in the Central Valley.
• So this North Bakersfield station, they are intending it to be a temporary station.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held an informational hearing on the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s 2026 draft business plan and next steps for the project. Chair Cortese opened by noting major changes since the 2024 plan, including new leadership, a bottoms-up review, scope changes in the Central Valley, loss of federal funds, and renewed interest in private investment and value capture. The Authority’s CEO, Ian Chaudhary, presented the project as moving into a construction and track-laying phase, citing progress on Central Valley structures, right-of-way acquisition, utility relocations, and a new procurement for track and systems. He said the plan reflects a more disciplined, optimized approach, with the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment targeted for revenue service around 2033 and the broader Phase 1 corridor envisioned as commercially viable through ancillary revenues, public-private partnerships, and future private financing. Committee members questioned the Authority about station relocations, single-tracking, tax increment financing, utility relocation authority, transparency, and the feasibility of private financing. Chaudhary said the Merced and Bakersfield station locations were still under discussion with local governments and that no contracts had been finalized. He defended the reduced scope and single-track approach as a just-in-time strategy to avoid overbuilding, while maintaining high-speed standards. He also said the Authority was exploring land value capture, broadband, energy, and other corridor-based revenue sources, but acknowledged that some tools would require legislative action and that private financing options were still being evaluated. Several senators expressed support for the project but raised concerns about permitting delays, local opposition, constitutional and statutory limits, and the need for stronger accountability. The Legislative Analyst’s Office and the High-Speed Rail Inspector General then gave critical assessments of the draft plan. LAO staff said the plan assumes major statutory changes, understates risk, lacks transparency about scope changes, and may not fully fund even the smaller Merced-to-Bakersfield segment once borrowing costs and other uncertainties are considered. Inspector General Ben Belknap said the draft plan does not comply with newer statutory requirements in SB 198 and AB 377, citing three main deficiencies: unauthorized scope changes to the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment, an inadequate funding plan that omits financing costs, and missing procurement milestone dates. He said the Authority’s presentation obscures the true cost and schedule impacts of the project changes, and that incomplete reporting limits legislative oversight. The Authority responded that it would address the OIG’s findings in the final business plan, and committee members indicated they expected a written response on compliance issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• The state shall be the responsible employer for purposes of workers' compensation coverage for students
• Relations shall collaborate with DEED to process all public program applications and place interns in temporary
• </c><00:11:09.240><c> in</c> applications and place interns in applications and place interns in temporary
• <c> permanent</c><00:11:10.600><c> positions</c><00:11:11.360><c> at</c><00:11:12.320><c> uh</c> temporary
• or permanent positions at uh temporary or permanent positions at uh State<00:11:12.959><c> executive

Committee: Senate Labor and Technology

Summary: The Library and Technology Committee met on March 14, 2025, to hear House Bill 430, House Draft 2, which would create an internship/on-the-job training program administered by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, with the state serving as the responsible employer for workers’ compensation coverage and appropriations included. Testimony was uniformly supportive from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the University of Hawaii, the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, and the Department of Education. Supporters emphasized the value of internships as a high-impact educational and career pathway opportunity. The Department of the Attorney General supported the bill’s intent but raised a concern about the criminal history background check language, recommending that the bill be revised so DLIR may conduct checks “as appropriate” rather than requiring a mandatory check for all interns. The AG noted that juvenile records would remain confidential for 16- and 17-year-old interns under existing law and suggested deleting the more specific background-check language or replacing it with the more flexible wording. Several organizations submitted support, including business, health care, tourism, and industry groups. During decision-making, the committee discussed amendments incorporating the Attorney General’s recommendation, adding a 2.5 GPA minimum reference, and clarifying language about private or public sector organizations and placement of interns in state executive branch departments, agencies, or programs. The committee adopted the recommendation to pass the bill with amendments, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The legacy of those who fought at Puebla and the Latino leaders, workers, organizers, and service members
• Workers are being exploited in silence, and people are being treated as threats rather than as neighbors
• Latina women in California are educators, small business owners, farm workers, health care providers,
• In California law, currently, you can file for a temporary restraining order to try to get through the
• Before they're even allowed to file the temporary restraining order paperwork.

Transcript Highlights:

• Most of our folks who call us can't pay the rent due to rising costs as workers.
• And the social workers who were trying to track them down struggled.
• Thank you all very much. rent as our workers.
• And the social workers who were trying to track them down struggles.
• She does not want people, including workers' comp claimants, trying to pick up larger cases.

Committee: House Judiciary

Summary: The committee took up several bills, beginning with HB 519, which would require special masters appointed in complex consolidated litigation to comply with judicial conduct and federal appointment/disqualification standards, subject to Louisiana law. After a technical amendment clarifying that the provision applies to cases designated under Supreme Court rules, the bill was moved favorably without objection. HB 29, creating the Ascension Parish Retired Employee Insurance Fund, was then heard and also advanced favorably without objection. The committee next considered HB 324 on judicial salaries. The bill would make the 2024 and 2025 judicial supplement stipend permanent and add future cost-of-living adjustments, subject to available funding and approval by the Louisiana Supreme Court and Judicial Budgetary Control Board. Members asked about funding sources and whether the stipend could be made permanent without a constitutional amendment; after discussion, the bill was moved favorably without objection. The longest discussion centered on HB 211, the Homelessness Court Program, later named the Streets to Success Act. Amendments were adopted to limit the bill to licensed group homes and to remove enforcement language that would have created civil actions against local governments for failing to remove encampments, while setting staggered effective dates. Supporters, including the bill author and governor’s office representatives, said the measure would create a coordinated court-and-services response for people experiencing homelessness, especially those with substance use or mental health issues, and would allow designated camping areas and diversion into treatment. Opponents, including housing advocates, legal aid groups, and people with lived experience, argued the bill would criminalize homelessness, increase jail and court involvement, and fail to address root causes such as unaffordable housing, lack of shelter capacity, and inadequate wraparound services. The bill drew extensive testimony but no final vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee is a House resolution stating findings of the House of Representatives and providing that all temporary
• Committee, a House Resolution stating findings of the House of Representatives and providing that all temporary
• Education A House resolution stating findings of the House of Representatives and providing that all temporary
• note on page one, going into page two, that we are limiting the civil liability of both election workers
• note on page one, going into page two, that we are limiting the civil liability of both election workers

Transcript Highlights:

• I do think it is a bit of an overreach based on a temporary economic situation.
• I do think it is a bit of an overreach based on a temporary economic situation.
• Workers can stay in their communities, and our state can thrive.
• Our workers are having to commute further and longer, and our employers are struggling to attract and
• We're short hundreds of thousands of homes, permitting is at historic lows, and families and workers

Summary: The committee heard Senate Bill 6026, which would require cities and counties planning under the Growth Management Act with populations of 30,000 or more to allow residential uses in commercial and mixed-use zones and bar local governments from requiring ground-floor commercial or retail as a condition of housing approval, with exemptions for certain sensitive areas and a carve-out for transit-oriented development station areas. The prime sponsor, Senator Alvarado, and supporters from the governor’s office, Commerce, housing advocates, developers, and major employers argued the bill would unlock underused land, reduce costs, and help address the state’s housing shortage. Opponents and local government representatives from small towns, counties, and cities said the bill could harm commercial corridors, small businesses, tax base stability, and local planning flexibility, and asked for narrower exemptions or additional carve-outs. No vote was taken on SB 6026 during the hearing. The committee then held executive action on Senate Bill 5937 and Senate Bill 5938. SB 5937, dealing with smart access systems and tenant privacy, was amended to clarify that keypad-only entry is not covered, require written privacy policies within five days of installation, and add operational purposes to allowable data collection; the committee adopted the amendment and advanced the bill with a due pass recommendation. SB 5938, which changes the foreclosure prevention fee and directs a Commerce study on a state homeowner assistance fund, was also amended to extend the study deadline and related expiration date; the committee adopted the amendment and moved the bill forward with a due pass recommendation. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6018, which would expand and modernize the Washington State Housing Finance Commission’s authority, including allowing direct mortgage lending to borrowers, extending bond counsel selection cycles, removing advance notice requirements for bond issuance, and repealing an outdated housing finance plan/program. The sponsor and the commission said the bill would improve efficiency and create new financing tools for affordable housing, while banking groups said they supported the goal but wanted clearer limits to ensure the commission would not enter first-mortgage lending for homebuyers. The sponsor and commission said they would work on clarifying language. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 6027 and Senate Bill 6028. SB 6027 would expand the use of local housing sales taxes and the Affordable Housing for All account to support operations, maintenance, rehabilitation, and preservation of existing affordable housing, update REET exemption timing, and align the definition of emergency housing with the Growth Management Act; local governments, housing providers, and advocates strongly supported the bill as a way to preserve existing housing amid rising costs and federal funding uncertainty. SB 6028 would create a revolving loan fund administered by the Housing Finance Commission to finance mixed-income affordable homeownership projects with long-term affordability covenants; the sponsor said it would help builders who have entitled sites but face high capital costs, and the hearing began with staff briefing and sponsor testimony, with questions from members starting as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Pipe Trades Council, which is the co-sponsor of the bill, and the State Association of Electrical Workers
• These early-phase wells are low impact and temporary, but under current law they're treated as separate
• Importantly, this bill will ensure that workers are not left behind as we streamline these projects by
• requiring the payment of prevailing wage for all construction workers participating in these projects
• roads and your temporary power lines along with that acreage number, it can be a significant impact

Committee: House Natural Resources

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on environmental protection, climate policy, public health, and housing. AB 1425 would prohibit pit dewatering near the San Joaquin River Parkway where groundwater is shallow, with the author and supporters arguing it is needed to protect the river, groundwater, flood safety, tribal and cultural resources, and a nearby restoration area. Supporters included environmental groups, local residents, and Indigenous speakers, while CEMEX, labor representatives, and industry groups opposed the bill as an improper circumvention of the CEQA process that could threaten an existing mine and about 100 jobs. After extensive questioning about hydrology, blasting, and the CEQA record, the committee voted the bill out on a due pass as amended recommendation, with some members not voting and the roll left open for absent members. AB 881 would lift California’s moratorium on carbon dioxide pipeline regulation and direct the State Fire Marshal to develop safety standards for carbon capture and sequestration pipelines. The author and supporters, including SMUD, Calpine, utilities, labor, and industry groups, said the bill is needed to advance carbon removal goals, preserve federal funding, and support clean energy and jobs. Environmental justice and conservation groups opposed or opposed unless amended, warning that CO2 pipelines pose serious safety risks and that state authority and standards need to be stronger. The bill received a due pass as amended recommendation to Appropriations. AB 1207 would tie California’s cap-and-trade price ceiling to the federal social cost of carbon. The author and EDF said the measure would keep the program science-based and protect it from federal political interference, while no opposition was heard in the room. The committee approved the bill on a due pass recommendation. AB 1106, sponsored by air quality agencies, would create a network of regional air quality incident response centers to improve monitoring and public health response during wildfires and other disasters; it also received a due pass recommendation after testimony on mobile monitoring, VOCs, metals, PM, and asbestos sampling. The committee also heard AB 28, the Landfill Fire Safety Act, prompted by the long-running Chiquita Canyon landfill subsurface fire. The author and residents described serious health impacts and argued the bill would require monitoring, reporting, corrective action, and stronger enforcement when landfill temperatures rise. Waste and county representatives opposed the bill as drafted, saying the cause of the event is still unclear and the proposal could impose broad costs on landfills statewide, though they said amendments improved the framework. Members discussed the scale of the fire, possible medical impacts, and whether the bill would punish compliant operators; the bill was sent out on a due pass as amended recommendation. The committee also heard AB 357, which would require the Coastal Commission to act within 90 days on student and faculty housing projects in the coastal zone; supporters said it would help address student homelessness and housing costs, while coastal and planning advocates raised concerns about the amendment and the role of coastal review.

Transcript Highlights:

• It would bring immediate relief to fast food workers, restaurant workers, hospitals.
• It would bring immediate relief to farm workers.
• It would bring immediately relief to fast food workers, restaurant workers, hospitals.
• It would bring immediate relief to fast food workers, restaurant workers, hospitality workers, individuals
• I'm also a medical social worker, so somewhat of a content expert in health care.

Committee: Senate Revenue and Taxation

Summary: The committee heard several tax and revenue-related bills. SB 1277, by Senator Grove, proposed a California Cost of Living Tax Credit modeled on the 2022 middle-class tax refund to provide direct relief to low- and middle-income Californians facing high housing, fuel, and utility costs. Supporters argued it would help families struggling with affordability, while opponents, including the California Tax Reform Association and CTA members, said California’s tax system already provides relief and that the bill would reduce General Fund revenue and harm schools. After extended debate, the bill was put on call and later failed on a 1-4 vote, though reconsideration was granted. SB 1287, by Senator Retado, would create a performance-based tax credit for short-line rail investments; supporters said it would improve freight efficiency, safety, emissions, and rural access, while opponents preferred direct grants. The bill was placed on call and later passed 5-0 to Transportation. SB 1407, by Senator Archuleta, would exempt military retirement pay and survivor benefits from state taxes; the author, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, and veterans’ groups said it would help retain veterans and their economic contributions in California, while CTA and CTRA opposed on General Fund grounds. The bill passed 5-0 to Military and Veterans Affairs. SB 1349, by Senator Gonzalez, would direct the LAO to review major tax expenditures for effectiveness and impacts on schools and the budget; CTA and CTRA supported it as a way to increase accountability, and it passed 4-1 to Governmental Organization. SB 1120, by Senator McNerney, would extend the California Competes Tax Credit through 2035 and make credits refundable for certain strategic industries; business and industry witnesses said this would help startups and manufacturers monetize credits and attract investment, and it passed 5-0 to Appropriations. SB 1275, also by Senator McNerney, proposed converting the state sales tax on vehicle purchases into a deductible vehicle license fee to reduce Californians’ federal tax burden; the LAO provided technical testimony, and the bill passed 4-0 to Transportation. The committee also heard SB 1078, by Senator Laird, to let Santa Cruz County voters consider a temporary local tax increase for health and safety-net services, but it was put on call. Later, the committee returned to SB 1314, by Senator Min, addressing youth tobacco and illicit smoke shop sales, but the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh Representative Raymond may worker.
• at</c><01:28:45.280><c> at</c> the social workers and the workers at at the social workers and the workers
• </c><01:29:30.719><c> and</c> manual that social workers and manual that social workers and psychologists
• </c> licensed clinic clinical social workers licensed clinic clinical social workers and<01:43:40.400
• It may only be a temporary though.

Summary: The committee opened with Senate Bill 22-FN, which would expand child care licensing background checks so the Department of Health and Human Services can receive fuller criminal history information, including pending charges and other non-conviction records, similar to the system already used for school staff. Grant Bossi, for Senator Pearl, and DHHS officials Melissa Clement and Christine Sheay testified in support, saying the bill closes a gap that can allow people with disqualifying charges to work with children. They explained that the FBI record is a snapshot in time, that juvenile records are not included, and that the bill would apply to child care programs including residential group homes. Questions focused on what “confidential criminal history” means and how often checks are repeated; DHHS said checks are done every five years or sooner if new charge information is received. The hearing on SB 22 was then closed. The committee then took up Senate Bill 23-FN, which would expand the child endangerment statute and remove the word “purposely” from part of the language. Senator Pat Long said the bill is intended to strengthen protection for children and allow more serious conduct to be charged appropriately. Testimony from law enforcement, including Executive Counselor Dave Wheeler, Sergeant Ryan Rooney of Nashua Police, and Nicholas Georgulis of Manchester Police, supported the bill as a way to distinguish routine misdemeanor cases from the most egregious abuse and neglect cases, such as children living in squalor or being exposed to severe danger. Wheeler and some members raised concerns that the language could be vague or overbroad and cited a prior Manchester firearm-in-a-car arrest as an example of possible unintended consequences; supporters responded that the bill still requires knowingly violating a duty of care and that the serious bodily injury or death standard limits its reach. Rooney also described a fentanyl overdose case involving an 11-year-old and said the current misdemeanor charge did not fully reflect the seriousness of the conduct. The committee recessed SB 23 briefly to open and close SB 161, then returned to SB 23, which remained under hearing with no final vote taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are now delighted to have before the Veterans Committee, on a temporary basis, the Senator from Virginia
• This program was a temporary grant program. It is time for its permanent reauthorization.
• But if you've got to wait on the VA and a case worker to make up their mind, then it is something that
• This program was established... as a three-year temporary grant program to really learn from this, and
• So, kind of following up on the therapists who are hired as remote workers... and kind of what Senator

Committee: Senate Senate Veterans' Affairs

Keywords: veterans, mental health, suicide prevention, Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Grant Program, HOPE Act, BRAVE Act, Every State Counts for Vets Mental Health Act, advocacy, legislation, mental health resources

Summary: The committee meeting focused primarily on the critical issues surrounding veterans' mental health and suicide prevention. Discussions centered on the reauthorization of essential programs aimed at providing non-clinical support services to veterans, particularly the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program. Senators emphasized the urgent need for adequate mental health resources as the suicide rate among veterans remains alarmingly high. Key testimonies were provided by various advocates and officials, illustrating both successful implementations of these programs and areas needing improvement.

Transcript Highlights:

• Christina Boss Hamilton here, representing UDW, United Domestic Workers.
• are worked by a worker.
• On the side, I'm a daughter of a social worker. I thought we were doing that.
• , which in some counties is hovering around 500 to 600 cases per social worker.
• , which in some counties is hovering around 500 to 600 cases per social worker.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittees held a joint hearing on older adults and long-term care supports and services, with members and witnesses focusing on the growing “forgotten/overlooked middle” of Californians who are too wealthy for Medi-Cal but unable to afford long-term services and supports (LTSS). Administration witnesses from DHCS and the Department of Aging described Medicare’s limited long-term care coverage, Medi-Cal’s role for low-income residents, and ongoing state work on LTSS financing, including a 2024 financing initiative and a final report due in 2026. Testimony emphasized rising costs, caregiver shortages, homelessness among older adults, and the need to preserve home- and community-based services to avoid more expensive institutional care. Several advocates urged immediate action, especially Medi-Cal share-of-cost reform, housing supports, and protection of HCBS funding. Members asked for the most urgent budget priorities and were told to focus on share-of-cost reform and assisted-living rate protections, along with broader system navigation and caregiver support. The committee also heard testimony on the Community-Based Adult Services (CBAS) program. CDA reported that CBAS serves about 42,000 participants through 304 centers, with demand generally stable but geographic gaps in some regions and staffing challenges after the pandemic. DHCS explained a rate-setting issue: a 10% CBAS rate increase had been mistakenly posted on the Medi-Cal fee schedule in 2024, and while Proposition 35 later made the targeted SB 159 rate increase inoperative, DHCS said any repayment by managed care plans would depend on contract terms and the department would not require clawbacks. CBAS providers and advocates warned that the program is in a financial crisis, with six center closures since June 2024, and requested $74.8 million ongoing General Fund to close about half the gap between current reimbursement and costs. Members expressed concern that clawbacks could accelerate closures and noted the program’s role in preventing institutionalization and supporting family caregivers. In the final panel, CDSS presented on In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) provider recruitment and retention and on the AB 102 statewide bargaining report. CDSS said the IHSS Career Pathways program has concluded successfully, with more than 59,000 providers completing training, and that the AB 102 report—based on workgroup meetings and consultant analysis—will be sent to the Legislature shortly. The department said the workgroup viewed statewide bargaining as more viable than regional bargaining, but identified major issues around consumer participation, county fiscal impacts, administrative responsibilities, and the need to define bargaining scope in statute. CDSS estimated that each $1 per hour statewide wage increase would cost at least $1.3 billion to $1.5 billion annually. Provider unions supported statewide bargaining, arguing it would improve wages, benefits, and workforce stability, while county representatives said any statewide model should preserve consumer focus, protect county finances and realignment funds, and keep core administrative functions with local public authorities. The hearing concluded without votes, with members requesting additional follow-up information and urging continued engagement ahead of the May revise.

Transcript Highlights:

• For some brief background, the state licenses two types of social workers: advanced social workers and
• independent clinical social workers.
• During that time, I've worked with many social workers, have hired many social workers across many spectrums
• I'm a clinical social worker here in Seattle, a second-generation social worker, as a matter of fact,
• and bad social workers.

Summary: The committee held its first meeting and heard four bills. HB 2286 would create an alternative route to social worker licensure by removing the exam requirement for advanced social workers and allowing enhanced supervision with supervisor attestation in place of the exam for independent clinical social workers. The sponsor and several social workers testified that the exam is a poor measure of clinical competence and can be a barrier to licensure, while opponents warned that removing the exam could affect public protection and Washington’s participation in the social work compact. Members asked follow-up questions about the compact, the exam format, and accreditation requirements, but no action was taken. HB 2363 would allow music therapy license applicants to practice under supervision for up to six months while waiting for exam verification. The sponsor described it as a technical fix to the new licensure system, and testimony from music therapists, educators, and a patient supported the bill as a way to avoid delays in hiring newly trained therapists while maintaining supervision and patient safety. The bill drew strong support in written testimony and no opposition in the hearing. HB 2324 would change tuition waiver rules for children of eligible veterans and National Guard members by giving eligible children eight years from the date of a parent’s disability determination to use the waiver when that determination occurs after the child turns 18. The sponsor said the bill is meant to align state law with federal dependency education benefits and prevent families from losing access because disability determinations can take years. The committee asked for clarification on how the new timing would work, and the hearing closed without a vote. HB 2098 would eliminate the cap on the advanced computing surcharge, expand Washington College Grant eligibility up to 100% of state median family income, and reduce resident undergraduate tuition by 10% for three years starting in 2027-28. Supporters, including students, labor, and advocacy groups, said the bill would improve affordability and access to higher education by asking large tech companies to pay more. Opponents from business and university groups argued the surcharge would be economically harmful, that the state already has substantial WEA funding, and that the bill would reduce tuition revenue without adequately backfilling institutional budgets. The committee heard extensive testimony and members raised questions about the surcharge cap, WEA spending, and the compacted funding structure, but no final action was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:37:01.680><c> restraining</c><00:37:02.240><c> order</c> granted a temporary restraining order
• and and uh just to tuberculosis worker and and uh just to me<00:42:19.280><c> it</c><00:42:19.440><c
• positions, which those were at temporary positions, which those were at the<00:47:26.400><c> time.
• Hennepin County is acting as a temporary financial backstop for the hospital through a line of credit
• and the health system, both the workers and the residents<01:24:01.040><c> who</c><01:24:01.360><c>

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• It preserves the temporary abatement period in this bill. Mr. Speaker, let me be clear.
• A temporary tax holiday that gets the project up and going.
• It locks in a project labor agreement for qualified Alaska workers, and it keeps rural energy support
• Now, the way workers' comp works is it's designed to heal the injured person.
• Now, the way workers comp works is it's designed to heal the injured person.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> taken care of, less about the workers taken care of, less about the workers that<00:01:22.720><c
• Uh but it's been on the workers.
• We care about our state workers.
• We care about our state workers.
• They don't bring workers. They state. They don't bring workers.

Transcript Highlights:

• That means fewer jobs for workers and less tax revenue for local governments to fund essential services
• And they can have temporary, even worse, shelter, like a tent.
• And they can have temporary, even worse, shelter, like a tent.
• Trash piles up, communities get angry, workers get blamed, and the company sits on its hands while the
• And I want to be clear: workers don't choose to strike lightly.

Committee: Senate Local Government

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on wildfire resilience, land use, and local government transparency. SB 911 by Senator Becker would require notification to fire enforcement agencies when a home in a high fire severity zone is sold with an agreement for the buyer to bring the property into defensible-space compliance; the California Association of Realtors said it would drop opposition if the bill is amended to use the preliminary change of ownership report, and the bill passed 4-0 to Appropriations. SB 994 by Senator Cabaldon would bar local officials from signing nondisclosure agreements that prevent them from sharing information with the elected decision-makers of their jurisdiction; supporters framed it as a transparency measure, and it also passed 4-0 to Appropriations. SB 1041 by Senator Riggins would expand PACE financing for wildfire home-hardening improvements and add consumer protections, but it drew strong opposition from homeowner advocates, county treasurers, bankers, and others over predatory lending and lien concerns; it passed 3-2 and remained on call. The committee also considered SB 1075 by Senator Reyes, which would require local governments in AB 617 communities to consider air-quality reduction measures in land-use approvals for industrial and commercial projects. Environmental justice groups supported the bill as a way to implement community air plans, while counties, cities, business groups, builders, trucking interests, and others opposed it as duplicative of CEQA and a barrier to investment and jobs. After debate over local control and environmental justice, the bill passed 3-2 and remained on call. SB 958 by Senator Cabaldon would advance the Midway Rising redevelopment project in San Diego, replacing a former arena and parking lots with housing, affordable units, parks, and a new entertainment venue; with no opposition voiced, it passed 3-0 to Appropriations. Another wildfire-related measure, SB 1182 by Senator Allen, would require local governments to consider insurance availability in safety planning for development in high fire hazard areas and direct state technical guidance on the issue. Supporters said insurance access is now a key indicator of risk, while some members questioned whether the bill would add useful information or burden local governments; the bill received a 1-1 vote and remained on call. The committee then began hearing SB 1116 by Senator Caballero, a starter-home/infill housing bill creating a streamlined ministerial path for small projects up to 10 units, but the transcript cuts off before testimony or a vote on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• I also want to ask a question about social workers. I forgot the page right now.
• But what we're seeing is a trend across the nation is eliminating the test for social workers.
• social workers at CYFD.
• licensed social workers.
• You mentioned the temporary 10% salary increase.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee