Transcript Highlights:

• So we do receive federal funds to do meals, and we do receive some state funds to provide meals, but
• We get $7 for every meal that we serve in the senior center, and if I deliver that meal to your house
• We get $7 for every meal that we serve in the senior center, and if I deliver that meal to your house
• I cannot pay a meal driver an eight-hour day shift to...
• I cannot pay a meal driver an eight-hour day shift to deliver meals, pay for the vehicle, pay for the

Committee: Senate Health and Human Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• That's what Universal Meals does.
• meal balance.
• </c><00:43:19.839><c> last</c> school meals 150 meals were served last school meals 150 meals were served
• And oftentimes people would say school meals—you guys passed free school meals—and we love that.
• taking away the meals, but providing good access to nutritional meals.

Bills: HF51 , HF1161 , HF2201 , HF2786 , HF1053

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• For many kids, school meals in this program are the only meal of the day.
• These programs are more than just meals.
• Protecting funding for these school meals for the school meal program is imperative for the well-being
• I survived off of this type of meals.
• I survived off of this type of meals.

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then held its Latino Spirit Awards ceremony. Members adopted House Resolution 16, proclaiming May 4–11, 2025 as Cinco de Mayo Week, after supportive remarks from several caucuses emphasizing Mexican history, women’s contributions, LGBTQ solidarity, Black and Brown unity, and AAPI and Jewish community support. The chamber then recognized 11 Latino Spirit honorees for achievements in human rights, business, arts, public service, community empowerment, health and science, environmental justice, philanthropy, and entertainment. After the ceremony, the Assembly returned to floor business and approved a series of measures. AB 60, banning synthetic nitro musks in cosmetics and personal care products, passed 56–3. AJR 6, urging Congress to protect federal school meal and local food funding, drew extensive debate and broad bipartisan support; members cited child hunger, farm economies, and local food systems, and it passed 76–0 with 73 coauthors added. Other measures adopted included AB 679 on state park land acquisitions, AB 681 expanding Dream Loan Program caps for undocumented graduate students, AB 1224 on substitute teacher continuity, AB 831 on gaming technical changes, AB 259 extending Brown Act teleconferencing flexibility, AB 467 extending Los Angeles Neighborhood Council teleconferencing authority, and AB 519 targeting deceptive puppy mill sales. The chamber also passed AB 1522, an urgency Judiciary Committee bill protecting attorneys from politically motivated discipline and creating an expedited licensing path for some former federal attorneys, and AB 263, which extends temporary water flow requirements on the Shasta and Smith Rivers; that bill drew sharp disagreement over water rights, tribal participation, and impacts on farmers, but ultimately passed 51–16. Additional measures approved included AB 428 on pooled insurance for water corporations, AB 492 requiring notice to local jurisdictions when recovery treatment facilities are licensed, and AB 536 preserving colorectal cancer screening coverage. The Assembly also adopted a motion to suspend file notice so Appropriations could hear AB 379 on May 7.

Transcript Highlights:

• the same because of, you know, everybody's... cafeteria meal costs this bill repeals cafeteria meal
• </c> Education set school cafeteria meal Education set school cafeteria meal prices<00:15:57.440><c>
• </c> 1/4 of the cost of prepering the meal 1/4 of the cost of prepering the meal this<00:16:35.240><c
• </c> it for adults and for the second meal it for adults and for the second meal and<00:17:16.799><c>
• A member asked one more question: whether the measure would cover not just student meals but adult meals

Committee: Senate Education

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education and Labor and Technology heard Senate Bill 420, which would extend Department of Education workers’ compensation coverage to newly graduated high school students participating in DOE-sponsored work-based learning programs through July 31 after graduation. DOE testified in support, estimating the bill could affect about 50 to 100 students in the first year and saying it would help students gain experience and transition to employment. Members asked about current coverage, costs, and partnerships; DOE said current coverage ends at graduation, there had been no incidents, and the bill would create no additional cost. The committees voted to pass SB 420 with amendments, including an amended effective date, and the bill was adopted. The Committee on Education then took up several education measures. It adopted a proposed SD1 for SB 894, a Farm to School measure that would appropriate funds to help meet a goal of serving 30% locally sourced food in public schools. The committee also heard SB 789 on school cafeteria meal costs; DOE said it wanted the existing requirement lowered from 50% of meal preparation cost to 25% rather than repealed, to align with its administrative package, and explained current prices were about $2.75 while meal costs were about $9. Testifiers from the Hawaii Public Health Institute and Hawaiʻi Appleseed supported removing the requirement entirely or at least reducing it, saying it would avoid large price jumps and move toward free school meals. The committee later voted to pass SB 789 with amendments lowering the threshold to one-fourth of meal cost and changing the effective date. The committee also heard SB 449 on a school facilities planning database. DOE said it supports better planning but believes the database should be housed within DOE rather than duplicated under the School Facilities Authority, while SFA supported the bill as a proactive decision-making tool. The Attorney General’s office suggested clarifying language to make clear references to the Board of Education. In later agenda items, the committee heard SB 423, which would add Head Start-related ex officio members to the Early Learning Board; EOEL and the board chair supported it and suggested technical language to preserve required representation. The committee also heard SB 1384, a housekeeping bill redirecting repaid early childhood educator stipend funds to the Early Learning special fund after the prior special fund was repealed; EOEL supported it and said about $31,864 was being recouped from nine recipients. Finally, SB 684 would require the Board of Education to adopt rules banning cell phones at DOE schools; testimony was in support, and members discussed the need for a consistent statewide policy, with the board expected to work on one in collaboration with DOE.

Transcript Highlights:

• mission is to transform the lives of people affected by rare diseases through the development and delivery
• We believe incentive for providers to administer vaccines is an important part of the vaccine delivery
• by improving care Dismantle systematic barriers to inequitable health outcomes by improving care delivery
• It's not merely a funding allocation; it's a strategic investment in the future of health care delivery
• I learned that sometimes she skipped meals to provide food for her children.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Health Care Financing

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing on a large docket of bills focused on MassHealth benefits and reimbursement, health equity, behavioral health, public health, dental access, 340B drug pricing, tobacco cessation, and coverage for children. The chairs emphasized rising health care costs, provider shortages, administrative burdens, and persistent inequities by income, race, geography, and immigration status. Much of the testimony centered on H.1416/S.901, an act to advance health equity, with legislators and members of the Health Equity Compact arguing for statewide benchmarks, stronger health equity leadership, reimbursement for interpreter services, community health workers and patient navigation, Medicaid graduate medical education support, and a health equity zone trust fund. Witnesses described disparities in life expectancy, maternal mortality, access to primary care, and the impact of federal Medicaid and social service cuts, and urged the committee to report the bill favorably. The committee also heard strong support for H.1368/S.847 on rapid whole genome sequencing for critically ill MassHealth children. Testifiers from industry, academia, hospitals, and families said early sequencing can end long diagnostic odysseys, improve treatment decisions, shorten hospital stays, and save money, while also providing emotional relief and information for families. The hearing then moved to H.1407 on MassHealth rate parity for inpatient behavioral health providers, where Rep. Scanlan and the Massachusetts Association of Behavioral Health Systems said the bill would codify existing administrative parity so managed care plans cannot pay less than the MassHealth fee-for-service rate. On H.1392/S.853 to preserve and protect public health, witnesses supported higher vaccine administration fees to improve provider participation and immunization rates. The committee also heard testimony on H.770/845 to protect 340B providers in MassHealth, and on S.848 to require reporting and transparency around 340B revenues and outside administrative costs. Additional bills drew testimony on tobacco cessation coverage for MassHealth members, with advocates supporting broader access to counseling and medications through medical, behavioral health, and dental providers. On H.1409, a nursing home operator asked for more flexibility in a MassHealth staffing-related penalty tied to patient days per resident. On H.1401/S.888, supporters of the “Take 10” dental access proposal said adult MassHealth dental coverage is underused because too few dentists accept MassHealth, leading to long travel times and avoidable emergency room visits; they urged incentive payments for dentists serving new adult MassHealth patients. Finally, on H.1403/S.855, “Cover All Kids,” advocates and immigrant community members urged removal of immigration status as a barrier to full MassHealth coverage for children, while also backing a related bill to ensure 12 months of continuous coverage for children. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and asked questions on costs, reimbursement levels, and implementation details.

Transcript Highlights:

• The value of purchasing one pound of ground beef to feed their families a high-protein meal outweighs
• /c> beef to feed their families a high beef to feed their families a high protein<00:19:49.600><c> meal
• outweighs the cost in many protein meal outweighs the cost in many ways<00:19:51.919><c> for</c><00:
• We've been able to mobilize food deliveries, mutual aid, getting people resources, across the board.
• ,</c><00:41:18.960><c> mutual</c> to mobilize, um, food deliveries, mutual to mobilize, um, food deliveries

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:10:19.120><c> on</c> $30,000 extra dollars for meals on $30,000 extra dollars for meals on wheels
• So we had money to Meals on Wheels.
• The Meals on Wheels program that we're funding specifically is to deal because this is Meals on Wheels
• The Meals on Wheels program that we're funding specifically is to deal because this is Meals on Wheels
• The Meals on Wheels program that we're funding specifically is to deal because this is Meals on Wheels

Transcript Highlights:

• state participation in the Medicaid direct certification program for free and reduced-price school meals
• to students with unpaid meal balances and making an appropriation therefor.
• </c> eligibility for the free School meals eligibility for the free School meals program<01:05:35.319
• to students with unpaid meal balances and making an appropriation therefor.
• Representative Damon: ...Clause F, pertaining to collections of school meal debt.

Summary: The committee first took up HB 112, which would require students in the University and Community College systems to pass the U.S. citizenship civics naturalization test. A motion was made to retain the bill, and the committee voted unanimously to retain it, resulting in no report. HB 510, dealing with due process rights for students, student organizations, and faculty in higher education disciplinary proceedings, was passed over for a later meeting so the University and Community College systems could meet with the committee. The committee then discussed HB 659, creating a college graduate retention incentive program, but retained it without further debate after noting the prime sponsor was unavailable. HB 770, concerning tuition credits for community service, was also held for later in the day because an amendment was expected. The most extensive discussion centered on HB 583, which would have the state participate in Medicaid direct certification for free and reduced-price school meals. Supporters argued it would identify more eligible students, reduce paperwork, improve accuracy in school funding formulas, and bring in additional federal child care scholarship money; opponents argued it would significantly affect school funding calculations and should be delayed. The committee rejected the amendment by a 10-8 vote and then voted 10-8 to retain the bill, with a majority report and minority report to follow. HB 646, requiring school districts to establish an online application for free and reduced-price meal participation, was also debated. One member said many districts already do this voluntarily and that the bill was unnecessary; another proposed an amendment to convert the mandate into a grant program to offset startup costs, but the committee proceeded on the underlying motion and voted 10-8 to retain the bill, with a majority report and a minority OTP report. HB 665, concerning eligibility for the free school meals program, was then retained by an 11-3 vote. Finally, the committee began work on HB 703, which would prohibit school districts from denying meals to students with unpaid balances and appropriate funds for that purpose. An amendment was explained that would remove state payment of district meal debt and instead require district policies against shaming or bullying students and allow voluntary donations to reduce debt. After discussion, a motion was made to ITL the bill, with the sponsor saying constituents opposed subsidizing the program and wanted districts to retain collection tools; further debate was underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Prepared meals are a family crisis.
• </c> deliver more than 20,000 meals deliver more than 20,000 meals to<00:51:26.400><c> clients</c><00
• </c> its own crisis, and prepared meal its own crisis, and prepared meal organizations<00:52:08.320><
• </c> and medically tailored prepared meals. and medically tailored prepared meals.
• </c> have that meal. have that meal.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• investments in both kitchen infrastructure and freshly prepared meals.
• investments in both kitchen infrastructure and freshly prepared meals.
• And other meal service streamlining.
• I think it will largely be on meal quality, meal participation, salary and benefits.
• I just wanted to speak to Item 3, universal school meals and KIT funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• investments in both kitchen infrastructure and freshly prepared meals.
• That concludes my remarks. ...and other meal service streamlining.
• I think it will largely be on meal quality, meal participation, salary and benefits.
• I just wanted to speak to item three, universal school meals and kit funding.
• And we strongly support the continued funding for universal meals and kit.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on three education budget items: the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), differentiated assistance/statewide system of support, and universal school meals plus kitchen infrastructure grants. For ELOP, the Department of Finance described the Governor’s proposal to provide $4.7 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding and $62.4 million to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended instead fixing the Tier 2 rate at $1,579, and committee members questioned how the rate was determined, how much funding is actually spent, and whether overlapping funding from ELOP, ACEs, and 21st Century programs is being tracked. CDE said ELOP is showing positive attendance and math outcomes, but some requested data will not be available until mid-2027; members also raised concerns about double-funding, transparency, and whether middle and high school students are being equitably served. On differentiated assistance, CCEE outlined the statewide system of support and the various tiers of universal, targeted, supplemental, and intensive assistance. Finance explained the Governor’s proposal to replace the current DA structure with a more stable universal and targeted assistance model, funded at $131.9 million ongoing, with a three-year support cycle aligned to LCAP and ESSA timelines and broader State Board authority to revise eligibility criteria. The LAO objected to considering the proposal before the State Board finalizes the new performance criteria, and committee members expressed concern that moving to a three-year cycle could delay support for LEAs that newly fall into need mid-cycle. There was also discussion about whether the proposal would weaken subgroup-based equity guardrails or give the State Board too much discretion over who qualifies for support. For school meals and kitchen infrastructure, Finance proposed $1.8 billion ongoing for universal meals and an additional $100 million ongoing plus $100 million one-time for a fourth round of kitchen infrastructure and training grants. The LAO recommended rejecting the new kitchen grant round because prior rounds are still being spent and the unmet need is not yet clear. CDE said prior investments have improved meal participation, efficiency, and menu variety, but many schools still lack the facilities for scratch cooking and face construction, electrical, and procurement barriers. Members asked for more data on how prior grants were used, which schools are benefiting, and whether funds could also support lower-cost food access strategies such as pantries, while noting federal restrictions on some meal-service innovations.

Transcript Highlights:

• to the Department of Education for regional kitchen expansion to fulfill the local Farm to School meal
• Farm to school meal goal requiring 30% Farm to school meal goal requiring 30% of<00:15:18.560><c> food
• If they were guaranteed healthy meals through the local Farm to School Meal initiative as part of the
• If they were guaranteed healthy meals through the local Farm to School Meal initiative as part of the
• If they were guaranteed healthy meals through the local Farm to School Meal initiative as part of the

Committee: House Agriculture & Food Systems

Transcript Highlights:

• supporting 35 Cal OES-administered programs and approximately 800 grant subawardees, assuring the delivery
• other issues: alignment to the legacy system, the statewide provider, adjustments to next-gen call delivery
• Since late 2024, FEMA has implemented multiple program delivery changes that obligate projects faster
• multiple program delivery changes that obligate projects faster administratively, but the reimbursements
• shelter, and 30,000... 2,400 youth with housing support, over 4,000 nights of shelter, and 30,000 meals

Transcript Highlights:

• supporting 35 Cal OES-administered programs and approximately 800 grant subawardees, assuring the delivery
• other issues: alignment to the legacy system, the statewide provider, adjustments to next-gen call delivery
• want to start off by saying that Eli and I are pretty, especially in the last year, experts in the delivery
• Since late 2024, FEMA has implemented multiple program delivery changes that obligate projects faster
• multiple program delivery changes that obligate projects faster administratively, but the reimbursements

Summary: The subcommittee met to hear budget-related updates from the Judicial Branch and the Office of Emergency Services, with no votes taken. The Judicial Council supported the Governor’s proposed budget, highlighting $70 million for increased trial court operating costs, additional funding for court-appointed counsel, Court of Appeal case processing, and courthouse construction and facilities. Trial court representatives emphasized staffing retention problems, especially in counties like San Bernardino, and said stable funding is needed to avoid delays and maintain access to justice. Members also discussed the branch’s remote proceedings program, which has been used in more than 6 million hearings statewide since 2022 and was described as especially important in rural areas and for vulnerable litigants; several members urged making the authority permanent rather than extending it temporarily. A major portion of the hearing focused on Proposition 36 implementation. Finance said the Governor’s budget maintains the $130 million provided in the 2025 Budget Act for court workload and pretrial services, but adds no new Prop. 36 court funding. Judicial Council staff reported nearly 35,000 felony Prop. 36 filings in 2025, with most cases still pending and only a small share of treatment-mandated cases already dismissed after treatment. Witnesses said courts are using the funds for staffing, coordinators, clerks, and treatment-court operations, but that workload varies widely by county and that data collection is limited because courts report aggregate information rather than case-level outcomes. The LAO raised a technical concern about the Department of Finance’s Prop. 47 savings estimate and recommended revising the methodology at May Revision. The committee also reviewed the Orange Central Justice Center facility modification project, where the Judicial Council explained that hidden construction deficiencies and fire-life-safety issues caused costs to rise substantially after demolition began. The LAO said the project itself was supportable but recommended that the Legislature set an ongoing funding level for court facilities, require a long-term facilities plan, and consider more oversight of facility modification projects. Finance said it continues to fund courthouse projects individually and through the State Public Works Board, while acknowledging project delays and cost increases. Finally, Cal OES and advocates discussed victim services funding. Cal OES said it administers about $315 million annually for victim service programs, including VOCA-funded services, but federal VOCA allocations have fluctuated sharply and the state has used one-time General Fund backfills to maintain services. Trauma recovery center advocates warned that an 85% reduction in funding would sharply reduce services for survivors of violent crime, while human trafficking advocates urged reauthorization of the Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Program before funding reverts to pre-pandemic levels in July 2026. Members asked about federal and state funding stability, referral pathways, and the long-term value of these programs in preventing worse outcomes and reducing public costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> are one of the ones to get free meals are one of the ones to get free meals because<00:32:44.360
• meal that they receive all day.
• School meals are the most nutritious meals that they receive all day, and for many others, school meals
• </c><00:47:06.680><c> at</c> students don't get a proper meal at students don't get a proper meal at
• I myself qualify for reduced meals, and I know how important it is to have a meal every school day.

Committee: House Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• one that centers children's safety, well-being, and development, and is provided through a mixed delivery
• To my second point, expanding programs across our mixed delivery system, child care program enrollment
• That flexibility is a lifeline for mixed-delivery systems.
• The service delivery appears stable.
• But to actually move towards the delivery of services in that short-term therapeutic modality that we

Transcript Highlights:

• School meals in this program are the only meal of the day.
• On school meals as their only daily source of nutrition.
• These programs are more than just meals. They are.
• These meals are not just important, they are essential.
• I survived off this type of meals.

Transcript Highlights:

• Page 59 is the program delivery.
• Page 59 is the program delivery.
• Okay, so 59 is their program delivery item with the same thing. Thank you.
• It’s additional meals served, and then a portion is the rate increase that was included per the terms

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> it only applies to the meals portion. it only applies to the meals portion. the<01:30:18.239><c>
• </c> meals tax unless we change it. meals tax unless we change it.
• </c> subsidized by the rooms and meals tax. subsidized by the rooms and meals tax.
• </c><02:08:09.599><c> tax</c> some portion of rooms and meals tax some portion of rooms and meals tax
• </c> restoring the 9% meals and rooms tax. restoring the 9% meals and rooms tax.

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• First, addressing the unmet need for child care; next, expanding across our mixed delivery system; and
• First, addressing the unmet need for child care; next, expanding across our mixed delivery system; and
• To my second point, expanding programs across our mixed delivery system, child care program enrollment
• That flexibility is a lifeline for mixed delivery systems.
• The service delivery appears stable.

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy budget hearing focused on child care, child welfare, and immigration-related services, with most of the discussion centered on child care funding, slot utilization, and rate reform. Department of Social Services officials said the Governor’s budget would provide $6.8 billion for child care programs in 2026-27, including $11.5 million in Prop. 64 funds for mini-grants to licensed facilities affected by 2025 disasters. They also described federal CCDF and Prop. 64 revenue reductions that would reduce general child care funding by about 4,176 slots, while emphasizing that the cuts should not affect currently enrolled children. The LAO supported aligning spending with lower revenues and asked for more detail on the disaster grant program. Members questioned why so many awarded slots remain uncontracted or unfilled, and DSS said delays are largely due to providers building new infrastructure, licensing, staffing, and enrollment work. One senator criticized the repeated explanation, argued unspent funds revert to the General Fund instead of being redirected to child care, and urged shifting more funding from contract slots to vouchers and increasing flexibility for infrastructure and expansion costs. DSS said it is exploring more flexibility, better readiness screening, and quicker redistribution of relinquished slots. The committee also discussed the Emergency Child Care Bridge program, with DSS saying it can redistribute funds among counties to avoid disenrolling children. A second panel addressed the state’s broader commitment to expand child care and move toward a single rate structure. DSS reported that since 2021-22 nearly 125,000 new slots have been awarded across CCTR, CAPP, CMAP, and the Emergency Child Care Bridge program, bringing monthly service levels to more than 366,700 children. The department and CDE described progress on rate reform, including completion of the alternative methodology and joint recommendations from the labor-management committee on a single-rate framework. County and provider testimony emphasized persistent unmet need, especially for infant and toddler care, and argued that current reimbursement disparities between CDSS-funded programs and state preschool create inequities and discourage expansion. Stanislaus County Office of Education said rate differences can materially affect local program revenue and staffing, while Parent Voices California described the child care system as difficult to navigate and inequitable, especially for Black families and survivors of domestic violence. The California Budget and Policy Center argued that only a small share of eligible children are served, that Universal TK has concentrated investment in school-based settings, and that providers are still paid far below the cost of care. Members pressed the administration for deadlines on automation and implementation of the single-rate structure, and DSS said some work can proceed before collective bargaining concludes, though policy decisions are still needed. The committee also reviewed several trailer bill proposals. For the COLA, DSS proposed applying the 2026-27 increase through cost-of-care-plus payments, but acknowledged it had inadvertently excluded CalWORKs Child Care and the Emergency Child Care Bridge from the initial calculation; the LAO recommended making the COLA increase uniform across child care and state preschool programs. On the alternative methodology survey, DSS proposed replacing the market rate survey with the federally approved alternative methodology and aligning the timing with the federal CCDF state plan cycle. On licensed family child care homes, DSS proposed limiting temporary absences to 20% of monthly care hours and allowing more flexibility for medical appointments, jury duty, training, and union activities. On excessive unexplained absences, DSS proposed a statutory definition to align state policy with federal rules allowing disenrollment after 30 days of unexplained absences. The committee also discussed a proposal to require contractors to collect family fees directly so the full voucher value reaches providers, with DSS saying it is working with Riverside County on implementation and CDE asking that the same policy apply to state preschool. Finally, the committee reviewed an Early Childhood Policy Council reappropriation and reporting proposal, with DSS explaining that prior funds were underused because participation costs are hard to estimate and that additional staffing and contractor support would be needed for the expanded annual report requirements.