Transcript Highlights:

• It is the only program of its kind.
• We will continue to have our site directors, and we will continue to operate our site offices.
• And these are statewide programs.
• This funding level is necessary to continue to operate all of our key programs and to maintain our investments
• Everyone who's in the program will continue to be in the program as they are today.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard budget testimony from Department of Mental Health Commissioner Brooke Doyle, who said DMH serves about 29,000 people and is facing rising demand, higher operating costs, and uncertainty about federal funding. She explained that the FY26 budget prioritizes fully funding the state-operated inpatient system, which is at 100% occupancy and often serves people transferred from Bridgewater State Hospital, while making reductions in other areas to balance the budget. Those reductions include a 50% cut to case managers, a pause on closing the Pocasset unit pending a working group on Cape access, and changes to youth and contracted services such as right-sizing IRTP and CIRT, reducing Youth PACT from seven teams to three, scaling back flex and jail diversion grants as ARPA funds wind down, and preserving the behavioral health helpline and community-based crisis services. Members from Western Massachusetts and the Cape raised concerns about access, staffing, and the impact of cuts, and Doyle said the department would continue operating IRTP services, improve the referral process, and work with stakeholders on the Pocasset review and other access issues. The committee also discussed school-based mental health, 988, loan forgiveness for workforce recruitment, and the role of co-response programs for law enforcement. Secretary Robin Lipson then testified for the Executive Office of Aging and Independence, describing a proposed FY26 budget increase of about 21% to support councils on aging, home care, elder abuse investigations, caregiver support, care transitions, and nutrition programs. She said the agency is managing rising demand, especially from the growing 80-plus population, and noted uncertainty around federal Older Americans Act funding after the federal disbursement agency was disbanded. To control costs, the office will manage intake and caseload growth in a fully state-funded home care program, but current clients will not lose services. Lipson also highlighted a new $1 million line item for local mini-grants to support age-friendly initiatives. In questions, members focused on elder scams, and Lipson said scams are increasing and the agency is working with banks, district attorneys, and public awareness campaigns. The Health Policy Commission’s Executive Director David Seltz presented the agency’s FY26 request and said the biggest challenge is health care affordability, with family premiums near $29,000 annually and many residents delaying care because of cost. He emphasized that recent legislation significantly expands HPC’s role through a new Office of Pharmaceutical Policy and Analysis, which will examine the drug supply chain and pricing, and a new Office of Health Resource Planning, which will support statewide planning around closures and access gaps. The new law also creates task forces on maternal health access and primary care, and adds transparency and oversight for private equity in health care. Members asked about pharmaceutical costs, GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, 340B, and maternal health closures; Seltz said the data show rapid growth in GLP-1 spending and that the new offices will help the state better understand cost drivers and access problems. The Center for Health Information and Analysis then began its testimony, describing its role as the state’s data hub for health care spending, utilization, quality, and affordability analysis.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please continue, Mr. Reeder.
• The administration believes this investment reflects a continued commitment for this program and times
• I continue to do what I can to bring those programs back in.
• Guys are not programming.
• Guys are not programming.

Summary: Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 6 heard the Governor’s May Revision proposals for the judicial branch, the Board of State and Community Corrections, the Department of Justice, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The Legislative Analyst’s Office opened with a warning that the state budget remains structurally imbalanced and urged the Legislature to avoid new ongoing spending unless offset by reductions elsewhere. In the judicial branch discussion, the Judicial Council highlighted language access funding, appellate court security, a backfill for the state court facilities construction fund, and an extension of the lactation room mandate; Finance supported most items but suggested reporting language on interpreter costs and reducing the General Fund backfill. Members raised concerns about judicial vacancies, long-term salary freezes, remote hearings, and the lack of progress on court staffing in some counties. For the Board of State and Community Corrections, the administration proposed $10 million one-time each for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People grant program and a human trafficking vertical prosecution grant program. The LAO said both should be weighed against other priorities and suggested the Legislature consider whether the Tribal Nations Grant Fund could support MMIP work, while Finance said it preferred General Fund support and wanted more review before any fund swap. Members strongly supported MMIP funding and asked whether ongoing support would be considered. On the human trafficking grant, Finance said BSC was a good fit because of its grant administration experience and prior vertical prosecution work, while legislators asked why the program was not placed with the Office of Emergency Services as originally contemplated in prior legislation. The Department of Justice presented antitrust litigation funding, Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse staffing, completion of organized retail criminal enterprise cases, and trailer bill language for a continuous appropriation from the Victims of Consumer Fraud Restitution Fund. The LAO supported the antitrust account use but questioned the Unfair Competition Law Fund’s ability to cover the full request without General Fund repayment, and recommended against a continuous appropriation for the restitution fund in favor of a more limited mechanism with legislative oversight. Finance said the fund would remain solvent and defended the continuous appropriation as necessary to pay victims promptly. In the CDCR portion, the largest discussion centered on the Boston Consulting Group efficiency review and sharply reduced savings estimates; LAO said the department had not fully explained the proposed position eliminations or future $100 million savings target, while Finance said the work reflected deeper analysis and ongoing efforts to find savings. Members repeatedly pressed CDCR and Finance on the gap between earlier promised savings and the revised figures. CDCR also outlined population projections showing continued declines in prison and parole populations, while LAO again urged the state to close an additional prison to save ongoing costs. The department then walked through several May Revision items, including workers’ compensation funding, a Corcoran honor housing dorm, incarcerated firefighter pay implementation, an incarcerated menopause program, mental health receiver staffing, mental health resource teams and crisis intervention teams, medical classification staffing changes, and AI note-taking for the electronic health record. LAO generally recommended limiting-term funding and more reporting for many of these proposals, while Finance defended them as necessary ongoing investments or court-ordered obligations. Members questioned the cost of workers’ compensation, the need for more prison closures, the lack of funding for women’s facility violence prevention, and the timing and transparency of the BCG savings process. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• On November 12, 2025, Congress passed a continuing appropriations act, fully funding the program through
• So we're hoping that this program can continue to address that gap and ensure people have access to fresh
• , the CalFresh program, and the CalWORKs program.
• , the CalFresh program, and the CalWORKs program.
• And let's be clear, it will be tempting to fall under a compliance-oriented program, but we must continue

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on CalFresh enrollment, food insecurity in California, the recent federal shutdown’s disruption of SNAP benefits, and the long-term effects of H.R. 1 on eligibility, benefits, and state and county costs. Opening remarks emphasized that millions of Californians rely on CalFresh, that the shutdown briefly delayed benefits for the first time in the program’s history, and that state and local governments, including Alameda County, stepped in with emergency food aid and funding. Members also framed the issue as both a hunger and affordability problem, with several noting that California’s agricultural abundance contrasts sharply with persistent food insecurity. The first panel presented research and advocacy perspectives on food hardship. PPIC’s Tess Thorman described food insecurity rates, disparities affecting households with children and Black and Latino households, and the role of nutrition programs in reducing poverty. Nourish California’s Betzabel Estudio argued that hunger is a policy choice and highlighted campaigns to expand state-funded food assistance for immigrants, support reentry populations, and continue the CalFresh fruit-and-vegetable incentive program. The California Association of Food Banks’ Josh Wright said food banks are seeing sustained high demand, lower federal food supplies, and cannot replace CalFresh, while urging more state support for food purchasing, school meals, and SunBucks. The second panel reviewed CalFresh operations and participation. The California Department of Social Services reported that CalFresh participation has risen over the past decade, with the state closing much of the participation gap through outreach, simplified applications, and demonstration projects such as the Elderly Simplified Application Project and a minimum nutrition benefit pilot. Alameda County Social Services described local caseloads, application trends, and emergency food distributions during the shutdown, while also warning that H.R. 1’s work requirements, immigrant eligibility restrictions, and possible cost-sharing could reduce enrollment. A student CalFresh ambassador testified about the burdensome application and recertification process and urged more funding for campus basic-needs centers and outreach to reduce stigma and administrative friction. In the final panel, county, food bank, and policy witnesses described the shutdown response and the expected impact of H.R. 1. Alameda County Community Food Bank and the County Welfare Directors Association said counties, food banks, and community partners mobilized emergency funds, pop-up pantries, and food purchasing to bridge the shutdown gap, but warned that hundreds of thousands of Californians could lose benefits under the new federal rules. The California Budget and Policy Center began outlining the scale of federal cuts, noting that H.R. 1 will significantly reduce SNAP funding and shift costs to states. No votes or formal committee actions were taken; the hearing was informational and concluded with discussion of possible state responses, including backfilling benefits, preserving outreach funding, and improving administrative systems to protect enrollment.

Transcript Highlights:

• as we move forward, but I think we'll also continue outreach to make sure that as the program continues
• year after year, we would hope that the program would continue to grow.
• look like as we move forward, but I think we'll also continue of outreach to make sure that as the program
• outreach to make sure that as a program continues year after year that that we would hope that the program
• But they have agreed to continue to approve all of our previously approved existing programs that were

Summary: The committee opened with roll call, welcomed members back for the first committee weeks, and heard brief personal updates from several senators before moving into agency implementation updates on recently enacted health care laws. The Agency for Health Care Administration reported on Senate Bill 64 creating rural emergency hospitals, explaining that AHCA adopted the required rules effective June 1, 2025, but that no hospitals have yet been designated. Members asked about possible hospital conversions, accreditation and survey responsibilities, and whether Florida would apply for federal rural health transformation funding; AHCA said it intends to apply and has already been working on the issue with federal officials. AHCA also reviewed the non-emergent care access plan requirement under Senate Bill 7016. The agency said hospitals with emergency departments must submit plans that help redirect non-emergent patients to appropriate care settings while complying with EMTALA, and that 83 plans had been received and 63 approved as of September 30. Members asked about data collection, managed care coordination, and the state’s health information exchange; AHCA said it has moved to a new HIE vendor and will continue monitoring implementation and possible care gaps. AHCA then updated the committee on the TEACH program, saying $6.8 million was spent in 2024-25 across 59 parent organizations and 229 facilities, with more than 1,800 students and nearly 380,000 clinical hours reimbursed. The agency said rulemaking is nearly complete, a new nursing student category and expanded facility eligibility were added, and a federal 1115 workforce waiver remains stalled after CMS signaled it will not approve new workforce demonstrations. AHCA also reviewed House Bill 121 on KidCare eligibility, explaining that implementation of the 300% poverty-level expansion remains blocked by federal litigation and waiver issues tied to premium nonpayment rules; members and public speakers urged action to close the coverage gap. Public testimony on AHCA’s presentation came from representatives of health centers and advocacy groups, who said the non-emergent care access plan has improved hospital-health center coordination and reduced repeat emergency use, and who urged implementation of KidCare expansion for children in the coverage gap. The Department of Health then presented updates on FRAM, the Sanadi screening grant program, the Health Care Innovation Revolving Loan Program, telehealth maternity care, swimming lesson vouchers, and House Bill 159 on pharmacist dispensing of HIV post-exposure prophylaxis. DOH reported strong participation in FRAM and the telehealth maternity program, 24 Sanadi grant awards in 42 counties, 4,945 swimming lesson vouchers issued last year and 2,371 so far this year, and three approved certification courses with five pharmacist certifications issued under HB 159. Committee members asked about recruitment of dentists and other providers, telehealth maternity outcomes, and why participation in the maternity program remains below expected levels; DOH said outreach and regional referral networks are expanding and more detailed outcome data will be included in the upcoming legislative report.

Transcript Highlights:

• this program.
• health programs.
• funding for demand-side grid support program, which is key to continue this program to achieve our energy
• Program receive a continuous appropriation from GGRF and that the Safer Water Program is protected in
• GGRF and that the CEC's EBD program begin receiving a continuous appropriation. in order to build resilience

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• we move forward, but I think we'll also continue outreach to make sure that as the program continues
• year after year, we would hope that the program would continue to grow.
• look like as we move forward, but I think we'll also continue of outreach to make sure that as the program
• outreach to make sure that as a program continues year after year that that we would hope that the program
• So, but they have agreed to continue to approve all of our previously approved existing programs that

Summary: The committee met to receive implementation updates on recently enacted health care laws from AHCA and the Department of Health. AHCA reported on rural emergency hospitals, explaining the new Class 4 hospital designation, rule changes completed June 1, 2025, and that no Florida hospitals have yet converted, though one North Walton/DeFuniak Springs-area hospital has expressed interest. AHCA also reviewed the non-emergent care access plan requirement for hospitals with emergency departments, saying 83 plans had been received since July 1 and 63 approved, with plans emphasizing patient education, referrals to primary care or urgent care, and coordination for Medicaid managed care enrollees through the Florida HIE/ENS system. Members asked about HIE capacity, data collection, and whether the plans would identify shortages or trigger accountability measures; AHCA said it had moved to a new HIE vendor and would continue gathering data. AHCA also updated the committee on the TEACH workforce program, reporting $6.8 million in FY 2024-25 spending across 59 parent organizations and 229 facilities, with more than 1,800 students and nearly 380,000 clinical hours reimbursed, and said a federal 1115 workforce waiver was unlikely to move forward under CMS. On KidCare, AHCA said House Bill 121’s expansion to 300% of the federal poverty level remains blocked by federal litigation and CMS action tied to premium nonpayment rules, and members and public witnesses urged prompt implementation and asked for enrollment/disenrollment data and the rural health transformation funding outlook. Public testimony largely supported the NCAP and TEACH programs and pressed for action on KidCare. Representatives from health centers said NCAP has strengthened hospital-health center relationships and improved care coordination, including reduced recidivism in some hospitals. A Bond Community Health Center physician said TEACH is helping offset the burden of training students and could help address workforce shortages, especially in rural and underserved areas. Advocacy groups urged the committee to push for implementation of the KidCare expansion, citing children in the coverage gap and rising uninsured rates. The Department of Health then presented on several programs from the 2024-25 session. It reported on the Florida Reimbursement Assistance for Medical Education (FRAME) program, including 78 dentists and 15 dental hygienists funded under the dental track and nearly 1,300 medical professionals funded overall, with 123 dental applications and 71 funded dentists in the most recent cycle. DOH also updated the Screening and Services Grant Program, the Health Care Innovation Revolving Loan Program, the statewide telehealth maternity care program, and the swimming lesson voucher program, noting strong participation and outcomes such as reduced ER visits and improved postpartum follow-up in the maternity program. Finally, DOH said implementation of the HIV prevention drug/pharmacist dispensing law is underway, with three certification courses approved and five certifications issued. Members asked about barriers to wider use of HIV prevention drugs, more detailed maternal outcome data, and the dental workforce program report; DOH said more detailed reports would follow.

Transcript Highlights:

• THE MASTERS PROGRAM OFTEN ARE TIED TO THE PHD PROGRAMS.
• SO A STUDENT BEGINNING IN A PHD PROGRAM DECIDES THEY DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE THE UNIVERSITY DOES OFFER
• THE UNIVERSITIES REVIEWED THE PROGRAMS ON THE LIST AND HAVE REPORTED THAT THEY PLAN TO CONTINUE WITH
• WE CONTINUE TO DO WELL THERE.
• THE PROGRAM.

Transcript Highlights:

• So members, if we continue to just allow, just because this is a state-run program, to just allow those
• So members, if we continue to just allow, just because this is a state-run program, to just allow those
• program that we at the program integrity program that we will<00:43:19.839> discuss<00:43:20.720
• . programs. programs.
• Quite frankly, yes, because this is a focused program that the services will continue for those individuals

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House began with a point of personal privilege honoring Master Sergeant Nicole M. Amimer of White Bear Lake, including a House resolution recognizing her military service and sacrifice and a moment of silence. Members then took up House File 4987, which would rename a highway in White Bear Lake as the Master Sergeant Nicole M. Amimer Memorial Highway. The motion to suspend rules and advance the bill prevailed, and the bill later passed 126-0 after supportive remarks from Representatives Olsen and Curran about honoring Amimer and her family. The chamber then considered Senate File 476, the human services policy bill. Representative Noor described it as a broad package covering direct care and treatment, Department of Health policy, aging and disability services, behavioral health, vulnerable adult maltreatment, continuity of care, and miscellaneous policy changes. Representative Schumacher said the bill reflected stakeholder work and added guardrails, especially around fraud and provider processes. Several amendments were offered and adopted, including a technical A13 amendment; an A8 amendment was withdrawn; and an A1 amendment on individualized home supports was also withdrawn. The bill passed 93-39. Finally, the House took up House File 4546, the forecast adjustment bill for the Department of Human Services and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Representative Noor said it was a routine biennial adjustment to align spending with the February forecast. Representative Johnson W offered an amendment on foster family information-sharing but withdrew it after concluding it was not germane. Debate focused heavily on the size of the forecast increases, especially in medical assistance and housing supports, with Representative Schultz arguing the bill reflected large cost growth and urging a no vote. Noor responded that the increases were driven by forecasted utilization, eligibility, rate changes, and program integrity changes. The bill passed as amended 93-39.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we see very long-term benefits for this type of program if we can continue it going the way that it
• So we see very long-term benefits for this type of program if we can continue it going the way that it
• The state's continued investment in California's safety net, including nutrition assistance programs,
• We talked about continuing some of these certified organic programs that we have through CDFA.
• at this time, the current federal administration continues to determine what programs will persist.

Summary: The joint oversight hearing focused on food insecurity in California and how state and federal nutrition programs, agricultural production, and food distribution systems intersect. Assemblymembers emphasized that many Californians, including farmworkers, seniors, children, and communities of color, remain food insecure despite California’s agricultural abundance. Panelists and members discussed CalFresh, WIC, school meals, Sun Bucks, food banks, and the impact of federal policy changes, including possible nutrition cuts, tariffs, and immigration enforcement, on access to food and the agricultural workforce. Secretary Karen Ross described CDFA programs aimed at improving access to fresh food and supporting local agriculture, including the senior farmers’ market program, California Nutrition Incentive Program, Healthy Refrigeration Grant Program, Community Food Hubs, Farm to School, urban agriculture, and a proposed tribal food sovereignty program. She said these efforts help connect local producers to consumers, expand healthy food access, and build infrastructure such as refrigeration, mobile markets, and aggregation hubs. Department of Social Services Deputy Director Alexis Fernandez Garcia outlined CalFresh, CFAP, Sun Bucks, CACFP, emergency food programs, and tribal nutrition assistance, noting that CalFresh and related programs significantly reduce poverty and food insecurity, but participation gaps remain for non-English speakers, some Asian American communities, and undocumented households. PPIC researcher Tess Thorman presented data showing that 13% of California households experienced food insecurity in 2023, with higher rates among households with children and Latino, Black, and other households. She said nutrition programs reduce poverty and food hardship, but federal rules, income thresholds, immigration restrictions, and high living costs limit their reach. Members asked about simplifying applications, improving call center access, increasing outreach in multiple languages, and adjusting benefits for inflation. Officials said the state has used available federal options to streamline enrollment, improve customer service, and target outreach, but many core rules and benefit levels are set federally. The second panel shifted to food production and market access. A farmer, a UC food systems leader, and a produce distributor described efforts to connect small and medium farms with food banks, schools, universities, and Medi-Cal food-as-medicine programs. They highlighted programs such as Farms Together, the USDA Southwest Regional Food Business Center, Farm to School, food hubs, and climate-smart infrastructure grants as ways to create stable markets for local growers while improving food access. Speakers also raised concerns about land tenure, consolidation, regulatory burdens, labor constraints, and the loss of federal funding, and members discussed whether state investments and Prop. 4 funds could help sustain and expand these efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• “So we don’t continue overbudgeting? It seems like we continue overbudgeting for this.”
• You’d have to continue.
• to continue to pay for that.
• If they land in a diversion program, that diversion program will be funded by the DSH program.
• So, for counties electing to provide the benefit, DHCS will continue to oversee and enforce program requirements

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard updates from the Department of State Hospitals on its proposed 2026-27 budget, including a $3.2 billion total budget, patient-driven operating cost increases, savings in the IST solutions program, and progress in meeting the Stiavedi court-ordered 28-day treatment standard. DSH reported it has met court benchmarks, reduced the IST pending placement list from a pandemic high of 1,953 to about 250, and is now averaging about five days to initiate treatment. Members asked about the effects of Proposition 36 and SB 1323 on referrals, outside hospitalization costs, Medicare coverage, and whether IST solution funds were being overbudgeted; DSH said referrals are slightly down overall, outside medical costs are rising due to inflation and an aging population, and the IST savings reflect slower-than-expected activation of community programs rather than a service gap. The department also outlined proposed funding for electrical infrastructure upgrades at Napa and Patton, a feasibility study under SB 380 for transitional housing for the CONREP SVP program, and a dental services expansion at Metropolitan and Patton. The committee held those DSH items open after discussion. The Commission for Behavioral Health presented its role in overseeing the transition from MHSA to BHSA, including data, evaluation, transparency, grantmaking, and technical assistance. It described the new Innovation Partnership Fund, a statewide innovation grant program funded at up to $20 million annually for five years, with small and large grants, and said it had received strong interest ahead of the May 8 application deadline. Members asked about what qualifies as innovation, whether grants could be renewed, and how the state would ensure the program supports service delivery rather than general outreach or training. The commission also sought a liquidation deadline extension for up to $4.062 million in remaining Alcove Youth Drop-in Center funds so sites can finish implementation and Stanford can complete the final evaluation; that item was also held open. DHCS provided an overview of behavioral health policy changes under CalAIM and BH Connect, including peer support, mobile crisis, contingency management, traditional health care practices for tribal members, the access reform and outcomes incentive program, workforce investments, evidence-based practice expansion, IMD participation, transitional rent, and upcoming youth-focused guidance such as high-fidelity wraparound and activity funds. On BHSA implementation, DHCS said it is not tracking specific local program cuts, but is monitoring county plans and outcomes while noting that counties must still preserve Medi-Cal specialty mental health and DMC-ODS services. The department also discussed its H.R. 1 implementation strategy, including outreach, streamlined renewals, ex parte exemptions, and proposed clinic navigator and outreach funding to reduce Medi-Cal coverage loss, especially for people with behavioral health needs. In response to questions, DHCS said it has not produced a specific H.R. 1 impact estimate for county behavioral health populations, and later explained that counties can still use BHSA and other funding streams for prevention and early intervention while the state tracks impacts through integrated plans and new performance measures. The department also reported on BH-CHIP bond spending, saying it has awarded $5.8 billion for 437 infrastructure projects creating 546 new or expanded facilities and more than 9,553 residential beds, with tribal set-asides exceeding the original allotment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we want to continue funding those family medicine residency programs.
• And it continues to be a great program. Word of mouth is great.
• My deputy director continues to go to medical schools and residency programs and is speaking to all those
• We improved program continuity and equality while this added approximately $80,000 in staffing costs.
• We continue expanding the Oklahoma Educational Indicators Program dashboard.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our board did have a supplemental ask of $60 million ongoing to continue expanding apprenticeship programs
• Our board did have a supplemental ask of 60 million ongoing to continue expanding apprenticeship programs
• Then there was a decision to continue that on an ongoing basis, to create an ongoing program.
• As we learn more, we will continue to find ways to improve the program.
• As we learn more we will continue to find ways to improve the program.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance heard an overview of the governor’s new Career Education Master Plan and related budget items. Labor Secretary Knox described the plan as an effort to reduce fragmentation across K-12, community colleges, workforce boards, and other systems by improving statewide and regional coordination, data sharing, skills-based hiring, career pathways, and wraparound supports such as child care, housing, food, and transportation. Members asked how success would be measured, how the plan would serve disconnected youth and adults, and whether the proposed data integration would rely on Cradle to Career; the secretary said it would. The Department of Finance said it was available to answer questions on the education side. The committee then reviewed existing CTE funding and oversight. The LAO, CDE, and Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office described the major ongoing programs, including CTIG, Perkins, K-12 Strong Workforce, and Community College Strong Workforce, and noted that many programs overlap in purpose and administration. Members repeatedly raised concerns about duplication, annual applications and reporting burdens, lack of clear outcome metrics, and whether funding incentives should be better aligned to regional collaboration. CDE and the Chancellor’s Office said they support alignment and dual enrollment, and Finance and CDE said LCFF/local match dollars are part of the funding structure. The committee also discussed child care as a barrier to participation and the need for better tracking of enrollment, completion, and job outcomes. On the consolidated application proposal, Finance proposed a study directing CDE to examine whether three long-standing CTE grant programs—Specialized Secondary Programs, CTIG, and California Partnership Academies—could be streamlined into a single application and reporting process. The LAO supported reducing administrative burden but noted that the largest programs, CTIG and K-12 Strong Workforce, were excluded from the proposal even though districts most often cite them as burdensome. CDE said it did not oppose the study but warned that statutory differences may limit consolidation. Members said the proposal should better address regional coordination, multi-year funding stability, and outcome measures rather than only simplifying paperwork. Finally, the committee heard a proposal for a $5 million ongoing California Education Interagency Council. GovOps said the council would provide a neutral venue for statewide coordination across education and workforce systems. The LAO opposed the proposal, arguing that existing bodies already provide coordination, the proposal does not change agency incentives, and the council would lack authority to implement decisions. Members expressed mixed views, with some supporting a coordinating body and others questioning whether it would differ from past efforts. No votes were taken during the portions summarized here, and the committee indicated it would hold some items open for further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a critical program to ensure that case management services continue for populations such as asylum
• We're continuing to have them.
• We'll continue to work on that as we go to close this budget.
• We hope for the continued funding of this vital program. Thank you.
• We hope for the continued funding of this vital program. Thank you. Thanks.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Human Services held its final hearing on the budget, with the chair framing the Senate’s plan as a counterproposal that rejected major cuts and preserved revenues. Public comment was overwhelmingly supportive of the subcommittee’s actions, with advocates, counties, providers, and community groups thanking members for rejecting or delaying proposed cuts to Medi-Cal asset limits, immigrant coverage and premiums, IHSS, PACE, APS, behavioral health advocacy and innovation grants, mobile crisis services, and certain dental and provider payment reductions. Speakers also urged additional funding or trailer bill changes for county eligibility work, public hospitals, indigent care, CalFresh outreach and food benefits, child care slots and COLAs, legal services for immigrants, and long-term services and supports. A major theme was the Senate’s “Be Home Soon” proposal, which many disability, aging, home care, and health care organizations praised as a way to shift care from institutions to home- and community-based settings. Testimony also supported restoring or maintaining funding for behavioral health programs, including 988/mobile crisis infrastructure, community advocacy contracts, and Title IV-E workforce funding. Several county and provider groups asked the committee to consider alternative proposals related to H.R. 1 impacts, Medi-Cal coverage losses, and county indigent care costs, while others requested continued work on public hospital support, CFAP expansion, and implementation details for child care and IHSS. The subcommittee then took three votes on grouped budget items. The first consent block, covering a large set of items, passed 3-0. The second block passed 2-1, with Senator Grove voting no. The final block passed 3-0. The hearing concluded with the chair stating the subcommittee had done its part and adjourning the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• The institution has requested general revenue to continue the program.
• In addition, UHCL also requests continuous funding for our success through our education program, the
• With the Law Enforcement Academy and nationally recognized criminal justice programs, UHD will continue
• The second expansion... request is for $3.2 million to continue development of our aviation program.
• . programs.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It was paid through the workers' comp assessment program.
• We continue to invest in workforce development, climate-focused job programs, safety training, and future
• We continue to invest more in workforce development, climate-focused job programs, safety training, and
• We have also worked on the CHIP program for the blue stamp theft program and joined the Governor in her
• Which programs they are committed to funding.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Human Services and Labor budget hearing opened with Senate and Assembly co-chairs introducing members and naming secretaries for the record. The agencies covered included Human Services, Labor, Temporary and Disability Assistance, Children and Family Services, Veterans Services, Human Rights, Workers’ Compensation, the Welfare Inspector General, and the Public Employment Relations Board. Members then gave brief statements on their priorities for the upcoming budget negotiations. A major theme was affordability, with repeated discussion of child care, SNAP, housing, and worker supports. Senators and Assembly members highlighted the Senate and Assembly one-house proposals for a $500 million child care worker retention grant program, additional child care slots and subsidies, cost-of-living adjustments for human services workers, and expanded support for supportive housing, youth employment, HEAP, and energy affordability. Several members also emphasized food insecurity and SNAP-related issues, including funding to address payment errors, prevent penalties, expand SNAP education, and respond to expected federal changes. Labor-related issues included workers’ compensation fraud, wage theft enforcement, workplace violence, temporary disability insurance reform, and the creation of dedicated enforcement funding for the Department of Labor. Some members supported using workers’ compensation assessments or insurance-company-related funding to pay for anti-fraud efforts, while others preferred grants to district attorneys or broader DOL enforcement. There was also discussion of occupational health clinics, labor standards in any SEQRA changes, and expanding access to doctors in the workers’ compensation system. Veterans, child care, and public assistance fraud prevention were also discussed, including funding for veterans legal defense and mental health services, microchip/secure EBT cards to reduce skimming, and restoring or protecting various programs. No formal votes were taken; the hearing concluded with the chairs stating that the Senate, Assembly, and Executive would continue negotiations toward a final budget.

Transcript Highlights:

• program.
• program.
• We're continuing our investments in our early childhood education programs, not just those programs,
• We continue to be hopeful for a trailer bill for the automation to expand the CFAP program to include
• We continue to be hopeful for a trailer bill for the automation to expand the CFAP program to include

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Given the status of program spending and wind down across the state, program levels continue to decline
• CWDA co-sponsored the legislation in 2016 that established the program as a pilot program.
• I will note that the Child Welfare Program is not a program.
• Family's Home Program. This is truly a transformational program that has tremendous outcomes.
• , or you could create a separate program that's modeled off that existing program.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• assistance program assistance program FHPAP.<00:04:02.959> This<00:04:03.280> program<
• challenge program.
• challenge program.
• That's why continued and expanded funding for both the manufactured home community redevelopment program
• and stable place to call home. programs like the challenge program have programs like the challenge program

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to continue to do so.
• Programs like the Native American Language Grants or the Alaska Native Education Program, which we call
• , programs, programs with tribal set-asides, and broader programs that tribal nations are eligible for
• Impact Aid is another key program.
• And so having some continued continuity between our education programs is really vital.

Keywords: Native education, Department of Education, federal funding, testimony, treaty obligations, public schools, educational policies, Indigenous students

Summary: The meeting focused on the responsibilities of the U.S. Department of Education towards Native students, highlighting the importance of federal education programs that satisfy treaty obligations to Native communities. Various witnesses testified about the impact of educational policies designed to support Native students who primarily attend public schools. Concerns were voiced over recent proposals that could potentially undermine these programs, citing the role of federal funding in ensuring successful educational outcomes for Native youth. The chair of the committee emphasized the need for continued federal support and attention to the unique educational challenges faced by Indigenous populations.

Transcript Highlights:

• which it was not, and the program continued.
• which it was not, and the program continued.
• which it was not, and the program continued.
• which it was not, and the program continued.
• Uh the program has continued to State.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met without a quorum and did not approve minutes, but heard testimony on budget line items for Data Seam and Teach for America. Andrew McNeel of Kentucky Free and representatives from the Commonwealth Policy Center argued that both programs rely heavily on recurring taxpayer support and should be re-evaluated. McNeel cited a 2020 Office of Policy and Audit examination of Data Seam, saying the program had received more than $30 million in state support since 2006, including $3.5 million in the current budget, and that the audit raised concerns about administrative overhead, alleged threats to districts, and the use of line-item language to justify sole-source contracting. He recommended suspending Data Seam funding this biennium, directing a new special audit, and requiring reimbursement of audit costs. The witnesses also urged the committee to withhold funding for Teach for America, saying the organization’s materials and history showed a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion that they opposed. They pointed to past statements, leadership titles, and program language as evidence that DEI concepts remained embedded in the organization, and suggested any funding should be redirected directly to school districts instead. Mike Harmon and Richard Nelson echoed those concerns, while also saying long-running programs should be periodically reviewed for efficiency. Teach for America Appalachia representatives then testified in support of the program. Executive director C.D. Morton described the organization as a teacher-preparation and leadership-development program serving rural eastern Kentucky, saying it had recruited and supported more than 325 teachers since 2011, with about 30 current core members in several counties and roughly 2,800 students impacted daily. He said the program helps fill hard-to-staff vacancies, that about 80% of teachers stay for a third year, and that many alumni remain in education. In response to questions from Representative Bojanowski about retention and cost, Morton said more than 60% of alumni are still in education, but he could not give a precise classroom-teacher retention number beyond the program’s broader alumni data.