Transcript Highlights:

• And this bill also includes an opportunity for the department to participate in the wrap-back program
• Section 13 expands funding and aligns priorities for our early childhood education programs.
• There's also a pilot program for educators.
• So the next two years are obviously our build-out for the program.
• I'm Teddy Craig of Catfish Kickstar program. I'm speaking from the neighborhood standpoint.

Committee: Assembly Education

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of the programs the agency oversees or administers are the New Citizens Program, the Military and
• Overseas Voters Program, the Student Voter Registration Program, and the California Students' Vote Project
• overall since the inception of the program.
• As was described, paid family leave is a worker-funded program.
• The unemployment insurance program is seasonal in nature.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 heard updates from the Secretary of State, EDD, the State Controller’s Office, CalHR, and DGS on a range of budget proposals and federal policy impacts. Secretary of State Shirley Weber opened with remarks about California’s election system, emphasizing its safety, transparency, high voter registration and vote-by-mail participation, and the office’s response to bomb threats and other election threats. Her staff then presented funding requests for the Cal-Access Replacement System (CARS) and Help America Vote Act/VoteCal activities, describing them as needed to modernize campaign finance and lobbying disclosure systems and maintain election security and voter services. A major portion of the hearing focused on federal election policy, especially the potential effects of a presidential executive order and the SAVE Act. Secretary of State staff said California would face significant, potentially unquantifiable costs if forced to comply, including new burdens on county recorders, county election offices, and the Secretary of State’s office, and warned of voter disenfranchisement, especially for students, seniors, disabled voters, military and overseas voters, rural residents, and people with limited transportation. Members and public commenters strongly opposed the federal proposals and argued California’s current system is functioning well. The committee also heard that federal HAVA funds were not expected to be at risk because the state draws them down into an interest-bearing account. EDD reported on paid family leave, explaining that recent delays were tied to a system transition and increased claim volume, and said it was simplifying applications and adding staff and automation. Public testimony supported expanding paid family leave to chosen family. EDD also said it is prepared for possible unemployment spikes, citing a recession plan, a command center, and recent hiring. The State Controller’s Office requested funding to continue the Fiscal migration project, which would move the state’s accounting book of record to the new system by July 1, 2026; Finance and LAO had no objections, and the committee expressed support for the project’s progress. CalHR presented a proposal for a statewide recruitment, outreach, and education paid media campaign under AB 1511, saying its current advertising budget is too small to reach diverse communities effectively. The final item addressed Governor Newsom’s executive order requiring a return to office on a four-day schedule. CalHR and DGS said they were working department-by-department to assess space, parking, transit, and other logistics, but had not completed a statewide cost analysis. Members and many public commenters criticized the order, arguing it was rushed, costly, harmful to telework benefits, and potentially disruptive to workers, especially those with disabilities, caregiving responsibilities, or long commutes. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• unlike other Public Assistance Program unlike other Public Assistance programs<01:35:25.760><c> with
• so</c> expand the program any further so expand the program any further so there's<01:36:48.639><c>
• </c><01:45:15.920><c> or</c> children in the EFA program either or children in the EFA program either
• c><01:45:26.960><c> been</c> program a program that has been program a program that has been extremely
• </c><01:49:23.440><c> serves</c> Year FAA program serves Year FAA program serves 5,321<01:49:26.159><

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• With me today is Pamela Flick, the California Program Director for the Defenders of Wildlife.
• I'm the California Program Director for Defenders of Wildlife.
• . in the Governor's budget has been our arts and culture programs.
• This program is growing.
• Texas, for example, has 50 cultural districts and allocates $12 million to their program.

Committee: House Revenue and Taxation

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• keep aging Idahoans safe through adult protective services, as well as the Senior Legal Assistance Program
• This is related to senior nutrition, specifically the Meals on Wheels program. With that, Mr.
• Beginning with the fiscal year 2027 JFAC program maintenance budget, add $129,900 for budget restoration
• Programs administered by the division include child support, SNAP, previously known as food stamps...
• Beginning with fiscal year 2027 JFAC program maintenance budget, add $4,321,200 from the general fund

Summary: The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee met with a quorum and took up several Department of Health and Welfare and related budget items. On the Commission on Aging, a motion to restore $129,900 in ongoing general funds for senior nutrition failed, but a revised motion to restore the same amount as one-time general funds passed. The committee then approved the Division of Welfare budget items tied to federal and state changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and House Bill 345, including SNAP administrative cost adjustments, Medicaid expansion work requirements, and Medicaid eligibility system changes. For Indirect Support Services, the committee approved a budget that included a fund-source change for the background check unit, replacement items, IT modernization and consolidation, and the fiscal impact of Senate Bill 1314. It also approved a separate motion to exempt several Health and Welfare divisions from transfer limitations, but only for Youth Safety and Permanency and Licensing and Certification after a substitute motion narrowed the original request. The committee then approved a $60,000 general fund restoration for the Domestic Violence Council within Independent Councils, with a senator disclosing a potential conflict of interest for the record. The committee next adopted revised language for the Idaho Child Care Program Capacity Grant in the Early Learning and Development budget after extensive discussion about clarifying eligibility, investigations, and provider definitions; the motion passed despite concerns from the department and some members that the language remained unclear and policy-heavy. Finally, the committee approved consolidation of the Office of Species, Minerals and Energy Coordination, combining the former species conservation and energy/mineral offices and funding personnel, fisheries projects, and one-time energy resiliency grants. The meeting ended with adjournment to the call of the chair, and no further meeting was scheduled for the next morning except one House Appropriations item at 9 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• The eligibility of an RTA for regional mobility grant program funds is removed if the RTA issues bonds
• This bill concerns Sound Transit's ability to participate in the TIFIA loan program.
• At the end of the day, though, this is about letting them utilize the federal program that was created
• We did include, because our regional mobility grant program is so constrained with so much demand, if
• Brian, you had mentioned something about safeguards for participating in the TIFIA program.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Second Substitute Senate Bill 5690, which would require WSDOT to improve coordination with utilities on fish barrier removal projects and utility relocations, provide advance notice when feasible, and seek to maximize federal funding for relocation costs. Staff described the bill’s background, including the federal culvert injunction and WSDOT’s fish barrier work, and noted fiscal impacts tied to grant monitoring and possible revenue changes. Senator McEwen said the bill was narrowed from a prior version to reduce fiscal concerns and cited a district example where poor coordination allegedly wasted public and ratepayer funds. Utility representatives from PUDs testified in support, emphasizing better communication, advance notice for budgeting, and access to federal funds; no opposition was presented on this bill before the public hearing was closed. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6148, which would extend the maximum term for regional transit authority bonds from 40 years to 75 years and remove eligibility for regional mobility grant funds if an RTA uses bonds longer than 40 years. Staff and committee fiscal discussion focused on how longer terms reduce annual debt service but increase total interest paid over time, with examples comparing 25-, 40-, 50-, and 75-year bonds. Supporters, including Sound Transit board members, local officials, labor, and transit advocates, argued the bill would give Sound Transit flexibility to manage inflation, preserve project schedules, and align financing with long-lived infrastructure and the federal TIFIA loan program. Opponents argued the bill would increase long-term costs, shift burdens to future generations, and is premature because Sound Transit is still revising its plan and already has substantial cash and bonding capacity. The hearing ended after questions about debt safeguards, refinancing, and how the proposed authority would interact with TIFIA loans.

Transcript Highlights:

• versus an ADN program, which are our two-year programs, over the last several years.
• The diploma programs had a 78.31% pass rate. The ADN programs had a 77.91% pass rate.
• it to the LPN program, and they're pretty close to the same.
• The legislature in Oklahoma moved us away from having diploma programs.
• But at that time, my understanding is we moved it away from a diploma program.

Bills: HB4336 , HB1818 , HB3194 , HB3538 , HB3682 , HB3762 , HB3793 , HB3930 , HB3931 , HB3934 , HB4124 , HB4200 , HB4410 , HB4457 , HB4473 , HB3884 , HB1912

Committee: House Public Health

Keywords: interventional pain management, pain management clinic, chronic pain, acute pain, spinal injections, epidural steroid injection, peripheral nerve block, nerve ablation, spinal cord stimulator, intrathecal infusion pump, endoscopic diskectomy, fluoroscopy, physician supervision, allopathic physician, osteopathic physician, CRNA, certified registered nurse anesthetist, nurse anesthetist, freestanding pain management facility, medical licensure

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill addresses the currents, really great swim lesson voucher program.
• Psychiatry residency slots in Florida have increased from 22 slots at 3 programs to 176 slots at 28 program
• The Legislature's continued investment in the frame program.
• But this program is working. It's making a measurable difference across Florida.
• And I can even say that as part of the 111 credits our program requires of our students.

Transcript Highlights:

• A client can transition from a community access program to an employment program at any time and may
• participate in both programs concurrently.
• I am a teacher of a transition program in central Washington. Thank you.
• I am a teacher of a transition program in central Washington.
• And so my students cannot participate in those programs.

Bills: SB5681 , SB6024 , SB6036 , SB6063

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: employment services, community inclusion, age limitations, disability services, home and community living, community residential services, oversight, monitoring, service providers, streamlining, foster care, licensure, adoption, child welfare, support services, terminology alignment, social services, Washington state code, department reorganization, legislative amendment

Transcript Highlights:

• Those have to do with the Secretary of State's grant program.
• program expenses that the Secretary of State determines to be eligible for the program.
• As in the grant program that we're concerned about, it includes any other project or program expenses
• , this one called the Voter Access Grant Program.
• Voter Access Grant Program.

Committee: Senate Legislative Operations and Elections

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The $29 million for structured literacy implementation, that's paying for the summer program that the
• So these programs that I'm going to talk about here will all have evaluations set up on the front end
• , so we'll know how we're going to measure the impact of these programs before we get started.
• We need to fund programs like that to get kids in school. So, Mr. Chairman, thank you for the time.
• someone enters a program like that, we have faith that when they leave the program, they're as ready

Transcript Highlights:

• Our subcommittee spent many hours having detailed discussions on specific programs under our review.
• It fully funds Florida's $922.7 million KidCare program to serve approximately 213,000 children.
• serve 910 seniors in the Home Care for the Elderly program.
• It eliminates the Health Care Innovation Program within the Department of Health.
• It eliminates the revolving loan program, which represents...

Summary: The Health Care Budget Subcommittee began with a roll call confirming a quorum, then heard a presentation of the proposed health care budget. The chair said the overall health care budget would total $46.7 billion, a 2.1% decrease in total spending and a 3% increase in general revenue, while reducing 3,585 state FTE. He highlighted funding for Medicaid, KidCare, developmental disabilities services, opioid settlement spending, mental health facilities, senior services, school health nurses, veterans’ dental care, and veterans nursing home improvements. The chair also presented PCB HCB 25-01, a conforming bill that eliminates the Health Care Innovation Program, the Health Care Innovation Council, and the revolving loan program; makes changes to cancer research and graduate medical education provisions; and adjusts Medicaid rebate-related language. The conforming bill passed favorably after no questions, public testimony, or debate. The committee then considered CS/HB 47 on child care. The bill, as explained by Rep. McFarland, would reduce regulation for child care providers in good standing, speed background screening for child care workers, allow provisional hiring status in some cases, create license-exempt status for certain employer-provided child care facilities and DOD child care facilities, and remove outdated paperwork requirements such as the flu brochure. An amendment restored language protecting large family child care homes from being dropped by residential insurers and cleaned up statutory language; it was adopted. Members debated the bill at length, with supporters emphasizing common-sense deregulation and helping working parents, while some members raised concerns about safety, early learning quality, and the loss of informational reminders to parents. The bill was reported favorably. The subcommittee also heard HB 1553 on a uterine fibroid research database. Rep. Dunkley explained that the bill would require health care providers to submit identified fibroid data to DOH so it can be de-identified for a research database, after the department had been unable to use prior de-identified submissions reliably. An amendment removed the current appropriation and was adopted. Members spoke in strong support, noting the prevalence of fibroids and the value of better diagnosis and treatment data. The bill passed favorably. Finally, the committee heard HB 1529, which addresses the home health aide program for medically fragile children. Rep. Tremont said the bill would direct AHCA to seek a federal waiver so parents’ earnings from caring for their children would not count against Medicaid eligibility, and would revise training requirements and remove mandated annual program assessments. The bill drew supportive public testimony from home care stakeholders, had no debate, and was reported favorably. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• budget, half of this number, $905 million, is dedicated to fully funding the Medicaid and KidCare programs
• , extended foster care, and maintenance adoption subsidy assistance program, $117 million to support
• million in additional funding for community care for the elderly and the home care for the elderly program
• , extended foster care, and maintenance adoption subsidy assistance program, $117 million to support
• Senator, this bill has a Sunshine Genetics Pilot Program.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services

Summary: The Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee met to review and advance the Senate’s fiscal year 2025-26 budget proposal for the committee’s portfolio. The presentation highlighted a $1.8 billion increase over the current base budget, including full funding for Medicaid and KidCare, investments in IT modernization, Medicaid provider rate increases, mental health and substance use services, opioid treatment, foster care and guardian assistance, elder care, veterans’ services, cancer research, school nurse staffing, and other public health initiatives. The committee adopted a motion allowing technical adjustments and then approved the budget proposal to be reported to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee then heard and voted on several bills. SB 152 on surgical smoke protection required hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to adopt smoke evacuation policies; nurses testified in support, citing workplace and patient safety risks, and the bill was reported favorably. CS/SB 958 on early detection of type 1 diabetes required the Department of Health to provide educational materials to schools and, by amendment, early learning coalitions; it was also reported favorably. CS/CS/SB 170 on nursing home oversight added consumer satisfaction surveys, reporting requirements, quality incentive changes, and financial reporting penalties, with an amendment exempting state-operated homes and directing a study of best practices; it passed after questions about dementia, language access, and retaliation protections. CS/SB 738 modernized child care regulation by streamlining DCF processes and reducing obsolete requirements, and was reported favorably without opposition. The committee also approved CS/SB 1356 creating the Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases at FSU and a Sunshine Genetics pilot to expand rare-disease screening and research, with support from members emphasizing early detection and data collection. SB 1370 separated ambulatory surgical centers into their own statute, with testimony that the change would better reflect the industry and help avoid burdensome regulation; it passed favorably. Finally, CS/CS/SB 1626 made a range of child welfare changes, including codifying DCF coordination with military installations, adjusting shelter certification, refining criminal-background exemptions, extending licensing compliance time, addressing room-and-board rate methodology, and clarifying missing-child procedures; after adopting three amendments and hearing both support and concerns, the bill was reported favorably. The committee also recorded a member’s affirmative vote on SB 958 before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Make sure that they're interfacing with programs like street medicine or harm reduction programs that
• Make sure that they're interfacing with programs like street medicine or harm reduction programs that
• I help participate in the Christmas program. I help participate in the Christmas program.
• We make enough to pay for other programs as well, so it's not just our program that would be affected
• We make enough to pay for other programs as well, so it's not just our program that would be affected

Summary: The committee heard several public safety and criminal justice bills. AB 837 by Assemblymember Davies would add ketamine transportation to existing drug trafficking law; supporters, including district attorneys and peace officer groups, said it would address a growing and dangerous drug trend, while opponents argued increased penalties do not reduce drug supply and can worsen health harms. The bill was approved on a due-pass-as-amended vote and sent to Appropriations. AB 352 by Assemblymember Pacheco would make threats against judges and court commissioners an aggravating factor in sentencing; judicial and law enforcement groups supported it as a response to rising threats, while ACLU and criminal justice advocates said existing law already covers threats and the bill is unnecessary. It also passed to Appropriations. The committee then took up AB 938 by Assemblymember Bonta, which expands vacatur and affirmative-defense relief for survivors of human trafficking, intimate partner violence, and sexual violence, including for some violent offenses. Survivors and advocates testified that the bill would allow people coerced into crimes to tell their full stories and seek relief, while district attorneys and sheriffs warned it could sweep too broadly and affect public safety. The chair and several members strongly supported the measure, and it passed as amended to Appropriations. AB 475 by Assemblymember Wilson would make prison work assignments voluntary and is tied to a broader effort to remove involuntary servitude language from the state constitution; supporters framed it as a rehabilitation and dignity issue, while one member objected to the premise and cited the defeat of a related ballot measure. The bill was voted out to Appropriations but left on call pending additional votes. Assemblymember Lowenthal presented AB 704, which would allow people convicted of low-level offenses before age 26 to petition to seal and destroy records after a waiting period. Supporters said the bill addresses the limits of expungement in the digital age and recognizes young adult brain development; prosecutors and police groups raised Brady/disclosure concerns and objected to treating 18- to 25-year-olds like children. The committee debated those issues at length before sending the bill to Appropriations. Lowenthal also presented AB 812, which would expand resentencing opportunities for incarcerated firefighters who serve on conservation fire crews; supporters emphasized rehabilitation, wildfire response, and reduced recidivism, and the hearing continued with support testimony and the start of opposition testimony as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• That program is growing, and over 130,000 people per year are coming to our Free to Explore program and
• reach</c><00:08:50.080><c> underserved</c> We have programs that reach underserved We have programs
• </c> coming uh to our free to explore program coming uh to our free to explore program and<00:09:04.480
• </c> our animal uh health programs, Dr. our animal uh health programs, Dr. Rivas. Rivas. Rivas.
• . programs. programs.

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:02:46.879><c> um,</c> this really important program, um, this really important program, um,
• So um I think there's these programs.
• So um, you know, it's while this program is um, you know, it's while this program is helping more middle-income
• So um, you know, it's while this program is um, you know, it's while this program is helping more middle-income
• So um, you know, it's while this program is um, you know, it's while this program is helping more middle-income

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, UC Davis is home to the only food science and technology program in the entire UC system.
• It's also the largest undergraduate food science and technology program in the country.
• UC Davis is also ranked number one in the nation ...program in the country.
• Our campus is also home to the number one wine fermentation program in the world.
• First program, AgTech, which is very complementary, is also a priority.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This program has helped facilitate cultural enhancement programs that teach the children of our community
• and conservation education programs.
• Fund, which is a federal grant program.
• It's a great program.
• We still have the Kids in Parks program.

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• It seems the POCI caucus are pretty firm on maintaining these programs.
• It seems the POCI caucus are pretty firm on maintaining these programs.
• , life-saving programs like Medicaid, uh, to give tax cuts to billionaires and millionaires.
• programs to cut programs, life-saving programs like<00:26:19.200><c> Medicaid,</c><00:26:20.159><c>
• But if we cut MinnesotaCare, right now the program has cost $3.4 million.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Lawmakers and advocates from the POCI Caucus held a news conference focused on protecting recent DFL-enacted policies in a newly divided Legislature. They highlighted accomplishments from the last biennium, including earned sick and safe time, ethnic studies, unemployment insurance changes, environmental protections, and MinnesotaCare coverage for undocumented immigrants, and argued these measures should not be rolled back in budget negotiations. Speakers said Republicans were pushing cuts or carveouts that would disproportionately harm Black, brown, immigrant, women, and low-income communities, and they urged the House and Governor Walz to reject those changes. A major theme was opposition to proposed carveouts to earned sick and safe time. Amanda Otero of TakeAction Minnesota said the proposed changes would remove benefits from more than 100,000 workers based on employer size, and lawmakers said sick leave should be universal. Another major topic was MinnesotaCare for undocumented immigrants. Representative María Isa Pérez Vega, Council Member Jason Chavez, and others argued the program is affordable, reduces uncompensated emergency care, and improves public health by expanding preventive care. Chavez and Emilia Gonzalez Avalos shared personal stories about family members who benefited from health coverage and said cutting access would worsen disparities and hurt families and communities. The event also included remarks on ethnic studies and historical memory. Representative Samantha Sencer-Mura connected the Ethnic Studies for All Act to her family’s experience with Japanese American incarceration during World War II, and Sally Sudo described her family’s removal and imprisonment under Executive Order 9066. Speakers framed these stories as warnings against scapegoating and exclusion. In the question-and-answer portion, lawmakers said they were still in negotiations but emphasized that certain protections were non-negotiable and that any compromises should be distributed equitably rather than targeting specific groups.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Mandela Fellows, a State Department program, are introduced: 25th African careers from across the
• House Bill 4307 proposes approximately $1.2 billion in bonding for the Chapter 90 program, along with
• three additional key transportation programs and projects.
• The Chapter 90 program, along with three additional key transportation programs and projects.
• This program, therefore, is necessary.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and first took up a Rules Committee report recommending adoption of a resolution honoring the 200th anniversary of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in New Bedford. The House suspended the rules and adopted the resolution. The Steering, Policy and Scheduling Committee then reported a series of local bills for consideration, including measures on legal notices, charter changes for Chicopee, Bridgewater, Wellesley, Weston, Somerville, and Watertown, as well as bills on firefighter residency, a checkout bag fee in Sudbury, senior tax exemption eligibility in Williamstown, and liquor licenses in Lexington. The House suspended Rule 7A, gave the bills second reading, and ordered them to a third reading. The House also considered a Ways and Means report on H. 4257, financing long-term improvements to municipal roads and bridges. The committee recommended an amendment in the form of a substitute bill, H. 4307, authorizing $1.185 billion in general obligation bonds. After suspension of the rules, the House adopted the amendment and ordered the bill to a third reading. Later, during floor debate on H. 4307, members spoke in support of the bill as a major transportation funding package, emphasizing Chapter 90 aid, road mileage-based distribution, culvert and small bridge repairs, congestion relief projects, and the bill’s fiscal and credit-rating benefits. A roll call was ordered, and the bill passed to be engrossed 156-0. The House also passed to be engrossed a bill validating the results of a special election in Hardwick. In addition, the House adopted an order to meet the next day at 11 a.m. and agreed to adjourn in memory of former Representative and Senator Matthew C. Patrick of Falmouth. The session included several guest introductions, including Mandela Fellows studying at Bridgewater State University, former legislator Vincent Dimacido, Bellingham Council on Aging guests, and interns in Representative Linsky’s office.