Transcript Highlights:

• </c> about it um it's too late for the child about it um it's too late for the child we<00:12:35.560>
• </c> perception of what is and is not child perception of what is and is not child abuse<00:18:05.159
• ... ...into court and your child—my child did it.
• </c><00:42:52.480><c> isolating</c> Behavior to control a child isolating Behavior to control a child
• </c><00:51:45.760><c> that</c> threatening their their child that threatening their their child that

Summary: The subcommittee continued work on HB 553, a bipartisan bill to update the child protection act’s definitions, especially around abuse, neglect, psychological maltreatment, and serious impairment. Supporters said the current law is outdated, vague, and too limited to address modern child welfare concerns, and argued the bill is intended to create clearer standards for DCF/DCYF, courts, and parents without adding criminal penalties or expanding authority to remove children. They also noted the bill had been developed over months of bipartisan work and that similar concepts exist in other states; a committee researcher had circulated a comparison of 17 states with prenatal and substance-use-related provisions. A major focus was whether the bill should include a more explicit definition of emotional abuse. Some members argued that the bill’s current language is not specific enough and could leave parents without fair notice, while others said the bill already addresses the issue through definitions of psychological maltreatment, emotional harm, and serious impairment. Office of Child Advocate staff explained that the drafting process intentionally avoided defining every emotional-abuse term separately and instead used a pattern-based psychological maltreatment standard with examples such as threatening, demeaning, humiliating, and belittling behavior. They said those provisions were drawn from other states and were meant to fill gaps seen in cases involving severe emotional harm and injured infants. The committee also discussed trauma-informed language related to substance use disorder and pregnancy. Members said the amendment was intended to avoid discouraging pregnant people with substance use disorder from seeking medical care, while still allowing intervention when a child is substance-exposed; they noted the proposal would include an exemption when a licensed health care provider is monitoring the pregnancy. Several members emphasized that the bill is meant to protect children while also giving parents clearer notice of prohibited conduct, and one member raised concerns about how the bill could affect other legislation dealing with criminal neglect. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• During our audit, we contracted with an independent child welfare expert, the Child Welfare League of
• That culture of protect the child first, document second.
• When Arizona assumes custody of a child, the state assumes full responsibility for that child and for
• from having grown up as a child in a neighborhood in Mesa.
• Safety, it's about protecting and ensuring child safety.

Committee: House House Government Committee of Reference

Summary: The Committee on Government convened, took roll, introduced members and staff, and heard an Auditor General presentation on a special audit of the Arizona Department of Child Safety’s handling of non-criminal child abuse and neglect reports. The audit found that while DCS generally met initial contact timeframes in most cases, 123 of 125 sampled cases had at least one policy noncompliance issue, including failures to properly notify alleged perpetrators of rights and allegations, incomplete or undocumented investigative steps and safety plans, and investigations that exceeded required timeframes. The Auditor General said DCS agreed with the findings and would implement the recommendations; members asked about sample size, staffing, turnover, and whether the problems were systemic and documentation-related. The chair also gave an opening statement emphasizing oversight of DCS and the committee’s intent to focus on systemic issues and child safety. The committee then considered House Bill 262, which authorizes a memorial for the Buffalo Soldiers at Wesley Boland Plaza. Several supporters testified about the historical significance of the Buffalo Soldiers and the importance of recognizing their contributions in Arizona. Members from both parties spoke in support, and HB 262 passed unanimously with a due pass recommendation. The committee next heard House Bill 2018, which would prohibit DCS from entering into agreements with health care institutions that allow or require payment in exchange for reports of child abuse or neglect. The sponsor and supporters argued the bill was needed to prevent financial incentives from influencing reporting and to protect parents’ rights, while some testimony described alleged overreporting and harmful removals tied to hospital reporting arrangements. Members debated whether there was a sufficient paper trail for such payments and whether the issue was limited to one hospital or broader; the sponsor said DCS had not provided requested data and that subpoena power might be needed. After a recess and further discussion, HB 2018 passed on a 4-3 vote and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Support that child.
• conditions in a child.
• The child is the mother, and when you come in and have a mother that's telling you the child is doing
• call that child abuse.
• Unfortunately, you may have a child that you don't know is a medically fragile child.

Bills: HB136 , HB451 , SB425 , SB466 , SB905 , SB1986 , SB2311 , SB2450 , SB2805 , SB2826 , SB2919 , SB3001 , HB136

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• A high-quality child care facility.
• Care Aware Northwest to expand both ECAP and licensed child care.
• Snohomish County is a child care desert.
• Care Aware North West to expand Bacath and licensed child care.
• Stamish County is a child care desert.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee held a public hearing on several bills. Senate Bill 5109 would raise the mortgage lending fraud prosecution surcharge on recorded deeds of trust from $1 to $5 and remove the 2027 sunset on the surcharge and account. Committee staff said the change would generate additional revenue for county auditors and the Department of Financial Institutions to contract with prosecutors; King County and the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys testified in strong support, saying the current funding has eroded and the bill would better sustain mortgage fraud prosecutions. A question was raised about whether other budget funding could serve a similar purpose, but supporters said the dedicated surcharge/account structure was the best fit. No vote was taken. The committee also heard Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5500, which would require DCYF’s biennial child care report to include a current cost-of-quality study in addition to the market rate survey. Testifiers from Child Care Aware of Washington, child care providers, and the early education design team supported the bill, saying the market rate survey alone does not capture the true cost of providing quality care. Staff said the bill would have a small fiscal impact for DCYF. The committee then heard Substitute Senate Bill 5834 and Senate Bill 5835, both Department of Retirement Systems request bills: one would broaden use of pension fund interest earnings for fund-protection expenses beyond the 2025-27 biennium, and the other would raise the threshold for lump-sum payment of small monthly benefits from $50 to $250. Neither bill drew public testimony, and staff said the fiscal impacts were minimal. Later, the committee heard Engrossed Senate Bill 5872, which would create the Pre-K Promise Account for ECAP funding and allow gifts, grants, and donations to be used solely to expand the program. Supporters including rural health coalitions, the Balmer Group, and Snohomish County said the account would help expand access to early learning, especially in child care deserts; DCYF estimated staffing costs to administer the account. Substitute Senate Bill 6007 would direct WSIPP to study DCYF’s child welfare screening tools and their effects on outcomes, with a reported cost of about $234,000; there was no public testimony. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6019 would clarify home care agency rate-setting and require that no more than 20% of Medicaid home care rates go to administrative costs, with DSHS saying there would be no fiscal impact. Labor and caregiver witnesses supported it as a parity and accountability measure. Finally, Senate Bill 6065 would allow school districts in binding conditions or enhanced financial oversight to use transportation vehicle funds more flexibly, including temporary loans or permanent transfers with approval; a rural education representative supported the bill, and staff said OSPI would incur only modest administrative costs. The committee took no final action and adjourned after the hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• The child care center had to relocate.
• Uh, child care facilities are facing major challenges.
• </c><00:03:08.640><c> Care</c> that exist in running a Child Care that exist in running a Child Care
• </c> state has a growing shortage of child state has a growing shortage of child care<00:04:02.079><c
• </c> exemptions or or for um family child exemptions or or for um family child care<00:05:11.520><c>

Transcript Highlights:

• welfare or child including any child welfare or child protection<00:24:05.240><c> provisions,</c><00
• whole child care slot.
• whole child care slot.
• whole child care slot.
• protection and child done in child protection and child welfare welfare welfare um<01:50:31.200><c>

Bills: HF4382 , HF2929

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Lisa Wilkin, Child Development Consortium of Los Angeles.
• We have CCTR, general child care, state preschool, and also private pay child care center programs in
• And so it's caused things like one child in a family being eligible for subsidized child care but not
• We also ask that you keep the promise for child care spaces.
• enrollment, whether or not a child attends that care.

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota government programs, know child care is outrageously know child care is outrageously expensive
• </c> up to a hundred million dollars in child up to a hundred million dollars in child care<00:10:03.480
• </c><00:18:30.240><c> care</c> criminal investigations of child care criminal investigations of child
• That is what the child care business.
• </c> proven fraud in the child care program. proven fraud in the child care program.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I know with family child care, very clearly, licensed is the places in a home where a child could
• would support Washington's child care workforce.
• child care workforce.
• Another aspect of child care the legislature ought to streamline relates to child care orientations.
• So in other words, you have a child, because my grandchild is that child, actually.

Committee: Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education

Transcript Highlights:

• welfare, child protection.
• welfare, child protection.
• welfare, child protection.
• the child.
• child abuse grant uh community based child abuse prevention<00:37:55.839><c> grant?

Transcript Highlights:

• It's really tough for me to think of child abuse and another child.
• Child-on-child abuse does happen. I'm not denying that.
• on child sexual assault.
• And while she was trafficking a child, the child gave birth to another child.
• The child was under 15.

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Summary: The committee first heard SB 145, which would require adult residential care providers, especially assisted living centers, to have generators or other backup power arrangements and to submit preparedness plans to LDH. After technical amendments and testimony from the sponsor, LDH, and the assisted living industry clarifying the bill’s scope and cost concerns, the committee adopted the amendments and reported the bill favorably. It then took up SB 433, which would require Medicaid coverage of medically necessary FDA-approved weight loss drugs, including GLP-1 medications, subject to appropriations and fiscally sustainable coverage criteria; the bill was reported favorably after discussion of current Medicaid coverage and costs. The committee also approved SB 52, which requires better coordination between DCFS and LDH so SNAP and Medicaid benefits can follow children more quickly when they are removed from or returned to a home. Technical amendments changed reporting deadlines and required written notice, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 4 on public water fluoridation was amended to allow local governments or voters to opt out through a petition and election process, with support from the Louisiana Dental Association and others after compromise language was adopted; it was reported favorably with amendments. SB 152, which would prohibit the sale of cultured or lab-grown food products for human consumption, was also reported favorably with amendments after brief testimony in support and opposition. The committee next approved SCR 37, which asks the Surgeon General to review Louisiana’s informed consent laws and report back on any gaps, after discussion that the existing medical disclosure panel had not met since 2018. It then considered SB 194, a public assistance bill aligning Louisiana Medicaid and SNAP rules with recent federal changes on non-citizen eligibility and tightening Medicaid’s reasonable opportunity period for citizenship verification. After extensive debate over immigration, emergency care, and whether the bill could harm eligible applicants or rural hospitals, the committee adopted an amendment allowing LDH discretion for emergency health care services and reported the bill favorably by an 8-3 vote. Finally, HCR 113 created a task force to study gestational carrier agreements and assisted reproductive regulation; after debate over surrogacy, ethics, and referral to Civil Law, the committee rejected the referral motion and then reported the resolution favorably, and the meeting moved on to SB 333 on child-in-need-of-care proceedings and legal representation funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• to a child care facility.
• What about the child care workers who were getting those vouchers for working in child care?
• you were still getting free child care, even though your eligibility was because you were a child care
• you were still getting free child care, even though your eligibility was because you were a child care
• The idea of providing our child care workers with this ability to have free child care or reduced rate

Committee: All EDUCATION- HOUSE EARLY CHILDHOOD SUBCOMMITTEE

Transcript Highlights:

• of that child.
• of the child or children.
• the child.
• And the payments a month for one child, the younger child was 400, I'm sorry, 500, and the older child
• older child.

Committee: House Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence

Summary: The committee held public hearings on House Bill 3144 and House Bill 3160, both dealing with appeals of preliminary injunctions. The sponsors said the bills would allow a party to appeal a preliminary injunction more broadly, rather than limiting that right to the Attorney General, and they described the measure as a response to prior litigation and equal protection concerns. Supporters, including a Campaign Life Missouri lobbyist and Attorney General’s office counsel, argued the change would align Missouri practice with federal interlocutory appeal rules and protect both sides from harm while litigation is pending. Some members questioned whether the bills were aimed at pending Amendment 3 litigation and raised concerns about fairness and whether the language should apply evenly to all parties; the sponsors said one bill would be amended to match the other. No vote was taken on these bills during the hearing. The committee then heard House Bill 1910, “Bentley and Mason’s Law,” which would require a person convicted of driving while intoxicated or drug-impaired driving that causes the death of a parent or guardian to pay child maintenance to the surviving children, with support continuing until age 18 or longer if the child is in college, and with arrearages addressed after release from incarceration. Representative Williams and several family members and victims testified in strong support, describing the bill as a deterrent and a way to hold impaired drivers financially accountable for the children left behind. Supporters said similar laws have passed in other states and cited a Tennessee case as an example of the law working in practice. Committee members asked about how maintenance would be calculated, whether the offender’s income would be considered, how civil judgments would interact with the maintenance order, and whether arrearages should accrue during incarceration; the sponsor said the bill could be refined and that those issues could be worked out. Opposition to HB 1910 was limited, but one law enforcement witness said he supported the concept despite being listed as opposition, and another witness from MADD strongly endorsed the bill. The hearing ended with no action on HB 1910. In executive session, the committee voted HJR 130 do pass by a vote of 13-0. It then considered HB 2086, a bill relating to the practice of law, which drew constitutional and separation-of-powers concerns from several members; the final vote was 7-7, and the bill was reported as due pass despite the tie.

Transcript Highlights:

• also if the child center appropriately also if the child center appropriately responded<00:03:16.720>
• </c><00:04:52.160><c> care</c> actions to assist uh new child care actions to assist uh new child care
• in child care and um she was trapped in child care and um she was trapped between<00:07:22.000><c> the
• dealing with children and child welfare.
• </c> dealing with children and child welfare. dealing with children and child welfare.

Committee: Senate Families & Children

Transcript Highlights:

• :01.680><c> pediatrician</c><00:04:02.400><c> and</c> child abuse child abuse pediatrician and child
• </c> the child tested positive for fentanyl. the child tested positive for fentanyl.
• </c> child being born substance exposed. child being born substance exposed.
• </c> available resource for child care. available resource for child care.
• Well, I know we've worked on uh child<00:46:58.480><c> care,</c> child care, child care, &gt;&gt; so<

Committee: Joint Families & Children

Transcript Highlights:

• If cameras keep our kids safe, they should be put in all child care situations, including family child
• </c><00:10:32.040><c> care</c> This mandate only applies in child care This mandate only applies in child
• </c><00:10:42.640><c> care</c> should be put in all child care should be put in all child care situations
• <c> care</c> situations, including family child care situations, including family child care and<00:10
• </c> child sexual abuse videos. child sexual abuse videos.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have part one on child care and part two on child care and part two on.
• Child Care.
• Child Care.
• We will not pause on child care. We will not pause on child care.
• of child support in the future.

Summary: The hearing began with opening remarks on the Governor’s May Revision for child care and human services, with committee members and advocates stressing that the budget should not be balanced on the backs of low-income families, children, and providers. Legislative members and public witnesses strongly opposed the proposed suspension of the child care COLA, reductions to the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program, and the lack of codified rate reform tied to the alternative methodology. Several speakers also urged more support for providers affected by the Eaton fire and other disasters, and called for child care to be funded at the true cost of care and for additional slots to be restored. Administration, LAO, and Department of Education staff described the child care proposal as maintaining existing funding levels while adding administrative resources to prepare for federally required prospective payment changes and single-rate reform. The administration said the May Revision would suspend the 2025–26 COLA and reduce Bridge Program funding to align with utilization, while the LAO raised questions about the size and purpose of the proposed rate-reform and prospective-payment funding and recommended rejecting a Department of Technology exemption. CDE supported continued early education investments but said it would need additional resources if prospective pay were extended to state preschool, and it objected to a proposed reallocation of preschool funds for inclusive education grants. The committee then moved to the IHSS portion of the May Revision. DSS outlined five major proposals: capping provider work hours at 50 per week, eliminating IHSS for undocumented adults age 19 and older, shifting certain Community First Choice reassessment penalties to counties, reinstating the Medi-Cal asset test as a conforming IHSS reduction, and automating the termination of IHSS when Medi-Cal eligibility ends. DSS also discussed funding to implement a federal HCBS access rule and a separate reassessment of IHSS administrative methodology that found counties would need additional administrative funding. Finance said the proposals were intended to slow program growth and improve sustainability, while the LAO said it was still analyzing the package and raised concerns about implementation, county workload, and the potential loss of services. Committee members and public commenters criticized the IHSS cuts, especially the overtime cap and the elimination of services for undocumented adults and people affected by the asset test. Advocates argued that IHSS workers and recipients depend on these services, that county administration is already underfunded, and that the proposals could destabilize vulnerable consumers. The chair closed by saying the committee would continue to fight for child care and would not pause on child care, and the meeting recessed before moving on to the remaining May Revision items.

Transcript Highlights:

• And in this governor's proposal, if you have a child 0 to 4, one child, that credit would be maximum
• And in this governor's proposal, if you have a child 0 to 4, one child, that credit would be maximum
• And in this governor's proposal, if you have a child 0 to 4, one child, that credit would be maximum
• And they said this would be a big step in have a child 0 to 4, one child, that have a child 0 to 4, one
• for family child care.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House File 5055, the governor’s supplemental tax budget. Commissioner of Revenue Paul Marquart outlined the proposal as a balanced budget package that would leave a positive bottom line in the current biennium and beyond. He emphasized family-focused tax relief, especially a new refundable young child credit for children ages 0 to 4, which would provide up to $3,000 for one child or $6,000 for two or more, benefit about 104,000 families, and phase out at higher incomes. He also described federal conformity changes, including updates to business interest deductions, dependent care credits, and Section 179 expensing, along with omitted federal items such as research expensing and opportunity zones due to cost and policy concerns. Marquart also defended broader tax modernization proposals, including expanding the sales tax to selected consumer services such as accounting, banking, brokerage, and legal services while lowering the statewide sales tax rate, and creating a social media tax on consumer data collection that would fund an AI readiness special revenue fund rather than the general fund. He said these changes would make the sales tax less regressive and better aligned with the modern economy. Additional provisions mentioned included a gun-related gross receipts tax on firearms and ammunition, cannabis tax technical changes, historic structure rehabilitation conformity, and added auditors for tax compliance. Testimony from outside groups was mixed. Nan Madden of the Minnesota Budget Project supported the governor’s approach as a response to federal tax and spending changes, praised the decision not to conform to opportunity zones or federal no-tax-on-tips/overtime provisions, and urged even stronger revenue measures. Brian Lake of the Minnesota State Bar Association strongly opposed the proposed sales tax on consumer legal services, arguing it would burden low- and middle-income people in sensitive cases and create unfairness when individuals litigate against the state. Tanner Fritsinger of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees supported the sales tax base expansion and the social media tax as ways to broaden revenue without raising the base rate. The committee chair thanked the commissioner and then began hearing public testimony, with additional testifiers queued up.

Transcript Highlights:

• Plus, as I said before, repeating it, the psyche of the child, the mental well-being of the child, also
• Plus, as I said before, repeating it, the psyche of the child, the mental well-being of the child also
• I saw on my legislative assistant's child sitting at my desk, if I could see that in another child,
• interest of the child.
• And the grandparents-and-child relationship is what's best for the child.

Committee: House Children and Families

Transcript Highlights:

• to keep a child safe if you don't know what a child does, what they're capable of.
• to keep a child safe if you don't know what a child does, what they're capable of.
• instance, with a child.
• </c><01:25:06.800><c> Um</c> with a child. Um with a child.
• </c> the child to calm down away from peers. the child to calm down away from peers.

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy