Transcript Highlights:

• with an additional contract pharmacy during the previous fiscal year.
• pharmacies or contract pharmacies within the previous fiscal year.
• We're already seeing contraction.
• And the market is through contracts with the food processing.
• But there's other parts where we see a lot of contraction or fear of contraction, and that would be in

Bills: HB2689 , SB5420 , SB5868 , SB5877

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: Working Connections Child Care, child care subsidy, subsidized child care, Washington DCYF, Department of Children, Youth, and Families, low-income families, child care providers, licensed child care centers, family child care, market rate survey, subsidy rates, income eligibility, state median income, SNAP, Basic Food, collective bargaining, provider reimbursement, daily payment, half-day care, partial-day care

Transcript Highlights:

• The reverse auction resulted in awarding a new independent PBM contract to our incumbent provider.
• That was probably going on, he said, throughout the various contracts we had previously, but that has
• He said that throughout the various contracts we had previously, but that has stopped now.
• We are being charged to the penny exactly what the contract allows. That's a new world for Iowa.
• Unfortunately, that's how legacy PBMs have set up their contracts.

Bills: SB511 , SB512 , HB591 , HB909 , HB938 , HB1154 , HB1187

Committee: Senate Insurance

Keywords: automobile repairs, insurance transparency, repair shop liability, non-OEM parts, policyholder rights, automobile insurance, appraisal process, insurance policyholders, dispute resolution, claim valuation, behavioral health, crisis services, mental health care, insurance coverage, healthcare access, pharmacy benefit managers, reimbursement standards, local pharmacies, drug pricing, regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• This means that any service that we have contracted for, regardless of who provides it, has to be at
• provisions, which would allow us to try to contract with more folks.
• provisions, which would allow us to try to contract with more folks.
• provisions, which would allow us to try to try to, competitive contract provisions, which would allow
• us to try to contract with more folks.

Committees: House Insurance , House Insurance and Banking

Transcript Highlights:

• Our biggest gap is that it's one-year contracts, so we do not know from year to year if we can sustain
• Our program is funded partly by the ACH, partly by contracts with the hospitals.
• Our program is funded partly by the ACH, partly by contracts with the hospitals.
• So you would need to have a contract or something to get funding through... ...need it would need to
• type of contract that pays for the delivery of results rather than for specific services.

Committee: Joint JLARC I-900 Subcommittee for SAO Performance Audits

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee’s State Auditor Subcommittee held a hybrid public hearing on two Initiative 900 performance audits. The first audit examined CARES programs run by fire agencies to reduce non-emergency use of emergency systems. Auditors reported there are 52 such programs statewide, but many communities still lack one despite need. Key barriers identified were unstable funding, difficulty hiring qualified staff, lack of statewide guidance, and inconsistent access to patient records. The audit also found that only about half of programs tracked both required performance measures, and it recommended legislative action to consider private insurance reimbursement and to convene a statewide CARES work group. Fire agency representatives largely agreed with the findings and emphasized that short-term grants and one-year contracts make programs hard to sustain, while some noted support from accountable communities of health and hospitals. Committee members asked about why only a small share of programs receive Medicaid or accountable community of health funding, and auditors clarified that the 10% figure referred to direct Medicaid reimbursement for treat-and-refer services, which some agencies do not pursue because the payment is too low relative to the administrative effort. Agency witnesses said ACH support can help but is often temporary and uncertain. Members also asked whether the new public safety sales tax authority could help fund these programs, but fire district representatives said it is generally not a direct option for them. The second audit focused on improving performance management in the Department of Commerce’s economic development programs. Auditors found the Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness lacks a division-wide strategic plan and has inconsistent performance management across its 16 programs. They recommended stakeholder engagement, clearer goals and measures, alignment between program and division goals, and stronger contract and grant performance provisions. Commerce officials agreed with the findings, said work on a statewide economic development plan is already underway, and described efforts to align divisional planning with broader agency strategy. The chair asked Commerce to return next year with progress updates, and the meeting ended with notice that written testimony could still be submitted and that another JLARC meeting would occur in November.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our biggest gap is that it's one-year contracts, so we do not know from year to year if we can sustain
• Our program is funded partly by the ACH, partly by contracts with the hospitals.
• Our program is funded partly by the ACH, partly by contracts with the hospitals.
• State law and leading practices recommend that agencies adopt performance-based contracts, which is a
• type of contract that pays for the delivery of results rather than for specific services.

Committee: Joint JLARC I-900 Subcommittee for SAO Performance Audits

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee’s Initiative 900 subcommittee held a hybrid public hearing on two State Auditor performance audits. The first audit examined efforts to reduce non-emergency use of emergency systems through CARES programs. Auditors reported that Washington has 52 fire-agency-led CARES programs in 26 counties, but many communities without programs said they need one. Major barriers included unstable funding, difficulty hiring qualified staff, volunteer-based rural departments, and lack of statewide guidance. The audit also found that only about half of programs tracked both required performance measures, and it recommended that the legislature consider private insurance reimbursement options and convene a statewide work group to develop guidance, standards, and possible changes to the role of the Department of Health. Agency representatives and fire officials largely supported the findings and emphasized that short-term grants and one-year contracts make programs hard to sustain. Committee discussion focused heavily on financing, especially Medicaid reimbursement and accountable communities of health (ACHs). Auditors clarified that the 10% figure cited in the report referred to direct Medicaid reimbursement for treat-and-refer services, which some agencies do not pursue because the $115 rate is too low relative to the administrative effort. Several fire officials testified that their programs rely on grants and ACH support, but that funding is often year-to-year and uncertain. They also described the value of CARES programs in reducing emergency room use, jail detentions, and long ambulance wait times, while noting barriers to sharing patient records across systems. Members asked whether the new public safety sales tax authority could help, but fire district representatives said it is not a direct funding option for them. The second audit reviewed performance management in the Department of Commerce’s Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness. Auditors found that the division does not yet have a statewide economic development strategic plan and that performance management is inconsistent across its 16 programs. In a limited review, all six sampled programs had goals, but only half clearly identified performance measures and targets, and only three tracked outcomes and published results. The audit highlighted leading practices from other states, including strategic planning, regular progress reporting, aligning program goals with agency goals, and using performance-based contracts and grant monitoring. Recommendations urged Commerce to seek stakeholder input, assess internal and external conditions, set goals and measures, align programs with the strategy, and strengthen monitoring and evaluation. Commerce officials agreed with the audit and said the division is already working toward a strategic plan, with a new assistant director to be hired and a target of completing the work by mid-next year. Members pressed the department on how the plan would connect to workforce, higher education, housing, and other economic development systems, and asked Commerce to return to JLARC next year with progress updates. The meeting ended with instructions for submitting written public comments and notice of the next JLARC meeting schedule.

Transcript Highlights:

• you said that the Terminex contract for you said that the Terminex contract for LFA<00:53:38.880><c>
• </c> define spent if we release the contract define spent if we release the contract at<00:56:47.520>
• </c><00:56:56.240><c> controller</c> from the the dags contract controller from the the dags contract
• These funds are in the contracted These funds are in the contract<01:00:26.319><c> process</c><01:00
• you know basically tree um contract you know basically tree trimming<02:13:26.800><c> contracts</c><

Summary: The joint House and Senate agriculture committees met on January 17, 2025, for an informational briefing on biosecurity and invasive species; Chair Kahaloa opened by noting there would be no public testimony. Members introduced themselves, and the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council (HISC) program manager Chelsea Arnot outlined the purpose of the briefing and the statewide impacts of invasive species, citing examples such as coconut rhinoceros beetle, little fire ant, coquí frogs, albizia, and mosquito-borne disease. She emphasized that biosecurity requires coordinated action across state departments, counties, federal agencies, universities, and communities, and highlighted HISC’s role in funding interagency projects, island invasive species committees, research, outreach, and early detection efforts. Arnot and HISC representatives described major funding and program needs, including a requested $4.25 million increase to HISC to raise its baseline budget to $10 million, support island committee operations, research, biocontrol, marine biosecurity, surveillance, and staffing. They also requested $500,000 for the Hawaiʻi Ant Lab, saying it is critical to invasive ant research and little fire ant response. The briefing also noted HISC’s leverage of federal dollars, including a $4.6 million REPI award with HISC providing the match, and cited successful collaborative eradications and responses, including veiled chameleons on Maui, axis deer on Hawaiʻi Island, and a 2023 coconut rhinoceros beetle response on Maui that prevented further spread. Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture officials then discussed implementation of updated administrative rules effective January 20, 2025, which permanently restrict movement of coconut rhinoceros beetle host material and give the department stronger authority to stop movement of infested material. They reported 2024 import activity of about 50,000 ship and aircraft arrivals, inspection/clearance of 20 million pieces, and 16,000 interceptions, with additional staffing from Act 231 expected to increase interceptions. They also described Act 231 funding and current spending status: about 65% obligated and 52% encumbered, with some funds tied to contracts for CRB and little fire ant response, plus an $800,000 green-waste hauling RFP that had to be reissued because of a flaw. The department said 580 Oʻahu homes and 290 Hawaiʻi Island homes are slated for little fire ant treatment, while Maui and Kauaʻi will focus on survey and outreach. Members questioned how homes are selected for subsidized treatment, whether HISC and the island invasive species committees received Act 231 support, and whether the state should direct how contracted funds are prioritized. Representative Martin raised concerns that the RFP limited eligibility to private pest control companies and excluded more experienced entities such as the Hawaiʻi Ant Lab. Department officials said they would follow up on prioritization and funding details, and noted that emergency proclamations and procurement flexibility could help with rapid response and hiring during invasive species emergencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:54.880><c> to</c> uh transfer funds from one contract to uh transfer funds from one contract
• </c> contracts in the department of health. contracts in the department of health.
• It appropriates funds to the judiciary to increase the contract price in existing contracts for certain
• Brandon Kimura of the judiciary. in existing contracts for certain in existing contracts for certain
• </c> judiciary and their contracts first. judiciary and their contracts first.

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs heard House Bill 2095, which would provide supplemental appropriations for the Judiciary for the 2025-2027 biennium. Judiciary Administrative Director Brandon Kimura testified in strong support and outlined a request for about $6.4 million in supplemental operating funds, plus four permanent full-time position conversions. He grouped the request into security, services to court users, and staffing needs, including $3.25 million for supplemental armed private security at judiciary facilities statewide, nearly $200,000 for cybersecurity staffing and support, restoration of funding for substance use treatment purchase-of-service contracts, restoration of funding for the Office of Public Guardian on Kauaʻi, salary commission funding, a Kona court operations position, and two Court-Appointed Special Advocates positions converted from temporary to permanent. He also described five capital improvement requests totaling $55.4 million, led by $30 million for construction of a new South Kohala courthouse, $1.2 million each for air conditioning upgrades in Hilo and Kauaʻi, $15 million for elevator upgrades at Kahumanu Hale, and $8 million in lump-sum bond funds for emerging projects. Several organizations testified in support, including Parents and Children Together and the True Cost Coalition. Supporters emphasized the importance of the purchase-of-service funding for domestic violence and substance use treatment services and said the restoration would return funding to pre-COVID levels and help providers maintain capacity. Kimura explained that the Judiciary often shifts funds among contracts during the year to avoid service interruptions, but that the reduced funding has caused delays and operational problems for providers and probationers. Members asked detailed questions about the capital projects and operating requests. Representative Shimizu asked for more information on the lump-sum bond funds and the elevator project, and Kimura explained that the Kahumanu Hale request covers four remaining elevator shafts after earlier funding addressed the first five elevators. Representative Cochran asked about the absence of Maui County projects, and Kimura said the Judiciary is still planning for its older Maui facilities with DAGS. Chair Tarnas questioned the need for armed private guards and discussed whether court security should be prioritized within the Department of Law Enforcement; Kimura said the Judiciary needs additional personnel now and has not asked DLE to deprioritize other missions, though the chair suggested further coordination between the agencies. No vote or final action on the bill was taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have to contract out for specialty services.
• no contract has been made.
• DGS has A&E retainer contracts, and so they have AORs on contract.
• You would have to do a contract.
• Our contracts here in the state of California require us to meet So state standards, our contracts here

Transcript Highlights:

• Joan Buchanan had an oversight hearing on contracting out IT stuff in 2012.
• Provide triggers for when contracts should be done. Term limits for contractors.
• Some of the contracts were making $130,000 a month.
• Provide triggers for when contracts should be done. Term limits for contractors.
• Some of the contracts were making $130,000 a month.

Summary: The committee heard several bills related to public employment. AB 1601, by Assemblymember Rogers, would give Sonoma County flexibility to work with its retirement board and actuaries on a possible retiree cost-of-living adjustment; supporters said Sonoma is the only 1937 Act county system without an automatic COLA and that retirees have gone since 2008 without an increase, while no opposition testified. The bill passed on a do-pass vote and was placed on the floor. AB 1729, by Assemblymember Lee, would update state telework policy by requiring written telework plans, adding more structure before return-to-office decisions, and restoring public reporting on telework savings. Supporters, including SEIU Local 1000, the Association of California State Supervisors, and many state workers, argued telework improves productivity, reduces emissions and commute costs, and could save the state about $225 million annually; there was no opposition. The committee approved the bill 6-0 and re-referred it to Appropriations. AB 1630, by Assemblymember Colosa, would allow union representatives to invite bargaining-unit members to observe meet-and-confer sessions, including remotely, to increase transparency and engagement. UC and CSU opposed the measure, saying observer rules should be negotiated at the table and warning the bill lacked clear limits on the number of observers and could create logistical and security problems. The bill passed 5-0 with one member not voting and was sent to Appropriations. AB 1750, also by Assemblymember Colosa, would require school employees who exhaust sick leave and are absent due to illness or injury to receive full salary for an additional five months. CTA supported the bill as a needed safety net for teachers and classified staff, while school districts and administrators opposed it over cost, staffing, and student stability concerns, saying it could encourage longer absences and strain already tight budgets. The committee passed the bill 5-0 and sent it to Higher Education. AB 1896, by Assemblymember Gonzalez, would bar people who participated in immigration enforcement from holding California public employment, with supporters framing it as a response to ICE and Border Patrol actions and opponents warning it was overbroad and could exclude otherwise qualified applicants from law enforcement jobs; the bill passed 5-1 and was referred to Public Safety.

Transcript Highlights:

• On the medical contracts, it appears the actual was 139 for this fiscal year and has the contract—the
• medical contract for the department...
• it appears the actual was 139 for this fiscal year and has the contract the medical contract for the
• Do you all have a—have you renewed a medical contract?
• The initial period of this contract is two years.

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Summary: The committee first adopted revised JBC rules, which staff said were updated to reflect legislation passed in the 2025 session. It then heard a presentation from DFA Secretary Jim Hudson on the governor’s proposed balanced budget for FY27, with no action taken. Hudson said the budget reflects three priorities: limiting state-government growth, continuing investments in education, and advancing income-tax cuts. He highlighted increases for education funding through EFAs, pay-plan costs for Corrections, DPS, and the Attorney General, higher education productivity funding, drug task forces, a Corrections medical contract, the governor’s 1033 initiative, SNAP error-rate reduction efforts, and an additional $100 million set aside for Medicaid sustainability. Committee members questioned the size of the tax cuts, the balance requirement, public education funding, Medicaid trust-fund levels, EFA funding, and the expected impact of new SNAP cost-sharing rules. The Division of Higher Education then presented its productivity-based funding recommendations. Officials said institutions were 2.61% more productive overall, with funding changes driven by a statutory formula that rewards degree production, underserved populations, and high-demand fields. Members asked about declines at UA Little Rock, the formula’s multipliers, the role of the Arkansas Access Act and a new return-on-investment metric, and how two-year colleges are adjusted for size. The committee also reviewed special items and approved two letters: one authorizing 17 net personnel changes across nine institutions, and another adding special language for North Arkansas College’s entry into the University of Arkansas system. The committee then adopted the Higher Education Coordinating Board’s recommendations for all institutions. A lengthy portion of the meeting focused on the University of Arkansas system, especially Fayetteville’s athletics funding and the broader impact of the House/NIL settlement. Chancellor Charles Robinson and system officials explained that the board had waived a longstanding campus transfer and directed the university to provide an additional $6 million to athletics, with some costs likely to be passed through to students but partially offset by existing budget growth. Members debated whether the university should prioritize academics or athletics, how the transfer originated, and whether the athletic changes would affect affordability. The committee also discussed the 1890 extension program at UAPB and the Division of Agriculture’s land-grant funding. UAPB officials said the state match is intended to be one-to-one, that the current recommendation aligns appropriation with actual spending, and that a $2 million set-aside remains available if needed. The Division of Agriculture later clarified that its Smith-Lever extension and Hatch research funds are part of the UA system’s separate budget and that the state matched about $6.2 million in federal extension funding last year. The committee then moved to the Department of Corrections. It approved G1, transferring 51 positions to the secretary’s office to activate a recidivism program, with an estimated cost of about $4 million. Staff then began walking through the department’s FY27 budget, noting an increase of about $8 million for administration and shared services, including a $170,000 sex-offender assessment appropriation moved under Act 723 of 2025 and roughly $6 million more for medical contracts. Questions on the Corrections budget had just begun when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• As noted in the prior committee analysis, the bill doesn't clearly define what contracts would make a
• , and we are concerned about the ambiguity about the contracts that would apply to this bill.
• Instead, the bill applies broadly and forbids any company contracting with the U.S.
• A contract to provide blankets with FEMA would seem to qualify as a contract with ICE and therefore trigger
• A contract to provide blankets with FEMA would seem to qualify as a contract with ICE and therefore trigger

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation heard several bills, most of them referred to the suspense file because of their fiscal impact. AB 2465 and AB 1675 would deny state grants, loans, tax credits, or other benefits to companies doing business with ICE or related immigration-enforcement agencies; both drew strong support from immigrant-rights, labor, and community groups, and opposition from CalChamber and industry groups that argued the bills were overly broad and could affect unrelated federal contracts. AB 1633 would impose a 50% gross receipts tax on for-profit private immigration detention facilities, with supporters saying it would hold companies accountable for dangerous conditions and opponents warning it was punitive and could disrupt detention operations. The committee also heard AB 2089, which would streamline the welfare property tax exemption process for affordable housing, and AB 2250, a cleanup bill to clarify hemp enforcement laws; both were supported by affected industry and advocacy groups, while county assessors and tax collectors opposed AB 2089 unless amended over workload and implementation concerns. AB 2172, which would allow counties to use a single-member assessment appeals commissioner for complex property tax appeals, was the only bill taken up for a vote during the meeting. Supporters, including Los Angeles County Assessor Jeffrey Prang, said the change would reduce a large backlog and speed resolution of appeals; the committee adopted amendments and passed the bill 4-0 to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 2319, creating a proposed post-production tax credit to keep film and television post-production work in California, with support from labor and industry representatives who said jobs and spending were leaving the state; the author said the bill still needed work on labor standards and the annual credit cap. Finally, AB 2403 was presented to create a commercial production tax credit to keep commercial shoots in California. The author and supporters said commercial production has declined sharply in the state and that other states are winning work through targeted incentives, while labor-backed witnesses argued the bill would protect middle-class jobs and local spending. The transcript ends during the presentation of AB 2403, before any vote or final action on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• But also in this request are critical continuing non-recurring contract dollars.
• We are currently hosting, I believe, five contracted staff augmentation positions.
• Is that how that generally works with those contracts? Correct. Okay.
• Yes, I can give you all the information on what the contracts are.
• And I have. ...those contingency fee contracts.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice

Summary: The committee met to hear fiscal year 2026-2027 legislative budget requests from several justice-related agencies. The Florida Commission on Offender Review requested funding for investigator and revocation staff salary increases to address turnover, plus nonrecurring funds for Wi-Fi, seven vehicles, technology support, and commissioner salary adjustments. The State Courts Administrator presented a broad judicial branch request focused on trial court case-management technology, additional case managers, trust fund authority for child support hearing officers, courthouse furnishings, district court flexibility in staffing, a future courthouse for the Sixth District Court of Appeal, Supreme Court elevator replacement, POM accounting implementation support, judicial security liaison positions tied to the Florida Fusion Center, expanded senior management service authority, and judicial salary adjustments. The Office of the Attorney General outlined pay and operating requests for consumer protection, citizen services, ethics, crime compensation, victim services, vehicle replacement, IT and cybersecurity, lease and operating costs, and PALM-related expenses, while several senators questioned the office about outside counsel contracts, contingency-fee arrangements, transparency, and the use of private law firms. The Department of Corrections made the largest presentation, describing severe staffing shortages, high turnover, rising inmate populations, increased assaults, and heavy overtime use. Secretary Ricky Dixon said the agency’s request was driven by constitutional and public safety needs and included funding for operations, security equipment, inflationary costs, vehicle replacement, offender information system modernization, technology restoration, inmate health services, drug and food cost increases, staffing pilots, maintenance, security infrastructure, Florida PALM, recruitment and retention, and $56 million for new correctional housing units. Members asked about inmate labor, prison safety, overtime, vehicle breakdowns, and whether more National Guard support was needed; Dixon said the agency needed more staffing and pay competitiveness rather than a long-term military presence. A correctional officers’ union representative also urged support for pay raises, citing low pay and staffing concerns. No votes were taken on the budget requests. The chair allowed extended questioning, especially for the Department of Corrections, but noted time constraints and asked agencies to return in a later committee meeting, including FDLE, which was deferred because of a House site visit.

Transcript Highlights:

• The private prisons, in my understanding, have a contract.
• This is one of the reasons we need to support the amendment, is because they're contracted.
• They need to renegotiate the contract to get the pay raise. Our pay is directly..."
• They need to renegotiate the contract to get the pay raise.
• , so the amendments to those contracts are very specific to what funds go to.

Committee: Senate Senate Public Safety Committee of Reference

Summary: The Public Safety Committee met for its first session, introduced staff and pages, and then heard several bills. SB 1010 would designate Loop 202 as the Charlie Kirk Highway; an amendment to rename it the Freedom of Speech Highway failed, and after testimony both supporting the honor and objecting that it would affect the Ed Pastor portion of the freeway, the bill received a do pass recommendation on a 4-3 vote. SB 1077 would impose felony penalties for operating online services that facilitate prostitution, pandering, or child sex trafficking, and also address harmful sexual material and age verification; with no public testimony, it passed 5-2. SB 1093 would expand the definition of riot to include force or violence causing property damage and add riot to racketeering and conspiracy provisions; the ACLU opposed it as overbroad and harmful to protest rights, but the committee still gave it a do pass recommendation on a 4-3 vote. SB 1058 would create the Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act to bar government firearm registries and restrict firearm-related merchant category codes; gun-rights advocates supported it as a privacy measure, and it passed 4-3. The committee also heard SB 1035, which appropriates funds for a 5% pay increase for sworn correctional officers and department civilians at ADCRR. The sponsor said the raise is a top priority and part of budget discussions. Correctional employee representatives supported the pay increase but argued it is not enough and urged a larger raise, while private prison representatives and the Arizona Police Association asked that the increase also cover private prison employees to preserve pay parity and retention. Some members raised concerns about the fiscal impact and about whether private prison funds would be directed to salaries rather than profit. An amendment extending the raise to private prison employees under contract with the department was adopted, and the amended bill passed 4-3, with several members explaining their votes based on the need for a footnote or further safeguards and others supporting parity across state and private facilities.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so there is an ongoing effort to update those contracts.
• I mean, in all contracts, we recover the cost.
• The contract with the easement does not provide that right.
• We've got a lot of old contracts—40, 50-year-old contracts—that when we go to renegotiate...
• Us with 1974 contracts, and yes, it's a fair critique to take.

Bills: HB3445 , HB3448

Committee: House S/C on Telecommunications & Broadband

Keywords: telecommunications, electric cooperative, rights-of-way, infrastructure, provider access, right-of-way, pole attachment, regulatory access

Transcript Highlights:

• We have three contracts statewide.
• But we really do need the contracts.
• The executive recommendation and contracts fund slightly more, just more funding for contract attorneys
• Are the contract employees paid at market rates? Mr.
• When you look at the other category of contracts, one of the contracts that we have to engage in is an

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• So from that juncture, it's my understanding according to the bill how that would work, the contracted
• I mean, everybody has issues with some of their contracted providers that they work with.
• It's your agency that you're contracting with that's going to be basically managing these cases, even
• I mean, instead of it being maybe CPS workers, it'll be contracted workers.
• I mean, instead of it being maybe CPS workers, it'll be contracted workers.

Summary: The committee considered and advanced several bills. House Bill 4995, concerning video cameras in special education classrooms, was explained as requiring parents to be notified of recording interruptions, providing written notice of the law to parents and school employees, shortening the required random review of recordings from every 90 days to every 30 days, and clarifying that school boards must still conduct independent investigations even if DHS or prosecutors do not act. The committee adopted the motion to report the bill to the full Senate. House Bill 5214, dealing with drug testing in child abuse and neglect cases, would allow courts to order testing of parents in certain cases, require laboratory confirmation of positives, and require DHS to notify the court and other parties; the committee adopted the strike-and-insert amendment, then reported the bill as amended and adopted a title amendment. The committee also advanced House Bill 4025 and House Bill 5441, both restructuring state personnel systems. HB 4025 would exempt employees of the Department of Health, health facilities, and human services from classified civil service and grievance procedures beginning July 1, 2026, while preserving status for some current employees and allowing exemptions to comply with federal requirements; the committee adopted a piecemeal amendment and reported it as amended. HB 5441 would eliminate separate civil service systems for Transportation, Revenue, and the Bureau for Social Services and move classifications and compensation structures to the Division of Personnel, with testimony from the governor’s counsel emphasizing faster hiring and more flexibility; the committee adopted the strike-and-insert amendment and reported the bill as amended. House Bill 4602, a child welfare pilot program creating a private community-based system for post-removal services, drew testimony from DHS about concerns over costs, continuity, oversight, and child well-being outcomes, while supporters argued it could reduce caseloads and improve flexibility. The chair amended the bill to remove one of the two pilot regions, leaving only the Berkeley/Jefferson County pilot, and the committee then reported the bill as amended despite opposition from the senator from Marion. House Bill 4106, removing the provisional concealed handgun license requirement for ages 18 to 21, heard testimony from a pediatrician opposing the change and from a gun rights advocate supporting it; an amendment requiring firearms training for under-21 carriers failed by a 1-14 roll call, and the committee then reported the bill as amended. Finally, House Bill 4198, after a subcommittee rewrite, was advanced with a strike-and-insert amendment that refined E-Verify requirements for public and private employers, added exemptions for certain small or new employers and sole proprietors, clarified recordkeeping and notice requirements, and adjusted penalties and enforcement procedures. After a motion for the previous question, the committee adopted the amendment and reported HB 4198 as amended. House Bill 5319 was removed from the agenda, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, basically, most of our supportive housing providers all across the state have contracts with HUD
• have expired or will expire by contracts have expired or will expire by the<00:09:39.920><c> end</c>
• </c><00:10:02.480><c> with</c> all across the state have contracts with all across the state have contracts
• are stalled out um which is contracts are stalled out um which is what<00:10:11.600><c> they</c><00:
• </c><00:10:27.279><c> with</c><00:10:27.600><c> all</c><00:10:27.839><c> of</c> their contracts have

Transcript Highlights:

• But by Proviso, we are directed to contract with a not-for-profit entity to purchase these medications
• We've worked productively on this contract for a number of years.
• We did go through a recent very extensive contract reform to rewrite the contract and make it more consistent
• That's my my focus is really on contract management and then and Melanie Brown with 2 will talk to you
• And so our contract, no, we when we say we contract with that and from the Florida Behavior Health Association

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, we've been contracting.
• If CSU signs contracts with tech companies, those contracts must be public.
• Not just in legal terms, buried in contracts.
• If the contract expires, it's just going to go away.
• contract.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Higher Education and the Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee held an oversight hearing on the California State University’s AI-empowered initiative, including the systemwide rollout of ChatGPT EDU and broader AI integration across CSU campuses. Opening remarks emphasized both the promise of AI for student success, workforce preparation, and access, and the need to address risks such as bias, privacy, misinformation, environmental impacts, and mental health harms. CSU representatives said the initiative grew out of Academic Senate recommendations and a systemwide generative AI committee, and that the goal was to provide equitable access, training, governance, and workforce alignment across the 23-campus system. CSU officials described systemwide contracts for AI tools, the AI Commons training hub, and faculty grant programs supporting AI-related curriculum innovation. They said more than 93,000 ChatGPT EDU accounts had been activated, over 4,300 faculty had taken voluntary training, and $3 million had been awarded to 63 faculty-led projects from more than 400 submissions. San Jose State University highlighted its own AI-focused programs, courses, orientation training, faculty fellows, student ambassadors, and interdisciplinary efforts to build AI literacy and responsible use into instruction and co-curricular programs. CSU also said it was tracking metrics on adoption, academic outcomes, workforce outcomes, and environmental impacts. Faculty, staff, and student representatives welcomed the educational potential of AI but raised concerns about the rollout, saying it had moved quickly and without enough consultation or consistent systemwide policy. They urged stronger protections for academic freedom, intellectual property, privacy, equity, and worker input, and warned about bias, surveillance, job displacement, and the environmental cost of AI. Legislators pressed CSU and OpenAI representatives on training requirements, data privacy, bias reporting, discipline for misuse, liability, sycophancy, and safeguards against harmful uses such as non-consensual imagery or self-harm-related interactions. CSU said interactions in the licensed tool are private, data are not used to train models, and campuses retain their own conduct processes; members also asked CSU to follow up on systemwide training, policy consistency, and additional safeguards.

Transcript Highlights:

• Any amount over that has to be contracted out.
• You can see we executed a contract on December 22nd.
• We anticipate getting that contract underway soon.
• You can see we executed a contract on December 22nd.
• We anticipate getting that contract underway soon.

Summary: The Transportation Committee met for an organizational session and received a presentation from Washington State Department of Transportation and Washington State Ferries staff on recovery from the December atmospheric river storms. Committee members were introduced, and staff outlined a new process for submitting proviso and project requests through an online app, with members directed to work through their caucus policy staff. The chair also announced caucus meetings and noted staff changes for the session. WSDOT and WSF described emergency response operations, including statewide activations, damage assessment, and the use of emergency declarations to speed repairs. Staff explained how they pursue federal reimbursement through FHWA Emergency Relief and, separately, FEMA for debris removal, while noting that permanent repairs still require environmental clearances. They reported more than 50 emergency work orders, 16 emergency contracts, about 107 road sites closed at one point, and an initial damage estimate of roughly $30 million. Examples of storm damage and recovery included US 2 near Skykomish and Tumwater Canyon, US 12 near Naches, Highway 410, Highway 42 near Mount Baker, I-90 shoulder damage, and a major US 101 slope failure near Forks that will require longer-term geotechnical work. Members asked about environmental permitting, bridge impacts, flood coordination with the Army Corps of Engineers, and whether emergency declarations allow broader actions; staff said the declaration mainly speeds stabilization and contracting, does not change tolling authority, and does not waive environmental requirements. No votes were taken.