Transcript Highlights:

• Something about the violence and the other unhealthy behaviors that are so easily amplified on digital
• And some of this encourages self-harm and maladaptive behavior.
• And so many of our kids have mental behavioral challenges.
• And so many of our kids have mental behavioral challenges.
• Behavioral health is taught. It mentions opioid addiction. Behavioral health is taught.

Bills: AB52, AB76, AB163, AB388, AB483

Keywords: health insurance, claims process, insurance regulation, admin penalties, healthcare access, cannabis, cannabis establishment, medical cannabis, adult-use cannabis, advertising regulations, packaging requirements, unlicensed cannabis activities, state prosecution, confidentiality, Cannabis Compliance Board, disciplinary proceedings, mental health, counseling, interstate practice, telehealth

Transcript Highlights:

• The three bills that encompass this article are Senate File 4726, which is the DHS behavioral health
• Sections 13 and 22 direct the commissioner to rebase rates for certain certified community behavioral
• Madam Chair, this would be incorporating language from a bill of mine, or it modifies youth intervention
• The youth intervention program grant administrator and DCYF have worked together to address issues
• <00:30:15.840> program<00:30:16.880> um<00:30:17.120> grant youth intervention

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The research indicates that therapy interventions, diverting low-risk youth away from incarceration,
• These interventions are effective ways to reduce recidivism and delinquency in the long term.
• Moving to slide fourteen, it describes how New Mexico has gaps and declines in its behavioral health
• services, and then it's lacking behavioral health.
• So, for example, the health care authority certainly delivers behavioral health services.

Transcript Highlights:

• Crisis intervention, advocacy, assistance applying for protective orders, safe housing, transportation
• that the Office of Restorative Practices grants might fund and focus on, things that the Youth Intervention
• Program might fund and focus on, and things that, say, the Community Crime Intervention Program or other
• By transferring these individuals to the MHU at Oak Park Heights, our staff and behavioral health personnel
• Our ability to begin that intervention, stabilization, and so forth really matters, and it can improve

Bills: HF2432

Keywords: HF2432, judiciary finance bill, public safety finance bill, corrections policy, crime victims, victim services, Minnesota victims of crime account, court fees, marriage license fee, financial crimes, fraud investigations, insurance fraud, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, BCA, Commerce Fraud Bureau, wage theft, automobile theft prevention, nonprofit security grants, 911 funding, POST Board

Transcript Highlights:

• And if you behavior never occurs. ers.
• behavioral health. behavioral health.
• . um for behaviors outside of their<04:31:36.880> control.
• This isn't for people with a clinical reason for their behavior.
• Um, but we do sometimes just behavior.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we consider it a first-line health intervention.
• We do everything from food security, substance misuse prevention, and behavioral health.
• and really focus their work specifically on behavioral health.
• health support... ...allocated in 2025, that's very much focused on behavioral health supports and a
• key partner in implementing SB 3, the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These are core public health interventions.
• , more frequent emergency interventions, increased staff burnout, and turnover.
• <01:49:14.719> uh is the primary intervention uh is the primary intervention uh intervention
• <01:51:00.800> outreach drops or behaviors change, outreach drops or behaviors change, outreach
• > are<02:17:12.080> widely and related interventions are widely and related interventions

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Hannah experienced each of these elements, and there were opportunities for intervention that did not
• They target predator behavior, not educators. Thank you for your time.
• The student support intervention resource model will be supported by the department through statewide
• support intervention The student support intervention resource<00:48:23.400> model<00:48:24.240
• But it's a good thing to have early identification of special education needs and early intervention

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• How would a teacher ever know if they are directing the upbringing of a child or just providing behavioral
• We can do those interventions sooner. We can prolong long healthy lives.
• We can do those interventions sooner. We can prolong long healthy lives.
• We can do those interventions sooner. We can prolong long healthy lives.
• We can do those interventions sooner. We can prolong long healthy lives.

Bills: HF22, HF45

Keywords: parent's bill of rights, parental rights, minor consent, minors, parents, guardians, education rights, school records, home schooling, charter school, private school, health care consent, medical privacy, patient records, exam room access, biometric data, DNA samples, blood samples, mental health, physical health

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there a reason that we are not requiring both the early intervention family, infant toddler program
• the requirement to perform what is an actual evidence-based practice, which is screening, brief intervention
• birth, but if you're in a 6 month, say, pediatric appointment or what have you, and you observe behavior
• proximity to the services that they are trying to access, including substance abuse treatment, behavioral
• unclear whether these boxes address the root causes of unsafe abandonment or whether alternative interventions

Transcript Highlights:

• TMA on this list: emergency care, interventional necessary care, and primary care provided by a physician
• I'm an interventional radiologist. I practice in San Antonio.
• anesthesia for medically necessary dental interventions.
• I'm an interventional radiologist in San Antonio, chair of the TMA's Council on Legislation.
• Bottom line members. inpatient admission or surgical intervention at all.

Bills: SB227, SB269, SB407, SB463, SB527, SB547, SB1283, SB1380, SB1383, SB1511, SB1640, SB1784, SB2069

Keywords: school funding, education reform, state budget, property taxes, equity in education, healthcare policy, vaccines, exemptions, religious beliefs, public health, workplace violence, healthcare facilities, definition expansion, safety regulations, health and safety code, health insurance, anesthesia, pediatric dental services, coverage, medical necessity

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services met with several members initially absent, then later established a quorum. The committee heard multiple bills, with most testimony focusing on access to care, insurance practices, senior safety, and health care worker protections. Several bills were laid out with committee substitutes, and public testimony was limited to two minutes per witness. Most bills were left pending after testimony, with no final votes taken in the portion provided. Senate Bill 2069 would create a work group to study the feasibility of a statewide acute psychiatric bed registry; the substitute shifts appointment authority to the Health and Human Services Commissioner and extends reporting and sunset dates. Senate Bill 463 would expand workplace violence protections to additional hospice, home and community support, intermediate care, and state-supported living center settings. Senate Bill 1283 would require background checks and transparency measures for senior retirement communities after testimony about the Dallas-area serial killings of elderly residents. Senate Bill 1784 would require 60 days’ written notice before medical debt is sent to collections. Senate Bill 527 would require medical insurance coverage for general anesthesia for medically necessary pediatric dental procedures for children under 13 with qualifying conditions; pediatric dentists testified that denials delay needed care. A major portion of the meeting centered on prior authorization. Senate Bill 1380 would eliminate prior authorization for a broad list of services, including emergency, primary, mental health, substance use, chemotherapy, preventive, pediatric hospice, and certain chronic-condition care. Physicians and hospice advocates supported the bill, describing delays, administrative burden, and patient harm, while health plans opposed blanket exemptions and argued prior authorization helps prevent unnecessary care and control costs. Relatedly, Senate Bill 547 would require insurers to report gold-card prior authorization exemptions to TDI and create a centralized database and annual report; TMA supported better tracking, while health plans warned of duplicative reporting and administrative cost. Senate Bill 407 would require health care facilities to honor conscience- and religion-based vaccine exemptions for employees, with testimony from a physician and vaccine-choice advocate supporting the bill. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1383, which would regulate senior living referral agencies, allow more flexible compensation structures, and add disclosure and consumer protections; an out-of-state referral company and A Place for Mom supported it. Senate Bill 1511 would allow freestanding emergency centers to provide outpatient services in addition to emergency care, with consumer protections such as estimates, limits on facility fees, and restrictions on balance billing. The chair repeatedly announced that bills were being left pending after testimony, and no final committee action or recorded votes were taken in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• support because it is an intervention for districts that are unwilling and unable to...
• And that is a referral for state intervention to the California Superintendent of Public Instruction.
• support because it is an intervention for districts that are unwilling and unable to, support because
• And that is a referral for state intervention to the California superintendent of public instruction.
• This allocation of funds aligns with updates to local educational agency assistance and intervention

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

Transcript Highlights:

• It comes through the Behavioral Risk Factor Survey.
• In both of the cases of the behavioral risk factor survey, which is adults, and the youth risk behavior
• behavior survey which is youth um the behavior survey which is youth um the data<00:59:20.640> um<
• There needs to be an intervention. Why would TACS not make that?
• This data comes from that youth risk behavioral survey.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division III work session focused on the Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Public Health Services budget. Department staff said Public Health has a relatively small budget compared with other DHHS divisions, is supported mostly by federal and other non-General funds, and contains nearly 100 accounting units and more than 50 federal grants. They emphasized that the governor’s budget did not include significant cuts, but that federal funding uncertainty and the winding down of pandemic-era resources were major factors affecting the division. The division also explained that some apparent budget growth reflects reorganizations, including moving the Bureau of Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery and some programs from other DHHS divisions into Public Health. The presentation described Public Health’s mission as serving the entire state through food and water safety, disease surveillance, emergency response, maternal and child health, chronic disease prevention, WIC, community health center support, and public health data collection. Members asked about bird flu, and staff explained that human-health response would involve Public Health’s lab, infectious disease, and emergency preparedness units, while animal-health issues are handled with the Department of Agriculture; they also noted ongoing milk testing requested by FDA and USDA. The division said its organizational structure includes bureaus for Family Health and Nutrition, Infectious Disease Control, Public Health Protection, Emergency Preparedness, Prevention and Wellness, Statistics and Informatics, and Public Health Laboratories, with about a 15% vacancy rate. Committee members questioned whether the division’s budget and staffing had really grown since pre-COVID, and staff responded that full-time authorized staffing is about the same as in 2018, with the increase largely due to federal pandemic funding that has since receded and to program transfers between divisions. They said Public Health’s General Fund share is about $24 million out of roughly $1.1 billion in DHHS General Fund spending, or about 2.2% of the department total. Members also asked about the 3,000-position cap and unfunded positions; staff explained that the cap remains in chapter law through June 30, 2025, that 394 positions were unfunded in the governor’s budget, and that the division expects flexibility to move money from personnel lines and fill unfunded positions to manage changing needs. No votes or formal actions were taken in this portion of the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• behavior.
• behavior.
• Do you, the community behavioral health centers, are you a... ...Do you, the community behavioral health
• We also operate three community behavioral health centers and two behavioral health urgent care mental
• We also operate three community behavioral health centers and two behavioral health urgent care mental

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing on a large docket focused on primary care, workforce development, and medical debt. Chairs Cindy Friedman and John Lawn outlined hearing procedures and noted that testimony would be taken on 17 matters. The committee first heard testimony on bills to establish a community health center nurse practitioner residency program and to strengthen mental health centers. Senator Keenan, Rep. Keefe, and health center leaders described the Worcester nurse practitioner residency as a successful pipeline and retention strategy, citing workforce shortages, training needs in community health centers, and the cost of the program. Rep. O’Day also supported the mental health centers bill, saying it would raise payment rates, improve reimbursement for behavioral health services, and help clinics retain staff and expand access. The committee then took testimony on bills to address medical debt through hospital financial assistance reform. The Attorney General’s Office, Health Care for All, Health Law Advocates, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and individual patients supported the measure, arguing that hospital financial assistance policies are inconsistent, hard to find, and difficult to navigate. Witnesses said the bill would standardize eligibility criteria, create a uniform application, improve notice requirements, and expand access to discounted care up to 400% of the federal poverty level. Several personal stories described medical bills being sent to collections, confusion over insurance billing, and the burden of debt on low-income and chronically ill patients. Committee members asked about hospital concerns, the role of the health safety net, and whether the bill addressed root causes of medical debt; testimony emphasized that the proposal was meant to improve transparency and access rather than replace broader insurance reforms. The hearing also focused heavily on “Primary Care for You” legislation, H. 1370 and S. 867, which would increase primary care investment and create a new payment model. Rep. Haggerty, physicians, a patient, community health center leaders, and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers described a primary care crisis marked by low reimbursement, staffing shortages, long waits, burnout, and difficulty recruiting clinicians. Supporters said the bills would shift spending toward preventive, team-based care, improve access and equity, and reduce long-term costs. The Massachusetts Association of Health Plans said it was directionally supportive of increased primary care investment but warned that any new spending must stay within the cost growth benchmark and preserve existing contracting structures. The hearing ended with additional testimony on a community health center workforce and loan repayment grant bill from Rep. Stanley, and with further discussion from Dr. Alan Garo about the need for payment reform in primary care.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,<01:13:54.800> the providers regarding interventions, the providers regarding interventions
• legislative leaison for behavioral legislative leaison for behavioral health<03:13:48.560> at
• on his behavior every 15 minutes. on his behavior every 15 minutes.
• Um, and both emotionally, behaviorally, and medically.
• I'm the legislative liaison for behavioral health at DHS.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The department is more focused on making behavioral changes.
• Generally, about 12% of children come into care because of a child’s behaviors.
• So that’s a Jacobs Law issue, where the parent is saying, “This child has a behavior.
• Generally, about 12% of children come into care because of a child’s behaviors.
• The other piece is the behavioral health component, where they have to receive certain behavioral health

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee met to review Department of Child Safety reforms developed after oversight hearings on the deaths of Emily Pike, Zariah Dodd, and Rebecca Baptiste. Members described a stakeholder process involving tribes, DCS, law enforcement, county attorneys, schools, and advocates that produced several bills already moving through the Legislature or signed by the governor. Those measures include SB 1125 on tribal-DCS information sharing, a bill requiring schools to provide records to DCS in investigations, a duty-to-report bill requiring direct knowledge, a hotline bill allowing DCS to consider 90 days of prior reports and route repeat cases to more experienced staff, a bill allowing attorneys to share more safety information with judges, and a requirement for advanced forensic interviews within 72 hours in sexual abuse cases. The chair emphasized that reforms are needed across DCS, the courts, and attorneys, and that the San Carlos Tribe’s letter would be entered into the record. DCS Director Catherine Patak presented 2025 agency data, saying the hotline received nearly 160,000 calls and 43,000 cases were investigated, while the out-of-home care population stayed relatively steady at just over 7,000 children. She reported 3,000 reunifications, 1,300 adoptions, 800 guardianships, 1,100 young adults receiving transition services, 534 new foster homes licensed, a 50% reimbursement increase for older youth caregivers, a 40% drop in youth missing from care since September 2024, and a 30% reduction in fatalities of children in care since 2024. She also discussed the annual fatality review process, noting 123 alleged fatality or near-fatality reports in the review period, 52 with prior DCS involvement, and systemic themes such as support for teens with complex needs, collaboration with law enforcement and the courts, and better staff support. Patak answered questions about group-home notification rules, saying DCS is updating rules to remove “runaway” and “AWOL” and use “missing” consistently, while also considering a statute change for the timing of notifications. She said about 300 children in care are there because of behavioral issues after adoption, and members raised concerns about insufficient behavioral health services for adopted children and the need for better training and support in group homes. Senators also asked about placement practices for sexually abused children and whether staff gender matching is considered; Patak said she was not aware of a specific requirement and would look into it. The committee then heard from Malcolm Hightower of Casey Family Programs, who said Arizona is generally near the national average on child welfare measures, does better than average on kin placements, but has a higher-than-average share of children in congregate care and slightly lower permanency within two years. He noted Arizona’s safety outcomes are roughly in line with national rates and urged continued cross-branch collaboration and timely information sharing. A final presentation from KC Melsick of Collaborative Safety focused on the agency’s systemic critical incident review model. He argued that child welfare and other public systems should move away from blame-focused responses after tragedies and toward a “safety culture” that examines system factors, near misses, and decision-making. He said Arizona has used this approach since 2016, with reported improvements including reduced turnover, and that the model is similar to after-action reviews used in the military and root-cause analysis in healthcare. Members discussed applying the same approach more broadly across state agencies. The committee ended with expressions of appreciation for the bill sponsors, DCS staff, tribal partners, and ongoing work, and adjourned with plans to continue the reforms in the interim and next session.

Transcript Highlights:

• But the type of proceedings and the type of client behavior and attorney behavior that can be, you know
• , it can be at the attorney behavior sometimes they weaponize the court system and drive up fees for
• You could be, your behavior could lead to... ...is usually around fees.
• Could they be penalized for any of their behavior?
• And so I think this reigns all of that in. ...and really attorney expectations and behavior.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice met with a quorum and took up several bills before returning to the budget and public testimony. CS/SB 600 on bail bonds was explained as revising bail bond agent training, limiting solicitation, clarifying partial release procedures, and directing clerks to automatically discharge certain bonds when detention is ordered; an amendment adjusted cash bond return rules, charitable bail fund treatment, forfeiture remission timing, and clerk procedures. The bill and amendments were adopted, and CS/SB 600 was reported favorably after supportive appearances from clerks and industry stakeholders. The committee then approved CS/SB 436 on felony battery, which expands qualifying prior offenses for felony reclassification and adds felony battery resulting in bodily injury to prison release offender status, after a technical amendment and supportive testimony from law enforcement. CS/SB 928, known as Missy’s Law, requiring immediate remand to custody upon conviction of dangerous crimes, drew both support and opposition; defense lawyers warned of unintended effects on co-defendants and docket management, while the victim’s family supported the measure. The bill was reported favorably. CS/SB 1332 on career offender registration, requiring more frequent in-person registration and stricter reporting, also passed favorably. The committee next approved a substitute amendment and then CS/SB 682 on violent criminal offenses, which strengthens domestic violence penalties, electronic monitoring, injunction protections, and related procedures, including military protective orders and body camera use. CS/SB 1072 creating an anti-Semitism task force in the Attorney General’s Office was reported favorably after extensive public debate over definitions, free speech concerns, and representation on the task force; the sponsor said the bill does not criminalize criticism of Israel but addresses threats and intimidation. CS/CS/SB 532 on clerks of the court was also approved, authorizing clerks to retain more revenue and, through amendment, clarifying foreclosure sale procedures and clerk administration of judicial sales. Finally, the committee heard the criminal and civil justice budget overview, described as a $7.9 billion proposal focused on corrections, juvenile justice, law enforcement, and courts. Public testimony centered heavily on prison conditions, staffing, heat, infrastructure, and inmate care, with speakers urging higher pay, better transparency, and more investment in facilities and air conditioning. The chair announced that SB 1632 and its conforming bill would be temporarily postponed and read into the record the many registered supporters and opponents. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• support approximately 1 in 5 foster youth statewide, including many children with higher acuity, behavioral
• George Cruz on behalf of the California Behavioral Health Association.
• statewide public awareness campaign on perimenopause and menopause; public education and early intervention
• improves health outcomes and reduce stigma around behavioral and physical health that often go untreated
• improves health outcomes and reduce stigma around behavioral and physical health that often go and try

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services held a hearing on the Governor’s May Revision, with no votes taken. The first major discussion focused on child care and early education, including proposed reductions tied to federal Child Care and Development Fund and Proposition 64 revenue changes, the shift of reductions from general child care to the California Alternative Payment Program, the end of funding for prospective pay implementation, a 2.01% cost-of-living adjustment, child care infrastructure grants, and a proposal to increase administrative funding for alternative payment agencies. The Legislative Analyst’s Office generally supported removing prospective pay funding and urged caution on the administrative-rate shift, while also recommending more justification for the slot reduction approach and more detail on infrastructure grant alignment. Committee members strongly objected to eliminating about 6,000 child care slots, arguing the Legislature should preserve and expand child care access. The Department of Education supported the preschool QRIS block grant increase and the COLA but raised concerns about rate alignment for three- and four-year-olds and the lack of funding to maintain enrollment growth. The committee then reviewed trailer bill language affecting child care, including codifying age-based reimbursement categories, expanding documentation for enhanced inclusion rates, clarifying CalWORKs child care eligibility, aligning health and safety standards with federal requirements, coordinating disaster-related infrastructure funding, and updating oversight language. Administration officials said the proposals were intended to support the single reimbursement rate structure, improve safety compliance, and coordinate disaster recovery funding. LAO said it had no major initial concerns with the trailer bill language but would continue reviewing it. The hearing then turned to CalFresh and nutrition programs. CDSS described projected caseload declines, a one-time augmentation for county administration to implement federal H.R. 1 changes, a proposed reassessment schedule for county administrative funding, and updated estimates that H.R. 1 could cut CalFresh funding by $2.3 billion to $3.7 billion annually and affect about 500,000 people. Members pressed the administration on the impact of H.R. 1, the “chilling effect” on immigrant households, county workload, and whether the state should backfill federal cuts, especially for families with children subject to new work requirements. The committee also discussed a one-time CalFood augmentation, state administrative expense funding, staffing for H.R. 1 implementation, and a small increase to the CACFP meal reimbursement rate. Finally, the committee began IHSS items, including the impact of reinstating the Medi-Cal asset limit, automatic IHSS termination tied to Medi-Cal loss, and related savings and caseload estimates, with the administration explaining that these proposals would reduce eligibility and that there is no broad substitute for IHSS for many recipients.

Transcript Highlights:

• , services to receive early intervention, services to receive early intervention, remain<08:47:41.040
• This could mean a student with dyslexia would no longer receive daily reading interventions.
• behavioral services. behavioral services.
• .<09:26:07.200> Early<09:26:07.596> intervention<09:26:08.320> care intervention
• Early intervention care intervention.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's designed to provide interventions to assist students to avoid them needing more intensive services
• It's designed to provide interventions to assist students to avoid them needing more intensive services
• It's designed to provide interventions to assist students to avoid them needing more intensive services
• It's designed to provide interventions to assist students to avoid them needing more intensive services
• <01:36:39.360> of would say jeers to that behavior of would say jeers to that behavior of

Keywords: 1187, senate, all