Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, for the majority we've received.
• Where the majority of the changes are just to update the fiscal years.
• Chairman, and Major General Greer, thank you for your service.
• We had been working prior to the budget with other sources of money.
• We'll outline the sources of funding for the department.

Committee: House Appropriations

Summary: The committee began a series of House Appropriations budget hearings focused on the fiscal year 2026-2027 executive budget, the preamble, and the executive department. Staff presented revenue and spending trends showing projected declines in revenues alongside increasing expenditures, with members emphasizing the need for a standstill budget and additional efficiencies. The House Fiscal Division also reviewed the FY25 surplus and FY26 excess, the constitutional uses of surplus funds, and the overall FY27 budget structure, including the distinction between discretionary and non-discretionary spending. The commissioner of administration described the administration’s use of one-time money, efficiency reviews, and budget reductions, while members asked about revenue forecasts, the motor vehicle sales tax dedication, corporate tax changes, and the impact of federal policy changes on state costs, especially SNAP and Medicaid administration. The committee then moved through several executive department agencies. The Division of Administration presentation covered its budget, vacancies, debt service, and reductions tied to statewide adjustments and efficiency measures. GOSEP’s functions were described as transferred into the Department of Military Affairs under Act 262 of 2025, and military officials outlined the new combined structure, emergency response duties, overseas deployments, youth programs, and concerns about future federal funding. The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority reviewed its largely dedicated funding and explained that large apparent balances reflect long-term project planning and multi-year capital work. The Office of the State Inspector General presented a budget increase for consulting services tied to the governor’s DOGE-style efficiency initiative, and the inspector general said the effort had identified nearly $1 billion in savings across the executive branch, largely through eligibility reviews in Medicaid and SNAP and implementation of prior audit recommendations. Members raised questions throughout about how budget figures were calculated, why some totals appeared to rise while state general fund support fell, and how federal changes would affect state agencies. There were also questions about the transition of GOSEP into Military Affairs, the status of school safety centers, and whether the new structure would change local emergency responsibilities. No formal votes or amendments were taken during the portion provided; the meeting consisted of presentations, explanations, and member questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Like an ATM except they're using the crypto account as the funding source.
• Yeah. like an ATM except they're using the crypto account as the funding source.
• Witness: I mean, the vast majority, as you saw, the vast majority of people are elderly in my age, and
• Blue has five major business units. New Shepard is here... Blue has five major business units.
• Washington has major space anchor firms.

Summary: The committee first heard a work session on cryptocurrency kiosks from the Department of Financial Institutions and Spokane City Councilmember Paul Dillon. DFI described crypto kiosks as licensed money transmission terminals that allow cash purchases of virtual currency, and said the main concern is fraud: scammers often pressure victims, especially older adults, to deposit cash into kiosks and send it to wallets controlled by organized crime. DFI cited a sharp increase in kiosk volume, nationwide fraud complaints and losses, and said Washington currently has licensing and disclosure rules but lacks transaction and fee limits. The department said it is seeking stronger disclosures, a $1,000 daily transaction limit, and a fee cap. Spokane described its unanimous ordinance banning new kiosks and removing existing ones after local scam reports, and members asked about how the machines work, whether the fraud is in the hardware or the transaction, and whether stronger warnings or screening could help. The committee then reviewed home equity sharing agreements, or CHISAs, based on a report by Mariana Amaram and testimony from DFI and industry representatives. The report found that CHISAs provide homeowners a lump sum in exchange for a share of future home value or appreciation, with no monthly payments, but that consumers often struggle to understand the products and settlement calculations. The report said the market has grown quickly in Washington, that costs can be hard to predict, and that early uncapped contracts could produce very high settlement amounts, especially during periods of rising home prices. DFI said it views these products as mortgage loans and is moving forward with rulemaking, including counseling and clearer disclosures, while industry witnesses said the products are equity-based rather than debt-based and asked for tailored regulation. Members discussed the need for better consumer education, clearer payoff schedules, and whether the products should be treated as mortgages or a separate category. The final panel focused on Washington’s space economy, with presentations from Amazon Leo, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, Space Northwest, and Green River College. Speakers highlighted major in-state investments in satellite manufacturing, launch systems, and workforce training, including Amazon Leo’s Redmond and Kirkland facilities, Blue Origin’s Kent headquarters, and Stoke Space’s Kent manufacturing and Moses Lake test site. Space Northwest presented data showing the sector’s growing economic footprint, high-wage jobs, and regional clusters in Kent and Redmond, and urged more workforce programs, incentives, infrastructure support, and a state space commission. The companies emphasized local hiring, apprenticeship and certification programs, and the role of Washington’s aerospace supply chain in supporting the broader space industry. No votes were taken during the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a majority of time, it's been on the Higher Education Committee as ranking member, both the House
• And then various sources there, as Sarah mentioned, the general revenue bond reporting.
• All of the data that we provide here originate from publicly available data sources.
• WIA comes from two different sources.
• I underline, highlight, Starr, emphasize that. state and local sources.

Committee: Joint Joint Higher Education Committee

Summary: The Joint Higher Education Committee met with introductions from members and then held a work session on higher education and statewide accounting practices. OFM Deputy Director Sarah Rupp explained how state and university accounting/reporting differ, including current AFRS/SAM requirements and the transition to Workday/WAM, and described what higher education data are currently included in state reporting versus what will remain excluded, such as transaction-level detail and vendor payment information. University of Washington and Washington State University officials then described the complexity of their institutions’ financial structures, including multiple campuses, auxiliary enterprises, component units, hospitals, clinics, bonds, and other reporting obligations, and how they submit summarized data to the state while maintaining more detailed local accounting systems. The Education Research and Data Center also presented the public four-year finance dashboard created under Senate Bill 5512, emphasizing that the metrics are best used to examine trends within institutions rather than direct comparisons across schools; members asked about data availability and federal reporting delays, and ERDC said it was on track to update the dashboard with newer data and additional metrics. The committee then heard a presentation from the Washington Student Achievement Council on the Workforce Education Investment Account (WIA). Joel Anderson reviewed WIA’s creation under House Bill 2158, its revenue sources, and its intended purpose of supporting postsecondary attainment, high-demand fields, student aid, and workforce education. He said WIA revenue has grown substantially, especially after recent tax changes, and noted that most current appropriations go to higher education, including the Washington College Grant, community and four-year institutions, and some workforce-related programs. Members asked whether WIA supports apprenticeships and trades, and Anderson said it has in some cases, though nearly all current appropriations are now within higher education. Anderson also highlighted a major policy shift in the 2025-27 budget: WIA is now being used to supplant some general-fund higher education spending, especially a large transfer for University of Washington general operations. He said this has reduced the general fund share of higher education funding and increased the share from WIA, raising concerns about whether the account is still being used as originally intended. He also described how WIA is increasingly covering Washington College Grant caseload growth and faculty compensation costs, and said WSAC is working to improve public documentation of ongoing and carry-forward appropriations. The committee did not take any substantive votes on the presentation topics and then moved toward executive session and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a majority of time, it's been on the Higher Education Committee as ranking member, both the House
• And then various sources there, as Sarah mentioned, the general revenue bond reporting.
• All of the data that we provide here originate from publicly available data sources.
• WIA comes from two different sources.
• I underline, highlight, Starr, emphasize that. state and local sources.

Committee: Joint Joint Higher Education Committee

Summary: The Joint Higher Education Committee met for a work session on higher education accounting practices and financial transparency. OFM Deputy Director Sarah Rupp explained how state accounting rules and higher education reporting differ, including what data is captured in AFRS today and what will move into Workday, with universities generally reporting summary-level fund data, mandatory codes, and most balance sheet and income statement activity, but not transaction-level detail or vendor payment information. Representatives from the University of Washington and Washington State University described the complexity of their own accounting systems, the many entities and business lines they must track for audits and compliance, and the need to reconcile university-level accrual accounting with state reporting requirements. The committee also heard from the Education Research and Data Center on the public four-year finance dashboard created under Senate Bill 5512; ERDC said the dashboard is based on publicly available data, is best used to examine institutions individually rather than compare them directly, and will be updated with additional metrics in 2025 and 2026. The committee then received a presentation from the Washington Student Achievement Council on the Workforce Education Investment Account (WIA). Joel Anderson reviewed WIA’s creation under House Bill 2158, its revenue sources, and its intended uses for higher education, financial aid, and workforce development. He said recent legislation significantly increased WIA revenues and that, in the 2025–27 budget, the account is being used in new ways, including to replace general fund support for University of Washington operations and to fund a larger share of the Washington College Grant and some faculty compensation costs. Anderson said roughly 98% of current WIA appropriations go to higher education, but the share used to supplant other higher education funding has grown, and he estimated about 60% to 70% of current spending still aligns with the account’s original intent. He also described a new effort to track WIA appropriations across biennia in more detail and noted the WIA Oversight Board’s role in recommending uses of the account and monitoring outcomes. No votes were taken; the committee ended by moving into executive session for staffing issues and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Most certainly, Christa is a source of pride for the entire district.
• Most certainly, Christa is a source of pride for the entire district.
• Most certainly, Christa is a source of pride for the entire district.
• Most certainly, Christa is a source of pride for the entire district.
• Eternal God, the source of our being, before we were born you knew us.

Bills: HR878 , HB2659 , HB1608 , HB2261 , SB260 , HB5078 , HB2212 , HR782 , SB2392

Keywords: cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, CISA, Department of Homeland Security, DHS, FBI, interagency task force, Volt Typhoon, People’s Republic of China, PRC, state-sponsored cyber actors, Chinese cyber threats, cyber espionage, critical infrastructure protection, homeland security, national security, information sharing, threat intelligence, digital forensics, sector risk management agencies

Transcript Highlights:

• I echo the words of the majority leader. I somewhat agree.
• At one time, we had three funding sources.
• So you have three different funding sources.
• Now, I will make it known as just a reminder where a large majority of that money went.
• As was mentioned, ISP lost a dedicated funding source.

Committee: Senate Local Government and Taxation

Transcript Highlights:

• We appreciate that House Bill 1717 has the potential to create new sources of local funding that can
• That funding source is an essential revenue source for county planning departments and allows us to be
• Immigrants in Washington are major taxpayers. They contribute nearly... Kids in Washington.
• Immigrants in Washington are major taxpayers.
• Immigrants in Washington are major taxpayers.

Bills: HB1717 , HB1859

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: affordable housing, sales tax, housing programs, tax incentives, economic development, religious organizations, development, housing opportunities, land use

Transcript Highlights:

• So I guess the major factor that we're seeing driving that benefit increase is that overall increase
• The vast majority of insurers and self-insured employers already transmit their payment via EFT, but
• , and it's normalized those data sources.
• We reviewed these proposals for fund source and purposes.
• The department has two funding sources: the Cannabis Control Fund and the Cannabis Tax Fund.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee 5 on State Administration held a May Revise hearing focused on state administration proposals, with the chair noting no actions would be taken and all items would remain open. The committee heard presentations on a range of budget proposals, including technical adjustments for the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement and the California Workforce Development Board, security and election-related funding for the Secretary of State, modernization and loan-backfill requests for the Department of Consumer Affairs, and multiple Employment Development Department updates covering EDD Next, UI and DI/PFL benefit estimates, workforce funding, and an EMT training reappropriation. Several items drew discussion from the LAO and committee members. The LAO generally supported technical or modernization items such as PERB’s implementation requests, GoServe’s College Corps adjustment, the Secretary of State’s security and HAVA grant items, and the Board of Pharmacy modernization proposal, but raised concerns about the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education’s proposed $10 million General Fund backfill and interest-free loan language. For EDD, the LAO flagged the size of the DI/PFL benefit adjustment and the unusual structure of the document management system proposal within EDD Next, while EDD said the changes reflected higher participation and benefit levels after SB 951 and ongoing modernization needs. The Department of Industrial Relations drew the most extensive questioning. It proposed funding for legal unit reclassifications, EAMS and Cal/OSHA data modernization, a new Cal/OSHA emerging technologies unit, a COYA reappropriation, and trailer bill changes requiring electronic payment of employer assessments and adjusting the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board timeline. Members pressed DIR on high vacancy rates, long wage theft and workers’ compensation backlogs, low collection rates for fines, and the need for clearer workload and outcome measures. DIR said the requests were intended to improve efficiency, support audits and corrective action plans, and better address emerging workplace risks, while the LAO said the workload drivers behind delays remain unclear. The hearing also included support for CalHR’s employee assistance program consolidation and CDT’s proposal to expand “Poppy,” a statewide generative AI assistant for state employees.

Transcript Highlights:

• Almighty King, our source of eternal wisdom, power, and love, lead us through the changes of this life
• The chair now recognizes the gentleman from Green County, the majority leader. Good morning, Mr.
• Push for wood that protect Majority Susumu and T.R. Ancient Marchant Tron.
• This is the source. Children do not need to view pornography.
• This is the source. Children do not need to view pornography.

Summary: The Missouri House met with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the House Journal for March 3, 2026 by a 122-0 roll call vote. The chamber also spent a long portion of the morning recognizing special guests, including Special Olympics athletes, occupational therapy and social work students and professionals, teachers, civic leaders, and other visitors in the gallery. On legislation, the House perfected and printed House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2974, which would codify telehealth access within Missouri’s licensed reciprocity law. Supporters said it would help seniors and rural residents access care and ensure reciprocity licensees can provide telehealth services. The House also perfected and printed House Bill 2934, a bipartisan St. Louis convention-center governance bill that would merge existing entities, create a new board with city, county, and state appointments, and clarify funding and tax authority for the convention district. An amendment narrowing governor appointments to two city, two county, and one at-large member was adopted before final approval. The House likewise perfected and printed House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2057, a technical fix allowing Osage Beach to create an entertainment district; supporters said it would promote tourism and economic development and align the city with similar districts elsewhere in Missouri. The most contentious debate was on House Committee Substitute for House Bills 1839, 2921, and 3515, which require age verification for pornographic websites. Supporters framed the measure as child protection and cited the Supreme Court’s Texas decision and the Attorney General’s enforcement rule; opponents raised privacy concerns, questioned effectiveness, and argued it could push users toward less scrupulous sites. A proposed amendment to extend the bill to firearms and ammunition websites was ruled not germane, the previous question was ordered 92-44, and the substitute was adopted. The combined bill package was then perfected and printed by a 104-16 vote with 20 present, and the House recessed until 2 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• When we look at ASC service trends across the United States and where the majority of these interventions
• We're just asking that Washington join the near majority of states that already allow it.
• Ingredients must be sourced from FDA-registered manufacturers.
• Ingredients must be sourced from FDA-registered manufacturers and be accompanied by a certificate of
• HB 2613 includes three major provisions in conflict with Section 503A of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic

Bills: HB2545 , HB2613 , HB1496 , HB2155 , HB2283 , HB2340 , HB2425 , HB2437 , HB2577

Committee: House Health Care & Wellness

Keywords: healthcare, patients, cardiovascular procedures, outpatient services, surgical facilities, HB2613, compounded medications, compounded drugs, pharmacy compounding, bulk drug substances, active pharmaceutical ingredients, API, drug safety, patient safety, pharmacy license, Washington pharmacy law, RCW 18.64, Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, FDA, pharmaceutical compounding

Transcript Highlights:

• Florida, the state and local governments have aimed to stop the flow of harmful materials at the source
• The majority of plastic that ends up in our waterways comes from land-based sources through improper
• of Floridians and the majority of local governments want to take action to address the pollution crisis
• Majority. I’m sorry. Yeah, I’m sorry, Ranking Member Skidmore. I apologize again. I’m sorry.
• And I think oftentimes we make rules that negatively impact a majority of people.

Summary: The Natural Resources and Disaster Subcommittee met and heard several bills on boating, anchoring, plastics, coastal resilience, and permitting. HB 735, expanding the Boating Improvement Program to fund boat-trailer parking at public ramps and offering a submerged land lease discount for manufacturers using environmental best practices, drew no opposition and was reported favorably. HB 371, a nature-based coastal resilience bill, was amended with a strike-all and then reported favorably with committee substitute. HB 287, allowing building or plumbing permits to move forward while septic system permits are still under review, also passed favorably after testimony from the onsite wastewater industry and a brief debate about construction delays and final occupancy certification. The committee also took up HB 565 on auxiliary containers, which would preempt local regulation of items like bags, cups, and bottles and maintain statewide uniformity. The sponsor argued it protects consumer choice and business consistency, while environmental groups, PTA representatives, and others warned it would worsen plastic pollution, microplastics, and local cleanup burdens. Despite opposition and a 13-5 vote with several members opposed, the bill was reported favorably. Members also discussed HB 565’s policy background, including prior DEP studies and the tension between state preemption and local environmental regulation. A major portion of the meeting focused on HB 565 in the transcript’s boating context, actually HB 565 on anchoring limitations in Biscayne Bay and other heavily impacted areas. Supporters from Miami Beach and North Bay Village said derelict and anchored vessels are harming waterways, seagrass, public safety, and enforcement efforts, while cruisers and boating groups argued the bill would displace responsible boaters and fail to solve derelict-vessel problems. The committee adopted an amendment, then reported the bill favorably with committee substitute by an 18-0 vote. The meeting concluded after all agenda items were completed and the subcommittee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of them, however, have recurring sources of funding, and you'll see that in that funded column.
• The majority of our funding for the Statewide Economic Development Finance Act has been federal funding
• Those funding sources include the federal government from HUD and the Department of Energy.
• About 28 percent of those funds, the vast majority of those funds, $84 million of those, just became
• The vast majority of that is with the tax-exempt bonds that we issued.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, with AI, if you are not using open-source AI, everything goes into a database.
• Goalbook is a kind of closed-source AI system where we can input information in there.
• So, funding sources for our special education, we have three primary sources of revenue: property tax
• , or does the state pick up the majority of it?
• And so is that another source of funding that school districts get?

Summary: The committee met to discuss special education funding and retention, beginning with approval of the prior meeting minutes and then hearing a presentation from North Dakota United on a statewide special education survey and retention rubric. Presenters described how the rubric and survey were developed from special educator input around four domains: paperwork and due process support, workload, student and staff safety, and paraprofessional management. They reported high levels of stress and burnout, including increased workload, difficulty taking prep and lunch time, concerns about mental health, and widespread difficulty filling special education positions. Committee members questioned the survey’s lack of a general-education comparison group, the interpretation of terms like “rarely” and “sometimes,” and whether results could be broken down further by district size, unit, or disability area. The survey results showed the weakest area was workload, with respondents reporting caseloads increasing without corresponding adjustments, little additional support or compensation when workloads rise, and few negotiated-agreement protections. Paperwork and due process also scored poorly, with many teachers saying they rarely receive dedicated time during the duty day, often work outside contract hours without compensation, and take work home on evenings and weekends. Student and staff safety scored somewhat better but still showed gaps in crisis follow-up, notification about violent behavior, protective gear, and leave options after incidents. Paraprofessional management also drew concern, especially low pay, insufficient staffing, limited administrative support, and the burden placed on teachers to supervise and train paras. Several teachers then testified directly about the practical impact of these issues. One special education teacher described the job as combining instruction, legal compliance, and paraprofessional supervision, often requiring work beyond contracted hours and contributing to burnout and turnover. Another testified that special education case managers are effectively doing three full-time jobs and that the paperwork and caseload demands are a major reason people avoid or leave the field. Committee members discussed whether the problems are primarily local or state-level, whether more funding would solve them, and whether changes to the funding formula or weighting for high-cost students might be needed. No formal vote or action was taken beyond a recess and return to order for the next presentation, which continued the discussion of possible special education study objectives and potential policy directions.

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to, I think they're around the corner, introduce General Fenton and Command Sergeant Major Shorter
• This is General Brian Fenton and Command Sergeant Major Shane Shorter.
• Senators, Command Sergeant Major Shorter spent over three decades as a Green Beret and in the military
• of energy of Restrictions that could affect the types of sources of energy available to consumers.
• I mean, a lot of these people are struggling with major, major issues that killing them never gives them

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including remarks from Senator Berman outlining Democratic priorities such as education, health care, environmental protection, and opposition to rollbacks on child labor, book access, and gun safety. The chamber also recognized military guests and an intern before moving to the special order calendar. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on human trafficking, waste management, Bright Futures, Medicaid oversight at one point in the flow, and mammogram coverage, though the Medicaid oversight bill was later taken up and passed. The Senate passed a series of bills, often after substituting House companions and adopting technical amendments. Among the major measures approved were the dangerous dogs bill (the Pam Rock Act), which tightened penalties and procedures after fatal attacks; a local government land regulation bill that streamlined comp plan review and defined impact-fee circumstances, though members raised concerns about quasi-judicial hearing limits and local costs; a vessel-related bill combining boating safety and voter-freedom provisions; a blood clot screening and treatment bill creating the Emily Adkins Family Protection Act; fleeing and eluding penalties; concealed carry and firearm possession rules for certain officers and service members; timeshare management reforms; and public education on background screening requirements. The chamber also approved bills on disability history and awareness instruction, manufacturing and a related fee bill, utility service restrictions, educational opportunities for military children, health facilities authorities, and veteran and spouse nursing home beds. The disability instruction bill drew extended debate about the use of the term “disability,” inclusion, and whether the measure was consistent with broader DEI debates; it passed unanimously after emotional testimony from the sponsor and families. The manufacturing and utility bills focused on statewide economic policy and preemption of local restrictions, while the military children bill was presented as a student-driven proposal. Most measures passed with strong bipartisan support, with recorded votes ranging from unanimous to 33-3 on the firearm bill and 26-8 on the land regulation bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• American hafnium to source.
• They get very frustrated because they can't get into the major mines to do testing.
• I think that we're not going to see a major reduction in workforce anytime soon for two reasons.
• But we have a major demo underway with a large DOD prime.
• Are you able to look for water sources underground as well? Absolutely.

Bills: SB1046

Committees: House Science & Technology , House House Science & Technology Committee of Reference

Keywords: telecommunications, broadband, internet infrastructure, critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, national security, foreign adversary, China, Chinese equipment, supply chain security, network equipment, microchips, Arizona Corporation Commission, telecommunications provider, communications infrastructure, Huawei, ZTE, state-owned enterprise, sanctions, infrastructure security

Transcript Highlights:

• PART OF WHAT HAPPENED THIS LAST SUMMER WAS WE HAD ONE OR TWO DAYS NOTICE ON A MAJOR CHANGE IN STATE PARKS
• ONE OR TWO DAYS NOTICE ON A MAJOR CHANGE IN STATE PARKS.
• HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE MAJOR ISSUES WITH HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE MAJOR ISSUES WITH THE AMENDMENT ON LINES 293
• MOST OF THAT PRIVATELY OWNED FOREST LAND HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR ANOTHER SOURCE OF WOOD.
• MY NAME IS WHITNEY VARNER, DIRECTOR FOR REGULATION FOR THE FLORIDA FORESTRY WE ARE A MAJOR SUPPORTER

Transcript Highlights:

• So in this way, we've targeted the source of the problem, which is the federal administration.
• care coverage or lose Medi-Cal as a source of coverage.
• That is our primary focus because, as my colleague said, that's the source of the intimidation.
• that are federally sourced and city contracts that are federally sourced, right?
• Federal action has already closed major organizations.

Summary: The joint hearing focused on access to gender-affirming care in California, with opening remarks from the subcommittee chairs emphasizing the importance of protecting transgender, gender-diverse, and intersex Californians and asking for decorum during public comment. The first panel from the Department of Justice, Department of Managed Health Care, and Department of Health Care Services described existing state protections, including nondiscrimination rules, privacy protections, shield laws, and Medi-Cal and commercial coverage requirements for medically necessary gender-affirming care. State officials also outlined ongoing litigation against federal actions and against hospital decisions to end or restrict care, including the Rady Children’s case and challenges to federal proposed rules and declarations affecting Medicaid, Medicare, and provider participation. Members questioned state agencies about why some hospitals that had stopped providing care had not been sued, how network adequacy is measured, whether the state can track actual access to gender-affirming care, and what legislative changes might strengthen protections. DMHC said it monitors complaints and independent medical reviews but does not track gender-affirming care as a separate provider category or collect utilization data, while DHCS said Medi-Cal continues to cover medically necessary care and that the state is preparing for possible federal rule changes. Finance staff said the previously approved $15 million for gender-affirming care was still being implemented through Covered California. The second panel featured a physician, clinic leaders, a parent, and a transgender teen describing how care is delivered and the effects of hospital closures and federal pressure. Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy described the history and medical basis for gender-affirming care, said minors need parental consent for medical interventions, and argued that care should be individualized and supported by families. Providers and families testified that hospital closures and insurance barriers have disrupted continuity of care, forced patients to travel farther, and shifted demand to community clinics that lack sufficient funding and contracting support. Several witnesses asked the Legislature to provide new funding, strengthen insurance enforcement, and stabilize access to care for transgender youth and families.

Transcript Highlights:

• How does Missouri stack up as we have all these investments that are being announced, these major, major
• , major corporations?
• We have all these investments that are being announced, these major, major, major corporations, hundreds
• So it does have the ability to be stacked with other funding sources.”
• Carver said, “Other funding sources could be community contributions. 100%.”

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:31:14.880><c> of</c> So that's where you'll see a majority of So that's where you'll see a majority
• As you can see on rows 13 and 14, that's a source-of-fund change.
• No change relative to that, just a source of funds.
• </c><01:20:15.920><c> of</c> but vary 67 million on the source of but vary 67 million on the source of
• Sorry, so that's source of funding.

Summary: The Legislative Budget Assistant staff presented an overview of the Senate changes to the House-passed budget, focusing on revenue estimates, appropriations, and ending balances across the general fund and education trust fund. The presentation emphasized that the Senate’s budget reflected higher revenue assumptions than the House, driven in part by updated April revenue figures, changes to business, tobacco, and real estate transfer tax splits, and different assumptions about video lottery terminal revenue. The Senate also adjusted lapse estimates upward, especially for HHS, after receiving updated information that lapses could be much larger than originally assumed. The presenter walked through the major differences in the surplus statements for fiscal years 2025 through 2027. Compared with the House, the Senate budget generally showed higher revenues, lower or different appropriations in some areas, and larger balances carried forward, including a larger education trust fund balance and a different rainy day fund transfer. The Senate’s approach also changed several policy assumptions, such as maintaining liquor revenue dedication, removing the House’s meals-and-rooms distribution cap, changing the treatment of unique revenue, and altering the process for meeting a targeted revenue amount by giving the governor more flexibility. On the appropriations side, the Senate removed or modified several House reductions and added funding or adjustments in areas including the judicial branch, corrections, HHS, the Human Rights Commission, and certain settlement costs. The presenter also highlighted Senate changes in House Bill 2 and related budget provisions, including a new arts tax credit, a nursing home bed fee, changes to Medicaid premium assumptions, and differences in how motor vehicle inspection repeal and BLT-related revenue are handled. No votes were taken in the portion shown; the discussion was informational and comparative, aimed at explaining the Senate budget changes before conference committee negotiations.

Transcript Highlights:

• are increasing exponentially, the sources of EMF radiation.
• Alper pointed out, the mortality rate after a major amputation at five years is 50%.
• But the mortality rate from a major amputation is worse than most cancers.
• Also, at the same time, there were major improvements in the toothbrush.
• The major finding of this study is that, quote, TSH values...

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Health

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Health held a hearing focused on children’s health, disease prevention, screening, treatment, and pharmacy-related bills. The chair explained that the session was for public testimony only, with no votes or decisions taken that day, and outlined the three-minute limit for individual testimony. The committee then heard testimony on a range of bills, including H. 2413 on adding electromagnetic sensitivity to the state’s MAVEN registry, S. 1508 and H. 2433 on creating an amputation prevention task force, H. 2535 and S. 1551 on establishing a naloxone purchase trust fund, S. 1635 on authorizing pharmacists to provide opioid use disorder treatment, H. 2385 on creating a special commission on avian influenza, and S. 1497 on patient safety and non-FDA-approved compounded drugs. Testimony on H. 2413 came largely from advocates and individuals who described electromagnetic sensitivity as a real health condition and argued that adding it to the registry would improve data collection, provider education, and public awareness. Testimony on the amputation prevention task force bills came from the American Diabetes Association and podiatry groups, who said diabetes-related amputations are often preventable, disproportionately affect people of color, and could be reduced through earlier screening, better care coordination, and improved insurance coverage for preventive foot care. On the naloxone trust fund bills, a representative, emergency physician, and nurse testified that hospitals often cannot reliably send overdose patients home with naloxone because of billing and reimbursement barriers, and that a bulk-purchase fund would expand access at no added cost to payers or providers. The committee also heard strong support for S. 1635 from pharmacists and public health researchers, who said community pharmacists could safely initiate and maintain buprenorphine treatment and help close gaps in opioid use disorder care. On H. 2385, a local board of health chair supported a special commission on avian influenza, citing gaps in emergency preparedness and the need for clearer coordination across agencies. On S. 1497, a pharmacy representative opposed restrictions on compounded drugs from outsourcing facilities, warning that changes could reduce access to life-saving medications and harm patient safety. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.