Transcript Highlights:

• dollars to energy assistance programs.
• dollars to energy assistance programs, specifically in the form of sustained monthly bill assistance
• either through bill assistance, home electrification appliance rebate programs, Invest in energy assistance
• One million for the reentry legal assistance program and $819,000 for our children's representation program
• One million for the reentry legal assistance program and $819,000 for our children's representation program

Bills: SB5998

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: fiscal appropriations, budget, state funding, financial management, operating expenses

Transcript Highlights:

• We do have a couple of programs.
• We do have a couple of programs.
• After completing my program, I was hired by a dental office that was desperately seeking an assistant
• I'm an old retired assistant attorney general.
• The multi-provider team includes a surgeon, a dental anesthesia assistant, and a dental assistant.

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 5899, which would create a chiropractic license endorsement allowing qualified chiropractors to perform chiropractic diagnosis and adjustments on non-human animals. The sponsor described it as a complementary tool to veterinary care, especially in rural areas with limited access to veterinarians. Testimony was mixed: supporters said the bill would expand access to animal chiropractic with training, certification, and veterinary referral to non-chiropractic issues, while opponents from the veterinary community warned about animal and public safety, disease detection, and the lack of a required veterinary referral. The hearing on SB 5899 was suspended and later reopened; testimony concluded with strong support from animal chiropractic practitioners and opposition from veterinarians, and the committee noted 57 signed in pro, 4 con, and 1 other. The committee then held a work session on dental workforce shortages. Presenters from the CORA Foundation, the University of Washington Center for Health Workforce Studies, tribal dental programs, and the Washington State Dental Association described major access gaps, especially for Apple Health enrollees, rural communities, and communities of color. They highlighted low preventive-care utilization, high rates of untreated decay, workforce vacancies for hygienists and assistants, and the value of career ladders such as community health aides and proposed oral preventive assistants. Several speakers emphasized that training pathways, retention, and sustained Medicaid reimbursement are key to improving access and keeping providers in the system. Senate Bill 6138, requiring a multi-provider system for dental procedures performed under deep sedation, drew testimony centered on patient safety after recent deaths in dental settings. The sponsor said the bill responds to a pattern of tragic incidents and would ensure one person is dedicated to monitoring sedation. Supporters from anesthesiology and some oral surgery groups backed stronger monitoring requirements, while oral surgeons and dental representatives argued the current rules already require multiple trained personnel and that the bill could reduce access and increase costs, especially in rural and Medicaid-serving practices. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6072, which would update veterinarian-client-patient relationship rules to allow telemedicine-based relationships and limited telehealth services; animal welfare and veterinary telehealth advocates supported it as an access-to-care measure, while the veterinary association sought clearer guardrails and federal-law language. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 6094 on pediatric transitional care services, which would create a Medicaid payment pathway and related program changes for residential care for substance-exposed infants; supporters said the model helps infants and parents, improves outcomes, and is financially unsustainable under current funding, and the hearing began with testimony in favor before time expired.

Transcript Highlights:

• c> or</c> Public Assistance programs like Snap or Public Assistance programs like Snap or Wick<00:04:
• like SNAP and WIC and other food assistance programs.
• All of the economic assistance and food assistance programs are currently within the Department of Children
• programs</c> assistance and food assistance programs assistance and food assistance programs are<00:36
• </c><01:32:11.560><c> program</c><01:32:11.920><c> minimum</c> nutrition assistance program minimum nutrition

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• through another program.
• It's talking about the educational programs, the training programs, and things like this.
• This bill is known as the Protecting the Reemployment Assistance Program from Fraud Act of 2025.
• This bill is known as the Protecting the Reemployment Assistance Program from Fraud Act of 2025.
• , unemployment assistance.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Tourism

Summary: The Commerce and Tourism Committee heard and favorably reported several bills. SB 1672 removed duplicative state provisions related to labor pools; CS/SB 940 prohibited third-party sale of restaurant reservations without the restaurant’s consent; and CS/SB 1820 made changes to motor vehicle manufacturer and dealer franchise law, including disclosure of performance measures, anti-retaliation protections, and limits on franchise termination or nonrenewal. The committee also approved CS/SB 324, creating a revolving loan program to help small businesses affected by prolonged public works construction, and SB 936, which creates a recurring three-year study of the effects of AI, robotics, and automation on Florida’s workforce and economy. SB 1322, the Florida Rural Jobs Act, was amended and reported favorably to encourage private investment in rural small businesses through a state tax credit program. The committee also reported favorably on CS/SB 910, which regulates for-profit veterans’ benefit assistance services, and CS/SB 656, which extends protections from extraordinary collection actions to all bill-of-care payment actions by hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers. The committee spent substantial time on CS/SB 1264, a broad Department of Commerce agency bill. The strike-all amendment added or revised provisions on Secure Florida, the RISE venture capital tax credit program, data center tax exemptions, business development classifications, military land transfers, and other economic development matters, while also repealing regional planning councils from statute. That repeal drew extensive opposition from local officials and regional council representatives, who argued the councils are important for emergency management, grant writing, planning, and support for small and rural communities. Supporters of the amendment said the councils could continue locally without state statutory involvement. After debate, the amendment was adopted and the bill was reported favorably, though Senators Davis and Smith voted no. The committee also considered CS/SB 1238, which would tighten reemployment assistance rules by disqualifying claimants who fail to meet job-search requirements or refuse work, and by adding verification and reporting requirements. Supporters framed it as adding guardrails and preventing fraud, while opponents argued Florida’s unemployment system is already difficult to access and that the bill would add unnecessary barriers and costs. Despite opposition from labor and advocacy groups, the bill was reported favorably, with Senators Smith and Arrington voting no. Finally, the committee unanimously recommended confirmation of Alexis Yarborough and John Gilbert to the Board of Supervisors of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

Transcript Highlights:

• Program.
• Program.
• $3,600 THE OUTCOMES FOR THE PROGRAM ARE SUPERB WE TRACK THAT AFTER RECEIVING ASSISTANCE From FHPAP,
• On the rental side, the Family Homelessness Prevention Assistance Program—we spend a little money now
• THE DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH FHPAP CAN HELP TO STABILIZE A HOUSEHOLD FHPAP IS A PROVEN PROGRAM

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Transcript Highlights:

• that program, but because the closure of this program has put in... ...program, but because the closure
• Over $149 million of direct assistance. And almost 34,000 households were served by that program.
• program.
• Programs.
• Today I'm going to go over what the North Dakota EHDI program is, where EHDI programs came from, program

Committee: Joint Human Services

Summary: The Human Services Committee met in interim session and first approved the previous meeting minutes before receiving a series of presentations on homelessness and housing stability. Jennifer Henderson of the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency updated members on the new Interagency Council on Homelessness, describing its executive-order mandate to review resources, gather input from stakeholders, identify gaps, and develop recommendations. She said the council’s first work is building a statewide program matrix of existing homeless services and funding sources, with attention to youth, tribal communities, and other vulnerable populations. Members raised concerns about youth homelessness, homeless veterans, and how the council will stay focused on a practical framework rather than getting lost in details. The committee also discussed possible connections to the rural health transformation grant and agreed to continue the topic later in the spring. Beth Olson of Presentation Partners in Housing described the organization’s housing-first model in Cass County and Clay County, including homeless prevention/diversion, housing navigation, and Cooper House, a 42-unit permanent supportive housing building in Fargo. She said the organization focuses on people with long-term and chronic homelessness, many with mental health, addiction, health, domestic violence, and Indigenous identity-related barriers, and reported strong outcomes: 85 of 86 people housed in 2025, 91% still housed after one year, and major reductions in emergency room use, ambulance rides, jail stays, detox days, and shelter use. She also explained that state funding has grown from a small share of the budget to about $1.1 million in state-connected funding for fiscal 2026, largely through contracts tied to supportive services. Members asked about vouchers, rent contributions at Cooper House, length of stay, and whether similar projects could be expanded elsewhere. Andrea Olson of the Community Action Partnership of North Dakota outlined statewide homeless and housing-related services delivered through six community action agencies in all 53 counties. She explained the Community Services Block Grant structure, said housing was identified as the top need in the most recent statewide needs assessment, and described programs including Supportive Services for Veteran Families, North Dakota Homeless Grant services, and Home ARP supportive services. She emphasized that the end of North Dakota Rent Help has increased pressure on the system, that the current $2 million annual homeless grant is far smaller than prior rent-help assistance, and that community action is using case management and financial assistance to move households toward self-sufficiency. Members asked about funding formulas, rural service delivery, and coordination with Presentation Partners to avoid duplication. YouthWorks then began a presentation on youth homelessness, describing services for ages 12 to 24, the special needs of youth and former foster youth, and the organization’s use of federal and state funds to support transitional housing, emergency shelter, maternity housing, and diversion services.

Transcript Highlights:

• to enroll in the program, meaning that the program is likely to pay for many private-pay families with
• Serving low-income and at-risk families is a priority of the child care assistance program.
• programs.
• , so no, they do not have to pay it if they're getting funding through the child care assistance program
• Why would I sign up for a military child care assistance program? It's too hard.

Summary: The committee heard first from LFC staff on a brief about New Mexico’s universal child care expansion. Staff said child care assistance has clear benefits for parents and families, but LFC has not found evidence in New Mexico that it improves children’s educational outcomes; they argued pre-K is the better tool for that goal. The brief highlighted four concerns with universal access: an estimated annual cost of about $849.7 million, a sharp decline in registered homes, possible crowding out of lower-income families, and reduced access for children under age two. Staff also suggested possible mitigations such as prioritizing slots for low-income and at-risk families, reinstating sliding-scale co-pays, and tying quality improvements to workforce wages. Members raised questions about the cost estimate, funding sources, provider quality, and whether the data showed actual crowding out. Several lawmakers expressed support for child care generally but concern about the fiscal impact and whether universal access would divert resources from the families most in need. Others emphasized the importance of child care for workforce participation, rural communities, and family stability, and questioned how registered homes are counted and regulated. LFC staff clarified that the cost estimate was for child care assistance only, not the entire ECECD budget, and that the data showed declines in the share of lowest-income children and infants/toddlers served, though not causation. The ECECD secretary then presented the department’s response, saying universal child care is intended to complete a cradle-to-career system and that the department has already seen strong uptake, increased capacity, and rising workforce participation. She said 6,206 families were found eligible in the first month, the share of infants and toddlers served rose, and new provider applications and licensed slots increased after the November rollout. The department also emphasized wage increases, quality improvements, and a new wage scale/career lattice, while projecting a lower near-term cost than LFC’s estimate and requesting additional funding for child care, early pre-K, home visiting, workforce systems, and capacity-building. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided; the discussion was informational and focused on questions and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are some wage supplements that happen in childcare assistance that are a separate program, but
• Serving low-income and at-risk families is a priority of the Child Care Assistance Program.
• programs.
• So no, they do not have to pay it if they're getting funding through the Child Care Assistance Program
• Why would I sign up for a military child care assistance program? It's too hard.

Transcript Highlights:

• mentioned: CalFresh, the California Food Assistance Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program,
• food assistance program for noncitizens.
• You had mentioned about the CFAP program, which was basically our food assistance program for nonsons
• The CFAP program, which was basically our food assistance program for non-citizens 55 plus and older.
• One is TEFAP, the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which is a federal entitlement program that provides

Summary: The joint oversight hearing focused on food insecurity in California and how state and federal nutrition programs, agricultural production, and food distribution systems intersect. Assemblymembers emphasized that many Californians, including farmworkers, seniors, children, and communities of color, remain food insecure despite California’s agricultural abundance. Panelists and members discussed CalFresh, WIC, school meals, Sun Bucks, food banks, and the impact of federal policy changes, including possible nutrition cuts, tariffs, and immigration enforcement, on access to food and the agricultural workforce. Secretary Karen Ross described CDFA programs aimed at improving access to fresh food and supporting local agriculture, including the senior farmers’ market program, California Nutrition Incentive Program, Healthy Refrigeration Grant Program, Community Food Hubs, Farm to School, urban agriculture, and a proposed tribal food sovereignty program. She said these efforts help connect local producers to consumers, expand healthy food access, and build infrastructure such as refrigeration, mobile markets, and aggregation hubs. Department of Social Services Deputy Director Alexis Fernandez Garcia outlined CalFresh, CFAP, Sun Bucks, CACFP, emergency food programs, and tribal nutrition assistance, noting that CalFresh and related programs significantly reduce poverty and food insecurity, but participation gaps remain for non-English speakers, some Asian American communities, and undocumented households. PPIC researcher Tess Thorman presented data showing that 13% of California households experienced food insecurity in 2023, with higher rates among households with children and Latino, Black, and other households. She said nutrition programs reduce poverty and food hardship, but federal rules, income thresholds, immigration restrictions, and high living costs limit their reach. Members asked about simplifying applications, improving call center access, increasing outreach in multiple languages, and adjusting benefits for inflation. Officials said the state has used available federal options to streamline enrollment, improve customer service, and target outreach, but many core rules and benefit levels are set federally. The second panel shifted to food production and market access. A farmer, a UC food systems leader, and a produce distributor described efforts to connect small and medium farms with food banks, schools, universities, and Medi-Cal food-as-medicine programs. They highlighted programs such as Farms Together, the USDA Southwest Regional Food Business Center, Farm to School, food hubs, and climate-smart infrastructure grants as ways to create stable markets for local growers while improving food access. Speakers also raised concerns about land tenure, consolidation, regulatory burdens, labor constraints, and the loss of federal funding, and members discussed whether state investments and Prop. 4 funds could help sustain and expand these efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are many technical assistance matters, which there's a definition of technical assistance.
• There are many technical assistance matters which there's a definition of technical assistance.
• They might run the legal program. They might run a transitional housing program.
• They might run a prevention program that they pass through funds or they develop... ...housing program
• But the programs themselves, I think, program-wide and certified center-wide, are something that we need

Summary: The committee held a panel discussion on Florida’s domestic violence system, focusing on the roles of the state, the federally designated coalition, direct-service providers, and law enforcement. Members reviewed the history of the system after the dissolution of the former coalition in 2020, the creation of the Florida Partnership to End Domestic Violence, DCF’s Office of Domestic Violence, and the current contract structure involving Women in Distress and its subcontractors for hotline and legal services. Panelists also discussed the 2024 lethality assessment law, the workgroup’s conclusion that the evidence-based Maryland tool could not be used because of copyright and cost issues, and the state’s current use of statutory questions instead. DCF and FDLE described the statewide certification and funding framework, including more than $60 million in domestic violence funding for fiscal year 2025-26 and the requirement that law enforcement complete lethality-assessment training by October 1, 2026. Testimony highlighted both collaboration and conflict. Florida Partnership to End Domestic Violence and Women in Distress described overlapping training and technical-assistance roles, but disagreed sharply about the quality of their relationship with DCF and whether the current structure is duplicative. DCF said it maintains communication with both the coalition and the centers and emphasized that the coalition is federally required, while the coalition argued that the department has obstructed its work. Women in Distress and Hope Villages stressed direct services, prevention, and the need for more housing, staffing, and funding, especially in rural areas. They also described programs in schools, hospitals, and child welfare settings, and noted that children exposed to domestic violence often need specialized services. Members asked about funding flows, certification, rural coverage, the number of centers, and the lethality assessment rollout. DCF said the 41 certified centers serve all 67 counties and that no new applications have been received in about 15 years. FDLE reported that 46 of roughly 400 law enforcement agencies had completed the lethality-assessment training and attestation, with the statutory deadline still ahead. Panelists said domestic violence appears to be increasing, citing higher hotline demand, shelter occupancy, and local case numbers, while also noting that statewide crime data remains outdated. The discussion ended with calls for better coordination, clearer implementation of statutes, more funding, and possible legislative fixes to improve data collection, training, and service delivery.

Transcript Highlights:

• um assist residual program.
• program.
• The CCE program consists of two programs, in effect, the capital The CCE program consists of two programs
• I'll now turn to the second and third questions on people assisted and the current state of these programs
• program does provide support for people who are living with Alzheimer's and dementia to assist them to

Transcript Highlights:

• um assist residual program.
• program.
• The CCE program consists of two programs, in effect, the capital The CCE program consists of two programs
• I’ll now turn to the second and third questions on people assisted and the current state of these programs
• program does provide support for people who are living with Alzheimer's and dementia to assist them

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on the impact of H.R. 1 on older Californians and related county administration issues. Chair Jackson and Chair Addis opened by emphasizing California’s rapidly aging population and the need to protect seniors’ access to food, health care, housing, and in-home support services. Testimony from the Department of Social Services, Department of Health Care Services, and Department of Aging described how H.R. 1 would expand work and reporting requirements in CalFresh and Medi-Cal, increase redeterminations, and create new eligibility barriers. Witnesses and advocates warned that these changes could lead to large coverage losses, especially for adults ages 55 to 64, people experiencing homelessness, caregivers, and some immigrant groups, while also increasing administrative burden on counties. The LAO noted that many provisions do not directly apply to Californians 65 and older, but highlighted indirect effects and some direct impacts, including a new home equity limit for certain long-term care recipients and narrower immigration eligibility rules. Committee members pressed the administration and counties on how exemptions would be identified and implemented, whether data systems could automatically protect eligible people, and how outreach would reach older adults, women, LGBTQ seniors, and people with limited digital access. DHCS and CDSS said they are working to use existing data, cross-program information sharing, and human-centered communications to maximize exemptions and reduce churn, including text outreach, print and radio campaigns, and navigator support. Members also raised concerns about the need for legal aid and county eligibility workers to help people navigate complex rules, and requested updated analyses on the number of people likely to lose both Medi-Cal and CalFresh and the broader human and system impacts. No votes were taken. The second major topic was the administration’s proposal to shift some future IHSS costs to counties by establishing a statewide baseline for average authorized hours per case. CDSS said the proposal is intended to improve consistency in assessments and not reduce services, while counties and labor groups strongly opposed it, arguing that rising hours reflect real increases in need, an aging and higher-acuity caseload, and state-mandated assessment tools rather than county error. County representatives said the proposal would strain already limited local revenues, worsen the effects of H.R. 1, and could force cuts to other safety-net services. Committee members questioned the proposal’s timing and impact, but the hearing ended without action, with the chairs asking for continued updates, additional analysis, and more information before May Revision.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then real quickly, I want to think it's important to mention our federally funded assistance programs
• Our goal was to utilize as many of our existing financial assistance programs as possible.
• We essentially dusted off two financial assistance programs that, up to that point, hadn't had funding
• The next program we use is our Water Loan Assistance Fund. excuse me, or WALAF.
• And for those two programs. and our Water Assistance Fund, which is kind of the bigger fund over WALAF

Committee: House Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• This hearing is an opportunity to examine the state's food assistance programs, the structural barriers
• mentioned: CalFresh, the California Food Assistance Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program,
• You had mentioned about the CFAP program, which was basically our food assistance program for non-citizens
• The CFAP program, which was basically our food assistance program for non-citizens 55 plus and older.
• So one is TEFAP, the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which is a federal entitlement program that provides

Summary: The joint oversight hearing of the Assembly Human Services and Agriculture Committees focused on food insecurity in California, with members and witnesses discussing the state’s nutrition safety net, food access barriers, and the connection between agriculture and hunger. Opening remarks emphasized that California’s high agricultural output contrasts with widespread food insecurity, especially among families with children, communities of color, farmworkers, and other low-wage workers. Members also raised concern about federal policy changes, including possible cuts to nutrition programs, immigration enforcement impacts on farm labor, tariffs, and the need to protect state and federal food assistance resources. Testimony from the Department of Food and Agriculture highlighted several state programs aimed at improving access to fresh food and supporting local producers, including the California Nutrition Incentive Program, senior farmers’ market nutrition, healthy refrigeration grants, community food hubs, farm-to-school, urban agriculture, and a new tribal food sovereignty effort. Officials said these programs help stretch CalFresh and WIC dollars, expand healthy options in corner stores and farmers’ markets, and build infrastructure such as refrigeration, mobile markets, and aggregation hubs. The Department of Social Services described CalFresh, CFAP, Sun Bucks, CACFP, TEFAP, CalFood, emergency food boxes, and tribal nutrition grants, noting that CalFresh participation has risen to about 81% of eligible Californians and that the state has taken steps such as simplified applications for older adults and outreach in multiple languages. Witnesses and members discussed the need to reduce administrative barriers, improve call center service, and keep benefits aligned with inflation. Research testimony from PPIC said 13% of California households experienced food insecurity in 2023, with higher rates among households with children and Latino, Black, and other households of color. The researcher said CalFresh, school meals, and WIC reduce both food insecurity and poverty, but federal rules, immigration-related eligibility limits, and California’s high cost of living constrain their reach. In the second panel, farmers, food hub operators, and food system advocates described how local procurement, food banks, and institutional markets can support both hungry households and small farms. Speakers pointed to pandemic-era programs such as USDA’s food box and local food purchasing efforts as models, while warning that short-term funding and market consolidation threaten long-term resilience. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the hearing; members used the session for oversight, questions, and discussion of possible budget and policy follow-up.

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, our program engages the...
• work, training, and technical assistance.
• And again, as I said earlier, this technical training assistance center is a program from our DPH care
• I had no idea that MassHealth had a Cares for Kids program, nor did I realize that this program existed
• I had no idea that DPH had this program.

Summary: The Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities equity subcommittee met, approved the prior minutes, and heard a presentation from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Cater Center (Care Coordination Assistance, Training, Education, and Resources for Kids). Presenters Toria Haffey and Patty Loza explained that Cater provides training and technical assistance to MassHealth’s Cares for Kids providers serving children with medical complexity, with a focus on enhanced care coordination, family partnership, racial/cultural/linguistic equity, community resources, education systems, shared plans of care, and transition support. They described five e-learning modules, flexible one-on-one and group technical assistance, case review support, and informal virtual “cafes” for providers. They also noted the program has been operating for about two to three years and currently works with five hospital-based providers, including Boston Children’s, BMC, Tufts, NeighborHealth, and Baystate. Committee members asked about the number of families served, the relationship to MassHealth, and whether the model could be expanded beyond Boston-area providers. The presenters said Cater does not track enrollment numbers because that is handled by providers and MassHealth, and they agreed there is room to broaden reach and improve data collection. Members suggested connecting Cater with regional disability and case management networks, the Health Equity Compact, ACOs, and DDS-related contacts. Questions also focused on funding stability amid federal Medicaid cuts and workforce shortages in family engagement roles; Cater said the work remains a priority for MassHealth, though funding is a concern, and acknowledged staffing gaps, especially for family partners with lived experience. After the presentation, the committee discussed a NIH strategic plan for disability health research that had been circulated for future review. Because members had not yet read it, they agreed to place it on the agenda for the next meeting. The meeting then adjourned with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2024, the legislature made the program portable, meaning that if workers pay into the program for
• So it makes the program, it fulfills the promise of the program, such that anyone who pays into WAC Cares
• Specifically, you want to call your attention to the rental assistance program that allows for up to
• The rental assistance programs will help Medicaid LTSS clients receive care in their own home.
• The third program is peer bridgers.

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative Executive Committee on Planning for Aging and Disability Issues

Summary: The committee met for what was described as its final meeting, with members and staff reflecting on the work of the Joint Legislative Executive Committee on Aging and Long-Term Care and noting that future work would likely shift to standing health and wellness committees. The meeting began with introductions and then moved into updates on major initiatives that originated from the committee, including Washington Cares, the Dementia Action Collaborative, and Medicaid long-term care programs. Presenters emphasized that these efforts were developed through long-term legislative-executive collaboration and were intended to help Washington prepare for the state’s aging population. On Washington Cares, DSHS described the program’s development from a 2014 research effort to its 2019 enactment, premium collection beginning in 2023, portability improvements in 2024, and 2025 changes including a grandfathered opt-out fix and a framework for supplemental private long-term care insurance. The agency said benefits are expected to go fully live next summer, with a pilot of up to 400 applicants planned for next January. On dementia policy, the Dementia Action Collaborative reported on the state dementia plan, Project ECHO training for providers, and pilot dementia-capable community programs at area agencies on aging, citing preliminary results that about 85% of family caregivers said services helped people remain at home. DSHS also reviewed Medicaid Transformation Project initiatives, including Medicaid Alternative Care, Tailored Supports for Older Adults, presumptive eligibility, and health-related social needs benefits such as rental assistance, nutrition support, and home modifications. The committee then heard an emerging issues panel from ombuds and disability advocates. Patricia Hunter of the long-term care ombuds program raised concerns about staffing shortages, resident rights, surveillance technology, private equity ownership of facilities, and illegal discharges or evictions. Betty Sweeterman of the Developmental Disabilities Ombuds discussed people stuck in hospitals without medical need, gaps in behavioral health services for people with developmental disabilities, and the need for better workforce training. Todd Carlyle of Disability Rights Washington urged expansion and bundling of community supports such as PACT, GOSH, and peer bridgers to reduce repeated institutionalization and support discharge from inpatient psychiatric settings. Provider and labor panels followed, with nursing home, assisted living, supported living, and union representatives all emphasizing workforce shortages, low wages, Medicaid rate inadequacy, case management bottlenecks, behavioral health complexity, and the need for more flexible care models and stronger accountability for rate increases. No formal votes were taken; the meeting ended with public comment on manufactured housing and closing remarks thanking staff and participants for the committee’s work.

Transcript Highlights:

• Program (FHPAP).
• program.
• For the purposes of the down payment assistance program.
• It would also increase the maximum amount of assistance under the program from $32,000 to 10% of median
• Program.

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• We do have a couple of programs.
• We do have a couple of programs.
• After completing my program, I was hired by a dental office that was desperately seeking an assistant
• I'm an old retired assistant attorney general.
• The multi-provider team includes a surgeon, a dental anesthesia assistant, and a dental assistant.

Bills: SB6138 , SB5899 , SB6072 , SB6094

Committee: Senate Health & Long-Term Care

Keywords: dental procedures, sedation, patient safety, multiprovider system, healthcare regulation, chiropractic, animal care, veterinary medicine, license endorsement, nonhuman animals, veterinarian-client-patient relationship, VCPR, veterinary telehealth, telemedicine, teletriage, teleadvice, animal health, licensed veterinarian, Washington veterinary board, prescription drugs

Transcript Highlights:

• I think many of you are familiar, but the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as
• I think many of you are familiar, but the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as
• I think many of you are familiar, but the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as
• I think many of you are familiar, but the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as
• </c> assistance program, formerly known as U. assistance program, formerly known as U.

Summary: The committee on Human Services and Homelessness received a briefing from Scott Morish of the Hawaii Department of Human Services on upcoming SNAP changes tied to the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act (HR1/OBBA) and on the federal government shutdown’s impact on November SNAP benefits. DHS described its SNAP workload and statewide participation, noting about 86,229 households and 168,947 individuals receiving benefits in September, with roughly $58–$60 million distributed monthly. Morish said DHS has already made system and policy updates in preparation for the November 1 implementation date. Most of the briefing focused on expanded able-bodied adult work requirements. DHS explained that the work rule now applies to additional groups, including adults ages 55 to 64, households with dependent children age 14 and older, people experiencing homelessness, veterans, and youth ages 18 to 24 who transitioned from foster care. The department said affected individuals must generally work or participate in qualifying activities for 80 hours per month, with noncompliance leading to a three-month benefit limit and a 36-month ineligibility period. DHS also reviewed exemptions, including for disability, pregnancy, caregiving, school or training, unemployment, and substance use treatment, and clarified that the new Indian Health Care Improvement Act exemption does not include Native Hawaiians. DHS said it received approval for Hawaii’s request for a non-contiguous-state exemption from payment error penalties through September 30, 2026, but must still make good-faith efforts to implement the work rules. Morish also outlined OBBA changes to non-citizen eligibility, saying that beginning November 1 only lawful permanent residents, COFA residents, and Cuban or Haitian entrants will remain eligible, while other previously eligible categories such as refugees, asylees, and some parolees will no longer qualify. He noted that ineligible non-citizens must still be included in household reporting and their income counted. The committee then discussed the federal shutdown’s effect on SNAP, with DHS saying USDA directed states to suspend November SNAP issuance because of insufficient funding; existing October benefits remain usable, and TANF and general assistance are not affected. DHS said it has posted FAQs and call-center messages, and is working with the Hawaii Food Bank on an additional $2 million in support and with nonprofit partners on a new Hawaii Relief program funded by TANF for families with dependent children. Members asked about eligibility for kūpuna and documentation for the relief program, and DHS said the TANF-funded program is limited to households with a child under 18, while FAQs are now available online.

Transcript Highlights:

• programs.
• Does it go to assisted living or other programs?
• This proposal mirrors the assisted living grants law that passed last year, and there is a grant program
• :07:20.880><c> assisted</c><00:07:21.360><c> living</c> a grant program for assisted living a grant program
• Under the assisted living grant program, provisional licenses are excluded, and in this particular language