Transcript Highlights:

• processes for parks clarifying auditing processes for parks operations<00:14:00.959> and<00:14
• I'm the government affairs manager at the Metropolitan Council.
• I'm the government affairs<00:25:30.640> manager<00:25:31.120> at<00:25:31.279> the<
• /c><00:25:31.440> Metropolitan affairs manager at the Metropolitan affairs manager at the Metropolitan
• I always feel uncomfortable when I hear management companies sort of trying to limit access based on

Bills: HF3884, HF3881, HF3882, HF3883, HF3363, HF3362

Keywords: tribal governments, Metropolitan Council, grant programs, funding, local government, small business, contracting, veteran-owned businesses, compliance, government contracts, housing finance, reporting requirements, regional development, city programs, elected officials, campaign access, multiple unit dwellings, residential access, voter registration, 1183

Summary: The committee met on March 4, 2026, and first approved the minutes from March 2 by voice vote. It then took up several Metropolitan Council agency bills, with members repeatedly moving to lay them over for possible inclusion or, in one case, to re-refer a bill to another committee. The first three bills discussed were House File 3884, House File 3881, and House File 3882, all presented as administrative or programmatic changes intended to streamline Met Council processes. House File 3884 would allow tribal governments and tribal development entities to apply directly for Metropolitan Council Livable Communities Act grants and community tree planting grants, rather than applying through a city or other local government. Testimony from Met Council staff said the bill would simplify access and align the Met Council’s tree-planting program with existing DNR authority. House File 3881 would expand the Met Council’s contracting authority to include small businesses more broadly, require an annual report to the legislature on small-business contracting, and repeal a duplicative statute on certificates of compliance. House File 3882 would make a range of administrative cleanups, including removing an obsolete housing-bond review role, clarifying outdated statutory language, extending the review cycle for metropolitan significance rules from every two years to every 10 years, clarifying reporting and Livable Communities Act provisions, changing regional parks operations-and-maintenance reimbursements to rely on audited financial statements, and clarifying agricultural preserves procedures. The committee also considered House File 3883, which was amended with an A1 amendment before adoption. That bill updates appointments to the Metropolitan Area Water Supply Advisory Committee, known as MOSAC, including direct appointments for certain county representatives and adding a tribal representative appointed by the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, while also cleaning up outdated language and eligibility provisions. A former MOSAC member spoke in support of the committee’s work, and the chair said the bill was common-sense and renewed the motion to lay it over as amended. Finally, the committee began House File 3363, a bill described by the author as a response to safety concerns after the June events, aimed at removing public access to legislators’ home addresses from Campaign Finance Board materials; discussion had just begun when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2012, the legislature amended the statute to require DCF to contract with FCADV to manage the domestic
• exorbitant salary of the FCADV executive director and a subsequent federal investigation and state audit
• We have case managers on site.
• , or any of the state statutes and regulations associated with managing work so sensitive.
• We go through a lot of audits, and we're... ...is we go through a lot of compliance.

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:

• Manager Myron Joe from Beclavito Chapter House. Welcome to the House.
• federal single audits, amending the Audit Act, restructuring audit requirements, and amending local
• public body audit thresholds.
• Audit requirements, amending local public body audit thresholds, amending definitions, updating terms
• , amending audit reporting requirements, and amending the audit fund, making an appropriation.

Bills: HB145, HB164, HJR6, HR1, HB20, HB65, HB66, HB80, HB166, HB295, HB306, SB29, SB37, HB99, HB206, HB213, HB270, HJR5, SB104, SB193, HJM2, HJM3, HJM1, HM7, HM17, HM4, HM22, HM23, HM24, HM26, HM2, HM16, HM32, HM13, HM47, HM20, HM51, HM1, HM31, HM35, HM36, HM46, HM53, HM54, HM39, HM11, HM14, HM21, HM34, HM50

Keywords: high-wage jobs, tax credit, job creation, New Mexico, economic development, lobbying, transparency, public records, government oversight, accountability, constitutional amendment, legislative sessions, veto override, New Mexico legislature, session length, House Resolution 1, HR1, House investigatory subcommittee, special committee, legislative investigation

Transcript Highlights:

• Lee said that as far as the audit log, Amber has a recommendation to not allow or maintain the audit
• Lee said that as far as the audit log, Amber has a recommendation to not allow or maintain the audit
• Lee said that as far as the audit log, Amber has a recommendation to not allow or maintain the audit
• Lee said that as far as the audit log, Amber has a recommendation to not allow or maintain the audit
• Lee said that as far as the audit log, Amber has a recommendation to not allow or maintain the audit

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• They know more about the menstrual cycle and management than my son or even my husband knew at their
• It's important to go unprepared and to know how to manage one's menstrual health.
• <01:11:49.680> Thank<01:11:49.840> you manage one's menstrual health.
• Thank you manage one's menstrual health.
• response to the recent audit findings. response to the recent audit findings.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several education resolutions, beginning with HCR 11 and HR 14, which ask the Board of Education and the State Public Charter School Commission to report on improving access to stable, suitable, and affordable facilities for public charter schools. The Charter School Commission supported the measure, and OHA also supported it while noting long-standing facility challenges, the lack of a dedicated facilities appropriation, and the strain on charter schools that have had to use operating funds for buildings and temporary structures. Kealakehe Academy, Hawaii Technology Academy, and several individuals also testified in support. The committee then took up HCR 181 and HR 171, which seek a shared decision-making committee to develop an action plan for a K-12 Ka Waihona School in Kapolei. The Department of Education said it has already developed a strategic plan for Kaipuni education, has expanded immersion programs over the past decade, and is addressing growth through interim guidance and a new priority placement process. Community witnesses, including representatives of Ke Alo Ever, strongly supported the resolutions, emphasizing the need for a K-12 pathway, the importance of Hawaiian language and culture, and the role of community voice in planning. They argued that teacher shortages, especially for licensed Hawaiian immersion teachers, remain a major barrier and proposed a kumu recruitment and retention program tied to community, UH, and DOE partnerships. The committee also heard HCR 187 and HR 177, which urge the Department of Education to begin initiatives to address teacher retention statewide. DOE and the University of Hawaiʻi College of Education said teacher retention is already being addressed through the Teacher Education Coordinating Committee, a five-year plan focused on building capacity, improving satisfaction, and compensation, and a new DOE human resources plan. In response to questions, DOE said it is seeking better school-level data on why teachers leave, is preparing for contract negotiations, and is working with the standards board and DLIR on an apprenticeship-related grant. TECC representatives said the group has been working since the pandemic era, may narrow its focus to retention as the most actionable area, and expects to provide more concrete recommendations in its annual report. The transcript ends as the committee moves on to the next item, HCR 47 and HR 43, without showing any votes or final actions on the measures heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:32:40.320> of understand your internal uh audit of understand your internal uh audit of
• That's our >> That's not an internal audit.
• As a result, not be expected to manage.
• I'm a government affairs manager at Bitcoin Depot.
• To give you a background, uh, I government affairs manager at Bitcoin government affairs manager at Bitcoin

Bills: HB2227, HB1775, HB1560, HB1642, HB1647, HB2003, HB1640, HB2198

Keywords: eviction, housing stability, tenant screening, court records, writ of possession, foreclosures, public sale, eligible bidders, housing, downpayment, judicial foreclosure, digital financial assets, consumer protection, financial kiosks, refunds, transaction security, HB1642, Hawaii, cryptocurrency ATM, crypto ATM

Summary: The committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce met on February 5, 2026, and heard testimony on several bills, beginning with HB 227 relating to eviction records. Supporters, including the Public First Law Center and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, argued the bill would help people who prevail in eviction cases avoid long-term housing harm from online court records, while the Public First Law Center said keeping records off eCourt Kokua would not violate the First Amendment because the records would still be available in person. Members discussed access-to-justice concerns, and a witness said legal aid attorneys could still access the records through the attorney-only Jeff’s system and the court’s access-to-justice room. The chair also asked about precedent, and a witness cited a Hawaii Supreme Court case as supporting removal from the online database rather than sealing records entirely. The committee then took up HP 1775 relating to foreclosures, but the transcript only shows in-person opposition comments from the Hawaii State Bar Association Collection Law Section, the Hawaii Credit Union League, and the Hawaii Bankers Association. The credit union and banking groups said they had concerns about broader negative impacts on mortgage lending and other requirements, but no detailed discussion or action was captured before the committee moved on. The next measure, HB 1560 relating to consumer protection, drew support from the Office of Consumer Protection and cryptocurrency companies including Coinflip and America Digital, which said they already use wallet-pinning and other safeguards to prevent fraud. AARP Hawaii did not take a formal position but said the bill addressed a real problem, noting that Hawaii residents, especially in Kona, had lost more than $920,000 in 2024 to cryptocurrency ATM scams and arguing that stronger oversight was needed. The committee also heard HB 1642, which would ban cryptocurrency kiosks. The Office of Consumer Protection supported the ban as the best way to protect consumers from fraud, while Coinflip, Bitcoin Depot, and America Digital opposed it, arguing kiosks provide cash-based access to crypto, especially for unbanked or underbanked consumers, and that targeted regulation would be better than an outright ban. AARP Hawaii took no formal position but strongly emphasized the harm caused by scams, saying victims are often frightened into acting quickly and that kiosk transactions currently lack enough friction or intervention. Finally, HB 1647, also on consumer protection, would impose liability on host businesses that provide space for crypto kiosks. The Office of Consumer Protection warned small businesses might not understand the liability, while Coinflip, Bitcoin Depot, and America Digital opposed the bill, saying it would unfairly shift enforcement duties to host stores and could discourage businesses from hosting kiosks, effectively creating a de facto ban. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• pursuant to the directive of that committee chairman and approval by the Chairman of Legislative Management
• management then to the next legislative assembly.
• We are auditing until... We are auditing until March. There's a lot of audits that we do.
• From April 1st to May 15th, you do whatever auditing and screening of those applications.
• And you guys continue your auditing process, and that doesn't change that.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Committee met with a quorum to begin its study of whether the content of North Dakota real estate tax statements should be revised to improve transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the background for the study, including House Bill 1176, current statutory requirements for tax statements, and recent changes such as separate line items for bonded debt, primary residence credit, and legacy fund-related amounts. The Tax Department then explained the current statement format and noted that the form is prescribed and approved by the tax commissioner, with changes typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from the North Dakota Association of Counties described the full annual process for preparing budgets, setting levies, calculating taxable values, and issuing notices and tax statements. They said counties spend significant time coordinating with taxing districts, neighboring counties, and software vendors, and that the new budget hearing notices and valuation notices have not generated much public response. Members raised concerns about the usefulness and clarity of certain line items, especially the legislative tax relief calculation and the primary residence credit, and discussed whether the current statement creates confusion rather than transparency. Testimony also addressed the 3% cap, mill levy worksheets, assessment cycles, and the role of county auditors and tax directors in maintaining accurate values. The committee also heard from software vendors CPT and Tyler Technologies about how legislative changes are programmed into tax systems and how online taxpayer portals can provide more detailed breakdowns of tax bills. Vendors said changes required by law are generally absorbed in contracts rather than billed directly to counties, and they demonstrated web tools and pie-chart style breakdowns that show where tax dollars go. NDACO presented a survey of eight counties estimating tax statement preparation and mailing costs, concluding that outsourced printing tends to be cheaper on average and that total statewide tax statement costs may be roughly $600,000, though the estimate was based on limited data. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational and focused on gathering testimony and identifying issues for possible future recommendations or bill drafts.

Transcript Highlights:

• We managed to spend it all every.
• We carry out our primary function of inspection and enforcement, but also management.
• Consultation, auditing population, and construction plan review and assistance with 28 FTEs.
• , and executive management.
• This was developed with the assistance of the Correctional Management Institute of Texas.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 3480 by Nate Schatzlein relates to the Rio Grande vegetative management program for the Committee
• meetings with the state agency's internal auditor to deliver or receive information about certain auditing
• HB 3495 by Ben Baumgartner relating to the investment and management of certain funds by the Comptroller
• HB 3538 by Charlie Geren relating to the Managed Care Consumer Choice Program, referred to the Committee
• HB 3542 by Armando Martinez relating to the effect of pharmacy benefit manager changes on prescription

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You mentioned Medicaid managed care and of course, as we know, Medicaid managed care started small.
• of Medicaid managed care recognized. >> Thank you.
• Really quickly, Senator, you talked about removing the geographical requirement for manage for the management
• And the movement of the managed care plan is a pretty technical one that that just but managed care under
• Then the managed care plan.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My units do auditing as well as investigations for fraud and abuse benefit programs. them for you and
• My units do auditing<00:43:26.720> as<00:43:26.960> well<00:43:27.119> as<00:43:
• 27.599> investigations<00:43:28.319> for auditing as well as investigations for auditing
• Again, we're responsible to the federal level, and we're audited all the time.
• level and we're audited um all the time. level and we're audited um all the time.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and social services, disease management and social services, community<00:24:43.600> outreach,
• <00:30:44.559> of<00:30:44.799> the asking for for your audit of the asking for for
• your audit of the hospitals<00:30:46.080> in<00:30:46.240> Hawaii<00:30:46.640> to<
• So, the audit thing is going to go in there then? Well, it's not an audit thing.
• So, the audit thing is going to go in there then? Well, it's not an audit thing.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 302, which would expand access to medical cannabis by removing the in-person provider-patient relationship requirement and related restrictions. The Department of Health supported the bill, and multiple advocates and organizations testified in support, including the ACLU of Hawaii, Hawaii Alliance for Cannabis Reform, Marijuana Policy Project, and others. Supporters said the measure would improve access for patients, especially on outer islands, and some urged broader amendments allowing providers to certify cannabis for any medical condition and to speed registration and treat in-state and out-of-state patients equally. No opposition was heard, and the bill was left with no questions after testimony. The committee also heard HB 1052 HD1, which clarifies that the Public Utilities Commission may use universal service fund monies to provide free telecommunications access for individuals with print disabilities. Testimony was uniformly supportive from the DCCA Division of Consumer Advocacy, the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Department of Human Services, the Public Utilities Commission, and the National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii. Witnesses described the program as an important accessibility service that has been operating under prior appropriations and should continue under the universal service program. HB 1482, relating to controlled substances and hemp/synthetic cannabinoids, drew support from the Department of Law Enforcement, Department of Health, Honolulu Police Department, and others, with some comments from the Attorney General’s office. Supporters said the bill would clarify that delta-8 THC is a controlled substance and help enforcement against illegal hemp products and synthetic cannabinoids. Testimony and questioning focused on the need for better lab testing capacity, retail registry and age-gating, seizure authority, nuisance abatement, and possible use of special funds or appropriations to support enforcement. Members also discussed enforcement of illegal hemp businesses and whether additional funding or statutory changes would be needed. Finally, the committee took up HB 712, a 340B drug-discount measure affecting safety-net providers and contract pharmacies. Hospitals, health centers, and provider groups testified in support, saying the bill would protect access to discounted drugs and preserve funding for services such as chronic disease management, transportation, and specialty care. Pharmaceutical-industry representatives opposed the bill or sought amendments, arguing the 340B program has expanded beyond its original intent and lacks transparency, and they requested reporting or audit-like provisions to verify claims and revenues. Members questioned both sides about alleged abuse, the growth of contract pharmacies, and whether the bill should include transparency requirements before moving forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• So uh that we have to review and audit.
• managing health care for people. managing health care for people.
• I'm the family child care licensing manager at DCYF.
• <01:30:16.000> Um, childcare licensing manager at DCYF.
• Um, childcare licensing manager at DCYF.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• 33.760> offices Yet, local emergency management offices Yet, local emergency management offices
• of their dedicated emergency management of their dedicated emergency management role,<00:11:00.800
• During that investigation, Winona County Emergency Management coordinated and managed numerous search
• Emergency managers cannot function.
• . management. management.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He said it would be prudent to wait for the results of the audit before making significant changes to
• He said it would be prudent to wait for the results of the audit before making significant changes to
• of that audit is still several months away.
• <00:59:52.119> that education is conducting an audit that education is conducting an audit
• One thing led to another, and I managed to land an internship.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and wildlife management agencies, how this is in the best interest of Floridians?
• And wildlife management agencies, how is this in the best interest of Floridians?
• We're taking a position that the state owns a lot of land and it costs a lot of money to manage it.
• Instead of purchasing land and spending a lot of taxpayer dollars to manage it, or I would even submit
• Land acquisition and land management total $284 million.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the pledge, quorum call, and several recognitions, including guests for Education and Sharing Day, law enforcement officer of the day Detective Miata Anderson, and later FAMU Day at the Capitol and other visiting groups. The chamber adopted the special order report and then moved through a series of budget-related bills and conforming measures, with debate focused largely on recurring funding, environmental programs, housing, insurance reserves, and tax policy. Members approved HB 5011/SB 2506, which conform environmental resource funding to the proposed budget by shifting Seminole Gaming Compact-related dollars from recurring to nonrecurring funding; supporters said this preserves annual legislative review, while opponents warned it would reduce funding for the Resilient Florida program, wildlife corridor protection, invasive species removal, and other conservation efforts. The House then passed HB 5013, reducing state-funded property reinsurance reserves by lowering the RAP program and repealing FORA funding, and HB 5501, which redirects documentary stamp tax revenues from housing and transportation trust funds to general revenue; Democrats argued the housing changes would reduce affordable housing support, while Republicans said the move was needed to control recurring spending. The chamber also passed HB 5015 on state group insurance, HB 5201 on Florida PALM accounting conforming changes, HB 5203 on Capitol Center tenancy and utilities control, and HB 5009 creating a Florida Accountability Office and revising audit and budgeting functions. The most extended debate came on HB 7031, which permanently reduces the state sales tax rate from 6% to 5.25% and also lowers several related tax rates. Supporters described it as broad-based, immediate tax relief for Floridians, while opponents said property tax relief would be more targeted and that sales tax cuts also benefit tourists and out-of-state visitors. The bill passed 112-0. The House then took up the main budget bill, HB 501, and subcommittee chairs outlined the proposed $112.9 billion budget, including education, health care, transportation, agriculture and natural resources, higher education, state administration, justice, and IT spending. Members began questioning the pre-K-12 budget on school funding, vouchers, proration, mental health and safety allocations, and inflation, with the discussion continuing beyond the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the administration is opposed to establishing a whole new audit framework.
• I wanted to start us off by talking a little bit about the disaster management cycle.
• The disaster management cycle is an analytical framework that is commonly used by disaster management
• Fire management assistance grants were mentioned.
• We were asked to provide an update on the management at Cal OES.

Summary: The committee heard a broad public safety budget hearing focused on youth justice funding, probation incentive grants, and disaster response and recovery. On the youth justice item, the Office of Youth and Community Restoration described a proposed change to the JJRBG funding formula that would shift resources away from a DJJ-based measure and toward county youth population, serious offenses, and step-down placements in less restrictive programs. Members asked about data on Native American youth; OYCR said statewide data are limited, but its SYTF data show about 1% of youth in secure youth treatment facilities were Native in 2024. The Department of Finance had no objections, and the item was discussed as a way to support alternatives to long-term incarceration. The committee then reviewed the community corrections performance incentive program for county probation departments. The Department of Finance proposed stabilizing the program with a maintenance payment, updating the performance baseline, and adding a growth factor; the LAO agreed the formula needed changes but recommended using 2022-23 data instead of 2021-23, using marginal rather than average cost assumptions, rejecting the growth payment and minimum guarantee, and adding stronger oversight through the BSCC. Finance said it was open to some technical changes but opposed a new BSCC audit framework, noting Judicial Council already surveys probation departments and that evidence-based practice use has increased over time. Members and staff indicated the proposal still needed further work. A major portion of the hearing focused on the January 2025 Southern California wildfires and state disaster response. A resident of Altadena gave emotional testimony about evacuation failures, loss of home, and the need for accountability. LAO and Cal OES outlined the disaster response and recovery system, including mutual aid, alert and warning, debris removal, FEMA and state funding streams, and the long timeline for reimbursement. Cal OES said it had pre-positioned resources, temporarily took over the county’s wireless emergency alert function for about three weeks, coordinated debris removal and recovery operations, and had already allocated more than $286 million in state funds. Officials also discussed the 100% federal cost share for emergency work for 180 days and the uncertainty created by changing federal processes and the cancellation of the BRIC resilience program. The committee also heard two smaller Cal OES items: a request to reappropriate about $22 million for the law enforcement mutual aid reimbursement program, which the LAO said should be placed in statute with clearer goals and reporting, and an update on Victims of Crime Act funding, where Cal OES said federal VOCA allocations have fallen sharply and that roughly $224 million would be needed to maintain current service levels if federal funding does not improve. Public comment included a request for funding to expand datacasting and emergency alert receivers for wildfire and earthquake warning.

Transcript Highlights:

• on the federal return, which allows the comptroller to leverage the work that the IRS is doing on audits
• The city is responsible for administering and auditing the use of HOT as set forth in state and local
• Recent audits have investigated the Parks Board's use of restricted funds.
• As Sheila mentioned, the park board is under an audit.
• body and the um to an unelected body, the park board that has just has demonstrated an inability to manage

Transcript Highlights:

• So what we talk about is the maintenance piece: how counties manage their caseloads.
• Good afternoon, Senator, Manager.
• I'm sorry, there was an extension to conduct the audit, correct? Yes.
• The independent audit and fiscal reviews, that's ongoing too?
• It will encompass our case management. That are upwards of 40 years old.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard an overview of the governor’s IHSS budget proposals and then took public testimony from the administration, LAO, county representatives, labor, consumer advocates, and an aging/disability advocacy group. The administration described IHSS as a large Medi-Cal long-term services program serving more than 900,000 recipients and proposed three changes: shifting some growth costs tied to authorized hours per case to counties, eliminating the statewide backup provider system, and aligning IHSS terminations with Medi-Cal terminations. The administration also discussed the earlier CFCO reassessment penalty change for counties and said overdue reassessments had dropped significantly. LAO said the governor’s overall IHSS cost estimates appeared reasonable, but raised concerns about the hours-per-case cost shift, including unclear root causes for growth, limited county control over statewide averages, and uncertainty about the eventual savings. County Welfare Directors Association, SEIU, and consumer/advocacy witnesses opposed the hours cost shift, arguing counties use state tools, the proposal would pressure counties to cut services, and it could harm older adults and people with disabilities by increasing institutionalization and shifting costs elsewhere. The chair and members repeatedly questioned the rationale for the proposal, the lack of a defined baseline, and whether the current assessment tools or MOE structure should instead be revisited. On the backup provider system, the administration said the program is underused and costly to administer relative to service spending, while LAO suggested the Legislature consider whether administrative costs could be reduced instead of eliminating it. County, labor, and consumer witnesses opposed the cut, saying the system is a critical emergency safety net even if utilization is low, especially for rural areas and people with complex needs. Members also asked about data quality, county backup systems, and whether consumers know the program exists. On the Medi-Cal/IHSS alignment proposal, the administration said automation would stop General Fund-only spending when recipients lose Medi-Cal and restore IHSS automatically when Medi-Cal is regained; LAO and others noted the proposal had been rejected before and urged better notices and safeguards. Witnesses warned that automatic termination could create gaps in care and unpaid work for providers, while the department said counties already manually terminate in some cases and that automation is ready if approved. No votes were taken in the excerpt, and the chair indicated the committee would continue with public comment and later items before a hard adjournment time.

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 1673 gives my communities more resources, tools, and flexibility to manage these threats.
• AB 1673 will help counties manage wildlife better while supporting communities most impacted by wildlife
• While recognizing health plans play a real role in managing care responsibly and safeguarding against
• AB 2020-333 does not expand benefits or manage new services.
• The audit found that there were significant billing errors and mistakes in the treatment, as well as

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on April 8, 2026, with a quorum established and 59 bills listed for consideration. The committee first approved two consent calendars: several bills were sent to the Assembly floor on a due-pass basis, and a smaller set was approved due-pass but not eligible for the floor consent calendar. The proposed suspense calendar was then deemed approved without individual debate on those measures. The committee heard several bills in regular order. AB 1977, sponsored by the Secretary of State, would clean up and clarify the Online Notarization Act to support implementation by 2030; it drew no opposition and was approved. AB 2011 would codify existing federal mental health parity standards into state law; supporters said it would preserve enforcement authority, while health plans opposed it as premature given federal uncertainty and possible premium impacts; the bill was placed on the B roll call. AB 1673 would give county fish and game commissions more flexibility to use certain revenues for wildlife conflict prevention, and it advanced on an A roll call. AB 2233 would allow unused authorized ABA therapy hours for children with autism to be made up within the authorization period; supporters emphasized access and continuity of care, while insurers warned of higher costs and reduced utilization safeguards; it advanced on an A roll call. AB 1660, as amended, would give courts more flexibility in cases involving financial institutions and public guardians/conservators, with supporters saying it could save counties time and money; it was approved due-pass as amended. During general public comment, speakers voiced support for AB 2081 and AB 1667, and opposition to AB 1777. After public comment and final vote recording for absent members, the committee adjourned.