Transcript Highlights:

• Before that, I spent my childhood in foster care and was adopted.
• We both spent a lot of time reviewing this bill to make sure that this bill just fixes a few technical
• simply ask DOC to produce a report in December and thereafter annually of where this money is being spent
• Basic transparency. ...annually of where this money is being spent. Basic transparency.
• I don't believe this money should be being spent on the folks who are acting up and causing additional

Summary: The Senate Human Services Committee heard public testimony on Senate Bill 5977, which would require DCYF to publish child near-fatality review reports within 180 days and post them publicly, with confidential information redacted as allowed by law. Senator Nikki Torres said the bill is intended to improve transparency, accountability, and child protection. There was no public testimony on the bill, and the hearing was closed. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6184, an Office of Homeless Youth request bill sponsored by the chair. The bill makes technical and policy updates to OHY programs, including replacing the term “street youth” with “unaccompanied homeless youth,” allowing certain flexible funds to go directly to youth or vendors, renaming and making permanent the H-Sync program, expanding eligibility and housing options in the Independent Youth Housing Program, and clarifying shelter and reporting provisions. Testifiers from Commerce, advocates, school support organizations, and a youth advocate all supported the bill, emphasizing that the changes would improve access, consistency, and housing stability for unhoused youth. The hearing was then closed. The committee moved into executive session on seven bills. SB 5681, concerning intellectual and developmental disability services at age 20, had Amendment A1 fail and the proposed substitute was adopted and sent to Ways and Means. SB 5917, regarding abortion medication in DOC, saw one amendment adopted and multiple Christian amendments rejected before the bill was sent to Rules. SB 5942, renaming the DCYF Oversight Board as the DCYF Accountability Board and revising its duties, had only Amendment C16 adopted; the amended bill passed to Rules. SB 6024, on duplicative audits for community residential providers, passed without amendment. SB 6036, concerning adult family homes and foster care licensees, had Amendment D1 adopted and the bill passed to Rules. SB 6085, on the DOC institutional welfare account, had Amendment E1 adopted and the bill was sent to Ways and Means after several other amendments failed. In each case, the committee voted to advance the bill after considering amendments, with most of the proposed changes from Senator Christian failing except where noted.

Transcript Highlights:

• I spent nearly my entire professional career in the technology industry, first as an investment banker
• Having spent my entire career in the private sector, you might. rightly ask, why am I sitting here today
• debate, and I asked my colleagues, as well as the Washington Press Corps, anybody know how much we spent
• administration was walking out the door, some of the people they promoted and the money that they spent
• But they want the million dollars to still be spent.

Keywords: nominations, Scott Cooper, Eric Ulan, federal workforce, Office of Personnel Management, Office of Management and Budget, accountability, collective bargaining

Summary: The committee convened to discuss the nominations of Scott Cooper for Director of the Office of Personnel Management and Eric Ulan for Deputy Director at the Office of Management and Budget. This meeting highlighted the critical roles both positions play in managing the federal workforce, which comprises over two million civilian employees. Concerns were raised regarding the current administration's approach to federal employment, citing issues like mass firings and the undermining of collective bargaining rights. Members expressed the need for better accountability and transparency within the federal system, emphasizing the importance of attracting talented public servants.

Transcript Highlights:

• And again, 70% or 71% over the past 17 years has been spent on salaries and benefits for this category
• Funding was consistently lower than what was spent on activities.
• Many teachers, but the amount of money that we spent was very much the same as we got.
• Numerous districts, almost all of them, spent more... ...districts almost all of them spent more money
• We practiced in that room back there, and I spent years of my life there, and I spent years of my life

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But this was a performance-driven audit, really just to determine where the dollars were spent, what
• But this was a performance-driven audit, really just to determine where the dollars were spent, what
• Is the money being spent properly? Is it being, you know, we're— Do you feel that's... Yeah.
• Is the money being spent properly? Is it being, you know, what are the outcomes?
• How they're being served, to look at the efficiencies, where the money is being spent, and that's it.

Bills: HB414, HB457, HB475, HB611, HB616, HB740, HB897, HB925, HB926, HB931, HB949, HB962, HB1076

Keywords: healthcare, criminal convictions, employment, background checks, prohibited offenses, homelessness, homeless shelter, emergency shelter, transitional housing, group home, halfway house, shelter standards, housing standards, sanitation, habitability, fire marshal, inspection, local permitting, parish government, Louisiana Department of Health

Transcript Highlights:

• We've—it's not that we haven't spent money.
• We've actually spent significant amounts of money, over 300 million dollars just from 23 forward, and
• We've it's not that we haven't spent money.
• We've actually spent significant amounts of money over 300 million dollars just from 23 forward.
• In recent years, we'll share updates about how these funds are being spent.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• What budgeting looks like and how New Mexico Pre-K grants are spent can look quite different between
• The proportion spent on food has increased from $1.03 in school year 18 to $1.71 in school year 19. .
• Funds had been spent. Most schools prepare meals themselves on-site.
• I always tend to ask why some of the funds aren't spent, and so I was just wondering...
• Therefore, 60% Percent of that does have to at least be spent on fruits and vegetables.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our family has spent years on the water, and no one loved it more than Lucy. She grew up on boats.
• You mentioned that money's being spent on art festivals and things like that, but is it not CRAs?
• If the concern is about the mismanagement of how funds are spent, would a more reasonable approach be
• Would you be open to, because you mentioned earlier your concerns with how some of dollars are spent,
• I don't know anything that my city has spent their money on other than what they should.

Summary: The committee first heard CS/HB 69, which would preempt local land-use decisions for presidential libraries to the state. The sponsor said the bill was intended to make it easier to site a presidential library in Florida. Members asked about whether the bill could affect nontraditional uses such as hotels or casinos, and the sponsor said it only addressed land-use and development-order decisions. There was no public testimony, and the bill was reported favorably 16-7. The committee then took up CS/HB 289, “Lucy's Law,” on boating safety. The bill expands boating education requirements, aligns boating penalties more closely with driving offenses, prohibits false information in vessel accident reports, and requires certain nonresidents to obtain boating safety cards. An amendment requiring boating safety courses for those convicted of civil boating infractions was adopted. The committee heard emotional testimony from Lucy Fernandez’s mother, who described the fatal 2022 boating crash that inspired the bill, along with support from industry and local-government witnesses. Members from both parties spoke in favor, emphasizing accountability, education, and enforcement. The bill passed unanimously, 25-0. HB 7003, an open-government/sunshine bill, preserved a public-records exemption for sensitive business information submitted with applications to the Office of Financial Regulation’s financial technology sandbox. It drew no public testimony or debate and was reported favorably. HB 4007, a local bill for Martin County, capped reimbursement for inmate emergency health care at 110% of Medicare, mirroring the Department of Corrections standard; it also passed favorably after supportive public testimony. The longest discussion was on HB 991, which would prohibit creation of new community redevelopment agencies after July 1, 2025, bar current CRAs from starting new projects or issuing new debt after October 1, 2025, and sunset existing CRAs by 2045 or their charter date, whichever is earlier. The sponsor argued CRAs have become long-lived funding vehicles used beyond their original anti-blight purpose and said local governments have other tools. Many members from both parties objected that CRAs remain important for affordable housing, small business support, infrastructure, and redevelopment in blighted areas, and several said the bill would harm ongoing or multi-phase projects. Three amendments were offered: one defining “new project,” one striking the new-CRA prohibition, and one striking the new-debt/new-project language; all were defeated except the first, which was adopted. Public testimony was split, with redevelopment groups, cities, and the Florida League of Cities opposing the bill and Americans for Prosperity supporting it. The committee did not reach final disposition in the portion provided, but the debate showed substantial opposition and concern about the bill’s impact on local redevelopment efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll explore whether these platforms provide enough transparency on how funds are spent at the local
• So, you know, they are spent.
• So, you know, they are spent.
• It talks about $37 billion that we have spent in the last six years on housing and homelessness.
• , but how it was spent.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Accountability and Oversight held a hearing on California’s homelessness funding, focusing on the Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention (HAP) Grant and the Encampment Resolution Grant Program. HCD described new accountability requirements, including regional action plans, stronger reporting and expenditure conditions, housing-element compliance, encampment response plans, and public dashboards that track fiscal spending, service outcomes, and encampment resolution status. Officials said the goal is to use the data to identify underperforming grantees, provide technical assistance, and, if needed, withhold or reallocate funds. Local officials from San Diego, Fresno, and Santa Cruz said the programs have helped expand shelter, outreach, and permanent housing, and that state dollars have leveraged local and federal resources. Mayor Todd Gloria said San Diego has used HAP to expand shelter and safe sleeping options, reduce downtown encampments, and increase housing production, but argued the state’s new accountability website is too high-level and does not fully reflect countywide conditions, behavioral health outcomes, or the role of continuum-of-care partners. Fresno officials said HAP and other state funds helped the city add shelter beds and reduce homelessness, while Santa Cruz emphasized that state funding helped build local coordination and draw in federal vouchers. Members pressed the panel on whether HAP is actually reducing homelessness, what the best success metrics should be, and whether the state is getting full, usable data from grantees and subcontractors. Several members asked for more granular jurisdiction-level reporting, better tracking of nonprofit spending, and clearer measures beyond point-in-time counts and “people served.” HCD said it is still improving HMIS participation and data quality, but can already show outcomes such as exits to permanent housing and returns to homelessness. The hearing ended with broad agreement that transparency is important, but disagreement remained over the best measures of success and how much emphasis should be placed on housing, prevention, shelter, and treatment.

Transcript Highlights:

• of the funds committed and about 40% of the funds have been spent.
• </c><00:48:23.440><c> Um</c> assistance uh those have been spent.
• Um assistance uh those have been spent.
• I will insert that there are guidelines around how that interest is spent currently.
• I will insert that there are guidelines around how that interest is spent currently.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• She spent Hispanics United of Buffalo.
• But the crypto industry also spent a lot of money, and it spent money to make these bills happen.
• </c><02:51:38.560><c> money</c> spent a lot of money and it spent money spent a lot of money and it spent
• ><c> hire</c><02:52:34.880><c> expensive</c> count money spent to hire expensive count money spent to
• </c> combine this bill with the money spent combine this bill with the money spent by<02:56:51.920><c

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• No spent fuel is stored on site either.
• What do you do with the spent fuel?
• So I'm going to address the spent fuel question. Yes, and I'm going to extrapolate on that.
• One, no spent fuel. If this passes, no spent fuel will be stored in California.
• Why is it important for you to make the note that no spent fuel will be stored here in California?

Summary: The committee heard several bills and one resolution focused on recycling, housing affordability, air quality, coastal protection, wildfire resilience, and nuclear policy. AB 2559, by Assembly Member Ward, would require local governments to return refundable construction and demolition permit deposits if compliance documentation is submitted within three years of final inspection; supporters said it would prevent homeowners and developers from losing deposits due to mismatched local deadlines, and it passed unanimously as amended to Appropriations. AB 1704, by Assembly Member Gonzalez, would require CARB to assess the cost of lower-embodied-carbon building materials and pause the embodied-carbon program if cost parity is not reached; supporters framed it as a housing affordability safeguard, while environmental groups argued it would delay implementation of a key climate law. The bill passed on a party-line vote to Appropriations. AB 2349, by Assembly Member Solache, would create regional air quality incident response centers for emergency monitoring and coordination; it drew strong support from air district and local government representatives and passed unanimously to Appropriations. ACR 149, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the California Coastal Act and Coastal Conservancy, highlighted coastal access, habitat protection, and climate adaptation; it passed the committee, though some members voted no. AB 1960, by Assembly Member Bennett, would let Cal Fire fund community-level wildfire hardening projects through the Wildfire Prevention Grants Fund; members raised questions about funding and implementation, but it passed to Appropriations. AB 2254, the Coastal Monarchs Protection Act, would require coastal local governments to add monarch overwintering protections when updating local coastal plans; supporters cited steep monarch declines and economic benefits, while local government groups opposed the mandate as duplicative and burdensome, and it passed to Water, Parks and Wildlife. AB 2253 would restrict deceptive recycled-content claims and mass-balance accounting practices; supporters said it would protect consumers and real recyclers, while business groups argued it would conflict with recognized accounting systems and EPR programs. The transcript also included AB 1757, which would create a limited carve-out from California’s nuclear moratorium for microreactors; supporters said it could provide clean, local power and support data centers, while opponents warned of cost, waste, and safety risks. The committee ultimately rejected AB 1757 on a divided vote, then granted reconsideration, and the discussion continued without a final action shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Horn were given $10 million in FY24 for administration, but it was spent on advertising the program to
• Vice Chair, the vast majority of dollars spent in this program are spent properly. Okay.
• How do we look at what the money's being spent on out the door? Mr.
• That money could have been spent and been used for this purpose exactly.
• District spent?

Bills: HB2352, HB2388, HB2418, HB2499, HB2500, HB2579, HB2584, HB2804

Keywords: funding, auditor general, county treasurer, procedural reviews, state appropriations, HB2388, Arizona Commerce Authority, ACA, small modular reactor, SMR, nuclear energy, advanced nuclear, data center, data centers, economic development, study, appropriation, general fund, jobs, wages

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a very chunky account. >> It started with $10 million, then they spent $4 million.
• They spent nothing for four years and then spent $4 million. >> So, plenty now. >> Yeah, I think we better
• </c><01:02:05.119><c> They</c><01:02:05.440><c> spent</c> they spent four million.
• They spent they spent four million.
• for f four years and then spent nothing for f four years and then spent four<01:02:08.160><c> million

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from the September 24 and September 27 meetings unanimously. It then reviewed a spreadsheet and draft report tracking the status of various dedicated funds, with members deciding which items should be kept active, removed, or flagged for follow-up next year. Several funds were identified as no longer needing action because they had been repealed, terminated, or were already handled elsewhere, including mosquito-related funding, child care licensing, and the prescription drug affordability board item. In other cases, members agreed to keep the fund on the list but remove question marks and add notes for future review or for another committee to address. A number of funds drew more detailed discussion. Members agreed that the Fish and Game fee increase issue should not be handled by this committee directly, but that staff should notify the relevant sponsor/department that a legislative change would be needed. They also discussed a medical cannabis fund that was running down significantly; the committee agreed to keep it active, note the concern, and send a letter to the department and Representative McDonald suggesting that HHS review whether fees or another revenue source should be changed, with the possibility of a late bill if needed. The lead poisoning prevention fund was also kept, with a note that the department should take action if it wants changes, and the committee discussed a grants-and-aid escrow-related item, concluding it should remain active and be kept on the list. Members also discussed several legacy or special-purpose funds. They agreed to recommend deleting the broodstock reference, to keep the emergency fund while asking for a better explanation of its funding source, and to retain the building maintenance fund as active. The Recovery Monument fund was identified as inactive and likely eligible for transfer of its remaining $1,000 to the addiction treatment and prevention fund. The Matthew Elliott Trust Fund prompted the most extended discussion; members concluded it should not continue as-is and agreed to draft a letter to the Attorney General recommending that the fund be closed through probate court and the remaining $5,657 transferred to Fund 122, or otherwise handled as unclaimed property if appropriate. The committee also discussed a firemen’s association-related transfer and agreed it should remain, while noting that any broader change would require legislation and a sponsor in the relevant policy committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:08:21.319><c> every</c><00:08:21.960><c> $1</c><00:08:22.960><c> that's</c><00:08:23.159><c> spent
• </c><00:08:23.560><c> on</c> their families every $1 that's spent on their families every $1 that's spent
• </c><00:25:49.279><c> chair</c><00:25:50.279><c> um</c><00:25:50.399><c> I've</c><00:25:50.559><c> spent
• </c> Gander thank you Mr chair um I've spent Gander thank you Mr chair um I've spent the<00:25:51.000
• 35.960><c> 10</c><00:30:36.120><c> years</c><00:30:36.320><c> seeing</c><00:30:36.600><c> this</c> spent

Bills: HF958, HF688, HF702

Keywords: mental health, behavioral health, psychiatric care, collaborative care model, healthcare funding, service dog, service animal, service dog in training, assistance dog, guide dog, disability rights, housing accommodations, fair housing, landlord, rental housing, homeowners association, HOA, Minnesota human services, accessible housing, reasonable accommodation

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:30.959><c> what</c><00:03:31.120><c> this</c> do how's is going to spent what this do how's
• is going to spent what this will<00:03:31.480><c> do</c><00:03:32.000><c> is</c><00:03:32.280><c> in
• We spent the surplus, correct?
• We spent the surplus, correct?
• </c> they this the 18 billion is what spent they this the 18 billion is what spent is<00:32:18.399><c

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Last year we spent 4.8 trillion, not counting the indirect costs of missed work.
• I was a four-H kid and I spent my summer working on ranches. I went to work with our farmers.
• We spent zero on chronic disease during the Kennedy administration.
• Kennedy, you have spent years pushing conflicting stories about vaccines.
• The federal government, because of this waiver, spent $7.5 billion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Like, is that money better spent somewhere else? Address the same issue or same problem.
• And I understand that we don't have the full actual for what was spent in 25, 26. But I...
• And we can get you information on how much money is being spent in each area of the state.
• We don't know how much has been spent of that. Yeah, we can get you the exact amount.
• So we have not spent all of the funds that were previously allotted.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, the LIHEAP funds spent today in federal fiscal year 2025 total $43.4 million.
• funds spent today in federal<00:04:02.160><c> fiscal</c><00:04:02.600><c> year</c><00:04:02.840><c>
• </c><00:26:43.600><c> and</c><00:26:44.640><c> um</c> or has been spent and um or has been spent and
• </c><00:54:13.960><c> I</c> spent their funds in a timely manner.
• I spent their funds in a timely manner.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:26 Approval of Minutes 00:02:27 LIHEAP Presentation and Public Hearing 00:02:42 Conservation Opportunities in Kentucky 00:29:52, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up a public hearing and presentation on the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Shannon Hall of the Department for Community Based Services and Rick Baker of Community Action Kentucky explained that LIHEAP is a 100% federally funded block grant that helps low-income households pay heating and cooling bills, avoid utility disconnects, and support weatherization. They outlined the program’s components, eligibility limits, seasonal application periods, and recent participation figures, including tens of thousands of households served through the summer cooling, fall subsidy, winter crisis, and spring subsidy components. They also described weatherization priorities, the partnership with Kentucky Housing Corporation, and the role of Community Action agencies in administering the program statewide. Members asked about Assurance 16, the balance between need and available funding, summer cooling assistance, weatherization measurement, renter versus homeowner participation, and whether federal changes could affect LIHEAP. Hall and Baker said Assurance 16 supports energy-burden reduction through education, case management, and conservation strategies; that funding has generally been sufficient in recent years but crisis funds have sometimes been exhausted quickly in the past; and that summer assistance is primarily electric utility support. They also said weatherization uses return-on-investment testing and that Kentucky still has a large backlog of homes needing service. On federal funding, they said the recently passed federal bill did not directly cut LIHEAP, but future appropriations could still affect it, and any major reduction could leave a gap the state might need to consider filling. The committee approved the minutes and later approved the LIHEAP finding of fact; no members of the public signed up to testify. After concluding LIHEAP, the committee heard a presentation from Heather Jeff of The Nature Conservancy on conservation opportunities in Kentucky. She described the organization’s voluntary land-protection work and highlighted the Cumberland Forest project, a conservation easement on about 55,000 acres in Bell, Knox, and Leslie counties supported in part by a $3.875 million state appropriation. She also reported on mine-land reforestation, elk habitat work, and the rapid allocation of a $2 million appropriation for the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund. Jeff emphasized the economic value of conservation for tourism, hunting and fishing, agriculture, forestry, bourbon, and flood protection, and said the group is finalizing a Kentucky conservation needs assessment and related feasibility research.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, the group did a deep dive and spent a long time considering a number of recommendations.
• In state fiscal year 24, MassHealth spent $71 million on overtime.
• In state fiscal year 24, MassHealth spent $71 million on overtime.
• So for every dollar spent in the program, 50 cents is reimbursed by the feds.
• And so the group has spent quite a bit of time kind of looking into and understanding the breakdown of

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The subcommittee met with MassHealth LTSS Chief Leslie Darcy to review the Personal Care Attendant (PCA) program and the legislative work group focused on its long-term sustainability and cost containment. Darcy and Charlie described the work group’s five meetings and three consensus recommendations: enforce the 66-hour overtime cap, address fraudulent activity in the PCA program, and eliminate MassHealth handling of PCA paperwork/administrative work for members without a live-in exemption because those members are subject to EVV. They explained EVV as an electronic visit verification system replacing paper timesheets, and noted the rollout is expected to be completed this fall. The group estimated about $7 million in savings from the consensus recommendations and agreed to continue meeting through June to consider additional ideas. Darcy presented data showing the PCA program served about 56,000 members in state fiscal year 2024 and has grown from $1.2 billion in FY20 to $1.6 billion in FY24, with projections near $2 billion by 2027. She said much of the growth is driven by wage increases and older adults using more services, and compared PCA costs with other LTSS programs. The discussion also covered overtime spending, the role of federal financial participation, and how Massachusetts’ PCA program differs from other states because it has no hard caps on hours or activities. Several members emphasized the program’s value for independent living and community participation, while also acknowledging the need to control growth without undermining services. Members asked about undocumented immigrants and MassHealth funding, and Darcy explained that some eligibility categories are state-funded only and do not receive federal matching funds. Another member asked about workforce recruitment and wage pressures; Darcy said recent collective bargaining agreements raised PCA wages, with some workers eventually reaching $25 per hour and the entry wage reaching $20. The group also discussed whether IADL hours are disproportionately high compared with ADL needs, and reviewed data suggesting potential savings if IADL hours were limited relative to ADL hours, though no consensus recommendation was made on that point. The meeting ended with approval of the prior minutes by roll call vote, an update that the next health equity informational hearing is scheduled for May 19, and a motion to adjourn carried unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• That hasn't been spent yet. It's around... we've spent around... How much is remaining? Yes.
• That hasn't been spent yet.
• It's around, we've spent around, we've spent around... what's remaining is around 47.5% unspent.
• That hasn't been spent yet. It's around, we've spent around, we've spent around.
• That hasn't been spent yet.

Summary: The committee heard an extensive Department of Social Services presentation on child care budget issues, including the Governor’s proposed 2026-27 budget, federal CCDF changes, Prop. 64 revenue adjustments, and a one-time $11.5 million disaster-related infrastructure grant for licensed child care facilities affected by 2025 declared disasters. DSS said federal formula updates and lower Prop. 64 revenues would reduce funding and could result in about 4,176 CCTR slots being reduced, but the department said it was working to avoid impacts to currently enrolled children. The LAO supported aligning general child care funding with lower revenues and asked for more detail on the disaster grant. Members pressed DSS and Finance on why reductions were not being backfilled and why so many awarded slots remain uncontracted or unused; DSS said delays are largely due to providers building new infrastructure, licensing, staffing, and enrollment challenges, and that some unspent funds revert to the General Fund. The committee also discussed whether some contract dollars should be shifted to vouchers and whether more flexibility should be allowed for infrastructure and expansion costs. A second panel focused on the state’s commitment to expand child care and on rate reform. DSS reported that nearly 125,000 new slots have been awarded since 2021-22, but speakers from Stanislaus County Office of Education, Parent Voices California, and the California Budget and Policy Center argued that unmet need remains large and that the system still leaves many families without access. Stanislaus County described a large local shortage of infant and toddler care and said reimbursement disparities between child care programs and state preschool create disincentives for providers. Parent Voices gave testimony about the burdens and instability families face when trying to access care, especially for survivors and low-income parents, and called for a universal, publicly funded system. The Budget Center said only about 16% of eligible children were enrolled in 2024, urged expansion across the mixed delivery system rather than concentrating investment in TK, and called for faster rate reform and new revenue. LAO estimated that bringing certain CCTR adjustment factors up to CSPP levels would cost $88 million to $131 million ongoing. Members and witnesses discussed the single rate structure, automation needs, and the need for deadlines and a ramp-up plan; DSS said the goal is to eliminate disparities, but that policy decisions are still needed before automation can proceed. The committee then reviewed several trailer bill proposals. DSS outlined a 2026-27 COLA proposal that would apply a 2.41% increase through cost-of-care-plus payments, though the department said it had inadvertently excluded CalWORKs Child Care and the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program and would revise the proposal; LAO recommended making the COLA methodology uniform across programs. DSS also proposed replacing the market rate survey with the federally approved alternative methodology on a triennial schedule, limiting temporary absences in family child care homes to 20% of monthly hours, defining excessive unexplained absences as more than 30 days in a year, and aligning family fee deductions with new federal requirements so providers receive the full voucher value. Members generally supported the temporary absence change and asked about implementation timing for the family fee deduction, with DSS saying it was in contact with Riverside County. The committee also heard a brief update on the Early Childhood Policy Council reappropriation, which would extend unused funds through June 30, 2028 because prior costs came in higher than expected.