Transcript Highlights:

• This just gives us better insight into the ones that we are actually utilizing on our plan and gives
• us better control and appropriate utilization of these particular treatment options within our population
• treatment that's been a long-term treatment, we always have the appeal process for our members to utilize
• to be able to maintain. the appeal process for our members to utilize to be able to maintain coverage
• These drugs, if you don't have the appropriate guardrails and kind of controls on utilization around

Summary: The State Insurance Programs Oversight Subcommittee met on June 17 and reviewed a series of Employee Benefits Division and Office of Property Risk items. Grant Wallace presented March and April formulary changes, explaining that the updates favored lower-cost generics, re-tiered some drugs, left several new-to-market drugs uncovered pending more evidence, and added quantity limits in some cases. The committee approved those formulary recommendations. The subcommittee also approved a cell and gene therapy policy that would exclude automatic coverage of those therapies and route them through prior authorization and review, with members noting the process should not delay urgent cases and that appeals remain available. Members then discussed a UAMS professional consultant services contract amendment for pharmacy benefit consulting. The discussion focused on confusion over the dollar amount and scope, with Wallace clarifying that the committee was being asked to approve up to $2.596 million, including optional services related to coupon and rebate management that could be used later without returning for another approval. Several members raised concerns about matching the written contract to the approval amount and about the relationship to the current pharmacy benefit manager, but the committee ultimately approved the item with the understanding that any use of the optional services would return to the committee. The committee also reviewed, without objection, a Blue Cross/Blue Advantage third-party administrator contract, a CompSack employee assistance program contract, and approved proposed 2027 employee and public school health plan rates of 9.8% and 4.9% increases, respectively. Wallace also said the UnitedHealthcare rebid was in final negotiation and would return in August. On the property risk side, the committee reviewed permanent rules for the property insurance program, a contingency-fee subrogation contract with Denenberg-Tuffly, and extensions for Sedgwick Claims Management, Actuarial Advantage, and Stevens Capital Management. Members asked about claim-adjustment delays after a major winter storm, and Wallace said performance guarantees and communication requirements had been added, with claims still expected to vary by case. The committee also approved 2026-27 captive insurance program rates, which included no change to minimum deductibles, lower rates for K-12 and higher education, a higher rate for state agencies, and an overall 10% reduction. Wallace said the reductions reflected improved actuarial foundations, better claims management, and the program’s first-year performance. The meeting adjourned after approving the rate item.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're a way to finance the cost of that infrastructure, get water and wastewater utilities, and drive
• Are there utilities there? Does there have to be streets realigned?
• Obviously if there's not water there to be utilized, if there's going to be further growth, it's going
• I'm assuming utility companies, power companies, water companies have to basically do the same.
• We should be able to utilize those for housing, residential housing, conversions, things like that.

Transcript Highlights:

• Finance the cost of that infrastructure, get water and wastewater utilities, and drive housing costs
• Are there utilities there? Does there need to be street rework?
• I'm assuming utility companies, the power companies, and water companies have to basically do the same
• But I will say. you know, whether it's line working with utilities, which have to get the electricity
• But there's other authority related to the provision of water, sewer, utilities.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're just utilizing it for the first time now.
• “We need to lower utility bills in California.
• We need to lower utility bills in California.
• Overall, the electric distribution utilities and the electric utilities are getting 11% less than the
• Overall, the electric distribution utilities, the electric utilities, we are getting 11% less than the

Summary: The hearing focused on the governor’s May Revision proposals for transportation, natural resources, climate, and related programs, with the Department of Finance and the LAO presenting competing views on the state’s fiscal condition. Finance said the budget remains balanced over two years, with major climate-bond, water, parks, transportation, DMV, and agriculture proposals, while the LAO argued the state still has a structural deficit and should reject or defer many new discretionary spending items, preserve reserves, and be cautious about ongoing commitments. The LAO specifically questioned the timing and scale of new spending for programs such as Clean California, Healthy Rivers and Landscapes, and the Golden Gate Fields acquisition, and urged more clarity on future obligations and revenue scenarios, including for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes proposal for Bay-Delta water quality implementation. Secretary Wade Crowfoot and Finance described it as an enforceable, science-based alternative to a more traditional regulatory approach, with the state’s $25 million request intended to support early implementation, monitoring, habitat restoration, and environmental flows. The LAO countered that the Water Board has not yet adopted the updated Bay-Delta plan, that the proposal may be premature, and that the Legislature should wait for more information on the state’s total funding commitment and the program’s long-term costs. Several members expressed support for the program as a way to reduce conflict and protect water reliability, while others echoed concerns about timing and fiscal exposure. The committee also examined the proposed $125 million Proposition 4 contribution toward acquiring the Golden Gate Fields property for a shoreline park and habitat project. State officials said the acquisition is a time-sensitive, once-in-a-generation opportunity, with an appraised value of $175 million and additional philanthropic and local funding expected to close the gap. Members questioned whether the project had gone through the usual competitive process, whether the site is the best use of scarce park bond dollars, and how public access, habitat, and disadvantaged-community priorities would be protected. The discussion ended without a vote, and the committee moved on to transportation items including Clean California litter abatement, the Games Route Network, homeless encampment coordinators, and DMV modernization and field office proposals, with LAO recommending rejection or delay on several of those requests as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• require a utilization of them or<00:18:07.600> allow<00:18:07.880> us<00:18:08.039>
• The broad definition of family member also further concerns that the utilization of the program will
• furthers concerns that the utilization furthers concerns that the utilization of<00:37:23.400>
• But again, we can't touch any of those hours or even require a utilization, even when those hours are
• some authority to manage the utilization some authority to manage the utilization of<01:31:30.639

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee’s first official meeting was framed as an informational session, with the chair saying no legislation would be acted on and that testimony would focus on what is working and not working for businesses and workers in Minnesota. The stated topics included earned sick and safe time, paid family and medical leave, labor shortages, and broader business climate concerns. The chair also noted the absence of DFL members and invited questions to be held until the end so testifiers could present fully. Lauren Shodor of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce argued that Minnesota’s business climate has worsened because of high taxes, rising costs, regulation, and new workplace mandates. She cited chamber survey and research findings saying more businesses are considering leaving the state, that Minnesota companies are investing more in other states than vice versa, and that the state lags national growth rates. She said employers are especially concerned about earned sick and safe time and the upcoming paid family and medical leave program, which the chamber believes add compliance burdens and costs, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses. Matt Hilgart of the Association of Minnesota Counties said the new leave laws affect county budgets and operations because labor is the main county cost and services are often state-mandated. He said the programs were imposed outside the collective bargaining process and can duplicate existing county benefits, increase costs, and create staffing and service challenges. He asked for changes including clearer premium-sharing language, exclusion of elected officials and short-term election workers from paid leave requirements, better exemption and private-plan rules, coordination requirements for intermittent leave, and more clarity for essential employees during weather emergencies. Owen Worth of the League of Minnesota Cities said cities are facing similar implementation problems, with overlapping leave policies and concerns about stacking state and federal leave rules, and he indicated the league would support changes to reduce administrative and budget pressures on cities.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:32:23.200> SNAP is to help people who utilize SNAP is to help people who utilize SNAP
• > their<00:35:58.800> claims they utilize SNAP, are their claims they utilize SNAP, are
• where they are actually utilizing where they are actually<00:41:04.480> utilizing<00:41:04.880
• <00:41:05.680> I actually utilizing those benefits. I actually utilizing those benefits.
• Are they having to their utilities?

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with roll call and housekeeping, including moving standing attendees to an overflow room and asking the audience to avoid interruptions. The task force then heard testimony from Allison Adams of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, who presented statewide health trend data showing Kentucky ranked 41st overall and 44th in health outcomes, with especially poor performance on premature death, chronic disease, diabetes, and vaccination rates. She emphasized that Kentucky has the highest rates of residents with multiple chronic conditions, that diabetes remains above the national average, and that childhood immunization rates have worsened. She also highlighted major provider shortages in rural areas, noting that 43 of 120 counties meet shortage criteria and that more than half of primary care providers are concentrated in Fayette and Jefferson counties. Adams urged the task force to focus on prevention, early intervention, access to care, physical activity, and healthier school and community environments, and said the foundation is prepared to share results from its demonstration projects. Task force members asked follow-up questions about the age range for chronic-condition data and whether the diabetes figure reflected type 1 or type 2 diabetes; Adams said the chronic-condition measure spans all ages and that the diabetes figure likely reflects type 2, though she offered to provide the full report. The task force then approved the minutes from the prior meeting. The committee next turned to SNAP benefits and heard from Lisa Dennis, commissioner of the Department for Community Based Services, and Roger McCann, director of the Division of Family Support. They explained that SNAP is not only a food assistance program but also a public health and family stability tool, arguing that poor diet contributes to chronic disease and that food insecurity is linked to family stress, child welfare involvement, and neglect-related CPS referrals. They cited research showing that more generous SNAP policies are associated with fewer CPS reports, fewer substantiated reports, and fewer foster care placements, and said SNAP helps reduce risk and promote stability across vulnerable populations including children, older adults, people with disabilities, and pregnant women. They also described SNAP-Ed as the nutrition education component that teaches healthy eating, cooking on a budget, and how to use fresh produce, but warned that recent federal legislation eliminates federal funding for SNAP-Ed beginning in federal fiscal year 2026. McCann outlined the remaining SNAP outreach and employment-and-training components, noting that outreach is typically run by nonprofits with a 50% match and that employment and training funds job-skills programs to help recipients move toward better jobs and self-sufficiency. The discussion emphasized that access to nutritious food, education, and job supports are all part of improving health outcomes and reducing food insecurity.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've spent the last 30 years in the utility industry working in every facet, and I have studied nuclear
• But meanwhile, the Sustainable Energy Utility is doing the bulk of the actual implementation.
• The Sustainable Energy Utility is doing the bulk of the actual implementation of programs.
• Just I think Senator Hansen's point about the sustainable energy utility is a good one.
• For the state's own use, but not—the state government does not act as a utility in any sense.

Keywords: 1064, all

Transcript Highlights:

• On the right, I do want to just call out that utilization is increasing.
• On the right, I do want to just call out that utilization is increasing.
• And then we also just have different assumptions around utilization and allocations to the waiver.
• Food costs, utility costs, fuel, vehicle, all of the fixed costs.
• Costs, utility costs, fuel, vehicle, all of the fixed costs to run that program.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Utilities will now come to order. Madam Clerk, please hold the roll.
• The Committee on Utilities. The Committee on Utilities will come back into session, and Mr.
• And then we also have utility partners, both in public and private.
• And then we also have utility partners, both in public and private.
• So with that, the Committee on Utilities is adjourned.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Public Utilities Commission, including Commissioner John Reyes, for being present.
• Senators from the California Public Utilities Commission.
• We'll start with Panel 1, the California Public Utilities Commission.
• We have John Reynolds, Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission, Rachel Peterson, Executive
• The mission of the CPUC is to ensure the provision of safe, reliable, and affordable utility service

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In order to get the revenue, they can assess on utility, but that also raises utility fees, so we're
• raising utility fees because...
• But that also raises utility fees, so we're raising utility fees and preventing this budget does not
• raise utility fees.
• Because then their utility bills go up because the utilities need to cover the... ...cost of these very

Bills: HB4138, HB4139, HB4140, HB4141, HB4142, HB4143, HB4144, HB4145, HB4146, HB4147, HB4148, HB4149, HB4150, HB4151, HB4152, HB4153, SB1831, SB1832, SB1833, SB1834, SB1835, SB1836, SB1837, SB1838, SB1839, SB1840, SB1841, SB1842, SB1843, SB1844, SB1845, SB1846

Keywords: appropriations, education funding, health care, general fund, state budget, local funding, gaming, pari-mutuel, horse racing, regulatory assessment, first-time starters, budget implementation, federal funds, government services, budget stabilization, financial reporting, capital outlay, infrastructure, veterans services, highway construction

Summary: The committee met in a special joint appropriations session to review the FY 2027 budget package, including House Bill 4138 and Senate Bill 1831, the general appropriations or “feed” bills. Staff described the budget as including a one-time transfer of state funds, a 5% lump-sum reduction to most agencies’ discretionary general-fund budgets, continued funding for the state health insurance plan and school facilities, and various one-time restorations or reversions of prior appropriations. Members spent much of the meeting clarifying how the 5% reductions would work, noting that formula and mandatory funding such as K-12 basic aid are excluded, while the governor’s executive branch would decide how to implement the cuts within agencies. The chair repeatedly emphasized that the committee was not specifying line-item cuts and that agencies would have discretion over implementation. A large portion of the discussion focused on the practical effects of the budget on universities, public safety, health care, rural programs, and fund sweeps. Arizona Board of Regents and university representatives said the proposed reductions would amount to more than $85 million statewide and could affect programs such as the Arizona Promise Program, Teachers Academy, and tuition freezes, though no specific program cuts were written into the bill. Other testimony raised concerns about fund sweeps from encumbered balances, including university research funds, housing trust funds, utility regulation funds, and ADOT-related accounts, with some members warning about possible impacts on rural infrastructure and federal matching dollars. The committee also discussed the state employee health plan, including a $228 million general-fund infusion and proposed employee premium increases over three years, as well as questions about corrections, forestry and fire management, and rural critical access hospitals. Public testimony was largely opposed to the budget. Speakers from Opportunity Arizona, the Arizona Board of Regents, health care, and local government argued that the package would reduce support for education, housing, SNAP, health care access, and rural communities while preserving tax benefits for data centers and wealthy taxpayers. A mayor from Globe described severe flood damage and asked for state help for a flood relief fund, while a motorcycle safety advocate questioned a proposed transfer from the motorcycle safety fund. Committee members debated whether the budget’s effects should be described as speculative or as likely consequences of the broad cuts, and several exchanges became contentious over comparisons to the Great Recession and references to federal tax policy. The meeting ended with continued public testimony and no final vote taken in the portion provided, though leadership had earlier said the committee planned a mass roll-call vote on all the bills at the end.

Transcript Highlights:

• Can you tell me how that will affect the utility companies and what that will do to ratepayers?
• Can you tell me how that will affect the utility companies and what that will do to ratepayers?
• It's not clear, because obviously utilities are currently reducing their emissions, so as you reduce
• It's not clear, because obviously utilities are currently reducing their emissions, so as you reduce
• It's not clear, because obviously utilities are currently reducing their emissions, so as you reduce

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:12 Introduction of Guests 01:09 HB 88 Discussion 01:46 HB 88 Roll Call Vote 03:24 HB 346 Discussion 04:20 HB 346 Roll Call Vote 21:58 Chair Comments 24:31, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first considered House Bill 88, which was described as a short bill to clarify procedures for Waste Management boards, including term limits, appointments, and making sure consolidated governments actively recruit community members and make openings easier to find. The sponsor said the bill was intended to resolve confusion about members staying on after terms expire. The bill received no opposition, passed the committee unanimously, and was reported favorably for the floor. The committee then took up House Bill 346, as amended by a committee substitute. The sponsor explained that the bill responds to a dispute over air emission fees, especially for emergency generators and backup generators used for worker safety and limited non-emergency testing. The bill would exempt emergency generators and backup generators operating 100 hours or less for maintenance/testing from fees, while also removing an existing 4,000-ton cap so the per-ton fee would drop for most permitted sources. Members discussed the possible impact on utilities and ratepayers, with concerns raised that costs could be passed through to consumers and affect coal-dependent areas. The sponsor and another member argued the change would generally reduce fees for most sources and incentivize emissions reductions; the cabinet was described as neutral, and the affected utilities were identified as TVA, LG&E, East Kentucky Power, and Big Rivers, with only TVA having raised comments. The committee substitute was adopted, and the bill passed the committee with a favorable recommendation, though one member voted no and several members explained yes votes while expressing ongoing concerns about future rate impacts. At the end of the meeting, members briefly discussed broader concerns about utility surcharges and the need to monitor the effects of legislation on ratepayers, but those comments were not part of the bill under consideration. The chair noted that future meetings may include more bills and could start earlier if needed, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• How is it being utilized, if it's being utilized?
• How is it being utilized, if it's being utilized?
• How is it being utilized, if it's being utilized?
• How is it being utilized, if it's being utilized?
• How is it being utilized, if it's being utilized?

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:52:53.359> of respectfulness of the utilization of respectfulness of the utilization of
• You back out utilities, rent, etc., and folks can still qualify.
• You back out utilities, rent, etc., and folks can still qualify.
• You back out utilities, rent, etc., and folks can still qualify.
• Members of my own family utilize this benefit, so I do care what happens with it.

Bills: HF3831, HF3603, HF1900, HF495, HF3750, HF4316, HF2136, HF4384

Keywords: SNAP, income limits, asset limits, nutrition assistance, children and families, federal poverty guidelines, federal waiver, food assistance, low-income families, nutritional support, day care, tax subtraction, child care costs, licensed child care, dependent care assistance, child care, family child care, child care center, licensing, correction order

Transcript Highlights:

• It's utilized in the alternative response process?
• /c><00:16:30.680> response >> utilized in the alternative response >> utilized in
• tire fee, transient room tax, utilities tire fee, transient room tax, utilities gross<00:30:54.320
• > that utilize forecasting measures that utilize forecasting measures that indicated<00:42:50.360
• And more people utilizing this program.

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:01 SERVS Informational Update- 00:01:22 Child Removal and Reunification Update: Department for Community Based Services Financials- 00:03:00 Small Business Sales Tax Websites: Department of Revenue-00:28:05 Senior Citizen Meal Programs: Department for Aging and Independent Living-00:35:50 Adjournment-01:41:57, 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from the September 11 meeting by motion and voice vote. It then received a brief update on the statewide emergency responder voice system, but no presenter was present. The chair said he expected a more substantive update in November and warned that if there is not real progress on acquiring needed private properties, the committee may consider further action, including possibly freezing funding. The main discussion centered on the Department for Community Based Services’ child removal and reunification work and its structured decision-making tools. Commissioner Lisa Dennis and General Counsel Wesley Duke explained that the intake, safety, and risk assessment tools are being used at very high rates and that the department is still implementing and evaluating the system. Dennis said the tools are meant to inform, not replace, professional judgment; when staff disagree with a recommendation, the worker and first-line supervisor consult and decide together. Members questioned whether the system favors keeping children in the home, whether the department has studied safety outcomes for in-home cases versus removals, and whether foster home shortages affect removal decisions. Dennis said child safety remains the top priority, that the practice has not changed, and that the department would provide additional data on outcomes later. Members also asked about permanency timelines and delays in termination of parental rights cases; Dennis said federal timelines are difficult to meet because of family progress, substance use recovery, and court delays, and she confirmed foster parent shortages were not the reason for those delays. The committee then heard a presentation from the Department of Revenue on the new My Taxes portal. Staff said the portal, launched in March, replaced DOR’s portion of the old Kentucky One Stop Business Portal and now allows businesses to file and pay multiple taxes, update account information, and receive official notices. They reported the system is available 24/7 except for scheduled maintenance every other Thursday evening, has maintained over 99% availability since launch, and now has a dedicated contact center with 50 agents plus a public help line and email. In response to questions, the department said early downtime was caused by unexpectedly high traffic, but server capacity was increased and in the last three months there had been only one day of unexpected downtime.

Transcript Highlights:

• Mandates can increase PMPM costs for a variety of reasons, including increased utilization if there is
• Mandates can also reduce cost sharing or prohibit utilization management strategies, which can affect
• if there's either a brand utilization if there's either a brand new<00:08:13.840> benefit<00:
• that can also increased utilization that can also increased utilization because<00:08:24.960>
• <00:08:33.839> management prohibit utilization management prohibit utilization management

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We are, and we are constantly looking at utilization.
• We are, and we are constantly looking at utilization. It's not Always a popular choice, though.
• So what we encounter in terms of utilities is like spaghetti underground and spaghetti overground.
• So frequently, we have a phase, a pre-phase, that is just rerouting utilities.
• And that's what their bond sale funding was going to be utilized towards this project.

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment, which is the same language from my bill, Senate Bill 8463, provides a one-year utility
• It is estimated that about one-third of utility bills are government taxes, surcharges, and government
• It is estimated that about one-third of utility bills are government taxes, surcharges, and government
• But also suspend any tariff or surcharge on a utility bill associated with the construction of a renewable
• But also suspend any tariff or surcharge on a utility bill associated with the construction of a renewable

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate met on March 6, 2026, approved the prior day’s journal, and then proceeded through the day’s calendar of bills. A number of measures were passed, including bills amending the Corporation Law, Environmental Conservation Law, Public Officers Law, Executive Law, Cannabis Law, Vehicle and Traffic Law, Penal Law, Labor Law, Public Health Law, Real Property and Actions and Proceedings Law, General Business Law, and Agriculture and Markets Law. Most passed with broad support, though several had recorded negative votes from a small group of senators. One bill on the Legislative Law, Calendar 340, was initially set aside for the controversial calendar. During consideration of Calendar 340, Senator Lanza raised a non-germane amendment offered by Senator Rolison that would have created utility bill tax and surcharge holidays and a green energy tax holiday. The Chair ruled the amendment non-germane, and the Senate upheld that ruling by a show of hands, with 22 in favor of overruling the Chair. The bill in chief was then restored to the non-controversial calendar. Senators May and Krueger spoke in support of the underlying Legislative Law bill, describing it as a procedural reform to make it easier for the Senate and Assembly to reconcile differences between versions of bills, similar to congressional practice. The bill passed 42-1, with several senators recorded in the negative. The Senate then completed the calendar and adjourned until Tuesday, March 10 at 3:00 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Can best be utilized to close some of the gaps in the behavioral health continuum of care.
• to apply for benefits and that our team utilizes to determine benefit eligibility.
• Through a collaborative effort, working with partners utilizing two years of actual expenditure data
• This request was produced utilizing a refined funding methodology.
• That's the system that, if you're applying for benefits, you utilize.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services heard presentations on the governor’s proposed fiscal year 2026-2027 budget for the health and human services agencies. Kendall Kelly outlined the overall HHS budget at $48.5 billion, with AHCA accounting for the largest share, and agency heads then highlighted major proposals for Medicaid behavioral health redesign, APD waiver enrollment and facility needs, DCF child welfare, opioid, and mental health investments, DOEA funding for Alzheimer’s, home care, and community services, DOH funding for cancer research, public health initiatives, and lab capacity, and VA funding for facility improvements, cybersecurity, and medication management. Several members praised specific proposals, including increased reimbursement for private duty nursing, Alzheimer’s supports, and the Florida FIRST blood-in-ambulance initiative. Senators also questioned the proposed changes to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), with the Surgeon General explaining that the department expects a reduction in covered patients from about 30,000 to about 20,000 because of funding pressures tied to rebates, federal changes, and premium tax credit issues. Public testimony strongly criticized the ADAP changes, citing lack of transparency and warning that many patients could lose access to medications. Other questions focused on the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, DCF’s substance abuse and mental health data dashboard, Kids Care/CHIP expansion implementation, APD bed and facility planning, and the FX Medicaid technology project. DCF said about $7 million is set aside for the dashboard system, and AHCA said the governor’s budget includes $124.4 million for FX maintenance and continued module development, with $13.5 million to begin claims processing work. The committee did not take a substantive vote on the budget presentations and adjourned after questions and public testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, in this facility, we are in the service area of East Bay Municipal Utilities District, who has
• And there are many utilities who also don't agree with that.
• No, this is right now utilities that are interested. No.
• This is right now utilities that are interested in generating for direct part of reuse.
• But the problem is we want utilities to participate. We want the state to participate.

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Biotechnology and Medical Technology held an informational hearing on the role of biotechnology industries in wastewater treatment, hosted at Bakar Labs on the UC Berkeley campus. Opening remarks emphasized California’s water scarcity, the rising cost of wastewater infrastructure, and the need to reuse and clean contaminated water. Committee members framed the hearing as a look at both current treatment challenges and emerging technologies that could improve water quality, affordability, and resilience over time. The first panel focused on statewide wastewater challenges. BACWA Executive Director Laurie Fono described wastewater plants as part of a broader circular economy, noting their roles in recycled water, environmental enhancement, biosolids management, carbon sequestration, and renewable energy generation. She highlighted major challenges including aging 1970s-era infrastructure, nutrient reduction mandates, sea level rise, evolving regulations, and PFAS source control. She said Bay Area agencies face about $11 billion in nutrient reduction costs, with rate increases, state revolving funds, WIFIA loans, and bonds as the main financing tools. Members asked about regional differences, energy revenue opportunities, smaller decentralized plants, and agricultural collaboration. The second panel featured researchers and lab experts discussing biotechnology solutions. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s Dr. Romine Chakarvati described using microbial communities and machine learning to help break down PFAS and treat produced water. CEL Analytical’s Dr. Yigi Dearborn explained pathogen testing for direct potable reuse, wastewater monitoring, and the need for larger sample volumes and more funding to validate methods for viruses and protozoa. Stanford’s Dr. Chunhung-Shin presented an anaerobic membrane system that turns domestic wastewater into clean water and energy with less biosolids and lower operating costs. Committee members asked about AI, assay development, scaling technologies, and funding priorities. Public comment from the California Association of Sanitation Agencies stressed the need to balance scalability, reliability, and affordability, and the hearing adjourned without any formal vote or action.