Transcript Highlights:

• Do we need apprenticeships and training and programs that we get people into career-track jobs that are
• Do we need apprenticeships and training and programs that we get people into career-track jobs that are
• If there's any type of public subsidy, may it be time or money, fast-track these projects.
• I mean, when the big fire happened, I was, track six or seven years ago, I was communicating regularly
• And then within that, we have the subcontractors, and ECC will have track of all those folks that are

Summary: The joint Senate and Assembly labor committees held a hearing on the Los Angeles wildfires and their impact on workers, employers, and recovery efforts. Chairs and members emphasized that rebuilding should prioritize worker safety, equity, local hiring, and strong labor standards rather than simply moving quickly or relying on the lowest bidder. They also stressed the need to learn from past disasters and to create a more coordinated state response for future emergencies. Worker advocates described how domestic workers, day laborers, firefighters, and other frontline workers were affected by the fires. Testimony focused on workers being trapped in evacuation zones, lacking timely information in Spanish, losing jobs and income, and facing exposure to toxic debris without adequate PPE. Speakers called for expanded outreach and education, stronger Cal/OSHA enforcement, broader occupational safety coverage for domestic workers and day laborers, recall and transfer rights, childcare and transportation support, and a centralized disaster relief system that can quickly deliver cash aid and equipment regardless of immigration status. Firefighter Derek Irwin said California firefighters face serious carcinogenic exposure and urged continued funding for the firefighter cancer prevention and research program, along with a long-term state health monitoring and research effort similar to the World Trade Center Health Program. Building trades and labor representatives argued that cleanup and rebuilding should be done through community workforce agreements, prevailing wage, apprenticeship requirements, and local hire provisions, and said the state already has trained workers available. They also said federal debris-removal work through the Army Corps has limited the state’s ability to impose some standards, but that state and local funding or subsidies should trigger labor requirements. Employer and business representatives described major losses to property, inventory, revenue, and jobs, especially in Altadena and nearby areas. The Altadena Chamber said it is coordinating recovery resources, while a construction business owner said small local firms are being shut out of disaster contracts and proposed a more accessible procurement process for local and minority businesses. LAEDC presented preliminary estimates of billions in property damage and business disruption, tens of thousands of potential job losses, and a recovery timeline of five to ten years, warning that low-income communities will be disproportionately affected and that workforce retraining and upskilling will be needed alongside the broader economic recovery.

Transcript Highlights:

• . track and I'd love for my colleagues to hear from you about certain things.
• proficiency for Texas 8th graders in math to approximately 24-25%. proficiency, Texas A3, does that track
• Does that track with your understanding? Yeah. Okay.
• Does that track with A, does that track with your understanding and B, is that different than the way
• This will complete the five-year plan and it will put us back on track to where we will be able to. manage

Keywords: infrastructure, water supply, flood mitigation, Texas Water Fund, community projects, funding allocations

Summary: During this committee meeting, the focus was on discussing critical infrastructure funding, especially related to water supply and flood mitigation projects. Chairwoman Stepney and the Water Development Board presented extensive details regarding the Texas Water Fund, which included $1 billion appropriated to assist various financial programs and tackle pressing water and wastewater issues. Additionally, funding allocations aimed at compromising the state's flood risk and improving water conservation were hotly debated, emphasizing collaboration among committee members and the necessity of addressing community needs in such projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative, the bill as presented, the amended language as presented, will create a parallel track
• Speaker, we are not against tracking criminals. Criminals have to be dealt with.
• Why would we say not to track criminals down and deal with them? Come on.
• Speaker, we are not against tracking criminals. Criminals have to be dealt with.
• Why would we say not to track criminals down and deal with them? Come on. Let's come on.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the journal, and adoption of the special order calendar for the day. The chamber then took up House Bill 1B on immigration, along with discussion of anticipated Senate changes. The sponsor described the bill as creating a chief immigration officer housed in the Department of Agriculture, establishing an Office of State Immigration Enforcement, expanding cooperation with federal immigration authorities, increasing criminal penalties for certain offenses by unauthorized aliens, ending undocumented-student fee waivers, and providing substantial appropriations for enforcement and related programs. Members also questioned the Senate version’s proposed mandatory death penalty provision for certain capital offenses involving unauthorized aliens, as well as pretrial detention, 287(g) participation, DMV reporting requirements, and the bill’s effects on schools, teachers, social workers, and local agencies. The sponsor and supporting members repeatedly said the bill required broad cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and that existing federal law would control where conflicts arose. A major portion of the debate focused on whether the bill would allow or require immigration enforcement in schools and other sensitive settings, and whether teachers, school resource officers, and social workers could be placed in conflict with federal privacy or professional obligations. Members also raised concerns about detention based on suspected status, the standard of proof for immigration-status determinations, prison and jail impacts, workforce shortages, and the fiscal effects on counties and state agencies. The sponsor said the bill did not provide DMV funding, that the state would need to study some implementation questions, and that the appropriations included $25 million for a local law enforcement participation incentive program and up to $350 million for broader implementation and coordination. Several amendments were offered and failed. Representative Chambliss proposed protecting schools, churches, and places of worship from enforcement activity; Representative Escamani offered amendments to preserve in-state tuition for Dreamers and to grandfather currently eligible students; Representative Woodson offered a similar Dreamer-related amendment; and Representative Bartleman proposed barring local law enforcement from entering schools during school hours to detain children solely for immigration status. Supporters of these amendments argued they would protect children, preserve educational access, and prevent trauma in schools and houses of worship. The House rejected each amendment by voice vote, and the transcript ends during debate on the Bartleman school-safety amendment before final disposition is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And have you had anything to do with the horse track up there in South Sioux City other than put a dollar
• So it doesn't bother me at all, you know, if I haven't gambled a dollar on the horse track, you know.
• It doesn't bother me at all, you know, if you haven't given a dollar on the horse track, you know, realistically

Keywords: 956, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're on track to having somewhere...
• We're on track to having around 1,200 audits released this year. That's a big deal.
• is people asking us about efficiency and transparency that comes through your staff, especially on track

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We've got to track budgets. What is public safety doing? Well, they're doing this.
• And finally, we cannot track a problem we don't have data for.
• We have a lot of well-meaning individuals, but we're not able to track as well where this person goes
• I'm looking at my team, but I think Track. Is that, yes, okay. We work with Track in Dallas County.
• As Commissioner O'Neill mentioned, there are Foster care transition centers include Track, LifeWorks,

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's why Representative tracks.
• . tracks. tracks.
• and in any way jeopardizes the tracks and in any way jeopardizes the<00:27:02.080> ability<00
• We're going to track that down and we're going to deliver on the hard work of all Minnesotans today.
• They were being tracked.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House took up Senate File 856, which would create an Office of the Inspector General to combat fraud in state public programs. Representative Norris described the bill as the product of a long bipartisan, bicameral working group and emphasized the office’s independence, five-year term, Senate confirmation, removal-for-cause protections, authority to investigate entities receiving public funds, prevention-focused duties, and required public and annual reporting. Representative Anderson PE also thanked the bipartisan authors and staff, saying the bill was the result of extensive negotiations and should move forward without reopening the agreement. Members then considered several amendments. Norris offered a technical cleanup amendment, A44, to clarify language about embedding employees at the Department of Education, distinguish civil and criminal investigative authority, and update law-enforcement terminology; it was adopted. Anderson PE then offered and secured adoption of a technical amendment, A45, to correct a drafting error. Representative Cleorne offered A37 to add prepayment review procedures for all agencies, but it failed on a roll call, 65-67. Cleorne also offered A38 to appropriate $15 million for OIG modernization and data-sharing improvements, but withdrew it after noting it would be out of order. A39, which would have renamed the proposed law enforcement unit from an anti-fraud and waste bureau to an anti-fraud and enforcement unit, failed on a roll call, 66-67, after debate over whether “waste” should be included in the title and scope. During debate on the naming amendment, supporters argued the title should better reflect law-enforcement work and avoid implying the office was a “waste” agency, while opponents said the existing language reflected the bipartisan working-group agreement and that changing it could jeopardize the bill’s progress. Representative West cited inspector general standards that include waste among their duties, and Representative Pinto questioned the substantive basis for opposing the change. Later, Representative Mhler offered A41 to eliminate the future law-enforcement agency entirely, arguing it would be duplicative and unfunded; the transcript cuts off before the vote on that amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Do we track that?
• Do we have a—I know the utilization tracks the actual fulfillment of it, but do we track how many people
• There is no way to track the request. How many people? There is no way to track the requests.
• Only we track when people get paid for backup provider systems.
• In Department of Finance, are we on track for the full savings?

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:

• You can track it, and when you can track it, you can measure it and you can tell the success of it.
• You can track it, and when you can track it, you can measure it and you can tell the success of it.
• You can track it, and when you can track it, you can measure it and you can tell the success of it.
• You can track it and when electronic.
• You can track it and when you<01:14:00.719> can<01:14:00.880> track<01:14:01.040> it

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism heard seven bills on consumer protection, DBEDT-related matters, and tourism/creative industry issues. On SB 2031, DCCA supported aligning state law with the FTC’s 2025 rule on hidden fees and pricing misrepresentations in live event ticketing and short-term lodging; hotel and financial industry witnesses also testified, and senators asked for complaint and enforcement data. On SB 2129, DBEDT and business groups supported a study of minimum wage impacts, with testimony emphasizing effects on hours, employment, prices, and business viability; a senator asked whether the study could also examine the gig economy and business closures, and DBEDT said that may be possible but would require more research and data access. On SB 2259, which would promote dementia-friendly businesses, DBEDT said the measure fit better with another agency and lacked the department’s expertise, while the Executive Office on Aging and the Alzheimer’s Association supported the intent and offered to help with curriculum, branding, and training. Testifiers described dementia as a spectrum and said businesses should be trained to communicate effectively with customers and employees living with the disease; suggested amendments included changing the branding language and requiring at least 85% of employees to complete training rather than all employees. A senator also raised concerns about stigma and whether early-stage dementia should affect a person’s ability to function, and the witness responded that people can often function well in early stages. The committee also heard SB 2577 on sports tourism, which DBEDT and the Retail Merchants of Hawaii supported as a way to better understand which events draw visitors and economic benefits. SB 2578, creating a film commission, drew broad support from DBEDT, Creative Industries, SAG-AFTRA, the Hawaii Film Alliance, the Hawaii Film Office, and others, but several witnesses urged changes to the commission’s composition and authority, including more labor representation and limits on the commission’s ability to adjust the production cap. Senators questioned staffing, costs, and whether current film office employees should transfer to the new commission, and one senator proposed a friendly amendment to add musicians, SAG, IATSE, and Teamsters, though the department cautioned that too many members could make the commission difficult to manage. The transcript ends during discussion of the film bill, with no final votes or committee actions stated for the measures heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• I lost track. Oh, there you are. I would expect you to be right here. So, lost track of you.
• I I I lost<00:43:27.920> track.
• I would lost track. Oh, there you are.
• So, lost track<00:43:32.319> of<00:43:32.480> you. track of you. track of you.
• I was not on track.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee approved the minutes unanimously and then heard extended testimony from Senator Jimmy Higdon, who reflected on Kentucky’s 2011 childhood obesity task force and said the state’s childhood obesity problem has worsened since then. He described prior recommendations from that task force, including more physical education, nutrition education, classroom-based physical activity, complete streets, bike lanes, sidewalks, and safe routes to school. Higdon also argued that government programs have contributed to obesity and drug abuse, focusing especially on SNAP and Medicaid, and said he has long advocated for a waiver to distribute SNAP benefits twice a month rather than once a month. Higdon said SNAP fraud and abuse are significant, claiming some recipients sell benefits and some retailers bend the rules on eligible purchases. He also said spreading benefits through the month could help families keep fresh food in the home and stabilize grocery store business, especially in food deserts and rural areas. In response to questions, he said he would not support allowing hot prepared foods under SNAP, though he said a grocery-store produce incentive similar to the farmers market match could be beneficial if structured separately. He also said the WIC program is a model for how SNAP could be better administered. Members thanked Higdon for his service and discussed whether the issue is food insecurity or poor nutrition. Senator Douglas emphasized adding stronger guardrails to nutrition-related programs, and Representative Proctor asked about the challenges of operating grocery stores in rural areas and food deserts. Higdon said independent grocers face thin margins, competition, and cyclical market pressures, and that SNAP distribution patterns can worsen those challenges. After Higdon’s testimony, the committee heard from Ann Cressilious, a registered dietitian with the Kentucky Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, who began a presentation on the profession and on efforts to improve nutrition and access to nutrition information in Kentucky.

Transcript Highlights:

• and monitor them, not Big Brother, but track and monitor.
• and monitor them, not Big Brother, but track and monitor.
• and monitor them, not Big Brother, but track and monitor.
• and monitor them, not Big Brother, but track and monitor.
• and monitor them, not Big Brother, but track and monitor.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board received a presentation from Dr. Stack and Commissioner Langfeld on Kentucky’s application for a federal Medicaid-related funding opportunity tied to House Resolution 1. They described a compressed six-week stakeholder process that produced more than 50 responses and letters of support, and said the application was organized around five broad priorities: maternal health, behavioral health and substance use disorder, oral health, EMS/trauma response, and chronic disease. They emphasized that the proposal was designed to align with CMS goals, use allowable funding categories, and focus on sustainability rather than a short-term grant. Commissioner Langfeld outlined five core initiatives: rural community hubs for chronic care innovation, beginning with obesity and diabetes; a maternal and infant health effort called POWER; a behavioral health and substance use model called IMPATH; an oral health initiative called Rooted in Health; and an integrated crisis-to-care EMS and trauma response effort. He said the chronic disease work would include prevention, food-as-medicine concepts, and technology tools, while the maternal health effort would expand team-based care around mothers and infants using community health workers and doulas. The behavioral health proposal would build on existing crisis intervention models, oral health would address workforce and access gaps through training, mobile vans, and telehealth, and the EMS proposal would better connect emergency response with home-based and community care. Several senators questioned whether the proposal would meaningfully address rural hospital closures or the broader rural health care crisis. Senator Meredith said the plan was not transformational and would not save rural hospitals, while Senator Berg asked how success would be measured. In response, the presenters said they would use both lagging and leading indicators, with an emphasis on rapid-cycle feedback and data use that is more actionable in real time. They also said the work could help existing models that already show promise, such as behavioral health units and dental workforce expansion, even if it would not solve the larger funding gap created by HR1. Senator Douglas asked how the proposals would motivate patients to participate in their own health care. The presenters responded that the chronic disease prevention work would focus on obesity, diabetes prevention, nutrition, and consumer-facing technology tools to help people engage in their own care, and that EMS-community health worker partnerships could identify unmet needs in the home and reduce preventable problems. The board then moved on to its next agenda item, Medicaid managed care delivery models, with Tom Stevens, Katherine North, and Dr. Patel scheduled to present.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:38:27.760> that overturned and again we we do track that overturned and again we we do
• track that and<00:38:28.320> happy<00:38:28.560> to<00:38:28.720> provide<00:38
• The witness said that is not currently a metric that they have tracked.
• So tracking whether they open or close is not something they currently attach to the hub.
• Uh but the could track going forward.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Government Contract Committee met with a quorum, observed a moment of silence for Representative McCool after the death of his sister, and approved the April 14 minutes. The committee then reviewed a large agenda of contracts and amendments, beginning with a deferred Office of the Controller procurement involving broker services. Members questioned why a contract that had previously been handled for about $300,000 annually was now priced at about $1 million, and why the procurement was limited to one year. Office of the Controller staff said the prior vendor had held the work for more than 20 years, the work had previously been treated as not practical to bid, and the new RFP was intended to increase competition. They said the technical evaluation was scored before cost was considered, that past performance was not scored because it was seen as unreliable, and that AON received the highest technical score despite not being the lowest bidder. After discussion, the committee voted to take no action and let the contract proceed to the Finance Cabinet, with members noting continuing concerns about the pricing and process. The committee next considered a DCBS memorandum of agreement amendment for language services. DCBS representatives said the additional funding did not come from a new cut elsewhere, but from reduced spending on interpreter services because commonly used forms had been translated into other languages, freeing up funds for the contract. The committee approved the item unanimously. The final major item discussed was an initial contract for the Board of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists for legal services. Board staff said the board had been without a permanent general counsel since March 2024 and had relied on special and conflict counsel because of unusually heavy litigation, including 11 active cases, plus broader disciplinary and licensing changes tied to recent legislation and an oversight report. They said the contract was a not-to-exceed amount funded entirely by agency fees and that the board was currently running a surplus. Senator Thomas urged support, citing prior legislation and oversight findings about problems at the board and saying the contract was needed to help the board address ongoing litigation and corrective work. The committee approved the contract and then approved the remaining agenda items without objection, sending them forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• But I noticed that DEES says it would need a new tracking system.
• need a new tracking need a new tracking system<00:28:45.240> is<00:28:45.679> that
• need additional staff and a new tracking need additional staff and a new tracking system<00:34:11.639
• Okay, to get us on the right parliamentary track, Senator Burel moves ought to pass.
• Yes, we'll keep track of it. Thank you.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm not going to say that a press release is all that we need to do in order to get kids on track.
• They're doing real-time attendance tracking because they're making their systems talk to each other,
• Attendance needs to be tracked and assessed at the state level.
• Attendance needs to be tracked and assessed at the state level.
• <01:15:09.440> the that currently Local Schools track the that currently Local Schools track

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We do, of course, track time, but tracking time to that level of staff so that we can estimate accurately
• > um<01:04:27.280> tracking<01:04:27.760> time course track time but um tracking
• time course track time but um tracking time to<01:04:28.319> that<01:04:28.559> level<
• It's something that you need to continue to develop over time and track and improve.
• um tracking. um tracking.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• know the CLA from your team took the minutes and stuff yesterday, so I'm hoping that they've got the track
• ><00:01:50.880> the hoping that they've they've got the hoping that they've they've got the track
• We can get back to them with the track.
• State program fraud was a new category that we tracked beginning in 2025.
• that we tracked beginning in 2025. that we tracked beginning in 2025.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We track this and we submit it nationally for comparisons across states and across regions.
• Uh, and then our tracking wages, etc.
• We<01:03:53.440> track<01:03:53.760> this<01:03:54.000> and<01:03:54.240> we<
• /c><01:03:54.400> submit<01:03:54.720> it We track this and we submit it We track this
• have been doing of course is tracking have been doing of course is tracking carefully<01:32:24.960

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I just want to give you some outcomes that we are tracking—real outcomes.
• I just want to give you some outcomes that we are tracking—real outcomes.
• I just want to give you some outcomes that we are tracking—real outcomes.
• I just want to give you some outcomes that we are tracking—real outcomes.
• I just want to give you some outcomes that we are tracking—real outcomes.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board reconvened and heard a presentation from the Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control unit. AG staff described the unit’s structure and work: it investigates and prosecutes Medicaid provider fraud, and also handles abuse, neglect, and exploitation cases involving vulnerable adults in facility settings when asked to assist. They said the office has prosecutors, detectives, auditors, and support staff, works with federal partners, Commonwealth’s attorneys, CHFS, DMS, OIG, and MCOs, and uses a hotline and referral line for complaints. They also explained the MCO referral process, including monthly meetings, stand-down lists, and review of referrals for a “credible allegation of fraud” before the AG office decides whether to open a criminal or civil investigation. The presentation focused heavily on current fraud trends. Staff said behavioral health is a major concern, along with participant-directed waiver services, medically assisted treatment, cash billing for services, controlled-substance billing, and vision and dental fraud. They gave examples such as duplicate time sheets for family caregivers, questionable Suboxone counseling and urine drug screening practices, and a prior optometry case involving false claims for children’s glasses. They also discussed CMS’s estimate that about 5% of Medicaid payments are improper, noted that most improper payments are at the fee-for-service level, and said there is no reliable overall fraud-rate estimate. They highlighted a sharp shift in behavioral health billing after the cabinet’s November 1, 2024 policy changes, saying individual psychotherapy spending dropped while group billing increased, suggesting providers may have moved billing to different codes. Members asked about the scale and timing of cases, how MCO referrals are screened, and whether the data reflected more people being served or just higher spending. The AG office said investigations can take years, with some federal cases still awaiting sentencing from 2018 and 2019 matters, and that they currently had nine individuals awaiting sentencing in federal court. They also reported 58 hotline reports during the referenced period, six cases opened from MCO referrals, and four additional MCO referrals not accepted for active cases. Several members raised concerns about home-based services and the risk of abuse or fraud when family members are reimbursed, and asked whether the process could be streamlined; the AG office said it had no immediate recommendations but would be willing to return with suggestions after further review.

Transcript Highlights:

• How do you keep track of that? Well, thank you for that question. how do you keep track of that?
• We do track how many physicians don't renew.
• It's hard to keep track of them.
• It's hard to keep track of them.
• Maybe they have a track phone, and maybe it's got limited minutes.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• folks then that are tracking. folks then that are tracking.
• And we have a tracking form that tracks the individuals so that we are on top of making sure that people
• And so that they track this carefully.
• And we have a tracking<00:56:27.359> form<00:56:27.839> that<00:56:28.160> tracks
• ><00:56:28.559> the tracking form that tracks the tracking form that tracks the individuals<00

Keywords: 1187, senate, all