Transcript Highlights:

• We were talking to staff there and also to young people.
• our staff do.
• Will Tronson, our nonpartisan staff, will brief the bill.
• For the record, my name is Will Tronson, staff for the committee.
• For the record, Will Tronson, staff for this committee.

Bills: SB5873 , SB5895 , SB5945

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: incarcerated individuals, escorted leaves, criminal justice, rehabilitation, state law, healthcare, incarcerated, extraordinary medical placement, criminal justice reform, medical care, persistent offender, three strikes, resentencing, juvenile conviction, youth offender, juvenile sentencing, life without parole, LWOP, most serious offense, sentencing reform

Transcript Highlights:

• One is DJJ staff, and one is members of the board that are not DJJ staff.
• Um they come up with their staff.
• </c><00:48:33.839><c> and</c> making it easier for staff and making it easier for staff and juveniles
• </c> conflict among staff. conflict among staff.
• </c> our staff. our staff.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:03 Roll Call: 00:00:09 Agency Updates: 00:01:44 Juvenile Justice Advisory Board Update: 00:03:36 Department of Juvenile Justice Update: 00:23:10, 958, all

Summary: The Juvenile Justice Oversight Council approved the minutes from its November 8, 2024 meeting and welcomed new member Representative Nick Wilson. The council also heard an update from the Administrative Office of the Courts on a school attendance awareness campaign aimed at reducing truancy referrals to court, and a member requested a future, more detailed presentation on truancy trends. The council then received an update from the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board from Dr. David Frink and Elsie Berger. They described the board’s membership, meeting schedule, public access, annual report and three-year plan, and its role in helping Kentucky remain compliant with federal juvenile justice requirements so the state can receive Title II funding. They said the board reviews grant applications for community-based services, substance use, and early intervention programs, with about $584,000 in federal funds this year and a little over $600,000 expected next year. Members asked about participation, board vacancies, and how to engage with the board, and the presenters emphasized the importance of statewide representation and community input. The Department of Juvenile Justice then provided a broader update through Commissioner Randy White and Deputy Secretary Mona Wamik. White said DJJ is under an ongoing U.S. Department of Justice investigation focused on conditions in detention facilities, including use of force, isolation, abuse, mental health care, and special education, and said the department has cooperated with repeated information requests and site visits. He also reviewed recent legislative and administrative changes, including 2023 Senate Bill 162, regional detention planning, facility segregation requirements, staffing and salary investments, improved staffing levels, reduced mental health vacancies, and training efforts related to security threat groups. He said DJJ has made progress but continues to work on staffing, safety, and facility improvements.

Transcript Highlights:

• For the record, Desire Amly, OPR staff.
• For the record, Desiree Amly, OPR staff.
• put it, they are wonderful staff, as our staff put it, the capacity for U.S. state legislators to be
• Our staff do the research on the policy and law.
• For the record, Desiree Amly, OPR staff.

Bills: HB2352 , HB2237 , HB2249 , HB2475 , HB2408 , HB2435 , HB2309 , HB2244 , HB2281

Committee: House State Government & Tribal Relations

Keywords: conflict of interest, transparency, state employees, municipal officers, ethics, fire safety, state fire marshals, regulation, public safety, emergency services, HB 2249, Washington Technology Solutions, WaTech, civil service, classified service, exempt employees, state employment, state personnel, network security, cybersecurity

Transcript Highlights:

• I said, and thank staff, but we have amazing staff with Susan Lancheski, Elena Wilson, and Lisa Dyson
• , but we have I said, and thank staff, but we have amazing<00:02:10.720><c> staff</c><00:02:11.039><c
• Um, amazing staff with Susan Lancheski.
• staff was incredible on both<00:02:23.840><c> sides.
• And with that the meeting is adjourned. uh staff uh Miss Adrians and Mr. uh staff uh Miss Adrians and

Bills: SF2884 , HF1889

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: pension, retirement, omnibus pension, MSRS, PERA, TRA, public employees retirement, state employees retirement, correctional employees, police and fire retirement, State Patrol retirement, teachers retirement, firefighter relief association, volunteer firefighter, state aid, postretirement adjustment, COLA, annuity, disability benefit, duty disability

Transcript Highlights:

• No, I don't want her to have 12 new staff.
• My staff... They're scratching the surface on this work.
• My staff of 16—they're fantastic—but 16 staff for a program of over $5 billion is not sufficient, and
• But in short, we have a health care economist on staff.
• And here reflects the needed staff, the six staff, and then the funds that we will need on the system

Summary: The House Health and Welfare Committee approved the February 5, 2026 minutes and then heard a lengthy budget presentation from Department of Health and Welfare Director Juliet Sharon and Medicaid Director Sasha O’Connell. The department outlined numerous supplemental and line-item requests across Medicaid, child and family services, welfare/self-reliance, and support functions, including funding for state hospital billing authority, Medicaid caseload and cost growth, rural health transformation staffing and program funds, child care capacity and program integrity work, kinship navigation, home visiting, and IT and procurement modernization. The committee also discussed the department’s reorganization and the need for additional procurement support for large Medicaid contracts. Much of the discussion focused on Medicaid spending growth, especially in disability services and behavioral health. Sharon said higher utilization and more intensive services, including residential habilitation, youth residential treatment, and substance use services, were driving costs. Members asked about safeguards against provider overuse or steerage; the director said the department uses annual assessments, internal reviews, data mining, and referrals to program integrity, and that some provider behavior had already prompted a proposed rate reduction for residential habilitation. She also explained that the department is seeking to maintain contractor support for disability assessments rather than absorb the work in-house. The committee also reviewed the department’s response to budget reductions and federal changes. Sharon explained the 4% provider rate reduction, the resulting savings, and the need for an additional $22 million in general funds to balance Medicaid, with options for further cuts still before the legislature. Other topics included the state’s Medicaid estate recovery and program integrity contractors, the impact of new SNAP administrative cost-sharing rules, Medicaid work requirements and more frequent eligibility reviews under state and federal law, and a request for three dedicated procurement staff in the Department of Administration to speed Medicaid contracting. No further votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes, and the committee adjourned to attend the floor session.

Transcript Highlights:

• And as always, speaking of our staff, uh we have a wonderful staff.
• But the staff to hand out to you all.
• ,</c> staff, uh we we have a wonderful staff, staff, uh we we have a wonderful staff, that<00:05:00.880
• </c><00:05:08.880><c> has</c> getting that together and our staff has getting that together and our staff
• </c><00:13:08.560><c> u</c> Hearn and then of course our staff u Hearn and then of course our staff u

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:04 Approval of Minutes 00:36 KOAP Report 00:51, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the June 12 minutes, and then received a presentation from Brandon Reid and Bill McCloskkey of the Agricultural Development Board on the June report and the 25th anniversary of the Agricultural Development Fund. They described a joint anniversary meeting held at the Kentucky Historical Society, thanked staff, and noted that the board presented members with a token of appreciation. They also reported a clean annual audit, with the audit report to be shared more fully at a later meeting. The presenters reviewed June activity and funding decisions, saying the development board approved about $3.3 million and the finance board about $5 million in loans. They highlighted program activity such as advisory council meetings, site visits, project reports, and county comprehensive plans. Specific projects discussed included the Food Chain project, which sought support for equipment and improvements to expand Kentucky product marketing; Miller Rockbridge Farms LLC, which sought county support for a barn for an education program; and Thompson Family Farm LLC, which sought funding for a livestock buying station. The board approved reduced or county-only funding in some cases, including $45,643 for the Food Chain project and county money for the farm projects. Members asked about the meaning and purpose of the county comprehensive plans and how counties use them to guide funding decisions. The presenters explained that House Bill 611 created a structure in which each county council develops a comprehensive plan, updated on a five-year cycle, to prioritize local agricultural investments and evaluate applications. They said county councils work with extension agents and the Agricultural Development Office, and that staff attend meetings, provide training, and help new agents and council members understand the program. Members emphasized that the planning process helps ensure funds are targeted to local needs and supports diversification of agriculture beyond tobacco.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, staff. Um, it, it, it is helpful.
• I know staff are getting ready to do that.
• Uh, Kelly, uh, bring to the table to help the staff.
• Programs and funding manager and staff attorney.
• Just recently, staff reviewed and added the following.

Transcript Highlights:

• of Sunset staff. ...because it was an area of focus of Sunset staff, which has some recommendations
• So staff has been unable to waive or reduce those fines.
• The staff recommendation… The staff recommendation. All in favor? All opposed?
• Staff recommendation is adopted.
• Staff recommendations adopted. Omar McFarland. Thank you.

Summary: The Texas Ethics Commission met on March 11, 2025, first in executive session and then in open session. The chair announced that, in light of Texas Attorney General Opinion KP-484, the commission would conform its practices to the opinion and move to repeal tolling rules for sworn-complaint deadlines. The chair also said the commission would dismiss 36 pending sworn-complaint cases in which the 120-day settlement deadline had been exceeded, even though the delay had been tolled under prior TEC rules. The commission then set future meeting dates for June 12 and September 17 and approved prior meeting minutes. The commission adopted a new criminal-referral rule clarifying that, once jurisdiction over a complaint is accepted, commissioners may vote to make a criminal referral. It also adopted revised advisory-opinion rules, with a clarifying amendment from a commenter, and republished proposed changes to the definition of “principal purpose” for political committees after staff recommended a 49 percent political-activity threshold and further public input. The commission published for comment proposed changes to ethics training rules, facial-compliance review procedures, late-filing waiver and reduction rules, and sworn-complaint procedures, including tighter discovery limits, a default-order set-aside process, and removal of tolling language inconsistent with KP-484. It also republished Chapter 28 rules on Speaker-candidate reporting. The commission adopted several advisory opinions. It declined to give an affirmative defense on whether certain school-district communications were political advertising because related litigation had already addressed the issue. It reaffirmed that a House member may use donated district-office space if it is not reimbursable with public funds and was accepted before the contribution moratorium. It also concluded that a judge may use political funds for travel to a Navy-hosted event as a local dignitary, that legislators’ use of a corporate aircraft for a border-region fact-finding trip could be permissible but would likely trigger reporting obligations, that a TCEQ commissioner’s revolving-door restrictions apply only to matters actually placed before the commissioner, and that a part-time legislative staffer may not take outside employment assisting a registered lobbyist. The commission then heard and acted on numerous fine-waiver appeals, granting several full waivers or reductions and approving staff recommendations on others, and terminated a number of inactive campaign treasurer appointments. Finally, the executive director briefed the commission on the 2025 legislative session, noting that staffing requests are tied to Sunset recommendations and that the House had preliminarily recommended about half of the commission’s appropriations requests.

Transcript Highlights:

• How many support staff positions do you need for that?
• How many support staff positions do you need for that?
• Attorney support staff per judge.
• We are an extremely lean agency of 93 staff.
• Uniforms for staff and youth covers Class A uniforms for the 1,363 staff members and three sets of uniforms

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice

Summary: The committee met for an interim appropriations presentation hearing focused on justice administration agencies. Members heard budget requests from the State Attorney’s Office, Public Defenders, the Justice Administrative Commission, Regional Conflict Counsel, Capital Collateral Regional Counsel, and the Guardian ad Litem Office, followed by a presentation from the Department of Juvenile Justice and a brief public comment from a nonprofit advocate. The chair noted that presentations from the Department of Law Enforcement and the Commission on Offender Review would be moved to a later meeting. The state attorney requested funding to true up underfunded circuits under the existing formula, staff 14 new criminal judgeships, replace declining VOCA victim-services funding with general revenue, and cover a projected due process shortfall. The public defender asked for a higher starting salary for assistant public defenders, funding to restore balance in circuits where public defenders lag behind state attorneys, and staffing for new criminal judgeships. Regional conflict counsel and capital collateral regional counsel also sought salary adjustments, additional attorneys and case costs, and competitive area differential funding to address recruitment and retention issues. The Justice Administrative Commission requested funding for Florida PALM readiness and implementation and for IT hardware and software replacement; it also relayed a clerks’ request for reimbursement related to injunctions for protection, Baker Act, Marchman Act, and sexually violent predator cases. The Guardian ad Litem Office said it now has a guardian ad litem for every child in Florida and requested salary increases for senior and managing attorneys to reduce turnover. The Department of Juvenile Justice presented a much larger budget request to expand residential and detention capacity, increase per diem rates, renovate and replace aging facilities, fund the Broward detention center rebuild, improve cybersecurity and the juvenile information system, and cover rising lease costs. Members asked questions about staffing, compensation, detention and residential treatment needs, mental health and substance-use services, and the Broward project timeline. A nonprofit advocate then asked for better data collection on protection orders and related court actions to support funding for domestic violence and recovery services. The committee adjourned without taking any formal votes on the budget requests.

Transcript Highlights:

• So Pete, would you like to introduce your staff? So Pete, would you like to introduce your staff?
• the staff to only evaluate whether any new jobs were created.
• In drafting those comments, the staff...
• And the staff is well capable of performing this analysis.
• I understand that there's staff advised.

Committee: Joint Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That comes with training for staff.
• There were a lot of times where we felt fear from staff, and staff used more than what they were allowed
• We have a psychologist on staff who works directly on the floor with youth and with our staff, providing
• There were staff that were laid off as a result and reduced staff hours.
• There were staff that were laid off as a result and reduced staff hours.

Summary: The committee began with a work session on juvenile rehabilitation institution capacity, services, and staffing. DCYF Assistant Secretary Jennifer Redmond described overcrowding at Green Hill School and Echo Glen, driven by longer adult-style sentences extending past age 25, limited community placements, and small facility sizes. She said Green Hill remains above safe operating capacity, but staffing, injuries, large-scale aggression, and use-of-force incidents have improved over the past year. She also discussed Harbor Heights, a new 46-bed flex facility that had opened with 22 youth and would expand once a medical trailer arrives, as well as community transition services, vocational programming, behavior management reforms, and a request for more resources for mental health-focused facilities and staffing. Members asked about success metrics, developmental disability screening and supports, college access at Echo Glen, Mission Creek planning, and gender-responsive programming; Redmond said JR uses assessments, family involvement, and specialized living units, and that some requested funding had already been secured for returning a girls’ program at Echo Glen. The committee then heard from Team Child and the Youth Action Coalition. Greta Schultz said youth perspectives should guide system reforms and identified key concerns: overuse of sentence extensions, underuse of community transition services, continued criminal referrals from Green Hill to Lewis County, limited family contact, inadequate mental health access, and unequal education opportunities, especially for young women at Echo Glen. Justella Gonzalez, a former system-involved youth, said her time in county and state facilities was harmful, with staff mistreatment, poor education, limited therapy access, and humiliating restraint practices; she also said girls at Echo Glen lacked the same college opportunities as boys at Green Hill. Committee members asked for follow-up on county versus state experiences and on telehealth mental health services. The next presentation covered county-level services for youth involved or at risk of involvement with the justice system, led by juvenile court administrators Christine Simon-Smeyer and Judge Rachel Anderson. They outlined the juvenile court continuum from prevention and truancy work through diversion, detention alternatives, community supervision, and disposition alternatives, emphasizing evidence-based, trauma-informed, and restorative practices. Clark County was used as an example of a court that partners closely with schools and community providers, uses risk assessments and wraparound behavioral health probation, and offers detention alternatives without electronic home monitoring. They said most courts do not use detention for status offenses, but instead use court involvement to connect youth to services. They also described funding, noting that courts rely on a mix of state block grant and local dollars, and that recent cuts to early intervention funding reduced programming and staff hours. Members asked about detention for truancy, developmental disability identification, restorative justice practices, and the juvenile block grant. Finally, DCYF Assistant Secretary Nicole Rose and Katie Warren of the Washington State Association of Head Start and ECAP discussed child care and early learning impacts from recent policy and budget changes. Rose said Fair Start for Kids investments had increased child care access, provider participation, and kindergarten readiness, with more than 60,000 children in Working Connections care and rising ECAP enrollment and provider capacity. She said recent reductions will raise most family copays in 2026, delay eligibility expansions, eliminate some expanded eligibility categories, reduce ECAP slots by about 3,000, delay entitlement timelines, and cut provider supports such as rate increases for centers, complex-needs grants, trauma-informed and dual-language incentives, and infant/early childhood mental health consultation. Warren emphasized ECAP’s role in family stability, workforce participation, and reducing poverty, and noted its two-generation approach to supporting both children and parents.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have 57 staff in total, full-time employees, and 40% of those staff are deaf and hard of hearing themselves
• That division has 10 staff.
• During the past year, MCB's assistive technology staff has trained the vision rehab therapist staff at
• They're right on campus, and staff would know if they need the staff to go with them, and we were happy
• We have staff who start with our new staff at our training academy, follow them through that entire first

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing was an informational and oversight session of the Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities, with chairs and members hearing agency updates from several commissioners. The Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition described its maternal and child health work, including home visiting, early intervention, WIC, newborn hearing screening, and cross-agency efforts on prenatal substance exposure, respite care, children’s vision, and maternal health initiatives. DPH emphasized that federal grant cuts, layoffs, and the loss of data systems such as PRAMS would weaken services and planning, and members asked about Title V funding and the impact of federal uncertainty. The Massachusetts Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing highlighted communication access services, interpreter and CART referrals, emergency after-hours support, family navigation, and independent living services. Commissioners and members discussed the shortage of ASL interpreters and the need to expand training pipelines, including partnerships with colleges and possible ASL programming for younger students. The Department of Developmental Services reported serving nearly 50,000 people and focused on youth and adult services, transition-age supports, autism services, self-direction, respite, and new high-acuity residential models. Members asked about respite availability, self-direction outcomes, and workforce shortages; DDS said it was expanding clinical capacity and provider rates while monitoring possible federal Medicaid, SNAP, and immigration-related impacts. The Commission for the Blind described services for about 28,000 legally blind residents, most of whom are older adults, including social rehabilitation, orientation and mobility training, children’s services, assistive technology, vocational rehabilitation, and Turning 22 supports. The commissioner discussed a UMass-based effort to build the workforce pipeline for blindness services and said the agency was watching federal restructuring but had not yet seen direct cuts. MassAbility’s leadership then warned about major federal changes affecting Social Security disability determinations, including staff restructuring, office closures, and a new overpayment repayment policy, and said the agency was preparing for possible increases in claims and uncertainty around reallotment dollars that help fund services. The Disabled Persons Protection Commission closed the hearing with an update on its abuse investigations and protective services for adults with disabilities. DPPC reported rising hotline calls and investigations, a growing caseload, its sexual assault response team, the abuser registry, and a new interagency protective services integration system funded by ARPA dollars through 2027. The agency also flagged new federal rules that could affect funding eligibility and said it may need statutory changes to comply. Members asked about funding, reporting pathways, and how complaints reach DPPC, and the commissioner said the agency uses both mandated reporting and proactive outreach to identify and respond to abuse.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, but, but, but, but... ...staff and our managers to try to plan what our staff is going to be doing
• This includes nurses, medical staff, social workers, food service professionals, facility staff, and
• , and... ...in the Office of the Chief Army Reserve, on the Army staff, and on the Joint Staff.
• I have a person on my staff.
• And staff, like staff are really going through a big culture shift.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• No, I don't want her to have 12 new staff.
• My staff... They're scratching the surface on this work.
• My staff of 16— they're fantastic —but 16 staff for a program of over $5 billion is not sufficient, and
• But in short, we have a health care economist on staff.
• And here reflects the needed staff, the six staff, and then the funds that we will need on the system

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One staff note, please, Mayor. Okay. One staff note, please.
• Chair, of staff? Please proceed. So, Mr.
• I have a staff note, please. Yes. One staff note, Candace just... Can I have a staff note, please?
• Staff note here, just as we did on Jericho, I requested our staff go back and bring them up to current
• Actually, we decreased our staff.

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Are there further questions of staff?
• , at least some of their staff.
• , at least some of their staff.
• One of the realities is the number of staff staff may be projected to be on extended leave.
• staff is not that easy.

Bills: HB2440 , HB2551 , HB2593

Committee: House Education

Keywords: education, ombudsman, record-keeping, transparency, advocacy, school funding, financial solvency, education budget, district financial health, state funding, accounting, budgeting, reporting, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Kellan Wright, nonpartisan staff to the committee.
• staff.
• , but to use other contract staff.
• Local governments are now in the process of training their staff and also their permit counter staff,
• We also heard... ...that there's a trade-off in your staff between wanting your staff available to process

Summary: The Local Government Committee met in work session and heard a series of presentations on SEPA, permitting reforms, and building code implementation. Department of Ecology staff gave an overview of the State Environmental Policy Act, explaining its role in state and local decision-making, common exemptions, planned actions, and recent housing-related statutory changes such as transit-oriented development exemptions and SEPA appeals protections for certain local ordinances. Committee members asked about repeated SEPA reviews, cultural and historic resource review, and how SEPA relates to NEPA; Ecology responded that repeated reviews usually occur when proposals change and that programmatic EISs can help front-load analysis. Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections described how recent SEPA exemptions reduced residential review volume and supported more housing permits, and said the city is considering raising thresholds further. The State Building Code Council provided an update on code adoption timelines and legislative tasks tied to the 2024 codes, including single-stair housing, multiplex housing, dwelling unit size, and temporary emergency shelter standards. Council staff said the content of the codes is largely set, but administrative timelines have been delayed, prompting a motion to postpone final adoption while pursuing ways to preserve the planned implementation schedule. Members asked about the timing of code changes and the impact on housing costs, and staff said the legislative topics remain on track for inclusion in the 2024 code package. Committee staff then reviewed recent permitting legislation, including SB 5290’s permit decision deadlines and fee-refund provisions, later bills limiting pre-application meetings and clarifying that building permits are excluded from those timelines, and project-specific changes affecting middle housing, ADUs, lot splits, passive house projects, self-certification, transit-oriented development, and parking requirements. Commerce’s Dave Anderson reported on SB 5290 implementation, including guidance on permit fees, studies on staffing and statewide permitting systems, grants to local governments, and the first annual performance report, which showed mixed results and highlighted the importance of digital tools, clear checklists, staff training, and coordination across departments. Local officials from Issaquah and Kitsap County described their own process improvements, including code updates, optional pre-application meetings, new staffing, reporting systems, and a phased “Two by Six” review model in Kitsap, while also noting challenges from staffing shortages, agency coordination, and the burden of implementing multiple new mandates.

Transcript Highlights:

• Staff said they did not have an answer for that.
• Staff answered that there were two.
• Staff began explaining that this contract was the platform where the tools were housed and that staff
• Staff responded that on May 31, Evident Change could turn the system off, and the staff would not be
• Staff said that was correct.

Committee: All JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

Summary: The committee reviewed three DHS service contracts: a $690,000-plus sole-source contract for DCFS with Evident Change for maintenance and operation of the Child Welfare Structured Decision-Making Assessment tools; a $1.2 million contract with Sifter Solutions for a SNAP waiver compliance solution and related app; and a $156,000 contract with Samaritan Integrative Services for psychiatric services at the Southeast Arkansas Human Development Center. Staff said the Evident Change contract was needed to keep daily safety risk assessments, case planning, and reunification tools functioning, and that the vendor’s proprietary system made it sole source. Members questioned DHS about reliance on the vendor, the lack of an off-ramp, whether the state was paying more or less annually, and why the contracts were not aligned on the same cycle. DHS and the vendor said the new Evident Change contract was limited to maintenance and operations, that no additional services or employees were being added, and that the broader CQI/review contract would come up separately later. For the SNAP waiver contract, DHS explained that the waiver is intended to exclude certain unhealthy foods from SNAP purchases to improve nutritional value, and that Sifter Solutions would provide a dynamic list for retailers and an app for clients to check products by barcode. DHS said the contract is sole source because it is tied to the waiver implementation and because the vendor can provide the needed dynamic list and education features. Staff said the contract would be funded with remaining federal SNAP Nutrition Education dollars that would otherwise revert to the federal government, and that the University of Pennsylvania would conduct the evaluation at no cost. Members asked about the public benefit, future renewals, and whether the state would own the application; DHS said the two-year term was designed to match the waiver period and allow time to reassess future procurement options. Members also asked about the nutrition education component, and DHS said it is developing videos with a nutritionist on preparing budget-friendly healthy meals and plans to link them to the app and website. After discussion, no objections were raised, and the items were reported as reviewed. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, but, but, but, but... ...staff and our managers to try to plan what our staff is going to be doing
• This includes nurses, medical staff, social workers, food service professionals, facility staff, and
• , and on the Joint Staff.
• I have a person on my staff. I've been very fortunate in the staff. a special note here.
• I have a person on my staff.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing was a FY27 budget session on Health and Human Services held in Mattapan, hosted by the Joint Committee on Ways and Means. Opening remarks from Senator Lydia Edwards, Representative Brandy Fluker-Reed, Representative Russell Holmes, and Boston Public Library President David Leonard emphasized the significance of holding the first Ways and Means hearing in Mattapan, the importance of community access, and the role of libraries as human services institutions. Committee members and attendees introduced themselves before agency testimony began. MassAbility testified first, describing its mission to support people with disabilities through employment, independent living, and disability determination services. The agency highlighted federal funding uncertainty, a modest FY27 budget reduction, and a proposed reworking of its home care program, which it said is outdated and should better target those most in need. Members questioned the home care cut, staffing reductions, and federal coordination. MassAbility also shared a participant story about recovery and community support to illustrate the impact of its services. The Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing then presented its FY27 request, focusing on interpreter and captioning access, workforce development, emergency communication, aging-related hearing loss, and transition services for deaf and hard-of-hearing youth. Members asked about interpreter shortages, after-hours emergency coverage, ASL education, and community training; the commission said it is expanding mentorship and referral systems but still faces staffing and vendor challenges. The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind followed with a $30.8 million request, describing services for nearly 9,000 consumers, peer support groups, vocational rehabilitation, and Turning 22 services, while noting federal funding uncertainty and a 7% budget cut. Members raised concerns about maintaining services with fewer resources, and the commissioner said the agency had trimmed overhead and could manage the proposal. The Office for Refugees and Immigrants closed the segment, outlining expanded legal, housing, workforce, citizenship, and financial literacy supports for immigrants and refugees, including Know Your Rights trainings, legal defense initiatives, and the Massachusetts Access to Counsel Initiative. Members discussed the effects of federal policy changes, the loss of refugee resettlement funding, and the need for state support to fill gaps. No votes were taken in the portion provided; the hearing consisted of agency presentations and committee questioning.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, but, but, but, but... ...staff and our managers to try to plan what our staff is going to be doing
• This includes nurses, medical staff, social workers, food service professionals, facility staff, and
• On Monday, March 2nd, the OVA staff canceled our weekly staff meeting to focus on how we can best meet
• , and on the Joint Staff.
• I have a person on my staff. I've been very fortunate in the staff.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held an FY27 Health and Human Services budget hearing in Mattapan, hosted at the Boston Public Library branch. Chairs Lydia Edwards and Russell Holmes, along with Rep. Brandy Fluker-Reid, emphasized the significance of holding the first Ways and Means hearing ever in Mattapan and highlighted the importance of bringing state budget deliberations into a majority-Black neighborhood. Several legislators introduced themselves as they joined, and the committee noted that public testimony was not part of the format, though agencies were invited to discuss priorities and challenges. MassAbility opened the agency testimony. Leadership described the agency’s mission to support people with disabilities through employment, training, home and community life services, and disability determination. They said Governor Healey’s FY27 budget funds MassAbility at $93.3 million, a 1% reduction from FY26, and explained that the agency is responding to federal funding uncertainty and shifting program needs by redesigning services internally. Members questioned a proposed $1.3 million reduction to the Home Care Program, staffing changes, and whether services could be maintained with fewer resources. MassAbility said it was reviewing data on who uses the program, that it does not provide nursing or personal care, and that it is working with a transition plan and a working group. The agency also discussed federal uncertainty around vocational rehabilitation funding and said it had received delayed federal awards but remained in contact with national associations and federal partners. The testimony included a personal story from a participant, Joshua Corcoran, to illustrate the impact of services. The Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing testified next, requesting $11.27 million, about a 6% increase over FY26. The commission said it serves about 1.4 million residents and focuses on communication access in health care, courts, public safety, and other public systems. It highlighted interpreter and captioner workforce shortages, a mentorship program to expand the provider pool, and a modernized referral platform funded through capital contingency money. Members asked about interpreter availability, after-hours emergency coverage, ASL access for students and families, and training for police and emergency responders. The commission said staffing remains limited, especially for after-hours services, but that it is expanding training, school outreach, and partnerships with DCF and other agencies. The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind then presented its FY27 budget request of $30.8 million. The commissioner said the agency serves nearly 9,000 legally blind residents, provides training and peer support, and placed 190 consumers in competitive integrated employment this year. It also described services for older adults, vocational rehabilitation, and the Turning 22 program for young adults with additional disabilities. Members raised concerns about a 7% cut from the prior year and asked how the agency could maintain services; the commissioner said the agency had no waiting list, had trimmed overhead, and could manage the budget through internal efficiencies and strong partnerships. The Office for Refugees and Immigrants closed the session, describing expanded legal and support services for immigrants and refugees, including Know Your Rights trainings, the Massachusetts Access to Counsel Initiative, citizenship and financial literacy programs, and the Family Welcome Center in Mattapan. Members asked about federal funding losses and the structure of the new legal services program; ORI said FY26 funding is stable but FY27 federal cuts remain uncertain, and that the legal program uses a centralized intake system with priority for emergencies and first-come, first-served access.