Transcript Highlights:

• we've eliminated a $200 professional fee for new applicants and renewals. eliminated chiropractic facility
• to modernize our agency. is a revamp of our website to make it more user-friendly, more easy to navigate
• In an acute facility, they're prepared to practice regardless of education. patient level.
• The physicians that are associated and any other licensees would be, we don't regulate the facility.
• We've also seen an uptick in... in facility inspections.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Bus and Bus Facilities itself had nearly $100 million in applications, but only... ...and Bus Facilities
• Lighting, sightlines, and cleanliness of facilities, shelters.
• I often say we are a rolling public facility.
• Maybe we should look at that in the bus and bus facility.
• Maybe we should look at that in the bus and bus facilities.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met on October 16, 2025, for a budget and revenue overview, a traffic safety presentation, and a discussion of potential transit and active transportation grant programs. Committee staff reviewed the adopted 2025-27 transportation budget, noting $15.5 billion in expenditures, the large share for WSDOT, and the mix of revenue sources including fuel tax, vehicle-related fees, federal funds, Climate Commitment Act revenue, and new 2025 revenues from SB 5801 and SB 5802. Staff said the 2025 session produced a balanced four-year plan, preserved major project schedules, maintained highway preservation funding, and added money for culverts, local preservation, and other priorities. They also described a September forecast showing lower motor fuel consumption than previously expected, but still enough revenue growth to keep the transportation plan balanced. For the 2026 supplemental, staff said agency requests were relatively modest overall, with most capital requests reflecting reappropriations and timing shifts rather than new projects, while WSDOT’s addendum identified much larger future needs for maintenance, preservation, paving, culverts, and safety work. Senators asked for more detail on how revenues are distributed by fund type and geography, how much of the maintenance and preservation request is actual maintenance versus equipment, whether paving needs could be supported through bonding, and how electric vehicle sales trends might affect forecasts. The committee then heard a remote presentation from Dr. Jessica Chikino of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety on traffic safety trends and countermeasures. She said U.S. traffic fatalities have risen sharply over the past decade, with especially large increases for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists, and argued that the U.S. lags other high-income countries in roadway safety. Her presentation highlighted IIHS’s “30 by 30” goal to reduce fatalities 30% by 2030 through safer speeds, stronger impaired-driving countermeasures, better pedestrian protection, and safer commercial vehicles. She discussed research linking higher speed limits to higher fatality risk, the benefits of lower urban speed limits, speed safety cameras, traffic calming, lighting, pedestrian beacons, and safer intersection design. She also described ongoing work with Bellevue on smart signal technology and pedestrian safety pilots. Committee members thanked her for the presentation and said they would share the materials with others. In the final work session, the committee revisited transit and active transportation grant concepts that had been included in the Senate budget proposal but did not advance in 2025. Barb Chamberlain of WSDOT’s Active Transportation Division explained how grant programs need runway, staff capacity, applicant readiness, and clear criteria, and compared program design to getting a plane off the ground. She discussed the proposed Senior Transportation Emphasis Program and regional trails/cycle highways concepts, noting that some projects could be structured as funding-first programs while others would work better as project-line or project-first models. She said regional trail projects are already eligible under existing programs but often score lower because current criteria emphasize safety and population served. Justin Leighton of the Washington State Transit Association then reviewed transit grant programs and argued that transit safety and security needs remain underfunded, including operator barriers, lighting, shelters, behavioral health coordination, and non-uniformed security staff. He said many transit capital programs are oversubscribed, that operator barrier retrofits alone could cost $20 million to $30 million, and that agencies face uncertainty about how recent sales tax changes apply to security-related contracts. No votes were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• It will be hauled back to another facility where they'll neutralize it and then incinerate it."
• <00:36:03.760> Um waste pesticide collection facility.
• Um waste pesticide collection facility.
• 00:36:20.200> another It will be hauled back to another It will be hauled back to another facility
• Personally, I have been working with an FSA loan officer and land access navigator for the last 4 years

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Index B identifies the unexpended balance authority included in recommendations for space facilities
• To achieve portability, we must acknowledge the evolving ways students navigate their higher education
• need for more facilities, and...
• Student success. research, facilities, athletics, and community service.
• They're in the process of constructing $100 million. cancer facility.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My focus is on building clear, effective systems that help students navigate the college admissions process
• These families stretch every dollar, and they're navigating survival first before they contemplate college
• affordability for students, relevance and quality of the coursework, engagement with the community, and top facilities
• In this role, and in previous leadership roles, I learned how to navigate complex regulatory environments
• experience and background and leadership to help Florida A&M, the number one public HBCU in America, navigate

Bills: S1694

Keywords: technology education, digital literacy, artificial intelligence, computer science, high school graduation

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education met with a quorum present and first took up CS for SB 1694, which would require technology-integrated postsecondary general education core courses to include digital literacy and competency instruction, including use of artificial intelligence tools, and encourage high school computer science courses with AI content to teach how AI systems use data, their benefits and limitations, and responsible use in academic and personal contexts. The bill drew support from several speakers who emphasized the need for students to understand AI’s capabilities, limitations, ethics, and risks, while one speaker raised concerns about overreliance on AI and the loss of skills. Senator Davis said the bill was a good step toward preparing the future workforce and suggested earlier instruction might be worth considering later. The bill was reported favorably, and Senator Leek asked to be recorded in the affirmative. The committee then heard a long series of confirmation presentations for trustees at multiple Florida colleges and universities, including Tallahassee State College, USF, UNF, Palm Beach State College, the College of the Florida Keys, Hillsborough College, Miami-Dade College, Florida A&M University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida International University, New College of Florida, Florida Polytechnic University, and the University of Florida. The appointees generally emphasized student success, workforce alignment, fiscal responsibility, access and affordability, and institutional growth; several members and senators offered supportive comments, with some asking about specific issues such as Tallahassee State’s NCLEX passage rates and the need for continued improvement. One appointee’s attendance was delayed or skipped for later consideration, but the committee ultimately took a block vote and reported the confirmations favorably to the Ethics and Elections Committee. Finally, Chair Harrell gave a brief overview of the higher education budget, describing a total of $11.9 billion and highlighting increases for workforce education, Florida College System operating funds, workforce development capitalization, the Rural Incentive for Professional Educators program, the USF Center for Nursing, preeminent research universities, UCF’s community school grant program, UF’s Lassinger Center on Learning, the Florida Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment, and campus security through a postsecondary guardian program. Senator Davis asked about a transfer related to the workforce development capitalization and incentive grant fund, and the chair explained it was a transfer of an existing program with new funds being added. There was no public comment on the budget, and the meeting adjourned after Senator Leek requested to be recorded in the affirmative on SB 1694.

Transcript Highlights:

• energy, and resources to provide healthy alternatives to gang membership, violence, and school facilities
• The guard under her command were highly skilled, responsive, and helped us navigate these potential disasters
• responsive, and were highly skilled, responsive, and helped<00:36:16.560> us<00:36:16.800> navigate
• <00:36:17.200> these<00:36:17.599> potential helped us navigate these potential helped
• us navigate these potential disasters.<00:36:19.280> They<00:36:19.520> kept<00:36:19.680

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thanks. facilities which has historically been facilities which has historically been underfunded<00:
• joint venture project for new facilities joint venture project for new facilities um<00:25:33.039
• and for treatment facilities.
• So a treatment facility alone will not work, but a treatment facility that is a juvenile and adult facility
• So a treatment facility alone will not work, but a treatment facility that is a juvenile and adult facility

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First up, HB 969 relating to waste or disposal facilities.
• Oh, present with me are um facilities.
• First up, Ayana Lei, Office facilities.
• These facilities also collect recycled materials.
• <01:01:44.799> here the operator of the H bar facility here the operator of the H bar facility

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee opened its Health and Human Services calendar, noted quorum, and first took up HB 194. The chair explained amendments to add an exemption for a person invited by a patient to attend a birth outside an accredited birth facility when no compensation is involved, remove a date reference in section 9, and accept Department of Health amendments. Members raised no objections, and the committee voted to pass HB 194 with amendments. The committee then heard HB 139 on insurance, with the Attorney General flagging possible unlawful delegation issues and suggesting clarifying language, while the Insurance Division stood on written testimony. A number of health organizations and advocates, including HMSA, Hawaii Association of Health Plans, oncology and fertility groups, testified in support. HB 613 on homeless youth drew broad support from state agencies, counties, youth advocates, and community groups; testimony emphasized the need for permanent safe spaces and more attention to unaccompanied minors, with one witness asking for clarity on funding and shelter capacity. HB 71 on a tax credit for family caregivers drew support from AARP, Alzheimer’s and children’s advocates, and several individuals, while the Tax Foundation raised concerns about blank provisions and the cost-effectiveness of administering a small credit. The Department of Taxation said a prior version with a $5,000 nonrefundable credit would have cost the general fund about $397.4 million. HB 716 on health care technology support received strong support from SHPDA, OHIN, and many provider groups, who described it as a one-time investment of roughly $20–25 million to connect rural and neighbor island providers to electronic health records; members questioned how the grant program would be allocated. HB 799 on physician hospital privileges also drew mixed testimony: supporters said it would align Hawaii with updated CMS rules and improve access, especially on Maui, while Maui Health and some members worried it could reduce on-call coverage and hospital safety, leading to discussion of a possible report and sunset date.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our teams have already begun navigating through with all eight agencies, including our co-chair agency
• And we have selected three facilities toward that, one of which is the design collaboration facility
• And we have selected three facilities for the city. to us.
• And we have selected three facilities towards that, one of which is the design collaboration facility
• Other states were offering upwards of $100 million to site this facility.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee 5 on State Administration heard presentations from Go-Biz and the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation on the Governor’s budget proposals. Go-Biz described California Jobs First, the state’s 10-year economic development strategy, and emphasized support for small businesses, workforce development, and targeted investment in sectors such as ag tech, life sciences, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing. Members raised concerns about federal policy changes, tariffs, tourism, housing, child care, and whether state incentives are truly additive; Go-Biz responded that it tracks federal actions closely, works with chambers and advocates, and uses programs like California Competes to target jobs that would not otherwise come to California. The committee then reviewed the proposal to restore the California Competes grant program with $60 million. Go-Biz said the grant would help businesses that cannot use the nonrefundable tax credit, and explained the program’s five-year contracts, milestone-based awards, and recapture provisions. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the grant could be effective but recommended stronger oversight and clearer eligibility criteria, while also noting the 30% cap in trailer bill language may be too restrictive given the smaller funding level. Public testimony supported the grant and suggested considering refundability or transferability for the tax credit to broaden access for smaller and startup businesses. Members also heard the CHIPS-related proposal for $25 million to support Natcast’s semiconductor design and collaboration facility in Sunnyvale. Go-Biz and public witnesses argued the state investment would help secure a major federal research facility, retain engineering talent, and leverage billions in broader investment, while the LAO recommended rejecting the item because of its dependence on uncertain federal funding and the state’s budget condition. The committee also considered a $17 million continuation of CA RISE, which supports employment social enterprises; Go-Biz and several grantees cited strong job placement and workforce outcomes, while the LAO recommended rejection absent a more rigorous evaluation, noting prior LA RISE evidence did not show long-term employment gains. Finally, the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation presented budget requests for IT security and rent increases, and a trailer bill to raise fees across several programs. DFPI said decades-old fee schedules, inflation, and new regulatory responsibilities have created a structural deficit and warned the department could face insolvency without adjustments. The LAO recommended approving the fee increases only on a three-year limited-term basis and asked for more detailed revenue plans for programs not covered by the proposal, so the Legislature can assess actual collections and market impacts before making the changes permanent.

Transcript Highlights:

• something that we have been navigating something that we have been navigating the<00:19:27.280><
• And these are things that as a state we're going to be navigating.
• We a state we're going to be navigating.
• And I with that I think we'll navigate.
• > manufacturers facilities or advanced manufacturers facilities or advanced manufacturers look

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Since 2018, 11 facilities, VA facilities out of 170, have been using it, not studying it, using it.
• Since 2018, 11 facilities, VA facilities out of 170, have been using it, not studying it, using it.
• Since 2018, 11 facilities, VA facilities out of 170, have been using it, not studying it, using it.
• Since 2018, 11 facilities, VA facilities out of 170, have been using it, not studying it, using it.
• Since 2018, 11 facilities, VA facilities out of 170, have been using it, not studying it, using it.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Friday, May 15, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• THE MULTIPURPOSE COMMUNITY FACILITY PROGRAM IS A PROGRAM THAT HAS FUNDED OVER $86 MILLION TO 29 GRAMS
• WELL AS THE BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE IT IS MEANT TO EITHER BUILD, CONSTRUCT, OR ENHANCE FACILITIES
• TWENTY NINE COMMITTEE FACILITIES TO THE MULTI PURPOSE PROGRAM AND 15 DIGITAL DEVICE PROGRAMS.
• TWELVE MULTIPURPOSE COMMITTEE FACILITIES, AND THREE DEVICE PROGRAMS.
• DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY PROGRAMS WHERE WE PROVIDE SERVICES FOR DIGITAL TRAINING AND DIGITAL LITERACY AND NAVIGATORS

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Every person who died in this facility had a family.
• In facilities like California City in Kern County, the largest ICE detention facility in the state...
• Detention Facility on September 29, 2025, died.
• detention facility.
• are like modern-day slave-holding facilities.

Summary: The Assembly met in session, established a quorum, approved dispensing with the previous day’s journal, and then took up a long third-reading file. Early procedural actions included moving AB 1589 to the inactive file and continuing reconsideration items. The chamber then considered a series of bills largely focused on immigration enforcement, detention, worker protections, child care, voting access, and related public services. Several immigration-related measures passed, including AB 2393 on damages for false imprisonment/arrest, AB 1994 on an immigrant victims’ rights and resources card, AB 1929 on health plan investment disclosures, AB 1633 imposing a tax on for-profit detention facilities, AB 1650 requiring decals on rental vehicles used for enforcement, AB 1655 protecting CalWORKs benefits when a child is detained, and AB 1896 disqualifying people who participated in immigration enforcement from certain public employment. AB 2230, which would bar immigration enforcement near polling places and child care facilities, also passed after extensive debate. Supporters framed these bills as accountability and protection for vulnerable communities; opponents argued they targeted federal law enforcement, were unnecessary, or raised constitutional concerns. AB 1851 on statewide school mental-health guidance also passed unanimously. After the midday recess, the Assembly returned and continued with more bills tied to immigration impacts and child welfare. AB 2379 passed with urgency, requiring child care providers to be informed of constitutional rights and trained on protections when confronted by immigration enforcement. AB 2460 passed to update school behavioral-health referral protocols for students affected by immigration enforcement trauma. AB 2495 passed to expand prohibitions on employer immigration-related threats, and AB 2662 was presented as a way for California to monitor and document federal enforcement actions and report on their community impacts. Throughout the day, the floor featured repeated exchanges over whether the bills addressed real problems or were political messaging, but the measures that came to a vote generally advanced with majority support.

Transcript Highlights:

• or in assisted living facilities.
• or in assisted living facilities.
• otherwise so you're saying facilities otherwise so you're saying facilities that<03:56:25.880>
• , intermediate care facilities, rehab hospitals, and facilities which operate on the membership model
• ones so in summary for profit facilities ones so in summary for profit facilities cherry-picking

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And Moderna, by the way, has a manufacturing facility and many jobs down in Norwood.
• So in 2022, I attended the opening of the CRISPR Therapeutics facility in the Seaport.
• It's a beautiful facility, by the way, if you ever get down there.
• So in 2022, I attended the opening of the CRISPR Therapeutics facility in the seaport.
• It's a beautiful facility, by the way, if you ever get down there.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee on Economic Development held a hearing on the DRIVE Act, a proposal to invest $400 million in Massachusetts research and innovation without new taxes. Governor Healey and administration officials said the bill would direct $200 million to public higher education research and regional partnerships and $200 million to a research funding pool for hospitals, universities, and other institutions, with the goal of retaining talent, leveraging private and philanthropic dollars, and offsetting major federal R&D cuts. They argued that research is a core economic engine for the state, supporting jobs across labs, construction, services, and surrounding businesses, and said the bill would help protect the Commonwealth’s tax base and competitiveness during a period of federal uncertainty and cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, and other programs. Committee members raised concerns about whether Fair Share surtax dollars should instead be used for K-12 and other community needs, whether the proposal is enough given the scale of lost federal grants, and how the money would be allocated. The governor responded that the funds are one-time surplus dollars, that most surtax revenue already supports education, and that the bill is meant as a bridge to stabilize public higher education and research. She also said the legislation includes a review board and could support a revolving or matched-fund approach in some cases. Several members pressed for more detail on selection criteria, future funding, and whether private companies and large endowments should contribute more. University of Massachusetts leaders and researchers testified that federal grant cancellations and delays are already causing layoffs, furloughs, rescinded admissions, and lost research capacity. UMass officials said the bill would help preserve faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and research programs in medicine, climate science, marine science, Braille instruction, and AI decision-making. They emphasized that the funding should be merit-based and that the state needs to act quickly to prevent talent from leaving Massachusetts. Business, labor, and industry groups, including MassBio, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, AIM, the AFL-CIO, and Building Trades, supported the bill, saying it would protect jobs, sustain the innovation ecosystem, and reinforce Massachusetts’ national leadership in research and life sciences. No vote was taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do follow the state procurement process in order to secure the facility.
• The DoubleTree has historically been the only facility that has submitted a bid.
• They are the biggest facility in the state to hold our capacity.
• <00:26:52.440> And women's facility, and about 500. And women's facility, and about 500.
• goes to a navigator goes to a navigator um<00:51:45.880> that<00:51:46.120> is<00:

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the March 20 minutes and then adopted the remainder of the consent calendar, after removing two items for separate discussion. On item 26071, members questioned a $95,000 DoubleTree Manchester contract for a two-day conference. Department staff said the hotel was the only bidder, the conference typically draws more than 500 attendees, most of the cost is food offset by registration fees, and attendees pay their own lodging except for presenters. The committee then approved the item. On item 26068, members asked for clearer reporting on remaining federal funds in continuing items. DHHS said about $10.3 million remained as of February 28, 2026, and agreed to provide the original award amounts and a reconciliation later. The committee approved the item. The committee then took up a DHHS transfer item for the developmental disability system, where officials said projected costs had risen because of delayed pandemic-era billings, new individuals entering the system, and higher individual service budgets. They said the budget was built on older assumptions, that carryforward funds had fallen from about $94 million to $72 million, and that the transfer would not affect lapse because it shifts general funds while federal Medicaid funds are accepted in return. The item was adopted. The committee also approved a hiring request and then a late Corrections item tied to overtime and recruitment. Corrections officials said the department is about 50% staffed for corrections officers, typical overtime is an eight-hour shift, inmate populations are beginning to rise again, and the department is using academy blitzes, out-of-state recruiting, targeted advertising, and a $10,000 sign-on bonus paid after academy completion and one year of service. Senator Gray said the late item was intended to help reduce a larger request expected in June, and the committee adopted the item. Finally, members questioned DHHS item 26074 on the New Hampshire Care Connection system and its interoperability with provider and managed care systems. DHHS said the system already has SMART on FHIR integration, single sign-on, and deeper integration options, and that managed care organizations are working with the contractor on use cases and data exchange. Officials said the project has been multi-phase, including the 988 crisis-response migration, privacy/security work, a provider network of more than 100 organizations, and a searchable resource portal managed by Granite United Way. They said the closed-referral solution is funded largely with Medicaid federal funds and is planned to continue in the base budget, not the rural health grant. The discussion ended without further action noted in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Facilities who may be pre-trial have not lost their right to vote, and we currently facilitate their
• not depend on your ability to navigate not depend on your ability to navigate complex<05:16:43.840
• So the idea of navigating this bill for me personally gives me a headache.
• So, the idea<05:22:27.760> of<05:22:28.160> navigating<05:22:28.798> this<05:22:
• 29.120> bill<05:22:29.440> for<05:22:29.760> me idea of navigating this bill for

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• whatever regulatory agencies are out there know what their responsibilities are to be able to help us navigate
• A facility structure. And so, again, so what the bill is asking here is, you know...
• ADU West Coast works directly with California homeowners and families navigating the accessory dwelling
• ADU West Coast works directly with California homeowners and families navigating the accessory dwelling
• square feet get a benefit because they don't have to be assessed on the parcel, only on the actual facility

Summary: The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee heard several housing-related bills. SB 457 would direct HCD to develop statistical formulas based on historical development data to help cities complete housing element site inventories, with the author and supporters arguing it would make RHNA compliance more realistic and less costly; the California Building Industry Association opposed, and the bill was later approved on a 7-1 vote. SB 904 would codify and expand wildfire-rebuilding coordination and reporting practices used after recent fires, with supporters saying it would speed recovery and opponents questioning the need for additional reporting; it passed 11-1. The committee also took up SB 1091, which would create a state acquisition-and-preservation program for unsubsidized affordable housing to prevent displacement; it drew broad support from housing and tenant groups and passed 9-1, with members emphasizing preservation as a key housing strategy. Members also considered SB 1267, which would require EV charger installers in common-interest developments to indemnify associations during installation and make homeowners responsible for costs arising from use of privately owned chargers. The bill was presented as a follow-up to prior HOA-related EV charging legislation, with support from HOA, EV, and climate groups and opposition from the California Association of Realtors pending amendments; it passed 10-0. SB 1117 would clarify that ADU impact fees above the 750-square-foot exemption are charged only on the portion above that threshold, not the entire unit, and supporters said it would remove a fee cliff that discourages slightly larger ADUs. Cities, special districts, and fire agencies opposed or opposed unless amended, citing infrastructure funding concerns, but the bill passed 10-0 after extensive debate. The committee also heard SB 1361, which would prevent local governments from taking actions to avoid SB 79 transit-oriented housing requirements at existing or planned transit stops. Supporters from L.A. Metro, labor, and housing groups said it would protect transit investments and jobs, while the City of Burbank opposed; the bill passed 9-0. Two consent items, SB 722 and SB 1426, were approved without discussion. Throughout the hearing, members repeatedly stressed the goals of streamlining housing production, preserving existing affordable homes, and reducing barriers to rebuilding and transit-oriented development.

Transcript Highlights:

• that we have these federal programs that are going to be, you know, we're going to have to keep navigating
• I'm employing 13 employee families every week when I take cattle and hogs to our local processing facility
• These offices are all in place to help producers navigate adverse actions taken by the federal government
• unable to access traditional credit options, providing them lower interest loans, or helping them navigate
• Processing facilities, drivers on the highway, you know, moving product.

Transcript Highlights:

• and quality incentive program funding, which really would boost quality in our skilled nursing facilities
• County contract has facilities in the Los Angeles County area pay for services related to that contract
• There’s a specific fee on facilities in that area.
• There's a specific fee on facilities in that area.
• We support H.R. 1 navigators for clinics and appreciate the dollars for county H.R. 1 administrative

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health heard presentations on several May Revision proposals, beginning with an overview from the Legislative Analyst’s Office and the Department of Finance on the state’s budget condition and the administration’s efforts to reduce out-year deficits through a mix of revenue measures, fund shifts, and program reductions. The chair expressed support for some administration proposals, such as added health IT funding, county administration support, a delay in Medi-Cal cuts for some immigrants, and additional Covered California subsidy backfill, but also criticized proposed Medi-Cal premiums, changes to senior eligibility, the lack of a Medi-Cal dental solution, and other cuts affecting counties, workforce, and rural access. The LAO said the budget still relies heavily on reserves and borrowing and urged more reserves and caution on new commitments. The Department of State Hospitals presented several proposals, including reduced county bed billing authority, limited contract exemption authority for online clinical subscriptions, reversion of unspent prior-year funds, additional lease revenue authority for the Metro Central Utility Plant replacement, funding for electronic health record implementation, and a shift of workforce development costs to Behavioral Health Services Act funds. The department also described savings and realignments in its IST and CONREP programs, including making the Independent Placement Panel permanent and adjusting funding for jail-based competency treatment and conditional release services. Members questioned the BHSA workforce funding swap, and the administration said it was part of a broader General Fund offset strategy. The Emergency Medical Services Authority requested funding for statewide behavioral health crisis response guidance and for continued operation of its enterprise systems, and the Department of Managed Health Care sought funds to modernize its complaint system and claims settlement data systems. The largest debate centered on the administration’s proposed use of Behavioral Health Services Act revenues to offset General Fund spending and fund state-directed behavioral health programs. The Department of Finance said the proposal would support population-based prevention, workforce programs, mobile crisis services, and other state-directed uses, while the LAO said it was still reviewing whether the uses comply with Proposition 1 and whether the non-supplement and eligible-use requirements are met. The Commission for Behavioral Health strongly opposed proposed cuts to its Innovation Partnership Fund and community advocacy grants, arguing that both programs are central to community voice, culturally responsive services, and statewide innovation. Commissioners and many public commenters said the cuts would reduce grants to community-based organizations, tribal groups, veterans, LGBTQ communities, youth, and other underserved populations, and that the advocacy program helps communities participate in local planning and access services. The Department of Finance defended the reductions as a way to prioritize direct services and said the programs fit within Proposition 1, but members criticized the proposal as a midstream shift that would weaken community engagement and redirect funds away from prevention and advocacy.