Transcript Highlights:

• through our California Jobs First efforts, and particularly noting the work that we just recently launched
• Because while we will tell you this initial effort launched with Regions Rise, this desire to promote
• support, I created cash flow projections and secured our first business loan, critical to keeping our operations
• Since launching my business, I have joined four different local chambers of commerce.
• At just 12 years old, my daughter launched Streets, a strawberry-based sweets business, by participating

Summary: The committee held an information hearing on California’s economy and household affordability, with the first panel focusing on inflation, housing, energy, wages, and the likely effects of new federal tariff policy. PPIC’s Sarah Bone said Californians remain deeply pessimistic about the economy, with inflation the main driver of concern; she noted prices are still about 23% higher than in January 2020, with especially large increases in food, energy, and housing costs. LAO’s Brian Euler emphasized that housing is the largest household expense and pointed to insurance, electricity, gasoline, and health care as other major cost pressures, urging the Legislature to review whether existing policies are actually reducing costs and to consider studies of why recent housing laws have not produced more units. UC Davis economist Catherine Russ warned that tariffs on China, Canada, Mexico, and potentially broader imports could raise consumer prices, disrupt supply chains, and hurt California exporters, farmers, and small businesses; she suggested monitoring prices, strengthening food assistance, and preparing transition support for affected workers and producers. Members pressed the panelists for concrete, near-term policy ideas, especially on housing and tariffs. Questions centered on whether accessory dwelling units are making a meaningful dent in affordability, how to improve implementation of pro-housing laws at the local level, and how to measure the impact of tariffs on consumers, health care, and agriculture. Panelists said ADUs help but are limited, that state laws can be undermined by local implementation and litigation, and that tariff effects may show up quickly in prices and later in hiring and investment. Several members stressed that the tariff issue is not a minor disruption for constituents and asked for more data on consumer impacts, food aid needs, and crop-specific farm losses. The second panel shifted to regional economic development and small business support. Go-Biz’s Derek Kirk described California Jobs First and the state economic blueprint as a first-in-decades, regionally informed strategy to create good-paying jobs, support key sectors, and align workforce and business development across 13 regions. The California Association for Local Economic Development’s Gerbach Sahota argued that local governments need practical tools, stable policy, and stronger partnerships with the state, while warning that prosperity is not always perceived as shared and that rural communities can be left behind. He urged the Legislature to use hearings, local input, and existing funding streams more effectively, including for recovery and infrastructure. David Fitzgerald of the Small Business Development Centers said California’s SBDC network serves hundreds of thousands of clients, many of them women and historically underrepresented entrepreneurs, and has generated billions in economic impact, capital access, revenue, and jobs. He said the biggest gaps are outreach to the state’s many self-employed businesses with no employees, better labor data on those workers, and more flexible support for direct services. Committee members then asked what small businesses need most in the face of inflation and tariff shocks, including lower licensing costs and other relief, and the discussion continued on how to better target state support to businesses and households under pressure.

Transcript Highlights:

• And not seeing anyone, I will launch right in.
• In the absence of additional operational guidance from CMS, which we believe is forthcoming, we do expect
• It operates in Silverdale and in Poulsbo and serves tribal and non-tribal patients across the region.
• As far as why these hospitals are operating, it's just the thin margins.
• Rural hospital closures are generally preceded by financial distress and negative operating margins and

Summary: The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee met on July 30, 2026, to hear two main briefings. The first, from the Health Care Authority, focused on implementation of federal H.R. 1 Medicaid changes and Washington’s rural health transformation funding. HCA said the state is preparing for major eligibility changes, including the October 1 loss of Medicaid coverage for about 14,000 lawfully present non-citizens and January 1, 2027 work requirements, six-month renewals, and reduced retroactive coverage for roughly 600,000 Medicaid expansion adults. Officials described outreach efforts, new automated verification systems, a verification hub, and plans to use available data sources to reduce manual paperwork, while noting that about one-third of the affected population may still need manual processing. They also said H.R. 1 will limit state-directed payments over time, with an estimated long-term impact of up to $1.5 billion in hospital reimbursements. On rural health transformation, HCA said it is moving quickly to obligate its $181 million federal award through contracts and competitive grants for rural hospitals, workforce, behavioral health, technology, and tribal and community partners. Committee members asked about the impact on rural providers, community service as a work-requirement pathway, emergency Medicaid, tribal and federal reimbursement issues, and whether the state would submit comments on the federal work-requirement rule. HCA said it would file comments, that emergency Medicaid coverage for certain services remains available, and that it is working with tribes and other agencies to avoid erroneous terminations and to move eligible people into other coverage where possible. Members also raised concerns about the administrative burden on families and providers and the need for congressional attention on issues such as TRICARE reimbursement. The second briefing addressed maternal health and the Department of Health’s Maternal Mortality Review Panel report. DOH said maternal mortality in Washington increased for the first time in the report series, but most pregnancy-related deaths remain preventable. Nearly half were linked to behavioral health conditions, especially overdose deaths, with suicide, cardiovascular disease, and COVID-19 also significant causes; most deaths occurred postpartum rather than during delivery. The report found higher mortality rates among American Indian and Alaska Native, Black, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, multiracial, rural, and Medicaid-covered populations, and identified lack of access to care, financial hardship, housing instability, discrimination, bias, and systemic inequities as major contributors. DOH highlighted existing state actions such as one-year postpartum coverage, doula reimbursement, inpatient substance use treatment coverage for birthing people, and vaccine coverage requirements, and offered 12 legislative recommendations focused on affordable and high-quality care, basic needs and community supports, and equitable, culturally responsive services. Presenters from the Suquamish Tribe and Kitsap OBGYN described how the tribe acquired and stabilized a threatened OB-GYN practice to preserve regional access amid provider shortages and hospital service losses. They said rural obstetric care is difficult to sustain because of thin margins, workforce shortages, long travel distances, and higher-risk patients, and emphasized that tribal health systems can offer stronger reimbursement and integrated family-centered care. The Foundation for Healthcare Quality and the Bree Collaborative then outlined statewide maternity-care quality efforts, including work on perinatal behavioral health, care coordination, postpartum screening, doula support, and better-aligned payment models. They said Washington has strengths in innovation but still needs more OB-GYN capacity, better transitions of care, and more culturally responsive, trauma-informed maternal and Native health services.

Transcript Highlights:

• But in the nursing homes, I saw my enlisted medics go into the nursing homes and operate as LPNs, so
• But in the nursing homes, I saw my enlisted medics go into the nursing homes and operate as LPNs, so
• Though essential services were protected, discretionary research and data operations in the Executive
• Though essential services were protected, discretion of a research and data operations, and services
• So we operate on an increase of five times your monthly increase.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs

Summary: The Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs held its second public hearing of the 2025–26 session, with opening remarks from Chairs John Velis and Joe McGonagle outlining testimony on 20 House bills and 18 Senate bills. The hearing covered a wide range of veterans issues, including municipal veterans assistance funds, pension equity, expanding the Office of the Veterans Advocate, veterans service officer staffing, disability benefits eligibility, service dogs, POW tax relief, courtesy parking spaces, women veterans and motherhood, and workforce-related licensing and employment measures. Chairs emphasized the hybrid format, three-minute testimony limit, and written testimony process. Several bills drew support focused on expanding services and access. Representative Arena-DeRosa spoke for bills to broaden municipal veterans assistance funds to cover housing and legal expenses and to study enhanced pension equity for veterans, citing burn pit exposure and shorter life expectancy among veterans. Senator Fattman, Representative Peas, and Veterans Advocate Bob Notch supported bills expanding the Office of the Veterans Advocate to include active-duty service members and their families, arguing it would improve transition support, coordination with state agencies, and retention of military talent in Massachusetts. Representative Arriaga backed a bill to incentivize municipalities to provide full-time or regional veterans service officers and another to study the impact of combat on women veterans and motherhood. Representative Moulton/another sponsor also sought to exempt veterans’ disability payments from income calculations for other state benefits, and Representative Hong and Senator Scanlan supported a state service dog program, POW income tax relief, and courtesy retail parking spaces for veterans. Testimony also focused on workforce and claims-assistance issues. The Military Officers Association of America and James Keene urged passage of bills waiving duplicative education requirements so qualified veterans and military medics can become licensed practical nurses, arguing it would help address health care shortages and recognize military training. Brave Veterans Inc. called for a Veterans Research Trust Fund to protect data and program evaluation work during budget cuts. On claims assistance, one witness supported criminal penalties for unaccredited agents who charge veterans for VA claims help, while a private consulting firm opposed the bill, arguing it would restrict lawful speech and veterans’ choice and that existing federal and HERO Act safeguards already address abuses. The VFW strongly opposed paid claims consulting, said its accredited service officers provide free help statewide, and urged more public awareness of existing free services. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• and look forward to continuing our partnership with you to ensure California remains the world's launch
• return the RVs to the streets without properly registering the vehicles, ensuring they are even operable
• On her first day in office, she immediately declared a state of emergency on homelessness and launched
• ... ...bucket trucks and sail-and-wheel units operated by specified telecommunication providers from
• We recognize the importance of ensuring that telecommunication vehicles are available and operational

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several transportation-related bills, beginning with AB 431 on advanced air mobility. The author and supporters from AUVSI, Joby Aviation, United Airlines, Wisk Aero, the City of Long Beach, and Archer said the bill would create a statewide plan and technical framework for eVTOL/advanced air mobility infrastructure, public outreach, and local implementation. No opposition testified, and the bill passed the committee as amended to Appropriations on a unanimous roll call. Members then took up AB 630 on abandoned or hazardous RVs. The author and supporters, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’s office, argued the bill would curb a cycle in which inoperable RVs are towed, auctioned cheaply, and returned to the streets by predatory buyers, while adding notice, recovery, and reporting requirements. Opponents from Western Center on Law and Poverty and ACLU California Action warned the bill would destroy RVs that serve as shelter for unhoused residents and could worsen homelessness. After discussion about the bill’s focus on dismantling rather than towing, the committee passed AB 630 as amended to Appropriations. The committee also approved AB 314, which would support transit-oriented development around planned and existing high-speed rail stations; AB 1223, which gives Sacramento County communities more flexibility to use local transportation revenues for related infrastructure supporting infill development; AB 1111, which adds flexibility to the zero-emission school bus transition for rural and disadvantaged districts; AB 1190, which caps fees charged by DMV business partners and requires clearer disclosure of the official DMV site; AB 987, which limits unreasonable towing fees and related charges; and AB 911, which creates a narrow exemption from Advanced Clean Fleets rules for telecommunications bucket trucks and sail-on-wheels used in emergencies. Most bills drew support from local governments, industry, or consumer groups, while AB 1111 and AB 911 drew opposition from clean transportation and environmental advocates concerned about weakening emissions goals. All of the bills were reported out as amended to the Committee on Appropriations, with recorded roll-call votes and several members adding their names as co-authors or supporters.

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Irene Toker, and I also own and operate a congregate living health facility.
• I own and operate five congregate living health facilities.
• , is severely underserved. and operate five congregate living health facilities.
• Importantly, it predates the naturopathic doctors act and operates independently of it.
• Importantly, it predates the neuropathic doctors act and operates independently of it.

Summary: The joint Assembly and Senate business committees held a sunset review hearing for five California regulatory entities: the Respiratory Care Board, the California Council for Interior Design Certification, the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board, the Board of Occupational Therapy, and the Board of Naturopathic Medicine. Each board or council described its licensing, enforcement, modernization, and consumer-protection work since the last review, and committee members focused on workforce access, transparency, fee authority, and whether current regulatory structures are appropriately tailored to public safety. For the Respiratory Care Board, the main issue was a proposal to move toward a bachelor’s degree requirement for licensure. Board representatives said the change would better align education with the complexity of care and could help the profession’s long-term status and reimbursement prospects, but Assembly Member Addis and others raised concerns about rural access, staffing shortages, and added barriers to entry. Public commenters, including respiratory therapists, families, and congregate living health facility operators, strongly opposed the degree mandate and urged continued use of LVNs for certain respiratory tasks in community settings. The board also discussed its ongoing work on LVN respiratory care issues, updated suctioning guidance, digitized licensing and enforcement systems, and fee cleanup language. The interior design item drew the most debate. CCIDC leaders defended the current title-act certification model, arguing it establishes competency without evidence of public harm and avoids the disruption a full licensure system could cause. Several committee members questioned the lack of enforcement authority, the private nonprofit structure, Bagley-Keene compliance, and whether certification meaningfully improves plan acceptance or public safety. Public testimony was split: supporters said the system works and preserves flexibility, while opponents argued the model lacks accountability, creates confusion, and does not reliably prevent plan-check denials or protect the public. The speech-language pathology/audiology board reported major modernization gains, including a new online licensure system, faster processing, continuing education audits, and updated supervision and advertising rules; it also received support for creating a new audiology assistant license category, while a consumer group urged more public members, proactive inspections, and faster discipline. The occupational therapy board reported growth, improved enforcement and licensing performance, and a need for additional fee authority to address rising costs, while public testimony supported reducing advanced practice hand therapy training hours. The final naturopathic medicine item began at the end of the transcript, but no substantive discussion was captured before the excerpt ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• From student-led family fun nights to launching a popular e-sports elective, Jackie has created new opportunities
• nights</c><00:10:20.920><c> to</c> student-led family fun nights to student-led family fun nights to launching
• a</c><00:10:21.560><c> popular</c><00:10:22.120><c> e-sports</c><00:10:22.680><c> elective,</c> launching
• a popular e-sports elective, launching a popular e-sports elective, Jackie<00:10:23.560><c> has</c><

Bills: HB1800 , HB2095 , HB1158 , HB1518 , HB1752 , SCR23 , SCR24 , SCR25 , SCR26 , SCR27 , SCR28 , SCR29 , SCR30 , SCR31 , SCR32 , SCR33 , SCR34 , SCR35 , SCR36 , SCR37 , SCR38 , SCR39 , SCR40 , SCR41 , SCR42 , SCR43 , SCR44 , SCR45 , SCR46 , SCR47 , SCR48 , SCR49 , SCR50 , SCR51 , SCR52 , SCR53 , SCR54 , SCR55 , SCR56 , SCR57 , SCR58 , SCR59 , SCR60 , SCR61 , SCR62 , SCR63 , SCR64 , SCR65 , SCR66 , SCR67 , SCR68 , SCR69 , SCR70 , SCR71 , SCR72 , SCR73 , SCR74 , SCR75 , SCR76 , SCR77 , SCR78 , SCR79 , SCR80 , SCR81 , SCR82 , SCR83 , SCR84 , SCR85 , SCR86 , SCR87 , SCR88 , SCR89 , SCR90 , SCR91 , SCR92 , SCR93 , SCR94 , SCR95 , SCR96 , SCR97 , SCR98 , SCR99 , SCR100 , SCR101 , SCR102 , SCR103 , SCR104 , SCR105 , SCR106 , SCR107 , SCR108 , SCR109 , SCR110 , SCR111 , SCR112 , SCR113 , SCR114 , SCR115 , SCR116 , SCR117 , SCR118 , SCR119 , SCR120 , SCR121 , SCR122

Transcript Highlights:

• benefit, ultimately in the preventative services category of the state plan, which allowed us to launch
• So we're about two and a half years out from the launch of the service.
• So we're about two and a half years out from the launch of the service.
• I think when we first launched it, we had more like 10.

Summary: The House Health Care and Wellness Committee met at policy cutoff and first took up executive session on four bills. It considered a proposed substitute for HB 1589 on health carrier contracting practices, which would require carriers to provide providers advance notice and clean copies of contract changes and payment methodologies, and would also add notice requirements for significant payer contract modifications. The committee also considered HB 2402 on phthalates in IV solution containers and tubing, with a substitute delaying implementation dates and creating shortage and FDA-related exemptions. HB 2555, concerning Medicaid coverage of traditional health care practices, and HB 2685, concerning tribal data and disease reporting to tribal health jurisdictions, were also before the committee. HB 2599 was deferred. The committee reported HB 1589, HB 2402, HB 2555, and HB 2685 out of committee with do pass recommendations, with recorded votes showing some members voting no or no without recommendation on the more contested bills. The committee then held a work session on private duty nursing in the Medically Intensive Children’s Program. Health Care Authority and DSHS staff described how the program serves children with complex medical needs through managed care and fee-for-service pathways, the role of prior authorization and medical necessity review, and the ongoing shortage of nursing staff. They said many approved hours are not filled, especially in rural areas, and that family members often provide unpaid care to fill gaps. Committee members asked about the structure of the children’s and adult PDN programs and about how many authorized hours are actually being served. The committee also heard testimony from a home care agency representative and a parent caregiver, both of whom described severe staffing shortages and the burden on families when nursing shifts go unfilled. They supported models that would allow trusted family caregivers to be paid for some of the skilled care they already provide. The committee then heard examples from Montana and Massachusetts of similar family caregiver or complex care assistant programs. Montana described its pediatric complex care assistant model as a gap-filling service with prior authorization and a set hourly rate, while Massachusetts outlined its complex care assistant program, including training, supervision, wage pass-through requirements, and early growth in participation. The meeting concluded after the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, it's a very good launching pad for these small businesses. These small businesses.
• good<00:07:26.960><c> land</c><00:07:27.280><c> and</c><00:07:27.440><c> a</c><00:07:27.599><c> launching
• </c><00:07:27.919><c> pad</c><00:07:28.479><c> um</c><00:07:28.560><c> for</c> good land and a launching
• pad um for good land and a launching pad um for these<00:07:29.199><c> small</c><00:07:29.440><c> businesses

Transcript Highlights:

• In the year and a half since launch, we've served over 28,000 meals to 100 veterans and currently serve
• a<00:03:48.959><c> half</c><00:03:49.319><c> that</c><00:03:49.599><c> since</c><00:03:49.920><c> launch
• <00:03:50.640><c> uh</c><00:03:50.760><c> We've</c><00:03:50.959><c> served</c> a half that since launch
• uh We've served a half that since launch uh We've served over<00:03:51.519><c> 28,000</c><00:03:52.360

Transcript Highlights:

• And, you know, I'm not sure that that's a solution because what if someone launches a campaign solely
• And, you know, I'm not sure that that's a solution because what if someone launches a campaign solely
• And, you know, I'm not sure that that's a solution because what if someone launches a campaign solely
• It's the system that it operates on.
• </c><01:19:57.760><c> and</c> physical realm that we've operated and physical realm that we've operated

Committee: Senate Elections

Transcript Highlights:

• FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT THE SHERIFF LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION AND HOW THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED
• JASON WITH FLORIDA CLERK OF COURT OPERATION CORPORATION IS WAIVING IN SUPPORT.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because, as was testified earlier today, we do believe that pest control operators...
• As was testified earlier today, we do believe that pest control operators that are operating here in
• operating on the ground.
• And I don't believe that they're contracting with any private pest control operator.
• County fair boards operate as governing boards. They always have.

Committee: House Agricultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• And the only way that you can do that is to have a healthy operating margin.
• You saw the operating losses that happened from '21 to '24.
• operating factors, both with state and federal impacts.
• So with five straight years of operating losses, So with five straight years of operating losses, we've
• Those are a direct response to the financial and operational headwinds that we're facing.

Committee: House Health Care & Wellness

Summary: The committee heard a JLARC audit presentation on the Department of Health’s oversight of hospital inspections, complaints, and hospital data reporting. JLARC said DOH was late on 72% of acute care hospital inspections as of December 2024, had not verified that third-party accrediting standards were substantially equivalent to state requirements, did not consistently collect proof of those inspections, and was not reviewing adverse health event corrective action plans as required. JLARC also said DOH’s complaint system may have language-access barriers and that hospital data posted online is difficult for the public to use. JLARC made five recommendations to DOH and one to the Legislature; DOH concurred with the recommendations. DOH then outlined a response plan and said it had already begun work on several items. Officials said they would develop staffing and performance plans for inspections, verify accrediting body standards and require proof of third-party inspections, expand complaint forms into additional languages, seek funding and legal updates for adverse event review, and improve public access to hospital data, including a possible dashboard. They said annual progress updates would be provided to the Legislature and noted some improvement in inspection timeliness, while also emphasizing staffing, funding, and pandemic-related backlogs as constraints. The committee also received a DOH presentation on certificate of need modernization. DOH described the current program as a tool to assess community need, financial feasibility, quality, and cost containment for certain facility expansions and new services, and recommended a phased modernization focused on clarifying statutory purpose, creating a planning entity, adding flexibility, reducing legal costs, modernizing access standards, expanding oversight to freestanding emergency departments and urgent care, addressing equity, improving cost control coordination, securing ongoing funding, and using new state data systems. Members asked about streamlining overlapping inspections and whether triggers could be used to target inspections more efficiently. A final panel discussed artificial intelligence in health care, with a Coalition for Health AI representative describing industry efforts to create standards for responsible AI, including principles of usefulness, fairness, safety, transparency, security, and privacy, plus tools such as model cards and quality-assurance frameworks. The committee then heard testimony on federal and state health care funding changes from the Washington State Hospital Association and Providence Swedish, which warned that state cuts, taxes, and federal HR1 changes would worsen already thin margins, lead to service reductions, layoffs, and delayed capital investments, and increase charity care and uncompensated care. The Washington Health Benefit Exchange also began a presentation on expiring federal ACA premium tax credits and the state’s Cascade Care Savings program, warning that coverage affordability for exchange customers could be affected if federal enhancements are not extended.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's an operational impact.
• There's an operational impact to us as well.
• We have seen reports of groups that have to fund their operations.
• Forced to operate these relationship scams, these financial frauds.
• One thing that DFI has launched is the investment tracker.

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Business

Summary: The committee began with a work session on the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee’s cannabis market study, presented by Susanna Pratt. JLARC found that Washington produced roughly two to three times more cannabis than retailers sold in 2023, and that incomplete, unreliable traceability data limits the Liquor and Cannabis Board’s ability to regulate, verify taxes, and track diversion. The presentation also reviewed canopy estimates, market conditions since legalization, and the social equity program. JLARC recommended that LCB submit a plan by the end of 2025 for obtaining accurate licensee data by the end of 2026; LCB partially concurred and said a 2027 implementation timeline was more realistic. JLARC also recommended the legislature consider broader ways to increase equity beyond new producer licenses, noting that 10 new producer licenses would likely have only a minimal effect on overall production capacity. Members asked about social equity licensing delays and about whether Washington could look to other states’ traceability systems, including Biotrack and Metric, for model practices. The committee then heard a series of presentations on financial fraud and scam prevention. Paul Benda of the American Bankers Association described the scale of fraud losses, the role of telecom spoofing, social media scams, SIM farms, and crypto ATMs, and argued for a shared-responsibility approach involving banks, telecoms, social media companies, and regulators. He noted that Australia’s whole-of-government anti-scam model has reduced losses and said Washington could look to other states for model legislation, including crypto ATM restrictions and telecom accountability measures. Katie Clark of IQ Credit Union described member-to-member fraud, romance scams, and the emotional and financial harm to victims, emphasizing the need for education, information sharing, law enforcement partnerships, and stronger protections around scam-related transfers. She also highlighted the role of high school financial education and the challenges posed by authorized peer-to-peer transfers and crypto ATMs. Kyle Innes of SIFMA focused on investor scams, especially “pig butchering” and other crypto-related relationship scams, and said Washington’s 2009 report-and-hold law for vulnerable adults helped shape similar laws in most other states. He stressed that fraud has become more professionalized and international, and that better coordination among adult protective services, law enforcement, and financial firms is needed. Brian Gerard and Ali Higgs of the Department of Financial Institutions then described pig-butchering scams in more detail, including fake profiles, fake trading platforms, and escalating demands for more money, and said recovery is difficult because funds move quickly through crypto channels. They pointed to DFI’s investment tracker and other consumer education efforts as tools to warn the public and disrupt scams.

Transcript Highlights:

• I started two days before CalCompetes launched.
• I started two days before CalCompeats launched.
• It includes $25 million for Natcast, the operator of the National Semiconductor Technology Center, to
• That's remarkable for a business operation. Is there any comparison?
• The department does is worthy, and you need to be able to operate.

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:

• I know you have spent a lot of time and effort discussing agency needs and operations.
• He will be speaking on report findings concerning the Department of Management Services and their operation
• , to establish and operate central facilities for the acquisition, disposal, operation, maintenance,
• So who uses FLAIR and how is that operated, and why is there such a...? You're recognized.
• Literally, we've got agencies that have vacancies and are operating just fine without them.

Summary: The subcommittee first heard a lengthy Auditor General presentation on the Department of Management Services’ fleet management operations. The audit found major problems with oversight, recordkeeping, policies, fee-setting, purchase and disposal approvals, public auction controls, and FleetWave system access and processing. Key findings included that 2,279 vehicles valued at more than $57 million could not be matched between FleetWave and FLAIR, disposal records were missing or incomplete, user access remained active long after employees separated, and the department had not documented a reasonable basis for its $1.75 per-vehicle monthly fee. Members expressed strong concern about the accuracy of the state’s fleet inventory and the risk of waste or misuse. DMS Secretary Allende said the department concurred with the findings, was working with the Auditor General, and planned corrective actions, including better training, clearer guidance, improved reconciliation, and possible centralization or pilot programs for fleet purchasing and management. The committee then returned to vacancy discussions with several agencies. The Division of Administrative Hearings said its two long-vacant judges of compensation claims positions had been hard to fill because of low pay and short reappointment terms, but the chief judge said the division could operate without them and offered those positions up as part of a reduction exercise. The Public Service Commission reported 42 vacancies but said statutory deadlines were still being met, though staff workloads and depth of analysis were affected. The commission also said vacancies help it manage salaries within its trust-fund budget. Members questioned whether some of those positions were truly needed given the lack of delays. The Florida Gaming Control Commission reported 29 vacancies, including a vacant chair that prevented appointment of an inspector general, and said the chair vacancy was a gubernatorial appointment issue. The acting executive director also said the commission’s compulsive gambling prevention program had lapsed after no responsive bids were received for a new contract, but an invitation to negotiate was nearly complete and a new provider was expected soon. The Public Employee Relations Commission reported that its caseload had more than doubled after Senate Bill 256, which increased union recertification work; it said it was meeting deadlines only with overtime and that the workload had not fallen despite decertifications. Members asked for follow-up data on union cases, vacancy needs, and whether some positions across agencies could be reallocated to better match workload.

Transcript Highlights:

• That discovery launched Gulf of America.
• </c> lifestyle, construction, and operating lifestyle, construction, and operating costs.<01:08:28.159
• </c><02:02:00.239><c> the</c> Professor Anand Rayo, on launching the Professor Anand Rayo, on launching
• Florida's Career Fire Chief of the Year is simply not an award for operational excellence.
• </c> is simply not an award for operational is simply not an award for operational excellence.<02:52:

Transcript Highlights:

• And then, similar to some contractors that operate CSPP state preschool as well as the general child
• Since TK does not operate in non-school-based settings, this funding structure prevents many families
• , we are not seeing any impact on local FURS operations at this time.
• If we are going to successfully launch...
• We are still operating in a system that steps in too late, after stability has already been lost.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 2393 will hold those operating outside the rule of law accountable and hopefully prevent these incidents
• reveal weaknesses that would pose a substantial and articulable risk to the project or the state operations
• if publicly disclosed. ...or the state operations, if publicly disclosed.
• As you navigate through the procurement process that he operates under now, it takes too long, and he
• This aligns the law with how agencies actually operate, ensures timelines reflect actual working days

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on April 22, 2026, with a quorum present and first took up a large consent calendar. It moved a set of bills to the Assembly Floor consent calendar by unanimous vote, including AB 1773, 1785, 1828, 1873, 1918, 2001, 2085, 2173, 2412, 2536, 2644, and 2781, and separately approved another group of unanimous bills not eligible for floor consent, including AB 1544, 1555, 1614, 1621, 1637, 1704, 1816, 1933, 2529, 2559, 2663, and 2731. The committee then heard several individual bills, with each author describing the measure and witnesses generally testifying in support; no organized opposition was recorded on the bills discussed. Among the measures heard, AB 2393 would create fixed statutory damages for certain false imprisonment and arrest claims, while exempting peace officers, custodial officers, and public entities. AB 1697 would delay implementation of a recently enacted prohibition on employment contracts that require workers to repay employer debts if they leave a job, and AB 2534 would extend Domestic Violence Prevention Act restraining order protections to attempted forced marriages and survivors of forced marriages. AB 1608 would strengthen the High-Speed Rail Inspector General’s office by adding staffing and contracting authority, requiring public reports, and allowing limited temporary confidentiality for sensitive information; the bill drew questions from members about transparency and whether information could be withheld, but the author and Inspector General said the measure would increase accountability and only allow narrow, time-limited confidentiality. The committee also approved AB 1916, which would allow American Sign Language interpreters to participate in the same collective bargaining process as other certified court interpreters, and AB 1803, which would require anti-hate speech training as part of workplace harassment prevention training for employers with five or more employees. AB 1821 would change Public Records Act response timelines from calendar days to business days, with local government sponsors arguing it would better reflect actual processing time for broad and complex requests without reducing access. AB 1919 would establish election procedures to let voters decide the future of Santa Cruz Metro service funding after a one-time grant expires. Each of these bills was moved forward on due pass votes, with some members not voting on certain measures. The committee then approved a long suspense file, and the remaining suspense bills were deemed approved without further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 2393 will hold those operating outside the rule of law accountable and hopefully prevent these incidents
• reveal weaknesses that would pose a substantial and articulable risk to the project or the state operations
• if publicly disclosed. ...or the state operations, if publicly disclosed.
• As you navigate through the procurement process that he operates under now, it takes too long, and he
• This aligns the law with how agencies actually operate, ensures timelines reflect actual working days

Committee: House Appropriations