Transcript Highlights:

• Unlicensed dental assistants are also supervised by their dentist employer.
• people and allows them to get to work more quickly.
• Unlicensed dental assistants are also supervised by their dentist employer.
• The dentist, the fact that these individuals substitute course work for passing a national exam.
• allows them to get to work more quickly.

Committee: Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development

Summary: The Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee met first without quorum and heard several bills in subcommittee before later reconvening and taking formal votes. The consent calendar included SB 1263, SB 1148, SB 1376, and SB 1391. The committee also heard SB 1002, SB 1311, and SB 1416, all of which were ultimately advanced to the Senate Appropriations Committee, with SB 1311 amended. After quorum was reached, the committee later ratified the earlier actions and adjourned. SB 1002 by Senator Niello would expand the David Hall Act to allow certain patients who were originally eligible for out-of-state telehealth care because of an immediately life-threatening diagnosis to continue receiving that care after entering remission. Supporters, including a cancer survivor, said the bill would preserve continuity of care for patients who still need specialist monitoring. The Medical Board of California and the California Medical Association opposed the bill, arguing that licensure is an important consumer protection and that the bill would weaken oversight and standards of care. Senator Caballero supported the measure, emphasizing access to care, especially for rural patients. SB 1311, presented by the chair, updates the Dental Practice Act so unlicensed dental assistants can satisfy infection control training requirements either through the Dental Assisting National Board exam or approved courses. The California Dental Association and California Association of Orthodontists supported the bill, saying it would help strengthen the dental workforce and improve patient access. The California Academy of General Dentistry raised concerns that the exam option lacked hands-on training and should be limited unless amended. The committee approved the bill as amended. SB 1416 by Senator Wahab would shorten from 30 days to 21 days the time a physician or dentist has to refund duplicate payments to consumers. Support was brief and largely focused on the bill’s consumer affordability benefits, and no opposition was voiced. The committee passed the bill to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• She's been really working very hard.
• They are 90% work from home, which was a gift.
• They are 90% work from home, which was a gift.
• We will have to do some quality checks on their work to ensure that, you know, they are doing the work
• So you're working with two, and we talked about the one, or Senator, a You're working with two, and we

Committee: Senate Senate Health and Human Services COR

Summary: The committee continued its fourth hearing on fraud, waste, and abuse involving Arizona’s Medicaid and behavioral health systems, with a major focus on Access/ALTCS eligibility, behavioral health licensing, and payment delays. Senator Shamp presented findings alleging large gaps in ABD Medicaid asset verification, including that only a portion of enrollees were checked and that many with substantial liquid assets remained on the program. She argued the state’s waiver and lack of asset limits created a compliance and fiscal risk, and urged referrals to law enforcement, tighter verification, and broader reforms. Heather Dukes, representing behavioral health and sober living operators, testified that ADHS and Access have become overly punitive toward licensed providers, often sending technical paperwork violations straight to enforcement instead of allowing correction plans, and that zoning and licensing delays are harming legitimate businesses. Reva Stewart testified that patient brokering and fraudulent recruitment of vulnerable people into behavioral health and sober living settings remain ongoing, especially through social media, and called for stronger accountability and enforcement against bad actors. ADHS Deputy Assistant Director Tiffany Slater said the department has received more than a thousand complaints about unlicensed sober living operations, which has diverted staff from routine oversight of licensed facilities. She said ADHS has expanded enforcement tools for sober living homes, is using a new licensing system to flag repeat bad actors, and is trying to make the application process easier, while acknowledging that inspections can tip off unlicensed operators. Access Director Virginia Roundtree described steps the agency has taken since the prior hearing, including daily staff huddles, live dashboards, added project management support, an external claims vendor, and an independent review of the Division of Fee-for-Service Management. She said Access is trying to balance fraud prevention with support for legitimate providers, and committed to follow up on a specific provider payment dispute by early the next week. Committee members repeatedly pressed Access and ADHS on delayed claims processing, prepayment review, and whether the current system is driving providers out of business. Roundtable testimony from Access staff described the new Provider Resolution Roundtables, which are intended to work with a small number of providers facing the most claims and authorization problems. Members questioned why claims are being denied or held for long periods, why some providers are still waiting on payments from 2023 and 2024, and whether the agency’s actions are sustainable. Access also explained the Targeted Investment Program, saying it is a federally approved Medicaid initiative with large dollar amounts still being paid out on a delayed schedule, and agreed to provide more information on provider participation and payment timing. No formal votes or committee actions were taken in the portion provided, but the chair indicated the committee would continue reviewing the issue and requested additional reports and follow-up information from Access and ADHS.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm always proud to share the work happening at the Minnesota Attorney General's Office—the work they're
• So I look forward to seeing more of your work, and I appreciate your hard work on that and also your
• Unlicensed, meaning even the business is unlicensed.
• We're trying to work together.
• So our statutes really need work.

Bills: HF3043 , HF2891

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• H. 4119 is a natural extension of this work.
• Those don't work. You might say, oh, just get a temporary license. Those don't work.
• It's about a client who I worked with in the past, a young man who was coming to work with me for anxiety
• An unlicensed practitioner gave me my life back, yet he and his colleagues work in fear of the practice
• An unlicensed practitioner gave me my life back, yet he and his colleagues work in fear of the practice

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Health

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Health held a hearing to take testimony on a wide range of bills involving professional licensure, clinical practice, and public health-related workforce issues. The chair explained that no votes would be taken at the hearing and that the purpose was to gather public input. Early testimony focused on Marnie’s Law, with supporters describing the bill as a no-cost, preventive measure to require nursing education on inflammatory breast cancer after a family tragedy and arguing it could reduce misdiagnosis and save lives. A major portion of the hearing centered on bills affecting clinical decision-making and licensure compacts. Supporters of the physician ownership/clinical autonomy bills argued they would protect independent practices from corporate interference after the Steward collapse, while supporters of EMS, dental, psychology, physical therapy, and physician assistant compacts said the measures would improve workforce mobility, reduce delays, and expand access to care, especially for rural patients, military families, and telehealth users. Several witnesses emphasized that the compacts would not reduce standards and would strengthen public protection through shared disciplinary databases and streamlined credentialing. There was also testimony on bills to ensure safe medication administration and to protect the independence of complementary and alternative health care practitioners. Nursing representatives urged that only licensed professionals administer medications in hospitals, hospices, and home care settings, warning that delegation to unlicensed staff could endanger patients and nurses’ licenses. A complementary and alternative care witness supported consumer access with mandatory disclosures and limits on reserved medical acts. On the dental compact, witnesses were split: some supported portability and workforce flexibility, while others warned the compact lacked a hands-on skills exam and could weaken Massachusetts’ regulatory authority and patient safety. The hearing concluded with continued testimony on the psychology compact, physical therapy compact, and physician assistant bills, with most speakers favoring expanded interstate practice and reduced administrative barriers.

Transcript Highlights:

• And he's also worked as a stuntman.
• Directly before Rusty worked on the Old unit at the VA.
• Thank you too for working on a subject that you and I are both very.
• I'm working with the people on the front line in my county and working with the judges.
• And we were, I was having students work independently and they were allowed to move around and work next

Bills: HR1036 , HB2975 , HB3026 , HB3297 , HB2981 , HB2978 , HB4144 , HB1322 , HB1818 , HB3194 , HB3767 , HB3342 , HB3344 , HB4170 , HB3287 , HB3288 , HB4454 , HB3264 , HB3266 , HB3268 , HB4095 , HB4115 , HB4316 , HB3530 , HB3428 , HB4272 , HB4273 , HB4274 , HB3405 , HB3406 , HB3467 , HB3469 , HB3931

Keywords: Bob Wills, Western Swing, Cain's Ballroom, Oklahoma music history, country music, rock and roll, folk jazz blues, Oklahoma Arts Council, Oklahoma Film and Music Office, Oklahoma Historical Society, OKPOP Museum, commemorative resolution, day at the Capitol, musician recognition, heritage celebration, Tulsa, poultry waste, nutrient management, environmental regulations, agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• One, I do appreciate you working with our team to accept amendments.
• The framework is already in place, and this work is already being done.
• You know, there's no way for that individual to work.
• Training or work without supervision.
• They just want to go to work and take care of patients and go home.

Summary: The committee heard a series of bills on access to care, professional licensing, and consumer protection, beginning as a subcommittee because quorum was initially lacking. AB 1307 would create a pilot program allowing up to 30 qualified dentists from Mexico to work in underserved California areas for up to three years; the author and sponsor framed it as a cost-neutral way to address dental shortages, the California Dental Association moved from opposition to neutral after amendments, and members expressed support. AB 1703 would restrict use of osteopathic titles and osteopathic manipulative treatment to licensed DOs; supporters said it would prevent patient confusion and unlicensed practice, while non-physician osteopaths argued it would criminalize a long-standing, safe practice and reduce access. Members raised concerns about consumer clarity and access, and the author said she would continue working with opponents. AB 2250 made technical cleanup changes to last year’s hemp enforcement law, with support from the cannabis industry and no opposition. AB 1758 would raise the annual seller-of-travel assessment for the Travel Consumer Restitution Fund from $35 to $60, and AB 1794 would allow prescribed enteral nutrition formulas to be drop-shipped directly to patients’ homes with pharmacist oversight; both drew support and no opposition. AB 1775 would expand state licensing priority and related support for veterans discharged because of a federal transgender military policy, with emotional testimony from a transgender Army captain and support from equality and women’s organizations. AB 1939 would allow licensed professional fiduciaries to form corporations, and AB 2477 would create a limited provisional period for new pest control employees to work under supervision while licensing is pending; both were supported, though AB 2477 drew questions about supervision and committee amendments. AB 1999 would address veterinary workforce shortages by creating retired volunteer status, a shelter-veterinarian pathway, changes to VCPR rules, and narrowing the owner exemption to exclude surgical procedures; supporters cited animal welfare concerns, while some opponents warned about overreach. AB 2010 would permit high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter clinics in nontraditional settings to expand access, but the Veterinary Medical Board and some advocates opposed it unless amended over safety and clarity concerns. AB 2311 would let public health care district hospitals directly employ physicians, with supporters saying it would improve recruitment and access and opponents warning about erosion of physician autonomy; the author said the bill included safeguards, a sunset, and reporting requirements, and continued negotiations were ongoing. After quorum was established, the committee took roll-call votes and advanced the bills, generally on party-line or broad bipartisan votes, with several measures placed on call and others sent to Appropriations, Judiciary, Revenue and Taxation, Military and Veterans Affairs, or other committees as noted.

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 1311 makes various statutory updates to the Dental Practice Act in order to ensure that unlicensed
• SB 1311 makes various statutory updates to the Dental Practice Act in order to ensure that unlicensed
• Unlicensed dental assistants are also supervised by their dentist employer.
• allows them to get to work more quickly.
• allows them to get to work more quickly.

Summary: The Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee met initially without quorum and operated as a subcommittee before later obtaining quorum and taking formal votes. The committee first heard SB 1002 by Senator Nilo, which would extend existing telehealth access for eligible out-of-state physicians treating patients with immediately life-threatening diagnoses to continue care after those patients go into remission. Supporters, including a cancer survivor, argued the bill preserves continuity of care for patients who still need specialist monitoring, while the Medical Board of California and the California Medical Association opposed it, citing licensure, consumer protection, and enforcement concerns. Senator Caballero spoke in support, emphasizing access to care, especially for rural patients. The bill was ultimately moved out of committee on a 6-0 vote and later confirmed out on a 9-0 vote after quorum was established. The committee then heard SB 1311, which updates the Dental Practice Act so unlicensed dental assistants can satisfy infection control training requirements either through an approved course or the Dental Assisting National Board infection control exam. The author and the California Dental Association supported the bill as a workforce and access measure, but the California Academy of General Dentistry raised concerns that the exam lacks a hands-on coursework requirement and should not substitute for in-person training unless amended. The committee accepted amendments and passed the bill 6-0 to Senate Appropriations, later confirming it out on a 9-0 vote. Finally, SB 1416 was heard, a bill reducing from 30 days to 21 days the time a physician or dentist has to refund duplicate payments to consumers. The author described it as a modest affordability measure to return patient funds more quickly, and the California Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons supported it as reasonable given current financial pressures. With no opposition, the bill passed 6-0 to Senate Appropriations and was later confirmed out on a 9-0 vote. The committee also approved consent calendar items SB 1263, SB 1148, SB 1376, and SB 1391.

Transcript Highlights:

• each of you to the health Professions and program subcommittee looking forward to continuing the good work
• As these investigations work their way through the disciplinary process, the Board of Massage therapy
• The department is authorized to issue a cease and desist orders when unlicensed activity as alleged last
• Desist orders were issued to unlicensed massage therapists in fiscal year. 24 25, there were a total
• But our 11 field offices work to build these relationships with our partners.

Transcript Highlights:

• Do your work with the welfare of others always in mind.
• For the ninth time driving unlicensed. Since that time, he's had five more unlicensed charges.
• How they work the equipment.
• Members, when we have family members go to work...
• Brady and Joseph were doing what we wanted them to do as young people: work hard, show up for work, and

Transcript Highlights:

• One, I do appreciate you working with our team to accept amendments.
• The framework is already in place, and this work is already being done.
• We're continuing to work on language around that for Health Committee.
• They just want to go to work and take care of patients and go home.
• They just want to go to work and take care of patients and go home.

Committee: Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• We appreciate your work and the work of your team. Thank you.
• </c> unlicensed home health aid to do work unlicensed home health aid to do work around<00:10:32.399>
• </c><00:34:51.359><c> on</c> work and I appreciate your hard work on work and I appreciate your hard
• 22.240><c> business</c> unlicensed meaning even the business unlicensed meaning even the business unlicensed
• c> I think working needing to work on the I think working needing to work on the language<01:53:03.360

Bills: HF3043 , HF2891

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Unlicensed, if we take a midpoint estimate, is about 11.
• Illicit or unlicensed is about 11.4.
• with feds, working with our other partners.
• It takes a lot of investigatory work, and so the quote-unquote easier action is to... ...work, and so
• It never really worked. But price parity can work. It can drive consumers to the legal industry.

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on the Department of Cannabis Control’s report on the condition and health of California’s cannabis industry. Department staff reviewed the evolution of state cannabis law, the creation of the current regulatory framework, licensing and compliance efforts, and enforcement against illicit cannabis and hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoids. The department said the licensed market has grown in production and retail units sold, while active licenses and retail sales value have declined, and that the illicit market remains a major competitive factor. The department also highlighted consumer education efforts, product testing and recalls, and coordination through the state enforcement task force and other agencies. The department’s economist said the data show continued growth in licensed production and a rising share of consumption through the licensed market, but falling wholesale and retail prices have reduced overall industry value. He identified major headwinds as taxes and fees, illicit-market competition, local prohibitions that limit retail access, regulatory costs, and broader business pressures, while noting opportunities in product innovation and possible hemp-market changes. Committee members pressed the department on enforcement, public health concerns, equity ownership and employment, delays in grant administration, pesticide testing, and whether the legal market is truly viable for small businesses and farmers. Several members argued that stronger enforcement and lower costs are needed, while one member raised concerns about cannabis-related health harms and said the hearing focused too narrowly on supply-side issues. Public commenters from industry groups and advocacy organizations largely echoed concerns about high taxes, regulatory burdens, limited retail access, and the size of the illicit market. Many urged the Legislature not to let the excise tax rise from 15% to 19% and called for tax relief, compliance reform, more enforcement, and broader retail access. Some speakers said the report was too optimistic and did not reflect business failures, debt, and closures, while others emphasized the need to protect small farmers, address wildfire insurance, and support equity businesses. No votes or formal actions were taken; the hearing was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so it has to work.
• And so it has to work.
• And so it has to work.
• And so it has to work.
• And so it has to work.

Committee: Senate Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• In closing, CCIDC is a program that is working well and working as intended.
• So the system does work. If there are... So the system does work.
• private practice, working in major health care settings, working at the VA, working in university settings
• in major health care settings, working at the VA, working in university settings.
• And the statute is working as designed.

Summary: The joint sunset oversight hearing reviewed five California regulatory entities: the Respiratory Care Board, the California Council for Interior Design Certification, the Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board, the Board of Occupational Therapy, and the Board of Naturopathic Medicine. Each agency described its licensing, enforcement, modernization, and consumer-protection work since the last review, and committee members focused heavily on workforce access, public safety, transparency, and fee authority. For the Respiratory Care Board, the main issues were a possible move from an associate’s degree to a bachelor’s degree for licensure, fee structure changes, and ongoing work on LVNs performing respiratory tasks. Board representatives said the degree proposal was intended to strengthen competency and could be phased in without harming access, but several public commenters—especially respiratory therapists and families of medically fragile children—argued it would worsen shortages, particularly in rural and low-income areas. Other stakeholders supported clarifying LVN authority in congregate living health facilities, while the California Medical Association flagged the proposed Advanced Practice Respiratory Therapist classification as having limited current workforce impact. The interior design segment drew the most debate. CCIDC leaders defended the current voluntary certification/title-act model, saying it establishes competency, has produced minimal complaints, and that licensure would unnecessarily disrupt the workforce and create barriers without demonstrated public harm. Committee members questioned the lack of state-style enforcement authority, transparency, and Bagley-Keene compliance, and some public commenters criticized the private structure and inconsistent plan acceptance in local jurisdictions. Supporters of the current system said the certification and commercial designation help educate building officials and allow qualified designers to work safely, while opponents argued licensure would provide clearer accountability and reduce confusion. The speech-language pathology, audiology, and hearing aid dispensers board reported major modernization gains, including online licensure processing, faster turnaround times, and new continuing education audits and advertising rules. The board supported creating a licensed audiology assistant category to improve access to care, and public commenters generally backed the board while urging continued modernization. The occupational therapy board described steady growth, improved enforcement and licensing performance, and requested additional fee authority to address rising costs; the main public comment supported the sunset extension and a reduction in advanced practice hand therapy training hours. The naturopathic medicine board emphasized consumer protection, enforcement against unlicensed practice, and the need to clarify statutes; it said most licensed naturopathic doctors practice in underserved areas and welcomed legislative collaboration on scope and enforcement issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• We frequently work with state law enforcement.
• We work with local professionals and paddles to proactively look for lawyer misconduct.
• The part that we participate in the Florida attorney general's consumer Fraud work group and work really
• So this is just, you know, a slide that shows you the overview of our process and how it works.
• Now, if we start to see someone over and over again, we realize that's probably not working.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yesterday, we were moving in a direction where we could work on that form.
• Every day I come to work, I go home, and I think I'm going to wake up dead.
• So I'm going to let you keep working on that.
• So please continue to work on it.
• Oftentimes we do say keep working on it. There's not a lot of time left to keep working on it.

Committee: Senate Health

Summary: The committee first took up SB 490 by Senator Umberg, which would set deadlines for DHCS to investigate complaints about unlicensed sober living or recovery homes and require follow-up site visits; if the department cannot act within those timelines, counties and cities could request to assist with enforcement. Supporters, including a Garden Grove councilmember and the League of California Cities, said the bill would improve public safety and close enforcement gaps. County behavioral health representatives opposed the measure, arguing counties lack jurisdiction over private unlicensed residences, could face liability, and would absorb an unfunded workload increase. After extensive questioning about jurisdiction, local pressure, and whether the bill creates a mandate, the committee voted 8-0 to pass SB 490 to Appropriations and placed it on call. The committee then heard SB 381 by Senator Wahab, which would allow adult adoptees and descendants to obtain original birth certificates, create a contact preference form for birth parents, and stop omitting certain birth information from the amended certificate. The author and many adoptees and birth parents testified that access to original records is important for identity, dignity, and medical history, and that the bill would reduce the need for invasive searches through DNA and informal records. Several members raised concerns about privacy, the possibility of unwanted contact, and the mental health impacts on birth parents who expected confidentiality, while others emphasized the health benefits and the fact that most modern adoptions are open. The discussion focused heavily on proposed amendments to the contact form and whether the bill should require opt-in or opt-out contact preferences, but the transcript does not show a final vote on SB 381.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Committee on Health has done so much work, we're going to take a quick recess.
• Every day I come to work, I go home and I think I’m going to wake up dead.
• So I'm going to let you keep working on that.
• So please continue to work on it.
• Oftentimes we do say keep working on it. There's not a lot of time left to keep working on it.

Summary: The committee first took up SB 490 by Senator Umberg, which would require the Department of Health Care Services to investigate allegations of unlicensed sober living or residential recovery facilities within set timelines, issue notices promptly, and conduct follow-up site visits. Supporters, including a Garden Grove councilmember and the League of California Cities, said the bill would improve public safety, clarify enforcement, and address complaints about illegal operations in neighborhoods. County behavioral health representatives opposed the bill, arguing counties lack jurisdiction over these private facilities, could face liability and unfunded workload increases, and should not be pulled into enforcement responsibilities that belong to the state. After extensive discussion about whether the bill creates a county role or merely a pathway for local assistance, the committee passed SB 490 on an 8-0 vote and placed it on call for missing members. The committee then heard SB 381 by Senator Wahab, which would allow adult adoptees, and in some cases descendants of adoptees, to obtain their original birth certificates, create a contact preference form for birth parents, and remove current limits that omit certain birth information from amended certificates. The bill drew strong support from adoptees, birth parents, and advocates who said access to original records is a matter of identity, dignity, and health because it can reveal family medical history and cultural background. Several committee members expressed support for the goal but raised concerns about privacy, the potential emotional impact on birth parents, and whether the contact preference form adequately protects confidentiality. The author and supporters said the bill is narrowly tailored, that the form is nonbinding, and that many birth parents are open to contact; they also noted the bill had been amended to delay implementation and allow public notice. The transcript ends amid continued debate, with members indicating the bill would continue moving forward with further work, but no final vote is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Committee on Health has done so much work, we're going to take a quick recess.
• Every day I come to work, I go home and I think I'm going to wake up dead.
• So I'm going to let you keep working on that.
• So please continue to work on it.
• Oftentimes we do say, 'Keep working on it.' There's not a lot of time left to keep working on it.

Committee: Senate Health

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> our work with families. our work with families.
• </c><01:02:17.160><c> as</c> amount of work in the work group and as amount of work in the work group
• </c> unlicensed practice as well. unlicensed practice as well. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
• </c> remote work and who can do remote work. remote work and who can do remote work.
• </c> to work at the top of our license. to work at the top of our license.

Committee: House Executive Departments and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• ICCP provides work supports in the form of child care subsidies to families who are working or completing
• of good work, there's still work to be done.
• of good work, there's still work to be done.
• data work that we do.
• data work that we do.

Summary: The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee heard budget presentations from Legislative Services analyst Morgan Poloni and Department of Health and Welfare Director Juliet Sharon on the Division of Early Learning and Development, the Division of Public Health Services, and Family and Community Partnerships. Major topics included the Idaho Child Care Program (ICCP), the Idaho Home Visiting Program, the Idaho Immunization Assessment Fund, HIV and hepatitis prevention, ARPA-funded public health projects, kinship navigation services, and proposed agency reorganizations and transfer authority changes. Poloni explained that several divisions were recently reorganized, making year-to-year comparisons difficult, and outlined the governor’s and agency’s FY 2027 requests, including additional federal and dedicated funds for child care capacity, public health programs, and prevention services.