Transcript Highlights:

• Good morning, my name is Sandra Michel and I am with the Southeast LA County Workforce Development Board
• As a workforce board, Our primary job is to ensure that residents in our region have access to quality
• But we also know that workforce solutions can exist in isolation.
• She wasn't able to come, but I want to take the opportunity through workforce development.
• And she's just one example of so many individuals that start their careers through a workforce event.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Bradley was really interested in adding workforce housing and other stuff to it.
• housing and and adding um Workforce housing and and other<00:27:18.039> stuff<00:27:18.279>
• housing um your Amendment work Workforce housing um your Amendment provides<00:28:38.640> one
• everybody with a voucher and not be in compliance with our Workforce Housing statute.
• <01:49:46.880> housing you all go with the workforce housing you all go with the workforce

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Workforce, Workforce shortages remain one of the largest structural barriers.
• Without stable funding, the mental health workforce we've built is at risk.
• And the effect that it has on workforce is tremendously different.
• The last piece that I want to speak to is workforce.
• So if we're looking to workforce, we have to find a way to support them.

Summary: The hearing focused on youth mental health and treatment access in California, with opening remarks emphasizing that youth distress, self-harm-related emergency visits, and difficulty obtaining care remain elevated, while workforce shortages and reliance on one-time funding continue to limit access. Assemblymember Lori Davies echoed concerns about unstable funding and said lawmakers need to hear directly from providers and families as they prepare for the budget and legislation. The chair framed the hearing as a chance to hear from county, school, provider, and student perspectives, especially in San Diego County, where needs are high and investments have not always matched demand. County and school officials described the current system and recent state initiatives, including the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, school-linked fee schedules, payment reform, and the Behavioral Health Services Act transition. San Diego County Behavioral Health said it serves Medi-Cal youth with specialty mental health needs through a broad continuum of care, including outpatient clinics, school-based services, crisis response, residential treatment, and new crisis and residential facilities. San Diego County Office of Education and San Marcos Unified School District described efforts to expand school-based services and reimbursement through CYBHI, but said implementation is slowed by complex billing rules, insurance-data collection concerns from families, administrative burden, and uncertainty about sustaining staff positions funded by grants or soft money. School counselor testimony highlighted reduced stigma through campus outreach and clubs, but also noted that counselor-to-student ratios remain well above national standards and that budget cuts threaten supports. Provider testimony stressed that the system remains fragmented and that youth often move between emergency rooms, inpatient care, outpatient therapy, schools, and county programs without smooth handoffs. A child psychiatrist described crisis cases in which the main choices are brief hospitalization or discharge with limited follow-up, and argued for stronger warm handoffs, more outpatient and intensive outpatient options, better school-clinic coordination, and broader use of mobile crisis and 988. Rady Children’s Hospital and Aurora Behavioral Health described large increases in behavioral health demand, expansion of integrated care, and major barriers tied to low reimbursement rates, delayed payments, and administrative complexity. Across the panel, witnesses called for more stable funding, clearer reimbursement rules, better parent education on warning signs, and stronger collaboration among schools, counties, hospitals, and community providers to reduce stigma and improve timely care for youth.

Transcript Highlights:

• WE ARE LOOKING TO STRENGTHEN THE WORKFORCE AND GIVEN THE TEAMS THAT THEY NEED TO FURTHER ENHANCE THEIR
• THE CLIENT PORTAL THAT THEY WERE USED TO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE IN THE WORKER PORTAL WHICH THE WORKFORCE
• IT IS ON THE BACK END OF THE WORKFORCE SIDE.
• THE WORKFORCE USES IT AND WE ARE MODERNIZING THOSE AND PUTTING THEM INTO THE WORKER PORTAL.
• JUST TO PAINT A PICTURE, THE WORKFORCE NOW USE SEVERAL SYSTEMS BUT THEY USE THE MAINFRAME TO PROCESS

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you, as I read it, believe the take of this bill is to improve the workforce, to improve skills outcomes
• The idea was how do we ensure that the workforce commission that you and I created a few short years
• With the workforce commission, I believe we have resolved those concerns and issues.
• And so, as the original author of the workforce commission, my request would be that we Continue to work
• , and that you will stay very engaged with the Workforce Commission as members of this body and of this

Bills: HB3783, HB2955, HB3802, HB4488, HB2471, HB3781, HB3127

Keywords: captive insurance, protected cell, sponsored captive, captive insurer, insurance commissioner, premium tax, dormant captive, risk retention group, pure captive, association captive, industrial insured captive, series captive, branch captive, special purpose captive, reciprocal insurer, capital and surplus, letter of credit, change in control, merger, conversion

Transcript Highlights:

• We get busy with our lives, and I know there is a healthcare workforce out there who just needs to be
• Why send it to Workforce Solutions?
• It is my hope because healthcare is not the only place where we have workforce shortages.
• It's called Workforce Solutions. How much is this going to cost? Past the initial funding.
• And I know it seemed like I have something against Workforce Solutions. I really don't.

Transcript Highlights:

• uh I listened to a was at Workforce uh I listened to a presentation<00:27:08.279> from<00:27:
• Our available workforce is in critical condition.
• Workforce Now Beyond immediate pressures Workforce Now Beyond immediate pressures like<01:04:50.559><
• That is one more person out of the workforce because they cannot find daycare.
• <01:35:26.400> to<01:35:27.400> feel workforce to feel workforce to feel appreciated<01

Bills: HF2436, HF470, HF2643, HF2456, HF102, HF1367

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras, early education, scholarships, funding, children, families, Minnesota education, child care licensing, family child care, child care center, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, correction order, conditional license, fix-it ticket, documented technical assistance, license suspension

Transcript Highlights:

• It could be workforce, could be support services for workforce, but certainly that can have an impact
• what need to be cut could be Workforce what need to be cut could be Workforce could<01:09:27.239
• could be support services for Workforce could be support services for Workforce um<01:09:30.159>
• Yes, um, not only to the workforce in general, but impacts to the workforce in general, but impacts to
• Yes, not only to the workforce in general, but impacts to the workforce in general, but impacts to the

Bills: HF5

Keywords: tax modification, transportation funding, electric vehicle tax, Social Security subtraction, retail delivery fee, motor vehicle registration, state budget, transportation policy, 1183, house

Summary: The committee began with member and staff introductions, then heard an overview of the governor’s transportation budget recommendations from fiscal staff Andy Lee. He explained that the spreadsheet showed only proposed changes, not base spending, and highlighted General Fund and trunk highway adjustments for MnDOT and the Department of Public Safety, including operating changes, extensions of prior appropriations, increased state road construction and Blatnik Bridge authority tied to anticipated federal funds, State Patrol hiring and a metro headquarters item, aeronautics changes, and revenue adjustments in the Driver and Vehicle Services special revenue account. The main testimony came from Metropolitan Council Chair Charlie Zelle, who outlined three budget-related items: advancing funds to MnDOT to help coordinate a highway reconstruction with a transitway project, making Metro Mobility riders eligible for free fixed-route transit, and reducing the Metro Transit general fund appropriation by $32.454 million annually. He said the advance would speed delivery and reduce disruption, the free-fare pilot had been successful and could save money if even a small share of Metro Mobility trips shifted to fixed-route service, and the general fund reduction was manageable in the near term because of new revenue streams but could constrain future expansion and capital maintenance. Members questioned the long-term effects of the proposed reduction, possible impacts on safety, service expansion, and capital maintenance, and whether federal funding uncertainty could affect operations and bus procurement. Zelle said the cuts would not affect immediate operations but could limit future BRT, microtransit, and transitway expansion, while also noting that capital maintenance needs include platform rebuilds, track work, rolling stock, and station repairs. He also said the 2023 funding package had accelerated projects and that the council was opening three transit lines this year. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The net effect, he says, is that you will not be able to build workforce housing either in the cities
• for workforce for workforce housing<00:19:30.799> because<00:19:31.039> we can't.<
• <00:29:31.760> housing infrastructure and workforce housing infrastructure and workforce housing
• for greater Minnesota workforce housing. for greater Minnesota workforce housing.
• and the workforce needed from border<00:35:57.520> to<00:35:57.680> border.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• education should be at the forefront of legislative priorities, which is essential to building a workforce
• education should be at the forefront of legislative priorities, which is essential to building a workforce
• education should be at the forefront of legislative priorities, which is essential to building a workforce
• education should be at the forefront of legislative priorities, which is essential to building a workforce
• There is age discrimination in the workforce, and so that's another factor for this age group.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayers, the Pledge of Allegiance, a journal approval, and a series of guest introductions recognizing groups at the Capitol for Environmental Day, Women’s and Reproductive Health Day, Arizona Nurses Day, Aerospace Day, and International Mother Language Day, along with a Doctor of the Day and a judicial proclamation honoring Justice Daphne Barak-Erez. The chamber also made temporary committee appointments and referred several bills between committees before moving into Committee of the Whole and later third reading votes. The main floor action centered on several SNAP-related bills. SB 1002, dealing with public assistance verification, passed the Committee of the Whole after a Kavanagh floor amendment and then passed third reading 17-9-13, with supporters saying it targets fraud and lowers error rates and opponents arguing it duplicates existing checks, adds bureaucracy, and could harm eligible families. SB 1331, on SNAP military employment and training, SB 1333, on SNAP error-rate audit and penalties, SB 1334, on SNAP work requirement waivers and exemptions, and SB 1368, on SNAP purchase restrictions, all advanced from Committee of the Whole and then passed third reading by the same 17-13 margin, with Democrats and some others warning they would increase hunger, burden rural and tribal communities, and restrict access, while supporters said they promote work, accountability, and healthier choices. The Senate also considered SB 1638, a tax conformity bill. A Sundareshan floor amendment to narrow the bill to standard deduction conformity was debated at length, with supporters saying it would protect most taxpayers from filing confusion and limit revenue loss, and opponents arguing it removed other agreed-upon tax provisions and still left uncertainty. The amendment failed 17-13, the Finance Committee amendment was adopted, and SB 1638 then passed as amended. Finally, SCR 1011, a concurrent resolution calling for a federal constitutional convention on congressional term limits, received a do pass recommendation and passed the Committee of the Whole.

Transcript Highlights:

• What are you expecting our CSUs and UCs to do other than cut workforce and increase class sizes?
• We fuel the diverse and highly educated workforce. that powers the state's economy.
• We have a large workforce. We want to be fair and supportive of our workers appropriately.
• The outcome should always be more students having access, graduating, and entering the workforce.
• If the workforce is not growing, then we need to rethink how we're doing things.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• All of our baccalaureate degrees are workforce-focused and requested by our local employers.
• It's designed really to prepare students for the workforce.
• can bring college to them in the workforce.
• can bring college to them in the workforce.
• So thank you for your dedication to our students and future workforce.

Summary: The subcommittee began with an informal “college day” exercise in which members described what careers and colleges they would choose if starting over, often citing factors such as program reputation, location, cost, graduation rates, employment outcomes, and family or personal interests. Members mentioned a range of possible paths including law, aviation, education, construction management, psychology, social work, criminal justice, nursing, intelligence studies, and the arts. Several also highlighted the value of historically Black colleges and universities, dual enrollment, and career/technical education. The chair used the exercise to frame the meeting’s broader focus on Florida’s higher education pathways and student outcomes. Dr. Kathleen Plinsky of Valencia College then gave an overview of the Florida College System and Valencia’s role in it, emphasizing Florida’s statewide articulation and transfer framework, open-access mission, affordability, and workforce alignment. She described Valencia’s record enrollment, high retention, large share of first-generation and working students, and partnerships such as Direct Connect to UCF, Osceola Prosper, and Open Door grants for short-term training. Members asked about guaranteed transfer, apprenticeships, enrollment trends, student demographics, out-of-state residency, county scholarship costs, dual enrollment outcomes, and barriers to expanding career dual enrollment. Dr. Plinsky said the system supports transfer and acceleration well, but funding constraints limit growth in some areas; she also noted that dual enrollment participation is high and that Valencia’s affordability and student support efforts have driven recent enrollment gains. Dr. Jim Clark of Florida State University followed with an overview of the State University System, describing its governance, performance-based funding, low tuition, and strong graduation and research outcomes. He highlighted FSU’s enrollment, research profile, transfer student success, FSU Health, the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, partnerships with K-12 schools and Tallahassee State College, and efforts to expand nursing and medical education to address workforce shortages. After the presentations, the committee heard from a panel on student acceleration and mobility: Shannon Mercer of the Department of Education explained the Office of Articulation, the statewide course numbering system, FASTER records, the 2+2 transfer model, specialized AA transfer degrees, and credit for industry certifications, military, medical, and law-enforcement training. Panelists from Kaiser University, Florida State University, and Pinellas County Schools described their institutions’ roles in transfer, advising, career pathways, apprenticeships, and dual enrollment. No formal votes or bills were taken up in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• school level, invest in modern equipment and facilities, and strengthen coordination with labor and workforce
• Mary Kaye Paris, Youth Director, Mass Higher South Shore Workforce Board, and three seniors who represent
• Career centers in each region support both youth and adults in their workforce development journey.
• Career centers in each region support both youth and adults in their workforce development journeys.
• Connecting activities is the Department of Education initiative that partners the MassHire Workforce

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held an informational hearing at Quincy Public Schools focused on career and technical education (CTE). Committee members said the visit was intended to gather input for statewide CTE legislation, including efforts to expand awareness and access, improve middle school exposure, invest in equipment and facilities, and strengthen ties to workforce boards and labor pathways. Quincy officials described their CTE system as integrated with academics and highlighted support from district, city, and state partners. School leaders outlined Quincy’s CTE offerings, including 15 Chapter 74 programs at Quincy High School and four at North Quincy High School, with about 1,360 students enrolled. Presenters emphasized curriculum aligned to DESE frameworks, work-based learning, industry-recognized credentials, safety training, business electives, dual enrollment and articulation with Quincy College, and grant funding such as Skills Capital and Perkins. They also discussed support liaisons for nontraditional careers and military pathways, advisory committees, and plans to seek Chapter 74 approval for an engineering program at North Quincy, along with new computer science and business offerings. Testimony from MassHire South Shore described workforce partnerships, YouthWorks, job fairs, resume workshops, and the Credit for Life Fair, while the assistant superintendent explained Quincy’s MyCAP planning grant and efforts to build a student-driven college and career readiness system. Three students testified about their pathways in welding, early education and care, and healthcare technology, describing hands-on learning, certifications, clinical or co-op experiences, and future plans for college and careers. Committee members praised Quincy as a model for combining CTE with general education, and the meeting ended with a motion to adjourn and unanimous adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, we just look at this—you know, workforce development is an issue for all the contractors across
• But in talking to Workforce Solutions, it doesn't seem like it's going to exempt anyone.
• Well, first, it's a higher trained and better trained workforce, higher quality delivery on the project
• Chairman, Madam Chair, excuse me, and Senator, they could certainly create a Department of Workforce
• So all that they're paying is into themselves for their own workforce.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• together and you can bring a workforce in to provide them services.
• together and you can bring a workforce in to provide them services.
• So they have a broader workforce. partnership there.
• So they have a broader, you know, a workforce.
• So they have a broader workforce, and then they have other places for them to go.

Summary: The House Health Services Subcommittee met to approve the October 7, 2024 minutes and then shifted to behavioral health as the main topic. Representatives Woodridge and Vaught described the work of the behavioral health working group, saying Arkansas needs a more proactive system that improves access, reduces red tape, and focuses on a few achievable policy changes for the 2027 session rather than many bills. Members discussed barriers such as low reimbursement, workforce shortages, licensing and credentialing hurdles, rural access problems, and the need to better use community providers, compacts, and step-down services. Director Paula Stone of DHS’s Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health gave a detailed overview of the behavioral health system. She said Medicaid pays for more than 75% of behavioral health services in Arkansas and explained that when people are jailed or admitted to the state hospital, Medicaid generally stops, leaving state general revenue to cover care. She described current efforts including family-centered treatment for children, community reintegration group homes, a new adolescent substance use disorder residential unit, expanded community mental health center contracts, a secured restoration unit to reduce state hospital backlogs, and an IMD waiver to allow Medicaid payment for certain residential services. She also said DHS is working on crisis services, forensic evaluations, and provider rebidding in areas previously served by ERISA. Members asked about reimbursement for jail services, the lack of a statewide behavioral health dashboard, civil commitment options, crisis stabilization units, and whether Arkansas should expand step-down or long-term facilities for people who cannot safely return to the community. Stone said the state hospital backlog remains significant, average stays are still about 14 months, and crisis stabilization units have had mixed success, with Fort Smith and Jonesboro performing better than Fayetteville and Little Rock. The meeting ended with a commitment to continue the work, with more substantive discussion planned for August.

Transcript Highlights:

• together and you can bring a workforce in to provide them services.
• together and you can bring a workforce in to provide them services.
• So they have a broader workforce. partnership there.
• So they have a broader, you know, a workforce.
• So they have a broader workforce, and then they have other places for them to go.

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The House Health Services Subcommittee met to approve the October 7, 2024 minutes and then shifted to behavioral health as the main topic. Representatives Wooldridge and Vaught described the work of the behavioral health working group, saying Arkansas needs a more proactive system focused on access, workforce, reimbursement, and reducing red tape. Members raised concerns about provider shortages, licensure barriers, rural access, reimbursement rates, jail-based services, non-emergency transport, and the need for step-down options and crisis diversion before people end up in jail or the state hospital. DHS Director Paula Stone outlined the behavioral health system, emphasizing that Medicaid pays for most behavioral health services in Arkansas and that many services cannot be billed once a person is in jail or the state hospital. She described current efforts including family-centered treatment for children, community reintegration group homes, a new adolescent substance use disorder unit, forensic evaluation and restoration changes, and a planned IMD waiver to allow Medicaid payment for certain psychiatric and residential services. She also explained the backlog at the state hospital and in forensic restoration, the role of therapeutic communities, and the challenges of serving rural and difficult-to-serve populations. Members asked about crisis stabilization units, civil commitment, dashboards for bed availability, and whether Arkansas should expand step-down or long-term facilities. Stone said the state has supported crisis stabilization units in several cities, with mixed results, and noted that Fort Smith and Jonesboro have been more successful than Fayetteville and Little Rock. She said DHS does not yet have a statewide bed dashboard but sees it as a useful tool. The meeting ended with agreement that the discussion was a starting point and that the committee would continue the work, tentatively in August, to develop policy ideas for the 2027 session.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, last year We did receive a base increase of $10 million for workforce training and technology centers
• That's why there's a request for the workforce training and technology centers.
• That's what we're working on with Regents and Workforce Commission, trying to get a longitudinal system
• So, competitive pay for the people that were turning out or of the workforce.
• We're also working in creative workforce infrastructure.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• THAT IS WHERE WE STAND NOW WITH RESPECT TO OUR 1115 WORKFORCE DEMONSTRATION WAIVER THAT IS THE CMS WE
• THEY REFERENCE BACK TO THE JULY WORKFORCE DEMONSTRATIONS AND EVEN THOUGH THIS LETTER WAS SPECIFIC TO
• 1115 DEMONSTRATION WORKFORCE MANY OF YOU MADE THIS POSITION KNOWN ABOUT WORKFORCE IN GENERAL.
• YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE WORKFORCE THEY ARE IN ORDER TO HAVE THE STUDENTS THERE AND SOMEONE TO TEACH THEM
• SO I DO THINK AS WE ADDRESS WORKFORCE IN ALL AREAS WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE STUDENTS COME IN.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• THE WAY THE OUTLINE IS SET UP WE WILL SPEAK TO THE WORKFORCE A PIECE OF LEGISLATION FIRST THEN GO OVERRATE
• AND DEVELOP THE PLAN TO CREATE A MAINTAINED INTEGRATED WORKFORCE DEVELOP A PROGRAM.
• THIS WAS MENTIONED BEFORE BUT WORKFORCE PROGRAMS.
• I WILL START WITH WORKFORCE IF WE MAY.
• ON THE SENATE BILL 1600 THE INTERSTATE MOBILITY AGAIN I AM INTERESTED IN BUILDING OUR WORKFORCE.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A major workforce endeavor. $28.5 million for performance incentives for district workforce education
• This will help build our workforce.
• That will help, again, build workforce. We're putting $12.4 million. on workforce development.
• This will help build our workforce.
• That will help, again, build workforce. We're putting 12.4 million. Help again build workforce.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several gallery introductions before taking up Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 168, the Tristan Murphy Act, on mental health. Senator Bradley explained that the bill is intended to divert clinically appropriate defendants with mental illness from jail to treatment, create pretrial mental health diversion programs, expand grant uses for mental health and substance abuse reinvestment, require evaluations and treatment follow-up in certain probation and prison settings, add Hillsborough County to a forensic hospital diversion pilot, and establish a Florida Behavioral Health Data Repository. Senators from both parties spoke in support, emphasizing treatment over incarceration, public safety, and the Murphy family’s role in the bill. The Senate passed the bill 37-0 and then recorded 37 co-sponsors. The chamber then moved into presentations on SB 2500, the 2025-26 General Appropriations Act. Chair Hooper said the Senate budget totals $117.4 billion, reduces overall spending from the prior year, maintains reserves, keeps employee health contributions level, and includes major investments in water quality, transportation, education infrastructure, and nearly $1 billion in education capital outlay. Committee chairs outlined their portions of the budget, including increased funding for K-12 schools and scholarships, higher education workforce programs, Medicaid and health services, corrections and courts, transportation and housing, and environmental restoration such as Everglades and water quality projects. Members then asked extensive questions, especially about education funding, school choice, AP/IB and accelerated programs, the Family Empowerment Scholarship, and the FEFP calculations. Senator Burgess repeatedly explained that scholarship funding is being moved “below the line” to improve tracking and that the Senate position is to preserve funding while giving districts more flexibility. Senators also questioned the APD wait list for disability services, opioid settlement spending, arts funding, the My Safe Florida Home condo pilot, and proposed IT and agency restructuring. Several chairs said some issues would be resolved in conference, and no final vote on the budget was taken in the portion provided.