Transcript Highlights:

• I would rarely see uninsured patients.
• Uncertainty for our patients leads to harm and even death when our patients cannot get access to care
• , but as uninsured self-paying patients.
• For rural hospitals, that means fewer insured patients and more uninsured patients.
• For rural hospitals, that means fewer insured patients and more uninsured patients.

Summary: The joint informational hearing of the Senate and Assembly Health Committees focused on the cost of federal instability for California health coverage, access, and affordability. Opening remarks from members of both houses emphasized that California’s coverage gains under the Affordable Care Act are now threatened by federal policy changes, including the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits, H.R. 1, and new federal regulatory actions. Members repeatedly cited rising premiums, skipped care, medical debt, and the risk that low-income, immigrant, and working Californians could lose coverage or be pushed into less comprehensive plans. The first panel reviewed the federal landscape and state response. Don Joyce described the ACA’s coverage expansions and warned that H.R. 1, regulatory changes, and broader federal retrenchment could reduce coverage and weaken meaningful benefits. Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman said the loss of enhanced premium tax credits is driving major affordability problems, with average monthly premiums projected to rise sharply and enrollment already down, especially among middle-income consumers. HCAI’s Elizabeth Lansberg explained the Office of Health Care Affordability’s role in slowing spending growth, monitoring consolidation, and setting spending targets, including lower targets for high-cost hospitals and new primary care investment goals. Members asked about bronze plans, high-cost hospitals, administrative burdens, provider taxes, and whether federal advisory changes could affect required benefits such as immunizations. The second panel examined population impacts and cost drivers. UC Berkeley Labor Center’s Miranda Dietz said most Californians get coverage through employers, Medi-Cal, or Covered California, and that affordability problems are widespread across all groups. She projected that California could have up to 2 million more uninsured residents by 2030, largely from Medi-Cal losses, and said higher premiums reduce wages and increase medical debt. Christoph Stremakis of the California Health Care Foundation highlighted survey data showing widespread concern about medical bills, skipped care, and medical debt, and argued that a large share of spending is wasted through administrative complexity, inflated prices, and underinvestment in prevention. Committee members pressed the panel on whether California can sustain coverage without new revenue, how cost-growth targets affect workers and families, how medical debt relief programs like Los Angeles County’s could be expanded, and how OCA can address uncompensated care, consolidation, and prior authorization burdens.

Transcript Highlights:

• >> The patient. >> The patient. Okay.
• . patient. patient.
• </c> disclosed for the patient to opt out. disclosed for the patient to opt out.
• </c> bill, and he said the patient. bill, and he said the patient.
• </c> potential patient is in support of this. potential patient is in support of this.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then patient advocates—patient advocates are really important to have on boards like this.
• I've been in the field of medicine, bringing patients and patient advocate groups into the scientific
• We are actually encouraged by the agencies that we put in grants to put patients and patient support
• They'll know what patients...
• But I am confident, based on the experience that we've had bringing patients and patient groups into

Committee: House Higher Education and Workforce Development

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> blindness, harm to patients, or death. blindness, harm to patients, or death.
• </c><00:07:44.240><c> Minnesota</c> patient access and moves Minnesota patient access and moves Minnesota
• ><c> to</c><00:10:02.080><c> see</c><00:10:02.160><c> the</c> Patients need and deserve to see the Patients
• And when we're looking at patient safety, whether you're looking at patient safety, whether you get an
• </c> outcomes, and strong patient outcomes, and strong patient satisfaction.<01:08:40.000><c> While</

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Common complaints investigated by DOH include patient abuse or neglect, medication errors, and patient
• We didn't make a comparison to patients.
• So patient impacts now.
• Medicare and Medicaid patients make up about seven out of ten patients, and these two government programs
• We're working on our length of stay for our patients, trying to get patients home... ...or out of the

Summary: The committee heard a JLARC presentation on the Department of Health’s oversight of hospital inspections, complaints, and 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 standards, did not consistently require proof of those inspections, did not review adverse health event corrective plans, and could make hospital data more accessible. JLARC also raised a possible language-access barrier in the complaint system. Members asked about complaint filing by staff, the meaning of adverse health events, inspection outcomes, and whether the audit compared DOH to other agencies. JLARC said it had not reviewed inspection results or cross-agency comparisons, but noted inspectors were dedicated and working long hours. DOH later said it concurred with the recommendations and outlined a strategic plan with target dates for improving timeliness, verifying accreditation standards, expanding language access, reviewing adverse event laws, and improving public data access, with annual reporting to the Legislature expected. The committee then heard a Department of Health presentation on certificate of need modernization. DOH described the current certificate of need process, which reviews need, financial feasibility, quality, and cost containment for certain facility changes and new services, and said the program has not been modernized since the 1980s. DOH proposed 10 statutory modernization recommendations, including clarifying the program’s purpose, creating a planning entity, adding flexibility, reducing legal costs, updating access-to-care standards, expanding oversight to freestanding emergency departments and urgent care, addressing equity, improving cost control coordination, strengthening long-term funding, and using better data systems. Members asked about oversight of freestanding urgent care and EDs, funding sources, and whether the process could be streamlined or made more responsive to complaints or other triggers. A third panel discussed artificial intelligence in health care. Lucy O’Rourke of the Coalition for Health AI described CHAI’s work on responsible AI principles, technical standards, model cards or “nutrition labels,” testing and governance tools, and educational resources for providers. She said the group is focused on trust, transparency, fairness, safety, security, and privacy, and noted Washington’s AI-related policy work as among the more progressive in the country. No questions were asked. The final portion focused on the financial impact of federal and state health care policy changes. The Washington State Hospital Association said hospitals are facing low or negative operating margins, service reductions, layoffs, and closures, and that state cuts and taxes enacted in 2025, combined with federal HR1 changes, will significantly worsen finances. Providence Swedish leaders described staffing reductions, service cuts, delayed capital investments, and pressure from denials, tariffs, and reimbursement changes, while emphasizing that frontline staffing cuts are tied to service reductions rather than nurse-to-patient ratio changes. The Washington Health Benefit Exchange then began a presentation on expiring federal ACA premium tax credits, state Cascade Care Savings assistance, and eligibility changes affecting lawfully present non-citizens, with examples showing large premium increases for customers if federal subsidies expire.

Transcript Highlights:

• But I don't think one surgical patient or any patient who needs narcotics to help with their chronic
• The patient was monitored by federal agents for about a month.
• This has all led to worse care for our patients.
• Khalsa shared, providers want to support their patients.
• This obviously instills fear in patients and health care professionals and prevents patients from seeking

Committee: Senate Health

Summary: The committee first took up SB 1377, a bill on medical exemptions for school immunizations. The author and supporters said the measure was a narrow reform to restore physician discretion and reduce what they described as chilling effects from audits and license discipline; opponents from pediatric, medical, public health, and school groups argued the current system already works, protects against fraudulent exemptions, and should not be weakened. Committee members debated the data, the number of exemptions reviewed or revoked, and the effect of the proposed amendments. The bill was amended in committee, but because there was no quorum it was not formally voted on at that time. The committee then heard SB 995, the Masuma Khan Justice Act, which would create a statewide inspection and compliance framework for large private detention facilities. The author and supporters described severe conditions in immigration detention, including denial of medication, unsafe food and water, and lack of oversight, and the bill was presented as a response to those abuses. The California Hospital Association raised concerns about duplicative regulation and overlapping standards, but said it was continuing to work on a solution. The committee discussed constitutional and jurisdictional issues, and the bill was moved on a do-pass motion to the Committee on Judiciary with a 5-0 vote placed on call. Next, SB 1089 was heard, proposing expanded access through CalPERS and CalRX to GLP-1 medications for chronic weight disease and diabetes prevention. The author and supporters from the American Diabetes Association and medical groups argued the drugs are effective tools to prevent type 2 diabetes, reduce long-term costs, and improve health equity, while the author also shared personal experience with weight loss and medication access barriers. There was no opposition testimony. The bill was moved on a do-pass motion to the Committee on Labor, Public Employment, and Retirement with a 5-0 vote placed on call. Finally, the committee heard SB 1221, dealing with Murphy conservatorships for people found not guilty by reason of insanity or otherwise under criminal-mental health conservatorship. Supporters, including prosecutors and psychiatrists, said the bill addresses a gap created by a court decision and would improve public safety and placement decisions for a small population of high-risk individuals. Opponents from county behavioral health and disability rights groups warned it would turn a civil process into a quasi-criminal one, expand district attorney involvement, and disrupt bed prioritization and least-restrictive-placement principles. The discussion centered on the scope of the bill and its amendments, but no final vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:12:57.160><c> can</c> in determining what which patients can in determining what which patients
• </c> pay for their service including patients pay for their service including patients without<00:26:
• patients.
• </c> entire population of 40,000 patients entire population of 40,000 patients right<00:40:40.599><c>
• ><c> so</c><00:47:43.319><c> we</c> patients or underinsured patients so we patients or underinsured

Summary: The joint hearing covered HB 553 on biomarker testing coverage, HB 556 on colorectal cancer screening access, and later HB 712 on 340B drug pricing. For HB 553, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, patient advocates Natalie Heyman and Susan Hirano, a surgical oncologist, and the American Lung Association strongly supported the bill, arguing that biomarker testing should be covered when ordered by a doctor and guided by current evidence. DHS and several insurers offered comments and requested amendments, with DHS saying it appreciated the intent but wanted changes. The committees then voted to pass HB 553 with amendments, including a House draft and a defective date of July 1, 3000; both the House Health and Human Services and Homelessness committees adopted the recommendation unanimously. For HB 556, testimony focused on closing gaps in colorectal cancer screening, especially for uninsured and underinsured patients who can get stool-based screening but then cannot access follow-up colonoscopies. Community Clinic of Maui, ACS CAN, and the American Cancer Society supported the bill, with ACS CAN urging a program similar to the breast and cervical cancer control program and offering amendments. DHS requested that the program and appropriation not conflict with executive budget priorities, and the committees noted technical amendments, a defective date, a blank appropriation amount, and corrections changing Medicare references to Medicaid. HB 556 was also passed with amendments by both committees. The hearing then moved to HB 712 on 340B drug pricing and contract pharmacies. The Department of Health and the Attorney General’s office expressed concern that the bill would require the state to regulate private commercial activity and said the department lacked the expertise and resources to implement it as written, suggesting it might belong in a different statutory section. In contrast, PhRMA opposed the bill, while Hawaii Pacific Health and Hawaii Island Community Health Center supported it, saying 340B savings are important for hospital services and patient access to low-cost medications, especially where manufacturers have restricted shipments to contract pharmacies. No vote on HB 712 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The patient could lose the pregnancy.
• ' needs, putting the patient first.
• ' needs, putting the patient first.
• I agree patient choice is paramount.
• I work for Louisiana Physicians for Patients.

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 611 by Rep. Freeman, which would require pregnancy-related service centers that provide health care services to be licensed or, as amended, to clearly disclose that they are not a licensed medical facility regulated by the Louisiana Department of Health. Rep. Freeman and supporting witnesses argued the bill was prompted by a legislative auditor report and concerns that some centers provide ultrasounds, STI testing, pregnancy tests, and related services without clear medical oversight. The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners’ executive director testified that interpreting ultrasounds and performing certain tests can constitute the practice of medicine, while opponents argued the centers already operate under medical directors and that the disclosure requirement was unconstitutional under the NIFLA case. The committee adopted an amendment, but after debate on the amended bill, a motion to report favorably failed on a roll call vote, and the bill was voluntarily deferred. The committee then heard House Bill 902 by Rep. Marcelle, which directs the Louisiana Department of Health to develop trauma-informed training. Supporters said the bill grew out of a task force on student behavior, mental health, and discipline, and that educators need a more consistent, evidence-based trauma-informed curriculum than what is currently available online. Some members raised concerns about cost and whether the bill would mandate new school obligations, while a witness from the Louisiana Baptist Convention opposed the measure as mission creep and argued trauma-informed care is too specialized for general teacher training. Other members supported the bill as a way to help educators identify and respond to children facing trauma. The bill was amended with technical changes and then discussed further, but the transcript ends before a final vote on HB 902 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• As you know, we've heard a lot about patient protection and patient safety in this session.
• Again, these laser procedures, it can blur lines for patients.
• It's about patient confidence, not disrespect.
• Okay, so how would this amendment protect patients?
• But I also do know, I've been a patient advocate myself, and to lay people, we do not... ...a patient

Bills: HB145 , HB164 , HR1 , HB20 , HB65 , HB66 , HB80 , HB306 , SB29 , SB37 , HB99 , HB206 , HB213 , HB270 , SB104 , SB193 , HB38 , HB254 , HB256 , SB58 , SB64 , HJM1 , HM7 , HM17 , HM4 , HM22 , HM23 , HM24 , HM26 , HM2 , HM16 , HM32 , HM13 , HM47 , HM20 , HM51 , HM1 , HM31 , HM35 , HM36 , HM46 , HM53 , HM54 , HM39 , HM29 , HM43 , HM59 , HM11 , HM14 , HM21 , HM34 , HM50 , HB253

Summary: The House opened with quorum, invocation, pledge, and several announcements recognizing guests and Early Childhood Day at the Roundhouse, including remarks supporting New Mexico’s universal child care efforts. The chamber then received and adopted a long series of committee reports, moving multiple bills forward, including HB 303, SB 96, HB 195, HB 279, HB 292 (with a Judiciary substitute), SB 30, HB 234, SB 35, SB 40, SB 43, HB 153 (with an Appropriations substitute), HB 253, HB 255, HB 287, HB 371 (with an Appropriations substitute), SB 143, HB 248 (with a Taxation and Revenue substitute), HB 309, SB 48, and enrollment/signing reports for memorials. The House also received Senate Judiciary Committee substitute for SB 41, which would eliminate the statute of limitations for certain sexual crimes and was referred to Judiciary. The main floor debate centered on House Judiciary Committee substitute for HB 99, a medical malpractice reform bill. Supporters said it would balance patient compensation with provider stability by capping punitive damages, raising the burden of proof for punitive damages, and limiting when such claims can be pleaded. Several members described the bill as the product of months of bipartisan work and argued it would help retain doctors, especially in rural areas. The House passed HB 99 on final passage by a vote of 16-3. The House also passed HB 66, expanding the health care provider loan repayment program, by 69-0; HB 306, addressing unexpected patient-facing facility fees, by 69-0; HB 38, adding wheelchairs to insurance coverage for certain prostheses-related benefits, by 69-0; HB 20, allowing Native American applicants to request a distinguishing designation on driver’s licenses and ID cards, by 66-3; and HB 253, preserving and regulating virtual education with an emergency clause, by 69-0. The chamber then took up HB 213, which expands optometrists’ scope of practice to include certain laser eye procedures. A proposed amendment requiring patients to sign a disclosure acknowledging that optometrists are not MDs or DOs and did not attend medical school was debated at length, with supporters framing it as informed consent and opponents calling it demeaning and unnecessary. The House tabled that amendment 35-19, and the underlying bill continued in debate at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is incredibly labor intensive to move one patient.
• It is incredibly labor-intensive to move one patient, especially a critical patient in a rural area that
• For the patients, a study just came out this morning from Kaiser Health News, where patients across the
• , patients find themselves in a tumbleweed effect.
• Documentation requirements aren't always given to patients at once.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee heard a JLBC presentation on H.R. 1’s SNAP impacts, including expanded work requirements, higher state administrative costs, and a potential state share of benefits if Arizona’s payment error rate remains above 6%. JLBC estimated the administrative cost increase at about $33 million in FY 2027 and $44 million in FY 2028, and said a 2024 error rate of 8.8% could expose the state to about $139 million in benefit costs starting in FY 2028. The chair also opened the meeting by asking members and speakers to keep remarks shorter to improve efficiency. The committee then considered several SNAP-related bills. HB 2797, which requires DES to more frequently verify eligibility through data matching, post fraud/noncompliance data, and address out-of-state EBT purchases, passed 7-5. HB 2442, requiring certain able-bodied SNAP adults with school-age children to participate in employment and training unless exempt, also passed 7-5. HB 2448, which limits DES’s ability to seek work-requirement waivers or discretionary exemptions without legislative authorization, passed 7-5. HB 2206, which sets a goal of reducing the SNAP payment error rate to 3% by 2030 and adds reporting and corrective-action requirements, passed 7-5 after debate over staffing, technology, and whether the target was realistic. The committee also advanced HB 2180, appropriating $2.5 million to the University of Arizona for AZ REACH, a hospital transfer coordination program serving rural facilities. Supporters said it improves patient transfers and reduces burdens on rural hospitals; some health system representatives were neutral but asked for operational improvements. HB 2180 passed 11-1. HB 2184, as amended, passed 7-4-1; it would extend fetal death certificate filing and require patients to be informed of the option to transfer fetal remains to a funeral home, with supporters describing it as a matter of parental dignity and closure. HB 2188, as amended, creating a Language Acquisition Grant Program for deaf or hard-of-hearing infants and toddlers, passed unanimously after testimony about balancing spoken-language and ASL options. The committee then began hearing HB 2194, a bill requiring insurers to provide a contact for detailed explanations after claim or prior-authorization denials, but the transcript ends before action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I will tell you, at least anecdotally, I see an increase in intake calls from people related to financial
• The intake calls come from, you know, family members, friends, loved ones of somebody who's the victim

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• So you can deny the patient for any other reason. You can deny the patient for religious reasons.
• You can deny the patient for medical reasons, for payment reasons, but you cannot deny the patient for
• ><c> medical</c><00:16:17.680><c> reasons,</c> deny the patient for medical reasons, deny the patient
• </c> populations, not individual patients. populations, not individual patients.
• </c> psychologically evaluating the patients. psychologically evaluating the patients.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• The Patient Coalition of Washington represents 18 of the state’s leading patient groups to have one voice
• The Patient Coalition of Washington represents 18 of the state’s leading patient groups to have one voice
• Medical debt is a serious issue that patients face.
• discharge out-of-county patients.
• This includes patients who are in crisis.

Summary: The committee began with Senate Bill 5962 on spring blade knives, first suspending the five-day notice requirement. Staff explained the bill would remove spring blade knives from the list of dangerous weapons while keeping restrictions on carrying them in schools, child care, and other protected locations. Proponents, including Knife Rights and the prime sponsor Sen. T’wina Nobles, described the measure as a modernization and cleanup bill that would reduce confusion and support lawful use and manufacturing; one testifier strongly objected to the bill’s added location-based restrictions. Public testimony was overwhelmingly in support, and the hearing then moved on without a vote. Senate Bill 6105 would raise the wage exemption from garnishment for medical debt judgments from 30 to 60 times the state minimum wage, while keeping the 80% disposable earnings exemption and adding notice requirements identifying the debt as medical. Sen. Marko Liias said the bill is intended to protect low-wage workers from severe financial hardship and reduce incentives to work off the books. Supporters from patient, consumer, AARP, and anti-poverty groups said medical debt is often unexpected and garnishment can destabilize families; opponents from collectors and trade groups argued the bill was too broad, lacked stakeholder input, could hurt providers, and should define medical debt more clearly. The hearing closed with no action taken. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6203, which would clarify that out-of-state convictions can include foreign-country convictions for offender scoring if obtained with sufficient due process safeguards. The sponsor, Sen. Matt Boehnke, said the bill closes a gap in sentencing law; prosecutors supported the concept and suggested simplifying the language, while the Sentencing Guidelines Commission, defense attorneys, and public defense opposed it, citing undefined standards, difficulty verifying foreign convictions, and due process concerns. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6296 on involuntary treatment, which would expand who may petition for detention, change rules for assisted outpatient treatment and police assistance, require firearm surrender compliance procedures, and make other ITA changes. The sponsor and several providers and family members supported the bill as a needed modernization, while DCRs, disability advocates, behavioral health organizations, hospitals, and others raised concerns about due process, implementation, rural transport, capacity, and unintended consequences. No votes were taken on either bill during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• But I don't think one surgical patient or any patient who needs narcotics to help with their chronic
• This has all led to worse care for our patients.
• Khalsa shared, providers want to support their patients.
• This obviously instills fear in patients and health care professionals and prevents patients from seeking
• This obviously instills fear in patients and health care professionals and prevents patients from seeking

Committee: Senate Health

Transcript Highlights:

• and patients.
• It's to serve patients better sometimes.
• This activity reduces patient choice, reduces patient access, and distorts the market for vision services
• Because the care of an ALS patient, ALS patients, it's a motor neuron disease, you lose the ability to
• Improper staffing harms patient outcomes.

Bills: HB 107 , HB742 , HB1639 , HB1700 , HB2071 , HB2187 , HB2402 , HB2516 , HB3211 , HB4529 , HB5342 , HB694 , HB923 , HB4655 , HB107

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a series of health and human services bills and left each one pending after public testimony. HB 4655 would expand financial literacy instruction for youth aging out of foster care to include credit scores, predatory lending, scams, banking, budgeting, and related consumer topics; the sponsor and Buckner International described the need to protect foster youth from financial pitfalls. HB 923 would add three public members and one physician to the Texas Medical Disclosure Panel; supporters said it would improve informed consent and patient voice, while a witness raised concerns about a House amendment requiring a physician majority for decisions and senators questioned scope-of-practice limits. HHSC said the panel is an independent body and the bill expressly bars it from changing scope of practice.

Transcript Highlights:

• patient safety, privacy, with a quality of... mitigate such biased impacts.
• patient safety, privacy, with a quality of without compromising patient safety, privacy, or the quality
• Our patients cannot continue to suffer. Our pharmacies cannot continue to disappear.
• Nothing in SB 41 will lower the cost of prescription drugs for patients.
• If we don't take those contracts, then we don't get patients.

Committee: House Health

Summary: The committee heard several health-related bills. SB 27 by Senator Umberg would expand and clarify the CARE Court process, with amendments narrowing the new diagnosis category to bipolar I disorder with psychotic features, clarifying the “clinically stabilized” standard, and limiting the role of nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Supporters, including a psychiatrist, a family member, and several local and business groups, said the bill would help more people access needed services; opponents, including counties, disability rights, peer-run organizations, and consumer advocates, warned it would expand the program faster than counties can provide housing, staffing, and court-related services. The committee discussed capacity concerns at length, then passed SB 27 on a do pass motion to the Committee on Public Safety. SB 503 by Senator Weber Pearson would require AI used in health care facilities to be identified, monitored, and mitigated for bias when used in clinical decision-making or resource allocation. The author and supporters from Kaiser Permanente, the California Medical Association, hospitals, and psychiatrists said the bill would help prevent discriminatory outcomes and improve trust in AI tools. Committee members noted the need to clarify deployer and developer responsibilities and accepted amendments before voting. The bill passed as amended to the Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee. SB 68 by Senator Menjivar would require allergen disclosure on restaurant menus, with different requirements for larger chains and more flexible options for smaller restaurants. The bill was presented with emotional testimony from the author and a nine-year-old witness with severe food allergies, along with broad support from medical, nursing, parent, and allergy advocacy groups. The California Restaurant Association opposed the bill unless amended, seeking broader menu-format flexibility and additional liability language. After discussion of those concerns, the committee passed SB 68 as amended to Appropriations. SB 403 by Senator Blakespear would remove the sunset date from California’s End of Life Option Act, making the law permanent. Supporters, including a physician, a social worker, hospice professionals, and family members of terminally ill patients, described the law as a compassionate, carefully regulated option that has worked as intended. Faith-based and Catholic health organizations opposed the measure. The committee approved SB 403 and sent it to Judiciary. The hearing also included consent items, which were approved, and a vote change on SB 68 from no to aye by Senator Sanchez.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just to give one example of what this means for patients when put all together: a patient came in to
• So taking a patient-centered, community-centered approach means ensuring that patients can access the
• You involve the affected patients and communities.
• And that's probably due to increase patient clinician time.
• ' needs are for the patients they're seeing.

Summary: The hearing of the Select Committee on Latina Inequities opened with remarks framing the discussion around reproductive and maternal health disparities affecting Latina, Black, and Indigenous women in California. Members emphasized the need to connect state data with lived experience, and the committee heard historical context on coercive sterilization, language access, and the ways immigration status, poverty, and racism continue to shape reproductive health care. The first panel featured Clarissa Ramirez of California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, Sophia Pedrosa of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, and Kim Robinson of Black Women for Wellness, who described reproductive justice principles, the legacy of eugenics and forced sterilization, community education efforts, promotoras, and the importance of culturally and linguistically responsive care. They also raised concerns about federal funding cuts, fear related to ICE and public charge, and the loss of education and outreach programs that support patients and families. The second part of the hearing focused on maternal health. Matt Green of the California Department of Public Health described persistent racial disparities, including Black birthing people being three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, and outlined state efforts such as the Black Infant Health Program, the Perinatal Equity Initiative, the Centering Black Mothers in California report, and a new Black birth equity action plan. Chris Esgera of the Department of Health Care Services explained the state’s birthing care pathway, postpartum care pathway, and Transforming Maternal Health model, including policy changes to support doulas, community health workers, transitional care, and postpartum coverage. He said the department is working through policy updates and payment reforms, with Medi-Cal coverage for pregnant people and 12 months postpartum remaining protected. The final panel included Dr. Nicole Economo and Dr. Kelly McHugh of ACOG, who discussed provider education, anti-racism and implicit bias training, and the need for quality improvement projects focused on closing equity gaps at individual hospitals. They highlighted tools such as the CLEAR Initiative, the Elevate Toolkit, and use of CMQCC data to track outcomes by race and ethnicity. Across the hearing, members repeatedly stressed that community-led solutions, sustained funding, better data, and accountability are needed to reduce preventable maternal deaths and improve reproductive health outcomes. No formal votes or bill actions were taken during the hearing, though several policy priorities and ongoing legislative efforts were referenced for future consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• When I saw the need, when I saw so many patients...
• I see about 80 patients a day. In Rayne, about 120.
• I see somewhere between 40 and 50 patients a day.
• I see about 80 patients a day in rain, about 120.
• I see somewhere between 40 and 50 patients a day.

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Summary: The committee met on April 1 and considered several health-related bills and one resolution. HB 933, by Rep. Charles Owen, would create commemorative birth certificates and adjust vital records fees; after adopting a technical amendment, the committee reported the bill favorably. HB 288, by Rep. Boyer, would require the term “miscarriage” to appear alongside “spontaneous abortion” in medical documentation and billing; after an amendment changed the bill from mandatory “shall” language to permissive “may,” the committee heard emotional testimony both in support and opposition and then reported the bill favorably as amended. HB 420, by Rep. Berault, would require criminal background checks and registry review for all DCFS employees, not just those with direct contact with children; it was reported favorably. The committee also voluntarily deferred HB 927 and HB 962. The committee then heard HB 971, by Rep. Stagney, which seeks to equalize Medicaid reimbursement rates for independent rural health clinics and hospital-owned provider-based clinics. Supporters, including clinic owners and practitioners, testified that independent clinics provide the same services under the same rules but receive far lower reimbursement, making it difficult to retain staff and avoid sale to hospital systems. The author said the bill is intended to prompt discussion and eventual parity without harming hospitals, and the committee reported the bill favorably. HB 815, by Rep. Carver, would allow federally insured financial institutions to receive death certificate information from vital records to reduce losses and help reconcile account issues after a death; credit union representatives supported the measure, and it was reported favorably. The committee also adopted HR 74, by Rep. Sterling, which urges the Department of Education and local school authorities to report on how schools accommodate students with seizure disorders. Sterling described personal experience with epilepsy and said the resolution is meant to gather data on implementation of existing seizure action plan law and identify gaps in access to rescue medication and training. Finally, the committee took up HB 915, by Rep. Dickerson, which would place Medicaid prior authorization and utilization management timelines into statute. After technical and substantive amendments, including changing some deadlines from five business days to seven calendar days, the bill drew support from providers and health groups concerned about delays in care, and the committee reported it favorably as amended. The committee also began consideration of HB 944, by Rep. Hilferty, creating a women’s consortium within LDH focused on menopause and related women’s health issues; technical amendments were adopted and testimony emphasized coordination of existing research and resources, but the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• On average, private equity acquisitions have led to a 25% increase in patient adverse events, such as
• Despite the risk and harms caused to patients, Allina, which is the facility that I work at, deployed
• </c> leading to higher cost, loss of patient leading to higher cost, loss of patient access,<00:33:03.760
• because of patient care, not because<00:43:15.680><c> of</c><00:43:15.839><c> profits.
• and what this means for patients and the patient outcomes that this is bringing, and it's not what we

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> as physicians, but also for patients, as physicians, but also for patients, employ<00:31:43.360
• It simply improve patient care.
• I have physicians who refer patients to me, and I refer patients to physicians.
• It is also true in patient stress.
• </c> patients. It's a more appropriate term. patients. It's a more appropriate term.

Bills: HF3521 , HF3563 , HF82 , HF2689 , HF1794 , HF3544 , HF3516 , HF1752

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy