Transcript Highlights:

• Operations nations.
• Now being funneled into mass deportation operations, operations that resulted in tragic murders by federal
• My premium cost before Medicare is $23,136. My wife's costs will be $38,560.
• I mean, the cost Mr.
• It's easy to say a primary care visit costs as much, and an ER visit costs this much.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee held an informational hearing on the impact of federal H.R. 1 and related state budget actions on California’s health care system. Opening remarks framed the federal changes as a major threat to Medi-Cal, Covered California, hospitals, clinics, and the broader safety net, with warnings that millions could lose coverage and that costs would shift to providers, counties, and consumers. Testimony from the California Health Care Foundation and the Legislative Analyst’s Office focused on implementation challenges, the administrative burden of work requirements and more frequent renewals, the loss of federal funding, and the need for California to consider long-term structural changes to Medi-Cal, county safety-net programs, and cost containment. A Covered California enrollee, Chas Franklin, described sharply rising premiums for his family after losing subsidies, illustrating the personal impact of federal policy changes. Committee members raised concerns about whether premium increases were driven by H.R. 1 or insurer pricing, the cost of rebuilding county-based indigent care systems, and the need to account for the cost of inaction. Dr. Hernandez pointed to pre-ACA models such as Healthy San Francisco as examples of coordinated local safety-net care, while also emphasizing the importance of primary care, data interoperability, and the Office of Health Care Affordability in reducing waste and improving access. Department of Health Care Services officials then outlined the state’s implementation plan for H.R. 1, including work requirements, six-month redeterminations, reduced retroactive coverage, cost-sharing, and immigration-related eligibility changes. They said the department would try to automate eligibility checks, expand outreach, and train counties and partners, but estimated up to 2 million Californians could lose coverage over time. Covered California reported that the expiration of enhanced federal premium tax credits and new federal marketplace rules are already raising costs and reducing enrollment, with an estimated 400,000 enrollees at risk of dropping coverage. County, hospital, and safety-net representatives warned that coverage losses will increase uncompensated care and strain local systems, while one coalition proposed a temporary state-funded coverage option as a bridge if full-scope Medi-Cal cannot be maintained. The hearing concluded with a policy analyst urging stakeholder engagement, immigrant protections, and new state revenue options to preserve coverage and offset federal cuts.

Transcript Highlights:

• reducing the payback period, or reducing operating cost.
• reducing the payback period, or reducing operating cost.
• operating operating cost<00:47:12.960><c> these</c><00:47:13.240><c> systems</c><00:47:13.760><c> spend
• cost, offset other unrelated operating costs, and/or pay down capital cost on the original investment
• cost, offset other unrelated operating costs, and/or pay down capital cost on the original investment

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• You asked why does Abel need a drone operator?
• cost for personnel.
• I will tell you the very first day of operation.
• The one-time cost of the $28 million dollars.
• Today, they're doing operations every day. They do multiple operations almost every day.

Committee: House Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• My point is I was not told the cost, and I was not told there was a way for me to find the cost.
• </c> going to cost? going to cost?
• </c> &gt;&gt; Operational would be $196,000. &gt;&gt; Operational would be $196,000.
• </c><01:44:43.040><c> I'd</c> on uh deferral costs deferral costs.
• I'd on uh deferral costs deferral costs.

Bills: HB1853 , HB1591 , HB1961 , HB1854 , HB1965 , HB1962 , HB1959 , HB2505 , HB2576 , HB1801 , HB1804 , HB1864 , HB2319 , HB2314 , HB2115

Committee: House Health

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 2047, relating to pharmacy benefit managers. The Insurance Division said the bill would require new enforcement resources and estimated an appropriation of about $1.5 million and five positions. Kaiser Permanente asked for an amendment to exclude HMOs from the definition of third-party PBMs, saying the bill should not interfere with integrated care models. PCMA and the Hawaii Pharmacist Association supported narrowing amendments, with pharmacists objecting to section 3 and warning the bill as amended could create major operational burdens and a significant general fund cost. No vote was taken in the portion provided, and the chair moved on to the next measure after questions. The committee then took up SB 2080, which would allow Hawaii to join the psychology interjurisdictional compact. Supporters, including DCR, the Hawaii Association of Health Plans, the Hawaii State Association of Counties, the Grassroot Institute, and others, said the compact would expand access to psychology services, especially for people in rural areas or those needing continuity of care while traveling. Opponents, including the Board of Psychology and a Shamanad University psychology professor, raised concerns about client safety, crisis-response procedures, enforcement costs, FBI background checks, and possible loss of state control over training and specialization standards. The board said Hawaii’s current 1,900-hour internship/postdoc requirement is higher than the compact’s standard and that the state is still implementing a separate provisional licensing law that may address some access issues. The discussion focused on whether the compact would meaningfully reduce shortages and whether Hawaii should instead pursue changes within its existing licensing system. Finally, the committee heard SB 2277 on hospital price transparency. The Office of Consumer Protection initially noted the bill could require significant staffing, but later testimony from SHIP suggested the measure could be handled more simply by working with the Healthcare Association of Hawaii and publicly posting violations. The Healthcare Association of Hawaii opposed the bill, arguing hospitals already must comply with federal CMS transparency rules and that adding state requirements would increase costs and legal exposure, especially if violations were treated as unfair or deceptive trade practices. Steve Fenberg testified in support, saying the bill would simply codify existing federal requirements in state law and that he was open to amendments removing state enforcement and the unfair trade practice language. No final action was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And now here we are, two years later, with a proposed dairy operation that would expand that operation
• And costs of inputs, etc., etc., etc.
• </c> and nearby these enormous operations. and nearby these enormous operations.
• </c> operation can't. operation can't.
• </c> to the smaller operations around them. to the smaller operations around them.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that is who operate water systems.
• </c> cost recover that to pay back the bonds. cost recover that to pay back the bonds.
• The Criminal Justice operations.
• </c> currently operate with excess beds. currently operate with excess beds.
• I mean, the operating cost, $245 million for roughly 350 people. You know, that's a lot of money.

Bills: HF333 , HF2712 , HF1064 , HF1069 , HF1113 , HF2207 , HF204 , HF2867 , HF2924 , HF746 , HF1530 , HF2587 , HF1078

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: HF333, Duluth, Lot D, redevelopment, capital investment, bonding bill, state bonds, bond proceeds, public infrastructure, seawall repair, utility connections, demolition, debris removal, transportation improvements, site preparation, soil correction, economic development, DEED, capital appropriation, general obligation bonds

Transcript Highlights:

• BY JANUARY 01, 2028 THAT HAS TO BE FULLY OPERATIONAL AND FUNCTIONAL.
• IT USED TO COST 10,000 AND EVEN – LET'S JUST SAY IT STILL COST $10,000 WHAT IS $10,000 TO A PERSON'S
• IT COST ABOUT $1000 NOW. IN HOSPITALS AND SURGICAL CENTERS.
• POINT IT DOES BECOME COST PROHIBITIVE.
• THERE IS A COST OF THIS.

Transcript Highlights:

• I was their corporate director of operations.
• I bought my own quarry operation in Wayne County, and I operated that for 15 years.
• What is it costing you?
• It costs $189,000 to do a mile. We have 30 miles.
• It costs $189,000 to do a mile. We have 30 miles.

Committee: House Rules - Legislative

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't see a fiscal note, and yet when no-cost allowances ultimately are reduced, won't there be a cost
• to ratepayers or what that would cost.
• Energy costs are not occasional. They are monthly.
• , increased labor costs, and other things.
• costs, as Dan Fajerly described, or by funding programs.

Bills: HB2426 , HB2373 , HB2416

Committee: House Environment & Energy

Keywords: pollution control, efficiency, appeals process, environmental regulation, hearing board, electric utility, energy assistance, low-income households, monthly bill assistance, energy equity, waste management, energy, climate action, environmental regulations, fair treatment, renewable energy, sustainability

Transcript Highlights:

• How much this is going to cost to implement.
• There's a cost to it.
• There's a cost to it.
• If you want to operate in Florence, if you want to operate in Queen Creek, if you want to operate in
• However, that freedom still comes at a hefty cost when each town or city requires a fee to operate, even

Bills: HB2118 , HB2181 , HB2308 , HB2309 , HB2402 , HB2476 , HB2682 , HB2698 , HB2875 , HB2877 , HB2903 , HB2910

Committees: House Commerce , House House Commerce Committee of Reference

Keywords: mobile food vendors, licensure, food safety, statewide regulations, health standards, zoning, temporary vendors, HB2181, death certificate, death certificates, vital records, funeral establishment, funeral home, human remains, medical certification of death, death registration, state registrar, local registrar, county medical examiner, alternate medical examiner

Transcript Highlights:

• On the operating side, all agencies in total requested $96 million, which is about 1.5% across all operating
• operating programs.
• So it operates a little bit differently.
• Again, it costs a lot of money.
• There's a cost of collecting money.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Summary: The committee began with a transportation budget and revenue overview from Haley Gamble and Brian Moore. They reviewed the 2025-27 adopted transportation budget, noting $15.5 billion in expenditures, with the Department of Transportation making up the largest share. They said the 2025 session’s new revenues, including the fuel tax increase and other fee changes, allowed the committee to move from projected structural deficits to a balanced four-year plan, while preserving major programs such as culverts, ferry timing adjustments, highway preservation, and local maintenance funding. They also discussed updated revenue forecasts, including a modest downward revision in fuel consumption and uncertainty around some revenue sources, but said overall revenues remain stronger than previously projected. Committee members asked for more detail on dedicated funds, regional fuel tax patterns, and whether preservation needs could be supported through bonding. The committee then heard a remote presentation from Dr. Jessica Chichino of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety on traffic safety trends and countermeasures. She described the group’s “30 by 30” goal to reduce traffic fatalities 30% by 2030, citing increases in deaths for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists, and comparing U.S. fatality rates unfavorably with other high-income countries. Her presentation emphasized speed management, impaired driving enforcement, safer roadway design, and pedestrian protections such as lower speed limits, speed cameras, traffic calming, roundabouts, better lighting, and pedestrian beacons. She also highlighted research showing that larger vehicles increase pedestrian risk and discussed Bellevue pilot projects using smart signal technology that reduced near misses. No action was taken on the presentation. In the final work session item, Barb Chamberlain of WSDOT and Justin Leighton of the Washington State Transit Association discussed potential transit and active transportation grant programs that had been proposed but not enacted in 2025. Chamberlain explained how new grant programs require runway time, staff capacity, and clear program design, and contrasted “projects first, funding after” with “funding first, projects after” approaches. She addressed the proposed Senior Transportation Emphasis Program and regional trails/cycle highways concepts, noting questions about eligibility, scoring, and how such projects would fit with existing active transportation and preservation work. Leighton reviewed the state’s transit grant portfolio and argued that a transit safety and security grant could help agencies fund operator barriers, lighting, shelters, behavioral health support, and non-uniformed security staff. He also raised concerns about sales tax treatment of security contracts, staffing shortages, federal uncertainty, CDL non-domicile issues, and long procurement timelines for buses. The committee asked questions about definitions, program purpose, and implementation challenges, but did not take any votes or formal action.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have nowhere else we can cut costs because the costs are the costs.
• So at the end the costs are the costs.
• </c> cost, right? cost, right?
• But, you know, when you're just adding on an additional cost or increasing those costs of us operating
• ><c> us</c><00:38:05.920><c> operating</c> increasing those costs of us operating increasing those costs

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• , to establish and operate central facilities for the acquisition, disposal, operation, maintenance,
• relative to the current cost of the system.
• At the time when we studied it, it was cost-prohibitive relative to the current cost of the system.
• So after the election, we tabulate what the costs are.
• We also have agency trust costs for the last two fiscal years, including...

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

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill redefines true value in money to be the actual replacement cost rather than the market cost
• I think that would be added in the replacement cost.
• And my understanding is that those types of costs go into an actual replacement cost on the material.
• The state determines what they pay for the cost of care.
• Media costs are higher.

Committee: House Special Committee on Property Tax Reform

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll now turn it over to my colleague, Monica, to go over field operations.
• We have most of our funding pushed out through our operating budget.
• So most of our operating budget really has been accounted for through various things.
• Alexis Armijo is our acting operations administrator.
• It’s not worked in through general fund appropriations; we have to absorb that cost.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• And then the fourth is cost control. For the long term.
• and help us control health care costs for Washingtonians.
• Number four is to reduce legal costs.
• We don't have a lot of control over many of our costs.
• operating factors, both with state and federal impacts.

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:

• Amy Jenkins, California Cannabis Operators Association.
• And those costs the licensees so much money to go through that process.
• In most cases, patients would have to pay the costs up front. policies.
• The Dental Board can enforce to ensure cost transparency.
• And cost estimates were exaggerated and so forth. We need to do more around oral health.

Committee: Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• a benefit-cost ratio below one.
• For a breakdown, here's the pumping cost, the outlet operating cost per biennium, just for additional
• For a breakdown, here's the pumping cost, the outlet operating cost per biennium, just for additional
• That operating costs per biennium, just for additional information.
• It's cost. And so it benefits.

Summary: The committee opened its third interim meeting with roll call, approved the November 13, 2025 minutes, and the chair reviewed prior committee work, including a denied request for a fertilizer-capacity study and a planned later discussion of the Union Pacific/Norfolk Southern merger issue. Commissioner Doug Goring then presented Department of Agriculture updates on uncrewed aerial systems grants to detect noxious weeds, the state’s irrigation potential, the low-carbon fuels program for ethanol plants, the Environmental Impact Mitigation Fund, model zoning ordinances for animal feeding operations, and fertilizer production and supply in North Dakota. Members asked about funding sources, fertilizer storage and availability, natural gas and water needs for future fertilizer plants, and how the model zoning website would help counties and townships apply setback and odor tools. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the Department of Water Resources’ economic analysis tool for water conveyance and flood-related projects. Dr. Dwayne Poole explained that the department is proposing changes to better account for end-of-useful-life conditions and updated hydrologic data, while still limiting the model to direct, demonstrable costs and benefits. He said the goal is to make the analysis more realistic and consistent without changing statute, and he provided examples of how project benefits could change as drains age or as rainfall and flood data evolve. Committee members and water-user representatives generally supported continued work on the proposal, while raising concerns about downstream impacts, closed-basin projects, and whether the changes would meaningfully affect project approvals. The committee then heard from John Paskowski, state engineer, on Devil’s Lake, the West End and East End outlets, and the Tolna Coulee control structure. He reviewed lake history, outlet capacities, sulfate and downstream flow limits, and explained that the control structure is intended to prevent a catastrophic uncontrolled release by slowing erosion and head cutting. Members asked about water quality trends, the length of the downstream flow constraint, and whether the Tolna Coulee area had been studied for possible natural overflow or silt buildup. The discussion emphasized ongoing flooding concerns, mitigation for affected landowners, and the need to balance outlet operations with downstream water quality and infrastructure protection.

Transcript Highlights:

• public way” is defined in statute and means a pedestrian, a person riding an animal, or a person operating
• offense of negligent driving with a vulnerable user victim, under current law, occurs when a person operates
• offense of negligent driving with a vulnerable user victim, under current law, occurs when a person operates
• The operator causes death, great bodily harm, or substantial bodily harm to a vulnerable user of a public
• That's going to increase court costs for cities.

Bills: HB2095

Committee: House Civil Rights & Judiciary

Keywords: public safety, vulnerable users, pedestrians, protected classes, transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• Are they still operating?
• My understanding is there will be a cost. we're not sure what those costs are and how much you would
• where really what they need is operating costs.
• , so my cost has gone way up.
• Healthcare costs.

Bills: HB3000 , HB2622 , HB2283 , HB541 , HB1776 , HB1803 , HB1669 , HB2588 , HB220 , HB3415 , HB50 , HB1314 , HB 107 , HB220 , HB50 , HB107

Committee: House Public Health

Keywords: ambulance service, rural healthcare, grants, financial assistance, qualified counties, mental health, patient transport, female attendants, security measures, healthcare regulation, epinephrine, anaphylaxis, health care, school safety, training, emergency response, direct patient care, healthcare, physicians, medical services