Transcript Highlights:

• And just briefly on the bill up right now, SF 3969, we believe that we can partner with DCYF and their
• And just briefly on the bill up right now, SF 3969, we believe that we can partner with DCYF and their
• ><00:17:39.080> can<00:17:39.240> partner<00:17:39.640> with<00:17:39.800> DCYF
• <00:17:40.720> and<00:17:40.880> their that we can partner with DCYF and their that
• we can partner with DCYF and their existing<00:17:41.440> model<00:17:41.720> to<00:17

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It also includes DCYF, since that agency didn't exist back then. We include that. Mr.
• Uh, and it also includes DCYF, since that agency didn't exist back then. We include that. Mr.
• and with this report, the legislature and the public will have transparency into the DHS's OIG and DCYF

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate first received a House message reappointing a conference committee on Senate File 2077, the environment and natural resources appropriations bill, and took no further action on that message. The chamber then moved through motions and resolutions, including a failed attempt to suspend the rules to make House File 4102 a special order for immediate consideration. Senator Howe argued the bill was urgent because it would extend a study on state law enforcement pay and help address State Patrol recruitment and retention, while Senator Friends opposed suspending the rules; the motion failed on a roll call vote, 35 ayes to 32 nays. The Senate then took House File 3629 from the table, made it a special order, and adopted the A5 amendment. The bill, relating to grants management and the Department of Administration, was described as refining agency authority over exemptions, adding reporting requirements, expanding whistleblower protections, and broadening fraud-prevention tools. The A5 amendment added stronger payment-withholding authority for agencies based on credible allegations of fraud, removed the 60-day withholding limit, allowed cross-agency withholding in some cases, replaced court appeal with agency reconsideration, made the authority permanent, and added a reporting requirement for DHS and DCYF inspector general activity. Supporters said it would improve transparency and protect taxpayers; the bill then passed final roll call 67-0. Finally, the Senate took up House File 4492, which was amended with the A4 delete-everything amendment. The new version combined three articles: READ Act provisions, a veterans diploma provision, and early literacy field-experience changes. Senators described the veterans section as requiring school districts to award diplomas to veterans who left high school to serve in the Korean or Vietnam Wars, and the READ Act and literacy provisions as aligning teacher preparation and early literacy instruction with state standards. Members also discussed school discipline and classroom safety issues in the course of debate. The bill was then read for final passage, with senators speaking in support of the combined package and its education and veterans provisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, when this bill was actually implemented, the DCYF that you guys created at the same time, the one
• So, when this bill was actually implemented, the DCYF that you guys created at the same time, the one
• So, when this bill was actually implemented, the DCYF that you guys created at the same time, the one

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House took up Senate File 4760, a public safety package, and first adopted an amendment to insert House language into the Senate file. Members then heard brief explanations of several included provisions, including a section from House File 3870 that would make Office of Justice Programs research and victim-related data private, clarify privacy for data collected by the Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls office and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives office, and remove outdated statutory language. Representative Novotny also described the package as combining a number of previously passed stand-alone bills and a few additional provisions. The chamber then adopted amendments A5, A7, and A8. A5 inserted House language and adjusted an effective date related to public employer discretion in hiring; A7 allowed the Office of Legislative Auditor to request BCA fingerprinting and federal tax information as required by federal rules; and A8 clarified language affecting jail medical services and custody-related safeguards after collaboration among Representative Witty, the sheriffs association, the Department of Corrections, and advocates. Representatives Hansen, Moller, and Witty all urged support for those changes. A proposed A3 amendment from Representative Duran, which would have kept the current age of delinquency rather than implementing the previously enacted change, drew extensive debate. Supporters argued counties, law enforcement, and other stakeholders were not ready for the change and lacked infrastructure, while opponents said the 2024 law was intended to address serious gaps in juvenile justice and child welfare and should take effect as planned. After a roll call, the House rejected A3 by a vote of 66 yeas to 67 nays. The transcript then indicates another Duran amendment, A2, was called up, but the excerpt ends before its disposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• Inspector General, how they are going to assign those folks, those investigators, between either MDH, DHS, DCYF
• conversation with DCF because, um, but I think, you know, the idea of standing up a brand new office, as DCYF
• brand new office idea of standing up a a brand new office um<00:58:41.280> as<00:58:41.520> DCYF
• just<00:58:42.480> recently<00:58:42.720> done<00:58:42.960> itself um as DCYF
• has just recently done itself um as DCYF has just recently done itself [snorts] [snorts] [snorts] um

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like to ask Jennifer Sommerfeld from DCYF to come up so that she can provide that.
• I'd like to ask Jennifer Sommerfeld from DCYF to come up so that she can provide that.
• 47.760> from I'd like to ask Jennifer sommerfeld from I'd like to ask Jennifer sommerfeld from dcyf
• 49.520> that<01:04:49.720> she<01:04:49.920> can<01:04:50.240> provide dcyf
• to come up so that she can provide dcyf to come up so that she can provide that<01:04:51.279> terrific

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• SSIS is the state child welfare system that DCYF has, and they've been talking about it as to that they
• SSIS is the state child welfare system that DCYF has, and they've been talking about it as to that they
• It's the state child welfare system that DCYF has, and they've been talking about it as to that they
• It's the state child welfare system that DCYF has, and they've been talking about it as to that they
• It's the state child welfare system that DCYF has, and they've been talking about it as to that they

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for both the population of kids that we are in charge of, that we have care and control of through DCYF
• We will also focus on DCYF a little bit.
• really<00:52:08.319> uh<00:52:08.480> focusing<00:52:08.880> on<00:52:09.040> dcyf
• <00:52:09.760> a<00:52:09.880> little<00:52:10.079> bit really uh focusing on dcyf
• a little bit really uh focusing on dcyf a little bit you<00:52:10.559> know<00:52:10.799>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee convened an informational Division 3 Finance hearing focused on DHHS programmatic issues rather than budget line items. The chair emphasized that members should avoid questions requiring dollar figures and noted that the coming budget cycle would likely be difficult because revenues are expected to be tighter. Commissioner Lori Weaver said the department wanted to use the session to explain its functions at a high level, with more detailed presentations to follow, and to collect questions for later responses. Weaver outlined DHHS’s mission of supporting optimal health for state residents and described the department’s three main responsibilities: protection and prevention, client service delivery, and regulatory oversight. She said DHHS has eight divisions, a $3.6 billion total budget, about $1.217 billion in general funds, roughly a quarter of state positions, and personnel costs that are less than 11% of the budget. She also noted a recent hiring freeze, explained that the department did not request new positions except where required by law, and said vacancy rates had improved from 22% to 14% over the last two years but could rise again because of attrition and the hiring freeze. Weaver and CFO Nathan White then discussed why the DHHS budget is complex, explaining that it is built from multiple funding sources and is shaped by assumptions made months before the fiscal year begins, actual service demand, and cost allocation rules used to draw down federal funds. White highlighted maintenance-of-effort requirements, including TANF, where state spending is needed to secure federal matching funds and shortfalls can trigger penalties. At the committee’s request, DHHS agreed to provide a simplified historical accounting of TANF contributions to show how the match is assembled across positions, contracts, and other factors. The department also reviewed its roadmap, which Weaver described as a framework developed with staff and stakeholders around three themes: culture, community, and customer service. She highlighted priorities such as Mission Zero to end emergency department boarding, expanding access to community-based and residential behavioral health services, reducing reliance on institutional care, improving contract management with nonprofit and provider partners, using data dashboards to guide decisions, and investing in workforce stability and culture. No votes were taken; the main action was DHHS’s commitment to provide additional follow-up materials, including the TANF contribution breakdown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And a follow-up question: would that cost, if there is one, fall under the DCYF budget, or would
• We're doing a lot of licensing work in this committee this year, so we'll await the feedback from DCYF
• the feedback year, so we'll await the the feedback from<00:56:15.120> from<00:56:15.280> DCYF
• c> the<00:56:16.120> next<00:56:16.400> couple<00:56:16.640> of from from DCYF
• in the next couple of from from DCYF in the next couple of weeks<00:56:17.360> so<00:56:17.440

Bills: HF3877, HF3714, HF3750, HF3024

Keywords: public authorities, dissolution cases, court system, child protection, legal notice, foster care, child welfare, enrollment priority, education programs, child care assistance, foster youth, extended foster care, bill of rights, out-of-home placement, Minnesota Statutes chapter 260C, social services agency, caseworker, permanency team, sibling visitation, relative contact

Transcript Highlights:

• And she had a hard time getting, you know, any approval for those things from the DCYF at the time. >
• 42.400> new<01:15:42.800> policy On the left side of table 9, it also does discuss if DCYF
• I am the finance manager at DCYF.
• 10.080> youth<02:40:10.479> placements<02:40:11.040> through<02:40:11.359> DCYF
• Um some youth placements through DCYF. Um some youth placements through DCYF.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: House Finance Division 3 met in work session and opened with procedural remarks from the chair about the committee’s schedule, deadlines, and recommendation options, noting the meeting was advisory and no votes were expected. The first bill discussed, House Bill 1569, concerned repealing the directive to sell the Anna Philbrook Center for Children property in Concord. Testimony from DHHS and New Hampshire Hospital focused on whether the property could be subdivided, the relationship to Senate Bill 572, the status of the city of Concord’s first right of refusal, and the practical effects of a sale. Witnesses said the $5 million sale estimate was a budget assumption, that moving staff and equipment would create some relocation costs, and that the center had required significant recent maintenance and renovation spending. Members also discussed the number of transitional housing beds at the site, the temporary nature of those beds, and whether the property should remain available given hospital workforce and service needs. The committee then turned to House Bill 661, which had been recommitted for further review after new information emerged. The chair summarized federal developments, including a December 2025 ACF letter and a related executive order, as well as a federal HHS press release about states diverting foster youths’ Social Security survivor benefits. Representative Walner explained that amendment 3055H had been drafted to move the bill forward in smaller steps, with a fiscal note requested on the amendment because the original bill was viewed as too large and expensive. Members discussed whether the committee had received copies of the amendment and whether federal guidance or funding had changed the policy landscape. The discussion also included broader questions about foster youth benefits and whether federal action would support state implementation. One member cited ACF language stating that only 11 states had enacted policies to stop interception of survivor benefits and that technical assistance would be available to the remaining states. The meeting remained in work-session mode throughout, with no votes taken and no final recommendations made during the portion provided. The chair indicated the committee could return to the bills later in the month.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, just watching the process that we have I know that our DCYF case workers play an absolutely vital
• 01:09:04.880> our process that we have I know that our process that we have I know that our DCYF
• > workers<01:09:06.719> play<01:09:06.960> an<01:09:07.279> absolutely DCYF
• case workers play an absolutely DCYF case workers play an absolutely vital<01:09:08.319> role

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from the March 6, 2026 meeting and then received updates from the Legislative Budget Assistant audit staff on several ongoing audits. Christine Young reported that the special education audit was in report-writing stage with 39 of 80 observations completed and a draft expected in the second quarter, the education freedom accounts audit had 27 of 42 observations completed with a draft also expected in the second quarter, and the Doorway program audit had a draft report with 15 observations sent to DHHS on March 30, with responses due April 24 and presentation expected at the May fiscal committee meeting. Members asked about the size of the special education report, and staff estimated it would be over 800 pages and roughly three pounds. The committee then reviewed prior audit responsiveness from the Human Rights Commission. The commission reported that 22 observations had been completed, with remaining issues focused on timely case processing, a formal risk assessment, and a performance measurement system. Officials said staffing shortages were improving, a risk assessment manual had been drafted, a scorecard system was nearly complete, and the commission’s rules were moving through the public hearing process. Members asked about the timeline, and the commission said case processing was averaging 20 to 22 months and that the remaining items were expected to be resolved over time. Police Standards and Training also reported progress on prior audit items. The director corrected one status designation and said the job task analysis for curriculum development was substantially resolved, with findings and recommendations being prepared for the council. He said work on fitness testing was on hold pending legislative action, the performance measurement and strategic planning item remained a priority, and the council was focusing first on updating administrative rules. He also said the corrections advisory committee likely needed a statutory amendment to better reflect members with practical corrections experience. In response to questions, he said the council does not certify county correctional officers but reviews county curriculum annually, and he said the agency would be open to discussing consolidation or a pathway for county officers to become state-certified. The Department of Corrections then updated the committee on parole board-related audit items, saying 11 of 13 DOC-related findings were resolved. The remaining issues involved implementing a structured decision-making process for the parole board and improving data collection for recidivism tracking; the board had applied to the National Institute of Corrections for training, and manual data collection was underway. DOC also said it had created a HIPAA-compliant release form to share substance use disorder treatment information with the parole board. Finally, OPLC reported on the mental health workforce audit, saying six findings were fully resolved and six substantially resolved, with most remaining items tied to rulemaking and application processing. The office expects to complete its backend system migration and improve timeliness metrics by the end of the year, and it recently launched a jurisprudence exam for the mental health board. Under potential audit topics, staff said two items remained suspended because of litigation, and the committee discussed whether to keep DHHS contract management on the list. Representative [name unclear] proposed adding two new education freedom account audit topics: verification of residency and eligibility, and a record of educational attainment while preserving student privacy. Members supported adding them, but staff warned the expanded scope could delay the report and would require coordination with the Department of Education and approval by the Fiscal Committee. The chair said staff would work with the commissioner and LBA to draft the revised scope for further committee action.

Transcript Highlights:

• It doesn't affect the administration of benefits by DHS or DCYF.
• <00:01:48.360> or administration of benefits by DHS or administration of benefits by DHS or dcyf
• 51.119> just<00:01:51.280> looking<00:01:51.600> to<00:01:51.840> ensure dcyf
• um so we're just looking to ensure dcyf um so we're just looking to ensure that<00:01:52.360> veterans

Bills: HF1662, HF2115, HF2159, HF1095, HF2160

Keywords: veterans, veterans affairs, State Soldiers Assistance Program, Veterans Stable Housing Initiative, MAXIS, human services data, data sharing, eligibility verification, informed consent, private data, benefits coordination, veteran housing, veteran assistance, Department of Human Services, Children Youth and Families, state benefits, federal benefits, privacy, public assistance, human services

Transcript Highlights:

• Attendance actually stands in the Department of Education, DCYF, and Human Services.

Transcript Highlights:

• Unlike DCYF and the other programs that Sandy, Corbin, and Maria described, ESA's Medicaid funding is
• Neither DCYF nor ESA anticipate HR1 to impact their ongoing Medicaid funding.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a work session to review how H.R. 1 (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) could affect Washington’s Medicaid, long-term care, developmental disabilities, and food assistance programs, with a focus on implementation challenges, fiscal impacts, and likely coverage losses. Staff and agency officials explained Washington’s Medicaid financing structure, eligibility categories, caseload trends, and the role of the Health Care Authority and DSHS in administering Apple Health and related services. They also described how Medicaid expansion increased access to behavioral health services and how H.R. 1’s provisions are expected to affect the expansion population most directly. Health Care Authority and DSHS officials outlined several major H.R. 1 changes: new work and community engagement requirements for the Medicaid expansion population, six-month redeterminations instead of annual renewals, changes to immigrant eligibility, limits on provider taxes and state-directed payments, new cost-sharing requirements, reduced retroactive coverage, and changes affecting long-term care eligibility. They said Washington is still awaiting federal guidance on many details, but estimated that about 620,000 Apple Health expansion enrollees could be subject to work requirements, that roughly 30,000 immigrants could lose Medicaid eligibility under the new definition of qualified alien, and that some long-term care and developmental disability clients could be indirectly affected. Officials also said the state is working with other agencies to build shared verification systems and may seek a delay waiver, though they do not expect broad federal flexibility. The committee also heard that H.R. 1 immediately blocks Medicaid reimbursement for Planned Parenthood services for one year, with the state planning to backfill about $11 million to preserve access. In addition, officials warned that the law could reduce federal Medicaid revenue by billions over time and strain hospitals and emergency rooms as more people become uninsured. They noted that Washington’s rural health transformation grant application is due November 5 and could bring some funding, but not to offset coverage losses. No votes were taken; the session was informational only. The committee then heard a separate presentation on food assistance, where staff and DSHS described H.R. 1’s SNAP changes, including expanded work requirements, immigrant eligibility restrictions, higher state administrative costs, and a possible future state share of benefit costs tied to payment error rates. DSHS estimated a four-year fiscal impact of about $750 million for food assistance changes and said the state is working on system and policy changes across agencies before the new requirements take effect.

Transcript Highlights:

• Outside of the carveouts that we have for DHS and DCYF, they stay where they're at.
• have<00:09:26.160> for<00:09:26.399> DHS<00:09:27.120> and<00:09:27.480> DCYF

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As I feel like, um, I don't know, just my history with DCYF and working with families, I would hate to
• just my as I feel like um I don't know, just my history<02:39:52.800> with<02:39:52.960> DCYF
• <02:39:53.600> and<02:39:53.840> working<02:39:54.080> with history with DCYF
• and working with history with DCYF and working with families,<02:39:55.280> I<02:39:55.520>
• and build out in order to address the support that is necessary for families that are going through DCYF

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:14:31.360> Are<01:14:31.599> there talked a lot about DCYF.
• Are there talked a lot about DCYF.
• that are a concern about involving DCYF that are a concern about who's<01:14:45.840> funding<
• More recently, we have had meetings with our colleagues at DCYF who have reported to us that they are
• our colleagues at DCYF our colleagues at DCYF who<01:21:30.080> have<01:21:30.240> reported

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee opened a hearing on House Bill 1067-FN, which would formalize and expand mental health courts in New Hampshire and create a grant-based funding structure for them. Representative Mark Pearson, the prime sponsor, described the bill as a bipartisan, compassionate, and cost-effective approach that would connect people with mental illness to treatment and supervision instead of incarceration, while still holding them accountable. He said the proposal was developed with input from the judicial branch, law enforcement, corrections, mental health organizations, and others, and emphasized that local courts could tailor programs to their needs. Committee members questioned the bill’s fiscal note, whether the legislature had previously studied the issue, how the program would be funded, and whether the bill should more explicitly address treatment, prevention, and data collection. Representative Buzz Sher, who helped develop the bill, explained how mental health courts work, including referral, clinical and public-safety assessments, case management, goal-setting, and graduation from the program. He said existing New Hampshire mental health courts are mostly partial and county-funded, and that the bill would formalize them, set standards, and allow grant funding. He also cited data from Georgia and New Hampshire suggesting significant savings from reduced incarceration and related costs. Members also raised concerns about due process, whether people not formally charged could be swept into the system, and whether individuals with violent offenses or domestic violence histories could be diverted inappropriately. Sher responded that only people already in the criminal justice process are eligible and that courts use safety assessments to screen out most violent cases. The committee requested that Sher file supporting financial data from other jurisdictions, and he agreed to do so. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, I think the numbers that I was looking at from the Children's Defense Fund letter were from DCYF
• , yeah, we should definitely take care to reconcile the reports that are happening between DHS and DCYF
• happening<01:29:17.679> between<01:29:17.920> DHS<01:29:18.400> and<01:29:18.480> DCYF
• <01:29:19.440> And<01:29:19.600> then happening between DHS and DCYF.
• And then happening between DHS and DCYF.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• issue, but they're genuinely sincere that the courts move in and took their kids away way too soon, or DCYF
• Well, I believe, for instance, in some of the DCYF regulating statutes, there are some of those provisions
• Coincidentally, I also chair the DHS oversight committee, which of course has DCYF as one of its components
• identical to what you experience as a criminal defendant defending yourself in a criminal case. has DCYF
• as one of its has DCYF as one of its components.<01:47:11.679> So,<01:47:12.000> that's

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee met to continue its review of recommendations for New Hampshire’s family court, with the chair emphasizing a collaborative approach and noting that the group would focus on the origins of the family division, recurring problems identified in earlier reports, and comparisons with other states. Members discussed organizing testimony into three broad topics: the court hearing process and pro se litigant preparation, mediation/arbitration/counseling, and the interaction of domestic violence issues with family court and related criminal proceedings. The chair also noted that the subcommittee would not meet again for two weeks and encouraged members to review materials from Judge Michael Mace and NCSL research on other states’ family court systems. Attorney Heather Culp, senior administrator for the judicial branch’s circuit court, testified about New Hampshire’s ADR programs. She explained that the Office of Mediation and Arbitration, created by statute in 2007, oversees more than 12 statewide ADR programs across the Supreme, Superior, and Circuit Courts, including family division programs such as divorce-parenting mediation, neutral case evaluation, guardianship, termination of parental rights, and voluntary adoption mediation. She said the divorce-parenting mediation program is the largest family division ADR program, with about 3,400 mediation sessions in 2023 out of roughly 6,700 cases, and that most cases involving minor children are referred to mediation soon after the first appearance session. Culp described the family division process as beginning with a first appearance session led by a case manager, who provides information, helps with paperwork, and schedules mediation, usually within 30 to 45 days. She said mediation is strongly encouraged in parenting and divorce cases, but there is no requirement to reach agreement, and parties may settle some issues while leaving others for court. She also explained that mediation is prohibited or limited in certain domestic violence cases: cases with active civil protection orders may proceed only with both parties’ consent and possible safeguards, while cases involving criminal protective orders are not sent to mediation. Mediators in court-referred family cases are contracted with the court and must be certified by the executive branch’s mediator certification board; mediators do not communicate with judges, except through a brief ADR report noting whether the case settled or what the next procedural step is. Members asked about referrals, timing, and the meaning of “neutrals,” and Culp said the court uses in-house contracted neutrals for family division ADR and does not refer divorce-parenting cases to outside providers.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first item: MMB received a $10 million appropriation for the transition of DCYF.
• we would draw down federal match totaling 1.92 million, which means on the whole this package for DCYF
• means on the whole this whole<00:30:01.320> package<00:30:01.679> for<00:30:01.919> dcyf
• 00:30:02.919> saves<00:30:03.360> the<00:30:03.519> general whole package for dcyf
• saves the general whole package for dcyf saves the general fund<00:30:04.399> $4.4 fund $4.4

Bills: HF10

Keywords: undocumented immigrants, state funding, MinnesotaCare, scholarship ineligibility, state assistance, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• of the committee is really about physical causes of death, and when I saw the Division for Youth, DCYF
• DCYF and DOC on there, I was thinking more behavioral or environmental kinds of things, but with redacted
• The addition of a representative from DCYF and Corrections would help us get a fuller picture of challenges
• The addition of a representative from DCYF and Corrections would help us get a fuller picture of challenges
• The addition of a representative from DCYF and Corrections would help us get a fuller picture of challenges

Keywords: 1191, senate, all