Transcript Highlights:

• It asks a clinician to bring their professional judgment to bear.
• And I know that a human clinician would have heard that hesitation and known to probe further.
• They were booked, though, with a clinician who specializes in treating OCD.
• They were booked, though, with a clinician who specializes in treating OCD.
• They were booked, though, with a clinician who specializes in treating OCD.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think sometimes, like when we have these kind of discussions, especially with clinicians, right?
• </c><00:39:53.160><c> or</c><00:39:53.480><c> directly</c> um, either either clinicians or directly um
• , either either clinicians or directly from<00:39:54.040><c> the</c><00:39:54.120><c> Department</c><
• </c> should the licensed clinician should the licensed clinician participation<00:47:38.760><c> occur
• clinician participation is required, required, required, and<00:51:38.440><c> then</c><00:51:38.640>

Bills: SB709, SB2089, SB2090, SB2108, SB2211, SB2250, SB2325, SB2803, SB2866, SB3245

Keywords: mental health, crisis intervention, assisted community treatment, treatment orders, law enforcement training, public safety, court-ordered treatment, Medicaid, healthcare access, unlicensed professionals, supervised services, workforce development, mental health equity, child custody, evaluations, licensed counselors, family court, juvenile justice, waiver of jurisdiction, transfer to adult court

Summary: The committee heard SB 709 SD2, which would require the Department of Health to respond to reports involving persons with severe mental illness, assess eligibility for assisted community treatment, and coordinate treatment when appropriate. Testimony from the Department of Human Services and the Department of Health supported the measure, with DOH saying it generally supported the bill but had comments on one section it viewed as unnecessary. The Department of Law Enforcement later explained that the bill would shift certification and standards for crisis intervention officer training from DOH to DLE, while still involving DOH in the training process. Opposition came from the Hawaii Disability Rights Center and an individual testifier, both of whom argued the bill expands state authority over people with mental illness and could worsen forced treatment practices. The Disability Rights Center also raised procedural concerns, saying the bill was effectively moved from a prior administration measure that had not been heard this session, and questioned whether the bill’s changes to assisted community treatment, blood tests, urinalysis, and living arrangements went beyond current law. The individual testifier argued the bill would further entrench harmful psychiatric drugging and urged the committee to defer it. Committee members questioned the administration about the bill’s process, the role of the Attorney General in treatment-over-objection proceedings, and the practical effects of moving CIT certification to DLE. The Attorney General’s office said the bill was intended to fill a gap by allowing it to assist with treatment proceedings, while public defenders would continue to represent respondents and due process protections would remain in place. DLE and DOH said the change would better align certification with law enforcement training needs, improve speed in crisis response, and still keep DOH involved; members also discussed whether WAM counted as a hearing and whether the bill should more explicitly preserve DOH’s role. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• With the A4 amendment, the bill would prohibit the use of artificial intelligence alone without clinician
• And so, with this bill, with this A4 amendment, it specifies that a clinician will need to be involved
• And so, with this bill, with this A4 amendment, it specifies that a clinician will need to be involved
• And so, with this bill, with this A4 amendment, it specifies that a clinician will need to be involved
• And so, with this bill, with this A4 amendment, it specifies that a clinician will need to be involved

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So as a clinician, we really want to help and trying to figure out how we can prevent the high rate of
• </c><00:22:54.720><c> obviously</c> US. and trying as a clinician obviously US. and trying as a clinician
• </c><00:23:07.440><c> So</c><00:23:07.679><c> as</c><00:23:07.840><c> a</c><00:23:08.000><c> clinician
• So as a clinician psychological effects.
• So as a clinician we<00:23:08.720><c> really</c><00:23:08.960><c> want</c><00:23:09.200><c> to</c><00

Bills: SB2936, SB2850, SB2851, SB2521

Keywords: accessible parking, disability, kupuna, public accommodations, small business exemptions, Hawaii Revised Statutes, parking permit, blind, deaf, accessibility, deafness, traffic safety, law enforcement, vehicle registration, communication, emergency services, commercial driver's license, first responders, public safety, authorized emergency vehicle

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several health-related bills. HB 1871, establishing a maternal health monitoring pilot program, drew support from the Department of Health, the Hawaii State Commission on Status of Women, and the Hawaii affiliate of the American College of Nurse Midwives, with testimony urging provider-neutral language so midwives and other qualified providers would not be excluded. HB 1977, requiring a maternal and infant health information mobile app, received support from ACNM and Philips, which said similar apps in other states improved awareness of services and helped families navigate care; a member asked the Department of Health about implementation time. HB 1858, relating to certificates of fetal deaths, was supported by the Department of Health and clinicians, who said the current statute is outdated and inconsistent with CDC guidance; the department and a physician testified that the bill should shift documentation responsibilities to physicians and APRNs, and members discussed optional versus mandatory issuance language and whether the bill would improve data on home births and transfers. The committee also heard HB 1591, expanding definitions for preceptor and volunteer-based clinical training to improve income tax credits. The Department of Health supported the measure but preferred a similar, broader bill; Taxation suggested clarifying terms; the University of Hawaii and the State Center for Nursing supported it. ACNM asked that midwifery preceptors and Hawaii-based students enrolled in mainland programs be included, while the Hawaii Public Health Institute supported expansion of the program as a workforce solution. HB 1574, on the health care education loan repayment program, also drew broad support, including from the governor, SHPDA, OHA, and health organizations, but ACNM raised concerns that the bill’s 30% Medicaid-client threshold could exclude many providers and limit participation. For HB 1575, creating a feasibility committee on Parkinson’s patient air transport, the Department of Health supported the intent but said transportation is more likely an insurance or benefit issue and suggested redirecting funds to Parkinson’s research; the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the Hawaii Parkinson Association supported the bill, citing inter-island travel barriers and high costs for patients and caregivers. HB 1854, establishing certification of community behavioral health clinics, was supported by the Department of Health and DHS, which said certification would help clinics qualify for enhanced Medicaid reimbursement and expand access; the Attorney General’s office raised a legal concern about the special fund language and recommended a purpose section, and the committee discussed whether the fund would be self-sustaining and noted a possible amendment to change membership language and reduce the board size if the amendment moved forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then add on top of that the intersections with the law, where courts, attorneys, clinicians, they
• We have to make this an environment that is safe for our caregivers and their clinicians and our nurses
• We have to make this an environment that is safe for our caregivers and their clinicians and our nurses
• And our supervisor groups, who are clinicians, are very well entrenched within pharmacy leadership as

Keywords: 907, all

Summary: The joint Senate and House Behavioral Health committees held an informational meeting focused first on the Oregon State Hospital (OSH). OHA Director Sajal Hathi introduced the hospital’s incoming permanent superintendent, Sean Murphy, and praised interim superintendent Jim Deagle for stabilizing operations, restoring CMS compliance, and helping drive a culture change centered on safety, accountability, and transparency. Deagle and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Amit Bavon described OSH’s role as the state’s highest-level forensic psychiatric hospital, the patient populations it serves, its partnerships with courts, counties, jails, hospitals, and advocates, and recent leadership changes across the hospital. They also reported improved accreditation and regulatory status, including Joint Commission accreditation and CMS compliance, and said the hospital is now using daily safety huddles, incident review meetings, stronger escalation procedures, and revised seclusion/restraint practices to reduce risk and improve oversight. Members pressed hospital leaders on past seclusion practices, asking how prolonged seclusions could have occurred under federal standards. Leaders said they could not explain past decisions but emphasized that current leadership has changed processes, training, reporting, and oversight so that seclusion and restraint are reviewed in real time and cannot be normalized. Questions also covered staffing, falls, and future planning. OSH said it is generally staffed to budget, though it still has RN and mental health technician vacancies and is working on recruitment, training, and better staffing distribution. Hathi said the hospital is building a public dashboard with key performance and safety metrics, including workforce data, and described the long-term goal as a consistently safe, disciplined, high-functioning institution that responds quickly to mistakes and remains accountable to the public. The committee then shifted to an informational overview of civil commitment. Oregon Judicial Department representative Chanah Newell explained the civil commitment process, including who can initiate it, the role of community mental health providers and courts, the five-day timeline to hearing, and the standards for danger to self, danger to others, and inability to meet basic needs. She summarized changes made in House Bill 2005, including revised statutory language and new provisions allowing a second diversion period, but cautioned that the data are too early to show clear trends. Testimony from NAMI Oregon’s Chris Bonif and psychiatrist Dr. Stephanie Lopez argued that Oregon still relies too heavily on jails and state hospital commitments because the broader community system lacks enough treatment, housing, and less restrictive alternatives. They urged the legislature to focus on upstream services, supported housing, and possible outpatient commitment tools so people can receive treatment before reaching crisis. The meeting ended with acknowledgment that additional reports and follow-up discussions are expected, including on residential treatment capacity and related behavioral health system reforms.

Transcript Highlights:

• And a lot of the complaints that I hear about care is that the clinicians in the institutions, as the
• Mexico, our fantasy was to build five to six primary care clinics with five to six primary care clinicians
• that on a kind of an internal risk basis because it would have come through the premium, and those clinicians
• But I just... ...premium, and those clinicians would have had the right working conditions.

Bills: SB21, SB42, SB81, SB101, SB139

Keywords: SB 21, Medicare supplement, Medigap, open enrollment, guaranteed issue, birthday month enrollment, health insurance, insurance regulation, senior health coverage, elderly, retiree, Medicare beneficiaries, preexisting conditions, underwriting restrictions, premium discrimination, New Mexico insurance law, superintendent of insurance, health care coverage, policy portability, healthcare

Transcript Highlights:

• The entire model is overseen by a licensed clinician.
• The entire model is overseen by a licensed clinician.
• The entire model is overseen by a licensed clinician.
• The entire model is overseen by a licensed clinician.
• The entire model is overseen by a licensed clinician.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 562, which would create a home damage mitigation and resilience grant program aimed at helping homeowners make property improvements that could reduce insurance costs and non-renewals. Commissioner DJ Bettencourt of the New Hampshire Insurance Department explained that the program is modeled in part on Alabama’s safer homes program, but tailored for New Hampshire hazards such as floods, microbursts, heavy snow, ice, and falling trees. He said the grants would be limited to primary residences, subject to a means test, capped at $10,000, and intended to help homeowners make targeted improvements such as roof fortification or tree removal that could improve underwriting outcomes and lead to premium discounts. Bettencourt said the program would not use state taxpayer funds and would instead rely on philanthropic donations, possible federal or regional housing-bank funding, and other outside sources. He said the department would not need new staff, and that a current position could be reconfigured to help administer the program part-time. Committee members asked about the funding language, the meaning of “loans” in the bill, whether there were any other states using a similar no-state-funds model, and how many homeowners could be helped. Bettencourt said Rhode Island and Connecticut were moving forward in a similar way, and that the number of beneficiaries would depend on how much money is raised. Members also questioned how the grant program would actually lower premiums, whether savings would apply only to participants or more broadly, and how the IBHS evaluation process would work. Bettencourt and department staff said the direct benefit would be to the homeowner whose property is improved, though neighbors could also benefit in some cases. They explained that IBHS is a building-safety organization that certifies contractors and inspectors and that its standards can qualify homes for insurer discounts. Questions were also raised about confidentiality provisions, first-come-first-served grant awards, rollover of unused applications, and possible tax treatment of donations. The sponsor said those details would be addressed through rulemaking or existing tax rules, and no vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants, also known as advanced practice clinicians
• practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants, also known as advanced practice clinicians
• modernizes California law by removing outdated restrictions that prevent trained advanced practice clinicians

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on May 13, 2026, and began by taking up a large consent calendar, moving a first group of bills to the floor consent calendar and a second group by due pass. The committee then heard and advanced a series of measures covering housing, public safety, health care, education, and local government issues. Among the bills discussed were AB 2641 on a sales tax exemption for pawnbroker redemptions, AB 2525 on a narrow Surplus Lands Act exemption for Mission Bay Park, AB 1732 and AB 2433 on student housing and the Affordable Homes Bonus Law, AB 2055 on boating safety and enforcement, AB 1579 on children’s crisis residential services, AB 2139 on a Surplus Lands Act amendment for an Inland Empire soccer project, AB 2041 on EMS reporting, AB 1973 on reproductive health scope for advanced practice clinicians, AB 1929 on health plan investment disclosures, AB 2700 on utility rates and wildfire victim compensation, AB 1809 on school job order contracting, SB 73 on election security, AB 2418 on commercial building permit timelines, AB 1970 on step therapy limits for serious mental illness and substance use treatment, AB 2361 on peer-to-peer vehicle-sharing liability, AB 1976 on bike and pedestrian project approvals, AB 2110 on tax increment financing for workforce housing, and AB 2146 on supportive housing documentation and vacancy rules. Testimony was generally supportive for the measures heard. Authors and sponsors emphasized consumer fairness, housing production, public safety, access to care, and administrative streamlining. Supporters included local governments, housing advocates, school districts, law enforcement groups, health care organizations, and affected individuals. AB 2700 drew especially extensive public testimony from wildfire survivors and local officials who urged stronger compensation for victims of PG&E-caused fires and relief from high utility costs. AB 2034 and AB 1790 were raised during public comment on bills not heard in committee, with several industry groups opposing AB 2034 and both supporters and opponents speaking on AB 1790’s Waters Edge issue. Most bills were reported out of committee on due pass motions, with several noted as amended or with members not voting on particular roll calls. The committee also read and approved a lengthy suspense calendar, then opened public comment on bills not presented that day before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need more trained clinicians focused on prevention, chronic disease, and whole-person care.
• As clinicians, we are already operating under DEA oversight, prescription drug monitoring programs, a
• As clinicians, we are already operating under DEA oversight, prescription drug monitoring programs, a

Summary: The Health Professions and Program Subcommittee met with a quorum and considered seven bills, all of which were reported favorably. HB 497 would create a neurofibromatosis research grant program within the Department of Health; an amendment removed automatic recurring funding and made the program subject to annual appropriations. Proponents described the disease burden and the need for Florida-based research support. The bill passed 14-0. The committee also approved HB 223, which creates a licensing and regulatory framework for naturopathic medicine, including a Board of Naturopathic Medicine under the Department of Health. Supporters argued licensure would improve patient safety, transparency, and access, while the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association and Florida Medical Association waived in opposition. The bill passed 15-0. HB 683 modernizes physician assistant and APRN prescribing rules by removing certain administrative notice and prescription-labeling requirements and allowing a 30-day course of psychotropic medication; an amendment removed language that would have allowed practice without physician supervision during declared emergencies. It passed 15-0. The committee then approved CS for HB 121, which updates Florida’s seizure action plan law by extending protections to charter school students, requiring schools to accept physician-submitted plans, clarifying training duration, expanding training to regular bus drivers, and requiring seizure-response posters in schools. HB 353 adds sickle cell disease education to existing pain-management continuing education for health professionals, prompted by extensive testimony from patients and advocates about bias, delayed treatment, and lack of provider knowledge; it passed 15-0. HB 1175 directs the Florida Building Commission and State Fire Marshal to develop updated safety design standards for office surgery suites, with an amendment delaying the effective date to January 1, 2027; it passed 14-0. Finally, HB 251 creates a public records exemption for current emergency physicians and their families, narrowed by amendment to current physicians and children up to age 26 and made subject to sunset review; it passed 15-0. The meeting adjourned after all agenda items were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is because we have a shortage of mental health clinicians authorized to do the 5150 holds.
• Health Care Access and Information, California faces nearly a 40% shortage of behavioral health clinicians
• At the same time, pathways for clinicians to become authorized 5150 evaluators vary significantly across
• SB 16 fixes this by requiring counties to develop clear training pathways for authorizing clinicians
• Furthermore, clinicians are not inherently better at doing 5150 holds.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is because we have a shortage of mental health clinicians authorized to do the 5150 holds.
• Health Care Access and Information, California faces nearly a 40% shortage of behavioral health clinicians
• At the same time, pathways for clinicians to become authorized 5150 evaluators vary significantly across
• SB 16 fixes this by requiring counties to develop clear training pathways for authorizing clinicians
• Furthermore, clinicians are not inherently better at doing 5150 holds.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills, beginning with SB 16, which would require county behavioral health directors to create clear pathways for clinicians to be authorized to initiate 5150 involuntary holds. The author and supporters argued the bill would reduce reliance on law enforcement and create more consistent crisis response standards statewide, while county behavioral health directors opposed it as an unfunded mandate that could increase law enforcement involvement and create implementation burdens. Members raised questions about county costs and funding, but the author emphasized the bill’s role in building a more clinical response system. SB 561 would require public guardians to acknowledge conservatorship referrals, make determinations within a reasonable time, and provide status updates on request. Supporters said the bill would reduce delays that leave vulnerable adults in limbo, while the opposition from public guardian representatives was removed after amendments. SB 381 drew extensive public testimony in support; it would allow California-born adoptees, and descendants of deceased adoptees, access to original birth certificates, with a nonbinding contact preference form for birth parents. Supporters framed the bill as a matter of dignity, identity, and health, and there was no formal opposition on the record. The committee also discussed SB 880, which would give tenants and prospective owner-occupants notice and a first opportunity to make an offer when institutional investors sell certain homes. Supporters said it would expand homeownership opportunities and preserve neighborhood stability, while opponents warned about conflicts with federal law, bundled-sale restrictions, and impacts on build-to-rent and affordable housing projects. Members and the author discussed possible amendments to address those concerns. SB 1238 would impose a duty of care and additional transparency requirements on HOA managers and boards; supporters said it would protect homeowners from mismanagement, while the main opposition argued the duty should remain contractual and could increase litigation. Finally, SB 423 would require disclosure of emergency-service records related to private detention facilities, and SB 28 would make changes to the CARE Court process, including a statewide ombudsperson and expanded oversight; both drew support and opposition, with concerns focused on transparency, privacy, implementation, and the balance between treatment and coercion. SB 574, discussed at the end, would require disclosure and human oversight for AI use in courts and legal practice and create a complaint process for ADR providers, with the State Bar noting requested amendments related to complaint handling and confidentiality.

Transcript Highlights:

• New Hampshire does not produce enough clinicians.
• </c> problem um because those clinicians problem um because those clinicians might<01:40:17.880><c> live
• </c> Recruitment and um 70% of the clinicians Recruitment and um 70% of the clinicians we've<01:46:50.280
• Since 1998, just under 64,000 clinicians have participated in our trainings.
• So it's one clinician to 65 patients, and it's one nurse to 150 patients.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a CPO, a certified prosthetic and orthotic clinician at Carrie Tingley Children's Hospital in Albuquerque
• One, it puts important safeguards in place to ensure an evaluation by a licensed clinician and only permits
• One, it puts important safeguards in place to ensure an evaluation by a licensed clinician and only permits
• The assurance that House Bill 38 provides is that both the clinician and supplier are bound by a code
• So it has to be deemed medically necessary by the physician and the clinician together to prove that.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As for the first part of your question, I would emphasize like the ability of of clinicians to, or I
• guess the training of clinicians in matters of DS. isolation, crisis intervention, establishing a therapeutic
• determined that this individual cannot. be left to their own devices that's part of you know my job as a clinician
• What this bill provides is an opportunity. for that person to be cared for primarily by a clinician who
• health facility for someone that may have gone voluntarily. initially, and the psychologist, the clinician

Bills: HB 3772, HB 1656, HB 4504, HB 1896, HB 4420, HB 4421, HB 4076, HB 3708, HB 2806, HB 3540, HB 1586, HB 5459, HB 4553, HB 4535, HB 3811, HB 3749, HB 4255, HB 4051, HB 5098, HB 3554, HB 4539, HB 5274

Keywords: e-cigarettes, health and safety, regulations, directory, penalties, regulation, certification, compliance, manufacturers, FDA, nicotine, mental health, emergency detention, paramedic authority, mental illness, healthcare facility, public health, covenants not to compete, health care practitioners, physicians

Transcript Highlights:

• providers that had taken on the caseload said that in the last five years the salary of a licensed clinician
• So if you don't have that staff person or that clinician on the line billing hours, then you're not pulling
• I've heard stories of providers actually losing some of their clinicians to schools.
• Of providers actually losing some of their clinicians to schools because we've got state dollars that
• are being used on one side to potentially hire clinicians away where we're providing state dollars on

Summary: The Health Care Budget Subcommittee held a panel discussion on Florida’s mental health and substance abuse system, with representatives from DCF, AHCA, two managing entities, and two providers describing how the state’s behavioral health network is funded and operated. Members focused on the implementation of prior legislative investments, especially the $50 million in recurring funding from Representative Maney’s bill and the earlier $126 million community behavioral health appropriation. Witnesses said the newer funds were used mainly for crisis beds, discharge planning, outpatient services, regional collaboratives, and a USF Marchman Act report, while the larger behavioral health appropriation supported CAT, FACT, FIT, forensic teams, residential and outpatient services, and crisis care, with most dollars going directly to services and only a small share to administration. A major theme was access to crisis care and the role of mobile response teams, 988, and central receiving facilities in diverting people from Baker Act admissions and reducing readmissions. DCF and providers said mobile response teams have expanded, are being used to de-escalate crises and connect people to care, and have shown strong diversion results and reductions in Baker Acts in some regions. Members also asked about waitlists, children in crisis, and how to handle people without housing or support; providers said discharge planning is individualized but often constrained by homelessness, transportation, and a lack of safe placements, and several witnesses identified housing as one of the biggest barriers to recovery and stability. The committee also examined provider sustainability, reimbursement, and funding gaps. Witnesses described delays caused by contract timing, cost allocation rules, and Medicaid reimbursement rates that do not always keep pace with labor and operating costs, especially for smaller providers and rural networks. DCF and AHCA said managing entities can provide advances, retroactive rate adjustments, and technical assistance, and that Medicaid managed care plans have network standards and complaint/dispute processes. Members raised concerns about a reported $7 million loss in federal non-sustainable funds, provider closures, and whether there is a formal ombudsman process for disputes; DCF said the federal reductions were known and tied to one-time funds, and that the department generally handles provider issues informally while working with managing entities to preserve continuity of care.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think throughout the state, there's a shortage of qualified clinicians.
• Um, so my starting Salary for my clinicians is $75,000 a year currently.
• Meaning if we're seeing a shortfall of clinicians here in the state of Florida, is there a partnership
• Because when we're talking about the deficit that we have in clinicians, we've got an immediate problem
• seeing—you had mentioned, you know, one of the worst things that could occur is where a physician, a clinician

Summary: The committee held its first meeting and received an overview of the Pre-K-12 education appropriations jurisdiction and base budget. Staff explained that education funding is driven largely by enrollment and per-student formulas, with most money coming from state and local sources. The presentation highlighted the major budget areas: early learning, the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP), non-FEFP K-12 programs, federal programs, and the State Board of Education. Members asked about instructional materials funding and how scholarship students who return to public schools are counted and funded; staff explained that instructional materials remain in the base and that funding depends on survey timing, with districts ultimately funded through the enrollment count process. The committee then reviewed federal IDEA funding for students with disabilities. Department of Education officials explained how IDEA Part B funds are split between state set-asides and local educational agencies, and noted that Florida ranked fourth nationally in total IDEA Part B funding and received a 95% state determination for meeting IDEA requirements. They also described the bureau’s responsibilities, including monitoring, dispute resolution, instructional support, and the Hope Florida unit for ages 3 to 5. Members asked for more information on student performance outcomes and how the state measures success beyond compliance, and the department agreed to provide follow-up data. The final major topic was the Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System (FDLRS), including associate centers, multidisciplinary centers, and specialized centers for deaf/hard of hearing and visually impaired students. Presenters described services such as child find, family support, assessments, professional learning, accessible instructional materials, and technical assistance. Committee members focused on whether families and schools have equal access to services across the state, how IEP disputes and reevaluations are handled, and whether more support is needed for parents, teachers, and rural districts. FDLRS representatives said they do not write IEPs but help connect families to districts, provide training and assessments, and support compliance and data collection; they also emphasized staffing and resource needs, especially for low-incidence disabilities and multilingual family outreach.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thankfully, the courts and clinicians agreed, and she was admitted to a state ATC hospital where she
• Thankfully, the courts and clinicians agreed, and she was admitted to a state ATC hospital where she
• Thankfully, the courts and clinicians agreed, and she was admitted to a state ATC hospital where she
• distance, so we would have access to the population center, the services that we need, and the clinicians
• and the Specialists that we clinicians and the Specialists that we need<00:37:02.920><c> for</c><00:

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee heard an overview from Department of Juvenile Justice Commissioner Randy White on the state’s juvenile detention network and several facility projects. He identified the currently operating detention centers as Boyd County for females, Breathitt County for low-risk males, Fayette County for high-risk males, Adair County for high-risk youth from Jefferson and surrounding counties, Warren County for high-risk males, and McCracken County for low-risk males. Members asked about capacity and staffing; White said Boyd County houses 33 and is usually near full, Breathitt County is about half full, Fayette County runs about 80-90% full, Campbell County’s operational limit is about 25 due to staffing, Adair County can hold 60 and has hit capacity several times this year, Warren County holds 43 and usually runs near capacity, and McCracken County holds 43 and is not currently full. He said staffing is generally harder in higher-risk facilities and in metropolitan areas because of wages and housing costs. White then updated the committee on the Louisville Detention Center downtown renovation and the Lyon facility project. For the Louisville downtown facility, he said schematic design and design development are complete, construction documents are expected by late February or early March, bids are anticipated in April, and completion is projected for March 2027. He explained the delay is due to extensive renovation work needed to bring the building up to current building, life-safety, ACA, and PREA standards, including security, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, food service, and roof work. The project is designed for 64 beds for high-risk Jefferson County boys, with the facility currently vacant and those youth being housed in Adair County and Campbell County. For the Lyon project, he said the contract was issued November 21, 2024, demolition is underway, completion is expected June 14, 2026, and the facility will have 34 beds in four pods for low-risk offenders; he said the project appears to be on time and on budget within the $4.5 million authorization. The committee also discussed the medical services contract. DJJ officials said they are reviewing whether to continue with the current state contract provider, Wellpath, or pursue an RFP, while retaining current merit staff and continuing oversight through four nurse program administrators. They said DJJ uses a state master agreement to staff nurses, APRNs, and the chief medical officer, and that the current contract is about $20 million per year. Members asked about Wellpath’s bankruptcy filing; officials said they were aware of it, asked questions, and were told it would not affect Kentucky service delivery or contracting, though they could not recall the bankruptcy type and offered to provide more detail later. They also said DJJ is working with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to become a Medicaid provider, and any future contractual partner will need to be a Medicaid provider. Finally, White described the proposed high-acuity juvenile mental health treatment facility. He said DJJ must accept court-ordered youth even when they have severe mental illness, but detention centers are not equipped to treat those youth and private psychiatric hospitals often refuse them or discharge them early. He argued that a dedicated secure treatment facility is needed for a small number of highly violent, high-need youth who require intensive psychiatric care and are disruptive in detention. The facility would provide behavioral and psychiatric treatment, reduce delays caused by lack of beds or outside placements, and serve youth determined by clinical assessment to need a secure treatment environment. No votes were taken during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants, also known as advanced practice clinicians
• practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants, also known as advanced practice clinicians
• modernizes California law by removing outdated restrictions that prevent trained advanced practice clinicians

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Without clear safeguards, those boundaries can be compromised in ways that put clinicians at real risk
• Retention is even harder if clinicians do not feel safe.
• preserves access to the complaint process and ensures oversight remains intact without exposing clinicians

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development heard several sunset and policy bills affecting state boards and professional practice. SB 1302 would extend the Board of Registered Nursing for four years and make operational changes such as streamlining renewals, updating simulation and school-approval standards, and allowing certain out-of-state nurse practitioner experience to count toward California recognition; nursing groups supported it, while the California Medical Association raised a concern about the out-of-state NP provision. SB 1303 would extend the Board of Naturopathic Medicine to 2031 and add a fictitious name permit program, term staggering, and other technical changes; it drew support from the board and naturopathic doctors, but the California Naturopathic Association opposed it unless amended to clarify the board’s jurisdiction. SB 1304 would extend the Respiratory Care Board to 2031 and revise respiratory care rules, including LVN practice in certain settings; it was supported by some providers and respiratory therapists, but hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and other groups opposed it unless amended to allow LVNs to perform basic respiratory tasks in more health care settings. SB 1363 would extend the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and update apprenticeship, licensure, and tribal exemption provisions, and SB 1368 would extend the speech-language pathology, audiology, and hearing aid dispensers board while adding a retired license category and continuing-education oversight changes; both were supported and had no opposition. All of these bills were voted out of committee, generally on a 10-0 basis after the committee later established quorum and took recorded votes. The committee also heard SB 865, which would create a California Music Festival Preservation Grant Program within the Office of Small Business Advocate to support large independent multi-day music festivals. The author and supporters argued that festivals like Aftershock and GoldenSky generate substantial tourism, hotel nights, jobs, and tax revenue, and that state support would help keep events in California rather than other states. Opposition focused on the use of public funds during a deficit year and questioned whether profitable festivals should receive a grant subsidy. The bill passed on a 9-1 vote, with Senator Choi opposed. Members also heard SB 1297, which would create regional wildfire public-private partnerships and a financing structure using local commitments, a revolving fund, and state-backed revenue bonds coordinated with iBank to fund wildfire mitigation projects. Supporters said the bill would help address the state’s large wildfire mitigation funding gap by leveraging public and private capital for home hardening, vegetation management, and other prevention work; questions centered on where bond repayment funds would come from, and the author said the bill was still a work in progress and not intended to cost the state. The bill passed unanimously. Finally, SB 993, presented on behalf of Senator Ochoa-Bogue, would restore privacy protections for mental health professionals in correctional and state hospital settings by limiting routine disclosure of identifying information while preserving a complaint process; testimony described safety concerns and staffing impacts, and the bill passed unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• So my clinician has had two, three, four fingerprints every year.
• </c><02:35:31.040><c> My</c><02:35:31.280><c> one</c> clinicians across the state.
• Thank you. >> Thank you. district for my clinician who's been district for my clinician who's been there
• </c> but for all school-based clinicians but for all school-based clinicians related<02:36:55.359><c>
• </c> New Hampshire that sends um clinicians New Hampshire that sends um clinicians all<02:38:28.160><

Keywords: 1189, house, all