Erin Chisuski — The chair calls Erin Chisuski as a witness to come forward after the current panel.
SB5911 — A witness urges the legislature to advance Senate Bill 5911 and explains that it would prevent the withholding of federal benefits from youth in extended foster care.
SB5940 — The witness urges the legislature to advance Senate Bill 5940, explaining that it would provide housing voucher support for young people experiencing homelessness.
Aaron Chisuski — The chair calls Aaron Chisuski as a forthcoming witness.
Michelle Thomas — Michelle Thomas is called forward as a forthcoming witness and then begins her testimony, identifying herself as Michelle Thomas with the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance and speaking in support of the bill.
Judy Ellis — Judy Ellis is called forward as a witness and then testifies in support of fully funding the governor’s budget for the right to counsel program. She explains that the program helped her defend against an unfair eviction and saved her home, and she continues describing its positive impact on her household and community.
Kat Lohman — Kat Lohman is called forward as a forthcoming witness and then testifies on behalf of Legal Counsel for Youth and Children, supporting funding for services for young people and families.
Aaron Chesuski — Speaks for Food Lifeline in support of funding to address HR1 impacts.
SB5998 — The speaker says they are addressing the human services section of SB 5998.
Jake Fey — The speaker refers to Chair Robinson as their elected official; likely Representative Jake Fey? However, 'Robinson' is not a listed member name, so this is uncertain and left as quoted text.
Jamie Bodden — Testified for the State Association of Local Public Health Officials in support of foundational public health services funding.
Len McComb — Testified for the Washington State Hospital Association and discussed the fiscal pressures on hospitals and health care.
Anna Nepomaceno — Testified for Northwest Harvest in support of maintaining food assistance funding.
Joe McDermott — Testified on behalf of King County about concerns over public health, behavioral health, and homelessness funding reductions.
Jeff DeLuca — Testified for the Washington State Community Action Partnership in support of new revenue and human services funding.
Sheila Morley — Sheila Morley of the Family Impact Network testified in opposition to Governor Ferguson's proposal to eliminate funding for the Child Welfare Network Administrator. She explained that the network helps ensure strong fiscal stewardship of child welfare funding through audits of service provider billing and warned against destabilizing child welfare services.
Kate Garvey — Kate Garvey, CEO of the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center (KSARC), introduces herself and continues her testimony by describing KSARC’s role in supporting survivors, noting that nearly half of those served are children and that the statewide network assists over 52,000 crime victims annually.
Jill May — Jill May, executive director of the Washington Association for Children and Families, testified that WACF represents community-based agencies across Washington that provide essential child welfare services for children and families.
Brad Forbes — Testified in support of continued investments for people living with Alzheimer's.
Chloe Gail — Chloe Gail is introduced and then testifies on behalf of Evergreen Treatment Services, opposing the proposed 10% reduction in funding for the LEAD and RNP programs.
Carolyn Sanders — Carolyn Sanders, speaking on behalf of PDA, testified against the governor's proposed budget, warning that it would further reduce funding for LEAD and Recovery Navigator programs by an additional 10%.
Noah Seidel — Noah Seidel, representing the Office of Developmental Disability Ombuds, testified in opposition to the governor's budget, explaining that it would reduce SOLA funding by cutting the expansion of state-operated living alternative beds from nine to three and eliminating community transition case management, along with SOLA administrative reductions.
Ladesa Croucher — Executive director of Resolution Washington; testified that the proposed 50% cut to dispute resolution centers would be devastating.
Karma Maddie Jackson — President and CEO of the Washington Healthcare Association; testified against the governor's budget and Medicaid cuts affecting seniors.
Alyssa Odegaard — With LeadingAge Washington; testified in opposition to the governor's budget and argued for equity across long-term care settings.
Ramona Hattendorf — Ramona Hattendorf, speaking with the Arc of King County, testified about threats to services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and opposed proposed eligibility changes that could reduce access to long-term care and related supports.
Max Mendez-Coffman — With the Long-Term Care Program Council at the Office of Civil Legal Aid; requested funding for legal counsel for long-term care.
John Lemus — Advocacy manager for At Work; asked the committee not to cut disability employment programs.
Melissa Derry — Right-to-counsel attorney from Yakima County; testified in support of maintaining the governor's budget and the RTC program.
Alex Modeler — Advocacy specialist for Trillium; testified that proposed eligibility changes for waiver services could harm employment supports.
David Wanda / David Wilder — Testified against proposed DDCS waiver-program changes, especially supported employment and community inclusion.
Jason Peterson — Jason Peterson is introduced as the next witness and then testifies about his background and independence. He says he has lived and worked in Washington, District 3, has lived independently throughout his adult life, graduated from college, and worked for 25 years while relying on care providers.
Tom McGarry — Tom McGarry, a right-to-counsel attorney with the Northwest Justice Project in Spokane, testifies in support of the governor’s supplemental operating budget for tenant right to counsel. He then responds to questions about his courtroom experience, noting that he has represented both landlords and tenants, and explains that in his practice tenancy reinstatements occur less than half the time.
Lauren Davis — A senator identified in the transcript as 'Senator Hanson' asks questions about court appearances and success rates in tenancy reinstatements; the exact member is uncertain because no Hanson is in the expected list.
Leche Leon — Introduced as the next witness, likely a mis-transcription of Li Chi Leong.
Li Chi Leong — Testified for Northwest Health Advocates in support of a budget protecting essential health care.
Allison Price — Director of Rural Resources Victim Services and Children's Advocacy Center; testified for sustained crime victim services funding.
Paul Waddington — Paul Waddington, administrator for Bainbridge Island Health and Rehab, testified that Medicaid cuts would harm nursing home residents and staff. He explained that reduced Medicaid funding would decrease access to care for vulnerable residents and negatively affect seniors, nurses, nursing aides, and other support staff at the facility.
Sam Mukashi — Sam Mukashi, administrator of Abimei Rehab of Issaquah, testified that a large share of residents rely on Medicaid and that Medicaid reimbursement is essential to sustaining caregiver wages, benefits, staffing stability, and continuity of care. He warned that current reimbursement rates are based on 2022 costs and are now roughly 25% below current labor expenses, urging preservation of Medicaid funding to support adequate staffing and resident care.
Mindy Bradley — Mindy Bradley, administrator at the Oaks of Lakewood skilled nursing facility in Lakewood, Washington, testified that the facility depends on Medicaid-funded support to maintain staffing and operations. She warned that Governor Ferguson’s proposed budget cuts would threaten those dollars, making it harder to hire and retain nurses and likely forcing greater reliance on staffing agencies. She emphasized that Medicaid reimbursement rates are already below current wage costs, noting she cannot hire an RN for less than $50 per hour, and urged preservation of the funding.
Joe Rudd — Introduced as the next speaker.
Joe Redd — Joe Redd, administrator of Alderman Park Health and Rehabilitation Center, testified that Governor Ferguson’s budget would freeze Medicaid rates at 2022 expense levels, which he said is untenable. He explained that Medicaid reimbursement covers only about 85% of the facility’s daily care costs, making it difficult to absorb rising wages and inflation and underscoring that current reimbursement levels do not cover the full cost of care for vulnerable elderly residents.
Tina Levesheff — Tina Levesheff, executive director of Village at the Harbor, testified that her organization is the only senior living community in San Juan County and warned that Governor Ferguson's Medicaid rate cuts would make it harder to serve low-income residents. She explained that reimbursement levels based on 2022 rates do not reflect current increases in labor, utilities, medical and nursing supplies, and other expenses, which would limit access to care and threaten the ability to maintain or expand services.
Ash Tippins — Ash Tippins of the Washington Low-Income Housing Alliance testified in support of contingency funding for housing programs, urging the state to provide $120 million for a contingency fund to help maintain housing continuity and stability for vulnerable populations and keep supportive housing programs open.
Lynn Kimball — Testified on behalf of the Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging in support of health home care coordination funding.
Sarah Dick Meyer — Introduced as the next speaker.
Sarah Dickmire — Testified in support of the budget on behalf of Plymouth Housing and described its permanent supportive housing and voucher programs.
Jane Pack — Testified as executive director of Snohomish County Legal Services in support of the Right to Counsel program.
Sean Latham — Testified as a self-advocate from the 2nd District and raised concerns about disability service eligibility changes.
Manuel Navarro — Testified as CEO of Columbia Valley Community Health and urged protection of the 340B program and Medicaid pharmacy benefit in managed care.