Melissa Wintrow — Senator Winchro is mentioned in the context of a call and the ongoing discussion, with staff responding to a question about sales tax exemptions and later thanking him for the call. The name appears to be uncertain or possibly a transcription error, but the references are part of the same exchange.
Melissa Wintrow — Senator Wintrow is referenced in a discussion about personnel vacancies and vacancy rates, including questions about what the vacancy figures encompass and how they relate to staffing, refillment, and hiring freeze conditions. The exchange continues with an explanation aimed at keeping the response brief, followed by a closing check on whether Senator Wintrow is satisfied with the explanation.
Josh Tanner — Called in the roll call as 'Representative Tanner.'
James Petzke — Likely the member being called as 'Petsky'; responded 'Here.'
Dustin Manwaring — Called in the roll call and responded 'Here.'
Brandon Mitchell — Called in the roll call.
Brandon Mitchell — Representative Mitchell is part of a continuous discussion about rural health transformation funding and related legislative coordination. The exchange includes Mitchell being addressed as co-chair, noting discussions with House health and welfare leadership about putting together a bill, and then asking whether a requested report had been received and if a copy could be provided. The chair and Ms. Williamson respond within the same flow, keeping the conversation centered on the same issue.
Chris Bruce — Called in the roll call.
Chris Bruce — Representative Bruce is recognized to ask about the rural definition and where the funds will be allocated.
Chris Bruce — Representative Price asks how removing 58 full-time positions results in a $524,000 increase.
Chris Bruce — Representative Price is addressed as the discussion continues about whether the transfer is an increase or a one-time cost.
Chris Bruce — Representative Price asks whether Health and Welfare is paying for employees moving to ITS.
Chris Bruce — Representative Price asks whether the positions will move into ITS's budget instead of Health and Welfare's budget.
Chris Bruce — Representative Price says the explanation is still confusing and asks why the item is ongoing and why it appears in Health and Welfare's budget if it is moving to IT.
Chris Bruce — Representative Price asks whether the positions will become part of ITS's budget instead of Health and Welfare's budget.
Chris Bruce — Representative Price says the explanation is still confusing and asks why the item is ongoing and why it appears in Health and Welfare's budget if it is moving to IT.
Chris Bruce — Representative Bruce is recognized again and raises a question about bathroom upgrades to gender-neutral bathrooms.
Chris Bruce — Representative Bruce asks whether budget money was spent to upgrade bathrooms to gender-neutral bathrooms.
Kyle Harris — Called in the roll call.
Brooke Green — Called in the roll call.
Mr. Lowe — Was invited to begin and identify himself for the record; likely the witness or presenter, but the exact name is uncertain.
Ms. Williamson — Chair noted she has health issues and may need time to get ready before proceeding.
Ms. Williamson — The committee transitions to Ms. Williamson after the website demonstration, noting that she will be ready next and then calling her up to present. Members acknowledge her work and ask her to identify herself for the record, while also explaining that Health and Welfare was chosen for the first budget presentation and reassuring her that the committee is only beginning budget hearings and is not voting the next day.
Ms. Williamson — Ms. Williamson is invited to continue with the next presentation on indirect support services.
Mr. Lojad — Referenced as the point after which the committee may take a break; name is uncertain.
Christopher LaHosette — Identified himself as a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office.
Phil Hart — Asked whether continuously appropriated funds are reflected on the diagram.
Mark Harris — Asked for the sum total of continuously appropriated funds.
Mark Harris — Asked about sales tax exemptions and the size of the bucket if exemptions were removed.
Mark Harris — Representative Harris was addressed during a question-and-answer exchange about personnel cost usage, specifically what happens to unused personnel funds.
Jordan Redman — Representative Harris was called on and asked how federal dollars, including COVID money and other funds with restrictions, would fit into the proposed bucket/chart. Staff responded that federal dollars are not part of this chart.
Jordan Redman — The transcript says 'Representative Harris,' but the expected member list does not include a Representative Harris by that exact name in this context; likely a misrecognition. The speaker is asking about subgrants and the Medicaid discussion next week.
Jordan Redman — Representative Harris responded after the report question by asking for clarification on the governor's recommendation slide and replacement items, specifically asking what 'LED' means.
Steven Tanner — Representative Tanner pressed on the status of cash balance reconciliation, asking whether balances are reconciling with the bank, whether the committee can actually view the balances or is still guessing, and whether the process is now taking days rather than being near-daily. He also raised concerns that cash counts and transfers may not be accurate or balancing properly, and followed up on whether interest earnings and other past allocations from the chaotic 2024 period were correctly reconciled into the right accounts or whether uncertainty remains.
Steven Tanner — Representative Steven Tanner is invited to comment and asks about prior behavioral health FTP moves, specifically whether positions will be reverted and refilled in other areas. He is then identified as the member receiving the response.
Mike Moyle — Referenced as having discussed structural balance earlier in the week.
Alex Williamson — Identifies herself as a Budget and Policy Analyst with Legislative Services and introduces the budget hearing process.
Alex Williamson — Alex Williamson identifies himself as a budget and policy analyst with Legislative Services and introduces the indirect support services budget hearing.
Alison Rabe — Members discussed the Department of Health and Welfare budget materials. Ms. Williamson was thanked for the presentation and asked about the budget book, with a note that detailed Medicaid discussion would come next week. The conversation then continued with a request for a list of subgrants paid out through Health and Welfare, and Ms. Williamson said she could work with the department to provide the requested list and explained that the federal funds inventory list was part of that broader information.
Heather Scott — In the committee discussion, Heather Scott is addressed as Ms. Williamson while the speaker references copying and distributing hundreds of pages of emails to everyone’s desks. The exchange continues with Ms. Williamson being invited to proceed, and then she acknowledges the request and indicates she will make sure the information is provided.
Jeff Cornilles — Representative Harris asks for a list of grant money being paid out and the purposes of those grants, and the chair responds that the requested information will be provided.
Michael Pearson — Introduces himself as Deputy Director of Operations for Health and Welfare and explains that Director Sharon is absent due to a personal matter.
Michael Pearson — Michael Pearson identified himself as the Deputy Director of Operations for the Department of Health and Welfare. He explained that the department has not yet used AI for the Rural Health Transformation Grant and is approaching any future use carefully in coordination with ITS, data, and privacy protections. He then began describing how part of the request for 12 FTP positions is based on past experience and known administrative needs.
Mayor Nutzworth — Introduced as the Deputy Director of Health and Human Services.
Misty Lawrence — Misty Lawrence, the Department of Health and Welfare’s Chief Financial Officer, explains the department’s review of positions and funding alignment. She says the department examined all positions and available funding, made FTP transfers to match spending authority, and identified major misalignments such as at State Hospital South. She discusses requests tied to Medicaid work requirements, notes that 30.87 positions were reverted and will be restored in the budget, and says about $5.6 million in federal fund personnel spending authority is being reverted. She adds that the department will always have some vacancies but is actively working to fill all funded positions, and clarifies that 58 one-time positions from the prior year are also being reverted.
Ben Adams — The speaker refers to Director Adams, likely Senator Ben Adams, in connection with prior presentation and foster care ratios. The title 'Director' appears to be a transcription error.
Ben Adams — The speaker again references Director Adams in discussing prior foster care ratio progress and whether the effort is continuing.