Health & Welfare committee directs plan to accelerate HEART rollout, reviews shelter funding reallocations

At a meeting of the Health & Welfare Committee, members reviewed revised bill language that would require the department to deliver a written plan by Nov. 1, 2025, to accelerate implementation of the HEART program and considered changes to how appropriated funds would be redirected to community providers and shelters.

The new section would "direct the department to bring a plan that would accelerate the implementation of HEART before the 07/01/2026 date," and would submit that plan as part of the fiscal year 2026 budget adjustment process for legislative committees to review, staff said. "On or before Nov. 1, 2025, the department shall submit for consideration a detailed written plan to accelerate implementation of the program as part of the fiscal year 26 budget adjustment process to the Joint Fiscal Committee,…