Social Services

Governor Dunleavy highlighted the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation's work addressing affordability, noting its Housing Stabilization Program has helped more than 1,900 households representing nearly 3,700 Alaskans achieve self-sufficiency. He also emphasized rural professional housing with 592 units completed and the growth of the Tribal Child Welfare Compact to include 167 Tribal governments. He proposed initiatives focused on child care, job training, and affordable housing for the upcoming building boom.

Governor Ivey highlighted foster care adoptions exceeding 6,000 and the CHOOSE Act education savings accounts supporting over 23,000 students. She announced Alabama would receive more than $203 million in first-year funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program to improve rural healthcare delivery, listing 11 initiatives to boost services.

Governor Hobbs launched a historic initiative to cancel medical debt, erasing $642 million for nearly half a million people without costing the state government. She proposed the Arizona Affordability Fund to help working-class families pay utility bills and weatherize homes, starting with a $20 million investment funded by a nightly fee on short-term rentals. She also announced a Housing Acceleration Fund leveraging public and private dollars to multiply affordable housing construction.

Governor Newsom highlighted extensive social service investments including a record $27,418 per student in education, nearly one billion school meals served, and support for 487,000 children in child care programs. He noted the state's low 6.4% uninsured rate, the CalRX program launching insulin at $11 a pen, and Homekey/Project Roomkey taking more than 72,000 people off the streets. He reported a 9% drop in unsheltered homelessness in 2025 and announced $1 billion to expand community schools.

Governor Polis celebrated free preschool and full-day kindergarten as signature achievements, noting 98% kindergarten enrollment and Colorado now ranking third nationally for preschool enrollment. He highlighted the Family Affordability Tax Credit cutting child poverty by 41%, giving Colorado the lowest childhood poverty rate nationally. He also noted the state's work on healthcare savings approaching $3 billion and six free behavioral health sessions for those under 18.

Governor Lamont described Connecticut as among the first states to backstop food support for working families after federal SNAP cuts, noting the state also covered most federal health insurance exchange cost increases. He highlighted growing the childcare endowment toward universal early childhood education, expanding the earned income tax credit to about $1,000, and proposing free school breakfasts for all students. He maintained a $313 million reserve to backfill unanticipated federal cuts.

Governor Meyer announced a nearly $50 million investment in early childhood education and highlighted the Lieutenant Governor's leadership on building stronger family support systems. He addressed housing shortages of nearly 20,000 affordable units statewide and proposed streamlining permitting to make Delaware the most efficient state for building affordable housing. He also mentioned plans for HOPE Center counterparts in Kent and Sussex Counties for vulnerable populations.

Governor Kemp announced a $325 million investment in the DREAMS Scholarship program, the first need-based scholarship in Georgia history, to complement the HOPE Scholarship. He proposed a one-time $1 billion tax rebate and highlighted fully funding QBE education seven times. He also noted the GRACE Commission's work on anti-human trafficking, with over 70 convictions and 200 children rescued through the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.

Governor Green detailed one of the most comprehensive social services agendas, including universal free childcare from birth to age 12 (the first state to offer this), expanded SNAP matching programs, and the Sun Bucks summer food benefit. He committed $50 million annually for kauhale villages to reduce homelessness and reported a 76% reduction in healthcare costs for formerly homeless individuals placed in housing. He also proposed $16.5 million to cover ACA tax credits to maintain affordable health coverage.

Governor Reynolds highlighted Iowa's Healthy Hometowns initiative, which received $209 million in federal Rural Health Transformation funding, with over $50 million specifically for cancer prevention and screening. She announced Iowa was among the first states to refocus SNAP and Summer EBT on nutritious foods, removing candy, sweets, and soft drinks from covered items. She proposed legislation to maintain this nutrition-first focus and remove artificial food dyes from school lunch programs.

Governor Little praised Idaho as one of the first states to get a waiver banning pop and energy drinks from SNAP and the first to require able-bodied adults to work before accessing welfare. He highlighted nearly $1 billion in federal rural healthcare funding over five years and maintained that K-12 school funding would be protected from budget cuts despite revenue challenges.

Governor Braun highlighted finding $465 million in Medicaid savings through cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse, and supported work requirements for Medicaid recipients. He expressed interest in investing in lowering child care costs, suggesting a program where businesses have "skin in the game." He supported Senate Bill 1 codifying Medicaid responsibility measures and noted overdose deaths dropped over 60%.

Governor Kelly highlighted creating the Office of Early Childhood, blending 20 programs into one single point of contact. She noted a partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield for a 160-slot child care facility near the Capitol. She proposed funding to allow students on reduced-price meals to move to free meals and included budget funding to increase mental health services, including a new state psychiatric hospital and renovated facilities for substance abuse treatment.

Governor Beshear proposed a game-changing $150 million investment in Kentucky's Affordable Housing Trust Fund, projected to create $1 billion in new housing combined with private funding. He highlighted expanding Medicaid dental, vision, and hearing coverage reaching 284,556 Kentuckians, three straight years of declining overdose deaths, and proposed Pre-K for All as his top legislative priority, projecting it would boost parents' earnings by $9,000 per year. He also proposed $50 million for food banks and $75 million for utility bill assistance.

Governor Healey described extensive social service protections against federal cuts, including backstopping SNAP benefits, covering health insurance premium increases for 270,000 families, and replacing Planned Parenthood funding. She announced expanding a $25,000 down payment assistance program for first-time homebuyers, proposed banning medical debt from credit reports, and highlighted eliminating prior authorization requirements from insurance companies for medical care.

Governor Moore announced filling the $40 million SNAP funding gap created by federal cuts, proposed $14 billion for the state's Medicaid program serving 1.4 million Marylanders, and highlighted expanding child care access by 70% to support over 41,000 children. He also proposed $100 million in additional energy rebates and announced the Citizenship Maryland program to help 150,000 eligible residents obtain citizenship.

Governor Mills proposed $300 Affordability Relief checks for an estimated 725,000 Maine residents and a $70 million 'American Dream' housing proposal to build 825 new homes. She highlighted expanding Medicaid to cover 230,000 people, proposed $2.25 million to replace federal cuts to Planned Parenthood and Maine Family Planning, and called for making community college permanently free. She noted that federal healthcare cuts could cause 33,000 Mainers to lose healthcare access.

Governor Lujan Grisham requested a $160 million recurring increase for universal child care, building on New Mexico's status as the first state to constitutionally guarantee child care as a right. She noted 10,000 additional children enrolled since announcing universal childcare in November and highlighted that New Mexico offers free childcare from birth to age 12, free school lunches, and free college. She also proposed $110 million for housing units and homelessness initiatives.

Governor Hochul outlined a comprehensive path to Universal Child Care, including Universal Pre-K for all 4-year-olds by 2028, piloting community-wide care for newborns to 3-year-olds, and expanding the Child Care Assistance Program to offer care at no more than $15 per week. She fully funded New York City's Universal 2-Care program and committed to protecting healthcare for 1.3 million New Yorkers from federal cuts. She also proposed $250 million for affordable housing and $100 million for manufactured housing.

Governor Pillen highlighted the Department of Health and Human Services achieving $141 million in net savings and returning $30 million to taxpayers by cutting off ineligible Medicaid recipients collecting benefits from other states. He praised being the first state to ban pop and energy drinks from SNAP and the first to require work before welfare access under the 'One Big Beautiful Bill.' He emphasized running government like a business to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse.

Governor Ayotte highlighted fully funding the developmental disability waitlist, protecting Medicaid eligibility at New England-leading levels, and launching the GO-NORTH initiative for rural healthcare. She noted the state preserved funding for 988 crisis services and recovery programs. She also emphasized the need for more affordable child care, suggesting tax credits for companies investing in childcare for their workforce.

Governor Stitt called for sending a question to voters that would allow adjustments to Medicaid expansion, noting that Medicaid is projected to consume 37% of the annual budget ($6 billion) within 10 years. He issued an executive order ramping up work requirements for Medicaid, SNAP, and other federal welfare benefits, framing government programs as a 'trampoline, not a hammock.' He also proposed using existing funds to add $250 to Trump Accounts for every Oklahoma child born this year.

Governor Shapiro proposed a $100 million Federal Response Fund to mitigate future federal actions threatening services Pennsylvanians rely on. He highlighted violence prevention investments totaling $97 million through the Commission on Crime and Delinquency, including afterschool programs and community-based violence intervention. He also proposed $30 million in competitive grants for fire company infrastructure upgrades.

Governor McKee proposed Rhode Island's first permanent child tax credit at $325 per child, doubled the state grant to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, and added funding to Planned Parenthood in response to federal cuts. He created a $9.5 million Marketplace Affordability program to support 20,000 residents at risk of losing HealthSource RI coverage. He also proposed investing $10 million in hospital support and $20 million for Medicaid compliance to help recipients stay insured.

Governor McMaster highlighted the statewide expansion of full-day 4K education, with enrollment increasing 30% to 18,411 students since expansion, and urged moving toward universal 4K regardless of household income. He detailed the Education Scholarship Trust Fund providing K-12 scholarships for low-income parents and noted the state's mental health system restructuring, consolidating multiple agencies into a new Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.

Governor Rhoden highlighted $189 million in federal Rural Health Transformation funding as a major win, focusing on workforce development, telehealth, community health workers, and behavioral health integration. He emphasized that the plan would not create unsustainable programs but would focus on 21st-century solutions. He also noted the state's SUNBucks summer feeding program for children.

Governor Lee announced $80 million in grants to accelerate public safety momentum in Memphis and highlighted rural healthcare transformation with over $1 billion in federal funding over five years. He called for scope of practice reforms and Certificate of Need reform to expand healthcare access in rural communities, noting that since 2000, Certificate of Need laws have turned away nearly $1.5 billion in healthcare investment.

Governor Ferguson proposed a one-time $200 utility bill credit for 125,000 families, $33 million to expand the State Home Energy Assistance Program, and highlighted a partnership with the Ballmer Group providing up to $1 billion for free early learning programs adding 10,000 childcare spots. He proposed the largest-ever supplemental budget housing investment of $244 million and announced efforts to protect residents from the impacts of federal ICE actions.

Governor Evers highlighted securing $360 million for child care in bipartisan budget negotiations, including the new 'Get Kids Ready' program projected to serve 24,000 four-year-olds. He noted $10 million for food security and $30 million for school mental health resources during the 'Year of the Kid.' He expressed concern about 270,000 Wisconsinites losing healthcare due to the federal 'Big Beautiful Bill' and warned of potential hundreds of millions in FoodShare penalty fees if the legislature didn't fund quality control efforts.

Governor Morrisey highlighted $199 million in federal Rural Health Transformation funding and proposed the 'Bring Them Home Fund' with $6 million to rehabilitate state facilities for foster children currently placed out of state, projecting tens of millions in savings. He noted a nearly 40% decline in drug overdose deaths and emphasized the HOPE scholarship as fully funded in the baseline budget.

Governor Gordon asked the legislature to restore funding for the SUNBucks summer feeding program, asking 'What kind of people are we if we won't feed our kids?' He highlighted the First Lady's Hunger Initiative including Food from the Farm and Ranch and Grow a Little Extra programs. He recommended increased Medicaid funding for OB services, behavioral health, and in-home health providers, and noted federal Rural Health Transformation funding acceptance focused on obstetric care and EMS.

Governor Armstrong dedicated the entire special session address to the $199 million federal Rural Health Transformation Program award. The plan focuses on four pillars: promoting wellness through nutrition and exercise ('Make North Dakota Healthy Again'), strengthening rural healthcare workforce, expanding telehealth and mobile clinics, and connecting technology and data. He emphasized the funding would not be used for new buildings or unsustainable programs.

Governor Abigail Spanberger outlined plans to tackle healthcare access including cracking down on drug price middlemen and preventing spiraling medical debt. She pledged to work on lowering energy costs and housing affordability through cutting red tape and increasing supply. She also committed to addressing the mental health crisis and supporting immigrants, stating that 'hardworking, law-abiding immigrant neighbors' would be included in safety and security efforts.