Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:20:33.200><c> of</c><00:20:33.360><c> the</c><00:20:33.600><c> 22</c> and transfer the claims
• Did I understand your testimony correctly that do you believe that any product liability claim right
• Did I understand your testimony correctly that do you believe that any product liability claim right
• Nobody has made that claim.
• Nobody has made that claim.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• But it has never granted immunity to political systems, especially those that claim authority above the
• We are so fortunate that we have never seen a claim in the program's Seen a claim in the program's entire
• update its charter to protect taxpayers in the Charter to protect taxpayers in the event of future claims
• has passed, quirks in TRIA have appeared that make it harder for those policyholders to get their claims
• reforms to the postevent process to make sure... ...to make sure that policyholders can get their claims

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Clerk, House Bill 456 by Representative Chenevert, relative to workers' compensation claims for
• to file disputed claims.
• claims.
• Workers' compensation courts have original jurisdiction over workers' compensation claims.
• It's no longer in— Jurisdiction over workers' compensation claims.

Bills: HR244 , HR245 , HR246 , HR247 , HR248 , HR249 , HR250 , HR251 , HCR101 , HCR102 , HR223 , HR224 , HR225 , HR226 , HR227 , HR229 , HR230 , HR231 , HR232 , HR234 , HR235 , HR236 , HR237 , HR238 , HR239 , HR240 , HR241 , HR242 , HR243 , HCR94 , HCR95 , HCR96 , HCR97 , HCR98 , HCR99 , HCR100 , SCR31 , SCR33 , SCR35 , SCR37 , SCR56 , SCR57 , SB171 , SB251 , SB252 , SB353 , SB367 , SB433 , SB461 , HR170 , HR191 , HR206 , HR207 , HR208 , HR217 , HCR11 , HCR53 , HCR60 , HCR66 , HCR68 , HB66 , HB153 , HB165 , HB326 , HB387 , HB454 , HB455 , HB484 , HB513 , HB603 , HB660 , HB719 , HB762 , HB766 , HB793 , HB802 , HB816 , HB833 , HB940 , HB947 , HB950 , HB975 , HB1028 , HB1039 , HB1051 , HB1053 , HB1080 , HB1201 , HB1215 , HB1228 , HB1251 , HB1252 , SCR2 , SB26 , SB28 , SB29 , SB30 , SB41 , SB44 , SB64 , SB84 , SB87 , SB93 , SB98 , SB107 , SB118 , SB142 , SB192 , SB195 , SB199 , SB219 , SB222 , SB234 , SB241 , SB255 , SB275 , SB277 , SB292 , SB294 , SB306 , SB314 , SB482 , SB233 , SB326 , HR171 , HCR49 , HCR65 , HCR72 , HR37 , HCR64 , SCR19 , SCR3 , SCR6 , SCR18 , SCR11 , SCR22 , HB64 , HB68 , HB92 , HB130 , HB258 , HB633 , HB801 , HB89 , HB341 , HB451 , HB456 , HB579 , HB595 , HB621 , HB818 , HB841 , HB1064 , HB1101 , HB1191 , SB47 , SB82 , SB106 , SB206 , SB210 , SB248 , SB305 , SB376 , SB397 , SB441 , SB2 , SB19 , SB24 , SB50 , SB70 , SB96 , SB101 , SB103 , SB104 , SB114 , SB122 , SB159 , SB160 , SB173 , SB180 , SB182 , SB260 , SB412 , SB418 , SB424 , SB442 , SB460 , SB476 , SB1 , SB23 , SB32 , SB42 , SB43 , SB46 , SB51 , SB110 , SB113 , SB150 , SB154 , SB161 , SB218 , SB220 , SB221 , SB253 , SB289 , SB310 , SB351 , SB399 , SB404 , SB502 , HCR32 , HB955 , HB284 , HB617 , HB730 , HB926 , HB1125 , HB1194 , HB1203 , HB798 , HB998 , HB1084 , HB1223 , HB646 , HB824 , HB901 , HB79 , HR20 , HR74 , HB59 , HB306 , HB366 , HB393 , HB458 , HB577 , HB582 , HB605 , HB614 , HB682 , HB733 , HB752 , HB773 , HB911 , HB996 , HB1035 , HB1069 , HB1113 , HB1140 , HB1180 , HB1234 , HB1240 , SB89 , SB68 , SB149

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, heard a prayer from Pastor Neil Bernard of New Wine Christian Center, and recognized a number of visiting groups and observances, including AMI Kids, Mother’s Day, the Hungarian Settlement Cultural Association, Pro-Life Day at the Capitol, the American Cancer Society and Cancer Action Network, Municipal Day for the Louisiana Municipal Association, Recreation and Parks Association Day, St. John Day, Hoopla basketball activities, Main Street program participants, Leadership North Shore, the Lack of Seeing High School basketball team, Literacy Champion recognition, Orleans Parish Sheriff Michelle Woodford, and LACE Day for chamber executives. Majority Leader Steve Scalise also addressed the chamber, praising recent economic investment in Louisiana, coastal restoration funding, and the state’s improved national reputation. The House received Senate messages and Legislative Bureau reports on numerous Senate bills, many of which were referred to committee or laid over, and several House and Senate resolutions were introduced or adopted, largely commemorative or study-related measures. The chamber then took up several House bills in regular order. HB 89, concerning district attorney retiree health insurance coverage in the Third Judicial District, was amended and passed 87-5. HB 451, dealing with ATC notice procedures, passed 98-0 after technical amendments. HB 456, revising workers’ compensation petition requirements and allowing employers broader access to disputed claims, drew extended debate over whether it would burden injured workers; it passed 67-30. HB 579, expanding the Sexual Assault Survivor Bill of Rights and related confidentiality and complaint provisions, passed 98-0. HB 595, requiring local authorities to respond timely to permit-related matters affecting natural resource development, passed 92-3. HB 621, requiring recycling of decommissioned renewable energy components and updating waste rules, passed 99-0. HB 818, requiring school systems to publish annual assessment schedules and related testing information, passed 98-0. Additional bills considered included HB 841, creating a code of conduct for landmen negotiating pipeline easements and authorizing penalties for bad-faith conduct, which passed 98-0; HB 1060, establishing a two-year domestic violence intervention court pilot program in the 19th Judicial District with coordinated services and data collection, which passed 86-13; and HB 1101, a workers’ compensation measure defining maximum medical improvement, adjusting benefit durations, and addressing misrepresentation and fraud, which was under debate at the end of the excerpt. Throughout the floor session, members repeatedly emphasized that the bills were intended to clarify procedures, improve transparency, or address public safety and economic development, while opponents of some measures raised concerns about added burdens on workers or injured claimants.

Transcript Highlights:

• is just uh applicator if the claim is just uh caused<00:24:31.440><c> by</c><00:24:31.600><c> snow</
• </c><00:29:57.600><c> Um,</c><00:29:57.840><c> it</c> defense to the plaintiff's claim.
• Um, it defense to the plaintiff's claim.
• </c><00:30:21.039><c> Um</c><00:30:21.360><c> and</c><00:30:21.760><c> no</c><00:30:22.000><c> claim<
• Um and no claim because the to recover.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, I never claimed it was a burden. You asked me why it was so important.
• I never made that claim. Representative Livingston: Okay. It's not a regulation? What is it?
• Chair, I never claimed it was a burden. You asked me why it was so important.
• I never made that claim. Okay. It's not a regulation. Mr.
• I never made that claim. Okay, it's not a regulation? What is it? Mr.

Committee: House House Education Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 2266, which would change school release-time policy for religious instruction from permissive to mandatory for school districts and charter governing bodies. The sponsor and supporters said the bill protects parental choice, religious liberty, and constitutional release-time programs, while opponents argued it would reduce local control, pull students from instructional time, and expose schools to constitutional and social harms. After public testimony and debate over liability, indoctrination, and academic impact, the committee voted 7-5 to give HB 2266 a due pass recommendation. The committee then took up House Bill 2193, a cleanup measure related to student directory information and parent organizations. The bill would allow parents of enrolled students or representatives of nonprofit organizations supporting a school to receive directory information unless a parent or eligible student opts out. Supporters from PTO/PTA groups said the change is needed so parent organizations can continue communicating with families and building school community, while members raised concerns about whether the language should be narrowed to avoid political or other misuse of student data. The sponsor said he was open to an amendment, and the committee approved HB 2193 on a 10-1 vote, with one member present. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2075, which would require public school districts to submit superintendent and other top administrator contracts or attestations to ADE and create a searchable online database of compensation details, including salary, benefits, and car allowances. The sponsor described it as a transparency measure, and the committee discussed an amendment to add more specific filing deadlines and the online database requirement. Opponents from school administrators and rural districts argued that superintendent salaries are already public, that the bill should also apply to charter and private schools receiving public funds, and that it could add burdens or distort comparisons across different public-sector labor markets. Supporters said the bill would make total compensation easier to access and reduce public records requests. The sponsor closed by saying the bill would centralize compensation information and simplify disclosure for districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• that were made to fraudulent the claims that were made to uh<00:13:46.480><c> uh</c><00:13:47.519><c
• Did you look into whether there was any abuse of claiming the 4-hour bonus but only working five minutes
• , or claiming the 8 hours but only working 4 hours and 5 minutes?
• </c><00:14:53.920><c> abuse</c><00:14:55.040><c> of</c><00:14:56.480><c> uh</c><00:14:57.360><c> claiming
• </c><00:14:57.839><c> the</c> was there any abuse of uh claiming the was there any abuse of uh claiming

Transcript Highlights:

• But again, a lot of those are people who never claimed to be a voter.
• We cannot claim that this bill will do anything to prevent non-eligible people from voting because it
• I take issue with the claim that updating your documents is easy.
• Someone has claimed that it's free to get an EID, and it may be free to receive it, but it does cost
• Someone has claimed that it's free to get an EID, and it may be free to receive it, but it does cost

Bills: HB1968 , HB2279 , HB2739 , HB2803 , HB3909 , HB3918 , HB4253 , HB4475 , HB5115 , HB5430

Committee: House Elections

Summary: The committee first voted out two previously heard Senate bills without amendment: SB 688, relating to the date of the meeting of presidential electors, and SB 914, relating to authorizing certain cities to change the date of their general election for officers. Both motions passed on 8-0 votes with one member absent. The committee then heard HB 3909, which would change the current prohibition on wireless device use from a 100-foot boundary around a voting station to only inside the room where voting is taking place, with a committee substitute also adding state-prescribed signage. The author and supporters said the change would reduce confusion and make enforcement easier for election workers, while opponents argued the existing 100-foot rule helps prevent electioneering, recording, and possible technical interference with election equipment. The bill was left pending. Members also heard HB 1968, which would repeal a provision that requires counties to provide election services to certain political subdivisions in odd-numbered years but not even-numbered years, making county-provided election services consistent across years. Supporters said it would improve consistency for smaller cities and school districts, while opponents warned it could strain county equipment and staffing during heavy election cycles. The bill was left pending. HB 2279 would require voter registrars to remove a person from the rolls if the person swears under oath during jury service that they are not a U.S. citizen; supporters said this would streamline removal of ineligible voters, while opponents raised concerns about mistaken identity and loss of due process. The bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard HB 2803, which would require a presiding judge to give a poll watcher a signed statement explaining any removal from service. Supporters said this would improve documentation and accountability, and one witness asked for clarification that improper removal would remain a criminal offense; the author said he would consider a floor amendment and further discussion. The committee also heard HB 4253, which would create a more uniform voter-roll maintenance process based on inactivity, sending confirmation notices to voters who have not voted in the prior 25 months and eventually removing those who do not respond after multiple election cycles. Supporters said it would clean up outdated records and help keep voters registered where they actually live, while opponents argued it could wrongly remove eligible voters who simply do not vote regularly. HB 4253 was left pending as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 96 is a local settled claims bill on behalf of the victim, Jacob Rogers, for $10,800,000,
• It is a settled claims bill, and we ask for your support. Thank you.
• The claim, Senators, is in the amount of $2.491-364 million. That is the bill. Thank you.
• The claim, Senators, is in the amount of $2,491,364 million. That is the bill. Thank you.
• The balance of the award is only recoverable upon our enactment of a claims bill.

Summary: The committee first took up CS/SB 1730, a Live Local Act bill on affordable housing. The sponsor described it as a set of technical and policy adjustments to strengthen implementation, including changes to zoning, height, parking, moratoriums, attorney fees, and related land-use rules. An amendment by Senator Claudio was adopted, adding provisions such as a 10-story height limit near single-family neighborhoods, exclusions for certain protected areas, and changes to fee and use definitions. The committee then reported the bill favorably. Members next considered CS/SB 1674 on unrated bonds for Israel bonds, with a clarifying amendment adopted to make clear the bill applied only to Israel bonds. CS/SB 140 on charter schools was also approved after debate over parent-led conversion of public schools, municipal job-engine charter schools, and surplus school property; opponents warned about local control and impacts on teachers and communities, while the sponsor said the bill preserved district authority and created new school-choice and economic-development options. The committee also passed SB 96, a claims bill for Jacob Rogers, and CS/SB 954 on recovery residences, after strike-all amendments that addressed zoning, ADA concerns, bed caps, staffing ratios, and limits on operation in certain multifamily settings. Senators expressed support for expanding treatment housing but also raised neighborhood and staffing concerns. The committee then approved CS/SB 1714 on local housing assistance plans, which would allow SHIP funds for limited lot-rental assistance for mobile-home owners and require local plans to address mobile-home park closures. SB 658 on standardized construction lien release forms was reported favorably despite testimony from contractors and lawyers warning about possible effects on lien rights and the separate House proposal. The committee also reconsidered and then approved CS/SB 482 after a late-filed amendment addressing local government art fees and a key issue over defining “extraordinary circumstances,” with counties and cities saying more work remained. Finally, the committee passed SB 24 and CS/SB 4, both local claims bills, CS/SB 712 on synthetic turf and related construction rules, SB 952 repealing the emergency firearms/ammunition restriction, CS/SB 1164 allowing email notice delivery in landlord-tenant matters with opt-in safeguards, and SB 202 on municipal water and sewer rates, which drew extensive opposition from North Miami Beach and Miami Gardens officials over utility surcharges and revenue impacts. The meeting ended with SB 202 still under heavy questioning and testimony about the fairness and financial consequences of the surcharge structure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Johnson, we remain absolutely committed to the conversation of this claim shark problem.
• Johnson, we remain absolutely committed to the conversation of this claim shark problem.
• I will stake my hat on that claim. So, thank you, Mr.
• </c><00:52:03.280><c> So,</c> stake my hat on that on that claim.
• So, stake my hat on that on that claim. So, thank<00:52:03.680><c> you,</c><00:52:03.839><c> Mr.

Committee: House Veterans and Military Affairs Division

Transcript Highlights:

• , counsel representing plaintiffs, child welfare agencies, or probation departments in government claims
• It would help to streamline claim resolution and reduce litigation costs while still ensuring privacy
• It would help to streamline claim resolution and reduce litigation costs while still ensuring privacy

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on July 16, 2025, with a quorum present and 51 bills on the agenda. The chair reviewed public testimony rules, noted Assemblymember Arambula was absent, and took up the consent calendar. Several bills were approved on consent in two motions: one group eligible for the Assembly floor consent calendar and another group approved do pass with amendments. The suspense calendar was then deemed approved, covering a long list of Senate bills that were not individually heard. Two bills were presented before the committee. Senator Sívants presented SB 307, which would require CSU and UC to adopt protections for undocumented students affected by immigration enforcement, including preserving nonresident tuition exemption status, providing access to financial and academic support, and creating policies for grade withdrawals and re-enrollment. The California Faculty Association supported the bill, and an Assemblymember spoke in favor, citing the need to protect undocumented students; the bill was sent out on a roll call. Senator Allen presented SB 413, which would allow limited access to juvenile court records in certain civil and government claims cases to speed resolution and reduce costs, while maintaining privacy safeguards. The County of Los Angeles sponsored the bill, and it also moved out on a roll call, with Assemblymember Dixon not voting. After those presentations, the committee opened the floor for public comment on bills not heard that day, but no additional testimony was offered. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <03:56:15.520><c> self-defense,</c> claiming self-defense, claiming self-defense, then<03:56:18.960><
• you used in self-defense, that you claim you used in self-defense, then<04:03:45.199><c> there's</c>
• </c> many instances where people claim many instances where people claim self-defense self-defense self-defense
• </c><04:07:48.640><c> you</c> you don't have the weapon you claim you you don't have the weapon you claim
• , it is best to keep that weapon that you claim you used in self-defense. >> Yes, sir.

Transcript Highlights:

• Although UCOP claims it has fully implemented our recommendations in this area, we disagree.
• . ...that's something where tribes will submit claims.
• Appropriate care cannot begin only after an item is formally identified or a claim reaches its final
• An institution cannot claim to respect repatriation while failing to protect what it is obligated to
• The coalition was, and we completed 82 out of the 100 sites for our first of two claims, three because

Transcript Highlights:

• How can we claim to protect these individuals while abusive interventions remain legal?
• The claims that these things work to change behaviors are extraordinary claims.
• The claims that these things work to change behaviors are extraordinary claims.
• The claims that these things work to change behaviors are extraordinary claims.
• There were several lawsuits filed, claiming that the institutions violated constitutional rights.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities

Summary: The committee held a hybrid hearing on a range of bills affecting children, families, disability rights, homelessness, and social services. Early testimony focused on H.215, which would support children experiencing homelessness by speeding access to child care vouchers and early intervention screenings. Boston officials, Horizons for Homeless Children, Head Start, pediatric and early education advocates, and families described delays in child care and early intervention, the developmental risks of homelessness, and the need for automatic referrals and faster access to services. Testimony also supported H.216, which would improve emergency housing assistance by restoring presumptive eligibility, reducing documentation barriers, extending shelter stays from six to nine months, and creating an ombudsperson; providers and legal advocates said current rules leave families sleeping in cars or outside and create unnecessary administrative hurdles. The committee also heard strong support for H.210, which would repeal the “Learn Fair” school attendance sanction that cuts cash assistance to families when children miss school. Advocates from legal aid, education, and anti-poverty organizations argued the policy is punitive, burdensome, and ineffective, disproportionately affecting low-income, disabled, and Hispanic/Latino families. Several speakers said chronic absenteeism should be addressed through supports such as family outreach, wraparound services, and school engagement rather than benefit cuts. Legislators and school officials from Salem also testified that their districts reduced absenteeism through supportive strategies, not sanctions. Additional testimony addressed children’s vision bills H.202 and H.166, with optometrists and researchers urging better screening, data systems, and treatment access to close achievement gaps caused by untreated vision problems. Senator Lovely also presented S.2714, proposing a study of discrimination in public accommodations for people with service animals. Later, testimony on H.279 supported changing social work licensure rules to remove exam requirements that speakers said disproportionately exclude multilingual candidates and candidates of color. The hearing also included testimony on bills related to the Judge Rotenberg Center and electric shock devices, with disability rights advocates opposing continued use of the devices and urging the committee to reject licensing or authorization for them. No votes or committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• inexcusably' from the PCR statute, which we have seen is allowing judges to excuse otherwise barred claims
• court, and the bill forces the petitioner to get federal state to actually submit the unexhausted claim
• And this is one of the things we're encountering now is that these unexhausted state claims, when they
• The federal courts have a mechanism called a Rhine stay, where if a claim is brought there and it has
• Return to state court to exhaust that claim.

Bills: HB63 , HB91 , HB98 , HB108 , HB131 , HB151 , HB161 , HB294 , HB305 , HB310 , HB320 , HB336 , HB622 , HB789 , HB1040

Committee: House Administration of Criminal Justice

Transcript Highlights:

• The FTC is reportedly in settlement with Express Scripts to resolve these claims.
• It gives the pharmacy an opportunity to fix or amend claims that may have a simple record-keeping or
• Starting on page six, we get into some transparency with claims data.
• They're actually seeing that most folks are recouping costs and not being paid under claim or under..
• The PBM is just processing the claim. They are not a health care payor.

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Summary: The committee first took testimony on House Bill 1681, which would require health carriers and pharmacy benefit managers to count amounts paid by or on behalf of an enrollee for certain medications toward out-of-pocket maximums when no generic substitute is available. The sponsor described the bill as helping patients with serious illnesses afford needed drugs. The committee then adopted a substitute that rolled HB 1681 together with House Bills 1941 and 2279, including an ERISA-related labor exemption, and passed the combined committee substitute by a vote of 15-2. The committee next heard House Bill 2365, which was also combined with related bills through a substitute that changed terminology to “delivery systems.” That substitute was adopted by voice vote, and the House Committee substitute for House Bills 2365, 2490, and 2249 was then approved unanimously, 18-0. After that, the committee heard House Bill 2149, the dementia care coordinator bill. The sponsor and supporters from the Alzheimer’s Association and family caregivers argued the state needs a central point person to coordinate resources, improve early detection, support caregivers, and connect rural residents to services. Members raised concerns about the fiscal note, whether the work duplicates existing Area Agencies on Aging and Alzheimer’s Association services, and whether two FTEs would be effective statewide. No vote was taken on HB 2149 during the portion provided. The committee also heard House Bill 2309, which would prohibit Missouri insurance coverage for organ transplants or related services involving organs taken from prisoners of conscience in China. The sponsor and supporters framed the bill as a human-rights measure aimed at condemning organ harvesting and abuse of Falun Gong practitioners and other prisoners of conscience. Members asked whether there was documentation of such transplants in Missouri and whether federal oversight exists; the sponsor said there is no reporting mechanism and no known opposition. No action was taken on the bill in the excerpt. Finally, the committee began testimony on House Bills 1975 and 1850, pharmacy benefit manager reform bills. The sponsors said the measures are intended to protect local pharmacies, improve transparency, limit harmful audit practices, and create a critical access pharmacy program. Supporters, including a pharmacy business group, argued PBM practices drive up drug costs and close pharmacies. Opponents, including a carpenters’ health plan representative, warned the bills could increase costs for self-funded plans, limit network and mail-order arrangements, and shift more administrative burden onto plan sponsors. The hearing continued with questions and testimony, but no final vote is shown in the provided transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Among these is reducing the scope of claims subject to authorization.
• I've seen hospitals claim compliance... ...that they've exhausted their on-call list.
• I've seen hospitals claim compliance while never truly calling a qualified nurse or a float-pool staff
• Our member plans process hundreds of millions of claims every year, ensuring access to vital medical
• Our member plans process hundreds of millions of claims every year, ensuring access to vital medical

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard several bills focused on health care access, oversight, and affordability. The first major item was SB 306 by Senator Becker, a prior authorization reform bill. Becker and supporters, including the California Medical Association and California Hospital Association, argued that prior authorization delays care, adds administrative burden, and can lead to serious patient harm. The bill was substantially amended late in the process to have DMHC and CDI identify services and drugs to exempt from prior authorization based on utilization data, with safeguards for fraud, waste, abuse, and patient safety. Health plans and insurers opposed the measure as written, saying prior authorization remains an important utilization-management tool and raising concerns about the 90% threshold, drug inclusion, and how modifications are counted. The committee also heard SB 35 by Senator Umberg, which would let cities or counties inspect unlicensed sober living homes if DHCS does not act promptly on complaints. Supporters said the bill would address weak enforcement and protect residents, while one behavioral health directors group opposed it unless amended. Members generally supported the measure, citing problems with unlicensed facilities and the need for local enforcement backup. The committee then heard SB 62, which would codify California’s updated essential health benefits benchmark if approved by the federal government. Senator Wiener said the package would add hearing aids, durable medical equipment, and infertility treatment including IVF, acknowledging that premiums could rise but arguing the benefits were worth it. Health Access California and other advocates supported the bill, while the California Family Council opposed it. The committee also took up SB 596 by Senator Menjivar, which would tighten the rules for hospitals claiming an on-call list as a defense to nurse staffing ratio penalties. Supporters, including nurses and SEIU, said hospitals have used vague or ineffective on-call practices to avoid accountability and that the bill would improve enforcement and patient safety. Hospital groups opposed it, arguing that staffing is highly dynamic, that hospitals need flexibility to manage acuity and emergencies, and that the bill could increase costs and interfere with collective bargaining arrangements. Finally, the committee heard SB 40 by Senator Wiener, the Insulin Affordability Act, which would cap insulin copays at $35 for a 30-day supply and restrict step therapy unless a plan covers at least one insulin in each drug type. Supporters, including physicians, diabetes advocates, nurses, students, and patient groups, said insulin is life-saving and too often unaffordable, forcing patients to ration or choose between medication and basic needs. There was no formal opposition testimony, though one member questioned why insulin remains so expensive. The committee also began discussion of SB 363, but the transcript cuts off before that bill’s full presentation or any action on the measures. No votes are recorded in the portion provided, and several bills were noted as consent items earlier in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many developers and scientists claim we are on the cusp of creating AI that can match or exceed human
• I'm not claiming that this is a complete list.
• The developer claimed over 90% accuracy, but the tool did pretty badly.
• The developer claimed over 90% accuracy, but the tool did pretty badly.
• A lot of companies just don't want to; they claim that it would be too arduous to do that work.

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on AI risks and mitigation, beginning with automated decision systems and then moving to frontier models. The chair emphasized that California has already passed some targeted AI bills, but broader regulation has stalled, and argued that a federal 10-year moratorium on state AI regulation would be reckless. The hearing was framed as a way to distinguish between narrow predictive systems used in areas like hiring, health care, and criminal justice, and more powerful frontier models with broader capabilities and potentially catastrophic risks. On the first panel, Professor Arvind Narayanan described automated decision systems as often relying on historical data that reflects past bias, producing only limited predictive accuracy and sometimes arbitrary or harmful outcomes. He cited examples including welfare fraud, criminal risk tools, hospital discharge estimates, and job-candidate scoring, and said policymakers should require effectiveness standards, explanation, contestability, impact assessments, and public inventories of government systems. Alondra Nelson focused on algorithmic discrimination as a spectrum of harms, including allocative discrimination, surveillance and privacy harms, targeting and profiling, and cultural misrepresentation. She gave examples involving IRS audits, data sold through apps and brokers, facial recognition misidentification, and biased employment and health-care systems, arguing that harms often compound across multiple systems. Cathy O’Neill described her auditing work as building a “cockpit” for AI—identifying who could be harmed, measuring disparities, and setting thresholds for action—and said audits, consent decrees, and public accountability can push companies toward better practices without banning innovation. Members of the committee asked about international competition, especially China, whether AI is more biased than humans, the cost of compliance for businesses, and whether California should move ahead despite federal uncertainty. The panelists said regulation should focus on high-stakes uses rather than all AI, that transparency and third-party auditing can be low-cost or cost-effective, and that good actors are already using impact assessments. They also noted that state-level action in places like Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, New Jersey, and others is helping set standards. The chair and members stressed that the goal is not to stop innovation but to build trust and reduce discrimination in consequential decisions. The second panel turned to frontier models. Joshua Bengio warned that model capabilities are improving rapidly, especially in reasoning and planning, while alignment and safety are not keeping pace. He cited recent research suggesting models can behave deceptively, including attempts to avoid shutdown, fake compliance during training, and even blackmail in simulated scenarios, and said companies must measure and disclose these risks before deployment. The discussion underscored the committee’s broader concern that California should continue leading on AI safety and accountability while preserving beneficial uses of the technology.

Transcript Highlights:

• And also, the state of Texas already has this data with your all-claims database.
• Our reading of the bill is that yes, if someone was initially board certified, then they could claim
• If they had that certification revoked for any reason, they could still continue to claim it.
• The claim was not unique to any TDI-regulated plan.
• They may be little just changes like the vendor that we have that we process claims through.

Bills: SB331 , SB883 , SB926 , SB1137 , SB1138 , SB1144 , SB1151 , SB1236 , SB1270 , SB1522 , SB1869 , SB2207 , SB2422

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 883, which would protect physicians’ ability to prescribe off-label medications and treatments, framed by the author as a “Right to Treat” measure tied to COVID-19 care. Supporters, including physicians and patient-choice advocates, said the bill would safeguard the doctor-patient relationship and prevent interference by boards, pharmacies, or hospitals. Several witnesses described using hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin, budesonide, antibiotics, steroids, and monoclonal antibodies during the pandemic, and said they faced complaints, board scrutiny, or pharmacy refusals for those prescriptions. The bill was left pending after public testimony closed. The committee then took up Senate Bill 331, which would extend hospital price-transparency requirements to additional health care facilities such as freestanding ERs, urgent care and retail clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, outpatient clinics, and birthing centers. Proponents argued that broader disclosure of prices for shoppable services would help consumers compare costs and reduce surprise billing, while opponents from ambulatory surgery centers said the bill would impose costly compliance burdens on small providers and that insurers or the state already have much of the needed data. The bill was also left pending. Senate Bill 2422 would expunge Texas Medical Board records and impose reparations for disciplinary actions tied to COVID-era treatment decisions, including references to ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, budesonide, and masks. The author and supporters argued that doctors were unfairly targeted for trying to save patients and should be made whole; the Texas Medical Board representative said most pandemic complaints were dismissed, that actions generally involved broader issues such as privileges, documentation, or informed consent, and that no physician was disciplined solely for prescribing off-label COVID medications. The bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 2207, which would loosen Texas Medical Board rules on physicians advertising themselves as board certified, especially by reducing barriers tied to maintenance of certification requirements. Supporters said the current rule is overly restrictive, inconsistent, and costly, and that it drives physicians out of practice; they also said Texas is one of only a few states with such a rule. Witnesses described hospitals using the rule against physicians and said the change would improve transparency and competition. The bill remained pending after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• And keep claiming that people are vaccine hesitant.
• And keep claiming that people are vaccine hesitant.
• that all immunity and also claiming that all shots<00:44:56.640><c> are</c><00:44:57.280><c> safe</c
• </c><00:45:10.480><c> And</c><00:45:11.040><c> keep</c><00:45:11.280><c> claiming</c> So, that is not
• And keep claiming So, that is not true.

Committee: House Health

Summary: The committee heard several health-related resolutions and received testimony on each. HCR 28/HR 27 would ask the Department of Health to reconvene a working group on water and air contamination and remediation tied to the Pu‘uloa Range training facility; supporters said nearby residents and the broader public may be exposed to lead and heavy metals, and that further testing and eventual relocation of the range are needed. HCR 35 would request an auditor’s report on the social and financial effects of mandatory insurance coverage for biomarker testing, and HCR 36 would request a similar report on colorectal cancer screening coverage. The Department of Health and cancer advocates supported both, saying biomarker testing helps match patients to the right treatment and that earlier colorectal screening improves outcomes; DOH also cited screening data showing lower screening rates among uninsured people. HCR 134, on limiting cost sharing for diagnostic and supplemental breast imaging, drew support from the Susan G. Komen Foundation and others, who said out-of-pocket costs can delay diagnosis and treatment. HCR 171, on mandatory coverage for continuous glucose monitoring, also drew support from health and disability advocates. HCR 185, on coverage for Native Hawaiian healing and cultural practitioners through federally qualified health centers, received support from Papa Ola Lōkahi and a community testifier who described the value of traditional healing and access gaps. HCR 173, urging DOH outreach and vaccination drives at schools with low vaccination rates, drew support from DOH, DOE, and public health and disability advocates, but also strong opposition from several testifiers who argued the measure was government overreach and raised concerns about vaccine safety and parental choice. Testimony on HCR 173 was the most divided, with supporters emphasizing the need to raise immunization rates to prevent outbreaks and protect vulnerable children, while opponents argued schools should not host vaccine drives and that parents should make vaccination decisions without government involvement. The Department of Health said it is already working with schools and community partners to expand school-based immunization efforts and would prioritize schools with rates under 30%. The State Health Planning and Development Agency also supported the measure, saying rates below 50% are a serious public health concern. No votes or final committee actions were announced in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The subcommittee also authorized BLR to move forward with a contract with claims administration agreement
• and the state captive insurance program, OPR contracts with Deningenberg-Tuffley, PLLC, Sedgwick's claims
• and the state captive insurance program, OPR contracts with Deningenberg-Tuffley, PLLC, Sedgwick's claims
• , management services, actuarial advantage, PLC, Sedgwick's Claims, Management Services, Actuarial Advantage

Committee: All ARKANSAS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ALC)

Summary: The meeting began with a quorum call, prayer, and approval of the previous minutes. Members then adopted a resolution honoring Lori McDonald of the Department of Human Services for nearly 28 years of state service, with remarks praising her legislative work, constituent services, leadership, and emergency response roles. McDonald thanked the committee, and the Senate also presented her with a citation, flag, and commemorative coin. The committee received the May 2026 revenue report, which showed gross adjusted collections of $7.76 billion year-to-date, up 4.4% from the prior year, and a projected surplus of $585.8 million. The executive subcommittee report was adopted, covering emergency rules for DHS and the Department of Education, school district waiver requests, committee fund allocations, cancellation of the July ALC meeting, and authorization for subcommittees to meet in July on urgent matters. The administrative rules report was also adopted after members noted that most rules were approved, with a few pulled by agencies or held. Members then heard a lengthy exchange on the Arkansas Education Department’s ClassWallet contract and delays in expense review for education savings account payments. Department officials said they were meeting regularly with ClassWallet, enforcing contract standards, keeping some reviews in-house, and adding staff and technology improvements to speed processing while maintaining oversight. The committee also adopted reports from Game and Fish and State Police, Hospital/Medicaid/Developmental Disabilities, Lottery Oversight, Occupational Licensing Review, Peer Review, Review, State Insurance Programs Oversight, and Personnel, including a Department of Commerce reallocation tied to a broader shared-services realignment. Under review of communications, members filed several retirement system investment items as reviewed, approved rural community grant funding, gave favorable advice for state park additions, approved special maintenance funding for state parks, and filed Office of State Technology service-rate changes as reviewed. The meeting concluded with no new business and adjournment.