Transcript Highlights:

• And you don't have to scare kids to teach them this. You could have 24 of them, 25.
• Assembly sponsor, that the nature of these kinds of drills, as opposed to shooting baskets, has a trauma effect
• education services and programs for preschool children with handicapping conditions in relation to the effectiveness
• Education Committee. programs for preschool children with handicapping conditions in relation to the effectiveness

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Education met on April 21 and considered several education-related bills, mostly extensions or technical changes. S-57 (BOCES services to out-of-state school districts), S-150B (small-city school board nominating communication deadlines), S-8904A (BOCES lease terms for properties), S-9148 (exempting certain preschool special services providers from separate Commissioner approval), and S-9611 (extending provisions on certified school psychologists and preschool special education services) were all moved to the floor with little or no opposition. The committee also took up S-2498, which would reduce the required number of lockdown drills in schools from 12 to 10 and adjust the timing of drills. Senator Tedisco spoke strongly against the bill, arguing that repetition is necessary to prepare students and staff for emergencies and that reducing drills would move in the wrong direction on school safety. Chair Mayer responded that the bill still requires a significant number of drills and is intended to reduce trauma, especially for young children. The bill advanced, with Senators Stec and Tedisco opposed and Senator Weber recorded without recommendation. Most other bills were described as aligning existing rules, easing administrative burdens, or extending current law. The committee concluded by noting the meeting was productive and adjourned after moving all listed bills forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• recovery initiatives statewide, and $3 million to support managing entities to manage resources effectively
• Seniors really teach us how to live.
• Seniors really teach us how to live.
• These are the most expensive ones, but also the most effective in terms of compliance and viral load
• Under the ADAP changes scheduled to go into effect March 1st, just 44 days from now, two of the mainstay

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services heard a presentation on the governor’s proposed fiscal year 2026-27 budget for the health and human services silo, which totals $48.5 billion. Agency leaders outlined major requests for AHCA, APD, DCF, DOEA, DOH, and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, including behavioral health redesign, Medicaid rate changes, developmental disability services, child welfare and opioid programs, senior services, cancer research, public health initiatives, and veterans’ facility and technology needs. The committee also received an overview of the overall state budget, which was described as $117.4 billion, up 1.1% from the current year. AHCA’s presentation focused on $71.6 million for a Medicaid behavioral health redesign, including funding for residential treatment, a serious mental illness waiver, and higher inpatient psychiatric rates for youth, plus $7.1 million to raise private duty nursing reimbursement in fee-for-service Medicaid, $2.5 million for the background screening clearinghouse, and $124.4 million for the Health Care Connection System (FX). APD requested funding to continue moving people off the pre-enrollment list and to support developmental disability centers, a new forensic facility, an electronic health record system, and higher operating costs. DCF highlighted $81.9 million for eligibility and system integrity, $187.5 million for opioid prevention and treatment, $35.5 million for community-based care lead agencies, and $72.7 million to expand behavioral health bed capacity, including 474 new beds at state hospitals. DOEA sought additional funding for Alzheimer’s services, home care, and community care for the elderly. DOH emphasized $278 million for cancer research and innovation, $5 million for food and product safety testing, $5 million for the Florida FIRST blood-on-ambulance initiative, and $5.7 million for a public lab feasibility study. Veterans Affairs requested funds for facility improvements, cybersecurity, and medication management equipment. Members asked detailed questions about several items, especially the proposed changes to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), which would reduce eligibility and the number of people served. Senators and public witnesses criticized the lack of transparency and urged the department to pause the changes and work with stakeholders; the Surgeon General said the issue was driven by funding constraints and federal changes, not a legal barrier, and that the agency was exploring alternatives. Questions also addressed the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, the Kids Care/CHIP expansion implementation, the cancer research funding structure, and the timeline and cost of the FX system. Public testimony focused heavily on ADAP, with speakers warning that thousands could lose medication access and calling for community involvement and a review of the program’s finances. The committee adjourned after the presentations and questions, with no votes taken on the budget items during this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• license plate system that this Senate has worked so hard on and some new rule those rules taking effect
• So to have no effect whatever on cars or motorcycles or or anything, or the three-tier system for that
• Across the country, including Texas, already teach these techniques.
• As a mother, I want to teach my children to live ethically, but also that people can grow, change, and
• What's the net effect to our constituents if this bill passes? to your constituents, sir.

Bills: SB 1113, SB 1117, SB 1206, SB 1460, SB 1802, SB 1906, SB 1917, SB 2340, SB 2455, SB 2680, SB 2690, SB 705, SB 748

Keywords: SB 1113, converter's license, converter license, motor vehicle dealer, auto dealer, vehicle conversion, converted vehicles, direct sales, retail sales, trailer, semitrailer, manufactured trailer, chassis, manufacturer's statement of origin, MSO, Occupations Code, Transportation Code, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, dealer licensing, general distinguishing number

Summary: The meeting of the Senate Business and Commerce Committee was marked by discussions on several significant bills, with a keen emphasis on legislative updates and committee substitutes. Notably, Senator Blanco presented a new committee substitute for SB2610, which modifies the employee cap from 100 to 250 and extends the update timeline for cyber security programs for small businesses. This substitute was adopted unanimously, reflecting a collaborative agreement among the committee members. Additionally, there were discussions surrounding SB1856 as Senator Crayton provided insights into how stakeholder feedback influenced the bill's committee substitute. The committee ultimately voted in favor, pushing it towards the local and contested calendar, indicating the bill's progression through legislative channels.

Transcript Highlights:

• I volunteer in ministry work teaching the Bible 50 hours a month, and that includes every Friday night
• I volunteer in ministry work teaching the Bible 50 hours a month, and that includes every Friday night
• I'm honored to speak today about MPR's Class Notes program, a program that brings incredible teaching
• I'm honored to speak today about MPR's Class Notes program, a program that brings incredible teaching
• Student-centered and inclusive approach to teaching music, and I'm honored to speak today about MPR's

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• allowed to continue and and uh teaching allowed to continue and and uh teaching and<00:16:08.639
• I forgot the name of the high school in Manchester who actually has a program to teach kids ASL, and
• I need a favor from you,’ or words to that effect.” high schools.
• has a program to teach kids ASL and<00:17:48.559> they<00:17:48.799> learn<00:17:49.039
• >> or words to that effect." >> or words to that effect."

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first approved the draft minutes from its May 29 meeting and then received an informational update from the Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing about the state’s ASL interpreter pipeline. Representative Woods and Associate Commissioner Ann Landry explained that the American Sign Language program at UNH Manchester, the nation’s first fully accredited program, is facing viability concerns because high tuition has left only two of a potential 20 students committed so far. They warned that if enrollment does not recover, the program could face a teachout and eventually be lost, which they said would be detrimental because many state services and legal proceedings require qualified interpreters. Members discussed possible alternatives, including whether community colleges could help, and asked for follow-up research and contact information for UNH officials. The committee also heard that interpreter demand across DHHS continues to rise and that the department must ensure compliance with civil rights and service-access requirements. The committee then turned to Medicaid policy changes tied to Senate Bill 134 and a new federal interim final rule on Medicaid community engagement, or work, requirements. DHHS officials Olivia May and Ann Landry explained that the state law and federal rule align in many areas, but the committee still needed to decide how to implement several remaining policy choices. The department recommended adopting all four short-term hardship exceptions because the federal rule requires states to take them all or none: inpatient or institutional care, federally declared emergencies, high-unemployment areas, and extensive out-of-state travel for serious medical care. Members generally supported the exceptions but raised concerns about how they would be defined and applied, especially the emergency and medical-travel categories. Several legislators asked for more clarity on terms like “extensively” and “serious or complex medical care,” and DHHS said the federal rule does not rigidly define them, though the state could refine implementation through rulemaking if authorized. The department also said the emergency exception would apply only to federally declared emergencies, not state declarations, and would be tied to the emergency event itself. No final vote on the Medicaid policy was recorded in the portion provided, but the discussion indicated the committee was reviewing the remaining decisions needed to implement Senate Bill 134 under the new federal framework.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm like, I could teach her.
• I wasn't trained how to teach kids to read.
• What is going to work and be most effective for our citizens?
• What is going to work and be most effective for our citizens?
• What is going to work and be most effective for our citizens?

Bills: HB0111, HB0112, HB0122

Keywords: capital construction, state funding, Wyoming, major maintenance, community colleges, task force, legislative services, budget appropriation, unexpended funds, sunset clause, healthcare, rural health, transformation program, funding, incentives, training, access, perpetuity fund, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That said, every situation teaches us something, and we are examining every element of our protocols
• 03:52.640> said,<00:03:52.959> every<00:03:53.280> situation<00:03:53.920> teaches
• <00:03:54.319> us That said, every situation teaches us That said, every situation teaches
• <00:07:46.240> We<00:07:46.479> will We will continue to find new ways to effectively

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You can spend it with the organization that helps teach your children.
• You can spend it with the organization that helps teach your children.
• You can spend it with the organization that helps teach your children.
• You can spend it with the organization that helps teach your children.
• Statewide monitoring of Effectiveness Statewide monitoring of Effectiveness and<01:15:10.080>

Bills: HF1, HF779, HF1034

Keywords: Office of Inspector General, inspector general, legislative audit, fraud prevention, waste and abuse, public funds, grant oversight, state grants, grant management, whistleblower protection, retaliation, subpoena power, data practices, government transparency, accountability, law enforcement referrals, sanctions, debarment, payment withholding, public assistance fraud

Transcript Highlights:

• Any obstacles that prevent you from achieving your goals effectively? There were no obstacles.
• >> Sure. the um the universities that are >> Sure. the um the universities that are teaching
• > surveying<00:08:30.000> courses<00:08:30.319> now,<00:08:30.639> East teaching
• the surveying courses now, East teaching the surveying courses now, East Tennessee<00:08:31.360>
• 27:22.720> be<00:27:22.799> more The manufacturers, and so that would be more of an effect

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the June 18 meeting amendments, then heard an update from Representative Emily Callaway on the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. She reported no major budget or regulatory concerns, but noted hiring challenges, especially for investigators, and said the board is pursuing a scholarship program using cash reserves and penalty payments. She also said the board has about 20,000 licenses, handled 134 cases in 2024, and had an open-investigation count that stayed roughly flat. The board said initial licenses take about 5 to 7 business days and endorsements about 10 business days, with one citizen-at-large vacancy on the 11-member board. Callaway and board staff also discussed emerging issues such as AI, digital plan submissions, and the use of drones and LiDAR in surveying education. They said Kentucky’s surveying exam pass rates are well above national averages and that universities such as East Tennessee State, Cincinnati State, Bellarmine, Spalding, and Eastern Kentucky are helping train students for the field. The committee then took up Callaway’s occupational licensing bill aimed at removing barriers for people with criminal records. The proposal would let applicants seek an upfront determination of whether a record would disqualify them, require boards to consider specified materials and give written reasons if they deny eligibility, and bind the board’s decision absent new or undisclosed offenses. Supporters said the goal is to help roughly 30,000 people reenter the workforce and avoid wasted time and money on training that could later be disqualified. The committee next heard from Representatives Fleming and Willner on a psychology licensing bill, a reintroduction of prior legislation. They said the measure is intended to address mental health workforce shortages by adding two members to the Kentucky Board of Examiners of Psychology, setting a more predictable timeline for licensure examinations, and requiring annual reporting on processing times for licenses and complaints. They said the bill is meant to speed entry into the profession as new psychology programs expand in Kentucky. No objections were raised. Finally, the Alcoholic Beverage Control commissioner and general counsel presented two administrative amendments tied to SB 202 to allow direct-shipping forms for cannabis-infused beverages, and the committee approved both regulations by voice vote. The committee then held a broader discussion about whether ABC should be expanded by statute to regulate additional intoxicating substances and emerging products. ABC officials said the agency already handles alcohol, tobacco, vape licensing, and some related enforcement, but any broader authority would require legislative action and likely more officers and funding. Members discussed the need to stay ahead of new products, possibly through an emerging-industries framework, while also protecting businesses and consumers.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those teachers need to be great and highly effective teachers in our classrooms.
• that our students have great curriculum or what we call instructional materials to help implement and teach
• grades, data reporting for schools and districts, our value-added model, which helps show the effectiveness
• But those 47 schools, as superintendent, you know our biggest priority other than teaching and learning
• of our schools are free-reduced lunch, our Title schools, and we allocate additional resources to teach

Summary: The subcommittee first heard an overview from Department of Education Chancellor Paul Burns on Florida’s K-12 governance structure and major divisions, including early learning, public schools, safe schools, school choice, and accountability. He highlighted school readiness and VPK, teacher preparation and licensure, school safety functions, scholarship and virtual/home education programs, and FAST progress monitoring. Burns also cited statewide gains such as higher mid-year reading performance, a record graduation rate of 89.7%, and record CTE enrollment, while members questioned the meaning of Florida’s “number one” education rankings, teacher pay, post-COVID learning loss, vacancies, and chronic absenteeism. St. Lucie County Superintendent John Prince then described the scale and responsibilities of a mid-sized district, emphasizing student safety, transportation, meals, hurricane shelter operations, career and technical education, teacher recruitment and retention, progress monitoring, remediation, and mental health supports. Members asked about school shelter construction standards, remediation funding, late school start times, attendance, and concordance scores; Prince argued for more flexibility for CTE pathways and noted that local districts use a mix of state and federal funds to support remediation and staffing. The committee then moved to an early warning systems panel. Burns explained that Florida law requires districts to use attendance, behavior/suspensions, course performance, FAST results, and other academic indicators to identify students needing support, with districts and families developing intervention plans. Superintendents from Putnam, St. Johns, and St. Lucie counties said chronic absenteeism is tied to achievement and NAEP decline, but causes vary by district, including poverty, transportation, daycare, family instability, travel, and student athletics. They described MTSS, PBIS, home visits, attendance letters, and community partnerships as responses. Members also discussed VPK access, full-day VPK funding, excused versus unexcused absences, and the need for earlier intervention in pre-K and K-2. Finally, Vice Chancellor Darren Norris outlined Florida’s post-Parkland school safety measures, including armed school officers, anonymous reporting, behavioral threat assessment teams, mental health training, panic alert systems, emergency drills, active assailant response policies, and firearm detection canines. Superintendents said compliance is costly and often requires shifting local funds, but they praised state grants for mental health, hardening, and mapping. They noted ongoing challenges with new mandates, capital costs, manual reporting burdens, and the need to balance safety requirements with classroom resources.

Transcript Highlights:

• services proposals, including increasing the CalWORKs monthly maximum aid payment by 1.8 percent effective
• Delivery system effective January 1, 2027, implementing $50 monthly premiums for adults age 19 to 59
• with unsatisfactory immigration status effective July 1, 2027, subject to determination in the 2027-28
• .. ...to be able to afford to live there, that the underinvestment in universities has a cyclical effect
• Health care, I would say, is one of the biggest effects on affordability.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee met to consider the final three-party agreement for the 2026-27 state budget and 19 implementing bills, including two budget bill juniors and 17 trailer bills. Committee leadership and administration officials described the budget as a balanced plan that reduces out-year structural deficits, maintains large reserves, and makes major investments in health care, education, housing, child care, public safety, and other core services while also responding to expected federal cuts and fiscal uncertainty. The Department of Finance outlined the package’s major components, including Medi-Cal adjustments, education funding increases, higher education changes, child care and human services updates, housing and homelessness funding, energy and transportation provisions, and tax and general government changes. Members asked questions about several provisions, including CSU enrollment targets and turnaround plans, the Prop. 98 settle-up mechanism, the plastics market development payment program, housing accountability measures, NextGen 9-1-1 implementation, and veteran services. Staff and administration witnesses explained that the higher education language is intended to improve campus-by-campus reporting and oversight, that Prop. 98 settle-up would be finalized later through the statutory certification process, and that NextGen 9-1-1 now includes one-time funding, quarterly reporting, an independent technical review, and a state audit. Members also discussed the HAP homelessness funding increase to $900 million and the balance between accountability and timely distribution of funds. The most extended exchange centered on comparisons between funding for veterans and Medi-Cal/immigrant health coverage. Republican members argued the budget spends far more on undocumented immigrant services than on veterans, while Democratic members and Finance staff responded that the comparison was misleading because many veterans’ services are federally funded and the state budget also includes dedicated veteran support. The chair and other members emphasized that the budget reflects difficult tradeoffs and that the package protects vulnerable populations, preserves health care access, and advances affordability. No final vote was described in the excerpt, but members indicated support for the overall package and said they would support it on the floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:08:56.520> and<00:08:56.720> tracking<00:08:57.280> the actively teaching
• and tracking the actively teaching and tracking the progress<00:08:57.960> of<00:08:58.280>
• Yes, um, the payment hold went into effect December 2nd.
• We probably got it like November 30th, but it went into effect December 2nd. Senator Akhi.
• <00:55:47.240> changed And that would have effectively changed And that would have effectively

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I feel it is a significant concern that the teaching preceptorship path as stated in the bill will effectively
• 00:59:48.480> concern<00:59:48.880> that<00:59:49.119> the<00:59:49.359> teaching
• significant concern that the teaching significant concern that the teaching preceptorship<00:59:
• <00:59:53.680> limit<00:59:54.079> opportunity<00:59:54.640> for will effectively
• limit opportunity for will effectively limit opportunity for lensure<00:59:55.680> for<00:59:

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• this uh the idea of what a um uh teach this uh the idea of what a conflict<00:10:03.800> of<00
• But there usually is some reason bills become effective when they do.
• You know, if we have things become effective immediately, usually there's a particular reason why we
• <00:31:25.200> the amendment makes the bill effective the amendment makes the bill effective
• <00:32:35.880> the it says this section is effective the it says this section is effective

Bills: HF390, HF1202, HF550

Keywords: government data, data practices, record keeping, penalties, legal enforcement, public meetings, transparency, government accountability, interagency groups, Minnesota Statutes, redistricting, Bipartisan Commission, Minnesota Constitution, census, legislative districts, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Lord, teach us to love one another, and in Your compassion, show us how to love as we discover that You
• And if you're not sure, yes, I did teach them all of my great dance moves.
• This group was selected out of more than 300 nominations for their passion for teaching and influencing
• Would you agree that this is one of the most important issues in Oklahoma today as far as the effect
• So it's really not going to be that effective for them.

Bills: SB378, SB985, SB1246, HB3720, SB1500, SB1984, HB4118, SB1644, SB1546, SB483

Keywords: bail bondsman, bondsman license, multicounty agent bondsman, surety bondsman, Insurance Commissioner, bail bond regulation, bond deposit, forfeiture, deposit ratio, writing capacity, license transfer, power of attorney, surety bond, bail industry, Oklahoma insurance law, financial solvency, administrative action, Oklahoma Local Food for Schools, school meals, local food procurement

Summary: The House convened, called the roll, and heard an invocation focused on “leading with the farewell,” followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and a series of floor recognitions honoring guests and student groups. Presentations included the nurse of the day, Susan Hollingsworth, and multiple student champions and visitors, including the Clinton High School 4A hip hop state champions, Pryor High School’s Life Smarts state champions, the Elgin High School wrestling team, the Fort Gibson FFA livestock judging team, Putnam City North’s girls basketball champions, visiting students from Douglas, OSU environmental science graduate students, and Oklahoma Energy Resource Board teachers of the year. The chamber then took up several Senate bills. SB 378, updating bail bondsman regulations, passed 77-3. SB 985, codifying the local food for school program in statute, passed 79-0. SB 1246, which would update and speed up DEQ permitting while preserving transparency, drew questions about agency outreach and environmental impacts; after a division vote on advancing the bill passed 30-28, the bill itself passed 81-0. Later, SB 1500 on pharmacy benefit managers passed 81-0, SB 1984 on osteopathic medicine passed 74-0, and SB 1644 creating a reporting mechanism for suspected alpha-gal syndrome passed 82-0. The House also adopted Senate amendments to HB 3720, the local food freedom bill, and passed it 81-0. HB 4118, the family caregiver credit, also passed 81-0 after the Senate amendment restored the title “Caring for Caregivers Act.” A motion was made to reject Senate amendments to HB 2992 and request conference. House Joint Resolution 1100, relating to OMES proposed major rule changes, was read on second reading and referred to administrative rules. A lengthy debate centered on an amendment to SB 1546, a teacher-related bill, which would expand the Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Scholarship Fund tax credit to support the Strong Readers Act, the Oklahoma Math Proficiency Act, and certain capital projects for scholarship-granting organizations. Supporters said it would encourage private investment in education and add instructional capacity; opponents argued it would favor wealthy private schools, do little for rural or high-poverty districts, and divert scholarship resources. The amendment was adopted unanimously, and the bill was advanced to final passage, with debate continuing at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• on general education offerings that they might be teaching. ...have peripheral or collateral effects
• on general education offerings that they might be teaching, related majors, pathway transfer pathways
• You know, a little bit of the press, negativity, and teaching out those students—there's a cost to the
• And as far as a student started and that was their dream, they're going to teach out, realize that's
• So we produce credits, we teach, so it was trying to get an easier budgeting process, but yet make it

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is why we want to thank You for the honesty of Your word, which teaches us that while trials are
• There's a compounding, cascading effect when we put corporations first, when we put the...
• We're having an effective cut on our state workers through increased health insurance costs.
• That was Governor Hobbs' DOR that put that into effect in the state of Arizona. And guess what?
• After his service in Washington, D.C., Luis returned to Texas to teach business finance and business

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and several guest recognitions, including a student honored for a national Mandarin speech contest, a Ms. Black Arizona candidate, and a Madison Elementary School reusable-tray pilot program. The body also recognized interns and approved the prior journal. The chamber then moved through Committee of the Whole calendars and adopted committee reports recommending passage of a series of budget-related bills. The main legislative business centered on the 2026-27 budget package and related omnibus measures, including appropriations, budget implementation, capital outlay, commerce, criminal justice, environment, health care, higher education, human services, K-12 education, state property, revenue/taxation, and transportation bills. Most of these measures were advanced with do-pass recommendations, with repeated debate focused on the tax omnibus and the overall budget’s policy choices. Supporters argued the package provided affordability, tax relief, conformity with federal tax changes, reduced government spending, and reforms to entitlement and other programs; opponents argued it favored corporations and wealthy taxpayers, cut health care, food assistance, housing, tourism, wildfire response, and education, and would forfeit federal matching funds. Several members specifically criticized the failure to close the data center tax exemption and to raise sports betting taxes, while supporters defended those provisions as pro-business and pro-growth. There was also discussion of fund sweeps, including university research funds, housing trust funds, and other agency balances, with opponents saying the sweeps targeted encumbered or already-committed money. After debate, the Senate adopted Committee of the Whole reports and advanced the bills, and later took up House bills introduced and placed on third reading, with members explaining their votes on HB 4138, the General Appropriations Act, largely along party lines. At the end of the session, the Senate processed messages from the House requesting the return of SB 1160 and SB 1786 for reconsideration, and the Senate requested the House return HB 2415 for reconsideration. The chamber also introduced and placed several House budget bills on third reading, including HB 4138 through HB 4153, continuing the budget process.

Transcript Highlights:

• So as sea level rises, while kelp forests can help provide some buffering effects from storm surge, as
• We can propose mitigation that works for our communities where we think it's most effective.
• I know that was a devastating event, and it had a huge ripple effect on the health of that estuary.
• It's going to erode cultural continuity and effectively the work that we're trying to do as all these
• We're teaching families, especially Black and Brown families that have high rates of drowning, whether

Summary: The hearing of the Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy focused on infrastructure, pollution, climate resilience, public health, access, and economic impacts of sea level rise in California, with an emphasis on San Diego and the Bay Area. Chair Tasha Boerner Horvath opened by describing the committee’s purpose, the state’s sea level rise action planning, and the need for better monitoring and early warning systems. She also referenced her prior bills AB 66 and AB 72, which supported Scripps research on coastal bluff collapse warning capabilities. Assembly Members David Alvarez and Jessica Caloza later joined and emphasized that sea level rise affects not only coastal communities but inland areas as well, and that the issue should inform future legislative and budget decisions. In the first panel, Dr. Mark Merrifield of Scripps Institution of Oceanography described observed sea level rise of roughly 0.8 to 0.9 feet since the early 1900s, with acceleration expected by mid-century and potentially much greater rise by 2100 depending on emissions. He highlighted flooding, groundwater rise, beach and cliff erosion, salinization, and risks to transportation, sewage, ports, and national security. Dave Gibson of the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board discussed how sea level rise affects wastewater systems, stormwater, contaminated sites, wetlands, and coastal groundwater basins, and said the board is requiring climate adaptation planning, updating stormwater permits, and seeking more flexible state permitting and mitigation tools. Members and witnesses also discussed the need for better mapping, more monitoring, and more state funding, especially if federal support from NOAA and other agencies declines. The second panel addressed public health, equitable access, and local economies. Ramon Chiras of Un Mar de Colores described how sea level rise, pollution, and access barriers threaten the Tijuana River Valley and Imperial Beach, especially for underserved communities and youth programs that rely on safe, welcoming access to the ocean. He stressed the cultural and spiritual importance of coastal access and the need for water safety and environmental education. Jessica Fane of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission explained that the Bay Area faces major economic exposure from sea level rise, citing a regional estimate of $96 billion in adaptation costs versus $230 billion in potential losses from inaction, and said BCDC is working with local governments under SB 272 on shoreline adaptation planning, funding, and regulatory innovation. Members discussed the tension between environmental permitting and the need to move projects faster, including the possibility of planned retreat in some areas and the use of simultaneous permitting and longer-term state authority to streamline adaptation work. In the final panel, Philip Gibbons of the Port of San Diego described the port’s climate adaptation efforts and its vulnerability assessments under AB 691. He said the port manages state tidelands, supports maritime commerce and recreation, and is already seeing flooding at king tides and during El Niño events, including storm-drain backflow and damage to bikeways and parks. He explained that future sea level rise could inundate major port areas and disrupt operations, underscoring the need for continued planning, mitigation, and infrastructure investment. The hearing did not take formal votes, but it concluded with a clear call for more science, funding, coordination, and regulatory streamlining to prepare California’s coast and nearby communities for worsening sea level rise impacts.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it was not cost effective for us to renovate it because of ADA.
• That's the teaching of wheat rug weaving.
• They're sitting there, you know, because it's the teaching. You start it, you have to finish it.
• Just think of the value that we're teaching the students with that perspective.
• Now, this bill has been in effect for less than 45 days. It actually is 45 days tomorrow. So it's.

Transcript Highlights:

• He had no idea the effect that it had on his children. None.
• He had no idea the effect that it had on his children. None.
• that<00:47:36.119> it<00:47:36.440> had<00:47:36.839> on had no idea the effect
• that it had on had no idea the effect that it had on his<00:47:38.119> children<00:47:39.119>
• the children in a nice started teaching the children in a nice way<01:03:18.799> an<01:03:19.119

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee continued work on HB 553, a bipartisan bill to update the child protection act’s definitions, especially around abuse, neglect, psychological maltreatment, and serious impairment. Supporters said the current law is outdated, vague, and too limited to address modern child welfare concerns, and argued the bill is intended to create clearer standards for DCF/DCYF, courts, and parents without adding criminal penalties or expanding authority to remove children. They also noted the bill had been developed over months of bipartisan work and that similar concepts exist in other states; a committee researcher had circulated a comparison of 17 states with prenatal and substance-use-related provisions. A major focus was whether the bill should include a more explicit definition of emotional abuse. Some members argued that the bill’s current language is not specific enough and could leave parents without fair notice, while others said the bill already addresses the issue through definitions of psychological maltreatment, emotional harm, and serious impairment. Office of Child Advocate staff explained that the drafting process intentionally avoided defining every emotional-abuse term separately and instead used a pattern-based psychological maltreatment standard with examples such as threatening, demeaning, humiliating, and belittling behavior. They said those provisions were drawn from other states and were meant to fill gaps seen in cases involving severe emotional harm and injured infants. The committee also discussed trauma-informed language related to substance use disorder and pregnancy. Members said the amendment was intended to avoid discouraging pregnant people with substance use disorder from seeking medical care, while still allowing intervention when a child is substance-exposed; they noted the proposal would include an exemption when a licensed health care provider is monitoring the pregnancy. Several members emphasized that the bill is meant to protect children while also giving parents clearer notice of prohibited conduct, and one member raised concerns about how the bill could affect other legislation dealing with criminal neglect. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.