Transcript Highlights:

• . consume. consume.
• consumers and more certainty. Mr. consumers and more certainty. Mr.
• such time as I may consume. such time as I may consume.
• . consume. consume.
• because a reporter got the information. because a reporter got the information.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill at that time was informally known as Katie's Law after advocate Katie Forston, who was born
• Home care refers to the range of non-medical services consumers receive in their own home.
• When consumers seek home care services through an agency, it is often during an emergency.
• This bill creates the Home Care Worker and Consumer Abuse Stakeholder Advisory Committee to study and
• The House stands adjourned to meet tomorrow at 11 a.m. in an informal session. I'm going to be.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House opened with routine ceremonial business, including the Pledge of Allegiance and adoption of several resolutions, such as congratulations to the Williamsburg Grange on its 125th anniversary and to Fire Captain Melissa Blodgett on her retirement. The chamber also concurred in a Senate petition to establish a sick leave bank for a Bristol County Sheriff’s Department employee and suspended Joint Rule 12 to advance local petitions, including one involving the Dalton Fire District and another renaming a Chelmsford bridge. The main floor action centered on several Ways and Means bills. The House advanced a bill amending laws relative to individuals with disabilities, replacing outdated and offensive terminology in the General Laws with person-first language; members spoke at length in support, emphasizing dignity, inclusion, and the bill’s non-substantive nature. The bill was engrossed by a roll call vote, 152-0. The House also took up and engrossed a bill to improve Massachusetts home care, which would create a licensing and oversight framework for private-pay home care agencies, establish standards for contracts, background checks, training, insurance, and consumer protections, and create advisory committees to guide implementation. An amendment establishing a Family Caregiver Commission was adopted 154-0, and the bill itself was then engrossed 153-1. In addition, the House passed or engrossed several other measures, including a bill authorizing the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority to provide sewer services to land in Sharon, a sick leave bank bill for a Trial Court employee, a Marblehead parking fines bill, a Hingham municipal property bill for a center for active living, and a Taunton bill allowing continued employment of Police Chief Edward J. Walsh. The chamber also handled numerous calendar items, holding or passing over many while advancing a few. The session ended with a special adjournment in memory of former Representative George L. Sacco Jr., and the House adjourned to meet the next day at 11 a.m. in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then subsequently there were some wildfires, and those consumers got stuck in the same boat where
• As soon as we sent them information that we needed money, within 10 days, we had checks.
• know, can we have this information, put this out there?
• First, I just want to thank you for continuing to have these informational hearings.
• They have the information on the policy. They have everything they need to take about.

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee held an oversight hearing on the California Fair Plan, focused on the plan’s rapid growth, its financial stability after the January Southern California wildfires, and its role as the insurer of last resort. Fair Plan officials explained that the plan was created in 1968, is a not-for-profit involuntary association of licensed property insurers, and is intended to be a temporary safety net until policyholders can return to the admitted market. They emphasized that the plan is not a state agency or taxpayer-funded, but is regulated by the Department of Insurance and supported by member-company assessments if claims exceed available funds. Victoria Roach and Armand Feliciano said the Fair Plan has grown sharply since 2018 and especially after market pullbacks by major insurers, reaching about 575,000 policies and roughly $600 billion in exposure by spring 2025. They noted that growth is increasingly occurring in lower wildfire-risk areas, where the plan can sometimes be cheaper than the voluntary market, and said this undermines depopulation back into the private market. They also discussed recent policy expansions, including coverage for farms, higher residential and commercial limits, and pending or proposed changes such as AB 290, SB 525, and AB 226, which would add tools like a line of credit and bond access. A major portion of the hearing addressed the January wildfire losses and the plan’s financial response. Fair Plan officials said they assessed member insurers for $1 billion after determining claims and cash flow would exceed available resources, and that the process was approved quickly and paid smoothly, with more than 80% of the assessment collected within 10 days. They also described the reinsurance tower, the plan’s limited surplus, and the need for actuarially sound rates to reduce future reliance on assessments. On claims handling, they said the plan has received over 5,500 claims from the fires, has paid more than $2.9 billion so far, expects total payments near $4 billion, and has focused on advancing payments quickly for total losses and other urgent needs. Members questioned the plan’s solvency, the growth in non-wildfire areas, claim denials, smoke-loss coverage, and how depopulation works. Roach said most closed claims without payment were duplicates rather than denials, and that smoke claims require direct physical loss under the policy, with coverage determined case by case. Public commenters from the California Building Industry Association and the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of California said the Fair Plan’s growth reflects a weak voluntary market, inadequate rates, and insurer fear of future assessments, and urged support for rate increases and AB 226. The hearing concluded with no vote, but with a commitment from Fair Plan officials to follow up on unanswered questions and continue providing more transparency through public data and website disclosures.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we'll get contact information for you.
• So we'll get contact information for you.
• This legislation would create difficulties for Massachusetts retailers and consumers.
• approach to protecting consumer health and access to dietary supplements.
• to make informed decisions about their health.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Health heard testimony on a wide range of bills focused on environmental health, disease prevention, and access to care. Major topics included restricting polystyrene use, creating a pancreatic cancer awareness and early-detection initiative, improving indoor air quality through a task force and new regulations, expanding access to epinephrine in public places, improving access to health care for people with long COVID, creating an OBGYN loan repayment program for underserved areas, expanding access to hygiene products, modernizing licensure for dietitians and nutritionists, updating school postural screening requirements, and restricting harmful diet pills and muscle-building supplements. Several legislators also testified in support of their own bills, including measures on menstrual product access and ingredient disclosure, and surgical smoke protections. Testimony on the polystyrene bill emphasized local municipal bans and the need to reduce plastic pollution. Pancreatic cancer advocates and patients described the disease’s low survival rate, the difficulty of early diagnosis, and the need for an awareness campaign and implementation of commission recommendations. Indoor air quality supporters from environmental justice groups, public health organizations, and residents described asthma, mold, pollution, and the need for a task force with technical expertise; some witnesses urged adding remediation professionals to the task force. On epinephrine access, family members of a man who died after a bee sting and an allergy organization stressed that anaphylaxis can be sudden and fatal and that stock epinephrine in public venues could save lives. Long COVID advocates said the condition affects hundreds of thousands of residents and called for better surveillance and access to care, with a request to include MECFS in the bills’ scope. Other testimony focused on workforce and equity issues. Supporters of the OBGYN loan repayment bill said it would help address maternal health disparities and provider shortages, especially in rural and underserved communities. Hope and Comfort described widespread hygiene insecurity and a long waiting list for basic products, urging a task force to study statewide solutions. Dietitians and nutritionists supported modernization of licensure to clarify standards for medical nutrition therapy while allowing broader wellness counseling. School nurses backed reducing mandatory postural screenings, arguing the current law is not evidence-based, is not reimbursed by MassHealth, and takes time from other student health needs. On the supplement bill, the industry trade group opposed restrictions as overbroad and burdensome, while a public health expert cited research linking weight-loss and muscle-building supplements to serious harms and urged passage. The committee also heard support for menstrual product access and surgical smoke protections, with legislators and advocates describing those bills as longstanding priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so as we walk through this bill, we really kept the consumers in the forefront.
• Both programs are existing programs, and this bill will not raise costs on consumers.
• And if you just take a step back, what does that mean for consumers in New York City?
• And if you just take a step back, what does that mean for consumers in New York State?
• And so that's fewer choices for consumers. It's less competition.

Summary: The committee first heard AB 470, which would change California’s carrier-of-last-resort rules and allow a phased transition away from copper landlines in areas deemed well served by alternative phone options. The author and AT&T argued the bill would protect consumers, preserve 911 access, require public notice and CPUC review, and direct investment toward modern fiber and emergency communications. Supporters included a wide range of business, civic, tribal, and community groups, while opponents from TURN, rural counties, labor, digital equity organizations, and local governments warned the bill could let AT&T shed service obligations too quickly, weaken protections for rural and underserved households, and harm workers. After extensive member discussion about CPUC authority, rural carveouts, labor impacts, and reinvestment, AB 470 was passed do pass as amended to Appropriations, with one no vote and one not voting, and the roll left open. The committee then took up AB 1532, a committee omnibus bill extending funding and surcharge authority for the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program and the TNC Access for All program, while also adding CPUC accountability provisions. Chair Boerner Horvath explained the bill would not raise consumer costs and would require the CPUC to appear at hearings when requested and adopt rules for commissioner attendance. There was no opposition testimony, and the bill was moved do pass and re-refer to Utilities and Energy, though the roll was left open because it had not yet reached the threshold for immediate transmission. Finally, the committee heard AB 353, the Affordable Home Internet Act of 2025, which would establish an affordability floor for home broadband for low-income Californians after the expiration of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program. Supporters said broadband costs remain too high and that families, students, and vulnerable communities need a state solution now; opponents from the wireless industry and rural county representatives argued the bill would amount to an artificial price mandate and could complicate existing rural broadband buildouts. Members generally supported the goal but raised concerns about impacts on small ISPs and rural areas, and the bill was moved forward with a motion and second while discussion continued about possible exemptions and amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Obviously, we do need more subsurface information.
• Costs will be internalized with no fee to consumers.
• Information for limited sites, and more information on what is accepted, is usually found on a county
• Consumers are still paying a fee. Consumers are still paying a fee.
• There is consumer demand for that.

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The committee’s interim work session focused first on carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS), with presenters from industry, nonprofits, and state agencies describing Washington’s geologic potential, the role of basalt formations, and the difference between point-source capture, direct air capture, utilization, and permanent storage. Industry and project developers emphasized that Washington has major opportunities to reduce industrial emissions, create jobs, and support hard-to-electrify sectors, while state agencies explained current policy touchpoints in the Cap and Invest Program, emissions exemptions for permanently stored CO2, and the Clean Energy Transformation Act. Several presenters urged clearer statutory and regulatory pathways, including rules for pore space, subsurface rights, pipeline siting, and long-term liability; others cautioned that CCUS should be limited to real emissions reductions and not treated as a substitute for broader clean energy measures. Committee members asked about public comment opportunities, whether mineralized carbon would qualify for exemption under the Climate Commitment Act, the energy intensity of capture systems, aquifer protection, and liability if storage later proves problematic. Ecology said it is developing guidance through a public engagement process running through late June and that mineralized or otherwise permanently stored CO2 would likely qualify if it meets the 1,000-year permanence standard. DNR and outside experts also discussed trust lands, water rights, and the need for additional geophysical surveys and test wells. The panel did not take any votes or formal actions. The second half of the meeting turned to hazardous waste and extended producer responsibility. Ecology reviewed existing product stewardship programs for electronics, paint, batteries, and mercury lights, and described how moderate risk waste and household hazardous waste are currently collected through county facilities and events. Ecology said the electronics program is its best model, while the mercury lamp program is currently in transition after the prior stewardship organization exited and a new organization is seeking approval. Ecology recommended that future EPR programs have clear producer and product definitions, full producer funding, convenience standards, annual reporting, and strong enforcement authority. Local government witnesses from King County and Douglas County described rising costs, access barriers in rural areas, and the need for stable funding and flexible local delivery models. King County said it collected over 3 million pounds of hazardous products in 2025 and argued that EPR could reduce costs for ratepayers and improve equity. Douglas County stressed that rural residents are willing to participate when services are available, but travel distance and operating costs make access difficult. An industry representative supported narrowly scoped stewardship programs like PaintCare but warned that broad household hazardous waste EPR systems can become difficult to administer and may require legislative revisions if responsibilities are not clearly defined. No votes were taken on the hazardous waste topic either.

Transcript Highlights:

• Consumer protections or taxpayers' safeguards.
• That is a consumer protection measure.
• This is a data call where they're requesting information.
• First, it exempts proprietary business information and personal identifying information collected through
• There are scenarios that get created where this information could be necessary in the future.

Summary: The Insurance and Banking Subcommittee met to hear and vote on several bills, with all measures reported favorably. The first major item was PCS for HB 175 on payment stablecoins, which would create a Florida regulatory framework aligned with the federal GENIUS Act so issuers can choose state regulation instead of federal licensing. Members asked extensive questions about how stablecoins differ from other digital assets, whether Florida would need federal approval, and what impact the bill would have on the Office of Financial Regulation; the sponsor and OFR said the state framework would mirror federal standards and that any workload increase was currently indeterminate. The PCS passed unanimously after testimony from OFR and the Florida Blockchain Business Association in support. The committee then approved CS for HB 961, which streamlines electronic signature requirements for salvage titles and certificates of destruction, and HB 1415, a DFS stablecoin pilot program allowing certain stablecoins to be used for licensing and regulatory fees. HB 1415 was amended to remove authority for a Florida coin, limit the pilot to established stablecoins with at least $1 billion market cap, and require secure custody through a public depository or custodial bank. Members discussed how any interest or revenue would be used, with sponsors saying the pilot was still exploratory and intended mainly to cover program costs. Both bills passed favorably. HB 1039, establishing a state cryptocurrency reserve, also passed after a strike-all amendment moved administration of the reserve from the CFO’s office to the State Board of Administration and tightened eligibility to cryptocurrencies with a $100 billion market cap over the prior 12 months. Supporters argued the bill would create a framework for future diversification and investment in established digital assets, while several members raised concerns about volatility, reporting frequency, and the meaning of new terms such as qualified liquidity provider and secure custody solution. The committee also passed CS for HB 951 on penny rounding for cash transactions, with an amendment clarifying cash transaction definitions and treating money orders and gift cards like credit-card transactions for rounding purposes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The prior authorization process is a time-consuming barrier to necessary patient care.
• The prior authorization process is a time-consuming barrier to necessary patient care.
• So as a jurist, that would exclude me from a trial, but as a legislator that informs me in my decision
• The information I was given is that the 10% is too hard for us; we can define it.
• The information I was given is that the 10% is too hard for us, we can define it.

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:

• For example, a retail company might collect basic information directly from the consumer, but then purchase
• Consumers get stuck in this endless loop of trying to email, saying, 'Hey, I want to delete my information
• It does not restrict consumer choice. It simply provides transparent information so that you can't.
• It does not restrict consumer choice.
• It is absolutely critical that consumers, as a baseline, at a minimum, have access to that information

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, offered a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then proceeded through gubernatorial appointments and third-reading measures. Three appointments to the California Housing Finance Agency Board and the State Mining and Geology Board were confirmed by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The body then considered a series of bills on criminal procedure, military authority, housing, refinery safety, land use, music festivals, homelessness planning, solar tax assessment, HOA assessments, privacy, utility accounts, refrigerant disposal, law enforcement training, natural gas planning, school transfers, and regional transportation planning. Among the more debated measures, SB 1173 on lesser related offense instructions passed 25-10 after opposition centered on judicial discretion and consistency. SB 1354, limiting out-of-state military or law enforcement activity without the Governor’s permission, passed 29-9 after supporters framed it as a sovereignty measure and opponents argued federal command authority controls. SB 1090, the Altadena disaster-speculation bill, passed 29-9; supporters said it would curb predatory investor purchases after wildfire disasters, while opponents raised concerns about property rights and market effects. SB 966 on refinery worker participation in safety standards passed 30-9 amid a dispute over worker protections versus regulatory burden, and SB 1256, a local housing/subdivision bill, passed 32-0 despite concerns about fire-safety amendments. The Senate also approved SB 865 on music festivals, SB 866 on homelessness planning with a commitment to exempt smaller cities, SB 1007 on HOA assessment transparency and homeowner approval thresholds, SB 923 on privacy deletion rights, SB 1098 on utility balancing accounts, SB 1010 on refrigerant recovery, SB 937 on flashbang and breaching-device restrictions, SB 1082 on inter-district transfer timelines, and SB 1087 on modernizing regional transportation planning. SB 1329 on solar farm property tax assessment drew extensive debate over county revenues, solar development certainty, and fairness to rural communities, but ultimately passed after the call was lifted. Several measures were supported by authors and committee chairs as balancing consumer, worker, or local government protections against concerns about costs, regulatory stability, and local control.

Transcript Highlights:

• point if uh this is not the information point if uh this is not the information that<00:02:53.680
• geographies um but the uh information geographies um but the uh information that<00:09:22.080>
• Because you need to be able to be a truly informed consumer.
• Because you need to be able to be a truly informed consumer.
• <01:30:18.400> I I didn't make it clear the information I I didn't make it clear the information

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So I think it provides information to both the commission and to.
• They're both consuming the same, taking the same amount of power off the grid.
• But if they're not consuming during those specific intervals, they pay less while other consumers pay
• Consumers, we want to take advantage of those resources, but not have the cost shift.
• It could ultimately help residential consumers as well and lead to a better system.

Bills: SB6, SB11, SB33

Keywords: electric power, interconnection, utilities, ERCOT, large load customers, water supply, sewer service, demand management, school prayer, Bible reading, religious text, public schools, Texas Education Code, student prayer, silent prayer, meditation, religious liberty, First Amendment, Establishment Clause, church and state

Transcript Highlights:

• They are the consumer watchdog.
• people they are the consumer people they are the consumer Watchdog<00:13:07.800> think<00
• They are the consumer watchdog.
• They are the consumer watchdog.
• What information has been gathered? Where did that information go? What will it be used for?

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, February 13, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . the form of higher prices for consumers.
• Uh, as you to retailers and consumers.
• Found its way back to the consumer. And that's just the fact of life.
• think uh our testifiers information think uh our testifiers information produced<00:48:21.920>
• have, the benefit for these consumers have, the benefit for these consumers and<00:52:09.599>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:15:00.800> price um that amount uh to the consumer price um that amount uh to the consumer
• commerce and consumer protection policy. commerce and consumer protection policy.
• consumer products. consumer products.
• that they need and that they're informed consumers, so that they don't come to us and say, 'I didn't
• that they need and that they're informed consumers, so that they don't come to us and say, 'I didn't

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :38.560> consumers<01:09:39.040> the does provide consumer uh consumers the does provide
• consumer uh consumers the ability<01:09:39.520> to<01:09:39.679> shop<01:09:40.000>
• need to be better is that consumers need to be better informed<01:09:51.120> and<01:09:51.359
• We want to provide this information to the consumer, and so we stand in support of the bill in its current
• want we want to provide this information want we want to provide this information to<01:16:32.560

Bills: HB0117, HB0126

Keywords: informed consent, abortion, civil liability, coercion, healthcare rights, fetal heartbeat, termination of pregnancy, medical emergency, Wyoming legislation, rights of minors, healthcare regulations, parental consent, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I move that Senate File 1449 be withdrawn from the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection and
• Committee on Commerce and Consumer Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection<00:15:59.360>
• It will be an informational hearing.
• It will be an informational 11:50.
• It will be an informational hearing.<00:19:28.000> Uh,<00:19:28.320> and<00:19:28.559><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We will begin with AB 2116, Assembly Member Chiavo, California Consumer Financial Protection Law.
• Robert Harrell, Executive Director of the Consumer Federation of California, in strong support.
• The bill improperly conflates consumer and small business regulation.
• Over time, these financing costs can consume a significant share of project budgets.
• Rent-related financial products, especially for low-income consumers.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee met and first approved the consent calendar, sending AB 2028, AB 2425, and AB 2795 to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The committee also announced that AB 2558 and AB 2746 had been pulled from the agenda. The chair reviewed committee rules on written testimony and decorum before proceeding through the file order. AB 2116, which would regulate merchant cash advance and related small-business financing products under the California Consumer Financial Protection Law, drew strong support from the author and advocates who said it would close oversight gaps, require registration, prohibit confessions of judgment and power-of-attorney provisions before default, and improve transparency for small businesses. Supporters included small business advocates, consumer groups, local officials, and community organizations. Opposition from the Revenue-Based Finance Coalition argued the bill mixed consumer and commercial regulation, used inconsistent definitions of small business, and could restrict access to capital; they said amendments were being discussed. The committee passed AB 2116 to Appropriations. AB 2243, by Assembly Member Haney, would create a state bank commission to study whether California should establish a state bank or other public financing tools. Supporters said the state pays billions in interest to private lenders and could better use public funds for housing, infrastructure, climate, and small business lending. Opponents from the banking and credit union sectors raised concerns about taxpayer exposure, deposit guarantees, use of public funds, and the bill’s implications for existing financing structures. After discussion, the committee passed AB 2243 to Appropriations on a roll call vote, with some members voting no. AB 2350, as amended, would set guardrails on rent-now-pay-later products tied to rental housing to prevent predatory fees, high interest, and eviction risk for renters. The author and supporters emphasized the bill’s consumer protection goals, while industry representatives opposed it unless amended, saying they had not seen final language and wanted the bill narrowed to avoid broader impacts on the financial services sector. The committee passed AB 2350 as amended to Appropriations. At the end of the meeting, the committee completed roll calls for absent members and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will begin with AB 2116, Assembly Member Chiavo, California Consumer Financial Protection Law.
• Robert Harrell, Executive Director of the Consumer Federation of California, in strong support.
• Second, the bill improperly conflates consumer and small business regulation.
• Over time, these financing costs can consume a significant share of project budgets.
• Rent-related financial products, especially for low-income consumers.

Summary: The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee met and first approved the consent calendar, which included AB 2028, AB 2425, and committee bill AB 2795, all sent to the Committee on Appropriations. The committee also noted that AB 2558 and AB 2746 had been pulled from the agenda. The chair reviewed hearing procedures, including acceptance of written testimony and rules against disruptive conduct. The committee then heard AB 2116, which would require registration and basic conduct standards for certain small-business financing providers, including merchant cash advance companies, and prohibit confessions of judgment and power-of-attorney provisions before default. Supporters argued the bill would close an oversight gap and improve transparency for small businesses; a small business owner testified that a purported 13% loan turned out to have a 235% APR. Opponents said the bill mixed consumer and commercial regulation and could restrict access to capital, though they supported banning confessions of judgment. The bill passed on a roll call vote and was sent to Appropriations. AB 2243, by Assembly Member Haney, proposed creating a state bank commission to study whether California should establish a state bank or other public financing tools. Supporters said a public banking model could reduce borrowing costs, keep more public money in-state, and better finance housing, infrastructure, and other public priorities; opponents from banking groups raised concerns about taxpayer exposure, deposit guarantees, and the use of public funds and existing lending structures. The bill passed and was sent to Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 2350, which would set guardrails on rent-now-pay-later products for rental housing; supporters said these products can lead to high fees, debt, and eviction risk, while industry groups opposed the bill unless amended. AB 2350 passed as amended and was sent to Appropriations. At the end of the meeting, the committee completed roll calls for absent members and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I may consume. I may consume.
• time as I may consume. time as I may consume.
• may consume. may consume.
• I may consume. I may consume.
• I may consume. I may consume.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They must be capable of making their own informed decision, and they must make that request themselves
• What it does is trust a terminally ill adult who is capable and informed, in consultation with their
• Will be returned to the House of Representatives with the information that the Senate has passed the
• Senator Hutchinson so moves, for the information of the members. Senator Hutchinson so moves.
• For the information of the members, the clerk will read the bill numbers: Senate Bill 1061, Senate Bill

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, committee reports, and approval of the prior journal. Members also granted several leaves of absence and welcomed a number of guests, including Ireland’s Consul General and Deputy Consul General, student shadows, an intern, and the Neshaminy High School baseball team, which was recognized for winning the 2026 PIAA Class 6A state championship. The chamber then recessed briefly for an Education Committee meeting and party caucuses before returning to session. On the floor, the Senate advanced several measures. Senate Bill 362, addressing SNAP skimming, passed 49-0 after remarks about protecting food assistance benefits from theft. Senate Bill 469, providing discounted fishing and hunting licenses for current and retired law enforcement, also passed 49-0 after an amendment was withdrawn. Senate Bill 730, codifying Pennsylvania POLST forms for end-of-life medical orders, saw a tabled amendment from Senator Boscola on physician-assisted dying after a 28-21 vote, then passed 49-0. The Senate also adopted an amendment to Senate Bill 1206 clarifying a temporary license pending FDA approval, and sent House Bill 1344 and Senate Bill 1377 to the House after unanimous final passage. Other bills were moved to appropriations or held in order, including Senate Bill 49, House Bill 96, Senate Bill 535, Senate Bill 536, House Bill 538, Senate Bill 743, Senate Bill 1262, Senate Bill 1273, House Bill 1286, and Senate Bill 1372. House Bill 1862 and House Bill 2017 each received amendments and were re-referred to the Appropriations Committee. The Senate also agreed to consider newly reported committee bills, including measures from Finance, Judiciary, Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness, and Education. In petitions and remonstrances, Senators Tartaglione and Costa focused on minimum wage and utility affordability, urging action on consumer protections, LIHEAP funding, data center energy costs, and related energy policy. The session concluded with the signing of House Bill 1877 in the presence of the Senate and a recess until June 24, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., unless recalled earlier.