Transcript Highlights:

• I think some of the things was that, to answer the question about waste...
• About waste, I mean, again, to kind of talk about the five components. They have to take three.
• That's how much waste we cut down because of the... ...much waste we cut down because of the not being
• As we talked about the waste and less employees, I had one less employee.
• So, that kind of helped us with waste, too, and things like that.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You've got to buy the waste oils and fats to put in there. And so that's...
• You got to buy the waste oils and fats to put in there.
• Kayla Robinson with Californians Against Waste.
• And then, just lastly, $29 million from GGRF funds for organic waste diversion. Thank you.
• And then just lastly, $29 million from GGRF funds for organic waste diversion. Thank you.

Summary: The meeting began with a budget subcommittee hearing on a proposed sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) tax credit trailer bill. Assembly Members Ávila Farías and another member spoke in support, emphasizing union jobs, refinery investments, and the need to decarbonize aviation. The Department of Finance said the Governor’s proposal would provide a $1 to $2 per gallon credit against the diesel excise tax for SAF sold in California from 2026 to 2036. The Legislative Analyst’s Office recommended rejecting the proposal, arguing it is a relatively expensive way to reduce emissions, has uncertain environmental benefits, could significantly reduce transportation revenues, and conflicts with the spirit of voter restrictions on transportation taxes. Committee members questioned whether the credit would mainly benefit out-of-state producers, whether firms would have diesel tax liability to use the credit, and whether the proposal would shift production away from renewable diesel and raise fuel prices. Administration and CARB staff said the credit is intended to support aviation decarbonization, preserve jobs, and help keep California on track toward its 2045 climate goals. LAO and UC Berkeley testimony countered that the policy could mostly subsidize existing technologies, that feedstock supply is limited, and that the net emissions benefit may be small relative to the cost. Members also asked about the effect on local streets and roads, SHOP, and trade corridor funding; Finance estimated a $165 million annual revenue impact would reduce those programs, while LAO said the reductions would mean fewer projects over time. No vote was taken, and the chair said the issue would remain open for further discussion. The committee then moved to a zero-emission vehicle incentive trailer bill proposing a one-time $200 million appropriation to CARB for a new point-of-sale incentive program focused on first-time buyers and leases of new and used light-duty ZEVs. Supporters said the program would help offset the loss of the federal EV tax credit, maintain momentum in California’s ZEV transition, and use a one-to-one match with participating automakers to double the state’s investment. LAO recommended rejection, saying the proposal does not meet the high budget bar this year, lacks enough program detail to evaluate, is unlikely to move sales significantly given the size of the appropriation, and could duplicate existing state and utility programs. Members asked about current incentives across light-, medium-, and heavy-duty sectors, the recent decline in ZEV sales, and whether the program would help lower-income buyers rather than subsidize purchases that would have happened anyway. CARB said the proposal is meant to fill a gap in the light-duty market, where sales fell sharply after the federal credit expired, and noted existing programs for other vehicle classes. The Department of Finance also addressed a separate question about the Motor Vehicle Account, saying a previously planned GGRF transfer was no longer needed because updated forecasts showed the fund had sufficient balances, though LAO said the account still has a structural long-term imbalance. The discussion ended before any vote or action on the ZEV proposal.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> letter, along with NWRA, the solid waste letter, along with NWRA, the solid waste private<00:22:
• </c> private solid waste industry's letter. private solid waste industry's letter.
• </c> band, clarifying that solid waste band, clarifying that solid waste facilities<00:23:26.640><c>
• </c> um unknowingly to them places the waste um unknowingly to them places the waste in<00:23:32.600>
• </c> solid waste industry, and also counties. solid waste industry, and also counties.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate amended the bill to effectively merge the recycling fund and the solid waste fee fund.
• All allowable uses and program requirements for the recycling fund are transferred to the solid waste
• statutes, and all monies remaining in the recycling fund are required to be transferred to the solid waste
• The Senate amended the bill to effectively merge the recycling fund and the solid waste fee fund.
• All allowable uses and program requirements for the recycling fund are transferred to the solid waste

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate amended the bill to effectively merge the recycling fund and the solid waste fee fund.
• All allowable uses and program requirements for the recycling fund are transferred to the solid waste
• statutes, and all monies remaining in the recycling fund are required to be transferred to the solid waste
• The Senate amended the bill to effectively merge the recycling fund and the solid waste fee fund.
• All allowable uses and program requirements for the recycling fund are transferred to the solid waste

Summary: The caucus reviewed several House and Senate measures, mostly in concurrence form. HB 2611, which clarifies and expands children’s rights in foster care and kinship care, was presented with a Senate amendment requiring quarterly reports on random employee drug screening results at group homes to the Health and Human Services committee chairs; the sponsor intended to concur. HB 2048, on access to non-opioid prescription drug controls, would bar more restrictive utilization controls such as prior authorization or step therapy for clinically appropriate non-opioid pain medications approved by the FDA, with a repeal date of August 31, 2028; the sponsor intended to concur, though one member raised concerns about opioid addiction in tribal communities and asked about stronger warnings and Indian Health Service involvement. HB 2404, changing inter-facility transport procedures, returned from the Senate with only a delayed effective date change, and concurrence was expected. SB 1630, a Senate bill, would create a home and community-based service program for adults who are seriously mentally ill; members noted there was no opposition, but also that the bill appears to have a cost and no appropriation. HB 2950, creating tourism improvement districts, was amended in the Senate to remove a lodging business assessment requirement for destination marketing organizations and allow local governing bodies to approve assessment rates; members confirmed it remained an opt-in/opt-out structure. HB 2995, which rewrites Arizona’s domestic violence framework for legal decision-making and parenting time cases, was amended to make child and victim safety the highest priority, revise court findings and evidence standards, limit mutual domestic violence findings, and add an emergency clause; the sponsor recommended concurrence, though one member asked where the committee stood on the bill. HB 2265, concerning court fees and assessments, was amended to restore courts’ ability to adopt new fees, fines, and surcharges going forward; concurrence was recommended, but county supervisors remained opposed due to concerns about cost shifts. HB 2986, the annual ADEQ omnibus, was amended to merge the recycling fund into the solid waste fee fund and exempt certain public water system infrastructure modifications from plan review; concurrence was expected. The caucus also briefly noted the fiscal year 2027 budget bills, HB 4154 through HB 4169, before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, we manage hazardous waste, solid waste, landfills.
• </c> hazardous waste Solid Waste or petroleum hazardous waste Solid Waste or petroleum products<04:47
• ><c> hazardous</c><04:49:15.360><c> waste</c> our our solid waste and hazardous waste our our solid waste
• </c> solid waste food diversion food waste solid waste food diversion food waste diversion<05:21:32.920
• The solid waste food waste diversion program again came to us through HB 2.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Department of Administrative Services presented an overview of its budget and operations, emphasizing that it is the lowest-spending agency in state government and that its general fund allocation has declined since 2019. Commissioner Arling House explained that DAS also handles back-office functions for several administratively attached boards, which has affected staffing and spending comparisons. He said the department’s current general fund spending is roughly split between retiree health and other operations, and that the presentation was based on adjusted authorized spending rather than the original budget figures. A major portion of the meeting focused on retiree health benefits and the long-term effort to control costs. Deputy Commissioner Cassie Keane described how the state moved from a projected deficit in retiree health to savings through a series of changes, including higher premium contributions, co-pay adjustments, and shifting Medicare retirees into Medicare Advantage arrangements to capture federal reimbursement. She said the state has about 12,500 retirees and spouses on the plan, with roughly 10,906 Medicare retirees and 1,580 non-Medicare retirees, and that the savings have depended heavily on federal funding and procurement decisions. She also noted that Medicare retirees pay Part B premiums and that the state has grandfathered older retirees from some premium contributions. Members asked about what the expenditures cover, why the state offers retiree health instead of simply giving retirees a payment to buy coverage themselves, and whether out-of-pocket costs changed under Medicare Advantage. Keane said the plan covers actual health claims or insurance premiums, that co-pays and maximum out-of-pocket limits remain in place, and that the state has no authority to change benefit details without legislative action. She explained that retiree health is a long-standing employee benefit that wraps around Medicare and is not collectively bargained in the usual sense, though its eligibility rules and cost-sharing have been tightened over time to better target the benefit to long-term state service. The discussion also covered vendor performance problems. Keane said Anthem recently won the contract back from Aetna, but its pharmacy subsidiary, Caroline, caused serious service disruptions. DAS responded by withholding payments, assessing more than $2 million in performance guarantees, and hiring a third-party auditor to review the pharmacy processes. The current contract runs through the end of calendar year 2026, and officials said they are watching federal Medicare Advantage reimbursement changes closely because future savings are uncertain.

Transcript Highlights:

• line by balancing the budget without tax increases, demanding accountability for agencies to stop waste
• I'm a senator from Fergus Falls, and one of the big concerns that our caucus also has is around waste
• What about waste abuse? Could that be one of the obvious bipartisan things?
• I do think when we're addressing waste, fraud, and abuse, there's opportunities for bipartisanship.
• </c><00:13:51.800><c> R</c> do think when we're addressing waste R do think when we're addressing waste

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We do some things to control the waste, fraud, and abuse that has been rampant in our state.
• To refer matters for civil, criminal, and administrative action to the OIG, Anti-Fraud and Waste Bureau
• In regards to the waste, fraud, and abuse, Madam Speaker.
• The last six years, we have seen over a billion dollars of this waste, fraud, and abuse.
• In fact, it has the same potential to be harmful to our government and to waste additional dollars.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's time to put an end to these wasteful boondoggles.
• Less waste. Let's do the right thing for Minnesotans.
• You promised your constituents that you would root out waste.
• the waste.
• We have watched billions of dollars wasted, and we have heard excuse after excuse.

Transcript Highlights:

• In recent years and even months, we keep seeing headlines about waste, fraud, and abuse, whether it be
• They're done with the state of Minnesota and this administration wasting, abusing, and finding fraud
• They're done with the state of Minnesota and this administration wasting, abusing, and finding fraud
• They're done with the state of Minnesota and this administration wasting, abusing, and finding fraud
• They're done with the state of Minnesota and this administration wasting, abusing, and finding fraud

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Solid waste collection is an essential public health service that our communities rely on.
• John McHale on behalf of Waste Management, opposed unless amended. Thank you.
• Because some cities can do large, huge companies like Republic, Waste Management, places like that.
• decide ahead of time. large, huge companies, Republic, waste management, places like that.
• Because the clause includes a labor dispute, a waste hauler can walk away. That's what they can do.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Texas Workforce Commission has shared concerns over a lack of statutory requirements for fraud, waste
• While fraud, waste, and abuse detection and prevention measures currently exist in statute for the TWC
• that all programs at TWC have statutory authority for detection and fraud and prevention of fraud, waste
• Statutorily, fraud, waste, and abuse is only addressed in the subsidized child care program.
• So we just want to make sure that when we're investigating fraud, waste and abuse in all our programs

Transcript Highlights:

• a lot of time and effort. >> You're talking about the NGA process being a waste of time?
• </c><01:08:29.679><c> You're</c> wasting a lot of time and effort.
• You're wasting a lot of time and effort.
• <01:08:32.080><c> of</c><01:08:32.239><c> time</c> waste of time waste of time &gt;&gt; or<01:08:32.719
• </c> &gt;&gt; or No, not I'm not saying it's a waste &gt;&gt; or No, not I'm not saying it's a waste

Bills: SB2198, SB2140, SB3055, SB3090, SB3091, SB3092, SB2761

Keywords: workforce development, craftspersons, skilled trades, artisan, craftsmanship, trade recognition, award program, DLIR, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, vocational education, career pathways, cultural preservation, workforce excellence, apprenticeship, Hawaii trades, economic diversification, public nominations, governor awards, historically significant venue

Transcript Highlights:

• and abuse uh and that's about by waste and abuse uh and that's about by providers<00:09:26.880><c> as
• It's, you know, in an effort to identify any fraud, waste, and abuse we may find.
• But how big a problem is waste, fraud, and abuse within Kentucky Medicaid?
• </c> what's the scope of the problem of waste what's the scope of the problem of waste Fraud<00:41:28.839
• </c><00:41:43.480><c> Fraud</c> um but how big a problem is waste Fraud um but how big a problem is waste

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee met to review the Department for Medicaid Services’ program integrity work. Commissioner Lisa Lee and Program Integrity Director Jennifer Dudinsky outlined Kentucky Medicaid’s structure, funding, enrollment, and spending, including FMAP rates, the size of the Medicaid and KCHIP populations, the number of providers, and 2024 expenditures. They also described the managed care and fee-for-service populations, noting that managed care serves most members while fee-for-service is concentrated in long-term care and waiver populations. Most of the discussion focused on fraud, waste, abuse prevention, and provider oversight. The department described its provider enrollment and certification checks, revalidation requirements, site reviews, fingerprinting for some high-risk providers, and termination grounds such as false application information, Medicare actions, unreported ownership changes, and abandonment of a provider number. Members asked about nonprofit ownership reporting, MCO fraud oversight, and how the department tracks unusual CPT code utilization, especially in behavioral health. The department said it uses data analytics, audits, policy review, and collaboration with behavioral health staff to monitor those trends. Dudinsky explained the division’s four branches: provider licensing and certification, audits and compliance, recovery, and third-party liability/estate recovery. She described prepayment and postpayment audits, referrals of credible fraud allegations to the Attorney General, monthly meetings with the AG’s office, and coordination with the Office of Inspector General, CMS, HHS OIG, MCOs, and other partners. She also explained payment suspensions, stand-downs during law enforcement investigations, and recovery efforts for overpayments, provider/member fraud, and third-party liability. The department said its recovery and avoidance efforts produced more than $251 million in savings so far in 2025. No votes or formal actions beyond approving the minutes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Abandoned waste attracts additional dumping, creates fire hazards, blocks sidewalks, harms businesses
• As a result, Oakland crews have removed 15 million pounds of waste.
• Oakland has invested millions of dollars cleaning up illegally dumped waste, but cannot clean our way
• I also focus on large-scale dumping operations involving hundreds of pounds of waste.
• Mostly businesses that consistently dump waste, large quantities of waste, in our neighborhoods and on

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard several bills focused on active transportation, transit, road safety, and local enforcement. SB 569 would restrict removal or downgrading of bikeways built with state General Fund dollars for at least 20 years, require public hearings before major changes, and was supported by bicycle advocates and some local and environmental groups. The City of Encinitas opposed the bill, arguing it could limit needed safety fixes and should apply only to future projects; committee members discussed whether the bill still allowed safety-based modifications. The bill passed on a due pass vote to Appropriations. SB 741 would streamline the Low-Carbon Transit Operations Program by reducing administrative burden and giving transit agencies more flexibility to use funds for service improvements, fare programs, and other transit needs while maintaining oversight and disadvantaged community requirements. Transit agencies and advocacy groups supported the measure, saying it would help agencies respond to post-pandemic ridership and financial challenges. The committee approved the bill on a due pass as amended vote to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 1167, which would tighten consumer protections by clarifying that high-powered e-motos and similar motor vehicles are not e-bikes, requiring clearer disclosures and labels, and improving crash reporting. Supporters said the bill would reduce confusion and improve safety for riders, pedestrians, and parents; the Motorcycle Industry Council opposed unless amended, arguing the term “e-bike” is used broadly and the bill could affect existing businesses. The bill passed to Appropriations. Later, SB 953, dealing with vehicular manslaughter cases dismissed through misdemeanor diversion, would add DMV points so fatal conduct remains reflected on driving records; the bill was supported by the victim’s family and safety advocates and passed to Appropriations. The committee then heard SB 1218, which would let local agencies boot vehicles tied to repeated unpaid illegal dumping citations instead of using DMV enforcement. Oakland officials and community groups supported the bill as a needed deterrent, while the ACLU opposed it as punitive debt collection without a sufficient nexus to the vehicle. The bill passed to Appropriations. Finally, SB 739 would revise the Clean Miles Standard for rideshare companies by allowing CARB and CPUC to adjust electric vehicle mileage targets in light of current market conditions; Uber and Lyft supported the flexibility, while clean air advocates began raising concerns about weakening climate goals as the transcript cut off.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 667, Representative Bauman, an act relating to solid waste management service companies.
• House Bill 108, an act relating to solid waste management, Representative Raymer.
• For years, Kentucky law has allowed industries that generate residual waste to manage that waste through
• </c> waste management, Representative Raymer. waste management, Representative Raymer.
• </c> industries that generate residual waste industries that generate residual waste to<00:35:41.600>

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Tony Hackett from Californians Against Waste in support.
• Hi, Kristen Gory, on behalf of... ...against waste and support.
• This work is absolutely critical, but we must... ...biomass waste.
• We're on track to create a lot of forest biomass waste.
• It seems like a waste of government resources, a waste of government funds.

Summary: The committee hearing centered first on AB 1243, the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act of 2025, which would direct CalEPA to identify major fossil fuel companies, study California’s climate damages, and assess fees on the largest polluters to fund resilience, recovery, and related projects. The author and supporters argued the bill would make polluters help pay for climate harms, protect taxpayers, create jobs in construction and clean energy, and dedicate at least 40% of funds to disadvantaged communities. Support testimony came from environmental justice groups, labor, youth advocates, health organizations, and many individual witnesses, while opponents from the building trades, chambers of commerce, petroleum, and business groups warned it would raise fuel and consumer costs, threaten refinery jobs, and create legal and economic uncertainty. Committee members debated the bill’s impact on affordability, jobs, refinery closures, and whether cap-and-trade already addresses climate funding needs. The committee ultimately voted to give AB 1243 a due pass recommendation to the Judiciary Committee, with the roll left open. After AB 1243, the committee moved to another bill on wildfire mitigation and related resilience work. The author said the measure addresses a long-running wildfire problem and accepted committee amendments, describing the bill as a response to increasingly severe wildfire seasons and the need to help communities stay safe and rebuild after disasters. The transcript cuts off as that presentation begins, so no final action on the second bill is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Westrom, do you think this is wasteful spending? No, I don't.
• spending in agriculture and what Republicans talk about as wasteful spending.
• spending in agriculture and what Republicans talk about as wasteful spending.
• Be wasteful spending in agriculture and what Republicans talk about as wasteful spending.
• </c> bioorganisms there's no residual waste bioorganisms there's no residual waste Left<01:31:50.679>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, relating to waste disposal 438.
• </c><01:44:43.760><c> landfill</c> sole mun municipal solid waste landfill sole mun municipal solid waste
• So even if it start accepting waste.
• One is a solid waste permit from the Department of Health.
• </c> know for all types of waste. Thank you. know for all types of waste. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several bills on water, land, housing, permitting, and historic preservation. For SB 746/SD2/HD1 on invasive species, DLNR and the Department of Agriculture supported the intent but warned that a bounty approach for coconut rhinoceros beetle could have unintended consequences, divert resources from biocontrol research, and be vulnerable to abuse; Hawaii Farm Bureau supported the measure. The committee also heard SB 1541 on the WoE water system, with testimony from ADC, Kunia Village Title Holding Company, and Farm Bureau in support, emphasizing the importance of the system for agriculture and the high cost of water on lands already dedicated to farming. The most extensive discussion was on SB 66, relating to building permit review and county permitting authority. DPP opposed the bill, saying the problem is not just agency review time but the broader permitting process, including applicant corrections, outside-agency review, staffing shortages, and low pay that make it hard to fill vacancies. DPP said it already meets or beats existing review deadlines for residential permits and is using tools like electronic plans and AI to help applicants submit better plans. Several supporters, including Iron Workers Local 625, an individual witness, and Hawaii Food Industry Association, backed the bill but urged a pilot program or other safeguards; some also asked for broader permit coverage beyond single-family homes. Committee members questioned DPP about whether applicant correction time should count against the clock, whether self-certification could be used, and whether the state should fund any new mandate. The committee then took up SB 26 on affordable housing, with HHFDC, OPSD, and HCDA in support and no opposition noted. Finally, on SB 1263 relating to historic preservation, HHFDC and DLNR supported the bill, while OHA offered comments and requested amendments, especially on the new risk-based review process for high-, medium-, and low-risk areas. OHA said the new procedure should be implemented carefully and allowed more time, describing it as a pilot that should be done well to be useful while still protecting cultural and historic resources. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• disposal, to revise provisions regarding solid waste disposal site contracts and counties.
• This particular section of code that's being repealed deals with the State Hazardous Waste Management
• , relating to hazardous waste facility siting.
• Hazardous Waste Management Act.
• more efficient and timely way to provide in one place all applicable laws on hazardous waste.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Senate opened with roll call, prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the journal. The body then received a series of committee reports and bill referrals, including multiple House bills reported out of committee with do-pass recommendations or sent to other committees, as well as gubernatorial and House messages. Several bills were advanced through first and second reading, and the Senate also noted that it would not take up the 10th order until later. The chamber then considered a long list of measures on third reading. Senate Bill 1227, as amended by the House, relating to education and generative AI, passed after Senator Cook explained that the bill preserves human judgment, local control, and parent transparency while adding House changes to the review committee. House Bill 603, revising Capitol Mall camping rules, passed after debate over balancing free speech with safety and sanitation; opponents warned about overreach, while supporters said the bill clarifies the line between protest and encampment. House Bill 688 on airbag systems, House Bill 645 creating a portable benefits framework for independent contractors, and House Bill 738 allowing LLC organizers to use a commercial registered agent’s address also passed after debate on consumer protection, tax treatment, worker classification, and privacy. Additional bills passed with little or no debate, including House Bill 521 on criminal history background checks for vulnerable populations, House Bill 615 clarifying disturbing-the-peace protections for houses of worship, House Bill 695 correcting a statutory term from possession to restitution, House Bill 568 repealing obsolete Department of Lands provisions, House Bill 774 repealing minimum fines for certain hunting violations, House Bill 762 revising charter school admissions preferences for foster children and military families, House Bill 661 extending county solid-waste disposal contract competition, House Bill 733 updating partnership audit procedures to align with federal tax law, House Bill 749 addressing annexation hardship exceptions and property rights, House Bill 662 expanding milk testing standards and dispute resolution, House Bill 664 removing differential speed limits for heavy trucks, and House Bill 716 revising transportation funding distributions and bridge inspection funding. Several bills were held on the calendar or referred for possible amendment, and the Senate later returned to committee and administrative business, including committee reports, gubernatorial appointments, and moving into the Committee of the Whole on the general calendar.