Transcript Highlights:

• Around 2% to 3% of the cost of the homes that were lost, and we fortify each of those homes, which roughly
• cost, what was it, like, $5,000 per home?
• Between $5,000 and $9,000 per home... ...we could fully fortify the homes that we lost.
• U.S.AA Group companies, number 18, Pacific Specialty Group, 30th, California Casualty.
• Number three: CSAA Insurance Group. Numbers 12, 13, 19, and 24: USAA Group.

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee held an oversight hearing on the Department of Insurance’s Sustainable Insurance Strategy (SIS), with Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara providing a detailed update on implementation after the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. Lara said the strategy has helped stabilize the market, speed claims payments, and keep insurers in California, citing $22.4 billion paid to wildfire survivors, 94% of 4,121 claims paid fully or partially, $210 million returned through department investigations, and a 27% reduction in claim closure time. He said major insurers, including Mercury, CSAA, USAA companies, Pacific Specialty, and California Casualty, have filed under SIS, with several more filings pending, and that approvals have generally been completed within 100 days of public notice. He also discussed modernization of rate review, a new data reconciliation tool, a planned regulation to require rate reviews within 60 days plus a possible 30-day extension, and ongoing work on Fair Plan oversight, wildfire risk modeling, and mitigation standards such as Zone Zero. Committee members focused on wildfire survivor non-renewals, Fair Plan growth, claim handling timelines, and whether new legislative proposals could help or hinder market stability. Lara said visible consumer relief should begin in 12 to 24 months, with broader market stabilization expected over three to five years, and emphasized that mitigation, faster rate review, and insurer participation are key to reducing reliance on the Fair Plan. He also highlighted his 22-bill package, including SB 876 on disaster claims handling, AB 1795 on smoke damage standards, AB 1680 on Fair Plan accountability, and reforms to the intervener process. Members raised concerns about balancing consumer protections with insurer participation, and Lara said the Legislature should weigh those tradeoffs through the committee process. Public commenters were divided but generally acknowledged the importance of the issue. Consumer and survivor advocates argued that insurers still delay or underpay claims and that more protections are needed, while industry representatives praised the department’s work and urged caution so the new system is not undermined. Several speakers stressed the need for mitigation, Zone Zero rules, and adequate rates, while others warned that wildfire and liability insurance problems are affecting foster care providers, commercial coverage, and utility wildfire costs. The hearing concluded with the committee adjourned after public comment.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> However, if not adopted, many small However, if not adopted, many small business<00:08:07.880><c
• <00:13:44.440><c> businesses</c> small businesses small businesses and<00:13:46.200><c> also</c><00:13
• It's a small firm.
• and stay in just to live in their home and stay in their<01:24:14.680><c> home.
• We go home on work 4 days a week. We go home on Friday. Friday. Friday.

Bills: HF3127 , HF3524 , HF3525 , HF3754

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: taxation, pass-through entity, qualifying owner, partnership, S corporation, tax return, overtime compensation, tax deduction, income tax, federal regulations, tax reform, tip income, federal tax deduction, Minnesota Statutes, individual income, employer contributions, Trump accounts, federal law, gross income exclusion, 1183

Transcript Highlights:

• The backbone and the foundation is small business, and you sit by a small business owners in your churches
• Research, SBIR. and Small Business Technology Transfer, STTR programs.
• And so these small businesses, emerging companies, have the ability to go to the Small Business Research
• competitiveness. grants through the small business innovation research and small business technology
• She's also, her group, Texas Venture Alliance, is also on this.

Bills: HB186 , HB517 , HB 1093 , HB 1268 , HB1395 , HB186

Committee: House Trade, Workforce & Economic Development

Keywords: social media, children, account verification, data privacy, parental control, property owners' association, residential watering restrictions, vegetation, fine limitations, drought, technology, innovation, economic development, grants, Texas Economic Development, business funding, HB 1395, private passenger vehicle rental, car rental, vehicle rental

Transcript Highlights:

• While lower ratios and small group sizes are associated with improved supervision, more responsive caregiving
• , and max group size that was desirable for our home-based programs, who typically serve children of
• This would combine our current family group in a home and our residentially based group in a facility
• Are any of these children with behavior problems eligible for any of the DD group home facilities?
• Because, again, if they're in a DD group home, if we give them additional staffing with outlier, we could

Committee: Joint Human Services Committee

Summary: The committee first approved the February 11, 2026 minutes and then received an update from the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency on the interagency council on homelessness and continuum of care funding. Testimony described rising homelessness tied to tight housing markets, low incomes, aging homelessness, barriers to rental assistance and public benefits, and limited shelter and case-management capacity. Members discussed the need for more affordable housing, continued one-time funding for the North Dakota Homeless Grant and Housing Incentive Fund, better coordination with Health and Human Services on economic assistance and human service zones, landlord engagement, recovery housing, and reentry housing. The committee also heard that federal continuum of care funding remains uncertain, with possible shifts away from permanent supportive housing and housing-first models; members asked for a future update on the impact if federal rules reduce the share available for permanent housing. The committee then took testimony on accessibility of government services for people who are blind or visually impaired. Paul Olson of North Dakota Vision Services School for the Blind described current screening and service delivery, including infant referrals, regional staff, short-term programs, and collaboration with vocational rehabilitation. He said the targeted screening system is working, recommended maintaining the current model, and noted ongoing challenges with staffing, public awareness, and accessible state websites and documents. Public testimony from a visually impaired resident and a deaf resident emphasized barriers such as CAPTCHAs, inaccessible PDFs, employment forms that screen out applicants based on driver’s license status, shortages of interpreters, and the need for video remote interpreting and video relay services, along with training for users and agencies. Finally, the committee heard a final report on the study of child care provider licensing from HHS Early Childhood Director Kay Larson. The report summarized provider input and committee discussion on simplifying North Dakota’s child care licensing structure, reducing administrative burden, and balancing that with health and safety standards. Key topics included licensing categories, child care assistance eligibility, food program sponsorship, staff qualifications, training requirements, ratios and group size, age bands, and preschool exemptions. The committee’s recommendations included streamlining to three provider types plus a preschool designation, revising ratio and age-band rules, and carrying forward certain preschool outdoor-space exemptions. Larson noted that any changes would require statutory changes, rulemaking, and a transition period before new licensing rules could take effect.

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 127 and 2023-24 established the work group.
• Also, I was one of the creative economy work group members.
• We live in the worst air pollution in the nation in our home.
• the creative economy work group.
• It's a group called the Manitos.

Committee: Senate Joint Committee on the Arts

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Arts held an informational hearing on California’s first sector-specific creative economy strategic plan, developed under AB 127 by the California Arts Council with an interagency work group and outside research support. Committee members and panelists described the plan’s purpose as strengthening the state’s creative workforce, stabilizing creative businesses, expanding equity and access, and building infrastructure for long-term implementation. The opening presentation highlighted major forces shaping the sector over the next decade, including AI, climate disruption, affordability, access to capital, and social cohesion, and outlined six action areas: workforce preparation, business growth, cultural tourism and identity, cross-sector incentives, ROI/data tracking, and state capacity-building. Testimony from the California Department of Education and the Workforce Development Board focused on existing workforce pipelines, including updated arts/entertainment/design CTE standards, the Entertainment Equity Alliance, apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship pathways, and High Road Training Partnership investments. Speakers said these efforts are producing strong placement outcomes, including paid on-the-job training, union placements, and support for workers facing barriers, while also emphasizing the need for entrepreneurship training and wraparound supports. Committee discussion also centered on a major unresolved issue: how to define and measure the creative economy consistently across agencies, since current labor data often misses gig, contract, nonprofit, and business activity. A second panel of practitioners and advocates described local examples of the plan in action. The Handy Foundation, Arts for LA’s Creative Jobs Collective, the Arts Council of San Bernardino County, and the California Arts Council chair all argued that artists and creative workers should be treated as essential contributors to education, community health, local economies, and resilience, not as peripheral workers. They urged stronger school partnerships, more arts access, and better recognition of creative careers. Members also discussed AI’s impact on creative work, with panelists saying it should be treated as a tool that requires guardrails, training, and union and educator involvement rather than as a replacement for human creativity. No formal votes were taken; the hearing was informational, and members expressed support for continued implementation, better data systems, and additional funding in future budget and policy actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's time that we bring our loved ones back home for proper reburial.
• The three largest record companies in the world—the Universal Music Group, the Warner Music Group, and
• Universal Music Group, Mark Baker, Vice President for a Catalog, Universal Music Group; Mark Baker,
• And, of course, Universal Music Group is doing a lot of work here.
• California is home to major public and private schools of music.

Summary: The Assembly met on June 4, 2025, after a quorum call and opening prayer led by Assembly Member Ramos, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and routine procedural actions. Members handled several motions on bill referrals and file management, including disputes over SB 280 and ACA 8. The Speaker’s rulings were repeatedly appealed and sustained, and the body ultimately approved re-referral and notice waivers related to ACA 8 and SB 280, along with related committee hearing notices and shortened file notice requirements. Several bills were also removed from consent, moved to inactive file, or withdrawn from committee as nonfiscal measures. The chamber then held a Native American Day ceremony centered on ACR 102 by Assembly Member Ramos, recognizing California Native American Day and the California Indian Cultural Awareness Conference. Multiple caucus leaders and members spoke in support, emphasizing California’s Native history, past state harms, and recent legislative efforts affecting tribal communities. The resolution was adopted by voice vote after 71 coauthors were added. The ceremony also honored Native leaders and students, including Judge Abby Abinanti, Councilwoman Catalina Chacon, Rosemary Salgado, Chairman Frederick Massetti, and Clovis Unified students who defended their right to wear regalia at graduation. Later, the Assembly took up concurrence votes on several Senate-amended bills, all of which passed unanimously: AB 829 on Parkinson’s disease, AB 463 on emergency medical services, AB 493 on mortgage escrow interest, and AB 1387 on behavioral health coordination for justice-involved individuals. The body also adopted ACR 100 honoring India’s Independence Day and H.R. 44 recognizing homeless service providers, both by voice vote after substantial support from members and coauthors. Guest introductions highlighted the music industry, the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, and visiting officials from Pakistan. The session concluded with adjournments in memory of Joel Nilsen and Grace Akiko Kojima, followed by announcements of upcoming session dates and adjournment under the call of the Speaker.

Transcript Highlights:

• , this working group working group, this working group expires<00:08:18.639><c> on</c><00:08:18.879><
• c> must</c> working group, the working group must working group, the working group must report<00:08:
• </c> months by this group. months by this group.
• You know, it's been such a hard week, and there was a small group of us that worked on the consensus
• </c> and there was a small group of us that and there was a small group of us that worked<00:36:15.280

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I encourage our group not to create any more study groups.
• Now, y'all are aware that FEMA is under review right now, and Governor Abbott and I sat on a small group
• The regional funding groups can.
• I have friends who renovated their homes only to face flooding again. ...they renovated their homes again
• So at the end of the day, when you look at small communities, can LCRA be in a position to help small

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:08:12.879><c> homes</c><00:08:13.199><c> and</c> are often mislabeled as group homes and are
• </c> presentation that this is not group presentation that this is not group homes.<00:24:59.200><c>
• </c> So you said that these are not group So you said that these are not group homes<00:25:08.480><c>
• I assume that that's a group<00:25:13.440><c> home</c><00:25:14.080><c> but</c> group home but group
• together and called group homes, and some are assisted living and some are not.

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• of small communities in the Inland Empire.
• Small communities—lots of small communities in the Inland Empire. Am I within my district?
• Cities like San Jose, San Francisco, and Santa Barbara have been using tiny homes and modular homes to
• Interim housing is a... ...small, modular tiny home, which can be constructed for as little as $50,000
• I do want to highlight when people are purchasing a home, especially first-time home buyers, seniors,

Committee: Senate Housing

Summary: The committee heard SB 866, which would require jurisdictions that do not receive HAP grants to include homelessness data, strategies, and regional coordination in their housing elements. The author and supporters said the bill would close a gap in planning and create more consistent, data-driven local responses to homelessness. Opponents, including the League of California Cities and several cities, argued the bill would impose costly and duplicative reporting requirements on small jurisdictions, require data cities cannot control, and should instead be aligned with existing regional planning processes. Members raised concerns about burden on small cities, but also emphasized the need for statewide, standardized homelessness planning. The committee then heard SB 967, which would allow jurisdictions to count qualifying interim housing toward a portion of their acutely low-income RHNA obligations, with safeguards against double counting and reporting requirements for moved units. Supporters said interim housing is a faster, less expensive way to get people indoors and should be incentivized as a bridge from encampments to permanent housing. Opponents, including housing law experts and advocacy groups, argued the bill would blur the line between temporary shelter and permanent housing, weaken obligations to build deeply affordable housing, and create a two-tier system for the lowest-income Californians. After discussion, the committee passed SB 967 on a due pass motion to Appropriations, with several members voting aye and the bill held on call for absent members. The committee also considered SCR 131, a resolution calling for a coordinated state effort to end unsheltered homelessness and prioritize a broader set of interventions, including interim housing, prevention, and permanent supportive housing. Supporters described unsheltered homelessness as a moral and public health crisis and urged stronger state alignment and funding. One member explained an abstention based on concerns that the resolution’s language could be read as endorsing more funding without clear metrics or evidence of effectiveness. The author said amendments had already narrowed the language and was open to further changes. The resolution was adopted on a motion, with the roll held open for absent members. Finally, the committee heard SB 1238, which would strengthen oversight and transparency for homeowners associations and HOA management companies, including disclosures, reserve-fund protections, and a fiduciary-duty provision. The author and supporters said the bill would protect homeowners from mismanagement and improve financial clarity in common interest developments. Opponents from community manager and HOA groups said managers are administrative agents, not decision-makers, and objected especially to imposing a fiduciary duty to individual homeowners. Members generally supported the bill but flagged the fiduciary-duty issue and reserve-fund language as areas for further review, noting that some amendments had been agreed to and others would be addressed later in the process.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, we have a 24/7 campus, 365 days a year, so we are like operating a hospital itself or a small city
• A small city. Um, we are Minnesota's top gated attraction.
• Additionally, our outdated... call the Minnesota Zoo home you can see call the Minnesota Zoo home you
• I grew up in a small farming community. I was a town kid, though; I wasn't a farm kid.
• </c><00:38:06.440><c> town</c> um you can imagine you're a small town um you can imagine you're a small

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• and group meals.
• million of savings from the AFC group and about $30 million from the adult day health group.
• Our home care programs provide vital in-home services that support individuals to stay in their homes
• with more supports at home.
• And that group continues to this day.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What that does is it keeps individual people who burn wood. or use propane, small farms, small agriculture
• I guess the home situation—right? Building affordable homes... Oh, Mac, know what's the...
• Home inspectors are generalists.
• So the first working group was the preseason engagement working group.
• This was a great group. And if you would, sir, I would like a round of applause for the group.

Committee: House Water & Natural Resources Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are the kind of, it's a relatively small group of folks and relatively small provider pool, but
• </c> the kind of um, it's a relatively small the kind of um, it's a relatively small group<00:04:18.359
• </c> group of folks and relatively small group of folks and relatively small provider<00:04:20.280><c
• It simply adds a narrow exception for a small group of patients with the most serious and time-sensitive
• This has seemingly a narrow focus on the private market, small group, individual coverage alone.

Committee: Joint Labor, Health & Social Services

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:20:57.760><c> adjustments</c> liability from those small adjustments liability from those small
• Uh for the 5-year to the peer group.
• </c><00:56:09.920><c> 20-year</c> compared to its peer group. 20-year compared to its peer group. 20-
• </c><01:27:21.920><c> mortgage</c> Again, going back to the home mortgage example, it's akin to a home
• group covered group you the day for our group covered group you know<01:59:50.560><c> just</c><01:59

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with a quorum call, the Pledge of Allegiance, a prayer, and approval of the prior meeting minutes. The first presentation was from Bo Craycraft of the Judicial Form Retirement System, who gave an update on investment performance, asset allocation, cash flow, and projected employer costs. He reported strong fiscal year 2025 investment results, with both the legislative and judicial retirement plans outperforming their actuarial assumed rates of return and benchmarks, driven largely by U.S. equity performance. He also noted the plans remained near their target asset allocation and continued to experience negative cash flow, though he said that was manageable in context of strong asset growth. Craycraft then discussed a recent experience study and actuarial assumption changes, especially a revised salary growth assumption and a higher cash balance interest credit rate. He said these changes increased projected employer costs, with contributions rising from about $700,000 to a projected $2 million in later years, though he expected the eventual 2025 valuation and investment gains to reduce that estimate. Members asked about mortality assumptions, the impact of the experience study on liabilities, and the sharp increase in the judicial plan’s projected employer cost. Craycraft explained that the increase was driven mainly by the updated assumptions and that no other major plan changes were involved. At the chair’s request, Craycraft also addressed the recent rise in Medicare Advantage premiums for the plan’s health coverage, saying the 2025 increase was largely tied to Part D changes and the Inflation Reduction Act and had been about 45%, but that future growth was expected to be under 5%. After his presentation, the committee moved to the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority update, where the next speaker began by saying the funds had exceeded actuarial assumed returns for the fiscal year.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you're a small to mid-sized company and foreign actors are dumping...
• Donald Trump cares about one group of people and one group of people only.
• For folks back home, this change couldn't come soon enough.
• We view it as a direct attack of small businesses.
• And we know that these family-owned mom-and-pops, small... small businesses, working people, this is

Committee: Senate Finance Committee

Keywords: Commerce, International Trade, Tax Policy, Nominees, Inflation, Middle-class, Trade Practices, Economic Concerns

Summary: The committee convened to discuss various bills and nominees, including the critical nominations of William Kimmett for Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade and Ken Keyes for Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy at the Treasury Department. Discussions highlighted the nominees' roles in managing critical trade and tax policies amidst rising economic concerns, particularly focusing on inflation and its impact on American families. Members expressed both support and skepticism, emphasizing the significance of fostering fair trade practices and ensuring tax policies that benefit the middle-class amidst claims of an agenda favoring affluent individuals and corporations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Good afternoon, Chris Rosa on behalf of Silicon Valley Leadership Group in support.
• We have districts as small as five students.
• There is precedent through the Education Code to treat small LEAs differently.
• LeAngela Reed, on behalf of the Small School Districts Association.
• Feasibility: Can it be done even for small or rural LEAs?

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard several education bills, with AB 887 by Assemblymember Berman proposing that every school district and charter school adopt a plan so all high schools offer at least one computer science course by 2029-30. Supporters, including a teacher and student, argued California is falling behind other states and that computer science is essential for student opportunity and workforce readiness. ACSA opposed the bill, citing the shortage of qualified computer science teachers and administrative burden. The bill passed the committee on a 6-0 vote and was sent to Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 1390 by Assemblymember Solache, which would allow local and county school boards to raise trustee compensation above long-standing statutory minimums that have not changed in decades. Supporters said the current stipends are too low to make board service accessible to working families and younger community members. There was no opposition testimony, and the bill passed with five votes, with the roll left open for additional members. AB 865 by Assemblymember Gonzalez would create a $5 million, three-year grant program for dual-language immersion instructional materials, split between high-demand languages and other languages. Supporters said districts often lack standards-aligned materials in languages beyond Spanish, forcing teachers to create their own. The bill passed 7-0 to Appropriations. AB 857 by Assemblymember Gibson, requiring annual cultural competency training for K-12 staff, also passed 5-1 after supporters linked it to the state reparations task force report and argued it would improve trust and student outcomes. The committee additionally approved AB 677 by Assemblymember Bryan, which would make it easier for unhoused students to access school-based vision and dental screenings by allowing directory information to be used for that purpose with an opt-out process; it passed 8-0. AB 903 by Assemblymember Avila Farias, directing the Department of Education to develop best practices on education technology and digital equity, passed after amendments and with some opponents indicating they would remove opposition once the amendments were in print. Finally, AB 917 by Assemblymember Avila Farias, extending permanent-status protections to certain educators in small districts and county programs, drew significant opposition from small districts and regional occupational programs over flexibility and funding concerns; the bill still passed 5-2 with the roll held open for additional votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it feels like a coming home rather than starting something new in many ways.
• did it for this group.
• And we prioritize making sure that, you know, we're small but mighty.
• That, you know, we're small but mighty.
• Will your action or decision worsen or ignore inequities of the affected groups?

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Aging opened its March quarterly meeting by welcoming Alison Bauer as its first full-time director, effective March 30. Bauer briefly introduced her background in law, social work, public health, state government, philanthropy, and teaching, and said she planned to meet one-on-one with each commissioner. The commission then approved the December quarterly meeting minutes by motion and vote. The main portion of the meeting was a workshop led by Adriana Boulin on diversity, equity, inclusion, power, belonging, and intersectionality. Boulin defined key terms, guided participants through reflection exercises on personal values and conditions that support or undermine power, and discussed the history of intersectionality. Commissioners and guests shared examples of DEI work, including listening sessions, inclusive trainings, equitable hiring, LGBTQ+ aging advocacy, and community programs. Participants also reflected on how the commission has felt powerful, citing the strategic plan, the hiring of an executive director, the website, listening sessions, and passage of the LGBTQI+ and HIV long-term care bill of rights. The group then focused on how to apply an equity lens to the commission’s strategic priorities, especially improving representation and inclusion. Commissioners discussed the need for more racial, ethnic, trans, immigrant, and other marginalized representation, as well as barriers such as recruitment challenges, the size of the commission, and CORI/background-check concerns for some governor-appointed seats. They also explored whether an advisory board or expanded outreach to community organizations could help broaden participation. No formal votes or final actions were taken beyond approving the minutes, but the meeting ended with agreement to continue the equity work and with the next quarterly meeting scheduled for June.

Transcript Highlights:

• Drowning impact African-Americans and Native American children more than any other group with drowning
• I represent the nonpartisan group CAUSE, Californians United for Sex-Based Evidence in Policy and Law
• We'd share that concept that a note home might be now a part of... a record.
• I have been composting at home for years. I have an electric car.
• I'm going to choose life for my child and place him in an adoptive, a loving. adoption home.

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Jenny Donovan. 10 years ago, my family built our forever home in a small H.O.A. community
• of just 24 homes and Saint Johns County.
• She went home to know home. The H.O.A. board had stolen and had taken that.
• group of homeowners.
• money and in some cases stealing their homes.