Transcript Highlights:

• A person who is convicted of a first-degree misdemeanor battery may be punished as if it were a third-degree
• Changes the pretrial diversion program to a domestic violence deferred sentencing program and requires
• Tab two is Senate Bill 656 on Internet Crimes Against Children Programs.
• This... ...Against Children Task Force Funding Program within FDLE.
• The bill does not create a new program.

Bills: S0212, S0656, S0682, S0810, S0812, S0890, S0892, S0900, S0928, S1084, S1284

Keywords: sexual offender, sexual predator, sex offender registry, child protection, residency restriction, loitering, proximity restriction, public swimming pool, school safety, child care facility, day care center, park, playground, conditional release, probation, community control, warrantless arrest, background check, registry screening, minor victims

Summary: The committee took up a series of criminal justice and public safety bills. SB 1084, which exempts certain identifying and location information for non-legal support staff in state attorneys’ offices from public records requests, was supported by prosecuting attorneys and reported favorably. SB 212, as amended, created new restrictions related to sexual offenders and predators, including a 200-foot restricted presence provision near certain locations and updated notification/supervision requirements; it drew strong opposition from researchers, advocates, and affected families who argued it lacked evidence and would increase homelessness, but it was reported favorably. SB 682, addressing domestic violence, coercive control, strangulation, animal abuse, injunctions, and related training and enforcement issues, received emotional survivor testimony and support from animal welfare and law enforcement groups and was reported favorably. SB 656, creating and renaming FDLE Internet Crimes Against Children funding and grant programs, was amended and reported favorably and unanimously. The committee also considered SB 810 on sealing criminal history records, which would expand eligibility for some non-conviction records and one low-level misdemeanor conviction after waiting periods and judicial review; supporters said Florida is unusually restrictive, while one senator raised concerns about the scope, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 890, creating a standalone battery by strangulation offense applicable outside domestic relationships, was reported favorably after the sponsor said it would close a gap in current law. SB 892, revising habitual offender and violent career criminal sentencing procedures and notice requirements, was reported favorably, with defense lawyers supporting the clearer pretrial notice. SB 928, “Missy’s Law,” requiring immediate remand to custody after conviction of certain dangerous crimes, was amended to include computer pornography/child exploitation offenses and reported favorably after a family member of the namesake victim testified in support. Later, SB 1284 modernized arrest and search warrant statutes, expanding judicial summons options for some misdemeanors and broadening warrant/arrest authority in certain DUI, injunction, domestic violence, and misdemeanor force cases; defense lawyers supported the judicial-discretion portions but raised concerns about DUI/BUI arrests, and the bill was reported favorably. Finally, SB 812, a technical companion to SB 810 updating public records treatment for sealed criminal history records, was amended to clarify prosecutorial access for later cases and reported favorably. Several bills were supported by law enforcement, prosecutors, and advocacy groups, while others drew opposition from civil liberties, treatment, homelessness, and criminal defense advocates. The meeting adjourned after members recorded additional votes on selected tabs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Had one other question: we're talking about programming. Who determines what programming?
• or what program is accepted?
• Program.
• trying to develop a four-year degree program, like I said.
• It's a computer process program.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If we change the program, Students basically pass the algebra exam.
• If we change the program, and I think it's a good idea to do something, will the students still have
• We will return to our regularly scheduled program.
• We will return to our regularly scheduled program. Welcome, Senator Avila.
• I appreciate the fact that they do a great program, but I do think that this is appropriate.

Summary: The Senate Education Pre-K through 12 Committee met with a quorum and considered several education-related bills. SB 1036 on school counselors was amended with a technical clarification and reported favorably. SB 1136 on dental screenings for K-12 students was converted by delete-all amendment to place the screening definition in the School Health Services Act and align notice and parent-exemption procedures; it also passed favorably, with support noted from PTA and other witnesses. SB 920 on mathematics education was reported favorably after discussion of applied algebra courses tied to career pathways, while preserving Algebra I standards, the end-of-course exam, graduation requirements, and university admission eligibility. SB 1216 on public school personnel compensation, which would give districts more flexibility on pay, cost-of-living adjustments, and advanced degrees, also passed favorably with broad support from educators and former school board members. The committee then approved SPB 7022, which reenacts and extends a public records exemption for classroom examination and assessment instruments through 2031 and expands coverage to district school boards and public schools. SB 464 on observance of Veterans Day in K-12 schools was reported favorably after extensive debate about whether schools should be closed or could instead hold Veterans Day programs; supporters emphasized statewide consistency and honoring veterans, while some members raised scheduling and instructional-day concerns. SB 538 on physical education and extracurricular participation was amended to establish standardized eligibility rules for public, private, virtual, and home education students, limit duplicate participation across schools, require annual participation in the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, and leave coach compensation to district discretion; it was then reported favorably. SB 178 on athletics and public K-12 schools was amended to add a $15,000 annual cap on coach personal spending per team and was reported favorably after discussion about good-faith support for student-athletes, recruiting concerns, and the need for guardrails. A temporary postponement was announced for SB 430 on the oath of school personnel. At the end of the meeting, Senator Osgood recorded a favorable vote on SB 1036, and the committee adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaking of pathways, you know, you have a bill, Senate File 442, which is a skills path program that
• Um, you mentioned that you are hoping to even include more programs like emergency skills, and we just
• <00:02:54.120> which<00:02:54.280> hopes<00:02:54.519> to skills path program
• skills path is something I've program skills path is something I've been<00:03:03.519> working
• even include more you know uh programs even include more you know uh programs like<00:04:34.199>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:07:57.280> So degree they they can and should. So degree they they can and should.
• uh which is a a four-year program uh which is a a four-year structured<01:20:46.320> program<
• And we get a better educated officer as a product. ...administration of justice bachelor's degree program
• limitations imposed upon those programs limitations imposed upon those programs and<01:47:24.159
• use to fund our victim witness programs use to fund our victim witness programs has<01:47:44.639

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs held an informational briefing on violent crime clearance rates and what resources law enforcement and prosecutors need to improve them. Chair and members noted there would be no public testimony. The briefing was led by Marshall Clement of the Council of State Governments’ Justice Center, with later participation expected from state and county law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies. Clement argued that solving violent crime is a systemwide issue, not just a local police function, and said clearance rates have declined nationally over decades for homicide, rape, aggravated assault, and robbery. He said Hawaii’s reported data, limited to Oʻahu and Kauaʻi, shows overall violent crime rates are lower than the national average and have been relatively flat with a pandemic-era spike followed by declines in 2023 and 2024. He reported that Hawaii’s overall violent crime solve rate fell from about 52% in 2014 to about 40% in 2024, with 2024 rates of 50% for homicides, 48% for aggravated assaults, and 26% each for rapes and robberies. He also estimated unsolved cases over the past three years at about 17 homicides, 3,300 aggravated assaults, 1,200 rapes, and 1,700 robberies. Members asked about victim and witness support, staffing shortages, the Denver example, whether clearance rates include cases not prosecuted, and whether HPD’s size or structure might affect solve rates. Clement said support can include victim-witness programs and coordinators that help maintain cooperation and trust, especially where clearance rates are low. He said resources, training, technology, and detective caseloads matter, citing Boston, Denver, and Omaha as cities that improved solve rates through relatively low-cost operational changes; he highlighted Denver’s increase in non-fatal shooting clearance from 39% to 65% in seven months after dedicating more resources. He said he had no research showing that breaking up a large department would improve solve rates, and noted that clearance data can include exceptional clearances such as victim noncooperation, prosecutorial declination, or a suspect’s death. No votes or formal actions were taken during the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, in an off conversation, Oklahoma's getting ready to do a K-3 reading program.
• The fifth is student programs and initiatives.
• the Oklahoma Department of Health wrote to start 10 new high school LPN programs.
• Our pass rate for our LPN programs is 100%. Last three years, there's no risk there.
• CAs that completed the program but couldn't afford the cost of the certification.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You also have examples here in the state of joint degree programs with Chinese government institutions
• So that means degree programs where Louisiana institution, university scholars or professors are teaching
• Foster program.
• Those programs.
• The CCAP program is a program for families needing assistance with child care.

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 399 by Senator Bass, which would create the Louisiana Higher Education Research Security Council to review and potentially block certain gifts, contracts, academic partnerships, and research partnerships involving foreign adversary sources. Bass said the bill is intended to protect university research, intellectual property, and students from foreign influence, and would also require public disclosure of certain foreign-linked arrangements and a plan to eliminate foreign-adversary-linked software. Supporters from State Armor argued Louisiana universities have been vulnerable to Chinese Communist Party influence and intellectual property theft. Representatives from Tulane University and Lenovo raised concerns that the bill could create duplicative review, delay research, raise costs, and sweep in legitimate private or multinational entities; a proposed amendment to exempt entities operating under a CFIUS national security agreement failed 4-8. After debate, the committee moved SB 399 favorably. The committee then considered Senate Bill 310 by Senator Cloud, presented by Representative Carlson, which would require public school and college health centers to display information about pregnancy resources available in Louisiana. Supporters from Louisiana Right to Life said the bill would help connect pregnant students with existing state and private assistance programs, while the ACLU submitted a red card in opposition without speaking. The bill was moved favorably without objection. The committee also advanced House Resolution 171 by Representative Turner, which calls for a study of the workforce-oriented TOPS Tech and M.J. Foster programs, with business and workforce groups supporting the study as a way to measure outcomes and return on investment; it was moved favorably. Next, the committee took up House Bill 1084 by Representative Turner, a tuition autonomy bill for public post-secondary institutions. An amendment was adopted to add a conceptual framework for tuition-setting considerations, but the bill would still remove the existing 10% over two years cap and allow institutions to set tuition more freely. Turner argued universities need more flexibility because state funding has declined and campuses face deferred maintenance and operating pressures. Several members, especially Representative Carlson, warned that higher tuition could reduce access and that the bill did not address broader structural problems in higher education. Despite those concerns, HB 1084 was moved favorably by an 8-3 vote. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 351 by Senator Jackson Andrews, which would let families apply for child care assistance through CCAP once pregnancy is known, rather than waiting until after birth, to help move them up the waiting list. An amendment was adopted to have BESE, rather than the department, handle rulemaking and to allow the House and Senate education committees to approve the implementation process. The bill was then discussed as a way to help parents return to work sooner, and the hearing continued with questions from members.

Transcript Highlights:

• , allowing state special schools to offer work-based learning programs, removing academic program references
• , allowing state special schools to offer work-based learning programs, removing academic program references
• Districts want to expand youth apprenticeship programs.
• , not just within the narrow work-experience education program.
• CUSD is actively partnering with registered apprenticeship program sponsors, industry partners, labor

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard several Senate bills focused on student health, access, equity, and career preparation. SB 608 by Sen. Menjivar would expand access to condoms and related sexual health resources for students in grades 7–12 and direct the Department of Education to align with the California Healthy Youth Act. Supporters argued the bill would help address high STI rates among youth and remove barriers to access, while opponents raised concerns about parental authority, local control, and encouraging early sexual activity. The bill was approved on a 6-1 vote and sent to the Health Committee. SB 965 by Sen. Blakespear would prohibit libraries from requiring a parent to be physically present for a 16- or 17-year-old to obtain a library card, while still allowing libraries to require parental consent or signature. Supporters said the current rule creates unnecessary barriers for teens and school research projects, and the California Library Association said it was now neutral after amendments. The committee passed the bill 6-0 to Appropriations. SB 998 by Sen. Gonzalez would define and expand the duties of discrimination prevention coordinators in the state’s Office of Civil Rights, including adding a disability coordinator and deputy coordinators focused on anti-Black, anti-Asian, anti-Latino, and anti-Native American discrimination. Testimony emphasized the need to address rising hate incidents and discrimination in schools, especially for Black, LGBTQ+, AAPI, and other marginalized students. The bill was approved and sent to Judiciary with amendments to be processed there. SB 845 by Sen. Perez, which expands work-based learning and youth apprenticeship opportunities, also received broad support from education, workforce, and industry groups and passed unanimously to Labor and Employment. The committee also approved a consent calendar of additional bills and adjourned after all items were acted on.

Transcript Highlights:

• The program we have at MIT is world-class and unique in its equities and scope.
• I love the MVP program.
• All of our fantastic programs we have for that work, like the MVP program you've heard about, DER's culvert
• upgrade program, they're totally maxed out.
• As we're all but guaranteed to breach 1.5 degrees of warming and the risk that we'll breach 2 degrees

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee hearing focused on a broad set of climate, energy, and environmental justice proposals. Early testimony strongly supported the Climate Change Superfund or “Polluter Pays” bill (H.1014/S.58), which would assess the largest fossil fuel emitters for a one-time fee based on historic emissions to fund climate adaptation. Sponsors argued the bill is modeled on Superfund cleanup principles, would target only the largest multinational polluters, would not be passed on to consumers, and would direct a significant share of funds to environmental justice communities. Committee members asked about the number of companies covered, consumer impacts, and whether the bill would address other forms of environmental destruction; sponsors said it was limited to major fossil fuel companies with a Massachusetts footprint and did not cover other pollution sources. The committee also heard testimony on a fusion energy compact proposal (S.673) that would direct the administration to develop a framework for a New England regional compact to accelerate fusion research, workforce development, and supply-chain growth. Supporters from MIT and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities said fusion could become a major clean-energy and economic opportunity, but acknowledged the technology is not yet commercially viable and still has unresolved technical, cost, and waste-management questions. Members pressed on environmental impacts, siting, waste, costs, and whether the bill would create a compact or only a framework; sponsors said it would only create the framework and that the administration would need to negotiate with other states. Another major topic was a pilot program for nature-based climate solutions (H.971/S.??), backed by legislators, Boston Harbor Now, and UMass Boston’s Stone Living Lab. Witnesses said the bill would help speed permits for research and demonstration projects such as living shorelines, marsh restoration, and hybrid “green-to-gray” flood protections, while maintaining safeguards and protecting Indigenous and historic resources. Committee members asked how the proposal would interact with other permitting reforms and whether it could conflict with housing or wetland-related streamlining; supporters said it was complementary and aimed at making projects faster, more affordable, and more data-driven. The hearing also covered climate-safe buildings and climate adaptation funding bills. Supporters of H.1004/S.583 said current building codes do not adequately account for future flooding, heat, and wind, and the bill would add climate expertise to the building board, allow stretch resilience codes, expand floodplain standards, and create a retrofit program. Related testimony backed H.938/S.572, which would create a dedicated climate and community resilience fund financed by a small fee on property insurance premiums; advocates said it would provide stable long-term revenue for adaptation, especially in environmental justice communities, and help replace unreliable federal funding. One witness from CLF supported the climate-safe buildings and funding bills but opposed S.560/H.939 as too broad. The committee also heard testimony on airport air-quality legislation (H.997) calling for more monitoring and mitigation of ultra-fine particulate pollution around Logan Airport and Massport communities. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• One is fourth-degree assault for medical facility security personnel. That is online 24.
• One is fourth-degree<00:02:22.959> assault<00:02:23.600> for<00:02:23.880> medical
• c> fourth-degree assault for medical fourth-degree assault for medical assault<00:02:25.000> in
• There's the Minnesota clearance grant program, the Philando Castile Memorial program, the Philando Castile
• The bill language will include the fourth-degree assault amendment that adds the hospital or clinic security

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Conference Committee on Senate File 3432 met on May 15, 2026, and first approved a motion to continue meeting past midnight. Members then reviewed the public safety and judiciary budget agreement, including funding for non-fatal shooting clearance grants, a domestic violence task force, services for released adults and juveniles, trafficking prevention for youth, corrections bed impacts from assault and theft-related provisions, increased Philando Castile training reimbursements, and transfers into the Victims of Crime Account. The committee also noted that some items were removed because they had already passed as stand-alone bills, including impersonation of a peace officer and the grooming penalty, and that the first responder uniform ID task force would not be funded in this bill. Policy provisions discussed for the public safety side included a domestic violence response task force, trafficking and sexual exploitation prevention grants, juvenile re-entry services, the Minnesota clearance grant program, the Philando Castile Memorial Training Fund, confidentiality for victim statements to the Clemency Review Commission, the fourth-degree assault amendment for hospital or clinic security guards, the enhanced penalty for theft from a vulnerable adult, child sexual abuse material venue and evidence provisions, and revised language on prediction markets and the Attorney General’s administrative subpoena authority. The chair also said the committee had to make late fixes to some stakeholder-requested changes and expressed frustration about the timing. The committee then reviewed the safety and security budget agreement, which included funding for judicial security, a judicial security unit, security threat response, safe and secure courthouse grants, appeals court and district court security, state patrol deficiency funding, capital security screening and enhancements, legislative protective services, BCA threat assessment and investigation, a security services task force, legislative security reimbursements, and security for constitutional officers. The agreement also included technical court reallocation adjustments and DNR carry-forward authority for certain non-budgeted public safety costs incurred in 2026. After no public testimony was offered, the committee adopted both the public safety budget agreement and the safety and security budget agreement, directed non-partisan staff to prepare the conference committee report with technical and conforming changes, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so you don't know first-degree, second-degree penalties? I don't... voluntary manslaughter.
• , second-degree murder, and manslaughter.
• Currently in law, for second-degree murder, it's 10 years. Thank you.
• Currently in law for second-degree murder, it's 10 years.
• It's the same for second-degree.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've completed many programs.
• This program is inspired by research and programs in other states.
• This program is inspired by research and programs in other states.
• Active programs report reductions in incarcerations.
• And then in the U.S., we've also had those programs, too.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a lengthy hearing on several juvenile justice and parole-related bills, with much of the testimony focused on H. 2051/S. 1087 to end lifetime parole for juveniles and emerging adults, and H. 1923 to raise the age of juvenile court jurisdiction to include 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds. Chairs Brandy Fluker-Reid and Lydia Edwards opened the hearing by noting the large number of bills and witnesses, the need to keep testimony moving, and special procedures for incarcerated witnesses and sensitive testimony. They also acknowledged the historic nature of the hearing being chaired by two Black women attorneys. No votes were taken during the hearing itself. Many incarcerated speakers and advocates supported ending lifetime parole, arguing that young people can change, that lifetime supervision creates constant fear of technical violations, and that it undermines rehabilitation, family stability, employment, and reintegration. Several testified about their own trauma, youth, and growth in prison programs, while others emphasized the costs of decades of supervision and the racial disparities in the system. Support also came from elected officials, UTEC, the Transformational Prison Project, United Way, CPCS’s Youth Advocacy Division, the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, and others, who said juvenile systems are better suited to developmentally appropriate treatment and that the bills would improve public safety and reduce recidivism. There was also opposition, including testimony from family members of a murder victim who argued that lifetime parole should remain for serious violent crimes and that some offenders are not sufficiently rehabilitated. One virtual witness described a family tragedy involving the kidnapping and murder of her infant nephew and warned that ending lifetime parole could remove needed long-term supervision for dangerous offenders. In addition to the juvenile justice bills, the committee heard testimony on H. 1867, a bill related to continuing care for severe mental illness, and H. 2063, which would increase penalties for assaults on correction officers and other prison staff; the correction officers’ union supported H. 2063 and related safety bills. The hearing continued with many more witnesses and bill topics, but no final committee action was announced in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So all of our programs, regardless if it's a certificate or degree program, include Dakota culture, language
• programs to associate degrees in key fields like education, business, and environmental science.
• We have five or six more master's degrees, and now we have students also through a new program where
• have access to an opioid treatment program.
• I'm a program director from Protection and Advocacy.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Rapinski's 3825 is an Office of Justice Programs bill that's related to victim notifications
• That bill amends the crime of second-degree murder to include it over to Mr.
• <00:04:48.280> bill is an Office of Justice Programs bill is an Office of Justice Programs
• That bill amends the crime<00:05:18.360> of<00:05:18.480> second-degree<00:05:19.040>
• > murder<00:05:19.520> to<00:05:19.720> include The crime of second-degree murder is

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 3990, Chair Novotny’s bill, as the vehicle for a public safety policy package. Members were told the DE1 amendment had been posted for public review, so no formal action would be taken at this meeting; the committee planned to act on the bill at the next hearing on March 25. Chair Novotny said questions from Judiciary on the original bill had been addressed or were still being worked on, and he expressed hope the bill would pass out the next day. Non-partisan staff walked through the DE1 amendment, explaining that it combines multiple bills into one package. The included provisions covered BCA fraud investigations and administrative subpoenas, disaster assistance reporting dates, DOC policy on substance use and TV screening, raising the kratom possession/sale age to 21, DOC facility licensing, restitution considerations for early release, BCA data collection and local law enforcement reimbursements, public employer review of applicants with criminal convictions, victim notification and minor-victim privacy protections, second-degree murder language involving out-of-state protection orders, increased penalties for certain coercion offenses tied to non-consensual image dissemination, and reporting when law enforcement deploys chemical irritants. No one signed up to testify, and there were no votes or formal amendments acted on during the meeting. The chair noted that additional amendments were expected at the next hearing, and the meeting adjourned without further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• So all of our programs, regardless if it's a certificate or degree program, include Dakota culture, language
• programs to associate degrees in key fields like education, business, and environmental science.
• We have five or six more master's degrees, and now we have students also through a new program where
• have access to an opioid treatment program.
• I'm a program director from Protection and Advocacy.

Summary: The committee met at Spirit Lake Tribe and first heard welcoming remarks and introductions from tribal leaders and program directors. Chairwoman Street and other tribal representatives outlined a range of concerns and requests for state action, including taxation of reservation lands, support for non-beneficiary students at the tribal school, homelessness funding, Indian-managed health care, gaming and e-tabs, Feather Alert improvements, industrial farming near waterways, tourism, and better state-tribal consultation. Committee members responded that the meeting was intended to improve understanding and communication, and several members suggested future legislation or resolutions could be used to advance some of the issues. The tribe also offered to provide training on treaties, IHS 638, and compact services to legislators and staff. A major portion of the discussion focused on Spirit Lake fish and wildlife jurisdiction and the lake boundary. Tribal representatives asked for an MOU or co-stewardship agreement with the state to clarify hunting and fishing rights, recognize tribal licenses, and reduce recurring disputes over “gray areas” on the reservation and lake. Committee members discussed whether to draft a bill or resolution directing the executive branch and state agencies to negotiate such an agreement, and asked that North Dakota Game and Fish be invited to a future meeting. Related concerns included aquatic nuisance species prevention, with both sides agreeing that more aggressive boat inspection and cleaning measures would be beneficial. The committee also discussed taxation and county relations. Tribal leaders raised concerns about county resistance to fee-to-trust transfers and about property and vehicle taxation affecting members living on or near reservation lands. Committee members and tribal counsel reviewed federal treaty principles and court cases, and one member noted that the committee had previously taken no formal action on similar issues. Later, Benson County’s tax equalization director explained how the county values taxable land, handles inundated land applications, and tracks land coming off the tax rolls when the tribe repurchases acreage. The discussion ended with a presentation from the president of Sisseton Wahpeton College, who described the college’s programs, economic impact, and funding needs, followed by an HHS presentation on 1115 Medicaid waivers and the IMD exclusion as the committee moved to its next topic.

Transcript Highlights:

• They do, because I learned that through my loan repayment program work.
• degree felony.
• And, Madam Chair, would that be a third degree felony under subparagraph B or a fourth degree felony
• It would be C, Madam Chair, Representative, the fourth degree.
• I think the statute has a distinction between B and C and third degree felony and fourth degree felony

Bills: HB195, HB279, SB30, HB234, HB292, SB100, SB23, SB221, SB261, SB264

Keywords: medical malpractice, judgments, independent providers, insurance, personal assets, settlements, healthcare, healthcare privacy, electronic medical records, reproductive health, gender-affirming care, data protection, location tracking, confidentiality, SB30, induced abortion, abortion reporting, vital statistics, public health reporting, medical records

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Miriam Padilla Burke, and I work as Director of Programs for Options for All.
• Furthermore, this grant program aligns with a recommendation from the 2021 climate insurance report.
• Furthermore, this grant program aligns with a recommendation from the 2021 climate insurance report.
• , and Napa set a record of 114 degrees.
• heat or 112-degree heat.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Insurance met as a subcommittee and heard several bills related to workers’ compensation, insurance access, climate resilience, and farmworker protections. AB 815 would prevent social service workers who use personal vehicles to transport clients from being misclassified as commercial or for-hire drivers under personal auto policies; supporters said the current practice leads to unaffordable premiums and denied claims, while no opposition testified. AB 1329 would revise the Subsequent Injury Benefit Trust Fund to reduce litigation and medical-legal costs and lower employer assessments; insurers and business groups opposed unless amended, citing concerns about eligibility standards and the QME process, but the bill advanced after amendments were discussed. AB 1048 would allow disputed unauthorized payment reductions for medical providers to be reviewed through independent bill review; supporters framed it as a transparency measure, while opposition argued IBR is the wrong forum and existing contract dispute processes should control, though the bill also passed. AB 1236 would create a Department of Insurance grant program for climate and sustainability risk-reduction projects, with broad support from the department, environmental groups, and insurers, and it passed unanimously. The committee also heard AB 1336, the Farmworker Heat Illness Prevention Act, which would create a rebuttable presumption that a heat-related injury arose out of employment when an agricultural employer fails to comply with heat illness prevention standards. Supporters, including United Farm Workers, argued the bill would help protect farmworkers amid extreme heat and enforcement gaps; opponents from the workers’ compensation and agricultural sectors said the measure improperly uses the compensation system to enforce OSHA rules and could create unclear adjudication and delay issues. Members discussed Cal/OSHA enforcement limits, undocumented workers’ reluctance to report violations, and the relationship between the bill and existing workers’ compensation procedures. Despite opposition, AB 1336 passed on a divided vote. The committee also took up a consent calendar including AB 1125, AB 1293, and AB 1398, which were approved together. Roll calls were held open and later completed, and the bills that advanced were sent to the Committee on Appropriations. The meeting concluded with the committee adjourning after final votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• director for the Baylor College of Medicine Family Medicine Residency Program in Houston.
• She earned her medical degree from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical School and trained as an OB-GYN in
• A&M has more than 140 undergraduate programs and Master's and Ph.D. programs, and is among the nation's
• UT Austin offers more than 170 undergraduates. graduate degree programs, and more than 208 graduate programs
• Albertine in Texas program.

Bills: SB26, SB28, SJR36, SB26, SB616, SB565, SB384, SB28

Keywords: teacher compensation, education funding, public school educators, teacher retention, teacher designation, lottery, gambling, internet gaming, mobile application, criminal offenses, aquifer, water management, Edwards Aquifer, sustainability, regulatory framework, SB 565, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, compliance agreement

Transcript Highlights:

• I graduated from Texas Tech University in 1982 with a degree in interior design and later went on to
• earn a master's degree studying design for aging, which is my passion.
• , a program that trains local cosmetologists on how to identify signs of domestic violence.
• I'm an accounting professor and program chair.
• It's a state where I got my graduate degree, West Virginia.

Transcript Highlights:

• California’s non-public school program plays a critical role in ensuring some of our most vulnerable
• Our first concern has ...around the implementation of the grant program that's presented.
• I want to just clarify for the record that the grant program applies to all schools in the state.
• I have a science degree in child and adolescent development, a master's degree in human development with
• I have a science degree in child and adolescent development, a master's degree in human development with

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard a long slate of education bills, beginning with SB 685 on nonpublic schools for students with disabilities. Senator Cortese and the California Department of Education described the bill as a response to the Ninth Circuit’s Laughman decision, removing the obsolete “non-sectarian” requirement while preserving secular use of public funds, nondiscrimination protections, background checks, credentialing, and incident reporting. There was no opposition, and the bill later passed 7-0 to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 1181, a pilot grant program for violence prevention, student wellness, and school safety in Central Valley and other schools. Supporters framed it as a prevention measure, while opponents from EFF, ACLU Cal Action, and community advocates warned it could increase law enforcement involvement, surveillance, and use of fusion centers; despite those concerns, it ultimately passed 5-0 to Appropriations. Members then considered SB 1067, which would create a statewide framework for annual K-2 math assessments starting in 2028-29 to identify students needing early intervention. The author and supporters argued California faces a serious math achievement crisis and that early assessment would help close gaps, while CTA and several educators and administrators sought additional clarity and amendments to ensure alignment with existing diagnostic practices and limits on high-stakes use. The bill drew broad support from educators, parents, and advocacy groups and passed 7-0 to Appropriations. SB 1107, a school shade-structure bill, would expand eligible shade projects and allow bundling through design-build to reduce costs; it received support from LAUSD, school boards, and climate-focused groups and passed 7-0. SB 1128, on take-home devices and screen time for kindergarteners, was presented as a modest first step to give families more flexibility and reduce early screen exposure, with support from early childhood advocates and no opposition, and it passed 7-0. The committee also approved SB 1048, creating a voluntary State Seal of Climate Literacy for students who complete climate coursework and hands-on projects. Supporters, including Ten Strands, students, teachers, and county offices, said it would recognize real-world climate learning and green career readiness; it passed 7-0. SB 1140, sponsored by CFT, would require LEA construction contractors to follow campus security provisions during school projects to reduce unauthorized access; it drew support from labor and gun violence prevention groups and passed 7-0. SB 930, requiring end-to-end encryption for proctoring companies handling K-12 exam data, was presented as a student privacy measure in response to cybersecurity risks and passed 6-0. Finally, SB 1083 was introduced by Senator Perez as a follow-up to last year’s Safe Learning Environments Act, with extensive committee amendments to refine the statewide misconduct data system, disclosure rules, contractor fingerprinting, and access requirements; the transcript cuts off before the bill’s full hearing and vote are shown.