Transcript Highlights:

• Well, Mr.
• Well, Mr. Mr. Chairman, I'll just say Well, Mr. Mr.
• Well<01:42:13.119> said.<01:42:13.520> Well<01:42:13.679> said. Well said.
• Well said. Well said. Well said. Thank<01:42:15.360> you. Thank you. Thank you.
• signed up to testify will as well. signed up to testify will as well.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These corridors have worked well.
• Well, thank you. We're elated that you came.
• Well, who is it by?
• OK, well then I'm, I'm done. Uh. Uh, Mr. Mr.
• This provides an essential operational flexibility.

Bills: HCR 114, HB 137, HB 283, HB 1398, HB 1960, HB 2153, HB 2431, HB 2638, HB 2699, HB 2999, HB 3208, HB 3389, HB 3413, HB 3510, HB 3642, HB 3859, HB 3974, HB 3986, HB 4142, HB 4173, HB 4174, HB 4542, HB 4605, HB 4663, HB 4731, HB 5064, HB 5216, HB 5218, HB 5332, HB 5453, HB 5577

Keywords: memorial, pedestrian bridge, Houston, Sergio Ivan Rodriguez, city council, oversize vehicles, transportation permits, Hidalgo County, port authority, highway routes, healthcare, insurance, mental health, treatment access, state funding, transportation, axle weight, aggregates, regulations, Texas law

Transcript Highlights:

• as how it is that we operate within the Commonwealth.
• as how it is that we operate within the Commonwealth.
• , as well as what the agencies are going to need in order to operate.
• So those standards have been working pretty well.
• So we certainly appreciate you sharing with us today as well.

Keywords: Technology and Science, Joint Commission on, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, we'd like to think so. Well, we look forward to the dedication.
• So we are well on our way.
• Under operating, we have had to transfer out $9.9 million of operating.
• I guess I'm operating the slide.
• Well, thank you. I appreciate it. Well, thank you. I appreciate it. There's no questions.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the March 18 minutes, and then received a series of updates on health-related projects and Department of Health and Human Services budget matters. Representatives from CHI St. Alexius in Bismarck and Williston, and Altru in Grand Forks, reported progress on behavioral health expansion projects, including demolition and construction milestones, updated timelines, funding status, staffing plans, and barriers such as an unbudgeted air handler replacement in Williston. Members asked about original completion dates, use of telehealth, recruitment of psychiatrists and other staff, and whether the new beds might reduce the need for patients to travel to Jamestown State Hospital. The projects were described as on track overall, with completion expected in 2027 for the larger builds and earlier openings for some phases in Williston. The committee then heard from HHS leadership on technical line-item transfers and the Salaries and Wages Block Grant. Donna Ockland explained that recent transfers were administrative corrections to place spending in the proper budget lines and did not involve new spending, and she reviewed FTE counts and vacancies across the department. Questions focused on behavioral health staffing changes and the use of consultants in the Rural Health Transformation Program. Pat Rainer outlined the rural health program’s first-year grants and priorities, including workforce retention, rural rotations and housing, community wellness initiatives, behavioral health promotion, safety net services, hospital equipment, suicide prevention training, technology, and EMS support. He said North Dakota’s plan was drawing positive national attention, but the department still needed to obligate roughly $199 million by September and was working with CMS on timing and compliance. The committee also received an update on certified community behavioral health clinics from Elena Zeller. She said North Dakota had been accepted as a demonstration state, with certification efforts underway in Williston, North Central, Fargo, and Dickinson. Members asked about care coordination, service growth, staffing, and whether certification would expand to all clinics; the department said it was still collecting baseline data and evaluating impacts before making future recommendations. Finally, Rebecca Askins reviewed SNAP payment error rates, explaining that the 2025 rate was finalized at 9.89 percent and that the department is working on training, system changes, and quality assurance steps to get below 6 percent. Members pressed on the causes of monthly variability, the performance of the SPACES system, and accountability for ongoing errors, and the department said it expects improvement over the next 6 to 12 months.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, that's exactly what this bill addresses.
• Well, that's exactly what this bill addresses.
• Artificial intelligence is changing how businesses operate in real time.
• So I hope that my colleagues see fit to advance that bill very soon as well.
• But Chris's work goes well beyond that.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm sure it's not just in my district, but others as well.
• Well, I just want to thank you.
• as to our budget health chair as well.
• And I think that California should be a leader in this as well.
• Nearly 45% of our hospitals operate at a deficit.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard a long agenda of health-related bills, with several measures held for later action until quorum was established. Early in the hearing, the committee approved a consent calendar of multiple bills to Appropriations and noted that AB 2029 was pulled from the agenda. The committee also took up AB 1973, which would expand the ability of trained advanced practice clinicians, including nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants, to provide procedural abortion care under consultation and transfer protocols. Supporters argued the bill would improve access and reflect existing training and safety evidence, while opponents raised safety concerns about later-term procedures. The author and committee members discussed training standards and collaboration requirements, and the bill was held pending quorum. The committee then heard AB 1558, which would adopt the Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act to speed the use of out-of-state volunteer health professionals during declared emergencies. Supporters from the Uniform Law Commission and the Red Cross said the bill would reduce delays and fill gaps in disaster response; there was no opposition testimony. AB 2282 followed, proposing a temporary rural emergency stabilization center in Patterson to address the lack of nearby emergency care while a permanent hospital is built. Local EMS and health district witnesses described long transport times and ambulance shortages, while the California chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians opposed the measure. The chair expressed support and joined as a co-author, and the bill was moved with a motion and second, to be considered when quorum was available. The committee also heard AB 1843 on hepatitis C treatment, AB 2247 on mental health services for youth impacted by gun violence, AB 2138 on peer support specialists in behavioral health, AB 1682 on insurance coverage for scalp cooling during chemotherapy, AB 1879 on standardized data reporting for substance use disorder treatment programs, AB 1906 on coverage for at-home cervical cancer screening kits, and AB 1556 on drug-free recovery housing. Most of these bills drew strong support from patient advocates, health providers, and community organizations, while insurers or industry groups opposed several of the coverage mandates on premium-cost grounds. AB 1906 was voted out on a roll call after quorum was established. AB 1556 drew support from recovery advocates and local officials but also opposition-unless-amended concerns from housing groups worried about relapse-related evictions and conflicts with Housing First principles; the bill was still under discussion at the end of the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is what the federal agencies use as well.
• You know, we've thought about that a lot as well, right?
• Done, hopefully, pretty well.
• You see what's worked well and what can work here.
• , as well as where they can do manufacturing and repair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, I would suggest that really there's no perfect source of any source of electric generation.
• They all have their positives and some negatives, this one as well, but again it's clean energy baseload
• energy, and it would do us well here in Minnesota to at least be able to look at and study this proposal
• He says it would do Minnesota well to look at and study the proposal and possibly use it for credits
• We operate five small hydropower plants on the Otter Tail River, all near Fergus Falls.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair: Melissa, did you want to speak as well? You are recognized, ma'am. Melissa: Mr.
• as the support coordinators, so you get kudos in this committee as well.
• Safety in the operating room must be equitable.
• And we already spoke about the vendors as well as the cost.
• Chair: Very well verbalized. Senators, we have 31 minutes before the committee ends.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, I just pray... ...and perhaps model good things for the nation. Well, I just pray grace.
• All public use airport operators...
• , the aircraft, sorry, the airport operators...
• Well, and thank you.
• Well, and thank you.

Summary: The Senate convened with an opening prayer, pledge, and several recognitions, including visiting student groups, chambers of commerce, and apprenticeship participants. Senators also observed a moment of silence for a fallen Walton County deputy and later for the late John Pasadoma. The chamber then moved through a long third-reading calendar and special order calendar, with most bills passing overwhelmingly and several amendments adopted along the way. Among the major measures, SB 234 on criminal offenses against law enforcement officers passed 37-0 after debate and an amendment clarifying “good faith” in an officer’s duties; SB 7020 on open government and cybersecurity information passed 37-0; SM 1488 urging Congress to create a U.S. sovereign wealth fund was adopted by voice vote; SB 944 reducing insurance overpayment claim deadlines for psychologists passed 37-0; SB 878 expanding misdemeanor probation treatment provisions to controlled substances passed 36-1; SB 538, the state court system package, passed 37-0; SB 480 on nonprofit agricultural organization medical benefit plans passed 32-4; SB 472 on correctional-facility education credit for licensure passed 37-0; and SB 56 on geoengineering and weather modification passed 28-9 after extensive debate about enforcement, federal preemption, and the bill’s purpose. Later, the Senate passed CS/HB 421 on peer support for first responders 37-0 after substituting the House companion, and SB 164 on vessel accountability advanced with a technical amendment. SB 166 on administrative efficiency in public schools drew the most extended debate and multiple amendments; it changes testing, promotion, teacher evaluation, certification, and facilities rules, and passed 37-0. The chamber also passed SB 282 on warranty association financial requirements 36-0, SB 316 creating series LLCs 35-1, and SB 384 on annexing state-owned lands 36-0. At the end of the day, the Senate waived rules to immediately certify all passed bills to the House, received budget schedule guidance from Appropriations Chair Hooper for SB 2500 and SB 2502, and adjourned until April 9.

Transcript Highlights:

• WE ALSO SPECIFICALLY DEALT WITH PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.
• IRRESPECTIVE OF HOW THEY ARE OPERATED.
• SIMILAR TO HOW THE CITY OF ARCADIA OPERATES.
• WE PROVIDE MIAMI GARDENS NOTCHES WATER BY CUSTOMER SERVICE AS WELL.
• AFTER THE WATER PLANT WAS IN OPERATION.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• funding for the infrastructure division, there would be operational funding in the agency operating
• It worked pretty well. And then from there, we thought, well, we're going to get satellite.
• Well, if we had guardrails, it wouldn't be.
• Well, so there's two more pieces, but I'll...
• We've seen bids on operations go unanswered.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our operating philosophy...
• well.
• Well-designed reports that provide genuine insight into operations and student outcomes are critical
• Well, let's ask parents why.
• just not working well.

Summary: The joint hearing focused on coherence in California’s education planning and reporting systems, especially the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and related grant plans. Committee chairs and members described widespread frustration with duplicative, lengthy, and sometimes conflicting reporting requirements, while emphasizing that the goal was not to reduce accountability but to make planning more useful, stable, and student-centered. State Superintendent Tony Thurmond also previewed the Governor’s education budget priorities, including expanded learning, community schools, universal transitional kindergarten, literacy supports, and concerns about the proposed Prop. 98 deferral. Panelists from the State Board of Education, Fresno County Superintendent of Schools, and the Legislative Analyst’s Office said the LCAP was intended to balance local flexibility with statewide transparency, but has become overloaded by repeated revisions and additional requirements. They argued for fewer core reporting elements, more stability over time, better alignment of planning cycles, and integrated systems that reduce duplication. Fresno County staff described a multi-year calendar and support tools that help districts manage timelines, but said these tools only ease the burden rather than solve the underlying problem. The LAO noted that some newer plans, such as expanded learning and transportation plans, are narrative-heavy and often less informative than separate reporting requirements. Local district leaders and county officials described the practical effects of the current system: staff time diverted from instruction, multiple portals and forms, audit risk aversion, and planning documents that can exceed 100 pages. Several superintendents said coherent systems work best when districts have clear priorities, stable governance, and aligned budgets, and when state requirements are predictable and tied to outcomes like literacy, attendance, and student achievement. The California Federation of Teachers added that coherence also depends on meaningful collaboration with educators, classified staff, parents, and communities. Committee members repeatedly asked whether the state should streamline reporting, create a uniform portal, or develop a more unified grant-reporting structure, and Thurmond said the department was piloting a simplified common form and was willing to work with the Legislature and districts on broader solutions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Everybody's working well.
• Well, let me just say that this bill was suggested by both the Department of Public Safety as well as
• And so it didn't really work well for Elm Ridge doing that as well.
• Undocumented immigrants are immigrants as well.
• It has a very different operation, and it would create a real challenge for the operation of the courts

Bills: HB1583, HB1775, HB1832, HB1836, HB1837, HB1866, HB1983, HB2029, HB2217, HB2318, HB2363, HB2486

Keywords: mental health, emergency detention, peace officer, mental illness, prevention of harm, border security, private landowners, study and report, General Land Office, participation, controlled substances, opioid antagonists, law enforcement training, substance abuse prevention, Texas-Mexico border, criminal justice, public safety, law enforcement, National Park Service, arrest powers

Transcript Highlights:

• While their model is one of operational While their model is one of operational success,<00:02:22.400
• or Well, let's get some testimony here. or Well, let's get some testimony here.
• <00:07:22.880> looming immediate operational expenses, looming immediate operational expenses,
• Fond du Lac has a long history of ensuring the safety and well-being of our community members as well
• Fond du Lac has a long history of ensuring the safety and well-being of our community members as well

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• want to say a few words as well? want to say a few words as well?
• corporate sponsorships as well. corporate sponsorships as well.
• operations um for the whole department. operations um for the whole department.
• work well. work well.
• provide your perspective as well. provide your perspective as well. >> Sure.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: A joint informational briefing of the House and Senate higher education committees focused on how the University of Hawaiʻi athletics department plans to remain competitive in the new NIL era, including the effects of the House v. NCAA settlement, direct institutional payments, and the need to balance competitiveness with the university’s educational mission. Senators and committee members introduced themselves, and the briefing featured remarks from women’s basketball coach Laura Beeman, football coach Timmy Chang, and Athletic Director Matt Elliott. Coach Beeman said NIL has already affected recruiting and retention in women’s basketball, estimating the program has lost six to 10 student-athletes because it lacks the funding to keep comparable talent. She emphasized that the issue is not greed but retention, culture, and keeping student-athletes who value the university and community, while also using NIL as a way to teach financial literacy, privacy, and adult responsibilities. Coach Chang described similar pressures in football, including transfer portal volatility and competing offers from other programs, and gave examples of players whose personal and family circumstances made NIL support important for staying at Hawaiʻi. Athletic Director Elliott said the department’s vision is to create an outstanding student-athlete experience, recruit and retain elite athletes, compete at the top of the Mountain West, and strengthen community ties. He said the department wants to preserve the educational focus while adapting to a system in which student-athletes can share in revenue. Elliott explained that UH is seeking a $5 million annual NIL fund, is fundraising through the community and the “Boost the Bose” account, and is also pursuing individual NIL deals, corporate sponsorship-related deals, and licensing opportunities. In response to Senator Kim’s question, he said NIL compensation can come through two tracks: institutional payments within the department’s discretion and outside deals that must be reviewed for market value under the new reporting system. No votes or formal actions were taken; the meeting was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, thanks and welcome, um, Mr. Waka. Well, thanks and welcome, um, Mr. Waka.
• Well,<01:03:55.200> I<01:03:55.280> really Well, I really Well, I really appreciate<01:
• operational operational cost<01:12:36.680> today's<01:12:37.160> challenges.
• operational challenges baseline. operational challenges baseline.
• you Madam Chair as well. you Madam Chair as well. Um<01:42:47.280> Ms.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, Senator Marty, I haven't Marty.
• <00:21:51.360> such related to maintaining operations such related to maintaining operations
• forward unexpended non-grant operating forward unexpended non-grant operating appropriations<00:
• Well, thank you, Mr.
• Well, thank you, Mr. Chair, May Quaid. Well, thank you, Mr.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, there it is. Did you pay in?
• But for example, what types of expenses count as an operating expense is pretty well understood.
• Well, that's the answer.
• So they are operating in silos.
• Well, thank you.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy held a hearing on the impact of the Iran conflict and global oil supply disruption on California fuel markets. Committee members and administration witnesses from the California Energy Commission and the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight described California’s heavy reliance on imported crude and refined products, the state’s shrinking refining base, current inventory levels, and how global supply tightness is affecting gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel prices. CEC officials said near-term supply looked adequate for roughly the next six weeks, but warned that continued disruption would likely raise prices further and increase competition for imports. DPMO said the conflict is a real supply shock, but also emphasized a separate, longstanding problem of unusually high California retail gasoline prices, especially among major branded stations. Witnesses and members debated the causes of high prices and the state’s longer-term fuel strategy. Professor Severin Borenstein argued that much of the price gap beyond taxes and environmental costs comes from a “mystery gasoline surcharge” downstream of refineries, while also noting that California’s shrinking number of refineries creates market-power and supply-resilience concerns. Western States Petroleum Association CEO Jody Mueller argued that state policies have weakened California’s refining system and made it more vulnerable to global shocks, urging the state to protect remaining refining capacity and improve infrastructure for imports. United Steelworkers Local 675 Vice President Norman Rogers stressed the need for safe, reliable refinery operations and adequate staffing. Several members pressed witnesses on whether California should rely more on imports, how to manage inventories and port/storage capacity, and whether the state needs clearer authority and better data collection to coordinate fuel policy. Discussion also covered branded versus unbranded gasoline pricing, the role of California fuel specifications, and whether a floating gas tax or other policy tools could buffer consumers from global price spikes. No formal votes or committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So yes, you say, well, we're modernizing.
• And I'm sure we could talk further about this as well, but I do...
• Well, it's an average gap.
• , from issuing permits to operate. ...mobile home park residents and park owners and operators, from
• Well, again, we're looking at that as the entire division.

Summary: The subcommittee heard an extensive presentation on the administration’s housing reorganization proposal, which would centralize multifamily affordable housing finance under the new Housing Development and Finance Committee (HDFC) and align it with the Governor’s trailer bill language. Administration officials said the plan is intended to create a one-stop application and award process, reduce duplicative timelines and costs, and pair state subsidy with private activity bonds and federal tax credits more efficiently. They also described proposed changes to the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program, including shifting a larger share of funding toward housing-related awards while preserving a portion for sustainable communities investments. The Legislative Analyst’s Office generally supported the streamlining concept but recommended changes to the proposed bond set-aside timing and urged flexibility for integrated applications and future reporting on demand. Senators, especially Senator Cabaldon, raised concerns that the proposal could weaken the original climate-and-transportation purpose of the sustainable communities program and that the reorganization would be undercut by the lack of new housing production funding in the budget. The item was held open without a vote. The committee then received a report from the California Debt Limit Allocation Committee and the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee on federal and state housing tax credits. Staff explained that the federal H.R. 1 change lowering the bond-financing threshold from 50% to 25% greatly expanded the number of projects able to use the 4% federal tax credit, allowing California to fund many more projects and units. They also described the state low-income housing tax credit as an important gap-filling tool for projects that still need additional subsidy, and noted existing set-asides for rural, homeless, at-risk, and extremely low-income projects. Members discussed rehabilitation as well as new construction, and the item was informational only. Finally, the Civil Rights Department reported on the effects of federal civil rights policy changes and on three programs facing expiration: California vs. Hate, the Community Conflict Resolution Unit, and Investigations and Conciliation Enhancement. Director Kevin Kish said federal cuts and policy shifts have reduced support for fair housing and other civil rights functions, while CRD’s caseload has grown from about 8,700 open matters a year ago to more than 12,000, with a six-month wait for interviews despite overtime triage efforts. Senators expressed strong support for continuing the programs and concern about the broader federal rollback of civil rights enforcement. The department said it is using overtime, intake triage, and outreach partnerships to manage the workload and direct Californians to appropriate state, local, and nonprofit resources.