Transcript Highlights:

• A separate office called the Office of Cybersecurity handles cybersecurity-specific issues, but OPDP
• OPDP has 4.5 staff, including the chief privacy officer, and the chief privacy officer oversees OPDP.
• So thank you very much for paying attention to the office, for supporting the office.
• legislative support for the office.
• So thank you very much for paying attention to the office, uh, for supporting the office.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee met on September 17, 2025, in hybrid format. After roll call, the committee initially lacked a quorum and deferred approval of the July 15 minutes until Representative Berg arrived; the minutes were then adopted. Members also discussed the proposed 2026 JLARC meeting schedule, including possible changes to address crowded July meetings and the annual tax exemption review workload. Staff presented the annual lodging tax expenditures report, noting that 213 municipalities received distributions in 2024, with 91% reporting compliance, $114 million awarded for more than 1,700 activities, and no independent verification of the self-reported data. Several members questioned the value and usefulness of the report, and the executive committee indicated it may recommend removing the statutory reporting requirement. The committee then heard the preliminary performance audit of the Office of Privacy and Data Protection, which found the office meets its statutory responsibilities and has high user satisfaction, but recommended updating the statute to better match the office’s current capacity and focus and improving performance measures to reflect long-term privacy outcomes rather than outputs. Members asked about FERPA and other federal privacy laws, and OPDP staff said they provide general privacy training and consultation but not law-specific training unless requested. The committee adopted the final report on Washington State recreational boating programs without recommendation, after staff reported that boating revenues support both general government and boating activities and that no participating agencies submitted formal comments. Members asked about boater safety education and possible overlap among the six agencies involved; Parks staff said education has reached more than 500,000 boaters and that fatalities and incidents have declined. The committee also reviewed planned study questions for a JLARC review of Labor and Industries’ enforcement of farm worker laws, with members raising scope questions about the term “farm worker” versus “agricultural worker,” and for DNR’s Eastern Washington sustainable harvest calculation, which JLARC will review as DNR completes its recalculation. Finally, staff outlined the 2026 tax preference performance reviews covering seven preferences, and members asked about racial equity, environmental impacts, disclosure of beneficiary savings, and how the reviews will measure effectiveness; the meeting adjourned before noon.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have item number eight, Senate Bill 459 by Senator Grayson, entitled Peace Officers, Confidential
• I'm here on behalf of the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
• County DA's office will continue to engage in.
• SB 734 simply provides due process protections for law enforcement officers.
• The average life expectancy of correctional officers today is 59 years old.

Summary: The Assembly Public Safety Committee met and adopted a consent calendar that included SB 4, SB 229, SB 385, SB 459, and SB 553. SB 221 was pulled by the committee and will return later. The committee then heard several bills, with members repeatedly noting the next hearing would be July 1 in Room 126. SB 281 by Senator Perez would require judges to use the exact statutory immigration-consequences advisement when taking pleas from noncitizen defendants. Supporters said judges have been deviating from the required language, creating confusion and harming defendants; opponents, including district attorneys, warned that the bill could affect plea withdrawals and appellate litigation unless amended. The committee discussed possible amendments, including a nonretroactivity clarification and language proposed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, and the bill was passed on call. SB 337 by Senator Menjivar would strengthen protections against sexual abuse and misconduct in prisons, especially women’s prisons, by requiring documentation of searches, extending grievance timelines, limiting hiring of people with violent or sexual convictions, and improving investigation procedures. Supporters emphasized staff abuse, retaliation concerns, and the need for oversight; opposition testimony focused on transgender inmate placement and was criticized by committee members as not germane. The bill passed 9-0 to Appropriations. SB 379 by Senator Jones, dealing with oversight of sexually violent predator conditional release placements, passed to Appropriations after support from law enforcement and prosecutors and no opposition. SB 734 by Senator Caballero, which would provide due process protections for law enforcement officers affected by California Racial Justice Act findings, also passed to Appropriations with support from police and district attorney groups and no opposition. SB 551 by Senator Cortese, which would codify normalization and dynamic security principles in corrections, passed to Appropriations despite concerns from one member that it went too far in making prisons too home-like.

Transcript Highlights:

• This slide shows an overview of the office.
• The office doesn't just do IT support.
• Our chief technology officer, Tyler Jackson, is with us.
• and district offices that are throughout the state.
• Bernascone with Evan Saylor as our chief operating officer.

Summary: The committee first heard a budget presentation for the Office of Information Technology Services (ITS), which is in the middle of a multi-year consolidation of IT staff and functions from other agencies. The analyst and administrator explained that ITS now has 243 authorized FTP, with more growth expected as Health and Welfare IT staff move over, and that much of ITS’s budget is driven by personnel, security, and pass-through technology purchases funded through dedicated revenues. The agency’s main 2027 requests included a personnel cash transfer to move costs off general fund and onto dedicated funds, $2.7 million for enterprise firewall/security upgrades, continued access to a federal E-CORE grant for an AI/data repository project, and funding for the Health and Welfare modernization/consolidation. Members asked about the grant, the 3% holdback, whether Health and Welfare’s budget would be reduced, the cost of delaying security upgrades, and why the agency’s FTP count has grown while overall IT costs are being centralized. ITS Administrator Alberto Gonzalez emphasized that the agency is defending against more than 100 million cyberattacks per month, with only a small fraction getting through, and said the firewall request was a critical security need. He said consolidation has produced efficiencies and a net reduction in IT personnel statewide, while also improving security and service delivery. He also explained that the agency is working on a possible policy change to separate continuously appropriated cash into a different fund for cleaner accounting. Questions from members focused on cybersecurity, bandwidth pressures from video/body-cam traffic, procurement speed, AI uses, and the rationale for office furnishings and equipment requests tied to the Health and Welfare move. The committee then moved to the Idaho State Tax Commission budget, another roughly $55 million portfolio with five programs and 447 authorized FTP. The analyst noted that the commission’s budget is heavily general-fund supported, but it also has several dedicated funds and large continuously appropriated flows tied to tax distributions and rebates. For fiscal year 2027, the commission requested additional dedicated-fund support for property tax outreach, $400,000 for GenTax automation, use of dedicated funds for the chief operating officer, replacement items, and the governor’s rescission. Chairman Jeff McRae said the agency returns more than $7.8 billion in revenue for about $55 million in spending, but warned the commission is at a “tipping point” where further cuts would reduce its ability to process revenue and serve taxpayers. Members questioned the commission about phone wait times, staffing levels, the multi-state tax compact, conformity work tied to the federal “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” and the parental choice tax credit program. McRae said the call center would need about 45 staff to meet standard service levels but currently has about seven, and that conformity changes would require significant software, form, and testing work, likely with overtime and possible taxpayer filing delays. He also explained that the tax credit program was designed with electronic-only applications, income prioritization, audits, and criminal penalties to reduce fraud. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided; the meeting consisted of budget presentations, member questions, and agency responses.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Madam Chair, for the AGO office, Mr. Marquez.
• Is the AG's Office the best an investigative agency.
• We have shared, we thank the AG office for having conversations.
• We have shared, we thank the AG office for having conversations.
• For the record, my name is Patrick Stickney with the Office of Equity.

Bills: HB2161 , HB2332 , HB2102

Committee: House Civil Rights & Judiciary

Keywords: attorney general, legal authority, state powers, judiciary, civil rights, driver privacy, data protection, personal information, surveillance, consumer rights, legal obligations, financial responsibility, debt management, consumer protection, court systems

Transcript Highlights:

• So what's a commissioned officer?
• officers.
• So a commissioned officer would be allowed to carry a gun before they're a certified police officer.
• President, so a commissioned officer is not a certified officer then? Mr. President, correct.
• Military officers and corrections officers are still not excluded in this. Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• Regulation and the Office of Financial Regulation.
• As you guys are all well aware, the CFO office is a statewide elected office.
• As you guys are all well aware, the CFO office is a statewide elected office.
• We have five offices. We have five offices statewide, and we have 356 personnel.
• the clerk's office is not entirely but has largely gone paperless since I And the clerk's office is

Summary: The State Administration Budget Subcommittee met for an introductory overview of the agencies under its jurisdiction and their current-year budgets. Chair Vicki Lopez welcomed members and staff, and each member briefly introduced themselves and identified areas of interest, with recurring themes including fiscal restraint, insurance regulation, revenue administration, condominium issues, and government efficiency. The chair then outlined the subcommittee’s overall budget, about $3.1 billion, and noted major recent policy areas affecting the budget such as condominium legislation and emergency communications funding. Agency heads then presented high-level summaries of their missions and budgets. The Department of Revenue described property tax oversight, tax administration, and child support enforcement; the Department of Management Services reviewed state purchasing, telecommunications, fleet, state insurance, retirement, and digital services; DBPR highlighted licensing, enforcement, condominiums, and building code work; DFS covered insurance consumer services, risk management, unclaimed property, fire marshal functions, and criminal investigations; the Gaming Control Commission discussed pari-mutuel and tribal gaming oversight and enforcement; OIR explained insurer solvency and rate review; the Lottery emphasized education funding and record sales; OFR described regulation of banking, securities, lending, and money services; DOAH outlined administrative and workers’ compensation adjudication; PSC covered utility rate regulation and consumer complaints; PERC described labor relations and career service appeals; and FCHR summarized discrimination complaint investigations and outreach. Several members asked questions about utility returns, insurance regulation staffing, DMS’s state employee health plan deficit and prescription drug formulary management, agency recommendations for reducing regulatory burden, and state facilities usage. Responses generally emphasized that utility rates and insurer filings are determined through evidentiary and actuarial processes, that OIR has reduced vacancies but still seeks specialized staff and a Tampa office expansion, and that DMS acknowledged rising health plan costs and said the issue likely requires broader budget-level discussion. The chair also pressed multiple presenters to stay focused on agency operations and budgets rather than broader policy issues. No votes or formal actions were taken in the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a whole separate guidelines for juvenile officers.
• Our office has been in conversations.
• And just the opposite, your trained juvenile detention officers are not trained corrections officers.
• And just the opposite, your trained juvenile detention officers are not trained corrections officers.
• All right, well, I'm coming to your office later.

Committee: House Children and Families

Transcript Highlights:

• This office would violence prevention.
• c> gun</c><00:19:59.280><c> violence</c> A centralized office of gun violence A centralized office of
• </c> couple of dozen states that have Office couple of dozen states that have Office of<00:33:09.519>
• I mean, how many about this office?
• And so I just want to ask the chair, would your office, would this new office, create, um, would the

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> office</c><00:08:26.159><c> to</c><00:08:26.319><c> produce</c> legislative budget office to produce
• Office will be limited.
• That's why a data office...
• That's why a data office...
• </c> before this is where the LG's office before this is where the LG's office probably<00:51:52.359>

Committee: Senate Government Operations

Summary: The committee opened its first hearing of 2025 and announced that all measures heard that day would be deferred to the next committee hearing for decision-making on Thursday, January 30. The agenda centered largely on procurement and government-operations bills, with testimony generally split between state agencies and local governments. On procurement measures, SB 254 and SB 383 would raise small-purchase thresholds; the State Procurement Office opposed both, while county officials, the City and County of Honolulu, the state librarian, and others supported them. SB 382, which would bar disclosure of a competing offeror’s proposal or evaluation score, and SB 462, which would require performance incentive contracts to specify pricing bases, goals, and formulas, drew mostly written comments and some support from agencies such as the Department of Transportation and Department of Education. SB 615, which would treat certain large change orders as new contracts, received opposition from the Comptroller and engineering interests. The committee also heard several bills on vacancies, appointments, and legislative oversight. SB 5 on state legislative vacancies had one supporting testifier, while SB 300 on deadlines for filling certain Senate vacancies drew opposition from several individuals and support from one late testifier. SB 1081, which would create a legislative budget office to provide fiscal analysis and reports on bills, received broad support from advocacy groups, civic organizations, and individuals. SB 711, requiring Senate advice and consent for certain executive-branch appointments, drew written opposition from the Governor’s Office and support from one individual. SB 375, establishing a select commission on government restructuring, had one written supporter. SB 418, which would require the Attorney General’s office to review a portion of administrative rules each year, prompted extended discussion about outdated rules, the difficulty of repealing or amending rules, and whether the bill should be refined; the AG’s office indicated the process is burdensome and could be streamlined. The committee then took up transparency and access measures. SB 55, requiring agency rules to be posted online in a digitally accessible format, received support from several advocacy and civic groups and written comment from the Lieutenant Governor’s Office. SB 870 would direct the comptroller to identify state office buildings that could provide equitable telecom access for remote participation in hearings, especially for residents with disabilities; the Comptroller supported the concept, and members discussed using libraries, DAGS facilities, county facilities, and other public buildings, with concerns raised about staffing, bandwidth, and competing public use. SB 270, a sunshine-law measure allowing board members to attend informational meetings and presentations, drew opposition from the Public First Law Center, which argued it would create a broad loophole and should be narrowed to existing county-council provisions. SB 45, concerning neighborhood board meetings and third-party presentations, prompted discussion about whether it actually addressed neighborhood boards’ Sunshine Law concerns; the committee was told it was not the right vehicle for that issue. SB 406, which would cap copying fees for government records at 5 cents per page with exceptions, drew support from media and transparency groups but opposition from DAGS, which said its actual per-page cost is much higher; members discussed possible electronic-copy alternatives and asked for more cost information before the next hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Office of Health Equity was renamed into Office of Health Access, and then there were certain policies
• </c><00:16:03.120><c> was</c><00:16:03.839><c> made</c> Uh office of health equity was made Uh office
• ><c> leadership</c><00:21:48.720><c> and</c> office, we have strong leadership and office, we have strong
• ><c> equity</c> filed uh that office of health equity filed uh that office of health equity had<00:38
• </c><00:38:40.000><c> Okay,</c> renaming or office. Thank you. Okay, renaming or office. Thank you.

Committee: House Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:01:32.600><c> or</c> uh in the capacity of such officer or uh in the capacity of such officer
• </c><00:02:22.440><c> of</c> three decades with the office of three decades with the office of legislative
• One, apply to you as a public officer.
• </c> Or two, in the capacity of such officer Or two, in the capacity of such officer or<00:10:05.880>
• Um and also just note um officer.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's housing the Office of Civil Rights and not the Department of Education.
• governor's office.
• under the office of – in the Department of Education? There was – Equal Opportunity Office.
• This will take time, this Office of Civil Rights will take time to establish.
• We rubber stamp this proposal that apparently is coming from the governor's office.

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• So we are able to keep the integrity of that office. There is a trend.
• So instead of eliminating the office of a sheriff, they've just changed.
• The goal is to, I wish those counties would elevate the office of a sheriff, not diminish the office
• Is it the police officer?
• So often officers will come to a scene and they'll handle by officers and go on.

Committee: House Crime and Public Safety

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first took up Senate Bill 982. Members adopted a House committee substitute that updated the bill to reflect recently enacted sex offense classifications and added language related to sexual violent predator civil commitment, including permission for the Department of Mental Health to contract with the Department of Corrections for housing. After questions about the civil commitment process and registry-related provisions, the committee adopted two House committee amendments, rolled them into the substitute, and voted the bill do pass by a vote of 14 aye, 1 no, and 1 present. The committee then approved House Bill 3414 by a vote of 12 yes, 1 no, and 3 present. Next, it considered a combined substitute for House Bills 3434, 3460, and 2628, which dealt with emergency contraception and related health care facility language. Members discussed whether the substitute should include religious objection protections and whether the facility definition was broad enough for rural clinics. After adopting an amendment clarifying that emergency contraception does not include medication approved to terminate a pregnancy, the committee adopted the substitute and voted the combined bills do pass by 11 aye, 4 no, and 1 present. In public hearing, the committee heard Senate Joint Resolution 87, which would place the election of sheriffs in the Missouri Constitution and preserve local election of sheriffs, with carve-outs for St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jackson County, and the City of St. Louis. The sponsor and supporting witnesses argued it would protect local control and accountability, while members asked about removal procedures and the role of the Attorney General versus local prosecutors. Supporters, including the Osage County sheriff and the interim sheriff of the City of St. Louis, testified in favor; no opposition testified. The committee also heard House Bills 1868 and 3257, identical bills creating an offense for impeding, threatening, or harassing first responders after an oral warning to stay back. Sponsors said the measure was intended to protect officers, EMS, firefighters, and others from interference at scenes, and supporters from ambulance, physician, and fire service groups backed the bill, with a suggested cleanup to remove the outdated term “ambulance driver.” Finally, the committee heard House Bill 3017, which would create the offense of permitting a public nuisance on property after repeated documented complaints and allow authorities to secure or board up nuisance properties. The sponsor and Kansas City police supported it as a tool for public safety, while members raised concerns about landlord liability, due process, and whether the felony penalty and boarding costs were too burdensome; Kansas City police testified in support and no opposition was heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• They would stand up that office for two years.
• So we are eliminating the Office of Lieutenant Governor.
• Finally, the bill defines the term 'office' for the purpose of this dual office... ...stability.
• Finally, the bill defines the term 'office' for the purpose of this dual office holding prohibition in
• Regional offices are just that—they’re just regional offices that are set up for convenience of our constituents

Summary: The Government Operations Subcommittee heard several measures focused on government structure, oversight, and public policy designations. The most debated bill was HJR 1325, which proposed a constitutional amendment to create a statewide Commissioner of Government Efficiency, abolish the lieutenant governor office and the Government Efficiency Task Force, and eliminate the constitutional requirement for an Auditor General appointment. Sponsors said the new commissioner would be a watchdog over waste, fraud, and abuse across state and local government, while opponents raised concerns about cost, single-subject issues, lack of implementation details, and whether existing oversight structures were sufficient. After extensive debate, the resolution was reported favorably by a recorded vote. The committee also approved HB 575, which redesignates the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America in Florida statute, and HB 1445, which requires certain state officials and agency heads to have stronger ties to Florida and, for some positions, to live in the county where their agency headquarters is located. HB 1445 drew questions about practicality and whether a proximity standard would be better than a strict county requirement, but the sponsor said he would continue working on that issue. Both bills were reported favorably, with HB 1445 passing unanimously. In addition, the committee unanimously approved HB 259, designating August 21 as Fentanyl Awareness and Education Day, with supporters emphasizing the need for public education about fentanyl overdoses. The committee also passed CS/HB 29, the public records and meetings bill linked to the social work licensure compact, which creates confidentiality and meeting exemptions needed for the compact to operate. Public testimony on that measure was supportive, and it too was reported favorably without opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• Defense State Liaison Office on Zoom.
• </c> US Defense State Lison Office on Zoom. US Defense State Lison Office on Zoom.
• Uh military community relations office.
• [clears throat] police officers here. I [clears throat] police officers here.
• </c><00:10:45.920><c> uh</c> where we lose lots of police officers uh where we lose lots of police officers

Committee: Senate Labor and Technology

Summary: The joint committees on Labor and Technology and Public Safety and Military Affairs heard testimony on several measures. SB 3082, relating to military families and leave protections, drew support from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the military community relations office, the Hawaii National Guard, and the U.S. Department of Defense, all of whom said the bill would align state law with federal standards and better account for military-related leave needs. SB 3110, relating to the Hawaii National Guard, was supported by Department of Defense witnesses who said it clarifies that employees of the Guard’s youth and adult educational programs are excluded from collective bargaining. The committees also heard SB 3251, which would prohibit certain state law enforcement agencies from hiring former ICE or Border Patrol agents as law enforcement officers. The main testimony in support argued the bill could help prevent local police staffing losses to higher-paying federal agencies and avoid future workforce instability if federal funding changes. The measure drew significant public testimony, with the chair noting 62 testimonies in support, five in opposition, and three comments. Members discussed the bill’s impact on recruitment and retention, and one member voted with reservations while another voted no. Later, the committees heard SB 3095 and SB 3264, both concerning Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund salaries. EUTF testified in support of SB 3095, which would allow the board to set salaries for investment office staff, and SB 3264, which would authorize the board to set the salary for an assistant administrator. After testimony, the committees moved into decision-making and passed SB 3082, SB 3110, SB 3251, SB 3095, and SB 3264 with amendments, generally including technical changes and revised effective dates of January 1, 2077 for the EUTF salary bills and SB 3082.

Transcript Highlights:

• And since then, we have never filled that office. We have no intent of filling that office.
• </c> University did not have a DEI office University did not have a DEI office before<00:24:22.000><c
• We dissolved our diversity office and eliminated the position of chief diversity officer, and that's
• </c> officers to develop a sustainable plan. officers to develop a sustainable plan.
• office of university council and the office of university council partnered<00:48:11.280><c> to</c><

Summary: The Interim Joint Budget Review Subcommittee on Education met to hear updates from Kentucky public universities and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System on compliance with House Bill 4, which restricts DEI-related activities and requires institutional and viewpoint neutrality. The chair emphasized that the hearing should focus on both compliance and the financial effects of the law. Eastern Kentucky University said its board adopted a House Bill 4 compliance resolution and an institutional neutrality policy. KCTCS reported systemwide reviews of programs, websites, scholarships, personnel, and admissions language, along with board actions removing a cultural competency course requirement, adopting institutional neutrality, and certifying compliance. KCTCS said about $2.5 million annually had been reallocated to other needs, and that no personnel were eliminated, though some roles were reassigned and DEI-related offices closed. Kentucky State University said it had already dissolved DEI offices before the bill passed, ended DEI-specific training, revised policies and gift acceptance rules, adopted a viewpoint neutrality policy, and was conducting ongoing reviews of programs, job descriptions, and web content. KSU said it had achieved substantial compliance, expected full operational integration by August 1, and had not terminated staff or closed academic programs because of the law. In response to questions, KSU said it was broadening outreach to all students rather than targeting specific populations and that its prior diversity finding was tied to not meeting a diversity quota. Morehead State University said it had no DEI office before House Bill 4, amended its non-discrimination statement to include political and social viewpoint neutrality and condemnation of religious and ethnic discrimination, and remained focused on serving its largely low-income student body. Murray State University reported reviewing scholarships, expenditures, training, and academic programs to ensure no differential treatment or indoctrination, revising its neutrality policy, and updating non-discrimination posters and training. When asked about a statement that DEI would “look different,” the university said it meant student support services would continue in a different form. Northern Kentucky University said it dissolved its diversity office and chief diversity officer position in 2024, reviewed programs, events, scholarships, and employee affinity groups, adopted a statement on intellectual diversity and viewpoint neutrality, and reviewed about 2,000 courses for compliance. NKU also said its new Center for Belonging would focus on first-generation and commuter students rather than rebrand prior DEI efforts. The University of Kentucky began its presentation by describing earlier changes made in August 2024, including disbanding its office of institutional diversity, removing diversity statements and mandatory training, adopting institutional neutrality, and ending race-based consideration in admissions and scholarships; the transcript cuts off before the rest of UK’s testimony and any committee votes or formal actions beyond receiving the presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Court officers, would you please clear the aisles?
• Court officers, would you please clear the aisles. Would court officers please clear the aisles?
• Court officers will please clear the aisles.
• Speaker, members of this great and general court, our court officers, our constitutional officers, governors
• We walked from our office down the hall and thought, Many more.

Summary: The House of Representatives convened on January 1, 2025, for the opening of the 194th General Court. The session began with the call to order, invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, and National Anthem, followed by remarks from the Dean of the House, Governor Maura Healey, and Speaker Ron Mariano. Speakers highlighted the historic nature of the new session, the approaching 250th anniversary of American independence, and priorities such as public service, transparency, and continued collaboration between the House, Senate, and administration. The House received and filed the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s communication transmitting election returns, then adopted a special committee report confirming that the members-elect had been duly elected. The chamber also accepted the resignation/declination of Representative-elect Gerald Paracela, who had been nominated to the District Court. A committee was appointed to notify the Governor that a quorum of members-elect had assembled and were ready to be sworn in, after which the Governor administered the oaths of office to the members. The House then elected Ronald Mariano of Quincy as Speaker by roll-call vote, with 132 votes; Bradley H. Jones Jr. received 21 votes, Mark T. Lombardo 4, and the total vote count was 157. Timothy Carroll of Hull was elected Clerk by acclamation and sworn in, and he announced the appointment of assistant clerks. The House also adopted temporary rules to continue the prior session’s House rules and temporary joint rules, and agreed to a Senate order scheduling a convention for the following day to administer oaths to the Governor’s Council. The session concluded with a benediction and adjournment until the next day at 11 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• University Chancellor's Office.
• Legislative Analyst's Office, please.
• Secondly, this is for the Chancellor’s Office.
• at the CSU Chancellor's Office.
• the CSU Chancellor's Office.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance met to review CSU and State Library budget issues, enrollment trends, the Capital Fellows program, and a Title IX update. Chair David Alvarez opened by stressing that CSU faces serious financial pressure, including a systemwide deficit and proposed cuts that he and several members said were too large and likely to harm access, course offerings, and student services. Public comment focused heavily on the Braille Institute Library, with patrons, staff, veterans, and advocates urging restoration of funding and warning that the proposed cut would severely affect blind and visually impaired Californians across Southern California. Several CSU faculty, staff, and union representatives also opposed the proposed reductions and warned of larger class sizes, fewer sections, and layoffs. On the CSU core operations item, the Department of Finance explained the Governor’s proposal to reduce ongoing General Fund support by about $375 million and defer a 5% base increase, while the LAO said CSU core funding would be roughly flat once tuition and targeted augmentations were considered, but warned that rising costs and prior shortfalls would still force campuses to cut spending. CSU’s Chancellor’s Office said the proposed cut would deepen existing problems, citing prior-year budget gaps, job losses, reduced course sections, and student-service reductions. Members pressed Finance and the LAO on whether cuts could be made more surgically, especially at the Chancellor’s Office or in institutional support rather than in instruction, and the LAO said the Legislature has flexibility to target cuts more specifically. CSU also described ongoing consolidation efforts, including shared services among campuses and the planned Cal Maritime/Cal Poly San Luis Obispo integration, while cautioning that savings are not yet fully known. The committee then discussed CSU enrollment. The LAO recommended holding enrollment targets flat because the budget does not add new funding, while CSU reported strong recent growth, including more California residents, record first-year enrollment, and expanded direct admissions and transfer pathways. Members questioned why some campuses with high demand turn away many applicants while others continue to lose enrollment, and CSU said it is shifting resources from campuses with sustained declines to those with demand, using a 10% below-target threshold. The committee also discussed whether enrollment declines mirror local population trends, how to improve marketing and program alignment, and whether lessons from Cal Poly Humboldt’s conversion could inform other campuses such as Sonoma State. The Capital Fellows item drew a Finance proposal for a salary increase and an LAO counterproposal for a smaller raise plus future COLA language; the committee kept the item open. Finally, CSU reported progress on Title IX compliance, saying it has completed most State Auditor recommendations, expanded civil rights staffing, and increased training, prevention, and case-management efforts, though members asked how proposed budget cuts might affect those services.

Transcript Highlights:

• the other officers that are on duty are going to be 20 minutes away, that off-duty officer could be
• So when we don't have officers in the school, so when we don't have officers in the school one of the
• in the schools so when we don't have officers in the school so when we don't have officers in the school
• Officers in the schools.
• And one map view for school resource officers.

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative Audit Committee

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit Committee heard presentations on Arizona’s school safety interoperability communication systems, beginning with remarks from Senator Kevin Payne, who described the program as a response to school shootings and 911 overloads, and said the goal is to let schools trigger a panic-button alert that immediately shares video, floor plans, and location information with law enforcement and other responders. Several members echoed support for the concept, while also raising concerns about whether the systems are actually working as intended and whether school resource officers remain necessary or should be supplemented by technology. Auditor General Lindsay Perry summarized the JLAC-directed special audit, explaining that the office reviewed whether fund expenditures were authorized, whether purchased systems met statutory requirements, and whether procurement followed applicable standards. She said the office had tested a sample of systems with vendors, schools, and law enforcement, and that some agencies had not provided requested follow-up information. Members questioned Pinal County’s lack of response and the status of its reports and payments, and committee leaders criticized the county sheriff’s claim that the committee had treated staff unfairly. Representatives from Mutualink, Motorola Solutions, and Navigate 360 then defended their systems and described implementation challenges. Mutualink said its platform connects schools, dispatch, and responders across jurisdictions and claimed it can reduce response times, but acknowledged that implementation depends on training, infrastructure, and cooperation among schools and agencies. Motorola said it had deployed systems in Maricopa and Yuma counties and that some delays stemmed from school participation and procurement issues. Navigate 360 highlighted Cochise County as a success story, saying 60 of 69 schools were implemented and that the company had added maps, emergency management tools, and training support after audit findings. Members repeatedly pressed the vendors on statutory criteria, procurement practices, rural infrastructure, and why some counties or schools were not fully operational; the vendors generally said the biggest barriers were local readiness, training, and interagency coordination rather than the technology itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's what we do for citizens who aren't police officers.
• That's what we do for citizens who aren't police officers.
• Most police officers want to enforce laws against bad guys.
• I don't want any police officer, or anyone, but any police officer especially, to ever be hurt, assaulted
• They might own a physical therapy office. Is this to prevent the... ...physical therapy office?

Committee: House General Laws