Transcript Highlights:

• With Sam Bregman's suggested changes, I'll be brief. They're just really six major changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Sam Wilkinson, and I'm with the Child Poverty and California Coalition.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Accountability and Oversight held its fifth hearing of the year to examine the newly enacted federal H.R. 1 and its effects on California. Members and the chair described the law as a major threat to state health, food, education, and climate programs, and emphasized that California would not be able to fully backfill the federal cuts. Several members also highlighted the bill’s tax provisions, including temporary deductions for tips, overtime, seniors, and auto loan interest, while warning that the largest benefits flow to higher-income taxpayers and that major cuts to Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and clean-energy incentives are delayed or phased in over time. The Legislative Analyst’s Office and the Department of Finance presented detailed overviews of the bill’s likely impacts and implementation timelines. They identified the main affected areas as health care coverage and financing, food assistance, higher education, personal income taxes, and clean-energy/electric-vehicle credits. They explained that H.R. 1 limits provider taxes used to finance Medi-Cal, adds work and redetermination requirements, restricts CalFresh eligibility and increases state costs, changes student loan and Pell Grant rules, extends and modifies federal tax provisions, and phases out many clean-energy credits. Finance also noted major rescissions of Inflation Reduction Act funds, new border and immigration enforcement spending, and the possibility of PAYGO sequestration if Congress does not act to offset the deficit increase. During member questions, the committee focused on likely enrollment losses, administrative burdens, and fiscal exposure for the state and counties. Witnesses said many details still depend on federal guidance, but they estimated significant impacts on Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and graduate/professional student borrowing, and noted that California’s high CalFresh error rate could increase state costs. UC testified that the elimination of Graduate PLUS loans would affect thousands of professional students, especially in health, law, and other high-cost programs. Members asked for follow-up data on county, health, and tax impacts, and staff agreed to provide additional tables and estimates as implementation guidance becomes clearer. Public commenters from counties, early childhood advocates, health coalitions, disability rights groups, immigrant-rights organizations, and other stakeholders urged the Legislature to mitigate the law’s effects. They warned of higher county costs, reduced access to health care and food assistance, increased administrative burdens, and harm to children, immigrants, people with disabilities, and low-income families. Several urged new state revenue solutions and stronger protections for Medi-Cal, CalFresh, child care, and home- and community-based services. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational and ended with a commitment to continue monitoring federal guidance and to work on state responses in the budget process.

Transcript Highlights:

• Excellent, thank you very much Rob Sam Luhan.

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• These groups that put these together—the Parks and Trails, the LaSarge SAMs, the Clean Water—meet for

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• But I would like to provide that process to you, President of Sam...

Summary: The subcommittee heard updates on several state technology modernization efforts, beginning with the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s Enterprise Business Solution (DEMS). FDEM said DEMS is about 50% complete, with some grants and finance functions already live, and is intended to replace manual disaster and grants processing with a cloud-based system. Officials described faster reimbursement timelines after recent storms, major return-on-investment claims, and a planned final phase focused on design, testing, communications, data governance, and additional functionality. Members asked about the total cost, the role of Florida Digital Service, deliverables-based contracting, and how much of the system is live; FDEM said the project is expected to cost about $16 million to $16.8 million and finish by June 2027, with some follow-up information to be provided. The Department of Legal Affairs presented its Office of Attorney General Modernization Program, a follow-up to an earlier effort that failed after spending about $26 million. Acting Attorney General John Gard said the department has now moved to an off-the-shelf case management product, LawBase, and is in development and testing, with the Office of Statewide Prosecution already live and full implementation expected by the end of the fiscal year. The request includes funding for staff augmentation, cloud storage, the LawBase license, redundancy through a backup site in Orlando, and OnBase support. Members questioned the prior failure, the use of Florida Digital Service standards, data location and cloud migration, and the redundancy plan; Gard said lessons learned included better scoping and that the current effort is on track. The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles then updated the committee on Motorist Modernization, including the Orion system and the MyDMV portal. Officials said Phase 1 and Phase 2 have modernized driver license and motor vehicle services, with Phase 2 statewide rollout scheduled to begin in April 2025 and Phase 3 proposed at $16.5 million for dealer services, data warehouse improvements, and call center modernization. Members asked about payment options, organ donor questions, staffing, cybersecurity, cloud strategy, and the digital driver license program. The agency said the portal already allows some sanctions to be cleared online, an ACH option is being developed, the digital driver license vendor has changed with a fall go-live anticipated, and the department is using security testing and a managed security service provider. Officials also said the system is currently on an on-prem private cloud, with future workloads expected to move to public cloud where appropriate. Finally, Florida Commerce presented on the Reemployment Assistance modernization system, Reconnect, and the FLWINS workforce system. Commerce said Reconnect is hosted in the Azure Government Cloud, has reduced claim filing time, improved fraud detection, and increased appeals capacity, and now needs $4.9 million in recurring funding to cover ongoing operations, cloud hosting, licenses, and staff augmentation. Members asked about adjudication issues, wait times, fraud prevention, and whether the system stores caller identifiers; Commerce said the average wait to speak to a representative is about 18 minutes and claims are generally processed in four to six weeks. The committee then began hearing about FLWINS, which is intended to create a “no wrong door” workforce portal under the REACH Act, but the transcript cuts off before that presentation concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Doug Houston, representing Sierra Consortium and Save Mount Laobo, also in support.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Doug Houston, representing Sierra Consortium and Save Mount Laobo, also in support.

Summary: The committee heard several wildlife and water-related bills. SB 872, by Senator McNerney, would create a Delta Levees and Canal Subsidence Fund and allow waiver of local cost-sharing for Delta levee repairs to protect the State Water Project and Delta infrastructure. Supporters from water agencies, environmental groups, counties, and agricultural interests said the bill is needed to address levee failure and canal subsidence; there was no opposition, and the bill was held open until a quorum was present, with broad support expressed. SB 1108, by Senator Caballero, would establish the Grasslands Ecological Area Conservancy in the Central Valley to coordinate conservation, habitat restoration, public access, and voluntary easements in a region described as the largest remaining wetland/grasslands complex west of the Mississippi. Support came from the Grasslands Water District, Audubon, conservation groups, and local stakeholders, who emphasized the area’s importance to migratory birds, wildlife corridors, and land-use transition under groundwater sustainability. There was no opposition, and the bill received favorable committee support. SB 1135, by Senator Blakespear, would reestablish and strengthen the statewide wildlife coexistence program to reduce human-wildlife conflict through nonlethal deterrence, education, and compensation for livestock losses. Supporters cited rising wildlife incidents, wolf depredation, and the need for proactive tools; opponents and some committee members raised concerns about rural impacts, funding, and the absence of law enforcement/public safety as a specifically named advisory role. After discussion and amendments that moved the cattlemen and Farm Bureau to neutral, the bill passed out of committee on a due-pass motion, though some members voted no or abstained. SB 1305, by Senator Richardson, would direct CDFW to study the feasibility of grizzly bear reintroduction and prepare a roadmap, with tribal consultation and stakeholder engagement, but would not itself authorize reintroduction. Tribal sponsors and conservation groups supported the bill as a planning and cultural restoration effort, while hunting, ranching, and county groups opposed it, arguing California already faces major wildlife-management and funding challenges and that the proposal would create new conflicts. Committee members debated costs, appropriations, and whether the study should include funding estimates; the bill was amended and passed on a due-pass motion. The committee also heard SB 1250, by Senator Cortese, which would require Caltrans to incorporate wildlife connectivity into transportation planning; supporters said it would reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve habitat connectivity, and the bill was presented in support as the hearing continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, members, Doug Houston, representing California Outdoor Recreation Partnership, the Outdoor Chamber

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, members, Doug Houston, representing California Outdoor Recreation Partnership.

Summary: The committee heard a series of Senate bills on environmental, climate, recycling, wildfire, outdoor access, and clean transportation policy. SB 958 would clarify CEQA treatment of impacts tied solely to increased building height, and SB 1230 would increase penalties and create CalRecycle support tools for repeat commercial illegal dumping. SB 1341 would revise how processing fees are calculated for bag-in-a-box wine under California’s recycling program. All three measures received due-pass recommendations to Appropriations, with roll calls showing majority support and the bills left open for absent members. Members then took up SB 1300, which would create a more permanent legislative role in California’s international climate cooperation and establish a climate secretariat at UC; SB 1370, which would codify and streamline wildfire fuel-reduction permitting with added safeguards, geographic and size limits, and pesticide-related amendments; and SB 1260/1268, which would codify the Outdoors for All initiative and the Deputy Secretary for Access position at the Natural Resources Agency. Each drew support from environmental, utility, business, and local-government witnesses, while SB 1370 also drew opposition from environmental and advocacy groups concerned about reduced CEQA review and herbicide use. The committee discussed amendments at length, especially on SB 1370, and all three measures advanced with due-pass recommendations. The committee also heard SB 1213, the Clean Truck Transparency Act, requiring baseline pricing disclosure for medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission trucks tied to state incentives and directing agencies to explore alternative financing. Support came from clean-air, business, and environmental groups, and the trucking/manufacturing opposition moved to neutral after amendments; the bill advanced on a due-pass vote. Finally, SB 1075, the Clean Air Promise, sought to strengthen AB 617 implementation and clarify community emission reduction planning, but it generated substantial opposition from air districts, business groups, and others over enforceability, funding, and the distinction between formal SERPs and community L-SERPs. The author described additional pending amendments to narrow L-SERP provisions, and the bill also received a due-pass recommendation to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Dallas, Houston, and Milwaukee all reduced homelessness dramatically by double digits each year, with

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Housing met without a quorum at first and operated as a subcommittee, then later established a quorum and took up several housing-related bills. Early presentations focused on AB 2390, a cleanup measure to clarify streamlined housing approvals and how modifications are reviewed; AB 1890, which would increase state matching funds for Napa County farmworker housing centers; and AB 956, which would clarify accessory dwelling unit law by allowing more flexibility in how ADUs are built and by clarifying application of ADU protections in common interest developments. Supporters for these bills emphasized predictability, farmworker housing stability, and expanded housing options for multigenerational families, while opponents of AB 956 raised concerns about neighborhood density, infrastructure, and local control. AB 956 drew the most extensive debate. Committee members discussed whether it was a clarification or expansion of ADU law, the potential for triggering density bonus rules, and possible local government costs. The author accepted committee amendments to avoid allowing a third ADU/JADU combination that could trigger density bonus implications. The committee then voted to do pass AB 956 as amended to the Senate Committee on Local Government, with one no vote recorded and the bill held on call for absent members. The committee also took votes on the consent calendar and on AB 2390 and AB 1890, but those measures were likewise held on call for absent members after favorable motions. The committee also heard AB 939, which would let developers transfer income-restricted ownership units to qualified nonprofit affordable housing organizations without waiting 180 days after certificate of occupancy. Supporters, including Habitat for Humanity and California YIMBY, said the bill would reduce vacancy, carrying costs, and help preserve long-term affordability. The California Association of Realtors opposed the bill unless amended, arguing it could limit buyer choice, codify first-right-of-refusal practices, and reduce wealth-building opportunities for families. After discussion, the bill was moved to the Senate Appropriations Committee on a do pass motion and held on call. Later bills included AB 1165, which would require state housing agencies to create a fiscal analysis and financial plan for ending homelessness; AB 1184, which would add transparency and open-meeting style requirements for homeowners associations; and AB 2035, a narrowly tailored measure to help Laguna Woods Village update outdated CC&Rs by lowering the vote threshold needed to seek court approval. AB 1165 and AB 2035 both received broad support and were moved forward on do pass motions, while AB 1184 also advanced despite late opposition from the California Association of Realtors. The committee then began hearing AB 1573, which would add survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking to local housing element target populations, but the transcript cuts off before that bill’s testimony or any vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Erica Houston, I'm with the Arizona Association of Emergency Managers.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• “Erica Houston, I'm with the Arizona Association of Emergency Managers.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Director Nominations held a confirmation hearing for John Connolly, the current Adjutant General and Director of the Department of Emergency and Military Affairs (DEMA). Connolly described his background in the Army, National Guard, and military law, and outlined DEMA’s dual mission of supporting the Arizona National Guard and emergency management. He emphasized readiness, modernization of aging aircraft and facilities, growth in capabilities such as drones and electronic warfare, partnerships to restore helicopter training at Silver Bell, and stewardship of resources. He also discussed DEMA’s border-related missions, including Task Force Safe at Nogales, counter-drug operations, and use of artificial intelligence to monitor drone activity and build a common operating picture for law enforcement. Committee members questioned Connolly about his interview and vetting process, his role in emergency management, disaster response in Gila County, support for rural counties and tribes, and services for Guard members and families through the Integrated Resilience Operations Center. Several members pressed him on military discipline, lawful orders, classified information, and the distinction between war and hostilities. Senator Rogers focused on chain of command, combat readiness, and whether Connolly’s JAG background prepared him to lead a combat-oriented force; Connolly responded that his role is to provide ready forces, follow civilian authority, and ensure troops have training, equipment, and family support. He also said he had experience advising commanders and teaching lawful versus unlawful orders. A major point of contention came when members questioned Connolly about the 2021 COVID-19 vaccination mandate for the Guard and whether he had treated it as unlawful or unconstitutional. Connolly said it was a lawful order at the time and that exemption processes existed under the regulations. The hearing also turned to immigration enforcement, emergency powers, and whether the Guard should support ICE; Connolly said the Guard is a support function and would respond to a direct request through the governor, but he could not identify a specific scenario in the abstract. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing, and the committee appeared to continue its review after testimony and questioning.

Transcript Highlights:

• her and her continually getting worse, we were finally granted a transfer to Texas Children's in Houston

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The House Insurance Committee met on April 23 with a quorum present and began by announcing that HB 1142 was deferred. The committee then took up HB 1187, which would direct any excess Louisiana Citizens emergency assessment funds, after related debt is satisfied, toward the Louisiana Fortified Homes Program or future Citizens obligations. Commissioner Tim Temple and Rep. Sawyer said the bill would likely redirect about $50 million to the popular fortified roof grant program, which has already awarded thousands of roofs and is oversubscribed. With support from Citizens and others, the committee adopted technical amendments and reported HB 1187 favorably. The committee next considered HB 1210, a proposal by Rep. Dana Henry to create a pre-suit claim review process for Louisiana Citizens disputes modeled on Florida’s system. After explaining that the bill was prompted by constituent concerns about rising homeowners insurance costs, Henry voluntarily deferred the bill and instead moved toward a study resolution. The substitute version, which would have allowed Citizens disputes to be resolved through the Division of Administrative Law, was adopted for discussion, but the bill was ultimately voluntarily deferred after testimony from Citizens and the department supporting further study. HB 1199, by Rep. Jordan, would require coverage for genetic testing and medically necessary treatment for SCN2A-associated disorders. After adopting an amendment clarifying that coverage depends on provider order and medical necessity, the committee heard emotional testimony from a parent describing her daughter’s severe SCN2A condition and the difficulty obtaining genetic testing. The bill was reported favorably. The committee then took up HB 880, the Louisiana Artificial Intelligence Insurance Fairness Act, which would regulate AI use in underwriting, rating, and claims. Jordan said the bill raised state-federal insurance regulatory issues and could jeopardize federal broadband funding, so he voluntarily deferred it; HB 920 was also voluntarily deferred. Finally, the committee considered HB 1221, by Rep. Amadee, which would narrow data collection under the surplus lines premium tax system to protect policyholder privacy. Former Rep. Bowler argued the department should not collect names, addresses, or coverage limits and that the bill would preserve privacy without affecting tax collection. The Department of Insurance said the broader data is needed for premium tax reconciliation, fraud detection, and post-disaster assistance. After debate, a motion to report HB 1221 favorably failed on a 6-6 roll call. The committee then moved on to HB 869 by Rep. Lyons, a health insurance bill covering injectable drugs for glucose or weight-loss treatment, but the transcript ends before further action on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• She's been training in Houston in her residency for years. She wanted to come back.

Keywords: 996, all

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• all of these dispersals, about $45 million for the PPRF, which is one of our largest programs in Houston

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• Oliverson, who was a House member in Texas from Houston.

Summary: The committee hearing focused on biosolids, sewage sludge, and PFAS contamination, with the opening remarks and first three presenters arguing that land application of municipal sludge poses serious risks to soil, water, livestock, and human health. Representative Shaw cited EPA and state data on detected pollutants and PFAS in biosolids, while Denise Travick Poyer described her background in chemical engineering and PFAS work and said the EPA’s draft sewage sludge risk assessment shows unacceptable risk at very low PFOS/PFOA levels. She urged source reduction, more testing, and consideration of total organic fluorine, and noted examples from Michigan where industrial pretreatment and source reduction reduced PFAS in biosolids. Johnson County, Texas Commissioner Larry Woolley and Investigator Dana Ames presented a case study of alleged runoff from land-applied biosolids affecting a ranch, with high PFAS readings in soil, water, fish, cattle tissue, and a stillborn calf, and said the county and state had pursued investigations, lawsuits, and legislative responses. Sandra Trawick of Save Oklahoma Farms and Ranches argued that Oklahoma’s biosolids program relies heavily on Class B sludge, that current rules are outdated, and that land application exposes farms and rural communities to pathogens, chemicals, odors, flies, and runoff; she cited examples from Maine, Texas, Georgia, Michigan, and Oklahoma to support calls for stronger regulation or a ban. After the testimony, members asked about sampling methods, lab testing, EPA limits, and whether the cited PFAS blood levels were comparable to the soil and sludge measurements. Witnesses said the Johnson County samples were collected by a Texas A&M PhD contractor and tested at a single lab, and they explained that the EPA’s 4 parts per trillion figure applied to municipal drinking water standards. Questions also addressed whether sludge is incorporated into soil; Trawick said it had often been left on the surface, though she had seen better disking after public scrutiny. Members asked how biosolids compare with manure and feedlot waste, and witnesses responded that municipal sludge is more contaminated because it includes industrial, hospital, and household waste streams, unlike animal manure. The committee then moved to alternative solutions, hearing from Doug McKinney of Advanced Microbial Solutions, who promoted biological sludge removal using bacteria to reduce sludge volumes and avoid land application, citing cost savings for wastewater plants and correctional facilities. Jason Jepsen of Eden Energy followed with a pitch for an eight-stage waste-to-energy system that converts mixed waste into clean energy, biochar, and reusable products, framing waste as an asset and presenting his company’s technology as a no-land-application alternative.

Transcript Highlights:

• What works in Woodson ISD is not the same as what works in Houston ISD.

Bills: HB8

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Summary: The House Committee on Public Education met to hear House Bill 8, which would replace STAAR with a new assessment and accountability system beginning in the 2027-28 school year. The chair described the bill as reducing testing time, limiting benchmark tests, adding beginning-, middle-, and end-of-year assessments, requiring faster score turnaround, involving Texas teachers in test development, and tightening accountability timelines and transparency rules. Members also discussed provisions on A-F ratings, cut scores, CCMR, local accountability plans, and TEA reporting requirements. Committee members and invited witnesses split sharply on the bill’s approach. Supporters, including the chair, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath, and Ed Trust’s Nicholas Munyon Penny, argued the bill would reduce high-stakes pressure, provide quicker and more actionable data, limit over-testing, and better align assessments to Texas standards while preserving criterion-referenced accountability. They said the new system would help teachers and parents intervene sooner and would improve transparency, including parent access to student responses and automatic rescoring in some writing cases. Opponents, including Rep. Hinojosa and student witness Ella Moran, argued the bill still increases testing and replaces one high-stakes test with multiple TEA-created tests. Moran testified that STAAR creates anxiety, disrupts instruction, and does not reflect real learning, while Hinojosa said the House had previously passed a better bill based on a nationally norm-referenced model and criticized the new proposal as a concession to the Senate. Questions also focused on AI scoring of writing, rescoring rates, and whether the bill’s new accountability rules would be reliable and fair. The committee did not take a final vote during the portion provided, but the chair said a vote on HB 8 would be called after public testimony later in the day.

Transcript Highlights:

• For that jurisdiction, in the middle of downtown Austin or Houston, probably not a mass fatality incident

Bills: HB2, HB1, HB18, HB19, HB20, HB1, HB 2, HB18, HB19, HB20

Keywords: emergency communication, interoperability, grant program, first responders, state council, disaster response, emergency management, mass fatality, justices of the peace, training programs, emergency manager license, volunteer management, justice of the peace training, criminal history checks, state health services, broadband, public safety, disaster preparedness, funding, flood disaster plan

Transcript Highlights:

• But I just, my thought was we don't want to become another Houston without proper planning, especially

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• Madtown Robotics Team 1323's most recent victory was this past April at the Houston Championships, where

Summary: The Assembly met in session, established a quorum, and opened with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Members then moved through guest introductions, including students and fellows from California Lutheran University, UC Merced’s CAPE program, the Maddy Institute, and Madera High School’s Madtown Robotics Team 1323, which was recognized for multiple robotics world championships. The chamber also adopted an adjournment in memory and took up the daily file. Several bills and resolutions were considered and passed, including AB 1390 on school board compensation thresholds, AB 1338 on air district cost recovery for fence-line air monitoring, AB 648 on community college housing, AB 1207 on cap-and-trade price ceilings, ACR 66 recognizing Skin Cancer Awareness Month, AB 49 on keeping ICE out of public schools, AB 317 on a CEQA exemption for certain single-family homes, AB 527 on geothermal exploratory wells, AB 665 on the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation ombudsman report, AB 940 creating quantum innovation zones, AB 1021 on workforce housing for education agencies, AB 1112 on property tax apportionment in Rancho Mirage, AB 1318 on nonprofit eligibility for public funding, and AB 1470 on using student housing loan funds for affordable housing in downtowns and commercial districts. Most measures passed with broad support; AB 49 and AB 1318 were urgency bills and passed with the required higher vote threshold. The floor also adopted H.R. 40, declaring May 25 as Rosenda’s Day to honor a teen killed by a drunk driver, and H.R. 42, recognizing May as Behavioral Health Awareness Month. Both drew extensive personal testimony from members about mental health, suicide, substance use, and the need to reduce stigma and expand access to care. Additional health-related bills passed, including AB 408 creating a physician health and wellness program, AB 546 requiring coverage for HEPA purifiers for certain enrollees after wildfire disasters, AB 967 expediting licenses for out-of-state physicians, and AB 968 expanding pharmacist authority to provide non-hormonal contraception. The Assembly also debated AB 1056 on phasing out gill net fishing and AB 1376 on limiting juvenile probation terms, with supporters framing both as conservation or rehabilitation measures and opponents warning about economic harm or public safety concerns. Both bills ultimately passed. Throughout the session, members repeatedly emphasized public safety, education, housing, climate, health care access, and support for immigrant and youth communities, with recorded roll-call votes and voice votes taken on each measure.