Transcript Highlights:

• </c> our skies and infrastructure. our skies and infrastructure. supporting<02:46:02.080><c> small</c
• </c> abuse the budget process, take expansive abuse the budget process, take expansive power<02:49:37.920
• China continues its rapid military expansion. Russia and Iran remain persistent threats.
• Russia and Iran remain expansion. Russia and Iran remain persistent<03:13:53.120><c> threats.
• These are strategic and infrastructure.

Bills: HB7194 , HB3377 , HB7211 , HB7148 , HR1032

Keywords: Medal of Honor, valor, Army, Nicholas Dockery, military service, James Capers Jr., Vietnam War, acts of valor, military recognition, military valor, John W. Ripley, Marine Corps, appropriations, omnibus, consolidated appropriations, fiscal year 2026, FY2026, federal spending, budget bill, defense appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• It indicates school, um, the type of expansion, and the number of classrooms.
• is expansion or the new expansion, the current number?
• That's the expansion fund. No, so these new—this new construction is completely new, right?
• of our Early program or the expansion of our Early Learning So who's teaching?
• </c><02:54:48.560><c> needs</c> address the basic infrastructure needs address the basic infrastructure

Transcript Highlights:

• And will the expansion of voting system standards occur in time for the primary or midterm elections,
• It's a matter of equity, infrastructure, workforce development, and long-term community sustainability
• It's a matter of equity, infrastructure, workforce development, and long-term community sustainability
• The California Arts Council truly is the backbone of arts infrastructure in California.
• We have so many infrastructure needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• And will the expansion of voting system standards occur in time for the primary or midterm elections,
• It's a matter of equity, infrastructure, workforce development, and long-term community sustainability
• It's a matter of equity, infrastructure, workforce development, and long-term community sustainability
• The California Arts Council truly is the backbone of arts infrastructure in California.
• We have so many infrastructure needs.

Summary: The subcommittee first heard an item on the vehicle license fee backfill for counties, focused largely on San Mateo County and the related excess ERAF calculation. Department of Finance staff said the administration does not propose the requested $119 million backfill, arguing the payment is discretionary and that the existing statutory formula should continue to operate as written. Senators and public witnesses, including Senator Becker and former Senator Jackie Speier, argued the state has a longstanding obligation to local governments and that San Mateo County faces severe service cuts without the funds; they also discussed whether the issue could be solved through local school district boundary changes or other structural fixes. The chair held the item open after testimony. The committee then reviewed Secretary of State budget proposals. The department presented SB 851 implementation funding of $1.1 million General Fund in 2026-27 and $807,000 ongoing for four positions and software to track election-related litigation, update voting system standards, and expand vendor notice requirements. Members asked about election security, the impact of recent federal court decisions, the end of federal HAVA funds in 2027-28, and the staffing and timeline needed to implement the law. The committee also heard a $11.8 million General Fund request for the Cal Access Replacement System, intended to replace the outdated campaign finance and lobbying disclosure platform; staff said the project is on track for a November 2026 go-live with a stabilization period afterward. A separate item sought $9.795 million Business Fees Fund for the Notary Automation Program replacement, with the department explaining delays were due to more planning, a 2025 special election, and the need to secure a contractor, with go-live now projected for 2029. All three items were held open. The Department of Veterans Affairs presented its overall status and then its Yountville skilled nursing facility project. CalVet described progress on veterans homes, home loans, housing programs, and mental health initiatives, while noting higher-acuity needs among older veterans and continued support for underserved groups. For Yountville, the department said the new 240-bed skilled nursing facility is nearing completion and will replace the aging Holderman Hospital building, though some functions will remain in the old building and other campus projects, including roof and steam system work, are still underway. Members also raised concerns about retroactive tax liabilities for employees whose housing fringe benefits had not been reported, and CalVet said it has corrected the reporting, retrained staff, and is working with employees on repayment and lease adjustments. The committee also discussed a proposal to eliminate vacant positions under Control Section 4.12; CalVet said the positions were long vacant and could be given back without harming operations, while the LAO noted the Legislature had not concurred and keeping them would increase General Fund costs. The item was held open. Finally, the California Arts Council gave an informational update on its work and the cultural districts program. The director described the council’s grantmaking, technical assistance, and support for 24 cultural districts statewide, while members emphasized the economic and preservation value of arts funding and urged more investment, including a proposed $50 million General Fund augmentation and a $10 million carve-out for cultural districts. Staff explained that the original cultural district funding was reduced and that the program is currently unfunded and lacks dedicated staff, limiting its ability to expand beyond a small share of applications. Members from different regions noted that many parts of the state still lack cultural district designations and pressed the council to broaden access beyond major urban areas. The item was informational only, with no vote taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is it expansive or is it pretty limited? It's pretty limited.
• Department of Public Works is more than just maintaining our infrastructure.
• It's about protecting Department of Public Works is more than just maintaining our infrastructure.
• And that wouldn't be an expansion.
• And that wouldn't be an expansion.

Committee: House Judiciary

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary met on March 19, 2006, and considered a series of mostly local and judicial bills. Early action included HB 436, which authorizes appointment of honorably discharged veterans as park wardens; supporters said it would give veterans meaningful service roles and improve park safety. The committee adopted an amendment requiring honorable discharge, employment qualification compliance if hired by a public entity, and firearms training where applicable, then reported the bill favorably. The committee also advanced HB 16, extending the jurisdiction of the City Court of Franklin, and HB 44, which shifts certain blight-related hearings in St. Bernard Parish from the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication to justices of the peace and constables; members asked about appeals, fines, jurisdictional limits, and whether the change would affect HOAs, and the bill was reported favorably. Members then approved HB 61 creating Battle of New Orleans Day, with an amendment clarifying holiday language and adding a detailed historical commemoration of the battle and its diverse forces. HB 233, which raises juror mileage reimbursement from 16 cents per mile to the state travel rate, drew support but also concern about the cost to local governments; the sponsor and members discussed the fiscal impact, and the bill was reported favorably. HB 164, expanding commissioner powers in the 15th Judicial District Court, was also reported favorably after testimony that it would help manage caseloads and mirror procedures used in other districts. HB 455, defining public works employees as first responders for coordination and recognition purposes, generated extensive questions about emergency authority, FEMA reimbursement, workers’ compensation, liability, and unintended consequences; the committee deferred the bill to a later meeting for further review. The committee also approved HB 242, authorizing deputy constables in St. Tammany Parish at no state cost, and HB 10, making the Friday of the International Rice Festival a legal holiday in Acadia Parish. HB 9, designating Shreveport as the stuffed shrimp capital of Louisiana, was reported favorably after light discussion. HB 571, which would make permanent the complex litigation section program in the 19th Judicial District Court, was supported by judges and court staff who said it improves efficiency in large cases such as asbestos and hurricane litigation; it was reported favorably. Finally, HB 16 and several other local measures moved forward without objection, while the committee also heard a deeply personal presentation on HB 61 designating February 24 as SCN2A Awareness Day, later amended to honor Emily Catherine Diedon by name; members expressed sympathy, discussed genetic testing and access to care, and reported the bill favorably as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• construct and deliver the infrastructure securing Texas's water infrastructure.
• Importantly, we also asked cities about infrastructure planning and project delivery.
• You’re talking about infrastructure to get it to entities that need it.
• Regarding the expansion, the project is currently operational.
• That's what can happen when you don't prioritize infrastructure maintenance.

Committee: Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• The view expansive and the setting natural.
• The view expansive and the have that. The view expansive and the setting<00:14:59.519><c> natural.
• Message 276, Senate File 69, Waste and Storm Water Infrastructure Study.
• Message 276, Senate File 69, Waste and Storm Water Infrastructure Study.
• Message 276, Senate File 69, Waste and Storm Water Infrastructure Study.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:33:13.039><c> they</c> maintain the the infrastructure, they maintain the the infrastructure
• You know, we've tried to make it expansive so that it's a nationwide benefit, stating that if, for instance
• You know, we've tried to make it expansive<00:55:06.880><c> so</c><00:55:07.119><c> that</c><00:55:07.280
• ><c> it's</c><00:55:07.520><c> a</c><00:55:07.760><c> nationwide</c> expansive so that it's a nationwide
• expansive so that it's a nationwide benefit<00:55:09.440><c> stating</c><00:55:09.839><c> that</c><00

Bills: HB1952 , HB1951 , HB1929 , HB2497 , HB2208 , HB2572 , HB1737 , HB1953 , HB2551 , HB2549

Committees: House Agriculture & Food Systems , House Agriculture and Environment

Keywords: HB1952, Hawaii agriculture, University of Hawaii, CTAHR, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience, Kauai, agricultural research station, extension station, capital improvements, general obligation bonds, GO bonds, appropriation, ADA compliance, Americans with Disabilities Act, certified kitchen, greenhouse, laboratory, field research, cesspool decommissioning, invasive species

Transcript Highlights:

• I know I'm not using the correct terminology, but the back-end infrastructure that they use to make sure
• The clinic has the documented infrastructure, faculty, and expertise, and clinical program needed to
• With this funding, the practice will be ready to finalize program infrastructure, pursue full accreditation
• Labs and biotech companies involved in reproductive care, which encourages participation in an expansion
• The federal government agreed to temporarily subsidize the Medicaid expansion during COVID-19 from 100%

Bills: AB52 , AB76 , AB163 , AB388 , AB483

Committee: Assembly Commerce and Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• God of new vision, break through the walls that we have built and empower us to embrace an expansive
• have built and Empower us to<00:02:22.360><c> embrace</c><00:02:22.840><c> an</c><00:02:23.080><c> expansive
• /c><00:02:23.879><c> Third</c><00:02:24.200><c> Way</c><00:02:25.040><c> where</c> to embrace an expansive
• Third Way where to embrace an expansive Third Way where serving<00:02:25.720><c> the</c><00:02:25.959
• infrastructure needs support for<00:38:46.079><c> our</c><00:38:46.560><c> Farmers</c><00:38:47.560>

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Witt, members, Senate Bill 1046 would require any critical telecommunications infrastructure that
• Madam Wippin, Member, Senate Bill 1046 would require any critical telecommunications infrastructure that
• Madam Whip, members, as amended by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Senate Bill 1452
• Madam Whip, members, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Seeing none, 1456.
• Madam Whip, members, as amended by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Senate Bill 1552

Summary: The committee reviewed a long agenda of Senate bills across campaign finance, commerce, education, government, health and human services, judiciary, rural development, transportation, and ways and means. Many measures were described as consent items or strike-everything amendments, including bills on campaign finance termination statements and late-report penalties, AI provenance data, insurance and contractor conduct during emergencies, continuation of various boards and commissions, school safety and communication systems, DCS and child welfare procedures, public records fees, utility submetering, foreign adversary restrictions, and multiple health care licensing and reimbursement provisions. Several members asked for clarification on a number of bills, including school discipline communication, DCS photo documentation, and utility billing changes. A few bills drew more extended discussion. SB 1074, concerning teacher-initiated classroom removals and principal certification of return and discipline, prompted questions about parental notification and the purpose of the bill. SB 1175, requiring DCS caseworkers to photograph children at each interaction, led to concerns about privacy and the scope of documentation, with supporters saying it would improve continuity and child protection. SB 1751, which would expand execution methods to include firing squad, generated strong opposition from one member and support from another, with debate focused on the morality of execution methods and the implications for those carrying them out. SB 1336, continuing the State Land Department and creating an oversight board, was pulled from the consent calendar. The committee also heard brief comments in support of bills on hyperbaric oxygen therapy in assisted living, research security at universities, and EMS licensure compacts. Toward the end, members reviewed bills on virtual currency investments and payments, telecommunications infrastructure, tax lien and revenue administration changes, and retirement system investment limits. No floor votes were taken in the transcript; the meeting primarily consisted of bill presentations, questions, and a few items being removed or pulled from consent calendars.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is not about charity; it is about infrastructure, building the coordinated, efficient systems
• Charity responds to emergencies; infrastructure prevents them.
• planning and management graduate program, currently doing research as to how to make our infrastructure
• ... ...program, currently doing research as to how to make our infrastructure systems better and benefit
• It is a thoughtful, systemic investment in our state's food infrastructure, and we're here in strong

Summary: The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held public hearings on several House bills. ESHB 2238 would require the Department of Agriculture to develop a statewide food security strategy, monitor food system performance, and report on agricultural regulatory costs and competitiveness; the sponsor and many stakeholders from agriculture, food banks, school nutrition, counties, and advocacy groups supported it as a coordinated response to food insecurity and farm viability, while one requested amendment was addressed on the House floor. HB 2199 would expand the derelict vessel removal program by changing the definition of derelict vessel to allow earlier intervention when vessels are unregistered for two annual periods; ports, local officials, and environmental advocates testified in support, and the bill had no fiscal impact noted. HB 2104 would remove the sunset from the Aviation Assurance Funding Program for wildland fire response, with support from fire chiefs and the sponsor emphasizing its value for rapid initial attack and cost savings. HB 2554 would repeal statutes from Initiative 456 that conflict with treaty fishing rights; the Attorney General’s Office, Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the sponsor supported repeal as necessary to remove unenforceable anti-tribal language, while testimony comments showed substantial opposition. HB 2619 would create a legislative task force to review regulatory stress in agriculture and recommend changes; the sponsor linked it to farmer mental health and suicide prevention, and there was no public testimony. HB 2343 would require public game farms operated by Fish and Wildlife to obtain water discharge permits and meet manure/runoff controls; staff noted it would apply to the known public facility and carry modest compliance costs, with no public testimony. The committee also unanimously waived the five-day notice rule for HB 2104, 2554, 2619, and 2343, and closed the hearings without taking final votes, planning to consider all six bills in executive session at a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so that was<00:26:32.280><c> what</c><00:26:33.120><c> the</c><00:26:33.680><c> expansion</c><00:
• of the base in was what the expansion of the base in the<00:26:35.520><c> TCJA</c><00:26:36.480><c>
• This project will modernize aging infrastructure and improve safety and mobility.
• . infrastructure. infrastructure.
• . infrastructure. infrastructure.

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• Several have been ignited by electric utility infrastructure, as everybody knows.
• We've also invited the CPUC and the Office of Energy, Infrastructure, and Safety to join the hearing
• Introducing a revised role for the state of California could enable expansion of broader cost sharing
• Introducing a revised role for the state of California could enable expansion of broader cost sharing
• It causes higher rates, higher costs for loans, for infrastructure improvement, and so on.

Summary: The hearing focused on the SB 254 Natural Catastrophe Resiliency Study and its recommendations for addressing California’s wildfire risk, utility liability, and the financing of catastrophic losses. Committee members and presenters discussed the history of the wildfire fund created after the 2018 fire crisis and PG&E bankruptcy, the role of the California Earthquake Authority as fund administrator, and the report’s three broad policy pathways: continuing mitigation investments, more equitably allocating catastrophe costs, and considering expanded state involvement in catastrophe financing. Presenters emphasized that the report was intended as a neutral, stakeholder-informed analysis rather than an advocacy document, and that the status quo is not working well for survivors, ratepayers, insurers, or utilities. CEA, CPUC, and the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety each described their contributions and recommendations. CEA outlined options such as risk-tolerance standards for utilities, preserving safety certificate accountability, tying executive compensation more directly to safety, confidential near-miss reporting, liability reforms, and a fast-pay facility for survivors. CPUC stressed that wildfire mitigation and liability costs are a major driver of electricity affordability problems, and said the state should broaden how wildfire recovery and mitigation are funded beyond ratepayers alone. Energy Safety highlighted its wildfire mitigation plan oversight and recommended stronger safety reporting and stronger safety weighting in utility executive compensation. The modeling portion of the report estimated that a more durable wildfire fund could require about $36 billion in capitalization, with lower initial capital needs if risk transfer or liability reforms are used, but potentially higher ongoing premium or assessment costs. The report also examined state-backed insurer or backstop models, post-event funding mechanisms, and targeted community wildfire mitigation, which could reduce overall funding needs. Members raised concerns about the cost burden on ratepayers, the financial stability of utilities, the fairness of asking communities outside high-risk areas to pay, the role of local governments and home hardening, and whether broader climate-related liability or insurance reforms should be considered. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational and ended with plans for further committee hearings and stakeholder discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Locking in that expensive infrastructure long after California has committed to a carbon-neutral future
• I think it's clear that we need to get more out of our existing grid infrastructure.
• AARP fully understands that protecting, maintaining, and improving utility infrastructure is costly,
• We can't have a solid utility infrastructure without the workers.
• Agencies across the United States... ...not as an ideology, but as critical infrastructure.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard several bills focused on clean energy, electrification, and grid planning. AB 1813 (Ward) would revise California’s community renewable energy program to better support community solar and storage, especially for renters and low-income customers, by tying credits to avoided costs and requiring at least 51% low-income participation. Supporters said the current CPUC program is unworkable and has stalled development; utilities raised concerns about cost shifts, CCA impacts, and the bill’s late substantive amendments. The bill was discussed but no vote was recorded in the excerpt. AB 2313 (Berman) would create a gas service line replacement alternative program allowing customers facing planned gas line replacement to instead choose electrification and receive an incentive. Supporters argued it would reduce long-term gas infrastructure costs and give customers more choice, while opponents warned it could divert money from safety-related gas replacement work, create affordability issues, and conflict with the recently approved SB 1221 pilot. Committee members pressed the author on safety, funding sources, and renter impacts; the author said the bill includes emergency replacement exemptions and is intended to lower costs for remaining ratepayers. AB 1975 (Schultz) would require the CPUC to develop a grid utilization metric and consider expanded grid management programs to better use existing distribution infrastructure and reduce the need for costly upgrades. Supporters said better utilization could save ratepayers billions and help integrate batteries and flexible load; utilities generally opposed rigid utilization targets but were open to further discussion. The committee passed AB 1975 on a 7-0 vote to Appropriations. AB 2612, on plug-in photovoltaic systems, passed 9-0 to Appropriations after supporters said it would expand access to low-cost solar and utilities requested clarification that they would participate in the standards process. AB 1849 (Pappin) would direct CARB to study the need for decarbonized gaseous fuels in hard-to-electrify sectors and for grid reliability. Supporters framed it as a technology-neutral assessment for sectors like industrial heat and backup power; opponents argued it was biased toward a preferred fuel pathway and duplicated existing state studies. After a lengthy exchange over the lack of a statutory definition for “decarbonized gaseous fuels,” the bill passed 10-0 to Appropriations. AB 2088 (Pappin) would authorize investor-owned utilities to own and operate thermal energy networks, with safeguards for safety, workforce, and ratepayers. Supporters described TENs as efficient, low-emission heating and cooling systems that can use geothermal energy or waste heat; the bill passed 9-0 to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's an infrastructure program at ISC that has $2.5 million in recurring money.
• This bill relates to infrastructure and enacts the Land Grant Merced and the Asequia Infrastructure Act
• Infrastructure Act.
• Then it's creating the Land Grant Merced Infrastructure Project Fund and the Asequia Infrastructure Project
• This is to the AECA and Community Ditch Infrastructure Fund.

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• So they would be able to apply anything that would, you know, any infrastructure issues or any types
• In simplest terms, it would be development outside of the planned area that has infrastructure to support
• So we have 10 acres or 1,000 acres, two homes without any infrastructure.
• We don't have the infrastructure to handle this, and to vote yes on this is to put the cost on the local
• Do we need to talk about infrastructure and those things? Yes, we do.

Bills: S0330 , S0354 , S0504 , S0506 , S0526 , S0594 , S0840

Committee: Senate Community Affairs

Summary: The committee took up several bills related to public safety, housing, disaster recovery, construction, and land use. SB 330 clarified the heart disease presumption for firefighters, law enforcement, and correctional officers, aligned the definition of heart disease with medical practice, and allowed a transferring law enforcement officer to rely on a prior physical if the new agency does not provide one. An amendment stating the act serves an important state interest was adopted, and the bill passed unanimously after supportive testimony from law enforcement and fire groups. SB 594 expanded local housing assistance eligibility to residents of mobile home communities, including SHIP rental assistance for lot rent and rehabilitation/emergency repair programs for the home itself; it also passed unanimously after support from manufactured housing advocates. SB 840 revised the hurricane-related land use limits enacted in prior legislation by sunsetting certain temporary restrictions on June 30, 2026, narrowing the affected area from 100 miles to 50 miles from a storm track, and exempting certain planning, water, wastewater, stormwater, and flood-related decisions. The sponsor said the bill was intended to fix unintended consequences of prior hurricane recovery legislation, and the measure was reported favorably on a unanimous vote. SB 526 addressed commercial construction projects by prohibiting “no damages for delay” clauses in public construction contracts, directing the Florida Building Commission to create a uniform commercial permit application, requiring permit fee reductions when private providers are used, and adding mitigation to product approval categories; county representatives raised concerns about implementation and fees, but the bill passed favorably. The committee also approved SB 504 and SB 506, both by Senator Burgess, creating a framework for code inspector body camera use and a related public records exemption for recordings. Both were described as optional for local governments and were reported favorably without opposition. Finally, the committee considered CS/SB 354, a major “blue ribbon projects” bill creating a framework for very large developments that would reserve at least 60% of land for conservation, agriculture, recreation, utilities, and related uses in exchange for streamlined approval and state preemption over local land use controls. The bill drew extensive testimony both for and against, with supporters emphasizing housing supply and land preservation and opponents warning about local control, sprawl, infrastructure costs, and weak conservation protections. Two amendments were adopted to define reserve areas more specifically and address conservation easements, and the committee reported the bill favorably on a divided vote, with Senator Passidomo voting no.

Transcript Highlights:

• So they would be able to apply anything that would, you know, any infrastructure issues or any types
• In simplest terms, it would be development outside of the planned area that has infrastructure to support
• Two homes without any infrastructure. It's kind of a... this is a difficult thing to answer.
• We don't have the infrastructure to handle this, and to vote yes on this is to put the cost on the local
• Do we need to talk about infrastructure and those things? Yes, we do.

Bills: S0330 , S0354 , S0504 , S0506 , S0526 , S0594 , S0840

Committee: Senate Community Affairs

Keywords: firefighter disability, law enforcement disability, correctional officer disability, correctional probation officer, presumptive disability, workers' compensation, line of duty presumption, heart disease presumption, hypertension presumption, tuberculosis presumption, public safety employees, first responders, physical examination, preemployment exam, medical specialist, Medicare reimbursement, employing agency, Florida Statutes 112.18, Florida Statutes 943.13, occupational disease

Transcript Highlights:

• we'll talk about today are the New Mexico Finance Authority Act, which deals primarily with our infrastructure
• It receives 4.5% of what the Water Trust Board does and equal to the amount of the Tribal Infrastructure
• Then we'll also provide infrastructure funding for those projects that they do serve.
• This can include things like infrastructure, strategic planning, community development, as well as other
• It helps local municipalities and governments improve trails and infrastructure for outdoor recreation

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• ...and also to infrastructure, say your sidewalks, your streets. Would you agree? Thank you.
• Have we seen positive results in local infrastructure?
• There could be some fabulous project or expansion happening.
• There could be some fabulous project or expansion happening.
• This would include the loans that are happening in our communities. ...or expansion happening.

Bills: SB65 , SB248 , SB330 , SB378 , SB844 , SB1330 , SB1410 , SB1475 , SB1476 , SB1565 , SB1618 , SB1623 , SJR39 , SJR47 , SB2084 , SB1655 , SB1679 , SB2174 , SB1775 , SB1873 , SB1204 , SB1884 , SB1916 , SB1937 , SB1447 , SB1500 , SB2007 , SB2074 , SB1944 , SB2018 , SB1984 , SB2026 , SB2045 , SB2049 , SB2062 , SB2112 , SB2118 , SB2127 , SB2134 , SB2135 , SB2139 , SB2154 , SB1195

Summary: The Senate first considered Senate Bill 1623, a measure updating the state charter for state-regulated credit unions to make them more competitive with federal credit unions. Two amendments were adopted: one changing certain board authority language from “shall” to “may,” and another restoring the title. Supporters said the bill was the product of years of negotiation with bankers and credit unions and would not affect national banks; after questions about membership expansion and census-tract service areas, the bill passed 44-0. The chamber then took up Senate Joint Resolution 39, which would send to voters a constitutional amendment lowering annual caps on assessed-value growth for homestead and agricultural property from 3% to 1%, and for other property from 5% to 3%. Proponents argued it would slow property-tax growth, help seniors and fixed-income homeowners stay in their homes, and not reduce government revenue but only slow future growth; opponents warned it would reduce local revenue growth for schools, counties, infrastructure, and bonding capacity, and would disproportionately benefit higher-value property owners. The resolution passed 38-8, and the special-election referral also passed 38-8. Senate Joint Resolution 47, which would place current voter ID requirements into the Constitution, also advanced and passed 39-8, with the special-election provision passing by the same margin. Supporters said it simply constitutionalized existing law requiring proof of identity and would preserve election security; critics said Oklahoma already has voter ID rules, the measure was unnecessary, and the language could create uncertainty for absentee voters and future changes. Debate also touched on provisional ballots, military and overseas voting, and whether the measure would make future adjustments harder. Later, Senate Bill 2084 passed 35-7 and as an emergency measure. The bill limits wrongful-termination settlements for faculty members at higher education institutions to two times annual salary, including pay and accrued benefits. Supporters said it would provide certainty for universities and regents; questions focused on tenure, free-speech claims, and how the cap would interact with existing tort limits. The Senate also passed Senate Bill 1655 unanimously to allow Oklahoma Complete Health’s Children’s Specialty Program to contact adoptive parents and offer continued voluntary services for post-adoption children, and Senate Bill 1679 was introduced as the “Preserving Oklahoma Values Act,” aimed at codifying adherence to the U.S. and Oklahoma Constitutions and rejecting foreign law, with debate beginning over its enforcement and scope.