Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to move into public hearing.
• With that, Vice Chair Street.
• We drove on public roads. We shipped goods through public ports.
• Vice Chair Street, Joel Ryan, please proceed.
• Vice Chair Street. Thank you.

Committee: House Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• We're holding this committee hearing in Room 2100 of the O Street Building.
• We're holding this committee hearing in Room 2100 of the O Street Building.
• public health.
• The public health officer was there. We were there.
• "Public Contract Code Section 9204 specifically requires public agencies to timely review contractor

Committee: Joint Judiciary

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several bills. SB 479 would let Berkeley, Long Beach, and Pasadena use multidisciplinary homeless response teams and share specified information across departments; the author and a Berkeley official said current state confidentiality rules prevent effective coordination, and the bill passed 9-0 to Senate Appropriations. SB 46 would bar a person who has served two terms as President from appearing on the California ballot for a third term; supporters argued California has authority to enforce constitutional qualifications, while Senator Niello questioned whether the bill was needed, and it passed 6-1 to Senate Appropriations. SB 99 would improve coordination between civilian and military authorities on military protective orders and restraining orders; the Department of Defense supported it, the ACLU raised due process concerns about MPOs, and the bill passed 6-0 as amended to Senate Appropriations. SB 719 would extend the sunset on Department of Technology reporting on state agency use of high-risk automated decision systems from 2029 to 2032; there was no opposition and it passed 6-0 to Senate Appropriations. The committee also took up SB 300, which would strengthen California’s new AI chatbot law by requiring operators to prevent minors from being exposed to sexually explicit material or facilitation of such content. Supporters said new evidence shows current protections are insufficient and that the bill is needed now to address harms to children; industry groups opposed the bill as premature, arguing SB 243 had just taken effect and that the new standard could create strict-liability-like exposure and uncertainty. After extensive questioning, the bill passed 9-0 to Senate Appropriations. SB 381 would give adult adoptees and descendants access to original birth certificates and create a nonbinding contact preference form for birth parents; many adoptees and birth parents testified in support, while some members raised privacy concerns for birth parents. The bill passed 13-0 to the Senate Health Committee, with the author noting amendments would be taken in Health rather than Judiciary. At the end of the hearing, the committee shifted chairs and began SB 33, which would eliminate the sunset on the existing public works contractor claim-resolution process so agencies must continue to respond to claims, pay undisputed amounts, and use early dispute resolution. The author and sponsor said the process has reduced litigation and helped contractors and workers, and the bill was just being introduced when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• do public comment as well again.
• to the public.
• Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond.
• We're going to do public comment.
• Typically on our public streets, at our work sites, and even in sensitive locations like our schools,

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy budget hearing focused on child care, child welfare, and immigration-related services, with most of the discussion centered on child care funding, slot utilization, and rate reform. Department of Social Services officials said the Governor’s budget would provide $6.8 billion for child care programs in 2026-27, including $11.5 million in Prop. 64 funds for mini-grants to licensed facilities affected by 2025 disasters. They also described federal CCDF and Prop. 64 revenue reductions that would reduce general child care funding by about 4,176 slots, while emphasizing that the cuts should not affect currently enrolled children. The LAO supported aligning spending with lower revenues and asked for more detail on the disaster grant program. Members questioned why so many awarded slots remain uncontracted or unfilled, and DSS said delays are largely due to providers building new infrastructure, licensing, staffing, and enrollment work. One senator criticized the repeated explanation, argued unspent funds revert to the General Fund instead of being redirected to child care, and urged shifting more funding from contract slots to vouchers and increasing flexibility for infrastructure and expansion costs. DSS said it is exploring more flexibility, better readiness screening, and quicker redistribution of relinquished slots. The committee also discussed the Emergency Child Care Bridge program, with DSS saying it can redistribute funds among counties to avoid disenrolling children. A second panel addressed the state’s broader commitment to expand child care and move toward a single rate structure. DSS reported that since 2021-22 nearly 125,000 new slots have been awarded across CCTR, CAPP, CMAP, and the Emergency Child Care Bridge program, bringing monthly service levels to more than 366,700 children. The department and CDE described progress on rate reform, including completion of the alternative methodology and joint recommendations from the labor-management committee on a single-rate framework. County and provider testimony emphasized persistent unmet need, especially for infant and toddler care, and argued that current reimbursement disparities between CDSS-funded programs and state preschool create inequities and discourage expansion. Stanislaus County Office of Education said rate differences can materially affect local program revenue and staffing, while Parent Voices California described the child care system as difficult to navigate and inequitable, especially for Black families and survivors of domestic violence. The California Budget and Policy Center argued that only a small share of eligible children are served, that Universal TK has concentrated investment in school-based settings, and that providers are still paid far below the cost of care. Members pressed the administration for deadlines on automation and implementation of the single-rate structure, and DSS said some work can proceed before collective bargaining concludes, though policy decisions are still needed. The committee also reviewed several trailer bill proposals. For the COLA, DSS proposed applying the 2026-27 increase through cost-of-care-plus payments, but acknowledged it had inadvertently excluded CalWORKs Child Care and the Emergency Child Care Bridge from the initial calculation; the LAO recommended making the COLA increase uniform across child care and state preschool programs. On the alternative methodology survey, DSS proposed replacing the market rate survey with the federally approved alternative methodology and aligning the timing with the federal CCDF state plan cycle. On licensed family child care homes, DSS proposed limiting temporary absences to 20% of monthly care hours and allowing more flexibility for medical appointments, jury duty, training, and union activities. On excessive unexplained absences, DSS proposed a statutory definition to align state policy with federal rules allowing disenrollment after 30 days of unexplained absences. The committee also discussed a proposal to require contractors to collect family fees directly so the full voucher value reaches providers, with DSS saying it is working with Riverside County on implementation and CDE asking that the same policy apply to state preschool. Finally, the committee reviewed an Early Childhood Policy Council reappropriation and reporting proposal, with DSS explaining that prior funds were underused because participation costs are hard to estimate and that additional staffing and contractor support would be needed for the expanded annual report requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• This hearing is being live streamed on the Legislature's public website, malegislature.gov.
• My name is Vincent Lawrence Dixon of 60 Lake Street, Unit, Winchester, Mass. 0190.
• My name is Vincent Lawrence Dixon of 60 Lake Street, unit and Winchester, Mass, 0190.
• use licensure, public safety, and other aspects of our open government system.
• Public hearings... ...take over, you know, that there's a process for that, and there is a public hearing

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies

Summary: The Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies held its first public hearing of the session, chaired by Rep. Carole Fiola with Sen. Barry Finegold. After housekeeping on livestreaming, virtual testimony, and written testimony deadlines, the committee heard testimony on several bills, with the main focus on S. 303/H. 503/S. 305 and H. 491, all related to worker ownership and business succession. Testimony generally supported expanding employee ownership, right of first refusal for workers, and incentives for owners to sell to employee groups. Speakers from worker co-ops, technical assistance organizations, lenders, and business owners said these measures could preserve local businesses, protect jobs, build worker wealth, and help communities retain valued services and storefronts. On S. 303, Vincent Lawrence Dixon described a proposal to create tools such as a special community trustee, right of first refusal, and community institution landmarks to help communities preserve important local properties and uses when owners cease operations. On H. 491 and the employee-ownership bills, witnesses including Matthew Page Lieberman, Caleb from Circus Cooperative Cafe, Sarah Acefa of Dorchester Food Co-op, Halsey Platt, Kevin O'Brien, John Abrams, Virginia Berman, Stacey Cordero, Adrian Roman, Alex Popali, Adam Trott, and Ethan Tupelo emphasized that worker-owned businesses can be more resilient, support democratic participation, and help with business transitions as owners retire or close. Committee members asked questions about the tax incentive threshold, the timing and mechanics of the right of first refusal, and whether the bills would affect sale prices or business succession. Rep. Kristen Kassner also testified on H. 490, which would create a special commission to inventory the Commonwealth’s built environment, infrastructure, permitting, and land-use barriers to help Massachusetts adapt vacant or underused spaces for the next economy. She said the commission would help identify opportunities for housing, climate and energy tech, advanced manufacturing, and other uses, and members discussed commission composition and data sources. At the end of the hearing, the chair read a series of additional bills into the record, noted an upcoming Economic Development Expo, and the committee adjourned after a motion and second.

Transcript Highlights:

• I also want to invite you to come across the street.
• My courtroom in the courthouse literally is across the street.
• We will also discuss the associated public records exemption later.
• The next issue is a public records exemption for appellate court clerks.
• This is analogous to the frontline individuals who interact with the public.

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, this time we'll open up public testimony on Senate Bill 2926.
• Hearing none, public testimony is now closed. Senate Bill 2938 will be left pending.
• At this time, the Chair opens up public testimony on Senate Bill 2543.
• Hearing none, public testimony is now closed. Senate Bill 2543 will be left pending.
• What he asked was to remain employed with the Department of Public Safety.

Bills: SB2007 , SB2104 , SB2543 , SB2545 , SB2926 , SB2938

Committee: Senate Veteran Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• So what does it mean to live my life as public property, right?
• Counsel Services, the state public defender office.
• at the Committee for Public Counsel Services.
• I have been a proud public defender for 28 years.
• Prior to being a public defender... ...for 28 years.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on the Judiciary

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

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:08.680><c> in</c> with locations on Eat Street in with locations on Eat Street in Minneapolis
• </c> for public owners and contractors. for public owners and contractors.
• </c> know if the public agencies have paid. know if the public agencies have paid.
• </c> from the public agency or the public from the public agency or the public owner<01:36:53.240><c>
• This is a circum- public project.

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• Public safety and law enforcement. HB 2881, Attorney General policies.
• HB 2584, public monies. HB 2587, adult content. HB 2588, municipalities planned communities.
• HB 2806, lawful present public program. HB 2807, terrorist designation.
• district schools, public charter schools, private schools, ESAs, homeschools, and the like.
• I knocked an entire street of doors yesterday in my district.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members and the public, today we have a full agenda.
• Uh with that, uh members, we move it to public discussion.
• Members, public testimony is now closed.
• ><c> is</c><02:12:48.400><c> now</c> Members uh public testimony is now Members uh public testimony is
• uh uh we will not will have uh public uh uh we will not have<02:13:48.719><c> public</c><02:13:49.040

Bills: HF2434

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• alike, but we can pray alike that you will make us one in our loyalty to our state, our devotion to public
• You've got to take all of that if you move across the street and re-register to vote.
• And then if you move across the street, you've got to do the exact same all over again.
• Surely the Secretary of State’s office is investigating, and it would be public record.
• Yeah, and if I move across the street, I have to get all those documents again in order to do that.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the prior day’s journal by a 117-1 vote. Members then spent a long portion of the morning introducing guests and visiting groups, including schoolchildren, university visitors, county officials, business and civic groups, fraternity and sorority members, and legislative conference participants. The Speaker also signed several measures already passed, including Senate Substitute for HB 2061, HB 2641, Senate Substitute for HB 2423, and HB 2934. The main floor debate centered on HCR 48, which urges Congress to pass the federal SAVE Act requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote. Supporters argued it would protect election integrity and prevent non-citizen voting, while opponents said it would create burdensome, potentially disenfranchising requirements, amount to a poll tax, and interfere with state election administration. After extended debate and a successful previous-question motion, HCR 48 was third read and passed 92-43. The House then took up HCR 23, a federalism resolution reaffirming that states should control election administration; it passed unanimously, 137-0. The House also perfected and printed two bills. HB 2855, dealing with workers’ compensation funding increments for the workers’ compensation and second injury funds, was amended to allow finer 0.1% adjustments instead of 0.5% increments and then perfected. HB 1906, a simple county-government bill allowing township counties to offer annual, semiannual, or quarterly payment options for real and personal property taxes, also advanced without opposition. The chamber then moved to announcements and recessed until 2 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Public safety officials must also communicate clearly with the public to provide safety instructions,
• It directly affects responder safety and public behavior in real time.
• Public safety officials must also communicate clearly with the public to provide safety instructions,
• So some of us may have full skills... of public safety, not police.
• , California Department of Public Health.

Summary: The committee held a hearing on active and mass shootings in California, focusing on prevention, response, training, communications, and gaps in preparedness across law enforcement, schools, campuses, fire, EMS, and state agencies. Opening remarks emphasized the frequency and impact of gun violence, the need for faster coordinated response, and the importance of learning from recent tragedies such as the Stockton-area mass shooting described by Sheriff Patrick Withrow. The first panel included representatives from police, sheriff, and campus public safety agencies, who discussed incident command, interoperable communications, next-generation 911, threat assessment, emergency notification systems, and the value of joint drills and cross-agency planning. Witnesses also highlighted differences in training and authority across jurisdictions, especially for private university public safety departments versus public campus police. Campus representatives said they rely heavily on municipal law enforcement for armed response, while also using run-hide-fight protocols, text alerts, surveillance, and threat assessment teams. Members raised concerns about standardized training, after-action reviews, mental health resources, school resource officers, and whether campus safety plans and drills are sufficiently consistent or workable. Sheriff Withrow argued that early intervention and accountability are being weakened by well-intentioned laws, while other witnesses stressed prevention through relationships, diversion, and coordinated support services. The second panel from Cal OES, the Department of Education, POST, and EMSA described statewide systems and standards. Cal OES outlined its Reduce the Risk initiative, gun violence restraining orders, mutual aid, unified command, after-action reporting, and nonprofit security grants. The Department of Education explained California’s statutory school safety framework, annual safety plans, regulated armed assailant drills, and local flexibility, while acknowledging compliance gaps and the need for more mental health support. POST described the new requirement for 16 hours of standardized active shooter training for recruits and ongoing local training options. EMSA explained its role in medical response and terrorism training standards. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• These are public sessions focused.
• , get them off the streets, get them off the drugs, and get them housed.
• They want to know that they can let their kids walk down the street and visit the neighbor.
• Two of the things: public safety and housing that were talked about.
• Public medical schools in the United States are about $39,000.

Transcript Highlights:

• Street votes aye. Thai votes aye. Tharinger. Excused. Tharinger is excused. Valdez. Excused.
• schools, including charter schools, which are public schools. ...which are public schools in our state
• Public schools. So I'm also encouraging yes. Thank you, Representative Rood.
• Street. Street votes nay. Thai. Tharinger. Excused. Tharinger is excused. Valdez. Excused.
• Street votes aye. Aye. Therringer does aye. Therringer is excused. Valdez is excused.

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• We're hearing two bills in public testimony.
• So is that a public debate? Is that a private survey? Is there a close vote?
• or in the middle of the street.
• We're protecting the public. That's exactly. We are doing our job. We're protecting the public.
• Deanoff, State Public Advocate. I'm in full favor of H.B. 1788.

Committees: House Elections , House Local Government, Elections and Pensions

Transcript Highlights:

• welcome guests of Representative Gomez and Representative Sabadosa, the Hilltown Charter Cooperative Public
• Please welcome the Hilltown Charter Cooperative Public School in East Hampton.
• Please welcome the Hilltown Charter Cooperative Public School in East Hampton. Thank you.
• Public service is a high calling.
• to municipal streets to create additional capacity for pedestrians and cyclists.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's happening on our streets. It's happening in our campuses.
• It's a public crisis in the making.
• IT'S A PUBLIC CRISIS IN THE MAKING.
• We're educating Congress and the public, bringing in medical professionals and public health experts,
• CLEAN WATER IMPACT PUBLIC HEALTH.

Transcript Highlights:

• At the bottom, you see we're amending section 23-25-02, and that's primarily related to public health
• And it also allows for the public health units to do MOUs with adjacent counties and public health units
• At the bottom, you see we're amending section 23-25-02, and that's primarily related to public health
• And it also allows for the public health units to do MOUs with adjacent counties and public health units
• It also allows for the public health units to do MOUs with adjacent counties and public health units

Committee: House Energy and Natural Resources

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first took up Senate Bill 2276, which addresses water projects that cross county lines. Senator Larry Luick and Danny Quissel of the North Dakota Water Resource Districts Association explained that the bill would require joint boards for multi-county projects, with equal representation from each county, and would add a dispute-resolution process: mediation through the Agriculture Department, then appeal to the Department of Water Resources, and finally court if needed. An additional cleanup amendment was adopted to clarify that a district could proceed if a joint board or district refused to participate. Members raised concerns about possible county-versus-county litigation, but the committee approved the amendment and then passed SB 2276 as amended on an 11-0-2 roll call. The committee then heard the final bill of the day, Senate Bill 2267, on on-site wastewater treatment systems. DEQ Director Dave Glott presented a revised amendment reflecting prior discussion and input from local public health units and installers. The proposal would give the Department of Environmental Quality exclusive rulemaking authority, require public health units to inspect systems within 24 hours, allow MOUs with neighboring counties or health units, prohibit local rules that conflict with state standards, and create a state licensing system for installers while exempting homeowners working on their own property. It also set up permitting and appeals procedures, civil penalties for violations, and a $99,000 appropriation, with the department saying it would also rely on fee revenue and report back later on whether the program is working. Members asked about homeowner installation, local permitting, technical assistance, and whether the $99,000 appropriation and expected fees would be sufficient. Glott said homeowners could still consult with local health units and would likely still need permits, and estimated fees might be around $200 per year for installers, generating roughly $50,000 annually. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed SB 2267 as amended on a due-pass motion, with one no vote recorded. The chair then adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's I think what we want from our public service and public services is that it's running how
• And that's I think what we want from our public service and public services is that it's running how
• And that's I think what we want from our public service and public services is that it's running how
• And that's I think what we want from our public service and public services is that it's running how
• </c> charge at public charging stations. charge at public charging stations.

Bills: HF3919 , HF3791 , HF1781 , HF3908 , HF4233 , HF3966 , HF3430

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Secondly, $19 million for academic, public school, public, and tribal libraries statewide.
• We'll go to public comment first.
• And just as a matter of public policy with Mr.
• And again, just FYI, this online feature is for public comment.
• To increase job opportunities and public safety.

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 248, the general obligation bond bill, which would authorize about $392.5 million in bond capacity for senior centers, libraries, and higher education, special schools, and tribal school projects. The sponsor highlighted major projects including a new UNM School of Medicine, a multidisciplinary building at NMSU, renovations at New Mexico Tech, a technical innovation center at CNM, an agricultural science and arts building at ENMU, and library renovations at New Mexico Highlands. Public testimony was supportive, especially from the New Mexico Library Association, and members discussed how the bond process works, including application timing, readiness to spend funds, voter approval, and how unspent bond proceeds revert. The committee voted do pass on HB 248 without opposition. The committee then considered House Bill 309, which would clarify property tax valuation rules for electric energy storage facilities by extending the existing special valuation method for electric generation, transmission, and distribution to battery storage and similar technologies. Supporters from PNM, InterWest Energy Alliance, and Inventergy said the bill would provide consistency and clarity as storage becomes more important to grid reliability and clean energy development. Members raised questions about depreciation, the 12-year schedule, the 20% floor on valuation, possible effects on local government revenues, whether the bill would apply to utilities and co-ops, industrial revenue bonds, and whether it covered microgrids or only battery systems. The committee approved HB 309 on an 8-3 vote. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 48, which would authorize $92 million in bonds for the State Fairgrounds District to support redevelopment of the southwest corner of the fairgrounds, including land acquisition, green space, water and sewer infrastructure, and traffic calming and pedestrian safety improvements near San Pedro and Central. Support came from neighborhood groups, housing advocates, the city of Albuquerque, the chamber of commerce, and others who described the project as a long-term investment in safety, infrastructure, and economic revitalization for the surrounding area. Members questioned the bond repayment structure, the 25-year term, the use of district gross receipts and gaming tax revenues, parking impacts, and future bonding needs. The committee voted do pass on SB 48 by a 10-2 margin.