Transcript Highlights:

• And in order to do that, we can't put that all on school systems.
• School systems are already overloaded.
• And in order to do that, we can't put that all on the school systems.
• We've been part of advocating for system infrastructure.
• Poverty is systemic and generational.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Business held its final hearing of the session on H. 5187 and S. 3022, the Enough Act, with Chair Andy Vargas and Senator Adam Gomez opening by thanking committee members and stakeholders for their work during the session. The bills were described as a grant-based, place-based anti-poverty initiative intended to support cradle-to-career services by funding local nonprofits, schools, community organizations, and backbone entities that can coordinate housing, education, health, workforce, and family supports in high-poverty neighborhoods. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support of the bills. Speakers including Strategies for Children, Chelsea Public Schools, Bunker Hill Community College, Senator Sal DiDomenico, Rep. Kate Lipper-Garabedian, Rep. Antonio Cabral, the Harlem Children’s Zone’s Kwame Owusu Kesse and Jeffrey Canada, former Education Secretary Paul Reville, AFT Massachusetts, United Way, the Boston Foundation, Give Black Alliance, Eastern Bank Foundation, and others argued that poverty is a systems issue that schools alone cannot solve. They emphasized the need for local control, community voice, coordinated services, and long-term public-private investment, often citing examples from Chelsea, New Bedford, Springfield, Lowell, Boston, and other communities, as well as the Harlem Children’s Zone and Maryland’s similar model. Committee members asked several questions about how the bill would function in practice, including what organizations would do on day one, how it would interact with existing efforts like community schools, McKinney-Vento, and the Student Opportunity Act, and how it would be sustained over time. Witnesses said the act would help create or strengthen backbone organizations, reduce duplication, align existing resources, and leverage philanthropy and future revenue sources for long-term sustainability. No vote was taken during the hearing, but multiple speakers urged the committee to report the bill favorably and quickly.

Transcript Highlights:

• She was that call in the system.
• She was that call in the system.
• They're not the responsibility of the system that they're in, the child protective service system.
• We see problems with transit systems.
• We see problems with transit systems.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And apparently, we are running the old system and the new system, the new Tercoy system.
• Is that tied to the transition of the Medicaid information system to the new one?
• That's what House Bill 180 was intending to try to clean up that system.
• having a better system?
• Could you explain closed loop referral system versus data integration sharing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Like, we’re a university system, and to me, a system is one.
• The system.
• for further retention in the system?
• in the NDUS system to a pretty good extent.
• That's just... ...feel like people want me to stay in the system.

Summary: The committee met at Dakota College at Bottineau, approved the January 15, 2026 minutes, and heard a campus presentation from Dean Corey Gorder and President Steve Shirley. Gorder outlined DCB’s leadership changes, its affiliation with Minot State, and extensive shared services with Minot State, UND, and NDSU in areas such as business office functions, financial aid, payroll, HR, Title IX, printing, and institutional research. He said shared services help smaller campuses access expertise, and committee members asked about cost allocation and accreditation limits; Gorder said the arrangements are negotiated between institutions and that, to his understanding, academic accreditation is not affected by these service-sharing agreements. The committee also discussed DCB’s enrollment, dual credit reach, and program mix, including nursing, dental assisting and hygiene, paramedic training, drone certification, and farm management. Gorder said DCB wants to expand higher-demand, trade-oriented programs, strengthen Minot programming, and address facility needs, especially residence halls and space constraints in dental programs. Members asked detailed questions about dual credit, including how DCB develops relationships with high schools, whether it has exclusivity, who teaches the courses, and whether credits transfer. Gorder said relationships are built through outreach and existing school connections, that schools may choose other providers, and that DCB pays stipends to instructors under institution-specific formulas. NDUS staff Lisa Johnson said transfer problems are rare within North Dakota and usually arise only with highly selective out-of-state institutions. Gorder also noted that DCB’s dual credit and campus programming are heavily tied to rural schools and that the college is trying to streamline dual credit delivery as enrollment and staffing demands grow. The committee then heard from the North Dakota Student Association, whose representatives outlined student priorities from the last legislative session and the interim. Their main themes included campus safety, mental health resources, academic freedom, scholarships and affordability, teacher incentives, workforce readiness, housing, food accessibility, student research funding, internships, and campus collaboration. They said they supported or opposed various bills related to those issues during the 69th Legislative Assembly and emphasized that students want affordable, safe, and academically strong campuses. Committee members asked about housing affordability, food insecurity, research opportunities, and dual credit transfer and expansion. No votes were taken on policy matters during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Like, we’re a university system, and to me, a system is one.
• Are there particular things that... ...the system.
• for further retention in the system?
• for further retention in the system?
• in the NDUS system to a pretty good extent.

Summary: The committee met at Dakota College at Bottineau, approved the January 15, 2026 minutes, and heard an extensive campus update from Dean Corey Gorder and other DCB leaders. Gorder described the college’s affiliation with Minot State and its growing use of shared services, including business office functions, HR, institutional research, Title IX, printing, financial aid support through UND, and payroll support through NDSU. He said the arrangement lets DCB focus on its core mission while relying on system partners for specialized administrative work, and noted that accreditation concerns were not believed to limit those shared-service arrangements. He also highlighted DCB’s mission, enrollment growth, dual-credit reach across rural schools, and the college’s emphasis on nursing, dental, paramedic, farm management, and other workforce-oriented programs. Committee members asked detailed questions about dual credit, program delivery, and whether DCB’s partnerships were exclusive. Gorder said the relationships are generally collaborative rather than exclusive, that schools can choose other providers, and that many partnerships began through personal outreach and ongoing relationships with rural schools. Lisa Johnson of the university system added that transfer complaints are rare and that dual credit generally transfers well within North Dakota, though highly selective out-of-state institutions may treat credits differently. Members also asked about stipends for high school instructors, the share of K-12 versus DCB instructors, and the capacity limits in dental hygiene and other programs. Gorder said dental hygiene is capped by space and staffing, that there were more applicants than seats, and that expansion is being considered; he also said he would provide follow-up information on the paramedic program and instructor breakdowns. Gorder closed by identifying long-term challenges, including aging residence halls, recruiting faculty and staff, and the need to review low-enrollment programs. He said DCB should consider expanding into more high-demand trades such as welding, HVAC, and electrical work, and should streamline dual credit and strengthen its Minot programming. The committee then heard from the North Dakota Student Association, whose leaders outlined student priorities from the last session and the interim. Their main concerns included campus housing quality and affordability, food insecurity and food pantries, mental and physical health resources, student-led research funding, academic and career readiness, internships, and campus collaboration. They also discussed dual credit, saying it is valuable but uneven across the state, and raised questions about how to better retain students in North Dakota through the system. Members asked follow-up questions about housing, transferability of dual credit, and whether incentives could be used to encourage students to stay in-state for higher education.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:32:12.080><c> Oversight</c> Correctional System Oversight Correctional System Oversight Commission
• </c><00:32:22.960><c> Oversight</c> Correctional System Oversight Correctional System Oversight Commission
• So, can we do a better job moving people through the system? Absolutely.
• So, can we do a better job moving people through the system? Absolutely.
• </c> information and notification system information and notification system special<00:49:34.960><c>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 3040, which would create an Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Supporters, including Moms Demand Action and a crime-victim advocate, argued the office would improve data collection, research, and coordination to help reduce gun violence. Opponents, including several gun-rights advocates, said the proposal was duplicative, lacked oversight, and would exclude the firearms community. The chair noted 41 testimonies in support and 77 in opposition, but no vote was taken on the bill in the portion provided. The committee then moved through a series of decision-making items and adopted the chair’s recommendations on several measures. SB 17 on wildfire mitigation passed with amendments from multiple agencies and a report date shifted to the 2028 session. SB 2730 on criminal justice reform passed with a defective effective date amendment, SB 2749 on sentencing passed with a defective effective date, SB 2688 on compassionate release passed with amendments narrowing eligibility and adding notification and funding language, and SB 2798 on law enforcement passed with a defective effective date to make the agricultural enforcement pilot program permanent. SB 2645, a short-form bill, was amended to insert substantive provisions and recommitted to the committee. SB 2383, which would have provided a $15,000 retention bonus for sworn law enforcement officers, was reconsidered and held in committee because it was identified as a duplicate. The committee also passed SB 2575, relating to firearms, with amendments adopting a proposed SD1 that would establish minimum mandatory prison terms for certain class A firearm felonies and add clarifying language. SB 2720, which would create a Hawaii firearm injury restitution fund funded by firearm manufacturer licenses, also passed with amendments clarifying the fund’s scope and eligible injuries. Later, the committee began hearing SB 3107 on parole eligibility. The Office of the Public Defender and the Hawaii Paroling Authority supported language allowing the parole board to waive certain program requirements, while the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission opposed the bill, warning it could keep people incarcerated longer if program access remains limited. The Department of Corrections said it is working on classification changes and a pilot project to move inmates through the system faster.

Transcript Highlights:

• of that system, but a benefit from that system is our students who are...
• Through our health care system, through our education system, I'm concerned with with the, Right.
• Through our health care system, through our education system, I'm concerned with a good idea comes a
• So thank you for those three. ...system, as you believe, and, you know, one public higher ed system,
• It's important to note that the system we have is that children enter our system weeks old; they come

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing was a Joint Committee on Ways and Means budget session held in Lawrence focused on the governor’s proposed FY27 education and local aid budget, with remarks from legislative co-chairs, local officials, and education agency leaders. Acting Mayor Giovanni Rodriguez and Superintendent Ralph Carrero emphasized Lawrence’s high-need student population, the importance of Chapter 70 and Student Opportunity Act funding, and the impact of state aid on schools serving many English learners and low-income families. Carrero highlighted Lawrence High School programs such as early college, dual degrees, career pathways, and early childhood classrooms embedded in the high school, while lawmakers introduced themselves and noted the importance of the hearing to their districts. Acting Secretary of Education Amy Kershaw, Commissioner of Higher Education Noi Ortega, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Pedro Martinez, and Commissioner of Early Education and Care Amy Kershaw outlined the administration’s FY27 priorities. They described investments in literacy initiatives, universal school meals, student mental health, early college and career pathways, higher education affordability, community college and university student-success supports, preschool expansion, child care subsidies, and workforce supports for early educators. The commissioners also discussed federal funding threats, equity gaps, and the administration’s efforts to improve outcomes for Black and brown students, multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and low-income students. Members questioned the panel about the local contribution formula study, the final year of Student Opportunity Act implementation, and the need to revisit Chapter 70 funding to better address rising costs such as special education, transportation, and health care. Officials said the local contribution study report is expected by the end of June, with a draft to be shared after data analysis and public comment. Commissioner Martinez said the Student Opportunity Act narrowed funding gaps but more work is needed, and he pointed to a proposed Accelerating Achievement Initiative to support the highest-need schools. Senator Oliveira also raised concerns about Chapter 70 disparities and asked about partnerships with libraries to support literacy, prompting discussion of broader early literacy collaboration.

Transcript Highlights:

• But the leachate system needs to be a collection system, and pumps need to be maintained, and everything
• The leachate system needs to be a collection system, and pumps need to be maintained, and everything
• We have a large water system.
• </c> this skull field are the aquafer system this skull field are the aquafer system in<00:46:33.599>
• </c><00:50:21.000><c> uh</c> 3-31 of our Waste Disposal Systems uh 3-31 of our Waste Disposal Systems

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The informational briefing focused on the City and County of Honolulu’s effort to site a replacement landfill for Oahu before the Waimanalo Gulch landfill closes in 2028. Chair Nicole Lowen and other legislators opened the meeting by framing the issue as important statewide and encouraging recycling, composting, and proper use of the curbside bins. The city’s Department of Environmental Services, led by Director Roger Babcock and Deputy Director Mike O’Keefe, then presented the background and siting process. ENV explained the legal and technical constraints that shaped the search, including the 2019 Land Use Commission decision requiring closure of Waimanalo Gulch by March 2, 2028, and the 2020 Act 73 restrictions on landfill siting near residences, schools, hospitals, conservation districts, airports, and tsunami inundation areas. They said a landfill advisory committee reviewed six candidate sites in 2021-2022 and rejected them because they fell within the Board of Water Supply’s no-pass zone. After further evaluation and an extension of the naming deadline, the city selected a site in central Oahu near Wahiawa, on agricultural land currently used as a Dole pineapple field. City officials said the selected site was chosen as the best of the evaluated options and, in their view, could be permitted under state and federal law. They described planned environmental protections, including a modern sanitary landfill design with double liners, leachate collection systems, monitoring wells, and post-closure monitoring, and said the existing Waimanalo Gulch landfill has operated for 35 years without leachate leaks. They also emphasized that the site would still require a special use permit, Department of Health approvals, an environmental impact statement, and other public permitting processes, and that public engagement would continue over the next several years.

Transcript Highlights:

• This has become one of the most urgent threats in our system.
• The amount of time these inmates spend on shooting the system is just amazing.
• What we are seeing in practice is a system that can be manipulated.
• I've heard a number of benefits that come from that system.
• one time about having... ...the court system.

Summary: The special commission on consolidation and cooperation in public safety held a hearing focused on correctional labor testimony, with union leaders and officers from multiple county facilities and the Department of Correction describing staffing, safety, wellness, and programming concerns. Speakers emphasized that correctional officers face high levels of workplace violence, exposure to synthetic drugs like K2, inmate suicides and assaults, and significant mental health strain. They also raised concerns about gender-identity housing policies, arguing that current practices can create unsafe conditions for staff, and urged stronger debriefing and wellness supports after traumatic incidents, including fuller use of programs like OnSide Academy. Several witnesses from unions including KCU/NCU and local county bargaining units argued against consolidating sheriff’s offices or merging them with the Department of Correction. They said consolidation could weaken collective bargaining, harm retention and recruitment, increase commute times, and disrupt locally tailored programming and reentry services. Multiple speakers stressed that county facilities are distinct and should be evaluated individually, not by a single formula, and that staffing levels, training, and facility-specific needs must drive any policy changes. One witness described innovative programming such as welding and shed-building partnerships, while another highlighted Norfolk County’s accreditation, budget stability, and reentry efforts. Commission members largely thanked the witnesses and echoed concerns about officer safety and wellness. They discussed the need for more facility tours, including Norfolk, and debated whether the commission should seek an extension beyond its September 30 reporting deadline. After discussion, the commission voted to request an extension to November 30, with the understanding that the report would still be completed and filed later. Members also discussed the possibility of examining the Norwegian correctional model and reaching out to the judiciary for additional testimony. The hearing concluded with an adjournment after public testimony closed.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm also a former firefighter when I was in the CYA system.
• The prison systems are failing. There's no success rates.
• young people, we don't have to invest as much in the systems that cage and punish them.
• I served 20 years in the prison system.
• I served 20 years in the prison system.

Summary: The Select Committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color held its second hearing, focused on cradle-to-college-and-career pipelines and education. Members opened with remarks emphasizing bipartisan support, the need to address opportunity gaps, and the committee’s prior hearing in Los Angeles, which helped generate legislation. The chair framed the day around school safety and discipline, community schools, and college/career pathways, and noted that public comment would be included at the end. In the first panel, witnesses described persistent disparities in school discipline and policing, even as suspension rates have declined statewide. Dr. David Turner cited reductions in suspensions tied to reforms such as bans on willful defiance suspensions, but warned that Black and Native boys remain disproportionately suspended and that “ghost suspensions” and police referrals still push students out of class. Other advocates called for stronger accountability, more restorative and culturally rooted practices, and greater investment in community-based supports. Members asked about the role of state and local policy, rural versus urban differences, and how to measure which interventions work best. The second panel centered on community schools. Advocates from Californians for Justice, Reclaim Our Schools LA, MILE, and the Sierra Health Foundation argued for the governor’s proposed $1 billion ongoing investment in the California Community Schools Partnership Act. They said community schools improve attendance, reduce suspensions, strengthen belonging, and create shared decision-making with families and students. Panelists described the role of community school coordinators, the importance of authentic partnerships, and the need to track informal discipline practices. Committee members pressed for a plain explanation of community schools and heard that the model is intended to be a high-return equity strategy that can save the state money over time. The final panel addressed college and career pathways. Speakers from the California Faculty Association, UC Student Association, Brotherhood Crusade, A Men, and Improve Your Tomorrow highlighted barriers facing Black, Latino, Native, and other boys and men of color in higher education, including financial aid gaps, weak transfer pathways, underinvestment in student support, and low campus belonging. They urged continued funding for community schools, expanded dual enrollment and ELOP access, and support for mentorship and culturally responsive programs. Public commenters echoed support for community schools and youth investment, including calls to redirect prison spending toward education and prevention. The chair closed by thanking the panelists, reflecting on his own school struggles and the role of mentorship, and adjourned the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• and our prior approval system.
• system, I'm concerned about overhauling that system and creating a problem where maybe none or none
• And the third is that we do have a prior approval system here.
• was the issue because it's the same regulatory system.
• The system is working.

Transcript Highlights:

• You do not have to come into the dependency system to receive that.
• And then APS does have a brand-new system called the SAFE system, and we did a real quick upgrade to
• So what I would say... ...has experience in the foster care system.
• They also began incorporating placement assessment data into its new information system.
• DJJ staff reported... ...into its new information system.

Summary: The Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs received three presentations and took no bill votes. The Department of Children and Families gave an extensive update on human trafficking prevention and services, describing Florida’s statutory framework, hotline and investigation data, placement options such as safe houses and safe foster homes, new adult safe house certification rules, expanded screening tools for vulnerable adults, and prevention efforts including youth-led outreach and training. Members asked about whether current funding is sufficient, how DCF addresses grooming and re-victimization in residential settings, and how long youth typically remain in safe-house placements; DCF said funding is only one part of the support system, that families and youth receive prevention resources even when allegations are not substantiated, and that placement length varies by child. OPPAGA then presented its 2024 annual report on commercial sexual exploitation of children. The report found that verified CSE victims slightly declined in 2023, with Broward, Miami-Dade, Duval, Hillsborough, and Escambia among the highest-prevalence counties. Most verified victims were community youth rather than children already in care, though dependent youth had higher rates of prior maltreatment. OPPAGA also reported continued concerns about limited placement capacity, especially for less restrictive Tier 1 safe houses, and service gaps such as the need for survivor mentors. Its recommendations focused on expanding placement options, improving data collection, and strengthening collaboration to support survivor mentors. Finally, DCF presented the Step into Success pilot program for current and former foster youth ages 16 to 26. The program combines workforce education, professional development, and paid internships with mentor support; the first cohort launched in 2024 with 15 participants, all of whom secured placements, and the department reported strong satisfaction and early outcomes. Committee members asked about scalability, costs, and whether the model could be moved beyond DCF-run operations into community-based providers. DCF said the program was designed to be scalable, currently costs about $500,000 annually for the pilot, and could be expanded statewide with additional funding and partner support. The committee adjourned after the presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Last year, we logged 225,000 volunteer hours in the prison system.
• Staffing for dealing with health within the system there?
• We were clogging the court system with erroneous violations.
• During that year, we started a telephone reporting system program.
• And when they hung up, they would put the case note in the system.

Summary: The Criminal Justice Subcommittee heard an informational presentation from the Florida Department of Corrections on how the prison and community supervision systems operate after sentencing. Assistant Deputy Secretary Hope Gartman described the reception process for new inmates, including intake, medical and mental health screening, classification, custody and housing levels, gain time, and the department’s academic, vocational, substance abuse, chaplaincy, visitation, and communication programs. She emphasized that reentry begins on day one and that program placement is driven by risk and needs assessments, with facilities matched to inmates’ medical, mental health, and security requirements. Members also asked about family contact, visitor applications, inmate welfare trust funds, tablet access, private prison placement, staffing shortages, overtime, contraband interdiction, and waiting lists for programs; several follow-up materials were requested for distribution to all members. Mr. Winkler then outlined community corrections, explaining the different supervision types under Florida law, including probation, drug offender probation, community control, sex offender supervision, conditional release, and addiction recovery supervision. He described the department’s monitoring tools, such as office and field visits, warrantless searches, alternative sanctioning for technical violations, telephone reporting for low-risk offenders, employment assistance, and mobile probation and reentry units. He said the department’s supervision success rate is about 62%, with more than 91% of successful completers not returning to custody within three years. Members questioned officer workloads, the use of radios and GPS check-ins, the rollout of uniforms and firearms, how violations are handled, and whether all circuits participate in alternative sanctioning; Winkler said the program is statewide and that the department is seeking funding for radios. During public comment, Florida Cares Charity urged the committee to consider evidence on deterrence, parole, and recidivism, arguing that community supervision is less costly than incarceration and can be effective. James Beardy of the Florida PBA emphasized the dangers faced by correctional and probation officers, including long shifts, field searches, and working alone, and argued for higher pay and better support comparable to other law enforcement. The meeting concluded with the chair thanking the presenters and public speakers, and the subcommittee adjourned without taking any legislative votes or formal actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• And all of those programs target system peak, strictly system peak.
• or the university system.
• or the university system.
• </c> these systems. these systems.
• to our system.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We work through a historic river system.
• Importantly, this isn't about expanding the system.
• A presumed liability law would make our system fair.
• You have a system that everyone knows, right?
• and legal systems and litigation environments and so on are like, I would just say that. legal systems

Summary: The committee began by waiving the five-day notice rule for engrossed substitute House Bill 2095 so it could be heard that day. It then took public testimony on House Bill 2248, a technical cleanup bill affecting Secretary of State corporate and nonprofit filings, trademarks, foreign entities, and apostille procedures. The prime sponsor said the bill makes no policy changes or fee increases, while the Secretary of State’s office supported it as a clarification measure. One testifier raised concerns about multiple LLCs and transparency in manufactured home communities, asking for stronger oversight and verification. The committee then heard engrossed substitute House Bill 2508, which expands the Office of Independent Investigations’ jurisdiction over deadly-force and related non-deadly-force incidents, broadens notification and records access requirements, and exempts certain records from disclosure. The sponsor and OII testified in support, emphasizing that the bill clarifies authority and procedures; members asked about how far back investigations could go, and staff confirmed there was no time limit for deadly-force cases under the bill. The committee also heard Substitute House Bill 2203, creating the offense of reckless interference with emergency operations for driving around closures on hazardous roadways. The sponsor described it as a response to flood and disaster rescues, and fire chiefs supported it as a safety and accountability measure. Defense attorneys opposed it as unnecessary and disproportionate, warning of criminal penalties, license suspensions, restitution, and fiscal costs for conduct they viewed as more appropriately handled civilly. Next, Second Substitute House Bill 1909 proposed a Court Unification Task Force to study inefficiencies and inequities in Washington’s fragmented court system; the sponsor and a legal aid attorney supported it as an access-to-justice reform, while the committee noted a large number of signed-in opponents. Finally, engrossed substitute House Bill 2095 would create a rebuttable presumption of negligence for drivers who injure or kill vulnerable road users in designated areas, along with education requirements and damages provisions. Supporters, including a widow, bicycling advocates, and a bike commuter, said it would improve accountability and help injured people who cannot easily prove fault; opponents from cities, trucking, and defense groups argued it would expand litigation, create liability and fee-shifting problems, and go beyond existing negligence law. After public hearings, the committee moved into executive session and advanced several bills. Substitute House Bill 2158 received a do pass recommendation. Substitute House Bill 2239, concerning family burial grounds on private property, was amended to increase a setback from public rights-of-way and easements and then received a do pass recommendation as amended. Substitute House Bill 2178 on court rules and procedures also received a do pass recommendation. House Bill 2543 on county clerk fees was advanced despite concerns about fee increases. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2165 on false identification as a peace officer was amended to clarify intent and then passed out of committee. The committee also adopted an amendment to Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2320 on firearm manufacturing, including a change allowing certain digital code and manufacturing activity for repair purposes, and discussed another amendment removing some possession prohibitions for personal use.

Transcript Highlights:

• So you can see where we all are in our system.
• And again, they were helping support our system.
• So that is not sustainable in our system.
• We operate on an open system.
• We do throughout Southern California, whether you're on our system, open system.

Summary: The Senate LOSSAN Rail Corridor Resiliency Subcommittee heard updates from CalSTA, Caltrans, Metrolink, and Caltrain on corridor performance, governance, funding, and long-term planning. Chair Lackey opened by saying the SB 1098 report on LOSSAN governance and performance was unfinished and overdue, and argued the corridor remains at a crossroads because ridership, on-time performance, fiscal solvency, and capital delivery are still lagging. Senator Archuleta echoed concerns about safety, maintenance, ridership recovery, and the need to avoid state subsidy if local revenues fall short. CalSTA and Caltrans said the state has made major investments, including $125 million for San Clemente emergency resiliency work, and that more than $25 billion in funded rail projects are moving toward construction. They said work on the SB 1098 report is underway, with a LOSSAN working group to be convened, and described a new Caltrans transit-and-rail reorganization with a deputy director to improve accountability. Caltrans also reported restoration of Surfliner service to 13 weekday round trips between Los Angeles and San Diego, planned service increases to Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, fleet overhauls, and a new project-tracking and service-planning tool to prioritize capital projects by service outcomes. The panel also discussed zero-emission strategy, saying hydrogen fuel-cell trains are being procured for longer-distance service while battery-electric options are being pursued where feasible, and that San Clemente long-term planning is being scoped with local partners. Metrolink CEO Darren Kettle said the agency has shifted from a commuter-only model to all-day regional service through its “Metrolink Reimagined” schedule, with improved transfers, more weekend and off-peak ridership, and a 25% increase in monthly pass sales under a new fare pilot. He warned, however, that Metrolink faces a fiscal cliff: member agencies now cover about 72% of operating costs while fares cover about 11%, and without a dedicated revenue source the agency may need to cut service, reduce stations, or end later-evening and weekend trips. He said Metrolink has limited ability to monetize stations or parking because it does not own most of the relevant property or rights. Caltrain’s Jason Baker described the success of electrified service, with ridership up 57% year over year and customer satisfaction at record highs, but said Caltrain also faces a projected $75 million annual operating deficit and may need to consider service cuts if stable funding is not found. He highlighted revenue efforts such as energy regeneration compensation, parking and concession reviews, station development, and a planned battery-electric pilot to extend zero-emission service south of San Jose.

Transcript Highlights:

• Electronic health record system that'll tie in directly to our ICON system.
• into the system.
• brick and mortar system.
• With this system, we jumped on this one. It's a newer system.
• system that we had in place.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I was wondering if you can give us, you know, that's quite a drop in rate on PERS systems, TERS systems
• , and SERS systems, between the 2023–25 numbers and the new numbers that we're using.
• That assumption, the demographic assumption, varies by a member's retirement system.
• We put those together to model total salary growth for each member in the system.
• What we call peer retirement systems. All right, thank you.

Summary: The committee approved the July minutes and then received an informational presentation from the Office of the State Actuary on the financial condition of the state retirement systems. The actuary reported that employer contribution rates are generally declining, helped by strong investment returns and reduced funding for PERS 1 and TERS 1, while funded ratios have continued to improve; on a combined basis the plans were reported at 100% funded in 2024, with open plans above 95% and legacy plans varying by system. The presentation also reviewed projected rates and funded ratios under current assumptions, noted that pension costs are taking a smaller share of the state general fund, and discussed risks from investment volatility, policy changes, and demographic experience. Committee members asked about savings from lower rates, deferred asset smoothing, and how Washington compares with other states. The committee then considered the state actuary’s recommendation on long-term economic assumptions and adopted all four recommendations by roll call votes: inflation at 3.0%, general salary growth at 3.5%, membership growth for Plan 1 funding at 1.0%, and investment rate of return at 7.25%. The actuaries explained that the inflation and salary growth increases were driven largely by higher long-term inflation expectations, while the investment return recommendation matched the current statutory assumption. Members discussed the timing of the Pension Funding Council’s decision, the effect of tariffs and inflation uncertainty, and how assumption changes would affect future contribution rates and budgets, particularly for open plans. Staff then gave an update on the LEOFF 1 study, explaining the difference between being “ahead of schedule” and truly overfunded, and summarizing responses received from DRS, the State Treasurer, and the State Investment Board on the merger and restatement proposals. DRS said both bills could be administered, though the merger bill’s COLA banking provision would be challenging until its new system is ready; the Treasurer urged caution, especially about the restatement bill and the use of one-time funds; and the Investment Board said removing assets from the trust would have some transaction costs but likely small impacts. The committee discussed whether to invite additional agencies and local government groups to testify, and staff said more responses, including from Ice Miller and the State Actuary, were expected for the October meeting. Finally, the committee heard a briefing on PERS 1/TERS 1 COLA policy and related bills from the last session. Staff reviewed the committee’s prior ongoing COLA recommendation, the SCPP-endorsed bills that would have created a one-time 3% COLA followed by an ongoing COLA, the Senate merger bill, and a separate ad hoc COLA bill. Public testimony largely supported Plan 1 COLAs and stable contribution rates, while several speakers urged caution about transferring LEOFF 1 surplus assets or merging legacy plans, and others raised concerns about climate risk and the pension fund’s investments. No further committee action was taken on the COLA item during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:16.000><c> to</c> anonymous threat reporting system to anonymous threat reporting system to
• ,</c> a school adopt these important systems, a school adopt these important systems, but<00:04:28.880
• c><00:05:07.840><c> or</c> anonymous threat reporting systems or anonymous threat reporting systems or
• </c> across systems, including our schools. across systems, including our schools.
• </c><00:55:40.160><c> system,</c> how to use the system, how to use the system, put<00:55:42.079><c>

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 4893, a school safety and gun violence prevention bill, and first adopted a DE1 amendment before hearing the bill. The author and supporters described the measure as a layered approach to school safety, combining increased funding for student support personnel, required school safety plans, and anonymous threat reporting systems. They cited research from the Violence Prevention Project and other sources arguing that many school shooters are insiders, often show warning signs, and frequently leak plans beforehand, making early intervention and trusted adults in schools important. Members and testifiers also discussed the bill’s firearm storage provisions. Representative Green explained that the bill would require firearms on school property and in vehicles to be unloaded and locked, and would limit or remove principals’ discretion to allow firearms in school buildings, while preserving access for trained school security personnel. Supporters said the bill would improve clarity and safety for schools, while a representative from private schools raised concerns that the language could limit flexibility and create staffing and accountability problems for non-public schools, prompting discussion of possible amendments. Several student and organizational testifiers supported the bill, including students from Edina High School, Education Minnesota, the Minnesota School Counselors Association, and the Children’s Defense Fund Minnesota. They emphasized the impact of gun violence on students’ mental health and learning, the value of anonymous reporting systems, and the need to invest in counselors, social workers, psychologists, and nurses. No final vote on the bill was taken in the portion provided, but the committee did adopt the DE1 amendment and continued discussion of possible changes, including with the BCA and school safety center.

Transcript Highlights:

• The challenge with our employer-based insurance system and an underfunded Medicaid system that pays 30
• system, or our private system, we have zero incentives for anyone to do any of what you say are the
• system based in South Dakota.
• this outside of our health system.
• from the system.

Keywords: 1184, house, all