Transcript Highlights:

• I'm in the chairman of the United Veterans Legislative Council for Nevada who represent the 250,000 veterans
• We got together and drafted a model legislation.
• The legislation also creates a licensing mechanism for these remote retail sellers and a workable tax
• And so when we did an analysis when we first started working on this in 2023, based on '22 sales, we
• Christian Tower, Fiscal Analysis Division, for the record.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation from last session sees to close the loophole regarding materials harmful to minors.
• Nothing in this legislation addresses banding classical literature or sexual orientation, gender identity
• Please reject this legislation.
• We're in strong support of Florida family voice of this legislation.
• I appreciate you bringing up the Senate analysis. I was going to touch on that as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Orr, the bill relates to legislative leave for correctional officers employed by the Texas
• And that's why we need this legislation to promote a culture of life in our state.
• So for the last several legislative sessions, we have asked for funding.
• I find it interesting that it's being worked on, but there's still legislation being put forward.
• We did have it in our Legislative Appropriation Request, but not the full 85.

Bills: HB1826, HB2854, HB3006, HB4614, HB5261, HB5639

Keywords: mental health, women's health, county jail, depression screening, criminal justice, HB 2854, Pokuaa-Flowers Act, parole, mandatory supervision, electronic monitoring, releasee, parole officer, hospital visit approval, general hospital, law enforcement notification, DSHS, Department of State Health Services, corrections, public safety, liability immunity

Transcript Highlights:

• We had support for that legislation, and after this...
• There is no reason to roll back the current legislation.
• Year after year after year, we have legislation like this.
• a minimal analysis.
• The legislation... 56,380 nurses by 2037.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and quorum established, then adopted the Rules and Ethics Committee’s special order report for the day. The chamber first took up HB 167 on former phosphate mining lands. Sponsor Rep. McClure said the bill would remove strict liability for previously mined phosphate lands if a Department of Health study is done at the owner’s request and the former mining status is recorded publicly. Opponents, including Reps. Cross, Nixon, and Eskamani, argued the bill did not provide enough notice to future buyers and renters and could create health and disclosure concerns. The bill passed 87-24. The House then passed HB 145 on suits against the government, which Rep. McFarland said updates Florida’s sovereign immunity caps for the first time since 2010, raising them to $500,000 per person and $1 million per incident with future automatic increases, aligning the statute of limitations with private claims, and allowing governments to settle above the caps if they choose. He said the bill would make redress more accessible without eliminating the liability shield. The bill passed 104-7. The chamber then considered CS/HB 289 on civil liability for the wrongful death of an unborn child, a bill by Rep. Greco that would amend the Wrongful Death Act to allow parents and other survivors to bring claims for the death of an unborn child, while exempting the mother and lawful medical care provided within the standard of care. Debate centered on whether the bill could affect abortion access, fertility treatment, miscarriage care, surrogacy, and liability for doctors, friends, family members, and others. Multiple amendments were offered to narrow the bill or add carve-outs for abortion, fertility care, surrogates, perinatal professionals, rape/incest/human trafficking situations, and to require the mother’s consent before suit; sponsors and opponents argued over whether these changes would prevent frivolous lawsuits or instead create loopholes and weaken the bill. None of the amendments were adopted during the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• legislated and that's been costly. legislated and that's been costly.
• There's been some analysis done.
• There's been some analysis done.
• > this<01:28:57.120> last We did pass legislation this last We did pass legislation this
• There was a been some analysis done.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The commission held an organizational meeting under SB 57 to study the cost of special education, with the meeting streamed publicly at the chair’s request. Members introduced themselves, and the chair explained that the bill creates two separate pieces, one dealing with SAU structure and the other with a commission on special education costing. He outlined his background in education and special education and said the commission’s work would focus on understanding and controlling special education costs. The commission reviewed its membership requirements and noted several vacancies or unfilled appointments, including the special education advocate, two governor-appointed parent advocates, and a Department of Health and Human Services representative. The members then elected Representative Rick Ladd as chair, Representative Dick Ames as vice chair, and Representative Megan Murray as clerk. Representative Ames briefly described his legal and policy background in disability and special education work in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The chair then walked through the commission’s study topics, including referral rates by IDEA category, reasons for increases in categories such as autism and other health impairment, post-COVID referral trends, pre-referral interventions, Medicaid and 504-related costs, out-of-district placements, dispute resolution, billing practices, privacy, reimbursement, legal services, graduation rates, attendance, and adult learning. Members discussed how special education costs are distributed, noting that the state spends about $977 million annually on special education, with only part covered by state aid and the remainder largely borne by local districts. Testimony also noted that out-of-district placement costs have risen sharply since rate-setting changes around 2018, and that some categories may reflect changes in identification practices, medical factors, or broader population shifts. The commission agreed to continue reviewing the data and formulas in future meetings.

Transcript Highlights:

• Quite honestly, in the very inception of it, when Stephanie Click initiated this program in her legislation
• Now, that particular piece of legislation passed.
• My hope is that this type of legislation helps some of the... ...those farmers, sure, and help some of
• All those Certificates of Analysis (C of A) from the tests are reported directly to the DPS.
• and cannot perform inspections on these out-of-state facilities or verify that the Certificates of Analysis

Transcript Highlights:

• <03:29:08.199> debate I remember the legislative debate I remember the legislative debate
• director of uh legislation John have um director of uh legislation John Williams<03:31:13.479> who
• > of<03:31:20.040> legislative<03:31:20.479> lons enormous amount of legislative
• The legislative liaisons are not just legislative liaisons.
• bureaus and acting as a legislative bureaus and acting as a legislative leison<03:32:37.800>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: House Finance Division III convened a work session on the DHHS budget, with the chair noting there would be no votes and that the committee would spend the day hearing from the commissioner’s office. Nathan White, DHHS Chief Financial Officer, opened with the Division of Finance/Office of Business Operations, explaining that the unit supports the department through daily financial management, AP/AR, audit work, expense projections, transfers, and procurement functions such as contracts, amendments, RFPs/RFAs, and grants management. He also described the division’s revenue and reporting work, including federal draws, CMS-64 reporting, and the public assistance cost allocation plan, and said the department had centralized rate-setting work and a small team handling Medicaid rate analysis and nursing facility rebase work. Members asked about vacancies, turnover, and budget changes. White said the division had 18 positions unfunded in the governor’s budget, reducing personal services from about $10.8 million to $9.9 million, and estimated the division’s vacancy rate at about 11 percent, below the department average. He said turnover was relatively low, with one retirement at the manager level and higher turnover mainly at lower AP-level positions. He also explained that some budget lines reflected reallocations rather than new spending, including fringe benefits centralized elsewhere and an EBT card contract moved into this unit because the staff member overseeing it works in Finance. When asked about a rent/lease increase, he said it was due to higher copier leasing costs under a statewide DAS contract. White highlighted several management and technology improvements. He said a business intelligence tool procured in 2022, using Salesforce and Excel-based data, helped DHHS better track federal revenue and maintenance-of-effort spending, reducing FY24 General Fund lapse by about 70 percent and federal/other revenue lapse by 88 percent compared with FY23; he warned that the tool is not funded in the current budget. He also described Lean Six Sigma efforts in the contracts team, training for vendors and nonprofits on procurement and indirect cost rules, and a Finance Academy to standardize policies and procedures. On the contracts side, he said the department uses Smartsheet for project management and DocuSign for electronic signatures, which cut contract execution time dramatically, but noted DocuSign is also not funded in the governor’s budget. The session ended as the committee prepared to move on to the Employee Assistance Program presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Malcolm in the committee to discuss her work and to represent Nadau and Huitt and Abaj for their legislation
• <00:02:19.840> Abaj<00:02:20.720> for<00:02:20.959> their<00:02:21.200> legislation
• <00:02:21.920> in and Abaj for their legislation in and Abaj for their legislation in support
• So I would say when we've done our own analysis in terms of our benefit package, it's either similar
• <01:31:55.600> is does that as well in their analysis is does that as well in their analysis

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like to thank the committee and all of the legislators that actually put this legislation forward
• There was, you know, there was analysis of what you're getting back.
• Reading this bill and then reading my analysis, I just have a couple of questions.
• Reading this bill and then reading my analysis, I just have a couple of questions.
• But we're not asking for this type of legislation in that area.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Rachel Ehlers with the Legislative Analyst's Office.
• Frank Jimenez with the Legislative Analyst's Office.
• Helen Kirstein with the Legislative Analyst's Office.
• Helen Kirstein with the legislative analyst office.
• It didn't get started with a careful analysis by the public.

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on transportation agency budget proposals and did not take any votes. The first major discussion focused on the Motor Vehicle Account shortfall and a proposed one-time $166 million transfer from the Air Pollution Control Fund and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to offset California Air Resources Board mobile source costs. Department of Finance and the LAO described the account’s long-running structural deficit, driven largely by employee compensation growth and REAL ID-related workload, while members criticized the use of Proposition 4, GGRF, and other one-time or redirected funds as backfills and urged a longer-term solution that addresses both revenues and expenditures. The committee then heard Caltrans’ request for $25 million in General Fund support to create a Clean California Community Cleanup and Employment Pathway Grant Program. Caltrans said the program would build on the prior Clean California effort by funding local litter and graffiti cleanup, community engagement, and workforce pathways for vulnerable populations. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposal, arguing that local litter abatement is not a core state responsibility and that one-time funding is unlikely to solve persistent local cleanup needs. Several members echoed those concerns, while public commenters split between support for the cleanup/employment model and calls to instead restore funding to the Active Transportation Program and transit operations. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency requested that California administratively recognize Tahoe’s federally designated population figure for state formula-based transportation funding, which would raise the population count used in formulas from 40,000 to 145,000. The agency said the change would not request new money but would better align state formulas with federal law and support a shared regional funding framework; members appeared generally supportive, though they noted the need to phase in the change to reduce impacts on other regions. The final presentation was on High-Speed Rail. The LAO reviewed the authority’s project update report, noting that it did not fully meet statutory requirements and that key details are still pending in a supplemental report expected later in the summer. The LAO said the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment still shows an estimated roughly $7 billion funding gap, with no specific plan to close it, and highlighted risks from federal review, inflation, and uncertain GGRF revenues. High-Speed Rail Authority staff said they are conducting a bottom-up review of scope, schedule, ridership, and costs, expect to provide updated information by late summer, and are exploring public-private partnerships and other financing strategies. Members stressed that no further funding commitments should be made until the updated analysis is available.

Transcript Highlights:

• Anne Hollingshead from the Legislative Analyst's Office.
• Legislative, executive, and judicial is $2.5 billion.
• Finance continues to monitor policy and legislative developments at the federal level.
• That would be within your power as a legislative body to do.
• Carolyn Chu, Legislative Analyst's Office.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's essentially what the legislation does.
• Doing by passing this legislation. Thank you, Chair and Majority Leader.
• Madam Chair, today I have a member of the legislative finance staff.
• Okay, is there anybody in this room opposed to this legislation? Seeing none.
• I'll direct you to our county manager, who's here, or any of the other legislators.

Transcript Highlights:

• I also understand that we as legislators expect from our teachers, administrators, but in my opinion,
• I'm Steven Aemon from Disability Rights Texas here to support the legislation.
• And so if, I mean, based on TEA's preliminary analysis of data, this is bad, according to TEA, bad for
• That's why we have legislators. That's why we have school board members. And our kids deserve it.
• Just a comment, uh, Representative Caham, I, I appreciate you bringing this legislation forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• and uh and and any number of legislators and uh and and in<01:09:59.160> particular<01:10:00.280
• But then also our partisan staff that provides us with analysis of bills going forward.
• We so appreciate them being able to give us analysis, not always from a partisan view, but generally
• of of bills going forward and analysis of of bills going forward and um um um we<01:12:21.120> uh
• <01:12:26.680> um to give us analysis um to give us analysis um uh uh uh not<01:12:29.360>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The state creates enabling legislation, but this is a program only within our city.
• They are then required to notify and submit the project analysis to other taxing districts in their area
• , and then they are required to submit a project analysis to the state treasurer.
• How much growth do we think is going to come from the housing needs analysis?
• Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that the quantity and pace of legislation over the past

Summary: The Senate Housing Committee heard presentations on a range of housing finance, permitting, and affordability tools. Chattanooga described its affordable housing PILOT program, which uses a per-unit property tax abatement tied to the rent loss from providing affordable units, with a 15-year term and annual compliance monitoring. Committee members asked about the program’s structure, whether it had been used elsewhere, and who was participating; the presenter said the first mixed-income project would bring 278 units with 42 affordable units and that the model was attracting private market-rate developers. Shoreline then described its MFTE and inclusionary zoning approach, emphasizing that longer tax exemption periods and station-area zoning changes had helped spur development, with most current pipeline projects concentrated near light rail stations. The committee also heard from the Municipal Research Services Center and the Department of Commerce on tax increment financing, proportional impact fees, and permit timelines. Commerce explained that TIF can fund public improvements such as roads, utilities, broadband, and some affordable housing or child care facilities, while proportional impact fee guidance is intended to help jurisdictions charge fees more closely aligned with actual project impacts. On permit timelines, Commerce presented its first annual report under recent law changes, using 2024 as a baseline year and noting that reported timelines were generally longer than statutory goals; members asked about outliers, paper versus electronic processing, and whether back-and-forth between applicants and staff was driving delays. Commerce said it would follow up with more data, including on CHIP funding and permit reform practices. Several local governments then shared permitting process improvements. Auburn reported relatively short review cycles and described its move to fully electronic permitting, internal performance standards, and a stock plan program that speeds review for repeated home designs. Bellevue described an AI permitting pilot with a local startup to help with pre-application questions, document triage, and plan review, aiming to reduce incomplete applications and revision cycles. Seattle presented a pilot for accessory dwelling unit co-development in which a mission-driven partner would help homeowners split lots, finance, build, and manage ADUs, with the homeowner eventually buying out the partner and retaining ownership; committee members asked about rent setting, management fees, and default risk, and staff said they would follow up. The committee also heard brief overviews of community land trusts and limited equity cooperatives as permanent affordability models, with presenters urging continued state and local funding support and policy recognition for these approaches.

Transcript Highlights:

• As your bill analysis states, researchers have discovered that 98% of the deepfake videos found online
• Much of this is based on some bipartisan federal legislation that has passed the U.S. Senate.
• That legislation had some exceptions to protect, like, broadband internet providers, for example.
• What specific incidents of unlawful demolition may have prompted this legislation?
• Colorado, in particular, recently passed legislation.

Summary: The subcommittee met with a quorum and took up a series of bills, beginning with PCS for HB 743 on social media use by minors. The sponsor said the bill would extend last session’s restrictions by requiring parental access to messages for minors ages 15 and 16 and allowing law enforcement access with a warrant or parental request. Members raised concerns about abuse situations and private communications, but the sponsor said the bill was aimed at protecting children from grooming and trafficking. The PCS was supported in public testimony and passed 15-0. Members then approved HB 1161, which would let victims of altered sexual depictions or deepfakes demand removal of the content and pursue civil remedies if it is not taken down; an amendment clarified a definition tied to federal law, and the bill passed 14-0. The committee also passed local bills for Duval County (HB 4053) and Oviedo/Seminole County (HB 4031) creating special alcohol licensing exception areas, and HB 717, which increases penalties for unlawful demolition of historic buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places, with supporters from historic preservation and local government groups. The committee next approved HB 1035 on building permits for single-family dwellings, as amended, to extend permit validity around building code updates, speed approvals after emergencies, and create faster review timelines for smaller projects; members questioned possible loopholes and storm-related applications, while the home builders association supported the measure. It also passed PCS for HB 1219 on employment agreements, creating a framework for covered non-compete and garden leave agreements for higher-wage employees or those with access to confidential information; several members objected to its impact on workers and the marketplace, and the vote was 11-5. Additional favorable votes were taken on HB 799 regarding condominium alcohol licenses, HB 869 expanding underground utility contractors’ scope to include certain fire line work after a contested amendment and testimony from both utility and fire sprinkler groups, HB 1071 on alternative plan reviews and inspections, PCS for HB 981 on athlete representation and NIL compensation, and PCS for HB 801 on HVAC/mechanical contractors repairing and replacing certain pool heaters, both of which drew mixed testimony and debate over scope and safety. The final item introduced was HB 311 on repair of motorized wheelchairs, which the sponsor said would improve access to parts, tools, and independent repair options for users.

Transcript Highlights:

• And what motivated you to carry this piece of legislation? What was the impetus?
• SB 1406 is a piece of legislation that will increase state revenues by up to $20 million a year without
• I'm here today to present SB 1349, which will direct the Legislative Analyst's Office to do a review
• Michelle Warshaw, legislative advocate with the California Teachers Association and a proud co-sponsor
• For these reasons, LeadingAge California is strongly in support of this legislation and urges your aye

Summary: The Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee met as a subcommittee, then later established a quorum and heard several tax-related bills. Chair Gibson reviewed committee procedures, including the suspense file for bills with revenue impacts over $150,000. SB 881 by Sen. McNerney would extend the farmer-to-food-bank tax credit through 2032 and the emergency food for families voluntary tax contribution through 2033; supporters from food banks, agricultural groups, local governments, and climate organizations said it would reduce food waste and help address food insecurity, with no opposition on the record. The bill was moved to suspense. SB 1406 by Sen. McNerney would target the so-called Montana tax loophole used to avoid California vehicle taxes and fees; supporters said it would recover up to $20 million annually and improve enforcement, while an opposition group warned the shell-company language could affect legitimate small businesses and passive owners. That bill was also sent to suspense. SB 1349 by Sen. Gonzalez would direct the Legislative Analyst’s Office to review major state tax expenditures and evaluate whether they are meeting their intended goals. Supporters, including the California Teachers Association, tax reform advocates, school employees, and local governments, argued that California’s roughly $94 billion in annual tax expenditures need more accountability, especially given the state’s budget pressures. The committee approved SB 1349 on a due-pass-as-amended motion to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The committee also approved two consent items, SB 1436 and SB 1437, on a due-pass motion. Later, SB 1249 by Sen. Richardson proposed a $3,000 tax deduction for seniors ages 86 to 90 through 2032, with supporters from LeadingAge California saying it would help older adults cope with rising costs; the bill was referred to suspense. SB 1151 by Sen. Cervantes would codify infant formula as a food product for sales tax exemption purposes; the author and supporters said it would protect families from uncertainty and preserve tax relief for an essential product. Members discussed the high cost of formula, and the bill passed on a due-pass-as-amended motion to Appropriations. The committee then completed its business and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• As is outlined in the analysis and was previously stated, the federal CRA was passed in 1977 to counteract
• Credit unions were not included in that federal legislation and can continue to be excluded federally
• I hope that as this conversation continues over this legislative session, we are looking at what the
• And I would also add that there are incentives in the legislation.
• AB 801 is a top priority of the California Legislative Black Caucus.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The next that is discussed, the clinical microbiome analysis.
• The next that is discussed, the clinical microbiome analysis.
• The next that is discussed, the clinical microbiome analysis.
• The next that is discussed, the clinical microbiome analysis.
• Clinical microbiome analysis program.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee met and approved the minutes from the previous meeting. The chair noted that agency overviews from the Office of Higher Education and other state agencies were not available, so the committee proceeded with University of Minnesota presentations instead. The committee also reviewed posted committee rules. University of Minnesota representatives gave an overview of the university’s research enterprise, describing it as a system of five campuses with a possible expansion to St. Cloud, and highlighting research strengths across campuses in agriculture, energy, natural resources, health, and the Twin Cities flagship campus. They said the university has more than $1.3 billion in annual research expenditures, receives most of its research funding from federal sources, and is ranked highly for both overall research and interdisciplinary research. Examples discussed included the Clinical and Translational Science Institute, the Forever Green initiative, and research tied to sustainable crops, health, and commercialization. Members asked questions about specific research areas, including biodegradable or renewable plastics, wheat research, food dyes, health and environmental toxins, and the market for winter camelina and winter pennycress. University staff said they could follow up with more detailed information and explained that the winter crop work is intended to become market-driven over time, while also improving soil health and creating new revenue streams for farmers. They also clarified that the university’s federal research funding includes money from NIH, NSF, DOE, DOD, and other agencies, and that the “other” funding category includes foundations, subawards, and internal university seed funding. The committee then heard a second University of Minnesota presentation focused on partnerships, commercialization, and workforce development. Testimony highlighted collaborations with industry and government partners such as U.S. Steel, 3M, Medtronic, Cisco, and defense-related industry leaders, as well as programs supporting microelectronics, AI, cybersecurity, and sustainable aviation fuels. No formal votes were taken beyond approving the minutes, and the committee ended the segment by moving on to the next testifier.

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation is designed to send a very clear message: threatening a school activity is not a prank
• And I also want to be clear that even if it's just legislators who vote to do this, even if it's just
• It substitutes the judgment of a future legislator, someone.
• One who may not even be born yet, that's going to be a legislator, for what you think today based on
• There's a reason that we don't legislate with perpetuity, or that we ask a future legislature to undo

Keywords: 974, senate, all