Transcript Highlights:

• <00:32:09.679> and battery energy storage developer and battery energy storage developer and
• It included beyond developers.
• , resources, resources, health,<00:45:59.920> labor<00:46:00.240> and<00:46:00.480>
• :56:41.280> and then further developing metrics and then further developing metrics and targets
• <01:33:53.920> and DNR border water and soil resources and DNR border water and soil resources

Bills: HF3556

Keywords: community solar, energy, solar power, renewable energy, Melissa Hortman, 1183, house

Summary: The committee approved the February 26, 2026 minutes and then took up House File 3556, which would rename Minnesota’s community solar garden program the Melissa Hortman Community Solar Garden Program. The bill’s author described the measure as a tribute to Hortman’s leadership and her role in creating the program, noting its importance to Minnesota’s solar industry and the broader clean energy transition. The author moved HF 3556 to the general register, and the committee proceeded to testimony. Testifiers from the Public Utilities Commission, Department of Commerce, solar industry groups, clean energy organizations, and community solar advocates all supported the bill. They credited Hortman with authoring and advancing the 2013 legislation that created Minnesota’s community solar program and said it became a national model that expanded access to solar for renters, lower-income households, and others who could not install rooftop systems. Several witnesses highlighted the program’s growth, including more than 1 gigawatt of approved projects, strong participation by low- and moderate-income subscribers, and job creation and private investment in Minnesota. Witnesses also emphasized Hortman’s personal leadership style, describing her as prepared, persuasive, collaborative, and deeply committed to clean energy and public service. Some recounted personal interactions with her and said the name change would preserve her legacy and ensure future Minnesotans remember her impact. No vote on the bill itself was taken during the testimony shown, beyond the motion to send HF 3556 to the general register.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a resource witness. Mr. Chairman, Mr.
• I don't think that we, I think that by utilizing the resources that we have. and resources such as yourself
• We have two mainframe systems that were developed in the 1970s.
• HHSC works hard to ensure that we are responsible stewards of state resources.
• My husband is a software developer, and he told me that he...

Bills: HB150, HB869, HB876, HB 1043, HB1494, HB1522, HB150

Keywords: cybersecurity, state command, information resources, data protection, incident response, information technology, classification officer, job descriptions, state positions, competency-based, information sharing, government efficiency, public sector, private sector, distributed ledger, title registry, real estate, property liens, pilot program, healthcare

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:32:41.080> for distributed generation resources for distributed generation resources for
• <01:44:32.080> of cost effective development of cost effective development of distributed<
• <01:58:13.639> are investment when these resources are investment when these resources are
• <02:01:06.880> which distributed generation resources which distributed generation resources
• right now that are trying to develop right now that are trying to develop small<05:00:13.440>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So you're going to see that, but of course, PED develops those evaluation plans.
• Over the last several years, the state has designated considerable resources to literacy programming
• I believe it's their HEST program that is developing the actual series of the four micro-credentials.
• , and cannot leverage any other resources because of their limitations.
• About the additional resources that can be provided to continue to close those achievement gaps.

Transcript Highlights:

• Fund and identifying critical projects to enhance international trade and economic development.
• Toomey, ...and development of the state of Louisiana was very important to us. But again, Mr.
• Louisiana has a strong economic development activity going on.
• And certainly there's discussions around governance and resourcing.
• Lastly, the long-term development.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The Louisiana Ports and Waterways Investment Commission met on May 14, 2026, with a quorum present to reopen the commission’s work after a long gap. Members approved the July minutes and heard an update that a bill was moving in the Legislature to transfer the commission’s administrative home to the Office of Multimodal Commerce, with the strategic plan expected to be restarted and a consultant likely considered at a future meeting. The chair and vice chair emphasized that the commission now has stronger staffing and a clearer home for its work. The commission then repealed its July resolution that had requested a new ports and waterways infrastructure fund and identified priority projects. Members said the earlier resolution was well-intentioned but premature because the projects had not been fully vetted, LED had not been sufficiently involved, and there was no clear funding structure. They said the projects would still be considered in the broader strategic planning process, but in a more thorough and coordinated form. A major portion of the meeting focused on the collaborative marketing strategy for the five Lower Mississippi River ports, presented by Joe Toomey and Ken Erickson of Polaris, with LED’s Paige Carter confirming LED will serve as the administrative home for the plan. The presenters described a data-driven regional effort built around unity, not uniformity, to promote the ports’ combined strengths, increase trade, attract foreign direct investment, support economic growth, and strengthen funding requests. Members praised the effort as a pilot for statewide coordination, noted that the plan will live at LED, and said it should help the state present a more unified message to investors and policymakers. The commission also received an update from the navigation and safety task force. Members observed a moment of silence for the late Captain Toby Waddingney, and Steve Wall, the new NOBER president, said he would continue the work using Waddingney’s notes. Commissioners reported that several recommendations from the task force are already being implemented, including bridge air-gap sensors, GIS tools, and dredging project coordination. The meeting ended with no public comment, plans for another meeting in the next quarter, and adjournment by motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next, we have Agri-Business Development Corporation.
• I'm here on behalf of the Agri-Business Development Corporation, ADC.
• Next, we have the Hawaii Food Bank. you next we have Agro bus Development you next we have Agro bus Development
• know some of our Islands have resources know some of our Islands have resources other<00:29:33.039
• <01:37:28.719> supports and sustainable development supports and sustainable development supports

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Let us have time to develop it.
• costs, pre-development work, things like that, that are required, and there may not be resources for
• pre-development costs, pre-development work, things like that, that are required, and there may not
• And so while we have flat federal resources and relatively flat state resources, costs go up.
• You know, we use state and federal resources to develop housing and to support housing.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Natural resources is a priority.
• <00:04:40.919> you prepared and we have these resources you prepared and we have these resources
• One of the great outcomes that we're developing and will continue to develop is the relationship with
• developing and will continue to develop developing and will continue to develop is<00:30:33.080>
• Commerce and Economic Development Commerce and Economic Development Division<00:44:06.359> uh

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There was money for the fertilizer development incentive program from two sessions ago.
• The development of the grant management system is one of our major projects.
• First of all, our Lignite Research, Marketing, and Development Program.
• We are in development stage right now. We're finalizing contracts.
• We are in development stage right now. We're finalizing contracts.

Summary: The committee received a compliance and budget update on Industrial Commission agencies and programs, including the Industrial Commission administrative office, the Oil and Gas Research Program, the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority, the State Energy Research Center, the Research Technology Park grant program, and related funds. Staff reviewed spending and balances for items such as electric grid resiliency grants, lignite research, enhanced oil recovery, the salt cavern business case study, and the new NDSU research and technology park grant. Members also discussed timing, carryover balances, matching requirements, and how some programs are structured to reimburse projects over several years rather than spend funds immediately. Karen Tyler of the Industrial Commission described the agency’s administrative budget, the grant management system nearing completion, and the transition to standalone audits and staffing after separating from other agencies. She also outlined the status of active grant rounds across lignite, oil and gas, renewable energy, outdoor heritage, and clean sustainable energy programs. Members asked about the length of active grants, demand for clean energy funding, and the possibility of future grant rounds. Tyler and members also discussed the salt cavern study, the need to better define its commercial value, and the research technology park grant’s cash-match requirement. Ron Ness then testified on enhanced oil recovery and broader oil and gas market conditions. He said North Dakota production remained steady, but future growth depends on infrastructure, longer laterals, and better use of natural gas and carbon dioxide for EOR. He described the state’s EOR grant round, the use of federal DOE funding to replace part of a state-funded project, and the expectation of additional grant rounds. Members asked about CO2 supply, storage, and the economics of using legacy fields and pipelines to extend oil production and support agriculture and industrial uses. The committee also heard from Bank of North Dakota President Don Morgan, who reviewed the bank’s mission, governance, lending verticals, disaster programs, and new initiatives. He said the bank is seeing deposit growth flatten and is responding to fintech competition by focusing on liquidity, risk management, and a new payment infrastructure initiative called Rough Rider Coin, which he emphasized is not crypto and not a public coin, but a banking payment rail for North Dakota institutions. Members asked about student loan rates, disaster lending, and how the bank’s lines of credit and balance sheet capacity are affected by deposit trends. Morgan said the bank remains profitable and continues to support agriculture, commerce, and industry through participation loans, student lending, and state-directed programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Efficiency, which means that the system aligns resource allocation...
• needs and districts where local resources are most limited.
• resources.
• So this is making up 45% of total professional development categorical funds.
• And this makes up 45% of all professional development categorical funds.

Keywords: 1204, all

Summary: The House and Senate Education Committee first approved minutes from February 2 and 3, then heard an interim study proposal on Arkansas adult education, presented by Goodwill Industries of Arkansas and the Excel Center network. Witnesses described the state’s adult diploma gap, arguing that roughly 300,000 Arkansans over age 19 lack a high school diploma or GED and that the Excel Center provides a supported, diploma-based alternative with child care, transportation help, tutoring, and career services. Goodwill officials said the Arkansas campuses are the state’s only public adult charter high schools, are not state-funded, and have produced strong enrollment growth and graduation outcomes. A University of Notre Dame researcher testified that a study of Excel Center graduates found higher employment and earnings, more credential and college-credit attainment, and lower criminal justice involvement, with a high estimated return on public investment. Some members questioned the framing of Arkansas’s adult education challenges and whether the state was being portrayed too negatively, while others asked about wraparound services and the role of nonprofit providers. The committee ultimately adopted the interim study proposal, though there was some procedural confusion and debate about whether questions should have come before the vote. The committee then received a detailed Bureau of Legislative Research presentation on Arkansas K-12 education funding as part of the adequacy study. Staff reviewed national funding principles and Arkansas’s funding structure, including state, local, and other revenues; the Public School Fund; Department of Education operations; and the Facilities Partnership Program. They explained that 2025 K-12 state and local revenues totaled about $6.6 billion, with foundation funding, categorical funding, supplemental funding, and additional funding distributed to districts and charters. The presentation covered the matrix used to calculate foundation funding, the role of the uniform rate of tax, the Educational Excellence Trust Fund, the Educational Adequacy Fund, and how charter schools are funded differently from traditional districts. Staff also discussed categorical programs such as alternative learning environments, English learner funding, enhanced student achievement, and professional development, as well as supplemental categories including transportation, special education high-cost occurrences, teacher salary equalization, declining enrollment, and student growth. Members asked numerous questions about the funding formulas, the meaning of specific staffing categories, how categorical funds are used, and the number of districts receiving teacher salary equalization or ALE funding. One member noted that the Excel Center’s funding appeared in the broader state-local totals and asked for clarification. Staff said some of the more detailed spending questions would be addressed in the next day’s presentation and offered to provide follow-up information, including district lists and historical changes. The meeting ended after the chair noted that the department was present mainly to answer questions, not to deliver a separate update, and no further business was taken up before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Education and Workforce Development, housing, homelessness, and stabilizing Hawaii's property insurance
• education and Workforce Development education and Workforce Development housing<00:03:04.519>
• <00:16:32.839> of 27 uh to protect natural resources of 27 uh to protect natural resources
• our staff we could not have developed our staff we could not have developed this<00:18:54.880>
• beginning for the school resource beginning for the school resource officer<00:25:54.240> in<

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee met in decision-making only and first took up HB 300, the Senate majority budget package. The chair described the bill as a response to economic uncertainty and reduced revenue forecasts, and outlined a wide range of appropriations and staffing changes across state agencies, including agriculture, education, health, public safety, housing, labor, natural resources, and corrections. The package emphasized one-year funding for many new programs, vacancy reductions, and investments in services such as preschool, mental health, wildfire mitigation, cybersecurity, public access, and workforce development. HB 300 was recommended to pass with amendments and was adopted unanimously, with members voting yes and no reservations noted only as procedural responses. The committee then acted on HB 794 and HB 795, both recommended to pass with amendments by changing the defective date to 2050; both measures were adopted without discussion. On the 101 agenda, HB 400, the Judiciary budget bill, was recommended to pass with amendments. The bill included vacancy reductions, security funding, permanent staffing for several court and justice programs, and support for civil legal services, immigration-related services, and technology licenses. HB 400 was adopted. HB 410 was also adopted with amendments and a defective date change to 2050. On the 102 agenda, the committee passed several bills either unamended or with targeted amendments. HB 3, HB 134, HB 177, HB 237, HB 648, HB 713, HB 735, HB 1391, and HB 1462 were passed unamended. HB 214 passed with amendments expanding eligibility for retired employees to fill labor-shortage or succession-planning positions, including certain management positions excluded from collective bargaining; one member raised concerns about school resource officers and community fit, which the chair said could be addressed in the committee report. HB 441 passed with amendments to direct cigarette tax funds to the Hawaii Cancer Research Special Fund, with a discussion about whether e-cigarettes should be included. Other measures passed with amendments included HB 448, HB 667, HB 727, HB 740, HB 806, HB 1020, HB 1345, and HB 1365, generally involving date changes, blank appropriations, or technical language. HB 1391 was adopted with a reservation from Senator Kim. The meeting concluded with HB 1462 adopted unamended.

Transcript Highlights:

• He developed economic hubs along them.
• It's about unchecked and unplanned development.
• This bill does not mandate development.
• This bill does not mandate development.
• to... ...existing resources.

Summary: The committee first took up CS for SB 1342, a transit-oriented development bill intended to expand housing near fixed transit corridors. The sponsor said the measure builds on the Live Local Act by reducing regulatory barriers and encouraging private investment around transit investments. An amendment was adopted that narrowed definitions, limited the bill to land use and development regulations, removed a private cause of action, and exempted certain sensitive areas including military installations and environmentally sensitive lands. Supporters argued the bill would increase housing supply and maximize the return on state transit spending, while local government groups and other opponents warned it would preempt local zoning, impose uniform density rules, and create infrastructure, evacuation, and public input concerns. The bill was then reported favorably. The committee then considered CS for SB 1334, an elections bill that would require documentary proof of citizenship in certain voter registration and verification processes, update candidate qualification rules, require U.S. citizen markers on driver licenses and ID cards, and clarify that paper ballots are the primary voting method. Two technical amendments were adopted. The sponsor said the bill would streamline verification by allowing agencies to rely on Real ID and DHSMV records, reduce duplicate documentation, and improve communication between state systems. Senators questioned the fiscal impact, data-sharing procedures, storage of sensitive documents, effects on students, disabled voters, and people without driver licenses or Real IDs. A large number of public speakers opposed the bill, arguing it would burden eligible voters, especially students, seniors, disabled people, low-income residents, naturalized citizens, and people with name changes, while a smaller number supported it as an election integrity measure. The bill was ultimately not finished in the portion of the transcript provided, but the committee continued taking testimony and questions. Later, the committee took up CS for SB 1362 on advanced air mobility. A strike-all amendment was adopted to align the bill with the House version and authorize FDOT to fund vertiports and charging systems as part of public-private partnerships, including up to 80% of the non-federal share when federal funds are available and up to 100% if FDOT elects to do so. The sponsor framed the bill as helping Florida lead in advanced air mobility, and the measure was reported favorably with support from industry and local government representatives. Finally, the committee heard SB 174, which would designate a portion of State Road 985 in Miami-Dade County as Charlie Kirk Memorial Avenue and direct FDOT to install markers at an estimated cost of $2,400. The sponsor said the designation was tied to Turning Point USA activity at FIU and civic engagement. Several senators objected in debate, arguing Kirk was divisive and that the state should reserve road memorials for figures more broadly deserving of honor; others defended the designation as symbolic and non-regulatory. The transcript ends during the sponsor’s closing remarks, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• It doesn't affect a number of basically natural resources.
• As you know, we have land banks when you do land development.
• by the California Natural Resources Agency.
• In my day job, I permit and develop composting facilities.
• That concludes today's Natural Resources Committee hearing. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Summary: The committee heard and advanced a series of natural resources and climate-related bills. AB 70 would codify a definition of pyrolysis and allow procurement credit for projects using organic waste to generate pipeline biomethane; supporters said it would help divert organic waste from landfills, reduce methane, and support energy reliability. AB 30 would authorize E15 fuel sales in California, with supporters arguing it could lower consumer fuel costs and emissions, while opponents from boating and marine groups raised concerns about engine damage and the need for clear labeling and continued E10 availability. AB 66 would create a CEQA exemption for emergency evacuation routes in high fire-risk areas; supporters emphasized wildfire evacuation safety, while some members worried the bill lacked sufficient guardrails and environmental review. AB 399 would let the Coastal Commission consider blue carbon sequestration in coastal permitting and authorize blue carbon demonstration projects; environmental groups supported it, while business groups objected to new costs and regulatory uncertainty. AB 491 would codify California’s nature-based solutions climate targets for lands and wetlands, with supporters citing climate and adaptation benefits and the Farm Bureau opposing statutory targets. AB 580 would extend Metropolitan Water District authority related to the Colorado River Aqueduct, and AB 43 would make permanent state authority to protect federally designated wild and scenic rivers if federal protections are weakened. The committee also considered AB 436 to streamline siting and permitting of composting facilities and AB 539 to streamline certain Coastal Act procedures and reporting. Most measures received due-pass recommendations and were reported out on roll calls, with several bills also moving on consent; AB 404 was pulled at the author’s request.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bill Gaines on behalf of the Sisson Resource Conservation District, in support.
• No single entity has the jurisdiction, authority, or resources to develop and implement a broad strategy
• So pushing on saying we need state resources, we need a program.
• Rick Ortega, Grassland Water District, Grassland Resource Conservation District, in support.
• Rick Ortega, Grassland Water District, Grassland Resource Conservation District, in support.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:24:05.280> and We're able to pull those resources and We're able to pull those resources
• <00:24:48.559> together, pull all of those resources together, pull all of those resources
• you know, uh doing economic development you know, uh doing economic development and<00:30:38.240
• right, the pad the area development right, the pad the area development districts<00:35:29.359><
• :37:21.760> is<00:37:22.079> actually development districts do is actually development

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first heard an update from representatives of the Kentucky County Clerk’s Association on the transition to electronic recording and land records modernization. They reviewed the 2021 task force work, the legislation and budget funding that followed, and the requirements for county clerks to provide online search portals and complete 30-year property record searches, with a 60-year standard expected next summer. Speakers said most counties are still working through scanning and verification, with only a small number fully complete, and emphasized that verification of records is the main bottleneck because it requires staff time and careful matching of indexes to deeds. They also noted limited vendor availability, differences among counties in what records are already digitized, and that the association and land title attorneys are now working more closely on future “continuous improvement” legislation. The clerks also raised related issues, including concerns about deed fraud as more records become searchable online. They said some counties already offer notification services that alert property owners when a document is recorded, which can help owners respond quickly to suspicious filings. They also discussed the filing document storage fee and KDLA digitization grants, saying the funding structure has generally worked but that two grant cycles have been missed. Another topic was whether, once records are fully digitized and searchable, some permanent records should remain publicly accessible or be moved to a safer archive. In response to committee questions, the witnesses said the remaining delays are less about money than staffing shortages and the need for more manpower to complete verification, and they said they would follow up on the balance in the KDLA fund and other details. The committee then received a presentation from an Area Development District representative, who described the districts as regional, nonpartisan service organizations that help cities and counties pool resources, provide technical assistance, and leverage public and private partnerships. He highlighted examples of regional cooperation, including veterans-directed care and other shared programs, and argued that the districts create efficiencies and economies of scale for local governments and the state. No votes or formal actions were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• These social media companies have incredible resources and a huge amount of intellectual horsepower.
• It has the power to shape a developing brain.
• Experiences during development create superhighways in our brains.
• For example, schools are diverting precious resources to address social media-related harms.
• Either accelerate your development of your technology platform and share that.

Summary: The committee first heard AB 56, which would require social media platforms to display a warning label about potential mental health harms from prolonged use, with amendments shortening the initial warning and allowing immediate access to the platform. The author and supporters, including a parent who lost a daughter to suicide and a therapist, argued that social media contributes to teen anxiety, self-harm, and other harms and that families need clearer public health information. Opponents from tech and civil liberties groups argued the bill would be ineffective, burdensome, and likely unconstitutional, saying it would create warning fatigue and should be replaced by more targeted tools and digital literacy measures. Several members discussed emergency access concerns, language access, and whether the warning should be more actionable; the bill was moved on a 9-0 vote to the Judiciary Committee. The committee then took up AB 358, which would amend CalECPA to allow law enforcement, with the victim’s consent, to inspect certain abandoned tracking or surveillance devices found in a victim’s home, vehicle, or personal property without first obtaining a warrant. The author and a San Diego prosecutor said the bill is narrowly tailored to devices used solely for spying and is intended to help stalking and domestic violence survivors act quickly before evidence is lost. Opponents from EFF and the ACLU warned the bill would weaken warrant protections, create a loophole around CalECPA, and reduce transparency and accountability. Members debated Fourth Amendment issues, abandonment, and the practical need for rapid access; the bill passed the committee on a 9-0 vote to Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 1137, which builds on last year’s CSAM reporting law by allowing any user to report child sexual abuse material, requiring clearer reporting mechanisms, adding human review in some cases, and mandating third-party audits and public reporting. Supporters, including survivor advocates and a parent of a child victim, said the bill would reduce the burden on survivors and improve removal of abusive content. Tech industry opponents said they support the goal but objected to the human-review mandate, public audit disclosures, and enforcement provisions, arguing they could create security risks and compliance burdens. Members generally supported the bill’s intent but raised questions about audit frequency and human review; the bill was moved on call with seven votes at the time of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Refer to the Committee on Land and Resource Management.
• Residential land in use, creating a criminal offense for the Committee on Land and Resource Management
• HB 3625 by Kane relating to the repealing of the Texas Green Job Skills Development Fund and Green Job
• Skills Grant Program for the Committee on Trade, Workforce and Economic Development.
• Development HB 3700 by ruling the detection and prevention of fraud, waste, and abuse in all of Texas

Transcript Highlights:

• The one great advantage of this bill is it gives us the resources and it more clearly ties these resources
• The one great advantage of this bill is it gives us the resources and it more clearly ties these resources
• They would like dense developments; they like multifamily. Thank you.
• So we have workforce development for workers across California.
• But none of us are really satisfied with the Air Resources Board, trust me.

Summary: The Assembly met after a quorum call and first dealt with a procedural dispute over four amendments to AB 1240. The Speaker ruled the amendments out of order as not germane, and the Assembly sustained that ruling on a 49-16 vote. Members then added co-authors to several consent-calendar resolutions, including measures on the National Conference of State Legislators, Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, ALS Awareness Month, and Men’s Mental Health Month, before adopting the consent calendar. The chamber also heard guest introductions, including a welcome for Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, and took up a motion to bring AB 41 up out of file, which failed 19-48. The bulk of the meeting was floor action on a long series of bills and resolutions, many of which passed with broad bipartisan support. Measures approved included ACR 40 supporting immigrant students and FAFSA privacy; AB 917 on permanent status for certain school employees; AB 985 on anesthesia access; AB 7 and AB 42 on higher education and student services; AB 245 providing property tax relief for wildfire victims; AB 255 allowing funding for drug-free recovery housing; AB 279 updating K-12 library standards; AB 289 creating a pilot for automated speed enforcement in highway construction zones; AB 291 on an educator apprentice program; AB 327 addressing swatting; AB 340 on confidential union communications; AB 341 creating an oral health technical assistance center for people with disabilities; AB 356 on San Diego health care infrastructure; AB 410 on bot disclosure; AB 476 on copper theft enforcement; AB 477 on educator pay targets; AB 485 on stolen wages and business licensing; AB 487, the insurance committee’s technical omnibus bill; AB 573 on tobacco retail license fees; AB 598 on school mapping technology; AB 635 on mobile home law enforcement referrals; AB 651 on remote participation for incarcerated parents in dependency hearings; AB 654 on homelessness hotline assistance in Los Angeles County; AB 662 creating a South County higher education task force; AB 667 on language access in professional licensing; AB 669 limiting early denial of addiction treatment; AB 670 on naturally occurring affordable housing; AB 695 on online continuation of community college for deported students; AB 723 on disclosure for digitally altered real estate images; AB 727 placing Trevor Project information on student IDs; and AB 736, a $10 billion affordable housing bond for the June 2026 ballot, which passed on a 61-11 urgency vote after extensive debate. Debate on AB 736 was the most extensive of the day, with supporters arguing the bond would help address California’s housing crisis and give voters a chance to weigh in, while opponents criticized the state’s bond debt and past spending results. The Assembly then recessed for caucus meetings and later returned to continue the daily file, where additional measures were taken up, including AB 798 adding diapers and wipes to the emergency food bank reserve program, which passed 56-0, and AB 821 on career technical education, which was presented as bipartisan-supported as the transcript continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• Especially during turbulent times, where people aren't maybe using the resources they need, to know that
• These resources support a projected total of 910 million meals in 2026-27.
• To develop the accreditation process.
• They connect families to resources and strengthen their communities.
• , and critical family resources.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard the Governor’s proposals for universal school meals, the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), and community schools, with the kitchen infrastructure grants, Tier 2 ELOP funding, and ongoing community schools funding as the main budget issues. For universal meals, the Department of Education and the Department of Finance supported continued investment in school meal infrastructure and explained that federal changes, inflation, and underreporting in meal counts could affect future funding. The LAO recommended rejecting a fourth round of kitchen infrastructure grants, arguing prior rounds are still being spent and that future funding should be tied to clearer goals and data. Several public commenters and school groups supported continued kitchen grants and universal meals, citing supply-chain delays, workforce needs, and benefits such as more freshly prepared meals and higher participation. For ELOP, the administration proposed $4.7 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding and an additional $62.4 million to set a minimum Tier 2 rate of $1,800 per pupil. The LAO recommended fully fixing the Tier 2 rate at $1,579 and tying future changes to program requirements, while CDE supported the proposal and said the program is improving attendance and academic outcomes. Senators and witnesses discussed whether ELOP should remain a standalone program or be folded into LCFF, with concerns raised about accountability, flexibility, and whether the program should better serve older youth. CDE said new CalPADS reporting and the biennial report will provide more data soon, and public testimony largely supported stabilizing Tier 2 funding while also asking for more support for middle and high school students. For community schools, the Governor proposed $1 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funding to expand the model to thousands more schools and to support existing sites, along with new accountability through annual self-certification and future accreditation. The LAO recommended continuing the current one-time grant approach instead of creating a new ongoing categorical program, warning about reduced flexibility, administrative burden, and the state’s capacity to support a much larger number of grantees. CDE strongly supported the ongoing funding and asked for additional support for county offices and technical assistance. Committee members questioned how accreditation would work for a model meant to be locally tailored, and administration staff said technical assistance would come first, with schools losing eligibility only if they failed to meet standards after support. Public testimony was overwhelmingly supportive of community schools, with parents, students, county offices, and advocacy groups describing gains in attendance, graduation, mental health supports, family engagement, and student belonging, while some commenters urged clearer eligibility rules, stronger reporting, and continued support for related programs such as MTSS and homeless student services.

Transcript Highlights:

• SO THAT THE GOAL OF ADULT GENERAL EDUCATION IS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE EDUCATION BECAUSE
• IN TERMS OF RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT FUNDS THAT YOU CAN SEE THE LINE PERCENTAGE CHANGE THE LAST FEW
• A LOT OF THE RESOURCE GAINS WE SEE HERE ARE DRIVEN BY POLICY DECISIONS MADE BY THE LEGISLATURE AND THE
• GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL BASE FUNDING RESOURCES ON THE BASIS OF THIS WORKLOAD FUNDING
• OTHER ENTITY BUT THAT IS DEFINITELY A FACTOR THAT THEY TALK ABOUT WHEN THEY DEVELOP THESE MODELS.

Keywords: 999, senate, all