Transcript Highlights:

• This bill creates regulations for UTVs to be operated on designated roads where local municipalities
• This bill creates regulations for UTVs to be operated on designated roads where local municipalities
• This will empower law enforcement to more effectively regulate and enforce the safe use of UTVs.
• These industries use UTVs as a cheaper alternative to get to and from crops, supply stores, and feed
• stores, and around connected properties.

Bills: S0216 , S0246 , S0356 , S0388 , S0470 , S0488 , S0490 , S0528 , S0584 , S0594

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• , they didn't know how to interact with us, so they went and bought farm animals and toys from the store
• Meanwhile, Minnesota, with our six-month head start, has let me see here not a single licensed store.
• That you can create a craft cannabis market based on government regulation.
• their products, their federally legal products, to other states, even if Minnesota's excessive regulation
• In fact, our model for regulating these products, which we passed in 2023, has become a model that's

Transcript Highlights:

• regulated by the SEC and the FDC.
• that they're not regulated not saying that they're not regulated but<00:50:18.799><c> why</c><00:50:
• </c><00:58:56.440><c> and</c> on on the field that they regulate and on on the field that they regulate
• </c> is well understood by the regulated is well understood by the regulated community<03:06:05.560><
• </c><03:10:01.439><c> how</c> Communications Privacy Act regulates how Communications Privacy Act regulates

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee met to hear House Bill 520, which would authorize the Department of Education to issue subpoenas in investigations and hearings involving the code of conduct for New Hampshire educators. Representative Lynn, the bill sponsor, said the measure was intended to give the department standard subpoena power during investigations and in later adjudicatory proceedings, with a process for challenging overbroad subpoenas. He argued that agencies with investigative and hearing authority should also have the power to compel witnesses and documents, and said the bill was narrowed from an earlier broader draft to focus on teacher credentialing and address concerns about scope. Members raised several concerns about whether the department already has enough authority, whether the Attorney General could handle subpoenas instead, and whether the bill creates an imbalance by giving subpoena power mainly to the investigating side. Representative Burroughs said she did not feel she had enough information and was uncomfortable with the bill, especially regarding who bears subpoena costs. Representative Biron questioned the trial analogy and whether both sides truly have equal subpoena rights. Lynn responded that the investigative stage is like a grand jury process, where only the investigating body subpoenas witnesses, while the adjudicatory stage allows both sides to seek subpoenas through the hearing officer. Other questions focused on the bill’s scope. Representative Andreos asked what investigative authority the Department of Education already has, and Representative Organ questioned why the bill is limited to educators rather than also covering vendors, charter school boards, or the EFA scholarship organization. Lynn said the limitation to educators was deliberate, because earlier broader versions drew objections for being too expansive. Representative Tur asked whether the Attorney General could already handle such matters, and Lynn said that while the AG might be able to pursue some investigations or court subpoenas, agencies should be able to conduct their own internal investigations. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The department accomplishes its mission by licensing and regulating over 3.4 million licensees across
• The department accomplishes its mission by licensing and regulating over 3.4 million licensees across
• The bureau licenses and regulates private postsecondary educational institutions operating in California
• The bureau licenses and regulates private postsecondary educational institutions operating in California
• on my campaign, and then all of a sudden a number of them were having issues completing their FAFSA apps

Summary: The committee first heard updates from the California State University on its turnaround plans for seven campuses with enrollment declines. CSU said overall enrollment has grown for three straight years, but some campuses—especially in Northern California—continue to face structural declines tied to demographics and community college pipelines. The system described campus-specific strategies such as outreach to stopped-out and adult learners, guaranteed admissions, partnerships with community colleges and high schools, expanded high-demand programs, and cost reductions including hiring freezes, program suspensions, and shared administrative services. The LAO said the plans were reasonable but urged regular reporting so the Legislature can track results. Committee members pressed CSU for ongoing implementation updates, stronger recruiting efforts, and safeguards around AI use; CSU said it would continue regular check-ins and share best practices across campuses. The second item focused on the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education and its request for a $10 million General Fund appropriation to repay a special fund loan used for litigation costs. DCA and BPPE said the bureau has long had a structural deficit and has already cut positions, streamlined operations, and shifted some costs to the Student Tuition Recovery Fund, but still needs fee increases through the sunset review process. The LAO opposed the General Fund backfill, arguing the bureau can cover near-term costs with its loan, that litigation costs should generally be borne by regulated entities through fees, and that using General Fund money could set a precedent. Finance supported the one-time backfill as a way to avoid larger fee increases on institutions and to isolate the litigation expense from the bureau’s ongoing structural shortfall. Members asked how the bureau would avoid repeating the problem; BPPE said it has updated policies and practices, including disability accommodation procedures and non-discrimination training. The committee then reviewed Cal Grant funding and program updates from CSAC, UC, CSU, and the community colleges. CSAC said the Governor’s budget would increase Cal Grant funding to about $3.2 billion in 2026-27, driven by enrollment growth and higher tuition at UC and CSU, and highlighted efforts to improve payment processing and financial aid data. UC and CSU emphasized that Cal Grants are central to affordability and debt reduction, while also warning that federal changes under H.R. 1 could reduce access to loans and harm graduate and part-time students. Community colleges reported rising aid applications and awards, but said students still face major affordability barriers, especially mixed-status and undocumented students, and asked for more support for aid administration and completion grants. The chair repeatedly asked for data on eligible students who are not receiving Cal Grants and for a phased-in path to implement the Cal Grant Equity Framework; Finance said full implementation would cost hundreds of millions and the state is not currently in a position to fund it. Finally, the committee began discussion of the Middle Class Scholarship Program. CSAC said the program helps low- and middle-income students cover total cost of attendance, not just tuition, and warned that cutting funding by more than half would reduce award coverage from 35% to 17.5% of cost of attendance. CSU and UC said the program is important for reducing student debt and supporting affordability, and CSU noted recent administrative changes have reduced workload and award adjustments. The hearing continued into the next agenda item after these presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Marilyn Dicki, who co-founded Grassroots in 1975, poured more than half her life into the store.
• 43.440><c> the</c> poured more than half her life into the poured more than half her life into the store
• Grassroots wasn't just a store.
• ,</c> whims of administrative regulations, whims of administrative regulations, court<05:02:08.320><c
• Too often the federal regulators.

Transcript Highlights:

• Most say it comes from the grocery store.
• Local governments regulate above that floor, including how density and lot configuration are addressed
• through reasonable regulations.
• related to sanitation, and from adopting or enforcing reasonable regulations related to sanitation,
• It preserves regulation while protecting access to basic food staples.

Committee: Senate Agricultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Those regulated should not be able to influence the campaigns of those that are regulating them.
• </c><00:47:56.160><c> The</c> those that are regulating them. The those that are regulating them.
• Uh, and so where is that stored?
• </c><01:23:42.320><c> So,</c> stored? It's in the cloud, you know. So, stored?
• Uh because I can and storing this data.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a roll call establishing a quorum of 28 senators present. The body agreed to excuse absent senators, dispense with reading and adopt the previous journal, and allow bills and committee reports to be introduced throughout the day. The presiding officer also recognized several guests on the floor and in the gallery, including an intern from the Lieutenant Governor’s office and guests of Senator Chambliss. Committee reports focused on confirmations for Alabama State University’s Board of Trustees. Patricia Anne Jones (Confirmation 79), Angela Star (Confirmation 80), and Bobby Singleton (Confirmation 78) each received favorable committee reports and were confirmed by the full Senate, with roll-call votes showing unanimous or near-unanimous support. The chamber spent considerable time in lighthearted debate and personal remarks during Singleton’s confirmation before adopting the motion and confirming him. The Senate also adopted Senate Joint Resolution 81 commending the Coach Safely Foundation for youth sports injury mitigation, and several other resolutions honoring individuals and organizations, including Johnny Williams, Jim America, Senior Trooper Hunter Woodruff, and retired Army Colonel Shawn Thomas Prricett. A resolution encouraging Alabama public high schools to form a consortium was also adopted. On local bills, the Senate passed Senate Bill 243 regarding Jefferson County and House Bill 532 regarding Shelby County, both by using the previous roll and with no opposition. The Rules Committee then reported a special order calendar for the 22nd legislative day, which the Senate adopted 30-0. The special order calendar included bills on the Board of Funeral Services, the Public Service Commission, tax abatements, electric utilities, child support, dogs, school lands, Chambers County, and real property. The first special-order bill taken up was Senate Bill 107 by Senators Figures and Gudger, concerning the Alabama Board of Funeral Services. Senators discussed the bill’s purpose of funding the board’s increased duties, the effect on funeral home license fees, and an amendment offered by Senator Bell to reduce certain fees. The amendment was adopted, and the bill was explained as not affecting pre-need funeral arrangements. Debate continued as members asked questions about costs to families and funeral homes, but the chamber had not yet reached final disposition of the bill by the end of the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We must also regulate AI's invasiveness and use in workplace decision-making.
• Labor has a broad framework for how technology should be governed and regulated.
• Labor has a broad framework for how technology should be governed and regulated.
• </c> guidelines into actual regulations guidelines into actual regulations establishing<01:14:08.199>
• there is an app, if there is a data being used, where is that data coming from?

Committee: Senate Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• The focus of the study was to determine the impact of long-term storm does a long-term stored vessels
• There are overwhelming evidence that suggested that the impact of long-term store vessels was not only
• for rapid removal, that we can remove it quicker we can in some cases take votes off the water and store
• Do local counties have the ability to do additional regulation or do additional removals or do they have
• They've got a new power lines sometimes and there's limited places on the water to store or waterfront

Transcript Highlights:

• speaker used regulating.
• This is one area that's not regulated.
• I don't think that this should be something where we're basically regulating these...
• It's also—and we don't, I know Senator Dixon talked about regulation.
• That's a trigger for her—but without regulation, we don't have a lot of data.

Summary: The committee heard several bills from Senator Umberg and Senator Allen, with testimony from supporters and opponents before roll-call votes were taken once quorum was established. SB 253, the annual State Bar fee bill, would keep fees unchanged while requiring two-year notice for substantial changes to the bar exam, including vendor changes, and returning to an older delivery method for the upcoming exam; it was presented as a response to recent State Bar problems and the February bar exam failure. SB 25, the Pre-Merger Notification Act, would require certain merger parties to provide California’s attorney general the same Hart-Scott-Rodino materials filed federally, so state antitrust review can occur in parallel with federal review; supporters said this would reduce delay and uncertainty, while members questioned whether it would add another layer of review. SB 36 would strengthen price-gouging enforcement after the January 2025 Southern California firestorms by requiring rental-listing platforms to report suspected gouging, expanding consumer and prosecutor remedies, and allowing warrants in housing-related cases; supporters said it would close loopholes, while opponents from business groups raised concerns. All three bills were later approved on roll call, with SB 36 and SB 413 placed on call before final passage and SB 253 and SB 25 moving forward on committee votes. The committee also heard SB 413, which would streamline access to juvenile case files in certain civil cases brought by or on behalf of the youth who is the subject of the file, allowing attorneys to use heavily redacted records without first petitioning the juvenile court. Supporters, including Los Angeles County counsel and county associations, said the current petition process is costly, slow, and routinely granted, creating delays in civil litigation and court congestion. Opponents, including the Youth Law Center, argued the bill would weaken longstanding juvenile confidentiality protections by bypassing judicial review and could expose sensitive information unnecessarily. After discussion about redactions, sealing, and the scope of access, the bill was passed on a do-pass-as-amended vote. Finally, Senator Wahab presented SB 436, which would extend the notice period for nonpayment of rent from three days to 14 days. Supporters, including tenant advocates, legal aid groups, and several local governments, argued the change would reduce unnecessary evictions, give renters more time to obtain assistance or a paycheck, and help prevent homelessness. Opponents, including apartment associations, property owners, and the California Association of Realtors, said the bill would burden landlords, especially small owners, and could unintentionally affect commercial leases; members also raised concerns about repeated late payment and the lack of stronger guardrails. The author said she would work on clarifying commercial coverage and safeguards, and the bill remained under discussion as the hearing continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• kickbacks from vendors to property management companies, board transparency, attorney fees, rules and regulations
• going</c><01:12:10.560><c> into</c><01:12:11.239><c> to</c><01:12:11.639><c> an</c><01:12:11.840><c> app
• </c> like um when you're going into to an app like um when you're going into to an app and<01:12:12.280
• It’s a little bit like when you’re going into an app and they give you this like 50-mile-long thing and

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• have not adequately communicated the true costs of regulations experienced by everyday Californians.
• when approving or rejecting proposed regulations.
• AB 2366 directly addresses these challenges by improving how regulations are evaluated before adoption
• Pump, in the grocery store, or on utility bills.
• Any future bank would still require approval and oversight by appropriate regulators.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact heard several bills focused on trade, affordability, and public finance. AB 2745 (Fong) would update California’s international trade and investment strategy, add a public advisory process, and allow regional trade hubs; supporters from the California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce and California Forward said it would help California compete globally and attract investment, while no opposition testified. AB 2366 (Avila Farías) would require state agencies to analyze cost-of-living impacts when adopting regulations and direct the LAO to develop guidance; supporters from the New California Coalition and the California Manufacturers and Technology Association argued it would improve transparency and help address affordability, while members noted concerns about implementation and unintended consequences. The committee also heard AB 2243 (Haney), which creates a commission to study whether California should establish a state public bank and how it might be structured. Supporters from the California Public Banking Alliance, climate groups, and other organizations said a public bank could reduce borrowing costs and finance housing, climate, and small business needs; the California Bankers Association and credit unions opposed the bill, arguing it could compete with private banks, duplicate prior studies, and raise unresolved regulatory and cost issues. Several committee members said they would support the study concept but wanted the bill amended so any final decision would return to the Legislature, and the author agreed to clarify that point and remove language related to extending local public bank licensing timelines. The committee also took up consent items AB 2048 (Calderon), AB 2583 (Hoover), and ACR 129 (Haney), which were approved without opposition. After quorum was established, the committee voted AB 2366 out on a 7-0 basis to Judiciary, AB 2745 out on a 7-0 basis to Appropriations, and AB 2243 out on a 7-0 basis to Finance, with the consent calendar also approved.

Transcript Highlights:

• have not adequately communicated the true costs of regulations experienced by everyday Californians.
• AB 2366 directly addresses these challenges by improving how regulations are evaluated before adoption
• Manufacturers experience the cumulative impact of regulations across Critical step forward.
• Pump, in the grocery store, or on utility bills.
• Any future bank would still require approval and oversight by appropriate regulators.

Committee: House Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, they're shopping at our local supply stores.
• Especially with these regulations, like Mr. Sprecht was mentioning.
• I've been doing it for 25 years, and I'm being kicked out based on over-regulations.
• . regulations prohibition.
• Other than that, we'll continue to encourage them to follow state regulations at this time.

Committee: House Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Transcript Highlights:

• feedback that the regulations ...off-load time.
• So the AB 40 legislation called for EMSA to produce emergency regulations.
• things that become regulations and stakeholders have to respond to.
• They know where the candy store is. They know where the hospital is.
• They know where the candy store is. They know where the hospital is.

Committee: Senate Rules

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules established quorum and approved several routine items on the agenda, including governor’s appointments not required to appear: Courtney Welsh to the California Housing Partnership Corporation Board, Janessa Goldbeck to the California Veterans Board, and Tom Huntington to the State Parks and Recreation Commission, each by 3-0 vote. The committee also approved reference of bills to committees, the 2026 committee chair/member assignments, the 2026 session schedule, the 2026 holiday schedule, and floor acknowledgments, all by unanimous votes. The committee noted that some 2026 committee changes would take effect February 1, 2026, and that new committees would depend on adoption of a Senate resolution. The committee then heard from Dr. Hernando Garson, nominated as chief medical officer of the Emergency Medical Services Authority. He described his background in emergency medicine, disaster response, and EMS leadership, and members questioned him about EMSA’s strategic plan, data integration, statewide standards versus local flexibility, ambulance patient offload time regulations, stakeholder engagement, and emergency response coordination. Dr. Garson emphasized data-driven decision-making, technical assistance to local agencies, collaboration with hospitals and EMS stakeholders, and the need for safer alternatives to routine ambulance transport such as community paramedicine, telehealth, and nurse triage. He also discussed disaster preparedness for vulnerable and rural communities and the use of regional and state assets, including ambulance strike teams, during fires and floods. The committee approved his appointment 4-0. The final item was Stephanie Weldon’s nomination as Deputy Director of the Office of Health Equity at the Department of Public Health. Weldon, who identified as Yurok-Tolowa and Karuk, spoke about her tribal, county, nonprofit, and state experience, her role as the first Native American woman in the position, and her commitment to health equity, rural communities, and culturally responsive public health work. Senators asked about how the office sets priorities, measures outcomes, addresses behavioral health, tribal consultation, youth mental health, and how it responds to political pressure around DEI language; Weldon said the office focuses on community-driven, data-informed work and transparency. Public commenters strongly supported her confirmation, citing her leadership on the California Reducing Disparities Project and related equity efforts. The committee approved her appointment 4-0, sending it to the full Senate for confirmation.

Transcript Highlights:

• and counties to directly return abandoned shopping carts to retailers rather than being forced to store
• Through current state law, cities are already required to recover and store abandoned shopping carts,
• Through current state law, cities are already required to recover and store abandoned shopping cards,
• So if the store, a supermarket, a pharmacy, anybody that provides shopping carts for the cost...
• store, and for San Francisco, so... ...where it's very difficult for people to get to a grocery store

Summary: The committee first heard SB 753, which would modernize California’s shopping cart recovery rules by allowing cities and counties to return abandoned carts directly to retailers, recover documented retrieval costs, and avoid the current impound-and-wait process. The author and supporters, including San Jose officials and the League of California Cities, said the bill would help clear streets, sidewalks, and waterways and reduce local costs. Grocers and retailers opposed the measure unless amended, arguing it would turn cart retrieval into a new cost burden and could create incentives for cities to charge too much for stolen property. After extensive discussion about notice periods, cost caps, and local ordinances, the committee adopted amendments and passed the bill 6-0 as amended. The committee then took up SB 445, which would speed up permitting and approvals needed for high-speed rail by requiring early engagement, setting rules for third-party coordination, and creating a dispute-resolution process. The author said the bill was narrowed from an earlier, broader transit proposal and was intended to reduce delays caused by utilities, local governments, and other entities. Supporters said permitting bottlenecks add major costs and delays to infrastructure projects, while opponents from utilities, cities, counties, telecoms, and special districts raised concerns about safety, reliability, affordability, and the need to review the pending amendments. The bill passed 8-1 to the Utilities and Energy Committee. The committee also heard SB 9, a narrower housing bill focused on accessory dwelling units. The author explained that it would require local ADU ordinances to be submitted to HCD for review and would make state standards control if a local agency fails to submit a compliant ordinance or respond to HCD findings. Supporters from housing and YIMBY groups said the bill would improve enforcement of state ADU law and prevent local barriers from slowing housing production. There was no opposition, and the bill passed 6-0. The committee then began hearing SB 79, which would allow more housing near major transit stops; the author and supporters framed it as a response to the housing shortage and transit underuse, and the hearing continued with extensive support testimony as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill makes needed... ...changes to how to store water for our future.
• When we have water, we should be able to store it.
• Can they store it?
• There's also the ability to store water.
• They also store significant amounts of carbon in soil and in vegetation.

Committees: House Water, Parks and Wildlife , House Water, Parks, and Wildlife

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> McNeel and George Rei opened a new store McNeel and George Rei opened a new store at<00:10:59.519
• </c><00:11:19.360><c> And</c> department at the economy store. And department at the economy store.
• But, um, a little about their store real quick.
• The transformation that store has gone through in the last three or four years is just incredible.
• Jim and John, and honor their store for 70 years in the Rutland area.

Transcript Highlights:

• The answer we got from Mike Whims said that assessing the area where leachate is handled and stored is
• The answer we got from Mike Whims said that assessing the area where leachate is handled and stored is
• Leachate is stored and transferred, and is required to be under a double lining underneath it to catch
• <04:11:54.680><c> this</c><04:11:54.840><c> do</c><04:11:54.960><c> you</c> regulating this do you regulating
• wouldn't be regulated by passed they wouldn't be regulated by anybody<05:22:32.160><c> uh</c><05:22:

Summary: The Environment and Agriculture Committee opened by noting member absences and then reviewed the governor’s HB 2 trailer bill language creating a solid waste site evaluation committee. The chair explained that Finance would want the committee’s input on the proposal and also announced a temporary change to the committee’s schedule, with additional Wednesday meetings planned around school vacation. The committee then moved into a work session on several bills. On HB 150, Representative Ktoa offered a simple amendment changing food-processing language from “washed and rinsed” to “cleaned and sanitized” in the processing area. Members agreed the change better matched food safety practice, and the committee indicated support for advancing the bill. On HB 307, dealing with homestead food production areas, members discussed proposed amendment language that would add clearer sanitary requirements, including handwashing access, sanitary storage, sanitizable food-contact surfaces, and pest exclusion. The committee also discussed whether to replace “potentially hazardous food” with “time temperature control safe food,” but several members favored keeping the existing term because it is already well defined in food safety law. The bill was held for further amendment work rather than being executed immediately. The committee spent substantial time on solid waste legislation. For HB 479, members recalled a prior plan for a letter to the solid waste working group and agreed to proceed with the bill in executive session, with an offer of drafting help from Representative Bixby. For HB 77, which would require DES to establish site-specific setback distances for proposed new landfills, Representative Penza said his amendment was not ready yet but was close, and the bill was left for further discussion. The most detailed discussion was on HB 2115, which would require landfill permit applicants to submit a report on the project’s harms and benefits. Representative Germana explained an amendment that would replace section one, expand the list of benefits to include economic potential and infrastructure improvements, and set up a third-party review process in which the applicant submits a list of reviewers, DES screens the list, and the commissioner selects a reviewer if no agreement is reached within 60 days. Members asked about who could serve as contractors, whether they had to be local, and how DES would judge qualifications; the response was that environmental engineering and similar firms could be used, local or outside the community, and that the process would remain somewhat flexible. Representative H. Haskins asked whether the legislature or subcommittee would be formally notified of preliminary review problems, and the chair said no additional notification process would be built in beyond existing practice. The committee planned to continue work on the bills in upcoming executive sessions, including after school break.

Transcript Highlights:

• No, the WCAG is a standard, but there's no regulation. There's nothing.
• My store was five hours away from this person's house, and he's legally blind, by the way.
• We had orders going to the wrong stores. It was just absolute chaos.
• I think what we're doing here with this set of legislation is regulating the attorney's conduct.
• I think what we're doing here with this set of legislation is regulating the attorney's conduct.

Committee: House General Laws