Transcript Highlights:

• , and significant advances in the use of technology and processes to better serve legislators, staff,
• Police LEGISLATIVE SECURITY DETAIL. Police LEGISLATIVE SECURITY DETAIL.
• . process. process.
• also both proud legislators. also both proud legislators.
• That is the legislative<01:31:28.720> body. legislative body. legislative body.

Keywords: In an effort to stave off issues that may occur with long format live streams, we have split this stream into two parts., 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. opt into the system. There are a number opt into the system.
• achieve a centralized system. achieve a centralized system.
• commissioner must establish a process. commissioner must establish a process.
• Um, another piece is that this system is a complaint-based system.
• This system is a complaint-based system.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• program to the systems.
• They may require legislation.
• There was legislation.
• There's a process here that we legislate every year.
• But then once that process... ...that we legislate every year.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held an informational hearing on the state capital outlay process, with Roger Husser and Matt Baker of the Division of Administration’s Office of Facilities Planning and Control (FPNC) presenting a detailed review of House Bill 2 and proposed improvements. They said FPNC administers about 54% of the bill, while other agencies administer the rest, and emphasized that the capital outlay program has improved significantly over the last few years, with project expenditures more than doubling due to better cash-flow management, staffing changes, and more efficient project administration. They also explained how the bill is structured by priorities, how the priority-one cash line of credit is capped and adjusted for construction inflation, and how the bill has grown into a much larger, longer-range plan than a true five-year program, especially on the non-state side. A major theme was that the bill contains too many dormant, legacy, and low-priority projects, which creates false expectations and ties up funding. Committee members pressed the presenters on culture change, third-party project management, staffing shortages, and the use of technology and statutory interpretation to speed projects without sacrificing compliance. Husser and Baker said they had reduced internal bureaucracy, used staff augmentation because of hiring difficulties, delegated smaller projects to agencies when appropriate, and improved cash-flow analysis so projects can move forward with less money up front. They also discussed overappropriations, dormant projects, and the need to reappropriate unused funds to projects that can actually spend them. The presenters offered several recommendations and considerations: limit the number and size of new projects, reduce scope creep, require more regular endorsement of long-running projects, consider caps on priority-five funding, impose time limits and reporting requirements on non-state grant projects, and possibly require non-state entities to escrow or otherwise demonstrate their match earlier. They also suggested bundling related projects together, expanding that approach beyond the current pilot, and improving transparency by showing full project funding history and the first year each project appeared in the bill. No votes were taken, and the meeting remained informational, with members generally supportive of the efficiency reforms while also raising concerns about false hope, dormant projects, and the need for clearer expectations and accountability.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman and committee. management system. So anyway, we'll management system.
• did make it through the process. did make it through the process.
• Basically, all the processes of the commission touch on and depend on the document management system.
• The system that we've got was system.
• of your bill management system. Yeah. of your bill management system. Yeah.

Bills: SF0082

Keywords: registered agents, corporate governance, entity ownership, business regulations, transparency, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:24:27.039> for can refer to the justice system for can refer to the justice system for
• <00:29:43.679> For into the PUC rate case process. For into the PUC rate case process.
• There's a process for it.
• It's not an amorphous process. It's a process that has a finite end.
• faith facilitator through this process. faith facilitator through this process.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm executive vice president of systems improvement.
• your system.
• Certainly, you as legislators should be examining and understanding.
• legislative component of that.
• What are the barriers to allowing them back into the system?

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy update on Washington child welfare from Casey Family Programs and DCYF. Dr. David Sanders said Washington has sharply reduced out-of-home care and increased kinship placements, but he flagged concerns about low screening-in rates, long stays in foster care for many children, and a recent rise in repeat maltreatment and child fatalities, especially among infants. He urged more focus on infants and young children, better coordination among child protection, health care, and law enforcement, and more proactive review and investigation practices. Members asked for disaggregated data on children lingering in care, fatalities, and causes such as fentanyl exposure. DCYF said it has increased relative placements and guardianships, but also reported a concerning rise in 2025 critical incidents, mostly near-fatalities involving children age three and under, many opioid-related. The department described responses including safe child consults for opioid cases, more training, hotspot analysis, and proposed investments in peer support, public health nurses, community referrals, and an updated safety framework. Members also discussed whether a broader commission on child abuse prevention would be useful, and DCYF said it was open to that idea. The committee then received a DSHS reorganization update from Secretary Angela Ramirez, who described the “Reimagined” plan to consolidate four administrations into three new ones, with the stated goals of reducing silos, improving customer experience, and making transitions between services smoother. She said the agency is seeking statutory changes and CMS approval to align the new structure, and members asked about preparing for federal HR1 impacts, especially SNAP. Ramirez said DSHS is monitoring those impacts closely and emphasized the need for accurate data and cross-agency coordination. Finally, DSHS’s Behavioral Health and Habilitation Administration updated the committee on residential habilitation centers and implementation of Substitute Senate Bill 5393, which phases out Rainier School by June 30, 2027 and limits new admissions. Officials reported current census and staffing levels at the state’s RHCs, said Rainier has had some residents transition to supported living or adult family homes, and explained that emergency and permanent rulemaking was needed to implement the law. They also said Rainier was recently cited by federal surveyors for not meeting the active treatment requirement for two residents, and that the facility has 90 days to return to compliance before possible payment penalties or further remedies. Members pressed for details on the citation, the meaning of active treatment, the assessment process for admissions, and whether Rainier could be repurposed for other services; DSHS said it is working on corrective action and will follow up in writing.

Transcript Highlights:

• and move them into one regional system.
• We buy a lot of school bonds, water system loans.
• Through that particular piece of legislation.
• As we develop legislation each year, um, trying to figure out how we, how we legislate that, you're already
• intent throughout the years and setting up the systems in anticipation of our legislative intent and

Transcript Highlights:

• The whole system isn't working, and we have uh drivers helping and making decisions.
• support of uh working with legislators support of uh working with legislators pushing<00:10:03.880
• is just like the the form and the system is just like the the form and the system uh<00:21:01.360
• Do you know the impacts of that legislation? Are you feeling it?
• <00:29:29.559> we and protections and as a legislator we and protections and as a legislator

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our systems were not written with women in mind.
• Everyone is involved, the system works.
• And that is the system that exists today.
• A responsive self-petition process can change that.
• The system had no foster care reentry pathway for her.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard a series of Assembly bills, with no formal votes taken because the committee was operating without a quorum and repeatedly noted that motions and votes would occur later when a quorum was present. Several measures drew broad support and no opposition, while others generated both support and opposition testimony on policy and legal grounds. AB 1744, the Clear Labels, Clear Seas Act, would prohibit sunscreen products marketed as reef safe, reef friendly, or similar terms from containing chemical UV filters. The author and student supporters said the bill is a truth-in-labeling measure meant to prevent greenwashing and protect marine ecosystems; Consumer Reports also supported it. No opposition was offered, and senators praised the student advocates. AB 713 would allow undocumented students at UC, CSU, and community colleges to access campus jobs. The author, a law professor, and many student and immigrant-rights organizations supported it, arguing it would reduce exploitation and improve affordability and retention; a few opponents argued it would conflict with federal law. Committee members expressed strong support and personal reflections on the issue. AB 1359 would let people age 80 and older opt out of jury service without a doctor’s note, and supporters said it would reduce burdens on older adults and people with Alzheimer’s or other conditions; there was no opposition. AB 2563 would standardize and clarify definitions of sex discrimination across California codes. Supporters, including women’s rights and reproductive health groups, said it would strengthen and harmonize protections; opponents argued it would blur distinctions between sex and gender identity and create legal conflicts. AB 1705 would require websites hosting sexually explicit content to verify consent for depicted persons before upload; supporters framed it as a response to nonconsensual pornography, while TechNet opposed the bill as overbroad for sites that prohibit such content, though Senator Wiener said he would support it while seeking further privacy-related amendments. The committee also heard AB 1940 on menopause-related workplace protections, with supporters saying it would clarify existing rights and improve workplace awareness, while the Chamber of Commerce opposed expanding the protected-class framework and urged reliance on reasonable accommodation law. AB 1824 would incorporate ICWA and Cal-ICWA protections into the Probate Code to prevent guardianship proceedings from being used to bypass tribal child welfare protections; tribal representatives and advocates strongly supported it and no opposition appeared. AB 2115 would issue a formal legislative apology to California Native peoples for historic state violence and discrimination and place a commemorative plaque at the Capitol; Native leaders and allies supported it, and committee members offered strong remarks in favor. AB 2076 would add nitrous oxide to age-verification restrictions on dangerous online products, prohibit purchase with gift cards or store credit, and increase penalties for large sellers; supporters cited youth misuse and public safety harms, and TechNet/CCIA moved from opposition to neutral. AB 2783 would expand court reporter licensure reciprocity and extend a remote court reporting pilot, with support from court reporters and the Judicial Council and no opposition. AB 1916 would include American Sign Language interpreters in the court interpreter collective bargaining framework; interpreters and disability advocates supported it, while the Judicial Council opposed it, saying the act was designed for spoken-language interpretation and the amendment did not fully resolve implementation concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:15.120> a fact, um, we did pass legislation a fact, um, we did pass legislation a number
• for them to be experts in their system for them to be experts in their system as<00:51:21.760>
• Uh, but we really view it as their system. So, we don't view it as a piece of the MnDOT system.
• Uh, but we really view it as their system. So, we don't view it as a piece of the MnDOT system.
• Uh, but we really view it as their system. So, we don't view it as a piece of the MnDOT system.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Which could also be addressed with some of these quantum systems.
• Systems like you would see in AI and data centers.
• We're in the process of building that board.
• I support the legislation here that is phenomenal.
• I don't know if you've seen it; it's on the legislative website.

Transcript Highlights:

• The system would need to not only collect information from the way this proposed legislation is written
• reporting system that is in another system.
• So each system that is in other system.
• c> system.
• . legislation. legislation.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• With this being said, I pray that while debating legislation, these legislators would not lean to their
• So there is a process to do that.
• . ...on this legislation who were victimized by what this legislation covers.
• I think that the system for the death penalty, especially in Florida, is a broken system.
• I think that the system for the death penalty, especially in Florida, is a broken system.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer, and heard several announcements and recognitions, including remarks from the new Democratic caucus leader, Senator Berman, who emphasized bipartisan work on education, health care, the environment, and family issues. The chamber also recognized military leaders, an intern, and guests connected to later bills. No committee reports or executive messages were on the desk at the start of the session. The Senate then took up a series of bills, many of them with House companion substitutions and technical amendments. Major measures included the Pam Rock Act on dangerous dogs, which passed 36-0; a local government land regulation bill that was amended after questions about quasi-judicial hearings, impact fees, and county costs, then passed 26-8; a vessels/boating bill that incorporated related legislation and passed 35-0; a blood clot screening and treatment bill creating the Emily Adkins Family Protection Act, which passed 36-0; a fleeing or eluding law enforcement bill, amended to remove vehicle impoundment in the House version, which passed 36-0; a concealed carry/firearms bill for certain law enforcement and military personnel, which passed 33-3; and a timeshare management bill, which passed 36-0. The chamber also passed a disability history and awareness instruction bill, the Evan B. Hartzell Act, after extensive debate about language and the meaning of disability versus “unique abilities”; it received 35 co-sponsors and passed 35-0. Other bills passed included manufacturing and related fee legislation, public education on background screening requirements, utility service restrictions, educational opportunities for military children, Medicaid oversight, health facilities authorities, and veteran and spouse nursing home beds, most by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on human trafficking, waste management, Bright Futures, mammogram coverage, Parkinson’s disease, and others.

Transcript Highlights:

• Drew Sotomayor, Legislative Analyst's Office. Drew Sotomayor, Legislative Analyst's Office.
• is a bottom-up system.
• is not a two-month process.
• Certainly, the alert system.
• notice alerts through what's called the iPAUSE system.

Summary: The committee heard a broad public safety budget hearing focused on youth justice funding, probation incentive grants, and disaster response and recovery. On the youth justice item, the Office of Youth and Community Restoration described a proposed change to the JJRBG funding formula that would shift resources away from a DJJ-based measure and toward county youth population, serious offenses, and step-down placements in less restrictive programs. Members asked about data on Native American youth; OYCR said statewide data are limited, but its SYTF data show about 1% of youth in secure youth treatment facilities were Native in 2024. The Department of Finance had no objections, and the item was discussed as a way to support alternatives to long-term incarceration. The committee then reviewed the community corrections performance incentive program for county probation departments. The Department of Finance proposed stabilizing the program with a maintenance payment, updating the performance baseline, and adding a growth factor; the LAO agreed the formula needed changes but recommended using 2022-23 data instead of 2021-23, using marginal rather than average cost assumptions, rejecting the growth payment and minimum guarantee, and adding stronger oversight through the BSCC. Finance said it was open to some technical changes but opposed a new BSCC audit framework, noting Judicial Council already surveys probation departments and that evidence-based practice use has increased over time. Members and staff indicated the proposal still needed further work. A major portion of the hearing focused on the January 2025 Southern California wildfires and state disaster response. A resident of Altadena gave emotional testimony about evacuation failures, loss of home, and the need for accountability. LAO and Cal OES outlined the disaster response and recovery system, including mutual aid, alert and warning, debris removal, FEMA and state funding streams, and the long timeline for reimbursement. Cal OES said it had pre-positioned resources, temporarily took over the county’s wireless emergency alert function for about three weeks, coordinated debris removal and recovery operations, and had already allocated more than $286 million in state funds. Officials also discussed the 100% federal cost share for emergency work for 180 days and the uncertainty created by changing federal processes and the cancellation of the BRIC resilience program. The committee also heard two smaller Cal OES items: a request to reappropriate about $22 million for the law enforcement mutual aid reimbursement program, which the LAO said should be placed in statute with clearer goals and reporting, and an update on Victims of Crime Act funding, where Cal OES said federal VOCA allocations have fallen sharply and that roughly $224 million would be needed to maintain current service levels if federal funding does not improve. Public comment included a request for funding to expand datacasting and emergency alert receivers for wildfire and earthquake warning.

Transcript Highlights:

• legislation revitalizes condo This legislation revitalizes condo construction<00:19:58.000> in
• <00:20:42.720> legislation.
• by this legis legis. legislation. by this legis legis. legislation.
• down to 10 because the process you're down to 10 because the process you're going<00:23:55.679> to
• The process is it's overly burdensome. The process is overly<00:31:38.640> burdensome.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They expanded the system.
• You can go through 64 miles of expressway system, highway systems, interchange systems, BART to the South
• So that was actually in the legislation.
• We do have legislation.
• With the Legislature for a long time through the entire GGRF process, through the cap-and-invest process

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held an informational hearing on the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s 2026 draft business plan, with testimony from the authority, the Legislative Analyst’s Office, and the High-Speed Rail Inspector General. Chair Cortese framed the hearing around major changes since the 2024 plan, including a new CEO, revised scope for the Merced-to-Bakersfield initial operating segment, the loss of about $4 billion in federal funds, and the authority’s push for private investment, value capture, and public-private partnerships. The authority’s CEO said the project is now in a more disciplined phase, with most major structures in the Central Valley underway or complete, track procurement moving forward, and an updated target of revenue service for the initial operating segment by early 2033. He also highlighted cost-saving “optimization,” direct procurement of materials, and plans to pursue ancillary revenues from real estate, energy, broadband, and logistics. Committee members pressed the authority on several issues, including proposed station relocations in Merced and Bakersfield, reduced double-tracking, the need for tax increment or other value-capture tools, utility relocation authority, permitting delays, transparency, and whether the project can still qualify as true high-speed rail. The CEO said the station locations are still under discussion with local governments, that the project will still be built to high-speed standards, and that the authority is seeking legislative changes to reduce delays and enable financing. Senators also questioned the loss of federal funds, the use of future cap-and-invest revenues, and the feasibility of private financing; the authority said the project can proceed without the withdrawn federal money but that it will keep applying for grants and exploring ways to bring future revenue forward. LAO and the Inspector General were sharply critical of the draft plan. They said it does not fully comply with newer statutory requirements in SB 198 and AB 377, especially because it assumes a different Merced station location and a largely single-track segment without clearly identifying those as scope changes. They also said the plan omits key funding details, including borrowing costs that could total billions, and relies on assumptions about future legislative changes, financing, and project savings that may not materialize. The Inspector General said the draft plan falls short on required business-plan elements, including comparable cost estimates, a complete funding plan, and projected procurement milestones. In response, the authority committed to address the OIG’s findings in the final business plan and to provide a written response on compliance before the plan is finalized.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also have Rachel Cotton, who is our legislative intern there at the indigent defense system and we
• The justice system was a much more isolated system at that time. We really functioned on our own.
• We completely overhauled the pardon process, which is now significantly more efficient and fully processed
• We increased our automation processes.
• The new Offenderman system will allow for several of our manual processes to be automated.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• budget process that MMB facilitates. budget process that MMB facilitates.
• changes uh in the last legislative changes uh in the last legislative session<00:05:12.160> that
• building systems need total replacement. building systems need total replacement.
• General funds will be used to relocate the cellular distributed antenna system, the DAS system.
• > DAZ<00:37:20.560> system.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Most systems have three; that smooths them up to three.
• This bill basically strengthens the appeal process.
• This bill basically strengthens the appeal process.
• Alan Boxfiger for the Legislative Fiscal Office. Mr.
• A lot of the systems, most of the systems, had frozen unfunded liabilities at one point.

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met with eight members present and deferred HB 127. It then considered a series of bills, most of which were reported favorably without opposition. HB 22 revised COLA rules for the clerks of court retirement system, allowing more frequent COLAs when the system is better funded; HB 324 made judicial stipends permanent and added future COLAs subject to available funding; HB 233 increased jury mileage reimbursement; HB 47 reorganized assessor retirement COLA statutes; HB 533 allowed St. Tammany Parish to transfer unused witness-fee account balances to the 22nd Judicial District Court; HB 980 adjusted eligibility for the Firemen’s Supplemental Pay Board; HCR 45 urged Congress to clarify ARPA deadlines for water projects; HB 559 increased court costs in the 4th Judicial District; HB 290 recreated the Department of Treasury and related entities in statute; and HB 382 addressed Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget review authority over Group Benefits plans. The committee also reported HB 1157 favorably, creating a financing bank mechanism for infrastructure projects, and HB 575 favorably, giving youth aging out of foster care preferred access to surplus state vehicles through the Louisiana Property Assistance Agency. Several measures drew more discussion. HB 1236, dealing with pharmacy benefit managers and professional dispensing fees, prompted extensive testimony from the sponsor, the Legislative Fiscal Office, the Department of Insurance, independent pharmacies, and PBM representatives. Supporters said it clarifies and strengthens enforcement of existing PBM law and protects independent pharmacies; opponents argued the bill’s requirement that PBMs bear dispensing-fee costs would be difficult to implement and could raise premiums. The sponsor said he would work on amendments, including clarifying language and a delayed effective date, and the bill was nevertheless moved favorably. SB 25, on registrar of voters compensation, was amended to a revised pay structure and then reported favorably. HB 47 and HB 533 were also presented as funding and administrative cleanups for retirement and court-related accounts, with local support noted. The committee also heard HB 233 on jury duty mileage reimbursement, which the sponsor said updates a 1961 rate and would be funded locally at an estimated average increase of about $4,000 per judicial district. HB 324 on judicial salaries was described as self-funded by the judiciary and subject to available funding, with no budget impact. HB 575 on foster youth transportation was presented as a non-appropriation measure aimed at helping youth aging out of foster care by giving them preferred access to surplus vehicles. HB 382, which concerns the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget’s role in approving Group Benefits plans, was reported favorably with little discussion. The meeting ended after a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't have large water systems; we have many domestic water systems.
• Is there anything that we can do as a legislative body to support those processes? Madam Chair.
• And I hope it can be used in your appeals process if you get to that after This dispute process.
• , as well as wastewater systems.
• process.