Video & Transcript : 'higher education spending' :
Page 149 of 500
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee Apr 14th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- I haven't had an opportunity to spend time with her, but I did spend a significant amount of time...
- There's the education component.
- There's the education component.
- I'm also a proud, born-and-raised Californian educated entirely by our public education system.
- I mean, there's a better way that we can spend our money.
Summary:
The committee heard SB 1135, which would reestablish the California Wildlife Coexistence Program to reduce human-wildlife conflict through nonlethal strategies such as deterrents, conflict reporting, and outreach. The author and supporters said the program had been effective but lost funding in 2024, and they argued it would help communities, ranchers, and wildlife by preventing conflicts before they escalate. Support came from conservation, animal welfare, local government, and county groups, while the California Cattlemen’s Association and California Farm Bureau opposed unless amended, saying the bill needed clearer limits on when nonlethal measures are practicable and protections so compensation funds for livestock losses are not reduced. Members discussed wolf-livestock conflicts, compensation, and the need for continued collaboration. The committee voted 2-0 on call to send the bill to Appropriations.
The committee then heard SB 1085, which would preserve water supply assessments for large housing and development projects even when those projects are exempt from CEQA. The author and sponsor EBMUD said the bill is needed to keep water planning tied to land-use planning and avoid “paper water” problems, especially as climate and drought conditions worsen. Supporters included water agencies, environmental groups, labor, and local governments. The California Building Industry Association opposed the bill, arguing that current law already requires verified water supplies, that the bill could add unnecessary process and litigation risk, and that it could slow housing production. Members raised concerns about duplication in cities that also operate their own water systems, but the author said the goal was better coordination, not more bureaucracy. The committee voted 4-1 on call to send the bill to Local Government.
The committee also heard SB 1270, which would expand the state wildfire mitigation home-hardening pilot to the top 10 counties by wildfire risk and social vulnerability, adding Riverside, Calaveras, Los Angeles, and Tehama counties and prioritizing future funds for those areas. The author said the bill responds to recent destructive fires and aims to extend home-hardening assistance to more high-risk communities. There was no opposition, and members discussed how to scale funding, whether the program should be broader than the listed counties, and how to focus on cost-effective mitigation. The committee voted 5-0 on call to send the bill to Emergency Management.
Finally, the committee heard SB 895, a major science funding measure that would place a $23 billion bond on the ballot and create a California Foundation for Science and Health Research to support research in the state. The author and supporters said California’s research sector is a major economic engine and that federal funding cuts and instability threaten jobs, talent retention, and scientific progress. There was broad support from UC, CSU, labor, health, and research organizations, with no formal opposition. Some members raised concerns about the role of sponsoring unions and the potential for politicization, but the author said the new foundation would operate under California law and that the measure is meant to protect science funding and collaboration. The committee discussion continued, but the transcript excerpt ends before a final vote on SB 895.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Appropriations and Finance Jan 14th, 2026 at 08:34 am
House Appropriations & Finance
Transcript Highlights:
- education because there's a big workforce component as well.
- education institutions.
- What I will go over, though, is just the spending items.
- I'll talk about why that is, as well as higher utilization trends, which are contributing to higher per
- continue that nutritional education component.
Committee:
House House Appropriations & Finance
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- In counties with little to no sex education, STI rates are significantly higher than the state average
- education institution and outlines review procedures for a public school or higher education institution
- education institutions and faculty members employees and contractors of higher education institutions
- education institution and outlines review procedures for a public school or higher education institutions
- education institution and outlines review procedures for a public school or higher education institution
Committees:
House Education , House House Education Committee of Reference
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations Committee on Higher Education Mar 11th, 2025
Appropriations Committee on Higher Education
Transcript Highlights:
- Good morning, good morning, and welcome to the Appropriations Committee on Higher Education.
- Siloed budgeting leads to unintended consequences for higher education.
- Siloed budgeting leads to unintended consequences for higher education.
- Florida is the number one state for higher education, Madam Chair.
- Florida is the number one state for higher education, Madam Chair.
Summary:
The committee held an informational hearing on higher education funding, focusing on how Florida’s university system should be financed and whether a new funding model is needed. University system financial officers and Chancellor Ray Rodriguez discussed major cost drivers, including wages and benefits, utilities, maintenance, financial aid, research, and the effects of geography, institutional mission, and student mix. UF highlighted the cost of research and graduate programs; UCF and FAU pointed to growth, location, and cost of living; FAMU emphasized recruiting top-tier talent while relying on other revenue sources; and UNF noted the challenges of growth and long-term planning. Members also discussed the role of internal controls and audits in addressing excessive spending and questioned whether out-of-state tuition should be adjusted to help offset costs.
On revenue sources beyond state appropriations and tuition, the panel described auxiliaries, restricted funds, capital projects, and component units such as foundations and health systems. Several universities noted that some revenues are restricted to specific purposes and cannot be used for general operations. FAMU explained that a large share of its capital project funding reflected active campus construction, while UF said its component-unit revenue is largely tied to UF Health. The Chancellor emphasized that the system’s low tuition and strong state support are central to Florida’s national standing, but also noted that some auxiliary revenues are pledged to debt and must be managed carefully.
When discussing the current funding process, witnesses praised Florida’s performance-based funding model for aligning incentives with student success, transparency, and accountability. They also raised concerns about non-recurring appropriations, rising employee benefit costs, unfunded mandates, deferred maintenance, and the difficulty of multi-year planning. Suggestions for improvement included more recurring funding, better coverage of mandated costs, greater flexibility in fee-setting, and possible weighting for mission, geography, and institutional type. The Chancellor said the Board of Governors is considering a “version 3.0” of performance-based funding that would benchmark institutions against peers and Carnegie classifications, but any changes would require legislative action. On out-of-state tuition, most universities said they would prefer local board flexibility, while the Chancellor cautioned that increasing out-of-state enrollment or fees could affect future state support and should be balanced carefully.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
House Budget review Sub. on Postsecondary Education. (2-5-26)
Transcript Highlights:
- education.
- </c> terms of important investments in higher terms of important investments in higher education.<00:
- 00:14:39.040><c> and</c> are in mathematics and in education and are in mathematics and in education
- pursuing that education. Six to 10 pursuing that education.
- I was on a panel recently that examined the future of higher education. There were three questions.
Summary:
The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education met without a quorum and postponed approval of the minutes. The committee first heard from Northern Kentucky University President Katie Short Thompson, who highlighted NKU’s enrollment growth, student success metrics, national recognition for value, lower student debt, and new programs tied to regional workforce needs, including AI, cybersecurity, supply chain analytics, cardiovascular perfusion, and the Norse Network Hub for employer access. She asked for a $5 million recurring base funding adjustment to align NKU’s general fund support with peer institutions, along with support for tuition waivers with FAFSA requirements, continued debt collection authority through the Department of Revenue, inclusion of fire and tornado insurance premiums in base funding, inflation and performance-funding support, and increased asset preservation funding. She also outlined capital priorities for the Hail College of Business building, Nunn Hall, and the MEP building, and requested $5.4 million to match private support for the Young Scholars Academy, a dual-credit program serving first-generation and low-income students.
Representative Tipton questioned NKU about the number of older students using tuition waivers and whether the university could continue the program without a statutory age-based mandate. Thompson said the number of students over 65 using the waiver was small, that some students pursue degrees while others audit classes, and that external fundraising could potentially support the program if state funding changed. Tipton also confirmed NKU’s requested priorities and the $5.4 million match for the Young Scholars Academy.
The committee then heard from University of Kentucky representative Dr. Cavallo, who framed UK’s request around accountability, workforce development, research, and health care impact. He described a patient story to illustrate UK’s medical mission, cited growth in enrollment, degrees awarded, hospital patients treated, and research grant revenue, and emphasized UK’s role in extension services and disaster response. He said UK is consolidating services for efficiency and is focusing on future workforce needs, especially artificial intelligence, noting the launch of the state’s first AI bachelor’s degree and a partnership with Microsoft to expand AI tools and training across campus and the Advancing Kentucky Together network. He also discussed demographic challenges, the need to retain graduates in Kentucky, and the importance of aligning programs and funding with long-term state needs.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
03/17/2026 - Senate Natural Resources
Senate Natural Resources Committee of Reference
Transcript Highlights:
- But you see excursions in here that are much higher than some anticipated...
- But you see excursions in here that are much higher than some anticipated higher cost to bring to market
- The imported barrel is at a higher cost. The imported barrel is at a higher cost.
- And that’s all come at a higher price. It’s more expensive to move it across.
- So if California still wants those barrels, it’ll not be at a higher competitive price.
Summary:
The committee first heard an informational presentation on transportation fuel supply in Arizona from Gordon Shemp of Nemecu Analytics. He described Arizona’s dependence on pipeline deliveries, limited terminal inventories, and the resulting vulnerability to outages and price spikes. He also discussed recent refinery closures in California, increased imports from overseas, and a proposed Kinder Morgan project that could add east-to-west capacity into Phoenix. Committee members asked about fuel formulations and how many fuel types move through the system; Shemp said the project would not change destination fuel specifications and that multiple fuel products already move through the pipelines.
The committee then took up House Bill 2758, which would allow groundwater transport from the McMullen Valley basin to an initial AMA and related uses, with provisions for eligible entities, transportation fees, and water improvement programs. Supporters, including Stan Barnes, Jim Downing, and Barry Arons, argued the bill follows the 1991 transfer-basin framework, provides needed water augmentation for urban Arizona, and includes local benefits and guardrails. Opponents, including La Paz County Supervisor Holly Irwin, Devonna Sater, and Ed Curry, said the bill would worsen groundwater decline, subsidence, and well failures in Salome and Wenden and favored rural communities being used to solve urban water shortages. The committee approved HB 2758 on a 4-3 vote.
The committee also considered HB 2078, which clarifies that certain aggregate mining reclamation notice requirements apply only to new reclamation plans and new aggregate operations, not existing mines. The sponsor said the bill fixes confusion from prior legislation, and the committee passed it 5-0. HB 2031, extending the deadline for applying for a certificate of grandfathered right in the Wilcox AMA from 15 to 27 months, also passed after some members argued the extension was needed for affected applicants while others said it would delay needed protections. HB 2102, allowing county improvement districts in certain basins to use eminent domain for a well and standpipe site and to operate domestic water delivery systems, and HB 2103, allowing gifts and fee revenues to support water hauling and local water improvement programs, both passed 4-3 despite opposition that they were only partial fixes.
Later, HB 2117, which increases the annual distribution cap for conservation district education centers and shifts Environmental Special Plate Fund disbursements to the Natural Resource Conservation Board, passed 5-2 after supporters called it a technical cleanup and one member objected to changing the administering entity. HB 2261, revising agricultural property tax valuation terminology and requiring income-based valuation for agricultural real property, passed 4-3 after assessors and county representatives warned it would remove agricultural improvements from the tax rolls and shift costs to homeowners, while farm groups said it would clarify and stabilize agricultural taxation. Finally, HB 2262, transferring the Resource Analysis Division from the State Land Department to the Arizona Geological Survey and changing related geospatial advisory duties, was presented with State Land Department concerns that the bill left several duties and funding questions unclear; the transcript ends before any final action on HB 2262.
OK
Transcript Highlights:
- Higher in PFOS than your influent testing, 551 times higher than your effluent testing, and 183 times
- higher than your lift stations.
- Now you're gonna hear later today from some individuals who are in higher education or academia, state
- COF numbers were exponentially higher than just the PFAS.
- I want to spend just a minute here.
Committee:
House Agriculture
Summary:
The committee hearing focused on biosolids, sewage sludge, and PFAS contamination, with the opening remarks and first three presenters arguing that land application of municipal sludge poses serious risks to soil, water, livestock, and human health. Representative Shaw cited EPA and state data on detected pollutants and PFAS in biosolids, while Denise Travick Poyer described her background in chemical engineering and PFAS work and said the EPA’s draft sewage sludge risk assessment shows unacceptable risk at very low PFOS/PFOA levels. She urged source reduction, more testing, and consideration of total organic fluorine, and noted examples from Michigan where industrial pretreatment and source reduction reduced PFAS in biosolids. Johnson County, Texas Commissioner Larry Woolley and Investigator Dana Ames presented a case study of alleged runoff from land-applied biosolids affecting a ranch, with high PFAS readings in soil, water, fish, cattle tissue, and a stillborn calf, and said the county and state had pursued investigations, lawsuits, and legislative responses. Sandra Trawick of Save Oklahoma Farms and Ranches argued that Oklahoma’s biosolids program relies heavily on Class B sludge, that current rules are outdated, and that land application exposes farms and rural communities to pathogens, chemicals, odors, flies, and runoff; she cited examples from Maine, Texas, Georgia, Michigan, and Oklahoma to support calls for stronger regulation or a ban.
After the testimony, members asked about sampling methods, lab testing, EPA limits, and whether the cited PFAS blood levels were comparable to the soil and sludge measurements. Witnesses said the Johnson County samples were collected by a Texas A&M PhD contractor and tested at a single lab, and they explained that the EPA’s 4 parts per trillion figure applied to municipal drinking water standards. Questions also addressed whether sludge is incorporated into soil; Trawick said it had often been left on the surface, though she had seen better disking after public scrutiny. Members asked how biosolids compare with manure and feedlot waste, and witnesses responded that municipal sludge is more contaminated because it includes industrial, hospital, and household waste streams, unlike animal manure. The committee then moved to alternative solutions, hearing from Doug McKinney of Advanced Microbial Solutions, who promoted biological sludge removal using bacteria to reduce sludge volumes and avoid land application, citing cost savings for wastewater plants and correctional facilities. Jason Jepsen of Eden Energy followed with a pitch for an eight-stage waste-to-energy system that converts mixed waste into clean energy, biochar, and reusable products, framing waste as an asset and presenting his company’s technology as a no-land-application alternative.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Legacy finance bill, HF2563, heard in House Ways and Means Committee 4/21/25
Transcript Highlights:
- Legacy funds are all one-time spending. There's no base or permanent FTEs with legacy dollars.
- That'd be the 20%, and then that's actually slightly higher.
- That'd be the 20%, and then that's actually slightly higher.
- That'd be the 20%, and then that's actually slightly higher.
- </c> ...million to the Department of Education for the Regional Public Libraries.
Summary:
House File 2563, the Omnibus Legacy Bill, was presented as a roughly $779 million package funding projects across Minnesota through the four Legacy funds: Outdoor Heritage, Clean Water, Parks and Trails, and Arts and Cultural Heritage. Chairs Vang and McDonald described the bill as a responsible one-time spending measure with no ongoing base funding, emphasizing habitat restoration, water protection, parks and trails, and arts and cultural heritage. Nonpartisan staff then walked through the spreadsheet, explaining that the bill largely follows the recommendations of the relevant councils and governor, with some additions such as a Wilderness Inquiry partnership, an Ash River sewer extension, competitive grant funding, and several arts and history projects.
Staff highlighted the major allocations and structure of the bill: Outdoor Heritage funding for land and habitat projects, Clean Water funding for water-quality work, Parks and Trails funding following the traditional 40-40-20 split, and Arts and Cultural Heritage funding for the State Arts Board, Minnesota Historical Society, Humanities Center, Indian Affairs Council, Department of Education, and other recipients. They also noted policy provisions requiring Clean Water Council recommendations to be broken out by fiscal year, requiring recent 990 forms for arts grantees, limiting arts funds from being used for capital construction except in specified cases, and extending a prior appropriation for the Sunni Lee memorial project. Members asked about land acquisition, the new 990 requirement, and reduced funding for children’s museums; chairs and staff responded that Outdoor Heritage includes land acquisition, the 990 is simply a documentation requirement, and children’s museum funding is lower because more money is now placed in a competitive grant pool.
The chairs said the bill reflects compromise and an effort to keep the bill relatively clean of earmarks, while also noting that a Department of Revenue transfer of more than $31 million from legacy funds affected available funding and forced difficult choices. After discussion, the committee laid the bill over, with the chair noting it was also being done in honor of Representative Mary Murphy.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- For this reason, and alignment to other programs, it is transferred to the Office of Higher Education
- </c> teachers at Institutes of higher teachers at Institutes of higher education<00:41:51.760><c> for
- </c> the office of higher education or o o the office of higher education or o o for<00:41:59.440><c>
- </c><01:49:55.520><c> spending</c><01:49:55.880><c> in</c> confirmed that education spending in confirmed
- that education spending in Minnesota<01:49:56.639><c> has</c><01:49:56.880><c> exceeded</c><01:49:57.360
Committee:
Senate Education Finance
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee Jan 27th, 2026
Water, Parks and Wildlife
Transcript Highlights:
- We try to get out there, educate, do the best that we can.
- And it helps us to know where do we go in and try and educate.
- And then the ones in between focus highly on education and focused education in our public areas, in
- County plays a large role in public education and conflict prevention.
- You have a higher incidence of Lyme disease.
WV
West Virginia 2026 Regular Session
Senate in Session Mar 12th, 2026 at 11:34 am
West Virginia Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- "Many of you probably are aware that today is Home Family Education Day here at the Capitol, and probably
- She is the Home Family Education Coordinator for statewide.
- education partnering with the Collaboratory and requires all units of state government to cooperate
- education expenses for purposes of 529 accounts.
- The purpose of this bill is to educate on this issue.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Members this bill relates to a report by the Higher Education Coordinating Board regarding enrollment
- and and higher education for students with disabilities.
- Coordinating Board to waive fees for admission applications submitted to public of higher education during
- And appreciate that, too. 26-24, that deals with higher education, right?
- That's correct. that you handed out, does that apply to higher education or just a public excuse?
Bills:
SB604 , SB843 , SB1636 , SB2395 , SB571 , SB1224 , SB1832 , SB2392 , SB747 , SB2623 , SB2624 , SB2185
Committees:
Senate Education , Senate Education K-16
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Ways and Means Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Joint Committee on Ways and Means
Transcript Highlights:
- This is significantly higher than a national benchmark.
- We just need to keep our eye on things and spend responsibly.
- One is around educational quality outcomes for our education contract.
- Department of Education.
- Financial literacy education is the other one I mentioned.
Committee:
Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means
Summary:
The hearing opened with remarks from Senate Chair Robyn Kennedy and House Chair Chynah Tyler, who emphasized that the fiscal year 2026 hearing was focused on the Health and Human Services budget, asked members to keep questions budget-related, and noted that no public testimony would be taken. They also highlighted the choice of Doherty Memorial High School as the venue to showcase Worcester’s investment in career and technical education. Committee members then introduced themselves before the first panel, the Executive Office of Veterans Services and the state veterans homes, began testimony.
Secretary John Santiago said the governor’s FY26 proposal would support implementation of the HERO Act, which he said is now about 95% implemented, including higher disabled veteran annuities, expanded behavioral health benefits, and other service expansions. He described efforts to reduce veteran homelessness, including nearly $20 million in ARPA-funded housing and outreach initiatives, and said the agency has delivered more than 100,000 supportive services to nearly 8,500 veterans. Leaders from the Chelsea and Holyoke veterans homes reported on staffing, quality measures, electronic medical records, and major construction projects at both facilities, including a new Chelsea campus and the new Holyoke home. Members asked about funding transfers, geographic equity in access to the homes, outreach to women veterans and veterans of color, suicide prevention, Gold Star family support, and the impact of federal uncertainty; Santiago said the homes are now licensed and certified, that the current budget is sufficient, and that the agency is expanding engagement and data collection.
The second panel, the Office of the Veteran Advocate, testified that its FY26 request is about $3.3 million, up from the current $2 million, to cover staffing, a larger office, and higher technology costs. Veteran Advocate Bob Notch said the office is a new independent oversight agency created in 2022 to examine systems, coordinate with local veteran service officers, and investigate fatalities or serious harm involving veterans in state care. He said the office’s work depends on research, data, and collaboration with other agencies, and that current funding is only enough for minimum operations. In response to questions, Notch and Deputy Commissioner David O’Callaghan discussed the difficulty of tracking veteran suicides, the need for better data across agencies, and the office’s role as an oversight body rather than a direct service provider. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Finance Division II (02/19/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- around evidence-based education, and, you know, evidence-based education is basically fine.
- All methods delivering public education shall be evidence-based, including educator training policies
- 10:06.240><c> educator</c> evidence-based including the educator evidence-based including the educator
- But there’s authority to spend, and there seems to be money to spend.
- Bill 1 does have a higher-than-traditional level of funding, at least for Cat Aid, special education
Summary:
The committee first took up HB 129, which would redefine “evidence-based” in public education. Department of Education testimony said the bill’s definition would conflict with the federal definition and be unusually restrictive, potentially affecting curriculum, educator training, and many existing state requirements. The department said it could force a broad overhaul of school programs and create a need for at least one new state position, with local districts likely facing significant unbudgeted costs. Members raised concerns about impacts on federal pass-through funding, curriculum materials, and whether the bill was workable at all.
Several members said the proposal would be too costly and difficult to implement, especially during a tight budget cycle. Representative Papovich moved to retain HB 129, and the motion passed 7-0. Members who supported retention said they wanted to set the bill aside because of the scale of the concerns, while also stating they did not support the bill as written.
The committee then opened HB 133, dealing with DMV follow-up on residency and licensing issues tied to voting and other interactions. Department of Safety/DMV officials said the bill would require a $40,000 technology update plus a full-time position to handle manual correspondence and review of possible matches, and that postage was not included in the fiscal note. They said the bill’s 60-day residency trigger is vague, that the DMV would be acting outside its normal role by investigating status after the fact, and that the measure could create privacy and operational problems. Members questioned whether the bill would effectively force people to buy a driver’s license to vote, whether non-driver and voter ID options would avoid that concern, and whether the Secretary of State rather than DMV would be the more appropriate agency to handle any follow-up.
NJ
New Jersey 2026-2027 Regular Session
Assembly Appropriations Jun 23rd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- education.
- needs, long-term student mental health needs, higher-acuity needs, ...to focus on higher-level needs
- , long-term student mental health needs, higher-acuity needs in students.
- We represent manufacturers who were very impacted by higher energy costs.
- You've got to raise that finger a little higher.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice Feb 12th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- HOURS TO BE LOWERED BUT OVERTIME EXPENDITURES TO BE HIGHER.
- HOURS TO BE LOWERED BUT OVERTIME EXPENDITURES TO BE HIGHER.
- YOU PROVIDED 275 EDUCATION POSITIONS TO US IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
- BUT THE NEGATIVE IS IF WE DIDN'T GET ANY SECURITY POSITIONS TO SECURE THE EDUCATION WE OPEN EVERY EDUCATION
- AND IN FACT AT A HIGHER PAY RATE AND WE PAY THE MAINTENANCE STAFF. THAT IMPACT OVER TIME AS WELL.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- As you can imagine, we have a wide range of educational backgrounds.
- As you can imagine, we have a wide range of educational backgrounds.
- We know that 2025 numbers will be higher based on the sophistication of the criminals.
- What's the best modality for educating that population that you found? About that.
- I'm now going to spend some time to... All right.
Committee:
Senate Health and Welfare
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- Funding would no longer be provided to higher education student organizations.
- colors educators of Minnesota educator colors educators of color<00:15:16.880><c> grants</c><00:15:17.440
- expenses for the special education paras to special education aid.
- expenses for the special education paras to special education aid.
- expenses for the special education paras to special education aid.
Committee:
Senate Education Finance
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session Jun 25th, 2026
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- and spend without any sort of concern that you'll ever hit this spending limit.
- The spending problem is real. Now, how do you get around the spending limit?
- The spending limit is there so that when the politicians hit the spending limit, any revenue that's collected
- beyond that spending limit must be spent on education and, yes, returning the money to the hardworking
- They don't want to spend too much money.
Summary:
The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance, then handled a series of procedural motions to re-refer bills, suspend rules, and remove items from the consent calendar. The chamber also heard guest introductions recognizing family milestones, a youth leadership program from Assembly District 13, a delegation of Japanese business leaders, and a Michoacan delegation. Later, members adopted several resolutions and consent items, including California Craft Beer Week, the Freedom Flag as a 9/11 remembrance symbol, Probation Services Week, and California Wildfire Week, along with other consent-calendar measures.
The main floor debate centered on SB 417, a $10 billion housing bond for the ballot, with supporters emphasizing the state’s housing shortage, homelessness crisis, and funding for multifamily housing, supportive housing, homeownership, farmworker housing, student housing, tribal housing, infrastructure, and preservation of existing affordable units. Opponents criticized the proposal as adding debt without enough reform and objected to the use of veterans in the measure’s messaging. The Assembly passed SB 417 on urgency and on the measure, 54-7, and sent it to the Senate. Members then adopted ACA 20, which would expand and modernize the state Rainy Day Fund by increasing its cap and changing deposit rules; it passed 54-8 and was transmitted to the Senate.
The Assembly also approved SB 623, a transportation-related bill addressing rideshare safety and medical lien practices. Supporters said it would curb abusive billing, restrict attorney conflicts and kickbacks, require stronger background checks for TNC drivers, and allow women riders and drivers to request women-only matches. The measure passed unanimously, 67-0. Later, the House adopted ACA 21, which removes ACA 13 from the November ballot, by 62-0, and ACA 22, which amends a ballot measure affecting taxation and local fiscal resources, by 64-0. The session concluded with an adjournment in memory of Dr. Dorothy Viola Calvin, followed by announcements, recesses, and final adjournment until the next scheduled floor session.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- So, yes, first I'll present SB 1374, which authorizes a public higher education institution to seek a
- SB 1374 closes that gap by permitting a higher education institution to seek a temporary restraining
- gap between high school and higher education.
- I'm here to present Senate Bill 1328, a targeted but critical fix to ensure equity in higher education
- For some students, that path is higher education.
Committee:
Senate Education