Transcript Highlights:

• So for a small commercial customer.
• The cities do. Ask the cities to produce.
• What we're talking about is that small—40 stores is not small—but you have no negotiating power.
• Small businesses, in particular, lack...
• And we still have reward programs in that country.

Bills: SB231, SB584, SB600, SB668, SB841, SB986, SB1003, SB1244, SB1625, SB1960, SB1963, SB1964, SB2026, SB2056, SB2368

Keywords: temporary emergency electric energy facility, temporary generation, emergency power, backup generation, mobile generator, portable generator, grid resilience, power outage restoration, transmission and distribution utility, TDU, Public Utility Commission of Texas, PUCT, Utilities Code Section 39.918, competitive bidding, lease authorization, emergency procurement, bulk power system, locational marginal pricing, reliability model, black start

Transcript Highlights:

• They finished something for the Pueblo, Acoma, City of Belen, City of Raton, Town of Hurley, City of
• Gallup, City of Clovis, City of Bloomfield, Sierra County got a project, Valencia County, City of Las
• of Gallup, City of Clovis, City of Bloomfield, Sierra County got a project, Valencia County, City of
• My concern is that small rural communities who either have a hard time retaining staff, getting program
• So could I be safe in saying you are a small-government believer? Small government and believer?

Bills: HB111, HB61, HB43, HB156, HB70, SB3, HB103, HB109, HB128, HB247, HJM2, HJM3, HM7, HM17, HM4, HM22, HM23, HM24, HM26, HM2, HM16, HM32, HM11, HM14, HM21, HM34, HM50

Keywords: water law, state engineer, civil penalty, compliance order, water rights, overdiversion, illegal diversion, groundwater storage and recovery, well license, permit violation, water enforcement, New Mexico water code, irrigation district, conservancy district, water diversion, unauthorized water sales, measuring device, district court appeal, water resources, water compliance

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and pledges, and spent much of the session on memorials and recognitions. Members honored former Senator Clint Hardin with a certificate and extended condolences, with several representatives sharing personal remembrances of his work on autism coverage, second chances for formerly incarcerated people, rural issues, and bipartisan dealmaking. The chamber also recognized Council of Governments Day, 4-H Day, NMSU Day, scouting groups, and several student and community guests, including youth from 4-H, NMSU CAMP, folklórico, and the La Cueva boys soccer team. The House received messages from the governor and Senate, including authorization for House Bill 320, the Industrial Carbon Reduction Act, and Senate passage of several bills. Committee reports were adopted on a long list of measures, including House Bills 145, 158, 180, 49, 164, 256, 287, 60, 120, 166, 306, 124, 314, 185, 253, 195, 259, 295, 296, 338, and others, along with several joint resolutions and memorials. The chamber also ordered certain bills germane and referred them to committees, and enrolled and engrossed multiple memorials. On third reading, House Bill 43, a PERA cleanup bill, passed 65-0. The House Judiciary Committee substitute for House Bill 70, updating the Public Regulation Commission and hearing officer structure, passed 66-0 after brief debate. House Bill 247, which modernizes capital outlay procedures and limits reauthorizations, was then taken up; the sponsor explained it would send unspent general fund capital outlay money to a Capital Development and Reserve Fund and tribal project balances to the tribal infrastructure fund. An amendment was offered to redirect the reserve fund money to the state road fund, and debate began, with members discussing road conditions and the purpose of the reserve fund.

Transcript Highlights:

• Freeman is a small rural district considered a desert for preschool, with a lack of daycare programs,
• Freeman is a small rural district considered a desert for preschool, with a lack of daycare programs,
• We, Freeman is a small rural district considered a desert or preschool lack of daycare programs, meaning
• We're a small rural community in eastern Washington, just 45 minutes north of the Tri-Cities.
• And this $452,000 sounds like a small amount, but it will in fact help stabilize these programs and keep

Bills: SB5998

Keywords: fiscal appropriations, budget, state funding, financial management, operating expenses, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The largest investment of that $93 million is $71 million for the small school modernization program.
• the HERE program.
• the HERE program.
• We strongly support your investment in the small district modernization grant program, which provides
• program developed under the Forest and Fish Law to address disproportionate regulatory impact to small

Summary: The committee first heard a briefing on the proposed Senate capital budget, Substitute Senate Bill 6003, which would spend about $723 million total using debt-limit bonds, Climate Commitment Act funds, and other cash resources. Staff described major investments in housing and homelessness, human services, local infrastructure, flood response, water conservation and clean energy, K-12 school modernization and seismic work, and higher education projects. Members then took public testimony from a wide range of advocates and project sponsors, most of whom urged the Senate to preserve or increase funding for specific projects in the final budget, including affordable housing, permanent supportive housing, child care facilities, food banks, behavioral health and substance use treatment centers, tribal courthouse relocation, school modernization, community colleges, university projects, floodplain restoration, community forests, and local civic or cultural facilities. Several witnesses also asked the Senate to match or approach House funding levels on items such as the Housing Trust Fund, permanent supportive housing, the Community Forest Program, Floodplains by Design, and CCA-supported clean energy and water projects. The chair noted that amendments to the capital budget were due the next day at noon. The committee then received a briefing on Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2251, which would restructure Climate Commitment Act accounts by repealing three existing accounts and replacing them with two new accounts: a CCA operating account and a CCA capital account. Staff explained that the bill would preserve most existing uses while changing revenue distribution formulas, capping Ecology administrative costs, expanding allowable uses for EV-related costs, housing, and carbon capture/sequestration, and changing reporting and tribal consultation provisions. The bill also shifts some reporting from annual to biannual and modifies the thresholds for tribal-supported and overburdened-community investments. The fiscal note was described as relatively small, with the main impact being the revised revenue allocation structure. Public testimony on the CCA bill was mixed. Supporters, including the League of Women Voters, said the restructuring better aligns spending with the intent of the CCA and could improve investments for tribes and overburdened communities. Critics, including the Washington Policy Center, argued the bill still lacks strong requirements to ensure CCA spending is effective and objected to reducing the frequency of the state’s climate-spending report. No votes were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Programs that fund affordable construction are relatively plentiful, but programs that support infill
• We have the City of Carlsbad, the City of Rancho Cucamonga, and the City of Thousand Oaks in opposed
• And in opposed and less-amended positions, we have Belmont, Redwood City, and the City of San Mateo.
• within city limits in the city jurisdiction, but also mental health and substance abuse?
• Process and application requirements vary significantly from city to city and are often unclear.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The city of Alamo is home to...
• I would also be remiss if we did not recognize the City of Alamo up in the gallery with City Manager,
• We've got the mayor of New York City Council, City Council, and Mayor Ray, and then we have County Judge
• From the charming small towns to cities with rich history, Hunt County is a place that offers something
• Summer Spurlock, the city.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . city. city.
• for this new program in statute.
• </c> Twin Cities and Fargo-Moorhead. Twin Cities and Fargo-Moorhead. Thank<00:27:08.679><c> you.
• or</c> a pilot program.
• So, this program or a pilot program.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is the grant program<01:21:12.560><c> exclude</c><01:21:14.000><c> small</c><01:21:14.320><c> investors
• to to do program exclude small investors to to do that<01:21:16.000><c> or</c><01:21:16.400><c> does
• going</c><01:25:27.440><c> to</c><01:25:27.600><c> be</c> to the small cities that are going to be to
• the small cities that are going to be getting<01:25:28.000><c> millions</c><01:25:28.320><c> of</c><
• may run out of funding this program may run out of funding this year.<01:31:50.000><c> Cities</c><01

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This accident has caused turmoil in our city. He impacted our entire town.
• cities that are supporting big families or even small ones throughout Arkansas.
• “Buildings that belong to the cities, like properties, all that kind of stuff.
• I adore the concept of supporting small businesses.
• Representative Springsteen to establish a blue envelope program.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• DCCA Port Pilot Program in support. Danny Sha, program specialist for DCCA.
• </c><00:56:18.480><c> is</c> of ensures that the program is of ensures that the program is structured
• </c><01:02:32.960><c> Um</c> the city and county of Honolulu. Um the city and county of Honolulu.
• </c> city transportation buses. city transportation buses. &gt;&gt; Thank<01:41:58.320><c> you.
• Seeing none, the recommendation is adopted. program. I I don't believe we did, but I program.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1588, which would establish a Department of Transportation noise detection program using cameras to enforce noise control laws. DOT supported the measure and said it is already piloting the technology at eight locations, with about 10 sites costing roughly $2 million to $2.5 million to install and operate. The Department of Health said it was willing to work with DOT but noted its current regulations are not designed for vehicular noise sources and that the bill may need clearer standards to be enforceable. Members raised concerns about the lack of a specific decibel threshold and whether the system could accurately identify the source of noise; DOT said the pilot can pinpoint vehicles and that the program would align with existing health standards, but no final number was identified during the hearing. The committee then heard HB 1696, which lowers the minimum age for a commercial driver’s license from 19 to 18 and removes a restriction tied to vehicle category, while requiring DOT rule changes. DOT, the City and County of Honolulu, the Hawaii Transportation Association, Teamsters Local 996, and other stakeholders testified in support. The Hawaii Transportation Association suggested adding a training requirement for drivers ages 18 to 20, proposing at least 320 hours of employer training and recordkeeping. Members sought clarification that the bill would apply to intrastate, not interstate, licensing. For HB 233, the committee considered a measure authorizing DOT to designate airport special district zones statewide to prevent unauthorized access and improve security. DOT and the City and County of Honolulu supported the bill, explaining that defined boundaries would help law enforcement address trespassing, disruptions, fires, theft, harassment, and other incidents around airports and terminals; DOT said commercial airports are ready to implement the proposal, while some general aviation sites would need further work. Members asked about the scope of the boundaries, existing enforcement, and whether the measure would cover state-owned or non-state parcels near airports. The committee also heard HB 2332, which renames the Harbors Division as the Commercial Ports Division and distinguishes “harbor” from “port” in statute. DOT, the Maritime Group, and harbor users supported the bill, saying the change would reduce confusion between commercial cargo/cruise facilities and recreational small boat harbors, and could help with clarity and possibly federal grant competitiveness. Members asked about impacts on small boat harbors and cruise activity, and DOT explained that the bill is aimed at purpose-built commercial ports, not recreational facilities. The committee also took testimony on HB 2283, which clarifies DOT’s consultative role with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs in setting port pilotage standards and requirements. DOT, DCCA, Matson, the Hawaii Pilots Association, and others supported the measure, saying it would improve coordination and ensure pilot licensing standards reflect operational realities in the harbors. Finally, after a recess, the committee heard HB 2217, which would allow driver’s permits, licenses, and ID cards to include a notation for a non-apparent disability. The Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities opposed the bill as drafted, saying voluntary alternatives such as Smart 911 may be better and that the category is too broad. The Attorney General’s office supported the intent but recommended limiting the notation to medically recognized, specifically defined conditions so agencies can train personnel and avoid confusion or escalation.

Transcript Highlights:

• We did a lot of work in the state to sort of think about small business and to ensure that the programs
• in these detention programs?
• Again, we're a small group in this.
• groups for small amounts of time.
• Loan situation there is a small. Amounts of time.

Summary: The Senate Labor and Public Employment Committee held an oversight hearing on federal policy impacts on California’s labor market. In opening remarks, the chair argued that federal actions, including immigration enforcement, tariffs, and cuts to safety-net programs, are harming workers, employers, and communities, and said the committee wanted to document impacts and identify state responses. The first panel featured economist Enrique Lopez Lira of UC Berkeley, who described slow job growth, wage pressures, high housing and care costs, and the large share of California workers in low-wage jobs. He said federal cuts to Medi-Cal and SNAP/CalFresh and increased immigration enforcement would worsen insecurity, especially in health care, retail, hospitality, agriculture, and care work. The chair asked about recession indicators, middle-wage stagnation, and which sectors rely most on safety-net programs, and Lopez Lira said worker organizing and unions were a source of hope. A second panel focused on federal immigration enforcement. UC Merced’s Edward Orozco Flores presented research finding that private-sector employment in enforcement-targeted states fell during escalated enforcement periods, with California experiencing unprecedented declines in 2025. He urged policymakers to consider wage-replacement or stimulus-style support for affected workers, including excluded workers who cannot access unemployment insurance. Shannon Sedgwick of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation said undocumented workers are deeply embedded in the county economy, generating substantial economic activity and supporting over a million jobs. She reported that intensified enforcement in Los Angeles County was associated with business disruptions, reduced sales and customer traffic, workforce instability, lower transit ridership in vulnerable areas, and losses from the downtown curfew. Committee members asked about impacts on small businesses, tax revenue, and recovery, and witnesses pointed to local resiliency funds, business toolkits, and know-your-rights efforts as partial responses. The hearing then heard from worker representatives. Flore Melendres of the Clean Car Wash Worker Center said car washes have been heavily targeted by federal agents, with hundreds of workers taken from workplaces, many businesses disrupted or closed, and workers living in fear; she urged support for AB 2271 to provide financial benefits to families who lost income because of DHS activity. California Nurses Association president Michelle Gutierrez-Vos said H.R. 1’s Medi-Cal and Covered California cuts threaten hospital finances, jobs, and patient care, and she backed CalCare (AB 1900), a hospital closure moratorium, and more support for nursing education. UAW 4811 president Rafael Jaime said federal research cuts are putting UC research funding and postdoctoral jobs at risk and endorsed SB 895, a proposed bond measure for health and scientific research. AFGE representatives Wallace Wade and Kendrick Roberson described the strain on federal workers during shutdowns, unpaid work, staffing losses, and the effects on TSA, Social Security, VA services, and worker housing stability; they supported SB 1155 to protect federal workers from eviction. Committee members thanked the witnesses and said the testimony showed both the human and economic consequences of federal policy. In the final panel, employer groups began responding to the same federal pressures. California Retailers Association president Rachel Michelin said retail is a major private-sector employer and a key entry point for young workers, and that retailers are seeing the effects of rising costs, supply-chain shifts, and consumer pressure at the checkout counter. The hearing continued with additional employer testimony beyond the provided excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Corrections, City of Newark, City of Jersey City, City of Paterson, the irony cannot be lost on anyone
• City of Paterson, Passaic City, we have students from Jersey City.
• City.
• City.
• So to say that because it’s a big city and they need $120 million, that doesn’t negate what these small

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For a layoff program are eligible for benefits.
• Protecting workers against such denials is no small matter.
• Protecting workers against such denials is no small matter.
• Patrick Connor with NFIB, representing Washington's small business owners.
• Patrick Connor with NFIB, representing Washington's small business owners.

Bills: HB2107, HB2137, HB2243, HB2264

Keywords: construction safety, hazard notification, worksite regulations, labor safety, state law, law enforcement, correctional officers, interest arbitration, collective bargaining, public safety, workers' compensation, healthcare providers, physical therapy, occupational therapy, employment, unemployment insurance, benefits, layoffs, workforce reduction, 904

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a wildly popular program amongst our legislators.
• The city of San Diego has a different definition.
• The city of Los Angeles may have a different definition.
• These types of programs are programs we should look at statewide.
• The program is for us to through.

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Arts held an informational hearing on California’s first sector-specific creative economy strategic plan, developed under AB 127 by the California Arts Council with an interagency work group and outside research support. Committee members and panelists described the plan’s purpose as strengthening the state’s creative workforce, stabilizing creative businesses, expanding equity and access, and building infrastructure for long-term implementation. The opening presentation highlighted major forces shaping the sector over the next decade, including AI, climate disruption, affordability, access to capital, and social cohesion, and outlined six action areas: workforce preparation, business growth, cultural tourism and identity, cross-sector incentives, ROI/data tracking, and state capacity-building. Testimony from the California Department of Education and the Workforce Development Board focused on existing workforce pipelines, including updated arts/entertainment/design CTE standards, the Entertainment Equity Alliance, apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship pathways, and High Road Training Partnership investments. Speakers said these efforts are producing strong placement outcomes, including paid on-the-job training, union placements, and support for workers facing barriers, while also emphasizing the need for entrepreneurship training and wraparound supports. Committee discussion also centered on a major unresolved issue: how to define and measure the creative economy consistently across agencies, since current labor data often misses gig, contract, nonprofit, and business activity. A second panel of practitioners and advocates described local examples of the plan in action. The Handy Foundation, Arts for LA’s Creative Jobs Collective, the Arts Council of San Bernardino County, and the California Arts Council chair all argued that artists and creative workers should be treated as essential contributors to education, community health, local economies, and resilience, not as peripheral workers. They urged stronger school partnerships, more arts access, and better recognition of creative careers. Members also discussed AI’s impact on creative work, with panelists saying it should be treated as a tool that requires guardrails, training, and union and educator involvement rather than as a replacement for human creativity. No formal votes were taken; the hearing was informational, and members expressed support for continued implementation, better data systems, and additional funding in future budget and policy actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• The other program here is a partner's program.
• This program has been ongoing since about 2010 when the first State Small Business Credit Initiative
• So this is one of our programs where, if we have small businesses who are looking for a loan or trying
• This is actually a free program for very small businesses with 10 or fewer employees who are looking,
• City are just really excited about the work that this program has done.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many permit costs from city to city are really similar.
• Many permit costs from city to city are really similar.
• Many permit costs from city to city are really similar.
• Many permit costs from city to city are really similar.
• Many permit costs from city to city are really similar.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Administered by MassDevelopment, this program helps small businesses and startups access over 100 core
• The budget also proposes $5 million for the Small Business Technical Assistance Grant Program administered
• And when you're operating your small business, you barely have time to actually dig into these programs
• And when you're operating your small business, you barely have time to actually dig into these programs
• Our programs are, many of our programs, we are... Regional equity. Our programs are...

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held a public FY27 budget hearing at Barnstable Town Hall, with opening remarks emphasizing the Cape and Islands’ seasonal infrastructure, housing, transportation, workforce, and digital needs. The hearing began with testimony from the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, which outlined the Healey-Driscoll administration’s budget priorities for job training, apprenticeship, youth employment, reentry programs, and unemployment insurance modernization. The secretary highlighted proposed funding for the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund, Career Technical Initiative, YouthWorks, reentry workforce development, and services for young adults with disabilities, along with a proposal to streamline youth work permits. Members also discussed the unemployment trust fund, the COVID assessment on employers, rising unemployment, and the need to improve DUA customer service and claims processing. Committee members asked about job seeker barriers such as child care, housing, transportation, and out-migration of young workers, as well as how to keep Cape Cod graduates and seasonal workers in the region. The administration said its strategy is to pair training with broader affordability investments and to expose students to career pathways earlier, including through middle school, early childhood STEM, YouthWorks, pre-apprenticeships, and Building Pathways. Senators and representatives also raised concerns about regional funding disparities, especially for Hampshire Franklin MassHire, and the administration said it is reviewing MassHire funding and service equity through a policy committee and statewide workforce board. On unemployment assistance, officials reported major improvements in wait times and claims processing, but said they are still working through backlogs and staffing challenges while maintaining program integrity. The committee then heard testimony from the Executive Office of Economic Development. The secretary described House 2 as a fiscally restrained budget with no new taxes or fees, while preserving core programs and using the Mass Leads Act tools to support competitiveness. EOED’s proposal included funding for the Community One Stop for Growth, rural economic development, social enterprise operating grants, regional economic development organizations, the Workforce Investment Trust Fund, Community Workforce Partnerships, Pathmaker, advanced manufacturing training, life sciences, innovation vouchers, AI initiatives, small business assistance, and tourism and live theater support. The Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation also testified on its FY27 request, focusing on consumer protection, licensing, banking, insurance, and public safety regulation. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I was speaking with the city manager of Benicia, the small city on the bay that is the host of Valero
• The City of Redlands disrupted this. This bill reinstates it.
• The park expansions, free parks pass programs, and equitable educational and recreational programs built
• down to 15% of degree programs.
• down to 15% of degree programs.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Small businesses that survived on small margins were forced to close.
• A reparations program without a tax exclusion is an incomplete program.
• and County of San Francisco, City and County of Sacramento, City of Long Beach, Pequima Beautiful, Tobacco
• Swan, Council Member, City of Los Altos Hills. Thank you.
• Isha Ayur, on behalf of the City of Mountain View and the City of Thousand Oaks, in support.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• sales, and leasing program.
• The solid waste management program at Ecology supports local moderate risk waste programs, which include
• If it is, small generators may be able to use a county's MRW program if they reside in a participating
• Finally, programs need to be simple.
• And so for me, what I want to see in an EPR program, in any EPR program, regardless of the product that

Keywords: 904, all