Transcript Highlights:

• to the Public Employment and Retirement Committee; AB 2163, Jeff Gonzalez, from the Utilities and Energy
• Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact Committee, and then back to the Utilities and Energy
• Assembly Bill 2180 by Assembly Member Ward, an act relating to local government finance.

Transcript Highlights:

• National Conference of State Legislatures, or NCSL, where he sits on several committees related to energy
• NCSL, where he sits on several committees related to energy, economic development, and international
• He was well respected, but always so generous with his time and his finances and always made sure to

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and welcomed a visiting Quebec National Assembly official, Matu Lemay, who was introduced as a special envoy discussing California-Quebec environmental collaboration. The body also approved Senate journals, suspended Joint Rule 62A to allow certain bills to be heard in Appropriations on short notice, and deemed gubernatorial and Assembly messages read. The chamber then considered three gubernatorial appointments. Courtney Welch was confirmed to the California Housing Partnership Corporation Board of Directors by a 29-1 vote, Janessa Goldbeck was confirmed to the California Veterans Board by a 28-2 vote, and Tom Huntington was confirmed to the State Parks and Recreation Commission by a 28-0 vote. The Senate also adopted the consent calendar, including Senate Bill 607, by a 37-0 vote. The remainder of the session was devoted to adjournment memories honoring Elizabeth Betsy Hammer Carr, Alberto Ronel, William Louis McIntyre Jr., and Joy Atkinson. Senators highlighted each individual’s public service, community leadership, activism, and family legacy, with particular emphasis on Carr’s labor and housing advocacy, Ronel’s health care and behavioral health work, McIntyre’s business and civic contributions, and Atkinson’s leadership development work for African American women in public life. The Senate then announced its next floor session and recessed.

Transcript Highlights:

• I call the meeting of the Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee to order.
• We do appreciate the time and energy that you have committed to putting this bill together, and the fiscal
• They've been used to make roads safer, property more secure, and energy systems more efficient.

Bills: HF2439

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Green infrastructure authorities, energy authorities, energy office, UA system, immigrants standing on
• Good morning, Chair, Vice Chair, Department of Budget and Finance.

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee convened at 10:00 a.m. and opened with instructions about live streaming, one-minute testimony limits, and the possibility of reconvening on March 31 if technical problems interrupted the hearing. The committee then took up HB 300, which drew extensive testimony from state agencies, commissions, nonprofits, and advocacy groups. Many agencies, including Budget and Finance, Education, Health, Housing, and others, said they stood on their written testimony and supported the measure. One witness from the Kohala Island Reserve Commission supported the bill and asked for funding for a CIP project at its Kihei site to consolidate offices and generate revenue for Maui. Several groups, including the Hawaii Oral Health Coalition and the Hawaii Association for Behavior Analysis, supported funding for mandated oral health services and higher ABA provider rates for children with autism. In contrast, the Re-imagining Public Safety in Hawaii Coalition and Hawaii Friends of Restorative Justice opposed $30 million for jail planning and additional incarceration-related spending, urging more investment in housing, mental health, youth programs, education, and restorative justice. The chair noted the testimony totals for HB 300: 186 in support, 91 opposed, and 52 comments. The committee then heard brief testimony on HB 794 and HB 795. The Department of Budget and Finance supported HB 794, and the Tax Foundation was listed for HB 795 but was not present. No additional testimony was offered on either bill. After the testimony phase, the committee deferred all three measures—HB 300, HB 794, and HB 795—for decision making to March 31 at 10:00 a.m. in the same room.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you know, California's energy sector is roughly 8% of our economy.
• It would ensure regular reporting to the Energy Commission by data center operators, and the Energy Commission
• It would ensure regular reporting to the Energy Commission by data center operators, and the Energy Commission
• I think that this moment in California's energy crisis is critical.
• The motion is do pass to Energy, Utilities, and Communications.

Summary: The committee heard SB 872, which would direct $150 million annually each for Central Valley subsidence repairs and Delta levee work. Senator McNerney and supporters from Restore the Delta, the State Water Contractors, and many water agencies, labor groups, environmental organizations, and local governments argued the bill is urgent to protect water delivery for 27 million Californians, safeguard levees and state assets, and address climate-related flood risks. There was no opposition testimony, and members asked about the bill’s focus on state-owned conveyance; the author said the distinction reflects the separate state and federal water projects. The bill was held while the committee lacked a quorum, with no vote taken at that point. The committee then heard SB 981, which would require CARB to include cost-of-living impacts in its existing regulatory analysis for major rules. Senator Niello and supporters from agriculture, manufacturing, business, propane, restaurants, and commercial property groups said the bill would improve transparency about how regulations affect gasoline, electricity, food, housing, and business costs. Opponents, including Coalition for Clean Air and the Union of Concerned Scientists, argued it would add delay, cost, and redundant analysis to CARB rulemaking and could not reliably measure the effects the bill seeks to capture. Committee members raised concerns that CARB already estimates costs, that the bill is burdensome and narrow, and that it does not fully account for benefits or the role of other agencies. No vote was recorded in the transcript. SB 887, by Senator Padilla, would require data center projects to undergo CEQA review while creating a streamlined path for projects meeting strong environmental, labor, and community-benefit criteria, including zero-carbon electricity, on-site storage, recycled water or water-efficient cooling, and full cost responsibility for grid upgrades. Supporters said data centers are rapidly expanding, can strain energy and water resources, and should be held to clear standards while still allowing beneficial development; labor and environmental groups backed the measure. Opponents from the Data Center Coalition, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and business groups said the bill is overly prescriptive, discriminatory toward one industry, and could drive investment and jobs out of state. After discussion, the committee established a quorum and voted 3-1 to pass SB 887 as amended to the Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee, with the bill kept on call. The committee also heard SB 1008, which would renew a CEQA exemption for the closure of at-grade rail crossings ordered by the California Public Utilities Commission. Senator Ochoa Bogh and Union Pacific testified that the measure would help the state act quickly on rail safety by removing redundant environmental review for crossing closures, while still requiring collaboration with local jurisdictions and the PUC. There was support from railroad and business representatives and no opposition. The committee voted 4-0 to pass SB 1008 to the Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee, and the bill was kept on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2255, Litigation Finance. Hearing no objection, so ordered.
• This is one more tool in the chest so we have electrical energy in the future.
• House Bill 2285 imposes new clean energy expectations on data centers.
• Wind and solar are intermittent energy, as we've heard...
• Wind and solar are intermittent energy, as we've heard over the years.

Bills: HB1160 , HB1289 , HB1339 , HB1798 , HB1065 , HB2113 , HB2124 , HB2125 , HB2134 , HB2140 , HB2185 , HB2191 , HB2205 , HB2219 , HB2245 , HB2283 , HB2343 , HB2406 , HB2501 , HB2574 , HB1544 , HB1834 , HB2156 , HB2188 , HB2206 , HB2478 , HJM4012 , HB1104 , HB1152 , HB1254 , HB1443 , HB1982 , HB2006 , HB2179 , HB2203 , HB2297 , HB2322 , HB2329 , HB2379 , HB2388 , HB2399 , HB2462 , HB2464 , HB2495 , HB2544 , HB2551 , HB2636 , HB2192 , HB2251 , HB2262 , HB2266 , HB2298 , HB2320 , HB2323 , HB2351 , HB2401 , HB2405 , HB2442 , HB2523 , HB2593 , HB2632 , HB2661 , HB1496 , HB1898 , HB2095 , HB2157 , HB2225 , HB2274 , HB2311 , HB2325 , HB2333 , HB2476 , HB2508 , HB2552 , HB1343 , HB1634 , HB1707 , HB1906 , HB1909 , HB2196 , HB2244 , HB2339 , HB2361 , HB2384 , HB2389 , HB2410 , HB2468 , HB2475 , HB2521 , HB2548 , HB2619 , HB2637 , HB2720

Summary: The House first took up House Bill 2156, which would expand the Attorney General’s investigative authority, especially for organized retail crime and related economic and financial crimes. Members debated a series of amendments on training standards, background checks, warrant service, scope limits, and definitions. Some amendments were adopted, including provisions clarifying electronic service of search warrants, background-check expectations, decertification standards, and a definition of economic and financial crimes; others were rejected or ruled out of scope. The bill was then amended, advanced, and passed 54-43. The House then considered several other measures. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2219 on child care operational efficiency passed overwhelmingly after amendments addressing opioid-related safety standards in licensed child care settings. House Bill 2124, adjusting the lump-sum retirement allowance threshold, passed unanimously. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2266, dealing with permanent supportive housing, traditional housing, and indoor emergency shelters, was amended to add local notice, transparency, community meeting, and siting protections, then passed 56-40. The chamber also passed Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1784, which updates certified medical assistant supervision rules for diagnostic radiologic procedures, by 96-0. Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2523, codifying the Community Reinvestment Program, passed 88-9 after amendments adding accountability and local-government provisions. House Bill 2113, clarifying supervision authority for diagnostic radiologic procedures in rural hospitals, passed 97-0. House Bill 2632, modernizing statutory terminology by replacing “alien” with “non-citizen,” passed 58-39. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2476, expanding theater seating rules for venues serving alcohol, passed 81-50. The House then began House Bill 2320 on regulating firearms manufacturing involving 3D printing and CNC milling; several narrowing amendments were rejected, a striking amendment was adopted, and debate continued with supporters citing ghost-gun risks and opponents raising constitutional concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• They generate energy when they brake. About 40% of our energy gets regenerated.
• And the other half, 20% to 25% of our energy, goes back to the grid.
• and Peninsula Clean Energy.
• And we were able to reach a solution where our energy suppliers now compensate us for that energy that
• That saved us about a million dollars a year in energy costs.

Summary: The Senate LOSSAN Rail Corridor Resiliency Subcommittee heard updates from CalSTA, Caltrans, Metrolink, and Caltrain on corridor performance, governance, funding, and long-term planning. Chair Lackey opened by saying the SB 1098 report on LOSSAN governance and performance was unfinished and overdue, and argued the corridor remains at a crossroads because ridership, on-time performance, fiscal solvency, and capital delivery are still lagging. Senator Archuleta echoed concerns about safety, maintenance, ridership recovery, and the need to avoid state subsidy if local revenues fall short. CalSTA and Caltrans said the state has made major investments, including $125 million for San Clemente emergency resiliency work, and that more than $25 billion in funded rail projects are moving toward construction. They said work on the SB 1098 report is underway, with a LOSSAN working group to be convened, and described a new Caltrans transit-and-rail reorganization with a deputy director to improve accountability. Caltrans also reported restoration of Surfliner service to 13 weekday round trips between Los Angeles and San Diego, planned service increases to Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, fleet overhauls, and a new project-tracking and service-planning tool to prioritize capital projects by service outcomes. The panel also discussed zero-emission strategy, saying hydrogen fuel-cell trains are being procured for longer-distance service while battery-electric options are being pursued where feasible, and that San Clemente long-term planning is being scoped with local partners. Metrolink CEO Darren Kettle said the agency has shifted from a commuter-only model to all-day regional service through its “Metrolink Reimagined” schedule, with improved transfers, more weekend and off-peak ridership, and a 25% increase in monthly pass sales under a new fare pilot. He warned, however, that Metrolink faces a fiscal cliff: member agencies now cover about 72% of operating costs while fares cover about 11%, and without a dedicated revenue source the agency may need to cut service, reduce stations, or end later-evening and weekend trips. He said Metrolink has limited ability to monetize stations or parking because it does not own most of the relevant property or rights. Caltrain’s Jason Baker described the success of electrified service, with ridership up 57% year over year and customer satisfaction at record highs, but said Caltrain also faces a projected $75 million annual operating deficit and may need to consider service cuts if stable funding is not found. He highlighted revenue efforts such as energy regeneration compensation, parking and concession reviews, station development, and a planned battery-electric pilot to extend zero-emission service south of San Jose.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair, members, as amended by the Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee, House Bill 2331
• Madam Chair, members, House Bill 2428, as amended by the Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee
• Vicente, Madam Chair, members, as amended by the Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee, House
• Vicente, Madam Chair, members, as amended by the Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee, House
• Vicente, Madam Chair, members, as amended by the Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee, House

Summary: The committee worked through a long Minority Caucus calendar covering a wide range of bills, with many items on consent and several pulled for discussion. Early items included resolutions on Judea and Samaria, bullion depository bills, a produce incentive appropriation, a biennial budget proposal, and a veterans services appropriation. Members also heard transportation-related bills on driver permits, citations, boat insurance, English proficiency for commercial drivers and motor carriers, photo enforcement, and a measure restricting incarceration for unpaid fines and fees. Several members raised concerns about constitutional issues, public safety, or whether bills were duplicative or targeted at specific groups. A large portion of the meeting focused on education and school governance bills. These included proposals on school district bond advisors, restrictions on school property leases and purchases, public meeting requirements, term limits and training for school board members, patriotic youth group access to students, computer science proficiency, and a bill requiring fingerprint clearance cards for traffic school instructors. Members repeatedly criticized what they described as inconsistent treatment of public schools versus ESA/private school programs, and several education bills were pulled from consent for further discussion. Other bills addressed child safety and family law, including DCS credit freezes, recorded child interviews, parents’ rights notices, mandatory reporting of threats by minors, sex offender residency and GPS monitoring, and a bill on guardianship rights during DCS investigations. The committee also considered a number of social services, health, and labor/consumer bills. These included SNAP work requirement and verification measures, a SNAP error-rate audit, dementia care telemonitoring funding, a Braille transcription appropriation, court fee limits, a physician assistant compact, pediatric licensure compact, and a kratom regulation bill. Members debated an earned wage access licensing bill at length, with opponents calling it predatory and akin to payday lending, while supporters argued it provided a regulated consumer option. Other measures covered cash acceptance by businesses, 529-to-Roth IRA rollovers, AI rules for state agencies, and a bill on public nuisance actions by the Attorney General. Several of these drew warnings about constitutional problems, preemption, or burdens on vulnerable populations. Energy, water, and tax policy also featured prominently. The committee heard bills on fuel formulations, gas tax relief, data centers and small modular nuclear reactors, utility reporting, and a Commerce Authority mandate to reduce fuel prices. Members criticized some proposals as favoring industry, preempting local control, or lacking a clear funding plan. The meeting ended after additional items on veterans, sample ballot mailing dates, and other miscellaneous measures, with multiple bills noted as pulled from consent or subject to later votes; no final roll-call results were detailed in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• This conference report relates to directing the Director of the Department of Energy to identify and
• This conference report relates to siting of data centers and site assessment for high-energy-use facilities
• This conference report relates to establishing the Distributed Energy Resources Task Force and its sunset
• conference report relates to a small solar permitting platform for established residential solar energy
• The conference report protects residential ratepayers and would require high-energy-use facilities to

Transcript Highlights:

• Finance will have briefings at one o'clock today.
• Uh chair of education, energy, and the environment. Uh thank you, Mr. President.
• ><c> and</c><00:14:54.320><c> the</c> chair of education, energy, and the chair of education, energy,
• ,</c><00:15:12.160><c> climate,</c> implications of that on energy, climate, implications of that on
• energy, climate, environment<00:15:13.440><c> for</c><00:15:13.600><c> the</c><00:15:13.760><c> state

Transcript Highlights:

• effectively environmental groups, community members, uh, advocates of WHIP WIP itself, Department of Energy
• Uh, so we're continuing to work on that with the Department of Energy, um. Mr.
• report, uh, we have some concerns with it and have been giving some feedback to the Department of Energy
• Chair and Senator, um, prior to that permit being renewed, the Department of Energy gave priority to
• with the loss of so many federal workers in the agencies that I deal with, the EPA, Department of Energy

Committee: House Radioactive & Hazardous Materials Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• That's residential building and energy codes.
• </c> residential building and energy codes. residential building and energy codes.
• run our housing finance authority, which is separate from their Indiana Finance Authority, for a number
• </c> less specific uh in the financing less specific uh in the financing part<00:25:48.559><c> of</c>
• So I so the energy bills will be less.

Summary: The Housing Task Force heard a presentation from Anita Sanford of the Homebuilders Association of Kentucky and Sheri Cybert of Indiana’s Residential Infrastructure Fund about Indiana’s low-interest loan program for local housing infrastructure. They described the program as a voluntary, locally driven model that helps communities finance roads, sewers, sidewalks, traffic lights, turning lanes, and other infrastructure needed for new housing development. Sanford emphasized that infrastructure and regulation are major drivers of housing costs, citing estimates that infrastructure can account for up to 30% of a home’s cost and regulations another 25%, and said the association is studying Kentucky-specific regulatory costs. She also noted that every $1,000 added to new home construction can price out about 2,000 Kentucky households. Cybert explained that Indiana’s program, administered through the Indiana Finance Authority, began in 2023 with $75 million appropriated over two years and has since closed 17 loans totaling $60.7 million, with more than 2,700 projected housing units. The program reserves 70% of funds for rural communities and 30% for urban communities, requires applications from local governments rather than developers, and asks communities to show need through a market study, describe the infrastructure and housing to be built, and provide preliminary engineering plans and a repayment source. She said the loans currently carry an interest rate around 3.5%, reset quarterly, and that the program has generated about $25 million in savings to communities compared with private borrowing. She also described recent Indiana legislative changes that encourage higher density and other zoning reforms, and said a majority of those local ordinance changes must be adopted for an application to be fundable. Members asked about the ordinance requirements, the funding split between rural and urban areas, repayment mechanisms, and whether there were caps on project size. Cybert said repayment is worked out case by case, often through existing or project-specific TIFs, temporary tax agreements, or letters of credit, and that the program has no cap on request size or income/affordability restrictions. She said the largest request funded was $19 million for a 700-unit project. Co-chair Mills and others discussed whether Kentucky could adopt a similar model and what it would cost, while Sanford and Cybert said they were still refining budget estimates. Later, Scott Welch, president of the Homebuilders Association of Kentucky, testified that upfront infrastructure costs are a major barrier in his projects, citing a $1 million pump station and road-widening and utility relocation costs as examples, and said an infrastructure fund would help get projects off the ground.

Transcript Highlights:

• Innovation, American EV Jobs Alliance, American Lung Association, California Center for Sustainable Energy
• Code requirements upon specified findings by the Energy Commission.
• Many greenhouse systems, especially in agriculture, Specified findings by the Energy Commission.
• Chris McHalee on behalf of Silicon Valley Clean Energy, in support of AB 2396 by Ms.
• I'm a finance... Hi, I'm Skylar Waldek Myers.

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 4014, State Military Affairs and Elections; HB 4025, study committee, gas, natural resources, energy
• HB 4108, Appropriation, natural resources, energy and water, and appropriations.
• Natural resources, energy, water, and appropriations. HB 412, officers correction.
• Natural resources, energy and water.
• Your Natural Resource Energy and Water Committee will meet upon adjournment of the floor in Hearing Room

Transcript Highlights:

• We are now out of binding conditions, but our finances are precarious.
• comply with state and federal laws regarding student safety, campus security, emergency response, and energy
• If these were to go to hard assets, so maybe to a clean energy, maybe to an alarm, update an alarm system
• This bill will allow us to initiate the safety and energy efficiency projects necessary to meet current
• Investing in energy efficiency reduces the ongoing operating cost of schools. Thank you.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several education bills. SB 5841 would require students’ high school and beyond plans to show completion of at least one FAFSA or WASFA application, or a parent/guardian opt-out. The sponsor and supporters said it would reduce barriers to postsecondary education, improve financial aid completion, and bring more students and federal dollars into the state. School groups opposed it, warning it would add an unfunded administrative burden and create verification challenges, especially for small districts and families with undocumented students. Senators discussed data-sharing from the Washington Student Achievement Council and noted the bill’s connection to existing FAFSA outreach efforts. The committee then took testimony on SB 5922, which would let districts petition OSPI to transfer money from transportation vehicle funds to other district uses if they reduce their fleet because of enrollment declines. The sponsor said the bill would free up unused bus funds for other pressing needs. Members asked about whether districts could shift to smaller vehicles and how the funds could be used. The committee also heard SB 5858, which would move the pupil transportation safety net for special passengers into statute. Supporters from OSPI, districts, school directors, and PTA said the program is essential for transporting students with disabilities, homelessness, or foster care needs, and that current funding is far below demonstrated need. No votes were taken on these bills. Finally, the committee heard SB 5943, which would allow limited use of school impact fees for modernization and, in districts under binding conditions or enhanced financial oversight, for up to 25% of operations and maintenance. The sponsor and one superintendent argued it would help districts with aging buildings and new state mandates like safety and energy-efficiency requirements. Builders, business groups, and school coalition representatives opposed the bill, saying impact fees should remain tied to growth-related capital costs and warning it could worsen housing affordability and weaken the nexus required for impact fees. The chair closed by noting the session’s budget constraints and the committee adjourned after the hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Arvind Trujillo, and I'm with Government Affairs for the Navajo Transitional Energy Company
• I am also with the Navajo Transitional Energy Company out of Farmington, New Mexico. Thank you.
• My name is Arvin Trujillo, and I'm here with the Navajo Transitional Energy Company.
• Now we'll see what the Navajo Nation focused on: energy development and economic development within the
• We are involved in coal right now, but we're also looking at alternative energy.

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> But I don’t have the mental capacity or the energy to try to come up with an amendment right now
• 49.760><c> come</c><00:17:50.000><c> up</c><00:17:50.160><c> with</c><00:17:50.240><c> an</c> or the energy
• to try to come up with an or the energy to try to come up with an amendment<00:17:50.960><c> right</
• I will take that as a motion to amend from the Department of Transportation to the Department of Finance
• </c><00:37:12.480><c> and</c> Department of Finance and Department of Finance and Administration.<00:

Committee: Joint Public Property

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> in our committee finance bill. in our committee finance bill.
• ,</c><01:24:35.280><c> and</c> Committee on Judiciary, Finance, and Committee on Judiciary, Finance,
• ,</c><01:24:49.480><c> and</c> Committee on Judiciary, Finance, and Committee on Judiciary, Finance,
• on Judiciary Finance and Civil Law.
• Thanks Judiciary Finance and Civil Law.

Bills: HF1660 , HF1824 , HF1926 , HF1002 , HF994 , HF1915 , HF1336

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• I am an engineer with a consultancy involved in energy.
• That's an energy challenge.
• I worked for an energy storage utility company before.
• We had an energy-efficiency company back in the day.
• The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved this standard.

Bills: SB75 , SB715 , SB776 , SB1299 , SB1405 , SB1968 , SB2021 , SB2077 , SB2148 , SB2321 , SB2330 , SB2411

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• The central fact of state government finance, never mind speculation on what it might generate or what
• The central fact of state government finance, never mind speculation on what it might generate or what
• while also providing and clean energy while also providing Pathways<01:21:40.199><c> into</c><01:21:
• Thank you for your time. urban and Regional infrastructure urban and Regional infrastructure Finance<
• at the Humphrey Institute wrote Finance at the Humphrey Institute wrote in<01:31:32.119><c> 2023</c>

Bills: HF192 , HF268 , HF1214 , HF494

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy