Transcript Highlights:

• The motion is due pass as amended to the Committee on Natural Resources. Connolly? Aye.
• Disposable vapes are an environmental disaster at every stage of their life.
• I also have the other half of the list, so all in support: Natural Resources Defense Council, Toxic-Free
• Mandy Strella, on behalf of Breast Cancer Over Time, Defend Our Health, Natural Resources Defense Council
• , AB 405, authored by Assemblymember Addis, the motion is due pass as amended to the Committee on Natural

Summary: The committee heard several environmental and consumer-safety bills. AB 405, the Fashion Act, would require fashion companies to disclose and manage toxic chemicals in their supply chains; supporters said it would reduce worker and consumer exposure and align with existing industry frameworks, while retailers and business groups argued it would duplicate existing laws and raise costs. After questions about DTSC workload, international standards, and affordability, the bill was moved on a due-pass-as-amended motion to Natural Resources and held on call with three votes. AB 762 would ban the sale and distribution of disposable vape devices; supporters emphasized battery-fire risks, recycling contamination, and waste impacts, while cannabis and convenience-store interests warned it would push consumers to illicit markets and harm legal businesses. The bill passed on a due-pass motion to Business and Professions with three votes and was held on call. The committee also adopted the consent calendar with six votes. AB 794 would direct California to keep in place the federal PFAS drinking-water standard if federal protections are weakened, with supporters citing health risks and the need for certainty, and water agencies opposing the emergency-rulemaking authority and potential costs. Members debated whether the bill was too broad and whether federal funds would cover implementation; the bill passed on a due-pass-as-amended motion to Appropriations with four votes and was held open. AB 1148, the Safer Food Packaging Act, would restrict certain chemicals in food packaging; supporters cited cancer and reproductive-health concerns, while chemical, beverage, and manufacturing groups argued the bill should go through existing regulatory processes and that some chemicals lacked feasible alternatives. The author said she would remove antimony trioxide later in the process after hearing opposition concerns; the bill passed on a due-pass motion to Judiciary with four votes and was held open. Finally, AB 1338 would allow local air districts to recover costs for implementing fence-line air monitoring at metal shredding facilities, building on prior legislation and local air district efforts in AB 617 communities. The author said the bill would preserve local control and improve efficiency, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District testified in support. The transcript ends as the district witness begins testimony, with no vote yet taken on AB 1338.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's human nature. It happens. We're seeing that in other areas, too, that we've dealt with.
• a different matter, having met with President Zelensky on Friday morning before the humiliating disaster
• important positions we've got to have a sense that you're going to be truthful and that The truthful nature
• Europe continues to buy billions of dollars worth of gas from Russia instead of buying American liquid natural
• I have no insight into any plans of that nature, and to the extent my understanding is, at least from

Committee: Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment would, for those disasters where there's not a governor's declaration of a disaster at
• I know we're all thinking about the disaster that happened in North Mississippi.
• And has that changed at all from prior disasters as a result of recent federal legislation?
• That's the nature of the Mississippi Office of Capital Post-Conviction Counsel.
• This is the natural gas testing in school districts.

Transcript Highlights:

• Williams Professional Water Restoration Service, LLC, doing business as WPWRS Construction Services and Disaster
• years, we have helped families, businesses, and communities rebuild after experiencing unexpected disasters

Transcript Highlights:

• aware of any direct linkage there that you could provide or provide evidence for anything of that nature
• aware of any direct linkage there that you could provide or provide evidence for anything of that nature
• having my my knowledge of that nature?
• I guess my question for you is of a duty and an ethical nature there.
• </c><01:51:30.080><c> that</c> drills for all kinds of disasters that drills for all kinds of disasters

Committee: House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• I feel like that is just a recipe for disaster, because if you all remember, before Maura Healey, we
• It's just going to create the same problem, and we need the market to naturally adjust to itself.
• It's just going to create the same problem, and we need the market to naturally adjust to itself.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy

Summary: The Joint Committee on Cannabis held a hearing on a package of cannabis bills focused on equity funding, delivery expansion, advertising restrictions, medical use, first responders, and ownership limits. Testimony strongly supported S. 87/H. 184 to direct a larger share of cannabis revenue into the Cannabis Social Equity Trust Fund and related equity programs, with speakers arguing the current funding is insufficient and that automatic transfers would better support businesses and communities harmed by the war on drugs. Several witnesses also backed H. 145/S. 89 to allow licensed cannabis delivery into municipalities that ban retail sales and to hotels, saying current rules unfairly limit social equity delivery operators and consumer access. There was also support for H. 176 on medical cannabis eligibility and S. 76 on cannabis use by first responders, while H. 177/H. 178 on new taxes drew opposition from several business owners who said the industry is already heavily burdened and overtaxed. A major point of debate was S. 94/H. 157, which would prohibit billboard advertising for non-prescription marijuana. Public health advocates, parents, and neuroscientists argued that cannabis billboards normalize use, are seen by youth, and are difficult to regulate effectively under the current 85% adult-audience standard. They urged a public health approach similar to tobacco restrictions. In contrast, several industry witnesses opposed further advertising limits, saying cannabis businesses already face strict marketing rules, billboards are privately owned, and additional restrictions would hurt small operators and raise First Amendment concerns. Some witnesses also criticized the proposed increase in ownership caps and consolidation provisions in the broader cannabis bill, warning they would favor large multistate companies over small and social equity businesses. Committee members asked questions about billboard ownership, enforcement of the current advertising rules, and the legal basis for restricting sign content. Witnesses and members also discussed the Cannabis Control Commission’s role, the difficulty of enforcing audience-composition standards, and whether delivery should be treated more like alcohol. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair noted that written testimony would continue to be accepted.

Transcript Highlights:

• So within our scenario, we're accounting for the disaster bill of Representative Harlan, Mr.
• I know I heard from some of our reps in that area about the critical nature of that.
• I think there are a lot of great things in the budget, and I really appreciate the collaborative nature

Bills: HB2 , SB152

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• wildfire settlements qualifying for relief must be related to federally declared or state-declared disasters
• Victoria Roem with NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), and we also want to urge the legislature
• , Kim Delfino on behalf of Audubon California, California Native Plant Society, and the Power and Nature

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• waiving in support, representing the Florida Municipal Electrical Association and the Florida Municipal Natural
• We have Dale Calhoun, waiving in support, Florida Natural Gas Association.
• The bill authorizes state funding and allows for federal disaster funds to be used for removing these

Committee: Senate Fiscal Policy

Summary: The Committee on Fiscal Policy met and considered a wide range of bills, including early learning and special needs funding (SB 1102), Israel bond investment authority (SB 1674), Parkinson’s disease research at USF (SB 1800), mental health and substance use disorder reforms (SB 1620), veterans nursing home beds (SB 788), securities regulation updates (SB 988), labor pool regulation (SB 1672), Alzheimer’s awareness (SB 398), educator preparation (SB 1590), student mental health reporting (SB 1310), specialty license plates (SB 824), financial institutions and IOTA-related issues (SB 1612), transportation facility designations (SB 1408), utility worker protections (SB 1386), DNA testing grants (SB 1072), the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys (SB 364), housing support for former foster youth and homeless students (SB 584), sex offender registration changes (SB 1654), migrant vessel disposal (SB 830), commuter rail indemnification (SB 916), juvenile justice revisions (SB 1344), aggravating factors in capital cases (SB 984), and a criminal offender substance abuse pilot program (SB 1140). Most bills were explained by sponsors, often with supportive testimony from affected agencies, advocacy groups, or industry representatives, and several were amended before final action. The committee adopted amendments on many measures, including clarifications and effective-date changes for SB 1102; technical changes to SB 1620 implementing mental health commission recommendations; a delete-all amendment for SB 1620; an amendment to SB 988; a consumer-disclosure amendment on SB 1612; and multiple amendments to SB 1408, SB 364, SB 584, SB 1654, and SB 1344. SB 1672 on the Labor Pool Act drew extensive public testimony in opposition from worker advocates, who argued repeal would weaken protections for temp workers and formerly incarcerated workers, and the bill was temporarily postponed to a later meeting without a vote. Several bills received notable testimony in support, including SB 584, where former foster youth described housing instability and the importance of campus housing and federal voucher coordination; SB 1386, which was backed by utility and industry groups seeking stronger penalties for assaults on utility workers; and SB 984, which drew opposition from the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops over expansion of death penalty aggravators. The committee also heard support and opposition on SB 1612 regarding IOTA interest rates and legal aid funding, with bankers and civil legal aid representatives disputing the proper rate structure and whether the bill conflicted with Florida Bar rules. At the end of the meeting, the committee reported all voted-on bills favorably, including SB 1102, SB 1674, SB 1800, SB 1620, SB 788, SB 988, SB 398, SB 1590, SB 1310, SB 824, SB 1612, SB 1408, SB 1386, SB 1072, SB 364, SB 584, SB 1654, SB 830, SB 916, SB 1344, SB 984, and SB 1140. Members also requested to be recorded on various bills, and the committee adjourned after noting one remaining meeting would be lengthy.

Transcript Highlights:

• Along with this population explosion is an increase in the number of natural disasters and deteriorating
• It modernizes their ability to reach donors and ultimately helps protect Texas' natural resources.

Bills: HB589 , HB705 , HB1842 , HB1874 , HB2349 , HB2614 , HB2827 , HB3012 , HB3214 , HB3308 , HB3385 , HB3529

Committee: House Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Transcript Highlights:

• He posted on social media the following, and I quote, We are inviting a political disaster if we put
• Given the serious nature of these allegations, I've asked the DOJ Inspector General to investigate.
• Unqualified for this job, untrustworthy, an absolute disgrace to even consider an individual of this nature

Bills: SB331

Committee: Senate Senate Judiciary

Keywords: fentanyl, controlled substances, drug trafficking, public health, research regulations, law enforcement, Kash Patel, FBI director nomination, S331, Fentanyl Act, committee meeting, legislative discussion

Summary: In this committee meeting, the primary focus was on the nomination of Kash Patel for the position of director of the FBI, which had sparked considerable debate over the past week. Members discussed the extensive vetting process Patel underwent, including a lengthy hearing where he addressed numerous questions, which emphasized his qualifications and the support he received from various law enforcement organizations. The meeting included significant arguments from both sides, reflecting the polarized nature of the nomination, especially regarding the allegations made against Patel by some committee members. As discussions continued, the committee decided to hold off on the Fentanyl Act, listed as S331, until the next meeting, indicating a prioritization of the nomination vote over new legislative measures at this time.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so the longer we move forward, there are projects where that natural clock comes due and those projects
• And so the longer we move forward, there are projects where that natural clock comes due and those projects
• For many residents, manufactured housing is one of the only remaining sources of naturally affordable
• For many residents, manufactured housing is one of the only remaining sources of naturally affordable
• , Cascade Natural Gas, and Avista.

Summary: The committee met for a series of information sessions focused on housing stabilization, rental assistance, senior housing, and heat resilience. In the first panel, OHCS and NOAA described the state’s affordable housing preservation work, including the $35 million in 2025 stabilization funding used to reduce debt and keep distressed affordable rental projects operating, plus manufactured home park preservation efforts. OHCS said the portfolio remains under strain, with about a third of projects at debt coverage ratios of 1.0 or less and rising insurance and operating costs. NOAA urged faster closings on the stabilization awards, more funding in 2027, and broader rent assistance and process reforms. Committee members asked about the gap between current appropriations and need, and OHCS explained that the new Article 11-Q bond preservation program is structured differently and requires full refinancing rather than simple cash infusions. The committee then heard a detailed discussion of the state’s eviction prevention and rental assistance program, ORDAP. OHCS said the program is administered through community action agencies, prioritizes households at imminent risk of eviction, and is now funded at a much lower level than in the prior biennium, reducing expected service to about 8,200 households this biennium. The Oregon Law Center, a county community action agency, and Multifamily Northwest all agreed the program prevents homelessness and is effective, but they differed on whether assistance should be tied so closely to eviction court. Legal aid and community action witnesses said the current system is underfunded and that eviction filings are the clearest indicator of need, while Multifamily Northwest argued the process can push people into court unnecessarily and should be moved earlier when possible. Legislators raised questions about whether a pre-eviction model could be developed and about the costs of court involvement; one member shared a personal story about how rental assistance helped keep their family housed. Next, the governor’s office, OHCS, and OHA presented on the new senior housing initiative and healthy homes work. The governor’s housing director said Oregon is making progress on homelessness and housing production, with reductions in homelessness outside Multnomah County and an estimated 50,000 future units added to the pipeline through recent state actions. OHCS outlined the senior housing programs launched in May: a debt-financing program using elderly and disabled bond authority, an older adult housing development program funded through the senior property tax deferral revolving account, and a rehousing program for older adults that will use bridge funding and services to move at least 400 unsheltered older Oregonians into housing. OHA also described its Healthy Homes Grant Program, including $24.6 million already awarded, a new $5 million grant round for seniors and people with disabilities, and examples of home repairs and weatherization that help people remain safely housed. The final information session focused on home cooling and heat resilience. OHA presented data showing rising extreme heat days, more heat-related emergency visits, and likely undercounted heat deaths, especially among older adults, people with disabilities, low-income communities, and people without access to healthy homes. ODOE reviewed implementation of Senate Bill 1536, including a cooling needs study that found 58% of surveyed households in the studied housing types needed permanent cooling, with estimated statewide costs of $582 million to $1 billion. ODOE said its rental home heat pump and community heat pump programs have supported 4,638 installations so far, with a temporary reopening planned using remaining funds. The session ended with a remote presentation from a Community Action Partnership of Oregon representative, continuing the discussion of how community action agencies help deliver energy and anti-poverty services.

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, this is a modest but important first step in recognizing that our educators need to be natural
• know, while much of the bill has been stripped out, the principle that an educator needs to be a natural
• This can be a pedagogical disaster for families who lose trust with the school for a variable that's
• Our mission is simple: it’s to help children understand and value our natural world through hands-on
• Many have little connection to nature at all.

Summary: The hearing opened with several procedural announcements and then took up AB 2148, which would prohibit artificial intelligence from replacing education workers. The author and supporters from the California Federation of Teachers and California School Employees Association argued the bill was a modest first step to protect human educators, students’ social-emotional development, and teacher agency in classroom technology decisions. Public support came from labor and education groups, while some school administrator and county office representatives said they were moving to neutral or awaiting the printed amendments. The committee discussed teacher shortages and the role of AI as a supplement rather than a replacement, then passed AB 2148 as amended to Higher Education on a 5-0 vote. The committee then heard AB 2202, which would create a Closing the Achievement Gap Commission to advise the State Board of Education. The author and sponsors said the commission would improve coordination between state and local education leaders and help the state better support local efforts to close achievement gaps. Support came from CSBA, CFT, charter schools, and many district leaders. Members raised questions about early childhood representation on the commission, and the author said he would discuss that with the sponsor. The bill passed as amended to Appropriations on a 5-0 vote. The consent calendar, including AB 1569, AB 2071, AB 2206, AB 2298, AB 2467, AB 2580, AB 2652, and AB 2726, was also approved. AB 2555 was then heard as a special order bill to reform English learner reclassification. The author said the current system is outdated, inconsistent, and too subjective, and proposed a more automatic, transparent process with stronger parent involvement and post-reclassification monitoring. Testimony in support emphasized personal experiences of delayed reclassification and the need to recognize biliteracy; there was no opposition. The bill passed as amended to Appropriations on a 6-0 vote. The committee also approved AB 1860, which would extend design-build authority to county offices of education while preserving prevailing wage, apprenticeship, and skilled workforce requirements; opposition from county superintendent and facilities groups was removed after amendments, and the bill passed 6-0 to Appropriations. Later, the committee passed AB 2514, which would create a State of Achievement Gap Dashboard to track state-level progress in closing achievement gaps, and AB 2149, which would require the Legislative Analyst’s Office to publicly assess the state’s progress and recommend actions. Both bills were presented as part of a broader package to improve state accountability for student outcomes, and both passed as amended to Appropriations on 7-0 votes. Finally, AB 2490 was heard, proposing to allow longer-term substitute assignments with added training, mentorship, and parent notification to address teacher shortages and classroom instability. Supporters said it would reduce “subchurn” and help maintain continuity, especially in special education; opponents, including CTA, Public Advocates, and CTC staff, argued the bill was unnecessary given existing rulemaking and could create legal and training concerns. The transcript cuts off during committee discussion of AB 2490, so no final vote is shown for that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• of boards simple terms, there are a lot of boards that<00:07:58.879><c> the</c><00:07:59.039><c> nature
• their</c><00:07:59.599><c> work</c><00:08:00.160><c> is</c><00:08:00.479><c> purely</c> that the nature
• of their work is purely that the nature of their work is purely advisory,<00:08:01.919><c> informational
• individual committees, but the message is just that the things that are very simple and routine in nature
• , we can do completely routine in nature, we can do completely electronically,<00:09:36.640><c> save<

Committee: House State Government

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:09:34.640><c> gas</c> back end sell the renewable natural gas back end sell the renewable natural
• I mentioned renewable natural gas. I mentioned what the natural gas is used for.
• </c> 2500 homes um and the renewable natural 2500 homes um and the renewable natural gas<00:14:29.199
• And, uh, that's the natural gas.
• </c> natural gas utilities and our customers. natural gas utilities and our customers.

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• uncertainty with FEMA in the future and essentially putting more of the responsibility on the state for disaster
• 00:58:58.720><c> for</c> the responsibility on the state for the responsibility on the state for disaster
• </c> disaster uh and emergency response. disaster uh and emergency response.
• Was it for a specific disaster? Yes, sir.
• a lot of these positions were federally funded and we had to create them to respond to multiple disasters

Bills: SB3082 , SB3110 , SB3251

Committee: House Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• district and is either in a rural economic area partnership program or a federally declared national disaster
• district and is either in a rural economic area partnership program or a federally declared national disaster
• federally partnership program or a federally declared<00:27:26.000><c> national</c><00:27:26.520><c> disaster
• </c><00:27:27.240><c> area</c><00:27:27.680><c> within</c> Declared national disaster area within the

Transcript Highlights:

• use capital expense funds to assist our counties since that was an unexpected change in federal disaster
• was an unexpected uh change<00:34:22.399><c> in</c><00:34:23.200><c> federal</c><00:34:23.679><c> disaster
• </c> change in federal disaster assistance. change in federal disaster assistance.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 26 amends eligibility for the disaster recovery loan program to require that a borrower's total
• Section 26 amends the eligibility<00:37:22.160><c> for</c><00:37:22.480><c> the</c><00:37:22.640><c> disaster
• </c><00:37:23.200><c> recovery</c> eligibility for the disaster recovery eligibility for the disaster
• If you would please just remind us of the nature of the bill, and we can do that as efficiently as possible

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

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the chief of the Bureau of Trails at the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and I was
• and the Department of Transportation and the Department<01:27:10.320><c> of</c><01:27:10.440><c> Natural
• of Natural and cultural resources<01:27:11.840><c> of</c><01:27:12.040><c> which</c><01:27:12.960><c
• When we do the management transfer to the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, they will work
• and so so I I lead to other disasters and so so I I would<02:14:07.400><c> just</c><02:14:07.639><c>

Summary: The Public Works and Highways Committee heard testimony on House Bill 375, which would allow municipalities to designate certain road segments for ATV travel, create maps and signage for those routes, set seasonal limits, and require certain equipment on ATVs such as lights, a horn, flashers, and directional signals. The sponsor, Rep. Dan Maguire, said the bill is intended to support tourism and give towns a structured, optional way to permit ATV use on roads, not to override existing uses. Members asked about possible overlap with agricultural vehicle rules, golf carts, speed limits, and whether the bill could allow ATV use on busier roads or expressways; the sponsor said he did not intend to interfere with existing lawful uses and believed golf carts would only be included if they met the relevant statutory requirements. NHDOT State Maintenance Engineer Alan Hennessy said the department had concerns with language exempting municipalities and the Bureau of Trails from the permitting process, arguing that the existing permit system provides needed review, public notice, and signage requirements. He also raised questions about road funding and maintenance if ATVs were allowed on state highways. Fish and Game Captain Michael Eastman testified that his commission opposed the bill as written, citing concerns about the ATV definition, the distinction between ATVs, UTVs, and other OHRVs, and the potential impact on state highways and road maintenance. He said towns can already open roads to OHRV use under existing law, and he noted that accident data for road use would generally be handled by local police or State Police rather than Fish and Game. Craig Reny, chief of the Bureau of Trails, said the current Bureau of Trails/DOT permit process for highway crossings and connectors works well and is used to ensure safety through engineering review. He said his bureau was not taking a position on the bill but wanted to clarify that existing procedures already address many of the issues the bill appears to cover. No vote or final action was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.