Transcript Highlights:

• ... ...alternative policy options to increase responsibility of the vapor product industry to mitigate
• It's an industry that's highly regulated by the state, and it creates a lot of challenges to make any
• , so in needs of the industry, I should say.
• so in needs of the industry I should say so we are urging adoption of this bill thank you very much
• , our cannabis industry, that when you come forward in a united way with a policy that you agree with

Bills: HB2291 , HB2629 , HB2439 , HB1078 , HB1701 , HB2207 , HB2501 , HB2361 , HB1932

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Business

Keywords: kratom, consumer protection, regulation, health safety, substance control, infrastructure, protection, safety, security, state regulations, public health, tobacco regulation, smoking cessation, vapor products, health policy, youth prevention, pet insurance, insurance regulation, animal welfare, claims processes

Transcript Highlights:

• . - Reducing methane leaks and releases attributable to the extractive industries. - Projects helping
• Renewable energy and other industries.
• Supporting this bill will support the development of new and emerging industries.
• This bill will support the development of new and emerging industries.
• I appreciate that answer, but when we talk about the industry, this lays out probably 25 different industries

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Industry collaboration, and we've had a number of conversations with industry on this, retention of talent
• You know, lots of other industries do contribute to this fund.
• That's only going to help everybody else in the industry, with the exception of the Highway workers do
• We represent the industry; there's been no coordination in the development of the bill.
• So this discussion of commentary that there was no discussion with industry is not accurate, actually

Committee: Senate Senate Tax, Business & Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• PERTINENT SO WHAT HAPPENS ULTIMATELY AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHICH IS PERTINENT TO THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY
• THIS IS A 501C 3 ORGANIZATION ENABLED BY THE INVESTMENT OF THE PROPERTY INSURANCE INDUSTRY.
• OF THOSE STATE PROGRAMS LEVERAGED NOT ONLY IB HS SCIENCE BUT THE TRUST THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY HAS IN
• AND BECAUSE THE VERIFICATION MEETS THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY NEED FOR INFORMATION IT ALSO MAKES HOMES MORE
• TO A REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY IS DISCLOSED TO OUR CUSTOMERS AT POINT OF SALE AND ANYONE CAN JUMP IN.

Transcript Highlights:

• Interior, and industry. The bill's Interior, and industry.
• </c> of all public lands that any industry of all public lands that any industry would<03:54:09.439><
• </c> allow BLM to lease most of the industry allow BLM to lease most of the industry nominated<03:54:
• :49.279><c> the</c><04:08:49.680><c> same</c> geothermal industry has the same geothermal industry has
• </c><04:41:30.320><c> The</c> state's aquaculture industry. The state's aquaculture industry.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Um, it is highly competitive industry Um, it is highly competitive industry with<00:11:24.959><c
• Um there are a few the industry.
• Um again I'm talking about industry.
• Um, it and for these other industries?
• </c><01:09:28.239><c> for</c> state with the right size industry for state with the right size industry

Summary: The Intelligence Task Force met with a quorum present and approved the minutes from the August 14 meeting. The first presentation was from the National Retail Federation on artificial intelligence in the retail sector. NRF described AI use cases in three areas: consumer-facing tools such as chatbots, product descriptions, and marketing; employee-facing tools such as company-specific apps trained on employee manuals; and internal uses such as supply chain forecasting, inventory planning, fraud detection, cybersecurity, and coding support. The presenters said retail has been among the top deployers of AI and emphasized that the goal is to improve both customer and employee experience. NRF also outlined its principles for responsible AI use, organized around governance and risk management, customer engagement and trust, workforce applications, and business partner accountability. The group said retailers should maintain strong internal oversight, be transparent with customers, ensure compliance with existing laws, closely review workforce-related uses because they can be high-risk, and clearly define responsibilities between retailers and third-party developers. In policy discussion, NRF urged a tiered approach focused first on high-risk uses such as hiring, health care, financial, mortgage, and rental decisions, warned against fragmented rules that could favor only the largest firms, and encouraged voluntary standards and worker upskilling incentives. In response to a question about dynamic pricing, NRF said its members do not target consumers based on pricing and offered to follow up with more information. The committee then moved to a follow-up discussion on energy policy and data centers, hearing from Bartley Cleland of NetChoice. He explained that AI runs largely in data centers and that cloud computing shifts processing and storage away from individual devices, which he argued improves efficiency and can reduce costs. He said electricity demand has been rising over time and that AI will increase compute-related electricity use, but framed electricity as a normal input to economic growth. No votes or formal actions were taken after these presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the cost of enhancing registration and permitting processes will increase the cost to industry, to
• I'm going to clip it and share it with all my friends in industry.
• We're also continuing to work with NGOs and industry groups on some of their proposals for how we can
• Industrial agriculture began in the mid to late 1900s.
• When an agency is funded by the industry it's made to regulate, that is industry capture, and everybody

Summary: The joint Assembly and Senate hearing examined whether California’s pesticide program is meeting its public-protection goals, with opening remarks from committee chairs emphasizing the state’s large pesticide use, the need to transition toward sustainable pest management, and ongoing oversight including a state audit of DPR and county agricultural commissioner enforcement. The hearing also referenced recent concerns in Ladera Ranch about childhood cancer cases and the need for transparent investigation and community access to information. Panel one focused on human health and the regulatory framework. Dr. Anna Maria Mora described long-running CHAMACOS research showing widespread pesticide exposure in farmworker families, links to neurodevelopmental, respiratory, liver, and cardiometabolic harms, and greater impacts on children facing social adversity. She urged biomonitoring, better linkage of exposure data to health outcomes, regulation of chemical classes and mixtures, stronger buffers around homes and schools, and more community-based research. Professor Tim Malloy explained California’s two-tier system of DPR registration and county permitting, said the state’s program is strong but falls short on cumulative exposure analysis and alternatives assessment, and argued that DPR and counties need better tools, training, and funding to implement legally required protections. Committee members asked about biomonitoring, class-based regulation, and how to make pesticide data more usable for the public. Panel two brought testimony from environmental justice and farmworker advocates, who argued that California remains behind other jurisdictions by allowing highly hazardous pesticides, including 1,3-dichloropropene and paraquat, and by relying on a funding structure tied to pesticide sales. Witnesses said DPR often moves too slowly on reevaluations, rarely assesses combined exposures, and does not adequately account for health, environmental, and social costs or conflicts of interest involving pest control advisors. They also described inconsistent county-level implementation, weak outreach, and confusion over whether DPR or county agricultural commissioners are responsible for enforcement, and urged faster phaseouts, tiered fees, stronger local protections, and clearer accountability. Panel three represented regulated entities and agricultural stakeholders, who supported the goals of safer pest management but stressed that California’s registration process must be more predictable, transparent, and timely. They said AB 2113’s staffing and timeline reforms were important, but backlog and delays still hinder access to newer, lower-risk products and can hurt both consumer and agricultural uses. Agricultural witnesses also emphasized the need to invest more in pest prevention, invasive species detection, extension support, farmer training, and practical incentives for sustainable pest management. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with members pressing witnesses on timelines, implementation, funding, and the division of responsibility between DPR and county agencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's an important bill for Minnesota and for the construction industry for two reasons.
• Over the last year, both private industry and public owners have come together to bring more payment
• </c> public owners, contractors, and industry public owners, contractors, and industry groups<00:02:08.560
• </c> Labor and Industry. Labor and Industry.
• Josiah Moore, legislative director at the Department of Labor and Industry.

Committee: Senate Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• So when the western burrowing owl was petitioned for listing in March of last year, many industries,
• . ...state to develop a comprehensive conservation strategy specific to our industry.
• , that industry has come forward and said, 'There's a regulatory body.
• Further, carbon markets are expected to be a trillion-dollar industry, and suppliers for these carbon
• So by advancing AB 1086, California can continue to lead in developing a well-regulated CDR industry

Committees: House Water, Parks and Wildlife , House Water, Parks, and Wildlife

Summary: The committee heard a series of water, parks, transportation, energy, and fisheries bills, with authors and supporters generally emphasizing targeted exemptions, improved access, or regulatory clarity. AB 430 would require the State Water Resources Control Board to study and publicly release the economic and environmental impacts of repeated emergency water curtailment regulations; farm, water, and local government groups supported it as a transparency measure. AB 1139 would expand a CEQA exemption so county park agencies can open existing roads and trails for non-motorized recreation, with supporters citing outdoor access and opponents warning about impacts to species, riparian areas, tribal resources, and fire risk. AB 929 would temporarily exempt small community water systems and managed wetlands from certain SGMA pumping reductions and fees; supporters said it protects vulnerable communities and wetlands, while agricultural and water interests argued it undermines basin-wide groundwater management and could worsen SGMA implementation. The committee also heard AB 1225, creating an Accessibility Advisory Committee for State Parks, which drew broad support from disability advocates and committee members and no opposition. Additional measures focused on infrastructure and environmental policy. AB 975 would give Sutter County a narrow, temporary exemption from streambed alteration agreements for certain damaged small bridges and culverts, with county officials describing long delays in repairing flood-damaged crossings and no opposition heard. AB 514 would declare state policy encouraging local water suppliers to develop emergency water supplies for drought or service interruptions; it received broad support from water agencies and no opposition. AB 550 would allow incidental take permits for species under consideration for listing, aimed at reducing delays for clean energy projects; supporters said it would prevent regulatory limbo, while environmental groups sought amendments to clarify the permit standard, limit the use of scientific research as mitigation, and add a fee provision. The committee also took up AB 697 on the Highway 37 corridor, authorizing an incidental take permit for the near-term project between Mare Island and Sears Point to advance mobility and habitat restoration. Supporters from local transportation agencies and county officials said the corridor is a major bottleneck and the interim project is needed now, while environmental and tribal opponents argued it would fast-track highway widening, increase emissions, and affect tribal cultural resources. Members discussed tolling limits, equity, and the long delay on the corridor; the bill was moved out on a vote, with some members noting they would continue to monitor it. Finally, AB 1056 would phase out transferable set gill net permits after 2027, allowing only limited family transfers thereafter; supporters framed it as a gradual conservation reform consistent with Fish and Game Commission findings, while fishing groups opposed it as harmful to working fishermen.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:22:18.320><c> people</c> and including voice of Industry people and including voice of Industry
• Laurence Zbo, Hawaii Food Industry Association: In support.
• President Ho, Forest Industry Association: In support.
• Laurence Zbo, Hawaii Food Industry Association: In support.
• President Ho, Forest Industry Association: In support.

Summary: The committee heard several measures, beginning with SB 1061 on digital equity. Testimony was strongly supportive, including from Rosie Davis of the Maui County Area Health Education Center, who said Molokai and Maui need better digital access for telehealth and clinic services. Members discussed whether the bill should be consolidated with other digital broadband measures and asked about funding; the chair noted the draft used general funds but said federal money was now available for the navigator program. The committee later recommended SB 1061 be passed with an SD1, technical amendments, and an effective date of July 1, 2050, with members voting aye. The committee then heard SB 135 on macadamia nut labeling. Hawaiian Host Group and several supporters argued the bill would help align the industry around a processing solution and support growers and jobs, while the MacNut Association and Hamakua Macadamia Nut Company opposed it, saying the state lacks enough processing infrastructure and that existing law already covers labeling. In questioning, members focused on the lack of a current processing facility and the timeline for a new one on Hawaiʻi Island. After hearing mixed testimony, the committee deferred the bill indefinitely. The committee also considered SB 1657 and SB 1539 relating to the Agribusiness Development Corporation. Testimony on both measures was generally supportive, with ADC describing the Wāhō water system as serving about 5,000 acres and over 70 farmers, mostly small and medium growers, and saying the proposal would help expand service without asking for more water. The committee later voted to pass SB 1657 and SB 1539 with SD1s, technical amendments, and a July 1, 2050 effective date. Finally, the committee took up SB 891 on economic development and gaming. The hearing drew extensive testimony, including support from Boyd Gaming and Stanford Carr Development, and opposition from Native Hawaiian speakers who said Hawaiians must have a seat at the table and raised concerns about self-determination and outside control. Members questioned the scope of the proposed gaming working group, the number and makeup of members, and the need to review prior gaming bills and studies. In decision-making, the committee passed SB 891 with an SD1 and major amendments: adding tourism references, changing expense reimbursement rules so private gaming representatives pay their own expenses, expanding the working group to include Native Hawaiian, social services/behavioral health, DBEDT, law enforcement, and tax/professional expertise seats, deleting one proposed seat, and adding a July 1, 2050 effective date. The committee also reported that the recommendations were adopted by vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• And has contributed a lot to our dairy industry.
• And has contributed a lot to our dairy industry.
• And has contributed a lot to our dairy industry.
• And has contributed a lot to our dairy industry.
• And has contributed a lot to our dairy industry.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• I would also like to relay the powerful testimony of a fellow troubled teen industry survivor and an
• It is an important step toward finally putting safeguards around an industry that has operated in the
• Madam Chair and members, Sarah Boot, on behalf of the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, with an
• And, you know, to the credit of the automobile industry, and I, as you know, chair transportation on
• The automobile industry, the traditional automobile industry, up to this point, has done a tremendous

Committee: House Communications and Conveyance

Transcript Highlights:

• some problems with issues, primarily in the insurance industry and maybe in hospitals.
• Most of what is said in HIPAA now is what industry can do.
• It's like, 'Well, how do we make industry able to do their job?'
• Most of what is said in HIPAA now is what industry can do.
• It's like, well, how do we make industry able to do their job?

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Summary: The Committee on Health and Mental Health heard testimony on several bills. Senate Bill 1019, sponsored by Sen. Crawford, would let district and municipal hospitals invest up to 50% of non-operating funds, up from 25%, and would also allow municipal hospitals in third-class cities to operate in areas where hospital district and county hospitals operate. The sponsor and a hospital representative said it would improve returns and rural access; there was no opposition, and the hearing closed without questions. House Bill 2606, sponsored by Rep. Caton, would give patients stronger control over their health records by requiring informed consent before providers or medical entities sell or disclose information for marketing or research, with civil remedies and damages for violations. Supporters argued it restores patient ownership, strengthens privacy beyond HIPAA, and closes loopholes, citing Minnesota’s law as a model. Opponents, including the Missouri Hospital Association, Missouri State Medical Association, Washington University, and the Missouri Ambulance Association, warned it could disrupt care coordination, quality improvement, research using de-identified data, and data reporting obligations, and could create administrative burdens and lawsuits. The Secretary of State’s office said it wanted an amendment so records could still be used 50 years after a patient’s death for archival and genealogy purposes. House Bill 1638, sponsored by Rep. Overcast, would extend the Alzheimer’s State Plan Task Force to 2033, add an assisted living facility representative, create staggered terms, remove Senate confirmation requirements, and require updated reports every five years. The sponsor and the Alzheimer’s Association said the task force has been delayed by appointment problems and needs to be fully staffed to continue its work. The committee also discussed the task force’s prior incomplete staffing and the need for continuity, and the hearing concluded with no opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• So there's biological, but there's also industrial chemical hazards.
• So the bottle program is comprised of a whole bunch of stakeholders that's not the cement industry.
• So if I can, one more, just to close on my question: so the glass industry, you know, we pay a fee on
• So, working in the industry for 30-some years, there are biosolids from digesters in sewage treatment
• plants and in refineries, in industry, and dairy.

Summary: The committee heard several natural resources bills focused on wildfire resilience, recycling, forest management, and organic waste diversion. AB 442 would remove a requirement that a harvest area be limited to a single watershed for working forest management plans; the author and supporters from the California Forestry Association and Pacific Forest Trust said it would reduce barriers to forest resiliency work, and there was no opposition. AB 623 would require state agencies to report on the use of CEQA and Coastal Act suspensions for wildfire and fuel-management projects after the governor’s emergency proclamation; the author said the bill would provide data on how well the suspensions are working, and it drew support with no opposition. AB 35 would exempt Proposition 4-funded programs from the Administrative Procedures Act to speed implementation of climate, water, wildfire, and environmental projects; the author and a large coalition of local governments, water agencies, conservation groups, and fire organizations argued the exemption would help get funds out faster, while no opposition was present. The committee also discussed AB 3333, which would create a market-development payment to support end users of non-container glass, such as ground glass pozzolan used in cement, in order to divert glass from landfills and reduce carbon emissions. Supporters said the bill would create a productive use for hard-to-recover glass, while opponents from the Glass Packaging Institute, Californians Against Waste, and waste management interests argued it would divert beverage container recycling funds away from the bottle-to-bottle system and could undermine existing recycling investments and recycled-content goals. Members raised questions about the fund’s revenue sources, the purpose of the beverage container recycling program, and whether the bill would amount to “downcycling”; despite those concerns, the bill advanced on a due-pass-as-amended recommendation, with members noting fiscal and policy issues for further work. AB 643 would allow certain diverted organic material used as a beneficial agricultural amendment, including CDFA-licensed fertilizer products made from biosolids, to count toward SB 1383 recovered organic waste procurement targets. Supporters from wastewater agencies and Clean Water SoCal said the change would expand options for meeting procurement requirements and help move biosolids out of landfills, while Californians Against Waste and other opponents argued the bill could expand procurement credit beyond SB 1383’s original intent and weaken investments in composting infrastructure. Committee members questioned what kinds of biosolids would qualify, how the procurement credit would work, and whether the bill could be narrowed to historically landfilled materials; the author said she would continue working with opponents and wait for CalRecycle technical assistance. The committee adopted the bills’ amendments and passed AB 35 with urgency, AB 3333, AB 442, AB 623, and AB 643 to Appropriations, and also approved consent-calendar AB 946. After roll calls, all of the measures were reported out of committee, and the hearing adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• There’s the industry side.
• We talk to industry routinely, and not just one—we've been talking to every industry out here that we
• We talk to industry routinely, and not just one, we've been talking to every industry.
• We talk to industry routinely, and not just one, we've been talking to every industry out here that we
• As a state board and as an industry representative.

Summary: The Higher Education Institutions Committee met on the Minot State University campus for presentations on campus operations, enrollment, and new academic initiatives. President Shirley reviewed recent audits, noting mostly clean results with only minor technical findings, and highlighted MSU’s broad academic offerings, specialized accreditations, athletics, and partnerships with Minot Air Force Base and the MSU Development Foundation. Members asked about declining interest in teacher education, tuition waivers for athletes, dual credit incentives, and how MSU decides when to launch new programs and avoid duplication within the university system. Shirley also discussed several workforce-focused initiatives supported by the Legislature’s Workforce Education Innovation Funds, including the purchase of the Trinity Health Center West building for a downtown health sciences hub, a new daycare/preschool partnership near campus, the Aspire program to recruit rural students into teaching, and a paraprofessional-to-special-education degree pathway. Enrollment data showed overall headcount was flat at just under 2,750, but full-time equivalent enrollment rose slightly and new student numbers increased, including the largest freshman class in 15 years. The committee also discussed Minot State’s in-state tuition rate for all students, its dual credit “Emerging Scholars” scholarship, and concerns about the share of high school graduates who do not immediately pursue postsecondary education. Faculty then presented two new programs funded in part by WEAF: an Innovation Engineering degree and a master’s program in counseling with an integrated addiction studies focus. The engineering program was described as industry-driven, designed with broad early coursework, hands-on learning, and local employer input to prepare students for western North Dakota workforce needs; officials said it had already drawn more applicants than expected and would use renovated library space and donated or grant-funded equipment. The counseling program will be mostly face-to-face with hybrid options, aims to address shortages in mental health and substance use providers, and is structured to help students meet licensure requirements. Committee members asked about startup costs, licensure supervision hours, and whether the programs would be on campus rather than online, and presenters said both programs had recently received required approvals and were moving forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to fix it, because this may impact the industry.
• Let's just give clarity and some guarantees to all industries.
• To me, I think we covered almost every industry in the state.
• industries or segments, and they reached their conclusions.
• industries or segments, and they reached their conclusions.

Committee: House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• We're always pursuing more for that industry.
• </c> always pursuing more for that industry. always pursuing more for that industry.
• It is part of our pillar, and yet that industry faces just unusual challenges.
• I can see all of the wonderful things it would do for people in my industry.
• ,</c><00:54:15.040><c> our</c> economy and the mineral industry, our economy and the mineral industry

Bills: SF0025 , SF0027 , SF0043 , SF0066

Committee: Senate Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:11:49.920><c> more</c> or can serve for the steel industry more or can serve for the steel industry
• c><00:14:12.399><c> by</c><00:14:12.720><c> the</c> steel industry is dominated by the steel industry
• <00:14:53.600><c> there's</c><00:14:53.839><c> broader</c><00:14:54.079><c> industry</c> industry there's
• broader industry industry there's broader industry consensus<00:14:54.800><c> here</c><00:14:54.959>
• So they're going industry I would say.

Bills: HF4059 , HF76

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> at how we can build a thriving industry at how we can build a thriving industry uh<00:29:48.640>
• Um, because the industry doesn’t exist.
• </c><01:14:20.560><c> without</c> agricultural industry without agricultural industry without confronting
• </c><01:15:23.760><c> Alexis,</c> Food Industry Association. Alexis, Food Industry Association.
• Animal Industry Division. Yeah, it's Animal Industry Division.

Bills: SB2709 , SB3154

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Environment

Summary: The hearing began with SB 2709, which would require the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to establish rules to enforce the Okami arrival program and strengthen quarantine enforcement for plants, non-domestic animals, and microorganisms. The Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Hawaii Invasive Species Council supported the bill, as did DAB, saying it would improve biosecurity and make some provisions mandatory rather than optional. Alaska/Hawaiian Airlines supported the goal but raised concerns about language changing inspections from “may” to “shall” for aircraft, warning of possible federal preemption and operational conflicts unless the bill is clarified to align with federal aviation safety, security, and operational requirements. Committee members questioned DAB about inspection timing, scope, and compliance; DAB said the measure is intended to increase enforcement, improve form completion rates toward a 90% goal, and expand beyond airlines to other entry modes, while also noting plans to restore detector dog use and improve software/AI tools for processing forms. Decision-making on SB 2709 was deferred to February 17 at 3:02 p.m. in Room CR229. The committees then took up SB 3154, an administration measure authorizing the Department of Transportation to assume certain National Environmental Policy Act responsibilities for highway, rail, public transportation, and multimodal projects, with the aim of streamlining environmental review. DOT supported the bill and explained that it would allow the department to work directly with federal resource agencies such as U.S. Fish and Wildlife and SHPO rather than routing everything through federal highways. After brief discussion, the Committee on Transportation voted to pass SB 3154 with technical amendments, and the AEN committee followed with the same recommendation; the measure was adopted with five votes in favor. A later portion of the transcript shifted to SB 2374 on the blue economy. DBED said it supported the concept but noted that it already sits on many working groups and would need resources if a new working group is created. DBED suggested the committee could instead request research through a letter or memo, and said agencies including ADC, HTDC, and Agriculture had already begun internal discussions. Testimony in support came from IMUA Alliance, Hawaii Food Policy, and others, emphasizing the potential for blue economy ventures to support survivors, align with climate and cultural goals, and create economic opportunity. No final vote on SB 2374 appears in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We hope that, in collaboration with our groups and the industry, that we can come together and solve
• CTA is the trade association representing the U.S. consumer technology industry.
• CTA is the trade association representing the U.S. consumer technology industry.
• CTA is the trade association representing the U.S. consumer technology industry.
• CTA is the trade association representing the U.S. consumer technology industry.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy