Transcript Highlights:

• our county.
• In 2025, 70% of our match savings program participants identified as female.
• Eighty-two percent of program participants live in eastern Massachusetts.
• As one pilot participant shared, “A few months ago, this all felt out of reach.
• We launched serving participants just over a year ago, so we're serving 18 participants in the program

Bills: H5085 , H5286

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities

Summary: The Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities held a hybrid hearing on miscellaneous bills, including H. 5286, which would require DCF to consult a medical professional when a parent presents evidence of a pre-existing diagnosis that could explain symptoms mistaken for abuse or neglect. Representative Brian Mario said the bill would give DCF another tool in difficult cases. Jennifer Fernandes testified about her family’s experience with her grandson being removed after doctors initially suspected a skull fracture that later proved unfounded, saying the bill could help prevent similar outcomes. Committee members expressed sympathy and indicated interest in further discussion. The committee then heard extensive testimony on H. 5085/S. 3095, the omnibus “An Act Significantly Alleviating Poverty.” Supporters described the bill as a comprehensive anti-poverty package built from the Poverty Commission’s work, combining higher cash assistance grants, matched savings, baby bonds, a guaranteed stipend for youth aging out of foster care, expanded tax credits, language access, clean slate record sealing, and worker protections. Senator Eldridge, Senator Miranda, Representative Decker, and many advocates argued that poverty is tied to housing instability, child welfare involvement, health harms, and racial and gender inequities, and that the bill would help families meet basic needs, build wealth, and reduce the benefits cliff. Witnesses from social service, legal aid, labor, immigrant advocacy, and public health groups strongly supported the bill’s provisions. Several focused on specific sections: child support pass-through and a broader good-cause exception for TAFDC recipients; extending the state EITC to ITIN filers; creating baby bonds and matched savings programs; automating criminal record sealing; improving language access at state agencies; and ending the subminimum wage for farm workers. Former foster youth and service providers said the guaranteed stipend would help young adults avoid homelessness and transition more safely into adulthood. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chairs repeatedly noted the limited time and encouraged written testimony and follow-up conversations.

Transcript Highlights:

• In Windsor, Windham, and Chittenden County, over 90%, but in Essex County, only 11% of eligible students
• The children in Essex County deserve access to pre-K education, too.
• In Windsor, Windham, and Chittenden County, over 90%, but in Essex County, only 11% of eligible students
• </c><00:22:00.240><c> deserve</c> The children in Essex County deserve The children in Essex County deserve
• ><c> and</c> participation by residents and participation by residents and pharmacies,<00:33:01.360><

Transcript Highlights:

• If you are participating remotely, please speak loud enough to be heard so that all participants can
• We've concentrated services in just a few counties.
• The Gorge Commission is responsible for all permitting in Klickitat County.
• The Gorge Commission is responsible for all permitting in Klickitat County.
• I'm with The Arc of King County, testifying in opposition.

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee opened with committee guidelines for the 2026 session, including limits on testimony, amendment deadlines, confidentiality expectations, and professionalism rules. Chair Ormsby also reviewed housekeeping for the public hearing, noting the meeting was recorded and live streamed, and that testimony would be limited to one minute because of the large number of sign-ups. The committee then began its work session on Governor Ferguson’s proposed 2026 supplemental operating budget, presented by OFM Director Katie Chapman, who outlined the state’s fiscal pressures: higher caseloads in major programs, a revenue forecast decline of about $390 million, federal policy changes tied to H.R. 1, inflation, and a relatively small ending fund balance. She said the governor’s budget solves about a $2.3 billion shortfall through nearly $800 million in spending reductions, revenue shifts, fund transfers, use of about $1 billion from the Budget Stabilization Account, and some tax preference changes, while also making targeted investments in areas such as child welfare, behavioral health, wildfire response, housing, and IT modernization. Chapman also explained that the proposal does not fully balance over the four-year outlook under the state’s statutory assumptions, but said the governor relied on the budget-balance law’s exception tied to BSA use and low employment growth. A question from Rep. Connors about credit ratings was answered with the view that the impact is difficult to predict and that Washington’s strong pension funding and balanced-budget framework remain positives. The public hearing drew testimony from state officials and many advocates, most of whom opposed specific cuts or fund shifts in the governor’s proposal. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs objected to proposed sweeps from the corporations and charities fund and the library archives account, citing prior cuts, layoffs, cyberattack-related costs, and the need to upgrade aging systems. Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove urged restoration of wildfire prevention funding, saying the proposed amount was still $30 million short of the commitment in House Bill 1168 and that underfunding would increase suppression costs and risk to communities. Many education witnesses opposed reductions to Working Connections Child Care, transition to kindergarten, local effort assistance, Running Start, and higher education across-the-board cuts, arguing they would harm access, equity, and workforce development. Higher education leaders from community colleges, the University of Washington, Western Washington University, and Evergreen State College described staffing cuts, program reductions, and pressure on student services, while K-12 groups and OSPI said the budget would deepen existing funding gaps. A large portion of testimony focused on human services, health, housing, and civil legal aid. Child welfare and youth-serving organizations supported some targeted investments but opposed cuts to child care, child welfare network administration, and youth programs; advocates for foster youth, homeless youth, and mentoring programs asked for continued or increased funding. Health care and long-term care providers warned that proposed Medicaid and rate changes would reduce access for seniors, people with disabilities, and safety-net patients, while Planned Parenthood and abortion access advocates urged full restoration of the Abortion Access Project and related reimbursements. Housing and legal aid witnesses backed the governor’s proposed right-to-counsel funding but asked for more support, and homelessness advocates sought contingency funding for federal housing programs. Crime victim and domestic violence service providers repeatedly said the proposed $12 million was far short of the roughly $21.38 million needed to avoid service cuts and closures. Other testimony addressed the Climate Commitment Account shift for the Working Families Tax Credit, with environmental advocates opposing the diversion of CCA dollars and workforce advocates supporting the governor’s economic security and employment programs. No votes or formal committee action were taken during the hearing portion described in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• The ones that I do know for a fact are in common are Cass County and Ward County.
• When you say that Ward County and Cass County both use the same system, but they’re not interconnected
• John Doe is over in Ward County Jail; he can't be at court in Cass County today.
• So as long as you're participating, well, it doesn't say you have to be successfully participating.
• I mean, I represent Walsh County.

Committees: Joint Judiciary , Joint Judiciary Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• In Pinal County, we see it too.
• Well, I'm working with the county supervisors down in Cochise County, you know, Frank Antinori, some
• of our counties.
• Do you think that this provides sufficient guidance for your county recorders, and how do the county
• County election officials, including county recorders, may use SAVE when a voter's citizenship status

Summary: The committee first approved prior minutes and announced several bills were being held at sponsors’ request, including HB 4117 and several House concurrent resolutions. It then heard HB 2811, which would expand obstructing governmental operations to include knowingly hindering a lawful arrest by a third party and make it a felony. Supporters, including a county attorney’s office representative, argued it would close a loophole and protect officers during arrests; opponents from criminal defense and civil liberties groups said it duplicated existing resisting arrest and hindering prosecution laws and could chill First Amendment activity such as filming police. After debate over prosecutorial discretion and constitutional concerns, the committee recommended HB 2811 do pass by a 3-2 vote with one member not voting. The committee next considered HB 2665, a “Cade’s Law” proposal to treat intentionally providing advice or encouragement through directed online communication to a minor to die by suicide as manslaughter. The sponsor and family members of suicide victims described the bill as a response to social media-driven encouragement of self-harm and urged stronger accountability. The bill drew no opposition testimony in the excerpt and passed with a 6-0 vote, with one member not voting. The committee then heard HB 2857, allowing ADCRR to store inmate medical records electronically and dispose of paper copies, which passed 5-1 after testimony from the department’s medical provider about space and efficiency. HB 2226 followed, requiring courts to ask about veteran status at initial appearance, notify prosecutors, and connect veterans with Arizona Department of Veterans Services and treatment or diversion options; an amendment shifted the notice duty from prosecutors to courts. The sponsor and veterans’ advocates said the bill would help identify veterans with PTSD or other needs and reduce recidivism, and the committee adopted the amendment and passed the bill unanimously, 6-0. The committee then took up HB 2168, which would require county board approval before the Attorney General could bring a public nuisance abatement action in superior court. The sponsor argued the AG had overreached in cases involving a dairy, an aluminum plant, and a rail line, while opponents said the bill would weaken statewide enforcement and protect corporate polluters; the bill passed 3-2 with two not voting. Finally, the committee heard HB 2966, which would bar early termination of lifetime probation for dangerous crimes against children and apply that restriction retroactively. Supporters framed it as protecting children and ensuring offenders serve full probation terms, while survivors, defense attorneys, and the Sex Offender Management Board’s concerns were cited in opposition, with critics warning about loss of judicial discretion, constitutional issues, and reduced incentives for compliance. The bill passed 4-2 with one not voting. The last item in the excerpt was HCR 2001, a voter referral measure to end early voting on the Friday before Election Day, require government-issued ID for voting, and prohibit foreign contributions; an amendment removed the early-voting cutoff and some ID-related provisions while adding on-site tabulation language and other changes. The sponsor argued it would improve election security and speed results, while counties and other opponents raised cost, implementation, and access concerns, especially around on-site tabulation and mail voting. The testimony portion of HCR 2001 was underway when the excerpt ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• for any remote participants.
• My name is Ty Mentor, chair of the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners.
• county dollars.
• County.
• It's the highest conservation priority in Island County, and the people of Island County want this project

Summary: The Capital Budget Committee held a hearing on Proposed Substitute House Bill 2295, the supplemental capital budget. Staff said the proposal totals nearly $911 million, including about $400 million in bonds and $511 million from other state and federal sources, with much of the increase over the governor’s proposal coming from Climate Commitment Act (CCA) funding. Major spending areas include housing and homelessness, K-12 construction, human services facilities, and CCA-funded clean energy, decarbonization, and habitat restoration projects. The chair said the committee would not take amendments at the hearing and planned to vote out the budget on Thursday, with a technical fix striker expected. Testimony was largely supportive of the House proposal, with many witnesses asking the committee to preserve or increase specific items in final negotiations. Housing advocates urged support for the Housing Trust Fund, manufactured housing preservation, and projects such as Alliance Place, Cloverdale Cottages, Cherry Street Village, Somos, and the Thrive Center. Education and public facility witnesses backed investments in school seismic safety, small district modernization, Healthy Kids Healthy Schools, community college and university maintenance, and projects at Cascadia College, WSU, CWU, and UW. Health and human services testimony supported behavioral health, Tubman Center, HealthPoint, pregnant parenting treatment, and the Yakima Behavioral Health Hub. Natural resources, climate, and infrastructure witnesses praised funding for Flood Plains by Design, community forests, trust land transfer, salmon recovery, the Skokomish land purchase, and the Lower Columbia River dredging project. Several local governments and organizations requested additional support or Senate-level funding for specific projects, while Climate Solutions cautioned against using CCA dollars to backfill existing obligations. The committee heard no votes during the hearing, and the chair closed by saying the budget would be executed on Thursday.

Transcript Highlights:

• . counties. counties.
• </c> counties.
• The counties have been counties.
• > everybody</c> county employees, county, everybody county employees, county, everybody who's<00:08:37.039
• As the Stearns County and Benton County folks came to St.

Transcript Highlights:

• > which is part of McCracken and which is part of McCracken and Livingston Livingston Livingston counties
• <00:02:24.440><c> Steven</c><00:02:24.840><c> Rudy</c><00:02:25.280><c> state</c> counties Steven Rudy
• state counties Steven Rudy state representative<00:02:26.440><c> first</c><00:02:26.879><c> house</c
• uh leader uh Rudy you've been counties uh leader uh Rudy you've been here<00:02:35.319><c> for</c><00
• From McCracken County in Paducah, we have the DOE site, the former uranium enrichment site.

Summary: The Natural Resources Committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and then heard ACR 22, sponsored by Representatives Randy Bridges and Steven Rudy. The resolution declares nuclear generation to be a clean, dispatchable baseload energy source for Kentucky. The sponsors argued that Kentucky and the broader energy market are facing growing demand and reliability challenges, and said the resolution recognizes prior legislative steps on nuclear power, including lifting the nuclear moratorium, creating a nuclear study working group, and establishing the Kentucky Nuclear Development Authority. The sponsors also emphasized nuclear power as part of an all-of-the-above energy strategy and highlighted small modular reactors and spent fuel processing as important future technologies. They referenced Paducah’s former uranium enrichment site and potential laser enrichment work as part of a recycling approach that could reduce waste and support new fuel production. No outside testimony was presented in the excerpt. Members expressed support for the resolution, with several noting its importance for economic development, reliable power, and keeping coal relevant through new energy partnerships. The committee voted favorably on the measure, with all members present voting aye, and the chair stated that the resolution would pass with favorable expression. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Tracy Ryan with Royal County Representatives of California.
• , an entire county of 50,000 people, the only... ...for one county, an entire county of 50,000 people
• Our counties cannot afford this.
• of California, and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, all in support.
• The cities and counties need the help to comply with the law.

Summary: The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee heard several housing-related bills, with most of the discussion focused on streamlining approvals, clarifying housing law, and expanding planning resources. AB 2005 would expand SB 9 urban lot split eligibility to homeowners using living trusts or LLCs and allow partnerships with small builders; supporters said it would help owner-occupants create more homeownership opportunities, while members raised concerns about enforceability and possible loopholes for corporate investors. AB 2676 would clarify the Housing Crisis Act of 2019 to make clear that referendums or initiatives cannot be used as de facto moratoriums on approved housing projects in affected cities and counties; the author said it codifies existing intent and court rulings, and members discussed retroactivity and pending actions before moving it forward. AB 1621 sought to tighten timelines and accountability for post-entitlement permits by limiting repeated plan checks and preventing local agencies from requiring changes that deviate from already approved plans, with supporters from the building industry and apartment sector saying delays add major costs. Cities and counties opposed unless amended, arguing the bill could limit their ability to ensure compliance with local and state standards and create unintended loopholes. The committee also heard AB 2002, which would codify and expand the REAP 1.0 regional planning grant program to support RHNA-related planning, housing elements, technical assistance, and some housing trust fund activities; supporters emphasized its value for under-resourced jurisdictions, while the building industry sought guardrails against grant conditions that exceed state standards. AB 2118 would refine the AB 2011 streamlined pathway for mixed-income housing by clarifying that state permits are ministerial when objective standards are met and limiting local standards that block mixed-use projects; it drew broad support from housing and planning groups and no opposition. AB 2074 proposed a ministerial pathway for high-rise mixed-income housing in major transit-rich downtowns, paired with labor standards and a state-backed revolving loan fund; supporters said it could revitalize downtowns and leverage private capital, while housing advocates and some members questioned whether public financing should prioritize mostly market-rate high-rise projects and raised budget concerns. The committee took roll-call votes and advanced the bills, with AB 2676, AB 1621, AB 2002, AB 2118, and AB 2074 all moving out on majority or unanimous votes, and consent items AB 1899 and AB 2390 also approved.

Transcript Highlights:

• County.
• Two appointed by McKinney County and one member at large appointed by the City and the County.
• So as our county chair, the county manager said, 'We'd like to not have just a two-lane our county chair
• We've seen it in Taos County, where they limited it to 400 rentals across the county. other, or just
• We've seen it in Taos County, where they limited it to 400 rentals across the county.

Committee: Joint Economic & Rural Development & Policy Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• These calculations are only for 37 counties. We have... ...are only for 37 counties.
• total valuation in these counties for 37 counties?
• So the county impact is anywhere from $4,000 in Renville County to a half a million dollars in Cass County
• County City County Library we have, it's a joint effort between the county and the city.
• He said he believed Cass County, his county, made an allowance for that and asked whether other counties

Summary: The committee met to continue its tax reform and relief study agenda, approved the December 3, 2025 minutes, and announced a new subcommittee to examine property tax statement issues with counties, auditors, and the tax office. Representative Headland was named chair, Senator Rummel vice chair, and Representatives Dressler and Dr. Dr. and Senator Patton were also assigned. The chair noted the group may need an additional meeting and thanked staff and attendees. A major portion of the meeting focused on economic development incentives. The Department of Commerce presented on the Renaissance Zone program and TIF districts, describing Renaissance Zones as locally tailored tools that combine local property tax relief with state income tax incentives. Commerce said the program has supported thousands of projects since 1999 and cited examples from Beach and Mandan showing increases in property and taxable value, business retention, housing, and downtown revitalization. Committee members raised concerns that smaller rural communities often lack the staff and expertise to apply, and Commerce said it provides outreach through conferences, office hours, and one-on-one assistance. League of Cities and local officials from Bismarck and Ellendale echoed the capacity issue, discussed how the programs have worked in their communities, and suggested possible reforms or more targeted support for small towns. Ellendale’s mayor also described two TIF districts, one for industrial infrastructure in Oaks and one for housing infrastructure tied to a data center project in Ellendale. The committee then turned to stripper oil taxation. The Tax Department gave a comparison of oil and gas tax structures in selected states, noting that most have some form of stripper or marginal well provision, while Alaska does not appear to have a specific stripper-well exemption. Members asked for more detail on definitions and North Dakota’s annual adjusted rate. The Department of Mineral Resources followed with a detailed presentation on North Dakota stripper wells, explaining the statutory thresholds, the 12-consecutive-month production test, and the fact that once a well qualifies it remains on stripper status even if production later rises. DMR said about 11,332 stripper wells are active, representing roughly 54% of wells and about 16% of state production, and emphasized that stripper status can extend well life, preserve tax revenue, and reduce orphaned wells. Committee members and industry witnesses discussed refracs, the economics of keeping marginal wells active, and the competitive disadvantage created by North Dakota’s oil price discount. No votes were taken on these informational items.

Transcript Highlights:

• Eleven ports are in Grant County.
• may voluntarily choose to participate in the county or regional planning process and coordinate with
• Looking at planning transportation policies across the county, there are only 21 counties that have a
• policies across the county there are only 21 counties that have a reservation in them of the 39 so that's
• Many counties already have MOUs with tribes. Many counties do.

Bills: SB6132

Committee: House Local Government

Keywords: indebtedness limits, inland port districts, federal funding, infrastructure improvements, economic development

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll use my tiny county.
• We've got a I'll use my tiny uh county.
• </c> &gt;&gt; get there, you know, and and participate &gt;&gt; get there, you know, and and participate
• </c> &gt;&gt; to get to the place to to participate.
• </c><00:21:52.559><c> in</c> receive because they're participating in receive because they're participating

Bills: SF0014 , SF0053

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for being here and thank you for your participation.
• I'm from Belen, Valencia County.
• My area that I represent is San Miguel and Torrance County.
• We zoomed in with Bernalillo, Valencia counties, Sandoval County, students from all the counties.
• Bernalillo, Valencia counties, Sandoval County, students from all the counties in the state, it was a

Bills: HB2 , SB204 , SB241 , HB34

Committee: House House Education

Keywords: general appropriation, budget, Medicaid, education funding, public safety, higher education, research funding, federal funding, New Mexico, appropriation, University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool

Transcript Highlights:

• Mark Klicker, 60th District, Walla Walla County, large part of Benton County, large part of Franklin
• David Stuebe, 17th District, which is Clark County, Skamania County, and Klickitat County, all along
• Every county may do it differently. That's my experience with King County.
• In Snohomish County, it was even more, adding $46,000. And in King County, it added $51,000.
• county.

Committee: House Local Government

Summary: The committee heard a series of presentations on comprehensive plan implementation, permitting reform, and subdivision and infrastructure coordination. Pierce County and the City of Redmond described their recent comprehensive plan updates, emphasizing major efforts to add housing capacity, middle housing, transit-oriented development, climate and shoreline protections, and preservation of existing affordable housing. Both jurisdictions said the work took years and required extensive public engagement, and both stressed that frequent statutory changes, late-issued state guidance, and overlapping review requirements created “implementation fatigue” and added cost and delay. Redmond in particular said mid-course legislative changes forced supplemental environmental review and additional analysis, while Pierce County asked for more technical assistance and more consistent guidance across agencies and neighboring jurisdictions. On permitting, an architect from AIA Washington, WABO, and the Master Builders Association argued that delays in plan review and subdivision approvals are a major driver of housing costs. They described long review timelines, repeated comment cycles, and inconsistent local processes as barriers that increase financing, labor, and weather-related costs and can cause projects to stall or be canceled. Proposed solutions included provisional or phased approvals for certain housing projects, stronger use of pre-application meetings, clearer and more objective standards, self-certification by licensed professionals in limited cases, and limits on repeated review cycles. WABO and local officials cautioned that pre-application and phased-review processes can help but require staff time and careful coordination, and they noted that many delays actually arise earlier in land use, environmental, or utility review rather than the final building permit stage. The Department of Commerce and consultant Clay White presented preliminary recommendations from a task force on integrating special purpose districts into Growth Management Act planning. The task force recommended earlier and broader notification of water, sewer, school, port, and other service providers during countywide planning policy updates, comprehensive plan amendments, permit notices, and grant applications; better coordination of utility and transportation capital projects; possible GIS tools to share capital facility plans; more regular updating of coordinated water system plans; and stronger alignment of school siting and funding with anticipated growth. They said the recommendations were intentionally light-touch because local governments are already absorbing many new requirements and because independent districts are reluctant to give up decision-making authority. Finally, FutureWise and the City of Spokane discussed subdivision reform. They supported administrative approval of subdivisions in urban growth areas, retention of key notice and access protections, and clearer rules for exemptions such as boundary line adjustments and estate-related lot divisions. Spokane described local reforms such as smaller minimum lot sizes, unit lot subdivisions, and reduced-process short plats for simple infill, while warning against additional notice requirements and appeals to city councils for technical plat decisions. Speakers repeatedly urged the committee to avoid adding major new mandates while local governments are still implementing recent housing and planning laws.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hugo for the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, City and County of Honolulu.
• </c><00:02:40.640><c> Prosecutors</c> main Justice and the County Prosecutors main Justice and the County
• </c><00:09:40.000><c> we</c> oversight of the different counties we oversight of the different counties
• Could I have the county back up? I'm sorry, Mr. Youo?
• participant staff and law enforcement officers.

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard testimony on SB 284, which would remove the requirement that wiretapping applications to a designated judge be accompanied by a written memorandum from the Department of the Attorney General. The Department of the Attorney General opposed the bill as drafted and instead proposed a new emergency-wiretap procedure allowing county prosecutors to seek immediate judicial authorization in exigent circumstances, followed by AG review and a follow-up application within 48 hours. The Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney’s office supported creating an emergency exception, citing a kidnapping case involving a missing material witness and the need to obtain live phone location data quickly, but asked that the AG be required to respond clearly within the follow-up period. The AG said the current wiretap process often arrives incomplete and noted a prior Honolulu application that was returned for more information and then abandoned. The committee also heard public testimony, including one speaker in support and another in opposition, and discussed whether the proposed emergency process should include imminent danger findings and what happens if the follow-up application is not approved. No vote or final action was taken in the transcript. The committee then took up SB 295, which increases penalties for violating temporary restraining orders and orders for protection and makes related changes. The Deputy Public Defender opposed the bill’s higher penalties, arguing that not all restraining-order cases involve domestic violence and that the measure could affect family disputes, property conflicts, custody battles, and other non-domestic situations. The Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney supported the bill, saying it would create a more uniform and efficient charging framework and that violations of court orders can be serious even when the conduct appears minor in isolation. Domestic violence advocates also supported the measure, emphasizing the need for meaningful enforcement and deterrence; one witness cited statewide data showing thousands of TRO petitions but relatively few convictions and fines. A representative from the Domestic Violence Action Center supported the bill but requested amendments to reduce unintended consequences for survivors. During discussion, the committee focused on the proposed minimum sentence, with the Domestic Violence Action Center recommending reducing it from 15 days to 5 days. The witness explained that longer minimums can create hardships such as job loss, housing instability, and child care problems, while still allowing time for survivors to access shelter and services. The committee chair indicated support for amending the bill to reflect that recommendation. The Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney also clarified that the bill is intended to address violations of already-issued protective orders after judicial review, not the initial issuance of restraining orders, and said the office supports eliminating the distinction between domestic and non-domestic protective-order violations because charging decisions are often made under time pressure. Multiple individuals and organizations signed up in support, and one witness testified in opposition. No vote or final committee action was announced in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• It adds Harris Rosen Way in Orange County, the Heroes Memorial Overpass in Bradford County, Arie Frisch
• Street in Duval County, Senator James Asa Best Memorial Highway in Hillsborough and Pinellas County,
• County, Master Deputy Bradley Link Memorial Highway in Lake County, Specialist Daniel J.
• County.
• This bill was filed in anticipation of Miami-Dade County and Broward County finalizing an agreement to

Transcript Highlights:

• I will tell you that in Palm Beach County, we have a disparity. And my first concern, when I...
• in the workforce or participate in approved education activities.
• Our SR program serves Participate in approved education activities.
• All coalition staff are required to participate in annual fraud training.
• My question is on your slide to when you have parents must work or participate voluntarily.

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee met with a quorum and first heard House Bill 731, which would address coach and extracurricular sponsor compensation and change how student-athlete transfer eligibility is determined. The bill would allow local school boards to adopt policies letting booster clubs or similar associations support coaches and activity sponsors, and it would let superintendents treat certain coaches and athletic leaders as administrative personnel for compensation purposes. It would also shift eligibility decisions for transferred student-athletes to the governing athletic association and require clearer bylaws and timelines for those determinations. Members raised questions about booster club oversight, pay equity, the new athletic administrator language, and safeguards against abuse or unequal treatment, while supporters argued the bill would help retain coaches and better support student athletics. The bill was debated and then reported favorably by roll call vote. The committee then received presentations from the Department of Education’s Division of Early Learning and the Florida Association of Early Learning Coalitions on school readiness fraud prevention and mitigation. Speakers explained that Florida’s school readiness program pays providers based on verified attendance rather than enrollment, requires daily parent sign-in/sign-out records, and uses multiple layers of oversight including coalition anti-fraud plans, annual audits, programmatic monitoring, DCF inspections, and referrals to state fraud investigators when needed. They emphasized that Florida delayed implementation of a federal rule that would have required prospective enrollment-based payments, and said the state’s current system makes fraud difficult. Members asked about military and grandparent guardianship situations, audit findings, and the number of fraud referrals; presenters said fraud cases are relatively limited and that the existing controls and public enforcement act as deterrents. The meeting ended after members thanked the presenters and the committee adjourned without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• What's the cost of participation in that? But our biggest concern isn't specifically to this bill.
• What's the cost of, of, uh, of, uh, of participation in that?
• And participation in the fund means that the public owner would need to contribute financially to the
• But wildfire liability risks are statewide, and the more entities that you have participating in the
• It's all us. ...participants, which include, by the way, I mean, it's all us.

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard two bills focused on electricity affordability and utility costs. AB 745 would restructure the California Climate Credit by shifting it from lump-sum bill credits to direct reductions in volumetric electricity rates, with the credit timed to summer months when bills are highest. The author and supporting witnesses argued this would better help households during extreme heat and could lower summer rates significantly; supporters also urged consideration of applying the gas climate credit and targeting low-income customers. There was no formal opposition, and the bill passed unanimously, 18-0, to the floor. The committee then took up AB 825, a broader affordability package addressing wildfire mitigation costs, transmission financing, and permitting delays. The bill proposes securitization and removing the first $15 billion of undergrounding capital from utility rate base returns, stronger oversight of wildfire mitigation plans, a public transmission financing program using state and IBank resources, and a task force to review ratepayer-funded programs. Supporters said the bill could produce major long-term savings and improve financing for transmission; opponents and some neutral witnesses raised concerns about liability, wildfire fund participation, impacts on utility credit ratings, and whether the changes could slow undergrounding or destabilize utility finances. After extensive discussion, the committee passed AB 825 to the floor on a 13-0 vote, with several members not voting or reserving their votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• In Catron County and Hidalgo County, what non-profits are functioning at the level of providing that
• However, participants...
• Out of all the counties here, are these 33 counties?
• Center in Bernalillo County.
• It said that you worked with shelters in these various counties, but in my county, Sandoval, we have

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee