Transcript Highlights:

• The ag bill is kind of the basic bill of feeding the state and feeding the country.
• And a lot of that does happen in ag committees, whether it's in the state or the federal government.
• And a lot of that does happen in ag committees, whether it's in the state or the federal government.
• And a lot of that does happen in ag committees, whether it's in the state or the federal government.
• I do want to take a quick moment to thank all the members of the ag committee.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's truth to that, but let's save it for a healthy conversation.
• As you may know, 50% of all lifetime mental illnesses start to show signs by the age of 14 and 75% of
• all lifetime mental illnesses start to show signs by the age of 24.
• About 9% of all of the claims are for children ages 0 to 5, so we do know... ...all of the claims are
• for children ages 0 to 5.

Summary: The hearing focused first on behavioral health, especially serious mental illness and anosognosia, a condition described by witnesses as a neurological symptom that prevents people from recognizing they are ill. The chair framed the issue around families cycling through emergency rooms, jails, conservatorships, and short-term stabilization without lasting treatment, and warned that federal changes under H.R. 1 could reduce Medi-Cal funding and worsen access. Dawn Marie Anderson gave a personal account of her son’s long history of psychosis, homelessness, arrests, repeated jail and state hospital stays, and eventual stability when he received sustained medication and coordinated support. She argued that the system often treats the problem as criminal rather than medical and that voluntary programs and short-term services are not enough for people who lack insight into their illness. Other panelists, including representatives from the California Behavioral Health Association, Santa Barbara County Behavioral Health, and the County Behavioral Health Directors Association, agreed that anosognosia is not denial or noncompliance and said the system needs long-term, coordinated care, including assertive community treatment, mobile crisis, supportive housing, medication support, and stronger handoffs between county and managed care systems. They said CalAIM and other reforms have improved some coordination, but significant gaps remain, especially for people with serious mental illness, for those in jail or locked settings, and for people with private insurance, which witnesses said often offers little meaningful coverage for early psychosis or intensive behavioral health services. Several witnesses urged the Legislature to protect Medi-Cal, shore up county safety-net services, and invest in training and family engagement. The committee then turned to the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, with a focus on the virtual services platforms BrightLife Kids and Soluna and the CYBHI fee schedule. DHCS reported strong growth in app registrations, coaching sessions, referrals, and positive user outcomes, saying the platforms provide free, culturally responsive, early-intervention support statewide and help connect users to higher levels of care when needed. On the fee schedule, DHCS said more than 500 LEAs, colleges, universities, and school-linked providers are participating, 181 LEAs have submitted claims, and $9.6 million has been reimbursed to date, with 41,556 students represented in claims. The chair and several members criticized the pace of implementation and the amount of money spent relative to reimbursement levels, saying the Legislature had requested data earlier and that the return on investment still appeared low. DHCS responded that many claims are still being submitted, that 70% of denials are correctable, that $400 million in capacity grants has been distributed locally, and that reimbursement is increasing rapidly as more districts come online. Public comment included a rural county behavioral health director who said private insurance denials leave counties with significant uncompensated work, especially for unlicensed staff providing case management and mobile crisis services.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a registered lobbyist for Healthy Climate New Mexico.
• I'm still learning a lot with Ag and Water.
• I'm still learning a lot with Ag and Water.
• we grow in southern New Mexico using ag wells, groundwater depletion.
• For myself, as a member of House Judiciary at the time and House Ag and Water, I believe.

Committee: House House Agriculture, Acequias And Water Resources

Summary: The committee met to hear House Bill 207, as amended, which would direct the Water Quality Control Commission to adopt rules for permits allowing certain beneficial uses of treated produced water, including industrial, commercial, energy-related, infrastructure, pilot project, and other approved uses. Representative Brown presented the bill as a science-driven response to New Mexico’s water scarcity, citing the state’s 50-year water plan and research from the New Mexico Produced Water Research Consortium. The committee adopted an amendment requiring the rules to be informed by credible scientific data and other evidence, including consortium research, before moving to public comment. Supporters argued the bill would create a regulated framework for reuse of treated produced water, preserve scarce freshwater, and support economic development, construction, and energy-related uses. Testimony in favor came from the bill sponsor, the consortium’s Dr. Zach Stoll, the chair of the Water Quality Control Commission, business and industry representatives, local economic development officials, and some residents. They emphasized recent peer-reviewed studies, pilot projects, and the need for the commission to act on updated science. State agencies, including the Environment Department, said the amended bill addressed some of their concerns and kept the focus on science-based rulemaking. Opponents said the bill would override the Water Quality Control Commission’s prior findings and force approval of uses that remain scientifically unproven and potentially harmful. Many speakers from environmental groups, acequia and agricultural organizations, faith groups, and local residents warned about unknown contaminants, risks to groundwater, crops, roads, and human health, and the possibility of spills or long-term environmental damage. Several argued the bill would politicize a technical process and create liability or cleanup burdens for the public. No vote on final passage was taken in the portion provided; the committee recessed briefly after public comment and then returned to sponsor remarks and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• And one in four of food insecure veterans were under the age of 65.
• And one in four of food insecure veterans were under the age of 65.
• And one in four of food insecure veterans were under the age of 65.
• And one in four of food insecure veterans were under the age of 65.
• And one in four of food insecure veterans were under the age of 65.

Committee: House Veterans and Military Affairs Division

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• On page 15 and On page 64, you talk about aging and long-term services department, and I think what I
• And I'm assuming that the age range that this increase is in is among young people.
• Twenty-four percent of the callers are ages 13 to 24.
• The Aging and Long-Term Services, which is on the next page, I just want to point out that they are on
• And so there's a push to get foster families, but it makes me feel like maybe the push is not healthy

Transcript Highlights:

• Colleagues, please join me in recognizing students from the Fresno State Ag Leadership Development Program
• In the United States, about 434,000 people age 12 and older are sexually assaulted annually, with data
• In the United States, about 434,000 people, age 12 and older, are sexually assaulted annually, with data
• pursuit of justice, a process that forces them to relive the trauma over and over again, and with the age
• great sadness that I rise to adjourn in memory of Sandy Steers, who passed away on February 11th at age

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then moved through privileges of the floor recognizing visitors, including Fresno State Ag Leadership students and members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. The body also approved the Senate journals and took up several gubernatorial appointments, confirming Heather Lynn Gonzalez to the Court Reporters Board and reappointing Anacubas to the California Law Revision Commission and David Hübner to the same commission, each by 26-10 votes. The chamber then considered SCR 136, commemorating the 50th anniversaries of the California Coastal Act, Coastal Commission, and Coastal Conservancy. Supporters emphasized coastal access, environmental protection, habitat restoration, public trails, and climate resilience, while opponents argued the commission can override local control and hinder development and infrastructure. The resolution passed 27-4. The Senate also adopted SR 68 on Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Denim Day unanimously, with members discussing survivor support, consent, and the need for stronger protections and accountability. Additional resolutions and bills were approved, including SCR 130 recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month, SB 1058 on school nutrition procurement flexibility, SB 930 requiring end-to-end encryption for certain school exam proctoring services, SB 917 expanding farmers’ market sales opportunities for wineries, SB 1002 on continuity of telehealth care for eligible patients, SB 1036 clarifying mitigation fee credits for redevelopment, SCR 131 calling for urgent action on unsheltered homelessness, SB 1285 on juvenile record dismissal, SB 969 on remote developmental services, and SCR 157 honoring School Bus Driver’s Day. Most of these items passed unanimously, while SCR 131 passed 34-0 after debate over housing-first approaches, self-sufficiency, interim shelter, and coordination among state and local governments. The consent calendar was then approved, committee announcements were made, and the Senate adjourned in memory of Sandy Steers, with the next floor session scheduled for April 30, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Madam President, colleagues, please join me in recognizing students from the Fresno State Ag
• Leadership Development Program as they're standing. ...in recognizing students from the Fresno State Ag
• In the United States, about 434,000 people age 12 and older are sexually assaulted annually, with data
• pursuit of justice, a process that forces them to relive the trauma over and over again, and with the age
• great sadness that I rise to adjourn in memory of Sandy Steers, who passed away on February 11th at age

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They might have aged out. There's a couple other smaller categories.
• Right now, 1,100 young people between the ages of 18 and 21 are receiving supportive services, mentorship
• So children ages 6 to 11 and then 12 to 17 are the ones we're really trying to get into family-like settings
• We expanded our LifeSet program, which serves youth ages 16 into early adulthood.
• I have worked with children five through 24 years of age, and I've been part of a process where all these

Committee: Joint Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on the Department of Child Safety

Summary: The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on the Department of Child Safety met to review child welfare reforms developed after prior oversight hearings on the deaths of Emily Pike, Zariah Dodd, and Rebecca Baptiste. Committee members and the chair described a series of stakeholder meetings with tribes, DCS, law enforcement, county attorneys, schools, and other advocates that produced several bills aimed at improving communication, reporting, investigations, and court decision-making. The chair said SB 1125, creating a tribal-DCS memorandum of understanding, had already been signed, and highlighted HB 1126 on school records access, HB 1127 on mandatory reporting by people with direct knowledge, HB 1174 on hotline case history and review of prior reports, HB 1175 on photo documentation of children in care, HB 1496 on allowing attorneys to share more safety information with judges, and HB 1631 requiring advanced forensic interviews within 72 hours in sexual abuse cases, with some exceptions. DCS Director Catherine Patak presented agency data showing nearly 160,000 hotline calls in 2025, about 43,000 investigations, and a relatively steady out-of-home care population that ended the year at 7,077 children. She said about 3,000 children were reunified, 1,300 adopted, and 800 entered guardianship, while 1,100 young adults received transition services. She also reported 534 new foster homes licensed, a 50% reimbursement increase for older youth caregivers, a 40% decrease in youth missing from care since September 2024, and a 30% reduction in fatalities of children in care since 2024. Patak discussed the annual fatality review process, noting that 52 of 123 alleged fatality or near-fatality reports had prior DCS involvement, and described agency responses such as health plans for children with complex medical needs, a diabetes training app, expanded LifeSet services, fentanyl and safe-sleep prevention campaigns, staffing realignment, retention efforts, and improved coordination with law enforcement and tribes. Members asked about group home notification rules, the distinction between “missing” and “runaway,” behavioral health needs driving children back into care, training under Jacob’s Law, and whether best practices exist for placing sexually abused youth with appropriate staff. Patak said DCS is updating rules to remove “runaway” and “AWOL” in favor of “missing,” and that the agency is considering whether the statute’s immediate-or-24-hour reporting language should be clarified. She also said DCS does not currently have a specific staffing requirement tied to a child’s sex in group homes, but would look into practices in other states. The committee then heard from Malcolm Hightower of Casey Family Programs, who said Arizona is generally in the middle of the pack nationally: slightly higher than average in foster care entries and congregate care use, but near the national average on screening, substantiation, recurrence, re-entry, and maltreatment fatalities. He praised Arizona’s kin placement rate, said congregate care remains a challenge, and noted that neglect definitions and poverty-related removals remain an area of policy discussion. Finally, K.C. Melsick of Collaborative Safety described the organization’s safety-science approach to systemic critical incident reviews, arguing that child welfare systems should move away from blame and toward learning from near-misses and system failures. Members discussed applying similar methods across state agencies, and the committee adjourned after members and witnesses emphasized continued collaboration and further reforms in the interim and next session.

Transcript Highlights:

• establishes narrow exemptions from vendor-assisted sales requirements when activities occur in strictly age-restricted
• environments limited to individuals who are 21 years of age or older.
• environments limited to individuals who are 21 years of age or older.
• The minimum required age of 21 remains unchanged, excuse me.
• observation, other than having law enforcement or military presence at polling locations is not a sign of a healthy

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Health Interview Survey conducted by UCLA, researchers estimate that over 3.1 million Californians ages
• But many women, because of systemic low pay, have to work well into retirement age.
• But many women, because of systemic low pay, have to work well into retirement age.
• No Retirement age. Our systems were just simply not written with women in mind.
• It will, but if you're lucky enough to make it to that age, you will.

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard several workplace-related bills. AB 1803 would require anti-hate speech training as part of existing harassment prevention training for employers with five or more employees; supporters said it would help workers recognize and report workplace hate, while opponents raised First Amendment and definitional concerns. The bill passed on a do pass motion and was re-referred to Judiciary, with the roll left open for absent members. AB 1940 would add perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause to FEHA’s sex protections and clarify related workplace protections; supporters emphasized workplace equity and retention, while business groups said existing accommodation laws already cover many issues and raised concerns about expanding protected classifications. It also passed and was re-referred to Judiciary with the roll open. AB 1838 would require bidders on public works projects to disclose recent wage-and-hour violations and how they were addressed; labor groups supported the transparency measure, while contractors and business groups questioned definitions and disclosure scope. It passed and was re-referred to Judiciary. AB 1859 would give joint labor-management committees access to public works job sites to help identify labor-law violations; supporters said it would improve enforcement of wage theft laws, while opponents raised due process, property access, and constitutional concerns. It passed and was re-referred to Judiciary. The committee also considered two workplace AI and surveillance bills. AB 1883 would prohibit certain invasive surveillance technologies in the workplace, including facial, gait, and emotion recognition, while placing limits on some facial recognition uses; supporters argued these tools are discriminatory and unreliable, and opponents said a ban was too broad and could eliminate useful safety and operational tools. The bill passed and was re-referred to Privacy and Consumer Protection. AB 1898 would require employers to give workers advance notice before using AI tools to surveil or manage workers, including disclosure of the tool’s purpose, data collected, and affected decisions; supporters framed it as a basic transparency measure, while opponents objected to the breadth of notice requirements, possible veto power over deployment, and enforcement language. It also passed and was re-referred to Privacy and Consumer Protection. The committee additionally took up AB 1707, which passed and was re-referred to Appropriations with a consent-calendar recommendation, though the transcript does not provide the bill’s subject matter.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, the Reverend Jesse Jackson died peacefully at the age of 84.
• Today, the Reverend Jesse Jackson died peacefully at the age of 84 on February 17, 2006, surrounded by
• They're part of the FFA program there, and they presented a program earlier to the Ag Committee, and
• We can adopt age restrictions. We can require child-resistant packaging.
• They have requested age limits. They've requested testing standards and labeling requirements.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Median age for first-time home buyers is now 40 years old.
• Median age for first-time home buyers is now 40 years old.
• Other scenarios: maybe it's an aging parent who needs a place to stay, and they move into that property
• best fits the needs of their families, whether that be helping a child to launch, giving dignity to aging
• Because I know from the youth that are around ages 21 to about 35, this is a top issue for them.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Human Resources

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think a certain amount of turnover is inevitable and probably healthy, but our goal is again to have
• wondering, you broke it out by income, but did you also break it out, or could it be broken out by age
• We actually looked at age, gender, and we also looked at ethnicity.
• The ages are fairly widely distributed.
• The actual installation rates we found didn't vary... ...didn't vary based on gender or age, so those

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee met on January 7, 2026, approved the December minutes, and adopted an amended work plan. Staff proposed moving the drug take-back program sunset review up to 2026 and delaying the thermal energy network pilot review to 2028, which would free capacity for new studies. Members also discussed active bills that would eliminate two recurring JLARC reports, including one on lodging tax revenue data collection, and the committee adopted the work plan without objection. JLARC staff then outlined new performance measures for the committee itself, covering effectiveness, efficiency, and quality. The measures include member and legislative satisfaction surveys, presentations to other committees, recommendation follow-up, staff retention, on-time report delivery, peer review results, and national recognition. Members praised the effort and did not take formal action, treating the measures as an ongoing process. The committee also heard a proposal to improve JLARC’s review of tax preference performance statements by adding a standard rubric in fiscal notes to assess whether a metric matches the policy objective, is measurable, uses reliable data, and allows enough time for evaluation. Members supported the pilot approach. Staff also described planned changes to public records reporting guidance, including opt-outs for low-volume metrics, better validation, targeted outreach to nonreporting agencies, and a survey of records officers. Two preliminary reports were presented. On ignition interlock devices, JLARC found that only 41% of drivers with a requirement had installed a device, with installation rates rising sharply with income; financial assistance reaches only about 11% of users, and JLARC recommended clearer program goals and stronger coordination between the Department of Licensing and State Patrol. On the drug take-back program, JLARC found that the fee structure tied to operator expenditures limits the Department of Health’s ability to recover oversight costs and recommended public reporting of oversight spending and a statutory change to better align fees with actual costs. Agency representatives generally agreed with the findings, described current coordination and administrative changes, and said they would consider the recommendations. No formal votes were taken on the reports, which will return in final form later in the year.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I am the analyst for the Early Childhood Department, uh, and I have been the analyst for Aging and
• I will no longer be the analyst for DOH or aging.
• We all want these kids to be healthy and have great lives, and yet we're spending billions of dollars
• From an early age, all the way to adulthood, maybe a more experienced age, dealing with these problems
• That that that is a rumor, although I hear it's never been used or not been used in the, in the ages

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• someone, Ralph Vi Hill, who was a champion for Asequias, a member of the New Mexico Asea Commission at age
• council for June 23rd, but we will count on our first meeting going up to Vegas, trying to get the AG
• , there was an error made in the, in the In the Paperwork that got done and I am a voting member on Ag
• You mentioned the AG would be at the Las Vegas meeting.
• In a healthy environment and a chair, and also I'd like to kind of also reiterate um.

Committee: House Water & Natural Resources Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• As a guy who grew up on a farm in Iowa and represent a big ag community in Lake County, I see a tremendous
• opportunity for the ag community here, who I look at as kind of the endangered species in this state
• I was curious, how does this, what's your thoughts on how this helps the ag community and how they can
• It will allow local governments to set minimum age requirements and ID requirements for operating electric
• Was the question asked, with your amendment, did it specify age? It did not.

Summary: The Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee heard several transportation and infrastructure bills. HB 1239, Energy Infrastructure Investment, would let the Public Service Commission create a mechanism for utilities to recover costs for renewable natural gas infrastructure; supporters said it could diversify energy supply and help agriculture, while members raised concerns about consumer rates and asked whether savings from RIN credits should be passed to customers. The bill drew supportive public testimony and was reported favorably after debate, with members noting the PSC would set costs and that the sponsor was open to further discussion on consumer protections. The committee then took up HB 313, which exempts Purple Heart recipients from paying Florida tolls. With no questions or opposition, it passed unanimously. The committee also considered HB 567, a broad transportation omnibus/strike-all bill covering EV tax revenue for roads, airport and MPO changes, workforce funding, traffic signal modernization, speed limits, and a pilot to streamline airport permitting. A major amendment added utility right-of-way notice, response, and incentive/penalty provisions, and another amendment authorized local governments to set age and ID rules for e-bikes, scooters, and other micromobility devices after testimony about a fatal crash. The bill was reported favorably after extensive debate and public testimony from transportation and utility stakeholders. HB 112, dealing with municipal sewer collection systems, would allow cities to use sewer revenues to expand wastewater infrastructure. Sponsors said it was aimed at helping cities like Hollywood reduce septic use and improve water quality; testimony supported the measure as a way to unlock funding for sewer expansion, and the bill passed unanimously. The committee also approved HB 7009, preserving public records and meeting exemptions for 911 and public safety radio communications systems and expanding them to next-generation 911. Finally, PCS for HB 1397, a large transportation package addressing airport, seaport, spaceport, and workforce issues, was amended and passed 14-1 after questions about federal testing notifications, removal of certain business preference language, and a provision redirecting some transit funds to highway projects if not timely used.

Transcript Highlights:

• important that they feel safe—not just that they're rebuilding in a safe way, but that they have a safe, healthy
• Yasmin Pellet with Justice in Aging.
• Yesterday, we sent a letter with 125 other organizations representing aging and disability that we are
• providers, and just uplift everybody that is out there doing God's work, taking care of our children, our aging
• As you know, about half of every homeless person in the state is over the age of 50.

Committee: Assembly Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• George unfortunately passed away at the age of 47 in 2018.
• AGES 10 AND 7. GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS DEMOCRACY IN ACTION AT THAT VERY YOUNG AGE.
• Diana is the mother of Francesco, whose life was cut short tragically at the age of 17.
• DIANA IS THE MOTHER O FRANCESCO WHOSE LIFE WAS CUT SHORT TRAGICALLY AT THE AGE OF 17.
• Senate Print 9869, Brouk, in relation to establishing the Task Force to Study Aging.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the prior day’s journal, and then processed a large number of motions to discharge bills from committees and substitute identical Senate or Assembly versions for third reading. The chamber also adopted the resolution calendar with exceptions and took up several resolutions and ceremonial recognitions, including a resolution mourning Hudson Talbott, a Dairy Month resolution highlighting New York’s dairy industry, and introductions honoring Niskayuna academic teams, Gabriella Scheer for receiving the Liberty Medal, the Hartstein family’s civic engagement, and Diana Cochran’s advocacy for safe firearm storage. The Senate then moved through the calendar and passed many bills on topics including insurance, public health, education, labor, social services, banking, local government, veterans, public service, consumer protection, criminal procedure, cannabis, parks, taxation, election law, and highway matters. Several members explained votes on notable measures: support for acupuncture insurance coverage, consumer protections for doorbell-camera data sharing, expanded protections in debt collection cases, trauma-informed procedures for sexual assault survivors, a Legionnaires’ disease awareness program, changes to mandatory minimum sentencing, and universal safe storage of firearms. A number of home rule and local authorization bills were also approved, including parkland alienation measures and local tax exemption authorizations. Most measures passed with broad bipartisan support, though some drew recorded opposition. Notable roll calls included the consumer debt uniformity bill, the mandatory minimum sentencing bill, the safe storage/firearms bill, and the public housing and public health measures, each with more divided votes. The chamber also accepted a lengthy Rules Committee report sending many additional bills directly to third reading, and then began the supplemental calendar, passing at least the first items before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Perspective, and I would give you that and then share my experience as a superintendent as well for an ag
• I believe that we reimbursed the school, which covers their two summer months of salary for the ag teacher
• So, you will see a majority of our adult students are at age 18 to 25.
• This can be through different programs that we have, such as creative aging and others.
• Oklahomans, and the arts are a powerful and low-cost tool to keep them connected and to keep them healthy

Committee: House A&B Education Subcommittee

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And you know, we're all about the same age in here. We grew up the way we do.
• In 2009 and 2019, 19,000 opioid-related deaths were recorded among Texans aged 15.
• half on a video conference with a gentleman living in Germany who developed early-onset Parkinson's at age
• He was bed fast by age 51.
• require standardization. of training overseen by DISHES in partnership with Texas Collaborative for healthy

Bills: SB128 , SB640 , SB672 , SB904 , SB1141 , SB1263 , SB1525 , SB1528 , SB2041 , SB2306 , SB2308 , SB2357 , SB2446 , SB2695 , SB2857 , SB2891 , SB2583

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Keywords: hospital reporting, child abuse, neglect, administrative penalty, medical ethics, child protection, SB 640, Texas Family Code, Department of Family and Protective Services, DFPS, child welfare, foster care, managing conservatorship, suicide attempt, youth suicide, mental health, child protective services, state custody, annual report, reporting requirements