Transcript Highlights:

• I also want to announce that all hearing materials, including the agenda background and handouts, are
• We should, at some point, continue to check on the change orders and make sure that there is no waste
• that those general plans are approaching the high-speed rail corridor, and they are, because I've checked
• If you turn to page one on the background, I'm not going to go through all of this.
• I don't know what your construction background is. I have my opinion, because I've built things.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held an informational hearing on the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s 2026 draft business plan and next steps for the project. Chair Cortese opened by noting major changes since the 2024 plan, including new leadership, a bottoms-up review, scope changes in the Central Valley, loss of federal funds, and renewed interest in private investment and value capture. The Authority’s CEO, Ian Chaudhary, presented the project as moving into a construction and track-laying phase, citing progress on Central Valley structures, right-of-way acquisition, utility relocations, and a new procurement for track and systems. He said the plan reflects a more disciplined, optimized approach, with the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment targeted for revenue service around 2033 and the broader Phase 1 corridor envisioned as commercially viable through ancillary revenues, public-private partnerships, and future private financing. Committee members questioned the Authority about station relocations, single-tracking, tax increment financing, utility relocation authority, transparency, and the feasibility of private financing. Chaudhary said the Merced and Bakersfield station locations were still under discussion with local governments and that no contracts had been finalized. He defended the reduced scope and single-track approach as a just-in-time strategy to avoid overbuilding, while maintaining high-speed standards. He also said the Authority was exploring land value capture, broadband, energy, and other corridor-based revenue sources, but acknowledged that some tools would require legislative action and that private financing options were still being evaluated. Several senators expressed support for the project but raised concerns about permitting delays, local opposition, constitutional and statutory limits, and the need for stronger accountability. The Legislative Analyst’s Office and the High-Speed Rail Inspector General then gave critical assessments of the draft plan. LAO staff said the plan assumes major statutory changes, understates risk, lacks transparency about scope changes, and may not fully fund even the smaller Merced-to-Bakersfield segment once borrowing costs and other uncertainties are considered. Inspector General Ben Belknap said the draft plan does not comply with newer statutory requirements in SB 198 and AB 377, citing three main deficiencies: unauthorized scope changes to the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment, an inadequate funding plan that omits financing costs, and missing procurement milestone dates. He said the Authority’s presentation obscures the true cost and schedule impacts of the project changes, and that incomplete reporting limits legislative oversight. The Authority responded that it would address the OIG’s findings in the final business plan, and committee members indicated they expected a written response on compliance issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• And my background is basically I retired from state government 14 years ago after 25 years of service
• So that's just a little bit of my background.
• So that's just a little bit of my background.
• Last time I checked, we were funded at a 12 vacancy rate, and we've been under 12 for quite a while at
• I checked it yesterday. We have 134 open misdemeanor DWI cases.

Transcript Highlights:

• A little bit about my background: I co-facilitate the Water and Tribes Initiative, which is an ongoing
• We check off consultation as a box, and we don't actually lead from that place.
• I mean, we might have to write a very big check to save our butt, but what role does that play, if any
• If we could go just to slide two, I'm going to give a brief background and elements of the settlement
• So if we could go to the next slide, I'm going to give just a little bit of background.

Transcript Highlights:

• That gives me, I guess, some additional background.
• One thing, it's not specifically to appropriations, but just by way of background information.
• So, this is not necessarily my background, but I'm going about what I'm seeing and I'm actually pulling
• I have to go back and check the fiscal note. But I think about half of it may.
• the wheelchair entrance is or the restroom I can take him to for private care. catheterization and check

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, who is doing these kinds of visits and what kind of background do they have?
• We wanted to check on every household.
• Evaluate, make welfare checks, check on that child, or drug checks?
• So we will continue to have those checks.
• I think last time I checked, it was something like 900,000 people.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for having me here today to provide some background information on hospital uncompensated care
• > information<00:05:06.800> on<00:05:07.280> on<00:05:07.480> hospital background
• information on on hospital background information on on hospital uncompensated<00:05:08.880> care
• <00:35:06.440> my check my check my uh<00:35:07.840> my<00:35:08.240> my<00:35:08.400
• I had no medical background and no understanding of what was happening.

Bills: HF4343

Keywords: sales tax, use tax, advertising tax, taxable services, digital advertising, online marketing, marketing services, search engine marketing, lead generation, internet advertising, ad agency, media buying, campaign planning, Minnesota tax law, service tax, broadening tax base, web advertising, promotional services, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I have checked with all of my regions, and it is working. They're great partners with us.
• Senate Bill 1042 for background uh I'm a Senate Bill 1042 for background uh I'm a retired<01:09:05.600
• Rodriguez, who spoke just a moment ago, who have significant background in these interventions.
• Rodriguez, who spoke just a moment ago, who have significant background in these interventions.
• Rodriguez, who spoke just a moment ago, who have significant background in these interventions.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Health heard testimony on several bills. On SB 1441, which would repeal the transfer of the Oahu Regional Health Care System from HHSC to the Department of Health, the Department of Health said it strongly supports the measure and requested clarifying amendments. HHSC/Oahu Region also supported the bill and said it had no objection to the department’s amendments. In response to questions, witnesses said the agencies have been working on an MOU to support transfers of long-term care patients to Leahi, with the current goal being about 10 to 15 patients, but transfers would occur only as space and staffing allow; one patient was reportedly being admitted at the time, and the process was described as slow and case-by-case. The committee then heard SB 1443 on payment rates for state hospital patients and related Department of Health services. The hospital administrator said the bill would allow rates above Medicaid for community or foster-home placements if patients cannot be placed at Leahi or elsewhere, and would set Medicaid-level reimbursement for outside medical services used by state hospital patients. He said at least one provider was interested in offering services at that rate and that the population involved is largely non-ambulatory long-term care patients. Members asked about availability and training, and the witness said special training could be provided. SB 1322, a broad mental health bill, drew mixed testimony. The Department of Law Enforcement supported giving crisis-intervention-trained officers more discretion to transport people to medical care instead of arresting them. The Attorney General supported the bill but recommended revisions to emergency-transport language and restoring liability protections. HHSC and Queens Hospital supported the overall goal but sought amendments to preserve the mental health emergency worker role in decision-making and to avoid negative impacts on emergency departments. The Disability Rights Center and ACLU opposed parts of the bill, arguing that it weakens due process, reduces protections in involuntary treatment and transport, and should retain a three-person treatment panel rather than reduce it to one. A Queens representative said the current program works well and reported that more than 90% of MH1 cases once went to hospitals, but that figure has dropped to about 60-70%, with about 20% now diverted to community settings or the behavioral health crisis center. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• For some background, this committee heard HB 519 and referred it to Division 3.
• For some background, this committee heard HB 519 and referred it to Division 3.
• For some background, this committee heard HB 519 and referred it to Division 3.
• I just wanted to give a little background to the story.
• <01:18:50.840> to wanted to give a little background to wanted to give a little background

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Committee held a hearing on House Bill 619, which would appropriate $1 million to the Solid Waste Management Fund for matching grants to municipalities and businesses for waste diversion projects, with 50% of the money prioritized for food waste diversion. Representative Karen Ebel, the sponsor, said the fund would help New Hampshire meet its solid waste diversion goals, preserve landfill capacity, and support composting, recycling, and related local business activity. She cited New London’s composting program as an example, saying 172 families participated and 32 tons of food waste were diverted in 2024, reducing tipping and trucking costs. Committee members asked about possible alternative funding sources, including a surcharge on landfill tipping fees. Ebel said many other states use such surcharges to fund recycling and solid waste programs, while New Hampshire relies on general funds. She also said the current fund balance was about $900,000 because some money had been used for staffing, and that the grant program was still in rulemaking. Questions also focused on how household composting works and whether municipalities could generate revenue from compost; Ebel said participation is optional, most programs use buckets and transfer stations, and the main benefit is cost savings from reduced disposal rather than compost sales. Testimony in support came from the New Hampshire Municipal Association and the Northeast Resource Recovery Association. Both said municipalities are interested in food waste diversion and composting, that these programs can reduce long-term disposal costs and property tax pressure, and that there is growing demand for technical assistance and grant support. The Northeast Resource Recovery Association said food waste makes up about 24% of municipal and business waste, that fewer than two dozen communities and fewer than two dozen businesses currently offer such services, and that a City of Lebanon pilot program saw about 30% savings by composting on site. The Department of Environmental Services said it was not taking a position but is working on rulemaking for the grant program and expects strong interest from municipalities, private composters, farmers, and anaerobic digester operators. No vote or final action was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• police can randomly show up and check police can randomly show up and check then<01:03:48.319>
• Representative, I'm curious to know who goes and checks on the number of plants. Is it the state?
• How are these checks and balances done?
• There are no checks, no registry, and no inspections, and I don't think there's been any problems.
• No one really cared about that because, as far as enforcing it, who's going to check it?

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:13:58.640> into Well, thank you, and I will check into Well, thank you, and I will check
• /c><00:17:06.800> make<00:17:06.959> sure<00:17:07.120> that people's land to check
• to make sure that people's land to check to make sure that everything's<00:17:07.600> okay.
• > different<01:13:29.360> data background here with different data background here with
• The days when you sent the landlord a check or dropped off rent in the office are becoming relics of

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's a lot of technical work in the background to make sure that it's applied correctly.
• That's a lot of technical work in the background to make sure that it's applied correctly.
• That's a lot of technical work in the background to make sure that it's applied correctly.
• <01:01:53.440> My or check each person's eligibility.
• My or check each person's eligibility.

Bills: HR1

Keywords: January 6 insurrection, pardon, law enforcement, violent crimes, public safety, justice system, political accountability, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• training our background training our background um<00:18:37.640> is<00:18:37.840> is
• The team checks off kind of primary disability?
• The team checks off kind of primary disability?
• The team checks off kind of primary disability?
• The team checks off kind of primary disability?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The work session focused on special education, especially the differentiated aid component and special education aid, which members noted is still often called “catastrophic aid.” The chair said the committee was trying to better understand how special education costs are growing, how districts are delivering services through SAUs or internally, and how reimbursement formulas affect local costs. Members also discussed the need for better data before making decisions on several education funding bills, and Representative Brown was tasked with capturing questions for follow-up information from the department or elsewhere. Testimony from the state special education director, Becky Fad, centered on why student counts in various disability categories have shifted over time. She said the categories themselves have not changed much, but autism has increased because of greater understanding and identification, developmental delay has grown because it applies to children under age 10 who may not yet have a clear diagnosis, and some students previously classified under speech/language or other health impairment are now identified in more specific categories such as autism. She emphasized that the IEP is based on a child’s individual needs, so a change in category would not necessarily change services, though it may help educators support the student differently. Members asked about whether the shifts reflect better diagnostic capability, whether the department should gather more data on the reasons for the changes, and whether autism-spectrum data could be broken down further. Fad said the department does not currently have data on the causes of the shifts or on where students fall within the autism spectrum, but that collecting and analyzing such data is on its list of priorities and a new data manager had recently been hired. She also explained that each child is counted only once on the chart by primary disability, that the IEP or eligibility team determines the primary category based on evaluations, and that any child can be referred for special education by a parent, teacher, or doctor, after which the district must meet within 15 days to decide whether to evaluate. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• <02:51:53.600> and collecting social security checks and collecting social security checks
• <03:02:14.319> They about their social security check.
• They about their social security check.
• The Department of Education supports students from low-income backgrounds.
• They develop and prepare backgrounds.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm just checking. You know, I'm just checking. You know, I just... Thank you. Thank you.
• right before session started on the day that we were sworn in, I was extremely stressed out and very checked
• Now I'm supposed to check in every six months to do these.
• with resilience, compassion, and unwavering commitment to building bridges among people of all backgrounds

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• practice that we can implement is just simply passing legislation, making sure that registrars double-check
• committee say we speak in a bipartisan manner and that we are telling our election officials: double-check
• did consult a poll that asked California voters, do you believe that ballot envelopes ought to be checked
• This gives a process of being able to do that double-check to ensure that we have not missed any material
• As a brief background, beginning in 2022, we worked with communities and our union partners across our

Summary: The Assembly Elections Committee met on March 25, 2026, with nine measures on the agenda and three bills taken on consent. The committee approved the consent calendar for AB 1736, AB 1853, and AB 2153. The committee also heard several election-related bills, including AB 1993 on ballot-envelope privacy, AB 1788 on nonprofit disclosure of travel payments for elected officials, AB 1560 on barring people convicted of public corruption from lobbying, AB 1539 on presidential and vice-presidential ballot eligibility certifications, AB 1919 on Santa Cruz Metro local tax initiative procedures, and AB 1562 on county selection of poll workers. The chair also noted membership changes and welcomed new and returning members and staff. AB 1993 drew the most debate. The author argued it was a common-sense safeguard to prevent voters’ choices from being visible through ballot-envelope holes, citing a Sacramento County incident and public concern about ballot privacy. County election officials, the Secretary of State’s office, and Disability Rights California opposed the bill, saying the holes also serve accessibility and processing functions, that existing voter instructions already address privacy, and that the measure would create implementation problems and an unfunded mandate. After extended discussion, the committee voted the bill out on a 2-6 roll call and it failed. AB 1788 was supported by the FPPC and the League of Women Voters and passed as amended to Appropriations, with members emphasizing transparency while seeking to avoid unintended coverage of organizations like NCSL and CSG. AB 1560 passed 6-0 despite the Secretary of State’s implementation concerns about how the office would learn of relevant convictions. AB 1539, which would require party representatives to certify presidential and vice-presidential nominees’ constitutional eligibility, passed 7-0 as amended. AB 1919, which would clarify procedures for a Santa Cruz Metro voter initiative to place a transit tax on the ballot, passed 6-2, and AB 1562, which would allow counties to randomly select poll workers, passed 7-1 after discussion about civic engagement, guardrails, and election administration. The committee then completed roll-call adjustments for absent members and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• NOW THEY CAN ACTUALLY IN A APPOINTED WAY SAY HEY CERT YOU SHOULD CHECK THIS OUT AND GO TO THIS WEBSITE
• DAYS CONSIST OF ENDLESS INHALERS, NASAL SPRAYS, SPHEROIDS, PUFFERS, AND OCCASIONAL CT AND MRI'S TO CHECK
• ACCORDING TO YOU CAN FACT CHECK ME ON IT BUT ACCORDING TO WHAT I SAW ON GOOGLE.
• MANY OF THEM HAVE THIS IN THEIR BACKGROUND. THEY ALSO HAVE A ROBUST RECOGNITION PROGRAM.
• HAVE ALL KINDS OF REGULATIONS WE COME IN AND DO AN ANNUAL INSPECTION THEY COME OUT AHEAD OF TIME TO CHECK

Transcript Highlights:

• Your background, I take it, is in nutrition. You're referred to as Dr. Arsoy, is that correct?
• When we checked what Lucy did have, she had a small bag of Fritos and two pieces of leftover Halloween
• And you know, do you check everybody's wallet to see whether they got money in it and can afford it or
• In my written testimony, if you would like to check out the full presentation with all of the survey
• they would come look at the piece of paper and then we have a we hire an auditor every year and they check

Bills: SB222

Keywords: whole milk, school lunch, school meals, National School Lunch Program, Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, Child Nutrition Act, USDA, nutrition standards, dairy, nonfat milk, low-fat milk, reduced-fat milk, lactose-free milk, nondairy beverages, plant-based milk, milk substitution, parental consent, legal guardian, food allergies, allergic reaction

Summary: This meeting of the committee focused primarily on the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, S222, which aims to permit schools to offer a fuller range of milk options, including whole, reduced, and low-fat varieties, that have garnered bipartisan support. Chairman Bozeman opened the session by highlighting concerns over children's nutrition and the obesity epidemic, emphasizing the significance of nutritious school meals in addressing these issues. Experts from various organizations were invited to discuss the implications of this bill as well as the current challenges facing school meal programs, including budget constraints and food supply issues. The meeting included passionate testimonies about the direct impacts of current dietary guidelines and federal funding reductions affecting schools' abilities to provide healthy meal options.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've got a physical note that is down in the 1.1s, and we haven't had time to double-check that, but
• perspective, because exemptions always sound good, and they are good, but you need, I suggest, a little background
• They see it on their tax bill, but they see it in the check that they write.
• You get your check, and then you get your bills, and there's nothing left.
• I believe it’s crucial for us to ensure that all checks and balances are respected, and that the will

Bills: SB4, SJR2, SB 4, SJR 2

Keywords: property tax, homestead exemption, school funding, state aid, constitutional amendment, SJR 2, Senate Joint Resolution 2, property tax relief, school property tax, ad valorem tax, residence homestead, school district taxes, Texas Constitution Article VIII, public school finance, homeowner exemption, elderly exemption, senior tax relief, disabled exemption, tax year 2025, voter approval

Transcript Highlights:

• FIGHTING HATRED, WITH BLACK AND JEWISH LEADERS WORK TOGETHER FOR JUSTICE, WHERE IMMIGRANTS OF EVERY BACKGROUND
• THAT PEOPLE FROM EVERY BACKGROUND CAN PRESERVE THEIR IDENTITY, CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMON GOOD, AND BUILD
• Check the boxes. You'll agree with me. It is a bad move. We should all vote no.
• CHECK THE BOXES. YOU'LL AGREE WITH ME. IT IS A BAD MOVE. WE SHOULD ALL VOTE NO.
• individuals of all walks of life, Cardinal Dolan has brought hope and encouragement to people of all backgrounds

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:

• individuals that reflect our ethnically diverse student populations and from all socioeconomic backgrounds
• individuals that reflect our ethnically diverse student populations and from all social economic backgrounds
• for governing board members disincentivizes prospective new members from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds
• There's not a single professor that would fall into this category because we require background checks
• Because we require background checks in our community college system.

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee heard several measures focused on community college baccalaureate programs and trustee compensation. AB 2528 would raise the maximum monthly compensation cap for community college district trustees, with the author and supporters arguing the change is permissive, long overdue, and needed to make service more accessible to working people and better reflect community diversity. CSEA took a tweener position, warning about optics and asking for longer public notice before any compensation increase, while some members raised concerns about taxpayer costs and benefits. The bill was discussed but no final vote is reflected in the transcript excerpt. The committee then took up AB 2053, which would authorize Coast Community College District to offer a cybersecurity bachelor’s degree. Supporters said the bill addresses a workforce shortage, serves working adults and veterans, and includes an LAO evaluation and a sunset. CSU and its Academic Senate opposed the bill, arguing it duplicates existing CSU programs and could set a precedent for more one-off degrees. Members also raised questions about funding, Prop. 98, and whether the program would divert resources; the author said the district already has funding and that the bill is a narrow pilot. The committee voted to do pass and re-refer the bill to Appropriations, with several ayes and some no votes, and the roll left open for additional members. AB 2301, a pilot allowing up to 10 community college districts to offer nursing bachelor’s degrees, drew broad support from nursing, labor, and community college groups who said California faces a severe nursing shortage and that community colleges offer a more affordable pathway for working and rural students. CSU and other opponents argued existing ADN-to-BSN pathways are more efficient and that the bill could worsen competition for limited clinical placements and faculty. Members questioned funding and Prop. 98 impacts; the Chancellor’s Office said the pilot would not require new state funding and would rely on existing mechanisms such as Strong Workforce and nursing infrastructure grants. The committee voted to do pass and re-refer AB 2301 to Appropriations, with the roll again left open. The transcript then began AB 2694, a broader workforce-responsive baccalaureate expansion bill intended to address duplication rules and create a more flexible process for community college bachelor’s degrees, but the discussion was not completed in the excerpt.