Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:34:44.000><c> hardship,</c> estate planning, financial hardship, estate planning, financial hardship
• Um, the legislation actually uses financial institution in place of bank.
• </c><02:14:46.960><c> institution,</c><02:14:48.079><c> an</c> is a financial institution, an is a financial
• </c> services through a financial services through a financial institution,<02:14:55.119><c> or</c><02
• or in addition to their compensation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please grant them, Lord, the grace to face their unique challenges regarding political unrest, financial
• Relating to unemployment compensation. Chairman Oliver, you are recognized. Mr.
• Okay, but are we... ...unemployment compensation.
• When a person works, yeah, unemployment compensation.
• So there's a process involved, and they own some kind of compensation until they get to the next level

Transcript Highlights:

• How is that compensated? and so forth. How is that compensated?
• </c> speaker, yeah, that has been compensated speaker, yeah, that has been compensated in<00:27:25.919
• </c><01:00:15.760><c> assistant</c> you need this financial assistant you need this financial assistant
• I have uh two financial reports here.
• </c> Independent auditors report financial Independent auditors report financial statements<02:15:35.040

Transcript Highlights:

• And that includes funds for payment of workers' compensation claims as well. Correct? >> Correct.
• </c> for payment of workers compensation for payment of workers compensation claims<00:05:07.280><c>
• </c> have made valid workers compensation have made valid workers compensation claims?
• Christopher Calbertt, chief financial Christopher Calbertt, chief financial officer<01:50:17.040><c>
• ><c> Northern</c><01:50:21.520><c> Kentucky</c> financial officer for Northern Kentucky financial officer

Summary: The committee first approved the June 9 minutes, then reviewed a deferred personnel contract involving workers’ compensation claims administration. Staff explained that the roughly $50 million figure included about $48 million for claims payments and up to $1.45 million per year for administrative services, with billing based on a fee schedule for specific services rendered. Senator Meredith raised concerns about the vendor’s history, the scoring and bid process, and prior allegations involving the company; the administration responded that the procurement had been conducted under 45A through open competition, with outside scorers and no finding of wrongdoing tied to this contract. Meredith moved to disapprove Contract 167, Hart seconded, and the committee voted 5-2 to disapprove it. The committee then deferred a Western Kentucky University personal services contract because the vendors were still not registered with the Secretary of State’s office. Hart moved to defer the contract until the August 2026 meeting, Meredith seconded, and the motion carried. The committee also approved the agenda covering the various contract lists and deferred items. Next, the committee heard from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services on several personal services contracts for medical staffing and related services. Secretary Steven Stack and staff explained that staffing shortages often require outside vendors, that the contracts were competitively bid under 45A, and that the cabinet uses a streamlined vendor pool for specialized needs such as actuaries, auditors, and technical consultants. The committee approved Contracts 52 through 55 without objection. Discussion then began on Contract 61, with Meredith expressing concern that the committee lacked enough detail to judge whether the services could be performed in-house or whether the exchange of resources was appropriate; Stack said the contract was intended to provide efficient access to specialized outside expertise. The transcript cuts off before a final vote on Contract 61 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill deals with workers' compensation, and specifically with the increments of taxation required
• to fund both the workers' compensation fund and the second injury fund.
• The Division of Workers' Compensation. That's who asked for the change. And again, Correct.
• Your Committee on Financial Institutions will have a brief executive session at 12 o'clock.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the prior day’s journal by a 117-1 vote. Members then spent a long portion of the morning introducing guests and visiting groups, including schoolchildren, university visitors, county officials, business and civic groups, fraternity and sorority members, and legislative conference participants. The Speaker also signed several measures already passed, including Senate Substitute for HB 2061, HB 2641, Senate Substitute for HB 2423, and HB 2934. The main floor debate centered on HCR 48, which urges Congress to pass the federal SAVE Act requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote. Supporters argued it would protect election integrity and prevent non-citizen voting, while opponents said it would create burdensome, potentially disenfranchising requirements, amount to a poll tax, and interfere with state election administration. After extended debate and a successful previous-question motion, HCR 48 was third read and passed 92-43. The House then took up HCR 23, a federalism resolution reaffirming that states should control election administration; it passed unanimously, 137-0. The House also perfected and printed two bills. HB 2855, dealing with workers’ compensation funding increments for the workers’ compensation and second injury funds, was amended to allow finer 0.1% adjustments instead of 0.5% increments and then perfected. HB 1906, a simple county-government bill allowing township counties to offer annual, semiannual, or quarterly payment options for real and personal property taxes, also advanced without opposition. The chamber then moved to announcements and recessed until 2 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically, IBank will evaluate projects selected by the accelerator and improve them based on financial
• In terms of the types of positions I had mentioned earlier: engineers, financial analysts, attorneys,
• Two questions about the intervener compensation.
• Can you provide a yearly estimate of the funding provided for intervener compensation?
• Can you provide a yearly estimate of funding provided for intervener compensation?

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Sherry Sawyer with the Office of Financial Management here this morning to testify in support of
• This bill includes increased financial transparency, an independent review of CCRC actuarial studies
• Insurance by the state and these CCRCs are financially sound is worth it to CCRC residents.
• Meanwhile, tobacco use is a huge financial and health burden for these communities.
• Meanwhile, tobacco use is a huge financial and health burden for these communities.

Bills: HB2675 , HB2681 , HB2714 , HB2688 , HB2481 , HB2116 , HB1408

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: accounts, finance, business regulation, transparency, audits, cannabis, license fees, regulatory framework, revenue generation, legalization, HB 2714, caseload forecasting, food assistance, SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, state food assistance, budget forecasting, caseload forecast council, caseload forecast supervisor, Washington State

Transcript Highlights:

• In relation to collective bargaining, the budget includes $213.6 million for employee compensation.
• In education, this bill adjusts funding for special education financial aid programs to better align
• Gross income financial methods.
• It also requires counties to pay 100% of the lost enhanced federal financial participation from the late
• The bill also includes A mandatory single sales factor for financial institutions moves financial institutions

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• Financial flexibility is really important to our schools.
• Program, which focuses on incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students, resource liaisons, and financial
• aid outreach to ensure more students are applying for financial aid.
• to continue the establishment of this office and the provisions for aligning classification and compensation
• We're grateful to see continued investments in the UC and CSU and thoughtful financial aid investments

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• These programs remove historical, financial, and logistical barriers that prevent children and families
• Just Monday, we kicked off a workshop to start an evaluation of the existing wolf livestock compensation
• Just Monday, we kicked off a workshop to start an evaluation of the existing wolf lifestyle compensation
• And the last question in this regard is: have you been able to receive any financial help from...
• Have you been able to receive any financial help from or work in coordination with other entities like

Transcript Highlights:

• These programs remove historical, financial, and logistical barriers that prevent children and families
• Just Monday, we kicked off a workshop to start an evaluation of the existing wolf-livestock compensation
• Just Monday, we kicked off a workshop to start an evaluation of the existing wolf lifestyle compensation
• And the last question in this regard is: have you been able to receive any financial help from...
• Have you been able to receive any financial help from or work in coordination with other entities like

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection, and Energy opened its first hearing with remarks from the chair and members emphasizing climate change, resiliency, clean energy, natural resources, and the need to make careful budget choices in a constrained fiscal environment. The Legislative Analyst’s Office presented an overview of the natural resources and environmental protection budget, warning that although current revenues are strong, the state faces significant out-year deficits and should apply a high bar to new ongoing spending, use special funds and fees carefully, and focus on critical health and safety needs. The LAO said the Governor’s Proposition 4 spending plan was generally reasonable and consistent with bond requirements, but urged legislative oversight and reporting, especially where bond funds interact with General Fund proposals. Secretary Wade Crowfoot then described the Natural Resources Agency’s recent accomplishments and priorities, including wildfire resilience, water reliability, coastal protection, outdoor access, biodiversity, tribal partnerships, and streamlining project delivery. He highlighted major investments in climate and resilience, the role of Proposition 4 in continuing those efforts, and the need to modernize water infrastructure, including Delta conveyance and other regional conveyance projects. Members asked about Delta conveyance, invasive species, permitting delays, and the impact of federal staffing cuts; Crowfoot said the administration is pushing projects forward, supports a beneficiary-pays approach for conveyance, and is filling gaps left by federal reductions where necessary. The committee then heard from the Department of Parks and Recreation. Director Armando Quintero reviewed the state park system, outdoor access programs, tribal agreements, wildfire and forest resilience work, and deferred maintenance funded by the climate bond. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposed ongoing General Fund transfer for the California State Parks Library Pass program, saying it did not meet the high bar for new spending, while several members strongly supported the program as a low-cost, high-value access tool. Members also pressed Parks on reservation system problems and no-show vacancies; staff said new rules and enforcement will take effect July 1 and that vacancies are being opened up sooner. The department also presented low-cost accommodation projects, which the LAO supported. Finally, the Department of Fish and Wildlife introduced its new director, Megan Hurdle, who outlined the department’s mission, staffing, service-based budgeting, and Proposition 4 proposals for salmon tagging, hatchery improvements, and public access lands. She emphasized the department’s role in biodiversity conservation, permitting streamlining, law enforcement, and human-wildlife conflict outreach, and said the agency is working to close a service gap identified in its budgeting analysis. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Partially through intervener compensation, partially through grants.
• for working with us on a path forward that will ensure greater transparency and awareness about financial
• As amended, the bill will now require public disclosure on financial support that offshore wind developers
• The house will sell for less and cause financial distress to the owner.
• I'm just trying to ensure that they're therefore compensated in a neutral manner. ...they're therefore

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Summary: The committee heard several energy and utilities bills focused on wildfire resilience, affordability, electrification, and clean energy development. AB 706, by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry, would create a fund to support projects that beneficially use forest biomass waste from wildfire mitigation and forest restoration; supporters said it would reduce open burning and emissions while providing firm renewable power, and the bill passed 13-0. AB 39, by Assembly Member Zbur, would require larger cities and counties to adopt local electrification planning for EV charging and building decarbonization, with emphasis on disadvantaged communities; it passed 9-0. AB 1167, by Assembly Member Berman, would bar investor-owned utilities from charging ratepayers for lobbying, promotional advertising, and similar shareholder-benefit activities, and would add transparency and penalties; utilities opposed parts of the bill as overly broad, but the measure passed 7-0 with members noting continued work on the language. The committee also advanced AB 1417 on offshore wind community benefits and transparency. The bill, presented by Assembly Member Stephanie Nguyen, would require reporting of developer funding to local and tribal communities for capacity-building and expand the voluntary offshore wind and coastal resources protection program to allow such grants. After amendments, industry groups that had opposed the bill moved to neutral, and the measure passed 9-0. AB 367, by Assembly Member Bennett, would require backup power, tank topping, and facility hardening for water districts in high fire-risk areas in Ventura County; water agencies opposed unless amended due to cost and liability concerns, but the bill passed 10-0. Later, AB 745, by Assembly Member Irwin, would allow investor-owned utilities to finance undergrounding through securitization and disallow a return on equity for undergrounding projects. Supporters argued it would lower ratepayer costs; utilities argued it would effectively discourage undergrounding and could raise other costs. The bill passed 7-4. AB 1423, also by Assembly Member Irwin, would apply reliability standards to state-funded EV chargers installed before 2024; supporters said taxpayers should not fund unreliable infrastructure, while charging-network groups raised retroactivity and legal concerns, including issues with the Electrify America consent decree. The bill passed 13-0. Finally, AB 388, by Assembly Member Rogers, began discussion of a narrow change to the electrical corporation definition and the “over-the-fence” rule to facilitate green hydrogen projects; supporters emphasized decarbonization and job creation, while Southern California Edison raised concerns about regulatory oversight and customer protections. The transcript cuts off before a vote on AB 388.

Transcript Highlights:

• Was Representative Simmons ever compensated in any way by EEC for lobbying? No.
• Was Representative Simmons ever compensated in any way by EEC for taking or not taking a legislative
• Throughout all of this process, was Representative Simmons ever compensated for any interactions with
• And were you ever compensated in any way for those provisos? No.
• I have given him emotional support, financial support, personal advice.

Summary: The hearing resumed in the Legislative Ethics Board matter involving Tara Simmons after the board confirmed no ex parte communications had occurred overnight. Respondent’s counsel moved to dismiss two allegations at the close of the board staff’s case: that Simmons pressured the Administrative Office of the Courts to alter a contract in favor of her employer, and that she violated ethics rules by combining legislative support for AEJG with a personal donation to the organization. Board staff opposed the motion, arguing the evidence showed Simmons’s legislative and personal dealings were intertwined. After a recess for deliberation, the board denied the motion to dismiss, and the hearing moved into the defense case. The first defense witness was Sharon Navas, executive director of the Equity and Education Coalition (EEC). Navas testified that she met Simmons in 2018, later hired her, and took steps to separate Simmons’s legislative duties from her work for EEC. She said Simmons was never paid for lobbying or legislative acts, that her compensation came from unrestricted funds, and that the organization used written ethics-compliance language and a formal scope of work. Navas also described the proviso-funded dashboard project involving Anthony Powers and Chris Stanley, testifying that Simmons was not involved in the project’s day-to-day work, did not attend the meetings about the dispute, and was not part of the alleged contract disagreement. On cross-examination, staff focused on the contract documents, the dashboard work, and whether the scope of work matched the parties’ understanding. Tara Simmons then testified in her own defense. She described her background, legislative career, disability accommodations, and extensive efforts to seek ethics guidance from House counsel and board-related materials before taking outside employment or supporting provisos. She said she relied on prior ethics advice when separating her legislative role from outside work and when seeking provisos for AEJG and EEC. Simmons also addressed her relationship with Anthony Powers, describing it as a friendship rooted in criminal justice reform work and prior collaboration. The hearing was still in the middle of Simmons’s direct testimony when the transcript excerpt ended, with no final ruling on the merits or disposition of the allegations.

Transcript Highlights:

• today's calendar, House Bill 1007, which relates to Virginia birth-related neurological injury compensation
• House Bill 1007 relates to the Virginia birth-related neurological injury compensation program and fund
• House Bill 1095, relating to high school students' completion of certain applications for student financial
• Speaker, House Bill 1313 makes clear that first responders can make a workers' compensation claim for
• Speaker, House Bill 1313 makes clear that first responders can make a workers' compensation claim for

Transcript Highlights:

• It deals with the school funds established pursuant to Section 16, 165.011, about the financial transactions
• It deals with the school funds established pursuant to Section 16, 165.011, about the financial transactions
• It's about putting this all on the internet so people can see what the financials are. Okay. Yeah.
• two and three, and those teachers are not available, but we're mandating to have them without compensation

Committee: House Special Committee on Rural Issues

Summary: The Special Committee on Rural Issues met with a quorum and considered several bills and resolutions. The most contentious item was Senate Bill 1383, which had been loaded with multiple House amendments and a House Committee Substitute that combined a wide range of education-related provisions, including driver education, school finance transparency, property rules for charter schools, school accountability report cards, anti-bullying policy, educator preparation and literacy requirements, career and technical student organization staffing support, media literacy, and gifted testing. Members raised concerns that the substitute was overly broad, included provisions not heard in committee, and could impose unfunded mandates on school districts. After debate, the committee rejected the House Committee Substitute by a 5-7 vote and then voted 12-0 to do pass the underlying Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1383. The committee then took up House Bill 2169. An amendment to bar foreign-owned companies from using eminent domain for wind and solar projects was debated, with members questioning how foreign ownership would be defined and whether the language would affect companies with mixed ownership or U.S.-based subsidiaries. The amendment failed, and the bill was then approved by a 9-3 vote. House Bill 1699, dealing with county health officer appointment procedures, received a clarifying amendment stating that if a health officer is not reappointed, the officer must leave office and the county commission must appoint an interim; that amendment and the substitute were adopted, and the bill passed 11-0. Finally, the committee considered House Concurrent Resolution 38. A substitute correcting a typo was adopted, and the resolution then passed unanimously, 11-0. The meeting concluded with no further business and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 608 by Representative Chaseland amends Title 17 relative to the compensation...
• House Bill 608 by Representative Chaseland amends Title 17 relative to the compensation for intercollegiate
• But it is revenue received for compensation.
• And it’s clearly lined in their budget in terms of, look, money from ticket sales, money from compensation
• This bill does not create mandates or place financial burdens on schools.

Bills: SR119 , SCR65 , HCR47 , HB196 , HB218 , HB256 , HB325 , HB352 , HB434 , HB448 , HB476 , HB608 , HB624 , HB626 , HB632 , HB749 , HB818 , HB1059 , HB1112 , HB1242 , HB1249

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: SR119, Senate Resolution 119, D-D Breaux, Sara Breaux, LSU gymnastics, LSU Gymnastics Training Center, LSU Board of Supervisors, facility naming, honorary resolution, public buildings and grounds, women's athletics, Title IX, college gymnastics, SEC gymnastics, Louisiana State University, Tiger Athletic Foundation, women in sports, coach recognition, sports legend, campus naming

Transcript Highlights:

• to the Attorney General so that merit can be established and those that are being bullied can be compensated
• The financial burden on these businesses is horrible. It's predatory.
• The plaintiff through ADA can't even—there's no compensation that the plaintiff can get.
• There's no compensation that the plaintiff can get. So all these fees are all attorney fees.
• There's no compensation that the plaintiff can get. So all these fees are all attorney fees.

Committee: House General Laws

Transcript Highlights:

• We are treating poor performers at the same level that we are compensating high performers.
• And the applicant shall compensate the tribal monitors, never done before.
• Some feel that it does, especially the developers that will have to pay for compensation.
• And that's okay, because in California we believe that people should be compensated for the work that
• And it permeated every Every single financial decision my household made.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our financial coverage for the time and efforts invested by the remarkable faculty and researchers that
• And the compensation that we provide really has not kept up with inflation, and in some cases has been

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee met on June 17 and began with procedural announcements, quorum, and a consent calendar. The consent items included SB 246, SB 278, SB 317, and SB 386, which were moved together and approved by roll call. The committee then took up its only presentation item, SB 439 by Senator Weber, which would extend the sunset of the California Health Benefit Review Program (CHBRP) by six years and increase its annual budget by $1 million. Support testimony came from Jen Chase on behalf of the University of California and Garin Corbett, CHBRP’s director. They described CHBRP as providing objective, evidence-based analysis of health benefit mandate bills, noted its workload and public resources, and argued that the program needs the extension and funding increase to keep pace with inflation and the growing complexity of health policy. No opposition testimony was offered. Committee members expressed support for CHBRP’s role in informing health policy and fiscal analysis. SB 439 was then moved due pass to Appropriations and approved on a unanimous roll call vote. The hearing concluded after additional add-on votes confirmed the measures were out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our financial coverage for the time and efforts invested by the remarkable faculty and researchers that
• And the compensation that we provide really has not kept up with inflation, and in some cases has been

Committee: House Health

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee met on June 17 and first adopted a consent calendar containing SB 246, SB 278, SB 317, and SB 386. The committee then heard SB 439 by Senator Weber Pearson, which would extend the sunset of the California Health Benefit Review Program (CHBRP) by six years and increase its annual budget by $1 million. The author and witnesses from the University of California and CHBRP testified in support, emphasizing CHBRP’s role in providing objective, evidence-based analysis of health benefit mandate bills and noting that its workload and costs have increased over time while funding has lagged inflation. No opposition testimony was presented on SB 439. Committee members expressed support for CHBRP’s work and the value of its fiscal and policy analysis. The bill was moved on a due pass basis to the Appropriations Committee and passed the Health Committee with unanimous or near-unanimous support from members present. The hearing then concluded after additional roll-call confirmations on the consent items and SB 439.