Transcript Highlights:

• And I asked everyone to show up for that meeting in person, not online.
• And then applications are still open.
• The clinic is open and sees community people, and that started just in February.
• They had a meeting. It might be today, actually. I think it was Wednesday.
• So we will meet that mark.

Committee: Joint Higher Education Institutions Committee

Summary: The committee met at Dakota College at Bottineau, approved the January 15, 2026 minutes, and heard a campus presentation from Dean Corey Gorder and President Steve Shirley. Gorder outlined DCB’s leadership changes, its affiliation with Minot State, and extensive shared services with Minot State, UND, and NDSU in areas such as business office functions, financial aid, payroll, HR, Title IX, printing, and institutional research. He said shared services help smaller campuses access expertise, and committee members asked about cost allocation and accreditation limits; Gorder said the arrangements are negotiated between institutions and that, to his understanding, academic accreditation is not affected by these service-sharing agreements. The committee also discussed DCB’s enrollment, dual credit reach, and program mix, including nursing, dental assisting and hygiene, paramedic training, drone certification, and farm management. Gorder said DCB wants to expand higher-demand, trade-oriented programs, strengthen Minot programming, and address facility needs, especially residence halls and space constraints in dental programs. Members asked detailed questions about dual credit, including how DCB develops relationships with high schools, whether it has exclusivity, who teaches the courses, and whether credits transfer. Gorder said relationships are built through outreach and existing school connections, that schools may choose other providers, and that DCB pays stipends to instructors under institution-specific formulas. NDUS staff Lisa Johnson said transfer problems are rare within North Dakota and usually arise only with highly selective out-of-state institutions. Gorder also noted that DCB’s dual credit and campus programming are heavily tied to rural schools and that the college is trying to streamline dual credit delivery as enrollment and staffing demands grow. The committee then heard from the North Dakota Student Association, whose representatives outlined student priorities from the last legislative session and the interim. Their main themes included campus safety, mental health resources, academic freedom, scholarships and affordability, teacher incentives, workforce readiness, housing, food accessibility, student research funding, internships, and campus collaboration. They said they supported or opposed various bills related to those issues during the 69th Legislative Assembly and emphasized that students want affordable, safe, and academically strong campuses. Committee members asked about housing affordability, food insecurity, research opportunities, and dual credit transfer and expansion. No votes were taken on policy matters during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a way to open up doors.
• Students who are struggling to make ends meet may not have reliable health care.
• Students who are struggling to make ends meet may not have reliable health care.
• Speaking of meeting nutritional needs, we are presenting AB 2302.
• But does CDPH have the capacity to review if it meets the EU standard or not?

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health heard a series of bills focused on access to care, insurance coverage, and public health. AB 387 on youth sports AED access drew support from the author and safety advocates, but opposition from school, park, city, and county groups over liability, cost, and access concerns. The author said he would continue working on amendments to shift the bill toward requiring access to existing AEDs rather than mandating facility procurement. Committee members emphasized the life-saving purpose of the bill while also raising affordability and access concerns for youth sports programs. The committee also heard AB 1682, which would require health plans and insurers to cover FDA-cleared scalp cooling devices for chemotherapy patients. Supporters, including breast cancer survivors and health groups, described the emotional and quality-of-life benefits of preventing hair loss and said cost is the main barrier to access. There was no formal opposition, though one senator raised concerns about whether the mandate could exceed essential health benefits. The chair and members expressed support for the bill’s goals and said it would be taken up when quorum was established. AB 2093, a follow-up to the 988 crisis line law, sought to clarify statewide leadership, improve coordination among 988, 911, and mobile crisis teams, and create a more sustainable funding structure. Behavioral health organizations and crisis center representatives supported the bill, saying implementation challenges and demand growth require statutory fixes. Committee members generally supported the concept but noted the bill was a gut-and-amend and that additional work was needed with county and behavioral health stakeholders. The committee then heard AB 1843 on hepatitis C treatment, AB 1629 on dental assignment of benefits, AB 2540 on community college access to medication abortion services, and AB 1929 on disclosure of health plan investments. AB 1843 had broad support from medical and public health groups but opposition from health plans, which argued it conflicted with the prior-authorization framework in SB 306 and could raise drug costs. AB 1629 was supported by dental and patient advocates but opposed by dental plans and insurers over concerns about network participation and out-of-pocket costs. AB 2540 drew strong support from reproductive health advocates and student representatives, while community college health services and some others opposed or were neutral pending amendments; the author said the bill was about equity and accepted amendments to reduce burdens. AB 1929 was backed by labor and immigrant rights groups as a transparency measure, but opposed by health plans and insurers who said Covered California was not the right entity to administer the disclosures and that the information was already publicly available. Throughout the hearing, members repeatedly weighed public access and transparency against cost, administrative burden, and implementation concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to go ahead and call the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee meeting to order.
• If they don't meet that requirement, but they meet the guard requirement for those who have served.
• So today we're meeting June 4th here in Santa Fe.
• Um, just to let everyone know, uh, we really were only assigned 4 meetings.
• Chair, if at all possible we could move the August 13th meeting to Silver City.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you meet the threshold for low income, then you do not have to put up the match.
• And then your last one is your opening protection, right? Your windows and your doors.
• And so, PeopleSoft to meet our state needs.
• I'll open it up for questions. Representative Bankson, you're recognized for a question.
• The meeting is now adjourned.

Summary: The State Administration Budget Subcommittee heard presentations from the Department of Financial Services on the My Safe Florida Home program, the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot, and the Florida PALM financial system replacement project. For My Safe Florida Home, Stephen Fielder explained the wind-mitigation grant program, including its inspection-first process, two-to-one matching grants for most homeowners, low-income exemptions from the match, and eligible improvements such as roofs, clips/straps, water barriers, and opening protection. He reported roughly 109,000 initial inspections, nearly 59,000 grants approved, 31,000 final inspections, 25,000 reimbursements, and about $240 million paid out through the end of 2024. Members asked about premium savings, contractor pricing, fraud, owner-builder eligibility, reimbursement timing, and whether the program should have a dedicated funding source; Fielder said the program is currently closed, more than 40,000 people have signed up for updates, and the office has seen some price-gouging and impersonation issues but no major fraud trend. The committee also discussed the new prioritization rules that took effect July 1, 2024, which direct grant awards by age and income. Fielder said the program used a survey of existing applicants to implement the new priority groups and that the first group was over age 60 and low-income. Members raised questions about how premium reductions are measured, whether insurance company changes or rising insured values affect the data, and whether the program can track long-term outcomes after reimbursement. Fielder said the office reports raw premium changes based on declarations pages, knows the insurer for participants, and has validated results with multiple insurers, but does not track homeowners after they leave the program or enforce continued insurance coverage. For the My Safe Florida Condo Pilot, Fielder said the program is modeled on the home program but uses association-level applications, a maximum grant of $175,000 per association, and a similar two-to-one match. He said the application window opened briefly in November and was closed quickly because available funding could be exhausted and the department is prohibited from creating a waiting list. He identified several needed statutory changes, including better distinguishing condos from single-family homes, adjusting roof requirements for flat concrete roofs, and revisiting the unanimous unit-owner vote requirement, which he said has been a major obstacle. Chair Lopez noted the pilot is intended to be a learning process and thanked DFS staff for identifying implementation issues. The final presentation covered Florida PALM, the state’s effort to replace the 40-year-old FLAIR accounting system with a PeopleSoft-based financial management system. Fielder and PALM Director Jimmy Cox said the project began in 2014, the state contracted with Accenture in 2018, cash management went live in 2021, and the project was paused in 2022 for legislative review and remediation. They said the system is expected to go live in 2026, possibly in July rather than January, and that the project has spent about $225 million to date, with a current-year budget of about $60.9 million and a projected next-year request of about $64 million. Members asked about cybersecurity, cloud hosting, project scope, and whether the system is unique to Florida; staff said the system is not Florida-specific, access is credentialed through agency identity management, and the cloud host location is confidential. After the presentations, Chair Lopez assigned members to work with specific agencies on budget review meetings, asked them to discuss agency structure, priorities, staffing, waste reduction, and other budget issues, and set a deadline to report findings in the first week of regular session. The meeting then adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• We just had our annual meeting, and we had 15 speakers present.
• They also should meet good manufacturing standards.
• We've collectively been meeting about this for weeks.
• So we are open to making some amendment.
• So we are open to making some amendments on this. So we are open to making some amendments on this.

Committee: Senate Agricultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• People are coming from various different meetings.
• Is that already closed, or is it still open? It’s about to open in the coming weeks.
• So it’ll be open, and how long is that open for?
• Growth Council in December and so that's so it'll be open and how long is that open for?
• That'll be open for around three months the application period.

Summary: The committee held its second hearing on housing construction innovation, focusing on factory-built and modular housing as a way to lower costs, speed delivery, and expand housing supply. The chair framed the effort as a search for practical innovation paired with land use, financing, and regulatory changes that could make housing more affordable for working families. Government witnesses from HCD, the Strategic Growth Council, and the tax credit and bond allocation agencies explained how factory-built housing is regulated, how California standards and third-party approvals work, and how state programs are trying to build regional demand and financing pipelines for modular production. Testimony from investors and developers emphasized both the promise and the risks of modular construction. JP Morgan Chase and the Housing Accelerator Fund described projects that achieved meaningful time and cost savings, but said lenders still see elevated risk because of manufacturer solvency, upfront deposits, transportation and installation issues, and the need for standardized designs and experienced teams. They urged more standardization, more local factories, better alignment between financing timelines and construction schedules, and state support such as backstops, top-loss capital, and scoring preferences in tax credit and bond programs. Several speakers noted that recent federal changes to the 4% tax credit program increased production capacity, but warned that without continued state investment the pipeline could face a future funding cliff. The workforce panel, including union contractors, factory supervisors, and labor representatives, said modular construction can support good jobs if it is paired with union labor, training, and fair standards. They described benefits for workers such as steadier schedules, less commuting, improved safety, and better work-life balance, while also stressing the need for wages, health coverage, retirement benefits, and apprenticeship opportunities. Union representatives supported a model that keeps both factory and on-site work unionized and said the industry could create more jobs overall if California builds more factories and develops a stable, long-term demand pipeline. No formal votes or actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• You have passed House Bill 2396, citing an open session.
• The Health and Human Services Special Meeting will start at 9 a.m. on Monday.
• We ask that you stay for the program and meet your constituents.
• We ask you to stay for the program and meet your constituents.
• Pursuant to House Rule 9(e), committees are granted permission to continue meeting.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior journal, and recognition of the Doctor of the Day, Dr. Fred Kogan. Members also introduced numerous guests and groups, including Lunar New Year celebrants, Freedom Academy students, local officials from Nogales and Santa Cruz County, and representatives of Phoenix Ballet, which was honored in a proclamation recognizing National Ballet Day and the company’s contributions to Arizona’s arts community. The chamber also announced committee assignments, upcoming committee meetings, and several birthday and event notices, including African American Legislative Day and a statehood celebration for Arizona. On third reading, House Bill 2190, relating to the Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants and the Physician Assistant Compact, failed on a 20-38 vote after debate over licensing compacts and rural health workforce needs. House Bill 2206, relating to SNAP rulemaking, passed 33-25 after a dispute over whether it created new rulemaking authority; supporters said it clarified existing authority and would help administer the program, while opponents argued it improperly delegated legislative power. House Bill 2396, also relating to SNAP and food restrictions, passed 34-25 after extensive debate about whether the state should limit purchases by low-income families; supporters framed it as promoting healthier choices and responsible use of public funds, while opponents argued it was paternalistic and harmful in food deserts. During the SNAP debate, members on both sides cited food access, nutrition, personal freedom, and the cost of living. Supporters referenced WIC restrictions, school lunch standards, and concerns about taxpayer-funded benefits, while opponents emphasized food deserts, rising prices, and the need for families to make their own choices. After the votes, the House recessed briefly, then returned for additional announcements and procedural business, including committee substitutions, bill referrals, and first reading of HB 4097. The House then adjourned until Monday, February 16, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will hold the issue open. Thank you to all of you on this panel.
• We'll hold the issue open and ask staff to work on that.
• We'll hold the issue open and ask staff to work on that.
• We will hold this issue open. Thank you all for being here and presenting on this item.
• And with that, we come to the public comments period of the meeting.

Summary: The committee heard a series of budget proposals focused on education finance, with repeated questions about whether the state’s investments are coordinated, targeted to the highest-need students, and likely to produce measurable results. On the first item, the administration proposed $1 million for a study of California’s curriculum framework, standards, and instructional materials process, plus $250,000 for supplemental ELA/ELD guidance. CDE and Finance said the study would examine how other states organize standards, frameworks, and adoptions, while the chair and members questioned why California has gone so long without updating some standards, what the study would actually accomplish, and whether the proposal was too vague to justify the cost. The issue was held open. The committee then took up a proposed $25 million statewide literacy network within the system of support. CCEE and CDE said the network would coordinate multiple existing literacy leads, create a clearinghouse of evidence-based resources, and improve coherence across the state’s many literacy initiatives. Members pressed on how a one-time, five-year allocation could support a long-term system, how the work would reach distressed and rural districts, and whether the proposal would translate into classroom change rather than just another layer of coordination. The issue was also held open. Next, the committee reviewed a $500 million proposal to expand literacy coaches and reading specialists and to create a math coaches program. CDE described the existing literacy coach cohorts as producing positive reports from participating LEAs, while the LAO recommended modifications, especially for the math coach portion, including limiting eligibility to elementary schools, setting minimum grant amounts, directing funds to eligible school sites, and making eligibility automatic rather than application-based. Members focused on whether coaches were actually being placed at the schools with the greatest need and whether the state has a coherent long-term strategy for literacy and math investments. The committee also heard a $40 million proposal for training and implementation of K-2 reading difficulty screeners, which the LAO said was reasonable but could be reduced because $25 million had already been provided for training; CDE said the new funds were needed for full implementation, procurement, and sustainability. Finally, the committee heard a $10 million proposal for a developmentally appropriate TK multilingual learner screener, with CDE explaining why the preschool language-identification process is different from K-12 EL assessment and the chair asking staff to explore whether a single, more consistent approach could be developed. The meeting concluded with a presentation on universal school meals and kitchen infrastructure, including a $31.5 million backfill, an $84.1 million increase for projected meal growth, a COLA adjustment, and $150 million for kitchen upgrades and training to support freshly prepared meals.

Transcript Highlights:

• Seeing no debate, please open up the rolls. Representative Banning is a yes.
• Seeing no debate, please open the rolls. Representative Johnson?
• Move adoption and open for questions. Are there any questions?
• Move adoption and open for questions. Are there any questions?
• Seeing no debate, please open the rolls. May. Mayer's not down? Okay.

Bills: SB1734 , SB1630 , SB1894 , SB1975 , SB1432 , SB1437 , SB1812 , SB346 , SB1250 , SB710 , SB1489 , SB2045 , SB1614

Committee: House Common Education

Summary: The committee took up a series of education-related Senate bills, first accepting untimely filed PCS amendments for SB 1614 and SB 1250 without objection. SB 1734, the Oklahoma Responsible Tech in Schools Act, would prohibit AI tools from being used for instruction in public districts except for educator-directed uses, and it passed 12-0. SB 1630 would allow a school district up to one day or six hours of virtual instruction when students are completing statewide assessments, and it also passed 12-0. SB 1894, using PCS language, caps teacher professional development requirements at 200 hours over five years for teachers with fewer than five years of experience and 150 hours for those with more experience; it passed 11-0. SB 1975 would expand access to AP testing locations and the state’s Horizons online learning platform, and it passed 11-0. SB 1432 removes pilot-program and sunset language from an alternative certification program, and SB 1437 creates the President’s Physical Fitness Act and directs districts to use student fitness results to improve health outcomes; both passed 11-0. SB 1812 requires districts to make K-8 benchmark assessment results available to parents and guardians, and SB 346 modifies the background check process for certain teachers moving to a new district; both passed 11-0. SB 710 would expand the Teach Forward education preparation program to additional providers if funds are available, and SB 1489 concerns special-needs students; both passed 10-0. The committee also approved SB 1614, which creates a teacher induction program for new and emergency-certified teachers, by an 11-0 vote. The committee then considered SB 2045, a recess-related bill that would provide 30 minutes of recess and prohibit recess from being used as punishment. Members asked about possible compromise language with other PE/recess proposals, and the bill passed 11-0. Finally, the committee debated SB 1250, which was described as addressing school library materials and, through amendment, removing the definition of obscene in favor of sexually explicit language. Supporters said it would give districts and superintendents clearer guidance and require local library collection lists to be submitted to the Department of Education; opponents questioned whether the bill was necessary, whether it would require additional staff or create fiscal impacts, and whether stronger repeated-violations language was needed. After discussion, SB 1250 passed 8-2, and the chair noted it was the committee’s last meeting for the year.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd be very open to that amendment. I'd be very open to that amendment. Yeah, additional questions?
• to have a couple meetings to come up<00:28:04.519><c> with</c><00:28:04.600><c> an</c><00:28:04.760>
• I view this a little bit like when you go into a town meeting.
• I don't want to make it too open-ended.
• All other select board, zoning board, and planning board meetings would be posted.

Committee: Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• I forgot to mention this in my opening comments.
• So again, the pre-application meeting is really vital.
• Yeah, it meets all the code requirements.
• I'm very open to working through this stuff.
• opened doors and they've allowed more housing types.

Bills: SB5633 , SB6279 , SB6291 , SB6274 , SB6309 , SB5903 , SB6016 , SB5820 , SB6132 , SB6189

Committee: Senate Local Government

Keywords: land subdivision, zoning, property development, local government authority, real estate, infrastructure, wildfire, wildland urban interface, WUI, building code, fire-resistant construction, defensible space, hazard map, risk map, state building code council, department of natural resources, fire marshal, regional fire defense board, roofing standards, exterior walls

Transcript Highlights:

• Big eye-opener.
• Big eye-opener.
• Big eye-opener.
• Big eye-opener.
• Big eye-opener.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• THAT IS WHAT IT WOULD SELL FOR IN THE OPEN MARKET.
• OPENING PROTECTION IS THE WORDS OF THE STATUTE USES.
• WE OPENED AUGUST 4, IT IS NOW DECEMBER 2 AND WE STILL HAVE MONEY.
• IN JULY WE OPENED THE GRANT APPLICATION, THEN IN AUGUST WE OPENED THE INSPECTION APPLICATION AGAIN TO
• WE ALSO MEET MONTHLY WITH SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, YOU HEARD MR.

Transcript Highlights:

• It doesn’t meet their standards.
• It doesn’t meet their standards.
• It doesn’t meet their standards.
• </c> So, I'm open to that type of an idea. So, I'm open to that type of an idea.
• I'm open to all comers. Um, agreement. I'm open to all comers.

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Seeing none, staff, please open the queue for a vote.
• Seeing none, staff please open the queue for a vote. ...open the queue for a vote.
• Seeing none, staff please open the queue for a vote.
• Seeing none, staff, please open the queue for a vote.
• Seeing none, staff, please open the queue for a vote.

Bills: HB3287 , HB2947 , HB3784 , HB3901 , HB4275

Committee: House Public Health

Summary: The Public Health Committee met for its first session and laid over House Bills 3884 and 4410. The committee then heard and advanced several bills. HB 3287 would require hospitals to post discreet notices in areas like X-ray, CAT scan, MRI, or bathrooms telling victims of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, or human trafficking how to alert staff and ensuring they are not discharged before appropriate reporting occurs; members discussed whether to include a phone number, and the bill passed 5-0. HB 2947 would allow clinics to bill Medicaid for services provided by master’s-level mental health interns working under supervision in accredited programs, with supporters saying it could help address rural workforce shortages; questions focused on supervision, liability, whether it would be limited to Medicaid, fiscal impact, and how many interns might participate, and it passed 5-0. The committee also considered HB 3784, as amended by a PCS, which would let permanent makeup artists come out from under physician oversight after three years of experience, while preserving supervision if they use prescription medications such as topical anesthetics; after clarification about the PCS, it passed 5-0. HB 3901 would create a psychological autopsy position in the Department of Health to review suicides and overdoses through voluntary family interviews and records review to improve prevention efforts; members raised questions about cost, whether the work should be housed elsewhere, the pilot nature of the proposal, and what data are currently collected, and it passed 5-0. Finally, HB 4275 would allow case managers and peer support specialists to be employed by cities and counties while keeping their certification, and it also passed 5-0. The meeting ended with adjournment and a notice that the committee would meet again the following Wednesday morning at 9:00.

Transcript Highlights:

• Debate having ceased, the clerk will open the roll. The clerk will open the roll.
• Seeing no further debate, the clerk will open the roll.
• The clerk will open the roll.
• We put on new clothes and open up new books.
• Would you like the first roll to be open for co-authors? Yes, please open the roll for co-authors.

Transcript Highlights:

• Clerk, open the roll, please.
• Clerk, will open the roll, please.
• The clerk will open the roll, please.
• Clerk, open the roll, please.
• Clerk, open the roll, please.

Bills: SB1627 , SB227 , SB366 , SB1193 , SB1433 , SB1450 , SB1481 , SB1749 , SB1810 , SB1812 , SB1921 , SB1948 , SB2044 , SB2178 , SB169 , SB1877 , HB1409 , SB1266 , SB1432

Summary: The Senate convened, established a quorum, offered prayer, and recognized several guests, doctors, nurses, pages, student shadows, and visitors in the gallery. Members also adopted a motion to request the House’s consent for the Senate to adjourn for more than three days, with Senator Hicks opposing the motion because of the number of bills still available for consideration. The motion passed. The chamber then considered several bills. Senate Bill 1627, a cleanup measure to eliminate duplicate criminal code sections and clarify the law for legal research, passed 45-0 and was advanced as an emergency. Senate Bill 227, dealing with gross production tax and ad valorem taxation on oil and gas means of production, drew extensive questioning and debate over possible revenue impacts, county assessors, schools, and economically at-risk wells; it passed 37-9. Senate Bill 366, which gives charter schools a first right of refusal to buy or lease public school buildings sold or leased by districts, also generated debate over local control and lack of resale guardrails, and passed 40-6 as an emergency. Later, Senate Bill 1193 to remove general fund carryover caps for school districts passed 46-0 as an emergency after supporters argued it would reduce “use it or lose it” spending and allow more local flexibility, while opponents questioned fiscal effects and accountability. Senate Bill 1433, the Guidance Transparency Act requiring agencies to publicly disclose guidance documents in a searchable database, passed 37-7 after concerns about attorney-client privilege, administrative burden, and whether guidance could function like law. Senate Bill 1450, expanding relief from fines, fees, and court costs for certain people in the criminal justice system, was advanced and passed unanimously; Senate Bill 1481, increasing minimum recess time for K-5 students from 20 to 40 minutes, was advanced as an emergency measure; Senate Bill 1810, allowing expert testimony in human trafficking cases, passed 45-0; Senate Bill 1812, requiring school districts to make benchmark testing information available to parents, passed 46-0 as an emergency; Senate Bill 1921, increasing OSBI background-check fees, passed 39-7; and Senate Bill 1948, updating fireworks laws and limiting county restrictions on private outdoor consumer fireworks displays, was taken up with significant safety and local-control questioning.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Secretary will open the key, and each senator will record his or her vote.
• The Secretary will open the key, and each senator will record his or her vote.
• The Secretary will open the key, and each senator will record his or her vote.
• The Secretary will open the key, and each senator will record his or her vote.
• The secretary will open the key and each senator will record his or her vote.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum call showing 46 members present. It then took up multiple House messages and amendments, appointing conference committees on several measures, including SB 2007, SCR 4007, SB 2374, SB 233, and House bills 1029, 1218, and 1022. The chamber also considered a series of House bills on the sixth and 14th orders, often adopting committee amendments before final passage or, in some cases, rejecting the bill outright. Among the major policy items, the Senate passed HB 1524 on regional planning council grants, HB 1143 increasing a food bank appropriation to $10 million, HB 1126 modernizing cosmetology licensing and inspections, HB 1542 making student applications for admission exempt records, HB 1613 regulating law enforcement use of robots, HB 1582 directing a study on false reports and accusations, HB 1214 revising school transportation funding, HB 1448 creating a study on advanced technologies, HB 1280 on drainage project voting rules, HB 1499 protecting records related to federal judges, and several Senate bills returned from the House, including SB 2221, SB 2117, SB 2198, SB 2120, and SB 2214. The Senate also adopted amendments to HB 1541 on septic systems before rejecting it on final passage. Several high-profile bills failed after debate. HB 1566, dealing with kratom regulation, saw an amendment to convert it to a study fail on a 21-25 vote, after which the chamber laid the bill over for one legislative day rather than take final action. HB 1283, which would have eliminated cost-sharing for diagnostic and supplemental breast exams in the state employee plan, was defeated 22-24 after extensive debate over cost, precedent, and insurance impacts. HB 1527, requiring Holocaust education in statute, also failed 22-24, with supporters emphasizing the importance of the subject and opponents arguing curriculum belongs in standards rather than statute. The Senate adjourned after announcements, scheduling its next meeting for Monday, April 14, 2025.

Transcript Highlights:

• It looks like I call this meeting of the Health Finance and Policy Committee to order.
• Members, I open up to questions and discussion.
• Members, I will open up for questions and discussion.
• I open up to questions from members.
• I open up to questions from members. Public testimony is closed.

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Debate having ceased, the clerk will open the roll. The clerk will open the roll.
• Seeing no debate, the clerk will open the roll.
• The clerk will open the roll.
• We put on new clothes and open up new books.
• Would you like the first roll to be open for co-authors? Yes, please open the roll for co-authors.

Summary: The Assembly convened, established a quorum after a roll call, and opened with a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance. Members then handled a series of procedural motions, including suspending rules for guest seating and adjournment speeches, re-referring and returning several bills, and approving a motion to waive the floor-amendment deadline. The chamber also welcomed Los Angeles City Council Member Katie Yaroslavsky and staff as guests. The bulk of the session was devoted to third-reading votes on Senate bills and concurrence votes on Assembly bills. Measures discussed included child custody protections for sexual assault survivors (SB 1364), tribal access to short-term rental tax information (SB 594), ADU impact fee clarification (SB 1117), protections against threats to local and election officials (SB 239), escrow consumer protections (SB 946), environmental and local government measures such as SB 949 and SB 226, tax and budget-related bills including SB 1073, SB 1349, and SB 661, health and education bills such as SB 1150, SB 1191, SB 1328, SB 874, SB 1049, and SB 1186, and labor/employment and housing-related measures including SB 1059, SB 1166, and SB 1093. Most measures passed with strong bipartisan support; SB 1191 required an urgency vote and passed, and SB 1418 also passed as an urgency measure after the call was lifted. The Assembly also concurred in numerous Senate amendments to Assembly bills, including AB 1894, AB 871, AB 1201, AB 1359, AB 1579, AB 1684, AB 1711, AB 1722, AB 1784, AB 1809, AB 1837, AB 1860, AB 1864, AB 1999, AB 2116, AB 2143, AB 2186, AB 2233, AB 2249, AB 2255, AB 2418, AB 2576, AB 2634, AB 2660, AB 2766, and AB 2780. The chamber also adopted House Resolution 137 recognizing Diwali, with several members speaking in support of the holiday and its cultural significance. The session concluded with adjournment in memory speeches honoring Jeremiah Jerry Francis Hollisey, Maisie Jean Hastings, and Clint Riley, followed by announcements about the Rules Committee meeting, the floor-amendment deadline, and the next floor session on Monday, August 24.