Transcript Highlights:

• Some funding related to hepatitis C prevention and hepatitis C testing kits, $1.3 million in reversions
• We oppose any asset limits to Medi-Cal, any type of means-testing requirements that are in addition to
• We have certainly heard from others who think it would make more sense to have a mean-tested approach
• We're working on some of the stability tests, and those have gone well, and there are still a number
• of steps with the FDA in testing.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health held an informational hearing on the Governor’s May Revision, focusing first on the Commission on Behavioral Health, then EMSA, and then the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). The Department of Finance said the state faces a third consecutive deficit and that the May Revision includes difficult trade-offs, including proposed eliminations or reversions of some behavioral health and public health funds. The LAO echoed concern about the structural deficit and said it was still awaiting some budget details before offering a full analysis. For the Commission on Behavioral Health, Finance proposed eliminating $20 million in Mental Health Wellness Act funds, arguing the money would help offset General Fund costs and noting future Proposition 1 innovation funding. The commission strongly opposed the cut, saying it would eliminate or delay launch-ready grants for early childhood supports, full-service partnerships, and peer respite, and would eventually end ongoing grant programming. Several advocates and commissioners testified that the funds support underserved communities and that Proposition 1 is not a substitute for the existing programs. The chair asked Finance to look for alternatives, but no vote was taken. EMSA presented mostly technical budget adjustments: increased authority for the California Poison Control System, a correction to EMSIS funding, and a reappropriation for enterprise services and data management. CDPH then reviewed a broader set of May Revision proposals, including reversions from the California Reducing Disparities Project, workforce development, STD prevention, hepatitis C prevention, hospice, and extreme heat funding, as well as a new generative AI pilot for health facility survey reporting. Members raised concerns about cuts to CRDP and gender health equity programs, especially because many grants are mid-contract and serve underserved communities; CDPH said the reversions were part of solving the deficit and that CRDP had been successful, while also clarifying that abortion.ca.gov would not be eliminated. Public comment was overwhelmingly opposed to the CRDP and related cuts, with many speakers describing the programs as life-saving and cost-effective. No formal votes or actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also requires those products to be tested and labeled.
• The biggest benefit of legalizing cannabis in a state is that you have products tested.
• is that it takes a while to get accredited... ...lab to be accredited so that they can qualify to test
• So while that process is ongoing, they will be able to participate and test products for the market,
• ensuring that whenever it does start going, there is tested product available that's safe for consumers

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to buy, I want to buy homes in school districts that have good test scores.
• So we are going to continue to work on that preliminarily, but we do have to do cost-effectiveness tests
• Obviously, we have to complete the work and then continue to test and assess the success of our of our
• And I say that because I have the privilege to test and answer. answer critical questions around fire
• And so there's not really good testing data to be able to say if we spray this product in this community

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• However, it is a test reactor. It is not a full-scale commercial reactor.
• Yeah, their, their permit is for Tennessee, but they, they were one of the awardees for the nuclear test
• electric generation, which would, of course, exclude, uh, this high process heat, uh, that will be tested
• Have Hello So we show you as John Umphres, uh, test for public citizen. That's right.
• Oh He's test was testifying on behalf of the Public Citizen group and he was against the bill and we're

Bills: HB 14, HB 106, HB 146, HB 267, HB 274, HB 1127, HB 1359, HB 1393, HB 1584, HB 1640, HB 1710, HB 2152, HCR 101, HJR 8, HR 51

Keywords: nuclear energy, advanced reactors, energy security, grant programs, Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, HB 106, oil and gas, Railroad Commission of Texas, overhead electrical lines, electrical distribution system, power line maintenance, administrative penalty, Natural Resources Code, oil and gas lease, well operator, energy safety, utility infrastructure, regulatory compliance, cleanup fund, oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, if you're looking at a blood test to test your cholesterol, um, usually those get approved because
• And so, if you're looking at a blood test to test your cholesterol, um, usually those get approved because
• And so, if you're looking at a blood test to test your cholesterol, um, usually those get approved because
• Thank you. ...blood test to test your cholesterol, um, usually those get approved because it would cost
• So that bill is tried, tested, and harmonized with other things that are happening across the U.S.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Any questions for the test >> All right. Any questions for the test fire? fire? fire?
• Are any questions for the test fire? Are any questions for the test fire?
• There's a lot of testing we do to make sure that, like was mentioned earlier, MAOP can be certified at
• >> Representative Ston or if there's a test >> Representative Ston or if there's a test
• >> There's a test. Go ahead. >> There's a test. Go ahead.

Bills: HF3830, HF3688

Keywords: utilities, rate cases, cost recovery, reporting requirements, gas infrastructure, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• were used, how much was used, and should be given the safety data sheets right away so the proper testing
• <00:12:46.639> and the testing and the testing and we<00:12:48.639> also<00:12:48.959
• were used, how much was used, and should be given the safety data sheets right away so the proper testing
• <00:14:45.519> and right away so the proper testing and right away so the proper testing and
• that I'm going to have to order to test that I'm going to have to use<01:08:16.880> an<01:08:

Bills: HF3465, HF3782, HF4075, HF391, HF3946, HF2976, HF3350

Keywords: theft, vulnerable adults, public safety, penalties, Minnesota statutes, chemical irritants, law enforcement, transparency, building owners, tenant rights, notification, remediation, firearm restrictions, domestic violence, court orders, criminal convictions, firearms prohibition, gun surrender, order for protection, protective order

Transcript Highlights:

• ><01:28:57.440> been market products that have not been market products that have not been tested
• tested to recognize safety standards. tested to recognize safety standards.
• um includes that these panels<01:36:59.600> must<01:36:59.840> be<01:36:59.920> tested
• <01:37:00.800> I<01:37:01.040> believe<01:37:01.199> it's panels must be tested
• There is an existing standard that's in the testing phase, the UL 3700.

Bills: HB1697, HB1678, HB1679, HB2282, HB1940, HB1671, HB1481, HB2015, HB2207, HB2486

Keywords: natural hair braiding, registration, Barbering and Cosmetology Licensing Act, public health, sanitation, cumulative voting, associations, unit owners, board of directors, elections, Hawaii Revised Statutes, condominium, association meetings, electronic voting, proxy voting, mail voting, insurance, premium increase, policy cancellation, licensing

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1697, which would exempt natural hair braiders from licensing requirements under certain conditions. The DCCA Board of Barbering and Cosmetology said it recognizes braiding as within the scope of cosmetology practice but warned that a broad exemption could create consumer protection gaps, especially around sanitation training, tool use, and enforcement. Supporters from the Institute for Justice and the Grassroots Institute of Hawaii argued the current licensing regime is overly burdensome and unrelated to braiding, citing the 1,250-hour training requirement, high tuition costs, barriers for low-income entrepreneurs, and the fact that many other states already exempt braiders. Committee members asked whether a standalone sanitation course or similar training could address the board’s concerns, and the board said it would bring that idea back for discussion. The committee also noted 16 written testimonies in support and 2 in opposition. The committee then took up HB 1678, relating to condominium and planned community association elections using cumulative voting. Supporters, including the Hawaii State Association of Parliamentarians, said the bill would clarify that cumulative voting applies to all candidates, including write-ins, and would help resolve confusion in association elections. One testifier urged the committee to remove proxy voting, calling it an abuse of power in some associations, while another asked whether cumulative voting and proxies could be manipulated to stack votes. In response, the parliamentarian explained that cumulative voting and proxy voting are different, that proxies simply allow someone to vote on another’s behalf, and that existing deadlines and counting procedures reduce opportunities for abuse. Testimony also emphasized that electronic or mail voting can be secure and efficient, and that the bill would make the process clearer and more democratic. Finally, the committee heard testimony on HB 1679, which would clarify an association board’s authority over electronic meetings, electronic voting, voting without a meeting, and mail voting without a meeting. Supporters said the measure would clean up statutory language, make electronic voting optional, and fix problems created by a 2024 change that made written-consent timing rules difficult to use for association actions. They also said the bill would clarify that proxies are only used at meetings, not for actions taken without a meeting. One opponent argued the bill needs further amendment because electronic voting is not well defined and could be abused, and questioned the neutrality of parliamentarians testifying on condominium bills. No votes were taken on any of the measures during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I keep failing my tests," you know, we're helping them figure out what are some strategies to do that
• <00:09:22.000> I<00:09:22.240> keep, out how to study for this test.
• I keep, out how to study for this test.
• <00:09:24.720> You you know, I keep failing my tests.
• You you know, I keep failing my tests.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• order and genetic familiar with testing order and genetic testing.<00:47:54.480> I<00:47:54.720
• I think some examples that testing.
• <00:48:03.920> Um, when the the wrong test is ordered.
• Um, when the the wrong test is ordered.
• It's longer to get a right test.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several health-related measures, with most of the discussion focused on bills addressing tobacco/vape enforcement, psychology licensure, hospital price transparency, prior authorization, and medical cannabis. The chair opened by explaining the one-minute testimony limit and that written testimony had been reviewed. For SB 2175 on disposable electronic smoking devices, the Department of Health said the bill’s placement in litter-control law was not a good fit because disposable e-cigarettes contain hazardous materials like lithium and nicotine, but it supported the intent and pointed to a related measure. Public health and tobacco-control advocates strongly supported the bill, citing youth use, toxic waste, battery fires, and the need to tighten definitions and remove exemptions; a long list of organizations and individuals were noted in support, with no opposition mentioned. For SB 2410, which would create a state directory and enforcement tools for authorized e-cigarette products, the Attorney General’s office strongly supported the measure and said it would help enforce the FDA-authorized list of products through certification, inspections, and civil penalties. The Department of Health said thousands of illegal products remain on the market and cited youth usage rates, while public health groups also supported the bill. One tobacco industry-related witness was noted in opposition. SB 2080, the psychology interjurisdictional compact, drew support from the Department of Corrections, which said it had severe staffing shortages and that the compact would help fill gaps, especially for forensic psychology and neighbor island facilities. Some committee members raised concerns about whether the compact would loosen licensure standards and reduce licensing revenue, and the Board of Psychology was said to be meeting and had not taken a formal position; testimony also noted the need for resources if the compact were adopted. The committee also heard SB 2276 on surgical assistance, with DCCA in opposition and a supporter from the field, but little discussion followed. SB 2277 on hospital price transparency drew support from consumer and patient advocates, who argued that clearer pricing would reduce medical debt and help patients shop for care; DCCA and the Department of Health offered comments, with the department suggesting an alternative enforcement model using outside review entities and noting that implementation would require significant staffing and funding. The Healthcare Association of Hawaii opposed the bill, saying federal transparency rules already cover the issue and state law could create duplication. SB 2282 on prior authorization received comments from insurers and providers; HMSA asked that the bill be set aside pending the report of the prior authorization working group created by Act 151, while the Hawaii Medical Association said prior authorization is a major burden but deferred to regulators on resources. Finally, SB 2413 on medical cannabis was supported by the Office of Medical Cannabis and others, who said the bill would close a patient-access gap by allowing viable seed sales; one witness suggested clarifying jurisdictional language and allowing dispensaries to sell seeds to each other. The committee then began SB 2425 on health insurance, where an addiction treatment provider testified that insurers’ refusal to honor assignment-of-benefits payments can delay reimbursement and create relapse risk for patients, but the transcript cuts off before further action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• and you you can find out oh it is test and you you can find out oh it is low<00:52:12.000> but
• That was the low hypoglycemia part, because I was told that, oh, you can always do the test when you
• It doesn't kick in at a set time, so you just don't know when to test yourself, and this helps you.
• know when to test yourself and this<00:54:10.319> helps<00:54:10.559> you.
• We don't know it till we've tested it.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up an insurance-related chronic pain bill and an amendment modeled on language from Massachusetts and Maine. The sponsor explained the amendment was developed after stakeholder meetings because the original bill would have created an unaffordable insurance mandate in New Hampshire. The amendment was intended to improve access to non-opioid therapies by limiting prior authorization and step-therapy barriers so they are not more restrictive than for other treatments, including opioid therapies. After questions, the committee took a straw vote and advanced the amendment. The next item was a department-sponsored bill involving the state’s all-payer claims database. Insurance Department officials explained that the bill would encourage self-funded employer plans to opt in voluntarily by giving them aggregated, deidentified claims information in return. They said self-funded plans cannot be required to report data because of federal law, but the bill would provide an incentive while protecting employee privacy. Members asked detailed questions about who would see the data, whether individual employees could be identified, and how privacy would be enforced; the department said access would be aggregated and deidentified, and employer privacy issues would be governed by ERISA and the U.S. Department of Labor. The committee also discussed a glucose-monitoring bill. Members debated whether the bill was aimed at type 1 diabetes coverage or broader access to continuous glucose monitors, and whether it would amount to an unnecessary insurance mandate that could raise premiums. Department testimony estimated the equipment cost and said the annual impact per member would be modest, but also noted that non-insulin therapies have not consistently shown clinically significant A1C reductions. The chair and some members emphasized that the bill should be considered on its own terms as a CGM coverage issue, not as a general diabetes mandate. The committee discussed the bill’s cost implications and asked the department for any prior cost analysis.

Transcript Highlights:

• Infants who test positive for congenital or heritable disorders often require urgent medical intervention
• Infants who test positive for congenital or heritable disorders often require urgent medical intervention
• Infants who test positive for congenital or heritable disorders often require urgent medical intervention
• Newborn screening in Minnesota tests for over 60 conditions that, if left untreated, can cause illness
• Gene therapies as we trials uh testing Gene therapies as we believe<00:52:47.760> these<00:52

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• 01:23:20.159> are<01:23:20.480> developed<01:23:21.360> and<01:23:21.679> tested
• <01:23:22.480> and vaccines are developed and tested and vaccines are developed and tested
• <01:42:59.080> and<01:42:59.320> must<01:42:59.719> stop be well tested and
• must stop be well tested and must stop Transmission<01:43:01.880> in<01:43:02.000> order
• is not designed to prove they are tested is not designed to prove that<01:44:05.440> they<01:

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Then, and only then, if you pass that test, are you allowed to go in a lake.
• Then, and only then, if you pass that test, are you allowed to go in a lake.
• then you'd go into a pass those tests then you'd go into a nice<00:34:57.240> warm<00:34:57.800
• c> wrong then and only then if you pass wrong then and only then if you pass that<00:35:09.960> test
• are you allowed to go in a that test are you allowed to go in a lake<00:35:13.200> you<00:35:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• other<00:18:17.400> people<00:18:17.960> who<00:18:18.120> are<00:18:18.320> test
• <00:18:18.640> who<00:18:18.720> will other people who are test who will other people
• We have seen semi-autonomous cars being tested for transit options instead of using our transit drivers
• We've also seen testing of fully autonomous vehicles, such as with Amazon for deliveries.
• At the federal level, the FDA or the systems that we have in place for drug testing, that there would

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The pilot allowed us to test Conmigo and create a pathway for schools to be able to use it so that we
• pilot the pilot allowed us to test pilot the pilot allowed us to test conmigo<00:47:58.160> and
• I passed the test. I took it a couple of times, but it's a very solid baseline course.
• <01:34:26.800> your no internet I just want to test your no internet I just want to test your
• And we've long done away with the standardized tests.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of ocular anatomy, a year of pathology, systemic and ocular pharmacology, clinical medicine, lab testing
• of ocular anatomy, a year of pathology, systemic and ocular pharmacology, clinical medicine, lab testing

Transcript Highlights:

• Step one is the Gingles test, and step two is sort of evidence of discrimination.
• So after plaintiffs satisfy the Gingles factors, the Kelly test also requires plaintiffs to provide present-day
• So turning back to the Gingles test: the first Gingles factor is related to sufficiently large and compact
• certification for electronic poll books that the EAC provides, as well as field services for equipment testing

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• only electrify the Providence Corridor and Fairmont Line, but also now to shift and prioritize how we test
• The battery-electric obviously will electrify Providence, but we will look to test them in other routes
• 4 10 battery electric the battery electric obviously will electrify providence but we will look to test
• Additionally, it helps address overdue bridge repairs at a time when municipal infrastructure is constantly tested

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 4987, the administration’s transportation bond bill centered on Chapter 90 roadway funding and related capital programs. Administration officials described the bill as a roughly $5.5 billion package that would continue $300 million per year for Chapter 90 over four years, with part of the funding distributed by the traditional formula and an additional $100 million based solely on road miles to better support rural and smaller communities. They also highlighted authorizations for municipal pavement work, Shared Streets and Spaces grants, accelerated bridge and pavement repairs, MBTA rail modernization and reliability, housing-related transportation improvements, and a new DCR-focused PRISM program for parkways and related infrastructure. Officials emphasized that the bill is financed through the Commonwealth Transportation Fund and Fair Share revenues, and said it would help municipalities plan more predictably, speed project delivery, and support housing, safety, and climate goals. Committee members and witnesses discussed the bill’s broader scope beyond traditional Chapter 90, especially the $200 million for transportation projects that support housing development and the $200 million for MBTA modernization and rail reliability. Members asked about the rationale for a four-year authorization amid fiscal uncertainty, federal funding volatility, and the status of commuter rail electrification. Administration officials responded that the capital authorization is backed by dedicated transportation revenues rather than the operating budget, and said multi-year certainty helps cities and towns make better long-term repair decisions. They also said the MBTA’s rail modernization funds would support locomotive procurements, including battery-electric and Tier 4 diesel locomotives, as part of a longer-term regional rail and electrification strategy. Municipal officials and regional advocates strongly supported the bill. The Massachusetts Municipal Association, along with town and city officials from Sherborn, Conway, and Yarmouth, said the increased Chapter 90 funding and road-mile-based distribution are especially important for small and rural communities with limited local revenue capacity, and that multi-year funding would let them bundle projects, bid at better prices, and address backlogs more proactively. A Better City and MAPC also supported the bill but urged the committee to treat it like a traditional bond bill by adding policy provisions and considering new transportation revenue tools, such as TNC fee changes, road pricing, parking taxes, and other mechanisms. The committee took no vote during the hearing and adjourned after testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• particularly concerning because nitrous oxide does not appear on traditional breathalyzers or drug tests
• Test, test. Good morning, Chairman and committee members. My name is Esperanza Mendez.
• an ongoing basis, that a go-to-market path for all of these products have to go through a rigorous testing

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Business and Professions Committee heard several Senate bills focused on workforce training, public safety, health, and consumer protection. SB 1203 by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas would expand and modernize private security guard training, especially de-escalation training, and drew strong support from security workers and labor groups who described dangerous encounters and inadequate preparation. Opponents, including security firms and business groups, argued the bill would impose major costs, create staffing shortages, and push employers toward unregulated alternatives. The committee ultimately voted to pass the bill to Labor and Employment, with some members noting support contingent on future amendments about training capacity. SB 936 by Senator Blakespear would restrict retail sales of larger nitrous oxide canisters while preserving legitimate medical, culinary, and automotive uses. Supporters, including Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley, counties, public health groups, waste agencies, and law enforcement organizations, said misuse of nitrous oxide is causing addiction, impaired driving, neurological harm, and disposal hazards. There was no organized opposition on the record, and the committee passed the bill to Public Safety. SB 1271 by Senator Reyes would require the Medical Board to collect data on licensed midwives’ capacity to serve as preceptors and train new students, with the information reported to the Legislature. Supporters said California’s midwifery pipeline is strained, especially in rural and birth-desert areas, and that more data is needed to expand training access. The committee passed the bill to Health. SB 903 by Senator Padilla would prohibit AI chatbots from being advertised or used as therapists without appropriate licensed-professional oversight and informed consent, and would reinforce confidentiality and patient-protection rules. Testimony centered on the death of a teenager after extensive interactions with an AI chatbot, with supporters urging stronger guardrails and opponents asking for amendments; the committee passed the bill to Privacy and Consumer Protection. The consent calendar item, SB 1165 by Senator Caballero, was also approved and sent to Revenue and Taxation.