Transcript Highlights:

• We've done a lot of work for mental health services for that population, and in the California Reducing
• For example, we've worked with community health workers to work with the farming community in Tulare
• For example, we've worked with community health workers to work with the farming community in Tulare
• Like, for example, working with the Hupa tribe to develop a disaster plan... ...working with the Hupa
• I have worked for a lot of organizations in my nonprofit and tribal work where you are very limited and

Committee: Senate Rules

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules convened with quorum and first approved several governor’s appointments not required to appear, including Courtney Welsh to the California Housing Partnership Corporation Board, Janessa Goldbeck to the California Veterans Board, and Tom Huntington to the State Parks and Recreation Commission, each by 3-0 vote. The committee also approved reference of bills to committees, the 2026 committee chair and membership appointments, the 2026 session schedule, the 2026 Senate holiday schedule, and floor acknowledgments, all by 4-0 votes. The committee then heard confirmation testimony from Hernando Garzon, M.D., nominated as Chief Medical Officer of the Emergency Medical Services Authority. Senators asked about EMSA’s strategic plan, data integration, local flexibility in statewide standards, ambulance patient offload regulations, stakeholder engagement, disaster response, rural access, and alternatives to transporting 9-1-1 callers to emergency departments. Garzon emphasized data-driven decision-making, technical assistance to local EMS agencies, collaboration with hospitals and providers, and the use of community paramedicine, telehealth, and pre-positioned resources in disasters. Public commenters and members supported his confirmation, and the committee approved the appointment 4-0 for referral to the full Senate. The committee also heard from Stephanie Weldon, nominated as Deputy Director of the Office of Health Equity at the Department of Public Health. She described her tribal background, prior state, county, tribal, and nonprofit experience, and her focus on serving communities facing health disparities. Senators questioned her about how the office sets priorities, measures outcomes, balances equity work amid political opposition to DEI language, and tailors technical assistance to rural and tribal communities. Weldon pointed to work on tribal consultation, behavioral health, youth mental health, the California Reducing Disparities Project, gender-affirming care, reproductive health, housing and climate-related supports, and community advisory boards. Numerous public witnesses, including tribal and health equity advocates, spoke in strong support, and the committee approved her appointment 4-0 for the full Senate.

Transcript Highlights:

• start as a subcommittee.
• argue for that.
• Yeah, thank you for sure.
• We're going to get to work early and work hard.
• As someone that worked as a public defender for 11 years, I've definitely conducted a lot of jury trials

Summary: The Assembly Judiciary Committee heard three bills. AB 250 by Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry would extend a limited window for survivors of sexual assault to seek civil recourse against perpetrators and entities that allegedly covered up abuse. The author and supporters, including survivor Maya Alexander and Equal Rights Advocates, said many survivors need years before they can come forward and that the bill would improve accountability and public safety. One member raised concerns about the bill’s application to private employers and the exclusion of public employees, but the bill was advanced on a motion to Appropriations and later placed on call until additional votes were added. AB 373 by Assemblymember Rubio would require appointed counsel for non-minor dependents in extended foster care to represent the young adult’s expressed wishes rather than substitute the attorney’s judgment. Supporters from California Youth Connection and the Children’s Law Center said 18- to 21-year-olds in foster care are legal adults and should have their voices fully respected in court. Members discussed how the bill would work in practice and whether it applied only to appointed counsel; the bill was moved to Human Services and later cleared after additional votes were added. AB 387 by Assemblymember Alanis, as amended, would exempt probation officers from criminal jury service. The author and supporters argued probation officers are deeply involved in the criminal justice process, often get dismissed anyway, and should be focused on supervision and court-related duties rather than jury duty. The Judicial Council opposed the bill, warning that categorical exemptions shrink the jury pool and set a bad precedent. After debate over fairness, precedent, and the role of probation officers, the committee voted the bill out on a do pass motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for carrying this very exciting bill for us, and you ask for your aye vote. Thank you.
• Thank you for carrying this very exciting bill for us, and you ask for your aye vote.
• First, I'd like to thank local government representatives for working with us on this bill to properly
• For add-ons, the Secretary called the roll for the next items.
• For add-ons, Secretary, please call the roll for add-ons.

Summary: The Assembly Local Government Committee heard several bills related to local government finance and development. SB 1005 would authorize local agencies to adopt a five-cent rounding system for cash transactions if penny shortages make exact change impractical, with the author and supporters from county treasurers, cities, special districts, and local government associations arguing it would provide legal clarity and reduce costs. SB 1036 would require local jurisdictions to give credit for prior site uses when calculating mitigation fees on redevelopment or adaptive reuse projects, with supporters from SPUR, Realtors, AARP, the building industry, and housing-related groups saying it would prevent duplicative fees and better align charges with new impacts only.

Transcript Highlights:

• President, for your patience.
• It is the basis for our entertainment industry, for tourism, and for that unique California brand.
• For these reasons, I respectfully ask for your aye vote on SB 1199.
• I ask that we pause for 82...
• I ask that we pause for 82 seconds, one second for each of those fallen. Thank you. Thank you.

Transcript Highlights:

• First of all, Madam President, I want to express my appreciation for the work that's been done thus far
• Thank you. ...for some transparency here.
• I served for 12 years on my school committee.
• ... ...on deadlines when it comes to evaluations for special education, for fingerprinting, for coaches
• I didn't intend on speaking on this amendment, but as the chair of my policy subcommittee in Ludlow for

Summary: The Senate resumed debate on Senate No. 2696, An Act Regarding Free Expression, a bill addressing challenges to books and other library materials in school and public libraries. Senators supporting the bill argued it protects free expression and gives students, parents, guardians, and others a court path to challenge removals, while opponents raised concerns about parental rights, school control, and the scope and timing of the review process. Several speakers also emphasized the broader context of book bans and the impact on authors, librarians, and students. A number of amendments were considered. Amendment 4, offered by Senator Creem, was adopted and extended standing to authors and creators to challenge removals of their works, including in municipal libraries. Amendment 5, by Senator DiDomenico, was adopted and limited who may initiate challenges to those connected to the school community. Amendment 6, by Senator Comerford, was adopted to require that challenged materials be considered in their entirety. Amendment 8, by Senator Tarr, proposing parental notification of challenges, was rejected after a roll call. Subsequent Tarr amendments on parental opt-out, reporting, public process, and written policy were also rejected, while Amendment 19, requiring written reasons when librarians remove outdated or successor materials, was rejected as well. Amendment 7, a Ways and Means amendment, was adopted. The Senate then ordered the bill to a third reading and passed it to be engrossed by a roll call vote of 35 in favor and 3 against. The chamber also adopted an order to meet again the following Monday at 11:00 a.m., and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for your consideration, and we respectfully ask for your aye vote.
• And so I'd love to work with the author in the future to see what we can do specifically for unsheltered
• And for those reasons, I'm just laying off for it.
• Well, first off, thank you, Chair and committee for your work on AB 277. This bill would require...
• Thank you so much, Alanis, for working the committee on this bill.

Committee: House Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• for approximately two minutes.
• Oh, excuse me, just for the record, we don't have a quorum yet, so we're beginning as a subcommittee.
• This has been a project you and I have been working on for some time now.
• Special thanks to Nick Light-Kee for your work on this as well.
• I know how much you've worked on this for so many decades, really, and your work has been critical.

Summary: The Assembly Judiciary Committee met in a subcommittee setting to hear SB 26, a follow-on bill to last year’s AB 1755 dealing with California’s Song-Beverly “Lemon Law” process. Senator Umberg explained that the measure is intended to preserve the compromise reached last year while allowing automakers to opt out of the new framework and return to the prior law, with the goal of speeding up discovery and helping consumers resolve claims more quickly. Committee members and the author also noted the bill’s connection to concerns about court congestion and the need to revisit the law as vehicle technology evolves. Support came from Consumer Attorneys of California, Toyota, and several automakers and manufacturers, including General Motors, Rivian, Honda, Hyundai, Lucid, Tesla, Kia, Volkswagen Group, and Mercedes. Toyota said the bill gives automakers a five-year opt-in choice and reflects the negotiated deal. In soft opposition, Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety said it preferred more manufacturers opt out, but remained concerned about AB 1755’s reduced statute of limitations and repose, negative equity deductions, and the broader impact on consumers with defective vehicles. After quorum was established, the committee took up the motion and passed SB 26 on a roll call vote, with all members present voting aye. The chair thanked the stakeholders for reaching a compromise and indicated the bill would move forward, with immediate referral anticipated after floor action.

Transcript Highlights:

• President, for your patience.
• Respectfully ask for an aye vote.
• It is the basis for our entertainment industry, for tourism, and for that unique California brand.
• For these reasons, I respectfully ask for your aye vote on SB 1199.
• I ask that we pause for 82...

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, offered a Memorial Day prayer, and welcomed a third-grade class from Sacred Heart Parish School to the chamber. Members then handled several procedural motions, including suspending a joint rule to allow budget subcommittees to meet during blackout period and removing certain bills from inactive or consent files. The chamber confirmed multiple gubernatorial appointments, including Nicholas Mueller to the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission, Arthur Krantz to the Public Employment Relations Board, Chris Ferguson to the California Student Aid Commission, and Brian Haynes to the same commission. The Senate also adopted several resolutions, including SR 102 recognizing National Safe Boating Week, SCR 172 proclaiming Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, SCR 177 declaring World No Tobacco Day, SR 107 for Lupus Awareness Month, and SR 115 marking the 50th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris in California wine history. On third reading, the Senate passed a series of bills on topics including beverage container recycling fees (SB 1341), school employee misconduct procedures (SB 1083), wildfire preparedness for water suppliers (SB 1153), insurance cost-sharing accounting (SB 1199), nonprofit government liaison services (SB 1240), energy coordination and fuel supply planning (SB 1337), language access in elections (SB 1360), gaming fee transparency (SB 920), mental health evaluation in Care Court-related cases (SB 1016), reckless driving penalties (SB 1198), greenhouse gas reporting for subsidized medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (SB 1213), the Go Green financing program (SB 1265), repossession transport interference (SB 1338), and wildlife coexistence (SB 1135). Most measures passed on unanimous or near-unanimous votes; SB 920 passed 28-1, SB 1265 passed 26-5, and SB 1135 passed with two no votes. The session concluded with a Veterans Caucus adjournment-in-memory ceremony honoring 82 fallen service members, followed by adjournment until the next scheduled floor session.

Transcript Highlights:

• newspapers, and it's worked well for other legal notices.
• There are physical locations where this takes place, where people go in for a day's work, for a day's
• You know, I worked a little bit in this space for a few years.
• And I want to thank you for working with me, teaching me, guiding me.
• Staff, especially Sarah Matthews, for working with me on this bill.

Summary: The Civil Justice and Claims Subcommittee heard and voted on four bills. HB 587 on self-storage spaces would let rental agreements include an alternate contact person and allow default notices to be published online instead of only in newspapers, while keeping existing notice timelines and servicemember protections. Newspaper and press witnesses opposed the online-notice change, arguing it could reduce public reach and transparency, especially in rural areas; the sponsor said newspapers could still be used and the bill was only adding another option. The committee adopted an amendment changing the effective date to October 1, 2025, and then reported the bill favorably 12-2. HB 6033 would repeal the Florida Labor Pool Act. The sponsor argued the act duplicates other state and federal protections, while opponents said it contains unique safeguards for day laborers, including limits on fees, transportation charges, and deductions, and a private right of action. Testimony from labor advocates and workers warned repeal would reduce protections for vulnerable workers; the sponsor and supporters said other laws already cover the issues. The committee reported the bill favorably 11-3. HB 897, dealing with timeshare plan management, was presented as a clarification of conflicts created by recent condominium legislation and would require faster records responses, more disclosure of contracts, and clearer remedies for mismanagement. Support came from industry groups, and the bill passed unanimously, 14-0. The final measure, PCS for HB 1385, created a civil remedy for parental abduction or unlawful withholding of a child in violation of a timesharing order. Family law attorneys opposed it over concerns about added litigation, child involvement, and overlap with existing remedies, while the sponsors and supporters said it would provide needed deterrence and compensation in serious cases. The committee adopted the PCS and reported it favorably 13-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> thank him for his work on this issue. thank him for his work on this issue.
• Griffith, for his hard work.
• Griffith, for his hard work.
• Griffith, for his hard work.
• Griffith, for his hard work.

Transcript Highlights:

• supplemental caseworker aid services for the Bureau for Social Services.
• And this is all for the purpose of people showing up for court.
• Everybody working for the state can plan on, if you live in county X where things are good, you’re going
• That was a lifetime cap, so that made it very hard for the parties to raise money for a building, for
• That's for expenditures for real estate, for instance, for the building, yes.

Summary: The Senate considered and passed a series of House bills on third reading, with several title amendments and a few effective-date motions adopted. Early in the session, members passed HB 4452 removing acreage limits on land owned by church or religious trustees, HB 4577 creating reciprocal driver’s license recognition agreements with Ireland and Japan, HB 4588 authorizing West Virginia participation in a federal tax credit scholarship program, and HB 4592 requiring higher education institutions to create coordinated campus safety maps. HB 4602 was amended to align with a prior Senate child welfare pilot program, and members discussed its projected cost and implementation timeline before passing it. HB 4603 created a pre-adjudicatory alternative disposition process in abuse and neglect cases, and HB 4606 narrowed bail rules by requiring consideration of residency and community ties while prohibiting personal recognizance bonds for violent felony offenses after an adopted amendment. The Senate also passed HB 4710 changing the party-registration deadline for candidates from 60 to 180 days before an election, with debate over its impact on independents, and made it effective January 1, 2027. HB 4712, known as Bailey’s Law, increased penalties for DUI causing death and related conduct, with emotional testimony from members about the victim and similar tragedies. HB 4765 established a pay raise for teachers, school personnel, and state police and added a market-pay enhancement system based on county cost-of-living differences; an amendment to the amendment capped county differentials and guaranteed at least a 1% increase in every county. HB 4865 created an optional program for high school and homeschool students to serve as election official trainees, and HB 4869 established narrow guaranteed-issue rights for Medicare supplement policies. Later bills included HB 4995, which strengthened video/audio recording rules in special education classrooms and was passed, then reconsidered and passed again; HB 4996 creating a new crime for making threats of violence against schools or children; HB 5048 guaranteeing virtual instruction for foster children in temporary placement; HB 5065 adding recordkeeping and geolocation requirements for hotel marketplace facilitators to ensure proper hotel tax remittance; and HB 5074 reallocating medical cannabis fund revenues to child protection, homeless services, research, law enforcement, and other purposes. The Senate also passed HB 5101, the Joanna Phillips Domestic Violence Prevention Act, which increased penalties for domestic violence offenses and adjusted bail provisions, after amending it to conform with the earlier bail bill. Additional measures passed included HB 5166 requiring notice before political committees are fined for filing violations and allowing limited extensions, HB 5168 directing $12 million in lottery funds to EMS first responders and county EMS support, HB 5182 authorizing certain state treasurer security personnel to carry concealed firearms, HB 5212 streamlining higher-education financial aid rules, HB 5214 allowing court-ordered drug testing of parents before reunification in abuse and neglect cases, HB 5353 regulating virtual currency kiosks with licensing, disclosures, and transaction limits, and HB 5366 exempting J-LAP records from FOIA to protect confidentiality for lawyers and judges seeking assistance. Most bills passed with strong bipartisan support, though HB 5074 and HB 5353 drew some dissenting votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is an issue that I've worked on for decades, including, you know, working with people across
• So this is an issue that I've worked on for decades, including, you know, working with people across
• some work in restorative justice, as well as work in coordination of services for young people and their
• </c><00:09:49.680><c> for</c><00:09:49.920><c> eight</c> public education, I worked for eight public
• </c><00:37:50.880><c> group</c><00:37:51.119><c> for</c> up to members of the working group for up to

Transcript Highlights:

• For life, for justice, tzedek, for hemla, compassion, and for gbura, for courage.
• And in fact, I know for probably many of the young people who work in the Assembly, it may feel something
• worked with eight chairs, including myself and Assemblymember Calderon. known for her can-do attitude
• And she worked for the television industry. She worked for KCET and she was a receptionist.
• For 47 years, the Valley Women's Club has worked to protect the watershed. enhance education, empower

Transcript Highlights:

• He had a bill a couple of sessions ago that I was working on with him where if Facebook kicked you off
• You could then go and sue them for doing that. So he's been working in this space for a long time.
• It's a one change for each platform, for each game.
• The delegates meet when there's something for them to meet about, and it usually works out to be like
• You don't think that the market would choose who they want to work for them based on what they say or

Bills: SB1361 , SB2105 , SB2690 , SB2713 , SCR38 , SB2637 , SB2881

Committee: House Trade, Workforce & Economic Development

Keywords: SB 1361, Texas disaster recovery loan, small business loan, micro-business loan, community development financial institution, CDFI, economic disaster assistance, post-disaster financing, business recovery fund, Texas Economic Development Bank, zero-interest loan, working capital, payroll support, health benefits, job retention, declared disaster, small business relief, microenterprise, franchise exclusion, private equity-backed business

Transcript Highlights:

• We've worked closely with our Black community, our Latino community, and then for 20 years worked closely
• for the work you chair and thank you for the work you guys<01:12:00.840><c> do</c><01:12:01.239><c> I
• the federal government for this, which works out to be about $82 an hour for a PhD-level data scientist
• the federal government for this, which works out to be about $82 an hour for a PhD-level data scientist
• the federal government for this, which works out to be about $82 an hour for a PhD-level data scientist

Bills: HF1354 , HF1901 , HF2124 , HF2130 , HF2260 , HF2099 , HF104 , HF134 , HF1769

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• So thank you for considering. Thank you for your consideration.
• Thank you for carrying this very exciting bill for us, and you ask for your aye vote. Thank you.
• Chair and members, Michael Lane works for Public Policy Think Tank in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• First, I'd like to thank local government representatives for working with us on this bill to properly
• For add-ons, Secretary, please call the roll for add-ons.

Committee: House Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• I worked with her in the House. Thank you for coming and sharing the day with us.
• </c><01:03:05.760><c> very</c> uh for that section and I worked very uh for that section and I worked
• So I truly appreciate all the work, and I will say the reason I'm going to vote for this amendment.
• She said the bill needs more work and thanked the chamber for its attention. would do would it uh it
• She said the bill needs more work and thanked everyone for their attention. >> Thank you, Representative

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for allowing me to testify for this very important resolution.
• They worked 12-hour days or longer, caring for heavy casualties.
• A luxury I wasn't allowed at work overseas.
• We'd like to thank you for your input.
• The votes are out, 5-0 for SJR 14 and SJR 17. So thank you once again for everyone participating.

Committee: Senate Military and Veterans Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to begin by thanking Representative Bonder and other authors for their work on this bill and for
• I wish you best with your work and thank you for your service to Minnesota. and also the legislative
• That one-size-fits-all doesn't work for every single situation, and that's one of our problems.
• That we internalize those things within the homeowners association for neighbors to work with neighbors
• </c><01:19:42.960><c> neighbors</c><01:19:43.280><c> to</c> for neighbors to work with neighbors to for

Bills: SF1750 , HF704 , HF3479

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• We recommend a special legislative committee and then say, um, to work on that for the next three or
• We recommend a special legislative committee and then say, um, to work on that for the next three or
• for us to be able to that would work for us to be able to take<02:44:53.680><c> that</c><02:44:53.920
• </c><02:45:31.680><c> The</c> was a work session this afternoon.
• The was a work session this afternoon.

Summary: The meeting focused on reviewing and amending draft minutes and then discussing a draft report on SAU consolidation and school administration efficiency. Members first corrected a disputed statement in the minutes about who starts charter schools, and agreed to mark it as disputed. They also noted a donation figure mentioned in the meeting but not reflected in the notes, and then approved the minutes as amended. The committee then reviewed supporting materials, including a Census Bureau education spending table and a 1993 report on eliminating SAUs. The chair argued New Hampshire ranks very high in administrative spending and used that as evidence for reducing administrative costs. Other members pushed back, noting that education costs are largely borne locally and that the committee should stay focused on its charge. Several members also objected to characterizations of SAU boards and to relying heavily on an old report or on the School District Governance Association’s proposal. The draft report itself drew repeated edits. Members objected to language suggesting the testimony from associations was simply that change was not needed, and proposed more neutral wording about concerns over the impacts of changes. There was also disagreement over a proposed model in which a county-level school administrator would be elected; some members said that would be inappropriate and premature, while others argued the committee had not yet fully developed a consolidation model. The discussion ended with a call from some members for more time and for a future joint legislative committee to continue refining any proposal before legislation is introduced.