Transcript Highlights:

• of SB 1291.
• It's part of a broader foundation-driven consolidation agenda adopted by the State Water Board, not mandated
• of these properties, as well as requirements that renters also have disclosure of what kind of utility
• In Senator Gonzalez's district, the State Water Board is already in the process of consolidating the
• If the State Water Board were serious about solving the problem of the brown water, what would happen

Summary: The Senate Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions heard two bills. SB 1131, presented by Senator Jones’s staff, would update the Debt Collection Licensing Act by requiring DFPI to conduct examinations remotely unless an on-site review is needed for consumer protection, and allowing the department to rely on recent audits or examinations by other regulators or approved third parties to avoid duplicative work. Supporters from the California Association of Collectors and Receivables Management Association International said the bill would reduce examination costs and improve administrative efficiency while preserving consumer protections. A representative of the California Low-Income Consumer Coalition expressed concerns. Committee members noted the need to avoid unintended consequences for the consumer protection goals of the licensing program. The bill was moved on a due pass and re-refer motion to Appropriations and later received enough votes on call to pass out of committee. The committee also heard SB 1291, the “Shine Act,” by Senator Gonzalez, which would increase transparency and accountability for mutual water company boards by eliminating the 24-hour written notice requirement for board meetings, requiring websites with basic information and consumer confidence reports, and directing a comparative analysis of mutual water companies serving disadvantaged communities. Supporters, including community and public health advocates, described problems with water quality, inaccessible meetings, poor notice practices, and lack of information in communities such as Cudahy and Maywood. The California Association of Mutual Water Companies opposed the bill unless amended, arguing it imposes costly, one-size-fits-all requirements on small systems without dedicated funding and could be difficult for remote or low-capacity mutuals to meet. Committee members generally supported the transparency goals but raised concerns about scale and compliance burdens; the author said he would continue working with opponents. SB 1291 was moved on a due pass and re-refer motion to Environmental Quality and later passed out of committee on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Board for Certification of Interpreters, there have been no appointments made since 2013.
• And you can certainly see it in the summary as well, what the various boards of commissions that are
• The board for certification of interpreters, there have been no appointments made since 2013.
• The other thing is that these fiscal notes, I can't see how you get rid of however many boards and commissions
• and so. how you get rid of however many boards and commissions that we would have assumed had some FTE

Committee: House Corrections and Public Institutions

Transcript Highlights:

• To maintain the financial health of this fund, our board has put in place a 60-40 split on grants to
• So I am privileged to stand before you today on behalf of WIFA's 18-member board of directors, representing
• So because it's a statewide board, the state board should determine what the boundaries of the districts
• So because it's a statewide board, the state board should determine what the boundaries of the districts
• Also, this bill clarifies, because we would change the boundaries of these districts, the board could

Committee: House House Natural Resources, Energy & Water Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee heard introductions from members and staff, then took up several water and natural resources bills. House Bill 2024 would expand Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) authority to include snowpack augmentation and related planning and permitting costs. Supporters, including a cloud-seeding company, argued the technology can increase snowpack and water supply at relatively low cost, while opponents raised concerns about weather modification, chemicals such as silver iodide, uncertainty in the science, and potential environmental effects. After debate, the committee passed HB 2024 on a 6-4 vote, with some members explaining they wanted more research but were willing to advance it for further consideration. House Bill 2053 would appropriate $100,000 to the Arizona Department of Water Resources to update stormwater recharge mapping statewide, including private land, and the committee adopted an amendment extending the timeline and revising language about recharge sites and surface-water conflicts. ADWR said it could do the mapping but noted legal concerns about determining appropriable surface water rights. SRP and the Sierra Club opposed parts of the bill, arguing the language could affect existing water rights or exclude nature-based recharge areas. The bill passed as amended on a 6-4 vote. The committee then heard a presentation from WIFA director Chelsea McGuire on the agency’s revolving funds, conservation grants, and long-term augmentation efforts, including seven proposed augmentation projects and a request for no budget cuts. House Bill 2097, which would cap groundwater pumping in irrigation non-expansion areas at six acre-feet per acre and add related reporting, exemptions, and substitution provisions, drew support from the sponsor as a conservation measure but opposition from ADWR and environmental advocates who said the cap was too high or could encourage pumping; it passed 6-4. House Bill 2116, appropriating $1 million to the Colorado River Litigation Fund, passed 8-1 amid comments that it was a precaution in ongoing Colorado River negotiations. Finally, House Bill 2117, a cleanup bill shifting environmental special plate fund authority to the new conservation district board and updating distribution rules, was presented as a technical correction and education-fund update; the transcript ends before a final vote on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• My bill would require that one of the two board seats the San Diego County Board of Supervisors receives
• They would receive one of the board seats. That is the purpose of the bill.
• Current state law says the two Board of Supervisors from the Board of Supervisors get to represent their
• The Board of Supervisors get to represent their share of the votes. Right.
• The intent originally of the SANDAG board provisions of state law was that the San Diego County Board

Summary: The Assembly Local Government Committee heard a full agenda of bills focused largely on housing, permitting reform, transportation governance, and local government finance. Early in the hearing, AB 24 by Assemblymember DeMaio proposed changing SANDAG board selection to give rural unincorporated areas a stronger voice; members raised concerns about the approach and local input, and the bill ultimately did not receive a second at the time it was heard. The chair later clarified that because no second was made, the bill was held rather than voted out, though the transcript also reflects confusion and later attempts to revisit the item. Several housing and permitting bills advanced with committee amendments and broad support. AB 671 by Assemblymember Wicks would streamline restaurant permitting through self-certification and faster plan review; AB 920 by Assemblymember Caloza would require a centralized online portal for housing permit tracking in larger jurisdictions; AB 1061 by Assemblymember Kirk Silva would allow SB 9 housing in historic districts with limits to protect historic character; AB 818 by Assemblymember Anamarie Farías would streamline temporary manufactured housing after disasters; AB 660 by Assemblymember Wilson would tighten timelines and remedies for post-entitlement housing permits; AB 1308 by Assemblymember Hoover would allow third-party inspections for small residential projects if local inspections are delayed; and AB 1445 by Assemblymember Haney would expand downtown revitalization financing tools for mixed-use housing. Each of these measures drew support from housing, business, and industry groups, with some local-government and special-district stakeholders seeking continued amendments on certain bills. The committee also approved AB 1156, which updates the solar use easement program to better accommodate renewable energy development on water-constrained agricultural lands, and AB 964, which would let local governments offset certain state mandate reimbursement debts against amounts the state owes them. AB 1223, by Assemblymember Wynn, would let Sacramento-area transportation authorities propose sales tax measures for portions of the county and keep revenues local; it advanced despite some transportation and taxpayer concerns. Consent items AB 36 and AB 1131 were also approved. Most bills were reported out on bipartisan votes, often with committee amendments and some members noting they would continue working on the measures in later committees.

Transcript Highlights:

• And really we're proud of the whole board.
• Uh, and really we're proud of the whole<00:16:01.519><c> board.
• </c><00:16:25.440><c> the</c> Toro, you know, the manager of the office, secretary of the board, and
• Uh, could you remind us again just a little bit of the flavor of the board?
• the board. >> Yeah, I can give you the representatives for each of the districts across the state of

Bills: HB0015 , HB0017 , HB0019

Committee: Senate Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm also here as a member of the board of directors of the California Collaborative on Long-Term Services
• come from, all of these things we seek to have board members become competent in as part of their role
• Director, can you share a little on the board recomposition of the board?
• Some boards do training on some of those topics today.
• Some boards do training on some of those topics today.

Summary: The subcommittee heard an overview of the governor’s IHSS budget proposals and extensive testimony from the Department of Social Services, Department of Finance, the Legislative Analyst’s Office, county representatives, labor, consumer advocates, and advocates for older adults and people with disabilities. The administration described IHSS as a large and growing program serving more than 900,000 recipients, and outlined three proposals: shifting the cost of growth in authorized hours per case to counties, eliminating the backup provider system, and aligning IHSS terminations with Medi-Cal terminations. The LAO said the overall budget estimates appeared reasonable but raised concerns about the hours-per-case proposal, including the lack of a comprehensive root-cause analysis, the limited control counties have over statewide cost growth, and uncertainty about how the baseline and savings would work. CWDA, SEIU, and consumer advocates strongly opposed the hours cost shift, arguing that counties use state-designed tools, that demographic changes and rising need explain much of the growth, and that the proposal would pressure counties to cut services and destabilize care. The chair and members repeatedly questioned the administration about the proposed baseline, the claimed savings, and whether the measure effectively circumvents the county maintenance-of-effort agreement. On the backup provider system, the administration said the statewide program is underutilized and administratively expensive, and proposed eliminating it to save about $3.5 million. The LAO suggested the Legislature consider whether administrative costs could be reduced while preserving some version of the program. County and consumer advocates opposed the cut, saying the system is a critical safety net when regular providers are unavailable, especially in rural areas and for people with complex needs. They argued that low utilization reflects the difficulty of finding emergency backup care, not lack of need, and that many counties already rely on local backup systems or other models. Committee members also pressed for better data on requests, fulfillment, and administrative costs, and discussed whether the state could support local alternatives instead of eliminating the program. The final topic was the proposal to align IHSS terminations with Medi-Cal terminations by automating the process when recipients fail to complete Medi-Cal redeterminations. The administration said this would reduce General Fund costs by about $86 million by preventing payment of IHSS in the residual program when recipients are no longer eligible for Medi-Cal, while also automating reinstatement when Medi-Cal is restored. The LAO noted the proposal has been rejected in prior years and suggested improved notice and communication to recipients as an alternative. CWDA and advocates warned that the change could create gaps in care, especially for people who lose Medi-Cal for procedural reasons, and urged additional safeguards such as better notices, faster reprocessing, and automatic reinstatement. Members questioned how many people would be affected, how the residual program currently works, and whether providers could go unpaid during the gap; the department said the automation is already built and would be activated if the proposal is approved. No votes were taken during the discussion, and the committee moved through public comment and questioning without final action on the proposals in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is functionally kind of correcting a situation that has been a long-standing issue that the board
• In discussing the matter with the board over the last couple of years, the board has proceeded via their
• In discussing the matter with the board over the last couple of years, the board has proceeded via their
• It's going to come out of the Water Well Board fund.
• It's going to come out of the Water Well Board fund.

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• of the New Mexico Massage Therapy Board.
• to rulemaking so that board of professionals can deal with the complexities of the like.
• So that board of professionals can deal with the complexities of the licensure and the fees, and especially
• If I may also state, the Board of Barber Cosmetology, the body art practice board, and the funeral homes
• David Barton, CEO of the New Mexico Lottery Authority, and Rita Jones, board chair of the New Mexico

Bills: SB246 , SB146 , SB300 , SB301 , SB309 , SM17

Committee: Senate Senate Health & Public Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• I want the members to know that the standards board is comprised of three members.
• Since the board has been in effect, a majority of the votes taken have actually been unanimous.
• to stall and eventually destroy the board and, with it, the voices of workers.
• , and there needs to be a majority vote among all the members of the board.
• With this influx of money, the board is employed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Anything above that is going to need the Board of Supervisors' approval.
• Derek Shepard, Jefferson Parish School Board. A.J. Pethy, Chief of Schools, Jefferson Parish.
• And the board, we do have a couple of questions.
• It will also modify certain requirements for the composition of the special school district's board of
• She sent an email in support of the bill. The majority of the school board is with the bill.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• WHEN I SAY SEVERAL, I MEAN HUNDREDS OF HOURS CREATING A ROBUST BOARD MEMBER CERTIFICATION THAT THOUSANDS
• WHAT I HAVE 75-YEAR-OLD BOARD OF DIRECTORS THEY COME OUT AND BAIT AND SWITCH.
• WE WORK UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD.
• THERE NEEDS TO BE AN AUDIT OF THE BOARD.
• THE ONES WHO KNOW THE GOINGS ON OF THE BOARD.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't know if I should call it board. What is that composed of?
• If you would read the bill, it goes through the entire makeup of that board, even down to who appoints
• This bill specifies that the Board of Therapeutic Massage and the Board of Chiropractic Examiners can
• Louis County, provide for the qualifications for members of the board of directors of the land bank,
• Of the county, which is the way they do this in other appointments of other boards in St.

Transcript Highlights:

• a company's board of directors.
• of Chevron or the board of an insurance company or something like that.
• of the time they're voting against the board of directors of a publicly traded company. have so many
• the board of uh an insurance Chevron or the board of uh an insurance company<00:24:46.240><c> or</c>
• </c> voting against the board of directors of voting against the board of directors of a<00:24:58.760

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its January 27 meeting and then took up House Bill 694, which would create a default rule for the Teachers’ Retirement System health insurance trust fund once it reaches 100% funding, currently anticipated around 2027. The bill would redirect two funding streams now going to the health trust—state payments on behalf of local districts and other employer contributions—into TRS pension benefits if the health fund reaches and maintains full funding. The sponsor said this would add about $154 million annually to TRS pensions and would only serve as a default if no other plan is adopted later. Members asked whether the bill would shift the unfunded liability to teachers or affect employee contributions. The sponsor and staff said it would not shift liability to teachers and would not change the employee contribution; only the employer-side payments would be redirected. Several members asked about the meaning of actuarial 100% funding, whether the fund could fall back below 100%, and whether employee contributions might be reduced in the future. The sponsor said the bill is based on actuarial projections, would revert the money back to the health trust if funding fell below 100%, and does not prevent future legislative or board action. Senator Higdon and others spoke in support of discussing the issue, noting the 2010 shared-responsibility changes and the need for a default approach as full funding is reached. The committee then heard Senate Bill 183, which would amend Kentucky law governing proxy advisers used by retirement systems. The sponsor said the bill would require proxy advisers, when handling shareholder-sponsored proposals, to act solely in the interest of retirement system members and beneficiaries and to provide an economic analysis when voting against a company board’s recommendation. He argued the measure is aimed at proxy advisers such as ISS and Glass Lewis, which he said often advance ESG-related proposals not tied to shareholder value. A guest from APCIA said the bill is meant to distinguish proxy advisers from investment managers and to strengthen the 2023 law by requiring a clearer economic justification for votes that depart from board recommendations. Members asked how proxy advisers differ from other financial advisers, whether Kentucky uses them, and whether the bill would prevent pension funds from investing in companies with ESG factors if those investments are profitable. The sponsor and guest said the bill would not bar such investments; it is intended to regulate proxy voting recommendations, not investment decisions. They described the bill as a proactive measure to reinforce fiduciary responsibility and limit outside proxy influence on pension voting. No final vote on either bill was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• of both the candidates for the board and the licensees submitting names of candidates, and retains provisions
• You are present and would like to speak, and you're with the Board of Home Inspectors.
• The board is clear. Pleasure of the committee.
• And on that, the board is clear. Pleasure of the committee.” “Thank you.
• So it’s just kind of modernizing the examiner board.”

Bills: SCR53 , HB259 , HB267 , HB478 , HB548 , HB555 , HB617 , HB670 , HB672 , HB797 , HB848 , HB917 , HB921 , HB1096 , HB1103 , HB1166 , HB1195 , HB1230

Committee: Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> of</c><00:03:12.080><c> these</c> board states that many of these board states that many of these
• </c><00:04:00.159><c> of</c> submit evidence to the board of submit evidence to the board of specialized
• , Board of Cosmetology.
• </c> board of barbering. board of barbering.
• </c> Kentucky Board of Lure for OT. Kentucky Board of Lure for OT.

Summary: The Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee met in August with a quorum present and approved the prior meeting minutes without objection. The committee then reviewed several regulations, generally adopting staff-suggested amendments without objection, and heard brief explanations from agency representatives on each item. The Board of Pharmacy regulations would clarify what registered and certified pharmacy technicians may do under supervision and what certified technicians may not do, while updating registration applications. The Board of Cosmetology package included changes to executive director authority, licensure and reciprocity rules, school requirements, training hours, instructor ratios, sanitation and disease-related rules, complaint procedures, and permit terms; members asked about straight razor language and the increase in student-to-instructor ratios, and the board explained that cosmetologists are not permitted to use straight razors and that the higher ratio was intended to give schools flexibility, especially for part-time students and schools with wait lists. The Occupational Therapy emergency compact regulation added four compact rules adopted in April 2025, and Senator West raised a technical question about certification requirements under House Bill 6; the agency said it had been instructed to file the regulation as submitted. The Department for Fish and Wildlife Resources presented a package covering wildlife management area rules, a northern pintail bag limit increase, reportable disease reporting, and a repeal tied to boat registration fees. After a brief explanation of the new wildlife disease reporting rule, the agency requested and received a deferral of 301 KAR 2:031 to avoid a gap while replacement language is finalized. The Economic Development Finance Authority explained an emergency regulation for the Kentucky Entertainment Incentive Program, saying it was needed because the program had become oversubscribed and because administration was shifting to a new film office and council; members also asked about certification issues under House Bill 6, and the agency said it had filed the regulation as directed. The Department of Workplace Standards emergency PPE regulation was also discussed, with members asking about HB 6 certification language, and the agency gave the same response. The Department of Insurance regulation would create a $10,000 registration fee and a $1,000 annual licensing fee for pharmacy benefit manager licenses, with an agency amendment exempting PBMs that solely serve workers’ compensation plans. Members asked how many PBMs would be affected and why workers’ compensation PBMs were carved out; the agency said there were 70 registered PBMs total, four solely workers’ comp, and that workers’ comp rates are set by statute and could not absorb the fee. Finally, the Public Service Commission’s pole attachment regulation was summarized as a broadband-expansion measure that speeds application review, increases the number of poles allowed in a single application, and shortens dispute timelines; the commission explained it grew out of earlier legislative direction and subsequent emergency amendments, and the committee adopted the staff amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• TO OVERSEE THE ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS THE BILL ESTABLISH THE STATE BOARD OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT WHICH
• DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT TEST WITH PROVIDING ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO THE BOARD AS YOU RECEIVED
• THERE IS AN ADVISORY BODY TO THE BOARD AND IT IS THE COUNCIL MADE UP OF FOUR SHERIFFS AND FOUR POLICE
• EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE STATE BOARD IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT HAS THE ABILITY TO APPROVE AWARDS LESS
• SO I AM CLEAR, THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ENFORCEMENT WOULD BE ASKING, COULD OR COULD NOT YOU DON'T

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:44.880><c> of</c> remove reference to local board of remove reference to local board of education
• </c> State Board of Education. Thank you. State Board of Education. Thank you.
• procedures for the Board of Claims.
• procedures for the Board of Claims.
• boards</c><00:10:54.040><c> adjudicate</c> both both of those boards adjudicate both both of those boards

Summary: The Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee met to reorganize its leadership for the new term, renewing Representative Derek Lewis as House co-chair and Senator Steven West as Senate co-chair. The committee then approved the minutes and moved through a series of agency regulations, generally adopting staff-suggested amendments without objection. Among the regulations reviewed were an Attorney General rule changing how a commission reviews and distributes funds and how grant reporting is handled; Personnel Board changes abolishing and renaming certain job classifications and adjusting probationary periods; an Education and Labor Cabinet rule removing references to local board of education members; several Public Protection Cabinet rules covering Board of Claims and Crime Victims’ Compensation procedures; an Alcoholic Beverage Control rule on direct-to-consumer shipping forms; and a Medicaid Services emergency regulation establishing the Kentucky Trauma Hospital Rate Improvement Program for rural hospitals serving many Medicaid patients. The committee also heard that the Board of Claims and Crime Victims’ Compensation regulations included both staff and, in one case, an agency amendment, which were approved. The most extended discussion came on the Department for Community Based Services’ regulation increasing per diem rates for private child-placing therapeutic foster care levels 2 and 3. Committee members questioned the estimated $10 million biennial cost, the source of the funding, and why the cabinet had not yet filed regulations implementing Senate Bill 151 on kinship care. DCBS staff said the rate increase was discretionary and intended to address placement crises for children with high needs, while acknowledging they could not personally explain the budget decisions. A kinship caregiver testified in support of the rate increase but urged the cabinet to also implement SB 151 and expand support for kinship families. The committee expressed frustration over the lack of SB 151 implementation but stated the rate increase itself was appropriate and allowed the regulation to proceed.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> board member and then the vice chair of board member and then the vice chair of the<00:10:34.720
• :36.920><c> which</c><00:10:37.200><c> at</c> the Hawaii Board of Nursing, which at the Hawaii Board
• This is for the Board of Certification of Operating Personnel Wastewater Treatment Plants.
• Board of Certification of Operating Personnel Wastewater Treatment Plants.
• and some of the things you hope to bring to the board during your tenure.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee heard several governor’s message nominations for health-related boards and commissions. Kanwardeep Kaleka was considered for the Substance Abuse Kauai Service Area Board; he said his work as a psychiatrist and family physician on Kauai motivates him to improve mental health and addiction services. Kunani Dryer was considered for the Hawaii Advisory Commission on Drug Abuse and Controlled Substances; he emphasized 26 years of personal recovery, harm reduction experience, and representation of rural, LGBTQIA+, and Native Hawaiian communities. Olivia Kim was considered for the Center for Nursing Advisory Board; testimony highlighted her experience in nursing leadership, long-term care, and LPN workforce issues. Trisha Lynn Yamashita was considered for the Kauai Subarea Health Planning Council; she described her hospice leadership, public health and palliative care background, and focus on data-informed, community-centered planning. Emily Dong was considered for the Board of Certification of Operating Personnel Wastewater Treatment Plants; she stressed wastewater’s public health importance and the need to strengthen the operator workforce pipeline. Testimony in support came from the Department of Health and several organizations and individuals, including the Hawaii State Center for Nursing, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Hina Mauka, the Kauai mayor, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and others. Committee members generally praised the nominees’ credentials and community ties, and repeatedly noted the value of lived experience, rural perspective, and workforce expertise. One nominee, Olivia Kim, was not present and was deferred to a later meeting for decision-making. At the end of the hearing, the committee took up the governor’s messages and recommended advise and consent for GM707, GM537, GM545, GM724, and GM790, with Senator Fevella excused and no objections recorded. GM662 was deferred to Thursday, April 16, 2026, at 3:20 p.m. in Room 225 because the nominee could not attend. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so the Chief Justice is a bit like the chairman of the board. board who has the ability to influence
• Do you think that the water board is capable of handling and the kind of growth of those kinds of cities
• Mon just finished a round of traveling board meetings, so we're getting out of Austin and hosting our
• The workforce boards are actually made up of 51% employers.
• I'm also on the Board of Directors of the National Employment Lawyers Association.

Committee: Senate Nominations

Keywords: Texas Water Fund, water management, infrastructure funding, local governments, workforce development, community colleges, educational programs, sustainability

Summary: The meeting focused on several crucial issues, including the Texas Water Fund and its implications for development in the state. Various members highlighted the critical need for effective management of water resources, discussing the role of the Water Development Board and their strategies for outreach to local governments. The committee engaged in a thorough examination of funding projects and the sustainable financing necessary for communities facing challenges in meeting their infrastructure needs. Additionally, there was notable discussion regarding promoting workforce development and the alignment of educational programs with the demands of the job market as indicated by recent trends in community colleges.

Transcript Highlights:

• as a member of the State Board of Finance.
• of Mining and Technology Board of Regents.
• cause of action against a Board of Regents or a community college governing board, or a member of those
• boards for a breach of fiduciary duty, requiring Boards of Regents or community college governing boards
• Council in the event of a board member's breach of fiduciary duty.