Transcript Highlights:

• The council really wanted to kind of discuss the most appropriate order of these tasks.
• Those that are marked on this slide as not in the labor force are folks who can't be in the labor force
• I'm sure they'll probably be discussing this next week, but at the interagency...
• Preventive Services Task Force recommended universal newborn hearing screening.
• small rural sites might be forced to close their doors.

Committee: Joint Human Services

Summary: The Human Services Committee met in interim session and first approved the previous meeting minutes before receiving a series of presentations on homelessness and housing stability. Jennifer Henderson of the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency updated members on the new Interagency Council on Homelessness, describing its executive-order mandate to review resources, gather input from stakeholders, identify gaps, and develop recommendations. She said the council’s first work is building a statewide program matrix of existing homeless services and funding sources, with attention to youth, tribal communities, and other vulnerable populations. Members raised concerns about youth homelessness, homeless veterans, and how the council will stay focused on a practical framework rather than getting lost in details. The committee also discussed possible connections to the rural health transformation grant and agreed to continue the topic later in the spring. Beth Olson of Presentation Partners in Housing described the organization’s housing-first model in Cass County and Clay County, including homeless prevention/diversion, housing navigation, and Cooper House, a 42-unit permanent supportive housing building in Fargo. She said the organization focuses on people with long-term and chronic homelessness, many with mental health, addiction, health, domestic violence, and Indigenous identity-related barriers, and reported strong outcomes: 85 of 86 people housed in 2025, 91% still housed after one year, and major reductions in emergency room use, ambulance rides, jail stays, detox days, and shelter use. She also explained that state funding has grown from a small share of the budget to about $1.1 million in state-connected funding for fiscal 2026, largely through contracts tied to supportive services. Members asked about vouchers, rent contributions at Cooper House, length of stay, and whether similar projects could be expanded elsewhere. Andrea Olson of the Community Action Partnership of North Dakota outlined statewide homeless and housing-related services delivered through six community action agencies in all 53 counties. She explained the Community Services Block Grant structure, said housing was identified as the top need in the most recent statewide needs assessment, and described programs including Supportive Services for Veteran Families, North Dakota Homeless Grant services, and Home ARP supportive services. She emphasized that the end of North Dakota Rent Help has increased pressure on the system, that the current $2 million annual homeless grant is far smaller than prior rent-help assistance, and that community action is using case management and financial assistance to move households toward self-sufficiency. Members asked about funding formulas, rural service delivery, and coordination with Presentation Partners to avoid duplication. YouthWorks then began a presentation on youth homelessness, describing services for ages 12 to 24, the special needs of youth and former foster youth, and the organization’s use of federal and state funds to support transitional housing, emergency shelter, maternity housing, and diversion services.

Transcript Highlights:

• Last session, the governor created a Cybercrime Task Force, and we're putting forward recommendations
• It's interagency capability there.
• He can designate people, task organize them.
• The Homeland Response Force is pretty big.
• The Homeland Response Force is pretty big.

Committee: House Veterans and Armed Forces

Transcript Highlights:

• Maybe they're just board members, but from those departments, where do they come in with the interagency
• Okay, and I guess the interagency agreement comment, that's what I was trying to clarify on.
• Deployment and tire deflation devices are an extremely dangerous task.
• Thank you for bringing this because, you know, Senator Klein-Peter started the task force.
• Because, you know, Senator Klein-Peter started the task force.

Bills: HB506 , HB590 , HB647 , HB685 , HB692 , HB839 , HB860 , HB873 , HB887 , HB965 , HB972 , HB982 , HB1072 , HB1157

Committee: House Transportation, Highways & Public Works

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 1157, which would create a Louisiana State Infrastructure Bank to provide a new funding mechanism for transportation projects, including roads, bridges, rail, ports, and airports. The chairman and DOTD Secretary Glenn LaDoux said the bank would help leverage state, federal, local, and private dollars, modelled in part on programs in Florida and other states, and would be used for gap funding and faster project delivery. Members asked extensive questions about board makeup, oversight, seed funding, application priorities, and how the program would differ from capital outlay and other existing funding tools. Support testimony came from Greater New Orleans, Inc. and other groups, and the bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee then approved several mostly technical or local bills, including HB 860 allowing fillable electronic public bid forms; HB 972 naming a portion of Highway 93 in Lafayette Parish the Desert Shield Desert Storm Memorial Highway; HB 965 naming a portion of Highway 163 for Sergeant William Billy Earl Collins Jr.; HB 692 allowing local governments to use group purchasing organizations, as amended; HB 685 allowing cooperative procurement for public motor vehicles and rolling stock under FAST Act procedures, which passed after a roll call vote with one no vote; HB 982 designating portions of highways in Morehouse Parish, as amended; HB 506 creating specialty license plates, as amended; HB 839 lowering the CMAR threshold for hospital service districts from $2 million to $1 million via substitute bill; HB 647 revising the waterway assistance program and application timelines via substitute bill; and HB 887 revising construction management-at-risk procedures, as amended. Most of these measures were reported favorably or favorably as amended, with little or no opposition. The committee also received an update on the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction from Representative Chesson, who said the office will assume control of about 4,000 miles of roadway and 2,000 bridges and has been moving projects quickly using internal procurement procedures. HB 1072, which reforms the office’s powers and emergency authority, was amended to narrow emergency provisions and clarify funding and reporting language, then reported favorably as amended. The final major item was HB 873, which would fund pursuit-intervention technology and training for law enforcement through a $2 fee on driver’s licenses; the bill was presented alongside emotional testimony from the widow and daughter of Sergeant Grant Candies and from a St. John the Baptist Parish captain, who argued the fee would help agencies buy safer equipment and obtain grant support. The transcript ends during questioning on HB 873, before any final committee action on that bill is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• She was not only a member of the task force, she was present at every meeting.
• And that's how we came up with the task force to make a comprehensive...
• I've also, you know, helped establish this task force. And to Ms.
• He was one of the main legislators on this task force.
• Also comes from the Caleb Wilson-Hasing Task Force that met.

Bills: HCR14 , HB201 , HB218 , HB352 , HB626 , HB636 , HB738 , HB749

Committee: House Education

Keywords: Department of Education, federal overreach, education policy, Tenth Amendment, local control, fine arts, high school diploma, arts education, capstone project, academic achievement, student recognition, Louisiana education, food insecurity, hunger, student hunger, school meals, free lunch, community eligibility provision, McKinney-Vento, homeless students

Transcript Highlights:

• It has forced many small businesses out of work, and it has forced consolidation across our economy that
• It has forced many small businesses out of work, and it has forced consolidation across our economy that
• This group also coordinates our broadband task force, which essentially helps advise the legislature,
• The broadband task force, which essentially helps advise the legislature, the governor, etc., on what
• </c> can go into one of our career Force can go into one of our career Force locations<00:41:36.359><

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• That the services and interagency partners are integrated appropriately.
• Air Force should procure at least 145 B-21 bombers.
• The bomber force, as an example, has the ability to traverse all over the world.
• , affecting your force structure in other ways, and also for the U.S. military?
• All I ask the United States Air Force is to ensure that when I have force presentation, that I can still

Committees: Senate Subcommittee on Strategic Forces , Senate Subcommittee on Personnel

Keywords: military strategy, nuclear triad, deterrence, STRATCOM, SPACECOM, SLICOM, B-21, hypersonic defense, spectrum auction

Summary: The meeting focused on the strategic posture of U.S. military capabilities with an emphasis on deterrence amid growing global threats. General Cotton from STRATCOM and General Whiting from SPACECOM provided insights into the modernization efforts of the nuclear triad. Key discussions involved the importance of maintaining control over specific frequency spectrums critical for military operations and the implications of potential auctioning of these bands. Members expressed concerns regarding the evolving landscape with adversaries like China and Russia, emphasizing that swift action is needed to adapt and preserve U.S. national security. Various proposals and existing programs, including the B-21 bomber and the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile (SLICOM), were debated, alongside the necessity of increasing military investment in hypersonic defense systems.

Transcript Highlights:

• task force is very because right now the task force is very specific<00:42:39.440><c> but</c><00:42:
• probably you can bring it up at the task force.
• probably you can bring it up at the task force.
• probably you can bring it up at the task force.
• You're asking for what, $1.2 million this year for the task force? For task force.

Summary: The committee heard budget testimony first from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Director Tommy Johnson outlined short-term goals to reduce overcrowding, improve living and working conditions, fill vacancies, expand mental health services, and update the correctional master plan. He said the department is still dealing with severe overcrowding at facilities such as OCCC and HCCC, with 947 people at OCCC against a design capacity of 628, and noted 938 inmates are currently housed on the mainland because of temporary repairs at Halawa. He also reported progress on staffing, saying the correctional officer vacancy rate has dropped from 34.3% to 24% through expanded recruitment. The department’s major budget request was $30 million for planning and design for a new Old Triple C project, along with other requests for re-entry services, identification documents, security systems, radios, sink-toilet modules, and trauma-informed care. Members asked about the timing and scope of the OCCC project, courtroom space in new facilities, and the department’s plan to use the funding to improve re-entry and reduce recidivism. The committee then heard from the Department of Law Enforcement on a wide range of priorities. The department described requests to expand agricultural crime enforcement, traffic enforcement, illegal fireworks enforcement, and facilities such as a police building at the DKI airport, a state training center, and new police facilities in central and Leeward Oahu. It also discussed a major IT request for a statewide law enforcement and critical infrastructure notification platform, plus funding for grants management, the Wahiawa Civic Center and court complex, the prescription monitoring program, narcotics enforcement operations, and the narcotics lab. A significant portion of the discussion focused on a proposed traffic enforcement program for commercial vehicle inspections, speeding, and DUI enforcement, which the department said would be funded with federal dollars and would operate concurrently with county police. Committee members questioned whether the effort duplicated county jurisdiction and how the program would be trained and staffed. Members also pressed the department on salary disparities for deputy sheriffs and related vacancies, and the department said the administration was working on a supplemental agreement and placeholder funding to address the issue. Additional discussion covered agricultural crime staffing, the Silver Alert program, and expansion of the forensic lab to handle explosives, firearms, and related evidence. No votes were taken in the portion provided, and the meeting moved from the corrections presentation to the law enforcement budget review with questions and answers throughout.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the current administration of HHS has formed an internal task force to look at the system's problems
• Something that I wanted to just mention is that the reentry housing pilot task force is working.
• I'm part of that housing task force.
• force has been tasked with creating or suggesting a pilot program to help individuals that are exiting
• in being part of this task force.

Summary: The committee first heard an update on North Dakota’s Interagency Council on Homelessness and Continuum of Care funding. Jennifer Henderson of the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency reported that homelessness remains driven by tight housing markets, low incomes, rising rents, and barriers to rental assistance, public benefits, and disability determinations. She said the state’s one-time North Dakota Homeless Grant is serving all regions but reaches far fewer households than the former Rent Help program, and that aging homelessness, shelter staffing shortages, and limited affordable units are growing concerns. Members discussed the need for more housing supply, better coordination with Health and Human Services, landlord engagement, reentry housing, and possible continued one-time funding for the $10 million Homeless Grant and $25 million Housing Incentive Fund. Henderson also warned that federal Continuum of Care funding is uncertain, with HUD expected to issue a new notice June 1 and possible shifts away from permanent supportive housing toward transitional housing and other models. The committee then took testimony on accessibility of government services for people who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, or hard of hearing. Paul Olson of North Dakota Vision Services School for the Blind described the school’s services for infants, children, and adults, including screenings, mobility training, assistive technology, and outreach across the state. He said the agency works closely with Vocational Rehabilitation and is also involved in improving website and document accessibility, especially for PDF materials. Public testimony highlighted barriers such as inaccessible CAPTCHA systems, online forms, driver’s license requirements on job applications, and limited transportation in rural areas. A deaf resident urged broader use of video remote interpreting and video relay services, along with training so people know how to use them effectively. Finally, Kay Larson presented the final report on the child care provider licensing study. The report recommended streamlining North Dakota’s child care licensing structure into three provider types plus a preschool designation, while preserving health and safety standards and maintaining eligibility for child care assistance. The committee discussed simplifying training and qualification rules, revising ratio and group-size requirements, and adjusting age bands for infants and toddlers. The report also noted that some changes would require statutory amendments and later administrative rule changes, with a transition period likely extending through 2029. No formal votes were taken in the transcript, but the committee accepted the updates and scheduled follow-up presentations for a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• methods include the biggest peacetime military build-up in history, rapidly expanding its nuclear forces
• The administration's response to these agents, I believe, good works and years of service was to force
• To enable the interagency, to enable our partners and industry to be able to pursue them.
• So the FBI is utilizing our Joint Terrorism Task Force, which are situated in the United States, to track
• Department of Defense to be able to generate cyber forces.

Committee: Senate Intelligence (Select) Committee

Keywords: national security, cyber threats, civil liberties, transnational crime, FISA Section 702, public-private partnership, intelligence community, Annual Threats Hearing

Summary: The Senate Intelligence Committee convened for a significant meeting focused on the Annual Worldwide Threats Hearing. Prominent officials from various intelligence agencies presented their insights on emerging national security threats, including concerns over increasing cyber threats, particularly from China and non-state actors. A major discussion point included the balance between national security and civil liberties, as evidenced by conversations surrounding Section 702 of FISA and its implications for privacy protection. The challenges posed by cartels and transnational criminal organizations, especially related to narcotics trafficking, were emphasized as pressing issues necessitating coordinated responses from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. This meeting underscored the necessity of public-private partnerships to tackle these multifaceted threats effectively.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am particularly interested in the proposed Interagency Coordinating Council.
• We'll get into the specifics on the Career Education Interagency Council.
• My comments are pretty similar to the item, the interagency council item.
• That Interagency Council is going to take some time to get up and running.
• We support the California Education Interagency. Agency Council.

Transcript Highlights:

• But in the fall of 2020, our previous governor created a task force to create a plan so the state of
• The Clean Hydrogen Task Force came out of some of this.
• The Clean Hydrogen Task Force came out of some of this.
• The task force is gone.
• So speaking throughout, I chaired the Chronic Wasting Disease Task Force.

Summary: The committee first considered several local property-transfer and wildlife/fisheries bills, including SB 229 (Bojeur Parish property transfer), SB 71 (Lafayette Parish property transfer), and a series of Department of Wildlife and Fisheries measures. SB 203 simplified possession rules for fish on multi-day trips and remote camps; SB 429 created an administrative path to register “orphan” boats with lapsed registrations; SB 204 removed a residency-based restriction on certain commercial fishing gear licenses; SB 205 reduced duplicate registration requirements for federally documented boats; SB 213 clarified titling rules for vessels and outboard motors; and SB 257 removed Social Security number requirements from certain commercial fishing tags. Each of these bills was reported favorable, generally without objection, after brief explanations from sponsors and department counsel about reducing red tape, improving enforcement, or modernizing records. The committee also heard SB 214, which would allow the Teche-Vermilion Fresh Water District to stop pumping during an imminent flood threat identified by the National Weather Service or GOSEP, addressing liability concerns and giving local officials more flexibility in emergencies. SB 274, as amended, required lead hazard risk assessments for certain child care, early learning, and pre-kindergarten facilities and required hazards found in assessments to be addressed before licensing. Both bills were reported favorable. SB 379, a technical reorganization bill for the Department of Conservation and Energy, received two amendment sets: one changing investment language and another standardizing judicial-review procedures and online notice requirements; it was reported favorable after those amendments. The committee then adopted HCR 62, urging FEMA to review flood maps every five years instead of every ten and to better account for local flood-protection projects, with members discussing the burden of flood insurance and the need for FEMA to recognize levees, pump stations, and elevated homes. HCR 78 was also reported favorable, memorializing Congress to pass the American Seafood Competitiveness Act of 2026 in support of Louisiana’s seafood industry. HB 662, as substituted, was reported favorable after being rewritten to codify the department’s internal protocol for seized sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife, prioritizing release, rehabilitation, placement, and euthanasia as a last resort. Finally, the committee considered two more contentious items. HR 216, which urged repudiation of the Louisiana Climate Action Plan of 2022, drew extended debate over whether the plan had been adopted without legislative input and whether it could affect permits or future policy; after discussion, the sponsor voluntarily deferred the resolution to return with a revised approach focused on a legislative hearing or review. SCR 24, dealing with chronic wasting disease rules, was introduced with amendments that would raise the prevalence threshold, cap samples, allow zone removal after three years without new detections, and lift baiting/feed prohibitions above a higher prevalence level; the transcript cuts off before final action on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• ABOD population, there have been multiple studies done on when these work requirements are put into force
• This bill forces transparency and correction while preserving the legislature's full authority to step
• At the same time, they are being tasked with managing workforce shortages, rising supply costs, and increasing
• At the same time, they are being tasked with managing workforce shortages, rising supply costs, and increasing
• We have a goal to increase interagency collaboration. Thank you.

Committee: Senate Senate Health and Human Services COR

Summary: The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met and first recognized Physical Therapy Day at the Capitol, welcoming Arizona physical therapy leaders and students. The committee then took up several bills related to SNAP, health care regulation, child welfare, dementia services, and safe haven newborn surrender. SB 1334 would bar DES from seeking or renewing SNAP work-requirement waivers for able-bodied adults without dependents unless required by federal or state law; supporters said it would curb administrative expansion and opponents argued it would reduce flexibility during high unemployment and harm food-insecure Arizonans. The bill received a do-pass recommendation on a 4-1 vote. SB 1333 would require DES to reduce the SNAP payment error rate to 3% by 2030, with annual reporting, corrective action plans, Auditor General oversight, and possible funding penalties if targets are missed. After adopting a committee amendment changing reporting to quarterly updates and replacing a forensic audit with a special audit, the committee approved the bill as amended on a 4-1 vote. SB 1331 would require able-bodied adults under 60 receiving SNAP to participate in mandatory employment and training unless exempt; proponents said it would strengthen work expectations, while opponents and DES raised concerns about administrative burden and food bank impacts. The bill passed 4-2, with members explaining no votes due to child care, rural access, and food insecurity concerns. The committee also advanced SB 1162, which clarifies DHS’s role in licensing and monitoring health care institutions and, as amended, requires DHS and AHCCCS/Access to coordinate to reduce duplicative oversight and report periodically to the legislature; it passed 6-0. SB 1017, requiring additional signatures and witness verification on emergency informed consent forms for surgical procedures, passed 4-2. SB 1149, which adds reporting and procedural requirements for DCS periodic review hearings, passed as amended 5-1. SB 1249, designating DHS as the lead agency on Alzheimer’s and dementia and creating a state plan and services program funded through lottery monies rather than the general fund after amendment, passed 6-0. Finally, SB 1253 clarified that a parent may surrender a newborn at the hospital of birth without leaving and returning, and requires updated safe-haven reporting; it passed 5-0, after testimony from hospital and safe-haven advocates in support. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it is no easy task for them to cut $20 million out of their $100 million budget.
• I think it is no easy task for them to cut $20 million out of their $100 million budget.
• This crisis from last year has obviously forced to the front burner conversation that's been bubbling
• The agency then entered into an interagency agreement with the Department of Emergency Management to
• The agency then entered into an interagency agreement with the Department of Emergency Management to

Summary: The Emergency Board met on June 17, 2026, and approved a series of subcommittee recommendations, mostly on consent, related to federal grant applications, agency funding adjustments, and position authority. Early actions included approval of four federal grant applications from natural resources agencies, three public safety grant applications, a one-time increase for Judicial Department court security, retroactive approval for an AmeriCorps volunteer-generation grant, and a $7.5 million allocation to Southern Oregon University from a special appropriation for short-term financial stability. Members supporting the SOU item emphasized the university’s structural deficits, declining enrollment, and the need for a long-term higher education plan; several members voted no or raised concerns about sustainability, but the motion passed. The board also approved a federal apprenticeship expansion grant for the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, a school nutrition equipment grant for the Department of Education, and an Oregon Health Authority request tied to Medicaid community engagement requirements under H.R. 1. Public safety items included funding for Oregon Military Department readiness facilities, a report on the stalled juvenile justice information system modernization project with a follow-up viability report due in 2026, and a statewide evacuation planning tool for emergency management. The evacuation tool drew strong support as a wildfire preparedness measure, with members noting it could significantly reduce alert times and save lives. A major point of debate was the Department of Justice request to add 16 permanent positions and increase other funds limitation for antitrust enforcement. Supporters argued the federal government has pulled back and Oregon needs capacity to pursue active cases and protect consumers; opponents objected to the process, the size of the expansion, and the incentive structure tied to settlements and awards. Despite those concerns, the motion passed. The board also approved Water Resources Department requests for the Water Well Abandonment, Repair and Replacement program, an assistant water master position in Washington County, and federal funding for Lower Umatilla Basin groundwater data collection. The water master item prompted questions about county cost shifts, but staff said the position would remain externally funded and would not be filled without those resources.

Transcript Highlights:

• Father God, decision-making for so many people is a very easy task, Father God.
• Interagency agreements without the Department of Education.
• Right now, they've already completed 10 interagency agreements with other departments.
• I'd like to know what is a forceful offense. Very simple. if A forcible offense.
• I'd like to know what is a forceful offense.

Bills: HR115 , HR116 , HR117 , HR118 , HR112 , HR113 , HR114 , HCR51 , HCR52 , SCR18 , SCR20 , SB14 , SB76 , SB118 , SB142 , SB156 , SB170 , SB197 , SB234 , SB258 , SB287 , SB288 , SB313 , SB315 , SB393 , SB396 , SB426 , SB427 , HCR7 , HB76 , HB84 , HB132 , HB181 , HB210 , HB250 , HB265 , HB275 , HB291 , HB322 , HB342 , HB457 , HB475 , HB477 , HB486 , HB616 , HB635 , HB639 , HB690 , HB740 , HB757 , HB761 , HB766 , HB774 , HB808 , HB855 , HB866 , HB872 , HB883 , HB886 , HB903 , HB949 , HB962 , HB996 , HB1003 , HB1036 , HB1054 , HB1071 , HB1076 , HB1078 , HB1113 , HB1132 , HB1146 , HB1232 , HB1233 , HR15 , HR20 , HCR14 , HCR6 , HCR19 , HCR10 , HR74 , HCR26 , HCR35 , HB98 , HB108 , HB131 , HB151 , HB161 , HB288 , HB294 , HB305 , HB310 , HB320 , HB336 , HB380 , HB392 , HB403 , HB420 , HB459 , HB476 , HB540 , HB615 , HB631 , HB637 , HB648 , HB665 , HB682 , HB789 , HB813 , HB815 , HB835 , HB870 , HB905 , HB915 , HB933 , HB938 , HB987 , HB1040 , HB51 , HB82 , HB143 , HB145 , HB160 , HB180 , HB192 , HB393 , HB430 , HB445 , HB506 , HB515 , HB521 , HB565 , HB590 , HB614 , HB638 , HB670 , HB672 , HB685 , HB692 , HB752 , HB773 , HB781 , HB799 , HB860 , HB874 , HB887 , HB917 , HB937 , HB956 , HB965 , HB972 , HB977 , HB982 , HB1006 , HB1010 , HB1044 , HB1072 , HB1088 , HB1179 , HB1200 , HB81 , HB400 , HB154 , HB410 , HB463 , HB827 , HB868 , HB952 , HB953 , HB140 , HB750 , HB911 , HB52 , HB961 , HB399 , HB401 , HB901 , HB9 , HB58 , HB193 , HB284 , HB570 , HB577 , HB582 , HB605 , HB733

Keywords: Kappa Alpha Psi, fraternity, Louisiana, commemoration, community engagement, recognition, state championship, basketball, sports achievement, school commendation, commendation, athletics, team sports, youth, community recognition, water utility, tax credit, excessive rates, residential service, subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• And we want to additionally have the resources to continue to do the work that you all have tasked us
• All have tasked us to do.
• My team's current task is finding and naming a third-party administrator who will do the grant-making
• I will point out you are somewhat taken to task for those comments, and there have been times when I
• In this case, I just happened to— ...take you to task for it because you do what you're paid to do.

Summary: The subcommittee heard an informational update from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development on the state’s Jobs First economic development strategy and related budget requests. Go-Biz described its regional planning process, priority sectors such as ag-tech, space defense, life sciences, and semiconductors, and requests including an extension of the CalCompetes tax credit, support for export promotion, additional film commission staff, innovation and emerging technology capacity, and a California brand campaign. Members questioned the campaign’s purpose, with some supporting efforts to counter misinformation about California and others warning it should not obscure regulatory and business-climate concerns. Go-Biz said the campaign would be nationally focused, could include business attraction efforts, and was intended to complement—not replace—policy work on permitting and workforce development. The item was informational only. The committee then heard from the California Office of the Small Business Advocate on the California RISE program, the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund, and the Technical Assistance Program/Capital Infusion Program. CalOSBA reported that California RISE’s first round awarded $16.9 million to 61 employment social enterprises, which collectively increased revenue, secured contracts, and employed thousands of people facing barriers to work; a second round is being launched with a new administrator and expanded services. For the performing arts payroll fund, the office said all 100 awardees had been paid, but demand far exceeded available funding, and the program was oversubscribed within days. California for the Arts testified that the sector remains fragile after COVID and urged statutory changes to simplify eligibility and stretch dollars further. SBDC representatives described TAP/SIP as a statewide network supporting small businesses, capital access, and disaster recovery, emphasizing their role in underserved communities and the leverage of federal matching funds. Committee members focused on whether these programs produce durable outcomes and reach smaller or disadvantaged businesses. Questions centered on long-term job retention in California RISE, outreach to ethnic and community media in the civic media program, and whether TAP/SIP are accessible to entrepreneurs with limited capital or capacity. CalOSBA and its partners said they rely heavily on local community organizations for outreach, provide one-on-one counseling and training, and are working to collect more longitudinal data. The committee also discussed the film and television tax credit program, for which Go-Biz requested funding for three permanent positions and ongoing program support. Film Commission staff said the expanded program is tracking demographic and career-pathway data, with most productions opting into new diversity provisions, and that a formal report to the Legislature is expected in 2027. The item concluded without a vote, as the hearing was for oversight and budget discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Phelps: Okay, and I guess the interagency agreement comment, that’s what I was trying
• Perry Van Noy is a sixth-generation veteran and a United States Air Force veteran who served honorably
• Deployment and tire deflation devices are an extremely dangerous task.
• Thank you for bringing this because, you know, Senator Kleinpeter started the task force. And so...
• Because, you know, Senator Kleinpeter started the task force.

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 1157, which would create a Louisiana State Infrastructure Bank to provide another funding mechanism for transportation-related projects, including roads, bridges, rail, ports, airports, and other surface transportation needs. Chairman Borek and DOTD Secretary Glenn LaD said the goal is to leverage state, federal, local, and private dollars, using models from Florida and other states. Members asked about board makeup, staffing, project selection, administrative costs, and how the bank would differ from capital outlay and existing transportation programs. Testimony in support came from business and economic development representatives, including Michael Hecht of Greater New Orleans, Inc., who said infrastructure is critical to major economic projects and that the bank could attract outside capital. The bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee then took up several local and procurement-related bills. House Bill 860, allowing fillable electronic public bid forms, was reported favorably. House Bill 972, naming a portion of Highway 93 in Lafayette Parish the Desert Shield Desert Storm Memorial Highway, and House Bill 965, naming a portion of Highway 163 the Sergeant William Billy Earl Collins Jr. Memorial Highway, were both reported favorably after brief testimony honoring veterans and law enforcement. House Bill 692, authorizing local governments to enter group purchasing agreements, was amended and reported favorably. House Bill 685, allowing use of FAST Act cooperative procurement for public motor vehicles and rolling stock, drew support from transit officials and was reported favorably after a roll call vote, with one member voting no. The committee also advanced House Bill 982, which designates portions of highways in Morehouse Parish in memory of local residents killed in a crash after attending an LSU game; it was reported with amendments. House Bill 506, creating special prestige license plates for local high schools as a fundraiser, was amended and reported favorably. House Bill 839, lowering the contract limit for hospital service districts to use construction management at risk from $2 million to $1 million, was reported by substitute after testimony from hospital leadership and industry representatives. House Bill 1072, revising powers and emergency procurement authority for the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction, was amended and reported favorably after discussion about its relationship to DOTD and emergency repairs. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 887, which revises construction management at risk procedures, including committee makeup, scoring, and financial qualification requirements; it was amended and reported favorably. House Bill 647, creating timelines and an annual application process for waterway projects under a waterway assistance program and fund, was reported by substitute. The last major item discussed was House Bill 873, which would fund pursuit intervention technology and training for law enforcement through a $2 fee on driver’s licenses. The bill was presented alongside emotional testimony from the widow and daughter of Sergeant Grant Candies and from a St. John the Baptist Parish sheriff’s captain, all urging safer equipment and better training for officers. Members expressed strong support, and the discussion continued into funding and grant administration details.

Transcript Highlights:

• the kind of leadership we need in the Air Force and Space Force at this pivotal moment.
• and Space Force.
• the Air Force.
• Most recently, I served as Director of Intelligence for a Special Operations Joint Task Force supporting
• of the Air Force?

Committee: Senate Subcommittee on Personnel

Keywords: Department of Defense, nominations, Matthew Lohmeyer, Justin Overbaugh, global security, military readiness, NATO, Russia, China, defense infrastructure

Summary: The meeting was primarily focused on discussing nominations for key positions within the Department of Defense, specifically for roles such as the Undersecretary of the Air Force and the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security. Senators expressed urgent concerns about global security threats, the need for robust military readiness, and the emphasis on effective collaboration with NATO allies amidst rising tensions with adversaries such as Russia and China. Several senators highlighted the challenges facing military infrastructure and defense capabilities, suggesting a critical need for improvements and investment in these areas to ensure national security.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, and then on the task force that's going to be the Critical Incident Review Team, there was a recommendation
• multidisciplinary investigative team, we added some language in there that it would be in accordance with interagency
• So I plan to ask someone from the House to be a part of that task force. Thank you.
• make a difference and to help protect our children so that one day we're going to be faced with the task

Bills: SB237

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Summary: The House Committee on Health and Welfare met on April 20 and took up Senate Bill 237 by Senator Barrow, a child welfare measure addressing the duties of the state child ombudsman, DCFS, public reporting, confidentiality, critical incident reviews, multidisciplinary investigative teams, forensic interviews, mandatory reporter training, and related child abuse and neglect procedures. Before discussion, the committee reconsidered and withdrew a previously adopted amendment set, then heard the bill re-read and reviewed a new amendment package developed through meetings among Senator Barrow, Representatives Spell and Berault, DCFS, and the ombudsman’s office. Members described the revised bill as narrowing and clarifying several provisions: reducing the number of law enforcement liaisons, limiting death/near-fatality notifications to legislative leadership and committee chairs with later notice to affected district members if substantiated, adjusting medical review language, and adding quality-improvement and training components. Other changes included keeping school-related reports routed to law enforcement, changing some mandatory language to discretionary language for certain child-on-child sexual abuse situations, aligning multidisciplinary team procedures with existing interagency protocols, and making technical revisions to reduce burden and likely lower the fiscal note. The committee also adopted a separate amendment to include recreation language for the Department of Children and Family Services. Senator Barrow and several representatives emphasized that the goal was to improve child protection and review processes while making the bill workable for DCFS and other agencies. They noted the importance of outside review, ombudsman access to records, and using review findings to drive implementation changes. After no objections, the committee adopted the amendment sets and reported Senate Bill 237 favorably with amendments. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's just really a huge task that you have in front of you, and I'm looking forward to making sure that
• The Interagency Council and homelessness folks are now housed at the May Lee Plaza with the Department
• Council on Homelessness, I'm assuming those are all interagency council on homelessness.
• And Assembly Member, I just wanted to speak to your specific question about our Interagency Council on
• The council is tasked with this work.

Summary: The joint hearing focused on Governor Newsom’s 2025 reorganization plan to split the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency into two new agencies: a Business and Consumer Services Agency and a California Housing and Homelessness Agency. Secretary Tamika Moss and department leaders from Consumer Affairs, Cannabis Control, DFPI, and Alcoholic Beverage Control said the business-side reorganization would sharpen consumer protection and regulatory oversight without increasing licensee fees or office-space needs. Members generally supported the concept, but several raised concerns about the timing relative to the budget process, the May Revision, and whether the new structure would add costs or disrupt legal and regulatory work. Public commenters from industry groups largely supported the business-side proposal. The second half of the hearing examined the proposed Housing and Homelessness Agency and a new Housing Development and Finance Committee intended to streamline affordable housing funding. Moss, HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez, and CalHFA’s Rebecca Franklin argued the reorganization would reduce fragmentation, speed approvals, improve compliance and asset management, and better coordinate housing, homelessness, and civil rights functions. They said CalHFA’s statutory and financial independence would remain intact, that the proposal would not affect existing homelessness programs administered by HCD, and that the plan would be phased in over several years, with the new agencies and committee expected to become operational by July 2026. Members pressed on whether the plan would truly create a one-stop shop, how it would interact with tax credits and bonds outside the Governor’s control, whether it would include a single application and unified inspections, and how it would address Los Angeles homelessness oversight and federal uncertainties such as tariffs and Section 8 changes. Developer witnesses strongly backed the housing proposal, describing the current system as slow, opaque, and costly. Margaret Miller of the John Stewart Company and Jeffrey Morgan of CHISPA gave examples of projects delayed or lost because multiple funding sources required separate applications, awards, and closings; both said a cabinet-level housing secretary and a consolidated funding process could save time and money and produce more units. Public advocates including Housing California, the California Housing Partnership, and the California Housing Consortium supported the concept but stressed that success would depend on implementation, adequate funding, transparency, and broader coordination with tax credit and bond programs. No formal votes were taken; the hearing was informational, and the committees heard testimony and questions on the proposal.

Transcript Highlights:

• Every day I see families like mine forced to beg for basic services.
• Not forcing clients to do what's in the best interest of the system, right?
• The interagency agreement between both departments is focused on the process to flow the federal Part
• Second, regarding the timing and content of the interagency agreement and integrated system, and how
• agreement, if we, ...into the process of developing the interagency agreement.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services heard testimony on Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and related budget and trailer bill proposals, with a major focus on the impacts of H.R. 1 on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). DDS and the Department of Social Services (DSS) said H.R. 1 could affect Medi-Cal and CalFresh access, but that people with disabilities and caregivers are exempt from the work requirements; the administration is working on data matching and automation through the statewide eligibility system to identify exemptions, with June 1, 2026 as the implementation date for CalFresh changes. Witnesses and advocates warned that any loss of Medi-Cal could create fiscal pressure on regional centers and households, while public commenters described the real-life consequences of losing services. Committee members repeatedly expressed concern about cost shifts to counties and asked for harm-mitigation strategies before the May Revision. The committee also reviewed the governor’s IHSS-related proposals. DSS said the budget would set a baseline for authorized hours, align IHSS disenrollment/reinstatement with Medi-Cal eligibility processes, and eliminate the IHSS backup provider system, while emphasizing that individual service hours would still be based on assessed need. DDS said if a person loses IHSS or Medi-Cal, regional centers may have to step in as payer of last resort for some services, potentially at higher state cost. Members and the Legislative Analyst’s Office questioned whether counties could absorb the proposed shifts without reducing services, and asked for more detail on implementation, data quality controls, and how regional centers could help families navigate disruptions. A separate trailer bill on DDS rate reform and the Quality Incentive Program drew mixed reactions. DDS proposed extending a contract exemption and delaying final rate reform regulations to 2030, saying the changes are budget-neutral and needed for implementation. DDS reported that about 81% of providers had completed the current Quality Incentive Program requirements, but providers and advocates argued the 90-10 structure can function like a penalty and may destabilize services if providers lose 10% of funding. Committee members asked for clearer assistance to providers, possible flexibility for good-faith efforts, and a redlined version of the language before the May Revision. The committee also heard DDS’s proposed trailer bill on regional center governance and provider capacity. DDS said the language would consolidate regional center contracts and performance measures, strengthen board training and oversight, require consumer advisory committees, expand independent legal support, raise the threshold for board approval of contracts, and remove barriers such as physical-office requirements and duplicate vendorization. DDS said the goal is to improve accountability and efficiency while preserving person-centered services, and members indicated they wanted further refinement and stakeholder input before moving forward.