Transcript Highlights:

• The rest of the U.S. typically is benchmarked to WTI, which is a Texas index, and the California one
• But we're very careful at DPMO because price gouging is a Penal Code section that has to do with prices
• Because if we just use the example of Texas, Texas is long on refining, Texas is long on crude oil, but
• The map I'm showing you is a map of tankers heading from the Middle East to Texas, where over the last
• Prices in Texas are up about $1.40 per gallon, which is very close to the price increase in the rest

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy held a hearing on the impact of the Iran conflict and global oil supply disruption on California fuel markets. Committee members and administration witnesses from the California Energy Commission and the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight described California’s heavy reliance on imported crude and refined products, the state’s shrinking refining base, current inventory levels, and how global supply tightness is affecting gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel prices. CEC officials said near-term supply looked adequate for roughly the next six weeks, but warned that continued disruption would likely raise prices further and increase competition for imports. DPMO said the conflict is a real supply shock, but also emphasized a separate, longstanding problem of unusually high California retail gasoline prices, especially among major branded stations. Witnesses and members debated the causes of high prices and the state’s longer-term fuel strategy. Professor Severin Borenstein argued that much of the price gap beyond taxes and environmental costs comes from a “mystery gasoline surcharge” downstream of refineries, while also noting that California’s shrinking number of refineries creates market-power and supply-resilience concerns. Western States Petroleum Association CEO Jody Mueller argued that state policies have weakened California’s refining system and made it more vulnerable to global shocks, urging the state to protect remaining refining capacity and improve infrastructure for imports. United Steelworkers Local 675 Vice President Norman Rogers stressed the need for safe, reliable refinery operations and adequate staffing. Several members pressed witnesses on whether California should rely more on imports, how to manage inventories and port/storage capacity, and whether the state needs clearer authority and better data collection to coordinate fuel policy. Discussion also covered branded versus unbranded gasoline pricing, the role of California fuel specifications, and whether a floating gas tax or other policy tools could buffer consumers from global price spikes. No formal votes or committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Last year, the Legislature passed SB 851 to strengthen protections against election interference.
• We continue to see efforts to challenge legitimate election processes, which have been We continue to
• see efforts to challenge legitimate election processes, which have increased concerns about election
• Instead of increasing transparency and confidence in our elections, I don't know...
• It protects California, protects Californians, and it protects the integrity of our election.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And again, these are duly elected officials in their planning groups.
• So these planning groups are duly elected.
• Under the framework, randomized audits ensure compliance with health and safety codes, and the approach
• We have 16 elected board members on that board, and we presented this bill concept to them in October
• In Texas, it takes about half the time for similar projects to move forward, and in Colorado it can take

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:

• As an educator and a former city elected official, I'm a strong supporter of student involvement and
• relentless belief that every child deserves a seat at the table, regardless of race, background, or zip code
• Despite being a Latina, elected by a majority Latino district, and working every day to uplift the district
• To organize, to elect representatives, and to advocate for change.
• Oscar enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1973, serving with honor in Texas and then later as

Summary: The Assembly met after a quorum call and prayer, then handled a series of procedural motions, guest introductions, and floor actions. Members welcomed student groups from Hope International University and Vacaville High School, and later recognized several guests connected to public safety dispatch. The chamber also adopted multiple re-referrals and procedural requests, including moving bills between committees and taking up AB 100 on concurrence from the Senate. A major portion of the session was devoted to ACR 34, designating April 14 as Sylvia Mendez Day. Assembly Member Ta and several colleagues spoke in support of honoring Sylvia Mendez and the Mendez v. Westminster case as a landmark in civil rights and school desegregation. The resolution drew extended partisan debate over the framing of the measure and broader issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion, but it ultimately passed on a roll call vote, with the resolution adopted. The Assembly also recognized Dolores Huerta on her 95th birthday through guest introductions and celebratory remarks, then moved through several bills and resolutions. AB 471 on air district board compensation, AB 677 on pupil records and access to screenings for housing-insecure students, ACR 31 designating California Public Safety Telecommunications Week, and AB 1150 on airport customer facility charges all passed. HR 30 recognizing Khmer New Year also was adopted with broad support. The most contentious policy action was AB 100, the early action budget bill. Supporters said it provided funding for wildfire prevention, hospital payments, Medi-Cal, and recovery in Los Angeles fire areas, while opponents criticized the bill for health care spending and high-speed rail. After a failed attempt by Assembly Member DeMaio to amend the bill and an unsuccessful appeal of the chair, the Assembly concurred in the Senate amendments and sent AB 100 to the Governor. The day ended with consent calendar approvals and adjournments in memory for several community members, including Larkin Carol Wells, Carmen O. Perez, and Oscar B. Ramos.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you consult the MPCA's website, you can see that the zip code where my clinic community is compared
• <00:14:59.920> where<00:15:00.000> my can see that the zip code where my can see that
• the zip code where my clinic<00:15:00.440> community<00:15:00.880> is<00:15:01.400>
• Or every person in Excel service territory who pays a fee with every bill because Texas didn't invest
• didn't invest in a resilient grid Texas didn't invest in a resilient grid that<00:20:13.320> could

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Rep. Athena Hollins and Sen. Ann Johnson Stewart introduced Minnesota’s proposed climate superfund bill, describing it as a way to make major historical greenhouse gas polluters help pay for climate adaptation and infrastructure repair. They said the bill would target large fossil fuel corporations with significant emissions and use the revenue for projects such as stormwater upgrades, bridge and roof protection, erosion control, drinking water protection, cooling cities, and other resilience work. Both lawmakers framed the proposal as a matter of accountability and fairness, arguing that Minnesotans should not keep paying for damage caused by companies that profited from fossil fuel pollution. Several supporters testified in favor of the bill, including St. Paul City Council Vice President Nyang Kheimey, former legislator and medical student Hunter Cantrell, Unidos Minnesota volunteer Bonnie Becol, and 100% Minnesota’s Aurora Vautrin. They emphasized local climate impacts such as flooding, wildfire smoke, extreme heat, emerald ash borer damage, asthma, and infrastructure failures, and said the costs are increasingly falling on taxpayers, local governments, and vulnerable communities. Kheimey highlighted municipal needs and St. Paul’s own climate investments, while Cantrell focused on environmental racism and health harms, and Becol and Vautrin stressed species loss, community recovery costs, and the burden on residents. In the question-and-answer portion, Hollins and Johnson Stewart explained that the bill would apply to fossil fuel corporations with at least 1 billion metric tons of carbon emissions and a nexus to Minnesota, not local utilities. They said the State Auditor’s office would determine the assessments owed by companies, while the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency would hold the fund and administer grants. They also said they were looking to models in Vermont and New York and hoped the proposal could attract bipartisan support because it is tied to affordability and shifting costs away from taxpayers and onto polluters. No vote or formal committee action was taken in the transcript, and the event ended with the sponsors opening the bill to questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• here in Texas.
• Valerie Smith testifying on behalf of Texas Pediatric Society, Texas Medical Association, Texas Public
• I'm a pediatrician from Tyler, Texas, representing the Texas Pediatric Society, Texas Medical Association
• Texas does not license.
• Texas. So Texas currently does not allow psychologists to prescribe.

Transcript Highlights:

• I pledge allegiance... 29 30 Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas.
• So if y'all would please, we have great folks from Midland, Texas, Odessa, Texas, and the University
• of Texas Permian Basin.
• Longhorn field Texas back then Texas Memorial Stadium from Freer, Texas and I grew up 24 miles If you're
• At University of Texas.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Upon being elected to the Legislature, as the first and only California Indian elected to the state Legislature
• This is about unlocking the potential in every student, regardless of their zip code, bank account, or
• Census-level ZIP code data, that there are at least 57,000 staff and 11,000 academic employees who are
• This is the second-highest number of highway fatalities in the nation, second only to Texas.
• Additionally, AB 1433 will define what noncredit is in the Education Code.

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee met with a quorum and first approved a consent calendar containing AB 341, AB 1098, and AB 1316, sending those measures to the Human Services, Judiciary, and Appropriations Committees respectively. The committee then heard AB 977, which would require CSU to audit surplus land and work with California tribes to identify three regional burial sites for Native American remains that cannot yet be repatriated. Supporters, including tribal leaders and archaeology groups, said the bill is needed to honor ancestors and address the large number of remains still held by CSU; CSU said it is committed to repatriation but had no formal position. The bill passed to Appropriations on a 5-0 vote. Members also heard AB 1093, creating a California-Mexico higher education exchange program, and AB 1035, expanding the California College Promise to cover tuition for students pursuing community college bachelor’s degrees. AB 1093 drew support for strengthening cross-border educational and economic ties, but some members raised concerns about border-region sewage problems and the bill’s budget implications; it was held for later consideration. AB 1035 received strong support from community college leaders and faculty who said it would help low-income and first-generation students complete workforce-focused bachelor’s degrees, but several members questioned whether it would stretch Prop. 98 funding and whether the state should prioritize broader affordability concerns. AB 1035 passed to Appropriations on a 3-2 vote. The committee next approved AB 922, which would let the University of California keep access to federal criminal-history information for hiring background checks, avoiding delays and added costs if statutory authority is required. UC said the bill is needed to maintain safety and hiring operations, and it passed to Public Safety on a 5-0 vote. AB 1346, protecting military dependents from losing in-state residency status because of family travel, also passed unanimously to Military and Veterans Affairs. AB 1212, allowing UC to use low-income housing tax credits to build affordable housing for faculty and staff on UC land, drew support from UC and labor groups but opposition from members concerned about preferential access to public resources; it was held for later action. Finally, the committee approved AB 500 and AB 684, both aimed at increasing transparency around UC admissions policy changes and UC BOARS decision-making, sending AB 500 to Education and AB 684 to Governmental Organization, each on 5-0 votes. The hearing then moved on to AB 1122 on dual enrollment, with the author and witnesses presenting the bill as a way to expand college access for high school students.

Transcript Highlights:

• coding.
• Dante Bataki, CTO of Eleanor Codings, who continues to build his company.
• I would say compliance with state board policy and Century Code compliance.
• The council comprises two or three elected members from each of the 11 institutions, who then elect the
• But collapsing programs in like CIP codes, we've also identified new programs.

Summary: The Higher Education Institutions Committee met at NDSU and heard an extensive presentation from President David Cook/President Stewart and NDSU leadership on the university’s priorities, including enrollment, student success, research growth, and use of New Horizons funding. Leaders emphasized NDSU’s land-grant mission, its role in workforce development, and its goal of becoming more distinctive through strategic planning, recruitment and retention, commercialization, and partnerships. They highlighted that NDSU awarded 2,370 degrees in 2025, produces a large share of the state’s engineering, nursing, and agriculture graduates, and reported strong outcomes for graduates staying and working in North Dakota. They also noted enrollment headwinds, competition from other institutions, and the need to manage tuition waivers more carefully through a scholarship optimization effort. Provost Sherry Vale outlined academic stewardship efforts, including review or consolidation of low-producing programs, strategic hiring tied to institutional priorities, faculty workload policy changes, and expanded online and regional offerings. She said the university is using New Horizons dollars to strengthen advising, student support, and programs in engineering, agriculture, and health. NDSU leaders also described new or expanded academic offerings such as robotics and automation, artificial intelligence, material science and engineering, nuclear engineering certificates, accelerated nursing, nurse practitioner certificates, a Master of Health Administration, and a clinical research master’s program with Sanford Health. They stressed that these investments are intended to improve student completion, meet workforce needs, and increase return on public investment. The committee also heard testimony from students and recent graduates who described the value of NDSU’s education, mentorship, internships, research opportunities, and support services. Alyssa Hodges spoke about pharmacy education, public health work, and campus support as a parent and student; Ethan Blessy described engineering coursework, internships with Marvin, and career preparation; and Aiden Freolic discussed neuroscience research, federally funded projects, and plans for graduate study. Their testimony was followed by presentations on partnerships with Gateway to Science for K-12 STEM outreach and with Sanford Research on biomedical research, clinical trials, obesity research, and a joint biostatistics hire. NDSU also highlighted systemwide shared services, Governor’s School programming, and research growth, including a reported 8% increase in research expenditures from $199 million to $215 million. No bill votes were taken; the meeting was informational and featured presentations, testimony, and discussion of future planning and partnerships.

Transcript Highlights:

• We pray for the upcoming elections that your will would be done.
• So that is very first-grade coded for not accepted.
• That moment, but also the privilege of being elected to be here.
• I want to thank them for electing me twice to represent them.
• Thank you for electing me and trusting me with your vote.

Bills: LR509, LR510, LR511

Keywords: congratulations, Nebraska Sandhills Cowboy Hall of Fame, Deloris Marshall Adamson, recognition, achievement, service, retirement, Nebraska Legislature, public service, legislature, Nebraska, 956, all

Transcript Highlights:

• corporate structure so that we can invite Those businesses here and compete with states like Delaware and Texas
• How would this bill have helped to keep them here and not lose them to Texas?
• the gray areas for out-of-state transport and why they would be exempt from the Oklahoma insurance code
• So, out-of-state providers Are out-of-state transport providers exempt from the Oklahoma insurance code

Bills: HB3081, HB3127, HB3128, HB3498, HB2035

Keywords: fire extinguisher, licensing, public safety, age qualification, State Fire Marshal, medical marijuana, employment rights, safety-sensitive positions, workplace policies, public assistance, workforce development, economic competitiveness, task force, apprenticeships, training programs, training barriers, business growth, industry coordination, business entities, corporation law

Transcript Highlights:

• Staying on that same order of business, I ask that you recognize the gentleman from Texas for a point
• Gentleman from Texas. Point of personal privilege, Mr. Speaker. Mr.
• And whereas Don was elected to his ninth consecutive term in the Missouri House of Representatives in
• Gentleman from Texas. Further introductions of special guests.
• Gentleman from Texas, introduction of special guests. Mr. Speaker, and everybody in the chamber.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First, through our Division of Elections, we protect our republic by overseeing fair and accurate elections
• From local races to federal elections, the Florida Department of State ensures compliance with election
• cybersecurity for their election systems.
• about how we prepare for the next election.
• The 2024 elections cemented Florida's status as the nation's leader in election integrity and administration

Summary: The Transportation and Economic Development Budget Subcommittee met to organize for the session, take roll, and hear introductory remarks from members and agency heads. Members briefly introduced themselves and their districts, with several noting transportation, economic development, emergency response, military, and hurricane recovery issues in their areas. Chair Shove then outlined the subcommittee’s jurisdiction and current-year budget, noting a total of about $20.3 billion, with most funding coming from trust funds and only a small share from general revenue. The committee also heard that upcoming meetings would include presentations from major agencies in the subcommittee’s purview. The first agency presentation was from the Department of Military Affairs and the Florida National Guard. Major General John Haas described the Guard’s three missions—supporting national security, responding to state emergencies, and adding value to the state—and highlighted deployments for hurricanes, border security support, and ongoing support to the Department of Corrections. He emphasized that the Guard is understrength relative to Florida’s size and demand, said recruiting is strong, and identified force structure growth as the main challenge. Members asked about aircraft, funding sources, and recruiting; Haas explained the Guard’s helicopter and fixed-wing fleet, said aircraft purchases are funded through legislative appropriations, and reported strong interest in the Florida State Guard’s recruiting pipeline. Executive Director Mark Thieme then described the Florida State Guard’s expansion into air, ground, and maritime capabilities, including Black Hawks, boats, drones, canine search-and-rescue teams, and ground support units. He said the agency supported immigration enforcement and hurricane response, and asked for continued legislative support to expand aviation, maritime, and medical capabilities. Members praised the Guard’s disaster response work and asked about aircraft, funding, and staffing. Secretary Cord Byrd of the Department of State followed, focusing on election administration, election security, the SunBiz and voter registration IT systems, arts and culture, corporations, libraries, and historical resources. He said Florida’s election system remains a national model, reported two prosecutions for non-citizen voting, and discussed modernization needs for legacy IT systems. The committee also asked about voter lookup tools, password privacy for SunBiz, and arts funding vetoes. Secretary Alex Kelly of the Department of Commerce described the agency’s broad portfolio, including workforce, economic, community, and international commerce functions, plus housing recovery, broadband, small business support, rural infrastructure, defense-community grants, and law enforcement recruitment bonuses. He said access to capital is the biggest barrier for small businesses and noted ongoing work with CareerSource, the Department of Corrections, and other partners on workforce and reentry. Secretary Jared Perdue of the Department of Transportation then outlined FDOT’s record budget and five-year work program, emphasizing emergency response, preservation and maintenance, safety, and major investments in roads, ports, airports, transit, and spaceport infrastructure. He said the department has removed millions of cubic yards of storm debris, is ahead of schedule on the Moving Florida Forward initiative, and faces a large unfunded project backlog. Members asked about supply chain issues, project priorities, and workforce needs, and Perdue said FDOT is open to collaboration on recruitment and retention.

Transcript Highlights:

• for the great privilege that we have of being citizens of this great country and this great state of Texas
• Stan Kitzman: My colleagues and friends of Texas, please join me in the pledges to our flag.
• Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible.
• This morning, I met with the leadership of the Texas Department of Public Safety to get a full briefing
• And all elected members should be here representing their districts in those conversations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Texas, Mississippi, and West Virginia have all passed it within the past 9 months with nearly unanimous
• Why not join with say<00:16:56.680> Texas<00:16:57.680> or<00:16:57.839> California<
• or California or both and and say Texas or California or both and and partner<00:17:00.760> with<
• <00:26:40.320> book<00:26:40.520> allows<00:26:40.880> for Society code book
• State of Ohio has passed a similar standard and is applicable through their code process.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Code 42, which is public health and welfare, not criminal code.
• In 2021, we adopted our first son Leonardo, who was born in Texas.
• His birth parents utilized Massachusetts termination form in Texas, and his adoption was finalized in
• This line should never have been added to the Massachusetts Code.
• This line should never have been added to the Massachusetts Code.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee hearing began with opening remarks from the House and Senate chairs outlining procedures for a large public hearing with more than 100 witnesses on 64 legislative proposals. They explained time limits, rules for in-person and virtual testimony, written testimony procedures, and the committee’s reporting deadline. Testimony then moved through a series of juvenile justice, child protection, and civil liberties bills, with witnesses generally urging favorable reports or, in one case, opposing expanded juvenile court transparency and child advocate access to records. Several witnesses supported bills aimed at juvenile justice reform. Representative Hendricks backed H. 1744 to prevent child labor exploitation and trafficking, citing federal findings of child labor in seafood processing and calling for stronger penalties and a ban on minors working in such facilities. Senator Gomez supported S. 1131 and S. 1121 to reduce juvenile fees, fines, restitution burdens, and bail-related costs, arguing they worsen racial and economic disparities. Senator Crean and other advocates supported S. 1051/H. 1695 to expand juvenile diversion eligibility, while multiple witnesses from juvenile justice and immigrant advocacy groups supported H. 1657/S. 1058 to expand juvenile expungement and to limit sharing juvenile fingerprints with federal authorities, describing recent ICE detentions of Chelsea students and the resulting fear in immigrant communities. Witnesses also supported H. 1918/S. 1240 to narrow the youthful offender statute, raising the minimum age and reducing mandatory adult-style penalties for youth. The committee also heard testimony on child safety and bodily autonomy bills. Middlesex District Attorney Marion Ryan supported H. 1752 to protect children left in extreme temperatures, explaining it would create civil penalties, allow emergency responders to remove children from cars without liability, and add criminal penalties when serious injury results. Representative Thurber and Senator O’Connor testified for H. 2011/S. 1227, a bill prohibiting coercion or mandates for health-related interventions, including vaccinations, and allowing legal remedies for violations. Senator Jalen supported S. 1136/H. 1847 to prevent false confessions by requiring recording of interrogations and banning deceptive tactics, and several innocence-project and legal-services witnesses described wrongful convictions tied to false confessions and coercive interrogations. Another major topic was H. 1626, which would require age verification for pornographic content and launch an education campaign about online sexual exploitation; Representative Cruz and survivor Udoz Wallace testified in support, describing nonconsensual image sharing and deepfake harms. Not all testimony was supportive. The Committee for Public Counsel Services opposed S. 1035, which would increase transparency in juvenile court proceedings, and H. 1689, which would expand the child advocate’s access to confidential juvenile records, arguing both would undermine privacy and trauma-informed protections for children and families. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the portion of the hearing provided; the session consisted of opening remarks and public testimony on the listed bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• When I think of that, and I think of how good Texas... Texas has been to generations of my family.
• I look forward to serving the citizens of Texas and the Texas Tech University System. of the Governor
• Number of physicians that want to practice in rural Texas, or if the Texas Education Code (TEC) has anything
• They were crossing the entire state of Texas; we're just about everywhere, but South Texas.
• How's Texas?

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Texas Transportation Institute is recognized around the country, particularly at Texas A&M, as the
• The code doesn't define the axle weights extremely well, so part of this bill is to clarify the axle
• Earlier, someone spoke that the code will allow you to haul 40,000 pounds, but actually, the code reads

Bills: SB110, SB64, SB42

Keywords: weight limits, trucking regulations, transportation, enforcement authority, portable scales, SB64, Alabama, state waters, public waters, aquatic plants, aquatic vegetation, lake management, waterway maintenance, environmental regulation, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, DCNR, commercial contractors, vegetation removal, mowing aquatic plants, uprooting plants

Transcript Highlights:

• with the zero tolerance policy of Texas schools.
• delinquency code, and deal with those... violent offenses in a different way.
• Notwithstanding what the law says, our Children's Code states about when you must be heard.
• , not under the adult criminal code.
• The elections are going to turn out the way they're going to turn out.

Transcript Highlights:

• This doesn't... the general election is a general election is a...
• primary elections should this bill pass? primary elections should this bill pass?
• Not this election, but in the next election cycle.
• Not this election, but in the next election cycle.
• This only affects primary elections. Nothing in the general election will change.

Keywords: 1136, house, all