Transcript Highlights:

• This is a major ask for local governments.
• This is a major ask for local governments.
• There are local agencies already on .gov, and there are local agencies like the Desert Water Agency in
• It is also very much pro-local control.
• Those designs are picked by each local agency, and they can be as plentiful as that local agency wants

Committee: House Local Government

Summary: The Assembly Local Government Committee heard a long agenda of bills, with testimony largely focused on housing, Brown Act teleconferencing, local government authority, transit funding, and cybersecurity. The chair opened by emphasizing in-person testimony rules and public order. AB 39, requiring larger cities and counties to plan for electrification and EV charging infrastructure, drew broad support from clean energy, utility, environmental, and local government groups and passed 7-0 to the Utilities and Energy Committee. AB 76, clarifying affordable housing requirements for Chula Vista’s University Innovation District, also passed, 6-1, to Housing and Community Development. The committee then approved several Brown Act-related bills extending or modernizing remote participation rules: AB 259 to extend AB 2449 teleconferencing flexibilities for local agency board members, AB 409 for community college student body associations, and AB 467 for Los Angeles neighborhood councils. Supporters said these measures improve participation, safety, and access; some members raised concerns about overuse and the need for physical quorum and screen-on requirements. All three measures advanced with committee support and were left open for additional members to add on. Other measures advanced included AB 428, allowing water corporations to join joint powers authorities for pooled insurance if it lowers rates or improves service; AB 1007, shortening the housing permit “shot clock” for responsible agencies from 90 to 45 days; AB 632, giving local governments an expedited way to collect penalties for serious code violations such as unsafe housing, fire hazards, and illegal cannabis operations; AB 670, allowing local governments to count preservation of existing affordable housing toward housing goals and requiring broader demolition reporting; AB 761, authorizing Monterey-Salinas Transit to place a sales tax measure before voters with board approval; and AB 810, requiring special districts and JPAs to migrate public websites and email to .gov or ca.gov domains by 2031. AB 810 drew the most opposition over cost and implementation concerns, but it still passed 7-1 after amendments removed school districts from the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• On motion of Senator King, the bill is recommended for the local and uncontested calendar with objection
• On motion of Senator King, House Bill 1094 will be recommended for the local and uncontested calendar
• On motion of Senator King, the bill will be recommended for the local and uncontested calendar without
• Recommended for the local and contested calendar without objection. 4211.
• On motion of Senator King, the bill is sent to the local and contested calendar.

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce met with a quorum and took up a long list of House bills as pending business, voting to report many of them favorably to the full Senate. Bills reported favorably included HB 705, 1094, 2037, 3005, 3112, 3320, 3388, 3516, 3923, 4134, 4214, 4233, 4350, 4559, 4748, 4765, 5093, 5129, and 5196, with several also recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. Some measures were reported with committee substitutes, including HB 3516, HB 3848, HB 4211, and HB 14. HB 2488 and HB 3320 had some dissenting votes, while most other bills were approved unanimously or near-unanimously. The committee spent the most time on HB 14, which Senator Schwertner explained would create the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office in the governor’s office and the Texas Advanced Nuclear Development Fund. The substitute would appropriate $350 million this biennium for reimbursement-based grants to support nuclear generation, supply chain development, pre-construction work, and construction-stage costs, with approval from the lieutenant governor, speaker, and governor. Senators Menendez and Nichols asked clarifying questions about whether the program involved grants rather than loans, how reimbursable grants would work, and who would evaluate applications; Schwertner said the program was modeled on the Enterprise Fund and that the grants would not be loans. After the committee had recessed, Senator Zaffirini asked to change her no votes on HB 4211 and HB 4233 to ayes so those bills could be placed on the local and uncontested calendar, while still registering no votes there. Senator Kolkhorst similarly asked to change her vote on HB 2488 to an aye for calendar purposes, while preserving her no vote. The committee then recessed again after completing its actions on the bills before it.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:04:59.200><c> option</c> within our district have local option within our district have local
• > option</c><01:09:16.480><c> tax</c> Montpelier did a local option tax Montpelier did a local option
• Local option taxes passed.
• This is kind of a for local roads.
• To have more dollars go locally for whatever local folks need.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Committee on Local Government will come to order. Good morning, everyone.
• Local governments are responsible for maintaining most local streets and roads.
• And this allows the local governments to recover some money against that damage.
• I think it's up to the local voters to decide. ...for it.
• We've now concluded the agenda for the Senate Committee on Local Government.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government met, established a quorum, and first approved a consent calendar containing SB 1005, SB 1080, SB 935, and S.J.R. 11 on a 4-0 vote, with those items remaining on call until later. SB 992 had been pulled at the author’s request. The committee then heard SB 922 by Senator Laird, which would clarify that local governments may recover street maintenance and repair costs caused by public service operations, such as waste hauling, through rates, fees, or franchise agreements. Supporters included the League of California Cities, county groups, cities, waste haulers, and legal counsel who argued the bill restores a long-standing practice disrupted by a recent court decision and does not authorize new taxes or development fees. The California Building Industry Association opposed unless amended, warning the bill could inadvertently broaden local fee authority. After discussion about the bill’s scope and whether it would apply only to heavy service vehicles, SB 922 passed the committee 7-0 and was sent to the Senate floor. The committee also heard SB 1078, which would allow Santa Cruz County voters to consider raising the local tax cap to fund essential services, including health care, food assistance, and hospital support, in response to federal funding cuts. The County of Santa Cruz and the Central California Alliance for Health supported the measure, emphasizing Medi-Cal enrollment, CalFresh needs, and budget shortfalls tied to HR1 impacts. Some senators questioned whether the bill was effectively authorizing a tax increase and raised concerns about setting a precedent for other counties, while supporters stressed that the measure only allows voters to decide. SB 1078 passed 5-2 and was sent to the Committee on Revenue and Taxation. The committee then reconfirmed passage of the consent calendar items 7-0 and adjourned after concluding the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• or to take a local test drive.
• Local dealerships are more than showrooms.
• While that may sound convenient, it removes something critical: local competition and local accountability
• So there is a lot of local support through the ratepayers and then a lot of local support from technical
• So there is a lot of local support through the rate payers and then a lot of local support from technical

Bills: SB22 , SB310

Committee: Senate Senate Conservation

Keywords: motor vehicle manufacturers, licensing, dealers, franchise agreements, consumer protection, water supply, sewage improvements, environment, funding, Mora County

Transcript Highlights:

• Local jurisdictions?
• your local ambulance.
• They are locally owned and operated, and they do a very good job at the local level.
• Our modeling is done in-house on local computers. On local computers? Yes, sir.
• We conduct drills and training for our local stakeholders, our local emergency managers, and our local

Committee: House Disaster Preparedness & Flooding, Select

Transcript Highlights:

• local rate of 2% for a maximum combined state and local rate of 8.25%.
• We had 22 districts this year. that were at local their local value was greater than the state value
• funded at that local share.
• No, the study doesn't impact. anything at the local level in terms of local values or taxes that are
• paid by local property owners.

Committee: House Ways & Means

Transcript Highlights:

• But we do have this in Local Gov, and Local Gov has different issues next week. And, and...
• And my intention is to address them in Local Gov. So just to make... To address them in Local Gov.
• code, and those are all by local ordinance, how is a state going to overturn what the local government
• I’m a member of Unite Here Local 11.
• I’m a member of Unite Here Local 11.

Committee: Senate Housing

Transcript Highlights:

• Taking some specifics, some of these localities have worked on parking reform, as some Idaho localities
• I'll talk a little bit about what this can mean for local finances.
• and local finances is certainly complex and what new housing means for one locality will vary from place
• Because most of the local people that I know on local governments say that zoning is not necessarily
• I would say that in some cases, localities here have taken important steps to enable more. cases, localities

Committee: House Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• address local jurisdictions' fair share of the statewide housing need, technical assistance to local
• In 90% of the coastal zone, local governments are implementing the Coastal Act through local coastal
• These local plans implement the Coastal Act on the local level and include the local zoning and development
• Those rules are implemented by the local governments, and so local governments develop local coastal
• their local coastal programs.

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Regulatory Authority held its first hearing to examine how California’s regulatory framework affects housing availability and affordability. Chair Pacheco and Assembly Member Haney framed the discussion around the state’s housing shortage, rising costs, and the need to reduce unnecessary delays and burdens while still protecting public health, safety, and environmental goals. The first panel included housing policy experts and industry representatives, who argued that overlapping state and regional rules, complex code requirements, utility delays, and lengthy review processes add substantial cost to new housing. Bill Fulton described California’s land use system as a “big Rubik’s Cube” of competing goals, while CBIA’s Chris Ochoa and Bob Raymer urged more attention to affordability impacts in code adoption and state agency rulemaking. The Bay Area Council’s Louis Marante called for a statewide cost target for housing and stronger accountability for state agencies, citing project review delays, regulatory costs, and indirect impacts from water, stormwater, and transportation policies. State agency witnesses generally defended their roles as balancing housing with other statutory mandates. HCD said its enforcement of housing element law, streamlining statutes, and technical assistance has helped increase production, reduce entitlement times, and approve tens of thousands of homes that might otherwise have faced discretionary review. CARB said SB 375 does not regulate local land use or reduce housing supply, and that sustainable community strategies are planning tools that could support housing if fully implemented. The Coastal Commission said it has worked with local governments to streamline coastal housing approvals, approve density bonus and ADU ordinances, and support legislation to exempt some affordable housing from coastal permits, while still protecting coastal resources and sea-level-rise hazards. The Energy Commission said its building energy standards are required by statute to be cost-effective and save consumers money over time, though they can add some design complexity and upfront cost. Other agencies emphasized collaboration and early engagement as the best way to reduce delays. Fish and Wildlife said its mission is to protect California’s natural diversity and that better early coordination with developers can improve outcomes. DTSC said brownfield cleanup and vapor intrusion review are necessary to protect public health, but that early engagement, workshops, and site-specific approaches can help projects move forward; it also noted grant funding supporting affordable housing on contaminated sites. The Water Board said it uses general orders and basin planning to streamline permitting while meeting federal and state water-quality obligations, and that its infrastructure grants and loans support housing affordability. In response to Assembly Member Haney’s questions, several agencies said they already coordinate across departments, but he pressed for more cross-agency clarity and less siloed decision-making. No votes or formal actions were taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• But we do have this in local government, and local government has different issues next week.
• To address them in local government.
• Local governments would continue to make decisions on local issues and project-specific matters through
• Vice Chair Ciarte, from a local perspective, local governments can write more restrictive building codes
• These systems can be bought at your local Lowe's or Home Depot, or whatever your local store is, and

Summary: The committee began without a quorum and operated briefly as a subcommittee while the chair outlined public comment procedures and the consent calendar. The first major item was AB 1751, a townhome/homeownership measure by Assembly Members Quirk-Silva and Wicks. The author accepted amendments to strike the bill’s wage provision and to limit unit size and project size, but declined other proposed amendments on downzoning, demolition protections, and site restrictions. Supporters, including the New California Coalition and California Conference of Carpenters, argued the bill would expand attainable homeownership and create more townhome sites; opponents and “opposed unless amended” witnesses raised concerns about renter protections, demolition/displacement, density impacts, and local control. Several labor groups and local government representatives were neutral or supportive of the amended bill, while the committee members discussed the tension between housing production and worker protections. The committee ultimately passed AB 1751 as amended to the Senate Committee on Local Government on a roll call vote, with the bill held on call for absent members. The committee then heard AB 750, which expands HCD’s Portfolio Reinvestment Program to more at-risk affordable housing developments needing rehabilitation. The author and supporters from the California Housing Consortium and California Housing Partnership said the bill would help preserve deed-restricted housing facing expiring affordability restrictions and disrepair, especially when paired with anticipated bond funding. Members asked about the program’s prior funding and how it works to keep units affordable through rehabilitation rather than state takeover; the author emphasized the goal was preservation of existing affordable housing stock. AB 750 passed to the Senate Appropriations Committee on a roll call vote and was held on call for absent senators. The consent calendar was also approved on call. Next, the committee heard AB 306, which would create a more workable statewide appeals and code-interpretation process at the California Building Standards Commission for local building code decisions. The author and supporters from AIA California and the Housing Action Coalition said the bill would reduce inconsistent interpretations across 540 jurisdictions, improve transparency, and support housing innovation while preserving local authority over local matters. Members discussed how the bill would interact with local amendments and alternative methods and means, and the committee moved the bill to the Senate Committee on Local Government on a roll call vote. AB 2612, directing HCD and the Building Standards Commission to develop standards for plug-in photovoltaic systems in new construction, also advanced to Appropriations after supportive testimony and brief questions about safety standards and stakeholder consultation. AB 1070, which orders a study on allowing 3- to 10-unit missing-middle housing under the Residential Code and requires a one-time report on code-related cost pressures, passed to Appropriations after building officials removed opposition. Later, AB 2181, a narrow bill concerning hotel and motel valuation and density bonus potential, passed to Local Government after testimony from Unite Here and others about protecting hospitality jobs and preventing speculative appraisals. Finally, AB 1237, clarifying safety rules for private in-unit pools in hotels and condominiums, passed to Health after the author described added safety measures such as pool covers, alarms, emergency devices, certified operators, and AEDs.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the House Local Government hearing, we heard from local officials, community members from Hermantown
• In the House Local Government hearing, we heard from local officials, community members from Hermantown
• The fact that we have local government, whether it be staff members or local elected officials, entering
• </c><00:05:16.440><c> Finance</c> State and Local Government Finance State and Local Government Finance
• local units of government, and to local local units of government, and uh<00:13:33.560><c> I</c><00:

Summary: Lawmakers held a bipartisan press availability on a bill to prohibit local governments and their officials from entering into non-disclosure agreements with private entities. Supporters said the measure is intended to protect transparency, public participation, and Minnesotans’ right to know about local decisions involving land use, public financing, and economic development, especially in cases involving data centers and other large projects. Representatives and senators from both parties described the bill as a response to examples in cities such as Rosemount, Farmington, Hermantown, North Mankato, Monticello, Pine Island, and others, where they said NDAs kept communities from learning about projects until decisions were effectively already made. The authors argued that the bill is not anti-development or limited to data centers, but instead prevents corporations from using private contracts to circumvent Minnesota’s open meeting and data practices laws. They said Chapter 13 already addresses trade secrets and other confidential information, and that the bill is meant to stop NDAs from creating secrecy around government decision-making. They also said they had heard little organized opposition so far, though they acknowledged questions about how the bill would affect early-stage business recruitment conversations and how local governments, especially smaller ones, would implement the change. Members also discussed the bill’s legislative path. They said it had previously received unanimous support in committee and was sent to the general register, then moved to the Judiciary Committee at the request of Chair Scott, who wanted a hearing. The authors said they did not believe the bill raised Chapter 13 issues requiring judiciary review, but agreed to the referral as a courtesy and said they were seeking a hearing. They reported that Senate consideration had previously ended in a tie vote, but said momentum was growing and expected stronger support this session. No vote was taken during the press event.

Transcript Highlights:

• local match be?
• We have a number of questions about the local match requirement, biggest one being what would the local
• Now, on the local match...
• for the local match?
• It preserves local flexibility and control over local impact fee policies.

Transcript Highlights:

• So property tax is locally administered and locally assessed.
• We consider local value.
• The local value is determined to be valid and we certify that local value to TEA.
• At age 42.2% received local, were valid and received local value.
• local.

Committee: House S/C on Property Tax Appraisals

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, you are a local leader in a big city.
• And we've seen that at the local level.
• Some local programs do this well.
• They're draining local resources.
• During the sixth cycle, local governments experienced various challenges. ...to local governments.

Summary: The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee heard a long agenda of housing-related bills, beginning with AB 1892 on HOA/Davis-Stirling Act cleanup provisions. The author and sponsor said the bill would clarify HOA responsibilities for utility service repairs in common areas, align election notice timelines, and require electronic voting ballots to be sent at least 30 days before an election. No opposition was presented, and the bill was set aside to be taken up later when a quorum was available. The committee then heard AB 1708, which would revise the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) program to give smaller cities a clearer role in regional homelessness planning and access to funding. Mayors and city representatives from Bellflower, Paramount, and other cities testified that smaller jurisdictions are spending significant local funds on shelters and services but lack direct access to HHAP dollars. Some larger-city and housing advocates opposed or were opposed unless amended, arguing the bill could add administrative burden, but committee members broadly supported the goal of including smaller cities in regional responses. Members also heard AB 2058 on factory-built housing, AB 2576 on historic-resource protections under SB 79, AB 1751 on missing-middle townhomes, AB 1924 on homelessness prevention, AB 2626 on waiving certain monitoring fees for at-risk affordable housing developments, and AB 2089 on welfare-exemption and recertification procedures for affordable housing. Testimony generally emphasized reducing duplicative local permitting for factory-built housing, protecting state and national historic resources while still allowing housing near transit, expanding ministerial approval for townhomes, creating a statewide homelessness-prevention strategy with accountability measures, giving HCD flexibility to waive fees to preserve financially stressed affordable housing, and streamlining property-tax exemption recertification. Several bills were voted out of committee, including AB 1751 and AB 2626, both passing on 8-0 and 7-0 votes respectively, while other measures were discussed with motions pending or held open for absent members.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's said that disasters start locally and end locally.
• them. your local ambulance.
• state to support that local government, not to second-guess and not to command that local government
• Our modeling is done in-house on local computers. On local computers? Yes, sir.
• be adopted by local communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• How are water districts already coordinating with local emergency plans?
• How are water districts already coordinating with local emergency plans?
• AB 2385 clarifies state law by allowing local government to create local reconstruction agencies.
• Brandy Johnson, Local 39, also offers support. Thank you. Thank you.
• , I have included requirements for local after-action reports.

Committee: House Emergency Management

Transcript Highlights:

• So local funding, whether it was a CARES Act or ARPA, we were able to get with a local policy So local
• to make sure the money stays within our local communities.
• Because I always know people as a local, former local mayor, I cannot forget our local communities, because
• Because I always know people as a local, former local mayor, I cannot forget our local communities, because
• So people as a local, former local mayor, I cannot forget our local communities, because that's who I

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact held an informational hearing in San Diego focused on “Making Sense of California’s Economy: Real Cost Pressures and Household Impacts Facing San Diego.” Chair Salas and Assemblymember Darshana Patel opened by emphasizing affordability, housing, and the importance of bringing state policy discussions into the community. The first panel featured leaders from Cal State San Marcos and the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, who described the region’s innovation ecosystem, the university’s role in social mobility and workforce development, and the importance of partnerships with K-12 schools, community colleges, military installations, and industry. They also highlighted regional strengths in life sciences, aerospace and defense, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and venture-backed innovation, while warning that housing costs, federal research cuts, permitting delays, and small-business fragility threaten growth and talent retention. Committee members asked about collaboration among higher education institutions and what state policy changes could help. Panelists said the region’s universities are complementary rather than competitive and stressed the value of public-private partnerships, social innovation, and aligning academic programs with employer needs. On policy, they urged faster permitting, possible regulatory sandboxes, stronger research investment, support for cross-border trade and manufacturing, and more housing affordability to keep workers in the region. The second panel centered on small business and entrepreneurship, with testimony from Hydrostasis founder Dr. Debbie Chen, Amai co-founder Sven Davison, and Asian Business Association San Diego CEO Jason Pagal. Chen described building a hydration-monitoring wearable, the barriers women founders face in accessing capital, and the importance of SBDC, Stella Foundation, and university internship support. Davison described Amai’s edible cup business and how tariffs, supply-chain costs, and financing constraints forced the company to pivot manufacturing plans. Pagal presented survey data showing high relocation intent, difficulty hiring, and low confidence among businesses, and recommended expanded technical assistance, regional cost-of-living adjustments, and small-business affordability zones. During questioning, members discussed targeted procurement and local incentive models, the role of SBDC and other support networks, and how to better tailor state programs to local conditions. Public comment came from the California Southern Small Business Development Corporation, which stressed that access to affordable capital remains a major challenge and noted the volume of loan guarantee requests coming from San Diego. No formal votes were taken; the hearing concluded with closing remarks from both members underscoring the need to use local testimony to shape future state policy and support California’s economy, families, and small businesses.

Transcript Highlights:

• , provides that local governments cannot require more than 10% of the square footage of a Live Local
• of Live Local projects.
• Local policies are not aligned with what the state already allows. [00:11:15.000] Local policies are
• This is very, very local, hyper-local, to. Conversations. Just follow up. And I apologize.
• This is very, very local, hyper-local, to Senator Jones and I. Give some leeway here.

Committee: Senate Community Affairs

Summary: The committee heard and acted on a long agenda of local, housing, education, construction, and claims bills. It first took up SB 1730 on affordable housing/Live Local changes, adopting an amendment that narrowed and clarified several provisions, including density, height, parking, attorney fees, and exclusions for certain protected areas, then reported the bill favorably. It also approved SB 1674, which clarifies that local investment restrictions cannot block Israel bonds, after a clarifying amendment. SB 140 on charter schools was reported favorably after significant debate over school conversion, teacher contracts, local control, and the use of surplus school property for housing or other public purposes; several speakers opposed it as harmful to public schools, while the sponsor said it preserved district authority and added options for municipalities and job creation. The committee also passed SB 96 and SB 4, two local claims bills, and SB 1714, which allows SHIP funds to help mobile home owners with lot rent and requires local housing plans to address mobile home park closures.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm with IATSE Local 700 Editors Guild.
• I'm Tysha Tell with Local 399, Hollywood Teamsters.
• I'm a member of the Animation Guild Local 839.
• Joe Arrides, IATSE Local 695, in strong support.
• Local 705, in strong support. Thank you. Jason Seltzer, Local 80, in support. Thank you.

Committee: House Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism