Transcript Highlights:

• H.R. 1 expands work requirements in both Medi-Cal and CalFresh by requiring part-time work or participation
• For work requirements and more frequent eligibility redeterminations, H.R. 1 requires these apply to
• For work requirements and more frequent eligibility redeterminations, HR1 requires these apply to the
• That requires a build-out.
• to these work requirements.

Committee: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review

Summary: The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee held an oversight hearing on the impacts of H.R. 1 on California’s safety net, focusing on Medi-Cal and CalFresh. The chair and vice chair framed the discussion around major federal changes to work requirements, eligibility redeterminations, immigrant eligibility, and financing rules, while noting the state’s own structural budget deficit and the need for a second hearing later in March on county and safety-net impacts. The first panel included the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the Department of Finance, the UC Berkeley Labor Center, and the Food Research and Action Center. LAO and Finance described H.R. 1 as driving major enrollment losses and cost shifts. LAO estimated that Medi-Cal work requirements and six-month redeterminations could affect 3.5 million people, with 1 to 2 million potentially disenrolled, while CalFresh changes could subject more than 800,000 people to work requirements and cause over 600,000 to lose food assistance. They also highlighted new ineligibility for certain non-citizens, reduced federal matching for emergency Medi-Cal services, tighter provider tax rules, and higher state and county administrative costs for CalFresh. Finance said the governor’s budget reflects about $1.4 billion in new General Fund costs in 2026-27 and a $2.4 billion reduction in federal funds, with larger out-year impacts and up to 2 million Medi-Cal disenrollments by 2029-30. The UC Berkeley Labor Center projected up to 3 million Californians could lose full-scope Medi-Cal by 2028 when H.R. 1 is combined with state budget changes, though it said the state could limit losses by choosing not to apply some new requirements to state-funded populations and by keeping some immigrants in full-scope state-funded coverage. The Food Research and Action Center argued that CalFresh cuts and time limits would increase hunger, homelessness risk, and health costs, while also hurting local economies and increasing administrative burden. Committee members from both parties questioned the fiscal sustainability of Medi-Cal growth, the 11% CalFresh error rate and possible $2 billion penalty, county indigent care costs, and the effect of work requirements; several Democratic members argued the federal changes and state cuts would disproportionately harm low-income Californians, immigrants, and communities of color, while Republican members emphasized program growth, work incentives, and the need for budget restraint. No votes were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• to meet the minimum age requirement or the requirement of five years of experience with a government
• to meet the minimum age requirement or the requirement of five years of experience with a government
• law enforcement agency. minimum age requirement or the requirement of five years of experience with
• , the agency is required to The applicant does not meet the requirements for certification.
• . creates requirements.

Summary: The House Community Safety Committee met on February 23, 2026, with a compressed schedule and limited testimony time. Members first heard Second Substitute Senate Bill 5974, which would set eligibility standards for sheriffs, police chiefs, and marshals, require background checks for sheriff candidates through the Washington State Patrol, regulate volunteers and youth cadets, and create a vacancy in office if an elected law enforcement official is finally decertified or fails statutory eligibility requirements. Supporters, including Senator Lovick and several advocacy groups, said the bill promotes accountability and professionalism. Opponents, including the sheriffs of Walla Walla and Spokane counties, argued it imposes unfunded mandates, conflicts with voter sovereignty and recall procedures, and could create problems for rural counties and volunteer use. The committee later took executive action and reported the bill out with a do pass as amended recommendation, 6-2 with one excused. In executive session, the committee also acted on Engrossed Senate Bill 5068, which expands law enforcement hiring eligibility to people legally authorized to work in the United States. A striking amendment clarified that agencies are not liable for employment discrimination claims if hiring is impracticable, allowed applicants who cannot yet possess weapons to apply if they can possess them when hired, and made technical changes. Representative Burnett raised concerns about background investigations, foreign-country vetting, oath of office, and firearm issues, but the committee adopted the striker and then reported the bill out as amended on a 6-2 vote with one excused. The committee also considered Substitute Senate Bill 5855, which prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings while interacting with the public except in specified circumstances and creates a civil cause of action. Amendments added an intent section, expanded exceptions for health and safety equipment under OSHA/WISHA, and proposed stronger prosecutorial language, though two amendments were rejected. The bill was then reported out as amended on a 6-2 vote with one excused. The committee then held public hearings on several bills. Engrossed Senate Bill 5890 would expand reckless driving to include driving more than 30 miles per hour over the posted speed limit, and 20 miles per hour over in active construction zones when workers are present; law enforcement, prosecutors, traffic safety officials, and construction industry representatives testified in support. Substitute Senate Bill 5936, a Uniform Law Commission proposal on human trafficking, would allow prosecution of businesses that knowingly engage in or profit from trafficking, strengthen victim confidentiality, and improve U and T visa certification procedures; testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, with one witness urging caution about unintended consequences for businesses that report trafficking. Finally, Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 6070 would expand missing-person response tools by allowing certain surveillance devices to be used for community caretaking to locate missing endangered persons, create Ebony and Purple Alerts, transfer the missing persons website to the State Patrol, and add a public records exemption. Testimony strongly supported the alert provisions, especially for people with disabilities, while one privacy advocate objected to the surveillance provisions as an overreach.

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, a construction detail that might require 15 nails in another state would require closer
• market demand and basically comply with lenders' requirements.
• They require me to do the perfect solution.'
• They require me to do the perfect solution.
• We are required to enact measures that save people money on their energy bills.

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Regulatory Authority held its first hearing to examine how California’s regulatory framework affects housing production, affordability, and timelines. Chair Pacheco and Assemblymember Haney framed the discussion around the state’s housing shortage and the need to reduce costs while maintaining environmental, safety, and community protections. The first panel featured housing experts and industry representatives who argued that state regulations, code complexity, utility constraints, and agency review processes add substantial cost and delay to development. Bill Fulton described overlapping state and local land-use authorities and the tension among housing, coastal protection, climate, and wildfire goals. CBIA’s Chris Ochoa and California Apartment Association representative Bob Raymer said building codes, energy mandates, and agency processes have materially increased per-home costs, and they urged more centralized affordability analysis and greater scrutiny of regulatory impacts. The Bay Area Council’s Louis Marante called for a statewide cost target for housing and stronger timelines and accountability for state agency reviews. The second panel brought in state agencies to explain their roles. HCD said its housing element enforcement, streamlining laws, and technical assistance have helped increase production, shorten entitlement timelines, and improve compliance by local governments. CARB said SB 375 is a planning law that does not directly regulate land use, and argued that regional housing assumptions in sustainable communities strategies are not being fully implemented on the ground. The Coastal Commission said it works with local governments to balance coastal protection, sea-level-rise risk, and housing, and noted recent guidance and pilot efforts to streamline housing approvals in the coastal zone. The Energy Commission said its building energy standards are designed to be cost-effective and save consumers money over time, though they can add some design and documentation complexity. Fish and Wildlife and DTSC both emphasized early engagement and collaboration to reduce delays while protecting natural resources and public health; DTSC said it is refining vapor intrusion guidance and using brownfield grants to support redevelopment. The State Water Resources Control Board said it uses general orders and basin planning to provide predictable permitting while balancing water quality, water rights, and housing needs, and noted billions in grants and loans for water infrastructure and site remediation that can support housing affordability. In response to questions from Assemblymember Haney, several agencies described ongoing coordination across departments, including regular meetings among HCD, CARB, the Coastal Commission, and transportation agencies, as well as broader interagency efforts to reduce redundancies and identify pinch points in project delivery. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the hearing; the main outcome was informational testimony and discussion of possible future reforms to improve coordination, predictability, and affordability in state regulatory processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also establishes requirements relating to AHP permits, including program and education requirements
• , exam requirements, application renewal and reinstatement requirements, responsibilities, and limits
• </c><00:05:08.199><c> relating</c> and 37 establish requirements relating and 37 establish requirements
• </c><00:05:13.160><c> exam</c><00:05:13.600><c> requirements</c> education requirements exam requirements
• It was first required in 2012.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes, and then reviewed a long agenda of administrative regulations, most of which were advanced with staff-suggested amendments and no objection. Early items included the Kentucky Public Pension Authority’s 105 KAR 1:451, which updates reporting language and adds the contractor wizard for certain employers, and a large package of Board of Veterinary Examiners regulations that revise fees, facility and AHP registration requirements, continuing education, liability, and practice rules. The Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology’s compact-related regulation and the Board of Licensed Professional Counselors’ complaint and compact rules were also reviewed and approved with amendments, along with fish and wildlife rules affecting elk hunting, youth deer season length, bear-dog approvals, and foxhound enclosure permits. The committee also approved transportation, education, workplace standards, horse racing, and several health and human services regulations, including Medicaid waiver reimbursement updates and a child care regulation that sends certain large claims to the Office of Inspector General for review. Several agencies briefly explained their regulations when members asked questions. Fish and Wildlife said the elk population is strong and the baiting change is intended to support harvest monitoring and fair chase, while the longer youth deer season was meant to give young hunters more opportunity. The Department of Community-Based Services said the $10,000 and $5,000 claim thresholds were meant to clarify rare cases involving possible fraud or unresolved recoupment issues. The Department of Financial Institutions’ 808 KAR 5:305 drew the most discussion: it would allow certain state-chartered credit unions with a low-income designation to participate in federal programs, including limited non-member deposits and supplemental capital, but the regulation was deferred again amid continued discussions. The Kentucky Bankers Association testified against the credit union regulation, arguing that allowing non-member deposits conflicts with existing statute limiting credit union deposits to members and other credit unions, and that an administrative regulation cannot override that statutory restriction. Committee members heard the agency’s explanation that the proposal is intended to help underserved communities and that the non-member deposit authority would be limited, but no final action was taken because the item was deferred. The meeting otherwise concluded with the remaining regulations being called, discussed briefly, and approved or advanced without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> requires them. requires them.
• If the developer wants it, required.
• We require open meeting laws.
• To me, We require open meeting laws.
• </c> incentivizing or requiring incentivizing or requiring this<00:37:41.960><c> private</c><00:37:43.240

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Whip and members, Senate Bill 1181 revises the requirements for certification of public accountants
• Madam Whip and members, Senate Bill 1424 requires each public school to provide annual age-appropriate
• Madam Whip, Senate Bill 1572 requires each public school to observe Celebrate Freedom Week.
• during regular school hours if prescribed requirements are met.
• If they met the requirement. in that circumstance then yes if they met or if they met the requirements

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Republican caucus reviewed a long list of Senate bills and one House concurrent memorial, most of them described as third-read consent items. Topics included claims against the state, CPA licensing, creditor assignments, insurance adjuster licensing, school equivalency instruction, extending a credit enhancement board, firearm safety instruction in schools, student eligibility restrictions for school activities, Celebrate Freedom Week, release-time courses, voter registration roll access, campaign and disclosure mailing addresses, federal land designation tracking, public records review standards, workers’ compensation burial and death benefits, condominium flag displays, restrictions on sexually explicit material in schools and libraries, agency guidance posting, standardized state hiring, mental health court-ordered treatment procedures, autopsy supervision, tribal MOUs, controlled substance scheduling, emergency medical technician data privacy, dense breast tissue notice repeal, assisted living referral agency requirements, attorney disciplinary claims, fentanyl penalties, campus firearms rules, suppressors, defamation standards, mandatory reporting, attorney licensing, emergency service fee limits, forcible detainer changes, utility worker assault penalties, water basin reporting, small modular nuclear reactors, water recovery assumptions, ICE notification after arrests, military police certification pathways, and scholarship organization tax credits. Most bills were presented without debate and were noted as available for questions, with no votes taken in the caucus itself. A few items drew discussion. On SB 1040, members asked what information would be redacted from voter registration rolls; staff said existing statutory redactions such as voter registration numbers, ID numbers, Social Security numbers, and other personal identifying information would remain. SB 1193 prompted comments that EMT data being open source was surprising and that the issue might be expanded to paramedics. SB 1243 was described as strengthening guardian notification rights in court-ordered treatment, and SB 1318 was characterized as a cleanup measure to remove redundant state notice requirements for dense breast tissue. The most extended exchange came on SB 1148, which would require the Arizona Supreme Court to directly license attorneys rather than delegate that function to another organization; members asked whether the bill was shifting responsibility away from the State Bar, and staff explained that the court already has the duty but currently staffs part of the process out. SB 1418, which limits county regulation of certain small modular nuclear reactor projects, drew criticism from one member who argued it would reduce local control. The caucus also heard a sponsor presentation on H.C.M. 2009 urging Congress and the President to amend the Antiquities Act, compensate states for subsurface minerals, and streamline mining permits, with the sponsor emphasizing Arizona’s mining history and the need to access mineral resources more easily.

Transcript Highlights:

• This requires all moped drivers to wear a safety helmet when driving a moped, regardless of age.
• This relates to administrative rules beginning January 1, 2027, and requires all state agencies to make
• </c> rules beginning January 1 2027 requires rules beginning January 1 2027 requires All<00:01:44.759
• This requires all skateboard users under the age of 16 to wear a helmet while operating a skateboard.
• </c><00:04:58.199><c> to</c> platform charity should be required to platform charity should be required

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee held a decision-making-only agenda and voted on a series of bills, mostly following the chair’s recommendations. Measures passed unamended included SB 1202 on allowing campaign funds for child care and dependent care costs, SB 30 requiring all moped drivers to wear helmets, SB 55 requiring state administrative rules to be posted in a digitally accessible and searchable format, SB 106 on pedestrian conduct more than 200 feet from a crosswalk, SB 344 requiring helmets for skateboard users under 16, SB 849 increasing penalties for harming native species, SB 1337 clarifying Stadium Authority quorum rules, and SB 268 reducing the size of island burial councils and removing certain membership requirements. SB 1511, which prohibits vessels longer than 75 feet from entering Honay Bay, was also adopted, though the transcript includes some inconsistent wording about whether it was amended. Several bills were approved with amendments. SB 1048 on solicitation of funds from the public was amended to remove a ministerial exception and to require certain charitable organizations and fundraising platforms to file written contracts with the Department before commencing solicitations. SB 109 was amended so that, in specified circumstances, the ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi version of a law would be binding when the law was originally drafted in English, translated into Hawaiian, and later amended. SB 66 on county building permits was amended to add a bad date, April 23, 2057. SB 1312, deferred to the 10 o’clock agenda, clarified that “profits from prostitution” includes money or property received from prostitution proceeds even if characterized as reimbursement or debt repayment; it was also passed with amendments. The committee also adopted a recommendation to pass SB 55 and other measures with the noted excused absences of Senator Gabbard and, at times, other members. Throughout the meeting, no major opposition was recorded beyond one member voting no or with reservations on some bills, and the chair repeatedly announced that the recommendations had been adopted. The meeting concluded after the 10 o’clock agenda, with notice that the committee would meet upstairs for later agendas with WHAM.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:10:41.400><c> to</c> vehicle operating requirements to vehicle operating requirements to require
• </c> there's a worker impact fee required. there's a worker impact fee required.
• </c> the operating requirements. the operating requirements.
• </c> options that do not require a driver. options that do not require a driver.
• . requirements. requirements.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And they did not require disclosure related to entity-specific requirements, such as prohibitions on
• So the requirement in statute is that operators are required to be audited annually by these independent
• We understand our duty as an agency to ensure that operators submit required information and pay required
• requirements now.
• requirements now.

Committee: Senate Senate Regulatory Affairs & Government Efficiency Committee of Reference

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is considered isolation and still triggers the procedural and reporting requirements.
• completed the applicable orientation and meets other requirements.
• completed the applicable orientation and meets other requirements.
• Those were requirements of the comprehensive literacy program in the underlying bill.
• requirements that exist for that curriculum in the underlying bill as well.

Summary: The committee met for its final executive session of the session and took up several House bills related to early learning and K-12 education. House Bill 1795 on restraint and isolation in schools was briefed as prohibiting mechanical, chemical, and certain physical restraints, limiting isolation, and barring new isolation rooms; a proposed amendment to the striker was defeated, and the bill then advanced. House Bill 2219 on child care licensing and drug safety was briefed as requiring licensed child care settings to be free of high-potency synthetic opioids, drug paraphernalia, and manufacturing equipment, with amendments to add drug testing and broader controlled-substance prohibitions; both amendments failed, and the striker was adopted before the bill advanced. House Bill 1295 on literacy was described as setting curriculum and educator training requirements; the committee adopted a striking amendment that removed some district implementation and continuing-education requirements, then advanced the bill. The committee also heard briefings on House Bill 1634 on behavioral health supports in schools, House Bill 2557 on timelines for special education evaluation reports and eligibility meetings, and House Bill 2636 creating a public education review steering committee and JLARC review process, all of which had no amendments at the briefing stage. In formal action, the committee voted to adopt the striker on HB 1295 and then passed HB 1795, HB 2219, HB 1295, HB 1634, and HB 2557 out of committee with due pass recommendations. HB 2636 was also advanced, but to the Ways and Means Committee rather than the Rules Committee. Several members noted concerns about costs and unfunded mandates, particularly regarding literacy implementation and child care safety provisions, while supporters emphasized student safety, child care safety, and clarity in existing law. The meeting ended with thanks to staff and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill requires compliance by any virtual currency kiosk with money transmission statutory requirements
• It also requires written paper receipts of transactions and includes receipt content requirements.
• , and other requirements.
• , and other requirements.
• This rule loosens that requirement to only require such certificate if the horse or stable pony has had

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met with a quorum present, approved the prior meeting minutes, and then considered a series of House bills and committee substitutes. House Bill 5438, dealing with changes to Step 7 of the school aid formula and allowable uses of certain education allocations, was amended to adopt the Education Committee’s changes and then reported to the full Senate. House Bill 4087 creating the West Virginia-Ireland Education Alliance was also reported, as was House Bill 4191, which expands child care tax credit eligibility for employer-sponsored facilities and changes subsidy payments from attendance-based to enrollment-based reimbursement; senators emphasized its workforce and economic development benefits. House Bill 5074, which reallocates medical cannabis fund balances and future revenues, was amended to increase the Child Protective Commission pilot funding from $3 million to $5 million and remove proposed ibogaine research funding for Marshall and WVU before being reported. House Bill 5353, regulating virtual currency kiosks and money transmission licensure, and House Bill 5527, creating licensure and oversight for wellness reimbursement program administrators, both received strike-and-insert amendments and were reported. House Bill 5687, which phases down the metallurgical coal severance tax and adds a temporary oil and gas tax reduction with county/municipal revenue adjustments, was amended and reported. House Bill 4418, creating an electronic system for municipal business and occupation tax filing and collection with a 1% administrative fee and a participation threshold, was also reported. The committee then took up House Bill 4245, the Revenue Rules Bundle, which bundles 26 legislative rules from the Department of Revenue and related agencies. The bundle included alcohol, banking, insurance, racing, and tax rules, with several sunset extensions and repeals of outdated rules; the committee adopted a strike-and-insert amendment affecting a lottery consumer protection rule and a pre-need cemetery company rule, then reported the bill. House Bill 5168, providing a $12 million lottery-funded stream for emergency medical services, was amended to clarify the uses of the funds, rename one fund, require a 30% county match for mental health treatment spending, and create two additional county-based EMS funds; senators described it as a needed permanent funding source for EMS, and it was reported. Throughout the meeting, members generally supported the measures, with some discussion on technical details, funding allocations, and the impact of the bills on local services and workforce needs. At the end of the meeting, the chair announced that Senate House Bills 4004, 4006, and 4009 would not be taken up that day, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• My understanding is that the bill would prohibit the requirement.
• My understanding is that the bill would prohibit the requirement.
• So a city can't require that the building have ground-floor retail.
• Many of our small towns along main streets currently require ground-floor commercial and require second
• This required ratio would be lost if the bill is adopted.

Bills: SB6018 , SB6026 , SB6027 , SB6028 , SB5937 , SB5938

Committee: Senate Housing

Keywords: housing, finance, commission, state funding, affordable housing, residential development, zoning reform, mixed-use zoning, commercial zones, Growth Management Act, GMA, state preemption, local land use, development regulations, ground-floor retail, ground-floor commercial, permit waiver, waiver process, density, urban growth area

Transcript Highlights:

• In the amendment, it removes the requirement that In the amendment, it removes the requirement that the
• And that is a prescription medication that is required under FDA requirements.
• That's no longer a requirement.
• And I have to say this is very disappointing in that people want to require the bill actually requires
• Current vaccine requirements.

Bills: S1082 , S1168 , S1756 , S1156 , S1480

Committee: Senate Health Policy

Keywords: provider disputes, health plan, dispute resolution, Medicare, Medicaid, healthcare regulation, background screening, athletic coaches, youth sports, criminal history, expungement, Florida statutes, medical freedom, vaccination, ivermectin, healthcare practitioner liability, immunization exemptions, ambulatory surgical centers, patient safety, licensure

Summary: The committee took up several health-related bills. SB 1082, on a statewide provider and health plan claim dispute resolution program, was presented as a way to let providers and insurers use the federal independent dispute resolution process for emergency out-of-network claims under state-regulated commercial plans. A late-filed amendment clarified when providers and health plans could access the state program, and the bill was reported favorably as a committee substitute. SB 1168, which would centralize background screening clearinghouse functions at the Agency for Health Care Administration, also passed as amended after an amendment requiring sealed and expunged records to be included in screenings for qualified entities. Supporters said centralization would improve turnaround times, reduce duplication, and save costs; the sponsor said the bill also addresses coaches’ background screening language from last session. The committee then approved SB 1156, which moves ambulatory surgery center regulation out of the hospital-focused chapter of law into a standalone section, and SB 1480, as amended by a strike-all, which would grandfather certain temporary certificate holders practicing in areas of critical need if federal designation changes affect those areas. Testimony on SB 1480 emphasized continuity of care for patients in underserved communities, and the bill was reported favorably. The final and most heavily debated measure was SB 1756 on medical freedom, which would require state-approved educational materials on childhood vaccines, require practitioners to provide those materials and alternative schedules before vaccination, expand school immunization exemptions to include conscience-based objections, clarify that the Surgeon General cannot order vaccination during a public health emergency, and authorize pharmacists to provide ivermectin behind the counter without a prescription with written information and safeguards. The sponsor argued the bill strengthens parental choice and informed consent. Committee members raised concerns about vaccine-preventable disease risks, immunocompromised children, school outbreaks, and the impact of adding a new exemption. A Department of Health representative said the department would need to provide details on the history of exemption consultations and noted that removing the earlier consultation requirement had not been shown to increase outbreaks. The committee adopted a friendly amendment to give physicians the same liability protection as pharmacists for ivermectin dispensing, but rejected a substitute amendment that would have required a consultation for exemption requests. Public testimony was overwhelmingly opposed to the bill, with physicians, pediatric specialists, cancer advocates, parents of immunocompromised children, and public health groups warning that it would lower vaccination rates and endanger vulnerable Floridians. The bill remained pending after testimony, with the committee continuing to hear public comment.

Transcript Highlights:

• ANY INITIAL HOSPITALS ARE ALSO TO REQUIRE THAT IS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THIS.
• SCREENING REQUIREMENTS.
• THE PREVIOUS REPORTING REQUIREMENT WAS EVERY THREE YEARS.
• THAT IS A REQUIREMENT. AT LEAST OSTENSIBLY THEY KNOW.
• SO THEY ARE ON VERBAL. >> Chair Burton: IS IT A REQUIREMENT? A LEGAL REQUIREMENT? >> I THINK SO.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The prohibition of businesses from requiring masks with vaccinations.
• DHS must close the complaint and no further investigation is required.
• In addition, Access is prohibited from requiring prior authorization...
• In addition, it removes the reporting requirement.
• permissive and not required.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The caucus reviewed a long list of House bills that had returned from the Senate with amendments, with members repeatedly noting that sponsors intended to concur on most items. Topics included public health and vaccination rules (HB 2086, HB 2248), state investment in gold and silver (HB 2140), property records and voter-registration privacy (HB 2327), municipal and county regulation of business property and development fees (HB 2460, HB 2946, HB 2999), legislative subpoenas (HB 2745), cold plunge regulation (HB 2439), nursing-facility complaint timelines and licensed health aide rules (HB 2195, HB 2189), court-ordered treatment review (HB 2923), Access/Medicaid reimbursement and prior authorization for diagnostic services (HB 2932), inmate mental health study committee language (HB 2673), prenatal development instruction in schools (HB 2830), public records requests by legislators (HB 4056), parents’ rights and social transitioning in schools (HB 2249), school district financial compliance and facilities contracting (HB 2481, HB 2482), Native American language proficiency for graduation (HB 2895), advanced math auto-enrollment (HB 2423), special education and military-family procedures (HB 2621), AI rules for state agencies (HB 2592), eviction record sealing (HB 2244), tax filing penalties (HB 2016), shade structures in HOAs (HB 2342), homelessness-related community restitution (HB 2028), medical records timelines (HB 2557), PFAS firefighting foam restrictions (HB 2641), family-court expert testimony and prisoner transition services (HB 2662, HB 2440), address confidentiality protections (HB 2594), guardianship notice attestation (HB 2661), utilities for high-load customers (HB 2756), and nuclear-ready community planning (HB 2456). The committee also briefly moved to Caucus Calendar 19 for additional bills on mobile food vendors, school board training, out-of-state travel and meeting transparency, and a medical-intervention nondiscrimination bill. Several bills drew substantive discussion or criticism. Members debated HB 2932 at length, with staff explaining that Access said the bill would have a high fiscal impact because it would require reimbursement for non-contracted lab services and eliminate prior authorization for a broad range of diagnostic services, potentially increasing costs substantially. HB 2249 also prompted concern from members who argued it could force teachers to out students and create civil liability for using preferred pronouns or failing to notify parents about social transitioning. HB 2830 was criticized as requiring prenatal-development instruction while barring discussion of sexual activity or reproduction. HB 2028, which allows community restitution instead of a $20 probation assessment for people who are indigent and experiencing homelessness, was questioned as potentially punitive. HB 2481 was discussed as a way to help, rather than punish, small rural school districts struggling with financial-record compliance. The caucus also noted that several of the measures were sponsored by Democrats, which was highlighted as notable during the meeting. No formal votes were taken in the transcript. The caucus chair repeatedly asked for questions, and in most cases there were none, after which the sponsor was understood to intend concurrence with the Senate amendments. The meeting ended with adjournment after the caucus moved through the remaining calendar items.

Transcript Highlights:

• This was HB 3474, and that bill required records to be transferred electronically.
• So SB 1448 requires the original paper will to be transferred by qualified delivery.
• So SB 1448 requires statutory probate courts to...
• So SB 1448 requires statutory probate courts to Required to do that.
• Texas law requires proposed guardians to complete training before appointment.

Committee: Senate Jurisprudence

Summary: The committee first adopted its rules, which were distributed in the same form as the prior session’s rules. Members then took up several bills, beginning with SB 711, an HOA/condominium association bill that would extend and conform property-owner protections to condominium associations; the bill’s author and a Community Associations Institute representative testified in support, and the bill was left pending. SB 942 would allow child support and certain prenatal/postnatal medical expenses to be calculated from the date of conception rather than birth; it drew supportive testimony from the Texas Public Policy Foundation and the Attorney General’s Child Support Division, and was also left pending after testimony. SB 1448, an estates and probate cleanup bill, would require transfer of original wills by qualified delivery, add notice and electronic-order requirements for statutory probate courts, and make other clarifications; it received supportive testimony from the Texas Real Estate and Probate Institute and was left pending. The committee also heard SB 1403, the Attorney General’s Title IV-D child support modernization bill, which updates notice, review, remote-hearing, and administrative-process provisions and clarifies several enforcement and evidence rules; the AG’s office testified that it would improve efficiency, and the bill remained pending. SB 1404 would allow courts to require an email address in final SAPCR orders when other contact information is nondisclosed and clarify service and judgment requirements; the Attorney General’s office described it as a good-government measure, and it was left pending. SB 1559 would require transfer of protective orders into divorce or custody cases to avoid conflicting orders; family-law practitioners and a family court judge testified that it would resolve longstanding conflicts identified by multiple courts of appeals, and the bill remained pending. Finally, the committee considered SB 746, a guardianship bill that would address conflicts of interest in guardianship proceedings, allow guardian ad litem appointment earlier in the process, and require timely court action on annual guardianship reports and accounts; a committee substitute would remove some provisions and extend a reporting deadline from 20 to 30 days. TREP supported the bill, and one practitioner suggested requiring courts to state reasons when rejecting annual accounts. SB 1536 would require dementia and Alzheimer’s training for certain family guardians, with a committee substitute narrowing the scope and reducing the training time from three hours to one; the Alzheimer’s Association supported the measure and the substitute, and the bill was left pending. No bills were voted out of committee during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• The intent is for the requirement of minimal work requirements for individuals between the ages of 19
• to engage in that work requirement.
• You know, the national government has its requirements. The state has its requirements.
• You know, the national government has its requirements. The state has its requirements.
• There are other options to meet that requirement that don't require a job.

Committee: House Legislative Review

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the requirements for elected sheriffs are the same requirements that any other elected official might
• We like the provisions that require that there's no misconduct that would have required denial or revocation
• That is why most states have, by law, required law enforcement leaders to meet certain eligibility requirements
• That is why most states have, by law, required law enforcement leaders to meet certain eligibility requirements
• requirement.

Summary: The committee held a work session in Mill Creek focused first on the eviction process. Judge Michael Scott of King County Superior Court described historic highs in unlawful detainer filings across Washington, especially in urban counties, and said King County has reduced its backlog and average time to resolution to about 60 days by adding two dedicated eviction judges and using more judges when needed. He also described how King County and other counties are implementing the right to counsel for indigent tenants, and noted that additional housing commissioners may help. Office of Civil Legal Aid representatives Philippe Knapp and Jane Paxe said the statewide appointed counsel program has represented more than 30,000 tenants, referred clients to social services, and helped many remain housed, but they warned of a funding shortfall that could eliminate about 17 attorneys and leave roughly 2,000 tenants without representation. A landlord-side panel argued that eviction timelines remain too long and fragmented, creating unpaid rent, safety issues, and uncertainty for both landlords and tenants; they urged more uniform procedures, streamlined rental assistance, and procedural changes to reduce refiling and delays. The second work session addressed theft and vandalism of critical infrastructure, especially copper and telecom cable theft. Committee staff reviewed existing criminal and regulatory laws covering malicious mischief, theft, scrap metal businesses, and metal property deception. Comcast, Mason Public Utility District, and the Recycled Materials Association testified that theft of aerial cable and copper has become a crisis affecting power, internet, 911 service, schools, hospitals, and line-worker safety. Utility representatives described outages, hazards, and rising costs, and asked for stronger audits of scrapyards, tougher penalties for theft affecting critical infrastructure, and tighter rules on payment and identification. Recyclers said they oppose the thefts and already operate under heavy regulation, but acknowledged enforcement gaps and the need for better coordination; committee members discussed possible bill concepts and asked for written recommendations. The final work session covered standards for law enforcement personnel. Criminal Justice Training Commission Executive Director Monica Alexander and Assistant Director Kimberly Bliss explained current certification and decertification rules, including background checks, training requirements, mandatory and discretionary grounds for decertification, and the hearing process. They said elected sheriffs are not currently required to undergo the same pre-election background check as other applicants, though they can still be decertified if already certified, and they reported a backlog of more than 1,000 cases with about 70 to 80 new cases coming in each month. Retired Judge Ann Levinson then outlined ways the legislature could strengthen and align standards for chiefs, sheriffs, and marshals, including requiring certification within a set time, setting a minimum age, requiring recent state background checks, and making loss of certification a vacancy in office. Committee members asked questions about accountability for elected sheriffs, background-check administration, and decertification outcomes.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> ADEC or the actual required ADEC or the actual required contribution.<00:05:12.800><c> That</c><
• ,</c> is a break in service that is required, is a break in service that is required, um,<00:10:56.880
• </c> required as part of this. required as part of this.
• They can just return require anything.
• </c> continuing to pay what's required? continuing to pay what's required?

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:54 Pension System Update 00:03:38, 958, all

Summary: The committee held its first official interim meeting after merging the General Government and Finance, Personnel, and Public Retirement committees, establishing a quorum and opening with the pledge and prayer. Members then received a briefing from KPPA representatives Ryan Barrow and Aaron Sarock on the state retirement systems, including KERS, CERS, and SPRS, and on the importance of fully funding the actuarially determined employer contribution, supplemental appropriations, and investment earnings in reducing unfunded liabilities. They said the systems have made progress toward a statutory closed amortization target of 2049 and emphasized that supplemental funding lowers current employer contribution rates but does not change that end date. A major topic was federal and state reemployment-after-retirement rules for retirees who return to work with participating employers. KPPA explained that retirees must have a bona fide separation from service, no prearranged agreement to return, and generally a one-calendar-month break in service for retirees on or after January 1, 2024. If a member fails to comply, retirement benefits can be voided, payments stopped, health coverage ended, and benefits repaid. The presenters also noted that rehired retirees do not earn a second retirement account, and employers rehiring them must pay employer contributions and, in non-exempt cases, reimburse health insurance costs. Members asked about the scale of rehired retirees and the difference between employer contribution and health insurance reimbursement amounts. KPPA said that in fiscal year 2025 there were over 3,500 rehired retirees in CERS and over 5,000 in SPRS, with substantial employer contributions and health reimbursement payments collected. They also explained that some positions are exempt from these chargebacks, including school resource officers and certain law enforcement positions that meet statutory criteria. The committee discussed House Bill 213, which allows cities, sheriffs’ departments, and post-secondary institutions to offer health insurance to rehired officers if authorized by the governing body, effective August 1, 2026, and clarifies the fiscal-year basis for certain exemption limits. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• So why did the state add these requirements?
• So why did the state add these requirements?
• planning requirements themselves do, and though obviously still has some requirements for school districts
• When we think about the reporting requirements, the statutory requirements are the same for small districts
• I think it may take a requirement.

Keywords: 988, house, all