Transcript Highlights:

• </c> coming in uh with a thousand employees. coming in uh with a thousand employees.
• I think at Keene State what I would say is we do not have an individual or part-time employee solely
• What we have are an employee at our institution as part of our institutional research team that helps
• to employee retention and satisfaction. satisfaction. satisfaction.
• attending to leave compared to employees attending to leave compared to those<01:36:45.440><c> who</

Summary: The committee heard updates from the chancellors of the state university system and the community college system on ongoing restructuring, collaboration, and enrollment trends. The university system said its office move to the NHTI campus is ahead of schedule and should save students about $250,000 a year while creating revenue for the community college system. Both systems described continued work on transfer pathways, direct-admit outreach, shared advising, and broader efforts to shrink footprints, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiency in response to declining enrollment and demographic pressure. A major topic was a possible federal change to Pell Grant eligibility that would require students to enroll in at least 7.5 credits. The chancellors said most community college students are part-time because of work and family responsibilities, and that the change could affect roughly 2,000 current Pell recipients and make it harder for students to afford or sustain enrollment. Members also discussed how the state’s governor’s scholarship statute largely benefits full-time students, suggesting possible future statutory changes. The chancellors explained how credits typically work, noting most courses are three or four credits and that students would likely need to add an entire course to meet the proposed threshold. The committee also discussed the broader higher education landscape, including declining high school cohorts, competition among New England institutions, and the need to right-size capacity. One member raised concerns about the health of regional campuses such as Plymouth and Keene; the chancellors said incoming enrollment is down at UNH and Plymouth and holding at Keene, attributing the trend to demographics rather than one campus drawing students away from another. They emphasized the importance of community colleges, adult learners, and short-term workforce programs as part of the state’s future education mix. Finally, the committee touched on the value of the university system’s research enterprise. The chancellor said about $250 million a year flows into the university system in federal research grants, with about $9.5 million currently under stop-work orders from federal agencies. She said the immediate concern is not DEI-related but federal cuts and possible caps on indirect cost recovery. Members noted that the R1 research designation supports business partnerships, student opportunities, and economic development projects such as West Edge in Durham.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have 367,000 alumni living in Minnesota, and our employment of more than 12,000 employees makes us
• of more in Minnesota and our employment of more than<00:02:02.479><c> 12,000</c><00:02:03.360><c> employees
• </c><00:02:04.360><c> makes</c><00:02:04.600><c> us</c> than 12,000 employees makes us than 12,000 employees
• and then we spawn uh just uh employees and then we spawn uh just about<00:21:43.799><c> a</c><00:21:
• </c> uh expected growth in employee uh expected growth in employee compensation<01:21:30.320><c> and<

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd say 95 percent of our work is by Missouri companies and Missouri employees.
• For everybody's edification, whenever you have a crew of people, like 6,500-something employees, you
• For everybody's edification, whenever you have a crew of people, like 6,500-something employees, you
• But that's the reason, because we've got to keep our employees working.

Committee: House Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment

Summary: The Commerce Committee heard Senate Bill 916, sponsored by Senator Berger, which would limit certain liability exposure for contractors working on MoDOT projects when they are following approved plans and standards. The sponsor argued the bill aligns responsibility with control, prevents contractors from being sued for conditions they did not create, and stops the state from requiring indemnification as a condition of bidding or starting work. He cited examples of long-running lawsuits arising from highway work zones and said the bill would not protect negligence or defective workmanship. Several supporters testified, including a general contractor, representatives of the Missouri Asphalt Payment Association, the AGC of Missouri, the Missouri Municipal League, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the American Council of Engineering Companies. They said contractors often face lawsuits and higher insurance costs for incidents outside their control, sometimes even before work begins or after a project is complete. The Municipal League also supported language clarifying that naming a public entity as an additional insured does not waive sovereign immunity. MoDOT’s deputy director and chief engineer testified for information, warning the bill could create unintended consequences by bringing the state into litigation during construction if contractor indemnification is removed. After testimony and questions, the committee moved into executive session once a quorum was established. Senate Bill 916 was voted do pass by unanimous roll call, 8 ayes and 0 noes.

Transcript Highlights:

• certain employers to claim 100% of a tax credit for specified monetary contributions paid to eligible employees
• It allows an eligible taxpayer to receive at least $1,000, limits the employee tax credit and the employer
• labor pools operating in Florida to register annually with the Department of Commerce, ensuring employees
• It does not promote honest and transparent business practices, and it does not incentivize employees

Bills: S1080 , S1112 , S1324 , S1338 , S1582 , S1672

Committee: Senate Commerce and Tourism

Summary: The Committee on Commerce and Tourism considered several bills. SB 1338 by Senator Burton would strengthen enforcement of written endowment agreements for charitable gifts and require legislative approval for new filing or reporting requirements on charities. The sponsor and Philanthropy Roundtable testified in support, emphasizing donor intent and protections for nonprofits; the bill was reported favorably. SB 1324, which was expected to address principal offices of LLCs, was temporarily postponed. The committee also passed CS/SB 1080 by Senator DeSigley, which directs FDOT to adopt rules allowing direct payments to first-tier subcontractors in specified circumstances. A transportation industry representative supported the measure, saying the situations are rare but need a statutory remedy. CS/SB 1582 by Senator Yarbrough, as amended, requires secondhand dealers, secondary metal recyclers, and pawnbrokers to submit transaction data to FDLE for statewide sharing through systems such as LInX; the amendment and bill were both reported favorably, with one witness from the Florida Recycler’s Association opposing the amendment. Senator McLean’s SB 1672, creating a home buyer workforce tax credit for employer contributions to help employees with first-time Florida home purchases, was reported favorably with support from the Florida Chamber of Commerce. SB 1112 by Senator Garcia, relating to the Florida Labor Pool Act, drew extensive testimony from workers, reentry advocates, and supporters who argued it would prohibit placement fees when workers are hired permanently, require annual registration of labor pools, improve accountability, and support stable employment and reentry; the bill was reported favorably. The committee then adjourned after recording votes and other closing business.

Transcript Highlights:

• the law, and I think this is a good way not only to protect the contractors, the consumer, but the employees
• the law, and I think this is a good way not only to protect the contractors, the consumer, but the employees
• And I suppose, secondarily, to the employees, where you've got, let's say you've got a five-year contract
• And I suppose, secondarily to the employees, where you've got, let's say you've got a five-year contract

Committee: Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• There is a large amount of retirees and public employees in my district, and I care very deeply.
• myself and a few others here, we'll have to vote on this multiple times in the next session. public employees
• I want to hear from our representatives of employers, employees on not having a meeting if they could
• I want to hear from our representatives of employers, employees on not having a meeting if they could

Committee: Joint Select Committee on Pension Policy

Summary: The executive committee approved the October minutes and received brief updates from the Assistant Attorney General and the committee actuary. The actuary reminded members that OSA prepares actuarial fiscal notes during session and said staff would begin work soon on analysis for the upcoming session, including updates related to the COLA bill and other pension measures. Senator Conway asked that updated actuarial materials be shared with committee members as they are completed, and staff agreed to do so. Most of the meeting focused on committee discussion of pension policy issues, especially the ad hoc COLA for Plan 1 retirees and the broader study work on Left 1/Plan 1 topics, including merger and termination-restatement bills such as Senate Bill 5084. Members discussed the need for a COLA, the overfunding of some pension plans, the role of the legislature versus the committee, and the importance of keeping the State Investment Board separate from pension policy recommendations. Several members said the interim work had clarified many questions and would make future legislative decisions easier, while also noting that the committee’s study role had been completed. The committee also reviewed constituent correspondence, which included 15 items, with substantial public interest in the ad hoc COLA and related pension bills. Staff presented the draft interim work plan and proposed December agenda items, including possible education on excess compensation and an update on demographic experience studies. After discussion, members agreed not to hold a December meeting, with the understanding that any remaining informational items could be sent by email. The motion to skip the December meeting passed unanimously, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• THE BILL SEEKS TO PROTECT THE PERSONAL IDENTIFYING AND LOCATION INFORMATION OF CURRENT OR FORMER EMPLOYEES
• INCLUDES FORMER EMPLOYEES.
• THIS AMENDMENT LANGUAGE INCLUDES FORMER EMPLOYEES SO THAT IS CONSISTENT ALL THROUGHOUT THE STATUTE.
• NEED FOR THE PUBLIC RECORDS EXEMPTION PARTICULARLY AROUND SOME CASES THAT WE MAY HAVE SEEN AROUND EMPLOYEES

Transcript Highlights:

• So even at the you put the employee.
• Well, they need—they're sucking for employees. Right?
• Well, they need—they're sucking for employees. Right?
• So your $77 cost per employee now went up to $140 per employee or thereabouts.
• So it's, per employee or thereabouts.

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Transcript Highlights:

• company with over 250 Minnesota employees.
• company with over 250 employee-owned company with over 250 Minnesota<00:48:22.119><c> employees</c><
• we are also a member Minnesota employees we are also a member of<00:48:24.520><c> the</c><00:48:24.599
• we double our staff in the employees we double our staff in the winter<00:51:53.920><c> to</c><00:51
• the cost of wages to their employees the cost of their<01:04:48.640><c> rent</c><01:04:48.920><c> was

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• Factors such as employee salary, healthcare costs, etc.
• Factors such as employee salary, healthcare costs, etc.
• Factors such as employee salary, healthcare costs, etc.
• has over 2200 employees Statewide those employees<00:01:46.680><c> are</c><00:01:46.920><c> committed
• </c><00:01:47.280><c> to</c><00:01:47.479><c> delivering</c> employees are committed to delivering employees

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires cities and counties to prepare quarterly summaries of employee compensation, deletes obsolete
• But what we also have is we have a bill that perpetuates two classes of public sector employees.
• . ...the bargaining agent for public sector employees.
• So in a unit of 1,000 employees, 501 must vote and 251 must say yes.
• employees.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and doctor-of-the-day introduction, then moved through a long special-order calendar. Early proceedings included a resolution honoring former Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham and a moment of silence for firefighter Roger Timmy Miley. The chamber also heard several member introductions and recognitions before taking up bills. The most substantial debate centered on CS/CS/SB 1758 on public assistance and Medicaid/SNAP reforms. The bill would strengthen fraud enforcement, impose a Medicaid work requirement for able-bodied adults, expand behavioral health services through a waiver, modernize Medicaid pharmacy purchasing, and require a SNAP fraud-reduction plan and photo ID on EBT cards. Senators Berman, Smith, Bracy Davis, Osgood, and others argued for Medicaid expansion and added protections for vulnerable SNAP recipients, while Gates defended the bill as a compliance and cost-saving measure. Multiple amendments were offered, including Berman’s Medicaid-expansion condition and Osgood’s SNAP photo-ID safeguards; both were defeated. The bill was placed on the calendar for third reading after extended questioning. The Senate then passed a series of bills, often substituting House companions before final vote. These included tax conformity legislation (7031/7048), technology and computer science education (1503/1694), Parkinson’s disease registry and related public-records measures (1443/1684), designation of the SS American Victory as the official state flagship (249/1656), electronic payments for local governments (967/1612), legal tender and related public-records exemptions for gold, silver, stablecoins, and virtual currency kiosks (1311/1588/1087/7044/1568), local government finance and spending transparency (1329/1566), digital voyeurism (1536), insurance customer representative licensing (1343/1504), and medical freedom legislation (1756) with amendments on anti-kickback rules and vaccine information materials. Most bills passed on largely party-line or near-unanimous votes, with several amendments adopted and some withdrawn; the medical freedom bill was still under consideration at the end of the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• I would add that E-Verify is not something that is new; it's for public employers, all state employees
• It would not need additional employees.
• From the 2021 law that requires employers with 25 employees or more to go...
• There's no way to confirm what happens to The information on the employees they are trying to hide is
• The bill provides protections for employees and narrowly applies to certain employees making a certain

Bills: SB 5 , SJR 3 , HB 11 , HJR 72 , HB 48 , HB 27 , HB 144 , HB 37 , HB 1481 , HB 581 , HB 1696 , HB 2216 , HB 1035 , HB 1633 , HB 742 , HB 754 , HB 1689 , HB 1690 , HB 2669 , HB 391 , HB 517 , HB 1775 , HB 1024 , HB 1607 , HB 252 , HB 1716 , HB 1562 , HB 4116 , HB 1866 , HB 1741 , HB 2103 , HB 2637 , HB 2884 , HB 3707 , HB 503 , HB 1089 , HB 1757 , HB 2986 , HB 972 , SB 365 , SB 1786 , SB 5 , SJR 3 , HB 14 , HB 43 , HB 36 , HB 26 , HB 149 , HB 121 , HB 206 , HB 136 , HB 3114 , HB 2733 , HB 1732 , HB 3700 , HB 467 , HB 1130 , HB 1846 , HB 1442 , HB 1147 , HB 2176 , HB 2701 , HB 805 , HB 2890 , HB 1154 , HB 1644 , HB 2118 , HB 1718 , HB 2488 , HB 2596 , HB 2468 , HB 484 , HB 2578 , HB 3204 , HB 1041 , HB 307 , HB 685 , HB 538 , HB 2525 , HB 3125 , HB 2027 , HB 2894 , HB 3077 , HB 106 , HB 18 , HB 11 , HJR 72 , HB 48 , HB 27 , HB 144 , HB 37 , HB 1481 , HB 581 , HB 1696 , HB 2216 , HB 1035 , HB 1633 , HB 742 , HB 754 , HB 1689 , HB 1690 , HB 2669 , HB 391 , HB 517 , HB 1775 , HB 1024 , HB 1607 , HB 252 , HB 1716 , HB 1562 , HB 4116 , HB 1866 , HB 1741 , HB 2103 , HB 2637 , HB 2884 , HB 3707 , HB 503 , HB 1089 , HB 1757 , HB 2986 , HB 972

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill, though, would compensate them for work that's done entirely by state employees.
• </c><00:50:35.640><c> um</c><00:50:35.760><c> the</c> entirely by state employees um the entirely by
• state employees um the entire<00:50:36.280><c> online</c><00:50:36.720><c> process</c><00:50:37.040><
• within our state system um employees within our state system um Additionally<00:50:45.559><c> the</c
• I’ve had many deputy registrars say, you know, we hire a new employee and they last one or two days,

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• It also raises the minimum amount a retired employee member that returns to work may earn per day from
• So generally yes, those would be annual trainings that the bank employees would be seeing.
• </c><00:49:00.160><c> are</c> However, banks and their employees are However, banks and their employees
• </c> employees go through significant employees go through significant annual<00:50:09.400><c> trainings
• </c><00:50:21.240><c> would</c> trainings that the bank employees would trainings that the bank employees

Summary: The House convened with 98 members present, declared a quorum, approved the prior journal, and received Senate concurrence requests on Senate Bills 263, 281, and 324. The chamber then moved through second readings and committee reports on a range of measures, including education, agriculture, banking and insurance, judiciary, licensing, and task force resolutions. Among the reported bills were measures on KEES scholarships for non-certified schools, a residential safe room rebate program, dual credit scholarships, impeding a first responder, motor vehicles, tallow-based cosmetic products, animal health emergencies, mortgage loan income limits, deferred deposit fees, child protection, Attorney General operations, corrections operations, school leadership, school transportation, advanced mathematics coursework, and task forces on charitable gaming and early childhood education governance. The House passed House Bill 642, a Teachers' Retirement System housekeeping bill, after adopting House Committee Substitute 1. The sponsor said the bill updates survivor benefit documentation, raises the daily earnings limit for retired members returning to work from $170 to $200, removes an unused early-return provision, reinstates a pension waiver program, clarifies benefit tier calculations using an earlier participation date in another state system, and allows a parent member to manage payments for a disabled child without a court order. Members asked about substitute teaching limits, retirement penalties, budget impact, and a removed provision involving index funds; the sponsor said he would follow up on the day limits and stated he did not believe the bill would add to unfunded liability. The bill passed 96-0. The House also passed House Bill 780 on recording commissioner’s deeds, after adopting a floor amendment that removed fines and penalties. The bill allows a city to petition circuit court if a deed is not recorded within 30 business days, and the court may compel filing and award costs and attorney’s fees. Members discussed whether the bill effectively created a lawsuit-based enforcement mechanism rather than a fine, and supporters said it would help local governments identify responsible property owners and address code enforcement and public safety issues. The bill passed 96-0. House Bill 541, concerning peace officers, also passed after a committee substitute; the sponsor said it cleans up Kentucky Law Enforcement Council procedures, strengthens certification standards, clarifies revocation language, and reflects input from law enforcement groups. It passed 95-0. House Bill 195, the Kentucky Urban Youth Agriculture Initiative, passed after a committee substitute and floor amendment. The substitute added Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension alongside UK Cooperative Extension, and the floor amendment changed the pilot’s implementation date to January 1, 2027 and adjusted the program’s term timing. Supporters said the bill would expand urban agriculture education, connect youth to food systems and career pathways, and help students in urban counties learn practical agricultural skills; it passed 97-0. The House then took up House Bill 794 on financial exploitation, which expands protections to all adults age 65 and older, adds felony penalties for knowingly, wantonly, or recklessly exploiting those adults, allows the attorney general to seek extradition from another state, and requires investment advisers to complete three hours of continuing education on financial exploitation. Members cited real-world scam experiences and urged stronger penalties, but the bill passed 96-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chapter 3, Article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, and by adding Section 38-452, relating to public employees
• SB 1013, relating to public employees merit hiring practices, recommends the bill be amended as follows
• That alone would create significant litigation and problems for employers and employees.
• That alone would create significant litigation and problems for employers and employees.
• HB 2076, school safety employee certification policies. Education.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the journal and received House messages and first-read bills. The chamber moved through multiple Committee of the Whole calendars, considering a range of measures on solar energy, public safety, insurance, health care, agriculture, gaming, education, child welfare, and real property. Several bills were retained on calendar, while many others were advanced with committee amendments and floor amendments. On Calendar 2, SB 1419 on solar energy inspection contractors drew the most debate. A floor amendment by Sen. Sundareshan sought to require utilities to protect ratepayers from costs associated with large energy users such as data centers; supporters argued it would help keep electricity affordable, while opponents called it a hostile amendment. After a division vote, the amendment failed 12-15, and SB 1419 was reported do pass as amended. SB 1498 (DPS appropriation) and SB 1502 (unlawful flight/reckless endangerment) also advanced. The Committee of the Whole report was adopted, but a later attempt to add the failed Sundareshan amendment to the report on SB 1419 was defeated 13-14. On Calendar 1, the Senate advanced SB 1165, SB 1206, SB 1212, SB 1215, SB 1290, SB 1291, and SB 1347, mostly with committee amendments. SB 1178 on naturopathic physicians and prescription drug pricing saw a contested Sears floor amendment aimed at stopping price gouging on essential generic drugs; supporters said it would lower drug costs, while the sponsor objected that it was not germane. The amendment failed, and the bill passed as amended. SB 1186 on document retention and donations also drew a Sundareshan amendment on transparency and implementation; it failed, and the bill passed as amended. SB 1286 on veterinary visits and electronic prescriptions advanced after a proposed Kavanagh floor amendment was defeated on division. The Senate then adopted the Committee of the Whole reports and moved on to additional calendars. On Calendar 4, the chamber passed SB 1004 on ESA students and interscholastic activities, SB 1116 on AHCCCS access/behavioral health, SB 1162 on health care institution licensing complaints, SB 1179 on developmental disability/health monitoring, SB 1475 on school district governing boards and eligibility, SB 1821 on DCS training and child placement, and SCR 1012. A request to hold SB 1475 for a reinstatement process was rejected. The Senate also took up an additional Committee of the Whole for SB 1077, SB 1479, and SB 1566; SB 1077 advanced with a Payne floor amendment, SB 1479 advanced with a Carroll amendment classifying certain forged real-property recordings as a class five felony, and SB 1566 began consideration with a Petersen amendment to remove part of a prior amendment. Throughout, the chamber repeatedly adopted committee reports and advanced the bills for further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• With a median average of about $30 per hour, more than two-thirds of the employees meet the U.S.
• Chancellors last year, they could conceptually extend it to other classes of employees?
• But this program could be extended to other classes of employees. Conceivably. Okay.
• Classes of employees, conceivably. Okay. Well, thanks for that.
• Carlos Lopez with the California School Employees Association, in support.

Committee: House Housing and Community Development

Summary: The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee heard AB 1157, the Affordable Rent Act, which would lower the statewide rent cap, remove the single-family home exemption, and eliminate the current sunset date on the Tenant Protection Act. The author and supporters argued the bill is needed to address severe rent increases, stabilize tenants now, and extend protections to renters in single-family homes. Supporters included tenants, labor, housing advocates, and some small landlords who said modest caps can still allow property maintenance and provide predictability. Opponents, including apartment, building, and property owner groups, argued rent control discourages housing production, can reduce maintenance, and should not be expanded before the Legislature receives the planned review of the existing law. Several committee members voiced mixed views: some supported moving the bill forward while warning about impacts on housing supply and small landlords, while others opposed it on supply and voter-opposition grounds. After extensive public comment from large numbers of supporters and opponents, the committee passed AB 1157 to the Assembly Judiciary Committee on a 7-5 vote. The committee also approved the consent calendar, which included AB 413, AB 1152, and AB 1275. It then heard ACA 3, a proposed constitutional amendment to require the University of California to offer limited down payment loans to eligible long-term UC support staff who are first-time homebuyers. The author and labor supporters said the measure would help lower-wage UC workers access homeownership and stay near their jobs, while UC and other opponents said the proposal was duplicative of existing CalHFA programs and would create unnecessary administrative and financing complications. The discussion ended with questions about financing mechanics and coordination with CalHFA, but no final vote on ACA 3 is reflected in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have six businesses and approximately 150 employees.
• So much of what we do depends on our access to employees and our employees' ability to have predictable
• A uniform school start date allows our employees to better plan their summer.
• So much of what we do depends on our access to employees and our employees' ability to have predictable
• And a uniform school start date allows our employees to better plan their summer.

Bills: SB1798 , SB1835 , SB1319 , SB2942 , SB2928 , SB784 , SB1049

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Education K-16

Summary: The committee heard several education bills, with most of the discussion focused on Senate Bill 1835, Senate Bill 784, Senate Bill 1049, Senate Bill 2942, and Senate Bill 2928. SB 1835 would raise from 5% to 20% the cap on nonresident students who can receive resident tuition and fees through competitive scholarships at certain regional universities in slower-growing workforce development areas, provided the schools have capacity as determined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Supporters, including West Texas A&M University, said the bill would help fill underused capacity, attract students who may stay and work in Texas, and support regional workforce needs. SB 784 would strengthen a prior law allowing peace officers’ children to transfer between public school districts for safety reasons by requiring both districts’ approval, making clear that districts of innovation are not exempt, and prohibiting tuition charges. SB 1049 would require districts and open-enrollment charters to excuse students, at a parent’s request, for religious release-time instruction for up to one hour per day and five hours per week; witnesses said the program is constitutional, voluntary, and already operating in other states and some Texas districts. Each of these bills was left pending after testimony, with no public witnesses opposing them. SB 2942 would expand and adjust the state’s adult charter high school pilot program. Senator Creighton said the bill is intended to help the estimated 7 million Texas adults without a high school diploma by removing barriers to expansion, aligning legal protections with ISDs, changing TEA’s disapproval window for expansion amendments to a 30-day period after receipt, and updating funding to reflect part-year attendance. A committee substitute kept the upper enrollment age at 50 and removed a proposed testing change. Testimony from New Heights students and leadership described the program as life-changing, emphasizing that it combines diplomas with career credentials, childcare, transportation, and other supports to help adults stabilize their families and enter better-paying work. TEA witnesses explained the expansion process and said adult charter schools are overseen by the commissioner rather than the SBOE. The committee substitute was adopted, public testimony closed, and the bill was left pending. SB 2928 would set a uniform school start date for public school districts at the third Wednesday in August, while preserving existing district-of-innovation flexibility for current DOI districts and allowing year-round systems to continue. Senator Creighton argued the bill would reduce the patchwork created by DOI exemptions, support students and families, and preserve summer employment and tourism revenue. A committee substitute was adopted. Testimony came largely from tourism, hospitality, and recreation interests, including hotel, water park, zoo, chamber of commerce, and camp representatives, who said later start dates would extend the summer travel season, improve staffing and revenue, and give students more opportunities for summer jobs and camps. Several witnesses cited large economic impacts from tourism and said early school starts reduce August business. Some senators raised concerns about charter schools being excluded and about year-round calendars, but the bill was left pending after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then the the manager or employee.
• That's what it means. family of a property manager employees family of a property manager employees must
• We did that pay care of our employees.
• </c><03:49:19.600><c> at</c> reported that uh one of the employees at reported that uh one of the employees
• Than fire people who are reporting the fraud, our first line of defense, the employees at DHS.

Transcript Highlights:

• Nathanie Purr, on behalf of the California School Employees Association, in support.
• I want to again re-emphasize that independent contractors are not employees.
• Under SB 553, employers are required to have effective means to alert employees to a threat in real time
• changes to employees, wages, hours, or terms and conditions of employment.
• For children's safety, we just heard the bill before you, for society as a whole and for the employees

Summary: The Senate Committee on Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection heard several bills focused on privacy, AI, surveillance, and consumer protections. AB 302 would bar schools from excluding students from extracurricular activities because they do not use social media and would require schools to use at least one non-addictive means of contacting students and parents; it drew support from Common Sense Media and no opposition. AB 1705, the Reclaim Act, would require websites hosting non-consensual pornography to verify consent before upload; district attorneys and the Commission on the Status of Women supported it, while TechNet and CCIA opposed or raised concerns. AB 2007 would separate parental consent for a child’s image/likeness from general program enrollment forms in youth programs; educators supported it, while local government and parks groups raised implementation and penalty concerns. AB 2212 would update higher education sexual harassment definitions to include tech-facilitated harassment such as cyberbullying, doxing, and nudification-related abuse; students and advocacy groups strongly supported it, with no opposition. AB 1837 would extend transit agencies’ authority to use camera enforcement in bus-only lanes and at transit stops, with privacy retention limits and human review; transit agencies supported it, while some senators expressed concern about automated enforcement and surveillance, and the bill was placed on call after a split vote. AB 2392 would create an intersegmental higher education working group on generative AI training and procurement standards; it passed 5-0 after amendments removed prerequisites tying AI deployment to completion of the report. The consent calendar was also approved on call. Later, AB 1798 would prohibit life and disability insurers from using non-diagnostic genetic information in underwriting; supporters argued it protects privacy and encourages testing, while insurers opposed the bill as undermining risk-based underwriting, and it advanced on a 3-0 vote on call. Finally, AB 1883 would restrict workplace use of emotion-recognition and neural-data surveillance tools; labor and privacy advocates supported it, employers and local agencies raised safety and litigation concerns, and it passed 3-0 to Labor after narrowing amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a Human Resources module, which allows you to maintain the employees.
• And the employee portal, which I mentioned, which is an online version so the employees can see their
• We have a Human Resources module, which allows you to maintain the employees.
• And the employee portal, which I mentioned, which is an online version so the employees can see their
• Any state employee can do that, can get anything. So that is the wave.

Summary: The subcommittee of the Tax Reform and Relief Advisory Committee met to begin its study of whether the content of the real estate tax statement should be revised to improve transparency. Legislative Council staff reviewed the study directive from HB 1176 and the statutory requirements for tax statements, including required line items such as true and full value, mill levy, legislative tax relief, primary residence credit, legacy fund share, discounts for early payment, and special assessments. The Tax Department then explained how the current uniform statewide statement is prescribed and approved, and noted that changes are typically driven by statute and implemented collaboratively with counties and vendors. County officials from NDACO, including auditors from McKenzie and Richland counties, described the full annual property tax timeline from budgeting through mailing final statements. They explained how counties gather budgets, calculate levies, verify taxable values, handle centrally assessed property, and prepare required notices and statements. They also said public attendance at budget hearings is generally very low, though the notices and statements generate some calls, mostly about whether attendance is required or why taxes are changing. Several members questioned the usefulness of the legislative tax relief line and the complexity of the 5% discount calculation, and county officials said the current process can be confusing and depends on manual data entry and coordination among counties, vendors, and taxing districts. The committee also discussed assessment frequency, valuation equalization, the 3% cap, and whether more frequent reassessment would reduce large jumps in taxable value. County officials said they try to use rotating reassessments and sales-ratio reviews to keep values within statutory tolerance, but staffing, training, and local market changes make the work difficult. NDACO staff estimated, based on a small county survey, that tax statement preparation and mailing costs average about 74 cents per statement, with outsourcing generally cheaper than in-house printing, and said HB 1176 added some mailing and administrative costs even if the tax statement itself did not change dramatically. Software vendors from CPT and Tyler then began presentations showing how their systems handle budgeting, valuation notices, tax statement generation, primary residence credit processing, and levy worksheets, emphasizing that many of the required calculations and reports are still manually entered or verified by county staff.