Transcript Highlights:

• Preservation was never meant to be a tool to exclude.
• Historic preservation matters deeply to me. I practice it. In my district, preservation is culture.
• We can preserve history while expanding opportunity.
• So what this bill is trying to do is preserve history, ensure...
• ... ...to protect and preserve the historic neighborhoods.

Committee: House House Government Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee heard a series of bills and resolutions, many of them on property, local government, and memorial topics. HB 2079, authorizing a memorial for journalist Don Bolles at Wesley Bolin Plaza, passed unanimously after sponsor testimony about the 50th anniversary of his assassination and the memorial’s no-cost nature. HB 2080, as amended, advanced 7-0 on deed and title fraud prevention measures, including photo ID requirements, notarization and deed-filing safeguards, an assessor alert program, and a felony penalty for knowingly submitting false or forged real-property claims. HB 464, which moves the petition process for municipal improvement districts earlier in the process, passed 5-2 after testimony from Camp Verde, the Yavapai Apache Nation, developers, and the League of Arizona Cities and Towns; opponents argued it could force property owners into infrastructure they do not want, while supporters said it improves transparency and financing certainty. HB 2048, a proposed constitutional referral to withhold pay from state elected officials if the budget is not enacted by April 30, passed 4-3, with supporters saying it would create accountability and opponents saying broader process reforms are needed first. The committee also heard HB 2324, which would allow municipalities with their own fire codes to petition for county-owned buildings inside city limits to be exempt from separate state fire code inspections when conditions are met. County and state fire officials supported the concept, saying it would resolve conflicting statutes and formalize intergovernmental agreements, and the bill passed 7-0. HB 4087, authorizing a memorial plaque for former legislator Barbara Leff, also passed unanimously, with the sponsor noting her service in both chambers and her work on veterans and health care issues. HB 2239, creating a child care grant program and infrastructure fund for underserved and low-income communities, drew extensive testimony from rural parents, child care advocates, and early childhood experts describing child care deserts, workforce losses, and safety concerns with unregulated care. Supporters said the bill would fund the facilities and infrastructure needed to expand regulated child care, especially in rural Arizona; the committee approved it 5-1 with one member present and one not voting. Members also discussed HB 2375, a historic-preservation-related middle housing bill, but the transcript cuts off before final action is shown; testimony reflected a sharp divide between preservation advocates supporting exemptions for historic districts and housing advocates warning the bill could worsen exclusion and housing shortages.

Transcript Highlights:

• Preservation was never meant to be a tool to exclude.
• Historic preservation matters deeply to me. I practice it. In my district, preservation is culture.
• But preservation should not function as a wall around opportunity.
• We can preserve history while expanding opportunity.
• Preserve historic structures.

Committees: House Government , House House Government Committee of Reference

Transcript Highlights:

• preservation preservation I<01:29:24.920><c> um</c><01:29:25.679><c> uh</c><01:29:25.880><c> there</
• They are just such a great engine of production and preservation.
• They are just such a great engine of production and preservation.
• They are just such a great engine of production and preservation.
• They are just such a great engine of production and preservation.

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• When the Agland Preservation Act was started in this state, there was a need for the county to have an
• So, working with the Department of Ag and the attorney for the Agland Preservation Board, it's really
• I was wondering, what did the farmland preservation advisory board do? And did they help at all?
• think these boards were created as a way to really give the counties input on how the Aglands Preservation
• think these boards were created as a way to really give the counties input on how the Aglands Preservation

Bills: SB311 , HB371

Committee: House Agriculture

Summary: The House Agriculture Committee met with a quorum present and considered three bills. Senate Bill 53 would codify and continue the Farm to Community Program if federal support is reduced or unavailable, prioritize Delaware farmers, and require reporting and transparency. Testimony in support came from the Delaware Farm Bureau, the Academy of Medicine and Public Health, and Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Jimmy Crone, who said the department supports the bill. Members raised no questions, and the committee voted to release the bill by roll call. The committee then heard Senate Bill 311, a Department of Agriculture maintenance bill updating Title 3 provisions related to plant industry and pesticides. The bill removes an outdated $100 license fee, requires certified private applicators to keep pesticide application records available for inspection, expands the definition of landscaper to include commercial entities installing their own nursery stock, and removes a good-character requirement for grain inspector applicants. With no public comment or questions, the committee voted to release the bill by roll call. Finally, House Bill 371, sponsored by Representative Vanderwyn, would streamline the Agland Preservation Act by eliminating a redundant county advisory board step for farmland preservation districts. Representative Vanderwyn and Deputy Secretary Crone explained that the advisory boards were more useful when the program was new, but now the county planning and zoning commissions and the Department of Agriculture already provide the needed review. After brief discussion, with no public comment, the committee voted to release the bill by roll call and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Highway preservation was maintained at $900 million for the 2025-27 biennium.
• There was $50 million added for local preservation and maintenance in the current biennium.
• Chair, the combination of maintenance and preservation information. Mr.
• kind of what does annual preservation activity look like?
• If we came through with a preservation project, we'd be up there on the main line.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met on October 16, 2025, for a budget and revenue overview, a traffic safety presentation, and a discussion of potential transit and active transportation grant programs. Committee staff reviewed the adopted 2025-27 transportation budget, noting $15.5 billion in expenditures, the large share for WSDOT, and the mix of revenue sources including fuel tax, vehicle-related fees, federal funds, Climate Commitment Act revenue, and new 2025 revenues from SB 5801 and SB 5802. Staff said the 2025 session produced a balanced four-year plan, preserved major project schedules, maintained highway preservation funding, and added money for culverts, local preservation, and other priorities. They also described a September forecast showing lower motor fuel consumption than previously expected, but still enough revenue growth to keep the transportation plan balanced. For the 2026 supplemental, staff said agency requests were relatively modest overall, with most capital requests reflecting reappropriations and timing shifts rather than new projects, while WSDOT’s addendum identified much larger future needs for maintenance, preservation, paving, culverts, and safety work. Senators asked for more detail on how revenues are distributed by fund type and geography, how much of the maintenance and preservation request is actual maintenance versus equipment, whether paving needs could be supported through bonding, and how electric vehicle sales trends might affect forecasts. The committee then heard a remote presentation from Dr. Jessica Chikino of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety on traffic safety trends and countermeasures. She said U.S. traffic fatalities have risen sharply over the past decade, with especially large increases for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists, and argued that the U.S. lags other high-income countries in roadway safety. Her presentation highlighted IIHS’s “30 by 30” goal to reduce fatalities 30% by 2030 through safer speeds, stronger impaired-driving countermeasures, better pedestrian protection, and safer commercial vehicles. She discussed research linking higher speed limits to higher fatality risk, the benefits of lower urban speed limits, speed safety cameras, traffic calming, lighting, pedestrian beacons, and safer intersection design. She also described ongoing work with Bellevue on smart signal technology and pedestrian safety pilots. Committee members thanked her for the presentation and said they would share the materials with others. In the final work session, the committee revisited transit and active transportation grant concepts that had been included in the Senate budget proposal but did not advance in 2025. Barb Chamberlain of WSDOT’s Active Transportation Division explained how grant programs need runway, staff capacity, applicant readiness, and clear criteria, and compared program design to getting a plane off the ground. She discussed the proposed Senior Transportation Emphasis Program and regional trails/cycle highways concepts, noting that some projects could be structured as funding-first programs while others would work better as project-line or project-first models. She said regional trail projects are already eligible under existing programs but often score lower because current criteria emphasize safety and population served. Justin Leighton of the Washington State Transit Association then reviewed transit grant programs and argued that transit safety and security needs remain underfunded, including operator barriers, lighting, shelters, behavioral health coordination, and non-uniformed security staff. He said many transit capital programs are oversubscribed, that operator barrier retrofits alone could cost $20 million to $30 million, and that agencies face uncertainty about how recent sales tax changes apply to security-related contracts. No votes were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:16:24.000><c> and</c> heat, food needs preservation, and heat, food needs preservation, and
• </c><00:40:01.119><c> at</c> home communities and to preservation at home communities and to preservation
• </c><00:47:01.040><c> of</c> capital to help fuel this preserving of capital to help fuel this preserving
• </c><00:47:17.040><c> for</c> opportunity for preservation for opportunity for preservation for resident
• </c> preservation around affordable housing. preservation around affordable housing.

Bills: HF4234 , HF484 , HF483 , HF2614

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Keywords: HF4234, Minnesota private activity bonds, tax-exempt bonds, bond cap, aggregate bond limitation, residential rental projects, multifamily housing, affordable housing finance, housing bonds, public finance, bond allocation, private activity bond cap, Minnesota Statutes 474A.02, tax committee, natural gas, gas hookups, residential construction, energy policy, local control, state preemption

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, state historic preservation division with comments. Thank you.
• Uh, state historic preservation division with comments. Thank you.
• </c> try to preserve EV component in place. try to preserve EV component in place.
• Next item on the agenda is HB 2102 relating to historic preservation.
• So SHIP won't review proactive preservation plans.

Bills: HB2611 , HB2102 , HB1710 , HB1868 , HB1920 , HB1812 , HB1733 , HB1715 , HB1723 , HB1724 , HB1727 , HB1711

Committee: House Housing

Summary: The committee first took up HB 2611, which would prohibit algorithmic price-setting in Hawaii’s rental market, require public education by the Attorney General, and establish fines and penalties. The Department of the Attorney General opposed the bill, saying its language was too unclear and could expose landlords and agents to criminal and civil liability for ordinary rent-setting practices based on public information or assistance from property professionals. Members asked about antitrust standards, tacit agreement, and whether using county-published affordable-rent schedules would be unlawful; the AG said that would not be unlawful if based on public information and without collusion. Testimony was mixed, with the chair noting support from the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, Hawaii Realtors with comments, 50501 Hawaii and General Strike Hawaii, Haloha Project, 13 individuals, and one opponent. The committee then heard HB 2102, which clarifies that residential projects involving ground disturbance in high-risk areas remain subject to state historic preservation review and removes an exemption for lands presumed nominally sensitive. The Office of Planning and Sustainable Development and the Department of Planning and Permitting supported the measure, saying it would improve clarity and ensure review focuses on projects most likely to affect historic properties or iwi kupuna, while also urging language refinements to better define sensitive sandy-soil areas and balance preservation with housing timelines. NAP Hawaii opposed the bill, arguing it would undo progress made last session and that the current process already includes protections for inadvertent discoveries and efficiency for lower-risk areas. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs strongly supported HB 2102, explaining it was responding to beneficiary complaints about late-added language in last year’s law and saying the nominally sensitive-area language should be removed because it was adopted without sufficient stakeholder input and could be harmful to iwi kupuna protections. Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation and several individuals also supported the bill. Committee discussion focused on how “nominally sensitive” areas are determined, whether project proponents could self-certify areas as exempt, and how high-density residential projects should be treated; SHPD said it uses survey and monitoring data to map sensitivity, that highly sensitive areas like Kīauea are not nominally sensitive, and that some high-density projects should remain exempt if they do not involve new ground disturbance. The hearing included no final vote in the portion provided, but the chair noted 48 individuals in support and continued questioning on the bill’s definitions and implementation.

Transcript Highlights:

• For agricultural preservation restrictions in the municipality.
• That is why the international goals aim to preserve 30% of lands as wild by 2030.
• Massachusetts has less than 3% preserved wild lands.
• By contrast, the package of three forest bills will preserve almost all of our state-owned forests as
• You heard the representative... ...between permanently preserved wild lands and the rest.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Summary: The hearing covered several environment and natural resources bills focused on natural and working lands, forest protection, municipal reforestation, trail accessibility, and a park naming bill. Representative Moschino and Senator Comerford described the natural and working lands bill as part of the state’s climate roadmap, arguing that protecting these lands supports carbon sequestration, resilience, biodiversity, and helps prevent development pressure on the least expensive land. Senator Comerford also testified on a separate bill to expand access to trails for people of all abilities, saying it would build on the administration’s Trails for All initiative and create a permanent advisory structure and trust fund. Representative Consolvo and family members testified in support of H. 4259 to name the tennis courts at Wether Park in Roslindale after Kim O’Connell, describing her long community service and activism. A large portion of the hearing focused on H. 952 and H. 953, bills to protect watershed and state forest lands as parks or reserves. Supporters, including environmental advocates, scientists, and organizations such as Standing Trees, Sierra Club, The Nature Conservancy, and the Massachusetts Forest Alliance’s opponents, debated whether state forests and watershed lands should be permanently reserved from logging and other active management. Supporters said the bills would improve carbon storage, water quality, biodiversity, flood and drought resilience, and would protect large acreages of public land at no cost. Opponents, including the Massachusetts Forest Alliance, argued that sustainable forest management and a mix of reserves and managed forests are needed for climate, water quality, wildfire prevention, rural jobs, and carbon outcomes, and urged the committee to allow the administration’s existing reserve process to continue. The committee also heard extensive testimony on the municipal reforestation bill, H. 1013/S. 553, which would create a statewide program, advisory council, and trust fund to support urban tree planting and maintenance. Municipal officials and advocates from Wellesley, Cambridge, Boston, the Mystic River watershed, and other communities said urban trees are critical for cooling, stormwater control, air quality, public health, and equity, especially in environmental justice neighborhoods with low canopy cover and high heat. Several witnesses emphasized that consistent funding is needed because trees take years to mature and many municipalities lack staff or watering capacity. Some witnesses asked that the bill be funded at $100 million and tied to the Mass Ready Act or environmental bond funding. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• program. long commitment to historic preservation.
• Adaptive reuse, rehabilitation, and restoration as part of our preservation program.
• And if I... ...on behalf of the California Preservation Foundation in support of the bill.
• It is a discretionary tool to preserve housing that is otherwise viable but under financial strain.
• Preserving those existing affordable homes is far more cost effective than replacing them.

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:

• The proposed supplemental budget preserves services and appointment availability.
• We ask you today to please preserve this funding. Thank you. Thank you.
• So please reject these cuts and preserve education funding. Our kids need you.
• In addition, we ask you to preserve Area Agency on Aging case management funding.
• We urge you to preserve as much funding for DVRP as possible in the final budget.

Bills: HB2289

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: appropriations, budget, fiscal matters, state spending, general fund, supplemental budget, biennial budget, substitute bill, public defense, civil legal aid, courts, judicial branch, homelessness, supportive housing, affordable housing, behavioral health, juvenile rehabilitation, youth services, child welfare, foster care

Transcript Highlights:

• Members of the Committee on Water and Land, SB 5 is relating to historic preservation.
• I'm the administrator of the State Historic Preservation Division.
• </c><00:02:36.640><c> H</c> identity um DLR historic preservation H identity um DLR historic preservation
• </c> of the state historic preservation of the state historic preservation division<00:03:00.840><c>
• <00:52:22.920><c> um</c><00:52:23.119><c> chair's</c> preservation um chair's preservation um chair's

Summary: The committee heard several water, land, and natural resources measures. SB 5 would narrow the definition of historic property to properties eligible for the Hawaii Register of Historic Places or with important Native Hawaiian or ethnic cultural value. The State Historic Preservation Division said the bill would tighten the definition and could reduce or streamline reviews, while one testifier warned it could add another layer of review and delay. Support and opposition were both noted. SB 19 would appropriate funds to DLNR’s Division of Aquatic Resources to establish positions, and it drew strong support from DLNR and multiple ocean and reef advocates. SB 145, concerning declarations of water shortage and emergency, was supported by the Commission on Water Resource Management and the Board of Water Supply, which said rulemaking would improve transparency and public input. The chair also noted broader public concern about water use and pricing, especially on Maui. SB 44 would prohibit commercial sale of parrotfish caught by spearing and ban spearing them at night; DLNR supported the measure, while several fishers and gathering-rights advocates opposed it, arguing it would restrict traditional gathering and that resource management should focus on fish populations rather than methods. The committee noted 26 communications in support and opposition combined. SB 427 would bar the state from leasing or extending public land leases to parties in arrears, out of compliance with environmental obligations, or convicted of a crime, and would require gubernatorial certification for certain federal leases. DLNR said existing law and BLNR procedures already address compliance and cure periods, while supporters argued the bill would help ensure accountability for contaminated or poorly managed lands. The committee also began SB 457, dealing with submerged land reclamation and leasing of submerged/tidal lands; DLNR again said current statutes and BLNR protocols were already adequate, describing existing review and enforcement practices for shoreline structures and easements. No votes were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to preserve that's our culture.
• We will historic preservation division.
• Could those preservation review process?
• <01:52:01.280><c> um</c><01:52:01.760><c> because</c> Preservation um because Preservation um because
• </c> pres state historic preservation pres state historic preservation division<02:44:11.760><c> would

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 2046, which would establish and fund an Olo Hawaii Commission to coordinate and promote initiatives supporting the use of Olo Hawaii. The Attorney General suggested adding an end date because the bill creates a temporary commission, and several supporters from the University of Hawaii, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission said the commission could improve coordination, funding decisions, and consistency across agencies. Members discussed whether the commission should include broader representation, including expertise on Niihau dialect speakers and other stakeholders, and the bill was then set aside as the committee moved to the next measure. The committee next considered House Bill 2438, creating the Hawaii Cultural Trust within DBEDT, authorizing an income tax credit for contributions to the trust and qualified cultural organizations, and creating a special license plate to support the trust. DBEDT said it would need additional resources, including staff, to administer the program. The Department of Taxation recommended changing the effective date to 2026 to allow time for implementation and adding a requirement that credits be claimed within one year. OHA supported the bill but objected to language that would require it to maintain a prequalified list of organizations, saying that could limit applicants and conflict with its grant process. The Tax Foundation said it supported cultural funding but preferred direct appropriations and grants over a trust fund and tax credit structure. The final measure discussed was House Bill 2584, which would temporarily increase public land trust revenues transferred to OHA while reaffirming the state’s obligation to the 20% pro rata share, with a repeal date of June 30, 2028. The Attorney General recommended deleting the bill’s requirement that OHA receive a minimum amount equal to the 20% share, arguing the constitution and Admission Act do not specify a precise dollar amount and that the legislature must determine allocation. OHA strongly supported the bill, arguing the state currently pays only about 5% and that historical records show much higher amounts are owed; OHA also pointed to a carry-forward account it said held about $55 million. DLNR opposed the bill because the fiscal impact was unspecified and could affect land management and special fund budgets. Several OHA trustees and supporters urged the committee to pass the bill, and one testifier criticized the state for underfunding Native Hawaiian obligations. No votes were taken in the portion provided, and the committee continued hearing testimony on HB 2584.

Transcript Highlights:

• how we can start drawing a little bit more money out of that corpus of the fund while we're still preserving
• </c><00:03:51.560><c> the</c><00:03:51.760><c> future</c> while we're still preserving the future while
• we're still preserving the future um um um dollars<00:03:53.960><c> for</c><00:03:54.440><c> for</c>
• </c> more, always preserving that corpus. more, always preserving that corpus.
• It's really unique Minnesota is the way that we have been able to preserve it and contain it.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, Florida Shore and Beach Preservation Association. Thank you for being here.
• It protects our communities, preserves our ecosystems, and prepares us for the future with something
• With the mission of providing resource-based recreation while preserving, interpreting, and restoring
• our cultural resources, our state parks are managed in a way that preserves them for this generation
• At Allen David Bassard, Catfish Creek Preserve State Park, they have over 48 miles of lines that are

Committee: Senate Environment and Natural Resources

Summary: The Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources convened with a quorum present and took up SB 302 by Senator Garcia, which would promote nature-based solutions for coastal resilience. Garcia said the bill would direct DEP to adopt statewide guidelines, encourage local restoration projects through existing grant programs, streamline permitting for green and hybrid infrastructure, support workforce training, and require a study on flood-risk and insurance benefits. Senator Harrell asked about implementation, existing statutory authority, and possible fiscal impacts. The committee adopted an amendment clarifying that hybrid infrastructure need only combine green and gray elements, not prove superiority over either alone. The committee heard supportive testimony on SB 302 from Katie Bauman of Surfrider Foundation, who said nature-based approaches such as dunes, wetlands, and mangroves are cost-effective and protective, and several organizations waived in support, including the Environmental Defense Fund of Florida, the Florida Shore and Beach Preservation Association, and 1,000 Friends of Florida. Senator Harrell said she supported the concept but remained concerned about the breadth of rulemaking and the fiscal implications of workforce funding. After closing remarks from Garcia, the committee voted to report CS for SB 302 favorably. The remainder of the meeting consisted of informational presentations on land management. Brian Bradner of DEP reviewed Florida State Parks management, including prescribed fire, invasive species removal, hydrologic restoration, cultural resource preservation, visitor use, and budgeted land-management activities. Melissa Tucker of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission described wildlife management areas, emphasizing habitat restoration, wildlife monitoring, ranch infrastructure, public access, and the economic value of the system. Rick Dolan of the Florida Forest Service outlined state forest management funded through a $20 million appropriation, including road and facility work, recreation upgrades, invasive species control, reforestation, habitat restoration, prescribed burning, and boundary marking. Senators praised the agencies’ work and noted the ongoing cost of managing state lands. The committee then adjourned without further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Preservation is the most sustainable method for creating better living environments, reducing global
• AB 1265 is one way to bring preservation into neighborhoods as part of the development portfolio.
• Preservation is the most sustainable method for creating better living environments, reducing global
• AB 1265 is one way to bring preservation into neighborhoods as part of the development portfolio.
• We should preserve them and also make sure they're utilized.

Summary: The Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee met with a delayed start while waiting for quorum, then heard several bills before moving to the suspense file. AB 564 by Assemblymember Haney would freeze the planned cannabis excise tax increase at 15% rather than allow it to rise to 25%; supporters argued the legal cannabis industry is struggling against the illicit market and high taxes, while opponents said the measure would reduce funding for children, youth programs, environmental restoration, and enforcement promised under Prop. 64. The bill was sent to suspense during regular order and later approved out of suspense on a 6-0 vote with amendments, including a five-year sunset and a reduced rate. AB 1265, also by Haney, would extend and expand the state historic tax credit to encourage rehabilitation of vacant historic buildings for housing and mixed-use projects; preservation and housing advocates supported it, and it was also sent to suspense rather than voted on immediately. The committee then heard AB 1377 by Assemblymember McKenna, which would require studios seeking optional diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility film tax credits to complete the plans they submit to the California Film Commission. Labor supporters said studios should do more than make good-faith efforts, and the bill passed 5-1 to Appropriations. AB 1416 by Vice Chair Ta would clarify disaster-related property tax deferrals for homeowners who have requested installment plans, and it passed 7-0 to the Assembly Floor. Afterward, the chair gave a general warning that the bills on suspense represented large revenue losses and emphasized the committee’s need to weigh tax expenditures against other state priorities. On the suspense file, the committee approved AB 27, AB 53, AB 97, AB 231, AB 232, AB 429, AB 613, AB 984, and AB 1485, mostly on unanimous or near-unanimous votes, while AB 547 passed 5-1. Several other bills, including AB 386, AB 389, AB 490, AB 6991, AB 814, AB 1057, AB 1219, AB 1282, AB 1354, AB 1431, AB 1435, and AB 1481, were held in committee. The meeting concluded with the committee adjourning after completing the suspense-file actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Please preserve the choice to protect veterans.
• Unless amended, please preserve choice and protect our veterans.
• Please preserve choice and protect our veterans.
• Preserve the choice, protect veterans. I oppose AB 826 unless amended.
• Please preserve choice to protect veterans.

Committee: House Military and Veterans Affairs

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs met as a subcommittee and heard several veterans-related bills. AB 81 by Assembly Member Ta would require CalVet to study mental health among women veterans, with supporters emphasizing higher rates of military sexual trauma, PTSD, depression, and suicide among women veterans and the need for tailored services. There was no opposition, and members broadly praised the bill as overdue and important. AB 556 by Assembly Member Patterson would clarify that CalVet fee waivers for dependents of disabled or deceased veterans and Medal of Honor recipients include campus-level mandatory fees at public colleges; supporters said campuses had been excluding fees the law was meant to cover, while concerns were raised about the fiscal impact on higher education institutions. Both bills were moved forward to Appropriations. AB 826 by Assembly Member Jeff Gonzalez would prohibit unaccredited individuals or businesses from charging veterans fees to file or assist with VA benefits claims and establish a civil penalty for violations. The author and county veterans service officers argued the bill would protect veterans from predatory “claim sharks” and fill an enforcement gap, while opponents said it could restrict access to legitimate private assistance and urged narrower regulation instead. After extensive testimony and discussion about federal law, consumer protections, and possible amendments, the committee passed AB 826 8-0 and re-referred it to Judiciary. The committee also adopted its rules and approved the consent calendar, which included AB 264 and two committee bills, AB 1508 and AB 1509, all sent to Appropriations. Final recorded votes were unanimous or near-unanimous, with AB 81 and the consent items passing 7-0, AB 556 passing 6-0, and AB 826 passing 8-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• The reason I go there is because a lot of the food supply additives are for preservation.
• You can get some of these other preservatives, or you can go without preservatives and have no shelf
• foods that don't require these additives, preservatives, or chemicals.
• But again, it's not the preservatives that are the real issue; it's these chemicals that have no use
• The dangerous chemicals and preservatives you and other witnesses mentioned can be... Addictive.

Bills: SB 25 , SB25 , SB314

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• But many of them struggle to find consistent funding for basic maintenance and long-term preservation
• cemeteries are able to generate resources for their preservation.
• My fellow members, this is a thoughtful compromise that balances preservation, local decision-making
• Representative Aristide, thank you for bringing for this bill to preserve our history, Black history
• They can preserve what they want to do historically without coming up here saying can I get a check,

Transcript Highlights:

• By administering these grants, we have discovered that language preservation and revitalization is of
• </c> and also cultural preservation as well. and also cultural preservation as well.
• </c> to preserve your language and culture. to preserve your language and culture. you<00:13:39.680><
• Canterbury not only helps and supports our current culture, but preserves the past.
• </c><01:05:10.400><c> that</c> would like to be able to preserve that would like to be able to preserve

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Transcript Highlights:

• from the Legacy Fund through SF 2070 will help us expand cultural programming that will help us preserve
• from the Legacy Fund through SF 2070 will help us expand cultural programming that will help us preserve
• Rich fishing heritage is preserved, celebrated, and passed on to future generations.
• It's about preserving a legacy that defines Minnesota.
• It is back in '75, and this is the best that I was able to preserve it.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy