Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:34:46.879><c> caught</c> me that we finally technologies caught me that we finally technologies
• The good news, as I mentioned before, technology, proven technology exists to mitigate this threat.
• <c> developed</c><03:17:11.200><c> over</c> This technology has been developed over This technology has
• </c> of it and solve it technologically of it and solve it technologically with<03:22:21.359><c> their
• </c> technologies could give us. technologies could give us. Thank<04:36:41.680><c> you.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:29.000><c> and</c> between the environment technology and between the environment technology
• </c> development Agriculture and Technology development Agriculture and Technology uh<00:03:47.519><c
• </c><00:08:22.720><c> director</c> I serve as the farm services director I serve as the farm services
• , or information technology.
• ><c> the</c> Services or information technology the Services or information technology the need<00:26

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We support expanding the range of true zero-carbon energy generation technologies.
• We support expanding the range of true zero-carbon energy generation technologies.
• So in Farmington, in San Juan County, we have A1 Well Service.
• And I’m aware of some of the technologies, the gravity technology and so forth, which I think are really
• It was there sort of in some of the service industry, I think, perhaps a mechanic.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• from the state civil service law.
• from the state civil service law.
• We embrace the civil service system.
• </c> other civil service roles that we have. other civil service roles that we have.
• Labor and Technology agenda.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committees heard testimony on several personnel and employment bills. SB 2119 would require the state or counties to reimburse public officers and employees for approved work-related travel costs within 30 days; testifiers from the State Procurement Office, UPW, HGA, the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, and others supported the measure, citing delayed reimbursements. SB 3131 would update state position titles by changing “private secretary” to “executive assistant” and “secretary” to “administrative assistant” where applicable, and it drew support from DEED and comments from the State Librarian. SB 3069 would permanently exempt a limited number of specialized positions in DAGS Public Works and the Comptroller’s office from civil service; DAGS, HCDA, and DEED supported it, while UPW opposed it. Committee members questioned whether the exemption should be narrower and whether the positions should be consultants or actual employees, and DAGS said the roles were narrowly tailored, highly specialized, and intended to help manage complex projects such as Aloha Stadium, the convention center, and other major redevelopment work. The committee then heard SB 3180, which would repeal the limit on temporary employment in a single position for two 89-day terms. Testimony included support from the Procurement Office, DOE, DHRD, the State Librarian in opposition, UPW written comments, HGA, the Grassroots Institute of Hawaii, and others. Discussion focused on whether the bill was needed to address abuse of repeated 89-day hires and whether it would affect recruitment and career pathways. Finally, SB 2137 would allow departments, divisions, and agencies to assume hiring and recruitment functions from DHRD under certain conditions. DHRD opposed the bill, saying existing law already allows delegation and that agency-level recruitment often lacks the expertise and staffing to do the work; UHPA supported it, and UPW submitted written support. In questioning, DHRD said it had reduced backlog and was now current on screening, while also offering programs like Operation Hire Hawaii for faster agency-led recruitment.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 1787 directs the Department of State Health Services to develop a comprehensive state plan
• This hasn't been developed yet in terms of the the technology that would need to be in place for the
• This work has led to a complex that has become the premier site for research, technology, education,
• or critical infrastructure technology.
• , along with a private company, Helicopter Express, that also provides firefighting service.

Transcript Highlights:

• With technological literacy and internet usage at all-time highs, it is far too easy for individuals
• This bill is important. ...technologies. What it does say is that workers have a right to know.
• That's why this bill does not seek a ban or a prohibition on the use of those technologies.
• And so there were still gaping holes if we were to use that technology.
• And so there was still gaping holes if we were to use that technology.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with the main discussion focused on AB 1705, AB 1898, AB 2076, and AB 2564. AB 1705 would require pornographic websites and uploaders to certify consent and age before sexually explicit content is posted, including AI-generated nude images, and would allow civil actions by nonconsenting individuals or minors depicted in the material. Supporters, including child advocacy, women’s groups, district attorneys, and university women’s organizations, said it would help combat nonconsensual sexual imagery and revenge pornography; there was no opposition testimony, and the bill drew favorable comments from members. AB 1898 would require employers to give workers advance notice before using AI-powered tools to surveil or manage employees, including disclosure of the purpose, data collected, decisions affected, and general locations of use. Labor groups and privacy advocates supported the measure as a transparency and worker-protection bill, while business and industry groups opposed it, arguing the definitions were too broad, the notice requirements could expose proprietary or security-sensitive information, and the private right of action could lead to litigation and overbroad compliance burdens. Members raised cybersecurity and scope concerns, and the author said the bill had already been narrowed and would continue to be refined, but the committee ultimately took a roll call and advanced the bill on a vote, leaving it on call for absent members. AB 2076 would add nitrous oxide to the list of products subject to online age verification under the Parents’ Accountability and Child Protection Act and increase penalties for large sellers that fail to comply. The author and supporters, including a parent, a deputy district attorney, narcotics officers, Children Now, labor, and the Children’s Advocacy Institute, described rising youth access, health harms, and online sales loopholes. Some opposition groups said they appreciated the amendments but remained concerned about other provisions. Members questioned the bill’s gift-card restrictions and whether they would unnecessarily limit adult purchasing choices; the author and committee staff explained the restriction was aimed at anonymous purchases of the most dangerous items. The bill passed on a 7-0 vote and was left on call for absent members. AB 2564 would prohibit “surveillance pricing,” or using personal data to set individualized prices, while preserving certain transparent discounts and loyalty programs. The author and supporters from Consumer Reports, TechEquity, labor, and privacy groups argued the bill would prevent discriminatory pricing and protect consumers from opaque data-driven price manipulation. Retail, chamber, and industry opponents said the bill was too broad, could chill legitimate discounts and promotions, created compliance and litigation risks, and contained vague definitions. Members discussed the balance between consumer protection and business concerns, but the transcript cuts off before a final vote on AB 2564.

Transcript Highlights:

• technology rules, and those have been very valuable.
• technology rules, and those have been very valuable.
• technology rules, and those have been very valuable.
• I think this was a very complex process, the technology discussion. So, yeah.
• I'm a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office.

Summary: The committee first heard a budget presentation from the Department of Fish and Game. Legislative Services outlined the agency’s funding structure, noting it receives no general fund and is supported mainly by dedicated and federal funds, with most spending going to personnel and many requests being one-time items. Director Jim Fredericks described the department’s mission, staffing, hatcheries, wildlife management areas, habitat work, enforcement, and funding sources, including license and tag revenue, federal excise taxes, and mitigation funds. Members asked about rescissions, temporary employee restoration, fisheries inflation items, depredation claims, nonresident tag sales, communications with the public, predator management, chronic wasting disease, habitat projects, and the relationship with the Office of Species Conservation. Fredericks said the department is working to right-size depredation funding, that the new nonresident draw system appears to be maintaining strong revenue, and that many habitat and disease-related costs are rising because of changing conditions and expanded work. He also acknowledged the technology-rule advisory process could have been handled better, especially regarding wolves, and said he would have structured that committee differently in hindsight. The committee then took up the Office of Species Conservation. Janet Jessup explained that the office is small, mostly federally funded, and often passes grant money through to Fish and Game for on-the-ground work. Administrator Mike Edmondson said the office serves as the state’s technical, policy, and legal advisor on endangered and candidate species and works closely with Fish and Game on habitat and consultation issues. He described measurable work on sage grouse, salmon and steelhead, and grizzly bears, and said the office has concrete metrics such as acres treated, river miles restored, and conflict-reduction actions. Members asked about the overlap with Fish and Game, the number of species covered, and a proposed merger with the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources. Edmondson said there is strong synergy with OMER because many energy and mining projects come through species consultation first, and he said the office would support a merger if the Legislature pursues it, though he cautioned against cutting too deeply. Questions also touched on grizzly bear delisting, wolf-trapping litigation, and tribal consultation on salmon, steelhead, and other species. Finally, Attorney General Raul Labrador presented his office’s budget and performance. He argued that the office has returned more money to the state than it costs, citing $242 million recovered or settled over three years, and said the proposed reductions would force furloughs or elimination of positions because the office is mostly personnel costs and largely general-fund supported. Labrador highlighted major gains in the Internet Crimes Against Children unit, saying the backlog of cyber tips was eliminated, review times are now within 24 hours, and arrests have risen sharply; he also noted the Legislature expanded the child sexual abuse material law to cover AI-generated content. He described expanded civil defense and appellate work, creation of a solicitor general function through reorganization, more in-house handling of risk cases, and a reworked consumer protection division that now responds to complaints within 24 hours and has increased enforcement and direct consumer recoveries. Members asked about the source of the recovered funds, whether cyber crimes are increasing or just being caught better, and whether the office could help develop a framework for transferring incarcerated noncitizens to federal custody for deportation. The budget analyst later clarified that some of the office’s apparent underspending reflects vacancy savings and the ability to move funds between expenditure classes.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am the board member for the Idaho Education Technology Association, which represents most of the technology
• staff in Idaho schools, also a school technology director myself.
• Fourth, it provides structure amid rapid technology growth.
• More people utilizing those services, more people available.
• Technology and another $10 million to service Luma, bringing them online.

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 1227, which would direct the State Board of Education to develop a statewide framework for generative AI in K-12 schools and require local districts to adopt related policies. Senator Cook said the bill is meant to promote AI literacy, transparency, privacy, and human oversight without mandating AI use, replacing teachers, or collecting new student data. Committee members asked about facial recognition, student data, parental opt-out, and age-appropriate use; Cook and supportive witnesses said existing privacy law covers data concerns, local districts would handle opt-out questions, and the framework is intended to start early with age-appropriate instruction. Testimony in support came from the Workforce Development Council, Idaho Education Technology Association, St. Luke’s Health System, Idaho PTA, and others, who said the bill would help prepare students for future jobs while protecting privacy and keeping humans in charge. The committee voted to send Senate Bill 1227 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then received a budget briefing from Joint Finance Appropriations Committee staff on public school support and higher education. Analysts explained that the public school budget is driven largely by support units and the Public Education Stabilization Fund, and that the governor’s FY27 recommendation is about $152 million below the agency request, with reductions tied to statutory population adjustments, Idaho Digital Learning Academy, virtual school transportation, and supplemental learning funds. They also noted recent enrollment declines and discussed how policy changes affect school funding. In higher education, staff outlined a combined $753 million request for colleges and universities, with the governor recommending about $11.5 million in rescissions across the institutions, plus separate health education programs totaling $30.4 million and recommended enhancements for 15 GME residents and fellows, including family medicine and psychiatry. JFAC staff also reviewed the state’s broader fiscal picture, saying ongoing revenues are not keeping pace with ongoing appropriations and that the legislature may need to rely on one-time money or policy changes to restore structural balance. They discussed the impact of tax conformity legislation, revenue forecast changes, and the growth of major budget areas such as public schools and Medicaid over the past decade. Committee members asked follow-up questions about enrollment trends, university enrollment weighting, rescissions, Medicaid expansion costs, and the effect of prior tax policy decisions. No votes were taken on the budget presentations, and the meeting adjourned after the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• for traditional landline service but some of traditional landline service but some of the<00:18:38.480
• Um so while the economic technology.
• </c><00:33:09.919><c> is</c> access this essential service is access this essential service is changing
• , customer service And finally, customer service requirements.<00:34:45.760><c> We</c><00:34:46.000><
• </c> so I I understand the the the technology so I I understand the the the technology challenges<00:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Turning to the Funeral Services Commission on page 13.
• of State Health Services, and the Department of Family and Protective Services.
• , strengthen services for adult protective services that was approved at $956,000.
• Family services roadmap.
• Item B, data center services costs.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Transcript Highlights:

• Financial technology, to where the actual money itself is programmable.
• So we're trying to get ahead of this technology a little bit because it's very new.
• It's an emerging technology and I think we're early on this.
• to a dedicated fund for court technology.
• The same applies to our pupil services. With that, Mr.

Summary: The House convened, approved the journal, and received messages from the Senate, including enrolled Senate bills sent for the Speaker’s signature and Senate Bill 1326 filed for first reading. Committee reports advanced several bills, including House Bill 850 to Health and Welfare and multiple business, health, and state affairs measures to second reading. House Resolution 26, reviewing certain administrative rules, was sent to Judiciary, Rules and Administration for printing. On the floor, the House passed Senate Bill 1314, a budget rescission measure cutting regional behavioral health director positions and regional behavioral health boards; one member opposed it, warning of a disconnect between local communities and the state council. The House also passed House Bills 716, 648, 846, 825, 815, 717 as amended, 668 as amended, 750 as amended, 847, 848, 849, and 681. These bills addressed highway and local road funding, chemotherapy parity coverage, license plate fee changes tied to the Idaho Heritage Trust, school transportation reimbursement for a charter school, vehicle registration penalties, child custody interference enforcement, programmable money protections, judicial and legislative branch maintenance budgets, career ladder movement for CTE and pupil services staff, and elimination of the statute of limitations for certain child sexual abuse crimes. The House also adopted House Joint Memorial 17, which urges the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider Obergefell v. Hodges; the memorial drew sharp debate over marriage, federalism, and LGBTQ rights and passed 44-26. House Concurrent Resolution 33, creating an interim effort involving education, the attorney general, and the 988 line to address sex torsion and youth protection, also passed by recorded vote. Several bills were held on the third reading calendar, and the House recessed and later reconvened to continue floor action and committee scheduling announcements.

Transcript Highlights:

• Deploying advanced nuclear reactor technologies for national security.
• as well as the technologies that we develop.
• So they have special technologies that we don't have, and I remind everybody who asks: those technologies
• And what size area can it service?
• That kind of service, if you will, is appealing to these companies.

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from January 14 and January 28. It then considered RS 3-2904, a bill from the DOGE Committee to remove 19 obsolete code sections, including provisions related to hazardous waste facility siting and the Big Payette Lake Water Quality Act. The sponsor urged the committee to print the bill so members could review possible unintended consequences, including whether the changes would shift responsibilities or reduce public testimony. After a question about Department of Environmental Quality involvement, the committee voted to introduce RS 3-2904. The remainder of the meeting was a presentation by Dr. John Wagner, director of Idaho National Laboratory, on energy dominance and security through research, development, and demonstration. He described INL’s role in nuclear energy, critical infrastructure security, and critical minerals, and said the current federal administration has accelerated nuclear policy through executive orders aimed at expanding reactor deployment, reforming NRC processes, and supporting advanced reactor testing. He highlighted INL’s work with private companies on small modular reactors, microreactors, fuel fabrication, and used nuclear fuel research, including projects tied to AI/data center power demand and Department of War applications. Members asked about used fuel storage, Idaho’s potential role in nuclear recycling and reactor development, transmission and water constraints, public acceptance, and the timeline for deployment. Wagner said Idaho’s advantage lies in its expertise, existing infrastructure, and a regulatory environment that provides certainty, while noting that transmission, water use, and workforce remain key issues. He also said the legislature can help by signaling receptiveness, clarifying policy, and supporting infrastructure and workforce development. The committee took no further action after the presentation and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It prohibits the manufacture, sale, and use of technology... Explicit consent.
• This bill does not ban technology.
• Kenne, with Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, in support.
• They use new technology. They exploit new platforms.
• Thank you for your service to California.

Summary: The committee heard several public safety bills and took testimony on each, with members often noting amendments and continuing negotiations. SB 1009 by Senator Becker would require juvenile courts to find that less restrictive alternatives are unsuitable before ordering detention, and would require periodic review of continued detention and consideration of alternatives at disposition. Supporters argued it would reduce unnecessary youth detention and improve transparency; probation, judges, and police groups opposed it as an undue limit on judicial discretion and potentially unsafe in serious cases. The chair said he would recommend an aye with amendments, but the bill was held pending quorum and later remained on call. SB 1130 by Senator Gomez Reyes would update privacy law for wearable recording devices such as smart glasses, requiring consent before recording in places where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy and banning devices or accessories designed to defeat recording indicators. Supporters said the bill addresses secret recording and invasive surveillance; opponents from tech and hospitality groups sought clarification to avoid unintended liability for businesses and exempt workplace communication devices. Members discussed those exemptions, and the chair recommended an aye, but the measure also remained on call. Senator Blake Spear presented SB 99, which would let courts consider military protective orders in domestic violence proceedings and require better communication between civilian law enforcement and military authorities. Supporters from the Department of Defense, local officials, and military representatives said it would close protection gaps for military families; the ACLU opposed it on due process grounds because MPOs are issued without judicial process. The chair and author emphasized that the bill only allows consideration of MPOs and does not require civilian enforcement of them. The bill passed out on a vote, though it remained on call for additional members. The committee also heard SB 937 by Senator Gonzalez, restricting flashbang use for crowd control and banning flashbangs and explosive breaching charges in immigration enforcement, and SB 1022, creating a statewide anti-trafficking task force. SB 937 drew support from civil rights and community groups and opposition from police and sheriffs over the use-of-force standard and limits on tactics; it passed out on a vote but remained on call. SB 1022 was supported by survivor and faith groups and opposed by public defenders and sex worker advocates who raised concerns about racial disparities and enforcement harms; it also passed out on a vote. Later, SB 1395, extending criminal protective orders for certain felony sex offenses against minors up to 20 years, and SB 1230, increasing penalties for repeat illegal dumping, were both heard with mixed testimony and were held on call after committee votes. The committee also adopted a consent calendar and several bills were moved forward with amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• rehabilitation services as well as independent living services.
• Services.
• and vocational services.
• When there are services rendered versus when they get paid for those services, the agency has a borrowing
• Services. $36,300 for IT hardware that is recommended by the Office of Information Technology Services

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations first for the Idaho Workforce Development Council. Analyst Brooke Dupree reviewed the council’s statutory role, fund balances, and FY 2027 requests, including an ongoing transfer of $1.15 million within the In Demand Careers Fund to support more Launch grants, a proposed consolidation of the STEM Action Center into the council, and reappropriation authority for ARPA and other grant funds. Director Wendy Sechrist said Launch, workforce training grants, child care grants, and semiconductor-related grants have produced strong participation and wage gains, and she explained that the STEM education fund would be sunset under the merger. Members asked about the remaining STEM dedicated fund, the timing and impact of a proposed $10 million cash transfer from Launch, repayment of some Launch grants, and how much of the training funding goes to incumbent workers versus new hires. The committee then reviewed the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Dupree outlined the agency’s dedicated funds and FY 2027 requests for additional appropriation authority tied to Social Security reimbursements and adaptive aids store revenue, plus one-time vehicle replacement funding. Administrator Beth Cunningham said the agency uses those funds to support vocational rehabilitation, independent living services, and surgeries for eligible clients without other coverage. Members asked about discrepancies in fund figures, the growth in the adaptive aids fund balance, and the effect of holdbacks on services; Cunningham said the cuts would modestly reduce client services, travel, and some site restoration support. Finally, the Idaho State Historical Society presented its budget. Dupree described requests for $450,000 to complete the move of state records and collections into the new archives addition, $36,300 for IT hardware, and reappropriation authority for moving costs, along with prior enhancements for Old Pen staffing and archival work. Director Janet Gallimore emphasized stewardship of state records and artifacts, the importance of the move, and the agency’s role in Idaho’s America 250 efforts. Members praised the agency’s work and asked about historic preservation reviews and archaeological surveys; Gallimore said staff consult with federal agencies under the National Historic Preservation Act and agreed to provide travel records for surveys in Bonner County. The meeting ended with a presentation of historical artifacts and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> first aid it's not therapeutic service first aid it's not therapeutic service that's<00:08:58.160
• </c> things about education Ser service things about education Ser service providers<00:24:40.880><c>
• They were embracing technology everywhere, and everything was technology-based where they could interact
• They were embracing technology everywhere, and everything was technology-based where they could interact
• </c><00:57:56.559><c> providers</c> regarding education service providers regarding education service

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Primary and Secondary Education Committee met and first considered Senate Concurrent Resolution 43, a proposal tied to the Southern Regional Education Board’s crisis recovery network. Senator West and Dr. Puit explained that, for an additional $10,000 in dues, Kentucky would help create a network of 40 trained counselors in each of the 16 Southern states to provide post-crisis stabilization and psychological first aid after events such as the Marshall County shooting. They emphasized that the effort would be complementary to local and state response, would run through the school district, would not replace therapeutic services, and would allow districts to coordinate parent notifications and other protocols as usual. Members asked about parent involvement and whether pastoral counselors could participate; the presenters said local districts would remain in charge and that pastors could be included if properly credentialed. The committee then voted, and SCR 43 passed with the expression of opinion that it should pass. The committee next took up Senate Bill 207, the School of Innovation Act, with a committee substitute. Senator West described the bill as creating an optional path for districts to contract with an outside education service provider for a three-year school-of-innovation model, aimed at turning around low-performing schools or supporting other schools that want to innovate. He said the model would preserve core district functions such as transportation, facilities, and SEEK funding, while allowing waivers from certain statutes and regulations inside the school building. The committee substitute also added a high-quality instructional materials component, creating a vendor-supported repository of vetted instructional materials that KDE would still control, with testing data used to evaluate whether the materials were improving outcomes. Members questioned how the proposal differed from existing district-of-innovation law and what safeguards would exist for students. Senator West said the bill would repeal the unused district-of-innovation framework and replace it with a clearer process and guardrails, including KDE oversight, attendance rules, and authority to shut down a school arrangement for financial malfeasance. He also said the model could work with local partners, including superintendents’ associations, and could be used by magnet or other schools, not only low-performing ones. The discussion also touched on whether the bill would allow more flexibility in choosing third-party providers and whether it could support longer-term recovery and even philanthropy in schools. The transcript ends during the discussion of SB 207, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• OUR FIRST PRESENTATION TODAY BY COMMISSIONER WILTON SIMPSON DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES
• ADDITIONALLY HE HAS DEDICATED HIMSELF TO MANY YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE WHICH MOST RECENTLY INCLUDED SERVING
• NUMBER TWO, WITH THE HELP OF THE LEGISLATURE WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BUY DRONES AND TECHNOLOGY TO PUT IN
• THANK YOU COMMISSIONER SIMPSON FOR SERVICE.
• MORE SCIENCE DRIVEN, MORE TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN AND WERE PRODUCING CROPS THAT MORE SCIENCE DRIVEN, MORE TECHNOLOGY

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Previous roles at Pivotal, Silvest Technologies, and Arrow Environment.
• Pivotal Arrow is centered on new technologies and public safety.
• Senate Bill 1242, an act relating to mental health services.
• After his years of service there, he decided to run for office.
• For your public service as well.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and approval of the prior journal. The President introduced guests from California, then announced committee substitutions and a referral change for Senate Bill 1267, which was withdrawn from Judiciary and Elections and sent to Appropriations, Transportation, and Technology. The chamber then moved through third-reading consent-calendar bills, with several measures on mental health services, special license plates, optometrists, claims relief, Department of Revenue matters, and Attorney General-related provisions. Senate Bill 1112 failed, while Senate Bills 1153, 1242, 1023, 1097, 1210, 1401, 1430, 1452, and 1613 all passed and were transmitted to the House. The Senate also adopted SCM 1003, urging Congress to amend the Constitution to allow states to regulate and limit campaign finance, after debate about money in politics and Citizens United. The chamber then received House Concurrent Resolution 2060, a death resolution honoring former legislator and University of Arizona administrator George Cunningham. The resolution was read in full, adopted unanimously, and signed in open session. The Senate recessed to allow Cunningham’s family onto the floor, where several senators offered personal tributes describing his public service, budget expertise, mentorship, and work with the Grand Canyon Institute and the University of Arizona. After the memorial observance, the Senate resumed briefly for announcements. Committee notices were given for Judiciary and Elections, Rules, and caucuses on the following Monday, while Federalism, Finance, and Military Affairs and Border Security were announced as not meeting. Senator Sears read a legislative proclamation honoring Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. for his civil rights and economic justice legacy. The Senate then adjourned until Monday, February 23, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, General, for... for your service to this country.
• You get into the safe city technology.
• Chair, and thanks to our witnesses for your service.
• the use of these new technologies.
• And so that's where it's at right now, the services. So it's coming out of the services pockets.

Keywords: national security, China, Russia, cybersecurity, border security, military deployment, transnational crime, defense modernization, military strategy

Summary: In this meeting, key topics included national security concerns with an emphasis on threats from China, Russia, and transnational criminal organizations. Senior military officials provided testimony on the evolving risks posed by these adversaries, particularly focusing on cybersecurity and advancements in weaponry. The discussion highlighted the importance of a cohesive strategy among government departments to effectively respond to the challenges presented by these threats, emphasizing the need for modernization in defense capabilities. Committee members grilled the witnesses on border security and the implications of deploying military resources in domestic operations.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill seeks to improve emergency medical services by requiring public safety dispatchers to complete
• The National Fire Protection Association's Hydrogen Technologies Code is an amendment to the National
• Fire Protection Association's Hydrogen Technologies Code and provides ongoing training to local fire
• This technology would drastically.
• I'm just using my technologies. when we need them. So I have... This is all I need. I know...

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So how do you incentivize the adoption of modular technology?
• How can we leverage this construction technology to address the current need?
• There is a new technology out there. Not new for the world, but new for California.
• Technology is a good example, not going too far down that road.
• Oh, kids aren't speaking because they have too much technology.

Summary: The Select Committee on Housing Construction Innovation met to examine how industrialized construction, including modular, panelized, manufactured, and 3D-printed building methods, could help lower California’s housing costs and speed delivery. Chair Buffy Wicks opened by describing the committee’s purpose as a cross-cutting effort to address construction costs, drawing on visits to factories in Sweden, Idaho, and Indiana. Members from both the committee and invited participants broadly agreed that California’s housing crisis is driven not only by land use and permitting, but also by high construction costs, labor shortages, and a lack of scalable innovation. Ben Metcalf of UC Berkeley’s Turner Center provided the main policy overview, saying California needs roughly 2.5 million additional homes by 2030 and that multifamily construction costs in the state can be far higher than in Texas or Colorado. He said factory-built housing can reduce hard costs and timelines under the right conditions, but barriers remain in financing, local code and design review, uncertain demand pipelines, and fragmented research and data. In response to committee questions, he discussed possible state actions such as pro-housing incentives, state-backed purchasing or subsidies, more standardized approvals, and better research infrastructure. Members also raised the need to involve labor and building trades in the process. A panel of developers and builders then described projects and cost savings from factory-built and related methods. Caleb Rupp of Pacific Companies said modular construction can save about 20% on average and cited a project where modular delivery reduced the need for public subsidy by $18 million; he suggested incentives such as tax exemptions, state-owned sites, third-party inspections, and limits on local code variation. Lois Kim of Mutual Housing California described a pipeline of more than 660 units across six jurisdictions, saying a predictable factory pipeline can reduce construction time by about 40% and total development costs by at least 10%. Danny Haber of O’WOW said standardized design, componentized construction, and mass timber can cut costs substantially, while also criticizing outdated codes, utility hookup fees, and financing costs. Donna Jamian of Emergent Construction described California’s first code-approved 3D concrete printing projects, including homes in Redding and work on a commercial building and fire-recovery projects in Altadena. She said current codes have not caught up to the technology and asked for participation in local self-certification programs. Committee members asked about the role of state incentives, code alignment, financing support, and how to build developer confidence after failures like Katerra. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational and ended with plans for further hearings and a forthcoming white paper with policy recommendations.