Transcript Highlights:

• So that's what we've done on this group of Eastern 20 states.
• So what we found in the work we've done with those pilots, with focus groups, surveys, is we just got
• We've seen that in these focus groups and participant surveys that people are interested in having that
• The Hawaii Department of Transportation conducted numerous focus groups that covered all of our Hawaii
• And because of the reasons, I loved Trish's presentation with the Embuff group.

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee first took up three highway naming resolutions on its consent calendar: ACR 109, SCR 78, and SCR 90. The committee approved the consent calendar with 11 aye votes and no no votes, then adjourned the bill-hearing portion. Members also recognized committee science fellow AJ Mendeola for his service, noting his contributions to bill analysis and staff support. The committee then held an informational hearing on alternatives to the gas tax, focused on the projected decline in fuel-tax revenue and the need for a more sustainable transportation funding model. The chair and invited experts described how inflation, improved fuel efficiency, and growth in electric and other alternative-fuel vehicles are eroding gas-tax revenues. Presenters from the National Conference of State Legislatures and the University of California discussed state options such as higher or indexed gas taxes, EV registration fees, road usage charges, delivery fees, public EV charging fees, transportation network company fees, and managed lanes, emphasizing tradeoffs among revenue adequacy, fairness, administrative cost, and public acceptance. Committee members raised concerns that mileage-based fees or EV fees could function as new taxes on commuters and lower-income drivers, especially if the gas tax is not repealed. Presenters responded that road usage charges are generally intended as replacements for the gas tax, not additions, and argued that mileage-based systems better preserve the user-pays principle while being less tied to vehicle fuel efficiency. They also noted that flat EV registration fees are easy to administer but can be less equitable because they are not linked to actual road use. Officials from Hawaii, Utah, and Oregon described their state programs and policy choices. Hawaii said its new road usage charge began July 1, 2025, for EVs, offers a choice between a per-mile charge and a flat annual fee through 2028, and will transition to mandatory EV participation before expanding to all light-duty vehicles by 2033. Utah described its voluntary EV road usage charge program, quarterly reporting, privacy protections, and legislative scenarios for removing the cap or making participation mandatory. Oregon outlined its constitutional cost-responsibility framework and broader transportation funding challenges, including reliance on user fees and limited use of general-fund support.

Transcript Highlights:

• Stephen Wang, a radiologist with the Southern California Permanente Medical Group and a leading voice
• Definitely continue to be impressed by this group of advocates, so we are close.
• She also watched one of her breast cancer support group friends, her father, and her father-in-law die
• Kate Conley with Whitamin Group, on behalf of the California Society of Health System Pharmacists, in
• Liz Maylor on behalf of Indivisible California State Strong and the 80 local groups that we represent

Summary: The committee heard several health-related measures. SB 27 by Senator Umberg would revise and expand California’s CARE Court by limiting the expansion to people with bipolar I disorder with psychotic features, clarifying the definition of “clinically stabilized,” and narrowing the role of nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Supporters, including behavioral health officials and family members, said the bill would reduce dismissals and better serve people with severe illness; opponents warned the expansion would strain county staffing and housing resources and could undermine voluntary engagement. The bill passed on a do pass motion to the Committee on Public Safety. SB 503 by Senator Weber Pierson would require AI tools used in health care facilities to be identified, monitored, and mitigated for bias when used in clinical decision-making or resource allocation. The author and supporters from Kaiser Permanente and the California Medical Association said the bill would help prevent discriminatory outcomes and improve trust and safety. The committee discussed the need to clarify developer and deployer responsibilities, and the bill passed as amended to Privacy and Consumer Protection. SB 68 by Senator Menjivar would require restaurants to provide written allergen information for the top nine food allergens, with tiered flexibility for smaller establishments. The bill was supported by patients, families, nurses, and allergy organizations, who described severe reactions and the difficulty of relying on verbal disclosures alone. The California Restaurant Association opposed unless amended, seeking broader use of the national model food code and additional liability language. The bill passed as amended to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 403 by Senator Blakespear, which would remove the sunset from the End of Life Option Act; supporters described the law as a compassionate, well-functioning option for terminally ill patients, while faith-based groups opposed it. The bill passed to Judiciary. Later, SB 41 by Senator Wiener was introduced to rein in pharmacy benefit manager practices that steer patients to mail-order pharmacies and reimburse community pharmacies below cost; community pharmacists and several health organizations testified in support, describing pharmacy closures and patient access problems.

Transcript Highlights:

• I rise today to recognize a group of graduate students joining us here from the Goldman School of Public
• Because there's a powerful interest group demanding it.
• Then it became a very bipartisan group that began to push those things.
• Then it became a very bipartisan group that began to push those things.
• You know that person on the group project who doesn't do anything, then takes credit for it?

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, and pledge, then moved through a long floor session focused heavily on budget trailer bills, labor agreements, housing, environmental review, and several resolutions. Members also introduced visiting guests, including family members, district staff, Mandela Washington Fellows, and UC Berkeley public policy students. Procedural motions were taken up early, including a successful roll-call vote to suspend rules so certain budget-related bills could be heard without reference to file. The chamber approved several major budget measures. SB 129, the labor trailer bill, passed 56-4 after supporters said it made technical budget adjustments, funded collective bargaining, supported In-Home Supportive Services, and addressed pension and project-related issues. SB 131, the public resources and housing trailer bill, passed 50-3 after extensive debate over homelessness funding, CEQA exemptions, advanced manufacturing, high-speed rail, rural access to funds, tribal consultation, and environmental protections; multiple members voiced support while also urging follow-up changes. The Assembly also adopted SB 139, implementing agreements for professional and operating engineers, by 69-1, and SB 140, implementing the correctional officers’ agreement, by 71-0. Later, AB 130, the housing trailer bill, was taken up on concurrence in Senate amendments after a successful rule suspension; members discussed tribal consultation protections, CEQA reform, prevailing wage, and vehicle miles traveled provisions, with debate continuing as the transcript ended. The Assembly also concurred in Senate amendments to AB 927, extending the Williams inspection window for certain school districts, which passed 70-0. In addition, ACR 16 naming the 10th Street Bridge the POW/MIA Bridge passed 70-0. AJR 9, urging full and consistent federal funding for the National Park Service, drew broad bipartisan support and passed 66-0 after members highlighted California parks’ economic and cultural importance. HR 47, recognizing the Fourth of July and the Declaration of Independence, prompted extended remarks on democracy, civics, immigration, military service, and community celebrations before being adopted by voice vote with 64 co-authors added. The consent calendar was also adopted 64-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because it seems to same group to do it?
• I think they just had their second large group meeting.
• just had their second large group just had their second large group meeting.<00:28:34.960> um
• So, this is a group of peers that get together.
• So, this is a group of peers that get together.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved contracts 98, 99, and 100 on a roll call vote, with Chairman Douglas voting no but the items still passing. It then took up a Kentucky Department of Tourism contract involving the United Kingdom, France, and Germany/Austria/Switzerland markets. Tourism officials said the state has had similar contracts since 2013, that international visitors spend about six times more per day than domestic travelers, and that the effort supports marketing, public relations, and familiarization trips. The committee approved that contract as well, with Chairman Douglas voting yes after expressing support for tourism promotion. Next, the committee reviewed two Finance Cabinet facilities and support services items involving engineering and architectural services for a specialized lab expansion project. Members discussed why the design work was expensive, and the cabinet explained that the project’s pathogen-related complexity required specialized firms. Chairman Douglas said he believed some architectural and engineering reimbursement rates were too high and should be reexamined, but the committee still approved the items by roll call. The committee then heard from the Attorney General’s office and the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission on an MOA related to substance use disorder funding. Senator Meredith asked how the commission’s work coordinated with behavioral health programs, and staff explained that the commission allocates funds based on applications and includes relevant state officials. The contract was approved. After that, the committee considered behavioral health items: one new 988 chat-and-text contract to expand Kentucky-based crisis response coverage, and a Voices of Hope amendment that doubled funding to continue services into the next fiscal year. Officials said the 988 contract would move more chats and texts in-state, and that the Voices of Hope increase reflected continuation of SAMHSA-funded services; both were approved. Finally, the committee reviewed DCBS contracts, including a food insecurity survey contract with a Kentucky nonprofit and a Building Bridges Initiative training contract. Members questioned whether the food survey group’s advocacy role created a conflict, but DCBS said the organization was chosen for its statewide network and that the cabinet would receive the raw data. For Building Bridges, DCBS said the program began in the fall and provides training and peer mentorship for residential child care providers, with results still too early to assess. Both items were approved. The last set of contracts, under the State Treasurer for the Kentucky Council on Developmental Disabilities, prompted questions about why the funding flowed through the treasurer’s office and about a sexuality-related capacity-building initiative. Staff explained the treasurer serves as the designated state agency for federal DD Act funds, and that the sexuality initiative is part of a broader five-year plan focused on self-advocacy, system change, and capacity building; the committee then moved to approve those contracts as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sorry about that. applies to group plans, not individual applies to group plans, not individual market
• So it's group plan.
• for the purpose of a small small group for the purpose of a small group<04:23:56.640> plan<04
• But we are small group of people.
• There are a couple of group market, we're looking at a yearly group market, we're looking at a yearly

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then there's the small group market.
• There have also been no relief for the small group plans, and they have never received subsidies
• Section five is healthcare bargaining groups.
• The QHP plans groups on the marketplace.
• And the bill requires the board groups.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House took up S. 190, a health care cost-containment bill relating to the Green Mountain Care Board, reference-based pricing, and a study of a public employee health benefit authority. The House first suspended rules to take the bill from the notice calendar, then heard committee reports from Health Care, Ways and Means, and Appropriations. The Health Care committee chair described the bill as a strike-all amendment intended to carry out Act 68’s hospital reference-based pricing timeline, saying it would let the Green Mountain Care Board begin implementation for fiscal year 2027, expand reference-based pricing to qualified health plans and the Vermont Education Health Insurance program, and address hospital pricing transparency, outsourcing, and critical access hospital Medicare outpatient cost-sharing issues. Supporters argued the bill would lower insurance costs, help reduce property taxes, and improve hospital sustainability by reducing the need for hospitals to limit access as they approach revenue caps. The Ways and Means committee said the bill could reduce education spending by lowering health care costs for school employees and reported the bill favorably on a 7-4 vote. The Appropriations committee said it reviewed the bill and an amendment, and noted that much of the detailed language would be changed by the appropriations amendment; it also discussed a possible state innovation waiver under the Affordable Care Act. The Health Care committee reported its strike-all amendment favorably on a 10-0 vote. The bill’s provisions were described in detail, including requiring hospitals and insurers to express rates as a percentage of Medicare, setting a path toward national median hospital prices by 2030, limiting certain reimbursements for QHP and VHI plans, requiring a report on hospital outsourcing and provider tax impacts, and creating a public health system performance tool if funding is available. The speaker also noted that the bill would not affect critical access hospitals or Vermont’s Medicare-dependent hospital in the reimbursement cap provisions, and that critical access hospitals were already working with the Green Mountain Care Board on solutions to Medicare outpatient cost-sharing concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:12:19.040> at contractors, and industry groups at contractors, and industry groups at
• that met on the first Tuesday following the working group reenactment all agreed in that working group
• <01:24:43.520> that other members of the working group that other members of the working group
• <01:24:51.520> that all agreed in that working group that all agreed in that working group
• <01:24:58.000> Um, working group. Um, working group.

Bills: HF1234, HF3528, HF3672, HF3679, HF3680, HF1944

Keywords: payment transparency, public contracts, contractor rights, government accountability, construction payments, barbering, licensing, examinations, barber schools, public safety, certifications, Barber Examiners Board, data transparency, Legislative Budget Office, state agencies, fiscal notes, public data, standard time, federal law, time zone

Transcript Highlights:

• One is a risk retention group model. The other is a captive model.
• One is a risk<00:33:04.640> retention<00:33:05.120> group<00:33:05.440> model.
• The other is risk retention group model.
• And this would be for certain groups.
• self- insurance group is offering. self- insurance group is offering. um<00:43:45.920> what

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is it possible to convene a group of experts?
• have the opportunity to convene a group have the opportunity to convene a group to<00:54:15.320>
• Employer-sponsored insurance, large groups tend to be self-insured.
• large groups uh tend to be self-insured. large groups uh tend to be self-insured.
• Uh the smaller uh group, self-insured. Uh the smaller uh group, they<01:10:29.960> do.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board met on September 24, 2025, approved the minutes from the September 9 meeting, and then continued its discussion of Medicaid waivers with Leslie Hoffman and Carmen Hancock from the Department for Medicaid Services. Members asked for updates on the 2024 waiver waitlist management assessment recommendations, including aligning waiver policies, standardizing applications and waitlist placement, and modernizing data systems. DMS said that work is being done jointly with Aging and Independent Living and Behavioral Health/Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities through task forces, that ARPA spending delayed action, and that implementation timelines extend through March 2027. The board also reviewed per-member waiver cost averages for fiscal years 2023 through 2025 for ABI, ABI long-term care, HCBS, Model II, Michelle P, and SCL. DMS emphasized these figures were benefit-only averages based on paid claims, not full waiver costs, and explained that true budget neutrality is calculated on an aggregate basis against institutional care comparisons approved by CMS. DMS said all six waivers remain in compliance with budget neutrality and that the most recent 18-month lag review for FY 2022 and FY 2023 found costs at or below institutional care. Members also asked about unused waiver slots; DMS said slots generally cannot be reallocated mid-year if they have been used, except in cases such as death or reserved capacity, because CMS treats participants as unduplicated for the waiver year. A major portion of the meeting focused on the new child waiver created under House Bill 6. Legislators questioned whether the waiver’s design, including the exclusion of participant-directed services and the emphasis on high-acuity children with behavioral health, DCBS, or juvenile justice involvement, matched the bill’s intent to keep children at home. DMS said it used the $14.7 million appropriated for FY 2026 to develop the program, that there is no priority list, and that the waiver is intended to serve the highest-acuity children while also addressing residential needs for those sleeping in offices or placed out of state. Members also raised concerns about the rapid growth of the HCBS waiting list and asked for more detail on age and timing patterns, which DMS said it would provide later. Finally, DMS gave average processing times from application to eligibility determination and from approval to service start, and said the overall average from application to services beginning was about 80 days, while members requested follow-up information on the Carewise assessment contract and related costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• A group of counties behavioral needs.
• A group of counties across<00:08:39.440> the<00:08:39.599> metro<00:08:40.399> and
• <00:09:27.440> of recommendations of the working group of recommendations of the working group
• <00:10:33.839> on former chair of the working group on former chair of the working group on
• If we continue to see provider groups.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:30:33.120> for<00:30:33.320> states<00:30:33.640> to a working group for
• states to a working group for states to collaborate<00:30:34.519> with<00:30:34.720> each<
• We all have a responsibility to address, don't ignore outcome data for these student groups.
• We all have a responsibility to address, don't ignore outcome data for these student groups.
• Similarly to MCA, we can take the ACT data and desegregate it by any sort of group.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We break this into two groupings: small grants under $10,000 and large grants over $10,000.
• <01:10:16.120> small<01:10:16.480> grants this into two grouping small grants this
• <01:11:00.760> with to ask us to organize a group with to ask us to organize a group with
• that was uh uh involving a lot of groups that was uh uh involving a lot of groups and<01:25:20.119
• My comment is the same as the other groups as well.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I’m happy to sit and work with whatever group Senator Pearl puts together for this to help if I can,
• with whatever group Senator Pearl puts<00:24:12.120> together<00:24:12.360> for<00:24:
• You know, you can't have a contract for school groups coming onto your whale watch if you don't know
• I know that there is an advisory group.
• I don’t think there is direct representation from either Hampton or Rye on that group.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• practice-related problems, and where is the Arkansas chapter of the Dermatology Training Advocacy Group
• I'm so proud of these girls, and I've been so blessed to be a part of this group.
• They fought, and we had some ups and downs, but they fought hard and kept the group score where they
• Colleagues, I come to you today to recognize an exceptional group of student athletes who have made I
• come to you today to recognize an exceptional group of student athletes who have made our state proud

Summary: The House convened to finish items from an adjourned resolution and spent most of the meeting recognizing individuals, teams, and organizations through a series of House resolutions. One resolution designated May as Skin Cancer Awareness Month, with the sponsor emphasizing that skin cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in the U.S., that early detection greatly improves outcomes, and that public education on prevention and sun safety is important. Another resolution honored Frederick Henry Middleton of Arkadelphia for 50 years of service to the city’s street department and his long record of community involvement. The chamber also recognized the Rolling Razorbacks wheelchair basketball team for winning its sixth Division II national championship, and several Arkansas high school athletic programs for state titles, including Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School boys basketball, Rogers High School teams in girls cross country, baseball, boys tennis, girls wrestling, and boys golf, Mountain Home High School boys and girls cross country, Mount St. Mary Academy girls golf, and North Little Rock High School girls basketball. Members highlighted team records, championships, coaches, and individual achievements, and many resolutions were adopted by title only after brief presentations. Additional resolutions honored the Central Arkansas Christian High School choir for its state festival success, Arkansas Tech University women’s cross-country team for winning the Great American Conference championship, and Arkansas Tech women’s basketball coach Dave Wilbers upon his retirement after a highly successful career. No substantive debate or roll-call votes were recorded in the transcript; the meeting ended after the final recognition with notice that the House would reconvene later in the day.

Transcript Highlights:

• and practice-related problems, and whereas the Arkansas chapter of the Dermatology Training Advocacy Group
• I'm so proud of these girls, and I've been so blessed to be a part of this group.
• They fought, and we had some ups and downs, but they fought hard and kept the group score where they
• Colleagues, I come to you today to recognize an exceptional group of student-athletes who have made I
• come to you today to recognize an exceptional group of student-athletes who have made our state proud

Summary: The House convened to finish items from an adjourned resolution and spent the meeting recognizing a series of resolutions honoring public health awareness, community service, and athletic and academic achievements. House Resolution 1021 designated May as Skin Cancer Awareness Month, with the sponsor emphasizing that skin cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in the U.S., is highly preventable, and benefits from early detection. House Resolution 1020 honored Frederick Henry Middleton upon his retirement after 50 years of service to the City of Arkadelphia, and House Resolution 1022 congratulated the Rolling Razorbacks on winning their sixth Division II National Wheelchair Basketball Championship, with MVP Jeff Glassbrenner and Coach Jared Johnson recognized on the floor. The chamber then adopted or considered multiple school-sports resolutions, including House Resolution 1033 honoring the Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School Patriots boys basketball team for winning the 2026 Class 5A state championship, and House Resolutions 1028 through 1032 recognizing Rogers High School teams for championships in girls cross-country, baseball, boys tennis, girls wrestling, and boys golf. House Resolutions 1040 and 1041 honored Mountain Home High School’s boys and girls cross-country teams for sweeping the 2025 Class 5A titles, and House Resolution 1044 recognized Mount St. Mary Academy’s Bell’s golf team for its third straight Class 6A championship. Additional resolutions recognized the Central Arkansas Christian High School Choir for its first Best in Class showing at the state choir festival, Coach Dave Wilbers of Arkansas Tech University for his retirement after a highly successful women’s basketball career, Arkansas Tech’s Golden Suns cross-country team for winning the Great American Conference championship, and the North Little Rock Lady Charging Wildcats girls basketball team for winning the 2026 Class 6A state title. No substantive legislation was debated; the meeting consisted primarily of ceremonial presentations, brief remarks, and requests for favorable votes or title-only readings, and it ended with the House announcing it would reconvene at 1:00 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• For instance, CFT sits on a work group with the Superintendent of Public Instruction on trying to find
• State strong 86 Indivisible groups representing 80,000 constituents across California.
• behalf of three different organizations: Sacramento ACT, including 56 congregations and neighborhood groups
• behalf of three different organizations: Sacramento ACT, including 56 congregations and neighborhood groups
• behalf of three different organizations: Sacramento ACT, including 56 congregations and neighborhood groups

Summary: The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee met and first approved the consent calendar, which included AB 2028, AB 2425, and committee bill AB 2795, all sent to the Committee on Appropriations. The committee also noted that AB 2558 and AB 2746 had been pulled from the agenda. The chair reviewed hearing procedures, including acceptance of written testimony and rules against disruptive conduct. The committee then heard AB 2116, which would require registration and basic conduct standards for certain small-business financing providers, including merchant cash advance companies, and prohibit confessions of judgment and power-of-attorney provisions before default. Supporters argued the bill would close an oversight gap and improve transparency for small businesses; a small business owner testified that a purported 13% loan turned out to have a 235% APR. Opponents said the bill mixed consumer and commercial regulation and could restrict access to capital, though they supported banning confessions of judgment. The bill passed on a roll call vote and was sent to Appropriations. AB 2243, by Assembly Member Haney, proposed creating a state bank commission to study whether California should establish a state bank or other public financing tools. Supporters said a public banking model could reduce borrowing costs, keep more public money in-state, and better finance housing, infrastructure, and other public priorities; opponents from banking groups raised concerns about taxpayer exposure, deposit guarantees, and the use of public funds and existing lending structures. The bill passed and was sent to Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 2350, which would set guardrails on rent-now-pay-later products for rental housing; supporters said these products can lead to high fees, debt, and eviction risk, while industry groups opposed the bill unless amended. AB 2350 passed as amended and was sent to Appropriations. At the end of the meeting, the committee completed roll calls for absent members and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many questions, comments for mi's group. I'd like to make a comment on the GIS training.
• Any other questions or comments for Amy's group?
• We're still working on a media, selecting a media group that can carry out that goal for us.
• can present us as far as putting the idea of this career filled out to the public to different age groups
• Barbara, welcome to the group.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the international student groups all put on this food fest, which is absolutely amazing.
• Do you have any concerns then that what will end Up happening is that all groups will then have a fee
• But another group has the exact same size, and they won't be charged nothing or $100 For a follow-up,
• You know, if I know that XYZ group has a threat on such and such topic and I'm going to be talking about
• would hinder those types of decisions being made where everything else is exactly the same to this group

Bills: HB3700, HB3315, HB3242, HB3379, HB3129, HB3132, HB2950

Keywords: education policy, grading system, student assessment, academic integrity, state funding, opinion conduct, higher education, bachelor's degree, feasibility study, Oklahoma State Regents, accreditation, credit hours, emergency declaration, gender, privacy, public schools, sleeping quarters, restrooms, criminal history, admissions process

Transcript Highlights:

• I could not ask for a more dedicated group of professionals.
• AB 811 errands computer science instructional work group holding committee.
• AB 588, Patel, Lithium Battery Working Group, hold in committee.
• AB 841, Patel, Battery Fires. working group, do pass out on an A roll call.
• AB 1119 Patel dual credentialing work group do pass out on an A roll call.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Regarding religious groups, yes, all religious groups are allowed.
• We believe... ...religious groups are allowed. We believe in freedom of religion.
• It's a group of students appointed by their university presidents or chancellor to study this issue and
• So starting a few months ago, we reached out to many campus groups in order to spread as much awareness

Bills: SB278, HB459, HB61

Keywords: SB278, released time, religious instruction, elective credit, public schools, K-12 education, Alabama Released Time Credit Act, church-state separation, First Amendment, school choice, parental consent, elective course, off-campus instruction, private religious entity, State Board of Education, local board of education, attendance credit, core curriculum, religious education, Bible class