Transcript Highlights:

• <00:41:48.119><c> those</c><00:41:48.280><c> administrative</c> cover those administrative cover those
• She appreciates that they want that to be covered, and she wants that on the record.
• She thinks they should cover those costs, and there is a reason why that is in statute.
• She said that they want those costs to be covered, and she wants that on the record.
• You have to go to outside entities in order to get this.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> covers uh the moorings on and regulates. covers uh the moorings on and regulates.
• </c><01:30:37.440><c> a</c> wraps, I I said you'd have to cover a wraps, I I said you'd have to cover
• </c><01:32:07.360><c> one</c> That's not even enough to cover one lake.
• This is not battery collection entities.
• </c><03:23:27.359><c> 606</c> producers are participating covering 606 producers are participating covering

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To achieve these savings, the state also needs to empower an agency or an entity that can serve as the
• So there’s one model where a public entity would become a minority owner in a utility line.
• In fact, SDG&E has already done that with a nonprofit entity called Citizens Energy.
• If we can partner with another entity to get cheaper financing, we’re open to that.
• And the wildfire fund—some entities that had the opportunity to get in before tried last year.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard two bills focused on electricity affordability and utility costs. AB 745, by Assembly Member Irwin, would restructure the California Climate Credit by shifting it from lump-sum payments to direct reductions in volumetric electricity rates and moving the credit to the summer months when bills are highest. The author and UC Santa Barbara economist Dr. Kyle Meng argued this could significantly lower summer rates and better help households during extreme heat. Supporters, including UCS, NRDC, and some labor representatives, favored the concept, with some urging that the gas climate credit also be redirected. No opposition testimony was presented, and the bill passed 18-0 to the floor. The committee then considered AB 825, also presented as an affordability package aimed at reducing electric bills by addressing wildfire mitigation costs, transmission financing, permitting delays, and a review of ratepayer-funded programs. The bill would authorize securitization for undergrounding expenses, remove the first $15 billion in undergrounding capital investments from the rate base for return purposes, create a public transmission financing program using Proposition 4 funds and IBank support, revive the California Power Authority as a public sponsor, and establish a task force to review energy efficiency and demand response programs. The author and witness Matt Friedman of The Utility Reform Network said the bill could save ratepayers billions over time through lower-cost public financing and securitization. Testimony on AB 825 was mixed. Support came from several consumer and clean-energy groups, while utilities and labor raised concerns about the bill’s impact on utility financial stability, wildfire fund participation, liability, and whether the $15 billion securitization cap could discourage undergrounding. Some witnesses also objected to the task force’s potential effect on energy efficiency and demand response programs. Committee members discussed the need to balance affordability with utility creditworthiness and wildfire safety, and several asked for more analysis of market impacts and liability issues. Despite those concerns, AB 825 passed the committee 13-0 and was sent to the floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• And they're within the ages of 18 to 64, they would be covered by the work requirement.
• There was a drafting error in the House bill, which provided liability protection for the entity that
• Custodians are entities that would be newly regulated, Custodians are entities that would be newly regulated
• The law prevents those listed entities from mandating that people must receive an mRNA-based vaccine
• It also lists five entities. Only one of which, FHP, meets the 60% threshold.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions and recognitions, including a resolution honoring Bob Graham and a moment of silence for firefighter Roger Timmy Miley. The chamber then moved through a special-order calendar with multiple bills, many of them paired with House companions and amended before final passage. Early action included adoption of a tax conformity bill tied to federal changes in the Internal Revenue Code, with a 34-0 vote. The most extensive debate centered on CS/CS/SB 1758, a Medicaid and SNAP reform bill. The sponsor described provisions to strengthen fraud enforcement, impose work requirements for able-bodied adults, expand behavioral health services through a waiver, modernize Medicaid drug purchasing, and require a SNAP fraud-reduction plan and photo ID on EBT cards. Democrats offered amendments to delay work requirements until Medicaid expansion and to add protections for SNAP users such as caregivers, seniors, disabled individuals, and domestic violence survivors; both amendments failed. Senators also questioned implementation details, exemptions, and potential effects on vulnerable populations. After debate, the bill was placed on the calendar for third reading. The Senate also passed bills on technology education and AI instruction, a public records exemption and related Parkinson’s Disease Registry measures, designation of the SS American Victory as the state flagship, electronic payments for local governments, repeal of the sunset on legal tender recognition for gold and silver, public records protections for financial and digital-asset custodians, a Florida stablecoin pilot program, local government budget transparency, digital voyeurism, insurance customer representative licensing, and a medical freedom bill with amendments on vaccine-related materials and anti-kickback provisions. Most of these measures passed with little or no opposition, though the public records bill for gold/silver custodians and the legal tender repeal drew a few dissenting votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We cover a pretty broad scope of the state.
• And whichever entity is administering that election.
• Tell me what all types of ID this would cover, and if it doesn't cover all of them that the state provides
• I don't want it to just cover a driver's license. What do you cover?
• And can we cover anything more? The answer is we're covering state IDs.

Bills: HB304, HB401, HB556, HB1475, HB1489, HB2259, HB2424, HB2773, HB2811, HB3323, HB304

Keywords: voter ID, citizenship proof, provisional ballot, election security, Texas, voting rights, deep fakes, misleading videos, election integrity, criminal offense, digital misinformation, deep fake, political manipulation, misinformation, artificial media, political influence, artificially generated media, election influence, Texas Election Code, healthcare reform

Transcript Highlights:

• And then in addition, Washington dedicated state funding for public entities like PUDs, ports, cities
• And I'll just note that about just under 50% of our provisionally awarded subgrantees are public entities
• So I think that state match was really influential to making sure Are public entities.
• going to be funding, as I mentioned, the revisions to the program kind of, you know, are public entities
• I don't know if any of the public entities in the room, hearing room today with us, do that at all.

Summary: The committee first heard an update from the Department of Commerce’s new state broadband director on Washington’s BEAD broadband program and permitting process. Jordan Arnold said Washington’s final BEAD proposal has been submitted to NTIA but remains unapproved after months of back-and-forth over federal rule changes, technology choices, cost, and tribal sovereignty. He said the program is expected to bring about $1 billion in broadband investment, connecting roughly 166,000 homes and small businesses, with a mix of fiber, fixed wireless, and low-earth-orbit satellite. He also outlined permitting challenges, including rights-of-way and environmental/historic reviews, and said the office is working on permitting roundtables, federal coordination, and NEPA expertise to speed reviews. Members asked about the interaction of NEPA and SEPA, the reduction in deployable federal BEAD dollars, the long-term value of fiber versus other technologies, and possible coordination with other infrastructure permitting efforts. The committee then took executive action on House Bill 2684, which would add Middle Eastern and North African groups to the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises’ socially disadvantaged certification framework. Four proposed amendments were considered and all failed: an amendment narrowing the rebuttable presumption to groups with specific current discrimination, an amendment requiring disaggregated subgroup data and limiting use of aggregated data, an amendment tying the rules to the state constitution, and two amendments requiring consistency with federal law and Attorney General review. After debate over whether the bill was too broad or needed more specificity, the committee voted 7-4 to report HB 2684 out with a do pass recommendation. Finally, the committee unanimously approved House Joint Memorial 4012, which urges Congress to address the 20-year rule affecting certain combat-injured veterans and seeks parity in recognition and benefits. The memorial was reported out with a do pass recommendation by an 11-0 vote, with two members excused.

Transcript Highlights:

• that was the function behind 2038, to make sure that our private property rights are not lost to an entity
• Either they have an agreement to act, which with an entity or a party, or they have some form, it requires
• If it's limited to cities, I'll let my great friends from TML and cities cover it.
• But if they have to turn over the development document to a regulatory entity of the city or county or
• whoever, and that regulatory entity gets the ability ...to, in my term, grade that paper and say, "yes

Bills: SB1708, SB2523, SB1450

Keywords: county platting, subdivision platting, Local Government Code Chapter 232, Section 232.022, Section 232.0014, model subdivision rules, Water Code Section 16.343, Texas county subdivision law, residential subdivision, land conveyance, gift deed, family transfer, consanguinity, affinity, third degree relative, five acres or less, county land use, platting exemption, rural land division, property subdivision

Transcript Highlights:

• We do this work with help from entities.
• That is the basic structure for non-state entity reimbursements.
• That is the basic structure for non-state entity reimbursements. Uh uh represent Hansen.
• As far as reimbursement goes, funds are expended by the non-state entities.
• </c> directly to either of those entities. directly to either of those entities.

Bills: HF3426, HF3428

Keywords: natural resources, environment, sustainability, conservation, outdoor recreation, land acquisition, real property, trust fund, commissioner approval, Department of Natural Resources, DNR, conservation easement, land purchase, state land, public lands, property acquisition, value assessment, tax assessed value, Metropolitan Council, Board of Water and Soil Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• would also require immunizations that are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics to be covered
• </c><00:03:32.920><c> these</c> required that they cover these required that they cover these preventative
• </c> then they had another um another entity then they had another um another entity um<02:05:07.440>
• Um, and one of those entities is had extreme fraud issues.
• </c><02:29:51.920><c> is</c> Um, and one of those entities is Um, and one of those entities is um,<02

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Next, we are going to take up tab three in our binders, which is SB 1678 on entities that boycott Here
• SB 1678 on entities that boycott Israel by Senator Leake, an appropriate next bill.
• Boycotts of entities and individuals on the basis of national origin, particularly Israel, often...
• Currently, only commercial boycotts are covered.
• we don't want them to invest in entities that boycott Israel.

Summary: The committee first confirmed Heather L. Turnbull to the Florida Commission on Community Service, with the motion adopted and the confirmation recommended favorably. Members then took up SPB 7022, which sets Florida Retirement System employer contribution rates beginning July 1, 2025, updates rates to address unfunded actuarial liability, and allows certain elected officers to elect a DROP accumulation; a technical title amendment was adopted, the bill was submitted as a committee bill, and it was reported favorably as a committee bill. The committee then heard extensive debate and public testimony on SB 1710, which would restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion-related policies, trainings, and activities in state agencies, state-funded contractors and grantees, and medical institutions of higher education. Sponsor Senator DiCeglie said the bill is intended to prevent state agencies and contractors from using state funds for DEI programs and to limit state agencies from adopting DEI-related official positions; he also said the medical-school portion would likely be amended out later. Senator Polsky and others questioned the bill’s breadth and how it would affect health-related grants, public universities, historically Black institutions, recruitment, and contractor training. Public testimony was overwhelmingly opposed, with speakers arguing the bill would harm health care, education, access, and inclusion; a few supporters said DEI is ideological, can undermine merit, and should not be used by state agencies or publicly funded institutions. After debate, Senator Polsky argued the bill was confusing, overbroad, and harmful to serving diverse communities, while Senator Arrington said it was an overreach into private business and could have significant fiscal impacts. Chair Fine closed by saying DEI is political ideology and that the bill is meant to ensure government focuses on talent rather than identity. SB 1710 was then reported favorably on a roll call vote, with Senator Arrington voting no and the remaining members voting yes. The committee then began SB 1678, relating to entities that boycott Israel, and heard the sponsor’s explanation of a delete-all amendment that would expand and clarify state restrictions on dealings with entities engaged in boycotts of Israel, including certain nonprofits, foreign educational institutions, and grants; the amendment was adopted, and the sponsor and a witness began answering questions when the transcript cuts off.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think some of this was already covered.
• I think some of this was already covered. "Move on, let's see.
• Okay, I think the rest of these were pretty much covered."
• "Okay, I think the rest of these were pretty much covered.
• Can you talk about how we would intend to cover the disbursements?

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 5 held an informational hearing on the Governor’s May Revision proposals for labor, public safety/judiciary, and transportation, and no votes were taken. In Part A on labor, the Employment Development Department described funding for EDD Next document management work, updated UI loan interest costs, disability insurance and paid family leave benefit increases, WIOA adjustments, UI and school employee benefit changes, an EMT training reappropriation, and a technical correction tied to an EDD Next reversion. PERB discussed reduced funding requests for AB 288 due to litigation and a proposal to implement AB 1 covering legislative employees. DIR presented proposals for legal unit reclassifications, two major IT modernization projects, a new Cal/OSHA emerging technologies unit, a COIA reappropriation, and trailer bill language requiring electronic payment of employer assessments and removing a salary cap for the DWC administrative director. CalHR proposed consolidating employee assistance services into a statewide contract with enhanced support for first responders, and CalPERS and CalSTRS presented budget adjustments tied to investment costs, state contributions, and benefit overpayments. Members focused heavily on the unemployment insurance debt and interest payments, asking why the administration had no concrete plan to pay down principal. Finance and LAO explained that the state’s UI tax structure has long been insufficient and that any long-term solution would need to address both the outstanding federal loan and the structural imbalance in employer taxes. Questions also centered on EDD Next costs and timelines, with the chair asking for clearer long-term project cost estimates and Finance noting that future maintenance and operations costs will continue after implementation. On DIR’s emerging technologies unit, members asked whether it would address AI-driven workplace harms; DIR said the unit would focus on physical workplace safety issues involving AI, robotics, autonomous equipment, and related guardrails, while LAO noted broader labor-practice questions would likely fall outside Cal/OSHA’s scope. In the CalPERS discussion, members raised concerns about transparency in private equity and external management fees, while CalPERS said higher fees reflect a strategy of greater private-market and active-management exposure and are offset by higher net returns. Members urged more information on specific investments and future reporting. For CalSTRS, Finance presented routine contribution and overpayment adjustments, but members also raised broader transparency concerns that CalSTRS staff said they would follow up on separately. Public comment in Part A was dominated by strong support for an immigrant worker emergency relief fund, along with support for apprenticeship and workforce proposals and PERB staffing. The chair and members said they would follow up on where the immigrant relief proposal should be considered, noting it may belong in another policy area. The hearing then moved into Part B with an overview of Judicial Branch-related May Revision items, including court interpreter funding, appellate court security, workload cap changes, lactation room implementation delays, and a reduction to the state court facility construction backfill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, we have 11 administrative entities.
• You may have already covered the first one.
• But we cover that.
• But we cover that.
• I mean, the 11 administrative entities under your waiver package.

Summary: The meeting focused on Arkansas’s proposed workforce system overhaul, including a combined WIOA/Perkins state plan and a package of federal waiver requests intended to consolidate workforce governance, reduce administrative costs, and redirect more funding to training and supportive services. Commerce officials said the plan would replace the current structure of 10 local workforce boards and more than 200 board members with a single statewide board and one administrative entity, while keeping local offices open and using regional business councils to preserve employer and local input. They said the state has already reduced Commerce headcount and operating costs, and that the changes would improve coordination with higher education, adult education, vocational rehabilitation, DHS, and Arkansas Industry Connect. Much of the discussion centered on the waiver package, especially the proposal to make the state board function as the local board, allow more flexible movement of funds across regions, eliminate the WIOA “last dollar” requirement for training and supportive services, create affiliate sites instead of requiring every area to maintain a comprehensive center, and relax the 14 youth program element requirement. Officials said the State Board of Workforce Development approved the waiver package 11-3 before it was submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor, and that implementation would begin only after federal approval and a closeout process, likely taking up to a year. They also described plans to streamline referrals and data sharing, expand mobile and virtual services, and use a more centralized model to improve customer service and employer engagement. Members raised repeated concerns about rural representation, local control, board composition, and whether jobs and relationships would be lost if local boards were eliminated. Commerce officials responded that local offices would remain open, some current staff could be rehired by the state, and regional business councils would help ensure local employer voice. Several members also questioned how the funding was being used, citing audit findings that only about $1.8 million to $1.9 million of roughly $14 million to $15 million in federal workforce funds had gone to training and supportive services. Officials said the reorganization could increase annual training spending to roughly $6 million to $7 million by reducing overhead, one-stop operator contracts, and board administration. The committee also discussed how the changes might support workforce training facilities, apprenticeships, child care and transportation assistance, and employer-driven training in fields such as manufacturing, health care, technology, and welding. The Division of Higher Education also briefed members on Workforce Pell. Officials explained that the new federal program would extend Pell eligibility to short-term programs, but only within narrow limits, such as 150 to 599 clock hours and 8 to 15 weeks of instruction, with additional completion and employment benchmarks. They said Arkansas is working with colleges and universities to identify programs that fit the criteria and that the governor has designated the Division of Higher Education to lead implementation. No votes were taken by the committee during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we had million short to cover that.
• </c><00:58:02.799><c> where</c> there were a number of uh entities where there were a number of uh entities
• </c> is different in both uh the entity is different in both uh the entity conducting<01:00:14.799><c
• They to be a different kind of entity.
• But it can be used for economic disaster, for nonprofit entities for a variety of nonprofit entities

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a modest 1 to 2% increase as the years go by, but that is far from covering the inflation that
• Yes, and the Managed Care entities will be getting the recoveries for the work they're doing for us,
• </c> there yes and the Managed Care entities there yes and the Managed Care entities will<02:00:35.719
• we lower the the Managed Care entities we lower the amount<02:00:48.639><c> that</c><02:00:48.760><c
• </c><02:01:28.800><c> by</c> program meaning they're not covered by program meaning they're not covered

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Department of Safety presented an overview of highway fund and unrestricted revenue collections, focusing on the Division of Administration, the Road Toll Bureau, and the Division of Motor Vehicles. Amy Newbery explained that the main unrestricted funding sources are highway funds and general funds, with highway fund revenue of about $263 million in FY 2024 and a FY 2025 projection of $261.2 million. She said revenue growth has been modest and has not kept pace with costs, creating structural deficits that required general fund transfers of $50 million in FY 2022-23 and another $10 million in FY 2024-25 to balance the fund. Jennifer Hall described Road Toll operations, including motor fuel tax collection at the distributor level, compliance enforcement, and licensing for fuel distributors, transporters, IFTA carriers, and oil discharge/pollution control. Members asked about IFTA, dyed-fuel enforcement, the possibility of using the state forensic lab for dyed-fuel testing, and whether audit positions had been filled; the department said it recently hired a part-time fuel enforcement officer, still uses IRS testing, could explore lab testing, and had no audit vacancies. Hall also discussed factors affecting fuel-tax revenue, including gas prices, crude oil forecasts, weather, tourism, GDP, and inflation, and said FY 2024 road toll revenue was $127.5 million, above plan, with FY 2025 projected at $127.71 million. The committee then turned to DMV-related revenues. Newbery said motor vehicle registration revenue was $93.1 million in FY 2024 and is projected at $90.4 million in FY 2025, with the state share going directly to the highway fund. Members asked about the state/town fee split, the five-year registration cycle dip, the distribution of registration revenue by vehicle weight category, and the impact of electric-vehicle surcharges; the department said the five-year dip is still occurring and will fade over time, and it would follow up on the weight-category breakdown. The presentation also noted that driver-license revenues have stabilized, inspection revenues remain steady, plea-by-mail revenue was added to the highway fund in FY 2024, and general fund revenues tied to the department are relatively small and have declined as some functions moved to OPLC. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• with strong involvement from Minnesota, North Dakota, and Manitoba partners and local governmental entities
• This road is covered with 3 feet of water every spring.
• This road is covered with 3 feet of water every spring.
• So the council is a separate entity entirely, and they're the ones that really know what's happening
• So the council as a separate entity entirely and they're the ones that really that the profits in projects

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• But I will say upon reviewing the bill that entities such as S corporations or LLCs are also permitted
• entity investors, and we're not talking about removing or reforming the corporate income tax.
• I will say upon reviewing the bill that entities such as S corporations or LLCs are also permitted entity
• Representative Gallic covered a lot, and I'm happy to go more deeply into many of the guardrails about
• I'm not sure the relationship between economic development and that entity.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It also, that fund is per entity, so it would be per class, per injection site.
• It also, that fund is per entity, so it would be per class, per injection site.
• those companies that are having local conversations and entering into agreements, what is already covered
• projects and make sure that we have return on investment on all the funding that we get from private entities
• So we have seven cents listed in the covering version of the amendment.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The assets of the patient compensation fund, and this is a state entity, a state fund, a state body.
• Entity, a state fund, a state body.
• The resolution notes that while current science and health standards cover topics like genetic traits
• Others, we have specific circumstances with private entities being able to do it.
• Law that covers them.

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A single entity is pursuing mandatory $12,000 metering charges for constructing ADUs in the midst of
• A single entity is pursuing mandatory $12,000 metering charges for constructing ADUs in the midst of
• A single entity is pursuing mandatory $12,000 metering charges for constructing ADUs in the midst of
• So that's within those three water companies covering just 25,000 residents.
• So my concern is having various agencies or entities that come in and do that and provide that without

Summary: The Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications heard a long agenda of energy, water, housing, and technology bills. SB 952 (Laird, presented by Perez) would give the Department of Water Resources more flexibility to meet the State Water Project’s 100% clean energy procurement goal by 2035 while managing costs; it drew support from the State Water Contractors and California Municipal Utilities Association and no opposition. The committee also heard SB 1417, which would extend transparency, notice, and public meeting requirements to mutual water companies’ rate increases; Senator Perez and supporters tied the bill to post-Eaton Fire recovery in Altadena, while the California Association of Mutual Water Companies opposed it, citing conflicts with tenant billing laws, privacy concerns, and burdensome meeting requirements. SB 1417 was approved on a split vote and the roll was left open. Members then considered SB 924, a low-income utility assistance/weatherization bill by Hurtado, which would require measurable affordability outcomes and better tenant-focused benefits; it passed to Appropriations with broad support from clean energy and community groups and no opposition. SB 925 (McNerney) would direct the California Energy Commission to develop a statewide roadmap for fusion energy; supporters from General Atomics, Clean Air Task Force, and TAE Technologies argued it would help keep fusion investment in California, and it passed unanimously to Environmental Quality. SB 1011 (McNerney) would require CPUC standards for human review and labor consultation before utilities deploy AI in operations; labor and utility engineer witnesses supported guardrails, while business and utility groups opposed or sought more review, warning of overregulation and overlap with other laws. The bill passed to Privacy, Digital Technology and Consumer Protection on a divided vote. The committee also advanced SB 1168 (McNerney), a study bill directing the CPUC to examine how data centers can pay their fair share of grid costs; data center and utility groups were opposed or neutral pending amendments, while climate advocates supported it, and it moved to Revenue and Taxation. SB 1196 (McNerney) would speed utility hookups for ADUs and JADUs by allowing earlier applications and setting timelines and penalties; housing advocates supported it and it passed to Local Government. SB 1350 (McNerney) would allow renewable portfolio standard credits for power plants using green hydrogen, drawing strong support from hydrogen, labor, utility, and local government interests, but opposition from TURN over greenwashing and tracking concerns; it passed to Environmental Quality. Finally, SB 1158 (Stern) would expand quarterly reliability reporting by the CEC and CPUC to include transmission and grid upgrade status; it was presented as a common-sense reliability measure and moved forward with support.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill also includes a requirement for any business entity registered in Washington that executes an
• And so I would recommend an amendment to that specific section so that it does not cover conduct that's
• And so I would recommend an amendment to that specific section that it does not cover conduct that's
• Currently, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner is not obligated as a HEAL Act entity.
• I mean, if you know your customer, you know both of those entities, and you could see a pattern.

Bills: SB6178, SB5831

Keywords: SB6178, property insurance, insurance claims, assignment of benefits, AOB, post-loss assignment, post-loss benefits, homeowners insurance, policyholder, insured, restoration contractor, mitigation contractor, public adjuster, insurance commissioner, claims handling, consumer protection, void and unenforceable, Washington insurance code, chapter 48 RCW, civil penalty