Transcript Highlights:

• Because right now, there are mostly landline customers that are paying a huge fee.
• That's another thing that's on their bill, right, because that's a USF-mandated fee.
• Yes, I then paid that access line fee as a voice over internet protocol user as a mobile user.
• fees.
• They've been getting ...has 15% of all the access line fees.

Summary: The Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee held an informational hearing on the state of broadband affordability in California. Chair Tasha Berner said the committee was examining how broadband prices, access, and affordability are affecting households, especially after the end of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program and amid concerns about federal resistance to state broadband regulation. She noted the committee’s continued interest in policy options for 2026 and referenced prior legislation, including AB 353, that would have required affordable home internet as a condition of doing business in California. Industry witnesses from U.S. Telecom and CTIA argued that broadband and wireless prices have generally fallen in real terms even as inflation and other household costs have risen, citing competition, infrastructure investment, and faster speeds as the main drivers. They said California’s higher costs are tied to permitting delays, taxes, copper theft, and legacy obligations such as COLR requirements, and they urged the Legislature to preserve market incentives, reduce fees and regulatory burdens, and support infrastructure deployment. They also discussed fixed wireless access, federal BEAD funding, and Universal Service Fund reform, arguing that more entities benefiting from networks, including tech platforms, should contribute to support programs. Consumer and public-interest witnesses presented a different view, saying California still has a serious affordability and adoption problem, especially for low-income households. Sunny McPhee of the California Emerging Technology Fund said broadband adoption has improved dramatically over time, but about 500,000 households remain offline or underconnected and many low-income households still pay above the FCC affordability benchmark. Ernesto Falcon of the CPUC Public Advocates Office said California’s market is losing its competitive edge, with prices higher than in other states and meaningful price pressure coming mainly from fiber competition at the gigabit tier. He said roughly 4.8 million Californians are limited to one gigabit option and estimated that more competition could save consumers more than $1 billion annually. Both witnesses emphasized the need for stronger transparency, targeted subsidies, and a permanent affordability solution, including extending and refining the CPUC broadband Lifeline pilot and advancing SB 716. Public commenters, including representatives from cable providers, nonprofits, and digital equity organizations, largely supported SB 716 and a permanent broadband affordability program. Several urged the committee to remove a cap on the Lifeline program, expand the CPUC pilot, and invest in digital navigators, outreach, and enrollment assistance. The hearing ended without a vote or formal action, after the chair thanked the witnesses and public commenters for their testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically, it contemplates securing $791 million in bond proceeds backed by available earnings from
• Did you include— are user fees considered in any of these projections, and how will they be impacted?
• Basically, what it gives is the first one to secure a water right always gets their water first.
• So Representative Swiontek, our good intention fee was $200 to continue on with the project.
• And I think also in some of these rural areas, those who sign up early and pay a fee to get the water

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Florida already has secure elections. This is not the issue.
• This bill is not a security measure. Thank you. Florida already has secure elections.
• This bill is not a security measure. Thank you. Thank you. Matt Tanner, waving against.
• Election security matters. control, but let's not ignore that peace.
• Election security matters, but so does voter access.

Summary: The committee first took up CS for SB 1342, a transit-oriented development bill intended to expand housing near fixed transit corridors. The sponsor said the measure builds on the Live Local Act by reducing regulatory barriers and encouraging private investment around transit investments. An amendment was adopted that narrowed definitions, limited the bill to land use and development regulations, removed a private cause of action, and exempted certain sensitive areas including military installations and environmentally sensitive lands. Supporters argued the bill would increase housing supply and maximize the return on state transit spending, while local government groups and other opponents warned it would preempt local zoning, impose uniform density rules, and create infrastructure, evacuation, and public input concerns. The bill was then reported favorably. The committee then considered CS for SB 1334, an elections bill that would require documentary proof of citizenship in certain voter registration and verification processes, update candidate qualification rules, require U.S. citizen markers on driver licenses and ID cards, and clarify that paper ballots are the primary voting method. Two technical amendments were adopted. The sponsor said the bill would streamline verification by allowing agencies to rely on Real ID and DHSMV records, reduce duplicate documentation, and improve communication between state systems. Senators questioned the fiscal impact, data-sharing procedures, storage of sensitive documents, effects on students, disabled voters, and people without driver licenses or Real IDs. A large number of public speakers opposed the bill, arguing it would burden eligible voters, especially students, seniors, disabled people, low-income residents, naturalized citizens, and people with name changes, while a smaller number supported it as an election integrity measure. The bill was ultimately not finished in the portion of the transcript provided, but the committee continued taking testimony and questions. Later, the committee took up CS for SB 1362 on advanced air mobility. A strike-all amendment was adopted to align the bill with the House version and authorize FDOT to fund vertiports and charging systems as part of public-private partnerships, including up to 80% of the non-federal share when federal funds are available and up to 100% if FDOT elects to do so. The sponsor framed the bill as helping Florida lead in advanced air mobility, and the measure was reported favorably with support from industry and local government representatives. Finally, the committee heard SB 174, which would designate a portion of State Road 985 in Miami-Dade County as Charlie Kirk Memorial Avenue and direct FDOT to install markers at an estimated cost of $2,400. The sponsor said the designation was tied to Turning Point USA activity at FIU and civic engagement. Several senators objected in debate, arguing Kirk was divisive and that the state should reserve road memorials for figures more broadly deserving of honor; others defended the designation as symbolic and non-regulatory. The transcript ends during the sponsor’s closing remarks, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• You mean the nightly occupant fee?” “You mean the nightly occupant fee?
• You mean the nightly occupant fee?" "You mean the nightly occupant fee?
• This is a very modest fee.
• "This is a very modest fee.
• after looking at a $5 per night fee after looking at a $5 per night fee which<01:57:50.199> is

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And uh that's where this bill originated from is a way for us to have a security system or security cameras
• a security system or security<00:44:04.319> cameras<00:44:04.800> at<00:44:04.960>
• , humans as well as instrumentality such as security alarms.
• gt; So this covers security >> So this covers security systems<00:44:57.760> or<00:44:58.480
• That monthly fee could be anything, $100, $50.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We should be having conversations with our students that allow them to feel safe and secure.
• We should be having conversations with our students that allow them to feel safe and secure.
• I look at these issues around clean energy and renewable energy as a national security issue.
• So again, I say energy security is national security.
• And the transaction fees are known. So you're saving a lot of money by hiring a financial advisor.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for the purposes of security. for the purposes of security.
• development excise taxes and impact fees development excise taxes and impact fees as<00:21:51.920
• :39:09.960> unemployable registration fee exemption unemployable registration fee exemption unemployable
• <01:42:30.080> The Development Impact Fees Expansion.
• The Development Impact Fees Expansion.

Keywords: House streaming session for Thursday, March 19, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with 122 members present, opened with prayer, and approved the previous day’s journal. The chamber then took up two congratulatory resolutions: one honoring Layla Wishard of Hagerstown for winning gold with Team USA at the Junior Roller Derby Association World Cup in Australia, and another recognizing Delores Millhouse as the 2026 Maryland Mother of the Year. Both resolutions were read and adopted with applause. The House then considered a series of committee reports, primarily from the Committee on Economic Matters, and advanced multiple bills to third reading after adopting committee amendments and favorable reports. Measures included consumer contract protections in House Bill 103, workers’ compensation presumptions for hypertension in House Bill 347, broadband access and affordability in House Bill 382, housing and land-use changes in House Bills 548 and 894, data privacy in House Bill 711, franchise law changes in House Bill 730, a blockchain-based real property title pilot program in House Bill 810, bankruptcy exemptions in House Bill 1098, and telecommunications infrastructure protections in House Bill 1100. Several bills drew questions and were special ordered for further review. House Bill 711, the Data Privacy Act, prompted extended discussion about whether its geolocation provisions could affect stadium and venue security tracking; the sponsor said the bill was intended to close loopholes around cell phone and vehicle location data and would not change existing permission-based rules, but the bill was still special ordered until the next day. House Bill 894, the transit-oriented development bill, also drew questions about local government concerns and was special ordered, with the floor leader saying county and municipal groups were generally satisfied with the amendments. House Bill 1100 was also taken up after the amendments were adopted, and the title amendment process began as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• coverage options for Florida Farm bureau members, particularly farmers and ranchers who face challenges securing
• So as we move on to Senate Bill 988, by Senator now regarding security, you're recognized to explain
• This bill is a security is bill and this bill modifies the conditions under which certain security transactions
• It updates the fi filing obligations for security issue issuers under Florida, invest local exemption
• Shawn Stafford, Florida Security Dealers Association waiving in support Ash Mason, Florida, Office of

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• important for me to share with you that our regulated space has paid $242 million in taxes and reg fees
• I'm over the Homeland Security Division, which covers our vice unit, that we are currently struggling
• The armed security guard provided resistance, and he was shot and killed.
• The security guard provided resistance and he was shot and killed.
• There's an annual renewal license fee of $2 million. And they're on a rolling renewal.

Summary: The Industries and Professional Activities Subcommittee met to hear a panel on the prosecution and enforcement of illegal gaming in Florida. The chair opened with a video showing seized machines at a Florida Gaming Control Commission warehouse and described the scale of illegal operations. Panelists included the commission’s executive director, local sheriffs and police officials, and state attorneys from several counties, who described widespread illegal slot-machine locations, often in strip malls or convenience-store-type settings, and said the machines are typically used in organized criminal activity rather than legitimate amusement gaming. Witnesses repeatedly said the current penalty structure is ineffective because possession and operation of illegal slot machines are generally second-degree misdemeanors, which they described as too minor to deter operators who can quickly reopen after paying fines or completing diversion. They said enforcement is resource-intensive, requiring undercover work, search warrants, machine seizure, storage, forensic review, and long prosecutions, often while the same operators reopen elsewhere. Several panelists cited associated crimes such as robberies, firearms offenses, prostitution, drug activity, human trafficking, and at least some homicides tied to illegal gaming locations. Members also asked about the difference between legal amusement devices and illegal slot machines, online gambling, illegal horse racing, local licensing and ordinances, and whether manufacturers or distributors could be pursued. The commission and prosecutors said legal slot machines are limited to specific regulated locations and that lawful amusement machines lack a material element of chance. They said many illegal machines are imported or reworked versions of gaming devices and that upstream accountability is difficult under current law. Panelists also discussed cooperation with licensed casinos, tribal gaming entities, and local governments, noting that some local ordinances have tried to permit or limit these businesses. The main policy takeaway from the panel was a call to increase penalties, likely to felony-level offenses, and to consider stronger forfeiture and enforcement tools. No vote or formal action was taken at the meeting, and the chair adjourned after thanking the panelists.

Transcript Highlights:

• Inru. 8.28.25, fines, fees, assessments, institution, non-payment. June elections.
• In route. 33, 3.23, ground transportation fee, county board establishment. Inru.
• H. 237, special plate, counsel fee discount. H. 237, special plate, counsel fee discount.
• H. 2305, private and care rate regulation fees. 2313. 2313. That's not on. House Bill 2313.
• Military Affairs and Border Security are not meeting. Any points of personal privilege?

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• management care into interest payments, management care into interest payments, management fees
• c> lease<00:12:30.000> back<00:12:30.320> arrangements<00:12:31.040> with fees
• , and lease back arrangements with fees, and lease back arrangements with private<00:12:32.079> equity
• Studies document increases in management fees, lease costs, and interest expenses after acquisition
• Genesis owed $700 million to secured creditors, mostly mortgages, when it filed for bankruptcy, leaving

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up two bills concerning health entity ownership and heard invited testimony before acting on them. Dr. Yasha Singh of Brown University testified about private equity in healthcare, describing how PE firms use debt-financed acquisitions, short investment horizons, and roll-up strategies that can avoid disclosure requirements. He said the lack of transparency makes it difficult to track ownership and outcomes, and cited research linking PE ownership to higher costs in outpatient care, more ancillary service use, workforce turnover, and worse outcomes in hospitals and nursing homes. He also noted Minnesota-specific concerns, including PE involvement in opioid treatment programs, and said the policy challenge is balancing needed capital investment with protections for patients and workers. Sam Brooks of the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care testified in strong support of the legislation, focusing on nursing homes. He argued that private equity ownership is associated with worse resident outcomes, including higher mortality, more pressure ulcers, more hospitalizations, and more deficiencies, and said leverage buyouts divert money from staffing and care into debt service, management fees, and lease-back arrangements. Brooks said staffing levels and quality ratings decline under PE ownership and pointed to recent bankruptcies as examples of instability. He said the bills would add safeguards such as transparency, attorney general approval of acquisitions, and requirements that a large share of public funds go to direct resident care. The testimony framed the bills as responses to concerns about private equity ownership in healthcare and long-term care, especially the effects on quality, staffing, and financial stability. No vote or final committee action was described in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• While consultant fees are typically straightforward, broker commissions are often built into the premium
• The Employee Retirement Income Security Act is a federal law that sets standards for most private industry
• pennies for a dignified retirement, only to be misled into contributing to products with high hidden fees
• improperly spent funds, including payments for services never received, premiums for insurance and Social Security
• Including payments for services never received, premiums for insurance and Social Security for attorneys

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a range of public retirement and municipal health insurance bills. Mass Retirees and the American Federation of Teachers supported House 2890/Senate 1848 on transparency in municipal health insurance, arguing that broker and consultant roles should be clearly defined, commissions disclosed, and dual roles prohibited to reduce conflicts of interest and costs. They also supported House 2799/Senate 1848 on protecting municipal retirees from future premium contribution increases, House 2854 on voting rights for surviving spouses in retirement board elections, and Senate 1917 on updating the definition of veteran for retirement purposes. Committee members discussed whether the veteran definition should simply conform to the federal definition going forward. Educators testified in support of House 2769/Senate 1921, which would allow teachers with at least 20 years of service to buy back creditable service for periods when they worked part-time while raising children. Multiple teachers described the financial and retirement penalties they experienced after stepping down to part-time work for child care, calling the current system inequitable and a “mom tax.” Sponsors and supporters said the bill is intended to correct that disparity and help retain teachers, while one committee member noted it appeared neutral on an actuarial basis. The committee also heard strong support for Senate 1908, which would raise the cap on outside income for public pension recipients, from retired State Police troopers who said the current limit is outdated and unfair to those forced into disability retirement after line-of-duty injuries. Another State Police representative supported House 2910 on state police pensions, citing recruitment and retention problems under current pension rules. In contrast, Hampden County Regional Retirement System officials and the Massachusetts Association of Contributory Retirement Systems opposed House 2745, a bill to restructure the Hampden County system’s governance, arguing it would weaken PERAC oversight and create an unworkable local system. They instead supported House 2813, which would extend the time to fill a vacant fifth member seat on retirement boards. At the end of the hearing, the committee voted to adjourn the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill would simply allow retailers to absorb mattress recycling fees instead of passing these fees
• The leadership position that he took in order to secure water rights and the 50-year battle that it took
• An Air Force veteran, George also served four years as a Korean interpreter in the Security Intelligence
• An Air Force veteran, George also served four years as a Korean interpreter in the Security Intelligence

Summary: The Assembly met with a quorum present after a roll call and prayer, then proceeded through routine journal, procedural, and guest-introduction business. Members recognized several guests, including local district officials, Japanese business leaders, and students/interns, and the chamber also observed remarks about the Texas flooding tragedy during the prayer. The body then moved through the daily file, including second-reading items and concurrence votes on AB 390, which expands the slow-down/move-over law to stationary vehicles, and AB 1478, which allows retailers to absorb mattress recycling fees; both measures had Senate amendments concurred in by recorded vote. The Assembly adopted AJR 12, a bipartisan resolution recognizing Head Start Month and urging Congress and the President to protect and increase Head Start funding. Multiple members spoke in support, emphasizing the program’s role in early education, health, nutrition, and family support, especially in rural and low-income communities; the resolution received 70 ayes and no noes after 69 co-authors were added. The chamber also adopted ACR 96, designating a portion of Highway 101 in Humboldt County as the Patty Berg Memorial Highway, and SCR 50, which calls for state review of climate adaptation and maladaptation criteria to improve climate resilience planning; both measures passed without opposition. On the consent calendar, the Assembly added co-authors to ACR 81 and adopted the second-day consent calendar and remaining consent items, all by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The body also approved a motion to return AB 529 from engrossing and enrolling to the Senate for further action. The session concluded with numerous adjournment-in-memory tributes, most notably for Rincon Tribal Council Chairman Bo Mazzetti and former legislative secretary George Steffes, followed by a moment of silence for each and adjournment until Monday, July 14 at 1 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• The scholarship coverage includes required education expenses such as tuition, mandatory fees, and course
• from Schedule D in the workers' comp fund to Schedule A, which means we have the lowest workers' comp fees
• benefit plans fail, and probably even in our country the most famous defined benefit plan, Social Security
• ..our U.S. government, who can print money, struggles to fund their defined benefit plan, Social Security
• Um, if I can respond to your point, I understand your point about Social Security, but it's not pre-funded

Bills: HB188, HB52

Keywords: healthcare, insurance, patient rights, medical treatment, access, affordability, income tax, CHOOSE Act, education funding, ABLE account, tax credits, poverty threshold, legislative funding, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We know that Seabrook, much larger, has a lot of security expense to have that.
• If any customer were to purchase this reactor, are they going to have the same concerns with security
• The security concerns are much lower due to the much lower amount of nuclear material on site.
• We do have to maintain security.
• So can't go into control room, security.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• renewable hydrogen from local resources will also diversify our energy supply and enhance our energy security
• Look, SB 1341 provides CalRecycle with the statutory authority to reduce the processing fees for wine
• or spirits bag-in-a-box beverage containers when the department determines that the forecasted fee collections
• Look, the SB 1341 provides Cal Recycle with the statutory authority to reduce the processing fees for
• wine or spirits bag-in-a-box beverage containers when the department determines that the forecasted fee

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This case is about whether the state can reimburse itself for attorney's fees that were previously, by
• amounts from an employee who had terminated her PERS membership to account for her share of attorney's fees
• that the employee having forfeited her pension rights was sufficient to cover her share of attorney's fees
• arguments in that case were rejected by the court, but fortunately, the court did not assess attorney's fees
• as we know, one of the roadblocks for many people looking at retirement early who are not Social Security

Summary: The committee first approved the November minutes by roll call vote, with a majority of members voting aye and some members excused. Staff then provided brief litigation updates: Fowler et al. v. Leathers remains pending in federal district court over interest calculations on transferred TERS funds, with summary judgment motions expected to be heard May 1; Dolan v. King County was decided against the state in Pierce County Superior Court on the issue of recouping attorney’s fees from a former PERS member, though no fees were assessed against the state in that case. An actuarial update noted upcoming presentations on the agency’s work and the latest valuation report, including new contribution rates reflecting updated demographic assumptions. The committee then reviewed its draft interim work plan and correspondence items, focusing on requests related to Plan 3, Plan 1 COLAs, teacher retirement age, and a missed early retirement factor. Members discussed a possible study of Plan 3’s design and outcomes compared with Plan 2, including retirement ages and benefit adequacy, and staff was asked to work with DRS on a study outline. The committee also discussed ongoing COLA requests and the need for retiree groups to bring forward a more formal proposal for the next budget cycle, with members noting that any recommendation should likely be made by October or November. Another major topic was the study of LEOFF 1 medical/disability boards, including how many boards exist, how they operate, and what costs they incur; staff said it was still gathering basic information and would provide an overview next month. Staff also explained planned changes to how correspondence will be handled and posted online due to cybersecurity concerns. The committee approved the May agenda by voice vote and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• On top of the false sense of security these products may provide is the mounting evidence of health harms
• because there's no basis for creating an entirely separate regulatory regime, including registration and fee
• And then I think just lastly, it imposes a fee on soap and body wash manufacturers to fund the regulations
• and then those fees will be passed down to consumers.
• I've been on this committee, but I've voted on bills where we've dealt with chemicals prior, and the fee

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• doesn't say, now that he's got the intent to use, that he's not going to charge you for the license fee
• In DDDP, persons are securely housed and provided competency training in order to return to court to
• Two of them are the shorter ones, which are small fees that are collected, and the other two are the
• And I can tell you that the first ones that will be hit is large fees to businesses.
• So not only do these fees support state agency compliance efforts, I just want to point out that what

Summary: The House opened with prayer, a moment of silence for the Reverend Jesse Jackson and Joseph Di Alessandro, the Pledge of Allegiance, and announcements confirming a quorum. Members also adopted the special order report and recognized several guests in the gallery, including former Speaker Dan Webster and law enforcement and civic visitors. The chamber then moved through a long special-order calendar of bills, mostly on third reading, with several measures passing unanimously or by wide margins. Among the bills considered were measures on civil procedure and estates, including C.S. HB 1407 on commencement of civil actions, HB 895 on trustee settlement and discharge, C.S. HB 1337 on estates, HB 131 on curators of estates, and C.S. HB 351 on concurrent legislative jurisdiction over military installations. The House also passed C.S. HB 441 on conservation lands, which would lengthen notice and increase transparency for land swaps involving conservation property, and C.S. CS HB 919 on commercial service airports, which created a statutory definition for major airports and preempted local naming authority for several airports. HB 919 drew extensive debate over the proposed naming of Palm Beach International Airport after President Donald J. Trump, with amendments to delay or alter the naming failing before the bill passed. Other bills approved included HB 409 requiring K-12 schools to observe Veterans Day, CS HB 461 allowing certain students to volunteer at polling places for community service hours, CS HB 1115 creating grants for genetic counseling education, HB 569 revising forensic client services, CS HB 505 regulating virtual currency kiosks to address fraud, and HB 271 on foreign and alien bail bond insurers. The House also passed HB 191 on re-employment assistance eligibility verification after extended questioning about its effects on benefits, appeals, and suitable work standards. One bill, CS HB 243 on electric bicycles, was temporarily postponed, and CS HB 1073 on school districts was also postponed.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also impacts area, local, localized to regional food production and security.
• Part of it is just to ensure our security.
• I mean, when these high wind alerts come out from the weather service, they talk about securing your
• And just also note, this is only for non-fee simple, so less than fee simple transfers, which basically
• The fee increase that takes effect in April of 2026.