Transcript Highlights:

• AB 532, Ransom, Water Rate Assistance Program: do pass as amended to strike Sections 1 and 3; out with
• AB 1049, Celeste Rodriguez, California Food Assistance Program: two-year bill.
• AB 1111, Esmeralda Soria, School Bus HPIV Program: do pass on an A roll call.
• AB 378, Valencia, Classified School Employee Summer Assistance: do pass on a B roll call.
• employee summer assistance do pass out on a B roll call school employee summer assistance do pass out

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee held its May 23, 2025 suspense hearing and opened by emphasizing the difficult budget environment, rising costs for constituents, and the need to make tough choices. The chair said many bills would be held, amended to reduce costs, or made two-year bills because the state could not afford broad program expansions this year. The committee also noted the agenda was organized alphabetically by author and that results would be posted later that day. The committee then acted on a large suspense file, taking up hundreds of Assembly bills across topics including housing, health care, education, labor, public safety, climate, water, transportation, elections, and technology. Many bills were held in committee, while many others were approved with cost-saving, clarifying, or author’s amendments. Examples included measures on CalABLE, Covered California enrollment, wildfire and insurance issues, reproductive health, school and college programs, prison and juvenile justice matters, AI and data privacy, and local government and utility regulation. Several bills were converted to two-year bills to continue discussion. Throughout the hearing, the committee repeatedly voted on bills by A roll call or B roll call, often with Republicans not voting on amended measures. Some bills were advanced with notable amendments, such as narrowing scope, removing appropriations, delaying implementation, or striking costly provisions. The committee also approved a number of committee bills and omnibus measures, including emergency management, judiciary, insurance, and water-related bills. At the end of the hearing, the chair stated that the committee had moved 435 bills to the Assembly floor, either as do pass or do pass as amended, and adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are actually the program that is going to be running that eviction diversion program in Compton, so
• So, of course, through the schools—people that are accessing schools—we don’t only serve students, but
• It's even worse on the construction side.
• and the Courts of Appeal Program.
• The pretrial program includes assisting courts and making safe release decisions, monitoring in the community

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We will pursue more and greater program alignment.
• How are those programs actually delivering?
• Like, what other programs should we be contemplating?
• Program integration and effectiveness would be even greater if these homelessness programs were formally
• to make best use of federal housing program Royce. programs specifically to make best use of federal

Summary: The joint hearing focused on the Governor’s 2025 reorganization plan to split the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency into two new agencies: a Business and Consumer Services Agency and a California Housing and Homelessness Agency. Administration officials said the change would give each side more focused leadership, improve consumer protection and regulatory oversight, and better align housing and homelessness policy with the state’s broader housing goals. Leaders from the Department of Consumer Affairs, Cannabis Control, Alcoholic Beverage Control, and Financial Protection and Innovation all voiced support for the business-side reorganization, while housing officials emphasized that the new housing agency would help streamline funding, compliance, and coordination across programs. Members raised concerns about timing, budget impacts, office space, and whether the split would actually reduce bureaucracy. The administration said the plan would be included in the May Revision, was intended to be cost-neutral, and would not require fee increases for licensees or additional office space. On the housing side, officials said the new Housing Development and Finance Committee would work toward a single application and more coordinated award process for affordable housing funding, while preserving CalHFA’s statutory and financial independence. They also said the reorganization would improve compliance monitoring, data collection, and coordination with local governments, including Los Angeles homelessness programs. Public testimony was largely supportive. Industry groups representing beverage distributors, craft brewers, wine, mortgage lenders, and housing organizations backed the business-side split, and housing advocates such as Housing California, the California Housing Partnership, and the California Housing Consortium supported the housing agency concept and the proposed one-stop-shop approach. Several witnesses urged that tax credits, bonds, and other funding sources be better coordinated, and some said the plan should be paired with additional state investment and implementation resources. No formal vote was taken; the hearing was informational.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lastly, having a program like this would have helped me financially in high school to provide me with
• Lastly, having a program like this would have helped me financially in high school to provide me with
• Lastly, having a program like this would have helped me financially in high school to provide me with
• Lastly, having a program like this would have helped me financially in high school to provide me with
• Lastly, having a program like this would have helped me financially in high school to provide me with

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• When the state spends public dollars on construction, workers should be paid fairly.
• When the state spends public dollars on construction, workers should be paid fairly.
• at the Association of California School Administrators in opposition.
• School administrators in opposition.
• construction practices.

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard several bills focused on worker protections, AI in the workplace, bereavement leave, and construction labor standards. SB 909 by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas would increase public works contractor registration fees, raise prevailing wage and related penalties, and direct half of collected penalties back into the Public Works Enforcement Fund. Supporters said the bill would help combat wage theft and misclassification and strengthen enforcement; opponents argued the higher fees and penalties would burden contractors without fixing enforcement backlogs. The committee voted the bill out on a due pass motion to Appropriations. The committee also approved SB 951 by Senator Reyes, which would require 60-day notice when 25 or more workers are displaced by technology and require reporting on AI-related job impacts. Supporters framed it as a response to rapid AI-driven layoffs and a way to gather real-time data; opponents raised concerns about small employers, proprietary information, and litigation. SB 947 by Senator McNerney, the “No Robo Bosses Act,” would require human review of automated discipline, termination, or deactivation decisions and restrict predictive behavior analysis. Supporters said it would prevent biased or mistaken automated decisions; opponents objected to the inclusion of independent contractors, private rights of action, and other provisions. Both bills were advanced to the Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection. The committee also passed SB 1149 by Senator Durazo, which would expand bereavement leave to cover a “designated person,” including chosen family relationships. Supporters, including AARP and a witness who described losing a long-term partner, said the bill reflects modern family structures; there was no opposition. In addition, SB 1185 by Senator Cortese, applying skilled and trained workforce standards to pharmaceutical facility construction, was approved despite opposition from business and construction groups who said there was no demonstrated safety problem and that the mandate could raise costs and reduce competition. Several other bills on the consent calendar were also approved, and all measures were reported out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• This establishes a local business construction impacts assistance program and provides direction both
• Section 101 is a Senate-only provision tied to the electric-assisted bicycle rebate program that requires
• c> that</c> assisted bicycle rebate program that assisted bicycle rebate program that requires<01:15:
• program by about state road construction program by about 90<01:21:59.600><c> million</c><01:21:59.920
• </c> to our construction program. to our construction program.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The colors will be posted by the Lynn English High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC.
• LGBT families worried about their kids being targeted or bullied at school.
• I want to tell you I'm announcing tonight that we've got a program, ABC, Accelerating Bridge Construction
• They're on construction sites and in classrooms, on factory floors.
• We know that our early college program, which allows you to be in high school and take community college

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The backlog for the state home construction grant program from USDBA is over a billion dollars.
• The backlog for the state home construction grant program from USDBA is over a billion dollars.
• The state home construction grants program ranks skilled nursing facilities higher in their priority
• The state home construction grants program ranks skilled nursing facilities higher in their priority
• </c> assistance program and seven projects assistance program and seven projects from<01:21:39.040><c

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the Chief Program Policy Officer of the Equine Program, Madam Chair, Committee.
• We have about 25 programs.
• Program.
• So one of the things we incorporated was a technical assistance program where we have service Providers
• Programs Bureau that also assists us in the technical assistance of the projects.

Bills: HM26, HB243, HB109

Keywords: insects, ecosystem, education, public awareness, wildlife conservation, state agency involvement, New Mexico, equine welfare, animal rescue, shelter funding, trust fund, veterinary care, water project fund, water project finance act, New Mexico Finance Authority, water infrastructure, water grants, water loans, regional water planning, water rights adjudication

Transcript Highlights:

• . construction. construction.
• . construction. construction.
• programs later this year.
• </c> our highway programs. our highway programs. uh<00:34:00.960><c> federal</c><00:34:01.440><c> programs
• </c> program. Excuse [clears throat] me. program. Excuse [clears throat] me.

Keywords: 00:03 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:57 Capital Projects and Highway Plan 56:11 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met to hear the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s presentation on the governor’s 2026 capital projects budget and recommended highway plan. Secretary Gray and cabinet staff first thanked KYTC snow and ice crews, local road departments, first responders, utility workers, and others for their work during a major winter storm, then outlined the capital budget request. The cabinet said its facilities are aging, with about 35% at or beyond useful life, and that limited road fund revenues led it to focus mainly on maintenance, maintenance pools, aircraft maintenance, environmental compliance, AASHTOWare upgrades, state park road maintenance, truck parking, and reauthorization of several projects, including airport work and road projects. The cabinet said the governor’s budget includes about $22.8 million in state funds for the capital budget over the biennium, plus carry-forward language for maintenance pools and project reauthorizations to avoid losing federal funds. Members asked about repeated reauthorizations, cost increases, and whether projects should be restarted as new requests after carrying over for multiple budgets. The cabinet responded that budget office policy generally allows only one reauthorization before a project must be resubmitted, and said many delays are due to acquisition or other project issues. Members also questioned the basis for increased-cost line items and the $5 million request for commercial truck parking; cabinet staff said they could provide original project cost details and that many increases are inflationary, while the truck parking project is expected to use federal funds and is a cabinet priority. The committee also discussed the decline in road fund receipts, which the cabinet attributed largely to lower motor fuels tax revenue. The presentation then shifted to the 2026 recommended highway plan. Officials said the plan covers more than 1,300 projects over six years and anticipates about $9.5 billion in federal and state funding. They said the plan is intended to maintain existing assets, advance long-term priority projects, and honor prior commitments, including the Mountain Parkway, the Brent Spence Companion Bridge, and the I-69 Ohio River Crossing. About 40% of plan funds are dedicated to existing pavements, bridges, and guardrails, and officials cited a 61% rise in highway construction costs from 2020 to 2025 as a major challenge. To help offset those pressures, the cabinet is seeking $125 million from the budget reserve trust fund for the Brent Spence Bridge and release of a federal grant condition tied to the already appropriated $150 million for the I-69 crossing. No votes were taken at the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Construction Industries, I think everybody's well aware of what the construction industry is.
• Some of the schools are starting to use it.
• always been willing to assist us.
• And gets child care assistance.
• Of course, this is one of the top schools. We don't have a program here.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're doing a bunch of stuff on housing innovation construction this year, construction defect liability
• or other homeownership programs.
• or other homeownership programs.
• Or how much it will go to down payment assistance or other homeownership programs.
• While the state has created several tools that provide funding for housing construction, programs that

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• school.
• school.
• construction</c><01:48:16.800><c> construction</c> intended to be construction construction intended
• uh within the high academy programs uh within the high schools<01:58:22.080><c> as</c><01:58:22.239>
• And then as an associate dean for clinical programs at HBH at the John Burn School of Medicine.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• or what program is accepted?
• Program.
• and get a four-year degree, go off to college, not do a trade school or online program, and so we're
• It's a livestock Forage program, livestock forage program, so that's what gives disaster drought assistance
• The next step is all schools must then qualify them for Johnson O'Malley funding and programs and/or

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The second rule I'm presenting today is the Medicaid-assisted medication-assisted treatment coverage
• While I'm not over that program, I ran that program for a number of years.
• We changed it to match with our electrical program. Elevator program and other programs have that.
• And some programs I'll be presenting here, we reduce— In general, I've got three more programs to present
• knowing how to implement the program.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And finally, our Fund for Veteran Assistance program.
• So this program was created.
• And then lastly, we have a fund for veteran assistance. This is a grant program.
• General assistance grants, supportive services, help with rental assistance.
• It's a wonderful program.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Red tape, they will lead to fewer construction, some delays or cost overruns.
• I authored AB 1991 to address this challenge for shelter programs.
• , affecting the overall construction costs for housing in California.
• Programs of the state of California that are adding substantial costs.
• Now one in five new homes constructed in the state are ADUs.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1377 by Perry relating to a grant program to provide financial assistance to qualified ambulance
• Senate Bill 1395 by Hall relating to membership of the school district's local school health advisory
• Senate Bill 1471, by Hall, relating the Rural Constable's Office Salary Assistance Grant Program to funding
• Senate Bill 1490 by Betancourt relating to adult High School Charter Program funding to Education K-16
• Senate Bill 1513 by Johnson. 1154 miles, relaying to a program to provide assistance for certain retail

Bills: SJR34, SB10, SB18, SB19, SB21, SB72, SB140, SB262, SB370, SB480, SB495, SB627, SB703, SB767, SB790

Keywords: parental rights, parents, children, custody, care and control, upbringing, family law, constitutional amendment, Texas Constitution, child welfare, education policy, medical decisions, parental authority, primary decision makers, family autonomy, education, Ten Commandments, public schools, religious display, First Amendment

Transcript Highlights:

• The third is: Is new construction included?
• new construction is exempted.
• Permitting data shows that the drop in construction began in March 2021.
• In general, what I would point to is that most new construction is kind of luxury, higher-end construction
• How many classrooms in our public schools get disrupted?

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a public hearing on Initiative Petition 25-21, House Bill 508, an act to protect tenants by limiting rent increases. Committee leaders explained the Article 48 initiative process and said the hearing was intended to gather testimony for a report to the legislature. The measure would replace current state law that prohibits rent control, cap annual rent increases at the lower of CPI or 5%, exempt certain properties including owner-occupied buildings of four or fewer units, subsidized, university, nonprofit, and short-term rental housing, and exempt new construction for 10 years. It would also eliminate vacancy decontrol, so limits would continue when units turn over, and enforcement would rely largely on tenants and the Attorney General through the courts. The hearing began with expert testimony from Whitney Airgood-Obrien of Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, who described Massachusetts’ severe rental affordability problems and reviewed research on rent regulation, noting mixed evidence on supply and quality effects but clearer evidence that rent regulation can slow rent growth and improve tenant stability. Supporters of the petition, led by Carolyn Chow of Homes for All Massachusetts, argued that rent stabilization is needed now to curb displacement and runaway rent increases, especially for low- and moderate-income renters. Laura Frost described her Arlington building being bought by a large firm that sought steep rent hikes, and said rent control would help prevent “tenant flipping” and community displacement. Dave Foley of SEIU Local 509 said the issue affects workers’ ability to live near their jobs, while Dr. Mark Paul and Tram Huang argued that the evidence supports well-designed rent stabilization, that vacancy decontrol encourages displacement, and that the policy should be seen as a complement to new housing production rather than a substitute. Committee members questioned supporters about the 10-year new construction exemption, the lack of vacancy decontrol, and whether rent stabilization could discourage development; supporters responded that the measure targets corporate rent gouging, that small landlords are protected by exemptions, and that production and rent stabilization can coexist. Opponents, including representatives of small property owners, chambers of commerce, and labor/building trades, argued the proposal would hurt small landlords, reduce investment, and slow housing production. They said operating costs such as taxes, insurance, and maintenance are rising faster than the proposed cap, and warned that the measure would reduce property values and tax revenue and could push investment to other states. Several opponents emphasized that many Massachusetts housing providers are mom-and-pop owners rather than large corporations, and said the policy would make it harder to maintain and improve housing. Committee members pressed both sides on the need for a middle ground between affordability and preserving development incentives, but no vote was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• assisting programs and clinic serving low-income patients.
• for career and tech education programs. ...grants to schools for career and tech education programs.
• The Department of Education is not responsible for the construction; the local school is.
• Um, we have a CTE program in our school, and that houses a number of programming which you have on your
• Um, the Milford Applied Technology Center is a program of the Milford High School, last renovated in

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing reconvened with testimony from several agencies on their capital budget requests. The Department of Environmental Services requested a little over $38 million, with major emphasis on dam repairs and design work for aging state-owned dams, including a $5.25 million match for possible FEMA BRIC funding at Pawtuckaway/Tuckaway and other projects such as Milton Three Ponds, Murphy Dam, and Lakeport Gates. DES also requested funding for state revolving loan fund matches, a Superfund match for the Savage Well site, IT and air-monitoring upgrades, and a new $750,000 cybersecurity request for water and wastewater systems. Committee members asked about FEMA eligibility, the distinction between design and construction money, and the timing and risk of banking funds if federal grants do not materialize. The University System of New Hampshire requested $20 million in state support, primarily $15 million for a major Diamond Library renovation at UNH to create a student support hub and reduce/repurpose collection space, plus $2.5 million each for deferred maintenance at Plymouth State and Keene State. The Community College System requested about $16.6 million across seven projects, led by critical maintenance, campus safety/security upgrades, IT infrastructure, parking and site improvements, HVAC replacement at White Mountains Community College in Littleton, a building management/energy system, and modernization of NHTI’s dental clinic and radiology spaces. The Department of Education requested $29.5 million, including a $4.9 million internal management platform to replace paper-based and siloed systems, plus career and technical education capital projects; Milford’s CTE project was described as being revised after repeated failed bond votes, while ConVal said its revised project would focus on modernizing existing CTE space and adding a security vestibule. Fish and Game requested $1.075 million for three facilities: Sewall Falls in Concord, the Lancaster Armory, and the Bunker Lane Barn in Durham, focusing on structural repairs, security, reconfiguration, and in one case replacement of a failing barn with a new 40-by-60 building. The department also said hatchery work is ongoing but that it is taking a cautious approach because of the planned New Hampton Hatchery and future capital needs. The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources requested $9.26 million for eight projects, including campground electrical upgrades at Ellacoya and Lake Francis, White Lake water system replacement, Mount Washington fuel tank and safety work, Odiorne Point visitor center work funded through parks revenue, roofing and parking lot repairs, Fox Forest office safety upgrades, and historic site repairs at White Island and Fort Constitution. Members asked about revenue-based capital, the stability of the parks fund, and flexibility in choosing projects as bids come in. The Department of Transportation began its presentation at the end of the transcript, but its detailed requests were not yet discussed.