Transcript Highlights:

• This bill will merely create parity with the UCs and CSUs by removing burdensome local zoning barriers
• It also brings parity for our community colleges with that of the UC and CSU, who have already zoning
• But looking at this from a faculty stance in the audit, how would this bill help faculty salary transparency
• better because there's been very little done on our task force to reduce the gender inequality in salaries
• And on that same issue of salary as well, and I would be remiss if I didn't refer to my own jurisdiction

Summary: The committee first adopted its 2025-26 rules on a 7-0 roll call, then approved three consent items—AB 88, AB 240, and AB 313—on a due-pass motion to Appropriations. The hearing then moved to AB 648, which would give community college districts the same zoning authority as the UC and CSU systems to build student and staff housing on property they own or lease. The author and supporters argued the bill would help address severe housing insecurity and homelessness among community college students, while opponents and some members raised concerns about local control, zoning exemptions, and the impact on nearby communities. AB 648 passed the committee on a 5-2 vote and was sent to the Local Government Committee. The committee next heard AB 466, which would require California Community Colleges and CSU campuses to provide organ and tissue donor registry information during student orientation, and request UC campuses to do the same. Supporters shared personal stories about transplants and donation, saying college orientation is a good opportunity to increase registrations. Some members worried about information overload during orientation and suggested campuses have flexibility in how they present the material, but the bill advanced on a unanimous 7-0 vote to Appropriations. AB 326 followed, proposing campus-by-campus external audits of the CSU every three years and public release of the audits. The author, faculty supporters, and a student argued that systemwide audits do not provide enough transparency about how money is spent at individual campuses, citing examples of financial mismanagement and fee increases. CSU opposed the bill, saying it already conducts annual consolidated external audits and that campus-level audits would add cost without added benefit. After extensive discussion about transparency, audit scope, and implementation, the bill passed 6-1 to Appropriations. The committee then took up AB 335, which would create a California Black-Serving Institution Grant Program to support Black student success and broader underserved student services; supporters emphasized persistent equity gaps and low completion rates, while an opponent argued the bill needed to be carefully amended to comply with Proposition 209 and equal protection requirements. The transcript ends during that item’s discussion, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• This proposal is in alignment with current practices with the DSS child care program to maintain parity
• provides the same 2.01% COLA for both CSPP and DSS child care and development programs to maintain parity
• Child care program to maintain parity across programs.
• provides the same 2.01% COLA for both CSPP and DSS child care and development programs to maintain parity
• not believe that the cost-of-care-plus rates are ongoing and are reluctant to put those funds into salaries

Transcript Highlights:

• It specifies the Vice Chair of the California Energy Commission shall receive an annual salary that is
• the midpoint between the annual salary of the other commission members and that of the Chairperson.
• ...midpoint between the annual salary of the other commission members and that of the Chairperson, and
• existing overtime pay requirements for hourly workers who provide supported living services to provide parity

Summary: The Senate session opened with a roll call, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance, then moved through a long series of floor recognitions and votes. Members spent substantial time honoring the Los Angeles Dodgers, celebrating their back-to-back World Series championship and highlighting the team’s history, community role, and connections to Jackie Robinson, Fernando Valenzuela, Vin Scully, and Jaime Jarrín. Senators also recognized summer interns and welcomed members of Kappa Alpha Psi’s Kappa League and Guide Right program to the floor. The chamber then took up several measures, beginning with AB 182 on ballot order and proposition numbering for the 2026 statewide ballot, which passed 38-8 after debate over whether placing legislatively referred measures first was fair. SR 113, commemorating the International Day of Peace and honoring Dr. Yongshik Cho’s role in proposing it, passed unanimously after supportive remarks about peace, education, and California’s diversity. The Senate also adopted SJR 16 urging Congress to restore commercial driver’s licenses for affected California truck drivers, and SCR 185 designating Probation Services Week. A major portion of the meeting was devoted to budget trailer bills. The Senate concurred in Assembly amendments to AB 112, AB 150, AB 152, AB 181, and AB 179, covering Medi-Cal, child care, human services, education governance, and housing. It also passed or concurred in SB 168, SB 169, SB 170, SB 171, SB 172, SB 174, SB 177, and SB 180, addressing public resources and energy, transportation, executive branch reorganization, labor, state government, courts, Medi-Cal financing, and taxation. Several of these drew opposition centered on energy costs, transparency, business impacts, or the proposed “fair share” approach to Medi-Cal costs for large corporations, but most measures passed on party-line or near-party-line votes. The Senate also confirmed three California Horse Racing Board appointments and ended with adjournment motions, including a request to adjourn in memory of Francis Lydia Limos of American Canyon.

Transcript Highlights:

• They did market salary research, a cost report from providers, and a time study from providers.
• Um, but the average, um, salary of a PT in New Mexico is about $98,000.
• I think it's more around and their request has really been around parity with the PT rates, which I think
• Now they've cut salaries, their major expense, down to the bone, as my son's representative there in

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• as a society could look at and say, hey, if they can take a rig and go riding and bring peace and parity
• our cemeteries have never been fully funded, and so we’ve had to use those burial fees to support salary
• to replace equipment and do some other expenditures to maintain our facilities. fees to to support salary
• costs and and fees to to support salary costs and and other<00:34:35.800><c> you</c><00:34:35.919><c

Committee: House Veterans and Military Affairs Division

Transcript Highlights:

• Nonetheless, a loophole went into state law that the parity protection that passed. in 2017 excluded
• TDI-regulated insurance have state-level parity protections.
• CMS, on the federal level, does provide parity protections for those. uh, governmental, uh, employee
• Medicaid plans for parity compliance.
• So we have concerns that CMS is not getting the job done. on parity regulation and compliance for the

Bills: HB201 , HB272 , HB618 , HB 1094 , HB 1142 , HB201 , HB272

Committee: House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services

Transcript Highlights:

• So when providers are told that payment is fair and that parity exists, there is no clear public data
• When we think about behavioral health compliance, there are two ways to think about it and parity.
• be forced out of network for mental health care than for primary care, shattering the promise of parity
• If we're going to evaluate the issue of mental health parity, we must go deeper into the differences
• Insurers are not complying with regulations about mental health parity.

Summary: The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee first met in executive session and advanced five bills out of committee. SB 5999, as amended by a substitute, would let rural counties under 100,000 population appoint an APRN or physician assistant as an acting local health officer; SB 5185 would create a pathway for international medical graduates to physician licensure through a Washington Medical Commission pilot; SB 5845 would revise timely payment rules for health carriers, including longer acknowledgment and payment timelines and clarifications on scope; SB 6071 would standardize overpayment recovery timelines for carriers; and SB 6258 would create a non-disciplinary pathway for relinquishing Washington Medical Commission licenses. Each bill received a due pass recommendation and was sent to Rules, with the bills passed subject to signatures. The committee then heard SB 6226, which would protect the clinical autonomy of audiologists and ensure hearing-instrument and communication-device rules are applied consistently across care modalities, including telehealth. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, emphasizing access for rural and mobility-limited patients and the importance of teleaudiology, though one association cautioned the bill could affect broader regulatory authority. The hearing closed with 54 pro, zero con, and two other sign-ins. Next, the committee heard SB 6305, the Truth in Mental Health Coverage Act, which would require carriers to submit standardized annual data to the Office of the Insurance Commissioner on mental health and substance use disorder coverage, access, utilization, reimbursement, and network participation, with public posting in raw and dashboard form. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would improve transparency and accountability without changing benefits, while opponents argued it could duplicate recent parity reforms and add administrative burden. The hearing closed with 396 pro, two con, and zero other sign-ins. Finally, the committee heard SB 5924, a proposed substitute expanding pharmacists’ prescriptive authority for certain limited conditions and products, including some preventive and minor-illness treatments, and allowing limited diagnosis within defined bounds. Supporters said it would improve access, especially in rural and underserved areas, reduce administrative barriers from collaborative drug therapy agreements, and align with the sunrise review; opponents, including the medical association, said the bill went beyond the review and needed more time, while some testimony raised concerns about psychiatric prescribing. The hearing closed with 279 pro, six con, and four other sign-ins, and the committee adjourned after concluding its business.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a common-sense measure that creates and restores parity.
• have fixed, or our second-line folks have fixed, unavoidable expenses such as licensing fees, staff salaries
• have fixed, or our second-line folks have fixed, unavoidable expenses such as licensing fees, staff salaries

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee met as a subcommittee until quorum was established, then heard several transportation-related bills. AB 1614 would extend existing anti-piggybacking rules to Class 1 bikeways, prohibiting multiple riders on a single bike or e-bike; supporters emphasized rising e-bike injuries and trauma cases, while People for Bikes argued it could create unnecessary barriers and enforcement issues. The committee also heard AB 2193, which would make autonomous vehicle manufacturers responsible for traffic citations when no human driver is present; Teamsters and transit labor supported the bill as an accountability measure, and there was no formal opposition on file. AB 2629 would cap fees charged by DMV business partners for online vehicle registration services at 5% above DMV fees. The sponsor and consumer advocates said the bill would curb spoofed websites and hidden upcharges, while DMV business partners and related companies argued the cap would make the program economically unworkable and reduce service options. Members questioned how the 5% figure was chosen, and the bill advanced on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations after a roll call. The committee also heard AB 2046, which would allow EPA-approved E85 conversion kits in California to expand access to lower-cost, lower-carbon fuel; supporters cited consumer savings and emissions reductions, and the bill passed to Appropriations. Finally, AB 2346 proposed broader e-bike safety rules, including speedometers, lighting, age-based speed limits, local authority to set path limits, and consumer disclosures; supporters framed it as a response to serious injuries and illegal e-motos, while opponents raised concerns about overbreadth, enforcement, and potential profiling. The committee approved AB 2346, sending it to Judiciary, and later completed roll calls showing the consent calendar and the other heard bills advancing out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• I feel it just grows and grows as the salary scale grows for teachers.
• I feel it just grows and grows as the salary scale grows for teachers.
• I'm not asking for parity.

Committee: House A&B Education Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• Ombudsperson Zadra, are you expecting salary increases for those FTEs? Ombudsperson Zadra.
• Chair, Representative, no salary increases beyond what would be typical. step increase that's a part
• We are looking for parity between public schools and public charter schools to establish an equitable

Bills: HF2432

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• So I do think that we need to think long and hard about how it is that we are creating equity and parity
• What we do know is that the average salary of state employees is significantly lower than comparable
• We haven't seen a large or substantial, or really any, increase in public employee salary since 2019.
• President, that it's those very businesses that are paying for all the salaries for all the state employees
• But when it comes to salaries, we want to be competitive.

Bills: SB1627 , SB227 , SB366 , SB1193 , SB1433 , SB1450 , SB1481 , SB1749 , SB1810 , SB1812 , SB1921 , SB1948 , SB2044 , SB2178 , SB169 , SB1877 , HB1409 , SB1266 , SB1432

Summary: The Senate convened, established a quorum, offered prayer, and recognized several guests, doctors, nurses, pages, student shadows, and visitors in the gallery. Members also adopted a motion to request the House’s consent for the Senate to adjourn for more than three days, with Senator Hicks opposing the motion because of the number of bills still available for consideration. The motion passed. The chamber then considered several bills. Senate Bill 1627, a cleanup measure to eliminate duplicate criminal code sections and clarify the law for legal research, passed 45-0 and was advanced as an emergency. Senate Bill 227, dealing with gross production tax and ad valorem taxation on oil and gas means of production, drew extensive questioning and debate over possible revenue impacts, county assessors, schools, and economically at-risk wells; it passed 37-9. Senate Bill 366, which gives charter schools a first right of refusal to buy or lease public school buildings sold or leased by districts, also generated debate over local control and lack of resale guardrails, and passed 40-6 as an emergency. Later, Senate Bill 1193 to remove general fund carryover caps for school districts passed 46-0 as an emergency after supporters argued it would reduce “use it or lose it” spending and allow more local flexibility, while opponents questioned fiscal effects and accountability. Senate Bill 1433, the Guidance Transparency Act requiring agencies to publicly disclose guidance documents in a searchable database, passed 37-7 after concerns about attorney-client privilege, administrative burden, and whether guidance could function like law. Senate Bill 1450, expanding relief from fines, fees, and court costs for certain people in the criminal justice system, was advanced and passed unanimously; Senate Bill 1481, increasing minimum recess time for K-5 students from 20 to 40 minutes, was advanced as an emergency measure; Senate Bill 1810, allowing expert testimony in human trafficking cases, passed 45-0; Senate Bill 1812, requiring school districts to make benchmark testing information available to parents, passed 46-0 as an emergency; Senate Bill 1921, increasing OSBI background-check fees, passed 39-7; and Senate Bill 1948, updating fireworks laws and limiting county restrictions on private outdoor consumer fireworks displays, was taken up with significant safety and local-control questioning.

Transcript Highlights:

• You were one of the first Black women to serve in the California State Legislature and to have parity
• So we actually advanced their salaries and will expect to get a repayment of those salaries, but we extended
• that to up to 20— We'll expect to get a repayment of those salaries, but we extended that to up to 24
• This year, our salaries and wages and benefits cost went up significantly, a little under a million.
• So we've adjusted for that, but really our budget is salary. Under a million.

Transcript Highlights:

• You are one of the first Black women to serve in the California State Legislature and to have parity
• So we actually advanced their salaries and will expect to get a repayment of those salaries, but we extended
• We'll expect to get a repayment of those salaries, but we extended that to up to 24 months, and we're
• This year, our salaries and wages and benefits cost went up significantly, a little under a million.
• So we've adjusted for that, but really our budget is salary.

Summary: The subcommittee first heard an item on the vehicle license fee backfill for counties, focused largely on San Mateo County and the related excess ERAF calculation. Department of Finance staff said the administration does not propose the requested $119 million backfill, arguing the payment is discretionary and that the existing statutory formula should continue to operate as written. Senators and public witnesses, including Senator Becker and former Senator Jackie Speier, argued the state has a longstanding obligation to local governments and that San Mateo County faces severe service cuts without the funds; they also discussed whether the issue could be solved through local school district boundary changes or other structural fixes. The chair held the item open after testimony. The committee then reviewed Secretary of State budget proposals. The department presented SB 851 implementation funding of $1.1 million General Fund in 2026-27 and $807,000 ongoing for four positions and software to track election-related litigation, update voting system standards, and expand vendor notice requirements. Members asked about election security, the impact of recent federal court decisions, the end of federal HAVA funds in 2027-28, and the staffing and timeline needed to implement the law. The committee also heard a $11.8 million General Fund request for the Cal Access Replacement System, intended to replace the outdated campaign finance and lobbying disclosure platform; staff said the project is on track for a November 2026 go-live with a stabilization period afterward. A separate item sought $9.795 million Business Fees Fund for the Notary Automation Program replacement, with the department explaining delays were due to more planning, a 2025 special election, and the need to secure a contractor, with go-live now projected for 2029. All three items were held open. The Department of Veterans Affairs presented its overall status and then its Yountville skilled nursing facility project. CalVet described progress on veterans homes, home loans, housing programs, and mental health initiatives, while noting higher-acuity needs among older veterans and continued support for underserved groups. For Yountville, the department said the new 240-bed skilled nursing facility is nearing completion and will replace the aging Holderman Hospital building, though some functions will remain in the old building and other campus projects, including roof and steam system work, are still underway. Members also raised concerns about retroactive tax liabilities for employees whose housing fringe benefits had not been reported, and CalVet said it has corrected the reporting, retrained staff, and is working with employees on repayment and lease adjustments. The committee also discussed a proposal to eliminate vacant positions under Control Section 4.12; CalVet said the positions were long vacant and could be given back without harming operations, while the LAO noted the Legislature had not concurred and keeping them would increase General Fund costs. The item was held open. Finally, the California Arts Council gave an informational update on its work and the cultural districts program. The director described the council’s grantmaking, technical assistance, and support for 24 cultural districts statewide, while members emphasized the economic and preservation value of arts funding and urged more investment, including a proposed $50 million General Fund augmentation and a $10 million carve-out for cultural districts. Staff explained that the original cultural district funding was reduced and that the program is currently unfunded and lacks dedicated staff, limiting its ability to expand beyond a small share of applications. Members from different regions noted that many parts of the state still lack cultural district designations and pressed the council to broaden access beyond major urban areas. The item was informational only, with no vote taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, as long as they meet statutory requirements around featured minimum salaries, minimum instructional
• 19 and 20, I just want to make sure I fully understand what we're doing there with the insurance. parity
• My first question on row 16 Where it says an average salary increase.
• So, for any undergraduate resident, they would receive essentially 65% of a level one teacher salary.
• Their stipend would be 80% of a level one teacher salary.

Transcript Highlights:

• The graph on the right kind of shows we did a salary comparison because it's so much easier to do that
• Benchmarking with public salaries: New Mexico is that, oops, that column on the right.
• behind every single state auditor's office in the region and surrounding New Mexico in terms of salaries
• Chavez said, the $850,000 difference in this P-Code is for salary, GSD, liability rate increases, and
• We're working with individuals to bolster victims' rights, to try and bring parity between victims and

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• What would be the starting salary of that employee?
• My concern is that we've got a particular salary that we're coming in with, which is not really the salary
• Um, the probationary period salary increase mirrors what is the state personnel system's increase.
• My concern is that we've got a particular salary that we're coming in with, which is not really the salary
• </c><00:08:39.120><c> increase</c><00:08:39.760><c> or</c> also for a salary increase or also for a salary

Committee: Joint Health Services

Transcript Highlights:

• budget includes a $70 million allocation to help courts manage increased operating expenses, such as salaries
• budget includes a $70 million allocation to help courts manage increased operating expenses, such as salaries
• And unlike the other two branches of government, judicial branch funding for staff salary increases is
• the kind of bulging caseloads that they now have to operate under, and managing that on such a low salary
• It's a meaningful increase toward some sort of parity for our panel attorneys.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm pleased to present AB 2011, a bill to codify existing federal mental health parity standards into
• AB 2011 enshrines those protections in state law, so state regulators can continue to enforce parity
• So state regulators can continue to enforce parity requirements.
• The 2024 federal parity rule has been paused for review and is subject to ongoing litigation.
• The federal parity rule has been paused for review and is subject to ongoing litigation.

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on April 8, 2026, with a quorum established and 59 bills listed for consideration. The committee first approved two consent calendars: several bills were sent to the Assembly floor on a due-pass basis, and a smaller set was approved due-pass but not eligible for the floor consent calendar. The proposed suspense calendar was then deemed approved without individual debate on those measures. The committee heard several bills in regular order. AB 1977, sponsored by the Secretary of State, would clean up and clarify the Online Notarization Act to support implementation by 2030; it drew no opposition and was approved. AB 2011 would codify existing federal mental health parity standards into state law; supporters said it would preserve enforcement authority, while health plans opposed it as premature given federal uncertainty and possible premium impacts; the bill was placed on the B roll call. AB 1673 would give county fish and game commissions more flexibility to use certain revenues for wildlife conflict prevention, and it advanced on an A roll call. AB 2233 would allow unused authorized ABA therapy hours for children with autism to be made up within the authorization period; supporters emphasized access and continuity of care, while insurers warned of higher costs and reduced utilization safeguards; it advanced on an A roll call. AB 1660, as amended, would give courts more flexibility in cases involving financial institutions and public guardians/conservators, with supporters saying it could save counties time and money; it was approved due-pass as amended. During general public comment, speakers voiced support for AB 2081 and AB 1667, and opposition to AB 1777. After public comment and final vote recording for absent members, the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm pleased to present AB 2011, a bill to codify existing federal mental health parity standards into
• AB 2011 enshrines those protections in state law, so state regulators can continue to enforce parity
• This bill does State-like regulators can continue to enforce parity requirements.
• The 2024 federal parity rule has been paused for review and, at the same time, is subject to ongoing
• Efforts to advance parity laws at the state level should be held off until the federal rules are shored

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• DOL's cost model and does not fluctuate based on actual changes in expenses, such as increased salary
• A high, low three-figure, six-figure salary in order to fall off.
• So we're almost at parity as a state, which I think is an extraordinary thing.
• And if there's a way that there can be parity, if there isn't.
• Else goes to the salaries. We have seven staff now; that’s what I was asked.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means