Transcript Highlights:

• The secretary will lock the board and record the vote.
• Secretary will lock the board and record the vote. 36 yeas, one nay, Mr. President.
• We all learned pretty quickly how smart and how effective you were.
• Secretary, lock the board and record the vote. 36 yay, yay, ZRNAs, Mr. President.
• Secretary will lock the board and record the vote. 37-e-ease, Mr. President.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And they'll be secured and locked up for us.
• And they'll be secured and locked up for us.
• terms of how it's structured, but also considering what other services we need that may be required: locked
• than that would provide the best opportunity we have to really deal with crime in a comprehensive and smart
• They'll be here for you tomorrow in the next room, locked up.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Yes, Representative Lock. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Chairman, Representative Lock.
• Representative Lock asked whether the Director could address, in his area at least, Representative Lock
• ... ...methods, and as Representative Lock said, maybe a template.
• Representative Locke. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, Mr.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The secretary will lock the board and record the vote.
• Lock the board and record the vote. Thirty-seven yeas, zero nays, Madam President.
• Lock the board and record the vote. Thirty-six yeas, zero nays, Madam President.
• We all learned pretty quickly how smart and how effective you were.
• Secretary will lock the board and record the vote. 37-e-ease, Mr. President.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to lead the world while prioritizing affordability, the priorities of our constituents, and good, smart
• You’re not making smart investments with that, but I mean it gets worse.
• Guys, your cap and tax fund has become a slush fund, and we’re not making the kind of smart investments
• It’s going to raise our costs and it’s not making the kind of smart investments.
• You're telling me if somebody steals a pizza that they deserve to be locked up?

Summary: The chamber reconvened after a late-night session and first adopted the consent calendar, including ACR 107 on the Diablo Range, by a 48-0 vote. Members then took up several Senate bills and Assembly measures, with repeated remarks about the long hours and the need to respect staff and keep proceedings moving. A vote change was also announced for Assembly Member Patel on SB 414, changing from aye to not voting. The main policy debate centered on energy, climate, and affordability. SB 237, dealing with oil and gas policy, refinery closures, pipeline safety, Kern County permitting, gasoline blend flexibility, and regional fuel coordination, drew strong support from members who framed it as a managed transition to stabilize fuel supply and protect jobs, and strong opposition from members who called it a giveaway to oil interests and a setback for climate goals. The bill passed 59-0. SB 254, an energy affordability and wildfire package, included wildfire mitigation financing, a successor wildfire fund, transmission cost reductions, clean energy permitting changes, and energization timelines; members raised some concerns about local control, but the bill passed 58-0. SB 840 and AB 1207 advanced the cap-and-invest reauthorization package, with supporters emphasizing emissions reductions, housing, transit, wildfire prevention, and community air programs, while opponents argued it would raise costs and function as a tax-and-spend scheme. SB 840 passed 54-15 and AB 1207 passed 55-10, both with urgency and immediate transmittal. Members also approved SB 352, which makes the Bureau of Environmental Justice permanent and requires air quality monitoring and reporting on AB 617 implementation, by 43-19. AB 825, authorizing California to help establish a Westwide electricity market, was presented as a way to lower bills, improve reliability, and reduce emissions; it passed 67-2 and was sent to the Governor. Additional actions included concurrence in Senate amendments to AB 8 on cannabinoids and AB 383 on firearms cleanup, and the chamber began consideration of AB 764 on wildlife as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm coming into this a little bit late, and I thank you for your indulgence, but I think we refer as smart
• It's all very smart to pre-refer this. Yeah, it's because you made the motion. Absolutely.
• </c><00:56:09.119><c> Yeah,</c> It's very smart to pre-refer this.
• Yeah, It's very smart to pre-refer this.
• between exposure and administration of epinephrine to wait for the nurse's office to get it out of a locked

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• legislature, CNA has worked for years to ensure that employers cannot use debt repayment contracts to lock
• Scott Brent, Smart-TD Stockton, California, in support. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning.
• Jared Fells, SMART, Local 835, Bakersfield, in support. Thank you.
• Jared Bell, SMART, Local 835, Bakersfield, in support. Thank you. Good morning.
• Megan Adams, president of SMART Local 1741, representing school bus drivers in San Francisco, in support

Summary: The committee heard several bills, beginning with AB 1521, the Judiciary Committee’s civil law omnibus measure. The bill makes a number of minor, mostly clarifying changes, including repealing obsolete Government Code provisions, allowing juvenile courts to hear petitions to establish records of birth, death, or marriage, requiring notice of probate petitions to the Department of Child Support Services, and correcting typos in existing law. It had no opposition and was moved on a do-pass basis to Appropriations, though it was later placed on call pending additional votes. Members then heard AB 57, which would reserve at least 10% of California’s Home Purchase Assistance Program funds for descendants of formerly enslaved people. The author and supporters framed it as a reparative, race-neutral-by-lineage effort to address historic housing discrimination and the racial wealth gap, while opponents argued it was an unconstitutional racial proxy and should instead be based on individual injury. The bill drew strong support and opposition testimony, was amended, and was approved on a do-pass as amended vote to Appropriations, then placed on call. AB 495, the Family Preparedness Plan Act, was heard next. The bill would expand and standardize caregiving and guardianship tools for families facing immigration-related separation, including broader use of caregiver authorization affidavits, recognition of non-relative extended family caregivers, and a new short-term guardianship process that preserves parental rights. Supporters said it would reduce trauma and help children remain with trusted caregivers; there was no opposition testimony. The committee approved it on a do-pass to Human Services vote and placed it on call. The committee also heard AB 392, which would address non-consensual sharing of sexually explicit media by requiring uploader consent certifications, faster takedown procedures, and civil remedies against uploaders and hosting sites. A survivor testified in support, and members discussed implementation details and possible amendments; the bill was moved on a do-pass as amended basis to Appropriations and placed on call. AB 692, which would prohibit employer “stay-or-pay” debt agreements that require workers to repay training or other costs if they leave or are terminated, also advanced despite opposition from business and industry groups concerned about impacts on signing bonuses and voluntary training programs. It was sent to Appropriations on a do-pass as amended vote and placed on call, along with AB 1234, a wage-claim enforcement bill aimed at reducing Labor Commissioner delays and adding consequences for employers who fail to participate in the process. The committee also heard AB 394, which expands protections for transit workers and allows transit agencies to seek restraining orders against violent riders; it received broad support, some concern about system-wide bans, and was discussed with amendments that preserved judicial discretion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Secretary will lock the board and record the vote. 37 yeas, Mr. President.
• Secretary will lock the board and record the vote. 37-ease, Mr. President.
• Lock the board and record the vote. 39 yeas, Mr. President. Show the bill passes.
• Lock the board and record the vote. 39-ease, Mr. President. Show the bill passes.
• Clerk will lock the board and record the vote. 12 yeas, 25 nays, Mr. President.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of recognitions for interns, staff, and guests. Members also honored a retiring Senate staffer and a wounded veteran, then moved into returning House messages and special order bills. Several measures were taken up and either concurred in or sent back to the House, with multiple unanimous or near-unanimous votes on noncontroversial bills. Among the bills addressed were SB 118 on recreational vehicle park assessments, SB 572 on ethics for public officers and employees, and HB 991 on election integrity. SB 118 and SB 572 were amended to reflect House changes and passed 38-0. HB 991 drew extensive debate over voter registration and identification requirements, with opponents arguing it would burden students, seniors, disabled voters, and others, while supporters said it would strengthen election security and streamline verification; it passed 27-12. The chamber also approved bills on historic cemeteries, chickee regulation, habitual traffic offender designation, military affairs, and a Department of Health package. The Department of Health bill (SB 902/HB 733) was the subject of detailed amendment work, including changes to medical marijuana rules, NICU educational materials, Early Steps, dental loan repayment, and pediatric trauma center designation. The Senate adopted an amendment to the amendment and then passed the bill 37-0. Other measures included a funeral services bill, which the Senate refused to concur in because the House strike-all would redefine cremation to include composting, and a veterans-related bill that was temporarily postponed. The Senate also recessed briefly, then returned to continue the calendar and additional recognitions.

Transcript Highlights:

• My son was a smart, driven man.
• Smart regulations with proper enforcement procedures are key.
• But safety comes from smart regulation, not eradication.
• I'm not as smart as a lot of my peers.
• I'm not feeling at all couch-locked.

Summary: The House Committee on Public Health heard House Bill 5, a proposal to ban THC products outside the Texas Compassionate Use Program while allowing non-intoxicating CBD and CBG products under tighter regulation. Chair Van Deaver gave a lengthy background on the 2018 federal Farm Bill and Texas’s 2019 hemp law, arguing that the lack of guardrails allowed a large, unregulated THC market to develop. HB 5 would impose licensing fees, product registration, testing and inspection requirements, and restrictions intended to keep products away from children. Invited witnesses from law enforcement strongly supported the bill. Steve Dye of the Texas Police Chiefs Association and Brian Hawthorne of the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas argued that THC consumables are widely mislabeled, often far more potent than advertised, and linked to youth access, impaired driving, and organized crime. Both said regulation would be ineffective and would amount to legalization, while a ban would be easier for officers to enforce. They also emphasized support for the Texas Compassionate Use Program and said medical THC should remain available. Dr. Peter Stout of the Texas Association of Crime Lab Directors and Alice Amelot of Texas DPS testified as resource witnesses about forensic testing. They said current lab resources are already stretched thin, that quantitative testing for THC and related cannabinoids is expensive and time-consuming, and that a ban would simplify enforcement because labs could focus on presence/absence testing rather than concentration. Amelot said DPS labs are neutral on the bill but explained that mislabeled products and inaccurate certificates of analysis are common. Committee members asked about traffic safety, impairment, youth use, and the costs of enforcement and lab testing; witnesses repeatedly said the bill would reduce complexity for law enforcement but that any approach would still require more resources for labs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Louis Costa, with SMART Transportation Division, in support.
• Madam Chair, members, Louis Costa with SMART Transportation Division in support.
• Madam Chair, members, Louis Costa, with Smart Transportation Division in support.
• Madam Chair and members, Louis Costa with Smart Transportation Division in support.
• Chair and members, Louis Costa, with Smart Transportation Division, in support.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• container or safe, and placed in the locked trunk compartment of a vehicle.
• container or safe, secured in a locked container or safe, and<00:09:46.800><c> placed</c><00:09:47.120
• ><c> in</c><00:09:47.279><c> the</c><00:09:47.519><c> lock</c><00:09:47.920><c> trunk</c><00:09:48.560
• ><c> compartment</c> and placed in the lock trunk compartment and placed in the lock trunk compartment
• Smart<01:44:15.199><c> investments</c><01:44:15.920><c> in</c><01:44:16.320><c> effective</c> Smart investments

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Representative Lock, sir, please. Representative Lock, sir, please.
• </c> and Lock. and Lock.
• </c> polls close, doors locked. polls close, doors locked.
• Representative<00:24:00.120><c> Locke.</c> Representative Locke. Representative Locke.
• </c> Johnson, Lock, Lucas, Webb, Yin. Johnson, Lock, Lucas, Webb, Yin.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Secretary will lock the board and record the vote.
• Secretary to lock the board and record the vote. 37 yeas, zero nays, Mr. President.
• Okay, lock the board and record the vote. 36 yeas, zero nays, Madam President.
• Okay, lock the board and record the vote. 36, yay, zero nays, Madam President.
• We all learned pretty quickly how smart and how effective you were.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, several introductions, and an announcement that there would be no conference that weekend. The chamber then took up a long special order calendar and passed a series of bills, often by substituting House companions. Early measures included trust law modernization to create a nonjudicial trustee discharge process, military affairs changes expanding leave and retirement-related provisions, a bill to prepare for the end of penny use by standardizing cash rounding, and a podiatric medicine bill regulating cellular or tissue-based products and informed consent. The Senate also approved veterans court expansion, RV park assessment clarification, alcohol-loss tax deduction authority, bail bond and pretrial release revisions, and a military-installation jurisdiction bill to allow juvenile cases on bases to be handled in state juvenile court under certain conditions. Most bills passed unanimously or near-unanimously, with the bail bond bill passing 36-1 after questions about charitable bail bonds and confirmation that existing law on return of charitable bail funds would remain unchanged. The chamber then paused for a lengthy farewell presentation honoring Senator Lori Berman, featuring a video, remarks from many senators, and Berman’s own closing speech reflecting on her 16 years of service, her legislative priorities, and her call for civility, bipartisanship, and continued support for issues such as school safety, Israel, anti-Semitism, and affordability. After the tribute, the Senate resumed and passed additional bills, including one expanding insurance coverage definitions for portable electronics and eyewear, a workforce and nursing education funding bill broadening support for health science programs, a recovery residences regulatory streamlining bill, a felony battery enhancement bill adding resisting an officer with violence as a qualifying prior offense, and a child welfare bill extending visitor thresholds in out-of-home placements, making the Step Into Success program permanent, and creating a best-practices program. The chamber also advanced a candidate qualification bill tightening party-affiliation requirements and adding a House provision on recent legal name changes; debate began on that measure as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think if they were smart, they would come to you for advice. Mr. Stern, would you like to close?
• And then lastly, it does lock out the public from any legal recourse on it.
• So it's not a sort of locked-in 60-day, if you will, but that's the initial sort of expectation period
• need to invest safely, and it brings structural transparency to the market, empowering fleets to make smart
• E2 is a national, nonpartisan organization of business leaders who advocate for smart policies that are

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It includes smart, targeted investments in critical housing, education, wildfire resilience, and public
• right here in California—not overseas, but here in California. ...and to send ICE in to raid and to lock
• We had an opportunity to reintroduce very smart legislation and budget requests around HAP funding and
• First up: Natasha Minsker, Smart Justice California.
• disappointed that the discriminatory cuts to Medi-Cal for immigrant families remain and permanently lock

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They've also become linked to China's smart cities initiative.
• And the wealthy, their kids may not be able to afford to go to school. are smart or test smart.
• I mean, how do we know that these things... are locked down and secure.
• It does lock it down. The aircraft. completely offline. So there is no connection.
• One month later, COVID hit the U.S. and we were all locked down.

Bills: HB17, HB34, HB41, HB 118, HB 119, HB 127, HB 128, HB 129, HB 130, HB132, HB133, HB17, HB41, HB118, HB119, HB127, HB128, HB129, HB130, HB132, HB133

Keywords: foreign ownership, real estate, national security, designated countries, Texas property law, lobbying, foreign adversaries, compensation prohibition, transparency, civil penalties, higher education, foreign adversary, research security, trade secrets, academic partnerships, HB 128, sister city, sister-city agreement, international exchange, municipal diplomacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Lock the board and record the vote. 31 yeas, 4 nays, Mr. President. So the bill passes.
• Okay, lock the board, record the vote.
• Okay, lock the board, record the vote. 31 yeas, six nays, Mr. President. Thank you.
• Lock the board and record the vote. 17 yeas, 20 nays, Mr. President.
• Lock the board and record the vote. Lock the board and record the vote. 27 yeas, 11 nays, Mr.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• offerings and initiatives like the Connected Solution Demand Response Program, which coordinate and deploy smart
• And as a gateway city resident, I will... ...have been locked into a 50-year depreciation schedule of
• If I have no energy efficiency and I am only receiving a gas rate increase and being locked into this
• Connected Solutions program works by enrolling distributed energy resources, such as home batteries and smart

Summary: The hearing focused on the value of Mass Save, with committee members and witnesses largely emphasizing that the program lowers energy bills, reduces peak demand, supports climate goals, and delivers benefits beyond direct participants. The chair opened by noting Mass Save’s long-term savings, its role in weatherization and heat pump deployment, and recent statutory changes directing the program toward emissions reductions, low- and moderate-income households, and fossil-fuel restrictions. Elizabeth Mahoney of the Department of Energy Resources said the program has evolved to broaden access and control costs, citing large weatherization totals, heat pump installations, avoided emissions, and budget controls that removed $500 million from the approved plan. She also said the governor’s proposal to have only electric utilities administer Mass Save was intended to reduce administrative and procurement costs, and she explained that outreach to low- and moderate-income communities is counted within marketing spending. Several witnesses addressed the program’s workforce and business impacts. Dave Betcher of Abode Energy Management and Rick Taglienti of Rogers Insulation said Mass Save sustains small businesses, contractors, and thousands of jobs by creating stable demand for energy-efficiency work, while warning that sharp budget cuts would lead to layoffs and discourage investment in training, equipment, and hiring. Committee members pressed them on who administers the program, and both said the program administrators and utilities collaborate, with day-to-day contractor oversight and customer work largely delegated to private vendors and community partners. Other witnesses, including Brian Biot and James Collins of the low-income network, described the “quarterbacking” model used for income-eligible customers, where community action agencies provide full project management, technical support, and wraparound services to help households access fuel assistance, discount rates, weatherization, and electrification measures. A major theme was cost-effectiveness and system-wide savings. Anna Johnson of ACEEE and Kyle Murray of Acadia Center said Mass Save returns more than it costs, reduces peak demand, and lowers prices for all ratepayers, including those who do not participate directly. They cited avoided costs in the billions, strong state rankings, and examples of peak-hour savings that avoid expensive generation and infrastructure. Amy Boyd-Rabin of the Environmental League of Massachusetts argued that energy efficiency is the cheapest way to achieve greenhouse gas reductions and that cutting the program would force more expensive power plants to run. Bronte Payne of Sunrun and Ben Sondaga of Highland Electric Fleets highlighted Connected Solutions, a Mass Save-funded virtual power plant program, saying it saves ratepayers money and can use home batteries and electric school buses to reduce peak demand and support grid reliability. Equity and affordable housing witnesses, including Mary Wampo and Barney Heath, said Mass Save has become more responsive to renters, low-income households, and designated equity communities, while also helping affordable housing projects meet passive house and electrification standards; no votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair and members, Louis Costa with Smart Transportation Division, opposed unless amended.
• Madam Chair and members, Louis Costa with Smart Transportation Division, opposed unless amended.
• So up to 40% of the households were locked out.
• Here we have many, many students who are locked out of digital access and equity.

Summary: The Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee heard three bills. SB 371 by Senator Cabaldon would reduce uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage requirements for transportation network companies from $1 million to $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident, with committee amendments adding findings and declarations, higher limits than originally proposed, and a joint study on UM/UIM impacts. Supporters, including Uber, Lyft, business groups, and some consumer advocates, argued the bill would lower fares and increase driver earnings by reducing insurance costs. Opponents, including consumer attorneys, labor groups, and consumer watchdog organizations, warned it would cut protections for riders and drivers and might not guarantee savings would be passed through. The committee approved SB 371 on a due-pass basis and re-referred it to Appropriations by a 9-0 vote. The committee then heard SB 716 by Senator Durazo, which would create a Home Internet Lifeline Program to let eligible low-income households apply Lifeline subsidies to home broadband service. Proponents said the bill addresses broadband affordability after the federal Affordable Connectivity Program expired, and that it would help students, workers, and families access reliable internet. Opponents from the wireless industry objected to the funding mechanism, arguing the surcharge would fall unfairly on wireless consumers, while one broadband group moved to neutral after amendments. The bill was approved on a due-pass basis and sent to Appropriations, but the roll was held open and later completed with the bill passing 7-1. The committee also took up SB 480 by Senator Archuleta relating to autonomous vehicles as a consent item, with no presentation or debate. It was approved on a due-pass basis and re-referred to Appropriations by a 9-0 vote. Throughout the hearing, members repeatedly focused on affordability, consumer protection, and whether savings from the bills would actually reach riders, drivers, or households.

Transcript Highlights:

• Additional people, sorry, and see all the new folks locked in. I'm sorry. I'm Jim. I'm Jim.
• when their EBT card is usable, thus protecting their benefits from theft by allowing them to lock it
• clients to be able to lock and unlock their cards when they're not using them.
• That now allows clients to be able to lock and unlock their cards when they're not using them.
• The lock-unlock component is very, very different from the chip.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing opened with remarks from Senate Chair Robyn Kennedy and House Chair Chynah Tyler, who emphasized that the fiscal year 2026 hearing was focused on the Health and Human Services budget, asked members to keep questions budget-related, and noted that no public testimony would be taken. They also highlighted the choice of Doherty Memorial High School as the venue to showcase Worcester’s investment in career and technical education. Committee members then introduced themselves before the first panel, the Executive Office of Veterans Services and the state veterans homes, began testimony. Secretary John Santiago said the governor’s FY26 proposal would support implementation of the HERO Act, which he said is now about 95% implemented, including higher disabled veteran annuities, expanded behavioral health benefits, and other service expansions. He described efforts to reduce veteran homelessness, including nearly $20 million in ARPA-funded housing and outreach initiatives, and said the agency has delivered more than 100,000 supportive services to nearly 8,500 veterans. Leaders from the Chelsea and Holyoke veterans homes reported on staffing, quality measures, electronic medical records, and major construction projects at both facilities, including a new Chelsea campus and the new Holyoke home. Members asked about funding transfers, geographic equity in access to the homes, outreach to women veterans and veterans of color, suicide prevention, Gold Star family support, and the impact of federal uncertainty; Santiago said the homes are now licensed and certified, that the current budget is sufficient, and that the agency is expanding engagement and data collection. The second panel, the Office of the Veteran Advocate, testified that its FY26 request is about $3.3 million, up from the current $2 million, to cover staffing, a larger office, and higher technology costs. Veteran Advocate Bob Notch said the office is a new independent oversight agency created in 2022 to examine systems, coordinate with local veteran service officers, and investigate fatalities or serious harm involving veterans in state care. He said the office’s work depends on research, data, and collaboration with other agencies, and that current funding is only enough for minimum operations. In response to questions, Notch and Deputy Commissioner David O’Callaghan discussed the difficulty of tracking veteran suicides, the need for better data across agencies, and the office’s role as an oversight body rather than a direct service provider. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.