Transcript Highlights:

• AB 722, Avila Farías, reentry housing and workforce development: hold in committee.
• AB 231, TAWA, Workforce Opportunity Tax Credit: holding committee.
• AB 804, Wicks, Medi-Cal Housing Supports: holding committee. Thank you.
• AB 804, Wicks, Medi-Cal Housing Supports: holding committee.
• AB 804, Wicks, Medi-Cal Housing Supports: holding committee.

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:

• First of all, I'd like to say I see House Bill 1433. It's a market-based workforce support policy.
• House Bill 1433. House Bill 1433.
• Good morning, members of the House Ways and Means Committee.
• and Means members of the House Ways and Means Committee.<01:19:37.600> For<01:19:37.840> the
• I don't know of another piece of legislation where the vote in the House and the vote in the Senate..

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Identified workforce programs aid the overall behavioral health workforce continuum and allow flexible
• Yes, Will Owens with the Legislative Analyst's Office.
• Good afternoon, Chair and members of the committee.
• Good afternoon, Chair and committee members.
• So this follows a current-year request for authority approved by the Joint Legislative Budget Committee

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair and committee members.
• The competitive workforce factor, which was first introduced in the 2019 legislative session and went
• And, like all things in this committee, I'm open to what the committee wants.
• Sarah Grafstrom, welcome back to the committee. Sarah Grafstrom, welcome back to the committee.
• Committee to continue.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Committee on Nominations will come to order.
• I've been on the internal audit committee since 2021, and I've been chair of the audit committee at TxDOT
• I've been on the internal audit committee since 2021, and I've been chair of the audit committee at TxDOT
• Stay focused on workforce development.
• Members have had to go to different committees, lay out bills, and be in committee, so the membership

Summary: The Senate Committee on Nominations met to consider several gubernatorial nominees and first approved a slate of nominees left pending from the March 31 agenda. The committee voted 5-0 to favorably report those nominees to the full Senate for confirmation. Public testimony was then opened and later closed, with some listed witnesses not appearing. The committee heard testimony on Jerry K. Weldon II for the Brazos River Authority Board of Directors. Senators focused on stewardship of the Brazos River, the authority’s relationship to the legislature and the public, Sunset review, water quality and nutrient runoff, impaired waterways, and possible uses of constructed wetlands for aggregate mine reclamation. Weldon emphasized collaboration, transparency, and keeping the citizens of Texas as the authority’s primary customer. Commissioner Robert Vaughn was considered for reappointment to the Texas Transportation Commission. Discussion centered on TxDOT’s management, rural funding, population growth, project delivery, and the commissioner’s role on the audit committee. Doug McCreakin was considered for the Texas Tech University Board of Regents, with questions about legislative priorities, compliance with DEI-related state law, workforce development, rural medical education, and university partnerships. Jody Giles was considered for reappointment to the University of Texas Board of Regents, and Bernadette Carrasco Coleman for reappointment to the Texas Woman’s University Board of Regents; both discussed higher education priorities, PUF funding, compliance with state law, and student support programs. John Rutherford was considered for reappointment to the Teachers Retirement System Board of Trustees, with questions about fiduciary oversight, investment understanding, and keeping the retirement system solvent. Brigadier General Michael Boyd was also considered for appointment to the Texas Military Preparedness Commission, where discussion focused on military retention, child care, spouse licensing, base infrastructure, and grant funding for Texas installations. The committee did not take final votes on these later nominees during the hearing and left them pending subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• legislation.
• As the healthcare workforce legislation.
• Um members of<00:36:11.119> the<00:36:11.280> committee, of the committee, of the committee
• legislation.
• . legislation. legislation.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and permanent supportive housing.
• I bought the house as is.
• Oftentimes, a common issue that many in the housing space run into are challenges related to housing
• of housing we can build in the state.
• These projects maintain 25% affordable housing.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so how do we get that workforce?
• Um, so how do we get that workforce?
• Um, so how do we get that workforce?
• <00:14:44.800> You attention has been on workforce. You attention has been on workforce.
• . workforce. workforce. finding<00:15:53.759> the<00:15:54.000> skilled<00:15:54.320>

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:00:22 Forging the Future: Kentucky's National Leadership in Metals Manufacturing 00:01:33 Improvements to Kentucky’s Incentive Programs 00:52:05, 958, all

Summary: The committee met for its third interim meeting, approved the prior meeting minutes, and heard a presentation from the Metals Innovation Initiative (MI2) on Kentucky’s metals industry. Speakers described metals manufacturing and recycling as a major economic backbone for the Commonwealth, including steel, aluminum, stainless steel, and copper operations, with broad impacts across production, fabrication, supply chains, and related businesses. They emphasized that the industry supports high-paying jobs, significant capital investment in Kentucky, and is aligned with broader efforts to expand U.S. manufacturing. A central theme was workforce development. MI2 leaders said the industry faces a persistent talent gap and that current education programs do not always produce the skills needed for modern metals jobs. They argued for stronger exposure and awareness, more direct industry involvement, and a dedicated metals career pathway through high schools, area technology centers, career and technical centers, and KCTCS. They also described pilot efforts in Logan, Warren, and Carroll counties that would introduce students to metals careers in middle school, move them into credits and pathways in high school, and connect them to internships, apprenticeships, and postsecondary training. Recycling and supply-chain security were the other major topics. Testimony stressed that recycled inputs are far cheaper than raw ore extraction and that recycling is increasingly important to competitiveness, environmental performance, and keeping materials from leaving the U.S. Speakers also raised concerns about China’s large steel and aluminum capacity and said unfair trade and global market manipulation make it harder for Kentucky producers to compete. Committee members and presenters framed MI2 as a collaborative effort among industry, state government, and academia to strengthen workforce pipelines, recycling, and long-term industry growth. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are in a joint informational hearing, Assembly Health Committee and Privacy Committee, with Chair
• Staff, both of Health Committee and Privacy Committee, for working so well together on the backgrounder
• I've had the opportunity to participate in joint hearings with the Labor Committee, with the Arts Committee
• , and now the Health Committee.
• “As this committee knows, because a bill moved through this committee as a result of this, I showed up

Summary: The joint informational hearing of the Assembly Health and Privacy Committees focused on generative AI in health care, with opening remarks emphasizing both its potential to improve care and its risks around privacy, bias, liability, workforce impacts, and unequal access. Chair Bauer-Kahan and Chair Bonta framed the discussion around how California can encourage beneficial innovation while protecting patients, especially given the sensitivity of health data and the possibility that AI could worsen existing disparities if not carefully governed. The first panel featured representatives from Cedars-Sinai, Kaiser Permanente, Penguin AI, and Google, who described current uses of AI such as ambient clinical scribes, nursing documentation tools, imaging triage, maternal-fetal risk prediction, and administrative automation. Speakers said these tools can reduce clinician burden, improve patient experience, speed treatment, and in some cases improve outcomes, including a reported mortality benefit from a Kaiser predictive model and faster thrombectomy times at Cedars-Sinai. Members raised concerns about accuracy with accents and multilingual visits, whether predictive tools could reinforce bias or lead to more interventions such as C-sections, and how to ensure a human remains in the loop for important decisions. The second panel, including representatives from the California Health Care Foundation, UC Berkeley, and Stanford, focused on policy and governance challenges. Testimony highlighted examples of AI supporting homelessness outreach and community health work, but also warned that biased algorithms can encode inequities, especially when trained on data that reflect under-treatment of Black, rural, or low-income patients. Witnesses urged clearer standards for trustworthy AI, stronger monitoring and governance structures, better data access for accountability, and attention to the safety net’s limited resources. Several speakers argued that states should require health systems to have AI governance processes, clarify liability between developers and deployers, and regulate downstream uses of AI while preserving access to data for lifesaving research and oversight.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll call the House Education Committee to order. Madam Secretary, if you call the roll, please.
• Quick note for everybody, our House Appropriations and Finance Committee, A quick note for everybody,
• For these reasons, I respectfully urge the committee to support House Bill 30.
• For these reasons, I respectfully urge the committee to support House Bill 30.
• meet with the Legislative Finance Committee and Legislative Education Study Committee staff.

Bills: SB83, SB106, SB107, SB123, SJR1

Keywords: ecological monitoring, sustainability, tribal engagement, education, research funding, graduate scholarship, higher education funding, New Mexico, appropriation, financial aid, out-of-school programming, education funding, youth programs, affordability, nonprofit organizations, defibrillators, public schools, health and safety, emergency response, school elections

Transcript Highlights:

• I also am a big supporter of, especially of education workforce housing, as well as affordable housing
• I also am a big supporter of, especially of education workforce housing, as well as affordable housing
• and faculty housing.
• , for faculty housing.
• Committee today.

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:

• The committee on workforce will come to order. The clerk will call the roll.
• Um, good morning, Chairman Longoria and the Workforce Committee.
• House Bill 3173 takes a comprehensive approach to ensure that workforce development programs are not
• While simultaneously driving economic growth for Texas, we strongly urge the committee to support House
• Hearing none, the Committee on Workforce stands adjourned, subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation is not simply a policy shift.
• For housing, H.R. 1 expands the low-income housing tax credit program beginning in 2026.
• This type of legislation will require 60 votes in the Senate and a majority of the House to pass, and
• , housing deposits, and housing sustainability services that allow less utilization of very expensive
• Thank you. housing, housing deposits, housing sustainability services that allow less utilization of

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Accountability and Oversight held its fifth hearing of the year to examine the newly enacted federal H.R. 1 and its effects on California. Members and the chair described the law as a major threat to state health, food, education, and climate programs, and emphasized that California would not be able to fully backfill the federal cuts. Several members also highlighted the bill’s tax provisions, including temporary deductions for tips, overtime, seniors, and auto loan interest, while warning that the largest benefits flow to higher-income taxpayers and that major cuts to Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and clean-energy incentives are delayed or phased in over time. The Legislative Analyst’s Office and the Department of Finance presented detailed overviews of the bill’s likely impacts and implementation timelines. They identified the main affected areas as health care coverage and financing, food assistance, higher education, personal income taxes, and clean-energy/electric-vehicle credits. They explained that H.R. 1 limits provider taxes used to finance Medi-Cal, adds work and redetermination requirements, restricts CalFresh eligibility and increases state costs, changes student loan and Pell Grant rules, extends and modifies federal tax provisions, and phases out many clean-energy credits. Finance also noted major rescissions of Inflation Reduction Act funds, new border and immigration enforcement spending, and the possibility of PAYGO sequestration if Congress does not act to offset the deficit increase. During member questions, the committee focused on likely enrollment losses, administrative burdens, and fiscal exposure for the state and counties. Witnesses said many details still depend on federal guidance, but they estimated significant impacts on Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and graduate/professional student borrowing, and noted that California’s high CalFresh error rate could increase state costs. UC testified that the elimination of Graduate PLUS loans would affect thousands of professional students, especially in health, law, and other high-cost programs. Members asked for follow-up data on county, health, and tax impacts, and staff agreed to provide additional tables and estimates as implementation guidance becomes clearer. Public commenters from counties, early childhood advocates, health coalitions, disability rights groups, immigrant-rights organizations, and other stakeholders urged the Legislature to mitigate the law’s effects. They warned of higher county costs, reduced access to health care and food assistance, increased administrative burdens, and harm to children, immigrants, people with disabilities, and low-income families. Several urged new state revenue solutions and stronger protections for Medi-Cal, CalFresh, child care, and home- and community-based services. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational and ended with a commitment to continue monitoring federal guidance and to work on state responses in the budget process.

Transcript Highlights:

• The House Standing Committee on Primary and Secondary Education will come to order.
• house bill 654 with the committee sub. house bill 654 with the committee sub.
• in the House and Senate running between committees trying to make sense of things.
• four committees when I was in the House four committees when I was in the House and<00:58:29.440
• <00:58:36.000> committees<00:58:36.319> and legislative committees and legislative committees

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee began with introductions of student guests, including an FCCLA national officer who spoke in support of career and technical education. She emphasized that CTE connects classroom learning to real careers, builds leadership and employability skills, and deserves continued state supplemental funding to keep programs current, expand offerings, and support student organizations. Members thanked her for her remarks and for representing FCCLA students. The committee then considered House Bill 67, a cleanup bill to address unintended consequences from last session’s Senate Bill 181 on traceable communication in schools. Rep. Josh Calloway explained that the substitute clarified definitions of family members, coaches, volunteers, certified/classified/contract employees, and virtual instruction; exempted group messaging, public social media posts, translation services, parent-provided phone numbers, emergency communications, and field trip/work-based learning contacts; and allowed teachers to disclose outside commercial or nonprofit involvement so they can communicate with students for those purposes. He said the bill was developed with input from school boards, administrators, KDE, school HR groups, Kentucky League of Cities, and Farm Bureau. The committee approved the substitute and passed HB 67 favorably. Next, the committee heard House Bill 759, which KDE described as a consistency bill for teacher certification pathways. The bill renames and standardizes alternative certification routes, clarifies content mastery requirements, allows teachers to add certifications more consistently, and lets educators extend certification into lower grade bands if they already hold higher-level certification and pedagogical knowledge. Members asked about chemistry majors, CTE occupational pathways, the veterans pathway, and grade-band “bandwidth”; KDE said the bill preserves the veterans route, does not create a new pathway but reorganizes existing ones, and will help make certification options easier to understand. HB 759 also passed favorably. Finally, Rep. Shane Baker presented House Bill 654, a follow-up to last year’s effort to reduce administrative burdens on schools. He said the bill would eliminate additional reporting requirements, bar KDE from requiring components of a comprehensive improvement plan not expressly required by statute or federal law, and allow EARS to temporarily authorize reports when the legislature is not in session while preserving necessary reporting tied to SEEK funding and school operations. The committee took up the substitute and began discussion of the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• The eighth meeting of the House Standing Committee on Health Services is called to order.
• This legislation is about access, stability, and workforce support.
• House Bill 676 as amended by the House committee substitute passes with favorable expression and the
• House Bill SE 676 as amended by the<01:08:39.199> House<01:08:39.520> committee<01:08:39.920
• > substitute<01:08:40.480> passes the House committee substitute passes the House committee

Keywords: 00:00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 00:01:25 - Discussion of 26RS HB 689 00:15:15 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 689 00:17:02 - Discussion of 26RS HB 407 00:45:40 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 407 00:49:25 - Discussion of 26RS HB 713 00:55:50 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 713 00:56:54 - Discussion of 26RS HB 676 01:06:42 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 676 01:08:43 - Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 689, which would authorize Kentucky to seek federal approval for a Medicaid state-directed payment program for physician and non-physician professional services delivered through qualifying hospital-affiliated groups, beginning in 2026. Rep. Amy Neighbors and witnesses from Owensboro Health and St. Elizabeth Healthcare said the bill would bring in about $29 million in new federal Medicaid dollars without using general fund money, help retain physicians, support rural and underserved access, and tie payments to quality metrics. Witnesses described staffing shortages, rising costs, and the need to sustain services such as OB care, primary care, and preventive outpatient services. After questions about how the funding would work and whether private practices were included, the committee voted on the bill and passed it with favorable expression. The committee then moved to House Bill 407, as substituted, which would streamline Kentucky’s certificate-of-need process. Rep. Marianne Proctor and supporters from the Pacific Legal Foundation and the Institute for Justice said the bill would not repeal CON but would modernize a system they described as outdated and overly restrictive, citing national trends toward reform and arguing that Kentucky’s process has changed little since the 1970s. They said the substitute added language requiring the cabinet to contact a dominant provider when needed for data to make CON determinations. Mark Gilfoil, speaking in opposition for St. Elizabeth Healthcare, argued that CON is not a barrier to care in Northern Kentucky and said the bill would weaken the process by limiting who can request hearings, present evidence, and appeal decisions, effectively giving applicants control and making approvals nearly automatic. He said St. Elizabeth serves as a safety-net hospital for low-income and publicly insured patients and warned the bill could harm that role. Members questioned both sides about the appeal process, the definition of safety-net hospitals, and whether the bill could increase facilities and create waste or abuse. The discussion was still ongoing when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill passed the House on committee.
• Committee on Housing to Wish was 46.
• > uh<03:47:21.920> which workforce housing ordinance uh which workforce housing ordinance
• housing under RSA 674:59, Section 4, to allow workforce housing requirements to be considered in a housing
• <04:02:39.120> housing section 4 to allow workforce housing section 4 to allow workforce housing

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:00:52.280> has senator and if the committee has senator and if the committee has questions
• Welcome to the committee. Hi. Thank you, Chair Champion and members of the committee.
• Chair and committee members.
• Because this committee is sometimes pretty stringent when it comes to money coming from the Workforce
• This committee is sometimes pretty stringent when it comes to money coming from the Workforce Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee members. Do pass.
• Thank you, Madam Chair and committee. House Bill—where is the House Bill number? There we go, 396.
• And I just want to remind the committee that a few weeks ago you unanimously passed House Bill 261, which
• I urge this committee to recognize these constitutional violations and reject the proposed legislation
• From the start, a few weeks ago in this committee, Madam Chair, Representative, we passed House Bill

Transcript Highlights:

• I urge this committee to advance this legislation without delay.
• SAG-AFTRA asked you to favorably vote House Bill 74, House Bill 77, and Senate Bill 35 out of committee
• I filed in tandem with the esteemed House chair of the committee.
• I'd ask that the committee consider revising Senate Bill 37, House Bill 97, and House Bill 94 to remove
• I'd ask that the committee consider revising Senate Bill 37, House Bill 97, House Bill 94, to remove

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held a hearing on several artificial intelligence bills, opening with remarks about the 9/11 anniversary and then broad statements from the co-chairs about AI’s promise and risks. Chair Farley-Bouvier and Senator Moore emphasized the need for guardrails, transparency, and worker and consumer protections, while Senator Finegold described Senate Bill 37, which would create a framework for AI model training with safety assessments, audits, incident reporting, Attorney General oversight, and workforce reporting. Members also discussed Massachusetts’ position relative to other states and the need for state action in the absence of federal regulation. A large portion of the hearing focused on the Fair Act, House 77 and Senate 35, which would limit workplace surveillance, restrict collection of biometric and location data, require notice and human review for automated employment decisions, and protect workers from retaliation. Labor leaders, including AFL-CIO, AFSCME, AFT, SEIU, building trades, and other worker representatives, testified in support, describing harms from bossware, automated benefits denials, hiring and promotion screening, scheduling, and monitoring in workplaces ranging from health care and education to manufacturing and construction. They argued that AI systems are already affecting wages, benefits, safety, and job security, and that Massachusetts should act now to set clear rules. The committee also heard testimony on House Bill 74, which would require informed consent and clear contract terms for digital replicas of voices and likenesses, with SAG-AFTRA representatives supporting the bill as a protection for performers and creators. Another major topic was Senate Bill 51 on social media algorithm accountability and transparency; child safety advocates, researchers, and a public health expert described harms from engagement-based algorithms, including exposure to harmful content, eating disorders, and youth mental health impacts, and supported independent audits and public reporting. A few industry and civil liberties witnesses supported regulation but urged balance, warning against overly burdensome rules while acknowledging the need for privacy, transparency, and accountability. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the hearing excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill most appropriately belongs in the Workforce Development Committee.
• <00:09:13.320> on re-referred to the committee on re-referred to the committee on Workforce
• House File 14 is a bill that was heard in the Transportation Committee.
• Means Committee.
• House Rule 4.1 requires bills that have a fiscal impact to be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

Keywords: 1183, house