Transcript Highlights:

• With that, we'd like to establish quorum. Wicks. Here. Wicks present. Sanchez. Aye.
• We have a quorum. Great, thank you. With that, Mr. Brian, would you like to present AB 247?
• We have a quorum. Great, thank you. With that, Mr. Brian, would you like to present AB 247?
• We have a quorum. Great, thank you. With that, Mr. Brian, would you like to present AB 247?

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on June 3, 2025, and considered one bill, AB 247. The author said the bill would require incarcerated hand crew members actively fighting wildfires to be paid at least the federal minimum wage, and explained that recent amendments were added to clarify inclusion of the Pine Grove Conservation Camp and to update co-authorship. There was no organized opposition or support testimony, but committee members discussed the bill’s cost, how any annual pay adjustment would be determined, and whether higher pay could reduce opportunities in the program. The author and supporters argued the current pay is extremely low and that the bill would provide fairer compensation without creating parity with Cal Fire wages. Several members expressed conceptual support while raising questions about the amendment language and the impact on the state budget and inmate firefighting opportunities. The chair noted the bill had been brought back because post-approval amendments added costs and needed further analysis. The committee then took a roll call vote and passed AB 247 on a 9-0 due pass recommendation, with several members not voting. The committee adjourned after the vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• But before we do that, let's establish a quorum. Secretary, please call the roll. Quorum called.
• Okay, we have a quorum, and seeing the...
• Okay, we have a quorum, and seeing the presence of Vice Chair Hadwick, we're going to go ahead and turn

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Emergency Management met to consider Assembly Joint Resolution 11, which urges the President and Congress to restore funding for FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. Chair Rhodesia Ransom and Assembly Member Lisa Calderon described the resolution as a bipartisan effort to preserve funding for hazard mitigation projects that help communities prevent disasters rather than simply recover from them. They cited major California impacts from the program’s cancellation, including losses for wildfire mitigation, seismic retrofits, and dam safety projects in several counties and districts. Support testimony came from Catherine Freeman of the California State Association of Counties and Robin Finning of Cal OES. Freeman said counties rely on BRIC for flexible, proactive disaster-prevention funding and warned that canceling the program would set back years of resilience work. Finning said 49 communities had contacted Cal OES after the cancellation announcement and that the agency had been working closely with them on next steps. Stephanie Stevens of the California Residential Mitigation Program also testified in support, noting the loss of more than $40 million for earthquake soft-story retrofit grants. Members expressed support and noted the importance of the affected district projects. There was no opposition testimony. The committee then voted unanimously to adopt AJR 11 and refer it to third reading, with all members present voting aye. The meeting was then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• A quorum is present.
• journal will be approved as corrected by the chief clerk. role<00:06:25.440> a<00:06:25.680> quorum
• <00:06:26.080> is role a quorum is role a quorum is present<00:06:29.199> the<00:06

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We will start as a subcommittee until we have quorum.
• We will start as a subcommittee until we have quorum.
• The bill will be considered when we have a quorum, right?
• We have a quorum.
• We have a quorum, so Secretary, please call the roll.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard a long agenda of health-related bills, with most items presented for later vote once quorum was reached. Early in the hearing, the committee adopted a consent calendar of multiple bills with motions for due pass to Appropriations, and it noted that AB 2029 had been pulled from the agenda. The committee also took up AB 1973, a bill by Aguiar-Curry to expand who may provide procedural abortion care. Supporters, including physicians and certified nurse midwives, argued the bill would align law with current training and improve access, while opponents said later-term abortion procedures require physician-level surgical training and raised safety concerns. The author emphasized hands-on training, consultation, and transfer protocols, and the bill was held pending quorum with a motion and second recorded. The committee then heard AB 1558 by Arambula, which would adopt the Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act to speed the use of out-of-state licensed volunteers during declared disasters. Supporters from the Uniform Law Commission and the Red Cross said the bill would reduce delays and clarify legal authority for volunteer health workers; there was no opposition testimony. AB 2282 by Alanis, a temporary rural emergency stabilization center for Patterson while a permanent hospital is built, drew support from local emergency responders and a late opposition from the California chapter of ACEP. The chair praised the bill as a creative local solution and agreed to coauthor it; a motion and second were recorded, with the vote to occur later. Several public health access bills followed. AB 1843 by El-Hawari would limit prior authorization and align hepatitis C treatment coverage with medical guidelines; supporters said it would remove barriers to a curable disease, while health plans opposed it as a mandate, citing premium impacts and the recent SB 306 prior-authorization process. AB 2247 by El-Hawari would create the THRIVE program for mental health services for youth affected by gun violence; Youth Alive and other supporters described trauma-informed, community-based care, and the chair and another member asked to be added as coauthors. AB 2138 by Krell would expand access to certified peer support specialists in enhanced care management and remove automatic disqualifications based solely on criminal history; supporters said peers are essential to engagement and recovery, and the bill was held with a motion and second. Later, AB 1682 by Hart would require coverage of scalp cooling for chemotherapy patients, with emotional testimony from cancer survivors and clinicians; insurers opposed it as another mandate, but the author stressed the modest per-member cost and the bill was moved with a motion and second. AB 1879 by Dixon would standardize data reporting for alcohol and drug treatment facilities, including private providers, to improve statewide information on outcomes and access; the bill drew broad support from recovery organizations and the prior opposition was withdrawn after amendments. AB 1906 by Aguiar-Curry would require coverage of at-home cervical cancer screening kits without cost sharing; supporters cited improved access for rural and working Californians, insurers opposed it on affordability grounds, and the bill passed on a recorded roll call after quorum was established. Finally, AB 1556 by Haney would clarify and support drug-free recovery housing and return-to-use policies; supporters said it would expand sober housing options, while opponents warned it could allow evictions after relapse and conflict with Housing First principles. The hearing ended with the bill still under discussion and opposition-unless-amended concerns noted.

Transcript Highlights:

• We, noting the absence of a quorum, will operate as a subcommittee. We'll proceed to Item 1.
• And we're going to pause right there because we have a quorum.
• This is to establish quorum. Boerner Horvath present.
• And we're going to pause right there because we have a quorum.
• This is to establish quorum. Burner. Here. Burner present. Hoover. Hoover present. Here.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• heard someone was two seconds away, so hopefully by the time we finish all the call, we'll have a quorum
• So we do not have a quorum. So we will start as a subcommittee.
• And the moment we can establish a quorum, we will pause the proceedings and establish that.
• Secretary, could we please establish a quorum? Thank you. Lackey is here. Lowenthal. Macedo.
• We have a quorum. All right, we established a quorum. Thank you. Thank you.

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard SB 63 by Senator Wiener, as amended and coauthored by Senator Arreguín, a Bay Area transit funding measure intended to avert major service cuts at BART, Muni, Caltrain, and AC Transit. The authors said the region faces a fiscal cliff and that without new revenue, BART could collapse and other systems could face severe reductions. They described the bill as the product of extensive negotiations among the five Bay Area counties and transit operators, with San Mateo and Santa Clara counties opting in during the process. Much of the discussion focused on accountability and governance. Supporters said the bill includes some of the strongest oversight provisions in recent memory, including a third-party efficiency review and ad hoc adjudication committees that can withhold a portion of funding if operators fail to correct problems. Assembly Member Papin and Assembly Member Lackey argued the measure amounts to a taxpayer bailout with insufficient representation and too much control left to MTC, while the authors responded that the bill gives affected counties direct complaint and enforcement authority and that MTC must follow the ad hoc committees’ recommendations. Several members asked about complaint procedures, withholding thresholds, opt-in/opt-out issues, and whether the funding would return to the source counties if withheld. Testimony in support came from SPUR, Caltrain, MTC, the Bay Area Council, BART, SamTrans, VTA, San Francisco MTA, transit coalitions, environmental groups, local governments, and labor. Supporters emphasized the risk of severe service cuts, the importance of preserving recent investments such as Caltrain electrification, and the need for regional self-help. There was no registered opposition witness, though some members spoke against the bill. The committee ultimately voted 11-5 to pass SB 63 as amended to the floor, with the committee amendments also removing urgency language.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do not have a quorum.
• If we do have a quorum established, we might break to vote on Representative Casteel's 3328, but as of
• A quorum is established, and then we will move into executive session.
• All right, we have nine present, so a quorum is established.
• Thank you, everyone, for staying with us and establishing a quorum.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House Insurance Committee heard testimony on House Bill 2250, which would require insurers, beginning in 2027, to pay for full siding replacement when storm damage affects only part of a home and matching siding is not reasonably available. Sponsor Rep. Jaclyn Zimmermann said the bill is intended to codify existing Missouri case law and address complaints from constituents who were left with mismatched siding after hail damage, especially in older homes where the original materials are no longer made. Committee members generally expressed support for the consumer-protection goal, while also discussing possible changes such as limiting the requirement to certain elevations or adding clearer policy disclosures. Opposition testimony came from the Missouri Insurance Coalition, which argued the bill could raise premiums for all homeowners and noted that consumers can already buy more comprehensive coverage if they choose. Coalition witnesses said insurers should repair direct physical damage but warned against requiring full-house replacement for cosmetic mismatch, citing a prior St. Louis-area experience where a similar requirement reportedly increased premiums. Members and witnesses also discussed related issues such as consumer understanding of policy terms, the availability of different policy products, and whether contractor payroll or fraud concerns should be addressed separately. No vote was taken on HB 2250. After the hearing, the committee established a quorum and moved to executive session on House Bill 3328. The committee adopted a House Committee Substitute that removed the IBHS certification requirement in favor of a non-biased third-party testing lab and removed the adjuster cap, while otherwise keeping the bill’s stronger home program framework. The committee then voted the House Committee Substitute for HB 3328 do pass by a vote of 9-0, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• >> A<00:01:29.240> quorum<00:01:29.720> is<00:01:29.880> present.
• >> A quorum is present. >> A quorum is present.
• Well, a quorum remains present.
• <00:02:52.320> Um<00:02:52.560> and Well, a quorum remains present.
• Um and Well, a quorum remains present.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund Conference Committee met on May 13, 2026, to finalize House File 3426. After roll call established a quorum, staff walked members through the conference agreement and spreadsheet, noting that most appropriations were unchanged from the House and Senate positions. The report kept the LCCMR recommendations in resiliency, water, fish and wildlife, energy, and most land and education/outdoor recreation items, while removing the “cultivating conservation leaders through education and wilderness experiences” project and a Senate rotational grazing pilot provision. The committee also noted the overall appropriation total and carryforwards/extensions, and that the community grants program appropriation remained in the bill. Members then reviewed the policy language in the DE amendment. The agreement retained House provisions setting guardrails for the community grants program, including requirements for emerging issues account votes, maximum grant amounts, staff training, monitoring visits, pre-award risk assessments, surety bond or fiscal-agent approval for advance payments, and quarterly progress reports, while also adopting Senate language repealing a DNR acquisition-approval requirement. Senators McEwen and Her offered contrasting comments about the removal of the Boundary Waters-related project, with McEwen criticizing the decision as politicized and Her emphasizing stewardship and the importance of exposing young people to the Boundary Waters. Representatives Heintzeman and Fischer defended the need for accountability and said the issue had been addressed in a bipartisan way. The committee reported receiving a letter from the DNR supporting the language and thanking the conferees and staff. Chair Her moved adoption of the HF 3426 DE amendment and the spreadsheet dated 5/13/26 at 11:38 a.m., authorized staff to prepare the conference committee report and make technical and conforming changes, and the motion passed 7-0. The meeting ended with thanks to staff, LCCMR participants, and Speaker Melissa Hortman, followed by adjournment and instructions for members to watch for and sign the conference committee report electronically that night.

Transcript Highlights:

• all members of the committee to be present in Room 2200, I think almost all, so we can establish a quorum
• We have quorum. Before we hear the presentation on the bills, let's establish quorum.
• We have quorum. Before we hear the presentation on the bills, let's establish quorum.
• You have a quorum. Madam Chair. Yes, sir.
• members resigned, saying they could not work with the chair, leaving the district unable to make a quorum

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government met with a quorum and first approved the consent calendar, including SB 1187 and SB 1388. The committee then heard SB 983, which would authorize the Port of San Diego to use job order contracting for smaller repair and maintenance work; supporters said it would speed up routine repairs and reduce costs, while opponents raised concerns about construction language and project labor agreement effects. The bill was moved to the floor but initially remained on call after a split vote, along with several other measures heard later in the day. The committee also heard SB 1256, aimed at limiting repeated litigation against a San Diego County housing project, with supporters arguing it would curb duplicative lawsuits and opponents warning it could weaken wildfire safety review. SB 992, which would make permanent and expand a financial oversight option for very small special districts, drew support from county auditors and special districts and passed unanimously. SB 1115, addressing governance failures at the Tulare County Public Cemetery District by allowing supervisors to remove individual trustees under specified conditions, also passed unanimously after testimony about district dysfunction and insurance concerns. Later, the committee considered SB 1193, which would impose transparency requirements on Alameda County discretionary funding; supporters said it would add guardrails against conflicts of interest, while the county argued its current process is already transparent and the bill is overly restrictive. SB 1383, clarifying that local labor standards cannot be waived through density bonus concessions, passed on a divided vote after labor groups supported it and no opposition testified. SB 1361, intended to prevent local governments from undermining transit projects to avoid SB 79 housing requirements, also passed on a split vote. Finally, SB 1272, the CASH Act, would give homeowners more time to cure certain non-safety code violations; county and code enforcement groups opposed the introduced version but said they were working on amendments, and the bill passed unanimously as amended. The committee adjourned after reporting several bills out, with some measures remaining on call until later votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• It looks like we will start as a subcommittee, and once we have quorum, once we have more members, we
• will call for a quorum.
• So we do have quorum. It looks like we have quorum. Secretary, can you please call the roll?
• We have quorum. Quorum has been established. Thank you. I would like to welcome... We have quorum.
• A quorum has been established. Thank you.

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard a lengthy agenda of education-related bills, with quorum established at the start and several measures taken up on consent or special order. The committee also announced that AB 1644, AB 2362, and later AB 2197 were pulled from the hearing. Members reminded the public of hearing rules and limited testimony to two witnesses each in support and opposition. AB 2651, by Assemblymember Bonta, would require schools to notify parents when school vaccination rates fall below herd-immunity thresholds. Supporters, including physicians, the California State PTA, public health groups, and school employee organizations, argued that families need timely, school-specific information to protect children and vulnerable community members. Opponents raised concerns about privacy, stigma, and whether school-level snapshots could be misleading. The bill passed the committee 5-1 and later 7-1 on the roll call. AB 2509, by Assemblymember Schultz, would allow districts to use a five-year rolling average for ADA funding calculations; supporters said it would stabilize funding amid attendance declines, while one member noted concerns about masking long-term enrollment problems. It passed 5-1 and later 7-2. The committee also approved AB 2430, which would expand after-school access, especially for high school students, improve funding and transparency, and create a work group on program quality. Testimony emphasized the value of expanded learning for youth development and working families, and members discussed the need to address middle school access as well. AB 2526, focused on special education funding, would expand the low-incidence fund to include students qualifying for the California alternate assessment; supporters said it would better align funding with student need, while some concerns remained about over-identification. AB 2325, the Pathways to Bilingual Teaching Act, would create a grant program to build bilingual teacher pipelines through partnerships among schools, community colleges, and universities; it received strong support and passed unanimously. AB 2460, presented by Assemblymember Pellerin for Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez, would update school mental-health referral protocols to address trauma related to immigration enforcement; it also passed unanimously. AB 2404, which sought to require Central Valley representation on several governor-appointed bodies, drew debate over geographic representation and board composition and ultimately failed on a 2-5 vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Being three present, even in Aggie or Red Raider math, that is not a quorum.
• Bill loads of 20 plus, so I anticipate we won't vote if we get a quorum to vote.
• Quorum. Is established going forward for a few minutes. Is there a problem with walking?
• Walking quorums are probably not good, is it?
• It will probably, depending on how we hold quorum, be here. If not, it'll be on the floor.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a quorum. Thank you so much. Please silence your cell phones.
• Um, do we have a quorum real quick to make a motion?
• Just step in for one minute, if we've got a quorum, please. We have a quorum, is that correct, Mr.
• We have a quorum. Is that correct, Mr. Richard? Let's make sure we have a quorum.
• Do we have a quorum? Yes, we have a quorum. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. My apologies.

Bills: HR73, HR272, HR273, HR278, HCR91, HCR99, HCR100, HCR111, HB255, HB261, HB328, HB378, HB479, HB517, HB564, HB778, HB1090, SB135, SB278, SB448

Keywords: domestic abuse, protective orders, victim protection, Louisiana State Law Institute, mandatory procedures, parental discipline, corporal punishment, child abuse, cruelty to juveniles, juvenile delinquency, juvenile justice, child welfare, DCFS, Office of Juvenile Justice, reasonable discipline, parental rights, family law, law enforcement reports, abuse allegations, single-parent households

Summary: The Criminal Justice Committee met on May 19, 2026, with a long agenda and several members’ bills and resolutions. The committee first considered HB 255, as substituted, which would add up to two years of imprisonment for a person charged with a felony or rioting offense who wore a mask or face covering to evade identification, with exceptions for religious coverings, motorcycles, and medical use. Supporters said it targeted concealment during felonies; the ACLU opposed it as redundant and potentially overbroad, while the Louisiana District Attorneys Association clarified the enhancement would apply only to felony convictions. The committee adopted the substitute and reported HB 255 favorably by a vote of 8-3. It then advanced HB 378, which creates penalties for using a vehicle to obstruct first responders and law enforcement; after an amendment narrowed the bill to first responders, it was reported favorably. HB 1090, increasing penalties for arson of a religious building, also passed favorably after testimony emphasizing attacks on houses of worship. HR 272, requesting a study on parental discipline, abuse allegations, and juvenile delinquency, was reported favorably as well. The committee also heard HB 479, the Fiscal Truth and Sentencing Act, which would require more detailed reporting on incarceration costs and sentencing impacts. Supporters, including the ACLU, said the bill would improve transparency and help lawmakers make better fiscal decisions; clerks of court opposed it as an unfunded mandate. Despite amendments shifting reporting duties and clarifying compliance with Children’s Code Article 412, the bill failed on a 4-7 roll call. The committee then deferred HCR 99 and took up HR 278, which asks the Attorney General to consult stakeholders and review electronic monitoring laws and regulations; supporters described serious failures in the current GPS monitoring system, and the resolution was reported favorably. HR 273, creating a task force to study work release programs, was also reported favorably after members said it would help refine the system and gather cost data. Later, the committee heard SB 448 on the Office of the State Public Defender. After discussion of a recent Supreme Court ruling and concerns about expert-witness funding and indigency determinations, the committee adopted an amendment adding a contradictory-hearing process and appellate review protections, then reported the bill as amended. HCR 100, concerning casino property sales, was amended to remove specific property references and instead urge the Gaming Control Board to consider economic development, job creation, and community benefit; the casino association withdrew opposition after the amendment, and the resolution was reported favorably as amended. The committee also voluntarily deferred SB 278 and HCR 91. HB 261, which would create exceptions to abortion laws for rape and certain sex offenses, drew extensive emotional testimony from supporters and opponents, including survivors and legislators discussing rape, incest, and fetal life; the bill was defeated 2-10. Finally, the committee took up HB 778 on kratom possession, with the author arguing for a distinction between natural kratom and synthetic products, and supporters and opponents offering conflicting testimony about safety, addiction recovery, and regulation.

Transcript Highlights:

• secretary, if we could do a quorum call. secretary, if we could do a quorum call.
• With 42 members in the chamber and a quorum being present, the Senate of Maryland remains in session.
• So, in the spirit of all the things, let's do a quorum call. >> Absolutely.
• So, in the spirit of all the things, let's do a quorum call.
• So, in the spirit of all the things, let's do a quorum call. >> Mr. President. >> All right.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Thursday, February 19, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Maryland Senate convened with an invocation by Rabbi David Hland, followed by a series of introductions and recognitions for visiting groups and guests, including Delta Sigma Theta members for Delta Day in Annapolis, Towson High School students, the Maryland Pharmacy Coalition, interns, and other visitors. The Senate adopted a resolution honoring Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated Maryland chapters for service, scholarship, sisterhood, and social action, and also journalized the rabbi’s invocation. Several committee and delegation announcements were made, including upcoming bill hearings and voting sessions. On legislation, the chamber handled a number of special-order and third-reading bills. Senate Bill 56 and Senate Bill 99 were both delayed for further amendment work, with SB 99 ultimately amended and ordered printed for third reading. The Senate also received and referred a bond initiative and heard an executive nominations report, with the nominations set for consideration in open session at a later time. During third reading, the Senate passed numerous bills, including measures on mail and service animal program disqualifications, police promotion pay restrictions, counterfeit lease penalties, Motor Vehicle Administration identification card requirements, environmental health specialist board sunset extension, used vehicle bill of sale requirements, collective bargaining for ATC cannabis police officers, transfer-on-death designations for vehicles and vessels, heavy-weight port corridor permits, controllable electronic records, lead paint abatement bonding and insurance, civic excellence in public schools, child pornography penalties, cemetery sale/transfer requirements, tobacco licenses for electronic smoking devices, legal services board membership, Baltimore County Public Library supervisory bargaining, money transmitter definitions, scalp cooling insurance coverage, prosthesis and orthosis coverage, elevator inspection database access, tax increment financing in noncontiguous areas, professional liability disclosure for certain care facilities and midwives, immunity for donation of pet supplies, massage therapy board revisions, and others. One bill drew floor debate: Senate Bill 82, which would increase penalties for counterfeit lease of real property, was opposed by a senator who argued it would disproportionately impact renters and conflict with justice reform goals. Despite that objection, the bill passed. The Senate also changed one recorded vote on Senate Bill 252 from red to green by unanimous consent. Overall, the session was marked by routine passage of a large slate of bills, a few postponements for amendment negotiation, and several ceremonial recognitions and announcements.

Transcript Highlights:

• Quorum is present. Let the record reflect that quorum is present.
• The town council meeting records did not always document the presence of a quorum or evidence that voting
• Town records did not document that a quorum was present for 10 meetings.
• Town records did not document document that a quorum, sorry, was present for 10 meetings.
• was not present. council member was incorrectly listed as attending so a quorum was not present.

Summary: The committee first took up a long-running audit finding involving the City of Daytona Beach’s unexpended building permit fund balance, which has exceeded the statutory cap for several years and was reported at $10.8 million in the latest audit. Mayor Derek Henry and city staff said the city had analyzed the fund, adopted a corrective action plan, waived more than $5.5 million in permit and inspection fees, used some excess funds for a training facility rehabilitation, and is pursuing a $9.4 million City Hall expansion that they say is allowed under a November 2024 Attorney General opinion permitting construction of a building to house the building code enforcement function. Committee members repeatedly questioned whether the city was simply trying to spend down the money, whether the proposed uses were truly lawful, why the balance kept growing despite fee waivers, and where the interest earnings were going. The mayor and deputy city manager said the city’s growth and staffing needs justified the plan, but several members expressed frustration and skepticism. A public commenter also urged accountability and raised concerns about the city’s spending plans and the size of the remaining balance. The committee then received an Auditor General presentation on the Town of Greenville, which found 31 operational audit findings and described pervasive control failures, possible fraud, waste, and abuse. The findings included election paperwork problems that left a council seat vacant, conflicts of interest, late financial disclosure filings, related-party transactions, inadequate meeting notices and minutes, quorum and voting documentation problems, council members’ involvement in day-to-day operations, missing ethics training, budget adoption and monitoring deficiencies, inaccurate accounting records and bank reconciliations, utility billing and rate issues, grant compliance problems tied to an unfinished grocery store project, weak personnel and contracting controls, improper severance and compensation issues, late vendor payments, weak procurement and P-card controls, vehicle-use and property-control weaknesses, poor public records access, and IT access and fraud-policy gaps. Greenville’s mayor and staff said the audit largely reflected the prior administration and that the current council and staff are taking corrective action. They said the town terminated the former manager, adopted seven new policies since the audit began, and is working with the Auditor General to improve procurement, financial controls, inventory management, grant oversight, and ethics compliance. The town attorney said he had alerted federal authorities earlier about concerns, and committee members noted that FDLE has received a criminal referral and is investigating. Several members praised the new leadership’s cooperation but also suggested the town consider consolidation or dissolution if problems persist.

Transcript Highlights:

• . - House Bill 2926, further defining a quorum of the Worcester Regional Retirement System Advisory Council
• The House Bill, further defining a quorum of the Worcester Regional Retirement System Advisory Council
• An act further defining a quorum of the Worcester Regional Retirement System Advisory Council, House
• An act further defining a quorum of the Worcester Regional Retirement System Advisory Council, House

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House briefly recessed, then took up a message from the Governor recommending legislation to validate certain proceedings of the town of Stowe; the matter was referred to the Committee on Election Laws. The House also adopted a resolution recognizing the Asian American community’s Lunar New Year celebration on February 17, 2026, with remarks describing the cultural significance of the holiday and the Year of the Horse. The chamber then approved a series of routine orders extending committee reporting deadlines, including for the Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, Education, Housing, Labor and Workforce Development, Municipalities and Regional Government, and Revenue committees. It also suspended Joint Rule 12 for two petitions, one concerning the sale of parrots and another concerning consumer protections for low-valued legal tender scarcity. The Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling reported several bills for House consideration, including measures on veteran property tax workoff amounts, infectious disease-related health impairment, Worcester Regional Retirement System quorum rules, senior property tax exemptions and related local tax relief, a Leominster civil service exemption for certain police positions, a Chelmsford bridge naming, and a Groton charter amendment; the House suspended Rule 7A, read the bills for a second time, and ordered them to a third reading. On final action, the House passed to be enacted a bill amending the Agawam charter and a bill authorizing Arlington to place a ballot question on increasing off-premises alcohol licenses. It also engrossed a bill directing the Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for Angel G. Rivera and a bill providing for a town administrator in Hopkinton. The House then adopted an order to meet the following Thursday at 11 a.m. and adjourned to that time in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh we have quorum on our end. Do you folks have all Okay.
• countries.<00:05:29.520> Uh<00:05:29.759> we<00:05:29.919> have<00:05:30.080> quorum
• Uh we have quorum on our end. countries. Uh we have quorum on our end.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint House and Senate conference committee met on April 17, 2025, and discussed three measures. For SB 88 HD1, relating to the Hawaii National Guard, and SB 1377 SD2 HD1, relating to veteran cemeteries, conferees said proposed conference drafts had been circulated, but both bills still needed WHAM and Finance approval and an effective-date adjustment, so each was rolled over to Monday, April 21, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. in Conference Room 16. For HB 433 HD1 SD1, relating to public safety and re-entry services, members said they were waiting for the budget to close. The Senate indicated it was agreeable to a reporting addition in the Senate draft, and staff would circulate alternate drafts depending on whether an appropriation was included in the final budget. That bill was also held over to April 21 at 1:30 p.m. At the 3:30 p.m. conference, the committee took up SB 1452 SD1 HD2, relating to the Uniform Controlled Substance Act. Conferees agreed to the House version with an effective date of July 1, 2025, and noted no WHAM or Finance referral was needed. The committee then voted unanimously to adopt the proposed conference draft, with Senate and House conferees all voting aye except one excused Senate member, and the bill was reported out successfully.

Transcript Highlights:

• Assemblymember Dixon notices the absence of a quorum.
• Members, quorum is present.
• Quorum call is still All in place, please give your respectful attention to those who are granted prior
• Quorum call is now lifted and we are adjourned.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Assemblymember Alanis notices the absence of a quorum.
• Members, a quorum is present.
• Quorum call is still in place.
• The quorum call is lifted, we are adjourned. Happy Valentine's Day.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, we'll move it when we have a quorum. Thank you. Okay. We'll move it when we have a quorum.
• So, um, So certainly, you have a quorum right now?
• I apologize for that, but yes, we do have quorum so we can establish that.
• So certainly, you have a quorum right now?
• I apologize for that, but yes, we do have quorum so we can establish that.

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard several bills focused on labor standards, worker safety, and public transparency. SB 954 by Senator Blakespear would revise last year’s CEQA exemption for advanced manufacturing by adding worker protections such as prevailing wage, a skilled and trained workforce, high-road employment standards, and environmental guardrails. Supporters from labor, environmental justice, and conservation groups said the bill restores promised safeguards after SB 131, while business groups argued the added requirements would undermine the exemption and discourage investment. The committee voted 5-0 to do pass and re-refer SB 954 to Appropriations, leaving the roll open for absent members. The committee then considered SB 966 by Senator Gonzalez, which would codify refinery worker participation and safety protections adopted in 2017 after the 2012 Chevron Richmond fire. Supporters, including United Steelworkers and a former refinery worker, said the bill would preserve workers’ ability to report hazards, select representatives, and stop unsafe work, preventing future disasters. The Western States Petroleum Association opposed the bill, arguing it could be preempted by federal labor law and would add regulatory uncertainty. The committee passed SB 966 3-0 and re-referred it to Appropriations, with the roll left open. Next, SB 1203 by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas sought to modernize private security guard training, expand de-escalation instruction, strengthen accountability, and create a clearer professional pathway for the industry. The author and many security workers testified that guards are often first responders in volatile situations and need more practical training and better standards; opponents from industry and business groups warned the bill would raise costs, worsen staffing shortages, and create implementation problems, especially around third-party training and a new wage order. The committee voted 4-1 to do pass and re-refer SB 1203 to Public Safety, with one no vote and the roll left open. The committee also heard SB 1284 by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas, a transparency bill requiring DHCS to publish the names of large employers with workers enrolled in Medi-Cal and the estimated taxpayer cost. Supporters said the measure would show how low wages and unaffordable coverage shift health costs to the public, while opponents argued Medi-Cal enrollment depends on many factors and that naming employers would be misleading and amount to public shaming. After discussion, the committee voted 4-2 to do pass and re-refer SB 1284 to Appropriations, leaving the roll open. The transcript then began discussion of SB 1054 by Senator Cabaldon, which would improve workforce data collection and sharing to better evaluate job-training pathways, but the excerpt cuts off before testimony or action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• We ask members to come so we can establish a quorum.
• We ask members to come so we can establish a quorum. We will begin as a subcommittee.
• Okay, we’ll do the consent calendar while we have a quorum here.
• Okay, we'll do the consent calendar while we have a quorum here.
• We don't have a quorum. I thought we did establish a quorum. We can still vote. Yeah, we did.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Human Services Committee heard a long agenda of child welfare, food assistance, child care, and social services bills. Early actions included AB 308 on regional center safety training for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, AB 1049 to remove sponsor deeming from the California Food Assistance Program, AB 1201 to narrow a violent-felony bypass for family reunification services, AB 2379 to require know-your-rights training for family child care providers, AB 2429 to ease requirements in early childhood mental health consultation, AB 1755 to repeal CalWORKs’ 100-hour work penalty, AB 2478 to create a kinship family approval pathway, and AB 1969 and AB 1996 to expand coordinated cradle-to-career and child-poverty reduction efforts. The committee also began discussion of AB 1932, which would continue and strengthen community-based crisis response services. Testimony was largely in support across the hearing. Advocates, county representatives, child care providers, legal aid groups, food banks, disability organizations, and anti-poverty coalitions argued that the bills would reduce administrative barriers, improve access to benefits and services, and better protect children and families. Several authors and witnesses emphasized real-world harms from current rules, including fear of immigration enforcement, wrongful benefit denials, delayed kinship placements, and the burden of outdated eligibility requirements. On AB 1201, county welfare officials and child welfare advocates said the bill would preserve judicial discretion while allowing more parents a fair chance at reunification; on AB 2478, they said a kin-specific approval path would help place children with relatives more quickly; and on the child care bills, providers said current reimbursement and compliance systems are unsustainable. There was some committee concern about accountability and safety, especially on AB 1049 and AB 1201. One senator questioned whether removing sponsor deeming could weaken program integrity, and another raised concerns about whether narrowing the reunification bypass could expose children to unsafe environments or criminal activity. Authors and supporters responded that the bills still leave eligibility screening, judicial review, supervision, and service plans in place, and that the changes mainly remove automatic barriers or overly broad rules. Votes taken during the hearing were generally favorable: AB 308 passed 3-0 and was held on call; AB 1049 passed 2-1 and was held on call; AB 1201 passed and was held on call; AB 2379 passed 3-0 and was held on call; AB 2429 passed and was held on call; AB 1755 passed and was held on call; AB 2478 passed and was held on call; and AB 1969 and AB 1996 both passed and were held on call. The committee also noted that some bills were on the consent calendar and approved those items 3-0 while holding them open.