Transcript Highlights:

• with the required financial capacity to modestly and responsibly increase the compensation while preserving
• The city of Mountain View pointed out that our bill is leaving flexibility and preserving local control
• backstop so that if a unit has been vacant for too long, providers can act to fill it while still preserving
• 2039, which will protect victims, close loopholes in existing law that bad attorneys exploit, and preserve

Summary: The Assembly met on May 7, 2026, after an initial delay caused by the absence of a quorum, then proceeded with prayer, a moment of silence for victims of a hate-motivated attack at the Islamic Center in San Diego, and the Pledge of Allegiance. The Speaker pro tempore then moved through the daily file, repeatedly urging members to be on time and at their desks as the House of Origin deadline approached. Procedural actions included dispensing with the journal, deferring some items, and moving AB 1667 to the inactive file. The bulk of the session was devoted to floor consideration of many bills, most of which passed with little or no opposition. Measures approved included bills on artificial intelligence provenance information (AB 2713), community college trustee compensation (AB 2528), transit camera enforcement and privacy (AB 1837), excess proceeds claims in taxation (AB 2705), HOA technical cleanup (AB 1892), hepatitis C treatment access (AB 1843), child care planning in local general plans (AB 1914), greenhouse energy code flexibility (AB 2200), rent-now-pay-later consumer protections (AB 2350), housing cleanup and density bonus measures (including AB 2390, AB 2480, AB 1567, AB 1751, and others), spay/neuter access (AB 2010), workforce housing financing tools (AB 2110), supportive housing and homelessness-related changes (AB 2146), mental health and health plan notification measures (AB 1598, AB 2613), student aid and education bills (AB 1534, AB 1636, AB 1669, AB 1728, AB 1784, AB 1871), public safety and criminal justice bills (AB 1546, AB 1572, AB 1872, AB 1877, AB 1932), and several health and social services measures (AB 1602, AB 1628, AB 1680, AB 1825, AB 1845, AB 1906, AB 1907, AB 1925). Most bills were described as support measures, often with bipartisan backing and no opposition, and passed by wide margins. A few bills drew more discussion, especially AB 1751, a housing/townhome bill that sparked extended debate over wages, prevailing wage, stakeholder engagement, and whether the measure could depress pay for construction trades; despite concerns and an opposition speech, it ultimately passed 44-0. AB 1793, which would allow symmetrical rounding of cash transactions to the nearest nickel in light of the penny’s phaseout, also drew light debate and passed 47-1. AB 1932, an urgency measure expanding community-based crisis response, passed with one no vote on both the urgency and the bill. Several urgency or 54-vote bills, including AB 1534 and AB 1932, required later roll calls or calls to be lifted, but all measures described in the transcript were ultimately approved.

Transcript Highlights:

• path forward, should the Legislature wish to accommodate the department's timing concerns while preserving
• intended to ensure that large profitable corporations pay at least some minimum level of tax while preserving
• Yeah, I absolutely believe California's history and its leadership deserve to be recognized and preserved
• Student Debt Crisis Center here today to request the inclusion of a $20 million one-time allocation to preserve

Summary: The subcommittee heard May Revision proposals from the Department of Food and Agriculture, the Government Operations Agency, the Department of Technology, and the Franchise Tax Board, with public comment to come later and all items held open. CDFA presented funding for the animal care program implementing Proposition 12, including a one-time $5.2 million General Fund transfer to the Ag Fund and $2.8 million ongoing, and the LAO recommended approval while noting the Legislature should revisit the funding once litigation and federal preemption questions are resolved. CDFA also proposed ending state oversight of industrial hemp and moving to the federal USDA program by January 1, 2028, with an $8.3 million General Fund transfer to cover startup and transition costs; the LAO supported the transition. Additional CDFA items included $204,000 ongoing and one position to preserve agricultural statistics reporting after USDA reorganization, and trailer bill changes to clarify the department’s 5% indirect cost cap; both drew no objections from Finance or LAO. The Government Operations Agency and Cradle to Career items focused on implementing the new federal Workforce Pell program. Finance described trailer bill language establishing state eligibility processes, with the California Student Aid Commission as the authorizing entity in consultation with the Workforce Development Board, and proposed $1.3 million one-time General Fund for Cradle to Career to build data linkages. The LAO urged caution because federal rules were just finalized and said more information was needed on workload, costs, and whether existing data systems could support the work. Senators raised policy concerns about limiting the program to public institutions and about aligning the proposal with broader workforce and labor goals. The committee also briefly discussed SB 53/Cal Compute, with GovOps saying no appropriation had been provided for its consortium work, and Finance saying the administration was not proposing funding at this time. The Department of Technology presented a $30 million operational backstop for the Middle Mile Broadband Initiative, intended to cover any shortfall if expected revenues from the Golden State Net third-party administrator do not materialize in time. The LAO initially recommended rejection over broad spending authority, then suggested amendments with stronger reporting and legislative review; committee members questioned the revenue assumptions, oversight, and whether the request could recur. CDT also sought $1 million for Poppy, the state’s GenAI digital assistant, to expand secure statewide use; the LAO had no concerns, and members asked about data security, model bias, training restrictions, and possible local-government use. Finally, FTB proposed realigning CalFile resources after the federal Direct File program was discontinued, retaining three ongoing positions and returning the rest of the funding and positions to the General Fund; the LAO said the reduced scope was reasonable, and members discussed keeping the free filing system user-friendly and ready for future federal changes. The committee also heard the administration’s digital pre-written software tax proposal, which would extend sales tax to electronically delivered software and SaaS beginning January 1, 2027, generating an estimated $450 million General Fund in 2026-27 and $900 million ongoing, plus local revenue. The LAO supported modernizing the tax base but recommended broadening the proposal to include more digital products while considering a business-use exemption or reduced rate, and flagged a newly added video game exemption as a revenue downside. Senators generally supported the goal of raising revenue and aligning California with other states, but questioned the local revenue distribution and equity effects, and one senator said they would not support expanding the tax to books, music streaming, and similar consumer products. All items were left open without votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• with the required financial capacity to modestly and responsibly increase the compensation while preserving
• The city of Mountain View pointed out that our bill is leaving flexibility and preserving local control
• backstop so that if a unit has been vacant for too long, providers can act to fill it while still preserving
• 2039, which will protect victims, close loopholes in existing law that bad attorneys exploit, and preserve

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We are not asking for anything new from the state budget or the health plans, only to preserve what they
• health plans, the state budget or the health plans, only<00:05:08.280><c> to</c><00:05:08.400><c> preserve
• > what</c><00:05:09.040><c> they</c><00:05:09.160><c> have</c><00:05:09.240><c> been</c> only to preserve
• what they have been only to preserve what they have been doing<00:05:09.720><c> and</c><00:05:09.840

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on a health insurance/home care nursing provision and on other consumer protection items. Nick Keis and Emily Walters, both parents of medically complex children, testified that commercial health plans had recently begun capping home care nursing as if it were intermittent home health visits, which they said was contrary to Minnesota law and legislative intent dating to 2010. They described severe impacts on their families, including hospitalizations, loss of nursing coverage, strain on waiver budgets, and the risk of children being forced out of the home and into institutions. Representative Bierman echoed that the bill was a straightforward clarification of existing law, not a new mandate or added cost, and a staff member later cited the statutory definition of home care nursing as ongoing, continuous nursing services that cannot be met through intermittent or visit-based care. The committee also discussed the practical difference between home health visits and private duty/home care nursing, with testimony emphasizing that the latter is medically necessary, assessed, and not unlimited in practice. Laura Sales of the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office testified on changes to the Consumer Protection Restitution Fund (CIPRA). She said the fund has begun distributing restitution, starting with consumers harmed by the closure of Woodbury Dental Arts, but that current statutory language limits the office’s flexibility to prorate payments. She asked for an amendment allowing the AGO to distribute available funds more equitably so more eligible consumers can receive some payment, rather than requiring full payment to the oldest claims first. Annette Meeks, representing Citizens Against Gambling Expansion, testified in support of banning sweepstakes gambling in the Commerce Committee omnibus report. She argued that online sweepstakes casinos are an illegal gray-market form of gambling, cited rapid growth and billions in revenue, and said other states have acted through enforcement and legislation to stop them. She urged the committee to include language from Senate File 4474 to clarify state law and prohibit sweepstakes gambling. No votes were taken in the portion of the meeting shown; members mainly asked questions and received testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• still believe most people, presumably in a free country, still want limited government, and the preservation
• out of schools during outbreaks, requires health care worker vaccination to protect patients, or preserves
• child abuse cases are actually handled today and strengthens our ability to protect children while preserving
• It provides clear, consistent protections while allowing appropriate court access and preserving constitutional

Summary: The committee first heard opening remarks from LDH Secretary Bruce Greenstein and CMS Medicaid Director Dan Brillman, who discussed ongoing federal-state collaboration and praised Louisiana’s work on Medicaid and health system reforms. The committee then took up House Bill 1214 by Chairman Miller, which would create an Office of State Healthcare Facilities within LDH to centralize oversight of five state-operated inpatient facilities. LDH said the bill would streamline administration, combine shared services, add no new FTEs, and improve care and outcomes for vulnerable residents. Members asked about capacity and waiting lists at the facilities, and the bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee next considered House Bill 1041 by Representative Ghali, a medical-freedom bill aimed at prohibiting denial of access or discrimination based on “medical intervention status.” After amendments were adopted, the bill was narrowed to exclude K-12 schools, colleges, hospitals, health care facilities, and tuberculosis-related actions, while keeping existing school outbreak exclusion law in place. Supporters, including patients, nurses, physicians, and advocacy groups, testified that mandates during COVID caused coercion, job loss, and harm, and argued for bodily autonomy and informed consent. Opponents, including the Louisiana Hospital Association, American Lung Association, and Louisiana Families for Vaccines, said the amendments addressed some concerns but warned the bill could weaken outbreak protections for children; after debate, the committee reported the bill favorably with amendments. The committee then heard House Bill 414 by Representative Chenevere, which closes a loophole in background-check law by barring hiring of certain direct-care workers with substantially similar out-of-state convictions that would disqualify them in Louisiana. Amendments clarified the definition of covered workers, removed licensed ambulance personnel, and addressed documentation and third-party screening. The Attorney General’s office said the bill is intended to protect vulnerable Medicaid beneficiaries from people with serious criminal histories, and supporters from disability and EMS communities backed the measure. The bill was reported favorably with amendments. Finally, the committee began House Bill 786 by Representative Egan, which would prohibit managed care organizations from using extrapolation to determine provider audit overpayments or recoupments, requiring decisions to be based on actual claims. Members discussed a proposed amendment preserving the Department of Health and Department of Justice’s ability to use extrapolation in fraud investigations under existing law, but the transcript cuts off before final action on the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• places that we've... ...expansion in these very special places that we've set aside as parks and preserves
• Again, I'm only talking about these places that we have set aside as very special parks and preserves
• I'm just concerned about... ...these parks and preserves. And so, yeah.
• SB 954 also preserves habitat for protected species and closes other loopholes in SB 131.

Summary: The committee heard several bills related to environmental quality, housing, transportation, and waste policy. SB 1375, by Senator Cortese, would create a narrow CEQA exemption category for certain transit and rail projects that have already undergone extensive environmental review. Supporters, including VTA, the City of San Jose, BART, Caltrain, MTC, and Climate Reality Silicon Valley, said it would reduce duplicative review and speed projects like the Diridon Station modernization. Committee members emphasized added amendments requiring displacement, construction-impact, and natural resources plans, and the bill passed 5-0 as amended to Transportation. The committee then took up SB 1031 on compostable plastics labeling. The author and supporters such as Californians Against Waste and the California Compost Coalition argued the bill would reduce consumer confusion, curb contamination in compost and recycling streams, and direct OEHHA to study health and environmental impacts. Opponents including manufacturers, BPI, retailers, and other industry groups said the bill would effectively ban compostable products in California, harm businesses, and fail to fix the underlying National Organics Program issue. After extensive discussion about labeling, composting capacity, and costs, the bill passed 2-2 on call to Appropriations. SB 958, relating to the Midway Rising redevelopment project in San Diego, was presented next; supporters said it would help move forward a large housing and mixed-use project on city-owned land after years of review and voter approval, and it passed 3-0 on call to Local Government. SB 1075, the Clean Air Promise, drew the most extensive debate. The bill would strengthen implementation and enforcement of AB 617 community emissions reduction plans and local plans in overburdened communities. Environmental justice advocates and youth supporters backed the measure, while local governments, business groups, air district representatives, and industry groups warned it would create uncertainty, add land-use constraints, and act as a housing and cost driver. The author accepted several committee amendments and said the bill was still being worked on, but the motion to pass it to Local Government resulted in a 2-2 tie and the bill remained on call. SB 1064, by Senator Dahle, would reduce clean truck check testing frequency for low-use heavy-duty vehicles and equipment from twice a year to once a year. Agricultural and trucking witnesses supported it as a practical, cost-saving change, while air quality advocates opposed weakening a program they said prevents excess emissions and protects public health. The bill passed 4-0 on call to Transportation. Finally, SB 1258 was presented as a revised measure on remediation of hazardous waste sites on the Cortese list. The author said the committee amendments replaced the bill’s original approach, but he continued to argue that remediation should be aligned with housing development so contaminated infill sites can be cleaned up and built on more efficiently. Developers and environmental consultants supported the concept, saying current timing rules create risk and leave sites idle, while the committee continued to hear testimony as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• green-lighting in terms of expansion in these very special places that we’ve... ...set aside as parks and preserves
• Again, I’m only talking about these places that we have set aside as very special parks and preserves
• I’m just concerned about these parks and preserves. And so, yeah.
• SB 954 also preserves habitat for protected species and closes other loopholes in SB 131.

Summary: The committee heard SB 1375 by Senator Cortese, which would streamline environmental review for certain transit and rail projects that have already undergone extensive prior review. Supporters, including VTA, San Jose transportation staff, BART, Caltrain, MTC, and Climate Reality Silicon Valley, said the bill would reduce duplicative analysis, save time and money, and help advance projects like the Diridon Station modernization in San Jose. Committee members emphasized the bill’s narrow scope and the added amendments requiring displacement planning, legal services for displaced residents, construction-impact mitigation, and natural resources planning. The bill was approved on a 5-0 vote and sent to Transportation as amended. The committee also took up SB 1031 on compostable plastics labeling and waste-stream impacts. The author and supporters such as Californians Against Waste argued the bill would reduce greenwashing, clarify labeling, cut contamination in compost and recycling streams, and direct OEHHA to study health and environmental effects. Opposition from manufacturers, BPI, retailers, and others focused on concerns that the bill would effectively ban compostable products in California, create costs, and fail to fix a separate federal/NOP labeling problem. After extensive discussion about composting capacity, labeling clarity, and costs, the bill passed 3-2 to Appropriations. SB 958 by Senator Weber Pierson addressed the Midway Rising redevelopment project in San Diego. The bill, as amended, would no longer create a full CEQA exemption but instead clarify CEQA treatment of building-height impacts in the project’s future EIR. Supporters said the project would deliver thousands of housing units, including affordable housing, along with parks, a new arena, and economic benefits on underused city land. The committee voiced support for the project’s housing and revitalization goals, and the bill passed 3-0 to Local Government as amended. The committee also heard SB 1075 on strengthening AB 617 community air protection plans, with environmental justice supporters backing stronger enforcement and local implementation while local governments, business groups, and air district representatives warned it could create uncertainty, raise costs, and function as a land-use mandate; the bill was held on a 2-2 vote after the author accepted several amendments and continued negotiations.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we are requesting a $26 million one-time General Fund request that would preserve a... ...one-time
• General Fund request that would preserve a provider network of youth gender-affirming care providers
• So it's really important that we preserve payment for this life-saving care and also protect the individuals
• We also litigate and advocate to preserve access to this critical care. Thank you. Good evening.

Summary: The joint hearing focused on access to gender-affirming care in California, with members of the Senate and Assembly budget subcommittees hearing first from the Department of Justice, Department of Managed Health Care, and Department of Health Care Services. State officials described California’s legal protections against discrimination, privacy protections, shield laws, and Medi-Cal and commercial plan coverage requirements for medically necessary gender-affirming care. They also outlined ongoing litigation and advocacy against federal actions and proposed rules that could restrict care, including challenges to executive orders, HHS declarations, and federal reimbursement rules, as well as a temporary restraining order protecting care at Rady Children’s Hospital. Committee members pressed the agencies on why some hospitals that had stopped providing care had not been sued, how the state measures network adequacy and equitable access, whether the $15 million previously allocated for gender-affirming care had been used, and what additional statutory changes might be needed. DMHC and DHCS said they regulate health plans rather than providers directly, rely on complaints and independent medical review to address denials or delays, and do not track utilization or have a specific provider category for gender-affirming care. DOJ said it is focused on the federal government as the source of pressure on hospitals and providers, while members discussed possible shield-law expansions and, if federal rules are finalized, the possibility of state-only funding to preserve access. The second panel featured a physician, clinic leaders, parents, and a transgender teen describing how families navigate care and the effects of hospital closures and insurance barriers. Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy gave a history of transgender health care, described puberty blockers and hormones as established treatments, and said minors need parental consent for medical interventions. J.M. Jaffe of Lyon Martin Community Health Services said community clinics are absorbing patients after hospital programs closed and asked for $26 million in state funding to expand capacity. Parents and youth testified about delays, out-of-network referrals, lost coverage, and the emotional strain of uncertainty, while also urging the Legislature to stabilize access and protect continuity of care.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we are requesting a $26 million one-time General Fund request that would preserve a...
• Time general fund request that would preserve a provider network of youth gender-affirming care providers
• So it's really important that we preserve payment for this life-saving care and also protect the individuals
• We also litigate and advocate to preserve access to this critical care. Thank you. Good evening.

Summary: The joint hearing focused on access to gender-affirming care in California, with opening remarks from the subcommittee chairs emphasizing the importance of protecting transgender, gender-diverse, and intersex Californians and asking for decorum during public comment. The first panel from the Department of Justice, Department of Managed Health Care, and Department of Health Care Services described existing state protections, including nondiscrimination rules, privacy protections, shield laws, and Medi-Cal and commercial coverage requirements for medically necessary gender-affirming care. State officials also outlined ongoing litigation against federal actions and against hospital decisions to end or restrict care, including the Rady Children’s case and challenges to federal proposed rules and declarations affecting Medicaid, Medicare, and provider participation. Members questioned state agencies about why some hospitals that had stopped providing care had not been sued, how network adequacy is measured, whether the state can track actual access to gender-affirming care, and what legislative changes might strengthen protections. DMHC said it monitors complaints and independent medical reviews but does not track gender-affirming care as a separate provider category or collect utilization data, while DHCS said Medi-Cal continues to cover medically necessary care and that the state is preparing for possible federal rule changes. Finance staff said the previously approved $15 million for gender-affirming care was still being implemented through Covered California. The second panel featured a physician, clinic leaders, a parent, and a transgender teen describing how care is delivered and the effects of hospital closures and federal pressure. Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy described the history and medical basis for gender-affirming care, said minors need parental consent for medical interventions, and argued that care should be individualized and supported by families. Providers and families testified that hospital closures and insurance barriers have disrupted continuity of care, forced patients to travel farther, and shifted demand to community clinics that lack sufficient funding and contracting support. Several witnesses asked the Legislature to provide new funding, strengthen insurance enforcement, and stabilize access to care for transgender youth and families.

Transcript Highlights:

• A clear statewide standard improves predictability while preserving limited local flexibility when safety
• predictability,</c><00:31:11.000><c> while</c> improves predictability, while improves predictability, while preserving
• <00:31:12.160><c> limited</c><00:31:12.960><c> local</c><00:31:13.320><c> flexibility</c> preserving
• limited local flexibility preserving limited local flexibility when<00:31:14.800><c> safety</c><00:31

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These monuments are not here for land-grabbing issues; these monuments are here with the hope of preservation
• look at these capitalistic... land grabbing issues these monuments are here with the hope of of preservation
• And so when we look at these capitalistic strategies, we need to find a balance to continue to preserve
• And then again, making sure that we come back and we preserve and then we remediate these lands.

Bills: HB2014, HB2055, HB2145, HB2150, HB2696, HB2755, HB2763, HB2781, HB2782, HB2787, HB2795, HB2889, HB2975, HB2985, HB2986, HCM2009, HCR2020, HCR2038

Keywords: air emissions, fuel blends, environmental quality, feasibility study, Arizona Department of Agriculture, brackish groundwater, water supply development, desalination, Arizona Revised Statutes, water infrastructure, financial assistance, environmental reviews, fuel reformulation, gasoline standards, environmental regulations, ethanol supply, Air Quality, state land department, mineral lease, renewals

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, the land trust is just a tool we're trying to help preserve that kind of property so the folks
• trust is just a tool we're trying to trust is just a tool we're trying to help<00:30:42.480><c> preserve
• c> kind</c><00:30:43.320><c> of</c><00:30:43.720><c> that</c><00:30:43.920><c> property</c> help preserve
• that kind of that property help preserve that kind of that property so<00:30:44.440><c> the</c><00:30

Bills: SB32, HB404, SB105, SB32, HB404, SB105

Keywords: machinegun, enhanced sentencing, homicide, manslaughter, assault, public safety, HB404, Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, cosmetology, barbering, makeup artist, makeup application, lash artist, brow artist, lash/brow permit, esthetician, salon licensing, studio licensing, mobile salon, mobile studio

Transcript Highlights:

• members, and the Governor's administration for working with the committee to develop a proposal that preserves
• members, and the Governor's administration for working with the committee to develop a proposal that preserves
• SB 3125 SD1, combined with other actions, will help the state meet its goals while also preserving the
• In addition, SB 3125 SD1 preserves the increases to the standard deduction through 2031.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First one is preserving ag lands and water resources. candidate, great skill set, and we are candidate
• /c><00:26:00.400><c> going</c><00:26:00.680><c> into</c><00:26:00.960><c> this</c> First one is preserving
• First one is preserving ag lands and First one is preserving ag lands and water<00:26:17.280><c> resources

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard gubernatorial nominations for the Advisory Committee on Pesticides and the Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity. For GM 615, Matthew Liam was nominated to the Advisory Committee on Pesticides. The Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, CGAPS, and the Hawaii Farm Bureau testified in strong support, citing his landscape industry leadership, pesticide training background, and prior service. Members asked about his experience in Australia and his approach to restricted-use pesticides; he said he avoided using restricted-use pesticides in his landscaping business but applied related safety and recordkeeping practices. Testimony was unanimous in support, with no opposition or comments. For GM 616, N. Young was nominated to the Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity. Support testimony from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Cattlemen's Council highlighted his experience with Lanai agriculture, Sensei, the Food Basket, Pacific Gateway Center, Kamehameha Schools, and institutional purchasing. In response to questions, he discussed balancing public and private funding, the need for adequate capitalization of agricultural projects, and using financial tools to help farmers and accelerate agricultural income streams. He also said the board should focus on making agricultural land productive and strengthening food security. The nomination drew strong support, with no opposition or comments. For GM 617, Jason Moniz was nominated to the Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity. The Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Cattlemen's Council supported him, emphasizing his decades of veterinary and animal disease control experience, ranching background, and knowledge of biosecurity, leases, and livestock issues. Moniz said his priorities would be preserving agricultural land and water resources, improving biosecurity, supporting farmers and ranchers, and increasing food production in Hawaii. He also said he would be willing to speak up for agriculture and not let the department be sidelined. The nomination received 29 written and oral supports, with no opposition or comments.

Transcript Highlights:

• My focus is twofold: first, to preserve what has made UC an extraordinary university—our world-leading
• to the Chancellor's Office in this current year to deal with a budget situation and tried to help preserve
• An annual approach will preserve legislative flexibility and allow funding decisions to adapt to changing
• An annual approach will preserve legislative flexibility and allow funding decision to adapt to changing

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My focus is twofold: first, to preserve what has made UC an extraordinary university—our world-leading
• to the Chancellor's Office in this current year to deal with a budget situation and tried to help preserve
• spending on ...with a budget situation and tried to help preserve spending on the campus level.
• An annual approach will preserve legislative flexibility and allow funding decisions to adapt to changing

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education held its first 2026 hearing on higher education, focusing on UC and CSU system updates, student housing, enrollment, and core operations. In opening remarks, the chair noted recent state fiscal stress, the prior rejection of proposed UC/CSU cuts, and the Governor’s proposed 5% ongoing compact increases. UC President James B. Milliken and CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia described the systems’ public value, research and workforce roles, and the impact of federal actions on grants, financial aid, and campus operations. Both also emphasized Title IX and civil rights efforts; CSU said it had implemented nearly all state auditor recommendations and was on track to finish the remaining one, while UC highlighted its systemwide civil rights and Title IX offices. Both leaders said federal investigations, grant cancellations, and litigation demands were consuming staff time and money, with UC reporting more than 200 grants lost or affected and CSU citing more than $161 million in lost grants and more than 1,600 grants affected overall. The committee then heard on student housing. Finance and LAO staff said the Governor’s budget made no major new housing proposal but continued support for the Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program. CSU reported 12 supported projects that will add about 5,047 beds, most below market rate, with four already open and seven more expected this year; it also said it has about 68,000 beds systemwide, a 92% occupancy rate, and ongoing emergency housing support. UC said the program has supported seven UC projects and two joint community college projects, adding more than 7,000 beds total, but nearly 10,000 UC students were on housing waitlists at the start of fall 2025. UC asked for additional state support, including possible bond funding and a statutory change to allow UC participation in public-private partnership housing projects. Members discussed rapid rehousing, student homelessness, faculty and staff housing, and community college housing partnerships, with both systems describing existing emergency beds and support services. On enrollment, LAO recommended maintaining UC’s 2026-27 resident undergraduate target, funding enrollment growth separately from base increases, pausing the nonresident reduction plan, and holding UC flat in 2027-28. For CSU, LAO recommended revising the 2026-27 target downward to reflect current projections, funding growth separately, and holding 2027-28 flat. CSU said it had rebounded from COVID declines, now exceeds its funded target by about 3,000 FTE, and is shifting about $89 million and 10,000 FTE spots from lower-demand campuses to higher-demand ones while developing turnaround plans for seven campuses with sustained enrollment declines, including Sonoma State. CSU also described direct admissions, transfer success pathways, and new degree programs aimed at workforce needs. UC said it had surpassed its compact enrollment goals, planned to add 2,721 California undergraduates in 2026-27, and was seeking $5.5 million for health professional programs. Members raised concerns about underprepared freshmen, K-12 alignment, nonresident caps at UC San Diego, deferred maintenance, ROTC access, and the need for stronger turnaround plans and teacher preparation pipelines. The final item on core operations addressed the Governor’s proposal to defer 3% base funding again, moving the one-time deferral to 2027-28 and allowing short-term zero-interest loans to cover it.

Transcript Highlights:

• in place to ban hunting and fishing is the whole point of the constitutional amendment because it preserves
• :15.599><c> it</c> constitutional amendment because it it constitutional amendment because it it preserves
• 16.880><c> revenue</c><01:05:17.280><c> stream</c><01:05:17.599><c> of</c><01:05:17.760><c> the</c> preserves
• that revenue stream of the preserves that revenue stream of the hunting<01:05:18.160><c> and</c><01:

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's called the Homestead Preservation Act. Have you ever heard of it? I have, yes, sir.
• And the Homestead Preservation Act is similar to circuit breaker, which we passed last year.
• And the thing with the Homestead Preservation Act is the state of Missouri used to do it.
• It just sunsetted, and I wish we could bring that back, because if it was the Homestead Preservation

Summary: The House first established a quorum after a quorum call and also welcomed guests from the Gateway Bleeding Disorders Association in recognition of Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month. The chamber then took up House Bill 2780, a major property tax reform measure, and adopted House Committee Substitute No. 2 before ordering it perfected and printed. The bill’s sponsor described four main provisions: applying Hancock rollback limits by subclass, adjusting the school levy floor from 2.75 to 2.20 while preserving current districts below 2.75 at that level for now, extending physical inspection protections to commercial property when assessments rise 15% or more, and requiring an old levy to expire before a new levy can take effect. Members from both parties largely supported the bill, though several raised concerns about the school levy floor and its interaction with the foundation formula; the sponsor said the bill was intended to stabilize taxes and send the issue to the Senate for further work. The substitute was adopted and the bill was perfected and printed. The House then considered a combined substitute for House Bills 2592, 2787, and 2834, which would restore voting rights to Missourians on probation or parole who are not incarcerated. The sponsor said the bill reflects accountability and reentry, and members discussed how election officials would determine eligibility, what happens if a voter later violates parole, and whether the measure could affect elections. Supporters, including members with corrections and election administration experience, said many people on supervision are working, paying taxes, and should be able to vote; opponents or skeptics focused on the seriousness of criminal penalties and the need to preserve public confidence. The substitute was adopted and the combined bill was ordered perfected and printed. Finally, the House took up House Bill 2125. The sponsor said it has three provisions: codifying the sharing of citizenship-status information in an existing Department of Revenue/Secretary of State data exchange, removing a sunset on the Secretary of State’s authority to seek court relief and subpoena records in credible election-violation investigations, and extending a technology fee sunset for another five years. The sponsor said the subpoena authority had been used only twice since 2020 and was intended to gather information, not automatically bring charges. Discussion on the bill began after the sponsor’s presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• No, this is about preserving trust and delivering public safety services with honesty and integrity in
• No, this is about preserving trust No, this is about preserving trust and<00:24:45.840><c> delivering
• , section one offers some exemption, especially around if the officer's identity is necessary to preserve

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• protects New Mexicans from unexpected patient-facing facility fees for a narrow set of services and preserves
• Education Committee Substitute for House Bill 253, as amended with an emergency clause, restores, preserves
• It in no way ends it; it preserves it, whether it's a district program, a charter school, or a program
• This preserves those situations and the rights of parents and families to choose that.

Bills: HB145, HB164, HR1, HB20, HB65, HB66, HB80, HB306, SB29, SB37, HB99, HB206, HB213, HB270, SB104, SB193, HB38, HB254, HB256, SB58, SB64, HJM1, HM7, HM17, HM4, HM22, HM23, HM24, HM26, HM2, HM16, HM32, HM13, HM47, HM20, HM51, HM1, HM31, HM35, HM36, HM46, HM53, HM54, HM39, HM29, HM43, HM59, HM11, HM14, HM21, HM34, HM50, HB253

Keywords: high-wage jobs, tax credit, job creation, New Mexico, economic development, lobbying, transparency, public records, government oversight, accountability, House Resolution 1, HR1, House investigatory subcommittee, special committee, legislative investigation, subpoena power, public corruption, criminal activity, Zorro ranch, Santa Fe County