Transcript Highlights:

• We need to help our court system out.
• , but the young people who are residents of our systems across the state.
• , but the young people that are residents of our systems across the state.
• In 2021, there were 20 near-fatality and fatality incidents this last year.
• That's a doubling of incidents.

Summary: The Senate Human Services Committee first held a public hearing on the gubernatorial appointment of Angela Ramirez to serve as Secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services. Ramirez described her background in public service and said her priorities would include improving technology, addressing workforce shortages, strengthening relationships with labor, tribes, and community organizations, and protecting DSHS programs and clients during uncertain budget and federal conditions. Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck also spoke in support of her confirmation, and members raised questions about needed improvements at DSHS. The committee then moved into executive session on six bills. On SB 6062, dealing with juvenile rehabilitation, midpoint reviews, bed capacity, and transfers between DCYF and DOC facilities, all six proposed Christian amendments failed and the committee advanced the Wilson substitute to Ways and Means. On SB 6308, concerning shelter care conditions for children under five in dependency cases, the committee rejected four Christian amendments and adopted a Wilson amendment clarifying that the bill does not supersede the Washington Indian Child Welfare Act; the bill then advanced to Ways and Means. On SB 6319, addressing community-based referrals for high-risk families with children under four and parental opioid use, the committee rejected three Christian amendments and adopted a technical Wilson amendment; the substitute then advanced to Ways and Means. The committee also considered SB 6286, which would authorize Department of Health inspections of private detention facilities and create a repair account funded by fines for inspection violations. All Christian amendments and one Warnick amendment failed, and the proposed substitute was advanced to Ways and Means. On SB 6080, regarding contracts and conditions for jails holding people in federal custody, all Christian amendments failed and the substitute was advanced to Rules. Finally, on SB 6184, an agency-request bill making technical and program updates, the committee adopted the bill with one amendment and sent it forward subject to signatures. The committee recessed partway through the agenda, returned to vote on the first six bills, and announced that remaining bills and the gubernatorial appointment would be taken up the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Unfortunately, the present system does not allow that.
• Correct. $50,000 per person, $100,000 per incident, so if there is more than one. $100,000 per incident
• In contrast to the current system, switching to this technology system could help... ...and mitigate
• Blockchain systems are distributed ledger systems that replicate all of the data across every node in
• Pardon me, conventional battery systems, not geothermal systems, not water stored behind a dam.

Bills: HB111

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He ultimately attained the rank of lieutenant colonel and served in the headquarters commandant at Fort
• removing the procedural delay, the bill will ensure unsafe carriers are flagged in the DMV's public system
• public advisory committee will be comprised of subject matter experts and practitioners within the CPS system

Summary: The Senate opened with an invocation, received a House message announcing passage of HB 74 creating the Puerto Verde Port Authority District, and heard a recognition from Senator Hancock about a weekend human trafficking operation in Fort Worth in which Unbound Now and the Fort Worth Police Department freed 19 victims. The Governor also submitted nominations to the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board. The chamber then repeatedly suspended rules to take up and pass a series of House bills and one House joint resolution, mostly by wide margins, along with several local and honorary designations. Among the substantive measures, the Senate passed HB 1244 on open-space appraisal after property transfers, HJR 99 and HB 1399 to exempt animal feed from ad valorem taxation, HB 166 expanding child/endangered-person protections to fentanyl-related conduct, HB 1672 speeding DMV enforcement against unsafe motor carriers, HB 2018 clarifying the Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program, HB 140 creating a DFPS advisory committee on child protective investigations, HB 467 providing for dissolution of the Cedar Creek Hospital District, HB 2000 requiring sex-offender registration for child grooming, HB 331 creating presumptions for first responders who suffer heart attacks or strokes after strenuous shifts, HB 1089 creating the Gulf Coast Protection Account, HB 2730 limiting when appraisal districts may require new homestead exemption applications, HB 2723 easing cemetery tax-exemption procedures, HB 353 creating a trespass offense near schools and day care centers, and HB 3248 authorizing defense-based development authorities to employ and commission peace officers. Several of these bills drew brief explanations and, in some cases, questions from other senators about their scope and purpose. The Senate also passed numerous memorial highway and facility designations, including HB 767 for Paul P. Mendez, HB 1708 for Trooper Kevin Ramirez-Vasquez, HB 2415 for Senior Police Officer Louis Andy Taylor, HB 2143 for Army Specialist Joey Lenz, HB 2457 for the Molly Mullins Mile, HB 2523 for Deputy Constable Ruben Garcia, HB 2198 for Officer Jacob Candinoza, and HB 2763 naming a TxDOT facility for Eduardo Eddie Garcia Jr. Other local or administrative measures included HB 3513 on the Moore County Juvenile Board and HB 3135 creating specialty plates for retired firefighters. The chamber also adopted several concurrent resolutions and later moved through a large local calendar, including HCR 80, which designated Brenham as the ice cream capital of Texas. Most measures passed with little or no opposition, though a few votes on rule suspensions and final passage recorded small numbers of nays.

Transcript Highlights:

• They should not be siloed systems.
• They should not be siloed systems. It should really be an integrated system.
• They should not be siloed systems.
• So I Incidents of hyperactivity and social anxiety.
• We don't require a co-pay when we go into the K-12 system.

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 2C10 by specifying that the individuals have lived experience navigating the state child welfare system
• </c> welfare system. welfare system. well<00:00:48.960><c> minors</c><00:00:49.840><c> and</c><00:00:
• I guess you you as well as um the commandment of schools, you come on up again.
• And those are the options in the court system. Okay. Does the problem go away though?
• </c> options in the court system. options in the court system.

Bills: SB3123

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: conditional gifts, private education, scholarships, donor conditions, Hawaii education law, 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee took up three measures in decision-making. SB 2678, which would create a Judiciary working group to improve family court processes and youth access to legal representation in the child welfare system, was recommended for passage with amendments. The amendments would clarify that members with lived experience are those who have navigated the state child welfare system, replace an actively serving guardian ad litem with a former GAL, allow co-chairs to invite additional experts, and provide compensation for lived-experience members. The committee report would also recommend a $20,000 appropriation, and the motion passed without objection. SB 2528, a Campaign Spending Commission proposal to expand the partial public financing program and raise expenditure limits, was also recommended for passage with amendments and adopted without objection. The committee’s changes would increase the public-funds match to 4:1, raise the maximum public funding available to 20% for statewide executive offices and 25% for legislative and certain county offices, blank out the appropriation in the bill, and instead recommend $7.2 million in the committee report. Technical amendments would also rename the program for consistency and set the bill’s effective date to March 22, 2075. In a joint Judiciary/Education hearing, SB 3123 drew extensive testimony in support from the Governor’s office, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, Hawaiian Council, Kamehameha Schools, and many private-school and community representatives. Supporters said the bill would clarify that donor-funded scholarships, grants, and tuition-free educational programs are charitable gifts rather than contractual obligations, giving donors and schools greater certainty and preserving educational access. Some members questioned whether the bill could affect Kamehameha Schools’ admissions practices or allow schools to avoid donor conditions; witnesses responded that the measure is intended to clarify donor intent, not change admissions, and that an opt-out clause would preserve the ability to create contractual agreements if the parties choose. The discussion ended with the bill still under consideration, with no final vote reflected in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to help our court system out.
• , but the young people that are residents of our systems across the state.
• , but the young people that are residents of our systems across the state.
• In 2021, there were 20 near-fatality and fatality incidents this last year.
• That's a doubling of incidents.

Bills: SB6062 , SB6080 , SB6184 , SB6224 , SB6255 , SB6286 , SB6308 , SB6319 , SB5977 , SB5979 , SB6249 , SGA9299

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: juvenile justice, criminal offense, minors, rehabilitation, legal provisions, contracts, jails, federal custody, municipal agreements, incarceration, law enforcement, homeless youth, youth services, mental health, support programs, state law, behavioral health, children, support services, poverty reduction

Transcript Highlights:

• So a lot of times what happens is your gifted kids can work their way through a system like that.
• like that they can figure it out system like that they can figure it out so<00:39:04.920><c> in</c><
• that precipitated this the incident that precipitated this resolution<00:53:53.280><c> for</c><00:53
• Everything I saw about this incident, it was designed to be disruptive.
• Are you thinking a lottery system? Thank you for the question.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 129, which would redefine “evidence-based” in public education to require objective, science-based evidence for pedagogical methods. The prime sponsor said the bill is a verbatim reintroduction from the prior session and argued that current federal definitions are too vague, allowing subjective surveys and other weak evidence to justify teaching methods. He said the bill is limited to pedagogy, not subject matter, and is intended to improve student outcomes, reduce fad-driven practices, and potentially save money by limiting unnecessary retraining and new materials. Members asked repeatedly about the bill’s scope, including whether it would affect classroom teachers, curriculum content, and existing instructional approaches such as phonics versus whole language or queuing. The sponsor said the bill applies to state and local education bodies and educator training policies, not individual teachers in their classrooms, and that teachers would retain flexibility. He also said standardized testing could be part of a scientific study but is not itself a study, and that textbook providers could be asked to furnish the studies supporting instructional guidance included in their materials. Several members raised concerns about the fiscal note and possible cost shifts to local districts and taxpayers. The sponsor disputed the idea that the bill would necessarily create major new costs or require additional staff, saying any costs would likely be limited and that the department is already applying federal evidence-based rules. He also said if some current methods are not science-based, updating them would be justified even if there were some initial expense. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:05:21.120><c> involving</c> investigations of incidents involving investigations of incidents
• Uh, Chair Debatney, Deputy Mueller, are you conducting investigations on the named incidents?
• Uh, Chair Debatney, Deputy Mueller, are you conducting investigations on the named incidents?
• </c><00:10:50.399><c> involving</c> unit was created, incidents involving unit was created, incidents
• </c> the way that we would hope all incidents the way that we would hope all incidents of<00:15:57.440

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So local law enforcement would be involved scenario to scenario depending on the incident.
• The goal of depending on the incident.
• Neither district reported the incident or investigated the incident because they thought the other district
• Neither district reported the incident or investigated the incident because they thought the other district
• to report and make school systems to report and make findings<01:07:22.079><c> and</c><01:07:22.400>

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The system works.
• The system works.
• gaps in California's safety net systems of care.
• Similar incidents are happening across California.
• It's just the system we voted for and the system that's set up.

Summary: The committee heard SB 1377, which would change California’s medical exemption process for school immunizations. The author and supporters argued the bill would restore physician discretion, reduce fear of audits and discipline, and help families with medically vulnerable children obtain exemptions. Opponents, including pediatric, medical, and public health groups, said the current system created by SB 276 and SB 277 is working, that valid exemptions are still being issued, and that loosening oversight could undermine immunization rates and public health. Members debated the data behind claims of a chilling effect, the number of exemptions reviewed or revoked, and the bill’s amendments, which narrowed the measure to current exemptions and added a small additional threshold. Because there was no quorum at the time, action on SB 1377 was delayed until a quorum could be present. The committee then heard SB 995, the Masuma Khan Justice Act, which would create a statewide inspection and enforcement framework for large voluntary residential facilities, including private immigration detention centers. The author and supporters described alleged neglect and abuse in detention facilities, including denial of medication, unsafe food and water, and inadequate oversight, and argued the state should ensure humane conditions and accountability. The California Hospital Association expressed concern about duplicative oversight and possible overlap with existing regulation, while the author said the bill was being refined to avoid constitutional problems and duplication. The committee voted to do pass and re-refer SB 995 to Judiciary, with the roll call showing five votes and the bill placed on call. SB 1089 was also heard, proposing expanded access to GLP-1 medications for state and local government employees through CalPERS and encouraging broader affordability efforts through CalRx. The author framed the bill as a response to chronic weight disease, diabetes risk, and high costs, and described his own experience obtaining and paying for GLP-1 treatment. Supporters from the American Diabetes Association and medical groups said GLP-1s are effective tools for preventing and managing type 2 diabetes and could reduce long-term health costs. No opposition was heard, and the committee voted do pass and re-refer the bill to Labor, Public Employment, and Retirement, with the vote placed on call. The committee also began SB 1221 on Murphy conservatorships, with supporters and opponents debating whether district attorneys should have a larger role in these proceedings and whether the bill would improve public safety or disrupt the civil mental health process; the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Once they joined the public school system, they went from a 3% incidence of myopia to exactly matching
• Once they joined the public school system, they went from a 3% incidence of myopia to exactly matching
• Once they joined the public school system, they went from a 3% incidence of myopia to exactly matching
• Once they joined the public school system, they went from a 3% incidence of myopia to exactly matching
• Once they joined the public school system, they went from a 3% incidence of myopia to exactly matching

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires human review when an automated decision-making system assists in a discipline, termination
• We can't leave their livelihoods to systems that are biased or make mistakes.
• And our whole system of legal due process has been set up with the notion that somebody...
• , but our constitutional system.
• This fragmented labor enforcement system leaves workers and families exposed.

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Summary: The committee heard several labor-related bills focused on workplace technology, data centers, staffing agencies, and environmental health. SB 947, the “No Robo Bosses Act,” would require human review before automated systems can be used in discipline, termination, or deactivation decisions and would ban predictive behavior analysis; labor groups and worker advocates supported it, while business and industry groups opposed it as overbroad and litigation-prone. After extended discussion about due process, human oversight, and private rights of action, the bill passed 3-1 and was sent to the Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection Committee. SB 978, the Data Center Community Accountability Act, would require data centers to pay for new infrastructure costs, create a separate rate structure to protect other ratepayers, and impose skilled-and-trained labor standards for construction. Supporters said it would prevent cost shifts to households and ensure good jobs, while opponents argued the CPUC already has ongoing proceedings and that the bill unfairly singles out one industry. The committee discussed balancing economic growth with labor and ratepayer protections, and the bill passed 3-1 to Senate Appropriations. SB 951, the California Worker Technological Displacement Act, would expand WARN-style notice requirements for AI-related layoffs and require reporting on displaced jobs and first consideration for openings; supporters said it would improve transparency and help policymakers respond to AI-driven job loss, while opponents warned it was too broad and conflicted with existing WARN law. It passed 3-1 to Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection. The committee also considered SB 1032, which would create a licensing and registration framework for temporary staffing agencies. Supporters said it would curb fraud and protect workers from illicit staffing operators, while opponents—many from the staffing industry—said the bill was vague, burdensome, and could hinder small and minority-owned businesses. The bill passed 3-1 to Senate Judiciary. Finally, SB 1046, dealing with protections for lifeguards and park rangers exposed to transboundary pollution in the Tijuana River Valley, would direct Cal/OSHA to develop standards for exposure, PPE, training, and incident reporting. With support from park workers and community groups and no opposition, it passed unanimously 4-0 to Senate Appropriations. The committee also approved a consent calendar item and adjourned after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• parties without legal representation to help them understand the legal requirements of the court system
• parties without legal representation to help them understand the legal requirements of the court system
• Let's see, I've spent over 20 years in the trenches of Idaho's criminal justice system, starting as a
• What we have right now working in the court systems is not even good.
• Incidents can be identified and tracked more accurately.

Committee: House Judiciary, Rules and Administration

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll go through this based on the various elements of the safe system approach.
• Land use is an area that's been included in this safe system approach.
• By increasing our understanding of serious crashes, using the safe system approach framework...
• By increasing our understanding of serious crashes, using the safe system, approach.
• But that was not in their... ...system before the crash.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met for work sessions, public hearings, and executive action. In the work session, WSDOT briefed the committee on the U.S. 12 corridor near Walla Walla and the North Spokane Corridor. Brian White said U.S. 12 is an eight-phase project with seven phases complete, and phase eight would finish the corridor, improve freight mobility and safety, and include a jurisdictional transfer of the old highway back to Walla Walla County. He said the project remains short of full funding, including a gap between the $350 million corridor cost and the $110 million federal Rural Surface Transportation grant, but WSDOT hopes to build smaller independent-utility pieces and begin construction in summer 2027. Charlene K. then reported that the North Spokane Corridor is seven of eight highway miles open, with major remaining work on the I-90 connection and related interchanges, bridges, and trail segments. She described the project as on track for design completion in 2027 and construction completion around 2030, while noting risks tied to federal approval, tight construction space, labor and contractor availability, utilities, and community impacts. The committee also heard from Karen Messmer of the Cooper Jones Active Transportation Safety Council, who summarized the council’s 2025 report and 2026 priorities. She emphasized that pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities remain unacceptably high and urged a safe-system approach focused on safer speeds, roads, road users, vehicles, land use, and post-crash care. She highlighted recommendations including safety-based performance measures, better speed management, more local safety planning support, improved driver education, attention to micromobility and large vehicles, and faster toxicology and crash-data processing. In public hearings, the committee heard Senate Bill 6131, which would expand the Washington Traffic Safety Commission’s fatal crash review authority, designate it as a public health authority for limited access to health information, and create a confidential fatality review committee. The sponsor and Traffic Safety Commission said the bill would help identify common contributing factors in all fatal crashes while protecting confidential information; a media representative testified that the bill preserves public access to records already open and supports the goal of improving safety. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6155, which would extend disability parking placard renewal from every five years to every 20 years and remove the need for a health care practitioner’s signature at renewal; supporters said this would reduce burdens on permanently disabled people, while opponents warned it could increase fraud and misuse of placards. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 6238, which would raise the minimum tug escort horsepower for oil tankers in restricted waters to 3,000 horsepower or 5% of tanker deadweight, whichever is greater; the sponsor and Board of Pilotage said the change would align statute with current practice and newly adopted rules. Testimony was mixed, and the hearing closed with two people signed in pro and two con. In executive session, the committee advanced several bills. It passed Senate Bill 5746 on EV charging infrastructure property crime, Senate Bill 5824 on fifth wheel travel trailer length, Senate Bill 6110 on e-bikes and e-motos, Senate Bill 5839 on county ferry district passenger-only service, and Senate Bill 6148 on regional transit authority bond terms, all with due pass recommendations to the Rules Committee. An amendment to SB 6110 adding several state agency leaders to the e-moto work group was rejected. The committee adjourned after signing committee reports.

Transcript Highlights:

• It limits the scope to consumer platforms and the subset of AI systems that have the most significant
• So if an operator violates this or is accused of violating it, they risk $7,500 per incident.
• So if an operator violates this or is accused of violating it, they risk $7,500 per incident.
• Artificial intelligence systems are already beginning to replicate the same dynamics we have seen with
• need this for our children because online ecosystems where companies must compete should be online systems

Committee: House Communications, Technology and Innovation

Keywords: House Committee Room C, General Assembly Building, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• worried about schedule F being implemented State Department because as you know We currently have a system
• But we also have a merit-based civil service system.
• There's no more powerful force than free market systems when those are operating.
• may or may not be listened to, your advice may or may not be followed, but what you owe to your Commander-in-Chief
• concerned about the upheaval and devastation being wrought by this administration's disastrous and systemic

Committee: Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Third page, Representative Irwin, immunity for intervening in certain incidents of violence.
• In certain incidents of violence.
• use of high-quality reading curricula and instructional materials that do not include three-cueing system
• Have we heard... ...that do not include three-cueing system as a strategy for decoding.

Committee: House Special Committee on Rural Issues

Summary: The Special Committee on Rural Issues met with a quorum and considered several bills and resolutions. The most contentious item was Senate Bill 1383, which had been loaded with multiple House amendments and a House Committee Substitute that combined a wide range of education-related provisions, including driver education, school finance transparency, property rules for charter schools, school accountability report cards, anti-bullying policy, educator preparation and literacy requirements, career and technical student organization staffing support, media literacy, and gifted testing. Members raised concerns that the substitute was overly broad, included provisions not heard in committee, and could impose unfunded mandates on school districts. After debate, the committee rejected the House Committee Substitute by a 5-7 vote and then voted 12-0 to do pass the underlying Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1383. The committee then took up House Bill 2169. An amendment to bar foreign-owned companies from using eminent domain for wind and solar projects was debated, with members questioning how foreign ownership would be defined and whether the language would affect companies with mixed ownership or U.S.-based subsidiaries. The amendment failed, and the bill was then approved by a 9-3 vote. House Bill 1699, dealing with county health officer appointment procedures, received a clarifying amendment stating that if a health officer is not reappointed, the officer must leave office and the county commission must appoint an interim; that amendment and the substitute were adopted, and the bill passed 11-0. Finally, the committee considered House Concurrent Resolution 38. A substitute correcting a typo was adopted, and the resolution then passed unanimously, 11-0. The meeting concluded with no further business and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• They reported four of these non-serious request incidents this past year.
• They reported four of these non-serious request incidents this past year.
• They reported four of these non-serious request incidents this past year.
• They reported four of these non-serious request incidents this past year.
• :02:50.959><c> this</c><00:02:51.120><c> past</c> non-serious request incidents this past non-serious

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard House File 1999 informationally only, with no formal action taken. Representative Green explained that the bill addresses large and sometimes anonymous data requests made to school districts and other government entities, arguing that while public access to data is essential, some requests create significant staff and cost burdens when requesters do not follow through. She described examples from districts that spent thousands of dollars preparing data that was never inspected, and said the bill aims to add accountability while preserving open government and press access. Testifiers largely supported the bill’s goals but discussed technical changes. Matt Eling of Minnesotans for Open Government said the amendment largely codifies existing guidance on handling large requests by breaking them into components and allowing inspection or copying in stages. Superintendent Jeff Felson of Owatonna Public Schools said his district had received 12 anonymous requests in three years, nine of which were abandoned, costing about $40,000, and one large request cost more than $400,000 and required significant staff time. Rich Newmeister also supported the effort but raised concern about language referring to providing data on a “rolling basis,” suggesting training and clearer guidance for districts instead. Members asked whether school districts already set their own data-request policies, whether anonymous requests must be answered, and how the bill would affect private personnel data. Representative Green said districts do have their own policies, anonymous requests are allowed under current law, and the bill is meant to provide clearer statutory guidance. She also said she was open to removing the “rolling basis” language after feedback. The discussion ended with general support for the bill’s intent and a reminder from the chair that the hearing was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are tracking 68 key metrics through a newly engineered comprehensive performance management system
• You've had major systemic breakdowns in process, and the CEO not having an opinion, right?
• The grantee's email system was infiltrated and then the title company's email system was infiltrated
• Essentially having their email systems hacked.
• Why, if it was just that two email systems were hacked, right?

Summary: The Senate Committee on Director Nominations met to consider Ruby Dylan Williams for Director of the Arizona Department of Housing. Williams described her long career at the department, her work on operational improvements, housing development, manufactured housing, and efforts to expand supply, preserve existing housing, and improve transparency through data and technology. She also said she would work with the legislature, local governments, tribal nations, nonprofits, and private partners, and emphasized the department’s role in addressing housing affordability and homelessness across the housing continuum. Members questioned her about the department’s response to Auditor General findings, including fraud prevention, payment verification, site inspections, and oversight of grantees. Williams said the department had rewritten policies, retrained staff, added stronger controls, and implemented verbal verification steps for wire transfers after a fraud incident. Senators also pressed her on budget priorities, possible cuts, and her view of homelessness policy, with some members characterizing her approach as closer to shelter or transitional housing before permanent placement. Williams said interventions should be individualized and that the department works with local jurisdictions and service providers to match people with appropriate support. Public testimony was overwhelmingly supportive. Developers, housing industry representatives, and nonprofit partners praised Williams’ private-sector housing finance experience, her knowledge of LIHTC and the QAP process, and her leadership in making the agency more efficient and business-friendly. After debate, the committee voted 3-2 to recommend her confirmation to the full Senate. Two members voted no, citing concerns about her answers on fraud oversight, cost controls, and homelessness policy, while the majority supported advancing her nomination.

Transcript Highlights:

• Reports of anti-Semitic content and incidents in our schools have reached alarming proportions across
• system in Davis and Albany, California.
• My name is Dina Ahmad, and I am a product of the California public school system.
• I'm a mother of a child in the California public school system.
• I'm a gungal to many kids across the California public education system.

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee held a special hearing on AB 715, with the authors presenting the bill as a response to rising anti-Semitism in K-12 schools. The authors said the measure is intended to strengthen protections for Jewish students, improve district accountability, expand the uniform complaint process, clarify protections related to religion and nationality, and create a state-level anti-Semitism coordinator. They emphasized that the bill was developed through collaboration with the Black, Latino, AAPI, and Jewish caucuses and argued it is meant to protect all students from hate while preserving legitimate classroom discussion. The hearing included extensive public testimony. Supporters, including students, parents, rabbis, Jewish organizations, and some educators, described harassment, biased curriculum, delayed or ineffective school responses, and fear among Jewish students and families. They urged the committee to act to make schools safer and more responsive. Opponents, including teachers, ethnic studies advocates, civil liberties groups, Palestinian rights advocates, and some Jewish parents, argued the bill was rushed, vague, and could chill academic freedom, censor discussion of Palestine and Israel, and expand complaints against teachers and school districts. Several witnesses said existing complaint and anti-discrimination systems already address these issues. Committee members then questioned the authors and witnesses about implementation, definitions, and possible effects on curriculum and school boards. The authors said the bill is still intent language and that details would be refined in further negotiations with stakeholders. Representatives from the California School Boards Association and California Teachers Association raised concerns about the new language and possible unintended consequences, while ACLU California Action said it had concerns but wanted to keep working on the bill. The transcript does not show a final vote or action taken on AB 715 during this hearing.