Transcript Highlights:

• These amendments will remove language adding to state priority to local control and accountability plans
• so I appreciate the work on that, to protect our students' personal information and give them more control
• so I appreciate the work on that, to protect our students' personal information and give them more control
• in our education system by requiring school districts to consider county office of education local control
• When a rehab plan includes requirements that are outside of a student's control, it neither helps to

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard a full agenda of bills, first adopting a consent calendar of 11 measures without individual presentations. The committee then took up AB 1412, which would require California schools to implement or adopt a transferred special education student’s IEP within 30 days for out-of-state transfers and to coordinate more quickly on records. The author and military-family witnesses said the bill would reduce delays for highly mobile students, especially military children; a school administrators group opposed it. The bill received initial support from committee members and was moved on call. The committee also reconsidered AB 281, which would require notice to parents when outside consultants provide sex education instruction; the author accepted amendments removing a copy-right provision, but the bill remained on call after a split vote. The committee heard AB 1005, which would create a statewide drowning-prevention education and swim-lesson voucher framework for underserved communities. The author and supporters described drowning as a preventable public health and equity issue, while the bill was clarified as developing a plan rather than immediately launching a voucher program. It was voted out on a 3-0 roll with the measure placed on call. AB 908, as amended, would add compliance monitoring for existing requirements that schools use LGBTQ-inclusive instructional materials and curriculum under the FAIR Act. Supporters said the bill would improve implementation and student safety; opponents raised concerns about privacy, girls’ sports, and school burdens. The committee approved the bill 5-2 and sent it to Appropriations. The committee then heard AB 1401, which would affirm parents’ access to school records, including unofficial records unless exempt by law. The author argued that parents need clearer access to information held by schools and vendors, while school officials and teachers’ union representatives warned the bill was too vague and could sweep in personal notes, journals, and other sensitive material. The bill failed on a 2-3 vote and was placed on call. Finally, AB 727 would require student ID cards to include the Trevor Project hotline for LGBTQ youth; supporters framed it as a suicide-prevention measure, while opponents argued it conflicted with parental rights and religious beliefs. Committee discussion focused on whether 988 already provides similar access and whether the Trevor Project is an appropriate resource to print on IDs; the hearing continued with the bill still under consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is the ultimate form of local control.
• <00:10:16.040> Property<00:10:16.360> Owners of local control Property Owners of local
• all these new uh can adopt and control all these new uh changes<00:29:11.159> that<00:29:11.240
• The housing market is governed by forces outside of the city's control.
• The housing market is governed by forces outside of the city's control.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• the November forecast already control the November forecast already predicted<00:57:39.240> A5
• This was done in 2023 under one-party control that spent a $19 billion surplus and increased taxes by
• This was done in 2023 under one-party control that spent a $19 billion surplus and increased taxes by
• But I'm more concerned about what we can control, and my last question for the testifiers, Chair, is
• <01:09:04.000> and concerned about what we can control and concerned about what we can control

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am a state employee, so they had to put me somewhere in the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
• The problem is it extends beyond municipal boundaries, and so the city doesn't have a lot of control
• c> over<00:26:27.520> protecting<00:26:27.880> their<00:26:28.000> drink control
• over protecting their drink control over protecting their drink water<00:26:28.720> supply<00
• <01:14:03.159> agency for example the pollution control agency for example the pollution control

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• 00:31:04.840> lands<00:31:05.360> under<00:31:05.639> their<00:31:05.960> control
• to get these lands under their control to get these lands under their control they're<00:31:06.399
• So would you say that this is really a question around the control of water? No, it's not.
• <00:32:25.480> of the control of the control of water<00:32:27.240> uh<00:32:27.440
• , but I guess the question is more about the control over your leases.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Houlahan, will each control 20 minutes. Chair recognized the gentleman from Missouri.
• Houlahan, will each control 20 minutes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Houlahan, will each control 20 minutes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Ho, each will control 20 minutes. Mr.
• Graves, and the gentlewoman from Oregon each will control 20 minutes. Mr.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, January 13, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:41:01.440> Um, bill, curriculum is a local control.
• Um, bill, curriculum is a local control.
• . >> How did we lose control of this committee?
• <02:02:43.840> component that is why the local control component that is why the local control
• Finally, equity and local control.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's essentially the flow control by interagency agreement.
• I think it’s a really important example of why flow control and why having publicly owned or public-private
• And so in WIPA, having that flow control will be essential.
• Having that flow control will be essential if communities are linking fees to the waste stream and to
• one more important thing to make all that happen, and I think it's been said: you have to have flow control

Summary: The task force met to focus on funding systems and incentive structures for a proposed regional waste infrastructure effort, including how a future WIPA framework might support solid waste planning in the Willamette Valley. Staff and members heard presentations from DEQ on the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, from Business Oregon on the Special Public Works Fund, and from Oregon State Treasury on state bonding capacity and the bond issuance process. Presenters explained how their programs are structured, how projects are scored or approved, what kinds of public entities and projects are eligible, and how interagency coordination and co-funding can work. DEQ emphasized that its revolving loan fund is driven by water-quality benefits and public-health criteria, while Business Oregon described a broader infrastructure loan program for public entities with no scoring system, and Treasury outlined the state’s debt-capacity process and the differences between general obligation and lottery bonds. Members used the presentations to discuss whether similar funding tools could support solid waste infrastructure, especially for transfer stations, regional hubs, and related facilities that may need to be built before Coffin Butte reaches the end of its lifespan. Several questions centered on whether public-private partnerships could qualify, whether equipment inside facilities could be financed, how repayment would work, and whether planning costs could be covered. DEQ and Business Oregon both said they could potentially collaborate on scoring or co-funding, but noted eligibility limits and the need for public ownership in many cases. Treasury said bond capacity is limited and competitive, especially for lottery bonds, and that project authorization generally runs on a two-year cycle, though unused authority can sometimes be reauthorized. In task force discussion, members debated whether the group should pursue a dedicated funding lane for the seven-county region rather than having local governments compete with other statewide needs. Some members stressed the importance of criteria to avoid stranded assets and to ensure funding is available when projects are ready, while others raised concerns about how cities and counties would generate revenue to repay debt during construction and early operations. The group also discussed flow control, system fees, and the need for regional collaboration among counties, cities, and haulers to create enough waste volume to support new infrastructure. Staff noted that pre-session filing materials for the legislature are due September 11, and the chair said the August meeting will focus on organizational structure and identifying partners. During public comment, Representative Kevin Mannix submitted written testimony supporting the WIPA concept and urging the task force to endorse it. Commissioner Bubba King of Yamhill County urged the task force to compare alternatives objectively and warned against adding bureaucracy before evaluating existing infrastructure and costs. Commissioners Kevin Cameron and Roger Nyquist of Marion and Linn counties described regional hub-and-spoke concepts, transfer stations, and intermodal options, emphasizing the need for planning, strategic siting, and collaboration with haulers and local governments.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is absolutely crucial that we as performers maintain control over whether and how our digital selves
• It is absolutely crucial that we as performers maintain control over whether and how our digital selves
• feeds of two groups of individuals, one group diagnosed with eating disorders and the other a healthy control
• feeds of two groups of individuals, one group diagnosed with eating disorders and the other a healthy control
• One group diagnosed with eating disorders and the other a healthy control group.

Keywords: 995, all

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

Transcript Highlights:

• bulls were running loose, and whose wranglers were immediately helpful in getting the bulls under control
• But this bill provides for active funding to help farms and fisheries with climate-controlled agriculture
• They have a donut-shaped brain, and their limbs are controlled by separate nerve centers, which allow
• escape attempts, breaking glass with rocks, and individuals causing flooding and power outages by controlling
• These incidents occurred in highly controlled facilities with one or two octopuses.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Agriculture opened its first hearing by outlining procedures, including three-minute testimony limits, written testimony options, and the plan to hear 27 bills in docket order. The committee then took testimony on H.11/S.53, a resolve promoting equity in agriculture, with advocates from the Massachusetts Food System Collaborative, Southeastern Mass Agricultural Partnership, and urban farming organizations describing racial and economic disparities in farming, lack of data on BIPOC farmers, barriers to land and capital, and the need for a commission to collect information and recommend policy changes. Committee members asked questions about the importance of data collection and future policy development, and the bill was repeatedly urged to be reported favorably out of committee. Testimony also supported H.118, which would create a special commission to examine the strengths and sustainability of the Commonwealth’s emergency food network. The Amherst Survival Center described serving 1.6 million meals last year and explained that food pantries are now functioning as essential parts of the state’s food system while relying heavily on donations, volunteers, and unstable funding. Members discussed the need for a more holistic look at food security infrastructure. The committee then heard H.119/S.60 on climate change impacts on farms and fisheries, with regional planners and farm advocates describing flood damage, rising costs, canceled federal climate-smart funding, and the need for direct state support for adaptation, resilience, and infrastructure improvements. The committee also heard testimony on H.125/H.142/S.65, a healthy soils bill, from landscape professionals who said construction sites often leave poor or stripped soil and that the bill would require better post-construction soil standards to support healthier landscapes and reduce long-term maintenance and environmental problems. Finally, the committee took extensive testimony on H.127, which would prohibit aquaculture of octopus for human consumption. Supporters, including legislators, scientists, veterinarians, students, and animal welfare advocates, argued octopus are highly intelligent and sentient, cannot be farmed humanely, and that octopus aquaculture would create environmental harms such as waste runoff, pressure on wild fish stocks, and ecosystem disruption. No votes were taken during the hearing; the bills were heard and testimony was received.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lacombe is an act in Title 26 relative to notice of hearings by the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control
• But we didn't take, like Senator Boudreaux put an amendment on last week; they put some financial controls
• 723 by Representative Horton is an act to amend Title 32 relative to driver compliance with traffic control
• and maintains a full and complete stop at the intersection for two complete cycles of the traffic control
• would suggest if you come to a stop, wait two minutes, then you can proceed if you treat the traffic control

Bills: SCR63, SCR12, HB89, HB451, HB595, HB617, HB621, HB730, HB1064, HB1125, HB221, HCR58, SB106, SB206, SB248, SB441, SB104, SB122, SB180, SB260, SB424, SB476, SCR9, SCR30, SB57, SB414, SB525, SB35, SB65, SB135, SB215, SB246, SB249, SB269, SB276, SB282, SB296, SB323, SB363, SB369, SB474, SB484, SB490, SB492, SB500, SB501, SB513, HCR31, HB462, HB547, HB613, HB691, HB712, HB720, HB723, HB728, HB735, HB747, HB759, HB825, HB845, HB846, HB903, HB904, HB907, HB923, HB929, HB941, HB962, HB965, HB1036, HB287, HB370, HB515, HB521, HB570, HB1200, HB29, HB39, HB58, HB67, HB73, HB76, HB77, HB82, HB112, HB121, HB125, HB132, HB134, HB151, HB154, HB155, HB161, HB166, HB187, HB191, HB207, HB211, HB224, HB238, HB241, HB242, HB250, HB260, HB265, HB275, HB300, HB320, HB338, HB339, HB349, HB379, HB399, HB427, HB463, HB464, HB468, HB545, HB550, HB551, HB565, HB588, HB639, HB725, HB782, HB805, HB808, HB834, HB847, HB853, HB858, HB861, HB883, HB916, HB937, HB977, HB1012, HB1027, HB1044, HB1054, HB1091, HB1117, HB90, HB127, HB138, HB150, HB201, HB268, HB273, HB285, HB315, HB354, HB355, HB360, HB376, HB445, HB506, HB606, HB649, HB665, HB681, HB721, HB746, HB757, HB781, HB835, HB844, HB857, HB872, HB886, HB889, HB892, HB982, HB987, HB1037, HB1068, HB1072, HB1078, HB1085, HB1132, HB1137, HB1167, HB1174, HB1232, HB1238, HB23, HB136, HB17, HB21, HB51, HB55, HB74, HB106, HB108, HB133, HB140, HB159, HB168, HB215, HB226, HB263, HB296, HB299, HB322, HB364, HB519, HB535, HB538, HB568, HB571, HB622, HB635, HB676, HB772, HB784, HB1006, HB1018, HB1033, HB1034, HB1043, HB1070, HB1134, HB1237, HB1239, HB36, HB119, HB126, HB129, HB245, HB271, HB280, HB337, HB351, HB677, HB726, HB789, HB850, HB956, HB966, SB149, SB382

Keywords: fiscal notes, legislation, legislative auditor, state policy, conflict of interest, logging, recognition, John Keith, environment, safety, HB89, Act 615, district attorney, assistant district attorney, retiree health insurance, group health insurance, retirement benefits, public employee benefits, Third Judicial District, Thirtieth Judicial District

Transcript Highlights:

• One of them is doing things to help bend the cost curve and help control costs, and on the other side
• So I will go into more detail as far as what we've done to help control cost on slides five and six.
• But like I mentioned previously, our charge has always kind of been controlling cost and how do we get
• When something came to whether it was Human Services or especially State and Local, where I controlled
• So it's really trying to limit providers from four options to one to steer a population to help control

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One of them is doing things to help bend the cost curve and help control costs, and on the other side
• So I will go into more detail as far as what we've done to help control cost on slides five and six.
• But like I mentioned previously, our charge has always kind of been controlling cost and how do we get
• When something came to whether it was human services or especially state and local, where I controlled
• So it's really trying to limit providers from four options to one to steer a population to help control

Summary: The Employee Benefits Committee met to approve prior minutes, hear presentations on state employee health insurance, compensation, leave, and related policy issues, and then recess for lunch. PERS reviewed the history and structure of the state health plan, noting the long-standing state-paid family coverage, cost-control measures, wellness incentives, the current grandfathered PPO and high-deductible options, and the effects of recent benefit mandates such as insulin caps, prosthetic coverage, medication management, prescription copay changes, and ambulance balance-billing limits. Committee members questioned the fiscal impact of adding benefits and the possible cost of moving to a non-grandfathered plan, while PERS and HRMS emphasized that health insurance remains the top-ranked employee benefit and that any major plan changes should be considered carefully. HRMS also presented compensation comparisons showing state pay generally below private-market benchmarks, discussed targeted market equity adjustments, identified ongoing recruitment and retention concerns in fields like nursing, IT, engineering, and attorneys, and reviewed leave policies, tuition reimbursement, and family leave comparisons with neighboring states. Job Service provided labor market data showing low unemployment, high labor force participation, and wage growth that still trails some neighboring markets, and OMB explained that prevailing wage requirements apply to federally funded projects under Davis-Bacon, not to ordinary state contracts. After lunch, the committee took up the required process for health insurance mandate bills and adopted an amendment to Joint Rule 211. The amendment clarified that the deadline for submitting mandate measures is intended to allow time for all required reports, including both the cost-benefit analysis and any Employee Benefits Committee actuarial report, while leaving the existing deadline unchanged. The amendment was adopted on a roll call vote, with several members voting yes and a few no votes recorded. The committee then moved into its jurisdiction review of bill drafts, beginning with a bill that would automatically renew pre-tax dental and vision elections; members debated whether it had any actuarial or administrative impact on PERS or the state, and the chair explained that the committee’s role was only to decide whether further analysis was needed before later testimony and recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• We know that these relationships are built on power and on control, and any time that that's threatened
• reveal weaknesses, including those involving information security, physical security, fraud detection controls
• hold a report confidential if the report would describe or reveal a weakness of fraud detection controls
• We could take control of our economic future and help all of California.
• this bill knowing the only way forward is to coordinate as a state while retaining specific local control

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Cities' main concerns with SB 866 is the bill requires cities to collect data that is outside of their control
• They do not make high-stakes decisions for homeowners, nor do they control association funds.
• It's preserving local control, frankly, to ensure that local jurisdictions have the ability to impose
• But what we want to do is preserve local control to ensure that those jurisdictions that feel that labor
• necessary and appropriate to address the needs of workers in their jurisdiction can preserve that local control

Summary: The committee heard SB 866, which would require jurisdictions that do not receive HAP grants to include homelessness data, strategies, and regional coordination in their housing elements. The author and supporters said the bill would close a gap in planning and create more consistent, data-driven local responses to homelessness. Opponents, including the League of California Cities and several cities, argued the bill would impose costly and duplicative reporting requirements on small jurisdictions, require data cities cannot control, and should instead be aligned with existing regional planning processes. Members raised concerns about burden on small cities, but also emphasized the need for statewide, standardized homelessness planning. The committee then heard SB 967, which would allow jurisdictions to count qualifying interim housing toward a portion of their acutely low-income RHNA obligations, with safeguards against double counting and reporting requirements for moved units. Supporters said interim housing is a faster, less expensive way to get people indoors and should be incentivized as a bridge from encampments to permanent housing. Opponents, including housing law experts and advocacy groups, argued the bill would blur the line between temporary shelter and permanent housing, weaken obligations to build deeply affordable housing, and create a two-tier system for the lowest-income Californians. After discussion, the committee passed SB 967 on a due pass motion to Appropriations, with several members voting aye and the bill held on call for absent members. The committee also considered SCR 131, a resolution calling for a coordinated state effort to end unsheltered homelessness and prioritize a broader set of interventions, including interim housing, prevention, and permanent supportive housing. Supporters described unsheltered homelessness as a moral and public health crisis and urged stronger state alignment and funding. One member explained an abstention based on concerns that the resolution’s language could be read as endorsing more funding without clear metrics or evidence of effectiveness. The author said amendments had already narrowed the language and was open to further changes. The resolution was adopted on a motion, with the roll held open for absent members. Finally, the committee heard SB 1238, which would strengthen oversight and transparency for homeowners associations and HOA management companies, including disclosures, reserve-fund protections, and a fiduciary-duty provision. The author and supporters said the bill would protect homeowners from mismanagement and improve financial clarity in common interest developments. Opponents from community manager and HOA groups said managers are administrative agents, not decision-makers, and objected especially to imposing a fiduciary duty to individual homeowners. Members generally supported the bill but flagged the fiduciary-duty issue and reserve-fund language as areas for further review, noting that some amendments had been agreed to and others would be addressed later in the process.

Transcript Highlights:

• definition that relates to significant domestic violence to include a parent's pattern of coercive or controlling
• behavior. ...domestic violence to include a parent's pattern of coercive or controlling behavior, in
• don't need this, and besides it being wrong and a very dangerous bill, whatever happened to local control
• don't need this, and besides it being wrong and a very dangerous bill, whatever happened to local control
• Members, this bill just limits flexibility and it takes away local control.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• multi-billions of dollars that was $72 billion state budget and then all of the federal money that we control
• /c><00:22:36.240> money<00:22:36.480> that<00:22:36.640> we<00:22:36.760> control
• <00:22:37.720> and the federal money that we control and the federal money that we control
• It is a means by which the legislature, no matter who controls it, whether they be Republican or Democrat

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We recognize that they are accredited and we cannot control what they charge.
• accredited and recognize that they are accredited and we<00:08:41.839> cannot<00:08:42.159> control
• we cannot control what they charge. we cannot control what they charge.
• The schools do not have to use it; it's a local control issue.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and opened with the pledge and prayer before taking up House Joint Resolution 44 and House Bill 508, both related to veterans’ benefits assistance and accreditation. Rep. Cook said the resolution urges Congress, specifically Rep. Jack Bergman, to create an accreditation program for private companies that help veterans with claims. The resolution was framed as a response to concerns about bad actors while preserving veterans’ choice in who helps them. It passed the committee with favorable expression after a roll call vote. The committee then heard House Bill 508, which would regulate third-party, for-profit veterans’ claims assistance by requiring disclosures, limiting fees, barring certain practices like international call centers and direct access to personal information, and requiring reporting to the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs. Rep. Cook emphasized that the bill would not affect accredited VSOs or attorneys and said it was meant to provide guardrails without eliminating free services. Supportive testimony came from representatives of private veterans-benefits organizations, who argued that veterans need more options and that the bill protects choice while targeting bad actors. Opposition testimony came from Daryl Casey of JACVO, who said the bill should instead require VA accreditation for any for-profit company assisting veterans and argued the fee structure could take veterans’ benefits. Committee members questioned both sides about whether third-party vendors are operating now and whether accreditation is feasible. Several members said the bill was a step in the right direction, and Rep. Moore and others noted they might support an amendment tied to future federal accreditation. House Bill 508 passed the committee with favorable expression. After Rep. McCool stepped out, the committee began House Bill 335, a separate measure allowing schools and other government facilities to have anti-choking devices and limiting liability to align with Good Samaritan protections. Sponsor Rep. Massaroni described it as a simple bill, and Lauren McCubbins testified emotionally in support, recounting the death of her 8-year-old son Landon after he choked at school and saying the bill could help prevent similar tragedies.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you're talking about erosion control, you're talking about those things.
• could be another vehicle, a person, a log, whatever—if you're driving at such a speed that you lose control
• It also has a steering wheel for steering control, a rollover protective structure, and an occupant retention
• It also has a steering well for steering control, a roll over protective structure, and an occupant retention
• The units are getting bigger, and so at what point do we want to control that?

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• reasons, and I want to be clear: our concern is not related to natural disasters over which you have no control
• here this morning: we have not had any major injury or fatality in anybody that's in our care and control
• Just so everyone knows, and you talked about patrolling the shores of Florida and controlling immigration
• But having this open-ended fund with no oversight, no guardrails, no control by us whatsoever, leads
• create a new fund that has the guardrails that allow the Legislature to have the oversight and the control

Summary: The committee took up four bills before moving to a broader discussion of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Trust Fund. SB 434, which would prohibit counties from increasing a home’s assessed value because the owner installed wind mitigation measures, was presented as a homeowner protection measure and reported favorably. CS/SB 110, clarifying that certain 98-year-or-longer residential leaseholders remain eligible for the homestead exemption even if the lease ends at death, was also reported favorably without opposition. SB 856, requiring online real estate listing platforms to display estimated ad valorem taxes using prescribed calculation methods and not the current owner’s tax bill, drew supportive testimony from property appraisers, Zillow, and local government groups; members emphasized transparency for buyers, especially first-time homebuyers, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then spent most of the meeting on SPB 7040, which would recreate and extend the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund through December 31, 2027. Supporters, including the Division of Emergency Management, argued the fund is needed for hurricanes, flooding, other disasters, and rapid response operations, and said the extension preserves legislative oversight that would otherwise lapse. Opponents from advocacy and policy groups argued the fund has been used too broadly, especially for immigration-related detention and enforcement activities, and criticized the lack of tighter guardrails and transparency. They cited deaths in detention facilities, the use of emergency dollars for non-disaster purposes, and concerns about political favoritism and public accountability. Director Kevin Guthrie testified at length in support of the extension, explaining that the fund is used for natural, man-made, and technological emergencies, that reimbursements from federal and other sources are returned to the fund, and that the state has used it for hurricanes, flooding, civil unrest, international evacuations, and immigration-related operations under Operation Vigilant Sentry. He said the division has sought federal reimbursement for some expenses and that the fund helps the state respond quickly when emergencies arise. Members questioned the size of the fund, the amount spent on immigration-related activities, the status of federal reimbursements, and whether lawmakers should have more oversight or unannounced access to detention facilities. The bill discussion remained ongoing in the portion provided, with no final vote on SPB 7040 shown in the transcript excerpt.