Transcript Highlights:

• It's personal to me because I am a former kidnapping victim, and I experienced that.
• I am Jimmy Mata, president of the Northwest Minority Builders Alliance.
• It concerns victim-centered, trauma-informed responses for crime victims and witnesses.
• And it does so in a way that re-traumatizes all of these sexual abuse victims.
• Others have covered the issue of double-taxing victims.

Bills: SB6294 , SB6211 , SB5650 , SB6033 , SB6297 , SB6343 , SB6067 , SB6082 , SB6323 , SB6324 , SB5862 , SB5923 , SB6151

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: local government finance, Washington state, RCW, real estate excise tax, REET, sales and use tax, property tax levy, county tax, city tax, affordable housing, housing services, behavioral health, mental health, developmental disabilities, children and families services, youth services, utility tax, low-income utility assistance, veterans assistance, homelessness

Transcript Highlights:

• California needs to stand up on behalf of victims and survivors all over the world.
• But when a constituent who has been victimized, victimized the goal here.
• in custody creates on the long-term success of minors in our state.
• Sonia Martinez Satchel, member of Voices for Victims, in strong support.
• Many times these families were the victims of their loved ones’ mental delusions.

Committee: Senate Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> it talks about imagery of minors, it talks about imagery of minors, victims<02:24:06.640><c> of
• ,</c> invasion of privacy, imagery of minors, invasion of privacy, imagery of minors, victims<02:39:09.520
• ,</c><02:57:58.880><c> victims</c><02:57:59.120><c> of</c> Uh the imagery of minors, victims of Uh the
• And in the statute that's proposed, 1587, it talks about images of minors, victims of sexual assault,
• </c><03:15:45.680><c> victims</c> it talks about images of minors victims it talks about images of minors

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• McMahon said, there are real victims.
• And when I think of victims, I think of how do we prevent more victims from occurring?
• The 16-year-old who abused and trafficked my daughter had other victims as well, including a victim who
• I'm also a former crime victim advocate.
• I served victims of crime, all crimes, in Seattle, King County for my career.

Bills: HB2389 , HB2456

Committee: House Early Learning & Human Services

Keywords: juvenile justice, youth sentencing, juvenile rehabilitation, DCYF, Department of Children Youth and Families, community supervision, community transition services, suspended disposition, less restrictive alternative, sentencing grid, juvenile confinement, juvenile prison, rehabilitation, recidivism, mental health treatment, substance use disorder, chemical dependency, trauma-informed care, racial disparities, equity

Transcript Highlights:

• Without insurance to cover the cost, victims are left abandoned.
• Several incidents with minor bumper damage have led to policy limit...
• Valley was involved in a minor rear-end collision at a traffic signal.
• It's a minor impact collision.
• The victim, was it, who was lying in that process? Senator.

Bills: SB30 , SB517 , SB1313 , SB1314 , SB1316 , SB1541 , SB1698 , SB1845 , SB1860 , SB2420 , SB2429

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: gambling, criminal offenses, penalties, defense, electronic devices, tobacco advertising, youth protection, public health, criminal offense, retailer regulation, e-cigarettes, nicotine products, health, public safety, regulation, advertising restrictions, health and safety, elections, election audit, county elections

Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs convened to discuss several critical pieces of legislation including SB30 and SB38. Senator Betancourt introduced a committee substitute for SB38 which underwent a smooth adoption process, moving it favorably toward the Senate. The meeting featured a mix of invited testimonies where both proponents and opponents took the floor. One notable highlight included a testimony from Melissa Casey, who criticized the current legal state as prone to fraud and detrimental to both insurers and the public at large, contending that it inflated insurance costs across the board. The discussions delved deeply into the implications of the bills on judicial processes and potential insurance ramifications, with spirited debates surrounding issues of non-economic damages and jury rights. The atmosphere remained engaged as committee members heard varied perspectives on the bills, showcasing a robust democratic process. The meeting underscored the importance of public testimony in shaping legislation, ensuring that multiple voices were considered as the committee pressed on towards making decisions that affect the legal landscape of Texas.

Transcript Highlights:

• But right now we have a bill before us that will allow us to protect these victims that have been victimized
• He introduced a piece of legislation on victims' rights and victims' advocacy, and then he went home,
• And many victims didn't even identify themselves as victims at first because by the time we find them
• The victim can do that, but the victim needs to initiate that. Not us. Not the perpetrator.
• In 25 years, does the victim remember?

Summary: The committee met without a quorum and operated as a subcommittee while hearing a long agenda of public safety bills. The chair announced recess and return times, noted several consent items, and said SB 906 was pulled from the agenda. Testimony procedures were explained, including limits on principal witnesses and public comment. Several bills were heard out of file order with authors presenting and witnesses speaking in support and opposition. SB 1446 would expand discretion in en banc parole review, make votes public, and allow CDCR referrals for sexually violent predator evaluations in certain cases. Supporters, including the author and district attorneys, said it would improve transparency and public safety; opponents from Uncommon Law, the Ella Baker Center, and public defender groups argued it would add confusion, litigation risk, and unnecessary duplication. The bill was not voted on because the committee still lacked a quorum. SB 1278 would exclude certain sex offenses and habitual or serial sexual offenses from elderly parole eligibility; the author and district attorneys cited recent releases of serious sex offenders and the need to respect victims and sentences, while opponents said the elderly parole process is already rigorous and evidence-based and that the bill would reduce rehabilitation incentives. The chair and other members strongly supported the measure, but no vote was taken. The committee also heard SB 1354, which would bar out-of-state military or law enforcement forces from entering California without the governor’s permission; the author and supporters framed it as a state sovereignty and constitutional authority measure, and the committee discussed an amendment removing a criminal penalty and leaving enforcement to the Attorney General. SB 926 would provide funding for implementation of Proposition 36; supporters said counties need resources for treatment, probation, and related services, while opponents called it fiscally reckless and said the budget process was the proper place to address funding. The chair summarized amendments removing a specific appropriation and limiting eligible recipients, and members emphasized that the voters approved Prop. 36 but it remains underfunded. SB 874 would require background checks and clearer oversight for Medi-Cal behavioral health treatment providers, especially ABA providers serving children; it drew support from health plans and behavior analysis groups and no opposition. SB 1210 would extend CalGang oversight and due process protections to all gang databases, including local ones; supporters described privacy harms and racial disparities, while police chiefs opposed applying CalGang rules to informal local investigative files. SB 1019 would create a DOJ cargo theft task force; supporters from BNSF, trucking, shipping, and port interests described organized theft, rail sabotage, and supply-chain losses, and there was no opposition. SB 1217, on non-consensual intimate image removal, was introduced with privacy and public safety amendments and framed as a survivor-driven effort to create a DOJ clearinghouse for rapid takedown requests; the author said it would help end ongoing digital harm from exploitation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Christian Minor, Florida Juvenile Justice Association waives in support.
• People often ask victims, "Why don't you just leave?"
• And we in this chamber must do everything we can to protect Vice Chair: the victims, the victims of domestic
• And so does every victim who lives with their abuser.
• I think that a crime victim is a crime victim and that in this case, whether it's a landlord or an apartment

Transcript Highlights:

• Camille was more than a victim.
• who is a minor.
• who is a minor.
• He lived within the vicinity of the victim and her mother.
• Again, it's the most serious offenses against a minor, but I'll go ahead...

Committee: House Administration of Criminal Justice

Summary: The Criminal Justice Committee met on March 25, 2026, and first voluntarily deferred HB 884. The committee then took up HB 806, which strengthens Louisiana’s hit-and-run laws by adding rapid notification procedures through law enforcement systems and clarifying investigative protocols. Vice Chair LaFleur and several family members of hit-and-run victims testified in strong support, describing the bill as a needed accountability and public-safety measure; it was adopted as amended and reported favorably. The committee also heard HB 143, which raises the per diem paid to sheriffs for housing state inmates in parish jails from $26.39 to $29.39 to match current appropriations practice. Sheriffs and committee members emphasized that local jails are underfunded and provide important programming and cost savings to the state; the bill was reported favorably. The committee next approved several local or criminal justice measures. HB 93, which places the Lincoln Parish jury commission under the clerk or deputy clerk, was reported favorably without opposition. HB 166, which removes Vermilion Parish from the Acadiana Regional Juvenile Justice District, drew discussion about regional juvenile detention funding and representation, with members noting similar concerns from other parishes; it was reported favorably. HB 429, which adds theft or unauthorized entry of critical infrastructure as a predicate crime for terrorism and expands protections for energy facilities, received support from industry groups and law enforcement, with one opposition card filed; it was amended and reported favorably. HB 231, creating the crime of intentional evasion of service of process for certain court orders, especially protective orders, was also amended and reported favorably after testimony from the sponsor and support from domestic violence and women’s advocacy groups. The committee then advanced a package of bills by Chairwoman Villio aimed at protecting minors and addressing impaired driving. HB 58 and its companion constitutional amendment HB 51 would restrict post-conviction bail for offenders convicted of aggravated offenses against minors; the Attorney General’s office and law enforcement groups supported the measures, while the Southern Poverty Law Center opposed them, and both measures were reported favorably. HB 69 would make it a misdemeanor to tamper with or circumvent court-ordered ignition interlock requirements while on probation or otherwise required by law, and HB 82 would increase penalties for repeat DWI offenders with prior serious injury or death-related convictions; both were supported by prosecutors, police, sheriffs, and MADD, amended where needed, and reported favorably. The committee adjourned after completing action on the listed bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Telling the victim that we cannot proceed with the case.
• The alleged victim, the alleged victim, human nature, the alleged victim becomes the trial.
• They have victim advocates that work with them, that stay with the victim throughout their justice journey
• The other thing, though, is when you consider that a young victim of rape—sorry to use that word— A victim
• Let's focus on the victim, Mr. President and colleagues.

Transcript Highlights:

• The data also tells us how to support victims of hate, and we've learned a few things.
• of hate, which we found in our victimization surveys.
• of hate, which we found in our victimization surveys.
• The criteria for wage replacement programs could also be revised to help hate victims.
• We also know many victims of hate or discrimination never report what happened.

Summary: The committee on Hate, Racism, and Xenophobia met to review California hate-crime trends and hear from state agencies and community organizations about current impacts and policy responses. The California Department of Justice reported that 2025 hate-crime events declined modestly from 2024 but remained historically elevated, with race and ethnicity still the largest category, anti-Black bias the most frequently reported, and notable increases in anti-Hispanic/Latino and citizenship/immigration-status bias. The California Commission on the State of Hate said its research and victimization studies show hate is broader than official crime data alone, with millions of Californians experiencing hate incidents and many victims needing services beyond law enforcement, including mental health care, legal help, and workplace protections. The commission also emphasized online radicalization, the need for better data infrastructure, and stronger training and support systems. Members then heard from the NAACP, LULAC, Jewish California, CHIRLA, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, CAIR California, and Equality California. Testimony described fear, underreporting, and the effects of rhetoric, federal policy changes, and online misinformation on Black, Latino, Jewish, immigrant, Asian American, Muslim, and LGBTQ+ communities. Witnesses urged sustained funding for Stop the Hate and nonprofit security grants, stronger language access, civic education, and community-based reporting and victim services. Several groups also called for specific legislation, including measures on racial profiling, immigration detention oversight, Jewish ethnicity recognition, safe worship zones, anti-Muslim hate prevention, and LGBTQ+ data privacy and health protections. Committee discussion focused on the conditions that fuel hate, especially political polarization, social media radicalization, and the role of public figures and institutions in normalizing dehumanizing language. Members and witnesses discussed the limits of current data, the need for long-term research and prevention strategies, and the importance of solidarity across communities. No formal votes or final committee actions were taken in the transcript, though members referenced existing and pending bills and ongoing efforts to expand training, funding, and anti-hate infrastructure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Assembly Appropriations analysis indicates that AB 2525 would have minor and absorbable cost to...
• The analysis estimates minor and absorbable cost, HCD.
• The other thing that it requires is looking at how we ensure that victims are compensated.
• Only about 70% is what came out of the PG&E Victims Trust.
• Summer Hughes, victim of a PG&E-caused wildfire, and strongly support the bill.

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on May 13, 2026, and began by taking up a large consent calendar, moving a first group of bills to the floor consent calendar and a second group by due pass. The committee then heard and advanced a series of measures covering housing, public safety, health care, education, and local government issues. Among the bills discussed were AB 2641 on a sales tax exemption for pawnbroker redemptions, AB 2525 on a narrow Surplus Lands Act exemption for Mission Bay Park, AB 1732 and AB 2433 on student housing and the Affordable Homes Bonus Law, AB 2055 on boating safety and enforcement, AB 1579 on children’s crisis residential services, AB 2139 on a Surplus Lands Act amendment for an Inland Empire soccer project, AB 2041 on EMS reporting, AB 1973 on reproductive health scope for advanced practice clinicians, AB 1929 on health plan investment disclosures, AB 2700 on utility rates and wildfire victim compensation, AB 1809 on school job order contracting, SB 73 on election security, AB 2418 on commercial building permit timelines, AB 1970 on step therapy limits for serious mental illness and substance use treatment, AB 2361 on peer-to-peer vehicle-sharing liability, AB 1976 on bike and pedestrian project approvals, AB 2110 on tax increment financing for workforce housing, and AB 2146 on supportive housing documentation and vacancy rules. Testimony was generally supportive for the measures heard. Authors and sponsors emphasized consumer fairness, housing production, public safety, access to care, and administrative streamlining. Supporters included local governments, housing advocates, school districts, law enforcement groups, health care organizations, and affected individuals. AB 2700 drew especially extensive public testimony from wildfire survivors and local officials who urged stronger compensation for victims of PG&E-caused fires and relief from high utility costs. AB 2034 and AB 1790 were raised during public comment on bills not heard in committee, with several industry groups opposing AB 2034 and both supporters and opponents speaking on AB 1790’s Waters Edge issue. Most bills were reported out of committee on due pass motions, with several noted as amended or with members not voting on particular roll calls. The committee also read and approved a lengthy suspense calendar, then opened public comment on bills not presented that day before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I know that whether it's the age ranges of, you know, working with minors or interacting with minors
• So Tier 2 is when the victim is 13 to 18 years of age, and Tier 3 would be not...
• When the victim is 13 to 18 years of age, and Tier 3 would be not that age range.
• to say that the victim is under 13, but I don't know.
• Above language, it says when the victim is younger than 16 years of age.

Committee: House House Consumer & Public Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• And I know that whether it's the age ranges of, you know, working with minors or interacting with minors
• So Tier 2 is when the victim is 13 to 18 years of age, and Tier 3 would be not...
• When the victim is 13 to 18 years of age, and Tier 3 would be not that age range.
• to say that the victim is under 13, but I don't know.
• It says when the victim is younger than 16 years of age.

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 38 and Senate Bill 101, both of which had already received public comment and questions earlier. In each case, a member moved a due pass recommendation, the motions were seconded, and both bills were approved on 4-1 votes, with Representative Locke voting no and the other members present voting yes. The committee then considered House Bill 199, as amended by a House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee substitute, dealing with sex offender registration and notification laws. The sponsor and Department of Public Safety explained that the bill is intended to bring New Mexico closer to federal SORNA standards under the Adam Walsh Act by creating a tiered registration system, shortening the reporting deadline from five business days to three, requiring in-person reporting for changes, expanding public website information, and adding some offenses to the registry. Supporters included DPS, State Police, and the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, while an opponent on Zoom argued the bill would hurt public safety and noted low recidivism rates. Committee members raised several drafting and policy questions, including definitions, tier placement for certain offenses, out-of-state registration, and the impact of publishing employment information. The committee adopted amendments to remove a superfluous definition of “sexually violent offense,” clarify “three business days,” and replace vague school language with “public or private school or an institution of higher education.” After the amendments, the committee voted 5-1 to give House Bill 199 a do pass recommendation, with the amended committee substitute moving forward to the next committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• leaders and minority whip limited to five minutes.
• Taxpayers who are victims of this crime need to be made whole.
• Victims will experience a quicker resolution and recovery process.
• Not so for the victims of natural disasters.
• NOT SO FOR THE VICTIMS OF NATURAL DISASTERS.

Bills: HR997 , HR517 , HR1152 , HB1491 , HR1155 , HR998 , HR1234

Keywords: House of Representatives, code of conduct, suspension of rules, time zone clocks, rules reform, legislative efficiency, hospital, healthcare, anniversary, Sisters of Mercy, community outreach, American cowboy, cattle trails, historical recognition, 250th anniversary, cultural heritage, economic impact, tourism, agriculture, disaster relief

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Udoz Wallace, and I was a victim of the iCloud attack in 2014.
• Minors were picked up by ICE after they were arrested at school.
• But minors aren't crossing state lines. They're with their parents, right?
• Who was really the victim when it was consensual?
• Victims are left feeling unsupported and not believed.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on the Judiciary

Summary: The committee hearing began with opening remarks from the House and Senate chairs outlining procedures for a large public hearing with more than 100 witnesses on 64 legislative proposals. They explained time limits, rules for in-person and virtual testimony, written testimony procedures, and the committee’s reporting deadline. Testimony then moved through a series of juvenile justice, child protection, and civil liberties bills, with witnesses generally urging favorable reports or, in one case, opposing expanded juvenile court transparency and child advocate access to records. Several witnesses supported bills aimed at juvenile justice reform. Representative Hendricks backed H. 1744 to prevent child labor exploitation and trafficking, citing federal findings of child labor in seafood processing and calling for stronger penalties and a ban on minors working in such facilities. Senator Gomez supported S. 1131 and S. 1121 to reduce juvenile fees, fines, restitution burdens, and bail-related costs, arguing they worsen racial and economic disparities. Senator Crean and other advocates supported S. 1051/H. 1695 to expand juvenile diversion eligibility, while multiple witnesses from juvenile justice and immigrant advocacy groups supported H. 1657/S. 1058 to expand juvenile expungement and to limit sharing juvenile fingerprints with federal authorities, describing recent ICE detentions of Chelsea students and the resulting fear in immigrant communities. Witnesses also supported H. 1918/S. 1240 to narrow the youthful offender statute, raising the minimum age and reducing mandatory adult-style penalties for youth. The committee also heard testimony on child safety and bodily autonomy bills. Middlesex District Attorney Marion Ryan supported H. 1752 to protect children left in extreme temperatures, explaining it would create civil penalties, allow emergency responders to remove children from cars without liability, and add criminal penalties when serious injury results. Representative Thurber and Senator O’Connor testified for H. 2011/S. 1227, a bill prohibiting coercion or mandates for health-related interventions, including vaccinations, and allowing legal remedies for violations. Senator Jalen supported S. 1136/H. 1847 to prevent false confessions by requiring recording of interrogations and banning deceptive tactics, and several innocence-project and legal-services witnesses described wrongful convictions tied to false confessions and coercive interrogations. Another major topic was H. 1626, which would require age verification for pornographic content and launch an education campaign about online sexual exploitation; Representative Cruz and survivor Udoz Wallace testified in support, describing nonconsensual image sharing and deepfake harms. Not all testimony was supportive. The Committee for Public Counsel Services opposed S. 1035, which would increase transparency in juvenile court proceedings, and H. 1689, which would expand the child advocate’s access to confidential juvenile records, arguing both would undermine privacy and trauma-informed protections for children and families. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the portion of the hearing provided; the session consisted of opening remarks and public testimony on the listed bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am married to the victim should not be one of them.
• Under current law, every sex offense against any minor, every sex offense against any minor, if the perpetrator
• So if you're 14 to 17 as a female minor, and you're So if you're 14 to 17 as a female minor, and you
• But this is about justice for those victims.
• their victims without consequence.

Summary: The committee heard several public safety measures, with extensive testimony on firearms regulation, disability and sexual assault, mental health diversion, emergency response, and law enforcement masking. SB 704 by Senator Arreguín would require firearm barrels to be purchased through licensed dealers with a background check, as a response to the rise in ghost guns and 3D-printed firearms; supporters said barrels are a key component of untraceable guns, while opponents argued the bill burdens lawful gun owners and does little to stop criminals. SB 258 by Senator Wahab would eliminate the remaining spousal rape exception for victims unable to consent because of disability; supporters called it a needed closure of an archaic loophole, while disability-rights advocates opposed it unless amended, warning it could worsen misunderstandings about capacity to consent and harm disabled people’s autonomy. After debate, SB 258 passed the committee on a due-pass motion to Appropriations, with several members voting aye and the bill held on call. Senator Umberg presented SB 398, which closes a loophole in the law prohibiting paying or offering money or other value to induce someone to vote or register to vote; there was little opposition, and the bill passed on a due-pass motion to Appropriations and was held on call. He also presented SB 27, a CARE Court cleanup measure that would allow certain misdemeanor defendants found incompetent to stand trial to be routed into CARE Court and would expand eligibility to some people with mood disorders with psychotic features. Supporters said it would improve access to treatment and reduce unnecessary incarceration, while county behavioral health directors and disability advocates warned it could blur the line between voluntary civil treatment and coercive criminal proceedings and expand CARE Court beyond its intended scope. SB 27 passed on a due-pass motion as amended to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 36 from Senator Umberg, a price-gouging measure tied to wildfire-related emergency conditions that also expands search-warrant authority for certain misdemeanor investigations. Public defenders opposed the search-warrant expansion as unnecessary, while a late supporter from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spoke in favor; the bill was moved on a due-pass motion as amended to Appropriations and held on call. SB 571 by Senator Arreguín would increase penalties for impersonating emergency personnel and related conduct during disasters; supporters cited post-fire looting and impersonation, while opponents argued longer sentences do not deter crime and that existing law is sufficient. The bill passed on a due-pass motion as amended to Appropriations and was held on call. Finally, Senator Wiener presented SB 627, which would prohibit law enforcement from wearing extreme masks except in limited circumstances, aimed largely at masked federal immigration enforcement operations. Supporters said masked, unidentified officers create fear and undermine trust, while law enforcement groups argued the bill wrongly sweeps in local officers, is too broad, and should instead target federal agents or impersonators. Testimony was still underway when the transcript ended, and no final committee action on SB 627 is shown here.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bill specifically targets visual depictions of minors in obscene activities, regardless of whether the
• Victims face severe emotional and reputational harm compounded by the lack of information. clear legal
• These are not available in the present law for a victim of AI and misuse of these platforms.
• But it provides for a way for a victim to be able to file a lawsuit for damages and holds individuals
• It sets a 10-year statute of limitations for filing lawsuits starting from when the victim discovers

Bills: SB20 , SB1621 , SB412 , SB441 , SB442

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Transcript Highlights:

• The number of cases for each crime, split by victim age, minor versus adult, would be highly instructive
• The number of cases for each crime, split by victim age, minor versus adult, would be highly instructive
• So this framework already exists, of course, in law for minor victims, and it simply recognizes the obvious
• So this framework already exists, of course, in law for minor victims, and it simply recognizes the obvious
• </c><02:00:57.840><c> recognizes</c> minor victims and it simply recognizes minor victims and it simply

Committee: House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• First, I want to acknowledge victims of sexual violence in the room.
• Understanding that there is no single victim or survivor voice, I want to offer that some victims support
• Existing law prohibits minors from possessing firearms.
• It is already illegal for a minor to possess a firearm.
• Even Epstein's victims were never told the agreement existed.

Committee: House Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Inform victims. and collect evidence. Inform victims. Thank<01:07:42.640><c> you.
• </c> victims that may be nonverbal. victims that may be nonverbal.
• </c> materials are offensive to minors. materials are offensive to minors.
• </c> minority of the committee. minority of the committee.
• </c> minority of the committee. minority of the committee.