Transcript Highlights:

• Shipyard is a full-service advertising agency, right?
• And the last live advertisement was in 2024.
• That advertising never went live. Do you know if that advertising went live?
• That advertising never went live. Do you know if that advertising went live?"
• when that program would be going live and when that advertising would be going live?"

Summary: The committee held a follow-up informational hearing on the State Library’s oversight of the statewide Imagination Library program, focusing on how state funds were used by the Strong Reader Partnership (SRP) and whether the program complied with statutory requirements. Chair and Senator Grove repeatedly questioned State Librarian Greg Lucas about delayed document production, the State Library’s decision to allow SRP to continue spending $4.8 million after the 2024 budget changes, and the lack of clear accounting for how many books were actually delivered to children. Lucas said the State Library had sent one demand letter, relied on counsel’s advice, and ultimately received bank statements, invoices, and narrative reports that he said were satisfactory, though he acknowledged the committee should have been given the documents sooner. A major issue was whether SRP and its vendors used state funds for lobbying or influence efforts related to AB 157/SB 157, despite contract language prohibiting lobbying. The committee highlighted invoices and emails involving ChangeCraft and SAGE Strategies that appeared to coincide with legislative activity, while SRP representatives said their work was communications, stakeholder outreach, and board-directed advocacy, not lobbying. Members of SRP also defended their vendor selections and invoicing practices, explaining that the organization was in startup and transition mode, had multiple financial vendors for checks and balances, and was working to build infrastructure, local partnerships, and multilingual outreach capacity rather than directly buying books. The hearing also scrutinized specific expenditures, including roughly $581,000 to Shipyard for marketing and web/digital work, $110,000 to Lotus Financial Solutions, and a $5,000 grant to United Way of the California Capital Region. Senators argued the invoices were vague and the deliverables were not evident, pointing to a simple website, limited social media presence, and no clear evidence that some advertised campaigns ever went live. SRP witnesses said the work was part of a phased plan to establish a statewide foundation and that some assets and documentation had not yet been provided to the committee. No votes were taken, and the hearing ended with the chair emphasizing the need for tighter oversight, clearer documentation, and better accountability for taxpayer funds.

Transcript Highlights:

• TIME THEY MOVE INTO SCHOOL-BASED SERVICES.
• THIS WILL PROVIDE THE SERVICES IN THIS TRANSITION BEFORE THEY GET TO SCHOOL.
• THIS BILL GOES A LONG WAY TO EXPANDING SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM.
• I THINK THIS IS THE NEXT STEP MAKING SURE WE PROVIDE SERVICES, A CONTINUUM OF SERVICES.
• NOT WAITING UNTIL THEY ARE 16 FOR THE TRANSITION BUT STARTING EARLY.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• met and met and Metropolitan Transit met and met Transit<00:14:06.199><c> would</c><00:14:06.399><c>
• services, and then $850 million for the Transit Assistance Fund.
• services, and then $850 million for the Transit Assistance Fund.
• services, and then $850 million for the Transit Assistance Fund.
• transit, not metro area transit.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:42:31.520><c> in</c> four times more likely to live in four times more likely to live in poverty
• would have and services program would have widespread<00:43:30.120><c> effects.
• Every Minnesota family that's living paycheck to paycheck.
• </c> Every Minnesota family that's living Every Minnesota family that's living paycheck<00:48:49.480>
• </c><01:30:49.800><c> that</c> it separates people from services that it separates people from services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Most extensive services.
• These are the lives your policies should protect.
• Thank you for your service. Great! Thank you for joining us, Karen. Good afternoon, Karen.
• Thank you so much for your volunteer service and the difficult work you do for our state.
• This request exists for two reasons: to provide stability during transitions.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :25.359><c> a</c> service members will receive a service members will receive a well-earned<00:44:26.720
• </c> appreciated for his dedicated service appreciated for his dedicated service for<00:45:32.480><c>
• </c><00:50:13.040><c> The</c> five officers lost their lives. The five officers lost their lives.
• protecting the lives risked their lives protecting the lives of<00:53:37.839><c> those</c><00:53:38.240
• </c> several of whom lost their lives. several of whom lost their lives.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:02.200><c> to</c> Dollar in funding uh to transition to Dollar in funding uh to transition
• </c><00:08:40.880><c> for</c> clean energy change and transition for clean energy change and transition
• </c> way to States uh to support uh services way to States uh to support uh services and<01:03:26.880
• </c> must provide safe and reliable service must provide safe and reliable service to<01:16:17.480><c
• </c><01:21:41.280><c> quality</c> in annual utility service quality in annual utility service quality

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The contracting out of mental health services, medical services.
• And I'm here to talk in regards to the crime victim services.
• they need to heal and live free from violence.
• service providers funded by Cal OES.
• I am the executive director of Project Sister Family Service.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• THEY LIVE AND WORK IN THEIR COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SERVE.
• AT THE SBC WE DID THAT WE ARE DRIVEN TO THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNER HAS TO SAY BECAUSE OF YOUR SERVICES
• BUT WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AS WELL IS IT GETS INTO THE TECHNICAL TRANSITION AND COMMERCIAL SPACE
• THAT HAS JUST TRANSITION IN THE LAST THREE YEARS AND WE HAVE DONE A MARVELOUS JOB.
• SPIRIT. >> YOU CAN SEE THAT'S WHERE THE WATER WENT. >> PEOPLE BEGAN PICKING UP THE PIECES OF THEIR LIVES

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Everything that we do touches IT, every service we do.
• And there's a lot coming from Social Services.
• Social Services has a number of mainframe solutions.
• , commerce and insurance, revenue, and social services. ...and senior services, commerce and insurance
• We all have to live with the system going forward.

Summary: The subcommittee held an informational hearing on the Information Technology Services Division (ITSD) within the Office of Administration, with no quorum present and no formal action taken. Chair Voss said the purpose was to review ITSD’s programs, budget needs, and future plans, and members emphasized the value of an informed appropriator. Representative Riggs cautioned that the state should avoid jeopardizing federal broadband funding and asked that AI-related work remain consistent with federal expectations. ITSD leadership, including CIO John Loren and Deputy CIO Tara Damp, outlined the division’s scope and recent modernization efforts. They said ITSD supports 15 executive agencies plus the governor and lieutenant governor, manages about 1,200 production software solutions, handles roughly 35,000 help desk requests per month, and defends against billions of cyberattacks monthly. They highlighted investments in layered security, data center and network redundancy, a unified Microsoft 365 environment, modern development tools, and portal platforms. Damp reviewed the history of IT consolidation, noting budget reductions after 2007, then increased investment beginning in 2020 and especially with ARPA funds in fiscal 2023. Members asked about spending projections, subscription-based licensing, procurement modernization, and the role of non-consolidated agencies such as MoDOT and Conservation. The committee also discussed future funding needs and benchmarking. ITSD said its current spending is about $287 million, with a projected ongoing need of about $345 million to maintain and modernize services, while Gartner comparisons suggested Missouri spends less per employee and as a share of operating budget than peer states. Members asked for more detailed fiscal-year spending profiles for major initiatives and for clarification on what is and is not included in the projections, including Social Services and HR1-related work. ITSD said it would provide additional detail. A major portion of the hearing focused on AI strategy and governance. Tim Marsheski, ITSD’s director of AI and innovation, described a cautious, pilot-based approach centered on secure use, human oversight, and data governance. He cited examples such as an internal HR chatbot that reduced average response time from about 45 minutes to two minutes, pilots with DESE data transformation, and efforts to use AI for code assistance, document scanning, and workflow support. Members asked about workforce impacts, training, closed versus open models, and whether AI could help with auditing and fiscal analysis. ITSD said it is still early on workforce forecasting, but it is building governance, acceptable-use policies, and feedback loops to test tools, measure results, and scale only when they provide value and remain secure.

Transcript Highlights:

• I live in San Francisco, and I serve on the board of the Association for California Airports.
• To support critical public services, these airports require financial assistance and funding.
• I live in San Francisco, and I serve on the board of the Association for California Airports.
• public services, these airports require financial assistance and funding.
• And two, just in... ...Department of Social Services, Water Resources, and Caltrans, among others.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:32:43.600><c> work</c> in the area how do we ensure live work in the area how do we ensure live
• </c> that can be used for uh Social Services that can be used for uh Social Services as<00:51:05.319>
• We are paying on their debt service.
• 17:47.399><c> Debt</c><02:17:47.719><c> Service</c><02:17:48.000><c> to</c> Pay for debt service to pay
• </c> so if you just look at Human Services so if you just look at Human Services and<02:31:21.840><c>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Ways and Means and Hawaiian Affairs committee heard a budget presentation from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands on its biennium requests for critical projects, repairs and maintenance, and operations. DHHL described its role in administering the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust, noted the large beneficiary wait list, and said prior funding, including Act 279, has helped the department accelerate land development and reduce vacancies. Officials said they have about 47,219 applications involving 29,548 Native Hawaiians, roughly 28 projects underway, and that about $471 million of a $600 million appropriation has been encumbered, with the remaining lapse-fix funds expected to be resolved before the June 30, 2026 deadline. DHHL emphasized that its current request would support additional lot development and could help produce roughly 6,000 units from the existing project pipeline, with another phase of requests potentially adding about 2,000 more units. The department said it is prioritizing shovel-ready projects, accelerating lease awards and orientations, and using a mix of approaches including paper leases, rental-with-option-to-purchase, owner-builder, and loan programs. Officials also discussed a shift toward denser urban development, citing projects in West Oahu and Honolulu, and said the department is working to reduce its vacancy rate and move beneficiaries onto the land more quickly. Members questioned why Oahu, despite having the largest wait list, was receiving comparatively lower amounts, and DHHL responded that land availability and cost drive those decisions, with Oahu having limited developable land and very high acquisition costs. The department pointed to land acquisition on Kauai and other islands, and to urban high-rise projects that can yield far more units on small parcels. Members also raised long-term maintenance and wildfire risk, asking whether current acquisition and development choices account for future infrastructure costs; DHHL said maintenance is a growing concern, especially on large unused or isolated lands, and that it is pursuing Firewise planning, federal funds, and partnerships to reduce risk. The discussion also touched on mixed-use and community-led development, with DHHL explaining that it leases land to nonprofit homestead associations under general leases with milestones, business-plan requirements, and land-use restrictions to support local services and community goals.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next, we have House Bill 456, the architect and Engineering Services and construction, um, I believe,
• Transmission is very important to our energy transition, and we appreciate your consideration.
• They're, they're helping the utilities meet the Energy Transition Act, and I could go on and on, Madam
• I represent a district that has a large population that lives at or below the poverty line, and this
• I carried a New Mexico driver's license for 20 years, even though I didn't live in New Mexico.

Transcript Highlights:

• Families pay more for housing, energy, and basic services.
• We will live with the cumulative impacts long after the headlines fade.
• Thank you for your time and service. Thank you. Next up, we have Carlos Matutis.
• One of the leaders of our organization lives in Hobbs, New Mexico.
• their lives and raise their children, I think this is very detrimental to that.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It’s maybe the future of mobility with the transit agency and more.
• We live in the worst air pollution in the nation in our home.
• I did live theater in my 20s.
• I did live theater in my 20s.
• And it is already extremely difficult to live in the state as an artist.

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Arts held an informational hearing on California’s first sector-specific creative economy strategic plan, “California’s Future Is Creative,” developed under AB 127 and related legislation. Chair Allen framed the plan as a response to California’s large but vulnerable creative economy, citing workforce losses, federal funding headwinds, and the need to support artists, cultural organizations, public media, museums, cultural districts, and film/TV production. He also highlighted budget asks including support for California Humanities, museums, public media, cultural districts, a post-production incentive proposal (AB 2319), and funding to implement the strategic plan. California Arts Council Director Danielle Brazel, Institute for the Future’s Rachel Hatch, CDE’s Allison Frenzel, and CWDB’s Michael Weoff described the planning process, which included a 30-plus-member work group, interagency coordination, and a phased approach from framework development to implementation and evaluation. They identified major forces shaping the sector over the next decade, including AI, climate disruption, affordability, access to capital, and social cohesion, and outlined six action areas: workforce preparation, business stabilization, cultural identity/tourism, cross-sector incentives, ROI/data tracking, and state capacity/infrastructure. Members and panelists repeatedly emphasized that the plan must be resourced and integrated across agencies rather than left siloed. A second panel of practitioners and advocates focused on workforce pathways and local implementation. Ricarlo Handy described the Handy Foundation’s registered apprenticeship pipeline into film and TV jobs and argued that current data systems undercount gig, 1099, and LLC-based creative work. Joanna Reynolds discussed Arts for LA’s Creative Jobs Collective, which aims to create 10,000 living-wage creative jobs in Los Angeles County by 2030, while Alejandro Gutierrez Chavez urged embedding artists in health, aging, and behavioral health systems as community problem-solvers. Roxanne Messina Kaptur spoke about the need to normalize arts careers and expand residency and school-based models. Senator Rubio, who joined later, shared her own arts and teaching background, supported arts access in schools and small theaters, and raised concerns about AI, asking how schools and educators can adapt. In the final panel, Rebecca Ratzkin reported on 26 statewide town halls with more than 1,100 attendees, which confirmed support for the plan but also highlighted needs for better information access, new financial models, stronger definitions and data, and more partnerships. Julie Baker of California for the Arts and California Arts Advocates urged sustained public funding, saying the plan is actionable only if the Legislature and administration provide resources, including increased California Arts Council funding and support for implementation. No formal votes were taken; the hearing was informational and concluded with calls for continued legislative and cross-agency collaboration.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> services meet their needs. services meet their needs.
• </c> um core service. um core service.
• </c> fee-for-service program. fee-for-service program.
• </c> of service to the person. of service to the person.
• </c> and support services. and support services.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> doubling the notice and transitional doubling the notice and transitional employment<00:43:01.440
• It also updates the transitional employment period, that they're exempt if they're transitioned to a
• </c><00:44:34.320><c> um</c> it also updates the transitional um it also updates the transitional um
• ,</c><00:46:28.840><c> it's</c> or people who are transitioning, it's or people who are transitioning
• </c> ensuring quality of goods and services ensuring quality of goods and services facilitating<01:09

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These involve service reductions, delayed capital improvements, and diminished emergency response.
• So as a result, we have local hospitals, clinics, and supportive services that are at severe risk of
• Christine Perras, Assistant Director of Administrative Services, City of Palo Alto.
• Kristen Alcane, Director of Community Services, City of Palo Alto, in support.
• Steve Wallach, on behalf of the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District, in support.

Summary: The Assembly Local Government Committee heard a long agenda of local government, housing, transportation, and public safety bills. Early items included SB 762, which would give certain local governments a voter-approved path to seek additional local sales tax authority to address fiscal pressures; SB 1400, which would modernize Alameda Health System governance and give Alameda County more flexibility and oversight; and SB 1408, which would authorize Contra Costa County to place a renewal of its transportation sales tax on the ballot. Supporters for those bills included local officials, county representatives, labor groups, fire and police organizations, and transit advocates, while no organized opposition was presented on those measures in committee. The committee also heard SB 1272, which would give homeowners more time to correct certain inherited code violations and allow an affidavit process for buyers who did not know about the violation at purchase. The bill drew support from the California Apartment Association and opposition from code enforcement and county groups, who argued it would reduce local enforcement discretion and create health and safety risks. After questions about disclosure and enforcement, the committee approved SB 1272 as amended and re-referred it to Appropriations. SB 1055, dealing with procurement flexibility for Pajaro flood control and levee repairs, also passed as amended and was sent to Appropriations. Later, the committee approved SB 1379, which would separate the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner and create an independent medical examiner system. The author and supporters argued the change was needed for transparency and independence in in-custody death investigations, while opponents raised labor, cost, and governance concerns; some opposition was softened after the author agreed to employee-protection amendments. The committee also passed SB 1172, limiting consultant compensation and adding transparency rules for local tax-sharing agreements, and several housing bills from Senator Grayson: SB 1003 on pro-housing infrastructure financing districts, SB 1014 on early disclosure of infrastructure requirements for housing projects, and SB 1169 on extending tentative vesting map validity. The committee took votes on consent items and later add-ons, with most measures passing on bipartisan or unanimous votes and several being re-referred to Appropriations or Housing and Community Development as appropriate.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bridges to Healthcare is a public-private partnership that helps non-traditional students transition
• students transition to a lifelong<00:01:46.360><c> career</c><00:01:47.000><c> in</c><00:01:47.240><
• I'm the Adult Services director with Workforce Development Incorporated, serving southeastern Minnesota
• </c> Kyle Mullen I'm the Adult Services Kyle Mullen I'm the Adult Services director<00:03:51.959><c>
• You know, just the gas alone—I live 30 miles away to get to school.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• With your help, Lord, help us to pursue greatness in your service and service in all that we do.
• God of greatness in life, help us to truly live, to live for you, to live for others.
• We are grateful, Lord, for their service.
• Thank you for your service. And most importantly, your family. Thank you for your service.
• healthy lives.

Keywords: 999, senate, all