Transcript Highlights:

• So, we have been tracking this very, very carefully and working with the attorney general's office to
• So, we have been tracking this very, very carefully and working with the attorney general's office to
• So, we have been tracking this very, very carefully and working with the attorney general's office to
• So, we have been tracking this very, very carefully and working with the attorney general's office to
• to that location they might be tracked to that location that<00:28:33.039> they<00:28:33.200>

Bills: HB1577, HB1870

Keywords: Smart911, 911, 911 Board, emergency response, public safety answering point, PSAP, next-generation 911, NG911, dispatch, dispatcher, emergency profile, safety profile, medical information, disability access, access needs, functional needs, kupuna, aging, developmental disabilities, communication access

Summary: The committee reconvened on March 19, 2026, for decision-making on measures heard earlier in the week. It first took up HB 812 on agriculture, agreeing to move it forward with amendments and a Senate draft, and then HB 2388 on public notice, which was also passed with amendments after concerns about transparency and the need for local newspaper notice on Maui were discussed. HB 1414 on procurement and HB 2469 on a regular session review working group were both deferred to March 24 for further work with the author, while HB 322 on voter registration was deferred indefinitely in favor of a Senate vehicle. The committee then heard HB 1577, which would create a statewide emergency safety profile system pilot program and working group for 911. Testimony from disability advocates, emergency medical services, and others strongly supported the bill, emphasizing benefits for people without smartphones, better sharing of medical and emergency information, and improved response in the field. Committee members and witnesses discussed whether the 911 Board already had the authority to implement the system without legislation, and the bill was not immediately acted on in the portion of the transcript provided. The final major item was HB 1870 on protected community locations. Testimony in support came from the University of Hawaii, the Legal Clinic, immigrant-rights groups, public health advocates, and many individuals, while the Department of Education supported the measure but requested clarity on federal compliance and raised concerns about a 1,000-foot perimeter beyond campus. Supporters said the bill would protect sensitive locations and help immigrant families feel safe accessing schools, health care, and other services. No final vote on HB 1870 is shown in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• I would also like to thank her staff for all their hard work, and the hard work of Ways and Means and
• They've worked really hard, really long hours.
• You or the companies tracking you.
• Through the store's app, a customer's exact location within the store can be tracked and used to send
• Through the store's app, a customer's exact location within the store can be tracked and used to send

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, recognized several guests in the chamber, and adopted a resolution congratulating Coleman-Nee on election as National Commander of the Disabled American Veterans. It also took up several local and personnel matters, including a sick leave bank for Emily Cullick and later Paul Stavarski, and local bills affecting the town of Weston and a Dorchester housing/library procurement exemption; those measures were advanced to third reading or engrossment as appropriate. The chamber also suspended Joint Rule 12 to refer several House petitions to committees. The main business was Senate No. 2516, the Massachusetts Data Privacy Act, which came before the Senate on a Ways and Means substitute (Senate Document 2608). Senators Creem, Moore, Charles, Feingold, Keenan, and others spoke in support, describing the bill as a comprehensive consumer privacy measure with data minimization rules, limits on sensitive data, protections for minors, and strong Attorney General enforcement. Several amendments were debated, with many rejected or withdrawn, while some were adopted, including provisions on geolocation data protections, opting out of targeted advertising, affiliate and merger/acquisition protections, internal operations exemptions, parental access to child data, and a Ways and Means amendment. A number of other amendments on employee data, union data, loyalty programs, AI training, reporting, and related issues were either not adopted or held/withdrawn. After the amendment process, the Senate adopted the amended Ways and Means substitute and ordered the bill to a third reading. The bill was then passed to be engrossed on a roll call vote of 40-0. The Senate also adopted an order to adjourn to the following Monday at 11:00 a.m. and to dispense with printing a calendar. The session adjourned in memory of Darrow Logan Alexander of South Boston.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're just simply stating that you can't use this to track...
• How is that going to work better without this system in place?
• Put this in the works. Maybe the Tax Commission might be a better agency.
• By doing an average, you're not having to track miles.
• whole lot of paperwork just to track miles.

Bills: SB1312, SB1323, SB1599, SB1863, SB1932, SB1950, SB1956, SB1958, SB1966, SB1970, SB2052

Keywords: vehicle registration, automatic payments, Service Oklahoma, taxes, motor vehicle, prepayment program, memorial designation, highway, Sheriff Marty Grisham, transportation, Oklahoma Statutes, memorial bridge, dedication, Oklahoma, commemoration, memorial highway, road designation, John Skelley, motor carrier, administrative hearing

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you know, I'm looking forward to working on this committee.
• So, you know, I'm looking forward to working on this committee.
• Awesome working with you again in the next couple of years.
• And so we work with FDACS. FDACS works with a lot of the producers.
• where we can work with all the different entities?

Summary: The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources convened with a quorum present, heard opening remarks from Chair Rodriguez and member introductions, and discussed broad priorities including water quality, climate change, budget oversight, and accountability for environmental investments. Members emphasized concerns about nutrient pollution, springs, Lake Okeechobee, the Everglades, and the need for better data and measurable results. The committee then received a presentation from DEP Deputy Secretary Adam Blaylock on the state’s water quality restoration framework. He explained how water quality standards, total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs), and reasonable assurance plans work together to address impaired waters, and noted that BMAPs are updated every five years with annual reviews in between. He also described recent statutory changes requiring five-year milestones, restrictions on new septic systems in certain areas, and public-facing data tools to track projects and water quality trends. Members questioned whether BMAPs are producing enough improvement and whether the five-year update cycle is too slow. Blaylock said results can take years because of project lag and environmental variability, but that the department can adjust plans if data show they are not working. He also highlighted $2.9 billion in statewide water quality funding since 2019, nearly 1,100 funded projects, and a $1.1 billion water quality improvement grant program that now covers impaired waters beyond BMAP areas. The committee discussed agricultural projects, DEP and FDACS funding roles, and a new dashboard and centralized monitoring platform under development. No formal votes or other actions were taken, and the meeting ended with adjournment moved by the vice chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, for example, the Racing Commission not only is tracking trainers' licensing, but they're tracking
• I mean, for example, the Racing Commission not only is tracking trainers' licensing, but they're tracking
• The co-chairs decided that more work was needed to work with stakeholders during the legislative interim
• They've agreed to form a work group to specifically work with our committee on the legislative concept
• They've agreed to form a work group to specifically work with our committee on the legislative concept

Keywords: 907, all

Summary: The committee held a series of informational briefings on information management and technology issues. It first heard from ACLU representatives on data privacy, who argued that Oregon should strengthen protections against private data brokers, government purchases of personal data, reverse warrants, automatic license plate readers, and local police surveillance. They urged data minimization, limits on data sales and retention, and broader transparency and accountability measures. Members asked about practical uses of license plate readers, state sales of data, and how Oregon’s approach compares with other states; the presenters said similar proposals have been adopted elsewhere, including data minimization in Maryland and a state version of the Fourth Amendment Is Not for Sale Act in Montana. The committee then received a detailed update from the Department of Administrative Services and Enterprise Information Services on licensing system modernization for 14 boards and commissions with the most immediate need. DAS said it is seeking a shared procurement approach through an RFP that would create either one scalable system or two tiers of systems, depending on agency needs and security requirements, with contracts expected by September. Committee members emphasized the need for a more unified, user-friendly statewide login and service experience for businesses and residents, and raised concerns about small agencies “figuring it out on their own” without sufficient cybersecurity or technical expertise. EIS said it is overseeing the investment review, security and architecture review, and future implementation planning, and noted that multiple agency requests may still come back to the legislature in the next session. The committee also discussed a revised cybersecurity incident notification concept. Staff explained that the earlier bill had raised stakeholder concerns, so the co-chairs directed further interim work with the Oregon Cybersecurity Advisory Council and other local government and K-12 stakeholders. The goal is a narrower, voluntary “911-style” notification process that would let public bodies alert peers and potentially receive assistance after cyber incidents; a temporary voluntary process is being tested now, with a work group developing language for possible 2027 consideration. Finally, the committee heard updates from the new state chief data officer on data governance, data sharing, geospatial work, and the state transparency website, followed by a briefing on data centers from NCSL and the Technology Association of Oregon. The data officer described efforts to expand data inventories, data governance plans, data literacy, and interagency sharing, along with statewide aerial imagery, geospatial standards, and the open data portal. The data center discussion focused on national and state trends, including rapid growth in data centers, rising electricity and water demand, and legislative responses such as new rate classes, reporting requirements, and cost-allocation rules to protect ratepayers. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so OS is still working on it.
• So I would be happy to work with you and work with the Department to try and find a funding source for
• would be happy to work with you and work would be happy to work with you and work with<00:06:46.039
• Cass will work very collaboratively with Cass will work very collaboratively with me<00:08:35.120>
• letting it die we're going to work letting it die we're going to work extremely<00:20:57.679>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Over the course of this work, we examined how hybrid work was changing agency space needs and identified
• <00:04:07.439> And for work that needs to get done. And for work that needs to get done.
• and continue to guide our work today. and continue to guide our work today.
• flexible and activity- based work flexible and activity- based work environments,<00:05:17.039><
• We are tracking July of 2027. Uh from We are tracking July of 2027.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• :07:59.800> work<00:08:00.080> with Commissioners is to actually work with Commissioners
• So you do good work.
• <00:14:57.320> that um uh no I appreciate the work that um uh no I appreciate the work that
• responsibilities that we'll be working responsibilities that we'll be working on<00:27:11.960>
• So unfortunately, we have to try to reestablish those locations when we're doing survey work in the U.S

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That work is now ongoing.
• States can be working on redistricting; we'll be working on data review and dissemination.
• So how it works, governments review the census counts of addresses by, how it works.
• On the other side, our person over in community development is working with the housing division to track
• They're always tracking how many units are in the city, so that's why we work together.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on the Census held a hearing on September 22, 2025 focused on preparations for the 2030 census, with an emphasis on Massachusetts’ role in building a complete address list and improving local participation in census-related address review programs. Chair Brownsberger and witnesses from the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office, the UMass Donahue Institute, Watertown, and MassGIS described the importance of accurate address data for congressional apportionment, federal funding, and state and local planning. They also discussed the first major upcoming step, the Block Boundary Suggestion Project, and the later Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) process, both of which rely on municipalities reviewing and correcting census geography and address files. John Rosenberry of the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office said outreach to cities and towns is beginning now, with a likely December start for the block boundary process based on the 2020 cycle. He stressed that local officials, clerks, building inspectors, housing authorities, and GIS staff should be engaged early, especially to capture new development and conversions created under the state’s housing policies. Susan Strait of UMass Donahue explained that LUCA allows local governments to compare their address lists with the Census Bureau’s master address file, and that Massachusetts had very high participation in 2020; she cited examples where local review added hidden or newly built housing units and noted that Boston later corrected a group-quarters undercount of about 6,000 students through a post-census review program. In response to questions, she clarified that those corrections affected annual estimates and funding formulas, but not the 2020 apportionment count. Watertown City Manager George Proakis described how local address review is complicated by accessory dwelling units, single-family to two-family conversions, and large multifamily projects, and urged continued state support for local governments doing this work. Dan Marrier of MassGIS then outlined the Massachusetts Master Address Database, explaining that it combines multiple sources, including E911, assessor, voter, and municipal data, to create a standardized residential address repository used for census preparation and other state functions. He said the database has helped improve census accuracy, including by updating more than one million Census Bureau address-point locations before 2020, and noted that local municipalities remain the final authority on addresses even as MassGIS standardizes and reconciles variants across the Commonwealth.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd love to work with you, Senator.
• The substitute, which we've been working.
• We'll work together on that. I look forward to working together on that. Absolutely.
• and we're willing to work with you on that.
• I work for Family Services, a non-profit agency located in Victoria, and my agency is dedicated to preventing

Bills: SB604, SB843, SB1636, SB2395, SB571, SB1224, SB1832, SB2392, SB747, SB2623, SB2624, SB2185

Keywords: bonds, education funding, Texas Permanent School Fund, financial transparency, speculative rating, school funding, deferred maintenance, tax revenue, education budget, school districts, education, finance, Texas Education Code, misconduct, child abuse, educators, investigation, criminal offense, education law, suspension

Transcript Highlights:

• For simulcast wagering, if you go to an off-track wagering location, you walk up to their ticket counter
• This isn't working.
• Should we have 10 small tracks or one or two really large tracks?
• correct with that track? correct with that track?
• entity who leases a track, there are difficulties associated with working with a governmental entity

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And again, you would have loading locations along the track that allow for short-line trains to be built
• working on it.
• It is challenging work.
• The grade work, the model currently works upon total distance traveled.
• We worked closely with the Public Works Board.

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Joint Transportation Committee study of transportation impacts if the Lower Snake River dams were removed. WSDOT and Jacobs described the study’s phases, including current work on geology, infrastructure risk, and a total logistics cost model. They explained that the study is examining how freight now moved by barge—especially wheat, fertilizer, and wood—could shift to rail and roads, and they outlined several scenarios ranging from no-dam future conditions to new unit-train terminals, short-line rail options, and a combined “many solutions” scenario. Members asked about irrigation, impacts in Idaho and Oregon, port capacity, emissions, competition, EV trucks, and whether the model could estimate transportation effects if grain volumes decline. The presenters said the study assumes current production levels continue, does not model irrigation changes or broader farm-economics impacts, but does account for transloading costs and can estimate transportation impacts under different volume assumptions. WSU’s independent review team said the model has improved substantially but still needed refinement, especially in routing, road data, and spatial detail, and that stakeholder engagement had been strong though delayed by model development. No votes were taken. The committee then received a presentation on the alternative sidewalk funding study. Staff and consultants said the study is exploring ways local governments could sustainably fund sidewalk maintenance, repair, and new construction, using a statewide survey, interviews, national research, and case studies in eight jurisdictions. They noted sidewalks are important for pedestrian safety and connectivity, but there is no dedicated funding source in Washington, and existing grants and local revenue tools are highly competitive or limited. The consultants highlighted sidewalk fees or utility-style charges as the most promising option to study, while a parcel tax was largely set aside because of state property-tax uniformity concerns. Members asked whether the study would duplicate existing funding or add to current taxes, and how a sidewalk fee would be collected; the consultants said the goal is to expand local options, not mandate adoption, and that fees would likely be billed through utilities rather than property taxes. A preliminary draft report is due December 15, with a final report due in mid-June. Next, staff gave a brief update on the ocean-going vessels study, which is examining shore power and emissions rules for vessels at berth. The presenter explained that federal Clean Air Act rules and California waiver authority create legal limits on how far Washington can go if it wants to adopt similar standards, and that deviations from California’s approach can increase litigation risk. The report will summarize stakeholder outreach and will be presented in draft form at the next JTC meeting. Finally, county engineers from Chelan and Douglas counties began a presentation on county transportation challenges, with the association’s director emphasizing collaboration with state agencies and local partners on issues such as fish passage barriers and infrastructure needs. The county presentation was only beginning when the transcript ended, and no committee action or votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Part of that work is damage work orders.
• Part of that work is damage work orders.
• had that worked under the Lumen work had that worked under the Lumen work also<00:21:22.360>
• I work for STF Services.
• That concludes our work today.

Bills: HF47, HF335

Keywords: telecommunications, installation, certification, safety, underground utilities, HF335, Greater Minnesota, economic development, public infrastructure, grant program, DEED, Department of Employment and Economic Development, business development, infrastructure grants, local government aid, general fund appropriation, rural development, site development, utilities, roads

Transcript Highlights:

• These devices are installed in the OBD2 port, which is located under the dash.
• One, as I was saying earlier, right, it tracks all of our data.
• This dynamic system provides real-time location tracking, vehicle diagnostics, costs, replacement, and
• We have several manual processes that are working to, that we are working to automate, such as reconciliation
• We have several manual processes that are working to, that we are working to automate, such as reconciliation

Summary: The Committee on Government Oversight and Accountability met with a quorum and heard several presentations on state fleet management. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services described its new fleet tracking rollout using AT&T/GeoTab devices, funded with $804,000, to monitor vehicle location, fuel use, idle time, driver behavior, and maintenance needs in real time. Members asked about whether the system was unique to FDACS and whether it duplicated reporting to the Department of Management Services; the agency said it was still implementing the system and would follow up on those questions. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission presented on its large and diverse fleet, including more than 4,000 assets, and explained that it uses both the statewide FleetWave system and the Samsara telematics platform. FWC said FleetWave is used for monthly reporting and replacement tracking, while Samsara provides real-time location and diagnostics, reducing administrative burden and improving accountability. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and Florida Highway Patrol then outlined their fleet operations, emphasizing that most assets support law enforcement, that multiple manual systems create data inaccuracies, and that they are seeking a $750,000 increase to modernize fleet management with telematics, automated receipt processing, and a centralized database to improve safety and efficiency. The committee also considered SPB 7010, which would authorize the Department of Financial Services and local governmental entities to allow post-tax Roth contributions in deferred compensation plans, in addition to existing pre-tax contributions. After a brief explanation, there was no debate or public testimony, and the committee voted to submit the bill as a committee bill. The roll call showed the measure was favorably reported, and the meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This slide is a little messy too, but we track the number of hours our agents work on any particular
• This slide is a little messy too, but we track the number of hours our agents work on any particular
• This slide is a little messy too, but we track the number of hours our agents work on any particular
• This slide is a little messy too, but we track the number of hours our agents work on any particular
• This slide is a little messy too, but we track the number of hours our agents work on any particular

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Roundabouts work much better.
• working with companies.
• And sometimes one spouse goes to work in the industrial base; the other spouse would go work if they
• Yeah, we'll work on this for now.
• BNSF has its own track, and we have our track that will bring the trains to the bridge. Okay.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, many of their employees have a work-and-earn type model where they work at UPS and then are also
• <00:04:11.200> with development project managers work with development project managers work
• 04:25.840> companies work directly with qualified companies work directly with qualified companies
• It's it's it's not a trying to track It's it's it's not a trying to track anything<00:15:06.240>
• You do uh really good work. You scoring. You do uh really good work.

Keywords: Cabinet for Economic Development – Bluegrass State Skills Corporation Overview 02:35 ----Discussion of BR 868, 2026 Regular Session 24:08, 958, all

Summary: The meeting began with a quorum call and approval of the August 21 minutes. The main presentation was from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development on the Bluegrass State Skills Corporation (BSSC), which was created in 1984 and is administratively tied to the cabinet. Staff explained that BSSC supports workforce training for companies in Kentucky through two main programs: the grant-in-aid reimbursement program and the skills training investment tax credit. They also described the board’s structure, quarterly meetings, annual audit, and the metropolitan tax credit tied to UPS in Louisville, along with public-private training consortia supported by the program. The cabinet outlined eligibility and funding rules: applicants must be qualified companies, trainees must be full-time Kentucky residents meeting wage requirements, and eligible training includes in-house company-specific training, train-the-trainer efforts, safety/OSHA training, and outside training through KCTCS or other providers. Grant-in-aid is a 50% reimbursement program capped at $75,000 per company per fiscal year and $2,000 per trainee, while the tax credit is capped annually and is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications are scored based on county tier, wages, workforce development activity, veteran hiring, participation in consortia, and job growth. Members asked for data on trainees and industries served, and staff said they could provide it. They also discussed coordination with other workforce programs, especially KCTCS and the state’s TRAIN program, to avoid overlap and double dipping. Several members asked about program usage and differences between fiscal years. Staff said the tax credit is less popular because it is not refundable and requires tax liability, while grant-in-aid is more attractive because it is cash reimbursement. They said lower or delayed spending in some years can reflect one-year training windows, reimbursement lag, new facilities ramping up, consortia activity, and special allocations such as those tied to Ford facilities. Questions also covered support for new businesses, which staff said can receive favorable scoring for new jobs and may have funds set aside for new location projects. On veterans, staff said they connect companies to Kentucky Valor and other resources, but the program does not track veteran retention outcomes. The final discussion was on a draft bill related to the Kentucky Horse Park and the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Representative Vanessa Gracel and Kentucky Horse Park President Lee Carter explained that the proposal is intended to help the park maintain integrity and protect athletes, volunteers, coaches, trainers, and guests from abuse and misconduct. They described SafeSport’s federal role in Olympic and Paralympic sports and said they hope to move the draft forward as legislation in 2026. No votes were taken on the BSSC presentation or the horse park discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Also working with supervisors, yes. How do you track the consumer's outcomes? Do you follow up?
• And I know probably these locations were set up before any of y'all were ever working there, okay, I
• But working with vendors and therapists, we designed a ceiling track lift solution that preserved independence
• We worked with the local representative for Shurhands Lift, and this is the ceiling track lift system
• We worked with the local representative for Shurhands Lift and this is the ceiling track lift system.

Keywords: 977, all

Summary: The committee met to receive a detailed financial operations presentation from the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency, with staff walking members through funding sources, budgeting, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and grants management. Sabrina Walker explained VR’s blended funding structure, including federal grants, state appropriations, program income, and interagency contracts, and emphasized that state funds are essential to meeting the federal match and maintenance-of-effort requirements. Members asked repeatedly about transparency, audit controls, and the risk that state cuts could reduce federal drawdowns; staff responded that all reports reconcile back to the SCEIS accounting system, are subject to state audits and internal reviews, and that even modest state reductions could significantly reduce total available funding. The committee also discussed pre-employment transition services for students with disabilities, with staff confirming services are offered through school districts, charters, and private schools, and that contracts are monitored for performance and compliance. The presentation then shifted to budgeting and internal controls. Walker described a zero-based departmental budgeting process, monthly monitoring reports, contingency reserves for unexpected expenses, and a formal annual cycle that culminates in board approval. Members asked about facilities tracking, culture, and how the agency maintains accountability; staff said facilities staff inspect buildings and equipment, supervisors justify line-item requests, and the process has become smoother over time as departments learned the system. Cynthia Johnson followed with an accounts receivable overview, describing invoicing, receipting, aging, customer verification, year-end reporting, and the use of cross-training, shared email inboxes, and spreadsheets as checks and balances. She also explained work training center billing, interdepartmental transfers, and the revolving fund used to issue consumer checks more quickly than standard vendor payments. Olivia Perez presented accounts payable operations, including invoice processing through SCEIS and OnBase, the three-way match, travel reimbursements, revolving fund checks, State Treasury Office interactions, and handling of reversals, rejections, and levy notices. She reported that AP processed 67,723 SCEIS payments, 13,670 case management system invoices, 3,379 travel reimbursements, and 15,693 revolving fund checks in fiscal year 2025, with only 70 payment rejections. The final portion of the meeting covered Grants and Funds Management, where Walker explained federal reporting, drawdowns, payroll allocation, asset tracking, lease and IT contract reviews, cost allocation, and closing packages. She noted upcoming system changes such as S/4HANA, Workiva, and SC Pro, but said the agency is receiving training and feedback opportunities. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the presentation portion beyond approval of the prior minutes and a brief recess.

Transcript Highlights:

• The court ruled that warrantless access to historical cell site location information, which tracks a
• And this reinforces protections against comprehensive location tracking without judicial oversight.
• sale site location information, which tracks<02:03:54.080> a<02:03:54.400> person's<02
• <02:04:08.560> tracking<02:04:09.440> without comprehensive location tracking without
• comprehensive location tracking without judicial<02:04:10.639> oversight.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved the journal, and received committee and House messages before moving into third reading and final passage on several bills. Early action included passage of House Bill 1318, which concerns traffic safety near schools; Senator Cutter offered and the chamber adopted a third-reading amendment naming it the Liam Stewart School Zone Act in honor of a child killed in a traffic accident near a school. The bill then passed 33-1. The chamber also passed Senate Bill 134 on payment card network fees, and laid over Senate Bill 17 until April 30. The Senate then considered Senate Bill 45 on workforce development opportunities in Colorado’s nuclear sector, Senate Bill 91 on excluding certain printed news deliverers from employee definitions under labor law, Senate Bill 114 on spirituous liquor manufacturer sales rooms, Senate Bill 162 on releasing healthcare test results to patients, Senate Bill 23 on school finance, Senate Bill 93 on workers’ compensation coverage compliance, Senate Bill 155 on homeowners insurance availability, Senate Bill 146 on restricting single-use food service ware, and Senate Bill 156 on State Workforce Development Council practices. Most of these bills passed, with recorded opposition on several measures: SB 91 passed 26-8, SB 114 passed 31-3, SB 162 passed 29-5, SB 93 passed 19-15, SB 155 passed 22-12, SB 146 passed 20-14, and SB 156 passed 32-2. SB 23, the school finance act, drew broad support and passed 34-0 after multiple senators emphasized education funding priorities and constitutional obligations. During debate, senators highlighted policy rationales and personal stories. On SB 162, Senator Weissman explained his no vote as a patient-autonomy concern despite acknowledging the bill’s earnest intent. On SB 23, supporters said the bill preserved and strengthened K-12 funding, while one senator argued schools should do better on safety and teacher pay. On SB 155, supporters said the homeowners insurance bill could help change market direction and improve affordability. On SB 156, Senator Marchman described the bill’s focus on out-of-school youth and the need to connect young people who are not in education, employment, or training with workforce supports. The Senate also began special-order second reading of consent-calendar bills, adopted the committee reports, and advanced House Bill 1313 on affordable housing fund requirements with amendments related to Prop 123 implementation and stakeholder processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• It doesn't work.
• So to DHS, do you track any regional trends?
• DSH, do you track any regional trends on SVP placement?
• We do have liaisons that go into the State Hospital and work with persons that are working their way
• There's tracking of all their spending.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit Committee held an oversight hearing on the state auditor’s October 2024 report on California’s Forensic Conditional Release Program (CONREP) for sexually violent predators. Members and witnesses discussed public safety, the long delays in finding community housing, the role of local housing committees, and the Department of State Hospitals’ oversight of Liberty Healthcare, which operates much of the program. Several legislators from rural and high-desert districts said their communities have been disproportionately affected by placements and questioned why many placements end up in remote areas. State Auditor Grant Parks said the audit found that CONREP participants were convicted of new offenses less often than sexually violent predators who were unconditionally released, but that 18 of 56 participants had been revoked and returned to state hospitals for noncompliance. He said it took an average of 17 months to place current participants in the community, with 20 additional people awaiting placement for an average of 20 months, and that the program incurred significant pre-placement costs. Parks also said local officials were often unclear about their role, DSH had not given clear guidance at the time of the audit, and California lacks a transitional housing option used in some other states. He reported that DSH had implemented four of the five audit recommendations, while declining the recommendation to explore state-owned transitional housing. DSH Director Stephanie Clendendon and Liberty representative Ken Carabello defended the program as a court-ordered, highly supervised treatment model intended to reduce reoffending and support reintegration. They said DSH is actively involved in placement review, that Liberty searches countywide under statutory restrictions, and that community feedback and court approval are part of the process. DSH said it has now implemented guidance for housing committee designees, formal program reviews, an outcome tracker, and an analysis of whether to separate some Liberty services into different contracts. DSH continued to oppose transitional housing, arguing it would not solve the core siting and statutory problems and would add cost. Several members remained critical, arguing the program is broken, costly, and unfairly concentrated in certain communities, and some called for major statutory changes or suspension of the program.