Transcript Highlights:

• My question to you is, why is that the case?
• And therefore, yes, sir, in some cases they are.
• it's just making sure that, um, that they're ready, that, that they've got some funds, funding in case
• The sur the borrowing is dependent on. A surcharges to pay it back.
• Reducing the, um, uh, one setting sort of almost like a maximum rollback, uh, in, in some cases when

Transcript Highlights:

• As is the case in my current role here in the Senate, it requires balancing the diverse interests of
• had staff attorneys sanctioned for gross abuse of their power. by a federal judge in the debt box case
• Well, I don't know anything about that. the case of what I've read in the paper, so obviously I can't
• It is certainly the case that not all banks' business models look the same or have the same risks, and
• Absolutely, but obviously depends on the situation.

Keywords: financial regulations, SEC, Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Transit Administration, nominees, Empowering Main Street in America Act, capital formation, economic growth

Summary: The committee meeting focused on several nominees within key financial institutions, including discussions surrounding the SEC, the Federal Transit Administration, and the Comptroller of the Currency. Notable dialogue included concerns over regulatory balance, with various members emphasizing a need to streamline regulations to foster innovation while ensuring accountability and safety for investors. The importance of the proposed 'Empowering Main Street in America Act' was highlighted as a means to facilitate access to capital for small businesses, underlining the current administration's approach towards financial regulations.

Transcript Highlights:

• In most cases, the child's custody benefits are paid for by the department.
• It depends on the path of behavioral health that you're seeking out.
• If there are any threshold concerns, I don't believe that to be the case, but it's something that we
• Students and young people make up 50% of chlamydia cases.
• I do think that part of this has to do with the Dobbs case that recently passed.

Transcript Highlights:

• on the judge that is overseeing the case.
• on the judge that is overseeing the case.
• on the judge that is overseeing the case.
• on the judge that is overseeing the case.
• <04:20:20.319> you've turnover in which case you've turnover in which case you've accidentally

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One is we bring cases and investigate unfair trade practices.
• One is we bring cases and investigate unfair trade practices.
• In addition to the cases that we investigate, there's a number of In addition to the cases that we investigate
• Another big area that we work on is insurance rate cases.
• So we're very dependent on the private-public sector.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held an informational opening hearing for the Financial Services Committee, with Chair Murphy and Senator Feeney introducing new and returning members and explaining that no bills were being heard that day beyond brief introductory testimony. Commissioner of Banks Mary Gallagher thanked the committee for last session’s money transmission modernization law, and several members echoed appreciation for her office’s work. The hearing then featured a long series of stakeholder introductions and overviews of their priorities for the session. Testimony covered a wide range of financial, insurance, housing, health care, and consumer issues. Banking and mortgage groups discussed housing affordability, foreclosure delinquencies, flood insurance, regulatory changes, and the impact of federal policy shifts. Insurance representatives raised concerns about auto and homeowners market pressures, labor rates, tariffs, rebates, e-titling, third-party litigation funding, and public adjuster restrictions. Consumer and advocacy groups highlighted debt collection reform, earned wage access, retirement savings access, public banking, and consumer protections in financial services. Several speakers also emphasized the need for committee expertise and offered themselves as resources for future bills. Health-related organizations focused on insurance mandates, prior authorization, behavioral health access, pharmacy benefit manager reform, community health center funding, maternal health and midwifery reimbursement, and anesthesia reimbursement parity. Other groups, including credit unions, retailers, auto dealers, dental and medical associations, and behavioral health providers, described their roles in the Commonwealth and previewed legislation or policy areas they expect to follow this session. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational and ended after testimony from the sign-up list and a few late additions.

Transcript Highlights:

• I defended a lot of cases that I didn't agree with, but I thought it was my duty as Attorney General.
• As it turns out, another state's case is in the Supreme Court, so our case is on hold, and I feel confident
• Even you wouldn't expect me to quote Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but in a case about admission of girls into
• So it just depends on the sports mentality of that individual.
• It is simply protecting the families and the communities that, in this case, are being attacked.

Bills: HB2020, HB2032, HB2033, HB2249, HB2313, HB2318, HB2378, HCR2003

Keywords: interference, disruption, educational institutions, public order, conduct rules, statewide assessment, student testing, academic standards, third grade reading, reading retention, promotion and retention, school accountability, assessment window, testing window, test scores, school report cards, nontest data, graduation rates, dropout rates, education data privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• The ecological health and sustainability of the area will depend on increased resources, coordinated
• that I appreciate the honesty of my witness, being willing to honestly answer why that is not the case
• They could be excluded, and I don't want them to be excluded because we depend on them, every single
• In many cases, wildlife managers are left with few realistic options other than euthanasia.
• But too often these efforts depend on one-time funding and the capacity of local entities to identify

Summary: The committee heard several wildlife and water-related bills. SB 872, by Senator McNerney, would create a Delta Levees and Canal Subsidence Fund and allow waiver of local cost-sharing for Delta levee repairs to protect the State Water Project and Delta infrastructure. Supporters from water agencies, environmental groups, counties, and agricultural interests said the bill is needed to address levee failure and canal subsidence; there was no opposition, and the bill was held open until a quorum was present, with broad support expressed. SB 1108, by Senator Caballero, would establish the Grasslands Ecological Area Conservancy in the Central Valley to coordinate conservation, habitat restoration, public access, and voluntary easements in a region described as the largest remaining wetland/grasslands complex west of the Mississippi. Support came from the Grasslands Water District, Audubon, conservation groups, and local stakeholders, who emphasized the area’s importance to migratory birds, wildlife corridors, and land-use transition under groundwater sustainability. There was no opposition, and the bill received favorable committee support. SB 1135, by Senator Blakespear, would reestablish and strengthen the statewide wildlife coexistence program to reduce human-wildlife conflict through nonlethal deterrence, education, and compensation for livestock losses. Supporters cited rising wildlife incidents, wolf depredation, and the need for proactive tools; opponents and some committee members raised concerns about rural impacts, funding, and the absence of law enforcement/public safety as a specifically named advisory role. After discussion and amendments that moved the cattlemen and Farm Bureau to neutral, the bill passed out of committee on a due-pass motion, though some members voted no or abstained. SB 1305, by Senator Richardson, would direct CDFW to study the feasibility of grizzly bear reintroduction and prepare a roadmap, with tribal consultation and stakeholder engagement, but would not itself authorize reintroduction. Tribal sponsors and conservation groups supported the bill as a planning and cultural restoration effort, while hunting, ranching, and county groups opposed it, arguing California already faces major wildlife-management and funding challenges and that the proposal would create new conflicts. Committee members debated costs, appropriations, and whether the study should include funding estimates; the bill was amended and passed on a due-pass motion. The committee also heard SB 1250, by Senator Cortese, which would require Caltrans to incorporate wildlife connectivity into transportation planning; supporters said it would reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve habitat connectivity, and the bill was presented in support as the hearing continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, we're talking, you know, fairly modest sums in most cases.
• The larger, if you look at most cases.
• So in that case do you to the directors.
• In some cases, homeowners who property.
• We now have one apparent case, he claims.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first held a public hearing on Senate Bill 25, which would allow state-chartered credit unions to compensate board members if the membership approves it. Prime sponsor Senator Dan Innis said the bill is enabling only, intended to help credit unions recruit and retain qualified directors and align New Hampshire with other states that already allow such compensation. Credit union representatives from the Cooperative Credit Union Association and St. Mary’s Bank supported the bill, saying board service has become more complex because of cybersecurity, asset-liability management, and other regulatory demands, and that compensation could be modest and take forms such as meeting fees or educational reimbursement. In response to committee questions, they said compensation would be set by the membership, disclosed in advance, and subject to bylaws and internal policies; they also noted that board members must be credit union members and that voting procedures vary by institution, with some using mailed ballots rather than proxy voting. Members raised questions about why credit union boards were historically excluded, what kinds of compensation were contemplated, whether there would be a cap, and how voting and confidentiality would work. Testimony explained that the historical rationale was the nonprofit, volunteer mission of credit unions, but witnesses argued that the modern environment and competition for talent justify a change. They also said the bill would not mandate compensation and would not create a salary structure comparable to banks, but would allow members to approve modest compensation or reimbursements. After no further testimony, the chair closed the public hearing on Senate Bill 25. The committee then opened a public hearing on Senate Bill 26, sponsored by Senator Howard Pearl, concerning the definition of deposits in land sales and escrowed accounts. Pearl said the bill would clarify that buyer funds for upgrades and luxury items in new-home construction are not treated as refundable deposits that must be held in escrow, arguing that the current Attorney General interpretation raises builder costs, increases home prices, and can limit buyer choices. He said the proposal would allow those upgrade funds to be paid directly to builders for construction, with signed disclosures making clear that the buyer requested the items and bears the risk if financing falls through. The hearing on Senate Bill 26 had just begun when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the case, the one case that brought this bill to us in the first place, the Bevens case, that was
• In the case, the one case that brought this bill to us in the first place, the Bevens case, that was
• In the case, the one case that brought this bill to us in the first place, the Bevens case, that was
• that in the case the one case that that in the case the one case that brought<00:21:04.880> this
• dissent was described in that case.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The cases enrollment in the pathways.
• Best case to a community agency.
• It depends on the resources that district has available.
• It depends on the district to district.
• And we never close those cases.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It just depends who the entity is.
• It just depends who the entity is.
• So you said that there were how many cases, 5,000 cases? No, not cases, just offer letters.
• And there's also cases. TxDOT had a case. It's called State v.
• Well, I would say in this particular case, we are saying that the landowner, In this particular case,

Bills: HB5489, HB5695, HB5699, SB291, SB292

Keywords: impact fee, moratorium, local government, Texas legislation, infrastructure funding, municipal utility district, eminent domain, bonds, assessments, infrastructure, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Harris County, Municipal Utility District, territory exclusion, debt service taxes, property taxation, condemnation, property acquisition, real property, appraisal reports

Transcript Highlights:

• case load and that language about case case load and that language about case loading<00:24:37.200
• , and that's a distribution rate case, delivery rate case, which includes a proposal to replace a traditional
• One example he gave was the complexity of the current Eversource rate case, a distribution rate case
• So, in that case here, that's great.
• <03:30:47.279> the else all all right in that case the else all all right in that case the

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The hearing focused on House Bill 610, which would fold the Office of the Consumer Advocate into the Department of Energy rather than fully eliminate consumer advocacy functions. The prime sponsor argued the current office is small, funded by a special assessment on ratepayers, and duplicative of DOE work. He said moving the function to DOE would streamline energy policy review, reduce bureaucracy, and better focus the larger agency on lowering residential energy costs. He also disputed claims that the Consumer Advocate is independent, saying the office is appointed through a political process similar to DOE leadership. Committee members and the sponsor discussed whether the bill would actually relocate existing positions or replace them, and whether the Department of Energy would absorb the cost of the transferred staff. The sponsor said the fiscal note shows roughly a million-dollar reduction in both revenue assessment and spending, and that the bill would effectively reduce the office from five positions to three. He also defended his cost estimates for energy-code-related housing impacts and said the Consumer Advocate has sometimes supported policies he считает increase costs, such as energy-efficiency measures and building code changes. He argued the office should focus more on energy supply and generation, including natural gas and nuclear, rather than efficiency alone. Representative Wendy Thomas testified in opposition, saying the Consumer Advocate is an important, fair, and impartial voice for ratepayers and warning that the bill was fiscally irresponsible because the incumbent could still be owed salary and benefits if the office were repealed. She also said the bill’s drafting was confusing and that the Consumer Advocate’s role is to push back on utilities on behalf of consumers. Other members raised questions about whether the DOE would simply inherit the same political appointment structure and whether the bill would meaningfully lower bills. No vote was taken in the excerpt; the chair indicated additional testimony would follow, and the Department of Energy was present to answer questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• In that case, an appropriate notice will be posted.
• up our small businesses, medium businesses, and the cottage industries, and speaking with them and case
• :41:58.040> and industries and speaking with them and industries and speaking with them and case
• And then what would the monies, the federal funds that we are currently dependent on for that work be
• on for that work currently dependent on for that work be<00:52:31.760> so<00:52:32.440> um

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less; it depends on how the partners do in spending their money.
• Sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less; it depends on how the partners do in spending their money.
• A lot of it's just weather dependent.
• um I hope Restoration in those cases um I hope that<01:02:02.559> proposers<01:02:03.119>
• <01:13:31.360> on number on that it's going to depend on number on that it's going to depend

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Legacy Finance Committee held its first meeting of the session, with members and staff introducing themselves and the chair emphasizing the committee’s role in overseeing Minnesota’s Legacy Amendment funds. The committee then received an overview of the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund from Mary Davis. She explained that the fund receives 19.75% of the 1% sales tax, is constitutionally limited to arts education, arts access, and preserving Minnesota history and cultural heritage, and is not a guaranteed base for prior recipients. She reviewed major recipients and statutory requirements, including the Minnesota State Arts Board’s 47% share, funding for the Historical Society, libraries, humanities and cultural organizations, public media, and the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council. She also noted the 5% reserve requirement, reporting obligations, and a 2023 legislative directive to improve access through free or reduced admission and outreach to households regardless of income. The committee next heard from Janelle Taylor on the natural resources funds, focusing on the Clean Water Fund and Parks and Trails Fund. She said the Clean Water Fund receives 33% of Legacy revenues and must be used to protect, enhance, and restore water quality and protect groundwater, with at least 5% dedicated to drinking water sources. She described the Clean Water Council’s recommendation process and said most of the money goes to Board of Water and Soil Resources projects, with additional funding for PCA and DNR monitoring. In response to a question about Hastings and PFAS contamination, she said the legislature could appropriate clean water money if the project fits the constitutional criteria and protects drinking water sources. For the Parks and Trails Fund, she explained it receives 14.25% of Legacy revenues and is allocated under the long-standing 40-40-20 split: 40% to state parks and trails, 40% to metropolitan regional parks and trails, and 20% to Greater Minnesota regional parks and trails. House Fiscal Analysis staff then reviewed the reserve requirement and available balances, noting that each Legacy fund must keep a 5% reserve to protect against forecast changes. For the upcoming biennium, they cited approximately $327.229 million available for the Outdoor Heritage Fund, $184.73 million for the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, and $133.13 million for the Parks and Trails Fund, with the Clean Water Fund total discussed earlier at about $311 million. Members briefly discussed the importance of the reserve and the zero-base nature of the funds. The committee then moved on to an overview of the Outdoor Heritage Fund and Outdoor Heritage Council from Mark Johnson and Joe Pelco, who explained that the fund was approved by voters in 2008, lasts 25 years, receives about one-third of the 3/8 of 1% sales tax, and is used to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands, prairies, forests, and habitat for fish, game, and wildlife. They described the council’s statutory role, the small grants program for projects from $5,000 to $500,000, and the annual recommendation process, but no votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Defendant Sig Sauer in a recent<00:17:19.120> court<00:17:19.439> case recent court case
• >> That can depend. It depends on their level of tolerance.
• , to build cases, to build stronger cases, to build cases, to build stronger cases, um<01:12:57.520
• Uh, in a case called Goss v.
• Um we really misconduct cases.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First of all, I just want to reiterate our case scenario parties involved.
• "It depends on who may be hiring us currently.
• And many of these cases are brought by our military. Thank you.
• That's not the case. That is not accurate. So there's... Mr.
• I kind of see this as a precautionary, just-in-case kind of bill.

Bills: HB2118, HB2181, HB2308, HB2309, HB2402, HB2476, HB2682, HB2698, HB2875, HB2877, HB2903, HB2910

Keywords: mobile food vendors, licensure, food safety, statewide regulations, health standards, zoning, temporary vendors, HB2181, death certificate, death certificates, vital records, funeral establishment, funeral home, human remains, medical certification of death, death registration, state registrar, local registrar, county medical examiner, alternate medical examiner

Transcript Highlights:

• And, uh, it appears to me that it might be the case that there is a provider who personally qualifies
• The case that there is a provider who personally qualifies for TANF funds in a universe.
• ...they would also lose state funding, which was the case in Marramac.
• be<01:59:01.840> like<01:59:02.159> 3.7 In this case, that'd be like 3.7 In this case
• So, the $5 million might be better, might be worse depending on if the audits are fully completed.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• action because I've had cases action because I've had cases in<00:04:31.520> my<00:04:32.400
• Case after case, we see that traffickers manipulate and exploit fear of immigration enforcement, even
• Case after case, we see that traffickers manipulate and exploit fear of immigration enforcement, even
• There's no limitations as far as cases are concerned.
• with uh DEA as well uh on certain cases with uh DEA as well uh on certain cases uh<01:25:46.000>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• wants to study something and another member wants to stop them from studying it, because if that's the case
• In many cases, they make a mess of things and they won’t fix it.
• Now, it depends on the size and scope. Now, it depends on the size and scope.
• It may be a case of handwriting, but my name is on there. I filled it out with...”
• “It may be a case of handwriting, but my name is on there. I filled it out with...”

Summary: The committee met on May 13 and first took up House Concurrent Resolution 89, which asks the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism to study, with the Louisiana State Museum and the World War II Museum, the feasibility of a Louisiana Maneuvers museum and trail. Representative Owens described the historical significance of the Louisiana Maneuvers and said the proposal would help preserve and teach that history. The committee moved HCR 89 favorably to the floor without objection. The committee then heard House Resolution 179, which would create a study of neighborhood crime prevention and security districts and their effectiveness in reducing crime. Representative Marcel said the resolution was prompted by questions about crime data and district performance, while several members raised concerns about the number of study groups and the breadth of a statewide review. Other members supported the idea as a way to gather data on what works, including cameras and other security measures. The resolution was moved favorably to the floor. Next, the committee considered Senate Bill 228, a constitutional amendment to allow public funds to be used to replace lead and copper drinking water service lines on private property, and Senate Bill 268, the companion implementing bill that sets out the notice and replacement process. Paul Rainwater explained that the program would use EPA and state revolving-fund money, with work focused on the line from the meter to the shutoff valve, and that the city would inventory affected homes, give notice, and then proceed with replacement. Members asked about homeowner rights, emergency entry, contractor accountability, and whether the program could expand beyond New Orleans; Rainwater said he would return with more detail on the objection/emergency process. Both SB 228, as amended, and SB 268 were reported favorably. The committee also advanced Senate Bill 283, which creates the Boulevard at Harding Area Special District in Baton Rouge to encourage development near Southern University, and two resolutions: House Resolution 225, urging agencies and local governments in Ouachita Parish to study solid waste, debris removal, and disaster resilience services, and House Resolution 223, urging Shreveport and partners to advance the Southern Soul City Initiative. All were moved favorably to the floor, and the meeting ended with members and the chair thanking staff and noting it was likely the committee’s last meeting of the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• And in some cases, these were thousands of dollars.
• If you could look at that, I'm sure it's not in all cases, but in some cases the assessments were quite
• In some cases, $50,000. Now, maybe that's not accurate, but that's what we were told.
• What do you have an average on that, or does it depend on the type of debt you want? Hi.
• In some cases, there may be conflicting federal requirements for data collection.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on State Administration heard a series of budget change proposals and trailer bill items, beginning with Housing and Community Development (HCD) requests. HCD sought permanent authority for seven existing temporary positions to support the HCD Connect IT system, and a separate proposal to fund implementation of eight 2025 housing-related laws with $4.2 million General Fund and 16 positions, plus $470,000 one-time General Fund. Members asked about how HCD Connect would interact with programs moving to the new Housing Development Finance Committee, and HCD also explained that the estimated cost to implement AB 1053 had been revised downward from about $6 million to $1.9 million because of shared implementation with CalHFA and the new committee structure. The committee also heard a Cal ICH proposal for $339,000 one-time General Fund to implement AB 678 on LGBTQ+ inclusive and culturally competent homelessness services, with testimony emphasizing data gaps and the need for a contract-based approach because HMIS cannot be changed unilaterally. The Department of Financial Protection and Innovation presented three continuation proposals: $15.34 million and 53 positions for the California Consumer Financial Protection Law program, $13.5 million and 51 positions for the Debt Collector Licensing Act program, and $49,000 ongoing for two positions in the broker-dealer/investment adviser education program. Members and the public raised concerns about the size and fairness of debt collector assessments and licensing fees, while DFPI explained the pro rata fee structure, the current license count, and how larger assessments fall on larger firms. Public testimony also supported retaining funding for the Student Loan Empowerment Network and requested funding for a franchise broker registration program. The committee also considered a mandate item involving suspension of a disclosure requirement related to property taxation, and trailer bill language from the Government Operations Agency to amend AB 91 on MENA demographic data collection, with the administration emphasizing data nondisclosure, protection of federal funding, and delayed implementation. The Secretary of State’s office then presented Help America Vote Act funding requests: $10.3 million for VoteCal maintenance and operations and $4.492 million for HAVA spending plans supporting voter education, training, accessibility, auditing, and county assistance. The office also requested $660,000 General Fund to implement AB 1392, which would make voter registration information for elected officials and candidates confidential, and explained the need to modify VoteCal and county election systems. The committee also heard requests to continue the Cal-Access Replacement System with $11.8 million General Fund and to continue the Notary Automation Program Replacement Project with $9.75 million from the Business Fees Fund. Members asked about total project costs, testing, data migration, and the expected November 2026 go-live date for Cal-Access replacement. Votes were taken on the vote-only items once quorum was established, and the committee approved the items considered. The final informational item was an overview from the California Arts Council, which highlighted the agency’s 50th anniversary, its statewide grantmaking, and the economic impact of arts funding. Council staff described Creative Corps, cultural districts, and the role of arts funding in local economies, while members and public witnesses urged increased support, including a request to raise local assistance grant funding to $50 million and to provide additional funding for cultural districts. Testimony emphasized the arts as economic infrastructure, community infrastructure, and a source of civic and cultural vitality across California.