Transcript Highlights:

• The first item on the agenda, and the only item on the agenda, file item 1, AB 493, Mr. Harabedian.
• File item 1, AB 493. Harabedian, the motion is due pass. File item 1, AB 493.
• File item 1, AB 493, Heravidian, the motion is due pass and refer to Committee on Appropriations.

Summary: The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee met to hear its only agenda item, AB 493 by Assemblymember Harabedian, which would require lenders to pay interest to homeowners on post-loss insurance payouts held in escrow. The author said current law already pays interest on some escrowed funds, but excludes insurance proceeds after a loss; he argued the bill would help wildfire survivors and other homeowners rebuilding after major property damage. He noted amendments clarifying that the bill applies only to loans and only to insurance payouts still held in escrow on or after the bill’s effective date. Support came from the Consumer Federation of California, whose representative said the measure closes a loophole and would provide modest but meaningful help to homeowners facing long rebuild timelines. The California Bankers Association did not oppose the bill but raised concerns about aligning it with existing mortgage servicing law and the treatment of hazard insurance proceeds, saying it wanted to work with the author on technical issues. Committee members expressed support, emphasizing the need to help displaced homeowners access funds more quickly. The committee voted unanimously to pass AB 493 and refer it to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations. The roll call showed the bill receiving eight votes, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• family members whose spouses have been killed in the line of duty, and this is what I seek to do with AB
• callers for neutral at this time thank you any closing comments okay so we will close the hearing on AB
• 243 and open up the hearing on AB 471 Assembly Bill 471 governs the remote retail sales of cigars and
• Seeing none, we will go ahead and open up for support for AB 471. All right.
• So we will close the hearing on AB 471. Is there anyone here for public comment?

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our first bill today is AB 1533.
• AB 1533 as amended would appropriate $672 million? No, $600. I assume million. No, $672. Wow, $672.
• AB 1533 is one of several annual bills authored by the chair of either the Assembly Appropriations Committee
• And AB 1533. Okay. With that, we are... With that, we are meeting adjourned. Thank you.

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on July 9, 2025, with a quorum present and opened by taking up its consent and suspense calendars. Several Senate bills were moved on consent, including SB 255, 361, 385, 387, 428, 602, 648, 652, and 693, along with SB 78 on a separate due-pass motion. The suspense calendar was then deemed approved without further discussion. The committee next heard AB 1533, a claims bill authorizing a General Fund appropriation of $672 million to pay state claims, including $600 to the Franchise Tax Board and $72 million to the DMV for stale claims. Assemblymember Wicks presented the bill as one of the annual claims measures, and the Department of Finance and Department of General Services both supported it. Assemblymember Dixon raised concerns about the age of claims, the cost and efficiency of the process, and whether the state could improve how it verifies and pays claims more quickly. After brief public comment was invited, the committee held a roll call vote on AB 1533 and the bill was moved out of committee. The meeting then adjourned after a late-arriving member was added to the roll call for the consent calendar and AB 1533.

Transcript Highlights:

• 52 in 2014, and AB 168 in 2020.
• And this addition is consistent with AB 168, which contains tribal registers and AB 130 enacting tribal
• Assembly Member Connolly introduced legislation at the end of last session to achieve those goals, AB
• SB 954 builds off the work in AB 1083 and follows through on the promises to clean up SB 131.
• We were the first business group in California to support AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with SB 1350 by Senator McNerney presented first. The measure would expand California’s use of renewable hydrogen in the power sector by allowing renewable portfolio standard credit for power plants using green hydrogen, with supporters emphasizing grid reliability, clean-energy goals, in-state investment, and construction jobs. Support came from labor, clean-energy, municipal utility, and local government representatives; NRDC Action Fund withdrew opposition after amendments, while a few groups remained opposed or neutral. The committee later took a roll call and SB 1350 passed out on a due pass recommendation. The committee also heard SB 1180 by Senator Allen, which would set operational rules for the Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund created under SB 54, including clearer eligible uses, transparency, technical assistance, and access for tribes and smaller community groups. Environmental justice, ocean, conservation, and local government groups strongly supported the bill, saying it would ensure the fund addresses plastic pollution’s public health and environmental harms. Industry and manufacturing groups opposed unless amended, arguing the bill should stay tightly tied to plastic waste reduction and not broaden into source-reduction policy. After quorum was established, the committee approved SB 1180 on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations. SB 1326 by Senator Wahab was then heard to strengthen tribal consultation and tribal cultural resource protections under CEQA by recognizing tribal registers and requiring feasible avoidance or mitigation measures when tribes identify resources. Tribal representatives and supporters said the bill would better protect sacred sites and tribal knowledge, while cities, counties, utilities, builders, and rural county groups opposed unless amended, citing implementation concerns, possible litigation, and uncertainty for infrastructure and housing projects. The committee voted the bill out on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations. Finally, SB 954 by Senator Blakespear was presented as a cleanup of last year’s SB 131 advanced-manufacturing CEQA exemption, narrowing eligible projects and adding guardrails such as setbacks, air-quality limits, tribal consultation, labor standards, and habitat protections. Environmental and labor groups supported the bill as a needed correction to an overly broad exemption, while business, manufacturing, housing, and local-government groups opposed, warning it could make the exemption unusable and slow investment. Members debated the balance between environmental protection and manufacturing competitiveness, and the committee voted SB 954 out on a due pass recommendation to the Labor and Employment Committee; the transcript then moved on to SB 1031 on compostable plastics, which was introduced but not acted on in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've been working actually with a similar vehicle, AB 881, carried by Assemblymember Petrie-Norris,
• But in the discussions around this vehicle as well as AB 881, which is going to be before the Senate
• And so by implementing this streamlined process, which was established under AB 900 and has been used
• And so by implementing this streamlined process, which was established under AB 900 and has been used
• California enacted the cap-and-trade program with AB 32 in 2006.

Summary: The committee first established a quorum, adopted the consent calendar for SB 423 and SB 581, and then heard a series of bills, most of which were presented as streamlining or safety measures tied to transportation, climate, public lands, health care, and higher education. SB 71 by Senator Wiener would extend and expand a CEQA exemption for sustainable transportation projects, adding modes such as microtransit, paratransit, shuttles, and ferries, while also accepting committee amendments that narrowed a Tier 4 diesel rail provision, restored existing right-of-way language with utility protections, and set a new sunset date. Support came from transit agencies, local governments, and advocacy groups; some members raised concerns about the diesel rail language and possible interactions with housing-related legislation, but the bill advanced on a due pass vote as amended. The committee then heard SB 614 by Senator Stern on carbon dioxide pipeline safety. The bill would direct the State Fire Marshal to adopt safety standards for intrastate CO2 pipelines, building from federal draft rules and adding state discretion and possible enhanced protections such as planning zones and more detailed exposure modeling. Supporters argued California needs to fill a federal regulatory gap to advance carbon capture and climate goals, while environmental justice and conservation groups opposed unless amended, citing risks from CO2 leaks and asking for stronger siting restrictions and more specificity. The bill passed on a due pass vote to Appropriations, with members noting the need for continued work on the safety provisions. Senator Arreguín also presented SB 304, which would temporarily lift public trust use restrictions on specific land at Jack London Square to allow the Port of Oakland more leasing flexibility under conditions and annual reporting. The measure was described as a limited, time-bound effort to address high vacancy and revitalize the waterfront, and it drew support from Oakland city and county representatives with no opposition in the room. The committee then approved SB 304 on a due pass vote. Arreguín’s SB 830 followed, creating CEQA streamlining for Sutter Health’s new Emeryville hospital campus and designating the City of Emeryville as lead agency; supporters said it would preserve East Bay hospital access before seismic deadlines, and the bill passed with broad support and no opposition. Finally, Senator Caballero presented SB 486, a higher education planning bill intended to align UC and CSU enrollment growth with regional sustainable communities plans and to remove the need to analyze a no-project alternative in certain long-range development plans. Supporters said the bill would better integrate university enrollment forecasting into regional planning, while opponents warned that eliminating the no-project analysis could weaken accountability for housing and infrastructure impacts around campuses. Committee members expressed mixed views and asked for further clarification, but the bill was moved out on a due pass as amended vote to Appropriations. The transcript then shifted to SB 629, a fire response and rebuilding bill, with the author describing amendments to apply fire safety requirements in wildfire-burned areas, update fire mapping, and require annual defensible space inspections, though the discussion was cut off before any final action was shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we moved forward on AB 3099, which entrusted the Attorney General to start collecting data on
• I've got a handful of them here: Empowering Tribal Child Welfare Prevention, AB 1378, by Senator Rob
• Bonta; peace officer status for tribal police, AB 31, Assemblymember Ramos; enhancing law enforcement
• , and rather than continue to preach to the choir, just diving into AB 3099 or that tribal assistance
• 1314, AB 44, access to CLETS, and AB 2695, criminal statistics when we're looking at data.

Summary: The Select Committee on Native American Affairs opened its 2025 hearing with a traditional song and remarks about the importance of Native visibility and land acknowledgment. The hearing focused on missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIP), exploitation and trafficking in a Public Law 280 (PL 280) state, and California’s response. Members and tribal leaders emphasized that MMIP is tied to historical trauma, forced removal, undercounting, and ongoing inequities in law enforcement response, media attention, and access to resources. Several panelists urged stronger tribal consultation, better data collection, more funding, and culturally informed education and victim services. In the first panel, tribal chairpersons described personal and community impacts. Chairperson Antonet Del Rio spoke about the need to include federally and non-federally recognized tribes and to educate schools and communities, while naming long-unsolved cases from her tribe. Chairperson Cheyenne Stone connected MMIP to the history of violence in Owens Valley and to the disturbance of Indigenous remains during infrastructure projects, calling for forensic resources, mandatory consultation, and accountability. Chairperson Charles Martin described the death of Morongo citizen Amy Porter and said the Feather Alert failed her family because law enforcement did not act quickly enough; he called for reforms and better coordination, especially in PL 280 jurisdictions. Chairwoman Nelson and committee members echoed the need for equity, urgency, and government-to-government respect. The second panel examined how PL 280 complicates MMIP and trafficking cases. Professor Carol Goldberg explained that PL 280 created an unfunded mandate, reduced federal jurisdiction and funding, and contributed to under-resourced policing and mistrust; she recommended mandatory training, community-oriented policing, formal tribal-county collaboration, and possible retrocession in some cases. Yurok Chairman Joe James tied MMIP to boarding schools, trafficking, and the need to advance bills such as AB 31, SB 4, ACR 39, AB 285, and AB 1378, along with increased budget funding. Morning Star Gali argued that PL 280 enables traffickers and violent offenders to exploit jurisdictional gaps and called for tribally led public safety, housing, victim services, and stronger consultation. Dustin Contreras, a human trafficking investigator, described the overlap between trafficking and MMIP, stressed partnerships and task forces, and supported more education for law enforcement, schools, and families. In the final panel, state and county officials described current efforts and acknowledged remaining gaps. The Attorney General’s Office said it is working on MICIC outreach, tribal response planning, PL 280 training through an advisory council, and improved data systems, while supporting bills and the Feather Alert. Humboldt County Sheriff Hansel described the case of a missing woman, Emily, as an example of how people with mental illness or justice involvement can become invisible, and said counties need more consistent training and clearer jurisdictional protocols. He and other officials supported the Feather Alert, tribal police authority, and a pilot program for POST status for tribal police, which they said had been vetoed previously. Across the hearing, speakers repeatedly called for better coordination, more funding, stronger tribal authority, and sustained action rather than symbolic recognition.

Transcript Highlights:

• AB... CARB's work is the result of significant legislative direction.
• AB 32, as I mentioned before, establishes the state's first climate targets for 2020.
• That was created as an early action measure under the statutory provisions of AB 32.
• One is the AB 32 inventory, which is in-state emissions, and it's specified...
• So that's the AB 32 inventory for our statutory 2030, 40% below 1990 levels target.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy held its annual oversight hearing on the transportation fuels sector, focused on California’s fuel transition, the announced refinery closures by Phillips 66 and Valero, and the potential effects on supply, prices, and the broader fuel system. Committee leadership said the state needs a system-wide transition plan rather than a piecemeal approach, and state witnesses from CARB, the CEC, and DPMO described the fuel market as a complex, interconnected ecosystem involving crude production, refining, storage, imports, and delivery. They emphasized that declining gasoline demand from EV adoption is occurring alongside shrinking in-state refining capacity, which could increase volatility and price spikes if not managed carefully. CARB Chair Liane Randolph reviewed the state’s climate and air-quality programs, including AB 32, SB 32, the 2022 scoping plan, the low-carbon fuel standard, and vehicle emissions rules. She said these policies have reduced emissions substantially but that California still faces major ozone and PM2.5 problems, especially in disadvantaged communities. Randolph also said federal actions challenging California waivers could complicate the state’s clean-air efforts, and she noted that while liquid fuels will still be needed in some sectors, the state must continue reducing fossil fuel dependence while protecting public health. CEC Vice Chair Siva Gunda and DPMO Director Ty Milder presented data on gasoline demand, refinery throughput, crude imports, and price differentials. Gunda said the Legislature’s special-session laws gave the agencies transparency and planning tools, and that the CEC is developing a fuels transition plan while evaluating whether any regulatory tools should be used. Milder previewed DPMO findings that Californians have paid a long-running “mystery gasoline surcharge” averaging 41 cents per gallon since 2015, with higher margins concentrated in branded gasoline and among vertically integrated firms. He said the data show a concentrated market with some refiners doing well and others struggling, and that DPMO will continue investigating price behavior, competition, and supply risks. Members pressed the witnesses on whether state regulations contributed to refinery exits or higher prices, and on whether the agencies had adequately analyzed consumer costs. Witnesses said they had not yet implemented the new permissive tools from SB X1-2 and AB X2-1 because they were still assessing risks and benefits, and they stressed that refinery closures and capital decisions are driven by broader market conditions as well as regulation. No vote was taken; the hearing was informational, with the committee seeking updates and urging the agencies to develop a practical transition strategy that balances affordability, reliability, climate goals, and worker/community protections.

Transcript Highlights:

• I move to withdraw AB 1178 Pacheco from the Appropriations Committee.
• AB 317 Jackson.
• From Reverend Tax Committee to the Appropriations Committee, and AB 1331 Eller-Hurray from the Judiciary
• We will instead take up Assembly Member Schultz's amendments to AB 379, and this will allow additional
• So I rise as a co-author of AB 379, and I rise in support of this bill.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We had AB 1651 pass, which now allows LEPs like myself to provide supervision to other registrants that
• But in addition, with the repeal of AB 3632, like 10 or 12 years ago, the mental health responsibility
• and that would be the probably the most expedited way to do that but in addition with the repeal of ab
• But AB 1070 passed that increased the ratio from 1 to 8, but only for home health.
• That was AB 526.

Summary: The joint sunset oversight hearing reviewed five regulatory entities: the Board of Behavioral Sciences, the Board of Psychology, the Physician Assistant Board, the Podiatric Medical Board, and the California Massage Therapy Council. Across the hearing, each entity described recent accomplishments, licensing and enforcement workload, workforce shortages, and efforts to modernize processes. Common themes included streamlining licensure, expanding access to care, addressing telehealth or emerging technology, and balancing consumer protection with workforce needs. For the Board of Behavioral Sciences, members discussed workforce shortages in mental health, supervision barriers, telehealth confidentiality, AI in therapy, interstate compacts, school-based services, and military spouse licensure. The board said it has expanded outreach, improved licensing processes, and created temporary practice authority tracking, while also expressing concern about counseling compacts and emphasizing California-specific law, ethics, and cultural competency. Public commenters supported the board’s work and the possible move to a national MFT exam, while also urging more resources. The Board of Psychology highlighted fee adjustments, streamlined licensure pathways, enforcement process improvements, new CPD requirements, and proposed changes including a psychotherapist-client privilege exception for investigations. Committee members and public witnesses focused heavily on that privilege proposal, with some members opposing it as too broad and privacy-invasive, while the board argued it is needed to obtain records in bias and sexual misconduct cases. The board also discussed workforce shortages, processing improvements, and the use of inactive status for psychological associates. The Physician Assistant Board reported growth in the PA workforce and education programs, SB 697 implementation, and financial pressure from rising enforcement costs. The main policy debate centered on physician-to-PA ratios and practice agreements, with board representatives and many public commenters arguing that current restrictions limit access to care, especially in rural areas, while the California Medical Association defended the need for explicit ratios and agreements. The board also discussed AI, fee increases, and tracking temporary practice authority. The Podiatric Medical Board described licensing and renewal reforms, residency expansion, enforcement support, and budget constraints, while public testimony raised concerns about a proposed fee increase and about reimbursement parity and practice recognition for podiatrists. Finally, the California Massage Therapy Council defended the certification model over licensure, citing lower costs, local government collaboration, anti-trafficking work, and its role in vetting applications and disciplining bad actors; no formal votes or final actions were taken during this portion of the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• wanted to support issue 172 for the Safer Consumer Products Program as its important work to enforce AB
• 347, AB 25, and SB 1266.
• wanted to support issue 172 for the safer consumer products program as its important work to enforce AB
• 347, AB 25, 25, and SB 1266.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Resources, Environmental Protection, and Energy met for a vote-only hearing on budget items that had been discussed in prior hearings. Public comment focused on support for funding the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program, rejecting special fund position cuts at CDFW and the State Water Board, preserving Proposition 1 and Prop. 68 funding for conservation and local corps, supporting offshore wind and the Safer Consumer Products Program, and rejecting the Governor’s proposed Sustainable Aviation Fuel tax credit and light-duty incentive changes. Several speakers argued the SAF credit would be costly, unnecessary, and could raise fuel prices or divert funds from transportation and environmental programs. The chair also addressed concerns about the California Air Resources Board’s cap-and-invest amendments and said the Senate budget plan would withhold Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund appropriations, including continuous appropriations, until specified conditions are met. She said the Legislature should preserve prior agreements and protect transit, affordable housing, air quality, and safe drinking water programs from being reduced or zeroed out. The committee then took a series of roll-call votes on grouped budget items. Most staff recommendations were approved, with some items passing unanimously and others on 3-1 votes, with Senator Choi occasionally not voting or voting no. The hearing concluded after the committee approved the remaining vote-only items and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's kind of outside of what the Legislature, it was never discussed at least explicitly in AB
• AB 1592 covers the same issue.
• AB 1592 covers the same issue.
• AB 1592, it covers the same issue.
• I also would like to thank you. back into AB 52 and continue the normal process.

Summary: The hearing focused on the governor’s May Revision proposals for transportation, natural resources, climate, and related programs, with the Department of Finance and the LAO presenting competing views on the state’s fiscal condition. Finance said the budget remains balanced over two years, with major climate-bond, water, parks, transportation, DMV, and agriculture proposals, while the LAO argued the state still has a structural deficit and should reject or defer many new discretionary spending items, preserve reserves, and be cautious about ongoing commitments. The LAO specifically questioned the timing and scale of new spending for programs such as Clean California, Healthy Rivers and Landscapes, and the Golden Gate Fields acquisition, and urged more clarity on future obligations and revenue scenarios, including for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes proposal for Bay-Delta water quality implementation. Secretary Wade Crowfoot and Finance described it as an enforceable, science-based alternative to a more traditional regulatory approach, with the state’s $25 million request intended to support early implementation, monitoring, habitat restoration, and environmental flows. The LAO countered that the Water Board has not yet adopted the updated Bay-Delta plan, that the proposal may be premature, and that the Legislature should wait for more information on the state’s total funding commitment and the program’s long-term costs. Several members expressed support for the program as a way to reduce conflict and protect water reliability, while others echoed concerns about timing and fiscal exposure. The committee also examined the proposed $125 million Proposition 4 contribution toward acquiring the Golden Gate Fields property for a shoreline park and habitat project. State officials said the acquisition is a time-sensitive, once-in-a-generation opportunity, with an appraised value of $175 million and additional philanthropic and local funding expected to close the gap. Members questioned whether the project had gone through the usual competitive process, whether the site is the best use of scarce park bond dollars, and how public access, habitat, and disadvantaged-community priorities would be protected. The discussion ended without a vote, and the committee moved on to transportation items including Clean California litter abatement, the Games Route Network, homeless encampment coordinators, and DMV modernization and field office proposals, with LAO recommending rejection or delay on several of those requests as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• I move for the adoption of Amendment No. 879 to AB 402. Assemblymember Torres-Fossett.
• I move for the adoption of Amendment No. 879 to AB 402. You've heard the motion.
• I move for the adoption of Amendment No. 879 to AB 402. You've heard the motion.
• I move that the Assembly concur on Senate Amendment No. 615 to AB 184. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Continuing under Order of Business 13, can we continue under here to review AB 406?

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe AB 123 will help achieve that goal.
• I'm here in support of AB 123 on behalf of my organization and the Let Nevadans Vote Coalition.
• We urge the committee to support AB 123. Thank you. Thank you very much for your testimony, Ms.
• In addition, this bill, AB 123, brings the Secretary of State into the loop to take charge of the investigation
• AB 123 is superfluous and should not be considered for a vote. Thank you for your attention.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to seek clarifying language that just gives them the authority to disperse the funds according to **AB
• 2508** [AB 2508], which was passed last year.
• Yes, AB 94. So what's the debt service, all told?
• On AB 94? Yes.
• AB 2033 made basic needs, including emergency food requirements on campus, a priority.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This was AB 130 trailer bill, which put in a code pause for the next year.
• This was AB 130 trailer bill, which put in a code pause for the next two code cycles.
• The Legislature should require a 30% cost reduction, as proposed in AB 6 by Assemblymember Ward, and,
• memos to help local governments update their local coastal programs to implement SB 9, SB 423, and AB
• And we're hoping that, even given AB 130's limitations on new measure development that's in place, we

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Regulatory Authority held its first hearing to examine how California’s regulatory framework affects housing production, affordability, and timelines. Chair Pacheco and Assemblymember Haney framed the discussion around the state’s housing shortage and the need to reduce costs while maintaining environmental, safety, and community protections. The first panel featured housing experts and industry representatives who argued that state regulations, code complexity, utility constraints, and agency review processes add substantial cost and delay to development. Bill Fulton described overlapping state and local land-use authorities and the tension among housing, coastal protection, climate, and wildfire goals. CBIA’s Chris Ochoa and California Apartment Association representative Bob Raymer said building codes, energy mandates, and agency processes have materially increased per-home costs, and they urged more centralized affordability analysis and greater scrutiny of regulatory impacts. The Bay Area Council’s Louis Marante called for a statewide cost target for housing and stronger timelines and accountability for state agency reviews. The second panel brought in state agencies to explain their roles. HCD said its housing element enforcement, streamlining laws, and technical assistance have helped increase production, shorten entitlement timelines, and improve compliance by local governments. CARB said SB 375 is a planning law that does not directly regulate land use, and argued that regional housing assumptions in sustainable communities strategies are not being fully implemented on the ground. The Coastal Commission said it works with local governments to balance coastal protection, sea-level-rise risk, and housing, and noted recent guidance and pilot efforts to streamline housing approvals in the coastal zone. The Energy Commission said its building energy standards are designed to be cost-effective and save consumers money over time, though they can add some design and documentation complexity. Fish and Wildlife and DTSC both emphasized early engagement and collaboration to reduce delays while protecting natural resources and public health; DTSC said it is refining vapor intrusion guidance and using brownfield grants to support redevelopment. The State Water Resources Control Board said it uses general orders and basin planning to provide predictable permitting while balancing water quality, water rights, and housing needs, and noted billions in grants and loans for water infrastructure and site remediation that can support housing affordability. In response to questions from Assemblymember Haney, several agencies described ongoing coordination across departments, including regular meetings among HCD, CARB, the Coastal Commission, and transportation agencies, as well as broader interagency efforts to reduce redundancies and identify pinch points in project delivery. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the hearing; the main outcome was informational testimony and discussion of possible future reforms to improve coordination, predictability, and affordability in state regulatory processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(b), file item 11, AB 1448, the following bills will be referred to the
• to Senate Rule 29.10(c), the following bills are referred to the Committee on Rules: file item 110, AB
• 672; file item 22, AB 1149.
• In 2023, the Legislature passed AB 1283 on a bipartisan basis by then-Assemblymember Chen, which authorized
• Since the passage of AB 1283, the state has made access to preschool a priority and is now expanding

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, offered prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then moved through a series of confirmations, resolutions, and bills. Governor’s appointments for Dina Eltawasi as Caltrans director, Allison Salt Install to the Court Reporters Board, Olivia May Assumption to the California Commission on Disability Access, and William Adams to the California Exposition and State Fair Board were presented by Senator Grove and later confirmed. The body also adopted several resolutions and bills, including SCR 143 honoring the Hmong and Laotian special guerrilla unit veterans of the Vietnam-era secret war in Laos, SR 96 recognizing National County Government Month, SB 1347 clarifying stock albuterol authority in public schools, SB 977 requiring chain restaurants to offer at least one healthier children’s meal option, SB 1234 requiring fentanyl testing when juvenile dependency drug testing is already ordered, SCR 161 designating May 2026 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month, SR 101 replacing Senator Jones with Senator Ochoa Bogh on the Rules Committee, SB 1111 addressing unauthorized AI digital replicas, and SCR 128 establishing High School Voter Education Weeks. All of these items ultimately passed, many by unanimous or near-unanimous votes after calls were lifted for absent members. The chamber also heard brief support statements on the measures. Senator Umberg and Senator Archuleta emphasized the long-overdue recognition of Hmong and Laotian veterans; Senator Cortese and Senator McGuire highlighted the importance of counties and county workers amid federal policy changes; Senator Nilo described SB 1347 as a cleanup measure extending stock albuterol authorization to public schools including preschool; Senator Weber Pearson argued SB 977 would improve children’s nutrition and help families make healthier choices; Senator Alvarado-Gil framed SB 1234 as an anti-fentanyl safety measure for children; Senator Weber Pearson also presented SCR 161 as a response to widespread maternal mental health needs; Senator Ashby presented SB 1111 as a response to the rise in AI-generated deepfakes; and Senator Perez promoted youth civic engagement through SCR 128. Several confirmations and measures were approved by roll call, with later “lift and call” votes confirming the appointments and passing the resolutions and bills. The Senate also handled consent calendar items, with Senator Cervantes removing SB 1381 from consent. The remaining consent calendar items were approved. Committee announcements followed, including budget subcommittee meetings. The session concluded with Senator Wiener’s adjournment in memory of disability rights activist Alice Wong, who was remembered for her advocacy, writing, and disability justice work. The Senate then announced its next floor session for Monday, May 4, 2026, at 2 p.m., and adjourned until later that day for the formal adjournment motion.

Transcript Highlights:

• And members, these revenue changes were assumed in building our 2026 budget, which was passed in AB 109
• I rise in strong opposition to AB 122. You heard it.
• Members, the MCO tax was assumed in building our 2026 budget, which was passed in AB 109 on Monday...
• ...in building our 2026 budget, which was passed in AB 109 on Monday, and together with the revenues
• Secretary, please call the roll on file item 124, AB 2323. Allen, aye. Abrella Gill, aye.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Guadalupe Manriquez with the Department of Finance here to present on AB 108.
• As you nicely summarized, AB 108 includes $25 million one-time General Fund for grants to hospitals in
• AB 108, the motion is to pass. Senator Laird? Aye. Laird? Aye. Niello? Aye. Archuleta? Aye.
• AB 108, the motion is to pass. Senators Menjivar? Aye. Perez? Aye. Weber Pierson.
• On AB 108, please call the absent member. AB 108, the motion is due past Senator Weber Pierson.

Summary: The committee heard AB 108, a budget bill junior that would amend the 2025 Budget Act to create a one-time $25 million General Fund grant program at HCAI for hospitals in immediate and significant financial distress. The bill also included a technical change related to property tax deferments for eligible low-income seniors. Finance explained that eligible hospitals would have to be not-for-profit, have less than 10 days cash on hand, show best efforts to exhaust other financing, and have a payer mix of more than 50% government payers and uninsured patients; the bill also gives HCAI expedited contracting and rulemaking authority. Members and the LAO noted the proposal is intended as a short-term bridge until July 1, while broader hospital support is expected in the May Revision and next year’s budget. Much of the discussion focused on whether $25 million is enough, how many hospitals would qualify, and whether the 10-day cash threshold is too narrow. Several senators argued the administration had not provided enough data or a clear methodology, and raised concerns about fairness compared with the earlier Distressed Hospital Loan Program, which used broader criteria and provided loans rather than grants. Members also raised broader policy issues affecting hospital finances, including Medi-Cal reimbursement rates, seismic retrofit costs, federal funding changes, and the need for better data and more immediate assessment of hospital distress. The LAO said the current proposal is narrower than the prior loan program and emphasized the need for better reporting and analysis going forward. Public commenters, including the California Hospital Association, district hospital representatives, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and county officials, supported the bill and urged additional longer-term funding for distressed hospitals. The chair and several members said the bill is a short-term emergency measure for a small number of hospitals at risk of imminent closure, while broader solutions will be addressed later in the budget process. AB 108 was then moved and passed out of committee on an 18-0 vote, with the roll held open briefly to secure remaining votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• On the potential expansion, there are two bills that are moving: one, AB 290, extending grace periods
• So AB 290 was largely an automatic payment issue to establish within the Fair Plan.
• So we are in support of AB 226, which is Assemblymember Calderon and Alvarez's bill.
• You got AB 226. You have the CIS.
• Alvarez's AB 226.

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee held an oversight hearing on the California Fair Plan, focused on the plan’s rapid growth, its financial stability after the January Southern California wildfires, and its role as the insurer of last resort. Fair Plan officials explained that the plan was created in 1968, is a not-for-profit involuntary association of licensed property insurers, and is intended to be a temporary safety net until policyholders can return to the admitted market. They emphasized that the plan is not a state agency or taxpayer-funded, but is regulated by the Department of Insurance and supported by member-company assessments if claims exceed available funds. Victoria Roach and Armand Feliciano said the Fair Plan has grown sharply since 2018 and especially after market pullbacks by major insurers, reaching about 575,000 policies and roughly $600 billion in exposure by spring 2025. They noted that growth is increasingly occurring in lower wildfire-risk areas, where the plan can sometimes be cheaper than the voluntary market, and said this undermines depopulation back into the private market. They also discussed recent policy expansions, including coverage for farms, higher residential and commercial limits, and pending or proposed changes such as AB 290, SB 525, and AB 226, which would add tools like a line of credit and bond access. A major portion of the hearing addressed the January wildfire losses and the plan’s financial response. Fair Plan officials said they assessed member insurers for $1 billion after determining claims and cash flow would exceed available resources, and that the process was approved quickly and paid smoothly, with more than 80% of the assessment collected within 10 days. They also described the reinsurance tower, the plan’s limited surplus, and the need for actuarially sound rates to reduce future reliance on assessments. On claims handling, they said the plan has received over 5,500 claims from the fires, has paid more than $2.9 billion so far, expects total payments near $4 billion, and has focused on advancing payments quickly for total losses and other urgent needs. Members questioned the plan’s solvency, the growth in non-wildfire areas, claim denials, smoke-loss coverage, and how depopulation works. Roach said most closed claims without payment were duplicates rather than denials, and that smoke claims require direct physical loss under the policy, with coverage determined case by case. Public commenters from the California Building Industry Association and the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of California said the Fair Plan’s growth reflects a weak voluntary market, inadequate rates, and insurer fear of future assessments, and urged support for rate increases and AB 226. The hearing concluded with no vote, but with a commitment from Fair Plan officials to follow up on unanswered questions and continue providing more transparency through public data and website disclosures.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then, secondly, on the municipalization piece, AB 1167 was passed last year.
• a lot of similarities in the two bills, and we want to continue to work with the author on the way AB
• Can you explain to me what this bill does that wasn't covered by AB 1167?
• Because when I look at it, it seems like AB 1167 would prohibit lobbying against municipalization.
• We also have the AB 67 report. The SB 695 report shows trends...

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard several bills focused on utility affordability, transparency, and clean energy. SB 327 would bar investor-owned utilities from using ratepayer funds to oppose municipal utility formation and would clarify the Public Advocates Office’s authority to inspect utility books; supporters framed it as a ratepayer protection measure, while utilities and telecom/broadband interests opposed it unless amended, citing concerns about scope and participation in regulatory proceedings. After questions about how it differed from AB 1167 and how PAO discovery disputes are handled, the committee passed SB 327 as amended to Appropriations on an 11-2 vote, later reopening the roll to 12-2. SB 1350 would allow renewable portfolio standard credit for power plants using green hydrogen, with the author and supporters emphasizing hydrogen’s role in decarbonization, grid reliability, jobs, and the Lancaster/ARCHES project. Environmental groups opposed the bill unless amended, warning about NOx emissions, paper transactions, and the need for stronger safeguards on hydrogen sourcing and delivery. The committee discussed amendments, including a minimum 20% hydrogen blend and emissions-related guardrails, and passed the bill to Natural Resources on a 14-0 vote, later reopening the roll to 18-0. SB 868, the Plug and Play Solar Act, would create a framework for small plug-in balcony solar devices for renters and others without rooftop solar access, while setting safety standards and limiting system size. Supporters said it would lower bills and expand access to solar; utilities and some public power entities raised safety and backfeed concerns, arguing interconnection review under Rule 21 remains necessary. After extensive discussion of safety, certification, and export limits, the committee passed SB 868 as amended to Appropriations on a 17-0 vote, later reopening the roll to 18-0. SB 1233, a transparency bill requiring additional disclosure about utility cash on hand, capital structure, and related reporting, drew utility opposition over duplicative processes and possible delays, but was passed as amended to Appropriations on a 10-3 vote, later reopened to 11-3. The committee also approved the consent calendar unanimously and adjourned after reopening the rolls for absent members to add on.