Transcript Highlights:

• 19:33.040><c> business</c> code and make and building a business code and make and building a business
• modifications to the state building code for all municipalities.
• </c> and code modifications to the state and code modifications to the state building<01:21:05.120><c
• </c> building code for all municipalities. building code for all municipalities. um<01:21:07.520><c>
• >> It's because the building code review board looks at the fire code as well as the rest of the building

Committee: House Executive Departments and Administration

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So building code can be very complicated.
• Prohibit those local variations in building codes, allow state funding to draw for those factory deposits
• That would be a huge difference. prohibit those local variations in building codes, allow state funding
• to draw for those. variations in building codes, allow state funding to draw for those factory deposits
• It is the outdated building codes.

Summary: The Select Committee on Housing Construction Innovation met to examine how industrialized construction, including modular, panelized, manufactured, and 3D-printed building methods, could help lower California’s housing costs and speed delivery. Chair Buffy Wicks opened by describing the committee’s purpose as a cross-cutting effort to address construction costs, drawing on visits to factories in Sweden, Idaho, and Indiana. Members from both the committee and invited participants broadly agreed that California’s housing crisis is driven not only by land use and permitting, but also by high construction costs, labor shortages, and a lack of scalable innovation. Ben Metcalf of UC Berkeley’s Turner Center provided the main policy overview, saying California needs roughly 2.5 million additional homes by 2030 and that multifamily construction costs in the state can be far higher than in Texas or Colorado. He said factory-built housing can reduce hard costs and timelines under the right conditions, but barriers remain in financing, local code and design review, uncertain demand pipelines, and fragmented research and data. In response to committee questions, he discussed possible state actions such as pro-housing incentives, state-backed purchasing or subsidies, more standardized approvals, and better research infrastructure. Members also raised the need to involve labor and building trades in the process. A panel of developers and builders then described projects and cost savings from factory-built and related methods. Caleb Rupp of Pacific Companies said modular construction can save about 20% on average and cited a project where modular delivery reduced the need for public subsidy by $18 million; he suggested incentives such as tax exemptions, state-owned sites, third-party inspections, and limits on local code variation. Lois Kim of Mutual Housing California described a pipeline of more than 660 units across six jurisdictions, saying a predictable factory pipeline can reduce construction time by about 40% and total development costs by at least 10%. Danny Haber of O’WOW said standardized design, componentized construction, and mass timber can cut costs substantially, while also criticizing outdated codes, utility hookup fees, and financing costs. Donna Jamian of Emergent Construction described California’s first code-approved 3D concrete printing projects, including homes in Redding and work on a commercial building and fire-recovery projects in Altadena. She said current codes have not caught up to the technology and asked for participation in local self-certification programs. Committee members asked about the role of state incentives, code alignment, financing support, and how to build developer confidence after failures like Katerra. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational and ended with plans for further hearings and a forthcoming white paper with policy recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• State.
• The State Treasurer's Investment Council is about $17 billion.
• Only the State Investment Council participates in this. This allows for them to have the liquidity.
• It's a good collaboration between the State Treasurer's Office and the State Investment Council.
• This is something that is long-term, and that's why we suggested the State Investment Council.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• If they build even more affordable than what is strictly stated or obviously stated in the current statute
• Momentum is building in red and blue states alike.
• Testifying with me in support are Keith Dunn, State Building Trades, and Paul DeRero, Western States
• Keith Dunn, on behalf of the State Building Construction Trades Council.
• Keith Dunn on behalf of the State Building and Construction Trades Council are here happy to support

Summary: The committee heard a long series of bills, beginning with AB 2026 on groundwater recharge. The author and supporters said the bill would streamline permitting for recharge projects, codify long-standing CEQA exemptions for flood diversions to recharge, and add tribal consultation and other guardrails. Water agencies and local districts supported the measure as a way to capture high-flow water and reduce groundwater subsidence, while environmental groups and some irrigation districts opposed it, warning that the bill’s exemptions and broader diversion authority could harm rivers, Delta resources, and public trust values. The bill was discussed but not voted on because the committee lacked a quorum at that point. The committee then took up AB 1577 on data center energy accountability, which would require monthly reporting of energy-use data and permit-related estimates of energy and water demand. The author and the Little Hoover Commission argued the bill would improve transparency, help protect ratepayers, and give regulators better information for grid planning. Data center industry representatives opposed it as duplicative, burdensome, and uniquely targeted, while local governments, environmental groups, and some utilities supported it or supported it if amended. The bill was later reported out with a due pass recommendation once a quorum was established. Members also heard AB 2245 on a producer responsibility program for lubricant products and containers, AB 2170 on CEQA language-access and environmental review protections for overburdened communities, AB 2059 on rural transportation and VMT mitigation, AB 1808 on Western Joshua tree permitting and fee relief, AB 2182 on industrial energy efficiency program changes, and AB 2231 on streamlining two hospital projects. Testimony was mixed on most of these bills: supporters emphasized affordability, local control, environmental justice, or project urgency, while opponents raised concerns about CEQA scope, regulatory duplication, costs, and environmental impacts. Several measures received due pass recommendations and roll-call votes, including AB 2170, AB 2059, AB 1808, AB 2182, and AB 2231, with some members voting no or not voting and some bills left open for absent members.

Transcript Highlights:

• Right, we don't have building codes in a lot of them, but they make do. Right? There's no zoning.
• Madam Chair, Representative, because there are no building codes, there's no impact, a lot of times.
• I wouldn't say there's no building codes because I know we put money to do ADA upgrades to those, like
• codes.
• The community itself typically will not have building codes.

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Filipino American in the state Senate.
• , those who not only build our communities in agriculture, those who build our communities in construction
• And the states have stepped up, both red states and blue states, to say that our children deserve products
• Several hours of ethics and code study.
• This could be true depending on the zip code that you live in because maybe you have a zip code with

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As you all know, health councils received $4 million in state funds and over $600,000 from the Department
• So on the left side are the state agencies health councils are connected with the top 13.
• Five health councils reported that they are getting other funding from different state agencies.
• And when I say we, I mean health councils. Every health council in this. state.
• the state.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• For nearly 20 years, we have had state-adopted some of the nation's first wildfire building standards
• The building code has been around now for 20 years, so builders know it.
• The building industry has been part of writing that code.
• And that is directly tied to fire code, building code, and to defensible space mitigations.
• And that is directly tied to fire code, building code, and defensible space mitigations.

Summary: The joint Senate hearing focused on California wildfire resilience funding, the SB 254 report on natural catastrophe resilience, and how the state should better prioritize community hardening, recovery, and financing. Senators emphasized that catastrophic wildfires have driven major property losses, insurance cancellations, and affordability problems, and several members argued that prevention and home/community hardening should receive far more attention than they have to date. Members also raised concerns about CEQA and other permitting delays, the need for ongoing rather than one-time funding, and whether the state should rely more on the General Fund, utilities, or other sources such as polluter-pays approaches. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the state has appropriated about $4.7 billion for wildfire resilience since 2018-19, with most funding going to forest health, fuels reduction, and related landscape work, while only about $65 million has been specifically targeted to community hardening. LAO also noted that future one-time funding is likely to decline, that GGRF revenues may be limited under the new cap-and-invest structure, and that maintenance costs for treated areas could be substantial over time. Senators pressed LAO on why wildfire resilience is not more often funded through the General Fund and on whether current spending matches the scale of the risk. Cal Fire’s State Fire Marshal described the state’s community wildfire preparedness strategy, centered on home hardening, defensible space, and neighborhood-scale mitigation, and said the SB 254 report aligns with Cal Fire’s direction. He said California has roughly 4 million homes in the wildland-urban interface, most built before modern wildfire-resistant standards, and highlighted recent streamlining that approved 383 fuels-reduction projects in under 30 days during an emergency proclamation. Cal OES described the AB 38 pilot and FEMA hazard mitigation work, saying federal approval delays have been a major barrier and that the state has hardened 155 properties so far through the pilot, with many more in process. The Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force said the state has coordinated more than $6 billion in state and federal investments, treated over 700,000 acres annually, and is shifting toward more regional, data-driven planning and block grants. Task force staff and Cal Fire both said they are moving beyond simple acreage metrics toward models that estimate avoided loss and community risk reduction, but acknowledged major data gaps on parcel-level home hardening and defensible space. No formal votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with members discussing possible future legislation and budget changes, including home inspection reforms and continued CEQA streamlining.

Transcript Highlights:

• , this government body that this state, this government here in this building is trying to do.
• , this government body that this state, this government here in this building is trying to do.
• , this government body that this state, this government here in this building is trying to do.
• We make our own city code, our own building code, in accordance with the law.
• city code, our own building code our own city code, our own building code accordance<03:01:01.920><c

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the state senator from northeastern Minnesota, the largest and most rural district in the state,
• I am state you very much, Mr. Chair.
• </c><00:03:36.400><c> with</c> we stay competitive as a state with we stay competitive as a state with
• ,</c> and most rural district in the state, and most rural district in the state, and<00:04:08.000><c
• </c> amendment or two for the build tomorrow. amendment or two for the build tomorrow.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• on around the state.
• It's in our state.
• I'm here specifically to address Century Code 53-06 of the Century Code.
• I'm here specifically to address Century Code 53-06 of the Century Code.
• of re-arrest also builds.

Committee: Joint Judiciary Committee

Summary: The Judiciary Interim Committee met to continue its study of charitable gaming, especially the ownership of alcoholic beverage establishments by licensed charitable gaming organizations and the relationship between charities, site owners, and gaming manufacturers/distributors. Legislative Council reviewed the background memo and Attorney General’s Gaming Division explained the legal framework, including site authorizations, rent limits, allowable expenses, and restrictions on distributors and manufacturers. Members focused heavily on electronic pull tabs, asking about the large gap between gross proceeds and adjusted proceeds, how much is paid out in winnings, how much is retained for expenses, and whether the 60% allowable-expense cap is being used as intended. The AG’s office said e-tabs account for most gaming volume, that winnings make up much of the difference, and that some organizations do not use the full 60% while others may exceed it, though only the capped amount counts as gaming expense. The committee also discussed the number of gaming organizations that appear to own or be affiliated with bars, the ways those ownership structures are formed, and whether some arrangements may create conflicts or site-selection pressure. The League of Cities and the Association of Counties described the local site-authorization process and recent model policies adopted after the 2025 session. Cities said they can require signed agreements, limit games and machines, set qualifications, and charge up to $100 for site authorization, but cannot require charities to donate net proceeds or force a specific charity or site. They said the new policies are meant to add transparency and local control, though the more controversial parts involve requiring a local nexus or community connection. County representatives said the issue is mostly a city matter and that counties generally take a lighter-touch approach. Committee members raised concerns about whether local rules could unfairly exclude larger regional charities or create inconsistent standards across cities. The North Dakota Gaming Alliance said it supports the study and provided information on charities that own or are affiliated with bars, emphasizing that most gaming organizations do not own alcoholic beverage establishments. Its representative said some charities may pursue bar ownership for site stability and diversification, while others decide against it because operating a bar is difficult. He also said a ban on charity-owned bars could raise federal tax-law issues depending on how it is written, and agreed to provide more detail. The committee asked Legislative Council and the Gaming Alliance for additional information on ownership structures and federal-law questions before the next meeting. Later, the Racing Commission gave a separate update on live racing, pari-mutuel wagering, and related charitable partnerships, and the State Hospital superintendent reported on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s support services, staffing, and wait lists; no votes were taken on these presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Texans' abilities to build their own futures and contribute to the great state of Texas.
• the state.
• After a lot of research and college visits, I applied to several out-of-state colleges. of state programs
• state of Arkansas, and the state of Wyoming.
• You mentioned a couple of states had adopted it. Were there any states that have rejected it?

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He noted that there are 335 area codes in the United States and 53 in Canada, with additional codes in
• which was first in administer this code which was first in United<01:43:54.880><c> States</c><01:43:
• The state does not have jurisdiction over area codes. We cannot reserve area codes.
• It would be wise for our state university systems and our legislature to support them in building the
• states have moratoriums on building nuclear.

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• care councils, ensuring the recommendations and for state level decision makers.
• So the the Faith Advisory Council, Florida's faith, an advisory council senator Polsky was established
• So the council is the council. They're not test with the day-to-day operations there.
• That is not a state run website.
• So I know sits on the council.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill helps the state address wildlife crossings on routine state highway maintenance projects, digging
• The Australian Code of Practice was The Australian Code of Practice was developed after years of research
• California has fallen behind the rest of the nation and is the only state in the United States with this
• This state is very diverse. To you, Mr.
• We can’t do it yet with the state. So here you are where you cannot build essential...

Committee: Senate Natural Resources and Water

Summary: The committee heard SB 1393, an omnibus update to the Fish and Game Code covering steelhead trout and Dungeness crab management. The author and supporters said the bill would strengthen the steelhead trout report card program, extend and refine Dungeness crab management, and clarify vessel transit rules in closed crab fishing areas. The Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, and other supporters said the measure implements long-standing task force recommendations and supports both conservation and coastal fishing communities. There was no opposition, and the bill was moved forward on a 4-0 vote to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 1250, which would require Caltrans to incorporate wildlife connectivity into transportation planning and asset management, set performance targets, and coordinate with wildlife agencies. Supporters from conservation, animal welfare, land trust, and local government groups said the bill would reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, improve public safety, and better integrate crossings, culverts, and fencing into routine highway projects. The California Building Industry Association moved to a neutral position after amendments clarified the bill would apply to transportation right-of-way planning and not create exactions on private property. Members discussed the bill’s relationship to Caltrans planning authority and existing funding, and it was passed to Appropriations on a 4-0 vote. Senator Gonzalez’s SB 1268, which would codify the state’s Outdoors for All initiative, also received broad support from environmental justice, conservation, parks, and recreation groups. Testimony emphasized inequitable access to parks and nature, especially for low-income communities and communities of color, and said the bill would make the initiative more durable by placing it in statute. The chair and members spoke in favor of expanding outdoor access, and the bill was approved on a 3-0 vote with some members not yet voting. The committee then heard three Western Joshua tree bills from Senator Ochoa Bogh. SB 1061 would streamline relocation of limited numbers of trees without fees in certain cases; SB 1062 would require proportionate or tiered mitigation fees for public utilities and agencies; and SB 1063 would create an expedited, fee-free permitting path for basic residential utility and wildfire-hardening projects. Supporters, including local water agencies, counties, and farm and business groups, said the current law imposes heavy costs on desert residents and ratepayers. Opponents, including wildlife and conservation organizations, argued the bills would weaken protections for a species they said is threatened by climate change and habitat loss, and noted that existing administrative processes are already addressing fees and permitting. After amendments, opposition was withdrawn on SB 1061 and SB 1062, and both bills advanced on 3-0 votes to Appropriations; SB 1063 remained under discussion in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So in that act, all of the state agencies were told to go back and review code pertaining to their agency
• management to the state and hunting fines.
• This is 30 sections of code.
• That revises Idaho Code Section 38-111.
• We assess all state timberlands, all industrial, private, and state timberlands, our endowment timberlands

Summary: The Conservation and Resources Committee approved the January 27, 2026 minutes and then considered several RSs tied to the Idaho Code Cleanup Act. Representative Dustin Manwaring explained that the RSs were recommended by the DOGE task force to repeal outdated or unused code: RS 32887 (Fish and Game, wolf-management transition and hunting fine provisions), RS 32890 (Parks and Recreation, an unused outdoor recreation enhancement/Park and Recreation Fund program), RS 32902 (Water Resources, obsolete compact and trust-account provisions), and RS 32903 (Lands, provisions on floating timber and townsite claims). Each RS was introduced by committee vote. Representative Mark Sauter presented RS 33049, which would expand and update rules for water-skiing activities on public waters, including allowing driver-and-skier-only skiing in limited circumstances with added equipment, age, and time restrictions. A committee member asked whether other user groups such as paddlers or kayakers had been consulted; Sauter said he had not reached out broadly but would be prepared to answer more if the measure received a hearing. The committee voted to introduce RS 33049. The committee then heard House Joint Memorial 9 from Representative Judy Boyle and J.R. Simplot Company representative Elizabeth Kreiner. The memorial asks Congress to reaffirm FLPMA as the governing law for federal land exchanges after a Ninth Circuit decision raised questions about older land-disposal statutes. Kreiner described a decades-long Simplot-BLM exchange that was later challenged in court and said the ruling could affect completed and future exchanges across the West. The committee voted to send H.J.M. 9 to the floor with a do-pass recommendation. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 511, also from Representative Boyle, to raise the cap on the wildland-urban interface fire-protection surcharge from $40 to $100. Boyle and Idaho Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller said the current cap has not changed since 2009 and no longer covers rising firefighting costs amid growth in the WUI; logging and forest-industry witnesses supported the bill as a modest way to fund fire protection. After testimony, the committee voted to send H.B. 511 to the floor with a do-pass recommendation and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I was on the council before that. I was appointed to the council in 2002 by our mayor.
• to the state that's absorbing your placement.
• The position was created by the Idaho Code.
• code.
• Or would the private entity who's just got insurance coverage from the state, or would it be the state

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• All other support and opposition can be stated at the standing mic when called upon; simply state your
• The committee's own analysis stated June 29th states this bill applies to bikeway conversions, quote,
• It further states that it applies to jurisdictions that accept state general fund monies in the future
• We know that illegal dumping is an issue across the state.
• So SB 1087 helps us build on that kind of momentum.

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard several bills focused on active transportation, transit, road safety, and local enforcement. SB 569 would restrict removal or downgrading of bikeways built with state General Fund dollars for at least 20 years, require public hearings before major changes, and was supported by bicycle advocates and some local and environmental groups. The City of Encinitas opposed the bill, arguing it could limit needed safety fixes and should apply only to future projects; committee members discussed whether the bill still allowed safety-based modifications. The bill passed on a due pass vote to Appropriations. SB 741 would streamline the Low-Carbon Transit Operations Program by reducing administrative burden and giving transit agencies more flexibility to use funds for service improvements, fare programs, and other transit needs while maintaining oversight and disadvantaged community requirements. Transit agencies and advocacy groups supported the measure, saying it would help agencies respond to post-pandemic ridership and financial challenges. The committee approved the bill on a due pass as amended vote to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 1167, which would tighten consumer protections by clarifying that high-powered e-motos and similar motor vehicles are not e-bikes, requiring clearer disclosures and labels, and improving crash reporting. Supporters said the bill would reduce confusion and improve safety for riders, pedestrians, and parents; the Motorcycle Industry Council opposed unless amended, arguing the term “e-bike” is used broadly and the bill could affect existing businesses. The bill passed to Appropriations. Later, SB 953, dealing with vehicular manslaughter cases dismissed through misdemeanor diversion, would add DMV points so fatal conduct remains reflected on driving records; the bill was supported by the victim’s family and safety advocates and passed to Appropriations. The committee then heard SB 1218, which would let local agencies boot vehicles tied to repeated unpaid illegal dumping citations instead of using DMV enforcement. Oakland officials and community groups supported the bill as a needed deterrent, while the ACLU opposed it as punitive debt collection without a sufficient nexus to the vehicle. The bill passed to Appropriations. Finally, SB 739 would revise the Clean Miles Standard for rideshare companies by allowing CARB and CPUC to adjust electric vehicle mileage targets in light of current market conditions; Uber and Lyft supported the flexibility, while clean air advocates began raising concerns about weakening climate goals as the transcript cut off.

Transcript Highlights:

• Notwithstanding what the law says, our Children's Code states about when you must be heard.
• Stated differently, to build community resilience, invest in the youth of your community.
• , not under the adult criminal code.
• A council created to place youth at the center of building a stronger, more sustainable behavioral health
• As one of our council members.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> that the state owns that they can build that the state owns that they can build houses<00:21:20.720
• The State Fire Council does, and we'd like to see that rather in the fire code and not just actually
• The State Fire Council does, and we'd like to see that rather in the fire code and not just actually
• code the State<00:41:55.800><c> Fire</c><00:41:56.079><c> Council</c><00:41:56.440><c> does</c><00:41
• :56.960><c> and</c> State Fire Council does and State Fire Council does and we<00:41:58.440><c> we'd<

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee first took up SB 534, a measure concerning development in Kakaʻako Makai involving the Hawaii Community Development Authority and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The chairs explained that the hearing was decision-making only and no testimony would be accepted, though members could ask clarifying questions. The chair outlined amendments to clarify HCDA’s approval process, require an environmental impact statement before residential development proposals are submitted, require Department of Health documentation on hazardous substances, and specify that only OHA-owned parcels would be eligible for certain residential development with a 400-foot height limit and maximum floor area ratio of 10.0. The amendments also addressed affordability, owner-occupancy, association fees, and a special fund, while noting Attorney General concerns that the fee could be construed as a tax and suggesting further review by Judiciary and Ways and Means. Members discussed the affordability threshold, with one senator suggesting 160% AMI instead of 140% due to high housing costs and concern that essential workers could be priced out. Others raised concerns about Native Hawaiian affordability, the long-term effect of perpetuity restrictions, and whether the process would protect OHA’s interests. An HCDA representative said 140% AMI was used in existing reserve housing rules and that lower thresholds could make development economically infeasible. OHA and other supporters said the proposal was still early in planning and emphasized the need for public hearings, community input, and compliance with environmental and remediation standards. The committees voted to pass SB 534 with amendments: Water and Land approved it 4-1, and Hawaiian Affairs also adopted the chair’s recommendation, with one member excused and one voting no. The meeting then moved to SB 3, relating to water resource management. The bill would authorize the Commission on Water Resource Management to retain independent legal counsel, create an executive director position, allow challenges to emergency orders under certain conditions, establish fines for water use offenses, and revise emergency and shortage declaration procedures; Red Hill-related provisions were noted as removed from this version. Testimony was largely supportive, including from DLNR, the Board of Water Supply, OHA, and Sierra Club, with OHA stressing the measure’s importance to Native Hawaiian water rights and past litigation. A Department of Hawaiian Home Lands representative supported the bill with amendments and recommended explicit language directing the commission chair or designee to advocate for water rights and reservations for homelands. The chair indicated the committees would use the prior Senate-passed version as the basis for further action, and the discussion then moved on to SB 130, a search-and-rescue reimbursement bill.