Transcript Highlights:

• HIV and viral hepatitis by preserving existing laws which increase access to sterile syringes.

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and thank you so much for your service, as well as Adrienne Trullock from the Hawaii Historic Preservation

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• are doing at DCNR, and I cannot stress enough how much of a fan I am of their work and how they preserve

Bills: HB55 , HB212

Committee: House Agriculture and Forestry

Keywords: fishing, licensing, jubilee, Marine life, Alabama, regulations, HB212, aquatic plants, public waters, state waters, waterways, water management, aquatic vegetation, weed removal, vegetation control, lake management, river management, environmental regulation, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, DCNR

Transcript Highlights:

• ENSURE THE THIRD BENEFIT THAT IS IF THEY ARE ALL HIT BY A BUS THE WAY HOME WE HAVE POLICIES AND PRESERVE

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We applaud the remarkable skill, discipline, and artistry of Shen Yun's performers who preserve and celebrate

Transcript Highlights:

• The current statute requires sexual assault evidence kits to be preserved for a period of 20 years or
• So it would make sense to change that so that you have to preserve it for the statute of limitations
• for a period of 20 years to be preserved for a period of 20 years or<02:03:37.360><c> the</c><02:03:
• </c><02:03:52.239><c> you</c><02:03:52.480><c> have</c><02:03:52.560><c> to</c><02:03:52.719><c> preserve
• </c> to change that that you have to preserve to change that that you have to preserve it<02:03:53.280

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• staffers to help those of us who plan events deal with interruptions and protests in a way that preserves
• c><00:09:30.160><c> the</c><00:09:30.480><c> occasion</c><00:09:30.880><c> for</c> in a way that preserves
• the occasion for in a way that preserves the occasion for free<00:09:31.360><c> speech.
• Such points, of course, merit examination, but can preserving the power of the parties ever justify a
• </c><01:01:05.440><c> the</c> examination, but can preserving the examination, but can preserving the

Committee: House Election Law

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It preserves an important program that is important for our ratepayers while also meeting the moment
• You want to preserve EmPower forever, and I agree with you. I appreciate that.
• You want to preserve get rid of EmPower. You want to preserve EmPower<01:47:57.840><c> forever.
• </c><02:45:11.480><c> these</c><02:45:11.680><c> waivers</c> think we need to preserve these waivers
• think we need to preserve these waivers and<02:45:12.240><c> most</c><02:45:12.520><c> importantly,</

Keywords: House streaming session for Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 957, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Lastly, the bill preserves the five-year grant of leasing authority of any town property to the select
• Lastly, the bill preserves the five-year grant of leasing authority of any town property to the select
• They wanted to preserve their bonding capacity for other capital projects and wanted to use a lease with
• </c><02:13:40.679><c> their</c><02:13:40.840><c> bonding</c> wanted to preserve their bonding wanted
• to preserve their bonding capacity<02:13:41.800><c> for</c><02:13:42.000><c> other</c><02:13:42.360><

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Municipal and County Government Committee held public hearings on House Bill 471 and House Bill 373. HB 471 would create a temporary commission to study growth, traffic, planning, and land use issues in a group of southern New Hampshire towns, with possible recommendations on regional planning commission boundaries or coordination. Representative Perez said the bill was requested by Londonderry residents and local officials, and Eric Power of Brookline testified in support, saying the towns share corridor and development issues that cross regional planning commission lines. Several members questioned whether existing law already allows towns to form regional planning commissions under RSA 364:6, whether the bill should be broader, and whether the town list should include additional communities. The hearing closed with testimony counts reported as two in support and three opposed on remote sign-in, plus one opposed and one in support on the blue sheet. HB 373, sponsored by Representative Diane Powers, would revise RSA 41:11-a on town property leases. Powers said current law is too restrictive because leases over five years require repeated town votes, which she argued is impractical for long-term arrangements. She cited examples from Hampton and Brookline, including long-term road and property leases, and said she had found multiple similar cases. The bill would keep select board authority for leases under one year, allow a legislative body to authorize a specific longer lease by a three-fifths ballot vote, and preserve the existing five-year blanket leasing authority with a three-fifths vote, while keeping existing leases valid if authority is later rescinded. Eric Power testified in support, describing recurring lease renewals in Brookline and saying longer terms are needed for projects such as housing, cell towers, and solar arrays. Members asked about the change from a simple town vote to a three-fifths threshold and whether the bill duplicates existing mechanisms; Powers said the higher threshold was intended because the leases involve long-term commitments. No votes were taken during the hearing portion described.

Transcript Highlights:

• legislature's direction seriously, and we remain committed to implementing Senate Bill 37 in a way that preserves
• funding, data, controlled technology, intellectual property, and institutional integrity while preserving
• It is a tool for preserving that trust.
• the ones that are a problem and we have to deal with them, but we have to do it in a way that we preserve

Summary: The Senate Committee on Higher Education met with a quorum, adopted its interim rules on a 6-0 vote, and heard opening remarks from members and staff introductions. The chair emphasized higher education’s role in workforce development and noted a Legislative Budget Board survey issue that was resolved after a community college initially did not respond because the survey was marked optional. The committee then focused on monitoring implementation of Senate Bill 37, which governs public higher education boards, curriculum review, faculty senates/councils, training for regents, and the ombudsman office. Testimony from Chancellor Brandon Creighton of Texas Tech, Commissioner Wynn Rosser, UNT Chancellor Michael Williams, and Ombudsman Brandon Simmons described how SB 37 is being implemented. They said boards now have stronger authority, faculty senates are advisory, and institutions are reviewing general education curricula and other programs for rigor, relevance, and workforce value. Rosser said the statewide advisory committee is reviewing the core curriculum and board training requirements are being administered, while Simmons reported the ombudsman office has received 73 complaints, opened two investigations, and expects a third, with many complaints outside its jurisdiction or harassing in nature. Members questioned witnesses about transfer credits, board training content, auditing, conflicts of interest, curriculum decisions, and whether any institutions were missing deadlines. Rosser said non-transferable credits have declined since reporting began under earlier law, and that the most common reason is courses outside degree requirements. Witnesses said they were not aware of institutions missing the SB 37 review deadlines. Senators also raised concerns about an appearance of impropriety in a Texas Tech-related matter and about whether a Dred Scott case should be taught in law school, with Creighton saying the curriculum review process did not prohibit teaching Supreme Court cases and that he would follow up. Later testimony from University of Houston, Texas State, UT, and Texas A&M system officials said their systems had updated policies, abolished prior faculty senates, created compliant advisory councils, and completed or were completing core curriculum reviews and related governance changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that is very relevant to what we consider in these rules, because if we preserve the freedom, the
• And that is very relevant to what we consider in these rules, because if we preserve the freedom, the
• Ten years from now, I believe we will be amazed what we see in this state if we preserve creativity and
• I respectfully ask the committee to preserve that flexibility and continue trusting homeschool parents

Committee: All ALC-ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

Summary: The Administrative Rules Subcommittee met to review a long agenda of agency rule changes, beginning with housekeeping on the order of business and then taking up rules from multiple state agencies. Early items included Department of Energy and Environment rules on landfill post-closure trust fund spending thresholds and liquefied petroleum gas standards, DFA’s odometer disclosure rule allowing electronic signatures and disclosures, and several Department of Health rules covering ionizing radiation, mobile home and recreational parks, lead-based paint, counseling licensure, hearing instrument dispensers, athletic training, dental specialties and compacts, nursing, pharmacy, physician assistants, medical compacts, speech-language pathology and audiology, radiologic technology, massage therapy, community health workers, doula certification, and cosmetology/body art. Most of these were described as technical updates, conformity with recent acts, federal standards, or compact participation, and nearly all were approved without objection after brief questions and, in many cases, no public comment. The committee also reviewed Department of Labor and Licensing rules on minimum wage/independent contractor standards, boiler rules, motor vehicle commission requirements for ATV/LSV dealers, professional wrestling regulation, appraiser qualifications, and military recruiting and retention programs. Testimony generally emphasized that the rules implemented recent legislation, updated fees or licensing standards, or streamlined existing processes. Members asked a few questions about fee structures, the rationale for regulating professional wrestling, and how the National Guard’s public-private partnership and incentive programs would work; the department said the recruiting incentives would be funded from existing appropriations and were intended to improve retention and force strength. These rules were also approved without objection. The most extensive discussion came on the Department of Education’s Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program rule. The department said the revisions, based on Act 920 of 2025, were intended to add guardrails, clarify allowable expenses, and speed approval of core educational purchases. Changes included defining core educational expenses, limiting certain sports-related spending, adding an intentional misuse standard, restricting phone purchases except for disability-related needs, setting a $1,000 threshold for additional review of technology purchases, capping carryover funds at $8,500, and creating a reconsideration process for denied expenses. Members raised concerns about safeguards, appeals, sports equipment, provider credentialing, rural vendor access, and whether the department would be flexible or overly restrictive. The department said it would review every request, provide written explanations for denials, allow appeals up to the State Board, and refer suspected fraud to prosecutors if necessary. After hearing from 13 members of the public, the committee continued to discuss the rule, but the transcript ends before any final vote on the EFA rule is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the question, though, is how are the institutional safeguards maintained to preserve the board’s independence
• low-cost or very low-cost or no-cost acquisition because we have conservation partners that have preserved
• and Equity, the CARE Fund, that would focus on homeowner stabilization and affordable housing preservation
• to fund the Governor's proposed new ZEV incentive as well as medium- and heavy-duty, as well as preserving

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:

• BYOP removes large, volatile loads from ERCOT, reducing strain and preserving capacity for existing Texans
• Loads from ERCOT, reducing strain and preserving capacity for existing Texans. Second, cost.
• integrating DERs in a way that protects consumers, promotes competition and customer choice, and preserves
• to be warmed in the winter or cooled in the summer and have their medications, such as insulin, preserved

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• deletion rule that recognizes the harm caused by mass data aggregation, which can be done while preserving
• deletion rule that recognizes the harm caused by mass data aggregation, which can be done while preserving
• statewide limit is workable, and that this bill aligns with California's privacy interests and also preserves
• And lastly, it preserves a little human dignity in the workplace because with the growth of this technology

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on AI, privacy, and surveillance. SB 903 would prohibit AI from independently providing psychotherapy or presenting itself as a licensed mental health provider, require disclosure and informed consent, and protect psychotherapy records under confidentiality laws. The bill was presented with powerful testimony from Maria Rain, whose son died by suicide after prolonged interactions with ChatGPT, and was supported by behavioral health groups, labor organizations, and privacy advocates. Tech and medical groups opposed unless amended, arguing the bill could restrict beneficial clinical uses of AI, create conflicts around triage and screening, and raise privacy and innovation concerns. The committee voted 4-0 to send SB 903 to Appropriations. SB 1119, a companion measure to AB 2023, would create a broader regulatory framework for chatbot interactions with children, including annual risk assessments, crisis-response protocols, parental controls, notice and time-limit requirements, limits on advertising and use of children’s data, public incident reporting, audits, and a private right of action. Maria Rain again testified in support, describing how ChatGPT allegedly encouraged and coached her son Adam Raine toward suicide. Supporters said the bill is needed to prevent sycophantic, addictive chatbot behavior and protect minors. Opponents, including CalChamber, TechNet, the California Medical Association, and others, raised concerns about overlapping requirements with SB 243, vague standards, prescriptive design mandates, audit confidentiality, and the private right of action. The committee voted 4-1 to send SB 1119 to Judiciary. The committee also heard SB 1013, which would require annual DOJ audits of automated license plate reader users, stronger employee training, and a 30-day retention limit for ALPR data. Supporters argued the bill would address widespread misuse and over-retention of data that mostly tracks innocent drivers. Law enforcement groups opposed, saying the 30-day limit would hinder investigations, especially in older or complex cases, though they supported stronger safeguards and audits. The bill passed 4-1 to Appropriations. SB 1292, dealing with automated curb-management enforcement in six cities, passed 4-1 to call after supporters said it would help cities manage loading zones, bike lanes, and AV-related curb use, while privacy advocates warned against expanding automated surveillance and pilot programs. The committee also approved SB 1101, requiring higher education institutions to notify students, faculty, and staff when personal information is shared with federal agencies; it passed 5-0 to Appropriations. Finally, SB 951, the California Worker Technological Displacement Act, was introduced to require advance notice and reporting when AI or other technology displaces workers, with labor support and Chamber opposition; testimony began, but no final action on that bill appears in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• reductions and cuts in areas that impact the IDD community, we need to be attentive and ready to preserve
• We need to do everything that we can as a state to preserve the vital safety net.
• We need to do everything that we can as a state to preserve the vital safety net that we have stitched
• So preserving meaningful community representation and oversight is essential to ensuring an equitable

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services heard testimony on Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and related budget and trailer bill proposals, with a major focus on the impacts of H.R. 1 on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). DDS and the Department of Social Services (DSS) said H.R. 1 could affect Medi-Cal and CalFresh access, but that people with disabilities and caregivers are exempt from the work requirements; the administration is working on data matching and automation through the statewide eligibility system to identify exemptions, with June 1, 2026 as the implementation date for CalFresh changes. Witnesses and advocates warned that any loss of Medi-Cal could create fiscal pressure on regional centers and households, while public commenters described the real-life consequences of losing services. Committee members repeatedly expressed concern about cost shifts to counties and asked for harm-mitigation strategies before the May Revision. The committee also reviewed the governor’s IHSS-related proposals. DSS said the budget would set a baseline for authorized hours, align IHSS disenrollment/reinstatement with Medi-Cal eligibility processes, and eliminate the IHSS backup provider system, while emphasizing that individual service hours would still be based on assessed need. DDS said if a person loses IHSS or Medi-Cal, regional centers may have to step in as payer of last resort for some services, potentially at higher state cost. Members and the Legislative Analyst’s Office questioned whether counties could absorb the proposed shifts without reducing services, and asked for more detail on implementation, data quality controls, and how regional centers could help families navigate disruptions. A separate trailer bill on DDS rate reform and the Quality Incentive Program drew mixed reactions. DDS proposed extending a contract exemption and delaying final rate reform regulations to 2030, saying the changes are budget-neutral and needed for implementation. DDS reported that about 81% of providers had completed the current Quality Incentive Program requirements, but providers and advocates argued the 90-10 structure can function like a penalty and may destabilize services if providers lose 10% of funding. Committee members asked for clearer assistance to providers, possible flexibility for good-faith efforts, and a redlined version of the language before the May Revision. The committee also heard DDS’s proposed trailer bill on regional center governance and provider capacity. DDS said the language would consolidate regional center contracts and performance measures, strengthen board training and oversight, require consumer advisory committees, expand independent legal support, raise the threshold for board approval of contracts, and remove barriers such as physical-office requirements and duplicate vendorization. DDS said the goal is to improve accountability and efficiency while preserving person-centered services, and members indicated they wanted further refinement and stakeholder input before moving forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• It strengthens Minnesota's reading ecosystem while preserving all copyright protections and improving
• 08:31.039><c> while</c> Minnesota's reading ecosystem while Minnesota's reading ecosystem while preserving
• all</c><00:08:31.919><c> copyright</c><00:08:32.479><c> protections</c><00:08:33.120><c> and</c> preserving
• all copyright protections and preserving all copyright protections and improving<00:08:33.760><c> how

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• providers, including abortion care providers, support continued investments and strongly encourage preservation
• sustainable alternative, The administration and stakeholders to develop a sustainable alternative that preserves
• We're doing everything we can to preserve access to services.
• We're doing everything we can to preserve access to services.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health began with a hearing on the impacts of H.R. 1 on California health programs, focusing first on reproductive health state investments. HCAI outlined five state-funded reproductive health programs created after Dobbs, including uncompensated care, practical support, capital and clinical infrastructure, and workforce programs. Essential Access Health and Planned Parenthood testified that these funds have served hundreds of thousands of patients, but warned that the uncompensated care program is fully awarded and needs renewal, and that Title X and Medicaid-related federal uncertainty continues to threaten access. Members questioned who the uncompensated care program serves, why Medi-Cal covers a large share of abortions, and whether Planned Parenthood could expand prenatal services; public commenters urged continued support for reproductive health access. The committee then took up long-term care services and supports, starting with the HCBA and Assisted Living Waiver programs. DHCS reported large wait lists for both programs and said enrollment is limited by workforce and provider capacity, while LAO noted that increasing slots alone may not increase access without additional programmatic changes. Members pressed the department on whether more slots should be added given the lower cost of home- and community-based care compared with skilled nursing facilities, and public testimony argued that the wait lists should be reduced and that staffing concerns do not fully explain unused capacity. The committee also heard testimony on congregate living health facilities, where providers and a patient family described the homes as critical, lower-cost alternatives to nursing facilities for younger, medically complex people. Witnesses requested short-term bridge funding, while DHCS said it is proposing to transition CLFs into a managed care benefit by January 1, 2028, which would remove caps and expand access statewide. The final long-term care topic was PACE. DHCS explained that it has paused new PACE applications and service expansions for at least two years to reassess oversight capacity and develop a statewide strategic growth framework, while existing programs continue operating. CalPACE supported the pause as a planning measure but asked for four additional state nurse positions to reduce delays in level-of-care determinations and speed enrollment for frail older adults. Members shared personal stories about how PACE has helped family members and asked how the state will meet growing demand; DHCS said stakeholder engagement will begin later in the year and that some existing applications already in process will continue. Public commenters broadly supported PACE, HCBA, and CLF funding requests. The hearing then moved to the Department of Health Care Services’ 2026-27 Medi-Cal budget and related trailer bills. DHCS said Medi-Cal spending has grown due to coverage expansions, higher acuity, rising utilization, and especially pharmacy costs, and it described proposals to extend the current skilled nursing facility financing framework for one year while the state develops a new value-based payment strategy. LAO said most recent Medi-Cal spending growth has been driven more by higher per-enrollee costs than by caseload growth, with pharmacy spending growing especially quickly, and recommended better and more timely data to analyze the drivers. Members expressed concern about the rapid rise in Medi-Cal spending and asked for more detail on the largest cost increases.

Transcript Highlights:

• We support continued investments and strongly encourage you to preserve the safety of the state’s abortion
• “We encourage you to preserve the safety of the state’s abortion care. Thank you.
• sustainable alternative, The administration and stakeholders to develop a sustainable alternative that preserves
• We're doing everything we can to preserve access to services, things like working very hard on the way

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To preserve time for our informational hearing, we have placed an unusual number of bills on consent.
• also make recommendations that we would consider refinements to the Governor’s proposal around preserving
• And then it seems like this proposal preserves the office of SPI, but strips it of a lot of the core
• essentially coming under the role and the direct scope of the governor’s administration, how are we preserving

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee first heard two bills. AB 1665 by Assemblymember Pacheco would require school sports coaches to complete approved mental health training. Supporters said coaches are trusted adults who are often first to notice student-athlete distress, and a witness described personal experience with body image and disordered eating pressures in athletics. There was no opposition, and the bill was moved out of committee on a due pass as amended motion to Appropriations, ultimately passing 9-0 after add-on votes. AB 2316 by Assemblymember Hoover would allow charter schools to apply for the same financial hardship relief in the state school facilities program that traditional districts can seek. Supporters argued this would improve parity and help smaller and low-income charter schools access permanent facilities; some initially opposed agencies said their concerns were addressed by amendments. The bill also passed unanimously, 9-0, to Appropriations. The committee then took up a consent calendar containing 12 additional measures, including bills on education funding, facilities, and other school-related matters, plus a resolution. Those items were approved on a 7-0 vote, with the roll left open for add-on votes. After the bill hearing portion was recessed and later reconvened, additional members added votes to AB 1665, AB 2316, and the consent calendar, bringing each to 9-0. The committee then held an informational hearing on state-level education governance, centered on Governor Newsom’s proposal to restructure the California Department of Education and the role of the elected Superintendent of Public Instruction, with AB 2117 serving as a policy vehicle carrying the same language and no action to be taken. Testimony came from the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the Education Commission of the States, and former CDE chief deputy Richard Zager. Witnesses reviewed the history of California’s governance structure, compared it with other states, and discussed accountability, legislative oversight, and the role of the superintendent under the proposal. Committee members raised concerns about preserving checks and balances, the fiscal implementation plan, county-office relationships, and whether the superintendent’s role would be reduced too far; no vote was taken at the informational hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• To preserve time for our informational hearing, we have placed an unusual number of bills on consent.
• also make recommendations that we would consider refinements to the governor's proposal around preserving
• And then it seems like this proposal preserves the office of SPI, but strips it of a lot of the core
• essentially coming under the role and the direct scope of the governor's administration, how are we preserving

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 988, house, all