Transcript Highlights:

• Um they're all scared of the funding threat.
• Um they're all scared of the funding<00:08:59.040><c> threat.
• I personally don't funding threat.
• </c> that I don't believe the funding threat that I don't believe the funding threat and<00:09:21.360
• ><c> Gabbard</c> national intelligence Tulsy Gabbard national intelligence Tulsy Gabbard skepticism<00

Committee: House State-federal Relations and Veterans Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• associated with the use of a digital firearm manufacturing code for machine learning and artificial intelligence
• associated with the use of a digital firearm manufacturing code for machine learning and artificial intelligence
• Did death threats and threats of boycotts have any impact on the introduction of that weapon in New Jersey
• reading the same public information, my understanding is that boycotts, threatened boycotts, and death threats
• and you say that they didn't want to—it stifled them from entering. ...were they not boycotts and threats

Summary: The commission met for its fourth hearing on emerging firearm technology, focused on personalized firearms and related privacy issues. Co-chairs noted the commission’s charge to study personalized firearm incentives, risks from digital manufacturing codes and AI, and the costs of requiring personalized firearm and microstamp technologies, and said the report deadline is being extended to July 31. They also announced the next public hearing for April 17 at 11:00 a.m., limited to Massachusetts residents. The first witness, Kai Kloepfer of Biofire, described the company’s personalized 9mm smart gun and argued it is designed to prevent unauthorized use through biometric authentication, local encrypted data storage, no wireless connectivity, and automatic disarming when released. He said Biofire opposes any mandate requiring personalized firearms, calling such mandates a de facto gun ban that would stifle innovation, limit consumer choice, and burden a still-developing market. He said the company has a patent portfolio, has received thousands of pre-orders, is shipping in all 50 states, and is approved for sale in Massachusetts; he also said the gun costs about $1,500, is currently sold online, and is intended mainly for home defense. Members questioned him about sales, manufacturing, battery life, repairability, transfer of ownership, possible expansion to other firearms, and whether microstamping could be incorporated. A Massachusetts firearms roster official, Michaela Dunn, explained the state’s testing and approval process for handguns and confirmed that the Biofire firearm is now on the Massachusetts roster and commercially available for retail sale in the state. Kate Crockford of the ACLU of Massachusetts testified only on facial recognition, warning that commercially available systems show significant demographic bias and that Massachusetts lacks comprehensive biometric privacy protections. She urged passage of pending data privacy and biometric privacy bills, including the Massachusetts Data Privacy Act and related measures, before any broader use of biometric verification in firearm laws. Commissioners discussed privacy concerns, and Biofire said its system is zero-knowledge and would likely comply with stronger biometric privacy laws. No votes were taken and no formal action was reported beyond the scheduling announcement and the extension effort.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> protect others to confront the threat. protect others to confront the threat.
• ,</c> generosity, humor, intelligence, generosity, humor, intelligence, adventurous<02:08:37.440><c>
• </c><02:53:47.600><c> And</c> threat of New World Screworm. And threat of New World Screworm.
• ,</c> the charge to confront those threats, the charge to confront those threats, protect<04:38:51.680
• </c><09:22:20.000><c> We</c> intelligence to this very moment. We intelligence to this very moment.

Bills: HB2913 , HR518 , HB8646 , HR1336 , HCR84

Keywords: Ukraine, support, foreign affairs, military aid, international relations, agriculture, funding, food safety, nutrition, pest management, House resolution, procedural resolution, Rules Committee, Rule XIII, clause 6(a), waiver, supermajority, same-day consideration, reconciliation, budget reconciliation

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> John Trump has also leveraged the threat John Trump has also leveraged the threat of<03:06:02.160
• </c><03:10:59.520><c> the</c> violence and threats of violence. the violence and threats of violence.
• </c><03:56:06.080><c> I</c> intelligence and counter intelligence.
• I intelligence and counter intelligence.
• </c> have proven to be a serious fire threat. have proven to be a serious fire threat.

Bills: HR249 , HCR30 , HB2215 , HB2492 , HR952 , HR618 , HR531 , HB1829 , HB1550 , HR677 , HR1001 , HR167 , HR331 , HB1612 , HB1682 , HR364 , HR353

Keywords: Greece, Greek Independence Day, War of Greek Independence, philhellene, Greek-American, Hellenic, foreign affairs, bipartisan resolution, NATO, Eastern Mediterranean, Balkans, energy security, defense cooperation, Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement, 3+1 partnership, Israel, Cyprus, Alexandroupolis, human rights, democracy

Transcript Highlights:

• We believe the retailers know their products well, and if they are a threat to be stolen, that they will
• Recent advancements in artificial intelligence have lowered the technical barriers to make and spread
• Recognizing this threat to public health, in September 2024, the White House developed a framework for
• Because this is a constantly evolving kind of threat dynamic, and I want to make sure that our ability
• Because this is a constantly evolving kind of threat dynamic, and I want to make sure that our ability

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard several bills focused on workforce access, consumer protection, behavioral health parity, and public health safety. AB 1591 by Assembly Member Michelle Rodriguez would create a podiatric medicine pipeline program to address shortages of podiatrists, especially in rural and underserved counties; it drew strong support from podiatrists and medical groups and no opposition. AB 2011 by Assembly Member Hart would codify federal mental health and substance use disorder parity standards into state law; supporters argued it would preserve access if federal enforcement weakens, while health plans and insurers opposed it as premature and potentially confusing. The bill was moved on a due pass motion to Appropriations and remained on call after a roll vote with several ayes and some noes. The committee also considered AB 2311 by Assembly Member Chiavo, which would allow public health care district hospitals to directly employ physicians. Supporters said the change would help district hospitals recruit and retain doctors and stabilize care in underserved communities, while CMA and emergency physicians warned it could weaken the corporate practice of medicine protections and physician autonomy. Members raised concerns about guardrails, but the author said the bill would continue to be refined; it passed on a due pass motion to the Business and Professions Committee. AB 2030 by Assembly Member Lowenthal would prohibit sales of over-the-counter diet pills and weight-loss or muscle-building supplements to minors, with supporters citing eating disorder risks and opponents objecting to scope, age-verification, and retail requirements. The bill passed on a due pass motion to the Judiciary Committee. AB 1864 by Assembly Member Berman would require screening of gene synthesis orders to prevent misuse for bioterrorism and would authorize enforcement penalties for noncompliance. Supporters from Stanford, Encode, and the medical community said the measure would align California with federal best practices and address growing biosecurity risks, while life sciences representatives raised concerns about operational burdens and supply-chain impacts. Members discussed whether the bill should include an urgency clause and how to keep the standards current; it passed to the Judiciary Committee. AB 2457 by Assembly Member Connolly would standardize and speed up Medi-Cal managed care credentialing for physicians, and it passed to Appropriations with broad support. Finally, AB 2302, presented on behalf of Assembly Member Celeste Rodriguez, would require infant formula manufacturers to test for toxic elements such as lead and arsenic and post results publicly; pediatric and disability advocates supported the measure as a transparency and infant safety bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• But the Trump administration's attacks on federal disaster mitigation and relief programs and threats
• Trump's threats are real.
• California there are about 5 million homes that are built in high fire threat areas But as my colleague
• And by the way, the mandate of EVs is an existential threat to the grid.
• And so just a number of different threats that are not just exclusive to Ocean County or New Jersey,

Committee: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee

Keywords: homeowners insurance, natural disasters, insurance costs, climate change, disaster preparedness, federal policies, bipartisan solutions

Summary: The meeting reviewed critical issues surrounding the rising costs and accessibility of homeowners insurance across the United States, particularly in light of increasing natural disasters linked to climate change. Members engaged in extensive discussions regarding the implications for families and the economy, citing significant increases in premiums and decreasing availability of policies in high-risk areas. Supervisor Peysko highlighted the direct impact of federal policies on local communities, emphasizing the growing burden on homeowners as they face skyrocketing insurance costs amidst a backdrop of environmental challenges and regulatory constraints. The committee expressed a unified call to action for bipartisan solutions, focusing on improving building codes and enhancing disaster preparedness measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• that benefit the states being cut and eliminated altogether, right This year, you know, we face the threat
• Obviously, you know, I think we're looking at threats of cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.
• try and stop states from any way establishing safeguards around the development of artificial intelligence
• is an example of the kind Of behavior you can expect from an unregulated space like artificial intelligence
• We have another case that will be filed in the next week or so related to artificial intelligence and

Committees: Senate Senate Finance , Senate House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• of LGBTQ people across the country, and many parents are understandably concerned about how these threats
• SB 11, artificial intelligence abuse. As you mentioned, Mr.
• It requires a warning when someone is basically purveying an artificial intelligence... ...model that
• It also requires that the Judicial Council develop standards for regulating artificial intelligence in
• This was because of the threats those people were facing, as well as families wanting to protect their

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on civil rights, family law, privacy, housing, and artificial intelligence. SB 477 would clarify FEHA procedures for the Civil Rights Department, including tolling deadlines by agreement and updating complaint definitions; it drew some concern about venue and convenience but was moved forward. SB 450 would confirm California jurisdiction over adoption proceedings for children born in the state even if families have moved away, and would require all legal parents to be listed on adoption orders; it received strong support, especially from LGBTQ family advocates, and passed to Appropriations. SB 683 would clarify that people whose name, image, or likeness is misused may seek TROs or injunctions under existing publicity-rights law; opposition from media and First Amendment groups focused on the 48-hour compliance default and speech concerns, but the bill advanced as amended to Privacy and Consumer Protection. The committee also considered SB 11, the AI Abuse Protection Act, which would regulate voice, image, and video cloning technology, require warnings, and direct the Judicial Council to develop evidence standards for AI; it passed to Public Safety. SCR 66, a resolution designating May 1 as Law Day and emphasizing the rule of law, was adopted unanimously after supportive comments from members. SB 808 would create expedited judicial review for housing permit denials that violate state law; supporters said it would reduce costly delay and help housing production, while the Judicial Council opposed it as imposing unreasonable timelines and staffing burdens. The bill passed to Appropriations despite concerns about court resources and broader housing-law issues. The committee then took up two privacy bills from Senator Wiener. SB 59 would automatically keep confidential court records for adult and retroactive gender/name change petitions, expanding protections previously enacted for minors; supporters described real-world doxxing and harassment, while opponents raised First Amendment and public-records objections, and the bill passed to Appropriations. SB 497 would require warrants for out-of-state law enforcement access to California prescription monitoring data, expand transgender shield protections for gender-affirming care records, and bar certain disclosures without legal process; the author framed it as a response to out-of-state anti-trans enforcement, and the bill was presented with support from trans advocacy groups.

Transcript Highlights:

• of LGBTQ people across the country, and many parents are understandably concerned about how these threats
• SB 11, Artificial Intelligence Abuse. As you mentioned, Mr.
• It requires a warning when someone is basically purveying an artificial intelligence model that says,
• It also requires that the Judicial Council develop standards for regulating artificial intelligence in
• This was because of the threats those people were facing, as well as families wanting to protect their

Committee: House Judiciary

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on civil rights, family law, privacy, housing, and artificial intelligence. SB 477 would clarify FEHA procedures for the Civil Rights Department; SB 450 would confirm California jurisdiction over certain adoption proceedings for families who move out of state, especially to protect LGBTQ parents; SB 683 would clarify injunctive relief for unauthorized use of a person’s name or likeness; SB 11 would create an AI abuse framework with warnings and evidence-related standards; SB 808 would speed judicial review of local housing permit denials; and SCR 66 would designate May 1 as Law Day and emphasize the rule of law. The committee also took up SB 59 and SB 497, both aimed at protecting transgender Californians’ privacy and safety, including confidentiality for name/gender change records and limits on disclosure of medical information related to gender-affirming care. Testimony was largely supportive on the bills, with sponsors and advocates arguing they were needed to remove administrative barriers, protect families, speed housing production, and respond to harassment, doxxing, and anti-trans threats. Opposition or concerns were raised on SB 683 about First Amendment issues and the proposed two-business-day compliance period for TROs, and on SB 808 from the Judicial Council about court workload and expedited timelines. SB 59 drew strong support from trans advocates and family groups, while opponents argued it would improperly seal public records and raise constitutional and public-safety concerns. SB 497 was presented as a response to out-of-state efforts to access prescription and medical data tied to gender-affirming care. The committee approved SB 477, SB 450, SB 683 as amended, SB 11 as amended, SB 808, SB 59 as amended, SB 497, and SCR 66, generally on party-line or near-unanimous votes. Several members requested to be added as coauthors on SB 450 and SCR 66, and the authors repeatedly said they would continue working with opponents on amendments, especially for SB 683 and SB 808. The transcript also included a brief consent-calendar vote on additional measures, which were advanced as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• As you may know, artificial intelligence has seen... Artificial intelligence and their operations.
• As you may know, artificial intelligence has seen incredible advancements in recent years, but it's still
• that human workers could be replaced also by artificial intelligence.
• that human workers could be replaced by artificial intelligence.
• your leadership and work and efforts on this issue regarding the appropriate use of artificial intelligence

Summary: The committee heard several higher education bills. It first approved the consent calendar, which included SB 67 and SB 619. The main discussion centered on SB 437, which would direct the CSU system to develop a fair, evidence-based process for verifying whether someone is a descendant of a person enslaved in the United States, as part of the state’s reparations work. Supporters said the bill fills a gap left by the Reparations Task Force and would create a transparent, credible lineage-verification process; opponents argued genealogy methods already exist, the bill would waste money and delay action, and some raised constitutional concerns. The committee took a vote on SB 437, but the roll was left open after the initial tally showed three ayes and three noes. The committee then heard SB 790, which would allow California to join the interstate reciprocity agreement for online postsecondary education. The author and supporters said the bill would improve consumer protections for California students taking out-of-state online courses and help California institutions compete more effectively by reducing the burden of seeking separate state approvals. Opponents, including University of Phoenix and other groups, argued the bill conflicted with the existing reciprocity framework, could exclude some institutions, and might not actually secure California’s entry into the agreement. The committee voted 3-1 to pass SB 790 as amended to the Business and Professions Committee, with the roll left open. The committee also heard SB 391, which would authorize the Community College Chancellor’s Office to charge fees for research partners seeking access to data. Supporters said the office is absorbing significant unfunded workload from data requests and that fees would help recover costs; opponents, including the California Teachers Association community college association, warned the fees could create barriers for faculty and smaller researchers. Members discussed possible exemptions and implementation details. The committee voted 5-1 to pass SB 391 as amended to the Appropriations Committee, with the roll left open. Finally, the committee heard SB 685, a pilot program to provide cost-of-attendance assistance at four CSU campuses for students who experienced homelessness in high school. Supporters said it would help students cover housing, food, and transportation costs and reduce dropout risk; members asked about eligibility and implementation, and the author explained the bill would use McKinney-Vento homelessness designations and target students at risk of “summer melt” and college homelessness.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Trump administration is proposing cruel changes to the federal homelessness policies that threat
• They didn't need tax policy to be an impetus to invest in artificial intelligence, and the goal of that
• We have seen many times in the state legislature the threat of jobs being relocated hung over the head
• They didn't need tax policy to be an impetus, to invest in artificial intelligence, and the goal of that
• We have seen many times in the state legislature the threat of jobs being relocated hung over the head

Summary: The meeting was a press conference and Q&A led by Rep. Shaun Scott to promote the proposed Well Washington Fund, a new dedicated account intended to raise about $3 billion annually through a corporate payroll tax on wages above $125,000. Scott said the bill would help offset expected federal cuts under Trump-era policies and support programs most at risk, including cash assistance, higher education, health care, housing, and wildfire mitigation. He also referenced two related proposals: restoring wildfire mitigation funding by ending a tax break for large banks, and allowing counties to raise corporate taxes. Several advocates and affected residents testified in support of progressive revenue. Michelle Thomas of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance warned that federal homelessness policy changes and state underinvestment could worsen homelessness and evictions. Christina Savitsky, a disabled veteran, described how Medicaid, food assistance, and work requirements would affect her family. Representatives from the University of Washington AAUP said federal cuts and Medicaid changes threaten teaching, research, workforce training, and hospital finances. Fatima Boxwala of Tech for Taxes and Mikey Stramskis of the Washington Federation of State Employees argued that large corporations and the wealthy should pay more to sustain public services and address understaffing, burnout, and service backlogs. In the Q&A, Scott said the bill may need an emergency clause to make it referendum-proof and argued that the legislature has a mandate to act, citing the 2024 capital gains tax referendum and the state’s regressive tax system. He acknowledged concerns about businesses leaving but said he was more concerned about working people being displaced by unaffordable housing, child care, and health care. No vote or formal committee action occurred; the event was a call for a hearing in the House Finance Committee in 2026 and for legislative passage in both chambers.

Transcript Highlights:

• It will still remain preferential, so there should be no threat of ties.
• Actual binding vote, it will still remain preferential, so there should be no threat of ties.
• So I'm about to be the chair of the committee that oversees AI and artificial intelligence and social
• media and other issues. and folks who said, well, you know, an artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence
• We represent the artificial intelligence and classrooms group. We are living in the future.

Summary: The Senate and Assembly Education Committees held their annual joint hearing with the California Association of Student Councils and SABLE, where student delegates presented policy ideas developed over two days. Committee members repeatedly praised student voice and noted that several past student proposals had become law. The hearing began with opening remarks from legislators and student organizers, who emphasized the importance of civic participation and the value of hearing directly from students. The chair also reviewed hearing rules and explained that the panels would be treated as peers in a formal policy discussion. The first panel proposed an annual civic engagement day for grades 7-12, with flexible activities such as mock elections, civic fairs, Socratic seminars, and public comment practice. Members asked about costs, grade-level flexibility, voter registration, and how the proposal would fit within existing curriculum time. The second panel proposed amending Education Code Section 35012 to require at least one student board member in every unified and high school district, with expanded training and motion rights. Legislators supported the concept but raised technical concerns about fiscal impact, the need for odd-numbered boards, the scope of motioning authority, and whether districts would need reimbursement if the mandate became statewide. A third panel proposed adding middle school financial literacy instruction by embedding it into existing classes, with curriculum and teacher training developed over time by state agencies. Members questioned how it would fit into adopted materials and whether the state should wait until the new high school financial literacy course is fully implemented before designing middle school instruction. The fourth panel proposed expanding restorative justice by creating a CDE task force and authorizing PPS-certified staff to use restorative justice training materials in discipline processes. Senators discussed prior legislation, confidentiality concerns in closed-session hearings, and the fiscal cost of a state task force, while expressing support for stronger restorative practices. The final panel proposed more active mental health education through short, twice-semester classroom sessions for grades 7-12 focused on coping skills, time management, and awareness of resources. Assemblymember Castillo and Senator Cortese questioned whether teachers and counselors could effectively deliver the program, whether it would duplicate or overburden existing efforts, and whether wellness centers or student-led awareness efforts might be more effective. Committee members generally agreed the topic was important but were skeptical that another curriculum mandate was the best solution, and no votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And because of that work, I've had five serious threats against me and my family—real threats—with police
• This bill concerns notices of artificial intelligence content.”
• “This bill concerns notices of artificial intelligence content.
• This bill concerns an artificial intelligence grant program.
• Its goal is simple: accelerate economic development through innovative uses of artificial intelligence

Summary: The committee first suspended the five-day notice rule and then heard House Bill 2521 on firearm background check fees. Staff explained that the bill would remove the $18 fee cap and allow Washington State Patrol to set fees based on actual program costs, which could be about $33 to $35 per check. Supporters said the change was needed to keep the background check system operating and avoid delays and layoffs; opponents argued it would burden lawful gun owners and amount to an unconstitutional tax or barrier to a constitutional right. No vote was taken in the hearing. Members then heard Substitute House Bill 2475 on language-accessible public programs, which would direct the Office of Equity to develop uniform language-access guidelines, address interpreter and translator shortages, and require agency implementation reporting. Testimony was strongly supportive, emphasizing the need for consistent access for limited-English-proficient residents and the benefits for schools, families, and state services. The committee also heard Second Substitute House Bill 2479 on wage recovery, which would create a wage recovery fund to provide partial advance payments to low-wage workers with meritorious unpaid wage claims and adjust wage penalty provisions. Employers, labor advocates, and legal services representatives largely supported the bill as a bipartisan, worker-protection measure funded by penalties rather than the general fund. The committee next took up Engrossed Third Substitute House Bill 1960 on renewable energy tax incentives, which would replace existing property tax and excise tax provisions with a new state and local renewable energy excise tax structure and related grant programs for local governments and tribes. Counties, utilities, developers, and tribal representatives generally supported the bill’s goal of stabilizing tax treatment for renewable projects, though several witnesses said they wanted amendments to address rates, timing, and late-stage project impacts. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5932 on alternative jet fuel incentives, which would change the timing and duration of existing tax preferences; supporters said it would provide certainty for emerging sustainable aviation fuel projects, while one refinery sought clarification and a broader county threshold. Later, the committee heard Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2238 on statewide food security, directing the Department of Agriculture to monitor food system performance and develop a statewide food security strategy. Agricultural groups, grocers, anti-hunger advocates, and farmers supported the bill as a coordination effort to improve food access, affordability, and supply chain resilience. The committee then heard Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1903, which would create a statewide low-income energy assistance program through the Department of Commerce; supporters said it would address growing unmet need and complement existing utility programs, while opponents said it did not address the root causes of rising energy costs. Finally, the committee heard Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2416 on waste-to-energy facilities under the Climate Commitment Act and Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2515 on large energy-use facilities (data centers), both of which drew mixed testimony centered on balancing emissions, ratepayer impacts, reliability, and environmental or tribal concerns. No final votes were taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• analysis, threat detection.
• So when we talk about artificial intelligence, we need to balance the risk with innovation.
• Another tool we have is this asked tool called A to artificial intelligence data assessor.
• So really being intelligent and leveraging tools that do boundary boxing with intelligent cameras or
• Having just come back from a national meeting that focused a lot on artificial intelligence.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill, Second Substitute House Bill 1170, relates to generative artificial intelligence.
• Essentially, if this is, if we're concerned about deepfakes or AI generation that is creating a threat
• or a safety threat of any kind, we should ensure that they're not being used by anybody, and we should
• Artificial intelligence and a lot of different technologies, especially involving it, are still rapidly
• And, you know, artificial intelligence and a lot of different technologies, especially involving it,

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on House Bill 2073, which would require nonprofit health carriers with surplus above 600% of risk-based capital to pay 3% of the excess to support the Cascade Care Savings premium assistance program. Committee staff said the bill could generate about $80 million in FY 2027 based on 2024 surplus data, while carriers and business groups argued their reserves are needed to pay claims, manage risk, and avoid premium increases. Supporters said the bill would redirect consumer-funded surplus to help Washingtonians afford coverage, especially as federal subsidies expire. No action was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee then heard House Bill 2132, which limits disclosure and retention of personally identifying and financial information in WASFA applications. Staff explained the bill would exempt WASFA records from public disclosure, restrict sharing to narrow purposes, and shorten retention periods, with significant fiscal impacts tied to purging records and updating data-sharing practices. Student and advocacy testimony strongly supported the bill as a privacy and safety measure for immigrant and mixed-status students. The committee also heard House Bill 2403, which lowers the penalty for failure to register as a sex offender and adds community custody and DOC supervision; public defense supported it as a cost-saving, consensus reform, and staff projected DOC savings. House Bill 2587 was also heard, creating a Commerce pilot to provide limited advance grant funding to eligible nonprofits; supporters said it would help smaller nonprofits manage reimbursement-based contracts, while staff estimated indeterminate but potentially significant administrative costs. The committee heard House Bill 2607, which would require DCYF to periodically rebase child care subsidy rate regions to better reflect local cost differences. Supporters from Benton and Franklin counties said current regional rates are outdated and unfairly low in fast-growing areas; staff said the fiscal impact was indeterminate. The committee then moved into possible executive session on several bills. Second Substitute House Bill 1170, dealing with generative AI disclosures and provenance tools, was amended and ultimately passed out of committee on an 18-9 vote after all proposed amendments were rejected. Substitute House Bill 1570 was amended to narrow its scope to Western Washington University and then passed out of committee on a 17-9 vote. The committee also began action on proposed Third Substitute House Bill 1710, which would create a state pre-clearance requirement under the Washington Voting Rights Act, but the transcript cuts off during consideration of amendments to that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• In Minnesota, we're also experiencing unprecedented threats to federal funding that we rely on.
• ><00:03:40.400><c> to</c><00:03:40.640><c> federal</c><00:03:40.959><c> funding</c> unprecedented threats
• to federal funding unprecedented threats to federal funding that<00:03:41.440><c> we</c><00:03:41.599
• </c> Our macroeconomic consultant, S&P Global Market Intelligence, SPGMI, released their baseline forecast
• </c> The adoption of artificial intelligence The adoption of artificial intelligence provides<00:18:42.640

Summary: Minnesota Management and Budget officials presented the February 2026 budget and economic forecast, saying the state remains in a strong financial position but faces continued structural imbalance and significant uncertainty. Commissioner Aaron Campbell said the FY 2026-27 balance is now projected at more than $3.7 billion, up about $1.3 billion from November, and the FY 2028-29 planning period is projected to end with a $377 million positive balance. He emphasized that the improvement comes largely from higher projected revenues, especially individual income and corporate franchise taxes, but warned that the state is increasingly reliant on more volatile sources such as capital gains, interest income, and corporate profits. State Economist Dr. Anthony Becker said the national outlook improved slightly, with stronger projected GDP, consumer spending, and investment, but weaker payroll growth and ongoing trade-policy uncertainty. He noted that the forecast was complicated by missing federal data because of the federal shutdown, and that tariffs, immigration policy, equity markets, and possible AI-related shifts all present risks. Revenue projections were raised for the current biennium, including individual income tax receipts, sales tax revenue, corporate franchise tax revenue, and other revenues, while Becker stressed that federal funding threats, especially involving Medicaid and other entitlement programs, could materially alter the outlook. State Budget Director Anna Mingi said general fund spending in the current biennium is projected to be $68 million lower than previously estimated, but planning-year spending is up $152 million. The biggest spending changes came from education, where special education costs rose sharply after updated local spending data, and from human services, where a new prepayment review process for certain Medicaid benefits reduced projected spending by $133 million this biennium and $105 million in the next. She also said discretionary inflation is now estimated at $1.04 billion, up $104 million from November. Campbell closed by saying the state’s reserve remains at a record $3.8 billion and that Minnesota’s AAA bond rating and reserve policy help protect against downturns. He cautioned, however, that the long-term structural imbalance remains about $3.4 billion in the planning years, or $2.3 billion excluding discretionary inflation, and urged policymakers to offset any new spending with reductions. No votes or formal actions were taken; the meeting was a presentation and question-and-answer session on the forecast.

Transcript Highlights:

• I suggest Texas take to protect against those threats.
• : a cyber threat, supply chain threat.
• We cannot protect against every threat.
• threats.
• We do address all the threats.

Bills: SB75 , SB715 , SB776 , SB1299 , SB1405 , SB1968 , SB2021 , SB2077 , SB2148 , SB2321 , SB2330 , SB2411

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• as an intelligence community center of academic excellence, one of about 80 in the country.
• of national intelligence as an intelligence<01:02:54.400><c> community</c><01:02:55.359><c> center</
• c><01:02:55.920><c> of</c> intelligence community center of intelligence community center of academic
• </c><01:04:57.119><c> Have</c><01:04:57.359><c> you</c> stay ahead of threat actors.
• Have you stay ahead of threat actors.

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• FPL SMART GRID INCLUDES 6 MILLION SMART METERS AND 227,000 INTELLIGENT DEVICES.
• IT POSES THE GREATEST INFRASTRUCTURE THREAT. SPEED AND EFFICIENCY IS VITAL.
• FOR MORE THAN 70 YEARS AS THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER MENTIONED IN THE 1950s THE VERY TERM ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
• Conerly: YOU MENTIONED THE SPEED WITH WHICH DECISIONS CAN BE MADE NOW USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
• NEVER GO AWAY ESPECIALLY IN THE TECHNICAL PART OF OUR NETWORK AND UNDERSTANDING HOW THEY WORK AND THREATS

Transcript Highlights:

• priority needs like college affordability, career readiness, workforce development, school safety, intelligence
• expand our professional development offerings to public safety organizations through our Center for Intelligence
• and Crime Analysis. and our Cyber Forensics and Intelligence Center.
• for expanded training of analysts, and expansion of our Security Operations Center to monitor cyber threats

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Article III