Transcript Highlights:

• Committees on Labor and Technology, Transportation, and Culture and the Arts.
• </c><00:04:48.440><c> I</c> roots in the Hawaii Chinese Community I roots in the Hawaii Chinese Community
• </c><00:05:31.600><c> but</c> for not only the Chinese Community but for not only the Chinese Community
• </c> chair thank you labor and Technology chair thank you labor and Technology same<00:10:42.079><c>
• Committee on Labor and Technology has a 3:15 p.m. agenda.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees on Labor and Technology, Transportation, and Culture and the Arts heard testimony on Senate Bill 396 and Senate Bill 47, then later the Labor and Technology committee took up Senate Bill 136 and Senate Bill 1523. SB 396 drew support from the Metropolitan Planning Organization and others, with a question raised about implementation costs; the director said costs would depend on the scope of the benefit package and the transportation mode involved. The committees recommended passing SB 396 with technical amendments and added appropriation language with a blank amount, and the motion was adopted by recorded votes in both committees. SB 47, which would designate the Lunar New Year as a state holiday, received support from the Office of Collective Bargaining and several individuals, including Charlene Chun, who spoke about family traditions and cultural recognition. Members asked about the cost and whether the day would be a paid day off for state employees; the response was that observance would be subject to collective bargaining. The committees moved SB 47 forward with amendments, noting the collective bargaining and cost issues, and adopted the recommendation by vote. In the Labor and Technology committee, SB 136 on the Iron Workers Stabilization Fund drew strong support from iron workers and related supporters, who argued the bill was about safety, training, and keeping dismantling work within the ironworkers’ trade. Several other unions, including operating engineers, carpenters, laborers, and plumbers and fitters, opposed the bill as too broad and potentially infringing on their jurisdiction. The measure was not decided in the portion provided, but members discussed possible amendments and jurisdictional concerns. SB 1523, which would expand private-sector collective bargaining rights under the Hawaii Employment Relations Act to include independent contractors and others under NLRB jurisdiction, received broad labor support, including from IATSE, AFL-CIO, Hawaii Nurses Association, Unite Here Local 5, and many individual testifiers. Supporters framed it as protecting workers’ rights and strengthening labor protections, while the Hawaii Labor Relations Board warned it could significantly increase workload and require more staffing, space, and operating resources; the board estimated the bill could expand its caseload substantially and suggested an appropriation would likely be needed. The committee then moved on to the next measure, SB 1440, before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• of the health care system can reduce vaccine rates among communities.
• Rural hospitals face an ongoing struggle with maintaining community workforce.
• In my community and others in Washington State, we don't have paramedics.
• In my community and others in Washington State, we don't have paramedics.
• These alerts support us in timely communication with community partners and the public about overdoses

Summary: The House Health Care and Wellness Committee held public hearings on several bills. HB 2152 would allow terminally ill qualifying patients to use medical cannabis in hospitals, nursing homes, and hospice facilities under facility policies that prohibit smoking/vaping, require patient self-administration and secure storage, and allow facilities to suspend compliance if federal enforcement arises. The prime sponsor and supporters, including family members, cannabis advocates, nurses, and hospital-related groups, described the bill as a compassionate end-of-life measure based on California’s Ryan’s Law; the Washington State Hospital Association asked for clarifying amendments to limit the bill to inpatient beds and to bar staff from retrieving cannabis as well as administering it. HB 2122 would require hospitals, starting in 2027 and during flu season, to offer influenza vaccines to inpatients age 65 and older and to inpatients with chronic health conditions when not contraindicated. The sponsor and supporters from diabetes, infectious disease, AARP, and public health emphasized rising flu deaths, the benefits for high-risk patients, and the chance to reduce severe illness and costs. The Washington State Hospital Association supported the goal but said the bill would create an unfunded mandate and requested amendments related to vaccine availability, emergency declarations, and operational flexibility. One witness from Informed Choice Washington opposed the bill but suggested adding vaccine information statements to strengthen informed consent. HB 2110 would change staffing rules for inter-facility specialty care ambulance transports so a registered nurse without EMT certification could satisfy the personnel requirement when no paramedic or EMT-certified nurse is available, provided an EMT-certified EMS provider is in the ambulance and the nurse has appropriate competencies. Rural hospitals and ambulance providers said the current rule delays transfers and can force long waits or air transport, while the Washington State Nurses Association supported the concept but raised concerns about standardized training, medical oversight, and staffing impacts on hospitals. HB 2113 would update radiologic technologist supervision rules for IV contrast and other procedures, allowing virtual direct supervision for contrast procedures and supervision by physicians, APRNs, or PAs in some cases; supporters said it aligns with current practice and improves rural access, while radiology groups asked for a distance/proximity requirement for virtual physician supervision. HB 2168 would require the Department of Health to rapidly share overdose data from the state EMS information system to ODMAP within 24 hours, with privacy protections and limits on law-enforcement use. Supporters from Yakima County, public health, and the poison center said near-real-time overdose mapping would improve spike alerts, prevention, and response, and could save lives; the Washington Poison Center asked that its data be included and that the bill clarify language around opioid versus other overdoses. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the hearing; the meeting ended after public testimony on HB 2168.

Transcript Highlights:

• police officers that uh that communities police officers that uh that uh<00:11:56.480><c> was</c><00
• </c><00:14:04.960><c> that</c> top to mind is the technology that top to mind is the technology that
• It's even lower if you're talking about Black communities, which I'm a part of.
• </c><00:16:05.040><c> Um</c><00:16:05.240><c> I</c> communities, which I'm a part of.
• Um I communities, which I'm a part of.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee took up House File 4906, adopted the H4906A1 amendment, and heard a staff explanation that the bill would create a one-time property tax refund in calendar year 2026 for residential homesteads and the house/garage/1-acre portion of agricultural homesteads. As amended, the bill would appropriate $4 billion in fiscal year 2027, distribute payments based on 2026 property tax due, include a clawback for delinquent taxpayers, and coordinate with existing property tax refund programs so recipients would not receive more than they paid in taxes. House Research also discussed a disagreement with the Department of Revenue over whether the refund would be taxable federally, with House Research suggesting it would likely be treated as a non-taxable recovery of prior taxes. Public testimony was largely opposed. Eric Bernstein of We Make Minnesota argued the proposal was too large, would create a deficit and force future service cuts, and would disproportionately benefit higher-income homeowners. Nan Madden of the Minnesota Budget Project said the bill would create a major budget hole, threaten funding for health care, food support, schools, and other services, and exclude renters and lower-income Minnesotans. Members echoed those concerns, citing impacts on public safety, rural EMS, hospitals, education funding, and equity, while noting that renters and many seniors would receive nothing. Representative Howard questioned whether the bill was a cautious use of state resources, and Representative Norris said it missed the mark for struggling renters. Chair Davids defended the concept as a way to put money back in people’s pockets and said the proposal was scalable and intended to start a discussion. Representative Wiener strongly supported the bill, saying many homeowners and farmers in his district are not wealthy and need relief from property taxes; he said the bill should be even bigger. No vote on final passage was taken in the portion of the meeting provided, and the committee moved on after testimony and member discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the technology that's put in place by these, these particular piece of equipment continues to, to
• But I think it's important to note that these decibels of sound continue to drop with technology.
• What, and I appreciate your comments on, you know, the technology improving and, and, you know, as, as
• A regular commercial activity and who gets to balance quality of life in a particular community, um,
• that the, the locals will get it more right than politicians in Austin who have never been to their community

Bills: HB 246, HB 796, HB 1056, HB 1544, HB 1846, HB 2001, HB 2618, HB 2625, HB 2869, HB 2898, HB 3069, HB 3114, HB 3157, HB 3228, HJR 98

Keywords: federal directives, state authority, Tenth Amendment, government enforcement, local governance, gold standard, legal tender, currency, transactional currency, financial transactions, electronic payment systems, state finance, regulatory compliance, electric trucks, charging infrastructure, advisory council, transportation, sustainability, criminal penalties, official information

Transcript Highlights:

• That preservation and local control is critical to communities like ours.
• Senate Bill 1317 provides the support special needs students in rural communities require and provides
• Senate Bill 1317 provides the support special needs students in rural communities require and provides
• Billy, Bobby, and their sister Mary gave the community a lot.
• Services may become inconsistent, and transparency and communication with families become strained.

Summary: The Senate Education Committee began by welcoming a new Senate Page, Caleb Williams of Shelley, who introduced himself and answered a few light questions about his plans after graduation. The committee then approved minutes from February 10, 12, 16, and 17, 2026, by voice vote. The main action item was Senate Bill 1317, which would create regional service centers to help school districts and charter schools share special education-related staff and services, especially in rural areas. The sponsor and department staff said the bill is intended to reduce duplication, improve compliance with IDEA, strengthen recruitment and retention of specialists, and preserve local control. Testimony from superintendents, teachers, parents, advocates, and others was overwhelmingly supportive, emphasizing high costs for contracted services, staffing shortages, and the benefits of shared regional models. Senator Zito raised concerns about the $1 million fiscal note, the use of real property, and the lack of clarity about how many centers would be created and where they would be located. After discussion, the committee voted to send SB 1317 to the Senate floor with a due pass recommendation; the motion passed with Senator Zito voting no. Following that, the committee received informational presentations on two Idaho education programs: District 91’s PASS program in Idaho Falls, a tiered behavior-support model for young students, and Kootenai Classical Academy’s classical education model, including its curriculum, character education, and strong literacy results. The meeting adjourned at the scheduled hard stop.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for your time, and as always, go Coogs. ...and this evolving technological landscape.
• Thank you for your time, and go Huskies. ...online platforms, and I've seen our community plagued by
• First of all, Colleen, I really want to thank you for your comprehensive communication over the interim
• That sort of clear, publicly available policy reassures students, parents, and community members that
• Chair Taylor, Ranking Member Walsh, members of the community. I'm Michael Shaw.

Summary: The Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee heard testimony on several bills. On SB 5906, the SAFE Act, staff and Sen. Hansen described protections limiting immigration enforcement access to non-public areas in schools, early learning settings, higher education, health care facilities, adult family homes, and ballot-processing areas, and restricting collection of immigration-status information. Supporters said the bill would clarify and strengthen existing Keep Washington Working policies, while some witnesses requested amendments to better define health care facilities, clarify adult family home and election-related provisions, and keep Section 6 on ballot security. Some members questioned the factual basis for reported ICE activity near schools and daycares and the distinction between judicial and administrative warrants. The committee also heard SB 5886 on personality rights and forged digital likenesses. Staff explained that the bill would add digitally created or modified likenesses to the Personality Rights Act, raise civil penalties, and allow recovery of actual and non-economic damages in forged-digital-likeness cases. The sponsor and supporters said the bill is intended to address AI deepfakes and identity misuse while preserving satire and fair use; student and advocacy witnesses supported the measure as a way to protect students and victims of digital impersonation. The committee then heard SB 5169, which expands child hearsay and closed-circuit testimony rules to older children and additional offenses. Prosecutors and forensic interviewers supported the bill as necessary in trafficking and child abuse cases, while defense advocates opposed it as an overbroad expansion that could raise confrontation-clause issues and create legal challenges. Additional hearings included SB 5865, which would move garnishment form updates from statute to the Washington Pattern Forms Committee; judges supported it as a way to fix a wage-withholding calculation error and allow future updates without legislation. SB 5912 would reinstate the Indigent Defense Task Force to study statewide public defense delivery and recommend sustainable reforms; counties, the Office of Public Defense, and defense groups supported it. SB 6009 would make permanent the current process for direct review of administrative decisions by the Court of Appeals and retain land-use transfer provisions; a Court of Appeals judge supported the bill. SB 6087 would extend limited liability for donations of children’s items to religious organizations and add strollers and car seats, with support from Zero Waste Washington. The committee did not take final votes on these bills during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next, we have Sharon Frazier, I think, community advocate, proponent of the bill.
• “So we're trained to keep ourselves safe and the community safe, and we take great pride in doing so.
• So we're trained to keep ourselves safe and the community safe, and we take great pride in doing so.
• We recognize the awful problem that substances like xylazine pose to our communities.
• We recognize the awful problem that substances like xylazine pose to our communities.

Summary: The Criminal Justice Subcommittee heard and advanced a series of bills on inmate medical billing, court-order transmission, animal abandonment during disasters, first responder peer support, firearm purchase waiting periods, capital felony aggravators, domestic violence protections, boating safety, restitution for leaving the scene of a crash, xylazine trafficking, and offenses against law enforcement officers. Testimony was generally supportive across the agenda, with some opposition or caution raised on the xylazine bill, the boating safety bill, and parts of the law-enforcement-officer bill. Several measures were presented as responses to specific tragedies, including the Martin County jail medical billing bill, the Baker Act transmission bill, Trooper’s Law for restrained dogs, the Jason Rayner Act, and Lucy’s Law. HB 407 would cap certain emergency medical charges for Martin County jail inmates at 110% of Medicare rates, mirroring Department of Corrections practice; it passed 15-0. HB 513 would require faster electronic transmission of certain court orders, including Baker Act orders, to law enforcement within six hours; it passed 15-0. HB 205, Trooper’s Law, creates a third-degree felony for abandoning a restrained dog during a natural disaster; it passed 15-0. HB 421, as amended, expands peer support for first responders to certain support personnel involved in crime scene work or evidence handling; it passed 16-0. PCS for HB 383 would let law enforcement, correctional officers, correctional probation officers, and active military service members bypass the three-day handgun waiting period without a concealed carry permit; it passed 18-0. HB 693 adds an aggravating factor in capital cases when the victim was gathered with others for a school, religious, or public government meeting; it passed 17-1 after opposition testimony from Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. PCS for HB 19 and HB 41, the Haven Act, would expand domestic and dating violence protections, including a feasibility study for a web-based 911 alert system and confidentiality/public-records protections for victims; both passed 18-0. PCS for HB 289, Lucy’s Law, would align boating penalties with driving offenses and expand boating safety card requirements; it passed 18-0 despite concerns from one witness that the bill should go further. HB 479 would allow courts to order restitution in leaving-the-scene property-damage cases; an amendment changing mandatory to discretionary restitution was adopted, and the bill passed 18-0. PCS for HB 57 would regulate xylazine, add trafficking penalties, and include veterinary-use exceptions; it passed 17-0 after one witness opposed mandatory minimums. HB 175, the Jason Rayner Act, clarifies that officers are protected when acting within the scope of their duties and adds manslaughter of a law enforcement officer to offenses requiring life imprisonment; it passed 17-0 after debate over self-defense and unlawful police conduct.

Transcript Highlights:

• That is directly to challenge the rural communities, what the rural communities face in attracting private
• The community and get an incentive to have a tax credit, right.
• design of the community, right?
• Communities.
• We have both urban and rural communities within our footprint.

Summary: The Commerce Committee met in executive session and unanimously voted do pass on House Bill 1707, House Bill 2927, and House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2057. The committee then moved into public hearing on House Bill 1664, which would extend the civil statute of limitations for child sexual abuse claims from age 26 to age 41. Representative Brian Sites presented the bill as a needed step for survivors, and multiple witnesses and organizations testified in support, including survivors and advocacy, tort reform, chamber, and insurance groups. No opposition was heard, and the hearing concluded without a vote. The committee also heard House Bill 1845, a startup and angel investor tax credit proposal sponsored by Representative Gallick. The bill would create incentives for Missouri-based startups under $5 million in revenue, with higher credits for rural investment, annual caps, oversight by the Missouri Technology Corporation, and a sunset in 2033. Members questioned what taxes the credit would apply to, how it would work if Missouri changes its income tax structure, and what safeguards would prevent businesses from leaving after receiving credits. Business and economic development groups testified in support, saying the bill would help fill an early-stage capital gap and keep investment in Missouri. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 3231, a broad economic development and “Missouri Innovation Zone” proposal sponsored by Representative Brad Christ. The bill would let cities opt in to create innovation zones with local permitting and governance changes, tax incentives, office-to-residential conversion tools, and reinvestment of net new revenues into public safety, infrastructure, and a rural development fund. Members and witnesses discussed local control, prevailing wage, revenue diversion, and implementation concerns, especially from the City of St. Louis and labor groups, while chambers, developers, municipal groups, and historic revitalization advocates generally supported the concept. The hearing ended with no opposition testimony and no committee vote on the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• It was built by many, by workers, families, and leaders across communities.
• That when communities come together across lines of difference, they are stronger, more resilient, and
• Each of us has a role to play in shaping the future of our communities.
• I've been very fortunate to be able to communicate with her over the last couple of weeks.
• It's a big loss to the community, and we miss her dearly. So I ask that we adjourn her memory.

Summary: The Senate opened with a quorum, prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved through several gubernatorial confirmations. The chamber confirmed Irena Ortega to the Public Employment Relations Board, Monica Erickson as director of the Department of Human Services, Armin Mayor as senior deputy commissioner in the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, and Uca Dunkay to the California State Lottery Commission. All four appointments were approved overwhelmingly, with final confirmation votes taken after the calls were lifted. The main floor debate centered on SCR 152, designating April 10, 2026 as Dolores Huerta Day. Senators spoke at length about Huerta’s leadership in the farmworker movement, civil rights advocacy, nonviolent organizing, and ongoing influence, with several members sharing personal reflections and noting the role of Filipino farmworkers and Larry Itliong in the broader movement. The resolution passed unanimously. The Senate also adopted SR 91 recognizing Cambodian Genocide Memorial Week, SCR 149 marking World Autism Awareness Day, SCR 150 honoring National Librarian Day, and SR 98 designating Heat Pump Week in California. The chamber also passed SB 1078, an urgency tax measure giving Santa Cruz County voters the opportunity to approve a local tax above the 2% combined rate to help fund services, including medical services. The bill passed 29-9 on both the urgency and the bill itself. Later, the Senate approved the consent calendar and special consent calendar without objection, and members made committee announcements about upcoming budget subcommittee hearings. The session ended with an adjournment in memory of Deanna Mooney, a longtime San Francisco nurse, labor advocate, and community figure. The Senate announced it would reconvene on Monday, April 20, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• It was built by many, by workers, families, and leaders across communities.
• Each of us has a role to play in shaping the future of our communities.
• Each of us has a role to play in shaping the future of our communities.
• And I've been very fortunate to be able to communicate with her over the last couple of weeks.
• And it's a big loss to the community, and we miss her dearly. So I ask that we adjourn her memory.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> there that's going to be a community there that's going to be a community project<00:10:12.120><
• > president information president information Technologies Technologies Technologies yes<00:56:23.280
• </c> with that and we're uh in communication with that and we're uh in communication with<01:20:09.360
• service anybody in the community.
• </c><02:11:06.840><c> Based</c> right so those are Community Based right so those are Community Based

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Ways and Means and Health and Human Services committees heard Hawaii Health Systems Corporation’s biennium budget request, with testimony from HHSC leadership on the Hilo/Big Island region (HTH 212) and the Oahu region (HTH 215), plus discussion of capital improvement projects and systemwide partnerships. HHSC described its role as the rural healthcare safety net, serving a high share of Medicare, Medicaid/Quest, and uninsured patients, and said its costs are elevated by state employee fringe benefits, which it said are about 64% compared with roughly 30% in the private sector. HHSC also said pandemic-era federal aid, including relief funds and PPP loans totaling about $100 million, reduced the need for general fund support in prior years. For HTH 212, HHSC said its general fund request for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 was higher than the governor’s recommendation because of rising insurance, pharmaceutical, and contractor labor costs, and because it includes $13.2 million in FY 2026 and $2.3 million in FY 2027 for Epic electronic medical record implementation in East Hawaii. For HTH 215, HHSC said the requested general funds were aligned with the governor’s recommendation, in part because of increased Medicaid reimbursement rates for long-term care facilities under prior legislation. HHSC also said it was restoring a special fund ceiling so the region could spend its cash collections on operations. Members asked about the 64% fringe rate, and HHSC explained the difference was mainly due to defined-benefit pension and retiree health insurance costs, which private hospitals generally do not bear at the same level. Members also asked about the Daniel K. Akaka State Veterans Home, and HHSC said operations would be funded through the general fund corporation for the home when it opens, with management by Ohana Pacific, but no additional legislative operating funds were being requested at that time. Other questions focused on staffing and vacancies, including an abolished procurement position and an ongoing IT help desk recruitment need. HHSC highlighted several capital and partnership projects, including a $25 million state CIP request matched by $25 million from the Benioff family for the Benioff Health Center, an ER expansion and reconfiguration at Corner Community Hospital, and $7.5 million in each fiscal year for Kauai EMR capital funds to join the Epic platform. Testimony also described collaborations with Queen’s, the University of California San Francisco, Hawaii Pacific Health, the Hawaii Cancer Consortium, the Department of Health, and the state hospital to improve specialty access, clinical trials, behavioral health, and patient placement across the system.

Transcript Highlights:

• 12% in white communities.
• ledger and blockchain technology.
• I couldn't communicate with my family at the time. We were fighting all the time.
• It's just such a secondary set of effects that affect a whole community.
• that was targeted and get my whole Haitian community that was targeted and get it. whole Haitian community

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Committee on Financial Services heard testimony on several bills focused on consumer debt, mortgage regulation, credit unions, and foreclosure prevention. The Attorney General’s Office strongly supported the Debt Collection Fairness Act (S. 735/H. 1275), saying it would curb abusive debt collection, prevent stale claims, limit civil arrest warrants, modernize wage garnishment rules, and reduce judgment interest rates. Senator Eldridge and legal aid advocates echoed that support, while the Massachusetts Bankers Association and the Massachusetts Mortgage Bankers Association supported bills on credit union mission/competition, consumer privacy in mortgage applications, subprime loan definitions, UCC updates, and protections for vulnerable adults, but opposed foreclosure mediation proposals and several credit union expansion measures, arguing they would distort competition and add unnecessary burdens. A large portion of the hearing focused on foreclosure prevention bills (S. 765/H. 1090), with testimony from homeowners, housing organizers, and legal advocates describing predatory lending, confusing servicing practices, health harms, and displacement caused by foreclosure. Supporters said a statewide pre-foreclosure mediation program would give borrowers and lenders a chance to reach alternatives such as loan modifications or repayment plans, and cited local experience in Lynn where mediation reportedly produced high rates of foreclosure alternatives. Opponents from the banking industry argued Massachusetts already has strong foreclosure protections and that a new mandatory process could delay resolution without added benefit, though they also noted a 2024 pilot should be evaluated first. The committee also heard strong support for H. 1282/S. 684, which would update the Massachusetts Uniform Commercial Code. State Street and a bankruptcy attorney said the changes are needed to keep commercial law current with electronic transactions, tokenized assets, and blockchain technology, and to maintain competitiveness with other states. The hearing concluded after public testimony, with no bill votes taken during the session; the chair thanked speakers and the committee voted to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• Basically, we have the community-based treatment recovery services.
• A much better job in communications and communicating with all the parties associated with the consent
• They're in all of your communities.
• based on their community as what happens in Mccalister.
• But that will require us to continue to communicate well.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We had another project on, I believe it was technology, sort of pre-modern times, I guess you could say
• And then also this idea of looking at the technology issues, talking about the campus and how it's changed
• locations that I would generalize as opportunities to find folks are in our University Department of Communications
• Both, I mean, I say communications because that whole training for being able to ask questions and Training

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We had another project on, I believe it was technology, sort of pre-modern times, I guess you could say
• And then also this idea of looking at the technology issues, talking about the campus and how it's changed
• locations that I would generalize as opportunities to find folks are in our University Department of Communications
• Both, I mean, I say communications because that whole training for being able to ask questions and...

Summary: The Legislative Oral History Committee met to elect officers for the coming year, unanimously selecting Senator Schessler as chair and Ramos Santos as vice chair by voice vote. Staff then updated members on completed and in-progress oral history projects, including the printed oral history of former House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, which has had interviews completed and is now being edited with photographs added, and the Mary Margaret Howgan project, for which staff is still seeking a contractor to finish the work. Members discussed where completed oral histories are stored and learned they are posted on the committee website, with some additional printed copies available and the website itself being redesigned. The committee also reviewed its finances, hearing that the account balance was $79,639.20, though members noted inconsistencies in the report and asked staff to provide a fuller accounting later. Staff said typical oral history projects cost about $10,000 to $15,000 each. The committee received an update on TVW-produced video projects, which are complete and will be posted once the oral histories web page is ready. Staff identified the topics as the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, early legislative technology, and the PDC/party-switch history involving former legislator P.V. Reichertbauer. Members then brainstormed future projects, including campus history, leadership-focused histories, interviews with departing members, and oral histories of women and former staff who became legislators. By motion and voice vote, the committee approved conducting oral histories of former Representative Barb Lisk and Senator Hargrove, and also established a program to interview the longest-serving retiring member of each caucus every biennium. Members discussed possible interviewers, including staff, TVW, and university-based or other nonprofit oral history practitioners, and asked staff to explore options and report back.

Transcript Highlights:

• We know that AI hallucinates, frequently gets things wrong, and I'm worried that allowing this technology
• We know that AI hallucinates, frequently gets things wrong, and I'm worried that allowing this technology
• It's great technology. It's only becoming more important.
• </c><00:20:17.080><c> It</c><00:20:17.160><c> just</c> communities, tribal areas.
• It just communities, tribal areas.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Communities of color in my district, 48% of my constituents are on Medi-Cal.
• And these cuts are going to create severe suffering in those communities.
• We're able to keep folks insured and... ...to sustain our communities.
• Chris Rose on behalf of the Information Technology Industry Council.
• I work for Housing and Community Development, and I'm with SEIU Local 1000.

Summary: The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review subcommittee heard four budget trailer bills: AB 110, AB 122, AB 125, and AB 177. AB 110 was described as a budget bill junior identifying budget-related legislation. AB 122 would extend sales tax to electronically delivered or remotely accessed prewritten software, extend and later limit business tax credits, reduce the annual LLC/LLP/LP tax for first-year businesses for three years, and impose a 100% tax on certain federal anti-weaponization fund settlements. AB 125 would renew the managed care organization (MCO) tax for three years beginning in 2027 to support Medi-Cal and targeted provider rate increases. AB 177 would require the Department of Finance to return by March 1, 2027 with options for assessing large employers for the Medi-Cal costs of employees enrolled in the program, including at least one employer-paid premium option for firms with 250 or more employees, and would appropriate $1,000 General Fund for implementation. Administration witnesses said AB 122 modernizes the tax system and helps create general fund revenue, while AB 125 is needed to preserve Medi-Cal financing and targeted rate increases under new federal constraints from H.R. 1 and to avoid a budget hole if the MCO tax expires. On AB 177, Finance said the bill is only a study and does not itself impose a tax, but would direct the administration to develop options for future consideration. Supportive members argued the package is part of a balanced approach to address the structural deficit, protect health care and other safety-net programs, and ensure large corporations pay more of their share. They also said AB 177 is a necessary step toward asking large employers to help cover public health care costs for workers who rely on Medi-Cal. Opponents, led by Vice Chair Niello and several other Republicans, argued the state does not have a revenue shortage but a spending problem, warning that the proposals would raise costs on consumers and businesses, discourage innovation, and expand taxes beyond their intended scope. They criticized AB 122 as potentially taxing labor-like services and limiting research and development credits, and said AB 125 would increase premiums for commercial enrollees and employers. On AB 177, they questioned the lack of definitions and specifics, saying the bill is too vague and could eventually burden employers, including hospitals and part-time workers, without clear standards. No votes were taken in the portion of the hearing provided; the committee heard testimony and questions before public comment and later action.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so many in our community have given so much to give.
• So Medi-Cal home and community-based services can fill that gap.
• California's commitment to this community has never been more important.
• For me, I just did it like it was no tomorrow, but I give back to my community because the community
• I just wanted to make sure that they're community care facilities.

Summary: The Select Committee on Older LGBTQ Californians held an inaugural hearing focused on the health care and support landscape for older LGBTQ Californians, including people aging with HIV and transgender, gender non-conforming, and intersex seniors. Opening remarks emphasized the long history of discrimination faced by older LGBTQ adults, the growth of the aging LGBTQ population, and the need to translate existing state commitments into concrete services. Senators highlighted concerns about nursing home vulnerability, the aging of people living with HIV, and the impact of federal actions and Medicaid cuts on California’s safety net. The first panel featured Justice in Aging, CalHHS, the Department of Aging, and the Aging and HIV Institute. Testimony described widespread inequities, including discrimination, social isolation, economic insecurity, and gaps in culturally competent care. State officials outlined the Master Plan for Aging, the first statewide survey of LGBTQIA older adults, gender-affirming care protections in Medi-Cal, and efforts to improve coordination across departments. Advocates argued the state has been too slow to respond to federal threats and that services are often hard to find or fragmented. Committee members pressed the departments on how survey findings are being turned into action, how rural and underserved communities are being reached, and whether more formal stakeholder coordination or “no wrong door” access systems are needed. The second panel focused on seniors living with HIV. A long-term survivor gave emotional testimony about the “survivorship penalty,” loss of benefits, housing insecurity, and the need for legal and navigation support, housing assistance, and protection from outdated disability standards. The Department of Aging reported on implementation of SB 258, which added HIV status to the definition of greatest social need for area agencies on aging; it said 20 of 33 area plans now identify HIV as a target population and many include specific strategies, such as LGBTQIA mental health connections programs. The Office of AIDS described Project Cornerstone, Ryan White, ADAP, HOPWA, the Medi-Cal waiver, and PrEP-AP, noting these programs serve thousands of older clients and rely on whole-person case management. Case management testimony underscored persistent needs for medication subsidies, transportation, food, and housing. Committee members questioned how ADAP rebate funds might be used, how SB 258 is enforced across local agencies, and how to reduce administrative barriers and auto-connect eligible people to benefits. The final panel began with the Department of Social Services outlining protections for TGI seniors in licensed care facilities, including SB 219’s nondiscrimination requirements and related provider notices and resident rights materials. The hearing remained focused on identifying service gaps, improving coordination across aging, health, and social service systems, and ensuring state programs better reflect the lived experience of older LGBTQ Californians.

Transcript Highlights:

• Communications and reports from state officers. Motions and resolutions.
• bill is passed. >> Calendar 46, Senate Print 8831, Senator Gonzalez, an act to amend the State Technology
• &gt;&gt; CALENDAR 46, 8831 SENATOR GONZALEZ, AN ACT TO AMEND THE STATE TECHNOLOGY LAW. >> Read the last

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate met on January 20, 2026, approved the Journal, and adopted the resolution calendar. It then took up Senate Resolution 1324, sponsored by Senator Stec, which memorializes the Governor to proclaim January 25-31, 2026, as Medicolegal Death Investigation Professionals Week. Senator Stec described the work of medicolegal death investigators and recognized guests from several districts; the resolution was opened for co-sponsorship. The Senate then considered a series of bills on the calendar, including measures amending the Insurance, Labor, Workers’ Compensation, Public Health, State Finance, State Technology, Environmental Conservation, Criminal Procedure, Executive, and Veteran Services laws. Most bills passed with broad support, though several drew negative votes from individual senators or small groups, including Calendar 34 (Insurance Law), Calendar 47 (Environmental Conservation Law), Calendar 61 (Public Health Law), and Calendar 74 (Veteran Services Law). Senator Murray briefly explained his support for Calendar 62, a Criminal Procedure Law bill, suggesting additional confirmation for victim notifications if email notice is expanded. The Senate also discharged Assembly Bill 9436 from Rules and substituted identical Senate Bill 8773. After completing the calendar, the Majority Conference committee assignments were filed in the Journal. The Senate then adjourned until Monday, January 26, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., with intervening days designated as legislative days.

Transcript Highlights:

• Priscilla Lucetto with environmental community—she's the environmental community representative.
• Priscilla Lucetto with environmental community, she's the environmental community representative.
• We have hired 11 different contractors that do community facilitation.
• We'll send an engineer out to the community rather than make a grant to the community, which still often
• We'll send an engineer out to the community rather than make a grant to the community, which still often

Summary: The committee heard several water-related bills and one memorial in a Saturday session near the end of the legislative term. House Bill 63, the annual NMFA Water Project Fund authorization bill, would authorize grants and loans for 113 eligible water projects across 28 counties. NMFA and municipal interests supported the bill, and members emphasized the need to move water infrastructure funding quickly. The committee voted unanimously do pass. House Bill 109 would temporarily remove the requirement for the legislature to separately authorize Water Trust Board-vetted projects through 2029, allowing the New Mexico Finance Authority and Water Trust Board to move projects forward more quickly. Sponsors and witnesses said the change would reduce a six- to 12-month delay, improve access for small and tribal systems, and allow more flexible application periods and technical assistance. Some members raised concerns about transparency, legislative authority, and equitable access, but the bill also received broad support from local governments, tribes, and advocacy groups. The committee voted unanimously do pass. House Bill 111 would modernize water enforcement penalties by increasing fines for illegal water use, including unlawful diversions, unlicensed well drilling, and failure to meter, while exempting valid water-right holders from monetary penalties for simple over-diversion and preserving existing adjudication orders. Support came from environmental groups, irrigation districts, the Interstate Stream Commission, the Pueblo of Laguna, and others, who said stronger penalties are needed to deter illegal use. Members questioned how the bill would affect farmers, acequias, service of notices, and existing water-right disputes, and sponsors said the bill had been revised to address prior concerns. The committee voted unanimously do pass. The committee also approved Senate Memorial 27, which urges state agencies to help publicize expanded federal RECA benefits for New Mexicans exposed to Trinity radiation fallout; supporters said the memorial would help eligible residents learn about and apply for compensation before the deadline.