Transcript Highlights:

• For the last several months, AB 30 is the Cleaner Cheaper Fuels Act, which will authorize E15 as a new
• AB 30 is a common-sense, bipartisan solution that ensures that E15 blend can be used in California while
• Speaker I just want to chime in the time is now for E15 let's resoundingly give this a yes vote and get
• It is time for E15 and it means affordability to Californians. Thank you for your work.

Transcript Highlights:

• It really is watching what's going to happen with E15.
• E15 is tentatively approved for a year, and that is a big deal.
• Whereas before, without the E15, we were going to see the precipitous drop because corn at $4.60... .
• ..the E15, we were going to see the precipitous drop because corn at $4.60 is right at break-even.

Committees: House Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture & Rural Development , House Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development

Summary: The House Committee on Agriculture met with a quorum, adopted the prior meeting minutes, and heard a series of agriculture-related bills, most of them sponsored by Representative Domain or Chairwoman Butler. The first major bill, HB 121, would expand the Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s authority over imported seafood by allowing its inspectors, in addition to the Department of Health, to seize and destroy adulterated seafood already under stop order. Representative Domain and Commissioner Strain framed the bill as a seafood-safety and anti-fraud measure aimed at protecting Louisiana shrimpers from tainted imports and bad actors. Members asked about cost, testing rates, countries of origin, and whether the bill would affect imported shrimp prices; the commissioner said it would not raise consumer prices and that Louisiana’s testing is focused at retail rather than ports. HB 121 was reported favorably with no objections. The committee then considered HB 725, which requires restaurants/retailers to retain invoices from imported seafood vendors for six months. After a technical amendment changing the bill’s one-liner from “restaurants” to “retailers,” the bill was explained as a recordkeeping tool to help auditors verify country-of-origin and labeling compliance without costly product testing. It was reported favorably with amendments. The committee also heard a bill reducing the required number of annual meetings for the Agriculture Finance Authority from four to two; Commissioner Strain said the change would streamline operations when there is no business to conduct, and it was reported favorably. Next, the committee took up HB 344 and HB 370 dealing with the Grain and Cotton Indemnity Fund. HB 344 raises the fund’s balance thresholds for suspending and restarting assessments, while HB 370 increases the assessment rate on agricultural commodities to replenish the fund more quickly. Commissioner Strain described recent large losses from grain broker bankruptcies, including Hansen-Mueller, and explained that the fund has been paying farmers but needs a larger balance to handle future defaults. Members discussed the risks posed by brokers, the adequacy of bonding, and the need to protect farmers and rural communities; both bills were reported favorably. The committee also advanced HB 367, aligning Structural Pest Control Commission hearing notices with the Administrative Procedure Act, and HB 847, which modernizes Soil and Water Conservation district supervisor elections by shifting administration to the Secretary of State and updating petition and ballot procedures after a crowded, ballot-short election. Finally, HB 505 streamlined certification and renewal rules for commercial applicators, pesticide salespersons, and agricultural consultants, including a technical amendment to keep unexpended pesticide-fund money in the fund; it too was reported favorably with amendments. After the bills, Commissioner Strain gave a lengthy update on the state of agriculture, forestry, and aquaculture. He highlighted continued pressure on shrimp from low-cost imports, currency shifts, and inadequate domestic marketing and cold storage, as well as ongoing seafood labeling enforcement and testing. He also discussed feral swine damage, drought and wildfire concerns, fertilizer and diesel cost increases, crop acreage trends, and export efforts for rice and timber, including Louisiana wood pellets used in the United Kingdom. LSU Ag Center Dean Matt Lee followed with a presentation on the center’s research and extension work, emphasizing its statewide network, high research ranking, and the economic return from agricultural science, especially in sugarcane variety development. He said LSU Ag Center research has helped Louisiana maintain strong sugar production and supports producers across the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• The last-minute announcements on sales of E15 and the lack of clear tax policy guidance on the 45Z clean
• I do applaud President Trump for making E15 a priority.
• executive order declaring a national energy emergency so that we can continue to allow for the sale of E15
• E15 year-round, and I've long led an effort to make this policy permanent.

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• One that got a lot of tension during our special session was E15.
• My understanding is that there's been a CARB evaluation of E15 that's been going on...
• My understanding is that there's been a CARB evaluation of E15 that's been going on for something like
• are provided, we will continue the work on... ...are provided, we will continue the work on assessing E15

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy held its annual oversight hearing on the transportation fuels sector, focused on refinery closures, gasoline supply and prices, in-state oil production, and implementation of SBX1-2 and ABX2-1. The chair emphasized that California needs a system-wide transition plan to manage the decline in fossil fuel demand while avoiding supply shocks and consumer harm, especially in light of Phillips 66’s planned refinery changes and Valero’s announced intent to close its Benicia refinery. CEC Vice Chair Siva Gunda and CARB Chair Liane Randolph described the broader fuel transition: EV adoption is rising, gasoline demand is declining, and California’s refining system is increasingly tight and interconnected with imports, storage, pipelines, and marine terminals. Randolph reviewed CARB’s climate and air-quality programs, including the low-carbon fuel standard, and said California still has major ozone and particulate pollution problems even as emissions have fallen. Both agencies stressed that the state must balance climate goals, air quality, consumer protection, and investor confidence, and that additional refinery closures could increase price volatility and strain supply. DPMO Director Ty Milder presented new data on gasoline pricing, saying Californians have paid a “mystery gasoline surcharge” of about 41 cents per gallon since 2015, with higher branded gasoline markups and elevated industry margins concentrated among vertically integrated firms. He said the data show some refiners do well while others struggle, and that the market is highly concentrated. Committee members questioned whether the data proved manipulation or whether state regulations and declining supply were contributing to refinery exits and higher prices. Witnesses said no specific consumer-cost threshold is used in CARB’s economic analysis, and CEC officials said they have not yet implemented the new permissive tools because they are still evaluating whether the benefits outweigh the risks. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• It really is watching what's going to happen with E15.
• E15 is tentatively approved for a year, and that is a big deal.
• Whereas before, without the E15, we were going to see the precipitous drop because corn at $4.60... .

Committee: House Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and welcomed a new member, then took up a series of agriculture-related bills, many focused on Louisiana seafood and producer protections. HB 121 by Rep. Domain would let the Department of Agriculture and Forestry seize and destroy adulterated imported seafood after a stop order, rather than relying on another agency to do it; the commissioner said the bill would improve enforcement without adding major cost, and it was reported favorably. HB 725, also by Rep. Domain, was amended to require retailers to keep invoices for imported seafood for six months so inspectors can verify country of origin and labeling; the committee adopted the technical amendment and reported the bill favorably. HB 367, dealing with Structural Pest Control Commission hearing notices, was described as a technical change to align notice procedures with the Administrative Procedure Act and was also reported favorably. HB 505, on certification cards for commercial applicators, pesticide salespersons, and agricultural consultants, was amended to keep unexpended pesticide fund money in the fund and streamline renewal timing; it too passed favorably. The committee then considered several measures aimed at protecting farmers from market losses. HB 344 by Rep. Coates raised the Grain and Cotton Indemnity Fund thresholds for suspending and restarting assessments, with the commissioner explaining that recent bankruptcies and broker failures had shown the need for a larger reserve; the bill was reported favorably. HB 370, a follow-up measure on the same fund, increased the assessment rate on agricultural commodities so the fund could grow faster, and it also passed without objection. HB 847, on Soil and Water Conservation Commission district supervisor elections, was amended to require certified nominating petitions, shift election administration to the Secretary of State, and remove outdated statewide election language; supporters said the change would modernize a system that had become costly and unwieldy, and the bill was reported favorably. HB 370 and HB 847 drew discussion about ballot access, election administration, and the nonpartisan nature of soil and water districts. The meeting also included a lengthy agriculture update from Commissioner Strain and a presentation from LSU Ag Center Dean Matt Lee. Strain discussed seafood imports, labeling enforcement, shrimp industry promotion, feral swine damage, fertilizer and diesel cost pressures, pesticide disposal, and export markets for rice and timber, emphasizing that Louisiana agriculture depends on testing, marketing, and international trade. Lee reported that LSU Ag Center research is ranked among the nation’s top agricultural programs, with major work in sugarcane variety development, and said the center’s research generates substantial economic returns for Louisiana producers. Several industry representatives, including Louisiana Farm Bureau and LSU Ag Center staff, spoke in support of the bills and the state’s agricultural programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• refinery production, but let's go ahead ...refinery production, but let's go ahead and allow year-round E15
• Don't come in here and beg for an E15 year-round mandate because you want to have a bailout for farmers
• I want our farmers in Iowa, Minnesota, and places that want to have E15, E20, whatever year-round.
• don't send up to me, White House, a supplemental spending bill because of Iran for $87 billion with an E15

Bills: HR915 , HB7401 , HB2478 , HR1381

Keywords: Holodomor, Ukraine famine, 1932-1933 famine, genocide recognition, Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin, collectivization, grain confiscation, human rights, Ukraine, Ukrainian people, Russian aggression, Vladimir Putin, foreign affairs, sense of the House, commemorative resolution, historical remembrance, Soviet repression, Kremlin denial, Ukraine sovereignty

Transcript Highlights:

• One that got a lot of tension during our special session was E15.
• My understanding is that there's been a CARB evaluation of E15 that's been going on for something like
• And if those resources are provided, we will continue the work on assessing E15 and the technical specifications

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

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Champion: Uh, Senator Champion, do you have any comments on the E15?
• Champion, do you have any comments<00:40:43.119><c> on</c><00:40:44.079><c> the</c><00:40:44.320><c> E15
• would</c><00:40:45.760><c> defer</c><00:40:46.079><c> it</c><00:40:46.160><c> to</c> comments on the E15
• I would defer it to comments on the E15? I would defer it to Senator<00:40:46.640><c> Gustoson.

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• 32.000><c> of</c> ethanol and uh we are a large user of of ethanol and uh we are a large user of of E15
• And in 2025, E15 gasoline in Minnesota.
• </c> stations in our state that offer E15 stations in our state that offer E15 and<03:06:44.160><c> about
• </c><03:06:47.600><c> was</c> and about 144 million gallons of E15 was and about 144 million gallons
• of E15 was pumped<03:06:48.560><c> into</c><03:06:49.120><c> consumers</c><03:06:49.760><c> cars</c><

Transcript Highlights:

• We had funding for county inspectors and also continued funding for E15 grants to move out the expansion
• inspectors and um also uh continued<00:09:40.240><c> funding</c><00:09:40.560><c> for</c><00:09:40.800><c> E15
• 00:09:41.440><c> grants</c><00:09:41.880><c> to</c><00:09:42.880><c> move</c> continued funding for E15
• grants to move continued funding for E15 grants to move out<00:09:43.360><c> the</c><00:09:43.600><c

Bills: HF2446 , HF2563 , HF2444

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: agriculture finance, broadband development, Department of Agriculture, Board of Animal Health, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Office of Broadband Development, food safety, food handler license, cottage food, home processed food, livestock dealer, meat packing company, milk marketer, milk marketing license, grain buyer, grain storage, beginning farmer, emerging farmer, farm down payment assistance, livestock investment grant

Transcript Highlights:

• Why we ought to be doing E15 year-round and implementing the Renewable Fuel Standard on time.

Committee: Senate Environment and Public Works Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• We pumped about 14 million gallons of E15 in Minnesota.
• We pumped about 14 million gallons of E15 in Minnesota.
• We pumped about 14 million gallons of E15 in Minnesota.
• We pumped about 14 million gallons of E15 in Minnesota.

Bills: HF3718

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• In May, the House passed legislation to allow E15 fuel to be sold year-round nationwide.
• </c><00:08:43.120><c> fuel</c><00:08:43.440><c> to</c> passed legislation to allow E15 fuel to passed
• legislation to allow E15 fuel to be<00:08:43.680><c> sold</c><00:08:43.919><c> year</c><00:08:44.159
• We passed a year-round E15 to strengthen markets and expand consumer choice.
• ><c> to</c><00:11:34.640><c> strengthen</c> passed a year-round E15 to strengthen passed a year-round

Bills: HCR84 , HR518 , HCR86 , HB7726 , HB2860 , HB8872 , HR1333 , SB254 , HB7618

Keywords: War Powers Resolution, Lebanon, troop withdrawal, U.S. Armed Forces, military deployment, foreign policy, congressional war powers, executive authority, Middle East, troop removal, concurrent resolution, defense policy, overseas deployment, Ukraine, support, foreign affairs, military aid, international relations, War Powers, military action

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 30 is a cleaner, cheaper fuels act, which will authorize E15 as a new blend of gasoline, which will

Summary: The Assembly convened with a quorum call, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance, then moved through a long daily file of bills. Early procedural motions included a failed attempt to suspend the rules for AB 1219, followed by consideration of numerous measures on housing, veterans, education, elections, energy, wildfire prevention, public safety, and consumer affordability. Several bills drew bipartisan support and passed overwhelmingly, including AB 878 on safety accommodations for survivors of violence, AB 948 on school district facility maintenance, AB 81 and AB 88 on veterans’ mental health and student aid, AB 640 on school board fiscal training, AB 660 on housing permit timelines, AB 1048 on workers’ compensation billing disputes, AB 1119 on dual credentialing, AB 1172 on inhalable anti-seizure medication access, AB 1227 on wildfire prevention, AB 1285 and AB 696 on lithium-ion battery safety, AB 1417 on offshore wind transparency, AB 1530 on disaster recovery assistance, and AB 353 on affordable home internet. Some measures drew opposition or more divided votes, including AB 704 on sealing certain misdemeanor records, AB 1249 on early voting access, AB 1280 on thermal energy incentives, AB 1448 on offshore oil protections, AB 380 on price gouging, AB 402 on Cal Grant increases, AB 1074 on CalWORKs reunification, and AB 1084 on expedited gender-change and name-change court orders. The Assembly also granted reconsideration on AB 435, a child passenger safety bill, and passed it after debate on the five-step safety-seat standard. The floor debate featured recurring themes of affordability, housing, wildfire preparedness, election access, veterans’ services, and public safety. Supporters of the election bill AB 1249 argued it would simply add a Saturday early-voting option in non-VCA counties, while opponents raised concerns about verification and county staffing. AB 30, authorizing E15 gasoline in California, was presented as an urgency measure to lower fuel costs and passed unanimously on the urgency and the bill. AB 1466 on groundwater disputes was also taken up, with the author arguing it would reduce frivolous litigation and better represent all water users; the vote was 42 ayes and 17 noes. After completing the file, the Assembly recessed for lunch, later returned, and continued with additional file items, with many measures passing on strong bipartisan votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• He also said there is funding for farm to school, county inspectors, and continued funding for E15 grants

Bills: HF2446 , HF2563 , HF2444

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• aware, is accelerating the evaluation of increased ethanol blending in gasoline to 15%, also known as E15

Transcript Highlights:

• Assistance, E15, 2.0 FTE. Page 335, House Bill 1410, Department of Local Affairs.
• Assistance, E15, 2.0 FTE. Page 335, House Bill 1410, Department of Local Affairs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because it's probably more could be said if Congress votes, manages to push through the E15 mandate that's
• E15 is being discussed, and that would do something very similar.

Committee: Joint Agriculture

Bills: HB8365 , HB5625 , HCR75 , HB6260 , HB8469

Keywords: monitoring, court appointments, public service, accountability, government oversight, pro bono, reduced fees, cashless bail, criminal justice, public safety, Attorney General, pretrial release, Iran, military force, War Powers Resolution, U.S. Armed Forces, hostilities, Congress, national security, bail fraud

Transcript Highlights:

• > created</c><05:02:57.040><c> in</c><05:02:57.200><c> section</c><05:02:57.520><c> 24-48.5-129</c> E15