Transcript Highlights:

• </c> health care cost or anything with that. health care cost or anything with that.
• and lower premiums at the end of the day for the same care.
• and lower premiums at the end of the day for the same care.
• </c><00:37:53.760><c> That's</c> end of the day for the same care.
• That's end of the day for the same care.

Bills: HB55 , SB15 , SB247 , HB55 , SB15 , SB247

Committee: House Financial Services

Keywords: fishing, licensing, jubilee, Marine life, Alabama, regulations, sex offenders, employment restrictions, first responders, public safety, juvenile offenders, local laws, registration requirements, picketing, protesting, residential protest, noise amplification, amplified sound, residential picketing, harassment

Transcript Highlights:

• Only 103 days until our 250th birthday.
• So its 100th anniversary is coming up here in a few more days.
• The agency also fined them $70,000 per day.
• It's really hard in the day-to-day life of commerce.
• It's really hard in the day-to-day life of commerce to decide what is a Canadian Buffalo versus an American

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Because we can't, we're not in session 24 hours a day, 365 days.
• After this bill gets signed into law, because we're not in session 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
• And, you know, at the end of the day, I don't care how many times they take a picture of my license plate
• system. 30-day retention period.
• So I don't care about those apps or anything else.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:05:07.680><c> no</c> you know, this is expensive care, no you know, this is expensive care,
• </c> are going to go to cover this care. are going to go to cover this care.
• Without this care, more kids will require hospital-level care, which then limits the availability of
• . care. care.
• care for people. people. people.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The conference committee on House File 4188 met on May 16, 2026, with a quorum present and indicated it was intended to be the final meeting. The main issue discussed was an amendment to the 62J language concerning home care nursing services for children with complex medical needs. Chair O'Driscoll said the amendment would direct the Departments of Commerce and Health and Human Services to review the fiscal impact on the state, families, and health plans, and to develop possible legislation for 2027. Supporters described the proposal as a pause to allow more review, while also acknowledging it was not a complete solution. Senator Bolden and others testified strongly against allowing the coverage changes to stand, saying the issue affects roughly 200 to 250 families statewide, many of them children who need hospital-level care at home. They warned that capping or denying private coverage would shift costs to Medicaid waivers, strain family waiver budgets, increase state costs, and potentially force more children into hospitals, reducing critical care capacity. Committee members also questioned Commerce Commissioner Grace Arnold and department staff about the distinction between home care nursing and home health services, statutory definitions, billing units, essential health benefits, waiver budgets, and the effect of enforcement actions involving HealthPartners. The committee adopted the A30 amendment by voice vote, and the motion prevailed. Members then took up another provision, described by staff as the meat raffle/paddle wheel language, and adopted an amendment to add the game of Haus und Pfeffer before approving the provision as amended. In final remarks, members from both chambers praised the committee’s work and professionalism, but several expressed regret that the home care nursing issue was not resolved in the conference report and said it would need further work next session. They also noted other items that did not make it into the bill, including reinsurance and certain other policy provisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> within days of each other. within days of each other.
• . day. day.
• You pass through your day every single day.
• You'll notice it's a day-to-day basis.
• </c> 41% play every single day. 41% play every single day.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Health care providers and health care workers continue to... ...by immigration enforcement.
• They are part of our day-to-day responsibilities.
• Is it seven days after the disaster or seven days after an evacuation order has been lifted?
• There's no magic formula—seven days, eight days, nine days.
• to day for Californians.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• form of care.
• form of care.
• and you're not getting the best of care.
• and you're not getting the best of care.
• </c><00:58:56.240><c> of</c> also the government Affairs ch care of also the government Affairs ch care

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Health care: On health care, this bill takes meaningful steps to expand access to rural communities.
• And it's 45 days for them, 60 days in the public school system.
• So there are 180 school days.
• changed almost every day.
• changed almost every day.

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee met with a quorum present and took up two bills. The first, SB 250 on rural communities by Senator Simon, was described as a broad rural development package creating an Office of Rural Prosperity, a Renaissance grant program, housing and transportation investments, added funding for rural education consortiums, and health care initiatives for rural areas. Senator Harrell asked about overlap between road funding programs, and the sponsor explained that eligible counties could receive both SCRAP and FARM funding. Several organizations waived in support or spoke in support, and the bill was reported favorably by unanimous vote. The committee then heard SB 318, the committee substitute for educational scholarship programs by President Gates. The bill was presented as a response to Auditor General findings about the rapid growth and administration of Florida’s school choice and scholarship programs. It would separate Family Empowerment Scholarship funding from the FEFP, require more frequent student enrollment verification, lower scholarship funding organization administrative fees, require return of overpayments, create a student ID system, establish a $250 million stabilization fund, require annual audits, and direct DOE to recommend future program administration through competitive procurement. Gates also offered five amendments, including technical changes to eligibility documentation and a substantive amendment requiring a DOE report on future administration and competitive selection; all five amendments were adopted. During debate and public testimony, senators and witnesses discussed accountability, software solutions, reimbursement delays, monthly attestations, and impacts on public schools and families. Supporters and opponents alike raised concerns about bureaucracy, fraud prevention, special education services, and whether the bill would help or burden parents. Gates said the bill aimed to fix tracking and payment problems without capping the program, and he noted the IEP timeline would be aligned with public school timelines. After debate, the committee reported CS for SB 318 favorably by unanimous vote, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We take care of our people, and we make sure they're going to come back every day.
• We take care of our people, and we make sure they're going to come back every day.
• We take care of our people, and we make sure they're going to come back every day.
• Three days. How many? Mr. Chair, calling it three days. Three days.
• Powell, I personally, I don't care. I don't care. I don't care.

Committee: House House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 2348, which would appropriate state funds for Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs training-center needs, including Wi-Fi for reserve units at joint facilities, a reimbursement program for service members using personal computers, lodging and kind for drill weekends, and HVAC upgrades and maintenance. Two amendments were considered: the Marquez Amendment, which filled in dollar amounts for each purpose, failed; and the Gillette Amendment, which added national-security restrictions on networking equipment, removed the reimbursement and lodging provisions from the underlying bill, and adjusted the funding language, passed. The sponsor and several military witnesses testified that reserve and Guard members at places like Buckeye lack Wi-Fi, adequate HVAC, and lodging, forcing soldiers to use public libraries, personal devices, or sleep in cars or on armory floors. After debate over whether the state should fund needs tied to federal reserve units and how the money would be sourced, the committee recommended HB 2348 as amended by a 4-3 vote. The committee then took up House Concurrent Resolution 2016, a ballot referral that would cap precinct size at 2,500 registered voters and eliminate county authority to use vote centers, emergency voting centers, and certain on-site early voting options. The sponsor said the measure was intended to restore precinct-based voting and reflect voter preference, noting the change from an earlier 1,000-voter cap to 2,500 after feedback from county officials. County and advocacy witnesses opposed the resolution, arguing that vote centers provide flexibility, are often more cost-effective, and are necessary in rural counties and large counties like Maricopa; they also said precinct voting would require many more locations, staff, and equipment, and could force some counties into central-count tabulation. Supporters argued precinct voting improves voter confidence and access. The committee approved HCR 2016 for the ballot by a 4-3 vote. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2165, which exempts veterans from Arizona State Parks admission fees, and adopted the Marquez Amendment to extend the exemption to active military, National Guard, and reserve members and to broaden acceptable identification. Arizona State Parks testified in a neutral position, saying the agency is self-funded through user fees and already offers discounts to active duty, veterans, and disabled veterans, but warned that expanding free admission could affect park revenue and rural economies. The bill discussion ended with the amendment adopted and the measure moving forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• care, offering personal care level of care, offering personal care services<02:13:51.760><c> and</c><
• Yeah, that's all I could remember. entire home care. The entire health care entire home care.
• health care, substance use treatment, prenatal care, and OB care.
• </c> total health care system. total health care system.
• to home and community based care, care to home and community based care, um<03:02:23.920><c> a</c><03

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Division 3 work session focused largely on amendment 1176 to HB 2, which would have incorporated the substance of HB 548FN, a House-passed bill creating a direct-pay or membership-based model for health care facilities. Representative Mlan described the proposal as a way to increase competition in health care by extending the direct-care model used in primary care to facilities, arguing it could encourage innovation and that concerns about widespread harm to critical access hospitals were overstated. He pointed to Oklahoma’s long-standing Surgical Center model as evidence that the approach had not spread broadly or displaced hospitals there. Several members and witnesses raised concerns. Representative Stringham questioned whether the model would shift profitable services and patients away from existing hospitals, potentially worsening their finances and affecting Medicaid-related funding. David Ross, speaking for county nursing homes, opposed the language because it also removed moratoriums on nursing home, skilled nursing, inpatient rehabilitation, and self-pay beds, warning that it could increase pressure on Medicaid rates and undermine community-based care. Ben Bradley of the New Hampshire Hospital Association said the proposal appeared to create a separate regulatory framework for direct-pay facilities and raised concerns about patient safety, CMS participation rules, and a separate patient bill of rights. The chair concluded that, because HB 548 was already moving through the Senate, the HB 2 process was not the best vehicle for the policy and that the issue should be left to the Senate’s more deliberative committee process. Representative Ferski moved to not accept or remove amendment 1176 from the agenda, and the committee approved the motion by roll call, 9-0, withdrawing the item from HB 2.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> of chronic low testosterone for a 92-day of chronic low testosterone for a 92-day supply.<00:10:
• </c> more and more frequent uh these days. more and more frequent uh these days.
• </c><00:23:29.039><c> 300</c> cohort of um health care services. 300 cohort of um health care services
• ><c> services</c> health care and dental services health care and dental services combined.<00:23:33.039
• care providers have<00:34:01.279><c> had.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Any questions, comments from the dais? Senator Lackey? Yeah, I have just a.
• Primary care providers at CCWF see approximately double the statewide average patients per worker. day
• No, that program is separate from your general health care budget.
• We're on the dais. How real are these numbers? It certainly is.
• Any questions from the dais? Vice Chair Lackey?

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Trust is a foundation of patient care.
• Abortion care is common and safe, and APCs have been trained in providing this care for over a decade
• humane care...
• humane care.
• We strongly support access to abortion care.

Summary: The Assembly Business and Professions Committee heard a full agenda of bills covering travel consumer protections, cannabis commerce with tribes, medical record integrity, pest control licensing, pawn and gold-buying regulation, pharmacy discipline, land surveying, and expedited licensing for veterans separated under a federal transgender military policy. Members also later heard AB 1973, which would expand the ability of advanced practice clinicians to provide abortion care, with supporters arguing it would improve access and opponents warning about safety and scope-of-practice concerns. Several bills were presented before quorum was reached, and the chair repeatedly urged absent members to arrive so the committee could vote. Testimony on the bills was largely in support. Authors and witnesses said AB 1758 would raise the seller-of-travel assessment cap to keep the Travel Consumer Restitution Fund solvent; AB 2506 would allow state cannabis licensees to sell products from tribal licensees while respecting tribal sovereignty; AB 1637 would prevent non-physicians from altering physician-authored medical notes; AB 2477 would create a short provisional period for pest control workers awaiting licensure; AB 2633 would close a loophole involving remote gold-buying events and stolen property reporting; AB 2141 would let the Board of Pharmacy resolve some cases through stipulated settlements before formal accusations; and AB 1933 would make technical clarifications to land surveying law. AB 1775 drew emotional testimony from transgender service members and advocates describing the impact of federal separation policies and the need for California licensing and support. Once quorum was established, the committee voted out the consent calendar and each of the heard bills, generally on party-line or near-unanimous votes. AB 1637, AB 1758, AB 1775, AB 1933, AB 2141, AB 2477, AB 2506, and AB 2633 all passed out of committee, most to Appropriations or another policy committee as noted. AB 1973 also passed, despite a no vote from some members and an opposition witness from the California Family Council. The committee later took vote changes and additional roll calls for absent members before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we as a state, I think, should care about those uses.
• A little bit about continuum of cares. What are they? What are we?
• We're talking about young people who are aging out of foster care.
• That's funding from the continuum of care that is also from HUD.
• So I would want to know... ...of care discussions.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is about access to care and a continuum of care for these patients while preserving the existing safeguards
• We are still in jeopardy of recurrence and require careful continuity of care monitoring by our out-of-state
• She said the definition of life-threatening disease and care is pretty limited.
• The bill reduces the refund window from 30 days to 21 days to allow patients to regain access to their
• a statute written in the 1990s in a much less digitized health care environment.

Committee: Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development

Summary: The Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee met first without quorum and heard several bills in subcommittee before later reconvening and taking formal votes. The consent calendar included SB 1263, SB 1148, SB 1376, and SB 1391. The committee also heard SB 1002, SB 1311, and SB 1416, all of which were ultimately advanced to the Senate Appropriations Committee, with SB 1311 amended. After quorum was reached, the committee later ratified the earlier actions and adjourned. SB 1002 by Senator Niello would expand the David Hall Act to allow certain patients who were originally eligible for out-of-state telehealth care because of an immediately life-threatening diagnosis to continue receiving that care after entering remission. Supporters, including a cancer survivor, said the bill would preserve continuity of care for patients who still need specialist monitoring. The Medical Board of California and the California Medical Association opposed the bill, arguing that licensure is an important consumer protection and that the bill would weaken oversight and standards of care. Senator Caballero supported the measure, emphasizing access to care, especially for rural patients. SB 1311, presented by the chair, updates the Dental Practice Act so unlicensed dental assistants can satisfy infection control training requirements either through the Dental Assisting National Board exam or approved courses. The California Dental Association and California Association of Orthodontists supported the bill, saying it would help strengthen the dental workforce and improve patient access. The California Academy of General Dentistry raised concerns that the exam option lacked hands-on training and should be limited unless amended. The committee approved the bill as amended. SB 1416 by Senator Wahab would shorten from 30 days to 21 days the time a physician or dentist has to refund duplicate payments to consumers. Support was brief and largely focused on the bill’s consumer affordability benefits, and no opposition was voiced. The committee passed the bill to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is the next-to-last day, and there is a lot going on.
• This is our 139th of 140 days. A lot to do in the last 36 hours or so.
• Day in and day out, they handle behind-the-scenes work that keeps this chamber and our offices and meeting
• election day.
• And then immediately after the polls close on election day, every polling... days.

Summary: The Senate opened with an invocation and then took up several recognitions and memorial resolutions, including honoring retiring Senate staffer Kelvin Bass and Secretary of the Senate Patsy Spaw and her staff. Members also adopted a series of local and honorary resolutions, including designating Rockport as the Redfish Capital of Texas, San Antonio as Military City, Texas, and Bridge City as the Corn Dog Capital of Texas, along with memorial and medal-of-honor resolutions for Texans and service members. The chamber also received messages from the House reporting passage of various measures and conference committee actions. The bulk of the meeting focused on conference committee reports and related procedural resolutions. The Senate adopted reports and/or out-of-bounds resolutions on SB 293, SB 1610, HB 46, HB 145, HB 1545, SB 650, SB 1660, HB 40, SB 2217, HB 119, HB 493, HB 3642, HB 2963, SB 2024, SB 2972, HB 2516, HB 2885, and SB 2753, among others. Topics included the Texas Civil Commitment Office, the T-Cup prescription program, wildfire mitigation and utility liability, sunset scheduling, alcohol ID swiping at retail and package stores, business court jurisdiction, election administration and data consistency, foreign adversary lobbying, poll watcher qualifications, road naming, right-to-repair, disguised vape pens, and campus expressive activity rules. Several measures passed with near-unanimous votes, while others drew more opposition, including SB 268 on medical board enforcement and SB 2753 on election procedures. There was extended debate on SB 268, which would shift enforcement authority for scope-of-practice complaints to specialty boards rather than the Texas Medical Board. Senators raised concerns about whether the bill would weaken the Medical Board’s ability to stop unlicensed practice of medicine, while supporters argued that specialty boards should police their own licensees and that criminal referrals remain available for unlicensed practice. The Senate also discussed SB 2972 on expressive activities at public universities, with questions about content-neutral restrictions, who counts as the university community, and whether the bill provides a mechanism to challenge campus time, place, and manner rules. Both bills ultimately passed their conference reports, and the Senate later adopted a large package of resolutions by voice vote before adjourning further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our doctor of the day is Dr. Our doctor of the day is Dr.
• Diane Day of Gainesville, sponsored by Senator McLean. Dr. Day specializes in family medicine.
• They have to do this verification team in two days. Help me repeat it: two days.
• on election day.
• At the end of the day...

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> day advocacy day will be Thursday. day advocacy day will be Thursday.
• </c> 90 days. 90 days.
• of days remaining on the 90-day suspension.
• No days to be ours. Adopted. 103A. No days to be ours. Adopted.
• </c> because they're care providers. because they're care providers.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:40:29.680><c> for</c> 30 days and I believe we get 90 days for 30 days and I believe we get 90
• </c><00:47:02.240><c> We</c> care. We have people giving rides. We care.
• </c> that this committee cares a lot about. that this committee cares a lot about.
• </c><01:42:21.760><c> The</c> grants for home care providers. The grants for home care providers.
• </c> specifically for home care. specifically for home care.

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And you mentioned health care and you mentioned trades.
• And since I'm what I consider rewired, not retired, since I've left the day to day, I've noticed how
• And you gave the example of health care. They're both relevant.
• And you gave the example of health care. They're both relevant.
• There are shifts all day and all night.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The subcommittee opened with roll call and approved the January minutes. Members then heard from Undersecretary of Labor and Workforce Development Josh Cutler, who gave an update on the Healey-Driscoll administration’s apprenticeship efforts and emphasized apprenticeship as an earn-while-you-learn model that can help address workforce shortages while including people with disabilities. He described growth in apprenticeships across sectors such as banking, bio, early education, health care, and human services, and noted recent milestones including the state’s 10,000th registered apprenticeship, expanded tax credits, reduced program fees, added apprenticeship liaisons, and Grow grants to support program development. Committee members focused on how apprenticeship could be adapted for human services and disability-related jobs, including early education, direct care, PCA work, sterile processing, and related health occupations. They asked about funding structures, employer participation, community college involvement, and how to make programs accessible to people with disabilities. Cutler explained that apprenticeship programs are employer-designed but must meet core requirements such as paid employment, at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job learning, related technical instruction, mentorship, and progressive wages. He said the state can support programs through the registered apprenticeship tax credit, which he said is $4,800 per apprentice and can be stacked with the disability employment tax credit, and through Grow grants, which were most recently awarded at about $2.1 million statewide. Members and Cutler discussed using intermediaries such as trade associations, nonprofits, and disability organizations to help employers set up programs and navigate incentives. He said the commission could be useful as a convener and suggested a targeted panel or information session with apprenticeship liaisons, employers, and existing sponsors to identify a few specific occupations and build a proof of concept. The meeting ended with agreement to follow up offline on potential partner employers, including Eastern Bank, and on possible next steps for a focused panel or pilot opportunities.