Transcript Highlights:

• the local governments and their land use authority.
• California has a whole-of-government climate strategy.
• Department of Housing and Community Development, or HCD.
• Those rules are implemented by the local governments, and so local governments develop local coastal
• So my department is one of only two state departments that's ever gone through a complete, top-to-bottom

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Regulatory Authority held its first hearing to examine how California’s regulatory framework affects housing production, affordability, and timelines. Chair Pacheco and Assemblymember Haney framed the discussion around the state’s housing shortage and the need to reduce costs while maintaining environmental, safety, and community protections. The first panel featured housing experts and industry representatives who argued that state regulations, code complexity, utility constraints, and agency review processes add substantial cost and delay to development. Bill Fulton described overlapping state and local land-use authorities and the tension among housing, coastal protection, climate, and wildfire goals. CBIA’s Chris Ochoa and California Apartment Association representative Bob Raymer said building codes, energy mandates, and agency processes have materially increased per-home costs, and they urged more centralized affordability analysis and greater scrutiny of regulatory impacts. The Bay Area Council’s Louis Marante called for a statewide cost target for housing and stronger timelines and accountability for state agency reviews. The second panel brought in state agencies to explain their roles. HCD said its housing element enforcement, streamlining laws, and technical assistance have helped increase production, shorten entitlement timelines, and improve compliance by local governments. CARB said SB 375 is a planning law that does not directly regulate land use, and argued that regional housing assumptions in sustainable communities strategies are not being fully implemented on the ground. The Coastal Commission said it works with local governments to balance coastal protection, sea-level-rise risk, and housing, and noted recent guidance and pilot efforts to streamline housing approvals in the coastal zone. The Energy Commission said its building energy standards are designed to be cost-effective and save consumers money over time, though they can add some design and documentation complexity. Fish and Wildlife and DTSC both emphasized early engagement and collaboration to reduce delays while protecting natural resources and public health; DTSC said it is refining vapor intrusion guidance and using brownfield grants to support redevelopment. The State Water Resources Control Board said it uses general orders and basin planning to provide predictable permitting while balancing water quality, water rights, and housing needs, and noted billions in grants and loans for water infrastructure and site remediation that can support housing affordability. In response to questions from Assemblymember Haney, several agencies described ongoing coordination across departments, including regular meetings among HCD, CARB, the Coastal Commission, and transportation agencies, as well as broader interagency efforts to reduce redundancies and identify pinch points in project delivery. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the hearing; the main outcome was informational testimony and discussion of possible future reforms to improve coordination, predictability, and affordability in state regulatory processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill establishes that any government entity other than a local government, special purpose district
• that must coordinate with other local government departments and other agencies or government entities
• It says operating expenditures, Department of Commerce, and then Department of Ecology.
• It says operating expenditures, Department of Commerce, and then Department of Ecology.
• across, like, the planning department, public works department, the fire marshal.

Summary: The Senate Local Government Committee waived the five-day notice rule and then took up two House bills. HB 2418 would tighten and expand permit-review timelines for residential projects, including requiring “procedural completeness” determinations, adding excluded time periods, extending timeline and refund requirements to certain fee-charging state and local entities, creating review deadlines for special purpose districts and public utility districts, and requiring local governments to designate a permit responsible official and a single point of contact. The sponsor said the bill was intended to improve predictability and reduce delays in permitting; builders and housing advocates strongly supported it, while sewer and water districts and county representatives raised concerns about incomplete referrals, staffing shortages, business-day versus calendar-day deadlines, and the cost of implementing the new contact requirements. The committee heard testimony but took no final vote on the bill in the transcript. HB 2451 would revise Washington’s local tax increment financing program. Staff explained that the bill adds guardrails and transparency, changes notice and hearing requirements, adjusts the assessed-value cap for increment areas, adds public safety facilities to eligible improvements, requires more detailed project analyses and annual reporting, and creates a negotiation/mediation/arbitration process for impacts to taxing districts. The sponsor said the measure was a carefully negotiated compromise intended to address junior taxing district concerns without creating an opt-out. Supporters from the Port of Tacoma, fire chiefs, cities, and counties said the bill improves the earlier TIF framework by strengthening the but-for test, notice, and participation rules, while counties still expressed concern about cumulative impacts and asked for future opt-out discussions. No final committee action was taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• : President Trump's Department of Defense, Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services
• , Department of Education, Department of Transportation, Department of Housing and Urban Development,
• Department of State, Department of the Treasury, and many agencies related to each of these departments
• shutdown, and fully fund the government shutdown, and fully fund the following<00:13:54.160><c> departments
• </c> of departments across the government. of departments across the government.

Transcript Highlights:

• Local government adopts a planned action.
• is significantly larger than our state government.
• Dave Anderson, welcome back to local government.
• Today, I'm going to talk about the implementation of Senate Bill 5290, the bill governing how local governments
• Not every local government has to do it.

Summary: The Local Government Committee met in work session and heard a series of presentations on SEPA, permitting reforms, and building code implementation. Department of Ecology staff gave an overview of the State Environmental Policy Act, explaining its role in state and local decision-making, common exemptions, planned actions, and recent housing-related statutory changes such as transit-oriented development exemptions and SEPA appeals protections for certain local ordinances. Committee members asked about repeated SEPA reviews, cultural and historic resource review, and how SEPA relates to NEPA; Ecology responded that repeated reviews usually occur when proposals change and that programmatic EISs can help front-load analysis. Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections described how recent SEPA exemptions reduced residential review volume and supported more housing permits, and said the city is considering raising thresholds further. The State Building Code Council provided an update on code adoption timelines and legislative tasks tied to the 2024 codes, including single-stair housing, multiplex housing, dwelling unit size, and temporary emergency shelter standards. Council staff said the content of the codes is largely set, but administrative timelines have been delayed, prompting a motion to postpone final adoption while pursuing ways to preserve the planned implementation schedule. Members asked about the timing of code changes and the impact on housing costs, and staff said the legislative topics remain on track for inclusion in the 2024 code package. Committee staff then reviewed recent permitting legislation, including SB 5290’s permit decision deadlines and fee-refund provisions, later bills limiting pre-application meetings and clarifying that building permits are excluded from those timelines, and project-specific changes affecting middle housing, ADUs, lot splits, passive house projects, self-certification, transit-oriented development, and parking requirements. Commerce’s Dave Anderson reported on SB 5290 implementation, including guidance on permit fees, studies on staffing and statewide permitting systems, grants to local governments, and the first annual performance report, which showed mixed results and highlighted the importance of digital tools, clear checklists, staff training, and coordination across departments. Local officials from Issaquah and Kitsap County described their own process improvements, including code updates, optional pre-application meetings, new staffing, reporting systems, and a phased “Two by Six” review model in Kitsap, while also noting challenges from staffing shortages, agency coordination, and the burden of implementing multiple new mandates.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> through state government. through state government.
• Um, so I think that would be an interesting question for the federal department, uh, federal government
• Um, so I think that would be an interesting question for the federal department, uh, federal government
• Um, so I think that would be an interesting question for the federal department, uh, federal government
• Um, so I think that would be an interesting question for the federal department, uh, federal government

Committee: House Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• , and Natural Resources Department as the appropriate department.
• That's one of the trust funds managed by the department. another 1.5 million online 130. by the department
• Chair, to page 18, the Environment Department.
• Department of Transportation.
• There's also, for local governments in the recurring budgets, the Local Government Road Fund as well,

Bills: SB193 , SB132 , SB35 , SB145

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• departments.
• And we will move to the Department of Finance. Charles LaSalle, Department of Finance.
• the department.
• Next, Department of Finance. Blair Huxman, Department of Finance.
• I think we have an entire department, labor department, deals with that, correct?

Transcript Highlights:

• It's an honor to be here on behalf of the department. We have 4,243 FTEs as part of the department.
• department.
• They also conduct criminal investigations within the department and also exterior to the department,
• pay folks in the department.
• pay folks in the department.

Summary: The committee met to review agency program funding as it prepared to build the budget, hearing brief presentations from six agencies and then taking member questions. Florida Division of Emergency Management highlighted its role in response, preparedness, recovery, and mitigation, describing a largely federal pass-through budget, major technology investments, and large disaster and preparedness grant activity. The Department of Commerce, Department of State, Florida Housing Finance Corporation, Department of Transportation, Department of Military Affairs, Florida State Guard, and Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles also summarized their budgets, staffing, and major programs, including workforce and economic development, elections and arts funding, housing assistance, transportation work programs, military readiness, state guard expansion, and highway safety and motorist services. Members focused questions on several issues: arts and library grant funding and whether award criteria had changed; Commerce’s rural infrastructure and job growth grants and why funds were not being disbursed faster; Florida Housing’s use of SAIL, Live Local, Hometown Heroes, and SHIP funds and how smaller agencies learn about and access funding; and DOT’s work program gap between agency and governor proposals. The most extensive questioning was directed to Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles about long DMV lines, vacancies, overtime, staffing shortages, and the ability to shift funds between divisions. The department said staffing and pay constraints, especially in South Florida, were driving service delays and vacancy rates, and that overtime was being used because troopers were leaving for better-paying jobs. The Florida State Guard was also questioned about its spending and procurement pace, including aircraft purchases and facilities. Its director said long procurement timelines explained the low initial spending and that obligations had risen sharply as contracts matured. Members also asked about the department’s public opposition to Amendment 3 and whether agency resources were used in that effort; the director said no contracts or purchases were made to influence the vote and said the colonel’s comments were made off the clock. The meeting ended with the chair asking agencies to respond promptly to unanswered questions, and the committee adjourned without any recorded votes or formal actions beyond receiving the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the head of state, local, tribal, territorial government partnerships.
• We have 98% of state departments licensed for G5, which in state government, 98% of anything is very
• So do each of these departments or agencies have... Tools.
• entities such as cities and local governments.
• So it’s really up to the department to accept that offer.

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Cybersecurity and the Assembly Committee on Emergency Management held a joint informational hearing focused on maximizing the value of state cybersecurity investments, especially by fully using security features already included in existing vendor contracts. The first panel included representatives from Microsoft, Zscaler, and Palo Alto Networks, who described the products and services they provide to California and generally agreed that agencies often have strong adoption in some areas but still face challenges from tool overlap, limited staff, lack of awareness of available features, and the need for ongoing training and configuration support. They also discussed major threats such as ransomware, data loss, attack-surface exposure, IoT/OT vulnerabilities, and the growing role of AI in both attacks and defenses. Members pressed the vendors on whether state departments underuse purchased cybersecurity tools, how to improve utilization, and how to address the cybersecurity workforce shortage. The vendors said utilization is often constrained by staffing, procurement complexity, and the need to align tools with agency missions and maturity levels, but emphasized that training, leadership buy-in, and regular vendor-agency collaboration can improve results. They also discussed how AI can help with phishing triage, data-loss prevention, and security operations, while warning that agencies must manage AI safely and with human oversight. The second panel featured officials from the Department of Technology, Cal OES/CalSIC, and the California Military Department. They described statewide oversight efforts including audits, independent security assessments, continuous monitoring, advisory services, vulnerability disclosure programs, and workforce development initiatives such as the Information Security Leadership Academy and Cybersecurity Education Summit. Officials said some underutilization is real, but it is often tied to differing agency maturity, overlapping tools, and deliberate feature restrictions to reduce attack surface and complexity; they emphasized a balanced approach using people, process, and technology, with plans of action and milestones to hold departments accountable. They also noted federal uncertainty around MS-ISAC and the state and local cybersecurity grant program, saying California is advocating through federal partners and monitoring the impact. The hearing ended after public comment and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we also have with the Department... ...from the LAO, and we also have with the Department of Finance
• Are you with Department of Finance, correct? Yep. Benjamin Pollock with Department of Finance.
• , to amend Government Code 11417.
• Department of Transportation to amend Government Code 11417, which was enacted in 2023, authored by Senator
• So a non-governing authority?” “It has no governing authority, ma'am.” “Okay.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee heard several Caltrans, CHP, and DMV budget and trailer bill items. On Caltrans fleet replacement, the department requested a one-time $225 million augmentation to replace aging medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and expand zero-emission vehicle infrastructure. LAO said the request was consistent with state policy, but senators criticized the high cost of electric fleet purchases and Caltrans’ delayed zero-emission fleet report; the chair said the report must be delivered within 30 days before the request could be fully considered. Caltrans also presented trailer bill language to replace an originally intended $50 million federal transfer for the High Road Construction Careers Program with $30 million in state Highway Account funds after federal eligibility problems prevented use of the federal dollars. Members questioned the reduction, the delay in implementation, where the remaining funds would go, and whether the program would keep jobs in California and meet labor standards; Caltrans and the Workforce Development Board said the program had prior success and that the state-funds transfer was intended to preserve the original policy goal. The committee then reviewed CHP’s request for a $60 million augmentation for equipment and operating costs, which CHP said was needed because vacancy savings no longer covered rising fuel, vehicle, and other operating costs. CHP argued that recruitment success had reduced vacancies and that costs had risen sharply since 2006, while LAO recommended rejection, citing that the expenses were ongoing, CHP still had vacancies above pre-pandemic levels, and the Motor Vehicle Account faces structural insolvency by 2028-29. Members discussed whether the account can sustain these costs and whether the Legislature should consider broader funding changes. CHP also sought a permanent $885,000 augmentation for seven analyst positions for the Highway Violence Task Force; CHP said freeway shootings had fallen sharply since 2021 and that analysts were essential to solving cases, while LAO noted the request was smaller than prior years but would create an ongoing commitment. Senators generally supported the task force but asked for clearer metrics and reporting, especially because the data categories had changed over time. Finally, the DMV presented the State-to-State verification system and related modernization work under DXP. DMV said State-to-State is required for Real ID compliance and that California must join the system by February 2027, with live testing planned for the summer. Senators focused heavily on privacy and data security, especially the inclusion of Social Security number digits in the system, the role of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, and whether Californians understood their information would be shared in a nationwide database. DMV said the system only shares federally required data, uses encryption, and is designed to de-duplicate records across states, but members pressed for more information on governance, audit authority, and whether the Legislature had explicitly approved the data-sharing approach. The chair asked DMV to follow up with the Attorney General and indicated the committee would continue reviewing the issue.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Department of Commerce would need to provide technical assistance to help local governments navigate
• Local governments also had an estimate of around $179,000 for local government training.
• Cannabis Board, the Department of Licensing, the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation
• ... ...and the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Natural Resources.
• of Children, Youth, and Families, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Health, the Department

Bills: HB1316 , HB2401 , HB2557 , HB2720 , HB1073 , HB2685 , HB2640 , HB2403

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: postsecondary education, homelessness, foster youth, education access, support programs, commission, gender equity, boys, men, advocacy, state policy, special education, parental rights, educational access, evaluation reports, disability services, behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access

Transcript Highlights:

• of Interior and the Department of Energy.
• In both the Department of the Interior and the Department of Health, I thank you.
• Every contract that the government signs and every set of funds that the government commits has to be
• and certainly within departments.
• Department of Energy and the Department of Interior.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

Keywords: nuclear energy, permitting process, energy production, public lands, national parks, uranium imports, legislative bills, infrastructure development

Summary: The committee meeting was dominated by discussions on a variety of legislative bills including major topics such as nuclear energy advancement, the effects of regulatory hurdles on energy production, and proposals to improve national park staffing and maintenance. Members expressed concerns over the federal government's handling of uranium imports and the necessity for maintaining a robust domestic nuclear supply chain. Efforts to streamline permitting processes to facilitate more efficient energy project development were also a focal point, alongside public testimony from stakeholders in the energy and environmental sectors. The meeting highlighted the urgent need for infrastructure development to meet rising energy demands while addressing climate change impacts.

Transcript Highlights:

• I worked at the Department of Health for 22 years, and if it happens in state government, it happens
• the Department of Health.
• During her state government career, Ms.
• I'm a survivor of the government boarding school, the government relocation program, and I was a victim
• The Indian Affairs Department is under our purview.

Bills: SM13 , SM14

Committee: Senate Senate Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• But the very department where the enforcement would take place is the Department of Education.
• department and Mr.
• Would you put this in the department, when we talked you mentioned the Department of Justice.
• Will you commit to ending all racial discrimination in government programming at the Department of Education
• I want to assess the department.

Committee: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

Keywords: educational reform, federal grants, bureaucracy, wealth disparity, public testimony

Summary: The committee meeting engaged in discussions focused primarily on educational reform, the influence of federal grants on local education systems, and the growing disparities in wealth and access to quality education. Members expressed concerns about the bureaucracy surrounding federal funding that hampers schools' ability to obtain necessary resources for improvement. Several members highlighted personal anecdotes from constituents, emphasizing the urgent need for reform to help students succeed in both K-12 and higher education environments. The meeting included public testimonies that provided insights into various community perspectives on these pressing issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• New Mexico Department of Transportation.
• Three other counties that do have your city government and your county government, and what I find really
• Administered directly to local governments.
• You know, we can make improvements to every department.
• Page 13 starts with the local government road fund.

Transcript Highlights:

• All of this data is coming in from the data that the department has.
• All of this data is coming in from the data that the department has.
• All of this data is what is within the department.
• Your numbers may vary, but we don't need to ask our government, our people interacting with government
• And government employees retire.

Committees: House Science & Technology , House House Science & Technology Committee of Reference

Transcript Highlights:

• of Justice, for increased litigation costs with the federal government. ...Department during this current
• the federal government.
• Of the federal government?
• Department of Social Services and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have been working with local nonprofits
• Again, the Department of Justice, as well as other departments, do have perhaps small amounts of funding

Committee: House Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• And we also have with the department... ...from the LAO, and we also have with the Department of Finance
• Are you with Department of Finance, correct? Yep. Benjamin Pollock with Department of Finance.
• Department of Transportation to amend Government Code 11417, which was enacted in 2023, authored by Senator
• Did we have anyone from the Department of Finance? Yeah, Bowen Peterson, Department of Finance.
• So a non-governing authority? It has no governing authority, ma'am. Okay.

Transcript Highlights:

• by another government entity.
• The bill establishes that any government entity other than a local government special purpose district
• departments and other agencies or government entities to ensure that a final decision on project permit
• It says operating expenditures, Department of Commerce, and then Department of Ecology.
• across, like, the planning department, public works department, the fire marshal.

Committee: Senate Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• . department. department.
• </c> do with some of these state departments. do with some of these state departments.
• that governs least governs best.
• I understand the need, the role for good people to help run our government, state government, local governments
• , state government, local our government, state government, local governments.<01:12:37.800><c> Um</c

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved the journal, and received several committee reports and appointment recommendations. Committees reported favorably on a number of bills and appointments, including local government, health and human services, transportation and energy, business/labor/technology, and judiciary items. The chamber also announced a change on the Senate Finance Committee, with Senator Adrian Benavidez appointed to replace Senator Julie Gonzales for the remainder of the session. A major floor item was House Bill 1136, creating the Pathways to Public Service Program in the Department of Personnel and Administration to identify coursework that could qualify students for entry-level state government jobs. Supporters said it would help attract young people to public service and fill state vacancies using existing resources; opponents argued it promoted government employment over private-sector careers and could expand government unnecessarily. After debate, the Senate adopted the bill on second reading, and the Committee of the Whole report later reflected that HB 1136 passed second reading and was ordered revised and placed on the calendar for third reading and final passage. The Senate also adopted House Joint Resolution 1023 recognizing Latino/Latina Advocacy Day after reading it at length and hearing remarks in support of civic engagement and Latino participation in policymaking. In addition, the chamber concurred with House amendments to Senate Bill 74, which clarifies penalties and procedures related to excessive claims in public construction performance bond disputes; the bill then passed again on re-passage. Several other bills, including Senate Bill 63 and remaining calendar items, were laid over to later dates, and the Senate also considered and began processing consent-calendar gubernatorial appointments.