Transcript Highlights:

• looking to not waste the commodity regardless of size, but a lot of times the way they are able to schedule

Committee: Senate Environment and Natural Resources

Summary: The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources met to hear a panel discussion on implementation of Senate Bill 64 (2021), which requires elimination of non-beneficial wastewater discharges to surface waters by 2032. Department of Environmental Protection staff reported that utility plans have been approved, about 570 million gallons per day are expected to be eliminated under the plans, and roughly 176 million gallons per day have already been eliminated. The department emphasized ongoing annual reporting, continued coordination with utilities, and the need for projects such as reuse, indirect potable reuse, wet-weather backup discharges, groundwater recharge, and other beneficial uses to meet the law’s 90% reuse requirement in applicable cases. Representatives from Flagler Beach, Atlantic Beach, JEA, and Hillsborough County described how the law affects different utilities. Smaller and coastal systems said they face major cost, space, salinity, and infrastructure constraints, with limited reuse opportunities and expensive alternatives such as deep well injection or regional transfer. Larger systems described substantial capital programs already underway, including public access reuse, indirect potable reuse, regional recharge projects, and saltwater intrusion barrier wells, with costs ranging from tens of millions to billions of dollars. Members and witnesses discussed the need for flexibility, regional solutions, and case-by-case permitting, and the Florida Rural Water Association asked the committee to consider hardship provisions and funding or exemption adjustments for smaller systems. The committee then took up SPB 7002, a proposed bill by the Environment and Natural Resources Committee relating to water management districts. Senator Broder explained that the bill would increase transparency, improve planning and budgeting oversight, create a gift ban, support local referendum authority for certain ad valorem funding, and provide record-level funding for Everglades restoration. After a question from Senator Smith about whether the ad valorem language was expansive or restrictive, Senator Broder said it would add a new funding tool for districts. The committee adopted a motion to submit SPB 7002 as a committee bill, and it was reported favorably by roll call vote. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the event of a network failure, it may be necessary to reschedule the hearing or schedule a meeting

Summary: The joint hearing of the Committees on Economic Development and Technology and Tourism on February 12, 2025, focused on HB 77/HB 1077, a measure related to increasing the transient accommodations tax and directing revenue toward climate mitigation/resiliency and economic development/tourism resiliency. Most testifiers supported the bill, including the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, State Energy Office, Governor’s office, DLNR, the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, the Nature Conservancy, the Hawaii Climate Advisory Team, Care for Aina Now Coalition, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and the Ocean Legislative Task Force. Supporters emphasized the need for reliable funding for disaster preparedness, environmental restoration, infrastructure resilience, and tourism-related resilience projects; some cited polling and a reported funding gap for natural resource protection and restoration. Opposition or concerns came from the Kohala Coast Resort Association, which argued the state should fully collect existing taxes from short-term vacation rentals and other accommodations before considering any tax increase. The Attorney General and Department of Taxation offered technical comments, noting the bill’s special fund language referred to fees that the chapter did not actually authorize and recommending either deleting that language or authorizing fee collection through rulemaking. The Hawaii Tourism Authority supported the measure but asked that the funding mechanism have a clear nexus to tourism resiliency. After a brief recess, the chair recommended amendments to redirect the proposed 1.75% TAT increase away from the two special funds and into the general fund, while earmarking 7.3% of total revenue for climate mitigation/resiliency and 7.3% for economic development and tourism resiliency, with technical and defect-effective-date amendments. Both committees then voted to pass the measure with amendments; the recommendations were adopted, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So there is a fine amount that the counties can act that's based on the judge and... ...the fine schedule

Committee: Senate Environment and Natural Resources

Summary: The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources received a presentation from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on derelict vessels, enforcement challenges, and a long-term stored vessel study. FWC reported about 1,040 derelict vessels currently in its database, with roughly 600 new cases entering each year, and noted that hurricanes account for a large share of recent cases. The agency explained the legal definition of derelict vessels, the environmental and navigation hazards they create, and its enforcement process, including investigation, notice to owners, administrative hearings, removal authorization, and recovery of costs through registration holds. FWC also described prevention efforts such as at-risk vessel enforcement, nuisance vessel designations, public awareness campaigns, and the vessel turn-in program, which has received more than 250 applications and removed more than 145 vessels since rollout. Committee members asked about owner resistance to removal, rapid-response options for hazardous vessels, county differences in derelict vessel numbers, and how local governments participate. FWC said only a small percentage of owners contest removals, that the agency relies on contractors and does not generally have its own removal equipment, and that local governments may conduct removals with their own funding but must still provide due process. Members also asked where removed vessels go; FWC said they are taken to landfills, with recyclable materials recovered, and that storage is used only when necessary for public safety because it is costly. The presentation also highlighted the long-term stored vessel study, which found a strong correlation between long-term anchored vessels and later derelict vessels, especially in Monroe County. No votes were taken on the presentation, and the committee adjourned after Senator Errington moved to adjourn and there was no objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• Session schedule is The bill as follows, Tuesday, January 28th, check-in session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Companies still need greater confidence that registration decisions will occur consistently on schedule
• have also launched new tools such as spray days, which provides a notice to the public before the scheduled
• have also launched new tools such as spray days, which provides a notice to the public before the scheduled

Summary: The joint Assembly and Senate hearing examined whether California’s pesticide program is meeting its public-protection goals, with opening remarks from committee chairs emphasizing the state’s large pesticide use, the need to transition toward sustainable pest management, and ongoing oversight including a state audit of DPR and county agricultural commissioner enforcement. The hearing also referenced recent concerns in Ladera Ranch about childhood cancer cases and the need for transparent investigation and community access to information. Panel one focused on human health and the regulatory framework. Dr. Anna Maria Mora described long-running CHAMACOS research showing widespread pesticide exposure in farmworker families, links to neurodevelopmental, respiratory, liver, and cardiometabolic harms, and greater impacts on children facing social adversity. She urged biomonitoring, better linkage of exposure data to health outcomes, regulation of chemical classes and mixtures, stronger buffers around homes and schools, and more community-based research. Professor Tim Malloy explained California’s two-tier system of DPR registration and county permitting, said the state’s program is strong but falls short on cumulative exposure analysis and alternatives assessment, and argued that DPR and counties need better tools, training, and funding to implement legally required protections. Committee members asked about biomonitoring, class-based regulation, and how to make pesticide data more usable for the public. Panel two brought testimony from environmental justice and farmworker advocates, who argued that California remains behind other jurisdictions by allowing highly hazardous pesticides, including 1,3-dichloropropene and paraquat, and by relying on a funding structure tied to pesticide sales. Witnesses said DPR often moves too slowly on reevaluations, rarely assesses combined exposures, and does not adequately account for health, environmental, and social costs or conflicts of interest involving pest control advisors. They also described inconsistent county-level implementation, weak outreach, and confusion over whether DPR or county agricultural commissioners are responsible for enforcement, and urged faster phaseouts, tiered fees, stronger local protections, and clearer accountability. Panel three represented regulated entities and agricultural stakeholders, who supported the goals of safer pest management but stressed that California’s registration process must be more predictable, transparent, and timely. They said AB 2113’s staffing and timeline reforms were important, but backlog and delays still hinder access to newer, lower-risk products and can hurt both consumer and agricultural uses. Agricultural witnesses also emphasized the need to invest more in pest prevention, invasive species detection, extension support, farmer training, and practical incentives for sustainable pest management. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with members pressing witnesses on timelines, implementation, funding, and the division of responsibility between DPR and county agencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• Companies still need greater confidence that registration decisions will occur consistently on schedule
• have also launched new tools such as spray days, which provides a notice to the public before the scheduled
• have also launched new tools such as spray days, which provides a notice to the public before the scheduled

Transcript Highlights:

• re-election, and I know it's a really, really busy time, so I want to work and be very cognizant of your schedule
• But today we have a packed schedule, very excited about it, except for the informal break we just took
• organization is going to pick up medications, including medications like Suboxone, and we keep a regular schedule

Committee: House Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Task Force

Transcript Highlights:

• re-election, and I know it's a really, really busy time, so I want to work and be very cognizant of your schedule
• But today we have a packed schedule. Very excited about it.
• organization is going to pick up medications, including medications like Suboxone, and we keep a regular schedule

Committee: House Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Task Force

Summary: The task force meeting opened with a brief organizational update, including new leadership, roll call, and an explanation of the task force’s statutory duties: to study current and future drug and substance use in Missouri, explore solutions, draft or modify legislation, and report recommendations on prevention and treatment. The chair outlined the summer hearing plan, which would feature field experts, with future sessions expected to cover alternative therapies such as psilocybin and ibogaine and testimony from the Department of Mental Health. Members were encouraged to think about legislative ideas and policy recommendations for the upcoming session. The first major testimony came from Dr. Rachel Winograd, who described Missouri’s overdose crisis as evolving into a “fourth wave” marked by fentanyl mixed with animal tranquilizers such as xylazine and medetomidine, along with methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs. She said overdose deaths have declined for a third straight year, with preliminary 2025 data around 1,200 deaths, but emphasized that the crisis remains severe. Her main recommendations were to focus on demand reduction rather than repeated supply crackdowns, expand evidence-based treatment—especially methadone and buprenorphine—broaden naloxone access, and improve practical supports like housing, transportation, and case management. She also said peer services are valuable but should not be used as a substitute for clinical care, and noted that Missouri Medicaid generally covers evidence-based treatment but reimbursement for peer recovery services remains a gap. Dr. Heidi Miller, the state medical director at the Department of Health and Senior Services, reinforced the call for integrating substance use disorder care into whole-person health care. She highlighted the state naloxone standing order, which supports more than 11,000 Medicaid naloxone prescriptions annually, and urged five best practices: integrating SUD treatment into primary care, maternal health, general medical training, EMS initiation of buprenorphine after overdose, and expanded methadone access. She also argued for team-based reimbursement, stronger parity enforcement between behavioral health/SUD and physical health, and caution in regulating emerging substances so policy does not outrun the science. Dr. Doug Burgess of University Health in Kansas City echoed the integration theme, arguing that Missouri’s system is too fragmented and that patients are often stabilized and then left to coordinate their own next steps. He compared ideal SUD care to the coordinated response used for heart attacks, with seamless transitions from emergency care to inpatient treatment, rehab, and outpatient follow-up. He said treatment courts can be effective when they are well coordinated and informed by addiction science, and he stressed the importance of discharge planning, peer recovery coaches, information-sharing, and maintaining Medicaid coverage during justice involvement. No formal votes or committee actions were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Airlines are reducing their flight schedules.
• it such a success, and our current Speaker of the House, who is taking time out of his very busy schedule
• thank all of my colleagues for being willing to come down and carve out extra time from our busy schedules

Transcript Highlights:

• The administrative burden to physicians who must step back from their demanding patient care schedules
• And this can go for something as simple as scheduling a medical appointment, or to other such cases that
• to suggest a new unit, and they also relied on public transportation, so we thought about how to schedule

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Health Care Financing

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing on a large docket of bills focused on MassHealth benefits and reimbursement, health equity, behavioral health, public health, dental access, 340B drug pricing, tobacco cessation, and coverage for children. The chairs emphasized rising health care costs, provider shortages, administrative burdens, and persistent inequities by income, race, geography, and immigration status. Much of the testimony centered on H.1416/S.901, an act to advance health equity, with legislators and members of the Health Equity Compact arguing for statewide benchmarks, stronger health equity leadership, reimbursement for interpreter services, community health workers and patient navigation, Medicaid graduate medical education support, and a health equity zone trust fund. Witnesses described disparities in life expectancy, maternal mortality, access to primary care, and the impact of federal Medicaid and social service cuts, and urged the committee to report the bill favorably. The committee also heard strong support for H.1368/S.847 on rapid whole genome sequencing for critically ill MassHealth children. Testifiers from industry, academia, hospitals, and families said early sequencing can end long diagnostic odysseys, improve treatment decisions, shorten hospital stays, and save money, while also providing emotional relief and information for families. The hearing then moved to H.1407 on MassHealth rate parity for inpatient behavioral health providers, where Rep. Scanlan and the Massachusetts Association of Behavioral Health Systems said the bill would codify existing administrative parity so managed care plans cannot pay less than the MassHealth fee-for-service rate. On H.1392/S.853 to preserve and protect public health, witnesses supported higher vaccine administration fees to improve provider participation and immunization rates. The committee also heard testimony on H.770/845 to protect 340B providers in MassHealth, and on S.848 to require reporting and transparency around 340B revenues and outside administrative costs. Additional bills drew testimony on tobacco cessation coverage for MassHealth members, with advocates supporting broader access to counseling and medications through medical, behavioral health, and dental providers. On H.1409, a nursing home operator asked for more flexibility in a MassHealth staffing-related penalty tied to patient days per resident. On H.1401/S.888, supporters of the “Take 10” dental access proposal said adult MassHealth dental coverage is underused because too few dentists accept MassHealth, leading to long travel times and avoidable emergency room visits; they urged incentive payments for dentists serving new adult MassHealth patients. Finally, on H.1403/S.855, “Cover All Kids,” advocates and immigrant community members urged removal of immigration status as a barrier to full MassHealth coverage for children, while also backing a related bill to ensure 12 months of continuous coverage for children. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and asked questions on costs, reimbursement levels, and implementation details.

Transcript Highlights:

• Too often, educators are told they simply can just schedule their pregnancies around the school calendar
• Fortunately, my boss allowed me to work a hybrid schedule for a month or so between President's Week
• Fortunately, my boss allowed me to work a hybrid schedule for a month or so between President's Week

Summary: The committee heard and acted on several education-related bills, beginning with AB 65 on paid pregnancy leave for public school employees. The bill drew strong support from teachers, school employees, unions, and education groups, who argued it would provide up to 14 weeks of paid leave, reduce financial penalties tied to sick leave use, and help recruit and retain educators. Some witnesses and members raised concerns about funding, district eligibility, and implementation, but the bill was advanced on a do-pass recommendation to the Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee, with one member not voting and the bill placed on call for absent members. Members then heard AB 673 on an unaccompanied youth support grant program for homeless 16- and 17-year-olds, AB 1552 on reporting recommendations to strengthen civic engagement in higher education, AB 1572 on annual CIF review and qualification standards for sports officials, and AB 1586 on opioid overdose response training and naloxone access for school resource officers. AB 673 and AB 1552 received support from education, youth, and advocacy organizations; AB 673 also drew questions about overlap with existing homeless and foster-care-related programs, while supporters said the bill targets a vulnerable subpopulation that is often missed. AB 1552 and AB 1572 were broadly supported and advanced, and AB 1586 was backed by treatment providers, school nurses, and education groups as a practical student-safety measure; all were moved forward with do-pass recommendations and placed on call. The committee also considered AB 1721, which would create a work group to review and streamline school safety plans, and AB 2060, which would establish a mentor teacher grant program and stipend to strengthen the teacher pipeline. Both bills were supported by administrators, educators, and school-related organizations, and both advanced to the Senate Appropriations Committee. AB 2440, aimed at clarifying Proposition 28 arts and music education funding rules and allowing small districts to pool resources, also received broad support and moved to Appropriations. AB 1784, which would extend pregnancy-related protections to undergraduate students and prohibit discrimination based on pregnancy or related conditions, passed to the Senate Judiciary Committee after support from higher education and women’s advocacy groups. Finally, AB 2660, which would codify the CalBridge STEM pathway program and related efforts to diversify the STEM workforce, was supported by higher education and workforce advocates and advanced to Appropriations after questions about the related EnLACE program and its funding sources.

Transcript Highlights:

• Number one, we were going to complete the work that the proviso funded ahead of schedule.
• And then Anthony and I immediately began working to schedule the next board meeting, to let the board
• that, my immediate step was to contact Anthony, and then Anthony and I immediately began working to schedule

Summary: The hearing concerned a Legislative Ethics Board complaint against Representative Tara Simmons in Washington State OAH Docket 401-645. The judge outlined the process, the two issues on appeal—whether Simmons violated RCW 42.52.020 and RCW 42.52.070, and, if so, what penalty should apply—and admitted a number of exhibits by stipulation or prior ruling, while taking one exhibit under advisement pending an offer of proof. The board also moved to sequester witnesses, which was granted, and the judge deferred ruling on a motion to exclude three defense witnesses until after hearing the board staff’s case. Opening statements followed, with staff alleging Simmons used her position to benefit an outside organization and to secure special privileges, and the defense arguing the conduct was lawful, technical in nature, and consistent with prior ethics guidance. Board staff then called Kimberly Gordon, an attorney and founding board member/treasurer of American Equity and Justice Group (AEJG), as its first witness. Gordon testified that AEJG used data dashboards to make justice-system data more accessible, received state proviso funding sponsored by Simmons, and also received two donations from Simmons—$10,000 and $40,000. She said the first donation was intended to help hire Antoine Coleman, whom Simmons had recommended and who was later identified as Simmons’s romantic partner, and that AEJG returned the $10,000 and declined the $40,000 after concluding there was a potential conflict of interest. Gordon also testified that AEJG believed Simmons’s involvement in the organization and her communications about Coleman created ethical concerns. Gordon further testified about a second proviso intended to expand AEJG’s work into education data and its subcontract with Equity in Education Coalition (EEC). She said EEC did not perform the expected deliverables, prompting repeated communications with the Administrative Office of the Courts and a meeting involving Chris Stanley, where AEJG raised concerns that EEC was not complying and that Simmons had intervened in the dispute. According to Gordon, Stanley ultimately directed the parties to rewrite the subcontract and continue, but AEJG later moved forward largely without EEC’s assistance. The board staff introduced AEJG’s complaint and related timeline exhibits during her testimony. After direct examination, the hearing recessed for lunch, and cross-examination by Simmons’s counsel began when the hearing resumed.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is imperative that we receive these new jets on schedule to ensure our homeland defense and air superiority
• They were working a five-day work schedule where they were home three days and they were in the office
• We have one scheduled in June of this year. Of the whole UCG? Yes, sir. Okay. There's...

Summary: The committee met on May 26, 2026, and first approved the minutes from the May 22, 2025 meeting. The main topic was the Northwest Louisiana earthquake cluster, with testimony from Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy staff, LSU and Tulane geoscientists, and later LSU law professor Keith Hall. Witnesses said the cause of the swarm has not been definitively identified, but induced seismicity from wastewater injection or hydraulic fracturing remains a concern. They described 50 earthquakes reported by the USGS in Red River, Bienville, DeSoto, and Natchitoches Parishes, including a magnitude 4.9 event on March 5, 2026, and explained that Louisiana’s sparse seismic network limits detection and depth/location estimates. C&E said it inspected Class II injection wells within 12 miles of the events, found no violations, now requires more frequent injection reporting, and is working with researchers and LSU on a possible state monitoring network and future policy changes. Committee members asked about injection depths, fault locations, whether the activity could be natural, and whether Louisiana should adopt stronger monitoring or a traffic-light regulatory system like other states. The witnesses said more data is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn, but that denser monitoring can detect smaller quakes and help identify patterns. Professor Hall summarized responses in other states, including more frequent reporting, increased monitoring, injection reductions, moratoria, and traffic-light systems in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Ohio, and Illinois. Members also discussed whether operators should share more seismic and geologic data, and several said the state should avoid jumping to conclusions while still improving oversight. The committee then heard from William Berger, a Texas geoscientist, who described using AI and operator data to model wastewater injection and seismic risk, and said broader data sharing would improve forecasting and siting decisions. He and another witness emphasized that many earthquakes arise from clusters of wells rather than a single well, and that proprietary concerns limit voluntary disclosure. The committee also received a brief update from GOSEP and the Louisiana National Guard on the Barksdale Air Force Base drone incursions. GOSEP said it logged the incident in WebEOC and shared releasable information, while State Police and the FBI said they were limited in what they could disclose. Officers said a task force has been formed, some personnel have received federal drone-mitigation training, and House Bill 940 is intended to mirror the task force MOU. Finally, Major General Thomas Friloux and Brigadier General Jason Maffus updated the committee on the merger of GOSEP into the Louisiana Military Department. They said the merger has reduced GOSEP from seven divisions to three, brought back employees to in-person work, modernized the state’s common operating picture, and produced about $10.5 million in first-year cost avoidance through staffing and contract changes. They also noted the planned transfer of the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, ongoing hurricane preparedness, and continued coordination with parish emergency managers. No votes were taken on the substantive topics, and the meeting ended with the committee moving through its agenda items and receiving informational testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Under the bill, this fund was scheduled to end with the Diablo Canyon closure in 2025.
• Under the bill, this fund was scheduled to end with the Diablo Canyon closure in 2025.
• Under the bill, this fund was scheduled to end with the Diablo Canyon closure in 2025.

Transcript Highlights:

• changes that can be considered as part of the reassessment of CalFresh administration, which is scheduled
• changes that can be considered as a part of the reassessment of CalFresh administration, which is scheduled
• That is scheduled for statewide implementation in October 2026.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services held a hearing on the Governor’s May Revision, with no votes taken. The first major topic was child care and early education, where the Department of Social Services and Department of Finance outlined proposed changes to absorb federal Child Care and Development Fund and Proposition 64 revenue reductions, shift some funding between child care programs, end funding for prospective pay implementation now that the federal requirement has been rescinded, adjust the alternative payment administration structure, and fund child care infrastructure grants and a Low-Income Investment Fund contract closeout. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the budget makes progress on the structural deficit but recommended maintaining the administration’s solution level, making reserve deposits, and avoiding new ongoing commitments; it also raised concerns about shifting reductions to the California Alternative Payment Program and about the proposed administrative-rate change. Committee members strongly criticized the proposed loss of child care slots and said they would oppose eliminating those slots, while also expressing support for child care as essential infrastructure. The committee then reviewed California State Preschool Program proposals. Finance and CDE described reductions to the preschool COLA from 2.41% to 2.01%, removal of prospective pay funding, and increases for the QRIS block grant, audit support, and rate reform implementation. Trailer bill language would codify age-based rate categories, inclusion-rate documentation, family fee collection rules, portability, and excused absences. CDE supported the QRIS increase and some attendance and family-fee changes, but warned that aligning three- and four-year-old rates could reduce support for three-year-olds and that the budget does not fully cover enrollment growth. Members also questioned whether the preschool and child care slot reductions should be reallocated rather than terminated, and the administration said the reductions were intended to reflect current utilization and avoid harm to currently enrolled families. The hearing then moved to CalFresh and nutrition programs. CDSS said the May Revision includes a one-time CalFood augmentation, funding to cover federal SNAP administrative cost-share pressures, and additional staffing and technical assistance to implement HR 1 changes, including the able-bodied adults without dependents time limit and new non-citizen eligibility rules. The department estimated HR 1 could cut CalFresh funding by $2.3 billion to $3.7 billion annually and affect about 500,000 people, with roughly 806,000 adults potentially subject to the time limit and about 34,000 non-citizens expected to lose eligibility once fully implemented. Members pressed for stronger harm mitigation, including a $98 million backfill to protect families from losing food benefits, and raised concerns about county workload and the “chilling effect” on immigrant participation. The final portion of the transcript began the IHSS presentation, noting a revised budget of $33.7 billion total funds and $12.8 billion General Fund, with proposed reductions tied to Medi-Cal asset-limit changes and other federal conformity items.

Transcript Highlights:

• In November, we launched our volunteer program 18 months ahead of schedule, and the response has been
• This is the one date that we were able to work out with space and schedules.
• This is the one date that we were able to work out with space and schedules.

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on planning for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games, focusing on infrastructure, transportation, sustainability, ticketing, community benefits, and legacy planning. LA28’s Joey Freeman reported on overall progress, including new soccer venues across the country, strong ticket demand, a volunteer program launched early, $2.5 billion in corporate sponsorships, and recently enacted state laws to support route networks, temporary infrastructure, medical staffing, and EMS coordination. He also said LA28 is sponsoring AB 2436 to extend in-state tuition eligibility for Team USA student-athletes training in California. Members pressed LA28 heavily on ticket affordability and access, saying the local presale and low-cost ticket rollout had not met community expectations. Several senators asked for clearer numbers on how many tickets were available, how many were under $100, and how community ticketing would work, with concerns that nonprofit distribution could still miss low-income residents. LA28 said $28 tickets were offered, roughly 500,000 low-cost tickets were placed with local residents during the presale, and a community ticketing program seeded by philanthropy would provide free tickets through nonprofits. Senators also raised concerns about gender parity data, security funding, and whether federal support would remain stable. Mayor Karen Bass said the city’s theme is “Games for All” and emphasized that Los Angeles wants the Games to benefit every neighborhood through small-business contracting, cultural programming, and lasting infrastructure. She described city-run small business summits, a broader Cultural Olympiad effort tied to murals and neighborhood storytelling, and watch parties and fan fests as free community alternatives. Bass also requested state help speeding approvals for key public-land improvements, allowing mutual aid for law enforcement without a state of emergency, and addressing freeway trash and encampments that could affect access to venues. Members asked for follow-up on those requests, including details on permitting, Caltrans coordination, and business participation. The final panel began with an infrastructure presentation from Councilmember Paul Krekorian, who said the Games are a no-build, transit-first event and outlined requests for street and sidewalk improvements, accessibility upgrades, energy and charging infrastructure, a joint operations center, active transportation projects, and cleanup of Caltrans rights of way. He argued the Games could generate $18 billion in economic output, support 90,000 jobs, and produce at least $700 million in state and local tax revenue, while also leaving behind permanent community benefits. He closed by pointing to Los Angeles’ history with the 1932 and 1984 Games as evidence that the city can deliver a successful and financially positive Olympics.

Transcript Highlights:

• The schedule that has been provided publicly was that we're putting out a decision. 8th, the schedule
• This has, you know, that schedule was put together because of this proposal, because of the work of our

Transcript Highlights:

• The schedule that has been provided publicly was that we're putting out a decision... ...the schedule
• This schedule was put together because of this proposal and because of the work of our colleagues at

Summary: The committee first heard Issue 1 on trailer bill language to redirect funding for emergency demand-response programs. The Department of Finance proposed using about $26.9 million in General Fund originally set aside for the Distributed Energy Backup Assets program to bolster the Demand-Side Grid Support Program for summer 2026, and using about $70 million in CalCHAP interest to support ratepayer-funded demand response in summers 2027 and 2028. The CEC and CPUC said they are working on a transition from DSGS to ELRP or a successor program, while the LAO noted the General Fund money would otherwise revert to savings. Members pressed the administration on whether demand response remains important, whether DSGS has been successful, and whether the state should keep funding it through the CEC rather than shifting to a ratepayer-funded CPUC program. The CEC and CPUC said the programs are not directly comparable, emphasized different cost structures and enrollment metrics, and said a CPUC rulemaking is underway with a proposed decision expected in Q3 2026. No vote was taken in the transcript. The committee then took up Issue 2, a budget proposal tied to SB 254 and the new transmission accelerator. GoBiz and the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank described a five-year, roughly $26 million request to staff and administer the accelerator and manage Proposition 4 and AB 1207 funds for transmission financing. Members asked about state liability, ownership of financed lines, FERC revenue requirements, and whether the program would help underserved regions and offshore wind development. Staff explained that the accelerator would only consider projects already identified through CAISO’s competitive transmission planning process, and that state financing would be a small portion of large projects intended to lower overall costs to ratepayers. The LAO said it had no specific concerns but urged the Legislature to ensure the final language matches its intent. The committee also heard Issue 3 on petroleum market oversight. The CEC and its Division of Petroleum Market Oversight requested additional positions and funding to implement ABX2-1 and continue work on supply stabilization, refinery monitoring, and transportation fuels analysis. Members questioned why the work was funded through the Energy Resources Programs Account, whether existing staff from the paused price-gouging work could be reassigned, and whether the program had produced evidence of price gouging or improved supply conditions. CEC and Finance said the new positions are needed because the workload has expanded, while some existing staff remain on related analysis and reporting duties. The discussion ended without a vote in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• with a 40-day, but I have also read and heard that after 45 days, you need to get on the normal schedule
• with a 40-day, but I have also read and heard that after 45 days, you need to get on the normal schedule
• with a 40-day, but I have also read and heard that after 45 days, you need to get on the normal schedule

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• said, the loss of the positions and funding over time could result in a slower regular maintenance schedule
• to do these and to keep two sets of projects, you know, or multiple projects, moving on the time schedule
• This was not an item in the scheduled hearing, but I wanted to comment on it.

Summary: The meeting began with a lengthy opening discussion with Secretary Karen Ross of the Department of Food and Agriculture, who reviewed the department’s proposed budget, emphasized California agriculture’s record output, and highlighted major priorities including climate-smart agriculture, groundwater management, local food systems, farm-to-school, food hubs, invasive pest prevention, bird flu response, and food safety. She also warned about federal budget cuts, especially at USDA and FDA, and discussed market access challenges abroad, rising input costs, labor shortages, and the need for automation and workforce training. Members raised questions about the future of Farm to School, the California Nutrition Incentive Program/Market Match, local food procurement, and how to better connect farmers to schools, food banks, and food hubs; Ross said the department had strong evidence the program benefits small farms and Title I schools and noted continued interest in building out local food infrastructure. The committee then took up item one on eliminating vacant positions at the Departments of Fish and Wildlife, Parks and Recreation, and Food and Agriculture. The Legislative Analyst’s Office explained that the Governor proposed eliminating 6,000 vacant positions statewide, with the Joint Legislative Budget Committee previously rejecting 650 of them, including 174 in these three departments. LAO and Finance said the vacancies represented a source of budget flexibility, but warned that eliminating them could create program impacts; LAO recommended retaining the special-funded positions at Fish and Wildlife and Food and Agriculture, while weighing the General Fund positions against other priorities. Finance argued the reductions were part of a broader budget-resiliency exercise and that departments could reclassify or shift vacancies to higher priorities. Members focused heavily on the practical impacts of the cuts. Assemblymember Petrie-Norris argued that Fish and Wildlife staffing shortages were already slowing permits needed for housing, clean energy, water, and transportation projects, and questioned the value of saving relatively small amounts of money. Fish and Wildlife officials said the department had prioritized mission-critical work and could still meet permitting obligations, but acknowledged limited-term staffing constraints. State Parks said the proposed ranger and maintenance cuts would not have immediate effects but could slow maintenance and eventually worsen deferred maintenance. Food and Agriculture said some of the eliminated positions supported early pest detection and eradication, but that the department believed it could still meet its mandate and reclassify positions if needed. The chair and several members signaled concern about the Fish and Wildlife and Parks cuts, while also noting the broader need for budget reductions. The committee then moved to item six, hearing an overview from the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation. Staff described the office’s role in CEQA implementation and said the budget requests were baseline funding to maintain existing functions, including IT services and administrative/legislative support, rather than new programs. The chair asked the presenters to move quickly through background material so the committee could get to questions, and the item began with no votes taken during the meeting.