Transcript Highlights:

• Uffy reviewed the language used in 45 other states' bills of rights, conducted research into current
• into current laws in conducted research into current laws in Minnesota<00:02:23.360><c> and</c><00:02
• This bill is the result of hundreds of hours of research and discussion, and you can learn more about
• </c><00:08:03.120><c> and</c><00:08:03.360><c> discussion</c> hours of research and discussion hours
• </c> you know, doing the extensive research you know, doing the extensive research for<00:26:42.240><

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You could have more of a brief format, think about like House Research and Senate Counsel research and
• You could have more of a brief format, think about like House Research and Senate Counsel research and
• </c><00:26:40.159><c> Council</c> House research and Senate Council House research and Senate Council
• research<00:26:40.640><c> and</c><00:26:40.799><c> fiscal</c><00:26:41.120><c> briefs</c><00:26:41.919
• ><c> um</c><00:26:42.000><c> where</c><00:26:42.240><c> it</c> research and fiscal briefs um where it

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• a huge rehabilitative effort as well, as there's a physical component of this that there is some research
• c><00:38:47.680><c> there</c><00:38:47.920><c> is</c><00:38:48.079><c> some</c><00:38:48.320><c> research
• </c> that that um there is some research that that um there is some research around<00:38:49.599><c>
• Yeah, I think research shows the people.
• <00:48:14.720><c> about</c> research about research about &gt;&gt; You<00:48:15.119><c> think</c><00:

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The public hearing was on an SP 15 replace-all, non-germane amendment to Senate Bill 15, a proposal to require hard labor for certain serious offenses in the New Hampshire prison system. Representative Jennifer Rhodess, the co-sponsor, said the bill is intended to make incarcerated people productive, help reduce costs, and serve as a deterrent; she also noted a two-year effective date for implementation and said anyone who refuses hard labor would receive a 50% sentence increase. She framed the work as ordinary labor already done by many people in the state and said the committee would later hear related testimony and possible amendments. Committee members questioned how the proposal would work in practice, especially for people already incarcerated, the difference between current prison work and the bill’s “hard labor,” and the impact on prison security and staffing. Rhodess said the bill only applies going forward, not retroactively, and that the Department of Corrections could better address operational details. Members also discussed the terminology, noting that “capital murder” is not a current New Hampshire charge and that the relevant offense is first-degree murder with mandatory life without parole. Department of Corrections officials Jane Graham and Nicholas Duffy testified in a neutral position but raised significant implementation concerns. They said the department would need more resources, vehicles, security equipment, and possibly armed supervision for higher-risk crews, and noted a 47% corrections officer vacancy rate. Duffy described current work programs inside prisons and in the community, including correctional industries, kitchen and education jobs, transitional work crews, and community service projects such as road work and landscaping. He explained that current community crews are limited by custody level, court approval, staffing, and safety, and said C1 and C2 inmates are already in transitional or work-release settings, while C3 and higher inmates would pose greater risks if taken outside the walls. No vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Janelle Taylor, House Research. Mary Davis, House Research. Ben Stanley, Senate Nonpartisan.
• Janelle Taylor, House Research. Mary Davis, House Research. Ben Stanley, Senate Nonpartisan.
• </c><00:03:03.200><c> uh</c> introduce our uh Senate researcher uh introduce our uh Senate researcher
• Chair and members, um Mary Davis from House Research.
• Chair and members, um Mary Davis from House Research.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And so I just encourage you to look at his research because it's both.
• And also there's increasing research around the globe that kids being on devices in schools, not just
• on what's uh kind of known as research on what's uh kind of known as freerange<00:53:17.520><c> kids
• And and also research because it's both.
• </c><00:53:54.880><c> the</c> there's increasing research around the there's increasing research around

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 3117, which would impose an excise tax on social media companies based on Minnesota monthly users and data-mining activity, and adopted an A1 amendment that added clarifying language identifying social media platforms. Chair Gomez described the bill as a way to tax companies profiting from data mining and social media use, citing concerns about child bullying, misinformation, and wealth concentration. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the 2025 taxes bill. Supporters testified that the measure would help raise revenue from a highly profitable industry and better align the tax code with the social costs of data collection and social media use. Pastor Julie Thompson, MAPE representative Tanner Fritzinger, Council Member Sue Bud, and Eric Bernstein of We Make Minnesota all backed the bill, arguing that social media companies extract value from users’ data, contribute to mental health and social harms, and should pay more toward public needs. Bernstein also framed the tax as a way to broaden the tax base and fund schools and other services. Opponents warned that the bill could sweep in local broadcasters, newspapers, and other businesses that use digital platforms and collect some user data, and that costs would likely be passed on to consumers. Wendy Pollson of the Minnesota Broadcasters Association said the definitions were too broad and could unintentionally include local media. Deb Peters, speaking for Americans for Digital Opportunity, argued the tax would raise costs for small businesses and consumers, create legal risks, and amount to double taxation. Several members echoed concerns about regressivity, administration, and whether the bill actually addresses online bullying or data privacy, while supporters said it is a first step toward taxing a new, lightly taxed industry.

Transcript Highlights:

• So much of the research that's been happening that's very promising is not research into just the effects
• So much of the research that's been happening that's very promising is not research into just the effects
• So much of the research that's been happening that's very promising is not research into just the effects
• So much of the research that's been happening that's very promising is not research into just the effects
• That's very promising is not research into just the effects of THC; it's research into how people are

Committee: House Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm delighted that my colleague will be sharing a little bit more about the research that her organization
• In the past three years, we worked in partnership with the Mass Cultural Council to conduct research.
• We published a two-part research study titled Towards a Culture of Access that I was happy to hear many
• Research shows that these obstacles include emotional and administrative burden, significant difficulty
• Research shows that when captioning is made available on television, individuals with hearing loss report

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities held a hearing focused on accessibility-related legislation, with the chairs emphasizing ASL and CART accessibility and asking testifiers to speak slowly and clearly. The committee heard testimony first on H.223/S.130, a bill to establish a livable wage for community-based human service workers by reducing the pay gap with state employees. Providers’ Council, Communities for People, the Key Program, and BAMSI all supported the bill, describing persistent wage disparities, high vacancy and turnover rates, and the impact on continuity of care for children, youth, and families. Witnesses said the bill would help recruitment and retention and stabilize services across the Commonwealth. The committee then heard extensive testimony on H.224/S.160, the ACE Act, which would create a dedicated funding source to improve accessibility in the creative economy. Arts organizations and advocates, including Community Access to the Arts, Abilities Dance Boston, Jacob’s Pillow, the Multicultural Arts Center, Northampton Community Music Center, Mass Creative, Open Door Arts, and Monkey House, described barriers such as inaccessible buildings, lack of ASL interpretation and captioning, inadequate lifts and backstage access, and the high cost of renovations. Testifiers said the bill would help smaller and historic institutions make physical and programmatic improvements and allow people with disabilities to participate as artists, workers, and audiences. The committee also heard testimony on H.4180, which would require DDS to consider neuropsychological evaluations when determining eligibility for intellectual disability services. Parents and advocates argued that IQ cutoffs alone can miss significant functional needs, especially for autistic adults and others with complex developmental profiles, and urged broader access to DDS supports. Additional testimony supported S.101 on closed captioning and telecommunications in public areas, and S.158 on requiring restaurants to have some chairs with arms to better accommodate physically disabled and older patrons. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair adjourned after hearing from the scheduled witnesses and noting a few signups that were not present.

Transcript Highlights:

• It does not apply to the press, to openly overseen academic research, or to government entities in their
• It does not apply to the press, to openly overseen academic research, or to government entities in their
• , a company can collect data about where a Vermonter goes for health care, what medications they research
• ,</c><00:21:32.000><c> who</c><00:21:32.160><c> they</c> what medications they research, who they what
• medications they research, who they communicate<00:21:32.800><c> with,</c><00:21:33.200><c> and</c><

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• After, as you know, several years of research, and I'm sure as you're aware,...
• After, as you know, several years of research, and I'm sure as you're aware from the work you've done
• when I first started over at the Office of Legislative Research, there had already been 10 years of
• We absolutely see all of the research being done nationally on the 340B.
• Now, in general, from a cost-effective standpoint, research shows the categories 3B and up that include

Keywords: 962, all

Summary: The Complex Care Committee meeting focused first on a new Diabetes Caucus launched at the Capitol. Rep. Johnson described the caucus as a forum to educate people about type 1 and type 2 diabetes, genetic risk, early testing, pregnancy-related diabetes, and ways Medicaid policy might improve prevention and lower long-term costs. Members agreed the caucus could intersect with care management, and Carolyn Grandell of CHNCT offered to share information about current diabetes-related care management services at a future meeting. The committee then heard a detailed presentation from Alex Rigger of the Office of Health Strategy, who is moving to the Office of Policy and Management. He reviewed Connecticut health care benchmark data, including total health care expenditures, medical spending, and market-by-market trends. He said 2023 to 2024 per-capita spending grew more than 8.5% statewide and 14% in Medicaid, with long-term care accounting for about 46% of Medicaid spending and retail pharmacy also identified as a major cost driver. Members asked about enrollment changes, dual-eligible populations, Medicare Savings Program members, 340B drug pricing, and value-based payment models. Rigger explained that his office tracks alternate payment models and quality benchmarks, but does not separately capture 340B data. Discussion then shifted to Medicare Advantage, dual eligibles, and hospital discharge planning. Members said they want better data on how many Medicaid members are in Medicare Advantage plans and whether those plans shift costs back to Medicaid or affect access to care, especially for complex-care patients. Staff noted DSS does have some Medicare Advantage indicators and that CMS is developing encounter-data rules for states. Kathy Holt and others raised concerns about denials, nursing home stays, and the need to compare Medicaid spending for dual eligibles in Medicare Advantage versus traditional Medicare. The meeting ended with plans for follow-up data sharing, including Alex Rigger’s slides, the diabetes caucus materials, and a future discussion with DSS and other agencies; no formal votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• According to Gford's Gun Owners for Safety research, in the United States, more than 125 people die every
• According to Gford's Gun Owners for Safety research, in the United States, more than 125 people die every
• According to Gford's Gun Owners for Safety research, in the United States, more than 125 people die every
• According to Gford's Gun Owners for Safety research, in the United States, more than 125 people die every
• not only preventing individuals from killing others, but it's well known and established through research

Committee: Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs took up several measures, beginning with House Bill 2413 on pre-trial reform, which had been deferred from a prior agenda. The chair said the committee would incorporate judiciary recommendations and other technical, non-substantive amendments to continue discussion, and the measure was adopted with amendments by a 2-1 vote, with one member excused. The committee then heard extensive testimony on House Bill 2062, which appropriates funds for gun violence prevention efforts, including processing temporary restraining orders and gun violence protective orders and funding public awareness campaigns. Supporters, including county, advocacy, law enforcement, and student witnesses, said the bill would improve implementation of an existing law, save lives, and reduce suicides and violence. Opponents argued red flag laws can be abused, raise due process concerns, and may create dangerous enforcement situations. Written testimony was reported as 60 in support, 47 in opposition, and one comment. The committee later passed HB 2062 with amendments, including a corrected effective date, by a 3-1 vote with one member excused. The committee also considered House Bill 1957 on safe entryways, which would establish enforcement procedures in larger cities to prevent blocking of private doorways and entrances. Written testimony included support and opposition, but no oral testimony was offered, and the bill was passed with technical, non-substantive amendments. House Bill 253 on fireworks, which expands civil asset forfeiture for felony fireworks offenses and clarifies air-delivery provisions, was also passed with an amended effective date. House Bill 2581 on emergency management, which would narrow the definitions of disasters and emergencies, drew testimony both supporting the bill as a check on emergency powers and opposing it as incomplete or too broad in its current form; decision-making on that measure was deferred to the committee’s March 23 meeting. House Bill 2498 on a care home resilience pilot program was also deferred to March 23 after no testimony was offered.

Transcript Highlights:

• Northeastern is an accredited private nonprofit research institution with all our campuses accredited
• because the University of Washington has more ability to raise dollars in other areas, in terms of research
• because the University of Washington has more ability to raise dollars in other areas, in terms of research
• capacity to offer real-world experiences such as field schools, internships, and faculty-mentored research
• In Washington, UAW represents nearly 15,000 higher education and research workers, including thousands

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on House Bill 2070, which would create state funding parity for Western Washington University by tying appropriations to a per-student funding ratio. The prime sponsor and Western officials said Western has long been the lowest-funded public four-year institution on a per-student basis, leading to budget cuts, reduced student services, and delayed graduation. Students, faculty, and university leaders testified in support, while some members questioned whether the bill should instead address a broader higher-education funding formula for all institutions. Central Washington University also supported the bill but suggested a broader approach. No vote was taken on HB 2070. The committee then heard House Bill 2671, which would expand eligibility for state financial aid to certain nonprofit out-of-state branch campuses operating in Washington if they meet specified accreditation, duration, and authorization requirements. Rep. Timmons said the bill is intended to help students in an accelerated nursing program at Northeastern University in Seattle access aid and support workforce needs. Northeastern’s dean testified in support, saying the bill would align financial aid law with prior changes to degree-granting statutes and would not increase state spending. The hearing on HB 2671 was then closed. House Bill 2617, dealing with the higher-education “fund split,” drew extensive testimony. The bill would gradually shift more of employee compensation increases and central services costs to state funding, and would require a study of essential student services. The sponsor and many university, faculty, staff, and student witnesses argued that the current funding practice shifts costs to tuition, contributes to layoffs, program cuts, larger classes, and reduced student support, and creates instability across public higher education. Community and technical college representatives also said underfunding COLAs harms operations and students. The committee then moved to executive session on Senate Bill 6258, which would authorize the Washington Medical Commission to create a non-disciplinary pathway for voluntary license relinquishment; the committee approved it 14-0 with a due-pass recommendation, with three members excused.

Transcript Highlights:

• The House Research and Conservation Committee will come to order. We do have a quorum by my count.
• Research shows areas treated with thinning and prescribed burns, both requiring limited road access,
• Research shows areas treated with thinning and prescribed burns, both requiring limited.
• Research shows areas treated with thinning and prescribed burns, both requiring limited road access,
• Boom and busts, mining towns, show that once research are gone, population strings, tax bases collapse

Committee: House Resources and Conservation

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've led bunch of fisheries research projects of the last half-decade.
• Well, over half a million dollars worth of research. These projects take 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 years.
• I, in researching this today, actually do not know Ms.
• Openshaw, but in researching and doing my research, I had heard the argument.
• And I learned through doing my research that Miss Openshaw is being sued because she alleged the very

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair Backer, I actually would like to clarify that with House Research. And House Research is Ms.
• We know this from the biomonitoring research conducted by the Minnesota Department of Health over the
• Also, Beauty Well is a partner with MDH and fills critical gaps in public health research, education,
• This is just one research example that illustrates a typical dynamic.
• Additional research is growing to show how boys are exploited as well through exploitation and trafficking

Bills: HF2779 , HF1645 , HF1885 , HF1289 , HF1534 , HF2707 , HF1675 , HF3046

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: health care transparency, ownership disclosure, control reporting, health care consolidation, private equity, management services organization, MSO, provider organization, health insurer, pharmacy benefit manager, hospital system, affiliate reporting, financial disclosure, public reporting, market concentration, horizontal consolidation, vertical consolidation, health care ownership, corporate practice, health care regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• Study, USDA research shows that while milk consumption has been falling across all ages for several decades
• This coincides with research finding that 90% of Americans do not meet the dietary guidelines recommended
• Research does show that for most children school meals are the healthiest meals that they consume in
• I am aware of that research.
• We haven't addressed it directly in the dietary guidelines, but it definitely, I'm aware of the research

Bills: SB222

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

Keywords: whole milk, school lunch, school meals, National School Lunch Program, Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, Child Nutrition Act, USDA, nutrition standards, dairy, nonfat milk, low-fat milk, reduced-fat milk, lactose-free milk, nondairy beverages, plant-based milk, milk substitution, parental consent, legal guardian, food allergies, allergic reaction

Summary: This meeting of the committee focused primarily on the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, S222, which aims to permit schools to offer a fuller range of milk options, including whole, reduced, and low-fat varieties, that have garnered bipartisan support. Chairman Bozeman opened the session by highlighting concerns over children's nutrition and the obesity epidemic, emphasizing the significance of nutritious school meals in addressing these issues. Experts from various organizations were invited to discuss the implications of this bill as well as the current challenges facing school meal programs, including budget constraints and food supply issues. The meeting included passionate testimonies about the direct impacts of current dietary guidelines and federal funding reductions affecting schools' abilities to provide healthy meal options.

Transcript Highlights:

• It was suggested by House Research and Fact, Madam Chair. All right. Very good.
• I am the project lead for the Minnesota Justice Research Center's Pretrial Best Practices Project.
• Thank you, Representative Pinto, and I just wanted to thank the Minnesota Justice Research Center.
• Commission, and I think we will be in a position where policymakers and others can say these are research
• Another thought that I have on it is that perhaps the data could be made available to researchers—not

Bills: HF2233 , HF1999 , HF1995 , HF1614 , HF2781 , HF1775 , HF1316 , HF2127 , HF2521 , HF689 , HF2380 , HF1273

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: Uniform Special Deposits Act, special deposit, banking law, financial institutions, escrow, escrow account, trust account, security deposit, beneficiary, depositor, creditor process, garnishment, attachment, levy, setoff, recoupment, financial market infrastructure, retirement benefits, compensation, earnest money

Transcript Highlights:

• I've looked at it and researched it for more than a decade professionally, and for the past three years
• I've looked at it and researched it for more than a decade professionally, and the past three years I've
• From my perspective, I've researched this topic specifically over the last three years with previous
• So the research that I've done over the past three years, I think one of the things the state of Texas
• The research that I've done over the past three years suggests that the state of Texas did a great job

Committee: Senate Banking and Insurance

Summary: The committee first took up SB 794, as amended by a late-filed strike-all, which would require a human being to make insurance claim denial decisions and prohibit artificial intelligence from being the sole basis for a denial. The sponsor said the bill was intended to preserve human oversight while allowing innovation in claims processing. Public testimony included support from the Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate and the Florida Medical Association, along with one speaker urging additional protections for homeowners. The committee adopted the strike-all and reported SB 794 favorably with committee substitutes. Members then heard SB 134, which removes the $500 threshold on the sales tax exemption for bullion, making sales of gold, silver, and platinum bullion fully exempt and eliminating certain dealer documentation requirements. Supporters argued the change would reduce a regressive tax and help consumers preserve savings; the sponsor estimated a revenue impact of about $300,000. The bill was reported favorably. The committee also adopted a strike-all on SB 888, which directs the Office of Insurance Regulation to create a more consumer-friendly homeowners insurance website with premium comparison information, market data, rate filing access, and educational resources. The sponsor and Leader Boyd said the goal was to improve transparency and help consumers navigate a stabilizing market. SB 888 was reported favorably with committee substitutes. The final bill heard was SB 1578, covering mammograms and supplemental breast cancer screenings. The sponsor said it would expand coverage requirements in ACA plans and private insurance policies, including annual mammograms for women ages 40 to 50 and supplemental screening coverage, while noting Medicaid already provides these services. The Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate waived in support, and the bill was reported favorably. After the bills, the committee held a lengthy panel discussion on gold and silver as legal tender and transactional money, with testimony from officials from Utah and Florida, industry representatives, and advocacy groups. Panelists discussed constitutional authority, consumer protections, depository oversight, taxation issues, and possible transactional platforms for precious metals. No further action was taken after the discussion, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, the research that we did on, on it, we communicated that to the parents also, and to the community
• For the school board, I think the research is important.
• Maybe taking the research to them, having them look at the data, um, seeing how successful some districts
• I'm researching, we're looking from one tag to another to see what's going on.
• So just brain research says, Says bell to bell K through 12 just for the adolescent brain.

Bills: HB6 , HB27 , HB123 , HB210 , HB213 , HB222

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: hemp, consumable hemp products, hemp-derived cannabinoids, CBD, cannabidiol, CBG, cannabigerol, Texas hemp law, hemp regulation, cannabinoid products, delta-9 THC, intoxicating hemp, hemp gummies, hemp vape, retail registration, product registration, QR code labeling, child-resistant packaging, youth access, minor sales

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, Senator Fernandez, based on my team's research this morning, there's only one district, and that
• work on the Alzheimer's State Plan and also the important work that our universities are doing in research
• work on the Alzheimer's State Plan and also the important work that our universities are doing in research
• So the research I did is trying to find the number of people without a high school diploma and where
• I'd have to go back and look at the research, but their number that they've put out is 40% come off of

Summary: The joint House and Senate Appropriations committees met to hear the FY 2027 budget package, beginning with the General Appropriations Act (HB 4154/SB 1847). Staff outlined the overall budget, including one-time fund transfers, lump-sum reductions, funding for state employee health insurance, school facilities, corrections, flood and wildfire relief, education and child care, and other ongoing and supplemental items. Members briefly discussed the absence of a requested $1.5 million for the oversight office, but the chair said no amendments would be taken in committee and that only limited technical changes were likely later in the process. Public testimony on the feed bill was largely supportive but focused on specific funding concerns. Testimony highlighted school safety funding, Alzheimer’s services, small business tax expensing provisions, disability oversight for group homes, county use of opioid settlement dollars, adult education/community college funding, victim notification funding, and ESA oversight. Several speakers praised the budget for funding DDD and other services, while others opposed or sought changes to items such as the COMIT group home monitoring program, Maricopa Community Colleges’ lack of operating aid, and a possible cut to the victim notification program. The chair repeatedly emphasized that changes to the negotiated budget would be difficult and should be routed through leadership. The committee then moved quickly through the remaining budget reconciliation bills. Staff summarized bills covering amusement and wagering, capital outlay, commerce, criminal justice, environment, health care, higher education, human services, and K-12 education. Notable provisions included continued wagering assessments, highway and building renewal funding, defense innovation and economic development changes, corrections and wrongful conviction provisions, groundwater and water banking measures, health insurance oversight and opioid settlement provisions, higher education funding and ABOR operating caps, SNAP and housing trust fund changes, and a 2% inflation increase for K-12 formula components. The K-12 bill also included a biometric school safety pilot and a child sexual abuse prevention pilot. No votes were taken in the portion provided, and the chair indicated the committee would continue through the remaining bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm also the Director of Research for Eaton Fire Residents United, and we oppose unless amended.
• In fact, research indicates that adopting soil health practices reduces pest pressures, with 96% of farmer
• We're working with local, state, and federal agencies, academic researchers, and industry to identify
• But for those that do want to do this research, they should have a right to.
• And no one should have to take the time to do this research if it's...

Summary: The committee heard AB 1795, which would create statewide standards for testing, inspection, remediation, and insurance handling of wildfire smoke damage in homes. The author and Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said the bill is needed because survivors face inconsistent claims practices and no enforceable standards for determining when homes are safe. Supporters included the City of Los Angeles and a wildfire survivor who described health problems and disputed remediation results; opponents from the insurance industry said the bill could create broad new exposure and worsen affordability, though they continued to negotiate amendments. The committee recommended the bill do pass with urgency, and it passed on a 4-0 vote, with the roll held open for additional votes. The committee also heard AB 1612, which would create a centralized process for law enforcement to transfer seized controlled substances such as fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin to the Department of Justice for disposal after the state’s last in-state incineration facility closed. The author said the bill would address unsafe storage and inconsistent disposal pathways. There was no opposition in the room, and the committee sent the bill to the Assembly Public Safety Committee on a do pass vote. AB 2322 would standardize the definition of commercial, industrial, or institutional sites for municipal stormwater permits by tying it to assessor land-use codes and excluding residential parcels. Supporters said the bill would reduce patchwork enforcement and improve consistency, while stormwater and city representatives asked to keep working on regional flexibility concerns. The committee approved the bill 4-1 and sent it to Appropriations. The committee then heard AB 2245, a producer responsibility bill for vehicle lubricant products and their containers, intended to expand collection and recycling using existing household hazardous waste and used oil infrastructure. Supporters said it would reduce landfill disposal and align with existing EPR frameworks, while retailers and industry groups raised concerns about overlapping obligations, unclear definitions, and compliance costs. The author said negotiations would continue, and the committee sent the bill to Natural Resources on a do pass vote. The committee also heard AB 1603, which would phase out PFAS-containing pesticides over time and require disclosure and permitting for their use. Supporters argued PFAS pesticides contaminate food and water and pose health risks; agricultural and chemical industry opponents said the bill could remove many products from the market and lead to harmful substitutions. The chair expressed support for reducing PFAS but raised concerns about replacement chemicals, and the bill was sent to Appropriations on a do pass vote. Finally, AB 2034 was introduced to increase transparency around food additives and GRAS ingredients by creating a state database of chemicals that bypass FDA premarket review; supporters said it would close a federal loophole, while consumer brands opposed a duplicative state system and warned of costs and confusion.