Transcript Highlights:

• Do pass as amended to Appropriations. Please call the absent members.
• Do pass as amended to Appropriations. Please call the absent members.
• Do pass as amended to Appropriations. Please call the absent members.
• Do pass as amended to Appropriations. Please call the absent members.
• Do pass as amended to Appropriations. Please call the absent members.

Summary: The Senate Emergency Management Committee heard several wildfire- and emergency-related bills. SB 1270 by Senator Richardson would expand the California Wildfire Mitigation Program to more counties and direct future funding toward areas with the greatest wildfire risk and social vulnerability; supporters included CSAC and the South Coast Air Quality Management District. SB 1079 by Senator Stern would create a permanent fire innovation unit within Cal Fire to identify operational needs, test new technologies, and speed deployment of successful tools; it drew support from Megafire Action, fire agencies, and several advocacy groups. SB 1020 by Senator Niello would require annual reporting on open gubernatorial states of emergency, including spending and lessons learned, to increase legislative oversight without limiting emergency powers; the LAO provided technical assistance on the bill. SB 894 by Senator Allen would establish a wildfire resilience loan program modeled on Go Green to help finance home hardening and defensible space improvements, with broad support from state, local, environmental, and credit union interests. Testimony on the bills emphasized wildfire risk, the need for broader home hardening access, and the value of innovation and oversight in emergency management. Supporters of SB 894 said grants alone cannot meet the scale of needed mitigation and that low-cost financing could leverage private capital. Supporters of SB 1079 argued California needs a more formal system to connect firefighters with innovators and scale proven technologies. On SB 1020, the author and committee discussed balancing executive emergency authority with transparency and accountability. There was no recorded opposition to the measures during testimony. After discussion, the committee accepted amendments on the bills and voted to pass SB 894, SB 973, SB 1020, SB 1270, and SB 1079 as amended to the Senate Appropriations Committee. The transcript shows multiple roll calls as quorum was established and absent members were called; each bill ultimately received unanimous support from members present and was reported out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Do pass as amended to Appropriations. Please call the absent members.
• Do pass as amended to Appropriations. Please call the absent members.
• Do pass as amended to Appropriations. Please call the absent members.
• Do pass as amended to Appropriations. Please call the absent members.
• Do pass as amended to Appropriations. Please call the absent members.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Emergency Management Committee heard five wildfire- and emergency-related bills. SB 1270 by Senator Richardson would expand the California Wildfire Mitigation Program beyond its current pilot counties, with testimony from the California State Association of Counties and others supporting broader, data-driven home hardening assistance in high-risk communities. SB 1079 by Senator Stern would create a permanent Fire Innovation Unit within Cal Fire to identify operational needs, test new wildfire technologies, and speed deployment of successful tools; it drew broad support from fire, environmental, local government, and industry groups. SB 1020 by Senator Nilo would require annual reporting on open gubernatorial states of emergency, including spending and lessons learned, to improve legislative oversight without limiting emergency powers; the LAO provided technical assistance and the bill was framed as a transparency measure. The committee also heard SB 894 by Senator Allen, which would establish a wildfire resilience loan program modeled on the state’s Go Green financing platform to help homeowners pay for wildfire hardening and defensible space improvements. Supporters, including the State Treasurer’s office, counties, fire safety advocates, local governments, climate groups, and credit unions, said the bill would make mitigation more affordable and scalable; no opposition was presented. A consent item, SB 973, was also taken up, though the transcript does not describe its substance. All five measures were moved out of committee on due pass or do pass motions as amended to the Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee repeatedly called roll as members arrived, and each bill ultimately received unanimous support from the members present, with several votes left on call until absent members were recorded. No opposition testimony was heard on any of the bills discussed.

Transcript Highlights:

• 26.320> that expected appropriations for that expected appropriations for that function<00:12:
• <00:13:04.959> from simply decrease the appropriation from simply decrease the appropriation
• appropriations unless I say otherwise. appropriations unless I say otherwise.
• <00:25:24.159> to this is a statutory appropriation to this is a statutory appropriation to
• revenue and the statutory appropriation revenue and the statutory appropriation at<00:26:33.559>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And again, most of that is coming from that one appropriation.
• Appropriations above $5 million are even more rare.
• Who appropriates that funding? Callie: Mr.
• Chair, Representative, you all appropriate that funding also.
• So we just received that appropriation this year.

Transcript Highlights:

• have to rely on our appropriations have to rely on our appropriations friends<00:11:32.480> on
• the appropriation. the appropriation.
• That's not an appropriation. appropriation. appropriation. >> Correct. >> Correct.
• think 3.3 or 3.4 currently appropriated. think 3.3 or 3.4 currently appropriated.
• appropriate office locations in place. appropriate office locations in place.

Bills: HB0103, HB0070, HB0091

Keywords: First Amendment, free speech, lawsuits, immunity, public participation, strategic lawsuits, foreign censorship, digital innovation, constitutional rights, Wyoming GRANITE Act, extraterritorial laws, civil actions, speech protection, legal jurisdiction, joint liability, artificial intelligence, social scoring, biometric data, privacy rights, government regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• There is an appropriation or spending of federal authority on line 107, and then an appropriation increase
• appropriation appropriation um<00:15:44.880> on<00:15:45.120> line<00:15:45.519> 155
• Appropriation reductions on the House side only to the appropriations from the general fund and the highway
• <00:21:52.880> DBS open appropriation from the DBS open appropriation from the DBS operating<00
• I senate contains the appropriations.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And this is appropriation. We're in our statute. And this is appropriation discussion.
• The executive recommendation instead includes a $45 million appropriation as a one-year special appropriation
• It’s an appropriation. So if you had an appropriation for a project in, say, 2026, mm-hmm...
• An appropriation for a project in, say, 2026, that appropriation could be reauthorized once for a maximum
• If you had another appropriation in 2028, or maybe the second phase of the same project, that appropriation

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think our appropriations look fairly large.
• Here is our five-year appropriation history. Appropriations have been very stable.
• Here's our appropriation review from 24 and 25.
• To increase appropriations by $500,000, which would give us a total of $5.9 million in appropriations
• Actually, I think they were appropriations.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's only this appropriation. Well, Mr.
• And Section 19 contains an appropriation of $300,000 to the DHS. an appropriation of $300,000 to the
• This is the House Appropriations Committee.
• So, Chairman Heiner, the total appropriation is 1.5, but... ...portions of that total appropriation have
• Total appropriation request is $1.5 million, and then up to $200,000 of the dollars of the appropriation

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 2271, which would formally place adult residential facilities in code and rebase their Medicaid reimbursement rates. Sponsor Chairman Ruby and HHS staff explained that these facilities, often serving people with dementia or acquired brain injury, are reimbursed at a much lower rate than skilled nursing care and help reduce bottlenecks in higher-level facilities. Members questioned how the program differs from basic care and nursing facility memory care, and the bill was referred to the HR section for deeper review before possible action on Monday. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2396, as amended, which would authorize an independent third-party performance audit of the Department of Commerce and the North Dakota Development Fund, with findings shared with the state auditor. Sponsors said the proposal was prompted by concerns raised in testimony and that a private audit could begin faster than a state audit. The committee adopted an amendment adding an emergency clause and directing the report to the Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee, then passed the bill 20-0 with 3 absent. Next, Representative Clemine presented Senate Bills 2226, 2036, and 2037. SB 2226 would presume an incarcerated person indigent at initial appearance so counsel can be provided at that critical stage; the commission said the appropriation would fund contract attorney hours, and the bill was sent to HR for further review. SB 2036 would create procedures for determining juvenile fitness to proceed in delinquency cases, with a $500,000 appropriation for mental health evaluations, and SB 2037 would begin a juvenile criminal code framework and include a $300,000 appropriation for fitness-to-proceed evaluations; both were also referred to HR, with some concern raised about staffing and overlapping functions. After a short break, the committee heard education-related appropriations bills. SB 2234 would replace expired ESSER funding for Choice Ready grants, but members noted the program was not included in the K-12 budget and sent it to E&E for comparison with existing appropriations. SB 2286, a University of North Dakota request for a new nursing school facility, drew extensive discussion about the age and condition of the current building and the size and scope of the project; the committee ultimately adopted a do-not-pass motion 22-0. SB 2213, the “science of mathematics” bill modeled on the science of reading initiative, would fund math professional development and implementation; it was also referred to E&E for further review. The committee then briefly passed the Racing Commission budget, SB 2023, and began discussion of the Trust Lands budget, SB 2013, including a proposed retention increase for investment-related positions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1377 is re-referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
• Senate Bill 482 is re-referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
• Senate Bill 792 is re-referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
• Senate Bill 1133 is re-referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
• Be re-refered to the Committee on Appropriations.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer by Senator Anthony H. Williams and the Pledge of Allegiance, then received gubernatorial communications and a long list of newly referred Senate and House bills and resolutions. The chamber approved the April 22, 2026 journal by a 49-0 vote. Senators also introduced guests, including a high school senior advisory council visiting with Senator Malone and a young guest welcomed by Senator Costa. On the floor, several bills were taken up and either set aside or advanced. Senate Bill 1377 and Senate Bill 482 were re-referred to Appropriations, Senate Bill 906 was re-referred to Rules and Executive Nominations, and Senate Bills 1133, 1334, and 1368 were also sent to Appropriations. Senator Dush requested a conflict-of-interest ruling on an amendment to Senate Bill 469; the chair ruled no conflict existed and required him to vote, and the amendment was adopted. The Senate also took Senate Bill 127 from the table and placed it on the calendar. The Senate then considered Supplemental Calendar Number One. Senate Bill 362 received a technical amendment and was advanced; Senate Bill 1183 passed 50-0; Senate Bill 1352, which would allow qualifying substance use disorder treatment providers to receive two-year licenses, passed 45-5 after supportive remarks from Senators Brooks, Tartaglione, and Street; and House Bill 1877, codifying the Pennsylvania seal of biliteracy, passed 50-0 after Senator Lindsey Williams described its student-led origins. The session ended with committee announcements for the next day and Senator Tartaglione’s petition urging a floor vote on the House-passed minimum wage bill, House Bill 2189.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is money that was appropriated or not appropriated but set in the base in the 2023 session bill,
• This is money that was appropriated or not appropriated but set in the base in the 2023 session bill,
• This is money that was appropriated or not appropriated but set in the base in the 2023 session bill,
• appropriated<00:30:25.520> but<00:30:25.760> set appropriated or not appropriated
• appropriated in the in the 2023 session. appropriated in the in the 2023 session.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The motion is do pass to the Committee on Appropriations.
• The motion is due pass to the Committee on Appropriations.
• The motion is due pass to the Committee on Appropriations.
• The motion is due pass to the Committee on Appropriations.
• It passes to the Appropriations Committee.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on wildfire resilience, land use, and local government transparency. SB 911 by Senator Becker would require notification to fire enforcement agencies when a home in a high fire severity zone is sold with an agreement for the buyer to bring the property into defensible-space compliance; the California Association of Realtors said it would drop opposition if the bill is amended to use the preliminary change of ownership report, and the bill passed 4-0 to Appropriations. SB 994 by Senator Cabaldon would bar local officials from signing nondisclosure agreements that prevent them from sharing information with the elected decision-makers of their jurisdiction; supporters framed it as a transparency measure, and it also passed 4-0 to Appropriations. SB 1041 by Senator Riggins would expand PACE financing for wildfire home-hardening improvements and add consumer protections, but it drew strong opposition from homeowner advocates, county treasurers, bankers, and others over predatory lending and lien concerns; it passed 3-2 and remained on call. The committee also considered SB 1075 by Senator Reyes, which would require local governments in AB 617 communities to consider air-quality reduction measures in land-use approvals for industrial and commercial projects. Environmental justice groups supported the bill as a way to implement community air plans, while counties, cities, business groups, builders, trucking interests, and others opposed it as duplicative of CEQA and a barrier to investment and jobs. After debate over local control and environmental justice, the bill passed 3-2 and remained on call. SB 958 by Senator Cabaldon would advance the Midway Rising redevelopment project in San Diego, replacing a former arena and parking lots with housing, affordable units, parks, and a new entertainment venue; with no opposition voiced, it passed 3-0 to Appropriations. Another wildfire-related measure, SB 1182 by Senator Allen, would require local governments to consider insurance availability in safety planning for development in high fire hazard areas and direct state technical guidance on the issue. Supporters said insurance access is now a key indicator of risk, while some members questioned whether the bill would add useful information or burden local governments; the bill received a 1-1 vote and remained on call. The committee then began hearing SB 1116 by Senator Caballero, a starter-home/infill housing bill creating a streamlined ministerial path for small projects up to 10 units, but the transcript cuts off before testimony or a vote on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• For the house, we to appropriations.
• Thank you, sir. appropriated for the positions but used appropriated for the positions but used for<00
• <00:04:15.519> languages striking those appropriation languages striking those appropriation
• to certain limitations and appropriates to certain limitations and appropriates funds<00:04:57.919
• Uh, appropriations are the CD1.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The conference committees reconvened on April 25, 2025, and worked through a series of measures, mostly public employment cost items, appropriations, workers’ compensation, data sharing, and retirement-related bills. Several bills were briefly held for later action because Finance/FIN-WAM or related release had not yet been received, including SB 382, HB 423, HB 480, HB 214, HB 828, HB 717, HB 1065, and HB 1036, with some of those rolled over to a 2:30 p.m. meeting in Conference Room 16. HB 1424, relating to appropriations, was described as requiring the Director of Finance to report on transfers between position funding and operating expenses; the conferees agreed to a CD1 and voted to pass it. HB 430, relating to internships, was also agreed to in CD1 with technical amendments removing certain appropriation language and was passed after clarification that the funding covered both years and included the Helima program. The committees then moved through a block of public employment cost items. HB 1026, HB 1027, HB 1028, HB 1029, HB 1030, HB 1032, HB 1034, and HB 1035 were each reported as having CD1 agreement and Finance/WAM release, with appropriations tied to various bargaining units and governor’s messages; each was voted out. HB 1036 and HB 1037 were held over due to release issues, while HB 1038 was noted as having CD1 and Finance/WAM release and was passed for bargaining unit 13. HB 1039 was also rolled over for lack of release. Later, SB 336 on defense of state employees was agreed to with technical cleanup and passed as a CD, and SB 1491 on departmental data sharing was amended to add agencies to the state longitudinal data system and require aggregation/anonymization of certain data before being passed as a CD. Additional measures were also resolved. SB 935, relating to government, was amended to reduce the ERS multiplier for judges beginning in 2031, remove sheriff and deputy sheriff language, and require a DHR study on changing vesting from 10 to 5 years; it passed as a CD with no appropriation. SB 1567 required DERT to complete a comprehensive review of classification and compensation systems by October 31, 2026, allowed a third-party contractor, required legislative reports, and included $1.75 million in the budget; it passed as a CD. SB 855, relating to the Hawaii Retirement Savings Act, clarified covered employers, required automatic enrollment unless employees opt out, repealed a fee cap, and added funding for FY26 and FY27; it passed as a CD. SB 743 established a data sharing governance working group within the Office of Enterprise Technology Services and required a legislative report; after a brief recess it was passed as a CD. SB 717 and SB 1065 were both continued to the later 2:30 p.m. meeting because release was still pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• . appropriations. appropriations.
• The $250,000 general fund appropriation is on line 28, and that is an appropriation to DEED to conduct
• . 2023 forward fund appropriation.
• . appropriation. appropriation.
• a previous appropriation. a previous appropriation.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• there's um various uh appropriations there's um various uh appropriations here<00:08:47.920>
• > the<00:08:53.600> commission appropriation for the the commission appropriation for the
• , and 50 years celebration is the appropriation last year, not this year, because if you appropriate
• last year our that it is appropriate last year our appropriation<00:37:03.359> to<00:37:03.520
• <00:37:11.599> last celebration is the appropriation last celebration is the appropriation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• them because we realize that we're the appropriators and we don't actually have to appropriate it.
• Absolutely, Senator Andrews, and at the appropriate time, Mr.
• Absolutely, Senator Andrews, and at the appropriate time, Mr.
• We've moved that bill today in that form of subject to appropriation.
• I would venture to say it’s equivalent to subject to appropriation.

Bills: SB83, SB135, SB143, SB155, SB157, SB202, SB237, SB261, SB276, SB295, SB450, SB465, SB506, HB1070

Keywords: human trafficking, trafficking prevention, school safety, public schools, elementary and secondary education, charter schools, mandatory reporting, victim identification, victim services, child trafficking, sex trafficking, labor trafficking, commercial sexual activity, DCFS, Department of Children and Family Services, Louisiana State Police, governor's office of human trafficking prevention, counselor training, mental health professional, administrator training

Transcript Highlights:

• information, but it would require a much larger appropriation.
• This grant was formed last biennium with a $3.5 million appropriation.
• The House had appropriated $260 million to that project.
• We have a few appropriators, and I'm one of them, that are making these decisions.
• Appropriations, have you gotten any indication on a lot of these big, major projects?

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Senate met with a quorum present and handled a mix of conference committee appointments, appropriations bills, policy bills, and House amendments. Early in the session, the chamber appointed conference committees for SB 2399 and for House-amended SBs 2213 and 2354, and also named conference committees for HB 103, HB 1308, and HB 1169. The Senate then took up several appropriations measures, including HB 1612, which creates the North Dakota Center for Aerospace Medicine at UND; the Senate adopted an amendment shifting the funding to a one-time $250,000 Community Health Trust Fund appropriation with a required $250,000 match from other sources, and the bill passed 39-7. HB 1193, the “Back the Blue” grant, was amended to make the funding one-time and focus on officer retention, then passed 41-5. HB 1329, a government spending database proposal for school districts, was amended into a legislative study and passed 42-4. HB 1020, the water budget, received extensive amendments reducing and reallocating funding across major water projects, adding studies and oversight changes, and passed 45-0 with the emergency clause. HB 1581, a tribal tourism grant, also passed 40-6. The Senate rejected HB 1330, which would have authorized divestment from direct investments in Chinese companies; after debate over the prudent investor rule, trade impacts, and whether the bill singled out one nation in law, it failed 20-26. HB 1534, limiting property valuation increases, and HB 1266, adjusting the disabled veterans property tax credit, both failed unanimously or nearly so after committee recommendations against them. HB 1566, which would have created a regulatory framework for a product discussed as kratom, was amended on the floor to convert it into a study and then passed 31-15. The chamber also passed HB 2241 on charter schools after a House amendment changed the funding formula to the statewide average from the prior year, and HB 2022, the indigent legal counsel budget, after House changes added funding flexibility, offset lost fee revenue, and included a study on a public defender office. The Senate concurred in several House amendments and then passed a number of Senate bills. SB 2375, allowing joint negotiations between dental providers and insurers under Attorney General oversight, passed 44-2. SB 2251, clarifying that open records requests during state audits should be referred to the audited agency, passed 46-0. SB 2159, related to nuclear energy research, passed 43-3 after House amendments required Industrial Commission approval and consultation with the radioactive waste advisory council. SB 2155, changing gratis antelope license rules, passed 30-16 after debate over landowner rights and tag distribution. SB 251, setting fees and an audit for the Private Investigative and Security Board, passed 44-2. SB 2280, the prior authorization health insurance bill, passed 43-3 with a House-added study and consumer protections. SB 2023, the Racing Commission budget, passed 41-5 after a House change made internship funding one-time. SB 2232, changing prenatal substance exposure reporting requirements and related toxicology rules, passed 44-2. SB 2241, authorizing public charter schools, passed 39-7. The session ended while the Senate was still processing SB 2022’s final passage vote, but the bill had already cleared concurrence on House amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• session, those are the appropriations that live in that multi-year bucket.
• below-the-line appropriations.
• This quick on row 87 with your non-recurring appropriations...
• We'll talk about those appropriations later.
• below the line of appropriation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1 backfills a lot of general fund appropriations.
• On November 1, the governor appropriated $30 million out of the Appropriation Contingency Fund, which
• Was it appropriated to them? So, Mr.
• Those were transferred because the appropriation...
• You have already appropriated. The fiscal year is already closed out.

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 1517, Appropriation Barbering and Cosmetology Board.
• SB 1523, Appropriation Waterline Project, Ganado.
• Appropriation and Transportation Technology.
• SB 1461, Allied Healthcare Workforce Appropriation.
• SB 1482, Appropriation Fort Defiance Senior Center.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer and the pledge, recorded attendance, and approved the prior day’s journal. The chamber recognized Lucid Motors Day at the Capitol, highlighting the company’s Arizona operations, investment, and job creation, and also welcomed county officials and noted a temporary committee replacement appointment and a governor’s nomination for the State Liquor Board, which was referred to the appropriate committee. The main floor business was the introduction and first reading of a large slate of bills and resolutions covering commerce, elections, immigration, education, water, transportation, public safety, labor, housing, taxation, and appropriations. One measure, SB 1429, was further referred to the Senate Finance Committee. The Senate then proceeded through second reading of numerous bills, including measures on roads, collective bargaining, tax relief, school mapping, assisted living, crime-free lease addenda, utility disclosures, public pensions, and several local appropriations and tribal-related items. No substantive votes on the listed bills were taken in the transcript beyond referral and placement on the calendar. The majority leader used a personal privilege statement to criticize the Attorney General’s recent remarks, saying they were inappropriate and should be retracted, and then moved to adjourn. The Senate adjourned until Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 1:15 p.m.