Transcript Highlights:

• To complete this work of designating centers and also to address the growing operational demands of the
• Janna Lord, and I'm the Chief Operating Officer of Sycamores.
• My name is Matt Taylor, and I'm the Senior Director of Crisis Line Operations at D.D.
• Every hour of every day, D.D.
• Only to underscore the outside of business hours, close to half of our calls come in outside of traditional

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations from the Department of State Hospitals (DSH), the Commission for Behavioral Health, and the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) on budget proposals and implementation updates. DSH outlined its proposed 2026-27 budget, including funding for patient operating expenses, IST solutions savings, conditional release program costs, LPS bed allocation changes, electrical infrastructure projects at Napa and Patton, SB 380 transitional housing feasibility work, and expanded dental services at Metropolitan and Patton. DSH also reported that it has met court-ordered IST treatment benchmarks in the Stiavedi v. Clinton case, with average time to initiate treatment down to about five days and pending placements reduced to roughly 250, while noting that Proposition 36 could increase referrals and SB 1323 may divert some individuals earlier into community-based treatment. Members asked about rising outside hospitalization costs, Medicare enrollment, the timing and structure of capital projects, and whether IST solution funds are being fully used; DSH said the savings reflect slower-than-expected ramp-up of community programs and that the Central California FACT replacement program is still on track for January 2027 activation. The Commission for Behavioral Health described its role under the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), including data, evaluation, grantmaking, technical assistance, and transparency work. It highlighted the new statewide Innovation Partnership Fund, a five-year, $20 million-per-year program with small and large grant categories; the first RFA drew strong interest, with more than 400 questions and over 1,000 bidders’ conference participants. The Commission also discussed a proposed extension to spend down about $4.1 million remaining for the Alcove Youth Drop-in Center grants so sites can finish implementation and Stanford can complete the final evaluation. Members asked about grant duration, whether projects can be renewed, what qualifies as innovation, and whether the fund could support service delivery rather than awareness campaigns or training; the Commission said awards are expected to be three-year contracts and that proposals must be new or meaningfully expanded approaches that support BHSA priority populations. DHCS reviewed major behavioral health changes under CalAIM and BH Connect, including peer support, mobile crisis, contingency management, traditional health care practices for tribal members, updated specialty mental health access criteria, and new substance use treatment standards based on ASAM’s fourth edition. DHCS reported strong contingency management results, with more than 13,000 members served and 95% testing negative for stimulant use during treatment, and said 21 Indian health care providers have been approved to offer traditional health care practices. It also described BH Connect initiatives such as the $1.9 billion access reform and outcomes incentive program, workforce investments, evidence-based practice expansion, IMD participation by four counties, and transitional rent services. On BHSA implementation, DHCS said it is not tracking individual county contract cuts but is monitoring county plans and statewide outcomes, while stakeholders raised concerns about local prevention and service gaps. DHCS also outlined its H.R. 1 implementation strategy, including outreach, streamlined renewals, exemptions for disabled, substance use, and medically frail individuals, and proposed clinic navigator and outreach funding; it said it has not yet produced a focused estimate of H.R. 1 impacts on behavioral health populations. The discussion ended with DHCS noting that B-CHIP bond funding has supported 437 infrastructure projects, creating 546 new or expanded facilities and more than 9,500 residential beds across the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think this sums it up for the hours and hours of testimony and over 250 people we heard.
• of the 1,040 hours I get every year.
• of the 1,040 hours I get every year.
• You've heard the motion to recess until the hour of 3:30 p.m. All those in favor say aye.
• The court operations division supports the operations cost for, like I said, the third branch of government

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• kind of the normal operations with no longer having the federal flexibilities related to the public
• And that's a more kind of a short-term initiative. Operational efficiencies in the state.
• , 40 hours of the infirmat, and nothing more, no vacations.
• hours of the health that offers the law of California.
• or gaming the system in the form of not providing the hours and wages and everything needed.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of K-12 Public Schools; Suzanne Pridgen, Deputy Commissioner, Division of Finance and Operations.
• It's 300 hours, and of course it happens during the summer.
• It's 300 hours and of course it happens during the summer.
• The main responsibility of the Division of Finance and Operations, does.
• to support the business operations of local school districts.

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee held its first interim meeting, took roll, and established a quorum. Members introduced themselves, many noting backgrounds in education, school boards, local government, or parenting, and Chair Jenna Persons-Mulicka outlined the committee’s goal of building the fiscal year 2025-26 Pre-K-12 budget. She also reviewed the fiscal year 2024-25 education budget, noting that the Pre-K-12 portion totals about $21 billion, with the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) as the largest driver, along with major funding for VPK, school readiness, and school recognition. She explained that federal COVID relief funds have ended and that recent school choice legislation has affected budget structure. Commissioner Manny Diaz and department leaders then gave overviews of their divisions. Diaz highlighted Florida’s education rankings, record graduation rate, progress monitoring, expanded school choice participation, charter school growth, and teacher salary investments, while emphasizing a focus on literacy, math, and early learning. Carrie Miller described the Division of Early Learning’s school readiness and VPK programs, their funding, eligibility, accountability systems, and the importance of kindergarten readiness. Paul Burns outlined the Division of Public Schools’ work on educator quality, literacy, standards, certification, family outreach, federal programs, and school improvement. Suzanne Pridgen reviewed finance and operations functions, including budget management, FEFP calculations, grants, procurement, transportation, and emergency management. Adam Emerson described parental choice programs, including scholarships, charter schools, schools of hope, virtual education, and home education. Darren Norris detailed the Office of Safe Schools’ responsibilities for risk assessments, compliance inspections, threat management, grants, and training created after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy. Members asked questions about several issues, including whether the Safe Schools office recommends changes to the school safety grant distribution formula, whether early learning eligibility should shift from federal poverty level to state median income, how scholarship payments are verified to avoid funding students who return to public school, and whether daily attendance systems could improve funding accuracy. Other questions addressed hurricane-related survey disruptions, VPK provider reimbursement rates and instructional hours, teacher salary increases, school start time costs, and how voucher schools handle IEP accommodations. Department officials generally said some issues remain under review, supported moving school readiness eligibility to SMI, noted that scholarship and enrollment data are cross-checked and adjusted when needed, and said progress monitoring now helps schools support mobile students. On school safety, officials said exemptions are allowed in statute for some items but not for classroom doors, and that district-specific conditions matter. No votes were taken and no formal actions were reported beyond receiving presentations and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many of them kind of operate out of the back of their pickup truck right now, and...
• Many of them kind of operate out of the back of their pickup truck right now, and the feds are going
• It's sort of semantics on whether or not that's a part of their operating, comes out of their operating
• Maybe it should be a part of their own operating.
• Those set time, number of hours per case, case type.

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> preschool portion of the hours of the preschool portion of the hours of the day<01:33:20.159><c>
• uh</c> for the amount of hours that they uh for the amount of hours that they uh have<01:37:27.679><c
• While I am still working 112 hours as a caregiver with the pay of 56 hours, which is $8 an hour.
• 56 hours, caregiver with the pay of 56 hours, which<03:22:31.359><c> is</c><03:22:31.600><c> $8</c><
• </c> individual to have a larger number of individual to have a larger number of hours<03:27:26.160><

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They also provide structure and guidance outside of school hours.
• To support operations, we partner with a number of youth development programs, including scout troops
• As you may know, Washington ...on the rising operating costs that mainly are outside of their control
• continued operation of schools.
• continued operation of schools.

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 5992, which would create a non-appropriated Youth Development Fund account to support grants for positive youth development programs serving ages 5 to 24. Staff explained that OSPI would administer grants to nonprofits, tribes, and local parks and recreation entities, with school districts and ESDs eligible mainly as partners; annual reporting would be required. The sponsor and many testifiers, including students, youth-serving nonprofits, tribal representatives, and agency partners, described after-school, mentoring, arts, sports, outdoor, and wraparound programs as important for mental health, belonging, safety, civic engagement, and prevention, especially for vulnerable and rural youth. The committee then moved to executive session and adopted a substitute and passed SB 5992 to the Rules Committee. The committee also took executive action on Senate Bill 5952, which would standardize the process for excusing high school students from physical education, and on Senate Bill 5961, which would transfer the Imagination Library of Washington from DCYF to OSPI. In both cases, the committee adopted proposed substitutes that narrowed or adjusted the bills, then voted them out of committee: SB 5952 was sent to Rules, and SB 5961 was sent to Ways and Means. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5969 on allowing an IEP transition plan to satisfy high school and beyond plan requirements; after discussion, a substitute was adopted that instead directs OSPI to reduce duplication in the statewide IEP system, and the bill was passed to Ways and Means. Later, the committee heard Senate Bill 5918, which would increase materials, supplies, and operating costs (MSOC) funding by $100 per student or $100,000 per district, whichever is greater, starting in the 2026-27 school year. Testimony from educators, administrators, school board members, PTA, and OSPI emphasized that districts are using local levy dollars to cover basic operating costs such as utilities, insurance, curriculum, and maintenance, leaving less for enrichment and forcing cuts or deferred purchases. One opponent argued against additional taxes and questioned the return on school spending. The sponsor framed the bill as necessary to meet the state’s paramount duty to fund basic education. The transcript then shifted to Senate Bill 5951 on school access to albuterol, which would allow schools to keep stock albuterol under a statewide standing order and let trained staff administer it under certain conditions; students, nurses, and advocates testified that stock albuterol could reduce absences and improve safety for students with asthma. Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 6042 on school mapping, which would require school safety plans to include accurate, interoperable digital maps for first responders; the sponsor and emergency response witnesses said standardized maps are critical for coordinated, timely response in school emergencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• the training attendance of an hour of training.
• They're there for longer than 24 hours. Law enforcement, most of the time, is 12-hour shifts.
• Our apprenticeship programs produce workers with thousands of hours of hands-on and classroom training
• Matt Kremens, on behalf of the California-Nevada Conference of Operating Engineers, in strong support
• Matt Kremens, on behalf of the California-Nevada Conference of Operating Engineers, in strong support

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you very much from the regional vice president of operations.
• My name is Josephine, probably I'm the regional vice president of operations and chief operations officer
• We are diversion right after hours, telehealth and a multitude of other.
• The administration of Crisis Services, operation oversight of the state, mental health treatment facilities
• The department's annual operating budget for the services approximately 1.2 billion and each of the past

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I serve as president of Minnesota Milk and also I operate Sky Vidyer out of Hutchinson, Minnesota
• Minnesota Milk and also I operate Sky of Minnesota Milk and also I operate Sky Vidyer<00:02:32.480><
• They're just establishing their new operations and can often lack the capital reserves of established
• MDI operates by connecting dairy farmers with a dedicated team of professionals—people like their veterinarians
• I own and operate a dairy farm with my family out west of here by Hutchinson, Minnesota, and I'm here

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• of the NTO, the initial incident, or the NTO could not be extended past that 24-hour period. >> Um,
• of the NTO, the initial incident, or the NTO could not be extended past that 24-hour period. >> Um,
• 45.440><c> operation</c><02:10:45.920><c> than</c><02:10:46.079><c> a</c> type of land use operation
• </c><03:08:40.240><c> of</c> out um ways to improve the operation of out um ways to improve the operation
• </c> the place day hour of the meeting will the place day hour of the meeting will be<04:11:38.560><c

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I thought I'd start by giving some examples of the human trafficking operations we've worked this
• It says, "enrolls in at least six credit hours in a graduate field of study."
• This establishes a minimum threshold of credit hours required for them to receive the scholarship.
• You would need to be outperforming in some of your other classes and depending on how many credit hours
• Just on the credit hours, with six credit hours, is that the average amount of...

Committee: House House Consumer & Public Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• of Iowa.
• The apparent goal of the bill is to incentivize platforms to change how they operate.
• two hours a day online or less, think of all the children that are spending eight, nine, ten hours online
• recording of sexually explicit content to bring civil action against the operator of the pornographic
• Robert Mutry, for the California Chamber of Commerce. Given the hour, I'll be as brief as possible.

Summary: The committee heard several privacy and consumer protection bills, with most of the discussion focused on AI and social media. AB 1405 would create a state registry for AI auditors and set basic transparency, ethics, and qualification standards for those auditors; supporters said it would build trust and provide a foundation for future AI oversight, while some members questioned whether government should define auditor qualifications instead of industry groups. The bill was moved out on a 5-1 vote to Appropriations, with the roll left open. AB 2, by Assemblymember Lowenthal, would impose enhanced financial penalties on large social media companies when their negligence causes harm to children and teens. Supporters, including a grieving parent and Common Sense Media, argued the bill would create accountability for harmful algorithms and design choices, while opponents from TechNet, EFF, CCIA, and CalChamber warned it was vague, could chill speech, invite censorship, and raise Section 230 and First Amendment concerns. Committee members debated private right of action versus public enforcement, possible shakedown lawsuits, and whether the bill should be narrowed; the bill passed 6-0 to Judiciary with the roll left open. AB 410 would expand California’s bot disclosure law so bots must identify themselves up front and truthfully if asked, rather than only prohibiting deceptive bots in limited commercial or election contexts. Supporters said the measure would help users, especially youth and vulnerable people, know when they are interacting with AI and reduce deception online; one privacy group withdrew opposition after amendments, and other industry groups said they were no longer opposed or had no formal position. The bill passed 9-1 to Appropriations with the roll left open. The committee also approved AB 1327, which lets consumers cancel home improvement contracts by email instead of only by mail and requires phone assistance for cancellations; the Contractor State License Board withdrew opposition after amendments, and the bill passed 11-0 to Judiciary with the roll left open.

Transcript Highlights:

• aspiring guards to complete eight hours of training, then register and receive the guard card once the
• Once the registration is issued, the guard must complete the remaining 32 hours of skills training.
• to practice hours outside of California.
• Who may obtain transition-to-practice hours outside of California.
• The changes in the bill are intended to improve the overall operations of the board and extend the operations

Committee: House Business and Professions

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• aspiring guards to complete eight hours of training, then register and receive the guard card once the
• Once the registration is issued, the guard must complete the remaining 32 hours of skills training.
• to practice hours outside of California.
• Who may obtain transition-to-practice hours outside of California.
• The changes in the bill are intended to improve the overall operations of the board and extend the operations

Summary: The Assembly Business and Professions Committee heard a long agenda of licensing, consumer protection, and sunset-review bills. Early items included SB 1148, which would let aspiring security guards complete all required training before a guard card is issued; SB 342, which would soften the penalty for contractors who were licensed during part of a project but had a brief lapse; and several sunset bills for boards and bureaus, including the Board of Registered Nursing (SB 1302), the Board of Naturopathic Medicine (SB 1303), the Respiratory Care Board (SB 1304), the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (SB 1363), and the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board (SB 1368). The committee also heard SB 1311, which makes various updates to DCA boards and programs, and SB 1314, which restricts new tobacco retailers from locating within 600 feet of schools or daycare centers and bans nitrous oxide sales and related paraphernalia. Testimony was generally supportive on the training, sunset, and licensing cleanup bills, though several measures drew “opposed unless amended” or neutral positions over scope and implementation details. On SB 1314, supporters including prosecutors and school administrators argued it would reduce youth exposure to tobacco, while gas station, convenience store, cigar lounge, pharmacy, and business groups raised concerns about impacts on existing businesses, transferability of tobacco licenses, and possible de facto limits on future stations; some public health groups shifted to neutral after amendments. On SB 1302, nursing groups supported the board sunset bill, while the California Medical Association objected to allowing out-of-state nurse practitioner transition-to-practice experience to count without a California attestation process. On SB 1304, health facilities and long-term care groups supported the board extension but sought broader clarification so LVNs could perform respiratory tasks consistently across settings. After quorum was finally established, the committee voted to send the consent calendar bills SB 1376, SB 1391, SB 1416, and SB 1315 to Appropriations, and then approved SB 342, SB 1148, SB 1302, SB 1303, SB 1304, SB 1311, SB 1314, SB 1363, and SB 1368, all moving forward to the Committee on Appropriations. SB 1314 passed with some no votes, while the other measures advanced with broad support. The hearing ended after additional members were added on the record and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• But there's 23 states that have some version of this, and 13 have the exact same version of this. of
• this and 13 have the exact same version of this, and it's operating just fine.
• In fact, we have at least one of our investor-owned utilities that operates just fine in a state with
• So in the history analysis of some of those states that transitioned, for lack of a better word, were
• Ameren Missouri owns and operates a couple of power plants in Illinois, but they serve Missouri customers

Committee: House General Laws

Summary: The committee first met in executive session, laying over H.J.R. 153 and H.J.R. 119, then unanimously advanced HB 2904 after adopting a committee amendment and substitute. HB 2904 passed 13-0. The committee also adopted a substitute for HB 2933 and sent that bill do pass by a vote of 11-3. The committee then moved into regular session and heard HB 2266, which would add the attorney general and staff, or as members suggested possibly assistant attorney generals, to the list of officials authorized to concealed carry while performing duties. The sponsor and an assistant attorney general testified that the bill was intended to protect AG staff who travel and work in courthouses and hotels; some members raised concerns about the breadth of the term “staff,” and one witness urged clearer limits and identification safeguards. No vote was taken on HB 2266 in the portion provided. The committee then heard HB 2207 and HB 2233 together, both aimed at restructuring Missouri’s electric industry to allow competitive generation while keeping transmission and distribution regulated. The sponsors argued that competition would lower costs, improve reliability, spur innovation, and let customers choose suppliers, while preserving PSC oversight of the grid and default service. Supporters, including a market think tank and retail energy advocates, said competitive states have seen more generation investment and that private generators bear their own risk rather than ratepayers. Opponents, including Evergy, argued deregulation has not delivered promised savings, can increase fraud and consumer confusion, and would force divestment of utility generation assets without clear guardrails. Members pressed witnesses on comparisons to Illinois, Texas, Pennsylvania, legacy costs, divestment mechanics, and whether the PSC would still set generation-related rates; witnesses disagreed sharply on the likely effect on residential prices and on whether the bill’s structure was sufficiently specific.

Transcript Highlights:

• The hour of nine o'clock having passed, we will call the House Health and Welfare Committee to order.
• operate.
• they operate.
• Committee, this is the end of the first half of session, so we’re halfway through.
• I’ll kind of let you know.

Summary: The House Health and Welfare Committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes from February 11, 12, and 16, and removed House Bill 578 from the agenda pending more information. The committee then introduced RS 33422, brought by Representative Wheeler, which would establish a foster youth bill of rights to clarify safety, health, placement, visitation, and basic needs protections for children in foster care without creating new causes of action or requiring an appropriation. The committee also introduced RS 33310 C1, presented by Representative Erickson, a measure developed over several years in response to concerns in residential care facilities and a related study. The bill would add quality care oversight, individualized service planning and documentation requirements, a youth bill of rights, and critical incident reporting rules, including prompt notice to parents or guardians. Representative Burgoyne objected to the concept of a youth bill of rights, arguing that children’s rights should remain with parents, while Erickson said the state acts as guardian when children are in state care and described serious abuse and restraint incidents as the reason for the bill. Both RS 33422 and RS 33310 C1 were introduced by committee vote. The meeting also included a lighthearted sendoff for the committee page, who said she planned to join the Army as a nurse, and members offered comments and a gift before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation clarifies operators of slow-moving vehicles, construction equipment, and farm equipment
• So it doesn't leave a lot of room. Typically, farm equipment doesn't travel over 25 miles an hour.
• And in front of that grain bin, you'll have a cab, and that's where the machine is operated from.
• of hours, this machine will cost between $350,000 and $700,000.
• to pull them because of the softness of the ground. ...and they pull that cart out to the edge of the

Summary: The committee approved the March 12, 2026 minutes and then heard Senate Bill 1224, as amended, from Senator Van Burtenshaw. The bill would clarify that operators of slow-moving vehicles, farm equipment, construction equipment, and similar machinery only need to pull off the road when a safe, size-appropriate turnout or exit is available. Burtenshaw described the practical problems faced by large farm and logging equipment in areas like Twin Falls and Canyon County, including narrow bridges, limited shoulders, and the danger of forcing oversized machinery off the road into unsafe locations. He also cited crashes and fatalities involving farm equipment struck from behind, and argued that current enforcement can be unreasonable when no safe place to pull over exists. A farmer testifying in support said the equipment is often too wide to safely leave the roadway, that pilot cars are already used in some crossings, and that the bill would help operators comply with the law without creating hazards. Committee members raised questions about freeway use and safety, and the sponsor and witnesses responded that such equipment generally should not be on freeways except where no other option exists, and that pilot cars and warning vehicles are used when required by law. Representative Pohanka also spoke in support, noting the difficulty of moving large equipment through growing urban and rural corridors and the need for more turnouts. After testimony and discussion, the committee voted unanimously to send Senate Bill 1224 as amended to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Representative Shepherd was named to carry the bill on the floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires hours of time and immediate response by our folks in order to engage in that incident.
• I'm the regional operations manager with Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation.
• operated by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Rec.
• And all of these positions are embedded in our park operations.
• Our release rate is 72% when the raptor survives the first 24 hours, and we've had over 1,800 hours of

Summary: The hearing focused on human-wildlife conflict in California, especially predator management involving bears, mountain lions, coyotes, and wolves. The chair and Assemblymember Hadwick framed the issue as a balance between protecting people, livestock, and property while preserving wildlife and biodiversity, citing habitat loss, development, drought, wildfire, and climate change as drivers of conflict. Department of Fish and Wildlife officials described their conflict-response work, including public education, depredation permits, wildlife incident reporting, and coordination with sheriffs, counties, and other agencies. They also noted that wildlife sightings and conflicts are increasingly common in both rural and urban areas, including recent mountain lion activity in San Francisco and ongoing bear conflicts in places like Tahoe and Sierra Madre. CDFW staff outlined the department’s human-wildlife conflict program, including the WEIR reporting system, a public toolkit, limited-term staff, and regional response efforts. They said the program grew out of drought-related incidents and later state funding, but that one-time money has expired, creating service gaps. Officials also discussed specific management approaches such as Tahoe’s trap-tag-haze bear program, DNA-based incident tracking, and the use of nonlethal deterrents before lethal action. For wolves, they explained that the species is protected and managed differently from bears and lions, that there is no general depredation-kill process for wolves, and that the department is working on data-sharing agreements, county liaisons, compensation programs, and improved coordination with ranchers and local law enforcement. Members pressed the department on underreporting, trust in state agencies, the need for sheriffs to participate in investigations, and whether more authority should be given for public-safety removals or hazing. Assemblymember Gonzalez also raised wildlife trafficking and border enforcement issues in Southern California. The panel repeatedly emphasized that more resources, technology, and local partnerships are needed. Officials gave budget context, saying roughly $17 million in one-time funding over several years supported conflict response and wolf compensation efforts, but that staffing and program capacity remain limited. The chair concluded by noting interest in further work on technology, funding, and institutionalizing collaboration, and the hearing then moved to a second panel of university researchers who presented on wolf and mountain lion conflict, habitat planning, trust, and the need for flexible, science-based, locally tailored mitigation strategies.

Transcript Highlights:

• Highly capable bad actors may use AI to accelerate parts of operations against hardened targets, while
• None of these various layers is perfect while operating on its own, and this is why there are several
• Because in the hands of millions, tens of millions, hundreds of millions of people, novel vulnerabilities
• You know, we sat down last week at Black Hat with Sessa and a representative of the operational technology
• Of the operational technology ecosystem that includes energy partners, those developing technology for

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on how frontier AI is changing cybersecurity, with testimony from OpenAI, Anthropic, Palo Alto Networks, California OES/Cal-CSIC, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Witnesses said AI is making attacks faster, cheaper, and more scalable, while also giving defenders new tools for vulnerability discovery, incident response, and patching. Several recent incidents were discussed, including AI systems autonomously reaching real production systems during testing, and AI-assisted cyber activity against critical infrastructure, especially water systems and operational technology. OpenAI and Anthropic described their internal safety and evaluation processes, including pre-release testing, layered safeguards, monitoring, and restricted access programs for vetted defenders. They discussed the recent Hugging Face and related incidents as lessons in safer testing, stronger isolation, and the need for independent review. Both companies emphasized that the same capabilities that can find vulnerabilities can also be used offensively, and said they are working to put advanced cyber tools into the hands of trusted defenders, including California agencies and utilities. State officials from Cal OES said California is expanding its cyber posture through CalSecure 2.0, the California Cybersecurity Collaboration Playbook, MS-ISAC membership, and a secure portal for reporting under SB 53. They said the state is working with CDT, local governments, and critical infrastructure partners to improve cyber hygiene, information sharing, and incident response, especially for water districts and other resource-strapped entities. Palo Alto Networks described the scale of current threats and the value of machine-speed defense, virtual patching, and attack-surface monitoring. Lawrence Livermore warned that open-weight models pose distinct risks because they can be downloaded, modified, and used without developer oversight, and argued that the U.S. should not cede leadership in that space to China. No formal votes were taken; the hearing was informational and ended with calls for continued collaboration and follow-up briefings.