Transcript Highlights:

• I learned through further research that too much added sugar is linked to serious health issues like
• Medical research right now is making life-changing progress for people like me.
• We know that we have ongoing research and innovation to move us closer to expanding access, improving
• I founded this organization because after surviving this industry and then researching it, I realized
• For the past five years, I've worked alongside midwives as a researcher and now as a student midwife.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard several measures, beginning with SB 331 by Sen. Menjivar, which would require large-group health plans to cover hearing aids for children. The author and supporters described the bill as a long-running effort to address a developmental emergency and reduce out-of-pocket costs for families, while opponents were absent. Testimony from parents, advocates, medical experts, and organizations emphasized the importance of early access to hearing aids; committee members voiced strong support, and the bill was moved on a do-pass basis to Appropriations, with several members requesting to be added as coauthors. The committee then heard SB 608, also by Sen. Menjivar, to expand access to condoms in school-based health centers and related settings and to prevent barriers such as ID checks. Supporters, including students and school health advocates, argued the bill would improve sexual health and reduce stigma, while opponents from family and faith groups argued it would undermine parental authority and normalize early sexual activity. The bill was supported by committee members and moved forward on a do-pass basis to Appropriations. Next, SB 971 by Sen. Choi proposed community-based healthy aging partnerships for older adults, with testimony from the California Senior Legislature and supporters from aging and dementia organizations. The measure was described as voluntary and focused on connection, independence, and local collaboration; there was no opposition, and the committee moved it on a do-pass basis to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 869 by Sen. Weber Pierson, which would require warning icons and statements on chain restaurant menus for beverages with very high added sugar content. Supporters framed it as a transparency and public health measure, while restaurant and beverage industry representatives opposed it unless amended, citing cost and menu-space concerns; the bill was nevertheless moved on a do-pass basis to Appropriations after a roll call vote, with some members voting no and the measure placed on call. The committee also considered SB 950 by Sen. Weber Pierson, aimed at ensuring timely coverage of FDA-approved, medically necessary treatments for early-onset Alzheimer’s disease on commercial plans. Supporters, including the Alzheimer’s Association and a patient advocate, said the bill would reduce delays and barriers to care, while health plan representatives opposed it over step therapy and utilization-management concerns. Members discussed the limited treatment window and the need for early access, and the bill was moved on a do-pass basis to Appropriations. In addition, SB 490 by Sen. Umberg would set timelines for DHCS investigations of unlicensed sober living homes and allow counties to assist if the department cannot act in time; supporters from Anaheim and a patient-brokering survivor described serious abuse and oversight gaps, while county behavioral health representatives opposed the county role as an unfunded and potentially liability-creating burden. After discussion, the bill was also moved on a do-pass basis to Appropriations. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1037 by Sen. Weber Pierson on health insurance affordability and rate review, with supporters arguing it would tie premium increases more closely to affordability targets and public reporting; the transcript cuts off before the committee completed action on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Further, because fraud prevention is multi-layered, we also know from the research and both public and
• Um, I also want to thank the following staff: Janelle Taylor in House Research, Mary Davis in House Research
• , and JR Swanson, the GOP researcher.
• Today, the clerk will take the roll on the bill. research, Brag Hegmire, house fiscal, research, Brag
• ,</c><01:01:04.240><c> and</c> and Joe Scoutton, our researcher, and and Joe Scoutton, our researcher

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And I want to thank House Research. I didn't do this last time.
• The A10 amendment talks a little bit about rural cancer research.
• It's a very good training ground for new cancer research doctors that are planning to do this.
• It's Agricultural Utilization and Research Institute.
• They do a good job Research Institute.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Has the business council already had research and study because Ireland’s economy has been somewhat of
• I think, again, back to forming the commission and then how do we do that research?
• </c><00:58:45.040><c> and</c> council already had um or research and council already had um or research
• and research that they've done<00:59:01.760><c> on</c><00:59:02.240><c> uh</c><00:59:02.559><c> that
• Is it UWCBA how do we do that research?

Bills: HB0116 , HB0056

Committee: House Minerals, Business & Economic Development

Keywords: water rights, beneficial use, industrial production, hydrogen, applications, public welfare, carbon capture, energy standards, public utilities, environmental regulation, state law, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I come from a community that is incredibly proud that we are leading the way in research and care for
• I have never talked to a doctor, a researcher, a nurse, a surgeon who says, “I got into this to treat
• backs me up and and I will say research backs me up and and I will say that<00:21:25.280><c> one</c>
• Pompu, would you like to walk through the House research analysis?
• </c> to walk through the House research to walk through the House research analysis?

Bills: HF1646 , HF2443

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: medical debt, debt relief, healthcare financing, consumer protection, financial hardship, commerce, cannabis, insurance, housing, ombudsperson, affordability, property, task force, financial institutions, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• to support applied research for doctoral students.
• So we also have the facilities in place to support the research.
• to support applied research for doctoral students.
• So we also have the facilities in place to support the research. technology transfer grants, we have
• </c><01:06:36.880><c> And</c> research for doctoral students. And research for doctoral students.

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's also what the nonpartisan Congressional Research Office is saying.
• Uh, funding, a pure research on how to overcome these technical and economic hurdles.
• It's a, it's a research place. But the one that Alamogordo has invested all this money in.
• President, Senator, the research is being done.
• We're putting millions of dollars for innovation, research, monitoring, support, and the development

Transcript Highlights:

• No need to research the program, find out how to apply, advocate for access for your family, and navigate
• estate transfer fee, and it's going to be conducted by the Department of Economic and Public Policy Research
• My name is Lauren Loney, and I own an independent public policy and research firm focused almost exclusively
• So to directly respond to these concerns, we've been conducting research of pets-allowed housing markets
• Research suggests that tenants stay longer, housing providers spend less on advertising, have lower vacancy

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Housing

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing heard testimony on several housing bills, with much of the discussion focused on seasonal communities and funding for year-round housing in places like Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Cape Cod, and the Berkshires. Speakers supported bills including H. 4410/S. 966 and related seasonal communities legislation, which would allow local option real estate transfer fees and expand tools for towns to preserve and create affordable housing. Testimony emphasized severe housing shortages, high home prices, workforce displacement, and impacts on public safety, schools, health care, and local businesses. Many witnesses said the transfer fee would provide a sustainable local revenue stream, citing prior land bank models on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard as proof the approach can work. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3989 regarding seasonal community designation, with supporters arguing that towns should be included automatically or through a simpler opt-in process, and on H. 4568 to expand the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, which would broaden access to a federal voucher-based savings and self-sufficiency model. Senator Edwards testified in support of a bill to create training for municipal board members, describing it as a toolkit to improve informed local decision-making. Senator O’Connor testified for a bed bug bill, saying it would create clearer landlord and tenant notification and treatment requirements and provide needed legal guidance after his family’s experience with an infestation. Senator Lovely also testified for the Homeworks program, which provides transportation so homeless children in motels and shelters can attend after-school activities. The committee further heard testimony on a bill to fund housing in seasonal communities through a transfer fee and on a companion measure to expand the seasonal communities toolkit, with repeated calls for favorable reports. Witnesses from public safety, health care, housing nonprofits, schools, and local government described staffing shortages and housing insecurity as urgent problems. Later, the committee took testimony on H. 1559/S. 102 to maintain stable housing for families with pets, with animal welfare groups supporting protections against eviction, breed discrimination, and excessive pet rent. They said housing-related pet surrenders are a major driver of shelter intake. The hearing also included testimony on H. 1498 to limit criminalization of homelessness, which would restrict citations, fines, and related consequences for outdoor camping tied solely to homelessness.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a research data specialist with the Department of Social Services and a member of SEIU Local 1000
• Hi, Brendan Darcy, research scientist and epidemiologist with the Department of Pesticide Regulation,
• Hello, my name is Tina Riley, and I'm a maternal mortality research scientist staff with CDPH, and I
• I'm an adolescent health research scientist at the California Department of Public Health, and I ask
• Hi, Jason VanCourt, research scientist supervisor, Department of Health Care Services.

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So really interesting to see where the research goes, really interested to see how we can reintroduce
• Because we had looked at the research and we knew that on a national scale, you'd be lucky if you got
• I'm an environmental researcher. I live in Oakmont Village. I'm a homeowner there.
• Now, I just want to bring to your attention, according to August 2025 research published in Nature...
• And I know that the Department of Defense has mandated researching materials without the fluorinated

Summary: The hearing focused on lessons from the 2017 Tubbs Fire and how Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, and local partners have changed wildfire prevention, recovery, and rebuilding practices since then. Assemblymembers emphasized that the region has become a model for the state, with a shift from suppression to prevention, and panelists described improvements in defensible space, home hardening, vegetation management, alerting, and community coordination. The discussion also highlighted the continuing importance of sharing Sonoma County’s experience with other wildfire-impacted communities across California and beyond. Fire officials and local leaders described specific prevention measures now in place, including Santa Rosa’s vegetation management ordinance, ignition-free/Zone Zero requirements in rebuilding, restrictions on certain mulches, removal of dead and dying trees near roads and defensible space zones, and expanded prescribed burning authority. They also stressed the importance of community organization through block captains, Firewise/COPE-style networks, and the Mark West Area Community Fund. Speakers said these networks helped residents navigate recovery, avoid fraud and bad contractors, coordinate with local agencies, and support neighbors, but they argued that such efforts need more formal structure and stable funding. Water and permitting officials discussed how the fires changed their work. Santa Rosa Water described new regional coordination, generator and backup power upgrades, emergency training, and lessons learned about wildfire-related contamination in water systems, including the need to restore pressure, flush, and test quickly after a fire. Permit Sonoma said rebuilding was balanced by streamlining permits while still requiring safer, more resilient construction, and noted that reduced fees and one-stop permitting helped speed recovery. United Policyholders described helping residents maximize insurance proceeds, organize information, and avoid scams, while warning that insurance availability and affordability remain major barriers and that insurers are increasingly rewarding risk-reduction measures. Across the panels, the main policy requests were for faster and more flexible grant processes, more stable long-term funding for prevention and community programs, stronger support for home hardening and defensible space, better training and tools for local governments and legislative staff, and continued attention to insurance and utility-related resilience. No formal votes or actions were taken in the transcript excerpt; the hearing was informational and ended with a transition toward public comment and further discussion of remaining statewide wildfire policy needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• These are not abstract research funds. They really directly impacted students.
• There are several teacher pipeline programs that were unfunded, student stipends for applied research
• Patel made, which is: is there research? Are there models that are being looked at?
• One of the federal research grants that was cut was a program called SNAP-Ed, which a lot of campuses
• One of the federal research grants that was cut was a program called SNAP-Ed, which a lot of campuses

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance held an oversight hearing on the California State University system covering enrollment, core operations, Title IX/civil rights, and basic needs. The Department of Finance said the Governor’s 2026-27 budget does not change CSU enrollment targets from the prior year and proposes a 5% ongoing General Fund increase for core operations as the final year of the compact. The Legislative Analyst’s Office recommended a lower resident undergraduate enrollment target than the Governor’s proposal, separate funding for enrollment growth rather than folding it into base, a smaller or no base increase tied more closely to inflation, earmarking some base funds for capital renewal, retiring deferred payments, and avoiding new multi-year compact commitments. CSU said enrollment has rebounded for three straight years, but growth is uneven across campuses, with several Northern California campuses still facing structural declines tied to demographics and community college pipelines. CSU described a multi-year reallocation plan shifting about 10,000 FTE and $89 million in ongoing funding toward higher-demand campuses, plus $40 million in one-time support, and said seven campuses submitted turnaround plans aimed at recovering enrollment over the next several years. The system highlighted strategies such as dual enrollment, guaranteed admission pathways with community colleges, outreach to high school students, retention and advising efforts, and new degree models for working adults and military-connected students. Members raised questions about how campus targets are set, whether the May Board of Trustees discussion will address a systemwide enrollment framework, and how CSU will manage future deficits if projected out-year funding does not materialize. On core operations and facilities, CSU said it faces about $320 million in mandatory cost increases in 2026-27 and is pursuing shared services, procurement consolidation, campus administrative sharing, and program redesigns to reduce costs. CSU and the LAO emphasized the system’s large deferred maintenance backlog, estimated at $8.6 billion, and discussed whether CSU’s bond/debt capacity is sufficient to address it; CSU requested up to $1.1 billion for deferred maintenance, while the administration did not propose new funding. The committee also heard CSU’s annual Title IX and civil rights update: CSU said it has implemented 15 of 16 State Auditor recommendations, has dedicated Title IX coordinators at every campus, is using a systemwide case management dashboard, and is piloting centralized investigations at five campuses. Finally, on basic needs, the Governor maintained current funding levels for food assistance/basic needs, rapid rehousing, and mental health. CSU reported heavy use of food pantries, CalFresh support, emergency housing, and counseling services, while warning that federal changes to CalFresh and related funding could make it harder to serve students in need.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because of this gap in research, we are often known as the forgotten first responders.
• </c><00:10:01.560><c> on</c> their careers, yet almost no research on their careers, yet almost no research
• Because of this gap in research,<00:10:23.480><c> we</c><00:10:23.560><c> are</c><00:10:23.760><c> often
• </c><00:10:24.120><c> known</c><00:10:24.600><c> as</c><00:10:25.360><c> the</c> research, we are often
• known as the research, we are often known as the forgotten<00:10:26.120><c> first</c><00:10:26.480><

Bills: SCR56 , SCR25 , SCR79 , SCR179 , SCR181 , SCR182 , SR54 , SR22 , SR81 , SR174 , SR176 , SR177

Committee: Senate Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs

Keywords: lifeguards, first responders, public safety, ocean safety, emergency response, community wellbeing, Pohakuloa, condemnation, federal government, land sovereignty, Hawaii, native Hawaiians, public trust land, invasive species, octocoral, Pearl Harbor, environment, Navy responsibility, marine ecosystem, ecosystem preservation

Summary: The committee first heard SCR 56 and SR 54, which recognize open water lifeguards as first responders and acknowledge their role in emergency response and public safety. Testifiers from the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association, Hawaii Water Safety Coalition, Honolulu and Kauai Ocean Safety, and a junior guard all strongly supported the resolutions, describing lifeguards as often first on scene for drownings, cardiac arrest, spinal injuries, flooding rescues, and other emergencies. Several speakers said formal recognition would better reflect the work lifeguards already do and could improve training, support services, pay equity, and access to benefits such as retirement and trauma resources. Members asked about what legal or administrative changes would follow, and the discussion suggested the resolutions were a first step toward broader recognition and related policy changes. The committee then took up SCR 25 and SR 22, opposing federal condemnation or threats of condemnation to take control of Pohakuloa and other state land. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs supported the resolutions, saying Pohakuloa has deep historical, cultural, genealogical, and ecological significance and that any future decisions should go through existing state legal processes with meaningful consultation with Native Hawaiians. Members discussed the role of the governor’s advisory process, the need to follow DLNR/BLNR procedures, and concerns about environmental and health violations at the site. The committee also noted 14 written testimonies in support. Next, the committee heard SCR 79 and SR 81, urging the U.S. Navy to take responsibility for eradicating octocoral and other invasive species in Pearl Harbor waters, including West, Middle, and East Loch. DLNR supported the resolutions, and testimony focused on the spread of invasive coral, the difficulty of eradication, and the limited access state agencies have inside Pearl Harbor. Members raised concerns about contamination, responsibility for the problem, and whether the Navy should fund or carry out the cleanup; DLNR said it could not speak to broader contamination issues but supported the resolution as a way to encourage action. The committee then began discussion of SCR 179 and SR 174, which urge Maui County to enforce fire code provisions on brush clearance, fuel breaks, roadside vegetation clearing, and emergency access, with written support noted from Aloha Independent Living Hawaii.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:10:16.080><c> out</c> Um, you know, there is research out Um, you know, there is research out
• But after reading this bill and doing a little research on it, um, I think it's a great bill.
• But after reading this bill and doing a little research on it, um, I think it's a great bill.
• But after reading this bill and doing a little research on it, um, I think it's a great bill.
• But after reading this bill and doing a little research on it, um, I think it's a great bill.

Committee: House Primary and Secondary Education

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I was doing a little bit of research on this before the meeting today.
• c><00:12:04.959><c> little</c><00:12:05.040><c> bit</c><00:12:05.120><c> of</c><00:12:05.279><c> research
• </c><00:12:05.600><c> on</c> I was doing a little bit of research on I was doing a little bit of research
• </c><00:20:05.760><c> And</c><00:20:06.000><c> from</c><00:20:06.240><c> that</c> Research Commission
• And from that Research Commission.

Committee: House Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the research analyst for the Committee on Land, Agriculture, Rural Affairs, and the Committee on
• Chairman, members, Gray Garden, assistant research analyst for Natural Resources, Energy and Water, as
• Chair, members, Duncan Spillsbury, research analyst for the Appropriations Committee.
• We are doing some research. We will ask this question to them.
• We have done some research on that topic, which I have not been able to read that email.

Committee: House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Summary: The Committee of Appropriations met on January 21, 2026, and first considered House Bill 2116, which would appropriate $1 million in fiscal year 2027 to the Colorado River Litigation Fund. The sponsor and Arizona Department of Water Resources both supported the bill, describing it as a backup measure to protect Arizona’s Colorado River entitlements if post-2026 negotiations among the basin states fail. Members discussed how the bill relates to the governor’s separate Colorado River Protection Fund proposal, and staff clarified the two funds serve different purposes. The committee approved HB 2116 on a 17-1 roll call vote. The committee then took up House Bill 2053, which would provide $100,000 for updated stormwater recharge mapping and expand the work beyond state trust lands to private lands. An amendment in the chair’s name was adopted to extend the coordination timeline, broaden the agencies involved, and revise language about mapped sites and appropriable surface water. The sponsor said the bill is intended to identify more places to capture stormwater for recharge rather than letting most rainfall evaporate. ADWR testified neutrally, supporting the mapping effort but raising a concern about language that could be read as requiring the department to determine whether water is appropriable, which it said is a legal question for the courts. The amended bill passed 11-7. House Bill 2148, as amended, was then heard and approved 11-7. The bill would give the legislature authority to appropriate non-custodial federal monies and set requirements for those appropriations. The chair’s amendment excluded federal research grants to universities, university employees, and the Arizona Board of Regents. The sponsor framed the bill as a transparency measure, saying the legislature should know how federal funds are being spent. No outside testimony was offered, and the committee approved the measure after debate about legislative oversight of federal funds. After the bills, the committee received a lengthy JLBC presentation comparing the executive budget with the JLBC baseline. Discussion focused on revenue forecasts, tax conformity, sports betting, lottery and tourism revenue assumptions, SNAP administrative costs and error-rate penalties, developmental disability and Access caseload growth, and K-12 enrollment and ESA spending. Members repeatedly questioned the executive budget’s use of one-time funding for ongoing costs, especially for SNAP administration and DES staffing, and expressed concern about rising supplemental needs and the lack of long-term budget capacity. No votes were taken on the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• When we researched human trafficking, we realized that committing human trafficking is a B felony while
• When<00:19:37.520><c> we</c><00:19:37.760><c> researched</c><00:19:38.400><c> when</c><00:19:38.640><
• c> we</c><00:19:38.880><c> researched</c> When we researched when we researched When we researched when
• we researched human<00:19:39.679><c> trafficking,</c><00:19:40.799><c> we</c><00:19:41.039><c> realized
• [laughter] That is some well-researched stuff, and I hope they get an A+ on it. >> Well, I do too.

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• design degree, a bachelor's degree, which was a program identified through a comprehensive university research
• The degrees we're talking about through community college are not theoretical or research-based.
• This is my attempt at something that's research-based because we did a tremendous amount of research,
• which we're happy to share with you, independent research, collaborative-based, with faculty in mind
• shared: “AB 713 would allow me to accept an offer to become my professor's undergraduate student researcher

Summary: The committee heard Assembly Bill 664, which would authorize Southwestern College in Chula Vista to develop a limited pilot of faculty-led bachelor’s degree programs tied to regional workforce needs, with collaboration requirements, an independent evaluation, and a sunset in 2035. The author and supporters argued the bill would address local access and affordability problems in South San Diego, where many students are place-bound and the region lacks a nearby public university offering bachelor’s degrees. Opponents from the CSU, UC, and AICCU said the measure would bypass the existing AB 927 consultation process and could set a precedent for duplication and expansion outside the current statewide framework. After debate, the committee passed AB 664 on a due-pass motion to Appropriations, with the roll showing eight ayes and one no, later updated to nine ayes and one no after the roll was held open. The committee then took up Assembly Bill 1241, which directs a study of a “pay-it-forward” higher education financing model in which students would attend without upfront tuition and repay costs later based on income. The author and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond framed the bill as a response to rising college costs and student debt, arguing California should study innovative affordability models used elsewhere. Some members raised concerns about fiscal feasibility and whether the model had worked in other states, while others supported the study as a modest first step. AB 1241 passed to Appropriations on an eight-aye, two-no vote. Assembly Bill 713 would allow undocumented students at UC, CSU, and community colleges to access paid campus jobs, internships, and research positions. Supporters said the bill would improve equity, affordability, and student success, and that campus employment is a critical pathway for undocumented students who already pay tuition and fees. Opponents argued the bill conflicts with federal law and could expose campuses and the state to legal and funding risks; supporters responded that state entities are not bound by the federal prohibition in the way described and emphasized the need to protect students and expand opportunity. The committee also heard concerns about student privacy and data protection. The bill was moved to Appropriations, with the roll initially showing five ayes, three noes, and one not voting, and the roll held open for additional members. Finally, Assembly Bill 1171 was presented as a modernization of the existing part-time faculty health insurance program for community colleges, aimed at making coverage more consistent and predictable across districts. The author said the bill would not create a new entitlement but would strengthen participation in the current program to better reflect the realities of a workforce made up largely of part-time and multi-district faculty. The transcript ends as the presentation begins, before testimony, debate, or a vote on AB 1171.

Transcript Highlights:

• design degree, a bachelor's degree, which was a program identified through a comprehensive university research
• And so the degrees that we're talking about... ...are not theoretical, not research-based.
• This is my attempt at something that's research-based because we did a tremendous amount of research,
• which we're happy to share with you—independent research, collaborative-based, with faculty in mind,
• quote: "AB 713 would allow me to accept an offer to become my professor's undergraduate student researcher

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We will first hear from researchers on transportation funding mechanisms, and then we will hear from
• The first panel is on research and transportation funding mechanisms.
• and other research as well, it tends to be less regressive than gasoline.
• Yeah, you know, I'm not super well read on the research, but what I do know is that electric vehicle
• I think a reassuring finding from the research is that these annual EV fees have not been a deterrent

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee first took up three highway naming resolutions on its consent calendar: ACR 109, SCR 78, and SCR 90. The committee approved the consent calendar with 11 aye votes and no no votes, then adjourned the bill-hearing portion. Members also recognized committee science fellow AJ Mendeola for his service, noting his contributions to bill analysis and staff support. The committee then held an informational hearing on alternatives to the gas tax, focused on the projected decline in fuel-tax revenue and the need for a more sustainable transportation funding model. The chair and invited experts described how inflation, improved fuel efficiency, and growth in electric and other alternative-fuel vehicles are eroding gas-tax revenues. Presenters from the National Conference of State Legislatures and the University of California discussed state options such as higher or indexed gas taxes, EV registration fees, road usage charges, delivery fees, public EV charging fees, transportation network company fees, and managed lanes, emphasizing tradeoffs among revenue adequacy, fairness, administrative cost, and public acceptance. Committee members raised concerns that mileage-based fees or EV fees could function as new taxes on commuters and lower-income drivers, especially if the gas tax is not repealed. Presenters responded that road usage charges are generally intended as replacements for the gas tax, not additions, and argued that mileage-based systems better preserve the user-pays principle while being less tied to vehicle fuel efficiency. They also noted that flat EV registration fees are easy to administer but can be less equitable because they are not linked to actual road use. Officials from Hawaii, Utah, and Oregon described their state programs and policy choices. Hawaii said its new road usage charge began July 1, 2025, for EVs, offers a choice between a per-mile charge and a flat annual fee through 2028, and will transition to mandatory EV participation before expanding to all light-duty vehicles by 2033. Utah described its voluntary EV road usage charge program, quarterly reporting, privacy protections, and legislative scenarios for removing the cap or making participation mandatory. Oregon outlined its constitutional cost-responsibility framework and broader transportation funding challenges, including reliance on user fees and limited use of general-fund support.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, New Mexico State got $25 million of research grants canceled.
• that are going to go other places because their research is being canceled.
• Is their ability to basically fund their research enterprise.
• We would need to research like how much is coming into the state outside of the state budget, for example
• LFC research has shown that the HDAA has uneven financial impacts.

Committee: House Federal Funding Stabilization Subcommittee