Transcript Highlights:

• But something that was a $2 water bottle that turns into $20 that same day, that's unfair.
• But something that was a $2 water bottle that turns into $20 that same day, that's unfair.
• But it's not because of things like this, but it's because of the regulations that we're putting in place

Summary: The committee heard several public safety-related bills. AB 383 by Assembly Member Davies would expand and clarify firearm restrictions tied to juvenile adjudications, allow certain minor firearm possession for hunting or training with guardian approval, and authorize warrants in some domestic violence-related firearm surrender situations. Supporters, including a district attorney representative, argued it would close gaps in existing law and improve public safety; opponents said it would over-criminalize youth and disproportionately affect marginalized communities. The bill passed as amended to Appropriations. AB 400 by Assembly Member Pacheco would require law enforcement K-9 units to meet statewide POST standards covering training, use of force, and handler skills. Supporters said the bill would create consistency, accountability, and safer deployments; opponents argued the standards were inadequate and would legitimize harmful canine practices. After debate over whether the bill expanded canine use or simply standardized it, the committee approved AB 400 and sent it to Appropriations. AB 380 by Assembly Member Gonzalez would extend price-gouging protections during emergencies, including for hotels, food, essential goods and services, and commercial property, and would remove the 12-month lease limit loophole for rent gouging. Supporters said the bill responds to wildfire-related exploitation and provides clarity for disaster victims; business and landlord groups warned it could amount to commercial rent control and create uncertainty for future emergencies. The author said he would continue working on amendments, and the bill passed as amended to Appropriations. AB 358 by Assembly Member Alvarez would create a narrow exception to Cal-ECPA so law enforcement could inspect tracking or surveillance devices found in a person’s home, vehicle, or property with the finder’s consent. Supporters said the change would help stalking and domestic violence victims preserve evidence quickly; privacy advocates argued warrants and existing emergency exceptions already cover these situations. The chair proposed narrowing the language to “tracking or surveillance device,” and the bill was held on call after an initial roll with only three votes in favor. The transcript also began AB 247, which would raise pay for incarcerated hand crew firefighters, with testimony from formerly incarcerated firefighters in support, but the discussion was not completed in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that's likely given the fact that the federal government hasn't put out the final regulations
• These include modifying local and state automation systems, amending existing law and regulations, working
• It expressly authorizes the department to waive regulations applicable to child care facilities and to
• Thank you. ...and nuances between federal and state early education regulations. Thank you.
• For that reason, state regulations should reflect that reality.

Summary: The committee heard an extensive Department of Social Services presentation on child care budget issues, including the Governor’s proposed 2026-27 budget, federal CCDF changes, Prop. 64 revenue adjustments, and a one-time $11.5 million disaster-related infrastructure grant for licensed child care facilities affected by 2025 declared disasters. DSS said federal formula updates and lower Prop. 64 revenues would reduce funding and could result in about 4,176 CCTR slots being reduced, but the department said it was working to avoid impacts to currently enrolled children. The LAO supported aligning general child care funding with lower revenues and asked for more detail on the disaster grant. Members pressed DSS and Finance on why reductions were not being backfilled and why so many awarded slots remain uncontracted or unused; DSS said delays are largely due to providers building new infrastructure, licensing, staffing, and enrollment challenges, and that some unspent funds revert to the General Fund. The committee also discussed whether some contract dollars should be shifted to vouchers and whether more flexibility should be allowed for infrastructure and expansion costs. A second panel focused on the state’s commitment to expand child care and on rate reform. DSS reported that nearly 125,000 new slots have been awarded since 2021-22, but speakers from Stanislaus County Office of Education, Parent Voices California, and the California Budget and Policy Center argued that unmet need remains large and that the system still leaves many families without access. Stanislaus County described a large local shortage of infant and toddler care and said reimbursement disparities between child care programs and state preschool create disincentives for providers. Parent Voices gave testimony about the burdens and instability families face when trying to access care, especially for survivors and low-income parents, and called for a universal, publicly funded system. The Budget Center said only about 16% of eligible children were enrolled in 2024, urged expansion across the mixed delivery system rather than concentrating investment in TK, and called for faster rate reform and new revenue. LAO estimated that bringing certain CCTR adjustment factors up to CSPP levels would cost $88 million to $131 million ongoing. Members and witnesses discussed the single rate structure, automation needs, and the need for deadlines and a ramp-up plan; DSS said the goal is to eliminate disparities, but that policy decisions are still needed before automation can proceed. The committee then reviewed several trailer bill proposals. DSS outlined a 2026-27 COLA proposal that would apply a 2.41% increase through cost-of-care-plus payments, though the department said it had inadvertently excluded CalWORKs Child Care and the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program and would revise the proposal; LAO recommended making the COLA methodology uniform across programs. DSS also proposed replacing the market rate survey with the federally approved alternative methodology on a triennial schedule, limiting temporary absences in family child care homes to 20% of monthly hours, defining excessive unexplained absences as more than 30 days in a year, and aligning family fee deductions with new federal requirements so providers receive the full voucher value. Members generally supported the temporary absence change and asked about implementation timing for the family fee deduction, with DSS saying it was in contact with Riverside County. The committee also heard a brief update on the Early Childhood Policy Council reappropriation, which would extend unused funds through June 30, 2028 because prior costs came in higher than expected.

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 2551 will also give insurance regulators... Thank you. Finish your last sentence.
• It's increasingly clear that the use of AI is evolving faster than our laws and regulations can keep
• In general, does your bill then further regulate direct-to-consumer options as well?
• How will this regulate over internet providers?
• In the same way that we regulate internet providers across multiple... whenever we have it.

Committee: House Health

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll inspect the underground storage tanks, make sure I don't detect any water, make sure that the quality
• I'll inspect the underground storage tanks, make sure I don't detect any water, make sure that the quality
• </c><00:29:09.200><c> for</c><00:29:09.520><c> inspecting</c><00:29:09.919><c> and</c> and regulations
• for inspecting and and regulations for inspecting and testing<00:29:10.559><c> EVSSE</c><00:29:11.760
• >> Well, again, that's a regulated part of our business through the Public Utilities Commission. >> Yeah

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Waters: Thank you, Madam President.
• </c><01:45:39.560><c> yes</c> Senator mcon no Senator Waters yes Senator mcon no Senator Waters yes Senator
• </c><03:02:38.880><c> yes</c> Senator mcon no Senator Waters yes Senator mcon no Senator Waters yes Senator
• Senator Waters: Thank you, Madam President.
• Waters thank you madam president i' like Waters thank you madam president i' like to<03:24:50.520><c>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're at around 97,000 licenses under regulation right now.
• And two of those professions are social work and psychology, which, of course, we regulate.
• I also want to remind you that C-Mark includes all DFPS regulated investigations.
• Monitoring and regulating that program.
• Informed consumers are going to help more than more regulations in many cases.

Committee: House Human Services

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There will continue to be conversation about what regulation looks like in New Mexico.
• They also use enormous amounts of New Mexico's precious water, consuming 1.63 million acre-feet of water
• The soldiers that are in the water pulling people out because they've been called to state active duty

Bills: SB97 , SB55 , SB40 , SB38 , SB120 , SB113 , SB116 , SB117 , SB118

Committee: Senate Senate Tax, Business & Transportation

Keywords: tax credits, municipality, county property, industrial revenue bonds, economic development, qualified expenditures, solar energy, tax credit, renewable energy, photovoltaic, solar thermal, New Mexico, economic incentive, energy independence, SB40, Driver Privacy and Safety Act, automated license plate reader, ALPR, license plate reader, vehicle surveillance

Transcript Highlights:

• Northern New Mexico, maybe in the rest of the state, where the population that's been managing our water
• And so I want to make sure this is something And being a water guy, a lot of our water associations are
• I don't know how we're going to regulate that increase from here forward.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There was a lady there who would hand out backpacks with granola bars, water, and various things.
• We have water concerns coming up, and we should have more money.
• We have water concerns coming up, and we should have more money.
• That'll take water away from Lake Powell.
• They're not water abusers. They don't make noise.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we would be attempting to regulate these data brokers worldwide, folks, if they're collecting any
• We work with legislators and regulators across the country to develop data privacy frameworks that protect
• We work with legislators<00:17:32.320><c> and</c><00:17:32.560><c> regulators</c><00:17:33.040><c> across
• </c><00:17:33.360><c> the</c> legislators and regulators across the legislators and regulators across
• The property tax bill, the water bill, and the sewer bill will be mailed to an accurate owner, allowing

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He was taking care of our toddler, preparing, filling the water tub because we had the water birth, prepping
• He was taking care of our toddler, preparing, filling the water tub because we had the water birth, prepping
• We're the only hospital in the greater Boston area offering water birth, an option otherwise only available
• expand or change coverage, is critical because it helps provide transparency about health plan regulations

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Financial Services

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a lengthy public hearing with testimony on a wide range of health insurance and access-to-care bills. Early testimony focused on prescription drug pricing and pharmacy reimbursement, with supporters of H. 1326 arguing that pharmacy benefit managers and MassHealth managed care arrangements reimburse independent pharmacies too little, contributing to pharmacy closures and “pharmacy deserts.” The committee also heard repeated support for H. 1151/S. 742 on cognitive rehabilitation for acquired brain injury, H. 1288/S. 716 on telehealth parity for nutrition counseling, H. 1309/S. 761 on full-spectrum pregnancy care without cost-sharing, H. 1312 on insurance coverage for doula services, H. 309 on prompt access to health care by removing deductibles for certain services, H. 809/H. 1227 on biomarker testing, H. 1162/S. 810 on reducing inequities in access to medical procedures by limiting insurer cuts tied to Modifier 25, and S. 726 on insurance coverage for mobile integrated health. Testifiers included legislators, physicians, pharmacists, dietitians, emergency and rehabilitation clinicians, and patients and family members. Supporters of the brain injury bill said cognitive rehabilitation is medically necessary, improves long-term outcomes, and can reduce institutional care and public costs; they noted the bill has been heard repeatedly and has support from the Brain Injury Commission and prior favorable committee action. Supporters of the pregnancy care and doula bills described out-of-pocket costs as a barrier to maternal health and shared personal stories of high bills and unmet support needs. Biomarker testing advocates and cancer patients said coverage gaps deny patients access to precision treatment, can lead to avoidable suffering, and should be standardized across insurers; several speakers said insurers often deny claims despite clinical benefit. Dermatology witnesses said insurers’ use of Modifier 25 cuts reimbursement for same-day evaluation and procedure visits, forcing separate appointments and increasing patient burden. Mobile integrated health supporters described home-based care as a way to reduce emergency department use and hospital readmissions, especially for patients with transportation or mobility barriers. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• basically stripping out all of the bipartisan provisions, most of the bipartisan provisions, and watering
• This is a common sense change, and let's remove the unreasonable regulation.
• It's because they have the foresight of taking and harnessing the power of water coming through those
• </c><00:50:27.440><c> coming</c><00:50:27.839><c> through</c><00:50:28.160><c> those</c> power of water
• coming through those power of water coming through those mighty mighty mighty rivers.<00:50:31.040><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 2249 does not regulate beliefs.
• HB. 2249 does not regulate beliefs.
• Representative Gutierrez, we do not regulate private schools, so it does not include that.
• These accusations, even when made, don’t hold water.
• Her own argument doesn’t hold water.

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> ahead and um look at the regulations ahead and um look at the regulations which<00:04:37.840><c>
• </c> Uh, we will do the optometry regulation and the consideration of the agency amendment regulation
• </c> regulation? I'm not reading it that way. regulation? I'm not reading it that way.
• This is discuss this regulation.
• </c> for states and regulations. for states and regulations.

Committee: Joint Health Services

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then now we're going to add in here, water maintenance, parks libraries, yada, yada.
• Over 75% of adults in the USA think steps should be taken to regulate AI-altered content.

Committee: House Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Concurrent Resolution 7, requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study the ongoing water
• different rules for West Virginians that are more strict than the federal government and create more regulation

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• front of you today are three rules dockets, all brought forward through the Governor's zero-based regulation
• These are proposed fee caps to address the rising service, maintenance, electricity, and water costs.

Summary: The committee first approved minutes from February 9 and February 11, 2026. It then heard Senate Bill 1328 from Senator Harris, a cleanup bill related to the Department of Lands’ authority to use its own general counsel under the 2024 changes in Senate Bill 1292. Harris said the bill aligns statutes with current practice by replacing references to the Attorney General in multiple land-management and enforcement provisions, while preserving some AG involvement. The Attorney General’s office, through Phil Skinner, opposed the bill as unconstitutional, arguing it strips core duties from a constitutional officer and transfers sovereign litigation authority to agency attorneys. Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller and General Counsel John Richards testified in support, describing confusion and overlap in recent cases. After debate, a substitute motion to hold the bill in committee failed 2-7, and the original motion to send the bill to the floor with a do-pass recommendation passed 7-2. The committee then considered three Idaho Department of Fish and Game rule dockets. Docket 13-0103-2501, covering public use of Fish and Game lands, added definitions and restrictions related to camping, leashes, exploding targets, and air guns; it was approved unanimously. Docket 13-116-2401, on trapping and fur-bearing animals, clarified bait definitions, adjusted reporting and reimbursement provisions, and added allowances or restrictions tied to snow-covered routes, bridges, wildlife crossings, and wolf trapping; it was also approved unanimously. Docket 13-119-2501, governing licensed vendors, revised selection and termination criteria, lowered the active vendor ceiling, barred new out-of-state vendor applications, and allowed vendors to pass through credit card processing fees; it was approved unanimously. Finally, the committee heard Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation Director Susan Buxton on docket 2601-2501. She proposed fee increases for motor vehicle entry, commercial vehicle entry, boat launching, moorage, and reservation-related charges, while asking the committee to reject two sections: one adding employee enforcement language and one increasing campsite fees, which she said should be revisited later to better protect affordability for Idaho residents. The committee agreed to reject those two sections and approved the remainder of the docket, with members noting the changes were intended to focus fee increases more on non-residents and align with prior legislative intent.

Transcript Highlights:

• The commission oversees the interstate operation of investor-owned electric, gas, water, and telecommunications
• The commission does not regulate publicly owned municipal or cooperative utilities, and the Public Utilities

Summary: The committee began with a general fund update from Legislative Services, which reviewed the latest green sheet, explained where to find budget information and hearing schedules online, and noted that JFAC actions had updated the FY 2026 and FY 2027 ending balance estimates. Members asked about tracking workgroup progress and were told to consult analysts and workgroup members rather than circulate a public daily summary. The update also noted several bills moving between chambers, including House bills 503, 556, 684, 737, and 759, and Senate Bill 1226. The committee then considered and approved several agency budgets and supplemental requests. The Idaho State Tax Commission budget was reconsidered and approved with a revised FY 2027 motion that removed funding for the chief operating officer salary and set aside funding for property tax education, tax automation, fast tax collection services, seasonal employees, replacement items, and OITS hardware; accompanying language restricted the fast tax collection money to that purpose and required any unused amount to revert to the general fund. The Office of Information Technology Services received approval for FY 2026 supplemental funding for Chinden campus furnishings and the E-CORE grant, and FY 2027 enhancements for enterprise security, the E-CORE continuation, and the final IT modernization transfer of 58 positions from Health and Welfare, along with cash-transfer language tied to SWICAP costs. The Military Division’s request for indirect cost recovery funds passed, but a proposed add-on for the state education assistance program failed. The Industrial Commission and Public Utilities Commission budgets also passed with dedicated-fund increases for IRIS maintenance, training, disability fund costs, and replacement hardware. The Department of Fish and Game budget was approved with a large package of dedicated and federal fund enhancements for fishery habitat work, Good Neighbor Authority projects, hatchery and lab inflation, temporary employees, wolf depredation response, communications, and equipment replacement, along with reappropriation authority. The Department of Health and Welfare’s Division of Public Health Services drew the most debate: one motion would have funded home visiting, immunization assessment restoration, lab testing, ARPA grants, HIV and hepatitis prevention, and related items, while a substitute motion sought to keep some funding but move the home visiting program to Early Learning and Development and restore additional public health items. Both motions failed, leaving that budget unresolved in committee. The meeting ended with new language for the State Controller and State Treasurer requiring monthly cash reconciliations between Luma and TATERS, reporting to JFAC and LSO, and retention of supporting documentation for audit purposes. The committee adjourned after being reminded that budget setting would continue through the week and that Monday’s agenda would include education, administration, building fund, and lottery budgets.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the reason why this took so long is because we wanted to make sure that the Idaho Water Users Association
• We now have rules and regulations that govern us.

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• operations, there's a number of programs within their budget, including the Supreme Court, district court, water
• It does not regulate small home daycares.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Rules

Keywords: 989, all