Transcript Highlights:

• As you join us in the flag salute, Assemblymember Davies will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
• Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.
• What many of you do not know is that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of maternal death and

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Evaluations in the community during psychiatric holds can be ineffective and can lead to not enforcing
• And that anxiety, stress, vicarious trauma, it's leading to burnout.
• It's leading to people leaving the field. There are 10,000 LMHCs in Massachusetts.
• Midge Williams continued: “People need to lead to wellness. I’m glad you raised the question.
• And this can lead to patients not seeking care in the future if they fear police involvement.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held its fourth public hearing of the 2025-2026 session on bills dealing with involuntary commitment and access to addiction treatment, especially proposals to move Section 35 civil commitments away from jails and prisons and into facilities licensed or approved by DPH or DMH. Chairs Velis and Domb framed the hearing as a discussion of how to support people in crisis with compassion, while also warning against using involuntary commitment as a way to remove unhoused people from public view. The hearing also touched on related concerns about discharge practices, treatment capacity, and the need for a broader continuum of care. Testimony split largely along two themes. Addiction researcher Keith Humphreys argued that many people enter treatment under pressure, that involuntary treatment can be ethically justified in the face of overdose risk, but that it should not be mandated unless high-quality services exist first; he emphasized the need for inpatient care when someone is a grave danger, followed by case management and outpatient support. MAMH’s Kate Alicante supported the bill, saying Massachusetts is the only state that commits people with substance use conditions to jails or prisons and that carceral settings add trauma and stigma; she pointed to prior legislative steps, including the Section 35 commission and the planned closure of DOC’s MESAC facility, as evidence that the Commonwealth is moving toward health-based settings. A major portion of the hearing focused on Stony Brook, a sheriff-run stabilization and treatment center in Hampden County. Boston City Councilor John Fitzgerald, several committee members, and multiple people in recovery described the facility as humane, well-run, and effective, with longer stays, medical monitoring, medication-assisted treatment, counseling, and warm handoffs to aftercare. Several witnesses said Stony Brook saved their lives or helped family members recover, and they argued that the sheriff’s office model should be expanded rather than eliminated. Others, including family members and advocates, countered that even a well-run correctional setting remains stigmatizing and that people should not be treated in facilities run by sheriffs or corrections when they have committed no crime. No vote was taken. The hearing concluded with continued testimony, including Senator Friedman’s support for Section 35 as a civil commitment tool but not in a criminal justice setting, and her separate support for a bill to speed inpatient mental health treatment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we'll lead with that.
• So we'll lead with that.
• So we'll lead with that.
• This also goes to our Kuna Women Lead program is phasing out its philanthropic funding and so we need
• This also goes to our Kuna Women Lead program is phasing out its philanthropic funding and so we need

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> adding up their costs and how that leads adding up their costs and how that leads to<00:19:45.960
• violence often leads to murder and<00:47:23.680><c> the</c><00:47:23.839><c> murder</c><00:47:24.440
• Well, these are the things that lead to that when they can have access to that victim.
• Well, these are the things that lead to that when they can have access to that victim.
• Well, these are the things that lead to that when they can have access to that victim.

Bills: HF1917 , HF1083 , HF367

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: data practices, public official, transparency, government accountability, employment data, domestic abuse, domestic violence, battered women, victim advocate, advocacy, confidentiality, privilege, evidence law, witness privilege, court-ordered disclosure, shelter, crisis intervention, sexual assault counselor, victim services, protective services

Transcript Highlights:

• > the</c><00:38:58.079><c> singing</c><00:38:58.440><c> of</c><00:38:58.599><c> the</c> carvalo to lead
• us in the singing of the carvalo to lead us in the singing of the national<00:38:59.240><c> anthem</
• Hawaii po e e e [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] Thereafter, Representative Mike Lee will lead
• </c><01:57:42.079><c> us</c><01:57:42.400><c> to</c><01:57:42.880><c> a</c> way lead us to a way lead
• </c><02:09:35.960><c> and</c> to his community actively leading and to his community actively leading

Keywords: House Agenda:, 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Current law still identifies CDE as the lead agency for the oversight and...
• Current law still identifies CDE as the lead agency for the oversight and error rate studies, despite
• You know, in California we like to talk about how we're leading, we're leading the country, first in
• ..to lead on.
• This can exacerbate child care barriers and lead to missed work as well.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In this role, I lead the council staff organization, working with the Chief Justice, Patricia Guerrero
• Who is going to lead? I will kick us off. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Chair Ramos.
• Who's leading the discussion? Is Don Ferguson going to lead it first, or who's leading?
• Who's leading the discussion? Is Dan Ferguson going to lead it first, or who's leading?
• At the state's request, the federal government will then lead the debris operations.

Summary: The subcommittee met to hear budget-related updates from the Judicial Branch and the Office of Emergency Services, with no votes taken. The Judicial Council supported the Governor’s proposed budget, highlighting $70 million for increased trial court operating costs, additional funding for court-appointed counsel, Court of Appeal case processing, and courthouse construction and facilities. Trial court representatives emphasized staffing retention problems, especially in counties like San Bernardino, and said stable funding is needed to avoid delays and maintain access to justice. Members also discussed the branch’s remote proceedings program, which has been used in more than 6 million hearings statewide since 2022 and was described as especially important in rural areas and for vulnerable litigants; several members urged making the authority permanent rather than extending it temporarily. A major portion of the hearing focused on Proposition 36 implementation. Finance said the Governor’s budget maintains the $130 million provided in the 2025 Budget Act for court workload and pretrial services, but adds no new Prop. 36 court funding. Judicial Council staff reported nearly 35,000 felony Prop. 36 filings in 2025, with most cases still pending and only a small share of treatment-mandated cases already dismissed after treatment. Witnesses said courts are using the funds for staffing, coordinators, clerks, and treatment-court operations, but that workload varies widely by county and that data collection is limited because courts report aggregate information rather than case-level outcomes. The LAO raised a technical concern about the Department of Finance’s Prop. 47 savings estimate and recommended revising the methodology at May Revision. The committee also reviewed the Orange Central Justice Center facility modification project, where the Judicial Council explained that hidden construction deficiencies and fire-life-safety issues caused costs to rise substantially after demolition began. The LAO said the project itself was supportable but recommended that the Legislature set an ongoing funding level for court facilities, require a long-term facilities plan, and consider more oversight of facility modification projects. Finance said it continues to fund courthouse projects individually and through the State Public Works Board, while acknowledging project delays and cost increases. Finally, Cal OES and advocates discussed victim services funding. Cal OES said it administers about $315 million annually for victim service programs, including VOCA-funded services, but federal VOCA allocations have fluctuated sharply and the state has used one-time General Fund backfills to maintain services. Trauma recovery center advocates warned that an 85% reduction in funding would sharply reduce services for survivors of violent crime, while human trafficking advocates urged reauthorization of the Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Program before funding reverts to pre-pandemic levels in July 2026. Members asked about federal and state funding stability, referral pathways, and the long-term value of these programs in preventing worse outcomes and reducing public costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• These Circle Keepers lead some of the restorative practices, especially circles.
• They often lead to worse outcomes versus diversion and intervention programs.
• And that leads us to our last point: transparency.
• The media is, if it bleeds, it leads.
• And suicide in 2022 was the leading cause of death for adolescents.

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• in the game with us and, um, I just got off the phone with him right before we started on another lead
• </c><00:37:28.079><c> this</c> to have the opportunity to lead this to have the opportunity to lead this
• Very exciting opportunity for the Commonwealth that you're kind of leading us through here with this
• Very exciting opportunity for the Commonwealth that you're kind of leading us through here with this
• us through here you're kind of leading us through here with<00:42:57.359><c> this</c><00:42:57.520><

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met and approved the August 21, 2025 minutes. The main presentation came from Brandon Reid of the Kentucky Office of Agriculture Policy, who reported that implementation of the Kentucky Agriculture Economic Development Board created by Senate Bill 28 and House Joint Resolution 31 is ahead of schedule. He said the board has been appointed and has met several times, has adopted guidelines and an application process, and has launched its application on the KDA website. He also noted new staffing, including a project manager, and said the office is already working on projects, though some are confidential because of coordination with the Economic Development Cabinet and nondisclosure agreements. Members praised the effort and emphasized the importance of having agriculture represented in economic development work. Reid also described ongoing outreach by Commissioner Jonathan Shell, including farmer appreciation and classroom visits across the state. The committee then heard from Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton and Bluegrass Ag Tech Development Corp. executive director Jacob Ball about the Bluegrass Ag Tech Development Corp., a public-private partnership involving Lexington-Fayette, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the University of Kentucky, and Altech. They said the organization aims to make Kentucky a national and international hub for ag tech, and that it has already awarded challenge grants to startups. Ball explained that the program focuses on animal protein, nutrition, sustainability, mid-size farm solutions, and Kentucky traditions such as distilling and equine. He reported that two rounds of grants have totaled $925,000, with the first round’s seven companies leveraging that into nearly $7 million in follow-on investment, supporting 56.5 Kentucky jobs and creating more than a dozen new jobs. The presentation also highlighted statewide outreach, including applications and engagement from counties across Kentucky, and the goal of expanding participation in eastern Kentucky. Members expressed support for both initiatives and discussed the value of agriculture-specific expertise in economic development. Reid said the Department of Agriculture and the Economic Development Cabinet maintain regular communication and that the new board gives agriculture a seat at the table for future site and industry recruitment efforts. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Arkansas is now recognized as one of the leading states for economic outlook, so maintaining that momentum
• come to express my sincere concern about where this tax cut, in a long line of tax cuts, is likely to lead
• given, much is expected, meaning that responsible privilege and power, which wealth tends to afford, leads
• given, much is expected, meaning that responsible privilege and power, which wealth tends to afford, leads

Committee: All REVENUE & TAXATION- HOUSE SALES, USE, MISC. TAXES & EXEMPTIONS SUBCOM.

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 1001, sponsored by Representative Les Eaves, which would lower the individual income tax rate to 3.7% retroactive to the current year and reduce the corporate rate to 4.1% beginning in 2027. Eaves argued the bill continues Arkansas’s recent tax-cut strategy, would provide broad relief to working families, and would keep the state competitive while preserving future surpluses rather than cutting existing services. He and Representative Bray emphasized that prior tax cuts have benefited taxpayers and supported economic growth. Several opponents testified against the bill, including representatives from Arkansas Appleseed, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, a pastor, and individuals speaking about disability services and food insecurity. They argued Arkansas cannot afford further revenue reductions given needs in public education, early childhood care, Medicaid and food assistance, rural hospitals, and supported living services. Witnesses said the tax cut would disproportionately benefit higher earners while providing little or no relief to lower- and middle-income families, and urged the committee to prioritize public investments over tax cuts. After debate, the committee adopted a motion to limit witness testimony to five minutes each. Representative Eaves closed on the bill and moved to pass it. Following discussion, the committee voted to pass HB 1001, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• To me, it seems like it leads; it’s a gateway drug. I look at what’s happened in Oregon.”
• And it also leads—one thing I noticed in here... ...marijuana.
• And it also leads—one thing I noticed in here, it didn't show schizophrenia.
• And it also leads eventually to schizophrenia.

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 10 to 14, 15 to 24.
• These pathways are simply not equivalent, and they can lead to poor quality of care for some of Florida's
• According to the DEA, nurse practitioners are now the leading prescribers of enough amphetamine class
• They are part of the team but they are not leading the team.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's time for this legislature to genuinely look at its role in the environment of a bill that will lead
• on whether or not that should have been put into law and the disadvantages or advantages that could lead
• Solar panels contain toxic substances like cadmium, lead, and selenium.
• Now, separate from the benefits on climate change, decarbonization can also lead to significant improvements

Transcript Highlights:

• Co-Chair, would you like to lead us, please?
• **MACV** is the leading non-profit organization in our state's veteran homeless response system.
• This system has been built through federal, state, and local support into a nation-leading solution.
• If you eliminate these funds, we anticipate immediate impacts leading to more than doubling of the state's

Committee: House Veterans and Military Affairs Division

Transcript Highlights:

• Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer's disease and all other dementia by accelerating global
• </c><00:03:25.560><c> mission</c><00:03:25.760><c> is</c><00:03:25.879><c> to</c><00:03:26.000><c> lead
• </c><00:03:26.200><c> the</c> Association our mission is to lead the Association our mission is to lead

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• May they lead with generosity, creativity, and heart.
• /c><00:03:40.319><c> today</c><00:03:41.080><c> may</c><00:03:41.239><c> they</c><00:03:41.360><c> lead
• </c> communal service today may they lead communal service today may they lead with<00:03:41.840><c>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• development, and I've always thought it was important to engage and work much more closely with our GOP lead
• Once we get the majority back, he'll still be the lead, but the spirit of working together, the spirit
• development, and I've always thought it was important to engage and work much more closely with our GOP lead
• Once we get the majority back, he'll still be the lead, but the spirit of working together, the spirit

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Today I'm here with Greg Fisher, who is the chair of Fisher Homes and Fisher Group and one of the lead
• and</c><00:02:58.200><c> one</c><00:02:58.320><c> of</c><00:02:58.400><c> the</c><00:02:58.480><c> lead
• </c><00:02:58.800><c> private</c> Group and one of the lead private Group and one of the lead private
• So, I don't lead the Gatton or Craft models, but I'm familiar with what doesn't follow.
• program that leads to the program. program. program.

Committee: Joint Appropriations & Revenue

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Votruba Young Scholars Academy 00:01:55 Taxation of Financial Deposit Institutions 00:36:50, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am proud of these proposals for thousands of California families they will lead directly to real and
• One of the main reasons I took this position at CalHFA was the opportunity to lead our organization into
• One of the main reasons I took this position at CalHFA was the opportunity to lead our organization into
• All of the work that AB 519 working group has been leading in implementing a single application with
• The Legislature is a wonderful body that has given us many bills before us to kind of lead us down the

Summary: The subcommittee heard an extensive presentation on the administration’s housing reorganization proposal, which would centralize multifamily affordable housing finance under the new Housing Development and Finance Committee (HDFC) and align it with the Governor’s trailer bill language. Administration officials said the plan is intended to create a one-stop application and award process, reduce duplicative timelines and costs, and pair state subsidy with private activity bonds and federal tax credits more efficiently. They also described proposed changes to the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program, including shifting a larger share of funding toward housing-related awards while preserving a portion for sustainable communities investments. The Legislative Analyst’s Office generally supported the streamlining concept but recommended changes to the proposed bond set-aside timing and urged flexibility for integrated applications and future reporting on demand. Senators, especially Senator Cabaldon, raised concerns that the proposal could weaken the original climate-and-transportation purpose of the sustainable communities program and that the reorganization would be undercut by the lack of new housing production funding in the budget. The item was held open without a vote. The committee then received a report from the California Debt Limit Allocation Committee and the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee on federal and state housing tax credits. Staff explained that the federal H.R. 1 change lowering the bond-financing threshold from 50% to 25% greatly expanded the number of projects able to use the 4% federal tax credit, allowing California to fund many more projects and units. They also described the state low-income housing tax credit as an important gap-filling tool for projects that still need additional subsidy, and noted existing set-asides for rural, homeless, at-risk, and extremely low-income projects. Members discussed rehabilitation as well as new construction, and the item was informational only. Finally, the Civil Rights Department reported on the effects of federal civil rights policy changes and on three programs facing expiration: California vs. Hate, the Community Conflict Resolution Unit, and Investigations and Conciliation Enhancement. Director Kevin Kish said federal cuts and policy shifts have reduced support for fair housing and other civil rights functions, while CRD’s caseload has grown from about 8,700 open matters a year ago to more than 12,000, with a six-month wait for interviews despite overtime triage efforts. Senators expressed strong support for continuing the programs and concern about the broader federal rollback of civil rights enforcement. The department said it is using overtime, intake triage, and outreach partnerships to manage the workload and direct Californians to appropriate state, local, and nonprofit resources.

Transcript Highlights:

• For thousands of California families, they will lead directly to real and tangible reductions in their
• One of the main reasons I took this position at CalHFA was the opportunity to lead our organization into
• All of the work that AB 519 working group has been leading in implementing a single application with
• The Legislature is a wonderful body that has given us many bills before us to kind of lead us down the
• path toward this. wonderful body that has given us many bills before us to kind of like lead us down

Keywords: 987, senate, all