Transcript Highlights:

• up to 8,000 people every single month, and so often in this building, you know, we make decisions based
• And so often in this building, you know, we make decisions based on the information that we're given,
• But based on the information that I have, I am not going to vote to limit services to mothers and children
• That was our intent, and based on the information that I've been given and the request for this supplemental
• functions of government, where we are elected to have oversight, and instead hiding it into shell games

Transcript Highlights:

• In any way does this memorial, so with pushing some of this to game and fish, is this going To restrict
• You have to base it upon that intake at the current time. Thank you.
• NMDA, as we often know, is the only state agency not here based with their leadership in Santa Fe, but
• actually based down in southern New Mexico on NMSU's campus.
• And we work with all our other agencies just to make sure that We're covering the bases with all the

Bills: HM26 , HB243 , HB109

Committee: House House Agriculture, Acequias And Water Resources

Keywords: insects, ecosystem, education, public awareness, wildlife conservation, state agency involvement, New Mexico, equine welfare, animal rescue, shelter funding, trust fund, veterinary care, water project fund, water project finance act, New Mexico Finance Authority, water infrastructure, water grants, water loans, regional water planning, water rights adjudication

Transcript Highlights:

• Topics this year include a workshop on soft skills, an introduction to the legislative process with the
• Students from across the state came to the Capitol to showcase those skills as part of the YMCA's 71st
• She says the new role comes with new responsibilities, which is helping her hone new skills.
• it's taught me a lot hone new skills it's taught me a lot about<00:26:38.919><c> how</c><00:26:39.039
• to have as a is a really important skill to have as a leader<00:26:58.960><c> but</c><00:26:59.120><

Transcript Highlights:

• But 10 was really based on what we saw anywhere from 5 to 25 at other states and systems.
• But 10 was really based on what we saw anywhere from 5 to 25 at other states and systems. Continue.
• But hopefully it isn't just shuffling a shell game.
• So is that all based on campus square footage?
• Because they did play games in it, but it was predominantly athletics.

Committee: Joint Higher Education Funding Review Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• I think we can all... ...based on their race or their skin color. And that's wrong.
• ...any type of racial discrimination, any type of preferential treatment that's based on skin color
• Even beyond polls, even in blue states like California, race-based discrimination.
• defeated by 14 points despite spending 20 times as much in support of race-based discrimination.
• In Arizona, we ought to evaluate individuals based on their skills, character, and their hard work.

Summary: The Special Committee on Government heard and advanced three measures. First, HCR 2044, a constitutional amendment to expand Arizona’s prohibition on preferential treatment and discrimination based on race or ethnicity in public education, public spending, and hiring, drew support from the Speaker, Goldwater Institute, and other advocates who argued it would close loopholes and reaffirm merit-based treatment. Opponents argued it would chill speech, training, and discussion of race and identity in public institutions. The committee approved the resolution on a 4-3 vote. The committee then considered HB 2671, as amended, which narrows mandatory transfer to adult court for juveniles by limiting chronic felony offender treatment to higher-level felonies and preserving judicial/prosecutorial discretion for lower-level repeat offenses. The sponsor and juvenile defense testimony said the bill would keep low-level youth offenders in juvenile court where rehabilitative services are available and reduce recidivism, while still holding them accountable. The Blackman amendment was adopted, and the bill passed 7-0. Finally, HB 2676 was heard to reduce the age for restoring firearm possession rights for certain juvenile offenders from 30 to 25 and to broaden restoration eligibility for other juvenile felony convictions. Supporters said it would align firearm-rights restoration with juvenile record-destruction timelines and help rehabilitated individuals move forward without unnecessary barriers. The committee approved HB 2676 unanimously, 7-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• Care navigation teams ensure that users are connected to appropriate, in-person, school-based, community-based
• care and school-based support in addition to online support.
• They can get video-based telehealth, by the way, which many of our school-based providers also offer
• We start to do those calculations based on actual past operating expenditures.
• It's based on rigorous bottom-up methodology.

Summary: The hearing focused first on behavioral health, especially serious mental illness and anosognosia, a condition described by witnesses as a neurological symptom that prevents people from recognizing they are ill. The chair framed the issue around families cycling through emergency rooms, jails, conservatorships, and short-term stabilization without lasting treatment, and warned that federal changes under H.R. 1 could reduce Medi-Cal funding and worsen access. Dawn Marie Anderson gave a personal account of her son’s long history of psychosis, homelessness, arrests, repeated jail and state hospital stays, and eventual stability when he received sustained medication and coordinated support. She argued that the system often treats the problem as criminal rather than medical and that voluntary programs and short-term services are not enough for people who lack insight into their illness. Other panelists, including representatives from the California Behavioral Health Association, Santa Barbara County Behavioral Health, and the County Behavioral Health Directors Association, agreed that anosognosia is not denial or noncompliance and said the system needs long-term, coordinated care, including assertive community treatment, mobile crisis, supportive housing, medication support, and stronger handoffs between county and managed care systems. They said CalAIM and other reforms have improved some coordination, but significant gaps remain, especially for people with serious mental illness, for those in jail or locked settings, and for people with private insurance, which witnesses said often offers little meaningful coverage for early psychosis or intensive behavioral health services. Several witnesses urged the Legislature to protect Medi-Cal, shore up county safety-net services, and invest in training and family engagement. The committee then turned to the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, with a focus on the virtual services platforms BrightLife Kids and Soluna and the CYBHI fee schedule. DHCS reported strong growth in app registrations, coaching sessions, referrals, and positive user outcomes, saying the platforms provide free, culturally responsive, early-intervention support statewide and help connect users to higher levels of care when needed. On the fee schedule, DHCS said more than 500 LEAs, colleges, universities, and school-linked providers are participating, 181 LEAs have submitted claims, and $9.6 million has been reimbursed to date, with 41,556 students represented in claims. The chair and several members criticized the pace of implementation and the amount of money spent relative to reimbursement levels, saying the Legislature had requested data earlier and that the return on investment still appeared low. DHCS responded that many claims are still being submitted, that 70% of denials are correctable, that $400 million in capacity grants has been distributed locally, and that reimbursement is increasing rapidly as more districts come online. Public comment included a rural county behavioral health director who said private insurance denials leave counties with significant uncompensated work, especially for unlicensed staff providing case management and mobile crisis services.

Transcript Highlights:

• Carlson, if I could have you touch base.
• Uh I think that's a that's a touch base.
• </c> through one-time non-base appropriations through one-time non-base appropriations from<00:46:58.319
• </c> games, um concerts and stuff like that. games, um concerts and stuff like that.
• </c> of the games, Twins, Vikings, all that. of the games, Twins, Vikings, all that.

Bills: HF4693

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• , his leadership skills.
• There's other federal programs that allow, for example, in the military, a skill bridge program where
• </c><00:19:54.760><c> BD</c> example in the military um a skill BD example in the military um a skill
• To support and facilitate the development of a skilled workforce to meet the needs of small businesses
• that given her skills her High Intelligence<00:33:18.519><c> her</c><00:33:18.960><c> extreme</c><00

Committee: Senate Labor and Technology

Summary: The committee heard a series of Governor’s messages for confirmation to several boards and councils, with the chair noting the meeting would continue on Monday and that testimony would be limited due to the large volume of submissions. For Governor’s Message 660, Kelly Oka was nominated to the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation. Oka described her work in workforce development and technology, emphasizing equitable access to tech jobs for local residents, keeping young talent in Hawaii, and using HTDC to attract major technology firms and support cybersecurity and startup growth. Testimony from multiple individuals and organizations was strongly supportive, and members asked about HTDC’s challenges, federal funding, and how to attract more tech investment; no vote was taken in the excerpt. The committee then considered Governor’s Message 529, nominating Fono Cafi Mei to the Hoisting Machine Operators Advisory Board. Mei said he had 20 years of crane-operating experience, including work on rail projects, and union representatives and labor organizations testified in support. Next, Governor’s Message 502 nominated Ken Louie to the Workforce Development Council. Louie highlighted his four years on the council, including two as chair, his family business, and his goal of expanding opportunities for younger and adult workers. DBEDT, council members, and labor representatives supported him, and members questioned him about the council’s priorities, staffing, federal funding uncertainty, apprenticeships, and military-to-private-sector transition programs. The committee also took up Governor’s Messages 581 and 690 together, both relating to Jared Gashi’s nomination to the Workforce Development Council for different terms. Gashi, from the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association, said he would bring the tourism industry’s perspective to workforce development, citing workforce shortages, internships, scholarships, and the need for a broader tourism voice on the council. Support testimony came from state officials and community members, who praised his reliability and leadership; a member asked how he would broaden the council beyond tourism, and Gashi said HLTA represents a wide range of tourism-related sectors and partners. The committee then heard Governor’s Message 571 for Eric Noi to the Deferred Compensation Plan Board, with Noi citing his fiscal and budgeting background; DHS, the board chair, and others supported him. Finally, Governor’s Message 667 nominated Ty Noara to the same board, and Keith Regan testified in strong support, citing her public service, intelligence, and ability to handle difficult situations. The excerpt ends as the committee begins Governor’s Message 560, nominating David Louie to the Employees’ Retirement System Board, with Louie, the ERS executive director, the finance director, and former Governor Abercrombie offering strong support.

Transcript Highlights:

• We see this code in Colorado, and what we're asking for is to just adopt the base model code.
• </c><00:18:51.360><c> It's</c> just adopt the base model code. It's just adopt the base model code.
• Um, based on the energy prices as predicted at the time of that report, which, of course, we know as
• He said that, based on a home or townhome, you cannot get payback within five to seven years when you
• </c><00:36:15.920><c> of</c> and then they're in this like game of and then they're in this like game

Transcript Highlights:

• Care navigation teams ensure that users are connected to appropriate in-person, school-based, community-based
• care and school-based support in addition to online support.
• They can get video-based telehealth, by the way, which many of our school-based providers also offer
• It's based on rigorous bottom-up methodology.
• And 45% acceptance rate for chats and text based on real-world data.

Transcript Highlights:

• Individuals currently receiving services through the home community-based..."
• The other thing based on my thing.
• of benefits based upon a single<01:09:21.359><c> data</c><01:09:21.679><c> match.
• Hackett received death threats and sometimes needed protection at games.
• Hackett received death threats and sometimes needed protection at games.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1280, an act amending Section 17-2503, Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to the Arizona Game
• narrowly focused on foreign entities attempting to purchase land, especially land next to military bases
• This simply tells the state because the Arizona Game and Fish has used their state-owned plane to fly
• The 14th Amendment requires apportionment to happen based on the whole number of persons in each state
• Rams game, for example, I'm not a citizen of California. It's a L.A. Rams game? Come on.

Summary: The Senate met in several Committee of the Whole sessions to consider a large number of bills, with most measures receiving do-pass recommendations and several being amended before advancing. Early action included bills on fentanyl penalties (SB 1061), firearm suppressors/prohibited weapons (SB 1069), DCS attorney appearance and hotline/case-history access (SB 1081 and SB 1174), mandatory reporting and scrap metal theft (SB 1127 and SB 1128), and a narcotic-drug-to-minor offense bill (SB 1170). Senators Ortiz, Kuby, and others argued against the drug bills as harmful mandatory-minimum policies that would reduce judicial discretion and worsen addiction and incarceration outcomes, while supporters framed them as public-safety measures. SB 1170 ultimately failed on third reading; SB 1061, SB 1069, SB 1127, SB 1128, SB 1171, SB 1174, and SB 1188 passed, while SB 1021 later failed after concerns were raised about possible federal anti-kickback conflicts. The chamber also advanced health-care and regulatory measures, including chiropractic board compliance training (SB 1021), radiation protection and health-care institution requirements (SB 1120 and SB 1121), health care cost containment system changes (SB 1171), and pharmacy scheduling/prescription authority (SB 1188). Several of these bills were amended with technical changes or rulemaking authority, and most passed on third reading. SB 1243 and SB 1244 on court-ordered treatment also moved forward after amendments; supporters said the changes would improve notice and allow guardians or agencies to act more effectively, while opponents warned about due-process concerns and expanded coercive treatment authority. In later calendars, the Senate considered local planning and permitting (SB 1241), school access and GED preparation (SB 1166 and SB 1370), water and groundwater issues (SB 1202 and SB 1287), tax and finance measures (SB 1180, SB 1221, SB 1293, SB 1294, and SB 1429), and a constitutional resolution on legislative boundaries (SCR 1031). SB 1166 was amended to limit GED preparation to grades 11 and 12, SB 1241 and SB 1287 received technical amendments, and SB 1180 was clarified to align tax forms with federal conformity. SB 1075 on foreign entities and land sales drew the most debate: an Ortiz amendment would have shifted it toward corporate homebuyer restrictions and housing affordability, but that amendment was defeated on a roll call vote before the bill advanced as amended. Most remaining measures passed their third readings, with the Senate adopting Committee of the Whole reports and transmitting the approved bills to the House.

Transcript Highlights:

• “Yes, correct, based on what we know today.
• beds for diversion and community-based restoration.
• And CDPH now has that population-based prevention. Okay.
• Hirsch Mental Health Services based in Los Angeles.
• They're not routed based on your location.

Transcript Highlights:

• You will see that we have reporting language based off of Senator Pratt's bill that we heard in the jobs
• We didn't go quite as far as Senator Pratt's bill did, but we wanted to make sure that there was a base
• </c> 2425 and then the language set the base 2425 and then the language set the base for<00:30:42.159
• set in the base for fiscal year<00:31:46.320><c> 2627.
• MMB reflected those direct appropriations in the base for 26-27 and then beyond.

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• technical training, and it teaches students how to solve real-world problems, giving them 21st-century skills
• recognized in SCR 132, STEAM programs help students build critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving skills
• Ethan has gained hands-on experience, learned industry-level skills, and met many people in the tech
• serving more than 35,000 California students who are gaining confidence and learning the valuable skills
• These spaces help students build confidence, strengthen critical thinking skills, and introduce STEAM

Transcript Highlights:

• But I gather, based upon what you've said, that your investigation would be based upon input to your
• Tom Jong, a STEM educator with Encela Games, in full support.
• The oil industry should have skin in the game as well.
• Owning the playing field shouldn't mean you get to throw the game.
• It's 5% of the rate base.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• our districts and schools, you know, really have clear guidance, are doing best practices, evidence-based
• Classrooms should be fact-based environments where diverse opinions are presented.
• They should be learning diverse opinions about things based on diverse resources and sources.
• And I think anti-Semitism, like other forms of prejudice, racial and gender-based discrimination, is
• What they were doing was actually pursuing social justice based upon a set of ideological assumptions

Summary: The meeting opened with approval of the July 9, 2025 minutes and a roll call confirming quorum. DESE Commissioner Pedro Martinez gave his first official testimony, affirming the department’s commitment to preventing antisemitism and societal bias in schools, saying DESE supports the commission’s recommendations and will add staff resources to help develop and disseminate guidance and instructional materials. He said DESE’s rubric and guidance for identifying effective curricula and resources should be finalized in late fall, and commissioners welcomed the partnership and asked about the ongoing Section 98A work. The commission then heard from Professor Eitan Hirsch of Tufts, who presented research on antisemitism and campus climate. He described survey findings showing sharply different Jewish and non-Jewish views on Israel, increasing social pressure on Jewish students, and a growing tendency for Jewish students to hide their identity or feel penalized for participating in Jewish life. He argued that colleges need to do more to teach students how to handle dissent and build cultures of viewpoint diversity, and commissioners asked about best practices, regional differences, and the role of campus climate surveys. Rabbi Fine of UMass Amherst Hillel and student Sky Landau testified about antisemitism at UMass, especially since October 7. Fine described both a thriving Jewish student community and serious incidents including harassment, vandalism, classroom issues, protests, and students hiding Jewish identity; he said the university is working with Hillel and DEI leadership on goals and strategy for Jewish inclusion, and he urged more training and structured dialogue. Landau described antisemitic incidents she experienced or witnessed, including hostile BDS meetings, exclusion of Zionist students, Holocaust denial, threats, and social ostracism, and said Hillel was the only consistently safe space for her. Commissioners discussed reporting pathways, affinity groups, mental health supports, and ways to distinguish criticism of Israel from antisemitism. Later, the commission moved to its recommendations and made several edits before voting, including deleting offensive wording in a footnote, adding a citation to recent FBI hate crime data, and restoring language tied to an existing DESE regulation, 603 CMR 26.05, on classroom neutrality and fact-based instruction. Commissioners also reiterated that criticism of Israel’s government is not inherently antisemitic. The meeting included a brief interruption by a protester, after which the commission recessed and then resumed its work on the draft recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Start off, because in our agenda I believe the numbers that you prepared were based on the March 2nd
• We want to bring students back in to help them access that re-skilling and up-skilling opportunity that
• Estimates are based on caseload data that was provided by the Student Aid Commission in October.
• California College of the Arts is a nonprofit private college based in San Francisco.
• I urge you all against the proposed 8% or $396 million cut to the UC's base budget.

Transcript Highlights:

• . ...collaborating with soft skills.
• Right, and we did that based off of the food cost.
• Right, and we did that based off of the food cost.
• It seems as though the budget we set was the actual need that we had based on the 200... ...numbers.
• And so it's building a knowledge base, but also creating some deliverables as well.

Committee: House Oklahoma Education Commission

Summary: The meeting focused heavily on planning the upcoming AI Symposium and on fundraising strategy. Nellie Sanders, former Secretary of Education, introduced herself and described her background in education, workforce development, and fundraising, saying she would help in a volunteer capacity. The committee discussed the symposium theme, “The ground has moved, building Oklahoma’s AI-ready future,” and confirmed the event dates at the Hard Rock Hotel in Tulsa from June 8 to June 10. They also reviewed the event’s structure, including keynote and speaker slots, vendor participation, and the need to finalize the agenda and printed materials soon. A major portion of the discussion centered on sponsorship levels and the need to expand fundraising beyond the original food-cost-based tiers. Members debated whether the current $6,000, $15,000, and $25,000 levels were too low and proposed adding larger sponsorship tiers, including $50,000 and $100,000 event sponsor options. Based on projected costs of roughly $130,000 to $150,000 and a goal of creating reserve funds for future AI work, the group ultimately discussed aiming for a $300,000 budget and increasing attendance from 200 to as many as 400 participants if funding allows. They also talked about using the symposium to create long-term value for sponsors by offering visibility, networking, and follow-up opportunities. The committee reviewed participant categories and numbers, including innovation grant recipients, libraries, higher education, CareerTech, K-12, corrections, tribal representatives, and commission members. They emphasized that attendees must complete a microcredential and leave with actionable deliverables, such as projects, cohort meetings, and shared AI practices they can replicate at their institutions. Several members stressed the importance of broader K-12 participation, especially for rural districts, and suggested adding administrator and teacher tracks if attendance grows. The group also discussed outreach to Google, tribal partners, and other vendors, and set a planning meeting for Monday at 5 p.m., with a follow-up full committee meeting scheduled for the 30th at 1 p.m. The meeting also included an update on legislation, especially proposed changes to bill 1782. The revised bill would create an AI-related infrastructure without state appropriations, allow funds from private and federal sources, add FERPA, accessibility, and transparency protections, and accelerate council activation. Members discussed using the bill to support future AI initiatives and possibly the symposium, though they noted that any such use would need to be written into the legislation. The meeting ended with updates on the commission’s podcast, “AI Unpacked: The Oklahoma Edition,” and a brief discussion of the commission’s unique cross-sector makeup and its role in representing learners across Oklahoma.

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Artencia Lopez, and I am a half-a-century community-based organization director.
• , environmental social justice groups, small businesses, faith-based groups, and individuals concerned
• We want to grow the base of manufacturing jobs in California, want to accelerate climate solutions, and
• We're in each organization based in Lithium Valley here in support.
• And this is one of those areas. ...skilled union jobs throughout the state of California.

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Summary: The committee heard a series of energy and utility bills, with most measures moving forward on party-line or near-party-line votes after extensive testimony. Early items included SB 613, which would direct state agencies to prioritize reducing methane emissions from imported fossil fuels, and SB 614, which would allow California to move ahead with safety rules for carbon dioxide pipelines and lift the current moratorium on new CO2 pipelines. Both bills drew support from industry and clean-energy advocates and no opposition testimony was offered at the hearing. A major portion of the hearing focused on SB 332, which would require a study of whether California should continue using investor-owned utilities, tie executive compensation to affordability metrics, and improve transparency around utility disconnections. Supporters argued the bill would put ratepayers first and examine safer, more affordable utility models, while opponents, including the Chamber of Commerce and major utilities, warned it would send a destabilizing signal to investors and was not a neutral study. Members raised concerns about the bill’s tone and market impacts, but the author said the study was intended to be even-handed; the bill later advanced on a 10-5 vote. The committee also approved SB 57, which creates a tariff framework for large energy users such as data centers to prevent cost shifts to other customers and to address stranded grid costs. Supporters said the bill would protect ratepayers and encourage clean energy use, while utilities and large energy users argued existing CPUC processes already address many of the issues and warned against overly rigid rules. SB 256, dealing with wildfire mitigation, emergency response coordination, undergrounding, and removal of abandoned lines, drew strong support from an Altadena community witness affected by the Eaton Fire, while utilities raised concerns about duplicative mandates and public disclosure of sensitive infrastructure information. SB 647, aimed at improving low-income energy program access and performance metrics, and SB 787, which would coordinate state clean-energy supply chain development for EVs, building decarbonization, and offshore wind, also advanced after supportive testimony from labor, environmental, and community groups. The committee later approved a consent calendar of additional bills and left several measures on call for absent members to add votes."}