Transcript Highlights:

• You might have to do other kinds of value engineering to shave off costs. We've already done that.
• You might have to do other kinds of value engineering to shave off costs. We've already done that.
• We strongly support California high-speed rail as a solution providing fast, emissions-free travel in
• the future electrification of rail from Burbank to Anaheim are examples of projects that reduce emissions
• the future electrification of rail from Burbank to Anaheim are examples of projects that reduce emissions

Committee: House Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• From delays, construction quality, engineering, procurement, and construction costs.
• It can solve multiple problems across our state, which many other technologies can't on a low emissions
• Planning is what's important; planning and front-end engineering have to be done ahead of time before
• If the research reactors continue to grow, we're going to need more engineers.
• Before Founders Fund, I was an early engineer at SpaceX, where I spent time north of here in McGregor

Bills: SB1468 , SB1612 , SB1789 , SB2530 , SB2571 , SB2717 , SB2967

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• More importantly, reduce methane emissions across this...
• But yeah, this has more to do with emissions associated with...
• We’ve picked a plan for 85% emissions reduction while we’re finding some negative emissions.
• Transportation is California's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, and the transition to zero-emission
• It does not regulate emissions or vehicle efficiency.

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications

Transcript Highlights:

• committed to investing over half a billion dollars in projects that are reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• By utilizing the KETFA STE program, we can continue displacing CO2 and methane emissions through the
• process of constructing an MVR system that will reduce our natural gas usage and greenhouse gas emissions
• We’ve built projects on budget, on time, with local hires, highly skilled engineers, and union labor.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation heard several bills focused on transit funding, veterans’ tax relief, clean energy incentives, housing development costs, and tax conformity. SB 63 would authorize a Bay Area regional sales tax measure for transit agencies facing fiscal shortfalls; supporters said it was needed to avoid major service cuts, while the California Taxpayers Association opposed it on Proposition 13/218 concerns. SB 56 would exclude veterans’ disability compensation from income calculations for the disabled veterans’ property tax exemption, and SB 296 would expand property tax relief for 100% disabled veterans and certain surviving spouses; both drew broad veterans’ support. SB 86 would extend and expand the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority sales and use tax exemption program, including fusion energy, and SB 302 would conform state tax law to federal clean energy credit monetization provisions; both were backed by industry, labor, and clean energy advocates. SB 328 would cap Department of Toxic Substances Control fees on contaminated-soil remediation for infill and master-planned housing projects, with housing groups arguing the current fee structure can make projects infeasible. SB 711 would update California’s tax conformity date to January 1, 2025 to reduce complexity and inconsistencies with federal law, and was supported by tax professionals and business groups. Several bills were held or sent to suspense, while others advanced with amendments. After quorum was established, SB 63 passed the committee 4-2 and SB 86, SB 302, SB 328, and SB 711 were referred to suspense, with SB 86 and SB 302 later approved out of suspense with amendments. SB 56 was held in committee, SB 296 was made a two-year bill, and SB 284 and SB 723 were held. The committee also approved a number of additional suspense-file bills, including SB 293, SB 359, SB 419, SB 587, SB 603, SB 663, SB 710, and SB 785, while SB 591 was approved with amendments and SB 353 was made a two-year bill. The hearing concluded with the committee adjournment after final roll calls and bill actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• ALL LENDING DECISIONS MUST BE MADE ON STANDARD FINANCIAL PRACTICES NOT SOCIAL ENGINEERING.
• THE BILL ALSO STIPULATES IF A CHARITY ALREADY IS REQUIRED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE FOR THE ENGINEERING
• ALSO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REMOVAL REGARDING EMISSION STANDARDS AND OTHER THINGS.

Transcript Highlights:

• nuclear is presented now, there is so much ignorance around the safety and how things have been engineered
• There is so much ignorance around the safety and how things have been engineered out and the cost.
• Delaware should study and evaluate a clean energy standard to recognize nuclear power as a form of zero-emission
• Delaware should study and evaluate a clean energy standard to recognize nuclear power as a form of zero-emission
• clean energy standard or another procurement mechanism to recognize nuclear power as a form of zero-emission

Transcript Highlights:

• this plastic is derived from fossil fuels and is a direct contributor to climate change, harmful emissions
• COVID climate change, harmful emissions, and the continued collapse of ocean ecosystems.
• COVID climate change, harmful emissions, and the continued collapse of ocean ecosystems.
• I'm a chemical engineer and a lawyer.
• I'm a chemical engineer and a lawyer.

Bills: SB5965 , SB6030 , SB5975 , SB5941

Committee: Senate Environment, Energy & Technology

Keywords: environment, retail bags, sustainability, pollution, customer impact, plastic bags, retail, waste reduction, cookware safety, lead regulation, consumer protection, interstate trade, health standards, SB 5941, Washington State Energy Code, State Building Code Council, renewable energy, solar panels, school district exemption, public school construction

Transcript Highlights:

• provisions necessary to implement the Budget Act of 2025, including appropriating funding for zero-emission
• Provisions necessary to implement the Budget Act of 2025 include appropriating funding for zero-emission
• This bill authorizes CARB to assess annual fees for deficiencies of off-road vehicles and off-road engines
• , aftermarket parts, and emissions-related components.
• Board far too much authority on assessing annual fees for deficiencies in on-road vehicles, off-road engines

Summary: The Assembly met on June 4, 2025, first establishing a quorum and then moving through a long budget and concurrence session. After procedural motions, the house took up several budget trailer bills and related measures presented by Assembly Member Gabriel. SB 103, a technical budget cleanup bill addressing the Public School System Stabilization Account, a CDCR shortfall, and Middle Class Scholarship funding, passed 52-16. SB 120 on child care and preschool funding passed 65-1; SB 124 on natural resources and wildfire response passed 69-1; SB 127 on climate change and zero-emission transportation passed 53-17; SB 128 on transportation and DMV/LA Olympics implementation passed 53-17; SB 132 on taxation, veterans, wildfire settlements, film tax credits, and housing passed 64-1; SB 141 on cannabis enforcement and illicit market suppression passed 71-1; and SB 142 extending the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program passed 68-1 on both urgency and the measure. The Assembly also approved a motion to re-refer several bills to committees and later suspended rules to take up Senate-amended bills without reference to file. The chamber then considered AB 102, the main budget bill reflecting the final three-party agreement with the Governor. Supporters said it balanced compassion and fiscal responsibility while preserving housing, health care, child care, education, wildfire resilience, and public safety funding. Opponents criticized it for unsustainable spending, insufficient Prop. 36 funding, and other omissions. After extended debate, the Assembly concurred in the Senate amendments by a 55-16 vote and sent the bill to the Governor. The Assembly then concurred in Senate amendments to AB 116 on health care, AB 118 on human services, AB 121 on TK-12 education, AB 123 on higher education, AB 134 on public safety, AB 136 on courts, AB 137 on general government, and AB 143 on developmental services, with each bill passing on largely party-line or broad bipartisan votes. Debate on AB 116 focused on Medi-Cal, HIV program backfills, pharmacy benefit managers, and health care cuts; opponents objected to funding for undocumented immigrants and to hospice prior authorization. AB 118 drew support for child welfare, CalFresh disaster readiness, and CalWORKs simplification. AB 121 emphasized record K-12 funding and a $1.7 billion block grant. AB 123 extended the Golden State Teacher Grant Program and supported higher education and fire-impacted career technical education. AB 134 updated CDCR and tribal policing provisions, AB 136 streamlined court reporting and funded courthouse facilities, AB 137 made technical budget adjustments and fee changes, and AB 143 made developmental services reforms while preserving the state’s entitlement commitment. The final item shown was AB 470 on telecommunications, which was presented and discussed as a transition away from copper landlines toward fiber and modern networks, with supporters emphasizing public benefits and labor concerns, but the transcript cuts off before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:19:23.040><c> groups</c><00:19:23.520><c> to</c> discretion to engineering groups to discretion
• to engineering groups to decide<00:19:24.040><c> on</c><00:19:24.200><c> life</c><00:19:24.440><c> safety
• So, thank you. engineering affairs. engineering affairs.
• net impact, and then if there is a net impact of greenhouse gas emissions, they have a number of options
• </c> House Bill 663, Department of the Environment, Federal Policy on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting

Summary: The House convened with 124 members present, offered a prayer, and recognized foster youth visiting the chamber. Members then adopted two House resolutions honoring Dr. Sonja Santelises for 10 years as CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools and recognizing Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated, for 104 years of service, scholarship, and sisterhood. The House also received Senate bills and began taking up committee reports. Several bills were reported favorably and advanced to third reading, including measures on higher education grants, public safety pay restrictions, retirement and pension system work group extensions and cost-of-living adjustments, synthetic turf and aquaculture studies, rail crew requirements, Howard County speed limits, election address confidentiality, IT investment fund uses, ethics financial disclosures, Public Information Act divorce records, aging-in-place grants, judicial assignments, clerk and register salaries, and firearm literature distribution. House Bill 428, concerning temporary assignment of former judges, was special ordered until the next day after the minority whip requested time for an amendment. The chamber also considered and adopted amendments on several bills. House Bill 437, the Transportation and Climate Alignment Act of 2026, was amended to exempt the Chesapeake Bay Bridge project and then special ordered after questions about greenhouse gas impacts on major highway expansion projects. House Bill 457 on menstrual hygiene products at higher education institutions, House Bill 538 on student enrollment disclosures, House Bill 561 on child care credential funding, House Bill 720 on a veterans scholarship, and House Bill 212 on out-of-state vehicle registration all received amendments and favorable reports as amended. HB 212 drew extended debate about Maryland residents using out-of-state tags, with supporters saying it would help enforce registration laws and opponents raising concerns about legislative вмешательство in vehicle regulation and enforcement discretion.

Transcript Highlights:

• concludes that three preferences reduce the cost of using natural gas as a transportation fuel, but the emissions
• And then we used the model from the Department of Energy to estimate the emission reduction objective
• In general, as a note, replacing diesel with natural gas reduces emissions, but because fewer ships and
• And this was just to illustrate that the emissions objective is not met because few ships and vehicles
• Cities are the engines of Washington State.

Summary: The committee first received a JLARC work session on the 2025 tax preference performance reviews, covering nine tax preferences and recommending legislative action on eight. JLARC reviewed natural gas transportation fuel preferences, travel agent and tour operator B&O rates, a property tax exemption for nonprofit low-income housing developers, and several shorter reviews including senior center property tax relief, a disabled veteran adapted housing remittance, trade convention nexus treatment, wholesale sales of fertilizer/pesticides/seed, a hazardous substance tax exemption for pesticides stored for out-of-state shipment, and three energy-related preferences for a silicon smelter. JLARC generally recommended continuing preferences that met stated or inferred objectives, modifying some to improve reporting or performance metrics, and allowing the unused silicon smelter preferences to expire. The Citizen Commission endorsed JLARC’s recommendations, and committee members asked a few clarifying questions, including about trends in travel agent/tour operator beneficiaries and the housing exemption’s performance metric and data issues. The committee then heard a work session and public hearing on Senate Bill 5754, which would create a Washington State public bank. A presentation from California public banking advocates and the Bank of North Dakota described public banks as government-owned financial institutions intended to keep public funds working locally, support lending for housing, infrastructure, and community development, and partner with community banks and credit unions. Committee questions focused on leverage, liquidity, constitutional issues, and how the model would interact with existing state investment and debt structures. Staff summarized the bill’s structure, including activation conditions, governance, powers, and fiscal impacts, noting the fiscal note was largely indeterminate and startup costs could be significant. Public testimony on SB 5754 was divided. Supporters included statewide elected officials, county and city officials, labor, educators, community advocates, and residents, who argued the bank could lower borrowing costs, improve access to capital, keep public money in Washington, and help finance infrastructure, housing, and disaster resilience. Opponents included community bankers and county treasurers, who warned about risks to safety and liquidity of public funds, questioned the need for a new institution given existing programs, and argued the proposal lacked a proven track record in Washington. The hearing concluded with no vote taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• These reviews determine whether emissions from proposed or existing facilities comply with state and
• at ambient air quality standards, it's a two-step process. step of that process is to compare the emissions
• Also known as the de minimis level if the emissions are below that then you do not go to the next step
• concentrations are part of a protectiveness review, but they're not always a part of it if your emissions
• Sports like Starbase in Cameron County and a rocket engine testing facility in McGregor, Texas are high

Bills: SB1150 , SB763 , SB1061 , SB1146 , SB1198 , HB279 , HB310

Committee: Senate Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• , but maybe it has reduced the increase in emissions.
• Do carbon emissions lead to climate change?
• This is about any program that seeks to... to regulate and tax carbon taxes and carbon emissions.
• Do carbon emissions lead to extreme weather events?
• are going to create a a better emissions, better emissions results.

Bills: HJR34 , HB 113 , HB184 , HB198 , HB247 , HB367 , HB449 , HB1778 , HB514 , HB576 , HB632 , HB1395 , HB2225 , HB2582 , HB2494 , HB766 , HB2715 , HB2712 , HB3069 , HB3505 , HB 1269 , HB4224 , HB3609 , HB5032 , HB2240 , HB5180 , HB3348 , HB4668 , HB4909 , HB4665 , HB4895 , HB3395 , HB3157 , HB4762 , HB4395 , HB4325 , HB4952 , HB4386 , HB4273 , HB2760 , HB2697 , HB2820 , HB1828 , HB1768 , HB1579 , HB1773 , HB1871 , HB2035 , HB2448 , HB2492 , HB1411 , HB4753 , HB4666 , HB4529 , HB1499 , HB1610 , HB2028 , HB1506 , HB886 , HB3546 , HB796 , HB223 , HB1475 , HB3556 , HB4638 , HCR126 , HB38 , HB 104 , SB1008 , SB1106 , SB1172 , SB2629 , SB2964 , SB616 , HB2214 , SB552 , HB3181 , HB3628 , HB589 , HB3529 , HB3354 , HB333 , HB2914 , HB4130 , HB4131 , HB24 , HB 1160 , HB3962 , HB4115 , HB2295 , HB5398 , HB1407 , HB3800 , HB2613 , HJR138 , HB42 , HJR34 , HB 129 , HB677 , HB426 , HB668 , HB1699 , HB2017 , HB2128 , HB2038 , HB3783 , HB3717 , HB2316 , HB3686 , HB2563 , HB3883 , HB4021 , HB2788 , HB2663 , HB3305 , HB3173 , HB3474 , HB 1105 , HB3531 , HB3490 , HB3597 , HB 1295 , HB3512 , HB3010 , HB3112 , HB4215 , HB3223 , HB3464 , HB3120 , HB4214 , HB4511 , HB3704 , HB4081 , HB4783 , HB4063 , HB2783 , HB4937 , HB5085 , HB2510 , HB3426 , HB4361 , HB 1169 , HB2516 , HB2347 , HB4034 , HB4700 , HB3560 , HB5150 , HB3860 , HB3146 , HB3924 , HB 113 , HB184 , HB198 , HB247 , HB367 , HB449 , HB1778 , HB514 , HB576 , HB632 , HB1395 , HB2225 , HB2582 , HB2494 , HB766 , HB2715 , HB2712 , HB3069 , HB3505 , HB 1269 , HB4224 , HB3609 , HB5032 , HB2240 , HB5180 , HB3348 , HB4668 , HB4909 , HB4665 , HB4895 , HB3395 , HB3157 , HB4762 , HB4395 , HB4325 , HB4952 , HB4386 , HB4273 , HB2760 , HB2697 , HB2820 , HB1828 , HB1768 , HB1579 , HB1773 , HB1871 , HB2035 , HB2448 , HB2492 , HB1411 , HB4753 , HB4666 , HB4529 , HB1499 , HB1610 , HB2028 , HB1506 , HB886 , HB3546 , HB796 , HB223 , HB1475 , HB3556 , HB4638 , HCR98 , HCR92 , HCR126

Keywords: HJR 34, constitutional amendment, Texas Constitution, ad valorem tax, property tax exemption, real property, border counties, U.S.-Mexico border, United Mexican States, border security, border security infrastructure, landowner, county tax base, local government, tax relief, property value increase, infrastructure improvements, voter approval, November 2025 ballot, statutory construction

Transcript Highlights:

• Could we just, you know, we have good engineers; they develop plans.
• It must be submitted by a professional engineer and stamped.
• It better be from a licensed engineer.
• It better be from a licensed engineer.
• </c> that have to affect air emissions that have to affect air emissions there's<02:56:02.880><c> the

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from the Department of Environmental Services on proposed changes in House Bill 2 and related technical changes in House Bill 1 tied to the governor’s permitting realignment initiative. The proposal would move environmental review staff from Fish and Game and DNCR to DES to create a more centralized “one-stop shop” for applicants needing DES permits, especially for wildlife and natural heritage reviews. DES said the goal is to speed permitting, support a 60-day review clock, and improve coordination among agencies while keeping the substantive review work in place. Members asked about staffing impacts, the scope of the transferred duties, and whether the change would create redundancy or weaken the other agencies. DES said most of the affected staff work primarily on these reviews, though Fish and Game staff also handle other state and federal reviews, which is why the proposal was adjusted to keep one of the four Fish and Game positions there and move three to DES, along with two positions from DNCR. DES also described a new supervisory position in HB 2 to manage the transferred staff within its land resources bureau. Officials said the reviews would still be done by specialists, but under DES supervision, and that the agencies would continue to coordinate recommendations on species impacts and mitigation. The committee also discussed fee increases intended to offset costs, including a 50% increase in wetlands fees and a 100% increase in alteration-of-terrain fees, with the department saying the changes would cover the new positions. Members raised concerns about impacts on private homeowners, possible incentives to work without permits, and whether fines should be used more as a revenue source or for mitigation. DES said wetlands permits are roughly split between homeowner-related and commercial projects, that permit-by-notification already creates a two-tier structure for smaller projects, and that enforcement relies partly on public complaints and online permitting systems. The department also said most fines currently go to the general fund and vary widely year to year, with about $75,000 budgeted, and that the proposal would also create permit-by-notification authority for alteration-of-terrain projects between 100,000 and 150,000 square feet, mirroring language in Senate Bill 110. No vote or final committee action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• some way and reported on because I would like to see what's happening in that area as far as the emissions
• These include items such as cutting greenhouse gas emissions, uh, increasing rewable energy use, the
• purchase of electric vehicles and related charging infrastructure to reduce the use of combustion engines

Committee: House Public School Capital Outlay Oversight Task Force

Transcript Highlights:

• thinking about the production model, the current law with possible impacts, energy performance, emissions
• From an engineering, oh, sorry, Woody Rickerson, okay, sorry about that, I just said that.
• The first is that from an engineering standpoint it makes sense for loads to be connected or to be located
• So I think from an engineering perspective from an operations understanding the operation of the grid

Committee: House State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• The farther you are away from your emissions, the more money you're going to spend to transport those
• emissions to the sequestration site.
• You say, because we don't want the emissions of carbon dioxide. This is about money.
• None of you are geologists or chemical engineers. You ever study that, what I have?
• My grandfather was a mud engineer.

Committee: House Natural Resources & Environment

Transcript Highlights:

• its core, this bill is about three things Californians care deeply about: lowering costs, reducing emissions
• That's a significant emissions reduction available today using existing vehicles and... Gasoline.
• That's a significant emissions reduction available today using existing vehicles and infrastructure.
• It expands access to lower-cost fuel, reduces emissions, and strengthens the reliability of our fuel
• AB 2046 would help Californians by allowing them to turn their normal internal combustion engine into

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee met as a subcommittee until quorum was established, then heard several transportation-related bills. AB 1614 would extend existing anti-piggybacking rules to Class 1 bikeways, prohibiting multiple riders on a single bike or e-bike; supporters emphasized rising e-bike injuries and trauma cases, while People for Bikes argued it could create unnecessary barriers and enforcement issues. The committee also heard AB 2193, which would make autonomous vehicle manufacturers responsible for traffic citations when no human driver is present; Teamsters and transit labor supported the bill as an accountability measure, and there was no formal opposition on file. AB 2629 would cap fees charged by DMV business partners for online vehicle registration services at 5% above DMV fees. The sponsor and consumer advocates said the bill would curb spoofed websites and hidden upcharges, while DMV business partners and related companies argued the cap would make the program economically unworkable and reduce service options. Members questioned how the 5% figure was chosen, and the bill advanced on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations after a roll call. The committee also heard AB 2046, which would allow EPA-approved E85 conversion kits in California to expand access to lower-cost, lower-carbon fuel; supporters cited consumer savings and emissions reductions, and the bill passed to Appropriations. Finally, AB 2346 proposed broader e-bike safety rules, including speedometers, lighting, age-based speed limits, local authority to set path limits, and consumer disclosures; supporters framed it as a response to serious injuries and illegal e-motos, while opponents raised concerns about overbreadth, enforcement, and potential profiling. The committee approved AB 2346, sending it to Judiciary, and later completed roll calls showing the consent calendar and the other heard bills advancing out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• its core, this bill is about three things Californians care deeply about: lowering costs, reducing emissions
• its core, this bill is about three things Californians care deeply about, lowering costs, reducing emissions
• That's a significant emissions reduction available today using existing vehicles and infrastructure.
• It expands access to lower-cost fuel, reduces emissions, and strengthens the reliability of our fuel
• AB 2046 would help Californians by allowing them to turn their normal internal combustion engine into

Committee: House Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• It incorporates the Society of Automotive Engineers standard, the nationally recognized framework for
• </c> the Society of Automotive Engineers the Society of Automotive Engineers standard,<00:10:12.520><
• There's a lot of solutions already that exist, and that is engineering safer roads.
• </c><01:54:30.080><c> safer</c> exists and that is engineering safer exists and that is engineering safer
• least one engineer on the committee doing<01:54:33.440><c> that.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• They would have been transformative, reducing emissions for this plant by 99%.
• </c><00:36:02.960><c> economy</c> greenhouse gas emissions economy greenhouse gas emissions economy economywide
• EVs that funds zero-emission vehicles that only the wealthy can afford and supply chain dominated by
• We've become a country of engineers. We've become a country of lawyers.
• Our competitors are countries of engineers.

Bills: HB4553

Keywords: energy, water development, appropriations, fiscal year 2026, flood control, infrastructure