Transcript Highlights:

• Relating to education and general carry forward reporting, FAU underreported their carry forward balance
• The person that balances the checkbooks has no access to the bank itself. a repeat type of thing?
• The person that balances the checkbooks has no access to the bank itself.
• The person that balances the checkbooks has no access to the bank itself.
• I think this is like the checks and balance system, and the buck stops here. So...

Summary: The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee received a presentation from Auditor General staff on recurring findings from audits of district school boards, colleges, and universities. For school districts, the main issues discussed included missing or outdated safe-school officer training documentation, weak purchasing-card controls, vendor banking-change fraud risks, incomplete background screenings and disqualification-list procedures, missing website budget disclosures, excessive or untimely IT access, late deactivation of former employees’ access, missed emergency drill deadlines, inaccurate capital outlay and resiliency education records, weak tangible property inventories, adult education reporting errors, untimely bank reconciliations, and improper use of workforce development funds. The auditors said many of these issues are repeated from prior years and are summarized in their annual report on significant findings and financial trends. For universities and colleges, the auditors highlighted similar control weaknesses, including vendor information change controls, IT access issues, cash and investment reconciliation problems, purchasing and procurement deficiencies, personnel and compensation issues, and student fee compliance concerns. Specific examples included a UF consulting contract totaling about $6 million, FAU underreporting carry-forward balances by about $77 million, UCF’s payment loss of about $107,000 from an email scam tied to vendor changes, and a North Florida College unauthorized transfer involving a few hundred thousand dollars. The committee asked questions about the UF consulting work, the FAU carry-forward issue, and whether the listed findings meant every named entity had every issue; auditors clarified that the lists reflected entities with findings in those categories, not necessarily each specific problem. The committee then turned to enforcement for entities with long-standing uncorrected audit findings. Staff reported 144 entities with 197 findings repeated in three or more successive audit reports and recommended sending letters requesting updated corrective-action status, including for late-filed 2022-2023 reports where appropriate. The committee approved the staff recommendation and directed letters to be sent. The meeting ended with members emphasizing the importance of audit oversight and taxpayer accountability.

Transcript Highlights:

• the general fund if the budget fell out of balance.
• . balance. balance.
• the</c><01:32:15.280><c> overall</c> to balance spend to balance the overall to balance spend to balance
• </c> to return the general fund to balance to return the general fund to balance then<01:32:51.200><c
• </c> bring the budget back into balance. bring the budget back into balance.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And our budget, as it was passed, has a $250 million end fund balance.
• And we could do that because we have a $250 million end fund balance.
• We have the end fund balance to do that.
• It's still a pretty low ending fund balance, but K-12 didn't put us in that ending fund balance.
• The kids didn't put us in that ending fund balance.

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee met in executive session on three bills. For Second Substitute Senate Bill 6182, staff explained it would create an abortion savings program funded by a new assessment on health carriers to support grants for abortion clinical care access. Representative Marshall offered amendments to limit grants to Washington residents, expand eligibility to IVF and fertility providers, prioritize medically underserved areas, and add a 2031 sunset; all were rejected or withdrawn. The committee then voted 18-10 to report the bill out with a do pass recommendation. For Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6260, staff briefed a striking amendment that would reduce savings in K-12 spending by changing local effort assistance and Running Start limits, prioritizing some transition-to-kindergarten funding, and eliminating inflation increases for National Board bonuses. Members debated a series of amendments on bus depreciation, charter school LEA payments, transition-to-kindergarten funding, and Running Start. Some amendments were adopted, including a bus depreciation change and a Running Start adjustment, while others were rejected. The committee then adopted the striker as amended and reported the bill out 17-12 with a due pass recommendation. For Substitute Senate Bill 6355, which would establish the Washington Electric Transmission Authority and related board and advisory structures, members considered amendments on rural land-use expertise, eastern Washington board representation, corridor review standards, tribal workgroup removal, and payments in lieu of taxes for transmission facilities. One amendment was withdrawn and the others were rejected except for a landowner/rural expertise amendment that passed. The committee then reported the bill out 18-11 with a due pass recommendation. At the end of the meeting, members exchanged closing remarks thanking staff and colleagues, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're always doing that balancing act with the Fair Plan, right?
• It's a balancing act, right?
• So, looking ahead, when we look at this kind of balancing act, right, how do we be who we need to be
• And so, again, we're back to that balancing act, right? What can we do?
• Balance this issue out.

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee held an oversight hearing on the California Fair Plan, focusing on its rapid growth, financial stability, rate adequacy, and role in the homeowners insurance market. Committee members described the Fair Plan as increasingly functioning as a “safety net” rather than a true insurer of last resort, while Fair Plan representatives said the plan was created by statute, is privately funded by member insurers, and is now taking on more business because of non-renewals and limited availability in the admitted market. They emphasized that the plan offers residential and commercial coverage, but not a full HO-3 homeowners policy, and said expanding into that product would require major new staffing, vendor, and claims infrastructure. A major topic was pricing and assessments. Fair Plan officials said their rates have historically lagged their projected costs, especially because reinsurance costs were not fully recoverable in rates until recently. They reviewed recent filings, including a 2023 filing that was reduced from an estimated 80% need to a 35.8% request after working with the Department of Insurance. They also discussed the plan’s reinsurance tower, a new catastrophe bond, and the $1 billion assessment triggered by the 2025 Los Angeles fires after losses exceeded available capital. They said AB 226 helped secure a $600 million line of credit to reduce assessment risk, and they thanked lawmakers for supporting that measure. Members raised constituent concerns about coverage limits, underinsurance, and misinformation from agents. Fair Plan officials said they do not deny applicants because their homes exceed the plan’s $3.3 million limit; instead, policyholders can combine Fair Plan coverage with excess insurance. They said broker training and webinars are being expanded to address misunderstandings, and they noted that raising the cap would depend on achieving actuarially sound rates and sufficient financial capacity. Members also asked about smoke claims from the 2025 fires; the Fair Plan said it has paid covered smoke claims under California law, reviewed closed claims, and removed the “sight and smell” language from its policy form after litigation and CDI action. Public commenters from the insurance industry, builders, agriculture, and nonprofit service providers largely urged faster depopulation of the Fair Plan, more adequate rates, and reforms to the clearinghouse process. Some warned that the Fair Plan is now competing with the admitted market because it can be cheaper in some areas, while others said the plan is still essential because the private market is not serving high-risk or specialized properties. The hearing ended without a vote or formal action, but committee members and Fair Plan representatives agreed to continue working on rate, transparency, and depopulation issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that's the balance we should be striving for.
• I believe this bill strikes a very thoughtful balance.
• I think we're striking a very thoughtful balance here.
• And as a colleague from Westfield just stated, it strikes a lot of balances.
• I think actually several colleagues have stated it strikes a lot of balances from constitutionality,

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• we can provide recommendations, whatever this commission sees fit to the legislature on the best balance
• But right now, the system is out of balance.
• I urge this commission to take a close look at this issue and help create a more balanced approach, one
• These are balanced, common-sense changes that maintain consumer protections while addressing...
• We urge a balanced approach, one that recognizes the real value delivered by today's payment systems.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Legislative Commission on the Future of Payments and Sales Transactions by Credit Card and the Impacts for Small Businesses held a public hearing focused on interchange fees, sales tax and tip processing, chargebacks, fraud, surcharging, and the broader future of payment systems. Chair Paul Feeney and co-chair Rep. Jamie Murphy opened by explaining the commission’s charge and inviting testimony from small businesses, industry groups, banks, and policy experts. Representative Sean Garballey testified first, arguing that Massachusetts tourism depends on universal card acceptance and stable interchange, and urging the commission not to disrupt the current system ahead of major events expected to bring millions of visitors to the Commonwealth. A large portion of the hearing featured independent restaurant owners and advocates describing thin margins and the burden of paying percentage-based processing fees on sales tax and tips that are not business revenue. Jen Ziskin, Kristen Canty, Nancy Cushman, Kerry Colzer, and others said restaurants often operate on very small profits and that processing fees on taxes and gratuities can amount to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Ryan Lotz also urged reforms to chargebacks, including refunding chargeback fees when merchants prevail, requiring consumers to contact businesses before disputing charges, and limiting repeat abuse. Commission members pressed witnesses on whether tax and tip amounts could be separated at the point of sale, and several witnesses said current consumer card systems do not transmit that level of detail. Testimony from credit union, banking, and payments representatives largely opposed state-level changes that would carve out taxes or tips from interchange, warning of compliance burdens, higher costs, reduced rewards, and possible effects on fraud protection and access to credit. Alex Verine of America’s Credit Unions and Deb Peters and Keely McEwen of the Electronic Payments Coalition said the payment system is complex, that interchange funds fraud prevention and network infrastructure, and that new state mandates could create operational and legal uncertainty. Dan Swanson argued states have authority to act and pointed to Illinois litigation and federal court rulings, while Julian Morris and Brad Popolado emphasized the benefits of card acceptance, the decline of cash, and the need to consider other payment methods and check fraud as well. Several witnesses discussed international payment systems, instant payments, and QR standards as possible future directions. The chairs and members engaged in extended back-and-forth with witnesses about whether Massachusetts could exempt sales tax from swipe fees, whether surcharging should be revisited, and whether vendor compensation or other targeted relief might be more workable than broad changes to interchange. No votes were taken. At the close of the hearing, the chairs said the commission would hold one additional public hearing date to be determined, after which members would begin developing next steps and a report.

Transcript Highlights:

• and and supporting our communities, all while remaining balanced and fiscally responsible.
• No new taxes, no tax cuts, a balanced budget does not dip into the stabilization or rainy day fund.
• No new taxes, no tax cuts, a balanced budget does not dip into the stabilization or rainy day fund.
• But we know that this Senate Ways and Means budget for FY27 strikes a difficult balance.
• I'm proud to live in Massachusetts. in a balanced and responsible way.

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And balancing the needs of the state. 200 hours, five weeks of attorney time.
• It's balanced against that. And so we have to run that delicate balance every day.
• To run that delicate balance every day.
• We get it from all walks and we balance, you know, we're constantly juggling.
• Applied the balancing test. Public interest is something, right, that is part of that balance.

Keywords: 970, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we've talked about this a lot, making sure we're in balance between the two.
• We have a positive balance on the bottom line projected at this point in 2029. striking that proper balance
• We knew we were out of balance.
• We knew we were out<00:09:43.040><c> of</c><00:09:43.120><c> balance.
• We knew we could still out of balance.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So how do you balance this?
• So how do I balance implementation? Yeah.
• So I will say that it's something, it's a very delicate balance.
• or any fund balance.
• The existing fund balance or any fund balance that's a rollover, the expenditures, which of course is

Summary: The committee first established quorum and then approved several governor’s appointments not required to appear, including Indira Cameron Banks to the Civil Rights Council, Sonar Loma Lee to the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, and two University of California College of the Law, San Francisco Board of Directors appointees, along with reference of bills to two committees and floor acknowledgments. All of those items passed by voice or roll-call votes, mostly unanimously, with the Civil Rights Council appointment approved 3-2. The main portion of the meeting focused on the Air Resources Board appointments of Linda Hopkins and Patricia Lock Dawson. Both nominees emphasized climate action, public engagement, and balancing environmental protection with economic realities. Members questioned them extensively about cap-and-trade/cap-and-invest, leakage and job losses, agricultural impacts, warehouse and truck traffic burdens, emergency vehicle and wildfire evacuation needs, low-carbon fuel standards, gas appliance rules, hydrogen, nuclear energy, and the need for socioeconomic analysis and better communication with affected communities. Public commenters from labor, environmental, local government, and industry groups spoke in support of both nominees. The committee approved Hopkins 4-0 with one member not voting, and Lock Dawson 5-0, sending both nominations to the full Senate. The committee then heard Andrew Rakestraw’s appointment as chair of the Board of Environmental Safety/DTSC oversight board. He described his background in climate and regulatory negotiations and said he would focus on transparency, accountability, fiscal stability, and listening to both regulated entities and disproportionately burdened communities. Senators asked about DTSC reform, the Moss Landing battery fire, community engagement in places like Hinkley/Herupah Valley, fee-setting and the generation-and-handling fee, the Environmental Justice Advisory Council, the Exide cleanup, and the hazardous waste management plan. After supportive public testimony, the committee approved his appointment 3-0, with one member not voting, and sent it to the full Senate for confirmation before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• So how do you balance this?
• So how do I balance implementation? Yeah.
• So I will say that it's something, it's a very delicate balance.
• or any fund balance.
• The existing fund balance or any fund balance that's a rollover, the expenditures, which of course is

Summary: The committee first established quorum and then approved several Governor’s appointments not required to appear, including Indira Cameron Banks to the Civil Rights Council, Sonar Loma Lee to the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, and C. Don Clay and Joshua Pertula to the UC College of the Law, San Francisco Board of Directors. It also approved references to bills in two committees and floor acknowledgments, all by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The main substantive hearing was on the appointments of Linda Hopkins and Patricia Locke Dawson to the Air Resources Board. Both nominees emphasized climate action, public engagement, and balancing environmental protection with economic impacts. Senators pressed them on cap-and-trade, leakage and job loss, agricultural costs, warehouse and truck traffic impacts, emergency vehicle and school bus electrification, hydrogen, nuclear energy, and the need for socioeconomic analysis and better communication with affected communities. Public commenters largely supported both nominees. The committee advanced Hopkins 4-0 and Lock Dawson 5-0 to the full Senate. The committee then heard Andrew Rakestra’s appointment as chair of the Board of Environmental Safety. He described his background in climate diplomacy and regulatory work and said he would focus on transparency, accountability, fiscal stability, and responsiveness to both regulated entities and disproportionately burdened communities. Senators questioned him about DTSC reform, community engagement in places like Moss Landing and the Exide cleanup, the hazardous waste management plan, fee-setting, and the Environmental Justice Advisory Council. After supportive public testimony, the committee approved his nomination to the Senate floor on a 3-0 vote, with two members not voting or abstaining. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• . $90.3 million is the state road fund balances and restricted fund balance, and $590 million is federal
• Our road fund balance increased by $30 million, and the restricted fund balance by $13.2 million.
• Their fund balance for an additional, what is it, $6 million. So yes. All right.
• What did you say the balance will go when they're fully funded FTEs?
• So you'll see if you look at line number 31 in FY26, we added $30 million of fund balance.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These efforts have produced a balanced budget and a stable foundation for the Senate and the state of
• Um, our job is to balance the budget constitutionally for the next two years.
• So we were able to curtail that in a way that we were able to balance it.
• </c><00:21:13.679><c> Uh</c> way that we were able to balance it.
• Uh way that we were able to balance it.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now our balance is $386 million as of yesterday.
• What does that do to the ending trust fund balance?
• </c> What's my new quarter ending balance? What's my new quarter ending balance?
• </c> balance with House Bill 1767 amendment. balance with House Bill 1767 amendment.
• And do the ending trust fund balance?

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the balance is actually what you end up paying.
• </c><00:08:21.280><c> of</c> or electricity, the cost is a balance of or electricity, the cost is a balance
• And the balance is those costs down.
• </c> lot, and the balance is what you pay. lot, and the balance is what you pay.
• ,</c><00:40:14.800><c> says</c> the regional balancing authority, says the regional balancing authority

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> I yield back the balance of my time. I yield back the balance of my time.
• </c> yield back the balance of my time. yield back the balance of my time.
• </c> back the balance of my time. back the balance of my time.
• I reserve the balance of my time. I yield the balance of my time in that case.
• </c> reserve the balance of my time. reserve the balance of my time.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So there is that balance that we need to strike. I do believe there is that balance.
• So the balance that we have to strike is that no kid is the same.
• So there is that balance that we need to strike. I do believe there is that balance.
• And I think there's a balance here.
• We need balance. So I appreciate that.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on youth health, sports, and entertainment access. AB 1626 would require mental health training for youth sports coaches and create a model training for recreational and club coaches; supporters said coaches are often the first adults to notice mental health struggles, and the bill passed 6-0 to the Assembly Education Committee. AB 1884, as amended, would allow school districts that already use athletic drug-testing programs to add nicotine testing, with safeguards limiting disclosure and removing earlier punitive provisions; supporters framed it as a response to youth vaping, while opponents warned it could stigmatize students, discourage participation in extracurriculars, and burden schools. The bill passed 3-2 to the Assembly Education Committee, with some members still expressing reservations but supporting it after amendments. AB 2503 addressed heat guidelines for desert school athletics, seeking flexibility in wet-bulb temperature rules so practices and games would not be pushed so heavily into evening hours. The author and a desert athletic trainer argued current standards do not reflect local acclimatization and create scheduling burdens; the bill passed 5-0 to the Assembly Education Committee. AB 1954, the PAR Act, would require third-party golf reservation platforms to have written authorization from municipal golf course operators before listing or reselling tee times, aimed at stopping inflated resale of public golf reservations. Supporters from city and golf organizations said the bill would protect affordable access to public courses; it passed 5-0 to the Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee. The committee also heard AB 2319, which would create a standalone California post-production tax credit to keep editorial, sound, visual effects, and finishing work in-state even when principal photography occurs elsewhere. Labor and industry witnesses said California is losing post-production jobs to other jurisdictions and urged the bill be amended to include stronger labor standards; the bill passed to the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee. Finally, AB 1720, the California Fans First Act, would cap resale prices for concert and live entertainment tickets at no more than 10% above face value, excluding sporting events and certain season-ticket arrangements. The author argued the bill would curb scalping and make live events more affordable for fans.

Transcript Highlights:

• So with this amendment, what kind of balance in the checks and balances between the three branches of
• So with this amendment, what kind of balance in the checks and balances between the three branches of
• It restores the balance in the force members.
• They're supposed to be checks and balances.
• There's a big balance. There are no checks.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former Lee County Judge John Carlin, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of Officer Cody Popple of the FSU Police Department for his actions during the April campus shooting. The Speaker also outlined the final week of session, noting the chamber had passed 253 House bills and 149 Senate bills to date, with budget negotiations still unresolved and the 2026-27 budget not expected to be completed that week. The special order report was adopted, setting the day’s calendar and debate times. The chamber then took up several Senate bills, mostly technical or open-government sunset review measures, and passed them with little or no opposition: SB 100, SB 104, and SB 102 on Florida statutes; SB 7006, SB 7014, SB 7002, SB 7012, SB 7024, SB 7016, SB 7026, SB 7008, SB 7000, and SB 7004 on public-records or meeting exemptions; and SB 7022 on public records related to exams. Members asked questions on a few of these bills, especially the exam-records bill and the military and gaming-related exemptions, but the measures generally advanced without amendment. Votes ranged from unanimous to modest opposition, with SB 7026 passing 106-3 and SB 7022 passing 101-8. The most substantial debate centered on SB 7040, which recreates the emergency preparedness and response trust fund in the Executive Office of the Governor. Rep. Eskamani offered an amendment to let the fund expire, arguing the money had been misused and that the Legislature should retain control over spending; several members supported her position, while others said the fund is needed for rapid disaster response. A strike-all amendment from Rep. Griffiths was adopted instead, adding accountability provisions and expanding the fund to cover man-made emergencies as well as natural disasters. The bill then passed 82-25. The House also passed CS/CS/SB 302 on coastal resiliency, CS/CS/SB 984 on firefighter cancer benefits, CS/SB 474 on military affairs, and SB 488 on Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles issues, with SB 488 still under amendment debate when the transcript ends.

Transcript Highlights:

• we are discussing today, the 2026 Budget Act, aligns with the governor's May Revision in that it balances
• At the same time, we also leaned in very hard on the compassion aspect of balancing compassion and fiscal
• And even though we have faced just devastating Balancing compassion and fiscal responsibility, and even
• And to have to try to balance long-term issues with short-term, are we closing an emergency room?
• We appreciate the work done to date to reach a final balanced budget agreement.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we balances are in each of these.
• Still a balance of 1.1 to $611 million.
• Those balances are all reserve fund.
• Mackey about some of the balances we had.
• And of the some of the balances we had.

Bills: HB235, HB236, HB565, HB237, HB238, HB239, HB240, HB241, HB242, HB235, HB236, HB565, HB237, HB238, HB239, HB240, HB241, HB242

Keywords: social media, age verification, minors, under 16, children online safety, online privacy, platform regulation, deceptive trade practice, Attorney General, civil penalties, punitive damages, consumer protection, account creation, algorithmic feeds, internet safety, youth social media, HB236, Baldwin County, Board of Equalization, per diem