Transcript Highlights:

• In addition, the bill provides that violating this requirement is an unfair practice in a real estate
• Violating this requirement is an unfair practice in a real estate transaction under the Washington Law
• I practice medicine and public health in Olympia for 33 years.
• housing practice for that constituency.
• housing practice for that constituency.

Bills: SB6091 , SB6096 , SB6153 , SB6200

Committee: Senate Housing

Keywords: SB 6091, Washington real estate, real estate broker, residential property, home listings, exclusive listing, limited marketing, open marketing, fair housing, brokerage law, consumer protection, housing access, MLS, seller disclosure, buyer representation, dual agency, designated broker, managing broker, short sale, real estate pamphlet

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm glad to hear you're working with the building trades.
• Anybody else working with the building trades, you'll get extra points.
• And I'm glad to hear you're working with the building trades.
• Anybody else working with the building trades, you'll get extra points.
• Mark Mullner, California State Building Trades.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to the U.S. trade deficit.
• labor practices.
• Canada is our nation's largest fair-trading partner and Ohio's biggest trading partner.
• Our nation's trade gaps need to Be fixed with far too many unfair penny-wage nations and exploitative
• trade relationships.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• trade practices, classifying travel insurance for purposes of filing rates and forms, and granting rulemaking
• Cloudfelter, did I hear unfair trade practices? And that gets my antenna up.
• There are some practices that are prohibited, but it doesn't use the per se language, as the committee
• Buying, trading cryptocurrency on an exchange and remitting it from there is 1% to 2%.
• I worked at the Illinois Attorney General's Office and I was in private practice as a trial attorney

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on several insurance and consumer protection bills. On engrossed substitute Senate Bill 5928, staff and the Office of the Insurance Commissioner described wildfire risk score and model disclosure requirements for homeowners, including notices when policies are nonrenewed, canceled, or premiums are adversely affected, plus insurer website disclosures about mitigation discounts and rate filing transparency. Supporters, including the OIC, AARP, the mayor of Medical Lake, and a fire chief, said the bill would improve transparency, help homeowners understand and reduce wildfire risk, and protect consumers facing cancellations and rising premiums. Industry witnesses said they supported the goal but warned the bill could add regulatory cost and complexity, and some urged narrower, simpler disclosure language and a delayed implementation date. On engrossed substitute Senate Bill 6031, which would expand the insurance fraud program and create a standalone Class B felony for insurance fraud, the OIC and AARP supported the bill as a tool against organized fraud and restitution for victims. A criminal defense representative raised concerns that the new felony language overlaps with existing misdemeanor insurance fraud law and could create conflicting statutes and harsher penalties for the same conduct. The committee also heard testimony that the bill had already incorporated amendments limiting criminal investigators’ role in regulatory investigations and focusing them on complex schemes. The committee then heard substitute Senate Bill 6248 on travel insurance, described as largely mirroring a House bill already passed by the committee. Testimony from the travel insurance industry said agreed-upon amendments had been incorporated, including changes addressing conflict-of-interest concerns, and urged the bill’s advancement. Finally, the committee heard substitute Senate Bill 6079, which would create the Strengthen Washington Homes grant program to fund wildfire home-hardening and prohibit insurers from using wildfire risk as a disqualifying factor for homes meeting IBHS wildfire-prepared standards. The OIC, fire commissioners, AARP, and the prime sponsor supported the bill as a way to reduce nonrenewals and improve insurability, while insurers opposed Section 7, arguing it could interfere with underwriting and should be removed if the bill is to remain a grant program. The committee also began hearing engrossed Senate Bill 5280 on virtual currency kiosks, with staff and the Department of Financial Institutions describing daily transaction caps, fee limits, disclosures, and receipts to curb fraud; consumer protection and law enforcement witnesses supported the bill, while industry witnesses raised concerns about burdens on compliant businesses and passive retail hosts.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I know some of the other trade groups are working with labor as well.
• And I'm glad to hear you're working with the building trades.
• Anybody else working with the building trades, you'll get extra points.
• Mark Mullner, California State Building Trades.
• Mark Mullner, California State Building Trades.

Summary: The Senate Select Committee on Hydrogen Energy held an informational hearing on California’s hydrogen leadership, with the chair framing hydrogen as a complementary clean-energy pathway for hard-to-electrify sectors such as heavy-duty trucking, transit, rail, ports, industrial uses, and backup power. The first panel of private-sector witnesses from the California Hydrogen Business Council, Bosch, Hyundai, and Sierra Northern Railway described existing deployments in California, including hydrogen buses, trucks, fueling infrastructure, and the nation’s first hydrogen fuel cell switcher locomotive. They emphasized that the technology is commercially ready but scaling is constrained by permitting delays, high fuel and equipment costs, infrastructure gaps, and uncertainty around federal support and incentives. Witnesses urged stable state policy, targeted investment, and concentrated deployment in high-impact corridors such as ports and freight hubs. Committee members also asked about labor standards, community engagement, and the current size of the hydrogen vehicle fleet in California and abroad. The second panel focused on air quality, climate, safety, and public health. Testimony from CAPCOA, the Coalition for Clean Air, the California State Building and Construction Trades Council, and a UC Berkeley researcher argued that hydrogen fuel cells can reduce diesel-related pollution and health harms when used in the right applications, especially in ports, rail yards, warehouse corridors, transit depots, and backup power for facilities like data centers. Witnesses cautioned that hydrogen should be used selectively, produced as cleanly as possible, and paired with early community engagement, safety planning, and environmental justice protections. The researcher cited projected reductions in NOx, particulate exposure, premature deaths, and health costs under broader hydrogen adoption. Committee members discussed workforce training, apprenticeship programs, and how to balance near-term costs with long-term infrastructure value. The final panel provided public-sector updates from SamTrans, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, the Port of Long Beach, and First Public Hydrogen Authority. SamTrans described its transition to a large hydrogen bus fleet and said the loss of expected ARCHES funding created a major infrastructure gap; it asked the state to protect transit funding, restore a sales tax exemption for zero-emission buses, and address axle-weight rules. GoBiz said the state should focus on creating demand, reducing costs, and streamlining permitting, while acknowledging the disruption caused by the federal cancellation of ARCHES funding. The Port of Long Beach reported hydrogen truck deployments, port incentives, and a planned public fueling station, but said high costs, fuel shortages, and uncertainty have slowed momentum. First Public Hydrogen Authority described efforts to aggregate municipal demand and support new green hydrogen production projects, stressing the need for long-term market signals and financing. Committee members repeatedly emphasized the need for state support, infrastructure investment, and a diversified fuel strategy to keep hydrogen deployment moving forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are grateful, ineffective practice.
• In practice, surrogacy creates a baby.
• </c><01:18:32.400><c> companies</c> multi-billion dollar trading companies multi-billion dollar trading
• </c> and again these platforms have trading and again these platforms have trading arms<01:25:45.520>
• trading we're offering trading it's only trading we're offering trading in<01:27:17.760><c> all</c><01

Bills: HF1758 , HF4437 , HF4353

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: infertility, health insurance, fertility preservation, medical assistance, MinnesotaCare, prediction markets, sports betting, online wagering, event contracts, election betting, political betting, sportsbook, gambling regulation, lawful gambling license, Gambling Control Board, unauthorized gaming, esports betting, financial technology, payment processor, advertising restrictions

Transcript Highlights:

• has made significant strides in the areas of modernizing its data systems, streamlining licensing practices
• has made significant strides in the areas of modernizing its data systems, streamlining licensing practices
• So that is, to me, very unfair practice.
• So that is, to me, very unfair practice.
• So that is also very unfair to those already well-established.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• trade practices, classifying travel insurance for purposes of filing rates and forms, and granting rulemaking
• Cloudfelter, did I hear unfair trade practices, and that gets my antenna up.
• There are some practices that are prohibited, but it doesn't use the per se language, as the committee
• Buying, trading cryptocurrency on an exchange and remitting it from there is 1% to 2%.
• I worked at the Illinois Attorney General's Office, and I was in private practice as a trial attorney

Bills: SB6178 , SB5831

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Business

Keywords: SB6178, property insurance, insurance claims, assignment of benefits, AOB, post-loss assignment, post-loss benefits, homeowners insurance, policyholder, insured, restoration contractor, mitigation contractor, public adjuster, insurance commissioner, claims handling, consumer protection, void and unenforceable, Washington insurance code, chapter 48 RCW, civil penalty

Transcript Highlights:

• , laws like the Information Practices Act of 1977 and many other privacy laws, and dozens of cases that
• Surveillance capitalism is fueling unfair practices in the marketplace and the workplace.
• And then, of course, the Federal Trade Commission, and here in California, we get complaints.
• and deceptive, manipulative practices.
• Consumers against unfair and deceptive, manipulative practices.

Committee: House Privacy and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you had a company that had a million shares... and it was trading at $50 a share, your capital,
• She has a customer that wants. to purchase that stock, and so the trade is executed.
• So the exchange is actually making 50 cents on the trade not $3. And that's what this is about.
• If you'd like to yes including prohibiting unfair or deceptive trade practices requiring sales persons
• We're the trade association for the 72 municipally owned electric utilities.

Bills: SB264 , SB542 , SB924 , SB1008 , SB1029 , SB1036 , SB1057 , SB1058 , SB1185 , SB1202 , SB1358 , SB1364 , SB1376 , SB1569 , SB1664 , SB1697 , SJR50

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: SB 264, Texas Workers' Compensation Act, group self-insurance, self-insured groups, workers' compensation, Texas Department of Insurance, commissioner of insurance, certificate of approval, guaranty fund, trust fund, wind down, dissolution, labor code, insurance regulation, employer coverage, risk pool, business and commerce, trade workforce economic development, property owners' association, water conservation

Transcript Highlights:

• Through this legislation, we would create safe and responsible happy hour practices.
• The labeling for some of these products oftentimes includes the retailer's trade name, but certainly
• laws and rules and may be prohibited from engaging in preferential practices.
• So that would be the trade dress, name, not being an attorney.
• House 407, an act regulating the practice of veterinary technicians, that's redrafted.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure held a hearing on alcohol licensing, sales, and consumption issues affecting bars, restaurants, package stores, and local communities. The chair outlined hybrid hearing procedures, including three-minute testimony limits and instructions for written testimony. The committee heard a local bill for Milford, H. 4169, authorizing an additional off-premises all-alcohol license for Charlie’s Mini Mart, with the understanding that the existing wine and malt license would be surrendered if the new license is granted. A major topic was the long-running debate over happy hour. The Massachusetts Restaurant Association opposed bills such as S. 217, H. 349, and H. 443, arguing that discounted alcohol would intensify competition, create pressure on restaurants to participate, and potentially raise liquor liability and insurance costs. In contrast, Senator Julian Cyr testified in support of repealing the happy hour ban through a local-option framework, saying the bill includes safeguards such as no discounts after 10 p.m., fixed pricing during promotions, and advance posting requirements, and that it could help downtowns and seasonal businesses without creating a public health risk. The Massachusetts Package Stores Association testified on a broad package of bills, opposing measures to reinstate happy hour, allow supplier control over retail shelf space (H. 350), impose a transfer fee on licenses (H. 351), authorize alcohol coupons or discounts (H. 381 and S. 219), and permit Thanksgiving alcohol sales (H. 428). It supported bills requiring beverage alcohol training for off-premise licensees (H. 344), restricting self-checkout for alcohol (H. 366), changing Section 15 grocery-store license rules (S. 213), and several other regulatory changes. The Distilled Spirits Council supported H. 350 on private label spirits, while acknowledging concerns about disclosure and preferential treatment; package store witnesses defended private labels as lawful products they create with manufacturers, and the council argued the bill should address consumer confusion and unfair competitive advantages. The hearing concluded with Chair Chan announcing committee poll results on other bills, including a number of favorable reports and study orders, and the committee then voted to close the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• , laws like the Information Practices Act of 1977 and many other privacy laws, and dozens of cases that
• You can really take action now to see the opportunities and to really make those rights real in practice
• Surveillance capitalism is fueling unfair practices in the marketplace and the workplace.
• And then, of course, the Federal Trade Commission and here in California, we get complaints.
• , deceptive, and manipulative practices.

Summary: The Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee held an informational hearing on California privacy in the age of mass surveillance, with members framing the issue as urgent in light of AI, data brokers, workplace monitoring, and government access to commercially collected data. Opening remarks emphasized California’s long-standing privacy tradition and concern for impacts on Latino, immigrant, LGBTQ+, and other vulnerable communities. The committee heard from experts from UC Law San Francisco, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UC Davis, and a worker-organizer from Amazon, followed by a journalist from 404 Media. Nicole Ozer reviewed the history of California’s constitutional right to privacy, tracing it to the 1972 ballot measure and arguing that lawmakers should use that right more fully to operationalize stronger protections against surveillance. Deirdre Mulligan described how surveillance capitalism has expanded through physical-world instrumentation, biometrics, connected devices, and AI, and argued that notice-and-consent models are inadequate because people cannot meaningfully understand or control how data is collected, inferred, shared, and used. Ari Waldman focused on disparate harms to marginalized communities, including queer people, survivors of domestic violence, and people seeking reproductive care, and called for stronger regulation, limits on data collection and sharing, and greater accountability for companies and government access to data. Josh Black testified about Amazon’s workplace surveillance, including handheld devices, time-off-task monitoring, hidden cameras, and driver-facing AI cameras, saying the system pressures workers to skip breaks, rush safety training, and discourages organizing. He said the surveillance is used to increase productivity and suppress union activity. Committee members asked about data retention, injury reporting, cash as a privacy-protective payment option, and whether workers truly consent to surveillance as a condition of employment. Jason Kebler described how police departments adopt commercial surveillance tools through pilot programs and vendor relationships, often without public debate, citing license plate readers and networked camera systems that can spread data across jurisdictions. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational and ended with discussion of the need for clearer definitions, stronger enforcement, and continued legislative action.

Transcript Highlights:

• But when they personally perform a health care service within the CRNA's lawful scope of practice, the
• In short, this is a reimbursement fairness and network access bill for CRNAs practicing within the scope
• trade practices and consumer protection law, to provide reporting when a prescription drug price increases
• trade practices and consumer protection law, to provide reporting when a prescription drug price increases
• It is considered to be trade secret and confidential and proprietary information that is not subject

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We've seen the letters from the building trades.
• You're not subject to the cap-and-trade program.
• emissions intensive trade exposed sectors here. Right.
• CARB's proposed update to cap and trade is too weak.
• Mike Monaghan, on behalf of State Building Trades.

Committee: House Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies

Summary: The Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policy heard an overview from CARB on proposed amendments to California’s Cap-and-Invest program, which was reauthorized through 2045 by AB 1207 and SB 840. CARB said the draft rules are intended to preserve affordability, market certainty, and progress toward the state’s 2030 and 2045 climate targets. The agency described the program’s main features, including the declining emissions cap, utility and industrial allowance allocations, offset changes, the allowance price containment reserve, and new reporting and oversight requirements. CARB also said the rulemaking is on a public comment timeline, with board consideration planned for late May and an effective date targeted for September 1, 2026. Committee members focused heavily on electricity affordability, the planned shift of free allowances from natural gas utilities to electric utilities, and whether the proposal would raise rates for investor-owned and publicly owned utilities. CARB said the proposal is meant to protect ratepayers from compliance costs and that the utility allocation is based on updated data showing utilities are greener than before, but members and utility representatives argued the transition should happen faster and that the current draft could reduce expected revenues and disrupt long-term planning. Members also pressed CARB on carbon capture and sequestration, asking that the regulations clearly recognize it as a compliance pathway, and on whether the SB 905 rulemaking for carbon capture should move forward on schedule. A second major topic was industrial allocations, especially for refiners and other sectors at risk of leakage. CARB said it is keeping all industries at high leakage risk through 2030, maintaining the current cap-adjustment approach, and leaving room for additional comments and data on whether refiners need more allowances to avoid economic leakage and preserve in-state refining. Members also questioned how imported gasoline is treated, and CARB explained that transportation fuel is regulated at the rack and through the low-carbon fuel standard, while cap-and-invest covers in-state tailpipe and smokestack emissions rather than full life-cycle emissions. CARB said it is open to using additional data, including SB 253 reporting, to improve fuel carbon-intensity estimates. The panel of outside experts largely agreed that the program must balance affordability, ambition, and leakage concerns, but they differed on how much allowance value should go to utilities, industry, and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. The Legislative Analyst’s Office emphasized that the Legislature should scrutinize CARB’s allocation choices now because they will be hard to change later. An IEMAC representative said the proposal appears to shift more allowance value to industry and utilities, which could reduce GGRF revenues, while EDF argued the cap could be tightened further in the near term without triggering price containment. SCAPA, representing publicly owned utilities, warned that the proposal would reduce utility allowances and could raise costs for ratepayers and undermine early decarbonization investments. No votes were taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• They've been students; they're all seniors, and they've either going to go off to some trade schools,
• They've been students; they're all seniors, and they've either going to go off to some trade schools,
• It's unfair for us to carry that burden.
• It's unfair for us to carry that burden.
• I believe it's a practical solution that Arizona can implement now, and I urge your support.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think that a big we have a situation, quite frankly, we're becomes unfair for an individual who
• I might give you an example on on hiring practices, but that's not my my only concern.
• I should have the right is a business owner to decide what practices I intend to implement in my own
• And this was normal practice where women included no were promotions.
• It's unfair. It's not smart. It's not using our best resources.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If some CCRC commits something that is a pattern and practice of engaging in unfair and deceptive practices
• John, the two bullet points there: one, deceptive or unfair business practices; and the second one, resident
• It tends to be a pattern or practice. That doesn't mean we don't have the authority.
• in the Commonwealth that's unfair, deceptive.
• So Charge 5 was on advertising practices.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission met to review its draft final report on continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), with most of the discussion focused on whether recommendations required unanimous consensus and how to handle disagreements in the report. Members agreed that consensus meant no stated opposition, and several participants argued that unresolved issues should still be described in the report rather than omitted. The chairs said the report would include agreed-upon recommendations, note areas without consensus, and preserve written comments or dissent letters submitted by members. The draft report’s findings and slides were reviewed charge by charge, including CCRC definitions, financial condition, entrance fee refunds, regulatory oversight, advertising practices, and closure/change-of-ownership procedures. Members suggested several factual and wording edits, including clarifying financial data sources, correcting a presenter’s name, refining language about entrance fee use and refund timing, and revising statements about Attorney General authority and CCRC advertising. There was also discussion about the need to distinguish nonprofit and for-profit CCRCs and to better explain how different care levels and licensing structures are described. On recommendations, the commission kept the proposal to advance the disclosure bill (S. 478) and update the consumer guide, but removed a recommendation for annual open board meetings after objections that it was inadequate. The group spent considerable time debating whether to recommend resident representation on CCRC boards, timely refund requirements for entrance fees, and possible state registration or definition changes for CCRCs, but no consensus was reached on those items. The chairs said the final report would be completed by the statutory August 1 deadline, with final written comments due before then and the report and meeting materials posted on the legislature website.

Transcript Highlights:

• Oncology care is a very evidence-based practice.
• We don't think it's the practice of medicine to us.
• I don't think that's, as a practical matter, really an issue, though.
• It's, as a practical matter, going to have an impact here.
• I see it all the time and feel it's unfair, so I appreciate you bringing it. Thank you.

Bills: HB712 , HB722 , HB946 , HB1687 , HB1809 , HB1899 , HB2528 , HB2583 , HB2741 , HB2750 , HB3021 , HB3150 , HB3265 , HB3658 , HB3812 , HB3960 , HB4392 , HB4432

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: prostate cancer, health benefit plans, insurance coverage, cost sharing, preventive health care, auto insurance, total loss evaluation, disclosure, insurance materials, vehicle appraisal, HB 946, Texas Insurance Code, automobile insurance claims, oral release, written release, settlement agreement, claim release, property damage, bodily injury, psychological injury

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> to um get together with uh uh a trade to um get together with uh uh a trade with<00:43:57.920><c
• </c> that you know that that trade that you know that that trade relationship<00:44:08.880><c> has</c
• </c><00:44:21.400><c> trade</c> um these are friendly trade trade um these are friendly trade trade partners
• </c> pull um to um get uh you know trade pull um to um get uh you know trade Partners<00:45:15.440><c
• It’s unfair, and it’s unjust.

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's creating a huge discrimination practice for the insurance companies.
• For example, the attorney that owns a law practice in the city of Brockton is a workaholic and works
• This is unfair, and this is different premiums just because of the neighborhoods where they live.
• This is unfair. And this bill, S. 820, is a moderate, common-sense reform.
• It'll help consumers reduce costs and reduce unfair bias.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Financial Services

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a public hearing on a wide range of auto insurance and vehicle-related bills. Testimony focused heavily on autonomous vehicle regulation, auto insurance rating by ZIP code, rental car liability coverage, and surcharge thresholds for minor accidents. Representative Polito supported a bill to regulate autonomous vehicle testing and deployment, arguing for school-zone restrictions, slower speeds, a remote kill switch, and minimum insurance requirements to protect the public. Representative Mendez and Senator Payano testified for legislation to reduce racial and socioeconomic inequities in auto insurance pricing by limiting the weight insurers may place on territorial loss costs, while the Mass Insurance Federation and Consumer Federation of America offered opposing and supporting views, respectively, on the fairness and actuarial impact of geographic rating. The committee also heard support for a bill to remove inspection-sticker violations from license-point calculations, and for a bill to raise the damage threshold for insurance surcharges and minor/major accident classifications. A substantial portion of the hearing addressed House Bill 1301 on rental car liability. Enterprise Mobility, the American Car Rental Association, and a small Massachusetts rental company supported the bill, saying personal auto insurers should be primary when their insureds drive rental cars, that Massachusetts is an outlier compared with most other states, and that the change would reduce costs and simplify claims handling. The Mass Insurance Federation opposed the bill, arguing that current Massachusetts law already clearly makes the vehicle owner’s policy primary and that shifting liability would raise costs for private-passenger policyholders. Committee members asked detailed questions about how rental coverage works, whether premiums or rental rates would change, and how other states handle the issue. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to adjust surcharge rules for at-fault accidents, with sponsors arguing that repair costs and vehicle values have risen sharply and that the current thresholds are outdated. Members discussed how the point system affects drivers, whether the proposal should apply cumulatively or per incident, and how Carfax and out-of-pocket repairs factor into consumer costs. At the end of the hearing, the chair noted written testimony could still be submitted and, during a brief personal privilege, recorded support for two underinsurance bills, H. 1109 and S. 748. The committee then moved and seconded a motion to adjourn, and the hearing ended without any votes on the bills themselves.