Transcript Highlights:

• This proactive review is critical to ensuring compliance with fire and life safety codes and to prevent
• And the lack of funding jeopardizes continuing services such as public safety services, youth and elderly
• We have high demands from our residents and want to make sure our services such as fire, public safety
• Cities will still have a lot of flexibility and an ability to ensure safety and so forth, but we will
• This, in turn, will make it possible for HJs to increase compliance, ensure greater safety, and obtain

Committee: Senate Local Government

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My team has prepared thoughtful proposals in areas of housing, energy, healthcare, and public safety,
• housing, energy, healthcare,<00:09:49.360><c> and</c><00:09:49.600><c> public</c><00:09:49.839><c> safety
• , and public safety. and we'll share<00:09:51.600><c> some</c><00:09:51.760><c> of</c><00:09:51.920><
• any of these efforts and more like in any of these efforts and more like public<00:15:01.120><c> safety
• ,</c><00:15:02.240><c> emergency</c><00:15:02.720><c> shelters,</c> public safety, emergency shelters

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for critical building systems and equipment, with the ultimate goal of reducing life, health, and safety
• These deficiencies can relate to health, safety, or property damage that could be causing harm or is
• They're taking better care of education, health, and safety for our students and staff.
• We've reduced life and health safety issues over time and increased efficiencies and morale across the
• Our FIMS tools are designed to assist them in understanding their facilities, from life safety systems

Committee: House Public School Capital Outlay Oversight Task Force

Transcript Highlights:

• Safety and its strains are already overloaded courts and jail systems and removes flexibility for the
• Uh, Chairman Heffner, wondering how this legislation might impact public safety efforts tied to domestic
• Golden for your comments and I, I just want us to remember that it's, it should be about public safety
• , right, and safety of human beings and, um, you know, I know that this issue can be really divisive,
• In recent years, check fraud has surged up over 400%, which has significantly impacted the safety and

Transcript Highlights:

• These protections now extend to other government work or contractors working on traffic safety or traffic
• They cannot go outside of these thousands of pages of project manual, specifications, safety manual.
• And the problem with that particular case is the National Transportation Safety Board is looking at the
• Our most important job is that we manage our parks as if we're a safety business that also happens to
• Safety is our passion. And it always will be.

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Transcript Highlights:

• Louis Costa, with the State Safety and Legislative Board of the SMART Transportation Division, in support
• arise for employees entrusted with other critical public functions, such as child welfare, public safety
• because we do have a lot of different types of employees from department head management, public safety
• Every day we put our safety on the line to meet Amazon's unreachable demands and unquenchable thirst
• Scott Brent with SMART, California Safety and Legislative Board, in support. Thank you.

Summary: The committee heard several labor and employment measures. AB 465 would require local public employers, at a union’s request, to negotiate minimum disciplinary and grievance procedures in MOUs, including progressive discipline, just-cause protections, grievance appeal rights, and paid release time for representatives. Supporters, including AFSCME and SEIU, said it would create fairer and more consistent due process protections for local government workers; opponents from county and city groups argued it would impose binding arbitration and rigid discipline rules that could undermine local flexibility and accountability. The bill passed on a 5-0 vote and was re-referred to Appropriations. AB 792 would allow court interpreter bargaining to be consolidated when multiple regions are negotiating at the same time. The author and the California Federation of Interpreters said the change would reduce repeated bargaining, improve efficiency, and help address interpreter recruitment and retention. There was no opposition, but some members questioned whether the proposal would really solve wage and staffing problems; the bill passed 5-0 and was placed on hold. AB 1309, which would improve Cal Fire firefighter compensation by tying salaries more closely to comparable local fire departments, drew strong support from firefighters and no opposition. Members praised Cal Fire’s work and the bill passed 7-0 and was held for add-ons. The committee also approved AJR 8, a resolution urging protection of Social Security and opposing federal cuts or office closures. Supporters said Social Security is essential to seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and children, and warned that reductions would increase poverty and homelessness. One member objected to naming political figures in the resolution, but the measure still passed 7-0 and was held. AB 1247, which would require contracted-out school classified workers to meet the same training and qualification standards as direct hires and address related retirement contributions, passed 5-2 despite opposition from county superintendents and school administrators who said it would add costs and limit contracting flexibility. Finally, AB 288, which would authorize PERB to act when the NLRB fails to remedy labor claims by a deadline, passed 6-0 with strong union support and no opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• committees on the committee<00:21:22.000><c> on</c><00:21:22.159><c> public</c><00:21:22.400><c> safety
• on public safety and military affair.<00:21:23.600><c> Oh,</c><00:21:24.000><c> I'm</c><00:21:24.240
• We're reconvening the committee on public safety and military affairs as well as the committee on energy
• by our friends from the committee on by our friends from the committee on public<00:26:15.840><c> safety
• military affairs and that public safety military affairs and that was<00:26:18.159><c> to</c><00:26:

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Water and Land heard two gubernatorial nominations and one resolution. Governor’s Message 585 nominated Stanley Ruidas to the Game Management Advisory Commission for a term ending June 30, 2028. DLNR supported the nomination, citing his prior service as GMAC chair from 2020 to 2022 and his work on hunting and wildlife management issues. Ruidas said he hoped to continue as chair and focus on bringing meetings to hunters across the islands and advancing island-specific wildlife management plans. The committee later recommended advice and consent on GM585, and the motion passed unanimously. Governor’s Message 550 nominated Alexandra Kelly Polo to the Legacy Land Conservation Commission for a term ending June 30, 2028. DLNR and several supporters, including the County of Hawaii and community advocates, praised her experience with land acquisition, conservation easements, and county open-space efforts. Kelly Polo said her work has helped protect thousands of acres on Hawaii Island and emphasized the importance of preserving natural resources and working with community groups. The committee recommended advice and consent on GM550, and the motion passed unanimously. The committee also considered SCR 19/SR 100, which requested DLNR to convene a Kīua Bay advisory working group. DLNR and the Hawaii Tourism Authority offered written support, and members said the working group could help address long-standing issues in the area. The committee recommended passage with technical and nonsubstantive amendments, and the motion was adopted unanimously. In a separate joint portion of the meeting, the committees also advanced SCR 75/SR 58, supporting historic preservation staffing for Lahaina rebuild efforts, with both technical and substantive amendments, and later advanced STR 24 with an amendment to include the 100th Infantry Battalion alongside the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

Transcript Highlights:

• made me think of one more question then would you consider the same thing for like Styrofoam for safety
• , like safety for animals in our waterways with the little kind of granules when they when they break
• We have an obligation to protect public safety, our environment and are 64 billion dollar tourism based
• We you know, we have issues with workforce and with public safety.
• Any new plant would be built with the most modern technologies and safety guardrails.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Why is this important to me as the chair on the Committee of Public Safety?
• This measure is what sets us apart and helps us to ensure that we protect our social safety net.
• :15.960><c> hear</c><00:54:16.520><c> over</c><00:54:16.760><c> the</c><00:54:16.960><c> last</c> Safety
• what did we hear over the last Safety what did we hear over the last few<00:54:17.440><c> days</c><00
• c> so</c><00:55:06.319><c> in</c><00:55:06.680><c> strong</c><00:55:06.920><c> support</c> social safety

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• programs, peer support training, and innovative resources tailored to the unique needs of the public safety
• Strong collaborations, including UCF Restores, the Second Alarm Project, the Florida Firefighter Safety
• Together, they form the backbone of public safety and emergency response and keep our communities and
• provides tools and resources to build proactive, long-term mental health solutions within public safety
• The Clinician Awareness Program, developed by the Florida Firefighter Safety and Health Collaborative

Committee: Senate Children, Families, and Elder Affairs

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from Dr. Kelly O’Dare on first responder behavioral health access, peer support, and suicide prevention. She described UCF Restores, the Second Alarm Project, and related partnerships that provide culturally competent treatment, peer training, clinician education, disaster response support, and behavioral health navigation. She cited survey and state data showing significant rates of sleep problems, anxiety, depression, substance use, and suicide among Florida first responders, and said evidence-based treatment has helped many patients recover, including a reported 76% who no longer met PTSD diagnostic criteria after treatment. Senators asked about measuring outcomes, peer support standards, and whether the state should create more consistent statewide requirements; O’Dare said peer support training must be specialized, linked to higher levels of care, and supported by sustainable funding and statewide coordination. The committee also heard from a public commenter who supported the work and emphasized the need for adequate resources and peer support infrastructure. The committee then received a Department of Children and Families presentation from Casey Penn on the proposed funding methodology for community-based care lead agencies under HB 7089. Penn explained that the new model is intended to be actuarially based, reimbursement-oriented, and more transparent than prior funding approaches, using historical expenditures, standardized reporting, and two main tiers: Tier 1 for largely fixed administrative and operational costs, and Tier 2 for direct child-serving costs based on per-child-per-month blended rates. He said the model includes a 2% risk corridor for Tier 2, hold-harmless funding in the first year, and optional Tier 3 performance incentives, with an estimated additional state appropriation need after offsets. Senators raised concerns about prevention, historical inequities, reasonableness of costs, administrative overhead, blended state and federal funds, adoption subsidies, high-acuity placements, and disaster-related disruptions. Penn said some of those issues could be addressed in future iterations as the child welfare information system is modernized, and he agreed to provide written responses to committee questions. Representatives of the Florida Coalition for Children and CBCs responded that the model is a major improvement but urged additional safeguards, including an administrative cap, clearer separation of direct and indirect costs, and better treatment of federal and pass-through funds. They argued that the system already has oversight and that deficits reflect insufficient appropriations rather than excess spending, while also noting that higher-acuity children and regional differences can drive costs. No votes were taken on either topic, and the meeting ended with committee staff introductions and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Public safety is funded typically through a city's general fund.
• We have building fund, public safety or safety and whatever funds.
• The safety plan levy, which is up to five mills with majority voter approval.
• The safety plan levy, which is up to five mills with majority voter approval.
• Safety plan and building fund have particular uses.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee met to continue its tax reform and relief study agenda, approved the December 3, 2025 minutes, and announced a new subcommittee to examine property tax statement issues with counties, auditors, and the tax office. Representative Headland was named chair, Senator Rummel vice chair, and Representatives Dressler and Dr. Dr. and Senator Patton were also assigned. The chair noted the group may need an additional meeting and thanked staff and attendees. A major portion of the meeting focused on economic development incentives. The Department of Commerce presented on the Renaissance Zone program and TIF districts, describing Renaissance Zones as locally tailored tools that combine local property tax relief with state income tax incentives. Commerce said the program has supported thousands of projects since 1999 and cited examples from Beach and Mandan showing increases in property and taxable value, business retention, housing, and downtown revitalization. Committee members raised concerns that smaller rural communities often lack the staff and expertise to apply, and Commerce said it provides outreach through conferences, office hours, and one-on-one assistance. League of Cities and local officials from Bismarck and Ellendale echoed the capacity issue, discussed how the programs have worked in their communities, and suggested possible reforms or more targeted support for small towns. Ellendale’s mayor also described two TIF districts, one for industrial infrastructure in Oaks and one for housing infrastructure tied to a data center project in Ellendale. The committee then turned to stripper oil taxation. The Tax Department gave a comparison of oil and gas tax structures in selected states, noting that most have some form of stripper or marginal well provision, while Alaska does not appear to have a specific stripper-well exemption. Members asked for more detail on definitions and North Dakota’s annual adjusted rate. The Department of Mineral Resources followed with a detailed presentation on North Dakota stripper wells, explaining the statutory thresholds, the 12-consecutive-month production test, and the fact that once a well qualifies it remains on stripper status even if production later rises. DMR said about 11,332 stripper wells are active, representing roughly 54% of wells and about 16% of state production, and emphasized that stripper status can extend well life, preserve tax revenue, and reduce orphaned wells. Committee members and industry witnesses discussed refracs, the economics of keeping marginal wells active, and the competitive disadvantage created by North Dakota’s oil price discount. No votes were taken on these informational items.

Transcript Highlights:

• I have food, shelter, clothing, safety, and a sense of belonging, met through programs and mentorship
• Thank you. shelter, clothing, safety, a sense of belonging, met through programs and mentorship.
• They said, if you put this under Public Safety, they cannot do rehabilitation.
• It is not my experience as a sheriff, as the Secretary of Public Safety, or as a woman or as a person
• We started doing this when I was Secretary of Public Safety.

Summary: The Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration met to approve prior minutes and then heard extensive testimony from people incarcerated or formerly incarcerated in county and state facilities, along with a few family/community perspectives. Much of the testimony focused on how county sheriff programs, reentry services, and step-down placements helped people obtain education, treatment, work experience, housing, IDs, and support for sobriety and family reunification. Witnesses from Hampshire, Barnstable, Hampden, and Franklin counties repeatedly described these programs as life-changing and credited staff with treating them with dignity, helping them prepare for release, and connecting them to community resources. Several witnesses contrasted county programming favorably with their experiences in DOC custody, saying DOC facilities often had overcrowding, limited access to programs, long waits, and little individualized reentry planning. Some said their sentence length or classification status made them ineligible for needed programs, while others described county facilities as more responsive and rehabilitative. A few witnesses also highlighted the value of culturally specific programming, educational blocks, restorative justice, and employment training. One witness from Hampden County described All-Exclusive Support Services as pivotal to her recovery and later employment with the sheriff’s office; another from Franklin County said the reentry center’s outside location made it easier to access help after release. Not all testimony was uniformly positive. A witness from Framingham described serious mental health needs that were not adequately addressed, saying she was offered superficial coping tools instead of counseling and that visitation restrictions for family members worsened her mental health. Another witness, a juvenile lifer, said long sentences and classification barriers limited access to meaningful programming and delayed preparation for release. Commissioners asked follow-up questions about DOC programming access, reentry preparation, visitation policies, and whether people were ready to benefit from services. No formal votes or policy actions were taken beyond approving the prior meeting minutes and moving through the testimony agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• We pray for their safety as they fight for the freedom of the Iranian people.
• We pray for their safety as they fight for the freedom of the Iranian people.
• That's what you call public safety.
• HB 2076, school safety employee certification policies. Education.
• Appropriations, transportation, technology, and public safety.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• need to make sure that it's overseen properly and that there's all of the protections for health and safety
• skills so we know importantly safety skills so we know that<00:03:57.200><c> um</c><00:03:57.519><c>
• </c><00:15:38.399><c> standards</c> focused on health and safety standards focused on health and safety
• </c><00:52:49.720><c> is</c> sure first and foremost that safety is sure first and foremost that safety
• We're really trying to get at those core safety needs related to maltreatment.

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee.
• Um candidate fear for their safety.
• </c><02:23:05.120><c> I</c> on the services for their safety. I on the services for their safety.
• </c><02:23:12.880><c> Often</c> who fear for their safety. Often who fear for their safety.
• Keep with professional safety concerns.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Adequate safety data does not exist.
• </c> for their health and safety. for their health and safety.
• </c><00:35:39.040><c> of</c> that promote the health and safety of that promote the health and safety
• Like, who is reviewing safety?
• </c> health and safety of its residents? health and safety of its residents?

Committee: House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's a patient safety issue. It's a life-threatening issue.
• We're concerned that this is going to create patient safety issues in the long run.
• It's a smart way to relieve administrative pressure without compromising safety or quality.
• It's a smart way to relieve administrative pressure without compromising safety or quality.
• Capri Walker, with Californians for Safety and Justice, in support.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee met on April 22 and took up a special order of bills focused largely on prior authorization and utilization management in health care. The chair framed the discussion as part of a broader legislative effort to reduce delays and barriers to care, especially in behavioral health, chronic disease management, cancer treatment, and rehabilitation services. AB 384 by Assembly Member Connolly would prohibit prior authorization for inpatient mental health or substance use emergency admissions and related physician care; supporters said it would prevent dangerous delays in crisis care, while insurers and health plans warned about fraud, abuse, and ambiguity around residential treatment facilities. The bill was moved on a due pass as amended motion and passed the committee on a party-line style vote, with Republicans largely absent or not voting. The committee then heard AB 510 by Assembly Member Addis, which would require health plans, upon request, to provide a peer reviewer of the same or similar specialty when a treating provider appeals a prior authorization denial or modification. Supporters argued that specialty-matched review would make appeals fairer and more clinically informed; opponents said the requirement was too rigid and that timelines and electronic submission rules needed changes. After discussion about the need for timely, specialty-specific review, the bill was approved on a due pass as amended motion and placed on call. AB 539 by Assembly Member Schiavo would extend prior authorization approvals to one year or the duration of the physician’s prescribed treatment for chronic conditions; supporters cited repeated denials and treatment interruptions, while opponents raised concerns about overbreadth, fraud, and the need for shorter validity periods. The bill was also passed as amended and placed on call. The committee next considered AB 669 by Assembly Member Haney, which would bar concurrent and retrospective review for the first 28 days of medically necessary substance use disorder treatment and limit prior authorization for related outpatient medications. The bill was presented with a powerful personal story from Ryan Matlock’s mother about her son’s death after an insurer cut off treatment early; supporters said the measure would keep patients in care long enough to stabilize, while opponents argued it would reduce oversight and could allow lower-quality or non-evidence-based care. The bill was moved on a due pass as amended motion and placed on call. Finally, AB 512 by Assembly Member Harabedian would shorten prior authorization response times to 24 hours for urgent requests and 48 hours for non-urgent requests; supporters said delays can worsen outcomes, while opponents warned the timelines were unrealistic and could increase administrative burdens and safety issues. The bill was approved as amended and placed on call. AB 574 by Assembly Member Mark Gonzalez was then heard; it would allow up to 12 medically necessary physical therapy sessions for a new episode of care without prior authorization, with supporters emphasizing stroke and neurological recovery and opponents warning of reduced oversight and unnecessary care. The transcript ends during testimony on AB 574, before final action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:30:24.399><c> In</c> public health, safety, and welfare.
• In public health, safety, and welfare.
• So building codes would still apply, safety codes would still apply if there were safety concerns.
• Uh apply if there were safety concerns.
• We due to safety and security concerns.

Committee: House Elections Finance and Government Operations

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, if that's the current practice right now and those events are able to afford that safety, great.
• great I I'm I'm full in full that safety great I I'm I'm full in full support<00:19:38.919><c> of</c
• </c><00:26:04.279><c> is</c> make sure that the kids safety is make sure that the kids safety is primary
• Yeah, we're going to do, we affirm that we will be seeking relief for our wildfire safety strategy.
• Yeah, we're going to do, we affirm that we will be seeking relief for our wildfire safety strategy.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several measures, beginning with SB 48 SD2 HD1 relating to combat sports. The Attorney General offered a technical comment on the bill’s effective date, and several testifiers from the combat sports community strongly supported the measure with amendments. They argued that boxing and MMA should be treated separately, that the current regulatory structure has made events too costly and reduced opportunities, and that more local oversight would help revive the sport and give youth a constructive outlet. Committee members questioned whether the bill’s medical staffing requirements would apply to boxing, MMA, or both, and whether the added requirements would increase costs and reduce access. The witness from the combat sports community said amateur boxing is already regulated through USA Boxing, that the DCCA should focus on professional boxing, and that for safety he would support two physicians and one ambulance for boxing and MMA events. The committee then took up SB 117 SD2 HD1 relating to transportation. The Department of Transportation and the Ulon Initiative testified in support, and the bicycling community was listed as supporting as well. Members focused on the bill’s rebate program for electric transportation devices, asking how successful it had been and whether removing the rebate would affect use. DOT said the program began in February 2023 and had issued about 500 rebates totaling roughly $166,000, aimed at helping people without vehicles access transportation options. The department explained that the bill would broaden access and increase the rebate amount, including additional assistance for low-income applicants. Finally, the committee heard SB 897 SD3 HD1 relating to energy and wildfire liability. The Division of Consumer Advocacy, the Public Utilities Commission, the Attorney General, Clearway Energy Group, Ulon Initiative, Kawai K, IBEW Local 1260, and Hawaiian Electric all testified in support, while the Hawaii Association for Justice was listed as opposed but not present. Supporters said the bill would help finance wildfire mitigation and infrastructure improvements through securitization, reduce wildfire risk, and address utility cost and credit concerns. Hawaiian Electric emphasized that the bill is forward-looking, would help protect customers from future wildfire-related cost increases, and requested amendments including a study on a future wildfire recovery fund. In questioning, members pressed Hawaiian Electric on the liability cap, asking whether it would have applied to the Maui wildfires and whether it would cover personal injury or wrongful death; the witness and company counsel clarified that the aggregate cap applies only to qualifying property damage, not personal injury or wrongful death, and said they would follow up on how the cap would calculate in a Maui-type event. Hawaiian Electric also said it would seek financing under the bill if enacted and updated members on settlement funding efforts, including raising the first $550 million in equity and divesting assets to help meet its obligations.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:09:19.959><c> of</c><00:09:20.079><c> our</c> is provide for for the safety of our is provide
• for for the safety of our community<00:09:20.640><c> and</c><00:09:20.800><c> this</c><00:09:20.880>
• to think through—we had heard a bill just yesterday in Public Safety as it turns out from a program
• </c> about this with anybody in public safety about this with anybody in public safety at<00:18:40.200
• </p> <p>And uh, seeing a need, um, uh, we did have a hearing in the Public Safety Committee.

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house