Transcript Highlights:

• That's House Bill 1765 by Representative Howitt and House Bill 1646 filed by Chairman Day.
• House Bill 1646, filed by Chairman Day.
• Some have been threatened with defamation lawsuits for filing Title IX complaints.
• Some have been threatened with defamation lawsuits for filing Title IX complaints.
• We have seen perpetrators file defamation claims, even from prison.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on the Judiciary

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on bills in the Civil Actions 2 and Court Administration areas, with testimony spanning judicial security, judicial compensation, civil process fees, bar advocate compensation, interstate discovery, defamation protections for sexual assault survivors, and related criminal procedure changes. Chairs Edwards and Day opened with housekeeping rules on testimony limits and written submissions, then called witnesses on each bill in turn. On H. 1766, judicial officers and the Massachusetts Bar Association strongly supported a judicial security bill that would protect judges’ personal information, citing threats, online harassment, swatting, and violence against judges and their families. On H. 1819, judges and the Massachusetts Judges Conference asked for higher compensation, saying Massachusetts judges rank low nationally after cost-of-living adjustment and that pay affects recruitment and retention. The committee also heard support for H. 1582/S. 1183 to raise civil process service fees, with sheriffs saying the fees have been unchanged since 2003 and are needed to cover rising costs, safety equipment, and operations funded by those fees. The committee heard from prosecutors on H. 1604 and H. 1846, which would give district courts concurrent jurisdiction over certain school-threat and leaving-the-scene offenses, allowing prosecutors to handle less serious or panic-driven cases more efficiently while preserving mandatory penalties. CPCS and bar advocates supported H. 1876 on bar advocate compensation, describing a continuing shortage and crisis in indigent defense despite recent pay increases and staffing investments. The Boston Bar Association supported H. 1857, a Massachusetts version of the Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act, saying it would simplify out-of-state discovery and reduce cost and delay. A large portion of the hearing focused on H. 1974/S. 1143, which would protect survivors of sexual assault and harassment from retaliatory defamation suits unless the plaintiff proves actual malice, and would allow fee shifting and damages against abusive suits. Survivors, advocates, and attorneys described threats, legal costs, and chilling effects that silence reporting, while supporters said the bill would protect truthful speech and improve access to counsel. The committee also heard insurance-industry testimony on S. 1101, which would change personal injury protection payment rules to require insurers to tender disputed amounts within 30 days to avoid attorney’s fees; insurers said the bill would curb a growing volume of provider lawsuits and reduce abuse of the no-fault system. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair closed after all scheduled testimony was complete.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, in your packet you're going to find a comparison of the formal proposals that have Senate file
• </c> Senate file Senate file 599<00:02:17.920><c> um</c><00:02:18.400><c> and</c><00:02:18.840><c> uh
• So the summary of what took place is there was a complaint that was filed.
• They went over all of those files.
• We filed one last week in a homicide case, and there were 27 officers.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• were being filed on a daily basis regarding PAGA cases.
• These 10 attorney firms are filing cases, 90% of the cases filed in the state of California.
• These are all the PAGA cases just filed this year.
• These 10 attorney firms are filing cases, 90% of the cases filed in the state of California.
• These are all the PAGA cases just filed this year.

Committee: Senate Rules

Summary: The Senate Rules Committee approved several governor’s appointments not required to appear, including Frank Damrow Jr. to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board, Michelle Eddger to the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, and David Galavis to the State Park and Recreation Commission, each by 4-0 vote. The committee also approved a rule waiver to allow SB 1447 (health) to be heard after the policy committee deadline, and took up floor acknowledgments before moving to appointments requiring testimony. The committee then heard from Clint Kellam, nominee to lead the Department of Cannabis Control. Members focused heavily on cannabis labeling, youth protection, attractive-to-children packaging, the SB 540 educational pamphlet, and the department’s efforts to steer consumers from illicit to legal products. Kellam said the department’s role is not to promote increased consumption but to move existing consumption into the regulated market, and he described enforcement against illicit cultivation and retail, consumer education efforts, and a possible AI tool to help licensees review packaging. He also said the department would consider tighter packaging rules, including one-serving packaging, but emphasized the need for research and legislative collaboration. The committee voted 4-0 to advance his appointment to the full Senate. The committee next heard from Jennifer Osborne, nominee to direct the Department of Industrial Relations. Questions centered on DIR’s handling of Cal/OSHA audit findings, labor commissioner backlogs, PAGA enforcement, staffing shortages, IT modernization, and how her administrative background would help address those issues. Osborne said DIR is working on revised Cal/OSHA policies and procedures, additional staffing and intake changes, new IT systems, and possible use of outside administrative law judges to reduce delays. She also clarified that the Civil Rights Department is not under DIR, but said she would follow up on concerns raised. Public commenters from employer groups, labor, and industry largely supported her nomination, and the committee approved her appointment 4-0 to move to the full Senate for confirmation.

Transcript Highlights:

• File item 23, AB 2, by Assemblymember Lowenthal. The clerk will read.
• File item 28. AB 562 by Assemblymember Solache. The clerk will read.
• This small fix will eliminate redundant filings and unnecessary fees.
• File item 77, AB 446 by Assemblymember Ward. The clerk will read.
• File item 97, AB 1246 by Assemblymember. Hoover, the clerk will read.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If the carrier doesn't file a dispute within a particular period of time, then they automatically are
• I wanted to thank Representative Gamas for introducing and filing this bill.
• I thank you very much for filing this bill.
• Previously, for many years, if somebody filed an accident report and filed a workers' comp claim and
• I filed the case. I begged the EEOC.

Committee: House S/C on Workforce

Summary: The subcommittee heard testimony on a broad agenda of workforce, labor, and workers’ compensation bills. HB 4676 would require political subdivision workers’ compensation networks to follow the same notice, access, and complaint rules as certified TDI networks; supporters said public employees and first responders deserve equal access to care, while municipal risk pool representatives opposed added regulation and said existing 504 networks already perform well. HB 4479 would create a rural workforce development grant program at TWC to support college-and-career readiness and local workforce alignment, and HB 3844 would define “opportunity youth” in state law to improve data, coordination, and access to services for disconnected young Texans; both drew strong support from rural, education, and chamber witnesses. HB 5545 would clarify federal tax treatment for wage-replacement benefits in non-subscriber injury benefit plans, with proponents calling it a win for employers and injured workers. HB 5118 would direct TWC and DIR to study AI and automated employment decision tools in hiring, including bias and oversight concerns. HB 1667 would move existing PTSD workers’ compensation language into a broader Labor Code chapter so more first responders, including state and campus officers, could qualify for benefits; supporters called it a technical fix to extend coverage more evenly across agencies. The committee also heard several first-responder and workers’ compensation bills. HB 2369 would speed up claims handling for injured first responders by allowing a single medical evaluation, giving carriers 60 days to accept or deny a claim, and letting workers seek treatment while disputes proceed; law enforcement supporters said it would help injured officers return to work faster, while opponents warned it would revive extent-of-injury waiver problems and increase litigation. HB 4483 would reclassify certain workers’ compensation maintenance taxes as surcharges to reduce retaliatory taxes imposed by other states on Texas-domiciled carriers, and HB 875, as revised by committee substitute, would create a small-project exception to municipal workers’ compensation and bonding requirements for certain low-value construction contracts in small cities; both were presented as cost-saving measures for Texas employers and local governments. HB 4415 would extend anti-retaliation protections for workers’ compensation claimants from first responders to all public employees and expressly waive sovereign immunity for those claims, with supporters describing it as closing a loophole that leaves public workers without the same remedy available in the private sector. The committee also took testimony on HB 5400, which would expand remedies for sexual harassment victims by removing the requirement to first file an administrative charge, extending the filing deadline from 300 days to two years, clarifying retaliation, and eliminating current damages caps. Supporters, including employment lawyers and a parent of a victim, said the current deadlines and caps prevent many survivors from obtaining counsel or full relief, especially younger workers and those in small workplaces or franchises. Across the agenda, witnesses repeatedly emphasized access to care, fair treatment for injured workers, rural workforce development, and stronger protections for vulnerable employees. After each bill was laid out and testimony heard, the chair generally closed the public hearing and left the bill pending; no final votes were taken, and the subcommittee adjourned after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have one late-filed amendment.
• Let's take up one late-filed amendment, unless there's objection.
• Let's take up one late-filed amendment, unless there's objection.
• Next, unless there is objection, let's take up late-file... Repeat.
• Well, let's take a late-filed amendment unless there is objection.

Committee: Senate Fiscal Policy

Summary: The Committee on Fiscal Policy met and considered a wide range of bills, including early learning and special needs funding (SB 1102), Israel bond investment authority (SB 1674), Parkinson’s disease research at USF (SB 1800), mental health and substance use disorder reforms (SB 1620), veterans nursing home beds (SB 788), securities regulation updates (SB 988), labor pool regulation (SB 1672), Alzheimer’s awareness (SB 398), educator preparation (SB 1590), student mental health reporting (SB 1310), specialty license plates (SB 824), financial institutions and IOTA-related issues (SB 1612), transportation facility designations (SB 1408), utility worker protections (SB 1386), DNA testing grants (SB 1072), the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys (SB 364), housing support for former foster youth and homeless students (SB 584), sex offender registration changes (SB 1654), migrant vessel disposal (SB 830), commuter rail indemnification (SB 916), juvenile justice revisions (SB 1344), aggravating factors in capital cases (SB 984), and a criminal offender substance abuse pilot program (SB 1140). Most bills were explained by sponsors, often with supportive testimony from affected agencies, advocacy groups, or industry representatives, and several were amended before final action. The committee adopted amendments on many measures, including clarifications and effective-date changes for SB 1102; technical changes to SB 1620 implementing mental health commission recommendations; a delete-all amendment for SB 1620; an amendment to SB 988; a consumer-disclosure amendment on SB 1612; and multiple amendments to SB 1408, SB 364, SB 584, SB 1654, and SB 1344. SB 1672 on the Labor Pool Act drew extensive public testimony in opposition from worker advocates, who argued repeal would weaken protections for temp workers and formerly incarcerated workers, and the bill was temporarily postponed to a later meeting without a vote. Several bills received notable testimony in support, including SB 584, where former foster youth described housing instability and the importance of campus housing and federal voucher coordination; SB 1386, which was backed by utility and industry groups seeking stronger penalties for assaults on utility workers; and SB 984, which drew opposition from the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops over expansion of death penalty aggravators. The committee also heard support and opposition on SB 1612 regarding IOTA interest rates and legal aid funding, with bankers and civil legal aid representatives disputing the proper rate structure and whether the bill conflicted with Florida Bar rules. At the end of the meeting, the committee reported all voted-on bills favorably, including SB 1102, SB 1674, SB 1800, SB 1620, SB 788, SB 988, SB 398, SB 1590, SB 1310, SB 824, SB 1612, SB 1408, SB 1386, SB 1072, SB 364, SB 584, SB 1654, SB 830, SB 916, SB 1344, SB 984, and SB 1140. Members also requested to be recorded on various bills, and the committee adjourned after noting one remaining meeting would be lengthy.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> on Senate File on Senate File 1480,<00:10:46.079><c> road</c><00:10:46.399><c> user</c><00:10:46.800
• We are speaking today against Senate File 1480.
• <00:32:46.559><c> 966</c> File 966 File 966 uh<00:32:48.880><c> electric</c><00:32:49.279><c> vehicle
• </c> included in Senate File 2092. included in Senate File 2092.
• </c><00:57:04.640><c> Senator</c> the next bill, Senate File 2092.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• file file 973<00:12:12.800><c> be</c><00:12:13.079><c> laid</c><00:12:13.399><c> over</c><00:12:13.680
• House File 973.
• </c> testify to support file testify to support file 9973<00:20:32.200><c> uh</c><00:20:32.400><c> we're
• Today before us is House File 381.
• House File 1831, as amended, is laid over. House File 1831, as amended, is laid over.

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, we'll move into our first bill on the agenda, House File 2013.
• Any further discussion on House File 2013? Any further discussion on House File 2013?
• House File 1987, I move to refer House File 1987 to the Elections and Finance and Government Operations
• Including House File 20113, which you have already heard about.
• We want to thank you for considering House File 1987, the Minnesota Starter Home Act.

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here to support House File 198.
• Next, we will continue with House File 303.”
• Perryman I will move house file 303 to Perryman I will move house file 303 to be<00:34:48.879><c> laid
• In closing, I urge your support for House File 303.
• House File 185 is held over. Next, we will move on to House File 305, Representative Joy.

Bills: HF198 , HF269 , HF185 , HF303 , HF305 , HF189

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Keywords: HF198, shared time pupils, shared-time enrollment, nonpublic school, private school, public school, career and technical education, CTE, secondary credit, school funding, state aid, education finance, Minnesota Statutes 126C.01, compulsory attendance, school district, education policy, HF269, Spicer, Minnesota bonding bill, capital investment

Transcript Highlights:

• We're still waiting for file item 5, SB 1314.
• This is file item number 1, SB...
• Now moving on to file item 4, SB 1287... Now moving on to file item 4, SB 1287.
• Okay, please call the roll on file item 8. This is file item number 8, SB 1120 by Senator McNerney.
• This is file item 5. And able to present her bill. This is file item 5, SB 1314.

Committee: Senate Revenue and Taxation

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 825 was filed for the second reading calendar. March 9, 2026, Mr.
• House Bill 825 was filed for the second reading calendar.
• House Bill 825 was filed for the second reading calendar. March 9, 2026, Mr.
• House Bill 815 and Senate Bill 1291 were filed for the second reading calendar.
• We filed a second re-encounter. March 9, 26th, Mr.

Summary: The House opened with roll call, prayer, and approval of the journal, then received a notice appointing Kirk Larson as a substitute representative for District 33. The chamber also handled several Senate messages and committee reports, including printing or engrossing a number of bills, and advanced multiple measures through the calendar. Among the bills introduced were appropriations bills for the judicial and legislative branches (HB 847 and HB 848), an education bill revising career ladder and endorsement provisions (HB 849), and Senate bills on occupational licensure, veterans’ benefits consumer protections, specie/tender contracts, state investment in gold and silver, and household egg production. The House passed Senate Bill 1332, a fiscal year-end cash transfer bill that reallocated about $100 million back to the general fund by pulling unspent money from several programs, including transportation strategic initiatives, the Idaho Opportunity Scholarship, the Permanent Building Fund, water pollution control grants, and the In-Demand Careers Fund. Members also passed House Bill 545, which would allow military chaplains to qualify for counseling licensure and bill insurance; the bill drew substantial debate over whether chaplain training is equivalent to the education and supervised experience required for independent mental health practice, but supporters argued the military experience is valuable and the bill would help address counselor shortages. The House also passed HB 702 on securities ownership and Idaho law, HB 638 to restore Idaho’s presidential primary in March, HB 765 and HB 766 on fire district boundary changes and impact-fee collection, HB 767 on using impact fees for replacement of certain fire vehicles, HB 797 on fire district sub-district representation, and HB 672 to keep logos and slogans out of the executive budget document. Later, the House passed HB 785, which adds school disciplinary procedures for vulgar or inappropriate online posts about educators, HB 760 on property tax exemption for workforce and affordable housing, and HB 789, ratifying the Coeur d’Alene Tribe Water Rights Settlement of 2026. The chamber also adopted House Concurrent Resolution 27 honoring Idaho civilians who served and died on Wake Island during World War II, and House Resolution 25 approving reviewed administrative rules. A motion to suspend rules allowed immediate consideration of HB 833, a bill requiring daily recess in elementary schools and unstructured activity for middle school students; debate focused on whether the bill would improperly limit classroom discipline, and the transcript ends during closing remarks on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• The consent calendar consists of file item 2, SB 67.
• File item number one. Madam Secretary, roll call, please.
• File Item No. 9, SB 790.
• File item number four, SB 307. The motion is due pass. File item number four, SB 307.
• File Item Number Nine, SB 790.

Summary: The committee heard several higher education bills. It first approved the consent calendar, which included SB 67 and SB 619. The main discussion centered on SB 437, which would direct the CSU system to develop a fair, evidence-based process for verifying whether someone is a descendant of a person enslaved in the United States, as part of the state’s reparations work. Supporters said the bill fills a gap left by the Reparations Task Force and would create a transparent, credible lineage-verification process; opponents argued genealogy methods already exist, the bill would waste money and delay action, and some raised constitutional concerns. The committee took a vote on SB 437, but the roll was left open after the initial tally showed three ayes and three noes. The committee then heard SB 790, which would allow California to join the interstate reciprocity agreement for online postsecondary education. The author and supporters said the bill would improve consumer protections for California students taking out-of-state online courses and help California institutions compete more effectively by reducing the burden of seeking separate state approvals. Opponents, including University of Phoenix and other groups, argued the bill conflicted with the existing reciprocity framework, could exclude some institutions, and might not actually secure California’s entry into the agreement. The committee voted 3-1 to pass SB 790 as amended to the Business and Professions Committee, with the roll left open. The committee also heard SB 391, which would authorize the Community College Chancellor’s Office to charge fees for research partners seeking access to data. Supporters said the office is absorbing significant unfunded workload from data requests and that fees would help recover costs; opponents, including the California Teachers Association community college association, warned the fees could create barriers for faculty and smaller researchers. Members discussed possible exemptions and implementation details. The committee voted 5-1 to pass SB 391 as amended to the Appropriations Committee, with the roll left open. Finally, the committee heard SB 685, a pilot program to provide cost-of-attendance assistance at four CSU campuses for students who experienced homelessness in high school. Supporters said it would help students cover housing, food, and transportation costs and reduce dropout risk; members asked about eligibility and implementation, and the author explained the bill would use McKinney-Vento homelessness designations and target students at risk of “summer melt” and college homelessness.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are going to be taking up our main bill today, which will be House File 2439.
• I move that House File 2439 be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
• File 281 and House File 279, were not File 281 and House File 279, were not included<00:18:22.960><c>
• Thank you for the opportunity to testify on House File 2439.
• </c> Motion is approved and uh House File Motion is approved and uh House File 2439<00:30:19.279><c>

Bills: HF2439

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Keywords: environmental protection, pollution reduction, waste management, climate change, funding allocations, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, I will move House File 2445. House File 2445 is before us.
• </c><00:18:24.039><c> 2445</c> Habitat is pleased that House File 2445 Habitat is pleased that House
• Um, before we break, I that get filed.
• Um, with that, we're going to lay over House File 2445 and we'll see you tomorrow.
• </c> File 2445 and we'll see you tomorrow. File 2445 and we'll see you tomorrow.

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So we are going to begin with file.
• And so now we'll move to file item number 3, and the vice chair moves file item number 3, which is AB
• What file? 7-6-07? We're now going to move back up to the file order, item number 6.
• On the consent calendar are file item 1, AB 643, file item 8, AB 1153, file item 10, AB 1617, and file
• On the consent calendar are file item 1, AB 643, file item 8, AB 1153, file item 10, AB 1617, and file

Committee: Senate Environmental Quality

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to move on to file item while we have everybody. File item number two.
• It's filed number 9, SB... Chairwoman's next bill is filed number 9, SB 1284. Thank you, Mr.
• File item number one: SB 921 by Grove.
• We are ready to go to our last file item of the day, and that is file item number seven, SB 1319.
• We are going to start then with file item number one. File item 1, SB 921.

Summary: The committee heard SB 921, which would create a tax credit to help agricultural employers offset overtime wage costs for farmworkers. Senator Grove and supporters, including farmworkers, the California Farm Bureau, Western Growers, and other agricultural groups, argued that California’s ag overtime law has reduced take-home pay by limiting hours and that the credit would help employers continue offering overtime while putting more money back into workers’ paychecks. Opponents, including the California Federation of Labor Unions and CRLA Foundation, argued the bill would subsidize employers for complying with the law, shift costs to taxpayers, and set a precedent for industry-specific carve-outs. The bill was held in subcommittee and taken up later when more members arrived. The committee then considered SB 1083, a follow-up to last year’s school employee misconduct database law. Senator Perez said the bill would add due process protections for classified school employees by requiring an administrative law judge review before placement in the statewide egregious misconduct database, require notice when an employee leaves during an investigation, and extend vetting to some contractors and non-permanent workers. Supporters, including the California School Employees Association and California Federation of Teachers, said the bill balances student safety with fairness for employees who could be wrongly accused. Opponents, including school business officials, joint powers authorities, administrators, and school employers, warned the bill could delay investigations, create conflicting timelines, and weaken child-safety protections. The committee approved SB 1083 on a 3-0 vote and sent it to Appropriations. SB 1089, authored by Senator Richardson, would require CalPERS health plans to cover GLP-1 medications for chronic weight management and direct CalRx to help make the drugs more affordable. The senator described the bill as a response to personal experience with coverage denials and high out-of-pocket costs, and said broader access could improve health outcomes and reduce long-term costs. The American Diabetes Association and other medical groups supported the measure, citing diabetes prevention and treatment benefits, while a pharmaceutical industry representative said there were still concerns but noted ongoing discussions. The committee passed SB 1089 4-0 to Appropriations. The committee also approved the consent calendar. The committee next heard SB 954, which would revise last year’s CEQA exemption for advanced manufacturing by narrowing the definition and adding environmental, tribal, labor, and community protections, including prevailing wage, skilled-and-trained workforce requirements, and review for projects near disadvantaged communities. Support came from labor unions, environmental groups, and community organizations, which said the bill would restore oversight and prevent harmful projects from bypassing CEQA. Business groups and chambers of commerce opposed, arguing the bill would make the exemption too restrictive, discourage investment, and worsen California’s manufacturing job losses. The bill passed 3-1 to Appropriations. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1299, which would codify training and certification standards for fire sprinkler fitters after a court decision invalidated prior regulations on procedural grounds; the author and supporters said the bill is needed to protect public safety and ensure qualified installation of fire suppression systems.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to move on to file item while we have everybody. File item number two.
• It's file number 9, SB 1284. Chairwoman's next bill is file number 9, SB 1284. Thank you, Mr.
• File item number one, SB 921 by Grove.
• We are ready to go to our last file item of the day, and that is file item number seven, SB 1319.
• We are going to start then with file item number one. File item 1, SB 921.

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:19:33.280><c> 3477</c> File 3477 File 3477 is<00:19:35.840><c> critical</c><00:19:36.240><c> and<
• </c><00:23:15.840><c> Thank</c> uh re-referring House File 3477.
• Thank uh re-referring House File 3477.
• And House File<00:31:08.080><c> 3477</c> File 3477 File 3477 um<00:31:09.840><c> is</c><00:31:10.080>
• But what House File 3477 could have.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We're proposing calendaring two bills for the calendar for Thursday, April 24th, 2025: House File 2446
• and Senate File 571.
• designate Thursday, April 24th, for the adoption of the calendar for the day and establish a pre-filing
• Members, please note that a pre-filing deadline for these bills is now in place.
• bills is pre-filing deadline for these bills is now<00:00:50.800><c> in</c><00:00:50.960><c> place.

Committee: House Rules and Legislative Administration

Keywords: 1183, house