Transcript Highlights:

• And when disaster strikes, and in Southern California it does, these grounds become staging areas.
• if the property owner is not the property owner of record prior to the disaster and they're impinging
• I rise to present Senate Bill 931, which reauthorizes the Essential Services Mitigation Fund, or ESMF
• Mitigation in some form for local services has existed since the plant came online in the mid-1980s.
• I rise to present Senate Bill 931, which reauthorizes the Essential Services Mitigation Fund or ESMF

Summary: The Senate began with a roll call, a moment of silence for the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance. The body then moved through gubernatorial appointments, confirming Julia Montgomery as General Counsel for the Agricultural Labor Relations Board and reappointing Dr. Cynthia Glover Woods, Dr. Brenda Lewis, and Gabriela Orozco Gonzalez to the State Board of Education, and George Cardona as Chief Trial Counsel for the State Bar. The Senate also heard a guest introduction welcoming Cal Lutheran University students, faculty, and staff to the gallery. The chamber then took up several resolutions, including SR 111 recognizing the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex Phobia, and Transphobia; SCR 129 designating part of Highway 152 as the Rusty Arraes Highway; SCR 169 proclaiming October 2026 as Women's Small Business Month; and SCR 173 designating May 2026 as California Fairgrounds Appreciation Month. All of these resolutions passed, with members speaking in support of Arraes, women-owned businesses, and the public safety and community roles of fairgrounds. The Senate also passed a series of policy bills. These included SB 1154 on best-value procurement for community college public works, SB 1369 on judicial recall safeguards, SB 1106 shortening the data broker deletion timeline under the Delete Act, SB 1417 increasing transparency for mutual water companies, SB 1408 authorizing a future Contra Costa transportation sales tax measure, SB 1172 adding guardrails to local tax sharing agreements, SB 1383 protecting locally adopted labor standards in density bonus projects, SB 1371 barring waste haulers from suspending service during lawful labor disputes, SB 908 streamlining residential window replacement permits, SB 1361 limiting actions taken solely to avoid transit-oriented housing standards, SB 1014 requiring early fee and improvement estimates for housing projects, SB 1272 giving homeowners more time to fix preexisting code violations, SB 1406 targeting the Montana tax loophole, SB 1238 increasing HOA transparency and oversight, and SB 868 creating a plug-in solar framework. Most passed on largely party-line votes, with some Republican members objecting to labor-related or regulatory measures. Later in the day, the Senate approved additional health, education, privacy, and AI measures, including SB 950 on early-onset Alzheimer’s treatment coverage, SB 874 on Medi-Cal behavioral health treatment oversight, SB 1049 on correcting health plan claims, SB 1067 on early math screening, SB 1202 on Medi-Cal outreach amid federal changes, SB 944 on acupuncture coverage, SB 957 on notice for federal subpoenas to social media companies, SB 998 on discrimination prevention coordinators, and SB 1000 on AI content transparency. The final item shown, SB 1056 on protective orders for sexually explicit material involving adult victims, was introduced with the author noting ongoing work on amendments, but the transcript cuts off before final action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are for mitigation projects and repair, but a lot of that ends up.
• Those are for mitigation projects and repairs, but a lot of that ends up.
• , you incorporate heat mitigation.
• TDEM is looking at creating seven regional disaster centers, is that right?
• TDEM is looking at creating seven regional disaster centers, is that right?

Bills: SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Summary: The committee heard a Legislative Budget Board presentation and then testimony from the Department of Public Safety on the Article 5 public safety budget. LBB said DPS’s 2026-27 recommendation totals $3.7 billion, down from the prior base, while FTEs rise by 856.7. Major items included increased funding for driver license services and customer support, new trooper funding and recruit schools, crime lab operations, border security, and reductions tied to one-time facility, vehicle, and aircraft spending. The committee also discussed new riders, including one to lapse unused trooper funds and require reporting after recruit schools. Members focused heavily on driver license operations, questioning why prior staffing increases and a prior efficiency study had not solved long wait times, high call abandonment, and appointment delays. DPS and LBB said the agency receives about 22,000 calls per day, answers only about 9 percent, and is seeking more staff plus technology upgrades such as automation, kiosks, and better online processing. Senators also raised concerns about rural access, REAL ID document requirements, and whether the department should rethink its processes rather than simply add employees. DPS leadership then described needs for the Williamson County training academy, additional troopers, Capitol and Alamo security, border operations, aircraft and vehicle replacement, and regional headquarters in El Paso and San Antonio. Members asked about Operation Lone Star costs, overtime, pursuit safety, border crime, oilfield theft, and sexual assault kit and toxicology backlogs. DPS said border deployments remain focused on criminal threats, that overtime is partly driven by deployments and staffing shortages, and that the sexual assault kit backlog is down to 118 cases with a goal of zero by April. The committee later recessed and began the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission budget presentation, where LBB outlined a $115.1 million recommendation and noted ongoing costs for the AIMS technology project.

Transcript Highlights:

• We absolutely must have the ability to move quickly and nimbly to fight worsening climate disasters.
• So having DTSC do that mitigation and making sure that, especially given the post-wildfire settings,
• This is a way that we can do it in disaster areas right now in L.A.
• AB 299 seeks to address the same issue for families displaced by a disaster and allow them to stay at
• By a disaster and allow them to stay at a hotel, motel, or short-term rental for longer than 30 days.

Summary: The committee heard a series of housing and wildfire-recovery bills, with members repeatedly framing the package as a response to the Los Angeles fires and the state’s broader housing affordability crisis. AB 306, by Assembly Member Schultz, would place a six-year moratorium on new residential building-code updates and local code modifications except for health-and-safety emergencies. Supporters argued it would reduce costs and provide certainty for rebuilding and new housing production, while opponents from environmental, clean-energy, and labor groups warned it would freeze beneficial code improvements, delay innovation, and limit local control. Despite those concerns, several members said they would support the bill while seeking amendments, and the committee voted it out on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations. The committee also approved AB 301, which would require state agencies to follow shot-clock style deadlines for reviewing building permits, and AB 253, which would allow licensed third-party professionals to conduct certain post-entitlement permit reviews if local departments take more than 30 days. Supporters said both bills would reduce delays, lower costs, and speed rebuilding and housing production; some members emphasized that safety reviews must remain intact. AB 301 passed on a due pass vote to Appropriations, and AB 253 passed 8-0 to Local Government. AB 462, by Assembly Member Lowenthal, would exempt accessory dwelling units in Los Angeles County’s coastal zone from coastal development permit requirements, with the goal of speeding ADU construction for disaster recovery and housing supply. Supporters said ADUs are a proven tool and that the bill would help displaced residents and future coastal disaster areas; one member of the public opposed the bill, arguing ADU proliferation can change neighborhood conditions. The committee sent AB 462 to Appropriations on an 8-0 vote. The final bill discussed, AB 299, would let disaster-displaced families stay in hotels, motels, and short-term rentals for more than 30 days without triggering landlord-tenant rules, mirroring an earlier homelessness-related law; the transcript ended as the author began presenting the bill and its support.

Transcript Highlights:

• This was our first experience of being in the heart of an impending potential disaster.
• For many of our ancestors and many of our friends, families, Disaster and repression.
• It was created in 1990 to protect people from countries facing war, disaster, or extraordinary instability
• to ensure that people from countries where there is a threat of repression, authoritarianism, or disaster
• , The people who are responsible for maintaining these venues and responding to disasters receive fair

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, heard a prayer and pledge, and then moved through a long consent and concurrence calendar. Early procedural actions included returning AB 1308 to the Senate, rescinding prior action on SB 863, and later taking up additional items that had been passed temporarily. The chamber also heard several guest introductions recognizing a young dance champion, district staff, and an intern, along with announcements about peaches gifted to members and reminders to secure floor managers for Senate bills. The floor then considered a series of concurrence items and resolutions on topics including water infrastructure (AB 580), telehealth access (AB 688), insurance (AB 815), housing approvals and ADU enforcement (AB 920, SB 9, SB 543), environmental quality (AB 1139), immigration and temporary protected status (AJR 8), federal education policy and IDEA funding (AJR 19), Deaf Awareness Month (ACR 112), and Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid cuts (AJR 3). Most measures passed with little or no opposition; AJR 8 drew debate over TPS and immigration policy and was adopted 49-7, while AJR 19 passed 53-2 and ACR 112 was adopted by voice vote. The Assembly also passed several Senate bills on criminal procedure, local government, retirement, taxation, community colleges, public health, public employment, alcohol licensing, fairgrounds compensation, and the Delta Reform Act, among others. Notable contested items included SB 301 on retirement contract restrictions, which drew criticism over pension costs but passed 56-2, and SB 276 on regulating resale of stolen goods in San Francisco, which passed 57-1 despite concerns about added permitting and criminal penalties. Urgency measures SB 227 and SB 276 both cleared the required threshold, and SB 395, SB 650, SB 493, and SB 8 also passed with strong margins. The session ended with adjournments in memory honoring former Assembly clerk Lawrence Merman, Jeff Brady, Fran Urcini, and Alejandro Luna, followed by adoption of the consent calendar and adjournment until the next morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm pleased to present SB 303, the Public Workplace Bias Mitigation and Employee Protection Act.
• By defining and encouraging bias mitigation training, this bill represents a concrete step that this
• By defining and encouraging bias mitigation training, this bill represents a concrete step that this
• In the last seven years, we've provided legal services in response to multiple disaster declarations,
• He then said that if the bill were narrowed to wildfires or disasters, and if fair market value were

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with most drawing support after amendments or ongoing stakeholder negotiations. SB 29, by Senator Laird, would extend a sunset on the law allowing pain-and-suffering claims to survive a plaintiff’s death; supporters, including a family member describing a medical negligence case, labor groups, consumer advocates, and disability and elder organizations, argued it prevents defendants from running out the clock, while hospitals, medical groups, and business organizations warned of higher costs and added liability. After extensive debate about data collection, settlement reporting, and the impact on health care access, the bill passed to Appropriations on a divided vote. SB 294, by Senator Reyes and presented by Senator Laird, would require employers to notify a worker’s emergency contact if the worker is arrested or detained and would create a template to inform employees of state and federal labor rights. Labor and worker advocates said the bill would help workers understand and enforce their rights amid weakened federal enforcement; there was no opposition on file, and the bill passed unanimously to Appropriations. SB 697 would modernize water-rights adjudication by allowing the State Water Board to use technology instead of requiring in-person field investigations; with no opposition, it also passed unanimously. The committee also advanced SB 37 on attorney advertising, SB 645 on peremptory challenges in civil cases, SB 303 on bias-mitigation trainings in public workplaces, and SB 464 on expanding pay-data reporting for specified state workers. SB 37 drew support from consumer and legal groups but concerns from Walker Advertising about joint advertising; members said negotiations were ongoing, and the bill passed. SB 645 would extend anti-bias jury-selection rules to certain civil rights cases; criminal-defense and defense groups said they were close to agreement, and the bill passed. SB 303 and SB 464 were both amended to narrow scope and moved forward after several opponents shifted to neutral or removed opposition. The committee also approved a consent calendar of additional bills, all sent to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• It cost ExxonMobil $250,000 in fees to mitigate the damage it caused that could have been found from
• It will change one of the many disasters of the prior administration.
• </c> district for massive fire mitigation district for massive fire mitigation projects<04:18:56.040>
• That's very important for fire mitigation efforts.
• That's very important for fire mitigation efforts.

Bills: HR190 , HR189 , SJR11

Keywords: censure, Congress, interruption, decorum, Representative Al Green, constitutional amendment, state laws, education, voting rights, election integrity

Transcript Highlights:

• We view the risk assessments as important tools for identifying and mitigating risks.
• Think fires, natural disaster, terrorism, or similar events.
• Think fires, natural disaster, terrorism, or similar events.
• In the wake of such a natural disaster, families often face immense pressure to sell.
• focused on a lot of other things that are happening surrounding that disaster.

Summary: The committee heard several bills. SB 911, by Senator Becker, would require notification and verification of defensible-space compliance when homes in high wildfire severity zones are transferred, using the preliminary change of ownership report; supporters said it would improve wildfire resilience and insurance availability, while county assessors opposed the use of the PCOR and urged a different recorded document. Members generally supported the bill but raised concerns about the 12-month compliance window and the need to keep working with assessors; the bill was held pending a quorum and later placed on call. SB 1016, by Senator Blakespear, would create a pathway for a higher-level mental health evaluation when a Care Court petition is dismissed because the person is too ill to participate or otherwise needs more intensive care. Supporters, including psychiatrists, family members, and local officials, said Care Court is leaving many severely ill people untreated and that the bill would connect them to existing LPS processes. Opponents, including Disability Rights California, county behavioral health directors, counties, and other advocacy groups, argued it would expand involuntary detention, bypass existing pre-petition screening safeguards, and undermine Care Court’s voluntary nature. The bill passed the committee on a roll call vote and was placed on call. SB 1112, by Senator Archuleta, would create a faster court process for victims of illegal or excessive “bandit towing” to recover their vehicles by posting a bond and obtaining a release certificate. Support came from Enterprise Mobility and the author, who said the bill targets bad actors and helps equalize leverage for vehicle owners; the California Auto Body Association sought an amendment to exclude auto repair shops. The committee passed the bill as amended to Appropriations and placed it on call. SB 1119, by Senator Padilla, would impose child-safety requirements on AI chatbots, including risk assessments, crisis-response protocols, parental controls, limits on time and data use, reporting, audits, and a private right of action. The bill was driven by testimony from the mother of a teenager who died by suicide after prolonged chatbot interactions; industry and business groups opposed or sought amendments, citing overlap with recent law, vague standards, and prescriptive design mandates. Members expressed strong support for the bill’s goals while urging tighter definitions, and the bill was moved on a roll call vote and placed on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• So my question is, is there any flexibility in terms of looking at the sources of the funding to mitigate
• Because California has been disaster-prone, vulnerable to wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and how we
• The importance and role of EV resilience during natural disasters is recognized at both the federal and
• While this is understandable in the interest of life safety, we should still aim to mitigate preventable
• I mean, a lot of people have gone through a lot of pain because of catastrophes and disasters that have

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard several bills focused on clean energy, electrification, and grid planning. AB 1813 (Ward) would revise California’s community renewable energy program to better support community solar and storage, especially for renters and low-income customers, by tying credits to avoided costs and requiring at least 51% low-income participation. Supporters said the current CPUC program is unworkable and has stalled development; utilities raised concerns about cost shifts, CCA impacts, and the bill’s late substantive amendments. The bill was discussed but no vote was recorded in the excerpt. AB 2313 (Berman) would create a gas service line replacement alternative program allowing customers facing planned gas line replacement to instead choose electrification and receive an incentive. Supporters argued it would reduce long-term gas infrastructure costs and give customers more choice, while opponents warned it could divert money from safety-related gas replacement work, create affordability issues, and conflict with the recently approved SB 1221 pilot. Committee members pressed the author on safety, funding sources, and renter impacts; the author said the bill includes emergency replacement exemptions and is intended to lower costs for remaining ratepayers. AB 1975 (Schultz) would require the CPUC to develop a grid utilization metric and consider expanded grid management programs to better use existing distribution infrastructure and reduce the need for costly upgrades. Supporters said better utilization could save ratepayers billions and help integrate batteries and flexible load; utilities generally opposed rigid utilization targets but were open to further discussion. The committee passed AB 1975 on a 7-0 vote to Appropriations. AB 2612, on plug-in photovoltaic systems, passed 9-0 to Appropriations after supporters said it would expand access to low-cost solar and utilities requested clarification that they would participate in the standards process. AB 1849 (Pappin) would direct CARB to study the need for decarbonized gaseous fuels in hard-to-electrify sectors and for grid reliability. Supporters framed it as a technology-neutral assessment for sectors like industrial heat and backup power; opponents argued it was biased toward a preferred fuel pathway and duplicated existing state studies. After a lengthy exchange over the lack of a statutory definition for “decarbonized gaseous fuels,” the bill passed 10-0 to Appropriations. AB 2088 (Pappin) would authorize investor-owned utilities to own and operate thermal energy networks, with safeguards for safety, workforce, and ratepayers. Supporters described TENs as efficient, low-emission heating and cooling systems that can use geothermal energy or waste heat; the bill passed 9-0 to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 837 requires the Aging and Disability Resource Connection programs to offer disaster and emergency
• Older adults and people with disabilities to fend for themselves during disasters.
• We applaud the senator for introducing this bill again, seeking to remedy deficiencies in our disaster
• By the way, I was able to watch today's session... ...adults are not left behind when disaster strikes
• It's called the Disability Disaster Access and Resources Program, DEDAR, which enables individuals with

Committee: Senate Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• with an allegation of maltreatment are related to general neglect—an occurrence that can often be mitigated
• The project implemented what we call a holistic design approach to mitigate the unanticipated work that
• It's almost a disaster. Hello again, Chair Jackson and members of the committee.
• The Children and Family Services Division has a disaster planning.
• Now, I just wanted to speak a little bit to the disaster issue that was just brought up.

Transcript Highlights:

• within 60 days if any population within the federal delisting area... ...predator mitigation within
• We all know that we have seen an improvement in wildfire response mitigation since 1168 passed.
• Our research has shown that every dollar spent on mitigation saves $8.14 in state funds.
• Building recovery systems after disaster strikes is slow and incredibly hard on landowners.
• And the wolf program has been a real disaster for what we intended.

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on House Bill 2619, which would create a joint legislative task force to review and recommend ways to reduce regulatory burdens in agriculture, and on House Joint Memorial 4009, which asks Congress to ensure federal wildfire response agencies remain capable of protecting communities, natural resources, and firefighter safety. On HB 2619, the prime sponsor and supporters from the Washington State Department of Agriculture, cattle, wheat, potato, onion, and dairy interests said the bill responds to farm stress and suicide concerns by examining regulatory overload; WSDA supported the concept but noted a fiscal note, and members discussed whether the task force scope and cost could be reduced before policy cutoff. On HJM 4009, staff and the sponsor described the memorial as a request for stronger federal wildfire capacity and coordination, with testimony from tribes, counties, forest landowners, conservation groups, and public employees emphasizing wildfire risk, smoke impacts, and the importance of federal-state cooperation; the committee also repeatedly tied the memorial to support for state wildfire funding under 1168 and heard broad support for restoring that funding. The committee then took up House Bill 2221, which would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to designate at-risk ungulate populations and begin predator mitigation when certain population declines occur, while also requiring annual reporting and white-tailed deer surveys. The sponsor argued the bill addresses rapidly declining deer and elk herds, predator pressure, food security, and rural economies in northeast Washington. Supporters included some local residents, ranchers, sheriffs, county officials, and the Colville Tribes, who said predators, livestock conflicts, and reduced hunting opportunity are harming communities and that the state should act more aggressively. Opponents included WDFW staff, Washington Wildlife First, the Sierra Club, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, and other conservation voices, who said the bill is not scientifically supported, would be costly, and wrongly blames predators rather than habitat, forage, weather, disease, and vehicle collisions; several said predator control would have limited value and could undermine wolf recovery. Some agricultural and sportsmen groups supported the bill in principle but asked for amendments, especially to remove or revise the in-state wolf translocation provision. No final votes or executive action were taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Would it be the state of emergency for the natural disaster or would this take priority?
• Would it be the natural disaster or the current state of emergency? Let me see.
• Would it be the natural disaster or the current state of emergency?
• As it relates to the current emergency order on the natural disasters versus the one on the natural disasters
• versus the one on... ...on the natural disasters versus the one on illegal immigration.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, pledge, quorum call, approval of the journal, and adoption of the Rules and Ethics Committee’s special order report for the day. The chamber then took up House Bill 1B, the immigration bill, and members were told they would have one opportunity to question the sponsor on both the House version and the anticipated Senate changes. Representative McClure described the bill as a major immigration-enforcement package creating a chief immigration officer housed in the Department of Agriculture, an Office of State Immigration Enforcement, a local law enforcement grant program, a state immigration council, and new penalties and enforcement tools. He also outlined anticipated Senate language, including stronger 287(g) participation requirements, enhanced penalties for unauthorized aliens, a mandatory death penalty provision for certain capital offenses, and additional coordination with federal agencies. The bill drew extensive questioning from Democrats about due process, constitutional issues, school and workplace impacts, and the treatment of people whose immigration status changes over time. Members asked about birthright citizenship, TPS, asylum seekers, pretrial detention standards, the lawful basis for detaining someone based on suspected status, and whether teachers, social workers, school resource officers, and even children could be required to cooperate with immigration enforcement. McClure and Representative Garrison repeatedly said the bill would require cooperation with federal authorities, that status determinations would be handled under existing court procedures, and that the Senate death-penalty language was intended to fit within Hurst by requiring a jury finding beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was an unauthorized alien. They also said the bill did not provide DMV funding, did not address teacher shortages, and included appropriations such as $25 million for the local law enforcement participation incentive program and broader funding for enforcement and training. Several amendments were considered. Representative Chambliss offered an amendment to protect schools, churches, and places of worship from enforcement activity; supporters argued it would preserve trust in sacred and educational spaces, but the amendment failed. Representative Escamani offered an amendment to preserve in-state tuition for Dreamers; supporters emphasized the educational and economic contributions of Dreamers and the hardship of higher tuition, but that amendment also failed. The debate ended with no bill vote in the excerpt, but the House completed the amendment votes and continued consideration of the immigration measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• SERVICES TO LARGE MEDIUM AND SMALL COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE FROM FIRST RESPONDER TRAINING, FLOOD MITIGATION
• IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND WATER QUALITY AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS BUT ALSO THE SFR PC IS
• THINK PEOPLE MISS THAT THEY LOOK AT THE GENERAL STUFF LIKE TRANSPORTATION AND WATER QUALITY AND DISASTER
• WE DID EVACUATION ROUTES, AND WE TOUCHED ON SOME SUM OF FLOOD MITIGATION ITEMS BUT AT THE END OF THE

Transcript Highlights:

• PROBABLY THE BEST OFFER FOR ME IS TO USE IT AS A MITIGATION SOMEONE NEEDS TO MITIGATE SOMETHING THROUGHOUT
• FINANCIALLY AS DEVELOPMENT PLANS ARE NOT JUST ENVIRONMENT RECKLESS, THEY ARE AN ECONOMIC DISASTER.
• BETWEEN 2020 AND 2024 AMERICA FACED 115 CLIMATE DISASTERS, SOME OF WHICH COST OUR STATE BETWEEN 100 AND

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to take up to 10 CS for SB 150 on abandoning restrained animals during natural disasters
• During a declared national weather disaster.
• We are currently under prepared for a large-scale disaster where there may be and we may be unable to
• reefs identify and monitor threats to mangrove and identify ways that new developments can avoid or mitigate
• Research, Prediction, adaptation and Mitigation Strategies, hopefully helping us with some discount on

Transcript Highlights:

• Lastly, they must be in the County of Sutter and have been damaged by a natural disaster.
• Lastly, they must be in the county of Sutter and have been damaged by a natural disaster.
• Lastly, they must be in the County of Sutter and have been damaged by a natural disaster.
• It creates a practical path for fully mitigated restoration and mobility benefits.
• What are the current mitigation efforts for bear encounters? Education.

Committees: House Water, Parks and Wildlife , House Water, Parks, and Wildlife

Summary: The committee heard a series of water, parks, transportation, energy, and fisheries bills, with authors and supporters generally emphasizing targeted exemptions, improved access, or regulatory clarity. AB 430 would require the State Water Resources Control Board to study and publicly release the economic and environmental impacts of repeated emergency water curtailment regulations; farm, water, and local government groups supported it as a transparency measure. AB 1139 would expand a CEQA exemption so county park agencies can open existing roads and trails for non-motorized recreation, with supporters citing outdoor access and opponents warning about impacts to species, riparian areas, tribal resources, and fire risk. AB 929 would temporarily exempt small community water systems and managed wetlands from certain SGMA pumping reductions and fees; supporters said it protects vulnerable communities and wetlands, while agricultural and water interests argued it undermines basin-wide groundwater management and could worsen SGMA implementation. The committee also heard AB 1225, creating an Accessibility Advisory Committee for State Parks, which drew broad support from disability advocates and committee members and no opposition. Additional measures focused on infrastructure and environmental policy. AB 975 would give Sutter County a narrow, temporary exemption from streambed alteration agreements for certain damaged small bridges and culverts, with county officials describing long delays in repairing flood-damaged crossings and no opposition heard. AB 514 would declare state policy encouraging local water suppliers to develop emergency water supplies for drought or service interruptions; it received broad support from water agencies and no opposition. AB 550 would allow incidental take permits for species under consideration for listing, aimed at reducing delays for clean energy projects; supporters said it would prevent regulatory limbo, while environmental groups sought amendments to clarify the permit standard, limit the use of scientific research as mitigation, and add a fee provision. The committee also took up AB 697 on the Highway 37 corridor, authorizing an incidental take permit for the near-term project between Mare Island and Sears Point to advance mobility and habitat restoration. Supporters from local transportation agencies and county officials said the corridor is a major bottleneck and the interim project is needed now, while environmental and tribal opponents argued it would fast-track highway widening, increase emissions, and affect tribal cultural resources. Members discussed tolling limits, equity, and the long delay on the corridor; the bill was moved out on a vote, with some members noting they would continue to monitor it. Finally, AB 1056 would phase out transferable set gill net permits after 2027, allowing only limited family transfers thereafter; supporters framed it as a gradual conservation reform consistent with Fish and Game Commission findings, while fishing groups opposed it as harmful to working fishermen.

Transcript Highlights:

• All while trying to mitigate the economic impact to our customers.
• And so we are always looking for opportunities for additional certainty. proactive mitigation of risk
• . disaster.
• The estimate is mitigation is going to be 130,000 acres.
• If you don't want to sell it, they can actually condemn it for mitigation.

Committee: House Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• implementing in our sustainable insurance strategy: new catastrophe model tools that reward risk mitigation
• thousands, if not millions, of dollars that you all have invested in your budget to actually work on mitigation
• claim handling, they can be vague and inconsistently applied, especially during large-scale climate disasters
• better place, one, given the leadership you all have shown with the critical investments around mitigation
• then we're going to have also, hopefully, in a couple months, some statewide standards for smoke mitigation

Committee: House Insurance

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee held an oversight hearing on the California Department of Insurance’s Sustainable Insurance Strategy (SIS), with Commissioner Ricardo Lara reporting on implementation progress and the state’s broader homeowners and commercial insurance crisis. He said the department has finalized major reforms, is reviewing catastrophe models, and expects insurers to begin submitting new rate filings in the coming weeks under the updated framework. Lara emphasized that the goal is to improve availability and stability in the admitted market, reduce reliance on the FAIR Plan, and better reward wildfire mitigation and home hardening. A major portion of the hearing focused on claims handling after the Los Angeles-area wildfires, including smoke-damage claims, underinsurance, and the FAIR Plan. Lara said the department has opened a formal market conduct examination of State Farm’s wildfire claims handling, is investigating FAIR Plan smoke-damage claims, and has helped more than 12,000 wildfire survivors while recovering more than $60 million on complaints. He also announced a new smoke claims and remediation task force to develop standards for smoke-damage cleanup and health protections, and said the department is working with other western states on underinsurance data and policy solutions. Members asked about implementation timelines, the impact on consumers, FAIR Plan costs, and the role of intervenors in rate cases. Lara said the department is tightening rules for intervener compensation and will no longer grant petitions unrelated to the actual rate application, while also clearing a backlog of compensation petitions. He said the FAIR Plan has begun publicly posting policy counts and financial information, and that further transparency measures may follow. Public commenters from the insurance, building, and broker industries generally supported SIS, saying it is needed to restore availability, improve rate timeliness, and stabilize the market. No votes were taken, and the hearing concluded without formal committee action.

Bills: HB4319 , HB4317 , HB1225 , HB3076 , HB3081 , HB4226 , SCR17 , HB4432 , HB3304 , HB3411 , HB3435 , HB4339 , HB4331 , HB4341 , HB4342 , HB1770 , HB1016 , HB4113 , HB2950 , HB4141 , HB3277 , HB2988 , HB3029 , HB3338 , HB1889 , HB3834 , HB3831 , HB2939 , HB3045 , HB3657 , HB1739 , HB3759 , HB3755 , HB4484 , HB4486 , HB4108 , HB1250 , HB2961 , HB1219 , HB3025 , HB1782 , HB1907 , HB3718 , HB4459 , HB2976 , HB3548 , HB3545 , HB2952 , HB2929 , HB2956 , HB2973 , HB3055 , HB3086 , HB3040 , HB3794 , HB4336 , HB3151 , HB1590 , HB3581 , HB3313 , HB3429 , HB3448 , HB1752 , HB2650 , HB3584 , HB4202 , HB3586 , HB4321 , HB4280 , HB3650 , HCR1020 , HB2116 , HB2206 , HB4301 , HB3625 , HB3147 , HB3403 , HB3498 , HB3970 , HB3975 , HB3976 , HB3980 , HB4265 , HB4266 , HB3638 , HB3880 , HB3930 , HB3942 , HB3944 , HB4191 , HB3242 , HB3678

Keywords: administrative procedures, rulemaking authority, specific authority, legislative review, agency rules, accounting, CPA, licensure, educational requirements, reciprocity, professional conduct, vital records, birth certificate, birth registration, biological sex, sex designation, male, female, nonbinary, gender identity

Bills: HB4319 , HB4317 , HB1225 , HB3076 , HB3081 , HB4226 , SCR17 , HB4432 , HB3304 , HB3411 , HB3435 , HB4339 , HB4331 , HB4341 , HB4342 , HB1770 , HB1016 , HB4113 , HB2950 , HB4141 , HB3277 , HB2988 , HB3029 , HB3338 , HB1889 , HB3834 , HB3831 , HB2939 , HB3045 , HB3657 , HB1739 , HB3759 , HB3755 , HB4484 , HB4486 , HB4108 , HB1250 , HB2961 , HB1219 , HB3025 , HB1782 , HB1907 , HB3718 , HB4459 , HB2976 , HB3548 , HB3545 , HB2952 , HB2929 , HB2956 , HB2973 , HB3055 , HB3086 , HB3040 , HB3794 , HB4336 , HB3151 , HB1590 , HB3581 , HB3313 , HB3429 , HB3448 , HB1752 , HB2650 , HB3584 , HB4202 , HB3586 , HB4321 , HB4280 , HB3650 , HCR1020 , HB2116 , HB2206 , HB4301 , HB3625 , HB3147 , HB3403 , HB3498 , HB3970 , HB3975 , HB3976 , HB3980 , HB4265 , HB4266 , HB3638 , HB3880 , HB3930 , HB3942 , HB3944 , HB4191 , HB3242 , HB3678

Keywords: administrative procedures, rulemaking authority, specific authority, legislative review, agency rules, accounting, CPA, licensure, educational requirements, reciprocity, professional conduct, vital records, birth certificate, birth registration, biological sex, sex designation, male, female, nonbinary, gender identity