Transcript Highlights:

• So thank you so much for hearing the bill today and urge your support. Thank you, Mr. Rosa.
• So thank you so much for hearing the bill today and urge your support. Thank you, Mr. Rosa.
• It is wonderful to see your faces and hear your beautiful voices.
• I hear all this pretty stuff for the teachers. But what can we do about these students?
• With that, I will go ahead and close the hearing on SB 460.

Committee: Assembly Education

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am Chair Alvarez, and I welcome you all to today's committee hearing, which is our final hearing of
• Otherwise, we will take you at the end of today's hearing.
• Let's hear from the California State University. Thank you.
• Let's hear from the California State University. Thank you.
• And so we will hear from the community college...

Summary: The committee’s first major discussion focused on higher education facilities across UC, CSU, and the community colleges, with Chair Alvarez framing the issue as a final budget hearing before the May Revise. The LAO presented findings that campuses have grown substantially in buildings and square footage, while classroom and lab utilization remains below legislative standards and deferred maintenance backlogs continue to rise. The LAO also emphasized that the state and segments lack comprehensive data on capital renewal spending and recommended better reporting, clearer funding targets, and long-term planning for renewal and maintenance. UC, CSU, and community college representatives each described large five-year capital plans, aging facilities, seismic and deferred maintenance needs, and the role of student housing, while noting that construction costs are rising faster than inflation. Members questioned the segments about debt service, utilization rates, and how projects are prioritized. UC said its debt service tied to state support is about $665 million annually and described a $30 billion five-year capital financial plan, including housing, medical centers, and building renewal. CSU said it has about $31 billion in five-year needs and more than $8 billion in deferred maintenance, with funding coming from a mix of state-related and one-time sources since the state shifted capital responsibility to CSU. Community colleges said their unmet facilities needs total about $33.5 billion and explained their use of a scoring matrix and FUSION system to rank projects. The chair and members pressed all three systems to better distinguish between projects that are truly shovel-ready and those that are long-term needs, and discussed whether facilities condition data, total cost of ownership, and more standardized metrics should guide future bond proposals. The committee then turned to Proposition 2 and the Governor’s proposed community college capital outlay projects. The Department of Finance said Prop. 2 provides $1.5 billion for community colleges and that the Governor’s budget proposes 29 projects, with two continuing Prop. 51 projects also included. The LAO supported the overall use of the funds but raised concerns about the current 65/35 split between modernization and growth, the unusually large share of gymnasium projects, and some scoring metrics that favor larger campuses and certain regions. Community college officials said the scoring system was developed through participatory governance and would take one to two years to revise, but they supported the funding and agreed to follow up on questions about project categories and the rationale for the weighting. Members also suggested giving more weight to modernization, regional access, and intersegmental or collaborative projects. A final item addressed the CalKids program. The Department of Finance proposed $56,000 ongoing General Fund for three positions, while the LAO recommended approving two positions but rejecting a manager position until the current $7.5 million marketing campaign is evaluated. ScholarShare’s executive director said CalKids has enrolled more than 5 million children, with nearly 600,000 claims and over $45 million distributed, and argued that additional staff and outreach are needed to reach a goal of 1 million claimed scholarships by the end of 2025 and to implement AB 2808. Members asked about marketing effectiveness, data sharing, and eligibility rules, and the program said it is expanding partnerships with Cradle to Career and CSAC. No final vote was taken in the hearing, and the chair indicated the facilities item would be held open.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today we will hear the Administration Spending Plan for Water and Coastal Resilience chapters and chapters
• We'll also hear from the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Resources Control Board.
• Bonham, for us to hear not just how it's additive, but also the urgency around it.
• We recently had a hearing for the Kern Subbasin where we continue that probationary hearing and decision
• We talked about this at our last hearing.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Chairwoman, thank you committee for hearing us today.
• And the concern, however, is if you're speaking, we can't hear you.
• committee, cannot hear you, which is a bit of a problem.
• Yes, Madam Chair, can you hear me now? Okay, we are not hearing.
• She didn't hear a question.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> that I kept hearing in the gas hearings. that I kept hearing in the gas hearings.
• I</c> five gas hearings.
• At each hearing, I five gas hearings.
• Um, we'll now hear from Michael Mesner. of parked over in hearings in the house of parked over in hearings
• </c> we'll close the hearing. we'll close the hearing.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> intent um just the news that we hear intent um just the news that we hear that<01:02:19.160><c>
• grants and what I hear you what I just grants and what I hear you what I just heard<01:16:54.120><c>
• </c> that case I think what we are hearing that case I think what we are hearing from<01:26:45.760><c
• That was a huge surprise to hear today in all the questions I've asked leading up to this hearing.
• </c> state that was a huge surprise to hear state that was a huge surprise to hear today<02:22:11.600

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's all I mean, we hear you're going to hear testimony today from educators who are are on the ground
• expulsion hearing.
• And are the parents invited to the hearing? Yes, sir. parents come to the hearing?
• Chair hears none.
• Hearing none.

Bills: HB6 , HB27 , HB 123 , HB210 , HB213 , HB222 , HB610 , HB 1085 , HB1481 , HB6 , HB27 , HB123 , HB210 , HB213 , HB222

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: mental health, telehealth, public schools, discipline management, behavioral interventions, financial literacy, high school education, curriculum requirements, economics, personal finance, HB 123, kindergarten readiness, early literacy, early numeracy, reading screening, math screening, foundational literacy, foundational numeracy, dyslexia screening, reading intervention

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we are kicking off the hearing today by hearing from four wonderful foreign exchange students sponsored
• > hearing</c><00:02:00.159><c> from</c><00:02:00.399><c> four</c> hearing today by hearing from four
• Next, we will hear Senate File 2769. We're hearing the bill first.
• It's super helpful to hear.
• We are hearing from teachers. I hear about this a lot from folks all over.

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I hear you very much and appreciate your comments. Thank you, Mr.
• I hear you very much and appreciate your comments. Thank you, Mr.
• We all hear it from our constituents.
• So we had a hearing that discussed that phenomenon.
• So this hearing is a good.

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to hear a bill.
• Debus, who you will hear from, is signed in to speak on that. Let's hear from him. Sir, Mr.
• You'll hear from Mr.
• So let's hear from the next... ...as an attorney? Yes. So let's hear from the next speaker.
• Thank you for hearing. Thank you for hearing the bill.

Bills: SB1003 , SB1060 , SB1134 , SB1275 , SB1327 , SB1429 , SB1618 , SB1634 , SB1654 , SB1803 , SCR1002 , SCR1005 , SCR1023 , SCR1027

Committee: House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections

Keywords: election, canvass, certification, ballot tabulation, write-in candidates, registration, voting procedures, voter registration, temporary absence, absentee voting, residency, military voters, overseas voters, election law, Arizona Revised Statutes, political signs, campaign materials, public safety, municipal regulation, veterans

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm going to tend to vote no, but would love to hear it come before committee if we can make that
• </c><00:31:00.480><c> it</c><00:31:00.720><c> come</c> no um but would love to hear it come no um but
• So it would be up to the chair of that committee whether they wanted to hear something like this.
• schools, and so that one more hearing... okay, so we will have one more informational hearing about
• hearing have one more informational hearing about<01:19:49.440><c> innovation</c><01:19:49.920><c> in

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So today's hearing will be... Wait a minute. Hi! One more person has arrived.
• Today's hearing will be invited testimony only.
• With that, we will open the hearing on LR 425 related to the Whitehall facility in Lincoln. Dr.
• Campus and the Kearney YRTC and look forward to this hearing.
• So, as we lean towards this, this committee hearing was fundamentally a hearing committee, and the decision's

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee held an invited-testimony hearing on LR 425, which examines the Whitehall campus in Lincoln and possible long-term options for youth currently served there. Chair Brian Hardin explained that Whitehall houses two separate programs for adolescent males: a substance use program and a youth-who-sexually-harm program. Testimony from DHHS officials described Whitehall as a Joint Commission-accredited psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF) that provides about 40 hours of weekly programming, family involvement, school services, and community reintegration activities. Officials said the department is evaluating whether the programs should remain at Whitehall or move to another state-owned facility, with Hastings described as the department’s preferred alternative because it is more residential in design than a youth rehabilitation treatment center (YRTC).

Transcript Highlights:

• Today we're hearing testimony on the annual Chapter 90 roadway funding bill, along with other lately
• I look forward to hearing the testimony, which we will start shortly.
• who are RSVP'd to testify in person next, we will hear from anyone who is signed up to testify today
• , and then we will hear from...
• Next, we will hear from anyone who is signed up to testify today, and then we will hear from the folks

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Transportation

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 4987, the administration’s transportation bond bill centered on Chapter 90 roadway funding and related capital programs. Administration officials described the bill as a roughly $5.5 billion package that would continue $300 million per year for Chapter 90 over four years, with part of the funding distributed by the traditional formula and an additional $100 million based solely on road miles to better support rural and smaller communities. They also highlighted authorizations for municipal pavement work, Shared Streets and Spaces grants, accelerated bridge and pavement repairs, MBTA rail modernization and reliability, housing-related transportation improvements, and a new DCR-focused PRISM program for parkways and related infrastructure. Officials emphasized that the bill is financed through the Commonwealth Transportation Fund and Fair Share revenues, and said it would help municipalities plan more predictably, speed project delivery, and support housing, safety, and climate goals. Committee members and witnesses discussed the bill’s broader scope beyond traditional Chapter 90, especially the $200 million for transportation projects that support housing development and the $200 million for MBTA modernization and rail reliability. Members asked about the rationale for a four-year authorization amid fiscal uncertainty, federal funding volatility, and the status of commuter rail electrification. Administration officials responded that the capital authorization is backed by dedicated transportation revenues rather than the operating budget, and said multi-year certainty helps cities and towns make better long-term repair decisions. They also said the MBTA’s rail modernization funds would support locomotive procurements, including battery-electric and Tier 4 diesel locomotives, as part of a longer-term regional rail and electrification strategy. Municipal officials and regional advocates strongly supported the bill. The Massachusetts Municipal Association, along with town and city officials from Sherborn, Conway, and Yarmouth, said the increased Chapter 90 funding and road-mile-based distribution are especially important for small and rural communities with limited local revenue capacity, and that multi-year funding would let them bundle projects, bid at better prices, and address backlogs more proactively. A Better City and MAPC also supported the bill but urged the committee to treat it like a traditional bond bill by adding policy provisions and considering new transportation revenue tools, such as TNC fee changes, road pricing, parking taxes, and other mechanisms. The committee took no vote during the hearing and adjourned after testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• We really did hear—it was interesting. ...to transportation issues.
• This is something I hear almost every other door and every other conversation.
• So we will hear in a minute from Heidi Hertz, who leads that effort.
• Because if folks don't hear about it, they don't think anything's happening.
• We're going to hear back. So we're going to be with you.

Keywords: House Select Committee on Advancing Rural and Small Town Health Care, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee hearing.
• attendance of this hearing.
• All are encouraged to watch the hearing from its live stream on the Assembly's website.
• We hear from local partners regularly about the impact of their local work, but we also hear about the
• We hear a lot of bills. I agree. She's only given out three. We hear a lot of bills. Only three.

Committee: House Housing and Community Development

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Do you think on the campaign trail you'll be hearing more about like the car tab fees and things
• more about like the you'll be hearing more about like the car<00:05:04.520><c> tab</c><00:05:04.840>
• I spoke to several Republicans directly before I had a single committee hearing trying to get support
• And then they came here and had public hearings on those projects.
• </c> hearings on those projects. hearings on those projects.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you very much for holding this hearing.
• But you're going to hear some valid practical concerns like this.
• But you're going to hear some valid practical concerns like this.
• Seeing none, that will conclude the hearing on House Bill 3193.
• Seeing none, that will conclude this hearing on House Bill 3320.

Committee: House Conservation and Natural Resources

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I hope you can hear me. I'm actually out in Colorado with my daughter at the moment.
• I hope you can hear me. I'm actually out in Colorado with my daughter at the moment.
• So now I'd like to hear from you all. So now I'd like to hear from you all.
• And I'd love to hear folks unmute and share this powerful moment.
• Hi, I'm driving, but I can hear you.

Keywords: 1212, all

Summary: The Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Aging opened its March quarterly meeting by welcoming its first full-time director, Alison Bauer, who introduced her background in state government, public health, philanthropy, teaching, and LGBTQ family advocacy. Commissioners approved the December meeting minutes and then turned to the main presentation, a DEI workshop led by Adriana Boulin of Fenway Health and Boston Pride for the People. Boulin guided members through an interactive “power flower” exercise to define diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and power, and to reflect on personal values, identities, and the conditions that support or diminish power. Commissioners and guests shared examples of successful DEI work in their lives and in the commission’s work, including listening sessions, inclusive trainings, targeted recruitment, the strategic plan, the commission website, and passage of the LGBTQI+ and HIV long-term care bill of rights. The discussion also included the history of intersectionality and how multiple identities can create both barriers and advantages. The group then applied an equity lens to the commission’s strategic priority on representation and inclusion. Members discussed the need for greater racial, ethnic, gender, trans, immigrant, and regional diversity, as well as barriers such as limited seats, appointment procedures, and the challenge of recruiting people who would otherwise be the only person of their identity in the room. Participants explored possible approaches including expanding seats legislatively, using advisory structures, and building relationships with organizations and potential appointers to broaden participation. The meeting ended with appreciation for the workshop and a reminder that the next quarterly meeting will be held in June.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today we're hearing testimony on the annual Chapter 90 roadway funding bill, along with other lately
• I look forward to hearing the testimony, which we will start shortly.
• We will start hearing testimony for those who are RSVP'd to testify in person.
• Next, we will hear from anyone who is signed up to testify today, and then we will hear from Next, we
• will hear from anyone who is signed up to testify today, and then we will hear from the folks joining

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Transportation

Summary: The Transportation Committee heard testimony on House Bill 4987, the Healey-Driscoll administration’s transportation bond bill financing long-term improvements to municipal roads and bridges. Administration officials said the bill would authorize more than $5 billion overall, including $1.2 billion for Chapter 90 over four years, $500 million for accelerated road and bridge repairs, $200 million for MBTA rail modernization and reliability, $200 million for transportation projects supporting housing development, $200 million for a new DCR parkway resilience and safety program, and reauthorizations for federal-aid highway projects, non-federal highway projects, municipal pavement, and Shared Streets and Spaces. They emphasized that the proposal is backed by Commonwealth Transportation Fund revenues, including registry fees, gas tax, and Fair Share surtax revenue, and said it would improve safety, reliability, housing production, and regional equity. Committee members asked about the four-year Chapter 90 authorization, the housing-related transportation funding, federal funding uncertainty, and how the MBTA money would support commuter rail electrification and regional rail. Administration witnesses said the multi-year structure would help municipalities plan and avoid more expensive deferred maintenance, that the housing funds would be flexible for infrastructure needs tied to development, and that the state is pursuing federal grants while relying on state-backed capital financing. They also described process improvements at MassDOT that have reduced project bid-to-notice timelines by 60% and said the rail modernization funds would support locomotive procurement, including battery-electric and Tier 4 diesel locomotives. The Massachusetts Municipal Association and local officials from Sherborn, Conway, and Yarmouth strongly supported the bill, saying the increased Chapter 90 funding and road-mile formula have made a major difference for small and rural communities and that four-year funding would improve predictability, project bundling, and cost savings. They cited local road, bridge, culvert, and gravel-road needs and urged favorable action. A Better City and MAPC also supported the bill but urged the committee to use it for broader transportation policy changes and new revenue tools, including possible reforms to TNC fees, regional pricing, and other funding mechanisms. The committee took no vote during the hearing and adjourned after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's hear about our amendments to Senate Bill 6346.
• We will now move into public hearing.
• I am going to open the hearing. Oh, sweet.
• Let's hear about your bill. Thank you very much.
• And property taxes, that's what I hear from people a lot.

Summary: House Finance met in executive session on Gross Substitute Senate Bill 6346, the proposed “millionaires’ income tax” package. Staff reviewed the bill and a long list of amendments affecting the new income tax, related business tax changes, and several exemptions and implementation provisions. The committee adopted amendments to exempt diapers from sales tax, allow certain tribal income treatment clarifications, create an advisory group to help implement the tax, move up the repeal date for some business tax changes, and require the measure to go to the voters; several other amendments on federal conformity, agricultural income, pass-through entities, and the marriage threshold were rejected or withdrawn. The committee then adopted the striking amendment as amended and advanced the bill on a 9-6 do pass vote, with supporters arguing it would fund education, health care, child care, and tax relief, and opponents warning about competitiveness, capital flight, and the state’s spending growth. The committee then held a public hearing on Senate Bill 6097, which would add federally recognized Indian tribes as eligible entities for county Conservation Futures Program funding. Staff said the bill would not change the tax levy structure and would have no state revenue impact, while tribal witnesses said it would improve voluntary conservation partnerships for habitat, farmland, and open space. Members asked about the bill’s scope, and staff confirmed it applies only to federally recognized tribes. House Finance also heard Senate Bill 6162, a property tax reform measure that would consolidate the state school levy, expand senior and disability property tax exemptions, raise income thresholds, and simplify the application process with a standard deduction. The prime sponsor and county assessors supported the bill as a way to help seniors, disabled persons, and disabled veterans stay in their homes and reduce administrative burden, while several testifiers opposed it as a tax shift that would raise costs for others and potentially strain local revenues. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 6113, an administrative and technical tax cleanup bill related to last year’s tax changes; the Department of Revenue supported it and noted a possible clarifying amendment, while nonprofits, schools, libraries, health care groups, workforce training providers, and trade associations asked for additional exemptions for live presentations and related educational activities. The chair announced that Senate Bill 6097 would be added to Monday’s executive session, Senate Bill 6114 was removed, and amendments for Monday’s bills were due by 5 p.m. that day.