Transcript Highlights:

• What kind of activities are you going to have oversight over within your position here? Mr.
• Idaho’s 2008 rule already showed conservation and active management can coexist.”
• Forests deserve active stewardship, not caution that results in inaction.
• Sustainable tourism and conservation, on the other hand, build traditional stability.
• Sustainable tourism and conservation, on other hand, built traditional stability.

Committee: Senate Resources and Environment

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is an area that depends largely on tourism, and Florala itself is a gorgeous town, and you know
• This is an area that depends largely on tourism, and Florala itself is a gorgeous town, and you know
• This is an area that depends largely on tourism, and Florala itself is a gorgeous town, and you know
• This is an area that depends largely on tourism, and Florala itself is a gorgeous town, and you know
• </c><00:18:55.520><c> and</c> that depends largely on tourism and that depends largely on tourism and

Bills: HB61 , HB176 , SB12

Committee: House Economic Development and Tourism

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for eco-tourism so that we can have folks go out and just look for these beautiful animals out there
• They offer opportunities for scientific research, like I said, and wildlife tourism also.
• Members, this bill would prohibit a student from participating in interscholastic activity or programs
• It would prohibit a student from participating in interscholastic activity or programs.
• Students deserve second chances, and oftentimes it is interscholastic activities or clubs in a school

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development will now come to order
• We've developed a good government budget that provides for the transportation, tourism, and economic
• development activities of the state.
• This law gives law enforcement the tools and the capability to actively enforce this.
• It's an active recreational activity a lot of people enjoy.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development

Summary: The committee first reviewed the fiscal year 2025-2026 budget proposal for transportation, tourism, and economic development, which totals about $18 billion and includes major funding for the Department of Transportation work program, Visit Florida, affordable housing, library/cultural/historical initiatives, National Guard tuition assistance, and Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles needs. Members approved staff technical adjustments and then adopted the budget proposal as a recommendation to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee then heard and approved CS/SB 666, which creates a specialty license plate for the Miami Northwestern Alumni Association, with proceeds supporting scholarships and school academic, athletic, and arts programs. CS/SB 1318, the hands-free driving bill, drew extensive testimony from the sponsor, law enforcement, advocates, and victims’ families. Supporters argued it would create a clearer, easier-to-enforce prohibition on holding a wireless device while driving and help reduce crashes and deaths; some senators raised concerns about enforcement, privacy, and impacts on drivers with older vehicles, but the bill was reported favorably. The committee also approved SB 1408, designating memorial highways for Tampa Police Officer Jesse Madsen and Charlotte County Sergeant Elio Diaz, and SB 1516, which would create the International Aerospace Innovation Fund administered by Space Florida to support partnerships between Florida and international aerospace companies. Both bills had supportive testimony and no opposition noted. The meeting ended with adjournment after the final votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• At the same time, we want to inspire and empower those kids to become active stewards of these spaces
• So I thought today's session was going to be focused on tourism and sea level rise.
• This was kind of a fun exercise because I hadn't really thought about tourism and sea level rise that
• So as you can see, and I'm really just focusing on the tourism and economic impacts of sea level rise
• We also wanted to see if it would reduce the wave activity and erosion of the nearby shoreline.

Summary: The hearing of the Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy focused on infrastructure, pollution, climate resilience, public health, access, and economic impacts of sea level rise in California, with an emphasis on San Diego and the Bay Area. Chair Tasha Boerner Horvath opened by describing the committee’s purpose, the state’s sea level rise action planning, and the need for better monitoring and early warning systems. She also referenced her prior bills AB 66 and AB 72, which supported Scripps research on coastal bluff collapse warning capabilities. Assembly Members David Alvarez and Jessica Caloza later joined and emphasized that sea level rise affects not only coastal communities but inland areas as well, and that the issue should inform future legislative and budget decisions. In the first panel, Dr. Mark Merrifield of Scripps Institution of Oceanography described observed sea level rise of roughly 0.8 to 0.9 feet since the early 1900s, with acceleration expected by mid-century and potentially much greater rise by 2100 depending on emissions. He highlighted flooding, groundwater rise, beach and cliff erosion, salinization, and risks to transportation, sewage, ports, and national security. Dave Gibson of the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board discussed how sea level rise affects wastewater systems, stormwater, contaminated sites, wetlands, and coastal groundwater basins, and said the board is requiring climate adaptation planning, updating stormwater permits, and seeking more flexible state permitting and mitigation tools. Members and witnesses also discussed the need for better mapping, more monitoring, and more state funding, especially if federal support from NOAA and other agencies declines. The second panel addressed public health, equitable access, and local economies. Ramon Chiras of Un Mar de Colores described how sea level rise, pollution, and access barriers threaten the Tijuana River Valley and Imperial Beach, especially for underserved communities and youth programs that rely on safe, welcoming access to the ocean. He stressed the cultural and spiritual importance of coastal access and the need for water safety and environmental education. Jessica Fane of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission explained that the Bay Area faces major economic exposure from sea level rise, citing a regional estimate of $96 billion in adaptation costs versus $230 billion in potential losses from inaction, and said BCDC is working with local governments under SB 272 on shoreline adaptation planning, funding, and regulatory innovation. Members discussed the tension between environmental permitting and the need to move projects faster, including the possibility of planned retreat in some areas and the use of simultaneous permitting and longer-term state authority to streamline adaptation work. In the final panel, Philip Gibbons of the Port of San Diego described the port’s climate adaptation efforts and its vulnerability assessments under AB 691. He said the port manages state tidelands, supports maritime commerce and recreation, and is already seeing flooding at king tides and during El Niño events, including storm-drain backflow and damage to bikeways and parks. He explained that future sea level rise could inundate major port areas and disrupt operations, underscoring the need for continued planning, mitigation, and infrastructure investment. The hearing did not take formal votes, but it concluded with a clear call for more science, funding, coordination, and regulatory streamlining to prepare California’s coast and nearby communities for worsening sea level rise impacts.

Transcript Highlights:

• create that credit, focused on attracting film, television, e-sports, and video game production activity
• The legislation has already received support from Southern Delaware Tourism, the Delaware Hotel Lodging
• Out-of-state work and marketing costs. restaurants, and in-state economic activity.
• The legislation has already received support from Southern Delaware Tourism, the Delaware Hotel Lodging
• Association. received support from Southern Delaware Tourism, the Delaware Hotel Lodging Association

Bills: HB364 , HB364

Committee: Senate Executive

Keywords: film production, tax credit, Delaware, esports, video games, media projects

Summary: The Senate Executive Committee first considered several gubernatorial appointments. Heidi Gilmore was nominated to the Marijuana Appeals Commission and said her real estate and administrative-law background would help her support implementation of Delaware’s new marijuana framework. Lee Wynne Lynn and Ruth Tucker were both nominated to the Delaware River and Bay Authority Board; both emphasized long Delaware ties, public service, and experience in technology, transportation, and executive leadership, with committee members asking about modernization, cashless tolling, and potential conflicts of interest. Lindsay Alexic and Dr. Jennifer Hallman were nominated to the Professional Standards Board and described their classroom and administrative experience in Delaware public education, with discussion focused on supporting teachers, improving educator effectiveness, and helping schools address post-COVID classroom and student-support challenges. Jason Munion and F. Todd Collada were nominated to the Environmental Appeals Board; Munion cited his engineering and environmental background, while Collada noted his work as Milford’s mayor and a contractor. No votes on the nominations are reflected in the transcript excerpt. The committee then moved to legislation. House Bill 364 would create a Delaware Entertainment Production Tax Credit for film, television, e-sports, and video game production, with a $10 million annual cap, audit and reporting requirements, a 2031 sunset, and a focus on verified in-state spending and Delaware hiring; the bill was circulated after no public comment. House Bill 437 was described as a technical corrections bill affecting certain municipal charters and requiring a three-quarters vote; it also drew no public comment. The committee approved the previously circulated minutes by motion and second. House Bill 446 would reorganize the Delaware Forest Service chapter, consolidate authority in one section, and add definitions related to forests and urban forestry without creating new authority; House Amendment 1 was noted as clarifying existing authority for the Department of Agriculture. House Bill 180, the first leg of a constitutional amendment on voting, would limit felony-related voting loss to actual imprisonment or pardon, remove outdated residency and literacy provisions, update the voting age to 18, and eliminate a post-sentence voting ban; members raised a question about whether the change would apply retroactively, which was left for later clarification. No public comments were offered on the bills, and the committee adjourned after announcing written comments would be accepted for 24 hours.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> and</c><00:19:25.600><c> tourism</c><00:19:25.960><c> earlier</c> talked about travel and tourism
• </c> um you know our travel and tourism um you know our travel and tourism department<00:38:41.040><c
• February 18th, 2025, so about six weeks of activity.
• February 18th, 2025, so about six weeks of activity.
• February 18th, 2025, so about six weeks of activity.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a work session on the Department of Business and Economic Affairs budget, with testimony from Chase Hegman and Kathy Frederickson. Early discussion focused on staffing and vacancies, including a senior planner position tied to FEMA requirements, a program assistant funded by federal ORID dollars, a program specialist being considered for reclassification, two Housing Champions positions to be funded in the next biennium, and temporary welcome center positions. Members also reviewed the commissioner’s office, indirect cost recoveries tied to federal program administration, and the structure and staffing of rest areas and welcome centers, including the Turnpike-funded locations and seasonal staffing patterns. Members then moved through economic development and federal grant-related accounts. Hegman explained that a large share of the agency’s funding is federal, with some programs requiring state match, including the Apex Accelerator, which supports government contracting assistance for businesses. He described Apex as a small team that helps businesses with DOD and other contracting opportunities through webinars, matchmaking, and one-on-one support. The Office of Workforce Opportunity was described as largely federally funded through Commerce-related workforce programs and subrecipients, with some general fund support for agency-wide needs. The Northern Borders Regional Commission dues and capacity grant were also discussed, with officials explaining the state’s required contribution and the federal funds used to administer the program. A major point of discussion was the proposed reduction to the Small Business Development Center, which officials said provides one-on-one technical assistance to new and small businesses and has a strong return on investment. Members questioned the cut, the federal funding sources, and whether there was a waiting list for services; officials said they would provide more detail on matching requirements and funding. The committee also reviewed travel and tourism accounts, including the joint promotional grant program and tourism advertising funds, both of which are proposed to increase. Officials said the tourism marketing formula is based on a percentage of meals and rooms tax revenue and argued that the spending generates significant visitor spending and tax revenue, citing an outside ROI study and examples of advertising in test markets. No votes were taken during the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• The vast majority of this piece of legislation ran through your Super Committee on Tourism.
• This bill has passed through the Tourism Committee unanimously.
• I also would like to thank the chair of tourism for having a kindred spirit.
• Tourism for having a kindred spirit, and we really do appreciate them.
• The bill clearly protects lawful activities like journalists.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior day’s journal by a 117-0 vote, and a long series of guest introductions, including 911 officials, school groups, students shadowing legislators, international visitors from Quebec, family members, and various community advocates. The chamber then moved into floor debate on several measures, beginning with House Joint Resolution 115, which would extend personal property tax and homestead tax exemptions to 100% service-connected disabled veterans and surviving spouses. Members from both parties praised the sponsor’s eight-year effort, emphasized the financial burden on disabled veterans living on fixed incomes, and noted the measure’s broad support; the House adopted the committee substitute and ordered it perfected and printed. The House next took up House Bill 2151, a Fast Track workforce training program fix that raises household income eligibility thresholds from $40,000 to $50,000 for single filers and from $80,000 to $100,000 for joint filers without increasing the program’s overall funding cap. Supporters said the change reflects inflation and will help more adults and families access training for career changes and upskilling. The chamber then approved House Substitute for House Bill 2576, a naming bill that included several commemorative designations. Members adopted amendments designating January as Blood Donor Awareness Month, June 28 as Elliott and Muriel Battle Day, and March 26 as PANS Awareness Day; a proposed Josephine Baker Day amendment was withdrawn after concerns it could complicate the broader bill. The bill also included other memorial and honorary designations, including a highway naming for a Vietnam veteran and recognition of a former Pagedale mayor. The House also approved an amendment designating April 22 as Missouri Black Bear Awareness Day, with supporters saying it would promote public safety and education as bear populations increase. Another amendment added infertility awareness language, with members describing the issue as a disease that affects families in silence. The chamber then approved House Committee Substitute for House Bill 3175, known as Mason’s Law, which creates a system to flag certain driver records for law enforcement when a person has a condition affecting communication; an amendment expanded the notice to include driver’s licenses. Members said the bill would help officers safely interact with people who may have difficulty communicating during traffic stops. Finally, the House took up House Bill 1736, which allows local governments to use certain park-related sales tax revenues for natural disaster mitigation, including stormwater management and the purchase of repetitive-loss properties. Supporters said it would help communities address flooding without turning parks into hard infrastructure sites. The chamber then began debate on House Bill 1887 and related AI and digital-image protection provisions, including measures aimed at preventing nonconsensual deepfakes, protecting minors, and giving victims civil remedies and takedown processes. Members from both parties supported the goal of curbing AI abuse, though some raised technical drafting questions and one member suggested the legislature may eventually need a broader AI task force or sunset review. No final vote on HB 1887 was reached in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• In everyday activities.
• It became a defining tradition in our city, generating economic activity, tourism, entertainment, and
• Beach, Visit Long Beach, and the Los Angeles Sports Council, helping strengthen the region's sports, tourism
• It became a defining tradition in our city, generating economic activity, tourism, entertainment, and
• Beach, visit Long Beach in the Los Angeles Sports Council, helping strengthen the region's sports, tourism

Summary: The Senate met with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then moved through several privileges-of-the-floor recognitions, including birthday wishes for Senator Archuleta and tributes to former Senator George Runner and visiting guests from Portugal in connection with Portuguese Heritage Month. The body then proceeded to governor appointments, beginning with multiple confirmations to the Board of Parole Hearings. Debate on the parole board nominees focused heavily on public safety, transparency, and recent high-profile parole decisions involving violent sexual offenders, with opponents arguing the board had been too lenient and lacked public accountability, while supporters said commissioners were applying the law as written and using structured risk assessments. William Muniz and Michael Ruff were both confirmed after roll-call votes, despite opposition centered on parole outcomes and board transparency. Rosalind Sargent Burns and Mary Thornton were also confirmed after similar debate. The final parole board confirmation, Jack Weiss, drew the most extended discussion, including a failed request to read material into the record and repeated disputes over whether comments were on topic; Weiss was ultimately confirmed as well. Throughout these confirmations, senators on both sides referenced elder parole, the unreasonable-risk standard, victim input, and the need for either reform or deference to existing law. After the appointments, the Senate took up SCR 179 by Senator Niello, designating May as Celiac Disease Awareness Month. Niello described celiac disease as a serious autoimmune disorder, emphasized the challenges of gluten exposure and cross-contamination, and called for greater awareness, labeling, and education. The resolution passed unanimously, 31-0. The session concluded with committee announcements and adjournment-in-memory tributes for Marty Arnold, Jim McAulian, and Pat Gagoscos, followed by remarks from the pro tem noting bipartisan legislation on parole transparency and announcing the next session for June 4, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:09:55.360><c> duty</c><00:09:56.080><c> with</c> transition from active duty with transition
• Service in the Guard is a powerful expression of active citizenship.
• </c> is a powerful expression of active is a powerful expression of active citizenship.<00:21:13.679>
• It is all those things that make for a strong, resilient society: commerce, tourism, trade, food and
• ><c> and</c><00:27:46.720><c> fuel</c> Commerce, tourism, trade, food and fuel Commerce, tourism, trade

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Sixteen percent of 346 people had active warrant status.
• There are people that do have active warrants.
• They rely on that tourism going in.
• It's a lot of tourism; a lot of hikers go through there.
• It affects our tourism in the area.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held a work session focused on ignition interlock device compliance and broader traffic safety data. Traffic Safety Commission staff described a Yakima County pilot that provides enhanced probation supervision and support for DUI offenders, reporting that compliance with ignition interlock installation rose from roughly 16%–20% before the pilot to 41% among medium- and high-risk offenders, with barriers including cost, confusion about requirements, transportation access, and communication gaps. JLARC staff presented a statewide preliminary audit finding an overall 41% installation rate, with higher installation rates among higher-income drivers and limited use of financial assistance; JLARC recommended clearer goals for the assistance program and a formal coordination agreement between the Department of Licensing and State Patrol. State Patrol also reported on a Snohomish County outreach pilot that used troopers and door hangers to contact noncompliant drivers, found many were unaware of financial aid, and identified some drivers as physically unable to drive, without vehicles, or on warrant status. The committee then received a broader traffic safety update showing that serious injuries and fatalities rose sharply in recent years before declining somewhat in 2024; impaired-driving fatalities fell 15% from 2023 to 2024, while pedestrian fatalities remained near record highs. The Traffic Safety Commission also highlighted telematics-based research showing that targeted enforcement and visible patrols can reduce speeding, and that anonymized telematics data is being used to analyze speeding and distracted driving patterns statewide and at the corridor level. Members asked about privacy, enforcement methods, and how the data are used, and staff emphasized that the data are aggregate and opt-in through insurance or similar programs. After waiving five-day notice, the committee held a public hearing on Senate Joint Memorial 8016, which asks Congress and federal agencies to treat the Fairfax Bridge closure and replacement as an emergency and to expedite federal review and remove historic-register barriers. Supporters from Wilkeson, Carbonado, recreation groups, and nearby communities testified that the bridge closure has harmed tourism, emergency response, recreation access, and daily travel. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6230, which would require cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest five cents in light of the federal penny phaseout; staff said the Department of Licensing fiscal note showed a $186,000 technology cost, and retail and food industry representatives supported the bill but requested amendments for permissive language, safe harbors, consumer protections, and local preemption. In executive session, staff briefed members on several bills and substitutes, including snowmobile registration fee increases, gender designation record confidentiality, salvaged title transfer streamlining, fish-barrier/utility relocation changes, emergency highway work thresholds, a Traffic Safety Commission public-health-authority proposal, special parking privilege renewal changes, parked vehicle registration enforcement, and oil tanker tug-escort requirements. No final votes or bill actions were recorded in the excerpt beyond the motion to waive notice and the completion of the public hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• So from the time I was a child and an active 4-Her, and we were showing horses and cattle and winning
• So from the time I was a child and an active 4-Her, and we were showing horses and cattle and winning
• complete ecosystem that benefits our state's economy, agricultural history, heritage, and thriving tourism
• and I'm a third-generation horseman and general manager of my family's Ocala Stud Farm, the oldest active
• We have to race, and we have to give money out of our gaming activities. We're the only ones.

Committee: Senate Regulated Industries

Summary: The committee first handled Senate confirmations, hearing two support waivers from the Florida Swimming Pool Association, and then voted to recommend confirmation of all appointees in a block vote. It then took up several bills, adopting amendments and reporting each measure favorably: CS/SB 462 on transportation, which included FDOT authority over speed limits, EV-related funding, MPO changes, workforce grants, and an I-4 widening report; SB 1574 on energy infrastructure investment, creating a PSC mechanism for renewable natural gas infrastructure cost recovery; SB 1002 on utility service restrictions, limiting local government energy-source restrictions; and SB 726 on swatting, adding liability for prosecution/investigation costs and restitution for injuries or property damage. The committee also approved CS/SB 496 on timeshare management and CS/SB 1076 on roof contracting, both with technical or clarifying amendments. A major portion of the meeting focused on SB 408 on thoroughbred permit holders and decoupling live racing from gaming licenses at Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs. Senator Burgess presented a strike-all amendment that would delay decoupling for seven years, with a three-year notice period and a four-year guarantee of racing and current purse/breeder award structures. The sponsor and supporters said the longer runway was intended to create room for negotiations and align Florida with other pari-mutuel operations. The committee heard extensive public testimony, overwhelmingly opposed, from horsemen, breeders, veterinarians, farm owners, sales companies, and related businesses who warned the bill would reduce racing, depress breeding, threaten tens of thousands of jobs, and harm a major agricultural industry. A few speakers, including representatives of the Miccosukee Tribe, opposed the bill as a casino expansion that would benefit out-of-state interests and undermine existing gaming arrangements. No final vote on SB 408 was taken in the portion provided, and the committee continued public testimony after a recess.

Transcript Highlights:

• Dennis Ling for the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism stands on its written testimony
• Business Economic Department of Business Economic Development<00:03:48.360><c> and</c><00:03:48.560><c> Tourism
• /c><00:03:49.239><c> debed</c><00:03:49.720><c> stand</c><00:03:50.040><c> on</c> Development and Tourism
• debed stand on Development and Tourism debed stand on its<00:03:50.439><c> written</c><00:03:50.840>
• And finally, the positions at the State Foundation that support this type of activity are all currently

Committee: House Culture & Arts

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Culture and Arts met on February 7 and heard testimony on two measures. HB 1025, relating to the Center for Cultural and Technical Interchange Between East and West, received support from the East-West Center, the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, and Friends of Civil Rights, with the Department of the Attorney General submitting comments. No opposition was noted, and the committee later voted to pass HB 1025 with amendments. The chair said the amendments would incorporate the Attorney General’s comments, add a preamble clarifying legislative intent, and change the effective date to July 1, 3000; the vote was unanimous among members present, with two members excused. The committee also heard HB 1378, which would establish a Performing Arts grant program under the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. The SFCA supported the bill but asked that section 5 be deleted, saying the Works of Art Special Fund is not the right vehicle for performing arts and that the agency’s positions are currently federally funded and should be shifted to general funds. The Attorney General likewise recommended deleting section 5, warning that expanding the Works of Art Special Fund could jeopardize the state’s tax-exempt GO bond status, and suggested creating a separate special fund in chapter 9 instead. DBEDT stood on its written testimony, and several arts organizations and individuals testified in support, with the chair noting about 23 supporters overall. During questioning on HB 1378, members asked about possible federal funding losses. The SFCA director said the agency is in discussions with other state arts agencies about potential reductions from the National Endowment for the Arts and related White House requests, and that the immediate goal is to protect federally funded positions by moving them into the general fund. The committee did not take final action on HB 1378 and deferred decision-making until Wednesday, February 12.

Transcript Highlights:

• One is the ag business development fund, and one is a tourism fund.
• The other fund, the Division of Tourism Fund, says it allows the Missouri Division of Tourism to promote
• tourism.
• The fund says it allows the Missouri Division of Tourism to promote tourism to the traveling public in
• With that, we'll stand in recess until adjournment of floor activity.

Committee: House Budget

Summary: The committee first heard the Missouri National Guard’s FY 2027 budget request in House Bill 2008. Brigadier General Bob Payne outlined the Guard’s dual state and federal mission, recent deployments and state activations, counter-drug work, and the need to maintain readiness and aging armory infrastructure. Members questioned several items, including a proposed internal auditor position required by statute, a World Cup-related NDI, the use of general revenue versus other funds, and a federal match for base operations support at Rosecrans Airport. The presentation then shifted into executive session, where the committee reviewed a House committee substitute and several amendments. One amendment to fund the Missouri State Fair’s Great American State Fair participation with ag and tourism funds was rejected, while an amendment reducing $50,000 in House and Senate legal contingency funding was adopted. Another amendment directing budget information to all committee members rather than only chairs was rejected. The committee then adopted the substitute and voted House Bill 2014 do pass by a 24-0-1 vote. The committee next took up the Department of Corrections FY 2027 budget in House Bill 2009. DOC described a new CERT stipend increase, a reduction in the Office of Director’s Staff, and several core items including professional standards, federal funds, community treatment programming, education grants, population growth pool, restitution payments, human services staff, telecommunications, general services, fuel and utilities, food purchases, food service, staff training, employee health and safety, overtime, adult institution staff, institution E&E, wage and discharge, and individual institutions. Members asked about the CERT stipend, PREA allegations, education funding, restitution payments, the population growth pool, the working capital revolving fund, food service costs, overtime, retention, warden turnover, the prison nursery, and the use of inmate canteen funds. DOC said CERT members are full-time employees who volunteer for additional duty, that staffing has improved but remains a challenge, that the food service increase reflects the end of inventory credits and inflation, and that the department generally spends non-GR funds first when possible. Discussion also turned to whether DOC facilities could be repurposed for pretrial or mental health populations; DOC said it is legally limited to post-sentence inmates and that staffing and labor-market constraints make reopening closed facilities difficult.

Transcript Highlights:

• Family art-making activities, spoken word, and visual arts.
• Again, a free activity.
• year did more than 6,000 free activities.
• So community-based arts activities, we do see that number increasing.
• In any case, tourism is everywhere, with many jobs directly in the arts.

Committee: House Legacy Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> very very important for the tourism very very important for the tourism industry<00:14:37.360><c
• </c> detrimental to our tourism detrimental to our tourism industry<00:15:19.320><c> um</c><00:15:19.519
• Lodging is the lifeblood of tourism.
• </c><00:29:25.360><c> if</c> lodging is the lifeblood of Tourism if lodging is the lifeblood of Tourism
• </c><00:29:55.919><c> Center</c> University of Minnesota Tourism Center University of Minnesota Tourism

Bills: HF1124 , HF1457 , HF1803

Committee: House Education Policy

Keywords: school calendar, education, school year, Labor Day, state law, school construction, landfill, dump site, closed landfill, contaminated site, pollution control agency, school siting, public school, charter school, environmental health, student safety, brownfield, solid waste, waste disposal site, site contamination

Transcript Highlights:

• . ...engagement, creating more economic support through tourism, and we know how much of a difference
• We need to increase revenue through the promotion of cultural identity and tourism.
• So if policy only follows where the camera shoots, we miss much of the economic activity.
• The Manito groups exist for nearly 30 years, and today they're over 300 active members.
• And today there are over 300 active members. Their stories reflect millions of Californians.

Committee: Senate Joint Committee on the Arts

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Arts held an informational hearing on California’s first sector-specific creative economy strategic plan, developed under AB 127 by the California Arts Council with an interagency work group and outside research support. Committee members and panelists described the plan’s purpose as strengthening the state’s creative workforce, stabilizing creative businesses, expanding equity and access, and building infrastructure for long-term implementation. The opening presentation highlighted major forces shaping the sector over the next decade, including AI, climate disruption, affordability, access to capital, and social cohesion, and outlined six action areas: workforce preparation, business growth, cultural tourism and identity, cross-sector incentives, ROI/data tracking, and state capacity-building. Testimony from the California Department of Education and the Workforce Development Board focused on existing workforce pipelines, including updated arts/entertainment/design CTE standards, the Entertainment Equity Alliance, apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship pathways, and High Road Training Partnership investments. Speakers said these efforts are producing strong placement outcomes, including paid on-the-job training, union placements, and support for workers facing barriers, while also emphasizing the need for entrepreneurship training and wraparound supports. Committee discussion also centered on a major unresolved issue: how to define and measure the creative economy consistently across agencies, since current labor data often misses gig, contract, nonprofit, and business activity. A second panel of practitioners and advocates described local examples of the plan in action. The Handy Foundation, Arts for LA’s Creative Jobs Collective, the Arts Council of San Bernardino County, and the California Arts Council chair all argued that artists and creative workers should be treated as essential contributors to education, community health, local economies, and resilience, not as peripheral workers. They urged stronger school partnerships, more arts access, and better recognition of creative careers. Members also discussed AI’s impact on creative work, with panelists saying it should be treated as a tool that requires guardrails, training, and union and educator involvement rather than as a replacement for human creativity. No formal votes were taken; the hearing was informational, and members expressed support for continued implementation, better data systems, and additional funding in future budget and policy actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• California's wildlife areas provide natural habitat, control flooding, and give the public access to activities
• The spill harmed marine protected areas, disrupted local businesses and tourism, and cost nearly $300
• This includes impacts to beaches, marine ecosystems, local businesses, tourism, fisheries, and public
• lanes, as well as impacts to California's extremely valuable coastal ecosystems, which power our tourism
• Should new federal leases be... which power our tourism, fisheries, and coastal communities.

Committee: Senate Natural Resources and Water

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is going to be a huge draw for tourism.
• Over 25 years ago, California voters affirmed tribes' exclusive right to conduct gaming activities, which
• Tribal gaming activities are... Highly regulated, as we all know, serving on this committee.
• didn't win the geographic lottery that blessed some tribes with prime casino locations near major tourism
• Are consumer groups actively opposing this and petitioning their state legislatures to regulate or to

Summary: The Governmental Organization Committee met as a subcommittee before quorum was established, then heard three measures. AB 770 by Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez would authorize the City of Los Angeles to create a flexible signage framework at the Los Angeles Convention Center to generate revenue for renovation and modernization tied to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Support came from labor, business, and SEIU representatives, who cited jobs, tourism, and financing benefits; there was no opposition testimony. Members asked about the job estimates and the connection between signage revenue and convention center expansion. SB 451, presented by Senator Archuleta, would clarify that a 50-50 charitable raffle may be conducted at a championship game held at a designated venue where an affiliated sports team plays home games, addressing a Super Bowl-related ambiguity. Supporters from the NFL and the 49ers said the change would preserve charitable fundraising for Super Bowls 60 and 61 and would not alter other raffle rules. CalNonprofits raised concerns about fairness, gambling expansion, and the special treatment of pro sports raffles, while members discussed how charities receive funds and the program’s audit process. AB 831 by Assemblymember Valencia would prohibit online sweepstakes using dual-currency models that allow cash payouts, while leaving non-cash social sweepstakes untouched. Supporters, including several tribes, the Sports Betting Alliance, the California Chamber of Commerce, and other stakeholders, argued the bill closes a loophole, protects consumers, and preserves tribal gaming sovereignty; opponents, including the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance and numerous tribal members and representatives, argued it would eliminate a legal industry, harm smaller and less advantaged tribes, and was advanced without sufficient consultation. After extensive debate about consumer protection, tribal equity, and online gaming regulation, all three bills were approved, and the committee adjourned at 9:55 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• The cameras in the room will switch to whoever is actively speaking.
• capital public and historic facilities, interpretive and educational facilities, and improvements and activities
• We passed statewide tourism funding this year for the first time in a long time, and I'm excited about
• you see an opportunity there that we could enhance the experience by using the experience of our tourism
• Let's polish it up and make it as special as it can be, and I think it will enhance tourism for our state

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 6313, which would create a Capital Centennial Stewardship Account for remodeling, repairs, interpretive and educational facilities, and other improvements to the state Capitol campus ahead of the building’s 100th anniversary in 2028. Staff explained that statewide elected officials and legislators could solicit gifts, grants, and donations for the account, with spending subject to appropriation. Prime sponsor Senator Marco Elias described the bill as a way to enhance the Capitol experience, potentially restore access to the top of the building, and raise private support for upgrades without relying solely on public funds. Members asked questions about the Capitol’s history, tourism potential, and the fundraising authority, and no public testimony was offered. The committee then heard Substitute Senate Bill 6076, which would expand procurement and self-performance authority for public utility districts and other consumer-owned utilities for certain electric generation, storage, transmission, and distribution projects, largely through 2045. Staff said the bill would raise thresholds for self-performed work and allow more flexibility in bidding and contracting, with no fiscal impact to state agencies but an indeterminate local government impact from training and procedure updates. Testifiers from IBEW Local 77 and Grant PUD supported the bill, saying utilities face a backlog of infrastructure work, higher material costs, and long procurement timelines, and that the bill would speed maintenance and construction. Committee members asked about renewable energy uses, examples of qualifying projects, and whether land acquisition was included; testimony clarified that the bill focuses on equipment and project components, not land. In executive session, the committee took up Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5901, relating to school construction assistance program facilities reports for on-base schools. Members said the bill would help military-connected school districts address gaps between state and federal funding and support quality facilities for military children. The committee approved the bill on a 16-0 vote, with three excused, and reported it out of committee with a do pass recommendation. The chair also noted that additional bills, including the Capital Centennial Account bill and the utility procurement bill heard that day, could be considered in a later executive session.