Video & Transcript Research : 'security module'
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TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Local governments and agencies to provide weapons lockers or other secure weapon storage.
- It does not apply for the temporary secure storage of weapons if it's prohibited in certain buildings
Keywords:
trafficking, prostitution, affirmative defense, victims, criminal justice reform, victim rights, criminal justice, judicial reform, court procedures, mental health services, criminal penalties, court security, SB 6, Woman and Child Protection Act, abortion, abortion-inducing drugs, medication abortion, mifepristone, misoprostol, pro-life
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- That office required us to turn over social security numbers and birthdates for all family members in
- and gave it to the opposing party, which means they gave my minor daughter's birthdate and social security
- number, as well as my social security number, to a woman who had played.
- Cleanup in the committee substitute is needed based on county responsibilities, security responsibilities
Keywords:
digital court reporting, court reporting, court reporter, electronic recording, audio recording, video recording, transcription, verbatim record, judicial administration, Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial System, courts, depositions, grand jury, referee, court commissioner, court technology, courtroom technology, access to justice, accuracy
TX
Bills:
HB345, HB721, HB2580, SB815, HB3057, HB4603, HB3233, SB495, HB3863, HB3914, HB4570, HB5099, HB5173, SB458
Keywords:
insurance, appraisal process, disputed losses, residential property, policyholder rights, insurer obligations, natural disasters, appraisal expenses, umpire selection, policyholder, insurer, umpire, claims management, health care, cost disclosure, benefit plan, administrators, traumatic brain injury, health benefit plans, insurance coverage
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- We already have premiums that have not been secured in this fight. We appreciate your testimony.
- This bill secures sensitive patient data from the potential threat of storing that data outside.
Bills:
HB345, HB721, HB2580, SB815, HB3057, HB4603, HB3233, SB495, HB3863, HB3914, HB4570, HB5099, HB5173, SB458
Keywords:
insurance, appraisal process, disputed losses, residential property, policyholder rights, insurer obligations, natural disasters, appraisal expenses, umpire selection, policyholder, insurer, umpire, claims management, health care, cost disclosure, benefit plan, administrators, traumatic brain injury, health benefit plans, insurance coverage
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Investments in water infrastructure not only secure... Infrastructure well into the future.
- Investments in water infrastructure not only secure water access, but also fuel job creation and economic
- demands, dedicated funding for a wide range of water infrastructure solutions will be critical in securing
- employment, and water provide community benefits such as economic opportunity, employment, and water security
- Thank you for allowing me to be here today and for your leadership in securing water for the future of
Keywords:
judicial administration, court reform, juvenile diversion, court security, mental health services, drug offenses, constitutional amendments, water infrastructure, Texas Water Development Board, financial assistance, water supply projects, rural municipalities, water access assessment, aquifer storage, Edwards Aquifer, water injection, environmental regulations, groundwater management, San Antonio River, pollution control
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- We urge your support for House Bill 2970 to secure a gate complex that's safe and sustainable. ...future-ready
Keywords:
water infrastructure, Texas Water Development Board, financial assistance, water supply projects, rural municipalities, water access assessment, aquifer storage, Edwards Aquifer, water injection, environmental regulations, groundwater management, San Antonio River, pollution control, flood management, water quality, conservation district, bonds, utility rates, ratemaking, water services
AL
Alabama 2025 Regular Session
Alabama House Ways and Means General Fund Committee Mar 5th, 2025
Ways and Means General Fund
Keywords:
elections, post-election audit, election audit, risk-limiting audit, ballot audit, election integrity, voter confidence, Secretary of State, judge of probate, canvassing board, poll watchers, ballot containers, manual tally, recount, county election, statewide election, general election, absentee ballots, provisional ballots, election transparency
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee (7-9-24) - Reupload
Keywords:
KY LRC YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znJMQmmrdmY, 2026-06-21T07:17:07+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, Reupload to restore meeting parts lost due to technical issues
0:00 – Meeting start/roll call
0:29 – Approval of minutes
0:45 – Council on Postsecondary Education
2:31 – Board of Elections
56:16 – Office of the Attorney General
58:54 – Kentucky Public Pension Authority
1:01:07 – Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy
1:02:01 – Office of Homeland Security
1:04:35 – Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet: Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources
1:08:06 – Justice and Public Safety Cabinet: Department of Corrections
1:09:55 – Education and Labor Cabinet: Board of Education & Department for Technical Education
1:12:20 – Education and Labor Cabinet: Department of Workers’ Claims
1:13:05 – Public Protection Cabinet: Department of Financial Institutions
1:15:38 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services: Department for Aging and Independent Living
1:17:26 – Cabinet for Health & Family Services: Office of the Secretary, Medical Cannabis Program
1:29:00 – Announcement of August meeting and adjournment, 958, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Senate Legislative Session Apr 16th, 2026 at 09:30 am
Oklahoma Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Football team secured the 2025 Class C football state runner-up and Class C football academic state champion
- bestowed the Congressional Medal of Honor for his courage under heavy enemy fire while serving as security
- House Bill 4065 appropriates $93,000 to the Oklahoma School of Science and Math for their school security
- The school security revolving fund got moved into the base of SE this year.
- How does this $93,000 compare... to what schools are receiving through the school security revolving
Bills:
HB3257, HB3176, HB3544, HB3619, HB3546, HB1782, HB2293, HB4358, HB3081, HB3983, HB3790, HJR1023, HB4139, HB3297, HB3041, HB3673, HB4105, HB3338, HB3048, SR33, SCR21, SCR20, HB4030, HB4031, HB4032, HB4034, HB4036, HB4037, HB4038, HB4040, HB4041, HB4042, HB4043, HB4045, HB4046, HB4047, HB4048, HB4044, HB4050, HB4051, HB4052, HB4053, HB4054, HB4056, HB4057, HB4071, HB4065, HB4067, HB4072, HB2992, HB4338, HB4170
Keywords:
veterans, disability benefits, federal law, Oklahoma Statutes, military service, Oklahoma, Gas Hub, artificial intelligence, national laboratory, public-private partnerships, aerospace, high-performance computing, economic development, social AI companions, minors, emotional attachment, safety protocols, civil penalties, parental controls, geographic information
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- But, Nuclear operations, national security—the list is endless.
- Such activities can significantly damage national security and the economy.
- The Senate Committee on Border Security will reconvene at 2 p.m. in E1.016 to continue our E1.016 at
- of proceedings for those securities, to Business and Commerce.
- of proceedings for those securities, to Business and Commerce.
Bills:
SJR12, SCR39, SB27, SB29, SB241, SB406, SB414, SB464, SB568, SB578, SB609, SB660, SB689, SB693, SB785, SB857, SB879, SB921, SB922, SB955, SB985, SB993, SB996, SB1008, SB1035, SB1036, SB1059, SB1098, SB1120, SB1122, SB1147, SB1188, SB1197, SB1209, SB1227, SB1245, SB1267, SB1307, SB1321, SB1332, SB1386, SB1396, SB1453, SB1484, SB1494, SB1536, SB1537, SB1596, SB1610, SB1664, SB1741, SB1814, SB1822, SB1841, SB1948, SB2065, SB2155, SB2188, SB2230, SB2406, SB2407
Keywords:
parental rights, education, constitutional amendment, school choice, child education, border security, southern border, federal immigration policy, illegal immigration, cartels, transnational cartels, fentanyl, drug trafficking, human trafficking, Operation Lone Star, Texas border, National Guard, state guard, border wall, border barriers
Summary:
The Senate convened with a quorum present, heard an invocation, and approved the previous day’s journal. The chamber then adopted Senate Resolution 358 honoring the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on its 10th anniversary, with senators highlighting the university’s growth, medical school, research expansion, and role in serving South Texas. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 368 honoring outgoing Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp, with numerous senators praising his long public career, leadership in higher education, and statewide impact. Senate Resolution 361 recognizing Texas HBCU Day and Senate Resolution 362 recognizing Denton County Days at the Capitol were also adopted, along with other routine recognitions and gubernatorial appointments being read into the record.
The Senate then took up several bills. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 27, relating to rights and support for public school educators, was debated and amended to shorten vacancy posting requirements, allow bilingual certification candidates to retake only failed test sections, give teachers more flexibility with paid leave, clarify classroom removal procedures, and ensure parents are informed of appeal rights. The bill passed to engrossment, the three-day rule was suspended, and it was finally passed unanimously. Senate Joint Resolution 12, proposing a constitutional amendment to establish a parent’s right to direct a child’s education, was also brought up and passed to engrossment after a contested suspension vote.
The Senate next passed Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1741, which would require reporting of foreign funding at public universities, bar gifts from adversarial governments, and require training and reporting systems to prevent foreign influence and intellectual property theft in higher education. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 29, the so-called “Dexit” bill, was debated at length for its corporate governance changes, including codifying the business judgment rule and altering internal corporate litigation and records rules; it passed to engrossment, the three-day rule was suspended, and it was finally passed by a 30-1 vote. Senate Bill 857, allowing law enforcement discretion to tow vehicles driven by unlicensed or uninsured drivers, passed after discussion of towing abuses during flooding and disaster conditions. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1536, requiring dementia and Alzheimer’s training for certain guardians, passed with broad support, and Senate Bill 922, addressing delayed electronic disclosure of sensitive medical test results so physicians can discuss them first, was taken up and passed to engrossment as the chamber continued through its calendar.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development - Subcommittee on Veterans - 01/27/25
Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development - Subcommittee on Veterans
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:16:02.920>
the <00:16:03.040>benefits their families securing the benefits their - so helping them process Social Security so helping them process Social Security applications<00:
- <01:23:43.040>
that like it's some uh training modules that like it's some uh training modules - security security um<01:24:25.239>
so <01:24:25.400>you <01:24:25.560>all <01:24 - somebody get Social Security disability, for example.
Summary:
The subcommittee held its first hearing of the session and began with introductions from members and staff, many of whom shared personal or family connections to military service. The chair emphasized that the committee would work respectfully and invited members to raise concerns directly. No votes or formal actions were taken during the opening portion of the meeting.
The main substantive item was an overview presentation from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs. Commissioner Brad Lindsay described the agency’s mission, statewide footprint, and strategic goals, noting Minnesota has more than 286,000 veterans and that MDVA serves veterans in all 87 counties. He outlined the department’s structure, including eight veterans homes, four state veterans cemeteries, tribal and campus outreach, and the agency’s focus on seamless support, awareness of programs, stewardship of resources, and workforce retention.
Deputy Commissioner Ben Johnson then detailed the Programs and Services Division, including federal VA claims assistance, veterans employment and education support, state veterans cemeteries and memorial affairs, the State Soldiers Assistance Program, homelessness prevention, tribal veteran service officers, women veterans services, the Minnesota GI Bill, licensing and certification assistance, the state approving agency, veterans preference, emergency assistance, the LinkVet line, and the Minnesota Service Core partnership with Lutheran Social Services. He also noted the agency’s work on food insecurity and burial services. The presentation was informational only, with no committee action reported.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Combatting Antisemitism Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Transcript Highlights:
- agencies and civil society organizations and nonprofits to provide training and resources on physical security
- explain that this insertion, the legislature currently funds a line in the state budget for nonprofit security
- It could be as simple as a module that someone completes to have a better understanding of how to best
- does not need to be a cost associated with this for the school systems because if somebody creates a module
Summary:
The commission held its 16th and final meeting to review and vote on revisions to its draft report on combating antisemitism. After roll call, members approved the prior meeting minutes, adopted a procedure for handling substantive and technical edits, and authorized limited technical corrections after the meeting. Senator John Velis’s letter was read into the record noting his military deployment and support for the final report, and the commission discussed the scope of the report, including its 118 findings and recommendations and the large volume of testimony received over the year.
Members then worked through a series of amendments to the report. The chair’s prefatory statement was revised to restore language and data about Massachusetts Jews’ relationship to Israel and the impact on the commission’s work. Commissioner Liken’s proposal called for DESE guidance and teacher training to support intellectually diverse K-12 classrooms; members debated how to ensure it could not be used to justify biased or false material, and the amendment passed with discussion about existing guardrails. Commissioner Hay’s technical edits were adopted, and commissioners also discussed whether DESE’s new reporting system should anonymize data; the language was revised to specify anonymized data and approved.
Additional amendments were adopted on public safety and higher education, including clarifying support for nonprofit security grants and personnel grants, refining language on academic boycotts, and adding references to Zionist identity and presumed Zionist identity as possible bases for antisemitic treatment. Commissioner Kipnis’s revisions to the prefatory statement were also considered, with some members objecting to the removal of language about minimization and traumatic invalidation and others supporting a more concise, fact-driven tone. The commission also approved language strengthening recommendations by changing several “should” statements to “must.”
Treasurer Deborah Goldberg then delivered closing remarks praising the commission’s work and sharing personal family history to illustrate the persistence of antisemitism in Massachusetts. She said the report offers a practical roadmap, including bias reporting in schools, security coordination, and broader anti-discrimination training, and emphasized that the recommendations will help all communities. Commissioners thanked her for her leadership and testimony. The meeting continued with further amendments, including one on law enforcement security grants and another on higher education findings and recommendations, and the commission repeatedly voted by roll call, generally approving the revisions unanimously.
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee Apr 21st, 2026 at 08:25 am
Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- I mentioned security. We have a lot of test beds related to national security. This is our...
- Security. We have a lot of test beds related to national security.
- National home security, John touched on that.
- On the security side, we had— Annually, over 100 items that we had to approve on the security side.
- Is there a difference in the security concerns in those plants? So physical security? You mean?
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Artificial Intelligence Task Force 2025 (9-11-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- security and fraud prevention. security and fraud prevention.
- Uh and so it's a 10m module learn.
- access that data and maintain security? access that data and maintain security?
- It's well environment is very secure.
- Um, and it and I do things are secure.
Summary:
The Intelligence Task Force met with a quorum present and approved the minutes from the August 14 meeting. The first presentation was from the National Retail Federation on artificial intelligence in the retail sector. NRF described AI use cases in three areas: consumer-facing tools such as chatbots, product descriptions, and marketing; employee-facing tools such as company-specific apps trained on employee manuals; and internal uses such as supply chain forecasting, inventory planning, fraud detection, cybersecurity, and coding support. The presenters said retail has been among the top deployers of AI and emphasized that the goal is to improve both customer and employee experience.
NRF also outlined its principles for responsible AI use, organized around governance and risk management, customer engagement and trust, workforce applications, and business partner accountability. The group said retailers should maintain strong internal oversight, be transparent with customers, ensure compliance with existing laws, closely review workforce-related uses because they can be high-risk, and clearly define responsibilities between retailers and third-party developers. In policy discussion, NRF urged a tiered approach focused first on high-risk uses such as hiring, health care, financial, mortgage, and rental decisions, warned against fragmented rules that could favor only the largest firms, and encouraged voluntary standards and worker upskilling incentives. In response to a question about dynamic pricing, NRF said its members do not target consumers based on pricing and offered to follow up with more information.
The committee then moved to a follow-up discussion on energy policy and data centers, hearing from Bartley Cleland of NetChoice. He explained that AI runs largely in data centers and that cloud computing shifts processing and storage away from individual devices, which he argued improves efficiency and can reduce costs. He said electricity demand has been rising over time and that AI will increase compute-related electricity use, but framed electricity as a normal input to economic growth. No votes or formal actions were taken after these presentations.
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
01/22/2026 - Joint Legislative Audit Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- On the requirements related to system privacy and security, we evaluated vendor-provided technical security
- The third function we tested was remote access to schools' live security cameras.
- We've got a training manager who's creating these modules.
- Okay, my final question is: why aren't you Homeland Security certified?
- Department of Homeland Security as a qualified anti-terrorism technology.
Summary:
The committee opened with remarks about moving JLAC to a more frequent monthly schedule and spending more time on each audit. Members also recognized Melanie Chesney of the Auditor General’s office for 32 years of service, with several members praising her work and her role in school safety and other audits. The meeting then turned to the JLAC-directed Arizona School Safety Special Audit on interoperable communication systems, with the Auditor General’s office presenting the December 2025 report.
The audit found that the state had allocated nearly $26 million to interoperable communication efforts, but implementation varied widely. Auditors said all 14 law enforcement agencies used the money for interoperable systems, yet four agencies allowed private or tribal schools to participate contrary to statute, and several agencies failed to submit required expenditure reports. The report also found procurement problems: nine of 14 agencies did not follow procurement requirements or lacked documentation, many contracts lacked accountability provisions, and some agencies had not planned for ongoing costs. The audit estimated ongoing annual costs for an average rural county could range from about $16,000 to $382,000, and recommended that agencies document costs, follow procurement rules, monitor vendors, and plan for future funding. It also recommended the legislature clarify whether non-public schools may participate and revisit statutory system requirements that were vague or inconsistently interpreted.
Members questioned the Auditor General about vendor licensing, whether systems could be built in-house, why some functions were not configured, and whether the systems were truly usable in emergencies. The presentation explained that some systems met requirements only in part, that Mutualink had a per-user licensing model affecting access to secure text and file sharing, and that some schools were unwilling or unable to install apps or keep devices logged in. The committee also discussed the difference between the separate school safety grant program administered by ADE and this interoperability fund, and several members expressed frustration with sole-source contracting and weak documentation.
In the final portion of the presentation, auditors said only two of eight observed systems demonstrated all five critical emergency functions, while four agency systems could not be tested because they were reportedly not functioning. The committee then began hearing responses from county sheriffs, starting with the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association president, who emphasized county commitment to school safety and noted that some counties had implemented systems across multiple districts, including tribal and rural schools. No votes or formal actions were taken during the portion provided.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee 2/10/25
Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- , monitoring, diversity, equity, inclusion, and grants administration, but there were no training modules
- um on how to detect fraud modules um on how to detect fraud or<00:31:59.320>
compliance <00:32 - And so by requiring them to take a very kind of base set of training modules to ensure that they really
- And so by requiring them to take a very kind of base set of training modules to ensure that they really
- And so by requiring them to take a very kind of base set of training modules to ensure that they really
Summary:
The committee held its first meeting on February 10, 2025, with member and staff introductions and opening remarks from Chair Kristin Robbins about the committee’s bipartisan mission to address state fraud and improve oversight of executive branch spending. Robbins said the committee would focus on both legislation and informational oversight hearings, likely in coordination with standing policy committees, and emphasized concerns about reported fraud in state government and the need to prevent waste before it occurs. Members from both parties generally expressed support for the committee’s work and interest in learning more about the issues.
The sole agenda item was a presentation from the Legislative Auditor on the 2023 report, “Oversight of State-Funded Grants to Nonprofit Organizations.” Legislative Auditor Judy Randall and Deputy Legislative Auditor Jodi Munson Rodriguez explained that the report reviewed how comprehensive Minnesota’s grants management policies are and how well agencies follow them. They said the policies cover the grant lifecycle but often lack detail, and the office found widespread noncompliance in recent years. The presentation included examples such as limited standards for progress reports, flexible monitoring requirements, and no required timeline for closeout reviews. The auditors also noted that state agencies spent an average of about $514 million annually on nonprofit grants from fiscal years 2018 through 2022, with about 2,400 nonprofit organizations receiving grants.
The auditors said several factors contribute to compliance problems, including inconsistent funding for grants management, limited training, and uneven use of electronic grants systems. They also noted that statutes gave little authority to enforce compliance. Since the report was released, the Department of Administration has taken some steps, including changes to pre-award financial review policies and a timeline for closeout reviews, but the auditors said other recommendations remain only partially implemented. No votes were taken and no bills were acted on at this meeting.
TX
Texas 89th 2nd C.S.
Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs Apr 30th, 2025
Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- Homeland Security and Public Safety and Veterans Affairs will come to order.
- Security guard companies are regulated by the Texas Department of Public Safety, DPS.
- There are no situations in which a security guard company can legally classify their security guard employees
- We've got a bunch of guard companies out there that are private security, yes sir, private security companies
- Well, I mean, most of your security companies have an insurance policy.
Bills:
SB 36
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity
Transcript Highlights:
- And even when planned judiciously, efforts to provide better, more secure citizen services are often
- CCIA believes that children are entitled to greater security and privacy online.
- FATV secures a secure remote participation option for Fitchburg constituents.
- The League believes it is of the highest priority that we secure the funding future—emphasis on secure—of
- She couldn't believe she had passed a test like that, and now she was ready to do the next module.
Summary:
The committee held its second hearing on a large docket of technology, internet, cybersecurity, broadband, and media bills. Early testimony focused on community media funding legislation, with lawmakers and local access advocates arguing that as cable subscriptions decline and streaming grows, revenue tied to cable franchises no longer supports community television and PEG programming. Supporters said community media remains a key source of local news, government meeting coverage, and civic transparency as newspapers disappear or consolidate. A related bill on cable contract oversight also drew support, with testimony that the Department of Telecommunications and Cable is backlogged and should more actively review municipal-provider agreements and report its workload to the committee.
Another major topic was a proposal to create a Massachusetts Innovation Fund for state IT modernization. The Alliance for Digital Innovation backed the bill, saying agencies need flexible upfront capital to replace outdated systems and improve cybersecurity, and pointing to the federal Technology Modernization Fund as a model. The witness noted that funding for the state program still needs to be identified. The committee also heard strong support for a bill requiring free broadband in public housing, with Rep. Emmela Goodwin and MAPC describing internet access as essential for jobs, school, telehealth, and civic participation. They said the digital divide in Massachusetts is driven largely by affordability rather than infrastructure, though questions were raised about costs, wiring, and whether all housing sites already have broadband access available at the curb.
A substantial portion of the hearing centered on bills to limit addictive social media feeds for minors. Supporters, including lawmakers, parents, teens, and advocacy groups, argued that algorithmic feeds contribute to addiction, anxiety, body image problems, and other harms, and said the bills would restrict surveillance-based curation and overnight notifications while leaving search and followed accounts available. Opponents, including FIRE, CCIA, and the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, argued the bills would require invasive age verification, threaten privacy and cybersecurity, burden adults’ anonymity, and likely face First Amendment challenges. They also warned the measures could disadvantage smaller businesses and may be unconstitutional based on recent court rulings in other states. The committee also heard support for blockchain-related bills creating a commission, a pilot program, and consumer education efforts, with testimony that Massachusetts has the talent but needs a coordinated state strategy. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- <01:10:43.000>
system <01:10:44.000>a <01:10:44.320>new <01:10:44.600>module - student information system a new module student information system a new module that<01:10:46.000
- c><01:11:03.520>
so <01:11:03.760>that <01:11:04.080>we sections within that module - so that we sections within that module so that we can<01:11:05.520>
um <01:11:06.000>monitor - are working on potentially with a vendor, is incorporating some of First Lady's desire for food security
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Hearing Assembly Select Committee on Native American Affairs and Joint Legislative Audit Committee Aug 19th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- For all unknown ancestral remains and cultural items to be accounted for, appropriately reported, secured
- address low survey responses and any underreporting, we are currently developing a NAGPRA learning module
- In introducing the learning module, our goal is to provide additional education to assist the audience
Summary:
The joint hearing of the Select Committee on Native American Affairs and the Joint Legislative Audit Committee focused on the University of California’s compliance with NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA and the return of Native American human remains and cultural items. Senators and Assembly Members opened by emphasizing the sacredness of repatriation, the ongoing trauma caused by delayed returns, and the need for stronger systemwide accountability. The State Auditor presented the third audit of UC’s repatriation efforts, concluding that UC still lacks the urgency, oversight, and clear timelines needed to promptly return remains and belongings. The audit found thousands of remains and hundreds of thousands of cultural items still in UC custody, new undisclosed collections at several campuses, weak budgeting and underspending, and repatriation plans that often lacked concrete deadlines. The auditor recommended stronger UCOP oversight, performance metrics, proactive searches for undiscovered items, and possible legislative action to tie funding to measurable progress.
UC officials responded that the system is committed to full compliance and has accelerated its work since adopting a new policy in 2022. UC Provost Catherine Newman said the system repatriated more than 2,800 ancestors and nearly 80,000 funerary belongings in the past year, and that UC now says 80.3% of Native American remains are either repatriated or available for repatriation. UC announced a new systemwide plan to complete repatriation of human remains by the end of 2028, to finish high-risk campus reviews by June 2026, to recall all loans by January 2026, and to require quarterly reporting to UCOP. UC also said it will spend an additional $8.8 million over three years, expand staffing, improve databases, support tribal consultation costs, and identify potential reburial sites on UC land. Berkeley and San Diego described increased staffing, consultations, and repatriation activity, while Santa Barbara said it had corrected earlier omissions, notified tribes about previously unreported ancestors, and was working toward completing repatriations and updated inventories.
Committee members pressed UC on why progress has been so slow, why the audit’s timelines differed from UC’s public reporting, and whether the 2028 goal applies only to human remains rather than all cultural items. UC said the 2028 target is for human remains, while cultural items will take longer, and acknowledged that more work remains. Members also asked about the technical expertise needed for repatriation, the role of tribal experts, and whether repatriation should be embedded more permanently in UC governance or statute. Tribal leaders and representatives then testified that remains and belongings were taken without consent and must be returned with tribal consent and leadership. They criticized the repeated delays, stressed that tribes are the experts on their ancestors and cultural heritage, and urged UC to treat repatriation as a top priority and to return all associated items, not just human remains, so ancestors can truly rest.