Transcript Highlights:

• When we define the providers, do we have an accreditation that these providers have to meet?
• If you look at who's out there, there's one called Cape Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
• It's another national accreditation often used by these alternative prep programs.
• But I do have very strong feelings about an accreditation that we know they're going to meet.

Bills: HB4274 , HB3076 , HB4358 , HB3312 , HB3288 , HB3885

Committee: House Common Education

Keywords: HB4274, Oklahoma schools, interdistrict transfer, open transfer, school enrollment, military families, active duty, National Guard, Reserve orders, military installation, residency requirements, district of choice, public school transfer, student transfer, special education, IEP, Section 504, military housing, base housing, electronic enrollment

Transcript Highlights:

• that we as a legislature need to be in a much better relationship with our partners across from laboratories
• to ...with our partners across from laboratories to private, to public, we have to be much more in tune
• who is the program leader for Cyber and Infrastructure Resilience at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
• program leader for the Cyber and Infrastructure Resilience Program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Transcript Highlights:

• a toaster and then when you plug these things in as long as they're certified by Underwriters Laboratories
• as they're certified<00:39:59.200><c> by</c><00:39:59.400><c> Underwriters</c><00:40:00.080><c> Laboratories
• ,</c> certified by Underwriters Laboratories, certified by Underwriters Laboratories, that's<00:40:01.120

Transcript Highlights:

• specifically on the last page... see if a person who performed a chemical test or a toxicologist from the laboratory
• The ability of the laboratory analysts and toxicologists to appear via...
• The ability of the laboratory analysts and toxicologists to appear via video will not only allow for
• streamlined court processes, but will permit critical laboratory analysts and toxicologists to perform

Committee: House House Consumer & Public Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, she has worked for several years in marine benthic laboratory work, participating in scuba research
• in Uh she has worked for several years in marine<00:26:38.400><c> benthic</c><00:26:39.440><c> laboratory
• </c><00:26:40.880><c> participating</c> marine benthic laboratory participating marine benthic laboratory

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration met virtually on January 6, 2026, and took up four administrative policy items. Darren Hoff, Senate Human Resources Director, presented updates to the Legislative Coordinating Commission benefit book, including insurance changes tied to SEGIP, mental health and substance use office visit cost sharing, dental plan updates, dependent eligibility clarifications, a new voluntary legal services benefit, a 17% increase in Medicare premiums, and multiple leave-policy revisions to conform with the new paid leave law and other employment rules. Senator Pappas moved adoption of the benefit book with the LCC’s November 10, 2025 changes and staff technical corrections, and the motion passed. Secretary Tom Bern described a proposed Senate Policy 1.56 allowing written rules of conduct for visitors in Senate spaces, aimed at setting clear expectations for behavior such as not blocking hallways or using shouting and profanity, while being developed with consultation to address First Amendment concerns. Senator Marty moved adoption, and the committee approved the policy. Council Lexi Stangle then presented a change to Senate Policy 2.47 on severe weather emergencies that would allow employees who work remotely on severe weather days to accrue compensatory time with supervisor approval; Senator Johnson moved adoption, and the motion passed. The committee also considered a modernization of the Senate information systems policy. Secretary Bern and staff explained that the policy had not been substantially updated in about 20 years and was being condensed and updated to reflect current technology and practices. The revisions reduced the policy from 29 pages to 10, removed obsolete references, added a purpose statement, clarified email inspection and hardware/software procedures, updated website rules and accessibility guidance, and removed the secondary member page option. Senator Coleman moved adoption of the Senate information systems update, and it was approved. After the Rules Committee adjourned, the Subcommittee on Committees met and approved two appointments: one public member to the Legislative Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources through December 31, 2030, and Senator Gustafson to the Financial Crimes Advisory Board Task Force. Members asked about the task force’s scope and the public appointee’s background; staff explained the task force advises on identity theft and financial crimes, and identified the public appointee as Sha Lang of Preston, Minnesota. Senator Pappas moved adoption of the appointment list, and the subcommittee approved it before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, the current accrediting body reference in the statute hasn't existed since 1994.
• Is there any different sort of certification or outside accreditation pathway, or does it just need to
• the Board of Nursing can then make those regulation, education, accreditation decisions.
• As it currently stands, if I wanted to complete the job, I would have to go through an accredited R.T
• I would have to go through an accredited R.T. program, a four-year degree.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee began with two radiology-related bills focused on rural access and workforce shortages. HB 2049 would allow particle accelerators for cancer treatment in critical access hospitals and counties under 400,000 population under general supervision, with rural providers testifying that the change would let patients receive care closer to home while maintaining safety protocols. The bill passed on an 11-0 vote. HB 2050 updated outdated radiologic technologist statutes, revised school accreditation and clinical-hour standards, and allowed radiologist assistants to work under supervision rather than direct supervision; an amendment also added registered nurses to the list of professionals not needing an additional license to use diagnostic X-ray machines. Testimony centered on staffing shortages, national standards, and whether the change would preserve oversight. The committee adopted the amendment and passed the bill 10-2, with some members citing the need for more vetting and concern about oversight of dangerous equipment. The committee then heard HB 2082, which creates a Childhood Cancer and Rare Childhood Disease Research Commission to award grants for phase-one pediatric cancer and rare disease trials using existing license-plate funds and other sources. Parents and patients gave emotional testimony about pediatric brain cancer diagnoses, the lack of effective treatments, and the need for Arizona to support local research; the bill passed unanimously 12-0. HB 2015 required Access to cover breastfeeding and lactation services, and an amendment made the coverage subject to CMS approval. Supporters described breastfeeding as preventive care with benefits for infants and mothers, while Access said it was neutral but appreciated the amendment’s fiscal safeguard. The bill passed 12-0 as amended. Next, HB 2177 directed Access to seek CMS waivers to restore Medicaid payments for certain services provided to American Indian and Alaska Native members by IHS and tribal facilities, including dental, diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive services. The sponsor and a Sage Memorial Hospital witness said the bill would help tribal facilities draw down federal funds and keep services local; it passed 12-0 as amended. HB 2178 required state agency chief medical officers to hold an active medical or osteopathic license and passed without opposition. HB 2179 clarified statutory definitions separating air ambulance from ground ambulance regulation, with industry testimony saying it was a cleanup measure that would avoid unintended consequences; it also passed 12-0. Finally, HB 2183 created an 11-member emergency medicine study committee to examine EMS system sustainability, rural and urban capacity, workforce burnout, and uncompensated care. Firefighters, health care advocates, and an emergency nurse practitioner supported the study as a way to gather data and make recommendations; it passed 12-0. The committee then returned to HB 2072, which establishes an optional state certification for lactation care providers under ADHS, along with rulemaking, fees, discipline, and an advisory committee; the sponsor said the credential was needed so Access could reimburse the service, and the bill was introduced for further consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• well as identifying services for, excuse me, anti-testing fee schedules for the Idaho State Seed Laboratory
• They are living documents updated frequently, sometimes multiple times a year, to reflect new laboratory

Committee: House Agricultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• He does those things within his laboratory, and he won a national award from the Department of Energy
• Yan, have been visiting scholars at national laboratories for the last three years.

Committee: House Science, Technology & Telecommunications Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• And Haleikipa also stated that they are an accredited organization, which as many organizations do likewise
• fulfill and meet highly scrutinized standards to achieve such accreditations.
• /c><00:37:14.079><c> they</c><00:37:14.400><c> are</c><00:37:14.720><c> an</c><00:37:15.359><c> accredited
• </c> stated that they are an accredited stated that they are an accredited organization<00:37:17.119>
• . accreditations. accreditations.

Bills: HR11 , HB1872 , HB2171 , HB2161 , HB2416 , HB2518 , HB2617 , HB2159 , HB2606 , HB2362 , HB2385 , HB2476 , HB1923 , HB2444 , HB1608 , HB1967 , HB1968 , HB2502 , HB1782 , HB2357 , HB2445 , HB1870 , HB1838 , HB2137 , HB2208 , HB2458 , HB1972 , HB2007 , HB2160 , HB2343 , HB2315 , HB2505 , HB1857 , HB469 , HB1452 , HB814 , HB1621 , HB1880 , HB1831 , HB1572 , HB2119 , HB2139 , HB2459 , HB2194 , HB2561 , HB2017 , HB1931 , HB1700 , HB1719 , HB1726 , HB1737 , HB1742 , HB2049 , HB2383 , HB2116 , HB2446 , HB2249 , HB2255 , HB2320 , HB2360 , HB2581 , HB2443 , HB1531 , HB2622 , HB9 , HB2290 , HB2291 , HB2235 , HB2263 , HB2498 , HB1579 , HB1728 , HB1900

Transcript Highlights:

• So in a five-star facility, which is the Highest accreditation that you can get, nationally accredited
• reforms that we made a year ago to the system, which the most notable one was requiring national accreditation
• that we said, OK, if you indicate in good faith that you're going to attempt to become nationally accredited
• , we will give you another three months to continue to work with that national accrediting body at the
• Yeah, so once fully realized, we anticipate that the STAR savings by moving back to a national accreditation

Committee: House Appropriations and Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're an accredited organization. with the Department, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
• By federal law, for a veteran who files a claim, they should... should use and need to use an accredited
• You can be accredited organization like ourselves.
• They're all accredited. Entities out there, private businesses, for-profit, they're not accredited.
• Now, that is not to be confused with credit attorneys and accredited agents can legally represent the

Committee: House S/C on Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• We at Hennepin operate 22 accredited residency and fellowship programs, including dentistry, primary
• 03:54.880><c> Hennepin</c><01:03:55.320><c> operate</c><01:03:55.720><c> 22</c><01:03:56.240><c> accredited
• </c> We at Hennepin operate 22 accredited We at Hennepin operate 22 accredited residency<01:03:57.359
• :33.920><c> students</c> We teach nursing students and advanced practice providers, imaging and laboratory

Bills: HF4343

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• university, trade school, pick your poison, anything that's accredited.
• university, trade school, pick your poison, anything that's accredited.
• university, trade school, pick your poison, anything that's accredited.
• </c><01:09:16.880><c> University</c> tuition at any accredited University tuition at any accredited University
• NACVSO does the accreditation.

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development - Subcommittee on Veterans

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to highlight that a little bit just because it's part of our accreditation.
• We are required by our accrediting bodies, one of the State Department of Education, to utilize these
• partnerships, and we're also required by our national accreditation, CAEP, to demonstrate mutual benefit
• with school districts and I want to highlight that a little bit just because it's part of our accreditation
• Department of Education to utilize these partnerships and we're also required by our national accreditation

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• WE ARE NATIONALLY ACCREDITED ORGANIZATION.
• WE GET ACCREDITED EVERY FIVE YEARS BY OUR ASSOCIATION THAT WE ARE MEMBERS OF.
• WE GO THROUGH AN ACCREDITATION PROCESS AND WE ARE SIMILAR IN ANY STATE YOU WE GO THROUGH AN ACCREDITATION

Transcript Highlights:

• Another way is through the VA-accredited program, where those organizations receive training from the
• And accredited companies that have no formal training in the VA system and operate outside of federal
• And so this, as my colleague from Susan City pointed out, there is an accreditation process now.
• You can go through the VA accreditation process.
• The attorneys that were mentioned have to go through the accreditation process.

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, and pledge, then handled a large consent and concurrence agenda. Early procedural actions included moving several Senate bills to the inactive file, setting a September 5 amendment deadline for floor managers, rescinding passage of SB 733 for further action, withdrawing AB 710 from committee to the third reading file, and re-referring AB 406 to Labor and Employment. The chamber also recognized guests and celebrated Assembly Member Muratsuchi’s birthday. The Assembly adopted several resolutions, including HR 58 declaring October 2025 California Promotoras Month, HR 70 recognizing Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week, HR 71 designating National Fried Rice Day, and HR 67 commemorating All California Day. Members also concurred in Senate amendments or passed a series of bills on topics including insurance, horses and community events, emergency vehicles, Medi-Cal provider directories, geological survey duties, CPA regulation, muralist licensing, tax technical corrections, water planning, used-car fee protections, rural health workforce support, coastal affordable housing, and foster youth funding. Most of these measures passed with little or no opposition. A major floor debate centered on SB 694, which would prohibit unaccredited companies from charging veterans fees to help with VA disability claims and would strengthen state consumer protections and enforcement. Supporters argued it would stop predatory “claim sharks” from exploiting veterans and protect benefits; opponents and some supporters raised concerns about access, choice, and uneven county VSO capacity, urging broader reforms and more funding for veteran services. After extensive debate from multiple members, the bill passed 46-0. The Assembly also concurred in SB 576 on streaming ad volume, SB 512 on transportation tax ballot initiatives, and additional concurrence items, with some measures receiving recorded no votes but still passing.

Transcript Highlights:

• France has a massive underground laboratory where they are working with the local governments in that
• France has a massive underground laboratory where they are working with the local governments in that
• France has a massive underground laboratory where they are working with the local governments in that
• France has a massive underground laboratory where they are working with the local governments in that
• We have remote laboratories, online simulation, and animations and discussions from that perspective.

Committee: Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• means I specialize in how to engineer biology so that it has a fitness advantage, either in the laboratory
• And we did it using a fake name, sent it to an office address rather than a laboratory address.
• You need more reagents in the laboratory. You need a laboratory space.
• Can any of you culture mammalian cells in the laboratory?
• Tell you with protocol, can any of you culture mammalian cells in the laboratory? Oh, well, yes.

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on AI risks and mitigation, beginning with automated decision systems and then moving to frontier models. The chair emphasized that California has already passed some targeted AI bills, but broader regulation has stalled, and argued that a federal 10-year moratorium on state AI regulation would be reckless. The hearing was framed as a way to distinguish between narrow predictive systems used in areas like hiring, health care, and criminal justice, and more powerful frontier models with broader capabilities and potentially catastrophic risks. On the first panel, Professor Arvind Narayanan described automated decision systems as often relying on historical data that reflects past bias, producing only limited predictive accuracy and sometimes arbitrary or harmful outcomes. He cited examples including welfare fraud, criminal risk tools, hospital discharge estimates, and job-candidate scoring, and said policymakers should require effectiveness standards, explanation, contestability, impact assessments, and public inventories of government systems. Alondra Nelson focused on algorithmic discrimination as a spectrum of harms, including allocative discrimination, surveillance and privacy harms, targeting and profiling, and cultural misrepresentation. She gave examples involving IRS audits, data sold through apps and brokers, facial recognition misidentification, and biased employment and health-care systems, arguing that harms often compound across multiple systems. Cathy O’Neill described her auditing work as building a “cockpit” for AI—identifying who could be harmed, measuring disparities, and setting thresholds for action—and said audits, consent decrees, and public accountability can push companies toward better practices without banning innovation. Members of the committee asked about international competition, especially China, whether AI is more biased than humans, the cost of compliance for businesses, and whether California should move ahead despite federal uncertainty. The panelists said regulation should focus on high-stakes uses rather than all AI, that transparency and third-party auditing can be low-cost or cost-effective, and that good actors are already using impact assessments. They also noted that state-level action in places like Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, New Jersey, and others is helping set standards. The chair and members stressed that the goal is not to stop innovation but to build trust and reduce discrimination in consequential decisions. The second panel turned to frontier models. Joshua Bengio warned that model capabilities are improving rapidly, especially in reasoning and planning, while alignment and safety are not keeping pace. He cited recent research suggesting models can behave deceptively, including attempts to avoid shutdown, fake compliance during training, and even blackmail in simulated scenarios, and said companies must measure and disclose these risks before deployment. The discussion underscored the committee’s broader concern that California should continue leading on AI safety and accountability while preserving beneficial uses of the technology.

Transcript Highlights:

• First, the laboratory reporting limits on TE methods is the smallest concentration that an analyte in
• a laboratory can reliably report; that number is not zero.
• First, the laboratory reporting limits on TE methods is the smallest concentration that an analyte in
• a laboratory can reliably report; that number is not zero.
• can an can analyte in a laboratory can an can reliably<00:15:05.480><c> report</c><00:15:06.480><c>

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills related to cesspools, Red Hill cleanup, water testing, environmental governance, and beverage container recycling. For SB 472, SB 501, SB 675, and SB 958 on cesspools, most testimony supported accelerating cesspool conversion and expanding Department of Health capacity, though the Attorney General flagged a single-subject issue on SB 472 and the Department of Health and others raised concerns about funding, program structure, and coordination. Supporters emphasized cesspools as a major water pollution source and urged earlier deadlines, while some testimony questioned the tax credit approach and asked for clearer grant and staffing language. For SB 639 on underground storage tanks and Red Hill cleanup, the Department of Health asked for clearer cleanup standards and noted limits on laboratory detection and sampling, while supporters argued the bill would create a binding legal standard for remediation and help prevent reopening of the facility. Testimony also stressed the need to remove all contamination to the extent practicable and protect aquifers and drinking water. SB 664 on water quality testing drew strong support from residents and water advocates, but the Department of Health warned the measure could duplicate existing authority and create significant cost; the Board of Water Supply supported the concept while noting it would expand responsibilities into private-property testing. SB 674 on environmental advisory council and waste reduction received mixed testimony: supporters said it would help address landfill siting and protect water resources, while industry groups requested changes to advisory council membership and exemptions for certain products, and one witness opposed the measure. For SB 1067 on deposit beverage container recycling, the Attorney General said the grant language may be constitutionally problematic because it lacks standards, while industry testimony both supported the recycling goals and asked for amendments, including broader representation on the advisory council and clearer treatment of compostable and packaging-related issues. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• But again, the benefit of this is that it is an engaging learning living laboratory.
• And again, those geo-eco nodes are going to serve as a living laboratory for our students and the greater
• And again, those geo-eco nodes are going to serve as a living laboratory for our students and the greater

Summary: The Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee first waived the five-day notice rule and held a public hearing on Substitute House Bill 2525, which would establish a Heritage Orchard Program at Washington State University. Staff explained the bill was narrowed from the original version and would require WSU to maintain a registry of heritage orchards and a list of rare and lost apple varieties, with a null and void clause and fiscal note available. Representative Gloria Mendoza testified in support, describing Washington’s apple history and the effort to identify and preserve old apple trees still found on farms and trails around the state. Members asked questions about how the program would locate trees and preserve historic varieties, but no vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee then heard several gubernatorial appointments to higher education boards. Representative Deborah Inteman was nominated to the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, Bryce W. McKibben to the Pierce College Board of Trustees, former Senator David Frockt to the Western Washington University Board of Trustees, and former Senator Christine Rolfes to the Olympic College Board of Trustees. Each appointee described their background in higher education, public service, and community college or university advocacy, and members asked about attendance, board service, and how they would help bridge legislative and institutional priorities. The committee also held a work session on Central Washington University’s geothermal and decarbonization efforts, with staff explaining the university’s open-loop geothermal system, planned geo-eco plants, and climate action goals tied to state clean building and decarbonization mandates. CWU officials said the project is intended to reduce emissions, support campus heating and cooling, and serve as a living laboratory for students. In executive session, the committee moved to report a panel of gubernatorial appointments, including the higher education appointments heard that day, with a recommendation that they be confirmed. The motion passed by voice vote, and the committee adjourned.