Transcript Highlights:

• And we're focus for improvement in the S C 2 point. Oh, contracts.
• Florida, Medicaid improved by 12%.
• While the national rate improved by only 4 percentage points.
• We have performance improvement projects. I next. We have performance improvement projects.
• Also looking at projects aimed at improving outcomes in that area.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's tired drivers. It's a lot of things that can complicate it.
• The semi-driver admitted to being a distracted driver, and the Highway Patrol confirmed that all our
• And then, like you said, distracted drivers.
• And it was an edge drop-off or whatever, distracted driver.
• been smoked by a careless driver.

Committee: House Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight

Summary: The Transportation Committee heard House Bill 2926, which would extend sovereign or derivative immunity and a liability cap to private contractors, subcontractors, and employees working on Missouri Department of Transportation projects. The sponsor and supporters said the bill is intended to protect contractors from being named in lawsuits before they begin work, and to limit exposure when they are following MoDOT plans and specifications, arguing that contractors are often sued as “deep pockets” even when they did nothing wrong. Several members pressed the sponsor on the bill’s wording and timing, noting confusion over whether immunity applies only before work begins or throughout the project and after completion. Supporters, including representatives from asphalt, construction, insurance, and business groups, said the current system drives up insurance costs, increases legal expenses, and discourages firms from taking roadwork jobs. They cited examples of contractors being sued before starting work or after following approved traffic-control plans, and argued that the bill would align Missouri with other states that provide similar protections. Opponents, including trial attorneys and injured workers and family members, argued that the bill would improperly extend government immunity to private businesses, reduce accountability, and limit recovery for seriously injured people. They said existing tort law already protects non-negligent actors and warned that the bill could make it harder for injured parties to find counsel or recover full damages. Testimony also focused on the $500,000 state liability cap, with opponents calling it too low and supporters saying it is already the standard for public entities and should apply to contractors acting on the state’s behalf. Several witnesses described tragic crashes and work-zone incidents on MoDOT projects, while others emphasized that distracted drivers, not contractors, often cause the accidents. The hearing ended without a vote; the committee took only testimony and then adjourned after hearing from both proponents and opponents.

Transcript Highlights:

• truck driver, or whether it's support as an example.
• More than 9 out of 10 drivers.
• You will have parking for your drivers' personal cars.
• We have between 60 and 75 drivers, given the seasonality.
• improves the EV-owned experience.

Summary: The joint informational hearing of the Select Committee on Electric Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure focused on California’s EV market, charging infrastructure, and the effects of recent federal actions on state clean-transportation programs. The chair emphasized California’s progress on EV adoption and charging reliability, but also noted ongoing problems with affordability, charger access, interoperability, and the need to support light-duty, heavy-duty, and fleet electrification. She also highlighted interest in inductive charging, bidirectional charging, and the transition to NACS, and said the hearing would help shape future legislative action. State agency witnesses from Go-Biz, CARB, and the California Energy Commission described their roles in market development, emissions regulation, incentives, and charging deployment. Go-Biz outlined its ZEV market strategy, equity action plan, and permitting streamlining work, while CARB detailed federal challenges to its clean vehicle rules, the need to defend waiver authority in court, and the importance of incentives and regulatory stability. The CEC discussed charger reliability rules, statewide inventory and planning, funding for public and multifamily charging, and efforts to expand fast charging and improve access in charging deserts. All three agencies stressed that federal rollbacks and the expiration of federal tax credits make state policies and funding more important. Testimony from industry, local government, and advocacy groups largely supported continued state investment. Cal ETC urged a continuous Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund appropriation, more support for multifamily charging, and managed charging programs. The American EV Jobs Alliance proposed a state “conquest” incentive for new and used EV buyers and argued that multifamily charging is the biggest untapped market. Los Angeles County and LADWP described large-scale fleet and charger deployments, public housing and multifamily projects, and the need for sustained funding, agency coordination, and utility/grid interconnection support. The Union of Concerned Scientists recommended prioritizing Clean Cars for All, using fees on non-CARBOB gasoline to fund cleaner vehicle replacement, and expanding authority for bidirectional EV deployment. Members and witnesses also discussed Level 1 versus Level 2 charging for multifamily housing and other use cases. The chair noted that Level 2 is essential for many drivers but asked whether Level 1 could be a cheaper, faster option in some settings. Witnesses agreed that Level 1 can work in certain contexts, especially airports or some multifamily installations, but emphasized that consumer confidence, overnight range, dealer education, and reliable access to charging remain central to broader EV adoption. No formal votes or actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• You're going to hire 300 CDL drivers in the next year? Well, this isn't all CDL drivers. Okay.
• that improves that community.
• This appropriation is used to fund railroad-grade crossing improvement projects that improve rail safety
• The appropriation is used to fund railroad-grade crossing improvement projects that improve rail safety
• And we have an Uber driver.

Committee: House Budget

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 4 testimony on the Missouri Department of Transportation’s FY 2027 budget request. Director Ed Hassinger said MoDOT’s priorities are delivering projects on time and under budget, restoring maintenance capability, improving roadway safety, and being more customer responsive. He highlighted progress on legislatively designated projects, declining fatalities over the last three years, and the need to continue the pay plan and add 100 maintenance employees to address “windshield issues” such as litter, potholes, signs, deer removal, and mowing. He also warned that eliminating general revenue transit funding would severely hurt rural transit agencies that rely on it to match federal dollars. Members raised concerns about MoDOT’s customer service, staffing, overtime, turnover, and the agency’s relationship with local governments and constituents. Several representatives described frustrating interactions with MoDOT and pressed the director to change the agency’s culture and improve responsiveness. Hassinger said the department is trying to do that, that it has made progress, and that it is hiring more workers; he reported about 15-16% turnover, about 119 maintenance vacancies, and roughly 80 new hires in January. He also said MoDOT inspects county bridges every two years, has increased funding for off-system bridge programs, and reduced the local match requirement for those programs. The committee then moved through the budget book line by line. MoDOT staff explained that some appropriations were being restored because prior reductions were made in anticipation of a federal road fund proposal that did not pass, and that the supplemental and FY 2027 budget would restore core administration, program delivery, and safety/operations authority. Members questioned large lapses and unspent balances, and staff said those reflected reserves, vacancies, multi-year contractor payments, and local reimbursements that had not yet been submitted. The committee also discussed debt service for the I-70, I-44, and Focus on Bridges programs, the status of I-44 improvements and environmental work, the I-44/I-49 design-build project near Springfield, the remaining balance in cost-share funding, and a Springfield pedestrian bridge project that several members criticized as low priority but said would be completed because it had already been funded. No final vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• According to CalMatters, a series of articles titled License to Kill, since 2019, roughly 400 drivers
• ' behavior and keeping potentially dangerous drivers accountable for their driving.
• So in doing so, AB 2760 will improve law enforcement, but also strengthen public trust.
• For the past several years, the California State Legislature has worked to improve...
• This bill will improve accuracy and consistency in reporting.

Committee: Senate Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the biggest cost driver. You don't want to touch it. That's the biggest cost driver.
• Today we are going to dive into two key drivers of transmission costs.
• Today we are going to dive into two key drivers of transmission costs.
• So the biggest driver by far is CAPEX, capital expenditure.
• So now that's the commercial, but it is a major driver for affordability.

Summary: The committee first heard AB 13, which would restructure the CPUC to increase legislative oversight, add legislative liaisons, require more detailed and timely reporting on rate-setting decisions, and add a public advocate member. The author and supporters argued the bill would improve transparency, accountability, and geographic diversity in CPUC decision-making amid rising utility rates. Witnesses from TURN, San Joaquin County, SDG&E, and former CPUC Commissioner Loretta Lynch offered support or support-in-principle, while no opposition testimony was presented. Members generally praised the bill’s transparency goals, and AB 13 passed 10-0 to Appropriations, with the roll left open for absent members. The committee then adopted the 2025-2026 committee rules and approved three consent items: AB 61, AB 365, and AB 406. The next bill, AB 99, would cap investor-owned utility rate increases above inflation except for specified costs such as safety, modernization, and fuel/commodity costs. The author and supporters, including a representative of the California Senior Legislature, said the bill was needed to protect ratepayers, especially seniors and low-income customers, from repeated rate hikes. Opposition came from utility labor, utilities, the Chamber of Commerce, and others, who argued the bill was too simplistic, could suppress labor costs, and did not account for major cost drivers such as wildfire mitigation, mandates, and net metering. Several members supported moving the bill forward as a starting point on affordability, while others criticized it as overly blunt. AB 99 passed 11-0 to Appropriations, with the roll left open. The hearing then shifted to an informational panel on strategies to reduce California transmission costs. A Public Advocates Office staffer described a growing backlog of approved-but-unbuilt transmission projects, rising transmission access charges, and long project timelines driven largely by utility pre-application and construction periods. Panelists from Net Zero California and consulting firms presented research suggesting that public financing or public-private partnership lease models could reduce transmission costs by lowering financing, tax, and capital costs, with estimated savings of up to 57% and as much as $123 billion over 40 years. PG&E’s representative said the utility is already pursuing federal loan guarantees, grants, and a public-private partnership with Citizens Energy, but warned that state ownership could create tax, wildfire-liability, and governance risks. Members asked about the CPUC’s role, the causes of delays, and whether public financing could complement existing competitive solicitation processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Transportation is a key driver of school attendance.
• Transportation is a key driver of school attendance.
• </c> drivers drive. Thank you. drivers drive. Thank you.
• However, what was different about that was the two mirrors, passenger and driver.
• This bill requires drivers to stop for them.

Bills: HB2392 , HB2462 , HB2423 , HB1771 , HB2081 , HB2334 , HB2336 , HB1666 , HB2375 , HB2415 , HB2451 , HB2373 , HB1641 , HB1694 , HB1695 , HB1986 , HB1797 , HB1879 , HB2034

Committee: Senate Transportation

Summary: The committees heard testimony on several transportation-related measures. SB 2356, relating to parking, drew support from the Office of Planning, the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Appleseed Center, Realtors, and the Hawaii Bicycling League. Members discussed the bill in the context of the planned stadium-area mixed-use development, with questions about whether parking would be built in structures rather than as large surface lots. Senators expressed support and noted the measure’s broader housing and parking-reduction goals, but no vote was taken during the hearing. The bulk of the hearing focused on SB 2699, which would create a fare-free youth transit program, a special fund, annual evaluations, and appropriations tied to the environmental, energy, and food security tax. The Attorney General’s office raised technical concerns about whether the special fund met statutory requirements. The Department of Education and Department of Health supported the bill, as did the City and County of Honolulu DOT, Appleseed Center, Hawaii Youth Transportation Council, Public Health Institute, Hawaii Children’s Action Network, Hawaii Bicycling League, Our Children’s Trust, and numerous youth testifiers. Supporters emphasized reduced family transportation costs, better school attendance, improved health and mobility, and environmental benefits. One senator raised emergency-planning concerns about how children using free transit would be handled during events like tsunamis; DOT and DOE responded that emergency procedures are being developed. The chair said the committee would work on language changes, including a delayed effective date to July 2027, and defer decision-making until the 12th. The final measure discussed was SB 2470, which would require leading pedestrian intervals, accessible pedestrian signals, and other safety improvements at state-controlled intersections, and create a process for community requests for accessible pedestrian signals. Appleseed Center, the Hawaii Association of the Blind, and the Disability Rights Center supported the bill, citing pedestrian safety, reduced collisions, and the need for audible cues for blind and low-vision pedestrians. Testifiers urged a phased-in approach that prioritizes high-traffic intersections. The hearing ended with the bill still under consideration and no final vote announced.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> and I can tell you that even drivers and I can tell you that even drivers with<00:34:41.599><c>
• So, a commercial driver license.
• </c> impaired driver, we are doing horribly. impaired driver, we are doing horribly.
• So for CDL drivers, if a CDL driver is in a commercial motor vehicle, there is a DMV form.
• So for CDL drivers, if a CDL driver is in a commercial motor vehicle, there is a DMV form.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> economic development and improve safety. economic development and improve safety. the<00:04:13.760
• . drivers. drivers. uh<00:10:31.519><c> to</c><00:10:32.079><c> schedule</c><00:10:32.480><c> their</
• Safety for drivers, transit, safety.
• ,</c><02:04:35.760><c> and</c> riders, drivers, and riders, drivers, and flyers.<02:04:38.960><c> Uh<
• ,</c><02:11:17.840><c> and</c> walkers, bikers, riders, drivers, and walkers, bikers, riders, drivers

Transcript Highlights:

• Our goal is to ensure that one set of EV drivers, whether that's gas car drivers, electric vehicle drivers
• Our goal is to ensure that one set of EV drivers, whether that's gas car drivers, electric vehicle drivers
• Our goal is to ensure that one set of EV drivers, whether that's gas car drivers, electric vehicle drivers
• Our goal is to ensure that one set of EV drivers, whether that's gas car drivers, electric vehicle drivers
• </c> uh or improving roads versus new roads. uh or improving roads versus new roads.

Transcript Highlights:

• THIS BILL SPECIFIES A UTV MAYBE ONLY OPERATED BY A LICENSED DRIVER OR PERSON WITH A LEARNERS PERMIT IS
• SEATED NEXT TO A LICENSED DRIVER.
• LAW ENFORCEMENT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND OFTEN TIMES PEOPLE DRIVING THE UTV'S ARE NOT LICENSED DRIVERS
• , THEY ARE 12, PEOPLE DRIVING THE UTV'S ARE NOT LICENSED DRIVERS, THEY ARE 12, 13, 14 YEARS OLD AND THIS
• THIS WILL CONFUSE DRIVERS POTENTIALLY AT NIGHT WHERE THEY ARE NOT EXPECTING TO SEE A UTV.

Transcript Highlights:

• licenses, stripping thousands of experienced drivers of their livelihoods overnight.
• on California's roads, poses a greater safety or security risk than any other licensed driver.
• This comes at a time when our state was already facing a critical shortage of truck drivers.
• This comes at a time when our state was already facing a critical shortage of truck drivers.
• Of truck drivers.

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee met with an initial lack of quorum and began hearing items as a subcommittee before quorum was established. The committee first heard SCR 129, which designates a portion of State Highway Route 152 in Santa Clara County as the Rusty Reyes Highway. The author and supporters described Rusty Reyes as a longtime public servant who helped secure funding for Highway 152 improvements and other local projects. There was no opposition testimony, and the measure was moved for adoption. The committee then heard SJR 16, which urges Congress to act on the loss of commercial driver credentials affecting thousands of California truck drivers, including many in Sikh and Latino communities. The author and Teamsters California testified that federal action and court rulings had forced cancellation of licenses despite the drivers’ qualifications, harming livelihoods and the state’s supply chain, and that California was also facing withheld federal highway funds. No opposition witnesses appeared, and the resolution was moved for adoption. After quorum was established, the committee returned to its consent calendar item, ACR 228, and then took roll calls on the measures. Both SCR 129 and SJR 16 were adopted by committee vote, and ACR 228 was also moved on the consent calendar. The chair repeatedly held the roll open briefly to allow additional members to add their votes before closing the roll.

Transcript Highlights:

• Learning about Interstate 82 economic development improvements on the east-west corridor.
• This project will improve on- and off-ramp connections and improve coordination with the Yakima County's
• Mason County and Mason Transit provided over 21,000 worker-driver trips to PSNS in 2020. 21,000 worker-driver
• up their driver...”
• It prepares them to be safer drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians in the future.

Bills: HB2495

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: vehicles, streetcar operation, public safety, urban regulation, transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• driver, maybe you were going too fast when the drunk driver hit you, or you had a turn signal out or
• Just show a drunk driver suing Jack Daniels because he had an accident.
• The delivery driver wasn't hurt at all.
• Or so was another driver that hit me in the back, and I hit him.
• There's a lot of safety improvements that could be done every year.

Committees: House Commerce , House Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment

Transcript Highlights:

• Transportation remains one of the most significant barriers and cost drivers for this program.
• Or control cost drivers, or ensure that we have dollars available in the future to be able to meet the
• and factors affecting the Projections, the anticipated cost drivers and factors affecting the subsidy
• This also reduces gender dysphoria and improves mental health outcomes.
• To work diligently to improve this critical water infrastructure, not only at the school, but around

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> driver, then it's 45 days. driver, then it's 45 days.
• </c> then there was no remedy for a driver then there was no remedy for a driver who<01:00:42.240><c>
• </c><01:02:45.280><c> You</c> the driver, you have the notice. You the driver, you have the notice.
• </c> uh last summer um that a drunk driver uh last summer um that a drunk driver drove<01:11:19.560><
• Um this driver was apparently this.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Driver. Bob Driver: Yes.
• Driver, but what are 100% of secondary high school principals in favor of continuing PSO?
• In a school of,900 students, improved.
• Thank you, Chair my name is Bob Driver.
• ,</c> uh, again, my name is Bob Driver, uh, again, my name is Bob Driver, executive<01:58:03.760><c>

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• All funds have improved.
• The funding status on a improved.
• Another driver is payroll.
• Another driver is payroll.
• </c> improved to 61%. improved to 61%.

Summary: The meeting began with roll call, confirmation of a quorum, and approval of the prior minutes. The main presentation was from KPPA officials Ryan Barrow and Erin Saratt on the annual actuarial valuations for the retirement and insurance systems. They said the systems’ funding status improved overall, with three of five insurance funds fully funded, CERS hazardous dropping from over 100% funded to 90.9% because of premium changes, and KRS receiving $650 million in supplemental funding over the biennium. They also reported strong investment returns above assumed rates, higher payroll and membership counts, and resulting actuarial losses tied to higher salaries and premiums, especially on the insurance side. Members asked several questions about what drove the actuarial losses and whether legislation affected them. KPPA said the CERS insurance loss was driven by premium increases and Senate Bill 10, while the pension-side losses were largely due to higher payroll and benefits for Tier 1 and Tier 2 members. They explained that new Tier 3 employees are designed to add no additional unfunded liability, and that the state administers the systems but does not directly control all hiring. Questions also focused on retiree health premiums, which KPPA said rose about 15% for non-Medicare retirees and 38% for Medicare retirees, with the increase attributed to utilization, prescription costs, and the Inflation Reduction Act. The committee then heard from TRS Deputy Executive Secretary and General Counsel Beau Barnes on the 2025 TRS actuarial valuation. He reported that the Retirement Annuity Trust and Health Insurance Trust both received full funding, the retirement trust’s funded ratio improved to 61%, TRS 4 remains well funded with no liability, and the health insurance trust improved to 89.1%. Barnes said TRS is on track to fully fund legacy liabilities within the amortization period, with 2044 as the point when the system reflects 100% funding and 2046 as the last year needing additional dollars for the legacy liability. He also explained that lower assumed investment returns and updated mortality assumptions increased liabilities, but that TRS uses direct rate smoothing for budgeting purposes. At the end of the meeting, the chair circulated a proposed set of “do’s and don’ts of pensions,” emphasizing that future legislation should not create unfunded liabilities. Barnes also noted he would later discuss several legislative proposals for the 2026 session, but the transcript provided ends before that discussion or any votes on those proposals.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill would require an insurance company to be primary for the losses caused by their insured drivers
• the state's MFR limit of liability to cover damage to innocent vehicles in the event a rental car driver
• And if there's ways to streamline and improve the title and registration process in the Commonwealth,
• We're committed to working with state and local stakeholders to improve this policy.
• If the policy itself needs to be improved anyway, we're on board with doing so.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Transportation

Summary: The Joint Committee on Transportation held a hybrid hearing on a large slate of bills covering motor vehicle sales, registration, title processing, dealer regulation, and several local matters. Chair Cyrro noted that Senate Bill 2414 had been postponed at the sponsor’s request, though public testimony would still be accepted. The hearing then heard testimony on measures including S. 2367, which would make an insurer primary for losses caused by an insured driver in a rental car; H. 3698 and related bills on codifying registration of 25-year-old imported Japanese kei vehicles; H. 3701 on requiring lienholders to release titles within seven days; H. 3690 on capping dealer documentation fees; and H. 3641 on requiring education for class two motor vehicle dealers. Testimony also addressed e-titling and e-signatures, peer-to-peer car sharing, temporary license plates, duplicate plates, general registration plates for motor vehicle distributors, and a bill to ban tinted license plate covers. Supporters of the rental-car insurance bill argued Massachusetts is an outlier compared with 47 other states and said the change would improve fairness, competition, and consumer understanding without raising premiums. Dealers and industry groups generally supported e-titling/e-signature modernization and the inspection-related bill, but urged safeguards to preserve title, registration, and insurance verification. The Massachusetts State Auto Dealers Association opposed the doc-fee cap, saying documentation fees are a disclosed cost-recovery tool that varies by dealership. Representatives and advocates for kei vehicles said the RMV’s 2024 reversal showed the need to codify the rules in law, while opponents of the RMV’s approach described it as arbitrary and harmful to owners and importers. Supporters of the dealer-education bill said it would curb unregulated “curbstoning” and help ensure proper title handling and consumer protection. Several local and specialty bills also drew testimony. Hatfield officials supported a local bill allowing golf carts on certain town roads under strict safety rules, and Representative Ayers testified for a bill banning tinted license plate covers to aid toll collection, law enforcement, and vehicle identification. Senator Lovely and other advocates supported the “Easy ID” license plate proposal, saying it would improve vehicle recognition in crime and child-abduction investigations. The committee took no votes during the hearing and adjourned after public testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• He has helped train over 150 family physicians who are improving health outcomes and reducing health
• Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to county improvement districts. Third reading, House Bill 2102.
• those of adults and fatalities among young drivers are only increasing.
• In 2023, although young drivers made up just 5% of all licensed drivers, they were involved in nearly
• . ...by 7% and total collision claims by 2% among novice drivers.