Transcript Highlights:

• Ensuring that these resources go to ethical, life-affirming providers is critical.
• care, and we do need to hold people accountable for that. ...So, last night I did a little bit of research
• To further assure the fair and ethical use of non-compete agreement clauses in the medical profession
• My name is Noah Torres and I'm a researcher. at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

Bills: SB397, SB481, SB596, SB760, SB855, SB1195, SB1196, SB1233, SB1257, SB1318, SB1368, SB1388, SB1398, SB1524, SB1558, SB1589, SB1677, SB1792, SB2034

Keywords: SB 397, telemedicine, telehealth, teledentistry, remote care, virtual care, consent documentation, patient consent, data collection, data sharing, audio-only telehealth, in-person examination, irreversible medical procedure, health professional regulation, Occupations Code, Texas Health and Human Services, medical records, provider compliance, data privacy, consumer rights

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> um, Ethics Committee meeting. um, Ethics Committee meeting.
• c> Committee</c><00:01:01.640><c> is</c> Today, the House Ethics Committee is Today, the House Ethics
• Ethics complaints are time is expired. Ethics complaints are extremely<00:04:05.560><c> rare.
• </c> uh, were the last ethics complaints. uh, were the last ethics complaints.
• And my work ethics stands for itself. about true ethics violations that I about true ethics violations

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 2592 transfers responsibility for the lobbyist training course from the legislative ethics committees
• 1, 2029, the FPPC will develop and maintain their curriculum in consultation with the legislative ethics
• The bill enables the Legislative Ethics Council to focus on their core responsibilities while ensuring
• And as co-chair of the legislative ethics committee, I just wanted to make sure that we preserve the
• I just want to point out, at least in my research on this, this is the first time we're doing this for

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But while conducting our initial research, we also heard concerns around the management of the digital
• your—well, let me ask: Is it feasible to provide, from the state auditor's point of view, based on your research
• that the audit found that a staff person went to work for a grantee in potential violation of state ethics
• Person had done so, and is there an effort to reinforce training on ethics rules throughout the department
• , I would absolutely articulate that part of our contracting training policy requirements include ethics

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee subcommittee heard three State Auditor’s Office performance audits: implementation of the Law Enforcement Training and Community Safety Act, Washington’s digital equity planning, and the Department of Commerce’s Digital Navigator Program. In the law enforcement training audit, the State Auditor found the Criminal Justice Training Commission had developed most required training content but had not developed all required topics, lacked a systematic project management approach, and had weak tools to ensure participation and compliance. Auditors said most officers had not completed the required 40 hours, patrol tactics training was a major bottleneck, and the Commission’s reporting did not clearly show statewide compliance. The Commission said it generally agreed with the recommendations and had begun implementing some changes. Committee members raised concerns about staffing, liability, incentives, and whether the law had enough enforcement “teeth.” In the digital equity audit, auditors said Washington lacked a comprehensive, unified statewide plan, a designated leader, and reliable funding for digital equity efforts. They said existing plans were fragmented, with the NTIA-approved plan the most complete but no longer fully funded after federal changes. The State Auditor recommended the legislature establish oversight authority and require a lead organization to coordinate and evaluate statewide digital equity efforts and develop a unified plan. The Department of Commerce and Office of Equity agreed with the need for clearer leadership and coordination, and a public witness described ongoing coalition and local planning work. Committee members asked about best practices from other states and whether the auditor could provide additional research on coordination models. In the Digital Navigator Program audit, the State Auditor concluded Commerce did not consistently follow core grant-management practices, including competitive award processes, vetting of grantees, clear contracts, performance monitoring, and reimbursement controls. Auditors said Commerce expanded grants without a new competition, lacked adequate documentation and reporting, and paid out millions without sufficient support; they also cited management decisions that overrode staff concerns. Commerce said it had already begun major contract-management reforms, created a new contracts and compliance structure, and was working on risk assessments, documentation standards, and staff training. Members pressed Commerce on accountability, possible recoupment of improper payments, ethics issues, and whether the agency had clear performance metrics for the program. No votes were taken, and the hearing ended after public testimony and committee discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll be helping schedule these meetings, conduct research, and work with the chair and all of you to
• um and uh work with the chair research um and uh work with the chair and<00:26:44.640><c> all</c><00
• In your packet, you'll also find a research memo from Senate Council regarding current statute around
• was something that was done wrong, there's a good chance there's an ethics complaint.
• </c> because of the privacy of those ethics because of the privacy of those ethics complaints,<01:20:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And this bill is truly about access and ethical hunting.
• And that has harvesting it ethically.
• When about access and ethical hunting.
• </c><00:15:43.760><c> that</c> that research that that research that since<00:15:46.000><c> the</c><00
• Uh and crossbow just gives ethical way.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The federal government continues to reduce its support of higher education and research.
• The federal government continues to reduce its support of higher education and research.
• It is incumbent upon us to be leaders in the ethical and responsible adaptation of AI.
• Because in the UC, I worked at a research point at Arizona State. Faculty teach 22/11.
• I know you touched upon research grants and other things.

Summary: The subcommittee heard an overview hearing on the 2026-27 budget and policy issues for California’s three public higher education segments: the Community Colleges, CSU, and UC. Chair David Alvarez emphasized shared responsibility to expand access, right-size campuses to enrollment trends, improve transfer pathways, align programs with workforce needs, and measure success by completion, transfer, and job placement rather than participation alone. The chancellors and president each described their systems’ current enrollment trends, budget priorities, and efforts to collaborate more closely across segments. Chancellor Sonia Christian said community college enrollment has rebounded strongly and asked for 3% enrollment growth funding, more support for the Common Cloud Data Platform, credit for prior learning, AI literacy, and recovery-related workforce training in Los Angeles. She highlighted right-sizing efforts such as Peralta’s proposed consolidation into Oakland City College, and described partnerships with CSU, UC, employers, unions, and housing projects. Chancellor Mildred García said CSU is focusing on CSU Forward, enrollment growth, student success, facilities, and fiscal health monitoring, while reallocating enrollment and resources to higher-demand campuses. She cited intersegmental programs such as nursing pathways, 2+2 and 3-year degree programs, and AI curriculum work, and said the system is also addressing labor and compensation issues. President J.B. Milliken said UC is facing federal funding threats, investigations, and rising costs, but has reached record enrollment of more than 300,000 students, including over 200,000 California resident undergraduates. He supported continued compact funding, said UC is exploring more use of technology, experiential learning, and short-term credentials, and stressed the need to adapt while preserving UC’s research and medical mission. Members pressed all three leaders on common course numbering, transfer outcomes, enrollment reallocation, BSN capacity, deferred maintenance, and the role of the master plan; the leaders generally agreed more collaboration and flexibility are needed, and several committed to follow up with updated data and timelines. No formal votes were taken. Public comment followed, including support from the CSU employees union for the Governor’s budget and full funding of CSU obligations.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is some data from the Pew Research Center.
• This is some data from the Pew Research Center.
• Have we done, and sorry, have we done any research?
• And so, you know, with many researchers having signed this declaration, And so, you know, with many researchers
• a group of researchers.

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:

• </c><00:09:55.600><c> League,</c> President of Kentucky Ethics League, President of Kentucky Ethics League
• I don't know off the top of my head, but I'd be glad to research that and get back with you.
• I don't know off the top of my head, but I'd be glad to research that and get back with you.
• that and get I'd be glad to research that and get back<00:14:45.680><c> with</c><00:14:45.800><c> you
• Beyond that causes all kinds of problems, but one of the pieces of research I found is that 5 mg THC

Keywords: The livestream event for this meeting cut off shortly after the meeting began. This is the complete copy pulled from back ups., 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• No doctors should be worried that upholding their ethical requirements may cost them their job.
• No doctors should be worried that upholding their ethical requirements may cost them their job.
• And so when I researched it, there weren't any specific laws that said an administrator couldn't do this
• As a nurse, I have a moral and ethical obligation to advocate for my patients, not just those in my care
• As a nurse, I have a moral and ethical obligation to advocate for my patients, not just those in my care

Summary: The committee met as a subcommittee until quorum was established, then took up a series of bills on business, professions, health, cannabis, and consumer protection. AB 72, creating an electric vehicle economic opportunity zone in Riverside County, drew questions about whether the state should target one region over others, but supporters argued it would help bring EV manufacturing and related jobs to the Inland Empire. The bill passed on a 8-1 vote to Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement. AB 685, which would create the Small Business Resiliency and Innovation Fund to support technical assistance and capital infusion programs, drew broad support from small business networks and chambers, but some groups raised concerns that the June amendments could affect eligibility and that the funding should be clearly supplemental rather than replacing existing support. The author said discussions were ongoing, and the bill passed 10-0 to Senate Appropriations. The committee also approved AB 173, a resolution, on a 7-0 vote, and AB 1760, a Dental Practice Act cleanup bill sponsored by the Dental Board, on a 10-0 vote. AB 1637, which would limit changes to physician-authored medical records and make unauthorized alterations a misdemeanor, was supported by physicians and labor groups who said it would protect patient safety and professional accountability; it passed 10-0 to Senate Appropriations. AB 1785, allowing online sales of pseudoephedrine products with existing age and quantity safeguards, passed 10-0. AB 1973, expanding the ability of advanced practice clinicians to perform procedural abortions within their training, drew strong support from reproductive health providers and strong opposition from anti-abortion witnesses who raised safety concerns; after questions about training and oversight, it passed 7-3 to Senate Appropriations. The committee then considered AB 2025, requiring disclosure when rental listings use digitally altered or AI-staged images. Supporters said it would prevent renters from being misled, while the California Apartment Association said it was working with the author on implementation; the bill passed 8-1 to Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies and Consumer Protection. AB 2697, allowing drive-through cannabis sales with local approval and security requirements, was supported by cannabis businesses and operators as a way to improve access and compete with the illicit market, while narcotics officers opposed it over ID verification and public safety concerns; it passed 7-3 to Senate Appropriations. Finally, AB 2249, responding to a state audit on cannabis packaging attractive to children by defining prohibited imagery and creating a public rubric and pre-review process, received support from the cannabis operators association and the state auditor’s office, while small independent farmers raised concerns that some categorical bans could sweep too broadly. The transcript cuts off during that bill’s opposition testimony, and no final action on AB 2249 is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill does not weaken the ethics law. It clarifies it.
• It is ethical.
• MPPA supports strong ethical standards.
• MPPA supports strong ethical standards.
• ,</c> like a house uh nonpartisan research, like a house uh nonpartisan research, Miss<00:47:21.359><

Bills: HF1667, HF2526, HF68

Keywords: correctional fees, supervision fees, probation, Department of Corrections, criminal justice funding, electronic home monitoring, drug testing, restitution collection, community service work, postprison supervision, court-ordered services, fee sunset, fee phaseout, offender fees, community corrections, supervised individuals, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The federal government continues to reduce its support of higher education and research.
• It is incumbent upon us to be leaders in the ethical and responsible adaptation of AI.
• I mean, it's between $5 and $6 billion a year in grant-funded research, ...in grant-funded research that
• I know you touched on research grants and other things.
• It's. mission of doing good work in teaching and research mentorship.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This organization was dedicated to researching and promoting achievements by black Americans and other
• These diseases require specialized care, research, and policy attention to drive medical advancements
• California is the leader in rare disease research.
• Beyond research, California's life sciences sector is also leading the way in transforming treatments
• It also reminds us that we, as a body, must put forward ideas that continue to advance research leading

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of them are firefighters, paramedics, nurses, researchers, and they've graduated from some of our
• And I will say, whether that's the research grants that Dr. Jacobs has earned, or Dr.
• , training... ...dogs themselves, but they work with ethical breeders and conduct extensive screening
• We urge the Legislature to focus on accountability and consumer education while preserving ethical pet
• We urge the Legislature to focus on accountability and consumer education while preserving ethical pet

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of bills, with most measures drawing support from industry, professional, local government, and advocacy witnesses, and several receiving committee amendments before moving forward. AB 8 on hemp and cannabis drew the most extensive debate: supporters said it would close loopholes around intoxicating hemp products, strengthen enforcement, and bring THC products into the regulated cannabis supply chain; opponents, including small cannabis farmers and environmental groups, warned it could undermine Proposition 64’s closed-loop system, harm California cultivators, and reduce tax revenues for youth, environmental, and law enforcement programs. The author said the bill was intended to protect consumers and children and to work further with stakeholders. AB 476 on copper theft was presented as a public safety and infrastructure bill to tighten reporting, documentation, and penalties for scrap metal theft; supporters from cities, utilities, broadband, and recycling-related groups described major losses and outages from copper theft, and the remaining opposition moved to neutral after amendments, with the bill advancing with committee support. The committee also heard AB 985, which would allow nationally certified anesthesiologist assistants to practice under direct supervision of licensed anesthesiologists to address anesthesia workforce shortages. Supporters, including the California Society of Anesthesiologists, medical groups, students, and patients, said it would expand access and bring California in line with other states; nurse anesthesiology groups expressed concerns and sought further clarification, but there was no formal opposition at the hearing. AB 506, aimed at online pet sales, would void contracts that fail to disclose an animal’s origin or veterinary records or that require non-refundable deposits; animal welfare groups said it would curb puppy mill pipelines and deceptive online sales, and there was no opposition. AB 876, on certified registered nurse anesthetists, generated the sharpest health care policy dispute: supporters said it would codify existing practice and clarify CRNA duties, while physicians and medical associations argued it would expand scope too far and reduce patient safety. After a roll call, AB 876 passed the committee 9-0, as amended, to Appropriations. Other bills advanced with broad support after amendments. AB 432, the Menopause Equity Act, would require continuing medical education on menopause-related care for certain physicians; the author and medical experts said the bill addresses widespread gaps in menopause treatment and research, while CMA and ACOG opposed the mandate as an inappropriate CME requirement, though they agreed the underlying problem is real. The bill passed on call, as amended, to Health. AB 759 would allow eligible architectural candidates to use the title “architect in training” to encourage completion of licensure and improve diversity in the profession; it passed unanimously, as amended, to Appropriations. AB 967 would create an optional expedited licensure fee for out-of-state physicians to reduce delays in bringing doctors into California’s workforce; supporters said it would help address shortages and improve patient access, and the bill was presented with support from medical stakeholders.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Aaron Rosenthal I'm the research Aaron Rosenthal I'm the research director<00:02:39.480><c> for<
• </c><00:02:42.680><c> and</c> are an independent research and are an independent research and Communications
• </c><00:03:47.439><c> has</c> decisions decisions that research has decisions decisions that research
• </c> up against it but you mentioned research up against it but you mentioned research is<00:30:20.840
• </c> of every story and I I hope the research of every story and I I hope the research keeps<00:36:18.119

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll probably have to have council research and options that we have.
• Chairman, we can do some research on this. And it may be something to you.
• So the Ethics Commission, this is also a four-year audit. Mr.
• Director of the Ethics Commission.
• But for the purposes of brevity, questions on legislation in the Ethics...

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• legal professionals, and it's very clear that the bar is woefully inadequate at reinforcing sound ethical
• If the professional has deviated from ethics or standards prescribed by the professionals, like, ...or
• action when a court-appointed evaluator, therapist, or other professional deviates from required ethics
• Like so many families... appointed professionals accountable when they violate the ethical standards
• A qualified ethical professional advising the court would not object to this bill.

Bills: SB1285, SB1289, SB1326, SB1328, SB1329, SB1330, SB1392, SB1402, SB1425, SCR1013, SCR1014

Keywords: sentencing, correctional facilities, multiple sentences, death penalty, aggravating circumstances, juvenile offenses, class 2 felony, foreign donations, election administration, certification, Arizona Revised Statutes, transparency, public disclosure, victims' rights, attorney fees, government accountability, right to counsel, legal representation, parents' rights, family law

Transcript Highlights:

• I wouldn't—I don't think I would legally have an ethical...
• I sit here and say ethics and attorney in the same sentence, which is weird, but I just don't see an
• ethical attorney taking that case because that's not what this bill does on a 51% sign.
• I cite this example to demonstrate how far the Lottery Commission has moved and how ethical standards
• It requires medical and research facilities, as well as companies and non-profit organizations, to make

Bills: SB82, SB1807, SB2254, HB119, HB130, HB581, HJR98, SB1988, SB 18, SB 34

Keywords: business liability, concealed carry, handgun policy, premises liability, criminal acts, civil liability, business premises, concealed handgun, property liability, property rights, gun regulations, criminal liability, protective order, confidentiality, personal information, court records, victim protection, charitable raffle, nonprofit, wildlife conservation

Transcript Highlights:

• It was made from the Aurora Energy Research. Are you familiar with that study? No, I'm not.
• That study, I'm happy... ...research. Are you familiar with that study? No, I'm not.
• In 2023, the Texas Ethics Commission issued an opinion that a former member registered as a lobbyist
• In 2023, the Texas Ethics Commission issued an opinion that a former member registered as a lobbyist
• Senate Bill 2782, relating to discovery requirements related to sworn complaints made to the Texas Ethics

Summary: The Senate took up and passed Senate Bill 945, which concerns political shareholder proposals by insurers and insurance holding companies. Senator Hughes argued the bill would protect Texas-based insurers from activist shareholder pressure, especially proposals aimed at limiting insurance coverage for oil and gas companies for ESG or political reasons. The motion to suspend the regular order was adopted over objection, and SB 945 passed to engrossment on a 20-10 vote with one present not voting. The chamber also passed Senate Bill 1117, allowing any Texas-licensed dentist to administer botulinum toxin in oral or maxillofacial regions for aesthetic purposes, and House Joint Resolution 98, renewing Texas’s application for an Article 5 Convention of States to propose amendments on fiscal restraints, federal power limits, and term limits. Both measures advanced after debate and roll-call votes; SB 1117 passed unanimously after suspension of the three-day rule, and H.J.R. 98 was adopted on a 17-14 vote. Members then approved several other measures, including the committee substitute for House Bill 142 on HHSC’s Office of Inspector General and Medicaid overpayment recovery, Senate Bill 2373 on AI-enabled financial fraud and deepfake/phishing schemes, Senate Bill 2221 on fraudulent UCC financing statements, and Senate Bill 2681 on the basis for third-party voter-registration challenges. The Senate also adopted a resolution authorizing a Texas Life Monument replica at the Capitol complex, and passed S.J.R. 59 creating funds for Texas State Technical College capital needs. The body debated and passed Senate Bill 946, which would bar credit discrimination against organizations based on social, political, religious, or similar value-based considerations and require credit decisions to rest on creditworthiness. Senators raised concerns that the bill could create a special protected class for non-human entities or conflict with existing state policies, but the bill advanced to engrossment on a 20-11 vote. The Senate also passed Senate Bill 2477 to ease office-to-residential conversions in large cities after adopting an amendment negotiated with municipal stakeholders, and began consideration of Senate Bill 715 on ERCOT reliability requirements for generators, including existing generation, with extensive debate over impacts on renewables, power purchase agreements, and grid reliability.

Transcript Highlights:

• I assume there's a covering for ethics, just to make sure that we cross our T's correctly?
• So it doesn't excuse them from the code of ethics and everything else that are expected when they're.
• Excuse them from the code of ethics and everything else that are expected within the school system.
• I've done a little research on this, and I think the average nationwide is 10 days of sick leave and
• I've done a little research on this, and I think the average nationwide is 10 days of sick leave and

Summary: The House Education Committee met on March 18, 2026, with 11 members present and adopted prior meeting minutes without objection. The committee first heard HB 649 by Rep. Brass, which would create a statewide common application portal for dual enrollment. Supporters from the Pelican Institute and the Board of Regents said the bill would simplify enrollment, reduce paperwork for counselors and families, and improve awareness of dual enrollment options. Members asked about nonparticipation by institutions and access for nontraditional students; the bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee then took up HB 807 by Rep. Brass, which would establish the Workforce Instructor Capacity Investment Program within LCTCS to help recruit and retain instructors for high-demand workforce programs. Testimony from River Parishes Community College, Dow, and the Louisiana Chemical Association described instructor shortages as a bottleneck for training workers for major industrial projects, and said employer-sharing models and apprenticeships have been successful. An amendment expanded eligibility to include LSU Eunice and Southern University at Shreveport, and the committee adopted the amendments. After debate about whether the state needed a new fund versus using existing systems, the bill was reported favorably by a 13-1 roll call vote. Next, the committee heard HB 285 by Chairman Bacala, which authorizes school boards to cooperate with banks and credit unions to operate branches in high schools as part of financial literacy programs. Bacala said the bill clarifies statutory authority, and an amendment added banks to the original credit union language. Members discussed ethics, exclusivity, student access, and whether the branches could market products; supporters from LABI and financial industry groups said the programs improve hands-on financial education. The bill was reported with amendments without objection. The committee also considered HB 28 by Rep. Owen, which adds a BESE-level appeal for certain teacher certification applicants affected by administrative or contractor errors. Owen described a case in which applicants paid for certification programs but were denied because of a mentor-signature issue, and said the amendment would require BESE or its designee to act within 30 days. Department of Education staff said the Teacher Certification Appeals Council had already granted extensions rather than outright denials in the affected cases, but the committee advanced the bill after a 9-4 roll call vote. Finally, the committee began HB 268 by Rep. Carver, which would strengthen career exposure requirements for students by tying activities more closely to high-wage, high-demand jobs and adding an annual exposure requirement in K-5; testimony emphasized early workforce awareness, and discussion focused on keeping the requirements manageable for schools.