Transcript Highlights:

• Start your journey now. Hey, girly, hate needles?'
• My office has negotiated multiple. and academic medical centers already can.
• We will start with file item 129, AB 2223. The clerk will read.
• We will start with file item 129, AB 2223. The clerk will read.
• We want to start as members.

Summary: The Assembly convened, established a quorum, and proceeded through a large House of Origin floor file, with the Speaker repeatedly urging members to be at their desks and keep support bills brief. Early actions included dispensing with the journal, re-referring AB 2285 to the Banking and Finance Committee, and then taking up dozens of third-reading items, with many bills passed by voice or recorded vote and others passed temporarily or retained on file. The floor debated and passed a wide range of measures on land use, housing, labor, public safety, health care, utilities, taxation, and consumer protection. Among the bills approved were measures on land surveyor review (AB 1933), nurse midwife access for pregnant and postpartum patients (AB 1696), historic-district transit zoning flexibility (AB 2415), EV charging infrastructure fees and timelines (AB 1820), foreclosure bidding protections (AB 1957), tribal cannabis commerce (AB 2506), outdoor advertising permitting (AB 2024), commercial building permit timelines and third-party plan checkers (AB 2418), DUI penalties (AB 1685 and AB 1687), utility rate transparency (AB 1715), CalWORKs work-penalty changes (AB 1755), dynamic electricity rates (AB 1787), interior designer licensure (AB 1796), compost labeling and contamination rules (AB 1812), modular housing standardization (AB 1815), small claims limits for businesses (AB 1827), Native American Day as a paid state holiday (AB 1841), hospital staffing and maternity access bills (AB 1868 and AB 1882), protective orders tied to release dates (AB 1889), and a series of public health, missing persons, and teacher credentialing measures later in the file. Several high-profile bills drew extended debate. AB 2624, expanding Safe at Home privacy protections to immigrant service providers, prompted sharp disagreement over free speech and alleged limits on online posting, but supporters said it protected workers facing threats and doxing; it ultimately passed 49-19. AB 2023, creating a framework for regulating AI chatbots used by children, was framed as a child-safety measure after testimony about chatbot-related harms and suicide risks, and passed 58-8. Other notable votes included AB 2208 on Medi-Cal protections against federal cuts, AB 2299 on CalFresh/SNAP losses, AB 2115 apologizing to California Native peoples for historic state harms, and AB 2311 on public hospital physician employment; the transcript ends as the Assembly continues working through the remaining file.

Transcript Highlights:

• start again start a clear the deck and start again start a fresh<01:46:57.560><c> yeah</c><01:46:57.760
• I do believe that parents is where it starts.
• at the local level or starts at the state level.
• <c> level</c><04:10:05.319><c> but</c> level or starts at the state level but level or starts at the
• I started off about 20 years ago as a father's rights advocate.

Summary: The Children and Family Law Committee opened a hearing on House Bill 285, which would add language to the parental rights and responsibilities statute directing judges to consider known mental health or medical conditions that could affect parenting. Representative Ball, the bill’s sponsor, said the intent was not to require disclosure of private records, but to give judges a reminder to ask whether anything in a parent’s condition could interfere with parenting and to help ensure children’s safety and best interests, especially in high-conflict or pro se family court cases. He said the proposal was meant as a guardrail and not as a way to reduce parenting time or take children from parents. Committee members questioned whether the existing best-interest factors already cover parenting ability, whether the new language could invite stigma or weaponization in custody disputes, and whether judges already have authority to ask these questions. Ball responded that judges often do not ask, that family court can be difficult for unrepresented parties, and that the language would simply make the issue explicit. He also said he would be open to amendments, including language that more directly instructs judges to ask the question. One member raised concerns about whether the bill should say judges “shall” ask rather than “may,” and Ball said he was willing to work with the committee on wording. Sarah Horn, a NAMI New Hampshire board member and parent, testified in opposition. She described her own history with OCD, ADD, PTSD, hospitalization, and recovery, and said mental illness had not harmed her ability to parent; she warned the bill could increase stigma and discourage people from seeking treatment. In response, Ball said her testimony was part of why he had considered an amendment to include physical health as well, so the bill would not single out mental health. The hearing ended without a vote in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:14:13.399><c> produce</c> increase inventory of fresh produce increase inventory of fresh produce
• </c><00:30:55.080><c> produce</c> where they are offering fresh produce where they are offering fresh
• off by saying that um I'll start off by saying that retailers<00:43:40.359><c> in</c><00:43:40.520><
• My son's mother lost her job as well, so I started coming back to local farmers markets and using the
• Consider the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and grains.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• I felt it might be a little fresh a topic to talk about, but certainly relevant and timely, and this
• it might be the recent disasters I felt it might be a<00:10:54.680><c> little</c><00:10:54.839><c> fresh
• topic to talk about uh a little fresh topic to talk about uh but<00:10:57.120><c> certainly</c><00:10
• They mention leaving Asheville the day it started raining, which again put them in a position to bring
• raining and uh it was um that started raining and uh it was um that again<00:15:31.279><c> put</c><00

Summary: The Senate VMAP Committee met with a quorum and heard several measures focused on public safety and emergency preparedness. Senate Bill 266, sponsored by Vice Chair Aaron Reed, would allow Kentucky State Police troopers to engage in secondary employment under a policy set by the commissioner. Reed argued the change would improve morale, recruitment, retention, and compensation opportunities. Senators Boswell, Nunn, and Higden asked about when the extra work would occur and whether the commissioner had been consulted; Reed said the policy would be left to KSP leadership and cited examples such as convention centers and events like the Derby. The bill passed unanimously and was sent to the floor. The committee then adopted a committee substitute for Senate Concurrent Resolution 67, which creates a task force to study disaster preparedness, mitigation, and related issues such as flooding, wind events, insurance, communications, and coordination among state and local agencies. The sponsor described recent severe weather and flooding across Kentucky and said the resolution was intended to help the state identify risks and best practices, save money, and save lives. Senators discussed whether the National Guard should be included, and the sponsor said they would not object to adding a representative. The resolution passed unanimously. House Bill 234, presented by Representative Wade Williams with the Kentucky Police Chiefs Association, would add airport police departments to the list of agencies eligible for grants funded through confiscated or abandoned firearms sold through the Kentucky State Police auction process. Williams said the grants support life-saving equipment such as tasers and bulletproof vests and that airport police had been inadvertently left off the eligibility list. Senators asked whether the change would reduce funding for other departments, and Williams said he did not expect a detrimental effect. The bill passed unanimously. The meeting concluded with an invitation to legislators to attend a National Guard briefing and aerial flight event, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• campaign that will start before the school year this summer.
• And once you start working through it, it... ...difficult once you get after it.
• Some data requests that we'll be doing and have already started.
• Some data requests that we'll be doing and have already started.
• It's fresh, but this is something I've been concerned about the whole time with this.

Summary: The meeting began with approval of the May minutes and then moved into administrative updates on several 2025 legislative workstreams. Staff reported progress on two marketing efforts tied to the youth mental health crisis: one focused on increasing awareness and use of urgent crisis centers, and another broader crisis-continuum campaign led by United Way. Both projects are refining materials based on working-group feedback and aim to have materials ready before the start of the school year. Updates were also given on the UCC private insurance review and the crisis continuum review, both of which are gathering data and reconvening working groups over the summer. The main discussion centered on a Civic Solutions Group update on Medicaid school billing. The contractor explained that the project is examining why Connecticut schools are not billing for behavioral health and related services, with the goal of maximizing federal reimbursement. Members clarified that the study is about schools billing for services, not private providers billing in schools. Questions focused on whether Medicaid has caps or authorization issues when students receive services both in school and in the community, and whether recent federal or state changes affect billing. The contractor said the work is still in data collection and analysis, and that some issues, such as reauthorization procedures, were outside his scope. Participants also raised concerns about perceived barriers, fee-for-service limitations, and the need to distinguish school-based billing from provider billing. A second major presentation came from Disability Rights Connecticut on a separate legislative study concerning behavioral health issues affecting students receiving special education. The subgroup is examining the feasibility and impact of requiring evidence-based interventions, especially for challenging behaviors that can lead to restraint and seclusion, and is also looking at monitoring and random audits of restraint and seclusion practices. The team described its project plan, including literature reviews, interviews, focus groups, surveys, and data requests from the State Department of Education and other stakeholders. Members emphasized that the work is aimed primarily at private providers under the statute, but may have broader relevance. Questions from the group focused on whether the study would include public schools, how evidence-based practices apply to students with intellectual disabilities and autism, and whether caregivers or parents would be interviewed; the presenters said caregiver input is not currently part of the charge. The meeting ended with reminders about the July 15 meeting, which will include a Solnit briefing, and a note that August TCB meetings will not be held, though a workshop on the Connecticut Children’s Behavioral Health Provider Survey is being planned for late July or early August.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to start with Representative Springer to my right.
• So I'm going to start by asking staff. If you can, please provide us an overview.
• So we're going to start. Our next two presenters are both joining us remotely.
• But we'll get started with the findings.
• And then another recommendation to pilot fresh emergency food boxes.

Committee: House Agriculture & Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• This is kind of a weird place, almost artificial in some ways, and we start to lose who we are here in
• There's $250.7 million to maintain rates across funding formulas for general academic and our HRIs in
• We started this session with the comptroller telling us that we had almost $24 billion general revenue
• Is there anything in there that would enhance access to healthy or fresh fruits and vegetables?
• started identifying as LGBTQ because, because...

Bills: SB1637 , SB1 , HB300 , SB2601 , SB37 , HB2011 , HB3595 , HB3071 , SB12 , HB3372 , SB457 , HB2067 , SB2337 , SB447 , SB1506 , SB1566 , SB763 , HB3556 , SB13 , SB2018 , SB331 , SB379 , HB145 , SB441 , SB2878 , HB2885 , HB2017 , HB5246 , SB8 , SB2308 , SB1540 , HB 119 , SB1405 , SB3059 , SB15 , SB568

Summary: The House met in a late-session floor session that began with prayer, pledges, quorum, and a series of excused absences and Senate messages reporting action on numerous bills, conference committee appointments, and conference reports. Members also adopted a memorial resolution honoring Mark James Hanna, a Capitol lobbyist and advocate for nurses, and a congratulatory resolution for Rishi Tarumalasetti, an eighth-grade civics bee winner from Katy. The chamber also received and recorded a parliamentary colloquy about an unusual Senate request on SB 293, with the Chair stating the House could not recede from only part of its amendments and could not suspend the rules because the bill had not been returned from the Senate. The bulk of the session was devoted to taking up conference committee reports and related procedural resolutions, especially the state budget. The House adopted a resolution allowing the SB 1 conferees to go outside the normal bounds, then adopted the SB 1 conference report on a 107-21 vote. Debate on the budget centered on public education funding, tax relief, health care, corrections pay, and judicial compensation, with supporters calling it a responsible compromise and opponents arguing it was overly expansive and insufficient on property tax relief. The House also adopted a technical correction resolution tying judicial pay increases in SB 1 to the House version of SB 293, and members discussed at length the relationship between judicial salaries and legislative pensions. The chamber then adopted a long series of conference reports on measures covering topics such as school library review and book challenges (SB 13), SNAP restrictions on sweetened drinks and candy (SB 379), hospital price transparency (SB 331), nursing home accountability (SB 457), school district personnel compensation conflicts (HB 3372), property notice rules (HB 2011), research and development tax credits (SB 2018), and several other bills affecting elections, permits, education, and criminal justice. Most reports passed by wide margins, though some drew significant opposition, especially SB 13 and SB 379. The House also granted several Senate requests for conference committees and introduced additional resolutions to suspend conferee limits on various bills as the session moved toward adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first one is the Fresh Start Rental Assistance Program, and if I can take you to slide 7.
• That this is something that we started in FY 24 so we had to identify providers and then get them started
• James has successfully transitioned out of the Fresh Start program and into stable housing.
• Start program specifically?
• On um On the, the Fresh Start assistance programs, um, when, how, OK, one of the problems with, for me

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, God, I pray that you would just help them today, help them as they start afresh, help them to
• another day tomorrow, give them the strength they need, remind them that your grace, your mercy is fresh
• So, God, I pray that you would just help them today, help them as they start afresh, help them to be
• another day tomorrow, give them the strength they need, remind them that your grace, your mercy is fresh

Transcript Highlights:

• will take a fresh look at this.
• But then starts a whole new timeline.
• In 2024, I started to hear about the Autism Council starting to form again.
• the Autism Council starting to form again.<00:53:01.520><c> I</c><00:53:01.839><c> started</c><00:53
• So, it started at the same place. you. So, it started at the same place.

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• That was a great start.
• I'm happy to start. This is Zach Weston.
• I'm happy to start. This is Zach Weston.
• So let's start with plant protein.
• I can start. Thank you for your question.

Summary: The Select Committee on Alternative Protein Innovation held its second informational hearing at UCLA, focused on how California can expand alternative proteins through institutional food programs, market support, and research. Chair Ash Kalra said the committee’s purpose was to inform future legislation and budget actions, noting prior state investments in UC research centers and the committee’s interest in consumer education, sustainability, and student workforce development. The first panel highlighted efforts to increase plant-based options in schools, UCLA dining, and Los Angeles County food services, with witnesses describing menu changes, technical assistance, and procurement policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving access to healthier meals. Megan Jones of Friends of the Earth described California school food efforts, including technical assistance and microgrants that helped districts add plant-based meals, reduce water use and food costs, and increase student participation. Pete Angelese of UCLA Dining said the university serves more than 30,000 meals a day and has built a plant-forward dining model using alternative proteins, marketing nudges, and waste-tracking tools; he said sustainability goals raise costs but can be managed through scale and efficiency. Dr. Michelle Wood of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health outlined county board motions in 2024 and 2025 to expand plant-based food options in county venues and food assistance programs and to join the Cool Food Pledge, with early adoption in the sheriff’s jail food service. The second panel addressed barriers to scaling the industry. Zach Weston and Daniel Gertner said alternative proteins face a financing gap because companies need expensive facilities before demand is proven, and they urged grants, tax credits, loan guarantees, procurement commitments, and shared pilot infrastructure. T.K. Pillen of Beyond Meat said the category has faced a market downturn driven by overhyped expectations, negative messaging from the meat industry, and consumer confusion, and argued for reframing the category around “plant protein” and using public procurement to build demand. Members asked about subsidies for animal agriculture, supply-chain challenges, and the state’s loan guarantee cap, with witnesses saying current support structures favor conventional meat and that California could do more to keep manufacturing in-state. The final panel focused on research and workforce development at UCLA. Dr. Amy Rohat described a state-funded Future Food Fellows program and broader UC collaboration that now includes more than 50 faculty and trainees across multiple departments, with work spanning cell biology, engineering, food safety, and consumer communication. Corinne Smith, a UCLA PhD student, discussed her cultivated meat research and student outreach through the Alternative Proteins Project. Dr. Janet Tomiyama presented consumer psychology findings showing that disgust, gender norms, and language strongly affect acceptance, and said terms like “plant protein” and “cultivated meat” tested better than “fake meat.” Chair Kalra closed by emphasizing that language, policy, and public education will all be important to advancing alternative protein innovation in California.

Transcript Highlights:

• We want to welcome you into our committee, and we are going to go ahead and get started on our agenda
• We are going to start with Erica Sattler.
• Our incoming president started running a cottage food business, and so this is the chain of people that
• I have worked hard to produce the product, keep it fresh, and clean, pack it, and display it.
• This video, as you saw, was called Prime Rib and Prom, and it will roll out nationally, starting next

Committee: Senate Agricultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> fresh fruits and vegetables. fresh fruits and vegetables.
• </c> we're going to start out with her today. we're going to start out with her today.
• </c> started him on. started him on.
• So,<01:02:09.280><c> we</c><01:02:09.440><c> started</c> So, we started So, we started um um um you<01
• It was started by a physician.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first considered Senate Concurrent Resolution 61, sponsored by Senator Shelley Funke Frommeyer and Representative Matt Lockett. The resolution, as amended by committee substitute, would create a legislative task force tied to the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) framework to study Kentucky health policy, including Medicaid drug approvals, preventive and alternative therapies, holistic health education, oversight and transparency in health care, and research into integrative approaches. Supporters said the goal was to address chronic disease and reduce over-medication, while emphasizing the effort was not intended as an attack on agriculture or the pharmaceutical industry. The resolution received favorable expression and passed the committee 9-0. The committee then heard Senate Resolution 18 from Senator Neal, urging Kentucky to maximize participation in the federal SNAP Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) program. Testimony from Jessica Klein of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy and Secretary Eric Friedlander explained that SNAP E&T provides job training, education, and support services for SNAP participants, and that the program is federally matched and does not require additional General Assembly funding in the normal course. Members discussed how the program works, whether it could create new state costs, and how it fits with efforts to connect food assistance, workforce development, and local agriculture. Questions also focused on whether SNAP spending can be steered toward healthier foods and farmers markets, including Kentucky’s Double Dollars program, which was described as helping participants buy produce, meat, and dairy at participating markets and some retailers. Several members expressed support for the workforce goals but asked for more information on fiscal impacts and purchasing data. Secretary Friedlander said the SNAP E&T funds are separate from nutrition benefits, and that the state match generally comes from employer, university, or workforce partner contributions rather than new state appropriations. Senator Herron explained her vote in favor by saying the program could help people gain education and employment and reduce reliance on SNAP over time. Senate Resolution 18 was then adopted by the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• My father started Mulle Plumbing In Tulsa in 1972, and you can trace most any plumbing company in some
• I'm currently starting My second term on the Construction Industries' Board, where I am currently the
• Well, while they're In trade school, that test and all those examination questions are fresh on their
• mind, so this bill allows them to go ahead and test while it's fresh on their mind, but they still have
• program, some of the people have said they feel like That you know, maybe people would go out and try to start

Bills: HB2929 , HB2956 , HB2955 , HB3128 , HB3880 , HB4294 , HB2970 , HB3338 , HB3443 , HB3783 , HB3800 , HB3818

Committee: House Commerce & Economic Development Oversight

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> managing director of buildings at Fresh managing director of buildings at Fresh energy<00:13:11.519
• I'm the managing director of buildings at Fresh Energy.
• I'm with Fresh Energy.
• </c> over this hump it's really to jump start over this hump it's really to jump start some<00:30:35.080
• </c> a committee that we could start a committee that we could start revitalizing<00:59:17.280><c> more

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, starting off.
• I kind of took it forward whenever I started up here six years ago.
• I mean, he flat out says that we, you know, should be used for fresh...
• So I think that's important to remember to get started.
• Let’s start with the TA, the temporary assistance.

Committee: House General Laws

Summary: The committee met with 13 members present and first went into executive session on House Bill 1730, which was voted due pass by a 10-3 roll call. It then considered House Bill 2504, where a committee amendment was adopted to let school districts optionally require a mental-health professional letter for school protection officers, the amendment was rolled into a committee substitute, and the substitute was voted due pass 11-0 with two present. After that, the committee moved to public hearing on House Bills 2481, 2468, and 1974. The three public bills focused on restrictions and verification for public assistance programs. HB 1974 would restrict TANF cash assistance use, including prohibiting ATM cash withdrawals and certain purchases, with a three-strikes style penalty structure; sponsors said it was intended to prevent misuse of taxpayer funds, while opponents argued TANF is a small cash-assistance program for very poor families and that cash access is necessary for rent, laundry, childcare, and other basic needs. HB 2468 would tighten SNAP and Medicaid eligibility verification by requiring documentary proof of citizenship or eligible immigration status, using federal verification systems, and counting ineligible household members’ income; sponsors said it aligns Missouri with federal law and new federal accountability rules, while opponents warned it would add red tape, delay benefits, and increase error rates and costs. HB 2481, along with related SNAP language discussed in HB 174, would implement the governor’s SNAP waiver to restrict purchases of soda and junk food and place those restrictions into statute. Sponsors said the goal was to steer benefits toward healthier foods and reduce waste, while witnesses from industry and advocacy groups said the waiver process was already underway, the definitions were too broad, and the bills could be hard for retailers to implement and could burden eligible recipients, especially in rural areas and among children and vulnerable adults. No final committee action was taken on the three public hearing bills during the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And also he's got some testifiers if they want to start moving forward and do this.
• And also he's got some testifiers if they want to start moving forward and do this.
• And also he's got some testifiers if they want to start moving forward and do this.
• think they'll start stripping sometime this<00:12:54.639><c> year.
• </c><00:30:12.559><c> off</c> committee support today and starting off committee support today and starting

Bills: HF3393

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the executive director and academic dean for the Governor Scholars Program.
• </c> I'm the executive director and academic I'm the executive director and academic dean<00:04:37.280
• </c> enrichment program for academically enrichment program for academically gifted<00:05:27.360><c>
• Um, so I have a little piece to kick us off and get us started.
• We start servicing that out of state.

Committee: House Primary and Secondary Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Help businesses start to help projects begin, and it's been very successful and very useful.
• Why is it that we have to stick our nose into this business as government and start picking winners and
• What this amendment would do is merely, uh, bump out the start date for the New Mexico law to January
• A breath of fresh air.
• The game will be in the lounge starting at 5:25.

Transcript Highlights:

• So let's start with Farm to School Task Force.
• So we'll start with the past legislation.
• So we'll start with the past legislation.
• We'll start just briefly overview.
• we really did it, and it was a start.