Transcript Highlights:

• Then, lastly, it would evaluate laws and programs.
• after-school programs, and more.
• evaluating laws and programs.
• and practical support to implement programs effectively.
• I think one example would be one of the programs that was mentioned, the TK program and the programs

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:17:30.880><c> appropriate</c> and helpful and gives the appropriate and helpful and gives the
• ><c> and</c><00:40:43.200><c> would</c> not or not impartial and and would not or not impartial and and
• It prevents grid strain and ensures reliability.
• </c> and and um to be near a spill like that. and and um to be near a spill like that.
• and safety and and do you know health and safety and and those<01:25:14.000><c> kind</c><01:25:14.159

Committee: Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I could go on and on.
• I was speaking with Senator Hinojosa, and I said I think I first met you in the early 2000s.
• and potential federal intervention.
• Furthermore, I urge you that any proposed map should be shared in detail, in advance, early, and freely
• We heard the early invited testimony today testify that... ...that they had pled and prosecuted in court

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Health and Human Services and Appropriations. Natural Resources, Energy and Water. HB 2542.
• Health and Services and Appropriations. HB 2560. Health and Human Services. HB 2561.
• Commerce and Appropriations. HB 2585. Writers. HB 2586. Appropriation intervention.
• Natural Resources, Energy and Water and Appropriations. HB 2651, Blue Envelope Program.
• HB 2653, abortion and retail. Health and Human Services and Judiciary.

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the journal, and recognized the Doctor of the Day, Dr. Tammy Penhollow, a board-certified anesthesiologist, pain medicine physician, and Navy veteran. Members also introduced several guests in the gallery, including school board members and representatives from Republic Services, which was highlighted for its Arizona operations, employment, and sustainability work. Attendance was recorded at 57 present, zero absent, and two excused. The main floor business consisted of reading a large number of bills and resolutions for first and second reading and referring first-read measures to committee. The measures covered a wide range of topics, including public safety, education, health and human services, water and natural resources, commerce, taxation, housing, transportation, artificial intelligence, abortion-related issues, firearms, labor, and appropriations. No substantive debate or votes on individual bills were taken during this portion of the session. Toward the end of the meeting, members made committee announcements and birthday wishes, including a birthday greeting for Representative Aaron Márquez. Committee schedules were announced for Commerce, Education, Natural Resources, Energy and Water, Government, Judiciary, Ways and Means, and others. The House then adopted a motion to adjourn until 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• grant program to allow for municipal upgrades linked to new housing and making an appropriation.
• And and and so these are it right.
• programs and facility usage.
• programs and facility usage.
• And and and I That was a bad thing.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This just gives you a breakdown of which ones were in prevention, treatment, and. treatment, and recovery
• We learned from round one what the requests were for prevention, treatment, and recovery.
• So we capped prevention at 75,000, treatment at 350,000, and recovery at. 350,000, and recovery at 150,000
• Again, this is about seeding awareness about opioids at the early stages and what it... at the early
• We brought them to Alabama, and this particular program is amazing to me because, besides their setup

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• on Government and Federalism and Family Law.
• And we stayed with him, and we took care of him.
• And now my wife has served, and we're trying to...
• I won multiple awards in program oral interpretation, which is taking multiple pieces and creating one
• And if we go back to the beginning of factory learning back in the early 1900s, they were principal teachers

Committee: Senate Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Elder Abuse

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• How do we make sure that someone who has gone around every law gets stopped and prevented from inflicting
• How do we make sure that someone who has gone around every law gets stopped and prevented from inflicting
• > And and if you've never done it and I And and if you've never done it and I see<00:14:58.959><c> the
• and and bills we've committees and and bills we've introduced<00:19:14.799><c> and</c><00:19:15.120>
• Because that pause is a moment for intervention. Um so and that's across the state.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, and again, that was language that Senator Perkins and Kwoka and I worked on together and got bipartisan
• Um, but the conversation was more being preventative, to be able to buy a little carrot and stick on
• </c> and I worked with Senator Perkins and and I worked with Senator Perkins and Kwoka<00:10:18.360><
• and Kwoka, myself and Senator Perkins and Kwoka, myself and the<00:10:32.040><c> committee</c><00:10
• on together and and Kwoka and I worked on together and got<00:11:49.520><c> um</c><00:11:49.880><c>

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Very excited to be with supporting child welfare and a handful of other youth-related programs.
• It's a front and back. It says Crime Victims Compensation Program.
• And I just wanted to assure people a little bit about the program.
• And again, if there's good cause, like you didn't know about the office or the program, those kinds of
• And then the people who were kind of running this program said, oh, we can't administer these funds to

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a front and back. It says Crime Victims Compensation Program.
• And I just wanted to assure people a little bit about the program.
• And again, if there's good cause, like you didn't know about the office or the program, those kinds of
• And then the people who were kind of running this program said, oh, we can't administer these funds to
• food and vaccines and that kind of stuff.

Summary: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee heard Senate Bill 1292, which would codify foster parent training requirements in statute and set a total of 10 hours of training, with flexibility for the department to structure the coursework. Senator Shippey said the bill is intended to make foster parents better prepared for trauma, safety, and court-system expectations while allowing online completion and exemptions for some family placements or out-of-state applicants. Deputy Director Monty Pro said the department already offers a range of training and that the measure would support foster parent retention and child safety; Senator Wintrow voiced support. The committee then voted to send SB 1292 to the Senate floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1293, a one-sentence fix to clarify that crime victims’ compensation is not subject to the interpretation of a prior public-benefits law. Senator Wintrow explained that confusion after House Bill 135 had slowed claims processing and created concern about added barriers for victims, especially in sensitive cases such as sexual assault and child abuse. She said the bill would restore the program to its prior practice, which is based on crime-victim eligibility criteria rather than public-assistance rules, and noted that no claims had been denied but processing had been delayed. After questions from senators about the effect of the earlier law and the backlog, the committee voted to send SB 1293 to the Senate floor with a due pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention Program, the Specialty Crop Block Grant, and
• the Animal Disease Prevention and Management Program.
• of those programs and the amounts.
• net programs that we care and love so much and dearly and help other Californians.
• prevention programming activities and events among low-income Californians.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Accountability and Oversight held its fifth hearing of the year to examine the newly enacted federal H.R. 1 and its effects on California. Members and the chair described the law as a major threat to state health, food, education, and climate programs, and emphasized that California would not be able to fully backfill the federal cuts. Several members also highlighted the bill’s tax provisions, including temporary deductions for tips, overtime, seniors, and auto loan interest, while warning that the largest benefits flow to higher-income taxpayers and that major cuts to Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and clean-energy incentives are delayed or phased in over time. The Legislative Analyst’s Office and the Department of Finance presented detailed overviews of the bill’s likely impacts and implementation timelines. They identified the main affected areas as health care coverage and financing, food assistance, higher education, personal income taxes, and clean-energy/electric-vehicle credits. They explained that H.R. 1 limits provider taxes used to finance Medi-Cal, adds work and redetermination requirements, restricts CalFresh eligibility and increases state costs, changes student loan and Pell Grant rules, extends and modifies federal tax provisions, and phases out many clean-energy credits. Finance also noted major rescissions of Inflation Reduction Act funds, new border and immigration enforcement spending, and the possibility of PAYGO sequestration if Congress does not act to offset the deficit increase. During member questions, the committee focused on likely enrollment losses, administrative burdens, and fiscal exposure for the state and counties. Witnesses said many details still depend on federal guidance, but they estimated significant impacts on Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and graduate/professional student borrowing, and noted that California’s high CalFresh error rate could increase state costs. UC testified that the elimination of Graduate PLUS loans would affect thousands of professional students, especially in health, law, and other high-cost programs. Members asked for follow-up data on county, health, and tax impacts, and staff agreed to provide additional tables and estimates as implementation guidance becomes clearer. Public commenters from counties, early childhood advocates, health coalitions, disability rights groups, immigrant-rights organizations, and other stakeholders urged the Legislature to mitigate the law’s effects. They warned of higher county costs, reduced access to health care and food assistance, increased administrative burdens, and harm to children, immigrants, people with disabilities, and low-income families. Several urged new state revenue solutions and stronger protections for Medi-Cal, CalFresh, child care, and home- and community-based services. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational and ended with a commitment to continue monitoring federal guidance and to work on state responses in the budget process.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our goal is to move from crisis response to early prevention and connection.
• ><c> prevention</c><00:18:12.960><c> and</c> response to early prevention and response to early prevention
• </c> system and not a single program. system and not a single program.
• </c> veterans and prevents suicide. veterans and prevents suicide.
• And so we just Prevention Coalition.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The subcommittee opened its first meeting of the session with member introductions and a statement from the chair that veterans issues would remain distinct and receive separate attention. The first item was an update on the Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum at Camp Ripley from Executive Director Randall Dietrich. He said the museum has operated for nearly 50 years, has outgrown its current space, and is building a new 40,000-square-foot facility with $32 million in state support plus several million more in private funding. He described construction progress, planned exhibits including restored military artifacts and the USS Ward gun, and said the museum is scheduled to open on September 12. In response to Senator Kunish, Dietrich said the museum is actively incorporating stories and flags representing women, tribal nations, and other underrepresented groups, including 11 tribal flags at the entrance, and is working to integrate those stories throughout the galleries rather than isolating them. The committee then received an update from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs on the veterans suicide prevention plan from Rachel Johnson, Veterans Committee Health Director, with John Kelly later answering questions on department impacts. Johnson said the plan is a coordinated statewide framework built with legislative support, expanding regional coordinators, veteran health navigators, data analytics, and community partnerships, including a suicide mortality review pilot in Hennepin County. She said Minnesota loses about 100 veterans a year to suicide, that firearms remain the primary mechanism, and that prevention must address community connection, economic stability, and access to care, not just clinical treatment. She also said the plan aligns with state and federal strategies and is intended as a living roadmap. In response to questions, Johnson said the department is exploring data-sharing policy issues, has not seen a direct financial impact from federal VA staffing changes, and is tracking federal proposals affecting VA advisory groups. She also said 988 data is available in general but more Minnesota-specific data on the veteran option is still being gathered. Members asked follow-up questions about trends in veteran suicide, the role of families in identifying warning signs, and the Hennepin County mortality review pilot. Johnson said the annual number has remained around 100 for about 15 years, with a dip in 2024 and a return to that level in 2025, and that the Hennepin County pilot was chosen because it offers a manageable geography and existing coalition work, with an initial review expected by May or June. The final item began a presentation from the Minnesota Association of County Veteran Service Officers. Legislative chair Larry Fonder said the group’s priorities are protecting veterans from fraud and modernizing the property tax benefit for disabled veterans, but the presentation would focus on educating the committee about the role, training, certification, and accountability of county veteran service officers. President Tom Anderson, the Winona County VSO and a Navy veteran, began describing his background and office staffing when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• fire prevention efforts and programs.
• And let's fund some block captain programs.
• our block captain programs up and running.
• And we run three programs: the Roadmap to Preparedness, Roadmap to Recovery, and Advocacy and Action.
• Jeff Seifers came to one of our block captains' meetings early on and outlined the program.

Summary: The hearing focused on lessons from the 2017 Tubbs Fire and how Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, and local partners have changed wildfire prevention, recovery, and rebuilding practices since then. Assemblymembers emphasized that the region has become a model for the state, with a shift from suppression to prevention, and panelists described improvements in defensible space, home hardening, vegetation management, alerting, and community coordination. The discussion also highlighted the continuing importance of sharing Sonoma County’s experience with other wildfire-impacted communities across California and beyond. Fire officials and local leaders described specific prevention measures now in place, including Santa Rosa’s vegetation management ordinance, ignition-free/Zone Zero requirements in rebuilding, restrictions on certain mulches, removal of dead and dying trees near roads and defensible space zones, and expanded prescribed burning authority. They also stressed the importance of community organization through block captains, Firewise/COPE-style networks, and the Mark West Area Community Fund. Speakers said these networks helped residents navigate recovery, avoid fraud and bad contractors, coordinate with local agencies, and support neighbors, but they argued that such efforts need more formal structure and stable funding. Water and permitting officials discussed how the fires changed their work. Santa Rosa Water described new regional coordination, generator and backup power upgrades, emergency training, and lessons learned about wildfire-related contamination in water systems, including the need to restore pressure, flush, and test quickly after a fire. Permit Sonoma said rebuilding was balanced by streamlining permits while still requiring safer, more resilient construction, and noted that reduced fees and one-stop permitting helped speed recovery. United Policyholders described helping residents maximize insurance proceeds, organize information, and avoid scams, while warning that insurance availability and affordability remain major barriers and that insurers are increasingly rewarding risk-reduction measures. Across the panels, the main policy requests were for faster and more flexible grant processes, more stable long-term funding for prevention and community programs, stronger support for home hardening and defensible space, better training and tools for local governments and legislative staff, and continued attention to insurance and utility-related resilience. No formal votes or actions were taken in the transcript excerpt; the hearing was informational and ended with a transition toward public comment and further discussion of remaining statewide wildfire policy needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• the</c><00:11:57.760><c> introduction</c> and policies to prevent the introduction and policies to prevent
• > uh,</c><00:15:54.320><c> in</c> programs, projects, and people uh, in programs, projects, and people
• So, um, I'd say the best response is prevention, uh, basically, and that's why early prevention.
• , and early prevention can really go with that.
• ><c> really</c> scanning and early prevention can really scanning and early prevention can really go<

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• actually</c><00:07:20.319><c> done</c> bill and that program has actually done bill and that program
• And if you look at some of what they do in public health and epidemiology and even prevention, which
• And if you look at some of what they do in public health and epidemiology and even prevention, which
• And if you look at some of what they do in public health and epidemiology and even prevention, which
• And if you look at some of what they do in public health and epidemiology and even prevention, which

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The meeting focused on a House counteroffer to a higher education budget and policy agreement, with Ken Savory walking members through spreadsheet changes and Mr. Hopkins reviewing policy items. On the budget side, the House adjusted several appropriations and savings targets, including state grants, child care grants, student teacher and shortage area grants, student parent support, spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury research grants, dual training grants for legal cannabis employers, and University of Minnesota cannabis research. The House also noted no change to Minnesota State, alignment with the Senate on the summer academic enrichment program, and that remaining state grant parameters would continue to be negotiated. On policy, the House said some items were agreed to and grayed out, including campus sexual misconduct policy and treatment of appropriations. The House kept its original position on the NN Mayo Clinic Partnership and did not include K-12 direct admissions or the College Financing Literacy Act. It also proposed adjusting OHEI appropriations for competitively and legislatively named grant programs so administrative cost reserves would conform to 10% and 5% parameters when current law is below those levels. The committee then heard testimony in support of continuing the spinal cord injury/traumatic brain injury grant program at its current level. Joey Carlson described his spinal cord injury, his career path, and how the program helped advance research and industry connections, while Matthew Broadick argued the program has produced clinical trials, FDA approval-related progress, jobs, and strong return on investment. He also said the program belongs at the Office of Higher Education rather than the Department of Health because its mission better fits research and innovation. Members asked about the program’s long-term home, and the witnesses defended OHE’s role. No votes were taken; the chair thanked the House for the offer, said it would be reviewed, and recessed the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that is the trajectory that we're on without intervention.
• And I know concerns with our program.
• </c> work through this net metering program work through this net metering program and<01:13:36.719><
• And then wanted to program in your car."
• And then in January, UL announced a testing and certification program for plug-in solar, and we know

Bills: HF2986 , HF3555

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Keywords: virtual power plant, VPP, distributed energy resources, DER, demand response, load management, grid modernization, peak demand, peak shaving, battery storage, energy storage, solar photovoltaic, solar panels, electric vehicles, smart thermostats, heat pumps, aggregator, public utilities commission, PUC, rate recovery

Transcript Highlights:

• programs and the notice provided by peace officers to victims of family stalking, harassment, or terroristic
• And with all of the discussions about the weekends and People wanting to get to work.
• Tarleton offers a hundred and thirty degree programs spanning an array of disciplines.
• Speaker and members.
• We welcome you and we honor you and we recognize you today. Thank you so much.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill has the potential to raise awareness, increase the rate of early screening, and help prevent
• This bill has the potential to raise awareness, increase the rate of early screening, and help prevent
• This bill has the potential to raise awareness, increase the rate of early screening, and help prevent
• This bill has the potential to raise awareness, increase the rate of early screening, and help prevent
• </c><01:45:42.719><c> and</c> was appropriated for the program and was appropriated for the program and

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, we will lay out one new bill and take public testimony, and then, uh, it is the chair's intent to
• safe and effective.
• By the opioid epidemic and by the vertical integration of healthcare and by the perverse incentives of
• importantly to reclaim trust by ridding our airwaves and our lives from snake whale salesmen and big
• Expanding retail access to proven safe therapeutic interventions is good and a goal worthy of our time

Bills: HB25

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Keywords: ivermectin, pharmacist authority, prescription-free, healthcare regulation, patient access