Transcript Highlights:

• As a state employee, I'm a current state employee, and my insurance—we have some of the best insurance—I
• So I think it's time for us to give state employees, number one, a reason to work for the state because
• California has some of the cleanest energy, highest energy efficiency standards, and cleanest fuels in
• energy efficiency, world-class labor standards, and drive those out of California and other states.
• areas of our state.

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Summary: The committee heard SB 921, which would create a tax credit to help agricultural employers offset overtime premium costs for farmworkers. Senator Grove and supporters, including farmworkers, the California Farm Bureau, and agricultural groups, argued the bill would restore lost hours and take-home pay after California’s agricultural overtime law reduced schedules. Opponents, including the California Federation of Labor Unions and CRLA Foundation, argued the proposal would subsidize employers with taxpayer dollars and undermine the principle that employers should pay overtime themselves. The bill was held in subcommittee until more members arrived. The committee then took up SB 1083, a cleanup bill to the prior year’s school employee misconduct database law. The author and supporters said it would add due process protections for classified school employees, require an administrative law judge review before placement in the database, and improve notice and vetting rules for contractors and non-permanent staff. School employer groups and other opponents warned the bill could slow investigations and weaken child-safety protections. The committee approved the bill 3-0 and sent it to Senate Appropriations. Members also considered SB 1089, which would require CalPERS health plans to cover GLP-1 medications and expand access through CalRX for chronic weight management and related health conditions. The author and supporters, including the American Diabetes Association and medical groups, said the drugs can prevent diabetes and improve health outcomes but remain unaffordable for many. Pharma representatives expressed concerns about the bill as drafted but said they were open to continued discussions. The bill passed 4-0 to Appropriations. The committee also approved the consent calendar 4-0. Later, the committee heard SB 954, which would narrow and add guardrails to last year’s CEQA exemption for advanced manufacturing, including environmental review near disadvantaged communities and labor standards such as prevailing wage and skilled-and-trained workforce requirements. Labor, environmental, and community groups supported the bill as a cleanup of an overly broad exemption, while business and manufacturing groups opposed it, warning it would discourage investment and worsen California’s competitiveness. The bill passed 3-1 to Appropriations. Finally, SB 1299, a fire sprinkler fitter certification bill, was heard and passed 3-0 to Appropriations with support from the sprinkler fitters and building trades and no recorded opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• California has some of the cleanest energy, highest energy efficiency standards, and cleanest fuels in
• out of California and other states?
• other states.
• areas of our state.
• State law.

Summary: The committee heard SB 921, which would create a tax credit to help agricultural employers offset overtime wage costs for farmworkers. Senator Grove and supporters, including farmworkers, the California Farm Bureau, Western Growers, and other agricultural groups, argued that California’s ag overtime law has reduced take-home pay by limiting hours and that the credit would help employers continue offering overtime while putting more money back into workers’ paychecks. Opponents, including the California Federation of Labor Unions and CRLA Foundation, argued the bill would subsidize employers for complying with the law, shift costs to taxpayers, and set a precedent for industry-specific carve-outs. The bill was held in subcommittee and taken up later when more members arrived. The committee then considered SB 1083, a follow-up to last year’s school employee misconduct database law. Senator Perez said the bill would add due process protections for classified school employees by requiring an administrative law judge review before placement in the statewide egregious misconduct database, require notice when an employee leaves during an investigation, and extend vetting to some contractors and non-permanent workers. Supporters, including the California School Employees Association and California Federation of Teachers, said the bill balances student safety with fairness for employees who could be wrongly accused. Opponents, including school business officials, joint powers authorities, administrators, and school employers, warned the bill could delay investigations, create conflicting timelines, and weaken child-safety protections. The committee approved SB 1083 on a 3-0 vote and sent it to Appropriations. SB 1089, authored by Senator Richardson, would require CalPERS health plans to cover GLP-1 medications for chronic weight management and direct CalRx to help make the drugs more affordable. The senator described the bill as a response to personal experience with coverage denials and high out-of-pocket costs, and said broader access could improve health outcomes and reduce long-term costs. The American Diabetes Association and other medical groups supported the measure, citing diabetes prevention and treatment benefits, while a pharmaceutical industry representative said there were still concerns but noted ongoing discussions. The committee passed SB 1089 4-0 to Appropriations. The committee also approved the consent calendar. The committee next heard SB 954, which would revise last year’s CEQA exemption for advanced manufacturing by narrowing the definition and adding environmental, tribal, labor, and community protections, including prevailing wage, skilled-and-trained workforce requirements, and review for projects near disadvantaged communities. Support came from labor unions, environmental groups, and community organizations, which said the bill would restore oversight and prevent harmful projects from bypassing CEQA. Business groups and chambers of commerce opposed, arguing the bill would make the exemption too restrictive, discourage investment, and worsen California’s manufacturing job losses. The bill passed 3-1 to Appropriations. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1299, which would codify training and certification standards for fire sprinkler fitters after a court decision invalidated prior regulations on procedural grounds; the author and supporters said the bill is needed to protect public safety and ensure qualified installation of fire suppression systems.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, it being 1:00, we'll call to order this executive session for State-Federal Relations and Veterans
• So this is my first term in the State House. I got elected.
• goal is to destroy the Jews and abolish the state of Israel.
• can supersede our state or federal laws.
• Finally, New Hampshire is a live free or die state.

Committee: House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Government Code specifically states that water service is a property-related service that aids in
• I've stated it. We've tried to state it in our author's statement.
• Across state agencies.
• That out-of-state police officers may need to be contracted with the state to help meet local public
• This bill establishes a temporary process led by Cal OES to coordinate in-state and out-of-state law

Committee: House Emergency Management

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• California is one of the most diverse states.
• States like California have a choice in that.
• Senate Bill 46 amends the California Elections Code to ensure that the California Secretary of State
• two terms as President of the United States.
• State your name, organization, and position.

Committee: House Elections

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Judy E., State Billing Traits, in opposition.
• Please state your name. Please state your name, your affiliation, and your position only.
• few states that does not have an official state butterfly.
• The yellow jacket is a state wasp.
• how best to spend our state tax dollars.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused largely on regulatory oversight, food insecurity, state symbols, immigration-related funding, and ethnic media outreach. SB 885 and SB 986 would require major regulations with estimated economic impacts over $50 million to come back to the Legislature for review; supporters said this would restore accountability and help address affordability, while opponents warned it would delay health, safety, and worker protections. SB 1025 would create an Office of Food Security and Affordability to coordinate food programs across state departments, expand outreach, run a hunger hotline, and analyze service gaps; members generally supported the goal but urged stronger reporting and oversight language. SB 1214 would designate the Western monarch as California’s state butterfly, and SB 1178 would designate the California yellow jacket as the state wasp, with testimony emphasizing conservation, ecology, and agricultural benefits. SB 1286 would recognize the California sea lion as the state pinniped, with supporters citing its role as a sentinel species and conservation success story. SB 1171 would make private entities that contract with ICE ineligible for state-funded grants or loans; supporters framed it as a response to ICE conduct, while opponents raised concerns about unintended impacts on contractors providing essential services and possible federal retaliation. SB 1358 would create the Ethnic and Community Media Equity Act to improve state advertising and outreach to ethnic and community media through a database and contracting requirements, with supporters arguing it would improve effectiveness and reach underserved communities. Several bills were advanced on committee votes, many with roll calls held open for absent members. SB 885, SB 986, SB 1025, SB 1214, SB 1178, SB 1286, and SB 1171 all received motions to do pass, with some members noting support but also urging amendments or guardrails, especially on timing, reporting, and oversight. The committee also took up a consent calendar of multiple items after quorum was established.

Transcript Highlights:

• , other peace officers across the state.
• across the state.
• Other states, uh, all states within the National Guard adhere to the DOD set standards for physical training
• There's they're temporary state active duty or state employees.
• There's 39 LMHAs in the state.

Bills: SB 36

Committee: House Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Keywords: transportation, regional authorities, mobility, infrastructure, sales tax

Transcript Highlights:

• The president of the United States is claiming authority to take over state elections.
• or of this state.
• be contrary to state law.
• Those are red states.
• They're not going to go to the red states; they're going to go to the blue states.

Bills: SB23 , SB221 , SB261 , SB264

Committee: Senate Senate Judiciary

Keywords: student use, wireless devices, public schools, policy implementation, education technology funding, misappropriation, petroleum products, oil and gas equipment, racketeering, criminal penalties, New Mexico, public safety, health regulations, community welfare, peace promotion, legislative reforms, election integrity, voter coercion, emergency procedures, polling place security

Transcript Highlights:

• , D.C. into the Union as a state.
• For it to become law, at least three-fourths, 38 states, must approve. Each state has one vote.
• We don't like our state rep or our state senator, but we like... I'm sure.
• Would the delegates be selected by state or by population? Would each state have one vote?
• Washington, D.C., that I and the Convention of States are in favor of taking the power away from D.C.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs was opened by Chair Joe McGonagle and Vice Chair Senator Mike Rush, who noted that Chair John Velis was deployed with the Massachusetts National Guard. The chairs explained the hybrid format, three-minute testimony limit, live streaming, and filing deadlines, and said the committee would hear 11 House bills and eight Senate bills dealing with federal and overseas issues. Much of the hearing centered on competing resolutions about Article 5 constitutional conventions, along with related resolutions on D.C. statehood, child labor, Citizens United, and Cambodia. Supporters of H. 4692 and S. 284, a joint resolution to rescind all prior Massachusetts Article 5 convention applications, argued that old resolutions from the 1930s and 1970s could be used to count Massachusetts toward the 34-state threshold for calling a federal constitutional convention. Testifiers from Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, the ACLU, Reproductive Equity Now, labor groups, and others warned that a convention would have no clear rules, could not be reliably limited to specific topics, and could put civil rights, reproductive rights, labor protections, and other constitutional protections at risk. Several speakers also cited a recent federal lawsuit and said the safest course was to remove outdated applications from the books. A large opposing panel testified in support of H. 3888, a resolution calling for a Convention of States to propose amendments limiting federal power, imposing fiscal restraints, and establishing term limits. Supporters argued that Article 5 provides a lawful way to address federal overreach, debt, and congressional stagnation, and said the process would be limited by state applications and ratification by 38 states. Some committee members and witnesses raised concerns about a runaway convention, broad language in the resolution, and whether Congress could or should set rules for such a convention. Representative Gentile also testified in support of several related resolutions on overturning Citizens United, D.C. statehood, and the child labor amendment, while Representative Howard and Representative Tongue supported a Cambodia resolution condemning political oppression and urging free and fair elections. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> for the state. for the state.
• </c> the codes. the codes.
• Oh, there's no code. There's no code.
• </c> the you know, a code I guess the codes. the you know, a code I guess the codes.
• Billing codes. Are you creating these billing codes?

Committee: House Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:08.239><c> we</c> following the lead of other states we following the lead of other states
• </c> not comparable with similar States for not comparable with similar States for example<00:04:06.159
• ><c> a</c><00:07:45.800><c> state</c> insurance Market whenever a state insurance Market whenever a state
• and building codes.
• and building codes.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 80, Caballero, fusion energy hubs, do pass out on an A roll call.
• SB 551, Cortese, state corrections policy, do pass out on a B roll call.
• SB 444, Hurtado, state food policy, held in committee.
• SB 55, Umberg, free state park access, held in committee.
• SB 332, Wahab, state-run utility study, held in committee.

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee held its August 29, 2025 suspense hearing on Senate bills, with the chair emphasizing the state’s ongoing budget constraints and the need to make difficult choices among 261 bills on the suspense file. After establishing a quorum, the committee began taking action bill by bill, with many measures receiving do pass or do pass with amendments recommendations, while others were held in committee or designated as two-year bills. The chair noted the agenda was organized alphabetically by author and that results would be posted later on the committee website. The hearing covered a wide range of topics, including insurance and claims data, wildfire relief and prevention, water planning, energy and utility regulation, housing and land use, health care, labor and employment, criminal justice, education, environmental policy, and election-related measures. Several bills were amended before passage, often to narrow scope, remove sections, adjust definitions, delay implementation, or clarify funding and enforcement provisions. Some notable actions included moving bills on AI regulation, transit-oriented housing, paid family leave, wildfire mapping, chemical hair relaxers, and pharmacy benefit managers, while other bills on subjects such as controlled substances, high-speed rail, and certain education or housing proposals were held. The committee also took formal roll-call votes on selected bills, with some passing on A roll calls and others on B roll calls; a number of measures were advanced with Republicans not voting. One highlighted vote was SB 79 by Senator Wiener, which passed after amendments and a recorded roll call. At the end of the hearing, the committee reported that 190 bills were moved to the Assembly Floor, either as do pass or do pass with amendments, concluding the suspense hearing for the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• The state auditor did an audit.
• The state auditor did a fantastic job. We concur.
• Moving on to page 7, the State Residential Facility.
• Currently the state has only 180 of those beds.
• immigration policies that state leadership wants.

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Articles I, IV, & V

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The current code fails to recognize this administrative experience when superintendents and principals
• Lambert, if you will state your name and who you represent, and then you have two minutes.
• My name is Chris Collins, and I served in the United States Army for 21 years.
• When I moved to Idaho from Washington State in 2006, the drop in educational rigor was so immediate that
• If you look at page four again, line eight, I think in the existing code there is a “may.”

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Montigny, New Bedford State pair of mixed-use redevelopment.
• The state forest is no exception to that crisis. I hope the amendment is adopted.
• The state forest is no exemption to that crisis. I hope the amendment is adopted.
• it is a science-based arm of the state government.
• and climate data to assess drought conditions across the state.

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Most state agencies are in state buildings.
• Most state agencies<00:02:20.879><c> are</c><00:02:21.040><c> in</c><00:02:21.280><c> state</c><00:02
• </c><00:02:22.000><c> In</c> agencies are in state buildings. In agencies are in state buildings.
• 00:03:16.879><c> a</c><00:03:17.200><c> million</c> the state spends roughly a million the state spends
• We're just include state properties.

Committee: Joint Public Property

Keywords: Public Property - Room 409, 29 January, 2026; 2:30 P.M., 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Lord, that we would love... ...wisdom to lead this great state.
• Today, May 27, 2026, is being recognized as Grambling State University Recognition Day.
• Martin LaMelle, Jr., President of Grambling State University. Dr.
• Grambling State alumnus.
• He won state in 2025 and 2026. He volunteered at St.

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of Arizona and the United States...
• of Arizona and the United States...
• of Arizona and the United States.
• , national security, and export income for the state of Arizona and the United States.
• Go see state law, A.R.S. 43-107.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Please approach the microphone and state your name.
• For me, that's where I want to spend my energy.
• that you just heard that are occurring throughout the state.
• I need to go and vote in the Energy Committee too.
• You may also hear that other states have adopted similar policies, but the fact that other states have

Committee: Senate Public Safety

Summary: The Senate Committee on Public Safety met on March 17, 2026, with no quorum at the start and throughout much of the hearing, so bills were presented and discussed but no final votes were taken. The committee heard SB 936 on nitrous oxide sales, SB 941 on commissary price caps in private immigration detention facilities, SCR 118 urging release of Jeffrey Epstein-related files, SB 1009 on juvenile detention standards, AB 46 on mental health diversion, and SB 948 on firearm safety training and registration for new residents. The chair explained public comment procedures and noted that SB 891 was on consent, but the transcript focused on the other measures. SB 936 drew strong support from the author, prosecutors, local officials, and public health/environmental groups, who described rising misuse of flavored large nitrous oxide canisters, youth targeting, impaired driving crashes, deaths, and waste disposal costs. Opposition from the ACLU argued the bill was too broad and should use a regulatory rather than criminal approach, warning about overreach into ordinary household items. Members generally expressed support, though some asked for narrowing amendments to avoid unintended coverage. SB 941 was presented as a cap on markups for commissary goods sold to detainees in privately run federal immigration detention facilities, modeled on prior prison commissary limits. Supporters described severe price inflation for basic necessities and the burden on families, while no opposition testified. SCR 118, calling for full release of unclassified Epstein investigation files, was supported by the author, a survivor statement, and anti-trafficking advocates; one member objected that the resolution could implicate people without full facts, while others emphasized transparency and survivor accountability. SB 1009 and AB 46 both centered on criminal justice discretion: SB 1009 would require clear and convincing evidence before detaining youth and was supported by defenders and youth advocates but opposed by probation and district attorneys who warned about public safety and resource constraints; AB 46 would narrow mental health diversion by allowing judges to deny diversion when public safety is at risk, with prosecutors and victims’ families supporting it and public defenders, ACLU, and behavioral health groups opposing it as an unnecessary restriction on treatment. SB 948 would expand firearm safety certificate requirements to include live-fire training and require new California residents to register firearms within 60 days; the author and gun-safety advocates supported it as a common-sense safety measure, and the hearing moved into support testimony as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Not the case. his beloved state. Thank you for your his beloved state.
• </c><00:14:45.440><c> I</c> a mountain in his home state. I a mountain in his home state.
• </c> Mount Washington with all of the state Mount Washington with all of the state party<00:44:12.000
• </c> state as a whole. state as a whole.
• He hoped the Senate would consider some of his concerns with respect to the state building code and might

Committee: House Resources, Recreation and Development

Keywords: 1189, house, all