Transcript Highlights:

• Josh Wright, on behalf of the California Association of Food Banks, in support.
• Josh Wright, on behalf of the California Association of Food Banks, in support. Mr.
• Josh Wright with the California Association of Food Banks in support. Thank you.
• Association of Food Banks in support. Thank you.
• Josh Wright with the California Association of Food Banks in support. Thank you.

Summary: The Assembly Human Services Committee heard a lengthy agenda focused largely on CalWORKs, child care access, early childhood supports, and family stability. Measures discussed included AB 1655, which would protect CalWORKs benefits for families when a child or family member is temporarily absent due to immigration detention; AB 1746, which would require counties to give CalWORKs applicants the actual child care request form and respond within 10 days; and AB 1755, which would repeal the CalWORKs 100-hour work penalty for two-parent families. Supporters across these bills emphasized reducing poverty, preventing administrative barriers, and avoiding punishments that can destabilize working families. No opposition witnesses appeared on these items. All three bills were moved forward on party-line or near-unanimous votes, with committee amendments accepted where noted. The committee also heard AB 2072, creating a state contingency fund to keep CalFresh and WIC benefits flowing during a federal shutdown, with support from the California Retailers Association and anti-poverty groups; AB 2429, which would make targeted changes to the early childhood mental health consultation model by making one screener optional and reducing required observations; AB 1969, the "It Takes a Village Act," establishing a grant program for cradle-to-career place-based partnerships; and AB 2092, giving the Department of Social Services lead authority over an early childhood integrated data system and creating an interagency governance structure. Testimony on these bills stressed the need for coordinated services, better data, and more flexible implementation. Each advanced out of committee, with AB 1969 receiving the most discussion and a split vote before later being finalized on the record. Two additional bills addressed county administration and emergency aid. AB 2278 would authorize a Contra Costa County pilot to test technology to speed IHSS eligibility and reassessments amid heavy caseloads and penalties, while AB 2567 would let counties issue emergency CalWORKs aid without first requiring applicants to apply for all other potentially available income sources. Both were presented as ways to reduce delays and help families in crisis faster. The committee also approved a consent calendar containing several other measures. At the end of the hearing, the committee returned to open votes and finalized the roll on all items before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bank Impact Finance.
• The next bill is SB 6214, establishing land banking authorities.
• bank authority must legally own real property in its inventory.
• It provides requirements for a land bank authority claiming a REIT exemption created by the act, and
• But the big part about the bill is we kind of feel like it's giving these land banking organizations

Bills: SB6015 , SB6069 , SB6096 , SB6200 , SB6201 , SB6214 , SB6237 , SGA9280 , SGA9281

Committee: Senate Housing

Keywords: residential building, construction permits, housing development, planning efficiency, state regulations, affordable housing, homelessness, homeless shelter, emergency shelter, emergency housing, supportive housing, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, low-income housing, very low-income, extremely low-income, housing crisis, land use, zoning, local preemption

Transcript Highlights:

• As Ventura County's food bank for nearly 50 years, our organization has been on the front line combating
• want to share how federal funding cuts are causing unprecedented challenges, not only for our food bank
• vital lifeline is cut by nearly $30 billion in California alone, creating a ripple effect at food banks
• These reductions will add immense pressure on food banks that historically provide one meal for every
• In closing, the work of food banks like Food Share is more vital than ever, but we can't do it alone.

Summary: The joint Senate and Assembly Select Committee hearing focused on the nonprofit sector’s mounting challenges in 2025 and possible state responses. Opening remarks emphasized the sector’s size and importance in California, the impact of federal funding disruptions and new federal tax policy, and the need for stronger public-private coordination, especially during disasters. Witnesses and members repeatedly pointed to nonprofits as essential providers of food, housing, health, education, environmental, and emergency services, while warning that sudden funding losses are forcing layoffs, service cuts, and operational instability. Testimony from community foundations and food bank leaders described how federal cuts, delayed reimbursements, and disaster-related demand are straining nonprofits. Monica White of Food Share Ventura County said H.R. 1 and USDA food cancellations are worsening hunger needs, while immigration enforcement fears are keeping some families from seeking help. Abby Browning of Cal OES outlined how the state coordinates with nonprofits, philanthropy, and businesses through VOADs and long-term recovery groups in wildfire response. Bruce Yerman of the Camp Fire Collaborative said recovery groups are effective but lack dedicated funding, and urged flexible spending, sustainable support, and streamlined partnerships. The second half of the hearing focused on institutional reforms, including a proposed Office of Nonprofit Empowerment, advance payments, prompt payment, and higher indirect cost coverage. Jeff Green of CalNonprofits argued for a central state office to coordinate policy, technical assistance, and interagency alignment. Annie Chang of Nonprofit Finance Fund cited survey data showing widespread late payments, low cash reserves, and indirect cost rates below federal guidance. Alfredo Cruz Jr. of Community Resource Project described how reimbursement-only contracts, delayed payments, and underfunded overhead create cash-flow crises and staffing problems. Members discussed possible interim steps, including expanding advance pay, improving payment timeliness, modeling best practices, and using state leadership to spotlight nonprofit needs. The hearing ended with public comment from nonprofit, labor, and advocacy representatives, and no votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, he said, the challenge is that sometimes I have to go to the food bank myself to feed myself
• We are a food bank distribution center. I do have a slide.
• You mentioned that there were too many food banks around the state to put on this map.
• There’s also a Farms to Food Banks or Food Pantry bill that is coming.
• There's also a Farms to Food Banks or Food Pantry bill that is coming.

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held a work session on food systems and food security, with no public testimony. The first panel focused on household food security and data. Marie Spiker of the University of Washington explained what food insecurity means, its health impacts, and the importance of reliable measurement, warning that the federal Census food security data is being terminated and that there is no true replacement. She described Washington’s WaFOOD surveys as a useful complement, not a substitute, and noted that they show food insecurity affects households at a range of income levels. Katie Raines of WSDA described the state’s food systems work, the need for shared data and dashboards, and the role of agriculture in both food production and the hunger safety net. Committee members asked about the $2.2 million state food assistance allocation, the scale of the SNAP gap, and how household size, housing costs, and other factors intersect with food insecurity. The committee then heard from Tracy Roof of the University of Richmond on the history of SNAP and its relationship to agriculture. She traced the program from Depression-era commodity distribution through the modern farm bill, emphasizing that food assistance has long functioned both as anti-hunger policy and as an agricultural and economic stabilizer. She highlighted how SNAP expands during recessions, supports retailers and farmers, and has become more important since the Great Recession because participation stayed high even as the economy recovered. Roof also noted that Washington has relatively high SNAP participation and low payment error rates, but that recent federal changes could reduce eligibility and shift more costs to states. Members asked how Washington compares to other states and why the program is structured as it is. A later panel featured the Washington State Food Policy Forum and a joint systems presentation from the Washington Farm Bureau, Washington Retail Association, and Washington Food Industry Association. The Food Policy Forum described its consensus-based recommendations on food insecurity, climate and water, regional food infrastructure, farmland protection, and farm viability, including more support for producer purchasing, water planning, and farmland conservation. The industry groups presented a systems map showing how agriculture, processing, retail, and transportation are interconnected, and argued that rising costs, regulations, labor and fuel expenses, retail theft, and thin margins make it harder to keep farms and stores viable. They said food security depends on store viability and local agricultural profitability, and promised to provide a more detailed list of policy recommendations. The final panel included state agency staff from DSHS, DOH, and WSDA. Bryce Montgomery said the Basic Food program serves about 920,000 Washingtonians monthly and warned that H.R. 1 could require Washington to pay up to 15% of SNAP benefits, broaden work requirements, and restrict immigrant eligibility. Karen Mullen described DOH nutrition programs, including WIC, farmers market nutrition benefits, fruit and vegetable incentives, and a fruit-and-vegetable prescription program, while noting funding instability and the end of SNAP-Ed. WSDA’s Katie Raines began describing ongoing food assistance and farmer support challenges, including farmer mental health and the need to address food insecurity across both producers and consumers.

Transcript Highlights:

• And only after the victim's bank account has been completely wiped out.
• Only after the victim's bank account has been completely wiped out.
• First, they go to the bank, usually with the scam artist on the other end of the phone, taking...
• To go to the bank, usually with the scam artist on the other end of the phone, taking out the money,
• We have incredible banks and institutions here in Massachusetts that are trying to do the right thing

Summary: The Senate considered a large number of amendments to an economic development bill and adopted them one by one, with repeated brief recesses as members finalized language. Early amendments made permanent the option for hybrid public meetings and added procedures for alleged open meeting law violations, authorized speed camera enforcement in school and construction safety zones, and created a retirement credit option for part-time teachers who reduced hours to care for children. Other adopted amendments updated gateway municipality designations every three years, capped ticket resale prices and banned speculative “ghost tickets,” and addressed vulnerable road users, crumbling concrete, and a fund for seasonal communities housing. Members also approved amendments to create a new framework for responding to crimes against women, including better investigation of staged suicides and adding sex and gender to the hate crimes statute; to establish a trigger law protecting private-sector labor organizing rights if federal labor law is weakened; to create a bottom-up “Enough Act” fund to fight poverty; to allow airport restaurants and bars at Logan to operate during flight hours; and to protect seniors and adults with disabilities from financial scams by allowing temporary delays of suspicious transactions and reporting to protective agencies. Additional housing-related amendments were adopted for rural communities, residential PACE financing, and a five-community tenant opportunity to purchase pilot program. A Senate Ways and Means amendment was then adopted, the substitute draft was applied to the underlying bill, and the bill was ordered to a third reading and then passed to be engrossed. The chamber also adopted an order to reconvene the following Monday at 11 a.m. and to dispense with printing a calendar. The Senate then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this is happening even as need has surged at food banks and the cost of food and groceries remains
• I am the public policy director for the Arizona Food Bank Network, here in respectful opposition to SB
• We know that when people can't access SNAP, they come to food banks, as evidenced by the fact that 25%
• . ...you heard this morning, speaking of the burden that it's creating on our local food banks.
• So I think we're just shifting burdens when the food banks... ...get a better life, and I think we're

Committee: Senate Senate Health and Human Services COR

Summary: The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met and first recognized Physical Therapy Day at the Capitol, welcoming Arizona physical therapy leaders and students. The committee then took up several bills related to SNAP, health care regulation, child welfare, dementia services, and safe haven newborn surrender. SB 1334 would bar DES from seeking or renewing SNAP work-requirement waivers for able-bodied adults without dependents unless required by federal or state law; supporters said it would curb administrative expansion and opponents argued it would reduce flexibility during high unemployment and harm food-insecure Arizonans. The bill received a do-pass recommendation on a 4-1 vote. SB 1333 would require DES to reduce the SNAP payment error rate to 3% by 2030, with annual reporting, corrective action plans, Auditor General oversight, and possible funding penalties if targets are missed. After adopting a committee amendment changing reporting to quarterly updates and replacing a forensic audit with a special audit, the committee approved the bill as amended on a 4-1 vote. SB 1331 would require able-bodied adults under 60 receiving SNAP to participate in mandatory employment and training unless exempt; proponents said it would strengthen work expectations, while opponents and DES raised concerns about administrative burden and food bank impacts. The bill passed 4-2, with members explaining no votes due to child care, rural access, and food insecurity concerns. The committee also advanced SB 1162, which clarifies DHS’s role in licensing and monitoring health care institutions and, as amended, requires DHS and AHCCCS/Access to coordinate to reduce duplicative oversight and report periodically to the legislature; it passed 6-0. SB 1017, requiring additional signatures and witness verification on emergency informed consent forms for surgical procedures, passed 4-2. SB 1149, which adds reporting and procedural requirements for DCS periodic review hearings, passed as amended 5-1. SB 1249, designating DHS as the lead agency on Alzheimer’s and dementia and creating a state plan and services program funded through lottery monies rather than the general fund after amendment, passed 6-0. Finally, SB 1253 clarified that a parent may surrender a newborn at the hospital of birth without leaving and returning, and requires updated safe-haven reporting; it passed 5-0, after testimony from hospital and safe-haven advocates in support. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> The House Standing Committee on Banking and Insurance will meet tomorrow at noon in Room 154.
• The House Standing Committee on<00:10:46.640><c> Banking</c><00:10:46.880><c> and</c><00:10:47.040><c
• > Insurance</c><00:10:47.440><c> will</c><00:10:47.760><c> meet</c> on Banking and Insurance will meet
• on Banking and Insurance will meet tomorrow<00:10:48.480><c> at</c><00:10:48.800><c> noon</c><00:10:
• To Banking and Insurance: House Bill 20, House Bill 21, House Bill 25, House Bill 32.

Transcript Highlights:

• a repair made that's been put off, or they can have a savings where there's something left in the bank
• bank interest rate for loans in Texas.
• Okay, so let's just say I have no idea, I'm partnering with this bank that's...
• But that banks just really aren't making small dollar loans anymore.
• That's where we're much more different than what the banks looked like 35 years ago.

Bills: HB886 , HB1514 , HB2434 , HB2688 , HB2802 , HB3161 , HB3221 , HB4029 , HB4339 , HB4591 , HB4774 , HB4802 , HB4853 , HB5627 , SB1737

Committee: House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services

Keywords: retirement, supplemental payment, benefits, Employees Retirement System, eligible annuitants, legislation, annuity, service credit, Employees Retirement System of Texas, employee benefits, pension reform, public retirement systems, municipality pensions, firefighters, police officers, retirement age, DROP program, actuarial studies, pension benefits, municipal retirement

Transcript Highlights:

• And then section two would create a water bank. ...agreement, and then section two would create a water
• bank, which would implement the terms of the agreement.
• So we don't have a water bank up north currently because there's very few consumptive water users, so
• this would create a water bank for... ...There's very few consumptive water users.
• So this would create a water bank for a water rental pool under the umbrella of the Board of Water Resources

Committee: Senate Resources and Environment

Transcript Highlights:

• We placed $30 million in the Governor's Emergency Fund and also gave $8 million to New Mexico food banks
• Jill Dixon, who is the president of the Food Bank Association in the state and runs our food bank here
• So I want to just start by giving a shout-out to our food banks, thousands of volunteers, neighbors,
• I know many of you on both sides of the aisle have worked with your food banks.

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:05:15.199><c> highs</c><00:05:16.000><c> and</c><00:05:16.320><c> food</c><00:05:16.560><c> banks
• </c> demand to historic highs and food banks demand to historic highs and food banks and<00:05:16.960
• You go to your local food bank, ask them about usage rates.
• You go to your local food bank, ask them about usage rates.
• You go to your local food bank, ask them about usage rates.

Bills: HF3579 , HF3549 , HF3548 , HF4388 , HF3566

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Hampshire's physically located banks. Hampshire's physically located banks.
• </c><01:03:38.400><c> So</c> versus two billion from banks. Yes. So versus two billion from banks.
• </c> banks could be qualified custodians. banks could be qualified custodians.
• Our member banks are proud to serve as safe, well-regulated stewards of public funds.
• It does list federal and state-chartered banks as a qualified custodian.

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• finding, the agency also notified us in June 2025 of unauthorized debits occurring in one of their bank
• Nine unauthorized transactions totaling over $5,600 occurred in a bank account at DFA Revenue from April
• Nine unauthorized debits occurring in one of their bank accounts.
• Nine unauthorized transactions totaling over $5,600 occurred in a bank account at DFA Revenue from April

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-STATE AGENCIES

Transcript Highlights:

• Pleased to present House File 10006 regarding land banks and property tax abatement.
• Pleased to present House File 10006 regarding land banks and property tax abatement.
• ecosystems, where we lend and we land bank.
• ecosystems, where we lend and we land bank.
• ecosystems, where we lend and we land bank.

Bills: HF1277 , HF1006

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• You will note our common banking industry practices that any community bank would have.
• </c> ask I mean banks have defaults. Yep. ask I mean banks have defaults. Yep.
• Depending upon the bank underwriting.
• </c> on bank underwriting best practices. on bank underwriting best practices.
• </c><01:12:47.280><c> with</c><01:12:47.440><c> their</c> banks with 105 million with their banks with

Bills: HF4059 , HF76

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Vice Chairman Banks. Banks. Banks. &gt;&gt; Thank<00:47:11.040><c> you</c><00:47:11.200><c> Mr.
• What is your pleasure, Vice Chairman Banks? Vice Chairman Banks: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Banks? Banks? &gt;&gt; Thank<00:55:02.400><c> you,</c><00:55:02.640><c> Mr.
• Vice<01:22:54.000><c> Chairman</c><01:22:54.320><c> Banks.</c> Vice Chairman Banks.
• Vice Chairman Banks.

Transcript Highlights:

• programs, which are only available to homeowners with relatively high credit scores, that's because the banks
• And I believe that Nicole Steele, with our close funding partner Amalgamated Bank, is calling in remotely
• My name is Nicole Steele, and I'm the director of climate policy at Amalgamated Bank, and I'm here to
• So if you're not familiar with Amalgamated Bank, we're considered America's socially responsible bank
• , and we do have a branch and commercial banking office here in Boston.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a hearing on several housing-related bills, with chairs Adrienne Madaro and James Eldridge framing the discussion as part of the Legislature’s broader response to the state’s housing crisis and noting that many of the bills build on the 2024 Affordable Homes Act. The chairs reviewed hearing procedures, including the three-minute oral testimony limit, the option to submit written testimony, and the hybrid format. No votes were taken during the hearing. Testimony began with support for H. 3278, a bill to create a graduated deed excise tax for affordable housing. Representative Worel argued that higher-end real estate transactions should contribute more to fund affordable housing production, saying the measure would not burden working families and would help address racial inequities in homeownership and displacement. Representative Soder then supported H. 3247, which would promote redevelopment of abandoned buildings through expanded tax incentives for renovating vacant properties for sale or rent, arguing that it would bring blighted units back into use and generate future tax revenue. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3040/S. 1969, residential improvement or R-PACE legislation. Robert Giles of Home Run Financing and Nicole Steele of Amalgamated Bank described the program as a voluntary, assessment-based financing tool that could help homeowners pay for energy efficiency, resilience, and other major repairs without upfront costs, and said it could complement existing Mass Save programs while expanding access to more homeowners. In contrast, Judith Lieben of the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute opposed H. 3039/S. 1946, the Housing Development Incentive Program bill, arguing it would expand subsidies for market-rate and luxury housing in Gateway Cities instead of directing resources to low-income renters. Representative Hawkins also testified in support of H. 3121, which would end large investor control of homes in Massachusetts by imposing an excise tax on large owners of small residential properties and using the revenue for first-time homebuyer down payment assistance. After testimony and a few member questions, the chairs asked whether anyone else wished to testify and then adjourned the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I ask leave for Victoria Ferguson Banks and her husband and her daughters.
• Victoria Ferguson Banks. And I appreciate that opportunity.
• Victoria Ferguson Banks, if you'll come over here, she's a member of the Searcy County Quilt Guild.
• Ferguson Banks be here to show her quilt to you, and I think you're going to like it.
• Thank you, Victoria Ferguson Banks and the Searcy County quilters for all that y'all do. Thank you.

Transcript Highlights:

• Mary Gallagher, the Commissioner of Banks. Welcome, Commissioner. Bill. Good afternoon.
• Chris Richards, Chief Banking Officer for Mutual Bank Corp., with a mutual holding company for Kippcott
• 5-Cent Savings Bank based in Hyannis and Fidelity Cooperative Bank based in Leominster.
• We have 500 bills between insurance, banking, crypto, health care.

Summary: The House and Senate chairs opened the first organizational meeting of the special commission created by Chapter 238 of the Acts of 2024 to study the future of payments and sales transactions by credit card and the impacts on small businesses. They explained that the commission’s charge includes reviewing payment trends, cashless transactions, credit card fees, mobile payments, buy now/pay later financing, the costs to small businesses of accepting different forms of payment, and the impact of Section 28A of Chapter 140D. No testimony was taken at this first meeting; it was intended to introduce commission members, outline the process, and begin planning future hearings and a final report with recommendations or options for the Legislature. Members discussed possible hearing topics, including business and consumer impacts of credit card fees, surcharges, and gratuities; the legal and regulatory landscape; and policy considerations such as transparency, reporting requirements, and possible limits on fees. Several members supported the commission’s scope and noted the issue’s timeliness, citing the growth of cashless transactions and the burden of swipe fees on retailers and restaurants. One member suggested the commission also consider cryptocurrency in transactions, and another raised the possibility of holding hearings outside the State House to improve access for small businesses around the state. The chairs said the first public hearing is tentatively set for April 8 in Gardner Auditorium, with additional hearings to be scheduled depending on interest and sign-ups. They said testimony may be offered in person, online, or in writing, and that written testimony will be part of the record. The commission also encouraged members and interested parties to suggest experts, topics, and report formats as the study develops. The meeting ended with a motion to close and an affirmative vote to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• general's office is that we would limit the individual suits you start thinking about some of these banks
• Standards including compliance with the banking laws, credit union laws.
• to put in as to what I keep for those clients is gonna be much less than a credit card company or a bank
• You know, a bank came to me and said that they have about 15,000 hacks from artificial intelligence from
• And they wear a moderate size bank.

Bills: SB1670 , SB1716 , SB1521

Committee: Senate Technology and Telecommunications

Keywords: higher education, state regents, university research, technology transfer, intellectual property, patent ownership, royalty income, commercialization, startup companies, research partnerships, public universities, faculty inventions, student inventions, innovation policy, economic development, medical technology, biotechnology, energy technology, telecommunications, aerospace and defense