Transcript Highlights:

• EPA sets health-based air quality standards.
• The last revision to our California reformulated gasoline standard was in 2007.
• I'm going to talk a bit about the low-carbon fuel standard.
• And we want to ensure that the fuel that we are using is produced with high standards.
• Environmental standards. So all of these things are really important.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy held its annual oversight hearing on the transportation fuels sector, focused on California’s fuel transition, the announced refinery closures by Phillips 66 and Valero, and the potential effects on supply, prices, and the broader fuel system. Committee leadership said the state needs a system-wide transition plan rather than a piecemeal approach, and state witnesses from CARB, the CEC, and DPMO described the fuel market as a complex, interconnected ecosystem involving crude production, refining, storage, imports, and delivery. They emphasized that declining gasoline demand from EV adoption is occurring alongside shrinking in-state refining capacity, which could increase volatility and price spikes if not managed carefully. CARB Chair Liane Randolph reviewed the state’s climate and air-quality programs, including AB 32, SB 32, the 2022 scoping plan, the low-carbon fuel standard, and vehicle emissions rules. She said these policies have reduced emissions substantially but that California still faces major ozone and PM2.5 problems, especially in disadvantaged communities. Randolph also said federal actions challenging California waivers could complicate the state’s clean-air efforts, and she noted that while liquid fuels will still be needed in some sectors, the state must continue reducing fossil fuel dependence while protecting public health. CEC Vice Chair Siva Gunda and DPMO Director Ty Milder presented data on gasoline demand, refinery throughput, crude imports, and price differentials. Gunda said the Legislature’s special-session laws gave the agencies transparency and planning tools, and that the CEC is developing a fuels transition plan while evaluating whether any regulatory tools should be used. Milder previewed DPMO findings that Californians have paid a long-running “mystery gasoline surcharge” averaging 41 cents per gallon since 2015, with higher margins concentrated in branded gasoline and among vertically integrated firms. He said the data show a concentrated market with some refiners doing well and others struggling, and that DPMO will continue investigating price behavior, competition, and supply risks. Members pressed the witnesses on whether state regulations contributed to refinery exits or higher prices, and on whether the agencies had adequately analyzed consumer costs. Witnesses said they had not yet implemented the new permissive tools from SB X1-2 and AB X2-1 because they were still assessing risks and benefits, and they stressed that refinery closures and capital decisions are driven by broader market conditions as well as regulation. No vote was taken; the hearing was informational, with the committee seeking updates and urging the agencies to develop a practical transition strategy that balances affordability, reliability, climate goals, and worker/community protections.

Transcript Highlights:

• by the governor during his State of the State address, but it would reduce the renewable energy standard
• 7.5% and would add nuclear generation to that as well as an applicable energy source to meet the standard
• The renewable standard has been no less than 15%, and now this would take it no less than 7.5%.
• We did have original heartburn based on the filing that cuts the standard in half, but working on the
• R-E-S, R-A-M, renewable energy standard rate adjustment mechanism.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• there's a higher standard within the industry.
• So in no way will this undermine the standards or best practices.
• Thank you. ...standards or best practices.
• And the legal standard in any... ...that only do the bare minimum.
• Like what standard is being met to return that land back to some kind of use? Thank you, Mr.

Bills: SB1191, SB1314, SB1319, SB1333, SB1346, SB1439, SB1509, SB1510, SB1613

Keywords: SB1191, Oklahoma Energy Initiative Act, Oklahoma Low Carbon Energy Initiative Board, low carbon energy, clean energy, energy policy, renewable energy, board repeal, statutory repeal, administrative board, energy committee, natural resources, Oklahoma statutes, 17 O.S. 802.3, groundwater, indemnity fund, well drilling, pollution prevention, regulatory compliance, SB1319

Summary: The Senate Energy Committee met and first laid over a couple of items before taking up a series of energy and water-related bills. Senate Bill 1333, presented by Sen. Hall, was framed as a symbolic reflection of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board’s budget request and the state’s estimated $24 billion water infrastructure need through 2030. Members asked about project prioritization, emergency needs, long-term funding, federal matching dollars, and whether some proposed spending would go to outreach or new programs rather than direct infrastructure. Supporters emphasized the statewide water crisis, rural and municipal needs, and the goal of building a comprehensive water package; the bill passed 11-0. Senate Bill 1191, presented by Sen. Daniels, would eliminate an unused board tied to the Low Carbon Energy Initiative; the deputy secretary testified the board was never actually founded and collected no research, and the bill passed 11-0. The committee then considered Senate Bill 1439, the Energy Security and Independence Act, also by Sen. Daniels, which would shield fossil fuel companies operating lawfully and within permits from certain climate-change and emissions-based lawsuits. Questions focused on why the bill applied only to fossil fuels, whether it could affect landowners’ rights or environmental standards, and whether it would create a lower regulatory bar in Oklahoma. The author said it was aimed at a specific category of litigation seen in other states and would not protect unlawful conduct; the bill passed 10-1. Senate Bill 1314, by Sen. Yek, would raise the cap on the well drillers and pump installers indemnity fund from $50,000 to $100,000 and increase the per-well cap from $10,000 to $25,000; members discussed how the fund works and its limited size, and it passed 10-0. Senate Bill 1509, also by Sen. Yek, would update groundwater well spacing rules so the Water Resources Board could apply spacing requirements across all groundwater basins, not just those with maximum annual yield studies. The board said the bill is meant to protect existing commercial wells from encroachment, with exceptions if water cannot be found elsewhere on the property; it passed 10-0. Senate Bill 1319, presented by Sen. Hall, would allow the Corporation Commission to use plugging funds in rare cases where homes are affected by historic oil and gas activity or orphan wells; members raised concerns about caps, proof of contamination, remediation versus plugging, and whether landowners could present expert evidence. The author said the language was still being refined with the Commission, and the bill passed 10-0. Senate Bill 1346, by Vice Chair Woods, would direct the Water Resources Board to establish a water and wastewater infrastructure program with competitive loans for eligible entities; it was described as part of a broader effort to consolidate water measures into a comprehensive package and passed 9-0. The committee also passed Senate Bill 1613, which would let the LP Gas Administration buy, lease, and own its own vehicles instead of using the OMES fleet and would rename a miscellaneous permit as a food truck permit; it passed without debate. The meeting ended with adjournment and notice that there would be no committee meeting the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• The district is requesting to convert the award from a pre-K award to a standards-based award to allow
• The potential motion is council approval to amend the current 2023-2024 standard. and a local match of
• The potential motion is council approval to amend the current 2022-2023 standards-based award language
• Okay, so I move for council approval. to amend the current 2022-2023 standards-based award language to
• The question I have is the need to update adequacy standards to account for the— and Dennis Dowd with

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:20:37.120><c> it</c> to govern what standards it to govern what standards it is<00:20:38.200>
• ,</c><00:40:25.480><c> and</c> certifications, standards, and certifications, standards, and procedures
• ,</c> and does it create a statewide standard, and does it create a statewide standard, uh,<00:43:30.200
• </c><00:45:56.400><c> is</c> you know, what is what is standard is you know, what is what is standard
• </c> ability to meet that standard. ability to meet that standard. Okay. Okay. Okay.

Bills: SB709, SB2089, SB2090, SB2108, SB2211, SB2250, SB2325, SB2803, SB2866, SB3245

Keywords: mental health, crisis intervention, assisted community treatment, treatment orders, law enforcement training, public safety, court-ordered treatment, Medicaid, healthcare access, unlicensed professionals, supervised services, workforce development, mental health equity, child custody, evaluations, licensed counselors, family court, juvenile justice, waiver of jurisdiction, transfer to adult court

Summary: The committee heard SB 709 SD2, which would require the Department of Health to respond to reports involving persons with severe mental illness, assess eligibility for assisted community treatment, and coordinate treatment when appropriate. Testimony from the Department of Human Services and the Department of Health supported the measure, with DOH saying it generally supported the bill but had comments on one section it viewed as unnecessary. The Department of Law Enforcement later explained that the bill would shift certification and standards for crisis intervention officer training from DOH to DLE, while still involving DOH in the training process. Opposition came from the Hawaii Disability Rights Center and an individual testifier, both of whom argued the bill expands state authority over people with mental illness and could worsen forced treatment practices. The Disability Rights Center also raised procedural concerns, saying the bill was effectively moved from a prior administration measure that had not been heard this session, and questioned whether the bill’s changes to assisted community treatment, blood tests, urinalysis, and living arrangements went beyond current law. The individual testifier argued the bill would further entrench harmful psychiatric drugging and urged the committee to defer it. Committee members questioned the administration about the bill’s process, the role of the Attorney General in treatment-over-objection proceedings, and the practical effects of moving CIT certification to DLE. The Attorney General’s office said the bill was intended to fill a gap by allowing it to assist with treatment proceedings, while public defenders would continue to represent respondents and due process protections would remain in place. DLE and DOH said the change would better align certification with law enforcement training needs, improve speed in crisis response, and still keep DOH involved; members also discussed whether WAM counted as a hearing and whether the bill should more explicitly preserve DOH’s role. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So even if there is an exceedance of the standard one day, it takes 3 months of exceeding that standard
• </c> air quality standards. air quality standards. Chair<00:10:17.120><c> Heintzeman.
• a violation of the standard.
• ,</c> exporting jobs, our labor standards, exporting jobs, our labor standards, economic<00:36:17.600
• . standard. standard.

Bills: HF4211, HF3426, HF4819, HF3466, HF3793, HF3339

Keywords: air pollution, lead emissions, continuous emissions monitoring system, CEMS, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, MPCA, environmental monitoring, emission compliance, air quality, public health, industrial pollution, permitted facility, residential exposure, toxic metals, emission limits, pollution control, stack monitoring, real-time emissions monitoring, natural resources, environment

Transcript Highlights:

• But this bill falls short of the simple standard.
• By that standard, CAPTI has been an unequivocal success.
• By that standard, CAPTI has been an unequivocal success.
• I see a European Union standard, so yeah, I guess I'm really struggling with this one.
• So yes, there are many standards. There's a comprehensive regulation.

Summary: The committee heard several transportation and public safety bills, largely focused on traffic violence, e-bike regulation, and DUI enforcement. AB 1588 on sideshows and street takeovers drew support from the author, San Francisco officials, law enforcement, and the League of California Cities, who said the bill would close loopholes, add motorcycles and dirt bikes to the sideshow framework, and align penalties with speed contests. ACLU California Action opposed it, but members generally supported the bill, noting the need for stronger tools against dangerous takeovers. The committee also heard AB 1654 on commercial driver’s licenses and federal verification rules, with the author arguing California must comply with federal law to avoid losing CDL authority; the chair and others objected that the bill could wrongly affect U.S. citizens and codify changing federal rules. The bill was discussed but not advanced in the portion provided. AB 1976 sought to speed delivery of bicycle and pedestrian safety projects by limiting some public meetings, restricting cancellation of contracts without findings, lowering petition thresholds for traffic calming, and updating the Pedestrian Mall Act. Supporters said current procedures delay life-saving projects and give too much power to opponents, while counties and cities opposed the limits on local public input and budget authority. After discussion, the committee voted to send AB 1976 to Local Government, with several members expressing support but also concerns about preserving community participation. The committee also heard AB 2015, which would direct Caltrans to study the effects of navigation apps on local roads and safety. Supporters said apps can divert traffic onto residential streets and undermine local traffic calming, while members suggested the bill should also consider built-in vehicle navigation systems. AB 2168, on the Active Transportation Program, would update the definition of safe routes to transit, prioritize transit-rich and underserved areas, and add stronger spending accountability; it drew support from bicycle and transit advocates and some local agencies, with a few technical concerns left to resolve. Finally, AB 1942 on e-bike registration and license plates for Class 2 and 3 e-bikes drew strong support from law enforcement and medical witnesses citing rising injuries, but broad opposition from bicycle groups, micromobility advocates, and some local governments who said it would burden lawful riders, create DMV problems, and not address illegal e-motos. The committee also heard AB 1685 and AB 1687, both DUI-related bills from the same author: AB 1685 would increase DMV points for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and AB 1687 would extend license revocation for a third DUI conviction to eight years with an interlock option after four years. Both bills received strong support from law enforcement and victims’ advocates, with ACLU California Action opposing them as duplicative or overly punitive; both bills were advanced by committee vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• But as noted, the TBL does maintain the Workforce Standards Program as well as the annual growth rate
• So while the minimum staffing standards are not enforceable right now by CMS, this is.
• data exchange using secure, standards-based application programming interfaces, or APIs.
• And it's a standard benefit. It's at about $60 a visit, and we'll follow up with a benefit design.
• It's a standard benefit design. But it's the highest primary care cost for a visit.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In reality, the duty-to-retreat standard is really the run-and-hope-for-the-best standard in moments
• In reality, the duty-to-retreat standard is really the run-and-hope-for-the-best standard in moments
• So the duty-to-retreat standard has been around since 19th-century England.
• </c><00:26:36.679><c> for</c> had the duty to retreat standard for had the duty to retreat standard for
• And every argument I heard over there was discussing the old standard, the stand your ground standard

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't want to go back and forth here, but the compliance of code and engineering standards are not
• We have over 75,000 homes that are built to fortified construction standards in the state of Alabama.
• If you build something, it better be to the standard. Does it cost more?
• We talked about standards in Mobile County that might not apply to the rest of the state.
• Creating a one-size-fits-all approach works in both directions; it either creates standards too high

Bills: HB324, HB252, SB80, HB241

Keywords: sheriffs, term of office, Alabama law, local government, election, residential construction, architectural approval, engineering approval, home building, single family residences, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I just, I'm curious how that applies to the causation standard.
• I'm thinking particularly about occupational On how that applies to the causation standard.
• I think it's the latter, as clarifying the existing standard.
• Last year I worked with The existing standard, and I understand your concern completely.
• This standard, this proposed prevailing-factor standard, is going to pretend that we aren't humans, that

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's pretty standard.
• And a simple standard like reasonable suspicion, it's not a high standard, right?
• So it was a workable standard that all police intelligence agencies across the country accepted.
• And a simple standard like reasonable suspicion, it's not a high standard, right?
• It's a very hard, very tough standard.

Summary: The committee heard several privacy, technology, and public safety bills. SB 898 would require manufacturers of connected consumer products to disclose how long software support will last and to notify consumers when support is nearing its end; Consumer Reports supported the measure, while members raised concerns about private enforcement, notice mechanics, and replacement obligations for leased devices. The bill was amended and passed 5-1 to Judiciary, with the measure placed on call. SB 1279 would authorize Long Beach to install additional speed safety cameras on Pacific Coast Highway under the same privacy and equity guardrails as the existing pilot program, including limits on data use, no facial recognition, warning periods, and reduced fees for low-income recipients. Supporters cited severe crashes and fatalities on PCH, while opponents raised civil liberties and due process concerns and questioned how the system identifies the actual driver. The committee approved the bill 6-2 and placed it on call. SB 1111, the Artificial Intelligence Abuse Protection Act, would create civil remedies for non-consensual AI voice, image, and video cloning and digital replicas. Support came from SAG-AFTRA and Common Sense Media, and members discussed concerns about background images and employer liability, including a request to preserve a rebuttable presumption for good-faith employers. The bill passed 7-1 to Public Safety and was placed on call. SB 1217 would create a DOJ-run clearinghouse for survivors of non-consensual intimate imagery and deepfakes to request removal from online platforms; survivors and advocacy groups testified in strong support, and members discussed privacy, cybersecurity, funding, and the lack of a private right of action. It passed 8-0 to Public Safety and was placed on call. The committee also heard SB 1095, which would require fusion centers and participating agencies to adopt MOUs barring use of sensitive personal information for immigration enforcement or racial/identity profiling, require annual reporting, and allow audits and inspections. Supporters argued fusion centers have operated with too little oversight and have been used to circumvent state privacy and immigration laws; some members supported the transparency goals while others raised concerns about operational ambiguity and the bill’s interaction with existing law. The discussion continued, with the author and members debating the scope of permissible information sharing and enforcement consequences for violations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Without a workable minimum wage standard, and I say a living minimum wage standard in market-rate housing
• That's a standard that we can do here.
• We can raise that standard, not to the top of the ladder on prevailing wages.
• That's a standard that we can do here.
• We can raise that standard, not to the top of the ladder on prevailing wages.

Summary: The hearing was an outcome review of AB 2011, the Affordable Housing and High Road Jobs Act of 2022, focused on whether the law is being used as intended to speed housing production on commercially zoned land while maintaining labor and affordability standards. Chair Haney and Assembly Member Wicks emphasized that the point of the review was not to relitigate the bill, but to assess implementation and results. The first panel of researchers and policy experts said AB 2011 has had real but still limited uptake so far, with roughly 5,800 homes proposed, entitled, or permitted under the law through 2024, concentrated mainly in San Francisco and Los Angeles counties. They also noted that the broader housing market remains constrained by high construction costs, interest rates, and flat rents, making it hard to isolate the bill’s effects from overall market conditions. Witnesses generally agreed that AB 2011 has been most effective for 100% affordable projects and for projects already using public subsidies or prevailing wage, where the ministerial process and CEQA streamlining help move developments forward. Several speakers described the law as a useful bargaining tool that can push jurisdictions to rezone or approve projects more quickly even when AB 2011 is not formally invoked. At the same time, developers and advocates said the mixed-income pathway is much less usable in most of the state because prevailing wage and the 15% affordability requirement add significant cost, especially in lower-rent markets. They also pointed to implementation issues such as narrow site eligibility rules, the “substantially surrounded by urban uses” test, industrial-use exclusions, and confusion about whether the law applies to homeownership projects. The second panel, made up of practitioners using the law, described specific projects that moved forward under AB 2011, including affordable housing developments in the San Joaquin Valley and large mixed-use projects in San Francisco. They said the law’s biggest benefit is certainty: projects that once took years to entitle can now move in months. However, they repeated calls for changes such as clarifying homeownership eligibility, loosening density and site restrictions, narrowing the industrial-use exclusion, and making the law easier to understand for developers and local staff. Members also raised concerns about uneven use across regions, especially the relative lack of AB 2011 activity in Los Angeles and Santa Clara County, and about the accuracy and lag in annual progress report data. The final panel, including the original sponsors, said they remain supportive of the law but are open to adjustments to reduce costs and improve usability while preserving labor protections and affordability goals.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> standard than has previously been used. standard than has previously been used.
• What is a higher standard sort of vague. What is a higher standard mean?
• </c><01:07:43.440><c> would</c> parameters for higher standards would parameters for higher standards
• </c><01:14:27.600><c> Uh</c> standard. Uh someone has to do it. Uh standard.
• </c><01:41:33.679><c> operators</c><01:41:34.159><c> of</c> standard of care for operators of standard

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The federal standards allow for the exclusion of up to two bona fide discount points that allows the
• And this will align Kentucky with the majority of states that rely on the federal standards.
• ><c> for</c><00:02:23.599><c> the</c> The federal standards allow for the The federal standards allow
• . standards. standards.
• So, um, that points and fee standards.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:01 Discussion SB 157 00:23 Vote SB 157 05:22 Discussion SB 189 05:57 Vote SB 189 26:49, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• work with them to ensure that any out-of-state officers used in 2028 will meet California's high standard
• next two years to establish a process for the LA28, Cal OES, and the Commission on Peace Officer Standards
• California peace officers have earned a reputation. ...and upholds the highest standards of our profession
• be working alongside officers from other states, we want to make sure that they meet California's standard
• I agree with a portion of what my colleague is saying about the recruitment standards.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• usually is educational level, obviously a doctorate, and they would administer, usually the gold standard
• usually is educational level, obviously a doctorate, and they would administer, usually the gold standard
• The LPP meets these standards through graduate training and state licensure focused on human development
• The LPP meets these standards through graduate training and state licensure focused on human development
• And so I guess my question is, within the world of standardized testing, within your training, how best

Summary: The Arkansas Legislative Autism Task Force approved the April 1, 2026 meeting minutes and then reviewed several vacant membership slots on the task force, including appointments from the Arkansas Psychology Board, Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield, UAMS, and parent or guardian positions. Members discussed trying to fill those vacancies before the next meeting, and noted that if they remain open they may be addressed in the task force’s legislative report and through possible statutory changes in the next General Assembly. Representatives from the Developmental Disabilities Provider Association (DDPA) and Civitan Services presented on DDPA’s role serving children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Arkansas. They said DDPA now represents 80 providers serving more than 13,000 individuals in 75 counties, with services including early intervention, adult day programs, supported employment, intermediate care facilities, work activities, and community/residential waiver services. They also shared survey data on older clients and said these services remain available to seniors with IDD, including people with autism. The task force then heard a proposal to amend Act 656 of 2021 to include licensed psychological practitioners as qualified providers for autism waiver-related evaluations. The presenter argued this would reduce wait times, avoid duplicate assessments, and help families access services sooner, while still maintaining quality standards. Members asked about training, licensure, and whether other professionals such as speech-language pathologists or audiologists should be included; Dr. Scott noted that current practice already relies on a two-provider model and that speech-language pathologists play a role because autism diagnosis considers communication, cognitive ability, and language. The discussion also touched on the need for proper testing standards and board oversight. No vote was taken on the amendment, and the meeting ended with plans to return to fraud-related discussion and to begin prioritizing recommendations for the 2027 session before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• By centralizing this reporting through the State Controller, the law will promote some uniform standards
• Just to note that this does not limit forfeiture authority, and it does not change evidentiary standards
• You have to meet a whole bunch of standards in order for people’s property to be forfeited civilly when
• There is nothing beyond that from a legal standard for them to be able to interpret.
• in a legislative district with the prerequisite prior to meeting that general election standard, but

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there a standardized test? What's the process? Some of them have a standardized test.
• You're going to follow the International Building Code, which is a standard among... Codes.
• As I said, the International Building Code is a standard, depending on what year.
• I believe in one statewide standardized test, just like we heard that the electricians test statewide
• As I said, the International Building Code is a standard, depending on what year.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These standards will help protect wild oyster populations, prevent disease, and ensure ecological balance
• The standard, are you generally familiar that Texas law already... sets out the standards that must be
• And in and of itself, a standard, is that right?
• Material impact is a standard; however, it is certainly a standard.
• They made a finding, and we've set, you know, there's either a standard or metrics that, and they've

Bills: HB3129, HB3251, HB3556, HB3724, HB3887

Keywords: construction, wildlife impact, height restrictions, national wildlife refuge, environmental regulations, HB 3887, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Parks and Wildlife Code, performance bond, payment bond, contractor bonding, public works, construction contracts, public building, procurement, bid security, subcontractors, suppliers, contractor payment protection, project completion