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><01:24:22.400><c> facing</c> with food shelves and food banks facing with food shelves and food banks
• </c> for food shelves and food banks. for food shelves and food banks.
• Channel 1 runs a food bank and 35,000.
• </c> not enough food in the food bank. not enough food in the food bank.
• Our food bank is already simultaneously.

Bills: HF2436

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras

Transcript Highlights:

• For these reasons, Alameda County Community Food Bank respectfully urges your aye vote on AB 1049.
• Kathy Mossberg on behalf of the California Association of Food Banks in support. Thank you.
• Mossberg, on behalf of the California Association of Food Banks, in support.
• Kathy Musberg, California Association of Food Banks, in support.
• Kathy Musberg, California Association of Food Banks in support.

Summary: The committee heard several child welfare, food assistance, child care, and developmental services bills. AB 308 would require a statewide evaluation of regional center safety training and crisis-response services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; supporters said it would help reduce reliance on law enforcement and improve de-escalation and emergency preparedness. AB 1049 would remove sponsor deeming from the California Food Assistance Program, with supporters from food banks and legal aid arguing the rule creates confusion, chilling effects, and wrongful denials, while one member raised concerns about accountability and fraud. AB 1201 would narrow when a parent’s prior violent felony can bar reunification services, limiting the bypass to offenses involving a child or a child’s other parent/guardian; county and advocacy witnesses said the bill preserves judicial discretion and avoids automatic denials, though a member expressed concern about child safety in violent or criminal environments. AB 2379 would require family child care providers to be notified of constitutional rights and receive multilingual training regarding immigration enforcement; it drew broad support and no opposition. AB 2429 would make ACEs screening optional and reduce required classroom observations in the early childhood mental health consultation program, with supporters saying it would reduce administrative burdens and expand participation. AB 1755 would eliminate CalWORKs’ 100-hour monthly work penalty for two-parent families, and supporters said it would reduce poverty and administrative burden without changing income eligibility. AB 1981, presented later, would advance “true cost of care” child care rate reform, with providers describing the current reimbursement system as unsustainable. AB 2478 would create a streamlined kinship family approval pathway for foster care placements with relatives and other kin, and AB 1969 and AB 1996 would create statewide structures to coordinate cradle-to-career services and reduce child poverty, respectively; both were presented as data-driven, place-based efforts to align services and set measurable reduction goals. Most bills received strong support from county agencies, advocacy organizations, and service providers, with little or no opposition testimony. Members generally praised the goals of the measures but asked questions about implementation, accountability, and child safety in the reunification and benefits bills. The committee took roll calls on the bills it heard, and the votes shown in the transcript were largely unanimous or near-unanimous, with several measures held on call after passing committee votes. AB 1049 was voted out 2-1, AB 1201 and AB 2379 were each voted out 3-0, AB 2429 and AB 1755 were voted out 2-0, and AB 2478, AB 1969, and AB 1996 were each voted out 2-0; the chair repeatedly noted that some bills would remain on call pending absent members. AB 1981 drew extensive support testimony from child care providers and allies, but the committee did not take a final vote in the portion of the transcript provided because no motion was available at that moment.

Transcript Highlights:

• We put this in subcommittee, and Representative Hollis worked with representatives from Regions Bank
• Thanks for everything you did to help Representative Hollis on this, and also the banking association
• representatives from regions banks and representatives from regions banks and Jason<00:18:45.760><c>
• the banking association, everybody pulling<00:18:52.400><c> together</c><00:18:52.640><c> plus</c><00
• </c><00:21:53.360><c> in</c> region's bank is the largest uh bank in region's bank is the largest uh

Bills: HB55 , SB15 , SB247 , HB55 , SB15 , SB247

Committee: House Financial Services

Keywords: fishing, licensing, jubilee, Marine life, Alabama, regulations, sex offenders, employment restrictions, first responders, public safety, juvenile offenders, local laws, registration requirements, picketing, protesting, residential protest, noise amplification, amplified sound, residential picketing, harassment

Transcript Highlights:

• Second, on behalf of the California Association of Diaper Banks, just reminding you that funding expires
• June 1st, or July 1st, and we anticipate some diaper banks will close their doors without state funding
• On behalf of the California Association of Diaper Banks, just reminding you that funding expires June
• 1st, or July 1st, and we anticipate some diaper banks will close their doors without state funding.
• Josh Wright with the California Association of Food Banks.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Human Services held its final hearing on the budget, with the chair framing the Senate’s plan as a counterproposal that rejected major cuts and preserved revenues. Public comment was overwhelmingly supportive of the subcommittee’s actions, especially on Medi-Cal, IHSS, PACE, behavioral health, child care, CalFresh outreach, immigrant legal services, and long-term care. Testimony from disability, aging, county, health plan, provider, labor, and advocacy groups urged the committee to keep rejecting asset tests, immigrant coverage reductions, IHSS cost shifts, PACE rate cuts, and behavioral health reductions, while supporting mobile crisis, 988, Title IV-E workforce funding, and the “Be Home Soon California” proposal to expand home- and community-based care. Several speakers also pressed for additional or related funding and policy changes, including county alternatives for people losing Medi-Cal under federal HR1-related changes, more support for public hospitals and indigent care, CalFresh and Cal Food investments, child care slots and COLAs, dental rate cut delays, and expanded immigration legal and food assistance. Others thanked the committee for restoring or preserving funding for behavioral health innovation and advocacy grants, public health IT and disease investigation, diaper banks, hearing aids for children, and distressed hospital loans. The committee also heard concerns about fee-for-service shifts, outpatient dialysis coverage, and other implementation details, with some groups asking for trailer bill language or guardrails. After public comment, the subcommittee took three votes on large blocks of budget items. The first block of consent items passed 3-0, the second block passed 2-1, and the final block passed 2-0, with the chair announcing that the items were approved and out of committee. The hearing then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> guessing the Vermont Bond Bank? guessing the Vermont Bond Bank?
• 08.680><c> bonds</c><00:50:09.040><c> and</c> Bond Bank handles municipal bonds and Bond Bank handles
• </c> the other regard regarded bank the other regard regarded bank transaction<01:51:45.400><c> holds
• </c><02:03:44.040><c> transaction</c> here, um pertains to bank transaction here, um pertains to bank
• </c> governing banking and commerce. governing banking and commerce.

Transcript Highlights:

• and title 13 has to do with banking.
• and title 13 has to do with with banking and title 13 has to do with banking.<00:03:34.000><c> And</
• And so that was a change uh banking.
• So, while banking can and really must uh embrace financial innovation, and banks will do so, they must
• ,</c><00:07:34.479><c> but</c> they have a handle on banking, but they have a handle on banking, but

Bills: HB0015 , HB0017 , HB0019

Committee: House Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:20:21.920><c> and</c> that 18 years, I was banking and that 18 years, I was banking and Hampshire
• And I would note that the banking industry has such a situation where bank board members are compensated
• </c> request of the banking department. request of the banking department.
• </c><01:32:03.840><c> Um,</c> amending banking department laws.
• Um, amending banking department laws.

Committee: Senate Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• I can transfer it right into your bank account, wherever you want me to transfer it.
• You have to work with the bank.
• And the bank that employers would use wouldn’t be able to increase.
• What happened there was there was a borrower who took bank notes issued by the Bank of Kentucky, owned
• There at the bank, he defaulted and claimed he didn't get consideration.

Bills: HB246 , HB796 , HB 1056 , HB1544 , HB1846 , HB2001 , HB2618 , HB2625 , HB2869 , HB2898 , HB3069 , HB3114 , HB3157 , HB3228 , HJR98 , HB246

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: federal directives, state authority, Tenth Amendment, government enforcement, local governance, gold standard, legal tender, currency, transactional currency, financial transactions, electronic payment systems, state finance, regulatory compliance, electric trucks, charging infrastructure, advisory council, transportation, sustainability, criminal penalties, official information

Transcript Highlights:

• If people have more money in their bank accounts, you will reduce poverty, increase wages, and ensure
• Up next, we have a panel: Kristen Joyce and Emily Reardon from Springfield Works and the Food Bank of
• Together with the Food Bank of Western Mass, Springfield Works co-leads the statewide economic path,
• The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts strongly supports the ASAP bill and will continue to advocate
• The Food Bank and Springfield Works co-lead the statewide Economic Pathways Coalition that advocated

Bills: H5085 , H5286

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities

Keywords: poverty alleviation, family support, economic mobility, youth transition, financial education, matched savings, community programs, Department of Children and Families, DCF, child abuse investigation, child neglect, pediatrician, advanced practice registered nurse, medical misdiagnosis, rickets, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, vitamin D deficiency, bone fragility, child welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• The local banks.
• It is the East Bank Flood and Levee Protection System.
• It is the East Bank Flood and Levee Protection System for the East Bank of Orleans, Jefferson, and St
• Now, you do have river frontage on Jefferson; it is bifurcated by the river, West Bank and East Bank.
• Bank and East Bank, but to my knowledge, this will be the largest of all of the facilities if it comes

Bills: HB345 , HB502 , HB511 , HB655 , HB667 , HB713 , HB714 , HB730 , HB743 , HB777 , HB803 , HB836 , HB871 , HB1037 , HB1167 , HB1174 , HB1175

Committee: House Transportation, Highways & Public Works

Summary: The committee heard several transportation and aviation measures. HB 1175, by Rep. Turner, updated aeronautics-related definitions and was reported favorably without objection. HB 655, by Rep. Brough, authorized DOTD to use cost-plus contracts for operation and maintenance of state ferry systems, with Secretary Glenn LaDay explaining it was intended to give DOTD flexibility for possible privatization or contracting of ferries such as Cameron; it was also reported favorably. HB 1037, by Chairman Borek, shifted certain DOTD operational responsibilities to a chief operating officer and was reported favorably, and HB 1174, also by Chairman Borek, recreated DOTD and was reported favorably as a cleanup measure. HB 714 and HB 502 were voluntarily deferred. The committee then considered several port-related bills. HB 871, by Rep. Carver, would have added two St. Tammany Parish appointees to the Port of New Orleans board, but the author asked to voluntarily defer it, saying the timing was premature given ongoing work on the Louisiana International Terminal and related access projects. HB 345, by Rep. McMakin, expanded the Rail Infrastructure Improvement Program to include rail infrastructure at ports and was reported favorably. HB 713, by Rep. McCormick, would cap the Caddo-Bossier Port executive director’s compensation at the statewide average of the top ten port directors; after extensive debate and testimony from the port, the Port Association, and Caddo Parish opposing the bill, the committee voted 12-1 to involuntarily defer it. HB 667, also by Rep. McCormick, would change Caddo-Bossier Port commissioners from appointed to elected; witnesses argued it would politicize the board, create election costs, and conflict with the port’s current structure, and the committee again voted 12-1 to involuntarily defer the bill. The committee also advanced local infrastructure and flood-protection measures. HB 743, by Rep. St. Blanc, creating the Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport District in St. Mary Parish, was reported favorably after testimony that the district would help the parish manage the airport as an economic development asset. HB 836, by Rep. Hilferty, would reconfirm members of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East by Senate confirmation; after concerns that the original August 1 date could interfere with hurricane-season operations, the committee adopted an amendment moving the reconfirmation date to December 1, 2026, and then reported the bill favorably by substitute. Finally, HB 730, by Rep. Cruz, was presented to prohibit the use of ADS-B aircraft tracking data to assess taxes or fees on aircraft owners, with an amendment narrowing the bill to smaller aircraft; the discussion continued into questions about enforcement and exemptions for carrier airports.

Transcript Highlights:

• The 2015 Federal Reserve Bank of Boston reported that white households in the Boston area had a median
• And I don't know if we—I guess the Federal Reserve Bank will be coming out with a study.
• And I don't know if we, I guess the Federal Reserve Bank will be coming out with a study.
• We hold banks accountable for their lending that they gave back to Black and brown communities.
• , the Eastern Bank Foundation, and the Chamber of Commerce.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion

Summary: The Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion held a hearing on the impact of federal policy on the racial wealth gap in Massachusetts, with no bills heard. Chairs Bud Williams and Miranda opened by framing the issue as a structural, long-standing disparity affecting Black and brown communities, citing major gaps in wealth, income, housing, and opportunity. Members noted this was the fourth hearing in a series on federal impacts on racial equity, and public written testimony was invited by the posted deadline. Administration witnesses Secretary Lauren Jones, Secretary Kiami Mahania, and Assistant Secretary Juan Vega described how labor, health, and economic development policy intersect with wealth-building. Jones pointed to higher unemployment, wage gaps, and underemployment among Black and Latino workers, and highlighted ESOL, workforce training, MassHire, and skills-based hiring efforts. Mahania argued poverty drives poor health, linking medical debt, Medicaid instability, maternal health, and chronic disease to wealth loss, and said federal changes could worsen both health and wealth gaps. Vega focused on entrepreneurship and procurement, citing disparities in business ownership and revenue, and described state efforts such as small business technical assistance, founder pipelines, place-based grants, and the Business Front Door; members also pressed him on microbusiness definitions, supplier diversity, and whether state programs were reaching firms that had received prior grants. Nicole O’Bean of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts testified that Black-owned businesses face a hostile environment due to tariffs, DEI rollbacks, immigration enforcement, capital barriers, and federal funding cuts that reduce contracts from education, health care, and nonprofit sectors. She emphasized that certification alone is not enough and called for stronger inclusive procurement outcomes, better data, and more support for microbusinesses. Dr. Melissa Colon and Dr. Fabian Torres-Dal of the Mauricio Gaston Institute testified on Latino wealth gaps, especially low homeownership, high rent burden, limited access to credit, and occupational segregation; they said structural racism, wage gaps, and education inequities are central drivers and urged housing, labor, and education reforms. Committee members repeatedly linked the hearing’s themes to redlining, medical debt, single-parent households, financial literacy, and the need for legislation and state programs to close the gap, but no votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, we are talking about the impact that essentially Wall Street banks have on the small businesses here
• We didn't want to inadvertently hurt our smaller local community banks and things of that nature.
• So I want to point to the worldwide banking and nonbanking assets.
• exempted payment card issuer means a payment card issuer that has not held consolidated worldwide banking
• The intent of lowering this is that some of our smaller businesses do not necessarily bank with larger

Bills: SB1241 , SB1242 , SB1442 , SB1592 , SB1623 , SB1625 , SB1913 , SB1940 , SB1949 , SB2102 , SB592 , SB992

Committee: Senate Business and Insurance

Keywords: ticket sales, resale, consumer protection, fraud, bots, transparency, refunds, event tickets, medical marijuana, cannabis, marijuana license, commercial grower, grow operation, bond requirement, land reclamation fee, revolving fund, environmental remediation, redevelopment, Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, OMMA

Transcript Highlights:

• financing tools. ...secure capital, particularly for those that may not be able to access traditional bank
• So this should be a red flag for anyone in the finance industry, banking, and so forth; you better have
• , in theory you should be able to get it, but that's typically tangible property related and not a bank
• I would say that I've been interested to say that the banking industry in general, either they don't
• I have been representing banks, lenders, and factoring companies for almost 30 years now.

Bills: HB 12 , HB149 , SB229 , SB1361 , SB1749 , SB1897 , SB2113 , SB2566 , SB2677 , SB1652 , SB2327 , SB2344 , SB2696 , HB12 , HB149

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• Non-banks don't hold deposits, but they manage increasing amounts of money.
• </c><00:04:37.160><c> don't</c><00:04:37.400><c> hold</c> non-bank area so um non-banks don't hold non-bank
• divided, and then they are fully remote and go out to the banks.
• They're going into the banks, but it's a regional model for that unit.
• divided, and then they are fully remote and go out to the banks.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• We had reforms on there to stop the central bank digital currency.
• We had reforms on there to stop the central bank digital currency.
• We had reforms on there to stop the central bank digital currency.
• </c><07:03:28.478><c> digital</c> there to stop the central bank digital there to stop the central bank
• I yield three bank digital currency.

Transcript Highlights:

• It provides that tax-foreclosed properties may be transferred to entities operating land bank authorities
• The property tax exemption is the key tool that allows land banks to acquire land and hold that land
• And at this point, I think we have to keep in the property tax exemption to make the land bank tool usable
• The property tax exemption is the key tool that allows land banks to acquire land and hold that land
• The property tax exemption to make the land bank tool usable. All right.

Summary: The committee heard several housing-related bills. Representative Connors testified on two notice-service bills: HB 2452, which would change manufactured/mobile home rent increase notices so they are served like other MHLTA notices rather than by certified mail, and HB 2664, which would remove certified-mail requirements for unlawful detainer and related notices. Connors said the current certified-mail rules are causing notices to go unclaimed and creating unnecessary costs for housing providers, while staff explained the bills would allow service by regular mail in the same manner as other notices. Public testimony on both bills was generally supportive, emphasizing reduced cost and better delivery, though one witness on HB 2452 urged allowing electronic notice options as well. The committee also heard SHB 2269, which clarifies that middle housing in limited areas of more intensive rural development may be served by either a public sewer system or a large on-site sewage system in rural counties, while non-rural counties would still require public sewer service. The sponsor and supporters said the bill resolves ambiguity created by prior legislation and gives county planners more flexibility; questions focused on what kinds of systems and uses would qualify. EHB 1687 was heard next and would expand the housing cooperation law to allow cities and counties to assist social housing public development authorities. Representative Reed and supporters said the bill would give Seattle and potentially other jurisdictions a tool to support permanently public, mixed-income housing with land, infrastructure, and other assistance. In executive session, the committee adopted a due-pass recommendation for EHB 1345 after Senator Gaynor withdrew an amendment that would have removed water-withdrawal and metering requirements for detached ADUs outside urban growth areas. The committee also adopted a striking amendment and moved ESHB 1500 and EHB 1501 forward, both with updated timelines and clarifications related to common-interest-community resale certificates and owner inquiries. Amendments to ESHB 1974 on land bank authorities were rejected, including proposals to remove private negotiation and tax preferences, and the bill was sent to Ways and Means. Finally, SHB 2288 on scissors stairs was advanced without amendment. Later, the committee heard HB 2304, which would expand the 2-10 warranty option to certain four-story stacked-flat condominium projects; testimony from builders, housing advocates, and the Office of Insurance Commissioner supported it as a way to reduce liability costs and increase condo supply. The committee also took testimony on EHB 1687 and HB 2664, and then closed the hearing on SHB 2452 after hearing support from housing providers for easing manufactured-home rent notice service requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• Typically, it's related only in justice court, and it's only bank accounts that we can affect.
• So what typically happens is, they have $1,000 in the bank account.
• banking, things like that.
• Or I can't find where, or I just can't find where they bank within the time period allowed.
• They have to go to the food bank to feed their families afterwards.

Bills: HB2242 , HB2446 , HB2799 , HB4502 , HB2920 , HB2790 , HB5620 , HB5060 , HB5076 , HB5080 , HB5081 , HB5128 , HB5130 , HB3847 , HB5116 , HB2969 , HB4546 , HB4202 , HB5624 , HB3964 , HB4803 , HB872 , HB4775 , HB4777 , HB4961 , HB5570 , HB2988 , HB4260 , HB1375 , HB5009 , HB5411 , HB5134 , HB4388 , HB3095 , HB1387

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Keywords: constables, civil rights, local government, law enforcement, policy-making authority, affidavit, medical bills, civil actions, reasonable charges, healthcare services, judicial statistics, court performance, family law, civil cases, efficiency reporting, court security, emergency management, harassment penalties, judicial safety, court committee

Transcript Highlights:

• , our Bank of Hawaii account, it is Kohala Protect Fund.
• /c><00:16:31.880><c> then</c><00:16:32.199><c> under</c><00:16:32.680><c> our</c><00:16:32.920><c> bank
• </c><00:16:33.360><c> account</c> Kohala but then under our bank account Kohala but then under our bank
• account um<00:16:34.560><c> our</c><00:16:34.759><c> Bank</c><00:16:35.000><c> of</c><00:16:35.160><
• c> Hawaii</c><00:16:35.639><c> account</c><00:16:36.160><c> it</c><00:16:36.360><c> is</c> um our Bank

Committee: House Culture & Arts

Summary: The House Committee on Culture and the Arts met on January 29 at 10:30 a.m. and heard four bills. HB 133, relating to surfing, drew testimony from the Department of Education and one individual in support. Committee discussion focused on the department’s estimated cost of about $44,000 per event, including judges, lifeguards, security, and administrative expenses. Members also asked about why surfing has been difficult to implement statewide and were told safety concerns, open-water conditions, and league-level decisions were among the barriers. The committee moved the bill forward with amendments, including blanking out the appropriation, and noted it wanted the Education Committee to review the cost breakdown further. HB 307, relating to special license plates for the island of Kahoʻolawe, received strong support from Protect K Ohana, the Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission, and other supporters in person and via Zoom. Testimony clarified the name of the receiving entity and noted a recent petition showing significant public interest. The bill was advanced with technical amendments, and the chair said the fund name was already correct and that the measure would not reflect DCCA but the bank account designation. HB 450 would transfer the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission from DAGS to DBEDT and move authority over the Works of Art Special Fund to DBEDT’s director. The State Foundation and DBEDT’s Creative Industries Division supported the measure. In response to questions, the State Foundation said it had researched the transfer, believed funding would not be lost, and requested about a year for the transition to avoid payroll and payment disruptions, along with consideration of an additional DBEDT staff position. The committee adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass the bill with amendments, including adding the requested FTE and noting a two-year transition period in the report. HB 663, authorizing a special license plate commemorating the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, had little testimony and no one signed up to speak. The chair said OHA advocacy testimony was on file but that support for the measure appeared limited, and the bill was deferred. The committee then adjourned.