Transcript Highlights:

• respond to customer needs and offer new formulations like high-dose CBD products, functional mushroom blends
• along with other organic options. new formulations like high-dose CBD products, functional mushroom blends

Bills: HF1545 , HF2426 , HF1615 , HF2403

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• But also, how do we braid and blend our funding to move the needle to achieve?
• but also how do we braid and blend our funding to move the needle to achieve what we want?

Summary: The Human Services Subcommittee met to review implementation of House Bill 7021, the recent overhaul of Florida’s Baker Act and Marchman Act, and to hear from DCF Assistant Secretary Erica Floyd Thomas about how the department is using the $50 million appropriation tied to the bill. Representative Maney, the bill sponsor, gave a lengthy background on why he pursued the reforms and emphasized that the goal was to improve access, reduce unnecessary crisis interventions, and give agencies the resources needed to carry out their responsibilities. He and the chair both noted that the bill was the product of many years of work and broad bipartisan support. DCF reported several early outcomes and implementation steps, including a statewide reduction in Baker Act initiations over the past five years, strong diversion rates from crisis through 988, mobile response teams, care coordination, and forensic multidisciplinary teams, and the creation of new tools such as a Baker Act dashboard and the first annual Marchman Act report. The department described key statutory changes: law enforcement discretion in initiating Baker Acts, a single-petition process, remote appearances, stronger discharge planning, interim services, updated parent notification and hold-period rules, an ombudsman office for children’s behavioral health, and regional collaboratives to identify local service gaps. DCF said it has updated manuals, FAQs, trainings, and rules, and that the managing entities have begun contracting for services. Members asked about how the $50 million was allocated, why much of it went to crisis capacity rather than outpatient care, how much has been spent so far, whether administrative costs are capped, and how the department will measure success. DCF said most of the money was used to preserve and expand crisis beds, detox beds, CSU beds, short-term residential treatment, discharge planning, and outpatient supports, with $1.3 million for the ombudsman and regional collaboratives and $48.3 million to managing entities. The assistant secretary said the department tracks readmissions, utilization, provider capacity, and monthly and quarterly reports from managing entities, but it is still early to see full effects because contracts were only recently executed. Members also raised concerns about children, families, veterans, workforce shortages, transparency, and gaps for hard-to-place individuals, including those with developmental disabilities or dementia. The meeting ended with no formal action beyond adjournment after questions were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Fourth, delivery companies that use gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicles will be responsible for paying
• Fourth, delivery companies that use gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicles will be responsible for paying
• Fourth, delivery companies that use gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicles will be responsible for paying

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Bernardi said that even a wind turbine has emissions, because it has to have a turbine gas or diesel
• Nuclear power also has to have backup diesel to support various startup or shutdown operations, often
• c><00:15:17.560><c> turbine</c><00:15:18.560><c> gas</c><00:15:18.800><c> or</c><00:15:19.040><c> diesel
• </c><00:15:19.440><c> turbine</c> have a a a turbine gas or diesel turbine have a a a turbine gas or
• diesel turbine to<00:15:20.000><c> start</c><00:15:20.240><c> it</c><00:15:20.560><c> when</c><00:15:

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a blend, a multifamily project that's a blend of affordable and workforce units, units for people
• </c><01:02:26.160><c> Uh</c><01:02:26.480><c> it's</c><01:02:26.799><c> a</c><01:02:26.960><c> blend,
• Uh it's a blend, a build 52 new homes.
• </c><01:02:29.440><c> a</c><01:02:29.680><c> blend</c><01:02:29.920><c> of</c> multif family project
• that's a blend of multif family project that's a blend of affordable<01:02:30.559><c> and</c><01:02:30.720

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• instead sort of dressing up in suits and trying to go more like outstanding members of the community, blended
• instead sort of dressing up in suits and trying to go more like outstanding members of the communities blended
• , but they were distributing, well, in essence, questions. communities blended, but they were distributing

Summary: The Special Commission on Anti-Semitism met to focus on the role of law enforcement in responding to anti-Semitic incidents. After approving amended minutes, the chair opened with remarks emphasizing that the Commission would confront anti-Semitism from any political direction and outlined the day’s agenda: extremist activity trends, hate-crime statutes, intergovernmental coordination, and security funding. The first presentation came from Ben Pott of the ADL Center on Extremism, who described rising extremist propaganda and anti-Semitic incidents nationally and in Massachusetts, highlighting groups such as NSC-131, GDL, and Patriot Front. He said these groups increasingly use anti-Zionist language, public disruptions, and online platforms to spread hate, and recommended prosecution where possible, civil litigation, education about symbols and tactics, and community reporting to law enforcement and ADL. Assistant District Attorney David Solvin then reviewed federal and Massachusetts hate-crime laws, including federal civil-rights and hate-crime statutes and state provisions for civil-rights violations, assault and battery to intimidate, religious vandalism, terroristic threats, and criminal harassment. He explained that many of these laws enhance penalties based on bias motivation, but some do not create standalone offenses or qualify as dangerousness predicates under current law. Commissioners pressed him on hypothetical fact patterns involving anti-Semitic slurs, symbols, and attacks, as well as on the limits of existing law for pretrial detention and the need for better data collection. Solvin said more training, better reporting, and possible legislative updates could improve enforcement, and he noted pending bills that would require more regular hate-crime reporting and expand protected classes. Detective Lieutenant Ryan Cepiel of the State Police Anti-Terrorism Unit and HART described the unit’s creation in 2023, its role in implementing prior hate-crime task force recommendations, and its work with local, state, federal, and community partners. He said HART has trained civil-rights officers, developed recruit and in-service curricula, created resource pamphlets and a Teams page, and is building a GIS-based reporting portal to improve tracking and victim support. Cepiel reported a year-over-year rise in reported anti-Semitic hate crimes in Massachusetts, while noting that current numbers are incomplete because reporting is inconsistent and there is no mandate for local departments to notify HART. Commissioners discussed underreporting, rural versus eastern Massachusetts coverage, the need for more officers and training, and the importance of making victims feel safe coming forward. The meeting ended with agreement that better data, training, and coordination are needed to address the rise in anti-Semitic hate and bias incidents.

Transcript Highlights:

• The other thing I wanted to highlight is that for phase one, it appears that they are now blending the
• San Francisco to L.A. and Anaheim, of which the L.A.O. didn't mention some changes to that with a blended
• Because we're looking at, I mean, even under their revised approach of a blended system, they're still

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee held an oversight hearing on California High-Speed Rail, focusing on the authority’s supplemental project update report and the newly released 2026 draft business plan. Committee leaders emphasized transparency, the project’s funding challenges, and the need for clear answers on costs, schedule, and scope. The High-Speed Rail Authority said the project has made major progress in the Central Valley, including substantial construction completion, right-of-way acquisition, and railhead development, and highlighted over $14 billion in savings from a rebased project plan, plus an additional $2 billion in savings in the draft business plan. The authority also said it expects to begin laying track by the end of the year and continues to pursue private-sector partnerships and clean-energy opportunities. The Legislative Analyst’s Office and the Inspector General both raised concerns about whether the current funding plan is sufficient and whether the authority has clearly identified the timing of future expenditures versus revenues. The LAO said the project likely still faces a funding gap for Merced-to-Bakersfield once financing costs and the loss of $4 billion in federal funds are considered, and warned that cap-and-invest revenues are volatile and may not be well suited for borrowing without additional safeguards. The Inspector General said the authority still has not provided a precise funding plan, estimated the project is about two years away from lacking funds on hand to stay on schedule, and urged lawmakers to focus on financing costs, procurement timing, schedule risks, and distinguishing true cost cuts from scope changes. Members questioned the authority about proposed statutory changes, including CEQA and permitting streamlining, court resources, third-party process changes, sales tax exemptions on materials, and expanded land-use/value-capture tools. They also pressed the authority on the loss of federal funds, the withdrawal of litigation over those funds, and whether the project’s revised savings depend on moving station locations away from downtown Merced and Bakersfield and on other scope changes such as more single-tracking and blended operations south of Palmdale. The authority said it is still committed to Merced-to-Bakersfield, believes the business plan shows a path to completion with sufficient funding, and will work with the Legislature on any needed changes before the final plan is submitted.

Transcript Highlights:

• The other thing I wanted to highlight is that for phase one, it appears that they are now blending the
• Because we're looking at, even under their revised approach of a blended system, they're still at $100
• Because we're looking at, I mean, even under their revised approach of blended system, they're still

Committee: House Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the ways that has worked so successfully is that they blend their day to be able to do full day
• And it also blends it with that transitional kindergarten program. So they do it.
• It blends it with that transitional kindergarten program.

Summary: The California Assembly Select Committee on Child Care Costs held its third hearing focused on transitional kindergarten (TK) and how it fits within the state’s mixed delivery early learning system, with an emphasis on the Central Valley. Opening remarks stressed that TK and community-based child care are both needed to serve families, especially working and low-income households that need full-day, year-round care, transportation, and flexible hours. Committee members said the goal was to understand what is working, where gaps remain, and how to better coordinate TK with other programs to support children, families, and the workforce. The first panel included the Legislative Analyst’s Office, Every Child California, and Early Edge California. Testimony reviewed TK’s expansion to all four-year-olds, growth in enrollment, and changes to program requirements, while also noting related shifts in state preschool eligibility, reimbursement rates, and the option for programs to serve two-year-olds. Witnesses argued that TK should be treated as part of a broader continuum that includes state preschool, Head Start, family child care, and voucher-based care, and they called for easier local partnerships, shared facilities, aligned funding and oversight, better compensation, and permanent support for serving younger children. Committee members and witnesses discussed the strain on home-based providers and centers, the need for more vouchers and higher reimbursement, and the fact that many TK programs are part-day and do not meet full-day family needs. Public comment and the second panel reinforced concerns about affordability, access, and equity. Parents described the benefits of high-quality child care and TK for children’s development and for their own ability to work, while a parent from Oakland said TK was transformative for her child and essential to her career, but that her younger child still faced a wait for a TK spot. Children Now and Stanford researchers presented data showing that awareness of TK is uneven, especially among lower-income families, and that enrollment and access are stronger in more affluent areas. They recommended broader outreach, full-day/full-year options, and a true mixed delivery model that includes community-based providers, family child care homes, and Head Start. The California Department of Education said TK and state preschool work best as a shared opportunity and noted ongoing mixed-delivery grants and local coordination efforts, while public commenters from county offices, providers, and nonprofit organizations emphasized the need for continued funding, stable rates, and protection for community-based programs affected by TK expansion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Their anti-war album, "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag," highlighted their style of blending art with

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognized guests on the floor, including students honored for a young authors program and representatives connected to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The body then took up SCR 138 by Senator Ashby, designating Architecture Week and highlighting California architects’ work in climate resilience, energy efficiency, wildfire safety, and housing innovation. The resolution also noted the low percentage of women in the profession and recognized Ida Claire, California’s first female state architect, along with other architects in attendance. SCR 138 passed unanimously, 32-0. The Senate also considered two gubernatorial appointments. Francisco Kim’s reappointment to the California Acupuncture Board was confirmed without opposition. Davina Hurt’s appointment to the California Water Commission was then considered, with supportive remarks from Senator Becker citing her service and qualifications; the appointment was confirmed on a 26-7 vote. The chamber also approved the Senate journals for March 23-26, 2026, and pulled SCR 124 from the consent agenda. Later, members made announcements about committee hearings scheduled after adjournment, including the Senate Human Services Committee, the new Senate Committee on Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection, and a joint budget subcommittee hearing. The session concluded with adjournment in memory of several individuals, including Andrea Schroeder, Country Joe McDonald, and Brenda Joe Martin, with members offering tributes to their civic, artistic, and community contributions. The Senate announced it would recess and reconvene on April 9, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're a blend of fishing families, and from Ilwaco to Chinook to Long Beach, to all of those that I

Transcript Highlights:

• We had a diesel engine.” We didn’t have an electric engine. We had a diesel engine.
• do not control the market price of crude oil or natural gas, nor refined products like gasoline, diesel
• , and diesel fuel.'

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to have to make renewable diesel as well.
• 46.440><c> renewable</c> We're going to have to make renewable We're going to have to make renewable diesel
• 48.120><c> That's</c><01:10:48.280><c> going</c><01:10:48.400><c> to</c><01:10:48.440><c> help</c> diesel
• That's going to help diesel as well.

Bills: HB1736 , HB1620 , HB1695

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Environment

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1737, which clarifies allowable uses in agricultural districts for farm dwellings and farm employee housing, and HB 1604 HD2, which creates an agricultural workforce housing working group within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. Testimony on HB 1737 was overwhelmingly supportive, with county agriculture officials, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Farmers Union backing the measure; one witness asked for a definition of “affordable” to guard against misuse of farm housing. For HB 1604, the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Housing Hawaii’s Future, Hawaii Farmers Union, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs supported the bill, with OHA requesting disaggregated data and a seat on the working group. Committee discussion focused on housing shortages, possible misuse, affordability, and whether innovative housing models such as modular, tiny, and container homes should be considered. The committee then took action on both measures. HB 1737 HD3 was recommended to pass with amendments that would limit farm employee housing to agricultural employees and their immediate family members actively engaged in the farm operation, add a grandfathering provision for existing permitted housing, preserve county zoning authority, clarify that ag tourism must be secondary and not occur in employee housing, delete a square-footage-per-acre ratio, and defer the effective date to July 1, 2050. HB 1604 HD2 was also recommended to pass with amendments adding OHA and a housing-shortage organization to the working group, expanding its scope to include modular, tiny, and container homes and permitting/zoning streamlining, and deferring the effective date to July 1, 2050. Both motions were adopted unanimously by the members present. The joint hearing then moved to HB 1736, which would establish a spay and neuter special fund and require sterilization and declaration provisions for cats, with some discussion of dogs. DLNR and the Hawaiian Humane Society supported the bill, while Pacific Pet Alliance objected to the broader requirements and the inclusion of dogs; the Hawaiian Humane Society and American Bird Conservancy supported cat-focused sterilization and the special fund, while some testifiers opposed mandatory sterilization as too costly or intrusive. Members raised questions about toxoplasmosis, trap-neuter-release, enforcement, neighbor-island access, and funding needs, and DLNR indicated additional funding and third-party contracting would likely be needed. The transcript then began HB 1620 HD2 on energy, which would increase the environmental response energy and food security tax and shift funds from the hydrogen fueling subaccount to EV charging infrastructure; state agencies generally stood on written testimony in support, while the Tax Foundation objected to special fund earmarks and noted the bill raises only one part of the barrel tax structure.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Tier 4 diesel locomotives are 90% cleaner, and they’re significantly quieter than our old legacy
• The Tier 4 diesel locomotives are 90% cleaner, and they’re significantly quieter than our old legacy
• They drive some zero-emission vehicles, but our snow and ice operation typically deals with diesel vehicles
• transportation and safety, to have a backup even 10 years from now that potentially is gasoline- or diesel-based

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• Across Minnesota, our institutions are already training automotive and collision technicians, diesel
• ><c> technicians,</c> automotive and collision technicians, automotive and collision technicians, diesel
• <00:35:01.359><c> technicians,</c><00:35:02.480><c> aviation</c><00:35:03.119><c> mechanics,</c> diesel
• technicians, aviation mechanics, diesel technicians, aviation mechanics, pilots,<00:35:04.079><c> and

Transcript Highlights:

• would do would consolidate two campuses and also make room for growth for technical programs like diesel
• technical make room for growth for technical programs<00:27:17.960><c> like</c><00:27:18.159><c> diesel
• </c><00:27:18.679><c> Automotive</c><00:27:19.240><c> welding</c> programs like diesel Automotive welding
• programs like diesel Automotive welding HVAC<00:27:20.799><c> 3D</c><00:27:21.399><c> printing</c><00

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Appropriations and Revenue met on February 25 and considered a series of bills and joint resolutions, mostly involving appropriations, capital projects, and local infrastructure funding. The committee first adopted PHS 2 and passed House Bill 152, which creates a Medicaid supplemental payment program for public ground ambulance providers; the sponsor said the substitute ensures no state general fund dollars will be used and that local agencies must identify a funding source for any required match. HB 152 was reported favorably on a 20-0 vote. The committee also passed House Bill 545, the annual claims bill, after members confirmed all executive-branch claims were included; it was reported favorably on a 21-0 vote. House Bill 606, requiring reporting for general obligation bonds, also passed unanimously and was reported favorably. The committee then took up several joint resolutions tied to capital and infrastructure spending. House Joint Resolution 30, concerning water projects, was described as implementing ranked projects under the Waters program administered by KIA and was reported favorably on a 21-0 vote. House Joint Resolution 32, concerning school facilities construction, was amended by PHS 1 and advanced after discussion referencing the Auditor’s report and questions about a Johnson County Schools expenditure; it also passed 21-0. House Joint Resolution 34, relating to contingent appropriations for KCTCS, was amended by PHS 1 and advanced after testimony outlining three projects in Somerset, Jefferson Community and Technical College, and Glasgow; it passed 21-0. House Joint Resolution 46, for local road projects, was described as funding the highest-scoring local road requests from a larger pool of applications and passed 21-0. The committee also advanced House Joint Resolution 53, authorizing release of funds for KSU’s Health Sciences Center project, after KSU officials said the building is needed for nursing and allied health programs and promised a business plan report by November 1, 2025; it passed 21-0. House Joint Resolution 54, authorizing funds related to the State Fair Board, also passed unanimously. Later, the committee considered House Bill 546, which revises the local roads and streets program by adding a DOT-developed scoring system, monthly reporting, a match requirement, and a $500,000 project cap; members asked about the cap and were told larger projects should be handled through other mechanisms. HB 546 was reported favorably on a 21-0 vote. Finally, House Bill 605, a technical corrections and update bill for the local economic relief grant program, was amended by PHS 1 and discussed as expanding eligibility, including to the Delta Regional Authority and certain local-affiliated applicants; the transcript cuts off before the final vote on HB 605.

Transcript Highlights:

• c> The speaker said that in the state of Minnesota, they have all types of vehicles using gas and diesel
• types of vehicles that are using<00:20:24.000><c> gas</c><00:20:24.200><c> and</c><00:20:24.400><c> Diesel
• uh</c><00:20:25.799><c> trucks</c><00:20:26.799><c> uh</c><00:20:27.000><c> Vans</c> using gas and Diesel
• uh trucks uh Vans using gas and Diesel uh trucks uh Vans SUVs<00:20:29.120><c> and</c><00:20:29.360>

Bills: HF198 , HF269 , HF185 , HF303 , HF305 , HF189

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• structure and play equipment for our kids when they were much younger, and we made sure that it actually blended
• the same exact color as our house and the wall, and we still got complaints, even though it just blended
• structure and play equipment for our kids when they were much younger, and we made sure that it actually blended
• the same exact color as our house and the wall, and we still got complaints, even though it just blended

Summary: The committee took up House Bill 2308, which would prohibit a dental insurer or its holding company from owning interests in dental practices regulated by the Arizona Board of Dental Examiners. The sponsor and Arizona Dental Association argued the bill is meant to prevent vertical integration and insurer control over provider care, while Delta Dental opposed it, saying the measure would block nonprofit insurers from investing in clinics for indigent care and create divestment burdens. After discussion of possible exemptions and market-share caps, the committee passed HB 2308 on a 7-0 vote. The committee then considered House Bill 4001, as amended, which creates a licensing and enforcement framework for alternative nicotine products beginning in 2028, increases penalties for sales to minors, restricts youth-oriented marketing, and licenses manufacturers and distributors. Supporters, including the sponsor, Border Security Alliance, Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association, and Vapor Technology Association, said the bill would improve supply-chain transparency and help curb illegal products and youth vaping. Opponents, including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, argued it should instead use a full tobacco retail licensing model and that the bill’s enforcement structure lacks sufficient resources. The committee adopted the amendment and passed the bill 6-1. House Bill 2873, as amended, was also approved unanimously. The strike-everything amendment allows a person or organization that filed a city or town referendum petition to withdraw it before ballot qualification, applies the rule retroactively to withdrawals filed on or after January 1, 2026, and bars tallying or canvassing votes for referenda with a withdrawal notice. The sponsor described it as a common-sense governance fix, and the committee gave it a 7-0 do-pass recommendation. The committee next heard House Bill 2408, which revises Arizona Board of Nursing complaint procedures, confidentiality, investigation timelines, expungement authority, and related disciplinary processes. Nursing board officials opposed parts of the bill, warning that changes to nursing education oversight and tighter deadlines could weaken patient safety and increase costs and liability, while the Arizona Nurses Association and several nurses supported the bill as a way to prioritize serious complaints, improve timeliness, and allow expungement in appropriate cases. After adopting the amendment, the committee passed HB 2408 on a 5-2 vote. The committee also passed House Bill 2342, which limits HOA restrictions on backyard shade structures, and House Bill 2323, which extends Arizona’s motor vehicle lemon law protections to lessees, both by unanimous votes. Finally, the committee began hearing House Bill 4010 on creating a Board of Genetic Counselors, with the sponsor and supporters describing it as a licensure and patient-safety measure; the transcript ends during testimony on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Every bottle of L81 originates from small batches of a secret family recipe, still hand-blended by Fielding
• </c><01:01:15.359><c> Still</c><01:01:15.680><c> hand</c><01:01:15.920><c> blended</c> secret family
• Still hand blended secret family recipe.
• Still hand blended by<01:01:16.880><c> Fielding</c><01:01:17.359><c> Rogers,</c><01:01:18.000><c> the

Transcript Highlights:

• respond to customer needs, offering new formulations like high-dose CBD products, functional mushroom blends
• respond to customer needs, offering new formulations like high-dose CBD products, functional mushroom blends
• respond to customer needs, offering new formulations like high-dose CBD products, functional mushroom blends
• respond to customer needs, offering new formulations like high-dose CBD products, functional mushroom blends
• shown safe to drive. ...offering new formulations like high-dose CBD products, functional mushroom blends

Bills: HF1545 , HF2426 , HF1615 , HF2403

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy