Transcript Highlights:

• The Division of Workers' Compensation oversees the administration of workers' compensation claims for
• injured workers, with appeals adjudicated by the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board.
• And so for injured workers and workers who have pre-existing disabilities and conditions, those cases
• We coordinate Black workers throughout Southern California, reaching more than 15,000 Black workers.
• So we met with workers and owners, and we all agreed that business cannot open while workers don't go

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Trey Mustian, representing injured workers. Robin Krumholt, representing injured workers.
• This is not fairness, and this is not how workers' compensation. Worker, everything.
• damages if they're not providing the workers' comp benefits to injured workers.
• damages if they're not providing the workers' comp benefits to injured workers.
• from injured workers.

Summary: The committee first voluntarily deferred House Bills 460 and 561, then took up House Bill 1101 on workers’ compensation. The sponsor said the bill would define maximum medical improvement, adjust fraud provisions, shorten temporary total disability and supplemental earnings benefit periods, and revise vocational rehabilitation rules; an amendment removed proposed age-based termination language for benefits. Business groups including LABI supported the bill as a way to reduce Louisiana’s comparatively high indemnity costs and align the state with regional norms, while injured-worker advocates and attorneys strongly opposed it, arguing it would cut benefits, shift medical and disability decisions away from treating physicians and judges, broaden fraud too far, and potentially push costs onto public programs. After debate, the committee voted to report HB 1101 with amendments. House Bill 282 was voluntarily deferred. House Bill 293, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to Louisiana employment discrimination protections, drew generally supportive testimony from the sponsor and supporters, with some members raising questions about religious exemptions and federal law. The committee ultimately voted against reporting HB 293 favorably. House Bill 390, providing unpaid leave protections for domestic abuse survivors at larger employers, was presented as a tool for survivors, but the committee split 6-6 on a motion to report it favorably; the tie resulted in the bill being voluntarily deferred. The committee then heard House Bill 456, which would expand workers’ compensation petition requirements and allow employers or payers broader access to file disputed claims and seek discovery. Supporters argued employers currently lack a practical way to obtain records and challenge claims without first cutting off benefits, while opponents said the bill would revive a rejected 2012 approach, increase litigation, and undermine the no-fault workers’ compensation bargain. The discussion centered on whether the bill would preserve benefits while allowing discovery or instead encourage more disputes and penalties. The transcript ends with testimony still underway on HB 456, with no final vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Stand up for our iron workers.
• All<00:08:51.400><c> workers,</c> All workers, All workers, not<00:08:53.480><c> just</c><00:08:53.680
• are just as proud as our school workers are just as proud as our steel<00:14:25.800><c> workers</c><
• </c> buttons, we push them for all workers. buttons, we push them for all workers.
• </c> those needs as workers, as human beings. those needs as workers, as human beings.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is the voice of the worker and the workers impacted?
• Cal/OSHA has 20 million workers.
• of workers.
• Workers need to know their rights.
• It comes out of workers' comp.

Summary: The hearing focused on a state audit of Cal/OSHA titled “The Division of Occupational Safety and Health: Process Deficiencies and Staffing Shortages Limit Its Ability to Protect Workers.” Committee leaders and the audit team described serious workplace tragedies, argued that California’s worker protections are not being adequately enforced, and said the audit was prompted by concerns that Cal/OSHA was too often relying on letters instead of inspections, delaying investigations, and closing cases without enough documentation. Members repeatedly emphasized that the issue was not just staffing, but also outdated policies, weak oversight, and inconsistent enforcement. State Auditor Grant Parks said the audit found a 32% vacancy rate in 2023-24, heavy reliance on hard-copy files, outdated or unclear policies, and inconsistent decision-making in complaints, accidents, citations, and fine reductions. He said Cal/OSHA conducted on-site inspections in only about 20% of complaints, used letter investigations more than 80% of the time, often lacked evidence that hazards were corrected, and sometimes failed to inspect serious injury cases on time. The audit also found weak documentation for fine calculations and settlement reductions, with some penalties reduced substantially without clear explanations. Parks said the agency had accepted the findings and would provide progress updates later in the year. Committee members pressed the auditor on vacancy rates, the use of letter investigations, the low rate of criminal referrals, and whether fines were being reduced too often. Cal/OSHA and DIR officials responded that the vacancy rate had fallen to 12% partly because 66 vacant positions were eliminated in a statewide budget reduction and partly because of hiring; they said 126 people had been hired in the first half of the year. They also said they had hired a policy writer, were updating several policies, were planning periodic internal audits, and were developing a new data management system expected to go live in late 2026 or early 2027. On fines, officials said Title 8 sets base penalties and allows adjustments based on factors like employer size, history, and good faith, with appeals and informal conferences also affecting final amounts. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Division of Workers' Compensation oversees the administration of workers' compensation claims for
• injured workers, with appeals adjudicated by the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board.
• And so for injured workers and workers who have pre-existing disabilities and conditions, those cases
• And so for injured workers and workers who have pre-existing disabilities and conditions, those cases
• We are also members of the California Worker Power, CCWP, California Coalition for Worker Power.

Summary: The subcommittee heard a series of budget and trailer bill presentations focused on labor and public employment programs. The first item covered EDD Next modernization, where EDD described progress on customer service improvements, fraud prevention, language access, and the Integrated Claims Management System. The LAO urged stronger legislative oversight as the project enters its most difficult phase, and members questioned the revised schedule, total cost, change orders, stress testing, SB 1090 implementation, and how race and ethnicity data will be protected. EDD said the overall project cost remains about $1.2 billion, that the work is being phased with disability insurance and paid family leave first, and that fraud has been greatly reduced since pandemic-era programs ended. Members also asked for follow-up information on SB 590 outreach and equity impacts. The committee then reviewed the California Workforce Development Board’s request to reduce staffing as one-time grant workloads wind down, along with trailer bill language to streamline reporting requirements. The board and Department of Finance said the staffing reductions reflect the end of surge funding and that the proposal would consolidate roughly 10 to 12 reports into one annual report, with additional reporting only if new funds are appropriated for certain programs. Senator Durazo questioned the policy direction of reducing workforce staffing, while the administration said the positions were tied to temporary grant programs and that current staffing is sufficient for ongoing duties. Members also asked about the board’s role in AI-related workforce planning and the rationale for using state funds for the High Road Construction Careers Program. A major portion of the hearing focused on the Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund reforms and related staffing request at DIR. The administration and LAO described rapid growth in applications, backlog, and liabilities, saying the program’s eligibility has expanded beyond its original intent and that liabilities could reach about $30 billion by 2030 without reform. The trailer bill would tighten eligibility, apply the changes to open cases, and use the QME process and contemporaneous evidence to document preexisting disabilities. Members raised concerns about fairness to pending claimants, evaluator capacity, and the relationship to other SIBTF legislation, while the LAO said the proposal largely aligns with its prior recommendations. DIR also presented a request to eliminate vacant positions under a statewide vacancy sweep, which drew criticism from members who argued the cuts could weaken enforcement and backlog reduction efforts; the committee asked DIR to return with more detail on impacts and on its use of temporary-help authority. The final items addressed a request for additional Cal/OSHA investigative staff and a trailer bill to make permanent the revised Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board petition timeline. DIR said the BOI staffing would help investigate fatalities and serious injuries more quickly, while members emphasized the importance of family contact and timely investigations. For the WCAB item, the chair explained that the 2024 change to Labor Code section 5909, which starts the 60-day decision clock when a case is transmitted rather than when a petition is filed, has reduced pending cases and should be made permanent; the remaining backlog was reported at 460 cases, down from 637 before the change.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Division of Workers' Compensation oversees the administration of workers' compensation claims for
• injured workers, with appeals adjudicated by the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board.
• And so for injured workers and workers who have pre-existing disabilities and conditions, those cases
• We coordinate black workers throughout Southern California, reaching more than 15,000 black workers.
• We are also members of the California Worker of the CCWP, California Coalition for Worker Power.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor, and Transportation heard presentations on labor and public employment issues from the Employment Development Department (EDD), the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB), and the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). The committee first focused on EDD Next modernization, where EDD described progress on online claims, call center upgrades, language access, fraud prevention, and the Integrated Claims Management System (ICMS). The Legislative Analyst’s Office urged closer legislative oversight, especially as the project moves into the most difficult phase. Senators asked about the revised timeline, total cost, fraud reduction, stress testing, transparency around change orders, and the decision to phase in disability insurance and paid family leave before unemployment insurance. EDD said the overall project cost remained about $1.2 billion, that it had no major cost overruns, and that it had saved more than $20 million by shifting some shared customer portal work into ICMS. The subcommittee then considered CWDB’s request for additional operational resources and trailer bill language to streamline reporting. CWDB and the Department of Finance said staffing had been expanded during the pandemic-era surge in grant funding and should now be reduced as one-time grant programs wind down. Senators questioned the proposed staffing reduction, arguing that workforce development needs remain strong and that the board’s policy role still requires adequate capacity. The committee also discussed a proposal to consolidate multiple annual and interim reports into a single biennial report, with LAO supporting the streamlining. Members asked about reporting for specific programs and the cost savings from reducing duplicative evaluations. A major portion of the hearing addressed DIR’s proposed reforms to the Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund (SIBTF) and related workload funding. DIR and LAO described rapid growth in applications, a large and growing backlog, and sharply rising liabilities and employer assessments. The administration’s trailer bill would tighten eligibility, apply reforms to open cases, and use contemporaneous evidence and QME reports to document preexisting disabilities. LAO said the proposal largely matched its prior recommendations and would help return the program to its original intent. Senators raised concerns about fairness to pending claimants, the effect on workers with undocumented preexisting conditions, and whether the QME system could absorb the added workload. The committee also heard DIR’s request to eliminate vacant positions under a statewide vacancy sweep, with members objecting that some vacancies reflect unmet enforcement and safety needs rather than excess capacity. The hearing continued with DIR proposals for additional Cal/OSHA investigative staff, permanent changes to Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board petition deadlines, and apprenticeship-related funding increases. DIR sought 14 permanent positions for its Bureau of Investigation to handle serious workplace fatalities and injuries, and members emphasized the importance of timely investigations and family communication. The WCAB requested making permanent a 2024 change that starts the 60-day reconsideration clock when a case is transmitted rather than when the petition is filed; the board said this had reduced the number of cases awaiting decisions from 637 to 460. Finally, DIR proposed increasing apprenticeship training grants from $3 million to $20 million annually using the Apprenticeship Training Contribution Fund, citing an $80 million fund balance and workforce demand tied to rebuilding and infrastructure needs, and then began discussion of a separate request to expand pre-apprenticeship programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Back in 1938, when the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act was passed, farm workers and domestic workers
• Farm workers are essential.
• Farm workers are essential.
• Farm workers are essential.
• I'm speaking today on behalf of the Fairness for Farm Workers Coalition, which is a group of workers

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Summary: The hearing opened with remarks from the co-chairs explaining committee procedures, testimony limits, submission instructions, and the new deadlines for acting on House and Senate bills. The committee then heard testimony on several bills related to agriculture, land use, environment, housing, transportation, and taxation, with legislators often taken out of turn. No votes were taken during the hearing. The first major topic was H. 3206, a bill to allow fossil fuel-free 529 college savings plans to qualify for the state tax deduction if MEFA does not offer a comparable option. Representative Steve Owens said the bill would not force MEFA or Fidelity to change existing plans, but would create a definition for fossil fuel-free funds and extend the deduction to qualifying out-of-state plans. The committee also heard strong local testimony on a Belmont home-rule petition, H. 3970, to change tax treatment for the Belmont Country Club under Chapter 61B. Belmont residents and officials argued the private golf course receives an unfair tax break that shifts costs to other taxpayers, while Senator Brownsberger and Representative Rogers supported the measure as a way to help the town recover revenue. Committee members asked about town meeting support, the club’s lack of payment in lieu of taxes, and the size of the tax savings. The committee next heard testimony on a vehicle miles traveled tax proposal, S. 1925, from Senator Barrett and economists Gilbert Metcalf and Christopher Knittel. They argued that declining gas-tax revenue and rising fuel efficiency, especially with electric vehicles, require a more stable transportation funding source; they also said a VMT tax could be designed to be revenue-neutral and mildly progressive, though members raised concerns about administration, fairness, EV disincentives, and the possibility of annual tax shocks. The largest block of testimony focused on the Ahead Act, H. 3194/S. 1973, which would double the deed excise fee and dedicate the new revenue to affordable housing and climate adaptation. Supporters from MACDC, MAPC, FICC, Boston Climate Action Network, CLF, 350 Mass, CHAPA, and a tenant advocate said the bill could generate about $300 million annually for housing production, vouchers, weatherization, resilience, and environmental justice communities, and that it links two urgent crises with a stable funding stream. The committee also heard testimony on the Conservation Land Tax Credit bills, H. 3147/S. 2083, which would raise the annual cap on the credit from $2 million to $5 million for three years and then sunset back down. Conservation groups and a landowner said the program has conserved thousands of acres and that the higher cap would reduce delays and help meet state conservation goals. Finally, the committee took testimony on the Fairness for Farm Workers bills, S. 2011/H. 3107 and S. 2012, which would extend overtime, minimum wage, breaks, and paid time off protections to farm workers and include a refundable tax credit to help farmers offset overtime costs. Senator Gomez and advocates described the bills as overdue civil rights and public health measures, citing low wages, long hours, dangerous conditions, and the racial history behind farm labor exclusions. The hearing also included testimony on H. 3240, a bill to give municipalities a local option vacancy tax on chronically vacant shopping malls, with the sponsor arguing it would help towns address blight, encourage redevelopment, and potentially create housing and tax revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• As brief background, a worker who's injured in the course of employment is entitled to workers' compensation
• It requires an employer to inform an injured worker that the worker has a right to seek initial or emergency
• the network willing to treat the worker within 15 miles of the worker's home, the worker may seek treatment
• before the worker can go out of network.
• Electric Workers with 24,000 statewide.

Bills: SB5944

Committee: House Labor & Workplace Standards

Keywords: language access, collective bargaining, labor relations, employment rights, worker protections

Transcript Highlights:

• the worker from job to job.
• c> flexibility</c><00:02:20.600><c> and</c> These workers value the flexibility and These workers value
• ,</c><00:02:33.600><c> it</c> benefits to independent workers, it benefits to independent workers, it
• </c> self-employed workers. self-employed workers.
• </c> to see workers be able to have benefits. to see workers be able to have benefits.

Committee: House Economic Development & Workforce Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• Why didn't this worker get paid? Where's the work comp for this worker?
• Why didn't this worker get paid? minute. Why didn't this worker get paid?
• </c> Where's the work comp for this worker? Where's the work comp for this worker?
• </c> non-traditional worker resource centers. non-traditional worker resource centers.
• </c> have gone to those workers. have gone to those workers.

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Summary: The Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee met to discuss worker misclassification, beginning with approval of the March 4, 2026 minutes and a note that a late-posted bill would not be heard at this time. Chair Pinto opened the hearing by framing misclassification as timely and invited Lea Takapu of the Attorney General’s office to explain the issue. Takapu described misclassification as labeling workers as independent contractors when they are really employees, which can deprive workers of minimum wage, overtime, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, and other protections while also reducing tax revenue. She said the Attorney General’s office and the MEAP partnership have been working on the issue and cited estimates that Minnesota workers lose billions annually and the state loses hundreds of millions to over a billion dollars in revenue, while noting that legitimate independent contracting is not the target. Members questioned how the committee could rely on estimates when the exact number of misclassified workers is unknown. Takapu responded that the figures were based on studies and complaint data, and that underground or undocumented work makes exact counts difficult. Chair Pinto noted the numbers were estimates and referenced a 2024 Legislative Auditor finding that Minnesota lacked an adequate, coordinated approach to proper worker classification, while saying progress had been made since then. Several industry witnesses then testified in support of stronger enforcement. Kevin Pranis of LiUNA said misclassification remains rampant in parts of construction, especially drywall, stucco, thin stone, and broadband installation, and argued it is tax, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation fraud that harms law-abiding contractors and taxpayers. Matt Wollers of Braxton and Sons said his company loses bids to competitors that misclassify workers, creating a labor-cost advantage of 30% or more, and asked for meaningful enforcement rather than new legislation, including regular unannounced jobsite visits. Jesse Madison of Purple Tally Productions said misclassification is anti-competition and described examples from live events and entertainment, urging front-end checks on workers’ compensation, unemployment coverage, and W-2 versus 1099 status before work begins. The next testifier, Ben Ballou of the Minnesota Nurses Association, began his remarks as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Domestic workers need protection.
• The worker is responsible for paying the costs of the recording, and the worker must take reasonable
• The worker is responsible for paying the costs of the recording, and the worker must take reasonable
• IME recordings by workers don't actually happen or happen correctly because a worker doesn't record it
• Workers must be paid fully.

Summary: The committee heard several bills and took executive action on a number of them. Senate Bill 6282, by Senator Nobles, would require building and construction trade apprenticeship programs to provide two hours of behavioral health and wellness training starting in 2027, covering stigma reduction, distress recognition, suicide prevention, substance use awareness, peer support, and resource connection. The bill drew strong support from labor and construction groups, who described high suicide and substance use rates in the industry and said the training would help apprentices and, with a planned amendment, journey-level workers as well. No vote was taken in the hearing portion shown, but testimony was overwhelmingly pro. Senate Bill 6135, by Senator King, would require interest arbitration panels for certain uniform personnel at local governments to consider the employer’s ability to pay. Counties and cities supported the bill as a modest fiscal-relief measure and argued it would align local arbitration with existing state-law language. Teamsters representatives and other labor witnesses opposed it, saying it would weaken collective bargaining and give employers leverage to stall or deny fair contracts. The committee closed the public hearing with 5 in favor, 22 opposed, and no other testimony. In executive session, the bill was later advanced subject to signatures. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6128 on independent medical exams, which would require IME recordings to be made through an L&I-approved third-party app and prohibit independent local recording. Supporters said the change would improve security, consistency, and reliability of recordings and reduce cancellations and disputes; opponents said it would burden injured workers and undo the 2023 right to record IMEs on their own devices. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6068, which would make owners and direct contractors jointly liable for unpaid wages and related damages on construction projects, with a notice-and-cure process before suit. Workers and labor groups supported it as a tool against wage theft and labor trafficking, while contractors and industry groups opposed it as overbroad and costly. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6303 on cannabis packaging and vapor devices, with testimony split between sustainability advocates and industry supporters on one side and public health and poison center witnesses on the other, who warned that loosening individual edible packaging could increase child poisonings. In executive session, the committee adopted a substitute for SB 6053 and moved it forward, and also passed SB 6134, SB 6147, SB 6106, and SB 6045 subject to signatures, with SB 6045 amended before passage to Ways and Means.

Transcript Highlights:

• Interest arbitration supports our public safety and frontline workers by granting these critical workers
• Courts have ruled that if a worker has a chance to opt out, the worker rather than the employer is taking
• Protecting workers again. Protecting workers against such denials is no small matter.
• Under the workers' compensation system, an injured worker may seek initial medical treatment for their
• Under the workers' compensation system, an injured worker may seek initial medical treatment for their

Summary: The Labor and Workplace Standards Committee held its first meeting of the session and heard four bills. HB 2107 would make permanent and slightly narrow a temporary L&I requirement that, after an on-site safety inspection at a building construction site, the agency make a good-faith effort to notify the owner or employer within 10 working days if an immediately identified hazard could injure a worker. Construction industry groups and L&I supported the bill and said the pilot had worked well, with L&I reporting it had been able to notify owners almost 96% of the time during about 1,400 inspections. HB 2137 would remove the population threshold for binding interest arbitration for correctional employees in city and county jails. Teamsters representatives said the change would give corrections officers in smaller jurisdictions the same bargaining rights as other uniformed personnel and help address safety, staffing, and wage inequities. County representatives opposed the bill, saying it would increase bargaining and compensation costs for many counties, and asked for amendments requiring arbitrators to consider county finances and making awards nonbinding on county legislative authorities. HB 2264 would clarify unemployment insurance eligibility for workers who opt into an employer-initiated layoff or reduction-in-force plan, even if they can rescind their decision, so long as the termination results from the employer’s plan. Supporters said current court rulings create confusing and unfair denials of benefits for workers who leave in good faith during layoffs; NFIB raised questions about severance, retirement, and UI solvency. HB 2243 would allow physical therapists and occupational therapists to serve as attending providers in the workers’ compensation system. Physical therapy and occupational therapy advocates said this would speed care and return workers to work sooner, while retailers, food industry representatives, NFIB, the Washington State Medical Association, and L&I raised concerns about diagnosis, scope of practice, added costs, and the possibility that all PTs and OTs would have to join the provider network. No votes were taken; the committee heard testimony and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent injured workers and have done so here in the state of Louisiana in the workers' compensation
• I represent injured workers and have done so here in the state of Louisiana in the workers' compensation
• I represent injured workers.
• workers' comp employers who had injured workers across the state.
• An injured worker cannot file a suit, a 1008, in our workers' comp court, without there being a bona

Committee: Senate Labor & Industrial Relations

Transcript Highlights:

• One worker suffered a heat stroke.
• I'm here to present Assembly Bill 2646, farm worker wages.
• I'm here to present Assembly Bill 2646, farm worker wages.
• together to train workers for good-quality jobs.
• Four workers easily exhausted the $50,000 bond.

Committee: House Labor and Employment

Transcript Highlights:

• Misclassification does not just harm workers.
• about rights-related workers' compensation.
• California workers, unions, and advocates have fought tirelessly to ensure the strongest worker protection
• over state and federal laws scares workers into remaining silent. ...the most vulnerable workers, and
• These workers typically include social service and child welfare service workers who are funded by the

Committee: House Labor and Employment

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard and advanced a series of labor, workplace, and pay equity bills. SB 703 on port trucking misclassification would require ports to collect and report data to help identify misclassified independent contractors; supporters said the bill would improve enforcement and protect workers, while trucking and retail groups said recent amendments addressed many concerns. The bill passed 5-0 and was re-referred to Transportation. The committee also approved a consent calendar including SB 275, SB 648, SB 355, and SB 693. Members then heard SB 294, the Workplace Know Your Rights Act, which would require the Labor Commissioner to create a template for employers to annually notify workers of labor and civil rights protections, with supporters arguing workers need clearer information amid federal uncertainty and opponents from the restaurant industry raising concerns. SB 7, dealing with automated decision-making systems in employment discipline and termination, would require notice and human review; labor groups supported it as a safeguard against biased or opaque algorithmic management, while employer groups objected to broad definitions and burdens on businesses. Both bills passed and were re-referred to Judiciary and Privacy and Consumer Protection, respectively. The committee also approved SB 238 on workplace AI/surveillance transparency, SB 442 on self-checkout staffing standards, and SB 464 on expanding public-sector pay data reporting tied to reparations and pay equity goals. Supporters of SB 238 emphasized transparency and privacy, while business and public-sector groups warned about security and administrative burdens; SB 442 drew support from labor and retail workers who said self-checkout reduces hours and increases safety risks, while grocers argued it would raise costs and reduce flexibility; SB 464 was backed as a way to better measure representation and pay gaps, though counties and local government groups said the bill needed narrowing to avoid covering county workers. Finally, SB 642 on equal pay reforms and a longer recovery period for wage claims passed 5-0 after labor advocates said it would help workers recover lost pay, while business groups opposed the 10-year lookback as too burdensome.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:56:32.320><c> after</c><01:56:32.560><c> worker</c> And so worker after worker after worker And
• </c> worker bill. worker bill.
• That is not pay or workers. pay or workers.
• </c> farm workers. farm workers.
• . workers. workers.

Summary: The House convened with 58 members present and seven excused, establishing a quorum, and approved the April 15, 2026 journal as corrected. The chamber then moved through announcements recognizing visiting railroad workers, LIUNA Local 720, Colorado West Christian Schools, Religious Freedom Day, and several school and community groups, along with birthday acknowledgments and committee schedule notices. The House also adopted a motion to remove House Bill 1245 from special orders and returned it to the general orders second reading calendar, and set House Bills 1290, 1312, and 1321 as special orders. The House adopted Senate Joint Resolution 18, recognizing Nowruz and expressing support for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Iranian people, including the Women, Life, Freedom movement. Supporters described Nowruz as a holiday of renewal and resilience and tied the resolution to solidarity with Iranian communities. Representative Zokaie also spoke at length about the personal impact of war on Iranian families and urged a vote. The resolution passed 59-2 with four excused. The chamber then considered several bills in committee report. House Bill 1290, concerning assault and clarifying sentencing, was amended in Judiciary to remove the medical professional provision and passed after testimony emphasizing strangulation as a serious warning sign in domestic violence cases; it then passed the House. House Bill 1312, dealing with peace officer participation, POST Board composition, academy training, and related grants, was amended for clarity and passed the Judiciary report and then the bill. House Bill 1321, modifying the School Security Disbursement Program, had the Education Committee report defeated, but amendments were adopted to broaden eligible service providers and adjust funding language; the bill then passed as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent injured workers and have done so here in the state of Louisiana in the workers' compensation
• I represent injured workers.
• Prior to that, I represented self-insured funds, workers' comp insurers, and workers' comp employers
• So if the injured worker, all they know is, I don't have a lawyer and I'm not getting my workers' comp
• So during your time, as you were a workers' comp judge, So during your time as a workers' comp judge

Summary: The Senate Labor Committee met on March 14 and adopted the prior minutes. It voluntarily deferred Senate Bill 358, which would have addressed workers’ compensation coverage for independent contractors and sole-proprietor subcontractors. Senator Abraham said the bill would instead be studied to determine whether such workers should be able to buy occupational accident coverage or be required to carry workers’ compensation coverage, particularly where no employees are involved. The committee then heard House Bill 456, which would expand and clarify workers’ compensation petition requirements and broaden employers’ and payers’ ability to file disputed claims beyond fraud and medical-director appeals to other disputes under the chapter. The bill drew strong support from business groups and strong opposition from injured-worker attorneys, who argued it would revive problems seen in 2012 when employers could sue injured workers without a ripe dispute, burden unrepresented claimants, and increase litigation and administrative costs. Supporters said it would improve access to the courts and help employers investigate questionable claims. After debate, the committee voted 5-1 to report HB 456 favorably, with Senator Barrow voting no. The committee also heard House Bill 549, which creates the Bayou Growth Opportunity Workforce Program, or Bayou Works, a proposed statewide workforce training grant program aimed at helping employers quickly train workers for specific skill needs. The sponsor and Louisiana Workforce Commission representatives said it would be privately funded, modeled on Michigan’s “Going Pro” program, and coordinated with technical colleges, apprenticeships, internships, and other workforce partners. Members asked about statewide reach, youth pipeline efforts, and timing; the department said implementation would likely begin later next year. The committee reported HB 549 favorably by unanimous consent and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We represent over 2.3 million union workers in the state, including thousands of skilled workers who
• Is that fair to the workers?
• That accountability doesn't just help the underpaid child care worker in Fresno or the garment worker
• Other industries that, not coincidentally, do require licenses include farm workers, garment workers,
• workers' comp insurance.

Committee: House Labor and Employment

Transcript Highlights:

• Stand up for our iron workers.
• We all benefit from these mines and these workers.
• We were paper and allied chemical workers, but they merged with the steel workers, and we all became
• steel workers.
• Some of that frustration over this session is bringing up those federal workers and those state workers

Transcript Highlights:

• Not just workers in my district, not just workers in one sector or industry, not just workers that I
• school workers as well. So, I I school workers as well.
• Was it for workers or against workers right now?
• Was it for workers or against workers right now?
• </c> steel workers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. steel workers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.