Transcript Highlights:

• Fit of structure capability to strategy and goals.
• Structure in the ground.
• of this structure is elevated.
• And so that's how we've structured our system.
• And that structure, when we implemented our rate structure in 2018, we saw our summer peak demand come

Summary: The Water Topics Overview Committee met with a quorum and received updates from the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Commission, followed by presentations from Deloitte on two legislative studies required by House Bill 1020. Director Reese Haas reviewed major project and budget updates, including the Northwest Area Water Supply and Southwest Pipeline projects, Resources Trust Fund balances, carryover spending, project prioritization, bid conditions, regional water system coverage, and department process improvements. Members also discussed how the commission prioritizes projects, maintenance expectations, and the impact of limited municipal water supply funding. No formal committee action was taken during the DWR update; the commission’s municipal funding decisions were described as pending its April 8 meeting. Deloitte then presented the cost-share policy study, which found that under current policy and forecasted revenues, North Dakota faces an estimated $1.3 billion shortfall over 14 years, with a near-term gap of about $1.8 billion through 2031. The firm outlined seven recommended options, including tighter definitions and a 25% cost share for eligible replacement projects, caps and financing strategies for the Mouse River and Red River Valley projects, aligning cost share with commission priority guidance, delaying lower-priority projects, using available lines of credit, and adjusting reimbursement timing for revolving loan funds. Committee members questioned inflation assumptions, affordability, user fees, and the use of legacy fund earnings for bonding, but no decisions were made. In the governance and finance study, Deloitte said final recommendations are still being refined, with a final report due May 29. The study examined the Southwest Pipeline, NAWS, and Red River Valley systems using governance and finance criteria such as decision authority, transparency, affordability, risk, and access to funding. For Southwest, Deloitte outlined options ranging from improved state-authority coordination to transferring ownership to the Southwest Water Authority; for NAWS, options focused on strengthening the authority’s role and potentially transitioning operations and maintenance; and for Red River, options ranged from enhanced facilitation to formal state oversight or state ownership. Members asked follow-up questions about ownership transfer, capital repayment streams, and why NAWS was not considered for transfer, and Deloitte said NAWS’s limited organizational maturity made that option less viable in the near term.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> sites as well as historic structures sites as well as historic structures they<00:15:48.839><c>
• You have in your packets one page of the Senate rules with a little bit of highlighting for Rules 4.5
• of um highlighting for rules little bit of um highlighting for rules 4.5<01:52:29.599><c> and</c><01:
• ><01:52:32.040><c> rule</c><01:52:32.280><c> 4.5</c> 4.5 and 4.6 under rule Senate rule 4.5 4.5 and 4.6
• under rule Senate rule 4.5 all<01:52:33.520><c> bills</c><01:52:33.960><c> that</c><01:52:34.280><c>

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• the Legislative Higher Education Funding and Formula Task Force to study and evaluate the funding structure
• the Legislative Higher Education Funding and Formula Task Force to study and evaluate the funding structure
• Representative Orgeron is a concurrent resolution to enact a Department of Wildlife and Fisheries rule
• Representative Orgeron is a concurrent resolution to enact a Department of Wildlife and Fisheries rule
• House Concurrent Resolution No. 95 by Representative Bowie is a concurrent resolution to adopt Joint Rule

Bills: SCR12 , HB1259 , HB221 , HB509 , HCR117 , HCR58 , SCR29 , SCR33 , SB295 , SB312 , SB326 , SB348 , SB485 , SCR9 , SCR58 , SB35 , SB65 , SB215 , SB246 , SB249 , SB269 , SB282 , SB296 , SB323 , SB363 , SB369 , SB474 , SB490 , SB492 , SB500 , SB514 , HCR32 , HCR5 , HCR95 , HB75 , HB198 , HB244 , HB302 , HB325 , HB623 , HB719 , HB749 , HB755 , HB761 , HB797 , HB823 , HB1028 , HB1049 , HB1194 , HB1199 , HB1201 , HB1222 , HB17 , HB27 , HB36 , HB41 , HB73 , HB140 , HB166 , HB181 , HB211 , HB223 , HB226 , HB271 , HB308 , HB337 , HB399 , HB410 , HB487 , HB690 , HB712 , HB730 , HB750 , HB759 , HB762 , HB775 , HB906 , HB966 , HB968 , HB1006 , HB1009 , HB1018 , HB1036 , HB1062 , HB1081 , HB1086 , HB1098 , HB1107 , HB1112 , HB1203 , HB1215 , HB1220 , HB1242 , HB1252 , HB1256 , SB208 , SB217 , SB274 , SB283 , SB300 , SB341 , SB382 , SB387 , SB389 , SB401 , SB408 , SB449 , SB469 , HB74 , HB119 , HB134 , HB368 , HB414 , HB552 , HB732 , HB776 , HB848 , HB870 , HB953 , HB956 , HB1117 , HB1236 , SB29 , SB42 , SB43 , SB78 , SB149 , SB441 , HB210 , HB258 , HB359 , HB468 , HB784

Keywords: logging, recognition, John Keith, environment, safety, Mississippi River bridge, Trump Expressway, transportation, federal funding, Louisiana highways, injection wells, public hearing, geologic sequestration, environmental impact, public comment, HCR117, House Concurrent Resolution 117, HOPE Committee, Homeowner Protection and Efficiency, Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> decisions or influence court rulings. decisions or influence court rulings.
• </c> structure that governs judges. structure that governs judges.
• , so rule 114.
• , so rule 114.
• Um, but other uh rules, so rule 114.

Bills: HF3560 , HF3295 , HF2937 , HF3540

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: electronic signatures, estate planning, uniform law, legal documents, Minnesota statutes, open meeting law, transparency, public engagement, social media, government accountability, parenting consultant, parenting time, custody, family court, family law, neutral third party, alternative dispute resolution, child custody, visitation, parenting coordinator

Transcript Highlights:

• What we really need to focus on is structural on the job.
• One benefit of the new system will be that it automates rules, and automated rules will require adherence
• We're also here to enforce the Title VIII rules and regulations.
• We are here to develop new rules and... ...here to enforce the Title VIII rules and regulations.
• at whether our structure, our organizational structure, is adequate for handling the letter investigations

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:

• If you set that rule today, you'd hate to be a farmer in St. Charles, right?
• If you set that rule today, you'd hate to be a farmer in St. Charles, right?
• I think if there's a structure of one, I think it looks more like his.
• Louis structure quite a bit.
• This sets the base structure for it. Yes.

Committee: House Special Committee on Property Tax Reform

Summary: The Special Committee on Property Tax Reform opened with no quorum present, so the planned executive session was canceled and action on two committee bills was delayed for a week. The chair explained that proposed changes involving the blind pension fund would be removed because the budget could not absorb the cost at this time, though the committee would continue to study the issue. The committee then moved to public presentations on House Bills 2671 and 2709, both focused on property tax reform by requiring levies to be calculated separately by subclass of property—residential, commercial, agricultural, and personal property—rather than as a blended district-wide levy. Sponsors said this would reduce tax shifting between classes and make Hancock rollback protections work more directly by subclass; one bill also included ballot language requiring tax impacts to be stated per $100,000 of value and disclosure of loan purposes on bond questions. Members raised concerns about constitutional single-subject issues, administrative burden on assessors and auditors, and whether separate levies could create problems in small jurisdictions with very few properties in a class. The sponsors and supporters responded that the bills were clarifications intended to align with Hancock, that counties already have subclass data, and that the State Auditor’s office and assessors could implement the changes with some added work. Support testimony came from the Boone County Assessor and Missouri State Assessors Association, who said subclass levies would better reflect reassessment impacts and would have reduced the residential tax increase in Boone County. The State Tax Commission’s representative also supported the concept and suggested additional reforms, including appeal-process changes and broader Hancock-related adjustments. The committee then heard House Bill 2925, which would create a standardized ballot language section for property tax levy questions and update numerous existing statutes to point to that new format. The sponsor said the bill is aimed at transparency and informed consent, requiring ballots to identify who is taxing, for how long, for what purpose, whether debt is involved, and the dollar impact per $100,000 of assessed value. Members generally supported clearer ballot language but questioned a provision requiring property tax questions to appear on November general election ballots, citing concerns about longer ballots, voter fatigue, and increased burdens on election authorities and poll workers. Missouri Association of Counties testified in opposition to that election-timing requirement, while not taking a position on the rest of the bill. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after testimony and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so it's volatility, it's one-time money, and the kind of structural budget deficit.
• Okay, so it's volatility, it's one-time money, and the kind of structural budget deficit.
• Doug talked at length about the structure of changes in MassHealth.
• So I don't know of a rule of thumb that would help with, like, what's the bottom.
• So I don't know of a rule of thumb that would help with, like, what's the bottom.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs

Summary: The committee heard testimony from Doug Howe of the Mass Taxpayers Foundation and Evan Horowitz of Tufts on the fiscal effects of federal policy changes, especially the OB3 reconciliation law, federal shutdown risks, and Massachusetts budget planning. Howe outlined a framework of direct and indirect federal impacts on the state budget, capital program, and grant funding, emphasizing uncertainty around Medicaid, SNAP, LIHEAP, immigration, NIH funding, and federal tax changes. He said OB3 is expected to reduce federal health spending in Massachusetts by about $3 billion annually when fully implemented, with an estimated 250,000 to 300,000 people losing coverage, and could shift up to $400 million in annual SNAP costs to the state if Massachusetts’ error rate remains above the federal threshold. He also discussed the governor’s proposal to delay conformity with certain federal tax changes and to expand the pass-through entity tax to offset revenue losses. Members questioned the witnesses about SNAP error rates, unemployment insurance, the use of the stabilization fund, and whether the state should adopt a Maryland-style delay in implementing federal tax changes. Howe argued the stabilization fund should not be used to backfill permanent obligations, but could be used for temporary crises, and said the state should improve data-sharing and administrative systems so eligible residents do not lose MassHealth or other benefits because of paperwork barriers. He also said unemployment insurance remains a major problem and that a broader fix should include benefit, tax, and possibly state contributions. Horowitz took a more aggressive view on using reserves for urgent needs like SNAP, argued the state should harden its budget against volatility, and warned that Massachusetts is increasingly exposed to stock-market-driven revenue swings and to a possible income tax ballot question that could significantly reduce revenues. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, and the chair asked both witnesses for follow-up written recommendations, especially on system integration and accountability.

Transcript Highlights:

• To briefly explain this initiative and how it is structured, the Office of Special Education developed
• The structure was reinforced in both written materials and direct LEA communication.
• Stakeholders emphasize the need for clear, consistent structure that is easy for districts to implement
• When this, uh, ruling came out in 2019.
• On behalf of the plaintiff that the judge ruled.

Transcript Highlights:

• As chair of the committee and in accordance with Senate rules, this committee is authorized to meet in
• As chair of the committee and in accordance with Senate rules, this committee is authorized to meet in
• He also said the bill strengthens enforcement by establishing a clear penalty structure with escalating
• It also strengthens enforcement by establishing a clear penalty structure with escalating consequences
• And then you decide whether or not they can hook up. ...rules are until after they build the building

Committee: Senate Environment, Energy & Transportation

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on energy, public safety, and environmental cleanup. House Bill 455 would create a historic preservation license plate to raise funds and awareness for Delaware preservation efforts, and House Bill 471 would tighten rules and penalties for off-highway vehicles on shared private roads, with golf carts excluded. House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill 439, the Truth in E-Bike Marketing Act, would require clearer disclosures when selling electric mopeds and electric motorcycles so consumers understand classification, power, and licensing/insurance requirements. House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill 407, related to the Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act and brownfields, would shift funding for brownfield cleanup from the original realty transfer tax approach to a dedicated share of the hazardous substance cleanup fund and raise civil penalties for fraudulent acts. The committee also approved the June 18, 2026 minutes once quorum was reached. Most of the meeting centered on House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill 233, as amended, a large-load/data center bill intended to protect ratepayers from costs tied to massive new electricity users. The sponsor and Public Advocate said PJM’s warnings about a coming reliability backstop auction made it urgent to establish a Delaware framework now, requiring large energy users to sign utility agreements, cover their share of transmission, distribution, and capacity costs, and comply with curtailment and other protections. Supporters from environmental groups and some labor and business voices said the bill was needed to prevent cost shifts to households and small businesses, while opponents argued it was being rushed, could deter investment, and might unintentionally affect other industries; several asked for more time and clearer definitions. No vote was taken in the portion provided. The committee also took up House Bill 470, which would authorize Delmarva Power, with PSC approval, to build and operate utility-owned battery storage and spread costs across the customer base. The sponsor and Delmarva said the bill would improve reliability quickly and help avoid outages, while the chair expressed concern that the state had not yet fully studied whether utility-owned or competitively procured storage is the best model, noting a recent SEU storage study and broader policy questions. Supporters said utility storage could be deployed faster and help with peak shaving, while others urged a competitive process; the transcript cuts off before any final action on HB 470.

Transcript Highlights:

• Non-compliant parcels can contribute to structure-to-structure ignition, increase fire spread, and threaten
• Non-compliant parcels can contribute to structure-to-structure ignition, increase fire spread, and threaten
• Non-compliant parcels can contribute to structure-to-structure ignition, increase fire spread, and threaten
• the entire neighborhood. ...contribute to structure-to-structure ignition, increase fire spread, and
• that we'd like to think are the good rules.

Summary: The committee heard several bills. SB 911, by Senator Becker, would require notification and verification of defensible-space compliance when homes in high wildfire severity zones are transferred, using the preliminary change of ownership report; supporters said it would improve wildfire resilience and insurance availability, while county assessors opposed the use of the PCOR and urged a different recorded document. Members generally supported the bill but raised concerns about the 12-month compliance window and the need to keep working with assessors; the bill was held pending a quorum and later placed on call. SB 1016, by Senator Blakespear, would create a pathway for a higher-level mental health evaluation when a Care Court petition is dismissed because the person is too ill to participate or otherwise needs more intensive care. Supporters, including psychiatrists, family members, and local officials, said Care Court is leaving many severely ill people untreated and that the bill would connect them to existing LPS processes. Opponents, including Disability Rights California, county behavioral health directors, counties, and other advocacy groups, argued it would expand involuntary detention, bypass existing pre-petition screening safeguards, and undermine Care Court’s voluntary nature. The bill passed the committee on a roll call vote and was placed on call. SB 1112, by Senator Archuleta, would create a faster court process for victims of illegal or excessive “bandit towing” to recover their vehicles by posting a bond and obtaining a release certificate. Support came from Enterprise Mobility and the author, who said the bill targets bad actors and helps equalize leverage for vehicle owners; the California Auto Body Association sought an amendment to exclude auto repair shops. The committee passed the bill as amended to Appropriations and placed it on call. SB 1119, by Senator Padilla, would impose child-safety requirements on AI chatbots, including risk assessments, crisis-response protocols, parental controls, limits on time and data use, reporting, audits, and a private right of action. The bill was driven by testimony from the mother of a teenager who died by suicide after prolonged chatbot interactions; industry and business groups opposed or sought amendments, citing overlap with recent law, vague standards, and prescriptive design mandates. Members expressed strong support for the bill’s goals while urging tighter definitions, and the bill was moved on a roll call vote and placed on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that decision of how schools structure parent-teacher... ...being paid.
• And that decision of how schools structure parent-teacher conferences would be up to the district.
• And so they will,... ...how they want to structure parent-teacher conferences.
• Others could eventually qualify for that, based on the rules.
• I guess we'll have to wait for rules from DHS. Follow up. Thank you. Well, thanks.

Bills: HB3622 , HB3621 , HB3151 , HB3882 , HB3661 , HB4273 , HB3644 , HB3706 , HB3708 , HB2021 , HB3986 , HB3972

Committee: House Appropriations and Budget

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several bills, beginning with HB 3622 and HB 3621, both related to census and state data functions. HB 3622, as amended, removed direct appropriation language and would let Department of Commerce staff carry out census-related duties such as updating local census addresses and upgrading technology. HB 3621 would recreate the State Data Center at the Legislative Service Bureau to coordinate census-related programs across agencies such as Commerce, Tax, and others; both bills received unanimous or near-unanimous support and were reported out due pass. A lengthy portion of the meeting focused on HB 3151, which would redefine instructional days so that only time students are actually in the classroom counts toward the instructional minimum, excluding professional development and parent-teacher conference time. The author argued the bill would close Oklahoma’s instructional-time gap and improve outcomes, while members raised concerns about funding, teacher pay, contract negotiations, and how districts would absorb the change. After debate, the bill passed 19-7. The committee also advanced HB 3706, which sets minimum elementary math instruction standards and expands math screening requirements, and HB 3708, which would allow private schools to use scholarship-granting organization funds for capital improvements to increase instructional capacity; both drew questions about funding, scheduling, and the scope of the programs but were reported out due pass. Other measures approved included HB 3661, extending a sunset on a timber equipment tax provision; HB 3882, creating a revolving fund for ODOT’s lake access and industrial access grants; HB 4273, extending a tax credit to certain aerospace engineers at an ARM 1 higher education institution; HB 3644, tied to medical training and best practices after a fatal misdiagnosis; HB 2021, creating a DHS grant program for out-of-school programming, with discussion centered on whether it would effectively favor Boys and Girls Clubs and exclude other providers; HB 3986, extending a sunset; and HB 3972, cleanup language related to the Comanche County prison purchase. Most bills passed with strong support, and the meeting adjourned after the final votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:14:18.400><c> the</c> entering rule making with new rules the entering rule making with new rules
• Um we do have some rules health parody. Um we do have some rules in<01:17:22.000><c> place.
• </c> we would use the same structure. we would use the same structure.
• It's a different tax structure.
• It's a different tax structure.

Committee: House Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> hearing, but to issue a ruling. hearing, but to issue a ruling.
• </c> I made a ruling on the matter. I made a ruling on the matter.
• And making a ruling on Right.
• </c> rules during the course of the permit? rules during the course of the permit?
• </c> rules and Department of Justice rules. rules and Department of Justice rules.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• The recommendation is for the Rules Committee.
• The recommendation is the Rules Committee.
• The network 15-mile rule is unrealistic.
• or guidelines are treated as inflexible rules.
• or guidelines are treated as inflexible rules.

Summary: The committee first held a public hearing on Senate Bill 6136, which would require Labor and Industries to publish actuarial indicated workers’ compensation rates for each risk class and disclose when rate increases are capped below those indicated levels. The sponsor and supporters from the hospitality, retail, business, and construction sectors said the bill would improve transparency about how rates are set and how reserve funds and investment earnings are used to hold down premiums. L&I testified that the bill would require publication of a large amount of rate-setting information, but said it was already developed in the normal process and that the bill had no fiscal impact. Questions focused on reserve use, advisory committee involvement, and how the actuarial calculations interact with investment returns. The committee then moved to executive session and took action on several bills, adopting substitutes or amendments and advancing bills including SB 5292, 6014, 5972, 5869, 5874, 6058, 6039, 5944, and 6180, with most sent to Rules and SB 5292 sent to Ways and Means. The committee then heard Senate Bill 5847, which would expand injured workers’ access to medical care by allowing treatment outside the L&I provider network when no provider is available nearby, limiting employer steering to specific providers, shortening utilization review timelines, allowing provider deviation from L&I guidelines when medically appropriate, and expanding continued treatment and cancer monitoring. Labor and worker advocates argued the bill would better reflect the Murray decision and reduce delays in care, while L&I and employer groups said the current evidence-based guideline system works for most claims and warned the bill could weaken quality controls, create vague standards, and increase costs. Testimony also raised concerns about the 15-mile access rule, the employer communication restrictions, and the appeal process for provider removal. The sponsor said the goal was to improve individualized care and continue working with stakeholders. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 6067, which would change workers’ compensation time-loss calculations so that 100% of the employer-paid health insurance contribution is included in the benefit calculation instead of the current partial inclusion. Supporters said the bill would help injured workers keep health coverage during recovery and reduce pressure to choose between medical care and income, while opponents argued it would not guarantee the money is actually used for health insurance, could be diverted to other uses or attorney fees, and would significantly increase costs for employers and the accident fund. L&I said the bill would require IT and administrative changes and estimated substantial ongoing benefit costs. The hearing ended without further action on SB 6067, and the chair closed the session after public testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• rules.
• Worthington start her presentation of these rules.
• That is an existing rule at this point in time.
• That is an existing rule at this point in time.
• throughout it, so IOGA is neutral on the rules.

Committee: House Resources and Conservation

Transcript Highlights:

• It directs the UTC to adopt rules to establish reporting requirements for affected market customers to
• So it would depend on how it was structured, Senator Short.
• However, Ecology is currently undergoing rulemaking and recently released draft rules exempting those
• And so this is what this bill would, in essence, do: direct Ecology to make rules to deal with this,
• We expect that rule to be adopted and take effect by the fall of 2026.

Bills: SB5982 , SB6008 , SB6050 , SB6056

Committee: Senate Environment, Energy & Technology

Keywords: consumer-owned utilities, clean energy, port districts, market customers, energy transformation, energy storage, residential battery, grid connection, renewable energy, incentives, distributed energy, renewable resources, energy policy, sustainable energy, state regulations, utility vehicles, emission standards, environment, regulation, exemptions

Transcript Highlights:

• patience folks, we just want to make sure that members are able to get here so that we can adopt the rules
• Right now we're going to go ahead and adopt the committee's rules for the session and when my chair gets
• Our next order of business is the adoption of the committee rules. Is there a motion and a second?
• On the adoption of the rules, Ransom? Aye. Ransom, aye. Hedwick? Arambula? Aye. Arambula, aye.
• We've gone down and seen the fires and seen structures that were, the difference between structures that

Committee: House Emergency Management

Transcript Highlights:

• I wish it was structured in a different way so we could minimize our structural debt and our debt payment
• I wish it was structured in a different way so we could minimize our structural debt and our debt payments
• It cut the structural deficit in half.
• She was approved at the Rules Committee on a 5-0 vote.
• Under motions and resolutions, members, I move to suspend the joint rules and Senate rules as they relate

Transcript Highlights:

• Our residential child care rules we have approximately 1,495 of those rules for our residential providers
• Talking specifically about the federal rules for kinship as well as the rider.
• and carry over to to foster home rules.
• for participation are. and to scrupulously obey those rules.
• It's really hard to have that structure in place.

Committee: House Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Our policy and advocacy work is largely focused on that structural piece.
• So we do sponsor bills, we do advocate for bills, we do weigh in on rule changes, we do oppose bills
• Most recently, OMB issued hundreds of pages of new rules and guidance that were seen by the public.
• I will also just note that this is a municipal structure, and I'll share a little bit more about some
• And as I mentioned on the outset, right, this is a municipal structure.

Summary: The joint Senate and Assembly Select Committee on the nonprofit sector held a hearing focused on the importance of California’s nonprofit sector and how state systems can better support it. Chair and co-chair remarks emphasized that nonprofits are essential to the state’s economy and public services, especially as federal cuts and administrative burdens increase pressure on organizations that deliver health care, food assistance, homelessness services, disaster response, and other safety-net functions. CalNonprofits CEO Jeff Green described the sector’s size and complexity, citing roughly 110,000 nonprofits in California, about 1.4 to 1.5 million nonprofit workers, and major concerns about funding uncertainty, delayed reimbursements, and federal threats to nonprofit funding and nonpartisanship. He said many organizations are being forced to use reserves, reduce services, or take out loans while waiting for state payments. The Little Hoover Commission presented findings from its study of state grant and contract administration, arguing that nonprofits often subsidize state services because of late payments, insufficient advance funding, and inadequate reimbursement for overhead. The commission recommended requiring advance payments, expanding prompt-payment protections, matching federal indirect-cost rates, standardizing emergency contract amendments, creating an Office of Nonprofit Empowerment, reducing duplicative reporting, moving to electronic payments, improving feedback to unsuccessful applicants, and using longer grant periods. Committee members expressed support for these ideas and discussed shifting state contracting culture toward outcomes and better coordination. The commission also noted that SB 1240, which would create the Office of Nonprofit Empowerment, and SB 1366, related to payment delays, align with its recommendations. The Attorney General’s Charitable Trusts Section then outlined its rollout of a new online filing system for charities and charitable fundraisers. Elizabeth Kim said the system, launched in stages beginning in 2024, is intended to replace paper filings, reduce incomplete submissions and bounced checks, and speed processing; the final phase is expected to cover renewals, delinquency, raffles, professional fundraisers, dissolution, and complaints. Committee members asked about staffing impacts and complaint handling, and DOJ explained that complaints are reviewed based on allegations, public filings, and, when needed, requests for additional information. A final panel featured Matt Gonzalez of Nonprofit New York, who described New York City’s Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services as a model for reducing contract backlogs, increasing advance payments, and improving coordination through ombudsman-style support and chief nonprofit officers. Public commenters from the California Alliance of Child and Family Services, SEIU, and CalNonprofits urged support for stronger state-nonprofit partnerships, transparency, and modernization of contracting systems. No formal vote was taken; the hearing concluded after testimony and public comment.