Video & Transcript : 'natural disaster' :
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CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Emergency Management Committee Jun 30th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- As we know, natural disasters are becoming more frequent and more severe all across the state of California
- Act to equip local governments with tools to proactively plan for disasters.
- Act to equip local governments with tools to proactively plan for disasters.
- should a disaster occur.
- These disaster recovery plans would provide local agencies the ability.
Summary:
The Senate Emergency Management Committee heard several wildfire, disaster recovery, and behavioral health bills. AB 1960 would allow Cal Fire wildfire prevention grants to fund community-level home hardening projects, and AB 1964 would require the State Fire Marshal to survey the number of homes needing upgrades to very high fire-hardening standards and estimate the cost. Supporters for both bills included Fire Aside, Megafire Action, the Orange County Fire Authority, and the Nature Conservancy; there was no opposition. Committee members praised the community-focused approach and the need to better measure progress on home hardening.
The committee also heard AB 2385, which would clarify state law so local governments can create local reconstruction agencies and plan disaster recovery in advance, with model ordinances and technical assistance from state agencies. The League of California Cities supported the bill, saying it would help cities and counties recover more quickly and orderly after disasters; members cited the Blue Ribbon Commission’s recommendations and urged preserving the bill’s authorities. No opposition was heard.
AB 2093, a cleanup and governance bill for California’s 988 crisis response system, would address implementation problems from AB 988, including unclear leadership, coordination gaps between 988 and 911, and funding structure issues. The Steinberg Institute and several behavioral health and advocacy organizations supported the measure, while the County Behavioral Health Directors Association opposed unless amended. After discussion, the committee voted to pass the consent calendar and all four bills—AB 1960, AB 1964, AB 2093, and AB 2385—to the Appropriations Committee, with each measure ultimately reported out on unanimous or near-unanimous votes.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee Mar 12th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm the California Director at the Natural Resources Defense Council.
- I'm the California Director at the Natural Resources Defense Council.
- disasters in the future.
- disaster strikes again.
- disaster.
Summary:
The committee heard a series of housing and wildfire-recovery bills, with members repeatedly framing the package as a response to the Los Angeles fires and the state’s broader housing affordability crisis. AB 306, by Assembly Member Schultz, would place a six-year moratorium on new residential building-code updates and local code modifications except for health-and-safety emergencies. Supporters argued it would reduce costs and provide certainty for rebuilding and new housing production, while opponents from environmental, clean-energy, and labor groups warned it would freeze beneficial code improvements, delay innovation, and limit local control. Despite those concerns, several members said they would support the bill while seeking amendments, and the committee voted it out on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations.
The committee also approved AB 301, which would require state agencies to follow shot-clock style deadlines for reviewing building permits, and AB 253, which would allow licensed third-party professionals to conduct certain post-entitlement permit reviews if local departments take more than 30 days. Supporters said both bills would reduce delays, lower costs, and speed rebuilding and housing production; some members emphasized that safety reviews must remain intact. AB 301 passed on a due pass vote to Appropriations, and AB 253 passed 8-0 to Local Government.
AB 462, by Assembly Member Lowenthal, would exempt accessory dwelling units in Los Angeles County’s coastal zone from coastal development permit requirements, with the goal of speeding ADU construction for disaster recovery and housing supply. Supporters said ADUs are a proven tool and that the bill would help displaced residents and future coastal disaster areas; one member of the public opposed the bill, arguing ADU proliferation can change neighborhood conditions. The committee sent AB 462 to Appropriations on an 8-0 vote. The final bill discussed, AB 299, would let disaster-displaced families stay in hotels, motels, and short-term rentals for more than 30 days without triggering landlord-tenant rules, mirroring an earlier homelessness-related law; the transcript ended as the author began presenting the bill and its support.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Appropriations Committee Mar 19th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- That everyone's circumstances are different after a disaster.
- AB 597 is a bill that strengthens consumer protections for Californians after disasters.
- disasters in the future.
- disasters in the future.
- disaster strikes again.
Summary:
The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on March 19, 2025, adopted its committee rules unanimously, and then heard a series of housing, insurance, and disaster-recovery bills. Early bills focused on wildfire relief and insurance issues, including AB 238 on mortgage forbearance for Los Angeles County wildfire survivors, AB 493 on insurance payout interest for homeowners, AB 597 on consumer protections after disasters, and AB 226 on strengthening the California FAIR Plan’s liquidity tools. Supporters generally framed these measures as necessary protections for disaster survivors and market stability, while opponents and concerned witnesses raised issues such as investor guidelines, compliance conflicts, and market disruption. Several members also noted equity concerns and the need to balance relief with consistency across the state.
The committee also heard a cluster of housing-production bills. AB 306 proposed a six-year pause on new state building code updates affecting residential construction and limits on local code modifications, drawing strong support from housing and building industry groups who argued it would reduce costs and improve predictability. It also drew opposition from code, environmental, and clean-energy advocates, who warned about safety, local control, and the loss of important code updates. AB 253 would allow licensed third-party professionals to perform plan checks if local review takes 30 days or more, and AB 301 would impose state-agency permitting timelines similar to those already applied to local governments; both were presented as ways to reduce delays and speed housing development. AB 462 would exempt ADU construction from coastal development permit requirements in Los Angeles County, especially to aid fire recovery and expand housing supply.
After hearing testimony and brief member discussion on each measure, the committee placed the bills on suspense or advanced them as appropriate. In the suspense hearing at the end of the meeting, the committee took up the suspense-file bills and reported AB 226, AB 238, AB 301, and AB 306 out with due pass recommendations on roll call votes. The meeting then adjourned.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Rules Committee Jan 14th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- To bring emergency management and disaster response experience back home in two ways.
- One is that, as some of you may know, EMSA has a role in disaster response throughout the state.
- And if there's a known impending disaster—a flood, fire—how do you pre-position help?
- disasters we have the best way to get to them, but also to help them.
- And certainly during natural disasters, what is already hard to get to or, you know, takes a little longer
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Rules convened, established quorum, and first approved several governor’s appointments not required to appear: Courtney Welsh to the California Housing Partnership Corporation Board, Janessa Goldbeck to the California Veterans Board, and Tom Huntington to the State Parks and Recreation Commission, each by 3-0 vote. The committee also approved reference of bills to committees, the 2026 committee chair/member assignments, the 2026 session schedule, the 2026 holiday schedule, and floor acknowledgments, all by unanimous votes.
The committee then heard and advanced two appointments requiring testimony. Dr. Hernando Garzon, nominated as chief medical officer for the Emergency Medical Services Authority, discussed his background in emergency medicine, disaster response, EMS data modernization, local flexibility within statewide standards, ambulance offload time regulations, stakeholder engagement, and alternatives to emergency transport such as community paramedicine and telehealth. Members pressed him on strategic planning, rural and climate-related disaster response, ambulance rate reporting, and how EMSA can better protect vulnerable people during evacuations; his appointment was approved 4-0 and sent to the Senate floor.
Stephanie Weldon, nominated as Deputy Director of the Office of Health Equity at the Department of Public Health, described her tribal background, prior public service, and focus on health equity, behavioral health, tribal consultation, data, and community-led programs. Senators asked about measuring outcomes, serving rural communities, balancing equity work amid federal DEI opposition, youth mental health, and preventing fraud or waste through transparency. Public commenters, including tribal, health, and community advocates, strongly supported her nomination. Her appointment was also approved 4-0 and forwarded to the full Senate.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee May 12th, 2026
Energy, Utilities and Communications
Transcript Highlights:
- I want to say that underneath these numbers are real people, disaster survivors.
- Workers see the problems before those problems escalate into disasters.
- But I think we also have an obligation to fix the broader problem, which is disasters.
- disaster are common and create significant financial burdens for survivors.
- My name is Marquis, and I'm with the Natural Resources Defense Council.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Judiciary Committee Apr 28th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- This dynamic is often described as disaster capitalism and has occurred in several post-disaster communities
- This dynamic is often described as disaster capitalism and has occurred in several post-disaster. as
- disaster capitalism and has occurred in several post-disaster communities.
- As California communities continue to face disasters, SB 1090 establishes long-term protections for disaster-impacted
- As California communities continue to face disasters, SB 1090 establishes long-term protections for disaster-impacted
Summary:
The Senate Judiciary Committee heard several bills focused on health care planning, mental health, housing, homeowners associations, groundwater enforcement, pet-friendly rental disclosures, and post-disaster property protections. SB 1088 would modernize POLST and DNR forms by renaming POLST to “portable orders for life-sustaining treatment,” allowing nurse practitioners and physician assistants to sign, clarifying that the forms are voluntary, recognizing out-of-state forms, and permitting electronic signatures. It drew support from the Coalition for Compassionate Care and related groups and no opposition was presented. SB 1242 would allow family members who originally petitioned in CARE Court to continue participating for care coordination and information-sharing, subject to judicial discretion; supporters said it would improve treatment coordination, while Disability Rights California opposed it as coercive and a threat to confidentiality. The committee voted 7-0 to pass SB 1242, and it was placed on call.
The committee also considered SB 1007, which would require more HOA transparency, including clearer budget comparisons and disclosure of evidence for violations, and would lower the threshold for regular assessment increases without a homeowner vote. Supporters argued it would curb steep fee hikes and improve accountability, while HOA industry groups warned it could undermine funding for insurance, maintenance, and other operating costs. Members raised concerns about the cap on assessments, but the bill advanced on a 6-1 vote and was placed on call. SB 1364, as amended, would bar custody or visitation rights for a person who impregnated a survivor through sexual assault, using a clear-and-convincing evidence standard rather than requiring a criminal conviction; supporters said it protects survivors and may increase federal funding, while opponents argued it could deny children a relationship with a parent. The bill passed 8-0 and was placed on call.
Additional measures included SB 997, which would give the North Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency lien authority to enforce fees and sustainability rules; it had support from local water, farm, and county representatives and passed 9-0. SB 1296 would require landlords to disclose pet policies up front in applications, ads, and websites and allow application-fee refunds if disclosure was not made before payment; supporters said it would reduce wasted fees and pet relinquishment, while rental housing groups raised concerns about signage, ADA language, and vaccination disclosures. The bill passed 8-0 and was placed on call. Finally, SB 1090 would prohibit large property owners from making unsolicited purchase offers for five years in wildfire disaster areas, aiming to curb post-disaster speculation; supporters described aggressive investor pressure after the Eaton and Palisades fires, while real estate and title groups raised implementation and enforcement concerns. The committee was still discussing the bill when the transcript ended.
MO
Transcript Highlights:
- And what does occur is that when there's a natural disaster, there are a lot of different contractors
- Second issue is this disaster mediation program.
- And so that, in essence, in the event of a declaration of a natural disaster, that this mediation program
- And so that, in essence, in the event of a declaration of a natural disaster, that this, event of a declaration
- of a natural disaster that this mediation program would spring to life, and that if you, the consumer
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
PBS/WAL Public Hearing - Wed Mar 19, 2025 @ 10:30 AM HST
Transcript Highlights:
- All right, moving on to Senate Bill 414, relating to restoring access to disaster-affected areas.
- Testimony and support from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
- </c> relating to restoring access to disaster relating to restoring access to disaster affected<00:35
- disasters.
- disasters.
Summary:
The committee met on March 19, 2025, and heard testimony on several measures before taking up decision-making. Senate Bill 1381, relating to the Hawaii National Guard, received support from the Department of Defense and other testifiers and was recommended to pass as is. Senate Bill 422, relating to education and high school diplomas for veterans, also drew support from the Department of Education, the Military Affairs Council, and the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, and was recommended to pass as is. Senate Bill 414, relating to restoring access to disaster-affected areas in Lahaina, was discussed with testimony from HHFDC and others; members agreed to amend the bill to refer to the Department of Transportation as the acquiring agency, and the measure was recommended to pass with amendments.
The committee then considered Senate Bill 223, relating to fire prevention. The Department of Land and Natural Resources supported the bill but recommended changes to make the wildland-urban interface code a matter for the State Fire Council/State Fire Marshal rather than statute, and noted it lacked authority to mandate fuel reduction work on lands outside its control. Members also discussed community fuel reduction funding, with DLNR indicating that $10 million would be an effective amount and describing current funding for equipment, outreach, and positions. The chair proposed amendments to make fuel reduction on non-set-aside lands permissive rather than mandatory, to allow the State Fire Council to amend the state fire code to include easement holders, and to note a defective date and the funding request in the committee report. The bill was recommended to pass with amendments, with one member voting with reservations.
In a later decision-making session, the committee considered Senate Bill 1379, relating to emergency preparedness and Community Readiness Centers, and Senate Bill 371, relating to property damage of critical infrastructure facilities. For SB 1379, the chair proposed an HD1 incorporating the Hawaii Advisory Council on Emergency Management and county emergency management in site-selection criteria, adding geographic resilience considerations, changing the defective date, and noting $10.8 million for site design plus $1.2 million for contract support; the bill passed with amendments, with reservations from some members over county input and funding. For SB 371, the chair amended the bill to remove recklessly/negligently causing damage and require intentional conduct throughout, while leaving other issues for Judiciary review; the bill passed with amendments, with at least one member voting with reservations.
LA
Transcript Highlights:
- We have not been spared very much in this state when it comes to natural disasters.
- We have not been spared very much in this state when it comes to natural disasters, but I will tell you
- It's not quick recovery for natural disasters.
- Overstep its conventional boundaries, invade our land, and spread chaos and disaster.
- If you need any sort of disaster or recovery items, you must go through the parish OEP.
Bills:
HB410, HR310, HR314, HR316, HR317, HR321, HR275, HR276, HR279, HR282, HR286, HR289, HR292, HR295, HR302, HR319, HR307, HR273, SCR59, SCR61, SCR62, SCR68, SCR69, SCR70, SCR54, SCR55, SCR64, SCR75, HCR32, HB776, HB42, HB119, HB159, HB302, HB1017, HB1028, SB217, SB283, HB953, SB208, HR74, HB998, HB901, HR20, HCR65, HCR71, HCR98, HB284, HB306, HB341, HB366, HB393, HB458, HB577, HB603, HB605, HB614, HB625, HB646, HB733, HB752, HB773, HB798, HB911, HB955, HB996, HB1035, HB1069, HB1113, HB1140, HB1180, HB1191, HB1240, HB1255, SB82, SB89, SB97, SB123, SB237, HB36, HB74, HB75, HB258, HB259, HB414, HB459, HB784, HB848, HB956, HB1095, HB1220, HB1252, SB469, SB479
Keywords:
recording, privacy, notification, direct conversation, law enforcement, first responder, penalties, oil and gas, orphan wells, inactive wells, shut-in wells, marginal wells, plugging and abandonment, well decommissioning, site remediation, site restoration, Oilfield Site Restoration, OSR program, financial security, bonding
Summary:
The House convened with a quorum, opened with prayer, the pledge, and a national anthem performance, then moved through several personal privileges and recognitions. Members welcomed a student cancer survivor and entrepreneur, Bella of Brave Bella Bead Company, and also recognized a new legislative assistant, a page leaving for college, and a resolution honoring National Mississippi River Day. The chamber also received conference committee reports and enrollment reports, and returned some previously failed measures to the calendar, including H.R. 119 and H.B. 410.
The main floor action centered on a series of Senate concurrent resolutions, most of which were adopted overwhelmingly. These included SCR 59 on re-evaluating flood maps and insurance rates tied to the Comite River Diversion Canal, SCR 61 urging higher reimbursement for behavioral health crisis centers, SCR 62 calling for review of school-zone safety and speed limits, SCR 68 creating a blockchain and digital innovation task force, SCR 69 encouraging continued research to reduce sugarcane burning, SCR 70 supporting the Major Richard Star Act for medically retired combat-wounded veterans, SCR 54 supporting the Mississippi River Basin Fishery Commission Act, SCR 55 designating the Peggy Martin Rose as the official state rose, SCR 64 creating a construction manager-at-risk task force, SCR 75 studying a Louisiana maneuvers museum and trail, and SCR 80 creating a task force on the minimum foundation program and long-term teacher pay funding. Most passed with little or no opposition, with SCR 84 on earthquake seismic activity in several parishes amended to adjust task force membership before final adoption.
The House also heard a personal privilege statement honoring the late Ponder P.C. Clinton Jr., a noted Black farmer, cattleman, and community leader in Shreveport’s Cedar Grove neighborhood, and expressed condolences to his family. Later, members received a hurricane-season reminder from Rep. Jay Galle about disaster response procedures and the need to work through parish emergency offices. The transcript ends as the House moves into additional concurrent resolutions returned from the Senate with amendments.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee Jul 1st, 2026
Housing and Community Development
Transcript Highlights:
- This dynamic can be referred to as disaster capitalism and has occurred in several post-disaster communities
- up housing costs, eliminating naturally occurring affordable housing, permanently displacing disaster
- Following a major disaster, communities like Altadena are vulnerable to prospective displacement and
- The threat of post-disaster... ...homeownership as compared to the rest of the state.
- as unintended consequences of recent urban infill laws being used to take away housing from disaster
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- To bring emergency management and disaster response experience back home in two ways.
- One is that, as some of you may know, EMSA has a role in disaster response throughout the state.
- , and then the RDMHCs, RDMHS, which is regional disaster medical coordinators and specialists.
- disasters we have the best way to get to them, but also to help them.
- tribe to develop a disaster plan and with federal response folks and representatives as well.
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Rules convened with quorum and first approved several governor’s appointments not required to appear, including Courtney Welsh to the California Housing Partnership Corporation Board, Janessa Goldbeck to the California Veterans Board, and Tom Huntington to the State Parks and Recreation Commission, each by 3-0 vote. The committee also approved reference of bills to committees, the 2026 committee chair and membership appointments, the 2026 session schedule, the 2026 Senate holiday schedule, and floor acknowledgments, all by 4-0 votes.
The committee then heard confirmation testimony from Hernando Garzon, M.D., nominated as Chief Medical Officer of the Emergency Medical Services Authority. Senators asked about EMSA’s strategic plan, data integration, local flexibility in statewide standards, ambulance patient offload regulations, stakeholder engagement, disaster response, rural access, and alternatives to transporting 9-1-1 callers to emergency departments. Garzon emphasized data-driven decision-making, technical assistance to local EMS agencies, collaboration with hospitals and providers, and the use of community paramedicine, telehealth, and pre-positioned resources in disasters. Public commenters and members supported his confirmation, and the committee approved the appointment 4-0 for referral to the full Senate.
The committee also heard from Stephanie Weldon, nominated as Deputy Director of the Office of Health Equity at the Department of Public Health. She described her tribal background, prior state, county, tribal, and nonprofit experience, and her focus on serving communities facing health disparities. Senators questioned her about how the office sets priorities, measures outcomes, balances equity work amid political opposition to DEI language, and tailors technical assistance to rural and tribal communities. Weldon pointed to work on tribal consultation, behavioral health, youth mental health, the California Reducing Disparities Project, gender-affirming care, reproductive health, housing and climate-related supports, and community advisory boards. Numerous public witnesses, including tribal and health equity advocates, spoke in strong support, and the committee approved her appointment 4-0 for the full Senate.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans Dec 5th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- They're looking at how the disaster...
- We handle our own incidents and disasters.
- Within the disaster grants, that's your major disasters.
- Disasters don't affect everyone equally.
- Disaster resilience involves our ability to withstand, adapt to, and recover from disasters, and investing
Summary:
The committee held a work session focused on the effects of tariffs on Washington’s economy, agriculture, and small businesses, followed by updates on emergency management, cybersecurity, disaster resilience, tsunami preparedness, and World Cup security planning. Office of Financial Management economist Abdelamintrawe Trieri said tariff increases are expected to raise prices, reduce output and employment, and lower state revenue over a four-year horizon, with the hardest-hit sectors including aerospace, food and beverage manufacturing, and agriculture. Members asked about updated tariff scenarios, crop-specific impacts, inflation versus deflation in different goods, and whether some manufacturing sectors could benefit; staff said updated numbers would need to be rerun as tariff rates changed.
Washington Department of Agriculture representative Ryan Hamm described how tariffs raise costs for farm inputs such as equipment, parts, packaging, and fertilizer, while also affecting exports of key commodities like wheat, potatoes, apples, cherries, dairy, and wine. He said some sectors support tariffs on competing imports, but retaliation and market restrictions have hurt exports, especially to China and, in the wine sector, Canada. Department of Commerce representative Andrea Chartock outlined export assistance, business finance, recruitment, and industry-sector development programs, and proposed expanding tariff-resilience support through market diversification, supply-chain optimization, and efforts to attract investment and federal funding. She also noted uncertainty around delayed federal STEP funding for small business export assistance.
Emergency Management Division Director Robert Ezell warned that federal disaster and mitigation funding is becoming less reliable, citing the denied bomb cyclone disaster declaration, delays in FEMA grant processing, and possible restructuring of FEMA that could shift more responsibility to states. He said Washington may need stronger state-funded public assistance, individual assistance, and mitigation programs, along with broader coordination among state agencies and local governments. Cybersecurity staff described state efforts to support local governments through the Cybersecurity Advisory Committee, threat intelligence sharing, vulnerability assessments, and a proposed volunteer incident response team, while noting the loss of MS-ISAC funding and the importance of continued state matching funds for cybersecurity grants. Hazard mitigation and tsunami staff emphasized the need for sustained investment in flood, wildfire, earthquake, lahar, and tsunami resilience, including vertical evacuation structures and language-access outreach. Ezell also briefed the committee on World Cup security preparations and federal grants for counter-unmanned aircraft systems, explaining that the state can buy mitigation capabilities but current authority to use them remains largely federal; the committee asked follow-up questions about fan zones, training, and the meaning of drone mitigation. No votes were taken, and the meeting ended with adjournment after the presentations and questions.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Community Safety Jan 13th, 2026 at 04:00 pm
Community Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- And we saw that happen time and time and time again during this latest natural disaster.
- And we saw that happen time and time and time again during this latest natural disaster.
- disaster events that we saw during this natural disaster in December that unfortunately resulted in
- disaster events that we saw during this natural disaster in December that unfortunately resulted in
- a death and could have resulted in the death This natural disaster in December unfortunately resulted
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 5 On Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor and Transportation Mar 5th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Cal OES' role, of course, extends beyond disaster response.
- Cal OES' role, of course, extends beyond disaster response.
- Likewise, not just natural disasters, but planning continues.
- agency because we have evolving problems, and right now the biggest problems that we are having are natural-disaster-related
- First, what is the exact nature and scope of the problem?
Summary:
The committee heard an overview from Cal OES on disaster response, LA wildfire recovery, federal FEMA reimbursements, security monitoring, and the state’s 911 transition. Cal OES said its budget supports disaster preparedness and recovery, including ongoing work in Los Angeles, where it reported about 700 FEMA public assistance applications totaling roughly $1.2 billion and about $545 million in state wildfire response and recovery funding already allocated under AB 100. Members pressed for more detail on FEMA delays, hazard mitigation grants, federal event planning, and the status of Operation Stonegarden, while also raising concerns about small-disaster recovery, federal shutdown impacts, and the need for more timely reporting.
A major portion of the hearing focused on Next Generation 911. Cal OES described problems with the current regional deployment, especially call-routing and transfer failures, and said it now plans to shift to a statewide provider as an interim step, then run an open procurement for a long-term vendor. The agency said it expects to execute a bridging contract in the coming weeks, release an RFP in the second quarter of 2026, award a long-term contract in the fall, begin transitioning Los Angeles-area PSAPs ahead of the 2028 Olympics, and complete statewide migration by summer 2030. The LAO urged the Legislature to pause further implementation until it has more information on the problems, alternatives, costs, privacy/security issues, and oversight needs, and recommended quarterly and monthly reporting if the project proceeds. Several senators echoed concerns about cost, redundancy, cybersecurity, and whether the statewide model could create new risks, and the chair said she would pursue a joint oversight hearing with the Emergency Management Committee and seek input from the State Auditor.
The Department of Justice then presented its overall workload and budget pressures. DOJ highlighted its work on fentanyl enforcement, human trafficking, firearms recovery, housing enforcement, consumer protection, environmental and civil rights litigation, and a large federal litigation workload, saying it has filed 59 lawsuits against the Trump administration and won most of them. DOJ said the added federal cases and other mandates have strained existing staff, though 44 additional hires have been made. Members praised DOJ’s work on immigration, housing, and federal accountability, and asked for more information on detention facilities and staffing.
The committee also reviewed DOJ’s firearms-related budget proposals. DOJ requested funding for continued firearms IT modernization, implementation of SB 704 on firearm barrels, and a temporary shift of Bureau of Firearms costs to the General Fund. The LAO supported the IT modernization request but recommended funding SB 704 from the Dealer’s Record of Sale Special Account, with startup costs covered by a loan from the Firearm Safety and Enforcement Special Fund, and suggested limiting the General Fund shift to one year and treating it as a loan. The LAO also asked DOJ to develop a framework by January 10, 2027, for deciding which firearm and ammunition workload should be supported by fee revenue rather than the General Fund.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee Jun 24th, 2026
Housing and Community Development
Transcript Highlights:
- They lost their entire business by no fault of their own in a natural disaster.
- we know about the dangers associated with these modern disasters.
- I think that in the face of a natural disaster, that if the property owner had to still, despite it being
- But to take the disaster and then add additional burden on, if a disaster doesn't make sense to me.
- Let's all understand during a disaster that everyone is going through a crisis.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee May 13th, 2026
Utilities and Energy
Transcript Highlights:
- Every fire survivor after a disaster should have a real shot at getting home.
- And from a city perspective, when you have a major natural disaster like this, property values are held
- Largely in these disasters, they don't have to do any of that work.
- IOU-caused wildfires are not natural disasters.
- Are going to be grappling with these disasters.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- It doesn't mean we're not going to have disasters.
- We have more disasters than everybody else.
- is the length of time since the last disaster.
- program. enhancing disaster readiness statewide.
- One million of that would go to align our Disaster Assessment and Recovery (DAR) unit with disaster districts
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- This dynamic is often described as disaster capitalism and has occurred in several post-disaster communities
- This dynamic is often described as disaster capitalism and has occurred in several post-disaster. as
- disaster capitalism and has occurred in several post-disaster communities.
- As California communities continue to face disasters, SB 1090 establishes long-term protections for disaster-impacted
- As California communities continue to face disasters, SB 1090 establishes long-term protections for disaster-impacted
TX
Texas 89th 1st C.S.
Press Conference: Special Session Jul 21st, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Instead of focusing on the devastating natural disaster that just happened in our state or preparing
- I was in Leander over the weekend volunteering and the disaster is so much more unimaginable than anything
- When there's a natural disaster, Texans call our reps for help.
- disaster to be over before drawing a line right down the middle of your street.
- preparedness of the myriad of piles of legislation dealing with disaster readiness, climate change,
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
FL House Floor Session - 2026-02-11 (12:00PM Session)
Florida House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Under the amendment, the fund would be available to respond to any natural disaster...
- After the amendment, the fund would be available to respond to any natural disaster, such as a hurricane
- Hurricanes, natural disasters, and imminent threats require immediate executive action.
- If we, and thank goodness, we have not had a natural disaster in recent days.
- In 2022, we voted for this fund for natural disasters because we knew that it was too hard to get the