Transcript Highlights:

• We don't want anyone who would do harm to students to be working in our school system.
• We don't want anyone who would do harm to students to be working in our school system.
• them, including the prevention of abuse.
• The science is clear: when people can access proven prevention tools, we prevent disease, not just treat
• This exemption will not harm all California communities equally.

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Transcript Highlights:

• These are preventable losses.
• These deaths are preventable and unnecessary.
• Many legislators are convinced that harm is being caused to wildlife.
• SGARs are harmful to wildlife, the environment, and people.
• harm in the state are available and effective.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Summary: The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held a hybrid hearing on a large slate of bills focused on pesticides, pollinators, rodenticides, mosquito control, invasive species, and local authority over pesticide regulation. Chair Becca Rausch set strict two-minute testimony limits due to the very large number of speakers. Early testimony from Senator Moore and Representative Hawkins strongly supported a bill to restrict second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides, citing harms to wildlife, pets, and public health, and noting that California has already adopted a similar model. Testimony also supported a Lowell home rule petition to allow the city to prohibit or restrict these rodenticides, with local officials describing documented raptor poisonings and municipal efforts to phase out use on city property. A major portion of the hearing focused on pollinator protection and neonicotinoid-treated seeds. Witnesses from environmental groups, conservation organizations, academics, and beekeepers argued that neonics harm bees and other beneficial insects, contaminate soil and water, and provide little or no economic benefit in most corn and soybean fields. Several speakers pointed to New York, Vermont, and Quebec as models for restricting treated seeds, and one panel cited research showing only a small percentage of fields benefit economically from the treatments. Support was also voiced for a bill establishing an ecologically based mosquito management program, with advocates criticizing aerial and truck spraying and urging non-chemical, locally tailored approaches. Other testimony supported bills to reform the pesticide board and pesticide regulation process, to give vulnerable municipalities more local control over pesticide use, to protect schoolchildren from pesticides on school grounds, and to respond to invasive species through a centralized state office, coordinator, strategic plan, and trust fund. Many speakers, including representatives from Mass Audubon, MSPCA, the Xerces Society, the Sierra Club, watershed groups, and local wildlife rehabilitators, described impacts on hawks, owls, pets, fish, and broader ecosystems. No votes were taken during the hearing, and committee members generally asked few questions, with the hearing remaining in testimony mode throughout.

Transcript Highlights:

• people who don't need to be harmed. ...that we are not harming people who don't need to be harmed, and
• You asked about our efforts to mitigate harm in implementation of HR1.
• And when we talk about harm reduction, we can think...
• the harm from being kicked off due to not meeting the ABOD requirements.
• What else could we be doing in terms of harm mitigation?

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services held a hearing on the Governor’s May Revision, with no votes taken. The first major topic was child care and early education, where the Department of Social Services and Department of Finance outlined proposed changes to absorb federal Child Care and Development Fund and Proposition 64 revenue reductions, shift some funding between child care programs, end funding for prospective pay implementation now that the federal requirement has been rescinded, adjust the alternative payment administration structure, and fund child care infrastructure grants and a Low-Income Investment Fund contract closeout. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the budget makes progress on the structural deficit but recommended maintaining the administration’s solution level, making reserve deposits, and avoiding new ongoing commitments; it also raised concerns about shifting reductions to the California Alternative Payment Program and about the proposed administrative-rate change. Committee members strongly criticized the proposed loss of child care slots and said they would oppose eliminating those slots, while also expressing support for child care as essential infrastructure. The committee then reviewed California State Preschool Program proposals. Finance and CDE described reductions to the preschool COLA from 2.41% to 2.01%, removal of prospective pay funding, and increases for the QRIS block grant, audit support, and rate reform implementation. Trailer bill language would codify age-based rate categories, inclusion-rate documentation, family fee collection rules, portability, and excused absences. CDE supported the QRIS increase and some attendance and family-fee changes, but warned that aligning three- and four-year-old rates could reduce support for three-year-olds and that the budget does not fully cover enrollment growth. Members also questioned whether the preschool and child care slot reductions should be reallocated rather than terminated, and the administration said the reductions were intended to reflect current utilization and avoid harm to currently enrolled families. The hearing then moved to CalFresh and nutrition programs. CDSS said the May Revision includes a one-time CalFood augmentation, funding to cover federal SNAP administrative cost-share pressures, and additional staffing and technical assistance to implement HR 1 changes, including the able-bodied adults without dependents time limit and new non-citizen eligibility rules. The department estimated HR 1 could cut CalFresh funding by $2.3 billion to $3.7 billion annually and affect about 500,000 people, with roughly 806,000 adults potentially subject to the time limit and about 34,000 non-citizens expected to lose eligibility once fully implemented. Members pressed for stronger harm mitigation, including a $98 million backfill to protect families from losing food benefits, and raised concerns about county workload and the “chilling effect” on immigrant participation. The final portion of the transcript began the IHSS presentation, noting a revised budget of $33.7 billion total funds and $12.8 billion General Fund, with proposed reductions tied to Medi-Cal asset-limit changes and other federal conformity items.

Transcript Highlights:

• She said that sometimes mistakes result in harm to patients and deep regret.
• I believe that was intended to say nothing prevents lump sum settlements.
• I believe that our laws should focus more on preventing harm to patients.
• It harms the physicians, it harms the patients.
• Families like mine depend on accountability and access to justice when preventable harm occurs.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Further, the number of emergency visits for self-harm rose by 188%.
• These are our children who are harming themselves.
• Members, our children are harming and killing themselves. due to the content that they are seeing on
• Judge Pittman wrote, quote, it is far from. clear that Texas has a compelling interest in preventing
• Of their harm and of their childhood.

Bills: HB186 , HB517 , HB 1093 , HB 1268 , HB1395 , HB186

Committee: House Trade, Workforce & Economic Development

Keywords: social media, children, account verification, data privacy, parental control, property owners' association, residential watering restrictions, vegetation, fine limitations, drought, technology, innovation, economic development, grants, Texas Economic Development, business funding, HB 1395, private passenger vehicle rental, car rental, vehicle rental

Transcript Highlights:

• And this bill is a very valid attempt to prevent the driving.
• These harmful policies are ineffective, outdated, and especially harm students and families like mine
• Real public safety is achieved by preventing the next harmful act.
• The unknowable harms caused by Lameroy as a Title IX administrator were completely preventable.
• So what are we going to prevent then by adding?

Summary: The committee heard several public safety measures, beginning with housekeeping items and the adoption of a four-bill consent calendar. Bills on the consent calendar included AB 476 on metal theft, AB 619 on California Conservation Corps training for formerly incarcerated people, AB 1192 on child abuse or neglect reporting, and AB 1239 on human trafficking data. Several bills were pulled by the authors before hearing, and the committee also announced that AB 379 would be heard with a file notice waiver and AB 63 would be for testimony only. The most extensive discussion was on AB 366, which would require ignition interlock devices for anyone convicted of DUI. The author, Senator Archuleta, and a MADD representative gave emotional testimony about family members killed by drunk drivers and argued the bill would save lives. Support came from law enforcement, fire, medical, auto club, and safety groups. Opposition from public defenders and criminal justice advocates focused on loss of judicial discretion, costs for low-income drivers, and concerns about vendor oversight and effectiveness. The committee voted to pass AB 366 as amended to Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 1380, which would create a permanent pathway into firefighting careers for formerly incarcerated people who served on Cal Fire hand crews. The author and supporters said the bill would recognize service, improve reentry, and reduce recidivism; a fire labor group withdrew its opposition after amendments were discussed. The measure passed to Appropriations, though it remained on call pending one additional vote. AB 461, which would remove criminal penalties for parents of truant K-8 students and replace them with supportive responses, drew broad support from education and justice advocates but no opposition testimony; it was also passed to Appropriations and left on call pending one more vote. ACR 60, recognizing the Downey Police Department’s special-needs communication program for interactions with people with disabilities or sensory challenges, was adopted unanimously. The committee then heard AB 746 on creating an inmate cooperative program and a green reentry reserve for incarcerated workers. Supporters said it would build job skills, dignity, and reentry success; there was no opposition testimony. The bill passed to Appropriations and was left on call pending votes. Finally, AB 379 on human trafficking drew strong support from survivor advocates, law enforcement, and local officials for creating a survivor services fund and targeting buyers, but also strong opposition from survivors and civil liberties groups who warned it would criminalize vulnerable people and revive harmful loitering enforcement. The committee discussion continued with members weighing survivor support, public safety tools, and concerns about the bill’s amendments and scope.

Transcript Highlights:

• Exposure to them is linked to reproductive harm as well as immune toxicity.
• I'm here on behalf of Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, a science-based organization working to prevent
• breast cancer by reducing exposure to harmful chemicals.
• Exposures to toxic elements accumulate over time and compound harms.
• Nancy Buremeyer, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, in support. Thank you.

Summary: The committee heard AB 1795, which would create statewide standards for testing, inspection, remediation, and insurance handling of wildfire smoke damage in homes. The author and Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said the bill is needed because survivors face inconsistent claims practices and no enforceable standards for determining when homes are safe. Supporters included the City of Los Angeles and a wildfire survivor who described health problems and disputed remediation results; opponents from the insurance industry said the bill could create broad new exposure and worsen affordability, though they continued to negotiate amendments. The committee recommended the bill do pass with urgency, and it passed on a 4-0 vote, with the roll held open for additional votes. The committee also heard AB 1612, which would create a centralized process for law enforcement to transfer seized controlled substances such as fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin to the Department of Justice for disposal after the state’s last in-state incineration facility closed. The author said the bill would address unsafe storage and inconsistent disposal pathways. There was no opposition in the room, and the committee sent the bill to the Assembly Public Safety Committee on a do pass vote. AB 2322 would standardize the definition of commercial, industrial, or institutional sites for municipal stormwater permits by tying it to assessor land-use codes and excluding residential parcels. Supporters said the bill would reduce patchwork enforcement and improve consistency, while stormwater and city representatives asked to keep working on regional flexibility concerns. The committee approved the bill 4-1 and sent it to Appropriations. The committee then heard AB 2245, a producer responsibility bill for vehicle lubricant products and their containers, intended to expand collection and recycling using existing household hazardous waste and used oil infrastructure. Supporters said it would reduce landfill disposal and align with existing EPR frameworks, while retailers and industry groups raised concerns about overlapping obligations, unclear definitions, and compliance costs. The author said negotiations would continue, and the committee sent the bill to Natural Resources on a do pass vote. The committee also heard AB 1603, which would phase out PFAS-containing pesticides over time and require disclosure and permitting for their use. Supporters argued PFAS pesticides contaminate food and water and pose health risks; agricultural and chemical industry opponents said the bill could remove many products from the market and lead to harmful substitutions. The chair expressed support for reducing PFAS but raised concerns about replacement chemicals, and the bill was sent to Appropriations on a do pass vote. Finally, AB 2034 was introduced to increase transparency around food additives and GRAS ingredients by creating a state database of chemicals that bypass FDA premarket review; supporters said it would close a federal loophole, while consumer brands opposed a duplicative state system and warned of costs and confusion.

Transcript Highlights:

• harm to patients while we've been talking about this bill.
• Insurance companies responsible when serious harm occurs.
• Investing in healing is violence prevention, and when people are supported after harm, communities are
• The absence of complaints does not mean the absence of harm.
• They do them very well and have caused no harm to patients.

Bills: HB99 , HJR5 , HM39 , HB206 , HB213 , SB41 , SB153 , SB165 , SB261 , SB264

Committee: House House Judiciary

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 99, a medical malpractice reform measure. Sponsor Chair Chandler and Minority Leader Armstrong described months of stakeholder negotiations aimed at balancing patient compensation with concerns from physicians, hospitals, and insurers about litigation costs, punitive damages, and access to care. The committee substitute kept the existing monetary damage caps but changed several provisions, including definitions of “occurrence” and “value of medical care,” treatment of future medical expenses, a higher clear-and-convincing standard for punitive damages, a two-step process before punitive damages can be pled, and a lower punitive-damages cap for smaller providers versus a higher cap for large hospital systems. Supporters said the bill would help recruit and retain doctors and stabilize the malpractice market; opponents argued it weakens accountability, especially for corporate and out-of-state hospital systems, and several speakers urged a stronger amendment to preserve patient rights. After debate, the committee voted 10-0 to give the House Judiciary Committee substitute for HB 99 a do-pass recommendation. The committee then heard House Joint Resolution 5, which would amend the state constitution to allow legislative compensation. Sponsors and supporters said paying legislators would make service more accessible to working people, parents, rural residents, and others without independent wealth, and would broaden representation. Several advocacy groups and individual commenters backed the proposal, while members raised questions about the pay formula, with the resolution tying compensation to the state median income. Some members supported the idea but preferred a salary commission or a different mechanism. The committee approved HJR 5 on a 7-3 vote. Finally, the committee began hearing House Memorial 39, which calls for a task force to study the current state of sexual assault examination kits and report on backlog progress. Sponsor Rep. Ferrari and the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs explained that a prior task force a decade ago found more than 5,000 untested kits and led to policy changes, including the Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights and a statewide tracking system. The memorial is intended to reassess whether backlogs remain and recommend further fixes.

Transcript Highlights:

• This includes assessing prevention services capacity and on mandated reporter reform.
• CDSS to be able to further build out our capacity for prevention services at the county level.
• It gives us a third option to offer help, not harm, when no report is required by law.
• AB 969 ensures that survivors are not further harmed by the very system meant to support them.
• AB969 ensures that survivors are not further harmed by the very system meant to support them.

Committee: House Human Services

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Human Services heard a long agenda of bills focused largely on child welfare, CalWORKs, child care, mandated reporting, and related family-support programs. Early items included AB 890, which would ease county transfer rules for nonminor dependents in foster care; AB 461, which would eliminate punitive truancy-related penalties and sanctions in favor of supportive services; AB 753, which would create an interim associate teacher pathway to help address the child care staffing shortage; and AB 926, which would presume foster care visitation is unsupervised unless supervision is needed for safety. Testimony on these measures generally emphasized reducing barriers, supporting family reunification, and addressing workforce shortages or inequities, with some county welfare opposition or concerns on a few bills but no opposition witnesses on most items. The committee also heard and passed AB 563 and AB 601, both from Assembly Member Jackson, on early childhood planning and mandated reporter reform. AB 563 would require the Early Childhood Education Planning Council to provide more detailed annual reporting and policy/budget recommendations, while AB 601 would standardize mandated reporter training statewide and create advisory committees to support longer-term reform. AB 970 proposed a Los Angeles County pilot to improve mandated reporter training and decision-making tools to reduce overreporting and underreporting; AB 822 would extend the sunset of the Commission on the State of Hate; and AB 1074 would clarify and expand the CalWORKs family reunification program so parents can keep aid and services while working toward reunification. All of these measures received supportive testimony and were advanced by committee votes. Later, the committee approved AB 1161, which would automatically preserve or reinstate public benefits for people affected by declared disasters for up to 90 days, and AB 1172, which would allow trained staff in community care licensed day programs and adult residential facilities to administer emergency inhalable anti-seizure medication. AB 363 would expand the CalWORKs recipient education program by easing work-study matching requirements and broadening access to direct aid; AB 1211 would protect CalFresh benefit levels from federal cuts and direct a feasibility study on increasing benefits and eligibility; and AB 969 began the final portion of the hearing by proposing broader domestic violence waivers and improved notice and reassessment rules for CalWORKs survivors. Most bills were reported out on unanimous or near-unanimous votes, often with committee amendments accepted and several measures placed on call pending final procedural steps.

Transcript Highlights:

• Nancy Buremeyer, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, in support.
• Nancy Buremeyer, breast cancer prevention partners in support. Thank you.
• Director of Program and Policy for Breast Cancer Prevention Partners.
• Hi, Nancy Vermeyer, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners.
• Breast Cancer Prevention Partners is a science-based organization working to prevent breast cancer by

Summary: The committee heard several environmental and consumer-safety bills. AB 405, the Fashion Act, would require fashion companies to disclose and manage toxic chemicals in their supply chains; supporters said it would reduce worker and consumer exposure and align with existing industry frameworks, while retailers and business groups argued it would duplicate existing laws and raise costs. After questions about DTSC workload, international standards, and affordability, the bill was moved on a due-pass-as-amended motion to Natural Resources and held on call with three votes. AB 762 would ban the sale and distribution of disposable vape devices; supporters emphasized battery-fire risks, recycling contamination, and waste impacts, while cannabis and convenience-store interests warned it would push consumers to illicit markets and harm legal businesses. The bill passed on a due-pass motion to Business and Professions with three votes and was held on call. The committee also adopted the consent calendar with six votes. AB 794 would direct California to keep in place the federal PFAS drinking-water standard if federal protections are weakened, with supporters citing health risks and the need for certainty, and water agencies opposing the emergency-rulemaking authority and potential costs. Members debated whether the bill was too broad and whether federal funds would cover implementation; the bill passed on a due-pass-as-amended motion to Appropriations with four votes and was held open. AB 1148, the Safer Food Packaging Act, would restrict certain chemicals in food packaging; supporters cited cancer and reproductive-health concerns, while chemical, beverage, and manufacturing groups argued the bill should go through existing regulatory processes and that some chemicals lacked feasible alternatives. The author said she would remove antimony trioxide later in the process after hearing opposition concerns; the bill passed on a due-pass motion to Judiciary with four votes and was held open. Finally, AB 1338 would allow local air districts to recover costs for implementing fence-line air monitoring at metal shredding facilities, building on prior legislation and local air district efforts in AB 617 communities. The author said the bill would preserve local control and improve efficiency, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District testified in support. The transcript ends as the district witness begins testimony, with no vote yet taken on AB 1338.

Transcript Highlights:

• It would also prioritize preventing massive wildfires by giving Cal Fire $500 million for wildfire prevention
• I am here to help improve lives, not harm them.
• We're just doing harm in a different way.
• Otherwise, we risk becoming complicit in the very harm we have promised to protect them from.
• It is rooted in investing in housing and child care and climate and wildfire prevention.

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call and proceeded to floor business, with the main item being SB 101, the state budget bill. Before debate on the bill, Assembly Member Sanchez offered amendments to redirect funding toward Proposition 36 implementation, wildfire prevention, Medi-Cal provider reimbursement, developmental services, and other priorities; the majority moved to lay those amendments on the table, and the motion passed 43-18. The chamber then took up SB 101 as the budget bill for immediate effect. Debate on the budget was extensive and sharply divided. Supporters, including Assembly Member Gabriel and several committee chairs, described the budget as a difficult but responsible compromise that protects Medi-Cal, IHSS, child care, housing, wildfire prevention, and other safety-net programs while responding to a projected deficit and federal uncertainty. Opponents criticized the budget as fiscally unsound and argued it relied on accounting gimmicks, did not adequately fund Proposition 36 or wildfire prevention, and continued spending on high-speed rail and Medi-Cal coverage for undocumented immigrants. Several members also raised concerns about gas taxes, provider reimbursement, probation funding, and the impact on vulnerable Californians. After debate, the Assembly voted on SB 101 and passed it 57-19. The measure was sent immediately to the Senate. The body then announced upcoming session schedules, with no floor or check-in sessions on June 14 and 15, and a floor session set for June 16 at 1 p.m., before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• These species are harmful, highly destructive to agriculture and natural ecosystems.
• Prevention remains the most cost-effective strategy for managing invasive species.
• Despite the science and the harms these chemicals...
• This is the type of harm that prevents our wonderful people of California from supporting that prevents
• It very much focuses on the intent to commit harm. Any other comments?

Committee: House Privacy and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• Next is an injury prevention voice, an injury prevention professional.
• is an injury prevention voice, an injury<00:05:18.800><c> prevention</c><00:05:19.199><c> professional
• </c> injuries, if not all, are preventable. injuries, if not all, are preventable.
• ,</c> that role so that it is more preventive, that role so that it is more preventive, right?
• um and harm reduction efforts. Um and I um and harm reduction efforts.

Committee: House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• The response was that the goal is to prevent surprises.
• And when they cause harm, even serious harm, our responses must take that into account.
• And that’s a great bodily harm, basically.
• I didn’t go causing great bodily harm to people.
• , and one where you actually do cause great bodily harm.”

Committee: House House Consumer & Public Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:58:10.880><c> comes</c> the the parent who's caused harm comes the the parent who's caused harm
• . harm. harm.
• presumption of harm, right, section, and presumption of harm, right, section, and it<03:21:48.720><c>
• </c> nebulous about like psychological harm nebulous about like psychological harm and<03:33:10.720><
• And this serious harm or impairment.

Summary: The committee first opened with brief remarks about a member’s recovery and then heard House Bill 518, which would require the commissioner of Health and Human Services to provide a detailed annual report of all costs related to DCYF. The sponsor, Representative Erica Layon, said the bill was intended to improve transparency, clarify how much time and money are spent on DCYF work versus other departmental work, and help future discussions about staffing, resources, and whether DCYF should remain within DHHS or become a separate department. She said the department could likely produce the report without additional cost, though she was open to adjusting the reporting date and possibly adding more detail about federal mandates. Former Representative Betty Gay and several members supported the bill as a way to better document costs and procedures, while DCYF Director Marie Nunan said the department was not taking a position on the bill, already has many policies and operating procedures, and believed it could comply without a fiscal note. Members raised questions about whether the reporting requirement duplicated existing oversight, whether it should apply to other agencies, and whether the report should include federal funding mandates. Some suggested that a broader review or subcommittee on DCYF might be more useful than a single reporting bill. In executive session, the committee voted 15-1 to retain HB 518, so it will not go on the calendar. Members said they wanted more time to discuss the bill, watch the budget process, and consider whether the reporting requirement could be implemented informally or through a broader oversight effort. The committee then moved on to House Bill 775, which was introduced by Representative Jodi Nelson as a measure to support supervised visitation centers. Dr. Scott Hampton testified in favor, describing the loss of visitation centers since 2019, the role of supervised visitation in protecting children and vulnerable parents in domestic violence cases, and the potential benefits for child safety, crime prevention, and family preservation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, that is the goal: to prevent frivolous lawsuits and to prevent harm being borne out of this bill
• That is the goal is to prevent frivolous lawsuits and to prevent harm being borne out of this bill when
• Our job here is to do no harm.
• others but also harm themselves.
• They've harmed people.

Transcript Highlights:

• This trauma could have been totally prevented.
• be harmed by dangerous people.
• further harm and trauma to innocent kids.
• our community, because prevention... ...seven evidence-based strategies for prevention are active in
• harm to youth.

Summary: The Judiciary and Elections Committee approved the January 21, 2026 minutes and held SB 1208. It then heard SB 1211, which would allow victims of felony aggravated harassment involving domestic violence to seek a lifetime injunction against a convicted defendant. Supporters from victim advocacy organizations and a survivor described the bill as an important safety measure that would reduce repeated court appearances and trauma. The committee voted 7-0 to give SB 1211 a do pass recommendation. The committee next considered SB 1239, which removes the statute of limitations for failing to register as a sex offender or providing false registration information. The sponsor said the bill closes a public-safety loophole and was requested by DPS, while opponents argued existing warrant procedures already address the issue and raised due process concerns. After discussion, the committee voted 4-3 to recommend SB 1239 do pass. SB 1240 would exclude probationers convicted of dangerous crimes against children from the probation incentive payment formula. The sponsor tied the bill to a recent child sexual assault case and said the change would keep those cases separate from probation performance incentives; defense attorneys warned it could discourage treatment and push more people into prison. The committee voted 4-3 to recommend SB 1240 do pass. The committee also heard and approved SB 1095, as amended, which bans gender transition procedures and referrals for minors and restricts public funding and facilities for such care; supporters called it necessary child protection, while opponents said it was discriminatory. The committee then heard SB 1243 and SB 1244, both related to court-ordered mental health treatment. SB 1243 adds notice to guardians and lets them seek continued treatment, while SB 1244 creates a continuing court-ordered treatment process after repeated annual reviews. Supporters, including family members of seriously mentally ill patients, said the bills would close gaps and prevent dangerous lapses in care; opponents raised due process concerns and warned about expanded involuntary treatment. Both bills received do pass recommendations, with SB 1243 passing 7-0 and SB 1244 passing after amendment and roll call vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• The House passed the products liability bill that added digital products to the LPLA to address the harms
• that occur with the design of some of these products, especially when it comes to harms to children.
• . liable is, you know, essentially if they, they couldn't have prevented the damage causing behavior.
• They felt that the way it was worded, it would prevent a child from even searching for his or her peers
• I've also replaced the definition of sexually explicit with the legal definition of material harmful

Committee: House Civil Law and Procedure

Summary: The Civil Law and Procedure Committee met on March 10, 2026, with a quorum present. At the outset, HB 292 and HB 437 were voluntarily deferred at the request of the authors. The committee then heard HB 112, which clarifies how the 75-mile distance for child relocation is measured. Representative Behan and witness Claire Jacobs argued the bill would reduce ambiguity and avoid costly custody litigation. The committee reported HB 112 favorably without objection. The committee next considered HB 190, which establishes a standard of reasonable care for certain software and computer programs, especially interactive digital products. Representative Schlegel and Louisiana State Law Institute witnesses explained the bill was developed after prior work on digital products liability and is intended to impose a negligence-style duty of reasonable care without resolving breach, causation, damages, or constitutional issues. Members asked about the meaning of “person,” vicarious liability, the scope of the duty, and how the bill relates to content moderation and Section 230. The bill was reported favorably without objection. HB 410, dealing with recording in direct in-person conversations, was voluntarily deferred by the chair after the author said an amendment would clarify that notice, not consent, would be required. HB 427, which revises the duty of care for online platforms that contract with minors and aligns definitions with existing Louisiana law on harmful material to minors, was then heard and reported favorably without objection. Finally, HB 78 increased the civil jurisdictional limit of the Bogalusa city court from $25,000 to $50,000; the author said local stakeholders supported the change, and the committee reported it favorably without objection. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So every dollar of that liability represents real harm done to Washingtonians.
• It's harming our economy, it's harming our businesses, it's harming our families.
• And so there's still a lot of other harmful taxes.
• And so there's still a lot of other harmful taxes.
• against the It is just trying to first do no harm and then pushing back against the harmful cuts to

Summary: House and Senate Republican leaders held a media availability focused on the final stretch of the legislative session, with repeated criticism of Democratic budget proposals and several policy bills. They said they were especially concerned about an environmental crimes bill they argued would impose excessive penalties for workplace mistakes, as well as bills they described as anti-law-enforcement, including measures related to police face coverings and sheriff qualifications. They also discussed a proposed income tax, calling it unconstitutional and urging that it be sent to referendum if it advances. A major topic was the operating, transportation, and capital budgets. Republicans said the operating budget relies on one-time fund sweeps, raids the rainy day fund and pension assets, and assumes future income-tax revenue while cutting Medicaid, child care, schools, and other services. They said the transportation budget has some positive emphasis on road preservation but criticized ferry funding and the proposed sweep of the Public Works Trust. On the capital budget, they were less specific and described it as generally bipartisan. The lawmakers also addressed reports of fraudulent or duplicate sign-ins on the income-tax bill, saying any abuse should be investigated but that many duplicate entries may have been accidental rather than malicious. They said the system should be improved with better verification, but maintained that more than 100,000 unique people had signed in opposition. Other issues discussed included opposition to using pension funds to balance the budget, criticism of a Sound Transit proposal for 75-year bonds, concerns about a bill requiring arbitration before lawsuits against the state or local governments, and objections to child care budget changes they said would hurt rural and property-poor communities without broader regulatory reform.

Transcript Highlights:

• So every dollar of that liability represents real harm done to Washingtonians.
• It's harming our economy, it's harming our businesses, it's harming our families.
• And so there's still a lot of other harmful taxes.
• And so there's still a lot of other harmful taxes.
• against the It is just trying to first do no harm and then pushing back against the harmful cuts to

Summary: House and Senate Republican leaders held a media availability focused on the final stretch of the legislative session, with most of the discussion centered on budget proposals, a proposed income tax on high earners, and several policy bills they oppose. They criticized the operating budget for relying on a new income tax, using one-time fund sweeps and pension-related financing, and drawing down the rainy day fund, while saying the capital budget was more bipartisan and the transportation budget had some positive emphasis on road preservation but still included concerns such as Public Works Trust Fund sweeps and ferry funding. A major topic was allegations that sign-ins on the income tax bill included duplicates or fraudulent entries. Republicans said they took the issue seriously, supported verification improvements, and argued that even after removing duplicates the bill still drew over 100,000 unique emails opposing it. They rejected claims that their side had manipulated the process and said the Legislature should fix the sign-in system, possibly with more IT safeguards, while also arguing the bill should lose its emergency clause so voters could weigh in through a referendum. Republicans also criticized bills they described as anti-police or anti-law-enforcement, including measures related to face coverings and sheriff qualifications, and they opposed a bill requiring arbitration before claims against the state or local governments can go to jury trial, saying broader tort reform is needed instead. They said the state’s liability problems stem from harm done in areas like juvenile rehabilitation and child welfare. On the budget side, they objected to cuts to Medicaid, child care, transitional kindergarten, rural school funding, and other programs, while also warning against using pension funds to balance the budget and against a proposed 75-year Sound Transit bond, which they called financially irresponsible. No votes were taken in this media availability.