Transcript Highlights:

• And then there'll be two non-voting members to be selected by the governor, so a total of six.
• I was on the committee that was put together by the governor to do the application for this funding,
• that is basically that goes, that's in the language, like in our budget book that says that the governor
• will have a task force over this. ...the language, like in our budget book that says that the governor
• basically go along with the language and with the grant that there will be oversight through the governor

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• So, for example, messages from the governor or the Senate that are received after adjournment. is an
• So, for example, messages from the governor or the Senate that are received after adjournment.
• 00:04:29.680><c> messages</c><00:04:30.080><c> from</c><00:04:30.240><c> the</c><00:04:30.400><c> governor
• </c><00:04:30.720><c> or</c> example, messages from the governor or example, messages from the governor

Committee: House Rules and Legislative Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• this right now to all nominees today: if it wasn't for your sponsoring senator, even though the governor
• I'd like to say thank you to the governor for the nomination, and thank you to Senator Reinhardt for
• I'm just like to say I'm honored to be nominated for this position by the governor, and I appreciate
• Chairman and members, I want to thank the governor for the nomination again, and I want to thank Ms.
• I'd just like to say thank you to the governor... Thank you, Senator.

Bills: HB4322 , HB4202 , HB4203 , HB4457 , HB3983 , HB3660 , HB3802 , HB2933 , HB2955 , HB2956 , HB3781 , HB3521 , HB3794 , HB3796 , HB3800

Committee: Senate Business and Insurance

Summary: The Business and Insurance Committee first handled a series of executive nominations, including appointments or reappointments to the Oklahoma Securities Commission, Real Estate Commission, State Athletic Commission, Accountancy Board, Commission on Consumer Credit, Uniform Building Code Commission, Abstractors Board, Used Motor Vehicle Dismantler and Manufactured Housing Commission, and State Banking Board. Most nominees briefly addressed the committee, and the nominations were advanced by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. One HB 4488 was laid over at the start of the meeting. The committee then considered several bills. HB 4322, which would remove a dual-licensure requirement for funeral directors and embalmers, drew questions about consumer protection and body care procedures and passed 6-3. HB 4202, changing workers’ compensation fee schedule treatment for radiology, passed unanimously. HB 4203, directing the Uniform Building Code Commission to explore guidelines for single-exit configurations in certain buildings up to four stories, passed 7-2 after concerns were raised about fire safety. HB 4457, dealing with specialty pharmacies, pharmacy benefit managers, and access to specialty medications, passed unanimously. Members also debated HB 3983, which would move Oklahoma’s moist smokeless tobacco tax to a weight-based system; supporters argued it would improve fairness and revenue stability, while opponents said it would raise taxes on some products and lacked consumer protections. It passed 6-3. HB 3660, authorizing natural organic reduction as an additional end-of-life option, prompted a lengthy debate over dignity, religious concerns, and consumer choice; it passed 5-4. HB 3802, prohibiting auto insurers from raising premiums solely because a spouse died, passed unanimously. HB 2933, a consumer protection insurance bill, passed 9-0 after extensive discussion of claims handling and insurer accountability. Additional insurance and regulatory measures—HB 2955, HB 2956, HB 3781, HB 3521, HB 3796, HB 3794, and HB 3800—were also advanced, most with little or no opposition. The chair closed by noting all executive nominations and legislation had been cleared from the committee for the year.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, Veterans Day of 2025, the governor did do the proclamation, which we are very thankful for.
• Day<00:09:07.680><c> of</c><00:09:07.839><c> 2025,</c><00:09:08.720><c> the</c><00:09:08.959><c> governor
• </c><00:09:09.440><c> did</c><00:09:09.680><c> do</c><00:09:09.920><c> the</c> Day of 2025, the governor
• did do the Day of 2025, the governor did do the proclamation,<00:09:10.880><c> which</c><00:09:11.120
• on Veterans Day and I was part governor on Veterans Day and I was part of<00:16:06.320><c> the</c><00

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Seth Alvisad, and I'm a policy adviser in Governor Gordon's office.
• The governor submitted budget letter number five to JAC last month supporting this initiative.
• The governor supports his role in this bill, providing final action in grant applications recommended
• The governor supports this project and supports this bill as written. Mr.
• The governor supports this project and supports this bill as written. Mr.

Bills: HB0150

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• So before we turn to our governor appointee...
• Before we turn to our governor appointees, we're going to move to Items 7 and 8, floor acknowledgments
• I would like to thank Governor Newsom for the appointment to the position.
• I would like to thank Governor Newsom for the appointment to the position.
• For our final item, we're going to return to governor appointees required to appear, and that is item

Committee: Senate Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• And with that, one of the things that we've been able to do, and spending time with Governor DeSantis
• And we're pretty fortunate because of the support that we continue to get from the governor, as well
• So, as some folks like to say, I don't know the governor has said, we truly were DOGE before there was
• The governor and his team know what my schedule is going to be for the month of April.
• The governor has said, hey, listen, we've got to make sure we do our part in creating...

Summary: The State Administration Budget Subcommittee met for budget day, heard agency follow-up questions, and then presented its recommended budget for fiscal year 2025-2026. Chair Lopez opened with remarks about reducing spending, emphasizing vacancy reductions and recurring savings across agencies. The recommendation eliminated 452.5 vacant positions and produced recurring savings of $57.2 million overall, while still funding selected priorities. Notable funded items included $500,000 for a new DBPR website for condominium complaints and document filing, $481.3 million for the MICEF Florida Home Program in DFS, funding for Florida PALM implementation, $330,000 for a Tampa office in the Office of Insurance Regulation, $835,000 for warehouse space for confiscated gambling machines, $821,000 for the Lottery gaming system contract, and major DMS capital and facilities funding. Lopez also criticized DMS leadership and said the secretary’s salary would be held in reserve pending answers on fleet management, remote workers, SUNCOM billing, and other issues. The committee then questioned DBPR Secretary Griffin about condominium records, structural integrity reserve studies, and milestone-inspection compliance. Members focused on how the division tracks condominiums, whether it can identify buildings with three habitable stories, and whether the current filing system can be improved to better capture building height and story count. Griffin said the division relies heavily on self-reporting and complaint-driven checks, but has updated forms to capture whether a condominium has buildings three stories or higher and has received additional submissions. Members also asked about staffing and the Miami-area office; Griffin said DBPR now has two Fort Lauderdale offices and a Doral office, with about 82% of new positions filled. Secretary Davis of the Florida Lottery also testified, defending travel to Paris and other conferences as part of industry engagement, technology research, and best-practice sharing. He said the travel was reimbursed through lottery-related organizations, described the Lottery as an enterprise fund that receives no general tax revenue, and said the agency has remained a top revenue generator nationally. Members questioned Orlando travel reimbursements and dues to the Multi-State Lottery Association, and asked for more information on how increased revenue translates into more Bright Futures scholarships. Davis said he would provide additional details. The subcommittee then unanimously passed two conforming bills. PCB SAB 25-01 removed statutory references to the legacy FLAIR accounting system in preparation for Florida PALM and was reported favorably. PCB SAB 25-02 addressed Capitol Center space after the planned House lease cancellation, declaring the governor, cabinet, and legislature permanent tenants, protecting existing space and parking allocations, giving the legislature first right of refusal on vacant space, and giving legislative leaders control over utilities in their space; it also passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned after the bills were reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• Once again, we want to thank the governor for the $4 million in this request.
• Kennedy, did the governor recommend any funding for this, or is it just the language?
• Madam Chair, the governor recommended $5 million in general obligation bonds for this program.
• Kennedy, did the governor And then, Ms.
• </c><00:35:46.960><c> in</c> governor recommended $5 million in governor recommended $5 million in general

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• So starting with agency one, Office of the Governor, Homeland Security, Senate second reading number
• c><00:03:42.480><c> office</c><00:03:42.640><c> of</c><00:03:42.799><c> the</c><00:03:42.959><c> governor
• ,</c> agency one, office of the governor, agency one, office of the governor, homeland<00:03:44.159><
• <00:19:37.360><c> governor's</c><00:19:37.840><c> recommendation</c><00:19:38.799><c> that</c> governor
• governor's recommendation that governor governor's recommendation that $875,000 $875,000 $875,000 was

Bills: SF0032 , SF0010 , SF0001 , HB0001

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> listed in subsection A which is governor listed in subsection A which is governor lieutenant<00:
• 03:45.599><c> governor</c><00:03:45.840><c> Honolulu</c><00:03:46.319><c> mayor</c> lieutenant governor
• Okay, first up on SB 3123 is Will Kaine, senior advisor, Office of the Governor, in support.
• First, we want to mahalo Governor Green for his leadership in introducing this bill.
• </c><00:09:23.120><c> Green</c> First, we want to mahalo Governor Green First, we want to mahalo Governor

Bills: SB3123

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Summary: The Judiciary Committee took up three measures in decision-making. SB 2678, which would create a Judiciary working group to improve family court processes and youth access to legal representation in the child welfare system, was recommended for passage with amendments. The amendments would clarify that members with lived experience are those who have navigated the state child welfare system, replace an actively serving guardian ad litem with a former GAL, allow co-chairs to invite additional experts, and provide compensation for lived-experience members. The committee report would also recommend a $20,000 appropriation, and the motion passed without objection. SB 2528, a Campaign Spending Commission proposal to expand the partial public financing program and raise expenditure limits, was also recommended for passage with amendments and adopted without objection. The committee’s changes would increase the public-funds match to 4:1, raise the maximum public funding available to 20% for statewide executive offices and 25% for legislative and certain county offices, blank out the appropriation in the bill, and instead recommend $7.2 million in the committee report. Technical amendments would also rename the program for consistency and set the bill’s effective date to March 22, 2075. In a joint Judiciary/Education hearing, SB 3123 drew extensive testimony in support from the Governor’s office, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, Hawaiian Council, Kamehameha Schools, and many private-school and community representatives. Supporters said the bill would clarify that donor-funded scholarships, grants, and tuition-free educational programs are charitable gifts rather than contractual obligations, giving donors and schools greater certainty and preserving educational access. Some members questioned whether the bill could affect Kamehameha Schools’ admissions practices or allow schools to avoid donor conditions; witnesses responded that the measure is intended to clarify donor intent, not change admissions, and that an opt-out clause would preserve the ability to create contractual agreements if the parties choose. The discussion ended with the bill still under consideration, with no final vote reflected in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• The board currently has six members representing the governor, the superintendent of public instruction
• And it doesn't specify how the governor is to do that.
• There's certainly, if I were the governor, I would... there's judgment that can be used.
• You know, if I were governor, I would maybe rotate between east and west over time.
• Locke and former Governor Lowry.

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held public hearings on several bills, with most of the discussion focused on tribal representation and natural resource management. On HB 2117, which would add a tribal representative to the Board of Natural Resources, the prime sponsor and DNR officials said the bill would strengthen government-to-government relationships without replacing existing consultation duties. Tribal leaders from the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation testified in support, as did the Commissioner of Public Lands and DNR’s tribal relations director. County and timber interests said they were not opposed to tribal representation but raised concerns about trust responsibilities, beneficiary interests, and whether the representative should come from a tribe with commercial forest management experience. The committee later closed testimony on HB 2117 and read into the record 192 pro, 124 con, and zero other sign-ins. The committee also heard HB 2516, which would impose a two-year moratorium on the use of certain anticoagulant rodenticides and bromethalin after a Department of Agriculture report and while the Washington State Academy of Sciences studies alternatives and impacts. The prime sponsor argued the bill balances rodent control with concerns about wildlife, groundwater, and human exposure, while opponents from the pest management industry warned it would remove effective tools and worsen rodent problems, especially for low-income and manufactured-home communities. Supporters included the Washington Poison Center, wildlife rehabilitators, Birds Connect Seattle, the Stillaguamish Tribe, and other advocates who cited poisonings in wildlife and children and pointed to non-toxic alternatives and integrated pest management. The committee read into the record 754 pro, 176 con, and five other sign-ins. For HB 2554, which would repeal RCW 77.110 and related language tied to Initiative 456 and tribal fishing rights, the sponsor and the Attorney General’s Office said the statute is unconstitutional and inconsistent with federal treaty law and court rulings. The Department of Fish and Wildlife also supported repeal, describing the measure as removing an unenforceable anti-tribal statute. The committee then moved on to HB 2327, a bill directing JLARC to audit the county forest board lands trust and DNR’s management of those lands. The sponsor, former Rep. Jim Buck, county representatives, and forest industry witnesses supported an independent review of the trust structure and performance; some asked for amendments to address reconveyance options, broader legal and ecological considerations, and consultation with tribes and the Board of Natural Resources.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, we have the Office of Governor in support.
• Will Kane, senior adviser for Governor Green, stands in support of this bill.
• <00:32:12.639><c> in</c> governor in governor in support<00:32:14.799><c> will</c><00:32:15.120><c> Kane
• have the ability bill does the governor have the ability and<00:34:38.119><c> the</c><00:34:38.280><
• So they have authority to request something, and the governor is subject to the governor's approval.

Committee: House Water & Land

Summary: The Committee on Water and Land met on March 18, 2025, and heard testimony on several measures related to state funds, public lands, wastewater, port infrastructure, and other land and water issues. Early in the hearing, SB 1395, relating to state funds and climate mitigation financing, drew support from the Governor’s office, the Hawaii Climate Advisory Team, the State Energy Office, and others, while the Tax Foundation of Hawaii urged the committee not to revert to the original version because of concerns about a special fund and compliance with state statutes. After discussion, the chair said the bill would be deferred because of budget uncertainty and the need to preserve reserves, and members agreed to that recommendation. The committee then took up SB 1393, SB 1669, SB 102, SB 1511, SB 1083, and SB 946, among others. SB 1393 and SB 1669 received support or comments from agencies including the Attorney General’s office, the State Energy Office, and other departments; SB 1669 was sent on with amendments and to Finance for further review. SB 102, concerning a third-party review process, prompted questions about who would select consultants and whether the bill would affect staffing and permitting costs; it was advanced with amendments, with one member noting reservations about the shift to private third-party review. SB 1511, SB 1083, and SB 946 also moved forward, generally with amendments or as amended, and several members noted reservations tied to budget impacts or statutory language. The committee also heard testimony on HB 1393, which involved public lands and school facilities, where the Department of Education sought a change to the deletion language and the School Facilities Authority said it stood on its written comments. For SB 146, relating to the Ali Canal, the University of Hawaiʻi and DLNR supported the measure, and a member asked about the estimated annual cost, which was described as $125,000 per year. On SB 946, members discussed whether removing the term “person” could narrow the law too much; after that discussion, the committee agreed to restore the term and proceed with an HD1. The meeting ended with the committee recessing after completing its agenda and adopting the chair’s recommendations on the measures considered.

Transcript Highlights:

• And with the Democrat governor that she has agreed to, she signed off on this, and we shook hands.
• And the reason they said no is the governor and ADOA do 100% of this, and they did not want to give up
• The Senate will confirm two people that go on this board, and then the governor will pick one person
• The Senate will confirm two people that go on this board, and then the governor will pick one person
• And that's where the governor wanted. And it was just hell no. So we honored that commitment.

Transcript Highlights:

• statutory authority of the Workforce Development Council, they are organized under the Office of the Governor
• And these items are recommended by the governor.
• These enhancements are all recommended by the governor.
• And truly in a real sense, the Powderhorn and Governor Brady's public service tells one continuous story
• Since the Powderhorn and Governor Brady's public service tells one continuous story from the fight for

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations first for the Idaho Workforce Development Council. Analyst Brooke Dupree reviewed the agency’s statutory role, funding sources, staffing, and FY27 requests, including an ongoing transfer within the In Demand Careers Fund to increase trustee and benefit payments for Idaho Launch grants, a proposal to consolidate the STEM Action Center into the council, and requests for reappropriation authority for several grant funds. Director Wendy Sechrist said Launch, workforce training, semiconductor, and child care grants have produced strong participation and wage gains, and she explained that the proposed STEM merger would transfer remaining dedicated-fund balances to the Workforce Development Training Fund. Members asked about the effect of a $10 million cash transfer on Launch awards, repayment of grants by students who do not meet requirements, and the use of employer training funds; Sechrist said wording such as “up to $10 million” would avoid reducing awards and that the agency is still exploring debt collection options. The committee then reviewed the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Dupree outlined the agency’s vocational rehabilitation and independent living services, its dedicated funds, and FY27 requests for additional appropriation to spend Social Security reimbursement revenue and for replacement vehicles from the adaptive aids fund. Administrator Beth Cunningham said the agency uses those funds to support clients’ employment and independence, and that the requested increases would help cover needed vehicles and offset other costs. She also said holdbacks would have a modest effect on services, including reduced site restoration funding and some cuts to client services and travel. Finally, the Idaho State Historical Society presented its budget. Dupree described the agency’s preservation mission, staffing, dedicated funds, and FY27 requests, including $450,000 for the second year of moving state records and collections into a new archives addition, plus IT hardware and reappropriation authority. Director Janet Gallimore emphasized stewardship of state records and artifacts, the importance of the collections move, and the agency’s role in America 250 activities. Members asked about archaeological review travel, the agency’s long tenure, and the use of miscellaneous revenue; Gallimore agreed to provide travel records and thanked the committee for its support. The meeting ended with a presentation of historical artifacts and adjournment until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Chair Wiling, also the governor.
• because Thank you, Chair Wiling, also because Thank you, Chair Wiling, also the<00:05:31.759><c> governor
• So, uh my understanding the governor.
• Well, I'll definitely follow up with the attorney general and the governor.
• We can uh figure out how we governor.

Summary: The committee first took up a series of House bills in decision-making. HB 309 was recommended to pass with amendments deferring the effective date to 2050 and was adopted unanimously by members present, with one member excused. HB 344 was recommended to pass with amendments changing the EV charger-ready parking stall requirement from a fixed 25% to a standard allowing the Department of Accounting and General Services to determine the number needed in a new facility; that recommendation was adopted. HB 423, HB 833, HB 987, and HB 988 were each recommended to pass unamended and were adopted without objection. HB 596 was recommended to pass with amendments deferring the effective date to 2050 and adding the Department of Defense’s concerns and testimony to the committee report. HB 750 was passed unamended because of the filing deadline, with concerns to be noted in the committee report for conference committee review. HB 1161 was also passed unamended, with the committee report to reflect requested Department of Transportation amendments. HB 1483 was recommended to pass unamended, with the chair voting no with reservation on that measure. The meeting then shifted to a separate agenda item involving the governor’s office and a proposed settlement related to Lahaina. Members questioned why the legislature had not been kept informed during negotiations and expressed concern that the committee was being asked to approve the settlement without meaningful ability to amend it. The governor’s representative said the administration would defer legal questions to the attorney general, but stated that amendments could jeopardize the legal agreement and potentially have significant impacts on the state. Members also raised concerns about transparency, the public nature of the process, and uncertainty over how Hawaiian Electric would cover its share of the judgment. In response, the governor’s office said it would follow up with the attorney general and governor and provide answers directly. The chair then moved to reconsider the prior action and recommended passing the settlement measure with the attorney general’s suggested amendments removing language from page 7, lines 3 to 17, while preserving prior committee-report concerns. That reconsidered recommendation was adopted by the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:38:07.520><c> made</c> three years ago the then Governor made three years ago the then Governor
• The governor added $800,000 for the child advocacy centers.
• The governor added $2.8 million.
• We take it through the governor and executive council.
• </c><04:16:47.279><c> is</c> may especially as the governor is may especially as the governor is undertaking

Summary: The committee held a work session on the Department of Business and Economic Affairs’ budget, with testimony from division leadership on staffing, funding sources, and program changes. Early discussion focused on vacant positions in the agency, including a senior planner tied to FEMA requirements, a federally funded program assistant, a program specialist to be reclassified during a planning reorganization, and two Housing Champions positions that were authorized but not funded in the current biennium and are requested for 2026-27. The witnesses also explained that temporary welcome center positions are filled as funds allow, and that the agency’s requested general fund increase is driven largely by the Division of Travel and Tourism Development and its formula-based funding. Members then reviewed rest areas, welcome centers, outdoor recreation, economic development, procurement, and workforce opportunity lines. The department said there are 12 rest areas, with 5.8 million foot counts in FY 24, and that welcome centers are generally open year-round, though Sutton is currently closed and staffing relies on a mix of full-time and temporary employees. The outdoor recreation position is federally funded through USDA and supports business outreach, trade shows, and industry promotion. In economic development, the agency said increased dues reflect participation in the Northern Borders Regional Commission, and that a marketing line item is intended to support recruitment and promotion of growth industries such as advanced manufacturing and life sciences. The Apex Accelerator Program was described as a state-federal partnership requiring a state match and providing government contracting assistance to businesses, while the Office of Workforce Opportunity was explained as a federally funded WIOA-related effort administered through multiple agencies and subrecipients. A major point of discussion was the proposed reduction to the Small Business Development Center, which members said had generated significant public concern. The department described SBDC as a highly effective technical assistance program for new and small businesses, but said the cut was one of the few places it felt it had room to reduce funding. Members asked about federal support and matching requirements for various programs, and the department said less than half of its overall budget is generally funded by the state and that some programs require state match. The committee also discussed travel and tourism marketing and the Joint Promotional Program, with the department saying those funds support broader advertising campaigns and grants to chambers and trade associations for events such as Bike Week, Restaurant Week, and the Seafood Festival. No votes were taken during the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• And those power four level schools.
• The cap is really that's the Power Four conferences.
• </c><00:46:36.880><c> for</c> The cap is really that's the power for The cap is really that's the power
• </c><01:27:18.480><c> saying</c><01:27:18.639><c> because</c> the power four are saying because the power
• No, I totally get it, and I think the power of the coach is very, very real.

Summary: The joint House-Senate higher education briefing focused on how the University of Hawaii athletics department plans to remain competitive in the NIL era, especially as the House settlement and related changes allow new forms of athlete compensation. Chair and Senator Kim opened by framing the issue as balancing competitiveness, sustainability, compliance, and UH’s educational mission. Coaches Laura Beeman and Timmy Chang described how NIL and the transfer portal are already affecting recruiting and retention, with Beeman saying women’s basketball has lost six to 10 recruits because UH cannot yet match offers, and Chang citing examples of players being courted with large sums and the need to retain proven local and out-of-state athletes. Both emphasized that student-athletes should still prioritize education, culture, and team values, while also receiving support that helps them stay at UH. Athletic Director Matt Elliott then outlined UH’s broader strategy. He said the department’s vision is to create an outstanding student-athlete experience, recruit and retain elite athletes, compete at the highest level of the Mountain West, and strengthen the bond with the community. He described NIL as having moved from a largely unregulated period to a new phase in which institutions can directly control some NIL payments, while outside deals still must be reviewed for fair market value. Elliott said UH wants to use NIL to help athletes cover basic needs and build financial stability, while also keeping them academically on track. He noted the department is pursuing fundraising, including a “Boost the Bose” account, corporate sponsorships, and licensing deals, to support NIL opportunities. In response to questions from Senator Kim, Elliott clarified that UH’s approach involves both institution-controlled payments and outside NIL deals: internal payments can be structured at the department’s discretion within the cap, while external sponsor deals must go through NIL Go and meet market-value standards. No votes or formal actions were taken during the informational briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• received a letter uh from uh the president, was actually to Governor Walls and Mayor Fry, uh essentially
• received a letter uh from uh governor received a letter uh from uh the<00:03:54.720><c> president</c
• <00:03:56.640><c> Fry</c><00:03:57.040><c> uh</c><00:03:57.200><c> Governor</c><00:03:57.760><c> Walls
• </c><00:03:58.239><c> and</c><00:03:58.480><c> Mayor</c> governor Fry uh Governor Walls and Mayor governor
• Uh, Governor Walz created the Office of the Inspector General Coordinating Council, or OIGCC, as part

Transcript Highlights:

• Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority is a 17-member Joint Powers Authority.
• Very separate from the prioritization of the Home Hardening Joint Powers Authority.
• Correct, not very separate from the prioritization of the Home Hardening Joint Powers Authority.
• Through AB 38, the legislature tasked the CWMP Joint Powers Authority with funding pilot programs or
• with both Cal Fire, specifically looking at ...to be in a joint powers authority agreement with both

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy, and Transportation held an oversight hearing on home hardening and defensible space as wildfire mitigation strategies. The chair opened by stressing that California has reached a tipping point, with repeated community-scale wildfire losses, rising insurance costs, and growing utility wildfire mitigation expenses. The hearing was organized around four panels: what home hardening and defensible space are, community risk reduction and coordination, evaluation of current defensible space programs and proposed investments, and the future of home hardening and the California Wildfire Mitigation Program. The first panel featured IBHS, the Legislative Analyst’s Office, and local wildfire mitigation advocates. IBHS described wildfire spread through embers, flames, and radiant heat, emphasizing that structure separation, removing combustible materials within the first five feet of a home, and combining multiple mitigation measures significantly reduce loss. It highlighted its Wildfire Prepared Home and Wildfire Prepared Neighborhood standards, including an “essential” and “enhanced” level, and said California is ahead of other states but still needs scalable, standardized, and sustainably funded mitigation. The LAO outlined key policy questions for the Legislature, including the state’s role, intergovernmental coordination, cost-effectiveness, program design, measurement of success, long-term sustainability, and barriers to implementation. The chair and panelists discussed estimated costs, including roughly $15,000 for a basic retrofit and about $50,000 for more extensive ignition-resistant construction, and whether state funding should focus on the most cost-effective initial measures. The second panel focused on scaling adoption through local coordination, education, financing, and community-based programs. Megafire Action argued that home hardening is a market adoption problem and said the state should not try to pay for every home, but instead target high-leverage interventions across the “customer journey,” including education, financing, trusted certification, and neighborhood network effects. Ventura Regional Fire Safe Council described free home assessments, small retrofit grants, Firewise community support, and the importance of neighborhood-level action, local capacity, and cultural change. Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority described its locally funded model, grant program, public education efforts, and an Ember Ready program that helps residents navigate home hardening and Zone Zero compliance. The chair repeatedly emphasized the need for a coordinated statewide marketing campaign, stronger incentives, better insurance discounts, and more use of local, utility, federal, and private funding sources. The third and fourth panels addressed Cal Fire’s defensible space inspection program, the proposed defensible space financial assistance program, and broader state investments. Cal Fire said homes lacking compliant defensible space are far more likely to be damaged or destroyed and requested ongoing funding and staffing to stabilize inspections statewide; the LAO suggested the Legislature consider alternative funding sources such as GGRF or a reinstated SRA fee. Cal Fire and the State Fire Marshal explained that Zone Zero sets a minimum standard, local governments cannot go below it, and grant prioritization will favor jurisdictions that submit inspections. Cal Fire also said the new defensible space financial assistance program would focus on ember-resistant zone-zero work and, in the Southern California counties covered by the legislation, would assist about 3,125 homes at an estimated $8,000 per home. In the final panel, the State Fire Marshal described California’s layered strategy of parcel-level home hardening, defensible space, and neighborhood-scale mitigation, along with technical support, financial assistance, and incentives such as insurance discounts and builder marketing. The overall theme was that California must move from isolated efforts to a coordinated, science-based, and scalable statewide approach to reduce wildfire losses.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, this session is a powerful example of that progress.
• Today, in honor of Women's History Month, I would like to talk about the power of a legacy, and in my
• Grace was a tough, smart, and determined woman, and her power to create opportunity for Charlottesville
• Power to the people, Mr. Speaker. The delegate from Buckingham, Delegate Garrett. Mr.
• It increases both short- and long-duration energy storage targets for Dominion and Appalachian Power