Transcript Highlights:

• Without connected corridors, we are effectively locking species in place, landlocking them specifically
• But I'd, you know, I'd welcome—I mean, I love this dialogue and I love to, you know, we got some smart
• frame this section at the bottom of page eight of the analysis in a way that will be more careful or smart
• frame this section, the bottom of page eight of the analysis, in a way that will be more careful or smart

Summary: The committee heard SB 1393, an omnibus update to the Fish and Game Code covering steelhead trout and Dungeness crab management. Supporters from The Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, CalTrout, and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations said the bill would strengthen the steelhead report card program, refine crab fishery rules, and clarify vessel transit through closed crab areas. There was no opposition, and the bill was accepted with amendments and moved on a 4-0 vote to the Appropriations Committee. The committee also heard SB 1250, which would require Caltrans to incorporate wildlife connectivity into transportation planning and asset management, with performance targets and coordination with wildlife agencies. The author and supporters argued it would improve ecosystem connectivity, reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, and save money by integrating crossings, culverts, and fencing into planned projects. The California Building Industry Association moved to neutral after amendments clarifying the bill would apply to transportation rights-of-way and not create exactions on private property. The bill passed 4-0 to Appropriations. Members then considered SB 1212, which would repeal California’s ban on importing and selling kangaroo products. The author argued kangaroo harvest in Australia is tightly regulated and that California’s ban is outdated, while opponents from Humane World for Animals, Animal Legal Defense Fund, and others said the bill would reopen the market to products from a cruel commercial slaughter industry and undermine long-standing wildlife protections. No motion was taken at that point. The committee also heard SB 1268, codifying the Outdoors for All initiative, which supporters said would protect and expand equitable access to parks and outdoor recreation; it advanced 3-0. Finally, the committee heard three Western Joshua Tree bills from Senator Arreguín: SB 1061, SB 1062, and SB 1063. Supporters from water agencies, local governments, and industry said the bills would reduce fees and streamline permitting for tree relocation, public infrastructure, and basic utility hookups in desert communities. Opponents withdrew or softened opposition on the first two bills after amendments, but objected to SB 1063 as too broad. SB 1061 and SB 1062 each passed 2-0 to Appropriations, while SB 1063 was still under discussion at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we are just locking more people out, and I don't want to hear that anymore.
• That seemed unethical, immoral, and frankly just plain not very smart.
• One of the things that I work with is something called a smart table.
• A smart table can mitigate that in future lawsuits.

Transcript Highlights:

• Politicians stop worrying about what voters think because their districts are locked up for years.
• This is just good, smart, sound communication between the guest and the restaurant.
• SB 805 is a smart, urgent step to close dangerous loopholes and ensure that no one is above accountability
• SB 805 is a smart, urgent step to close dangerous loopholes and ensure that no one is above accountability

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on August 20, 2025, and considered a large number of bills, with most of the discussion centered on election redistricting and several health, labor, environmental, and government-operations measures. The first major item was ACA 8, a constitutional amendment tied to a proposed November special election and temporary mid-decade congressional redistricting in response to partisan redistricting efforts in other states. Supporters, including Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, a 2020 redistricting commissioner, labor groups, and allies of the measure, argued it was necessary to defend democracy, protect representation, and respond to federal actions affecting California. Opponents, including Assemblymember Tom Lackey reading a statement for Assemblymember Gallagher and Assemblymember Dixon, argued the measure would undermine the independent redistricting commission, amount to a partisan power grab, and cost taxpayers roughly $230 million. Committee members also focused heavily on fiscal questions, including litigation costs and county election funding, and Department of Finance staff said counties would be made whole and funding would be advanced. The committee ultimately voted the measure out on a B roll call. The committee then heard SB 280, the implementing bill for the special election and related redistricting process. Supporters repeated the argument that California needed to respond to Texas and other states, while opponents again emphasized the cost, the strain on county budgets, and the state’s broader fiscal pressures. Department of Finance witnesses said the election funding would be provided in advance and that the state would work with counties and the Secretary of State. The bill was moved out on a roll call after extended debate. The committee also advanced several other bills, including SB 283 on battery storage safety standards, SB 470 extending remote participation and open-meeting flexibility for state boards and commissions, SB 697 modernizing stream adjudication procedures, SB 513 requiring more accessible employee training records, SB 30 restricting transfer of older diesel locomotives, SB 841 and SB 81 creating protections for vulnerable facilities and health care spaces from immigration enforcement, SB 358 revising traffic impact fee standards, and SB 630 streamlining state parks land acquisitions. Other measures discussed included SB 62 expanding health coverage benefits, SB 68 requiring restaurant allergen disclosures, and the committee heard both support and opposition on SB 68 from the California Restaurant Association and consumer advocates. Supporters of the health and immigrant-protection bills emphasized patient safety, reproductive health, immigrant rights, and access to care, while opponents on the restaurant bill warned of added mandates and litigation risk for small businesses. Across the hearing, committee members frequently returned to fiscal impacts, county implementation burdens, and whether the bills would save money, cost money, or shift costs to local governments. Several bills were reported out of committee, often on A or B roll calls, with some members not voting on particular measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's a mean pop lock and... Yeah. Thank you, Mr. President.
• And in which case, because Starbucks is run by some pretty smart people, if they have a store that is
• And in which case, because Starbucks is run by some pretty smart people, if they have a store that is
• case, because Starbucks is run by some case, because Starbucks is run by some pretty<02:27:38.880><c> smart
• calendar, which is Sheldon Smith of Montrose for the Colorado Board of Veterans Affairs, and Janna Lock

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Weatherization assistance, very smart, has often been bipartisan in the past.
• Weatherization assistance, very smart, has often been bipartisan in the past.
• Weatherization assistance, very smart, has often been bipartisan in the past.
• Weatherization assistance, very smart, has often been bipartisan in the past.
• <03:28:47.960><c> up</c><03:28:48.960><c> put</c><03:28:49.120><c> in</c> locked up put in locked up

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, February 27, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, he's very fiery, very smart, and he goes by the rule.
• Uh, he's very fiery, very smart,<00:02:19.840><c> and</c><00:02:20.080><c> he</c><00:02:20.319><c> goes
• </c><00:02:21.840><c> So,</c><00:02:22.080><c> in</c> smart, and he goes by the rule.
• So, in smart, and he goes by the rule.
• We can lock our doors. We can your home. We can lock our doors.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:07 Office of the Attorney General Update: 00:04:52 Department of Kentucky State Police Update: 00:44:57, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• want</c><00:08:11.759><c> to</c><00:08:11.919><c> be</c><00:08:12.000><c> in</c><00:08:12.479><c> lock
• </c> same and we certainly want to be in lock same and we certainly want to be in lock step<00:08:13.120
• Want to make sure that we do it in a smart way. So, um, so yeah, so if we can, let's pause on that.
• Want to make sure that we do it<00:24:40.240><c> in</c><00:24:40.400><c> a</c><00:24:40.559><c> smart
• So um so yeah, so if it in a smart way.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You can check in with our very smart IT folks here, and they might be able to help you out.
• </c><00:08:40.919><c> with</c><00:08:41.039><c> our</c><00:08:41.240><c> very</c><00:08:41.440><c> smart
• </c><00:08:41.800><c> IT</c> can check in with our very smart IT can check in with our very smart IT
• That's problematic when you don't have versioning, you don't have control of locking people out.
• 00:25:53.000><c> of</c> versioning you don't have control of versioning you don't have control of locking

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 410, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ biennium operating budget. OHA asked for a modest increase over its base budget, including $1.2 million to fund 13 new full-time positions for a strategy and implementation team tied to its long-term plan, with emphasis on housing, education, health, and economic resilience. OHA also described a broader effort to work directly with executive branch departments to improve outcomes for Native Hawaiians. Testimony was largely supportive, with several individuals speaking in favor and one testifier expressing strong frustration about Native Hawaiian rights and access to resources. The chair noted there were 38 additional written/supporting testimonies and three in opposition. Members asked about OHA’s funding sources and public land trust revenues; OHA said it is not receiving the full 20 percent share, described a public land trust working group and system issues, and said a related bill would seek funding to begin an inventory. No vote was taken in the portion provided. The committee then considered House Bill 304, which would make the Hawaiian version of a law binding when the law was originally drafted in Hawaiian and later translated into English. The Judiciary supported the bill, saying it reinforces Hawaiian as an official language and looks to the original language for legislative intent. The Attorney General supported the intent but recommended narrowing the bill with a proviso to avoid ambiguities, limiting it to laws originally drafted in Hawaiian that were not later amended, codified, recodified, or reenacted in English. Public testimony was generally supportive, though one speaker raised broader sovereignty concerns. Members questioned how many laws would be affected and whether the proposed amendment would undercut the bill; the Attorney General said the amendment was meant to address uncertainty in interpretation. No final action was reported. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 603, which would direct OHA to administer a Native Hawaiian business marketing program to promote Native Hawaiian-owned businesses through marketing and technical assistance. OHA supported the concept, saying a label or branding program could help consumers identify and support Native Hawaiian-owned businesses, but requested that funding be redirected to a working group to study program design, implementation, enforcement, and long-term viability. The chair noted four supportive testimonies had been received, and a member asked OHA to confirm that its programs serve all Hawaiians, not only those eligible for homelands; OHA said it serves all Hawaiians in the state. The transcript ends before any vote or further action on HB 603.

Transcript Highlights:

• state should be putting in place reasonable guardrails around private equity and health care in a smart
• state should be putting in place reasonable guardrails around private equity and health care in a smart
• Many of my clients were abused while they were locked up as kids, as young as 11 and 12 years old.
• When the state takes children and locks them up, it takes on the responsibility to be accountable and
• When the state takes children and locks them up, it takes on the responsibility to be a county When the

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on multiple bills, beginning with a motion to suspend the five-day notice rule for a long list of Senate bills, which passed on a voice vote. The committee first heard Substitute Senate Bill 6026, a governor-request housing bill that would require cities and counties over 30,000 population to allow residential uses in commercial and mixed-use zones, limit mixed-use/ground-floor commercial requirements in some areas, and allow added height where such requirements are imposed. The lieutenant governor testified strongly in support, arguing the bill would add needed housing capacity without requiring ground-floor retail burdens. The hearing on SB 6026 was then suspended so the committee could move through the agenda. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6294, a broad local government finance measure with eight parts, including expanded uses for certain REET revenues, a new county public utility tax, a new local sales tax for children and family services, expanded housing-related tax uses, changes to county levy structure, longer lid lift periods, and expanded use of rental car tax revenue. Local government, housing, and public health witnesses largely supported the bill, emphasizing flexibility for affordable housing, rental assistance, children’s services, and county fiscal stability. Opponents, including wireless industry, water/sewer district, auto dealer, realtors, energy, and cannabis representatives, objected to specific tax provisions as regressive, costly, or likely to raise consumer prices. Several witnesses requested amendments, including adding public health clinic funding and flood recovery language from House bills. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5400 on local news sustainability, which would create a state grant program funded by a surcharge on large search engines and social media platforms to support journalism jobs and the Murrow Fellowship program. News organizations, the League of Women Voters, open government advocates, and local journalism supporters testified in favor, saying local news is essential to civic life and that the bill would help sustain reporting without using general fund dollars. Technology industry representatives opposed the bill, arguing it unfairly singles out tech companies and could face legal challenges. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6211, which would let opt-in GMA jurisdictions impose REET-2 without voter approval; cities and counties supported it as a parity and infrastructure funding measure, while Realtors opposed the loss of voter approval. Senate Bill 5650, authorizing local cannabis excise taxes, drew support from some local officials but strong opposition from cannabis businesses, which argued Washington’s cannabis taxes are already too high and drive sales to the illicit market. Senate Bill 6033, waiving penalties and interest for taxpayers who failed to collect new sales tax on certain services, was supported by NFIB as a compliance and fairness measure. Senate Bill 6297, exempting temporary staffing services for nonprofit behavioral health providers from sales tax, drew strong support from behavioral health organizations citing workforce shortages and unsustainable costs. Finally, Senate Bill 6343, extending and expanding tax relief for disaster-damaged property and repairs, was presented as aid for flood recovery; local officials testified in support. No final committee votes on the bills were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• To trying to lock up folks who may have an ICE removal due to missing a hearing...
• Okay, number one, these people are locked up already for a different reason.
• We're not locking them up under this warrant service model.
• This is a very smart amendment. Thank you. Ms. Gonzalez sends up an amendment. Ms.
• I think this is a smart inclusion to this bill.

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, heard an invocation and pledges, and approved several routine motions, including excuses for absent members, permission for committees to meet while the House was in session, and postponements of some bills. The chamber also received a Senate message listing measures passed by the Senate and adopted a memorial resolution honoring the 21 victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, with remarks entered into the House Journal after a moment of silence. The House then took up a long third-reading calendar and passed a series of Senate bills on topics including criminal justice and corrections sunset provisions (SB 2405, 2406, 2407), election equipment testing (SB 2166), electric grid reliability and attack-preparedness exercises (SB 2148), firefighter collective bargaining (SB 777), DFPS and foster care procedures (SB 1141 and SB 1398), Medicare durable medical equipment billing (SB 1330), property tax administration (SB 1453), probate cleanup and record transfers (SB 1448 and SB 1839), mental health filing procedures (SB 53), school residency for children in safety placements (SB 226), diabetes-related amputation study (SB 1677), rapid DNA analysis (SB 1723), utility rate transparency and capacity cost recovery (SB 1664 and SB 1856), community supervision eligibility (SB 552 postponed), and other measures. Several bills passed with broad support, while others drew notable opposition and narrower margins, including SB 777, SB 2137, SB 2111, SB 1677, SB 1936, SB 1453, and SB 38. Two bills drew especially extensive debate. SB 2148, dealing with electricity supply chain reliability and tabletop exercises for critical facilities, was discussed as a grid-security measure aimed at coordinating utilities, law enforcement, ERCOT, and the PUC in the event of physical attacks; it passed unanimously. SB 1936, changing how LSD is measured for criminal prosecution from dosage-based to weight-based calculations, prompted extended discussion about lab consistency, carrier mediums, and fairness in charging, with supporters saying it would help crime labs and law enforcement and opponents warning it could distort penalties depending on the medium used; it passed 108-26. The House also passed SB 36, creating a Homeland Security Division within DPS, after questions about overlap with TDEM and the cost of adding personnel. Late in the day, the House debated SB 38 on eviction procedures, with supporters saying it targeted squatters and streamlined removal of unauthorized occupants, and opponents arguing it would make evictions too easy and worsen homelessness; it passed 85-44. The chamber also began debate on SB 37, a major higher-education governance bill that would expand governing-board oversight of curriculum, hiring, and faculty senates; members raised concerns about academic freedom, faculty governance, and the impact on humanities programs, and debate was still underway at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• looking at for the funds they're going to freeze for the garnishment and make sure they don't improperly lock
• It is when you've got hardworking Missourians that are looking to make smart financial decisions, the

Summary: The committee first met in executive session on House Bill 2116, which drew comments about children’s education and an amendment offered by Representative Hinman. Hinman explained the amendment would phase out the Missouri tax subtraction for contributions to non-Missouri 529 plans for new users beginning January 1, 2027, while allowing existing users to continue. The committee adopted the amendment, rolled it into a substitute, and then voted the House Committee substitute do pass by a vote of 11 yeas, 3 nays, and 1 present. Hinman also noted concerns from the investment community about the absence of an advisor-sold 529 option and urged the department to work toward restoring it. In public hearing, Representative Lane Roberts presented House Bill 1870, a garnishment and exemption update that would modernize long-outdated exemption amounts, tie some amounts to CPI adjustments, increase the homestead exemption, and create new procedures for garnishment of financial institution account funds. The Missouri Bankers Association supported the bill, saying it was the product of extensive work with stakeholders and would improve efficiency and reduce legal risk for banks, while also protecting debtors’ rights. Questions focused on joint accounts, business accounts, and notice to account holders; a private attorney speaking in opposition argued the bill could improperly shift burdens onto non-debtor account holders and raised concerns about tenancy by the entirety, corporate accounts, and equitable garnishment. Representative Castile then presented House Bill 2586, which would lower the minimum credit union membership share from $25 to $1 and allow credit union board and committee meetings and voting by electronic means. The Missouri Credit Union Association supported the bill, saying it would improve access for members who need the $25 and help boards meet despite weather or distance, while also aligning state law more closely with federal practice. Finally, Representative Oehlerking presented House Bill 3107, the “Safe Harbor” bill, which would shield financial institutions from civil liability under state law when they act in good faith reliance on written guidance from regulators, while excluding fraud, intentional misconduct, willful wrongdoing, and gross negligence. Credit union and banking representatives supported the measure as a defense against costly litigation based on compliance with required forms and guidance, while an opposing attorney argued the bill relied on nonpublic agency guidance, raised separation-of-powers concerns, and could leave consumers without recourse; witnesses also discussed possible examples such as overdraft fee litigation and the need for any guidance to be public and reviewable.

Transcript Highlights:

• looking at for the funds they're going to freeze for the garnishment and make sure they don't improperly lock
• It is when you've got hardworking Missourians that are looking to make smart financial decisions, the

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee first met in executive session on House Bill 2116, which concerned Missouri 529 tax treatment. Representative Hinman offered an amendment to phase out the Missouri tax subtraction for contributions to non-Missouri 529 plans for new claimants beginning January 1, 2027, while allowing prior users to continue within existing limits. The amendment and then a committee substitute were adopted, and the substitute was voted do pass by an 11-3-1 roll call. Representative Hinman also noted interest in the department re-engaging an advisor-sold Missouri 529 option to attract more in-state investment. The committee then heard House Bill 1870, a garnishment and judgment-debtor bill sponsored by Representative Roberts. The bill updates long-outdated exemption amounts, ties some exemptions to CPI adjustments, revises procedures for examining judgment debtors, and creates a new process for garnishment of financial institution account funds, with different effective dates for various provisions. Testimony from the Missouri Bankers Association emphasized that the measure was the product of extensive stakeholder work and was intended to modernize the law, protect protected benefits, and make garnishment administration clearer for banks. Questions focused on joint accounts, business accounts, and notice issues; a later opponent argued the bill could improperly burden joint account holders and raise concerns about equitable garnishment and corporate-veil issues. House Bill 2586, sponsored by Representative Castile, would lower the minimum credit union membership share from $25 to $1 and allow credit union board and committee participation by electronic means. The sponsor and the Missouri Credit Union Association said the change would improve access for low-income members and help boards meet despite weather or distance, while also aligning state law more closely with federal credit union practice. No opposition testimony was offered. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 3107, the “Safe Harbor” bill sponsored by Representative Oehlerking. The bill would shield financial institutions from civil liability when they act in good-faith reliance on written guidance from regulators, while excluding fraud, intentional misconduct, willful wrongdoing, and gross negligence. Supporters from credit unions and bankers said the bill would reduce costly litigation and prevent institutions from being punished for following regulatory instructions. Opponents argued the bill could hide nonpublic agency guidance, shift legal interpretation away from courts, and leave consumers without recourse; they suggested any protection should be narrower and more transparent. No votes were taken on the public hearing bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• respite from that today by laying out for Senator Bob Hall a bill that is going to... ...cause us to lock
• H.B. 5146 is a smart, targeted solution that helps families.

Bills: HB 1087, HB2504, HB4113, HB5144, HB5146, HB5377, HB5543, SB140, SB264, SB1244, SB1343, SB2121, HR868

Keywords: property owners, board vacancy, special election, association governance, community management, property owners' association, resale certificate, fees, real estate regulation, homeowners, HB 4113, Texas Rising Star Program, child care, child-care providers, Texas Workforce Commission, TWC, safety barriers, crash-rated bollards, bollards, playground safety

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a connection that we can rely on to lock in our costs, plan for our production, and ensure that
• pages of the bill, so I will run through these, and if you have specific questions, we have a very smart

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a smart, timely modernization of an approach that originally launched after World War II to help
• Students who were adopted do not have to lock in the waiver with college enrollment.

Bills: HB173, HB184, HB484, HB678, HB 1211, HB1507, HB1705, HB1868, HB2290, HB2851, HB2856, HB3041, HB3204, HB173, HB184

Keywords: foreign donations, higher education, public institutions, national security, funding, prohibition, Texas law, healthcare, insurance, affordability, access, public health, foreign influence, education policy, student loan repayment, prosecuting attorneys, border prosecution unit, financial assistance, tobacco, cigarettes

Transcript Highlights:

• No doubt smart people can figure out the records thing.
• ordered a There is a full halt on a whole lot of federal funds, including some states that are now locked

Transcript Highlights:

• It's smart workforce policy.
• work, you deserve the opportunity, and we have the power to open those doors instead of keeping them locked
• We deserve the opportunity, and we have the power to open those doors instead of keeping them locked.

Summary: The committee heard a series of bills focused largely on labor, education, workforce, and public employment issues. AB 65 would provide public school employees up to 14 weeks of leave with full benefits for pregnancy and pregnancy-related health issues; supporters said current rules force educators to exhaust sick leave and suffer long-term retirement penalties, while the bill’s author noted it mirrors budget trailer language. AB 1818 would change HEERA procedures for CSU bargaining by shifting certain renegotiation disputes to PERB; Teamsters and other labor groups supported it as a way to stop CSU from unilaterally refusing agreed raises, while CSU moved from opposed to neutral after amendments. AB 1940 would explicitly reference menopause, perimenopause, and postmenopause in workplace protections; supporters said it would clarify rights and improve awareness, while business opposition argued existing reasonable-accommodation law already covers these issues and warned of expanded liability. AB 1534 would add guardrails for new short-term Workforce Pell programs, including tuition caps, limits on income-share agreements, and transparency around partnerships with unaccredited entities; the author later said the bill would be amended to include private institutions. AB 1896 would bar people who participated in immigration enforcement from holding California public jobs during a specified period; supporters framed it as a public-trust measure, while police and public-safety groups opposed categorical exclusion and urged a more individualized vetting approach. AB 2300 would streamline distribution of WIOA workforce funds and reduce delays in local workforce board contracting, with supporters emphasizing faster service delivery and no reduction in accountability. AB 2223 would require CDCR to report standardized data on contracted medical and mental health staffing, vacancies, and costs, following an audit that found heavy reliance on contractors and poor transparency. AB 2483 would create a pathway and certification for formerly incarcerated firefighters to move into firefighting careers after release, with strong support from the author and witnesses who described the work as a real career path and reentry opportunity. AB 2142 would require temporary classified school employees working more than 75% of the school year to receive permanent-employee benefits and protections; school administrators and community college groups opposed it as too rigid for grant-funded and fluctuating positions. AB 2367 would require quarterly reporting from state-run health care facilities on vacancies, overtime, registry/contract staffing, and missed staffing minimums, building on state auditor recommendations; health care workers supported it as a transparency and accountability measure. Several measures were voted out of committee or placed on call. AB 1818, AB 1534, AB 2300, AB 2483, and AB 2223 all received do-pass votes to the Senate Appropriations Committee, though each was placed on call after roll call. AB 65 and AB 1940 also advanced on do-pass motions but were placed on call. AB 2142 received a do-pass vote with opposition and was placed on call. S.J.R. 15, a resolution urging Congress to protect California employers from higher federal unemployment taxes tied to the state’s UI debt, drew divided testimony: business groups supported it, while labor and some members argued California should solve the problem itself and keep the unemployment system solvent; the resolution was also placed on call. The transcript also included committee discussion about working with authors on amendments, especially for AB 1940 and AB 1534, and several members noted support or co-authorship while raising concerns about implementation details and fiscal impacts.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll note that in the balcony we also have Charanjit Minhas, who is well known to all of us, and Lisa Locke
• I'll note that in the balcony we also have Charanjit Minhas, who is well known to all of us, and Lisa Locke
• so fortunate to have the opportunity to work with this fine group of people, and they are just so smart

Summary: The Senate reconvened, read committee reports, and assigned House Bill 89 with House Amendment 1 and House Bill 393 with House Amendment 1 to the Senate Finance Committee. It then adopted Consent Calendar 64, which included resolutions recognizing Take Our Children to Work Day, Juneteenth, National Farmers Day, Invisible Disabilities Week, Stonewall Uprising Remembrance Day, National Nonprofit Day, and two property-assessment working group resolutions. The calendar passed by a unanimous roll call, and the chamber heard remarks supporting Juneteenth, Delaware agriculture, invisible disabilities awareness, and the nonprofit sector. The Senate passed the fiscal year 2026 and 2027 revenue estimates in Senate Joint Resolution 16 and Senate Joint Resolution 17, and approved the fiscal year 2027 operating budget in Senate Bill 335 after extended debate on budget growth, recurring costs, health care, education, public safety, retiree obligations, and fiscal restraint. It also passed Senate Bill 336, the one-time supplemental appropriation bill, which includes one-time investments such as a $100 million transition toward a weighted education funding formula, election support, early childhood education, classroom projects, lead remediation, and campaign finance modernization. Several members praised the budget process and staff, while others cautioned against future spending growth. Among policy bills, the Senate passed House Bill 369 to codify the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety, House Bill 268 to increase penalties for assaulting postal workers, House Bill 374 to require workforce reporting on large public works projects, Senate Bill 253 with House Amendment 1 to standardize school bullying parental-notification procedures, Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 342 to modernize the Delaware Motion Picture and Television Development Commission, House Bill 402 to extend Clean Air Act Title V permit fees, and Senate Bill 346 with Senate Amendment 1 to streamline Environmental Appeals Board timelines. The Senate also began consideration of House Bill 293, which would add hate crimes to the Victims’ Compensation Assistance Program, but the transcript cuts off before its vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• It gave developers predictability by locking in the local rules and standards that apply to a project
• It gave developers predictability by locking in the local rules and standards that apply to a project
• So the bill I think is really smart and well tailored.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , a social worker, and a lawyer who decides and triages what approach to give you, which includes locking
• When they are locked by the judge in these centers, they get their proper treatment.
• thank you to the members of the Joint Committee for this opportunity to testify on the importance of smart
• These bills will put us in a position to enact smart, comprehensive solutions in partnership with local
• Overdose prevention and safe locks increase that safe money and all.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery held a public hearing on several harm reduction bills, including measures to decriminalize simple possession and paraphernalia, authorize overdose prevention centers, and expand access to naloxone for first responders. Chair Mindy Domb and Senator John Velis opened by describing harm reduction as an evidence-based public health strategy and noting Massachusetts’ recent decline in fatal overdoses. They emphasized that testimony would help shape whether and how the bills advance, and explained the hearing process, including time limits and written testimony. Testimony was sharply divided. Supporters, including Rep. Kate Donaghue, Sen. Cindy Friedman, Rep. Marjorie Decker, Rep. Manny Cruz, public health professionals, recovery advocates, and people with lived experience, argued that harm reduction saves lives, reduces stigma, and can connect people to treatment. They supported overdose prevention centers and decriminalization as tools to keep people alive long enough to enter recovery, and several speakers described personal losses to overdose or family experiences with addiction. Some supporters also framed the bills as racial justice measures, arguing that criminal penalties for possession have disproportionately harmed Black and brown communities. Opponents, including Sen. Nick Collins and several South End residents, argued that overdose prevention centers and decriminalization would worsen public drug use, crime, and neighborhood disorder, especially around Mass and Cass. They said current approaches such as Section 35, diversion, and police leverage into treatment are more effective, and they urged more treatment beds and recovery facilities instead of harm reduction sites. Committee members questioned witnesses about research, local siting, crime data, and the relationship between harm reduction and treatment, and several members said neighborhood impacts must be considered alongside overdose prevention. The committee did not take a vote during the hearing; it continued receiving testimony and announced a later break before resuming on H. 2196 and S. 1393.