Transcript Highlights:

• In addition, the Second District and the 13th District also have...
• I'm very concerned about the Seventh Judicial District and the 11th Judicial District.
• About the Seventh Judicial District and the 11th Judicial District, I know that the 11th Judicial District
• Thank you very much, District Attorney. Are there any questions for the district attorney?
• District Attorney Ray. Okay. I don't see. District Attorney Ray, okay, I don't see.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Summary: The committee first heard an Aging and Long-Term Services Department budget presentation comparing the LFC and executive recommendations. The main differences were in the Aging Network, Adult Protective Services, Program Support, and Long-Term Care Division, especially the executive’s proposed $10 million infusion into the Kiki Savadra Senior Dignity Fund and $6.2 million for expanding New Mexico Care. LFC staff explained that the committee recommendation was lower in general fund and fund-balance use, while the executive emphasized rising senior population needs, meal and transportation costs, and the cost savings of keeping older adults at home. The secretary also reviewed the department’s special requests, including the conference on aging, outreach, emergency preparedness, and the Kiki fund, and described New Mexico Care’s growth, its evaluation results, and the department’s plan to separate Kiki into its own accounting fund. Members largely focused on senior services, rural meal delivery, transportation, caregiver support, and the Kiki fund. Several members urged stronger support for non-metro aging providers and for New Mexico Care, citing its role in keeping seniors out of nursing homes and the program’s reported savings and outcomes. Questions also covered eligibility, background checks for caregivers, respite care, dementia and Alzheimer’s screening, and whether Kiki funds can support home modifications such as ramps. The committee then voted to adopt the LFC recommendation with one executive language change: adding the executive’s page 14 language allowing an additional 12.5% distribution for initial payments to aging network providers at the start of FY27. Representative Dow opposed the motion. The committee then moved to the Attorney General’s budget. LFC staff explained that the office’s budget relies heavily on the Consumer Settlement Fund, with both recommendations reducing general fund revenue while increasing settlement-fund use, and that performance measures were in consensus. The Attorney General said the office was not seeking more general fund, but wanted greater ability to use funds it recovers. He highlighted major consumer and public safety work, including litigation against major social media and AI platforms, a case involving Snapchat and child exploitation/extortion, the statewide crime gun intelligence center, efforts to address oilfield theft, work on missing and murdered Indigenous persons, and efforts to protect federal funds coming into New Mexico.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> District 4, uh Clay and Becker counties. District 4, uh Clay and Becker counties.
• </c><00:02:49.440><c> I've</c> District 10, Central Minnesota. I've District 10, Central Minnesota.
• </c> actually got Camp Ripley in my district actually got Camp Ripley in my district and<00:02:51.519
• </c> expanding the veteran health navigator expanding the veteran health navigator program<00:16:03.759
• </c><00:20:59.280><c> of</c> improving education and navigation of improving education and navigation

Summary: The subcommittee opened its first meeting of the session with member introductions and a statement from the chair that veterans issues would remain distinct and receive separate attention. The first item was an update on the Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum at Camp Ripley from Executive Director Randall Dietrich. He said the museum has operated for nearly 50 years, has outgrown its current space, and is building a new 40,000-square-foot facility with $32 million in state support plus several million more in private funding. He described construction progress, planned exhibits including restored military artifacts and the USS Ward gun, and said the museum is scheduled to open on September 12. In response to Senator Kunish, Dietrich said the museum is actively incorporating stories and flags representing women, tribal nations, and other underrepresented groups, including 11 tribal flags at the entrance, and is working to integrate those stories throughout the galleries rather than isolating them. The committee then received an update from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs on the veterans suicide prevention plan from Rachel Johnson, Veterans Committee Health Director, with John Kelly later answering questions on department impacts. Johnson said the plan is a coordinated statewide framework built with legislative support, expanding regional coordinators, veteran health navigators, data analytics, and community partnerships, including a suicide mortality review pilot in Hennepin County. She said Minnesota loses about 100 veterans a year to suicide, that firearms remain the primary mechanism, and that prevention must address community connection, economic stability, and access to care, not just clinical treatment. She also said the plan aligns with state and federal strategies and is intended as a living roadmap. In response to questions, Johnson said the department is exploring data-sharing policy issues, has not seen a direct financial impact from federal VA staffing changes, and is tracking federal proposals affecting VA advisory groups. She also said 988 data is available in general but more Minnesota-specific data on the veteran option is still being gathered. Members asked follow-up questions about trends in veteran suicide, the role of families in identifying warning signs, and the Hennepin County mortality review pilot. Johnson said the annual number has remained around 100 for about 15 years, with a dip in 2024 and a return to that level in 2025, and that the Hennepin County pilot was chosen because it offers a manageable geography and existing coalition work, with an initial review expected by May or June. The final item began a presentation from the Minnesota Association of County Veteran Service Officers. Legislative chair Larry Fonder said the group’s priorities are protecting veterans from fraud and modernizing the property tax benefit for disabled veterans, but the presentation would focus on educating the committee about the role, training, certification, and accountability of county veteran service officers. President Tom Anderson, the Winona County VSO and a Navy veteran, began describing his background and office staffing when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• My district is one of the many, but is certainly a distinction of being a hub of innovation in California
• And the reason why I'm highlighting Fremont in my district is because it is the city with the most...
• They span different types of manufacturing throughout the district, right?
• Throughout this particular district, it is the economic driver of the state of California.
• There's a very burdensome and complex regulatory framework that you have to navigate.

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on California’s industrial policy and manufacturing, with opening remarks emphasizing the state’s large manufacturing base, the need to retain and scale advanced manufacturing in California, and the tension between economic growth, climate goals, labor standards, permitting, and energy reliability. Senators and witnesses repeatedly noted that California has strong innovation assets, but companies often face uncertainty around regulation, power availability, and the cost of expanding here, leading some to locate manufacturing elsewhere. Senator Wahab highlighted Fremont as a major manufacturing hub and stressed apprenticeship pathways, community college partnerships, and good-paying jobs for both college-educated and non-college workers. California Forward’s Agon Turplin and Jake Higden argued for a durable statewide regional economic development system with ongoing funding, regional strategic plans, and sector-specific roadmaps. They said California Jobs First and related regional planning efforts created useful infrastructure, but the system remains fragmented and one-time funded. Higden focused on “green industrial policy,” especially batteries, bioeconomy, and other clean manufacturing sectors, arguing California often funds R&D but loses the manufacturing scale-up phase to other states. Priyanka Mohanti of the Center for Manufacturing a Green Economy said climate policy must be paired with industrial policy so Californians can actually benefit from the transition through affordable clean products, good jobs, and domestic supply chains. She pointed to international examples such as India, Brazil, and China, and urged tools like public investment, procurement, loan guarantees, and supply-chain planning. Industry witness Josh Richmond, drawing on experience at Bloom Energy and Cy Quantum, said energy and economic development are inseparable and that “time to power” is often decisive in site selection. He argued California needs better coordination among the state, utilities, universities, national labs, and economic development agencies, and that the state should be more proactive and creative in helping strategic industries scale. Committee members discussed the role of high energy costs, regulatory burdens, K-12 education, and cap-and-trade, with Senator Niello raising concerns about business climate, education outcomes, and the cost impacts of climate regulations. Witnesses responded that California should balance regulation with benefits, and that regional coordination and state partnership can help companies navigate red tape and stay in-state. The second panel, from labor, supported a worker-led industrial policy. Sarah Flox of the California Labor Federation said manufacturing jobs can be good jobs only when paired with labor standards, apprenticeship pipelines, and public support tied to worker protections. Tom Hincey of UAW Region 6 said California should use public financing, procurement, off-take agreements, and, where appropriate, public ownership or equity stakes to localize supply chains and create union jobs in batteries, offshore wind, and heat pumps. The final panel featured Fremont economic development director Donovan Lazaro, who said Fremont has become California’s top manufacturing city by preserving industrial land, allowing by-right zoning, reducing permitting delays, and building in-house technical expertise to support advanced manufacturers. He said the city’s approach has helped double its manufacturing workforce and strengthen its tax base. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational and ended with committee members indicating they would continue working on follow-up legislation and coordination efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• These students are navigating two significant transitions at once.
• Those are barriers that we try to help them navigate.
• Veterans fees for what it represented as help navigating the U.S.
• Some navigate alone, others use a VSO or an accredited representative.
• Some navigate alone, others use a VSO or an accredited representative.

Summary: The Select Committee on Veterans Affairs met to hear testimony on interim charge 2, focused on military-to-civilian transition, and later on the role of the Military Veteran Peer Network and broader transition supports. The committee first heard from representatives of Midwestern State University and Wichita Falls, who described partnerships with Sheppard Air Force Base, expanded military student services, scholarship support, and the importance of helping service members connect to education, employment, and community before separation. Witnesses emphasized that successful transition is not just about finding a job, but about creating a warm handoff to local employers, colleges, civic groups, and veteran organizations, and they urged earlier outreach while service members are still on active duty. Testimony from Texas A&M University–Central Texas and the Texas A&M University System focused on the Military Talent Pipeline, credentialing, and workforce alignment. Witnesses said Texas should better capture service members’ skills earlier, improve information-sharing with employers, and expand pathways that translate military training into civilian credentials. A major recommendation was a Texas “medic/corpsman to registered nurse” pathway modeled on Wisconsin’s WISMAC program, along with broader reciprocity and bridging programs for military certifications in fields such as aircraft maintenance, trucking, and other high-demand occupations. Members also discussed the need for more staffing and resources at university veteran offices, and the value of measuring the return on state investment in veteran education benefits such as Hazelwood. The committee then heard from the Texas Veterans Commission’s Mental Health Department on the Military Veteran Peer Network. The witness described peer support coordinators and rural veteran counselors who provide warm handoffs, suicide prevention support, and counseling, especially during the first 18 months after separation, which was identified as a high-risk period. She said the network is effective but too small and needs growth, and noted barriers to base access and TAP participation. Additional testimony from a retired Army officer and transition leader stressed that Texas has many strong programs but weak coordination, and recommended using installation-specific approaches, commander engagement, consent-based data sharing, and stronger links between TAP, state resources, and local communities. A final witness from Onward Ops described upstream enrollment, risk screening, certified peer mentors, and data-sharing to proactively support separating service members; he said the current system leaves veterans to navigate stovepiped programs on their own and called for more community partners, especially in rural areas. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I help them navigate the system and deal with coverage gaps.
• And, you know, in South L.A., I have a very diverse district, right?
• And 68% of the population in my district are Medi-Cal clients.
• Connie Delgado, on behalf of the District Hospital Leadership Forum.
• We also want to highlight the importance of health enrollment navigators.

Summary: The joint informational hearing of the Senate and Assembly Health Committees focused on the cost of federal instability for California health coverage, access, and affordability. Opening remarks from members of both houses emphasized that California’s coverage gains under the Affordable Care Act are now threatened by federal policy changes, including the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits, H.R. 1, and new federal regulatory actions. Members repeatedly cited rising premiums, skipped care, medical debt, and the risk that low-income, immigrant, and working Californians could lose coverage or be pushed into less comprehensive plans. The first panel reviewed the federal landscape and state response. Don Joyce described the ACA’s coverage expansions and warned that H.R. 1, regulatory changes, and broader federal retrenchment could reduce coverage and weaken meaningful benefits. Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman said the loss of enhanced premium tax credits is driving major affordability problems, with average monthly premiums projected to rise sharply and enrollment already down, especially among middle-income consumers. HCAI’s Elizabeth Lansberg explained the Office of Health Care Affordability’s role in slowing spending growth, monitoring consolidation, and setting spending targets, including lower targets for high-cost hospitals and new primary care investment goals. Members asked about bronze plans, high-cost hospitals, administrative burdens, provider taxes, and whether federal advisory changes could affect required benefits such as immunizations. The second panel examined population impacts and cost drivers. UC Berkeley Labor Center’s Miranda Dietz said most Californians get coverage through employers, Medi-Cal, or Covered California, and that affordability problems are widespread across all groups. She projected that California could have up to 2 million more uninsured residents by 2030, largely from Medi-Cal losses, and said higher premiums reduce wages and increase medical debt. Christoph Stremakis of the California Health Care Foundation highlighted survey data showing widespread concern about medical bills, skipped care, and medical debt, and argued that a large share of spending is wasted through administrative complexity, inflated prices, and underinvestment in prevention. Committee members pressed the panel on whether California can sustain coverage without new revenue, how cost-growth targets affect workers and families, how medical debt relief programs like Los Angeles County’s could be expanded, and how OCA can address uncompensated care, consolidation, and prior authorization burdens.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm honored to be co-chairing this hearing in my district.
• I want to thank Assembly Member Bonta for inviting me to come to her district.
• what is a very, already before H.R. 1, complex system to navigate.
• It's inviting just more layers to navigate through.
• Sharp Collins's district as well.

Summary: The joint hearing focused on CalFresh enrollment, food insecurity, and the effects of the recent federal shutdown and H.R. 1 on California families. Opening remarks emphasized that the shutdown delayed SNAP/CalFresh benefits for the first time in the program’s history, prompting emergency state, county, and local responses such as Operation Feed California, county emergency funds, food bank expansions, and Alameda County’s temporary food distributions and gift card support. Members also framed the issue as both a hunger and affordability crisis, noting that California produces abundant food but still has high rates of household food insecurity. The first panel reviewed food insecurity data and program impacts. PPIC’s Tess Thorman said about 13% of California households were food insecure in 2023, with higher rates among households with children and among Latino and Black households, and explained that CalFresh, school meals, and WIC significantly reduce poverty and hunger. Nourish California’s Betzabel Estudio described food insecurity as a policy choice and outlined state policy efforts such as Food for All, Thriving Transitions, and expansion of the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT program. The California Association of Food Banks said demand remains high, food banks are serving millions monthly, and federal cuts and reduced TEFAP food supplies are worsening the strain. The second panel gave a CalFresh program overview from CDSS and Alameda County. CDSS reported that CalFresh participation has improved, with California’s participation rate rising from 67% in 2020 to 81% in the latest federal data, and highlighted recent successes including the minimum nutrition benefit pilot and the revived fruit-and-vegetable incentive program. Officials also warned that H.R. 1 will add work requirements, reduce eligibility for some immigrants, and create future cost-sharing pressures for the state and counties. Alameda County described local caseloads, application declines tied to fear and uncertainty, and efforts to reduce error rates and support students, older adults, and other hard-to-reach groups. A student CalFresh ambassador testified about the burdensome application process and the need for more outreach and basic needs support on campuses. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with members discussing possible future legislation, outreach funding, and state backfill strategies.

Transcript Highlights:

• I also want to just shout out the city of Fremont, which is in my district.
• Throughout this particular district, it is the economic driver of the state of California.
• They span different types of manufacturing throughout the district, right?
• Throughout this particular district, it is the economic driver of the state of California.
• There's a very, very burdensome and complex regulatory framework that you have to navigate.

Transcript Highlights:

• So to summarize our district-wide initiative to raise awareness and ensure that all staff members have
• Our district-wide initiative to raise awareness and ensure that all staff members have the tools and
• So again, this is conjecture, but many clerks oversee different districts, and they can say, district
• A, tons of cases; district B, not as much.
• It feels like they're navigating grief and confusion. All of this is a lot of judgment.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities

Summary: The Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities held a hybrid hearing on a series of child welfare bills focused on DCF, foster care, mandated reporting, educational records, and family support. Chair Kennedy and Chair Livingstone opened with accessibility and testimony rules, then heard testimony on bills including S.127 on expanding mandated reporters, S.107/H.235 on a Foster Children’s Bill of Rights, S.106/H.228 on transferring foster care review from DCF to the Office of the Child Advocate, H.258/S.125 on an electronic backpack for foster children’s educational records, H.205 on kinship foster care background checks, H.246/H.266 on minimizing trauma in care and protection cases, and S.159 on support for families after sudden unexpected infant death. Supporters of the mandated reporter bill, led by Sen. Feeney and Foxborough advocates, described a local model that trains all adults who work with children and argued the state should scale that approach statewide to improve recognition and reporting of abuse. Testimony on the foster care bills emphasized the need for clearer rights, better notice to children and attorneys, stronger remedies, and independent oversight. Advocates, youth with lived experience, and legal organizations described placement instability, delayed notifications, abuse in care, poor educational continuity, and the need for rights around safety, family contact, culture, language, and access to records. Several witnesses urged that the Foster Children’s Bill of Rights include enforceable court remedies, not just reporting requirements. On the oversight bill, supporters argued DCF should not review its own foster care system and pointed to poor outcomes, high placement instability, and recent investigative reporting as evidence for moving review responsibilities to the Office of the Child Advocate. On the electronic backpack bill, testimony focused on the need for real-time data sharing and a centralized system so schools can receive foster students’ records quickly and support continuity. On the trauma-minimization bill, Rep. Miskin framed the proposal as a set of practical changes to reduce harm during removals and court involvement. On the SUID bill, Sen. Lovely said families should be given information about available grief and support resources after an infant death. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:46.640><c> 6A</c> Guard Ben Davis I represent District 6A Guard Ben Davis I represent District
• </c> Albert Lee I represent District Albert Lee I represent District 23A<00:04:26.840><c> and</c><00:
• </c> you I'm bedel Duran I represent District you I'm bedel Duran I represent District 2A<00:04:43.960
• It was titled Community Health Navigator.
• 48.679><c> so</c> was titled Community Health Navigator so was titled Community Health Navigator so um

Committee: House Veterans and Military Affairs Division

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a network of community health workers that we would put together to help people navigate.
• W District Comprehensive Health and Hospital. >> That would be us. Yeah. >> Same. Same.
• Okay. >> Wiki Business Improvement District. >> Aloha members of the committee.
• We're applying on Improvement District.
• In some rural districts, threshold.

Summary: This joint informational briefing on Act 310 grants and aid focused on organizations describing how federal funding cuts, Medicaid/SNAP changes, and related policy shifts are affecting their services and budgets. Committee members explained there would be no Q&A, testimony would be limited to one minute, and in-person participants would be heard before Zoom callers. Members repeatedly asked testifiers to identify the amount of federal funding lost or at risk. Testimony came from a wide range of nonprofits and community providers, including Aloha Care, Hawaii Bicycling League, Hawaii Literacy, Hawaii Youth Symphony, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, the Tsunami Museum, The Kohala Center, West Hawaii Community Health Center, West Hawaii Region Hospital Foundation, Sounding Joy Music Therapy, Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii, Dynamic Community Solutions, Feeding Hawaii Together, Girl Scouts of Hawaii, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Hawaiian Lending and Investments, Homana, Honolulu Theatre for the Youth, Kids Hurt Too Hawaii, and Kokua Kalihi Valley. Most described reduced or threatened federal support and requested state funding to maintain services such as health care access, food security, disaster preparedness, literacy and digital inclusion, youth mentoring, arts education, housing, and climate or agricultural resilience. Several speakers emphasized direct impacts on vulnerable populations, including kūpuna, low-income families, immigrants, homeless youth, and people with disabilities. Requests ranged from relatively small planning or program grants to multi-million-dollar stabilization asks, with some organizations citing specific losses such as reduced Medicaid or USDA funding, canceled EPA or FEMA support, or expiring federal grants. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Her story epitomizes what happens when districts don't participate.
• The districts need to take this seriously. Right. The districts need to take this seriously.
• to district.
• Under current law, a school district or a community college district cannot use job order contracting
• Telling every district in California that they must adopt a district-wide PLA to access JOC is paternalism

Summary: The committee heard AB 1159, which would expand and modernize student data privacy protections, extend similar protections to higher education students, and create limited enforcement mechanisms. The author and supporters argued that ed tech now collects far more sensitive information than students and families realize, including health, location, and identity-related data, and said the bill is needed to address AI, subpoenas, data theft, and misuse. Some higher education and bookstore interests raised concerns about definitions and preserving ordinary student communications, but committee members generally supported the bill and emphasized protecting sensitive information; the bill was moved on a due pass motion to the Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies and Consumer Protection Committee and placed on call. The committee also heard AB 1171, which would protect and stabilize the Part-Time Community College Faculty Health Insurance Program by keeping funds dedicated to that purpose and requiring districts to begin negotiations by 2030. The author and supporters said part-time faculty often lack employer-sponsored coverage despite teaching most community college courses, while opponents from the Community College League and administrators argued the measure was premature because participation is growing and the Legislature should retain budget flexibility. Several senators discussed the tension between budget discretion and honoring the state’s commitment to faculty health care; the bill was moved on a due pass motion to Senate Appropriations and placed on call. AB 1581 followed, proposing changes to improve identification and reporting of Native American students in CalPADS through tribal affiliation data. Supporters said current systems severely undercount Native students and that better data would improve resources and accountability, while members raised implementation questions about multi-tribal identities and consultation with tribes. The bill was moved to Appropriations and placed on call. The committee then heard AB 1665, requiring mental health training for school sports coaches. The author and a psychiatrist witness said coaches are trusted adults who already receive training on physical safety and should also be trained to recognize mental health warning signs and connect students to help. Support came from school, health, and sports organizations, with no opposition, and the bill was moved to Appropriations and placed on call. Finally, AB 1766 was heard, expanding human trafficking prevention education from grades 7-12 to K-12 and adding content on online exploitation, grooming, and digital abuse. The author, a survivor witness, and a foundation representative described the need for earlier, age-appropriate prevention education and stronger staff awareness; supporters included educators, school districts, and industry groups, with no opposition. Senators praised the testimony and the bill’s focus on prevention, and a motion was made to move it forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm also the Eighth Congressional District Woman of the Year.
• So this is a huge issue in my district as well and a really important one.
• And so I had a really young age, like many young people, have to figure out how to navigate systems.
• And so I had a really young age, like many young people, have to, have to figure out how to navigate
• Tankley, Trying to figure out how to navigate those two systems.

Committee: Senate Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• The navigator actually works for the Department of Health.
• However, there's no requirement to have a care navigator at every hospital.
• We're not informing the care navigator.
• Speaker, that was the intent of creating the navigator position.
• So in the case of a school district, the districts are the ones that have to come forward for those dispositions

Committee: House House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, I was more concerned about the districts that don't have the means because we have some districts
• And every district has money for technological resources.
• Public school districts are responsible for evaluation.
• So my question was going to be to clarify that school districts, public school districts, are required
• Each district will then develop a standardized service log to improve consistency throughout the district

Transcript Highlights:

• mentioned, has short instructional videos for filers and also guidance for the public to help them navigate
• the data. short instructional videos for filers and also guidance for the public to help them navigate
• to access their browser and successfully helped them locate that application on their computer, navigate
• how great the support is that Nate's team is providing, we know that if someone ultimately can't navigate
• Or, you know, I’m moving out of district, but I didn’t know that in time to get my name off the ballot

Committee: House State Government & Tribal Relations

Transcript Highlights:

• mentioned, has short instructional videos for filers and also guidance for the public to help them navigate
• the data. short instructional videos for filers and also guidance for the public to help them navigate
• to access their browser and successfully helped them locate that application on their computer, navigate
• how great the support is that Nate's team is providing, we know that if someone ultimately can't navigate
• Or, "I'm moving out of district, but I didn't know that in time to get my name off the ballot, so it'll

Summary: The House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee held a work session with the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) focused on campaign and candidate disclosure, customer support, training, and technology improvements. PDC staff described the agency’s mission, its citizen-initiative origins, and efforts to make filing and public access easier through a redesigned website, virtual trainings, recorded tutorials, newsletters, and outreach to filers, auditors, parties, and local jurisdictions. They reported heavy customer-service activity in fiscal year 2025, including thousands of email and phone inquiries, and emphasized same-day assistance, proactive reminders, and hands-on help for first-time and complex filers. The CIO outlined the agency’s technology approach, including guided filing workflows, accessibility features, mobile-friendly applications, built-in help prompts, and continuous improvement timed to filing cycles. He highlighted recent changes such as warnings when a contribution may affect reporting periods, improved mini-reporting guidance, and the transition from Secure Access Washington to login.gov/WA.gov, which the agency is working on early to avoid disrupting filers. He also noted that system changes go through controlled review and that the agency is beginning to use AI agents in code review. Members asked about whether the PDC’s requirements discourage candidates, accessibility issues, treasurer support, donation limits for entities, and the role of AI. PDC staff said candidate numbers have grown, especially in local election years, and that the agency tries to keep filing manageable through direct assistance, discontinuation options, and mini-reporting for small campaigns. They said treasurer training is an important and growing part of their work, with more online and lunch-and-learn offerings, and that they are considering a treasurer-specific class. No votes or formal committee actions were taken; the meeting adjourned after questions due to floor action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, for many of our school districts, especially some of our rural school districts, this learning couldn't
• be done specifically within their district.
• There are long-term district impacts for this that include a direct commitment to that local school district
• But local school districts—no, local school districts do that at their own, kind of how they set that
• But local school districts, no local school districts do that at their own of kind of how they set that

Committee: House Elementary and Secondary Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Member Tangipa's district or Assembly Member Arambula's district, there are children whose lives and
• What I want to find out is how can we help families navigate the system?
• Is there the magic potion to help these families navigate the system as it is now?
• And do we—we may need to have a backup plan to continue a different way to navigate the system.
• We're expected to do... ...through and navigate through the system.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Accountability and Oversight held a hearing on the Trump administration’s freeze of federal child care and social services funding and its potential impact on California. The chair opened by emphasizing that child care is economic infrastructure and warning that the freeze could destabilize California’s $10 billion child care system. The Legislative Analyst’s Office and the Department of Social Services explained that California child care programs rely on roughly $1.4 billion in federal CCDF and TANF funds, which are blended with state dollars and support hundreds of thousands of children and families. CDSS said the state and four other Democratic-led states quickly sued, obtaining a temporary restraining order that has kept the funds flowing for now. Witnesses including Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, child care provider Amisha Griffin, and parent advocate Mara Linda Bustamante described the practical consequences of a funding interruption: providers could lose reimbursement, close centers, cut enrollment, or lay off staff; parents could lose child care, jobs, or school opportunities; and counties could not backfill the lost federal dollars. Several speakers stressed that child care centers also provide wraparound supports such as nutrition, developmental screening, and referrals, especially in rural and low-income communities. Mitchell and others argued that the freeze would worsen child care deserts and disproportionately harm women, single parents, and communities of color. Members repeatedly challenged the federal rationale of “waste, fraud, and abuse,” asking for oversight details. CDSS said providers face extensive audits, fraud policies, monitoring, and recoupment procedures, and that identified fraud amounts to about $7 million over two years compared with roughly $6.5 billion in annual child care spending. Several members said the fraud rate is under 1 percent and criticized the freeze as politically motivated and illegal. They also discussed the need for a state “bridge plan” to protect families if federal funds remain disrupted, and some members referenced prior legislation to modernize CalWORKs and child care eligibility. During public comment, parents, providers, county representatives, and advocacy groups echoed the same concerns, citing waiting lists, workforce losses, and the risk of families falling back into homelessness or poverty. No formal vote was taken; the hearing concluded with broad bipartisan expressions of support for child care funding and a commitment to continue working on state protections and federal advocacy.

Transcript Highlights:

• district in New York State.
• district in New York State.
• This district had no voice in Congress.
• Many folks in the 18th District are watching.
• The 18th Congressional District.

Bills: HB3123 , HR980 , HB1458 , HR658 , HR988 , HB3497

Keywords: veterans, benefits, death, pension, family payments, estate, wildfires, natural disaster, California, anniversary, emergency response, rebuilding, first responders, community support, education, assistance programs, independent study, Department of Veterans Affairs, nonprofit, National Nonprofit Day

Transcript Highlights:

• This Friday, in district, I'm holding an additional forum in my district about this same issue: hard-to-treat
• Even our district attorney, Dan Dow, has listened.
• of education, school districts, and charter schools.
• , school districts, charter schools.
• And some of the feedback that I got from one of my districts was that one school district said the school