Transcript Highlights:

• Maybe even include the language there for national standards for defensible space requirements.
• They keep track of satellites, such as the two launched by North Korea recently.
• However, that telescope cannot turn north over outer space due to light pollution.
• This will limit our ability to illuminate those spaces.
• And so I just wanted to acknowledge that in this space as well. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Committee: Senate Senate Conservation

Transcript Highlights:

• are coming up, like floating data centers that we're seeing in certain areas, additional rocket launches
• This is our chance to offer a safe space, a space where identities are validated, where help can be offered
• I rise in support of H.R. 126 and to thank our colleague for her incredible leadership in this space.
• part of the Jewish community and Jewish history, including pioneers such as Sandy Stone, who helped launch
• We must tell stories, honor leaders, and make space for transgender voices, and affirm a very simple

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, and pledge, then moved through a largely ceremonial and floor-action-heavy session. Early business included unanimous consent motions, removal of several Senate bills from the consent calendar, and recognition of the 2025-26 Assembly Fellows and California Council on Science and Technology Policy Fellows. The chamber also welcomed several student and community guests, including National Science Bowl champions from Mission San Jose High School and a group of fifth graders touring the Capitol. One concurrence item, AB 2106, was adopted 65-0 after the author explained Senate amendments expanding enhanced vote-vetting requirements to geologists and geophysicists. The floor then took up several resolutions and one appropriations bill. ACR 199 recognizing India’s Independence Day was adopted by voice vote after remarks highlighting Indian American contributions and the role of the Sikh community in India’s independence movement. HR 119 recognizing International Referees Day was adopted, with 59 coauthors added, and the chamber honored referee Marcia Barclay. HR 125 declaring August as Chicano Heritage Month was adopted with 61 coauthors, with members speaking about Chicano history, civil rights, military service, and economic contributions. ACR 221 on sudden cardiac arrest awareness among student athletes was adopted by voice vote, and AB 2597, an urgency appropriation bill paying specified claims against the state, passed 60-0 on both the urgency clause and the measure. The Assembly also adopted ACR 231 designating Coastal Stewardship Day, with members discussing coastal protection, wetlands, climate change, and marine ecology, and ACR 234 declaring California Wine Month, which passed after remarks on the wine industry’s economic importance and challenges. HR 126 proclaiming September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month drew extensive, emotional testimony from the author and several members about suicide loss, youth mental health, LGBTQ+ youth, Native communities, and prevention resources; it was adopted with 63 coauthors. HR 127 recognizing Transgender History Month was also adopted after debate focused on transgender history in California, current attacks on transgender people, and the importance of dignity and safety; 47 coauthors were added. Finally, HR 129 recognizing Sarcoma Awareness Month passed with 60 coauthors after members discussed pediatric sarcoma, rare cancer awareness, and a cluster of Ewing sarcoma cases in South Orange County. The consent calendar, including ACR 233 on Sepsis Awareness Month, was adopted 63-0, and the chamber then moved toward adjournments in memory.

Transcript Highlights:

• are coming up, like floating data centers that we're seeing in certain areas, additional rocket launches
• This is our chance to offer a safe space, a space where identities are validated, where help can be offered
• I rise in support of H.R. 126 and to thank our colleague for her incredible leadership in this space.
• that are part of the Jewish community and Jewish history, pioneers such as Sandy Stone, who helped launch
• We must tell stories, honor leaders, and make space for transgender voices and affirm a very simple truth

Transcript Highlights:

• And not seeing anyone, I will launch right in.
• Medicaid and CHIP director, will cover, and she's been an extraordinary expert and leader in this space
• And so when you don't have a lot of births happening in that space, it can be challenging to keep the
• There are so many spaces that we don't know. There are some I don't know.
• So very open to discussions and what we could do to partner in space. Thank you for that.

Summary: The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee met on July 30, 2026, to hear two main briefings. The first, from the Health Care Authority, focused on implementation of federal H.R. 1 Medicaid changes and Washington’s rural health transformation funding. HCA said the state is preparing for major eligibility changes, including the October 1 loss of Medicaid coverage for about 14,000 lawfully present non-citizens and January 1, 2027 work requirements, six-month renewals, and reduced retroactive coverage for roughly 600,000 Medicaid expansion adults. Officials described outreach efforts, new automated verification systems, a verification hub, and plans to use available data sources to reduce manual paperwork, while noting that about one-third of the affected population may still need manual processing. They also said H.R. 1 will limit state-directed payments over time, with an estimated long-term impact of up to $1.5 billion in hospital reimbursements. On rural health transformation, HCA said it is moving quickly to obligate its $181 million federal award through contracts and competitive grants for rural hospitals, workforce, behavioral health, technology, and tribal and community partners. Committee members asked about the impact on rural providers, community service as a work-requirement pathway, emergency Medicaid, tribal and federal reimbursement issues, and whether the state would submit comments on the federal work-requirement rule. HCA said it would file comments, that emergency Medicaid coverage for certain services remains available, and that it is working with tribes and other agencies to avoid erroneous terminations and to move eligible people into other coverage where possible. Members also raised concerns about the administrative burden on families and providers and the need for congressional attention on issues such as TRICARE reimbursement. The second briefing addressed maternal health and the Department of Health’s Maternal Mortality Review Panel report. DOH said maternal mortality in Washington increased for the first time in the report series, but most pregnancy-related deaths remain preventable. Nearly half were linked to behavioral health conditions, especially overdose deaths, with suicide, cardiovascular disease, and COVID-19 also significant causes; most deaths occurred postpartum rather than during delivery. The report found higher mortality rates among American Indian and Alaska Native, Black, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, multiracial, rural, and Medicaid-covered populations, and identified lack of access to care, financial hardship, housing instability, discrimination, bias, and systemic inequities as major contributors. DOH highlighted existing state actions such as one-year postpartum coverage, doula reimbursement, inpatient substance use treatment coverage for birthing people, and vaccine coverage requirements, and offered 12 legislative recommendations focused on affordable and high-quality care, basic needs and community supports, and equitable, culturally responsive services. Presenters from the Suquamish Tribe and Kitsap OBGYN described how the tribe acquired and stabilized a threatened OB-GYN practice to preserve regional access amid provider shortages and hospital service losses. They said rural obstetric care is difficult to sustain because of thin margins, workforce shortages, long travel distances, and higher-risk patients, and emphasized that tribal health systems can offer stronger reimbursement and integrated family-centered care. The Foundation for Healthcare Quality and the Bree Collaborative then outlined statewide maternity-care quality efforts, including work on perinatal behavioral health, care coordination, postpartum screening, doula support, and better-aligned payment models. They said Washington has strengths in innovation but still needs more OB-GYN capacity, better transitions of care, and more culturally responsive, trauma-informed maternal and Native health services.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to recognize that it is no longer safe to rent a space without cooling.
• We have reached out to multiple attorneys in this space and sheriffs to determine and better understand
• We know that an affordable home is the launch pad for living our best, most productive lives, and we
• DNR land for natural space preservation is one example.
• DNR land for natural space preservation is one example.

Summary: The committee heard public hearing testimony on House Bill 2265, which would expand tenant protections during extreme heat. Staff explained that the bill would bar landlords from restricting portable cooling devices, require written notice of tenant rights and landlord immunity for tenant-installed devices, add a cooling duty under the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act, and prohibit sheriffs from physically evicting tenants during defined extreme heat periods. Representative Mena said the bill responds to the 2021 heat dome and is intended to address a gap in housing law, while committee members and the sponsor discussed unresolved questions about what “reasonably required” cooling means, how the eviction pause would work, and whether the bill could raise rents or create liability and operational burdens for landlords. Supporters, including climate, public health, tenant, and clean energy advocates, said extreme heat is a growing health threat and that renters need a right to cooling; opponents from multifamily housing, property management, and rental housing groups argued the bill is too vague, could effectively mandate costly cooling upgrades, create safety and insurance issues, and complicate eviction enforcement. The hearing also included testimony from landlords and housing providers who said the bill should be narrowed or amended, and from tenants and advocates who said it does not go far enough because it mostly permits tenant-installed cooling rather than requiring landlords to provide it. The committee then heard House Bill 1974, a proposed substitute authorizing land banks. Staff described the bill as allowing public corporations, housing authorities, and nonprofit corporations to acquire, hold, improve, lease, transfer, or dispose of property for affordable housing, with 30-year affordability requirements, annual reporting, tax exemptions, and priority transfer of certain tax-foreclosed properties. Vice Chair Hill said the bill was scaled back from earlier versions and is meant to create a flexible tool for turning difficult parcels into housing-ready land aligned with local housing plans. Testifiers from the Spokane Regional Land Bank, housing authorities, developers, youth shelter providers, and housing advocates supported the bill as a way to lower land costs, clear title issues, reduce displacement, and create a pipeline of permanently affordable housing. A counties representative also supported the concept but said they would like the grant program restored. One committee member raised a question about whether the tax-foreclosed property language could bypass the normal surplus distribution process, and staff said the provision is placed in the chapter governing properties that have already gone through foreclosure and auction, though the wording may need further review. Finally, the committee opened House Bill 2452, which would change how rent increase notices are served. Staff said the bill would remove the current requirement that rent increase notices be served like unlawful detainer notices and instead allow service by personal delivery, mail, or posting on the dwelling unit, with service by mail complete when deposited in the mail; the manufactured home version would follow the general notice rules under that act. Representative Connors said the bill responds to problems created when prior legislation required certified mail, which she said has led to tenants not receiving notices and housing providers facing higher costs and administrative burdens. Housing provider and industry witnesses supported the bill, saying certified mail is expensive, inefficient, and often not actually received, while tenant advocates opposed it, arguing that mail-only service weakens notice protections and can cause missed rent increases and displacement; they urged the committee to preserve stronger in-person or posting requirements. Some witnesses also suggested broader changes, including electronic notice, while others said the bill should be expanded to fix certified mail requirements for more than just rent increase notices.

Transcript Highlights:

• Has there been anyone in that space that has talked about at least for affordable housing a moratorium
• They have converted an unused storage shed into a common space that now hosts birthday parties, summer
• Your knowledge in this space is tremendous.
• So anything you've got for me in that in-between space would be great. Okay.
• There's a lot of opportunity, I think, especially in this space.

Committee: House Housing

Summary: The committee held a work session on land banking and shared homeownership models, with members and staff discussing ways to use public land and nonprofit partnerships to expand permanently affordable housing. Commerce’s Dave Anderson outlined recent policy changes that may support these models, including ADUs, middle housing, lot splitting, condominium reforms, church land housing, and public land transfer policies. He described community land trusts and limited equity housing cooperatives as ways for households to build some equity without owning land outright. Representatives asked about statewide numbers and implementation, and Commerce said it is preparing a guidebook for local planners. Pierce County staff described the Pierce County Community Development Corporation’s rapid acquisition fund, public-to-public land transfers, and land banking loans. They said the county used general fund and 1406 sales tax dollars to acquire properties, preserve a manufactured home park through resident ownership, and assemble public surplus and underutilized sites for future affordable housing. Committee members asked about the entity’s advantages over private developers, funding sources, coordination with housing authorities, and whether similar models exist elsewhere. The presenter said the main advantage is the ability to receive public property transfers at no cost and hold land while development plans are assembled. Amy Manning of the Spokane Regional Land Bank said land banks help move vacant, blighted, or underutilized properties into affordable housing and community use, but holding costs and taxes can make projects harder to finance. She described EPA brownfield assessments, Commerce planning grants, donated properties, and work with the City of Spokane on surplus and underutilized land. Victoria O’Beynion of the Northwest Cooperative Development Center then testified on limited equity cooperatives, especially in manufactured housing communities, saying they preserve affordability, support resident governance, and can build modest equity over time. She cited growth in cooperative acquisitions since 2020 and said recent legislation allowing manufactured homes in cooperatives to be titled as real property has improved access to traditional financing. The committee then shifted to maximizing existing housing stock. Dave Anderson reviewed the state’s recent housing laws and said implementation is still unfolding, with local code updates and planning cycles taking years. He noted growth in ADUs, room rentals, and multifamily production, but also concerns about short-term rentals and corporate ownership of single-family homes. Members asked for follow-up data on implementation timelines, vacancy, corporate ownership, and eviction patterns. Sightline’s Katie Gould presented on mobile dwelling units, arguing that RVs and tiny houses on wheels are a low-cost, fast-to-install housing option that is often blocked by zoning, and described cases where people were forced into precarious or illegal arrangements. AARP’s Kathy McCall closed by emphasizing aging in place, housing cost burdens on older adults, and the need for more accessible, lower-cost options such as ADUs, missing middle housing, and manufactured home community preservation.

Transcript Highlights:

• He's working with the Space Command there.
• Question two, Tang was not the only thing that came out of the space program. So was microwave.
• It is kind of a black box when it does its things in multidimensional space.
• Should we space it out so it's only done at night?
• We all know that the top of the mountain is where Movers has to be for our final launch, okay?

Committee: House Subcommittee on Appropriations - General Administration

Summary: The subcommittee held an informational hearing on the Information Technology Services Division (ITSD) within the Office of Administration, with no quorum present and no formal action taken. Chair Voss said the purpose was to review ITSD’s programs, budget needs, and future plans, and members emphasized the value of an informed appropriator. Representative Riggs cautioned that the state should avoid jeopardizing federal broadband funding and asked that AI-related work remain consistent with federal expectations. ITSD leadership, including CIO John Loren and Deputy CIO Tara Damp, outlined the division’s scope and recent modernization efforts. They said ITSD supports 15 executive agencies plus the governor and lieutenant governor, manages about 1,200 production software solutions, handles roughly 35,000 help desk requests per month, and defends against billions of cyberattacks monthly. They highlighted investments in layered security, data center and network redundancy, a unified Microsoft 365 environment, modern development tools, and portal platforms. Damp reviewed the history of IT consolidation, noting budget reductions after 2007, then increased investment beginning in 2020 and especially with ARPA funds in fiscal 2023. Members asked about spending projections, subscription-based licensing, procurement modernization, and the role of non-consolidated agencies such as MoDOT and Conservation. The committee also discussed future funding needs and benchmarking. ITSD said its current spending is about $287 million, with a projected ongoing need of about $345 million to maintain and modernize services, while Gartner comparisons suggested Missouri spends less per employee and as a share of operating budget than peer states. Members asked for more detailed fiscal-year spending profiles for major initiatives and for clarification on what is and is not included in the projections, including Social Services and HR1-related work. ITSD said it would provide additional detail. A major portion of the hearing focused on AI strategy and governance. Tim Marsheski, ITSD’s director of AI and innovation, described a cautious, pilot-based approach centered on secure use, human oversight, and data governance. He cited examples such as an internal HR chatbot that reduced average response time from about 45 minutes to two minutes, pilots with DESE data transformation, and efforts to use AI for code assistance, document scanning, and workflow support. Members asked about workforce impacts, training, closed versus open models, and whether AI could help with auditing and fiscal analysis. ITSD said it is still early on workforce forecasting, but it is building governance, acceptable-use policies, and feedback loops to test tools, measure results, and scale only when they provide value and remain secure.

Transcript Highlights:

• . actions in that space.
• These participants are serving the Green Line along the University Avenue corridor and was launched to
• And below that is an initiative we launched last year for a similar program with buses at three transit
• </c><01:09:54.960><c> to</c> Avenue corridor and was launched to Avenue corridor and was launched to
• last year for a similar program launched last year for a similar program with<01:11:05.120><c> buses

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• 12.720><c> housing</c> role here in the uh Workforce housing role here in the uh Workforce housing space
• <c> Hampshire</c><00:10:14.680><c> the</c><00:10:14.839><c> Department</c><00:10:15.160><c> of</c> space
• in New Hampshire the Department of space in New Hampshire the Department of Business<00:10:15.600><c
• Chairman, is, uh, we are now, um, launching a new program called the Housing Champions program that was
• Chairman, is, uh, we are now, um, launching a new program called the Housing Champions program that was

Committee: House Housing

Transcript Highlights:

• It is why to the comment tourism space.
• Now we are seeing some reopen in those spaces, etc.
• Now we are seeing some reopen in those<00:32:43.440><c> spaces</c><00:32:44.080><c> etc.
• But boy I'm not those spaces etc.
• </c> boats launched. Would you believe that? boats launched. Would you believe that?

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on SB 63, a bill described by Senator Tim Lang and other supporters as a technical correction to the rooms and meals tax distribution formula. Lang said the bill would clarify that the Division of Travel and Tourism’s 3.15% promotional allocation is taken from gross rooms-and-meals revenue before the 30% municipal reimbursement fund is calculated, which he argued restores the intended 2009/2021 structure and avoids an unintended loss to tourism marketing. Committee members raised questions about whether the bill actually changes section one or instead addresses DRA’s interpretation, and whether the measure could be affected by the budget process or HB 2. Jessica Keeler of Ski New Hampshire testified in strong support, saying the bill would preserve the promotional budget formula that had been in place since 2009 and that the 2019 revision effectively reduced the promotional allocation by placing the municipal share first. She said tourism promotion has helped increase visitation, revenues, and jobs, and warned that without a fix, the joint promotional program and other tourism efforts could be cut in future budgets. She also said the bill would not change the current year’s tourism budget but would matter for future cycles. Mike Summers of the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association also supported SB 63, calling it a correction to the 2021 changes and arguing that state tourism marketing is essential because small businesses cannot reach distant markets on their own. He said the industry has benefited from state promotion, especially after COVID, but is now facing softer occupancy rates, lower Canadian visitation, and financial strain from debt and operating costs. Summers said the industry cannot make up for major tourism budget cuts on its own and urged maintaining or increasing travel and tourism funding. No vote or final action was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so in that space I've worked with the nurse practitioners as well as the substance use providers,
• In, I know, several years ago when House Bill 1623 was enacted, which really created the big launch of
• And so in that space I've worked with the nurse practitioners as well as the substance use providers,
• And so in that space I've worked with the nurse practitioners as well as the substance use providers,
• because I don't them uh in the space because I don't think<00:28:44.840><c> we</c><00:28:45.159><c>

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2021, Texas launched a high-quality sustainable residencies program, and they funded 85 teacher residents
• So we launched this program, the Arizona Teacher Residency.
• community, LDS, and the LGBTQ community for that decade to help parents and kids find resources in a safe space
• And she says, 'We know that all students thrive in safe spaces.
• And she says, 'We know that all students thrive in safe spaces.

Committee: House House Education Committee of Reference

Summary: The Committee on Education first heard a presentation from Dr. Victoria Dyson Homer on the Arizona Teacher Residency Program. She argued that Arizona faces a teacher retention and certification crisis, with high attrition and many uncertified or underprepared teachers, and said research shows practice-based residencies improve retention, teacher confidence, and student outcomes. She described the Arizona Teacher Residency as a year-long, cohort-based, district-partnered program with mentoring, coursework, and induction support, and said its early data show very high retention and positive student and teacher feedback. Committee members asked about how the program differs from traditional student teaching, salary schedules, and whether residency graduates outperform traditional preparation pathways; the presentation was generally well received. The committee then took up SCR 1006, a ballot referral dealing with school restroom and locker room accommodations and pronoun/name use for students. The sponsor framed it as a parental rights and student safety measure, while opponents from education, legal, and advocacy backgrounds argued it was discriminatory, unnecessary, and harmful to transgender and non-binary students. After public testimony and member debate, the committee approved SCR 1006 on a 7-5 vote. Members then considered SB 1126, which would require schools to provide certain student records and information to Department of Child Safety caseworkers and prohibit schools from blocking staff from speaking with DCS during abuse or neglect investigations. DCS testified neutral, saying the bill would help clarify information sharing and support child safety; the committee passed the bill 10-0 with two members present. Finally, the committee heard SB 1210, which would require certain out-of-state private postsecondary institutions offering fully online programs to Arizona residents to register with the state board unless they participate in a reciprocity agreement, and to comply with student tuition recovery fund requirements if they collect prepaid tuition. Supporters said the bill closes a regulatory loophole and protects students and the state’s oversight of online providers. The committee approved SB 1210 on an 11-1 vote. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2021, Texas launched a high-quality sustainable residencies program, and they funded 85 teacher residents
• So we launched this program, the Arizona Teacher Residency.
• Teacher residencies work for students, for teachers, ...to space teacher preparation works, teacher residencies
• community, LDS, and the LGBTQ community for that decade to help parents and kids find resources in a safe space
• And she says, 'We know that all students thrive in safe spaces.

Committees: House Education , House House Education Committee of Reference

Transcript Highlights:

• As background, in August 2019, Governor DeSantis launched the Governor's Faith and Community Initiative
• So since its launch in 2021, Hope Florida has helped 30,000 Floridians reach greater economic independence
• nonprofit status, raising funds, is able to provide maybe that direct support to a veteran in the veteran space
• profit status, raising funds, is able to provide maybe that direct support to a veteran in the veteran space
• I don't have the answers, but I have the passion and the desire to be in that space with them as we build

Committee: Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability

Summary: The Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability met with a quorum present and took up a full agenda of bills, many involving public records exemptions and government operations. Several measures were reported favorably, including SB 342 on an Agency for Health Care Administration public records exemption for employees facing threats; SB 7018 preserving a public records exemption tied to parental consent/judicial bypass records for minors seeking abortions; SB 626 lowering quorum requirements and allowing remote participation for the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys; SB 710 protecting personal information of Crime Stoppers employees, board members, volunteers, and their families; SB 300 extending clerk personal-information protections to appellate court clerks; and SB 302 creating a similar exemption for Judicial Qualifications Commission employees. The committee also approved SB 7010 and SB 7008, which preserve and narrow public records exemptions related to the Department of Financial Services as receiver for insolvent insurers and the financial technology sandbox, respectively. The committee also heard and advanced several policy bills. SB 820 codifies the Office of Faith and Community in the Executive Office of the Governor; Senator Polsky questioned whether the office was duplicative of existing services and raised concerns about religion in state governance, while supporters argued it complements existing networks and helps connect Floridians to services. SB 1144 codifies the Hope Florida program, with supporters describing it as a connector to community resources and critics again raising concerns about overlap, private donations, and accountability; both SB 820 and SB 1144 passed on largely party-line votes with Senator Polsky voting no. SB 804 would redesignate the SS American Victory as the state flagship, but Senator Rodriguez opposed giving up the current flagship designation for the Key West schooner, though the bill still passed favorably. SB 214 designates August 21 as Fentanyl Awareness and Education Day and passed without opposition. SB 1088 requires certain state customer-service phone lines to offer callback features, and SB 576 makes technical fixes to service-of-process law; both were reported favorably. Additional bills included SB 1524, a broad Department of State measure with a strike-all amendment that revises grant-review procedures, adds an America 250 funding focus, and changes commission-fee and oath requirements; Senator Arrington and Senator Polsky expressed concerns about reviewer qualifications, grant criteria, and the impact on arts and cultural programs, and both voted no while the bill still passed. SB 1640, on confidentiality of lethality assessment forms in domestic violence cases, was amended to allow disclosure to domestic violence centers while barring disclosure to state attorneys, and it passed favorably. SB 1160 expands health insurance premium benefits for certain officers catastrophically injured or killed in the line of duty; supporters from the Fraternal Order of Police appeared in support, and the bill passed unanimously. The committee also confirmed eight appointments to the Florida Commission on Community Service, the Investment Advisory Council, the Public Employees Relations Commission, and the State Retirement Commission. At the end of the meeting, senators requested to be recorded on specific bills, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• have that there's activity going on aircrafts flying by some type of condensation and let's call a space
• >> Yes, if we're dealing with the atmosphere and space, it's kind of hard to tell which state the geoengineering
• the earth to God. >> But because of aviation came in and it became 400 to 500 feet and of personal space
• And in fact, in just this past week, our partners at Stand for Health Freedom launched an action alert
• And it removes any possibility that we're misinterpreting things that pre-existing launches are not included

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> beautiful foundation and launch beautiful foundation and launch neighbors<00:41:31.920><c> next<
• It's a beautiful space.
• It's a beautiful space.
• Senator Draheim, I do think that this is, you know, having visited the space, it's a fantastic space,
• Know, having visited the space, it's a fantastic space, and they're doing some great things to help people

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• We're seeing treatments and cures in a variety of spaces.
• This is why we are launching new business practices.
• This is why we are launching new business practices.
• In the small group space, I think she said you had 13 employees.
• In the small group space, I think she said you had 13 employees.

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• note that I authored, alongside my council colleague Councilwoman Joni Rix Odie, the policy that launched
• , I authored alongside with my council colleague, Councilwoman Joni Rick's Odie, the policy that launched
• local law enforcement partners and community organizations, the California Department of Justice launched
• Unlike other movement spaces, the anti-trafficking sector is not an impacted person-led movement.
• Many young people move their activity online or to less visible spaces, meaning the same number of youth

Summary: The Assembly Standing Committee on Public Safety held an informational hearing in Pomona on sex work-related crimes and efforts to combat human trafficking. The chair and Assembly Member Michelle Rodriguez framed the issue as a major public safety and victim-protection concern, referencing the repeal of the loitering law in SB 357 and the recent enactment of AB 379, which targets buyers of sex rather than sex workers. The hearing was organized into three panels: data and research, policing and anti-trafficking efforts, and courtroom/prosecution impacts. In the first panel, the California Department of Justice presented arrest and conviction data for the repealed loitering statute, noting overall declines from 2019 to 2022 but also explaining that the data did not distinguish clearly between people selling sex, people loitering to sell, and people purchasing sex. USC law professor Hannah Gary summarized a 2021 report finding that law enforcement stings and raids often lack transparency, disproportionately harm Black women, minors, LGBTQ+ people, and undocumented migrants, and rarely achieve the stated goals of protecting victims, prosecuting traffickers, or preventing trafficking. The ACLU of Southern California argued that criminalization of sex work is discriminatory and historically used to police women and people of color, and that laws aimed at buyers still harm sex workers and can increase immigration consequences. Committee members asked about data collection, racial disparities, and whether the new law could worsen profiling; the panelists urged public health approaches, better data, and more survivor services. The second panel featured the California DOJ human trafficking coordinator, Pomona Police Chief Mike Ellis, and survivor advocate Jess Torres of Rising Worldwide. DOJ described its regional trafficking teams, task forces, victim services, and prosecutions, emphasizing a victim-centered and trauma-informed approach. Chief Ellis said SB 357 limited police intervention and contributed to visible open-air prostitution near schools and other sensitive locations, citing complaints from residents and a reported drop in juvenile rescues in Pomona after the law changed; he supported AB 63-style enforcement with safeguards and service referrals. Torres, speaking as a survivor, argued that anti-trafficking policy must be survivor-led, that many youth in the sex trade are boys or LGBTQ youth, and that criminalization and street enforcement often worsen harm and displacement rather than solving the underlying problems. In the final panel, a Riverside County deputy district attorney said AB 63 could help law enforcement make earlier contact with potential victims and identify traffickers, while stressing the need for training, documentation, and oversight. A Los Angeles County public defender argued that prosecuting trafficked people reinforces traffickers’ control, creates lifelong barriers, and retraumatizes survivors, and pointed to diversion programs as a better model. The Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking began its testimony by describing its survivor services and crisis response work. The hearing ended without any vote or formal action, but with committee members and witnesses continuing to debate the balance between enforcement, data collection, and survivor-centered services.

Transcript Highlights:

• Odie, I authored, alongside my council colleague, Councilwoman Joni Rick's Odie, the policy that launched
• , I authored alongside with my council colleague, Councilwoman Joni Rick's Odie, the policy that launched
• local law enforcement partners and community organizations, the California Department of Justice launched
• Unlike other movement spaces, the anti-trafficking sector is not an impacted person-led movement.
• Many young people move their activity online or to less visible spaces, meaning the same number of youth

Committee: House Public Safety

Summary: The Assembly Standing Committee on Public Safety held an informational hearing in Pomona on sex work-related crimes and efforts to combat human trafficking. Opening remarks framed the hearing around the repeal of the old loitering law in SB 357 and the recent enactment of AB 379, which will again make loitering with intent to purchase commercial sex a misdemeanor starting January 1, 2026. Members said the goal was to better understand the sex work industry, trafficking, law enforcement practices, and survivor support, with a focus on prevention and accountability. The first panel featured a DOJ representative, a USC law professor, and an ACLU attorney. DOJ presented arrest and conviction data for the repealed loitering statute and said the data did not distinguish clearly between buyers and sellers. USC researchers said anti-trafficking raids and stings often lacked transparency, disproportionately harmed marginalized groups, and frequently failed to identify traffickers or connect survivors to services. The ACLU argued that loitering laws have historically been used to police people of color and that criminalizing sex work or purchase of sex can worsen harm, increase racial disparities, and create immigration consequences. Committee members asked about better data collection, racial disparities, and whether the new law would help communities; responses emphasized public health approaches, housing, job training, and trauma-informed services. The second panel included DOJ, Pomona Police Chief Mike Ellis, and survivor advocate Jess Torres. DOJ described regional human trafficking teams, task forces, prosecutions, and survivor services. Chief Ellis said the repeal of the loitering law reduced officers’ ability to intervene early, contributed to visible open-air prostitution near schools and businesses, and made it harder to rescue juveniles; he supported AB 379 and related local efforts. Torres, speaking as a survivor, argued that survivor voices are often excluded, that many youth in the sex trade are boys or LGBTQ youth, and that criminalization and street enforcement can retraumatize people and push the problem out of sight rather than solve it. She urged prevention, unmet-needs services, and survivor inclusion in policymaking. In the final panel, a Riverside County prosecutor said AB 63 would restore a useful enforcement tool with safeguards and could help officers make earlier contact with potential victims, while stressing the need for training and oversight. A public defender argued that arresting trafficked people reinforces traffickers’ control, creates lifelong barriers, and undermines cooperation, pointing to a Pomona diversion program as evidence that treatment and wraparound services can work. No formal votes were taken during the hearing; the committee used the session for testimony, questions, and discussion of competing approaches to trafficking enforcement and survivor support.

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, this is very important space to a lot of people.
• So this space has really transformed what we can offer for the community.
• So if you have a break during this, I encourage you to go around and look at each space.
• There's a Trial Court document management system that will be launching next fiscal year.
• Just last week, we launched a new business intelligence tool on our website.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held its sixth public hearing on the Governor’s H-2 budget proposal for fiscal year 2026, focused on public safety and judiciary agencies, at the Foxborough Community Center. After opening remarks and local welcomes, the committee heard first from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, led by Secretary Gina Kwan, who outlined a $1.72 billion budget, up $69.8 million from FY26. She said the proposal emphasizes core operations, readiness, and partnerships with municipalities, and highlighted work on firearms-law implementation, State Police reform, DOC reentry efforts, hate-crimes prevention, emergency response, and planning for major events including the World Cup. Members also raised concerns about DNA backlog reporting, State Police academy boxing and training standards, ICE communication, disaster relief funding, crime lab staffing, EMS placement, and diversity in public safety leadership. Several exchanges focused on specific operational issues. Secretary Kwan and her team said the State Police are tracking the influx of forensic work from local sheriffs, that the boxing program remains suspended pending an IACP review and likely will not return in its prior form, and that EOPS has no direct communication with ICE but supports law-enforcement coordination where appropriate. On disaster preparedness, officials said the new disaster relief fund is being developed with MEMA and A&F, currently capitalized at $14 million with another $14 million expected, though members urged a more permanent funding source. On the crime lab, staff said the roughly $4.5 million increase is intended to cover core operations and a structural funding gap rather than expand services. The secretary also said EOPS is not ready to absorb OEMS from DPH at this time, though she would keep an open mind. The committee then heard from district attorneys, led by Suffolk County DA Kevin Hayden, who said the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association is seeking a 10% increase in operating budgets, including about $16.7 million for staffing salaries, to recruit and retain prosecutors, advocates, and support staff. He said the request reflects rising workload and the need to keep the criminal justice system functioning efficiently and fairly. The hearing was recessed briefly after the district attorneys’ opening remarks, with additional testimony expected to continue afterward.