Video & Transcript : 'survivors' :
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MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security
Transcript Highlights:
- These events have long-lasting impacts on their survivors.
- I’m an advocate, cancer survivor, and someone who happens to have autism.
- Our team and members work alongside law enforcement and survivor advocacy organizations to strengthen
- We help survivors develop new skills, continue their education, and find employment opportunities.
- We help survivors develop new skills, continue their education, and find employment opportunities that
Summary:
The hearing focused on a range of public safety bills, with especially emotional testimony on the Maggie Hubbard Rental Safety Act, which would require short-term rentals to be inspected for smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and require platforms or agents to verify compliance before listing. Rep. Hadley Luddy, Sen. Julian Cyr, and the Hubbard and Waldron families described the fatal Airbnb fire that killed Shannon Hubbard and her daughter Maggie in New York, saying the deaths were preventable and that the bill would save lives. Committee members expressed sympathy and support for the families’ efforts to turn their loss into legislation.
The committee also heard testimony on a proposed peace officer oath (S. 1680), described by Sen. Lydia Edwards as a binding ethical standard tied to certification and recertification, with discipline and annual reporting to promote accountability and de-escalation. Rep. Tom Walsh testified for a bill requiring hotel and motel workers to be trained to recognize human trafficking and to post hotline signage, and later testimony supported a school safety data grant program to provide first responders with standardized, up-to-date school maps for emergencies. Another major topic was a bill to allow temporary door-locking devices in public buildings; supporters said the devices are removable, do not alter fire code, and could improve lockdown response during active shooter events.
Additional bills discussed included measures to transfer the Office of Emergency Medical Services to EOPSS, increase penalties for unlicensed hood-system cleaning, expand membership on the Massachusetts Fire Training Council, and strengthen confidentiality for peer support and critical incident stress debriefings. Firefighters and fire chiefs also supported a bill to tighten penalties for violations of hot-work regulations, citing the 2014 Beacon Street fire that killed Lt. Walsh and Firefighter Kennedy. Law enforcement groups backed a package including a Blue Star plate and Blue Alert system for fallen officers’ families, stronger move-over penalties, and a memorial fund, while the State Police Association supported the move-over provisions but asked for further work on the special state police officer bill before final action. No votes were taken during the hearing.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Combatting Antisemitism Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am
Transcript Highlights:
- I bring a group of adult children of Holocaust survivors to local schools to speak, and we weave in the
- I am a grandson of Holocaust survivors from both sides of my family.
- I am a grandson of Holocaust survivors from both sides of my family, from Latvia and Ukraine.
- For example, my grandfather, Moses Berkovich, was a sole survivor of the family.
- So they gathered Holocaust survivors, and at that time nobody was speaking about the Holocaust.
Summary:
The Special Commission on Combating Anti-Semitism opened by approving the minutes from its November 5, 2025 meeting and outlining plans for its next meeting on November 20, when it expects to vote on the draft master report and recommendations. The chair explained that revised drafts would be circulated, changes would be handled by motion, and the final vote would be by roll call. The meeting then moved through several public panels focused on prevention, education, workplace support, and community safety.
Parents for Peace testified that anti-Semitism and extremism should be treated as a public health crisis and urged state funding for training in K-12 schools, healthcare, and law enforcement. The panel described its intervention work with radicalized youth and families, argued for early-warning training for educators, and recommended diversion resources for courts and prosecutors so cases can be addressed before they escalate. Commissioners asked about the origins of radicalization, the need for school-based training, and how to connect courts and police to available resources.
Project Shema’s Orrin Jacobson argued that effective anti-Semitism education must be nuanced, pluralistic, and grounded in a better understanding of Jewish identity and contemporary anti-Semitism, especially in conversations about Israel and Palestine. He said the group has run dozens of workshops in Massachusetts and emphasized that institutions should adopt content-neutral norms, train staff and administrators, and measure whether trainings lower tensions and increase willingness to intervene. Commissioners asked about handling activists who reject nuance, the role of faculty versus students, and whether classroom norms should limit teachers from advancing personal agendas.
A workplace panel from Klaal and Combined Jewish Philanthropies presented survey data showing many Jewish employees feel unsafe being openly Jewish at work and that antisemitism training is the top requested support. They described rapid growth in Jewish employee resource groups, existing programming and stipends for ERG leaders, and recommended mandatory anti-Semitism training, support for Jewish affinity groups in public and private sectors, and broader convenings of major employers. The commission also heard from Truah rabbis and educators, who urged stronger interfaith solidarity, a state office of faith-based and neighborhood partnerships, and explicit attention to democracy and civil rights as part of anti-Semitism strategy.
After a recess, the commission heard from Israeli-American, Russian Jewish, and Persian Jewish witnesses who described antisemitism as a lived, personal, and civic issue affecting immigrants and their families. They called for inclusion of diverse Jewish voices in state initiatives, stronger protections for Israeli-American businesses, and recognition that anti-Zionist rhetoric often becomes direct harassment of Jews. The chair said the testimony and suggested edits would be incorporated into the draft report, and the meeting ended with plans for further revisions before the final vote.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
PSM-HHS, PSM DEFER Public Hearings 02-07-2025
Public Safety and Military Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- It's a little conflicting for me on this because we do support wider access to care for survivors, and
- that is very important, but we don't want it to come at a cost to survivors as well.
- It's a little conflicting for me on this because we do support wider access to care for survivors, and
- that is very important, but we don't want it to come at a cost to survivors as well.
- that is very important, but we don't want it to come at a cost to survivors as well.
Committee:
Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs
Summary:
On the deferred agenda, the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs took up SB 1364, which makes emergency appropriations for law enforcement personnel costs, and SB 1452, which relates to the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. The chair recommended both measures pass with amendments, including technical corrections and a committee-report effective date of July 1, 2077. For SB 1364, the amendments included specified general fund and transfer fund amounts for DAGS, the Judiciary, and the Department of Law. For SB 1452, the chair said the bill was being corrected to fix a drug-name error that had been replicated from a federal mistake. Both recommendations were adopted by vote, with Senator Dort excused.
The committee then discussed SB 1612, a joint measure on fitness to proceed that would require and appropriate funds for a five-year pilot program involving the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Department of Health, with interim and final reports to the Legislature. Testimony was mixed: the Judiciary and Department of Health were supportive, while the Office of the Public Defender and the Disability Rights Center opposed it, arguing it conflicted with best practices and the Clark consent order, and that people found not fit to proceed must be sent to the state hospital. DCR said its main concern was that the bill would still require patients to be housed in its facilities, which it said are not rehabilitative and are already strained by staffing shortages and limited access. The bill’s author argued the proposal was meant to create joint custody and reduce the high cost of state-hospital placement, but the committee did not take final action in the portion provided.
In the joint hearing with Health and Human Services, the committees heard SB 1322, a broad rewrite of the state mental health code. The Attorney General supported the measure as a comprehensive cleanup and modernization effort, but many testifiers raised concerns. Queen’s Health System and Hawaii Health Systems Corporation supported the concept but warned about emergency-room impacts and asked for amendments; IHS supported the bill with a caveat about assisted community treatment procedures; and the Public Defender, Disability Rights Center, and others opposed parts of it, citing due process, privacy, HIPAA, counsel rights, liability immunity, and the reduction of an involuntary-treatment panel from three clinicians to one psychiatrist. The hearing also covered SB 951 on child protection, where the Department of Defense supported the bill and proposed technical amendments and MOUs with military components to clarify reporting and coordination procedures; DHS and the Attorney General said they were still working through possible changes. Finally, SB 228 on excited delirium was heard, with the Public Defender and Disability Rights Center supporting the bill and arguing the term has been misused and that better police de-escalation training is the real solution.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- Survivors deserve to be seen, and I believe a green vote stands up for survivors today.
- Survivors deserve to be seen, and I believe a green vote stands up for survivors today.
- Survivors deserve to be seen, and I believe a green vote stands up for survivors today.
- Survivors deserve to be seen, and I believe a green vote stands up for survivors today.
- Survivors deserve to be seen, and I believe a green vote stands up for survivors today.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:30 am
Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight
Transcript Highlights:
- Some of our members are themselves Holocaust survivors and others are the children of survivors.
Summary:
The Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight reopened a hearing on several bills related to public commissions, diversity on boards, and honorary or representative designations. Most of the testimony focused on bills promoting the rights and inclusion of American Muslims, including support for a Muslim commission that would recommend qualified Muslim residents for appointments, assess state programs’ effects on the community, and advise lawmakers. Witnesses described Islamophobia, discrimination in schools and public spaces, and the need for Muslim representation in government. One speaker, Ahmed Svahani, opposed the Muslim commission bill, arguing it could allow the state to define who counts as a “real Muslim,” create an official class, and silence dissenting voices.
Other testimony supported a bill to promote diversity on public boards and commissions, with Mass NOW arguing that boards should better reflect the state’s racial and gender diversity and that diverse boards make better decisions. Mass Equality testified in support of a commission on the status of transgender people, citing federal restrictions on gender-affirming care, discrimination in housing, employment, and education, and gaps in existing representation. The National Lawyers Guild’s Massachusetts chapter also supported the Muslim commission bill, citing civil-rights concerns and increased reports of discrimination and retaliation against Muslims.
No votes were taken on the bills themselves during the hearing. At the end of testimony, a motion was made and seconded to close the hearing, and the committee voted in favor of adjournment, ending the hearing.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- He explained that the bill deals with survivor benefits for foster youth in Idaho.
- He said that when the year began, 39 states were still taking survivor benefits, and at this time three
Summary:
The House convened with 61 members present, approved the House Journal, and received several committee reports and messages from the Senate. Committee actions included printing and referral of multiple bills and memorials, and the filing of House Joint Memorial 10 with the Secretary of State. The House also introduced a number of new measures, including bills on child care licensing, foster care, administration services to cities, elections, sex crimes, education certificates, and a constitutional amendment on state-owned land.
On the floor, the House considered and passed House Bill 501, which requires petition signature gatherers to disclose on their name tags who is paying them if they are compensated. Members also passed House Bill 558, codifying protections for foster youth survivor benefits, House Bill 608, clarifying the school district facilities fund and repayment rules, and House Bill 636, allowing school district facility funds to be used for lease-purchase arrangements. Each of these bills passed by voice or recorded vote with no title corrections.
The House also passed House Resolution 21, related to Transportation Department rules and preserving a manual backup process for electronic registration, and House Resolution 22, which approved Education Committee rules. House Joint Memorial 12 was held on the third reading calendar for one legislative day, and House Joint Memorials 9 and 11 were enrolled and sent for signatures. The session ended with announcements and adjournment until 10:30 a.m. the next day.
VT
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee Jun 23rd, 2026
Privacy and Consumer Protection
Transcript Highlights:
- Member Dixon, for her leadership on the resolution we passed yesterday on the floor, on Social Media Survivors
- I am a co-founder and executive director of Parents' Rise, an advocacy organization run by survivor parents
- The survivor contacted Grindr over 100 times to try to get that profile taken down, but the company did
- Victoria Hink, survivor parent, in support.
- Victoria Hink, survivor parent of Owl Forever 16, in support. Thank you.
Committee:
House Privacy and Consumer Protection
VT
Transcript Highlights:
- diverse and included members of, you know, from the law enforcement community, folks who work with survivors
- diverse and included members of, you know, from the law enforcement community, folks who work with survivors
- diverse and included members of, you know, from the law enforcement community, folks who work with survivors
- folks<01:05:14.400><c> who</c><01:05:14.640><c> work</c><01:05:15.200><c> with</c><01:05:15.560><c> survivors
- </c><01:05:16.200><c> and</c> folks who work with survivors and folks who work with survivors and victims
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 6 on Public Safety Apr 13th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- As a Native women-led nonprofit organization, our sub-grant funding allows us to strengthen survivor-centered
- We are seeing more Native youth, survivors, and community members step into leadership and advocacy roles
- four years, including arresting 1,012 individuals engaged in human trafficking and assisting 1,054 survivors
- The APPS program is a vital testament to California's commitment to public safety, especially to survivors
- information about other firearms not known to those databases, such as when a domestic violence survivor
Summary:
The hearing focused on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) grant program under the Board of State and Community Corrections and related Department of Justice efforts. BSCC reported that it now administers 36 MMIP grants across three cohorts, with awards ranging from $436,000 to $1 million, plus five collaborative grants at $2 million each, totaling $35.4 million awarded to federally recognized tribes. Testimony from tribal leaders and grantees described how the funding supports prevention, family advocacy, domestic violence services, law enforcement coordination, youth programming, culturally grounded healing, and new tribal public safety positions such as investigators, social workers, and drone operators. Speakers repeatedly emphasized that the crisis is longstanding, tied to generational trauma, and that the grant has helped build trust and infrastructure in tribal communities.
Several witnesses and committee members urged continued and preferably ongoing funding, noting that demand now exceeds available one-time money. BSCC and tribal representatives described outreach efforts that increased participation from four applicants in cohort one to 20 in cohort two and more applicants than funding in cohort three. Tribes also raised implementation concerns, especially the burden of quarterly narrative reporting, limited staff capacity, and the need for flexible administration. BSCC said it uses steering committees, separate small- and large-project categories, orientations, monitoring visits, and technical assistance to support grantees. Tribal leaders and advocates stressed that the program should remain accessible without requiring a waiver of tribal sovereignty.
The second major topic was DOJ’s update on AB 3099, the Tribal Assistance Program, and the tribal police pilot under AB 134. DOJ officials said the Office of Native American Affairs and the Division of Law Enforcement have been conducting outreach, trainings, listening sessions, and coordination with tribal, local, state, and federal partners to address Public Law 280 jurisdictional issues, improve reporting and data, and support Feather Alert and MMIP-related resources. DOJ said the AB 3099 report is in internal review and that the tribal police pilot is moving forward with the Yurok Tribe as a participant, with a July 1, 2026 start date. DOJ and tribal witnesses said the pilot’s main barriers are cost and, for some tribes, the waiver of sovereign immunity. No votes were taken, and the hearing ended with broad support for expanding and sustaining MMIP-related funding and infrastructure.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- She is a survivor of human trafficking, I guess I should say survivors; my apologies.
- My name is Sherry Lopez, and I am the president of the Arizona Human Trafficking Survivors Coalition,
- In my work today, I hear the same thing from many survivors.
- My name is Sherry Lopez and I am the president of the Arizona Human Trafficking Survivors Coalition and
- In my work today, I hear the same thing from many survivors.
Committee:
House Appropriations
Keywords:
corrections oversight, appropriation, independent office, public safety, funding, firefighters, insurance rates, workers' compensation, firefighter cancer reimbursement, rate deviations, cost analysis, premiums, border security, drug trafficking, human smuggling, law enforcement funding, Arizona, immigration, education reform, K-12
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
FIN/WAM Joint Info Briefing - Tue Jan 21, 2025 @ 1:00 PM HST
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- our team and partners almost weekly to share information and stay connected to the needs of our survivors
- c> critical services for easy accessibility critical services for easy accessibility for for for survivors
- critical to the success of our survivors critical to the success of our efforts<00:11:47.600><c> is<
- every meeting is needs of our survivors every meeting is live<00:12:09.480><c> streamed</c><00:12:09.839
- from of transitioning all survivors from emergency<00:16:16.920><c> housing</c><00:16:17.680><c> to<
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- I have been working with disaster survivors since about three weeks after the disaster occurred.
- since um about with disaster survivors since um about three<00:47:40.680><c> weeks</c><00:47:41.200>
- And there are insurance companies that are requiring survivors to list the name of every CD that they
- aren't left behind but even if survivors aren't left behind but even if that's<00:54:33.240><c> not<
- Lahaina fire survivors should not face homelessness while waiting to rebuild.
Committee:
House Public Safety
Summary:
The Committee on Public Safety met on January 31, 2025, and first heard House Bill 1062, a housekeeping measure relating to the Hawaii Air National Guard. Testimony in support came from representatives of the Adjutant General and other National Guard witnesses. A member raised a technical question about language allowing the Guard to hold the rank authorized by the Department of the Air Force, and the response was that the bill should not require additional HR language; no vote was taken.
The committee then heard House Bill 674, which would authorize allowances for TRICARE dental and vision coverage for Hawaii National Guard personnel ordered to active duty for more than 30 days. The Department of Defense supported the bill through Brigadier General Ross, Director of Joint Staff, and Terry Heiti also testified in support. There were no questions or action taken on the measure.
House Bill 652, relating to veterans’ rights and benefits and regulating compensation for advice or assistance on veterans’ benefits, drew the most discussion. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Hawaii supported the bill, arguing it would protect veterans from illegal or exploitative practices and noting its own service to more than 2,000 veterans in fiscal year 2024. Opposition came from the National Association for Veterans Rights and Veteran Benefits Guide, which argued the bill would restrict access to needed services and that some for-profit providers operate legally and should not be barred. Committee members questioned the scope of the bill, accreditation requirements, and whether nonprofit or pro bono services would be affected. A Department of Defense veteran services official said veterans can be vulnerable to exploitation and that some legal fee arrangements can be abusive, while also noting pro bono options exist. The committee did not reach a decision on the bill during the excerpt.
The committee also began hearing House Bill 1058, which would create a veteran cemetery board within the Office of Veteran Services to help state veteran cemeteries comply with federal standards. The Office of Veteran Services and Terry Heiti testified in support. Members asked about the board’s membership, timeline, and consultant selection, and were told the working group was still in an organizational stage and no construction timeline had been set. The final measure discussed was House Bill 503, which would appropriate funds for a consultant to evaluate locations and designs for a Hawaii First Responders Memorial. The Department of Accounting and General Services supported the bill, and testimony in support was received from county and city officials, UPW Hawaii, and individuals. Members asked about the working group, timeline, and budget, and were told the project was still in early planning; no final action was taken in the portion provided.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Session May 19th, 2026
California Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- SB 1056 is solely intended to ensure the privacy and protection of survivors.
- Colleagues, I rise to present Senate Bill 934 to provide justice to survivors of conversion therapy by
- I respectfully ask for an aye vote in the name of all of the survivors of conversion therapy.
- For an aye vote in the name of all of the survivors of conversion therapy. Thank you.
- González. for an aye vote in the name of all of the survivors of conversion therapy.
Summary:
The Senate began with a roll call, a moment of silence for the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance. The body then moved through gubernatorial appointments, confirming Julia Montgomery as General Counsel for the Agricultural Labor Relations Board and reappointing Dr. Cynthia Glover Woods, Dr. Brenda Lewis, and Gabriela Orozco Gonzalez to the State Board of Education, and George Cardona as Chief Trial Counsel for the State Bar. The Senate also heard a guest introduction welcoming Cal Lutheran University students, faculty, and staff to the gallery.
The chamber then took up several resolutions, including SR 111 recognizing the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex Phobia, and Transphobia; SCR 129 designating part of Highway 152 as the Rusty Arraes Highway; SCR 169 proclaiming October 2026 as Women's Small Business Month; and SCR 173 designating May 2026 as California Fairgrounds Appreciation Month. All of these resolutions passed, with members speaking in support of Arraes, women-owned businesses, and the public safety and community roles of fairgrounds.
The Senate also passed a series of policy bills. These included SB 1154 on best-value procurement for community college public works, SB 1369 on judicial recall safeguards, SB 1106 shortening the data broker deletion timeline under the Delete Act, SB 1417 increasing transparency for mutual water companies, SB 1408 authorizing a future Contra Costa transportation sales tax measure, SB 1172 adding guardrails to local tax sharing agreements, SB 1383 protecting locally adopted labor standards in density bonus projects, SB 1371 barring waste haulers from suspending service during lawful labor disputes, SB 908 streamlining residential window replacement permits, SB 1361 limiting actions taken solely to avoid transit-oriented housing standards, SB 1014 requiring early fee and improvement estimates for housing projects, SB 1272 giving homeowners more time to fix preexisting code violations, SB 1406 targeting the Montana tax loophole, SB 1238 increasing HOA transparency and oversight, and SB 868 creating a plug-in solar framework. Most passed on largely party-line votes, with some Republican members objecting to labor-related or regulatory measures.
Later in the day, the Senate approved additional health, education, privacy, and AI measures, including SB 950 on early-onset Alzheimer’s treatment coverage, SB 874 on Medi-Cal behavioral health treatment oversight, SB 1049 on correcting health plan claims, SB 1067 on early math screening, SB 1202 on Medi-Cal outreach amid federal changes, SB 944 on acupuncture coverage, SB 957 on notice for federal subpoenas to social media companies, SB 998 on discrimination prevention coordinators, and SB 1000 on AI content transparency. The final item shown, SB 1056 on protective orders for sexually explicit material involving adult victims, was introduced with the author noting ongoing work on amendments, but the transcript cuts off before final action is shown.
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
Emerging Issues Mar 2nd, 2026
Emerging Issues and Professional Registration
Transcript Highlights:
- I am a survivor of sexual assault." "Everywhere I go, I have been assaulted.
- I am a survivor of sexual assault. Many women in this General Assembly are.
- Studies of trauma-informed care demonstrate that single-sex spaces are critical safeguards for survivors
- This is particularly distressing for women who are survivors of abuse or sexual assault, many of whom
- This is particularly distressing for women who are survivors of abuse or sexual assault, many of whom
Summary:
The committee held public hearings on several bills, beginning with HB 2855, which would let the Department of Labor adjust workers’ compensation administrative taxes and the second injury fund surcharge in smaller 0.1% increments instead of 0.5%. The sponsor and the department said the change would better right-size collections and reduce the burden on employers; the Missouri Chamber also supported the bill as good governance. No opposition was presented, and the hearing on HB 2855 was closed.
The committee then heard extensive testimony on HB 3142, a camp-safety bill prompted by the Camp Mystic flooding tragedy in Texas and a Missouri drowning case. The sponsor and multiple grieving parents urged mandatory emergency plans, staff training, background checks, licensing, weather warnings, and clearer oversight for summer camps. Supporters included the American Camp Association and some state and youth-safety advocates, while opponents—especially camp operators, the Missouri Afterschool Network, and park and recreation representatives—argued the bill was too broad, could burden day camps and church camps, and might worsen child-care shortages. Several witnesses suggested the bill should be narrowed to distinguish overnight residential camps from lower-risk day camps and possibly be housed under DSS rather than DESE. No vote was taken.
Finally, the committee took testimony on HB 1893 and HB 2075, which would require sex-segregated multi-occupancy restrooms and locker rooms in private schools and public buildings, with enforcement tied to state funding in some cases. Sponsors said the bills were meant to create clear statewide standards and protect privacy and safety; opponents argued the measures would harm transgender and intersex people, be difficult or impossible to enforce, and create safety and discrimination problems. Supporters emphasized private-school autonomy and concerns about safety in shared facilities. The hearing concluded after extensive questioning, with no action or vote reported.
MO
Transcript Highlights:
- I am a survivor of sexual assault. Many women in this General Assembly are.
- Studies of trauma-informed care demonstrate that single-sex spaces are critical safeguards for survivors
- This is particularly distressing for women who are survivors of abuse or sexual assault, many of whom
- This is particularly distressing for women who are survivors of abuse or sexual assault, many of whom
- Because I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, and like the vast majority of children who do experience
Committee:
House Emerging Issues
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Session Apr 13th, 2026
California Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- And the number of survivors who can share their story is declining.
- Today we remember those who lost their lives during the Holocaust and honor the survivors of this heinous
- also encourage those that haven't had the opportunity to visit, because when you get to talk to survivors
Summary:
The Senate opened with a quorum call, prayer, pledge, and several guest introductions recognizing visitors including Leadership Torrance participants, former Assembly Member Hector de la Torre, University of the Pacific President Christopher Callahan, and other higher education leaders. The body then approved the Senate journals and moved through the daily file and gubernatorial appointments. Three appointments to the Board of Behavioral Sciences were considered and confirmed, and a confirmation for the California Community Colleges Board of Governors was also approved. The Senate also adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 140, designating April as Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month, with members speaking about research, advocacy, and the personal impact of the disease. Senate Resolution 92, marking California Holocaust Memorial Day, drew extensive floor remarks from multiple senators emphasizing remembrance, Holocaust education, antisemitism, and the need to confront hate and denial; the resolution was adopted unanimously.
On third reading, the Senate passed AB 1389, an urgency measure ratifying a tribal-state gaming compact amendment with the Yurok Tribe, with no opposition and immediate effect. The chamber also received committee announcements about upcoming meetings of the Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection Committee and the Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee. The session concluded with adjournment in memory motions honoring John Bean, Cynthia Brantley Pierce, and Detective Armando “Mando” Santana, each described as a significant community leader or public servant whose work and legacy were recognized by the Senate. The Pro Tem then announced the Senate would recess briefly and return for the next floor session on Thursday, April 16 at 9 a.m.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Session Apr 13th, 2026
California Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- And the number of survivors who can share their story is declining.
- Today we remember those who lost their lives during the Holocaust and honor the survivors of this heinous
- encourage those that haven't had the opportunity to visit, because, you know, when you get to talk to survivors
Summary:
The Senate convened with a quorum, offered prayers and the pledge, and spent much of the early portion of the session on guest introductions recognizing visitors from Leadership Torrance, former Assembly Member Hector de la Torre, and several university presidents and academic leaders. The body then moved through routine business, including approval of the Senate journals and reading of several bills on the second reading file, before taking up gubernatorial appointments.
Three appointments to the Board of Behavioral Sciences were confirmed: Justin Hufft, Cali Rana Singhe, and Dr. Annette Walker. The Senate also confirmed Villian Corral to the California Community Colleges Board of Governors. In each case, the appointing committee recommendation was noted and roll calls were taken, with the confirmations approved by the required vote margins.
On third reading, the Senate adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 140, designating April as Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month, with supportive remarks from several senators and advocates emphasizing research, awareness, and the lived experience of Parkinson’s disease. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 92, marking California Holocaust Memorial Day, with extensive floor statements from multiple senators on remembrance, education, antisemitism, and the importance of teaching Holocaust history. Finally, the Senate passed Assembly Bill 1389, an urgency measure ratifying a tribal-state gaming compact amendment with the Yurok Tribe; the measure and urgency clause both received unanimous support.
The session concluded with committee announcements and several adjournment-in-memory tributes, including honors for coach John Bean, Cynthia Brantley Pierce, and Detective Armando “Mando” Santana. The Pro Tem then announced the next floor session and the Senate recessed.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- Owners for Safety State Ambassador, a retired worldwide insurance industry risk manager, gun violence survivor
- As a retired risk manager, I see what's coming with bills like this, and as a survivor who has seen horrific
- Owners for Safety Ambassador, retired insurance industry risk manager, gun owner, and gun violence survivor
Committee:
House State Affairs
Summary:
The committee first approved the minutes from Thursday, March 26, and Friday, March 27, by voice vote. It then took up Senate Bill 1430, which Rep. Judy Boyle said would add an enforcement mechanism to Idaho’s firearms preemption law by allowing the Attorney General or affected parties to seek relief after notice and a cure period, with a possible $10,000 penalty for noncompliance. Public testimony was split: Diana David opposed the bill, arguing preemption limits local safety measures and can increase gun-trafficking risks, while Avine Klein of the NRA supported it as a needed way to enforce existing preemption without changing underlying policy. The committee voted to send SB 1430 to the floor with a do-pass recommendation.
The committee then heard House Bill 621 from Rep. Brandon Mitchell and co-sponsor Rep. Kyle Harris. They said the bill would clarify that Idaho’s courthouse firearms prohibition applies only to courtroom portions and active jail or holding areas, not the rest of a combined county building, so citizens can carry while using ordinary county services. Supporters argued counties have used the current language too broadly and that the bill restores preemption and constitutional rights; opponents, including the Idaho Association of Counties, warned it would create confusion, conflict with judicial security orders, and impose significant costs for redesigning security in courthouses. Several members raised concerns about safety, courthouse layout differences, and the fiscal impact on counties, while supporters said counties could find low-cost workarounds and that the bill does not require new equipment.
After testimony, the committee considered multiple motions. An amended substitute motion to send HB 621 to the floor with no recommendation failed on a roll call vote, 11-2. The committee then approved a substitute motion to send HB 621 to General Orders by a 13-0 roll call vote. The meeting then adjourned subject to the call of the chair.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- Owners for Safety State Ambassador, a retired worldwide insurance industry risk manager, gun violence survivor
- As a retired risk manager, I see what's coming with bills like this, and as a survivor who has seen horrific
- Owners for Safety ambassador, retired insurance industry risk manager, gun owner, and gun violence survivor
Committee:
House State Affairs