Transcript Highlights:

• And in fact, our bonding ability ties directly to our rating as an agency.
• And the agency wasn't receiving any capital outlay.
• Local lead is the Village of Los Lunas.
• The local lead, a local lead being Bernalillo County. Estimated completion in June of 2025.
• It's a local lead project.

Transcript Highlights:

• To all the agency and university safety coordinators.
• Step two is building buy-in from the agencies.
• The interoperability lead, their job is to—thank you, Rep.
• Agency one, two, and three may hold data as month/day/year.
• When you have two agencies that have, for example, if you type it in wrong in another agency, when it

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations from the Department of Financial Services and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, then returned to its ongoing budget workshop with the Department of Management Services. DFS’s Division of Risk Management described its role as the state self-insurance fund, covering about 200,000 employees and 27,000 vehicles, paying roughly $150 million in claims last year, and managing a pilot ETS treatment program for veterans and first responders that had 49 patients and 804 treatments as of the latest report. The Division of State Fire Marshal outlined its fire prevention, training, emergency response, and grant programs, including hurricane deployments, the Florida State Fire College, and several capital and grant requests for roof, courtyard, memorial, and equipment needs. The Division of Rehabilitation and Liquidation explained how it handles insolvent insurers under Chapter 631, currently administering 14 estates with $1.2 billion in assets and $3.7 billion in liabilities, and said no new receiverships had been opened since February 2023. Members asked about grant backlogs, fire truck procurement delays, memorial repairs, and whether affiliate transfers were occurring in insurer liquidations. Secretary Griffin then updated the committee on DBPR’s implementation of House Bill 1021 on community associations. He said the department had used the new authority to expand education, complaint handling, and ombudsman services, including 10 free standardized courses, a new condo website, and a four-hour board certification course that had already drawn more than 12,000 attendees. He reported that outreach to condominium communities had increased by more than 60%, that complaint filings were up 39% while jurisdictional dismissals dropped to 11%, and that about 81% to 82% of the 65 new positions had been filled. Members pressed him on whether the department had enough authority and funding, how condominium counts are determined, how self-reported structural integrity reserve study data is verified, and whether more public-facing complaint tracking and better reporting from local governments or developers would improve the system. The committee then resumed questioning Secretary Allende of DMS about outstanding budget and operations issues. Members focused on the delayed People First contract extension required by statute, with the secretary saying the delay involved technical and contractual complexity in moving a legacy hard-coded system to the cloud. They also revisited the state data team and data catalog project, asking why a statutory 2022 deadline had not been met, how the four-person team and broader data staff were organized, how many applicants were considered for key positions, and what each role was doing. The secretary said the catalog work was being simplified into six metadata fields and supported by a broader community of practice, but no firm completion date was given during the exchange.

Transcript Highlights:

• These agencies are the Agency for Health Care Administration, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities
• There are also 30 planning agencies identified as the designated office planning agency for an area to
• And we did look at literature as well as interview transit agencies, and of course these are agencies
• And we also interviewed the transit agency leads and whoever was available to make sure that what we
• Each, we picked eight agencies based on our conversation with Florida Public Transportation Agency and

Committee: Senate Transportation

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met, took roll, and heard introductory remarks from members about their districts and transportation priorities, with several senators noting congestion and mobility challenges in their regions. The committee then received a presentation from the Florida Transportation Commission on its oversight role for FDOT, including annual and quarterly performance reviews, review of the five-year work program, and monitoring of tolling and transit authorities. Members asked whether the commission gets involved in project prioritization; the answer was no, because it is statutorily limited to high-level oversight rather than day-to-day project decisions. The committee next heard two reports related to transportation disadvantaged and paratransit services. FDOT’s Melissa Smith described the statewide Transportation Disadvantaged program, its governance structure, service models, and challenges such as fragmented administration, cost, inconsistent reporting, and rural service limitations. She outlined recommendations including better use of technology, regional partnerships, improved training, and alternative delivery models like microtransit and TNC partnerships. A University of South Florida researcher, Martin Katala, discussed best practices for paratransit and demand-response service, emphasizing route optimization software, dynamic dispatching, service standards, vendor accountability, and the use of TNCs and mobility management to improve efficiency and reduce travel times. A later presentation from UF’s I-Street program focused on emerging technologies for transit, including in-cabin monitoring, automatic restraints, accessible booking and tracking tools, and the need for statewide safety standards and better driver interfaces. Finally, FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue and District 5 Secretary John Tyler provided an update on the transition of SunRail local entities. They explained the differences among commuter rail, intercity rail, and light rail, and said SunRail’s financial transition to local partners was completed on January 1, with operational transition to follow over up to three years. They contrasted that with Tri-Rail, where FDOT still funds operations and discussions about a future transition are ongoing. Members asked about the differences between SunRail, Tri-Rail, Amtrak, and Brightline, and the presenters explained that commuter rail serves regional daily commuters while intercity rail connects regions. The committee concluded without taking any formal votes or other legislative action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yet government operates through systems, through programs, through funding streams, and agencies.
• Suud, I lead many of the initiatives that we discussed today. Wonderful.
• Seude, I lead many of the initiatives that we discussed today. Wonderful.
• , their local agencies... ...negotiate for funding for these programs with their districts or their agencies
• , their local agencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• I serve as consulting expert for the LEAD Support Bureau, which is the nation's leading resource for
• What LEAD does is based on the well-established LEAD model.
• The bill also supports improved information sharing among law enforcement agencies, public agencies,
• Gonzalez, I do have a pair of questions to lead us off.
• Gonzalez, I do have a pair of questions to lead us off.

Committee: House Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• the distinction being that with internal combustion, you do have a stoichiometric reaction that does lead
• Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for school-age...
• Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for school-age children in California.
• As proposed to be amended, AB 902 would require lead agencies starting in 2006 to implement wildlife
• AB 902 would require... ...lead agencies proposing a transportation project located in a connectivity

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard a series of bills focused on transportation safety, climate resilience, wildlife connectivity, parking enforcement, and EV charging reliability. AB 605 would create a pilot program allowing certain hydrogen internal combustion cargo-handling equipment at ports; supporters said it could help ports stay competitive while reducing emissions, while South Coast AQMD raised concerns about possible nitrogen oxide emissions and limits on future regulation. The bill passed on an 11-0 vote to the Natural Resources Committee. AB 1132 would require Caltrans to incorporate community resilience indicators, including socioeconomic factors, into climate vulnerability assessments; supporters from Greenlining, AARP, and others said it would better protect seniors, people with disabilities, and transit users during heat waves and disasters, while some members questioned the cost during a tight budget year. It passed 9-0 to Appropriations, with some members not voting. AB 382 would lower school-zone speed limits to 20 mph and give local agencies more flexibility in how the limit is posted and enforced; supporters cited child pedestrian deaths and safety research, and the bill passed 11-0 to Appropriations. AB 902, as amended, would require transportation projects in wildlife connectivity areas to include wildlife passage features where feasible; supporters emphasized reduced collisions and habitat fragmentation, while the California Building Industry Association and COGs moved from opposition to neutral after amendments. It passed 9-1 to Local Government. AB 1014 would give Caltrans more discretion to lower speed limits on state highways based on local conditions rather than the 85th percentile rule; supporters said it would improve safety in rural and tourist areas, and the bill passed 13-0 to Appropriations. AB 1022 would end towing or booting vehicles solely for unpaid parking tickets, with supporters describing the practice as punitive and harmful to low-income drivers, while cities and parking groups argued it would weaken enforcement and create problems for out-of-state vehicles. The bill passed 9-3 to Appropriations. AB 1423 would require publicly funded EV chargers to meet reliability standards and allow enforcement of uptime requirements; supporters said taxpayers need functioning chargers, while charging-industry opponents objected to retroactive standards and possible conflicts with existing agreements. The bill passed 14-0 to Utilities and Energy. The committee also approved a consent calendar of five bills by voice vote and held roll calls open for additional members to add on.

Transcript Highlights:

• are leading, but that we're bringing in all of the other agencies across government.
• I've been through 16 different versions of every kind of economic development agency, trade agency, commerce
• agency, the Go-Biz in its various forms.
• For the CEQA judicial streamlining program, as a recent example, LCI is the lead agency, which drafts
• LCI is also the state's comprehensive planning agency.

Summary: The subcommittee heard an overview from Go-Biz Director D.D. Myers on the administration’s economic development strategy, centered on the California Jobs First framework. Myers described regional planning across 13 regions, the Jobs First Council, and pilot sectors including ag-tech, space and defense, life sciences, and semiconductors. She also outlined budget requests for CalCompetes, CalExport, the California Film Commission, innovation/emerging technologies, and the California Civic Media Fund, along with the new California brand campaign. Committee members raised questions about misinformation about California, regulatory burdens, tourism versus broader economic messaging, and how the brand campaign would highlight underrepresented communities. No vote was taken; the item was informational. The committee then reviewed CalOSBA’s work on small business support, including California RISE, the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund, and TAP/SIP technical assistance and capital infusion programs. CalOSBA reported that California RISE’s first cohort awarded $16.9 million to 61 employment social enterprises, with growth in revenue, contracts, and jobs; the performing arts payroll fund paid all 100 recipients but was heavily oversubscribed; and TAP supported more than 112,000 businesses in the past year, helping leverage federal and local funds. Testimony from program partners emphasized the importance of small business counseling, community-based outreach, and support for arts organizations facing post-pandemic and AB 5-related cost pressures. Senators pressed for more data on long-term job retention, better outreach to smaller and ethnic media, and possible program changes to speed grants and stretch funding further. Finally, the committee heard Go-Biz’s request for additional staff and funding for the California Film and Television Tax Credit Program. Staff said the request would support application review, DEIA implementation, and data tracking. The Film Commission reported that about 147 productions had been approved and roughly 90% were opting into the new diversity provisions, with career pathways reporting to include demographic and participation data and a future report expected in 2027. Senators asked about accountability, apprenticeship and internship hours, and whether the program was producing real career pathways and inclusive hiring outcomes. The item remained informational, with no vote or action taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is something that's been asked for, I believe, customarily for the agency.
• This is something that's been asked for, I believe, customarily for the agency.
• collaborate with our sister agencies, particularly CYFD if needed.
• It just seems like we're spending more with two agencies on administration.
• Before we separated out the agencies, you'll have to tell me if I'm wrong.

Summary: The committee first recognized Mark Roper of the Economic Development Department for his long service and retirement, with members and the secretary praising his work on economic development across the state. Secretary Rob Black then presented EDD’s budget and special appropriation requests, describing strong recent job and income growth and outlining the department’s strategy around science and technology, site readiness, workforce development, foreign direct investment, and rural/community programs. He highlighted wins in advanced energy, quantum, space and defense, and biosciences, and asked for funding for quantum/DARPA matching funds, additional site readiness work, LIDA closing funds, JTIP training support, New Mexico Partnership, and healthy foods and other community programs. Members asked detailed questions about the quantum proposal, site readiness, the new mapping tool for industrial sites, workforce participation, trade missions, foreign investment, tariffs, water and produced water, tribal site evaluation, and public engagement on major projects. Black said the quantum request was intended to match federal dollars and build a workforce pipeline, that the site-readiness software would be a set enterprise license, and that the department was working with tribes and local partners on future site evaluations. He also said tariffs have created uncertainty but New Mexico’s infrastructure and foreign trade zones could help attract manufacturing, and he acknowledged concerns about transparency and community input while noting that some projects, such as Pacific Fusion, had gone through extensive public processes. The committee also discussed specific projects and funding balances, including Mantis Space’s move to Albuquerque, the status of Virgin Galactic’s spaceport lease, and the current LIDA fund balance and encumbrances. Black and Deputy Secretary Isaac Romero said the department was trying to use State Investment Council-backed venture funds to attract companies and that the new investments were already producing deals and jobs. Members generally supported the department’s direction but pressed for more targeted expertise, faster deployment, and stronger community involvement in future economic development decisions. Later, Secretary de Blassie of the Department of Health presented the department’s budget request and progress report. He said DOH had improved revenue cycle management, reduced old Medicaid-pending cases, increased census at facilities, improved budget and contract timeliness, and responded effectively to the measles outbreak. The department requested additional base funding for epidemiology and response, the DOH helpline, the Vital Records Virtual Vault, state labs, and the veterans home, along with special requests for respiratory vaccinations and marketing and lab equipment replacement. He also noted progress on MOUD and the medical psilocybin program, and said the department was not seeking to launch new programs given the limited time left in the administration.

Transcript Highlights:

• But on climate change, particularly, we need to lead in the face of federal inaction.
• And despite these challenges, California is uniquely positioned to lead.
• that the state wants to lead in.
• I think that would have put, had a manufacturing lead.
• However, the lead that we have with Texas is rapidly narrowing.

Summary: The Select Committee on Economic Development and Technological Innovation held a hearing on California’s industrial policy and manufacturing competitiveness. In opening remarks, the chair and Senator Wahab emphasized manufacturing’s role in good jobs, climate leadership, and regional economic growth, while noting barriers such as regulatory uncertainty, energy costs, permitting delays, and the loss of manufacturing jobs over time. They highlighted California Jobs First, workforce development, and the need to keep innovation and manufacturing in-state rather than losing scale-up opportunities to other states. The first panel featured California Forward and the Center for Manufacturing a Green Economy, along with an industry representative. Witnesses argued that California needs a durable, regionally based economic development system with ongoing funding, stronger state coordination, and sector-specific industrial roadmaps. They focused on advanced manufacturing and clean industry, especially batteries, bioeconomy, offshore wind, and heat pumps, and said industrial policy should help bridge the “missing middle” between research and commercial production. The industry witness stressed that power reliability, time to power, and coordinated utility engagement are decisive in site selection, and that California must better align utilities, state agencies, universities, and labs to compete for major projects. Senator Niello raised concerns about California’s business climate, including regulations, labor laws, energy reliability, K–12 education outcomes, and the cost impacts of climate policy. Panelists responded that California can compete by improving coordination, packaging existing state resources, and targeting strategic industries rather than racing to the bottom on taxes or wages. The second panel, from labor organizations, supported a worker-led industrial policy with strong labor and environmental standards, public financing, procurement, and targeted support for manufacturing firms. They cited examples such as union apprenticeship pathways, revolving loan funds, and programs with labor standards, and argued that manufacturing jobs can support both climate goals and middle-class employment. The final panel began with Fremont city officials, who described Fremont as the state’s leading manufacturing city and a model of intentional local policy. They said the city has protected industrial land, streamlined support for manufacturers, and doubled its manufacturing technician workforce over the past decade. The hearing concluded with discussion of how state and local governments can better coordinate to attract and retain manufacturing investment, with members and witnesses agreeing that California has strong assets but needs more proactive, integrated economic development tools.

Transcript Highlights:

• Current law still identifies CDE as the lead agency for the oversight and...
• Current law still identifies CDE as the lead agency for the oversight and error rate studies, despite
• You know, in California, we like to talk about how we're leading, we're leading the country, first in
• this acute problem that other states are beginning to lead on.
• First, the area agencies on aging C4A.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services held a hearing on the Governor’s May Revision, with no votes taken. The first major topic was child care and early education, where the Department of Social Services and Department of Finance outlined proposed changes to absorb federal Child Care and Development Fund and Proposition 64 revenue reductions, shift some funding between child care programs, end funding for prospective pay implementation now that the federal requirement has been rescinded, adjust the alternative payment administration structure, and fund child care infrastructure grants and a Low-Income Investment Fund contract closeout. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the budget makes progress on the structural deficit but recommended maintaining the administration’s solution level, making reserve deposits, and avoiding new ongoing commitments; it also raised concerns about shifting reductions to the California Alternative Payment Program and about the proposed administrative-rate change. Committee members strongly criticized the proposed loss of child care slots and said they would oppose eliminating those slots, while also expressing support for child care as essential infrastructure. The committee then reviewed California State Preschool Program proposals. Finance and CDE described reductions to the preschool COLA from 2.41% to 2.01%, removal of prospective pay funding, and increases for the QRIS block grant, audit support, and rate reform implementation. Trailer bill language would codify age-based rate categories, inclusion-rate documentation, family fee collection rules, portability, and excused absences. CDE supported the QRIS increase and some attendance and family-fee changes, but warned that aligning three- and four-year-old rates could reduce support for three-year-olds and that the budget does not fully cover enrollment growth. Members also questioned whether the preschool and child care slot reductions should be reallocated rather than terminated, and the administration said the reductions were intended to reflect current utilization and avoid harm to currently enrolled families. The hearing then moved to CalFresh and nutrition programs. CDSS said the May Revision includes a one-time CalFood augmentation, funding to cover federal SNAP administrative cost-share pressures, and additional staffing and technical assistance to implement HR 1 changes, including the able-bodied adults without dependents time limit and new non-citizen eligibility rules. The department estimated HR 1 could cut CalFresh funding by $2.3 billion to $3.7 billion annually and affect about 500,000 people, with roughly 806,000 adults potentially subject to the time limit and about 34,000 non-citizens expected to lose eligibility once fully implemented. Members pressed for stronger harm mitigation, including a $98 million backfill to protect families from losing food benefits, and raised concerns about county workload and the “chilling effect” on immigrant participation. The final portion of the transcript began the IHSS presentation, noting a revised budget of $33.7 billion total funds and $12.8 billion General Fund, with proposed reductions tied to Medi-Cal asset-limit changes and other federal conformity items.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> and communication between the agencies. and communication between the agencies.
• Lead<01:24:29.280><c> Pinto.</c> Lead Pinto. Lead Pinto.
• So, Lead Pinto.
• </c><01:25:15.120><c> So,</c> Lead Pinto. Thank you, Madam Chair. So, Lead Pinto.
• </c> Robbins, Lead Pinto. That's correct. Robbins, Lead Pinto. That's correct.

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• So to talk about it in ratios or percentages. actually didn't lead to discipline.
• So we do move it to the agency that can address it. ...to address it, so we do move it to the agency
• ; and item number 17, procurement support for the Privacy Protection Agency.
• As a result of the high assessments, we have seen agencies close their doors.
• As a result of the high assessments, we have seen agencies close their doors.

Summary: The subcommittee heard budget proposals for Exposition Park, the California Science Center, the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI), the Debt Collection Licensing Act program, and the Board of Registered Nursing. For Exposition Park, the administration requested $96.5 million for utility replacement, site improvements, code compliance, accessibility, and safety upgrades, plus $1.698 million for operational sustainability funded from the park’s improvement fund. The LAO said the proposals had merit but noted the first item could be downscaled if needed because of the state’s budget condition. Members emphasized the park’s deferred maintenance, major upcoming events, and the need to protect a statewide asset; both Exposition Park items were held open. The Science Center requested funding to open and operate the new Air and Space Center, including staffing for the facility that will display the Space Shuttle Endeavour and expand exhibit space. The LAO supported the proposal but suggested the Legislature consider alternative funding sources such as admission fees, parking fees, or private funds. Members discussed the Science Center’s public-private funding model, the importance of keeping access affordable for disadvantaged communities, and the tradeoff between free admission and long-term operating support. The item was also held open. DFPI sought continuation of expenditure authority for the California Consumer Financial Protection Law, debt collection licensing, and broker-dealer/investment adviser workloads, and the LAO recommended limited-term funding with more cumulative reporting before permanent funding is considered. Members pressed the department on whether its workload and spending are tied to measurable outcomes rather than just activity counts, and DFPI cited complaint resolution, enforcement actions, and restitution recovered as examples of impact. The Debt Collection Licensing Act item drew similar LAO comments, but members raised stronger concerns about the financing model, the gap between projected and actual licensee counts, and whether spending levels are justified; that item was held open. The Board of Registered Nursing requested $1.4 million for eight special investigators to address rising complaints, and the board said most complaints are resolved through investigation, referral, probation, or rehabilitation rather than discipline. Members asked about complaint backlogs, viral and potentially automated complaints, bias in care, and the lack of broader inspection authority; the item was also held open.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our state has many different agencies and programs who are dedicated to supporting and improving the
• And behavioral health workers experience high caseloads and administrative demands, leading to burnout
• And it is this notion of these seven state agencies that are engaged...
• Of these seven state agencies that are engaged in this whole behavioral health delivery system.
• In Washington State, suicide remains the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10 to 24.

Summary: The House Education Committee held a work session on the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Work Group and its school-based behavioral health and suicide prevention subgroup, followed by a public hearing on House Bill 1634, as amended in a proposed second substitute. Work group leaders Lisa Callan and Tisha Kirschbaum described the group’s statewide, cross-agency structure, its Washington Thriving strategic plan, and the goal of moving toward a more integrated “system of care” for children and youth. They emphasized that behavioral health, physical health, and education are interconnected, that families and schools often face a fragmented system, and that Washington’s youth flourishing outcomes show a need for stronger supports. Committee members raised concerns about regional disparities, rural access, language and cultural responsiveness, and the burden on schools and educators, while the presenters stressed that schools should be supported to identify needs and connect students to outside clinical services rather than carry the full burden themselves. Representative My-Linh Thai and Christian Stark then outlined the school-based subgroup’s work and recommendations. They said the subgroup meets monthly, includes students, parents, educators, providers, and agencies, and has focused on prevention, early identification, early intervention, and crisis response in schools. For the 2026 session, the subgroup recommended maintaining current investments in school behavioral health programs, strengthening statewide guidance on school behavioral health, and creating a coordinated technical assistance and training network for schools. They explained that the proposed substitute for HB 1634 would direct OSPI and the educational service districts to work with behavioral health agencies and community partners to conduct a needs assessment, map resources, and build a statewide framework for technical assistance and training, with public posting required by August 1, 2027. Testimony in support came from school staff, OSPI, behavioral health professionals, students, parents, and advocacy groups, who described high student anxiety, suicide risk, staffing shortages, and the need for coordinated, accessible supports. One witness from a psychiatric watchdog group opposed the bill, arguing it could increase labeling and drugging rather than holistic care. No vote was taken in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are local agencies already on .gov, and there are local agencies like the Desert Water Agency in
• the agency to undertake significant costs.
• So I think that these agencies, these very important agencies, are exactly the ones that should migrate
• Be the good guys and lead the world in a way.
• Be the good guys and lead the world in finding ways to save our children. Lead the world.

Summary: The committee first heard AB 56, which would require social media platforms to display a warning label about potential mental health harms from prolonged use, with amendments shortening the initial warning and allowing immediate access to the platform. The author and supporters, including a parent who lost a daughter to suicide and a therapist, argued that social media contributes to teen anxiety, self-harm, and other harms and that families need clearer public health information. Opponents from tech and civil liberties groups argued the bill would be ineffective, burdensome, and likely unconstitutional, saying it would create warning fatigue and should be replaced by more targeted tools and digital literacy measures. Several members discussed emergency access concerns, language access, and whether the warning should be more actionable; the bill was moved on a 9-0 vote to the Judiciary Committee. The committee then took up AB 358, which would amend CalECPA to allow law enforcement, with the victim’s consent, to inspect certain abandoned tracking or surveillance devices found in a victim’s home, vehicle, or personal property without first obtaining a warrant. The author and a San Diego prosecutor said the bill is narrowly tailored to devices used solely for spying and is intended to help stalking and domestic violence survivors act quickly before evidence is lost. Opponents from EFF and the ACLU warned the bill would weaken warrant protections, create a loophole around CalECPA, and reduce transparency and accountability. Members debated Fourth Amendment issues, abandonment, and the practical need for rapid access; the bill passed the committee on a 9-0 vote to Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 1137, which builds on last year’s CSAM reporting law by allowing any user to report child sexual abuse material, requiring clearer reporting mechanisms, adding human review in some cases, and mandating third-party audits and public reporting. Supporters, including survivor advocates and a parent of a child victim, said the bill would reduce the burden on survivors and improve removal of abusive content. Tech industry opponents said they support the goal but objected to the human-review mandate, public audit disclosures, and enforcement provisions, arguing they could create security risks and compliance burdens. Members generally supported the bill’s intent but raised questions about audit frequency and human review; the bill was moved on call with seven votes at the time of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the lead advocate of the Silent Task Force, who has served... Good morning.
• leading... 2022.
• , and transportation agencies.
• Agencies must maintain a two-year audit trail.
• agencies in Washington state.

Bills: SB5925 , SB5906 , SB6070 , SB6002

Committee: Senate Law & Justice

Keywords: Attorney General, civil investigative demand, CID, subpoena-like demand, investigative authority, consumer protection, civil enforcement, pre-suit investigation, document production, interrogatories, deposition, oral testimony, confidentiality, trade secrets, judicial review, enforcement action, Washington RCW, law enforcement powers, government transparency, due process

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Lead. My name is Andrew Myers. I represent 11 cities over in the Lake Minnetonka area.
• must take the lead in educating the public, providing resources, and implementing the same regulations
• must local communities state agencies must take<00:03:36.280><c> the</c><00:03:36.439><c> lead</c><00
• in</c><00:03:37.040><c> educating</c><00:03:37.560><c> the</c><00:03:37.760><c> public</c> take the lead
• in educating the public take the lead in educating the public providing<00:03:39.000><c> resources</

Summary: The committee heard House File 1120, the follow-up “Keep It Clean” bill from Representative Andrew Myers, which would create grant funding for local governments and organizations to improve garbage removal and related clean-water programs, especially around frozen lakes and winter recreation areas. Myers said the earlier Keep It Clean effort to enforce litter laws on frozen lakes had already reduced garbage in the water, and he framed this bill as a way to expand that success with additional resources. Testifier Robin Dwight of the Upper Red Lake Area Association and Keep It Clean Coalition described growing problems with trash and human waste on ice, said the coalition now has 60 members representing more than 10,000 lakes, and explained that local programs use dumpsters and separation systems to manage waste. Tom Johnson of the MPCA and Assistant Commissioner Bob Myers of the DNR both testified in support, saying improper disposal of human and solid waste is a real and growing problem and that the public education campaign has changed behavior on the ice. Members asked about the bill’s results and funding needs. Representative Pelz asked for more context on the coalition’s impact, and Dwight said the group has been active for about three years and recently launched a survey to gather more data on infrastructure needs for wheelhouse users. Representative Fiser asked what dollar amount would be needed, and Myers said the bill seeks general fund dollars, with a rough ideal range of one to two million dollars, though he emphasized he wanted to work with the committee on the final amount and funding mechanism. The discussion also noted a second related bill with a $10 wheelhouse fee as another possible funding option. No opposition testimony was presented. After discussion, the chair renewed the motion to lay over House File 1120 for possible inclusion in a future bill, and the bill was laid over.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> agency to ensure that that state agency agency to ensure that that state agency is<00:24:34.960>
• </c><00:25:37.399><c> public</c> from the state agencies from the public from the state agencies from
• </c><00:25:45.799><c> to</c> together with other state agencies to together with other state agencies
• </c><00:37:24.760><c> but</c> know differently named agencies but know differently named agencies but
• We're lucky to have him leading it.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• these services solely to governmental agencies.
• Well, again, they need to be turned over to the regulatory agency."
• We have to sign a confidential agreement with the executive agency.
• Our agency, as you know, we take complaints against judge. To this bill.
• Our agency, as you know, we take complaints against judges.

Bills: HB12 , HB149 , HB 12 , HB149 , SB229 , SB1361 , SB1749 , SB1897 , SB2113 , SB2566 , SB2677 , SB1652 , SB2327 , SB2344 , SB2696

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce heard testimony on HB 149, the Artificial Intelligence Governance Act. Senator Schwertner described the bill as an outcomes-based AI framework that would require disclosure when people interact with AI, prohibit manipulative or social-scoring systems, address biometric capture, discrimination, and deepfake child exploitation, and give the Attorney General enforcement authority. It would also create an AI Sandbox and AI Council. Witnesses from the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a Houston attorney, TechNet, and the Texas Association of Business strongly supported the bill, praising its stakeholder process and pro-innovation approach, while Texas Appleseed suggested regulators should have more examination authority over sandbox participants. The bill was left pending. The committee then heard SB 229, which would prohibit motor vehicle dealers from conditioning a sale on dealer-offered financing or charging more because a buyer uses outside financing or cash. Senator West said the bill is meant to stop forced financing and bait-and-switch pricing, and he noted the bill passed the committee and Senate in the prior session. The Texas Automobile Dealers Association opposed the bill, arguing it would force dealers to accept any third-party lender or cash transaction on terms they cannot control. The Texas Credit Union Association supported the bill, saying consumers should be able to choose outside financing without hidden fees or pressure. After questions about cash purchases and dealer practices, the bill was left pending. The committee also took up SB 2566, which would clarify legislators’ access to information from executive agencies, including confidential information, by setting response deadlines, limiting confidentiality agreements to statutory terms, requiring a standard AG form, and creating a complaint and penalty process for noncompliance. No witnesses testified, and the bill was left pending. Finally, SB 1749, as substituted, would let certain court-related employees and judicial conduct commission personnel keep personal information such as home addresses and phone numbers confidential, with work addresses used in place of home addresses for certain purposes. District clerk and judicial conduct commission witnesses described threats and harassment as the reason for the bill, and a court administration witness answered questions about how the address protections would work with voter registration and precinct records. That bill was also left pending, and the committee recessed without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• , and unfortunately, there are staffing agencies that operate illicitly.
• With me are just a few members, also owner-operators of women-owned staffing agencies.
• I will tell you that in my community we have some great staffing agencies.
• In my community, we have some great staffing agencies.
• We want to protect those staffing agencies that are doing good.

Committee: Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement

Summary: The committee heard several labor-related bills focused on workplace technology, data centers, staffing agencies, and environmental health. SB 947, the “No Robo Bosses Act,” would require human review before automated systems can be used in discipline, termination, or deactivation decisions and would ban predictive behavior analysis; labor groups and worker advocates supported it, while business and industry groups opposed it as overbroad and litigation-prone. After extended discussion about due process, human oversight, and private rights of action, the bill passed 3-1 and was sent to the Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection Committee. SB 978, the Data Center Community Accountability Act, would require data centers to pay for new infrastructure costs, create a separate rate structure to protect other ratepayers, and impose skilled-and-trained labor standards for construction. Supporters said it would prevent cost shifts to households and ensure good jobs, while opponents argued the CPUC already has ongoing proceedings and that the bill unfairly singles out one industry. The committee discussed balancing economic growth with labor and ratepayer protections, and the bill passed 3-1 to Senate Appropriations. SB 951, the California Worker Technological Displacement Act, would expand WARN-style notice requirements for AI-related layoffs and require reporting on displaced jobs and first consideration for openings; supporters said it would improve transparency and help policymakers respond to AI-driven job loss, while opponents warned it was too broad and conflicted with existing WARN law. It passed 3-1 to Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection. The committee also considered SB 1032, which would create a licensing and registration framework for temporary staffing agencies. Supporters said it would curb fraud and protect workers from illicit staffing operators, while opponents—many from the staffing industry—said the bill was vague, burdensome, and could hinder small and minority-owned businesses. The bill passed 3-1 to Senate Judiciary. Finally, SB 1046, dealing with protections for lifeguards and park rangers exposed to transboundary pollution in the Tijuana River Valley, would direct Cal/OSHA to develop standards for exposure, PPE, training, and incident reporting. With support from park workers and community groups and no opposition, it passed unanimously 4-0 to Senate Appropriations. The committee also approved a consent calendar item and adjourned after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I mean, none of the agencies have been chosen or selected. Okay, thank you.
• State legislators, please lead the way for Massachusetts and the rest of the country.
• And Massachusetts has the opportunity to lead that change.
• So I implore you: lead with truth, lead with courage, help Massachusetts take its rightful place among
• home of the world's leading biotech ecosystem and medical institutions.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery

Summary: The hearing opened with remarks from House Chair Mindy Domb and Senate Vice Chair Robyn Kennedy, who outlined procedures for the hybrid public hearing, noted the committee would hear testimony on 15 bills related to treatment settings, and recognized members present. The first major bill discussed was H. 4200, authorizing a pilot program for psychedelic-assisted treatment in licensed facilities. Representative Jim O’Day and witnesses from Control Z supported the bill, describing it as a tightly controlled, medically supervised pilot with DPH oversight, limited sites, and screening requirements. Committee members asked about the number of sites and whether Column Health still existed; witnesses said the bill contemplated three separate pilot programs and that Column Health no longer existed after being purchased by another company. The committee also heard testimony on S. 1405 to make the drug stewardship program permanent by removing its 2026 sunset date. Senator John Keenan and others said the program helps collect and safely dispose of unused medications, reduces diversion, and should remain in place because manufacturers should bear disposal costs. A member from Boston added support based on local concerns about people searching through bags for drugs, and Keenan explained the original sunset reflected pilot status and industry pushback. A large portion of the hearing focused on S. 1394 and H. 2193, which would strengthen implementation of the 2023 Roadmap for Behavioral Health Reform. The Children’s Mental Health Campaign, Parent/Professional Advocacy League, Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, and Elliott Community Human Services testified that the roadmap’s helpline, community behavioral health centers, and crisis services are important but unevenly implemented. They urged a single point of accountability within EOHHS, regular strategic planning, a public data dashboard, and financial analysis of the behavioral health system and the access and crisis intervention trust fund. Witnesses said commercial insurance often does not fully reimburse community behavioral health center services, making sustainability difficult, and asked for better coordination across agencies and crisis response systems. Committee members asked whether the roadmap includes substance use disorder; witnesses said it is intended to cover behavioral health broadly, including mental health and substance use. The committee also heard testimony on bills to ban aversives and on suicide prevention signage. Lisa Jean Graff testified in support of S. 1394 by urging a statewide ban on aversive practices, including electric shock, withholding food or bathroom access, and other painful interventions, arguing disabled people deserve the same protections from harm as others. Fonda Bryant and Carol McLean supported a bill requiring suicide prevention signs on tall parking garages, describing personal experiences and saying the signs could create a brief pause and connect people to 988 or other help. McLean said her son died by suicide from a parking garage and that signage might have made a difference. The committee also heard strong testimony in support of creating intensive stabilization and treatment units within DMH facilities (S. 1398/H. 2204), with the Massachusetts Nurses Association and a DMH nurse arguing that highly assaultive patients need specialized, more secure units to protect staff and other patients and to improve care. Additional testimony supported creating a dedicated board for licensed mental health counselors (H. 4696/S. 1382), with Rep. John Badger, the Mass Mental Health Counselors Association, and others saying LMHCs are a large and growing workforce that needs its own licensing board, clearer standards, and faster implementation of existing licensure reforms. The committee also heard extensive testimony on H. 2223 regarding benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics. Survivors and advocates described severe withdrawal, lack of informed consent, cognitive harms, and long-term disability, while a physician supported the bill as a way to improve disclosure of risks. Finally, the committee heard multiple witnesses in favor of H. 2231/S. 1383 to establish peer-run respite centers statewide. Advocates and people with lived experience said peer respites provide non-coercive, home-like alternatives to hospitalization, can reduce trauma and repeated admissions, and may be especially important for marginalized communities; they also cited cost savings and existing positive outcomes from current respite programs. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the hearing portion reflected in the transcript.