Transcript Highlights:

• , and Pico Water District.
• Jack Wurston, Aliva Hine Municipal Water District and the Padre Dam Municipal Water District, in support
• Lily McKay on behalf of Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District and West Valley Water District in support
• Lily McKay on behalf of Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District and West Valley Water District in support
• Jack Wurston, Aliva Hine Municipal Water District and the Padre Dam Municipal Water District in support

Committee: Senate Emergency Management

Transcript Highlights:

• He led Pine Prairie High School to the school's only district championship since 2005.
• districts and security districts in East Baton Rouge Parish and throughout the state.
• District 84, and both of them shall agree on it.
• I didn't want to go to another levee district and make them look bad.
• I didn't want to go to another levee district and make them look bad.

Bills: HR308 , HR309 , HR310 , HR311 , HR312 , HR313 , HR314 , HR315 , HR316 , HR317 , HR318 , HR319 , HR295 , HR296 , HR297 , HR298 , HR299 , HR300 , HR301 , HR302 , HR303 , HR304 , HR305 , HR306 , HR307 , HCR115 , HCR116 , HCR117 , SCR71 , SCR72 , SCR73 , HR73 , HR118 , HR144 , HR196 , HR237 , HR249 , HR260 , HR267 , HR272 , HR273 , HR276 , HR278 , HCR85 , HCR100 , HCR105 , HCR107 , HCR113 , HCR114 , SCR5 , SCR29 , SCR33 , SCR37 , SCR63 , HB255 , HB378 , HB509 , HB1090 , SB80 , SB131 , SB143 , SB251 , SB254 , SB279 , SB367 , SB384 , SB388 , SB389 , SB398 , SB408 , SB431 , SB468 , SB469 , SB496 , SB25 , SB132 , SB155 , SB157 , SB202 , SB295 , SB433 , HR179 , HR223 , HR225 , HR274 , HCR89 , HR252 , HR253 , HCR96 , HCR103 , HCR108 , HCR26 , HB250 , HB265 , HB339 , HB427 , HB445 , HB463 , HB468 , HB606 , HB639 , HB649 , HB665 , HB746 , HB781 , HB853 , HB861 , HB872 , HB886 , HB916 , HB937 , HB1054 , HB1068 , HB1117 , HB1237 , HB74 , HB108 , HB956 , HB1085 , HB1137 , HB62 , HB193 , HB210 , HB220 , HB246 , HB364 , HB420 , HB475 , HB584 , HB622 , HB772 , HB784 , HB949 , HB953 , HB1043 , HB1070 , HB1092 , HB1134 , HB1162 , HB1176 , HB1196 , HB1214 , HB1199 , SB268 , SB283 , HB782 , SB149 , HR84 , HB646 , HB998 , SB56 , SB163 , SB197 , SB97 , SB326 , SB341 , SB518 , SB123 , SB353 , SB479 , SB495 , HB901 , HR20 , HR74 , HR168 , HCR65 , HCR71 , HCR98 , HB284 , HB302 , HB306 , HB341 , HB366 , HB393 , HB458 , HB577 , HB603 , HB605 , HB614 , HB625 , HB733 , HB752 , HB773 , HB798 , HB911 , HB955 , HB996 , HB1035 , HB1069 , HB1113 , HB1140 , HB1180 , HB1191 , HB1240 , HB1255 , SB82 , SB89 , HB134 , HB258 , HB359 , SB29 , SB42 , SB43 , SB217 , SB274 , SB300 , SB379 , SB382 , SB441 , SB449

Keywords: HR 308, House Resolution 308, Pope Leo XIV, Catholic Church, Holy See, Vatican, commendation, resolution, Louisiana Catholic heritage, St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, South Louisiana parishes, religious recognition, ceremonial resolution, faith leadership, pontificate, spiritual solidarity, human dignity, peace, mercy

Transcript Highlights:

• Panama Buena Vista School District, in support of this bill.
• Panama Buena Vista School District in support of this bill.
• Currently, we measure schools; we measure districts.
• School districts manage complex systems while simultaneously navigating numerous state and federal programs
• Vista Union School District, in strong support.

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Chris Sitson, and I serve as a district administrator for the Long Beach Unified School District
• also a former classroom teacher, and I'm also a parent of an elementary school-age child in our district
• Our schools and our district staff are doing everything that we can, and anything we can, and it's not
• And see phones in front of two-year-olds, and they can navigate.
• Because no one's... 11-year-olds are navigating these systems very proficiently because no one had to

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation heard two bills. AB 796 by Assembly Member Lowenthal proposed a California Social Media Accountability Act that would impose a recovery fee on social media platforms’ advertising revenue and direct the proceeds to a Social Media Safety Trust Fund for education, mental health care, research, and social services related to youth harms from social media. The author and supporters, including a Long Beach Unified School District administrator and a pediatric emergency physician, argued that social media is contributing to youth mental health crises, cyberbullying, self-harm, and related school and health system costs, and that platforms should help pay for mitigation. Opponents, including taxpayer, business, and industry groups, argued the fee would raise costs for businesses and consumers, especially small businesses that rely on targeted digital ads, and warned of likely legal challenges under federal law, including the Internet Tax Freedom Act. Committee members discussed the bill’s legal distinctions from Maryland’s digital advertising tax, the potential pass-through of costs to advertisers, and whether the proposal would meaningfully address youth harms. Several members expressed support for the bill’s goal and concern about social media’s effects on children, while others raised questions about how the revenue would be allocated and whether the tax burden would fall on small businesses. After testimony and debate, AB 796 was held in committee and referred to the suspense file. The committee also took up AB 1265 by Assembly Member Haney, which was already on the suspense file. The chair recommended an aye vote on the bill as amended, with a clarification to reporting requirements, and the committee approved it 5-0, sending it to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it would—government's hard to navigate anyway.
• That would be, to me, a lot for a family to navigate and for the state to navigate in terms of how old
• My wife knew how to navigate a system.
• And if you know how to navigate a system, it'll work for you.
• I know APS The district that I represent is the largest district in the state, and they're seeing some

Transcript Highlights:

• District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued... On April 16th, the U.S.
• District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a temporary restraining order blocking the department
• , a high school district that had a claim from the 70s.
• In fact, the majority of my career, 30 years in school districts.”
• The majority of traditional school districts do it.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Accountability and Transparency held a hearing focused on three issues: federal funding cuts and delays, possible state revenue impacts from reduced IRS enforcement, and the fiscal effects of AB 218 on local governments. The Franchise Tax Board described how state and federal tax systems are closely linked, how most returns are filed electronically through software, and how FTB relies on IRS information sharing for compliance, fraud prevention, offsets, and nonfiler work. Members raised concerns that federal staffing cuts at the IRS could weaken audits of large corporations and reduce California revenue, and asked about VITA and ITIN filers; FTB said it was not aware of VITA reductions, noted ITIN returns are processed the same as other returns, and said ITIN filing appeared slightly down this year. The Department of Finance said it is monitoring federal developments, summarized the continuing resolution and reconciliation process, and noted that California lost nearly $940 million in earmarked federal projects under the CR, while major federal budget decisions remain uncertain until the President’s budget and later congressional action. The University of California reported substantial federal pressure on research, student aid, and health care. UC said hundreds of millions of dollars in federal awards have already been canceled, with additional threats to NIH and DOE facilities-and-administration rates, graduate fellowships, student loan repayment plans, international student visas, Pell Grants, and Medicaid/Medi-Cal funding. Committee members pressed UC on the effects of DEIA-related federal restrictions, the loss of clinical trials and research staff, and the impact on low-income students and patients. UC said it is pursuing litigation with the Attorney General and other institutions, but emphasized that court action is only a temporary solution and that sustained state and private support may be needed. The second panel addressed the fiscal consequences of AB 218, which extended the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse claims against public agencies. FCMAT presented a report with 22 recommendations, including better statewide data collection, financing mechanisms, a possible victims compensation fund, and prevention measures. Los Angeles County described a tentative $4 billion settlement tied to AB 218 claims, saying it will require reserves, borrowing, and long-term annual payments through 2050, while also forcing curtailments and cuts to vacant positions to preserve services. Members discussed insurance pools, retroactive premiums, unidentified future claims, and the need for a compensation fund or other financing tools. No formal votes were taken; the hearing concluded with public comment, including testimony from local health officials about nearly $400 million in terminated federal public health grants and the resulting layoffs and service impacts.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:39.200><c> school</c><00:03:39.440><c> districts</c> harassment policies. school districts
• </c> into law policies that school districts into law policies that school districts already<00:04:23.919
• </c><00:05:34.320><c> courts</c> opportunity to use the district courts opportunity to use the district
• </c><00:05:42.960><c> Um,</c> district court. Um, district court.
• </c> my district. my district.

Bills: HB0159

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• As well as members, and maintain coverage continuity as we navigate the various provisions.
• And these are individuals, community partners, who share information, help Medi-Cal members navigate
• And I know Chair Hart knows Mike up very well because they really come out of his district, but when
• And they really talked about the importance of promoters, of human health navigators, of multilingual
• We talk, kind of, just as Assembly Member Addis brought up, the promotores, the health navigators.

Transcript Highlights:

• Each district, supervisorial district, is about 600,000.
• Each district, supervisorial district, is about 600,000 people. Right.
• But because of redistricting, each of our districts represents a lot of cities.
• Each of the supervisorial districts... Of our districts represents a lot of cities.
• Each of the supervisorial districts have a large share of city population.

Summary: The Assembly Local Government Committee heard a full agenda of bills focused largely on housing, permitting reform, transportation governance, and local government finance. Early in the hearing, AB 24 by Assemblymember DeMaio proposed changing SANDAG board selection to give rural unincorporated areas a stronger voice; members raised concerns about the approach and local input, and the bill ultimately did not receive a second at the time it was heard. The chair later clarified that because no second was made, the bill was held rather than voted out, though the transcript also reflects confusion and later attempts to revisit the item. Several housing and permitting bills advanced with committee amendments and broad support. AB 671 by Assemblymember Wicks would streamline restaurant permitting through self-certification and faster plan review; AB 920 by Assemblymember Caloza would require a centralized online portal for housing permit tracking in larger jurisdictions; AB 1061 by Assemblymember Kirk Silva would allow SB 9 housing in historic districts with limits to protect historic character; AB 818 by Assemblymember Anamarie Farías would streamline temporary manufactured housing after disasters; AB 660 by Assemblymember Wilson would tighten timelines and remedies for post-entitlement housing permits; AB 1308 by Assemblymember Hoover would allow third-party inspections for small residential projects if local inspections are delayed; and AB 1445 by Assemblymember Haney would expand downtown revitalization financing tools for mixed-use housing. Each of these measures drew support from housing, business, and industry groups, with some local-government and special-district stakeholders seeking continued amendments on certain bills. The committee also approved AB 1156, which updates the solar use easement program to better accommodate renewable energy development on water-constrained agricultural lands, and AB 964, which would let local governments offset certain state mandate reimbursement debts against amounts the state owes them. AB 1223, by Assemblymember Wynn, would let Sacramento-area transportation authorities propose sales tax measures for portions of the county and keep revenues local; it advanced despite some transportation and taxpayer concerns. Consent items AB 36 and AB 1131 were also approved. Most bills were reported out on bipartisan votes, often with committee amendments and some members noting they would continue working on the measures in later committees.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> development districts we'll be working. development districts we'll be working.
• </c><00:14:38.839><c> will</c> regional area development districts will regional area development districts
• And so again, the idea is to give her the resources to successfully navigate her pregnancy.
• ,</c><00:18:48.080><c> you</c> hours going through, navigating, you hours going through, navigating,
• </c> the woman, and then to help her navigate the woman, and then to help her navigate through<00:19:

Committee: Joint Health Services

Transcript Highlights:

• I have a lot of Ag in my district.
• Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, and Lael Gerhardt with Frog Hollow Farm. Welcome.
• , and we quickly realized that we needed help to connect with districts.
• Or how are you going to navigate that? A couple of things.
• In fact, we have been fortunate to sell to two districts like Tahoe Truckee, a Katz district, and we

Summary: The Senate Committee on Agriculture heard five bills and took up four consent items. AB 312 would shorten from six months to three months the time agricultural commissioners must hold proceeds from the sale of seized agricultural commodities before unclaimed funds go to the county general fund. The author said it is a narrow administrative change that preserves existing ownership and recovery protections; there was no opposition, and the bill advanced on a 5-0 vote. AB 1731 would create the California Healthy Food Procurement Fund Program to connect schools with California farmers and food businesses through an approved vendor system and procurement support, with a priority for climate-smart agricultural practices. Supporters included school nutrition, farm, environmental, and consumer groups, as well as a rural school district and a farm that described the bill as helping local markets and student access to fresh food. Senators raised questions about climate-smart eligibility and school budgets, but the bill was supported and passed 5-0 to Appropriations. AB 2380 would raise the maximum county fee used to support county agricultural commissioner operations, with a three-year phase-in. The author and the county commissioners’ association said the increase is needed because fees have not been updated in decades and the work is essential for pest control, pesticide enforcement, and public safety. The bill passed 4-0. The committee also heard AB 1603, as amended, which would require DPR to list PFOS pesticides in the pesticide use reporting database and share the information with county agricultural commissioners; the author and supporters described it as a transparency measure, while agricultural and industry groups said they would remove opposition once amendments were in print. It passed 4-1. The four consent items—AB 1711, AB 2326, AB 2685, and AB 2778—were also approved.

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Senator Josh Cole, District 25, here to present to you today House Bill 928.
• Ben Taves, Senator District 4. Thank you for the question, Madam Chair, Senator Harris.
• I'm from District 26.
• I'm in District 24, and that's all I am is rural areas.
• My whole district is rural. I don't have one town over 20,000.

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• Veterans Administration hands in my district.
• appreciate what this bill does, and I hope we can move forward with that process here and in my district
• Veterans Administration hands in my district. They're considering turning that into a resort.
• As a disabled veteran, I have also spent time advocating for fellow veterans and helping them navigate
• Veteran services are often spread across multiple systems, making them difficult to navigate.

Committee: Senate Military and Veterans Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• So House Bill 2360 requires that a statewide standing order be issued to any school or school district
• That amendment, ...standing order be issued to any school or school district, prescribing albuterol for
• House Bill 2432 exempts school districts and educational service districts from public notice requirements
• It also provides that school districts that sell or grant the surplus technology hardware to students
• The underlying bill makes changes to school district requirements for enrolling children of military

Summary: The House Education Committee met in executive session on seven bills, with a brief recognition of students shadowing Representative Steele before moving to bill action. Staff summarized measures dealing with competency-based graduation assessments (HB 2007), school-supplied albuterol and standing orders for asthma or respiratory symptoms (HB 2360), the Washington Local Food for Schools Program (HB 2369), surplus technology hardware for students (HB 2432), privacy protections for Education Ombuds complaint records (HB 2440), military family school enrollment and services (HB 2534), and special education evaluation timelines and parent access to reports (HB 2557). Several proposed amendments were discussed, including multiple null-and-void amendments tied to fiscal notes; most of those were rejected or withdrawn, while a substantive amendment to HB 2360 was adopted and an amendment to HB 2557 was adopted to adjust evaluation-report timing and related procedures. In final action, the committee reported HB 2007, HB 2360 as a substitute bill, HB 2369, HB 2432, HB 2440, substitute HB 2534, and substitute HB 2557 out of committee with due pass recommendations. HB 2007’s null-and-void amendment failed, and the bill passed 19-0. HB 2360’s withdrawn amendment and adopted substitute language led to a 17-2 vote in favor. HB 2369’s null-and-void amendment failed and the bill passed 19-0. HB 2432 passed 16-3, with some members voting no or without recommendation. HB 2440 passed 12-7 after debate over privacy versus transparency. Substitute HB 2534 passed 19-0 after a voice vote. Substitute HB 2557 passed 19-0 after adoption of the timeline amendment and rejection of the null-and-void amendment. Throughout the meeting, supporters emphasized student-centered flexibility, public health access in schools, support for local agriculture, access to surplus technology, privacy for families using the Ombuds Office, smoother transitions for military-connected students, and clearer special education timelines for parents. Opponents or cautious members raised concerns about fiscal impacts, transparency, implementation details, and whether some changes should be handled in fiscal committees rather than policy committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm from Lonia District 5.
• , flashing navigation lights, danger warning signs, and, believe it or not, bridge navigation lights.
• , flashing navigation lights, danger warning signs, and, believe it or not, bridge navigation lights.
• , flashing navigation lights, danger warning signs, and, believe it or not, bridge navigation lights.
• in the form of buoys aids to navigation in the form of buoys flashing<00:47:09.359><c> navigation</c

Summary: The Transportation Committee met for an opening/orientation session in which members introduced themselves and explained their interest in the committee. Several members noted backgrounds in trucking, piloting, boating, motorcycles, road safety, or constituent concerns about transportation issues. The chair also noted several absent members and said the committee would first hear agency presentations before covering committee procedures. The Department of Safety gave the main presentation, outlining its seven divisions and how they relate to transportation policy and the Highway Fund. The assistant commissioner emphasized that Highway Fund revenue supports both the Department of Transportation and the Department of Safety, with collections coming largely from the road toll/gas tax, DMV fees, and the new electric vehicle surcharge. He also noted that 12% of Highway Fund revenues go to local road repair through the DOT Betterment Fund, and warned that the fund has had a structural deficit for several biennia, requiring General Fund transfers that may be uncertain this session. He said the department aims to provide data and fiscal context on legislation and fiscal notes. State Police then provided a detailed overview of its structure and operations, including the Operations Bureau, Investigative Services Bureau, and Justice Information Bureau. Testimony highlighted Troop G’s role in vehicle inspections, commercial motor vehicle enforcement, fraud investigations, and consumer complaint handling, as well as statewide staffing shortages. The division reported rising calls for service, motor vehicle stops, DWI arrests, and other arrests despite a vacancy rate of about 17%. It also described aviation, K-9, bomb squad, special events response, SWAT, narcotics, major crime, forensic laboratory, and other specialized units, with statistics on drug seizures, investigations, and lab workload. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• The areas in red are high-fire threat districts where, in the event of extreme weather, it is unsafe
• The areas in red are high-fire threat districts where, in the event of extreme weather, it is unsafe
• So the number of agencies was much simpler to navigate, less points of contact.
• Even Ocean Well, who's doing a pilot project with Los Vergen and this municipal water district, it's
• Back in 2008, we had a pretty healthy kelp forest along the coast of your district, number two.

Summary: The Select Committee on Climate Innovation and Infrastructure held a hearing focused on emerging technologies for climate resilience and infrastructure. The first panel discussed the Calistoga Resiliency Center, a utility-driven microgrid that keeps the city powered during public safety power shutoffs using hydrogen fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries, and liquid hydrogen storage. PG&E described microgrids as a resilience tool but emphasized that cost remains the main barrier to wider deployment. Energy Vault explained the project’s design, its ability to provide at least 48 hours of backup power on a small parcel of land, and its use of green hydrogen and battery storage to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. A Calistoga councilmember and NCPA representative also discussed the Lodi Energy Center hydrogen project, saying it could help decarbonize power generation and transportation, but that federal and state funding changes, tax credit timing, and other policy shifts have made the project difficult to advance. The Green Hydrogen Coalition supported the Calistoga model as a blueprint and urged policy changes to create demand and reduce barriers for renewable hydrogen, including addressing behind-the-meter rules and recognizing hydrogen in state energy planning. The second panel focused on water resilience and desalination, with the California Desal Association and Oneka Technologies discussing wave-powered desalination for the City of Fort Bragg. Cal Desal said California’s changing hydrology, reduced snowpack, and drought conditions make local water supply options increasingly important, but noted that conventional desalination is expensive and slow to permit. Oneka described its offshore, wave-powered system as a zero-electricity desalination technology that produces drinking water without greenhouse gas emissions and with limited land use, and said the Fort Bragg pilot is intended to demonstrate the technology under California conditions. The company and Cal Desal both stressed that permitting is a major obstacle, with the project requiring multiple agencies and a timeline far longer than in other jurisdictions. They also said the technology’s autonomous operation could improve water resilience because it does not depend on the electrical grid. The final panel featured the Climate Foundation’s marine permaculture proposal, which aims to restore kelp forests and support carbon removal and coastal food systems. The presenter said warming oceans and nutrient loss have devastated kelp forests along the California coast and argued that offshore platforms that raise and lower seaweed to access nutrients and sunlight could help regenerate ecosystems while producing food, feed, fertilizer, and carbon benefits. He said the technology has shown strong growth rates and storm resilience in other regions, but that California permitting remains a major hurdle, involving 17 state and federal agencies. He proposed a streamlined, code-based permitting approach for smaller projects and said the group is seeking matching funds to complete a first California pilot. Throughout the hearing, members and witnesses repeatedly highlighted the tension between innovation and the high cost, complexity, and length of California’s permitting and funding processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm from District 33, which is Idaho Falls.
• I represent Legislative District 8.
• Probably the most diverse district, District 26, which is Blaine, Lincoln, and Jerome counties.
• I'm from District 25, which is Twin Falls, kind of the donut district in there.
• In the Jerome district, Cassia, Minidoka, you guys, if you've been out driving through those districts

Committee: Senate Agricultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• school district.
• versus a large district?
• Yeah, certainly different in a district of 700 to a district of 11,000.
• School District.
• , elementary district, and rural district.

Committee: Joint Education Committee

Summary: The meeting focused heavily on dual credit programming across North Dakota, with presentations from Valley City State University, Lake Region State College, Fargo Public Schools, and teachers from West Fargo and Drake-Anamoose. Speakers described dual credit as a way to give high school students college-level rigor, reduce future tuition costs, and help students explore academic and career pathways. Several presenters emphasized that strong local relationships between colleges and school districts are central to program quality, especially in rural areas where access to advanced coursework can be limited. Valley City State University outlined its quality-control model, including annual teacher trainings, syllabus and outcomes alignment, faculty evaluations, qualification standards, school visits, and a goal of building 24-credit College Studies Certificates. The university reported about 504 students in the fall and 559 in the spring, with roughly 5,539 projected credit hours and about 130 students expected to earn the 24-credit certificate. Members asked about faculty qualifications, online versus in-person delivery, student retention, revenue, and whether a more centralized statewide model might be more efficient; the presenter said centralization could reduce duplication but might weaken local relationships and choice. Lake Region State College described a broader regional model, with about 913 dual credit students last fall across 44 school districts, roughly half of them taking online college courses and half taking face-to-face courses taught by qualified high school teachers serving as adjuncts. The college said it has paid for graduate credits to help teachers meet credentialing requirements and reimburses districts for teacher support and materials. Fargo Public Schools reported 50 dual credit courses through multiple higher-ed partners, 1,571 enrollments, and a 12.61% increase in participation, while also raising concerns about inconsistent registration systems, credentialing requirements, and transfer clarity across institutions. Teachers from West Fargo and Drake-Anamoose reinforced the value of dual credit, while noting concerns about retention in foundational science courses and the importance of maintaining rigor and support for students.

Transcript Highlights:

• First off, thank you for the individual snapshot of my district.
• </c><00:35:44.640><c> Thank</c> can navigate the path forward. Thank can navigate the path forward.
• </c> on outside my district and in the state. on outside my district and in the state.
• </c><01:25:29.600><c> their</c> rental dispute uh, or navigating their rental dispute uh, or navigating
• </c> neighbors, um landlords navigating neighbors, um landlords navigating abandoned<01:25:45.440><c>

Bills: HF3425 , HF3424 , HF1385

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• I talk to my water agencies, and this is from the district, the voices of my district.
• And unfortunately, this does not align with the values of my district.
• I talk to my water agencies, and this is from the district, the voices of my district.
• And unfortunately, this does not align with the values of my district.
• , Resource Conservation District, and Groundwater Sustainability Agency, in support.

Committees: House Water, Parks and Wildlife , House Water, Parks, and Wildlife