Transcript Highlights:

• Space Command. >> Thank you, Lieutenant Governor.
• space."
• command motto is never a day space command motto is never a day without<01:46:07.440><c> space.
• So it's critical and space out now.
• </c><01:46:47.760><c> Command</c> to report today that we Space Command to report today that we Space

Transcript Highlights:

• also grants the Department of Public Health the ability to update the warning label as science in the space
• Department of Public Health, the ability to update the warning label as science in the space evolves.
• I know I've done bills in the space where they wanted to have a conversation when they were opposed or
• So having worked in this space now since I got here, one of the biggest challenges as we're trying to
• create safer spaces for our children is we put forth all kinds of bill ideas.

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:

• When you go there, nobody is allowed to know your flight information, your flight dates, the date you
• the following customer information: personal information, meaning name or profile, travel dates and flight

Bills: SB249 , SB546 , SB744 , SB927 , SB1227 , SB1229 , SB1353 , SB1365 , SB1366 , SB1394 , SB1464 , SB1709 , SB1729 , SB1733 , SB1744 , SB1745 , SB1746 , SB1772 , SB1816 , SB1841 , SB1939

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a major difference in the potential flight risk incorporated by the judge before they make the decision
• are moving the ball on this and now because a judge can consider immigration status as a potential flight
• Senator Pizzo: Members, I know many of you have a 2:23 p.m. flight back to Miami.

Transcript Highlights:

• Last year, I got the privilege of being his guardian on the Honor Flight, the Bluegrass Honor Flight,
• Most of the space in there is dedicated to the storage of archives and artifacts, oral histories, and
• Pardon me, someone mentioned earlier about an honor flight.
• That project kicked off with a women-led all-Kentucky honor flight to Washington, DC, in 2022.

Committee: Joint Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to have research spaces in this country where we can work with this pest, and we are absolutely
• Well, I really appreciate that added information, and I know you do have a flight to catch, so when you
• But all of our sterile flight technology techniques right now are done through cobalt, 60 radiation.
• You know, we've had flights coming in from Mexico every day.
• I know that folks in the exotic wildlife space are really concerned about New World screwworm because

Committee: Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• you just proposed, but I can understand that in certain areas they don't have the ability to find space
• I know from the region we're from that sometimes capacity, just in terms of finding a space of a certain
• I know from the region we're from, we know that sometimes like capacity just in terms of finding a space
• and again, we need to make sure that California innovation doesn't lead to brain drain or economic flight
• because we lost federal funds that would have allowed us to make some of the partnership in the hydrogen space

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of energy, water, and utility bills. SB 952, SB 1417, SB 924, SB 925, SB 1011, SB 1168, SB 1196, and SB 1350 were all discussed, along with consent items SB 1008 and SB 1245. SB 952 would give the Department of Water Resources more flexibility in meeting clean energy procurement goals for the State Water Project; it drew support from the State Water Contractors and California Municipal Utilities Association and no opposition. SB 1417 would extend transparency and notice requirements to mutual water companies, especially in response to wildfire-related rate increases in Altadena; supporters described lack of notice, meeting access, and public accountability, while the California Association of Mutual Water Companies opposed the bill as overly prescriptive and potentially conflicting with existing law. SB 924 would modernize low-income energy assistance and weatherization programs to better measure affordability outcomes and tenant benefits, and it passed with broad support. SB 925 would direct the Energy Commission to develop a statewide roadmap for fusion energy; it was supported by industry and clean energy groups and passed without opposition. SB 1011 would require CPUC standards for human review of utility AI systems and labor consultation; supporters framed it as a safety and workforce protection measure, while utilities and business groups warned about cost, duplication, and overbroad regulation. SB 1168, now a study bill, would have the CPUC examine how data centers pay for load growth and rate impacts; it drew mixed reactions, with some industry opposition and some labor support after amendments. SB 1196 would speed utility hookups for ADUs and JADUs by allowing earlier applications and setting timelines; housing advocates supported it and it passed. SB 1350 would allow renewable portfolio standard credit for power plants using green hydrogen, with strong support from hydrogen, labor, and utility interests, but TURN opposed it unless amended, arguing it lacked safeguards against greenwashing and resource shuffling. The committee also approved the consent calendar and several bills were reported out on recorded votes, with most measures advancing on strong bipartisan support and a few no votes from Senators Strickland and Dahle on selected items.

Transcript Highlights:

• And you can imagine the competitive environment in this space with places like Hawaii, Florida, Arizona
• Many convention centers lure with incentives, or discounted space or discounted services.
• So that is something that continues to be a challenge for all of us in this space.
• past where our staffing was stretched so thin, we were unable to bring in additional international flights
• And specifically in our space, there's a significant investment in attractions in California.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism held an informational hearing on the state of California tourism amid declining international visitation and broader economic and political headwinds. Visit California CEO Caroline Betetta said the industry remains a major economic driver, with 2024 visitor spending of $157 billion, 1.2 million jobs supported, and $12.7 billion in state and local tax revenue, but warned that 2025 forecasts show the first post-pandemic decline in visitation, driven largely by a projected 9.2% drop in international travel. She cited concerns about the strong dollar, visa wait times, border and immigration rhetoric, and a proposed federal visa integrity fee, while emphasizing Visit California’s marketing campaigns and the importance of upcoming mega-events like the World Cup and 2028 Olympics. A second panel of destination leaders described local impacts and strategies. Visit Sacramento’s Mike Testa said the city has diversified beyond conventions into music festivals, sports, and food events, but noted that international apprehension is affecting events like Terra Madre Americas and that California should do more to incentivize major festivals to stay in-state. Santa Monica Travel and Tourism’s Lauren Salisbury said the city is seeing lower international visitation, especially from Canada, Australia, and Europe, and that wildfire coverage and later federal troop presence in Los Angeles hurt local sentiment and caused cancellations. Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau’s Rhonda Salisbury reported steep drops in international visitation to the gateway region, ongoing concerns about wildfire, reservations, insurance costs, and park access, and praised a new federal requirement for quarterly meetings between national parks and gateway communities. San Diego Tourism Authority COO Carrie Verbeck-Cappich said tourism is the region’s second-largest sector, but 2025 is softer than 2024, with spending down despite modest visitation growth. She pointed to weaker Canadian and Asian travel, government-related meeting cancellations, and the need for more support to bid on and host major events; she also highlighted border-crossing delays, insufficient federal staffing at ports of entry, and the Tijuana River sewage crisis as major regional issues. Committee members discussed the effects of federal rhetoric, infrastructure, and cross-border conditions on tourism, and several witnesses urged continued support for Visit California, Brand USA, event incentives, and efforts to present California as welcoming and open. Public comment then opened, beginning with testimony from the California Attractions and Parks Association.

Transcript Highlights:

• As an F-16 pilot with thousands of flight hours and multiple combat deployments, you have served with
• U.S. military must better develop its joint capability. capabilities across all domains, including space
• And do you agree that because of their missile programs, especially the flimsy... cover of the space
• innovator taken over, and becoming the first director of the most disruptive, innovative agency, the Space
• we aren't just consolidating all of our industry into a couple of giants, whether it be land, air, space

Committee: Senate Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel

Keywords: national security, military readiness, Kane nomination, defense budget, China threats, Russia, collaboration, modernization

Summary: The meeting centered on the nomination of retired Lieutenant General Dan Kane for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delving into various security concerns and the strategic environment facing the U.S. today. Testimonies highlighted the growing threats from adversaries such as China and Russia, with discussions around the necessity of maintaining and modernizing military capabilities to address these challenges. The need for agility in military operations and enhancing collaboration among various defense agencies was underscored. Further, concerns were raised regarding the defense budget and the importance of a strong national defense strategy were prevalent throughout the discussions. The committee members collectively emphasized the need for superior readiness and modernization to keep pace with global threats.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:28:04.024><c> [snorts]</c> those spaces. Thank you. [snorts] those spaces. Thank you.
• And so there's a very vulnerable space, the areas around an emergency room.
• , the areas around a an vulnerable spaces, the areas around a an emergency<00:55:07.040><c> room.
• First, this bill gives an exemption for interstate flights.
• And removing litter and marine debris reduces risk to wildlife and beautifies our public spaces.

Bills: HB1977 , HB1764 , HB1934 , HB2533 , HB1790 , HB2181 , HB1870 , HB2140 , HB2468 , HB2358 , HB1588 , HB1688 , HB1986 , HB2030 , HB2195 , HB1949 , HB1695 , HB1950 , HB2094 , HB2115 , HB2297 , HB2336 , HB2416 , HB2049

Committee: House Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• California cities, and they're all battling it now and before and going forward, and that is curb space
• Parking curb space, particularly in urban communities, downtown businesses, and residential districts
• This is about vehicles that are taking up space in otherwise prohibited zones, in red zones, in loading
• And if you want to continue the flight of citizens and their jobs leaving and go to places like Texas
• I also have a bill in this space, and I cannot emphasize enough how important it is that we create a

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you want to share with us anything that would be happening in that space?
• And do you want to share with us anything that would be happening in that space?
• Anything that may be happening in that space? Actually, Rebecca can. Okay, okay.
• Just reminding everyone, we've got these time limits because we're both catching flights.
• Everyone in this room knows that public art is more powerful than just beautifying a space.

Committee: Senate Joint Committee on the Arts

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Arts held an informational hearing on California’s first sector-specific creative economy strategic plan, developed under AB 127 by the California Arts Council with an interagency work group and outside research support. Committee members and panelists described the plan’s purpose as strengthening the state’s creative workforce, stabilizing creative businesses, expanding equity and access, and building infrastructure for long-term implementation. The opening presentation highlighted major forces shaping the sector over the next decade, including AI, climate disruption, affordability, access to capital, and social cohesion, and outlined six action areas: workforce preparation, business growth, cultural tourism and identity, cross-sector incentives, ROI/data tracking, and state capacity-building. Testimony from the California Department of Education and the Workforce Development Board focused on existing workforce pipelines, including updated arts/entertainment/design CTE standards, the Entertainment Equity Alliance, apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship pathways, and High Road Training Partnership investments. Speakers said these efforts are producing strong placement outcomes, including paid on-the-job training, union placements, and support for workers facing barriers, while also emphasizing the need for entrepreneurship training and wraparound supports. Committee discussion also centered on a major unresolved issue: how to define and measure the creative economy consistently across agencies, since current labor data often misses gig, contract, nonprofit, and business activity. A second panel of practitioners and advocates described local examples of the plan in action. The Handy Foundation, Arts for LA’s Creative Jobs Collective, the Arts Council of San Bernardino County, and the California Arts Council chair all argued that artists and creative workers should be treated as essential contributors to education, community health, local economies, and resilience, not as peripheral workers. They urged stronger school partnerships, more arts access, and better recognition of creative careers. Members also discussed AI’s impact on creative work, with panelists saying it should be treated as a tool that requires guardrails, training, and union and educator involvement rather than as a replacement for human creativity. No formal votes were taken; the hearing was informational, and members expressed support for continued implementation, better data systems, and additional funding in future budget and policy actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• He said, well, I'm about to board the flight to Syracuse. I said, you know, why are you doing that?
• The, we talk about education, and that is a great strength of California in the higher education space
• This project includes more than 473,000 square feet of state-of-the-art industrial space.
• We've spoken with almost 30 manufacturers in the clean energy manufacturing space and have identified
• One, I really do think, as many have said, that this clean energy manufacturing space is a place for

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

Transcript Highlights:

• allow providers to shift those 18- to 24-month-olds who are now defined as infants into the toddler space
• allow providers to shift those 18- to 24-month-olds who are now defined as infants into the toddler space
• She's a leader in the aging space and in the child care space here for access.
• It recognizes that no single system currently owns this space and enables collaboration across those
• They told me no, because I was a flight risk.

Committee: Senate Human Services

Summary: The committee adopted the consent calendar and then heard several bills on child care, aging, child welfare, food access, and youth services. SB 1200 by Sen. Menjivar would redefine infant and toddler age categories in child care licensing to allow providers to serve children beginning at 18 months in the toddler category, with supporters saying it would increase capacity and help family child care businesses stay open; it passed 4-0 to Appropriations. SB 971 by Sen. Choi would authorize counties to offer optional adult education and technology training programs for adults 55 and older through local partnerships; supporters said it would reduce isolation and improve digital literacy, and it passed 4-0 to the floor. SB 1234 by Sen. Alvarado-Gil would require fentanyl to be included in court-ordered drug testing in dependency cases, with testimony from an angel family and law enforcement about child deaths and exposure risks; it passed 4-0 to the floor. The committee also heard SB 1109 by Sen. Alvarado-Gil, which would require additional state review for short-term residential therapeutic programs in very small rural counties or facilities with repeated serious citations. The author and county officials from Alpine County argued that rural counties lack the hospitals, schools, and 24-hour emergency response needed to safely support these placements, while providers opposed the bill as overly broad and potentially destabilizing to STRTP capacity. After the author accepted committee amendments, members voted 4-0 to send the bill to Appropriations as amended. SB 961 by Sen. Ashby would require students applying for financial aid to be notified that they may also be eligible for CalFresh; student and advocacy witnesses described widespread food insecurity on campuses, and the bill passed 4-0 to Appropriations. The committee then heard SB 1099 by Sen. Gomez Reyes, which clarifies local governments’ authority to provide state or local public benefits to all residents under PRWORA-related exemptions; supporters said it would reduce legal uncertainty for local safety-net services, and the bill was voted 2-0 with the remaining members absent, leaving it on call. SB 1190 by Sen. Grove would create a licensing and regulatory framework for youth transport companies that move minors to out-of-state residential facilities; survivors testified about traumatic transports, supporters called for basic guardrails, and the bill passed 4-0 to Public Safety. Finally, SB 1325 by Sen. Jones would create a narrow pathway for Feeding San Diego to participate in CalFood, with supporters saying it would expand hunger relief in San Diego County and opponents warning it could divert limited food bank resources; the discussion focused on broader funding concerns, and no final vote was recorded in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to do a better job of building infrastructure projects in the energy space in California.
• And we know that there are several within the space of non-classroom based charters get addressed.
• every move even when they are in what they believe are the most private parts of their employment spaces
• feel like folks have really invested in helping each other as colleagues but in particular in this space
• are a bipartisan value and I know we've had a long week and many folks would like to get to their flight

Transcript Highlights:

• appreciate the opportunity to be here and thanks for all you all do to help lead us in the energy space
• </c><00:02:47.280><c> in</c><00:02:47.519><c> the</c><00:02:48.080><c> energy</c><00:02:48.480><c> space
• </c><00:02:48.800><c> It's</c><00:02:49.040><c> been</c> lead us in the energy space.
• It's been lead us in the energy space.
• </c><01:05:35.520><c> uh</c> highlight that uh the honor flights uh highlight that uh the honor flights

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes from the previous meeting, and then heard a presentation from LG&E and KU representatives Caroline Clark and John Bevington on economic development, energy demand, and the utility’s role in supporting Kentucky’s growth. Bevington described the company’s service territory, generation fleet, and recent economic development activity, including 76 projects supported in 2024, more than $2.8 billion in private investment, and over 3,000 new jobs. He emphasized that data centers are now the dominant driver in the pipeline, with 22 data center projects representing about 8.7 of the 9.7 gigawatts of potential demand, alongside other manufacturing and commercial projects. A major focus was how data centers choose sites and how utilities respond. Bevington explained that hyperscale data centers typically approach utilities first because they need transmission-level access, and that utilities then conduct internal analyses, estimate infrastructure needs, and require financial security before proceeding. He said the company is working through formal transmission studies and long-lead infrastructure planning, and noted that Kentucky’s sales tax exemption for data centers helped attract interest. He also outlined the economic benefits of data centers, citing an announced Louisville project of 525 megawatts and about $11 billion in investment, with an estimated $500 million in new tax revenue over 10 years, plus broader job and GDP impacts. Members asked about whether data centers could generate their own power, the reliability of the pipeline numbers given confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements, and cybersecurity concerns. Bevington said the company does not assume all pipeline projects will materialize in Kentucky and instead assigns probabilities to avoid overbuilding. He also said he was not the right person to address cybersecurity in detail but offered to return to a committee focused on IT or security. In response to questions about future supply, he said LG&E and KU are adding generation through a 120-megawatt solar facility in Mercer County, a 120-megawatt solar purchase in Marion County, and a 645-megawatt natural gas combined-cycle plant in Louisville, with PSC approval recently granted for additional generation and related system upgrades.

Transcript Highlights:

• Finally, this bill would also allow veterans in the VR program to pursue non-college degrees like flight
• Allow veterans to help fill these critical gaps by allowing veterans to use their benefits to attend flight
• And my section of the bill will enable those veterans to use their benefits to pursue Vocational flight
• Chairman, currently there are impediments for VR&E benefits being used in vocational flight training.
• bill will improve that Section by granting the VA the flexibility to have veterans pursue vocational flight

Transcript Highlights:

• If we don't, there's plenty of wall space. Hopefully we've got enough seats.
• If we don't, there's plenty of wall space.
• We have flights to get back north, and we want to make sure we hear from all the youth too.
• I'm grateful that you all are in the space you are with the community alongside you.
• So we need to know that we need to do a lot more around this space.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, the veterinarian team meets, flights, ships, checks for diseases, and our Akami arrivals program
• ,</c> the veterinarian team meets, flights, the veterinarian team meets, flights, ships,<00:30:16.640
• So while Japan has been our number one trade partner, we have non-stop flights to Korea and Australia
• Um, in that space, our AL maps and our soil maps really have driven zoning for so many years.
• Um, in that space, our AL maps and our soil maps really have driven zoning for so many years.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think we may need more time space.
• </c> uh from the division of flight records. uh from the division of flight records.
• </c> threshold of saying 10% floor space threshold of saying 10% floor space because<02:12:53.199><c>
• ><c> for</c> because given the space required for because given the space required for servers<02:12:
• </c> the size of trees and the sidewalk space the size of trees and the sidewalk space and<02:13:43.040

Committee: Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs