Transcript Highlights:

• It's also my understanding that the practice of county licensors who assess whether Violations occur
• I agree with Chair West's assessment that this is a very large proposal that probably does not meet what
• Problem, but it is a series of precise policy changes and fiscal investments to reform early care and
• Background checks are a critical tool to assess the suitability of individuals and households where foster

Bills: HF1367 , HF2732 , HF1897 , HF1424 , HF1383 , HF2728 , HF2863 , HF1685 , HF2929

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: child maltreatment, child abuse, neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, sex trafficking, labor trafficking, human trafficking, child protection, local welfare agency, county social services, Minnesota Department of Human Services, judicial review, district court appeal, venue, out-of-state abuse, cross-border investigation, Minnesota child welfare, family assessment, maltreatment determination

Transcript Highlights:

• It's also my understanding that the practice of county licensors, who assess whether violations occur
• She agreed with Chair West’s assessment that this is a very large proposal that probably does not meet
• throwing money at a problem, but it is a series of precise policy changes and fiscal investments to reform
• </c><01:45:45.440><c> the</c><01:45:45.560><c> suitability</c> critical tool to assess the suitability
• critical tool to assess the suitability of<01:45:46.400><c> individuals</c><01:45:47.000><c> and</c>

Bills: HF1367 , HF2732 , HF1897 , HF1424 , HF1383 , HF2728 , HF2863 , HF1685 , HF2929

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: child maltreatment, child abuse, neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, sex trafficking, labor trafficking, human trafficking, child protection, local welfare agency, county social services, Minnesota Department of Human Services, judicial review, district court appeal, venue, out-of-state abuse, cross-border investigation, Minnesota child welfare, family assessment, maltreatment determination

Transcript Highlights:

• All the proposed reforms are included in the agenda on pages 16 to 18, and I can walk through these reforms
• , annual assessments.
• We're talking primarily about assessments on employers, annual assessments.
• We pulled data on the exponential growth of the assessments for public entities from their 2020 assessment
• to their 2025 assessment.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor, and Transportation heard presentations on labor and public employment issues from the Employment Development Department (EDD), the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB), and the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). The committee first focused on EDD Next modernization, where EDD described progress on online claims, call center upgrades, language access, fraud prevention, and the Integrated Claims Management System (ICMS). The Legislative Analyst’s Office urged closer legislative oversight, especially as the project moves into the most difficult phase. Senators asked about the revised timeline, total cost, fraud reduction, stress testing, transparency around change orders, and the decision to phase in disability insurance and paid family leave before unemployment insurance. EDD said the overall project cost remained about $1.2 billion, that it had no major cost overruns, and that it had saved more than $20 million by shifting some shared customer portal work into ICMS. The subcommittee then considered CWDB’s request for additional operational resources and trailer bill language to streamline reporting. CWDB and the Department of Finance said staffing had been expanded during the pandemic-era surge in grant funding and should now be reduced as one-time grant programs wind down. Senators questioned the proposed staffing reduction, arguing that workforce development needs remain strong and that the board’s policy role still requires adequate capacity. The committee also discussed a proposal to consolidate multiple annual and interim reports into a single biennial report, with LAO supporting the streamlining. Members asked about reporting for specific programs and the cost savings from reducing duplicative evaluations. A major portion of the hearing addressed DIR’s proposed reforms to the Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund (SIBTF) and related workload funding. DIR and LAO described rapid growth in applications, a large and growing backlog, and sharply rising liabilities and employer assessments. The administration’s trailer bill would tighten eligibility, apply reforms to open cases, and use contemporaneous evidence and QME reports to document preexisting disabilities. LAO said the proposal largely matched its prior recommendations and would help return the program to its original intent. Senators raised concerns about fairness to pending claimants, the effect on workers with undocumented preexisting conditions, and whether the QME system could absorb the added workload. The committee also heard DIR’s request to eliminate vacant positions under a statewide vacancy sweep, with members objecting that some vacancies reflect unmet enforcement and safety needs rather than excess capacity. The hearing continued with DIR proposals for additional Cal/OSHA investigative staff, permanent changes to Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board petition deadlines, and apprenticeship-related funding increases. DIR sought 14 permanent positions for its Bureau of Investigation to handle serious workplace fatalities and injuries, and members emphasized the importance of timely investigations and family communication. The WCAB requested making permanent a 2024 change that starts the 60-day reconsideration clock when a case is transmitted rather than when the petition is filed; the board said this had reduced the number of cases awaiting decisions from 637 to 460. Finally, DIR proposed increasing apprenticeship training grants from $3 million to $20 million annually using the Apprenticeship Training Contribution Fund, citing an $80 million fund balance and workforce demand tied to rebuilding and infrastructure needs, and then began discussion of a separate request to expand pre-apprenticeship programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• All the proposed reforms are included in the agenda on pages 16 to 18, and I can walk through these reforms
• , annual assessments.
• We can agree that reform of the system is needed, but reform cannot be accomplished by abolishing a benefit
• We pulled data on the exponential growth of the assessments for public entities from their 2020 assessment
• to their 2025 assessment.

Summary: The subcommittee heard a series of budget and trailer bill presentations focused on labor and public employment programs. The first item covered EDD Next modernization, where EDD described progress on customer service improvements, fraud prevention, language access, and the Integrated Claims Management System. The LAO urged stronger legislative oversight as the project enters its most difficult phase, and members questioned the revised schedule, total cost, change orders, stress testing, SB 1090 implementation, and how race and ethnicity data will be protected. EDD said the overall project cost remains about $1.2 billion, that the work is being phased with disability insurance and paid family leave first, and that fraud has been greatly reduced since pandemic-era programs ended. Members also asked for follow-up information on SB 590 outreach and equity impacts. The committee then reviewed the California Workforce Development Board’s request to reduce staffing as one-time grant workloads wind down, along with trailer bill language to streamline reporting requirements. The board and Department of Finance said the staffing reductions reflect the end of surge funding and that the proposal would consolidate roughly 10 to 12 reports into one annual report, with additional reporting only if new funds are appropriated for certain programs. Senator Durazo questioned the policy direction of reducing workforce staffing, while the administration said the positions were tied to temporary grant programs and that current staffing is sufficient for ongoing duties. Members also asked about the board’s role in AI-related workforce planning and the rationale for using state funds for the High Road Construction Careers Program. A major portion of the hearing focused on the Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund reforms and related staffing request at DIR. The administration and LAO described rapid growth in applications, backlog, and liabilities, saying the program’s eligibility has expanded beyond its original intent and that liabilities could reach about $30 billion by 2030 without reform. The trailer bill would tighten eligibility, apply the changes to open cases, and use the QME process and contemporaneous evidence to document preexisting disabilities. Members raised concerns about fairness to pending claimants, evaluator capacity, and the relationship to other SIBTF legislation, while the LAO said the proposal largely aligns with its prior recommendations. DIR also presented a request to eliminate vacant positions under a statewide vacancy sweep, which drew criticism from members who argued the cuts could weaken enforcement and backlog reduction efforts; the committee asked DIR to return with more detail on impacts and on its use of temporary-help authority. The final items addressed a request for additional Cal/OSHA investigative staff and a trailer bill to make permanent the revised Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board petition timeline. DIR said the BOI staffing would help investigate fatalities and serious injuries more quickly, while members emphasized the importance of family contact and timely investigations. For the WCAB item, the chair explained that the 2024 change to Labor Code section 5909, which starts the 60-day decision clock when a case is transmitted rather than when a petition is filed, has reduced pending cases and should be made permanent; the remaining backlog was reported at 460 cases, down from 637 before the change.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> lower assessment rate. lower assessment rate.
• </c> reform that keeps um us constitutional. reform that keeps um us constitutional.
• </c> "Well, you got to make sure you assess "Well, you got to make sure you assess your<01:03:48.960>
• I tell you what, when I looked at my assessment, 25% off, I went, "Wow." That was true reform.
• </c> that wasn't that was true reform. that wasn't that was true reform. and<01:32:51.679><c> the</c>

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We've got assessment results. And so what's that? Statistics Day. Yeah. Assessment results.
• These assessments represent one of a few.
• Chairman, is I've been talking about for some time is the assessment and our New Mexico assessment in
• comparison to the assessment of other states.
• So the kid is assessed sometime in the spring...

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:15:30.160><c> of</c> construction defects law, reform of construction defects law, reform of
• </c> past, and in 2017, some modest reforms past, and in 2017, some modest reforms were<00:15:36.560>
• Probably the most active group in the tort reform world, the American Tort Reform Association, their
• </c> reform world uh the American Tor reform reform world uh the American Tor reform Association<00:47
• assessment? assessment?

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for that, and that is an accurate assessment.
• All the proposed reforms are included in the agenda on pages 16 to 18, and I can walk through these reforms
• We can agree that reform of the system is needed, but reform cannot be accomplished by abolishing a benefit
• We pulled data on the exponential growth of the assessments for public entities from their 2020 assessment
• to their 2025 assessment.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Reform is necessary. Reform is needed. I'd like to piggyback off Miss Gonzalez's story.
• Reform is necessary. Reform is needed. I'd like to piggyback off Miss Gonzalez's story.
• Reform is necessary. Reform is needed. I'd like to piggyback off Miss Gonzalez's story.
• Reform is necessary. Reform is needed. I'd like to piggyback off Miss Gonzalez's story.
• </c> table and settle on reasonable reforms. table and settle on reasonable reforms.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• , which is closely related to Dibbles, to the Dibbles assessment.
• Not that a teacher assesses, because a teacher, you do know within days, but that this assessment is
• Chairman, you mentioned that for this one, the assessment would be a mirror assessment that we have in
• place would be the assessment.
• or kind, I would say, of assessment that we should be using.

Summary: The committee first heard a detailed staff presentation on the LESC FY27 public school support recommendation. Staff reviewed the budget structure and explained that, despite a downward revision in state revenue estimates, the recommendation still relied on recurring and non-recurring revenue to support educator compensation, insurance, transportation, literacy, math, special education, and other school programs. Major recurring items included a 3% compensation increase, funding for an 80-20 health insurance cost share, insurance premium growth, and transportation adequacy funding. Staff also flagged a possible supplemental need of up to $35 million for virtual education tied to rapid enrollment growth in Chama and Santa Rosa, and members raised concerns about the quality, accountability, and funding model for virtual programs. Members asked questions about transportation for rural districts, the Martinez-Yazzie lawsuit fees, the treatment of enrollment declines in the school funding formula, and whether the word “average” in salary language should remain in the budget. Staff explained that the SEG should remain whole, that the insurance and transportation recommendations applied to all public school employees but not contractors, and that the budget included multiple math-related investments spread across several lines rather than one single appropriation. There was also discussion of out-of-school learning grants, school meals, literacy center operations, special education training, and the Public Education Reform Fund, including the use of multi-year, evaluation-based appropriations for high-impact tutoring and community schools. After discussion, the committee adopted the LESC budget recommendation. The committee then moved to endorsed legislation proposals. It endorsed a bill allowing the secretary to suspend an individual school board member, with notice and appeal procedures clarified, and a bill creating an 80-20 health insurance cost-share requirement for public school employees, along with a study of the sustainability of public school insurance programs. It also endorsed a bill on attendance provisions for students with severe medical conditions, which would keep those students from being classified as excessively absent. Finally, the committee discussed a teacher residency bill that would raise stipend levels, allow residents to complete service anywhere in New Mexico, and remove the requirement that sponsoring schools must hire them, though the bill did not include an appropriation. Members also raised questions about bilingual, Hispanic, and Black education funding, cultural and linguistic supports in teacher preparation, and where various programs should be placed in the budget or PERF framework.

Transcript Highlights:

• To increase the efficacy of U.N. programs, we must drive reform.
• We've talked about these reforms.
• I think there are reform opportunities that we need to work on.
• Reforming is about improving over the long term.
• Important levers to wield authority to bring about reform?

Committee: Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• That is, special assessment districts.
• S. 197, an act relating to payment reform for primary care.
• </c> payment reform look like? payment reform look like?
• </c> reform for primary care. reform for primary care.
• </c> surrendered animal examined and assessed surrendered animal examined and assessed within<00:59:12.760

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The needs assessment must be designed to inform...
• It's a needs assessment only.
• We think a needs assessment is a good step forward.
• Congress, from the Office of Technology Assessment.
• Congress, from the Office of Technology Assessment.

Bills: SB6271 , SB6174

Committee: Senate Environment, Energy & Technology

Keywords: mattress stewardship, producer responsibility, extended producer responsibility, EPR, mattress recycling, solid waste, landfill diversion, illegal dumping, recycling program, Department of Ecology, producer responsibility organization, PRO, renovator, retailer obligations, collection sites, bulk pickup, drop-off locations, waste management, environmental compliance, circular economy

Transcript Highlights:

• Because these pillars have really helped us move forward past reform.
• First, fees, along with governance reform, offered fee reform.
• This is a tremendous achievement from reform efforts.
• More generally on fees, DTSC is in better standing as compared to pre-reform.
• We are glad that there have been some reforms.

Summary: The joint oversight hearing focused on DTSC’s implementation of SB 158 reforms, including enforcement, community engagement, fee stability, the hazardous waste management plan, permitting backlogs, and the Safer Consumer Products program. Senators and Assembly members emphasized protecting overburdened communities and asked how DTSC and the Board of Environmental Safety are using their authority to improve accountability, reduce delays, and address hazardous waste facilities and consumer product chemicals. The hearing also included discussion of extended producer responsibility programs and whether DTSC can support them more efficiently, including through coordination with CalRecycle. DTSC Director Katie Butler said the department is now more transparent, accountable, and fiscally stable, citing stronger enforcement actions, an interactive inspections map, expanded community outreach, and emergency response work on the Los Angeles wildfire cleanup. She said DTSC has made progress on fee reform, the hazardous waste management plan, cleanup grants, permit renewals, and safer consumer products rulemaking, including adding microplastics to the candidate chemical list. Board Chair Andrew Rakestraw said the board has held multiple public meetings and hearings, is working on fee rates and performance metrics, and is revising the hazardous waste management plan after public comment, including removing a proposal to send certain contaminated soil to municipal landfills. He also noted remaining concerns about fee structure, permit delays, and the pace of the safer consumer products program. Public witnesses offered sharply different views. A representative of the California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance said SB 158 reforms have improved permitting and transparency, but urged more attention to risk-based decision-making, reduced duplication, and possible General Fund support for plan implementation rather than relying only on fees. Earthjustice argued DTSC remains too slow and that communities continue to suffer from long-delayed permits and weak protections, urging the Legislature to take a more active role and to prioritize eliminating hazardous substances rather than minimizing costs. Committee members pressed the witnesses on permit renewals, community impacts, and the pace of the safer consumer products program, while DTSC defended its progress and said further legislative collaboration may be needed on hazardous waste management and emerging waste streams.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> regarding fees fines and costs assessed regarding fees fines and costs assessed to to to Residents
• <c> assessments</c><00:47:09.800><c> and</c> General and special assessments and General and special
• </c><01:02:49.960><c> in</c> really is a pressing need for reform in really is a pressing need for reform
• </c><01:04:48.920><c> that</c> will lead to Common Sense reform that will lead to Common Sense reform
• </c><01:31:53.679><c> or</c> assessed or question uh assessments or assessed or question uh assessments

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, for example, take alternatives assessment.
• Alternatives assessment can be hard.
• I am with California Surpassive Reform.
• DPR has additional resources and has put internal reforms in place.
• And we need DPR reform.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that means just what goes into the risk assessment, or the actual risk assessment itself?
• psychosexual assessment...
• what goes into the risk assessment or what, or the actual risk assessment itself, which I think is covered
• tools and criteria this is not the psychosocial psychosexual assessment assessment The risk assessment
• because the 2017 reforms did not require any pre-funding.

Bills: SB1046 , SB1317 , SB1376 , SB1416 , SB1448 , SB1471 , SB1493 , SB1498 , SB1502 , SB1504 , SB1538 , SB1544 , SB1550 , SB1579 , SB1581 , SB1584 , SB1624 , SB1673

Committee: Senate Public Safety

Keywords: telecommunications, broadband, internet infrastructure, critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, national security, foreign adversary, China, Chinese equipment, supply chain security, network equipment, microchips, Arizona Corporation Commission, telecommunications provider, communications infrastructure, Huawei, ZTE, state-owned enterprise, sanctions, infrastructure security

Transcript Highlights:

• We do have some generation numbers that recently came out in our needs assessment.
• As part of the overall needs assessment for the plastic packaging EPR law...
• published a needs assessment.
• But reform takes constant vigilance and diligence in carrying it through.
• And so that is a substantial improvement from pre-reform as well.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Last year, the people of Louisiana voted for judicial reform.
• The legislature acted, consolidated, reformed the system, but many of those reforms have been undone.
• Consolidated and reformed the system, but many of those reforms have been undone.
• authority for the imposition of certain assessment fees, 287.
• Fees and costs assessed by the economic development.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then received and processed multiple resignation notices and special-election proclamations for vacant seats. The chamber later recognized and swore in newly elected members Doyle Boudreaux, Reese Broussard, Chassity Verrett-Martinez, and Edwin Murray after no objections were raised to their qualifications. The House also appointed committees to notify the Senate and the governor that it was ready to conduct business for the 2026 regular session, and it adopted the proposed standing committee meeting schedule and referred prefiled bills to committee without objection. The bulk of the meeting was devoted to the introduction and reading of a very large number of House bills and resolutions across many subject areas. Measures included the annual appropriations bill, a proposed constitutional convention, carbon dioxide sequestration and pipeline permitting, retirement-system changes, criminal justice and public safety proposals, education and workforce measures, local government and district creation bills, insurance and liability reforms, and numerous commemorative resolutions. Several prefiled bills were withdrawn, and many introduced measures were assigned to committees or allowed to lie over under the rules. The House then entered a joint session with the Senate for the governor’s address. Governor Jeff Landry outlined his administration’s priorities and praised recent legislative actions on taxes, insurance reform, transportation, education, and fiscal discipline. He urged support for Amendment 3 on teacher pay and retirement, called for further workforce and health initiatives, defended insurance and transportation reforms, and pressed for judicial reform, especially in Orleans Parish, citing the death of Jacob Carter and failures in electronic monitoring as examples. He also promoted replacing the vehicle inspection sticker with a QR code system and highlighted economic growth, lower taxes, and infrastructure investments. The joint session also included a presentation of the colors by the Louisiana National Guard and a Distinguished Flying Cross ceremony for Technical Sergeant Adam W. Brister, recognizing his 2018 rescue mission in Alaska. After the governor’s remarks and the military honor presentation, the joint session concluded and the House resumed introducing additional bills, continuing to file measures on topics such as health care, education, ethics, elections, local districts, and constitutional amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Beginning January 1, 2007, the first $50,000 of assessed value is exempt.
• , really do a deep dive and assess what is a need and what is a want.
• They deserve reform where reform is needed. But this bill is not reform. This bill is a gamble.
• They deserve reform where reform is needed. But this bill is not reform. This bill is a gamble.
• They deserve reform where reform is needed. But this bill is not reform. This bill is a gamble.

Keywords: 998, house, all