Transcript Highlights:

• They are designed to help the processing of the ballots and those with disabilities.
• They are designed to help the processing of the ballots and those with disabilities.
• Evan Fern with Disability Rights California, in opposition. Thank you.
• What is the issue with disabled voters that they need a hole in the ballot? Can you explain that?
• I work a lot with the disability community myself, and I've never heard anything.

Summary: The Assembly Elections Committee met on March 25, 2026, with nine measures on the agenda and three bills taken on consent. The committee approved the consent calendar for AB 1736, AB 1853, and AB 2153. The committee also heard several election-related bills, including AB 1993 on ballot-envelope privacy, AB 1788 on nonprofit disclosure of travel payments for elected officials, AB 1560 on barring people convicted of public corruption from lobbying, AB 1539 on presidential and vice-presidential ballot eligibility certifications, AB 1919 on Santa Cruz Metro local tax initiative procedures, and AB 1562 on county selection of poll workers. The chair also noted membership changes and welcomed new and returning members and staff. AB 1993 drew the most debate. The author argued it was a common-sense safeguard to prevent voters’ choices from being visible through ballot-envelope holes, citing a Sacramento County incident and public concern about ballot privacy. County election officials, the Secretary of State’s office, and Disability Rights California opposed the bill, saying the holes also serve accessibility and processing functions, that existing voter instructions already address privacy, and that the measure would create implementation problems and an unfunded mandate. After extended discussion, the committee voted the bill out on a 2-6 roll call and it failed. AB 1788 was supported by the FPPC and the League of Women Voters and passed as amended to Appropriations, with members emphasizing transparency while seeking to avoid unintended coverage of organizations like NCSL and CSG. AB 1560 passed 6-0 despite the Secretary of State’s implementation concerns about how the office would learn of relevant convictions. AB 1539, which would require party representatives to certify presidential and vice-presidential nominees’ constitutional eligibility, passed 7-0 as amended. AB 1919, which would clarify procedures for a Santa Cruz Metro voter initiative to place a transit tax on the ballot, passed 6-2, and AB 1562, which would allow counties to randomly select poll workers, passed 7-1 after discussion about civic engagement, guardrails, and election administration. The committee then completed roll-call adjustments for absent members and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this is where you are so callous: the disabled. Among us. And this is where you are so callous.
• The disabled, the elderly, poor children will have their health coverage curtailed and cut back.
• For the funding for developmentally disabled, and you heard that call, and you've done that.
• you defund our critical health care system for everybody in this state, for the developmentally disabled
• , for those with disabilities, the people that need the help the most were the first to lose coverage

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call and proceeded to floor business, with the main item being SB 101, the state budget bill. Before debate on the bill, Assembly Member Sanchez offered amendments to redirect funding toward Proposition 36 implementation, wildfire prevention, Medi-Cal provider reimbursement, developmental services, and other priorities; the majority moved to lay those amendments on the table, and the motion passed 43-18. The chamber then took up SB 101 as the budget bill for immediate effect. Debate on the budget was extensive and sharply divided. Supporters, including Assembly Member Gabriel and several committee chairs, described the budget as a difficult but responsible compromise that protects Medi-Cal, IHSS, child care, housing, wildfire prevention, and other safety-net programs while responding to a projected deficit and federal uncertainty. Opponents criticized the budget as fiscally unsound and argued it relied on accounting gimmicks, did not adequately fund Proposition 36 or wildfire prevention, and continued spending on high-speed rail and Medi-Cal coverage for undocumented immigrants. Several members also raised concerns about gas taxes, provider reimbursement, probation funding, and the impact on vulnerable Californians. After debate, the Assembly voted on SB 101 and passed it 57-19. The measure was sent immediately to the Senate. The body then announced upcoming session schedules, with no floor or check-in sessions on June 14 and 15, and a floor session set for June 16 at 1 p.m., before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:50:17.839> of effort relating to duty disability of effort relating to duty disability
• amendment attempts to disable amendment attempts to disable the<01:23:56.960> taxpayer<01
• I also want to speak about a disability. I also want to speak about a disability.
• I do encourage a green vote. disability. I also want to speak about a disability.
• disability issues, the tough issues. Mr. disability issues, the tough issues. Mr.

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened under call, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then took the roll, establishing a quorum. The chamber received a House message announcing passage of Senate File 3720, a workers’ compensation bill adopting 2026 recommendations of the Workers’ Compensation Advisory Council, and then moved through routine author changes and motions, including sending House File 3825 to the Finance Committee and advancing House File 3298, which was described as funding the removal and replacement of underground tanks to protect water supplies. A major floor item was Senate File 4282, the education forecast-adjustment bill. Senator Kunish explained that the conference committee updated appropriations to reflect forecast changes, added language on highly qualified paraprofessionals for Title I special education, provided tribal contract aid if a permanent school fund amendment passes, allowed districts to use operating capital for utility costs, extended grants for gender-neutral bathrooms, and made two school district fund transfers. The Senate adopted the conference report and passed the bill 34-33. The Senate then considered House File 3489, which would establish a felony offense of grooming, require reporting to licensing boards, update school and mandated reporter rules, and add funding for investigators. Supporters framed it as a child-protection measure based on a survivor’s testimony and a teacher-abuse case; one member also spoke in favor, while another offered a strongly partisan critique of public education. The Senate adopted the A11 amendment, gave the bill third reading, and passed it 66-0, then recessed briefly to honor guests in the gallery. After recess, the Senate took up House File 5074, the annual claims settlement bill. Senator Clark said it appropriates just over $5.1 million for claims including exoneration payments and a permanent injury claim, highlighting compensation for James Lamar Davis, Clayton Douglas Groves, and Marvin Haynes. The bill drew some debate over the Haynes payment and the calculation for an ankle injury claim, but it ultimately passed 64-2. The final item was House File 4074, the 2026 omnibus pension bill, described as improving public safety and other public employee retirement benefits, removing a COLA delay, creating work groups on duty disability, and addressing pension provisions for probation officers, 911 telecommunicators, St. Paul teachers, and other groups; the discussion was underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• years to support a statewide effort to train and connect parents of students with disabilities.
• Department of Education to oversee the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
• California trails behind the nation in inclusion rates of students with disabilities.
• behind the nation in inclusion rates of students with disabilities.
• And I'm very thankful that with the continued coordination with your other disability rights advocacy

Summary: The committee heard several education-related bills, with the most extensive discussion focused on AB 2189, AB 2615, AB 2496, AB 1750, and AB 1644. AB 2189 would create an $800,000 grant program through the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to support a statewide parent network for special education advocacy and training. Supporters said families need stronger coordination and information to navigate special education, while an opponent argued the bill could duplicate existing family-led organizations. The bill passed 6-0 and was sent to Appropriations, held on call for add-on votes. AB 2615, a cleanup bill to AB 715 on antisemitism and instructional materials, drew the most controversy. The authors said it was intended to clarify prior commitments by removing references to professional responsibility standards, refining the “factually accurate” language, and clarifying how discriminatory materials are handled. Supporters said it would help protect students from discrimination, while many educators, civil rights groups, and other organizations opposed it unless amended, warning that the factual-accuracy language could chill teaching and be applied too broadly. The committee chair and members raised concerns about implementation but ultimately supported moving the bill forward; it passed 5-0 and was held on call. AB 2496 would streamline school accountability reporting by making the California School Dashboard the primary transparency tool, phasing out the School Accountability Report Card over time, and making mid-year LCAP reporting optional. Supporters said this would reduce duplication and administrative burden while preserving access to key data; opponents worried families could lose the simplicity and accessibility of the current SARC and that the mid-year update still serves an important purpose. The bill was approved 3-0 and held on call. AB 1750, which would extend full salary for an additional five months for school employees who exhaust sick leave due to illness or injury, was supported as a dignity and retention measure but opposed by administrators over staffing and cost concerns; it passed 4-0 and was held on call. AB 1644 would require a bell-to-bell smartphone ban in TK-8 and recommend it for high school, with exceptions for instructional and safety needs; supporters said phones are harming attention and learning, while opponents argued districts had just adopted local policies and needed more flexibility. The transcript ends during discussion of that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• For those on Zoom, your audio will be muted, video disabled, until shortly before your turn to testify
• for<00:26:56.039> the cultural differences for the cultural differences for the disabilities
• Community for the homeless disabilities Community for the homeless marginalized<00:26:59.039> and
• program for blind vendors disabilities program for blind vendors um<00:27:08.679> to<00:27:08.840
• <00:31:40.240> and disabilities and disabilities and seniors<00:31:42.039> I<00:31:42.120

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services committee heard several gubernatorial nominations and appointments, beginning with Sunshine Cho and Barbara Tom for the Language Access Advisory Council. Both nominees said they stood on their written testimony and expressed interest in continuing to serve, and multiple organizations testified in strong support. No opposition or questions were raised on either nomination, and the committee moved on after hearing the testimony. The bulk of the meeting focused on GM 642, the nomination of Ryan Yamane to be Director of the Department of Human Services. Yamane gave an extensive opening statement describing his social work background, long public service career, and philosophy of compassionate, balanced leadership. He emphasized DHS’s role in helping people from keiki to kūpuna with dignity and support, and shared personal stories from disaster response and family-service work to illustrate his approach. Support testimony came from a wide range of state officials, agency directors, community organizations, health systems, advocacy groups, and former colleagues, who praised his leadership, problem-solving, communication skills, and empathy. One witness, Moani Kiala Katherine Tu Alun, testified in opposition, raising concerns about retaliation and safety issues affecting foster youth and alleging harmful treatment within Child Welfare Services. Another witness, Angela Melody Young, supported the nomination and said Yamane could help overcome barriers for vulnerable communities and improve DHS programs such as financial assistance, SNAP, and disability services. The committee also heard from DHS staff and related officials about the uncertainty surrounding possible federal funding and staffing cuts; Yamane said the department is gathering information, coordinating with Budget and Finance and federal partners, and preparing to prioritize services and adjust if federal changes affect programs. No votes were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• recommendations regarding the evacuation and sheltering needs of older adults and people with disabilities
• Laura Trejo, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Aging and Disabilities, to speak and share
• For nearly 40 years, I have served older adults. adults, older persons living with disabilities, and
• became a very large scale. our partnership with independent living centers through our aging and disability
• we won't miss another opportunity to support Californians who are older adults and people with disabilities

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• MARGARET HOOPER DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES COUNCIL WISHING TO DO IN PERSON COME ON DOWN YOU ARE RECOGNIZED
• I AM MARGARET HOOPER DIRECTOR PUBLIC POLICY FOR THE FLORIDA DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES COUNCIL.
• THE FLORIDA DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES COUNCIL IS AUTHORIZED THROUGH THE FEDERAL DD ACT AND THE COUNCILS
• THOUGHT THAT VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION, FOR EXAMPLE COULD PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
• AND THEN THE PEOPLE ALSO THINK THAT THE HOC FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES CAN HELP THAT.

Transcript Highlights:

• There will also be an opportunity for those people who have been part of disability bills or run disability
• And if we put it to the<01:48:00.800> disabled, the disabled, the disabled, it<01:48:03.280>
• <02:24:11.920> community within the the disability community within the the disability community
• and our individuals with disabilities and our individuals with disabilities to<02:24:26.479>
• disability commi community in Medicaid. disability commi community in Medicaid.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> They will look at certain disability >> They will look at certain disability rates
• disegregation by race and disability. disegregation by race and disability.
• part of somebody's disability. part of somebody's disability. broaden<00:59:01.119> the<00
• As parents and adults with disabilities, we have learned that adults with disabilities are often our
• As parents and adults with disabilities, we have learned that adults with disabilities are often our

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Seclusion Working Group approved the minutes from its previous meeting by motion and vote. Members then began discussing a set of proposed recommendations submitted by Woodward, Havman, and Hull aimed at addressing concerns about the use of seclusion in special education settings. The recommendations focused on several areas: requiring a mental health professional on the IEP team before seclusion is added to a student’s plan; replacing passive parental consent with explicit written consent in the parent’s native language; limiting seclusion to students receiving setting 3 or setting 4 services; requiring annual review of seclusion frequency and duration data by the IEP team; and creating stronger monitoring and accountability through a reporting system modeled on Minnesota’s existing disproportionality process. The group also proposed mandatory annual staff training, more preventive crisis-intervention supports such as CPI and Ukeru, direct funding and technical assistance for districts, and incorporating restraint/seclusion data into disproportionality calculations. Members discussed how the proposed accountability system might work in practice, including whether a third party or parent reporting mechanism should be added. Woodward explained Minnesota’s current disproportionality framework, including year 1, year 2, and year 3 notifications and the possibility of required coordinated early intervening services if problems persist. Participants also raised concerns about whether schools should track law-enforcement involvement as an alternative or related response to student behavior; some noted that such data is already collected in certain district reporting systems and could be useful to monitor alongside seclusion data. The discussion remained ongoing, with no final action taken on the recommendations during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• What types of disabilities would be categorized under that disability categories?
• Some further detail on what types of disabilities would be categorized under multiple disabilities or
• What types of disabilities would be categorized under that disability categories?
• What types of disabilities would be categorized under that disability categories?
• 00:27:41.320> disabilities<00:27:42.320> or um multiple disabilities or um multiple disabilities

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• its archiving work of developmental disabilities and Minnesota.
• disabilities in Minnesota.
• archival of information about disability archival of information about disability in<00:53:33.520
• The term developmental disabilities refers to people in our state who have the most significant disabilities
• People with developmental disabilities were the first to be killed.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Other panelists will speak to the impacts of these costs on consumers and people with disabilities.
• Other panelists will speak to the impacts of these costs on consumers and people with disabilities.
• ' largest statewide disability advocacy organization.
• It is essential that people with disabilities have access to affordable prescription medication.
• Nearly a quarter, 24.5%, of disabled people in Massachusetts live in poverty.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing on a broad set of health care bills focused on cost, market oversight, pharmaceutical access, transparency, hospital closures, and pharmacy access. Chairs John Lawn and Cindy Friedman opened by emphasizing recent health care reforms and the need for further action on the drug supply chain, PBMs, private equity, and affordability. The committee heard testimony on several measures, including a Betsy Lehman Center bill to make technical changes and create a permanent trust account for federal and private funding, and bills on hospital profits and fairness, hospital closures and health planning, pharmacy deserts, and health care market oversight and pharmaceutical access. No votes were taken during the hearing. On the hospital profits bill, physicians and labor advocates strongly supported capping hospital CEO compensation at 50 times the lowest-paid worker, requiring greater financial transparency, and directing penalties from high-margin public hospitals into a Medicaid reimbursement fund. Testifiers argued that executive pay is excessive while frontline staff and safety-net services are under strain. Committee members raised concerns about unintended consequences, including whether hospitals might shift workers to contract status or lose executive talent, and whether the bill would actually direct money to the safety net. Supporters responded that the measure is one piece of a larger effort and that the bill’s Medicaid reimbursement provisions would help underserved hospitals. Testimony on market oversight and pharmaceutical access centered on rising health care and drug costs, PBM practices, and the proposal to give the Health Policy Commission authority to set upper payment limits for certain drugs. Consumer advocates, disability advocates, an independent pharmacist, the Attorney General’s office, and others supported stronger oversight, citing premium increases, affordability problems, and the impact of high drug prices on patients and community pharmacies. Pharma and some industry witnesses opposed parts of the bill, warning that upper payment limits could disrupt access, create legal issues, and fail to address the broader supply chain. The committee also heard support for stronger hospital closure notice and public hearing requirements, and for a pharmacy deserts bill aimed at identifying and addressing closures like the one in Roxbury that affected thousands of patients.

Transcript Highlights:

• We represent people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Approximately 380,000 veterans live with service-connected disabilities.
• due to their disabilities, these pressures are even more severe.
• Rich Gibbons, Iraq and Afghanistan Army veteran, myself, 100% disabled.
• veterans and exempting 100% of the property value for low-income disabled veterans.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• or acquired disabilities so that they also have a trajectory of success too?
• or other disabilities, are you taking that into account?
• I mean, if young people with developmental disabilities have committed a crime and their sentence is
• And just a quick follow-up: similar question I had earlier around developmental disabilities and kids
• Special education supports and the other community supports around their developmental disabilities.

Summary: The committee began with a work session on juvenile rehabilitation institution capacity, services, and staffing. DCYF Assistant Secretary Jennifer Redmond described overcrowding at Green Hill School and Echo Glen, driven by longer adult-style sentences extending past age 25, limited community placements, and small facility sizes. She said Green Hill remains above safe operating capacity, but staffing, injuries, large-scale aggression, and use-of-force incidents have improved over the past year. She also discussed Harbor Heights, a new 46-bed flex facility that had opened with 22 youth and would expand once a medical trailer arrives, as well as community transition services, vocational programming, behavior management reforms, and a request for more resources for mental health-focused facilities and staffing. Members asked about success metrics, developmental disability screening and supports, college access at Echo Glen, Mission Creek planning, and gender-responsive programming; Redmond said JR uses assessments, family involvement, and specialized living units, and that some requested funding had already been secured for returning a girls’ program at Echo Glen. The committee then heard from Team Child and the Youth Action Coalition. Greta Schultz said youth perspectives should guide system reforms and identified key concerns: overuse of sentence extensions, underuse of community transition services, continued criminal referrals from Green Hill to Lewis County, limited family contact, inadequate mental health access, and unequal education opportunities, especially for young women at Echo Glen. Justella Gonzalez, a former system-involved youth, said her time in county and state facilities was harmful, with staff mistreatment, poor education, limited therapy access, and humiliating restraint practices; she also said girls at Echo Glen lacked the same college opportunities as boys at Green Hill. Committee members asked for follow-up on county versus state experiences and on telehealth mental health services. The next presentation covered county-level services for youth involved or at risk of involvement with the justice system, led by juvenile court administrators Christine Simon-Smeyer and Judge Rachel Anderson. They outlined the juvenile court continuum from prevention and truancy work through diversion, detention alternatives, community supervision, and disposition alternatives, emphasizing evidence-based, trauma-informed, and restorative practices. Clark County was used as an example of a court that partners closely with schools and community providers, uses risk assessments and wraparound behavioral health probation, and offers detention alternatives without electronic home monitoring. They said most courts do not use detention for status offenses, but instead use court involvement to connect youth to services. They also described funding, noting that courts rely on a mix of state block grant and local dollars, and that recent cuts to early intervention funding reduced programming and staff hours. Members asked about detention for truancy, developmental disability identification, restorative justice practices, and the juvenile block grant. Finally, DCYF Assistant Secretary Nicole Rose and Katie Warren of the Washington State Association of Head Start and ECAP discussed child care and early learning impacts from recent policy and budget changes. Rose said Fair Start for Kids investments had increased child care access, provider participation, and kindergarten readiness, with more than 60,000 children in Working Connections care and rising ECAP enrollment and provider capacity. She said recent reductions will raise most family copays in 2026, delay eligibility expansions, eliminate some expanded eligibility categories, reduce ECAP slots by about 3,000, delay entitlement timelines, and cut provider supports such as rate increases for centers, complex-needs grants, trauma-informed and dual-language incentives, and infant/early childhood mental health consultation. Warren emphasized ECAP’s role in family stability, workforce participation, and reducing poverty, and noted its two-generation approach to supporting both children and parents.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, after two years, no further income support is provided if the disability persists.
• After two years, no further income support is provided if the disability persist.
• In addition to normal permanent disability benefits, they can work while receiving those benefits, and
• And then after that, permanent disability, industrial disability retirement, those things would come
• They would be eligible for industrial disability retirement, which starts at 50% of your last wage and

Summary: The committee heard several insurance-related bills. SB 371 by Senator Cabaldon would lower uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage requirements for rideshare companies from the current $1 million level to $100,000 per person and $300,000 per incident, with added transparency and data-reporting provisions. Uber, Lyft, and several business groups supported the bill as a way to reduce fares and improve affordability, while consumer attorneys, labor groups, and others opposed it as a major cut in protection for injured passengers and drivers. Committee members raised concerns about whether savings would actually reach riders and drivers, but the bill was approved on a do-pass vote to the next committee, with one member not voting. SB 487 by Senator Grayson would change how settlement or judgment proceeds are distributed when peace officers or firefighters are injured by a third party, ensuring they receive at least two-thirds of the at-fault party’s liability insurance limits in certain cases. Supporters, including public safety unions and an injured deputy sheriff, said current law can leave injured first responders with little or no recovery after employer reimbursement, while opponents representing cities, counties, and public agencies argued the bill would reduce recovery of taxpayer-funded workers’ compensation costs and lacked sufficient data. The committee members who spoke largely supported the bill, and it passed on a do-pass vote to Appropriations, with one member not voting. SB 616 by Senator Rubio would create an independent community hardening commission within the Department of Insurance to develop statewide wildfire mitigation recommendations and a post-catastrophe reporting process. The Department of Insurance, local governments, consumer groups, and fire-related organizations supported the measure as a way to improve wildfire resilience and insurance availability, while water agencies opposed provisions touching water infrastructure and warned of litigation and ratepayer impacts. The bill advanced on a do-pass vote to Appropriations, with some members not voting and one member voting no. The committee also heard SB 547 by Senator Perez, coauthored by Senator Rubio, which would extend wildfire-related insurance cancellation/nonrenewal moratoriums to commercial properties; insurers removed their opposition after amendments, and the bill passed to Appropriations on a do-pass vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• advocate that Medicaid should be protected for those most vulnerable individuals, individuals with disabilities
• MHC's members provide hands-on care to more than 30,000 older Minnesotans and individuals with disabilities
• in their homes at mhca we disabilities in their homes at mhca we are<00:03:55.439> acutely<00
• These services include homemaker services under the disability and elderly waivers, home health agency
• These services include homemaker services under the disability and elderly waivers, home health agency

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This is disabilities who we serve.
• unable to drive due to their disability unable to drive due to their disability can<05:19:41.920
• would make it easier for disabled would make it easier for disabled veterans<05:21:54.400> to
• I yield back. veterans with disabilities to lead veterans with disabilities to lead independent<05:24
• children with with disabilities. children with with disabilities.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, April 7, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, what this does, um, if you're on Social Security and you have 100% disability, there are opportunities
• So once you're 100% Social Security doesn't mean you're always going to be 100% disabled in Social Security
• Once you're 100% disabled in the military, you're that for life.
• So once you're 100% Social Security doesn't mean you're always going to be 100% disabled in Social Security
• Once you're 100% disabled in the military, you're that for life.

Bills: HB155, HB155

Keywords: homestead exemption, disabled veterans, tax relief, annual verification, property tax, state holidays, federal holidays, public holidays, legal holidays, office closures, state employees, personal leave, compensatory leave, bank closures, school closures, Mardi Gras, Mobile County, Baldwin County, Rosa Parks Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Transcript Highlights:

• seniors, or people with disabilities. seniors, or people with disabilities.
• Assets are counted including disabled.
• disabilities that we are able to afford. disabilities that we are able to afford.
• , people who really need it, the disabled, people who really need it, the disabled, the<01:35:46.960
• They are reason, a disability.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• establish a presumptive disability establish a presumptive disability determination<00:52:05.680
• decided through the disability determination if they qualify for ongoing disability services.
• disability services.
• , for adults with disabilities, for older adults.
• for for adults with disabilities for for adults with disabilities<01:04:26.960> for<01:04:27.160

Keywords: 1183, house