Transcript Highlights:

• As an eligible coastal community, the city may use HOT revenue for beach patrol, lifeguard services,
• As an eligible coastal community, the city of Galveston may use hot revenue for beach patrol, lifeguard
• services, marine water safety, and park long, beach patrol, lifeguard services, marine water safety,
• that is collected from hotels in our municipality for the purposes of cleaning and maintaining our beaches
• Texas Best Beach needs Texas Best Beach Convention Hotel. Very good. Thanks, sir.

Bills: HB 1039 , HB2289 , HB2370 , HB2404 , HB3066 , HB3076 , HB3117 , HB3118 , HB3169 , HB3178 , HB3179 , HB3182 , HB3196 , HB3241 , HB3377 , HB3500 , HB3567 , HB3715 , HB3954 , HB4098 , HB4109 , HB4222 , HB4226 , HB4412 , HB4659 , HB4682 , HB4683 , HB4755 , HB4926 , HB5165 , HB5562 , HB5596

Committee: House Ways & Means

Summary: The committee heard a long series of bills, most of them expanding or adjusting hotel occupancy tax or qualified hotel project authority for specific local governments. Measures discussed included HB 2404 for Childress County; HB 3066 for Allen’s Kalahari resort project; HB 4682 for Plano; HB 4683 for Anna; HB 3076 creating a project finance zone in Frisco; HB 3567 for Wichita County; HB 3715 for McAllen; HB 1039 for Alpine; HB 3182 for Burleson; HB 4926 for Grimes County; HB 4222 for Victoria County; HB 3377 for Katy; HB 4659 for Addison; HB 3241 for Georgetown; HB 4098 for Taylor; HB 3178 for Kerr County; HB 3179 for Mason County; HB 2289 for New Braunfels; HB 4412 for Kermit; HB 5165 for Monahans; HB 3500 for Bastrop; and HB 3169 for Carrollton. In each case, authors and local officials described tourism, convention, hotel, airport, or mixed-use development needs and argued the bills would help attract visitors, investment, and jobs. One non-hotel-tax bill, HB 4226, would exempt Texas food banks from sales tax on vehicle purchases and rentals, with testimony emphasizing the scale of food bank operations and the savings’ impact on meal delivery and disaster response. Testimony was generally supportive from city officials, economic development representatives, and industry groups such as the Texas Hotel and Lodging Association. Several witnesses described major private projects, including Kalahari in Allen, a proposed hotel and conference center in Addison, a mixed-use project in Georgetown, and a large development tied to Samsung growth in Taylor. For HB 4226, food bank representatives said the bill would help them purchase refrigerated trucks and other delivery vehicles, while an opponent questioned the fiscal note and the scope of the exemption. HB 4926 drew opposition from Camp Allen, whose representative argued a new county hotel tax would raise costs for guests and could hurt the retreat center’s operations. HB 3178 also drew an objection from a Kerr County resident who argued the tax would grow county government and pointed to event center losses, though the author said the revenue would support tourism-related county uses. The committee took no final votes on the bills in this transcript. After each bill was laid out and testimony concluded, the chair repeatedly asked whether there was objection to leaving the bill pending; in each instance, no objection was heard, and the bills were left pending. Several committee substitutes were offered and then withdrawn or noted as conforming drafts, but no bill was reported out or otherwise acted on beyond being left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• Mandates did not increase the likelihood of facility closure overall.
• </c> minimal impact on finances and closures. minimal impact on finances and closures.
• Uh using longitudinal data, to closures.
• </c><01:25:34.400><c> overall</c> likelihood of facility closure overall likelihood of facility closure
• </c><01:46:33.280><c> or</c> that financial capital that closures or that financial capital that closures

Committees: Senate Health and Human Services , Senate Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• He landed on Utah Beach in Normandy three days after D-Day. He served in World War II.
• He landed on Utah Beach in Normandy, three days after D-Day.
• He landed on Utah Beach in Normandy, three days after D-Day.

Committee: House Veterans and Armed Forces

Summary: The Committee on Veterans and Armed Forces met primarily for a presentation from Nina DiAngelo, executive director of the Mid-America Veterans Museum, joined by Renee Esri. DiAngelo described the museum’s mission to preserve veteran stories, educate the public, and provide a free, accessible space for reflection and healing. She highlighted the museum’s origins with World War II veteran Ralph Borrelli Sr., whose vision led to the museum’s creation, and emphasized that the museum collects and preserves oral histories, runs educational tours, participates in the Library of Congress Veteran History Project, and produces the Operation Insight podcast. DiAngelo and committee members shared examples of the museum’s impact on veterans and families, including stories of healing, connection, and assistance with benefits and home repairs. She said the museum has collected more than 650 stories, recorded over 2,000 Veteran History Project interviews, and receives about 2,000 visitors annually. She also outlined plans to expand outreach across Missouri, especially in rural and underserved areas, and to modernize preservation efforts with more technology. Committee members praised the museum’s work and discussed the importance of veterans telling their stories, including for healing and suicide prevention. The presentation also included an invitation to an upcoming August event, “Light and the Shadows,” marking the five-year anniversary of Abbey Gate and featuring the Veterans and Athletes United Traveling Memorial. Members discussed related efforts in their districts, including a Joplin museum project using QR codes to preserve veteran stories. No legislation was considered and no votes were taken; the committee adjourned after the presentation and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• I was down um in I guess that's Cocoa Beach down by Cape Canaveral and a guy was anchored on a sailboat
• I was down um in I guess that's Cocoa Beach down by Cape Canaveral and a guy was anchored on a sailboat
• I was down um in I guess that's Cocoa Beach down by Cape Canaveral and a guy was anchored on a sailboat

Bills: SB326 , SB326

Committee: House Public Safety and Homeland Security

Keywords: sheriff, credit card, debit card, financial procedures, Jackson County, purchasing authority, boating regulations, anchoring, rafting, enforcement mechanism, environmental protection

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I'm Hugh Long, I'm from Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Right up the road from Guana.
• Florida's Park Service spans over 800,000 acres and includes 3,000 miles of trails and 101 miles of sandy beaches
• the money that you're using to maintain what I consider the jewels of our state—our parks and our beaches—are

Transcript Highlights:

• They were able to get additional funding to reopen that, and now they're facing possible closure of that
• And just that one reason will lead to hospital closures.
• Maybe just to follow up, not to put Planned Parenthood on the spot, but we already had one closure, maybe
• You spoke to the immediate closures that will happen, with nearly probably 22,000 people a week receiving
• I mean, for some of those hospitals, you know, so we had a partial closure recently down in Southern

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on the impacts of H.R. 1 on California’s Medi-Cal program and on community health effects from recent immigration enforcement actions. Committee leaders said H.R. 1 would sharply reduce federal funding, increase administrative burdens, and worsen access to care, especially for Medi-Cal enrollees, immigrant families, rural communities, and reproductive health patients. The second half of the hearing examined how ICE raids and related federal actions are creating fear, reducing clinic and emergency department use, and disrupting children’s access to schools and early childhood education. Department of Health Care Services Director Michelle Bass outlined the main H.R. 1 provisions affecting Medi-Cal: work requirements, semiannual eligibility redeterminations, shorter retroactive coverage, new cost-sharing, limits on provider taxes and state-directed payments, reduced federal support for emergency and lawful immigrant coverage, and a one-year ban on Medicaid funding for prohibited abortion providers. She estimated millions could lose coverage, with tens of billions of dollars in federal funding at risk. Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California warned the defunding provision could force clinic closures, service reductions, and loss of access to family planning, STI testing, and cancer screenings. The California Hospital Association said the financing changes could cut hospital revenue by tens of billions over 10 years and threaten access, especially for rural and safety-net hospitals. The Western Center on Law and Poverty argued the law would increase churn, paperwork, and uninsured rates, disproportionately harming working adults and people experiencing homelessness. Committee members asked about implementation timelines, notification systems, administrative costs, the effect on immigrant eligibility, and whether California could delay or mitigate some provisions. Bass said the state was still assessing federal guidance, planning county and provider outreach, and exploring a possible delay for work requirements and a transition period for provider-tax changes. Members also discussed how state budget actions may need to be revisited in light of H.R. 1, and how California might preserve access through state-only funding or other policy changes. In the second panel, CHIRLA, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, and the Children’s Partnership described the health consequences of immigration enforcement. Speakers said raids and data-sharing fears are causing anxiety, trauma, and avoidance of care, with Los Angeles County reporting declines in emergency, urgent care, and clinic visits after enforcement actions. The Children’s Partnership said school and early childhood absences are rising in some communities and that enforcement is undermining children’s emotional well-being and access to education. Members asked for more data and discussed possible state protections, telehealth, mobile care, and legal and policy responses to reduce fear and preserve access to health and education services.

Transcript Highlights:

• They were able to get additional funding to reopen that, and now they're facing possible closure again
• industry losing tens of billions of dollars, just the health care industry in general, that means closures
• Maybe just a follow-up, not to put Planned Parenthood on the spot, but we already had one closure, maybe
• Apontas, you spoke to the immediate closures that will happen with nearly probably 22,000 people a week
• Closures, service cuts, and layoffs are practically guaranteed, and the collapse will cascade far beyond

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused first on the impacts of H.R. 1 on Medi-Cal and California’s health care system. Department of Health Care Services Director Michelle Bass outlined provisions including work requirements, semiannual redeterminations, reduced retroactive coverage, new cost-sharing, limits on provider taxes and state-directed payments, reduced federal matching for emergency services for some immigrants, restrictions on lawful immigrant coverage, and a one-year ban on Medicaid funding for certain abortion providers. She said the law could put tens of billions of federal dollars at risk, with estimates of up to 3 million members losing coverage from work requirements, about 400,000 from more frequent redeterminations, and major pressure on hospitals, clinics, and rural providers. She also noted the state is considering implementation timelines, possible delays, and planning for communications, county systems, and a rural health transformation fund. Testimony from Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, the California Hospital Association, and the Western Center on Law and Poverty echoed those concerns. Planned Parenthood said the federal defunding provision would immediately threaten access to reproductive health care, with possible clinic closures, reduced hours, and workforce cuts if injunctions are lifted; it estimated about $305 million in annual federal matching funds are at stake in California. The hospital association warned that reduced provider taxes and state-directed payments could cut hospital revenue by an estimated $66 billion to $128 billion over 10 years, risking service reductions and closures, especially in rural areas. The Western Center argued the changes would reverse ACA-era coverage gains, increase churn and administrative burden, and disproportionately harm working poor people and those experiencing homelessness. Committee members asked about implementation, notification, state mitigation options, and the effect on hospitals and patients; no votes were taken. The second panel addressed community health impacts of recent immigration enforcement actions. CHIRLA described raids as a public health crisis that creates fear, trauma, family separation, and avoidance of health care. Los Angeles County Department of Health Services reported declines in emergency, urgent care, and clinic visits in immigrant-heavy areas after enforcement actions, and said it has responded with multilingual outreach, patient navigation, telehealth, and assurances that patient information remains protected. The Children’s Partnership said enforcement also disrupts children’s access to early childhood education and schools, citing increased absences and fear among families, and urged stronger protections, legal services, and funding for child care and school-based supports. Members asked for more data on visit declines, the effects on children and families, and how to reduce the chilling effect on care-seeking and benefit enrollment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Machiavelli passed away peacefully in the company of his loving family at Broward North Hospital in Pompano Beach
• Sunday dinner, Saturday night cards, winters in Florida, visits to Italy, or a week on the beach in Aruba

Summary: The Senate convened, recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and adopted an order to meet again on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. A motion was then offered to adjourn in memory of Joseph Mario Machiavelli, with a tribute describing his life, military service in Italy, immigration to the United States, marriage to Carmela, and the family bakery business that became a South Boston landmark. The Senate approved the motion and observed a moment of silence in his memory. Following the memorial, the Senate adopted the motion to adjourn. The chamber then stood adjourned in memory of Mr. Machiavelli, with the next meeting scheduled for Thursday at 11:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• say, are not exercising goodwill in bargaining with those members that are affected by satellite closures
• Closures.
• So the first time I walked into the negotiation, we had a discussion around the closures of these campuses
• So the first time I walked into the negotiation, I had a discussion around the closures of these campuses
• Today, after the closure decisions that devastated communities across Pennsylvania, we're being asked

Summary: The House met in extended session with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, quorum call, and a series of journal, committee, and Senate bill reports. Members also received several referrals and Senate messages, and the Speaker signed multiple bills already prepared for the Governor. The chamber then took up a long slate of measures, largely budget-related and conference/concurrence items, with repeated roll-call votes and several brief floor remarks for and against the bills. Among the major actions, the House passed or concurred in a number of Senate bills addressing fiscal code and budget implementation, abusive towing practices, telemarketing robocalls and caller ID spoofing, prostitution penalty changes, veteran notification procedures, the cosmetology licensure compact, solar decommissioning, Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, E85 flex fuel definitions, local road transfers, civil penalties for unlicensed commercial driving schools, and trailer sales. The House also adopted House Resolution 580 designating July 18, 2026, as Piping Plover Day. Most of these measures passed overwhelmingly, many by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The most significant debate centered on House Bill 2400, the General Appropriations budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, and House Bill 1505, the education-related budget implementation bill. Supporters described the budget as a bipartisan compromise that funds adequacy and tax equity for schools, public safety, mental health, roads and bridges, veterans, seniors, and workforce programs while avoiding broad-based tax increases. Opponents argued the budget used accounting maneuvers, deferred spending, and was structurally unbalanced. After extended debate, the House concurred in the Senate amendments to HB 2400 by a 167-35 vote and to HB 1505 by a 172-30 vote. The House also considered House Bill 2559, which included Commonwealth property conveyances and a controversial provision affecting Penn State branch campus properties. A motion to recommit the bill failed, and the House ultimately concurred in the Senate amendments by a 105-97 vote after members debated property rights, labor effects, and the future use of the campuses. The session concluded with the Senate later concurring in several House amendments, the Speaker signing the final bills, and the House adjourning until September 9, 2026, unless recalled sooner.

Transcript Highlights:

• operations of the new store would have to occur within one year following the discontinued store’s closure
• The closure of that grocery store has been truly devastating for the Lake City community.
• And the closure of Fred Meyer was certainly not the first business that closed in Lake City, but has
• I think that store closures, obviously, in particular the Lake City incidents that she talked about..
• . ...that store closures, obviously in particular the Lake City incidents that she talked about, are

Summary: The Consumer Protection and Business Committee held public hearings on three bills. House Bill 2229 would update the professional engineers registration act by removing the U.S. citizenship requirement for board members, increasing pro tem board positions, giving the board more discretion over experience and continuing education requirements, removing some registration exclusions, and making various technical updates. The bill sponsor and the board described it as a cleanup and modernization measure, and a board representative said one naming change in the draft was unintended and would be corrected. No public testimony was taken before the hearing was suspended and later closed. House Bill 2274 would revise the Washington Commercial Electronic Mail Act after a Washington Supreme Court decision led to a wave of lawsuits over email subject lines. The bill would require a sender to have a “reliable basis” to know an email is held by a Washington resident, narrow when a subject line is actionable, require recipients to show they reviewed and relied on the email to recover damages, and repeal the act’s per se Consumer Protection Act violation while keeping statutory damages. Retailers, small business owners, hospitality groups, and e-commerce representatives supported the bill, saying the current interpretation is producing costly, technical lawsuits over ordinary promotional language and creating settlement pressure even without consumer harm. Consumer advocates opposed the bill, arguing it would weaken protections against deceptive subject lines and that the current law already targets false or misleading claims. The committee took no final action on the bill. House Bill 2294 would prohibit future negative use restrictions on real property that block grocery stores or pharmacies, with exceptions for existing restrictions, relocations, and certain retail centers. The sponsor said the measure is intended to improve food and pharmacy access, especially after grocery closures such as the one in Lake City, and noted similar local ordinances already exist. Food industry and grocery association witnesses generally supported the bill as a way to reduce barriers to food access and help independent grocers, while also asking for clearer guardrails to avoid unintended effects on legitimate business arrangements. The sponsor said she was open to working on enforcement and other details. The committee then moved to executive session and passed House Bill 1269, which would adjust pawn broker loan terms, interest, document preparation fees, storage fees, and allow online payment for renewals. Members described it as a modest increase after 11 years without changes, and the bill was reported out of committee with a due pass recommendation by voice vote, with 15 members voting in the affirmative.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it'll be interesting to hear MMB, but baked into that is not the business closures.
• I think it'll be interesting to hear MMB, but baked into that is not the business closures.
• I think it'll be interesting to hear MMB, but baked into that is not the business closures.
• Baked into that is not the closures.
• </c> commercial density, temporary closures commercial density, temporary closures and<01:15:56.480><

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Many of our stores, like others, are at risk of closure.
• we just closed one in fairbow at closure we just closed one in fairbow at the<00:42:16.680><c> end</
• </c><00:42:53.240><c> aren't</c><00:42:53.480><c> only</c> Pharmacy closures aren't only Pharmacy closures
• We're on the verge of closure.
• We're on the verge of closure.

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• OUR LANE CLOSURE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM IS ANOTHER GREAT EXAMPLE OF OUR IMPLEMENTING EMERGING TECHNOLOGY
• THIS TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES DRIVERS WITH ALERTS OF UPCOMING WORK ZONES, AS WELL AS LANE CLOSURES THROUGH
• FLORIDA BECAME THE FIRST STATE IN THE NATION TO IMPLEMENT A STATEWIDE LANE CLOSURE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM

Transcript Highlights:

• We had a peak of 355 road closures across the state today; that's down to 49. What else did we do?
• We advised the public, of course, of these closures through goky.ky.gov and Waze.
• I mentioned already that we had a peak closure of 355; that's down to 49 today.
• Fourteen of those closures are due to slides and rockfalls, and 35 due to flooding.
• of 355 that's down to 49 a peak closure of 355 that's down to 49 today<00:15:20.160><c> 14</c><00:15

Summary: The concurrent House-Senate meeting opened with a roll call and then received a briefing from Kentucky Emergency Management and the Transportation Cabinet on the February storms and flooding. Officials described the event as ongoing and statewide in scope, beginning in western counties and then heavily affecting Eastern Kentucky, including major impacts in Perry, Letcher, Clay, Bell, Martin, Pike, and other counties. They reported widespread power and water outages, nearly 600 people initially sheltered, more than 1,500 water rescues, over 250 National Guard members activated, and substantial mutual aid from other states and FEMA. They also said 73 counties had declared emergencies, 23 fatalities had been confirmed at that point, and individual assistance had already distributed $5.5 million to residents after the federal declaration was signed. The administration emphasized that recovery needs were still being assessed but were already significant. Kentucky Emergency Management said public assistance estimates were about $58 million and rising, with about 2,005 homes and 272 businesses inspected so far. Debris removal was identified as a major issue, and officials said they had requested Category A federal assistance for debris in four counties while continuing to seek more as assessments continued. They also noted that disaster recovery centers were opening and that teams were going door to door in affected areas. On transportation, KYTC reported 39 counties affected, a peak of 355 road closures reduced to 49, 18 damaged bridges, 94 bridges with debris on them, and 579 roadway damages, while continuing to clear roads and move supplies such as water, food, blankets, and heaters. Secretary Hicks then asked lawmakers to consider additional funding mechanisms. He said the current $50 million emergency cap in the budget was likely to be exhausted, with $21.5 million already allocated, and proposed either lifting the cap or creating a new “safe fund” for this disaster, similar to prior funds used after the western Kentucky tornadoes and the 2022 eastern Kentucky floods. He said the state could redirect about $25 million from an unused western Kentucky economic development allocation and about $20 million from an eastern Kentucky transportation allocation, for a total of $45 million, to help with this response. Members and officials also discussed debris disposal, with the Pike County landfill expansion identified as a possible site to receive some of the debris and reduce costs. Representative Fugate thanked the agencies for their response and described severe local impacts, including water outages, road slides, damaged water treatment plants, and heavy debris in homes and driveways.

Transcript Highlights:

• health and quality of life, as well as protecting certain outdoor spaces from marijuana smoke, such as beaches
• tobacco in them but does use a vape with e-juice would be fined for sitting on her property near the beach
• door and a public place where the general public can gather, whether it's a restaurant, a park, or a beach
• Our fintech, our burgeoning fintech industry in Palm Beach County, could use this.

Bills: S0408 , S0986 , S0678 , S0800 , S1050 , S0484 , S1118

Committee: Senate Regulated Industries

Transcript Highlights:

• would have its own circumstances, but in many cases, like I have a tiny town in my district, Melbourne Beach
• Inlet Colony, which sits at the southern tip of Jupiter Island in the northeastern section of Palm Beach
• What we see from the local governments is that Palm Beach County residents and municipalities will need
• Representative Eskamani: The public beach. Laurie Wilson Park over in your neck of the woods.

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, let me give you just a couple: Good Grubs down in Palm Beach County, where we teach culinary
• teach AP Statistics, IB Math Applications and Interpretations, and ACE Thinking Skills at Royal Palm Beach
• So first off, I'm a mom of four from Palm Beach County. I am currently...
• First off, I'm a mom of four from Palm Beach County.

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education met with a quorum present and observed a moment of silence for Senator Geraldine Thompson. The committee first took up CS/SB 102, a bill by Senator Gates directing the Department of Education to develop a workforce credential program for students with autism spectrum disorder or students on a modified curriculum, in coordination with the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities and OSHA. Supporters said the bill would help autistic students gain job skills and workplace safety credentials, while an opponent argued the bill should clearly make participation voluntary, expand to other exceptional student groups, include funding, and add stronger accountability. The bill was reported favorably. The committee then considered SB 166, the Administrative Efficiency in Public Schools bill by Senator Simon. The bill would reduce or remove several state mandates and give districts more flexibility on testing, teacher evaluations, contracts and certification, school board operations, instructional materials timelines, audits, facilities planning, emergency make-up days, federal fund use, and public VPK oversight. Senators asked about the impact on student proficiency, teacher evaluations, and the transfer of public VPK oversight to districts; Simon said the tests would remain but count as 30 percent of the grade, districts would retain flexibility in evaluation measures, and only public VPK would shift to districts. Public testimony was largely supportive, with some speakers praising reduced testing and local control, while one senator cautioned that Florida still has a math proficiency problem. The bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee heard CS/SB 296 by Senator Bradley, which would repeal the 2023 statewide mandate requiring later middle and high school start times and return the decision to local districts, while still requiring districts to inform the community about the health, safety, and academic impacts of sleep deprivation and consider later start times. Supporters argued the mandate created transportation, staffing, and scheduling problems and that local control was more practical, while opponents emphasized sleep science and the benefits of later start times for teens. Several senators discussed the tension between research and district resources, and the bill sponsor said the measure preserves the conversation about sleep while allowing local scheduling decisions. CS/SB 296 was reported favorably, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And if you're okay with that of Senator Dole Beach out to your sheriff who is well on the way home today
• At the same conference, Daytona Beach Police Department to car young presented the heart-wrenching details
• recalled that as a part of the unfortunate attempt on President Trump's life, which occurred in Palm Beach
• We have to update that 217 landings because there were 2 yesterday, your Palm Beach County, the Operation

Transcript Highlights:

• And over the last year, since the closure of Villero or the announcement of closure of Velado and the
• closure of P66 Wilmington, we have steadily increased our imports.
• Right after the passage of the second special session, we had P66 Wilmington that announced closure.
• A few months later, we had Valero in Benicia announce closure.
• A few months later, we had Valero in Benicia announce closure of the Benicia asset.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules first handled several routine actions, including approving three governor’s appointments not required to appear: Anthony Surich as Executive Director of the California Housing Finance Agency, Craig Snelling J.D. to the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, and Nicholas Mueller to the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission. The committee also approved referral of bills to committees, all by 4-0 votes. It then took up appointments requiring testimony, beginning with Jereen DiAdamo to the State Water Resources Control Board. DiAdamo focused her remarks on safe drinking water, groundwater sustainability, conservation, and Bay-Delta restoration. She said the number of Californians without safe drinking water has fallen from 1.6 million to 800,000 since 2019, credited the SAFER program, technical assistance, and mandatory consolidation authority, and described ongoing work on failing and at-risk systems, domestic well mitigation, SGMA implementation, and the Bay-Delta Plan. Senators pressed her on audit follow-up, measurable goals for reducing the remaining unsafe systems, funding uncertainty, and concerns from environmental and tribal groups that the board has favored water users over ecosystem protections. Supporters from water, agriculture, business, and local agencies praised her collaborative style and consensus-building, while opponents argued she had not done enough to protect the Delta and called for new leadership. The committee ultimately voted 4-0 to advance her appointment to the full Senate. The committee then heard from Sivagunda Gunda for reappointment to the California Energy Commission. He highlighted progress on grid reliability, zero-carbon generation, and planning for California’s energy transition, including transportation fuels, building electrification, and the eventual retirement of Diablo Canyon. Senators questioned him about the future of Kern Energy and small refineries, the state’s transportation fuels plan, fuel imports and costs, and whether California can retire Diablo Canyon by 2030 without harming reliability. Gunda said the state is planning as if Diablo Canyon retires in 2030, that current resource additions make reliability manageable, and that affordability and market coordination remain key issues. The committee then voted 4-0 to advance his appointment to the full Senate, and the hearing recessed afterward.

Transcript Highlights:

• And over the last year, since the closure of Valero or the announcement of closure of Valero and the
• closure of P66 Wilmington, we have steadily increased our imports.
• Right after the passage of the second special session, we had P66 Wilmington that announced closure.
• They announced closure. A few months later, we had Valero in Benicia.
• They announced closure of the Benicia asset.

Committee: Senate Rules