Transcript Highlights:

• </c> total of 12% of standards were revised total of 12% of standards were revised um<00:09:44.880><c
• > are</c><00:09:49.519><c> included</c> Some revisions of note are included Some revisions of note are
• </c><00:10:09.279><c> text</c><00:10:09.600><c> and</c> revisions point to decodable text and revisions
• Um, is it statewide? Is it just by ATS?
• Um is it statewide?

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from KDE on the revised Kentucky academic standards for reading and writing. KDE explained the statutory six-year review process, the public comment periods, and the main revisions, including updates tied to the science of reading, decodable text, encoding/decoding, and an updated vision statement. KDE said 308 responses were received on the initial public comment, most respondents favored keeping standards as-is, and about 12% of standards were revised. The department also said the document was streamlined by removing repeated graphics and reducing its size by about 24%, and that a later comment period drew more than 400 responses. No new standards were flagged for review. Members asked about alignment between standards, curriculum, assessments, and NAEP, and KDE said instructional resources should be aligned to standards, KSA assessments are aligned to the standards, and screeners/diagnostics help identify student needs. Representative Truett raised the idea of a textbook-to-standards crosswalk, and KDE said publishers and a future repository partner should provide such crosswalks for local districts. Representative Bojanowski asked why foundational reading skills are not directly assessed on the third-grade KSA; KDE responded that the assessment is designed to measure end-of-grade expectations, while screening and diagnostics are used earlier to identify decoding needs. Representative Gel asked about early childhood supports, and KDE said it is working with early learning and special education offices and promoting LETRS professional learning for both teachers and preschool educators. The committee then received the mathematics improvement committee report. KDE said the mathematics committee unanimously approved a new strategic plan for improving math achievement from pre-K through grade 20 and adult education. The plan centers on six priorities: student empowerment, effective mathematics teaching and learning, continuous educator development and growth, a continuum of learning, community and family partnerships, and teacher recruitment and retention. KDE said the plan is intended as a living document with goals, recommended actions, and evidence bases, and that it aligns with the Kentucky Numeracy Counts Act by supporting high-quality instructional resources, professional learning, and family resources. In response to Senator Thomas, KDE explained that the professional learning recommendation means districts should tailor teacher training to classroom needs and instructional materials so math teachers are better equipped to implement standards and support students.

Transcript Highlights:

• public hearing so the public can see our chairman of the— is it chairman of the president of the Statewide
• We do anticipate, or at least I anticipate, an upward revision on that economic impact because that was
• a number... ...or at least I anticipate an upward revision on that economic impact because that was
• There is a statewide commission that we provide some administrative support to.

Committee: House Special Committee on Tourism

Summary: The Special Committee on Tourism met in executive session and approved three House bills: HB 2307, designating Missouri Military Academy as the official military academy of Missouri, passed 10-0; HB 3264, designating Kansas City as the barbecue capital of Missouri, passed 10-0; HB 1960, naming the smooth chanterelle the official state mushroom, passed 9-1; and HB 3074, establishing William Lacey Clay Senior Day in Missouri, passed 10-0. After the executive session, the committee opened a public hearing on HCR 36, which would designate June 3 as Josephine Baker Day in Missouri. The sponsor and a witness described Baker’s St. Louis roots, international entertainment career, service in the French Resistance, civil rights work, and her significance to Missouri heritage and tourism. Committee members voiced strong support and asked questions about her legacy, including her adopted children and her role as a model for Black women and civil rights advocacy. The committee then heard a presentation from Stephen Fouts, director of the Missouri Division of Tourism, on the state’s tourism marketing efforts and economic impact. He said tourism generated more than $21 billion in economic impact, over $18 billion in direct spending, and supported more than 307,000 jobs, with more than 43 million visitors in the last fiscal year. He outlined the division’s marketing strategy, including the Mo character campaign, cooperative marketing grants for local DMOs, the Meet in Missouri Fund, film incentives, and major event promotion tied to the World Cup, Route 66 Centennial, and America 250. He also reported strong returns on marketing investment and discussed sports tourism, youth sports, and the importance of the cooperative marketing program to local communities. A major topic of discussion was the possibility of significant budget cuts to tourism. The chair and several members argued that tourism is a major economic driver and said they would oppose deep reductions, with multiple members offering to sign a committee letter or otherwise advocate against cuts. Members asked how reductions would affect marketing, sports tourism, and the cooperative marketing program; Fouts said large cuts would likely reduce co-op funding proportionally and could harm local partners. No final action was taken on HCR 36 during the hearing, and the meeting adjourned after testimony and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• are due to be released on, it's now the eighth business day because of some of the ways that our statewide
• So things are going well as compared to the revised forecast as of the first of January.
• are due to be released on, it's now the eighth business day because of some of the ways that our statewide
• So things are going well as compared to the revised forecast in as of the 1st of January.

Committee: Senate Agricultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• delays the null and void date for the bill by one year to June 30, 2026, and makes corresponding revisions
• delays the null and void date for the bill by one year to June 30, 2026, and makes corresponding revisions
• delays the null and void date for the bill by one year to June 30, 2026, and makes corresponding revisions
• June 30, 2026, and makes corresponding revisions to part headings and intent language. Thank you.
• on behalf of the Washington State Association of School Psychologists, as well as ESA providers statewide

Bills: HB1662 , HB1683 , HB2534 , HB2557 , HB2594

Committee: House Education

Keywords: education agencies, administrative independence, superintendent, education reform, agency authority, education, school boards, district adjustments, administrative boundaries, educational governance, military families, child stability, transitional schooling, support services, special education, parental rights, educational access, evaluation reports, disability services, unhoused

Transcript Highlights:

• The revenue budgeted for January has been revised from 375,000,000, which was just our estimate of the
• This is the one that was in the budget for July, so this has been revised from 375.5 million to 537.4
• The local match reduction totaling 9,667,745 has been requested for a revised state match of 50,882,869
• at 100 and a revised local match of zero for the construction of the combined school facility.
• Statewide Roundtables. And ever so brief, I know it's a large section in your e-books this morning.

Committee: House Public School Capital Outlay Oversight Task Force

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill aims to revise and enhance the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program to improve the hurricane
• This proposed revision complies with the three stories or taller threshold that is the current standard
• This proposed revision complies with the three stories or taller threshold that is the current standard
• It revises rules for roof-related projects, differentiating between pitched roofs and flat roofs.
• It also revises the reimbursement language from $1,000 per square foot of roof replacement and $750 per

Committee: Senate Regulated Industries

Summary: The Committee on Regulated Industries heard and advanced several bills, with the most extensive discussion centered on condominium issues, gambling enforcement, and public safety. CS/SB 592 on the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program was amended to clarify the three-story eligibility threshold and to add sliding glass door wind-driven rain mitigation devices as an eligible improvement. A late-filed amendment to appropriate $500 million for the program failed on a 3-4 roll call vote, and the bill was then reported favorably. Members also took up CS/SB 1742, a broad condominium and cooperative association reform bill, which would give associations more flexibility on reserves after milestone inspections, require substitute budgets over certain spending increases, improve disclosure and conflict-of-interest rules, expand data collection, and extend some disclosure rescission periods; the committee adopted an amendment and reported the bill favorably. The committee also approved CS/SB 622 on pari-mutuel permit leasing, as amended to allow leasing to same-class permit holders or Hialeah permit holders and to make related wagering licenses discretionary rather than automatic. SB 1404 on illegal gambling was reported favorably after amendments allowing veterans organizations to seek declaratory rulings on machine compliance and adding ethics/revolving-door restrictions for Gaming Commission personnel; a late amendment concerning a Miami casino property was withdrawn. Testimony on that bill came from prosecutors, the Gaming Control Commission, veterans groups, and amusement machine operators, with supporters emphasizing organized crime enforcement and opponents seeking clearer definitions and compliance guidance. On public safety and infrastructure, SB 1682 to include 911 dispatchers in the definition of first responder was reported favorably with strong support from dispatchers and committee members. SB 818 on utility relocation and SB 1228 on spring restoration were also reported favorably, with counties opposing the utility bill as a taxpayer cost shift. SB 948 on flood disclosures for rental properties and condominium sales/rentals was reported favorably after support from environmental and flood advocacy groups. The committee also heard SB 604 on residential pool safety requirements, but the chair temporarily postponed it after concerns were raised about how the inspection requirement would work in cash transactions and whether it would require permits or delay closings.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's renewals and revisions. When we give the Coyote Mine a permit, it expires in five years.
• In every renewal, there are also revisions, which is a separate decision, but there are usually revisions
• Even if there aren't revisions in the middle of that five-year period, we do a midterm review at two
• The revisions that happen can be significant or insignificant, and we make the call on what they are.
• All the significant revisions require the landowners to be notified.

Summary: The committee met at the Coteau Freedom Mine in Mercer County, approved the June 2 minutes, and heard an overview of the mine from Coteau Properties president Andrew Hawbaker. He described the Freedom Mine’s production history, customer mix, safety record, reclamation practices, workforce, community involvement, and economic impact. Members asked about how long land stays in production before reclamation, how quickly it returns to agriculture, labor shortages, groundwater impacts, and which skilled trades are hardest to fill. Hawbaker said the mine typically disturbs land for three to five years, reclamation returns much of the land to agricultural use, and the biggest hiring challenges are electricians, welders, mechanics, operators, engineers, and accountants. The committee then heard from Public Service Commission Chairman Randy Christman on coal mining reclamation. He reviewed the history of North Dakota and federal reclamation laws, the PSC’s permitting and inspection authority, bonding requirements, contemporaneous reclamation standards, and how the state handles topsoil, subsoil, drainage, and revegetation. He emphasized that North Dakota’s program is well regarded, with frequent inspections and no corrective-action issues in recent federal reviews. Christman also discussed problems caused by federal coal ownership that can delay mine plans, and he answered questions about reclamation timing, wildlife easements, wind and pipeline reclamation, and whether similar bonding concepts could apply to data centers. In the afternoon, the committee received an update from Lignite Energy Council President and CEO Jonathan Fortner on the lignite industry. He highlighted the industry’s long-term role in providing reliable electricity, jobs, and tax revenue, along with North Dakota’s low electricity rates and strong grid reliability. Fortner discussed severance and conversion tax revenues, federal regulatory changes, litigation over EPA rules, carbon capture, critical minerals, and the potential for large-load customers such as data centers to support new coal generation. He said the industry sees a window of opportunity for growth and expressed support for new large-load development, while noting that diversified energy companies are also pursuing natural gas and other resources. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and adjourning for the tour.

Transcript Highlights:

• question earlier, rather than implement a modest equitable reduction of roughly $200 for all students statewide
• important to note the concerns behind this bill are already being addressed through the current WAC revision
• For these reasons, C-News urges the committee to oppose House Bill 2498 and allow the WAC revision work
• The Washington State Board of Nursing is already engaged in the CR 101 rules revision process for nursing
• bill, and we respectfully urge the committee to oppose House Bill 2498 and allow the existing WAC revision

Summary: The Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee held courtesy hearings on three bills before moving to executive session. House Bill 2443 would create an Armed Forces Reserve post-secondary education grant for members of the Armed Forces Reserve and their spouses or dependents, with repayment required unless the reservist serves one year for each year of benefit received. The prime sponsor said the bill is intended to extend educational support similar to what Washington National Guard members already receive. Testimony was generally supportive, emphasizing military readiness, recruitment, and fairness to reservists; one clarification was made that the bill applies to Armed Forces Reserve members broadly, not just the Army Reserve. House Bill 2567 would restore Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship award amounts for students attending four-year private, not-for-profit institutions. The sponsor and many students, school leaders, and private college representatives argued the 2025 cuts were inequitable, harmed low-income and first-generation students, and limited student choice. Supporters said the state’s dedicated financial aid account has grown and that the cuts disproportionately affected students at private institutions. Opponents, including representatives from public universities, argued state dollars should prioritize public institutions and questioned whether aid should be shifted away from state schools. Testimony was mixed but heavily pro, with sign-ins reported at 1,584 total, including 1,572 in support. House Bill 2498 would change nursing education oversight by limiting the Board of Nursing’s authority where programs are nationally accredited and by expediting approval for new programs. The sponsor and several community college leaders said the bill would reduce unnecessary barriers, speed program expansion, and help address the nursing shortage, especially in rural areas. The Board of Nursing, nursing educators, employers, and professional associations opposed the bill, arguing that state oversight is needed for public safety, Washington-specific workforce needs, and consistent standards, and that the board is already revising its rules through an open process. The committee then took executive action on two other bills: it passed Second Substitute House Bill 2363, allowing supervised music therapy practice for up to six months while exam results are verified, with an amendment delaying implementation to January 1, 2028; and it passed Substitute House Bill 2422, shifting private security guard license fees from applicants to employers and delaying implementation to November 1, 2026, by a 9-7 vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• What made your organization or legal aid in general try to revise the rules with the Supreme Court?
• Madame Senator, my organization did not revise the rules. The court revised the rules itself.
• Secondly, I am hoping that as you move forward, you would revise the language on the ordering of the
• You can count on me to incorporate those changes and revisions needed to continue this good bill.
• The recent opinion by The Legislature to revise the Trust Code if the Legislature in fact intended for

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, the nice thing about the HAMI grant is it does have statewide use right now.
• </c><00:48:49.359><c> use</c> grant is it does have statewide use grant is it does have statewide use
• And so what we did is we created a statewide grant program.
• </c> so what we did is we created a statewide so what we did is we created a statewide grant<01:12:05.920
• </c> committed to driving change statewide committed to driving change statewide and<01:20:09.760><c>

Bills: HF2115 , HF2276 , HF1644 , HF99 , HF2068 , HF2707 , HF2704 , HF2406 , HF1674 , HF1579

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• DESE to do their own review and determine which teacher licensure regulations need to be further revised
• And I've been really proud of our union in recent years—not just the statewide union, but also the 400
• The majority of them make that when the statewide living wage is estimated to be about $60,000.
• Action is needed now at the state level to establish a statewide salary floor that will ensure educators
• A sustainable statewide minimum wage would allow ESPs to focus fully on the students they serve, bringing

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Education

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held a public hearing on a large slate of bills, with most testimony focused on two main topics: improving access to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for students with disabilities, and raising educator pay statewide. On the AAC bills (House 514/Senate 418), parents, advocates, and attorneys described how AAC devices and communication books help nonverbal or minimally verbal children communicate, participate in class, and reduce frustration and behavioral issues. Testimony emphasized that while districts are generally required to provide devices, many teachers and school staff lack training to use them effectively; the bill would direct DESE to update licensure and training requirements so newly licensed teachers are prepared to support AAC users. Committee members asked about current teacher-prep practices, implementation, and whether DESE could act without legislation, and witnesses said the proposal was intended as a long-term solution and had previously received some support and compromise language. The committee also heard extensive testimony on House 733/Senate 370, which would set a statewide minimum salary of $70,000 for teachers and $55,000 for education support professionals (ESPs/paras), with inflation adjustments and a phase-in structure that would shift costs over time from the state to municipalities. Supporters, including the bill sponsor, MTA leaders, and school employees from several districts, argued that current pay is not a living wage, contributes to staffing shortages and turnover, and forces many educators to work multiple jobs or rely on public assistance. They said the bill would help recruit and retain staff and better reflect the importance of the work. Committee members raised questions about how the state would fund the mandate, how it would interact with Chapter 70 school aid and local budgets, whether other states have similar mechanisms, and whether the proposal could create disincentives for districts already paying above the floor. Witnesses pointed to the Student Opportunity Act, the Fair Share Amendment, and the need for a broader school funding formula review as possible parts of the solution. The committee also briefly heard and discussed Senate Bill 435/House Bill 736, which would require de-escalation training for school bus operators, with the training paid for by employers. The sponsor and a parent advocate said the bill was prompted by a school bus incident involving a child with cerebral palsy and epilepsy and would improve safety and reduce reliance on law enforcement. Members asked whether the bill should also cover bus monitors and other transportation staff, and whether private contractors and public operators currently provide similar training. At the end of the hearing, the chairs closed testimony on the full list of bills and adjourned the hearing without taking any votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• All righty, um, OK, so now we'll go on to, um, item number 2, which is master planning and statewide
• want to have further discussion on that, but we are on item number 2, which is master planning and statewide
• There are some facility assessments that they would like done statewide.
• And we're also still continuing to do some revisions of all of the data just to reflect changes in agency
• This year we were successful in receiving $10 million in capital outlay in our, uh, statewide funding

Transcript Highlights:

• Under this bill, references to ALTSA, DDA, and BHA are struck and revised to reflect the new administration
• Under this bill, references to Atalza, DDA, and BHA are struck and revised to reflect the new administration
• nonprofit supported living provider in King and Snohomish and Spokane, and the legislative chair for the statewide
• Department of Social and Health Services, and I am here today testifying in support of SB 6063, revising

Bills: SB5681 , SB6024 , SB6036 , SB6063

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: employment services, community inclusion, age limitations, disability services, home and community living, community residential services, oversight, monitoring, service providers, streamlining, foster care, licensure, adoption, child welfare, support services, terminology alignment, social services, Washington state code, department reorganization, legislative amendment

Transcript Highlights:

• took the opportunity to... improve usability by incorporating principles of plain language into the revision
• Once this was done, plain language revisions were made, considering simplified language and clear layout
• The revised version states: "If you get this notice and then do something in bad faith to... "...try
• public health compliance and improving access based on location and promoting equity in health care statewide

Bills: HF2543 , HF2566 , HF2627

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill creates a new statewide workforce standards board with a price tag that will not add a single
• The strategic plan outlines a collaborative framework for statewide action and investment over the next
• By strengthening the statewide broadband office and requiring implementation and reporting on a digital
• By strengthening the statewide broadband office and requiring implementation and reporting on a digital
• This is an important bill that helps tackle the statewide challenge of housing those most people.

Summary: The committee first heard Substitute House Bill 1128, which would create a Child Care Workforce Standards Board within the Department of Labor and Industries to study child care workforce conditions and make recommendations on employment standards. Staff explained that the proposed second substitute narrows the board’s role from setting enforceable standards to making recommendations, with estimated ongoing costs for L&I staffing and smaller costs for board member stipends and possible DCYF support. Supporters, including child care providers, SEIU 925, and labor representatives, said the bill would help address understaffing, low wages, and retention problems; opponents, including child care industry groups and private schools, argued it duplicates existing work, adds bureaucracy, and creates unfunded costs. No vote was taken in the hearing. The committee then heard Second Substitute House Bill 1634, which would direct OSPI and ESDs to develop a technical assistance and training framework to help schools coordinate student behavioral health supports. Staff said the bill aligns with the Washington Thriving Strategic Plan and could largely be implemented with existing work and limited additional costs, though DOH would need some support. Testifiers from behavioral health and school counseling fields described severe youth mental health needs and urged passage, and OSPI said the work is doable with current resources. The committee also heard Substitute House Bill 2636, which would create a public education review advisory council to recommend K-12 policies and funding provisions for JLARC review; staff described JLARC, OSPI, and State Board costs, and no public testimony was offered. The committee next heard House Bill 1316, which would expand the Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness program so additional university campuses can access funding. The sponsor said the program has strong retention outcomes, and student advocates testified that campuses such as UW Bothell need access to already appropriated funds for emergency aid, food pantries, and case management. Staff then briefed Substitute House Bill 2474, which would allow the Student Achievement Council Tuition Recovery Trust Fund to be used for refunds tied to broader consumer protection violations, with no expected fiscal impact; there was no testimony. The committee also heard Substitute House Bill 2365 on digital equity, which would expand the Broadband Office’s role, revise the digital equity forum, and rename the grant program; supporters emphasized rural access, affordability, and the loss of federal digital equity funding, while staff estimated significant Commerce staffing costs and some additional agency impacts. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2401, creating a Washington State Boys and Men Commission contingent on non-state funding, with staff outlining OFM startup and fundraising costs and an estimated operating budget if fully funded. Supporters said boys and men face mental health, education, and mentorship gaps and that the commission would improve coordination; the bill drew testimony from rural school leaders, nonprofit advocates, and community members. The committee then heard Substitute House Bill 2475 on language access, which would require the Office of Equity to develop uniform language-access guidelines and a report on interpreter and translator shortages; staff said the office could absorb the work but other agency and local government impacts were uncertain. Substitute House Bill 2517, on permitting for high-capacity transit, would let regional transit authorities apply for permits earlier and streamline land-use processes; Sound Transit and the sponsor said it would speed delivery of major projects, while staff estimated Commerce technical-assistance costs and possible local government impacts. The last bill heard was Substitute House Bill 2145 on the 340B drug pricing program, which would bar manufacturers from restricting contract-pharmacy access and require reporting to DOH; supporters said it protects safety-net providers and patient services, while opponents warned of higher costs for employers, state health plans, and litigation burdens. No final committee action or votes were recorded in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section nine: State implementation plan revisions. This is a technical change.
• Section nine: State implementation plan revisions. This is a technical change.
• Section nine: State implementation plan revisions. This is a technical change.
• Section nine: State implementation plan revisions. This is a technical change.
• </c><00:58:18.319><c> where</c> seems to be an issue Statewide where seems to be an issue Statewide where

Transcript Highlights:

• So to have, you know, a couple dozen schools or a couple, even a couple hundred statewide, getting those
• So those are statewide, and they're increasing by about 1,000, you said, a year.
• So we need a better statewide presence in order to more strategically investigate these cases.
• With current CNIP funding, only 40% of the farmers' markets statewide can offer Market Match.
• So obviously we're in strong support of these programs being funded statewide and just being funded in

Transcript Highlights:

• And then we think also looking comprehensively at the statewide disaster plan for early learning and
• I had kind of flagged in my testimony around looking at the statewide disaster plan for early learning
• I'm the executive director of Every Child California, where we are a statewide community of over 2,500
• Without proactive training and statewide technical assistance, many programs, state, Without proactive
• And hopefully the state can actually revise them and come to an agreement.

Summary: The hearing focused first on how wildfires and other disasters affect child care providers, families, and early education infrastructure. State officials from the Department of Social Services and Department of Education described disaster response and preparedness efforts, including shelter coordination, licensing outreach, emergency waivers, distribution of supplies, and the statewide child care disaster plan. Testimony from providers and advocates emphasized major gaps in recovery funding, insurance coverage, rebuilding support, mental health services, and coordination with local rebuild plans. Several witnesses urged more dedicated disaster-recovery funding for child care facilities and suggested statutory changes, including allowing greater flexibility for rebuilding costs and requiring early childhood programs to be included in local disaster planning. The second panel addressed immigration enforcement and its impact on child care. Advocates from the Children's Partnership, Every Child California, and CHIRLA said enforcement activity is causing families to keep children home, disrupting continuity of care, reducing enrollment, and creating fear and trauma for children and providers. They argued that immigrant and mixed-status families need clearer protections, privacy safeguards, legal support, trauma-informed guidance, and safe-haven policies for child care settings. Speakers also stressed that the child care workforce is heavily immigrant and that recent state laws such as AB 49 and AB 495 will require funding, training, and technical assistance to implement effectively. Public commenters, including child care providers, described personal experiences with fire damage, displacement, permit delays, lost income, and the emotional toll of serving families during crises. Others described how immigration enforcement has made parents afraid to attend events, drop off children, or remain connected to providers. Committee members repeatedly noted that child care is often overlooked in emergencies and asked state officials how child care systems are being integrated into disaster planning and how local and state agencies can better coordinate. No formal votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I do think it should be statewide, and we've talked about this.
• And in terms of my colleague, I appreciate your interest in making sure this goes statewide.
• And I also think because of the nuances of going statewide versus...
• Statewide, NEM customers avoid paying 82 to 91% of their share of the costs.
• So then, when do we revise it?

Summary: The committee heard several energy and utilities bills, with testimony largely focused on wildfire mitigation, affordability, clean energy planning, and utility accountability. AB 706, by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry, would create a fund to support projects that use forest biomass waste from wildfire mitigation and forest restoration; supporters said it would reduce open burning and emissions while providing reliable renewable power, and the bill later passed 13-0. AB 39, by Assembly Member Zbur, would require larger cities and counties to adopt electrification planning strategies for transportation and buildings; it drew broad support from clean energy, labor, environmental, and local government advocates and passed 9-0. AB 1167, by Assembly Member Berman, would restrict investor-owned utilities from charging ratepayers for lobbying, promotional advertising, and similar shareholder-benefit expenses; supporters framed it as an affordability and transparency measure, while utilities argued the bill was overly broad and already covered by existing rules. It passed 7-0, with some members not voting and the roll left open. The committee also considered AB 1417 on offshore wind community funding transparency, which was amended to remove new fees and instead require reporting on developer support for local and tribal community capacity-building; opposition was withdrawn and the bill passed 9-0. AB 367, by Assembly Member Bennett, would require water districts in high fire-risk areas of Ventura County to have backup power, full tanks during red flag warnings, and hardened facilities; water agencies opposed unless amended due to cost and liability concerns, but the bill passed 10-0. The consent calendar, including multiple additional measures, was approved 11-0. Other bills drew more divided testimony. AB 745 would allow securitization to finance utility undergrounding and prohibit a return on equity for undergrounding projects; supporters said it would lower ratepayer costs, while utilities warned it would effectively discourage undergrounding and could raise other rates. The bill passed 7-4 and was left on call. AB 1423 would apply reliability standards to publicly funded EV chargers installed before 2024; supporters said taxpayers should get functioning chargers, while charging-network representatives objected to retroactive requirements and possible conflicts with existing agreements. It passed 13-0. AB 388 would create a narrow exception to utility regulation to facilitate green hydrogen projects using private power lines; supporters said it would unlock low-cost renewable hydrogen and jobs, while utilities raised concerns about customer protections and grid planning. It passed 12-0. The committee also began hearing AB 825, which the author said would address the high cost of financing major transmission and generation buildout, but the transcript cuts off before the full presentation and action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Revised the mobile licensure requirements related to act as active practice requirement and adverse action
• This legislation establishes new statewide requirements for screening training and reporting to improve
• And finally, it creates a statewide blood clot registry.
• The Department of Health will establish a statewide venous Thromboembolism registry by July. 1st of 2026