Transcript Highlights:

• We efficiently issue licenses and certificates to qualified individuals.
• I guess what you'd say is the technical transfer of papers through the communications of the internet
• A lot of those involve a manual labor component, paper process, postage, and all the expenses that go
• I think there is the conversion from a paper surety bond to an electronic surety bond this year.
• They had to convert from a paper surety bond to an electronic surety bond this year.

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 22 January, 2026; 8:00 AM, 925, all

Summary: The hearing began with the State Board of Architecture’s budget presentation. The executive director described the board’s mission to regulate architecture, landscape architecture, and certified interior design to protect public health and safety. He highlighted the board’s consolidated structure, license totals, high reciprocity rate, recent rule changes to reduce barriers to practice, and a proposed FY 2027 budget of $368,123, which included a 5% staff salary increase and higher operating costs. He also noted a newly identified need to modernize the licensing system, estimated at at least $25,000, and asked that the board not be reduced below the requested level. A board member also praised the small staff’s responsiveness and effectiveness. The State Board of Public Accountancy then presented its budget and policy requests. The executive director said the board regulates CPAs and CPA firms, oversees the CPA exam process, and has about 3,600 active individual licensees and 800 firms. The board requested only a 3% compensation increase for staff, plus a special request to allow an audit supervisor to repay the cost of a Becker review course through payroll deduction as part of succession planning. She also described a board-approved waiver program that began January 1, eliminating application fees for CPA exam candidates and retakes; 42 candidates had used the waiver in the first two weeks. In response to questions, she said the board does not assist CPAs with IRS disputes, but it does investigate complaints from the IRS, SEC, PCAOB, or others. Finally, a representative presented for the Board of Licensed Professional Counselors. She explained that the board regulates licensed counselors and psychotherapy providers, meets frequently, and has two staff members. The board’s main request was for additional investigative capacity: a full-time investigator and related funding, because complaints are currently handled by part-time investigators, contractors, and sometimes board members, which can require recusals from hearings. She said the state auditor had recently flagged complaint backlogs at regulatory agencies, supporting the request. The board also sought funding for a contractual administrative position, salary progressions, and a one-time technology increase to modify its new licensing system for the counseling compact and better search functions. Members questioned the board about its large cash balance, which was reported at about $860,000, and whether it should provide fee relief or other benefits to members; the presenter said the board would look into that and noted that revenues had increased significantly in recent years, partly due to out-of-state and telehealth-related licensing demand.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our closets, hallways, and basements are filled with filing cabinets, paper records, storage boxes, and
• may not have been responsible for basically understaffing the polls with the needed amount of ballot paper
• So if you open up a file and there's a piece of paper missing, okay, out of that file, you fail.
• It's not just a piece of paper that's in the wrong stack that's the problem.
• Currently, we administer three commercial paper financing programs. **Chair**: Thank you, Dave.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Katrin, Colfax, Harding, and Mora counties have no local paper.
• There were specific attempts for federally qualified health centers.
• So that's another program that if folks qualify for that, they wouldn't have to qualify for this, is
• If they qualify for that, they wouldn't have to qualify for this, is that correct? Mr.
• If they qualified for that, they would not be eligible for this program.

Transcript Highlights:

• qualified lookalikes.
• The the federally qualified health centers serves.
• That some of these federally qualified facilities that are qualified to receive 340B drugs, then distribute
• You know, our federally qualified health centers have to adhere to very strict standards.
• Would, would qualify under this language.

Transcript Highlights:

• And, you know, at some point I've been quoted in articles and papers that are like CCC's accomplishments
• And, you know, at some point I've been quoted in articles and papers that are like CCC's accomplishments
• And, you know, at some point I've been quoted in articles and papers that are like CCC's accomplishments
• These two bills will allow any qualifying patient, regardless of Massachusetts residency, to access the
• We implemented these ideas on paper with Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Alliance.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy held its first hearing of the 194th session to take public testimony on 21 cannabis-related bills. Chairs Donahue and Gómez outlined hearing procedures and noted that written testimony would also be accepted. Much of the hearing focused on the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), with Senator Mike Moore urging support for S. 90 to create an inspector general unit within the CCC. He argued the commission has suffered from dysfunction, workplace harassment allegations, delayed governance reforms, missed fee collections, and high legal costs, and said stronger legislative oversight is needed. Committee members largely agreed the CCC needs reform, though some expressed hope that new leadership would improve operations. A major theme was market structure and business viability. Representative Tyler testified for H. 183 to raise adult-use purchase limits from one ounce to two ounces, saying the change would reduce confusion and help retailers compete with neighboring states. Senator Payano supported S. 100, which would require a study of cannabis supply and demand to guide cultivation licensing, warning that oversupply is driving down prices and threatening cultivators. The Massachusetts Cannabis Coalition, represented by Ryan Dominguez, backed a package of bills aimed at increasing revenue, reducing regulatory burdens, attracting investment, and stabilizing the market, including higher purchase limits, simpler badge and testing rules, and a phased increase in the retail license cap. Attorneys Kevin Conroy and Mike Ross also supported raising the cap, arguing that the industry lacks capital and that more investment and exit opportunities are needed for provisional and distressed licensees. The most contentious issue was whether to raise the retail license cap from three to six. Supporters, including several business owners and industry advocates such as Peyton Shubrick, Tito Jackson, Armani White, Sean Burt, and others, said the current cap traps owners in declining businesses, prevents exits, and limits access to capital. They argued that many social equity and economic empowerment operators are struggling, that oversupply has pushed prices down, and that allowing more ownership could help businesses scale or sell. Opponents, including Senator Liz Miranda and several social equity operators, warned that lifting the cap now would let larger operators and multi-state companies dominate the market and harm equity-owned businesses. Miranda’s S. 88 would instead strengthen enforcement of ownership limits through audits, whistleblower protections, an anonymous tip line, and greater transparency. Another major topic was worker and consumer safety: Laura Bruno, Danny Carson, Al Vega, and others supported H. 194 after the death of Lorna McMurray, arguing for a CCC workplace and consumer safety department, better ventilation and PPE standards, stronger testing oversight, and retaliation protections for workers. The hearing ended without votes, with members thanking testifiers and indicating the committee would continue reviewing the bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• The order states that the judicial branch shall only expunge cases if the entire case qualifies.
• The order states that the judicial branch shall only expunge cases if the entire case qualifies.
• First of all, the paper distributed on our desks does not comport with Senate traditions.
• There's no autograph on the paper.
• I assume it's no autograph on the paper.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• trillion dollars a year out of the 4.x trillion that we spend in health care every year on moving paper
• , creating paper, summarizing paper, pushing paper, passing paper to everybody in the ecosystem.
• start with the administrative and the back-office tasks, the back office or the front office where paper
• Stanford, our patients of Cedars-Sinai, and not rural access hospitals, not patients in federally qualified
• are important across all those risk levels as it relates to AMI, which is, I think, covered in the paper

Summary: The joint informational hearing of the Assembly Health and Privacy Committees focused on generative AI in health care, with opening remarks emphasizing both its potential to improve care and its risks around privacy, bias, liability, workforce impacts, and unequal access. Chair Bauer-Kahan and Chair Bonta framed the discussion around how California can encourage beneficial innovation while protecting patients, especially given the sensitivity of health data and the possibility that AI could worsen existing disparities if not carefully governed. The first panel featured representatives from Cedars-Sinai, Kaiser Permanente, Penguin AI, and Google, who described current uses of AI such as ambient clinical scribes, nursing documentation tools, imaging triage, maternal-fetal risk prediction, and administrative automation. Speakers said these tools can reduce clinician burden, improve patient experience, speed treatment, and in some cases improve outcomes, including a reported mortality benefit from a Kaiser predictive model and faster thrombectomy times at Cedars-Sinai. Members raised concerns about accuracy with accents and multilingual visits, whether predictive tools could reinforce bias or lead to more interventions such as C-sections, and how to ensure a human remains in the loop for important decisions. The second panel, including representatives from the California Health Care Foundation, UC Berkeley, and Stanford, focused on policy and governance challenges. Testimony highlighted examples of AI supporting homelessness outreach and community health work, but also warned that biased algorithms can encode inequities, especially when trained on data that reflect under-treatment of Black, rural, or low-income patients. Witnesses urged clearer standards for trustworthy AI, stronger monitoring and governance structures, better data access for accountability, and attention to the safety net’s limited resources. Several speakers argued that states should require health systems to have AI governance processes, clarify liability between developers and deployers, and regulate downstream uses of AI while preserving access to data for lifesaving research and oversight.

Transcript Highlights:

• I love this paper being so thin.
• I love this paper being so thin.
• But with a qualifier authoritatively.
• And all of it is done through paper. And we would like to stop collecting paper.
• And all of it is done through paper. And we would like to stop collecting paper.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• can, they'd have to outsource the rest by definition, and that may lead to finding justifications on paper
• So the Yale Department of Economics published a paper that explored costs within the U.S.
• a paper that explored costs within<00:10:53.360> the<00:10:53.480> US<00:10:53.680>
• burden increased costs, you know, not a complicated concept to understand, but as you have less qualified
• 00:17:05.199> less understand, um but as you have less understand, um but as you have less qualified

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So this amendment qualifies that plat.
• documents available online, then there would be additional copies that would have to be made of a paper
• :57:01.760> a copies that would have to be made of a copies that would have to be made of a paper
• <00:57:03.200> But<00:57:03.520> again,<00:57:03.839> that paper document.
• But again, that paper document.

Bills: HF4075, HF3826, HF3825, HF3827, HF3459, HF3711, HF4200, HF3908, HF3712

Keywords: firearm restrictions, domestic violence, public safety, court orders, criminal convictions, identity theft, subpoena authority, fraud, statute of limitations, financial crime, victim notification, expungement, criminal justice, plea agreements, minor victims, identification protection, stalking, crime data, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, law enforcement grants

Transcript Highlights:

• simply not reach out to the applicant and tell them that they missed the signature, are missing a paper
• Why can't you call the home developer and say, hey, you're missing a signature or you're missing a paper
• To that point, now, if those are two different issues, right, a wrong paper...
• Now, if those are two different issues, right, a wrong paper, the wrong signature, it's missing something
• Now, if those are two different issues, right, a wrong paper.

Bills: HB2026, HB2027, HB2028, HB2031, HB2078, HB2094, HB2095, HB2101, HB2102, HB2103, HB2260, HB2278, HB2827, HB2932, HB2933, HB2934, HB2986, HCM2009, HCR2038

Keywords: assured water supply, groundwater, commingling, commingled water, water supply, Arizona Department of Water Resources, ADWR, active management area, AMA, subdivision plat, development approval, water rights, municipal provider, private water company, certificate of assured water supply, written commitment of water service, groundwater savings credits, gray water reuse, replenishment district, Central Arizona Project

Summary: The committee on Natural Resources, Energy and Water heard and advanced several bills and memorials focused on water policy, mining, environmental regulation, and professional licensing. HB 2260, a veterinary board measure, HB 2986, an ADEQ cleanup/omnibus bill, and HB 2827, which extends Pinal AMA groundwater fee authority and related fund deadlines, all received due pass recommendations on unanimous 10-0 votes. HB 2078, clarifying that public notice for new aggregate mine reclamation plans applies only to new plans and can be satisfied by certain local notices, also passed 9-1 after testimony from the sponsor and mining industry representatives. HCM 2009, urging Congress to amend the Antiquities Act, address split estate mineral rights, and streamline mining permits, passed 5-4 along party lines and drew support from mining interests and opposition from members concerned about federal land protection and monuments. HCR 2038, supporting a seven-state Colorado River agreement, passed 9-1 with testimony emphasizing the importance of a negotiated river settlement to Arizona’s economy, food supply, and national security. The committee then took up a series of water-management bills that generated more extensive debate. HB 2026, which narrows how ADWR evaluates water availability by focusing on proposed dedicated supplies even if commingled in delivery systems, passed 6-4 despite concerns that it echoed previously vetoed language and could weaken water security. HB 2027, as amended, would limit application of Pinal AMA-style rules in the Phoenix AMA and alter physical-availability review for applicants enrolled in the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District; it passed 6-4 after strong opposition from CAP, municipal water users, and ADWR, who warned it could undermine assured water supply designations and CAGRD obligations, while home builders argued it was a fairness issue for development. HB 2028, removing ADWR’s exemption from appealable administrative-completeness determinations, passed 6-4 over agency concerns that it would turn deficiency letters into formal appeals and add workload, while supporters said it would give applicants the same legal rights as other regulated parties. The committee also approved HB 2031, an emergency measure setting a deadline for filing grandfathered groundwater rights in the Wilcox AMA, on a 5-4 vote, and HB 2094, which would require ADWR to re-review certain assured water supply determinations and retroactively validate some applications using specified models, also on a 5-4 vote; both were described as similar to previously vetoed measures. The transcript ends as the committee begins HB 2095, which would expand the factors ADWR considers in determining groundwater depth and physical availability for assured water supply applications, with an amendment being explained but no final action captured in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have individuals that qualify based on being medically needy.
• Families qualify? We think there are about 3.7 million. in kids, I think, that would qualify.
• So over 3 million children would qualify. How much would that be?
• So if they're going to qualify for some of those specialized rate packages?
• It's considered work papers. Yeah I will continue dialoguing with you offline.

Keywords: budget, House Bill 1, public education, healthcare, border security, federal funding, spending limits

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on reviewing the proposed budget for the upcoming biennium, with substantial discussions around House Bill 1 and its implications for public education, healthcare, and border security. The Comptroller presented a revenue overview indicating a total of $194.6 billion available for general purpose spending, which reflects a slight decrease compared to previous years due to fluctuating economic conditions. Members raised questions regarding spending limits and the impact of federal funding on state programs, highlighting concerns about the sustainability of funding in light of potential changes at the federal level.

Transcript Highlights:

• paper copies. Yes. paper copies. Yes.
• >> Paper copy of a curriculum. >> Paper copy of a curriculum. >> Yes.
• <03:59:07.279> organizations age groups other qualified organizations age groups other qualified
• >> From the paper that I have.
• for those students that didn't qualify for those students that didn't qualify for<05:23:48.638><

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• having a hard time finding qualified having a hard time finding qualified individuals<01:50:06.560
• But the qualify for those services.
• They're not qualifying for this because they don't have needs. They are qualifying.
• They're not qualifying for this because they don't have needs. They are qualifying.
• replace I had to throw away all my paper replace I had to throw away all my paper that<02:05:48.080

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Physicians are uniquely qualified to evaluate evolving research, apply it to individual patients, and
• :56.840> is The qualified medical institution is The qualified medical institution is only<00:
• I will look at my paper to make sure I'm not forgetting anything that I need to say.
• >> I saw all the papers there. >> I saw all the papers there.
• physician with a terminal or qualifying physician with a terminal or qualifying severe<02:28:04.240

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the chair of the Association of qualified Organizations which employ support coordinators under the
• Paper school districts to contract with community-based providers that see students who are identified
• Parents may still fall off its against psychologist with without for says qualifying them.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Why does Midland need access to a second qualified hotel?
• hotel or qualified convention center facility.
• restaurants, bars, and retail establishments located within 1,000 feet of the qualified hotel or qualified
• In my mind, we need to find ways that we can qualify and participate.
• Even if a veteran dies of a condition they should have been qualified for. qualified as 100% disabled

Bills: HB249, HB 1186, HB2313, HB2408, HB2508, HB2730, HB2974, HB3045, HB3232, HB3336, HB3710, HB4044, HB4236, HJR133, HB249

Keywords: ad valorem taxes, property taxes, homestead exemption, disabled veterans, senior citizens, tax payments, installment payments, municipal tax revenue, hotel, convention center, tax code, economic development, local government, municipality, tax revenue, qualified projects, municipal taxation, hotel project, municipality funding, veteran

Transcript Highlights:

• Petitions, memorials, and other papers.
• All in paper were reported as amended.
• <02:02:14.240> were is the adoption of the paper were is the adoption of the paper were reported
• <02:03:09.040> were is the adoption of the paper were is the adoption of the paper were reported
• The paper was reported as adopted. The ayes have it. The paper was reported as adopted.

Keywords: House streaming session for Thursday, March 19, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with 122 members present, opened with prayer, and approved the previous day’s journal. The chamber then took up two congratulatory resolutions: one honoring Layla Wishard of Hagerstown for winning gold with Team USA at the Junior Roller Derby Association World Cup in Australia, and another recognizing Delores Millhouse as the 2026 Maryland Mother of the Year. Both resolutions were read and adopted with applause. The House then considered a series of committee reports, primarily from the Committee on Economic Matters, and advanced multiple bills to third reading after adopting committee amendments and favorable reports. Measures included consumer contract protections in House Bill 103, workers’ compensation presumptions for hypertension in House Bill 347, broadband access and affordability in House Bill 382, housing and land-use changes in House Bills 548 and 894, data privacy in House Bill 711, franchise law changes in House Bill 730, a blockchain-based real property title pilot program in House Bill 810, bankruptcy exemptions in House Bill 1098, and telecommunications infrastructure protections in House Bill 1100. Several bills drew questions and were special ordered for further review. House Bill 711, the Data Privacy Act, prompted extended discussion about whether its geolocation provisions could affect stadium and venue security tracking; the sponsor said the bill was intended to close loopholes around cell phone and vehicle location data and would not change existing permission-based rules, but the bill was still special ordered until the next day. House Bill 894, the transit-oriented development bill, also drew questions about local government concerns and was special ordered, with the floor leader saying county and municipal groups were generally satisfied with the amendments. House Bill 1100 was also taken up after the amendments were adopted, and the title amendment process began as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the paper blue sheet is blank. Thank you.
• And the paper blue sheet is blank. And the paper blue sheet is blank.
• today's world, that would not be a paper today's world, that would not be a paper of<01:43:06.560
• ,<01:48:58.639> not is actually what's on this paper, not is actually what's on this paper
• And on our paper blue sheet, we have two in support. Thank you.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• combination presents high risk and security issues to the department and challenges the ability to find qualified
• position authorization is not a position—it's not a nurse assistant, it's just a thing on a piece of paper
• It's not a nurse assistant; it's just a thing on a piece of paper.
• We're seeing the anecdotal piece, but we need to put pen to paper and start to put out that California
• We're seeing the anecdotal pieces, but we need to put pen to paper and start to put out that California

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard a budget item on vehicle license fee backfill funding, where the Department of Finance said the administration was not proposing the requested $119 million for San Mateo County, Alpine, and Mono, arguing the payment is discretionary and that existing excess ERAF formulas should remain unchanged. Senator Becker and former Senator Jackie Speier testified that the money is owed under the VLF swap arrangement and that San Mateo County faces major service cuts without the backfill; Senator Cabaldon raised broader policy questions about county boundaries and the structure of the formula. The chair held the item open after public comment. The committee then reviewed Secretary of State budget proposals. The department requested funding for SB 851 implementation, including additional duties related to election litigation notice, voting system standards, and vendor reporting, with $1.1 million General Fund in 2026-27 and $807,000 ongoing for four positions and software. Members asked about election security, federal HAVA funding, staffing, and implementation timing; the department said current federal funds are expected to run out in 2027-28 and that it hopes to hire quickly once funded. The item was held open. The Secretary of State also presented the Cal Access Replacement System (CARS), seeking $11.8 million General Fund to finish the project and begin operations, and the notary automation replacement project, seeking $9.795 million in Business Fees Fund for continued development of the outdated notary system. Members focused on project delays, stakeholder input, and whether the funding requests matched prior plans; the department said both projects were still on their original funding tracks but had shifted timelines due to planning needs and election-related workload. Both items were held open. CalVet presented its department overview and then discussed the new 240-bed skilled nursing facility at Yountville, which is nearing completion and will replace the aging Holderman Hospital building. Members asked about the future of Holderman, other campus capital projects, and a payroll/fringe-benefit issue affecting some employees; CalVet said Holderman will continue to house some functions, the roofing and steam projects remain in progress, and the tax issue has been addressed with new procedures and repayment arrangements. The committee also discussed eliminating vacant positions under Control Section 4.12, with CalVet saying the positions were long-vacant CNA and related jobs and the LAO noting the Legislature had not concurred; Senator Cabaldon said he had no objection, and the item was held open. Finally, the California Arts Council gave an overview of its work and its cultural districts program, describing grants and technical assistance in all 58 counties and citing examples of local impact. Senator Smallwood-Cuevas strongly supported additional funding, including a proposed $50 million General Fund investment and a $10 million carve-out for cultural districts, arguing the program supports economic development, preservation, and community identity; council staff said the program is currently unfunded and has only been able to designate a fraction of applicants. Senator Cabaldon noted that many parts of the state still lack cultural districts and urged broader geographic representation. The item was informational and no vote was taken.