Transcript Highlights:

• , back in 2015, I chaired Governor Tomblin's committee, or it was a committee on juvenile justice reform
• I'm here on behalf of the 23rd Judicial Circuit, which also encompasses Barbour County.
• I'm here on behalf of the 23rd Judicial Circuit, which also encompasses Barbara County.

Committee: Senate Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Without such reforms, survivors face wrongful criminalization for actions they were compelled to take
• This bill requires the Texas Judicial Council to prescribe details. Of this reporting process.
• This bill is another effort to expand statewide data collection in the judicial system and will enable

Bills: SB614 , SB872 , SB1199 , SB1212 , SB1278 , SB1573 , SB1588 , SB1602 , SB1660 , SB1704 , SB1723 , SB1833 , SB1858 , SB1946 , SB2009 , SB2146 , SB2177 , SB2373 , SB2460 , SB2785

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Transcript Highlights:

• RECOMMENDATIONS AND MAKES OTHER CONFORMING CHANGES TO STRENGTHEN THIS VEXATIOUS LITIGANT LAW AND THESE REFORMS
• TO THIS LAW WILL BETTER ENABLE FLORIDA COURTS TO MITIGATE THIS LITIGATION AND TO ALLOCATE LIMITED JUDICIAL
• COUNTRY IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES AND GETTING THE FEEDBACK FROM OUR COURTS AND THEY THEIR JUDICIAL

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• HB 1363 by Hernandez. to the implicit bias training for justices and judges of state courts, judicial
• Refer to the Committee on Judicial...
• operations out of alarm Texas in the enactment of a state and local value taxes and related school finance reform

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• leadership from the governor's office, CYFD, HCA, Department of Health, and other agencies, as well as judicial
• So there's some things that we've already begun to think of as to how to reform. Right?
• So there's some things that we've already begun to think of as to how to reform and planning us should
• Because they are a quasi-judicial body that has this issue before them right now, I don't think we can

Bills: SM20 , SM9 , SJR6 , HB124 , SM20 , SM9 , SJR6 , HB124

Committees: Senate Senate Rules , Senate House Rules & Order Of Business

Keywords: youth violence, violence prevention, violence intervention, community violence intervention, credible messengers, peer support, restorative justice, violence interrupters, juvenile justice, at-risk youth, high-risk youth, public safety, Department of Health, New Mexico, statewide summit, data collection, reporting, interagency coordination, community-based organizations, law enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• It does not authorize qualified contractors to exercise quasi-judicial or discretionary authority.
• Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, is here in support.
• William Large, Florida Justice Reform Institute, is here in support.
• William Large, Florida Justice Reform Institute, is waiving in support.
• This is a pro-voter, pro-democracy reform.

Summary: The committee first considered CS/SB 1434 on infill redevelopment. A late-filed strike-all amendment narrowed eligibility to certain contaminated or brownfield properties in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, added adjacency and density/intensity limits, and excluded agricultural land, park land, land outside the urban growth boundary, and land near military installations. The amendment was adopted without opposition, and the bill was reported favorably on an 8-0 vote, with limited support and opposition noted in waived appearance forms. Members then took up CS/CS/SB 212 on sexual offenders and sexual predators. The strike-all added public swimming pools and related child-centered locations to residency and presence restrictions. Testimony was sharply divided: proponents argued the bill would help protect children and law enforcement, while opponents, including treatment experts and homelessness advocates, said there was no empirical evidence the restrictions reduce abuse and warned of retroactive punishment and increased homelessness. The amendment was adopted, and the bill passed 8-1. The committee also approved CS/CS/SB 686 on agricultural enclaves after an amendment allowing certain enclaves adjacent to interstates to be developed for commercial, industrial, or single-family residential uses and clarifying exclusions for protected areas. Opponents argued it would weaken zoning and comprehensive plans, while supporters framed it as a property-rights measure; the bill was reported favorably 10-0. SB 554 on nonprofit corporations, a technical update to nonprofit law modeled on prior for-profit corporate revisions, also passed unanimously after supportive waived testimony. Later, the committee approved SB 1338 on charitable giving, which creates a donor remedy for endowment restrictions and limits state reporting burdens on certain regulated or exempt organizations; members discussed cy pres and the sponsor said further changes would be worked out later. CS/SB 532 on court fees was amended to let clerks retain all collections above revenue projections rather than half, with supporters saying clerks have been underfunded for years; it passed 10-0. The committee also favorably reported SB 218 on land use regulations, which restores normal land-use authority to counties not affected by recent hurricanes, and CS/SB 692 on cybersecurity standards and liability, which creates a presumption against liability for entities that comply with cybersecurity frameworks and reporting requirements; the cybersecurity bill drew concerns about retroactivity and the adequacy of compliance incentives but passed 9-2.

Transcript Highlights:

• The expansion of judicial authority to deny bail as proposed by SGR 5 threatens the foundational principles
• Reforms that uphold the rights and dignity of every individual, ensuring that justice is both fair and

Bills: SB9 , SB1047 , SB1048 , SJR17 , SJR49 , SB40 , SJR1 , SJR5 , SB 9 , SB 40 , SJR 1

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Transcript Highlights:

• for</c><00:20:31.760><c> decisions</c><00:20:32.320><c> to</c> judicial review um for decisions to judicial
• </c><00:21:14.720><c> So,</c> start date for judicial appeals. So, start date for judicial appeals.
• President, by doing reform.
• And I'm President, by doing reform.
• </c> going to go through a list of reforms going to go through a list of reforms that's<00:52:00.400>

Transcript Highlights:

• In this body, we have a number of pieces of legislation that would reform CEQA.
• So while I will support this bill today and I will likely vote in favor of a variety of CEQA reforms
• This is a cost-conscious reform that delivers real value without adding new burdens to the state.
• This bill would reauthorize the existing council by an additional four years, with additional reforms
• This bill would reauthorize the existing council by an additional four years, with additional reforms

Summary: The Assembly met after a quorum call, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance, then moved through a long Daily File with several guest introductions and floor speeches. Members recognized visiting student leaders, championship football teams from Tuolumne County, Alpha Kappa Alpha members at their Capitol day, and later a descendant of Wong Kim Ark. The chamber also adopted a procedural motion allowing certain members to host guests in the rear of the chamber. Among the major policy items, AB 578 on food delivery platform refund practices passed 47-2, AB 344 on successor beer manufacturer definitions passed 61-0, AB 454 to make California’s migratory bird protections permanent passed 55-12 on the urgency clause, AB 482 updating the Table Grape Commission passed 64-1, AB 1237 to support transit access for 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket holders passed 56-15 on the urgency clause, AB 738 on wildfire rebuild solar exemptions passed 42-2, AB 1460 on 340B pharmacy access for clinics passed 41-5, AB 750 on homeless shelter oversight passed 49-1, AB 1061 on housing in historic districts passed 41-13, AB 1523 on expanding mandatory mediation thresholds passed 65-0, and AB 316 on AI-related civil liability passed 56-0. AB 761 authorizing the Monterey-Salinas Transit District to seek a sales tax ballot measure passed 47-12. The chamber also adopted several resolutions. AJR 3 urging protection of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid passed 53-2 after extensive debate that included criticism of federal cuts and counterarguments focused on state Medi-Cal policy and budget decisions. ACR 65 proclaiming California Tourism Month was adopted by voice vote after coauthors were added, and ACR 62 recognizing California Nonprofits Day was also adopted by voice vote with 65 coauthors. AJR 5 affirming birthright citizenship and opposing efforts to end it passed 58-1 after a lengthy, highly partisan debate centered on the 14th Amendment and the Wong Kim Ark precedent. The session also included passage of AB 571, a CEQA exemption for the Southern California Veterans Cemetery at Gypsum Canyon, which was presented as a long-running bipartisan effort to create a final resting place for Orange County veterans.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is exactly the kind of reform that we need to win.
• I agree it needs to be reformed. So, what I'd like to do is revamp Phase 3.
• Sankar entitled "The Defense Reformation," consisting of 19 pages.
• Use that to drive signal and reformation. That's what we're trying to do.
• Sankar, you did a great job on your defense reformation piece published in October.

Committee: Senate Subcommittee on Personnel

Transcript Highlights:

• What it does reform restore risk exists.
• I can tell you that especially in judicial proceedings, a private judicial commission overseeing our
• <c> proceedings,</c> in uh judicial proceedings, in uh judicial proceedings, a<04:06:54.560><c> private
• This is not a sweeping reform. It's not a civil liberties issue.
• This is not a sweeping reform. systems. This is not a sweeping reform.

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• And this is the exact thing that this reform is designed to change.
• This is why this reform matters.
• Delaying or fragmenting this reform doesn't just slow progress.
• Delaying or fragmenting this reform doesn't just slow progress.
• Part of it is all of the work going on with BH Connect reform right now.

Summary: The committee heard an extensive Department of Social Services presentation on child care budget issues, including the Governor’s proposed 2026-27 budget, federal CCDF changes, Prop. 64 revenue adjustments, and a one-time $11.5 million disaster-related infrastructure grant for licensed child care facilities affected by 2025 declared disasters. DSS said federal formula updates and lower Prop. 64 revenues would reduce funding and could result in about 4,176 CCTR slots being reduced, but the department said it was working to avoid impacts to currently enrolled children. The LAO supported aligning general child care funding with lower revenues and asked for more detail on the disaster grant. Members pressed DSS and Finance on why reductions were not being backfilled and why so many awarded slots remain uncontracted or unused; DSS said delays are largely due to providers building new infrastructure, licensing, staffing, and enrollment challenges, and that some unspent funds revert to the General Fund. The committee also discussed whether some contract dollars should be shifted to vouchers and whether more flexibility should be allowed for infrastructure and expansion costs. A second panel focused on the state’s commitment to expand child care and on rate reform. DSS reported that nearly 125,000 new slots have been awarded since 2021-22, but speakers from Stanislaus County Office of Education, Parent Voices California, and the California Budget and Policy Center argued that unmet need remains large and that the system still leaves many families without access. Stanislaus County described a large local shortage of infant and toddler care and said reimbursement disparities between child care programs and state preschool create disincentives for providers. Parent Voices gave testimony about the burdens and instability families face when trying to access care, especially for survivors and low-income parents, and called for a universal, publicly funded system. The Budget Center said only about 16% of eligible children were enrolled in 2024, urged expansion across the mixed delivery system rather than concentrating investment in TK, and called for faster rate reform and new revenue. LAO estimated that bringing certain CCTR adjustment factors up to CSPP levels would cost $88 million to $131 million ongoing. Members and witnesses discussed the single rate structure, automation needs, and the need for deadlines and a ramp-up plan; DSS said the goal is to eliminate disparities, but that policy decisions are still needed before automation can proceed. The committee then reviewed several trailer bill proposals. DSS outlined a 2026-27 COLA proposal that would apply a 2.41% increase through cost-of-care-plus payments, though the department said it had inadvertently excluded CalWORKs Child Care and the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program and would revise the proposal; LAO recommended making the COLA methodology uniform across programs. DSS also proposed replacing the market rate survey with the federally approved alternative methodology on a triennial schedule, limiting temporary absences in family child care homes to 20% of monthly hours, defining excessive unexplained absences as more than 30 days in a year, and aligning family fee deductions with new federal requirements so providers receive the full voucher value. Members generally supported the temporary absence change and asked about implementation timing for the family fee deduction, with DSS saying it was in contact with Riverside County. The committee also heard a brief update on the Early Childhood Policy Council reappropriation, which would extend unused funds through June 30, 2028 because prior costs came in higher than expected.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:49:15.599><c> Court</c> Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
• We need reform terribly all over the world.
• We need reform terribly all over the world.
• We need reform terribly all over the world.
• We need reform terribly all over the world.

Committee: House Children and Family Law

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's part of our judicial system.
• penalty. on this, and it may not be a deterrent, but it'll be a penalty, and that's part of our judicial
• What I have learned in practice is that judicial discretion often means the court chooses to do nothing
• Today, I also serve as a national advocate for parental rights and family court reform.
• And I'm executive director for Americans for Judicial Accountability, CEO for Robert Garza U.S., and

Committee: House Judiciary, Rules and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• protective order, which is also a court order and which actually has greater a greater level of judicial
• </c><00:36:54.040><c> review</c><00:36:54.760><c> than</c><00:36:54.920><c> the</c> level of judicial
• That had a greater level of judicial review, they lose their faith in the rationality and the integrity
• Support from the Hawaii Coalition of Child Protective Reform, and comments from, oh, in person.
• We had support in writing from the Hawaii Coalition of Child Protective Reform and comments from one

Committee: House Human Services & Homelessness

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 963, which would make crimes against elders age 60 and over strict liability offenses by removing the requirement that the perpetrator knew or should have known the victim’s age. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing that removing the state-of-mind element would create unfair and subjective results and suggesting sentencing enhancements or broader vulnerability-based language instead. Supporters, including Sandy Wong and another testifier with elder-abuse experience, said the current knowledge requirement creates a loophole that lets offenders avoid the elder enhancement even when they target vulnerable older adults. No vote was taken on the measure in the portion provided. The committee also heard HB 384, which increases penalties for promoting minor-produced sexual images, extends probation terms for felony obscenity offenses, tolls the statute of limitations during a victim’s minority, and requires sex offender registration for certain felony obscenity offenses involving minors. The Public Defender opposed the bill as overly broad and warned of absurd results, while the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney supported it, saying the bill addresses sextortion and other exploitation cases where adults solicit images from minors and that the 3-year age-gap threshold preserves ordinary teen relationships. Committee members questioned whether the bill was aimed at adults only and whether the age-gap carveout was narrow enough; the prosecutor said it was intended to cover adult predators and not consensual peer conduct. No final action was reported. HB 1100, which renames the Neighbor Islands Blind and Visually Impaired Service Pilot Program to use “low vision” instead of “visually impaired,” was supported by the Department of Human Services and disability advocates, who said the current term is derogatory and that the change responds to the blind community. The department said it was beginning work on administrative rules and expected to seek an appropriation, with implementation hoped for in 2026. The committee then heard HB 1283, exempting paternity proceedings from mediation when domestic abuse is alleged; the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence and others supported it as consistent with divorce law and important for survivor safety. HB 689, creating safe harbor protections for survivors of sexual exploitation who seek medical or law enforcement help, drew support from HPD, Emua Alliance, the Judiciary, and others, who said it would prevent traffickers from using prostitution charges to silence victims. Finally, HB 383, reinstating mandatory minimum jail terms for successive violations of protective orders and removing the court’s ability to suspend those minimums, drew opposition from the Public Defender, who said some repeat violations stem from mental health or substance use issues, and support from the Prosecuting Attorney, who argued the bill treats protective orders like temporary restraining orders and preserves judicial discretion within a misdemeanor framework.

Transcript Highlights:

• A judicially managed lien claim process is exclusive avenue of relief.
• A judicially managed subrogation rights.
• It creates kind of that judicial right?
• Judicial lien on a settlement, though, right?
• Judicial lien on a settlement, though, right?

Bills: SB1166 , SB888 , SB2387 , SB2471

Committee: House Consumer Protection & Commerce

Summary: The committee heard SB 1166 SD2, a bill on insurance and climate-related damages that would authorize the Hawaii Property Insurance Association and, in amended versions discussed during testimony, other public and private entities to pursue civil actions to recover losses tied to climate disasters and extreme weather. DCCA’s Insurance Division and the Department of the Attorney General raised legal concerns, saying the bill’s scope may not fit the insurance code section being amended, that it could create subject-matter and title issues, and that some subrogation language may be duplicative of existing rate-filing practice. Lawyers for Justice opposed the measure, arguing it conflicts with existing subrogation law and recent Hawaii Supreme Court rulings that treat the judicial lien process as the exclusive remedy. The American Petroleum Institute also opposed, warning the bill would add liability and litigation risk for companies operating under existing permits and could undermine energy reliability and investment. Supporters said the bill would help shift climate-related insurance costs away from residents and onto fossil fuel companies and other responsible parties. Testimony in support came from the Polluters Pay Hawaii Coalition, Center for Climate Integrity, Hawaii Island Council, Our Hawaii, Sierra Club of Hawaii, and others, who described recent flooding, storm damage, rising premiums, non-renewals, and underinsurance as evidence of a worsening climate-driven insurance crisis. Several supporters urged amendments to give the Attorney General explicit authority to recover insurance-related losses for the Hurricane Relief Fund, HPIA, and private insurers, and to ensure recovered amounts benefit policyholders. Committee members questioned whether HPIA is a private entity, whether the Attorney General could represent it, whether the bill could create double recovery or affect pending climate litigation, and whether insurers would have standing or damages if they are only paying contractual claims. The committee then took up SB 888 SD2, a consumer protection bill that would restrict smart household security device operators from sharing user data with law enforcement without consent or a judicial order, and would bar conditioning device use on such consent. The Office of Consumer Protection testified in support and said an Illinois law could serve as a useful template for exceptions to the warrant requirement. An individual supporter said the measure would protect immigrant communities, judges, and others from surveillance and misuse of private data. No vote was taken during the portion of the meeting provided, and the chair noted additional written testimony submitted in support of SB 1166.

Transcript Highlights:

• We may have disagreements on other reforms on election integrity, but this one should be a common-sense
• I believe that voters, if this Legislature fails to act on common-sense election integrity reforms, voters
• In 2016, the Legislature amended the Political Reform Act to require certain nonprofits that pay for
• The Political Reform Act currently requires a nonprofit organization to disclose travel-related payments
• Orban, a leader who systematically dismantled a burgeoning democracy by ignoring customs, norms, judicial

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

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> especially those related to judicial especially those related to judicial reform<00:39:16.160><c
• </c> States including cooperation on judicial States including cooperation on judicial reform,<00:40:
• It specifically calls on the United States to implement, uh, measures such as judicial reforms and anti-corruption
• <00:44:49.680><c> reforms</c><00:44:51.119><c> and</c><00:44:51.440><c> anti-corruption</c> judicial
• reforms and anti-corruption judicial reforms and anti-corruption measures<00:44:53.440><c> in</c><00:

Committee: House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• You got to love the last judicial hearing. I said motion. Yeah.
• This is about letting the public know what to What to expect and for us to lead the way in reforming
• So, how many chances have we given pardons and paroles to reform their guidelines and provide... to reform
• But you've asked them to either reform their guidelines or provide you information, and with hundreds
• our system or not reform our system.

Bills: HB202 , HB42 , HB146 , HB492 , HB285 , HB7 , HB454 , HB42 , HB7

Committee: House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator McLean, I'm curious if you could talk to us about the language in here about quasi-judicial hearings
• Senator McLean, I'm curious if you could talk to us about the language in here, about quasi-judicial
• fall in a DOC facility, if you are visiting DOC and fall, you would have two years after our tort reform
• to somebody in prison, we as a state have an interest in making sure... two years after our tort reform
• County Sheriff's Office, in conjunction with the state attorney and the chief judge of the 13th Judicial

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including remarks from Senator Berman outlining Democratic priorities such as education, health care, environmental protection, and opposition to rollbacks on child labor, book access, and gun safety. The chamber also recognized military guests and an intern before moving to the special order calendar. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on human trafficking, waste management, Bright Futures, Medicaid oversight at one point in the flow, and mammogram coverage, though the Medicaid oversight bill was later taken up and passed. The Senate passed a series of bills, often after substituting House companions and adopting technical amendments. Among the major measures approved were the dangerous dogs bill (the Pam Rock Act), which tightened penalties and procedures after fatal attacks; a local government land regulation bill that streamlined comp plan review and defined impact-fee circumstances, though members raised concerns about quasi-judicial hearing limits and local costs; a vessel-related bill combining boating safety and voter-freedom provisions; a blood clot screening and treatment bill creating the Emily Adkins Family Protection Act; fleeing and eluding penalties; concealed carry and firearm possession rules for certain officers and service members; timeshare management reforms; and public education on background screening requirements. The chamber also approved bills on disability history and awareness instruction, manufacturing and a related fee bill, utility service restrictions, educational opportunities for military children, health facilities authorities, and veteran and spouse nursing home beds. The disability instruction bill drew extended debate about the use of the term “disability,” inclusion, and whether the measure was consistent with broader DEI debates; it passed unanimously after emotional testimony from the sponsor and families. The manufacturing and utility bills focused on statewide economic policy and preemption of local restrictions, while the military children bill was presented as a student-driven proposal. Most measures passed with strong bipartisan support, with recorded votes ranging from unanimous to 33-3 on the firearm bill and 26-8 on the land regulation bill.