Transcript Highlights:

• with UPW, and some have elected, in lieu of payment, to collect comp time.
• ><c> in</c><00:12:22.000><c> lie</c><00:12:22.240><c> of</c><00:12:22.399><c> payment</c><00:12:22.720
• ><c> to</c><00:12:22.920><c> collect</c> elected to in lie of payment to collect elected to in lie of
• payment to collect Comm<00:12:23.560><c> time</c><00:12:24.240><c> but</c><00:12:24.920><c> the</c><
• </c> states that uh shipping charges payment states that uh shipping charges payment for<00:34:57.760

Committee: House Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• David Roberts: Corrected the documented public health failure and the risk reversing the life-saving
• bill process which we all know is a very imperfect process that can take years to get any type of settlement

Transcript Highlights:

• The settlement. Conference, great idea, signed, no problem.
• I think the settlement conference is an awesome idea.
• the electronic payment system.
• We need to protect those when you do take a payment.
• Payment processing is... I don't have a place here. Yeah.

Bills: SB231 , SB584 , SB600 , SB668 , SB841 , SB986 , SB1003 , SB1244 , SB1625 , SB1960 , SB1963 , SB1964 , SB2026 , SB2056 , SB2368

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• of this and that counting that against us when we saved... ...the reversal of this and counting that
• And it's actually half of that total amount because the other half goes towards debt payments.
• I think you might have used the word clarified, but just around debt payments in general, what is ACA
• 20 doing as it relates to debt payments, if anything?
• And it had a list of debt payments that were eligible as of that time in 2014.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Accountability and Oversight heard ACA 20, the Safe for California Futures Act, a constitutional amendment to strengthen the state’s Budget Stabilization Account (rainy day fund). The authors, Assembly Members Gabriel and Valencia, said the measure would raise the reserve cap from 10% to 20% of General Fund revenues, change how reserve deposits are treated under the Gann limit so deposits would not count against the spending cap until withdrawn, and update eligible debt repayments to include items such as budget loans, Proposition 98 settle-up obligations, and unemployment insurance debt. They emphasized that the proposal was intended to protect schools and core public services and to help California better withstand revenue volatility and future downturns. Committee discussion focused heavily on the technical effects of the measure, especially its interaction with Proposition 98 and the Gann limit. LAO and Department of Finance staff explained that Prop. 98 funding would not be changed directly, that the reserve deposits would be treated as exclusions from the appropriations limit, and that withdrawals would count when spent. Members asked about current reserve levels, mandatory deposits, and whether the measure would create more room for discretionary spending; supporters argued it would simply allow the state to save more in good years, while one member expressed concern that it could function as a slush fund and expand spending opportunities. Several members cited recent budget volatility, record revenues, and the need for stronger reserves, while others stressed that the measure should be understood as a future-oriented savings reform rather than a response to this year’s budget choices. Public testimony was uniformly supportive. California Forward, Elevate California, and the California Chamber of Commerce all backed the proposal, with the Chamber noting support for the policy and highlighting the importance of addressing unemployment insurance debt for small businesses. The chair concluded by thanking the authors, staff, and witnesses, and said ACA 20 was expected to move to the Assembly floor the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Tobacco Settlement Revenue Oversight Committee will come to order, and we are shy one person.
• We were able to do that at the very last minute, and we already distributed the JUUL settlement.
• If you look at pages 27 and 28, the total payment to the state is $17 million over a six-year period.
• So, we're way short, yeah, okay, and we got $3.8 million from the JUUL settlement.
• Other money... ...These, of course, are coming from settlement and other factors.

Committee: House Tobacco Settlement Revenue Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> non-payment of taxes. non-payment of taxes. &gt;&gt; Yes. Yes.
• I would like to add a reverse repealer to it if anyone the chair would entertain that motion or someone
• Uh, the motion is to add a reverse repealer. Are you any debate? Are you ready to vote?
• The motion on the reverse repealer is before the committee. Are there any questions or debate?
• So we're back on the bill, as amended, with the reverse repealer.

Committee: Joint Municipalities

Transcript Highlights:

• consumers, disseminates guidance on adequately insuring assets and collecting full, fair, prompt claim settlements
• The third point that then comes to me is if ratepayers are paying, we need to make sure that that payment
• The signal we have been waiting for is a slowdown or reversal of FAIR Plan growth.
• insurers to develop and maintain a disaster recovery plan that details how they will rapidly surge claim payment
• writing with justifications; and requiring insurers to pay interest to policyholders for any delay in payment

Summary: The Senate Committee on Insurance held an information hearing on the impacts of climate change and catastrophic wildfire on California’s insurance market, with opening remarks focused on the state’s affordability, availability, and stability problems. Chair and members discussed the role of SB 254’s report, the Sustainable Insurance Strategy, the growth of the FAIR Plan, and the need to better align insurance regulation, mitigation, and land-use decisions. The Vice Chair noted the importance of hearing from industry as well as consumer and academic experts, and Senator Becker said the report would inform further committee work. Amy Bach of United Policyholders described how climate-driven wildfire and flood risk, combined with inflation, insurtech, and risk modeling, have reduced competition and pushed more homeowners into the FAIR Plan and non-admitted surplus lines coverage. She said availability is improving somewhat, but affordability will depend on mitigation, insurer competition, and fair rate regulation. In response to questions, she emphasized underinsurance as a long-running problem, supported stronger insurer responsibility for replacement-cost estimates, and suggested a public reinsurance backstop and more mitigation funding rather than removing wildfire coverage from basic policies. Nancy Watkins of Milliman and Michael Wara of Stanford argued that the market problem is fundamentally that expected claims and expenses now exceed premiums because too many homes are burning. They said California needs both risk reduction and actuarially sound pricing, along with a state mitigation framework that targets the highest-risk communities and prioritizes home hardening, defensible space, and community-scale mitigation over broad acreage-based spending. They also discussed the role of non-admitted carriers as a gap-filler, the need for better data on reconstruction costs and mitigation effectiveness, and the importance of sustained funding rather than one-time grants. A later panel with Frank Freebalt of Cal Poly and Michael Golnar of UC Berkeley focused on modeling and mitigation science. They said wildfire policy should treat the issue as a structure-ignition and urban conflagration problem, not just a wildland fire problem, and stressed integrated land-use, utility, and community mitigation. Members asked about zoning, building codes, utility hardening, and who should pay for mitigation; witnesses said older, denser neighborhoods are the highest priority, that utilities must improve operational safety measures, and that targeted mitigation in the highest-risk areas offers the best return. No votes or formal actions were taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• THE DAMAGE AWARD OF $18,319,181 WAS NOT REVERSED BY THE TRIAL COURT IN THE CASE WAS REMANDED BACK TO
• THE PARTIES AND MEDIATED THE CASE PURSUANT TO A COURT ORDER AND THE PARTIES REACHED A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
• REIMBURSABLE ASSETS WHICH SUGGESTS THE WORK HAS BEEN DONE SO IT IS FOR REIMBURSEMENT, NOT FOR ADVANCE PAYMENT
• AUTONOMY BUT IN CONTRAST MY TIME IN CHARTER SCHOOLS, MY SINGLE MOTHER BROTHER AND I FELT THE BURDEN OF PAYMENT
• MARTINSVILLE HAS 25 APPEARANCE CARDS SO LET'S TAKE UP TAB 27, CS FOR SB 1808 ON REFUNDABLE REPAYMENTS BY PAYMENTS

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:10:31.839><c> with</c><00:10:32.000><c> UL</c> you see um annual settlements with UL you see
• , the way the um on uh that settlement, the way the the<00:10:44.880><c> dollars</c><00:10:45.279><c>
• we do a settlement at the end<00:10:53.440><c> of</c><00:10:53.519><c> the</c><00:10:53.760><c> year
• So it's not like it cost us; it's just how it evened out when we did the settlement because there was
• The debt service payments.

Summary: The committee first handled routine business, including a roll call, approval of the prior meeting minutes, and a set of informational reports. Those reports covered University of Louisville research equipment purchases, a Kent County school district debt issue for elementary school renovations, the University of Kentucky’s planned use of construction management risk for a new engineering building, APA certification reports for underwriter and bond counsel selection committees, and a KCNA status report on infrastructure upgrades and purchases. The main presentation was an informational update from the Louisville Arena Authority. Board representatives said the arena was created to drive economic development and reported about $1.4 billion in economic impact from 2010 to 2013. They explained the authority’s financial structure, including arena operating revenues, TIF revenues, debt service, and a long-term capital plan for major repairs and replacements. Members questioned the low net revenue figures, the long timeline before TIF revenues are projected to exceed debt service, the size of capital expenditure spikes, and the University of Louisville revenue-sharing arrangement. The authority said the $2.42 million annual UL payment is fixed under a 2017 refinancing agreement, while other amounts vary with ticket sales and related revenues. They also said the COVID-era state and Metro funds, combined with authority cash, were used to prepay debt and reduce interest, lowering the debt service schedule. The committee then considered and approved a new capital project for a new HVAC system for the student wellness center pool area. The project, presented by university staff, was approved by the board and required committee action. The committee took a roll call vote, and the project passed unanimously. Finally, Janice Thomas of the state budget office presented two tourism, arts, and heritage cabinet grid resilience projects at Kincaid Lake State Resort Park and Kentucky Down Village State Resort Park. Each project costs $7,834,600 and is funded mostly by a federal grid resilience grant, with the remainder from state utility infrastructure replacement funds and energy policy funds. Staff explained that the projects will move park electrical service ownership and maintenance to regional utilities, allowing the state to exit the infrastructure-management role while continuing to pay utility bills through normal metering. The committee approved the action item by voice vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Most of those are due to payments.
• Section three is payments of a settlement related to MIMA.
• They had claimed much more than what the settlement is.
• It's special funds payment of through.
• Section 13, $25,000 leave payments.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> payment in l of taxes. Correct. Okay. payment in l of taxes. Correct. Okay.
• </c> it's about a pilot. payment tax. Okay. it's about a pilot. payment tax. Okay.
• uh a payment in le<03:47:27.600><c> taxes.
• ,</c> sources metering, load settlement, sources metering, load settlement, electronic<05:19:07.360><
• </c> purchase in load settlement purchase in load settlement for<05:21:27.920><c> those</c><05:21:28.240

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• When I was property tax chair, I just got handed a reversal of making this come all of them come up to
• The settlement includes a 40-cent per hour raise each year for the subset of experienced workers in PCA
• </c><01:32:05.679><c> The</c><01:32:05.840><c> settlement</c> clients on wages.
• The settlement clients on wages.
• The settlement includes<01:32:06.560><c> a</c><01:32:06.800><c> 40%</c><01:32:07.520><c> per</c><01:32

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill does not eliminate transparency or hide settlements, which will become public.
• transcripts, recordings, minutes, and records generated during the closed portion of the pre-suit settlement
• transcripts, recordings, minutes, and records generated during the closed portion of the pre-suit settlement
• The bill clarifies that local governments must accept electronic payments in all instances, not just
• It provides an exemption where another law requires local governments to accept another form of payment

Bills: S0332 , S0464 , S0576 , S0830 , S0964 , S0984 , S1096 , S1296 , S1298 , S1612 , S1656

Committee: Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability

Summary: The committee first heard a committee substitute for SB 332, which creates a narrow public meetings and public records exemption for certain pre-suit settlement communications in Bert Harris claims involving local governments and private property rights. The sponsor said the change is intended to allow confidential legal strategy and negotiation during the 90-day pre-suit period while keeping settlements and outcomes public. The strike-all amendment was adopted, supportive testimony was waived in, and the bill was reported favorably. Members then approved several other measures, including SB 464 requiring K-12 schools to formally observe Veterans Day as a school holiday; SB 984 on firefighter cancer benefits and prevention, which was amended to add a statement of important state interest and reported favorably after testimony from firefighters both supporting the bill and urging a longer benefit window; SB 576 on local government cybersecurity, which was amended to route the program through the Florida Digital Service and strengthen state-local coordination; SB 964 clarifying how certain gift and honoraria disclosures are filed with the Commission on Ethics; SB 1612 requiring local governments to accept electronic payments with a delayed effective date; SB 830 creating public records exemptions for certain local government administrators and their families; SB 1096 clarifying the filing deadline for employment discrimination complaints; and SB 1656 designating the SS American Victory as Florida’s official state flagship. All were reported favorably. The committee also considered a slate of appointments, including a separate vote on Jeffrey Aaron to the Public Employees Relations Commission, which was recommended favorably after Senator Polsky objected to the appointment and cited concerns about political ties and prior work. The remaining appointees on tabs 12 through 30 were also recommended favorably. After a recess, the committee took up SB 1296 on the Public Employees Relations Commission, as substituted by a committee PCS. The PCS would change union certification and recertification rules, require stronger showing-of-interest and voting thresholds, limit paid union leave in some cases, require equal access to employer communication spaces, and speed up impasse procedures for state-funded salary increases. The bill drew extensive testimony, with supporters arguing it would improve accountability, transparency, and taxpayer fairness, and opponents—many of them teachers, bus drivers, and other public employees—saying it would weaken collective bargaining, burden workers, and function as union busting. Members raised constitutional concerns about the single-subject rule and collective bargaining protections, and debate was ongoing at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• 14:39.160><c> benefit</c> shared earlier this session benefit shared earlier this session benefit payments
• :14:40.800><c> usage</c><00:14:41.279><c> of</c><00:14:41.440><c> UI</c><00:14:41.880><c> is</c> payments
• and broad-based usage of UI is payments and broad-based usage of UI is increasing<00:14:43.040><c> putting
• said that this measure would ensure workers have a modicum of financial stability, a mere average payment
• </c> reach acceptable contract settlements reach acceptable contract settlements much<00:17:51.360><c

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're not surprised that the reversal of that same policy would reverse the disproportionate gains
• Public hospitals rely heavily on supplemental payments.
• Second, supplemental payments are not mere bonuses for rural hospitals.
• My quick, quick answer is payment.
• My quick, quick answer is a payment.

Transcript Highlights:

• integrity information assessment audits to strengthen oversight and in federal payment integrity information
• We've also seen decisions that have been reversed years later under a different administrative structure
• Regarding that first question, subject to some constraints such as the master settlement agreement, we
• We also received and processed 15 million payments, totaling over $102 billion.
• The 2026-27 fiscal year payment, which is larger, includes $32.8 million for the payment to the solution

Summary: The subcommittee first received an informational update on the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement (GoServe), including California Volunteers, the Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications, and the Youth Empowerment Commission. GoServe reported strong participation in College Corps, Youth Service Corps, and Climate Action Corps, along with outreach results from OCPSC and the Trusted Messenger Network. The Department of Finance said the programs remain a priority but noted prior budget reductions, while the LAO said it had no new recommendations. Committee members raised questions about program diversity, geographic reach, administrative costs, and whether the programs duplicate existing volunteer opportunities; one member criticized the programs as costly and duplicative, while another emphasized the value of volunteerism and asked about the men’s service challenge. The item was informational only. The committee then heard an overview of the Board of Equalization’s property tax responsibilities and its first budget proposals since the 2017 reorganization. BOE described its role in county assessment oversight, state-assessed property valuation, and related tax administration. Members asked about BOE’s interaction with counties, property tax reassessments, and local tax notices; BOE explained it mainly works with county assessors and handles technical property tax questions, while local special district charges are generally outside its scope. The committee also considered a BOE proposal to implement SB 293, which would give additional time for certain intergenerational property tax transfer claims after the 2025 wildfires. BOE requested $154,000 for guidance, public materials, and inquiry response work, saying the change is urgent for wildfire-affected families, especially in Altadena. The LAO had no concerns, and the item was held open. BOE also presented an information technology modernization proposal for its state-assessed property program, seeking $3.2 million in 2026-27 and $3.1 million in 2027-28 to replace a 30-year-old mainframe system. BOE said the current system relies heavily on manual data entry and paper processes, creating inefficiencies, cybersecurity risks, and delays, while modernization would free staff for more audits and valuation studies. The LAO supported the need but urged a high bar for new IT projects; Finance said the project met the threshold of necessity. Members generally supported the upgrade but asked about audit gains, revenue impacts, and implementation risks, and the item was held open. Finally, CDTFA gave its department overview and then discussed a proposal to require all delivery network companies, such as Uber Eats and DoorDash, to be treated as marketplace facilitators for sales tax purposes. CDTFA said the current carve-out creates confusion for restaurants and small businesses because some DNCs collect and remit tax while others do not, and the change would improve compliance and shift reporting to larger platforms. Members debated whether the proposal amounts to a tax increase for consumers, with CDTFA and Finance arguing it is a consistency and compliance measure rather than a new tax, while others said it would likely raise consumer costs. The committee also discussed broader CDTFA issues, including local sales tax districts, revenue-sharing agreements, and the growth of special taxing jurisdictions. No votes were taken, and the agenda items were informational or held open.

Transcript Highlights:

• payments that I'm talking about.
• You shared some examples on increasing the payments and then the payment lag.
• You shared some examples on increasing the payments and then the payment lag.
• That would be the same for the increases in payment? In terms of how are we increasing the payment?
• We believe that eliminating these payments would reverse that progress, and it won't reduce costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• From the General Fund to the Department of General Services for the payment of claims.
• Appropriations Committee or the Senate Appropriations Committee to provide appropriation authority for legal settlements
• claim that may go back to that they have not been improperly cashed and then claimed for another payment
• get those processes but in 21st century financial services check clearance methodologies and stop payments
• These, although the claims date back to payments that were issued or that were that were owed earlier

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 7 is program payments related to fraud. That allows data sharing as well.
• </c><00:08:34.560><c> related</c><00:08:35.120><c> to</c> Section 7 is program payments related to Section
• 7 is program payments related to fraud.<00:08:36.120><c> Uh</c><00:08:36.200><c> that</c><00:08:36.440
• </c> settlement, or other final court order. settlement, or other final court order.
• So we can prosecute it, but we can't turn off payments on the front end or And comes with conditions

Bills: HF2783 , HF2603 , HF2846 , HF2354 , HF1836 , HF2713 , HF1198 , HF1389

Committee: House State Government Finance and Policy

Keywords: state government finance, biennial budget, appropriations, Minnesota Management and Budget, Healthy Aging Subcabinet, Office of Healthy Aging, older adults, aging policy, long-term care, caregivers, public health, Medicaid fraud, medical assistance fraud, attorney general subpoena power, fraud enforcement, business filing fraud, Secretary of State, deceptive mailings, consumer protection, certified public accountant

Transcript Highlights:

• Their own secured just 17 settlements.
• </c><02:37:31.439><c> That</c><02:37:31.600><c> is</c> the state in that settlement.
• That is the state in that settlement.
• And again, JBC reversed it anyway. So spare me.
• </c> JBC reversed it anyway. JBC reversed it anyway.