Transcript Highlights:

• Both briefs and the materials for today's hearing are posted on the committee web page.
• He said safe, secure, accessible elections matter, that these decisions can have a big impact now and
• Um, we talk a lot down here about safe, secure, accessible elections, and I think these decisions like
• Um, we talk a lot down here about safe, secure, accessible elections, and I think these decisions like
• Um, we talk a lot down here about safe, secure, accessible elections, and I think these decisions like

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• to that area as providing easy access to that area as well<01:03:57.359> as<01:03:57.520>
• to resources and provides us access to resources and Intel<01:04:21.599> of<01:04:21.799>
• By doing that, as well as accessing federal funds, the 220 D4, which is a funding source that kind of
• <02:20:59.560> you right there and then accessibility you right there and then accessibility
• work with nonprofits that can access work with nonprofits that can access money<02:24:06.520>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and family therapy from accessing and family therapy from accessing medical<02:31:31.560> therapy
• <03:26:18.439> gender because I couldn't access gender because I couldn't access gender affirming
• it is a bill that would eliminate access it is a bill that would eliminate access to<05:14:44.920
• <05:32:36.440> to transgender people and access to transgender people and access to healthcare
• about how people can or cannot access about how people can or cannot access health<05:47:02.000>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• session that has recommendations. based on the results of that study so that our leaders always have access
• They would not have access to the resources and tools that we're able to provide our educators as they
• Maintained that they are accessible for public review.
• , travel accessibility legislation. as well as safety and security measures that enhance travel across
• Our other major education program is called Web Society.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, while it's fantastic for access to care, the increases, unfortunately.
• Web administrator 32 program specialist 3s.
• Um, any, anything we can do to lower costs and increase access to healthcare in the state of Texas, uh
• So research highlights that barriers such as limited, uh, mental health access, cultural stigma, and
• those services because of, um, cultural stigma associated with it, uh, with accessing mental health

Transcript Highlights:

• that all hearing materials, including the agenda background and handouts, are posted and can be accessed
• on the Senate Transportation Committee web page.
• It is about expanding labor markets, increasing housing access, and creating new economic opportunities

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held an informational hearing on the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s 2026 draft business plan, with testimony from the authority, the Legislative Analyst’s Office, and the High-Speed Rail Inspector General. Chair Cortese framed the hearing around major changes since the 2024 plan, including a new CEO, revised scope for the Merced-to-Bakersfield initial operating segment, the loss of about $4 billion in federal funds, and the authority’s push for private investment, value capture, and public-private partnerships. The authority’s CEO said the project is now in a more disciplined phase, with most major structures in the Central Valley underway or complete, track procurement moving forward, and an updated target of revenue service for the initial operating segment by early 2033. He also highlighted cost-saving “optimization,” direct procurement of materials, and plans to pursue ancillary revenues from real estate, energy, broadband, and logistics. Committee members pressed the authority on several issues, including proposed station relocations in Merced and Bakersfield, reduced double-tracking, the need for tax increment or other value-capture tools, utility relocation authority, permitting delays, transparency, and whether the project can still qualify as true high-speed rail. The CEO said the station locations are still under discussion with local governments, that the project will still be built to high-speed standards, and that the authority is seeking legislative changes to reduce delays and enable financing. Senators also questioned the loss of federal funds, the use of future cap-and-invest revenues, and the feasibility of private financing; the authority said the project can proceed without the withdrawn federal money but that it will keep applying for grants and exploring ways to bring future revenue forward. LAO and the Inspector General were sharply critical of the draft plan. They said it does not fully comply with newer statutory requirements in SB 198 and AB 377, especially because it assumes a different Merced station location and a largely single-track segment without clearly identifying those as scope changes. They also said the plan omits key funding details, including borrowing costs that could total billions, and relies on assumptions about future legislative changes, financing, and project savings that may not materialize. The Inspector General said the draft plan falls short on required business-plan elements, including comparable cost estimates, a complete funding plan, and projected procurement milestones. In response, the authority committed to address the OIG’s findings in the final business plan and to provide a written response on compliance before the plan is finalized.

Transcript Highlights:

• that all hearing materials, including the agenda background and handouts, are posted and can be accessed
• on the Senate Transportation Committee web page.
• It is about expanding labor markets, increasing housing access, and creating new economic opportunities

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held an informational hearing on the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s 2026 draft business plan, with testimony from the authority, the Legislative Analyst’s Office, and the High-Speed Rail Inspector General. Chair Cortese framed the hearing around the project’s recent changes: a new CEO, revised delivery strategy, loss of federal funds, renewed interest in private financing and value capture, and proposed adjustments to the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment. He also raised concerns about statutory compliance, transparency, and whether the draft plan fully reflects required elements and true costs and timelines. Authority CEO Ian Chaudhry said the project has made substantial construction progress in the Central Valley and is moving toward track installation, with the state’s $1 billion annual cap-and-invest funding providing a stable base. He argued the plan uses design optimization, direct procurement of materials, and revised sequencing to reduce costs and support an early operating segment by about 2032-33. He also promoted broader commercialization of the corridor through real estate, energy, broadband, logistics, and public-private partnerships, saying private sector interest is now real. Several senators pressed him on station locations, tax increment financing, utility relocation authority, permitting delays, transparency, and whether the project can realistically reach Los Angeles and San Francisco on the current timeline and budget. The LAO and Inspector General were more skeptical. LAO analyst Helen Kirstine said the draft plan assumes major scope changes, including a shorter segment, a Merced station outside downtown, more single-tracking, and several statutory changes that have not yet been enacted. She warned that the plan may not comply with recent legislative requirements, that funding may still be insufficient even for the reduced segment, and that borrowing against future cap-and-invest revenues is risky because those revenues are uncertain and volatile. Inspector General Ben Belknap said the draft plan fails to comply with newer statutory requirements, especially regarding the Merced-to-Bakersfield scope, the funding plan, and missing procurement milestone dates. He said the presentation obscures cost increases and schedule delays and limits the Legislature’s ability to compare current estimates with prior reports. Committee members generally supported continued oversight and some form of project delivery reform, but several expressed concern that the plan relies on legislative changes that have not been approved and on private financing that may not materialize. Chaudhry said the authority would address the Inspector General’s findings in the final business plan and continue to pursue federal grants, private capital, and corridor commercialization. No vote was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• that all hearing materials, including the agenda background and handouts, are posted and can be accessed
• on the Senate Transportation Committee web page.
• It is about expanding labor markets, increasing housing access, and creating new economic opportunities

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held an informational hearing on the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s 2026 draft business plan and next steps for the project. Chair Cortese opened by noting major changes since the 2024 plan, including new leadership, a bottoms-up review, scope changes in the Central Valley, loss of federal funds, and renewed interest in private investment and value capture. The Authority’s CEO, Ian Chaudhary, presented the project as moving into a construction and track-laying phase, citing progress on Central Valley structures, right-of-way acquisition, utility relocations, and a new procurement for track and systems. He said the plan reflects a more disciplined, optimized approach, with the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment targeted for revenue service around 2033 and the broader Phase 1 corridor envisioned as commercially viable through ancillary revenues, public-private partnerships, and future private financing. Committee members questioned the Authority about station relocations, single-tracking, tax increment financing, utility relocation authority, transparency, and the feasibility of private financing. Chaudhary said the Merced and Bakersfield station locations were still under discussion with local governments and that no contracts had been finalized. He defended the reduced scope and single-track approach as a just-in-time strategy to avoid overbuilding, while maintaining high-speed standards. He also said the Authority was exploring land value capture, broadband, energy, and other corridor-based revenue sources, but acknowledged that some tools would require legislative action and that private financing options were still being evaluated. Several senators expressed support for the project but raised concerns about permitting delays, local opposition, constitutional and statutory limits, and the need for stronger accountability. The Legislative Analyst’s Office and the High-Speed Rail Inspector General then gave critical assessments of the draft plan. LAO staff said the plan assumes major statutory changes, understates risk, lacks transparency about scope changes, and may not fully fund even the smaller Merced-to-Bakersfield segment once borrowing costs and other uncertainties are considered. Inspector General Ben Belknap said the draft plan does not comply with newer statutory requirements in SB 198 and AB 377, citing three main deficiencies: unauthorized scope changes to the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment, an inadequate funding plan that omits financing costs, and missing procurement milestone dates. He said the Authority’s presentation obscures the true cost and schedule impacts of the project changes, and that incomplete reporting limits legislative oversight. The Authority responded that it would address the OIG’s findings in the final business plan, and committee members indicated they expected a written response on compliance issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• A Fair Plan is for the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements plan.
• Crazy terrain and access to the site is really difficult in some areas too.
• Art De La Cruz Paintings Madam Chair, members of the committee, it also is a question of access.
• And that image that you see there on the right, which looks rather like a spider web, is about flame
• I apologize, Otero was 44, so we really do have an insurance access crisis, I think, in New Mexico.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, I am grateful that we are not in a lost suit regarding our health care access for our prison
• And so the access to weapons and the use of weapons is definitely skyrocketing. for them.
• On the back end of that all of our data we have access to that data and we want to be able to plan for
• to hospitals or clinics, 40.2% reported insufficient access to hospitals or clinics. efficient access
• to clean or potable water, and 34.5% had insufficient or non-existent. access to grocery stores.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• where that whole issue happen even thing where that whole issue happen even thing where even Hayes web
• the district attorney even Hayes web the district attorney even Hayes web the district attorney there

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Beth has given you access to all these slides and to this information.
• Beth has given you access to all these to the slides and to this information.
• And so they have greater access to care. And we think that's why that is happening.
• And I think, you know, that's fair because that's supported by data, open access, open appropriate access
• So, I mean, you think about that not only in access, but the importance of prevention.

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes and then heard a detailed annual presentation from Dr. Thomas Arnold, chair of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, on maternal mortality trends and review findings. He explained the committee’s structure, the de-identified review process, and the distinction between pregnancy-associated and pregnancy-related deaths. He said national maternal mortality has declined from its 2021 peak, but mental health conditions, substance use, overdose, suicide, cardiovascular disease, hemorrhage, infection, and embolism remain major causes. He emphasized that many deaths are preventable, with especially high rates among non-Hispanic Black women and in the American Indian/Alaska Native population, and noted that a large share of deaths occur after 42 days postpartum. Committee members asked about suicide, domestic abuse, pregnancy testing in unexplained deaths, and the role of home births and midwife training. Dr. Arnold said the committee is adding a caseworker, exploring post-mortem pregnancy testing in suspicious cases, and working with coroners and forensic officials; he also said home births and untrained midwifery pose safety concerns and that better public education and facility-based care are important. The committee then heard from State Fire Marshal Dr. Matt Clark on cigarette ignition propensity standards and fire prevention. He recommended updating North Dakota’s cigarette ignition legislation to the current national standard and also considering legislation requiring fast-breakaway oxygen tubing, citing fatal fires involving smoking around home oxygen. He explained that his office verifies manufacturer testing and maintains certification for cigarettes sold in the state, but does not itself conduct the testing. Members asked about implementation, cost, and whether the standards apply in tribal communities; Clark said he would follow up with cost information and additional details, and that he had not seen evidence of a major issue on tribal lands but would look further. Christine Greff of the Department of Health and Human Services presented the North Dakota Stroke System of Care report. She described the statewide network of two comprehensive stroke centers, four primary stroke centers, and 30 acute stroke-ready hospitals, along with the stroke registry and quality-improvement efforts. She reported that most strokes are ischemic, that the median stroke patient age is 71.5, and that common risk factors include hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, and diabetes. She highlighted improvements in door-to-CT, thrombolytic treatment times, dysphagia screening, EMS pre-notification, and interfacility transfer performance, and said new priorities include hemorrhagic stroke quality measures and standardized EMS stroke screening tools. Members asked about the VA hospital’s participation, and Greff said she would pursue outreach. After a break, the committee heard testimony from Taha Khan of Vertex Pharmaceuticals as part of the prior authorization study, focused on non-opioid pain treatment. He argued that prior authorization can delay access to acute pain treatment and may push patients toward opioids, especially in the critical 24- to 72-hour post-discharge window. He cited data showing that even short opioid exposure can increase the risk of long-term use and said prior authorization is often a barrier for physicians and patients. Khan recommended open access with a quantity limit rather than prior authorization, suggesting a 14-day limit supported by the product’s data and an episode-of-care approach. Members asked about dental use, payer discussions, and cost; he said the product’s wholesale acquisition cost is about $16.10 per tablet, with patient assistance available, and that he would follow up on payer and comparison-cost questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Improve accessibility and community engagement.
• I think it was a great process in many ways. new web page.
• And we can also talk about it in terms of things like timeliness of access to services.
• to information, and we need more ways to access that information.
• We mentioned making sure that respite can have access.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services held a hearing on developmental services, rehabilitation, and related supports, with no votes taken. The first major topic was the Master Plan for Developmental Services. Administration officials described a year-long, community-driven process that included a steering committee, work groups, and statewide engagement sessions, and said the final draft would be released that Friday with about 170 recommendations. The Department of Developmental Services said the plan would inform future work, but did not offer a detailed implementation roadmap. The LAO said the plan contains significant policy and budget implications, may require statutory changes, and needs further analysis to turn recommendations into actionable proposals. Advocates and regional center representatives urged the Legislature and administration to avoid letting the plan sit on a shelf, called for prioritization and ongoing stakeholder oversight, and emphasized the need to address equity, workforce, service coordination, and cross-system collaboration. The chair said he wanted to work with the LAO on trailer bill language and future reporting to create a clearer path forward. The second topic was the Office of Employment First and competitive integrated employment. Administration witnesses said California has ended subminimum wage under SB 639, but that moving people into competitive integrated employment remains a major priority. They described existing efforts such as DDS’s coordinated career pathways pilot, paid internships, job development services, benefits counseling, and DOR’s career counseling and referral services, along with pilot projects in San Diego and Orange County. The State Council on Developmental Disabilities and advocates argued that employment outcomes have remained stuck at roughly 15% and that a dedicated Employment First Office is needed to coordinate across agencies, align goals, and improve outcomes. The LAO recommended regular legislative oversight on people transitioning out of subminimum wage and asked for technical assistance on coordinated career pathways. The chair criticized the administration’s decision to effectively eliminate funding for the office, requested a detailed implementation timeline and quarterly transition reports, and said the committee would continue pressing for the office to be implemented. The final issue was respite services, utilization trends, and access. DDS reported that in-home respite use and spending have risen sharply over several years, with about 150,000 people using respite in 2023-24 and expenditures reaching about $1 billion. Officials said access depends on families knowing the service exists, service coordinators identifying need, and having enough providers, especially in rural and linguistically diverse communities. The San Diego Regional Center said utilization generally mirrors statewide trends, but access is stronger in some areas, such as Imperial County, where families often prefer family-directed or agency-supported models that allow them to hire trusted workers. Committee members emphasized the importance of respite for family health and caregiver well-being, asked whether service coordinators are asking practical questions about sleep and stress, and discussed the need for better identification of complex behavioral and medical needs. DDS said a standardized family support tool and updated IPP process are intended to improve consistency, transparency, and person-centered assessment for respite and related services.

Transcript Highlights:

• and you need accommodations to access your education.
• your you need accommodations to access your education.
• the EFA program in order to access. the EFA program in order to access.
• So, how do we access that and how do we help these districts that do it?
• >> But he wasn't talking about school. >> I went and looked that up on the web and talked.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The commission meeting focused on reviewing and correcting draft minutes and then working through a draft report on the cost of special education. Members made mostly clerical corrections, including clarifying references to Spalding, fixing acronyms such as LETRS, and cleaning up membership titles and appointee roles to match SB 57. The minutes were approved as amended, with some members abstaining because they were not present at the prior meeting. The chair also noted the commission’s deadline to complete findings and recommendations by July 1 and said the final report must be delivered to legislative leaders, the governor, the state librarian, and others. The main substantive discussion centered on the report’s findings about special education funding. Members agreed the report should emphasize that the commission was created to study the cost of special education and reduce reliance on local property taxes. One draft section described FY24 special education funding as coming from three primary state and federal sources totaling about $152 million, or roughly 15% of annual costs, with the remaining 85% paid by local school districts through property tax revenue, estimated at about $825 million. Members discussed adding historical or longitudinal data to show trends over time, and some suggested attaching charts or tables showing funding over the last 20 to 30 years. A second major topic was demographic data. The draft noted that statewide K-12 enrollment has declined since 2003 while the number and share of students with IEPs has increased. Members questioned whether the data compared like with like, especially given the growth of Education Freedom Accounts and charter school enrollment, and whether the figures included or excluded those students. Several members asked for clearer sourcing from the Department of Education and suggested keeping a list of unresolved questions, including the impact of the shift from ADMA to ADMR and the effect of the EFA program. The discussion ended with agreement to continue refining the report and to gather additional attachments and clarifications before finalizing recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Lucas, Representative Web, here. Representative Weber, here.

Bills: SF0114, SF0102, SF0117

Keywords: elections, Wyoming House of Representatives, state representatives, multi-member districts, county-based districts, party list voting, list voting, proportional representation, Jefferson method, greatest divisors method, ranked choice voting, RCV, primary elections, party conventions, minor parties, major parties, ballot design, apportionment, redistricting, nomination procedures

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Representative Bromley, District 162, which is Southwest Missouri, Web City, Carthage Junction, and

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• individuals who intend to use, sell, or transfer stolen checks, which are often trafficked on the dark web

Transcript Highlights:

• I have readily accessible all conditions. of their bail.
• Castro had difficulty accessing information.
• And I felt that I should have access to this.
• For one, my understanding, or what I see, these perpetrators, they have access. access to the internet
• Access Advocacy Project.

Bills: HB47, HB1552, HB1686, HB1953, HB2151, HB2355, HB2582, HB2697, HB2895, HB3073, HB3418, HB47

Keywords: sexual assault, victim rights, forensic examination, medical care, trauma-informed care, crime victims compensation, evidence retention, child sexual abuse material, child pornography, digital services, reporting requirements, children's protection, sex offender registration, indecent assault, educator-student relationship, criminal justice, legislation, crime victims, compensation fund, information disclosure

Transcript Highlights:

• I have readily accessible all conditions of their bail. That's accessible. That's transparent.
• some quirky reason, you can't get access to someone who's on parole.
• Castro had difficulty accessing information.
• So there's a lot of ways that they can have access that they can actually.
• Now my personal data is circulating on the dark web. Still no protection.

Bills: HB47

Keywords: HB 47, Texas Tax Code, ad valorem taxes, property tax, voter-approval tax rate, tax rate election, taxing unit, injunction, taxpayer rights, property owner, local government finance, tax refund, attorney's fees, court costs, voter-approved tax increase, tax reform, municipal taxes, county taxes, school district taxes, bond election

Transcript Highlights:

• Finance Agency on accessible housing.
• establish a task force on accessible establish a task force on accessible housing.
• <00:24:49.200> to language would be to expand access to language would be to expand access
• corporations who would like to access corporations who would like to access both<00:24:55.520>
• <00:59:45.200> In ...barriers to accessing home ownership.

Keywords: 1183, house