Transcript Highlights:

• Leadership means confronting the rise of private equity in the child care space.
• We've already cut food budgets, eliminated admin tools, laid off support staff.
• This leads me to staff and retention. Staffing is our biggest challenge.
• I am at 24 hours, so I do need the staff, and I do need the staff to give high-quality care.
• I have a staff that speaks Spanish, so I'll make sure they interpret it for me.

Summary: The California State Assembly Select Committee on Child Care Costs held its first hearing to examine the state of child care access, affordability, and provider compensation. Chair Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and other members described child care as essential infrastructure for working families and the economy, noting that costs are unaffordable for many households and that providers are underpaid. Early testimony came from a San Francisco parent, Quinn Chung, who described the difficulty of finding safe care and the financial and career sacrifices caused by lack of child care, and from Tuolumne County provider Anita Viscini, who detailed her monthly costs, low margins, and the need to work weekends and teach CPR classes to make ends meet. Assemblymembers also emphasized the crisis in rural communities and the need for a long-term strategy. The first policy panel featured Jennifer Troia of the California Department of Social Services, Laura Pryor of the California Budget and Policy Center, and Alexa Frankenberg of Child Care Providers United. Troia said the state has nearly doubled child care funding in five years, expanded subsidy slots, and reached a new tentative three-year agreement with providers that includes cost-of-living adjustments, stabilization payments, and continued work on an alternative rate methodology and single rate structure. Pryor argued that despite funding gains, child care remains too expensive, only a fraction of eligible children receive subsidies, and provider wages remain far below comparable jobs, worsening racial and gender inequities. Frankenberg said the tentative agreement is progress but not enough, calling for a true cost-of-care system, fair wages, paid time off, better support for emergency and nontraditional care, and stronger integration of family child care into the mixed-delivery system. Members asked about why the crisis persists, how the alternative methodology will work, how family fees and sliding-scale help are being used, and why middle-income families still struggle. The panel said the problem reflects long-term underinvestment, a broken market, and a system that still leaves many families without access. The committee also heard an economic panel from Ashley Hoffman of the California Chamber of Commerce and Sarah Bone of the Public Policy Institute of California. Hoffman described employer child care benefits and public-private partnership models in other states, including shared-cost programs and local chamber efforts. Bone said child care costs reduce family financial security and labor force participation, especially for mothers of young children, and estimated that if mothers of young children worked at the same rate as mothers of older children, more than 80,000 additional women could be in the workforce each year. In the final panel, parent and provider advocates, including Jennifer Greppie and Black Californians United for Early Care and Education co-founder Keisha Doyle, argued for fully funding child care, ending waiting lists, protecting culturally affirming care, and addressing racial inequities and private equity’s role in the sector.

Transcript Highlights:

• All members' guests and staff will please rise to recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.
• Well, for starters, that was the option that won the poll among my staff.
• Well, for starters, that was the option that won the poll among my staff.
• every single senator in every single district, and it underscores the diligent work of the dedicated staff
• And our municipalities are struggling to hire firefighters, police officers, DPW staff, employees to

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I AM AFRAID FOR THE YOUNG GIRLS WHOSE GENDER EQUITY PROTECTIONS ARE ALSO LEAVING.
• THIS BILL WILL ALLOW FACULTY AND STAFF TO I AM HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO HB 757.
• THIS BILL WILL ALLOW FACULTY AND STAFF TO CARRY CONCEALED FIREARMS ONTO COLLEGE CAMPUSES.
• PUTS STUDENTS AT RISK AND PUT STUDENTS AND STAFF AND OFFICERS IN GREATER DANGER.
• COLLEGE STAFF IS NOT LAW ENFORCEMENT. THEY DO NOT CHOOSE A CAREER WITH FIREARMS.

Transcript Highlights:

• I have my chief of staff covering the call, Derek Silver. You can see them in the chat.
• I have my chief of staff covering the call, Derek Silver. You can see them in the chat.
• We always think about equity and also power, so I was going to try to let the non-electeds go first.
• And then we have, on April 15th, the Center for Maternal Health Equity convening.
• board, I move that for information sharing, we create a biweekly digest to be funneled through the staff

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission met to reopen its work for the year, with roll call and attendance confirmations followed by remarks from the co-chairs and members. Senator Liz Miranda stepped down as co-chair, citing multiple responsibilities and personal losses, and Senator Adam Gomez was welcomed as the new Senate co-chair. Gomez said he would listen and learn from commissioners and advocates, and both outgoing and incoming leaders emphasized continuing the commission’s work on maternal health, postpartum depression, and equity. Members discussed several current policy and implementation issues. The Department of Public Health reported a new regulation to implement the 2024 midwifery access law, including temporary licenses for licensed certified professional midwives. Commissioners also raised concerns about birthing hospital and inpatient obstetric unit closures, OB-GYN workforce shortages, reimbursement changes, and the need to expand midwifery, doula, and birth center capacity. Other topics included substance use and perinatal mental health supports, the limited $220,000 appropriation for community-based perinatal mental health organizations, and the need for stronger funding in the budget to implement the maternal health law. The commission also focused on future priorities and information sharing. Members suggested more presentations from clinicians, regulators, infant and early childhood mental health experts, and PSI of Massachusetts; greater attention to parent-child relational health and postpartum screening in pediatric settings; and possible commission action such as a letter to the governor on workforce and access issues. The group agreed that there was not enough time to plan a May event and instead would use the commission to publicize related events, including Black Maternal Health Week activities. Commissioners voted to create a biweekly digest for sharing updates, with urgent items to be sent by email, and then adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Just let one of the committee staff know, and we'll add you to the list.
• We have some additional staff, I think, at the table outside as well.
• House 546 / Senate 317 is a necessary step towards educational equity.
• We are going to have to cut staff again next year.
• We are going to have to cut staff again next year.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held a hearing focused primarily on special education-related bills, with testimony centered on two major themes: transition planning for students aging out of school-based services at age 22, and the fiscal strain special education costs place on districts. Committee members explained hearing procedures, noted the House was in formal session, and periodically stepped out for votes while staff recorded testimony. A separate bill on special education due process was also taken up briefly, along with a bill on special education finance and another on equitable access/data reporting. On House Bill 752 and Senate Bill 313, witnesses from the Arc of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress, the Developmental Disabilities Council, families, self-advocates, and Senator Comerford described the “Turning 22” transition as a crisis point that often leaves families without adult placements, services, or clear communication. Testimony emphasized earlier planning, more accountability, better data collection, and a commission to improve coordination and residential placement. Several parents and advocates shared personal accounts of traumatic transitions, delayed placements, and the need for plans to begin at least a year before age 22. The committee later closed testimony on these bills after hearing from all signed-up speakers. House Bill 4217, on special education due process, drew support from Representative Sullivan-Almeida, parents, and advocates who argued that the burden of proof should shift from families to school districts. Testimony described costly legal battles, delays, and parents having to become experts in reading instruction or hire advocates and attorneys to secure services. Brody Dwyer, a 10-year-old student with dyslexia, and his mother described how evidence-based instruction helped him after years of struggle. The committee also heard testimony on House Bill 546/Senate Bill 317, which would require DESE to publish cross-tabulated data on race, disability, gender, income, and other factors; advocates said this would better expose disparities and help address the school-to-prison pipeline. Finally, on House Bill 691/Senate Bill 430, school leaders, educators, and union representatives testified that special education costs are outpacing district budgets and that increasing circuit breaker reimbursement and creating a commission to study long-term sustainability would help prevent staffing cuts and service reductions. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee repeatedly closed testimony on individual bills as speakers finished and moved through the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• , certified staff, sorry.
• Um, I have a staff of about 200 staff. Half of them are classified.
• staff, our... classified staff, our benefits package is a big draw.
• Um, we heard a lot about the idea of arming staff. Uh, what we... The idea of arming staff.
• of our new staff.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not for any particular person, but obviously this administration has seen fit to staff up, certainly
• I first want to take a moment to thank the Ways and Means staff for all of their work.
• I just want to join the ranking member in recognizing our staff, our Ways and Means staff, Kimberly Burr
• We've revised the definition of what diversity, equity, and inclusion means.
• The members and staff of this institution with professionalism, integrity, and dedication.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former Senator Donnell C. Childers, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of Officer Antonio Richardson as law enforcement officer of the day. A quorum was announced, the journal was approved, and the Speaker said the chamber would take up 11 budget conference reports, with debate and final votes on each report. The first report considered was HB 7031E, the tax package, followed by HB 501E, the state budget appropriations bill. On HB 7031E, Chair Duggan explained that the conference report included a range of tax reductions and tax-related changes, including sales tax holidays, property tax and homestead-related provisions, reductions in certain taxes and fees, and new exemptions or administrative clarifications. He said the package also added items such as sales tax relief for certain university construction projects, a tennis admissions exemption, and changes to agricultural property tax treatment, and that the amendment reduced state and local tax revenues by $272.2 million. Members questioned the bill about the child care tax credit reduction from three years to one, the homestead exemption provision for certain diplomats and foreign service personnel, the absence of gas tax relief and combined reporting, and the inclusion of firearm accessories and tennis tickets in sales tax holidays. After structured debate, the House adopted the conference report and passed HB 7031E by a vote of 88-11. The House then began the conference report on HB 501E, the $114.5 billion budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, which was described as below the prior year’s spending level and leaving more than $14 billion in reserves. Subcommittee chairs outlined major allocations across education, higher education, IT, health care, transportation and economic development, justice, state administration, and agriculture/natural resources. Highlights included increased FEFP funding and veteran teacher raises, full funding for Bright Futures, major IT modernization projects, Medicaid and behavioral health funding, transportation and local infrastructure spending, correctional and law enforcement investments, fire station and emergency response funding, and large environmental and water-quality appropriations. Members asked detailed questions about school voucher fraud oversight, scholarship funding, teacher raises, preeminence funding, ADAP changes, SNAP data tools and error rates, Medicaid rate changes, prison wastewater monitoring, and other budget items, but the transcript ends during the budget questions before final action on HB 501E is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to thank the committee staff for their work on the analysis.
• Thank you to the committee staff for working with my office on this bill.
• Chair, members and staff, Don Wilco. Community Builders and strong support.
• Those important social equity and public health outcomes.
• The author said that is not equity, not fair housing, and not sustainable.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development heard a long agenda focused mainly on housing production, higher education facilities, homelessness, and permitting reform. Early items included AB 6, which would direct HCD to convene a working group on allowing three- to ten-unit “missing middle” housing to be built under the Residential Code rather than the Building Code; AB 48, a higher education bond proposal that would fund campus repairs, modernization, disaster recovery, and student/employee housing; and AB 76, which would clarify a Chula Vista university innovation district exemption so the project can include academic buildings and housing without conflicting with surplus land rules. Supporters emphasized affordability, cost savings, student housing needs, and access to education, while members raised questions about implementation, affordability requirements, and project scope. The committee later took votes on these items, with AB 6, AB 48, and AB 76 all moving forward on unanimous or near-unanimous votes to Appropriations. Members also heard AB 595, which would create a state homeownership tax credit pilot to support affordable for-sale housing. The author and supporters argued that California’s homeownership rate is at historic lows and that the bill would help close racial wealth gaps by financing homes working families can buy. The committee approved AB 595 and sent it to Appropriations. The consent calendar, including several other housing-related bills, was also approved unanimously. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to AB 1165, the California Housing Justice Act of 2025, which would require ongoing state investment and a financing plan to address homelessness and housing affordability. The author and witnesses described the scale of homelessness, the limits of one-time funding, and the need for sustained, accountable funding streams. After testimony from housing advocates and people with lived experience, the committee passed AB 1165 on a 10-0 vote to Appropriations. Finally, the committee heard AB 609, a CEQA reform bill that would create a simplified exemption for qualifying infill housing projects in already developed areas. Supporters framed it as a targeted way to reduce delays and costs for housing near jobs and transit, while opponents from environmental justice, labor, and tribal groups warned it could reduce public participation, weaken protections for disadvantaged communities, and create consultation concerns for tribal cultural resources. The author said the bill would not change zoning or affordability tools and would continue to work with opponents on amendments. The bill was moved forward after extensive discussion, with members noting ongoing negotiations on tribal consultation and labor concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• I also want to thank the committee staff for their work on the bill.
• of two compared to a staff of a thousand.
• I first want to thank committee staff for working with my staff and stakeholders on this bill.
• I can let you know that my staff has talked with the Assemblymember's staff to clarify what the information
• Good afternoon, committee chair, staff, and committee members.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with testimony largely focused on transparency, public health, labor enforcement, health privacy, high-speed rail oversight, and antitrust policy. AB 1544, by Assemblymember Crowell, would strengthen transparency and access to courthouses; the author said it was aimed at protecting press and public access, and the bill was pulled pending quorum. AB 1604, by Assemblymember Stephanie, would ban BPA and other bisphenols in thermal receipt paper by 2027-2028; supporters from Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, Californians Against Waste, and a broad coalition argued receipts are a major source of toxic exposure and recycling contamination, while the author said she would continue working with opposition. AB 1859, by Assemblymember Jackson, would let Joint Labor Management Committees visit public works sites to help identify wage and safety violations; labor groups supported it as a low-cost enforcement tool amid a large wage-theft backlog, while contractors and local government groups opposed it as creating private enforcement, liability, and safety concerns. The committee later took up AB 1930, by Assemblymember Burr and sponsored by Attorney General Bonta and Equality California, which would require notice to the Attorney General before certain entities respond to subpoenas or inquiries involving legally protected reproductive or gender-affirming care; supporters framed it as a patient privacy and anti-intimidation measure, while opponents said it would shield providers from scrutiny and interfere with lawful investigations. The bill was approved on a 6-2 vote and placed on call. The consent calendar, including several unrelated bills, was also approved. The committee also heard AB 1584, by Assemblymember Jackson, which would create an Office of Civil Rights within the California Air Resources Board to provide training, language access, and compliance oversight. Supporters said CARB needs a stronger legal framework and dedicated office to enforce civil rights commitments, while an opponent argued CARB already has a civil rights office and should expand existing structures instead of creating a new one. The bill was moved to Appropriations after a roll call vote. AB 1608, by Assemblymember Wilson, would expand the powers and staffing tools of the High-Speed Rail Office of the Inspector General, including public reporting requirements and authority over classifications and purchasing; supporters said stronger independent oversight is needed for the costly project, while opponents criticized the project itself and raised concerns about confidentiality and who should receive reports. The bill was also passed to Appropriations after extended discussion. Finally, AB 1776, by Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry, would revise California antitrust law to address single-firm conduct under the Cartwright Act. Supporters, including small business and labor advocates, argued dominant firms can harm competition and that the bill would protect small businesses and workers; opponents from business, biotech, retail, housing, and other sectors warned it would create legal uncertainty, expand litigation, and chill investment. The transcript ended during that bill’s testimony and debate, before a final vote was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I just wanted to celebrate them and enjoy them, and again, to our Parks and Rec staff.
• This approach mirrors diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives that honor the historic treatment
• Equity ensures that everyone has access to God-given opportunities, and inclusion means that we make
• So let us continue to support women in STEM and value diversity, equity, inclusion, thereby creating
• He held a prominent role as Executive Vice President for a private equity firm.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the voices and leadership of Black women across the country, working collectively to advocate for equity
• To advocate for equity, opportunity, and justice for all.
• California State Senate, and in recognizing their enduring contributions to advancing opportunity, equity
• service servant who served in the state legislature for over 20 years, most recently as a chief of staff
• She spent a lifetime fighting for equity.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• discussed on page 4 of the analysis, I am pleased to present AB 932, which would increase access and equity
• As we prepare for the 2028 LA Olympics, it is imperative that we ensure gender equity for all our Olympic
• Chairman, members of the committee, staff.
• , I've worked with many of you over the years here at the Capitol, and I now serve as the Chief of Staff
• And so I thank you for bringing this bill so that we can have equity.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It was the power to redline neighborhoods and keep Black families from building equity.
• >> TRYING TO GET ME IN TROUBLE WITH MY STAFF.
• It cannot be that the utility companies' return on equity is...
• But I want to speak on Senator Mayer's bill for a minute on the equity portion, because utilities are
• But I want to speak on Senator Mayer's bill for a minute on the equity portion, because utilities are

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the prior journal, received messages and substitutions from the Assembly, and welcomed two new members, Senators Erik Bottcher and Jeremy Zellner. The chamber then adopted the resolution calendar and took up a privileged resolution sponsored by Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins memorializing Governor Hochul to proclaim February 2026 as Black History Month in New York. Senators Bailey, Baskin, Sanders, Scarcella-Spanton, Brisport, Parker, Cleare, Comrie, and others spoke in support, emphasizing Black history as American history, the importance of education and remembrance, and the contributions of Black New Yorkers and historical figures. The resolution was adopted, and the leader opened it for co-sponsorship. The Senate then moved to the bill calendar and passed several measures, including bills on civil procedure, urban development, labor, and public service law. One labor bill was substituted from the Assembly and passed. Several energy and utility-related bills drew debate, with supporters arguing they would improve affordability, utility rate-setting, and consumer protections, while opponents said they would not meaningfully lower costs and instead reflected broader policy choices. Senator Walczyk voted no on one utility bill, and Senators Tedisco and others criticized the package; Senators Mayer and Harckham defended the measures as needed reforms to utility regulation and return-on-equity standards. Most bills were approved by wide margins, including one public service bill that passed 53-9 and another that passed 61-1.

Transcript Highlights:

• This wastes time of health care staff.
• This wastes time of health care staff.
• . for patients, and treatment decisions to untrained insurance phone staff.
• Steward Healthcare is a large private equity firm and for-profit health care system.
• I didn't have a single staff that was from the same country there.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing on 16 bills, with the chairs noting a busy legislative day and asking speakers to keep testimony brief. The committee first heard testimony on Senate 860/House 1405, the Medicare for All bill, with Sen. Jamie Eldridge and many advocates, clinicians, municipal officials, and patients arguing that a single-payer system would make care a right, reduce administrative waste, lower costs, and protect residents from rising premiums, medical debt, and hospital closures. Several speakers cited the Steward hospital crisis, affordability problems, and polling or ballot questions showing public support for single-payer coverage. No vote was taken during the hearing. The committee then took testimony on S. 863, a bill on non-opioid options for chronic pain. Pain specialists, patients, and advocates said the bill would improve care coordination for MassHealth members, expand access to non-opioid medications, require provider education, and collect data on chronic pain. Testifiers described long delays in diagnosis and treatment, stigma toward pain patients, and the need for multidisciplinary care and transportation support. Again, the committee heard testimony only and took no action. A large portion of the hearing focused on H. 1360/S. 869, which would prevent discrimination against people with disabilities in health care. Disability advocates, clinicians, and patients described being denied or delayed care, pressured into DNR orders, or treated based on assumptions about quality of life rather than medical facts. Speakers referenced COVID-era crisis standards of care, discriminatory metrics, and personal stories involving canceled procedures, inadequate accommodations, and poor treatment in hospitals. Committee members thanked speakers for their testimony and said they would review the bill and its implications, but no vote was announced. The committee also heard testimony on H. 1399, an individual Medicare marketplace option for municipal retirees, where supporters said it would give cities and towns a lower-cost alternative for retiree health benefits through HRAs and individual Medicare plans. The hearing then returned to Medicare for All testimony, with additional supporters repeating arguments about cost, access, municipal budget pressure, and the need for global budgeting and universal coverage. The transcript ends with continued testimony and no recorded committee vote or final action on any bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's an April 1 proposal in here for nursing home staff recruitment.
• I'd see if our program staff have anything that they might want to add related to lessons learned from
• Staff is going to just check briefly outside before we move on. ...before we move on.
• So that local health department staff can evaluate the case and enter additional information.
• So we expanded our health department staff significantly.

Summary: The Assembly Subcommittee on Health heard an overview of the California Department of Public Health budget, including a $5.1 billion department budget and 19 non-IT budget change proposals spanning environmental health, healthcare quality, infectious disease, healthy communities, health statistics, preparedness, and laboratory sciences. CDPH also presented estimates for WIC and the Genetic Disease Screening Program, both of which were described as relatively stable, with WIC food costs rising mainly due to inflation and participation holding near 1 million monthly participants. Members and public commenters raised support for several proposals, including funding for the California Reducing Disparities Project, AB 1264 implementation on school food standards, childhood lead poisoning prevention, the hospital bed capacity registry, sickle cell care networks, and WIC protections amid federal policy changes and shutdown-related uncertainty. Dr. Erica Pond then presented the 2026 State of Public Health report, highlighting major gains such as record-low mortality rates, all-time high life expectancy, and the first decline in overdose deaths in 14 years, while warning about persistent disparities in maternal and infant outcomes, rising severe maternal morbidity, and worsening mental and behavioral health trends, especially among younger adults. She emphasized racial and geographic inequities, the role of social drivers like poverty and education, and the importance of prevention investments through the Behavioral Health Services Act. Members discussed the need for upstream public health spending, environmental health preparedness, and how to translate data into action, while public comment largely focused on sustaining community-based prevention and equity programs. In a separate update on federal actions and public health partnerships, Dr. Pond and CDPH staff described California’s response to federal funding threats, vaccine policy changes, and measles outbreaks. They outlined new collaborations such as the West Coast Health Alliance, the Governor’s Public Health Alliance, the WHO outbreak network, and the FACT Coalition, along with CDPH’s process for reviewing and updating immunization and preventive service recommendations under AB 144. Members questioned the rise in measles and declining vaccination coverage, and CDPH said it is using trusted messengers and tailored outreach while continuing to evaluate federal recommendations. The committee then heard an ADAP estimate showing lower projected budget authority needs due to reduced caseload and one-time funding expiring, followed by public support for using ADAP rebate funds to expand HIV prevention, PrEP, testing, and disease intervention staffing. The final issue focused on public health information technology systems, including Sapphire, CalReady, CalConnect, CARE, MyTurn, MyCAVAC, and the digital vaccine record. CDPH explained how these systems support disease reporting, contact tracing, immunization tracking, vaccine ordering, and outbreak response, while the Department of Finance said only Sapphire and CalReady are funded in the Governor’s budget and the rest are under review because of the state’s budget deficit and declining utilization. Local health department representatives strongly opposed losing the systems, arguing that lower usage reflects post-pandemic conditions and that the tools save staff time, improve outbreak response, and prevent a return to manual spreadsheets and phone calls. Members echoed concern that cutting the systems would undermine public health capacity and waste prior state investment, and urged the administration to present a funding plan that matches its stated commitment to public health.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's because of collaboration with everybody and of our incredible staff.
• It is an honor to be here with all of you in the audience, the staff, and the committee to hear some
• break is needed, I may call a recess at any time to be considerate of the committee members and the staff
• I'm excited to be here and looking forward to working with all of the committee members and staff.
• They have to hire more administrative staff to see which parts of the GRT they are or are... ...hire

Bills: SB12, SB13

Keywords: tax credit, physician, healthcare, income tax, rural health, tax deduction, gross receipts, coinsurance, managed care, 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that the reach of the social equity provisions reach all those who were intended to benefit.
• </c><00:03:37.200><c> provisions</c> reach of the social equity provisions reach of the social equity
• </c> uh keep or preserve the social equity uh keep or preserve the social equity the<00:28:06.080><c>
• ><c> has</c><00:28:08.480><c> been</c> the equity principles that uh has been the equity principles that
• </c> related to the uh social equity related to the uh social equity applicants<01:37:43.280><c> talking

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And as always, want to thank our entire Judiciary Committee staff for keeping us all prepared and ready
• Again, I really want to thank the committee staff, Tom specifically, for working with us on this common
• First, I want to thank the committee staff for all the work over the fall on this issue as we explore
• I have a capital stack of equity and debt, and debt are discretionary. Investment is a choice.
• Thank you so much to the author for taking the time to meet several times with me and my staff.

Summary: The Assembly Judiciary Committee heard several housing- and courts-related bills. AB 768, by Assemblymember Avila Farias, would close a loophole in mobile home rent control by excluding homes not used as permanent residences, such as vacation or short-term rental use. Supporters said it would preserve affordability for full-time residents while preventing wealthy second-home owners from benefiting from rent control; a nonprofit housing operator asked for a technical amendment to avoid conflicts with tax-exempt bond restrictions. The bill was moved and passed as amended. AB 1359, by Assemblymember Arambula, would let people age 80 and older request a permanent jury-service excuse without providing a doctor’s note. Supporters from the California Senior Legislature said the current medical-note requirement is burdensome and unnecessary, while some members raised concerns about reducing older adults’ participation on juries and suggested the exemption should be more flexible or reversible. After discussion, the bill passed to Appropriations. AB 1406, by Assemblymember Ward, would raise the cap on liquidated damages in new condominium pre-sale contracts from 3% to 10% to help developers finance condo projects and increase for-sale housing production. Developers and housing advocates argued the change would improve financing and make more condos feasible, while realtors and consumer advocates warned it would shift too much risk onto buyers, especially first-time homebuyers. Committee members expressed mixed views and asked for stronger consumer protections; the author said he was open to further amendments, and the bill was held open with the roll call not fully completed in the excerpt. The committee also began hearing AB 1157, by Chair Kalra, which would lower and make permanent the rent cap under the Tenant Protection Act and extend protections to single-family home renters, but the transcript excerpt mainly captures extensive public support testimony and the author’s opening presentation, with no final vote shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• , including as a leader of the social equity caucus.
• > judiciary, and law enforcement, and judiciary, and law enforcement, and social<00:04:00.400><c> equity
• , including as a leader of social equity, including as a leader of the<00:04:02.400><c> social</c><00
• :04:02.800><c> equity</c><00:04:03.160><c> caucus.
• </c> the social equity caucus. the social equity caucus.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• myself, or if you go on to the legislative website, you'll see the committee email address, and our staff
• The equity we should have had since buying that house has been lost. This is a consumer nightmare.
• Yeah, just trying to figure out my staff, and I was looking at this last week.
• That's well in excess of the equity that we have on our home.
• I'm going to have my staff just kind of take a look at it and maybe send you a message here.

Bills: S3091, H5477

Keywords: crumbling concrete, pyrite, pyrrhotite, homeowner assistance, financial relief, CEDAC, construction, insurance surcharge, foundation repair, Massachusetts, 1212, all