Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, Madam Chair, will you call the roll? Today, Representative Wiox, here.
• I'm going to call up—Madam Clerk, will you please call up the first bill?
• I have before you House Bill 108, Sunset on the Board of Examiners of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology
• I put the cart before the horse. All in favor? Any opposed? All right, passes. Thank you. In favor?
• Thank you. You may present your... ...You may present your...

Bills: HB25 , HB108 , HB109 , HB111 , HB112 , HB113 , HB117 , HB118 , HB119 , HB120 , HB121 , HB122 , HB124 , HB126 , HB127 , HB128 , HB129 , HB130 , HB131 , HB25

Committee: House Boards, Agencies and Commissions

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• And as you dig into the science and as you dig into the research, you realize that our current way of
• You can call me Yishan or Sue, whatever is convenient.

Summary: The hearing of the Select Committee on Alternative Protein Innovation was held at UC Davis and focused on how alternative proteins can support California agriculture, the bioeconomy, and farmers. Opening remarks from UC Davis leaders and committee members emphasized the university’s food science, fermentation, and sustainability strengths, and the state’s prior investments of $5 million for UC alternative protein research and an additional $1 million for ICAMP. Members framed the topic as a way to grow new markets, keep more value in-state, and address climate, food security, and commercialization challenges. The first panel featured Sana Beg of the Plant-Based Foods Institute, who argued that California agriculture and alternative proteins are complementary, not competing, and stressed that farmers are essential to the sector. She highlighted the need for ingredient processing capacity, technical assistance for growers, and predictable demand through public procurement, including schools, hospitals, and state facilities. Committee members asked about financing and market development, and Beg said guaranteed loans, grants, and state- and USDA-backed support could help de-risk investment and build the supply chain. The second panel focused on research and development. Beam Circular described the circular bioeconomy in the San Joaquin Valley, including efforts to turn agricultural residues into higher-value products, build shared infrastructure, and expand workforce training. ICAMP and UC ANR described UC Davis-centered research, pilot facilities, and a proposed plant innovation center to bridge lab-scale work to commercial manufacturing. USDA researchers discussed using byproducts such as brewer’s spent grain, tomato pomace, lima beans, and chickpeas for new food ingredients. Members repeatedly emphasized the importance of public R&D funding, consumer acceptance, and food-grade scale-up facilities. The final panel highlighted company perspectives from Optimized Foods and Blue Diamond Growers. Optimized Foods described using fungi fermentation to convert almond hulls, cocoa waste, and tomato pomace into protein-rich ingredients and stabilized nutrients. Blue Diamond outlined its grower cooperative model, sustainability practices, almond ingredient portfolio, and the Sacramento almond innovation center. No formal votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with discussion centered on research, commercialization, infrastructure, and market-building for California-grown alternative protein products.

Transcript Highlights:

• Like look at you guys. You guys are fierce and you guys stick up, stand up for what you believe in.
• Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, request for a call in response.
• Divine Nine you know as they were being Divine Nine you know as they were being called<01:33:25.280><
• </c><01:37:15.920><c> The</c><01:37:16.080><c> motion</c><01:37:16.400><c> before</c> you, Representative
• The motion before you, Representative.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you.
• to you on that.
• Members, and thank you, thank you, Madam Chair.
• Members, and thank you, thank you, Madam Chair.
• couldn't that you couldn't fly over there was two that you could and one that you couldn't and it was

Summary: The caucus reviewed a long calendar of bills spanning health care, education, tax, elections, firearms, and public safety. HB 283, as amended, would require diabetes-related supplies and monitoring equipment to be covered for people with diabetes. SB 1126 would require schools to provide records and information to Department of Child Safety caseworkers and allow school employees to speak with DCS investigators; it was on consent, though some members said they wanted to study it further. SB 1210 would require certain out-of-state private postsecondary institutions to register with the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education to protect students, especially those taking online courses. SCR 1006, which would create causes of action related to restroom, changing facility, and pronoun policies in schools, drew strong opposition and was requested to be pulled from consent. Several tax and property bills were discussed. HB 2308 would prohibit dental insurers from owning dental practices, and members noted the committee and Senate had not supported it. SB 1294 would clarify county assessors’ authority to prorate destroyed property for property tax purposes; members said they were still researching whether the bill was necessary. SB 1430, the Tax Corrections Act of 2026, would make technical tax changes and remove redundant language, but members said they wanted Department of Revenue-requested corrections restored. SB 1049 would cap spousal maintenance at four years and change the factors used in setting support; it was pulled from consent. SB 1053 would reduce concealed weapons permit fees for Arizona residents, and members raised concerns about state fee impacts and asked to pull it. The caucus also considered several election and public safety measures. SB 1006 would allow campaign committees to aggregate donations under $200 instead of $100, but members questioned the higher threshold and pulled it. SB 1029 would address committee termination after a candidate’s death. SB 1038 would make cast vote records public, and SB 1057 would add fraud countermeasures for paper ballots; both were noted as vetoed in the prior year. SB 1237 would require the Secretary of State to consult county recorders and legislative election leaders before issuing the elections procedures manual. Other measures included SB 1058, which would restrict government recordkeeping on firearms and merchant category codes and was pulled after members cited a prior veto, SB 1093 on riot, conspiracy, and racketeering definitions, SB 1160 limiting drone operations near ticketed entertainment events with public safety arguments offered in support, and SB 1211 expanding lifetime injunction eligibility for aggravated harassment involving domestic violence. The caucus ended by moving into closed session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Dolan, before you leave, can I just ask you a question?
• Dolan, before you leave, can I just ask you a question?
• </c> came before us thank you madam came before us thank you madam chair<01:30:00.040><c> any</c><01:
• Senator Dahms, thank you, Madam Chair, and this did you call it ho...
• you call it HSO?

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, aligned with the goals you saw before, aligned with the project bands you saw before, and broken
• Are you involved before they buy the land, or are you...
• I knew the answer to that for you before you said it. But what do you replace it with, I guess?
• So for us, you guys have seen this before, but I just want to kind of point it out before I get to the
• Before we, you know, we still have that.

Summary: The committee received several informational reports from NDIT and DPI. Justin Data reviewed the quarterly major IT project portfolio, noting the portfolio was slightly under budget and behind schedule overall, with three red schedule items: Bed Management System and Vital Records were essentially complete and being closed out, and the Roadway Capital Planning Project was delayed by vendor bug fixes after testing. He also summarized recent project startups and closeouts, including the Victim Notification System, Medicaid data exchange, Highway Patrol’s motor carrier permit system, and several completed HHS and RIMS projects. Members asked for follow-up on ADA compliance work, the public-facing RIO website, and the state’s mainframe retirement timeline, and staff agreed to provide updates later. Craig Falkley reported on coordination of services with political subdivisions and higher education, including StageNet, cybersecurity, radio/911 services, and PeopleSoft coordination. He also explained distributed ledger technology as a tool for transparency and fraud prevention, but said it is not widely used in state government and suggested the report be modernized to focus more broadly on emerging technologies such as AI and cybersecurity. The committee generally agreed that the topic should be updated. Chris Gurgan presented the mandatory cybersecurity incident reporting program created by HB 1314, explaining how agencies and political subdivisions report incidents through NDIT’s website or service desk. He said 77 incidents had been reported since 2021, 47 met the statutory definition, and most were phishing-related; most reported incidents were resolved, with one recent ransomware matter still open. He also reviewed notable incidents since the last report, including the PowerSchool compromise, a SimpleHelp intrusion at a school district, a court intrusion, a WSUS vulnerability, a business email compromise, and a recent ransomware incident involving a non-state critical infrastructure entity. Members asked about recovery of stolen funds, early warning signs, smishing, training, MFA, conditional access, and cybersecurity maturity assessments; Gurgan said the state uses MFA and conditional access, provides awareness training to state employees, and would return with more information on maturity assessments. Tony Ambrose then updated the committee on the K-12 student information system bridge project. He said district implementation of Infinite Campus had begun statewide, but the data migration vendor originally selected was terminated for poor performance and replaced by Aurora Educational Technology, which had experience with similar statewide migrations. He also said DPI is migrating special education data from Tynet into Infinite Campus, and that some SLDS-based tools such as e-transcripts and Choice Ready may not function exactly as they do now at July 1, requiring interim or alternative solutions. Members raised concerns about summer school disruptions, the timing of the cutover, and whether the new system would support existing reporting and transcript functions; DPI said it was working on identity, authentication, data-sharing agreements, and post-go-live integrations, and would continue to refine the plan beyond June 30.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today we have before you House Bill 483, which is manufacturing.
• Having waived close, Amy, would you please call the roll? Chair Salsman? Yes.
• And so I know I was harassing many of you at the softball game last night and calling you.
• Oh, having waived close, Amy, would you please call the roll? Chair Salzman? Yes.
• Oh, having waived close, Amy, would you please call the roll? Chair Salzman? Yes.

Summary: The Housing, Agriculture, and Tourism Subcommittee heard five bills and reported all of them favorably. House Bill 827, by Rep. Anderson, would require online real estate listings to disclose estimated ad valorem taxes based on the listing price rather than the seller’s current taxes, to reduce surprise tax increases for homebuyers. The bill drew support from the Property Appraisers Association of Florida, the Florida League of Cities, and the Florida Association of Counties, and passed unanimously after a technical amendment. House Bill 483, by Rep. Cobb, aimed to support Florida’s manufacturing sector by formally recognizing the chief manufacturing officer, creating a workforce development grant program, launching a voluntary promotional campaign for Florida-made products and manufacturing careers, and requiring biennial reporting. The bill received broad support from manufacturing, economic development, and business groups, was amended with technical cleanup language, and passed unanimously. House Bill 675, by Leader Driscoll, sought to expand affordable housing efforts by limiting Live Local Act incentives to affordable housing, extending affordability periods from 30 to 50 years, lowering the income cap for eligible units, and eliminating documentary stamp taxes for certain first-time homebuyers. After two amendments and supportive testimony from United Way Suncoast, the bill passed on a party-line style roll call with all members voting yes or excused. House Bill 495, by Rep. Albert, transferred golf course best management practices certification from the Department of Environmental Protection to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services without changing the underlying BMP requirements. After an amendment clarified that all BMPs remain in place, the Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association testified in support, and the bill passed unanimously. House Bill 1497, by Rep. Hunschofsky, revised the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program by narrowing eligibility to lower-income associations, removing a coastal-only requirement, and tying grants to completion of opening protection for all common elements; two amendments further refined eligibility and grandfathered pending applications. The Community Associations Institute supported the measure, and it also passed unanimously. The committee ended with remarks about the prior night’s softball game and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:45.160><c> you</c><00:09:45.360><c> take</c><00:09:45.480><c> your</c> before you take your before
• Thank you, Miss Fitz Simmons. Are there any questions for these testifiers before we move on?
• Are there any questions for Miss Donahue before she leaves? Not seeing any, thank you.
• Before you know it, it's a full-time assistant.
• </c> start out as a halftime assistant before start out as a halftime assistant before you<00:59:03.480

Bills: HF2254 , HF2302 , HF2502 , HF2315 , HF2475 , HF2086

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• see before you.
• see before you.
• So not all revenue you see before you.
• </c><01:12:16.719><c> it</c> um several um you you might even call it um several um you you might even
• Thank you. And gentlemen, I appreciate you being here before the committee.

Summary: The committee first established a quorum and approved the minutes from the previous meeting. Members then received a staff report on the Kentucky Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel, including an annual LOIC evaluation of the panel’s operations, statutory compliance, case management system development, member experience, and written procedures. The report noted recent House Bill 778 expanded the panel’s access to records and to TWIST/I-TWIST, and recommended that staff request access and training promptly to avoid implementation problems. Analysts reported the panel has met statutory membership and meeting requirements, and that agency responses to the panel’s 2025 recommendations improved, with all responses meeting statutory content requirements though some were late. They also said the panel still lacks formal written procedures, so a prior recommendation was reissued. The report discussed the panel’s new case management system, now in testing with the Commonwealth Office of Technology, and a survey of panel members showing generally positive views of meetings and case discussions but recurring concerns about SharePoint access, time demands, virtual meetings, and the panel’s lack of enforcement authority. The report included a matter for legislative consideration suggesting the General Assembly may wish to seek additional testimony from agencies when responses are unclear or more information is needed. Panel staff responded that the work is difficult but important, said they are optimistic about gaining TWIST access, and acknowledged that written procedures have not yet been completed because they wanted to align them with the new system. They said both the system and procedures are hoped to be finished by the end of the year, with the new case management system expected to be implemented by September 1 after further testing and migration. Members also discussed trends in child fatality and near-fatality cases, including increases in reported cases since 2013, substance abuse, safe storage of firearms, and concerns about THC/CBD gummies reaching children. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• But this is what you have before you is the choice of the school board, and I respect that.
• But this is what you have before you is the choice of the school board, and I respect that.
• But this is what you have before you is the choice of the school board, and I respect that.
• But this is what you have before you is the choice of the school board, and I respect that.
• But this is what you have before you is the choice of the school board, and I respect that.

Bills: HF3714 , HF4399 , HF4176 , HF2544 , HF60 , HF4231 , HF4232

Committee: House Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, aligned with the goals you saw before, aligned with the project bands you saw before, and broken
• Do they, are you before they buy the land, or are you?
• I knew the answer to that before you said it, but what do you replace it with, I guess?
• So for us, you guys have seen this before, but I just want to kind of point it out before I get to the
• Before we, you know, we still have that.

Committee: Joint Information Technology Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Before I begin, can you all hear me? Yes, thank you. Excellent. Thank you.
• Could you just kind of dig into legitimate legislative activity and if that's... ...you just kind of
• wait months before they got access to health care, and thank you for passing that.
• We've been through this before, as one of you referenced. Court precedent is out in place as well.
• We've been through this before, as one of you referenced.

Bills: H5004

Committee: Joint Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. As I mentioned before, I think this is a good deal.
• They're being dismissive of parents, and, you know, they're calling out for attention, you know, looking
• Chairman and members, I testified before you many times.
• Chairman and members, I testified before you many times.
• I've had the opportunity to meet with many of you. a job. I've testified before you many times.

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• And as you dig into the science and as you dig into the research, you realize that our current way of
• You can call me Yishan or Sue. It's whatever is convenient.

Transcript Highlights:

• Before I begin, can you all hear me? Yes, thank you. Excellent. Thank you.
• You just kind of dig into legitimate legislative activity and if that's... ...you just kind of dig into
• to wait months before they got access to health care, and thank you for passing that.
• We've been through this before, as one of you referenced. Court precedent is out in place as well.
• We've been through this before, as one of you referenced.

Summary: The hearing opened with committee chairs explaining the Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions’ role under Article 48 and outlining the process for initiative petition 25-14, H5-004, an act to improve access to public records. The first panel consisted of subject-matter experts. William Clark of the National Conference of State Legislatures gave an overview of public records laws across states, noting that all states have some form of open-records law but that exemptions for legislatures vary widely. He discussed common legislative exemptions, legislative privilege, and court cases showing that outcomes often turn on specific constitutional and statutory language. Rebecca Murray, General Counsel for the Secretary of the Commonwealth, described Massachusetts public records trends, saying state agency requests and appeals have risen sharply since the 2017 law update, with 2025 setting a record for appeals. She said the initiative would extend the public records law to the General Court and the Governor’s Office and add exemptions specific to those offices, while also noting resource concerns from the growing volume of requests and appeals.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:50.000><c> do</c> So, do you do you have any can you do So, do you do you have any can you do
• Yes, the version that passed the House is the version you have before you, and that's the version that
• Yes, the version that passed the House is the version you have before you, and that's the version that
• It's nice to see your new digs. >> Thank you.
• It's nice to see your new &gt;&gt; thank you. It's nice to see your new digs. digs. digs.

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 219, which would revise the renewable portfolio standard. Representative Bose explained that the bill would modify class one definitions, eliminate class two, reduce the utility obligation for class one thermal renewable energy certificates from 2.2% to 1.7%, and adjust alternative compliance payments for classes one, three, and four. He said the changes were intended to save ratepayers an estimated $5.7 million annually, would not materially harm the renewable portfolio standard, and would have little effect on class two because that market is already saturated. Members questioned the impact on consumers, the state budget, and the renewable energy fund; Bose said the fund had already been redirected in the state budget, and another member noted an amended fiscal note showing a $1.2 million reduction in general fund revenue. The committee also discussed the bill’s history, including that it had been added to HB 2 and later removed by the Senate, and Bose said the Senate’s eventual action was hard to predict. The committee then heard House Bill 164 on local records retention from Secretary of State David Scanlan. He said the long-standing local records manager position had never been funded, but that the need for it had grown as towns increasingly digitize records and must ensure accessibility, including ADA compliance. He described the bill as a way to provide state support and expertise to municipalities, especially smaller towns with limited resources, and said the fiscal note for hiring the position remained accurate, though broader website and storage costs could rise over time. Members asked about retrieving lost records, the cost of a public website, and whether records should remain local or be stored at the state level; Scanlan said the state would serve as a resource rather than take control of local records. Finally, the committee began work on House Bill 365, also with Secretary Scanlan, concerning proof of U.S. citizenship for indigent voters. He said the bill would help voters who may lack required documents under the new voter registration law by allowing the state to verify qualifications through federal, private, or other state databases and by providing vouchers to cover the cost of obtaining documents such as birth certificates. He compared the proposal to earlier voter ID accommodations and said the goal was to help qualified voters meet the new requirements without weakening them. Members raised questions about defining “indigent,” how out-of-state birth records would be handled, and the practicality of the verification process; Scanlan said the term would likely need further discussion and that the state would try to assist voters before election day whenever possible.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:38:03.720><c> you</c> opportunity to testify before you opportunity to testify before you today
• thank you very much um next I'd like you thank you very much um next I'd like to<00:43:48.119><c> call
• So, Senator M Quade, thank you, Madam Chair, and I appreciate you before you began your questions kind
• :50.320><c> began</c> and I appreciate you um before you began and I appreciate you um before you began
• And so that's what you see before you is a lot of, you know, the agreed-upon language from last year

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• I appreciate you. Thank you very much. We'll next call up Senator Laird, who's here.
• I think Senator Stern has borrowed a line from the utilities: Call the PUC before you take.
• Thank you. Thank you. All right. Secretary, please call the roll.
• Assistant, would you please call the roll? Would you please call the roll?
• Thank you. Okay, Secretary, please call the roll.

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications

Summary: The committee heard several energy, water, and utility bills. SB 919 by Senator Grayson would extend the biomethane monetary incentive program through 2030 and authorize additional funding to support renewable natural gas projects by reducing interconnection costs. Supporters said high interconnection costs and the current tax treatment are major barriers to methane reduction projects; opponents, including TURN and environmental groups, raised ratepayer cost concerns and objected to rate-basing and additional public funding. The author said amended language would remove the rate-basing provisions and instead urge the CPUC to act quickly on its pending decision. SB 931 by Senator Laird would reauthorize the Community Impact Mitigation Program for the Diablo Canyon plant through 2030 to continue funding local emergency preparedness, fire protection, public safety, and school district costs. The County of San Luis Obispo and labor groups supported the bill, while TURN opposed it as a statewide ratepayer subsidy that could be funded from existing PG&E revenues instead of higher rates. Members discussed the bill in the context of the 2022 Diablo Canyon extension deal and the possibility of a future longer extension. SB 1215 by Senator Cortese would direct the CPUC to set deployment targets for EV charging in multifamily housing and evaluate progress, with amendments aimed at affordability and limiting system upgrade costs. Supporters said renters are largely locked out of home charging and that prior utility programs proved cost-effective; no opposition testified. SB 1359 by Senator Stern would require more deliberate CPUC review before major gas system investments, emphasizing electrification and non-pipeline alternatives. Gas utilities and several industry groups opposed it, arguing it could undermine the obligation to serve, create safety and reliability risks, and change the regulatory compact. The committee also heard SB 1125 by Senator Menjivar, presented by Senator Gonzalez, which would establish a statewide low-income water rate assistance program upon appropriation. Water agencies, environmental groups, and local governments supported the measure, while one member expressed concern that it lacked a funding source and could not overcome Proposition 218 limits; the bill was moved to Appropriations and the roll was left open. Finally, SB 1098 by Senator Perez would restrict the use of long-running memorandum and balancing accounts by investor-owned utilities, require exceptional circumstances for new accounts, and add sunset and cost-sharing requirements. Consumer advocates and large energy users supported tighter oversight, while the utilities and business groups opposed the bill as too rigid and potentially harmful to flexibility for wildfire, emergency, and safety-related costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• c> strategic plan before you get to the strategic plan before you get to the briefs<00:56:31.200><c>
• So, so you uh just before address both.
• Representative Miner, thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you for appearing before us.
• or you want to dig in.
• I have questions or you want to dig in.

Summary: The committee first took up a Senate message on HB 179, relative to hazardous waste accident fees. Members reviewed the Senate amendment, which would cap the daily non-payment penalty at no more than $1,000 per day and limit the cumulative penalty to 25% of the cost, with no additional daily penalty if the responsible party is following an agreed payment plan. Members discussed the change from the committee’s earlier version, which had allowed penalties up to 100% of the damages, and agreed the revised language was reasonable. The committee voted to concur with the Senate amendment and indicated the bill could be placed on consent. The committee then recessed SB 302, requiring background checks for solid waste facility owners, because a late request for an additional change had not yet been fully reviewed. It next voted on SB 229, relative to the sale of uninspected bison, red deer, and elk meat. Supporters said the bill would expand retail access to these meats, support New Hampshire farms, and improve food security. Members also noted the Department of Agriculture did not object, that the bill would remove a sunset and keep more workable inspection rules in place, and that the animals involved are largely from closed herds. The committee voted unanimously to pass SB 229 and agreed to place it on consent. Finally, the committee considered SB 50, establishing a committee to study the regulation of private animal boarding facilities. Members described disturbing testimony about missing, injured, or dead dogs and the lack of clear oversight, licensing, or even a reliable list of kennels in the state. They discussed possible study topics including licensing, inspection authority, standards, penalties, and protections for both pet owners and boarding operators, including disclosure of medical conditions. The committee voted unanimously to pass SB 50 and also agreed to place it on consent. After the executive sessions, the committee heard a presentation from the New Hampshire Food Alliance on the state’s first food and agriculture strategic plan, introduced by director Nicole Cardwell, with participation from advisory committee members including Rep. Bixby and Commissioner Sean Jasper.

Transcript Highlights:

• c> Any of you that have got a call from Any of you that have got a call from your<00:20:46.720><c> bank
• But as you can see, statistically, I wouldn’t call that significant other than it’s moving in the right
• But as you can see, statistically, I wouldn’t call that significant other than it’s moving in the right
• And before we dismiss you today, I would like to have you share some things that we would need to take
• And before we dismiss you<00:34:48.720><c> today,</c><00:34:49.040><c> I</c><00:34:49.200><c> would</

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy