Transcript Highlights:

• Clarify when and how an employee simultaneously employed in hazardous and non-hazardous positions with
• different employers may choose to only participate in the hazardous system.
• <00:02:13.600><c> and</c><00:02:13.760><c> non-hazardous</c><00:02:14.560><c> positions</c> hazardous
• and non-hazardous positions hazardous and non-hazardous positions with<00:02:15.440><c> different</c
• </c> only participate in the hazardous only participate in the hazardous system. system. system.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting’s minutes, and then reviewed a series of administrative regulations from multiple agencies. Most of the regulations were presented as technical updates or policy clarifications, and in each case the committee approved staff-suggested amendments without objection. The Department of Revenue regulation would delete a section on tax credits for trusts and estates to align with statute. The Kentucky Public Pensions Authority package updated definitions, sick leave credit rules, hazardous/non-hazardous employment participation, refund procedures, contribution limits, mortality table references, and incorporated federal tax references. The Board of Medical Licensure regulations addressed renewal and activation of inactive physician-assistant licenses and renewal/reinstatement timelines for athletic trainer licenses. The Fish and Wildlife regulations revised rules for Otter Creek and Peabody areas by deleting definitions and creating shooting-range permit exemptions. The committee also heard emergency vocational rehabilitation regulations that would clarify definitions, due process rights, federal compliance, service fees, in-state service preferences, and service-specific requirements; a workforce insurance regulation updating contribution/reporting rules for professional employer organizations; and a horse racing regulation adding license categories for allied animal health professionals, animal chiropractors, and equine dental providers, while updating fees, application timing, and special events licensing. Members asked questions about the horse racing licensure changes, and the agency explained they were responding to prior session changes and adding guardrails, including veterinarian sign-off for equine therapist licensure on the back side of a racetrack. The Department for Public Health package made several personnel and salary-related changes for local health departments, including salary ranges for new hires, probation and evaluation rules, salary increases after probation, and limits on certain leave payouts for employees who separate without proper notice or are dismissed for cause. The Office of Inspector General regulation added electronic prescription references and removed authority to create a new prescription number for partial dispensing of Schedule II prescriptions. The Department for Medicaid Services regulations updated provider group definitions, removed some service limits, required prior authorization for all genetic testing for non-MCO recipients, changed physician fee schedule updates from quarterly to annually, and added reimbursement for department-approved vaccines. Members asked detailed questions about genetic testing prior authorization and sleep disorder coverage; the agency said prior authorization is intended to take two to five days and that sleep disorder services generally involve sleep apnea-related treatments such as CPAP machines and sleep studies. The committee then adjourned and announced its next meeting for Tuesday, May 12 at 1:00 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• So in developing wildfire hazard and risk mapping work, In developing wildfire hazard and risk maps,
• A big part of the HEAL Act is understanding environmental harms or hazards.
• hazards or landslides.
• This is one of the main hazards continuing to threaten Washington: wildfires and smoke pollution.
• , and then post-wildfire debris flow hazards for communities.

Committee: House Agriculture & Natural Resources

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So in developing wildfire hazard and risk mapping work, So in developing wildfire hazard and risk maps
• A big part of the HEAL Act is understanding environmental harms or hazards.
• hazards or landslides.
• This is one of the main hazards continuing to threaten Washington: wildfires and smoke pollution.
• , and then post-wildfire debris flow hazards for communities.

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held a work session on HEAL Act implementation, beginning with an orientation from Environmental Justice Council member David Mendoza. He described the law’s purpose as integrating environmental justice into agency decision-making, community engagement, tribal consultation, strategic planning, and environmental justice assessments, with the goal of reducing environmental health disparities and improving accountability to communities and tribes. He also discussed the council’s role, the interagency work group, challenges with limited volunteer and agency capacity, and concerns about inconsistent assessment formats and future funding pressures. Committee members asked about council composition, including the balance of tribal, community, business, and other representation, whether the HEAL Act increases permitting time or costs, how “overburdened” and “vulnerable” populations are defined, and whether the council should be refreshed or audited. Mendoza said the statute is not limited to racial categories and can include rural and low-income communities, that the council has not quantified permitting delays, and that there is no formal audit requirement, though the council is discussing how to improve its work. Members also raised questions about the relationship between the Environmental Justice Council and the Office of Equity, with Mendoza saying the bodies are complementary but should coordinate more closely. The Department of Agriculture then reported on its HEAL Act work. Director of Equity and Environmental Justice Nicole Johnson said WSDA conducts environmental justice assessments for significant actions, applies an equity lens to licensing, funding, rulemaking, and strategic planning, and has completed 11 EJ assessments to date. She highlighted pesticide regulation, animal health, and weights-and-measures work as examples of environmental and economic justice, and said the department recently hired a full-time tribal consultant and has only 1.5 FTE supporting HEAL implementation. Members asked whether WSDA’s assessments apply to its role on boards such as the Forest Practices Board; Johnson said the department’s current understanding is that assessments are conducted on agency work. The Department of Natural Resources then presented on its HEAL Act implementation, focusing on strategic planning, community engagement, tribal consultation, environmental justice assessments, and equitable funding. DNR officials said environmental justice is being embedded in the agency’s 2025-2029 strategic plan, in its Community Access and Impact Plan, and in its advisory committee and board representation efforts. They reported conducting EJ assessments for sustainable harvest calculations, agency request legislation, and a prescribed burn manager certificate program, and said DNR has invested about $130 million in overburdened communities and vulnerable populations in fiscal year 2025 through wildfire resilience, youth education, and urban forestry programs. Committee members pressed DNR on how it identifies impacted communities, why landowners were not more visible in the process, how agency-request legislation is being assessed, and whether assessments are required for actions taken through other boards and commissions. DNR said its current interpretation is that assessments apply to internal agency actions, that some notices may appear on OFM’s notices page rather than the completed-assessments dashboard, and that it would follow up on specific questions about its posted assessments and process.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the Hazardous Waste Management Bureau administrator.
• I'm the Hazardous Waste Management Bureau administrator.
• </c> same way it would be if it was hazardous same way it would be if it was hazardous waste<05:10:24.200
• Hazardous becomes non-hazardous and we want to waive liability.
• </c> having a a a a a licensed hazardous having a a a a a licensed hazardous waste<05:39:12.798><c> transporter

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The discussion focused on a cannabis legalization/regulation bill and whether it should be retained for further study or moved forward. Members debated the fiscal impact, with one side emphasizing that the bill would cost about $7.1 million in the first two years before generating revenue, while supporters argued the House should make a statement in favor of legalization despite likely opposition from the Senate and governor. There was also disagreement over strategy: some said retaining the bill until closer to the next election would give the issue more visibility, while others said delaying would only avoid sending a bill the Senate was unlikely to take up anyway. A major point of contention was whether cannabis should be regulated by a new cannabis commission or placed under the Liquor Commission. Supporters of the Liquor Commission argued it already has enforcement infrastructure, especially for age restrictions, and could handle cannabis more efficiently without creating a new bureaucracy. Opponents said cannabis is a different industry that would require specialized expertise, and they objected to expanding the Liquor Commission, which they described as unpopular and costly. The committee also discussed past versions of the bill, including concerns about limited licenses and the perception that the earlier approach favored large businesses. Members reviewed specific provisions such as licensing fees, THC limits, and cultivation categories. One member noted a $10,000 fee for retail cannabis stores and cannabis product manufacturers authorized to perform extractions, while a smaller tier-one cultivator fee was described as a lower-cost option for small growers. There was also discussion of whether the bill would allow sales through general retail outlets or only dedicated cannabis stores, and whether plants and seeds were covered. No final vote or action was clearly recorded in the excerpt, but the main procedural question was whether to retain the bill for more work or advance it as written.

Transcript Highlights:

• By leveraging certified collection centers, household hazardous waste facilities...
• waste materials to now an EPR program for household hazardous waste and hazardous waste packaging.
• So it's using the existing household hazardous waste and oil collection program right now.
• Have they specifically been differentiated from the non-hazardous PFOS chemicals? Yes, sure.
• Are the fluorine compounds in these 23 PFOS chemicals hazardous to your health?

Committee: House Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Reverend Jesse Jackson, I got a chance to meet him in Hazard, Kentucky.
• Jackson in Hazard.
• Jackson in Hazard.
• And I too it brought back a lot Hazard.
• </c><01:08:06.560><c> at</c> of memories because I was in Hazard at of memories because I was in Hazard

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So this repeals all of House Bill 58 and sets up another hazardous waste panel that the director will
• In the past, the House Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Act was part of it.
• was some duplicity in two different sections, and so it's all now in one section for the siting of hazardous
• The company owns and operates the hazardous waste facilities located in Hawaii County, where there's
• We do have representatives from the Hazardous Waste Bureau from DEQ here, if there are any particular

Summary: The House Environment, Energy, and Technology Committee met with a quorum and considered three bills. House Bill 593, which had already been heard, was moved by Representative Redmond and approved for a due pass recommendation to the floor without discussion. House Bill 714, sponsored by Representative Vander Woude, would repeal Chapter 58 and reorganize hazardous waste siting provisions into Chapter 44, Title 39, consolidating and updating language from an older, unused framework. He said the bill was developed with DEQ and stakeholders to remove duplicative provisions and reflect current practice. Roy Gehrin, representing Republic Services, testified in support and said the company worked closely with DEQ and other stakeholders on the legislation. The committee then voted to send HB 714 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Senate Bill 1265, presented by Representative Scott, was described as a code cleanup bill related to the Petroleum Clean Water Trust Fund Act. She said it removes expired historical distribution language, obsolete cross-references, and other outdated provisions without changing funding percentages or eligibility standards. Representative Thompson moved the bill to the floor with a due pass recommendation, and the committee approved that motion. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this repeals all of House Bill 58 and sets up another hazardous waste panel that the director will
• In the past, the Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Act was part of it.
• was some duplicity in two different sections, and so it's all now in one section for the siting of hazardous
• The company owns and operates the hazardous waste facilities located in Hawaii County, where there's
• We do have representatives from the Hazardous Waste Bureau from DEQ here, if there are any particular

Committee: House Environment, Energy and Technology

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I would imagine that if you had, say, a 10% cut, you wouldn't start with things like removing hazardous
• We manage our household hazardous waste program that serves 32 cities, collects over a million pounds
• of hazardous materials per year from going into the landfill. ...and responsibly processes those.
• that keep those toxic and to run household hazardous waste programs that keep those toxic materials
• And the hazardous household waste program will significantly be impacted by this.

Committee: House Emerging Issues

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• changes to the criminal penalty provisions of the Water Pollution Control Act, Clean Air Act, and Hazardous
• Under the Clean Air Act and the Hazardous Waste Management Act, it is also a first-degree violation if
• Under the Clean Air Act and the Hazardous Waste Management Act, it is also a first-degree violation if
• Thank you. ...hazard environments.
• Hazardous Waste is here today in opposition to ESSB 5975, though we are comfortable with the striker

Summary: The committee heard testimony on two main bills. ESSB 5975 dealt with lead limits in cookware and a proposed striker that would shift more of the standard-setting and testing process to the Department of Ecology under Safer Products for Washington. Supporters, including industry groups, Ecology, the Department of Health, and environmental advocates, said the striker would provide clearer, science-based, and more workable standards while still reducing lead exposure. Some witnesses, including environmental groups, argued the bill should remain stronger, while others said the striker was an acceptable compromise. No vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee also heard extensive testimony on ESSB 5360, which would create tiered criminal penalties for violations of the Water Pollution Control Act, Clean Air Act, and Hazardous Waste Management Act, including felony penalties for knowing or negligent conduct in certain circumstances. The prime sponsor and Attorney General’s Office said the bill targets egregious polluters, adds whistleblower and worker protections, and responds to serious environmental harm cases. Tribal, environmental, and advocacy witnesses supported the bill as a way to hold repeat polluters accountable. Labor, business, industry, county, utility, and forestry representatives opposed it, warning that the language could expose workers and permit holders to criminal liability for mistakes or routine operations and that the bill needed more stakeholder work. At the end of the meeting, the committee took executive action on Substitute Senate Bill 6269, which updates the Motor Fuel Quality Act by modernizing the definition of motor fuel and folding alternative fuels into that definition. The bill passed the committee on a 19-0 vote, with two members excused, and was reported out with a do-pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• NOT ONLY IS SURGICAL SMOKE A WORKPLACE HAZARD, IT IS ALSO A PATIENT SAFETY RISK AND THAT IS THE BILL
• YOU'VE HEARD EARLIER ABOUT THE HAZARDS OF SURGICAL SMOKE THAT THIS IMPACTS THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE
• WITH THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE SURGICAL SMOKE CAN BE CAPTURED AND DISPOSED OF AS HAZARDOUS WASTE
• THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS HAZARD AND FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS BILL.
• I'LL REPEAT MYSELF, NOT ONLY IS SURGICAL SMOKE A WORKPLACE HAZARD BUT IT IS A PATIENT SAFETY RISK AS

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the Legislature's Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee.
• So Congress wrote the hazardous waste law. EPA administers it.
• I'm the Hazardous Waste Bureau Chief.
• Class 4 wells are shallow hazardous and radioactive waste injection wells.
• The hazardous waste exemption, yes, we should definitely not exempt that industry from hazardous waste

Committee: House Radioactive & Hazardous Materials Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• He explained that they look at incident command through HSEM as an all-hazards approach, so if it is
• a flood, an ice storm, or a cyber event, it gets handled similarly.
• > so</c><01:18:11.560><c> if</c><01:18:11.679><c> it's</c><01:18:11.840><c> a</c><01:18:12.040><c> flood
• </c><01:18:12.560><c> or</c> hazards approach so if it's a flood or hazards approach so if it's a flood
• It should also mitigate some of the risks they face when pipes break or when they have flooding, because

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Department of Administrative Services presented its capital budget process and priorities, explaining how agencies assess facility needs, rank projects, and submit requests to the governor’s office. DAS described its Plant and Property division, which maintains 96 state buildings, and Public Works, which develops detailed cost estimates for selected projects. Officials said the governor’s office has traditionally narrowed requests into priority tiers, but this year all projects were estimated, creating more work and less detail. They also emphasized that the capital budget book functions as legislative intent and can be binding on how approved funds are used. On the substance of the request, DAS highlighted several priorities: continued funding for the state ERP system upgrade to the cloud, with about $5 million requested for sustainability and related Treasury functions; emergency fund and annex renovation work; a sprinkler replacement at DMV; and elevator repairs at the main building. Karen Rocky also identified maintenance projects that rose in priority after a facility condition assessment, including HVAC work for Portsmouth Circuit Court and Coos County Courthouse, boilers and controls for Carroll County and Lebanon Circuit Court, brick repointing at the main building and annex, window replacement at Spalding, and Brown building elevator replacement. Officials noted that the governor’s proposed capital budget included fewer DAS projects than in past years and no projects for the Bureau of Court Facilities. The committee also discussed lapses and reprogramming of prior appropriations. DAS said the first eight projects approved in 2023 remain under construction and should be extended, while many 2021 projects are delayed because of ARPA-related workload and broader construction backlogs. Members reviewed a 2019 project list and agreed to lapse project number 49, the Spalding roof project, with about $81,000 remaining. DAS also said some small 2019 balances, including courthouse generators, a boiler, cooling and controls, roof and exterior repairs, and the State House Annex elevator, could be redirected through Capital Budget Overview toward the Hillsboro County South Cell Block project. The hearing ended with questions about project schedules, ARPA deadlines, and the division of authority between DoIT and DAS for the ERP system.

Transcript Highlights:

• the move-over or slow-down law to all vehicles stopped in the breakdown lane or shoulder with their hazard
• This was added for cases when the hazard lights are inoperable. Mr.
• with those frontline agencies, the HCFMO HazMat team. ...which is deployed in situations where a hazardous
• We have a Harris County Hazardous Materials Team.
• Is distinct, and I appreciate Representative Paul, who he and I talk a lot, especially about flood control

Bills: HB2065 , HB2462 , HB2621 , HB3187 , HB3539 , HB3563 , HB3726 , HB4164 , HB4207 , HB4368 , HB4706 , HB4916 , HB4950 , HB4967 , HB5177 , HB4429 , HB5597

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: commercial vehicles, parking regulations, residential areas, local governance, land use, traffic safety, high occupancy vehicle lane, pregnant operators, transportation, parental rights, motor vehicle regulations, live video feed, state agency, transparency, public safety, regional transportation, mobility program, sales tax, public infrastructure, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• And, of course, that is in addition to notifying the people on site of the hazard that we've identified
• I'm trying to—I see this, you know, obviously we need to communicate hazards in the workplace.
• If we have a hazard in a workplace and we have potential hazards in the workplace, it is to keep everyone
• I see this, obviously, we need to communicate hazards in the workplace.
• hazards in the workplace.

Summary: The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee opened its 2026 session with member introductions and a work session on the Employment Security Department’s structure and programs. ESD officials described their roles and reviewed paid family and medical leave, WA Cares, unemployment insurance, workforce services, and agricultural worker outreach. Senators raised concerns about call volume, program solvency, fraud detection, employer access to information, and whether workers can receive leave benefits while working other jobs. ESD said WA Cares is in a limited pilot, PFML has seen rapid growth, UI trust fund solvency is projected to be near the statutory trigger level, and they would follow up with more detailed information on eligibility, fraud referrals, and employer scenarios. The committee then heard Senate Bill 5292, which would replace the current PFML rate-setting formula with a forward-looking actuarial model and require a four-month reserve beginning in 2030. Supporters, including the sponsor, JLARC staff, labor advocates, and employer groups, said the change would improve stability and follow JLARC recommendations; opponents warned it could lead to higher payroll taxes and argued the program is already too costly. The chair said she intended to keep the bill narrow as it moved forward. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6014, a technical bill on pregnancy-related accommodations that would preserve the ability of pregnant workers to request certain accommodations without a doctor’s note and create a public records exemption for sensitive complaint and investigation records; the sponsor and supporters said it corrects a drafting error and protects privacy. Next, the committee heard Senate Bill 5972, which would remove the population threshold limiting interest arbitration for correctional officers in jails, and Senate Bill 5869, which would make permanent and expand from residential to all building construction sites a requirement that L&I notify employers or owners within 10 working days when a hazard is identified. Correctional officers’ representatives and labor groups supported SB 5972 as a fairness and safety measure, while the sponsor said it would create consistency across jurisdictions. Construction industry groups supported SB 5869, and L&I said it had no concerns but wanted the bill kept narrow; the chair noted the bill’s purpose was to speed hazard communication. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 5874, which would allow ESD to waive penalties for minor errors in quarterly unemployment reports, especially missing SOC/job-title information. The sponsor said small businesses were being hit with unnecessary fines, and ESD said it had identified a sharp rise in penalties and was working with the sponsor on possible fixes. The committee adjourned after the hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 831 clarifies the scope of current law by including in the definition of geological hazards, certain
• redundant references to acknowledge the exacerbating influence of climate change stressors on geological hazards
• information visit www.fema.gov clarity on when and where to focus vital resources to better plan for hazards
• already does extensive work identifying and mapping areas of the state which have geologic and mineral hazards
• SB 831 prudently also allows our state's geologic experts to provide input on such hazards in relation

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• hazardous materials, communicable diseases, physical injuries, and emotional scarring.
• From hazardous material response to the opioid fentanyl crisis to the concept of safe injection sites
• While we’ve been responding to these scenes for many years, and the hazards associated with them are
• Firefighters are routinely exposed. from the hazards associated with firefighting.
• Police officers encounter many hazardous... ...our brothers and sisters in the fire service.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Service

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service heard testimony on a wide range of bills affecting public safety and public sector employees, with most of the discussion focused on expanding occupational presumptions and retirement protections for police, firefighters, correction officers, court officers, and other public employees. Testifiers from the Legislature, police and fire unions, the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, PERAC, and the AFL-CIO generally supported bills covering cancer presumptions, contagious disease presumptions, Parkinson’s disease for firefighters, PTSD-related disability and death, and equity for post-certified police officers under the Heart Law. Several speakers emphasized that these conditions are linked to long-term occupational exposure, that current law leaves out agencies such as UMass police, Environmental Police, DMH police, and other state or campus police, and that the bills would correct gaps in existing benefits and presumptions. Representative Colleen Garry and Senator Joan Lovely spoke in support of expanding the Heart Law and cancer presumption protections, while Representative and Senator sponsors for the firefighter and PTSD bills described the health risks faced by first responders and urged favorable reports. PFFM and MassCOP representatives argued that firefighters and police officers face toxic exposures, infectious disease risks, and chronic stress, and cited studies and other states’ laws in support of the measures. PERAC testified that the PTSD accidental disability bill would clarify confusing case law and update filing requirements so traumatic incidents can be used in applications even when PTSD develops later, while still requiring medical review and retirement board approval. Additional testimony came from correction officers and trial court officers seeking comparable disability and pension protections, including a bill to extend a 100% disability pension to correction officers injured in violent attacks and a bill to treat court officers more like police and firefighters when injured in the line of duty. The committee asked a few clarifying questions, including about whether the PTSD bill would address post-retirement claims and about the impact of excluding “forgotten” police agencies. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the committee ultimately adjourned after hearing all scheduled testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• It increases the maximum balance of the hazardous...
• Bill 417 by Representative Zeringue increases the maximum balance of the hazardous waste site cleanup
• So the hazardous waste site cleanup fund is intended to clean up sites on our remediation prioritization
• We have had the funds available in the hazardous waste cleanup fund.
• We get money from a hazardous waste tax that we receive from the Department of Revenue and also from

Bills: HB27 , HB290 , HB308 , HB311 , HB382 , HB417 , HB575 , HB755 , HB980

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: HB 290, Act 426, sunset law, Department of the Treasury, Louisiana Treasury, re-creation, reauthorization, statutory entities, termination date, sunset review, Title 49, fiscal administration, state finance, agency continuation, legislative authority, insurance premiums, Municipal Fire and Police, dedicated fund, assessments, Louisiana legislation

Transcript Highlights:

• At the far right of the graphic, you'll see the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, or
• California is behind the times and allows the continued use of some of the most highly hazardous... .
• So the mill fee also makes no distinction between pesticide products that are particularly hazardous
• We need to ban ones that are hazardous to health and fragile ecosystems.
• We need to ban ones that are hazardous to the health and fragile ecosystems.

Summary: The joint Assembly and Senate hearing examined whether California’s pesticide program is meeting its public-protection goals, with opening remarks from committee chairs emphasizing the state’s large pesticide use, the need to transition toward sustainable pest management, and ongoing oversight including a state audit of DPR and county agricultural commissioner enforcement. The hearing also referenced recent concerns in Ladera Ranch about childhood cancer cases and the need for transparent investigation and community access to information. Panel one focused on human health and the regulatory framework. Dr. Anna Maria Mora described long-running CHAMACOS research showing widespread pesticide exposure in farmworker families, links to neurodevelopmental, respiratory, liver, and cardiometabolic harms, and greater impacts on children facing social adversity. She urged biomonitoring, better linkage of exposure data to health outcomes, regulation of chemical classes and mixtures, stronger buffers around homes and schools, and more community-based research. Professor Tim Malloy explained California’s two-tier system of DPR registration and county permitting, said the state’s program is strong but falls short on cumulative exposure analysis and alternatives assessment, and argued that DPR and counties need better tools, training, and funding to implement legally required protections. Committee members asked about biomonitoring, class-based regulation, and how to make pesticide data more usable for the public. Panel two brought testimony from environmental justice and farmworker advocates, who argued that California remains behind other jurisdictions by allowing highly hazardous pesticides, including 1,3-dichloropropene and paraquat, and by relying on a funding structure tied to pesticide sales. Witnesses said DPR often moves too slowly on reevaluations, rarely assesses combined exposures, and does not adequately account for health, environmental, and social costs or conflicts of interest involving pest control advisors. They also described inconsistent county-level implementation, weak outreach, and confusion over whether DPR or county agricultural commissioners are responsible for enforcement, and urged faster phaseouts, tiered fees, stronger local protections, and clearer accountability. Panel three represented regulated entities and agricultural stakeholders, who supported the goals of safer pest management but stressed that California’s registration process must be more predictable, transparent, and timely. They said AB 2113’s staffing and timeline reforms were important, but backlog and delays still hinder access to newer, lower-risk products and can hurt both consumer and agricultural uses. Agricultural witnesses also emphasized the need to invest more in pest prevention, invasive species detection, extension support, farmer training, and practical incentives for sustainable pest management. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with members pressing witnesses on timelines, implementation, funding, and the division of responsibility between DPR and county agencies.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we had issues with, I believe, 15 of the 24 letter investigations we reviewed, in that the hazards
• These are hazards that are not likely to cause a serious injury or fatality.
• However, if it is indeed an imminent hazard or a serious hazard, our team will be rolling out on those
• Who are actually being forced to work in hazardous conditions that are concerning to them?
• And most importantly, they don't have to abate the hazard while they're engaged in that appeal.

Summary: The hearing focused on a state audit of Cal/OSHA titled “The Division of Occupational Safety and Health: Process Deficiencies and Staffing Shortages Limit Its Ability to Protect Workers.” Committee leaders and the audit team described serious workplace tragedies, argued that California’s worker protections are not being adequately enforced, and said the audit was prompted by concerns that Cal/OSHA was too often relying on letters instead of inspections, delaying investigations, and closing cases without enough documentation. Members repeatedly emphasized that the issue was not just staffing, but also outdated policies, weak oversight, and inconsistent enforcement. State Auditor Grant Parks said the audit found a 32% vacancy rate in 2023-24, heavy reliance on hard-copy files, outdated or unclear policies, and inconsistent decision-making in complaints, accidents, citations, and fine reductions. He said Cal/OSHA conducted on-site inspections in only about 20% of complaints, used letter investigations more than 80% of the time, often lacked evidence that hazards were corrected, and sometimes failed to inspect serious injury cases on time. The audit also found weak documentation for fine calculations and settlement reductions, with some penalties reduced substantially without clear explanations. Parks said the agency had accepted the findings and would provide progress updates later in the year. Committee members pressed the auditor on vacancy rates, the use of letter investigations, the low rate of criminal referrals, and whether fines were being reduced too often. Cal/OSHA and DIR officials responded that the vacancy rate had fallen to 12% partly because 66 vacant positions were eliminated in a statewide budget reduction and partly because of hiring; they said 126 people had been hired in the first half of the year. They also said they had hired a policy writer, were updating several policies, were planning periodic internal audits, and were developing a new data management system expected to go live in late 2026 or early 2027. On fines, officials said Title 8 sets base penalties and allows adjustments based on factors like employer size, history, and good faith, with appeals and informal conferences also affecting final amounts. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.