Video & Transcript : 'immigrant rights' :

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NH

New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session

House Education Funding (11/10/2025)

Transcript Highlights:
  • </c> changes which we have on this right now. changes which we have on this right now.
  • , that's unfair to give him that right, or don't give him this right.
  • </c> right is unfair, this right is unfair. right is unfair, this right is unfair.
  • </c> that right or don't give him this right. that right or don't give him this right.
  • ,</c> can stop at it right right then and say, can stop at it right right then and say, "Wait<01:12:43.840
Summary: The subcommittee met on HB 510 and HB 112, but the discussion focused almost entirely on HB 510, which would establish due process rights for students, student organizations, and faculty members in disciplinary proceedings at state institutions of higher education. The chair reviewed proposed amendments already approved or being considered, including revised definitions, confidentiality language for grievance information, removal of the adverse-inference language tied to self-incrimination, changes to cross-examination procedures, and narrowing an emergency exception by removing property damage and focusing on immediate threats to physical health or safety. The committee also discussed whether the hearing officer should have discretion to require a third party to conduct cross-examination, with the sponsor saying the word should remain “may” so the officer can respond to the circumstances of each case. Members opposed to the bill argued that existing campus procedures already provide adequate due process and that the proposal is unnecessary, potentially intimidating to complainants, and disruptive to university policies and collective bargaining agreements. They objected especially to language allowing the accused to be present during cross-examination of an accuser and to the use of the term “victim” before facts are established. Supporters said the bill is intended to ensure basic fairness for accused students and faculty, that the language was revised to address concerns, and that the rights listed are appropriate because serious allegations can have lasting consequences even outside the criminal context. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided; the committee remained in discussion/caucus over the bill language.
MD

Maryland 2026 Regular Session

Senate Floor Session, 4/10/2026 #2

Maryland Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • All right.
  • All<00:32:11.600><c> right.</c> All right. All right.
  • All right. All right.
  • </c> district, right? district, right?
  • All<02:16:24.040><c> right.</c> All right. All right.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Health Finance and Policy Committee 4/15/26

Health Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • rights on the backs of those pursuing the American dream the right way.
  • </c> present immigrants. present immigrants.
  • </c> American dream the right way. American dream the right way.
  • right? right?
  • All<01:26:26.080><c> right.
Bills: HF4401 , HF4466
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House State Government Finance and Policy Committee 3/5/26

State Government Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • All right.
  • All right.
  • &gt;&gt; All right. Um members generally I move &gt;&gt; All right.
  • All right. Thank Representative Kasnik. All right.
  • </c> constitutional rights. constitutional rights.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • All right.
  • All right.
  • All right.
  • That's right. without programs. That's right.
  • </c> immigration controls. immigration controls.
Summary: The committee met for its sixth meeting, established a quorum, and approved the minutes from the October 21 meeting. The main agenda item was a presentation from Kentucky Association of Counties (KACo) leaders and county officials on jail funding and jail-system reform. Speakers said county jail costs have reached crisis levels, citing large and rising general-fund subsidies in counties such as Hardin, McCracken, and Warren, and noting that county general-fund contributions to jail funds have increased by 76% since 2019. KACo outlined a three-part legislative approach for the upcoming session: incentivizing regional jails, clarifying responsibility for pre-trial felony detainees, and redefining the model for housing state inmates in county jails. On regional jails, they proposed one-time state construction funding, statutory changes to allow former county jails to serve as 96-hour holdover facilities, broader participation of jailers on regional jail authority boards, an increased supplement for closed county jails, and a one-time payment for counties that close local jails and join regional facilities. Union County Judge Adam Onan described his county’s savings from contracting with Webster County and said regionalization can reduce costs where feasible. Harlan County Judge Executive Dan Mosley focused on pre-trial felony detainees, saying counties bear the full cost of housing people awaiting trial for long periods, sometimes years, and that pre-trial time is later credited toward state sentences. He argued the state benefits from that credit and referenced prior bills that would have reimbursed counties for time-served credit. Shelley Hampton then proposed replacing the current per diem model for state inmates with contracts requiring the Department of Corrections to pay actual housing costs and to support programming such as substance abuse treatment, cognitive behavioral programming, re-entry services, workforce training, and academics. No votes were taken on the jail proposals, and the meeting ended with the presentation and discussion of the county recommendations.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
  • But I don't see any questions right now. We'll go ahead and move to discussion.
  • All right, we're going to move to tab five. We have Senator Bernard with us.
  • All right, Senators, let's move back to tab three. Sorry for a little bit of air traffic control.
  • Tennant, if I didn't pronounce that right. He's coming to speak in support of the bill.
  • All right, everybody. We are back. Yeah, we're back. Thank you, Senator Grau, for being with us.
Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services first heard and adopted the proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budget for the committee, which was presented as a $1.8 billion increase over the current base budget. The budget emphasized Medicaid and KidCare funding, IT modernization, workforce reductions tied to unfilled or augmented positions, provider rate increases, mental health and substance use funding, opioid treatment, elder care, veterans’ services, cancer research, and school nurse staffing. The committee approved technical adjustments and then adopted the budget proposal for submission to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee then considered several bills, most of which were reported favorably. SB 152 on surgical smoke required hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to adopt smoke evacuation policies; it drew strong support from nurses and other health care workers describing workplace and patient safety risks. CS/SB 958 on early detection of type 1 diabetes required the Department of Health to develop informational materials for schools and, by amendment, early learning coalitions. CS/CS/SB 170 on nursing homes required consumer satisfaction surveys, patient safety culture surveys, reporting to the health information exchange, financial reporting penalties, and Medicaid quality incentive reporting; an amendment exempted state-operated homes, including veterans’ facilities, and directed a study of quality incentive systems. CS/SB 738 updated and streamlined child care regulation, and CS/SB 1356 created the Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases at Florida State University and a related pediatric rare disease screening pilot. The committee also passed SB 1370, which reorganized ambulatory surgical centers into their own statutory framework, with testimony emphasizing their lower costs compared with hospitals. Finally, the committee considered CS/CS/SB 1626 on child welfare and related issues. After adopting multiple amendments that removed references to unaccompanied alien children and special immigrant visas, changed language on child abuse definitions, and required DCF to set room-and-board rates by methodology rather than fee schedule, the bill was explained as strengthening child welfare protections, codifying military-family coordination, improving domestic violence shelter certification, adjusting children’s services council appointments, clarifying missing-child procedures, and updating licensing and compliance provisions. The bill drew both support and opposition, particularly over missing-child jurisdiction and immigration-related concerns, and was ultimately reported favorably. A final motion to record a vote on SB 958 was also adopted.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
  • All right, Liv, let’s move to HB 2749.
  • All right. Let's move to HB 2765.
  • All right. Let's move to HB 2765.
  • All right, all right. Okay, moving on, HB 2979, Ozzie.
  • All right, thank you so much, Ozzie. Let's move to HB 2231 with some. All right.
Summary: The caucus reviewed a large Minority Caucus Calendar and moved quickly through many bills, with staff often noting whether items were unanimous, party-line, or pulled from consent. Early items included HB 2130 on ADOA personnel financial systems, HB 2749 on felony sentence-completion designation, HCR 258 on Medicaid claim audits, and several agency or board continuation bills. Members also discussed HB 2745 on legislative subpoenas, HB 4027 naming Loop 202 the Charlie Kirk Highway, HB 2601 on Interstate 11 studies, and a number of education, health, labor, and public safety measures. Several bills were pulled from consent or flagged for later discussion, including HCR 258, HB 4027, HB 2375, HB 2601, HB 2408, HB 2444, HB 2923, HB 2182, HCR 2048, HB 2750, HB 2765, HB 2838, HB 4043, HB 2290, HB 2940, and others. Testimony and caucus debate focused on a range of policy concerns. Members objected to bills involving school strikes, weapons detection systems, public records fees for legislators, union activity, school safety felony penalties, and restrictions on school clubs. Education bills drew extended discussion, including HB 2423 on automatic advanced math placement, HB 2478 creating a student outcomes commission, HB 2579 for free school meals, HB 2992 on child sexual abuse prevention, HB 4041 on spending authority for low-reading-performing districts, and HB 4043 requiring CPR/AED training. Health and professional regulation bills also prompted debate, including HB 2408 on nursing board investigations and expungement, HB 2444 on pharmacist testing authority, HB 2697 on expired opioid antagonists, and HB 4010 establishing a genetic counselors board. Members raised concerns about fiscal impacts, stakeholder opposition, and whether some measures were unfunded mandates or needed more amendment work. The caucus also discussed immigration, labor, and public safety measures, including HB 2416 for DPS local border support, HB 2811 on obstructing governmental operations during lawful arrests, HB 2862 on unlawful masking penalties, HB 4070 on nonprofit incorporation restrictions tied to offenses, and HB 4117 creating a crime for disturbing religious services. Water, energy, and land-use bills were reviewed as well, such as HB 2099, HB 2263, HB 2330, HB 2341, HB 2492, HB 2757, HB 2782, HB 2912, HB 2918, and HCR 2020. The meeting ended with announcements, including an Affordability Award for Brian Garcia and a March 12 breakfast update on the Colorado River, before adjournment.
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
  • All right. Let's move to HB 2610, Israel.
  • All right. Let's move to HB 2765.
  • All right. Let's move to HB 2765.
  • All right, all right. Okay, moving on, HB 2979. Ozzie.
  • All right, thank you so much, Ozzie. Let's move to HB 2231 with some. All right.
Summary: The caucus reviewed a long list of bills and resolutions, with staff giving brief descriptions and members flagging which items were on consent, had unanimous committee votes, or should be pulled for further discussion. Topics included education, health care, public safety, labor, water, taxation, housing, and elections. Several measures were noted as party-line or mixed votes, while many others were reported as unanimous and placed on third-read or consent calendars. Among the more discussed items were bills on school and labor policy, including a proposal to prohibit teacher strikes, a measure restricting school district bond actions, a bill requiring school safety protocols and assigning felony penalties for noncompliance, and a resolution limiting public money for labor organization activities. Members also raised concerns or requested further review on bills involving pharmacist testing authority, expired opioid antagonists, a county sheriff-related measure, a housing affordability district proposal, and a tobacco/vape regulation bill. Some measures were explicitly pulled from consent, including a Medicaid audit resolution, a budget-related pay-withholding resolution, and several education and public safety bills. The caucus also heard multiple health and human services measures, such as genetic counselor licensing, nursing board and pharmacy board continuations, foster care rights, psychiatry access funding, and free school meals. In addition, there were water and energy bills on Colorado River management, groundwater, transmission-line review, and renewable energy valuation, plus election and campaign-related proposals. The meeting ended with announcements, including an upcoming Colorado River breakfast briefing and an internal award recognizing Representative Brian Garcia, followed by adjournment.
WA
Transcript Highlights:
  • All right. With that, we'll go right into the hearing.
  • All right. With that, we'll go right into the hearing.
  • All right.
  • All right, we have K.
  • All right. Free resource. All right. Any other questions? All right.
Summary: The Technology, Economic Development, and Veterans Committee first met in executive session on House Bills 2157, 2351, 2365, 2357, and 2446. Staff briefed proposed substitutes and amendments for each bill. HB 2157, concerning high-risk AI systems, was amended to exempt activities regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act and covered entities under HIPAA; members discussed balancing consumer protections with flexibility for developers and deployers. HB 2351, addressing protections for emergency responders and emergency operations, was described as clarifying definitions and procedures, including a mental health crisis defense and changes to emergency operation zone notifications; some members raised concerns about deconfliction and implementation details. HB 2365, on digital equity, was amended with several definitional and data-sharing proposals, though some amendments were rejected over fiscal concerns. HB 2357, creating the Washington Division of Civil Air Patrol within the Military Department, passed without amendment. HB 2446, on developing a quantum technology industry strategy, was amended to extend the strategy deadline, broaden who Commerce may contract with, and correct terminology; members noted concerns about industry involvement in the strategic plan and fiscal impacts. All five bills were reported out of committee with do pass recommendations, with recorded votes of 8-5 on HB 2157, HB 2351, and HB 2365, unanimous support for HB 2357, and 12-1 for HB 2446. The committee then held a public hearing on HB 2523, which would make the community reinvestment program ongoing, require periodic updates and reporting, and direct a study of fund distribution and use. Testifiers from workforce boards, tribal programs, reentry services, community organizations, and Commerce described successful uses of the program for job training, reentry, small business support, legal services, and economic mobility, and urged the bill’s passage. Some suggested strengthening accountability, reporting, and access for new organizations. Commerce staff said the program has served more than 190,000 people and supported over 400 organizations, and asked for technical adjustments to keep administrative costs low. The bill was then closed for hearing. The committee also heard HB 2606, which would revise the Office of Privacy and Data Protection’s duties and performance measures, remove some reporting requirements, and add review of agency AI projects. The prime sponsor described it as a “stay-in-your-lane” cleanup bill responding to JLARC recommendations, and the state chief privacy officer testified in support, saying the office could implement the changes within existing resources. After questions about local government support and public resources, the hearing on HB 2606 was closed and the committee adjourned.
MS

Mississippi 2026 Regular Session

MS Senate Floor - 23 March, 2026; 4:00 PM

Mississippi Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Uh that's right. That's a bad idea, and I'm not for that. All right, thank you.
  • Uh that's right. That's a bad idea, and I'm not for that. All right, thank you.
  • Uh that's right. That's a bad idea, and I'm not for that. All right, thank you.
  • Uh that's right. That's a bad idea, and I'm not for that. All right, thank you.
  • </c> &gt;&gt; All right, thank you. &gt;&gt; All right, thank you.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • Please raise your right hand.
  • </c><00:02:34.599><c> Coalition</c> the Kentucky student rights Coalition the Kentucky student rights
  • </c> and nothing but the truth I do all right and nothing but the truth I do all right representative
  • </c><00:03:54.360><c> of</c> everyone again the private right of everyone again the private right of
  • Uh, Will Warner, all right, please raise your right hand.
Summary: The House Standing Committee on Postsecondary Education met to consider House Bill 4, relating to postsecondary education. Before taking up the bill, the committee adopted a committee substitute. The substitute removed language creating a private right of action and immunity provisions, added a definition of “indoctrinate,” revised language tied to the Attorney General, and added a new section directing the Auditor of Public Accounts to review compliance every four years. If an institution is found out of compliance, it would have 180 days to cure the issue or become ineligible for formula funding increases in the following fiscal year, with an opportunity to petition the Attorney General. The substitute also added language barring licensing authorities from requiring diversity, equity, and inclusion training as a condition of initial or renewal licensure. Representative Decker presented the bill as an effort to end what she described as unconstitutional DEI practices in Kentucky’s postsecondary system and to refocus colleges on academic instruction, equal opportunity, and affordability. She argued that DEI offices and initiatives have cost taxpayers heavily and have not improved enrollment outcomes for low-income and underrepresented students. Michael Frasier, testifying in support, framed the bill as an equal-protection measure rather than simply an anti-DEI bill, saying it targets preferential treatment and discrimination while exempting traditional civil-rights compliance offices such as Title IX, disability, and other anti-discrimination functions. He also argued that the bill aligns with recent U.S. Supreme Court precedent and that Kentucky should shift toward socioeconomic-based approaches. Several members raised concerns about the bill’s assumptions and effects. Representative Willner questioned the claim that DEI initiatives caused enrollment declines and asked why the state would not make such programs more inclusive instead of eliminating them. Representative Stalker argued that the bill ignored decades of exclusion in higher education and asked what would replace DEI efforts aimed at closing achievement gaps and preventing brain drain. Supporters responded that the bill addresses unconstitutional preferences and that the state should move toward equal treatment and socioeconomic factors rather than race-based criteria. After discussion, the committee substitute was adopted, and the committee continued consideration of House Bill 4.
ID

Idaho 2026 Regular Session

Legislative Session Day 57 Mar 9th, 2026

Idaho Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • when passing, preparing for left turns, or when right lanes are congested.
  • So I am, you know, completely understanding of the ability to have property rights.
  • Code 1357, Powers of Immigration Officers and Employees, it says, and may I read, Mr.
  • I certainly appreciate property rights.
  • And this bill reaffirms those special rights. And anyway, with that, Mr.
OK

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

Senate Legislative Session Mar 10th, 2026 at 09:00 am

Oklahoma Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • President, we will go right into bills.
  • the student's immigration.
  • But I would say let's let the courts decide, right?
  • The landowner's right and the royalty right, the mineral right, are separated.
  • But the surface right owner lives with that surface right every day.
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Floor Session Jun 2nd, 2025

California House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • All workers have the inalienable rights and rights under the First Amendment.
  • Our California students, regardless of their immigration status, have the right to a free public education
  • AB 419 will ensure that immigrant students and families are advised of these rights.
  • So it doesn't create any new entitlement or right of students, the students already have that right.
  • All right, voice change, Alanis, AB 1141. That was the right one, right? Aye to no.
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Health Committee Jun 16th, 2026

Health

Transcript Highlights:
  • I'm Evan Fern with Disability Rights California.
  • basic rights.
  • basic rights.
  • She survived the Eaton Fire, only to be detained by federal immigration agents during a routine immigration
  • , right?
Committee: House Health
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

Senate Chamber Jan 28th, 2025

New Mexico Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • President, with the audio issues, I'm happy to With this voice that I have right now, if you'd like.
  • But without oil and gas, my tribes would have no capital outlay, severance tax bonds, right?
  • Health Care Workforce Development Act, providing for an immigrant health care.
  • , providing for an immigrant primary care resident grant program, creating the Immigrant Healthcare Workforce
  • Development Fund, creating the Immigrant Healthcare Workforce Advisory Group, amending...
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Education Committee Apr 15th, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • Look at what's happening in Calaveras County right now.
  • All right, thank you very much.
  • All right. Thank you. All right. I will also add some comments at this time.
  • All right. We'll bring the conversation back to the members.
  • You mentioned the autism data, right?
Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard a lengthy agenda of education-related bills, with quorum established at the start and several measures taken up on consent or special order. The committee also announced that AB 1644, AB 2362, and later AB 2197 were pulled from the hearing. Members reminded the public of hearing rules and limited testimony to two witnesses each in support and opposition. AB 2651, by Assemblymember Bonta, would require schools to notify parents when school vaccination rates fall below herd-immunity thresholds. Supporters, including physicians, the California State PTA, public health groups, and school employee organizations, argued that families need timely, school-specific information to protect children and vulnerable community members. Opponents raised concerns about privacy, stigma, and whether school-level snapshots could be misleading. The bill passed the committee 5-1 and later 7-1 on the roll call. AB 2509, by Assemblymember Schultz, would allow districts to use a five-year rolling average for ADA funding calculations; supporters said it would stabilize funding amid attendance declines, while one member noted concerns about masking long-term enrollment problems. It passed 5-1 and later 7-2. The committee also approved AB 2430, which would expand after-school access, especially for high school students, improve funding and transparency, and create a work group on program quality. Testimony emphasized the value of expanded learning for youth development and working families, and members discussed the need to address middle school access as well. AB 2526, focused on special education funding, would expand the low-incidence fund to include students qualifying for the California alternate assessment; supporters said it would better align funding with student need, while some concerns remained about over-identification. AB 2325, the Pathways to Bilingual Teaching Act, would create a grant program to build bilingual teacher pipelines through partnerships among schools, community colleges, and universities; it received strong support and passed unanimously. AB 2460, presented by Assemblymember Pellerin for Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez, would update school mental-health referral protocols to address trauma related to immigration enforcement; it also passed unanimously. AB 2404, which sought to require Central Valley representation on several governor-appointed bodies, drew debate over geographic representation and board composition and ultimately failed on a 2-5 vote.
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Floor Session Aug 28th, 2025

California House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Assembly Joint Resolution 8 by Assembly Member Haney relative to immigration.
  • , including immigrants who are fleeing war, disaster, and repression.
  • Others are Haitians, Nicaraguans, Nepalis, Yemenis, and Venezuelans, immigrants who are essential to
  • America is America is great because of our immigrants: ten generations of the best, the brightest, the
  • So we are not against immigration, we are not against asylum.
Summary: The Assembly met after a quorum call, prayer, and pledge, with members observing a moment of silence for the Minnesota tragedy mentioned by the Speaker. The chamber then moved quickly through a large daily file, taking up many Senate amendments and third-reading measures, with most bills passing by wide margins or unanimously. Early procedural actions included returning AB 1308 to the Senate, rescinding action on SB 863, and later taking up several resolutions and bills on concurrence and third reading. Among the main policy items, members adopted AJR 8 on temporary protected status after debate over immigration policy, and AJR 19 urging opposition to dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. The Assembly also adopted ACR 112 recognizing September as Deaf Awareness Month, with several members speaking in support of the deaf community and accessibility. Other notable measures included bills on water reclamation and Colorado River Aqueduct maintenance (AB 580), telehealth (AB 688), housing approvals and ADU enforcement/cleanup (AB 920, SB 9, SB 543), pension and retirement rules (SB 301), volunteer fire department tax exemptions (SB 87), dementia training for home care aides (SB 412), and a San Francisco public-safety measure on stolen goods resale (SB 276), which drew opposition over permitting and criminalization concerns. The Assembly also passed or concurred in a number of Senate bills dealing with local government finance and infrastructure, public contracts, the Delta, fairgrounds compensation, and San Francisco liquor licenses, as well as AJR 3 on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Most measures were approved on roll-call votes with few no votes; SB 227 and SB 276 were urgency measures and received the required two-thirds support. The consent calendar was adopted unanimously, and the day concluded with several adjournment-in-memory tributes, including remembrances of former Assembly staffer Lawrence Merman, Jeff Brady, Fran Urcini, and Alejandro Luna, before the House adjourned until the next morning.
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Floor Session Aug 28th, 2025

California House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Assembly Joint Resolution 8 by Assembly Member Haney, relative to immigration.
  • , including immigrants who are fleeing war, disaster, and repression.
  • Others are Haitians, Nicaraguans, Nepalis, Yemenis, and Venezuelans, immigrants who are essential to
  • So we are not against immigration, we are not against asylum.
  • This bill ensures judges provide the standardized immigration advisement already required by the Penal
Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, heard a prayer and pledge, and then moved through a long consent and concurrence calendar. Early procedural actions included returning AB 1308 to the Senate, rescinding prior action on SB 863, and later taking up additional items that had been passed temporarily. The chamber also heard several guest introductions recognizing a young dance champion, district staff, and an intern, along with announcements about peaches gifted to members and reminders to secure floor managers for Senate bills. The floor then considered a series of concurrence items and resolutions on topics including water infrastructure (AB 580), telehealth access (AB 688), insurance (AB 815), housing approvals and ADU enforcement (AB 920, SB 9, SB 543), environmental quality (AB 1139), immigration and temporary protected status (AJR 8), federal education policy and IDEA funding (AJR 19), Deaf Awareness Month (ACR 112), and Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid cuts (AJR 3). Most measures passed with little or no opposition; AJR 8 drew debate over TPS and immigration policy and was adopted 49-7, while AJR 19 passed 53-2 and ACR 112 was adopted by voice vote. The Assembly also passed several Senate bills on criminal procedure, local government, retirement, taxation, community colleges, public health, public employment, alcohol licensing, fairgrounds compensation, and the Delta Reform Act, among others. Notable contested items included SB 301 on retirement contract restrictions, which drew criticism over pension costs but passed 56-2, and SB 276 on regulating resale of stolen goods in San Francisco, which passed 57-1 despite concerns about added permitting and criminal penalties. Urgency measures SB 227 and SB 276 both cleared the required threshold, and SB 395, SB 650, SB 493, and SB 8 also passed with strong margins. The session ended with adjournments in memory honoring former Assembly clerk Lawrence Merman, Jeff Brady, Fran Urcini, and Alejandro Luna, followed by adoption of the consent calendar and adjournment until the next morning.
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Floor Session Jan 16th, 2026

California Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • She fought for the rights of the poor and for global human rights, ensuring that Dr.
  • And finally, the time is always right to do what is right.
  • Civil rights activists such as Dr.
  • As was mentioned by my colleague, the time is always right to do what is right.
  • Act and the Civil Rights Act.
Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then moved through routine announcements and motions. Senator González obtained unanimous consent to print a letter in the journal. The chamber then took up Senate Concurrent Resolution 107, honoring Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with extensive floor remarks from many senators reflecting on King’s legacy, civil rights, nonviolence, economic justice, solidarity across communities, and current concerns about discrimination, immigration enforcement, and threats to democracy. Speakers from multiple caucuses and affiliations supported the resolution, including Senators Richardson, Archuleta, Choi, Smallwood-Cuevas, Blakespear, Pérez, Weber, McNerney, Wiener, Reyes, Cabaldon, Rubio, and Alvarado-Gil. Their comments emphasized King’s leadership, the Letter from Birmingham Jail, the Poor People’s Campaign, and the need to continue his work through policy and civic action. Senator Richardson closed on the measure, and the Senate adopted SCR 107 by roll call vote. After the resolution, the Senate moved to adjournment in memory. Senator Pérez honored Alhambra Police Department Officer Alex Sanders, who died in a vehicle pursuit accident while on duty. Senator McGuire remembered Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, with additional remarks from Senators Becker and Laird about his cultural impact and philanthropy. Senator McNerney and Senator Alvarado-Gil then honored the victims of a Stockton mass shooting, including children Journey Rose Guerrero, Maya Lupian, and Amari Peterson, and a 21-year-old, Susanna Archeletta, describing their lives and the community’s loss. The session ended with the Pro Tem noting the day’s reflection and announcing the Senate would reconvene on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.